GOP Nominee
Former Candidates
If you mention the name “Mitt Romney” in a post, you generate a lot of comments. Most of those comments could have been copied and pasted with minor changes from posts written months ago. Why does a conversion about Mitt Romney generate so much heat and so little light?
We’re not covering new ground on the Mitt Romney front. The arguments for him and against him have been rehearsed for months. We all know what the arguments are.
Still a post about Romney generates 200-300 comments in a few hours. There’s some deep emotion there.
I think a lot of Romney supporters feel robbed. They defend Romney so emotionally because he (and by extension they) were wronged by the primary voters. When you come so close and lose that’s not an unusual reaction. As a former supporter of Mike Huckabee I had an easier time letting go.
The opponents of Romney seem motivated by different things. Many of them resent Romney’s flip on social issues. Some social liberals see it as a selfish betrayal and some social conservatives see it as insincere pandering. The back and forth during the primary also turned off some supporters of other candidates. On a deeper level a lot of people seem turned off by Romney the man. He could be championing everything they believe in… and they’d still hate him. For a few there are religious undertones to the hatred.
I think it’s a sign of the fractures in the Republican Party that so many still feel deep personal loyalty to Romney and that so many others feel antipathy towards the man.
I’m lukewarm about Mitt Romney. I’d like to see some more polling to gauge whether he really helps or hurts in battleground states.
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:33 pm
I have moved on - ill vote for him if he is the veep.
but it was hard. i still think he is a salesman…
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I’m probably as anti-Romney as they come.
But, if Romney were to prove his latter-day conversion to conservatism by running for the Senate from one of “home” states and actually serving as a conservative for 12 or 18 years – I might support for him for VP.
Otherwise, the one-term liberal governor from Massachusetts can take a walk.
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:39 pm
I don’t want to distract from the other thread, but the reason I did, do, and will support Mitt Romney is because, to me, he seems like exactly the person the GOP needs - an unqestionably clean, competent, and experienced candidate in a party that has become the party of incompetence and corruption. He has the domestic experience the party is going to need to be competetive in the coming decades, where war and international conflict of the military variety will become rarer and rarer.
The GOP was at its best when we had leaders like Gingrich and Reagan - who recognized the importance of strong Conservative policies on the economic, foreign, and social fronts. I see Romney as the only GOP candidate this year, and the best GOP candidate in four years, to follow in their footsteeps - largely because he supports the same things, and has the record of strong leadership in hard times.
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:45 pm
I admit that I have a deep personal loyalty to Mitt, a man-crush if you will.
I wrote about the possible Veep selection announced here on my blog, here is the link: http://mydryfly.wordpress.com/2008/07/22/is-it-mitt/
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:46 pm
3-concur
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Well said act-blog that is also the reason why I and many other people supported Romney during his run for the nomination. I was born in Nov of 85(after Reagan’s 2nd innauguration) but I believe in the Reagan brand of conservatism and I saw Mitt as the person who would carry on that mantle.
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:55 pm
I think many Romney supporters were actually suprised how well he did. I remember how optimistic Mitt seemed even when he was sitting at singel digits nationally. It wasn’t until Michigan, or maybe it was Florida that Romney took the lead nationally. What was hard for his
supporters was that the whole, Crist/Timetable debacle happened right when Romney was a hitting a high in polling (which I why
McCain had to pull those stunts in the first place). It was also a shock that Romney pulled out so abruptly, especailly when he
had just won big in Michigan, was leading or a close second in FL and CA etc… Yes, Doug, we were disappointed. I was actually a bit envious of Huckabee supporters who got to ride it out a bit longer for their guy. Of course, Huckabee didn’t do himself any favors by doing it but it gave his supporters more time to come to grips with the end of his campaign. Romney supporters received no such luxury. All we got was an awesome CPAC speech,
then a quick exit.
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Mitt just should have avoided the social conservative movement and ran solely on his turn-around acumen and the economy. It was his pandering to the religious right that screwed him. If there is a lesson, it is to always stick to your guns.
By the way, has anyone written about how Giuliani’s campaign was arguably the worst campaign in the history of politics. That may be a good story to tell after the general election and we all look back at this Presidential season.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:00 pm
I liked Romney when he was Governor of MA. And although it is not perfect, I agreed with his health care plan.
Romney lost me when his handlers had him go negative in IA and NH and when Romney changed positions on Immigration.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:01 pm
“Mitt just should have avoided the social conservative movement and ran solely on his turn-around acumen and the economy. It was his pandering to the religious right that screwed him. If there is a lesson, it is to always stick to your guns.”
I disagree here - Social Conservatives are what really got Mitt started. He would not have jumped to the lead in IA without them, and without IA, he never would have gotten off the ground. Besides, I believe social Conservative views are Mitt’s own.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I will support Romney as VP, of course, because McCain is the top guy and will be the one actually making decisions. I still believe that Mitt Romney is our John Kerry, a used car salesman type of politician… that’s why he didn’t win the nomination. Not enough people were convinced that he was the true conservative, the next Ronald Reagan he and his supporters proclaimed him to be. I think he’s a pretty solid debater and could really take on any Democratic VP in the VP debate. I still do have a lot of antipathy toward Mitt, as someone who supported McCain and Huckabee as well. I think economic prowess is good to have, but Mass. under Gov. Romney’s leadership had the 47th-worst job creation in the U.S. And I’m also not sold on his vote-getting potential (though he’s a strong fundraiser). I don’t think Mitt will drastically hurt the ticket (i’m under the impression that people ultimately vote for the president, not the vice president), but I don’t see him swinging any state or voter group to McCain that McCain can get on his own.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:02 pm
I don’t think Romney would have done as well if he did not embrace the pro-life cause. Remember in states where Romney and McCain finished 1,2 Romney generally won the abortion should be illegal group while McCain won the abortion should be legal group.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:02 pm
300 or bust
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Mitt Romney is the ONLY candidate who can strengthen the McCain ticket and help return precious pride, dignity and self respect to our country.
He has a proven record of success in his personal life and his business life - a great business man which is exactly what we need - a man who knows how to run a business and balance a check book. He should have been our nominee - let us hope that the “evangelicals” realize the value of his experience to our country
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:03 pm
I think Romney was the best candidate of the cycle… but that’s not saying much.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:03 pm
“Mitt just should have avoided the social conservative movement and ran solely on his turn-around acumen and the economy. It was his pandering to the religious right that screwed him. If there is a lesson, it is to always stick to your guns.”
Exactly.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:06 pm
ICYMI…
Here’s the link to John McCain’s interview with Katie Couric from earlier today.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:10 pm
When is McCain going to go on the offensive and set his own campaign strategy and agenda?
Day after day and week after week, McCain is just responding to BHO. Right now, this is a very slow moving train wreck, and it is depressing to watch. BHO is so much in the driver’s seat right now it isn’t even funny.
BHO is incredibly vulnerable on experience and judgement. If McCain tosses either of those out with his VP pick, it will be an even sadder day for the GOP. 130+ days in the Senate, and you want to run the country? Go pander to the europeans… McCain needs to drive these issues home relentlessly while deflecting BHO’s attacks at McCain’s age.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:10 pm
#11 - which is kind of why its ok if Mitt becomes VP, because it gives him four years to make connections and prove his views - but that is if he gets picked.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:20 pm
#17 Aron, do you notice that McCaib has also been going after Reid, as well as Obama? I wonder if Reid has very low poll numbers, or is it a joint strategy with the GOP Congressional leaders.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:23 pm
It is a smart strategy for McCain to tie BHO to Reid and the very poorly rated DEM run congress. This attack, of course, would be even more effective if McCain wasn’t himself a member of that same congress…
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:26 pm
16 is right. That is what turned me on to him in the first place. His ability to solve prolems with leadership and competence. The turnaround agent.
He screwed up by trying too hard to galvanize the social conservative behind him when they obviously were hesitant.
I think in the long run this may cause problems for him. He veered of message.
I have to admit his is salesman like. Not hard to see. I just let that go because I thought n office he would od a wonderful job.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Swint, #8, you are dead on correct. I am an Evangelical social conservative who graduated from a Southern Baptist Seminary and I was a huge Romney supporter. I know that most people who have been on here for at least a year or more know how strongly (and many times insanely) I supported Romney - even being featured in one of his NH television ads. But, I wish he would have run on his economic prowess, Olympics turn-around history, real world corporate experience, and healthcare. Of course, I don’t have a problem with his social conservative views but I think that had his team had a little bit more insight they should have been able to see that the economy was going to trump everything else. Hell - I bet you Romney knew that but he listened to his team instead of following his gut. Romney should have done nothing but talk about the economy for the past year and now we would be wondering who Romney was picking as his VP.
Kristofer - I completely disagree with you about “negativity” in IA and NH. If we won’t allow our candidates to tell the voters about their differences we might as well just go back to back room cigar filled deals and just give up the whole voting process. If voters were supposedly turned off by Romney’s contrast ads, then so be it.
Damn myself - I kept telling myself I wasn’t going to re-hash the primary season.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:36 pm
“Damn myself - I kept telling myself I wasn’t going to re-hash the primary season.”
It’s only natural and i’ve probably done it a few times as well. No different from say your favorite college football team losing to their rival and you playing “armchair QB”
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Thanks Sean. I’ve read every comment from the last 3 or 4 posts (all concerning Romney as VP) and I kept saying that everyone had pretty much covered everything and I wasn’t going to turn into Act-blog but I guess i now have done just that.
But, I’m glad to see Anne and Maya make up.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:41 pm
You know, I like the guy. I just don’t like the inconsistencies on the issues….and I don’t think i ever heard him “confess” that he was wrong for his previous positions on the issues. I guess it does sound like pandering to me, because he won’t accept responsibility for being wrong. Really, he would have been much better suited to run for a different office first weather it be Senate or whatever, and build conservative credentials on social issues before taking up “the mantle” of social conservatism. He should have been jockeying for a convention speech this time around, rather than “running”. If he had done that, and made his positions more clear on the issue much farther ahead of running for president…..he would be the next Ronald Reagan. Reagan messed up once on abortion. He repented and was sorrowful for it. He gave speeches and completely turned around from an FDR Democrat, to a Solid Conservative acrossed the board. But what I loved the most about Reagans brand of politics, was his willingness to admit he was wrong when he messed up. It was brave, strong, and a courageous way of taking on the liberals. Could Romney be the next Reagan? Sure. But if he runs as VP and we lose, his brand is lost in 2012. Jindal, Palin, Huckabee in 2012 will take him out. He needs to take a pass on it, and if we end up winning without him, he should take a cabinet post and continue to work for the conservative movement, until his time comes. Did I like Mitt when we started out? No. Do I like him now? Yes. Would I go back in time and change my support to be for him if I could? No. Because I was right, and he was inconsistent. We need Mitt to do “something”. Being VP on a losing ticket isn’t one of those things.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:41 pm
ESG (Doug) I just want to take a quick moment to thank you for recognizing Mitt’s changes in social stances for what it is, “flips”, rather than flip-flops. Thank you.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:42 pm
I love Mitt Romney- I honestly started to tear up at the CPAC conference when he conceded. When he did so it completely cemented by feelings toward him- as a guy who just wants to get the job done, and sometimes gets sucked into politics in the process. When he said “I would continue if this race were about me- but it’s never been about me”, it was exactly what I was looking for. I just see him as being such a good person. Not perfect, of course, but a good person and a great executive. I’m okay if Romney’s not the VP pick; he’s meant to be no.1, not no.2. But it would be a wise decision to pick him. I feel something very similar when I hear people spew anti-Romney hatred as I do when I hear people call Bush a liar and a bad man. The man’s not perfect by any means, and I honestly wouldn’t vote for him in a primary if that were possible, but I do believe that he’s a good man who truly wants to do what’s best. Liberals are the people who smear people of character, not conservatives. I have found the many personal attacks against Mitt a little discouraging. It shows that the GOP needs rebranding more now than ever.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:48 pm
David actually there’s a video on youtube where during an interview Romney does say that he was wrong for his past position on abortion.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:48 pm
#23, I will not argue the points with you, we should not re-hash the primary season. You are correct on this.
As discussed on this blog on the past, no matter who McCain nominates as VP, Mitt Romney will be the leading candidate in 2012 or 2016. This is historical fact. The runner-up is always the next in line (only recent exception was Bush in 2000).
Although I am against Mitt for VP, I have to say, last week he had one of the most effective attack lines.
“I do think that, frankly, Barack Obama looks towards Europe for a lot of his inspiration,” … “I think John McCain is going to make sure that America stays America”
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I hope the VP rumor is true. McCain is getting eaten alive by Obama. And no help was in sight. Romney is the not-so-secret weapon that can expose Obama for what he is - empty vessel probably describes it best. Mitt is totally substance. Uses facts and directness in his winning debate style. Not a battle in life he has run away from, from what I read,to the contrary he succeeds where failure is a foregone conclusion. His campaign is the exception, but I think the full story hasn’t been written on that one yet.
He treats his wife great.
His kids adore and are willing to sacrifice for him.
The story about finding the missing co-worker’s daughter.
The pics of him with funky hair helping the CA fire victims.
Him falling in line after graciously stepping out of the race - knows how to lead AS WELL AS follow.
Is he perfect? No, as the MSM pointed out, though his hair is. He is a weirdo Mormon, and has nerdlike tendencies, apparently seems plastic to some because he is so polished and competent. But I can live with those “flaws”, and he’s definitely the kinda guy I’d like to have on my payroll. I also get the distinct impression he doesn’t want to tell me, or my family what to do - what car to drive, where my thermostat should be at, what church to go to..nor does he have the incredible urge to dismantle our military. Strength, he says. I say, RIGHT ON.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Mitt is a superior man, and there will come a time when superiority will be what Americans are looking for. Henry Steele Commager once said: “Americans don’t want a first-rate president. They want a 2nd-rate president. In Taft, they got a 3rd-rate president.” In Obama they will most assuredly get a 3rd-rate president, if he wins. McCain will give Americans a 2nd-rate president if he wins. But if Mitt is on the ticket with him, there will be a first-rate president waiting in the wings….and right now, that’s the best we can hope for.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Kristofer, the next in line has never been a loser from the prior ticket?
McCain wasn’t
Bush wasn’t.
Dole lost with Ford in 76 but it was 20 yrs later that he was the guy
Bush wasn’t
Reagan
Ford
Nixon is the only real case of a presidential ticket loser coming back and winning or even being nominated.
I think if McCain goes with someone other than Romney and loses, Mitt is the clear frontrunner for 2012. If Mitt’s Vp and they lose, Mitt is finished, or at least in much worse shape.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:56 pm
MacisBack08 (11) If you have been following the NRO, you would have know that if only 3% of the votes has gone Romney’s way, it would be Romney’s nomination. The race really is much more closer, too close for you to claim “that’s why he didn’t win the nomination.” The few states that McCain won at that time, when he surged (no pun intended) ahead, was mostly win-it-all.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Romney’s story is interesting. I think he would have won the nomination had it not been for Iowa. And he was winning in Iowa until a bunch of people got together and made a late push for Huckabee, completely derailing Romney’s plans. I think come 2012, if he is in a situation to run again, he’ll skip Iowa altogether. Let’s face it, the reason Romney lost is because he is a LDS-Mormon. Every charge you anti-Romney people lay against him is the same charge people are still saying about McCain. People (like my neighbor) believe McCain is a RINO, a womanizer ala Clinton, a maverick for the sake of being a maverick, an opportunist, and he can’t be trusted to pick good justices. McCain needs everything Romney can offer: the organization, the public appeal, the debating ability, the fund-raising, and the executive experience.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:06 pm
#33 Jim, that was my point.
Reagan lost in 76 became nominee in 80
Bush lost in 80, became nominee in 88
Dole lost in 88, became nominee in 96
McCain lost in 2000, became nominee in 2008
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:11 pm
And the thing that turned me hard core into a Romney-is-the-man person was the YouTube clip of him leading the riot in Mass against the activist judges and obstructionist legislature forcing radical change in the social structure on the American people. I say riot, it was an orderly protest but hit me with the strength of a comet. Who would have the guts to do that, I thought? Something so unpopular, yet so right for the people and SO in touch with the US Constitution? No, this was no political career zealot. This guy wanted to serve. Make things better. Right or wrong, that was my conclusion. Awesome moment, realizing there’s something other than “more of the same” out there.
This scenario is mirrored in CA, where we fought for Prop 22 and it passed by a huge margin, then activist judges TOTALLy overruled the will of the people, now embodied in the law, and determined that the judges just needed to restructure society and too bad for the peasants out there….that stuff steams me. Mitt and like-minded patriots could lead the charge to restore the balance of power, is my far-fetched but important hope.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:12 pm
You want more polling? Look at K. Parker’s articel on RCP. It references a not yet released poll that indicates that Romney makes a huge difference in Michigan (Huckabee and Jindal do nothing). If Romney is selected as VP, peolpe will be surprised at the excitment it generates in a lot of important states: Michigan, Nevada, Colorado, Florida, Washington, etc. Sure, some hard core huck fans will make a lot of noise but McCain will not lose one state because of Romney. Hope McCain has that figured out.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:13 pm
But sadly, Schwarzeneggar is no Romney, and apparently no conservative. Are we at 300 yet, or shall I go on?
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:14 pm
“MacisBack08 (11) If you have been following the NRO, you would have know that if only 3% of the votes has gone Romney’s way, it would be Romney’s nomination. The race really is much more closer, too close for you to claim “that’s why he didn’t win the nomination.” The few states that McCain won at that time, when he surged (no pun intended) ahead, was mostly win-it-all.”
A loss is a loss, especially when Mitt was up by double digits in IA and NH up til about a month before the IA caucuses and NH primaries.
What 3% are you talking about?
Huckabee beat Romney by 8-9 pts in IA. McCain beat Romney in NH by 6 pts. He beat him in FL by 5 pts.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:21 pm
“If Romney is selected as VP, peolpe will be surprised at the excitment it generates in a lot of important states: Michigan, Nevada, Colorado, Florida, Washington, etc.”
Michigan, I can see Mitt having a positive impact. NV, CO, FL, WA… no way. Mitt won the caucuses in NV and CO because the small, but active Mormon populations in those states came out in droves for Mitt. The more important group in NV and CO (and FL) are Hispanics… the lack of support among FL Hispanics is what defeated Romney in the FL Primary… I see no evidence that anything would be different in NV and CO.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Kristofer, there’s a difference between losing the nomination and losing the election.
If Reagan had lost on Ford’s ticket he likely wouldn’t have gotten the nod in 1980. Once you lose on the nat’l level, it’s tough sledding. Ask Edwards, Lieberman, Kemp, Quayle, etc…
I meant if Mitt gets the VP nom and the ticket loses, he’s pretty much done
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Kristofer,
McCain is tying Obama, who incredibly said just yesterday, that knowing what he knows now, he still would not support the surge, to Harry Reid’s comment last April, as the surge was just getting underway, that “this war is lost.” It reinforces the narrative of defeatism within the Democratic Party, and the accompanying poor judgment of encouraging the emboldening our enemies, allowing chaos to ensue, and sacrificing the hard-fought gains that have been made. Furthermore, it helps solidify the already strong perception that McCain would be a good commander-in-chief, and there is just cause to maintain the fear that Obama would not.
According to the most recent Washington Post/ABC News poll, whereas 69% of Democrats said Obama would be a good C-in-C, just 44 percent of independents and a mere 19% of Republicans agreed. By contrast, 56 percent of Democrats, 74 percent of independents and a near-unanimous 94 percent of Republicans stated that McCain would be a good commander-in-chief.
Conversely, 25 percent of voters do not think McCain would be a good commander-in-chief of the military; which pales in comparison to the (almost) half of the electorate (48 percent) that say Obama would not be a good commander-in-chief.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:26 pm
While I would not be surprised if Romney does not run in 2012 at the age of 65, I would sure love to see it come down to a 2 man race with Huck. All republicans will have their say. From New York to Florida. From California to Georgia. From Nevada to Mass, from Michigan to Virginia, Arkansas and Montana. That would be fun.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:33 pm
#42, Jim, we AGREE, and I am 100% sure Mitt will not be McCain’s VP, which was the basis of my point.
#43, I watched the video (CBS) you posted a second time, and I must say I was impressed with McCain. McCain finally seems motivated to “get dirty” and challenge Obama’s extreme and incorrect positions. It was difficult to argue with any of McCain’s points, as he is so well educated on military affairs. Couric attempted to “catch” McCain on a couple of points (what wars do you actually know how to win), and McCain’s answer was very impressive and confident. Couric was definately out of her “weight class”.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:33 pm
And talking down the other candidates doesn’t make Romney better, but I can’t help myself. Huckabee was such a tool. Winking at McCain during debates, proclaiming himself the only Christian leader…just because you say it doesn’t make it so. Act Christian, my friend. That’s the drawback in thinking heaven is assured you - doesn’t matter how petty you get, I guess. I liked Giuliani, but even he knew his personal life was a mess, and apparently not that important to him. McCain was grumpy and desperate at times. I wasn’t the only viewer that saw one guy head and shoulders above the rest. One, still, at the time, relatively unknown guy. And in spite of what some of you have said on this site, Romney was the ONLY one who didn’t get personal in his attacks. He was factual. And decent. Boy the MSM whined he was making “attack” ads. But they were scared of the guy. Even Dean the Screamer ultimately fessed up that Romney curdled their blood. No wonder they think we’re rubes - we picked McCain when we coulda had a Romney.
Now I’m making all of you mad. I’m sure of it. This is how I see things.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:35 pm
#44, there would be a third candidate - reform. Either Gingrich, Palin or Jindal. That race would include all three wings of the party.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Super smart, outstanding character, an effective leader and executive, a wonderful family man, rich and beholden to no one.
Yes he wavers on issues, I think he has a please the customer mindset from business that causes him to pander too much to voters, but we could do so much worse than Romney.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:39 pm
If Romney’s on the ticket, Repubs win. Why? Lotsa lotsa folks out there, like me, looking for something familiar out there to vote for. Independents find it. Libs find it. They have a choice. Conservatives are coming up empty handed. Put Romney on the ticket, the sleeping giant awakens. You will see people, like me, passionately get involved because at least now there is a chance we will be heard. And have SOME say in the direction of this country, this great country, unparalleled in the history of the world. This election cycle, it just feels like we were handing our freedoms and hard won progress over to the libs to shackle us up. I couldn’t get it through my head. McCain dresses like a conservative at times, but we all know once he’s elected he’ll kick us in the head. ON important stuff, too. Because he’s done it before. And Obama, well forgetaboutit. He’s already citing the Communist Manifesto to the troops over there….
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:43 pm
> #8, Swint: “Mitt just should have avoided the social conservative movement and ran solely on his turn-around acumen and the economy. It was his pandering to the religious right that screwed him.”
Romney’s problem was that if he had run on his record, he’d have been running as a centrist, a moderate conservative, and that spot was already overcrowded — the two leading Republican candidates at that point, McCain and Giuliani already had the center taken.
So Romney looked around, consulted his advisors, and decided: “If there are two guys splitting the moderate vote, my best bet is to become the right wing candidate.” And that’s what he did. It was a perfectly logical decision and one that was very easy to make for a guy who has no real convictions.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:44 pm
maya, I understand you support Romney, but he had many political failures in the primary campaign. He was not (maybe is not) ready for President. Mitt may excite some bloggers and DC pundits, but Conservatives on Main street are not knocking down the door for him to join the ticket.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Kristoff - If you make it relative to the other candidates, however, Romney is ready for President. Conservatives on Main street came out in droves to vote for a relatively unknown who seemed to them, at least, more conservative than McCain. MSM was stunned. Chris Matthews was stunned, and angry. He blamed it on the filthy, dirty, conspiring Mormons. I don’t think there are that many Mormons, at least legal ones, on the record I mean. But even you are on this site posting, which is about what? How hot Romney is. I rest my case Hunny
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:53 pm
BobH that’s a nice narrative. Look at monogamous Romney, never drank, smoked, swore (at least publicly that we know of), pushes shamelessly family values, tightwad who loves balancing budgets….fought publicly agains gay marriage….yeah, he’s a moderate. How do you define conservative by the way?
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:54 pm
> “Conservatives on Main street came out in droves to vote for (Romney)”
Unfortunately, he was about three or four droves short.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Let’s finish off the string by commenting on how outrageous and elitist Obama is, whaddya say? Who’ll go first?
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:55 pm
btw, Bill Kristol on FOX tonight said Ridge for VP. take that fwiw
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:58 pm
#54 that is unfortunate. But let’s see how this plays out. I underestimated antipathy toward Mormons. Say Romney won the nomination. Who knows what woulda happened? A LOT of Evangelical hatred brewing out there, even now. But now, if liberal McCain gets Romney in the back door….it’s a stretch. I know. But could Romney actually end up in a better position to help conservatives than he would have by winning the nomination? Pure speculation. But old age has taught me that things aren’t always what they appear to be on their face.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Billy Kristol, isn’t he that comic that did the Oscar’s one year? What does he know?
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:01 am
maya,
I gave my heart to HearMeRoar, so only she can call me “Hunny”.
#56, Kristol is starting to tick me off. 1st Jindal, then Palin, then Ridge…holy smokes!
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:05 am
Krauthammer and another guy (cam’t think of his name right now) said it would be Mitt. I think Jim forgot to mention that!
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:10 am
fyi…the gasline just passed the Alaska legislature. Energy prices will continue to drop tomorrow and I am guess someone’s VP stock will rise.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 am
IT’S RIDGE!!!!!
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:35 am
Romney is a phenomenal leader. You don’t have to personally like him or his religion to see that. And enough with the polls already! We don’t need polls to tell us who would make the best president. Its in their resume, its part of their record. He has proven himself to be an extremely intelligent decision-maker. He sides with conservatives on most key issues. He has a great family and sincere devotion to them. What more do we need to know?
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:37 am
Obama: Surge Doesn’t Meet Long-Term Goals
CBS News Video: Katie Couric speaks with Barack Obama about his foreign policy objectives and his position on the war in Iraq.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:45 am
41: There are not that many LDS folk in Colorado to swing the vote as big as it swung for Romney. Cut that thinking out.
Apparently, however, Coloradoans are not bigots. Yay for that.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:12 am
Romney’s problem is the same as Obama’s. Neither one respects voters. That’s not a leader.
Dirty filthy lies:
My ads don’t call McCain’s immigration plan amnesty.
I never supported timetables in Iraq.
I won’t use our government funds for embryonic stem cell research.
I don’t have lobbyists running my campaign.
There’s a good reason voters found Romney so untrustworthy. It’s the same reason none of the other candidates showed much respect for Romney when he was running.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:22 am
I love how Doug Forrester says that some people are turned off to Romney on this site for religion-related reasons (presumably he means me), but he never mentions that virtually all of the Rombots on this site are Mormons.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:28 am
MSNBC Video: Giuliani likes the Yankees and McCain
July 22: Rudy Giuliani, former Republican Presidential candidate and former New York City mayor, discusses the veepstakes, Obama’s trip to Iraq, and the possibility of rebuilding the twin towers.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:33 am
#67 - I would venture to say there are more non-mormon Romney supporters on this site than you want to beleive.
I am a non-mormon Romney supporter.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:53 am
Alex, thanks for the compliment. I love that I didn’t give excuses for bigotry also.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:57 am
#67 - I would venture to say there are more non-mormon Romney supporters on this site than you want to beleive.
Rather disproportionate, I’d say.
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:00 am
I’d like to point out there’s a difference between Mittbots and Romney supporters.
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:22 am
61. Hey Hunny! That’s GREAT news about Palin and the gas line. Looks like the trooper brouhaha is imploding too. Ted’s right, McCain will have gone insane if he doesn’t choose Palin for VP.
July 23rd, 2008 at 8:29 am
Can anyone here help me with some computer issues? My wife’s computer is acting ridiculous and I was hoping somebody could lend some insight and lead me through the process of searching for, finding and deleting the viruses that I think have taken over her computer. you can reach me at rbrun79 at gmail dot com
Kavon - sorry for hijacking your site. I just know there are some very very computer savvy folks on here.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I like how some of you blame Romney’s loss because of “Evangelical bigots” that wouldn’t vote for Romney. Heck, Romney got 1/3 the evangelical vote in Iowa. However, Romney got 92% of the vote in Utah thanks to Mormons. Who are religious bigots?
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Anne, (1)only 70% of Utah is LDS, so they had a whole lot of help from non LDS.
(2)Have you checked to see what percentage of Utah went GWB? Hmm, take away the non-LDS and he probably hit 92% also. I would bet on it.