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Campaign Crawlers
Is It Still Mitt’s Turn?
Republican rivals try to stop the “inevitable” Romney.
HOLLIS, N.H. — J.D.’s Tavern at the Radisson Inn in Manchester was crowded Saturday night with the elite of America’s political media. Famous faces from TV news mingled with less-famous but nevertheless influential writers from major publications. Waiters brought food and beverages — and still more beverages — as midnight passed in the hours after yet another nationally televised Republican presidential debate. One of the more famous bylines among the journalistic throng delivered a harshly negative verdict on the proceedings that had just aired on ABC.
“They were weak,” said the writer. “They didn’t bring it.”
By “they,” he meant the various challengers to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. The pre-game forecast for Saturday night’s debate was that the non-Romney conservatives would rush to attack the man who is the overwhelming favorite to win Tuesday’s primary here in New Hampshire. But the promised assault on Romney — in a debate that had been hyped up like a professional wrestling match — never materialized, much to the disappointment of the journalist in J.D.’s Tavern.
“Look, I’m a reporter,” he said. “You know I’d love this thing to go all the way to the convention, but… C’mon.”
His point was that the other candidates, by missing opportunities to take the fight to Romney, had helped the well-funded frontrunner move perceptibly closer to becoming the inevitable GOP nominee. And it was hard to dispute his conclusion, despite my own hope — one shared by most other conservatives — that somehow this year the Republican Party can avoid its predictable habit of nominating the “It’s His Turn” candidate. It has been alleged, by Sarah Palin among others, that the “mainstream media” are more or less conspiring to hand the Republican nomination to Romney. However, there are many in the press corps who would very much love to cover a long and bitterly contested GOP battle that goes all the way to the August convention in Tampa. Such a Republican donnybrook becomes far less likely if, as polls now indicate, Romney scores a decisive victory here in the Granite State. Thus it was that some reporters had hoped that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich or former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum would turn Saturday night’s debate into a sustained beatdown of Romney, but they did not. Romney escaped that debate with nary a scratch. While his conservative rivals committed no major gaffes, neither did any of them hit Romney with the kind of shattering blow that would undermine his status as the favorite to win New Hampshire. And if Romney adds a strong New Hampshire victory to his razor-thin win last week in Iowa, he will enhance what Amy Walter of ABC has called his “mantle” of inevitability.
The fight that didn’t happen Saturday night, however, finally broke out Sunday morning in a Meet the Press debate whose moderator, David Gregory, has seldom been accused of objectivity. Goaded by the liberal host, Gingrich and Santorum eagerly took their shots at the leader. Gingrich called Romney “a relatively timid Massachusetts moderate … who I think will have a very hard time in a debate with President Obama.” Next came Santorum who said that, in Romney’s failed 1994 Senate bid against Democrat Edward M. Kennedy, Romney “wouldn’t stand for conservative principles. He ran from Ronald Reagan. And he said he was going to be to the left of Ted Kennedy on gay rights, on abortion, a whole host of other issues.” Evidently mindful of his own need to appeal to conservatives who seek a feisty champion to go up against Obama, Santorum continued: “We want someone, when the time gets tough — and it will in this election — we want someone who’s going to stand up and fight for the conservative principles, not bail out and not run, and not run to the left of Ted Kennedy.”
As combative as Romney’s rivals were Sunday morning, some said it was too little, too late, coming just two days before Tuesday’s first-in-the-nation primary here. Veteran political analyst Michael Barone suggested that Romney locked up the nomination Saturday night, and American Spectator alumnus Philip Klein lamented: “Had this all happened in September, we may be looking at a race where Perry had just won Iowa and was well ahead in South Carolina, while Huntsman was nipping at Romney in New Hampshire. But this isn’t September.” Klein noted Santorum’s late emergence as “the leading conservative alternative to Romney,” but observed that what Republicans are “left with is a situation in which Romney is so far ahead in his quest for the GOP nomination, that barring a major catastrophe, he’s unlikely to lose.” Both Barone and Klein, like most other journalists covering the campaign in New Hampshire, discount the possibility of Santorum’s post-Iowa momentum making a dent here. The crowds showing up to see Santorum in New Hampshire — including at two events Saturday here in Hollis — are large and enthusiastic, however, and the possibility of an unexpected surge for Santorum is one of the uncertain factors in the final hours of the Granite State campaign.
Polls indicate two certainties in Tuesday’s result: Romney will win, whatever his margin of victory, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry will finish a distant sixth, following on the humiliating fifth-place finish in Iowa that nearly caused the former frontrunner to quit the race. Perry hasn’t actively campaigned here recently, and has now apparently invested all his hopes in the Jan. 21 South Carolina primary. Polls show Texas Rep. Ron Paul a solid second place in New Hampshire, where his libertarian message meshes well with the state’s “Live Free Or Die” motto. Tuesday may prove the high point of Paul’s campaign, while it will likely be the last hurrah for former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman. The Obama administration’s erstwhile ambassador to Beijing provided a comic moment Saturday night when he criticized Romney’s anti-China rhetoric in Mandarin Chinese. The improbable GOP candidate whom I long ago dubbed “Governor Asterisk” has been unable to break above the low teens in New Hampshire polls, despite extensive advertising and near-constant campaigning here. No one expects Huntsman to finish better than third Tuesday, and if he can’t win here, he has no real hope of winning elsewhere.
These relative certainties leave little dramatic tension to be resolved by Tuesday’s vote. Observers will watch closely to see which of Romney’s two leading conservative challengers, Gingrich or Santorum, finishes higher in New Hampshire. Most polls show them bunched together with Huntsman in the fight for third place and, if Huntsman’s candidacy will have no other impact on the 2012 race, by finishing third or fourth, he could relegate Gingrich and/or Santorum to an embarrassing spot in the back of the pack in the Granite State.
The other closely watched factor will be Romney’s final percentage here in the state that has been his must-win “firewall” from the beginning of the yearlong campaign. Romney’s share in the influential Real Clear Politics average of New Hampshire polls has increased from a low of 33.3 percent on Dec. 17 to 40.2 percent as of Sunday evening. Yet the most recent Suffolk University tracking poll seemed to indicate a slight decline in Romney’s support, down to 35 percent. Should Romney finish in the mid-30s Tuesday, he would be perceived as still vulnerable going into the crucial South Carolina primary ten days later. But if Romney gets much more than 40 percent in New Hampshire, the sense of his inevitability could overwhelm what remains of conservative resistance to the “It’s His Turn” candidate.
About the Author
Robert Stacy McCain is co-author (with Lynn Vincent) of Donkey Cons: Sex, Crime, and Corruption in the Democratic Party (Nelson Current). He blogs at The Other McCain.
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Oasis| 1.9.12 @ 6:28AM
Once more article that is just blather. Oh, don't get me wrong, it is interesting to read. But none of this matters for most of us.
It is only January 9th but in another 48 hours probably two more of those in this race for the White House will bow out. At least one will.
And I have no idea why.
(yes, there is always this: The "candidate X, Y, or Z never really wanted the Presidency job in the first place)
Iowa is only a few days in the rearview mirror and it doesn't matter a hoot anymore, just like the other 47 months before last week and after last week.
My problem, Mr. McCain, is that you and all the other pundits who do this for a living (how much do you really make in terms of $$ for doing this? I cannot imagine it is enough to afford much of a life), my problem is that: We're still 57 days from Super Tuesday on March 6, 2012.....
Yet we'll already have our GOP party candidate to face down B.O. (the POTUS) prior to the states that allow voters to particpate on Super Tuesday.
And most of you dear readers live in states that come AFTER Super Tuesday.
So, Mr. McCain, as I have been asking you and all the other staff here to do for the last 2 months: Write an article on how this folly called our "primary process" somehow is a good 'process' for allowing Americans to choose not just our leader but the leader for the free world.
You might have one or two readers from Iowa and New Hampshire actually read this web article today. A handful will perhaps this week stop by this ASO site.
There are approximately 180 million adult Americans eligible to vote in this country. Yeah, sure, many primaries rightly so exclude registered Democrat voters.....but just doing the simple math.....we let the couple of hundred thousand Republican registered voters in Iowa, NH, Nevada, South Carolina, and Florida determine for the rest of us just exactly who the next U.S. President will be.
If you live in Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Idaho, or Oregon State, or California, well, tough luck chump(s) Your thoughts, preferences, ideas, and vote matter as much as squirrel manure.
Or? Am I wrong on this, dear ASO readers?
That's our real problem. This daffy primary system is flawed worse than Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Coast water projects.
It is so goofy and nonsensical as to keep a decent thinking man from ever throwing his hat into the mamouth and grotesque effort to aid his country by taking on the responsibility of serving in the White House. Lofty and admirable as this might be, no one with a brain would lend any credence to our stupid way of choosing.
Remember: You probably live in Maryland or New Jersey or Arizona. Maybe Colorado. Nobody is asking you what you want for a U.S. presidential candidate because this race is about 16 days from being entirely over.
L. Ross| 1.9.12 @ 7:36AM
I could not agree more. I am so sick of New Hampshire and Iowa. Either develop a rotating primary system, or go back to the smoke filled rooms. Can you imagine how different things would be if ONCE, just once, California, or Texas, or New York was first in the nation. Yes, it would be expensive, but you would have more people voting than the first three states have now.
Jack in Wi.| 1.9.12 @ 7:45AM
I have stated for weeeks that the whole nomination will come down to Ron Paul and Willard Romney. They are the only ones with any real national support and organizations. Romney has all the power and money of the banks and the old Republican elites. They almost always win. The young insurgents of Ron Paul will never vote for Willard. Unless their is some way put forward to heal the breach Obama will be re-elected. If it is between Romney and Obama, I am sitting this one out. Better the country sinks under Obama then Romney. At least if Obama is President there would be some opposition.
emilio lizardo, PhD| 1.9.12 @ 7:53AM
Why will the country sink under Romney? Not disagreeing with you necessarily, just asking.And would it not be preferable to sink to a lesser degree- the Romney scenario- than to crater under a second Obama term?
Jack in Wi.| 1.9.12 @ 8:47AM
I think that Romney would be worse then Obama because the conservatives would be divided like they were under Bush. There was no effective opposition in the country, because both parties were in lock step. They are both owned by the special intrests. With Obama in there, and hopefully a strong contingent of conervatives in Congress, there might be some principled opposition. With Romney it would be more of the same and the opposition would be from the left. Romney would almost certainly flop, and the left would come back in control with a vengence. The country will sink under either Romney or Obama. Let Obama and the left get the blame. Then maybe we can rebuild.
emilio lizardo, PhD| 1.9.12 @ 9:02AM
valid points
Kade| 1.9.12 @ 2:25PM
Yes – valid points indeed.
There would be opposition from the right if El-Rushbo and gang called out a president Romney when he veered left but the track record of these pundits is for covering up for liberal Republicans.
One solution would be for conservative Internet posters to continually demand that these talking heads call out Romney when he inevitably deviates from his conservative campaign promises. Romney is our Clinton -- he can be pushed to the right from the base if we get the help of talk radio. Better than the country going under.
Kade| 1.9.12 @ 3:37PM
Remember when the base pushed back on Harriet Myers and got Roberts because talk radio was forced to side with outraged conservatives and go against GWB -- dittos for the Dubai Ports sellout.
All empty-suit Romney wants is power; he has no core convictions – thus a president Romney can be pushed to the right if conservatives are united and organized beforehand and do not let him skate from the get go. .
chuck| 1.9.12 @ 8:39AM
" If it is between Romney and Obama, I am sitting this one out."
Will you shut up ,too?
And take Clint with you?
I may have to reconsider Romney!
Mr ED| 1.9.12 @ 12:22PM
"So, Mr. McCain, as I have been asking you and all the other staff here to do for the last 2 months: Write an article on how this folly called our "primary process" somehow is a good 'process' for allowing Americans to choose not just our leader but the leader for the free world."
Nicely said. The "nomination" process isn't set up to allow the actual people to decide who they might like and/or why, it is nothing but a pro forma coronation of the candidate desired by the Ruling Class elites on the RINO side.
And now that the RINO powers that be think they have the nomination all sewn up for Romney they begin a new tactic, claiming that doing exactly what Romney did in Iowa (savaging Gingrich with a mix of half-truths and outright lies) is somehow beneath contempt and akin to party treason. I say screw 'em. The Roves/Inghrams/Coulters/O'Reilley's and similar Ruling Class mouthpieces can go screw themselves, I no longer listen to or read anything they have to say. I do respect smart but I have zero respect for clever, and those who believe that Romney is the clever choice because he can appear Lib enough to convince the so-called independents to vote for him is nothing but a too-clever by half cynical calculation on behalf of the Lesser of Two Evils game played every four years by the Ruling Class elites. I remember well the same game four years ago by the RINOclass saying the same things about McLame. Only McLame could appeal to those precious "undecided independents" so they rigged the nomination process (especially the open primaries that allow the Libs and Independents in) to get the RINO they desired. Good tactic that one. It really paid off in buckets of election gold, didn' it?
But even if somehow McLame had gotten elected, what would we have? A RINO president who thinks his job is to please the two masters he really serves - The Lib MSM and his fellow RINOs, thats what. So McLame wins and the Ruling Class elites on the RINO side get their turn at the government trough and alls right with the world, eh? All the while more and more power continues to accumulate in Washington and with it more and more of the country's wealth, which is rapidly flushed down the drain and into the pockets of the connected. Whoopee. We won!
No more RINOs. Ever.
Clint| 1.9.12 @ 6:37AM
Gingrich Super PAC to attack Romney for Bain Capital work?
The effort to derail Mitt Romney’s presidential quest heightened dramatically on Friday when a super PAC associated with Newt Gingrich outbid all comers for the rights to a scathing 30-minute attack video depicting Romney as a greedy, job-killing corporate raider “more ruthless than Wall Street.”
In a season filled with negative ads and rhetorical crossfire, the striking feature of the film, aside from its mini-documentary length, is its authorship. The film was made by Jason Killian Meath, a former associate of Romney’s top strategists, Stuart Stevens and Russ Schriefer. Meath had worked for the Romney campaign in 2008, creating much of the ad content for that failed effort. He left Stevens and Schriefer’s firm, SSG, in 2010. Meath declined to comment on his project, referring inquiries to the pro-Gingrich PAC Winning Our Future…
“A story of greed,” the narrator intones. “Playing the system for a quick buck. A group of corporate raiders, led by Mitt Romney. More ruthless than Wall Street. For tens of thousands of Americans, the suffering began when Mitt Romney came to town.”
The Tea Party Rebellion Is On The East Coast.
Appleby| 1.9.12 @ 6:53AM
How long until someone reveals that Mitt Romney's name is actually Willard?
I agree that the Press is awarding the Stanley Cup in the first period of the first playoff game, and telling the whole of North America that they might as well go home. A group of people who are settled in for a hard-fought and thrill-packed NFL Playoff season is pitifully eager to end the race for the Presidency in the first 10 minutes of the first quarter of a relatively unimportant game . (Oddly enough, they have not yet started handing out Superbowl rings to the Denver Broncos. )
Could the Press get a major clue that the rest of the country does not care who the inhabitants of Gucci Gulch have annointed as their personal favourite dog in this hunt, and just get another beer and shut up until the game is a little farther advanced?
Oasis| 1.9.12 @ 7:19AM
Good idea. Except, rather than just getting another beer, I'd prefer they reach for something much stronger. Lethal even. The worst plague known to man after fat, dumb politicians, scum bureaucrats, and luney lawyers is those in the media who think they get to to tell us how, what and when to think.
All those tavern media visitors should have been served antifreeze as far as I am concerned. And the staff weenies working for the pols can down the glasses with them.
The only useful item in this windbag writer's article was the reminder that made-for-TV-stardom Romney couldn't beat an already old and "beyond sell-by date" Teddy Kennedy.
In the prime of his life and with all his God graced gifts, Romney couldn't beat one of the greatest saps this nation has ever known. Means: Ole Mittens just ain't all that sharp.
After all, four years ago ....Romney lost to the wheedler John McCain.
VonMisesJr| 1.9.12 @ 7:38AM
Spot on Appleby. If Romney wins after 50 state contests, so be it. He will be a million times better than Obama.
But this blather goes hand in hand with the lead article today of the unconstitutional acts by the POTUS that go unchallenged by the GOP. The fact that the Republican "liberal-lite" establishment wants to control whom our candidate is tell us that it is not any longer R v. D, or Red v. Blue, or Conservative v. Liberal; it is Ruling Class v. Country Class.
I chose to be ruled by no other than G-d and my conscience. Otherwise is to be a serf of a slave. For we are already seeing both parties handing out others wealth to consolidate increasing power.
bill| 1.9.12 @ 9:53AM
Romney stole IA, will buy NH, but lose in SC and FL. He's a dead man campaigning.
VonMisesJr| 1.9.12 @ 10:12AM
Isn't it amazing that 2 votes turned into 22 votes for Romney and is not being reported?
So instead of supposedly winning by 8 votes, he lost by 12. And that is assuming more votes were not stolen for the Heir Apparent, or is that hair cream wearer.
L. Ross| 1.9.12 @ 7:40AM
Really, not fair to pick on somebody's name. They didn't choose it.
Clint| 1.9.12 @ 7:23AM
We Are Being Set Up By The RINO-CINO Flunkie Stooges For The Ruling Elites' Frontman Mittens Romney.
These Are The RINO-CINO Flunkie Stooges Who Gave Us The Serial Traitor To Conservatism, John McCain Of McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy,McCain-Lieberman,Gang Of 14, Opposing Bush Tax Cuts Of 2001 & 2003,TARP.
Now They Are Trying To Give Us RomneyCare,TARP, Cynical Flip-Flops On Abortion, Gays, Refuses to Sign Pro-Life Pledge, Illegal Immigrants, "Little Chain Saw Al" At Bain, Crony Capitalism Campaign Money Trail.....
The Tea Party Rebellion Is On The East Coast.
Kade| 1.9.12 @ 7:28AM
It seems that the open primaries are designed to ensure a RINO win. Anyone know if SC, Florida and other early states are open or closed primaries? Isn’t this open primary system what gave us McCain in 2008 and things are still the same?
Have the talk-radio guys spearheaded any change in this open primary rigged system or are these GOP establishment hacks just preaching to the choir about Obama 24/7 ?
Indy| 1.9.12 @ 7:41AM
SC is open, I think FL is closed
talkradio200| 1.9.12 @ 2:05PM
I believe it's the other way around.
NedB| 1.9.12 @ 7:49AM
I grew up in Hollis and now live in Nashua. I know all the sites he spoke of in town.
I also managed to miss that mess as did my parents who still live in town.
Now from a couple of the comments, I can see that people misunderstand NH during primary season. Our philosophy is simple.
"Welcome! Ask your questions! Spend lots and lots of money! Now please leave." ;)
martin j smith| 1.9.12 @ 7:50AM
Is Romney the hand picked choice of the Establishment and the Socialists ? Well if so then he will not have strong support. From he has no support-except maybe in so far as his name on a ballot means the not-Obama. Think about that. There are millions of voters who feel as I do.
Anthony| 1.9.12 @ 8:04AM
We have a Constitutiional crisis on our hands, and a president complicit in the murder of a border patrol agent, and all Mittens McWillard can say about King Obozo is that he is a nice guy with wrong ideas!!
Way to go Mc Willard; you keep up the John McCain campaign of losers because some D.C. fool tells you to be easy on Obozo out of fear.
We need leadership and straight talk about the Muslim Marxist president, and all we get from McWillard is Bush 41/McCain Marquiss of Queensbury losers.
Oh well, I guess it will be us ordinary Americans that will have to take control of Washington, since both parties are corrupt, feckless and weak.
Dixie Pixie| 1.9.12 @ 10:34AM
Anthony....Best of luck “taking control of Washington”.
It would be called an armed insurrection and be treated rather severely by the Ruling Class.
Anthony| 1.9.12 @ 2:41PM
Yes, Dixie, but so was the American Revolution. This time, I'm confident the military would be on our side.
Dixie Pixie| 1.9.12 @ 5:33PM
That is a very bad idea Anthony.
Remember Waco.
As I noted in another TAS thread the current political environment is moving away from the concept of popular sovereignty to the concept of Party sovereignty in which political legality derives from the State through political organizations centrally organized by the controlling Political Party.
Political legitimacy thus stems from State Structure held together by police force.
As a result, the police forces would welcome such an insurrection, so it could demonstrate and further increase their power by bloodily crushing the political opposition.
The State thus increases its political legitimacy by the existence of external threats to itself.
So Anthony, playing into their hands is a very bad idea.
The belief that political legitimacy comes from the people has been dying for some time.
The problem of the philosophy of State power derived from police force is it will soon become clear whoever controls the police controls the country.
The police organizations will then fight each other to appoint its leadership to run the government.
The USA will go down the same road as the Roman Empire where Legion fought Legion for the title of Cesar.
The results will be the same as what the Romans got.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.9.12 @ 8:16AM
The article kept referring to Romney's conservative rivals. Which ones are Robert Stacy McCain referring to?
The only candidate who gets close to being a conservative is Rick Perry and his speaking skills are sorely lacking. He should have hired a speech coach months ago and prepped himself better.
There is no conspiracy as Sarah Palin has alluded. There does not need to be a conspiracy.
The Republican Party itself is a conspiracy against conservatism. Starting with Ronald Reagan the Republicans have signed on to ever bigger government. Even the welfare reform turned out to be a joke since Clinton rigged the Social Security disability system and millions piled on.
Romney has more skills in the private sector than the rest of the field put together. That's why the Republican establishment hates him.
If there is any conspiracy it's the conspiracy of stupidity that appears to permeate the leadership of the Republican Party. Politically, they are retarded. OOOPS! Hope Sarah Palin doesn't see that. She hates that word.
Al Adab| 1.9.12 @ 10:41AM
What your analysis shows is that we all continue to expect things from Washingotn which it was never designed to provide. Until we stop with wrong expectations, the problem will continue. Given that the Pesident has declared himself to be Ceasar, we might note that the fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.9.12 @ 10:46AM
Good comment. At least someone is not retarded.
Edward Cropper | 1.9.12 @ 8:20AM
Why don't you just pick a random article about the primary battles by one of your writers, leave the name off and reprint it.
Those would be conservative stalwarts who keep babbling the same tripe about the anti-Romney candidates and the Republican elites who have already picked the candidate, are getting old .
I am an original Goldwater supporter who worked and campaigned for Barry down to the wire. We lost not because of the backstabbing Rockefeller gang or the biased liberal press, but because of the basic political ignorance of the American voter. That is the same thing that we are dealing with today and all the high toned pontificating by today's "Conservative Writers" will not change that.
richard ryan| 1.9.12 @ 8:22AM
When this presidential circus is over, the most important thing is getting an R beside the president's name. I think we will get the SENATE. The question then becomes, are the Senate and Romney going to be conservative enough to go along with the Paul Ryan? Enough to put free markets back into action in health care and business? I hope so.
KyMouse| 1.9.12 @ 9:19AM
As much as I hate to do it, I've decided that I will vote for Romney if he is the GOP nominee and the only contender who could get Obama out of the White House.
bill| 1.9.12 @ 9:50AM
Romney is helping Obama get elected another 4 years.
KyMouse| 1.9.12 @ 11:34AM
Could be, Bill.
I'm not for Romney in the slightest, but if he turns out to be the GOP nominee, and therefore the only "viable" opponent to Obama, I guess I'll have to hold my nose and vote for him.
Still, it's a long way until November, and the world may be a very different place by then.
bill| 1.9.12 @ 12:07PM
KyMouse,
Romney is for
-abortion
-gay marriage
-climate change
-RomneyCare
-trade war
-gun control
Romney will lose in SC and FL, and never wins the GOP nod.
We have to settle with Rick Perry, he'll be the surprise winner in SC and FL.
bill| 1.9.12 @ 12:07PM
KyMouse,
Romney is for
-abortion
-gay marriage
-climate change
-RomneyCare
-trade war
-gun control
Romney will lose in SC and FL, and never wins the GOP nod.
We have to settle with Rick Perry, he'll be the surprise winner in SC and FL.
Ted| 1.9.12 @ 12:54PM
I will not vote for Romney. In Romney v. Obama its the same principles, different man. That's not much of a choice.
richard ryan| 1.9.12 @ 1:27PM
Ted,
If there are enough of you out there, you all will destroy the nation for our children. You must know there are huge differences between the 2 men and their philosophies. I'm so tired of this BS about "both parties are the same.. blah blah blah. Yes, some republicans have caved in and spent too much, etc. But we all must realize the real damage in this country has always been done by democrats. And the republicans who irk me the most are those that let them do it. But putting them in the same category is so far off its ridiculous.
Anthony| 1.9.12 @ 2:43PM
Ted, the Muslim Marxist say thanks, Mission Accomplished!!!
Margie| 1.10.12 @ 12:26AM
KyMouse,
Good for you. Let's just pray he isn't the nominee.. I am wanting Newt, Perry or Santorum.. we shall see soon enough.
bill| 1.9.12 @ 9:21AM
My assessment on both debates:
Romney was robotic and shred.
Santorum was confusing and exposed.
Gingrich was angry and scripted.
Ron Paul was great on monetary policy.
Huntsman was scripted and fake.
Rick Perry was articulate and authentic, but was not given enough time (allotted only 5 min in a 90 min debate) to express his view, and was interrupted over and over.
Rick Perry once again showed that he's the most viable candidate in the GOP field.
scotchieguy| 1.9.12 @ 9:47PM
Yeah, and he actually makes Bush 43 seem articulate. What was that third department he wanted get rid of again?
bill| 1.9.12 @ 9:30AM
Romney and Santorum, both are "big government RINO." Romney will buy NH but will be derailed in SC, where voters will reject his stances on RomneyCare, abortion, gay marriage, climate change. Santorum also will get trouble with his support of big labor unions, NCLB, Medicare Part D, Arlene Spector, raising debt celling 5 times, and cannot win in SC. Ron Paul has no chance in SC because of his foreign policy. Gingrich has to explain his stances on climate change, individual mandate, immigration, lobbyists, and will be placed at the bottom in the election night.
Rick Perry has southern heritage and conservative credentials. He needs to campaign hard in SC to convince voters there that he's the only Washington outsider who can fix current fiscal crisis and overhaul Washington once and for all. He needs to revive, rebound, and regain his campaign.
Rick Perry will win in SC.
Al Adab| 1.9.12 @ 12:21PM
But Bill, there still remains that closeted issue about Perry. I do not know the truth of it and it would be good to see SC and FL eliminate the east coast establishment. We need to concentrate on the states which will deliver electoral votes in November.
richard ryan| 1.9.12 @ 1:32PM
Nothing would make me happier than seeing Rick Perry win this thing and move to the white house. Perry is right on almost all of the issues. He is not Bush, and he is certainly not an idiot. But the media would shred him. Obama's ad money would have Americans believing he Perry is unintelligent, and worse than W at expressing himself.
bill| 1.9.12 @ 1:50PM
richard ryan,
The GOP race is still wide open. Romney will win in NH but be sucked in SC and FL. Romney is a "kiss of death."
Rick Santorum OPPOSED "right to work state" law, wile SC is fighting over Boeing, Santorum has marginalized his chance in SC. No chance in 2012.
Gingrich is wounded and bleeding to death.
Huntasman is a clown.
Ron Paul cannot win SC with his foreign policy.
That left Rick Perry be a shoe-in in SC. He has southern heritage and conservative credentials. SC will fall in love with Perry and embrace his conservative policies. Perry will win in SC and FL.
Kade| 1.9.12 @ 10:30AM
Romney is the only one coming out strong against China ripping us off and that resonates with voters across the political spectrum. Mitt is channeling Donald Trump’s talking points but Flip is a long time globalist and cannot be trusted.
Santorum needs to copy Romney on this smart pro-American strategy before the SC primary.
bill| 1.9.12 @ 11:09AM
Romney is for
-abortion
-gay marriage
-climate change
-RomneyCare
-trade war
-gun control
That will do for Romney. He'll lose SC and FL, and never wins the GOP nod. Ahh..........
Paul from SA| 1.9.12 @ 12:20PM
bill,
Add higher taxes on corporations, businesses, individuals and even blind people.
You should read Deroy Murdoch's article at NRO on Romney and his tax hikes as governor in Mass.
Why is this being reported just now?
bill| 1.9.12 @ 1:07PM
Yes, I read the article from NRO, and that's why I'm supporting Rick Perry of TX.
Paul from SA| 1.9.12 @ 12:05PM
Exactly. Romney is a big-gov't liberal who wants to use gov't to control me.
Protectionism is big-gov't for liberals who want to control citizens.
Free trade is for conservatives who support individual freedom and liberty.
Who controls my decision to buy something? Me or Obama?
Our inability to compete, high taxes, high labor costs, high regulations, and tons of environmental laws are not China's fault. How is China ripping us off? Because we can't compete with their labor, tax, regulations and environmental laws?
We're both manipulating our currencies, which hurts it's citizens in the long run.
In the future, China will be on its knees, hoping we don't default on our debts.
Kade| 1.9.12 @ 1:17PM
China is ripping us off because they manipulate their currency, subsidize their exports, disregard pollution, cheat on trade agreements, have lower standards especially on drugs, employ slave labor and are generally a lawless country. Since when should we give a communist country our vital industry, nurtured and bred by hard working Americans?
There is no such thing as free trade and Clinton’s NAFTA and all the rest of the sweetheart free trade deals, including Obamaa’s latest Korean one. are libertarian not conservative. Protectionism of one’s country’s sovereignty and independence is conservatism.
Paul from SA| 1.9.12 @ 10:39AM
This is the wierdest GOP primary I've witnessed. I think it's very destructive to both Republicans and conservatives. Never has there been more constrast between the two groups.
Republicans are supporting a life-long liberal candidate who now says he's a conservative. A few years ago, he was a liberal on all issues. Neither side believes him. Conservatives know better. Republicans are lying about him to win.
Republicans are stooping low. They've resorted to using liberal tactics against conservatives, having to lie and spin to persuade. Sometimes, I think Republicans just don't like conservatives and that explains their cheap attacks. The truth no longer matters to Republicans.
Republicans operatives are saying the NH primary is the most important of the entire schedule. Huh?
Ann Coulter said there's only 2 issues this election: ObamaCare and immigration -- the 2 issues that Romney is the best on, that Romney is the only candidate who wants to repeal ObamaCare. Huh?
She said Perry supports national amnesty? Huh?
She said Romeny being for cap and trade is a lot better than being for amnesty. Huh? Romeny was the one for amnesty, not Perry.
Republicans are attacking Perry today saying he wants to re-invade Iraq. Huh?
Romney will lose worse than McCain.
Is the Republican party 25% liberal and 75% conservative?
There will be a third party if Romney is the GOP candidate. But it will be worse than that. The GOP and conservatives will make a permement historical split and go in different directions.
I'm tired of not being represented. I will not vote again for a liberal Republican.
somnolence| 1.9.12 @ 10:59AM
The last President who was truly conservative was named Coolidge. Conservatives and the GOP can split into separate parties, but it won't win national elections as a third party in the lifetimes of most of us on this page.
Paul from SA| 1.9.12 @ 12:15PM
Coolidge? Wasn't he the one who brought us out of the worst economic depression in American history back in the early 1920s by cutting spending, cutting taxes and cutting debt, that led to the roaring 20's?
Perhaps that is the future of our country. If not, the Republicans will have to compromise with conservatives and stop trying to destroy conservatives every election.
Or, big Republicans will have to open their eyes to their heartfelt desires and finally join the Democrat party.
There is a natural philosophical split: small gov't vs. big gov't. Republicans can't be both and be successful, politically.
Nite| 1.9.12 @ 12:10PM
Just look at totals. There are nearly 70% of the GOP voters that say anyone but Romney. I won't vote for another liberal. We have one of those in the WH and see how that turned out.
bill| 1.9.12 @ 12:11PM
Romney is Steelers's Ben Rothelsberger who stumbled, fumbled, injured, and threw interception in the playoff game. While Rick Perry is the Tim Tebow, who made no mistakes and won the game with an extraordinary performance.
Santorum and Gingrich are "Monday morning quaterback."
Ron Paul is 78.
Al Adab| 1.9.12 @ 12:23PM
Bill,
We haven't heard from W yet this morning. Fantastic second half and a lighting bolt overtime.
bill| 1.9.12 @ 12:21PM
We must change our presidential primary process:
NH is a state with only 1.3 million people and 4 electoral votes, and still is a crucial player determining the next GOP nominee, in a country with 312 million people and 535 electoral votes. Whoever wins in NH will be shoe-in for SC and FL. In 2008, McCain won NH, and absorbed SC and FL, and became the GOP nominee. The significance of SC and FL in GOP race is enormous. SC has 9 electoral votes while FL has 29 electoral votes. In the general election, NH is not a factor. But for GOP nominee, winning SC and FL is a big deal. McCain lost FL and was defeated.
The presidential primary has some glitches. Instead of NH, NY or PA should hold its primary in the NE. In the south, FL should hold its primary before SC. In the midwest, MI or IL should hold their primary before IA.
Bigger states should have bigger role than smaller states with no influence in the general election.
In the general election match up, nobody cares about NH or IA or SC, but FL, MI, IL, NY, PA are states candidates must win.
WE must change our primary race.
Boar Hunter| 1.9.12 @ 12:33PM
Gosh it's almost like the Obama establishment is picking our candidate for us.
Lets see what are our choices? Obama the commie or Romney the hapless flip flopping weak willed coward who can't even say Obama has done anything wrong.
Vote Romney, who passed Obama care and sent his own people to help Obama write his own!
Vote Romney, who will not overturn one single solitary Obama policy.
Vote Romney, who will see to it that the liberal Apparatchiks Obama appointed remain safely ensconced in their government jobs dismantling America.
No thanks! You all go on without me.
This country is so screwed up that we could back anyone against Obama and the anyone we chose is Obama light again?
Thanks Republicans!
You gutless cowards!
You detestable, despicable corrupt vermin!
You want my vote? You want my money?
I want America back!
Paul from SA| 1.9.12 @ 12:51PM
Yep.
For those people who say they'll vote for Romney because he's the lesser of the two.... What if the choice was between John Kerry and Obama? Or Howard Dean and Obama?
Once again, it's a false choice.
David| 1.9.12 @ 1:13PM
It is time to unite behind Santorum. What I read last week after the Iowa should speak volumes to people.
Gingrich's campaign manager was asked by a reporter if now that Santorum has risen to the top tier, if Gingrich would attack. His reponse was "no Rick's a good buy". Hmmmmm to all you Gingrich supporters.
Ron| 1.9.12 @ 1:47PM
I honestly feel like the days of the Republic called the United States has set before our eyes...The destruction started a little over a hundred years ago, has gotten steadily worse, and the final act is being played out.
Willard Romney is the best that we, as conservatives, and patriotic, freedom loving Americans can hope for? And please no comments about how Dr. Paul is the great Air Force officer, and conservative. he is right up there with every other politician...Can we clone George Washington?
canuckistani| 1.9.12 @ 3:22PM
Solutions for a free election process:
1. End tax deduction for campaign donations
2. Rewrite campaign finance law to enable only individuals to donate.
3. Hold national primaries - or if not feasible, have a lottery for first in the nation at the party congresses in off years.
It has to be possible for California, Texas or New York to be relevant to the selction of candidates as much as they deliver electoral votes in the final analysis.
martin j smith| 1.9.12 @ 2:08PM
There are a couple of big things-ideas--that I think voters need to study:
1) the Republican Party's leadershit do not want to win this election
2) The Republican Leadershit sabotage chances byallowing MSM to run debates
3)The Republican Party Leadershit set up not only unrealistic but un-plausable basis of running this election by not calling Obama out for his Socialistic and Un -Constitutional behaviors. And most of wlll how they have destroyed this country.
Paul from SA| 1.9.12 @ 3:07PM
It sure seems like a repeat of 2008.
First they chose McCain over our objections. They refused to attack candidate Obama. Then the Republican party let Sarah be destroyed. We found out later some of the trash talk about her intellect, sexuality, children, family and the clothing tab came from McCain's own campaign staff. Later, one of them wrote a book attacking Sarah.
It makes me think they've infiltrated the upper ranks of the RNC. Why is former chairman Michael Steele always on MSNBC and never on Fox News?
Next time, they'll choose Colin Powell for us.
shipley130| 1.9.12 @ 2:10PM
Good old Mitt....I saw the PAC ads before I didn't see them.
Joe D.| 1.9.12 @ 2:29PM
I hope these establishment writers and yourself are wrong. I still believe that is the case. If Romney wins we, Americans, have lost our once great country. And Civil war #2 needs to start against these socialist/communists.
Boar Hunter| 1.9.12 @ 2:35PM
It was very early in the morning. A light mist ebbed and flowed across the ground which added to the surreal feeling of the topography. With spears in hand, me, my son's and a few tag alongs were stalking a very large russian boar through the brush on the north side of a very steep canyon.
Suddenly the beast exploded from the underbrush and charged the two of us walking the lower side of the hill. Of the two of us, this four hundred pound missile of muscle, sinew and bone suddenly brought his full attention to bare on me, with the thought of using it's five inch long tusks to destroy me...and then my son.
I heard a loud noise behind me and realized Clint and Jack from Wi had begun screaming. Although distracted by their screams, having prepared both myself and my equipment for this battle, I leveled my spear knowing without looking that the flat of the blade would pass by the side of the boars face and in its rage, the boar would do what was impossible for me to accomplish on my own.
The boar, in it's rage, drove the eighteen inch long blade of my spear through its own thick hide, through its protective cartilage and deep into its chest. As it began tossing me around like a marionette, my son arrived and the boar was defeated with another separate deadly strike.
There will always be those like Clint and Jack who are nothing more than a distraction in every battle we face in life. People like Purp, who serve no purpose at all except to perhaps clean up back at the camp. That is to say as long as your family and property can be secured against his larceny and lascivious.
With Romney or Ron Paul in the lead, these naive simpletons would be the ones who would go, hat in hand, to the enemy camp to politely ask for the release of our wives and daughters, believing they simply didn't understand how much they meant to us.
If we were ever to live in such a world, I want to be by men. Men, who knowing I am willing to stand up to the charge of a wild boar on their behalf, would do the same for me. Men that understand that if the enemy takes your wife from you, if he dares to take your daughter, you will follow him back to his camp and kill him as a deterrent to those others who are only now thinking and plotting to do the same.
Mimi| 1.9.12 @ 3:06PM
The layers are peeling off Romney....Is there a CORE there
The layers are peeling off Mitt...is there a core there?
I'm just not liking what I see there. At least Newts dirty laundry is out there swaying in the breeze, Yes and for all to see, and what you see IS what you get.
We all have a choice...Mr. slicked down perfect hair.."arn't I just it" GUY...OR A Patriotic Bull who takes it apart and FIXES it for Good, knows how to get his hands dirty, blunt to our enemies and a forgiven sinners heart!
Margie| 1.10.12 @ 12:31AM
Definitely prefer Newt to Romney, and for the reasons you stated.
Better a forgiven and repentant serial Adulterer in the White House than an unrepentant Marxist!
Al Adab| 1.9.12 @ 5:30PM
Gang:
Let us remember that this is the guy we rejected four years ago in favor of McCain. Why in heavens' name would we nominate him now?
somnolence| 1.9.12 @ 6:16PM
Newt is a patriotic 'bullshitter" who has been a LIFETIME politician, serial adulterer, a personality that WILL NOT carry America at large, and another Washingon insider hack, who, like Paul and Santorum, are also immune, unlike the rest of us, from not participating in insider trading. And to top it off---$175,000 per year pension along with the other perks of course. Spare me the crap about Gingrich being an effective icon.
Clint| 1.9.12 @ 10:44PM
Do Your Homework RINO-CINO Liar.
" New Book Releases for September 2011 - Ron Paul has never taken a government junket, does not participate in the lucrative Congressional Pension Program, returns a portion of his annual Congressional Office Budget every year, never voted to raise taxes, never voted for an unbalanced budget, never voted to raise Congressional Pay, never voted to increase Executive Branch Power"
The tea Party Rebellion Is On The East Coast.
Mimi| 1.10.12 @ 10:18AM
TRUTH IS....He is effective, what we need ...HE DID!!!
somnolence| 1.9.12 @ 6:19PM
Oh, and if Romney wins, I'll be glad to fire some ammo in anyone's direction above who participates in civil war just because of that. I think you will soon find out you are outnumbered.
Mimi| 1.10.12 @ 10:20AM
Out numbered? add up the Conservative numbers to the moderate ones...Hmmm!
rhoetus| 1.9.12 @ 6:29PM
After loosing to Ted Kennedy in 1962 Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr won NH in 1964. Has anyone heard from Mr. Lodge since?
As long as Republicans nominate Liberals: Bush41, Bush43, Dole, McCain - America will continue down the road of financial disaster. Romney looks a lot like HCL Jr.
bill| 1.9.12 @ 9:56PM
Romney is a liability for GOP, not a savior.
POST American| 1.9.12 @ 10:22PM
---------------------FINAL WORD-----------------------
"I'm not saying Romney is evil.
But he is a liar, front man and certainly
a Globalist.
Newt Gingrich IS EVIL."
-ALEX JONES
(yesterday)
About sums it up.
WHY Infowars is now #2 ---in the world.
Rockefeller ------------NOT.
Margie| 1.10.12 @ 12:33AM
Newt Gingrich is Evil??
Well, the Bible does say we are ALL ruined sinners.. but God looks at a repentant heart.
Personally, as to Evil, I'm not too awful sure about Alex Jones!!
drowningpuppies| 1.10.12 @ 2:38AM
Not really worried about the Republican nominee. No matter who it is O is toast. What should worry people is the seats in the Senate. If the Republicans don't use this election to gain a majority in the Senate, all is for naught. At least the 2010 Republicans in the House are standing strong.