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Campaign Crawlers
Mitt’s Men Don’t Plan to Fail
Does the Romney campaign have what it takes to beat Obama?
Ryan Williams ate his tacos quietly, his blue eyes staring into space with the intensity of a man thinking about urgent business. Amid the afternoon crowd inside the Tortilla Coast restaurant on Capitol Hill last week, no one seemed to recognize Williams, who is almost 30, but looks young enough to be a congressional intern. Yet the man quietly eating his tacos was, in fact, thinking about the enormous challenge his team must accomplish in the next six months: Defeating the President of the United States.
Exactly where Williams fits on the organizational chart of Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, I’m not sure. Most often called a “spokesman” for the former Massachusetts governor, Williams is still listed as a “regional press secretary” on some public charts, but was more recently described as “Romney’s furiously efficient national press secretary.” Whatever his title, he is a key player on Mitt’s media team, a veteran operative who first started working for Romney a decade ago during the Republican’s successful 2002 gubernatorial campaign. An alumnus of Boston College, Williams began his career as a teenage volunteer on the lowest rung of the political ladder, stuffing envelopes and licking stamps. More recently, he’s been shadowing President Obama on the campaign trail, appearing at events to give reporters instant feedback on Romney’s behalf. When Obama officially launched his re-election campaign with a Saturday rally in Columbus, Ohio, Williams was there to send out photos of empty seats in the upper deck of a 20,000-seat arena that was barely two-thirds full for the presidential appearance. Williams also fired off a quick response dismissing the speech at Ohio State University as “a retread, a cut-and-paste job of President Obama’s 2008 campaign rhetoric,” an inadequate defense of the president’s “record of exploding deficits, job losses and fiscal mismanagement in Washington.”
This is what’s known in campaign work as “message discipline,” hammering away relentlessly at the same basic theme, avoiding distractions, in an effort to prevent the press from shifting their focus away from the targeted issue. Team Mitt’s superior message discipline accounted for much of Romney’s success in the long primary battle that came to an effective end last month when GOP rival Rick Santorum suspended his campaign. While Santorum and other Republican challengers — including Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Atlanta businessman Herman Cain, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich — always seemed to be fighting some controversial distraction, Romney kept plodding along, talking about jobs and the economy. Reporters seeking exciting scoops seldom got any juicy exclusives about the Romney campaign, which seemed to be operating on a strategy of methodical blandness. Having entered the campaign as the odds-on favorite — the “It’s His Turn” candidate in the Republican field — Romney avoided controversy, watched a series of rivals rise and fall in the polls, and deployed his fundraising superiority with devastating effect at key moments.
Ruthless efficiency is the hallmark of a professional campaign operation. Watching Team Mitt in action during the primary season left no reason to doubt that, if sharp work by an experienced staff can make a difference, Romney’s operation will deliver a solid performance for Republicans. The question now, as the general election campaign gets fully under way, is whether Team Mitt will be good enough to beat the equally professional Obama operation. Among the skeptics is Philip Klein of the Washington Examiner, who last week criticized the Romney campaign for having “taken the bait, reacting to whatever Team Obama has decided to make an issue.” Klein cited three examples: Democratic operative Hilary Rosen’s attack on Ann Romney, a report that Obama had once admitted eating dog meat, and the administration’s “spike the football” celebration of the anniversary of the Navy SEAL raid that took out Osama bin Laden.
Republican reactions, Klein said, enabled those stories to “dominate the political headlines,” distracting from a steady drumbeat of negative economic news: “If the campaign is about bin Laden, identity politics and silly controversies about dogs, an Obama victory is a lot more likely. To seize control of the campaign, instead of merely being reactive, Romney has to put Obama on the defensive about his own record.”
Certainly this is good advice, although the pessimistic appraisal by Klein — an excellent journalist who spent many years as an American Spectator reporter — may overstate the extent to which the Romney campaign departed from its accustomed discipline. We’re still in the spring-training phase of the general election fight and Team Mitt just finished off their remaining primary opposition. The GOP pushback against the Democratic message machine — including Rosen’s misguided effort to demean Ann Romney’s ability to address women’s economic concerns — could be seen as a preliminary warm-up exercise for the Romney campaign, serving notice that they would cede none of the battlefield. The effort by Democrats to claim that Republicans were waging a “war on women” utterly failed. Obama led Romney by four points (49 percent to 45 percent) in a late March poll by Gallup, but Romney had squeezed ahead 46-45 in Gallup’s most recent tracking poll. This positive trend for Romney (or, perhaps, this negative trend for Obama) has been mirrored in other polls: Less than a month ago, on April 10, Obama led the Real Clear Politics average of national polls by more than five points (48.5-43.2), but now leads by just over two points. The four most recent national polls show either a tie or Romney narrowly ahead.
What about the Electoral College? Romney’s chances look promising there, too. An article in Sunday’s New York Times seemed to find a suspicious amount of optimism for Obama in the key swing states, but could not ignore the fact that the nine crucial battlegrounds — Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin — are all states Obama won four years ago. In other words, Democrats begin the 2012 campaign playing defense, and there are indications that Obama is already facing a tough fight in many of those battlegrounds. Romney is ahead in the three most recent Florida polls, for example, and the latest poll from Ohio showed the Republican within two points of Obama there. More importantly, the focus on such traditional swing states shows that there is little prospect the Democrats could “spread the field” to challenge Romney in GOP strongholds. In fact, Obama’s campaign may already be writing off hope of carrying North Carolina, the state that will play host to this year’s Democratic convention. An ugly sex scandal involving the executive director of the state party has thrown North Carolina Democrats into disarray. Polls show a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage running strong in North Carolina; meanwhile, the White House found itself yesterday trying to “clarify” remarks by Vice President Joe Biden that seemed to endorse what most North Carolinians want to prohibit. “Hilarity ensues,” as conservative blogger Ed Driscoll said.
Such Democratic blunders don’t change the fact that defeating an incumbent president is always a difficult task, and the liberal media is unlikely to make that task easier for Mitt Romney’s campaign. It’s been 32 years since the last time an incumbent Democratic president lost re-election, and Obama is not yet as unpopular as Jimmy Carter. Then again, Obama’s Republican opponent has just begun to fight the general election campaign, and tough attacks on the president’s economic record — like a new online video Romney just released — can be expected to keep coming relentlessly in the next six months. Romney’s experienced operatives have not failed to plan their campaign, and they do not plan to fail.
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.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (84) | Leave a comment
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Pseudo Intellectual | 5.7.12 @ 6:22AM
The Democrats should not have brought up the polygamy issue. Obama's dad had at least one wife in Kenya before he came to the US and entered into a bigamous relationship with Obama's mother. In Kenya, polygamy is OK, but in the US it was an invalid marriage. This makes Obama the bastard son of an African Muslim and an American Communist.
Jack in Wi.| 5.7.12 @ 7:04AM
I agree with that. Obama's father was a poligamist and if his parents, ever got married in this country, he was a biggamist as well. We have a great choice, the decendents of Muslim or Mormon poligamists. I have long thought that Obama could lose, if we had a good candidate. It is possible Obama will go down because he has been a terrible President. The trouble is that Romney is a loss for any conservative that wants positive change in this country. Romney is Bush Redoux.
Occam's Tool| 5.9.12 @ 1:01AM
"polygamist," "bigamist,"etc. Jack, please learn to write if you're going to insult in an irrelevant way.
The problem with Obama is that he is an antisemitic socialist traitor, not that his dad had more than one wife in Africa.
Alan Brokks| 5.7.12 @ 7:38AM
To damn Romney with faint praise, he is a step above McCain.
Buck Ofama| 5.8.12 @ 4:21PM
Try to be a bit more original.
Anthony| 5.7.12 @ 9:27AM
Not to mention the dog. The turn around on Obozo having eaten dog was the most fun I've had stitting down in months!!!
Donald Young's Revenge| 5.7.12 @ 11:54AM
Obama's father was a British Subject which was passed along to his son making Barack Hussein Obama (aka Barry Soetoro, Harrison J. Bounel) ineligible to be POTUS. He fails to meet the "natural born Citizen" clause of the Constitution. He fails on two fronts, he was a citizen of Indonesia, so dual citizenship also disqualifies him. Obama would have never survived the Democrat birth vetting that John McCain was forced to endure. McCain should have demanded that Obama receive the same vetting as to his "natural born Citizen" and we wouldn't be living this nightmare today. McCain had his spirit destroyed by the North Vietnamese thus his constant fear of waging war against those radical progressives. I fear Mitt Romney is no better.
Anthony| 5.7.12 @ 3:27PM
Mostly true Donald. McCain, the dashing young invincible war hero became an old, cautious, jaded political insider,whose only concern was remaining in the Washington power structure.
It wasn't the North Vietnamese who turned McCain into a panty load, it was McCain's insatiable appetite to be a Washington player and professional pol. McCain was more concerned about remaining in good stead with the D.C. structure after he lost the election, then winning the election.
Romney may indeed be no better, we'll see, if he takes to gloves off on Obozo as he did to his R rivals, we have a good chance, if not, America is finished.
Barky K9 | 5.7.12 @ 6:25AM
Yes, Harvard had Barack Obama Sr. thrown out of the country for "having too many wives." That is a matter of public record, and the reason BO Sr. did not finish his doctorate.
Appleby| 5.7.12 @ 6:46AM
Every article on this board this morning is whining "Why doesn't Romney DO something?" or "Why doesn't Romney SAY something?"
He isn't the kind of guy who does or says things. He is a bland, blah, Father Knows Best clone who probably thinks we shouldn't worry our pretty little heads about things.
I am beginning to wonder if we are seeing a remake here of "Being There."
Jack in Wi.| 5.7.12 @ 7:08AM
Being there is an excellent anology. The guy looks like a deer caught in the headlights. He is a complete tool of his handlers and consultants. He is another guy who wants the power and the office, who doesn't have a clue about what to do with them in a positive way, except keep guilding the lilly for his fatcat friends.
Mickey| 5.7.12 @ 7:14AM
Appleby, doesn't it bother you to agree with Jack and Clinty.
Clint| 5.7.12 @ 2:09PM
Call Bibi.
Doctor Right| 5.7.12 @ 3:08PM
Call Jamaica!
Clint| 5.7.12 @ 3:47PM
Dr.Reich Dancin' The Jamaican Wounded Dog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFnG2Zgl5ag
Alan Brooks | 5.7.12 @ 6:13PM
Call 867 5309!
DTOM!| 5.7.12 @ 9:32AM
Jack;
That's exactly how the media described Reagan, starting in 1980.
I'm sure they appreciate your complimenting them with your plagiarism...
Don't Tread On Me
So Jack, are you going to vote for Obama?
Oldefarte| 5.7.12 @ 9:34AM
Yes, thank G-d we have Obama and the Democrats, huh? Talk about animation, and dumbasrssedly so. If November resembles Sarcozy defeat, ya boy will prevail due to the STUPIDITY of this nation!!!!!!!
Buck Ofama| 5.8.12 @ 4:23PM
Sure, Romney is a "complete tool of his handler." That's probably how he attained his REAL business success, unlike Jokebama the Fainthearted.
Vern Crisler| 5.7.12 @ 10:19AM
Excellent analogy, Appleby. Romney is an empty suit, and sunshine conservatives keep trying to fill up that suit with their own wishes and dreams. Well, all of you Republicans and sunshine conservatives out there who chose Romney as your nominee instead of real conservatives, let's see you get him elected.
JayDick| 5.7.12 @ 2:49PM
So, what do you plan to do on election day? Stay home? If so, Mr. Obama thanks you.
Vern Crisler | 5.7.12 @ 10:19PM
Then Obama wins.
Donald Young's Revenge| 5.7.12 @ 12:00PM
Mitt Romney is boring on steroids. There is more than enough "October surprise" material for Romney to use, much of it deals with the on going crimes being committed by Barack Hussein Obama. He has been flaunting his computer generated forged birth certificate since April 27, 2011 and it is now certain that he fraudulently registered with the Selective Service resulting in a forged Selective Service card. Obama's SS# was flagged by E-Verify for crying out loud. The number appears to be that of Harrison J. Bounel who supposedly resided at the Obama estate in Chicago. What the hell is up with that?
Mitt should have sent his entire staff to Phoenix, AZ to visit with Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his lead investigator Mike Zullo. The campaign would have been over yesterday and the Democrats would be scrambling to Charlotte for a brokered convention where they will crawl through human excrement to beg Hillary to pull the body out of the septic tank.
RCV| 5.7.12 @ 1:37PM
The full moon is obviously out this week....
Anthony| 5.7.12 @ 4:10PM
Your are spot on with this one. Obozo and Holder as accessories to the murder of two American agents.
Arpaio needs to go to Washington and handcuff both Obozo and Holder and take them back to Arizona to stand trial.
Dan Rather needs to go sit at Arpaio's knees and learn about Obozo's other crimes, Fake and Fraudulent.
Buck Ofama| 5.8.12 @ 4:25PM
Boring is GOOD.
Boring is plodding and working towards the otherwise boring topics of debt reduction, decreased reliance on foreign oil, creation of a positive business climate and attendant job creation. Yes BORING is good.
The last thing the USSA needs is a repeat of the melodrama, fainting, swooning, slobbering c0cksucking liberal silliness.
Tom| 5.7.12 @ 7:07AM
Sorry, I can't get excited -- while I have a stake in the outcome, I don't have a dog in this hunt.
We have RINOmney (R) vs. Radical Collectivist (D). While Romney is the quintessential "lesser of two evils," he the beta-tester for Obamacare, embracer of "climate change" and "assault weapons bans," and flirt with a VAT is himself part of the problem, not part of the solution.
The GOP establishment can volunteer time and donate money, for other than voting for the "lesser of two evils" out of abject fear regarding the alternative, I'm sitting out this cycle (other than monthly donations to Jim DeMint's "Senate Conservatives Fund").
Mickey| 5.7.12 @ 7:15AM
Hi Clinty.
Clint| 5.7.12 @ 2:08PM
That's A Lie.
You're A Serial Sociopathic Liar, Bibi Towel Boy, Little Micky.
Oldefarte| 5.7.12 @ 9:35AM
As your mentor Forrest once proclaimed, STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES no doubt!!!!
Clint| 5.7.12 @ 2:12PM
Forrest Is One Of Your Tards, 'Bama Deliverance Banjo Pickin' River Sex Inbred, Mittens' Bibi Kitten Farttard.
Occam's Tool| 5.9.12 @ 1:03AM
Clint, Deliverance took place in Georgia, not Alabama.
FLIT ANDERSEN| 5.15.12 @ 3:17AM
I wouldn't get too hung up on RomneyCare. As the governor of as very liberal state (beat out only by socialist Vermont) the MOB was determined to have SOME sort of mass health care. Romney couldn't hold back the tide; only attempt to mitigate it's destruction. The bill he signed into law wasn't bad, but of course years of tinkering by Obama's mini-me - Deval Patrick - has made it a train-wreck. Romney used his veto pen upwards of 80 times in his one term as governor. That's pretty damn good, for such a "blue" state. And even so, plenty of people were sorry to see him go. We knew what was coming - Jesse Jackson's protégé.
Besides, there is a very big difference between a STATE run plan abnd a FEDERAL run plan. One can be escaped from without leaving the country, the other cannot. Thos. Jefferson said the states were the places to test ideas, then, if successful, try them nationally. What Romney did was completely Jeffersonian.
saleboter| 5.7.12 @ 7:26AM
Take everything now with the proverbial grain of salt. Most people won't pat attention until after labor day
DTOM!| 5.7.12 @ 9:34AM
The real campaign doesn't start til Labor Day - anyone getting their shorts knotted up is suffering from a confluence of a deadline and lack of anything to write about...
Russel| 5.7.12 @ 10:53AM
I'm with you two on that . This author in particular comes up with some lame excuses for an article . Far too many very stoopid voters who are ignorant of the workings of their government , much less boning up on candidates . They might wander into the booth , might not . But there's still way too much time before that time .
ggoblue| 5.7.12 @ 7:28AM
lmao...its been 32 years since a dem was turned out of the oval orifice!!!!
of course there has only been one dem defending in that whole time....hardly a scientific sample.
barack obama is going down hard and he is taking his whole party with him. this will be a 2010 replay.
DTOM!| 5.7.12 @ 9:37AM
But let's take the GOP back from the RINO's. Boehner and Cantor are part of the problem...
Don't Tread On Me!!!
Donald Young's Revenge| 5.7.12 @ 12:04PM
Obama is not being vetted by any of the Conservative media concerning the crimes he has been committing leading up to and including this present term. The Republican Party have the dirt on this usurper and refuse to use it. They are enabling this guy to work his evil. Sean Hannity is the only Conservative spokesperson who is hammering on Barack Obama at this time. He is very close to jumping that hurdle into the crime factor. It is the crime factor that will force this Man/Child to resign and do damage to the entire DNC and Democrat Party.
Ken (Old Texican)| 5.7.12 @ 8:05AM
If re-elected...
Obama will stack the Supreme Court with cronies.
All you stupids better get your heads out of your asses.
It is Romney or civil war.
Tom Osterman| 5.7.12 @ 8:28AM
...anf if elected, Romney will do what? Stack the Supreme Court with moderate justices who will side with the liberals? Tweak Obamacare around the edges because it's easier than working to repeal it. Reach out to Democrats in the spirit of bipartisanship?
Will Romney be a good President, or just less bad than Obama? Romney will have two years to turn things around before the 2014 elections, and I doubt that the Democrats will have gone away or changed their tune.
Oldefarte| 5.7.12 @ 9:38AM
He will be whats known as a CAPITALIST, versus what we now have in a SOCIALIST, and if you don't know the difference, I'd suggest you read up on France's election results, watch the stock markets take a big hit today over same, and think!!!!!!
Tom Osterman| 5.7.12 @ 10:17AM
What kind of capitalist? Warren Buffett's a capitalist in his day job but I wouldn't let him in the Oval Office. Ross Perot is a capitalist.
Romney may be a capitalist in the private sector, but he seems to be a non-socialist in politics at best. That's not good enough, and you should know it.
Oldefarte| 5.7.12 @ 11:56AM
What YOU SHOULD KNOW is that the current POTUS is a SOCIALIST, that the US Senate is controlled by SOCIALIST-DEMOCRATS, that if they are successful in re-installing this POTUS in November, THEN YOUR/MY/EVERYONE'S COUNTRY WILL NO LONGER EXIST WITHIN TWO YEARS FROM HIS INARGURATION IN JANUARY! That's what you need to know, but obviously you don't, or you're undecided upon that fact. Sit at home in November and thereafter watch your taxes increase by 30% plus, your children/grandchildren not be able to obtain employment/jobs [other than at Mickey Ds], your government increasingly controlling your everyday life through increased regulations, confiscation of private businesses, destroying the value of your house/real estate by forcing more affordable housing welfare so that financial indigents can 'OWN HOUSES', allowing hospitals and schools to be overrun with illegal immigration children and requiring you to pay for same through increased taxiation. 'Not good enough'? According to Forrest Gump, you're correct !!!!!!!!!!!
JmsA| 5.7.12 @ 6:36PM
Support and vote for Obama then.
Boar Hunter| 5.7.12 @ 10:34AM
Obama is not a socialist.
Obama was raised and mentored by Communists and American hating racists.
Obama continues to appoint communists to his administration.
I believe that the only chance our country has is a second Obama term. That may be the only thing that shakes the cowards in the Republican party sufficiently to wake them up and actually fight to save our country.
Electing Romney is the same as laying in bed and hoping the cancer will go away.
If Romney is elected, we are doomed.
Oldefarte| 5.7.12 @ 12:00PM
Respectfully , you're entirely incorrect! If he's re-elected, this country will cease to exist in two years max, and there will be nothing left ot same. Romney may not be the second coming of JC, but he'll represent a LIFE BOAT until such time as a true JC'er can be found!!!!!
Oldefarte| 5.7.12 @ 12:01PM
PC: Obama IS a socialist, as are all Democrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Derek Leaberry| 5.7.12 @ 8:48AM
If I were part of the Obama campaign apparatus, I would put out the following TV commercial. Have a comic-book flounder flipping one way or the other. Flounder side A: Mitt Romney was for abortion rights until 2006. Flounder side B: Mitt Romney switched after he resigned as governor of Massachusetts to run for president. Flounder side A: Mitt Romney in the 1990s referred to himself as a "progressive" and rejected Ronald Reagan. Flounder side B: Mitt Romney called himself "severely conservative" to gain the favor of conservative Republican primary voters in 2012. Flounder side A: In 1994, Mitt Romney ran to the left of Ted Kennedy on gay rights. Flounder side B: Romney dropped support for homosexual marriage to curry favor with religious conservatives. Flounder side A: Mitt Romney passed a health mandate for all the citizens of Massachusetts with the help of Ted Kennedy in 2006. Flounder side B: Romney rejects President Obama's desire for a nationwide health plan similar to that which Romney passed in Massachusetts.
What kind of flounder is Mitt Romney? Is there any kind of flip-flopping he won't do to get elected?
Boar Hunter| 5.7.12 @ 10:17AM
So far the only "core value" Romney has not betrayed is his Mormon religion.
FLIT ANDERSEN| 5.15.12 @ 3:23AM
This may be dangerous territiory for the Obamacrons. He's done some flippin' & floppin' hisself. Is he for gay marriage or against it? For GITMO or against it? For public civil trials or against them? He may want to rethink the F/F approach.
AhiaGuy| 5.7.12 @ 9:27AM
ABO!
ABO!
ABO!
Thos eof you who think you'll sit out this one because a RINO is the same as a Communist should study a little history.
Anthony| 5.7.12 @ 9:32AM
Well Mr. McCain, we can only hope Romney doesn't pull another McCain and blow this election, as all good RINOs do.
We'll soon see if Romney and his cracker-jack team of D.C. insiders have the balls to take on Obozo as they did with fellow Rs.
Romney had better figure out this election is not about him, it's about saving America.
Scorpio51| 5.7.12 @ 10:03AM
I find it so hilarious that now everybody starts saying that "Romney should be doing this, or Romney should be doing that."
Well, don't look at me, I didn't vote for Romney in the primary. I voted for the person I wanted in the White House who would actually fix the problems.
But, no, everyone was taken in on Mitt's business background but then failed to actually investigate Bain Capital.
But, it doesn't matter now. The GOP has their presumptive nominee, who may or may not win the general election. Just wait until Obama and the DNC start running ads on Mitt's Mormonism. It won't just be about polygamy, there are other things that will come out . Anyone who bothered to do any research at all will find plenty and believe me the DNC will play it.
Thanks tothe GOP we may have a loser on our hands. But they don't care, just as long as they get to keep their seat in Washington.
Anthony| 5.7.12 @ 3:15PM
Sorry Scorpio, but the Muslim dog eater ate the Mormonism story, too bad!!! That dog, as they say, won't bark now!!
And if Romney doesn't have the balls for the dog eating Muslim story, there's always Rev.Wright.
Anthony| 5.7.12 @ 10:15AM
I'm all for ripping the R establishment a new one, after Romney defeats Obozo.
Alej| 5.7.12 @ 5:43PM
THAT is the correct agenda. First and absolutely necessary, send the illegal alien away.
Then give the Republican Party the enema it so richly deserves.
Bill| 5.7.12 @ 10:20AM
DREAM Team:
POTUS: Mitt Romney
VP: Bob McDonald
AG: Pam Bondi
Treasuary: Paul Ryan
Secretary of State: Michelle Bachmann
Le Cracquere| 5.7.12 @ 10:46AM
As the headline implies, Romney is excellent at winning the battles he undertakes. Unfortunately, he only seems interested in taking on a narrow sub-genre of battles; as a result, only a complete homo economicus could see even an across-the-slate series of Romney victories as anything other than hollow and temporary.
It beats the current alternative, but consider the troops unstirred.
FLIT ANDERSEN| 5.15.12 @ 3:26AM
If the troops need "stirrin' just consider a SECOND Obama term wherein he doesn't have to worry about no stupid re-election or no stupid America voters again.
Judge For Yourself| 5.7.12 @ 10:52AM
http://youtu.be/3lBUVr4eBvM
Mark J| 5.7.12 @ 11:25AM
" It's been 32 years since the last time an incumbent Democratic president lost re-election"
Meaningless statistical noise. Only one other Democratic has run for reelection.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 5.7.12 @ 1:07PM
That was my thought as well. In the elections since 1980, Republicans are (1984, 2004)2-1 (1992) in defending an incumbent’s seat, Democrats are 1-0 (1996), and in the race for the wildcard open seats, it is Republicans 2 (1988, 2000) and the Democrats 1 (2008).
In 1996, the effects of the congressional reforms were beginning to have an impact on the positive economic development, and voters opted for a status quo. Unless gas goes to $1.80 per gallon and there is full employment prospects by November, I’m not sure that there is much to compare between the two elections.
Greg| 5.7.12 @ 11:49AM
Until the Republicans really go after Obama personally,tell the truth about his background,they can't win. Obama has serious skeletons.
Dave Williams| 5.7.12 @ 1:38PM
How? How? HOW????....is King Zero not more unpopular than Carter, by a double-digit margin??? Carter was a stupid little man in WAY over his head, but at least he actually believed in and liked America. ObaMao LOATHES us, loathes our lives, loathes our freedom, and appeals to the very worst instincts in us. If he gets reelected, then we will have passed a terrible, horrible point of no return. PLEASE, people, get out and ORGANIZE, TALK TO PEOPLE, and SEND MONEY so that THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN!!!
Simon Templar| 5.7.12 @ 2:24PM
It really amazes me to no end.
We have not even had a nominating convention yet.
It seems it is too much effort to have a positive, wining, and aggressive attitude.
Romney is ahead with the election 'maker or breaker' independents by ten points.
Bammy is at his lowest performance ratings in the polls and make Carter's record actually look good.
We just got off, less than two years ago, an unhistorical landslide election for conservatives across all government levels.
Sixty percent of the public want Obamacare repealed.
The 'its all about the economy' economy sucks and most Americans are very dissatisfied.
Scandals are jumping out of the woodwork every day concerning this administration.
We are entering a 14 trillion dollar deficit situation.
Unemployment remains very high.
And......we still have an UPHILL BATTLE and a slim chance of winning presented by the talking heads of the so-called conservative media.
No wonder they call it the stupid party.
It seems you do not want to win this election nor this nation's continuation as a free Republic.
Anthony| 5.7.12 @ 3:08PM
If Romney's people sincerely don't intend on losing, then I suggest they are go to the Brietbart page today and read the three articles on the McCain campaign.
These stories will tell the Romney people exactly what NOT TO DO. The historical revisionism in the trashing of Sarah Palin by Schmidt and the rest of the hapless McCain team and their allies in the MSM, is a telling story of a candidate who surrounds himself with Washington establishment losers. What scum these permanent Washington types are!!!
If Romney is surrounded by these same people, and if Romney is also more concerned post election loss about his standing in the R party, then all is lost.
If Romney also pulls a McCain and doesn't go hard on Obozo's personal issues and his hidden past, then Romney will have no one to blame.
Hey Romney, you won't have Sarah Palin to kick around, so wake the hell up and run a hard campaign!!
This is not about you, it's about AMERICA.
Russel| 5.7.12 @ 7:46PM
Well Anthony , I'm feeling a bit better about Rom taking it to Dumbo , such as that quip about " Forward ! " and Rom said " Forward , over the cliff ? ". He's not yet as good as Gingrich , but remember , this is his second time running and I think he's ready to do whatever it takes to win .
Bill| 5.7.12 @ 3:13PM
We're gonna win in this Fall, and just need to focus on defeating Obama. That's easy.
PattyMor| 5.7.12 @ 3:27PM
Let's face it, Romney is just better than reelecting O'Dismal, the communist. So I'll be voting for the lesser of two evils, but my money is going to elect other people to Congress, especially the Senate.
No passion, no love for Mitten, but ABO.
Nite| 5.7.12 @ 7:23PM
I agree with your comments. I would vote for anybody running against Obama.
Al Adab| 5.7.12 @ 3:41PM
All of the above posts being on the record, can I assume everyone saw the WSJ Friday and their analysis of the electoral vote. That is the real issue. Where can a Romney find the 100 votes needed to secure election? If even one McCain state changes sides, and a couple are "in play", it is unlikely the GOP can prevail. The '08 returns were 365 to 173. FL, NC, VA and Ohio have only 75 which means both IN and IA would have to change as well. This is an uphill battle; the future of the nation is in fact at stake and the GOP has given us another "moderate" accomodationist candidate who does not question the legitimacy of the administrative social-welfatre state.
Can the Republicans beat something with nothing even when that something is such a disaster as it is?
RCV| 5.7.12 @ 4:54PM
Ironically, we may see Romney win the popular vote, but lose the electoral count. If so, it will be most interesting to see the two parties flip on their usual responses on that issue.
Al Adab| 5.7.12 @ 5:07PM
RCV:
That would be an interesting scenario. MA and a couple other states passed laws awarding their Electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote. Imagine a MA, DEM elector having to vote for Romney
Simon Templar| 5.7.12 @ 5:05PM
No, many of us most likely did not see the WSJ article, Al. But I have seen these before.
With all due respect Al, there are assumptions being made in this analysis and others that need to be taken into account. If we are to go by these assumptions and predictions, why bother having an election; let's just close up the GOP and be done with it. If the socialist now have all these traditional conservative and swing states sown up then it is now here and it is over. The thing is every damn election is the same bullshit...it has been being presented like this since Jimmy Carter. It is a miracle that Reagan ever won with these predictions and analysis and this mental framework.
Talk out of both sides of the mouth seem to prevail. We must win the independents. Ok, got em. Still lose. The dems must win the blue collar and middle class as well to win. Don't have them? Ok, you still win. It is all about the economy, stupid! Economy sucks, no problem you GD socialist still win. No president has ever won without approval rating below 50 percent. Not a problem if you are a socialist democrat. No sweat. Lose a major piece of your legislation and your prime "accomplishment?" Don't sweat it, demmy boy, you still win.
Then there is the best of all. WE CAN NOT NOMINATE and run a conservative, we must move to the 'holy' center. Nope, still lose. No , we must run a real conservative and give the people a choice and clear distinction. Nope, still lose.
Candidate has no record to run on? Not if you are a democrat! Win! Forty percent of the electorate identifies as conservative. Sorry, still lose.
Have disapproval ratings in the high 40's, no problem, win!
The real issue is not these electoral votes, they do not win them by some voodoo or magic that is unbeatable. They are the by-product of winning state by state elections and the efforts of the opposition to awaken people and get them out to vote. It is my understanding that 30 million conservatives sat home the last time and did not vote.
Get your asses up, stop the hand wringing, and VOTE this bastard communist out.
If we can not do this then we deserve what is coming, including the WSJ.
Al, I still love and respect you!!! Thanks for listening to my rant. :)
Simon Templar| 5.7.12 @ 5:20PM
Oh, I forgot to mention the catholic vote. Piss off the Catholics and step on them, no problem, still win! Major constituency in success of your last campaign and win, no problem, who needs them anyway, still win.
Nite| 5.7.12 @ 7:25PM
I do not think Obama can win Florida this time. VA is also likely to go for Romney.
the gerald | 5.7.12 @ 3:43PM
i like the title MITT's MEN!! no women allowed. no gays allowed. MEN only. bad choice of title, but telling. you forgot to say white christian men only.
Simon Templar| 5.7.12 @ 5:10PM
Besides not having a functioning brain troll, it seems you are the product of that great educational system that has been under the control of your socialist democratic masters. Try picking up a book on grammar and proper sentence structure. Now, skip back to the "Huff and Puff," little Gerald.
noooobama| 5.7.12 @ 5:33PM
"...no women allowed. no gays allowed. MEN only. bad choice of title, but telling. you forgot to say white christian men only."
And you know this, how?
I think romney is a sleazeball, however he is a sleazeball who will not have the following 3 groups in the WH, as obama does:
1. muslim brotherhood memebers
2. marxists and communists
3. thug rappers and black supremacists
I also doubt that he will give money to relatives in Kenya who are running campaigns OR have llegal alien relatives popping up on a regular basis. He may even release his various paper records, as most of us do when applying for a job.
That said, I can only "defend" romney to this extent because his oponent is the biggest scammer ever in the WH.
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POST American| 5.8.12 @ 12:24AM
"Psychopaths worship power
and success while having nothing
but disdain for those below ---those
'left in the dark'. Psychopaths are
generally excellent actors and LIARS
and can sniff the wind and turn on a
dime ideologically. The have NO conscience
whatsoever, and can visit a nursery in the
morning---and mandate abortions in the
afternoon ---and sleep well that night.
--They can read you better, in some ways,
that you can read yourself ----and even
make you FEEL they CARE ---AND
the 'have a plan'! ------ They run on
PURE EGO ---and when that goes, they
collapse. We ARE living in their system.
A system designed by PSYCHOPATHS,
for PSYCHOPATHS, that's given you a
PSYCHOPATHIC 'cull--chore' to follow.
-----Learn to recognize PSYCHOPATHS."
IN this, the 11th hour of the
4 decades on CFR---RED China
handover, takedown, USURPATION
and OCCUPATION OP
----------------------------UH!-----------------------------
--we think non 'la--bottom-ized' citizens
have had quite enough of capstone notions of
-------------------'SUCK---CESS'-------------------.
Oregun| 5.8.12 @ 1:00PM
The sane way Obama was elected on the No Bush platform he is going to be removed on the NO Obama platform. The idea that the trolls can convince the conservatives to somehow not vote against Obama is rediculous. As a Santorum backer I say Go Romney! He has any sane persons vote.
Occam's Tool| 5.9.12 @ 1:07AM
I just remember the thousands and thousands of acolytes in 2008 turning out for "the one" and him winning by a few percentage points. He's not getting the crowds now, and Romney is running a much more focused campaign than McCain. I see Obama losing this one, and not in a close way.