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Romney’s Clincher

By on 10.11.11 @ 11:21PM

Tonight I think I’ll be like Quin last time (and Aaron tonight) and offer some instant analysis with not too much querulous criticism of each of tonight’s debaters. I’ll do so in alphabetical order, if I can still remember my ABC’s after Charlie Rose lost track of them when the candidates did the questioning.

Michele Bachmann: Hit a home run, tape measure at that, early on with her response to Karen Tumulty’s question about whether Wall Street bankers should have gone to jail. By pointing the finger at the federal government and its Community Reinvestment Act and the unseemly pressure put on banks to lower lending standards, she was telling Ms. Tumulty something the latter’s ears just didn’t want to hear. And she did so forcefully and compellingly. She was not as successful in her later comments, particularly in the tired shot at Rick Perry for once being a Democrat who backed Al Gore. I didn’t know, as Jim Antle reminded us below, that she backed Jimmy Carter in 1976. (Full disclosure: I voted for Jerry Brown that year.)

Herman Cain: He was targeted perhaps more than Romney, a sure sign of his rise, stature, and star power. He remained tough, most civil, and no less likable. His defense of Alan Greenspan gave Ron Paul a whopper of an opening, but it also was a reminder that Cain is loyal and a reminder of why he’s become the most genuinely well liked of all the candidates.

Newt Gingrich: Again, his seeming command and soothing, mellifluous voice and delivery are irresistible. It’ll be a lonely stage when he’s no longer there to contribute, and in his inimitable way, to tell like it is even while pushing for Republican solidarity against the real opponent, Obama. But again, doesn’t he know Ben Bernanke can’t be fired?

Jon Huntsman: Had one good moment, when he quipped to Romney that he won’t ask him about Mormonism. That defused the entire controversy ginned up by pastor Robert Jeffress last week (though Huntsman slyly managed to link Perry to the issue). For the longest time he seemed missing in action, which was just as well.

Ron Paul: With foreign policy not in play, his guileless presence was no less indispensable to the event than Gingrich’s. Except that he’s happy to remind viewers that he’s almost as anti-Republican as he is anti-Democratic.

Rick Perry: Well, at least this time no one will be able to say he tired down the stretch. That’s because for most of the evening he just sat there politely, taking in lots and lots of smart talk by others that he couldn’t compete with. And when he had his chance to ask Romney a direct question about Romneycare, Romney in his reply pretty much wiped the floor with him. To add insult to injury, when Romney had the next question, he directed it to Bachmann, seated right next to Perry.  Rick who?

Mitt Romney: Besides disposing of Perry one last time, he strengthened his front-runner position, which in case anyone had any doubts was reinforced by Gov. Chris Christie’s presence in the audience. Now that’s a real endorsement. Romney also smartly played up issues of importance to South Carolina and New Hampshire. He intends to win this nomination early.

Rick Santorum: He seemed most determined to bring Cain down a peg or two, and also made a solid point about the link between broken families and poverty. If he were riding higher I imagine he would not have gotten away with chiding those who backed TARP by saying he strongly opposed it. Surely one of his rivals would have reminded him that when Congress was passing that legislation he was a defeated ex-senator. That’s been the problem for him all along, hasn’t it — the difficulty of overcoming the stigma of losing his Senate seat in 2006.

View all comments (57) |

Clint| 10.11.11 @ 11:31PM

" that he's almost as anti-Republican as he is anti-Democratic."

So is The Tea Party .

" The survey, an exit poll conductedby Edison Research at the massive Tax Day protest on the National Mall, found that the attendees were largely hostile to President Barack Obama and the national Democratic Party — three-quarters believe the president “is pursuing a socialist agenda.”

Yet they aren’t enamored of the Republican Party as an alternative. Overall, three out of four tea party attendees said they were “scared about the direction” of the country and “want to send a message to both political parties.

The results, however, suggest a distinct fault line that runs through the tea party activist base, characterized by two wings led by the politicians who ranked highest when respondents were asked who “best exemplifies the goals of the tea party movement” — former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), a former GOP presidential candidate. "

The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.

Jack in Wi.| 10.12.11 @ 1:01AM

It's down to Romney and Paul. Perry has imploded. Cain is done. He hasn't got a lot of money. His resume is as thin as a sheet of toilet paper. His 999 plan is a farce with no rational behind it. It was cooked up by some friend of his from the FED. He lied his head off about being a supporter of the FED audit. The final straw was his saying Alan Greenspan was his idea of a good Federal Reserve chief. Herman seems to be a nice guy who doesn't know much about history, economics, foreign affairs or geography. Paul has a lot of supporters and sufficient funds. Most of the other people on stage are trying to sound like him. Romney has the countryclub, the neocons. a lot of money, and the rest of the elites behind him. I think it will be a battle to the finish. Most of the base dislikes Romney. Will the elites pull it off again and stick us with another turkey?

Waltdo| 10.12.11 @ 1:27AM

It's down to Romney and Paul.

Huh? Even the polls listed on Paul's own site have him in the single digits, trending downward from the low teens a couple of months ago. http://www.ronpaul.com/2012-ro.....aul-polls/

The most recent one has Cain and Romney over 20% compared to Paul at 8%.

Perry has imploded, yes. But Perry's STILL got half again more supporters than Paul. At 8% Paul is closer to Newt and "none of the above" than he is to Perry. Intrade has Paul below Huntsman!

Paul has a lot of supporters? Do they not have phones or something that would keep them from showing up in greater numbers in the polls?

Jack in Wi.| 10.12.11 @ 2:34AM

Cain is done. Perry is done. That leaves Paul and Romney. Now Perry could come back like McCain. But right now he hasn't shown much. He has a lot of money and evangelical support, it could happen and make it a 3 way race. Frankly I don't think his heart is in it.. Dr. Paul has the issues. Most people are against the endless wars, the FED, foreign aid and big intrusive government. Dr. Paul also has a huge intenet army working for him. We will see if the traditional media and their elite bosses can pull off another election. Anybody but Dr. Paul is just more of the same. No thank you. the elections start in 3 months. I predict right now that Dr Paul will finish 1st or second in New Hampshire and Iowa. The wars are as popular as cancer in those states. In the last election cycle the leaders, at this time, were Hillary Clinton for the Democrats and Rudy Guilanni and Fred Thompson for the Republicans.

Waltdo| 10.12.11 @ 3:05AM

To think of it as a two way race you have to not only imagine that Cain and Perry are already out, even though they have double to triple the support of Paul, you have to imagine that Paul is somehow distinguished from the other choices that poll around the same level as him, namely Newt, Bachmann and none-of-the-above.

And you have to ignore the trend which has Paul dropping from the teens to 6-8% over the past two months. This is from the polls listed on Paul's own web site!

Jc| 10.12.11 @ 11:08AM

Double to triple the support??? During the last donation cycle Perry had 22k voters to Paul's 150k plus voters thus outmaning him 5 to 1. You may be looking at Perry's 17 mil. donated by special interests and banks to Paul's 8+million, and this doubled his figures from the second quarter meaning a double in supporters. He is the ONLY candidate whose real concern is protecting the interests of the common man, not the interests of the corporations. Listen to how they talk, Rick Perry talks all about his support of creating jobs in the energy industry. Think his 17 mil came from big oil? Think there might be further support of the ME wars and occupation with him in office? Uggg. Connect the dots please.

Sam Vaughn| 10.12.11 @ 7:52AM

Jack, I admire your tenacity, but passing off an "agenda" as analysis just doesn't fly. Either you're on Ron Pauls team and advocating (nothing wrong with that) or you're making a genuine attempt at debate, don't confuse the two.

Jack in Wi.| 10.12.11 @ 8:15AM

I am of course a Ron Paul supporter and debating honestly. If you study my facts as long as I have you will agree. Ron Paul has by far the largest number of financial supporters. most of them small. He also draws the biggest crowds, wins the most straw polls. He has tied, beaten, or come close to Obama in numerous national polls. Primaries are won by 3 things money, on ground support, and ideas. Ron Paul has all three. He especially has huge on ground support. Now he scares the hell out of the elites because he wants to change the system. Cain is laughable. Romney and Perry are just more of the same. A platform of endless bailouts of the rich and endless wars are not a winning program.

Sean| 10.12.11 @ 8:44AM

All big government media is against Paul. He scares them like no one else. All you have to do is compare the coverage that Cain got after winning the Florida straw poll to the coverage Paul got after winning the CA straw poll and Value Voters straw poll.

Waltdo| 10.12.11 @ 12:28PM

Cain didn't have to stuff the ballot boxes.

Do the Paul supporters honestly not understand why Paul isn't taken seriously? Why would anyone be scared of Paul when he's polling down around 6%? That's half of what he was polling two months ago. Or look at intrade.com, where Paul is down at the same level as Huntsman.

Another big reason that Paul isn't taken seriously is the way his supporters behave on message boards. They tend to make statements utterly divorced from reality, like "it's a two-way race between Romney and Paul at this point". And those are the saner supporters. Paul also seems to attract the Posters Who Seem To Be A Few Bricks Shy Of A Load If You Get My Drift.

Steve A| 10.12.11 @ 10:37AM

Jack, If you dug up Reagan's casket & ran it against Ron Paul in the primary, Paul still loses. Remind me not to go to the horse track with you.

Clint| 10.12.11 @ 10:49AM

" Harris Poll: Ron Paul, Mitt Romney Would Top President Obama


Released on Tuesday, September 27, the latest Harris Poll surveyed 2,462 adults and was conducted between September 12 and 19. According to the poll, if Texas Congressman Ron Paul wins the Republican presidential nomination he would beat Obama by 51 percent to 49 percent in the general election."

Clint| 10.11.11 @ 11:33PM

Romney Is A RINO-CINO, Who Was For TARP & ObamaCare Is Modeled After His RomneyCare & He Apologizes For Neither.

Bill| 10.11.11 @ 11:52PM

Anyone that thinks Romney won this debate is not a conservative at all. He was a 1 term failure and will fail again. WILL THE REAL MITT ROMNEY PLEASE STAND UP?

Jon| 10.12.11 @ 12:05AM

Cain got hurt. His 999 plan is all he has and its major flaws is getting exposed.

Newt would do much better in debates if he got more than 3 or 4 questions in 2 hours.

Ron Paul does pretty good in economic debates because nobody ever exposes the hypocrisy of his MASSIVE PORK earmarks.

Perry is falling fast.

Romney...Romney is Obama Lite. His answer on Obomneycare might have been good, but people who understand both know that there are many more similarities than differences. And Christie's endorsement of Obama Lite does nothing for or against Romney...but it does destroy Christie's chances of TEA Party support in future.

At this point, I think the best answer would be Bachmann, Gingrich or Santorum.

NowIsTheTime| 10.12.11 @ 12:30AM

You're mixing the "who won" question with the "who is the best conservative candidate" question. Romney is the front runner because he's good at debating and he looks presidential etc etc etc. Cain's 999 plan is deeply flawed but he scores points for putting detailed plans out there, something most of the candidates are afraid to do. They're doing well in spite of their considerable weaknesses, in part because the rest of the field is so weak.

You're crazy if you think Christie's endorsement doesn't help Romney, when there are so many people who would have loved to see Christie jump into the race. The Tea Party had written off Christie for the most part anyway so he's got little to lose there.

It's an ENTIRELY different question if you want to ask which candidate would appeal most to the Tea Party. In that case, Bachmann or Santorum or possibly Gingrich would be the right answers. But who cares? They aren't polling well, and for good reasons.

There's still room for a better candidate to step in, but time is running out, and if the question is who can actually win the nomination the list is getting short.

Waltdo| 10.12.11 @ 12:47AM

Cain got hurt. His 999 plan is all he has and its major flaws is getting exposed.

The Paul followers are frantically repeating this line. Here's what they're missing.

Proposals that candidates make during the primary aren't legislation. Cain has already gone from the fair tax ... a bad idea ... to the 999 plan ... another bad idea. If he wins the nomination he'll have time to come up with another plan. More likely he's actually angling to be somebody's running mate in which case the details of his plans matter even less.

What DOES matter is that everyone focusing on Cain and his 999 plan sends the message that Cain is now one of the two frontrunners. Similarly, nothing illustrates that Perry has already flamed out so clearly as the way he was ignored by everyone.

Newt would do much better in debates if he got more than 3 or 4 questions in 2 hours.

No, he wouldn't. His appeal is very, very narrow. You're probably far more intelligent than the average voter, and you can follow one of Newt's professorial answers and understand what he's saying. Good for you. But don't mistake that for electability.

Bob K.| 10.12.11 @ 12:09AM

It looks like the AS hierarchy has settled on Romney as the candidate to beat Obama. No need to have any money wasting primaries now! We can concentrate on the differences between him and Obama.

Let's see: Romney is a Republican who believes in Universal Health Care. Obama is a Democrat who believes in it too.

?????

Well, it is a start and there are 13 months to go until the election. Something else will come up.

Waltdo| 10.12.11 @ 1:05AM

It looks like the AS hierarchy has settled on Romney as the candidate to beat Obama.

The AS hierarchy doesn't control the polls.

If your preferred candidates can't connect with enough voters to have a good showing in polls, then blame the candidate. Or blame the voters for not being as smart as you or something. But don't blame the people who merely point out that candidates like Santorum and Bachmann and Gingrich just aren't making it work.

Bob K.| 10.12.11 @ 2:08AM

Waltdo,
Don't take yourself so seriously!

There is 13 months to go!

Al Adab| 10.12.11 @ 12:10AM

If the best the GOP can do is nominate someone to the left of McCain...Lasciante ogni speranza voi ch'entrante. History will record that when America needed her, the GOP was weighed in the balance and found wanting. May our grandchildren forgive us and may God have mercy on our souls.

Simon Templar| 10.12.11 @ 1:07AM

Al, you are one of the few that actually has eyes that see and a brain that functions.

Margie| 10.12.11 @ 1:29AM

Why is Chris Christie backing Romney? What is it with these people?

Please God, let it be Herman Cain.

Jc| 10.12.11 @ 11:12AM

East coast liberals, its a money thing.

W| 10.12.11 @ 8:48AM

Al,
I always knew you were a fan of Dante. Excellent taste. Which translation do you like, you probably also read it in Italian!

Al Adab| 10.12.11 @ 11:22AM

W:
You leave me impressed. Not everyone would get the citation. I struggle through the Italian (bad Latin as it were) but the one I use most is the Britanica Great Books which I think (from memory) is the Oxford translation.

W| 10.12.11 @ 11:48AM

Al,
I have the Robert and Jean Hollander translation which is very good. It has the Italian on the left page and the English-American on the right. You may like it.

W| 10.12.11 @ 11:12AM

Al Adab,
The only candidate who advocates a real rollback of the nanny state is Ron Paul. But his views on foreign policy, especially the war on terrorrism and lack of support for Israel, has greatly weakened his poll numbers. Maybe the primary votes will be different.

Everybody here complains about the size of the federal government but none of the candidates, except Paul, wants to reduce it by eliminating numerous departments and agencies. And yet everyone here, except a few, ridicule Paul. Maybe he is the wrong messenger for the right principles.

The rest of the candidates all talk about their expertise in business and politics. This is the usual Republican campaign speech: We can make the nannny state more efficient. Cain's tax plan is good only if the IRS is abolished. All want to repeal Obamacare, but what about the numerous departments and agencies, starting with EPA (Nixon), Education and Energy (Carter) that have proliferated?

The Dems created the nanny state with FDR and LBJ, and Bush added Homeland Security and the Medicare drug, and expanded the dept of Education with his No Child Left Behind law.
The only Republican that stood up to the nanny state was Barry Goldwater, and he was painted as a warmonger on foreign policy who would start a nuclear war. LBJ won in a landslide.

It may be the many Americans like the nanny state, from student loans, tax credits, welfare, social security, the whole safety net. We are used to it and feel comfortable, but now it is too expensive so we will elect a Republican like Romney or Cain to manage the nanny state more efficiently.

Al Adab| 10.12.11 @ 11:24AM

Yes with Goldwater. I've met many over the years who wish they had voted for him. Well, the Eastern establishment Rockefeller/Romney wing of the GOP opposed him as they opposed the Conservative Movement. Now we are about to nominate Georges' son. What is the point of that?

Jack in Wi.| 10.12.11 @ 11:25AM

Dr. Paul supports Israel. Like a good friend he wants it to stand on it's own feet and pay it's own way. After 63 years on the teat ofthe American taxpayer it is time for Israel to quit cuttting bait and go out and fish. Before one penny is cut from the Social Security or any other programs for America. All foreign aid should be stopped. 3/4 of it goes to Israel and It's Arab neighbors. Some people here would rather throw granny off dialysis then cut one penny from Israel's lavish subsidy.

John Navratil| 10.12.11 @ 12:24PM

Al Adab,

I haven't abandoned hope. Indeed, my support for Cain is in part because he is so opposed by the establishment Republicans. The Tea Party has wisely aligned itself with the Republican Party. The old guard must be purged and Cain is the only candidate who can do it.

LC JB | 10.12.11 @ 12:55PM

Few words, yet clear, precise vision. The GOP is and will be a major player in the destruction of the Republic along with the Paulbots. Obama sits there laughing, while the GOP-RINO wing tears each other apart and Paul supporters gin up 'support' for this delusional ideologue. The answer is a legitimate 3rd party, but that is the work of decades and would be entirely too late for the crisis. Indeed- May God have mercy on our souls, because we're squandering his gift of liberty, substituting the tyranny of comfort.

John Navratil| 10.12.11 @ 2:19PM

LC JB,

We have to work with what we have. As you say, a third party will take decades which is why it is important to wrest control from the go-along-to-get-along Republicans.

Clint| 10.12.11 @ 12:21AM

Dr. Ron Paul,
"If you cut off all the earmarks, it would be 1 percent of the budget. But, if you vote against all the earmarks, you don't cut one penny. That is what you have to listen to. We're talking about who has the responsibility, the Congress or the executive branch?

I'm saying, get it out of the hands of the executive branch. Just listen again about what I have said about the TARP funds. We needed to earmark every penny. Now we gave them $350 billion, no earmarks, and nobody knows..."

The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.

Pat| 10.12.11 @ 1:14AM

Not sure why Gingrich isn't polling at the top. I keep envisioning a national debate between Gingrich and Obama and there would be no contest. Gingrich is brilliant and has the biz and DC experience. I'd like to see a Gingrich/Maybe Huntsman ticket.

Waltdo| 10.12.11 @ 1:32AM

Gingrich/Huntsman? You're the first one to come up with that combination!

Gingrich is very smart but debates aren't won by the intellectual superiority of the arguments.

Simon Templar| 10.12.11 @ 1:27AM

Yes, they all did a marvelous job in destroying each other except Gingrich and Cain for the most part. I am confident that by the end of all this the public will be fully alienated with all of them and all their ideas or proposed solutions will be considered loony, crazy, unworkable, etc. even when they are not.

Yes, the establishment will get their RINO guy and everything will be business as usual. In all fairness, the DNC should really reimburse the GOP for helping them so effectively and efficiently.

In fact, they might ask the GOP if they could use the TV commercials that the other candidates created to tear each other apart on the eventual GOP nominee and run them as DNC campaign spots. It would save a lot of money and time.

You know it really is getting to the point that we conservatives might seriously consider just selling our votes and cooperation in ushering in socialism and giving Obama what he wants. You know... make a deal. No more opposition, complete surrender for lets say 8 trillion in gold and the state of Montana for all of us to move to and settle. The Paulbots can stay out of Montana and stay where they are and play footsy with the liberals and Dennis and smoke all the pot they want, curse religion, and march with the anti-war crowd. They can have the rest of the country and do whatever they want.

Think about it. It sure would save a lot of wasted effort, money, struggle, and aggravation.

Clint| 10.12.11 @ 10:54AM

You Israel Firsters Wouldn't Know Real Conservatism If It Bit Ya.

Read George Washington's Farewell Address, Jefferson's First Inaugural Address & The Old Right And Get Back To Us.

The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.

RJ| 10.12.11 @ 2:05AM

As someone who is looking for an alternative to Romney, I have to say that he looked presidential and spoke well (not conservative though). I still think of him as a salesman who will blow with the wind. I continue to look for an alternative.

I don't think Perry helped himself tonight and he sounded like a Johnny One-Note in turning more than one of his answers back to his energy program. Bachmann probably inflicted more damage than anyone by hitting Cain's 999 plan on the grounds that it opens a new line of taxes for Washington.

Newt's answers, particularly the one following Bachmann regarding holding the politicians accountable for the financial mess, were great. He has baggage, but if our knowledge of the candidates was limited to what we hear in the debates, he would be the nominee.

EWard| 10.12.11 @ 5:10AM

With all due respect, Rick Perry did well. His answers were good. Romney didn't wipe the floor with him. The fact that the Obama hacks in the media want Mitt as the GOP candidate should tell you, he's being set up. Probably the most important reason Mitt will lose, he can't win without the Tea Party and Evangelicals voting for him in Nov. 2012. I'm sick of the bias punditry whether it's left or right. Let the people decide starting in January.

JGwen| 10.12.11 @ 8:26AM

Governor Perry came into an extremely hostile debate environment hosted in part by the abusive WaPo. He was coming in from "Pinata" debates, where his performance had been criticized. To add frosting, Christie had just endorsed Romney.

Clearly the Administration and the Establishment Republicans, each for their own reasons, are hungering for a Romney candidacy.

In the face of these adversities, I feel Governor Perry did most satisfactorily. He has telling avenues to pursue, going forward, with the approaches he and Texas have used, that have made Texas the last to experience the recession and the first to recover.

He has potent fodder to present with Romney's - Jon Gruber, an MIT economist who advised the Romney administration on health care and who attended five meetings at the Obama White House in 2009, including the meeting with the president. “They really wanted to know how we can take that same approach we used in Massachusetts and turn that into a national model.” He also has the impacts Romney’s environmental adviser John Holdren and environmental regulator Gina McCarthy, presently in the EPA, are having by contributing their philosophies and job killing rules.

The Governor's philosophies: a hard dollar, low tax rates, light regulation that is fair and predictable, limited government and a legal system that doesn’t allow for over-suing when coupled with an immediate action toward energy independence through development of domestic conventional energy resources would be invaluable in restoring America for Americans.

JimH| 10.12.11 @ 6:32AM

If the question is who won the debate and not who is the best candidate, the clear answer is Newt.

somnolence| 10.12.11 @ 6:32AM

The only two left standing will be Romney and Cain, count on it.

martin j smith| 10.12.11 @ 7:33AM

This entire process of the Establishment Republicans of selecting a nominee needs to be changed. But I know it will not be unless there are leadership changes. Basically the debates should not be sponsored by Socialists in the Media. Questions should put in by voters and those asking the questions should be entirely of people with ONE political agenda that is opposed to us. Now I have no objection to a mixture say of various media people some of whom could be LEFTIES --but it should run by Conservative Talk Radio or a group of various Conservative-Republican Groups.

I also believe that State Primaries should be held at a time to allow voters to digest there sense of each candidate be given fair weight to influence the outcome of choice.

As for who I would vote for--
Anyone but Huntsman or Paul

If Ron Paul were chosen I would not vote at all. No better than Obama on foreign policy and national insecurity and just plain stupid.

Foreign policy and national security ARE the economy.

Sean| 10.12.11 @ 8:48AM

Obama's foreign policy is the same as Bush's and pretty much all the candidates except Ron Paul.

Clint| 10.12.11 @ 11:24AM

These RINO-CINO's Wouldn't Know Real Conservative Foreign Policy If It Bit Em.

Dr. Ron Paul's Foreign Policy Is That Of George Washington < Thomas Jefferson & The Old Right.
Read George Washington's Farewell Address & Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address & The Old Right & Get Back To Us.

The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.

Jc| 10.12.11 @ 12:11PM

No better than Obama on foreign policy and national insecurity and just plain stupid.

???????? Do you live in a cave and sometimes come out to grunt? Their foreign policies are the anti-thesis of each other.

Ken (Old Texican)| 10.12.11 @ 8:39AM

My favorite,
(Perry), understands the crucial importance of energy production to ANY serious economic recovery and growth.
Folks it is an outright crime that we export dozens of billions of dollars for Saudi oil every year when we (oIL AND gAS FOLKS), have proven that we can become a net energy exporter in four to five years.
The problem that Perry is facing is that he wants to talk grown up talk...and not blast competitors on childish issues.

I watched his expressions quite carefully last night. He continually shook his head (and smiled), in sad amusement at the antics on the stage ...and among the interviewers.

Obviously, Governor Perry has stepped back from being baited.
Ladies and gentlemen,
if our next nominee and president is chosen due to these lame excuses for a "debate", I have little hope for our country to rebound in our lifetime.

Please don't forget. Governor Perry has quietly guided Texas to the "top of the mountain" vis a vis the entire country.
He hasn't used gimmicks (9-9-9), but merely a successful recipe for success.

Mr. Romney will sail with the wind. Mr. Cain is a nice man who will run ideas up the flag-pole and get clobbered once in office.

Conversely, Mr. Perry can GOVERN PROFITABLY FOR ALL.
He has proven it.

Frankly, I wouldn't blame Perry if he washed his hands of all the chicken-shit. He has offered himself honestly, but the children would rather taunt than to grow up and be serious.

Jc| 10.12.11 @ 12:15PM

Most real numbers rebutt your argument by themselves. 150,000 new gov. employees doesn't sound like someone interested in addressing the problem. Let's also not discount his inability to not look and speak like he just woke up. I am always amazed that he doesn't start his speaking with duhhh, ...

sjccoach| 10.12.11 @ 8:45AM

Now that you establishment CINOs have settled on Romney as the candidate I can sleep well. It will be interesting to read AS next November when RINO Romney suffers the same fate as McCain and Dole. I'm sure that you will blame conservatives for the loss. If Romney is the nominee the base will vote third party or stay home. The precious independents that you love so much won't put a RINO over the top.

Teflon93| 10.12.11 @ 2:34PM

Preventing a conservative from winning is about all the RINOs have. Then they can hang out with their cool liberal friends at David Frum's cocktail parties and talk about how they beat the unwashed Tea Party masses thru sheer Ivy League brainpower.

What will happen is all the independents who voted for the hip black guy over the lame old guy last time will vote for the hip black guy over the lame old Mormon guy this time.

And of course many of the RINOs singing Romney's praises now will vote for Obama---again.

martin j smith| 10.12.11 @ 10:03AM

Forget Bush ( I or II ) and no one has the nomination yet. Too many questions need to be answered. All nominees have to offer THEIR policies not " I am just like X or Y". Not good enough.

elmo| 10.12.11 @ 11:14AM

I don't understand why people are so sold on Romney. He has to be a good debater as he has been running for President for about 8 years now. Christie's endorsement will only help him in states where he will probably lose anyway. Romney will lose Southern states. I know for a fact that Christians in my area of NW Florida were trying to look for reasons to vote for him last time because they didn't like McCain or Huckabee, but they could not overcome him being a Mormon. Churches held classes about Mormonism being a cult (at least at my church they did) and most people at the last minute went with Huckabee. While I prefer Perry, if Romney is the nominee, I'll vote for him but I really believe he will lose to Obama.

LC JB | 10.12.11 @ 1:04PM

Tragically, at this point Romney hasn't even begun to move the base in his direction and enjoys his position for (2) reasons.

(1) He has the left and media (one in the same, mind you) helping him along.

and

(2) He's winning by not losing in these BS debates, entirely setup by the left.

Unless something unforeseen and dramatic happens the GOP will lose the biggest opportunity in decades to retake the WH and congress. Obama will win by not losing.

Sad, sad and shame on y'all for pushing us here.

John Navratil| 10.12.11 @ 2:22PM

LC JB,

Whose that "y'all" you refer to?

Teflon93| 10.12.11 @ 2:36PM

The guy's been running for president for 5 years and still can't get more than 25% of Republicans to support him. When 3/4 of the party isn't signing up and is actively seeking alternative candidates, we clearly aren't "sold" on him.

90% of the GOP Establishment is, however, and thus you see them attempting to convince us Romney's a done deal despite the fact nobody's voted.

ys| 10.25.11 @ 1:47AM

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