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SEQUESTER: The Horror!
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The Spectacle Blog
Quin laments the failure of leading conservatives and Republicans to take a stand on the 2012 presidential race. Some of it is indeed a lack of leadership. Witness the social conservative activists who essentially needed the Iowa caucus-goers’ permission to endorse Rick Santorum, despite the former senator’s clear record on family and life issues. Others are not endorsing for the same reason they’re not running themselves — they don’t want to be associated with a losing effort, either in the primaries or in November.
But I suspect there are some prominent conservatives who are hesitant to put their imprimatur on any of the candidates. If you don’t like Santorum’s votes for Bush-era expansions of government, if you don’t agree with Ron Paul on foreign policy, and you don’t feel strongly about which past supporter of cap and trade or the individual mandate gets the nomination, the final four doesn’t hold much appeal to you. Obviously, Republicans have to pick a nominee. But if you are Jim DeMint, for example, you might be reluctant to brand a clear conservative choice.
View all comments (19) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by W. James Antle, III
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/01/23/leading-following-and-endorsin
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Clip of the Day
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Al Adab| 1.23.12 @ 3:39PM
2/3rds of GOP voters are taking a stand: to whit "Not Mitt". Maybe its about time Romney realized the needs of the country outweigh his ego and get out of the way.
Drek| 1.23.12 @ 4:45PM
More than 2/3rds.
More like 3/4ers.
The only support Romney reliably has, {besides Jen Rubin and Hugh Hewitt} are Mormons and the Christy Whittman wing of the GOP, which means the Northeast.
So his support is strong in the one area of the country the GOP doesn't need to win, and isn't likely to win even if it did need those Electoral College votes.
For Northeast Republicans, there's a glass ceiling. You might gain the Governor's mansion, but you're not going to get beyond that, because the GOP wants their nominees to be reliably pro-life, reliably anti-gun control, and reliably rational when it comes to spending.
But Northeast Republicans can't win their local races with such positions.
Which means the Romney candidacy represents a shattering of that glass ceiling.
That's just one more reason why Romney MUST be not just defeated, but now, after all his machinations and efforts, he must be ignominiously blown out of the water!
And if that means the Newtster?
Then that means the Newtster.
viewpoint| 1.23.12 @ 5:23PM
I think that the young "freshman" governor of South Carolina might now be wishing she hadn't made a special trip out to Iowa to personally endorse Mitt Romney two days prior to the Iowa Caucus.
That left a very sore and sour taste with those who got her elected.
On Saturday she just heard her constituents (the very people who propelled her to her opportunity to serve as governor) soundly reject the one she endorsed.
She -- hopefully -- just learned a very valuable lesson.
And she'd better well know how to identify and aid real, principled, genuine conservatives.
Drek| 1.23.12 @ 5:35PM
Without any doubt, Nicky Haley knows full well she stepped in it, and stepped in it up to her knees and hips.
What a fool!
FeFe| 1.26.12 @ 2:04PM
What I found most telling was how Nikki was stumping for Mitt in SC and would repeat how as president Romney would issue and executive order giving the states a waiver out of Obamacare. Never any stress on repeal but state's rights. (A failure of leadership on Tea Party principles as Michele Bachmann blessedly used to point out at every debate.) Now Mitt's adviser Norm Coleman comes out stating Obamacare will never be fully repealed. I have confidently placed Ms Haley in the "check-the-box whisper" as Rick Santorum aptly highlighted those who claim to be social/fiscal conservatives vs. those with the arrows in the back to prove it. With a new gov coming to neighbor NC, it will be most interesting to see who SC Gov Haley yields support to.
Hobbes| 1.23.12 @ 3:51PM
Most evangelicals only hate Romney cause he's Mormon and they think Mormonism is a cult. Quit pretending you hate Romney cause he ain't conservative enough. You ain't fooling no one.
Calvin| 1.23.12 @ 4:03PM
I'll concede that he is, as of Monday afternoon on January 23, 2012, sufficiently conservative, if you'll let me hate him because he's an unrepentant flip-flopper who would become a progressive yet again if he thought it would win him an election. Deal?
Drek| 1.23.12 @ 4:47PM
Take your whining and crying elsewhere..............
There's a HOST of reasons that are overwhelmingly powerful for being against Romney.
Who needs to get to his religion when we can rule him out for being a pandering milksop!
RJ| 1.23.12 @ 4:49PM
Just take a look at the video clips of his 1994 Senate run, including statements that he was an independent during Reagan's terms and that he doesn't want to bring back Reaganism. Then his signature event is Romney Care. Don't tell me he is conservative. After George W. Bush, limited government conservative voters aren't going to merely accept a candidate's claims; we are looking for someone who can back up the claims based on their record.
Drek| 1.23.12 @ 5:10PM
Exactly RJ.
We want the proof!
We want a record of proven accomplishment.
We want to know that the guy has been in the trenchline with the rest of us.
FeFe| 1.26.12 @ 2:29PM
Do we "hate Romney"? Goodness, I don't have room in my heart for such destruction, and I wouldn't be silent if I heard it from others. But I don't have a right not to be offended so if people choose to believe in cults than so be it. Many say Freemasons are a cult and so George Washington would then be our first president cult member, no? Maybe you might prosper more by drawing this similarity to your candidate of choice Mitt Romney than pointing fingers. As my son says, those who smelt it dealt it.
Oldefarte| 1.23.12 @ 3:59PM
I can basically live with two of the four choices [Paul and Santorum have no legit shot, and if chosen miraculously would result in a far greater loss than occurred with Dole], and I have no sole preference for either Romney or Ginguich [although I lean towards the latter because of his beneligerance, pugnacity and guts o ver the former's business professional capabilities]. Whichever one is selected had bettter take the fight to Obama/Democrats in non-McCain, non-Hillary fashion or there will be hades to pay politically!!!!!!!!!!
Drek| 1.23.12 @ 4:40PM
Just think of Rubin, -------------- RUBIN -------------- the former Jewish Democrat supporter of John Kerry in 2004 laying down the law for what Republicans and conservatives are supposed to be doing for Romney!
Unbelievable!
Drek| 1.23.12 @ 4:50PM
Reading some of these supposed conservative pundits applauding Jen Rubin just reminds me of David Horowitz's book: The Politics of Bad Faith.
That slender book very easily could be Horowitz's best. And that's saying something with Horowitz.
Commonwealth Capers| 1.23.12 @ 5:15PM
Governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia (and his deputy Bill Bolling) might be eatin' some big (black) crow very, very soon. They put their weight (Bolling is overweight) behind Mitt Romney.
And they did an end-run to keep all other candidates except Romney and Ron Paul off the March 6th Virginia Primary Day ballot. That's right; no other names are on that primary day ballot and "No" write-in names are permitted.
The Virgina GOP Establishment Team at work to rig the election for Romney with the governor and lt. governor spearheading the movement.
McDonnell is going to eat some crow.
And Virginians will waste about $5 million on primary day as turnout will be a record low.
Everybody who is paying attention can see through the farce they've permitted. So nobody will bother voting on March 6th.
So, Mr. Antle, there's a couple of endorsements for you. But, it could very well be that, after Florida and Nevada, Virginia's Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling were wishing they'd kept their big mouths shut.
Drek| 1.23.12 @ 5:37PM
Let's see if he start walking back his support.
Fools!
When the rank and file doesn't want the guy, and has demonstrated that for years now, ---------- what kind of sap jumps up to forward the candidacy of that guy?
But Romney has been tossing money here, there and everywhere.
Clint| 1.23.12 @ 7:26PM
The RINO-CINO Pillsbury DoughBoy Serves As Our Useful Dupe To Extend The Presidential Campaigns, Deny The Ruling Elites' RINO-CINO Frontman, Mittens Romney Enough Delegates And Head To A Brokered Convention.
The Tea Party Rebellion Is In Florida.
Sick Of The GOP Establishment| 1.23.12 @ 8:29PM
Klink, your on line screeds are like a fart on a crowded elevator. Loud, obnoxious, & guaranteed to send everyone running for the exits. Take a long walk off a short pier please.
Clint| 1.23.12 @ 10:40PM
GOP RINO-CINO , You're Israel Firster Smear Bund Crybabyin' Is Unmanly & Un-American.
http://www.grimmemennesker.dk/.....people.jpg
Get Bent.
Thank You.