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Mitt Romney: The Consummate Etch A Sketch

By: Daniel Horowitz (Diary)  |  March 21st, 2012 at 08:05 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Throughout the presidential campaign, we have been lampooned by the pale-pastel wing of the party for not coalescing around the Romney campaign with alacrity.  Our detractors have been stupefied by our stubborn opposition to “the only candidate who can beat Obama;” the man with the requisite resume, funding, organization, intelligence, and persona.

We’ve been at a loss to encapsulate our opposition into a one-liner; a bumper sticker.  After all, it takes copious pages of ink to explain the extent of Romney’s hypocrisy on the issue of healthcare alone.  Yet, late in the 11th hour of the campaign, when it’s probably too late to make a difference, we have finally discovered our symbol that exemplifies Romney.  Ironically, it came from his own campaign.

Romney’s communication director, Eric Fehrnstrom, had the following exchange with a CNN host:

Host: Is there a concern that Santorum and Gingrich might force the governor to tack so far to the right it would hurt him with moderate voters in the general election?

Fehrnstrom: Well, I think you hit a reset button for the fall campaign. Everything changes. It’s almost like an Etch A Sketch. You can kind of shake it up and restart all over again.

Aha!  That’s exactly what we were looking for!  There is no symbol that emblematizes Mitt Romney more than an Etch A Sketch.

Later in the day, the LA Times reports that Romney clarified the comments of his spokesman by saying that they didn’t pertain to ideology, just organization.

Though Fehrnstrom was specifically asked about Romney’s political positions possibly changing, Romney portrayed the comments as being about his organization. Should he be the nominee, Romney said, the nature of the campaign certainly would change “organizationally.” But “the issues I’m running on will be exactly the same.”

“I’m running as a conservative Republican. I was a conservative Republican governor. I’ll be running as a conservative Republican nominee,” he said. “The policies and positions are exactly the same.”

Um, no.  The comments expressed were clearly about political positions, not organization.  We all know that in a general election, any conservative must finish his sentences and clearly articulate why limited government policies will help the economy and create upward mobility for all voters; something that might not be required in a primary.  But those positions should never change.  In Romney’s case, he never had any core beliefs anyway, except for his consistent support for government-run healthcare.

Look, we understand that the comments emanated from a campaign official and not the candidate himself.  But these comments just confirm what we’ve always known about the people surrounding him.  They are all purveyors of pale pastel political positions (alliteration intended).  From their perspective, this is just a game of electoral politics; an opportunity to assume power for power’s sake.

Moreover, Fehrnstrom’s comments have struck such a cord with the base because they sum up Romney’s history in one image.  Whenever he needs to win a particular political office, he resets the slate and pollinates it with whatever positions he ascertains to be politically expedient.

Instead of impudently demanding that we get on board the Romney train, maybe his supporters will provide us with some reason to believe that the Mitt Romney in the general election will not hit the reset button.  Or maybe the reset button is exactly what we need to wipe away his obstinate support Romneycare.

Cross-posted from The Madison Project

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COMMENTS

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  • writescribe

    I agree with much of the substance of your posts, the present one included.

    The only thing I would take issue with is your statement that maybe Romney’s supporters will provide us with some reason to believe that he will not hit the reset button in the general election. This presumes that Romney cares or even feels the need to address true conservatives. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Romney has been winning and is going to win the nomination DESPITE not getting conservatives. Everybody knows that if it comes down to Romney and the President, of course we’re going to vote for Romney.

    Given all that, why would he give the time of day to us on the right? We obviously are incapable, unwilling, or incompetent to stop him so why should we expect him to even spend a moment’s thought on us? Objectively, he owes us nothing, and I suspect that’s exactly what we will get from him.

    Just my two cents…keep up the great posts!

    • yippeekayay

      Speak for yourself buddy. I’m voting against the GOP establishment. If that means I write in someone else who isn’t Romney, that’s what I’m doing. And if that lets Obummer win, so be it. I won’t be bossed around and manipulated by a bunch of fat useless senior partners at whatever firm it is that runs the GOP these days. I don’t care if they wear silk stockings or not. They can kiss my blue collar …. .

      • toothpick

        …for the vote. Might want to think about how you’d feel about that during the next Supreme Court nomination battle. Is the pleasure of poking the R establishment in the eye (admittedly no small pleasure) worth a couple more like Sotamayor or Kagan running SCOTUS, ruling that Obamacare is just fine, the EPA can do what it likes to homeowners and businesses, and the right to kill those pesky in-utero clumps of cells shalt not be restricted?

        • brbr

          Right, a slithery chameleon like Romney is going to appoint conservatives? Just like he’ll gladly lead off master-minding the Obamaconomy, rounding off the sharp corners of Obamacare, and being pleasantly ‘moderate’ to the Democrats, he won’t dare make waves or upset any of those nice Dem senators with some disruptive conservative nominee. I won’t be voting for Romney in November either. Considering that it might be better for this country to hit bottom sooner than later, I might just vote for Obama directly, and skip the third party.

        • sowa1

          if anyone is dumb enough to vote for Obama just because they don’t like the Republican candidate is dumber than dumb.

          • Scope

            against anyone when you begin your comment by calling Gingrich and Santorum “vindictive losers.” In case you haven’t noticed, there are a whole lot of people against Romney because of his campaign strategies of winning by “carpet bombing” his opponents, and just being an all around (it rhymes with stick, or is just missing the r in pick). You are participating in the same tactic, and it doesn’t endear anyone to you or your chosen candidate. If Romney is so electable and is the inevitable, why are you so worried about what anyone else says or thinks? Would it have anything to do with worrying that if Romney isn’t the only one still in the race, that when he says more dumb crap, that he could sink his own march to Tampa? Last I checked, he still hasn’t gotten to 1,144.

        • spartan79

          I don’t think a President Romney can be expected to appoint judges much better than those Obama is naming. His record in Massachusetts was pretty dismal in this regard.

        • wbuoni

          Yeah I should trust Mr. Etch A Sketch instead. I think the idea that Romney is better then Obama is lost on those of us who know better. Obama and Romney both continue us on the same path, one just a little slower. The difference is that Romney destroys the Conservative brand in the process. My family will vote for neither. My wife is so disgusted she will reregister independent. The idea that the Republican party represents Conservative valuez is one with whic I take exception. The GOP has become a joke.

        • filobeddoe

          Mitt Romney is not entitled to my vote. I dont owe him anything. I vote for conservatives not RINOs who enact government run healthcare. If Obama wins, it’s not MY fault the Republican party put up a weak candidate that does not appeal to the base.

          This party spends more time trying to woo independents rather than the base of it’s own party. Then certain members cry when the base says we arent going to vote for him. You wanted a candidate that appeals to independents more than the base. You’re gonna get him. You have no right to expect conservatives to go along for the ride.

          • remalimo

            is not enevitable but could be more appealing for the conservatives to vote for him if he would come out now or shortly with his VP choice, and most or all of his choices for cabinet. This maybe his first chance to show the conservatives that he is willing to lead all of the party and not necessarily just the RHINO part.

          • wbuoni

            The Republican etch-a-sketch comment eas very telling. McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin worked because she was unknown and maxe an instant connection with Conservatives. Then McCain reminded everyone who he was and subsequently lost the election. I doubt a Rubio selection has the same effect. That name has been out there foe some time and has not really moved the needle yet.

            I know it makes no matter for my vote.

      • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

        When the nation needs men to stand and do their civic duty, you chicken out and make a protest vote like an Occutard.

        • http://bobnew.com robertnew

          That is why it is as important, if not more so, to get conservative control of theSenate and House than to win the White House. Ultimately if by some accidental act of providence Romney learned how to campaign, replaced the Keystone Cops he has working for him now, and won in November we would still need better conservative leadership in the Senate and House to keep him in check as much as we do Obama.

          I used to think I’d rather have Obama in the White House than Romney, if we are going to have a Democrat in then they might as well have a D by their name. But I think I underestimated Obama’s ability to lie with impunity and have people believe him. Perhaps it was the gullibility of the electorate I misjudged. Romney’s problem is that he can’t lie. He tells us he is a conservative but you listen, shake your head, and walk away knowing he is trying to sell you a bill of goods.

          In all of his failed campaigns he has lost his identity. He doesn’t know who he is anymore, so he hires incompetent campaigners to tell him who he needs to be. But he doesn’t even believe himself and it shows.

          • texastaxpayer

            I think this maybe the most insightful statement I have seen in regards to Romney.

          • General_Confusion

            Our so called congressional leadership of Boehner and McConnell will see to it that will NEVER happen. As far as they are concerned that only function conservatives should be allowed is to pull the R level and then shut up and go away.

            It?s looking likely we are about to put together the penultimate ?go along, get along? team of Romney, McConnell and Boehner.

            Mitt Romney 2012 ? When you absolutely positively must NOT upset the Democrat apple cart!

        • semperf1re

          How can I vote for a man who believes he is going to be a god just like Jesus. A man who believes that Satan was correct when he told Eve she could be like God if she ate from the tree.
          You guys are taking us for granted, I dont think we will ever get back from the edge of the precipice so why should I let a Republican push us off the edge.
          Name calling wont make us vote for your guy dude. Occutard huh?
          How about that, if that is how youview us voters you have already lost..

          • trickamsterdam

            What I don’t understand all about this is whether you consider Romney to be a candidate forced down our throats by a powerful few donors from his SuperPac like I do (according to Politico he out-spent Santorum 7-1 in Illinois and 21-1 in the Chicago market) or whether you consider him a great candidate winning w/ a great message what’s clear is that for many months people have been saying they won’t support him under any circumstances.

            Some have said they won’t vote for him at all and some like EE and acat have said they will vote for him but that is all…they will not donate to him or do anything else.

            You would think that even if you think Romney is just terrific you might consider not voting for him merely because he alienates so many people on your own side. That he was to quote a bad song “young and strong but he was runnin’ agaist the wind”.

            But they decided to follow another bad song and say “Mitt fans don’t die we just multiply”.

            Well that’s great and that was their right. But the decision was cleary made that it was more important to appeal to Independents than conservtives or libertarians (even though ironically once the MSM is finished w/ him he will defined as a Wall St parasite and weirdo and will lose Independents to Obama as he is in Swing States like VA even right now).

            But to be angry at people saying they won’t support him now makes no sense because people have been saying it for months and Romney supporters basically said either “we don’t care” or “we don’t believe you”.

            But it’s not dishonorable to give people fair warning that you’re going to do something and then to do it…in this case people have said they are going to do is not support MItt Romney for President.

          • texastaxpayer

            Not only are intimidation tactics far from effective. These people where warned every step of the way. So now here we are and they want to say “Not voting for Romney is a vote for Obama.” BS… A vote for Obama is a vote for Obama period. Each person has a RIGHT to vote for and support the candidate they feel best represents their personal interests and values. I find it interesting that so many Romney supporters who criticized Santorums “team player” remarks are now demanding conservatives be “team players”. The hypocrisy of these people knows no bounds…..

          • Filibuster Keaton

            I honestly haven’t heard “we don’t care,” just “we don’t believe you.” Insistence everyone will come around to Romney and red states will stay red states no matter what, contrary to polling warning Romney’s weak even in Alabama and Kansas. But I guess the important thing’s just getting Romney through the primary to show Conservatives don’t run the party.

        • tnguy

          we do when we continually bend over for the establishment moderates like McCain and Romney. That’s cowardice. The only reason the (R) party is in this mess is because conservatives have not shown the stones to draw a line in the sand and say no to the rest of the party.

          • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

            There’s always a reason not to go over the top one more time.

          • texastaxpayer

            I am not sure refusing to be a “voter drone” obediently pulling the lever for whomever has the “right” political affiliation demonstrates deminished capacity. I would argue the opposite is true, not to mention a distinct lack of character.

          • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

            Good intentions, roads, etc. etc.

          • YnotNOW

            Because it is not taking responsibility for the RESULTS of your actions, when they cause the re-election of an even worse result.

          • wbuoni

            Because you say so? I say having Romney permanently damaging the Conservative movement while governing a tad bit to the right of Obama is the worst possible outcome.

            What part of “we think he is a pandering liberal” don’t you understand?

      • lesstressrx

        Oh dear, I hope few feel the same way you do. I really really don’t like what has happened and that Romney looks like he is winning. I am a Perry person. Broke my heart when he left. He made that choice all by himself. He could have stayed in and fought like Newt is doing. With that being said, remember, the American people are out there voting for Mittens. They don’t have to. No one is holding a gun to their heads. Newt has been the only real fiscal conservative since we have been left with 4 players, with the exception of Paul. Santorum and Mittens are in the same boat, fiscally speaking. Yet people that call themselves fiscal conservatives are voting for Santorum or Mittens, not Newt. I scratch my head in wonder. The GOP aren?t making anyone vote for Mittens. It is the ignorance of the voters. Mittens is being voted for, money has nothing to do with it. I voted for Newt and no amount of money, negative advertising or anything thing could stop me. Let’s face it, the American people are dong this to themselves, we may not like it, but so be it.
        The GOP chose the nominee, but American?s are voting for him.

        We must focus on getting rid of Obama. Because people didn?t like McCain & stayed home in 2010 it has cost us all some of our freedoms. Votes have consequences, if we re-elect Obama forget your/our freedom. How much is your freedom worth to you? Under Obama we will be controlled by the government. He will make sure we have no power. Forget ever voting again, he will make sure that doesn?t happen. He has his eyes on being the ?DICTATOR? of America. Look what he has done in 4 years, just think of what he will do in four years without the restraints of re-election. With Obamacare implemented the government will choose if you get medical attention or not. Make no mistake there are death panels written into Obamacare. You may want to re-think your decision to vote for Obama. If you don?t vote that is what you will be doing.

        • trickamsterdam

          No he couldn’t because he’s running a State the size of a medium-sized country. Once the path appeared to be closed he had to get real.

          “Mittens is being voted for, money has nothing to do with it.” – lesstressrx

          If you think him out-spending Santo 7-1 in Illinois and 21-1 in the Chicago area had “nothing to do with him being voted for” then you are simply a silly person.

          It reminds me of when people say the Yankees having the highest payroll in Baseball has nothing to with their success. They’re in the playoffs every year and the Pirates haven’t made the playoffs in 20 years but money has nothing to do w/ it.

          Perhaps this is the reason people think he’s electable? If people don’t think money has anything to do w/ it then they don’t understand how easy it’s going to be for Obama to out-spend Romney and use attack ads to define him as an out of touch Wall St parasite and of course he’ll have hundreds of millions of free advertising from his allies in the MSM as well.

          Just like Romney has FoxNews and NRO and many other conservative pundits in his pocket “like so many nickels and dimes”.

          Fine this is your belief but when Romney is out-spent and unfairly destroyed by MSM surrogates as Santo and Newt have been by Romney and his surrogates then I want no complaints…remember money has “nothing to do w/ it” and the media doesn’t play favorites.

          “He [Obama] has his eyes on being the ?DICTATOR? of America.” – lesstressrx

          No he doesn’t and if he does you’re going to need more than MA moderate who combs his hair w/ a pockchop to stop him so I’d stop worrying about it.

          • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

            Newt had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

            Perry had everything to lose and nothing to gain (by staying in).

      • blackhawk452

        ..who say, “Let’s teach the Republicans a lesson and crap away our votes on a third party!” And they keep on teaching the Republicans a lesson. Namely the lesson is that they can guarantee a DAMNocRAT victory if they can woo enough conservatives into voting for “Independents” like Ross Perot or Teddy Roosevelt when he ran against the popular Republican incumbent President Taft under the banner of his “Independent Party” ..

        Such political wisdom saddled us with Woodrow Wilson in 1912, who gave us the IRS, “Our Federal Reserve”, World War I, and The League of Nations. The same strategy gave is Little Willy Clinton in 1992. It gave us DAMNocRAT control of both Houses of Congress in 2006,..Obama in 2008….

        But, by all means, let’s throw away 2012 and secure the New Khalifate in the Middle East and an secure Soviet America. Then we can all congratulate ourselves in the purity of our motives in the ration lines.

    • filobeddoe

      I will NOT vote for Romney. He is not entitled to my vote. I do not owe him anything. If the Republican party is going to nominate a Democrat as our nominee (and he is a democrat), I will write in some other name. A number of my people are going to do the same thing in my family. Enough to make a difference? Who knows. But Im not holding my nose anymore. Bush, Sr., Dole, Bush, Jr., McCain. Sorry. Enough is enough.

    • jacobite

      I’m telling you, Romney is not going to allow O’bwana-care to be repealed. He’ll go for some tweaks to the most outrageous provisions. Don’t be flim-flammed — if the indiv mandate is found un-Constitutional, then private health insurance is immediately out-of-business. Some victory!!! George Romney never supported Barry Goldwater and never worried for one nano-second about Detroit whites in ’67. Mitt is just more of the same. Starting with the fact that Mitt will not repeal O’bwana-care, there is no reason to support him this year. Better to purge the GOP moderates (unfortunately, not physically) and come back later with a candidate willing to kick serious butt. Can you tell me the last time a GOP pol actually reversed any Leftist program in govt? The 1946 GOP House and Senate undid many FDR rationing programs, passed Taft-Hartley, and finally ended the Great Depression, which the Dems were planning to just continue indefinitely, since the New Deal was only the institutionaliziation of the depression.

  • chipsidman

    Why did his adviser give it away? When Romney shakes his etch a sketch we will have Leninism and Marxism.. That is the plan!

    Bain is coming to town. Newt, better start making your moon colony with private funds so you and your next wife can escape this Kenyan colonialism that Romney is going to bring.

    Rick, watch out, because Romney hasn’t taken a firm stand against abortion for rape victims, birth control for married women, and porn for consenting adults, we all know that he has a plan to ruin the moral structure of this nation. He is going to push his college education and create us all in his image.

    Seriously… Is this really a story? What do you think? Romney is going to come out of the closet and announce a liberal policies? You are starting to sound as crazy as Mark Levin.

    • danielbdp

      That’s your answer. Mr. Fehrnstrom deserves our heartfelt thanks for transparently letting on their campaign game plan: they don’t give a dime for Conservatives or what we care about and they are letting us know that they plan to win without us, because we’ll have to support Romney to defeat the greater evil, Obama. Arrogance, because without half the needed delegates they already feel the need to appease moderates and won’t even pretend to be true conservatives anymore. Didn’t work with McCain in ’08; won’t work in 2012 either – but I guess they will blame Conservatives again for the loss in November and learn nothing…God help our children and grandchildren for what’s coming!

  • OCBill

    It seems so simple. Like telling the truth simplifies things because you don’t have to remember which lie you told to which person.

    But for Romney, how can he hope to attract voters in the general when he’s on record as being willing to lie as needed to get votes.

    The fact that he lied to cover for Fehrnstrom is not very impressive.

  • OCBill

    It seems so simple. Like telling the truth simplifies things because you don’t have to remember which lie you told to which person.

    But for Romney, how can he hope to attract voters in the general when he’s on record as being willing to lie as needed to get votes.

    The fact that he lied to cover for Fehrnstrom is not very impressive.

  • Ender

    everyone knows that issues in the General will be different than issues in the primary. When you are fighting intra-party, that’s just what happens. However, Fehrnstrom should be fired for stupidity.

    • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

      the idea that we should change to try and win is stupid. We fight for what we believe because it is the right thing to do. How many of you pointed out that Obama has done something other than what he campaigned on. Now we are supposed to encourage our nominee to change in the hopes that the public will buy it. Why would they buy it from someone they already know does not mean half of what he says. This really is the silly season.

      • danielbdp

        It’s very encouraging to hear from a young Conservative such as you, getting it right. A plurality of Americans are patriotic, smart and principled; we want the truth from everyone, especially our leaders.

        Why don’t “big tent” Establishment Republicans get this simple truth? Why do they insist in playing the same lying game as the Liberal Democrats? I guess some people need to be proven wrong many times before they will admit their mistakes and realize honesty is the best policy – always.

        Hang in there! God bless!

      • Flagstaff

        Mitt doesn’t need Democrats.

    • tnguy

      and exactly why the relationship between (R) and conservatives is crumbling. And it’s exactly why middle of the road voters view us and our candidates as little different from democrats. Romney and his ilk generally seek to blur the distinctions between us and democrats, and you seem to be nodding your assent to that as an effective strategy.

      Of course, that is what we are seeing, but should we be? Absolutely not. Reagan ran unabashedly as a conservative, and won in more convincing fashion than any republican in modern history. Reagan had a magnetic personality and was the great communicator, but if what he had been communicating wasn’t so vastly different from the democrats, he wouldn’t have been nearly as effective. We shouldn’t move towards moderate voters. We should try to convince them to move towards us.

      Ace’s Fred Thompson signature has it exactly right: “The ?Big Tent? analogy isn?t the correct one?the correct one is a MAGNET?we need to be a MAGNET that draws these independents in who are sick and tired of what?s going on in Washington.”

      That’s what would win for us.

  • retrocon87

    i drew an elephant once– it won an award. :D

  • chipsidman

    Senator Santorum:: are you sure you want the last picture of you holding up an etch a sketch? Face it sir, you are desperate. By the way, maybe Obama should be holding up a bottle of aspirin.

    • chipsidman

      before your wingnuts pile on

  • http://conservativemountaineer.blogspot.com/ conservativemountaineer

    would be looking TODAY for a new politicial client to advise.

    That is.. *if* he spoke out-of-turn.

    • http://conservativemountaineer.blogspot.com/ conservativemountaineer

      Something tells me the advisor did not speak out-of-turn.

    • hisgirlfriday

      per his earlier remarks.

      I don’t know why he would exercise that in the case of Fehrnstrom. Not just for this episode but there’s something about the whole Romney campaign that has been less than top-notch. Like the earlier stuff with firing the debate coach that had helped Romney so much because Romney’s Boston clique thought the debate coach was getting too much good publicity that detracted from the Boston inner circle.

      • hisgirlfriday

        that should be why he would NOT exercise that in the case of Fehrnstrom

  • AceInTX

    Romney said, the nature of the campaign certainly would change ?organizationally.? But ?the issues I?m running on will be exactly the same.?

    You know Governor, I can’t think of a single issue you’ve articulated a plan, preference, or a position you’ve articulated or stuck to in 6 years of running for office. I’ve seen you attack….attack…attack and I’ve seen you criticize your fellow Republicans for their positions…of positions you’ve held in the past…..but what exactly is a Romney presidency supposed to be about anyway?

    • texastaxpayer

      What that isn’t patriotic enough for you?

  • freedom555

    Important Than Agreeing With All of His Positions.

    ROMNEY’S PROBLEM is that he has demonstrated again and again that he is UNTRUSTWORTHY.

    “I will always support a woman’s right to choose(abortion).”

    OR

    “I have always been Pro Life.”

    I HAVE ALWAYS HATED someone who can look me in the eye and LIE …with such “sincerity”.

    Most voters feel the same way.

    • garfieldjl

      You could believe McCain was telling you the truth, Romney you couldn’t trust to give you the time of day.

  • rednation

    It’s all he has left to hope it makes an impact upon these moronic Rombots who never seem to get that even if one cedes electability (not true, but follow me) Romney WILL betray conservatives on SCOTUS picks and such, so he cannot be trusted to keep his word going forward.

    He’s a fix it guy who will tinker around the edges of Obamacare, and “improve it” not get rid of it. He’s the kind who will appease Dems left and right and makes any win with him meaningless.

    • nepanyrush

      Really?

      It looks most certain that Romney will be the nominee. But hey, let’s savage the Romney supporters and hope Romney is dragged through the mud for a senior adivsor’s gaffe.

      Might I remind you, the enemy is Obama. With Romney almost certain to be the nominee, I really don’t think we want Santorum to “use this a lot” nor do we want to mock the Romney supporters. Romney was not my first choice, or my second, but I am ready to support him now. The mathematics is rather astronomical that he will be the nominee. . And I read Ann Coulter tonight and she really painted a good picture of how he went up against a 200 person MA legislature that had only 29 republicans. I trust her and Rush and Jeb Bush a lot more than I would trust someone who labels someone “Rombots.”

      • rednation

        And to buy into Rove’s and the media’s inevitability meme is STILL an error for at least a few more weeks.

        Fact is, the left is ALREADY making devastating flip flop ads with a Dem superpac released today showing a etch a sketch with cheesy muzak playing:

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6NArPUFLRI&feature=player_embedded

        And it shows why going with Romney is a general election disaster. One we can still avoid by backing the only realistic option, Santorum.

        The math is NOT astronomical YET. Those votes have not happened yet. And now this comes out.

        Looking like Santorum’s act of god perhaps.

        Romney was not my 1st or 2nd choice, or any choice.

        Even for those willing to swallow in a general on Romney NOW is not QUITE the time to coalesce.

        Your problem is one of foolish trust. Coulter has no credibility any more, backing Romney for ages now when other better options existed.

        Reagan fought all the way to the convention in 1976, against the same forces including Rove that urged unity and the need to support moderate loser Ford.

        We all know how that turned out. The establishment, and their minions, now including Coulter, are repeating the same line.

        Romney’s record, including court picks, was TERRIBLE in MA.

        There is no reason to support a person that is in all respects a liberal just because he has an R by his name.

        • demsaresatanic

          Wallstreet jerks who are buying the nomination. If we go down, go down fighting all the way to the convention.

      • annplato

        I don?t trust Romney because in my opinion his campaign and ideology is so much like Obama?s: WIN at ALL costs and at the expense of EVERYONE! I look at Obama?s presidency that even if he gets in we will put up with a liar for another 4 years. Romney on the other hand will do very much the same as Obama yet he will have (most likely) another 8 years! I?m not sure what is more dangerous: 4 years of fast paced destruction or 8years of slow destruction of the same?

        I know that Supreme Court justices in the next four years are very important, but I am not at all sure that Romney will nominate better or much different than Obama (based on his MA record). I know that the Senate and Congress must hold and pick up conservatives, but usually that goes based on the ?coat tails? of the Party?s nominee. What kind of houses will we have if Romney wins?

  • goodgovernance

    you KNOW the etch-a-sketch thing didn’t pop into this guy’s head at that very moment. It was a term that was used by the higher ranks of the campaign team as they discussed strategy for the general.

    The fact Fehrnstrom thought it was okay to use on national tv shows just how clinical and bloodless Romney’s key advisors are. For them it’s all about moving pieces around on the board, with delegates being the tokens of success as you claw your way to power and prestige: Washington cocktail party circuit, here we come! Ambassadorships and cushy administration jobs so close, you can taste it!

  • General_Confusion

    ?I?m running as a conservative Republican. I was a conservative Republican governor. I?ll be running as a conservative Republican nominee,? he said. ?The policies and positions are exactly the same.?

    Translation:
    ?I?m running as a conservative Republican.? ? Yes, yes you are.

    ?I was a conservative Republican governor.? – No, you were NEVER a conservative governor, do you really want to insult our intelligence with that statement. I know you think we are a bunch of ?rube? conservatives but we are really not as dumb as you think.

    ?I?ll be running as a conservative Republican nominee,? – No you won?t, you know you won?t, your staff knows you won?t. You will be duking it out for ?I?m ever so slightly to the right of Obama? position. The irony will be Obama will do all he can to sound like he is to the right of your new found ?center?.

    ?The policies and positions are exactly the same.? – Yeah, that?s it. Subject to change and change and change.

    • Lynn Otting

      is nominating him as our candidate, so yes, we are that dumb. Perfectly, intelligent people have lost their ability to think logically….at least, that is the one statement that I keep repeating, primary after primary after primary…

    • rednation

      You hit it on the head.

      This is contrast election.

      You do not run with a guy practically as left as Obama to win indies and moderates and expect to win.

      What’s gonna happen is Obama will run to the RIGHT of Romney or appear to, cynically, and he will be able to since Romney is such a squish on everything. And he wins.

      Romney’s guys said the etch a sketch comment was about organizational differences, but it’s clearly about IDEOLOGY.

      Romney will be crushed by Obama merely by showing his face on an etch a sketch and the scrolls being turned with his shifting positions being erased. It’s a devastating visual that leftist Super pacs are already using in preparation for the fall.

      It’s not over. We should NOT yet coalesce around Romney.

      We need to back Santorum fast, and pray he pulls this out.

  • hls87

    So at the eleventh hour it is revealed unto us that Mitt Romney is shallow, unprincipled, ignorant of ideology and uniterested in ideas except to the extent he can use them to further his political ambitions. That would be a great story, if it only had the element of surprise.. We always knew Romney would never advance the conservative cause except by accident. We are going to see massively redundant evidence on this point from now until the election and for at least four years thereafter in the unlikely event that Mitt beats Obama.

    Romney is a catastrophe, but not an avoidable one. 2012 is a tragedy, not a drama and certainly not a farce.. Ever since the Republican electorate decided that it wanted to narrow the field to Mitt against three ludicrous non-starters, the die has been cast. Mitt had the nomination locked up before SC voted. The time to ponder whether we wanted to nominate an Etch-A-Sketch is long past. We’ve got one and we have nobody to blame but ourselves.

  • driveinkid

    I really wonder when the Rick and Newt fanboys are going to stop complaining about Romney “attacking” them with “negative ads”. You act as if they haven’t attacked Romney. Newt’s PAC put together a 1/2 hour documentary on Bain that was filled with lies to attack Romney from the LEFT. I didn’t hear any complaints about that from those crying about Romney’s money advantage now.

    He has an advantage because he has a superior organization and more donors. He is WINNING, that comes with the territory. Both Rick and Newt would be running ads like crazy if they had the money. Let’s cut the nonsense and the bellyaching. If Romney is so bad, either one of the other candidates should be able to beat him easily. They can’t because they are inferior. Get over it.

    • General_Confusion

      Principles and core beliefs, um, not so much.

      • jamesm

        etch a sketched out of Romney when he runs for elected office.He ia doing whatever he can to win. Truth won’t get him votes.He values votes more than telling the truth.

      • BlueLandRed

        not so much

        Look, I don’t mind when politicians change their opinion on a matter. But when they do so, they need to provide a reason for the switch.

        Romney seem s to literally change his opinion mid paragraph.

        I’ve never seen such a flip flopper. He’s getting away with it now… but come the general there is no way Obama and the lame stream media will give him a pass.

        He was before it, before he was against, before he was for it, before he was against it.

        Honestly, pulling the lever for Romney is the same as playing a slot machine… you have no idea of the outcome.

      • JSobieski

        …and you WILL like it.

        • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

          “You like me. You really, really like me.” Only we don’t.

        • aesthete

          Make history by voting in the first cyborg-American as President!

    • Flagstaff

      Both Newt and Rick were given openings to jump ahead of Mitt. They didn’t do it. You have to ask why.

      To complain that Mitt has more money is just silly. They just wish they had it. Obama is probably going to have even more. What will they do if they’re the nominee?

      I’m not sure that the “outspent 20 to 1″ meme is even relevant,much less accurate. Maybe it’s more important to just be able to spend enough to get your message across. It appears that neither Newt nor Rick have that much.

      • General_Confusion

        The point I was making is that the only thing Romney has is organization and money, nothing else.

        OK, so maybe Romney can win with Obama-lite, so what, we drive off the financial cliff at 65 MPH instead of 85 MPH.

        The problem is this, the nation is in existence threating peril and Romney and congressional losership will NOT make the necessary transformational changes needed.

        Social Security and Medicate and the host of entitlements will take down the nation all by themselves. Mitt ?Mend it, don?t end it? Romney?s proposed solution, keep Obamacare and enshrine a new massive entitlement. Sure he?ll fiddle at the edges of Obamacare but at the end of the day it will grow bigger and bigger and bigger.

        We ?win? and the government continues to explode under the ?R? banner.

        The economy cannot support the ever growing, ever insatiable government. It will simply collapse.

        Pyric victory if you ask me.

        Romney 2012 ? You?ll barely notice Obama left!

        • http://www.unifiedpatriots.com/ pilgrim

          If the plan is to undo the work of President Reagan who embraced and listened to the stalwart conservatives, then I do truly believe that Romney does have what it takes to continue what the Bush family have started.

          I also believe that Boehner and McConnell have what it takes to undo the work of Speaker Gingrich and Senate Majority Whip Nickles.

        • Flagstaff

          Not about the danger.

          We’ll see.

  • JimmyGee

    Two things:
    1. He will not admit to making a mistake on Romeycare. He went to the fricking White House to advise Obama on Obamacare! He is on record saying that Romeycare is the model for the United States! Hello? Whaa? And he is a conservative? Not in my book. The reality is that unless Obamacare is completely REPEALED, we as a country are screwed. Period. And every time Romney tires to beat Obama with Obamacare, Obama is going to say, “You advised me on Obamacare!”
    2. To win Illinois, Romney outspent Santorum 7 to 1. That is Mitt’s MO. Go negative, and outspend his opponent. That will not work with Obama.
    I am not a fan of any of the nominees. I want a “reset” NOW!
    Someone get me an etch-a-sketch! I want to start shaking it!

  • jamesm

    Most voters will etch a sketch his recent campaign flub out of their brains in a few days. The only thing that shakes up a Romneybot is the thought of Santorum or Gingrich. Obama will draw an etch a sketch of Romney in the fall campaign. It won’t be pretty.

    • http://impudent.edublogs.org/ kyle8

      It isn’t only money, Look we have this stupid system but in this system he is the one who went through all the debates and did not implode.

      He is the guy who survived all the attacks and still came out looking and sounding presidential enough to get the biggest slice of the delegates.

      I know there are many who are unhappy that he is the front runner. But think about this for a moment. If the front runner were Newt or Santorum there would be an even larger number of disaffected Republicans, because those guys are not really very good choices at all. They would bomb in the general election because their perceived negatives are astronomical especially outside of the conservative movement.

      You can complain all you want to, but if someone with the big government, coercive, far right views of Santorum got the nomination he would alienate a large portion of Republicans and nearly every single independent.

  • mikelindell2

    I fully trust them to give me “fair and balanced” coverage LOL. The three prime time shows (O’Reilly, Hannity, Greta) didn’t even show the footage of Fehrnstrom making these comments. O’Reilly dismissed them as nothing, as did Greta. Brit Hume made sure to say that the coverage of this is ridiculous. Hannity didn’t even mention the interview. I guess showing the actual footage would let people decide its importance, something they do not want to do. I’m surprised they were even able to make those brief statements about it in the midst of their incessant Newt-bashing. What a ridiculous “news” channel, what a poor excuse for anything “conservative.”

    • rednation

      The Stupid Party sure is living up to its label. The Evil Party is relishing this election to repeat Kerry’s flip flop loss on the other side.

      Hume is a joke.

      It’s suicide to put up Romney. We have to back Santorum and hope for the best, and make Mitt earn it for several weeks at least before just accepting “inevitable delegate math” arguments when Romney in fact has just half the total he needs for nomination currently.

      If Santorum wins LA and WI and gets on a roll, it could still happen or he could force a 2nd ballot floor flight.

      Romney is so bad, so awful, such a disruptive chance is worth risking, believe it or not. Romney is so much to the left, so non-conservative, that even if he wins he’s on par ALMOST to Obama in uselessness to our side.

      We can expect another David Souter.

      It’s worth risking a floor fight to get anybody but him, since Romney’s a sure loser in the fall over his etch a sketching…

    • garfieldjl

      I saw her interview with Newt, she asked him about it and let him talk about it.

      Furthermore, as much as Mitt would want this to go away it’s probably going to go all the way to the convention, if people seriously want a laughingstock as our nominee, they’ll keep supporting Obamney.

      Otherwise, vote to nominate someone with some actual principles that can be taken seriously like Newt or Santorum.

      • mikelindell2

        And didn’t show the video clip of what was actually said.

    • filobeddoe

      but it’s true. Im surprised that they didnt run Rove out last night. If Romney stopped short, Rove’s face …..

      Fox has lost my love.

  • annas

    ..that most of you posting here wish I would just finally go away. I almost have done so. Every time I think I would like to read what Redstate has to say (as I used to come here every day), I find Romney supporters still being subject to attacks and called names. I am very conservative, educated, and able to figure which candidate I want to support and which candidate has the best chance to win. I choose Romney. It would be nice if I could still have some discourse with fellow Republicans.
    Whining about Romney spending money is the silliest thing. If Newt and Rick had more money, better organization, and more support, they would be using it as well! I keep hearing how Rick is the most conservative. Have you checked his voting record? The primaries so far show Romney is getting the most conservative votes and the most religious right votes. The exit polls show that “Republicans” across the country are mostly choosing Romney, not the dreaded “establishment.” Newt and Rick are fine men and I would not have a problem voting for either one if elected, but it does not seem they will be. It is time to coalesce around a candidate and try to beat Obama. I thought that was the original plan.

    • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

      certainly do their own share of smearing. It’s a little difficult to have a conversation with someone who calls you a bigot and insults an entire region of the country like “winning2012″ did here. And this isn’t the first time, either.

    • demsaresatanic

      Romney is a phoney and deserves to be called names, as if he hasn’t tried to smear his way through every primary. What do you expect to see on a conservative site?

    • jamesm

      is prefferable than rants. What policy do you like about Romney? In your opinion, is he a leberal, moderate or conservative in his voting record?

    • Flagstaff

      You have to look for it.

      Some folks lock on to a certain way of looking at things and can’t give it up. The Democrats would love for us to believe that Romney takes a whole bunch of things “off the table.” Just what does that mean, anyway? You can’t argue against something you voted for? Santorum has been doing that for weeks, and a catch phrase with Newt is “That was one of the dumbest things I ever did.” If you can accept that for them, why not from Mitt?

      A real funny is the claim that Mitt “doesn’t connect with the common man,” because he’s so rich. As if Obama and George Soros are not rich. After one of Mitt’s very good nights a few weeks ago, somebody claimed that Donald Trump made a robocall for Mitt, and the “common men” of that state just loved him for it and voted for Mitt. Trump probably has ten times as much money as Romney, yet he supposedly can connect while Mitt can’t. If it’s true, it can’t be because of money.

      Why are Newt and Rick’s numbers among women in general so bad? Can’t they connect with them?

      Like you, I’d be happy to vote for any of them, including Ron Paul, who I’ve sort of grown to appreciate. I don’t care much for the name calling based on a difference of opinion, although I do agree that demsaresatanic. They are also racist and sexist–some of them.

      • texastaxpayer

        Yeah its called conviction and principle. You should try it sometime. I am a perfectly happy person in my life for a very simple reason. I know who I am, I know what I believe and I don’t apologise to anyone for it. The idea that we should all abandon our beliefs and convictions because the RNC and the media has again spit balled a soulless rino into the nomination once again makes me question why you consider yourself a conservative?

        News flash for you. Conservatism is an IDEOLOGY. It’s a belief system genius. Perhaps you don’t get that but for those of us who do your suggestion that we just lay down our beliefs and blindly follow the candidate with an R by his name is as foreign to us as our belief in founding principles must be to you.

        • annie54

          NOT OBAMA.

          NOT ROMNEY.

          All the way to Tampa.

        • http://formidablecourage.wordpress.com louisianapatriette

          Way to go!

          P.S. Just dropping by to say hello to everyone at RedState and see what’s going on. I miss y’all so I still lurk every once in a while :) Hope everyone’s doing okay.

          • texastaxpayer

            ;)

        • Flagstaff

          That sounded a bit negative, tex. My conservative credentials stand up just fine.

          Check this out.

          The problem we all have is that none of the candidates in this race are as conservative as we want. The problem you have is that probably nobody who would satisfy you could get elected, abut you have blinders concerning the shortcoming of everybody but Romney, so you imagine they are perfect. I don’t see either one of them as being any more steadfastly conservative than Romney, and you can find the examples of their mistakes for yourself.

          I firmly believe that “electability” should not be a major consideration in voting for a primary candidate. Vote for who you think is best.

          News flash for you–just because somebody disagrees with you about something doesn’t mean he doesn’t have “conviction and principle.”

    • filobeddoe

      Who’s called Romney supporters names? It’s usually the anti Romneys that are called names….like sore losers, etc.

      Whoever chooses “aggrieved” status first, wins the argument I guess.

      There, I didnt call you a name. I just disagree.

    • trickamsterdam

      No they don’t which is why he loses Red States and Red areas of Blue States.

      “I keep hearing how Rick is the most conservative. Have you checked his voting record?” – annas

      An 88% ACU rating out of a Purple State that leans Blue could probably be called excellent. Certainly it’s at least very good.

      Romney on the other hand was literally the most liberal R governor in the country w/ the possible exception of the movie actor who ran California during the same period.

      We thought he was going to be like the other movie actor who ran California in the 60s but this one was a sexaholic and didn’t understand very much. Also he talked funny and used the joke “I’ll be back” too many times.

      “…most of you posting here wish I would just finally go away” – annas

      I for one didn’t even know you were here. You seem OK. :)

  • JSobieski

    Kind of like Governor Snyder of Michigan.

    The guy refused to answer the traditional candidate position questionnaries in the Republican primary.

    He gave all indications of being an absolute squish

    Yet, he may be the most conservative governor in Michigan’s history (Engler is the only person who is close).

    Yup, the best we can hope for is a guy who has been purposely decieving us the entire time. God, I love 2012!

    • garfieldjl

      One could jump into an active volcano with molten lava and hope they survive.

      That’s probably about as intelligent as believing Mr. “etch-a-sketch” is going to be a conservative.

      • JSobieski

        and that it is the “best case” scenario.

        I have never advocated for Romney as a primary candidate.

  • rednation

    That are destroying the country.

    Obama lite is not the answer.

    Not when the left is savaging us on all fronts, including social issues where they win issues they start off losing due to RINO squishes and their supporters.

    Rick’s voting record????

    Have you checked MITTS GOVERNING RECORD???

    My gawd, he has a 200+ page opposition research file of flip flops and past support for every leftist cause known to man, almost!

    No “educated” “very conservative” person of any credibility or non-self deluded stripe would even THINK of supporting Romney.

    His own side mostly supports him for ONE REASON ONLY.

    ELECTABILITY.

    And that is not even true, he’s weaker than Santorum in real world terms in a GENERAL ELECTION due to a host of reasons that Karl Rove and his Ford backing lying a$$ in 1976 even will not be honest with people about, since he’s a RINO.

    Romney will not win by big margins in rural areas in key swing states, and he will lose big in the cities to Obama, and will not pick up those votes as he did against Santorum in MI, IL and OH.

    If the Establishment would back Santorum, and he got big donors, his chances are far better than Romney’s against Obama.

    You do not win in contrast election cycles by trying to go for the middle, both in terms of your side’s ideological agenda and in actuality.

    You win by having the base first, and trying appeal to indies and mods later, but not by running a moderate outright.

    That has failed for 75+ YEARS in American GOP politics.

    You sadly do not get that many rank and file Reps are swallowing the same electability pablum the Establishment is pushing on them due to influence by them to direct the outcome to the “next guy in line” which they accomplish by convincing people of phony electability arguments not backed by real poll analysis and manipulation of those, and by endorsements, etc.

    Then we get divided conservative vote blocs like Gingrich and Santorum, which helps the Rockefellerites win as well.

    The process is essentially rigged to ensure Mitt’s, McCains, Doles, etc. are always nominated by the party.

    To our detriment, and to movement conservatism.

    • Flagstaff

      both Gingrich and Santorum have the same problems, only worse.

      I would love to have Newt sitting out there in front with the lead that Romney has. But he isn’t there, because of his own problems. Santorum, too.

      I am not convinced that Romney is any less conservative than either of the other two. I AM convinced he knows more about running an enterprise than either of them. If you want an example more recent than the Olympics or Bain Capital, just look at the three campaigns.

      • demsaresatanic

        “both Gingrich and Santorum have the same problems, only worse,” really spells it out for us.

        • Flagstaff

          It does.

      • garfieldjl

        Seriously, this race would be a lot different if not for the Romney smear machine, which will be totally outclassed by the Obama smear machine.

        Both Gingrich and Santorum are stronger candidates by the simple fact they actually have something to run on aside from smearing everyone else in the race.

    • http://impudent.edublogs.org/ kyle8

      you have let your ideology blind you to reality. Once Santorum’s views and statements about social issues gets out into the general public you would lose all libertarian oriented Republicans (that is about 20% of the party) and nearly every independent.

      Here is a clue, the reason most independents are independent is because they really do not like the fiscal policies of the Democrats but they loath the kind of Republican who constantly moralizes and tries to use government to enforce morality. That description, often a pathetic exaggeration when used against most Republicans, unfortunately fits Santorum to a tee.

      • trickamsterdam

        You have it precisely backwards.

        When Rs try actual fiscal conservatism (Ryan budget) they get pounded.

        On the other hand in a way Obama was right about the “bitter clingers” except for his disrespectful phrasing.

        Issues like traditional values gun control abortion keep many a lower class worker or perhaps a SoCon union member voting R.

        This is precisely why Romney will lose a states like PA and OH and Santo would have a real chance to take those. He might even be a favorite over the President in PA.

        But I understand even as I write this that you will not understand or believe me.

        When Romney is swept in November in OH PA VA FL and even NC perhaps light will dawn. But probably not. You’ll just blame it on the fact that it must be because he’s a Mormon.

        • aesthete

          I’d say kyle’s statement captures the mood of independents and conservatives in the Mountain West and Alaska for the most part, and maybe a clutch of counties and states in New England or the urbanized South. When it comes to the rust belt states, the Midwest, Appalachia, and most of the rural South, I’d say your characterization is closer to accurate — though there are some depths of anti-government sentiment in those folks, even so.

          A smart Republican would find a way to capitalize both sentiments in like manner as Reagan did to build a truly national coalition, IMO. Of course, “smart Republican” is an oxymoron most days…

          • trickamsterdam

            Sure the Independents in the NorthEast (where I’m from) and CA (where I lived) would fit his definition. And people like Rudy G. and C. Christie are examples of that (but not Romney who was a failed one-term governor w/ a 33% approval rating for all his liberalism).

            But could those people even win their own States against Obama? Could Scott Brown win MA against Obama?

            In Presidential politics I think the SoCon/Economic Populist model works…and in fact Bush 43 got two terms w/ it.

            Also note: I’m not saying Santorum wouldn’t have a chance to be swept in those States too…merely that’d he have a better chance in them especially PA (whereas Romney has no chance in MA).

            I should also say it’s possible Romney might have had a better chance than Santo in FL at one point…but from what I understand from people down there the primary campaign he ran was so relentlessly negative that he poisoned the well for him self in terms of the general election.

          • aesthete

            but then, I’ve always been of the measured opinion that Romney is an incredibly weak candidate, quite possibly the weakest fielded since Thomas Dewey.

            Santo is also a weak (but not as weak) candidate, but not because he is a socon — moreso because he has no good way of expanding past that base without shooting himself in the foot, going back to those issues regardless of relevance, or expressing them in an inclusive way (see Boooosh and Reagan).

          • trickamsterdam

            Santo’s a nightmare lets face it. And I know that as well as you.

            But you and I have always been different because we’ve been begging for a Brokered Convention.

            The Romney people say he sucks…but somehow they never really want anyone else. Or a brokered convention.

            I defend Santo and support him ironically because (Obama-haters could never understand it) he’s marginally more electable than Romney.

            Basically he has about a 45% chance to beat Obama and Romney has about a 40% chance.

            And yeah for practical purposes a 40% chance is “unelectable”.

            My defense of Santo is entirely due to Santo’s Electoral Vote Map advantage as opposed to Mitt’s Popular Vote advantage…Mitt keeps his animals ignorant of the way Presidents are actually elected because whatever else he is he’s no fool.

            And whatever else his supporters are they are animals.

            What we need is another candidate. But I have to say Aesthete…even if the chimes at midnight haven’t ended chiming they are in the process…Santo better win Wisconsin.

            Or it’s Romney.

            I don’t feel like explaining brokered convention rules to anyone (not you Aesthete who know) but Santorum is far from guaranteed to be the nominee.

            So no one has to love him to vote for him to try and stop Romney.

            Romney could still be the VP if they love him so much and he’s young enough to run even after two terms of whoever is elected President.

            But that’s it. That’s the only deal. Nothing else. Or us anti Romney people wont support. Not negotiable beyond that.

            Note: This response was influenced by another thread today when I was swarmed on by Romney supporters telling me it was my patriotic duty to support Romney.

            LOL. Will I be issued red white and blue bunny-ears when I enter the voting booth?

            Screw Romney. Screw him in his bunny ears.

            The link to the thread today for anyone who reads this in the future:

            http://www.redstate.com/erick/2012/03/23/people-are-badly-misinterpreting-rick-santorum/

          • Stricia

            The bunny ears comment is crude. I think you could derive benefit from professional help. Seek it.

          • trickamsterdam

            LOL you Romney people only hate me cuz I’m practically the only one on here who points out how he won’t (even can’t) win and why.

            The rest of the anti-Romney people say he sucks but maybe he’s the most electable.

            You and your candidate are a joke. An unelectable joke.

            And I can promise you: since it’s going to be so many months from now when he’s humiliated…I’m gonna have long since stopped caring.

            Nor for the record will I ever blame myself for anything Obama does in his second term.

            I’ll always blame you Romney animals (what you were really offended by not “bunny ears”). Because as long as your master lets you rut you’re easily kept in a pen.

          • aesthete

            Romney *hacks* (as in those who should know better, or who are intentionally deceptive), yes.

            Romney voters and supporters? For the most part are ignorant. I’ve long contended that opposition to Romney is more based on specific, policy-based opposition than was (and is) the case with the other candidates.

            Perry was mostly disliked for gaffes and a misrepresented position on illegal immigration.

            Bachmann had no real record to evaluate.

            Cain rose and fell based on his debate and media performances; ditto Newt.

            Santo was disliked by most fiscal conservatives and liked by some social conservatives, both for ill-defined reasons — but was adopted as a last-minute “Not-Romney”.

            Huntsman was disliked for being a perceived moderate.

            Johnson was never really given a chance to begin with, and wasn’t able to make one for himself.

            In contrast, Romney is disliked — quite strongly — for specific flip-flops, and for RomneyCare. The latter is pretty specific, and damning for an election year that is in part about opposition to ObamaCare.

            We’ll see what happens, but I don’t think it will be quite as simple as conservatives and independents hitching their wagons to Romney’s star. There is a reason that disasters like Santo emerged as viable candidates, and it’s not because they were so fine.

      • Scope

        which I call the libertarians, have never gained enough ground to ever be a threat to the Republican party. Furthermore, you can thank the guy who is widely seen as the libertarian leader, running as a Republican, Ron Paul, for putting the ideas of libertarianism to bed for a long time, right, wrong, or indifferent.

        BTW, do you have any proof at all that 20% of the Republican party is libertarian oriented. The conservatives, just as the libertarians, all want less government, less spending, and more freedom. Beyond that, there is no such thing as common ground with the conservatives and the libertarians. Again, the libertarians are “frugal liberals, trying to hijack the Republican party, and want a truce on social conservative values. If that were not so, Santorum wouldn’t have won the many states that he has. Can you name me any libertarians that have ever won as much as he has?

      • Flagstaff

        Probably pretty accurate regarding independents. When you throw in the ones who don’t pay much attention, they are probably influenced more by what they’re afraid of than what they like, and they tend to listen to the scare stories about “moral oppression.”

        Libertarians should be attuned to the idea of religious freedom from government oppression, but they would also react negatively to the idea of a crusading president who wants to impose his religious beliefs on others. I don’t believe that describes Santorum at all, but as you know, the entire Republican Party is currently being accused, sans any evidence, of conducting a “war on women.” Newt is making the best appeal to libertarians with a “small government” message, but we know he is not going to be our nominee.

        As much as Santorum’s supporters want to believe he’s the “true” conservative, he looks to me like a run of the mill big-government Republican with a veneer of religious “conservatism” added.

    • redstateneck

      Yes, the founders developed a system that favors an aristocrat. Its because aristocrats are not wholly distracted by money. They have gotton theirs and so they can give back a little.

      • Scope

        It was Rothbard, Ron Paul’s mentor, that believed the constitution was written by a bunch of warmongers, and rich white guys, that only wrote the document to take over more control of the federal government. He favored the Articles of Confederation, which George Washington said was a time of near anarchy. Yet you hear all the time that Ron Paul is the only one who wants to uphold the Constitution? You don’t even hide your disdain for the founding fathers document of governance.

        • redstateneck

          Just because the founders were aristocrats doesn’t mean I have disdain for them or the constitution. I am afraid of the mob. I think its difficult to have a government function without civil morality. The aristocracy was the most qualified to lead. And in some respects the aristocracy is still the most qualified to lead. I fear the the Democratic Party has abandoned Constitutional values. I think the Democratic Party has embraced a Marxist with President Obama. Mitt is at worst a centrist and a pragmatist. I think he tries to find solutions regardless of the source. Many colleges are requiring healthcare so catastrophic injuries are not put on their door step. In a place like Palm Beach or Mass. they can afford some sort of universal healthcare. The overwhelming balance of the country just can’t afford it.

        • trickamsterdam

          Scope good luck w/ these people when I’m not here anymore because they’re quite mad.

          You’ve always been quite hilarious and as a person w/ an exceptional sense of humor I’ve always respected that. Good luck w/the gasmask and the 101 proof bourbon when voting for Romney.

          It’s not that I’m going away but when Romney clinches I’ll have to…because he’s a dog-murderer and I won’t be allowed to say that because he’ll be the nominee and I’ll be plotting a protest vote.

          I just want people to understand the quote I quoted in the title bar is a typical Romney supporter. This is what he attracts. These are his people.

          Is it too insane to say if Obama starts a nuclear war before Labor Day it solves all our problems? Of course it is. :)

  • Common_Cents

    • snowshooze

      Genuine plastic.

  • unsk

    I am simply shocked that Willard would lie to us. Who could have seen that coming? Mr Honesty, the man with the perfect home life lie to us?

    It’s not like he bought the election is it? Oh wait he did buy the election.

    We’re supposed to admire his money. Just look at that money! The Organization! The influence! I mean he and his masters have the money, organization and power to buy Congress, the SEC, the FED, the Republican/Rino Establishment and now the Republican nomination. Wow! that ‘s amazing. We should just be so blinded and thrilled by the spectacle of it all that we really have got to stop whining and just suck it up. Get with the Program Suckars. Know when to be obedient to your new masters!

    It’s not like the entire world is going to hell, and Romney doesn’t care. Willard and his people have it all worked out for us, you’ll see.

    The people that brought us the Great Ponzi have some even better treasures in store for us. More Bailouts, the VAT, more Progressive Socialism, more Police State taking of our liberties….but it”l all be good for you – wait we have this nice little hovel over here from which you can work in the fields for us from now on, slave, Won’t that be just Wunnerful!

    • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

      What are you, some sort of pinko liberal?

  • http://www.helpawhiteguy.com livefreenh

    …that whenever a politician says he wants to wipe the slate clean, it’s your slate he is wiping.

    Romney was voted into office by the people to try to stop their runaway democrat state congress. It made it so they couldn’t make as many bad laws. Everything they tried to do would require a veto-proof majority before it was put on the people. This way their citizens had someone to blame for bad laws (although they really should have blamed themselves). Anyone who cared simply moved to New Hampshire.

  • pieter

    Comparing the 3 candidates…where has there rhetoric reflected what they voted for or signed into law?

    If Romney (and Santorum) have strong views on particular matters how do they compare with the hard facts?

    I think, so far, Gingrich has them beat.

    Say no to the RINO Romney…unrepentant godfather of obamacare.

  • redstateneck

    How do litmus tests differ between Republican, Conservative, and Angry Frustrated redneck. What are you if you want smaller less expensive less intrusive Federal government. What are you if you want to maintain the status quo? What are you if you’re and underachiever, under enducated, monday morning quarterback? Most of the country self-identifies as conservative. That label has little meaning at this point. I admire people who are bringing solutions to the table. For inasmuch as any candidate does that then I am interested in what they have to say. Shouldn’t we take the blind fold off and realize that no solutions can be put forward if we don’t get a candidate that can win? The purpose of elections is to win. The purpose of governing is to bring solutions. The pundits can whip us into a frenzy to listen to their sponsors. As citizens we must not be blinded by the media cycle. We must find real change. President Obama was not vetted. He has failed miserably with the cooperation of the most radically leftist people in congress. Let’s restore the foundations of liberty and quickly excuse the clearly Marxist thought that pervades our society.

  • jnavey

    greatconservatism.blogspot.com

  • Juggernaut

    and they have always been pathetic and unprofessional by republican campaign standards.

    For all we know this man is a secret democrat which could explain why so many dems and MSNBC like him. Remember DeDe Scozzfava?

    Its more than an opinion considering how pathetic the squish is. He wasn’t this disliked in 2008 and people think he’s going to beat Obama. Hard to unite a party knowing the conservative movement is going down hill as the squish party tools will expect us to trust a man who has no real political identity other than the last press interview.

    The etch a sketch was not a gaffe, it was a prelude of whats to come if he wins.

  • filobeddoe

    you wont hear the word “Obamacare” again. Mitt will not bring it up so not to expose his own record. So, as long as Rick and Newt keep going, Obamacare will be brought up as an issue.

  • redmymind

    then why sweat and desperately pressure the others to leave the race?

    And why would we be ANY MORE convinced just because another establishment goon, Jeb Bush, says they should?

    • Scope

      that if Romney is the inevitable candidate, then let him prove it all the way until the last state votes. I’m sure LA and NC, as well as NY and Conn. voters would like the opportunity to believe their vote counts as well as those that have already voted.

      For people who constantly preach about “we the people” that tune sure seems to sound a whole lot different now with some of the same telling other candidates to clear the field, and get out of the race to open the highway right to a Romney nomination.

      There are even liberals talking about the Obama Clinton race in 08 going all the way to their convention, and are pointing out that Clinton didn’t get such a bad end to it all. The long slog sure didn’t hurt their eventual nominee, obviously.

      The Romney camp now crying about it being silly season with the etch-a-sketch toy now being used at the opponents rallies is ludicrous. It is exactly what Romney would be using against his opponents if one of the opponents camps made the stupid remark. I’m also seeing a headline this morning that Romney is sticking by his bailout support. Lovely.

      So many are complaining that the season has been so nasty and that it is one big circular firing squad. Many are complaining that this is harming our eventual nominee. Great, then call the Romney dogs off the other candidates. Ask Romney to stop carpet bombing his opponents. Tell Romney to shut the heck up, and go hide in a corner somewhere lest he open his mouth just to exchange feet yet again, and again. Sorry but Romney has a very strange, and a very aloof personality, and no Ann Romney won’t be allowed to give the State of the Union Addresses. Huh, and so many knocked W for being bad at delivering speeches.

      • cbartlett

        There’s no reason for anyone to leave the race now, despite what the genius Karl Rove says, I will vote for Newt in the Texas primary. If Romney is indeed inevitable, what will it hurt? Make Mitt fight for my vote in the fall – convince us why he can defeat Obama.

  • lesstressrx

    Mittens is getting votes from the American people. Millions could be out voting for Newt. It cost nothing to vote. Ask yourselves why they are voting for mittens??? I ask myself that every day. Ask your friends why they would vote for him. The GOP, Rove, Morris or Fox News are not holding a gun to their heads. Most people would admit that Newt is the smartest man left standing. He would make mincemeat out of Obama in a debate and he would go to Washington & rid us of Obamacare, regulations galore, work on the 10th amendment and give us an energy plan. What more are people wanting? Why are fiscal conservatives voting for government spenders like Santorum and Mittens? Listening to people say they are voting for Santorum because he is a real conservative makes me realize they are not vetting the candidate themselves. Even Glenn Beck who is supporting Santorum admits he isn?t a fiscal conservative. Our country is in financial danger and yet people are out voting for a social conservative instead of a fiscal one. If America goes broke having a social conservative in the White House will do nothing for is. Obama can give us a fight over social issues, he must love the way people are thinking. Obama doesn?t have a leg to stand on if we get in a battle over fiscal issues. Washington, the media or Obama doesn?t want Newt as the candidate.
    We can?t blame Mittens for spending money and running lots of ads. We can?t blame the GOP for wanting one of their own, but we can look to the American people that continue to go out and vote for Mittens. He is getting the votes like it or not. Can?t blame this on Obama or the democrats. We can say, people with a voice, that call themselves Tea Party Fiscal Conservatives have done nothing to educate the American people on what a ?Constitutional, fiscal, Social Conservative? is.

    The people must unite and get behind whoever wins this primary. We must become one in our desire to get rid of Obama.
    If we don?t, the next four years will give Obama the opportunity to take over this country and we will never have another election. He will become the ?Dictator? he so wants to be. He has all his Chicago thugs behind him. He has the power to do it.
    Even as we speak, he is taking upon himself to do whatever he desires ignoring the Constitution. Last week he signed an Executive Order Allowing Control Over All US Resources giving the Executive Branch the power to control and allocate energy, production, transportation, food, and even water resources by decree under the auspices of national defense and national security. The order is not limited to wartime implementation, as one of the order’s functions includes the command and control of resources in peacetime determinations. http://www.examiner.com/finance-examiner-in-national/president-obama-signs-executive-order-allowing-for-control-over-all-us-resources
    We have a dangerous man in the White House, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES can he remain in this position.

    • cbartlett

      nt

  • eldstenorge

    Unfortunately Erick, on this one you hit the nail on the head more than you realize. This is who Mitt Romney is and many of us who are LDS realize it. This little statement of yours is actually in LDS scripture. LDS believe in several scriptures, the Bible, the Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Many do not know this. However, in the Doctrine and Covenants it specifically talks about power and people wanting power more than anything else. It is talking about Priesthood and Church matters, but carries over into all aspects of our lives, as we are taught that we do not separate our faith from our daily lives. It says, in Section 121 of the Doctrine and Covenants, many things, I cannot quote all of them here, but this: “We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.” Authority over people is power and we need to be very careful with our freedom and liberty in people who are more interested in power than they are in our freedom and liberty. I have tried to listen to and like Mitt Romney. Sometimes his speeches are great, but most times you sit there and say, well, does he really mean this? It is like the heart is missing and only the mind is controlling., Is this what we want in a President? Not me and I am tired of voting Republican just because I am a Republican. I held my nose four years ago and voted for McCain because he showed guts in picking someone like Sarah Palin as his running mate. I am just tired of doing that and will not do it again. Not even to keep Obama out. Mitt’s problem is, what he says just does not ring true.

    • soljerblue

      much better than I could have, I believe. I keep listening to Romney, hoping he’ll say something that has a true core to it, that gives a real glimpse of belief in the constitutional republic we once had in this country. I’ve seen no such, and his p-poor performance in Alabama and elsewhere in the south suggests to me that he really doesn’t (a) understand conservatism of ANY stripe, and (b) doesn’t want to. I will not be shanghai-ed into voting for this man because Obama is worse. I freely aknowledge as much. I would even take Carter back, if possible, and he was a disaster. But there comes a point at which one cannot swallow any more of the establishment GOP and its preferred candidates, knowing that they don’t give a flying rip for their base. The votes for anybody-but-Romney all the way through this primary season have been cast by people as fed up as I am with this bunch of elites who have only their own power in mind. In that, they’re as bad as the Democrats, except that the Democrats don’t try to hide it.

      If you recall the poet e.e.cummings, you may remember this line: “there is some “stuff” i will not eat.”

  • radicalrighty

    http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/22/romney-meets-with-key-republicans-on-capitol-hill/

    • garfieldjl

      I know DeMint is conservative, but that doesn’t mean he’s correct on making this judgement.

      Until Romney hits the magic number, this isn’t over.

  • drfredc

    If I were Romney, I’d be sending this clown and his friends in the campaign a freshly shaken etch-a-sketch stating your job search starts here.

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