Where I Stand: Perry, Gingrich, and None of the Above

By: Erick Erickson (Diary) | January 8th, 2012 at 07:00 AM |

RESIZE: AAA

I will support the Republican nominee for President.

But until we have that nominee, I will not support Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

Had Rick Santorum been up for election in 2010 instead of suffering the largest margin of defeat of any candidate in 2006, I have no doubt he would be one of the Republicans primaried by the tea party. He routinely voted for tax increases to fund healthcare, supported expansions of the welfare state, supported the creation of new entitlements, opposed free trade, filibustered the National Right to Work Act, opposed repeal or even waiver of the Davis-Bacon Act, supported the Bridge to Nowhere even at the expense of rebuilding the Gulf Coast post Katrina, and helped pass all those travesties of the Bush Administration conservatives routinely lament including No Child Left Behind and Medicare Part D as well as being perfectly fine with Harriet Miers.

Rick Santorum is a big government conservative and the only way to conclude otherwise is to be intellectually and ideologically disingenuous.

Mitt Romney too should be opposed by conservatives. He is not one. He is a political opportunist. He has held every side of every issue known to man except on the individual mandate about which his faith is unshakable.

So I am left to support Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich, either of whom I would willingly support. In the alternative, another candidate could still come forward now, though time is of the essence, and vie for a sweep of the late states to secure the nomination out right or at least force an open and brokered convention. Yes, there is still time for a Perry rebound, a Gingrich surge, and even for a new candidate to get in.

Rick Perry, who is the most successful governor in the United States, unfortunately, does not seem capable of running a Presidential campaign. Perhaps word will come tomorrow that he has restructured and reshuffled his campaign. But without a real reboot of his campaign, I cannot recommend investing in or supporting his campaign. You’ll be wasting your money. There was a report than some staff had been let go, but that was bad reporting and not the staff that really needs letting go anyway.

The most I’ve seen so far is the Washington consultants pushing out the media buying firm, in order to get a local ad buying firm in South Carolina to handle all the South Carolina ad buying work, which is a smart move, but which cannot be the only move or considered even a major move.

I really hope Governor Perry understands just how much he needs to do a reboot and just how necessary it is to change the media narrative into the story of making a comeback.

That leaves Newt Gingrich, though I cannot endorse either Perry or Gingrich. Not just because I would prefer to not endorse and instead review the candidates as I see them without carrying their water, but also because like with Perry, I am not sure Gingrich’s campaign operation is stable — though it is more stable than Perry’s. It seems to be getting that way, if only on strength of personality, but not yet.

Then there is the wildcard option. There is still time and there is, even at minimum, a path to a brokered convention to get a new candidate. I hope that Rick Perry can rapidly rebuild and show clear momentum in South Carolina. I hope Newt Gingrich can trounce both Romney and Santorum. But in the absence of performance by them, I hope they will not drag down the small government conservatives. If they can’t show gains, time is short, but available, for a Bobby Jindal or someone else to get in.

Below is a list of the states, their filing deadlines, and the delegates at stake. As you can see, there is still the ability to enter the race and, if the candidate sweeps the states, win outright or, if the candidate cannot sweep the states, force a brokered convention to get a new, more viable conservative candidate.

I will gladly support Rick Perry or Newt Gingrich. But there is time for an alternative. We do not have to settle even for the current crop. If Perry cannot reboot and Gingrich cannot convince us he won’t implode, I endorse an open, brokered convention.

State	Delegates	Portion	Date	Filing	Complete

Iowa caucus	28	1.20%	Jan 3, 2012	-	1.20%
NH Primary	12	0.50%	Jan 10, 2012	past	1.80%
SC Primary	25	1.10%	Jan 21, 2012	past	2.90%
FL Primary	50	2.20%	Jan 31, 2012	past	5.10%
NV Caucus	28	1.20%	Feb 4, 2012	-	6.30%
ME Caucus	24	1.10%	2/4-11/12	-	7.40%
CO Caucus	36	1.60%	Feb 7, 2012	-	9.00%
MN Caucus	40	1.80%	Feb 7, 2012	-	10.70%
AZ Primary	29	1.30%	Feb 28, 2012	Jan 9, 2012	12.00%
MI Primary	30	1.30%	Feb 28, 2012	past	13.30%
WA Caucus	43	1.90%	Mar 3, 2012	-	15.20%
Pre-Super Tuesday	345	15.20%

State	Delegates	Portion	Date	Filing	Complete
AK Caucus	27	1.20%	Mar 6, 2012	-	16.40%
GA Primary	76	3.40%	Mar 6, 2012	past	19.80%
ID Caucus	32	1.40%	Mar 6, 2012	-	21.20%
MA Primary	41	1.80%	Mar 6, 2012	past	23.00%
ND Caucus	28	1.20%	Mar 6, 2012	-	24.20%
OK Primary	43	1.90%	Mar 6, 2012	past	26.10%
TN Primary	58	2.60%	Mar 6, 2012	past	28.70%
TX Primary	155	6.80%	Mar 6, 2012	past	35.60%
VE Primary	17	0.80%	Mar 6, 2012	Jan 9, 2012	36.30%
VA Primary	49	2.20%	Mar 6, 2012	past	38.50%
Vir Islands Caucus	9	0.40%	Mar 6, 2012	-	38.90%
WY Caucus	29	1.30%	Mar 6, 2012	-	40.20%
Super Tuesday	564	24.90%



State	Delegates	Portion	Date	Filing	Complete
KS Caucus	40	1.80%	Mar 10, 2012	-	41.90%
AL Primary	50	2.20%	Mar 13, 2012	Jan 13, 2012	44.10%
Haw Caucus	20	0.90%	Mar 13, 2012	-	45.00%
MS Primary	38	1.70%	Mar 13, 2012	Jan 14, 2012	46.70%
Am Samoa Caucus	9	0.40%	Mar 13, 2012	-	47.10%
Missouri Caucus	52	2.30%	Mar 17, 2012	-	49.40%
Puerto Rico Caucus	23	1.00%	Mar 18, 2012	-	50.40%
IL Primary	69	3.00%	Mar 20, 2012	past	53.40%
LA Primary	45	2.00%	Mar 24, 2012	past	55.40%
DC Primary	19	0.80%	Apr 3, 2012	past	56.30%
MD Primary	37	1.60%	Apr 3, 2012	Jan 11, 2012	57.90%
WI Primary	42	1.90%	Apr 3, 2012	Jan 11, 2012	59.80%
Conn Primary	28	1.20%	Apr 24, 2012	Mar 2, 2012	61.00%
DE Primary	17	0.80%	Apr 24, 2012	Feb 24, 2012	61.70%
NY Primary	95	4.20%	Apr 24, 2012	Feb 9, 2012	65.90%
PA Primary	72	3.20%	Apr 24, 2012	Feb 14, 2012	69.10%
RI Primary	19	0.80%	Apr 24, 2012	Jan 21, 2012	70.00%
IN Primary	46	2.00%	May 8, 2012	Feb 10, 2012	72.00%
NC Primary	55	2.40%	May 8, 2012	Feb 29, 2012	74.40%
WV Primary	31	1.40%	May 8, 2012	Jan 28, 2012	75.80%
NE Primary	34	1.50%	May 15, 2012	Mar 7, 2012	77.30%
OR Primary	28	1.20%	May 15, 2012	Mar 6, 2012	78.50%
Ark Primary	36	1.60%	May 22, 2012	Mar 1, 2012	80.10%
KY Primary	45	2.00%	May 22, 2012	Jan 31, 2012	82.10%
CA Primary	172	7.60%	Jun 5, 2012	Mar 23, 2012	89.70%
MT Primary	26	1.10%	Jun 5, 2012	Mar 12, 2012	90.90%
NJ Primary	50	2.20%	Jun 5, 2012	Apr 2, 2012	93.10%
NM Primary	23	1.00%	Jun 5, 2012	Mar 16, 2012	94.10%
SD Primary	28	1.20%	Jun 5, 2012	Mar 27, 2012	95.30%
OH Primary	66	2.90%	Jun 12, 2012	Mar 14, 2012	98.20%
UT Primary	40	1.80%	Jun 26, 2012	Mar 15, 2012	100.00%
Post-Super Tuesday	1355	59.80%

Total Delegates	2264	100.00%

Tags: Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum

COMMENTS

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JSobieski

if he surprises everyone in NH.

Huntsman is not good at sound bytes—his best TV performance with his debate with Newt. However, I think he would be a strong candidate and a good President. Or at least someone worth backing above Romney and Santorum.
Adjoran

He’s more into cap-’n'-tax and global warming and any “green” boondoggle than Romney, endorsed RomneyCare’s individual mandate, like Santorum didn’t go “home” when he left Congress, but to Northern Virginia to stay close to the power center like a moth to a flame.

It was the conservatives in the House Republican Caucus who booted Newt from the Speaker’s chair.

These things aren’t old news. He was for the mandate until 2009, in 2010 endorsed Dede Scozzafazza and mocked and ridiculed conservatives who supported Hoffman in NY-23, and called the Ryan budget – which passed the House – “right wing social engineering” in 2011.

Read James T. Cole’s report to the House Ethics Committee before Obama reads it to you.
sunshinek67

Last night’s debate he decided to go on an angry whiny rant about using term “middle class”:

“We shouldn?t use it, Santorum said, because ?there are no classes in America.? Using the term ?middle class? means they ?buy into the class warfare arguments of Barack Obama?something that should not be part of the Republican lexicon.?

It only took minutes on Twitter for someone to find a page on Santorum?s Web site headlined ?Santorum hopes to rebuild the middle class.?

*Sigh*
http://www.planettron.com NickDeringer

It’s the baggage, Erick, its the baggage. If Newt “the great debater” can’t beat Ron Paul and Rick Santorum how can he beat Barack One-bama and the entire MSM?

http://newtcantwin.com/
david1313

Rick ‘send the troops back into Iraq’ Perry is finished.
Rick ‘big spender’ Santorum can’t hang with the big boys.
Do I really need to say anything about the other candidates – really?

Newt is the one that not only Romney, but Obama fears the most. Romney is spending millions of dollars against the one person he knows is his biggest threat. You better hope you are wrong about Newt, he is the only option at this point. Unless, someone else enters the race.
http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

Independents don’t care about it, and will gladly accept him as the alternative to Obama. Especially since he was successful working with Clinton before. Independents hate gridlock in Washington.
dajeeps

Do you want Romney? I agree with the analysis here; it just doesn’t look good to end up with anyone else. And I would rather have Newt than Romney or Santorum- at least he can learn from his mistakes. Santorum is just clueless and Romney is… Romney.
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

…as he has added Santorum to his non-conservative list.

I blogged extensively on the debate on another page…
http://www.redstate.com/dhorowitz3/2012/01/07/the-biggest-mistake-of-the-worst-debate/#comment-6482
…and provided primary-data in support of my views.

I feel Perry did well, but I know nothing of the internals of his campaign staff’s leadership; the ground-operation that was observed by The Bob ["Guzzardi and dr. bob"] in Des Moines was FLAWLESS [and even scheduled voluntary prayer-time].

I note Sheldon Adelson gave $ to The Newt, reflecting the positives that he has been exuding; clearly, Santorum [as per a poll just released on C-SPAN] may have peaked [thankfully!] and may resemble King Midas [unable to spend new-$ without organization] by month’s end.

This, then, [notwithstanding Gary Bauer's endorsement of Santorum] could yield a narrowing of the field…as long as Rick STAYS IN!

Then, the coalescence of the TPM-activists could yield a true anti-Romney, regardless of whether it’s Perry/The Newt.

Consult, please, my elaboration [38 page memo] on Iowa and related observations…
http://www.scribd.com/doc/77378886/Perry
…and note the inherent optimism exuding from his supporters.

*

Overall, having missed this week’s “Horserace” column, I can derive comfort from EE’s updated recitation of his posture [and why] despite ignorance of the innards of Perry’s operation.
elayman

And Newt Gingrich as a man is supremely unlikeable, nasty, arrogant, sore loser smarty-pants elitist,on top of having a despicable moral character – and that will all come out in the debates, should he be nominated. Game over. Americans might have serious concerns about Obama?s leadership potential but they need to like their presidents, and despite the policies, remain loyal to the president as a good guy on a personal level. Newt … This is a fool?s game.
gmscan

He was easily the most articulate and clear thinking candidate up there. The pundits are all saying Romney won because nobody attacked him. That completely misreads the situation. Nobody looks good when two candidates attack each other. Remember Pawlenty and Bachmann? It is mutually assured destruction.

Half the SC voters are undecided. That is a huge pool of voters to win over. You win them by being articulate and clear thinking, not by attacking others.
http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

I know a lot of others that do as well. It’s very clear that you don’t.
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

…because, as much as I support Perry, I find his candor to be refreshing [if occasionally kooky, like wanting to arrest judges to force them to explain their opinions to Congress].

I have a personal experience to relate, illustrating this conclusion and, perhaps, explaining why Sheldon Adelson has consistently financed his efforts.

Approximately a month ago, I participated on a conference call and asked him 2 questions; his responses exceeded expectations. First, regarding the prisoner-swap with Hamas, he said he wouldn’t second-guess Bibi BUT he would ask the CIA to please “take care” of the ~35 terrorists with American blood on their hands. Second, regarding the intent to blockade/quarantine Iran [which would, I'm told by Military-types, take as much as six months to implement], he was supportive because he would view this as a component of his effort to achieve regime-change in Tehran.

I also agree that the “baggage” issue is more of a concern during the nominations-process; I just wish The Newt would do a bit MORE of the self-screening [that he said, during one of the debates, he was trying to accomplish] because, assuredly, BHO’s $1B operation will emblazen the most extreme quotes into the minds of all Americans by November.

That’s why, warts and all, The Bob ["Guzzardi and dr. bob"] advocate increasingly-aggressively for Perry.

Here…
http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2012/01/07/nh-romney-surrogate-tells-us-to-settle-for-his-candidate/
…I waxed philosophical regarding Perry [even citing "2001"] to illustrate how profoundly his election appears necessary!
BigRedConservative

He stands for everything we’re fighting against this year-elitism, crony capitalism, dodgy ethics, insider-ism. How can a man who starred with Pelosi in an ad (no matter what the ad was), who advises the biggest federal money drains and sewers of corruption, who has a record with wives that is only rivalled by his record with Christian denominations, and who supported Dede Scozzafava over Doug Hoffman, how can this man be considered a bona fide conservative? His only redeeming factor is that he is better than Romney.
dajeeps

A good question to ask is why all the financial guys are coming out for Romney and some intellectuals like Thomas Sowell and Art Laffer are coming out for Gingrich.

I think one of our main economic issues is that since ~2001 our capital markets have been completely dysfunctional, partly because of all the cronyism that lead to the jacking of the capital ratios for MBS. And so I think we could take a look at the company Romney keeps and the people dumping money into his campaign and wonder whether his election would lead to free market competition for capital based on merit. To me it seems like it would be trading the housing problem for one of another sort that likely wouldn’t be as consequential as the housing debacle, but it would be a far cry from markets, and thus the broader population, determining which investments are made.
thirstyboots

Independents hate gridlock in Washington… so they’ll support a guy they. amongst other things, associate with the largest government shutdowns in a generation?

And independents will care about Gingrich’s personal baggage and ethics violation. Above all, he’ll quickly make they remember why they hated it – just like he did with Republicans. That’s just Newt, he’ll just appear brazen, insolent and mean at some point.
http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

That says it all. I contend that the only two candidates that are now capable of winning the primary are Romney & Newt. If Newt is better than Romney (which I believe he is), then we should support him now or it will be too late.

We always go with the most conservative candidate that can win. He may not be as conservative as you or I would prefer, but it is what it is.
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

…note that The Newt under-performed [with particular regard to his not having attacked Mitt, as promised].
votemout2012

My picks in order Perry first and foremost, second Newt, Third Romney and Santorum tie. I hope if Perry reads your column today & takes your advice because I really want him to win.
Wayne

appear that the greatest challenge is to overcome the obstacles we throw in front of ourselves to prevent from winning whomever we support.

Erick is right and everyone here should know it. It’s clear that the Republican Party wants Romney because he represents the least change from the direction we are heading. Obama has not accomplished his goals in this term but he will have nothing to lose if he gets another.

The Tea Party is losing steam either from burnout (not realizing what personal commitment it was going to take from everyone involved) but still a force to be reckoned with.

The media is trying to convince the public that the economy is improving (it isn’t).

The Republican Party doesn’t want Perry, Newt, Paul ent. al because they are too conservative and represent “real change”.

This here that try to prevent that they know how the political game is played, play into the Republican Party’s hand.

This election has to be one where those in the Republican Party that believe in the core values the Party was originally established, i.e. “following the Constitution”, need to set aside their petty squabbling and show that they understand what is at stake. Otherwise, don’t expect much change for the next four years.

All the evidence is available and staring us in the face that unless we elect a true conservative president and give him a conservative congress and house, it will be too late to make any difference. Things will get worse for American in every way.

Perry is my choice with Newt following second. It will make no difference if the Republican Party muckily mucks mange to get Romney. Even if he beats Obama, nothing will change for the good of the average American citizen and taxpayer, businessman and individualists that believe in self determination.
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

I think I know why The Newt cut-back a bit on his anti-Mitt stridency.

He had acted as if he was solely committed to destroying Mitt, but noted [externally] his continued polling-strength, and [internally] receipt of $ from Adelson.

Thus, he may not be as willing to sacrifice his own candidacy to bring-down that of anyone else.

*

In this regard, two predictions are in-order. First, to whatever degree the candidates don’t “critique” Mitt, the moderators will do so…short-term. Second, as the field narrows/devolves, Perry’s survival can only allow others to recognize how he would best convey the essence of the conservative tri-colored message [foreign policy, domestic policy, values positions]…long-term.

*
metairiemike

“I will support the Republican nominee for President”
I have my own candidate (candidates) that I will support with all my heart throughout the primaries; but, in the general election, I will vote for whichever republican is running against barak obama. Not because I love republicans, but because I’m terrified of what obama (along with reid, pelosi, schumer, leahy) could do to this country if given another four years with no fear of having to run for reelection. Given obama’s disdain for the constitution, he may decide (if SCOTUS gets in his way like the Senate) we need 11 supreme court justices and do recess appointments of bill and hillary clinton to the court. Or why not appoint himself to the court? What’s to stop him?
Absolutely terrifying!
Wayne

my post and apologize for not having proofed it before posting. However, if you can get through the minor mistakes, you’ll find my opinion!
http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

Attacks make me like candidates less, not more. There are a lot of people that feel that way.
dajeeps

Romney is the poster boy for crony capitalism. Just take a look at the kinds of people who are dumping money into his PAC and wonder if it’s political orientation or an investment in defeating Newt. The housing crisis didn’t happen because of free market allocation of capital – it was rigged. And so considering what the field looks like, and that Thomas Sowell and Art Laffer came out for Gingrich, it is well worth wondering whether our basic economic problems, dysfunctional capital markets, will be repaired by the fostering of free market competition for capital or if the capital markets won’t just be rigged with a different spin.
trevorb

if Romney got into the White House, he would genuinely try to cut spending and get things under control. However, the Democrats would be fighting him every step of the way over even the most trivial cuts and he’d give up when other candidates would continue moving.

we saw a good example of this in California.
gipper823

just like Eric, just like me, just like the rest of us when the time comes.

Nobody likes it (least of all me), but Romney’s lead is widening. You could see it on his face and the faces of everyone in the debate last night. Romney has this thing wrapped up, unfortunately.
metairiemike

Wayne, do you really believe Romny (or Huntsman or any “moderate” ) would have appointed Sotomayor or Elena Klagen to the supreme court? Presidents Bush (“moderates” both) gave us Clarence Thomas, Sam Alito, and John Roberts; at worst they also gave us Souter (and almost gave us Harriet Meyers) who was infinitely better than what obama and clinton (Ginsberg) gave us on the court. For the Supreme Court appointments alone there will be a significant change from what a reelected obama will give us if, God forbid, anything happens to one of the conservatives on the court. Every viable republican nominee has publically stated that he or she will use Thomas and Scalia as models for SCOTUS nominees. Imagine what an unfettered obama will give us on the court and then tell me there is no difference.
boonerdan

NO WAY! EE can support Perry? Imagine that.
dajeeps

Romney will have to work it to close the sale because I can’t imagine things getting much better when we are reduced to nothing but a fight over which group of cronies gets to benefit with average Joe getting the crap end of the stick and continued looting of his life savings. That is not what our country was meant to be and shouldn’t be. I’m a fee market conservative and it violates my very basic principles nearly as much as Obama has.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

anything he doesn’t already have. He’s pretty much viewed as the Mike Huckabee of 2012 and Bauer has zero appeal outside of single issue Socons and they are Santorum’s Paultard base.

To me the question is whether Santorum can pick up serious endorsements from big names who aren’t SI Socons and I don’t see that happening, unless Palin comes along and endorses him like she did with Christine O’Donnell. That gave CO’D both high profile coverage and money. I don’t know how Palin’s endorsement would impact SC, I’m pretty sure it would hurt in NH but I’m guessing.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

At least he’s accomplished some high profile conservative things in his career. Santorum’s a zip on that account.
ctredstater

this is my formula, without Santorum. I don’t care what a few thousand “stubborn Iowans” say, the guy is not qualified to be President of the United States.

As the current occupant of the White House is showing, this is not an entry level executive job.

I would modify the famous Buckley formula to say “the most electable conservative who has a track record that suggests he could be a successful President”.

Newt skates by. I have huge concerns about him. it is Perry, Perry and Perry. But, God Forbid, he doesn’t get the traction – Newt is in my #2 spot. Saying Romney is #3 for me is only saying ‘I will support the Republican Nominee over the Anti-American Marxist Professor who is Currently Occupying the White House.”
Mr. EMT

There is no reason to support one that you would not support the other over.
Both have records of suporting big government in manufactured crises
The reasons to stand against romney are the same reasons to stand against newt are the same reasons to stand against obamao.
gipper823

Everyone looks good. Huntsman especially. Maybe Romney won’t run away with it.
ctredstater

nt
clintonformccain

Take this train wreck of a nomination battle off life support. Just accept that it was a lousy field and Romney is the only even semi-plausible candidate. When the process gets to the point of Ron Paul trying to convince us that he admired Martin Luther King Jr and debate moderators have nothing left to ask except whether the GOP wants to ban condoms, it’s time for a mercy killing.
clintonformccain

It’s the economy, stupid!

On what planet do you think calling for US troops to invade Iraq again will get you or the GOP any votes in a year when the issue is jobs, jobs, jobs?

Go stand in the corner and write “message discipline” on the blackboard one hundred times. Sheesh.
locofoco123

Not really much of a choice this year. I think reluctantly that Mitt is the only electable one in the field.
http://westernhero.blogspot.com/ silverfiddle

It’s a disappointing field.
http://www.AmericanThinker.com Hammer2008

Gingrich was open to tag-teaming with Santorum to take down Romney. What’s to prevent the Not-Romney delegates from joining to give the nomination to someone else? Assuming the 500+ not-committed establishment delegates fall behind Romney, as long as he still doesn’t cross the 50% mark of delegate support, as Not-Romney delegates are “released” at the RNC convention by their candidates, they vey well could join a broader coalition.

We may have in the makings a coalition team of candidates, with say Perry on top and the lesser-rans securing “advising” roles until they become future secretaries. Ron Paul, Secretary of the Treasury, Gingrich, DHS Secretary or Chief of Staff, Santorum, Secretary of Defense…
clintonformccain

Is that there’s never been a hint of corruption. I think guy is as honest in that regard as anyone who has ever run for President. He’s a flip-flopper, but I don’t think you can call him corrupt or a “crony capitalist”.
nepanyrush

He is now at 1% in New Hampshire, 4 percent in South Carolina, and 4 percent in Florida. He is clearly a dead-man walking. But one person is delighted that he stayed in the race: Romney. His supporters love that Perry is giving Romney a fighting chance in South Caroline. Romney versus Santorum: Santorum wins. With Perry and Gingrich, Romney wins.

Gingrich also in not electable, with his instability, and talking to women, his having two affairs while married, among other factors.

I am shocked that EE has been on a campaign of attacking Santorum. As a Pennsylvanian, Santorum is the authentic conservative. He doesn’t deserve this treatment just because he took on the Redstate’s sacred cow of Perry. And EE is even ignoring a major part of the electability issue: Santorum as three times defeated incumbent democrats: twice congressman and once a Senator, and he did this in a decidedly Democratic state and congressional districts.

Four years ago, Romney was the conservative choice being pushed. Now, EE prefers none of the above.

The one conclusion that I can make from supporting Gingrich and not Santorum is that EE is strictly a fiscal conservative. He seems to not care at all about social conservatism. Fine, that is his choice. But to remove Santorum from the list is of people he would support is strange. He picks and chooses his talking point to bring down the one good conservative who can win this race.
elayman

So why couldn’t Jon have been on fire like this this last night ? Romney even copied his term limits idea in this debate just like he did his economic proposal yesterday. The calculation must have been to stand up for civility while everyone was watching and then cut loose with lethal firepower to get a lot of applause lines as a final impression. I’m just concerned whether the media will talk more about the first one and the people that missed that won’t get a full understanding of this morning
http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

i.e. Democrats, but there may be a sizable number of indies that might be marginally turned off and vote Democrat if he were the nominee. That said, I think the poor economy gives us leeway and that whoever the GOP nominee is, we beat Obama rather handily…but I could be wrong.
http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

I just can’t get past Huntsman’s personality. He seems too creepy but does seem to have a good record. Not a good debater.

I would favor Mitt and Santorum 3rd and 4th respectively. I think some of the attacks on Santorum have been a bit over the top given his many years of service in the conservative cause.

I admit to liking Newt’s intellectual approach to issues.
sharp

But without a real reboot of his campaign, I cannot recommend…

Erick, I am willing to be informed, but I keep asking that you give examples. So, why not?
dajeeps

Because the only real option I’d have left is to become a rabid 10th-er and nullifier. My patience with the centralized administrative state and economic planning, and the abuse of to the detriment of the public at large has worn quite thin.
dajeeps

Do you think all these financial guys dumped money into Romney’s PAC because they are all buddies and they want to see him achieve his ambitions? We’re talking millions of dollars here and Newt’s agenda means they will have to work for capital like everyone else. It’s the central economic planning stuff they are likely after, and isn’t so hard to jack it and avoid charge. Really, has anyone publicly gotten to the brass tacks of who is responsible for the reduction in reserve requirements for securities purchased from Fannie and Freddie? Um, no, no one has.
http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

He’d make the Goldwater loss look like a close race.
carolina

Romney seemed weak to me this AM during the 1st hr of the debate. (I can’t see the 2nd hr)
SC and FL will be very telling…..
carolina

Romney seemed weak to me this AM during the 1st hr of the debate. (I can’t see the 2nd hr)
SC and FL will be very telling…..
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

in his background, something neither Romney or Santorum has. While he’s strayed, he’s really walked the walk as a conservative and that puts him head and shoulders above R & S.

I hope Perry pulls it out. If he doesn’t, I’m hoping for a brokered convention and a conservative governor from a soon to be right to work state to snare the nomination. I can live with Newt if he wins it, voting for either R or S will be more distasteful that voting for McCain.
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

I think the ‘likeability’ factor matters. It’s one reason Bush beat Gore.

Newt rates low there and hurts him in the general election.

That said, I am in the camp that says Santorum, Gingrich or Romney can beat Obama, because Obama’s record has been that weak and all three will be able to go after him on it.
tngal

Had he run over there he could have pulled enough indies and blue dogs and what have you to give Obama a run for his money in a primary. But really, on this side of the aisle he’s just too leftward leaning in his policies, not really our kind of people. He reminds me a lot of Christie. Does a few good things but then fizzles out when it comes to serious social issues.
renl57

Women got the right to vote a long time ago.

And female Independents won’t vote for a serial adulterer like Gingrich.

Every woman who’s ever been cheated on–and that’s most of them–won’t vote for Gingrich.
renl57

Two days ago, the liberal Democrat newspaper The Boston Globe endorsed Huntsman.

And today, the avowedly socialist magazine The Nation endorsed Huntsman:

“It?s been a popular conceit on the left that Ron Paul is the GOP?s ?peace candidate,? with a superior foreign policy to not only his GOP opponents but President Obama. But there?s actually a Republican presidential candidate with a more sensible foreign policy than Paul?s: former Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman….

“if liberals?or even left-wing non-intervenionists [sic]?are looking to send the message to Obama that we should withdraw from Afghanistan and reduce military spending, there?s a better candidate articulating those views than Paul.”

http://www.thenation.com/blog/165483/huntsman-better-foreign-policy-alternative-paul

What a guy!

According to The Nation: If left-wingers want to send a message to Obama that he’s not left-wing enough, they should support Jon Huntsman!
APA Guy

I was geeked about Perry…I really was. But I had concerns about his ability to debate (which were rebuked by many on this site) – and he proved time and again that he didn’t have the skill to stand on the national stage where it counts.

I still believe that Gingrich has both the skill and principle to take us home, but are enough Republicans willing to put their eggs in his basket? It seems too many are hung up on either his personal life or the fact that he is unliked by many who worked with him in the past (Weren’t those people, by definition, D.C insiders anyway? I don’t know that their disdain for him isn’t necessarily a bad thing).

Romney, I suspect, will win this thing by default…which is a TERRIBLE thing for this country. Will he streamline the U.S tax system? Will he support national Right to Work? Will he sign a repeal of Obamacare? Will he authorize more drilling leases and support the Keystone pipeline?

I have no reason to believe that he would support ANY conservative policy initiatives, therefore he sucks as a candidate.

At this point, I am hoping for a miracle. We just passed the season of miracles, so maybe there IS hope. I’m just not feeling it right now.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

FisCon or SoCon there’s no deep thinking required. Newt will do everything Santorum would do to mitigate abortion – Mexico City, etc – and the horse is out of the barn on the other big SoCon issues. If you thing DADT or some variant is going back in force in the downsized military, you’re simply a fool.

There is some possibility that Newt will downsize – or at least stop the growth of – government, Hell will freeze over when Santorum does. Plus, you can bet the Dems will make the election all about Santorum’s stupidity on DADT, etc. The guy sounds like a Ron Paul talking about foreign policy when he talks about social issues and frankly, as a SoCon, I find Santorum whiny and offensive.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

solid majority in both Houses. And we’d soon have a majority on SCOTUS who’ve never read the Constitution.
renl57

…Gingrich had promised to run a positive campaign.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57342103-503544/newt-gingrich-promises-to-run-positive-campaign/

That promise disappeared even faster than the Dems’ calls for civility.
renl57

…whom Gingrich was proud to work for.
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

I found that an interesting difference vs Gingrich.
APA Guy

nt
cheetah2

Mr. Erickson names Perry first among candidates he would “gladly support” then advises us not to contribute to his campaign or volunteer to help as it would be a waste of money.

That doesn’t make sense to me. If we want Perry to win, It is far better to get on board with his campaign even if it is flawed than to drag him down this way.
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

I’m confused how Perry can write for red state, but not have a direct talk with Erik about a campaign reboot. I feel Erik should have gotten an answer from Perry, and is there time before S.C. to do that without destroying his chances with those same staffers trying to get back at Perry.

I cannot support Newt, I find the argument he is not Romney like very watered down. Newt has done more to harm the conservative brand than any on that stage. Do I even need to list them, most have to do with personal behavior when conservatives needed steady.

I cannot see a path were Newt beats Obama. His baggage is to much.

Santorum is a big gov republican, but so is Newt, in fact they are a lot a like. I’m going on record alone, but what Perry needs to do he is doing, showing up with strong debate performances. That’s what makes him comback if he will, the media narrative will never change, even if he fires all they will Tate him down to make their role seem less.
westcoastpatriette

Obviously, Erickson is privy to info the rest of us are not (with respect to Perry’s campaign problems) but to say he would not contribute to his campaign is an enigma to me.
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

and his actions since the 90′s have been clearly geared for the more moderate realm if the Republican Party.
dpmapper

Rather than thinking about whether they make sense. Makes life so much easier.
jakeofalltrades

This is Perry’s punishment/tough love. I’m still donating, because like all donors, I think for myself.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

of a tax plan that’s been discussed. Instead of simplifying the tax code, he’s turning it into a nightmare of compliance with his corporate tax separate rate for “manufacturing” and into an attempt to promote “social values” with his “family oriented” tax deductions and exemptions.

He also endorsed Arlen Specter. And, I’ll note I don’t give a rip about who any of the candidates have previously endorsed. But if I have to weight the endorsements, Specter is more negative than Hoffman is a plus.

Santorum is nothing but a big government, pro-life statist who will make us long for the “conservative” domestic policies of GWB.
westcoastpatriette

Missed that unless you are referring to Erick’s wish to see Perry fire certain campaign staff.
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

…and help the GOP-electorate “nix” Santorum [as is occurring in most recent tracking-polls].
http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

He said he’d tell the truth. Romney’s a moderate, and that’s the truth. He’s still positive, as evidenced in last night’s debate when he didn’t attack anyone.
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

…which will be illustrated after I have published my “minutes”; they will be in a different format from those of last night, for I will integrate Dick Morris’s tweets and will maintain a chronological presentation [rather than grouping/digesting].
APA Guy

…initiated capital gains tax cuts that spurred the 90s economic boom. Not quite sure where those successes intersect with Obama’s failures.

And before you try to link Santorum with those successes, DON’T. There is a difference between leading and being along for the ride. Newt LED, Santorum was simply on the wagon.
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

…and pivoted despite knowing the rules-of-the-game ahead-of-time.
jakeofalltrades
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

…whereas today’s was fantastic!
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

then leave the kitchen!
ctredstater

Yes, Yes, Yes. SC and FL will be huge.

What bothers me as much as anything is the intense pressure – from the leftist media and the beltway republican commentariat to “shut down” the nominating process and “rally behind” the “only electable candidate” (Romney).

Give me a break. Obama was strengthened by the long process in 2008. let’s hope for a long Republican debate in 2012.

My fear is that the intense pressure on Perry – and others – to drop out will leave a situation in which only a very small percentage of the delegates have been chosen (and only a very small percentage of the electorate has been able to participate) and there is One Man Standing. that for me is the nightmare scenario.

Carl Rove and the Beltway Republicans are doing high fives. The Media is finally giving Romney the full “examination” (Rush listeners know what I am referring to), and the Obama Machine is licking its chops – engaging in the full nine month destruction of the biggest flip flopper in Republican Presidential politics in decades.

The hope is that Perry gets SOME traction in SC, gets second or third in FL – can keep raising money – and that finally the electorate will be able to choose which philosophy and track record they really want at the top of the ticket.

tense times. lots of possible bad outcomes. but all that counts ultimately is the end result.
kowalski

Knowing what’s going on behind the scenes (even a part of what’s going on behind the scenes) in this race sent me into a long night of terrible dreams last night.

This SuperPAC stuff appeals to some kind of sadistic streak in American bad sportsmanship and evil politics and it just has to stop. It’s not free speech – it’s evil speech. Why would anyone honorable run for national office with the kinds of things people are allowed to say – with their hands completely clean.

The SuperPAC supporting Romney so far I think is the worst in this regard, but Ron Paul’s flying bat-winged monkeys are giving them a good race. It’s like they’re purposefully going back through people’s records and finding ways to twist them to within one millimeter of libel, and then amplifying that through a set of Marshall stacks.

No wonder everyone in this country hates everyone else’s politics and the lunatics are gaining ground, the conspiracy theorists, the End is Near Apocalyptics, etc. It’s because the tactics being employed by smiling, shiny candidates and questioners like Stephanopoulos last night are beneath contempt.

Disgusting.
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

…and Michele as chief-of-staff!
kamiller42

The way you apparently don’t mind abandoning Iraq.

Perry is talking about a security force, not an invasion. Something to maintain a presence.
jakeofalltrades

just sayin
carolina

By definition, all of the BIG govt candidates are just more of the same. Perry is by far the best candidate re this critical issue.
I’m glad you are young center77 – so you can keep up this important fight for years.
If we don’t get the best 10th Amendment candidate for president, then it becomes even more important to elect 10th Amendment supporters to Congress (House and Senate).
carolina

By definition, all of the BIG govt candidates are just more of the same. Perry is by far the best candidate re this critical issue.
I’m glad you are young center77 – so you can keep up this important fight for years.
If we don’t get the best 10th Amendment candidate for president, then it becomes even more important to elect 10th Amendment supporters to Congress (House and Senate).
jakeofalltrades

the media deserve her for 8 years.
westcoastpatriette

Maybe you are confusing you dreams with the debate.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

You can whine about motive ’till hell freezes over, but when all is said and done, Newt enacted a very conservative agenda in the 90s. Not the whole ball of wax, but he did more than any Republican politician to attack domestic issues than any Republican since FDR got the ball rolling, Reagan included. Reagan’s victories were economic (tax reform) and international (he and Maggie defeated the Soviet Union – by themselves), he sold domestic policy to Tip to rebuild the military that Democrats had all but destroyed (and are getting ready to destroy again).

I would prefer to have someone other than Newt as President, like Perry. Or Daniels. Or Pawlenty. But, given the field, if Perry doesn’t catch on Newt is easily the best choice since none of the rest have ever even bothered to think a small government conservative thought.
Common_Cents

That solely focused on Gingrich attacking romney. Why should it just be up to him?

The media wanted Gingrich to attack hard, why? So they can call him the mean Newt.
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

Here is how Newt dealt with “us conservatives? when he was speaker of the house.

http://www.unitedliberty.org/articles/9188-how-speaker-newt-gingrich-betrayed-the-republican-revolution

If you read the whole thing, then go on and read the book all the stuff comes from you will understand what I am talking about.

This does not even touch on the fact that Newt moved on to being a high paid lobbyist or consultant for Freddie Mac and other big Gov. Businesses. Newt when went on to be the insider information trader, and made a lot of money doing it, it is the same thing Santorum did. I am perplexed that so many would keep asking me to stop saying this about Newt, but I am a realist. I do not pick my candidate because I like them. If that was the case I would like Newt more than everyone else.

First, can they beat Obama- record and core values will be key to that. We need a governor.

Two – will they take steps to move this country in the right direction, or will they try to please the middle and make a name for themselves.

Three – Have they shown in the past that the position they take matches the mood of the electorate, and did it happen because they want votes or because of that being how they really think.

Newt has been like Romney in the sense he changes his positions depending on the mood of the country. At least with Romney he is not a Washington insider, even if he tried to be. He is a governor. Newt has way too much baggage to send up against Obama. So Newt is very low on my list. Winning matters, but so does winning with the right person.
ctredstater

I believe that Governor Perry is by far the person running with the background, experience, etc. to be a truly great conservative president. There is, for me, no real second place in that respect.

For Erick, for whom I have great respect, to say “Support Governor Perry but starve his campaign of funds because he wouldn’t fire the people I want fired” makes no sense to me at all.

I will continue to support, and donate to, Governor Perry’s campaign – and the time from now through SC is hugely important. Time for Perry supporters to be shoulder to shoulder, in my view.
Bill S

what many of us are saying: we support Rick Perry as a presidential candidate, but he’s never going to win with the campaign staff he has. So he needs to fire the staff now and get someone who is competent, quickly. Without that, he doesn’t have a prayer.

Frankly, he should have done this weeks ago. Unfortunately, I think he may have too much “loyalty to the team” syndrome and not have the ability to see that his staff is a big part of his problem.
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

Dick Morris Tweets:

“Santorum says he didn’t want to repeal a Pennysl law is BS. He was coming on to unions….Candidates need to get back to Santorum’s right to work record. [Santorum] caved in to union pressure….states specifically designate themselves as right to work. Bad vote. Unions in Pennyslvania made him [Santorum].”

*

Dogherty, Philadelphia Union Leader contributed $50,000 to Rick Santorum?s 2006 campaign

One Percenter Ed Coryell is boss man of Philadelphia Carpenters and Joiners Union TOTAL COMPENSATION $406,823.00

*

There is an epidemic of groupthink among pundits who have never created a job and who have not looked at the Texas data.

Rick Santorum Cannot Win the Presidency because he cannot win Pennsylvania; the Voters of Pennsylvania know him and the more you get to know Rick Santorum, the less like you are to vote for him.

*

Rick ?Elmer Gantry? Santorum uses religious talk to distract while he takes taxpayer money to give to his political favorites, known as, Billion Dollar Earmarking. Rick Perry is the ?Real Deal.?

Rick Santorum is a Bush Big Government Big Spending Big Borrowing Republican who, badly, damaged the Republican brand making 2006 ?a bad year for Republicans.? Rick Santorum lost in 2006 because he deserved to lose because he had betrayed his base and his base voters knew it.

Contrast Rick Perry?s record in public office since 1984 in Texas Legislature as a Democrat, then in 1990, Republican Agriculture Commissioner and re-elected 1994, first Republican Lt. Gov. of Texas and then in 2000, succeeded GW Bush and was re-elected THREE TIMES as governor, the longest serving governor in Texas? History.
Rick Santorum is NOT a Constitutional Limited Government, Economic Freedom, Personal Responsibility Republican like Rick Perry. Rick Perry is America?s Jobs Governor as governor of the Texas Model of Job Creation. Rick Santorum was, and is, not responsible for a single job.

Rick Santorum is, like Rick Perry, an advocate for strong national defense.

Rick Perry hammers Santorum on Billion Dollars (video) of requested Earmarks of which Rick Santorum is so proud.

The Electoral Data

In 2006, Rick Santorum received 797,000 fewer votes than he did in 2000. Had Rick Santorum received the same number of votes in 2006 as he had in 2000, Rick Santorum would still be a US Senator.
In 2006, Incumbent Rick Santorum lost to Bob Casey by 709,208 , 2,393,984 to 1,684,778, that is, Incumbent Rick Santorum lost by 709, 208.

Source: 2006 Pennsylvania Official Voting Statistics – US Senate vote
In 2000, Rick Santorum ran for an open Senate seat and received 2,481, 962 or 797,184 more votes than he received in 2006 and was elected US Senator.

Source: 2000 Pennsylvania Official Voting Statistics ?US Senate Vote

*********

In 2006, incumbent US Senator not only received fewer votes total, incumbent Rick Santorum received fewer votes in every county in Pennsylvania.

Source: 2006 Senate vote county by county Official Pennsylvania Voting Statistics

Source: 2000 vote county by county vote Official Pennsylvania Voting Statistics

To put it another way, the more people to know Rick Santorum, the less likely they were to vote for him. And there is a reason for that, Rick Santorum’s Bush Compassionate Conservative Voting Record. Rick Santorum was part of Republican Leadership because he supported the Bush 1 and 2 Big Government Big Spending Polices and he liked his EARMARKS while in office.

SANTORUM SUPPORTED BIG GOVERNMENT LIBERAL UNION FINANCED REPUBLICAN ESTABLISHMENT?S ARLEN SPECTER AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITED GOVERNMENT PAT TOOMEY
SANTORUM No Child Left Behind and Medicare Prescription D
Rick Perry hammers Santorum on Billion Dollars of the Earmarks of which Rick Santorum is so proud.

Texas Governor Rick Perry has balanced the last six budgets in a row, while cutting taxes over 50 times, and reducing the debt per capita rating in Texas. Texas is number one in job creation, ten times better than second place even, and was ran so well it had its credit rating upgraded during the height of the recession, 2009. Perry has the best record hands down. RedState blogger.

*

Sanctimonious Rick ?Elmer Gantry? Santorum talks the God Talk to distract from his grab for power and money, getting rich from government.

?Operation Good Neighbor is based at the same address as Santorum’s campaign office in suburban Philadelphia,and some of the same people who have worked on his campaign are working for his charity and collecting money from it, records show.

Among them:* Maria Diesel, who has been paid fund-raising fees by the campaign, is listed as the charity’s finance director. Filings show [Diesel] has received $192,958 in professional fund-raising fees from Operation Good Neighbor.

* Robert Bickhart, who has also been involved in raising campaign funds for Santorum, is listed as the charity’s executive director. Filings show [Bickhart] has earned $75,000 in salary from the charity since 2001 and that his business, Capitol Resource Group, rents the office space to the charity. The charity has paid $20,437 in occupancy fees, filings show.?

*

I was in Iowa and, in my view, the Santorum Voters were unacquainted with Rick Santorum?s public record. Most perceived him as a committed and sincere Social Conservative and Pro-Life, however, he is a Big Government Big Spending Big Borrowing GW Bush Compassionate Conservative whose policies have not taken us from the path of national bankruptcy. Rick Santorum was number 3 in Senate Leadership and is fully responsible for damaging the Republican brand which caused the Republican shellacking of 2006.

I have found that the Conventional Liberal Establishment Media failed, in Iowa, to present Rick Santorum?s record. In fact, the conventional media, of which you are a part, failed to discuss the record. You are doing a good thing in reporting Rick Santorum?s real world, public record of Big Government. Rick Santorum is a Pro-Life Statist and EARMARKER! ( Rick Santorum: very proud of his Earmarks).

*

The Tenth Amendment is in the Bill of Rights for a Reason -

This just came through to my e-mail and is one could say objective evidence that Rick Santorum is a Big Government Statist. This was forward to me by the Rick Perry campaign that does have the experience and temperament and is right on the issues to be President.

*
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

the fate of the nation. You make an excellent case for the repeal of the 19th Amendment.
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

and when it comes to how we fix this country, I am a huge tenth amendment supporter. I find it much easier to affect local and state politics than I can affect national politics. I picked my majors when I had very limited knowledge of the vast scope of the conservative blogosphere, and right leaning media. Even having found that there is more than I knew of, I still find many of them allowing the establishment media dictate what happens in the daily news cycle. I want to someday help affect that news cycle. That is my dream at least, and I plan on going to school for a while longer to help me get there. I am a Jr. now, so I think at least three more years of school.
kowalski

The worst part is that you know … you absolutely **know** that somewhere there are a few high-placed campaign consultants reading this and thinking:

“westcoastpatriette says watching last night’s debate was a nightmare and Kowalski says the campaign tactics are beneath contempt. Perfect! That’s EXACTLY where we want to be. Beneath contempt and everyone’s nightmare. Everything is going according to plan.”

They’ll be taking home a big bonus paycheck as a result of our laments.
mblack71

While hoping for different, I think Romney is all but confirmed within 3-4 weeks. It’s hard to know what kind of president he’ll be, obviously better than the incumbent, but far from a conservative’s dream. We have to hope all of the changes in his views are real.
jakeofalltrades

lol
michelle88

Perry said in the ABC debate that he will send troops back into IRAQ!!??

WTF…how stupid is that man…
jakeofalltrades

heh
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

…as some of you may recall.

The overnight postings I provided after the “OOPS!”-moment were intended to promote efforts to recruit DeMint.

They were intended to provide a potential solution to a profound problem.

I was rebuffed, but the message has permeated subsequent uploads.

Similarly, EE is reflecting a sense of alarum regarding the looming SC vote and wants to send a message that others snap to attention ASAP.
westcoastpatriette

“When the wicked rule, the people groan.”
rogershru2

Even if you think this is a good idea (I don’t), it will sink him in the general. I suppose I’m down to Newt at this point by elimination. But perhaps Erick knows something about Jindal that we don’t.
lineholder

if Perry wants a chance to win this, changes need to be made and quickly. I agree with what Erick is saying on that point. And I hope that if Perry heeds this advice, he will consider taking a different approach.

Even today, there are Perry supporters who are stating that the approach that has been taken so far, i.e. to wait until all the other anti-Mitt’s implode, will allow Perry to succeed in this race. Perhaps it might, but time is being wasted in the wait. I don’t see that “waiting” is resonating with voters. It definitely isn’t being translated in a practical context to support for Perry in the polls.
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

…which will prove a prudent investment.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

What do you do if he fails to get traction? Support Romney? A guy who’s never had a conservative thought or action in his life?
http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

…will be borne-out by events.
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

why would we just let Iran take what we spent so much to get settled down.
lineholder

You tag lines says that you are a college student, which in most cases would suggest an age of early twenties. Unless you’re like me…someone who worked for years within an industry, and then when the industry began to trend downhill, found themselves seeking a second career.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

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

and I can get a hundred statements from every candidate that would sink them according to someone, you should turn fox off, stop listening to liberals, and understand what is happening in Iraq.

The place is a mess, and if we do not do something we will see Iran take over and use it like they use Syria and other proxies.
Common_Cents

Romney will be real tough to beat w/ several candidates splitting up the rest. Those candidates will be scratching for momentum, ground support and money.

Romney winning IA, NH, possibly SC? probably in FL? I wonder how anyone can raise enough money and make a run after that as support will continue to go his way as the inevitable nominee?
jakeofalltrades

Thanks.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

Iraq, however the problem is how do we get them back there without an invasion? I don’t much see the Iraqis asking to get them back.
jakeofalltrades
lineholder

renl57′s comments on this point. He/she has been using this as a narrative to try to undermine Newt for a couple of weeks now.

As a female, it irritates me to no end, because it suggests that all females are weak, shallow, superficial, and couldn’t for the life of them make a choice based on something other than their emotions.
acat

(nothing further)
westcoastpatriette

non words
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

the 19th Amendment be repealed, I would stand forthright to have you legally declared “a man for voting purposes”.

I’m sure Newt will lose some female voters for the reason 77 notes. He’ll probably lose more male evangelical voters for the same reason. And, in the spirit of your post, since I happen to be an evangelical, pro-life male, they irritate me to no end because they ARE weak, shallow, superficial and couldn’t make a choice based on something other than what they’re told by an “evangelical theologican” (note I didn’t say “pastor”).
acat

doesn’t mean he hasn’t hung around with some unsavory types.

There’s this Kjellander fellow, I’ve mentioned him before. Back in 2007/2008, he was Romney’s campaign chair in Illinois. Trouble is, Kjellander should have been doing time instead of chairing a campaign….

This isn’t an isolated event, although the media – perhaps keeping their powder dry – haven’t been pounding on the connections yet.

If personnel is policy, then Romney’s policy is to be careful not to get caught.

Mew
jakeofalltrades

The average GOP female has ten times the balls of any leftist “man” anyway.
lineholder

at the present. The decision has been made withdraw from Iraq. Like it or not, that’s where things stand. Perry started out fairly in the comments that he made. He could have done better about drawing attention to the fact that the Iraqi gov’t asked us to postpone withdrawal, and the Obama admin ignored this request. And on that premise, Perry was correct in stating that Obama is pandering to his base, regardless of the outcomes in the Middle East.

If Perry had said, “If elected President, I would seek to evaluate whether those who are our allies in the Middle East would desire our assistance in providing protection for the area during a time of significant unstability”, I think people would have accepted that.

But when Perry started making comments about “what WE have invested” and “what WE have lost”, these comments came across as being a portion of American Imperialism, which is a narrative that our enemies in the Middle East throw at us time after time. It’s also a narrative that the left uses to try to decrease our military involved globally.

There’s a chance Perry may have left himself wide open on this matter.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

My preference for dealing with Iran, should they actually make a move, would be see just how well those MIRV warhead thingys work and reduce the former nation of Persia to a place where nuclear waste can be dumped from US powerplants because they present no additional hazard for at least one plutonium half-life.

There would be screaming and shouting, but the faithful would certainly think a second – and third and fourth – time before they talked about the wonders of heaven again.
rogershru2

And the way things unfolded under Obama are the way we expected and planned at the time. I think for Obama to get credit for the withdrawal is disingenuous because that was the fruit of the labor of the surge. It’s fine if we disagree on this point because we probably agree on most others. But I didn’t decide by listening to liberals or fox so don’t make assumptions.
jakeofalltrades

The punishment for being a rogue state developing nuclear weapons should be that the United States gives you a free demonstration of how they work, right at your home.
http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

His popularity among independents remains very high.
Matthew Morris

of.. who is it? Alfalfa. Yes, that’s what I always think when I see him. Especially with the sweater vest thing. And the whiny disposition.

No, I did not jump on the whiny bandwagon after I saw others saying it. Santorum has always come across that way… it is sort of an… attitude. Or actually, more of an aura. But when I saw others characterize his personality as whiny, my reaction was “So it isn’t just me then!”

I still respect the man for his convictions, namely the commitment to the dignity of all human life. So it does pain me to admit these things about his persona.

But man… this personality thing combined with the issues he brings up (most of which I agree with, but just aren’t always wise to bring up)… he is ripe for being totally decimated in the general. BO will have to do little… the media will do all of the anti-Santorum work for him.

It’s a sad reality, but the American public, even the slightly more informed voting American public, can be trained to buy into characterizations quite easily. Some lend themselves to it well. Like Santorum.

Afterall, everyone knows Palin is an idiot. And even conservative primary voters know Rick Perry is just another W.

Of course, I hope to convince conservative primary voters that Perry is the best hope of the non-Romneys.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

the full Monica for him.
acat

Wouldn’t be much harder to extract oil from under green glass… air conditioned radiation suits, or maybe drones similar to deep ocean drilling. Eh, that’s Vladimir’s domain….

A solid demonstration of “We’re not putting up with this crap anymore” would be .. very helpful .. in the parts of the world that still operate on the “might makes right” or “strong horse” principle.

Unfortunately, I don’t see it happening – the Dems peace-and-love anti-war machine would immediately switch into high gear and we’d end up electing either Ron Paul or Dennis Kucinich…. return to square one, collect nothing.

Mew
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

You nailed it.

And yeah, I’m sure he’s a good husband and father and I applaud his pro-life convictions. He’d probably make a great neighbor.

He’d make a crappy, statist, nanny state loving President though. With zero coattails. Although in fairness, I’m not sure our candidate will have coattails no matter who he is.
Wayne

we need an overall conservative sweep, not only the Presidency. Hopefully, the recognition that the left and progressive thinking are the real problems afflicting this nations domestic and foreign policies which are directly related to our national financial well being.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

about this than me.

No EPA report required, Persia is not subject to US law, just US nukes.

Do it after the election and don’t ask the Dems. Hell, send ‘em on a fact finding mission to Tehran.

And I’d rather have Dennis the Menace than Obama anyway.
jakeofalltrades

FTW
jakeofalltrades

they join in.
Wayne

to reread my post to see where you got the impression that I thought any Republican replacement would reflect no change from Obama. I don’t believe that. I do believe however, that Romney is the least likely candidate that will affect a conservative agenda. Something I had hoped to emphasize in my post. When I say not to expect much of a change I’m talking about the responsibility that both parties shoulder for the state we are in. All a result of conservatives compromising with progressive agendas generation after generation. Republicans today look more like the Democrats of the 50′s and today’s Democrats look suspiciously like a socialist party.
acat

Complete with propaganda notices saying “This could have been a nuke – change your leadership or the next one’s real.”

Mew
jakeofalltrades

heh heh
http://www.writeinryan.com ragnarthepirate

Since Newt and Perry are dead in the water, it’s worth talking about the proper none-of-the-above option now.

Paul Ryan is the only consistent conservative with strong name recognition. He is the only candidate to have directly faced down Obama and won. He is the only candidate to score major entitlement concessions from liberal democrats.

So, the choice is clear:
www.writeinryan.com
avagreen

Not Perry?
avagreen

And, it’s really silly for anyone (male or female) forecasting for a whole group(s) how any group would vote in an election.
lineholder

as a possibility, who do we have that would stand as a viable option?

This might an opportunity to begin to name those options and determine to what extent we are in agreement in who we can and can not support.
bogeyman

has been his close relations with muslims in Texas.

An agreement between the state of Texas and a muslim organizatin called the Ismaili Nizari in 2008 was a wide-ranging program designed to indoctrinate Texas children about Islam and Islamic culture. Perry brokered a partnership between the University of Texas and Al-Husayni?s Aga Khan University in Pakistan for the purpose of expanding cooperation on programs including the Muslim Histories and Culture Project, or MHCP. The purpose of the MHCP is to train high-school teachers on the positive aspects of Muslim history and culture.

Perry?s naive support for this program is disturbing, to say the least. At the signing ceremony, Perry stated, ?I have supported this program from the very beginning, because we must bridge the gap of understanding between East and West if we ever hope to experience a future of peace and prosperity.?

In conjunction with the signing, Perry even requested the Texas A&M Aggie Corps of Cadets Ross Volunteer Company to do a sabre arch salute as part of a special ceremony for Al-Husayni arrival at the ceremony.

The glaring problem of course with this sentiment is that ?bridges? normally go two ways. While Perry is expanding programs to teach American children about Islam, what is Al-Husayni doing about teaching Pakistani children about the glories of Christianity? Why is it that whenever these fabulously wealthy Muslim ?philanthropists? ride into town to build bridges of understanding, it is always one-sided, always extolling the beauties of Islam?

The fact that Perry didn?t see right through, and even supported, this facade does not speak well to his ability to lead this nation forward.

Perry?s second agreement was made in 2009, which provided for cooperation between Texas and Al-Husayni?s organizations in the ?fields of education, health sciences, natural disaster preparedness and recovery, culture and the environment.?

On the official Nizari Ismaili website, Perry was quoted as speaking glowingly of the need for Texas children to learn about the positive influence of Islam to Western culture. Erick, there is nothing positive about Islam.

How about the need olf American schoolchildren learn about Chrisianity Rick?

Perry stated, ?traditional Western education speaks little of the influence of Muslim scientists, scholars, throughout history, and for that matter the cultural treasures that stand today in testament to their wisdom.?

Maybe that’s because there have been no Muslim scientists throughout history Rick.

It should also be mentioned that one of the doctrines espoused by Ismaili Muslims is the doctrine of Taqiyya. In simple terms, the doctrine of Taqiyya allows Muslims to purposefully hide or lie about their true religious beliefs to ?unbelievers? or even Muslims of different sects. Of course, it is doubtful that the children of Texas will learn anything of Taqiyya in their Perry-sponsored education concerning Islam.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

something about requiring private sector job experience to vote. Still in school? Working for an arm of government? Nope.
clintonformccain

I don’t recall that the Democratic machine or the Boston Globe was ever able to find any corruption on the guy. He’s run enough high profile races that it would have come out.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

Paul Ryan is mentioned upthread, but I’d veto him for lack of executive experience. He’d make a great VP though and would do a great job coordinating with the Congress on legislative issues.

Marco Rubio – NO. Too new, no executive experience. Let him be a great Senator and a great Governor. Then…

Jeb Bush?
lineholder

But I’m going to throw out a few questions pertaining to Daniels and Pawlenty, just for the sake of discussion.

Daniels’ reason for not getting into the race was his wife, correct? Do you think he’s likely to change his mind on that point?

Pawlenty backed out early, at the slightest of suggestions coming from various and sundry pundit sources. Could he get back in at this point and overcome it?

Paul Ryan has stood his ground against Obama time and time again. Could those who are looking for executive experience support him if he becomes a candidate?

When it comes to some of our “newbies”, I agree with what you’re saying about experience. My only exception would be Scott Walker, because he has a long history of challenging the left and succeeding in a very, VERY liberal-oriented environment. OTOH, he’d energize the left’s base, almost as much as Palin would have. They despise Walker.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

That’s Romney’s bad heel.

Obama and the media will make his time at Bain Capital into a nightmare. Full disclosure, I have no problem with what Romney did at Bain. You’ll be seeing interviews of people who’s lives were “destroyed” by Bain, blah, blah, blah.

In today’s marketplace it’ll be a thousand times worse than Newt’s philandering. And, I don’t care about that either.
gekster

And has proved to be a non-issue.
circlegranch

Whenever there have been swings taken in this parade of useless debates, the media bemoans the ‘uncivil tone’. (Unless its Mitt laying his mitts on others, then its o.k.) All week there’s been a drumbeat about the massacre expected during this weekend’s debates. Aging homecoming queen, Diane Sawyer, and George Steph put on the worst one of the season last night. Romney got the bulk of the time and they way he reeled off those well memorized talking points we’ve all heard a hundred times, one might suspicion he was given his questions in advance if we didn’t know better.

After last night, the websites were lit up with comments that nobody had the gumption to take on Mr. Most Electable Front Runner. The rants ranged from them being timid to afraid to weak and on and on. Michael Barone raced to his keyboard and declared that Romney just closed the deal after that stunning performance of his last night. It’s over. We’ve got our Obama antidote.

For a man that is proudly not a polished, slick-talking politician like Rick Perry, it has to be very confounding to know how to show up. If you get in jab at somebody, you’re a bully and mean-spirited and now the Independents don’t like you (these indies must sure be a bunch of holy, righteous people because to hear tell, they are the nicest, most polite and decent folks around which is why the rest of us slugs are supposed to pander so hard for their favor). Give us a break, already! This entire debate season has been worthless in revealing policy truths about any of them and instead, has been an armored vehicle by which candidates can be wrongly judged and taken out. Perry’s stellar record on a number of counts remains unearthed, as does a laundry list of concerns on Romney and Santorum. Romney stood there today claiming govt. programs and other ways of spreading our money around just have to stop. Too many are at the trough and the really deserving and poor go wanting. One would surmise he would have struggled then with a follow-up question about his support for ethanol subsidies. The ethanol industry and its lobbying compadres are anything but wanting or poor, so their hand-out’s qualify under Romney’s list of programs to delete, or so it would seem.

For every person that was hoping to see fresh blood drawn or for one candidate or another to say something that was a deal breaker for their campaign, you might have encouraged the networks to not schedule them on Sat. night during a football playoff game or Sunday morning when people are at church. The candidates were smart to hold their fire. (What little Newt and Santorum threw at Romney today is chicken feed, I imagine, compared to what’s coming once they get to SC.) Why throw your best punch or put out your best one-liner when few are watching?
carolynr

about a security force.
circlegranch

that’s been highly promoted, when and where will it be shown? I’ve heard its about 27 min in length. Newt can’t afford to buy TV air time for that so only political junkies will count down the minutes till its release online. What impact do you think it’ll have, given the limited number that will actually have access to, or invest the time to watch? To try and answer my own question, perhaps snipets will be extracted for TV ad’s, which will ultimately drive the conversation?
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

Same for Pawlenty. All I do know about them is that they both have excellent and very conservative (especially Daniels) records as Governor. No clue if they’d be interested.

I think Ryan is a great guy, I would prefer to see a governor at the top of the ticket. I have fundamentally no use for Members of Congress, without regard to who they are. I do think he could be a good VP, working legislation through the Congress and a great spokesperson for that legislation.

I too like Scott Walker. Let him win his recall and then we’ll see. And, I’m a fan of the current governor of Florida, but he’s a first termer, I’d prefer to see if he survives. And, since you mentioned her, no to Palin.
gmscan

n/t
acat

Jindal, Pawlenty, Ryan, and Jeb are relative unknowns in this category.

Jeb’s softer on immigration than I’d like, but that’s not really a problem in the general.

Daniels has some known family issues… but not sure that’d matter in the general either.

I would rather see Ryan govern a state (or hold down the veep slot) first.

Mew
jakeofalltrades

If we have to explain everything we’re gonna need a few decades for this primary.
http://www.writeinryan.com ragnarthepirate

In a primary, the urge to settle is strong. If you’re going to push someone away from Santorum and Romney you need someone that has high name ID and is favorable to most Republicans.

Paul Ryan led all the candidates in a poll earlier this year when Republicans were asked who they wanted to enter the race. So clearly Paul Ryan fits the bill.

But more importantly, if you’re going to vote for none-of-the-above, then that vote should mean something other than dissatisfaction with the current field. If you vote for someone without a published plan like Daniels or Jindal, then outsiders will not readily recognize the message you are trying to send.

A write in vote for Paul Ryan would send a very clear message: clean up our fiscal mess, cut back the size of government, have a clear-eyed approach to foreign policy. Paul Ryan has policies presented on two of those three, and a detailed speech at AEI for the third.

If your none-of-the-above vote sends a message, you’re much more likely to influence the eventual nominee.

Just take a look at Paul Ryan’s governing philosophy. It is perfect for the kind of message most Red State users want to send.

Also, there is already a structure in place for a Paul Ryan write-in campaign because there were several draft Paul Ryan groups last year. This has morphed into a website and decentralized effort to spread his message.
d_lamar

nt
carolynr

http://www.wbur.org/2011/12/27/romney-executive-experience

This is just one example. This thing, while Romney was Governor went over budget exactly the same way as Obama is spending our money…MASSIVELY. Further, please note how Romney approaches the problem….surgically…and then blames someone he can’t control. Oh well…like I said…Obama…all over again.

Get this out to the SC residents
jakeofalltrades

nt
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

Let her be a Fox commentator. She needs to be out of the public political eye.
lineholder

of the individuals you’ve mentioned could present an obstacle that may or may not prove to be insurmountable.

If executive experience is to be considered a prerequisite, who else might be viable?

In my heart of hearts, I’d prefer DeMint, but the reality is that he’s been extremely effective in advancing Conservatism behind the scenes, so to speak, and I do believe he’d more valuable to our nation to stay in that role.
carolynr

You follow politics…you understand…I understand…we are on the same page. However…please go check out the blogs…go ask your friends…that is not what they heard…and Perry was not specific about it.

If people were so &)*&) intelligent…we would not have Obama whose entire campaign was predicated on two words. Did these people want vetting…NO…they took everything Obama said at face value…or they listened to some pundit explain it to them.

If you want to help Perry…get some of this information out on your e-mail list and on the blogs…especially e-mail because that gets around. You are giving people who have no idea about politics other than how “to think” about it…too much credit.
jakeofalltrades

I wonder if he clarified during this AM’s debate?
circlegranch

At its outset, the purpose was to dispell the ruling class notion of thinking they control the GOP. The tea party revolted against Bush’s spending, including M’Care D that Santorum voted for; growing the Dept of Ed with NCLB by holding hands with Ted Kennedy.

When we talk about Obama’s spending, we’re not off track, but we forget Bush racked up a mighty share of debt also. Bush left office but his big-spending GOP pals remained in Congress; until 2010 and then the housecleaning started. In 2012, the intent was to elect a proven conservative president to lead the charge.

In under 2 years, we’re all poised and ready now to hand the keys to another Republican with an even worse record of moderate to left tendencies.

The tea party was a great idea while it lasted.
lizzie

preferably in a venue that gets media coverage on Tuesady morning ebfore New Hampshire votes.

Yes, I watched both debates, and THAT was Perry’s fatal moment. He was handed a gift with a bow to talk about his military volunteer service etc )I am online for 45 minutes today and ionly yen minutes to go, so this is my sole comment)

and hejust stated a nuanced policy that he knows inside out with the wrong sequence of words. on Iraq. Hopefully his campaign and he knows it – his website certainly makes no mention of THAT quote.

Perry was MUCH better on Meet The Press this am. Got
the biggest and longest applause of the two debates when he said the
three things that would hurt Americans the most with cuts would be the
employees of DoEnergy, DoCom, and DoEd.

What I found absolutely fascinating aboutthe ABC debate was how Wish I George S HAMMERED Mitt, and exposed that Mitt had NO KNOWLEDGE of Griswold v CT. I was cheering George. I wrote my Master’s paper on Margaret Sanger and was going to write a phD on WHY Sanger finally chose the judicial route that led directly to Griswold, which established right to privacy (that penumbra that Santorum knows all too well) that was the precendet for Roe v Wade. In the 1880′s, almost every state had Comstock Laws that mad contraception = pornography. Quite a story..

Romney looked SO STUPID (and rattled) during that exchange.

dr sklaroff: good to know Adelson is supporting Perry. If only Lauder Senior would join in even better if Saban was secretly joining in
no more just in case a Paulbot reads this!

personally, I think the real outcome of the debates will be Huntsman and Gingrich will knock Romney below 40% in NH, and also will knock Ron Paul into 5th.

Perry will exceed expectations, not hard to do … he will get the gun vote.

New Hampshire sure knows about Griswold v CT.

See you another time.

Perry better make that speech by Tuesday morning. Iran’s ability to take over Iraq is NOT the problem.
lizzie

RedStaters are so smart am sure you can interpret my bad typing.

I actually think Gingrich won both debates.
But Perry did himself a lot of good except for NOT talking more about the character qualities that his USAF service built (heck – Chase Bank lists those qualities in their ads about why they hire veterans!)

and wrong sequence of words about sending troops back into Iraq. I would think he realizes USA needs an invitation back in, and the KUrds might do it.

eyes rolling if Ron Paul keeps getting praised. I give Santorum points for attack dog, which I assume is why Gary Bauer endorsed Santorum.

hope y’all saw the Gary Bauer ad I posted yesterday, from the Emergency Committee for Israel.
lineholder

Mitt’s lack of knowledge on how this judicial decision played into the overall context was noted last night as well via Twitter. For a Harvard grad to overlook the implications of it????

Thanks for the info, and have a good day!
APA Guy

…you’ll see that Newt’s RECORD is much different than your perceptions.

The balanced budget…welfare reform…capital gains tax cuts that encouraged private-sector growth (and resulted in private-sector wealth)…these are all successes as part of his record. To compare Newt’s record to Romney’s is Ignorance 101.

Yes, I get that people like you can’t see past his CONSULTANT role in F/F, but this country needs a serious leader…and I’ll take Newt over Santorum every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
circlegranch

but by endorsing Perry. He is the kingmaker for SC, the remaining fragments of the tea party and carries alot of weight with his conservative senatorial group. He is also highly respected amongst values voters. A nod from DeMint in favor of Perry would completely deflate Santorum. Will he do it? He’s friends with Romney which is probably why he’s held off; there are reports he’s not entirely impressed with Nikki Haley so he may choose to go a different direction than she has on this. Friendship over expansion of conservatism. Hope its not a tough call.

Pawlenty did a campaign appearance today with Romney. He won’t get back in the race but rather is waiting for a job in the Romney administration. Plus, Pawlenty dropped out because he was broke. What’s changed about that? If we’re going to get behind somebody in a reboot and do-over scenario, let’s rally behind Perry!

The only late-comer that might pop up is Palin. She’s been playing a game for months now and recently said she doesn’t think its too late for someone to get in.

It’s time for Sen. DeMint to endorse Rick Perry so SC becomes a battleground for a true conservative show-down instead of another stepping stone for Romney. Guess it will all come down to whether or not the Senator believes the conservative movement should increase and expand or if it should retract and diminish.
Tman8

Perry is a mostly limited government conservative with traditional values. Santorum is a traditional conservative that sometimes advocates for big government policies. Gingrich is the same as Santorum. Paul is a limited government libertarian with non-traditional values. Romney is whatever he thinks you want him to be on any given day.

While Santorum’s brand of conservatism based on his record and/or rhetoric may not be to your liking, he nonetheless occupies a space within conservatism just as Perry and Gingrich do. I am voting Perry in South Carolina, but I would support any of these three men as our nominee with enthusiasm. If it’s Romney, then it’s just a “close your eyes snd think of England” moment when you enter the voting booth and pull the Romney lever.

If it’s Paul as the nominee, then bring on The Donald for my vote.
acat

that is, it’s not serious, it’s not anything resembling a plan, it’s gazing at clouds and discussing the shapes we see …

Daniels/DeMint or Pawlenty/DeMint look pretty good as regionally balanced, with DeMint being a serious conservative and the gravitas-guy. It’d also be fun to watch DeMint in a position to really bash McConnell.

Mew
lineholder

He’s already stated that and also provided his reasons as to why, much in the same way that Erick has stated his.

No, circlegranch, what needs to come first is to see if Perry really wants this enough to do what needs to be done in changing direction with his campaign. Erick is correct about that. Very much so.

If Perry succeeds in that, then it could alter the outcomes. If not…then why should he expect endorsements and ask it of others who are respected within the Conservative community to take all the risk in his behalf???
lizzie

until Romney finally asked George S if there ever had been such a law or SCOTUS decision, and finally Geoorge S said “yes, 196? Griswold v CT)

I forget if it was 1963 or 1965.

Not just for a Harvard grad, but a Harvard lawyer, someone who allegedly wants to overturn Roe v Wade to NOT know about Griswold, especially since Santorum was being hit with it on Thursday or Friday at NH campaign events.-

it means Romney is really ignorant when it comes to SCOTUS precedents.

Perry got nailed in Iowa for pretending he did not know about Lawrence v Texas. I read his responses and sounded like he just did not want to talk about it,

I keep warning the GOP that the DNC will use NY2010 playbook and make the whole election about “protecting women’s reproductive rights”

Now they DNC have great video to use to make Romney look ignorant and completely UN-Presidential. It was an astonishing display of his Glass Jaw under pressure.

oops, time expired. must wash windows.
lineholder

although in some ways I wish it wasn’t. DeMint has established himself as having a degree of trustworthiness that I happen to think a lot of voters would find very appealing right now with distrust of gov’t being so high.

As to combinations…LOL, you’re probably going to want to kick me for saying it, but putting Newt and DeMint together would be an interesting combination. DeMint is as solid as they come, and would keep Newt grounded, so to speak.
Scope

in the debate. I don’t care what Perry says, last night, now, or tomorrow. Perry’s words are going to be misconstrued no matter what he says or does. If the uneducated voters have decided to accept what they hear from the pundits, and the talking heads from both sides, no matter what he does will not change their minds. It goes for every candidate on the stage, their every word will be put under a microscope and turned into new interpretations of what they said. The only one who mostly escapes the microscope is Romney, because he already won the nomination before the first vote in Iowa was cast. I’m not freaking out on Perry’s Itaq position, as I agree with him that we need to have stability in the region, and we need a presence to insure that everything we gained is gien up for naught, including our military members lives that were lost.
annie54

and he had the audience with him. When Gregory was trying to cut him off, he talked right over him and finished.

His right-to-work stance came out very well and N.H. responded well.

His “3″ departments to cut cameoff beautifully and the other candidates laughed with him. Santorum held up 3 fingers to Perry’s 3 fingers.

People should pick up on the fact that although Perry will criticize stances of the other candidates, they still have a good rapport with him and he with them. That is important. Perry is likeable. I loved him this morning. He’s getting ready for more to come.
acat

both a DeMint/Gingrich ticket (i.e. DeMint in charge, holding Newt’s leash) and a ticket with no executive experience.

I’d really prefer a governor. What would you say to Newt as chief of staff as a title, but in more of a plenipotentiary / roving troubleshooter role? (i.e. Newt gets to poke his prodigious intellect into every cabinet position…)

Mew
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

Santorum is a quintessential big government guy. He’s got some social cred, but there’s not a conservative bone in his body. Just take a look at what he wants to do with the tax code. Rather than simplify it, he’s turning it into the Nightmare on PA Avenue. Social engineering via tax code and his ideas about a new tax rate for “manufacturing” companies will be a compliance nightmare.

Ron Paul is not a Republican, he’s a racist loon.
annie54

so he didn’t see Perry at his best.

Even Bret Beir said on FOX with Chris Wallace this morning that the “Gingriches and Perrys” were still in and could make a difference. (and they hadn’t seen this morning’s debate.)

ALAS! Bret said “Perry”!
bogeyman

Many people believe that “radical” Islam only promotes itself with terrorism, when in fact it is being promoteed by a wide assortment of non violent means. From Saudi funding of Middle Eastern studies departments at Georgetwon and Harvard, to the attempted building of a super mosque at ground zero, to a vast array of lawsuits, to the outright indoctrination of the Texas school curriculum, Muslims are promoting the gradual acceptance of Sharia law. Governor Perry was at best an unwitting dupe as part fo the stealth jihad effort.
lineholder

I’d like to see him be productive in some sort of role. We do need greater oversight on the role and scope of government functions, especially within the Executive branch, and I do believe Newt would prove himself capable in a role of this sort.

Newt has an understanding of how the left operates that some of our other candidates either don’t have or don’t want to talk about, and I do think this is a time when putting that understanding to good use for the sake of Conservatism could greatly advance Conservative positions.

Pertaining to those with executive experience, do you see other viable alternatives that may not have been mentioned so far?
trevorb

even so, there’s no love lost between him and Romney. I’ve watched the two and seems almost person between them.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

From David Axelrod today…

President Obama?s chief campaign strategist David Axelrod today on ?This Week? honed his two-pronged attack on GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney, insisting the former Bain Capital CEO?s record and shifting policy positions will undermine his general election appeal.

?Frankly I don?t think bringing a Bain mentality to this economy ? to running this economy ? makes him a strong candidate,? Axelrod told me. ?I don?t think shifting and moving around on positions ? fundamental positions ? is one that people are going to embrace.?

?Trust is a big issue in the presidency,? he said. ?I think there?s a big trust issue here.?

It’s starting quicker than I thought and, while this might just be a trial balloon, if they pound it they might lose the edge of this particular attack for the general election.
sunshinek67

Wow.

Not an option. I donated money to Rick Perry’s campaign the day after Iowa. I would also like to add to this, my contribution was a first in my life thing after arriving to the ideal that I should become more involved in politics, in particular the conservative Tea Party movement after seeing what Barack Obama has had to offer the country, and more importantly now, what Governor Perry has to offer to rectify the dire situation, on a social and fiscal platform.

Encouraging me to not give support to my team that is not out of the running after just one tiny little state and their love for corn ethanol subsidies is akin to asking me to give up my belief system. I don’t flow with the polls. As a matter of fact the tshirt I ordered just days before Iowa is the wrong size and I will be ordering another one. This is my belief system and I’m good with it.

At the end of the day either way, I’m a winner in this deal. Either as President Perry or as Governor Perry, keeping the spirit of Texas’ economic prosperity alive and growing.
annie54

believe in. I won’t listen to such _ _ _ _! I can think for myself. This goes for sports teams and/or candidates.

I’ll be in Perry’s camp until I FEEL a release. That’s just how it is. I don’t run after winners so I can be on the winning side. It has something to do with heart.
darkstar58

Romney appointed 3/4 Liberal or Agenda-Driven Independents to the bench in MA, and openly bragged ?(I have) not paid a moment?s notice to nominee?s political leanings.?

He was also really big on Gay-Rights and Right-To-Choose judges being appointed as well, and chose to appoint based off “Diversity” (his word) over anything else.

Plus, he filled his cabinet full of people like Douglas Foy – a radical environmental activist

Yeah, I don’t trust Romney to appoint anyone to anything. He is one of the single most Liberal Governors in the history of our country, with a Liberal Record that would make Obama jealous.

From everything to Health Care to Gay-Rights to Abortions to Climate Change to Gun Laws to Tax Increases and on and on; he passed it all, often enthusiastically leading the charge.

The ONLY thing that is Conservative about Mitt Romney are the empty words he is feeding us now. Otherwise he was a Democrat, ran as a Democrat, Governed as an extreme Democrat and talks like a Democrat to us today with wishy-washy empty run-around sentences which stray off-topic to avoid the point, all delivered with a smile.

You can not pay me to vote for Obama, so there is no way in h* that I would vote for a man who merely claims to be Conservative yet has done even more to advance the Liberal Agenda
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

The Hill is reporting today that Mittens is down four from yesterday and Santorum is also dropping. Huntsman is up to third and Paul is #2 and has gained some support. Perry unfortunately is fighting off Buddy Roemer for last.

It’s Romney down four to 35%, Paul at 20%, Huntsman is at 11%, Newt at 9% and Santorum at 8%. Perry has 1%.

Honestly, Perry shouldn’t have even filed in NH. If he’d won Iowa going away he’d lose NH.

The percentages look about right although I think Santorum will fall another couple of points. His SoCon message of social engineering and free spending won’t fly well with the folk in NH. Paul’s vote is most a combination of old cranky Yankee “leave me the hell alone” and disaffected Democrats. I’m expecting it to be Romney, down a couple of more points; Paul, about where he is; Huntsman, up a few points, closer to Paul; Newt, about where he is; and Santorum, down a couple of points.

The Party needs to man-up and tell Iowa and NH to pound sand with respect to their first in the nation crap. Lay out a rational primary plan and tell the states that if they deviate from it they lose their convention votes.
http://boldcolor.blogspot.com/ Paula

Amy Kremer was on one of the Fox News shows the other day and she suggested that the TP Express would be endorsing a candidate before the SC primary. Of course, they don’t speak for the entire TP movement and many of the TP’ers reject the notion of endorsements entirely, nevertheless, the candidates are likely sending Amy their budget proposals along with truckloads of flowers and candy at this moment.

Other important endorsements would be Jim DeMint, of course, and another less flashy but stalwart conservative, Jim Jordan, head of the Republican Study Committee.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

The Hill.
annie54

Bernacke and Social Security? Now, what is coming to light about them? The same will be with troops/Iraq.

Wait until the bonfire remark hits from this morning’s debate. Ummmmmm – I think that means Bush and the Republicans. WOW.

Perry does what he says and means what he says.
darkstar58

Newt has arguably done more for the Conservative Movement then any other person alive today. He was even forced out of office by the Establishment because he would not support them going against Conservative Principles and break the Bush “no new taxes” Pledge.

On the other hand, Romney was one of the most Liberal Governors ever in the country, enthusiastically passing things most Democrats only dream of doing. He bragged about passing Cap&Tax, to this day supports Romneycare, unilaterally allowed Gay Marriage, forced Catholic Hospitals to give out birth control, gave 5 Billion to Planned Parenthood to build abortion clinics and put them on his Oversight Committee, appointed 3/4 Liberal or Agenda-driven judges, raised taxes from 9.3% to 9.9% and stifled economic growth to 1.4% while the rest of the country averages 5.4%

There is NOTHING Conservative about Romney, where Newt’s Welfare Reform alone is one of the greatest Conservative Achievements we have seen in our day
http://boldcolor.blogspot.com/ Paula

Or Michelle Malkin!
JSobieski

The reason why I am as pro-Huntsman as I am is that I have heard him in two very substantive events: (1) his Q&A at the Brookings Institute and (2) his debate with Newt.

Huntsman doesn’t come across well on TV, but in terms of being well versed in policy—-he is Newt without the personal baggage.

If he doesn’t pop in NH, it beomes academic. I however do hope that he surprises in NH. As an added benefit, he is probably most likely to actually get Romney voters rather than the other folks who seem to draw support from the same pool.

We would all be better off if Huntsman won the Romney bracket.
acat

Chris Christie or Scott Walker could probably enter, although I don’t think either are ready for the top slot. Martinez could make things interesting, but again she’s not ready for the top slot .. yet. Brewer, not so much.

I agree with Becker (and Leon) that the top slot needs to be a Governor. I don’t think that restriction applies regarding the veep – there’s an advantage to having a legislative background going into the veep slot… although Biden is really a terrible example.

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

Santorum is like G W Bush only moreso. He is NOT conservative on fiscal issues, which matter now more than ever. He is big government conservative on social issues and foreign policy.

He supported every single thing that the previous congresses did that made us livid.

Romney at least has administrative experience and was a businessman.

But yes, I would love to support Huntsman, but he is even further back in the polls than Perry.
annie54

I’m with Perry all the way and have already volunteered for S.C. phone calls. I’ve also suggested that the campaign have bumper stickers stating “Perry Posse” together with car flags and other items.

I’ve been a big sports fan all my life and if I believe in a team or a political candidate, it’s through thick and thin. No one, but no one will change my mind unless it is God Himself. That’s how it is when you pray.
salj

The news of Governor Rick Perry jumping into the Republican nomination race for President, released a media tsunami that assaulted my brain. In no time at all, people came up with a long list of negatives about him. In a democracy, honest and thorough scrutiny of anyone?s records seeking a public office is not only the prerogative of the electorate, but it is its duty.

…

(EDITOR NOTE: This post was a cut/paste from an article on another web site. This is a Fair Use violation and is NOT ALLOWED. In the future, include an excerpt and link to the original text. I have deleted all but the first paragraph. The rest of the article can be found at this site)
darkstar58

Mitt has never really been elected anything in the past.

He lost to Kennedy, he lost to McCain and he bowed out of re-election when it was beyond doubt he would lose that.

The only time he “won” an election, he was in a situation where:
1) the GOP had won for 16 years
2) the DNC had a nasty, mud-slinging 5 way race for the nomination
3) there was a third, “Green Party”, name on the ticket
4) he had name recognition and money to burn
5) it was one of the single greatest mid-terms for a sitting president, going in favor of the Republican Party

yet he still received less then 50% of the vote

That isn’t winning – that is having the election handed to you; and still almost snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Romney cant possibly win the election – which is why the Liberal Media, Democrat Party and Obama Administration keeps telling us he is the only one with a chance…
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

I’d take Palin first. (Not an endorsement)

I don’t see Christie coming through,though he’d sure make things interesting.

How about a name from the past, since we’re just playing here, Rudy.
sunshinek67

then you and I stood in agreement this morning while I was in the House lifting Governor Perry up to the most Highest. Praise the Lord he stayed in this race. I plan on casting my vote for the Governor in the Texas primary in April. What an honor that will be for me.
lineholder

Barbour. What would be your opinion of him?
lineholder

I’ve been reading a few bits of punditry relating to last night’s debate followed by the debate this morning.

Tell you what, becker…Newt’s been pretty smart in the approach he is taking against Romney. Romney is a moderate from Massachusetts, so right off the bat Newt’s “Massachusetts Moderate” ads have the punch of credibility.

All he’s doing is speaking the truth, which is exactly the approach he publicly stated he would be taking after the Iowa caucus.

But I think it could help voters puts things into context. Mitt can proclaim to be running under the mantle of Conservatism all he likes, but peel away the illusion, and he’s still a moderate.
giatny

Even worse, Romney said “middle income” not
“middle class”.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

He would have been my far and away number one pick. He was head of the Party in ’94 and had as much or more to do with taking the House back as Newt IMO. He’s been an excellent governor as well.
hobiecat

Mitt Romney as Max Headroom.
Carol Tarasewicz

It does look like Romney and Perry actually hate each other. It must go back to when Romney was governor of MA or it might be Rove helping Romney. That is a well known fact, that Rove hates Perry.

I really hope Rick gains some traction. I do not want to be stuck voting for Romney, I do not think he’ll win against Obama.
annie54

and Romney never knows when Perry will choose to do it. That’s Romney’s fear.
SoFiMil

I will show up to vote. I always vote. Being that I don’t support Romney (in the primary) or Paul (at all), I still want to have my vote tallied. I will go to the touch-screen, not select any candidate, and then confirm that I am done voting. Thus an undervote, but a legal vote. None of the above, in affect.

I under-voted once before on a city run-off election in California. I didn’t like either of the two Mayoral candidates. Again, however, I strongly believed in my civic duty and privilege to vote. At that time, it was the punch-card system. Got my ballot, didn’t vote for either of the candidates, and then dropped my ballot in the locked ballot box.

It felt good.
acat

Gingrich is right to call him on it.

Let’s see if Newt can peel off enough support …

Mew
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

Santorum done far more to actually limit federal Government and fight for conservative market-oriented reforms from welfare reform to social security reform, than practically anyone else running (the exception being Gingrich) … including and especially Ron Paul, the most ineffective do-nothing legislator to run for President in a long time. But because Santorum actually has legislated, worked with others etc., he has a paper trail of both good votes and objectionable votes. It’s easy to draw any number of conclusions from almost 20 years of votes.

“While Santorum?s brand of conservatism based on his record and/or rhetoric may not be to your liking, he nonetheless occupies a space within conservatism just as Perry and Gingrich do.”

Certain folks won’t want to hear that now. They have other candidates to tout and feel the need to tarnish him to build up their guy. (*) Later on, after Romney gets the nomination, the honest ones will admit that Santorum would be a much more conservative nominee than Romney.

(*) Where I stand: At this point, I’m not even sure I have a ‘guy’. It’s Perry/Gingrich/Santorum I’d prefer, as I’d like a conservative alternative to Romney, but … I’ve given up on Perry having a chance to win, given his low single digit poll numbers, dont see Hunstman as more conservative than Romney. And while Santorum would do fine as candidate and President, we see enough carping from the non-socon conservatives about him that he might not have the juice to challenge Romney. (This year’s Huckabee.) That leaves Newt: I think critiques of Newt’s electability are valid and acknowledge Gingrich is far from a ‘pure’ conservative but this is less important than the fact that he’s the most credible conservative Romney alternative left standing. But he too is wounded pollwise, so my post-Iowa thinking was that Santorum had the best and clearest shot at taking Romney out while gingrich imploded in anti-Romney rage … so we circle back and dont get to a single unifying ‘not-Romney’.

This leads to the depressing conclusion that Romney is the almost certain nominee even though we have better alternatives and majority of GOP base voters WANT a conservative alternative.

Dewey-Truman redux awaits!
flgal208

and SC offices are saying their merchandise (signs banners) are flying out the door as fast as they get them. The SC team seems to be fired up and well-organized.

FL finally has updated their FB page (after I and other sent pleas) and since yesterday the “talking about” went from 3 (me and..) to 72 and from 52 followers to 507 in less than 24 hours.

Maybe Rick’s decided to unleash each states managers and let them do their thing AND his web site was updated after being stagnant for 3 days. So there is movement!!!!

Huntman is my 2nd choice, too.
trevorb

Perry really gets under his skin and as a result, he ended up making that stupid 10,000 dollar bet. That was one of his biggest mistakes.
giatny

I understand the pain from hating Obama but not
having a viable alternative. I have suffered through
Trump, Bachman, Perry, Cain, Gingrich and now
Santorum in horror knowing that none of them will
appeal to Independents. The ONLY hope for
salvation is Romney. It would be really nice if
the far right stopped campaigning for Obama by
criticizing him. The negative atmosphere coming
from Fox is WORSE than that from Msnbc. I
invite you all into reality – it’s Romney or Obama!
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

abie are manning the idiot brigades today.

Yeah, Santorum “occupies a space in conservatism right now” and that space is the void left by GWB’s compassionate conservatism that gave us NCLB and MedD.

Santorum is a big government nanny stater pure and simple. He’s NEVER taken a leadership position on anything even remotely conservative and is absolutely NOT a “conservative alternative”.
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

I wish I had your faith that Perry can come back, but I just don’t see it happening. I do hope he does well.
texastory63

I have been a Perry supporter and contributor. When he entered I was optimistic. However, he campaigned hard in Iowa, a state I expected he would compete well in given his rural-evangelical background. He did not. Realistically, what will be different in South Carolina? I fear that his continuation ONLY helps Romney. Not happy about it but Santorum won the anybody but Romney primary.
tea4me

Along with all 4 voting members of my immediate family. If he doesn’t win…we will all support the republican nominee
lineholder

Daniels, Pawlenty, Jeb Bush, Barbour, and Jindal, as experienced governors, with Rudy on the outside as a former governor.

Anyone else?

Of those listed, Jindal would be my first choice. I’m not a single-issue voter, per se, but I do tend to look at broad-spectrum societal issues. What Jindal and his team have accomplished in LA pertaining to education impresses the dickens out of me! He’s had to learn how to overcome obstacles, despite resistance from the federal gov’t. I think that may have been difficult for him to choose to do at first, with his background in Constitutional law. But he’s succeeding in it all the same. He’s younger than the rest of the candidates, which might appeal to younger Americans. There could be advantages in considering Jindal.
annie54

Yes – we did stand in agreement this morning putting Perry in the Lord’s hands. My neighbor did the same and is in agreement.

I sent the campaign (through Will) an e-mail this morning about how we’re praying for him as well as how well he did last night and this morning.

Perry is the only one who can completely fluster Romney. I feel another fluster on its way. . . . . . . . . . .
trevorb

it kind of a long shot, but that being said, I will still support him.
acat

The last paragraph shoulda been…

“Santorum isn’t a conservative alternative, Santorum is an alternative to conservatism”.

It’s got a bit more punch.

Mew
hobiecat

The GOP had closed primaries, Paul would be a non factor and Romney would be way lower in the polls.
annie54

and I will not falter until I do. I’ve seen miracles happen. When we pray, we expect them to happen, unless we’re released spiritually from our request.
flgal208

This is why I say, ?Let?s get the best conservative we can.? Since we already have so much anti-Obama sentiment, why settle? Why not go for the whole ball of wax? (interruption) No, I am not kidding. It?s time. I tell you, it?s time to strip this bare. I have just alluded to this. I?m gonna tell you again. This whole business of ?electable,? I?ve been hearing about it for weeks, months. We all have our circle of friends. I too have a circle of friends. Contrary to what you think, my circle of friends are no smarter than you. They?re no smarter than you. Just because they?re my friends doesn?t mean they?re smart. They?re not stupid, but I?m saying is they?re just like anybody else. This is the point.

That?s a good thing. I get frustrated at this ?electability.? That?s how the Democrats chose John Kerry, by the way (who served in Vietnam). When Howard Dean failed in 2004 in Iowa, they panicked. ?We?ve gotta get somebody who can win!? They thought Kerry could. This ?electability? reason to nominate somebody is flawed from the get-go because the reasons that people think somebody can win are flawed, as evidenced by what I just told you. Let me tell you something, folks: I wouldn?t have one ounce of doubt about Rick Perry. I?ve been hoping Rick Perry would catch fire, “
acat

that pulling him out of Louisiana this early in his second term – a term he won overwhelmingly – would leave a big hole in a State that desperately needs reform.

I would suggest looking at Daniels’ impacts on education reform in Indiana. Mitch didn’t have Katrina clearing the way for him, but has had a solid impact, albeit one overshadowed by the “runaway legislatures”.

Mew
hobiecat

Is ready to do what the RNC and the establishment wanted republicans to do all along. Concede to Romney. I can’t understand why the Republican party is ashamed of conservatives, and why they think a candidate that doesn’t pander to the great moderates will send them running back to the Democrats.
lineholder

I don’t think he will get into the race. He may be a viable option, but under the circumstances, the situation that precluded his entering earlier hasn’t changed. And he could stand by the decision that he made at that time. It’s a tough spot for him, and if that’s the choice he makes, I definitely can respect it.
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

I hope Romney was just playing dumb instead of being dumb, but I think he deflected the silly and inane question well by turning the conversation into an absurdity. States have not been really outlawing contraception for over 100 years and even in 1960s the law was an unenforced law. Stephie might as well have asked if Romney wants to bring back prohibition. The fact that Romney didnt identify Griswold decision is ok because 99% of voters wont know that decision either or its date.

Silly liberal MSM thinks its a ‘killer’ issue for them to dredge up inane questions like this as a way to go after conservatives and Repubs. Yet all it does is make us remember that the Democrats are against the right to life.
flgal208

BECAUSE of Paul. Paul supporters are helping keep Romney’s numbers down. Paul supporters would chose no one or the more open ones could back Perry if they had to, but not UNTIL they lose the nomination. His fans would be staying home and not going to another candidate, so right now, he’s not really sucking votes from anyone, but rather bringing his own, which keeps Willards percentage down.
So, keeping Paul around hurts Romney the most. We need Paul in the race until or if he attacks Perry. Right now, the two of them are playing nice. Except their stances on the military, they are the most close AND Perry decriminalized pot in TX, something ONLY Perry can use in the General Election to maybe get some Paul supporters to choose him. The rest don’t have a chance in hell…
bogeyman

but in addition, he has a close relationship with Grover Norquist, a man who may be more responsible than anyone else for enabling Muslim Brotherhood access to the highest levels of power in the U.S.

Norquist is clearly much closer to Perry than to other candidates. Perry and Grover Norquist held a joint press conference in March 2011. Perry appeared at a fundraiser for Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform group. Also, Norquist actively campaigned for Perry back in 2009. Perry and Norquist took a vacation together in the Bahamas. Their association is longstanding: Perry and Norquist are clearly not just casual acquaintances

Norquist is married to a Palestinian Muslima, hence his personal reasons for pushing the Islamic agenda every chance he gets.

Recently Rep Frank wolf (R-VA) said on the house floor of Norquist
“Documentation shows that he has deep ties to supporters of Hamas and other terrorist organizations that are sworn enemies of the United States and our ally Israel.? He pointed out that ?around the years 2000 and 2001, Mr. Norquist?s firm represented Abdurahman Alamoudi, who was convicted two years later for his role in a terrorist plot and who is presently serving a 23-year sentence in federal prison.?

Norquist, reported Wolf, ?also associated with terror financier Sami Al-Arian, according to Mary Jacoby?s reporting in March 2003, in the St. Petersburg Times. Al-Arian pled guilty in 2006 ‘to a charge of conspiring to provide services to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a specially designated terrorist organization, in violation of U.S. law,’ and is under house arrest, according to a Department of Justice press release. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad?s ?paramilitary wing?the al-Quds Brigades?has conducted numerous attacks, including large-scale suicide bombings,? according to the National Counterterrorism Center.?
lizzie

y’all can judge for yourself how well that will go to changing the debate echo.

My take was Perry/Sullivan’s message on Iraq is still a work in progress.
But a very good start on an afternoon when everyone (except me) is talking Romney/Gingrich/Santorum/Paul, and, oh, yeah, Huntsman.

what was interesting was how Ray S is now describing Perry as the ‘social fiscal TEA Party outsider conservative’. emphasized ‘only candidate who volunteered to wear the uniform’.

got to love political messaging

Huckabee is going to have another Forum in Charleston, SC – another chance for Perry to shine. At some point, oops should get shelved.

If lineholder is still here, while I was washing the casement windows so I could lock them down for winter, was re-thinking impact of George S smackdown of Romney on contraception. I took off my lifelong pro-choice hat, and started looking at it from the GOP point of view.

Not only was it George S who shattered Romney’s composure and glass jaw (really – it was astonishing to watch how long that went on – I was 1st time in my life, standing up and cheering George Stephan…)

but, IF you are a GOP voter for whom SCOTUS nominations are a top three issue, then there is NO freakin’ way you can trust Romney on judicial appointments if your goal is to get Roe v Wade overturned.

For any legal scholar reading this, even Judge Ginsburg has been known to think that Roe was not decided on whatever precedent it should have been. Yes, that was clumsy, but, overturning Roe does not mean overturning Griswold. The issue with Griswold was establishing the unstated “right to privacy” as being Constitutional because of the NINTH Amendment, which acknowledges there may be rights NOT specifically enumerated by the US Constitution.

Griswold v CT was such a wonderful case. Kind of embarrassing for Connecticut to still have a law that made it illegal for any doctor to dispense any form of contraception to MARRIED (one woman and one man) couples in the 1960′s. That was how long the Comstock Laws from the 1880′s stayed on the books.

And, Romney should know about all this.
The phrase “Banned in Boston” was coined when Margaret Sanger was arrested and dragged off the stage of a theatre by the Boston police for speaking about contraception, maybe about 1920.

When I was still deluded into thinking I could spend my savings to retrain as a teacher 2002-2005, the mid-term exam for my Social Studies Teaching methods class was to prepare a 10-minute mini-lesson to the class.

I knew from observing students throughout The Bronx that someone (churches) was teaching all these teenage girls that 100% of abortions were partial birth, and, so I knew better than to even consider trying to teach about Roe v Wade.

The right to privacy is far broader. The SCOTUS started in the 1920′s to establish right to privacy when the FBI was wiretapping phones without a warrant. So, my question was “What does the right to privacy mean?” and a summary description of Griswold v CT, with a graphic showing cellphone, garbage can, library book…to stimulate the group discussion to answer the question.

Two minutes into my mini-lesson, my professor shut me down, and transformed it into Roe v Wade because HE thought teachers needed to be provocative.

After the class, every other student apologized to me for what that professor had done. He gave me an “A”, but refused to help me become a teacher, and actively sabotaged my student teaching.

not that this has anything to with Perry on Iraq, but it certainly gives all the NOT-Romney, NOT-Paul something to shatter Romney’s trustworthiness on judicial appointments.

and the Dems will use him being Mr. SmartHarvard lawyer who is ignorant and soooooo easily flustered when challenged by George Stephanapoulos

a twofer.
http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

If anything this article made me more determined than ever to support Rick Perry. Drop my support because he doesn’t follow Erick’s advice? Heck no! And who would I support otherwise? I’d have to slaughter my conscience to wholeheartedly support any other candidate the way I’ve supported Perry. You’d better bet I’ll continue supporting him. I won’t stop unless he actually drops out. And since he’s still in (and meeting huge crowds in SC this afternoon!) I’m no where close to giving up on him.

If he loses the nomination then so be it. But at least I’ll know I followed the Lord’s leading and my conscience. I didn’t sell my soul to the Republican Establishment. Because that’s exactly what it would be if I shut up and decided to support Romney “because he’s the most electable.”
krapes1

The Hill had a piece this morning that was pretty favorable to Perry, Not long after that they took it down. MSM do not want to give him any credit. I beleive the people of this country should realize this by now. No person who has accomplished what Perry has done can be considered dumb and a clown. Majort Garrett had a piece on Real Clear Politics that was real favorable until the last two sentices when he trashed him. I am sorry but the media is running this campaign.. Also Erick, why don’t you be specific about retooling rather than laying it out there unexplained. Maybe you did not notice a difference in his debates this weekend but it sounds to me that he is re tooling his message. Good Grief, give him some credit.. By the way all of you Perry fans open your pocketbook and send something showing your support.
A video on The Hill article they pulled is linked below. Look at it.

http://thehill.com/video/campaign/202959-perry-jokes-about-earlier-debate-gaffe
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

and calling people idiots for having a difference of opinion only sows division. Sad.

This … “He?s NEVER taken a leadership position on anything even remotely conservative” … is simply false, as Santorum has led not just on prolife issues as Senator but led on Health Savings Accounts and on Social Security reform in 2005, pushing for individual savings accounts. Moving entitlements towards choice is a huge issue and he’s right led on it.

There are deviations from conservative purity by all of the current candidates. Doesnt make them non-conservative.
annie54

http://www.wbur.org/2011/12/27/romney-executive-experience
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

It’s linked in the kowalski. The link is: http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/polls/202947-poll-romney-sees-drop-in-support-in-nh
cheetah2

Yes Perry’s friends have a right to disagree with how he is doing things, but it is wrong to attempt to undermine and harm his campaign because of it.
Bill S

that there is no attempt to “undermine and harm” Rick Perry’s campaign. You are completely misinterpreting the contents of this piece if you get that from it.
westcoastpatriette

I am so frustrated with other conservative Christians (Huckabee for one but there are others who will not stand behind Perry) that I just want to yell at them, “What is wrong with you? How can you not see that Perry is the only conservative choice in the race? Are you blind? Or just confusing scriptural admonitions to help the poor with the government forcing taxpayers to be “compassionate” conservatives? Don’t you get it yet? The government is not the place to try to push compassionate conservatism but is the excuse Bush used to grow the federal monster and now you are ignoring all of those mistakes and supporting people who will not shrink the government but grow it in the name of God. Uuuuugh!
onenationundrgod

That Gov Perry?s staff is not for public discussion, here?s why?You got a name? You got a name? You got a name!!!!!
I do give credit for the good Gov to know what best works for him to go forward. I have been kept informed through emails and his website what is going on. It is ALWAYS positive and upbeat, with clear purpose and determination.
Watching the last 2 debates??I would rather have a candidate tell the truth no matter how hard it is to hear, than all the pandering and posturing going on. Everything Perry said in the debates was credible and articulated, true and correct.
With respect to the Tea Party, I am amazed they have IMHO derailed their ideals of their conservative movement and beliefs; they are all over the place with their support. I find this disturbing as the only clear choice is right there. There should be no question, where is the consolidation the commitment? I wonder how this will play out in the language of future descriptions of the TP, and of our Nation.
My only prayer is that the true cream of the crop will really rise to the top?either with or without the support of the people who seem to have so many opinions about how our country should be run and who will be the best Nominee to beat BO, and ultimately be the next US President.
I call for diligence, determination, and discernment and to be the ones standing for Governor Perry?.He is the real deal, no if?s ands or buts?
onenationundrgod

That Gov Perry?s staff is not for public discussion, here?s why?You got a name? You got a name? You got a name!!!!!
I do give credit for the good Gov to know what best works for him to go forward. I have been kept informed through emails and his website what is going on. It is ALWAYS positive and upbeat, with clear purpose and determination.
Watching the last 2 debates??I would rather have a candidate tell the truth no matter how hard it is to hear, than all the pandering and posturing going on. Everything Perry said in the debates was credible and articulated, true and correct.
With respect to the Tea Party, I am amazed they have IMHO derailed their ideals of their conservative movement and beliefs; they are all over the place with their support. I find this disturbing as the only clear choice is right there. There should be no question, where is the consolidation the commitment? I wonder how this will play out in the language of future descriptions of the TP, and of our Nation.
My only prayer is that the true cream of the crop will really rise to the top?either with or without the support of the people who seem to have so many opinions about how our country should be run and who will be the best Nominee to beat BO, and ultimately be the next US President.
I call for diligence, determination, and discernment and to be the ones standing for Governor Perry?.He is the real deal, no if?s ands or buts?
annie54

There are so many people out there who would love to be on Perry’s team so they could get “inside” for an eventual book deal. That must be why he sticks with his team. Look what Rollins did when he left Bachmann.

Anyone who has been in management knows that a loyal assistant is difficult to come by. I’ve had Administrative Assistants who will “tell it all and then some” just for a drink with a nice looking guy.

GOOOOOOOOOOOO Denver Broncos and Tebow!
Denver 7, Steelers 6
http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

The folks at my church love Perry. I’m sure there are many other Christians who do, as well. But with people like Gary Bauer and Mike Huckabee falling all over themselves over either Romney or Santorum…how do we fight this?
jimcyr

and learning that was all I needed to know, in order to say I can support Newt if it comes down to it.
LOL
oldlady

was that, unlike Romney, Gingrich, and Santorum, he didn’t pander to the corn industry there by telling he supported ethanol subsidies. In addition to which they were obviously not going to be too inthralled with a guy who’s Governed a State where oil is king and the the #1 windpower state.
romansdaughter

I was impressed by Rick Perry for holding that big prayer rally before he jumped into the race and pundits scoffed and said that he shouldn’t have done that. Then as time has gone by I have read his record, combed through articles and stuff about him, I have been more and more impressed with him. I have been praying for him with my family and I will continue to pray. I won’t be behind any other candidate until he drops out. I feel like LouPat that I am following the Lord’s leading in this.
sunshinek67

Wow, friend, now that sends “chills all through my body”, not happenstance or coincidence that we have all connected in this way. God has purpose. For everything.
westcoastpatriette

I am not sure, to tell you the truth. I guess we just have to keep repeating ourselves and use each of the candidates records to prove our points. Jesus did get really bold when he was angry, though. (White-washed tomb full of dead men’s bones — or You brood of vipers or You are of your father the devil…the father of lies!)
http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

So although we must always season our speech with graciousness, we must also show the “foxes” and “broods of vipers” and “white-washed tombs” for what they are.
sunshinek67

Hypocritical for the Tea-Partiers to line up with big Government as polls indicate the upward trend for Rick Santorum. And these religious leaders, all of them, are probably going to see the end results against favor.

Governor Perry has been a candidate for President 5 months now. That is not a long time by political measure, especially compared to the others on the stage. He is a Christian, and he has the record of fiscal discipline, job creator and economic success for a very large state with 25 million people; the failure on their collective part to withhold endorsing him is to the detriment of all us.

The leaders I am looking at in particular, are James Dobson and Ps John Hagee, both of whom attended a private conference just down the road from where I live around the Brenham, Texas area just recently. This is Perry country in my small part of the world, I sure hope the Holy Spirit touched their hearts to do the right thing and get behind the best candidate in this GOP race.
westcoastpatriette

We can spread out across America on behalf of Perry and push until he wins. We are more passionate, knowledgeable and understand conservatism better than the average Joe or new Tea Partier. Let’s do it, girls!
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

Santorum is a big government toad and you’re drinking KoolAid.

I know perfectly well that there’s no such thing as a “perfect candidate” nor is there a “true conservative”, you have to weigh the pluses and minuses of each candidate.

Santorum has a house full of minuses. I haven’t looked at HSA, but I’ll give you that as fact. That gives you one plus. He did zip on SS reform. Bush trotted that out as a test. Santorum provided zero leadership on the subject, he was just along for the ride. Oh, and if he did provide leadership, that wouldn’t be something I’d want on my resume, I’ve always found successes are better to showcase. Santorum has exactly zero.

I agree that we need to move away from entitlements, but I see exactly nothing in Santorum’s history or personality that says he’s going to walk away from government solutions to people’s problems any more than GWB could. Look at his latest act of stupidity with his tax plan. While some of the small details are tolerable, the basic thrust of the plan is social engineering from a SoCon perspective and complicating the tax code significantly with his “manufacturing rate” for corporations. He talks about simplifying the code while keeping all the current “give backs” to lower income taxpayers – in fact he expands them – and does nothing to actually eliminate deductions and exemptions. He’s all talk and zero action. It’s just fortunate for him that he’s been selling this crap to single issue socons who are too stupid or too lazy to bother to actually look at the crap he’s proposing.

I’m disagreeable because I’m damn tired of idiots who can talk about conservatism and small government out of one side of their mouths and who are too lazy to bother with a little research and understanding about what their spewing out of the other side of their mouth. Or, in your and abie’s case, keyboard.
txindependent

Perry and Gingrich are the only ones I like at this point.

The difference is, I won’t ever vote for Romney.
romeg

Newt AND Rick Perry.

A Washington insider and a Conservative Southern Governor.

Newt, as VP, could be Perry’s Dick Cheney. Perry as VP would have the opportunity to become thoroughly familiar with the operation of the Senate and how things work in Washington. Either way, we the country could be in better shape and we would have at least one more conservative on deck for 2020. Perhaps by then, Santorum will have gone back to PA and gotten himself elected Governor.

I could, maybe, see Huntsman as SecState.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

If only Neil would provide an edit function I’d change it.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

’nuff said.
http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

Sowell prefers Newt

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120108/OPINION03/201080305/1008/OPINION01/America-needs-man-action#nogo
sunshinek67

….
David123

Newt did a great job pointing out the flawed premises behind some of the debate questions. I love how he made the point about MSM anti-Catholic bigotry.
sunshinek67

Absolutely.
westcoastpatriette

n/t
swami7774

You don’t like Mitt Romney. You’ll support him if he wins the nomination, but until that happens, you’ll try to damage his chances as much as possible.
We get it.
Rapunzel46

Yes, I know Drudge made THAT his headline, but I watched the debate and Perry said Iraq was melting down fast (it is) and we need to move troops back in to keep Iran from taking them over (something they do want to do and have wanted for a long time). He went on to say that we need to renegotiate with the Iraqi leader to move some troops back in there (something Obama didn’t do and why we are not all out). Perry went on to explain that if our leaving allows Iran to take over Iraq then all the blood and treasure we spent there is for nothing (aka Vietnam 2.0)… Perry is right.

Heck we still have troops in South Korea to keep North Korea at bay.. yet we pulled out of Iraq and are pulling out of Afghanistan when both are melting down… and worse Obama wants to negotiate with the Taliban and give them some of our prisoners from Guatanamo. Perry gets all this, he isn’t looking for war, he is looking to keep the peace.
JSobieski

Is Santorum less conservative tham Romney?
If Romney is less conservative than Santorum, is that enough to outweight Santorum’s lack of executive experience?
Who would be a stronger candidate against Obama?

When I ask the question of who I prefer between the two, I always end up with a headache.
avagreen

which is owned by Bain, of which Romney is the biggest stockholder.
http://www.moneyteachers.org/Romney+Beck+Limbaugh+and+Clear+Channel+Communications.html

AND

http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com/2007/08/breaking-news-drudge-out-wlws.html

So much for “conservative radio/TV”, I guess.

BTW, I just cancelled my membership in the Republican Party and told them why, and that I would donate to the candidates of my choice.
JSobieski

People who are in it for the money, and not for principle?

Two options
(1) Give people like Drudge the benefit of the doubt acknowledging that the media will always try to sensationalize headlines OR
(2) Accuse them of being corporate puppets
JSobieski

and he makes far more money on his website than he ever did from radio.

Disagree with the guy is you want. Crititicize his headline for being misleading. There is no reason to accuse him of being some part of a corporate conspiracy.
avagreen

But, here is the list of personalities on Clear Channel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk_Radio_%28XM%29#Personalities

More on Drudge:
…I had wanted to advertise our new reports on communism in Hawaii and Chicago on the Drudge Report. But our $5000.00 ad buy was rejected by Drudge himself. This appears to be part of a leftward drift on the part of Drudge, who has a rather idiosyncratic background and links to the homosexual community and Hollywood. One of Drudge?s apparent motives is to curry favor with Obama so that he can receive ?scoops? from the campaign. Drudge, who is sometimes described as liberal or ?libertarian? on some issues, may also personally favor Obama?s election….
http://www.usasurvival.org/ck07.10.08.html

I dunno.
JSobieski

But that is no reason to accuse him of being a sell out or part of some conspiracy.
avagreen

http://www.breitbart.com/

compared to this story that I linked to earlier:
http://www.usasurvival.org/ck07.10.08.html

Just because you don’t agree with me, doesn’t make me wrong.
jj2012

You know, if I’m going to trust him to run the country, I’m going to trust him to run his own campaign staff. And I DO trust him…he will do the right thing, and whether he does or does not “reboot” his campaign sufficiently to satisfy everyone, it’s not going to affect my vote.

Incidentally, Erick, telling people to not contribute/invest in the campaign is sort of a sure-fire way to guarantee that his campaign doesn’t get the rebound it needs, don’t you think? Come on people, listen to your gut and help Perry out as much as you can!

Perry is the real thing–a true, consistent fiscal and social conservative, a successful long-term governor, and a good man. Perry 2012!
romeg

“…damage [Mitt's] chances…”? Isn’t he the most electable candidate in the field?

The only person that can damage Mitt’s chances is Mitt. He is the sum of all he has been over his career. He’s the one that has taken whatever position he thought would win his election to the Governor’s Mansion in MA and it is HE who ran to the left of Ted Kennedy.

But he’s the Most Electable Candidate in the field. He has a lock on the nomination, right?
krapes1

Ramig, are you kidding me. Rick Perry has dealt with his state legislature quite successfully for the last eleven years. A state legislature is run the same way as the US Congress. Look at all the progress that has happened since Perry and his legislature have been working together. No offence to Newt but his party kicked him out of the Speaker ship. Maybe he could learn how to deal with the Congress as Perry’s VP. Where does everybody get off thinking Perry has no experience. He has more experience than any up there. Mittens could not even be a two term governor. Gov. Perry runs a state with 25,000,000 people and the 13th largest economy and has for 11 years. What is wrong with the people in this party?
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

a big government Republican, no in fact I want to like him a lot, but history tells another story altogether, and age is meaningless when a person can read, its almost universally understood by the freshmen crowed that came to power in the 90′s that Newt almost leveled conservative chances at getting that white house in 2000, we had to run as compassionate conservatives because the name was so tarnished. Newt, the man who led the charge against Clinton for sleeping with his intern himself had married two he cheated with. Newt, the man who sat on a couch with Nancy to push climate change legislation, Newt the man who travels the country with Al Sharpton talking about education, Newt the man who made millions as a {sic} consulting slash historian from Freddie Mac. Please tell me how does one get that kind of money from them only to do the opposite of anything they would supposedly get told to do. why would they not pay a team of historians to come in and get a varied point of view. Basketball players make 30,000 an hour, not historians for big mortgage companies.

So excuse me if I’m younger than you, but Madison was younger than George Washington, but still valued his advise greatly, the same with Hamilton. Excuse me if I decided to research Meets whole career instead of just things that happened while he was speaker of the House. Meets kind of acted like John with Barry, they wanted a deal, but freshmen conservatives got in the way.
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

that is just not the case. You can’t say well Clinton did not want to do it, and then give Newt the credit, because Newt also did not want to do it. The media is hoping that Newt is the nominee, because they have line after line if Meets colleagues telling a different start than Newt does. Glenn Beck laid out the argument as to why newt is not conservative, and It was not all lies like sneer wants to say it is.

I’m sorry, but reality is not subjective, I will not deny what is the truth, just because I would like Newt to debate Obama, I don’t think Newt can win, his core is no better than Romneys.

To answer you other question from my earlier comment, Newt is above only Ron Paul on my list, Santorum and Romney are close, huntsman is second even if he seems stuck up to me, and Perry is the first. I like governors, and that is why Romney is above Newt and maybe santorum.
greyeagle

Jindal is not a natural borne citizen, which you must be for President. Of course Obama does not meet that criteria either.
ardendulou

As a TEA Party leader (elected at that) in southern IN, Huntsman is the only guy left I would support. Perry’s return the army without any way of paying for it, is scary. Paul… tin foil hat foreign policy. Gingrich, good ideas but something tells me his Teddy Roosevelt idol will be the way he runs the country. Santorum, 4 more years of Bush (Obama lite). Romney, 4 years of Taft or Nixon (take your pick).
Paul actually sounded great during the debate until he opened up his mouth on foreign policy and Iran. Wheels came off the bus.
Huntsman is the only guy left TEA Party conservatives can support.
I say this because almost all the TEA Party groups I know of want to stop policing the Middle East. That is why Perry needs to stop believing we need to send troops back. He is a worse cowboy than Bush!
Oh Mitch Daniels… where are you? Please run…
ardendulou

Need to start a letter writing campaign to get Mitch Daniels to reconsider…
http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

OK, I elect westcoastpatriette the chairman. Give us our orders and we will go forth and conquer! Anyone second the motion?

FYI, on Twitter there’s also the #RickPerryBlondSquad, run by the admin of the Truth Report Now blog. (http://truthreportnow.wordpress.com/). It would be nice if we had some set goals…like “Write 3 letters to the editor” or “Comment on at least 5 South Carolina news websites,” etc. The new “Time for a Perry Surge” diary is discussing the same sort of thing. I’m itching to do SOMETHING!
krapes1

Okay tea partiers, independents, conservatives, and the rest of the Repulblican Party, let me set the field for you. Everything I will be telling you is the truth. Look it up….

Mitt Romney – One term Governor Of moderate to liberal Mass. Ran for Senate in Mass and was defeated. Ran for President in 2008 and was defeated. A Wall Streeter for sure as well as the worst flip flopper in the field. A part owner of Bain Capital buying up companies and stripping them of personnel and selling for profit. Mitt Romney has changed his mind on every single issue of importance. (Look it Up)

Newt Gingrich – The Republican Party removed him from the Speakership of the House of Representatives because of several reasons. (Google this tiopic). Since that happened, he has performed lobbyist work for money (crony capitalism). Received three million dollars from Fannie Mae which was being subsidized by your tax dollars. Made big dollars from Pharma.

Rick Santorum – Big time ear marker from Pa. Received a home loan (400,000) that no other person could get from a Bank for the Rich. (certain level of assets that he did not have) (Received the loan from people he helped as a senator (crony capitalism). Supported Arlen Specter for US senator over Pat Toomy. Specter’s vote was the 60th vote for Obama Care. (bet they don’t talk about that). He lost his race after that by 18 % and it is doubtful that the people of Pa. would vote for him ever again. Lived outside the state in that special house while keeping the small house he had in Pa. All facts are documented.

Ron Paul – Ron Paul has been in the Congress for thirty years and only has one bill that he submitted that ever was put into law. Dr. Paul is for term limits but not for him. Ron Paul is a total isolationist which in this dangerous nuclear world, we cannot be allowed to put our head in the sand.

Jon Huntsman – Mr. Huntsman worked for Barack Obama. He is a little less moderate than Mitt Romney but is right there with him.

Rick Perry – Mr. Perry is the current Governor of Texas which has 25,000,000 people. It is the thirteenth largest economy in the World. He is one of the very few Governors that has been elected to three terms. He has experience in job creation. Over one half of the jobs that have been created since Obama has been President have come from the state of Texas under his leadership. He has had to control some eleven hundred miles of border with Mexico. He has spent forty million state tax dollars doing this. He has sucessfully passed tort reform and his state has no income tax. As a result of his sucess, Texas has seen the biggest influx of companies coming into their state than any other. Gov. Perry has appointed conservative judges. He has always been for the tenth admendment when it was not popular. He is a gun rights Governor and has a concealed permit to carry one. He is against abortion and is a born again christian.

That is the field folks. Maybe you want to beleive what the Main Stream Media is feeding you but these are the facts. The MSM want Obama to run against Romney because they know he is so similar to Obama. Plus they have plenty of ammo for him. They do not want Perry because he is the most opposite to the failures of Obama. If he were the nominee, then Obama’s failures and Perry’s successes would be so contrasted that Obama would definitely lose.

My final thoughts to you are how can one who has the sucessful record of Rick Perry for over 11 years be made fun of as being slow mentally. Rick Perry did not amass his record by luck or other events making them happen. He did it because he is an excellent leader with conservative ideas and surrounding himself with great people. Don’t be fooled by the constant bashing by the media on Perry. He is the best candidate in this field. Get behind him before it is too late. Else we will have more of the same in this country and then it may be too late.
greyeagle

Pam Geller wrote a huge article about this. I am sure this is where you got your information. However, only one school district in San Antonio with a very liberal school board was involved. Geller made a mountain out of a molehill and failed to mention that only one school district was involved. You mention that were not any Muslim scientists or scholars throughout history. During the Crusades, the Muslim physicians were very advanced in contrast to the British. Just mentioned that fact. Perry has worked with the Aga Khan on charities in TX. I will also mention that the Aga Khan is a half brother to Yasmin, daughter of actress Rita Hayworth. The Aga Khan and his wife are active in charities in Israel as well. Now I am not in favor of forcing Muslim praying lessons or classes in school like they have in a lot of states controlled by the Democrats. I would remind folks that Governor Perry is the Texas Governor and that means everyone who lives in the state.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

had real world experience and wisdom. You have neither. Get out of academia and into the real world – same place both Washington and Madison lived – and maybe you’ll gain some of each. Hanging around academia won’t help in either case.

Lesson One. You play with the team you’re given. Romney, Huntsman, Paul, Santorum, Gingrich and Perry. Only choices available and for all the wishful thinking about a brokered convention, those are our bench. You get to pick one.

Lesson Two. You take the candidates in toto. Every candidate has good and bad points you evaluate them and weight them. Then you lay out the weighted evaluations and compare them and draw a conclusion based on your biases. And yes, we’ve all got biases.

About Newt, all you say is true. However, it’s important to put events in context, which you haven’t done and I suspect, given your age, you’re unable to. At the time he did the above he was not an elected official, he was a gad-about. Newt shares a failing common to ALL politicians, they suffer withdrawal when their opinion isn’t important and they cease to get camera time. So, he did some dumb stuff. Does that irritate me? No, frankly it pisses me off. But there was no damage done, save to his reputation.

On the other hand, his work before he became Speaker and during his term, produced a conservative renaissance in the nation, comparable with Reagan’s terms – and I am not by any means saying Newt is the incarnation of Reagan, he’s not. Taking the House back in ’94 was huge and it was engineered start to finish by Newt and he had to fight tooth and nail against the House Republican Leadership to do it. After Republicans took the House they laid the groundwork to balance the budget and eliminate federal welfare programs. Done under Newt’s leadership when he had the authority and used it to benefit the nation.

Compared to Santorum, who needed a map to the men’s room in the Senate, it’s day and night. Santorum was a go-along guy who did what he was told. There are no examples of Santorum actually providing leadership, let alone successful leadership at any point during his tenure. There are, however, hundreds of examples of Santorum supporting government expansion and a billion or so of earmarks that he took pride in. He was opposed to right-to-work legislation, voted for NCLB and MedD to highlight just a couple of big government positions. See Erick’s diary from yesterday there are a zillion more.

Romney is Romney, I’m not going to bother to comment on either he or Paul, who is not a Republican and a loon.

Then there’s Perry who has a fantastic record of conservative accomplishment in executive roles since 1990.

Perry is my first preference, Newt is number two. There are no others. If Perry and Newt are eliminated, I’ll vote for the Republican nominee with all the enthusiasm I cast my vote for John McCain in 2008. I have lived in Arizona since 1994, it’s the first time I’ve voted for the SoB, and it was the last.
westcoastpatriette

hails from the fine state of Texas and is one of our most loyal Perry supporters (as well as an educator of the truth about Perry.) We’ll have to ask her when she gets back if she would do us the honor. I would be happy to be an active chairman.

Love those goals — writing letters to editors and commenting on SC news sites. I do this fairly regularly anyway.
greyeagle

Again this information came from Pam Geller and Robert Spencer articles about 6 weeks ago on American Thinker.
Bill S

Either say “yes, this is my work”, or I will delete it.
greyeagle

Huckabee is of course a big FOX guy. Santorum had a big contract with FOX (over $200,000) per year until he started running for President. I think we can understand why FOX is supporting Santorum and trashing Perry. Several Bush people are on FOX and they have had their orders apparently from Roger Ailes.
greyeagle

Used to be an honorable man. That apparently changed. This hit piece was low and trashy.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

read this by Thomas Sowell who happens to be the smartest guy in any room he enters.

He also happens to be one of the few people around who are older than I am. He doesn’t ask my opinion and if he did, I’d be embarrassed to offer it.
http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

When I was researching Perry last summer this was one of my concerns. However, this article put my concerns to rest once and for all:

DEBUNKING THE RICK PERRY ?PRO-SHARIA? SCHOOL CURRICULUM??MUST READ (http://www.ruthfullyyours.com/2011/08/16/debunking-the-rick-perry-pro-sharia-school-curriculum-must-read/)

Don’t pass this article up. It’s very thorough and written by someone with great knowledge on the subject.
http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

I’ve been so entrenched in Iowa, I suppose, I’m not quite sure where to go!
citizenkh

The heck you say, Do you actually understand that Perry’s Energy & Jobs Plan plus his Flat Tax Plan will actually cause a boom bigger than anything Reagan did? Seriously, it causes the No. 1 raw material for manufacturing to cheap and plentiful along with complete expensing of new capital grassroots plants to be built. If you had a single clue about the petrochem industry you would know that plenty of good jobs will crank up almost immediately with his first batch of EO’s in states like Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. They are being designed right now and intentions to build already announced by investors/operators.
citizenkh

Impossible. Deepest (horizontal) well ever drilled was a little over 9 miles, and yes it as in the Arabian Gulf for Kuwait from a jackup rig.

Do you realize how much weight in the drill stem that is and the necessary torque, horsepower, and shear strength required for such a length? That balsa wood.
citizenkh

The DUI attorney from Jersey or the dentist from California?

Really, you may want to get better information than from those two or the countless johnny come lately jail house lawyers.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

Everyone stand back please.
dajeeps

It has to be seen to appreciate the full meaning of Romney’s electability argument. Watch it for yourself and make up your own mind about whether she is stretching the truth.

I can’t embed it so you’ll probably have to paste it in your browser.

http://www.c-span.org/Campaign2012/DNC-Opens-quotWar-Roomquot-in-Manchester-NH/10737426958-1/
nativetexan41

Anita send an e-mail asking for help for Gov. Perry,he can not go forward without money. I have given and so can all of you, 5,10,15,20 or more. Let’s help him reach his online goal.
I am a strong supporter of Perry.
benko

But he does not. Therefore the fact that he would be good as president does not matter (since it appears he cannot get the nomination),

Spine matters A LOT in this election. This (and experience getting things done) is why Newt needs to be the nomination. Or we can start printing “Welcome to Greece” bumper stickers.
Tbone

more seriously. He also has proven that he can be bought.

Sorry Sparky, but if there is one thing that Newt has proven is that he is a spineless weasel. A smart and clever weasel, but a weasel none the less.
bs61

Huntsman gives me the creeps and makes me uncomfortable.
bs61

we both used the same word creepy!
thosjefferson

I think Erick meant to write “Gingrich is a political opportunist. He has held every side of every issue known to man including on the individual mandate.”

He couldn’t have meant this about Romney who has changed his mind on one issue–Rove v. Wade–although he has been pro-life personally all his life. On no other issue has Romney changed his position, as any reasonable person who can tell the difference between anti-Romney slogans and actual explanations of policy would acknowledge.

EE’s strident anti-state’s rights approach to health care is neither conservative nor constitutional.

But it doesn’t matter, ultimately, because neither Gingrich nor Perry will be nominated.
Adjoran

Gingrich was thrown out by the conservatives in the House Republican Caucus. He has a long history of backstabbing conservatives when he leaves the reservation and they don’t follow.

He did it to Bush the Elder by going along with his tax hike deal in private but changing his mind when it was announced. Look at how he spoke of cap ‘n’ tax schemes, and any other green boondoggle. He was all for Romney’s individual mandate as a “conservative solution” in MA. The list goes on.

Newt is not our friend, he is part of the DC Establishment’s revolving door of influence peddlers. When he gets the chance, he will screw conservatives again.

We were onto him when we kicked him out as Speaker. Why get fooled again?
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

but the simple fact is Newt cannot win, and he has shown he loves to stab us in our back when we make him angry. Good Comment.
JSobieski

The political assessment was obviously flawed.

I don’t doubt conservatives were mad a Newt, but it is possible for people with sound principles to make tactical mistakes, and in retrospect it is clear that replacing Newt was NOT an improvement.
acat

I’ve concluded that I will support neither in the primary. This saves me the trouble of trying to work out how much of Romney’s record isn’t really Romney, and just how much incompetence will restrict Santorum’s proposals, as it has restricted Obama’s.

Mew
bogeyman

Does this site have a link camp?
acat

there would be less of a reason for the media to report on the Daniels’ marriage if he moves straight to the role of “nominee”… these kinds of messes mostly matter in the primary, not the general.

I’m sure it would still matter to the Daniels’, of course, but .. it’d be less of a problem.

Mew
http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

I just post the link texts and so does everybody else, for the most part. We don’t mind copying and pasting. The more important question is, did you read the article?
jakeofalltrades

To see proof of my assertion, click <a href=”http://www.mywebstire.com/blah” target=”_blank”>here</a>
http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

Here’s your link, bogeyman. Hope it works.

here
ctredstater

and it makes no sense to me why he wouldn’t. What is he doing, protecting his political career? What the heck is he in politics for?

How can he stand by and watch “Mr Inevitable” skate by when the Real Solutiion is all gassed up and ready to go – but could use a jump start.

This would be huge – and if he doesn’t, I am even more disappointed in Senator DeMint as I am in Governor Haley. Hers was opportunistic poor judgment. Senator DeMint has gone out on a lot of limbs – supporting challengers for Senate who were controversial.

Governor Perry is the Real Deal. Time for Senator DeMint to Man Up and do something that really makes a difference.
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

Haley Barbour is as smart as Gingrich, has the executive cred as Gov with the best of them, and is solid conservative.

but … he recognized as a tobacco lobbyist who would be compared (accent, portly body) with Bull Connor if he ran vs Obama, he took a pass at running his family through the ringer in a run.

The thinking back in the Spring was his pass on it was an open door for Mitch Daniels … who also took a pass.

Pipedream … but I wonder if Mitch, Haley and Tim Pawlenty are kicking themselves right now, thinking they could do better.

OTOH, one Governor DID step forward … to high hopes.

And look where he (Gov Perry) is. 6th in NH? yikes.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

for a brokered convention. But, as I noted above, hope ain’t a plan.
JSobieski

Send Rudy or maybe even Palin to the UN to really piss off everyone there.

Put Newt in charge of HHS
targus

Okay, so we have gone through ‘all’ of the candidates 15 minutes of fame finishing out with Huntsman’s surge from New Hampshire. (Yes, Paul’s mini-boom was just before Santorum’s surge before Iowa Caucus — not too known however.) New the conservatives need to decide on one candidate. Yes, we know all their dirty laundry and seen inside their closets. Yes, they all have the bads and the goods. Which one is best? The major factors for conservative presidential success we are looking at is: 1. Electability over Obama? (Yes, I know this has been discredited, but it is ‘real and true’.) 2. Keep conservative principle’s while term(s) in office?

My thoughts keeping it very general in a qualifying and quantifying scheme? I am trying to be fairly socially and politically accurate in overall major elements:

1. Best record (and least negative background): Perry and we will see with Huntsman when he is publically exposed next.
2. Best on substance and I will link a thought provokers: Gingrich (#1), Paul (#2) , Huntsman, and Santorum (in that order from the top).
3. Honest overall public perception: Paul and Perry and a much lesser extent be on the list — Santorum; we will see with Huntsman when he is publically exposed next. Gingrich and Romney on the bottom.
4. Maintain, change to , and create the conservative practices and policies public perception: Perry and Paul in the top. I would say Santorum is near the top too. Again, we will see ‘soon’ over Huntsman. Gingrich and finally Romney at the bottom.
5. Strongest overall public perception: Romney and Gingrich (and yes, Paul by his strong supporters)
6. Best debater: Gingrich (far leads everyone) and followed by Paul is pretty good when he speaks. Romney is a good ‘talker’ which gives him a false sense of a ‘good debater’. We know Perry is last.

Yes, I see how it can be hard to find the ‘best’ candidate per se. One does so well in one major element and does dismally (almost the opposite) in another major element. Now, I ranked the top 6 major elements; therefore Perry, Gingrich and Paul are near the top of my list from the upper major element. From there, I am confused. Huntsman I need to next see when his candidacy is exposed.

I think after the New Hampshire Primary, we will then know ‘who’ the conservative want after they ‘ALL’ finally have had their public and private lives exposed.

RS

EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Where I Stand: Perry, Gingrich, and None of the Above

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