The Harriet Miers Presidential Campaign

"Rah-Rah-Ree, I'm For Romney. Rah-Rah-Rass, What A Pain . . ."

By: Erick Erickson (Diary) | April 12th, 2012 at 11:37 AM |

RESIZE: AAA

I am about as excited by the Romney nomination as I am about going to the doctor for a digital rectal exam — necessary at a certain age, but awkward and uncomfortable nonetheless, with a lot of bending over and taking it whether or not you really want it.

One of the issues that I have dwelled on for some time is how so many of the people vouching for Romney’s bona fides are the same people who vouched for Harriet Miers’ nomination in 2005. As Ben Domenech noted in this morning’s Transom, the Romney campaign has put Ed Gillespie in charge of finding a Vice President. That suggests to me Bob McDonnell remains the most likely choice — and it would be a fine, mature choice.

I like Ed Gillespie and think his Resurgent Republic effort has been quite good, but I am reminded of this story from the Harriet Miers days that Ben linked to in this morning’s Transom.

At one point in the first of the two off-the-record sessions, according to several people in the room, White House adviser Ed Gillespie suggested that some of the unease about Miers “has a whiff of sexism and a whiff of elitism.” Irate participants erupted and demanded that he take it back. Gillespie later said he did not mean to accuse anyone in the room but “was talking more broadly” about criticism of Miers.

I have many friends who were in that room that day and they have not forgotten that incident. The Harriet Miers comparison remains problematic for Romney with so many of his zealous defenders the same people who were so easily duped or so much into team sports that they rallied for someone who wasn’t and now rally for someone who may or may not be. But just trust them this time!

Since Rick Santorum’s withdrawal I have fielded numerous phone calls from conservative activists and leaders and I’ve been on a few conference calls with concerned leaders in the evangelical community wanting to discuss where money is best spent in 2012 to make sure the House stays secure and the Senate is taken.

The implication is two fold. First, many are not sure Romney can beat Barack Obama. I do have to say that the Romney machine’s rapid response and outrage dialup over Hilary Rosen’s comments on CNN last night give me hope they can play the game for the long haul. But the second implication is that many social conservatives and even some fiscal conservatives are already convinced that if Mitt Romney does beat Barack Obama there’ll be a constant struggle against his administration and, therefore, there will be a critical need to get likeminded conservatives elected.

One person on a conference call yesterday referred back to George H. W. Bush and House Republicans in 1990. Bush decided to raise taxes and House conservatives openly ran against him. What an unusual campaign season we are headed in to.

Conservatives, evangelicals, etc. will support Mitt Romney as the Republican nominee. They’ll take him over Barack Obama. But if this election is like 2004, where the candidates are focusing on turning out their bases, that might not be enough for Mitt Romney. He’s going to have to do something to get them passionate about him.

I’ve run many a campaign and there are two constants to winning campaigns: (1) a candidate must give voters something to vote for, not just against, in order to generate passion; and (2) optimism wins. If the Romney campaign can deliver both, we might just have a winner on our hands. But his campaign needs to understand that conservative antipathy for Barack Obama is only the beginning of the process to earn their passionate support, not the end.

Tags: 2012, Ed Gillespie, Mitt Romney

COMMENTS

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General_Confusion

And with Romney as president that will seal the deal for ?go along, get along? status quo.

We sail for financial Armageddon as the progressive wing of the GOP closes ranks with the socialist Democrats against those ?icky? conservatives to lock in the gains of explosive spending and smothering regulation.
goodgovernance

It’s possible he could be a much better general campaigner than in the primaries, precisely because he really is a moderate. So maybe post Etch-A-Sketch we’ll see Romney appear more invigorated and authentic than we ever have.

On the other hand, we might end up seeing more of the same old nothing burger. I’ve watched the man for over five years and I still have no sense of the rationale behind his pursuit of the presidency, aside from the fact the person he’s running against is always supposed to be much worse than he is.

Still, it will be good to see Romney reach out toward women voters and Hispanics. The GOP is not going to be a national party with the kind of poll numbers we’ve had with those two groups recently. Whether Romney can win the presidency or not, he may yet do some good if he can bring people we need into the tent.
streiff

you think you’ll get more out of Pelosi and Reid?

We’re way past the point where this kind of nonsense is welcome here
renny

Women can’t get work either, altho’ their rate of unemployment has always been lower than men’s–I think partly because women are often in the “pink” job areas of secretaries and receptionists and part-time work that is not as devastated as men’s vocational and professional career jobs in this market.

But obviously, a better economy would be better for working women and better for mothers at home as their partners’ jobs and job prospects improve.

The Reps. have to keep hitting on the ec., If Bubba won in 1992 in a mild turn down on the “economy stupid,” surely Mitt can win in 2012 during the worst ec. since the Great Rec.
clintonformccain

Mitt Romney didn’t nominate Harriet Myers to the Supreme Court. I would be surprised if Mitt Romney even knows Harriet Myers. This seems like a drive-by hit on the presumptive Republican nominee, which seems like an odd thing. Shouldn’t the unfair hits on the Republican nominee be coming from lefy moonbat blogs?
red_oakster

To win and to govern, Romney needs to keep conservatives in his tent. I think he realizes that. It’s how he beat Santorum in Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Further for Romney, the four key states are Florida, Ohio, Nevada and Colorado. Improving (not winning) with Hispanics is key in three of four. The veep choice is between Rubio and an establishment pick (likely Portman or Christie). If we goes with Rubio, he’s playing to win.

And if he wins, he will sign whatever Paul Ryan and Jeff Sessions can get through Congress. The issue for Romney is whether he will collaborate with conservatives in order to win and govern. I think he’s smart enough to figure this out. And his campaign against Santorum suggests he has done just that.
chuckludd

For months we have heard the non-stop droning of the media saying that Romney is the most electable among the weak field of GOP candidates. We haven’t heard any of that in the past 48 hours! It’s been quite the opposite. And that opposite is what has been true all along. While the backlash against Rosen’s statement has been excellent, this campaign already has the feel of Dole 2.0.
goodgovernance

And the Romney rah-rah crowd ought to keep that in mind. Could be those independents in the swing states end up voting for Obama just so they won’t have to hear from Romney rah-rahs for the next four years. Goodness knows, the thought alone gives me headaches…
streiff

why don’t you read the post. Start in paragraph 2.
goodgovernance

And you make a good point about not needing to win women or Hispanics, just closing the gap will be enough.
smill1953

I am a Virginian, and a strong supporter of Bob McDonnell. That said, I think he’d be a HORRIBLE VP choice! I’d have agreed with you a couple of months ago, but McDonnell stepped in it very badly with his support of the invasive-ultrasound-before-an-abortion bill. He is now damaged goods, especially among independent women voters. Romney choosing him would only tend to validate the Dem’s War-on-Women charges.
clintonformccain

What’s the point of linking Mitt Romney with Harriet Myers? Why not link Barack Obama with Elana Kagan?
streiff

I can’t read the post aloud to you and draw pictures and that is the only way you can apparently comprehend it.

Maybe you shouldn’t be here if you think the front page product stinks.
Right Reason

I believe his point is that with the Romney, McConnell, Boehner triumvirate we’re still headed for the same cliff, even though they may slow the car down somewhat.

Frankly, I have seen very little from any of these three that refutes that point.

While they are an undoubted improvement over the three Democrat Musketeers, it is much akin to your house burning down; there is little consolation to be had from the fact that the fire burns less hot.
http://www.unifiedpatriots.com/ pilgrim

I think that is what General Confusion is talking about, but only the members of the Republican conference in the Senate and House have a vote on this.
streiff

and it is imbecilic to think that just because you aren’t getting every thing you want that winning the House and Senate is a “useless exercise.” It isn’t.
texasref

Look at the front page today talking about Cantor’s end-run around the conservative gang in the House for evidence, and you will see there is nothing crazy about this opinion. I agree with you that it would be crazy not to at least try to take back the Senate and retain the House, but let’s not kid ourselves about the fact that without leadership change, this kind of “go along, get along” status quo that General Confusion alludes to will continue, and we are on course for financial armageddon.

The usual mantra of conservative in the congressional primaries and Republican in the congressional general election applies to have the greatest impact possible on the prospect of a truly conservative leadership.
streiff

and I can only rely on the plainly written English.

I’m just serving notice that in the future that kind of a statement will get the same treatment as “there is no difference between Romney and Obama.”
Finrod

This comes from Evi L. Bloggerlady commenting at The Other McCain (link):

I could see some swing voters going Mitt in the same sense you would eat a dead rat if you were starving. You might do it, but you definitely would not like it.
texasref

…on a position, BY THE WAY, that he RENEGED ON!

Come to think of it, he would fit right in on the Romney team. Juego reconoce juego!
streiff

there is no other definition possible. And I will reiterate what I said above. We are long past the point where anyone can come on this site and say that winning the the House and Senate are useless exercises. If you guys think that is a valid statement then you’re just going to have to find another place to express it. From the standpoint of judges alone it is not useless.
streiff

haven’t seen one of these in ages. I thought they were extinct.
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

(That’s for the Simpson fans …)

At this point, we now know the President next year will be Obama or Romney. We either decide to support Romney, support him (with reservations and concerns), or cut-our-nose-off-to-spite-our-face and be against him or sit it out.

Seriously, why the harping and hemming and hawing?
As if the events that led to Alito becoming a SCOTUS appointee are even remotely close to as damaging to conservatives as having Kagan and Sotomayor on the Supreme court.

Even if the same clowns behind Miers will be telling us to accept and love whatever moderate compromises Romney might want to pursue, we have a few other data points, such as Romney running on a more conservative agenda than GWB did in 2000. So we HAVE been here before. Bush41 and Bush43 were not that conservative. We get with Romney a smarter version of GHW Bush.

What was new, remarkable and special about the Miers situation was that the conservative movement revolted – successfully – and laid down a marker of disagreement when necessary with the establishment GOPers. If that is what it takes to keep the future Romney administration from veering left, so be it. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT.

Now Erick wants to punish Romney for the sins of the Bushies. Fair enough. But then, I gotta ask the question:
Would you rather have 4 years of another Bush-like President or 4 more years of Obama?

The big donkey in the room – The election is a referendum on Obama’s performance. he failed. He deserves to be fired.

” conservative antipathy for Barack Obama is only the beginning of the process to earn their passionate support, not the end.”

True! But a very good start.
clintonformccain

I commented.

I doubt that “The Harriet Miers comparison remains problematic for Romney” unless bloggers and CNN commentators make it an issue. I would hope that it would be lefty moonbat bloggers and CNN commenators doing most of the attacks on the Republican nominee from here on out. Personally, I would like to see Republicans and/or conservatives focus their attacks on Barack Obama instead of a circular firing squad.
texasref

Gingrich 2012! For all of you in the states that haven’t voted. Like little unimportant delegate-poor states like, oh, say, Texas.
dajeeps

Well, at least he’s closer to Reagan than Obama.. and that counts for something… I think. It’s not like we aren’t but less than a decade away from becoming Greece if we don’t do something about the spending and debt. Romney says he’ll do something about it, and I have to admit that I’m rather passionate about not having the kind of social disaster happening here like what is going on in Greece right now. If not having to go through the crisis of 2008 again, only on steroids, isn’t enough to get passionate about it seems like we have really short memories.
APA Guy

In this case, “I am a strong supporter of Bob McDonnell, but he’d be a HORRIBLE VP choice!”

Yoda says, “Transparent you are…”
texasref

“Would you rather have 4 more years of Obama or 8 years of moderate Massachusetts Establishment Republicanism, with a fight against his VP in the primary to keep him from a 16-year legacy?”

I have a feeling I’m going to lose my posting privileges right about convention time.
Right Reason

“Woefully inadequate exercise without real leadership change?”, I would say almost certainly.
texasref

But I will try to see the light by then. There is time yet to be convinced.
powertothepeople

I would think a salt solution followed by a spinning knife would be the actual definition of invasive to the human being chopped out of a womb.

Dumbass!
http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

Enough said.
texasref

…
streiff

is that you are welcome to it.
gekster

“but McDonnell stepped in it very badly with his support of the invasive-ultrasound-before-an-abortion bill”

He kind of outed himself.

Why do they think we are so stupid that they think we won’t see the obvious.

Oh, right. That’s what they’ve been told.
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

If you are going to have to do it, might as well put as much stuff on it to cover up the unpleasantness and chow down enjoyably.

We have this rather recalcitrant I-hate-to-have-to-support-this-guy from conservatives, with warnings to not pick up the pom poms. hmmmm. Why not sweep all the concerns under the rug, chow down on the dead rat likes it’s filet mignon and make the most of it? We will have to do it anyway!

You wage the campaign with the Romney you have, not the Reagan you want.

If there was less of a stark difference with the Democrat liberal leftist socialist failure-in-chief Obama … then I’d understand with: Wash our hands and walk away.

But I cant imagine washing our hands or sitting out when we are talking about Obama.

Our failure to nominate a conservative in 2012 is really the fault of … ourselves, for not getting our act together better. Our various horses (Perry, Newt) stumbled or went lame.

One last final gambit is possible: A unified message to Romney from conservative leaders “You Want Our Support, You Deliver on …” and make clear what we want from Romney. Get Romney to re-affirm rather than pivot from his conservative agenda points, stick to it, a make the campaign as Reaganesque as possible.

… see, the spices are getting to me already.
clintonformccain

turn their fire on Obama and the moonbats instead of the Republican nominee.

Guilty as charged.
Ann_W

Good points in this comment.
goodgovernance

to make sure he stays conservative (it’s a serious possibility, given his record of flip-flopping), so I personally think we all need to maintain the right to be able to criticize Romney, with a constructive view in mind, even into the general campaign.

That being the case, wouldn’t it be better if we let Romney know what the base’s concerns are now, well before the convention, rather than be forced to remind him in September and October, when everyone will be watching?

This arranged marriage is going to take some getting used to, and we might as well talk things over so we can figure out how to make it work.
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

A Carter-esque one? “one term. Failed. Removed. Rebuked.”

Or … “The FDR for the 21st century, his legacy lives on in our spending, taxes, debt and regulations”?

Erick is right though. We can’t simply get all the conservative ankle biters on board with simply a
“Obama is worse” campaign, even if its true.
streiff

but the nanosecond after Romney accepts the nomination, that comment will get you banned. This is not a threat, it is just the way we do business in election years.
APA Guy

Moron was badmouthing conservatism as a bastion for imbecilic, uneducated hicks…until he realized he was talking to a conservative professor.

Oops

They don’t realize just how ready we are to drop the hammer on them…arrogance doesn’t even begin to describe the attitude. They’ll get an education in November as to their proper place.
APA Guy

What sort of country will remain after another Obama term?

Answer that and you’ll know your correct path.
Kyle-MI

In most history the army burns the bridge before or, at least, during the battle. I don’t understand why we have so many on our side wanting to burn the Romney bridge after all the other conservative forces have been defeated. Face the truth, Romney is the last man standing. He is our nominee and the only way to defeat Obama.

I see no point in making stupid comparisons at this stage in the game. With the Supreme Court, a nominee can always be withdrawn and replaced with a better one. We don’t have that luxury with presidential primaries. So what point is there in turning our guns at our own forces?

It is time to suck it up. If you don’t like Romney at this point, there are three things you can do.
1. Focus on what you can like about him, be that family life, business experience, or current positions on issues.
2. Offer CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, real true constructive criticism, not thinly veiled destructive stuff.
3. Redirect your anger on our common fore, Obama. Every time you are tempted to rip Romney, think about Obama and the many, many, many, many things he has done or would propose that are harmful to our great country. Rhetorically blast him to itty bitty pieces.
acat

“If you can’t say something nice…”

Mew
goodgovernance

But I disagree that the criticisms here are all “thinly veiled destructive stuff.”

The primary season really just ended a few days ago. It’s a bit rash of you to expect us all to cheer for Romney so soon.
Scope

for VP bandwagon, study his record, his speeches, and all that he has done as Gov. here in VA since his election in 2009. I promise you will find that McDonnell would be an ideal fit for Romney, and someone an Ed Gillespie could choose. None of that is good. If you study what has gone on in VA, especially since last Nov. when the R’s took control of the House and the Senate (with the R Lt. Gov being the tie breaking vote) you will find that there has been little leadership, and a firm opposition to the very loud Democrats.

A Democrat for sure, but Larry Sabato correctly said a day ago, McDonnell has become known in VA with everyone as “Bob I’m Available McDonnell. He is looking for his next political position as of 2013 when he will be term limited out of the Gov. mansion.

To believe that McDonnell would be a fine, and mature choice would be similar to considering a certain Senate candidate from VA with the same credit. That didn’t work out to well.
Scope

that between McDonnell and Bolling there has “not” been a firm stand against the loud Democrats.
Darin_H

the second implication is that many social conservatives and even some fiscal conservatives are already convinced that if Mitt Romney does beat Barack Obama there?ll be a constant struggle against his administration

Thank God that we’re already preparing for this. I want Romney to beat the stuffing out of Obama on election night. And then I’m prepared to spend 4-8 years dragging Romney’s sorry moderate butt to the right. Unlike 2000, when everyone was vouching that 43 was a conservative, just using moderate rhetoric and conservatives let their guard down (and the resulting 2006-2010 period it led to) – I suspect everyone will be waiting to pounce on the Romney administration should they veer somewhere they shouldn’t.

Miers was a victory of the grassroots over a sitting President – and we should be hopeful that we can spend 4-8 years doing so to Romney (or even the threat of it to preempt any moderate intentions)
clintonformccain

for a judicial nomination made by George W Bush? How is that holding Romney’s feet to the fire?
General_Confusion

We are headed for financial Armageddon and the Democrats and GOP leadership see absolutely no problem with that.

We need REAL change NOW, but team ?go along, get along? (Romney, McConnell and Boehner) will not deliver it. Worse still their instinct is to ally with the Democrats to advance the Democrats agenda. Examples would be the Blank Check Deficit increase, Cover for our inaction debt commissions and lately forming a majority with the Democrats against conservatives to continue the Export-Import bank. (http://www.redstate.com/dhorowitz3/2012/04/12/question-for-gop-leaders-how-long-halt-ye-between-two-opinions/)

It is a given that with Pelosi and Reid things would indeed get worse. However with Boehner and McConnell nothing will change or improve.

Think of it this way. The Ship of State with Obama as Captain is currently running at full flank, full ?left? rudder careening into the financial shoals. I see Romney taking the helm and easing the throttles back from Flank to Full and issuing a ?Stead as be goes? order while first officer McConnell and engineer Boehner give a thumbs up.

Not to belabor the point, we have situation where the nations existence as we know is dire and inaction will be deadly. We MUST have huge and real cuts NOW or it really won?t matter who is in wheel house when we strike the financial sholes.
loganyung

I’ve been very disappointed in Erick’s comments around this primary election. Romney’s win was due to the fact that he was the only candidate to get on every ballot, he raised the necessary money, he kept his campaign message pretty disciplined, and he was the most consistent in debates. In short, Romney ‘won’ this election.

Erick also seems to think that there’s a magic pill, that one candidate will solve all the problems, when we know that it will take time to move the country away from crony-capitalism and statism to limited government and personal responsibility. Romney over Obama, and pickups in the Senate will move the ball in the right direction.

So, Erick, quit your moaning and start saying something constructive. If you think you’re being clever and helping by showing the general public (or the CNN audience) that conservatives hate and distrust Romney, thereby allowing Romney to have more centrist appeal, I think you’re being too clever by half. If you’re trying to somehow pressure Romney into choosing a more conservative VP candidate, I doubt you’re having any impact with this approach.
JSobieski

who is so focused on staying popular, that he never takes out the impressively high approval ratings to take on any issue that is even somewhat difficult.

What is the point of building political capital if the only goal is to have it?

McDonnell is a disappointment. He gives off a vibe of purposeful positioning and does seem very similar to Romney.

McDonnell would be terrible person to pair up with Romney.
avgjo

what record do we have of dragging anybody’s sorry moderate butt to the right? How has that worked with Boehner and Cantor?

they’re not scared of us, and they have no reason to be.
JSobieski

nt
streiff

you’re going to find your life here, to quote Hobbes, “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
acat

Spiro Agnew
Nelson Rockefeller
Dan Quayle
Jack Kemp
Dick Cheney
Sarah Palin

There are a couple common themes here:

Agnew, Rockefeller, and Kemp were chosen to bring liberal GOPers into the fold while Quayle, Cheney, and Palin all were chosen to bring along the conservative wing.

Cheney, Quayle, and Agnew were also at the pinnacle of their careers and winning the White House on their own would have been unlikely. (Cheney for medical reasons, Agnew for cultural reasons)

Palin, like Quayle, had good potential but was chosen too early and, as a result, both their careers were shortened.

Looked at this way, if Romney believes he needs to bring along conservatives, McDonnell is not the best choice.

Mew
chuckludd

When it’s phrased like that (especially depending upon who the VP pick is), it certainly makes me pause. All the more reason conservatives need to push for a good VP choice.

And until then, in primary states that have not yet voted, I think people should vote for Newt whether they like him or not.
http://conservativemormonmom.blogspot.com ew88

I really don’t grasp why more in the GOP aren’t excited about Romney. We need someone who is serious about cuts. He’s the only one of them who cut spending and cut taxes consistently, and he did it in a liberal state with liberal legislators. I’m all for getting as many conservatives into Congress as possible, but I think you underestimate Romney’s resolve to set our fiscal house in order. I think he’ll get what he wants even without the conservatives. He’s planning to get rid of anti-business regulations. He’s talked about going through programs one and a time and cutting everything non-essential. He’s talked about reforming the entitlements to make them sustainable. He supports Paul Ryan’s budget plan. He could not be as successful in business as he was without being able to identify and act on areas to cut spending. I trust him. Ann Coulter loves him. I could go on. Well, actually I did over at
www.conservativemormonmom.blogspot.com
krish

otherwise it will not work!

Let us say he moves to left & goes back on all his conservative positions he took during primaries one after the other! If we all say it is OK, the other guy is so bad everytime. Let us say, he wins the election based on that plank, he will really govern from the left because he got elected based on those positions. There will be No leverage for conservatives.

We should ensure (see my diary) that our support is contingent on Romney sticking to his primary promises! If we keep saying we will vote whatever position he takes because the other option is terrible, Romney term will be a disaster! Speaker Pelosi in 2014!
texasref

nt
tnguy

Campaigning with the Romney/Dole/Bush/Bush/McCain we have has the country on the brink of ruin with a Leninist in the White House. That plan really isn’t working for us.
General_Confusion

I see a real and immediate problem, I also see a very clear record of inaction. If you don?t I obviously can?t convince you otherwise.
texasref

Santorum and Gingrich split the conservative vote, and Romney monopolized the moderate vote. If Romney had had to split the moderate vote, then either Santorum or Gingrich would have won running away.

Too bad we won’t get a chance to re-do this correctly for about 16 years.

Unless Obama wins re-election.
texasref

ok we let you run things in 2008 and 2012, now it’s OUR turn in 2016.

But I don’t know if we can stand another 4 years of Obama.

I am genuinely torn about this.

Hoping for a Newt Miracle.
acat

is to replace some of the deadwood and the moderates who let Boehner and Cantor keep their noses in the trough.

The CWA and Tea Party both achieved this, in somewhat different ways. Neither appears to be operative at this time.

Mew
JSobieski

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/cato-institute-gave-romney-c-spending-governor_631693.html

He was rated in a 4way tie for 12th place, behind 6 Republican governors and 5 democratic governors.

I think Romney has some potential, but the idea that his record shows he is some awesome barrier to government spending and revenue increases is . .. laughable

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/cato-institute-gave-romney-c-spending-governor_631693.html

http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa581.pdf

Spending went up under Romney by 2.82% on an annualized per capita basis. Other governors . . . including a few democrats actually CUT spending.

Look, we need to support Romney.

DON’T oversell his record.

Romney’s support of Paul Ryan’s budget plan has been something he didn’t discuss much when Ryan could have really used the help. Nor is it something that Romney ever brings up on his own without prompting.
acat

(nothing further)
streiff

I don’t like Cato but this constant fluffing of Romney’s record makes me gag.
Scope

McDonnell has been wearing his safety belt as he climbs the political ladder. He can’t take the chance of a misstep, that someone might come back to bite him when he reaches the highest level he can go. As I said, he is not a leader, and he is not a fighter for what is good and right.

As a small unimportant side note, McDonnell is very vain. When I stood not 10 feet away from him at a rally the day before the 2009 election, Cooch and even Bolling came bounding off the plane, and charged right out into the crowd, shaking hands, talking to everyone. Bob stayed behind the scenes with his wife making sure that every hair was in place, his lip gloss was perfect, and that he didn’t have a piece of lint on his jacket. He didn’t come out until he was properly announced. He reminded me of the Silky Pony aka the Breck Girl.
JSobieski

The larger point is the one that you and others have echoed:

Romney supporters should NOT oversell Romney.

He is far better than Obama, but don’t try to make him some great advocate for reformining entitlements, cutting spending, or supply-side tax cuts.

Romney has campaigned as a “tepid” reformer.

Maybe because he is tepid. Maybe because it is a stealth campaign strategy.

In either case, it was a purposeful tact.
Scope

McDonnell is not a conservative. I think my favorite story about him was when he gave a speech saying that all state vehicles were to be switched over to alternative fuels. He said that “he can’t wait for the day when he sees vehicles going down the road powered by solar energy.”

One of the fears of Romney is in what he will do with Global Warming, green energy initiatives. Wasn’t he the first to pass very high clean air standards in Mass. when he was Gov.? McDonnell would be right there pushing for wind energy projects, just as he is here in VA. I just read that T Boone Pickens said he lost his as- on wind energy. I wonder if he ever sold his wearhouse full of brand new windmills. LOL
Scope

were shoved to the back of the bus, blindfolded, and gagged.
garfieldjl

I want Obama voted out in November.

If people want to make a case for Romney in the general, they have to be able to sell Romney based on facts, not a bunch of fluff.

Does anyone honestly believe the media won’t flatten the fluff?

So Team Romney and his supporters (assuming he is the nominee, and I am praying that he won’t be), has to come up with a case to sell him to the American people that is based on facts, not a bunch of fluff.

If Team Romney and his supporters can’t do that, then the Saul Alinski Radical will end up winning re-election in November, it’s that simple.

Rather than attacking me for pointing out the blatently obvious situation we’re in, I suggest the Romney supporters here try to come up with a case as to why Romney would make a good President.
Scope

You’d have to give Romney some uppers to get him to even think about looking up the word “paranoid.”

Someone said something very appropriate on Fox the other day. He said Obama has the personality, but he lacks good policies. Romney has good polices, but lacks personality. I’m not sure what policies Romney would bring to the WH. We just have to elect him to see what he has.
chuckludd

I don’t think Kemp was chosen to bring liberals into the fold. It was quite the opposite. The Kemp choice is what got me excited about the 96 campaign.
JSobieski

I can’t decide whether I think the guy was always a tool, or whether he just became a tool.

Of course, it may not make a difference at this point.
gekster

Romney or Obama.

Who do you choose.

And the answer to the question you repetedly dodged yesterday is
that the previous Governor and legislature ignored the law written into the Constitution of the state.

It was that simple.

You couldn’t figure that out, so I guess I can tell the level of your hate Romney tribble blindness.

You should try something besides posting on a political site.

I suggest Hello Kitty@ Paradise Island.
Free registration, and you can get your Mom to help you.
And I’ll give you one hint.
The Golden Orb is in the NE cave on the island.

(get someone to tell you which way is north)
jon11

but he didn’t call the ryan plan ‘right wing social’ engineering ‘when he (ryan) could have used the help,’ either.

which is what Newt did and many commenters here, for some reason, defend.

Im all for the ryan plan. That said Trump has a point, too, which is that its potentially dangerous in an election year.

Have to be aware of that.

Mitt has embraced it. I think thats enough for now.

Now, to Ericks fear of being ‘duped,’ i just find that strange on so many levels.

in order for conservatives to be truly ‘duped’ there’d have to have been a more conservative candidate who could have won the general that we chose mitt over.

There wasn’t one who could win the primary, it turns out. Much less the general.

So that point is moot.

We picked the guy with only chance of winning. Period.

And even if he’s the nakedly opportunistic chameleon erick fears he is, he’s still far, far better than Obama.

One thing conservatives can be absolutely certain of this time around: They followed the Buckley Rule.
garfieldjl

If it were Romney vs. Jimmy Carter, in all honesty at this point I would vote Jimmy Carter, cause Carter was merely an incompetitent idiot, not a corrupt slimeball like Romney.

Furthermore tbh, you would be part of the reason why I would vote for Carter.

When it comes down to Romney vs. Obama the question turns into who is the bigger slimeball and the most corrupt. Right now Obama smells more than Romney.

It isn’t a stretch to see a lot of Conservatives actually staying home rather than vote for Romney even against Obama, because they are that ticked off with the Republican Party and Romney.

If I end up having to choose between Romney and Obama, I’ll feel like I have to down a whole bottle of Whiskey to pull the lever for Romney as it stands right now, and I don’t drink!

Team Romney and his supporters have a lot of damage control and healing to do, continuing to bash me and others that you need votes from in November, is only helping Obama by widening that rift.

If you want to really help your candidate of choice, then you should stop spewing attacks directed towards conservatives, and start building a case USING FACTS NOT FLUFF, as to why we should support Romney, why would Romney be a good President.

We all know Obama is bad news, stop beating a dead horse.

I can easily build a case as to why Gingrich, Santorum, Perry, Bachmann, Cain, Pawlenty, heck even Ron Paul would be good Presidents.

Can you build a case as to why Romney would be a good President?
garfieldjl

Conventional wisdom is Romney will be the nominee, well let’s try to prove conventional wisdom wrong.

There is a first time for everything.
Ann_W

However, even if he is your worst perception of what he will be, he will save us from the destruction of a lame duck Obama and the band of Americaphobes that he surrounds himself with.
gekster

1. He wouldn’t bow down to ANY foriegn leader, diminishing our status in the world.

2. He wouldn’t have imposed a moritorium on Gulf Oil drilling over one accident, in an industry that has a steller saftey record.

3. He wouldn’t have changed the ROE in Afghanistan where if someone is shooting at you, but throw down thier guns when you have them in your sites, you can’t shoot them, and would have come to some kind of agreement with the Iraqis to keep some troops there for safteys sake.

And just for fun,
4. He wouldn’t have destroyed the fabric of this country almost to the point that you can’t recognize it form 4 years ago.

Now even before I hit post, I know, due to you being a tribble, (and not a good one at that) you will ignore what I said, you will try to blather on about something totally unrellated to what I have posted, and I can only figure your Mom is not home, and the baby sitter can’t get you registered on Hello Kitty.

The only thing I can see that might even have a hint of relieving us of your profound stupidity in posting is that when Romney is officially the nominee, you will go away. You really arn’t helping the cause by your constant slamming of the nominee as we have it.
I hope you stay home in November, as your’s is one vote we will try to do without.
tnguy

We’ve been holding our nose for decades. Our nation is broke and we have a bolshevik in the white house because we have repeatedly bent the knee for moderate republicans who have willingly assisted the dems in running our national debt and unfunded benefit programs beyond a point we can even dream of paying now. We’ve been voting for Romney-ish for a quarter century…that course of action is now proven to be a complete and total failure. In spades.
garfieldjl

Keep working on a case gekster, since you support Romney you have to be able to make a case for him.

Your 2nd and 4th reasons were flawed.

Romney did a lot of environmental shannigans while he was Governor of MA.

So that’s why your 2nd reason is in doubt.

There are also some things he did that would make your 4th reason questionable.

Good start though.
smill1953

I’m as conservative as they come, and support McDonnell wholeheartedly–in Virginia. I truly think that ultrasound business damaged him irreparably for the national stage. You can wail all you want about how pure your conservative values are and that you’d like to see McDonnell as VP candidate, but I’m truly afraid it would turn too many people in the center off. The target on his back is huge, after that position, whether he tried to walk it back or not. The horse had already left the barn. The aim is to defeat Obama, not get a warm, fuzzy feeling that the VP candidate agrees with you. I agree with O’Donnell on just about everything, but he goofed, big time.
gekster

I hate Romney I hate Romney I hate romney
I hate Romney I hate Romney I hate romney
I hate Romney I hate Romney I hate romney
I hate Romney I hate Romney I hate romney
I hate Romney I hate Romney I hate romney
I hate Romney I hate Romney I hate romney
I hate Romney I hate Romney I hate romney
Scope

Sometimes he’s been great on some things, but at times they have been flip flops. For example, many years ago when he was in the state legislature, he voted for the “one gun a month law.” Just this year, the legislature voted to overturn that ban, and he signed it saying that he had changed his mind on his earlier vote.

When he was VA State Atty. Gen. under D Tim Kaine, he wrote an opinion for a VA City that wanted to toughen regulations on abortion clinics. He wrote that they had only limited powers to regulate abortion clinics and that any regulation had to be reasonable in scope, and not unduly restrict a woman’s decision making process. That should strike those that were disappointed with his requirement to change the ultrasound bill, to a choice by the woman, and not be a mandate. It has been Ken Cuccinelli that pushed hard for the legislation that did in fact require abortion clinics to be regulated just as hospitals are, and that bill passed. McDonnell did sign it into law.

As state Atty. Gen. McDonnell wrote a letter to the Bush admin. asking that he please push for immigration legislation. Did he support McCain/Kennedy legislation, that I don’t know.

One of the big things he ran on was drilling off the coasts of VA. He promised to really push and work hard to get the permitting process going. His predecessor Tim Kaine, on his way out the door, wrote to Salazar, asking him to please delay any permitting off VA coasts, as that was moving forward with Bush’s ban lifting on drilling. McDonnell wrote to Salazar and asked him to please move forward with the permitting process, and heard nothing back. Not to long after the Horizon disaster happened, and that was that. But, it was as though he got his answer from Salazar with silence, and he more or less said- OK and never pushed it.

He has in fact taken federal Government monies for programs such as “Race to the Top.” He welcomed federal government money to push for wind energy projects.

It is my opinion that McDonnell has been a very mixed bag, which is why some Democrats consider him to be “fair.” That is most likely a big reason why he got as many NOVA votes as he did when he ran for Gov. There was also the big deal when the trifecta won in 2009, everyone knew redistricting was coming.

In all, he seems to be as malleable as Romney. It just depends on who is screaming the loudest.
Kyle-MI

Because that worked so well in 2008.
acat

Too bad the Tea Party (meaning the not-Ron-Paul-infested parts) seems to have become distracted staying employed….

Mew
acat

He may have been a fiscal hawk, but abortion has been a third rail for long enough …

Mew
Ann_W

They are the ones who voted for him, and they are the ones who didn’t coelesce early around someone more conservative.

What we have now is a choice, if it were between Romney and Clinton, it might have been more nuanced. I would have still chosen Romney, but I could understand the argument more. But this is between Romney and more destruction than can be undone in decades of getting all the conservatives that your little heart desires. Bork is one of Romney’s advisors so I believe we have a real shot of getting good SC picks, but what I definitely know is that if Obama wins we’ll get more Kagen’s and Sotomayer’s.

I would have loved to get a Daniels, Pawlenty, etc. etc. etc. but that’s not what the voters made happen. Now we have a choice, and a very stark one. I don’t understand why that is so hard to understand, pouting gets us the worst choice.
snowmonkey

Romney seems, by all accounts, to be a good, moral man. The problem is, that basic morality does not seem, by all accounts, to be grounded in any firm belief system that we can understand.

Romney says, and does, whatever he thinks expedient in the moment to get him the nomination – and the Presidency. In five minutes, you can find at least a dozen major areas in which Romney has played both sides of the fence. What does he really believe? What is his core? I don’t know. You don’t know. I doubt even Romney knows.

Romney is a man consumed by the desire – the need – to be President of the United States. He is not consumed by the desire to make the country better. He is not consumed by the desire to serve his nation (did he, or any of his children, ever serve in the military?). He is consumed by his desire, and his apparent belief that he deserves it, to be President.

Is that the best we can do? Is the best we can do a guy who thinks, “I’m rich. Daddy was rich. I should be President.”

I am disheartened. Out of all the good people we could choose from, have we chosen Milt Romney? Is he the one we think can lead us into the 21st Century?

As an example of how bad it is, I will ask you this question. Right now. Right this minute. Is Mitt deciding who would be the best person to be Vice President and step in if, God forbid, the worst should happen? Or, is Mitt deciding who could best deliver a key voting bloc – women, Latino, black?

I think you know, in your gut, the answer. Mitt is, yet again, seeing just how shallow he can be.
funwithknives

so everyone just Take Ten.

You honestly think that one perceived ‘error’ {dubious that it was an ‘error’} is some kind of automatic Death Knell? Just how simplistic do you think voters are?

You being afraid is not a poll, nor authoritative. It’s a feeling and opinion, period.
So , you’re ‘very wrong’ and I said so. {just using you,and your verbiage as examples}
acat

He was not merely rich.

An interesting guy .

As with Rand Paul and Bush 2.0, the question is just how far from the tree did the apple fall?

Mew
chuckludd

I worked for the campaign and I can attest he supported the pro-life platform. Kemp did not make abortion a front-burner issue in his political life so there was often controversy swirling around whether he was really pro-life. But he was. Several noted pro-life advocates praised him when he passed away.
snowmonkey

It’s a parallelism, you dunce. Of course, Romney had nothing to do with Miers. But the idea is that the GOP elite (said with clinched teeth) decide what we little people want, and need.

Sigh.

Heavy sigh.
Scope

using language such as McDonnell having a “target on his back” are the VA liberals, and the group of women who formed to fight for their abortion rights. They about croaked when abortion clinics were held to higher regulation standards which were increased for abortion clinics. Are you a part of that group by chance?

I’ve gotten the robocalls slamming McDonnell, and every R in the legislator who voted for the bill. They have it down to a science. “Hi, I’m Elizabeth, I’m calling to tell you that your state Senator Bryce Reeves voted for the intrusive ultrasound bill, that has made a laughingstock of Virginia.” I hung up about there. They obviously got the VA voter rolls, and knew exactly what state senator represented my area.
WmCraig

Romney didn’t need us to win the nomination, and quite bluntly I don’t think he intends to campaign as if he needs us to win. Ruling as the President is another matter, and the stronger the influence we have over the legislature, the more likely President Romney will be interested in our views. And if it turns out that we don’t get a 45th President, control in the legislature along with new leadership in the same will be critical to damage control.

Damage control is a concept that the Republican members of ruling Washington elite currently can’t grasp, and money spent on house and senate races could give them a lesson that is long overdue.
aesthete

Jack Kemp is easily one of the strongest supply-siders ever, and had much to do with the success of the Contract with America, was staunchly anti-abortion, and has a conservative record that stretched back to his earliest years in Congress.

If Quayle (who was a quintessential do-nothing fool) gets to be conservative, why not Kemp, who actually put in a lot of the legwork for legitimate conservative accomplishments?
JSobieski

the label of “conservative” is proving to be so elastic in its usage as to be meaningless. Right up there with “establishment” and “electable”
rabun1016

I think Romney will be a pleasant surprise. I was nervous with Reagan because I thought a lot his campaign guys, like John Sears, were stiffs. He ended up being great. Romney has awful campaign guys too, but I think he will hire well for the White House.

I don’t expect any good surprises from Boehner or McC. They are both lifers who speak in a manner that – at least to me – is even less inspiring than Romney. I like them over Pelosi and Reid, but we have a serious leadership problem with these guys.
rabun1016

Agree. All business pragmatists see this clearly. Reagan was not a choice this time. Conservatives who are as doctrinaire as Lenin hurt, not help. I swear half of the folks would renominate Barry Goldwater, a guy I campaigned for, but who had no chance of winning.
JSobieski

Attempts to make Romney, Newt, or Santorum more than they are need to be refuted.

If supporters would settle for “I support person X over Obama” that is sufficient.

Don’t make Romney out to be some awseome fiscal conservative (based on his record), Rick to be 2012 version of 1976 Reagan, or Newt to be anyone but an incredibly flawed human being with a huge ego.

Lets embrace reality and have fewer silly arguments.
aesthete

The Harriet Miers fiasco is rare in that it was one of the few times when the Bush administration was defied by the conservative grassroots.

It’s not about punishing Romney for Bush’s sins; it’s about ensuring that Romney doesn’t commit “sins” of his own of the sort that are replete in his record as an elected official.
Common_Cents

He’s already promised other countries he’ll grab his ankles.

He’s chomping at the bit to go even more radical in a 2nd term with no more elections to worry about.

He’s proven he’ll ignore the congress and constitution and implement anything he wants from the executive branch.

He could get a couple more SCOTUS picks.

And we’d have to depend on Mitch and Boeher to oppose him?
clintonformccain

That would be parallellism, too wouldn’t it?
clintonformccain

I want the Republican nominee to send Barry back to Chicago in November. I honesty don’t much care about Harriet Myers at this point in time.
clintonformccain

It’s been a pretty consistent Romney bashing blog for months now. EE has been pretty much relentless in Romney attack diaries, which is fine, but there hasn’t been a lot of balance.

I guess if we are dredging up Harriet Myers, the well of Romney attack storylines must be getting pretty empty….
unclefred

Here is the reality we face. Romney is our nominee. If you review my various comments over the last year or so it should be pretty clear he was not my first, second, or third choice. At this point that is utterly unimportant.

WAKE UP. Obama has demonstrated a complete disregard for constitutional restraint. The time for carping among ourselves about the conservative values of various candidates has passed. I don’t like it and you don’t like it, but we really face a cross roads. Either we get control of the Senate, hold the house, and take the white house or we will lose our country before 2016.

You want to change things? Great work to move the Senate and house. Legislation is NOT about the conservatism of the president, it’s about the conservatism of the legislature. If the legislature passes responsible conservative reform Romney will sign it. That is ALL we need.

The rules of redstate are that we push for our preference in the primary then we elect the Republican in the general. Ok, most of us feel we lost the primary. I get that. Now what? If the white house is not in Republican hands in 2013 we can kiss this nation good bye. Do you really want another 5 trillion dollars of additional debt by 2016? Do you really want a race based enforcement evaluation in the DOJ? Do you really want to see what damage a lame duck president with no allegiance to the constitution can do to this country? I DO NOT!

Right now we need to focus on one thing, We need to oust Obama. If we do that the down ticket impact will ensure we get a Senate majority and hold the house.

You don’t like Romney. I don’t like Romney. If he proves to stray from reasonable conservative governance we’ll have to deal with that in 2015-2016. For now he is the only horse we have in a race we must win.

I sent my check today. I’ve been talking with my Republican county chair about how to make sure Romney wins my swing state.

We have a country to save. We don’t have a savior, but at least we have a bandaid and that is a first step. It’s not enough to hold our collective noses and vote, we have to work and make d*mn sure that he wins every swing state we can manage.

In theory we are the adults. We get only to choose between a and b. I choose the Republican. How about all of you?

Romney 2012 – the alternative is to horrible to contemplate.
gekster
krish

if the Romney supporters STOP fudging his record all the time…things will be better! Unfortunately, even they cannot digest the fact that their guy is moderate at best & liberal at his worst!

What is the reason that Romney supporters have to fudge his record and attack others who bring up his record?

If all Romney’s suporters & republicans can come up with is that he is NOT Obama – it is a weak position! There will be a depressed turn out because we cannot talk about our candidate but resort to only negative attacks on Obama! Negativity is not uplifting & this line of attack will not attract the independents. Romney supporters prbably figured this out (not Rombots – sorry, have to use this term to separate the two types of Romney supporters) & trying to cover up for him.

Does anybody know what issues are Not negotiable for Romney?

Things have to change – Romney needs to stand for some solid conservative principles & articulate clearly where he stands. He needs to tell us what are some core conservative principles that he will not foresake as we move to the general elections! Then there is a better chance that people will try to forget his record & be more positive about the republican nominee.
rabun1016

Uncle Fred.
snowshooze

Could flip right back if Romney made office and dropped the ball.
snowshooze

After all, he has known his whole life he would one day become President…lol
Really, I doubt that we would have a drop of control over him.
And the Congress would probably just play ball with him.. so I entirely discount any theories that he could be Clintoned to a more conservative Romney.
snowshooze

nt
snowshooze

And as many upsets as we have seen in this Primary…
I am gonna wait it out and cross my fingers that we can have just one more.
powertothepeople

and he will be what we all expect he really is, is anyone who is being honest, other than the idiot Garfield, going to say he would still be anywhere near as bad as Obama?

It is sort of like two people coming to rob me, one simply takes my money, the other shoots me dead than takes my money. Which do you think I prefer?

I am so disappointed that once again we put up such a lousy candidate, although unlike some I place 100% of the blame on us the voters, I am still so encouraged in our effort to remove Obama, I would and will vote for Romney with glee.

Maybe next time some of my fellow republicans will look past the whole,

He is too boring, screw his record, just too boring
Not a gov, will not support a congressman
Gardasil
Not enough experience
too long in politics

Cause the last three had these qualities and look where it has gotten us. We left a few good ones beat up in a ditch, now we are stuck with what we claimed we wanted, and is nothing close to what we wanted. But we still have to vote for him or the next four will be four devastating years.
powertothepeople

and then use cash to get himself on the ballot before any upsets can occur. Not going to happen.
snowshooze

And the State had been sitting on it for four months.
snowshooze

I’d say that indicates a serious problem.
garfieldjl

What we’re referring to is we’ve already been robbed, and shot. We’re bleeding all over the place but the first thief misses our wrist watch.

Okay then we have the option of the first thief coming back, stealing the watch and putting a bullet in our head to kill us, or a second thief stealing the watch and leaving us to bleed to death.

Now, maybe we may survive from the 2nd thief, but the odds aren’t looking good.

That’s what we’re looking at here.

Obama has caused enough damage that merely putting on the brakes and leaving everything in status quo, isn’t going to stop us from going over the cliff. We need a hard reverse course.

We don’t believe Romney will have the spine to try to reverse the damage, he’ll either let things continue, or bail as soon as the liberal media starts voicing opposition.

We’re piling up a debt at an alarming rate, the status quo is to continue to pile up the debt at that rate.

Coasting is not an option here, whether we coast or put the pedal to the metal, we’re gonna go off the cliff. Will Romney actually reverse course, or will he simply try to coast.
EyeOnThePrize

N. T.
snowshooze

And there is a lot more where that came from.
I could remind you of a half dozen mind blowing statements he has made just during this ( Ongoing ) primary.
However, I will accept that you do not wish to hear them from me, and that you’d rather…along with a good deal of others..
Hear it from Obama and the Democrats during the General.
Oh.. they didn’t miss them.
And the Republicans are going to have every idiotic statement Romney ever made along with every single flip and flop he has ever pulled… rammed down our throats alla way to Election Day.
By then, we will all be puking, and the only motivated Voters left..
Aren’t Voting Romney.
So… listen to the Democrats later then.
Voter be lemming, lemming beware.
You know, lemmings do not actually willfully jump from the cliffs to their demise.
When they finally see where things is headed.. there are thousands behind them… crowding them off.
Ok, well… they do jump.. but that is sorta like a controlled crash. You hope to select a soft place to pile up. But you ARE gonna pile up.
So, there is a typical Romney voter. Calling an early death to the Primaries.
snowshooze

And that is my Wife.
I tell her, the difference between a Man and a Woman Prior to Marriage….. The Man see’s the Woman. ” I like that one! ”
The Woman see’s the Man… ” I could work with that, ”
I was broken when she found me, and I am content to stay so.
Change is bad.
powertothepeople

you are able to mold the perfect candidate or get Jesus to agree to run and am able to somehow take them to a win in this already decided contest, then I will consider the moronic argument you made.

Until then you will remain the site idiot and we will continue to mock you.

The thing you do not seem able to grasp is the fact that the primaries were the time to beat Romney, not after it is over and it is over no matter how much you protest. No one wanted to support TPaw, Bachmann, Cain, Perry and now you are stuck with what we are stuck with. Santorum was done a long time ago, it just took him awhile to figure that out. Newt has been done since South Carolina and he does nothing but beclown himself each day he remains in.

All your incessant idiotic rantings do not change a thing nor do they matter. We have who we have and the only thing we can do now is support the firing of Obama. And we can put as many conservatives in Congress as possible. Other than that, what you keep saying continues to be childish pig sh*t and deserving of contempt.
powertothepeople

still does not change the fact that it is an embarrassment that he allowed his payment to not be honored. Absolute silliness and a glaring sign he is done.
snowmonkey

What I’m reading here is a lot of angst from the true conservatives about having to vote for Romney – really, voting against Obama.

But if Romney gets elected, you can kiss the true conservative movement goodbye. The moderates – the big government Republicans like Bush – will have won power for the next eight years, at least.

What to do? What to do?

Can we just have a do-over? Can we start anew? Convince Christie to run, after all? Convince Huckabee to run? Convince Pat Robertson to run?
snowmonkey

But you’re not going to drag Romney’s butt anywhere, and certainly not to the right.

After he gets in, what leverage does the conservative movement have over him? Are you going to challenge him in the primary for re-election? (no) Are you going to vote for the other side? (no) So, what leverage do you have?

Romney will do what he always does. He will flip-flop on both sides, and wind up to the left of middle. That may not be what you want. It may not be what other true conservatives want. But what conservatives want does not matter after the primaries are over.

Big money and big government (same thing, really) win again.
mirac777

It would seem that the uber-big picture is being largely missed. Financial Armageddon and austerity measures, when they hit America, and make no mistake, they WILL hit America, will be a real-time bitch for the whole country. The only argument should be CAN or WILL Romney and the Grand Old Party of elitests stop the debt train in it’s tracks and reverse course before we become Greece 2.0.

So far, I,ve seen no concrete evidence of them being willing to do what it takes: IE cutting big government down to size by about 1/3, stopping the earmark graft and taxpayer theft for their reelections and putting a choke hold on Unions to stop the bankrupting of States and local government. Until I see proof of those steps being taken.. YES it would seem irrevelant who is in charge of both houses of Congress when we hit the debt cliff and chaos ensues.
texasref

And we’d have to depend on Mitt Romney and his Vice Sycophant to oppose him?
texasref

It’s late, and I had a brain cramp. Please don’t be too harsh.
texasref

Anybody
But
Romney

I’ll shut up about it after Romney is nominated.
texasref

If that’s all Romney can throw at us…OBAMA! SUPREME COURT! AAAACK!!!

Then me and a few million of my friends are going to stay home–or maybe even cross over to the dark side.

He has to make the case still, because he’s “running for office, for Pete’s sake.”
texasref

There are a couple far better alternatives. Gingrich and Paul.
davesinsanantonio

Romney 2012–Because a disappointment is better than a disaster!!!

Anybody who sits out this election because of Romney will get the Obummer he or she deserves.

And, believing that insanity that four more years of Obummer will magically make everyone conservative is just plain stupid thinking, because there won’t be an America left to save after four more years of the guy who “can be more flexible after the election”.

He told us before the ’08 election he was going to “fundamentally transform America”, now he tells us (without meaning to) that he will be even more flexible where the Russians are concerned.

If nothing else (and there will be tons of “else”) he will appoint two or three justices to the SCOTUS, and probably hundreds of other federal judges in four more years.

Romney may be a disappointment, but Obummer’s re-election would be a disaster this country will never recover from.
davesinsanantonio

You KNOW we cannot stand another four years of Obummer!!!, So, stop dreaming that we will have a candidate other than Romney. I am not a Romney fan, but I can add two and two and come up with the correct answer every time.

This election is not about flipping off the establishment. It is about saving this country from those who would destroy it. And, that group is NOT limited to Obummer. We have to make this a landslide win for all levels of government. That way, it will be the less than insane Lefties who will flip off THEIR establishment, while we can chuckle at their problems for a change.

Romney 2012–Because a disappointment is better than a disaster!!!!!
davesinsanantonio

House and Senate races, and others down-ballot, you will need whatever coattails he can provide for at least some of those races.

It is better to hold your nose and talk him up with a nasally twang than to pretend he doesn’t exist.
davesinsanantonio

Crony-socialism, which is worse by far than crony-capitalism.
davesinsanantonio

Who will the Paulbots turn to when Ron dies or is at least gone from the public spotlight? Just wondering, have been for a while now.
davesinsanantonio

for the libs to point out all of Romney’s flips and flops, but I would rather go on the attack and point out all of Obummer’s destructive policies, and HIS stupid comments and flips and flops.

Your choice!
davesinsanantonio

you will end up with the government you deserve. Hope you enjoy it.
davesinsanantonio

be worse for this country than Obummer’s have been, and we already know that Obummer’s will only get worse if he is re-elected. “I can be more flexible after I’m re-elected”!!!
davesinsanantonio

Get over yourself. Romney is the nominee, and we need to get behind him or we will end up without our country left!!!
davesinsanantonio

“It is better to light a single candle than to sit and curse the darkness”!!!

We can either get off our butts and get Romney elected or we can do nothing and curse four more years of the destruction of America.

Your choice!
davesinsanantonio

do the adult thing. Being an adult is about doing what is right because it is the right thing to do. It is not about doing only what you want because you want it–that is what children and teens wish for.

Your choice!!!
paco12348

I’ve written often enough that I preferred Newt but that’s not to be and Romney was the anointed one before the race began. I’ve been upset about that too. I don’t appreciate the Republican Leadership acting like Democrats scaring their base into doing what THEY want. Put that aside for now.
Here’s why I will vote for Romney and not just because he’s the last man standing.
He’s a Gentleman. Bragging does not come easy to him. I was raised the same way so I understand that. We often decry what is happening to the civility in this country. Romney is civil and perhaps he can lead us back to a gentler, kinder time.
I could give two flips about his Mormonism. In fact, his faith (regardless of how others believe) has made him a better man. Think how refreshing it would be to have a President that did not blame and boast, lie and connive, that loved America and Capitalism.
Romney will never seek Rock Star Status, nor look down on others. He will keep our family structure safe and try to stop this war on Religion. He will have a big job on his hands stuffing the vermin back into the cracks they crawled from when Obama was elected.
We need a God fearing Gentleman. I’ll support Romney even though I’m still upset with the Republican Leadership and I would hope Romney would mess up their power playhouse, along with the Progressives.
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

We’ve a little group of these idiot trolls pissing on the walls here. There’s this idiot and hanoverhenry and garfield. I’m pretty sure they’re in a basement somewhere typing with one hand. Hopefully, their moms will catch them take their internet privilege away.
rabun1016

nt
Xasteius

Let’s support conservative candidates for Congress!
gekster

you would have nticed that I said that would give him a “few”.
Try using it sometime.
hayekwasright

I agree that we now need to fall in line behind Romney if we don’t want Obama taking us over the cliff.

That being said, it should not be considered blasphemy to verbally acknowledge that conservative voters have been treated like infants by the Republican establishment. Through numerous shenanigans, they are forcing us to eat our strained peas despite the availability of more palatable, and I might add, healthier, choices.

Get behind Romney for now, but work to bring committed conservatism back to the GOP. The current momentum of the GOP leadership appears to be OK with heading over the cliff, they just want to go slower. I’d really like to see us turn around and move back toward liberty and prosperity as a nation.
cbartlett

I’ll be voting for Newt in Texas too! Worst case is “the inevitable one” wins anyway. Isn’t the rule “the most conservative in the primary”? Well since the stupid Texas primary isn’t ’til the end of May, it’s still primary season for us….
snowshooze

I will welcome them. And yes, I very recently contributed to the Gingrich campaign.
Against all odds.
I wonder what tomorrow shall bring.
Filibuster Keaton

Not sure where you get the idea Carter isn’t a corrupt slimeball. Georgia finally figured that out a few years ago.
snowshooze

Even with the roller derby queen… McCain lost.
And McCain was our very best opportunity…so they say.
Now they say Romney is the golden child.
GAG!! Waddya ALL CRAZY?!?
He is going to be a second time loser.
texasref

When Romney’s the nominee, then what I said would be trolling.

He ain’t the nominee yet buster so stuff it.
gekster

Carter who.

Basically you’re telling me you would vote Obama?
Filibuster Keaton

“If it were Romney vs. Jimmy Carter, in all honesty at this point I would vote Jimmy Carter, cause Carter was merely an incompetitent idiot, not a corrupt slimeball like Romney.”

I’m saying Carter holds no moral high ground over Romney. I never mentioned Obama.
gekster

for Romney, or you vote Obama, or you don’t vote and give Obama a 1/2 vote.
Which is it.

And anyone can call anyone a slime ball.
What do you have to back that up other than opinion.
krish

I have been posting similar sentiments ….let us make sure that we are NOT taken for granted by Romney campaign & supporters! Our support has to be conditional …if he keepsw going to the left & we are left with two democratic postions …we should stand on our principles & say NO. There will be lot of pressure from everybody….call it Boogeyman routine.

If Romney gets elected as POTUS with a liberal platform …there will not be any leverage for conservatives! Let us all make sure that our support is CONDITIONALl! RINOs, & other “so called” conservative talk show media will try to convince us that we have to vote for Romney whatever are his positions….we stand together & say NO. If Romney does NOT stand for some basic conservative prinicples, he shoudl not get the support!
http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

Lay out a plan and show us just how, on a state-by-state basis how Romney is going to be stopped. And don’t forget to include some commentary on where the money to compete is going to come from.

I can’t wait. Put up or shut up.
Filibuster Keaton

I’d lost track of who here is sane and who’s not. You’re clearly responding to things no one has said, so goodbye.
gekster

I asked it in a sincerity.

So you’re not voting Romney, or Obama, or not voting at all.
I didn’t know there was a forth choice.
darrellmaurina

Erick Erickson wrote on Thursday, April 12th at 11:37AM EDT: “The Harriet Miers comparison remains problematic for Romney with so many of his zealous defenders the same people who were so easily duped or so much into team sports that they rallied for someone who wasn?t and now rally for someone who may or may not be. But just trust them this time!”

Thanks for reminding us of this. I haven’t seen this item elsewhere and it is important.

One reason we need experienced candidates is to see what they and their supporters have done in the past. This doesn’t look good.
rickc

Do you really have to attack and threaten to ban everyone that does not agree with you or tow YOUR idea of the company line. I thought this site was a place for conservatives to talk about things. It seems it is getting to the point that your job as moderator has morphed into something more like a my way or the highway attack dog. Please give folks a chance to say what is on their minds without the relentless personal attacks and endless threats to be banned. It is very unbecoming, reflects badly on Erick and his site, and is counterproductive. Hopefully, this site is more than a club for the few who always agree and where those that may have differing opinions are rapidly shown the door……..as I fully expect to be for writing this. Banning everyone, or at least threatening to, while yourself being very disrespectful which is a banning offense itself, makes the site moderators appear somewhat juvenile at times. If Erick wants us to play by a set of rules, shouldn’t those rules apply to the moderators as well? So, at the risk of being ushered out the door I ask you to also “Be respectful” of those that you are asking to be respectful.
Bill S

click the Contact link above and send a message. Do NOT do it here.
Bill S

We have a banned birther retread.

Sayonara, rdcjr….
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

“Romney gets elected, you can kiss the true conservative movement goodbye. ”

This is pure unadulterated BS.
Baloney. malarkey. Horse road apples.
100% verified guaranteed to be NOT TRUE.

Did WF Buckley curl up and die during Eisenhower’s administration? No wait, he came into his own.
Did Reagan go silent during Nixon. hmmm. No.

The morning after Romney defeats Obama we will be on Romney’s right, tugging to the right, and standing independent when needed when Romney isnt conservative enough. We did it with Harriet Miers and at other times. We will do it again.

“The moderates ? the big government Republicans like Bush – will have won ”

As I said above – been there, dont that.
snowshooze

Or is that just asking too much?
snowshooze

About like dog poop I would assume.
gekster

the time to post the stuff you are posting would of been much better a couple of months ago when someone else had a chance.
I noticed your anti-Romney postings started in ernest after Santorum quit.
I’m trying to be sincere, why all of this now.
checkmate2012

winning in November? Really you have not said one positive comment that I can recall. If you can’t accept the math and hate Romney, we’re all ears for yet another plan as proof of an alternative. I’d like to think you’re not for BO from your comments but still have doubts as you dis everyone that has come to mathematical reality.
snowshooze

Really. Except for SMOD
snowshooze

That is all, I have opposed a gutless moderate Democrat from the start.
gekster

I usually read your posts, and I guess I didn’t notice.
(I was gone for a couple of months though)
snowshooze

I remember something about trying to consult you on some computer stuff and you turned up missing..
gekster

ntntntntntnt
checkmate2012

?
snowshooze

Brokered Convention.
The desperate last gasp of undying hope.
snowshooze

Now I am attempting two workstations off of one computer. So I can do bids and estimates on one, and correspondance and bookkeeping on the other.
Big screen TV for the blueprints, standard monitor for the estimates, and another station for the menial stuff…
Can i do it with one lonesome computer?
If two, they both have to access quickbooks, in real-time.
Which I guess, is an option.
checkmate2012

For not knowing what SMOD meant!

Must disagree on a brokered convention as in: Per the Dems “The Republican party can’t even pick a nominee, so how can you vote for them to run the country”. That brokered convention of hope springs eternal? Here’s hoping for hope and change in 2012.
snowshooze

Coattails of a wannabee who is purchasing his way to being the worlds biggest loser?
Yep, a tangible value there.
snowshooze

Even I consider it desperate.
checkmate2012

Wow…a breakthrough in Ok with Romney Now vs. No Fricking Way with Romney Ever! Too bad others can’t see this miracle! And I really am saying this nicely if you can’t tell.

So hope to see you write your own Diary as opposed to drive-by negative comments! Go for it and convince us! But still no brokered convention, please.
gekster

put two operating systems on one computer.
Problem with that is you can’t run them both at the same time.
My suggestion if you need two operating systems running at the same time
is two computers conected with an ethernet conection through a router.
I’m guessing you know that part already.

Another, probably cheaper way to go is one operating system with a high memory, dual monitor graphics card run on a windows profesional system. (doesnt have all the extras that a regular home system has)
You can load only the programs you need, Then you can run one program on one monitor and another program on the other at the same time with the same system. Be sure to put in as much memory on the computer as posible. Extra memory is easy to install. I use a simple system like that for blogging on two or more sites at the same time, or I can open a RS window on each monitor and converse with two different posters at the same time. Does explain my confusing posts sometimes as I do forget who I’m talking to on which monitor.
I hope that helps.
http://www.AmericanThinker.com Hammer2008

and Huzzah!

A movement only ends when the tide stops rolling in. Romney is no barrier reef.

The distinct weirdness that liberals and conservatives have in common is that like Americans at the end of George Washington’s second term, they desire a king, because it is far easier to have a be all end all president than sustaining a republic founded on the principles that made this country great.
snowshooze

For what it is.
snowshooze

And if he has you in his pocket too… well…
I am not surprised. He has quite a pile.

RS

EDITOR OF REDSTATE

The Harriet Miers Presidential Campaign

"Rah-Rah-Ree, I'm For Romney. Rah-Rah-Rass, What A Pain . . ."

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