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Posted on 01/15/2012 1:59:24 PM PST by shield
At least it was cordial. But the 150 or so "movement conservatives" gathered at Paul Pressler's this weekend (1/13-14) were a fractured lot. Maybe 10% were for Perry. Almost all of them were against Romney. Well, sort of. Caveat below.
There was an official Romney guy there who explained that "You'll either work with us now or work with us later, but you'll all have to get on Mitt's train, because we have the money and the organization, so there's no stopping us."
This did not go over well. It just made everyone more determined than ever to do whatever it takes to stop Mittens. How to do so is what the group could not agree on.
I'm not going to name names, as I was asked not to. Just about every big name conservative you've heard of was there. A number of them didn't come out for any particular candidate. Others said they were all in for Perry at the start, and just couldn't overcome his blunders.
When the case was made that Perry was the only candidate who actually understood the Constitution and the power of the 10th Amendment, the only one who was not a big government guy, the most successful governor in the country who has a rock solid record of job creation and conservative judicial appointments - they just didn't care. I want that to sink in.
These conservative leaders really do not care about jobs, people hurting like the Great Depression, America's economy falling into an abyss. All they care about is "the family as the fabric of society," and other Rick Santorum social conservative platitudes. So a majority of them voted for Santorum. They could care less that Santorum would not do anything to reduce metastasizing government, much less castrate it (like Perry would), or has not the slightest trace of executive experience of any kind, government or private.
When asked one-on-one why they were going for Santorum when they knew he had no money, no organization, and stood not a ghost of a chance to win the nomination, the truth came out:
"If we unify behind Santorum, it will force Romney to pick him as his running mate - for he'll know that's the only way to get our support in the general (election in November)."
That's the slimy deal behind this. They'll go for Romney if he goes for Santorum on his ticket. Should we call them Judas Conservatives?
We suspected this all along: Santorum is a stalking horse for Romney. A vote for Santorum is a vote for Romney. Folks in South Carolina need to know this.
The cynical ploy, however, will not work - and not just because the Romney guy rolled his eyes when told about it (Romney has his heart set on Marco Rubio). It's because there was no unity at this meeting.
The Drudge headline "Social conservatives back Santorum," is a lie. A majority of the folks there chose Santorum - but there was no agreement that everyone would now get behind their choice. Some will continue backing Perry. A much larger number are now committed to Gingrich as the Not Romney. Others are going to focus on doing whatever they can to see no candidate gets a majority of delegates for a brokered convention.
A brokered convention, by the way, is how Sarah Palin could get the nomination. Or Rick Perry.
So there you have it. This was a meeting that won't change the world, that won't change anything, except to marginalize these "movement" conservative leaders who really don't care about the fate of America. They say Perry blew his chance. They have blown theirs.
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The Drudge headline "Social conservatives back Santorum," is a lie. A majority of the folks there chose Santorum - but there was no agreement that everyone would now get behind their choice.
Mitt Romneys campaign manager and Drudge are working together to elect Romney.
Nov 14, 2011: Special report: The golden age of opposition research Original source – Reuters .....Overall, Romney is thought to have the best oppo team in this Republican primary, with Yost as chief of research and Matt Rhoades, another veteran of RNC opposition research, as campaign manager. No one in the Romney organization would comment.
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....."Frustrated rivals think they know the secret: a low-profile, hard-driving Republican operative named Matt Rhoades, who is Romney’s campaign manager. Rhoades met Drudge, as POLITICO Editor-in-Chief John F. Harris and co-author Mark Halperin reported in their book “The Way to Win: Taking the White House in 2008,” when he became research director of the Republican National Committee and was introduced by his predecessor on a special trip to Miami. Rhoades has since been seen as a pipeline to the reclusive Drudge, who now has two veteran Washington reporters working on the site as well.".... Source
_______________________________________________________
A much larger number are now committed to Gingrich as the Not Romney.
Gingrich’s Record on Property Rights........."Gingrich personally prevented property-rights-protective reforms of the Endangered Species Act from passing the House and then gave one of the most liberal members of the Republican caucus and environmental activist groups a de facto veto over environmental legislation. These machinations were documented in an article in The Environmental Forum, a magazine published by the Environmental Law Institute — an article Gingrich cited favorably in his own book on environmental policy.".......
Are they crazy. ROMNEY can’t beat Zero. Chitwn thugs are going to tear him a new one.
Have IQ’s dropped in the last year . GOOD GRIEF.
What’s wrong with FR Moderators they insult Jack Wheeler who wrote this I placed in editorial and moved it to chat. What an insult to one of the top true conservatives left in this country.
It’s vital information and it needs to be circulated.
Knock off the attacks on other candidates. We're all in this together.
Is FR a stalking horse for Mitt Romney? Hope not but do wonder why this opinion piece is ignored? I hope folks wake up ASAP.
NO ATTACKS ON ROMNEY, seems to be what you are telling me. OK FR will not tolerate attacking Romney.
“If we unify behind Santorum, it will force Romney to pick him as his running mate - for he’ll know that’s the only way to get our support in the general (election in November).”
Iowa jettisoned Perry because he wants ethanol subsidies ended. NH jettisoned Perry because their fortunes are also tied to entities Perry intends to eliminate.
SC just got an Obama-SIEU face-slap with Boeing.
If the several states and their citizens wish to be freed from FEDZILLA, they need to look to the man who has done it and is doing it.
If not, they can live shackled with Romney and his FED nexus.
Good luck, the rest of the 49!
“What’s wrong with FR Moderators they insult Jack Wheeler who wrote this I placed in editorial and moved it to chat. What an insult to one of the top true conservatives left in this country.”
I’m not surprised at Dr. Wheeler’s report. I’ve been feeling the earth trembling for weeks. Dr. Wheeler wants the world to know we were sold out? How do we go about that? How do you explain it? It’s depressing. Santorum, like Cain, has just sucked the air out of the room. Serious candidate? The media is discussing his sweater vests. The smugness with which Citizen Cain is speaking makes me think Romney did in fact offer a job he coveted. He has greased up his smear machine again. He’ll still be jobless because Romney can’t win the general. There is no media to speak of. Clear Channel so-called Conservative radio isn’t.
I appreciate Dr Wheeler and appreciate you for posting.
We’ll fight. God’s will be done.
That is not what I’m telling you. FR is not promoting Romney as you well know. Support Perry all you want but the attacks on other candidates are out of line.
Thank you.
Bump!
Cain was also a stalking horse for Romney but some folks ignored that as well. But now he has shown to all his true colors with his TV appearance last night.
I’d heard Cain’s nasty bit of work on Imus’s show. Did he go off again last night?
Am I supposed to *ping* the moderator every time someone posts an attack on Gov. Perry?
That would be constantly.
When the case was made that Perry was the only candidate who actually understood the Constitution and the power of the 10th Amendment, the only one who was not a big government guy, the most successful governor in the country who has a rock solid record of job creation and conservative judicial appointments - they just didn’t care
That sums up the socons in a nutshell. One-issue voters...hope they enjoy Mitt !!
Mods are not interested in attacks on Perry. Just “select” candidates.
FUMR!!
Did you see where MR was buying a $50 vote in SC on National TV and nobody said a damned thing about it?
Go ahead, test us.
I will not be posting anything against any of them which now includes Romney. This article is more against Romney, those so called conservative leaders and much less about Santorum. He happened to get in the mix since the so called leaders are looking for the presidential nominee to be Romney and Santorum his VP that is why they endorsed Santorum. Eye witness account by Dr. Jack Wheeler who attended the meeting. Romney’s men rolled their eyes over it, but it doesn’t change the fact that is why Santorum was endorsed to force Romney to pick Santorum as his VP. Now that sucks anyway you try a slice it.
Surely you jest.
"If we unify behind Santorum, it will force Romney to pick him as his running mate - for he'll know that's the only way to get our support in the general (election in November)."
There it is, black and white.
“Dr. Jack Wheeler was at this meeting and has first hand account on what took place in this meeting and wants the world to know.”
Wheeler is lying about the agenda of the meeting....they WERE NOT there to force Romney to pick Santorum (or anyone else) for VP. J.C. Watts and others there do not collaborate this persons lies. The ONLY thing true that Wheeler wrote was that there was no consensus on how to stop Romney.
Those that wanted Perry, remained committed to him...as did Santorum’s and Newt’s supporters. Wheeler is just a sour grapes person because Rick Perry was supported by so few present. He is libeling Christian Conservatives by what he writes.
No and don’t even try it. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!
You say Wheeler is lying about the agenda of the meeting: are you also saying he’s lying when he (after the vote) asked attendees who voted for Santorum why they did so?
LoL
You know me better than that.
I take a lot of heat and keep on.
Well, you see, you seem to be attacking someone more so than the article.
Give me ANYTHING showing Santorum EVER going after Romney...nada thang. Same with Cain & Bachmann, both kept their hands off Romney. Only two that have EVER GONE AFTER Romney are PERRY AND GINGRICH.
“Cain was also a stalking horse for Romney but some folks ignored that as well. But now he has shown to all his true colors with his TV appearance last night.”
I said he was running interference for Romney from the beginning when the first thing out of his mouth was he wouldn’t serve as Perry’s VP. Ha. In his dreams. I wonder how Cainiacs feel. Most of them were really strong Christians. His past revealed. His present revealed. His mission revealed. I’d be ashamed.
What did he say on TV last night? I heard him with Hannity and Imus. Disgrace.
Oppss sorry A KICK ARSE PATRIOT CONSERVATIVE
So many freepers project that Perry is running silent for Mittens.
The only two in the race to defeat Romney are Newt and Perry.
It is now proven. At least we don’t have to listen to that ‘stalking horse’ crap anymore.
That is B.S.
Who did this group endorse last election? I just read it was pro choice Romney. If that is true, they definitely do not speak for true conservatives.
It will be Gingrich or Obama, and we all know it. Choose Gingrich, or we’ll finish starving the B. and all of the government-linked employees/pensioners with her.
The only thing I can think of Shield, is follow the money...
Perry asked last night, "Are you better off today, than you were 4 trillion dollars ago?"
Maybe there are people that are. They have enough money to make this happen. They can pressure enough people to go along. I do not know.
Either that, or while people cry out for less government, prosperity, the repeal of Obamacare, etc., they are afraid of seeing the system shaken up. Perry is the renegade that people wanted, but are afraid to support.
That’s such a bunch of horsesh*t. We’re not all in this together. Y’all allow posters to attack Perry with blatant lies and do nothing about it.
Yeah, I know. If I don’t like it, I can leave. I got it. Loud and clear.
The vote and all it’s confusion says very little about a real unification coming out of the meeting....... In fact form the article linked below some of the people had departed to the airport.
The FRC said these numbers represented the ballot results:
First Ballot
Ron Paul 1
Mitt Romney 3
Rick Perry 13
Newt Gingrich 48
Rick Santorum 57
Second Ballot (two top vote recipients)
Mr. Gingrich 49
Mr. Santorum 70
(59-41% for Santorum)
Third Ballot
Mr. Gingrich 29
Mr. Santorum 85
(74.5% - 25.5% for Santorum)
end snip
From the numbers above the 1st ballot had 122 total votes and it went down from that. Supposedly the 3rd vote was taken in order to get the 2/3rds requirement they set for an endorsement.
Yeah, well I like Gingrich but a lot of our posters attack him daily. Santorum is attacked daily too. Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger.
I hear ya. I like Gingrich A LOT myself. I don’t care for the attacks on him either. Quite frankly, I’m fed up with the whole game of personal attacks on our conservative candidates. I don’t care for Santorum, but I don’t run around FR trashing him. I support Perry and Gingrich and mostly stay off Santorum theads. I wish others would do the same with regard to Perry and Gingrich. We’re gonna shoot ourselves in the foot and end up with Romney because of petty games. It’s frustrating.
What does that mean? I've reported abuse on such attacks and more often than not it's ignored. It really seems to depend on which mods are working. It's not consistent. Mods have personal preferences like everyone else. That's understandable. But look at it from our perspective. We don't know who the mods are or which ones are working at any given time. So from our view, enforcement varies a lot. Nobody wants to be a pain in the mods' butt. So how should we address baseless attacks and outright lies against any candidate?
So, Rick S. held 300 Ia. town meetings and campaigned tirelessly just so he could become Milt’s stalking horse? How stupid.
Isn’t that illegal? I did hear several different talking heads talking about something. They said he gave her some money to pay her electric bill, before it was shut off.
They were framing it as a kind of gracious stumble. Said he should have had his aides do it secretly, or have them find her a job.
Some of the lefties suggested he just needed something to show he cared about people to help get a news headline.
I would guess that Santorum, who has tirelessly campaigned, did not campaign to become the AFA’s (et al.) stalking horse. The AFA (et al.) is making Santorum their stalking horse, according to Wheeler above.
And I venture to guess that Santorum will accept their endorsements, regardless of the stalking horse role the endorsers want him to play.
Politics kind of whores you out like that (-;
Doesn't matter. I already put him 3rd on my list, when I found out he endorsed mittens last time around. Didn't like several of his positions anyway. Now Rick S. has come out against Business and Wall Street, or some such nonsense.
Tonight I learned he voted for a bill to give convicted felons and rapists etc. (no longer in jail or on parole) the right to vote, he's in danger of slipping to 4, which would make Ron Paul 4th. AAAArgh.
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