Romney advisors: Sarah Palin’s candidacy would help him dramatically (Michele Bachmann too)

Hotair ^ | 05/23/2011 | Allahpundit

[SeekAndFind]

Alternate headline: “Politico buries lead.”

“It’s possible someone may get in later on,” Gillespie said, “but Republican activists, officials and donors are going to begin picking a horse from the current field. We have a field that will produce a nominee capable of beating Obama next November.”…

Republicans officials have no idea what [Palin is] planning, although they agree she would have tons to lose by entering a race that would cost her the mystique she has built up. And Romney advisers said her entry would help the former Massachusetts governor dramatically.

“The shock value would cause elected officials and party officials to rally around Mitt, because she’d scare the daylights out of them,” one official said. “And it would allow him to position himself very much in the middle of Republican, conservative thinking and avoid the fringe, and look more moderate for the general election.”

Bachmann would have the same effect, the advisers said. Either of them “gives Romney a bogeyman: ‘Stop this crazy woman.’”

In other words, Palin’s entry would transform a race between Romney and Not Romney into a race between Palin and Not Palin. And since being Mitt Romney is a poor position to be in these days, he’d much rather be Not Palin. I get the logic, I just don’t see why they think establishment Republicans would rally around Mitt instead of around Pawlenty. To repeat a point I made earlier today, once Palin is in and presumably wins Iowa, the establishment strategy will shift towards producing the strongest possible centrist candidate for the showdown in South Carolina to try to stop her there. Romney will be the best funded, but he’ll have RomneyCare hanging over his head, his record of flip-flopping on abortion, and of course the sensitive issue of his faith, which may or may not be a liability. Pawlenty has none of the baggage and has evangelical social conservative cred. And, just maybe, he’ll have an endorsement from Nikki Haley, whose political advisor happens to be T-Paw’s pollster.

What Romney’s team will have to do, if they see prominent conservatives starting to defect to Pawlenty, is play hardball by vowing to contest South Carolina as ferociously as possible even if T-Paw upsets him in New Hampshire. Given Romney’s money advantage, he could probably pull enough votes from Pawlenty in SC to make Palin the winner, the prospect of which will terrify Republican insiders. In that case, maybe they rally around Mitt before NH and try to broker a deal to put Pawlenty on the ticket as VP if he drops out and endorses Romney ASAP. Having lost Iowa and New Hampshire, his candidacy would be finished by South Carolina anyway. Speaking of which, CNN’s out with a new poll from New Hampshire tonight. Romney leads Pawlenty by 28 points — but fully 87 percent of Republicans are still undecided.

Exit question: Is it now or never for Palin? The field will be tougher in 2016 with Rubio, Christie, Paul Ryan, and Jeb Bush all in the mix, but even if she jumped in this time and won the nomination, she’d have to face an incumbent president at a moment when her favorable rating is still underwater. She’ll also have potentially stiff competition for the grassroots vote in Iowa from Bachmann and Cain, both of whom have been spending time in the state already. Tough call.

[He Rides A White Horse]

Bachmann would have the same effect, the advisers said. Either of them “gives Romney a bogeyman: ‘Stop this crazy woman.’”

It sure is telling when Moot Romney doesn't realize that the bogeyman is the Kenyan occupying the Oval Office. What a schmuck.

[Sprite518]

Sorry but Pawlenty is about as exciting as watching the grass grow...

We need someone one with Charisma... Not the Same $hit different year Republican door mat... Pawlenty is not much better a choice (because not exciting) and a guarantee loss against Obama in 2012.

[DBrow]

“I just don’t see why they think establishment Republicans would rally around Mitt instead of around Pawlenty.”

Mitt will spend megabux of his own money, and high-ranking Pubbies will collect a large portion of that cash. Win the Presidency or lose, the Central Republican Party will feel morally superior and will have fat bank accounts.

[bwc2221]

A$$holepundit is a liberal who claims to be a Republican and a Romney supporter.

Once again Mitt is waging the battle via surrogates.

[DBrow]

“That’ll play well for him.... “

There are many Mormons in politics. Harry Reid? Mormonism hardly hurts him. Why should it hurt Romney?

[Diogenesis]

Willard "Myth" Romney is a poser for Obama and Soros.

He has helped Obama year after year. Want proof?????

---

Romney for Obama in 2008

Late in October, The American Spectator's The Prowler revealed:
"Former Mitt Romney presidential campaign staffers…
have been involved in spreading anti-Palin spin to reporters, seeking to diminish her standing after the election.
'Sarah Palin is a lightweight, she won't be the first, not even the third, person people will think of when it comes to 2012,'
says one former Romney aide…
'The only serious candidate ready to challenge to lead the Republican Party is Mitt Romney.
"Some former Romney aides were behind the recent leaks to media, including CNN, that Governor Sarah Palin was a 'diva' and was going off message intentionally."

---

The Palmetto Scoop reported: "One of the first stories to hit the national airwaves was
the claim of a major internal strife between close McCain aides and the folks handling his running mate Sarah Palin."
"I’m told by very good sources that this was indeed the case and that a rift had developed, but it was between Palin’s people and the staffers brought on from the failed presidential campaign of former Gov. Mitt Romney, not McCain aides."
"The sources said nearly 80 percent of Romney’s former staff was absorbed by McCain and these individuals were responsible for what amounts to a premeditated, last-minute sabotage of Palin."
… aides loyal to Romney inside the McCain campaign, said The Scoop, reportedly saw
that Palin would be a serious contender for the Republican nomination in 2012 or 2016, which made her a threat to another presidential quest by Romney.

---

"These staffers are now out trying to finish her off ….hoping it would ingratiate themselves with Mitt Romney."

---

"Who's the Palin Leaker from the McCain Campaign?
National Review Online The publication of a Vanity Fair profile of Sarah Palin
appears to have opened old wounds in the McCain campaign.
... the source of the “Diva” leak was Nicolle Wallace’s husband."

---

"Peeking Out From the McCain Wreckage: Mitt Romney"

"Someone's got to say it: IS MITT ROMNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBAMA'S VICTORY?"

"Vanity: Team Romney Sabotaged Palin and Continuing to Do So?"

"Romney Supporters Trashing Palin"

"Romney advisors sniping at Palin?"

---

---

Romney for Obama in 2009

Chihuahua Romney - the Magic RINO:
"I also think it's important for us to nod to our pRes_ _ent when he's right,"
we are pleased with his plans to "finish the job" in Iraq and Afghanistan
I also applaud our pRes_ _ent
for standing up to the evil auto industry. "

---

Romney for Obama in 2010

"Go Mitt. Go Mitt. Go Mitt"

"Rove is pushing Romney so aggressively
some folks are beginning to wonder what's going on,"
grumbled one veteran Republican strategist."

---

"Rove has made no secret
of his support for Romney as McCain's VP. "

---

Romney for Obama in 2011

Chihuahua Romney - the One and the Only "Magic RINO(TM)":

"Obama was born in the United States"

"Obama Doesn’t Need a Birth Certificate"

"The citizenship test has been passed"

---

Milt Romney in 2007

Romney - the Magic RINO:
"I'm not running as the Republican view
or a continuation of Republican values.
That's not what brings me to the race.
(Romney Video, accessed 9/19/07)

---

"We don't intend to turn the Republican Party
 over to the traitors in the battle just ended.
We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged
 to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support.
Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates
wouldn't make any sense at all.""
--  President Ronald Reagan

"One of the traditional methods of imposing statism
or socialism on people has been by way of medicine..."
President Ronald Reagan

Romney-Imposed Gay Marriage (through Threats against Clerks)
And Romney Death Panels and ObamaCARE/RomneyCARE
Imposed by the carpetbagging, backstabbing “Milt” Willard Romney.

---

[Huck]

What we need has nothing to do with reality on the ground. That's the part you're not getting. It may come down to Pawlenty vs Romney.

I remember last time around. By the time the primaries came to NJ, the conservative vote was for Romney, as a stop-gap against McCain. Yes, it could be that bad again. Except that I'd take Pawlenty over Romney or McCain.

[freedumb2003]

There are many Mormons in politics. Harry Reid? Mormonism hardly hurts him. Why should it hurt Romney?

I assume you forgot the </sarc> tag?

[scooby321]

My friend and I were outside a ice cream shop and saw a lady with a Roomey T-Shirt and couldn't stop laughing.

[DBrow]

Nope. Romney uses the Mormon Card, Reid does not.

[Sprite518]

Well McCain is not running and if it does come down to Pawlenty vs. Romney, then the Republicans have thrown 2012. There is no way either candidate can win against Obama.

I watch Pawlenty already lose a debate to Herman Cain. I’m sorry if Pawlenty cannot beat Cain, then he cannot beat Obama.

Oh and like I said Pawlenty is about exciting as watching the grass grow. There is NO WAY he can win, ditto Romney, against Obama. They are both lame and do not inspire.

[Shamrock-DW]

Heh..heh...projection...propaganda...you name it...

[citizencon]

That imagery is very effective. I hope it lingers through 2012.

[truthfreedom]

This guy is thinking that the South Carolinians are going to be the ones to pick Romney or Pawlenty as the antiPalin?
But he doesn’t mention super famous Southerner Newt Gingrich?

[Norseman]

I heard that Pawlenty announced in Iowa that he thinks ethanol subsidies need to be phased out. That impressed me a lot, especially if he said it in Iowa. Means the guy is willing to speak the truth, or at least what he thinks is the truth. Takes guts to say that in Iowa.

[Friendofgeorge]

Sarah Palin single handily got Nikki Haley elected in SC. I think Nikki Haley`s endorsement of Pawlenty will mean very little to SC primary voters, with Sarah Palin in the race.

My opinion of Haley went down immediately after she would not say that Palin would make a good President. I think it will only make Nikki look bad in SC, when she endorses whoever she endorses in SC. It will not be Sarah Palin...Haley would say or do anything to be elected it seems.

It`s unfortunate, but Sarah can win SC without “THAT WOMAN`s” endorsement.

[DTogo]

Bachmann would have the same effect, the advisers said. Either of them “gives Romney a bogeyman: ‘Stop this crazy woman.’

Eek! These women have gonads and I don't!

[VideoDoctor]

Mittens and his bunch are on the CRACK PIPE again!

[org.whodat]

Let's see, fox news has let everyone go that is running for office, the last one huckster, and you still ask the question, if Palin was running she would not still be working for fox.

[Avery Iota Kracker]

Romney/Pelousi 2012.