Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Tea party dilemma: What to do about Mitt Romney
Politico ^ | 06/24/2011 | Kenneth Vogel

Posted on 06/24/2011 6:57:20 AM PDT by Hawk720

The anybody-but-Mitt Romney faction developing within the tea party may pose a problem for the former Massachusetts governor’s presidential ambitions, but some tea party organizers worry it could also backfire against the movement itself.

Romney, the current Republican front runner, is viewed skeptically – at best – by many tea partiers. And disagreement over whether to actively oppose him threatens to undo the uneasy truces forged in the run-up to the 2010 midterms and undermine the fledgling movement’s influence in the GOP.

The possibility of Romney winning the nomination is even reviving debate about whether activists should embrace, or even form, a third party – an idea that until recently had been dismissed as harmful to both the movement and the GOP.

“I honestly don’t know whether the movement will perform well” in the presidential election, said Mark Meckler, co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, a national coalition of local groups. “I don’t think anybody is looking for a third party candidate, but anybody who would count out that possibility, I just think is ignorant.”

Another tea party leader, Matt Kibbe, president of FreedomWorks, describes the presidential election as a potential “Achilles heel” for the movement, which arose in 2009 in opposition to what its activists saw as unchecked government spending and expansion under President Barack Obama.

“Our power comes from the fact that we’re not dependent on anybody to be the leader,” Kibbe told POLITICO, conceding the tea party’s diffuse and decentralized nature may be better suited to congressional races than presidential politics.

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: albatrossromney; backstabberromney; politico4obama; politico4romney; politicoprrep; rinoromney; themagicrino; vogel4romney
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 141-145 next last
To: ansel12

Our national committees take no donations, and I’m not paid. We’re entirely grassroots. So, you have your facts wrong, as usual.

You don’t have to play hall monitor. I’ve been here more than a decade, and most folks know exactly who I am. Those who don’t can find out right on my homepage.


61 posted on 06/24/2011 9:01:27 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Hey Republicans, get back to me if you ever decide to become republicans.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: ansel12

By the way, I am a republican. Will be until the day I die.


62 posted on 06/24/2011 9:05:04 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Hey Republicans, get back to me if you ever decide to become republicans.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance

The facts that I posted are correct, you weren’t quoting me.

You made it clear that you operating from the shadows is going to continue, which seems sleazy to me when your tag line could so easily let people here know that you are at work, and posting against Palin, and all Republican President candidates as a political professional.

You are the Party Chairman of your own political party that will be running against Governor Palin.


63 posted on 06/24/2011 9:10:17 AM PDT by ansel12 (America has close to India population of 1950s, India has 1,200,000,000 people now. Quality of Life?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance

The Presidential election of 1976 was lost in one county in Ohio.


64 posted on 06/24/2011 9:15:38 AM PDT by Perdogg (0bama got 0sama?? Really, was 0sama on the golf course?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: Perdogg

Well, on the bright side, it all led to two terms of Ronald Reagan. Sure was painful though. Really painful.


65 posted on 06/24/2011 9:26:29 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Hey Republicans, get back to me if you ever decide to become republicans.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: ansel12

If anyone is acting like a party hack here, it’s you.


66 posted on 06/24/2011 9:27:27 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Hey Republicans, get back to me if you ever decide to become republicans.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: Hawk720
To the GOP: Actions have consequences. Nominate Mitt, and you will be responsible for the reelection of Obama, the demise of the Republic, and possibly open hostilities right here at home.
67 posted on 06/24/2011 9:28:10 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ansel12
The facts that I posted are correct

No, they weren't. Totally twisted and distorted.

68 posted on 06/24/2011 9:29:55 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Hey Republicans, get back to me if you ever decide to become republicans.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance

You really don’t like to be outed as a professional do you.

You are an actual Party Chairman, it seems tacky for you to be attacking regular people as “party hacks”.

Who is your party running for 2012?


69 posted on 06/24/2011 9:31:46 AM PDT by ansel12 (America has close to India population of 1950s, India has 1,200,000,000 people now. Quality of Life?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: ansel12

What a load of BS.

I “outed” myself on FR more than a decade ago, when I first signed up. I’ve never hidden my identity here, ever.

I don’t see your real name and links to your political associations on your homepage. Seems kinda hypocritical.


70 posted on 06/24/2011 9:38:51 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Hey Republicans, get back to me if you ever decide to become republicans.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance

Which fact are you claiming is wrong?


71 posted on 06/24/2011 9:39:54 AM PDT by ansel12 (America has close to India population of 1950s, India has 1,200,000,000 people now. Quality of Life?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: TommyDale; flaglady47; mickie; seenenuf; seekthetruth
Actually, you should take all phone calls that are tied into Romney (or other RINOs) in some way. Ignoring them or hanging up is not good conservative strategery.

Remember, this is the pre-election time for opinion and polling surveys. These calls are commissioned and financed by an abundance of candidates. Many big political decisions are based on the results of these surveys. The telephoner is making tallys of the reception and answers he gets while he is talking to you.

If I get a call overtly or subtly relating to Romney I will patiently listen to the pitch....and then let the phoner have my unabashed opinion.....in a nice way, of course. The phoners are merely college students, housewives and the like making a few extra pesos as callers.

It's vitally important we exert our collective influence on these telephone surveys.....otherwise, we lose a tally mark plus we forfeit our opinion on Romney to others....and this is not a good idea.

Leni

72 posted on 06/24/2011 9:45:08 AM PDT by MinuteGal (Bring Back the MISERY INDEX! Obama's INDEX! Include Food & Energy in a TRUTHFUL INDEX!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance

You don’t see that because I am just a regular Joe, you are a political professional advancing your party which you Chair, and your party’s candidate, while attacking Governor Palin and all GOP Presidential candidates, while hiding that you are actually at work.

I think that if the Republican Party Chairman, or the Democrat Party Chairman tried that, that they would make sure that we all knew who they were, and that they would be open and forthcoming, and probably less hostile, but then they would not have to be outed repeatedly.


73 posted on 06/24/2011 9:53:15 AM PDT by ansel12 (America has close to India population of 1950s, India has 1,200,000,000 people now. Quality of Life?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: ansel12

I’m not claiming any facts are wrong, since you didn’t present facts. You presented twisted lies, as you have done repeatedly concerning me over many, many months.

Your repeated trollish personal attacks grow tiresome.


74 posted on 06/24/2011 9:57:02 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Hey Republicans, get back to me if you ever decide to become republicans.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: ansel12
Since you operate anonymously from behind a screen name, for all we know, you are the Republican Party Chairman. You're certainly doing his work for him in any case.

A little reminder for ya, again:

Welcome to Free Republic!

Free Republic is the premier online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web. We're working to roll back decades of governmental largesse, to root out political fraud and corruption, and to champion causes which further conservatism in America. And we always have fun doing it. Hoo-yah!

75 posted on 06/24/2011 10:02:00 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Hey Republicans, get back to me if you ever decide to become republicans.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance
The facts that I posted are correct

"No, they weren't. Totally twisted and distorted."

My facts are all correct. Even the Democrat Chairwoman would not be as hostile as you are being, she would own up to her leadership position, and why she was posting against Palin and Bachmann on this Romney thread. We would be well aware that she officially represents an opposition candidate and party.

76 posted on 06/24/2011 10:02:44 AM PDT by ansel12 (America has close to India population of 1950s, India has 1,200,000,000 people now. Quality of Life?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: ansel12

Why wouldn’t I be hostile? You’ve been attacking me personally and lying about me over and over again on thread after thread after thread for more than a year. You think I’m going to give you a hug?


77 posted on 06/24/2011 10:06:09 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Hey Republicans, get back to me if you ever decide to become republicans.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance

Try being a little more honest.

I am a lifelong independent and I am not challenging you posting, I merely want you to make it front and center that you are actually a party official, and an actual Party Chairman, and that you are posting as a professional, doing his party’s work to advance your candidate, who will be running against the GOP, and against Governor Palin and Bachmann.


78 posted on 06/24/2011 10:07:22 AM PDT by ansel12 (America has close to India population of 1950s, India has 1,200,000,000 people now. Quality of Life?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]

To: ansel12
an opposition candidate and party.

There's your problem. You're under the illusion that this is a Republican Party website.

79 posted on 06/24/2011 10:07:49 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Hey Republicans, get back to me if you ever decide to become republicans.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance

You are hostile when identified as a Party Chairman, care to share with me a lie that I have told about you, on “thread after thread”?


80 posted on 06/24/2011 10:09:35 AM PDT by ansel12 (America has close to India population of 1950s, India has 1,200,000,000 people now. Quality of Life?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 141-145 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson