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Romney's Advantage: Will Perry, Bachmann Divide the Voters Most Resistant to Him
National Journal ^ | 08/19/2011 | By Ronald Brownstein

Posted on 08/19/2011 9:59:57 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

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To: SeekAndFind

Politial pundits need to justify their titles with meaningless analysis.

Many of our primaries will be a joke because Democrats have nobody to vote for.....so in those idiotic states, liberals will be voting in our primary!

Nobody’s analysis takes any of this into account.


21 posted on 08/19/2011 10:51:21 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi
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To: SeekAndFind

At some point Bachmann needs to drop out, she cannot win, and never could.


22 posted on 08/19/2011 10:52:56 AM PDT by ansel12 ( Bristol Palin's book "Not Afraid Of Life: My Journey So Far" became a New York Times, best seller.)
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To: ansel12

Make her head of the IRS or something.

She and Palin certainly throw red meat to the crowd and have good delivery mechanisms and rouse up crowds like few can, but neither are ready to occupy the most powerful (or at least it was) seat on the planet.

A congress-critter and a short-term governor whose media efforts are starting to show signs of overkill are not the thing this county needs.

Not advocating for anyone, just believe these two are not the answer, as much as some want them to be.


23 posted on 08/19/2011 11:09:19 AM PDT by Reagan Disciple (Peace through Strength)
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To: Reagan Disciple

The Reagan like Governor Palin, a known reformer and fearless Executive and a creative, original thinking conservative, of course is the best hope for conservatives and is the best possible leader that America could hope for, but Bachmann has no such background or history.


24 posted on 08/19/2011 11:36:11 AM PDT by ansel12 ( Bristol Palin's book "Not Afraid Of Life: My Journey So Far" became a New York Times, best seller.)
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To: SoConPubbie
... once Perry’s problems with Illegal Immigration, Guardisil, TTC, Hate-Crime laws, etc are more well-known as the campaign goes on ...

Oh my no. You completely misunderestimate the power of your (and others) spamming of these issues. Practically everyone knows them by now.


Oh noes!!

25 posted on 08/19/2011 11:44:28 AM PDT by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: SeekAndFind
... leaving a top tier of three major contenders: Rep. Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the somewhat flickering front-runner.

Um, Brownstein ... meet Mr. Rasmussen. His recent poll shows Perry (29); Romney (18) and Bachmann (13), which pretty much demolishes your whole lame article.

26 posted on 08/19/2011 11:54:00 AM PDT by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: Springfield Reformer

IMHO...

Bachmann, Cain and Santorum are the ones in the race currently that would appear to have the desire and ability to stick to their principles and lead if elected. The real tough challenge if elected, of course, would be to avoid being led astray by advisors or pressure groups, and to be able to remain above lunatic attacks from mainstream media, retaining their perceived leadership status for their whole term. Once a President is mocked enough by the media in their own nation and they appear that they are ruffled by it, they lose true respect and become politically impotent except with their core supporters. Obama is reaching that point already. And that is a dangerous point for the nation.

All three of those candidates, however, are facing enormous pressure from both the left and the Republican establishment, since they have expressed a fair amount of speaking their own mind and the Republican establishment has an irrational fear of losing unless they nominate the odds-on favorite of conventional wisdom, moderation and political compromise. This makes it very hard for them to win the nomination, but will produce a candidate who will have tremendous support in the general election, as much as the Republican establishment is loathe to admit it, since they want more of a puppet, just as the Democrates sought with Obama.

Palin, if she enters the race, would fit in the same category as those three.

Things have to be kept “lively” during the whole long campaign process in order to garner reporting from the press, i.e., free advertising. Also, the press, like a nasty guard dog, has to be thrown bones to give it something else to attack besides the real target. At the end of the day, it’s all so much talk.

These four will continue to rouse things up over the coming months, but will also continue to project level-headedness and common sense that - and this is the key - appeals to the political center and even left of center. That’s they “sweet spot”, when the candidate begins to appeal to their opponents typical supporters. And those folks who are “flippable” to either side, left or right, are heavily influenced by what they see on TV. This is where Palin has taken huge hits then wisely made a tactical decision to do a huge retreat and recede into the woodwork for a while. This got her out of the line of fire and simultaneously gave her more “time in the bottle”.

All four of these people clearly know that for them to equivocate on their principles would cause their base support to lose critical mass. I’m thinking Palin would still have more difficulty in gaining “opponent” supporters. Santorum and Bachmann have a challenge there, as well, but probably not as much. Cain has probably the least challenge there, and he has an easily identifiable harmony with the right-wing base, but the press will be possibly a bit more of a challenge to him than Bachmann. The press views them both as an enemy to be destroyed at all costs, viciously, like they do Palin.

I can see why Palin is not necessarily intent on running herself but is wholly dedicated to not just getting “a Republican” elected, but a true conservative. Undoubtedly (though some may hate to hear this) she is not coveting the Presidency. What I used to think was political ambition (and she may have been ambitious this way on a certain level for a while and not realized it for a while until really taking time to think abou it) I think now is really simply a patriotic reaction to events. And it’s so odd (sarc) - that’s what she has been saying for quite some time. I think that is what motivates all four of these people. Like a team player with unswerving dedication, it appears to me that she mostly waits to see if one or more of these three have such a dramatic setback that it appears possible that none may make it to the nomination. Rather than making chaotic competition between them, it’s wisest to allow them to grow the old fashioned way, using hard campaign work, and see if an “outsider candidate” can reach critical mass in the primary. If one does, we’re done. If it looks like none of them are, I’m sure Palin will jump in.

I would hope that they draw from the paradoxical nature of the Apostle Paul’s ministry as they appeal to the better nature of those of the political center and left, and remember that they are actually trying to change hearts and minds to “grow their own” supporters from amongst those groups. It is about reaching to people in an offer to help them to help themselves to morality and prosperity. And in sincerity, saying something that is wrong is right does not make it so; it actually is a lie that condemns those in the wrong to the consequences of their error.

I’m in the camp of those four, with the addition of any others that may express an interest in running who are solid s + f conservatives who do not come across as a “politician”, though I can’t think of any others at the moment who have expressed an interest in running.

Remember the Senate and House are also having elections...


27 posted on 08/19/2011 11:55:10 AM PDT by PieterCasparzen (We need to fix things ourselves)
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To: SoConPubbie

Anybody who picks Perry because they don’t like Romney is substituting a RINO who loves open borders for one who loves socialized medicine.


28 posted on 08/19/2011 12:46:48 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: RockinRight

Barring some horrific scandal Perry is probably going to run away with the nomination. I’m still backing Michelle Bachmann but I am worried that she will not overcome Perry.


29 posted on 08/19/2011 1:43:11 PM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: MNJohnnie

“Actually looking at the polling data Perry seems to be fracturing Romney’s hold on the GOP Establishment voters.”

Erik Erickson (who is behind RedState and does a local radio show) had an excellent insight about whey the establishment is going after Perry.

It seems all the insider GOP consultants (the Bush team members, Rollins, Rove, etc...) and joined either Romney’s or Bachmann’s campaign.

Perry’s team is made up almost entierly of people who have worked with him in the past on his Texas campaigns. In other words, all Washington outsiders.

If Perry should win the nomination (much less the White House) the Washington GOP establishment political class (consultants, hangers on, etc...) might get locked out of future jobs that would istead go to Perry’s Texas political supporters/staff.

If Romney or Bachmann should win, the door would be open for the Washington political class to get their next job.

What we’re seeing isn’t so much a battle of ideology as a fight for future jobs and influence. Rove, Rollins, and their ilk are desperatly trying to save their current status as Washington power brokers. A status the would lose if Perry (and his band of non-Washington consultants) should win.


30 posted on 08/19/2011 2:58:13 PM PDT by Brookhaven
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