Posted on 11/22/2011 2:35:22 PM PST by smoothsailing
Cameron Joseph
November 22, 2011
A top organization of Iowa social conservatives slammed Herman Cain as it narrowed its list for a possible presidential endorsement list.
Cain and Ron Paul were dropped from The Family Leader's consideration, leaving Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann as the possible winners. Mitt Romney did not seek the group's endorsement.
Headed by the influential activist Bob Vander Plaats, the group criticized Cain, saying he lacked "clarity on the key issues of life, marriage, foreign policy, and presidential readiness" — a major diss to a candidate who has sought to garner support from social conservatives in the state.
Cain might have angered some in the group when he refused to sign an early version of their pledge because it said that African-American children were more likely to be born into two-parent households under slavery than they were today.
The group said they had concerns Paul's view of states' rights meant he did not oppose adequately enough abortion rights or gay marriage.
Romney has long drawn the ire of Vander Plaats, who ran former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's (R) successful Iowa campaign in the 2008 presidential election, in which Romney was a top rival.
Whomever the group backs could get a major boost in Iowa — the organization's board is made up of most of the state's top social conservatives.
Evangelical Christians make up approximately 60 percent of GOP caucus-goers in the state, giving them an outsize influence on the process. All of the candidates looking to recreate the successful coalition that vaulted Huckabee to a win over Romney in 2008 would get a major boost from this group.
Why keep Newt? Cain has been married 43 years to the same woman. Why keep Perry? He has made crony backroom deals an art? He is for sale to the highest bidder?
Santorum is a good guy who has no chance.
How stupid is this group?
Bachmann is worth it, the rest are throwaway phonies.
The left finds Cain dangerous. The left has seemingly found common ground this Iowa group because they’re on the same page. Let the voters decide. Groups like this are just like the establishment: “WE PROCLAIM SO AND SO IS WORTHY OF OUR GRAND AND SANCTIFIED APPROVAL”. Give me a break already.
These people are RINOs
Newt ranks very high with the national right to life
Gingrich’s consistent pro-life standard is reflected by the following:
1. 98.6% Lifetime Pro-Life Rating from the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC). For the 20 years that Gingrich served in Congress (1979-1999), Gingrich supported the pro-life position in 70 out of 71 votes. (In the one instance that he did not take the NRLC position, it was because the NRLC opposed an early 1995 version of welfare reform because it changed certain welfare payments for mothers with children; NRLC did not oppose the final version of Gingrich’s welfare reform passed in 1996)
2. Supported the Hyde Amendment. Gingrich consistently voted for the Hyde amendment and other bans on government funding of abortions.
3. Partial Birth Abortion Ban. During Gingrich’s tenure as Speaker, the House of Representatives twice passed legislation banning partial birth abortions. President Clinton vetoed this legislation both times. Finally, a partial birth abortion ban was signed into law in 2003. The legislative effort to ban partial birth abortions had a very positive impact increasing pro-life support in the United States.
4. Signed the Susan B. Anthony List Pro-Life Leadership Presidential Pledge. In June 2011, Gingrich signed the SBA List Pro-Life Leadership Presidential pledge in which Gingrich pledges to the American people that if elected President he will (i) only nominate judges to the Supreme Court and federal judiciary who are committed to restraint and applying the original meaning of the Constitution, and not legislating from the bench (ii) select pro-life appointees for relevant executive branch positions, (iii) advance pro-life legislation to permanently end all taxpayer funding of abortion in all domestic and international spending programs, (iv) defund Planned Parenthood; and (v) advance and sign into law a Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to protect unborn children who are capable of feeling pain from abortion.
5. Pledges to Sign Two Pro-life Executive Orders on the first day of a Gingrich Administration.
i. “Mexico City Policy” of Respect for Life. Reauthorize President Ronald Reagan’s policy – also known as the “Mexico City Policy”— to stop the federal funding of any non-governmental agencies or charities that perform or promote abortions in foreign countries.
ii. Respect the Beliefs and Integrity of Healthcare Workers. No American working in a medical environment should be forced to perform any action or procedure that he or she finds morally or ethically objectionable. This protection should include, but not be limited to, abortion and sterilization procedures. Existing conscience clause protections need to be strengthened.
Obviously they are speaking about Cain's position on Same Sex Marriage. And by the way, I am looking forward to some pecan pie on Thanksgiving. I am nuts for nuts!
I don’t know why. Never seen Newt come out in favor of social conservatism. In 2001 he supported federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. That is not a pro-life position. What’s changed?
Vander Plaats ran Huckabee’s Iowa campaign? And he calls himself a conservative?
So, Vander Plaats et. al. are OK with Huckabee’s social progressivism but not with Cain’s conservatism?
I suppose if an organization is going to make itself look stupid this is as good a way as any.
http://bangordailynews.com/2011/11/21/politics/almost-everyone-gets-the-gingrich-divorce-story-wrong/
The Family Leader's... Bob Vander Plaats... ran former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's (R) successful Iowa campaign in the 2008 presidential election...
Want to bet The Family Leader “conservatives” endorse Mittens Romney in the end because “he can win”?
Amen and spot on!
Tea Party is edging towards Newt...Gingrich’s lead among potential Republican primary voters is driven largely by his support among those who consider themselves to be part of the Tea Party movement. Gingrich has the support of 35 percent of Tea Party voters, which equals the tally for Cain (20 percent) and Romney (15 percent) combined. No other candidate has double-digit support among the Tea Party.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/fox-news-tea-party-vaults-gingrich-first_609128.html
Allen Olson, chairman of the Columbia Tea Party, said Tuesday he will resign his post in order to endorse former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich in his bid for the White House.
“There is only one candidate for president who is leading on what I believe are the underlying issues this country faces,” Olson said in a statement. “Not only is this candidate talking about serious issues, he is providing real solutions.”
Olson said the deciding factor in his choice to support Gingrich was his advocacy for the Strong America Now deficit-cutting plan which seeks to eliminate federal waste.
Olson said he will work with Gingrich’s team in the months to come to build a grassroots movement here in South Carolina.
http://www.newt.org/news/sc-tea-party-leader-endorses-newt
Gingrich scores endorsement from Tea Party Nation founder
By Justin Sink - 09/26/11 11:30 AM ET
The founder of the Tea Party Nation — one of the largest coordinated groups in the conservative Tea Party movement — announced Monday that he would endorse former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.
'Stickin’ w/Herman, also.
Note the above quote from the article w/regard to its leader.
Right - Like the last three Presidents did such a great job on foreign policy!
Fact is we can’t control other Countries. We can only prepare to defend ourselves. The best way is with our MDS and agree to protect those Countries who allow us to have our bases ready to go on their soil.
I don’t think Newt has the likable personality when it comes to making friends...Domestically or Internationally.
This is standard Elitist RINO GOP propaganda in the making.
Cain is the sole thread to either party’s elite power structure. Noot, Mitt, Michellemybelle, Sanitorium, nor Perrywinkle are any problem for the continuance of BUSINESS AS USUAL.
That is why Cain is the sole remaining TEA party hope, and the focus of each and every shred of propaganda being manufactured; especially the push polls.
Yep...it says a lot about where he is coming from and some of the reasoning behind this decision.
I’m hoping, working, and praying that Cain can surprise the lot of them come January.
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