GOP guru Steve Schmidt: exit polls suggest Perry, Bachmann no longer “plausible”

SFGate: Politics Blog ^ | 1/3/12 | Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

[SmithL]

GOP political consultant Steve Schmidt, one of the toughest guys in the business and the guru behind the 2008 John McCain presidential campaign, said that early polls suggest Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann are likely no longer “plausible” candidates after tonight.

And he told MSNBC it increasingly looks like former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum “may well emerge as the chief alternative to Mitt Romney.”

With Santorum showing strong in early exit polls, Schmidt — an MSNBC analyst — told the network moments ago that Santorum is “going to have to make a lot of decisions very quickly if he comes out on top tonight..he’s going to have to be drinking water out of a fire hose.”

[SmithL]

Well, if the Comicle says it's so, . . .

[cripplecreek]

the guru behind the 2008 John McCain presidential campaign

LOL

[Dr. Sivana]

Indeed. that should be the “goo-goo” behind the 2008 McCain campaign.

[muddler]

Mclame....ha ha

[KoRn]

“GOP Guru”

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cripplecreek]

I think he’s worried that one of those icky conservatives will regain some support as Ron Paul falls off after Iowa.

Things are a bit different this primary season and I want the conservatives to stay in so we can see how things shake out.

Personally I want a single primary day nationwide.

[grey_whiskers]

"Plausible" ?

What is this, an episode of Mitt-busters?

(I'd suggest "viable" but that would start a pro-life avalanche.)

Cheers!

[DemforBush]

"Steve Schmidt, one of the toughest guys in the business"

Tee-hee! Tee-hee!

[SoConPubbie]

Steve Schmidt is a JackAss!

The only people listening to this dolt are uninformed conservatives, moderates, and liberals.

[NKP_Vet]

Like Romney, Santorum can’t win in the South. McCain came in 4th place four years ago in Iowa. The baldfaced lies
from richey mitt romney worked. That one trick pony wont play when the primaries swing to all points South!

Newt Gingrich will win the GOP nomination.

[zerosix]

"GOP political consultant Steve Schmidt, one of the toughest guys in the business and the guru behind the 2008 John McCain..."

I could be wrong but I think I remember Schmidt as being behind the smearing of Sarah Palin, anyone else besides me remember this guy?

[biggredd1]

you are correct, schmidt is a rat.

[dragnet2]

Perry needs to spend more money!

lol...

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[Fightin Whitey]

>>>Steve Schmidt GOP guru and one of the toughest guys in the business<<<

Right. That’s why the only gig he can get is on MSNBC, for eff’s sake.

[Nifster]

You don’t consider Santorum a conservative??

[marty60]

Brains behind McCain?

LMAO

[ncalburt]

Your right , this village idiot was campaigning to blame and smear Palin.
A creep and moron who could only get a gig trashing the GOP like
Traitor Joe on MS-DNC

[DTogo]

Schmidt — an MSNBC analyst...

Such a tough GOP "guru" that he's working for MSNBC.

[Jim Robinson]

Who the hell is Steve Schmidt?

[cripplecreek]

You don’t consider Santorum a conservative??

Of course.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Why would a so-called “conservative” work for MSNBC?

[Venturer]

A blog that actually thinks Iowa’s caucus is somehow relevant.

[Nifster]

So does that mean of course you do not consider him a conservative or of course you do consider him a conservative? Your answer is confusing

[oldbill]

Schmidt, the guru for McCain, was also a top campaign guy for Bush 2004. He took a sure landslide against an ignorant dilletante and turned it into a near loss.

So why should we listen to Schmidt?

[RobinOfKingston]

Why would a so-called “conservative” work for MSNBC?

The "so-called 'conservative'" slot is already filled at cnn?

[bvw]

A poisonous viper, evidently. See the interest in him by the left:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/17/steve-schmidt-mccain-camp_n_188354.html

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/01/11/sarah-palin-and-steve-schmidt-the-intra-gop-feud-continues-on/

[cripplecreek]

He’s a conservative and one of my top picks.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Steve Schmidt - only in San Francisco would they think he’s a Republican “tough guy” - looks like that creepy internal affairs cop on Mentalist.

[Graybeard58]

Santorum “may well emerge as the chief alternative to Mitt Romney.”

Fine with me.

No Romney/Paul/Huntsman.

[Luke21]

Steve Schmidt’s comments and views are identical to Kark Rove, another Republican “tough guy” and “guru.”

[Luke21]

Steve Schmidt’s comments and views are identical to Karl Rove, another Republican “tough guy” and “guru.”

[greeneyes]

Personally I want a single primary day nationwide.

When there are so many candidates, that would mean that someone could win the nomination with only around 25% of the vote( which means that 75% do not support the winner).
Not sure that would be so great for conservatives.

[Reynoldo]

to be fair and balanced

[Michigan Bowhunter]

GURU....FU......LOL!!!!!

[cripplecreek]

When there are so many candidates, that would mean that someone could win the nomination with only around 25% of the vote( which means that 75% do not support the winner).

So you're OK with middle of the road Iowa and left leaning east coast states picking the candidates for us?

Do away with this first in the nation crap and let the candidates campaign to their strengths all across the country instead of spending 9 months in Iowa and NH.

[allblues]

I think that would actually be Steve Schmuck they’re talking about.

[CSI007]

Ahh yes newt wins the south and we are stuck with another progressive republican who will then be torn apart by another liberal in the general election...

[Presbyterian Reporter]

Steve Schmidt, one of the toughest guys in the business and the guru behind the FAILED 2008 John McCain presidential campaign.

Schmidt is a nothing but a hack who is still doing the bidding of the GOP establishment to knock down Rick Perry in the waning moments of the Iowa caucus.

Just like he failed in 2008, Schmidt failed here. Perry got 24% and tied for first place.

[piytar]

This guy is an idiot. From Drudge:

“RICK 24.3% MITT 23.6% RON 21.8%”

Yea, Perry is done after WINNING.

[Yashcheritsiy]

This guy is an idiot. From Drudge:

“RICK 24.3% MITT 23.6% RON 21.8%”

Yea, Perry is done after WINNING.

Uh, that's Rick SANTORUM who has 24.3%, not Rick Perry. According to the (somewhat) up to the minute results at Google's politics and elections map, Perry is pulling in a distant 5th at 10%, behind Gingrich.

[cableguymn]

Poor showing for Milt given the amount of money he has spent. I think HE should drop out.

Anyone care to argue with me on that one? ;)

[greeneyes]

“So you’re OK with middle of the road Iowa and left leaning east coast states picking the candidates for us?”

No I think the first states should be the swing states, or midwest and southern states. LOL. Let the east coastees be last. If they don’t like it, let them secede.LOL.

[cableguymn]

[piytar]

Whoa. My bad...

[mkjessup]

Who the hell is Steve Schmidt?

He's kind of a 'Mark McKinnon-lite'.

VERY lite. lol

[mkjessup]

Personally I want a single primary day nationwide.
When there are so many candidates, that would mean that someone could win the nomination with only around 25% of the vote( which means that 75% do not support the winner). Not sure that would be so great for conservatives.

Well you are correct that it would not be great for conservatives, however after this latest electoral cycle of primary foolishness, I actually have a solution that not only would bring balance and common sense back into the GOP primaries, it will never be adopted because it is above all things, infinitely FAIR:

Adopt a lottery selection process to determine the order of the presidential primaries. Each election cycle, all the states names go into a hat, and the order in which they are drawn will determine 'who goes first' as the primary process begins on 3 January of that election year.

Every 4 years, a new lottery is drawn with new results every time, a November/Thanksgiving date would be a good point to pull the names from the hat.

Iowa and New Hampshire can take their chances with the rest of their fellow states, no more favorites, no more divas, no more of the clamoring about how 'special' this caucus or this primary is, and ONLY Republicans registering within 30 days of the primaries will be allowed to participate.

Well, it was a neat brainstorm anyhow.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Great at getting the nomination. He ran a HORRIBLE mushy-moderate presidential campaign.

[Antoninus]

Poor showing for Milt given the amount of money he has spent. I think HE should drop out.

I second.

I call for Romney to drop out now!

[greeneyes]

LOL. Especially the part about registered Republicans would be better to pick a Pubbie candidate. We don’t have to do anything other than ask for a ballot in the primary, show our driver’s license, and sign our name next to our address.

Sometimes I get a Dem ballot when I need to for some reason.