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Romney Takes on Some Water
National Review Online ^ | January 8, 2012 | Rich Lowry

Posted on 01/08/2012 10:16:50 PM PST by neverdem

Romney had a tough start. Santorum had a very pointed question on his decision not to run for re-election in 2006, “Why did you bail out?” Romney responded with what Newt rightly called “pious baloney.” On this question, Romney simply can’t admit the truth—he didn’t run for re-election because he might have lost and, more importantly, he wanted to run for president. Romney absurdly characterized leaving office to run for another office as returning to the private sector. I’m not sure how much voters will be outraged by any of this. They probably assume every politician wants to run for office. But the exchange got to a certain falsity in Romney’s self-presentation that plays into more important doubts about his sincerity.

The other notable exchange came at the end between Romney and Newt on the Superpac ads. Here again, Romney was less than forthcoming. He said on the one hand that he hadn’t seen the ads and then immediately related some of the most damaging charges in them (carefully leaving out one of the most dubious ones, I believe). But he made the basic point that Newt has a lot of vulnerabilities and Newt came across as too whiny and peevish. One of Newt’s drawbacks as a debater is that his worst qualities come out when he’s on the attack; he soars the most when he’s not drawing any blood.

In general:

Romney was fine when not challenged and after the ferocious beginning that was the case for most of the debate.

Santorum continues to be strong—but is he standing out enough when the other candidates are performing well, too?

Gingrich is simply terrific when discussing policy and getting beneath the premises of the questions.

Perry may have gotten the best reaction of the debate in flawlessly naming the three cabinet agencies he wants to eliminate. He has benefited from being off to the side in these debates. There’s less pressure there and he can lump the field in all together without the need to engage with anyone in particular directly. His relatively strong performances last night and this morning may help him retain enough strength in South Carolina to play what I assume won’t be anything more than the spoiler role.

Is Huntsman showing enough movement that Romney finally feels the need to slap him down, or is it simply irritation? Huntsman acted as if he had been stewing all night over Romney’s attack on him last night for serving as Obama’s ambassador to China. With Huntsman, it’s all pious baloney all the time. He made out like he was hearing nothing but outrageousness, dishonesty, and hatefulness on stage all around him. His contingent in the audience either was extremely enthusiastic or under strict orders to clap at almost all his answers.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: gingrich; huntsman; romney; santorum
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To: cookcounty

And the Colorado Caucus, Feb. 7th is closed, last day to switch affiliation was December 8th.


21 posted on 01/09/2012 7:11:18 AM PST by cookcounty (Newt 2012: ---> Because he got it DONE.)
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To: fatima
Is Florida open?

This is one of the sites where i'm getting that information: FairVote.org

And here: http://www.2012presidentialelectionnews.com/2012-republican-primary-schedule/

I'd love to have a non-biased site that has all the information combined, so please let me know if you run across one.

22 posted on 01/09/2012 9:13:46 AM PST by naxetevitan
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To: naxetevitan

OK.


23 posted on 01/09/2012 9:40:05 AM PST by fatima (Free Hugs Today :))
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Thanks for the link.


24 posted on 01/09/2012 9:41:18 AM PST by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: COBOL2Java; xzins; fatima; ez; tinamina; Mycroft Holmes; BenKenobi; reed13k; neverdem; onyx
I've been looking out on the internet for information on how the states are set up, but if anyone has the info, that would be great.

Not sure if this is what you mean, but it sure is fun to play with. FReeper xzins posted it the other day and i LOVE it. http://www.270towin.com/ You can see how the electoral vote has played out since 1789. One caveat: for the 2000 election, under "Election Facts," the website listed “Impeachment” and “Presidential ethics.” That SHOULD be listed on the previous election of 1996, under clinton.

According to that site, only Nebraska and Maine are set up to split their electoral votes. Not sure if that's accurate or not. I'm still looking.

One more thing: Wouldn't it be hilarious if someone would start collecting videos of Karl Rove and other GOP-Elites in previous elections contradicting their present-day statements about electoral voting? This morning i saw some "former advisor" to GHWB (on Faux News) saying that whoever wins NH tomorrow, it will be over. This idiot was actually claiming that the importance of NH could never be overestimated and that whoever won it would coast to victory. I have no doubt that Rove will be saying the same thing.

Well, GWB lost NH in '04 to Perry, according to that website above. I'd LOVE to see what that same schmuck was saying back THEN about the "importance" of NH!

25 posted on 01/09/2012 9:41:50 AM PST by naxetevitan
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To: tinamina

If it makes you feel any better, i erased before posting what i’d originally written about romney. Twice. lol!


26 posted on 01/09/2012 9:45:30 AM PST by naxetevitan
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To: neverdem
More:

Perry Joins Rivals in Attacking Romney on Bain………….”He said that people in nearby Gaffney, S.C., in particular, “would find his comments incredible,” because it is where Mr. Perry said Bain shut down a plant and fired 150 workers.

“That didn’t happen until Mitt Romney’s private equity firm, they looted that company with more than $20 million in management fees.”

He also charged that Mr. Romney’s firm took $65 million in management fees out of a steel company in a deal in which 700 steelworkers in Georgetown, S.C., and Kansas City lost their jobs, their health insurance and “large portions” of their pensions.

“There’s nothing wrong with being successful and making money — that’s the American dream,” Mr. Perry said. “But there is something inherently wrong when getting rich off failures and sticking it to someone else is how you do your business. I happen to think that that is indefensible.”

“If you are a victim of Bain capital’s downsizing, it’s the ultimate insult for Mitt Romney to come to South Carolina and tell you he feels your pain — because he caused it,” Mr. Perry said..”

27 posted on 01/09/2012 9:49:11 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: COBOL2Java; xzins; fatima; ez; tinamina; Mycroft Holmes; BenKenobi; reed13k; neverdem; onyx
Well, GWB lost NH in '04 to Perry,

Kerry! (Oops.;)

28 posted on 01/09/2012 9:49:53 AM PST by naxetevitan
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
I saw a clip of that and laughed. Perry is finally 'loosing the dogs of war,' as he's been known to do in Texas politics. If nothing else, he will lead the pack in putting Rotney in his place and will function well in that capacity. He may not ever regain him momentum after his verbal slip-ups, we'll have to wait and see, but he WILL go out swinging like the dirt-tough politician that he is.

Romney won't know what hit him. And i can't WAIT until SC to watch it unfold. :)

29 posted on 01/09/2012 10:00:42 AM PST by naxetevitan
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