Romney Campaign Rejects Using the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Against Obama

NYT ^ | Thursday May 17, 2012

[Bigtigermike]

Mitt Romney’s campaign manager rejected efforts to use President Obama’s former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, in ads attacking the president, as reportedly planned by a “super PAC” working toward electing Mr. Romney in November.

“Unlike the Obama campaign, Gov. Romney is running a campaign based on jobs and the economy, and we encourage everyone else to do the same,” the campaign manager, Matt Rhoades, said in a statement on Thursday morning. “President Obama’s team said they would ‘kill Romney,’ and, just last week, David Axelrod referred to individuals opposing the president as ‘contract killers.’ It’s clear President Obama’s team is running a campaign of character assassination. We repudiate any efforts on our side to do so.”

[.....]

Statements like that from Mr. McCain may be part of the reason Mr. Romney’s campaign quickly rejected the idea of using Mr. Wright as a way of attacking the president. Already, advisers to Mr. Obama have raised the question of whether Mr. Romney will speak out like Mr. McCain did.

“Stunning! Will Mitt stand up, as John McCaln did? Or allow the purveyors of slime to operate on his behalf?” David Axelrod, a senior campaign adviser to Mr. Obama, wrote on Twitter early Thursday morning.

[Bigtigermike]

I understand the point of focusing on the economy but these establishment idiots got to see that Obama want just enough voters in a few swing states to really not like Romney and so will fight dirty to get there and this being honorable while the the other side fights dirty won't win over anybody

[New Jersey Realist]

Following the path of McShame! Loser.

[Copenhagen Smile]

If Romney wants any chance of winning he'd better REFUDIATE this notion of fighting like a gentleman.

He needs to "fight like a girl."

[rightwingextremist1776]

Funny how RINOs NEVER use this kind of restraint when up against CONSERVATIVES...

His nuking of Newt comes to mind...

If this clown from massholechuchits doesn't come out with guns blazing against the commie usurper he con NOT count on my vote...I'm already holding my nose.

[rightwingextremist1776]

Funny how RINOs NEVER use this kind of restraint when up against CONSERVATIVES...

His nuking of Newt comes to mind...

If this clown from massholechuchits doesn’t come out with guns blazing against the commie userper he can NOT count on my vote...I’m already holding my nose.

[C19fan]

Romney is as gutless as McQueeg.

[MissesBush]

This is why you use surrogates. If you’re squeemish, get others talking about Wright. The Obama cabal already has its puppets like Maher out trashing Romney’s religion. No one says you have to go at this directly. Get after it through those willing to do it on your behalf. That said, I think going after Bill Ayers is a better line of attack than Wright quite honestly. And that he can feel less squeemish about going after directly.

[xzins]

Romney Campaign Rejects Using the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Against Obama

John?

John McCain?

Is that you?

[MrB]

I guess Romney’s afraid of losing the black vote.

[MissesBush]

This is why you use surrogates. If you’re squeemish, get others talking about Wright. The Obama cabal already has its puppets like Maher out trashing Romney’s religion. No one says you have to go at this directly. Get after it through those willing to do it on your behalf. That said, I think going after Bill Ayers is a better line of attack than Wright quite honestly. And that he can feel less squeemish about going after directly.

[MissesBush]

This is why you use surrogates. If you’re squeemish, get others talking about Wright. The Obama cabal already has its puppets like Maher out trashing Romney’s religion. No one says you have to go at this directly. Get after it through those willing to do it on your behalf. That said, I think going after Bill Ayers is a better line of attack than Wright quite honestly. And that he can feel less squeemish about going after directly.

[Steely Tom]

Romney == McCain II.

[dfwgator]

The advantage the Rats have, is that the candidate can stay above the fray, knowing their allies in the media, like John Stewart, will do the dirty work for them...Republicans don’t have that option.

[wardaddy]

what damned idiots

destroy Newt Gingrich with impunity

but walk soft on the Magic Negro

i loathe the GOPE

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Worked well for McCain.

Economy and jobs should be focused on.

Nothing, however, should be off-limits if helps point out what an anti-American loser the current POTUS is.

[C19fan]

We have already seen Zero’s minions in the MSM hurling mud at Willard for being a Mormon.

[tobyhill]

Romney is not allowed to communicate with the Superpac. If the Superpac wants to run an ad that's truthful, something the Lame Stream Media would know nothing about, then it's go time.

[KC_Lion]

More grievously rent by sectional rivalries than the Democrats, the Whigs balloted fifty-three times before nominating the Mexican War hero Winfield Scott. The delegates then unanimously approved the platform except for the central plank that pledged "acquiescence" in the Compromise of 1850, "the act known as the Fugitive Slave law included." The plank carried by a vote of 212 to 70, opposition coming largely from Scott's supporters. The old soldier, faced with disarray in the Whig ranks, sought out to resolve his dilemma by announcing, "I accept the nomination with the resolutions annexed." To which antislavery Whigs rejoined, "We accept the candidate, but we spit on the platform"

Put simply, Romney doesn't want to threaten the Welfare State the same way the Whigs didn't back in 1852.

History is repeating itself people, the Anti-Slavery Faction (debt slaves this time) is being marginalized and it won't be long before we split all together.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

I guess Romney’s afraid of losing the black vote.

Which one?

[Little Ray]

Every time I begin to think that we MIGHT be rid of Obama this election, something like this comes up.

The ‘Pubbies need to use every weapon they can get their hands on. There is no such thing as “over kill.” There is only “Open fire; Reload; and Target Destroyed.”

[LeonardFMason]

lololololo!

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Worked well for McCain.

Economy and jobs should be focused on.

Nothing, however, should be off-limits if helps point out what an anti-American loser the current POTUS is.

[PGR88]

I can envision the perfect Ad:

Scene of Wright and his G-D America tirade

fade the sound of that slowly, while showing stats of Obama’s economic statistics.

Voice at the end - “Have Rev. Wright’s prayers been answered?”

[svcw]

So lets see where we are, Romney destroys the conservatives in the primary with out right lies and distortions of records, and now refuses (apparently) to attack BHO for who he is and what he stands for, oh yea and Romney is a liberal.......wait didn’t we already lose with this strategy before.
It’s just another reason why I wont vote for that liberal called Romney.

[cripplecreek]

And right now the news is talking about Romney praising the Clinton economic boom. LOL

[certrtwngnut]

Romney == McCain II which == Dole III
Rinos will never learn.

[slumber1]

Following the path of McCain for sure but if he opens the Jeremiah Wright door, doesn’t that allow Obama PAC’s to get into the whole Mormon thing. McCain was a wus but Romney is hemmed in by his own religious issues

[Cato in PA]

“John?

John McCain?

Is that you?”

Even better: it’s the guy who lost to the guy who lost to Obama. Our champion has arrived!

[Wizdum]

Who says the Romney campaign has to do anything about this?

Romney has more than been willing to use surrogates as his attack animals for the primaries. Why should this be any different?

[azcap]

It’s the only answer Romney could and should give when asked about SuperPac attacks (legally and strategically). If any of you really think Romney is McCain and won’t do ANYTHING to win you are sadly mistaken, just ask Newt and Rick. His positions are squishy but his campaign machine is solid. Romney’s internals probably show him with a 10 point lead, not the time to get ugly with your opponent. He may run away with the race it or it may tighten up in the fall. When the time comes, if he needs to, Romney will welcome any attack from the superPacs, all the while saying “I don’t want to talk abut that stuff, lets just talk about jobs”. It’s a win win for him.

[cripplecreek]

Romney destroys the conservatives in the primary with out right lies and distortions of records.

Obama style politics. The GOP even changed the delegate allocation rules no more than 24 hours after the vote in Michigan to save Oromney the indignity of a tie. How pathetic is that?

[Responsibility2nd]

This is why you use surrogates. If you’re squeemish, get others talking about Wright....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EGGS-ZACTLY.

Swiftboating worked. How about Wright-boating?

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Romney better get with the program!!! Doing a “McCain, Whimp Job” on Obama is a sure loser!!! Listen, Obama, his wife, Michelle, and...the entire Democrat Party are enemies of the state (USA), Period. Playing footsie and making nice with these traitor Democrat “dirt bags” is no way to win the POTUS slot. Romney telling us that Obama is a nice man who is just misguided is pure lunacy. Anyone that thinks Obama’s 20 year hangout and lovefest with Rev. Jeremiah Wright was a “Christian” Crusade is mentally unbalanced or high on drugs!!! they were plotting the destruction of the USA, period!!! Romney, idiot wake up to reality!!!

[SMARTY]

“Romney Campaign Rejects Using the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Against Obama”

Your reaction choices:

1.) Be a ‘Mr. Nice-guy’ candidate

2.) Be a stupid ‘Mr. Nice-guy’ candidate

3.) Be a stupid ‘Mr. Nice-guy’, ‘I want to lose’ candidate

[kevkrom]

this being honorable while the the other side fights dirty

Yeah, but this is Romney we're talking about. He has a long-established MO of keeping his own hands ostensibly clean while surrogates do all of the dirty work. This is totally in character but does not mean that the Wright stuff won't be used.

[apillar]

We all know that Mitt Romney certainly isn’t afraid to fight dirty to win (Just ask Gingrich, Santorum, Cain, Perry and Bachmann). Which makes me wonder if this isn’t all kabuki theater with Mitt Romney acting SHOCKED!, SHOCKED I TELL YOU! to keep his hands clean, all the while giving this Super Pac a sly wink and a thumbs up.

[dfwgator]

Exactly, people forget that W never once addressed Kerry’s record in Vietnam, and if anything, he would have just said that Kerry served honorably there.

[woweeitsme]

Agreed. Romney doesn’t have to do anything...let the PACs do the damage.

[azcap]

Here is the real difference between Romney and McCain. In 08 McCain publicly condemned the Jeremiah Wright / Saul Alinksky stuff. He also put pressure behind the scenes on the pacs and surrogates not to run with it. He made it clear privately that he didn’t want it. In ‘04 Bush publicly condemned the Swift Boat line of attack, but behind the scenes the Swift Boaters got a wink, a nod and a thank you. Romney is not McCain.

[MotorCityBuck]

Chicken Sh!t ! FUMR ! Mittens is a candidate we can all get behind.s/ to us the parlance of our time. Oh yea, and FUMR!

[SERKIT]

Romney == McCain II.

Romney = McCain II = Dole Redux

We need to stop this old fart next-in-line olde guard cycle.

[Responsibility2nd]

Heh heh.

And while Romney is busy NOT talking about “God Da*n” Wright, he should also make it a point to NOT mention Larry Sinclair.

[LibFreeUSA]

Actually, this is a very smart move on Romney Campaign’s part. They are going after the best of both worlds. They publicly “reject” any attempt on their behalf towards efforts that would focus away from “jobs”, all the while the PACs are not only free to do as they please, but would actually be prohibited from directly taking directions or management from the candidates direct campaign staff.

[ScottinVA]

Yeah, but this is Romney we're talking about. He has a long-established MO of keeping his own hands ostensibly clean while surrogates do all of the dirty work. This is totally in character but does not mean that the Wright stuff won't be used.

I'm wondering that myself... perhaps there's a strategy at work. After all (wink-wink), that super-PAC isn't (wink-wink) Romney's. He can publicly "reject" it, but privately cheer it on.

[Yashcheritsiy]

Good grief.

Win or lose, this guy is going to be an unmitigated disaster.

Thanks again, Republican Party, for taking perhaps the BEST political climate you’ve had in three decades, and squandering it on an absolute idiot of a candidate.

[no-to-illegals]

Going to take a different tact and give an opinion.

Who is going to want to be in charge if everything which involves the economy goes to heck in a hand-basket? Everything which points to both candidates is a mitten and a zer0 ... zer0 wants to continue the destruction and finish America (suspected and may be true).
mittens ... he may be thinking why would anyone want to be in the presidency when the economy goes to heck in a hand-basket?
Two 0-99 votes, in the Senate, for the zer0 budget spoke volumes, and the House was unanimous in rejection of a zer0 budget also.
Volumes are being spoken to the American people and the American people are perhaps enjoying a nap. Has mitten's concluded ... I do not want to be blamed for this. Perhaps.

The preceding has been imho. An opinion only and there is no intent to be offensive to anyone except D.C. politicians and media personel.

[Wurlitzer]

Good grief another Bob Dole or McCain fiasco. You don’t have to get down in the mud and fabricate lies like the democrats do but for crying out loud when you have factual evidence which can show your opponent in a bad light DO IT.

There must be some backbone liquefying infection sweeping through the GOP as nobody seems to have the backbone for a fight and this is a war of political ideas. The GOP refuses to fight it like the war that it is.

It is bad enough the MSM is in full censor mode when it comes to the communist in chief but when his opponent self censors why bother having an election. Just anoint the muslim to his final 4 years and see all the damage he can do when he no longer has to worry about another election. Hell he told the commie bastards in Russia essentially the same thing.

[Bigtigermike]

Nope! It’s well documented that RINOS and liberal republicans will attack conservatives with more ferocity than any lib any day

[ScottinVA]

Romney = McCain II = Dole Redux

Maybe not... there might be a reject-it-publicly_but-give-a-wink strategy afoot here.

[Slump Tester]

As always, we have assholes in charge who will help Obama.