Reading Romney [Scott Walker effect]

The Weekly Standard ^ | June 6, 2012 | William Kristol

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Mitt Romney's statement last night was more interesting than the normal formulaic election night press releases of the genre. Here it is:

“I congratulate Scott Walker on his victory in Wisconsin. Governor Walker has demonstrated over the past year what sound fiscal policies can do to turn an economy around, and I believe that in November voters across the country will demonstrate that they want the same in Washington, D.C. Tonight’s results will echo beyond the borders of Wisconsin. Governor Walker has shown that citizens and taxpayers can fight back – and prevail – against the runaway government costs imposed by labor bosses. Tonight voters said ‘no’ to the tired, liberal ideas of yesterday, and ‘yes’ to fiscal responsibility and a new direction. I look forward to working with Governor Walker to help build a better, brighter future for all Americans.”

Romney goes out of his way to associate his agenda with Walker's (the second sentence), and to identify himself personally with Walker (the last sentence). And he poses the choice at the presidential level as comparable with or analogous to the choice in Wisconsin: "the tired, liberal ideas of yesterday" vs. "fiscal responsibility and a new direction."

The Romney camp has been uncertain as to whether to associate its man with, or distance him from, the sometimes controversial and divisive, Tea Party-infused, anti-establishment Republicanism of 2010. Walker's victory—and his ability to increase his margin from 2010—might well have tipped the balance in the Romney camp toward running at the head of a phalanx of bold conservative reformers, who have after all been pretty successful at governing, rather than running away from them. Or, to put it differently: The Romney camp may conclude that Scott Walker, his message and his spirit, are not part of the problem but rather part of the solution to Romney's electoral task (especially with working-class voters, including private-sector union members). After all, if Romney could hold 94 percent of Walker's vote from last night in November, he'd win Wisconsin, and the presidency.

So I'd expect to see more of the spirit of Scott Walker—and of Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal, Susana Martinez, Bob McDonnell, Mitch Daniels, or, if you want to go back a bit, Tim Pawlenty and Jeb Bush—in Romney's message over the next weeks. I'd expect to see Romney calling attention to successful Republican governance at the state level. I'd expect him to show up more with such figures in swing states.

And I'd expect one of them to be on the ticket. I could still make a case for a reformist senator (Pat Toomey, Marco Rubio, Kelly Ayotte, or perhaps Rob Portman) or congressman (Paul Ryan). But given that Team Romney would like to run against Washington, I think they'll be inclined to pick a governor. And given Romney's insistence on his VP being ready to be president, they'd presumably prefer a governor who's got some national experience or at least two terms as governor plus national exposure. So I suspect we may be heading toward a Romney-Daniels ticket...or, possibly, Romney-Bush or Romney-Pawlenty. Or could Romney just decide not to over-think things and pick the governor who most clearly embodies Scott Walker's combination of policy and political success—Scott Walker?

[txrangerette]

This will never happen, but I thought the mere suggestion of it was interesting.

Last night Mark Levin proposed that Scott Walker be installed as Speaker of the House.

No, he didn’t mean run for a House seat first and then run for Speaker.

This is something we never hear about, but the Speaker does not have to come from the ranks of the House.

Of course Mark, being a constitutional lawyer, knows that.

Interesting digression, don’t you think?

[Hegewisch Dupa]

Well said, Texas Ranger, well said. And without having to resort to caps and swears too ;)

[txrangerette]

Each time Walker is asked by media about being named to run as VP, he practically begs the powers-that-be to choose Paul Ryan...assuming they want someone from Wisconsin...not him.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

....This is something we never hear about, but the Speaker does not have to come from the ranks of the House. Of course Mark, being a constitutional lawyer, knows that. Interesting digression, don’t you think?

I do indeed!

[wayoverontheright]

I think Bobby Jindal would be a good choice for VP.

He complements the ticket by being a southern state governor. Jindal can espouse conservative principles with the best of them, and being a second-generation American, has a degree of gravitas on the immigration issue, not to mention energy policy.

Jindal is having similar successes in the state of Louisiana as Walker has had in Wisconsin, and is popular with the Tea Party.

[myself6]

THATS IT?!

lol..

Point here is, Im not trying to nicely convince you or any other romneybot to stop supporting your socialist candidate.

I am however, threatening the GOP-e. Which calls for the use of strong language.

The threat is basically this: If you nominate this socialist POS, I (and others like me) who are PASSIONATE anti-socialists WILL, at the very least, simply not vote for your candidate but most of us WILL work just as hard against YOUR socialist as we did against the democrats and unions socialists.

You cant defend your guy because he is indefensible. He is a statist to his core which makes him an inherent lying bastard.

Who Walker chooses to support is his business and has nothing to do with why I support him and will NOT effect who I choose to support or fight against.

Brokered convention! DUMP ROMNEY!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Yes. The rise of conservative Governors has been a blessing. Another sign that the voters “get it” and that our public servants on Capital Hill, as well as the GOP nominee, need to listen to them.

[Hawthorn]

>> the Speaker does not have to come from the ranks of the House <<

Yep, and doesn’t even have to be a U. S. citizen. Maybe Mark Steyn would be willing to take the job!

[Matchett-PI]

Kristol is merely echoing Mark Levin. I just tweeted that point. :)

[libstripper]

IMHO Romney is a mercurial opportunist. Right now that’s not so bad because the mercury is running ion the direction of the Tea Party. We just need to keep the pressure on to keep him that way. By pressure I just don’t mean negative attacks, I also mean supporting him when he goes our way and working for him when he goes our way. That way we’ll gain the largest possible influence in his administration. Honey catches a lot more flies than vinegar.

[pistolpackinpapa]

Walker's victory—and his ability to increase his margin from 2010—might well have tipped the balance in the Romney camp toward running at the head of a phalanx of bold conservative reformers, who have after all been pretty successful at governing, rather than running away from them.

How long has Rush been preaching this message? The GOP needs to realize that if you run as a Conservative, you win! Run as a "Liberal-Lite" and you lose.

[myself6]

“Yes. The rise of conservative Governors has been a blessing. Another sign that the voters “get it” and that our public servants on Capital Hill, as well as the GOP nominee, need to listen to them.”

---

HA.... So vote for the socailist / statist Romney? NO THANKS!

I WILL support/vote for/work for people who are TRUE BELIEVERS in limited government. I WILL fight to the bitter end any and all who are statist/lying/socialist bastards, however I will reserve the most bitter contempt for the socialists who infest the GOP. and those who allow them to thrive...

You’ve done yourself a disservice by calling the admin moderator to delete posts that you sensitive little flowers couldn’t stand to read. Fine, I can be JUST as vitriolic (probably more so) without the use of the “shortcut language” Heh, its just a symptom of why the GOP IS where it is right now... Its infested with people that have NO IDEA how to wage war against the enemy of socialism, HEH... worse yet, they are completely IGNORANT to the fact that statism and socialism even ARE the enemy, much less that the enemy also resides within the GOP itself.

It doesn’t matter though... All it takes is a dedicated few to completely ruin the gop-e’s socialist candidates chances.

Think about it... Walker is what we can achieve together. Mccain is what happens to us apart. SO... The chant “NO MORE RINO’S” means something and isn’t a bluff. If its a game of chicken that will convince you and the idiots in the GOP that we are serious then that is what you’ll get.

You’ll either blink your you’ll lose.

[altura]

Interesting column, but he left out the most successful and longest tenured Republican governor.

Wonder why?

Maybe because DC insiders are terrified of Rick Perry because of his radical (radically conservative) plan to restructure national government.

As for a good VP choice, I’m sticking with Paul Ryan.

He’s smart on economics and able to articulate his message. He was on Fox & Friends this morning.

[altura]

Two posts had to be removed before you could calm down and attempt to speak like an adult.

You didn’t succeed.

[going hot]

Wonderful post. I am now full of resolve.

my check to Romney goes out with this AM's mail.

[txrangerette]

Just because you pretend that the rest of us can’t think and read the fact that your hero, Scott Walker, will support and vote for Mitt Romney in order to oust Obama, doesn’t mean that we can’t think and read.

WE can.

:)

Demand that your hero disavow Mitt Romney, and while you’re at it, if he doesn’t follow your orders, you could even rain down a few F bombs on your hero Scott, just to be consistent with your treatment of FReepers.

:)

[txrangerette]

One reason Perry isn’t mentioned by the snooty Kristol is because he’s a true Texan, and that all by itself sits poorly with the Elite.

Another reason might be that Romney and Perry don’t seem to like each other very much. That’s an understatement.

I agree with you that Paul Ryan is probably the most qualified who is already at the national level. By that I mean his high profile position in the House.

I wonder if he’s tough enough. I know he’s determined and stubborn and very articulate, but maybe he needs a little mean streak to survive a promotion to VP. I don’t know.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

.....You’ve done yourself a disservice by calling the admin moderator to delete posts that you sensitive little flowers couldn’t stand to read.

You are mistaken. I notified no one. I think you need to stop making a fool of yourself but I'm not going to shut you up.

[GOPJ]

“Governor Walker has shown that citizens and taxpayers can fight back – and prevail – against the runaway government costs ...”

Here’s a link to the suffering on MSNBC that night ... a fun filled three minutes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pchwcD4IPzs

[myself6]

The GOP-e takes your support for granted. They feel comfortable running a socialist as their nominee because they know there are so many dimwitted people out there who see the war as being “democrat -vs- republican” and will vote for ANYONE the GOP nominates. Because they “hate” obama and the democrats SOOO much. These people bank on the fact that these same dimwits haven’t really thought about WHY they hate Zero and the democrats and extended that to why they should hate romney and a significant % of the GOP leadership.

You’ll not be holding ANYONES “feet to the fire”. The GOP congress WILL support enshrining Obamacare as Romneycare. Sure, there will be SOME in the GOP who wont go along with it, but their votes will be replaced by democrats wiling to “work with the GOP” to enact their socialist agenda. The GOP-e KNOWS that there will be no consequences for this because next election you have a choice of a Republican or a Democrat and you will choose the Republican even if he is as big a socialist as the democrat.

They know this because its what we have done for decades...

NO more...