Posted on 01/30/2008 10:02:49 AM PST by jdm
In the wake of the loss in Florida yesterday, Mitt Romney needs to focus on tonight's debate to break out as the conservative choice for the nomination. John McCain has taken leads in significant Super Tuesday states, and tonight will be the last national audience for all of the remaining candidates before 21 states go to the polls or the caucuses. Romney has to ignite conservatives and make this a binary race across a clear ideological line.
Some feel that the moment has already passed. Writers at The Corner and Dick Morris have resigned themselves to a Romney loss before more than 10% of the necessary delegates have been won. Others, like my friend and indefatigable Romney supporter Hugh Hewitt, argue that the numbers show that no one can win next week. The truth lies in between, as Hugh has the numbers correct but avoids acknowledging the role momentum plays.
Romney has one big advantage, but it will only be an advantage this week. He has better organizational strength and more resources. He can be more places at the same time as John McCain, which makes a difference when 21 states hold their contests on the same day. He can get his message across to more people simultaneously after this debate, and do it more often. After February 5th, that becomes far less necessary as we go back to a series of one- or two-state primary dates that stretches into April, when Pennsylvania goes to the polls.
If Romney wants to build momentum and define the race in binary conservative vs moderate terms, he has to start tonight and get aggressively positive about his credentials. He has only a few days in which he can crowd McCain out of the messaging. If he can't do that tonight and for the next five days, he will have little chance of prevailing, especially if McCain takes a big delegate lead next week.
What does McCain need to do? He needs to reach out to conservatives. He started last night with a gracious victory speech, but he needs to address the real and honest concerns on policy that conservatives still have with McCain. They need to see McCain promise to go after the Democrats with the same fervor that he went after Republicans over the years, and he has to convince them that he won't go back on his word on border security and tax cuts. After this debate, he has to make a significant outreach effort, and CPAC would be the best place to do this.
“A Romney nomination means I vote for Hillary.”
I guess you have no problem with abortion, open borders, gay marriage, and gays in the military, then.
But you do have a big problem with the notion of a Mormon in the White House; is that it, by any chance?
A McCain - Hickabee ticket will do about as well as George McGovern in 1972 or Barry Goldwater in 1964. is that what you want?
CNN will ignore him, ask him few questions and pretend he is already out.
That won’t help. Neither will a new party.
The problem is that conservatives have no TV media.
None.
Thank you I agree! Huckabee - feh!
I do have a big problem with the notion of a Mormon in the White House, and I don’t really see Romney as being any better than Hillary on abortion gays. Romney congradulates them on Pride week and then acts all conservative when he’s running for president. Please, Huckabee is really conservative on these issues. Romney is as liberal as they come.
I guess you have no problem with abortion, open borders, gay marriage, and gays in the military, then.
Romney was for all of the above -- before he found it politically
helpful to be, temporarily, against them.
I now formally recuse myself from any further participation in this farcical episode in our history, at least until 2011. I need a break.
Lock & load.
Doesn't get any more true than that.
The Cubans have seen leftist BS artists before and sent Romney to the showers.
McCain is also no conservative.
Interesting to see how this all plays out.
I'm hoping for a split in the rest of the primaries and Fred Thompson offered up as a compromise candidate at a brokered convention.
GO FRED!!!!!
Let me preface all of this by saying I am not a McCain supporter.
Okay, now to answer your post: POPPYCOCK!
This is still an election that must be won with electoral votes. NO WAY Hillary gets to 270. NO WAY!!!! Do the math.
I think it would help if Huckabee and that idiot Ron Paul were to drop out.
I agree, he needs to show McLame as a Democrat lite.
Point out his new hispanic outreach man, Juan Hernandez, who is an open borders advocate.
Thank you for your service to our nation. And hopefully, in spite of the political debacle we have, you and your family can be healthy and prosperous over the new four years.
I’m in the unenviable position of rooting for someone I neither like nor trust to whump someone I neither like nor trust.
And what about the Country? Do we harm our Nation just so we can make our party better? No deal.
As Governor, Romney fought against gay marriage and civil unions. He has always supported a constituional marriage amendment. His record on illegal immigration is a good one two (vetoeing in-state tuition for illegals and opposing drivers licenses and benefits for illegals).
Romney is a conservative. Huckabee is not. The truth is it’s because Romney’s a Mormon that you really oppose him.
As a born-again Christian myself, I know the presidential election is not for theologian-in-chief. Carter is a Christian who also was a horrible President. The issues are what matters, and God can (and has) use anybody to do the right thing.
Excuse my spelling on my last post, BTW. Typed too fast.
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