Cheers!
Posted on 01/22/2011 3:16:40 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
The Boston Globe has an interesting story pointing out that once-and-future GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney is not trying to suck up to the Tea Party movement, a fact which distinguishes Romney from virtually every other potential Republican presidential candidate. According to the Globe:
As the former Massachusetts governor lays the groundwork for a possible second presidential run, he has largely shunned Tea Party activists in key primary states, including the state he must win if he enters the race, New Hampshire. Thus far, Romney is on track to present himself as the establishment candidate--a responsible, mainstream Republican leader with the necessary financial resources and credentials to beat President Obama.
Off the top of my head, I can think of three good reasons for Romney to keep his distance from the Tea Party.
First, as mentioned, the rest of the field seems to be vying for Tea Party support. By standing apart, Romney stands a chance of having the party establishment coalesce behind him. And while the Tea Party may be ascendant in the GOP, and may wield outsized influence in the primaries, the movement has not always demonstrated an ability to coalesce around a single candidate. If, say, Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, and Mike Pence fracture the Tea Party votes Romney alone as the establishment figure could triumph. This scenario is bolstered by the fact that, as the Globe notes:
Without a Democratic primary contest in the upcoming election, Romney supporters can count on a wave of independents casting ballots in New Hampshire and South Carolina — which allow nonparty voters to participate in the primary.
Second by using the Tea Party as a foil Romney can combat one of his own biggest negatives: his reputation for being a political weather vane (see his positions on abortion, gay marriage, and gun control for example). As one Tea Party activists tells the Globe, Romney is “a fraudulent conservative. I don’t trust the guy. Be it health care, be it social issues, he’s a chameleon."
But by refusing to kowtow to the Tea Party Romney could build a counter-narrative. “I don’t think you’re going to see a different persona than the persona that’s been there for 20 years. That would be jarring. That’s not going to happen,” Romney adviser Tom Rath tells the Globe.
Finally, Romney could be positioning the Tea Party for something of a Sister Souljah moment with an eye toward avoiding a Sharron Angle moment. The 2012 election will turn on the economy. If unemployment is down and voter confidence is up, Obama will be very hard to beat; if we’re still looking at a jobless rate north of 9 percent, the president will be highly vulnerable—unless a Tea Party-dominated GOP produces an Angle-like nominee (see Palin, Sarah, who is viewed positively by 17 percent of Americans and negatively by 49 percent according to the latest NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll). Indeed, while the Tea Party has huge influence in the GOP it remains unpopular nationally, with 29 percent viewing it very or somewhat favorably and 38 percent viewing it very or somewhat negatively—Pelosi-like numbers (26 very or somewhat positive and 40 very or somewhat negative) that the GOP nominee will want to avoid being tarred with. By steering clear of the fringe, Romney could position himself as the kind of acceptable Republican able to take advantage of a faltering Obama. If, that is, he can get the nomination.
agreed
Stay away from the Tea Party Romney. We don’t want it contaminated with GOP lackeys.
Romney is a putz!
while the Tea Party may be ascendant in the GOP, and may wield outsized influence in the primaries, the movement has not always demonstrated an ability to coalesce around a single candidate. If, say, Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, and Mike Pence fracture the Tea Party votes Romney alone as the establishment figure could triumph.That's why I suggest rallying around Sarah early. This is the very scenario we had in '08, and I fear it will happen again if we don't refuse to let "better" be the enemy of good enough.
Draft Palin
>> “If, say, Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, and Mike Pence fracture the Tea Party votes...” <<
.
Since when did establishment elitists like Rick Santorum, Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, and Mike Pence qualify as TEA party candidates?
Those guys will take votes from Romney, not Palin.
.
Let’s get this straight from the git-go.... Mitt is a Morman (LDS for the Rio Vista crowd)... No way... No How... that is my stance as a voter in these United States!
Let’s get this straight from the git-go.... Mitt is a Morman (LDS for the Rio Vista crowd)... No way... No How... that is my stance as a voter in these United States!
LOL...perfect description.
You have to consider the source. No more party establishment coalesce. No more Progressive Republicans.
Yes the media is trying to pick our “McCain” so conservatives will stay home and Obama can have his second term.
A Romney nomination would kill the Republican party.
We need a hard conservative...more conservative than Palin can ever be. She compromised too much to be a McCainiac.
NO MORE RINOs.
What is Obama and is that really better than a Mormon?
And, if he gets dirty against other GOP candidates, as he is LIKELY to do, it will be the absolute end of his political career.
Here we go again.
The traitorous media is again trying to stampede us into supporting THEIR choice of “obvious” GOP frontrunner. Another RINO roundup.
Only this time, we’re not falling for it.
The 2012 contest, just like November, will again be the Tea Party (dressed up as Republicans) against the Dems. There is no “pure GOP” anymore.
Cheers!
[Yeah we would rather have 4 more years of Obama. ]
I realize you are being sarcastic, but yes, if that’s what it takes to get rid of the establishment Republicans, who know best for us and always compromise until there is no diffeence with the Democrats. Romney = Bush, and all Bush did was slide us into bankruptcy while crying crocodile tears about deficits.
In other words I’m telling you in no uncertain terms that if the establishment pushes Romney down our throats many many of us will walk. Deal with it.
I have never expected anyone but Romney to win the nomination. He is the RNC candidate. He is the MSM candidate until the Nominations. He will get all the Democrats who become Republicans for the primaries, especially the later primaries. And the conservatives will, indeed, be split among Palin and several faux and semi conservatives. And it is His Turn. He will be beaten badly in the Election.
With the crusts cut off, of course.
That's exactly what they're doing: looking us right in the eye unflinchingly, and lying like a rug. Major-league lying by major-league liars determined to win anyway.
Push-polls run weekly, and you name it. They're pulling out all the stops.
Are you kidding? Whom have you got in mind? George Lincoln Rockwell?!
Sarah's as conservative as they come. And remember, she's running for President of the Whole Enchilada, not president of East Texas.
Meanwhile, President Obama has 55% job disapproval, but US News, or any MSM outlet, would never, ever use the "u" word with him.
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