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Mitt Romney Kicks Off Campaign for Presidency in Vegas
Gather ^ | May 16, 2011 | Stephen T. Allen

Posted on 05/16/2011 5:15:09 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

The 2012 Republican presidential nominee front-runner, Willard Mitt Romney kicked off his campaign today with a day-long fundraiser in Las Vegas. The day-long event features a large phone bank staffed by around 700 Romney supporters. Via a conference call, Romney informed supporters, "We're activating our campaign today." He will announce how much money was raised later today.

With former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee declaring his intention not to pursue the Republican nomination, and Donald Trump bowing out today, Romney is the clear-cut front-runner for the 2012 Republican nomination. The former Massachusetts governor is joined by former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, Texas congressman Ron Paul, former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson, and former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain as candidates for the 2012 Republican nomination. Other potential candidates include Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, former U.S. ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachman, and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin. Only Palin's name carries more star-power.

Today, hordes of Romney supporters descended on Sin City in the hopes of establishing the campaign's credibility and seriousness. While Romney has basically been campaigning for the 2012 election ever since Barack Obama took office, he officially kicked off his campaign by touting his credentials to fix the American economy. Romney pointed to his experience at Bain Capital turning around companies, his role managing the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, and his experience as Massachusetts governor.

During the conference call, Romney addressed the most pressing issue his campaign will likely face: healthcare reform. Romney has faced harsh criticism for the similarities between his Massachusetts healthcare reform plan and Obama's 2010 plan, one largely opposed by Republicans. The 2008 campaign showed that Romney doesn't play the political game as well as some of his counterparts, as he was quickly labeled a 'flip-flopper,' a moniker that stuck with him through the campaign. Romney needs to acknowledge some of the obvious similarities between "Romneycare" and "Obamacare," and stress the good his healthcare reform did for Massachusetts while noting the deficiencies in the Obama plan. As he did last week and today, he needs to tout the principles of federalism and stress that each state has different needs in terms of healthcare, and should be able to legislate accordingly. If Romney can successfully navigate these treacherous waters, he will be able to attack the President on the economy. He can point to the 8% unemployment rate in each of Obama's years as president, and he can contrast his view on giving states more power and label Obama in favor of big government, and point to his nearly infallible economic credentials. If Romney can effectively navigate the healthcare minefield, then, and only then, can people look back to today as the start of something special.


TOPICS: Massachusetts; Nevada; Campaign News; Parties
KEYWORDS: 2012; benedictromney; carpetbaggerromney; dnc4romney; flippermitt; ineligibleromney; milt; obama4romney; reid4romney; rinoromney; romney; romney4mitt; romney4obama; romney4obamacare; romneybigdig; romneycare; romneycoverups; romneydeathcare; romneyfakebadges; romneyfees; romneyfledmass; romneymarriage; romneynothealtcare; romneytaxes; spoilerromney; truthers4romney
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1 posted on 05/16/2011 5:15:13 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Maybe I should toss my hat in the ring too. Me and Mutt both have about an equal chance of being elected President in '12.
2 posted on 05/16/2011 5:20:01 PM PDT by NWFLConservative (Game On.......Fight Like a Girl!!...............Saracuda in 2012)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Seems appropriate that this dude would kick things off in Vegas. Didn’t the squeaky clean Mormons bankroll the place?


3 posted on 05/16/2011 5:21:43 PM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet


4 posted on 05/16/2011 5:30:22 PM PDT by Diogenesis ( Vi veri veniversum vivus vici)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Romney has held one office, and he left it as a failed Governor unable to run for reelection and leaving with a failure confirming, 34% voter approval and carrying MASSIVE baggage.

Why is it that the media treats him as a greatly experienced office holder with a successful political record who is naturally of Presidential stature?


5 posted on 05/16/2011 5:30:49 PM PDT by ansel12 ( JIM DEMINT "I believe [Palins] done more for the Republican Party than anyone since Ronald Reagan")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Vegas? Now, there’s a crap shoot if I ever saw one.


6 posted on 05/16/2011 5:31:29 PM PDT by COBOL2Java (Obama is the least qualified guy in whatever room he walks into.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas... I hope.


7 posted on 05/16/2011 5:35:06 PM PDT by 6SJ7 (atlasShruggedInd = TRUE)
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To: ansel12

Uh, because Barry will wipe the floor with him? How can he use ObamaCare against the Democrats? There are millions of conservatives and religious voters who will stay home if he is the nominee. Most moderates, 96% of blacks and all liberals will stay with Mr. Obama. It’ll look like 1972, with Barry as Nixon and Myth as McGovern. Do you think that Axelrod won’t put the long-time LDS policy on blacks out there?


8 posted on 05/16/2011 5:35:47 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (How do you starve an Obama supporter? Hide his food stamps under his work boots.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
With Huck and Trump owing out the waters are beginning to part... maybe a truly decent conservative will emerge as the candidate yet.

All that needs to happen now is for NewtMitt, or MittNewt, to see the handwriting on the wall, as well.

9 posted on 05/16/2011 5:38:27 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Anybody that ascribes to a “faith” started by a guy that said he found ancient golden plates in a hill in NY, then “translated” the “reformed Egyptian” characters on those plates using a hat and a rock, and published the Book Of Mormon ain’t all there.


10 posted on 05/16/2011 5:38:48 PM PDT by nesnah
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Even worse I fear.
Because a Mittster R candidacy likely produces a Tea Party candidate.
Giving Baraq an even more likely win.


11 posted on 05/16/2011 5:38:59 PM PDT by nascarnation
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Has Mr. Romney apologized to Gov. Palin,
her children, and the American people yet?

Late in October, The American Spectator's The Prowler revealed:
"Former Mitt Romney presidential campaign staffers…
have been involved in spreading anti-Palin spin to reporters, seeking to diminish her standing after the election.
'Sarah Palin is a lightweight, she won't be the first, not even the third, person people will think of when it comes to 2012,'
says one former Romney aide…
'The only serious candidate ready to challenge to lead the Republican Party is Mitt Romney.
"Some former Romney aides were behind the recent leaks to media, including CNN, that Governor Sarah Palin was a 'diva' and was going off message intentionally."


The Palmetto Scoop reported: "One of the first stories to hit the national airwaves was
the claim of a major internal strife between close McCain aides and the folks handling his running mate Sarah Palin."
"I’m told by very good sources that this was indeed the case and that a rift had developed, but it was between Palin’s people and the staffers brought on from the failed presidential campaign of former Gov. Mitt Romney, not McCain aides."
"The sources said nearly 80 percent of Romney’s former staff was absorbed by McCain and these individuals were responsible for what amounts to a premeditated, last-minute sabotage of Palin."
… aides loyal to Romney inside the McCain campaign, said The Scoop, reportedly saw
that Palin would be a serious contender for the Republican nomination in 2012 or 2016, which made her a threat to another presidential quest by Romney.


"These staffers are now out trying to finish her off ….hoping it would ingratiate themselves with Mitt Romney."


"Who's the Palin Leaker from the McCain Campaign?
National Review Online The publication of a Vanity Fair profile of Sarah Palin
appears to have opened old wounds in the McCain campaign.
... the source of the “Diva” leak was Nicolle Wallace’s husband."


"Peeking Out From the McCain Wreckage: Mitt Romney"

"Someone's got to say it: IS MITT ROMNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBAMA'S VICTORY?"

"Vanity: Team Romney Sabotaged Palin and Continuing to Do So?"

"Romney Supporters Trashing Palin"

"Romney advisors sniping at Palin?"



12 posted on 05/16/2011 5:40:36 PM PDT by Diogenesis ( Vi veri veniversum vivus vici)
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To: ansel12

Romney has held one office, and he left it as a failed Governor unable to run for reelection and leaving with a failure confirming, 34% voter approval and carrying MASSIVE baggage.


They will point this out right after he is our nominee


Why is it that the media treats him as a greatly experienced office holder with a successful political record who is naturally of Presidential stature?

They WANT him as our easy to beat nominee. it takes zero care off the table.


13 posted on 05/16/2011 5:41:42 PM PDT by cableguymn
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

This is too EASY:
What gets kicked off in Vegas, (should) stay in Vegas.


14 posted on 05/16/2011 5:41:53 PM PDT by supremedoctrine (Burma Shave! (- sorry you missed the first six taglines--))
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To: NWFLConservative

Obama = Douglas
Romney = John Bell
Sarah = Lincoln
Commie not yet known = Breckenridge


15 posted on 05/16/2011 5:43:01 PM PDT by Jim Noble (The Constitution is overthrown. The Revolution is betrayed.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"How can he use ObamaCare against the Democrats?'

By pointing out the states rights vs fed issue. The 10th amendment. If he can sell the argument that states can, but the feds have no such authority, he could beat Obama.

16 posted on 05/16/2011 5:45:29 PM PDT by moehoward
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this is how I feel about Mitt Romney’s campaign; zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


17 posted on 05/16/2011 5:46:08 PM PDT by Jenny217
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To: moehoward

Isn’t that a little too sexy for the average voter? /s


18 posted on 05/16/2011 5:47:14 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (How do you starve an Obama supporter? Hide his food stamps under his work boots.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

It fits. Voting for Willard would be a big gamble.


19 posted on 05/16/2011 6:01:22 PM PDT by gov_bean_ counter (Put Obie in a dress and call him "The Last Queen of Scotland".)
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To: moehoward
If he can sell the argument that states can, but the feds have no such authority, he could beat Obama.

Yeah, but, um, we already understand that the states are not as restricted as the federal government (in theory). But we don't like the government telling us what we must do. Period.

The constitutional nicety won't win.

20 posted on 05/16/2011 6:26:09 PM PDT by BfloGuy
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