Posted on 01/22/2008 12:50:06 AM PST by Kurt Evans
Governor Romney needs Congressman Hunter to publicly agree, by January 31, to be his vice presidential running mate. If he has to make compromises to get him, he ought to make them. Congressman Hunter happens to be right about our industrial base and fair trade. [See also links in post #2.]
That ticket would give Governor Romney instant credibility both among defense conservatives inclined to support Senator McCain and among core evangelicals inclined to support Governor Huckabee. It might be the party's best chance to avoid a brokered convention.
Of course, if Governor Huckabee pulls off one more dazzling debate and wins Florida, Congressman Hunter would be almost as valuable to him.
As an evangelical, I think I'd have trouble supporting Senator McCain even if he landed Jesus Himself as his running mate.
Hunter: Romney should denounce Bain Capital’s Chinese ties (November 2, 2007):
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1920305/posts
Duncan Hunter: Anyone But Romney (January 21, 2008):
http://kxmc.com/News/Nation/200540.asp
Romney will never be president. If he is the nominee I and a good many people like me will be outa here, as it applies to voting for a presidential candidate.
Romney needs a spine but it’s decades too late.
I hadn’t seen this—thanks, Kurt...
I had a feeling Hunter would be backing McCain anyway...I stopped supporting Hunter months ago when I was informed that he drafted the MDAA and supported both that act and the MCA—two acts that removed posse comitatus and habeus corpus in “national emergencies”. To be fair, Tancredo also supported both of these acts.
Regarding Romney, he obviously made a fortune by dealing with the Red Chinese. I’m not defending that. But I think, if he wants to dispell this notion that he’s “pro-Red Chinese for business reasons”, he needs to start talking tough against the Commies as Hunter is. He needs to DENOUNCE “free trade” which is killing us!
This Bain connection with the Red Chinese is troubling...
Did you hear Duncan Hunter on Neil Cavuto’s show today on Fox Cable TV? Asked who he would endorse now that he is out of the race, he said he wouldn’t support Romney because Mitt’s old company (which he is no longer affiliated with in any way business-wise) is involved with some business deal with China that Duncan doesn’t like. Have no idea why he goes after Romney about it; Romney doesn’t have any control over anything Bain does; he doesn’t own it or have any say so about their business dealings anymore.
However, then Duncan says the ones he would consider was the HUCKSTER whom he likes, and JOHN McCAIN. So much for your Mr. Conservative, Duncan Hunter lovers. And Fred will probably support McCAIN. So the two people who many Freepers have been championing as their conservative standard bearers, will be backing two of the most LIBERAL candidates still in the race.
The ticket would cause the vast majority of the electorate to say "who is this guy again?"
This is another fantasy people need to give up on.
Hold the fort here. Duncan did not endorse anyone in his announcement. Your post is pure speculation.
flaglady47...
This was what I thought would happen all along. The RINOs and conservatives would come together regardless of the fact that McCain and Huckabee are liberals.
I’m glad to see that Romney no longer is involved with Bain, but he made his fortune there, right? He needs to distance himself from the Red Chinese and he needs to come out against “free trade” which is nothing but a giveaway to the Reds. We import all their cheap, dangerous goods and they import nonw of ours. That’s “free trade”!!
Duncan Lee Hunter is not a sell out like Willard!
It’s really too bad that the southern states don’t start their voting until after the north, as it seems we lose some of our better candidates just because they don’t do as well in the cold, unfriendly northern states. If some of these voted simultaneously, it might be more fair in the long run.
Strategerist is absolutely right, and for a number of reasons.
Hunter would NOT be a good VP mate because:
1) He never won anything except a straw poll in Texas when the front tier did not participate
2) He’s unknown even in CA and he could NOT carry his own state
3) He’s not from the South
He needs to distance himself from the Red Chinese and he needs to come out against “free trade” which is nothing but a giveaway to the Reds.
Mitt has already spoken to this issue (I heard him saying it on interviews on TV) about there not being a level playing field when dealing with the Chinese, and how he would make sure it was level when he is Prez. So he has addressed this issue in the right way.
“Did you hear Duncan Hunter on Neil Cavuto’s show today on Fox Cable TV?”
There’s video of that interview at the second link in post #2.
“I like Mike Huckabee’s integrity.” —Duncan Hunter
Hold the fort here. Duncan did not endorse anyone in his announcement. Your post is pure speculation.
I never said he has actually endorsed anyone yet. He said he probably would in a couple of weeks (like before or right after Super Tuesday). He did say he likes the Huckster and McCain, the two lib candidates.
“I hadn’t seen this—thanks, Kurt...”
You’re most welcome.
Did you know who Dick Cheney, Dan Quayle or Bush I were? I think those that think as you do have all but destroyed the GOP. I have to think I am not the only one that has left the party. They and the Dems can have their inflated popularity contest for homecoming queen without me. If I see a group or individual that gives a damn about America, I will throw in with them.
Well, I see there are stiil people so full of themselves they are kicking the Duncan Hunter supporters to the ground.
Thank you Wildcat. I agree. And I never liked Bush 1 at all.
LOL
Has anyone ever heard of a VP Presidential candidate?
Yeah.
For me, it's a fifteen-mile round trip. Why use up the gas money to vote Republican?
< /s-sorta>
THANKS for that ....i was about ready to give duncan back to the injuns if he’s a backin mccain....whew...say it isnt so
mitt is still our best guy .....most likely to appoint rock solid conservative sup. crt judges...
right on borders right on the war on terrorism and a rock solid businessman....right as rain....just what the dr. ordered .....help america; back him to the hilt...
All three reasons are wrong or at the very least could be so. The first was wrong because it was just completely false. You could just as easily say, “Duncan Hunter never lost anything except a primary for president in a party that is no longer conservative. Secondly, I am not sure how unknown he is in California nor have I any idea how you would know. Also, which candidate do you suggest could deliver their own state outside of Huckabee or McCain? Your third point makes Southerners out to be complete idiots. I am from the South and we surely liked Reagan, who was from California. I think Hunter has more of a Southern air about him than even some of the Southerners who are running. You are not going to get a whole lot farther South than San Diego. That is Southern enough for me.
Huckabee and Romney Make Great Team:
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1957481/posts
That’s intriguing too. (I hadn’t read it before I posted this thread.) In my opinion someone definitely needs to get word to Governor Huckabee that his unholy alliance with Senator McCain isn’t ultimately going to work for anyone, except possibly their Democrat opponents.
Choosing Hunter would give Romney some help with issues that cause conservatives to feel uneasy about Romney—the border/illegals, the 2nd Amendment, national defense, and abortion. And Hunter wouldn’t be too old to run for Prez in 8 years. If Romney gets the nomination I hope he doesn’t choose some milquetoast, but I worry that he will.
Talk is cheap. It's very convenient to pretend to take Conservative stances AFTER you've left office and are running for President. He was the worst Southern RINO Governor in the past 25 years. He was a pro-life Socialist Governor who did to the AR GOP what Joe Isuzu Romney did to the MA GOP. He buried it.
Hunter would be a traitor to the Conservative movement if he endorsed Joe Isuzu Romney over Fred. Hunter, also, would not help a RINO to carry California. It’s unlikely, given the dynamics of CA, that we will be carrying the state in the forseeable future with any Republican candidate.
Who is your conservative in the race?
Isn’t bizarre how many people think Mitt Romney is more conservative than Mike Huckabee? The intellectual fervor on this site has gone way down.
Let me speculate about the speculator:
Ron Paul. LOL!
Hunter happens to be completely wrong on free trade, and anyone who opposes free trade is economically clueless.
I understand. It’s a tough nut to crack, so do what you have to do.
“Who is your conservative in the race?”
Mitt
What a joke. Nobody outside of the blogosphere has even heard of Duncan Hunter.. He’s going to be NOBODY’s VP choice. You Duncan supporters have gone past delusional to the point you should be committed.
Condoleeza Rice is the clear front-runner IMO to be chosen as the GOP Vice President candidate. She would be the brilliant tactical decision for the GOP to make.
Hear, Hear!
The anti-free trade zealots that support Hunter ARE completely clueless about the economy.
You are right. He didn’t endorse anyone. All he said was he didn’t agree with Romney for the Bain reasons and he liked Huckabee and McCain.
I did not hear him come out and say anything about support.
I suppose this is how rumours get started.
Kurt Evans: “Governor Huckabee is very conservative”
Who are you trying to kid? Of COURSE he claims to be conservative NOW, but his record says otherwise. Campaign promises/position statements are irrelevant. Look at the man’s past as governor. He didn’t significantly reduce government in any way, unless you know something I don’t.
Hey gpapa, Flag lady posted this
However, then Duncan says the ones he would consider was the HUCKSTER whom he likes, and JOHN McCAIN
This what I heard Hunter say and it is not an endorsement
Correct.
Right on.
I didn’t think Hunter had an issue with Free trade. I thought his issue was Fair trade.
On Mark Larson’s radio show, he asked Hunter if he’d be willing to be VP or SoD for any of the candidates. Hunter said he’s gotten a couple of calls from Huckabee and Giuliani - but he didn’t say why.
I didn’t see the interview you’re talking about. It is troubling to me,if true.
But then this whole election cycle has been a major heart break for me.
I fear for our Republic! God help us all!
Did Mitt cash out of Bain?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
“Bain Capital LLC is a Boston, Massachusetts-based private equity firm founded in 1984 by Mitt Romney. Romney was the Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. In addition to Romney, the firm was also founded by two other partners from the consulting firm Bain & Company: T. Coleman Andrews III and Eric Kriss. Bain Capital was originally conceived as a combined equity start-up and leveraged buyout fund, an innovative strategy at the time.
History
The original $37 billion fund was raised entirely from private individuals in mid-1984, led by Ricardo Poma, a Salvadorean businessman. One of the fund’s first start-up investments was Staples, Inc., the $15 billion office supply retailer. The funding enabled Staples to expand from one store in 1986 to nearly 1,700 in 2006. Bain Capital founded, acquired or invested in hundreds of companies including Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Brookstone, Domino’s Pizza, Sealy, Guitar Center and The Sports Authority.
In addition to the three founding partners, the early Bain Capital team included Fraser Bullock, Robert F. White, Joshua Bekenstein, Adam Kirsch and Geoffrey S. Rehnert. Bullock joined Romney as the Chief Operating Officer for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games when Romney left Bain in 2001 to lead the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. [1][2]
Twenty years after its inception, Bain Capital currently manages $50 billion in assets, and holds positions in major companies including Toys R Us, Burger King and Unisource.
1990s to present
Facing financial duress, former Bain & Company partner and current Republican candidate for the 2008 US presidential election, Mitt Romney was asked to rejoin the firm as interim CEO. Bringing along two lieutenants from Bain Capital, Romney began traveling to all the Bain offices to rally employees.
The Boston Globe points out that “Over several weeks, Romney managed negotiations with the banks and among the partners,” and that “The moment came when negotiations produced a package in which [Bill] Bain and the founding partners would give up control of the firm, turning back $30 million they had taken from the ESOP and $100 million in notes they held against the firm.”
Romney’s plan involved “a complicated restructuring of the firm’s stock-ownership plan, real-estate deals, bank loans, and money still owed to partners”[9]. To avoid the financial crisis that a buyout would have triggered, the group of founding partners agreed to return about $100M cash and forgive outstanding debt.[10].
Although in the role for just one year before returning to Bain Capital, Romney’s work had three profound impacts on the firm. First, ownership was officially shifted from the owners to the firm’s 70 general partners. Second, transparency in the firm’s finances increased dramatically (e.g., partners were able to know each other’s salaries[11].) And finally, Bill Bain relinquished ownership in the firm that carried his name.
Within a year, Bain bounced back to profitability without major partner defections[12], and the groundwork was laid for a period of steady growth.
Romney left Bain Capital when he took over the leadership role for the 2002 Olympics (more from Wiki):
“Romney served as president and CEO of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games held in Salt Lake City. In 1999, the event was running $379 million short of its revenue benchmarks. Plans were being made to scale back the games in order to compensate for the fiscal crisis.[18] The Games were also damaged by allegations of bribery involving top officials, including then Salt Lake Olympic Committee (SLOC) President and CEO Frank Joklik. Joklik and SLOC vice president Dave Johnson were forced to resign.[19]
On February 11, 1999, Romney was hired as the new president and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee.[20] Romney revamped the organization’s leadership and policies, reduced budgets and boosted fundraising. He also worked to ensure the safety of the Games following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 by coordinating a $300 million security budget.[21] Despite the initial fiscal shortfall, the Games ended up clearing a profit of $100 million, not counting the $224.5 million in security costs contributed by outside sources.[22][23]
Romney contributed $1 million to the Olympics, and donated the $825,000 salary he earned as President and CEO to charity.[24] He wrote a book about his experience titled Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games.[25]”
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