• Send FReep Mail to Unmarked Package to get [ON] or [OFF] the Mitt Romney Ping List •
Posted on 01/31/2008 4:13:00 AM PST by Reaganesque
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Kevin Madden (857) 288-6390
National Review's Jim Geraghty: "When Romney takes his shots at McCain, it's both strong and fair - he acknowledges that McCain has some areas in which he's a conservative, but he takes several fair shots - McCain Feingold; voting against the Bush tax cuts twice (McCain noted earlier that he had voted to make them permanent)." (Jim Geraghty, " How Rarely I Get To Write This: Romney Takes McCain To School," National Review's The Campaign Spot, http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
- Geraghty: "I like that Romney says that the original version of the McCain-Kennedy immigration legislation wasn't so bad, and that it got worse as it moved through the process. It shows familiarity with the legislative details." (Jim Geraghty, " How Rarely I Get To Write This: Romney Takes McCain To School," National Review's The Campaign Spot, http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
- Geraghty: "'Let me help you with the facts, Senator.' Wow. Romney nails him for pointing out the study McCain is referring to in his answer about job creation and loss includes his predecessor, Jane Swift, who lost many jobs on her watch." (Jim Geraghty, " How Rarely I Get To Write This: Romney Takes McCain To School," National Review's The Campaign Spot, http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
- Geraghty: "Where the heck has this Romney been? He just calmly and clearly took McCain to school." (Jim Geraghty, " How Rarely I Get To Write This: Romney Takes McCain To School," National Review's The Campaign Spot, http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
The American Spectator's John Tabin: "Romney corrects some of McCain's facts - McCain confused Romney's lieutenant governor with his predecessor, among other things. I think Romney won this exchange." (John Tabin, "Romney Vs. McCain," The American Spectator Blog, http://www.spectator.org/, Posted 1/30/08)
CNN's Bill Schneider: "Romney's response scores big points with conservatives – and with a lot of Americans who aren't conservative." (Bill Schneider, "Big Points For Romney On Immigration," CNN's Political Ticker, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
- Schneider: "Romney is winning this big-time - McCain's wrong. We already have timetables for everything in Iraq, whether we stick to them or adjust them later on." (Bill Schneider, "Romney Has McCain On The Ropes," CNN's Political Ticker Blog, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
National Review's Mark Hemmingway: "Not that I needed anyone to tell me the McCain-Lieberman cap-and-trade program is a bad idea, but Romney's dissection of it was clear and compelling." (Mark Hemmingway, "Not That I Needed Anyone," National Review's The Corner, http://corner.nationalreview.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
Captains Quarters' Ed Morrissey: "Romney dominating near the close -this debate is owned by Mitt." (Ed Morrissey, "Romney Dominating Near The Close," Heading Right, http://headingright.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
- Morrissey: "Romney's Playing Ball Control. He's answering in depth, and by doing so he gets more air time. He's using the format to his advantage." (Ed Morrissey, "Romney Dominating Near The Close," Heading Right, http://headingright.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
- Morrissey: "Romney is getting the best of this exchange ... Romney does a good job of keeping the tone even and factual while scolding McCain for getting the data incorrect." (Ed Morrissey, "Romney Is Getting The Best Of This Exchange," Heading Right Blog, http://headingright.com/, Posted 1/30/07)
Commentary Magazine's John Podhoretz: "Mitt Romney is doing a great job. Very commanding. He's far more substantive than McCain." (John Podhoretz, "Mitt Romney," Commentary Magazine, http://www.commentarymagazine.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
Ankle Biting Pundits' Bull Dog Pundit: "We're 45 minutes in and I'm not going to go point by point, but I have to say that Romney is hitting the notes he needs to." (Bull Dog Pundit, "GOP Debate," Ankle Biting Pundits, http://www.anklebitingpundits.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
- Bull Dog Pundit: "Purely on substance Romney hit it exactly right when he started talking about the need for entitlement reform. When he said we have to 'change the deal' on Social Security and Medicaid for people in their 40's I almost stood up and cheered. He also did a great job of pointing out John McCain's conservative apostasies." (Bull Dog Pundit, "GOP Debate," Ankle Biting Pundits, http://www.anklebitingpundits.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
Heading Right's Douglas Gibbs: "Romney's expertise ...and knowledge of economics and facts is outshining his opponents." (Douglas Gibbs, "Romney's Expertise," Heading Right Blog, http://headingright.com/, Posted 1/30/07)
Heading Right's Faust Wertz: "Romney's answers are great ... Clear, to the point but explaining what needs to be explained, and he looks comfortable." (Faust Wertz, "Romney's Answers Are Great," http://headingright.com/, Heading Right Blog, Posted 1/30/07)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Kevin Madden (857) 288-6390
Fox News' Frank Luntz: FOX NEWS' FRANK LUNTZ: "First off, who won the debate tonight? I always begin that way." VOTER: "Romney." LUNTZ: "Who says John McCain won the debate tonight raise your hands, 3, only 4 of you. Who says Mitt Romney, about half of you." (Fox News' "Hannity & Colmes," 1/30/08)
Watch The Luntz Post-Debate Focus Group: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZOSDnNoQyg
National Review's Kathryn Jean Lopez: "He hit back and defending his honor and truth on Iraq. I don't think most Americans get "timetables was a buzzword." I think they get that neither of these guys are Harry Reid. The sum of it is oddly, unnecessarily, McCain came off badly during an Iraq round." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "Is Romney Reading the Corner?" National Review's The Corner Blog, http://corner.nationalreview.com, Posted 1/30/08)
- Lopez: "I think Romney came off effective and competent." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "Weird, Irritating Debate," National Review's The Corner Blog, http://corner.nationalreview.com/=, Posted 1/30/08)
Townhall's Mary Katharine Ham: "Mitt Romney is exactly right on letting states take the lead on global warming and emissions standards if they want to tighten them, but he does the work McCain wouldn't do by pointing out that those actions have consequences in higher costs and lost jobs. When he talks these issues, he is smart and right." (Mary Katharine Ham, "Global Warming Mania!" Townhall Blog, www.townhall.com, Posted 1/30/08)
Captain's Quarters' Ed Morrissey: "Mitt Romney won this debate. He looked crisp, sharp, had facts at his command, and exuded confidence." (Ed Morrissey, "Live Blog And Wrap Up," Captain's Quarters' Blog, http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
CNN's Bill Schneider: "A couple of Romney's answers were quite good, particularly on the Iraq timetables issue." (Bill Schneider, "The Night's Big Winner: Huckabee," CNN's Political Ticker Blog, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com, Posted 1/30/08)
- Schneider: "Romney's giving a pretty interesting conservative explanation of a health care plan that otherwise makes conservatives nervous. As he explains, it forces people to pay their own way - which they get." (Bill Schneider, "Romney Makes A Sale On Health Care," CNN's Political Ticker, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com, Posted 1/30/08)
- Schneider: "Romney's giving a full-throated rebuttal to McCain's charge that he proposed a timetable on Iraq withdrawal – and he's right. That was a strong answer." (Bill Schneider, "Romney Calls McCain Out," CNN's Political Ticker, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com, Posted 1/30/08)
National Review's Mark Hemingway: "I think I can say that Romney was the clear winner in the debate." (Mark Hemingway, "For the First Time," National Review's The Corner Blog, http://corner.nationalreview.com, Posted 1/30/08)
- Hemingway: "[Gov. Romney] showed an admirable fighting spirit." (Mark Hemingway, "For the First Time," National Review's The Corner Blog, http://corner.nationalreview.com, Posted 1/30/08)
- Hemingway: "Romney kept his head about him and remained gracious even as a number of his charges against McCain stuck." (Mark Hemingway, "For the First Time," National Review's The Corner Blog, http://corner.nationalreview.com, Posted 1/30/08)
The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder: "Applause from audience when Romney says Reagan would have found the dirty tricks reprehensible." (Marc Ambinder, "Debate Wire," Atlantic Online, http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
- Ambinder: "Romney gives a strong answer that weaves together his experience with his resume...notes that Abe Lincoln wasn't a military leader..." (Marc Ambinder, "Debate Wire," Atlantic Online, http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
Instapundit's Glenn Reynolds: "GOOD POINT BY ROMNEY about how McCain shouldn't 'demean' people who start businesses. McCain has been doing that a lot, acting as if meeting a payroll is somehow less honorable than working for the government." (Glenn Reynolds, "Good Point By Romney," Blog, http://instapundit.com/, Posted 1/30/08)
Mitt won the debate hands down. McCain came off as childish. Not ready for prime time. He reminded me of John Kerry, continually answering questions that pertained nothing to his military experience with his military experience. It’s all he has. I respect it, but he has nothing else.
Anyone who thinks McCain won the debate can’t see the forest through the trees.
Romney did a great job at exposing McCain for the cheesy little politician he is.
I only hope it’s not too late.
But is it too little too late?
I agree, Mitt ate McLame for lunch. But, I believe it’s too late for Romney. McLame has been crowned the ‘chosen’ candidate. And, if GOP voters are that ignorant, I will be changing my registration to Independent. After 40 years, I no longer want to be a part of the sheeple party.
Huck won the debate. He sounded like Fred...a real conservative
Article out today says Romney not buying any Ads for Super Tuesday states.
Let me explain why I make that ridiculous statement.
I did not listen to the debate, I did not follow an FR discussion of the debate, and I did not listen to any conservative radio talk show discuss the debate.
I only know of the debate from what has been reported of it, on the top of the hour broadcast radio news, ABC I think.
They have a sound bite or two of McCain protesting Romney's support for a timetable for withdrawal, and a statement (not in Romney's voice) that Romney disagreed with this.
From that, I hear that McCain is supporting our troops and winning this war, and that Romney apparently likes to quibble. And from that I hear the familiar voice of McCain.
Point, set, match -- McCain.
But far more voters will hear those lies than actually listened to the debate.Yeah - I know - leftist lies ;)
Update -- the latest version of this news -- they didn't even give the Romney quibbling side -- just quoted McCain strongly supporting the troops and referencing his depth of experience, before going on to state something about Romney barely leading the polls in only four of xxx states.
bump
I’m pretty tired of the selection of candidates being pared down before 90% of American have their say in the matter.
It really really sucks.
Romney - going with the army we have.
“Huck won the debate. He sounded like Fred...a real conservative”
Ahh...you may think he sounded like a real conservative but The Huckster is NO conservative.
the MSM template is out.
“Romney did not score a knockout”
all the annnoying robo-calls in the world will not make up for the oxygen that the MSM will deny Romney.
i believe he hasn’t yet made any buys. perhaps he wanted to see the lay of the land after Florida/last night’s debate. plus is there going to be anything but SuperBowl between now and Sunday?
McLame is not the right guy at the right time. He’s a DhimmiRat in RINO clothing.
As a veteran, I respect his military service. But, I’m sick to death of hearing about his POW status. Granted, it was a bad time. Granted, it shaped him in ways untold. But, what direct connection does it have to this campaign, this debate, this discussion?
The simple fact is that he is much more to the left than the right on many issues of concern. Despite his statements to the contrary, he still doesn’t ‘get it’ on criminal immigrants and shamnesty.
Mitt’s not the perfect candidate, by a long shot. However, he’s a better choice than the Huckster.
I miss Hunter and Thompson...
National nanny state and subsidized college educations for illegal aliens. What a guy!
Socialism isn’t so bad if you swallow it with a huge cup of evangelicalism I hear.
“the MSM template is out.”
So true. Frank Luntz is quoted in this article as saying half the focus group said Romney won and 3 or 4 thought McCain did. This morning on Fox he said no one won. I thought that’s why they had focus groups, so they get to decide. The fix has been in for a long time.
I’m afraid it is too late.
Right. It would be the same old story — Republican leadership shoving their candidate down our throats and the voters once again being dumb enough to swallow it.
If McCain is the nominee, I’ll vote third party.
But far more voters will hear those lies than actually listened to the debate.
But the general feeling after all was said and done is that Romney did well.
CNN released the data on their so-called "Dial Testing"(that red line on the screen) and stated that Romney consistently scored 20 points higher than when McCain was talking.
the
Senile Senior Voter will determine this election.
That is why the MSM is super powerful this cycle. The oxygen is GONE for the non-insider candidates.
This election is beltway vs non beltway.
Unfortunatly those who will make the decision are those Senior Voters who have “no use” for the internet, don’t know how to use the computer, and still think it is 1955.
Romney’s balanced approach last night was less about next Tuesday and more about the following:
1. defending his honor against the ugly and distorted attack regarding Iraq “timetables”
2. demonstrating to conservatives that McCain has no intention of trying to meet conservatives half-way (“choose patriotism over profit”)
3. revealing to the GOP faithful and power brokers from coast to coast that they are on the precipice of disaster by nominating McCain. This Johnny One-Note looked and sounded like a tired Vaudeville act, complemented by narcissism and self-righteous attacks when cornered. We have a loser on our hands, and McCain is compelled to rattle off stale names from the GOP sidelines just to prop up his own deficiencies. McCain will be a disaster in a debate against either Democrat, particularly Obama.
4. Romney is coolly positioning himself for a new run in 2012, b/c he knows that McCain is unelectable.
Final thought: I am reading a biography of Winston Churchill, in which he (Churchill) states unequivocally that the supreme qualification of a leader is temperament, not intellect. McCain did not pass the temperament test last night. He was volatile, defensive, snarky, narcissistic, and worse.
A few weeks ago, Huckabee was “The Chosen Candidate”. A few months before that, Giuliani was “The Chosen Candidate”.......
The problem with Romney? I would wager that a conservative number of between 75 and 80% of voting Americans (people who vote but don’t obsess with politics) couldn’t pick him out of a line-up. Credit the media for that.
“I miss Hunter and Thompson...”
Agreed. I was really hoping that Thompson could have gone the distance.
For the people who actually watched the debate (wonder how many did) your statement is true.
The majority of the people will hear from the MSM that McCain did well and since Rudy anointed him just before the debate and Terminator will anoint him today McCain will be the Anointed Candidate.
Britney will dominate the news today and the despite the fact that McCain's performance was sickening to watch any truful discussion about it will fade by 9:00 am. So the majority of people will really only be given the trees to see.
Unfortunately, we are in a distinct minority.
It’s as if the MSM had prepared their post-debate analysis before the debate began. They used small clips from the debate in much the same way that McCain used Romney’s reference to timetables—just a snippet to support their fallacious conclusions.
This is why Ronald Reagan spoke over the MSM directly to the American people. The MSM hated him, and Reagan never would have been able to get his message out otherwise.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080131/pl_nm/usa_politics_republicans_dc
By Steve Holland and Claudia Parsons
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8UGKIQO0&show_article=1
By Liz Sidoti
Of course Romney won the debate last night. A person would have to be blind and deaf not to have noted this fact. Unfortunately, almost ALL of the MSM appears to be just that: blind and deaf, or living on some alternate universe. I have never seen such a concerted effort to destroy and marginalize a candidate (the destruction of Rick Santorum and George Allen among others does come close).Check out the following story - just about every fact is flat out wrong, twisted or biased.
The first link was a story that appeared on Yahoo last night written by Liz Sidoti but now, the byline has been CHANGED to DIFFERENT writers, (same title) and a second version with Sidoti’s name appears on Breitbart and Drudge.
What is going on? Can someone please tell me?
“4. Romney is coolly positioning himself for a new run in 2012, b/c he knows that McCain is unelectable.
Final thought: I am reading a biography of Winston Churchill, in which he (Churchill) states unequivocally that the supreme qualification of a leader is temperament, not intellect. McCain did not pass the temperament test last night. He was volatile, defensive, snarky, narcissistic, and worse.”
I think your analysis is spot on. On another note, who is the author of the Churchill biography?
I don’t think there’s much Romney can do at this point to change the dynamic. His best hope is that outraged conservatives will show up in droves to vote against McCain.
But the media loves McCain. Couple that with the all the establishment Republican political leaders consolidating behind McCain, and I guess you could say the race is pretty much over.
The biggest loser: Rush Limbaugh. This will call into question how much influence he really has.
Even with Reagan, it took being on the national stage as a potential Presidential contender for several years before he could mount a successful attack.
Years of name recognition is essential.
Romney barred Boy Scouts from public participation in 2002 Olympics
* The 2002 Olympics - run by Mitt Romney - was the only Olympics that restricted the Boy Scouts from participating. According to news reports, this was apparently because of pressure from homosexual activists. (But also, according to reports, homosexual groups participated fairly prominently.) Romney would not respond to reporters’ questions about that action.
The largest Boy Scout council in the country responded to the call for volunteers issued by the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee, but the welcome mat was rolled up and the door slammed in its face. Olympic spokesmen for the 2002 winter games say the exclusion has nothing to do with recent protests by gay activists. While the organizing committee for the Olympic event is prominently displaying a call for local volunteers, they have explicitly let it be known that the Boy Scouts need not apply. “For us not to be involved is discouraging, considering the Atlanta games. The Scouting council there was extremely involved,” said Kay Godfrey, professional Scout executive for the Great Salt Lake Council of Boy Scouts.
- NewsMax.com, Dec. 18, 2000
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I plan to vote Republican - for everything EXCEPT President.
I’m hoping FR can collectively figure out a third part candidate we can use for a protest vote.
Homosexual activism in government
Romney appointed prominent homosexuals to key positions in his administration
* “Romney also continues [former Governor] Weld’s tradition of appointing openly gay people to key positions in his administration. One of his first cabinet appointments was Daniel Grabauskas, who Romney chose to serve in his cabinet as Secretary of the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction. The new governor’s transition team also included several openly gay people, including Grabauskas, former lieutenant governor candidate and current president of the National Log Cabin Republicans Patrick Guerriero and former Mass. Log Cabin president Mark Goshko. Other gay Romney appointees include John Wagner, commissioner of the state welfare department, Mitchell Adams, executive director of the Massachusetts Technology collaborative and Jonathan Spampinato, a member of Romney’s Diversity and Equality Opportunity Council.”
- Bay Windows, 3/3/2005
(Note: These appointees aren’t just “gay” people, they’re committed homosexual activists. Grabauskas, for example, had previously served as head of the Registrar of Motor Vehicles where he instituted a policy of placing a sex-change check-off box on drivers license renewal forms.)
Drivers license renewal form
His power is not weakened by this; he didn't have that power.
John Cleese, from Monty Python's Flying Circus fame, was the perfect fit.
Romney appointed prominent homosexual activists and Democrats as judges
* “Governor Mitt Romney, who touts his conservative credentials to out-of-state Republicans, has passed over GOP lawyers for three-quarters of the 36 judicial vacancies he has faced, instead tapping registered Democrats or independents — including two gay lawyers who have supported expanded same-sex rights, a Globe review of the nominations has found. Of the 36 people Romney named to be judges or clerk magistrates, 23 are either registered Democrats or unenrolled voters who have made multiple contributions to Democratic politicians or who voted in Democratic primaries, state and local records show. In all, he has nominated nine registered Republicans, 13 unenrolled voters, and 14 registered Democrats.”
- Boston Globe 7/25/2005
“If McCain is the nominee, I’ll vote third party.”
Yep, me too. I could never get myself to vote for him.
Years of name recognitionisare essential.
What an utter embarassment you are.
“John Cleese, from Monty Python’s Flying Circus fame, was the perfect fit.”
Great comparison!
Romney’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth used huge taxpayer funding to promote homosexuality in the public schools
* During most of Romney’s term in office, there existed an agency called the Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth. It was established before Romney came to power but it existed throughout his tenure. Even though he had legal control over this entity and the Commissioners served at his pleasure, he never dissolved the Commission, nor attempted to dictate who its members were, nor even restricted how it used its funding. Romney could have appointed pro-family people or representatives from ex-homosexual groups to serve on this Commission, but he never did.
* The Governor’s Commission was perhaps the largest government-sanctioned promoter of the homosexual agenda to children in the United States. This entity spent millions of state tax dollars promoting the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender (GLBT) radicalism in Massachusetts schools by inundating them with GLBT speakers, presentations, films, books, parades, dances, posters, handouts, and help establishing GLBT clubs on campus. These events provided a model for homosexual activists around the country.
(Note: See entire section below - “Romney’s Commission organized public gay ‘Youth Pride Day’ parades and ‘transgender proms’ which promote unhealthy and risky behavior.”)
* Instead of dissolving the Commission, Romney continued to fund it:
More recently Romney proposed allocating $250,000 for the Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth for fiscal year 2006, twice what he proposed for FY05. The Legislature ultimately funded the commission at $250,000 for FY05, so Romney’s proposal for next year amounts to level funding, and the proposal is still a far cry from $1.6 million the commission received in the mid-’90s before the state budget crisis. Yet as commission co-chair Kathleen Henry said, Romney could just as easily have dissolved the program. “We serve completely at the will of the governor,” said Henry.
- Bay Windows 3/3/2005
* When Romney was criticized for Commission’s funding, the homosexual activists came to his defense:
Kathleen Henry, chairwoman of the Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, defended Romney. Henry said the governor’s fiscal 2006 budget plan included $250,000 for the commission, twice as much as he proposed spending in 2005. ‘’The fact that he doubled last year’s [proposed budget allocation] this year is huge to us. It’s really huge. It says to us clearly that he gets the service for what it really is,” said Henry.
- Boston Globe 7/1/2005
We cannot let this f'n fiasco have negative coat tails for Congress and State offices.
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