McCain a booster as Romney works to win over skeptics [Romney convinced McCain to back TARP]

The Boston Globe ^ | 2009-10-01 | Sasha Issenberg

[rabscuttle385]

WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney had already sent out invitations for his Phoenix fund-raiser, offering supporters the chance to meet him in a Chase Field luxury box over a $300-per-person lunch or a $3,000 VIP reception.

But when former rival John McCain called with an offer to be listed as host for the event in his hometown, Romney happily went back to the printer for a new invitation with McCain’s name emblazoned on it.

Yesterday, McCain’s gesture helped Romney’s political action committee raise about $80,000. It also consummated an 18-month rapprochement between two competitors who battled for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination. Acrimony has been replaced by a professional friendship, the latest success in Romney’s methodical campaign to win over past skeptics as he prepares for another presidential run in 2012.

[rabscuttle385]

When Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy less than three weeks later, Romney was among a small group of advisers McCain gathered at a New York hotel. The former financier’s explanation of the risks of such failures helped inspire McCain to buck congressional Republicans and support bailing out the financial-services sector, according to McCain adviser Mark Salter.

[conservativebuckeye]

It’s definitely within the realm of possibility that Romney was trying to sabotage McCain. Since he was passed over, he was probably bitter and also realized his only realistic chance to ever become President was to have McCain lose. I’m not completely convinced that Palin is the right person to be the GOP nominee in 2012, but I know Romney is the wrong person.

[Tempest]

Losers! Both of them.

[Psalm 144]

LOL!!! What a team!

[rabscuttle385]

As McCain fumbled in his public comments on the subject, his campaign effectively deputized Romney to be its lead spokesman on economic issues, leading some Republicans to quietly suggest the prospect of "buyer’s remorse" in the vice presidential pick.

[Frantzie]

I cannot stand McCain. Mitt - you could have been somebody but you are just another RINO to me now.

At least you are really married unlike two other friend-of-Dortothy RINO’s McCain hangs out with. One of them has a pigmentation issue (not black) and the other reminds me of Charlotte in gone with The Wind.

“Rhett if there is any illegal aliens in SC - I want to get them amnesty!”

[rabscuttle385]

The Juan McCain Truth File. "I have great respect for Al Gore." —John McCain, October 2, 2008 FR Keywords: mccaintruthfile, mcqueeg, mcbama Please tag all relevant threads with the aforementioned keywords. This can be a very high-volume ping list at times. To join the ping list: FReepmail rabscuttle385 with the subject line add  mccaintruthfile. (Stop getting pings by sending the subject line drop mccaintruthfile.)   Republican Commissar’s Warning: By joining this ping list, you may be subjected to the delusional rants and ramblings of McCainiacs, of "moderate" Republicans, of pragmatic conservatives resigned to voting for the lesser of two Democrats, and of countless RNC shills who simply want to meet a new overlord.

[rabscuttle385]

*Ping!*

[pissant]

McCain’s initial instincts were correct. Too bad he listened to Mitt

[ejonesie22]

Looks like a couple of loose Romneybots are showing up again.

Fun resumes...

LOL...

[rabscuttle385]

Hehehe.

[ejonesie22]

It's like getting unlimited tokens for “Whack-A-Mole” at Chucky Cheese...

Go until your arms hurt...

[marron]

Romney couldn’t be so out of touch not to realize that McCain is the kiss of death.

If McCain is for him, normal people will run for the exits.

[presently no screen name]

The way I see it is - Mitt is playing/using McCain. Clueless McCain can’t see it - he’s so into bipartisan he just wants to get along. Their ‘act’ reminds me of teenagers.

[americanophile]

I’ll take either over Zero.

[Bullish]

Just go away, both of you guys.

[imahawk]

Oh no not these two sh!theads again.

[CowboyJay]

Anyone still unclear as to whether Mitt was a stalking horse for McQueeg?

[jeltz25]

Part of me wonders if McCain just saw Palin as a means to get elected and all along was planning to dump her once he got in.

Way for the GOP to start a comeback and show they care about the economy and job losses. A 3,000 a plate lunch in a luxury box.

Hopefully the GOP candidate is someone who doesn’t have to worry about a luxury box and can generate a headline that says “filled Chase Field” not just one box.

[mojitojoe]

I wish those 2 jerks would just get lost...........

[Arizona Carolyn]

$80,000 isn’t very much money at all .....

[PhilDragoo]

“One thing I think we should really give Governor Romney credit for: he is consistent,’’ McCain told voters. “He has consistently taken both sides of any major issue. He has consistently flip-flopped on every issue.’’

~~~

When Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy less than three weeks later, Romney was among a small group of advisers McCain gathered at a New York hotel. The former financier’s explanation of the risks of such failures helped inspire McCain to buck congressional Republicans and support bailing out the financial-services sector, according to McCain adviser Mark Salter.

~~~

McCain was harder on opponent Romney than he was on Obama.

McCain could have won had he stuck to tax cuts, and damned the rush to spend trillions as a bunch of Big Government Chicken Littles who'd caused it in the first place.

The two of them are closer to Obama regarding economic issues than they would feel comfortable admitting.

The two of them sniped at--and no doubt send surrogates to snipe at--Sarah Palin.

McCain's immigration madness cost the party its triple-grip on power.

Romney hip-hops more than the Energizer Rabbit--and would have a "public option", too.

Together they exemplify Dead Pols Walking.

[FastCoyote]

[Romney couldn’t be so out of touch not to realize that McCain is the kiss of death.]

Oh yes he could. Just as out of touch as giving his spawn child Romneycare an ‘A’ rating.

[DoughtyOne]

Romney has about as much chance of getting my vote as Hillary does. The words “cold day in hell” come to mind.

[DoughtyOne]

Mc Cain thinks he has found a sure fire way to cost conservatives the election in 2012. He's so pleased with himself. We have got to retire this guy next year.

[ari-freedom]

no, he probably really believed in TARP. He was always a corporate keynesian.

[red irish]

On O’Reilly tonight he mentioned while talking to Morrison that he knew McCain and Palin were at odds with each other. Love to know what that was about.

[conservativebuckeye]

Well, one is a liberal and the other is a conservative.

[conservativebuckeye]

You’re probably right. Corporate Keynesian is an excellent description of Romney and many other politicians. I still wouldn’t put it past Romney to have undermined the campaign. The odds Romney really wanted McCain to win are about the same odds that Hillary wanted Kerry to win in ‘04.

[freekitty]

One word “Westinghouse”.

Remember the politicians took Westinghouse down. The same company that put them in office.

[Rick_Michael]

I almost feel any republican except john mccain would be a better republican. But hey, that’s just my opinion.

[Carl LaFong]

Dumb and Dumber,RINO edition.

[CanaGuy]

Yep, as we say in Canada....La scum de la scum.

[bustinchops]

Given that 56% of Americans don’t support the government health care concept, and given that Romney did exactly that in MA AND backed TARP, one would hope and should reasonably expect that Republicans will not nominate him to run for president in 2012.

[Paige]

If the GOP pushes Romney - I guess Obama will be in the White House for Two Terms.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Those two creeps deserve each other.

[Diogenesis]

Backstabber Romney: " You support TARP.
My team will attack Gov. Palin and her children."

"A political party cannot be all things to all people.
It must represent certain fundamental beliefs
 which must not be compromised to political expediency
or simply to swell its numbers."
--  President Ronald Reagan

"We don't intend to turn the Republican Party
 over to the traitors in the battle just ended.
We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged
 to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support.
Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates
wouldn’t make any sense at all.""
--  President Ronald Reagan

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

On McCain’s behalf, Romney tapped the same fund-raising networks - running through Harvard, Bain Consulting, the Mormon world, and Utah - that had helped him raise $65 million for his own campaign.

Well, this speaks for itself...

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Even as he had kind words for Romney’s future, McCain cautioned that his support was far from an endorsement for the presidency, comparing him to several of his party’s likely 2012 contenders (although notably not Palin).

“If any of them, whether [Minnesota Governor Tim] Pawlenty or [Louisiana Governor Bobby] Jindal or Romney, were in our state and wanted to do a fund-raiser, we’d be glad to host them,’’ said McCain. “It’s certainly not a preference for the nominee 3 1/2 or four years from now.

I hope Sarah skewers the ungrateful SOB in her book...

[hyperconservative]

Yeah, me too.
Screw these a**hats(Romney & McLame).
And the donkey they rode in on.

[reagan_fanatic]

Why do I have this sick feeling in my gut that Romney has already been chosen to be our candidate in 2012?

[Elsie]

Endangered white rhinos...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endangered white rinos...

 

[paulycy]

Why do I have this sick feeling in my gut that Romney has already been chosen to be our candidate in 2012?

If Romney is the candidate I would actually, for the first time in my life, consider staying home, making some popcorn, and watching as he loses and the marxist revolution just sinks this country.

(I probably wouldn't really do it but I'd sure consider it.)

[McGruff]

Looks like the battle lines for 2012 are forming. In the words of another former presidential candidate “Bring It Onnnnna!”

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Well, that's what the beltway RINO crowd is certainly plotting. They're not even trying to hide it. That's why they've desperately been trying to undermine Sarah Palin's Conservative/Libertarian insurgency so that they can pave the way for "next man in line" Romney. However, things are much different now than in early 2008, and I don't think the grassroots is going to stand for it this time. The beltway RINOs are going to learn some hard truths I think once Sarah doubles down and turns up the heat in the next two years. Her early rallies in 2012 will tell the tale, as to exactly where Romney, Pawlenty, and Huck all stand with the main street GOP at that time. Heck, this article says that only 150 people showed up for the Romney/McCain event.

Now imagine how many would have showed up if Sarah had been there.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Jim, here’s another one for your official truth file...

[Soul Seeker]

McCain said it was Bush who convinced him. Which is it? Doesn’t matter. In the end he was applying for a job where he was supposed to be the final authority and this just reveals he not only made the wrong decisions but trust the wrong people for advice.

Romney supported it himself. He’s worthless as well.

[Theodore R.]

Romney has the inside track for 2012 because Republican primary voters in NH, SC, VA, and other early states are so uninformed that all they know to do is support the best known candidate. Hence Dole in 1996 and McPain in 2008. They are fully predictable.

[Theodore R.]

The children of those who selected Dole will be for Romney. Plus George Romney never had “his turn”.

[CharlesWayneCT]

We could have bailed out Lehman Brothers without TARP.