Posted on 12/20/2011 5:20:19 PM PST by TBBT
Mitt Romney claims campaign finance laws forbid him from saying anything to stop a pro-Romney super PAC called Restore Our Future from airing attack ads targeting Newt Gingrich. The PAC has just unveiled a new hit on Gingrich in Iowa, following up on a devastating ad played repeatedly across the state. The ads are widely crediting will cutting into Gingrich's support in Iowa.
In an MSNBC interview with Romney Tuesday morning, host Joe Scarborough noted that Gingrich has called on Romney to "just tell [the super PAC] to stop the attacks against Newt Gingrich. Will you do that?"
"It's illegal, as you probably know," Romney answered. "Super PACs have to be entirely separate from a campaign and a candidate. I'm not allowed to communicate with a super PAC in any way, shape or form."
"So, you’re not coordinating it in any way?" Scarborough said.
"My goodness, if we coordinate in any way whatsoever, we go to the big house," Romney said.
Is that true? Would it be illegal for Romney to say, in an interview like that on MSNBC, or in a speech, or in some other forum, "I call on all entities putting out ads on my behalf to stop the negative attacks." Would that be illegal? A former chairman of the Federal Election Commission says the answer is no.
(Excerpt) Read more at campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com ...
On the bright side, this episode shows that Romney is willing to play hardball and just might, if nominated, unlike Juan McCain, fight hard against Hussein. ( on the less bright side that still gives us a President Romney)
You make a very good point. Crybaby Gingrich, if he were the nominee, would get a lot worse from Obama and his one billion bucks campaign. Does he think Obama is going to run a highminded campaign based on the issues? If he does, he’s naive. If he can’t take the heat from Romney, he’d certainly collapse under the onslaught from Obama’s Chicago thugs. Romney is showing he can play hardball. A useful trait in the general election.
It seems to me that so far it is Newt who is taking the heat to Obama. Mitt, not so much.
Heck Mitt could not find it in himself to even call Obama a socialist on the Bill O’Reilly show. Sounds like Mitt is another McQueeg.
The Romney Sleaze Machine stop its sleaze? LOL..right.
RE: On the bright side, this episode shows that Romney is willing to play hardball and just might, if nominated..
On the dark side he is borderline socialist.
Like McCain, Romney will be quick to criticize his “fellow” conservatives but will readily concede that Obama is not a bad president at all, really, but he’ll be better.
Newt has constantly said this campaign is about OBAMA and that is where he will focus his attacks, not on other Republicans. Please don’t promote the utterly false impression that Newt is going to be soft on Obama. That is absurd. He has hammered him on everything so far as well as called his regime “secular-socialist.”
I have no doubt Romney would play bare knuckles dirty in the general. And I have no doubt he’d be a better choice than Newt. No worries, because Newt will not beat Romney.
Put down the crack pipe.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.