Posted on 01/01/2012 8:40:11 PM PST by VinL
[edit}.... The Gingrich team on Sunday started to hit Romney for voting for Paul Tsongas in the 1992 Democratic presidential primary when the former U.S. Senator for Massachusetts was in a primary with Bill Clinton and Jerry Brown.
That plays into the most central rap against Romney — that he is not a real conservative, that he converted for the campaign and in essence he is a “Massachusetts moderate.” In the context of the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, that is not a compliment.
The Tsongas vote has been raised before — when Romney ran the first time for president in the 2008 GOP primary.
In 2007, Romney explained his Tsongas support in an ABC News interview, noting that President George H.W. Bush faced no real opposition for re-nomination.
“In Massachusetts, if you register as an independent, you can vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary. …When there was no real contest in the Republican primary, I’d vote in the Democrat primary, vote for the person who I thought would be the weakest opponent for the Republican,” Romney said.
I take it that the Gingrich team will use New Hampshire as an “experiment” to see if they can drive down Romney’s numbers. What the Gingrich forces don’t have are “SuperPacs” poised to help him right away in New Hampshire.
Said Gingrich in Ames, “a narrow win for him (in New Hampshire) will be the equivalent of a defeat.”
Romney said- "I’d vote in the Democrat primary, vote for the person who I thought would be the weakest opponent for the Republican."
That's a pretty lame excuse, even for a politician- even for Romney!
How in good faith can "conservative" media try to paint this guy as conservative? Ms. Coulter?
The real conservatives need to reach down deep, and pull for all their worth to make their cases. The sands are running out.
Considering Tsongas was almost dead by then, that’s not a bad excuse.
Nothing "lame" about it. The Democrats do it all the time to screw up the Republicasn primaries, and will do it again this year. Rush promotes this also.
That revelation may play among a few of the oldsters, but
‘92 was a ways back to create much of a pants on fire turning point in time for Iowa.
What is eerie to me is that Romney is spending money on negative ads and opposition research and mean connections against all threats, but is basically saying nothing, offering nothing, doing nothing, IS nothing, and on top of that he is a bore! How do you get in the lead and be the guy to beat like that, by just showing up with your hair on?
Some local conservative friends think highly of Romney. The problem is they are looking through the media, they are not on the internet and what the media shows is all highly favorable speech snippets (while playing gaffs by other candidates over and over).
Happy New Year, Palmer. Then, why bother to vote for him?
I have stuck entirely to FR and a few other sites but dumped TV entirely for the past three weeks, until five minutes ago following the Dallas game. Decided to watch Chris Wallace. Caught the tail end of Brett Baier’s program where the panel is stupidly giving it to Romney with just a win in Iowa! LOL!
South Carolina will eat his lunch, and if we fight mortal combat for Newt, we may take Florida. Romney Who, if that happens.
Make no mistake about it: Romney is evil.
His goal in life is POTUS.
He must be stopped from buying the nomination.
GO NEWT!
Happy New Year to you! The theory is that a weak candidate is beatable. I think some Dems crossed to vote for McLame in the 2008 primaries for that reason.
This time around, the players will have to play all four quarters of the “political” football game...and it will mostly like will come down to the final two minutes of the political “football” game.
Those two NH debates next week are going to be must see TV.
They should hold them in an octagon. Newt is taking off the gloves!
The spin I heard (on WTOP news radio in DC) is that Romney didn’t really campaign in Iowa (”only recently” blah blah blah) so his win there will be an upset.
Santorum is going to demolish Willard......in Iowa:
ppppolls PublicPolicyPolling
Tea Party voters: Santorum 23, Gingrich 18, Paul 16, Bachmann 15, Romney 12. If Mitt doesn’t win that’s why
27 seconds ago »
ppppolls PublicPolicyPolling
Only 3 candidates moved more than a point in the last week- Santorum up, Paul and Bachmann down
7 minutes ago »
ppppolls PublicPolicyPolling
Paul, Romney, Santorum all within 2 points of each other
15 minutes ago
Happy new year, Prok. And that’s a qualification for President?— Integrity? I switched parties temporarily to sabotage the other guy’s election.
I think he probably favored Tsongas- but that’s just a guess.
The only thing that happens here is someone quits.
I am appalled that 12% of Tea Party people would support Romney. I just don’t get it.
ppppolls PublicPolicyPolling
We’re going to launch weekly South Carolina tracking starting Wednesday night and will do one last NH poll next weekend
5 minutes ago »
ppppolls PublicPolicyPolling
IOWA: Santorum is 2nd choice of Bachmann, Newt, and Perry’s voters. Interesting to see how much ship jumping there is in last 2 days
24 minutes ago »
ppppolls PublicPolicyPolling
IOWA: Santorum’s up 8 points in the last 5 days. Most popular candidate with 60/30 favorability:
27 minutes ago »
ppppolls PublicPolicyPolling
IOWA: Paul 20, Romney 19, Santorum 18, Gingrich 14, Perry 10, Bachmann 8, Huntsman 4, Roemer 2:
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/01/headed-for-a-photo-finish-in-iowa.html
I've done it, in TX primaries. When GWB was the obvious far and away winner, I would go over to the Dim Primary to screw their side up.
I’m sure you’re right, my friend. And I’m not trying to belabor the point. But, if Rush sends out “operation chaos” or the union bosses send out the goons- that I understand.
But, a man who would be President? A statesman- admitting that he engaged in ambuscade?
Strikes me odd- and very telling of the type of person he is by the nature of his act or his rationalization of the act.
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.