Posted on 01/30/2012 9:05:42 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Even if Mitt Romney wins in Florida on Tuesday, he still may lose the presidency come November.
The old adage of “divide and conquer” may work well in war, but in politics it’s not always a smart strategy, especially in Republican primaries.
Ronald Reagan’s name has been evoked quite often in this race. The Gipper must be turning over in his grave that Mitt Romney has so badly violated his 11th Commandment: “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.”
Reagan’s law not only sounds great, it’s smart politics. Reagan understood that the very same Republicans a candidate attacks in a primary will be the people he will need to back him in a general election. Reagan had political finesse that Mitt Romney, a brilliant business man, apparently lacks.
Clearly Gov. Romney is receiving bad advice on his campaign strategy. So far, what has the politics of division gotten Romney?
Romney and his allies have spent some $15 million in Florida alone violating Reagan’s 11th Commandment by engaging in vicious attacks on Newt Gingrich.
Gingrich, outgunned by Mitt’s personal checkbook and the fat cats in Wall Street who have backed him, seems like a guy using a BB gun firing away at B-52s above.
Nevertheless, Mitt doesn’t have a lot to show. He lost Iowa. He won in his adopted home state of New Hampshire where Democratic and independent voters can vote in the GOP primary. He was then walloped by Gingrich in South Carolina, and in Florida, he may just squeak out a win after outspending Newt Gingrich 5 to 1 on TV ads....
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
OUCH!
Oh, we’re already screwed. We will have Obozo for four more years and I’m to the point that I don’t give a rat’s ass. The GOP Establishment, of which Romney and Santorum are a part, is just as corrupt as the Democrats. Screw ‘em all. I’m voting Third Party.
Watch them trying to reason, argue, scare and guilt us when the time comes... especially scare us with the consequences of sitting out. I think a couple of million voters short is all that is needed for Romney to lose the election.
Love Chris Ruddy.
I would add that Romnuts will lose for another reason: Kharma.
What goes around comes around and his vitriolic rage directed toward a fellow Republican will come back to haunt him.
If Mr. Obama wins re-election, the recession/depression that follows will be on him. If Gov. Romney wins, conservatives/the Tea Party, etc. will get blamed for his failed socialist policies, even though we know he’s not a conservative.
“Watch them trying to reason, argue, scare and guilt us when the time comes... especially scare us with the consequences of sitting out. “
You are so right, Moorings.
I’m getting it already from my “GOP” friends. “But if you don’t support Mitt, then Obama will be reeelected”.
Got it.
A grim but realistic outlook. I agree.
I agree with the puzzlement over his current strategy. Conventional wisdom has always pointed to Mittens winning in Florida. Watching Fox for a bit tonight gave me an upset stomach with their inevitable predictions of a Romney victory.
My question - if Romney is inevitable and all the polls show him with an insurmountable lead in Florida - why is he so viciously attacking Newt? The high road seemed to be Romney’s schtick.... the dirt does not wear well on him and he might win Florida but lose the general election without the conservative vote.
The only conclusion I can make is that Romney’s internal polling must not resemble the numbers we are seeing on the news because they appear desperate in their attacks on Newt.
The GOP never learns and the tea party appears to have expended their energy in the mid-terms. I hate to say it because I respect his right to stay in the race but Candidate Santorum guarantees Nominee Mittens. If the polling is correct and Santorum stays in the race past Florida it does seem like Mittens is inevitable.
It appears as if the mushy middle has taken firm control of the GOP.
I am praying the Newtster pulls off a win in FL and leaves many many establishment types spitting and sputtering to explain it! Everywhere I turn on TV tonight all I hear is how Romney as much as has it in the bag. I hope the voters of Florida will turn on the “experts” and stuff a Newt win down their condescending establishment throats!
Yeah, there HAS been SO much arrogance, hasn’t there???
Gingrich, outgunned by Mitt’s personal checkbook and the fat cats in Wall Street who have backed him, seems like a guy using a BB gun firing away at B-52s above.
It seems this garbage of giving corporations and the wealthy the lions share of political speech has backfired big time.
I’m starting to think that Rick is running for vice president, attorney general or some such.
Watch them trying to reason, argue, scare and guilt us when the time comes... especially scare us with the consequences of sitting out.
Soros is right for once. There’s not enough difference between Obama and Romney to vote Romney. 4 more years of Obama vs 8 years of Romney is a wash. Especially when you factor the inability of a GOP Congress to stand against a leftist GOP President. I’d rather fight on defense for four more years than surrender with Romney.
I listened to Mitt on the eve of this vote, the guy is an absolute liar of biblical proportions......
He should be drummed out of the party.
A few months ago, I would have crawled over broken glass to vote GOP against Obama. No how, no way, am I voting for Romney. He is lying scum. I expect it from libs who can’t compete in the arena of ideas. I won’t tolerate it from GOP.
A few months ago, I would have crawled over broken glass to vote GOP against Obama. No how, no way, am I voting for Romney. He is lying scum. I expect it from libs who can’t compete in the arena of ideas. I won’t tolerate it from GOP.
Romney is a disgrace for his weakness. Clearly; the prevailing wisdom of these 'establishment' Repubs was that Romney could not beat Newt on issues; much less on substance or leadership. Nor could Mitt, beat Newt honestly.
More than clear is the warning here; seeing how comfortable Mitt is; when using the most debased tactics of the Left.
Oh, I’m beginning to think that Mitt will really enjoy grazing in Obama’s pastures.
I'm sorry, but I think Santorum voters are being played. Santorum is a spoiler for Romney.
Santorum is not in Florida because Romney doesn't need him anymore and Rick is poised for a #2 slot on a Romney ticket.
The sweater-vest choir boy did his work well in both Iowa and Florida giving the GOP base a solid symbol of acceptability against Gingrich.
With his work done, he can leave Florida and Romney can say he beat Gingrich without Santorum even being there.
I think Romney is going to enjoy the groundwork Obama has laid for him -- should Romney get elected. And that makes Mitt Romney one diabolical son-of-a-b*tch.
“I listened to Mitt on the eve of this vote, the guy is an absolute liar of biblical proportions......
He should be drummed out of the party.”
Well, he won’t be. It is the conservatives who are being cast out.
Yes.
I love Rick Santorum. He’s such a good, conservative man.
However, he has no chance at this late date.
If he were to leave the race, most of his supporters would go to Newt.
I hope that, when the best time for him to leave arrives, he will endorse Newt.
Very well reasoned post, Moorings. Thank you.
I think the one thing they’ve left out of the equation is the Santorum supporters should he leave the race.
“Yeah, there HAS been SO much arrogance, hasn’t there???”
Boatloads of arrogance, BG.
BOATLOADS!!!
Should Mitt Romney get the nomination I do believe I will abstain from voting altogether, something I never have done before. I know it would mean a vote for the marxist (spelled on purpose lower case) boy wonder but so be it. May be this country really needs to hit the bottom hard in order to wake up some of those ignorant idiots who populate the landscape. But I certainly do not want to vote for some warmed over socialist who will say and do just about anything in order to get elected. This country is in dire need of a real change in directions and I do believe that Newt is about the best chance we have to get the job done.
I think you should consider voting in the down-ticket races, even if you do not vote in the Presidential election.
Good conservatives at the state and local level could be hurt if conservative voters simply abstain.
Do you think if Gingrich wins the RINO elites will support him after all they have said about him? HELL, NO, so they can KMA because I’m NOT going to hold my nose and vote for Romney. Not now, not EVER, especially after some of the nasty things they have said about the Tea Party.
They don’t like us and they have proven just how nasty they can be in your face about it. Why would anyone want to vote for someone like that?
A snake is a snake who can’t be trusted no matter what letter comes after his name. Let them beat Obama on their own since they are so damn smart. They don’t need the “uneducated” Tea Party “hillbillies” to win according to them. Let’s see them win without us because there will be NO Romney votes coming from this house and they can try the guilt card all they want. I”ll just hold up the “stupid” card they have label us with to remind them we aren’t welcome in “their party”.
“They don’t need the “uneducated” Tea Party “hillbillies” to win according to them. Let’s see them win without us because there will be NO Romney votes coming from this house and they can try the guilt card all they want.”
I am with you 100%. My wife is so mad she is ready to switch to Independent. You know I’d eat my children before voting for the pandering fraud from Mass., but this is bigger then Romney. This is about a 2-party system where the only difference between the establishment in either party is one of degree.
Understand that if Romney is the nominee the Conservative movement started back in 1980 is effectively dead. The Tea Party will have been marginalized and the movement crushed.
I’ve gotten to the point where I am actually looking forward to a Romney defeat. I mean I am hoping for a good old fashion beat down that leaves the establishment bewildered, and gives us the opening to take back the GOP.
We will not vote for Romney EVER.
He is a proven liar.
If Romney is on the ticket, the DNC
will take the Senate and House.
I’m just about there too. Don’t see a dime’s worth of difference between Romney and Obama.
“I poop on Backstabber Romney for RomneyCARE and his lies.”
Romney's bad behavior Exposed by Seamus
"I poop on backstabber Romney
for RomneyCARE, his death panels, and his lies."
Romney's bad behavior Exposed by Seamus
You’re right kcvl.
And next time one of my RINO GOP friends asks if I would rather see Obama win by not voting for Romney(IF he is the nominee), I’m going to say “yes”.
Before, I would have said that the reelection of Bam is the worst thing that could happen to America...and it is.
And like many sellouts in the weak GOP, I would have said that I intend to hold my nose and do a McCain this year.
I want to be wrong but at this point, I believe that the Kenyan’s reelection will probably happen anyway.
The drones are so stupid, kcvl. They still think he’s “personably likable”. Geez.
Standing on the shoulders of our forefathers and Ronald Reagan, remaining true to my beliefs and first principles is more important to this Conservative.
It would be like cheating on my spouse for me to vote for Romnuts.
Oh wait, I’m not married anymore. :-)
“Newt tells me his decision to fight on to the convention is nothing personal with Romney; it’s about a struggle for the future of the Republican Party and the United States. He knows that in many blue states we now have one-party political systems.”
Add most of the western 1/2 of the People’s Republic of WA to the list of ‘blue states’. Thanks for posting this article!
You might be interested in 1 I posted:
Five Reasons So Many Grassroots Conservatives Don’t Like Mitt Romney
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2840467/posts
Even the dolts that comprise the GOP-E will figure out what is happening if the conservatives down the ticket are getting higher vote totals than the top-of-the-ticket. They're figure out that conservatives weren't bluffing when we said we won't vote for Romney.
His economic policies are going to blow up and also the fact that he’s infiltrated the government with Muslims, and left the border wide open and increased visas for Muslims. In addition he’s shifted Homeland inSecurity resources away from jihadists and onto his political and social enemies in the name of political correctness. This is going to blow up into a terrorist attack under the next president.
Clinton did the same thing to prepare an jihadist attack on 911 when Bush took office.
Oh please...Newt has been rallying against people in his own party since 1978.
Reagan understood that the very same Republicans a candidate attacks in a primary will be the people he will need to back him in a general election.
...you mean like calling Bob Dole, “the tax collector of the welfare state?”
Not sure what you are saying. I did not mention Newt in my post. My post referred to Obama’s messy legacy.
Not sure what you are saying. I did not mention Newt in my post. My post referred to Obama’s messy legacy.
“Actually they are counting on us losing our steam if he becomes the nominee. That all of us will unite and carry his water for him. They feel that we have no choice, no other option.”
They might actually name Newt as veep to sucker us in. I am not voting for Romney under any circumstances.
I love the Gipper, but Reagan and Ford did everything but spit at each other in 1976. I don’t know where all this eleventh commandment stuff comes from.
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