Newt's Southern Strategy Won't Work (Tokyo Rove alert)

Wall Street Journal ^ | 2/9/12 | Karl Rove

[jimbo123]

Newt Gingrich's remarks Saturday night after the Nevada caucuses and on NBC's "Meet the Press" the next morning proved that presidential candidates should talk policy, not process.

Proclaiming "We want to get to Georgia, to Alabama, to Tennessee," Mr. Gingrich said primaries in the South would produce "a series of victories" that by the April 4 Texas primary would make him "very, very competitive in the delegate count."

Well, the Gingrich Southern strategy faces big obstacles, starting with Rick Santorum and Ron Paul. Demanding that these two candidates drop out so he becomes the only conservative alternative to Mitt Romney hasn't worked.

[Hugin]

Anybody that gives it that much thought would just write in their candidate.

That would split the anti-Romney vote (if they even count write ins?), and Romney wins. The only way to beat Romney in VA is to vote for Paul. GO RON PAUL (in VA only)!

[muawiyah]

Watching Cspan today I noticed they've got McDonnell, Virginia's governor as one of their speakers tomorrow for this allegedly Conservative group.

McDonnell is one of the guys whose ass will be handed to him ~ and he's never been considered a RINO.

What we will be doing is giving a message to regular conservatives that if you stray off our reservation we will send out the cavalry to cut short your political career, so don't suck RINO butts!

[muawiyah]

Watching Cspan today I noticed they've got McDonnell, Virginia's governor as one of their speakers tomorrow for this allegedly Conservative group.

McDonnell is one of the guys whose ass will be handed to him ~ and he's never been considered a RINO.

What we will be doing is giving a message to regular conservatives that if you stray off our reservation we will send out the cavalry to cut short your political career, so don't suck RINO butts!

[conejo99]

You want me to vote for Ron Paul? Sorry man, you’re asking for too much.

[muawiyah]

There's no write in allowed on a Virginia Primary Ballot.

We also don't have party reservation, all primaries are open, it's a great big mess.

[Hugin]

You want me to vote for Ron Paul? Sorry man, you’re asking for too much.

Mitt and his RINO buddies apprecieate your principled stand.

[muawiyah]

Actually, we have TWO RINO canidates on the ballot. Ron Paul is probably going to run as the Libertarian Party candidate ~ he's one of their guiding lights anyway. Mitt Romney has been a big time contributor to Democrat candidates.

Neither one of them is a Conservative ~so the objective in the voting should be to vote for the guy who is least threatening to our Conservative candidates running in other states.

Fur Shur we wouldn't want anyone here voting for Romney ~ I cringe at the thought ~ but we know Paul isn't going to pull it out of the air at the convention.

[conejo99]

I’m not sure the world would be a better place if Ron Paul won Virginia. Image what his win would seem to say about the republican party. Not what you mean it to say, but what others would interpret it to say.
That being said, I don’t live in Virginia anyway and won’t be voting for either Paul or Romney when the Texas primary finally arrives (whenever that finally comes).

[JediJones]

Heh, that might be fun playing a Paulinista for the Virginia vote. Sort of like going to Mardi Gras and getting to act completely crazy for a day.

[JediJones]

Absolutely, there has to be a temporary alliance with Ron Paul in VA. Just like working with the Soviets to defeat the Nazis. The average Virginian needs to feel the shock and awe of armies of Ron Paulinistas marching through the streets on election day to deny Mitt the win. Nothing could hurt Mitt’s momentum more, NOTHING, than losing to Ron Paul in Virginia.

[JediJones]

The fact that Rove keeps pointing out that “national” delegates were not assigned in MN and CO is total proof that he’s simply spinning for Mitt. He NEVER pointed that out about IA and NV, and it’s the exact same situation for them. The guy is a lying, spinning sleazeball just like his deity Mitt.

[JediJones]

We absolutely need to do a Palin-style endorsement here. Vote Ron Paul in VIRGINIA ONLY to “keep the race going” a.k.a. help Newt win. ;)

[JediJones]

Ron Paul would be better for the Republican party than Mitt Romney. At least Ron Paul is half-conservative.

[The Citizen Soldier]

I for one have had enough of the ‘wisdom’ of Bill Kristal, Chas. Krauthammer, Ted Baxter, Bret Beahr, Toyko Rove, Ann Colter, Chris Wallace, Sean Wannabe, Dana Parino, Brit Hume, Shep Smith, Judge Jeanene, Alam Comes, Bob Beckle, Juan Williams, Whoraldo, et. al. all acting the part of the Romney cheerleading squad.

And at least five on this list are only cheering for Romney because they really want Obama and know that Romney cannot beat Obama.

[Elle Bee]

And at least five on this list are only cheering for Romney because they really want Obama and know that Romney cannot beat Obama.

I wouldn't count any of them out ... they're all got-mine-ers

.

[Hugin]

I think what it would say is that if party hacks try to rig primaries to force people to “choose” their annointed candidates, they may end up looking like fools. A Paul victory would be such an anomaly that nobody could seriously believe that he won on his merits. IMHO most Republican officholders and staffers care about nothing at this point but keeping their jobs, and view conservatives as the enemy. That’s an even bigger problem than just a Romney win.