There are a lot of different factors in play here. If Romney becomes the nominee and miraculously wins the general—and it will take a miracle, given his lack of scruples, charisma, and relatability—Republican voters will most likely be deenergized going into the midterms and Democrats amped up. (Barring a cataclysm such as the 9/11 attacks, and even in such an event Willard would not prove an inspiring leader.) So we have to ask: is it likely Romney would be a bold conservative willing to stand up to a Democrat Congress? Are you kidding? And predictably, large numbers of congressional Republicans would vote for liberal proposals out of loyalty to a liberal Republican president, whereas they’d oppose such things if proposed by a Dem.
For my own part, I hope that if Romney’s nominated, a solid and credible conservative throws his hat in the ring as a third party candidate. That would bring out conservative voters who’d likely stay home otherwise, and would increase Republicans’ chances of holding the House and perhaps taking the Senate.
Sorry, but I just won’t vote for Romney. Not under any circumstances. Those who would vote for him would probably vote for Hillary Clinton if she deigned to accept the Republican nomination.
Once again a horrible set of choices provided to us.
Romney - when asked if he will repeal Obama care responds “Why wouldn’t I?”
Santorum - a Catholic version of Mike Bloomberg
Paul - regrettably, despite some good positions, strikes me as a flake.
I’ll take Newt, because these are the choices.
I met Obama in 2005 have to repeat this in every post. Got to spend 10 min one on one chatting at a PR event for GWB at the Caterpillar factory in Montgomery IL
Mind you this was Summer 2005, I called my mother and told her I met and got the autograph of the next POTUS. I was right, and I'll tell you if Rick thinks Romney is worse than Obama he didn't spend enough time in Illinois.
Obama would stab you in your neck and give you a smile, most evil person I met.
Santorum is right. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.
Exactly how the heck is Romney different than Obama? Romney ran LEFT of Kennedy. Romney pooh-poohed Reagan. Romney still supports RomneyCare. Romney’s advisors advised Obama’s staff on ObamaCare. Romney supports manmade global warming, etc.
So Romney becomes President. How the heck do we control him?
Mandate-UnCare, is nothing more than a Federal Labor Camp, CONCENTRATED right on the body.
Concentrated Camp.
I’ll vote for Romney knowing that the result will eventually be the same as with Obama. The difference between Obama and Romney is that Obama actually wants our constitutional republic to collapse. With Romney, it would simply be a byproduct of his own brand of socialism.
The world’s gone crazy. Prayer is in order. That’s about all that can save us now.
What a disaster this campaign has become.
Everybody here is now all of a sudden so outraged at Rick Santorum (who simply articulated what many folks have been saying here on FR for months about Romney being no better than Obama), yet I’m FAR more pissed off over the comments by Romney’s spokesman. He outright admitted what conservatives have suspected all along... that Mitt is only trying to sound conservative right now just to do whatever he needs to do to wrap up the Republican nomination and then the GOP establishment will “reset” him during the general election and have him campaign as a moderate.
I used to think there was a major difference between the Republican and Democrat parties.
I no longer think so.
And it makes me absolutely furious.
No one is going to scare me into voting for a man with a record to the left of Bill Clinton who lies, flop flops and uses the same sleazy tactics as the original Slick Willie.
Romney will destroy the Republican party and cause far more damage the either Bush did.
This is the same “conservative” who, in Michigan, asked Democrats to switch parties in the primary and vote for him.
I liked him at first, now I’ve lost most of my respect for him. I’m glad we have had this long primary.
We’re screwed. I can’t do anything about it but I can go to the next g_n show and buy more lead throwers. It’s gonna hit the fan sooner (Obama wins) or later (Romney wins).
Thanks to Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and North Dakota for voting for this idiot over Newt.
Just absolutely stupid voters.
Romney campaign should send a thank you note to Santorum. Santorum took away the heat (at least part of it) from their own gaffe. That the statement came from the candidate himself, not an adviser, carries more weight. Romney can always fire his adviser and denounce the statement. Santorum can’t. That Gingrich now has weighed in, and sides with Romney, doesn’t help Santorum.
He has a point in that, why are we running a candidate who has shared many of the same positions with Obama? Because he says he's shifted right? People will see that, and when it comes to liberal vs. liberal lite, why won't they just vote for the real thing?
The problem we have with the establishment is that they are moderate and want moderates like McCain and Romney. They chirp that it's to get the independents, when the truth is because they are moderate and want a moderate. The primary process is such that the moderate has the establishment money, and the conservative candidates split the votes. They get their moderate, and even though their moderate (in this case - Romney) ran a scorched earth campaign against the conservative candidates, they expect the conservatives to jump on board. They are counting on conservatives to pull the lever because they know their moderate is better than the leftist on the other ticket. They take the conservative vote for granted. When/if their moderate (Romney) wins, then they can feel affirmation in that they get the moderate they want, they can get independents, and conservatives will be forced to vote for their candidate anyway. Then they can gladly move the party to the left and claim that a true conservative like Santorum is too far to the right.
I think that Santorum was saying that with the above paragraph in mind and in trying to get people to think, "What's the point in running someone against Obama who has held many positions (until the flip flops) that are similar to Obama?" Obama will use that against Romney.
I`m stunned by how easy the GOP candidates are making this election for Obama. Even though he has the voter fraud machinery at his disposal in case the election appears close, it`s looking ever more clear he`s not going to even have to open that crate.
Much has been said and many take solace in Reagan`s comeback against Carter in the closing days of the 1980 campaign. Problem is.... none of the GOP`s gang of four bear any discernible similarities to Reagan.
Remember the GOP`s advantage in the “enthusiasm gap” just a few months ago? Contrast that to the abysmal turnout in IL`s primary.. something that told volumes about the disgust people are having toward the GOP.
It`d be nice if all four and their campaign managers would step back and put a lid on the intramural BS and focus on Obama from time to time. That`d be a refreshing development.
Dang it all Rick!
Way to McCain yourself, the GOP and every true conservative. No matter if you or Romney are the nominee, the Dem’s will run that soundbite 24/7.
Still, I guess we don’t have to wonder about you being the VP pick anymore if Romney takes the nomination ....
Both Romney & Obama are anti-gun, pro-homosexual, liberal judge appointing, global warming pushing, agenda-21 loving, socialized medicine, Marxist implementing socialists.
However, if Obama is in office GOP will stand with people like me to fight their agenda, while if Romney is in office GOP will fight against people like me trying to stop the agenda.
Sanatorium is right.
Give me a break. How many people on this board have said there isn’t a dime’s worth of difference between the two. Perhaps the only difference if Romney was elected is that the Republicans in Congress wouldn’t even attempt to oppose the Romney / Obama Agenda. Name one area where we would better off to any significant degree under Romney. The train to Hell might actually slow down by a mile an hour, if Obama stays in power, since a GOP House and Senate might oppose his agenda whereas they would roll over for a liberal from their own party.