Free Republic

Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama holds a double-digit lead over GOP presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum in hypothetical general election matchups, according to a new poll. And a CNN/ORC International survey released Wednesday also indicates that the president's approval rating has inched over the 50% mark in CNN surveys for the first time since last May, when the polls were still registering the after effects of the death of Osama bin Laden. The number of Americans who say the economy's in good shape has jumped 13 points since January, though the survey shows a majority still think...

. . . . . Romney’s Jobs’ Initiative Worsened the Housing Crisis in Massachusetts So when President Bush’s administration was attempting to regulate GSEs to avert a financial crisis, Governor Romney’s affordable housing policies in Massachusetts were significantly contributing to the bad assets on the books of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston the number of subprime mortgage originations in Massachusetts spiked between 2003 and 2006 during Romney’s tenure as Governor of Massachusetts. Given that there were prominent conservative whistle-blowers warning about the potential dangers of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,...

...Romney said, “If they are 45 years old and they show up and say I want insurance because I have heart disease, it’s like, hey guys. We can’t play the game like that. You’ve got to get insurance when you are well and then if you get ill, you are going to be covered.”

Every time I decide to waste my valuable time on God's green and cooling Earth talking to a Mittiot (A rabid follower of former Taxachusetts governor Mitt Trotsky), the following intellectually dishonest and lazy argument always comes up, especially when discussing Romneycare(less). "He was the governor of a bright blue state! What do you expect ?!" To me, the above statement is just as annoying as hearing a Paultard whine "Ron Paul is the only...." or "Only Dr. Paul....". It's like Wolverine's claws on Glenn Beck's chalkboard. Use of a statement like that shows that person using it is utterly...

The Big story this weekend is that “a congressional committee is investigating how $1.6 billion in customer funds went missing from bankrupt brokerage MF Global said Friday that it’s found evidence that then-CEO Jon Corzine directed a senior executive to use $200 million of clients’ money.” It’s such a shame to see the former Governor getting probed like this. I thought Dems were not subject to financial and accounting laws because they created the laws for us. All Corzine needs to do is go before the judge and jury, then tell them they are stupid and he knows better. He...

ERIC FEHRNSTROM, ROMNEY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: I think he hit a reset button for the fall campaign. Everything changes, it's almost like an Etch A Sketch you can kind of shake it up and restart all over again. GINGRICH, R - PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Some people talk about making pledges that are in stone. But the idea that a Romney pledge is on Etch A Sketch, this should remind everyone in the conservative movement why they are very worried about a Romney presidency and about a Romney candidacy. And it really makes you doubt and wonder about his sincerity. RICK SANTORUM: When...

On Wednesday, former Florida Governor and Republican Party heavyweight Jeb Bush endorsed Mitt Romney for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination. But some believe the Bush endorsement may actually have more to do with Sarah Palin (and her tacit endorsements of Newt Gingrich) than Mitt Romney. "I am endorsing Mitt Romney for our Party¹s nomination," Bush announced Wednesday. "We face huge challenges, and we need a leader who understands the economy, recognizes more government regulation is not the answer, believes in entrepreneurial capitalism and works to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed." To state categorically that some in...

Newt Gingrich is joining team Obama by mocking Mitt Romney advisor Eric Fehrnstrom's "Etch-A-Sketch" comments today. Asked about how Romney would handle his pivot from primary to general election, Fehrnstrom said, “Well, I think you hit a reset button for the fall campaign. Everything changes." Fehrnstrom said on CNN, "It’s almost like an Etch-A-Sketch. You can kind of shake it up and restart all of over again." After highlighting Mitt Romney's inconsistancy on the issues, Gingrich handed the Etch-A-Sketch to a child in the audience and said, "Here you go, you can now be a presidential candidate." Obama's SuperPAC has...

No link yet. I'm just seeing it on CNN. Reuters said Fox called it as well.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pressure is mounting on Republican Mitt Romney to win next Tuesday's presidential primary in Illinois, a state considered friendly territory as he seeks to fend off a growing challenge from conservative rival Rick Santorum. Romney and Santorum have added campaign events in Illinois over the next few days to try to get a leg up in the state, where a Chicago Tribune poll last week gave Romney a narrow lead of 35 percent to Santorum's 31 percent. The former Massachusetts governor is pouring money into Illinois and sending an ally, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, to campaign...

Assuming Romney is the projected nominee, he will need a VP that will please the GOP,Tea Party & Conservative Base. Most of us want Marco Rubio, but he still hasn't shown any serious interest. That leaves McDonnell&Ryan next in line. Either one will give Romney a boost against Obama. Virgina&North Carolina being crucial would be the reason to choose McDonnell. Wisconsin & the rust belt would be the factor with Paul Ryan. It's a tough decision. There are a few others, but if there was a poll, Ryan would probably be the choice if Rubio bowed out.

Over the course of the GOP primary season it is quite easy to get so absorbed or distracted by the day to day happenings and events on the campaign trail that one loses sight of the current political reality and loses one's perspective on what is really happening on the ground. And in respect to how many voters view Mitt Romney and his campaign, correctly or mistakenly that is no exception. Well here are 10 most glaring myths or misconceptions that have surrounded Mitt Romney and the Romney campaign, many of them admittedly spun by Romney's own propaganda machine or...

Alabama's Republican governor has some advice for Mitt Romney the next time the former Massachusetts governor campaigns in the Deep South: Cut out the y'alls and references to "cheesy grits'' and be himself.

Ten days before the 2008 presidential election, as blame was beginning to be laid out for John McCain’s “likely defeat,” a top communications adviser to the campaign wrote a detailed strategy memo focused on how to preserve the reputation of another key adviser, Steve Schmidt, POLITICO has learned. *** The protective maneuver sheds more light on the final days of the 2008 campaign, a period of low morale marked by tensions between the Palin and McCain camps and the expectation of defeat. *** “Thankfully, and rightfully so, some members of the political punditry are already coming his defense (Rove, McKinnon,...

"Mitt, It's Time To Quit!" Mitt. It’s time you quit! Your credibility isn’t worth spit. RINOs, the “Establishment”, and Democrats all agree, But in the General Election, to Obama they’ll flee. Against Obama, liberals and moderates know you’ll lose. But conservatives, Romney they’ll never choose. Mitt, our loyalty you can’t buy. Back to Massachusetts, you’d better fly. Just like Gerald Ford, Bob Dole, and John McCain, Nominee Willard Mitt Romney will result in the same. As a Governor, your record isn’t that great. Out of 50 states, your popularity was number 48. Your experience, the “Establishment” types tout. Defending...

Newt Gingrich says, "Between us, Santorum and I are stopping Romney."

A day after losing Mississippi and Alabama to Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney took his campaign to a state where he had no public schedule, no time carved out to mingle with voters, and no rallies or town halls. While Mr. Santorum and Newt Gingrich hunted for votes in Puerto Rico and Illinois, Mr. Romney traveled to New York City to raise money and reassure top Republican donors — a constituency that favors his candidacy, and one perhaps most rattled by his inability to win the confidence of the party’s conservative base. Mr. Romney has raised more than $63 million, twice...

The GOP-e is starting to blame the GOP Primary and Newt Gingrich for what they see as a weakened Romney going into the General Election. BLAME Romney! BLAME the GOP Establishment! Newt Gingrich is the only conservative still running in the GOP primary! By employing a drumbeat of damaging headlines, using misleading delegate counts and by calling for him to leave, the GOP-e and their friends in the MSM have hurt Newt but they have not succeeded in knocking him out or silencing the base.

Another Tuesday, another failure by Mitt Romney to line up the party faithful behind him. Not only did Romney lose yesterday's contests in Alabama and Mississippi, but he finished third in both, putting him behind Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich. Even though Romney remains well ahead in the delegate count and even though he'll still likely win the nomination, he just can't put those nagging doubts among conservatives to rest. CNN political contributor Paul Begala writes for The Daily Beast that Romney has gone from inevitable to unelectable: "Somebody strap him to the roof of one of his Cadillacs and...

In state after state, evangelicals have sent Mitt Romney a clear message: We’re just not that into you. Some evangelicals do pull the lever for Romney. But consistently there is a wide gap between Romney’s support among evangelicals and his support among other groups. On average, there is a 19-point difference between Romney’s support among non-evangelicals and his support among evangelicals in Republican primaries, according to ABC News’s survey of primary states with exit- or entrance-polling data available. That’s a sizeable gap — and one that has complicated Romney’s path to the nomination. Evangelical leaders are dismissive of the notion...