Posted on 12/27/2011 7:04:15 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
With a week to go, Mitt Romney appears to be in good shape. But Iowa (as Nate Silver reminds us) can be highly volatile, and it’s certainly possible that Romney could finish as low as fifth there. Even if he finishes first or second, a surprise third-place (or second-place) finish by one of the current longshots might spark a surge for that candidate, just as Gary Hart’s distant second in 1984 was followed by his stunning upset of Walter Mondale in New Hampshire. What if it’s Rick Santorum who breaks into the top three?
I’ve been saying for some time now that it’s likely that the GOP nomination will go to a candidate who qualifies on two counts: He or she must have orthodox positions on policy issues important to conservatives, and he or she must also have conventional qualifications. Since late summer, only Romney and Rick Perry remain from a group that once included some seven or more plausible nominees, and so I’ve been saying that their combined chances of winning the nomination are very high. (I’ve usually floated a number around 95 percent or so.)
What of Santorum?
[snip]
.... Basically, if Romney has to match up against Paul, Gingrich, Bachmann or Huntsman one on one after the early states, I think Romney is as close to a lock as you can get in politics. Against Perry? I have no idea. I guess I’d say that Romney would be the favorite against Santorum, but I’m not at all sure that he’d be an overwhelming favorite. Or, to put it one more way: If there’s a 5 percent chance that someone other than Romney or Perry gets the nomination, I’m increasingly inclined to think that most of that 5 percent belongs to Santorum.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
NO, he can’t
Santorum has the personality of a parking meter, and got trounced last time he ran for public office
He carries the aura of a loser, imho
So you’re suggesting Reagan would have been just as great had he not has charisma...I respectfully and wholeheartedly disagree. There are several key aspects that made Reagan a huge success, and Charisma was one of the biggies he had. Keep in mind this was in response to someone who was downplaying the issue of Santorum’s lack of Charisma.
“I’m in. Why don’t we trust a bright, trustworthy conservative over a powder keg genius?”
I agree with you completely. Perry is the answer.
I think this has been why he has remained near the bottom. So many people were disappointed when he endorsed Arlen Specter. Then his big loss. He came and went and his opportunity to show leadership was abandoned.
Santorum needs to go home and win again in his home state. In about 10 years come back.
Another bait and switch article from you. Predictable.
I would like to see a two Rick ticket, Perry and Santorum with either of them heading the ticket.
No. I'm suggesting that the reason he restored hope for America in a nation stuck in malaise is because he had integrity and conviction. Baraq Obama has charisma, but he is no Reagan.
They’ll have to battle it out for now. Perry’s kept it civil. Santorum has attacked. We’ll see how it goes.
I wouldn't get too worked up. First, we're only talking about GHW Bush and Carter here, and Bush was sunk less by Buchanan than by Perot (not his primary challenger). And given the fact that Obama has $1 billion to spend, no one will take him on. It's just a different world.
Hey, i love charisma. Both palin and Cain have it. But the perfect candidate with gorgeous looks, twinkle-eyed charisma and a rocking sense of humor isn’t out there. And the main complaint about Santorum is that he lacks charisma. We can live without it.
He does have a dignified likability though; he becomes more charming as you get to know him. He has a little pleasing self deprecation about him.
I would like to see a two Rick ticket, Perry and Santorum with either of them heading the ticket.
I could deal with that.
Santorum has substantial strengths.
His weaknesses are huge.
He lost huge for his own seat last time out. Fairly or unfairly, and yes, I did follow the ins and outs of it. The empty suit that trounced him is a Senate disgrace, but there he is.
He has no executive experience. He was a legislator, and I would give him that he was a pretty effective one, as he’s fond of reminding us.
Perry during his years has fought as an executive leader against what was emanating frin Washington DC.
He can stand side by side with Obama and say, here’s what we all inherited, here’s what you did, here’s what I did, and here are the results.
We know that Romney and Gingrich cannot stand there and say the same thing. And we know that Rick Santorum can’t, either.
IMO, it’s time to stop limping between candidate camps (modeled on Joshua’s rhetorical question in the OT...How long will you go limping between two sides...meaning worshipping the true God or worshipping idols?)...it’s time to CHOOSE, and to get behind an executive from the state level who has the record we need to run on, and who is a strong social and foreign policy/military defense conservative.
Who also served our nation as an Air Force Captain, and who is CIC of the Texas National Guard...
frin = from
Sorry for the typo.
I make those lists in my mind too. And Perry trumps the rest hands down every time.
[”Even if we loose, we can be proud of our vote.]
DING, DING, DING!
You win the “DUMB ASS” of the year award! Which explains WHY we are about to get Romney as the nominee, and another 4 years of Obama. (And you are loving it!)
Yes.
There is a rock solid foundation of a record there.
Today, I seem to be reaching back to my young days in Sunday School for reference, but you should build the house on a solid foundation, not a weak one, because no matter what the top side of the house is like, the foundation is key.
Newt looks pretty stable to me, but you can take some credit for the slight rise in Romney’s poll numbers.
And Perry! WOW look at those numbers! He has risen to........ (oh, never mind....)
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