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Taking Aim at Santorum: The Romney Campaign Misfires.
Weekly Standard ^ | February 11, 2012 | JONATHAN V. LASTS

Posted on 02/11/2012 11:21:34 AM PST by Steelfish

Taking Aim at Santorum: The Romney Campaign Misfires. FEB 20, 2012, VOL. 17, NO. 22 • BY JONATHAN V. LAST

On Saturday, February 4, a national poll from Rasmussen Reports showed Rick Santorum as the only Republican to lead President Obama in a head-to-head matchup. The next morning, a PPP poll showed Santorum suddenly leading Mitt Romney in Minnesota. So the Romney campaign responded with what are becoming its trademark tactics.

Having completely ignored Santorum since New Hampshire, on Sunday afternoon the Romney team sent out a press release calling him “a proud defender of earmarks and pork-barrel spending.” The email contained an oppo-dump of news stories and quotes designed to make Santorum look like a latter-day Ted Stevens.

On Monday a PPP poll was released with more good news for Santorum: It showed him with a 13-point lead in Missouri. So the Romney campaign became more aggressive. Before the clock struck 2:00 p.m., the campaign had sent out four more press releases attacking Santorum.

The first labeled Santorum’s criticisms of Romneycare “falsehoods.”

The second announced that Romney surrogate Tim Pawlenty would be holding a conference call to discuss “Santorum’s long-history of pork-barrel spending.”

The third was a summary of the Pawlenty call. (Sample: “[Santorum] has been a champion of earmarks, and to hold himself out now as somebody who is an unquestionable conservative in these matters, just is not supported by the facts.”)

The fourth was a reminder that Santorum had endorsed Romney in 2008. Or at least it was an excerpt of Santorum’s endorsement. It elided the language which, back in 2008, made it clear that Santorum was coming to Romney as a conservative-of-last-resort.

(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...


TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: biggovernment; danquayle; fiscalliberal; huckabee; liberal; newdanquayle; quayle; santorum; santorumhuckabee; santorumquayle; socialconservative
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1 posted on 02/11/2012 11:21:41 AM PST by Steelfish
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To: Steelfish
I will support either Santorum or Gingrich.

But, has either vowed to overturn Obamacare if they become President?

2 posted on 02/11/2012 11:27:00 AM PST by Cowboy Bob (Greed + Envy = Liberalism)
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To: Steelfish
There were no delegates at stake in Missouri, yet Romney wasn’t simply beaten in the exhibition. He was crushed, losing by 30 points.

In 2008, 42,218 Coloradans caucused for Romney. This year the number dropped by almost half, to 23,012.

[In Minnesota] He went from 25,990 caucus supporters in 2008 to 8,222 this time around.

Yes, but according to the Dems, the media and the GOP establishment Romney is the most electable.

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3 posted on 02/11/2012 11:28:43 AM PST by newheart (What this country needs is a good dose of bran. Attack Muffins Unite!)
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To: Cowboy Bob
Gingrich has spelled it out!
He will ask the Congress after being sworn in to repeal it and have it on his desk for signature when he is able to sit down in the oval office.
4 posted on 02/11/2012 11:30:00 AM PST by Reily
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To: newheart

Most “eluctable!”


5 posted on 02/11/2012 11:32:46 AM PST by editor-surveyor (No Federal Sales Tax - No Way!)
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To: Cowboy Bob

Gingrich vowed to overturn Obamacare at CPAC yesterday.


6 posted on 02/11/2012 11:34:18 AM PST by kjo
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To: Reily

He is the only candidate to swear what he will do. I believe him. Let’s ask Romney or Santorum what they will do on day one and whether or not they will do the same as Gingrich. If they dance around it then you know they are establishment politicians.


7 posted on 02/11/2012 11:34:18 AM PST by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west)/?)
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To: Reily

Let’s all quit buying into the media’s and punditocracy’s narrative. The people will decide through votes not polls. Gingrich is not dead and Santorum’s recent wins do not make him thhe front runner. Romney is neither conservative nor inevitable. Personally, I believe Newt will do well through Super Tuesday and the up-coming debates. Long way from being over.


8 posted on 02/11/2012 11:35:24 AM PST by LALALAW (one of the asses whose sick of our "ruling" classes)
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To: Steelfish

Romney cannot run on his own liberal record , so he attacks the records of others.

I can vote for either Gingrich or Santorum, right now I like Gingrich better.


9 posted on 02/11/2012 11:36:42 AM PST by Venturer
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To: Cowboy Bob

Gingrich wants the bill on his desk on day ONE. He knows if he wins we have taken the Congress. The liberal scum will cow-tow and step and fetch. They care more about their power and pension than this nation.


10 posted on 02/11/2012 11:37:52 AM PST by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west)/?)
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To: editor-surveyor
Most “eluctable!”

LOL. If Romney gets the nomination, they might even have to add that word to the dictionary.

11 posted on 02/11/2012 11:38:27 AM PST by newheart (What this country needs is a good dose of bran. Attack Muffins Unite!)
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To: newheart

I am now going to refrain from using the word ‘severe’ in any of its forms for awhile after Mitten’s CPAC speech.


12 posted on 02/11/2012 11:40:57 AM PST by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto.)
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To: Cowboy Bob
Both of them have vowed to overturn Obamacare if elected.

Newt (in his CPAC speech) has given a pretty bold plan how to do so if he wins.

13 posted on 02/11/2012 11:41:08 AM PST by Lakeshark (NbIttoalbl,cRwIdtaa)
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To: newheart
In 2008, 42,218 Coloradans caucused for Romney. This year the number dropped by almost half, to 23,012.

[In Minnesota] He went from 25,990 caucus supporters in 2008 to 8,222 this time around.


That's more of a factor of the nature of the last few GOP primary battles than anything else. They've really boiled down to the "establishment" candidate vs. the "non-establishment" candidate.

Romney did better in 2008 because he was the alternative to John McCain ("Juan McShamnesty"). Now that HE'S the establishment candidate, Conservatives are flocking - and have been flocking this entire primary season - to the not-Romney flavor of the week.

I just wish we had better not-Romney alternatives than either Gingrich or Santorum. While I find them both preferable to Romney, I'm not really enamored of either of them as the GOP nominee.
14 posted on 02/11/2012 11:50:25 AM PST by tanknetter
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To: Cowboy Bob

Only Newt has vowed to repeal Obamacare.

(did it again yesterday at CPAC too)


15 posted on 02/11/2012 11:51:47 AM PST by editor-surveyor (No Federal Sales Tax - No Way!)
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To: Lakeshark; Cowboy Bob

Santorum and Romney have called parts of Obamacare ‘cruel’ or ‘inappropriate’ but failed to promise a total repeal like Newt has.


16 posted on 02/11/2012 11:54:27 AM PST by editor-surveyor (No Federal Sales Tax - No Way!)
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To: Cowboy Bob

Yes they both have. Santorum has repeatedly.


17 posted on 02/11/2012 11:54:40 AM PST by GulfBreeze
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To: editor-surveyor; Lakeshark; Cowboy Bob; Reilly

They BOTH have promised to repeal it, reverse it eliminate, call it terrible names and fart in its general direction.


18 posted on 02/11/2012 11:59:30 AM PST by GulfBreeze
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To: editor-surveyor
Only Newt has vowed to repeal Obamacare.

Wrong. From Rick Santorum's website, in bold letters:

Repeal and Replace ObamaCare with Patient-Centered Healthcare

Within that heading:

THE SANTORUM HEALTH CARE SOLUTION

•Priority number 1 = repeal ObamaCare and its burdensome job-destroying bureaucracy, taxes, mandates, and heavy-handed government decision-making… and replace it with market-driven, patient-centered alternatives to increasing health care access and affordability

19 posted on 02/11/2012 12:04:25 PM PST by Engraved-on-His-hands
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To: LALALAW

Agree, LA.

It’s ridiculous to get taken in by polls, pundits or Fox News.
Long way to go until this race is decided and anything could happen.

ABR.


20 posted on 02/11/2012 12:13:39 PM PST by Mountain Mary ("Mush is not going to carry the day" Mark Levin 2/09/12)
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