Potential Palin Rivals Cede the Spotlight to the Superstar: Romney and Pawlenty skip SRLC

ABC News ^ | April 8, 2010 | David Chalian

[2ndDivisionVet]

If Sarah Palin, with her mega-wattage superstar status sucking up all the available oxygen in the room, is it worth sharing a stage and competing for some attention?

Between now and the first GOP nomination season debate a year from now, that will be the question asked over and over again by the smart political operatives plotting Tim Pawlenty's, Mitt Romney's, and other nonreality show starring Republicans' paths to the White House.

The cattle call season for the 2012 Republican presidential hopefuls is upon us, but the media obsession with all things Palin and her knack for dominating a news cycle calls into question how valuable it is for various potential White House contenders to show up and play.

Every four years in the spring of the midterm election year, thousands of Republican activists gather in the South and size up the politicians seeking to lead the GOP charge into the future.

Two Big Names Opt Out

In New Orleans this year, the two most serious potential White House contenders who have already started putting the organizational pieces in motion for a likely run, former Gov. Mitt Romney and Gov. Tim Pawlenty, will be no shows.

Both of them have decent excuses, but the Southern Republican Leadership Conference takes place over three days and if either of them believed it was a must-do event, they probably could have found a way to be here.

"He's on a nationwide book tour that has him speaking to audiences and signing books this week in Florida, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Minnesota," said Romney's spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom.(continued)

[The Wizard]

Madam President has yet to be sworn in, but for me she is the only one....

[texmexis best]

I don’t see how Mitt is going to overcome Romneycare.

I think he is out of the race.

[wtc911]

I don’t see how Mitt is going to overcome Romneycare. I think he is out of the race.

_______________________________________

I think you're right. besides, if the anti-Morman junk on this site is any indication he wouldn't have a chance anyway.

[texmexis best]

I don’t think the anti Mormon stuff is representative of the general populace.

[Diogenesis]

The backstabber Romney has as much chance as a snowball in his future hometown.

RomneyCARE-creator, the backstabbing, carpetbagging, fascist Mitt Romney:
” I will be the GOP nominee, wisely supported by TIME magazine, Eleanor Clift and even James Carville.
One more thing. Now that my Romneycare is national, ready to hurt
three hundred million, a little self examination is in order for you FReepers.
You may want to ask yourself “if I had spent my time promoting
RomneyCare and Mitt Romney, could not I have garnered more support
of both Mr. Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney?“

---

“Romney praises Obama again
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney praised President Obama
at a GOP fundraising dinner Wednesday ..
"I also think it's important for us to nod to the president when he's right," Romney said....
Romney, who spoke at a dinner for the National Republican Senatorial Committee,
said he's pleased with the president's plans to "finish the job" in Iraq and Afghanistan
-- lines that drew applause from the partisan audience. He also applauded the president
for standing up to the auto industry.
"I hope he continues to be tough ....The former businessman even offered faint praise for
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, saying that after a series of initial missteps,
"I think he's finally getting close to the right answer."

[LibLieSlayer]

There is Sarah and then there is... uhhhhh... there is Sarah!

LLS

[LibLieSlayer]

She is great also!

LLS

[Ro_Thunder]

You missed the fact he’s under a “Women’s Studies” sign, too!

[wtc911]

I don’t think the anti Mormon stuff is representative of the general populace.

_________________________________

I'm sure that you're right but media will make a question out of it, in all innocence of course.

[Diogenesis]

The only ANTI stuff on FR is from RomneyBOTs
who lie about alleged “antiMormon stuff” because
they cannot rebut any discussion of Mitt RomneyCARE’s
unethical, indefensible, fascism.

[texmexis best]

I think it is dwarfed by the Romneycare. Which I think Mitt understands.

He make take a half-hearted run at it but I think he is done for the forseeable future.

[Diogenesis]

You are right. The spoiler bastard, Mitt Romney,
is not happy unless he ruins America for another 4 years.

[techno]

Mike Huckabee is also not attending.

[9YearLurker]

Doesn’t take three days for Pawlenty to welcome troops home, and SRLC would have trumped any bookstore visit for Romney if he didn’t know how thoroughly overshadowed he’d be by Palin.

Can you imagine these guys being asked to line up in the endless primary debates with Gov. Palin? It’d be the last thing any of them would want to do.

So, which one do you think has the courage to face down Iran, China and Russia as needed?

[MissH]

Is this photoshopped or is he really this inmature? He is living on another planet if this is a real pic.