Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Mitt's Evangelical Breakthrough
The American Spectator ^ | 8/25/06 | W. James Antle III

Posted on 08/25/2006 6:27:25 AM PDT by Valin

Things are looking up for Mitt Romney. Not only has the outgoing Massachusetts governor been getting reasonably favorable press from usually hostile places but, courtesy of George Allen's Macaca moment, his position in the 2008 Republican presidential field suddenly looks more secure -- the most viable candidate to the right of front-runners John McCain and Rudy Giuliani.

Romney appears to sense the opportunity. For social conservatives, he has swung pro-life on abortion and embryonic stem-cell research. To burnish his supply-side credentials, he has pressed the Democratic legislature to lower tax rates and signed into law the nation's largest sales-tax holiday. And when Sen. John Kerry argued that Iraq wasn't part of the war on terror, Romney -- who traveled to Baghdad in May -- countered by saying the 2004 Democratic nominee "shows a complete lack of understanding of the kind of enemy we're facing."

Despite daunting early poll results, Romney might have a chance if he can win over small-government conservatives who have unhappily resigned themselves to McCain and religious rightists who aren't aware of Giuliani's pro-choice stance. That means the Mormon from Massachusetts will need to appeal to evangelical voters. Can he?

The people behind Evangelicals for Mitt hope so. They make the case that evangelicals are politically sophisticated enough to support a candidate who shares their values even if he doesn't share their theology. The website's mission statement calls for a president who not only "shares our political and moral values and priorities" but "can win in 2008, and can govern effectively thereafter."

(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 08elections; cult; mittromney; mormonsontheplane; romneytherino
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-59 next last

1 posted on 08/25/2006 6:27:26 AM PDT by Valin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Valin

2 posted on 08/25/2006 6:29:15 AM PDT by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Valin
to the right of front-runners John McCain and Rudy Giuliani.

Not hard to do. Once Romney's record comes out, he's toast.

3 posted on 08/25/2006 6:29:27 AM PDT by nonliberal (Graduate: Curtis E. LeMay School of International Relations)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Valin

He's cute too! lol


4 posted on 08/25/2006 6:30:38 AM PDT by Republican Red (Everyone is super stoked on Gore, even if they don't know it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Valin

I'll say this much for Mitt: He's a good and decent man. Nothing wrong with that. And he hasn't said "Macaca" yet!


5 posted on 08/25/2006 6:30:58 AM PDT by RexBeach
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Valin

Romney was good at hosting the Salt Lake Winter Olympics.

That alone makes him preferrable over McCain.


If McCain gets the nomination, the Dems will win the White House. [But, I look for McCain to have a Deaniac moment during the primaries and that will 'cook' his chances.]


6 posted on 08/25/2006 6:32:48 AM PDT by TomGuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Valin

For social conservatives, he, Romney has swung pro-life on abortion...

Swung??? Sounds like he could easily swing back into the pro-death camp.

Besides, we don't need to nominate a candidate who would be 'GORED' by his own home state.

Massachusetts hasn't voted Republican since '84.

Thanks, but really, NO THANKS.


Allen-Rice '08

or

Allen-Coleman '08


7 posted on 08/25/2006 6:33:50 AM PDT by proudpapa (of three.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Valin

Yeah, I've been thinking hard about Rommney. For me, he's sort of been there in the corner and I've been mindful of him. I am pretty nervous about the recent health care mandate he signed in MA, but I gotta tell you, based upon the current field of RINOS, Rommney is looking pretty darn good to me right now!


8 posted on 08/25/2006 6:35:58 AM PDT by Obadiah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Obadiah

George Allen RINO?


9 posted on 08/25/2006 6:39:26 AM PDT by Valin (http://www.irey.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: nonliberal

Once Romney's record comes out, he's toast

?


10 posted on 08/25/2006 6:39:56 AM PDT by Valin (http://www.irey.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: proudpapa

I still think, 'Macaca' moment aside, George Allen will be the one to beat. Giuliani and McCain are getting poll numbers based on name recognition, and Romney is getting some fawning press coverage, which always sends up red flags for me.


11 posted on 08/25/2006 6:40:27 AM PDT by ABG(anybody but Gore) ("By the time I'm finished with you, you're gonna wish you felt this good again" - Jack Bauer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Valin

The guy has a VERY liberal record. He told NARAL that he believed in "a woman's right to choose" as late as 2002. He is what you call a Leap Year Conservative.


12 posted on 08/25/2006 6:42:56 AM PDT by nonliberal (Graduate: Curtis E. LeMay School of International Relations)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Valin
They guy's got people and business fleeing his state.

Census will send message to some hacks: Take a hike (Big Dig)

Note to the nation: Vote for a candidate with the letters MA (or NY) after his/her name and get what MA (and NY) have.

13 posted on 08/25/2006 6:43:24 AM PDT by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Obadiah
RedState has a stawpoll for the 2008 GOP Presidential nomination. It asks you to vote based on acceptable, not acceptable and first choice.

I was very depressed looking at the candidate list. I can find maybe two "acceptable" but I don't see a name on their list that I could put "first choice".

Which candidates would you accept as the 2008 GOP nominee and which would you find unacceptable, and who is your first choice? (Make sure to pick BOTH who you find acceptable and who is your first choice.)

George Allen
Sam Brownback
Bill Frist
Newt Gingrich
Rudy Giuliani
Chuck Hagel
Mike Huckabee
John McCain
George Pataki
Mitt Romney
Tom Tancredo
14 posted on 08/25/2006 6:44:58 AM PDT by Republican Red (Everyone is super stoked on Gore, even if they don't know it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: ABG(anybody but Gore)
I live in Massachusetts and think Romney would make a great president. He has stood by his campaign promises as governor and is that rare breed of politician: he cannot be bought out by money because he has made plenty on his own and has a squeaky clean financial past. He is an excellent communicator, empathizes well with people and has even of an emotional appeal to win over the "female vote". He has staunch conservative views on the major key issues facing our country and has bona fide leadership skills. He has succeeded in the private sector and understand business, I never trust career politicians that have never had a real job or had to meet payroll for employees. He does have the "Massachusetts" tag attached to him but of the current choices on the "right" he is by far the best. He would make a far better president than McCain or Guliani. Look for him to rise steadily in the polls.
15 posted on 08/25/2006 6:49:42 AM PDT by Maneesh (A non-hyphenated American.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Valin; spall
A couple of days ago I posted the following, I can see now the American Spectator was lurking:

Today is Wednesday, the 23rd of August 2006, and I predict on this day the nominee of the Republican Party for President of the United States in 2008 will be Mitt Romney.

I come to this conclusion by virtue of the candidate' s telegenic personality and by the utter absence of charisma among the rest of the pack. It's all about television and Romney has it. No one on these boards can claim purer conservative credentials then I have been espousing for years on these threads. I am not unaware of Romney's deficiencies. I know that he is a Mormon, I know that he is the governor of the most liberal state in the nation, I know that he is not pure on the murder of babies. Nevertheless, he will march to the right and he will get the nomination.

I actually believe that we will not be as badly fooled by Romney as we were by George Bush when Romney gains our confidence.


16 posted on 08/25/2006 6:54:01 AM PDT by nathanbedford ("I like to legislate. I feel I've done a lot of good." Sen. Robert Byrd)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Valin

I wish the national party and the media elites would stop trying to shove McPain, Mitt, and Rudy down our throats. We are nto swallowing it. To be blunt if any of these three are the nominee I suspect many social conservatives will stay home in November 2008.


17 posted on 08/25/2006 6:54:14 AM PDT by Hydroshock ( (Proverbs 22:7). The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Valin

Honestly don't know much about Allen. I do like Brownback, but I don't know how viable he is.


18 posted on 08/25/2006 6:56:05 AM PDT by Obadiah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Republican Red

I hate it that that's the best we can do. I'll vote for a Republican over a Dem, but I must say, I'm not impressed by our "choices."


19 posted on 08/25/2006 7:00:58 AM PDT by dawn53
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: nonliberal; mewzilla

See reply 15


20 posted on 08/25/2006 7:05:36 AM PDT by Valin (http://www.irey.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-59 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson