Romney Rising (Hewitt)

Townhall.com ^ | 07/09/07 | Hugh Hewitt

[Reaganesque]

Monday, July 09, 2007
Romney Rising
	Posted by: Hugh Hewitt at 11:08 AM
Romney's strong effort in Iowa is producing an interesting strategy from the MSM eager for a long campaign and perhaps soon from other GOPers, which is to simultaneously attempt to downgrade the importance of the caucuses while setting up Romney to lose the expectations game.  The Politico's story, "Does Romney Have Iowa Locked Down," is exactly the sort of story Mayor Giuliani and Senator Thompson love to see as it both puts in play a meme that, if repeated, diminishes the excitement around the first-in-the-nation contest while also setting the bar for Romney very high.  Expect more "Iowa doesn't matter as much as it used to under the old calender" talk from every candidate who sees Iowa as a lost cause (Senator McCain followed by ?).  The MSM will also start harumphing about the fading importance of the caucuses as soon as a front-runner appears on either the Dem or GOP side.  They need a long campaign and an extended primary fight. But nothing beats winning, and no matter all the spin, Iowa is a key test of the ability to organize and win in a purple state crucial to '08.  The GOPers skipping Ames made one mistake.  Underestimating the importance of the January caucuses would be a second huge mistake.  You can't win a nomination by losing elections. And from the National Young Republicans Convention: Young GOP straw poll results tallied* HOLLYWOOD -- The straw poll results from the Young Republicans national convention are tallied, but according to some attendees, they come with a big asterisk. Former Gov. Mitt Romney, who spoke moments before the balloting, won* with 46 percent followed by former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson with 28 percent and then former mayor Rudy Giuliani with 10 percent. The other seven candidates took a combined 22 percent. A total of 366 votes were counted. The asterisk was prompted by a number of Thompson fans who complained that some Romney supporters were voting even though they weren't Young Republican members. It seems Thompson's folks lost sight of the fact that the straw poll is absolutely meaningless -- it's just for fun. Memo to the disappointed Thompson folk among the YRs: There is no crying in baseball, or straw polls.

[Reaganesque]

It's nice that Mitt won the straw poll but Hewitt is right. Straw polls are won by the candidate who can get the most supporters to the poll. Mitt's more organized at this point in the process so he had more people there. It's a good sign but nowhere near as important as those who were whining about how Mitt "cheated." Good article and I love the last line!

THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!!

[Reaganesque]

I think we all need to lighten up a bit so, when I read this, it kinda struck home. So, here you go:

Mitt Ping!

• Send FReep Mail to Unmarked Package to get [ON] or [OFF] the Mitt Romney Ping List •

[restornu]

Than you missed my update

YRs to Welcome Romney & Hunter to Florida Convention(Fred Crashed YRs?)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1863477/posts

[Theophilus]

Mitt is not mainstream in:

• Geography
• Philosophy
• Religion

Mitt is welcome but he is unviable, he should abort his campaign.

[ran20]

On another article I saw some of the other candidates making pre-emptive excuses for why they’d lose the Iowa straw poll. Some saying its not fair hes well funded and has a well oiled organization.. and jokingly some said its not fair hes intelligent and has a strong platform.

But I think some are getting scared Mitt will move from rising consistently in polls and leading in the early states.. to becoming the clear leader.. thats what one win after another can do. And at that point I think we’d see many Republicans rally behind him as their defacto nominee. In the go with a winner and present a united front style. Which would be very hard to break that later on.

[gridlock]

I am a Thompson supporter, but Romney is an acceptable alternative.

I am not going to nibble my nails down to the quick worrying that Romney might win.

[JohnnyZ]

Romney's strong effort in Iowa is producing an interesting strategy from the MSM eager for a long campaign and perhaps soon from other GOPers, which is to simultaneously attempt to downgrade the importance of the caucuses while setting up Romney to lose the expectations game.

I know Hugh's one of Mitt's water-carriers, but this is pretty paranoid.

[traderrob6]

“The asterisk was prompted by a number of Thompson fans who complained that some Romney supporters were voting even though they weren’t Young Republican members.

It seems Thompson’s folks lost sight of the fact that the straw poll is absolutely meaningless — it’s just for fun.”

If that’s the case then why did Romney spend so much effort and money busing in donors to skew the results?

[indcons]

Ask Mitt where he stands on amnesty and illegal immigration. I suspect we might hear another bunch of convoluted “I used to shoot critters” explanations on this issue too.

[Reaganesque]

It’s not completely without merit. It generates buzz. It generates excitement amongst the participants and activists. Does it accurately reflect the opinions of the totality of the Republican party? No, of course not. But it does help with organizing and energizing your people and that can be an important factor. But as an indication of general popular support amongst the voting populace, it is of limited value.

[WOSG]

“Geography”

ROFLMAO ... Here’s a hint: He lives in the USA.
There is no ‘mainstream’ state to come from.

“Mitt is welcome but he is unviable” - latest poll shows him only 4 points down from Hillary.

[WOSG]

More evidence that - irrespective of whether he’s your favorite candidate or not - Romney is running the best, most organized, and most aggressive campaign.

If Rudy is ahead in Florida polls, why can’t he win the straw poll? Fact is, Rudy can’t win *any* base voter straw poll.

And notice that McCain is nowhere. A goner.

By the early primaries, it will look more like a Romney v Thompson race. JMHO. Straw polls give publicity is hte main thing; they do indeed mean nothing unless you can turn them into wider support.

[WOSG]

“Ask Mitt where he stands on amnesty and illegal immigration. “

Any recent statements or speeches on that?
I’d like to know.

[Grig]

He’s been very vocal on it, no amnesty and enforce existing laws.

[Grig]

I thought Fred was going to make it official on the 4th. Why the delay, can’t he get things organized? Is he not getting the support ($$$) he expected? Is he having second thoughts?

I haven’t seen a lot of substance from him, just hype and well rehearsed boilerplate lines delivered to friendly audiences.
If he expects to coast to victory on star power he is in for a rude shock.

[Fast Ed97]

I haven’t seen a lot of substance from him, just hype and well rehearsed boilerplate lines delivered to friendly audiences. If he expects to coast to victory on star power he is in for a rude shock.

No kidding. His record in the Senate mirrors McCain. I don't get the whole mass appeal for Thompson from this site or other groups. To me, he is nothing more than another Bob Dole with a little more "star power" but without the war record.

[redgirlinabluestate]

Ask Mitt where he stands on amnesty and illegal immigration.

Well, we don't have to ask him. We can look at his actual record since he already took strong actions on the illegal immigration issue while governor.

Mitt took tough anti-illegal actions BEFORE the marches in our streets, BEFORE we all woke up and were outraged by the invasion.

Examples of Romney's Prior Record (notice the dates):

Mitt Romney opposed a bill that would have allowed illegal aliens to get driver’s licenses. "Those who are here illegally should not receive tacit support from our government that gives an indication of legitimacy," the governor said, echoing arguments that opponents have voiced in the Commonwealth and in other states considering similar license measures. "If they are here illegally, they should not get driver's licenses," he said. (Scott S. Greenberger, "Romney Stand Dims Chances Of License For Undocumented," The Boston Globe, 10/28/03)

Romney vetoed a bill in 2004 that would have permitted illegal aliens to pay the same in-state tuition rate paid by citizens at public colleges and universities in Massachusetts. (Office Of The Governor, "Romney Signs $22.402B Fiscal Year 2005 'No New Tax' Budget," Press Release, 6/25/04)

Romney arranged a federal and state agreement enabling Massachusetts State Troopers to investigate immigration status and arrest illegal aliens they encounter during the normal course of their duties. (Troopers would arrest immigrants, Boston Globe, June 21, 2006) (Governor Romney, ICE Sign Immigration Enforcement Pact, Dec. 13, 2006) (Video: Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio debates LULAC spokesman about MA pact with ICE)

Governor Romney fought efforts to weaken Massachusetts' English Immersion Law. "But yesterday, Romney press secretary Shawn Feddeman said the governor will fight all attempts to slow the implementation of English immersion, known on the ballot as Question 2. ...He will veto anything that weakens or delays English immersion, Feddeman said." (Anand Vaishnav, "Romney Firm On English Timetable," The Boston Globe, 1/24/03)

Governor Romney increased funding by nearly 30% ($8 million) in Fiscal Year 2006 for English as a Second Language, adult literacy and adult secondary education for legal immigrants residing in Massachusetts. The increase enabled statewide adult basic education programs to accommodate approximately 4,000 more students each year. (Romney Expands Adult Basic Education for Immigrants, January 28, 2005)

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was named as Honorary Chair for the Romney for President campaign in Arizona. Sheriff Arpaio, better known as "America’s Toughest Sheriff", has gained a nationwide reputation for his tough stance on crime, illegal immigration and border security in the nation's fourth largest county.

"I like him," Arpaio said of Mitt Romney. "He's a man of principle, of good character. He did a great job in Massachusetts and I feel he's going to make a great president."

_______________________

Romney's Position Today:
Strong border and internal enforcement and security. Romney strongly supports a wall, fence or other effective restraint along the U.S.-Mexico border. (Romney calls for border barrier, The Dallas Morning News, April 12, 2007)

Romney said that McCain's proposed "Z visa" should be called an "A visa" -- "because it's amnesty and that's what it stands for."

[muleskinner]

I haven’t seen a lot of substance from him...

He still uses Brylcreem

[redgirlinabluestate]

He was talking about Fred Thompson -— and I don’t think he has any use for Brylcreem, does he? I could be wrong.

[muleskinner]

I didn't read the other post - yeah, he was talking about Fred.

I would say Fred does not use Brylcreem, but Mitt? Hmmm. At least it's not Butch Wax.