Romney jokes about Thompson delays

Yahoo News ^ | 9/3/07 | PHILIP ELLIOTT

[asparagus]

Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Monday said he would welcome Republican rival Fred Thompson to the race, but also took some jabs at Thompson's long delay in formally announcing his candidacy.

Thompson, the "Law & Order" television actor and former senator from Tennessee, is expected to officially enter the race this week. Instead of attending a Wednesday night debate in Durham, N.H., Thompson will be in Los Angeles to appear on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

"I think it will boost the ratings for Jay Leno's show, but I'd rather be doing well in New Hampshire," said Romney, who is leading in most polls in this early voting state.

Thompson's candidacy has been a shadow on the GOP contest. He has equivocated about getting into the race, while his campaign organization has been in flux. His entry comes remarkably late in a campaign cycle that began days after the 2006 midterm elections.

"Well, I guess the only comment I'd make to Fred Thompson would be: Why the hurry? Why not take a little longer to think this over?" Romney jokingly told reporters. "From my standpoint, if he wants to wait until January or February, that would be ideal."

That's when the primaries unfold in rapid succession.

Romney spent Monday opening his fall campaign, marching in a Labor Day parade in Milford and attending retails stops elsewhere. He said voters would note who is there — and who is not.

"I think people will notice there have been a bunch of guys who have been working real hard to get to know voters across the country," Romney said.

As for Thompson's entry, Romney quipped: "I think he'll have some fun. We're going to presumably have some debates with him. We'll have had five without him."

[Petronski]

[G8 Diplomat]

why is it a negative that Thompson voted to limit welfare to immigrants

Limit is not abolish.

And you mentioned the 1996 law that Fred voted on--the one I posted was in 97. But no matter, suppose it IS incorrect. OK, that's ONE thing you can cross off the list. There are still dozens left.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Nobody cares what he did in Salt Lake City, that’s a long time ago before he served in public office as an elected Republican. It’s his actions as Governor that is the shame of his life and singularly disqualifies him from being elected dogcatcher on the GOP ticket. His actions in SLC should’ve indicated he’d become a stellar Governor. He was the biggest disaster... except to the Democrats.

[Calpernia]

Thanks for the link.

I think the gov databases are the most unorganized info sites to wade through.

I can’t tell from that site specifically why he supported those earmarks.

On this live interview:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1880600/posts
Welcome Congressman Duncan Hunter - LIVE Thread (virtual Free Republic press Conference)

You can see some of the programs he will be cutting from the budget.

I did hear him on a radio interview talk about vote swapping in order to gather support for bills. When Duncan Hunter comes back to FR, you can ask him directly if any of those earmarks were votes he had to swap to gain support for one of his own bills or measures.

[WOSG]

A sad day when ... Republicans bash other Republicans with juvenile name-calling.

Here on the adult level there are various views on how Romney’s Heritage Foundation-derived health care plan is working (or not) ... one thing is for sure - Romney’s health care proposals will *save us* from socialized medicine and not lead us to it:

http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/haislmaier200601271110.asp

Romney’s health plan is no sop to socialism.”
“In reality, those who want to create a consumer-based health system and deregulate health insurance should view Romney’s plan as one of the most promising strategies out there. I know, because I’ve been part of the Heritage Foundation team advising the governor and his staff on the design, which builds on some of my work with officials in other states.

http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCare/bg1953.cfm

Romney’s health care plan is based on FEDERALISM:
http://mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Policy_Briefing_Health_Care
“
Linking Goals With Action Steps: The Federalist Approach

Governor Romney’s Approach To Health Care Reform Is One That Values The States As Laboratories Of Innovation And Beacons Of Creativity. As Governor of Massachusetts, Governor Romney successfully led the effort for comprehensive health care reform, and he recognizes that the federal government must do what it can to facilitate effective change at the state level. His reforms will give states greater flexibility. But Governor Romney’s conservative reforms also make the states true partners in the effort to expand access to affordable, quality health insurance.”

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZmQwZTIzODQxYWQ3ZDlkNmVlZjVjYzA3MTA3ZTBkNzU=

“RomneyCare — like GuilianiCare or proposals being advanced by Senators Burr and Coburn — can win the national debate on health-care reform.

RomneyCare gives people cash and lets them choose the coverage that’s right for them. In Massachusetts, it signed up more people faster than SCHIP signed up in a decade. The difference? Private companies competed for consumers instead of government trying to enroll recipients. Under RomneyCare people could shop nationwide for the best insurance product for them at the best price. The Democrats would shove everyone into something like the Veterans’ Administration or Medicaid.”

“Mitt Romney is the only U.S. politician who can credibly claim to have created universal health care coverage. His Massachusetts Health Plan may yet falter; but so far he has walked the walk, while his Democrat opponents have only chattered. He alone owns the health care issue.
The Good. In taking the Massachusetts plan nationwide, Romney has left most of the bad features on the cutting room floor. There is no individual mandate, no employer mandate, and no managed competition. States would have the opportunity to go their own way.

People who buy their own health insurance would get the same federal tax relief as those who obtain health insurance at work. Subsidies would allow low-income families to buy private insurance. A block grant of medicaid funds would give states the ability to move enrollees to the private sector.”

“Mitt Romney’s Health Care Vision is widely shared by almost every policy advocate not wedded to the government-run alternative. Indeed, every ingredient in it has long been on the agenda of Republican leaders in Congress and free market think tanks — including mine, dating back to 1993.”

[G8 Diplomat]

Hey! Join the debate. I’m in need of some fellow Hunter supporters here :)

[hiredhand]

If you support the Second Amendment, but also support a man who would be good with taking most of the firearms that we as a family own, then I'm confused. So do you support the Second Amendment, or a man (Romney) who doesn't? Remember that this man will have the power to erode the Second Amendment if elected. He's made his stand on this issue overtly clear.

Now let me give you a little clue..

My types are usually very quiet. Even I can't drag them into discussions like this. They simply won't come, even when asked. I can tell you something about them though. They're comprised historically of hardcore GOP supporters, who have been on the verge of abandoning the GOP since Shamnesty. They won't debate with you, and for the most part they won't even talk to you. They work quietly and say little even amongst themselves. I'm one of them though so they watch me and follow my postings so I won't give away much about them lest I irk somebody who trusts me. There are a LOT of us. We don't show up in polls because we don't partake in polls. IF you can get somebody to even answer a phone at our homes, you're on a "list" to start with. We don't like liberal/leftists and we like even less politicians who pretend to be conservatives.

We are unaccounted for and largely unknown at the moment. I speak for a great multitude of us. I've been labeled as a crazy over the past several days for saying the same things I'm preparing to tell you. We live in a south eastern state, in a rural area. We own a small farm, worship at a small non-denominational Christian community church, and we home school. When people like us unplug from the GOP after telling them for four years solid to SECURE THE BORDERS and then get an attempt at Shamnesty in response, we see them for what they are.

Here's my warning yet once again. You can extol the virtues of Romney, or Giuliani, or McCain for that matter. But if the GOP puts one of them, or one of their ilk on the 2008 Presidential ballot, they will effectively hand the election to Hillary Rodham Clinton. People like us will make sure that this happens. We will not vote for the lesser of two evils simply to prolong the inevitable. We do not fear, nor will we live in fear.

I understand that it's a fearful message though. You do what you must, but bear in mind what I've told you. Because if things don't change, Hillary Clinton will be the 44th President of the United States of America.

[Calpernia]

I can’t. I’m transcribing D.H.’s interview :)

[broncobilly]

“They’re coming dangerously close to acting like cultists.”

What a joke! All that means is “I despise your group, because it is not like my group.” Settle down, take a deep breath, and say something informative.

[WOSG]

“Nobody cares what he did in Salt Lake City, that’s a long time ago “

His executive leadership 10 years ago is relevant to showing what he can do. But if 10 years is too far back, I am sure you will eagerly stop fellow posters who bash Romney over trivia from decades prior.

“It’s his actions as Governor that is the shame of his life”

Hardly. Your bias is blinding you. for example ...

“And Romney, as governor, acted on these convictions. He vetoed an embryonic cloning bill; he vetoed a bill that would allow the “morning after pill” to be acquired without a prescription on the grounds that it is an abortifacient; he vetoed legislation which would have redefined Massachusetts longstanding definition of the beginning of human life from fertilization to implantation; and he fought to promote abstinence education in the classroom. One should not underestimate the tremendous political price that Governor Romney paid in Massachusetts for these acts. Both conviction and courage are necessary for effective pro-life leadership, and Romney, in office, displayed both.

These actions as governor have lead leaders of the most important social conservative groups in Massachusetts, including Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Massachusetts Family Institute, and the Knights of Columbus, to observe that, while previous comments by Romney “are, taken by themselves, obviously worrisome to social conservatives including ourselves, they do not dovetail with the actions of Governor Romney from 2003 until now — and those actions positively and demonstrably impacted the social climate of Massachusetts.” They conclude that Romney “demonstrat[ed] [his] solid social conservative credentials by undertaking” these actions, and has therefore “proven that he shares our values, as well as our determination to protect them.””

As someone from Tennessee I expect you want your home-state favorite to win. But I suggest you lay off the baseless attacks for a while, they only discredit out, and instead focus on the positive of YOUR man ... Don’t tell me what you are against, tell me what you are FOR.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Spare me. Destructive RINOs aren’t Republicans. Precious is running in the wrong party.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"What a joke!"

My reaction precisely to those who take Precious seriously as a candidate.

[G8 Diplomat]

Your comment reminded me—look what I found off OnTheIssues about Mitt Romney:

#8 on Human Events’ list of Top Ten RINOs. (Dec 2005)

[WOSG]

I lived in massachusetts in the 1980s,. The GOP in that state has been a sorry-ass moribund body for decades, and the Democrats have run it as a one party state for decades.
Dont you remember? The only state to go for McGovern in 1972 was Massachusetts!

The fact that the GOP didnt do well in 2006 in Massachusetts is not surprising, since the GOP got shellacked nationwide.

Blaming Romney for the fact that Massachusetts is a deep-blue state is idiotic.

“Where are all the Republican officeholders he helped to elect as Governor ? Show me them. Start with Congress.” ... rather than getting negative on Romney, get positive on other candidates - tell me what other candidates have helped get others elected.

Meanwhile, the bashers ignore that Romney has a strong, positive campaign and putting forth some serious ideas that will help challenge and defeat Hillary ...

——> DeMint: Romney’s Health Plan Expands Freedom, Not Socialism

Columbia, SC - Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) made the following statement:

“Governor Romney’s plan will dramatically expand access to affordable, private health insurance. By providing for full deductibility of all medical expenses, this plan will help millions of Americans who don’t receive coverage through their employer to have a real choice in the individual market. It will also help equalize the tax treatment between employer-based and individual health insurance, allowing more Americans to afford a plan they can own and keep.

“This plan rejects socialized medicine that leads to fewer choices, lower quality, and higher taxes. Governor Romney has outlined a sensible plan that will harness the power of free markets to provide Americans with personal control of the highest quality care at the best possible price.”

[restornu]

What happen to dont dish it out if you can’t ....

I did not like his original post it was uncalled for so reap what you sow!

[WOSG]

You are wrong about Romney. He’s not a RINO. He’s an effective articulator and advocate of conservative reforms. From the Romney Platform:

- Tort Costs Are Too High. According to a recent report, U.S. tort costs reached $260.8 billion in 2005, which translates to $880 per person. This is an amount greater than the Gross Domestic Product of all but 35 countries in the world. Frivolous lawsuits and outrageous damages awards create a “liability tax” or “tort tax,” which are passed along to every consumer in the country.

- Governor Romney Believes We Should Limit Non-Economic Damages And Prevent Excessive Punitive Damages Award. Non-Economic damages are inherently speculative, and a reasonable statutory cap makes sense. Governor Romney also believes we need a statutory prohibition on outrageous punitive damage awards.

- Governor Romney Believes We Should Require More Disclosure In Contingency Fee Arrangements. More disclosure will help clients make informed decisions, and it will help end abusive lawsuits and extortionate settlement demands by plaintiffs’ lawyers.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"His executive leadership 10 years ago is relevant to showing what he can do."

His executive leadership as an elected official up until this past January is the ultimate and only true indicator. He failed, on a spectacular scale. Even his hero William Weld left the Governorship with an "R" to succeed him. Romney didn't even have the common courtesy to do that. He entrusted it to an incompetent Marxist racist buffoon.

"Hardly. Your bias is blinding you."

Facts, kid. Facts. As Governor, his vetoes were worthless. He doesn't have enough Republicans to sustain them in the legislature. Remember, he couldn't be bothered to elect more of them after he failed to do so in 2004. And spare me his phony pro-life stances. He was a johnny-come-lately on Conservatism, remarkably just in time to pander to a national GOP constituency.

"As someone from Tennessee I expect you want your home-state favorite to win."

Wrong, bub. Trotting out the regionalist card is a red herring. I support the best CANDIDATE who isn't a lying sack and party-destroying inferno. If it was Frist as opposed to Fred who was running, you can bet your RINO ass I wouldn't be supporting him if you paid me good money. He was a horrible Senate leader. Fred had to pull Frist's GOP successor across the line to victory last November as Frist was nowhere to be seen helping out. Fred has consistently provided leadership and helped to elect our candidates -- even when he didn't have to. That's character. He has it, Precious doesn't. Is that simple enough for you, pal ?

[hiredhand]

:-)

[WOSG]

It seems he only responded in kind.

Why not climb out of the gutter and talk in an adult manner about the candidates? ...

---

Columbia, SC - Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) made the following statement:

“Governor Romney’s plan will dramatically expand access to affordable, private health insurance. By providing for full deductibility of all medical expenses, this plan will help millions of Americans who don’t receive coverage through their employer to have a real choice in the individual market. It will also help equalize the tax treatment between employer-based and individual health insurance, allowing more Americans to afford a plan they can own and keep.

“This plan rejects socialized medicine that leads to fewer choices, lower quality, and higher taxes. Governor Romney has outlined a sensible plan that will harness the power of free markets to provide Americans with personal control of the highest quality care at the best possible price.”