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The Dean Wing of the Republican Party (Mitt Romney)
RealClearPolitics ^ | October 16, 2007 | Debra Saunders

Posted on 10/15/2007 10:19:26 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

It's pretty clear that Mitt Romney made a big mistake over the weekend when he told voters that he speaks for "the Republican wing of the Republican Party." Romney handed rivals Rudy Giuliani and John McCain the opportunity to remind GOP primary voters about the Old Romney, who was pro-abortion rights and courted gay voters when he ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate, then successfully for governor of Massachusetts. That's the Romney, who while debating Sen. Ted Kennedy in 1994, proclaimed: "I was an independent during the time of Reagan-Bush. I'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush."

Of course the Romney sound bite backfired -- it borrowed a page from the failed strategy of Howard "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party" Dean.

Team Romney does not concede that it erred. The full Romney quote shows that Romney was not impugning other GOP hopefuls or claiming that he was the only real Republican.

Romney spokeswoman Sarah Pompei said of Romney's shift against abortion rights and gay rights, "He saw the light." The Reagan-Bush quote? "Our campaign is focused on the future," she responded.

What will the future of the Republican Party hold? There is a schism between Romney and the other frontrunners -- Giuliani, McCain and Fred Thompson. Romney is the only one to sign the Americans for Tax Reform pledge not to raise taxes, a longtime staple of GOP platforms.

"Gov. Romney is committed to keeping taxes low and cutting government spending," Pompei explained.

Giuliani spokesman Jarrod Agen said that the former New York mayor "doesn't sign pledges. You just have to look at his record. His record in New York is cutting taxes."

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: Arizona; US: Massachusetts; US: New York; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: conservatism; conservatives; election; electionpresident; elections; flipflopmitt; fredthompson; gayboyscouts; gop; grovernorquist; howarddean; mittromney; proabortion; republicans; rinos; rudygiuliani; rudymcromney; taxes
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Neither Rudy or Mitt are real republicans, so I don't understand this squabble.
1 posted on 10/15/2007 10:19:29 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I think many Mitt supporters are having buyer's remorse.

I don't dislike the guy, but there's just not a lot of THERE there.

2 posted on 10/15/2007 10:23:26 PM PDT by Darkwolf377 (Pro-Life atheist Bostonian. If I don't it respond it might be because you sent me something stupid)
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To: Darkwolf377

The guy’s nothing more than a moral Bill Clinton. Anyone who loses to Fat Teddy in the 1994 historic election year that swept Republicans into Congress shouldn’t be qualified for any other office.


3 posted on 10/15/2007 10:32:47 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Tagline Removed By Moderator)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

I’ll tell you what’s really hillarious... Romney’s political hero, Slick Willie Weld, did all he could to keep his fellow RINO from hogging the limelight and did practically zilch to help his Senate bid that year (even as Weld won reelection in a jawdropping landslide), ditto with other Republicans running in that state. Ultimately, Romney delivered the final death blow to the state GOP begun by his hero in 1990.


4 posted on 10/15/2007 10:36:51 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~~~Jihad Fever -- Catch It !~~~ (Backup tag: "Live Fred or Die"))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I don’t understand the squabble either, but I know who the beneficiary will be... ...need I say the name?

The man standing largely above the fray, and the only true conservative in the race - Fred Thompson.


5 posted on 10/15/2007 10:43:24 PM PDT by John Valentine
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To: Darkwolf377

I agree. Well said.


6 posted on 10/15/2007 10:43:39 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
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To: Darkwolf377
They maybe having buyers remorse, but many are still fighting, and fighting dirty.

I understand it is hard to admit to being wrong, but posting pictures of Fred and Jeri in the same post with a stripper upside down on a pole is a bit much.

So maybe they were not Conservatives to begin with?

7 posted on 10/15/2007 10:46:42 PM PDT by ejonesie22 (265 pound Lemming with attitude for Thompson!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Romney rejected the Reagan agenda and as a liberal, Rooty never supported the Reagan agenda.

Someones lying through thier teeth and it ain't conservative Fred Thompson either.

8 posted on 10/15/2007 10:47:47 PM PDT by Reagan Man (FUHGETTABOUTIT Rudy....... Conservatives don't vote for liberals!)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
The guy’s nothing more than a moral Bill Clinton.

Which is like a slim Rosie O'Donnell.

9 posted on 10/15/2007 10:54:08 PM PDT by Darkwolf377 (Pro-Life atheist Bostonian. If I don't it respond it might be because you sent me something stupid)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
Isn’t that what you call an oxymoron?
10 posted on 10/15/2007 11:21:39 PM PDT by SoConPubbie
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To: Darkwolf377

Buyer’s remorse?? Nah. GO MITT!!!


11 posted on 10/15/2007 11:43:03 PM PDT by SHEENA26
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To: SHEENA26
GO MITT!!!

YEAH! Go back to Masssachuuussettts!

12 posted on 10/15/2007 11:55:26 PM PDT by John Valentine
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To: SHEENA26
GO MITT!!!

YEAH! Go back to Masssachuuussettts!

13 posted on 10/15/2007 11:55:29 PM PDT by John Valentine
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To: SHEENA26

I don’t see it happening. He’s pouring cash into a few “strategic” locations but if he somehow wins the nomination (doubtful) he’s never going to topple Hillary.


14 posted on 10/15/2007 11:59:10 PM PDT by Darkwolf377 (Pro-Life atheist Bostonian. If I don't it respond it might be because you sent me something stupid)
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To: Darkwolf377

Yeah, but Mitt bites away from Rudy’s potential homeground (ie a few northeastern states). If there’s an upside to anything, that’s it. Let the two liberal republicans eat away at each other.

I don’t see any way for Mitt to win conclusively in the south, and he would need that to get the nomination.


15 posted on 10/16/2007 12:21:25 AM PDT by Rick_Michael (The Anti-Federalists failed....so will the Anti-Frederalists)
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To: Rick_Michael
Yeah, but Mitt bites away from Rudy’s potential homeground

I hadn't thought of that. Very good point.

16 posted on 10/16/2007 12:33:01 AM PDT by Darkwolf377 (Pro-Life atheist Bostonian. If I don't it respond it might be because you sent me something stupid)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I don’t really know the guy that well but every time I hear him speak, I think he out-weasels McCain. I think Romney’s strategy has been to fool conservatives into thinking he is a conservative and that he can beat Hillary before someone who is and can actually made an appearance. To get conservatives locked into supporting him before the even have a chance to get to know him since loyalty is a huge part of who we are.

But the main thing that has always bothered me about Romney is he’s a Republican that somehow managed to get elected governor of Massachusetts. That just never computed.

I mean, I think Massachusetts and other than spelling anxiety, I think Kennedy, Kerry, and Dukakis and Romney always strikes me as Dukakis-lite. Really he makes Rudy look very conservative by comparison.


17 posted on 10/16/2007 4:32:52 AM PDT by Duke Nukum (He burns at the center of time and he sees the turn of the Universe.)
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To: John Valentine

How is Fred Thompson benefitting by dropping campaign stops (on an already meager schedule) and refusing to tell anyone what he actually envisions for the country? The man has no platform.

And that platform that he does have is a joke.

The man won’t back the marriage amendment, won’t vow to not raise taxes, doesn’t believe abortion should be criminalized, doesn’t think the border fence is necessary, voted against increasing fines on employers who hire illegals, voted against creating a system for employers to verify the legality of potential-hires.

Why is the man running again???


18 posted on 10/16/2007 8:20:07 AM PDT by CheyennePress (Non Abbiamo Bisogno)
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To: CheyennePress

Reading comprehension [or listening comprehension] is not something you have any skill at.

Your statements are mischaracterizations of his positions and some are outright lies [”The man has no platform.”]

This was posted last week and you might want to consider the advice for yourself:

“You and Spiff and some of the others need to start concentrating on promoting your own candidate rather than attempting to tear down FRed. FRed is a fine conservative. Probably one of the best federalists we’ve ever had running for president. And I do like Duncan Hunter too. Would be great to see his campaign get off the starting blocks.

113 posted on 10/10/2007 5:07:55 PM PDT by Jim Robinson (Our God-given unalienable rights are not open to debate, negotiation or compromise!) “

And this one:

“... Fred Thompson is a pro-life, pro-family, pro-gun, pro-defense, pro-America, pro-constitution small government federalist conservative and despite having voted the wrong way on one of the counts against Clinton, he will make a damned fine president.

107 posted on 10/10/2007 4:24:52 PM PDT by Jim Robinson (Our God-given unalienable rights are not open to debate, negotiation or compromise!) “


19 posted on 10/16/2007 8:49:43 AM PDT by daylilly
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
This article is one of the weakest attack pieces I've EVER seen against a specific candidate. First, it says that it doesn't agree with Romney's statement that he represents the Republican wing of the Republican party and then it says that he was the first candidate to sign the conservative GOP staple tax reform pledge and that some other candidates haven't signed it. It never backs up the reasons that the writer doesn't agree with Romney's statement. The article then just attacks other candidates' records and those of the Bushes and Sen. Ted Stevens. What a rip off.

Thanks for posting it. It was good for a laugh. Especially funny is how many Romney bashers think there was some actual content in the article and are commenting like it does any damage at all to Romney. Those are the people who can't read beyond a headline or a bumper sticker yet feel the need to comment anyway.

20 posted on 10/16/2007 9:05:40 AM PDT by Spiff (<------ Mitt Romney Supporter (Don't tase me, bro!) Go Mitt! www.mittromney.com)
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