Posted on 12/30/2007 5:50:44 PM PST by County Agent Hank Kimball
I have a very simple question, and I'd really like your take on it. I don't mean this as antagonistic, but I'd really like to hear your answer.
Somewhere between 70 and 80 percent of the people here on Free Republic consistently express their clear preference in poll after poll for Fred Thompson or Duncan Hunter over Huckabee or Romney.
My question is: Why?
Why do you think, despite Romneys many millions spent and the claims of both Romney and Huckabee to be genuine conservatives, that Freepers haven't bought it? It is quite clear that most here are firm in their belief that neither Romney or Huckabee is an acceptable conservative. At least at this point of the game.
Why do we think this - in your opinion?
And then, why are we wrong?
Hank
“I trust Romney with my guns about as much as I trust Bill Clinton with my daughter.”
How true. To conservatives out there: don’t let this get past you.
That seems to be resting upon the testimony of one law enforcement officer in a politically charged state. We know how law enforcement officers had been used in Arkansas (and how they were prone to comply).
I sure wouldn't suspend "innocent until proven guilty" over that kind of sourcing.
If Free Republic had been around in 1980, Phil Crane would’ve gotent 60-70% on the member poll.
Reagan, Bush, Baker, Anderson et. al. would be lumped into one entity: a flip-fopping, stupid RINO.
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbour?
NOOOOO!
And it ain’t over now! ;)
“if you found a candidate that all conservatives supported, they’d still lose.”
Nonsense. Reagan didn’t lose, and neither will Fred Thompson.
That’s what you say, but the record belies it....at least Romney’s does. I have to agree on the Huck.
That is the Gods truth!
You're talking to yourself here, and it's hard to make sense out of it. So you're chastising yourself for not being introspective? Hell, you could have done that before you posted.
You're out of synchrony with others here and want to know why? Uh, ask yourself first.
Not if enough conservatives are willing to settle for second best.
Now is our chance to put a true conservative in play. Most nay of our top tier candidates can beat hillary. Why settle for less?
“But not one of you has bothered to ask yourself why the OVERWHELMING majority of conservatives on this site find two candidates the clearly preferable choice.”
As others have said a number of times on this thread, this site definitely falls on the right side of the Republican scale.
Look at it this way, the Kossites hated Lieberman, but they are to the left of the Democratic scale. And Lieberman won.
And we all know pocketbook matters are more important than someone else's life. /s ;-`
Romney and Huckabee supporters are influenced by superficial emotions more than are Thompson or Hunter supporters.
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Maybe that's close to the answer. I think it is. I'd quibbly with "far right" a bit, but I get your point.
And I think this poses a big problem for us down the line. Because it's us "far" right people who energize a campaign. There are very few activist moderates. Some, but not many.
And while I can see lots of movement conservatives holding their noses and voting for Romney (and possibly Huckabee, but I have some doubts), I just don't see them knocking on doors, manning phone banks, and doing what it takes to win a general election.
Now Romney will have tons of money and apparently, lots of LDS footsoldiers behind him - so maybe he can overcome this. Huckabee can't. And McCain? He'll have to rely on Dem crossover votes.
Hank
“The biggest issue with both Huckster and Romney is that, despite what they say they stand for, when in office they did something different.”
Can you give an example of something Romney did in office that was at odds with what he campaigned on?
No, it's not 70 to 80% of the voters preferring someone other than the front-runners. It's 70 to 80% of Freepers.
Freeper-favored candidates are languishing in the polls. That's cause for concern.
I would call it pandering, which it is.
I’m with you brother!!!!!!
If Huckabee survives the rumor mongering and mudslinging, I think you will find many, many volunteers.
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