Posted on 01/28/2008 4:43:23 PM PST by Checkers
A week ago, Rasmussen Reports noted that if John McCain wins Florida, he may be close to unstoppable in the race for the Republican nomination. Nothing has happened in the past week to alter that assessment, but McCain’s prospects in Florida remain far from certain. The Arizona Senator finds himself in a Sunshine State toss-up with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. (Today's Daily Presidential Tracking Poll shows Romney at 28% nationally and McCain at 26%)
Given the importance of Florida, the Rasmussen Reports weekly analysis of the GOP race will be updated on Wednesday this week.
While no one knows who will win Florida at this moment, it is worth noting how much the GOP race has changed since South Carolina. For most of the year, the Republican nomination field was crowded with five candidates in double digits and no one able to gain a lasting advantage. It is now clearly a two-man race.
In fact, it is now distinctly possible that the GOP nomination could be wrapped up before the Democrats select their candidate. While South Carolina clarified things for Republicans, it had the opposite impact on the Democratic race.
As the two-man finals play out, Romney will present himself as the champion of conservatives in general and economic conservatives in particular. McCain will present himself as a “foot soldier” in the Reagan Revolution and a national security conservative. However, many conservatives will paint the Arizona Senator as closer to Hillary Clinton than Ronald Reagan.
(Excerpt) Read more at rasmussenreports.com ...
Lower SW Florida. Most of the calls here have been robocalls. Haven’t heard from Huck or Rudy. Two robocalls for McCain (including one from Crist). All of the rest have been for Romney. Two were people calls and the rest were robocalls (averaging 6 per day for the last half week).
I can’t wait to see his financials for this period. It will be huge.
The last thing Democrats want is a tall, vibrant, healthy man like Romney standing next to their short, fat, old hag during the national debates.
Believe me, it will matter.
The last thing Democrats want is a tall, vibrant, healthy man like Romney standing next to their short, fat, old hag during the national debates.
What the Democrats want is for the Republicans to nominate a candidate that can’t carry his own party by enough of a margin to compete.
I don’t know many people who vote based on how a person looks, but I am sure that the media will arrange the debates so that Hillary is not presented poorly.
As for the old hag look, expect another round of Botox treatments in the near future.
Yep, I agree with that. While Mitt was not my top candidate, he is the only one electable on our side and he will make Hillary look bad. Right or wrong, physical appearance plays a role in voting.
I think the long stretch until November will help Mitt. He is not a first-time charmer. He has patience, endurance, and hopefully the communication skills to connect with the American public.
He's not wearing Ron Paul down. In fact, I guarantee you Mitt is probably discouraged that Paul is still in the race.
Because for all of Mitt's money, he doesn't have dedicated grassroots supporters who are all out there spending their own time and money to help Paul get elected.
And God help Romney if it's just him and Paul debating.
I saw one standing behind a cardboard box at the Department of Motor Vehicles a couple of weeks ago. He was ranting about impeaching Dick Cheney.
“It takes alot more than money.”
You mean it takes being Clintonesque? Like McAmnesty?
Polls are irrelevant. So far he's outlasted bigger rivals like Fred Thompson and has the money to go beyond Super Tuesday. If Rudy doesn't win FL tomorrow, he's OUT. Huckabee and McCain are on fumes. That leaves Paul and Romney as the last two standing.
Paul came in 2nd place in two consecutive states so far (technically, he won Louisiana). It doesn't matter what place he comes in tomorrow in FL, the pressure is all on the other guys. And it's likely he'll win the Maine caucuses this weekend.
This is a beautiful Rope-a-Dope campaign by Paul, and he's already run the greatest presidential race ever run by someone in Congress.
Good one, Steve Forbes. Very funny
When Alli used rope a dope, he was actually in a fight and taking punches. No Republican candidate takes Paul seriously enough to throw a punch because they know that he has zero chance of getting the nomination.
This says something because McCain has had 30 years of name recognition and nobody even knows who Mitt is yet.
McCain for Veep? The new Cheney hammer guy? I like it.
“This says something because McCain has had 30 years of name recognition and nobody even knows who Mitt is yet.”
To know McCain is not to like him.
Here’s who you can figure out what Romney will do.
Research. Dig into his record, his life history, his statements, and his campaign statements and promises:
http://www.freerepublic.com/~UnmarkedPackage
“Examine the record and accomplishments of Mitt Romney while Governor of Massachusetts and you will find that he applied and practiced core conservative principles of fiscal and social conservatism in one of the most liberal states of the U.S. It required courage to take the conservative positions and actions he did in the face of a hostile political environment.
I believe we should care about Mitt Romney’s actions while in a position of authority, since taking office in 2003, much more than we care about words he spoke in campaigns years ago. Mitt Romney’s record as Governor, when his actions had real consequences, tells the real story about how he would govern as President.”
I think Mitt Romney’s 1994 campaign platform is quite telling, since it indicates where Mitt Romney has been consistent for his entire political career -
http://www.freerepublic.com/~UnmarkedPackage/#mittnolib
“In the 1994 Senate race, Mitt Romney held the solid conservative position for 23 of the 24 issues listed; the only exception being the pledge to maintain the status quo in Massachusetts regarding a woman’s right to choose. A pro-choice position in Massachusetts in 1994 was a socially moderate stance accommodating the large majority opinion of voters in the state. In hindsight, it was wrong for a conservative to accommodate a pro-choice, status quo public policy despite his liberal constituency.
Romney freely admits now that he was wrong about the government’s role in protecting the life of the unborn and has changed his position on this issue to a pro-life stance as public policy consistent with long-held pro-life beliefs in his private life. However, it’s understandable how a first-time candidate in 1994, and former businessman, running a crusade for fiscal conservatism with solid conservative positions on crime, welfare, the economy, foreign policy, school choice, health care, and congressional reform might accept the status quo on a social issue respecting the liberal constituency he would represent.”
“Paul came in 2nd place in two consecutive states so far (technically, he won Louisiana)”
Technically ‘uncommitted’ won Louisiana.
Nevertheless, the point that Paul has outlasted rivals is well taken.
There’s really no pressure on Paul since he wont be the nominee.
Dream on.
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