Posted on 01/29/2008 9:05:48 PM PST by NormsRevenge
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Republican Mitt Romney, his family and supporters vowed to carry his campaign into the vote-rich Super Tuesday contests next week after narrowly losing Florida's primary to rival John McCain.
In his concession speech Tuesday night, Romney issued a call to arms to conservatives to support him, vowing to cut federal spending, end illegal immigration and teach children "that before they have babies, they should get married."
But it was his wife, Ann, who took the microphone after Romney delivered nine minutes of prepared remarks, who explained the reasons for continuing.
"We feel as though the conservatives are starting to rally around Mitt," she said, as her husband stood beside her. "This is just a send-off point; this is not an end. It's another beginning. We have 22 more states to go after, and we will be able to do that."
The defeat marked the fourth time the former Massachusetts governor and the Arizona senator had gone head-to-head in a major contest, with McCain winning as he had earlier in New Hampshire and South Carolina. Romney claimed victory in his native state of Michigan.
Romney's team believes that as the field narrows, most likely next with the departure of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Romney's ability to raise money and spend his millions will allow him to better highlight the contrast between his business background and McCain's long tenure in a Washington.
There are 21 GOP contests on the ballot on Feb. 5, with 1,023 delegates at stake. A total of 1,191 are needed for the GOP nomination.
It was the contrast in backgrounds that Romney highlighted in a concession speech that otherwise echoed familiar themes from the trail, as if the loss presented no jeopardy to the future of his campaign.
"At a time like this, America needs a president in the White House who has actually had a job in the real economy," Romney said, adding that "at a time like this, knowing how America works is more important than knowing how Washington works."
As the audience cheered, he declared: "Washington is fundamentally broken, and we're not going to change Washington by sending the same people back, just to sit in different chairs. I think it's time for the politicians to leave Washington and for the citizens to take over."
Despite Romney's upbeat posture, the loss was a setback.
As the former venture capitalist had done in earlier contests, Romney spent the most on television advertising of any GOP candidate in Florida. His staff was stocked with aides to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a veteran of state politics who secured a win for his brother, George W. Bush, in the disputed 2000 election.
In addition, with McCain winning all 57 of Florida's convention delegates, Romney ceded a major talking point: He no longer has the most delegates in the field. Romney began the evening with a 59-26 lead over McCain; McCain ended it ahead 83-59.
McCain gained late momentum with endorsements from Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., the state's top elected Hispanic leader, and Republican Gov. Charlie Crist.
He also made use of one of Romney's campaign tactics, running negative radio and Internet ads against his rival and fielding calls that accused Romney of favoring taxpayer-funded abortion. McCain also claimed Romney supported a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. Romney had not.
From Florida, Romney was headed to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., for a debate Wednesday night. He also planned two days of politicking in the state and a series of fundraisers from Beverly Hills to Sacramento.
He was stopping in Salt Lake City on Saturday to attend the funeral of Gordon B. Hinckley, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who died Sunday. Romney is trying to become the first Mormon elected president.
After that, the schedule most likely will include stops in Colorado, Georgia and other states before concluding on Tuesday in Massachusetts, one of the Feb. 5 states.
Huckabee is actually the only one with even a remote chance of catching McCain. He likely will win more states than Romney next Tuesday.
Nice Rally call. Worked really well for Fred also.
I wish I could be optimistic, but frankly I don’t know who I will vote for, or if i will vote.
for what it’s worth, i think the ballots this year should be on a roll with little perforated squares and a brown mega marker.
Yep, so I guess I get to just enjoy the GOP crumbling with a bunch of rinos having a purse fight now.
Remember something...
CALIFORNIA may very well be winnable by McCain if Hillary is the candidate, and has to resort to some kind of stunt at convention..
If OBAMA is the Candidate, California becomes even EASIER to win, because the Hispanics simply won’t vote for the Black man.
THIS is the scenario that has the Gay Left terrified....
If Rudy's gonna git behind McCain, then we all need to get behind Romney this week!!!Check out THIS thread:
From Rudy to Romney
[Patrick Ruffini says Mitt is "vastly more conservative on everything else"]
Posted by RonDog
On News/Activism 01/29/2008 8:28:02 PM PST · 23 replies
hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog ^ | 1/29/08 | Patrick Ruffini
Is not his money; it is GOD’s money.
God can bless him again, and again, and again.
I like the look on his face genuine disappointment but he is going to forge ahead.
God Bless him!
That almost moved me to tears what Ann said about getting married. It's not that simple out here in non-Mormonville, but that's one thing I respect Mormons for. Despite tithing 10% to their church (I think there are exemptions for some), they work hard and tend to prosper.
They have come a long way. I'll never forget that family on tv whose kids were so gifted with the piano. They had bought their children two and possibly more grand pianos so they could have practice time. At least one got accepted into the Julliard School of Music.
Yes, and the winner-take-all makes things look worse than they really are in real numbers.
To put it in perspective, Florida the 4th largest state in the country with over 18 million people, the difference between McCain and Romney with 99.9% of the vote in, couldn’t come even close to filling Michigan Stadium for a single football game, and the fans have been doing it for decades.
Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill, anytime.
But, many of us know Romney is a liberal, lying flip-flopper that is just as untrustworthy as McCain. So, we’re not going to get behind him.
I haven't been astounded since the night I drew 4 9s to an Ace kicker, but the notion that the Republican party might/can/could/maybe/possibly nominate a criminal lunatic -- Keating Five hero -- McQueeg, simply astonishes me.
As my Russian friends say, ''sovyershenoye zamyechatl'no !'
Hey this defeat hurts....but the game isn’t over.
“Quitters never win and Winners never quit”
We got work to do after we lick the wounds here.
Don't fall for that MSM BS. The game has barely begun. It's a long way to the nomination. This premature calling of the race is just silly.
I can't believe conservatives are falling for it. I'm seeing it on the NR corner as well.
McCain is now the frontrunner and Romney the underdog, but it's not over yet, not by a longshot.
Romney is trying to become the first Mormon elected president.”
So it is about his religion all along..
There are no real pubs this time..so either pick the one that least turns your stomach or just say to hell with it
I believe in Miracles
I used to umpire youth league baseball when I was in high school. I remember there used to be this old guy who would come to all the games. He set up his lawn chair just behind me, to the left.
All he did during the whole game was question my calls. If I called a strike, he’d say “too low.” If I said “out,” he’d say “safe.” He was always grumbling.
He always brought food to eat instead of going to the concession stand, never paid admission for some reason. He didn’t have any grandkids playing in the games. He didn’t root for anybody.
He was just there to entertain himself and feel superior.
I knew I had met pissant before.
I hope so. Polls do show Huckabee will take TN. Maybe Super Tuesday can do it. If Huckabee can move into second, Romney could drop out, and then it's McCain vs Huckabee.
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