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Romney needs an unconventional strategy. (Vanity)

Posted on 02/01/2008 11:02:27 PM PST by Truthsearcher

I think right now Romney needs to focus his attacks instead of on McCain, on Huckabee.

The McCain voters are not going to come over to him. It's the Huckabee voters that are potential persuadables for Romney. Because they already don't like McCain.

And Huckabee, the McCain stalking horse that he is, has been focusing all his attacks on Romney and not on McCain, because his job is to keep Romney from winning, not actually winning himself. Romney not addressing these attacks and focusing his attention on McCain is making a mistake and leaving his flanks unguarded.

By attacking Huckabee, Romney could set up Super Tuesday where Huckabee is knocked out of the race. If McCain ends Super Tuesday with say 700 delegates, that's still 400 short of what he needs for the nomination. If Huckabee is knocked out on Super Tuesday. It will give the conservatives coalition enough time to regroup and rally to defeat McCain in the remaining states in a head to head 2 man race, and deny McCain the remaining 400 delegates that he needs.

The goal for Romney on Super Tuesday should not be to catch McCain. But to knock out Huckabee. That should also be the objective of all Romney supporters the next few days. Instead of spending all your time and effort criticizing McCain, focus all your energy on persuading Republicans to not vote for Huckabee.

Even if Romney comes out of Super Tuesday with 300 delegates to McCain's 600-700. He can still win if it turns into a real 2 man race from that point on.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: elections; huckabee; mccain; romney
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To: kinoxi

You’re right, I don’t know who you are actually voting for. It appears to me that you are promoting Romney.


41 posted on 02/02/2008 5:56:49 AM PST by colorcountry (To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: colorcountry

No. I am entirely undecided at this point. The options seem to keep getting worse.


42 posted on 02/02/2008 6:00:20 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: kinoxi

Thanks for clarifying.

You are obviously against Huckabee since you said Hunter’s endorsement lessened your respect for Hunter. So are you vacillating between McCain and Romney. Write in? Just wondered.

I too am undecided. But I will never vote for Romney.


43 posted on 02/02/2008 6:03:55 AM PST by colorcountry (To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: colorcountry
I have an almost visceral objection to Huck. Can’t explain it. I’d vote for him over most others at this point but wouldn’t like it.
44 posted on 02/02/2008 6:12:08 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: kinoxi

At least we can say that Huck is pro-life. That he understands the sanctity of human life.

I understand your feelings. If you truly have a dislike for Huck, no one will convince you otherwise. It’s how I feel about Romney and McCain. I guess I could vote for Huck out of default but I’d absolutely HATE having to do it.

Of course it isn’t going to matter in my State (Utah). Mitt has it wrapped up. In all honesty I probably won’t vote in the Primary....or I’ll write in Hunter or Thompson as a demonstation of my disgust with the GOP.


45 posted on 02/02/2008 6:19:07 AM PST by colorcountry (To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: colorcountry
At least we can say that Huck is pro-life. That he understands the sanctity of human life.

He is. That is good. My objections to Huck seem to be more gut feeling than anything else. I know I can't trust him. Hunter has jumped on to Huck's bandwagon. I can't write him in in good conscience. Thompson started too late and paid the price for it. The options IMO are nothing close to what needs to be representing me. I'll read more, try to keep an open mind etc., but this election cycle doesn't seem to be going well at all.
46 posted on 02/02/2008 6:29:47 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: tallyhoe

Ronald Reagan also changed his stance on abortion.

I want Mitt to stay in...

Why should the media and indys and moderates (who say they will vote Obama...anyway) determine the GOP candidate?
We do not need a WASHINGTON beholdin’ insider...


47 posted on 02/02/2008 7:27:08 AM PST by JaneNC (I)
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To: Red Steel; Truthsearcher; Reaganesque; All

Yes, I think Mitt needs to make Mike Huckabee his best friend right now. I know that ticks a lot of folks off, but it’s true.

It might take a Veep promise to Huckabee to get him to throw those deleagtes behind Mitt if Mitt is to win.

There may be no other way soon.


48 posted on 02/02/2008 7:38:30 AM PST by TitansAFC ("My 80% enemy is not my 20% friend" -- Common Sense)
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To: kinoxi; colorcountry
My objections to Huck seem to be more gut feeling than anything else. I know I can't trust him.

Kind of like a burning in the bosom?

Kind of like what Romney told Chris Wallace of Fox News last August: "I didn't FEEL I was pro-choice?"

49 posted on 02/02/2008 8:03:06 AM PST by Colofornian
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To: Colofornian
Cant explain it. It comes from a place that has never been wrong. Huck should not be President IMO.
I don't know who to support at this point.
50 posted on 02/02/2008 8:06:03 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: tallyhoe; Kurt Evans
Mitt Romney has switched his attitudes on abortion.

(He sure has...and he hasn't known when to stop switching!)

Let's have a "mock" "interview" of Mitt, shall we? --using his own actual words as the substantive part of his "responses" (his actual words are underlined):

Q Mr. Romney, Mr Tallyhoe has said that you switched your attitude on abortion. True?

A "Yes. While I never said I was pro-choice... my position was effectively pro-choice." [Source: 2007 GOP Iowa Straw Poll debate 8/5/2007]

Q So since you're not "effectively pro-choice" anymore, you've changed. But what do you mean, "I never said I was pro-choice?" According to the records, didn't you say in 1994 that Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not mine and not the government's?" [Source: Stephanie Ebbert, "Clarity Sought On Romney's Abortion Stance," The Boston Globe, 7/3/05] Didn't you follow that up 11 years later on May 27, 2005 after your pro-life "conversion" by saying "I am absolutely committed to my promise to maintain the status quo with regards to laws relating to abortion and choice?" Isn't "free to choose" and "promise to maintain...choice" the same thing as "pro-choice?" (Or are you just parsing words?) Didn't you also make multiple 'pro-choice' promises in 2002?"

A "I've made it quite clear since at least the Summer of 2001 that I do not wish to be labeled pro-choice." [Source: Mitt Romney, Letter to the Editor, The Salt Lake Tribune, 7/12/01]

Q "If you didn't want to be labeled as 'pro-choice' as of 2001, then why 'promise to maintain...choice' multiple times in both 2002 & 2005? (I guess I'm a bit befuddled here)"

A "Listen, I never called myself pro-choice. I never allowed myself to use the word pro-choice because I didn't FEEL I was pro-choice. I would protect the law, I said, as it was, but I wasn't pro-choice, and so..." [Source: Mitt Romney, interview with Fox Chris Wallace, Aug. 12, 2007]

Q "...But excuse me, sir, just because you in your internal conversations haven't labeled yourself 'pro-choice' doesn't mean that you haven't spent a dozen-year period between 1994 and 2005 spouting 'pro-choice' expressions. Isn't that so?

A "Listen, I am firmly pro-life… I was always for life." [Source: Jim Davenport, "Romney Affirms Opposition to Abortion," The Associated Press, 2/9/2007]

Q "But we started out this interview where you were totally coming clean on your past years and you said your 'position was effectively pro-choice.' What was your record as governor of Massachusetts, then?"

A "I've been quite forthright on my positions ever since I took the campaign trail in South Carolina in January of 2007. I'll repeat what I said then: 'Over the last multiple years, as you know, I have been effectively pro-choice.'" [Source: Bruce Smith, "Romney Campaigns in SC with Sen. DeMint," The Associated Press, 1/29/07]

Q "So we have established, then, that you were indeed 'pro-choice' over the last multiple years..."

A "...But you didn't let me finish. Eleven days after I made that statement, I also told South Carolina's citizens that 'I am firmly pro-life… I was always for life.'" [Source: Jim Davenport, "Romney Affirms Opposition to Abortion," The Associated Press, 2/9/2007]

Q "OK, I'm getting rather confused again. How can you be 'pro-choice'...over the last multiple years and yet 'always [be] for life?'"

A "Well, that's because of my track record as governor. You see 'As governor, I’ve had several pieces of legislation reach my desk, which would have expanded abortion rights in Massachusetts. Each of those I vetoed. Every action I’ve taken as the governor that relates to the sanctity of human life, I have stood on the side of life.'"

Q "But why did you then tell me that 'Over the last multiple years, as you know, I have been effectively pro-choice?'"

A "Well, some people interpret it that way because of $50 Commonwealth Care abortions and a Planned Parenthood League representative who in now permanently attached to that process."

Q "But you've told me that 'every action' you took 'as the governor that relates to the sanctity of human life' you 'stood on the side of life?'"

A "Uh, excuse me, but my press secretary just handed me a copy of my Katie Couric interview on embryonic stem cell research, and I want to review it...feel free to watch":

COURIC INTERVIEW: "...surplus embryos...Those embryos, I hope, could be available for adoption for people who would like to adopt embryos..." [Dec. 5, 2007 interview with CBS' Katie Couric]

Q "Wow, Mitt, that's great. I don't think I've ever heard a POTUS candidate ever talk about adopting frozen surplus embryos before. That's great!"

A "Shh. (You'll miss my next sentence)"

COURIC INTERVIEW: "But if a PARENT decides they would want to donate one of those embryos for purposes of research, in my view, that's acceptable. It should not be made against the law." [Dec. 5, 2007 interview with CBS' Katie Couric]

Q "So 'pro-choice' parents--and you admit they are 'parents' of adoptable embryos--if they 'decide' to 'donate' a young one for purposes of dissection...that's 'acceptable?'[More head shaking] And this was the very issue that 'converted' you to the "I was always for life" 'new' position, eh?"

51 posted on 02/02/2008 8:42:59 AM PST by Colofornian
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To: Truthsearcher

“Romney needs an unconventional strategy.”

My suggestions would include...

1. Be authentic, for a change - BE SOMETHING
2. Have some convictions - you are 60, after all
3. This isn’t a just a job interview or a mud fight - people have to view you as both likable and trustworthy.

You cannot overcome these issues by simply making media buys.


52 posted on 02/02/2008 8:47:20 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: Red Steel
Romney needs to be committed to go the distance.

McCain just needs to be committed.

53 posted on 02/02/2008 10:02:12 AM PST by supercat (Sony delenda est.)
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To: Kurt Evans

John McCain lacks the temperament to be President. He is just plain not qualified. Like him or not, Mitt Romney represents the only chance Republicans have of putting a qualified candidate on the ballot on November. You may not like Mitt Romney’s positions on the issues, but he’s not going to go into a meltdown in a time of crisis. If you want the Republicans to oppose Obama or Clinton, support Romney. If you don’t want Republicans to oppose Obama or Clinton, support someone else.


54 posted on 02/02/2008 10:12:42 AM PST by supercat (Sony delenda est.)
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To: nightlight7
I was disappointed in Romney's intellect in the last debate, when he got bogged down in a 15-18 minute pointless, petty squabble with McCain on the 'time lines' issue (who cares), with the endless 'he said, I said' ping-pong yelling match. That was ridiculous behavior from presidential candidates.

Mitt Romney may have been hoping to push McCain into meltdown mode. A logical strategy, though not necessarily one I would have recommended. Had he succeeded, people would have looked at McCain's melt down as "Of course the nice gentleman broke down--that mean rascal was tormenting him", rather than as "Good grief! If that flake can't even stand up to a debate, what's he going to do as President if a real crisis hits"?

55 posted on 02/02/2008 10:17:36 AM PST by supercat (Sony delenda est.)
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To: Matchett-PI
Thanks for info, will pass it along. Glad it’s being done.

Not in love with the idea that Mitt is our best choice at this time, but he is smart and is used to listening and working and surrounding himself with smart and knowledgeable people, and he will know on which side his bread is buttered if he wants to be successful.

McCain has to be stopped, he is a certifiable disaster, and his ego doesn’t care who he takes along for the ride with him.

56 posted on 02/02/2008 2:37:11 PM PST by CutePuppy (If you don't ask the right questions you may not get the right answers)
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To: Matchett-PI

“Hate babies?”

Yes, I asked Owen whether he hates babies.


57 posted on 02/02/2008 3:27:01 PM PST by Kurt Evans (This message not approved by any candidate or candidate's committee.)
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To: Matchett-PI

“Santorum is as pro-life as they come and has endorsed Romney, who is also pro-life. Is that not enough?”

Rick Santorum abandoned his defense of children conceived through incest or rape, and God abandoned His defense of Santorum’s career in the U.S. Senate.

No, it’s not nearly enough.


58 posted on 02/02/2008 3:30:16 PM PST by Kurt Evans (This message not approved by any candidate or candidate's committee.)
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To: supercat

“Like him or not, Mitt Romney represents the only chance Republicans have of putting a qualified candidate on the ballot on November.”

That isn’t true. Governor Huckabee is better qualified than Governor Romney.


59 posted on 02/02/2008 3:46:30 PM PST by Kurt Evans (This message not approved by any candidate or candidate's committee.)
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To: Kurt Evans

You sound just as foolish as that dunce, Pat Robertson when he claimed God was going to wipe out Disney with the hurricane that came through Florida a while back because gays were in the Park.

You are the arrogant sort that brings reproach on God’s name and causes him to be mocked by other ignoramouses. Gedddowdahere.


60 posted on 02/02/2008 4:30:43 PM PST by Matchett-PI (Thompson needs to come out for Romney NOW or face our wrath!!!)
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