Posted on 08/15/2008 4:04:09 PM PDT by Plutarch
On the day Mitt Romney bowed out of the presidential race last February, his supporters latched onto something of a consolation prize that appeared to bode well for his political future: the warm embrace of hundreds of conservatives whose seal of approval he had long sought.
The enthusiastic ovations Mr. Romney received before and after his speech ending his campaign at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington seemed to signal that Mr. Romney had finally overcome doubts about his conservative credentials, as conservatives embraced him as a bona fide standard-bearer for the movement.
Yet as Mr. Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, is said to have emerged as a top contender to be Senator John McCain’s vice-presidential running mate, a vocal segment of conservative leaders and grass-roots activists have mobilized against him, with some going out of their way to block his path to the Republican ticket.
It is unclear just how large the group of Romney detractors is and how representative it is of the broader conservative movement. Many are evangelicals who flocked to one of Mr. Romney’s rivals in the Republican primaries, Mike Huckabee, the Baptist minister and former Arkansas governor whose own hopes for making a repeat presidential run in 2012 or 2016 could suffer if Mr. Romney were named to the ticket.
Indeed, Mr. Huckabee himself aimed a few jabs at Mr. Romney this week, arguing that he would make an unacceptable vice-presidential pick because of his shifting positions on several issues...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I think a better example of leadership is Don Carcieri in Rhode Island. He’s not tried to destroy his state’s GOP.
Carcieri’s a fine governor. Who is responsible for the collapse of the Vermont GOP, the most Republican state ever?
You said his you wanted a defence of his performance as governor then you said he “act[ed] like a liberal to get elected.” Which is it? If he only “acted” like a liberal then clearly you concede either he didn’t govern as one or at least is no longer one now.
The liberals that hijacked the VT GOP. The seminal moment was in 1956 when they told the Conservative female Lt Governor and former House Speaker Consuelo Bailey, she would not be allowed to run for Governor. Since that point, there was only one remotely Conservative individual to ever win the Governorship, and that was Deane Davis (1969-73).
It actually helps the GOP in Vermont that there are three parties, the GOP, the Dems, and the Progressives. The latter two have enabled the GOP to win the top two jobs in the state since 2004.
In an unrelated stance is there any chance the GOP lt gov is going to win on his own the governorship?
If Dubie wins the Governorship, it is dependent upon whom the nominees for Governor are. If the Dems and Progs put up 2 strong candidates, he can win, but if they unite to stop him, he might not. Of course, in RI, Carcieri won outright as a Conservative in 2002, but he was blessed by having perennial loser Myrth York win the Dem nomination for a 3rd time. He had an incumbency advantage in ‘06 which helped him escape against the strongest Dem candidate since the early ‘90s.
It’s interesting how some states of another general political bent will elect minority party Governors (such as WY, HI, and AK for many years, and AZ and my state of TN).
Sounds like you have work to do there!
Why they do amazes me.
There are a sizable number of folks who don't support Romney because we are not ready to temper the definition of Conservatism by injecting liberal ideas.
If you are one of these 21st Century Conservatives, who think that tempering Conservatism with liberal ideas makes it more palatable, then Romneycare is a great achievement.
Excellent answer.
Is Romney any where near Reagan? Of course not. The point is, Reagan is sometimes viewed in this Utopian bubble in which he did not reside. There were MANY times where he had to compromise. It was not only part of his governance, but part of his philosophy as well. Remember as well, Reagan was a Democrat just 4 short years before he ran as Governor & fought hard for his party.
We are more than willing to allow Reagan to have epiphanies, but somehow, when it comes to Romney, there is no such thing as allowance. Is Romney's “conversion” real? I'm not absolutely sure, but as many did w/ Reagan after his governance in Calif., I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Romney's speeches as he left the stage were nothing short of Reaganeque. Unlike Clinton & others, where you just had that feeling it wasn't real, it was Memorex, I felt Romney meant what he said in those speeches. Just as I did w/ Reagan after the changes he made. Time will tell for sure, & given the chance, but if it's real, can you imagine what could be accomplished? We have no one on the Republican stage as commanding & well spoken at this juncture. Like Reagan, Romney is an idea man. He knows how to get things done. He's action, not just an empty suit.
Turning crisis situations around is where he excels. Who has that as one of the overriding points on their resume on our side? If we're not in a crisis, we shortly will be. Out of all the potential VP’s, who has the ability to deal w/ that better than Romney? I would respectfully submit, no one. Just my humble opinion though. Thanks for your reasoned & civil response.
Sometimes it would be nice to allow an original poster the chance to take his wife on a date before answering. I enjoy the FR, but unlike some here, it’s not my life. Have a great weekend.
“(I’m voting for McCain because he’s white.)”
If you’re serious about this, then it is no wonder that you also have trouble with a Mormon.
“Y’know, this kind of rabid virulence against a candidate is kinda suspicious. Did Romney steal your girl?”
Sorry but the only kind of girl Romney could catch is one born in the 1940’s or one that has been isolated from the greater society for 50 years....maybe a gold digger if he is lucky.”
You have got to be kidding.
“My material isn’t full of stale vitriol.”
Better re-read your posts, honey. “
Back atcha
I agree with you! Where does that guy get off encouraging heterosexuality? Just shameful. Dooming this planet to overpopulation!!
Keene is a great lover of Arlen “Scottish Law” Specter as well.
Norm, you’ve done admirably trying to talk reasonably and find a “middle ground” with the haters on this thread.
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