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‘Where’s Mitt?’
National Review Online ^ | 10/28/08 | Kathryn Jean Lopez

Posted on 10/29/2008 6:34:55 AM PDT by Reaganesque

It’s been the most frequently asked question I’ve gotten from National Review Online readers and conservatives over e-mail and in person since the market chaos and subsequent bailout circus began.

My answer these last few months has always been: Turn on MSNBC. Turn on FOX. Google a conservative candidate for Congress. Romney is liable to turn up.

And yet, a ridiculous item on the Internet yesterday suggested that he’s been in hiding, keeping a “low profile nationally” and unwilling to help out Republicans who aren’t a sure thing.

There are problems with that contention: Why do I keep seeing the man on television? Is any Republican a shoe-in this year? Someone get Norm Coleman on the phone with the good news! Because Romney is scheduled to campaign with the Minnesota senator, who is fighting for his political life against the not-so-funny prospect of Senator Al Franken. The images on his website blog do not suggest someone who’s decided to sit out the election — they suggest someone still engaged in the election year. Nor does his travelog, as he’s been doing McCain surrogate events everywhere from Pennylvania and Colorado to Nevada and Texas (among other places including Oregon, Georgia, Nashville ... ). Nor do his post-debate spin-room appearances or his interview on The Laura Ingraham Show this morning suggest that Mitt is standing down on election 2008.

Romney’s been in Virginia helping Keith Fimian in that newly blue-leaning state. He’s campaigned for Michele Bachman, now a favorite of MSNBC. He’s raised money for John Sununu in New Hampshire and Oregon senator Gordon Smith — both of whose reelection prospects are far from guaranteed. The list goes on.

Since Romney suspended his campaign and subsequently formed the Free and Strong America political action committee in April, he has donated approximately $202,000 to 75 GOP candidates, according to numbers made available to NRO from the PAC. Romney has also made an additional $173,000 in donations through flexible spending accounts to five affiliated state PACS, including $10,000 to the National Organization for Marriage, which is working to pass Proposition 8 in California, and $5,000 to stop a ballot initiative in Massachusetts to decriminalize marijuana.

And when the McCain campaign famously withdrew from Michigan, Romney contributed $50,000 to the demoralized GOP there. According to his PAC, “The total amount of financial support to GOP candidates and conservative causes through Romney-controlled state and federal PACs is $375,000.”

The web piece further blamed former Romney aides for being the source of the Sarah-Palin-is-a-diva complaints coming out of the McCain camp, presumably meant to damage her post-election prospects should the Republican ticket lose next week. The problem with that is: Most of Romney’s inner circle is still his inner circle — some having come from the business world, others being Massachusetts people now running his PAC. Others returned to Washington, and are doing McCain surrogate work, but are far from campaign insiders. Whomever is shooting at Palin from the McCain camp is not doing Romney’s bidding.

The good news for Mitt Romney is folks care what he’s doing. And someone out there sees him as enough of a threat to their ambitions to try to wound him. That rarely happens to irrelevant also-rans.

When longtime Romney spokesman Eric Fernstrom was asked about the former Massachusetts governor’s future on Monday, the longtime aide suggested Romney’s 2008 presidential ambitions weren’t running his life: “Gov. Romney had his shot at the White House, and he lost fair and square.” After a hostile primary season that highlighted some shameful instincts hostile to religious liberty both in the mainstream media and on the Right, you might not blame Romney if he went into retreat. But he never did. Romney got on the campaign trail for John McCain, defending the free-market policies that this successful businessman could no doubt run with, if he were in the driver’s seat.

Romney’s been a team player. Is it because he wants a Cabinet seat? Ask him — but I doubt it. There are easier jobs that taking over a massive bureacracy with limited freedom. Is it because he wants to be president? Ask him, but I don’t think that’s it either — and only time will tell, anyway, who will be Right prospects in a few years.


Watching him these past few months, he acts like a man who found a home on the Right, who both personally and philosophically appreciates those who were open to what he brought to the campaign trail, and continues to want to serve his country in whatever capacity she needs him. Right now, that’s by fundraising, contributing, and campaigning for conservative candidates and causes like the Susan B. Anthony List and Proposition 8 in California.

In his final primary-campaign speech in February, Mitt Romney said:

I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, I feel I must now stand aside, for our party and for our country.

I will continue to stand for conservative principles. I will fight alongside you for all the things we believe in. And one of those things is that we cannot allow the next President of the United States to retreat in the face of evil extremism.

And so he campaigns for candidates who share his general vision of the world. Romney was with McCain in Ohio on Monday. He’ll be in New Hampshire on Wednesday campaigning for congressional candidates Jeb Bradley and Jennifer Horn. And then he’ll take off for get-out-the-vote rallies.

If you’re wondering where Mitt is — and you can suspend some of your cynicism — the answer might just be: Where he can be of use. If you take him at his word and his schedule, that’s what it reads like anyway.

Kathryn Jean Lopez is the editor of National Review Online.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; 2012; antichrist; campaign; conspiracy; elections; mccain; mittromney; mormon; obama; palin; romney; team
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To: metmom
Being pro-abortion and pro-socialized healthcare are liberal positions. That is FACT!

All the spinning in the WORLD canNOT change it!

221 posted on 10/30/2008 5:50:19 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: redgirlinabluestate
but now that it is a dead thread......

and we don't want it to go on for days. ;-)

which all devolved into anti-Romney conspiracy threads as well.

Personally, I haven't sensed this as a big problem but I don't claim to read every thread, although I usually read the ones having to do with Palin. Since Mitt Romney got in the race, I have sensed too much defensiveness at times by the Romney people.

222 posted on 10/30/2008 5:51:01 AM PDT by CommerceComet
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To: Reno232
BTW, the Romney health care plan WAS NOT SOCIALIZED HEALYHCARE. His health care (i.e. hospitals, doctors, etc.) was not run by the government.

Just CONTROLLED by...
Just MANDATED by...
Just REQUIRED by...
Just AUTHORIZED by...
You get idea; right?

223 posted on 10/30/2008 5:52:21 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: CommerceComet

at TIMES???


224 posted on 10/30/2008 5:54:19 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie

The DMV

Just CONTROLLED by...
Just MANDATED by...
Just REQUIRED by...
Just AUTHORIZED by...

You get the idea, right? The DMV isn’t socialism either.

Do some research on real socialism & then we’ll talk.


225 posted on 10/30/2008 7:45:04 AM PDT by Reno232
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To: CommerceComet

Well, if you read all the Romney threads, with all the persistent lies, by the usual suspects, many of them Mormon haters, each and every thread, you would understand why. Lies must be corrected and cannot be allowed to stand.


226 posted on 10/30/2008 9:24:52 AM PDT by TAdams8591 (McCain/Palin '08)
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To: Diogenesis
LOL.

First it was Dick Morris. Now you are sending me political cartoons from a Liberal as the "truth" about Romney. What is especially ironic is this cartoonists take on Palin this Sunday which he titles "A message to Sarah Palin". I won't post the cartoon as it isn't worthy of the bandwidth here on FR. But below is the link.

Given the topic of this thread it is ironic that we have come full circle. You are the one promoting the liberal people who trash Sarah Palin. This thread for you has been a very bad case of projection. It's time to hold yourself to the same standard you claim Romney should hold. Lets see who is promoting anti-Palin liberals on FR? Mitt Romney or Diogenesis? I suggest you take a step away from the keyboard. Think about things for a bit until Next Tuesday is over do some real soul searching. Ask yourself why your ideas match Horsey, Dick Morris and Barney Frank. And then get back to us here on FR when you have found your conservative bona fides again.

Horsey's anit-Palin political cartoon from this Sunday

Horsey is wrong on Romney and wrong on Palin. only someone obsessed with RDS would fail to see that.

227 posted on 10/30/2008 10:58:06 AM PDT by Rameumptom (Gen X= they killed 1 in 4 of us)
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To: Rameumptom
Great post Rameumptom. We will go a long ways towards restoring sanity here when we finally conclude there are liberals here disguised as Conservatives. Those so called “Conservatives” that continue to post articles & the like from liberals & the liberal MSM in a transparent attempt to further liberalism & sow seeds of division here should be seen for what they are.

Thanks for nailing it.

228 posted on 10/30/2008 11:16:25 AM PDT by Reno232
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To: Rameumptom
You should come off of your LSD.

No conservative supports RINO-Romney the venal, shapeshifting backstabber.

And, like all conservatives, I support McCain/Palin despite your false postings.
Your are as disingenuous as your venal Master, Romney.


229 posted on 10/30/2008 11:24:29 AM PDT by Diogenesis (Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)
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To: TAdams8591
"Lies must be corrected and cannot be allowed to stand.

Which is exactly why patriotic FReepers have exposed Myth Romney for what a shapeshifter he is.

"Look, I was an Independent during the time of Reagan/Bush.
I am not trying to return to Reagan/Bush."

(Mitt Romney, 1994 Senate Debate, Boston, MA, 10/25/94)

"I wasn't a Ronald Reagan conservative."
(Mitt Romney In Interview with Marc Ambinder,
"Romney Explains Himself," National Journal, 2/9/07)

"I'm very clear I think, to the people across the Commonwealth -
my "R" didn't stand so much for Republican as it does for reform.
"
(Romney Video, accessed 9/19/07)

"I'm not running as the Republican view or a continuation of Republican values.
That's not what brings me to the race.
"
(Romney Video, accessed 9/19/07)


230 posted on 10/30/2008 11:33:18 AM PDT by Diogenesis (Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)
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To: Diogenesis

You haven’t exposed anything. All you’ve posted are LIES and lots of them. REAL conservatives don’t lie. Neither do REAL patriots, of which you are neither.


231 posted on 10/30/2008 2:18:40 PM PDT by TAdams8591 (McCain/Palin '08)
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To: Rameumptom; redgirlinabluestate; TAdams8591
Lets see who is promoting anti-Palin liberals on FR? Mitt Romney or Diogenesis? I suggest you take a step away from the keyboard. Think about things for a bit until Next Tuesday is over do some real soul searching. Ask yourself why your ideas match Horsey, Dick Morris and Barney Frank. And then get back to us here on FR when you have found your conservative bona fides again.

I have to wonder about some of these people who claim to be conservative but do everything they can to stir up conflict on FR. It's getting to the point that their insults and personal attacks hijack every thread to the point no rational discussion about issues can take place. Seems to me that's the goal of a liberal, not a real conservative who cares about our country. There's an ill wind blowing on FR. It takes longer and longer to find any post of value or wisdom. It didn't used to be this way.

232 posted on 10/30/2008 2:28:18 PM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: Diogenesis
Funny, Michael Reagan, Ronald Reagan's son, who very much supported his father's politics, also supports Governor Mitt Romney and his politics. In Michael Reagan's opinion, President Reagan would be in that pic with his thumbs up! : )

Now who to believe...Diogenesis, who has posted numerous lies about Romney, or Michael Reagan, Ronald Reagan's son?

233 posted on 10/30/2008 2:28:43 PM PDT by TAdams8591 (McCain/Palin '08)
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To: Rameumptom; Reno232; Canticle_of_Deborah
Extremely well said Ramey! You too Reno and Canticle of Deborah.

Romney in so many ways, is a remarkably talented and capable person. He petrifies Liberals. And I agree. Many of the people on FR who have been putting him down, are Liberals pretending to be conservatives.

What true conservative believes and posts information from a Liberal newspaper? Most conservatives have long since stopped reading Liberal newspapers except for rare exceptions and in most instances certainly wouldn't use them as a source for information about anything, let alone a Republican candidate.

234 posted on 10/30/2008 2:43:01 PM PDT by TAdams8591 (McCain/Palin '08)
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To: TAdams8591; Diogenesis
>>>Diogenesis, who has posted numerous lies about Romney, or Michael Reagan, Ronald Reagan's son?

But... but... you mean Diogenesis, Dick Morris and Barney Frank are wrong about Romney and Michael Reagan is right? Blasphemer /sarc.

Hey check out Michael Reagan's unedited quote. Seems he is on to something here.

_________________________________________________

MICHAEL REAGAN, the son of President Reagan wrote the following in Human Events about Mitt Romney:

Some Republicans insist that the only perfect candidate would be a clone of my Dad, Ronald Reagan. Aside from the fact that there is no such thing, it’s important to recognize that Ronald Reagan, as he often admitted, was anything but perfect.

One of the criticisms about former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney focuses on his record concerning the abortion issue. We are told by the modern day Diogenes clones that he can’t be trusted to fight abortion because he once, more or less, supported a woman’s right to butcher her baby. It may come as a surprise to these purists, but Ronald Reagan once supported abortion too. Yet nobody ever questioned his strong pro-life credentials after his conversion to Republicanism. They accepted his sincerity. Why can’t they accept Mitt Romney’s?

Romney’s record shows he should be totally acceptable to all conservatives, yet because of one dubious question concerning the validity of his conversion to the pro-life side, he is deemed unsuitable to carry the conservative banner.

235 posted on 10/30/2008 2:51:08 PM PDT by Rameumptom (Gen X= they killed 1 in 4 of us)
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To: Rameumptom

Big Dig's red ink engulfs state
Boston Globe July 17, 2008
- Massachusetts residents got a shock when state officials, at the peak of construction
on the Big Dig project, disclosed that the price tag had ballooned to nearly $15 billion. But that, it turns out, was just the beginning.
Now, three years after the official dedication of the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel,
the state is reeling under a legacy of debt left by the massive project. In all, the project will cost an additional $7 billion in interest,
bringing the total to a staggering $22 billion.

Romney: “Make all the promises you have to...
and hide all those donations from the contractors and builders of the BIGdig in my Presidential account.

236 posted on 10/30/2008 3:16:17 PM PDT by Diogenesis (Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)
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To: TAdams8591
Review of the 2007-2008 Campaign
===================================

ALL of the attack ads in Iowa (against Huckabee) are from ... Romney.

ALL of the attack ads in NH (against McCain) are from ... Romney.

ALL of the dirty tricks, including push polls,
fake troopers and badges have been from ... Romney.

237 posted on 10/30/2008 3:16:36 PM PDT by Diogenesis (Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)
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To: TAdams8591

Probe: Mitt missed chance to keep Tavares jailed - Could have nixed killer’s early exit

Friday, December 28, 2007 - Boston Herald
"Former Gov. Mitt Romney’s administration failed to act on disciplinary recommendations
that would have kept ex-con killer Daniel Tavares locked up another year -
and behind bars at the time he was accused of killing a newlywed couple in Washington state."

"Despite Tavares’ long history of violence, the Romney-led Department of Correction
took no action on recommendations that he be stripped of “good time” because
of assaults on prison guards in 2003 and 2005, said sources familiar with a state probe into the case."

238 posted on 10/30/2008 3:21:02 PM PDT by Diogenesis (Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)
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To: Rameumptom
Hey, we agree on something after all.

Mitt Romney cannot be trusted.

Romney aide’s bogus badges: Sources detail ‘illegal’ security tactic

" Boston Herald - Friday, July 20, 2007
"In an apparent violation of the law, a controverisal aide to ex-Gov. Mitt Romney
created phony law enforcement badges that he and other staffers used on the campaign trail

to strong-arm reporters, avoid paying tolls and trick security guards
into giving them immediate access to campaign venues, sources told the Herald.
They (the aides) knew the badges were fake and probably illegal,”
said a presidential campaign source who asked for anonymity
because the story could damage the individual’s career.
Two additional sources confirmed that the badges - described as bright silver plates with a state seal attached -
were first created and used by Garrity while Romney was still governor."

239 posted on 10/30/2008 3:21:56 PM PDT by Diogenesis (Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)
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To: TAdams8591
. All you’ve posted are LIES and lots of them.

ALL of them are lies??

Who knew!

240 posted on 10/30/2008 5:46:40 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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