[Mitt Romney] Cruisin’ Toward 2012?

The New York Times ^ | November 7, 2008 | Michael Luo

[2ndDivisionVet]

Guess who is conveniently leaving tomorrow on a Caribbean cruise with influential conservative leaders now that the election is over and Republicans are pondering their future?

Yep, Mitt Romney, widely believed to be planning another run for president in 2012.

Mr. Romney, who sought the Republican nomination in 2008, is one of the headliners for the National Review’s post-election cruise, which departs tomorrow for six days of sun and conversation about restoring the Republican brand in fabulous ports of call in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Turks and Caicos.

It is the same annual confab that fortuitously visited Alaska last year, stopping off to meet Gov. Sarah Palin, and, thereby, helping to send her on a trajectory, according to a recent New Yorker article, to be plucked from relative obscurity to become Senator John McCain’s running mate.

Conservative elites from that cruise, along with one organized by the Weekly Standard that also visited Alaska, came away enamored by Ms. Palin, who worked hard to court them, the article said.

Ms. Palin, of course, is back in Alaska and does not have a ticket to this year’s get-together. Mr. Romney will share the stage with Fred D. Thompson and other guest speakers.

For a taste of the goings-on aboard ship, here is a description from the Web site: “This is not your typical cruise. Guests of National Review will enjoy informative seminars and extensive interaction with our guest speakers; numerous social events; dining with fellow conservatives as well as guest speakers; and a wonderful sense of sharing and camaraderie.

[Lancey Howard]

[Mobile Vulgus]

God save the country and the GOP from this principles free, flip flopping, say-anything-to-get-elected, slime ball. We need to take this time in the wilderness to be RID of mushy, moderate pols that have no interest in furthering a REAL conservative agenda. And we don’t need to just keep falling back on guys that just happen to have enough $$ to fund their own campaigns.

Mitt needs to be buried. Along with all the other RINOs.

[09Patriot]

I would no more vote for Mitt Romney than I would for 0bama.

I wouldve voted for mitt over mcstain, for the simple fact that he was a businessman, he has owned businesses and knows how much the fed gov interferes with them. where as a senator knows jack all about running a business. but that is the ONLY positive I have about Mitt

[Jess Kitting]

Cruisin’ for a bruisin.

[cyberslave]

All very entertaining, however, lets remember that 2012 is far off right now. Also, most of the former crop of candidates will have face people like Jindhal and DeMint in the primaries.

Romney's got an edge because he doesn't have to run for re-election like Palin, DeMint, and Jindhal all have to do.

The Democrats/liberals will be out to remove them electorally, and thus politically, from the scene.

Our efforts would be best spent discussing what we can do to a) close the 2012 primaries to Republicans only through the selection of a conservative and real Republican like Newt Gingrich as RNC Chairman, and helping those future conservative Presidential candidates, particularly Senator DeMint, to get reelected in 2010 than ruminating about Romney.

"Ruminating about Romney", kind of rhymes doesn't it?

[Caipirabob]

Comments?

Yep, it sounds like we still have loads of people who never learn.

When you run a RINO who acts like a democrat against a democrat, the democrat always wins. When you run a true conservative leader, you win. Governors preferred, just not RINOs.

I will not support Romney in 2012. Just saying now. Save the trouble, RINOs.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Yeah I’ll comment.

I supported Mitt in the primaries. For me, it was either him or Fred. Fred didn’t show much of a fight, so Mitt was my man.

The NY Slimes lead sentence in this article is crap. Mitt (and the rest) were scheduled to do this MONTHS AGO. So it isn’t like his plans were unknown.

I hope Mitt uses the next 2 years courting social conservatives. His economic credentials are pretty good, running a business, a government, a non-profit...but his religion and recent turnabout on abortion make him suspect among many. I hope he gets some more bonafides on that part of the spectrum—he’ll need the political support.

My 2 cents.

RD

[silverleaf]

the (former) gop’s, next big loooser

at least I won’t be suckered into sending money next time

the uSA will not elect this man president. ever.
Hillary Clinton stands a better chance and thats not a good one.

[LZ_Bayonet]

"Mitt has four years to demonstrate by his word and actions that he is a true conservative."

OK but, for any candidate, let's remember that Reagan was a self-admitted "Kennedy Democrat" before he became the great conservative leader that he was. And we should remember that frequently it is those who come to a group via conversion who are ultimately among it's great supporters.

[tiger-one]

WHO ARE THESE.... influential conservative leaders<?>

[The Ghost of Rudy McRomney]

But why don’t you say what you really think? LOL ;^) You should know by now I agree with you on the Stormin’ Mormon.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Pitiful and counterproductive for the GOP, especially since it was Romney’s “former” people on the Straight Talk Express who began backstabbing Governor Palin even before the GOP convention.

[brushcop]

for the simple fact that he was a businessman, he has owned businesses and knows how much the fed gov interferes with them.

That really doesn't hold water with me. There is a local, very successful businessman that also has his own investment business who voted for B.O. We were all flummoxed by this (small, very conservative Texas town). Businessman=commonsense does not necessarily go together.

We are facing a monstrous cult following, we're going to have to think outside the box and really dig into history to see how successful resistance movements operated. This is the same monster that has been faced in the past, just a different era with the added factor of instant info electronic tenacles reaching all over but the resistance is just as electronically adept.

[StatenIsland]

The political landscape can, and probably will, change a great deal in four years. The liklihood is that discussions NOW about who might or might not defeat Obama can only turn on the known quantities, and brings up the same, tired old discussions.

Our efforts would be best spent discussing what we can do to a) close the 2012 primaries to Republicans only, through the selection of a conservative and real Republican like Newt Gingrich as RNC Chairman, and b) helping those future conservative Presidential candidates, particularly Senator DeMint, to get reelected in 2010...

That's what we need to do. Newt has effectively positioned himself to be influential with his 527, American Solutions. It's doubtful he'd accept the RNC chairmanship, though.

[loungeSerf]

Hey, I’ve a great idea! Let’s let the states having the most influence on Republican primaries use an open primary. </sarc>

[broncobilly]

Some people are bigoted and hateful and still think they are Christian.

Not every one that say unto me Lord, Lord . . .

[j_k_l]

Mitt Romney Cruisin’ Toward 2012?

The GOP might want to take the car out of reverse.

[StatenIsland]

Not only are we facing a monstrous cult following, but we are looking at a PERCEIVED paradigm shift over the next four years.

What we know of as garden-variety, run-of-the-mill conservatism will begin to be painted as “out of the mainstream”, or “far right”. And though we gloat over our Dinosaur Media Death Watches, I think we have been reminded only too well about the power they still retain - since Barack Obama is their creation, and now the President of the United States.

The media did this, and the media will be working very hard to freeze out conservatism by glorifying the works of THE ONE and demeaning conservatives as far-right, creationist wackadoos [their words - not mine].

Throw in demographic shifts, voting buying through wealth-redistribution and government-funded voter fraud, and we’re facing nine miles of bad road.

[DocT111]

Too soon to be thinking about 2012

Let’s focus on 2010 and let’s take back the house and senate

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Palin won’t be attending because she has a real desk somewhere, and there’s a pile on it.