Mitt Romney forms presidential exploratory committee

Washington Post ^ | April 22, 2011 | Chris Cillizza

[Choose Ye This Day]

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney formed a presidential exploratory committee today that will allow him to raise money for a near-certain run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.

“It’s time that we put America back on a course of greatness with a growing economy, good jobs and fiscal discipline in Washington,” Romney said in a web video announcing his intentions.

In the video, Romney focuses almost exclusively on the economy, touting his experience in creating jobs and balancing budgets in the private sector.

“From my vantage point in business and in government, I have become convinced that America has been put on a dangerous course by Washington politicians, and it has become even worse during the last two years,” said Romney. “But I am also convinced that with able leadership, America’s best days are still ahead.”

(excerpt - snip)

[Choose Ye This Day]

Be still, my heart.

What a surprise. I didn't see this one coming. The past few weeks you could have cut the tension with a knife. "Will he or won't he?"

Yuck.

[DM1]

This guy never really stopped running since 2008 so this is no big shock. Sad thing is he has a decent shot at being the nominee especially if the field remains as big and fractured as it looks like it is shaping up to be (he could grab 22% of the vote and theoretically win the primary). Dont know how he overcomes the whole RomneyCare thing though.

[WayneS]

I can save you a lot of time Mr. Romney.

Just send me all the money you were going to spend on ‘exploring’ another presidential run and upon receipt of the funds I will immediately tell you whether or not you should run.

[sickoflibs]

No!

[Diogenesis]

Proven-Failure Milt Romney should be NOWHERE near government in the USA.

"As U.S. real output grew 13 percent between 2002 and 2006, Massachusetts trailed at 9 percent.
* Manufacturing employment fell 7 percent nationwide those years, but sank 14 percent under Romney, placing Massachusetts 48th among the states.
* Between fall 2003 and autumn 2006, U.S. job growth averaged 5.4 percent, nearly three times Massachusetts' anemic 1.9 percent pace.
* While 8 million Americans over age 16 found work between 2002 and 2006, the number of employed Massachusetts residents actually declined by 8,500 during those years.
"Massachusetts was the only state to have failed to post any gain in its pool of employed residents," professors Sum and McLaughlin concluded.
In an April 2003 meeting with the Massachusetts congressional delegation in Washington, Romney failed to endorse President Bush's $726 billion tax-cut proposal."
[Cato Institute annual Fiscal Policy Report Card - America's Governors, 2004.]

---

Alex Beam: “In truth, Ronald Reagan
and Mitt Romney have as much in common
as Cardinal O’Malley and Conan O’Brien.
Deservedly or not, Reagan earned a reputation for constancy.
Once he turned against communism, he opposed it big-time.
…. And our former governor? Inconstancy, thy name is Mitt!
A woman’s right to choose? Yes! No! Yes!
Are we in Massachusetts? Yes! Are we in Iowa? No!
Are we on TV? Whatever!”

[Diogenesis]

"I can promise whatever you want."

[blondee123]

NO vote from me, in case you’re counting Mitt!

[Jim Robinson]

FUMR!

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Click The Pic

[Windflier]

Explore if you must, Mitt, but you’ve got no connection with the Tea Party, and without their strong support, you’re as good as gone.

Buh bye.

[Choose Ye This Day]

What’s sad is that after all the Republican wins and all the conservative momentum lately, the “front-runners” we get are Mitt and The Donald.

[bella1]

Enough already

[Choose Ye This Day]

Someone experienced with Photoshop needs to re-work the “Oh no, not this sh*# again graphic. Putt Romney’s face on the black-and-white disgusted dude and make the caption say, “Oh, no. Not this Mitt again.”

Someone? Please?

[Diogenesis]

“The Massachusetts Republican Party died last Tuesday.
The cause of death: failed leadership.
The party is survived by a few leftover legislators
and a handful of county officials and grassroots activists
who have been ignored for years.
Services will be public and a mass exodus of taxpayers will follow.
In lieu of flowers, send messages to Republican voters
warning them about a certain presidential candidate named Romney.”
- Boston Herald, 11/12/2006

"In 2006, while Romney was chairman of the National Republican
Governors Association - a group dedicated to electing more
Republican governors - his own hand-picked Republican successor
as governor lost badly to the Democrat, despite the fact that Republicans
have held the governorship in Massachusetts since 1990. Romney largely
ignored the Massachusetts elections and spent most of the time
during the campaign out of state building his presidential campaign.
He came back and publicly campaigned for the Republican candidate
the day before the general election!
“Locally, this is a rebuke to Mitt Romney and checking out within six months
after being elected and having accomplished almost nothing,”
[Jim] Rappaport [former chairman of the state Republican Party]."
- Boston Globe, 11/8/2006

[Choose Ye This Day]

This one:

Not this Mitt again.

[noinfringers2]

Romney will have to convince me he is a staunch beliver in and defender of the Constitution and punishment for those that offend IT including all elected, appointed government officials including judges.

[Right Wingnut 2]

The Case Against Mitt Romney

http://www.whynotromney.blogspot.com/

[jerseyrocks]

Like the guy but he will never get over Romneycare. He should save his money.

[Servant of the Cross]

[TomGuy]

What’s sad is that after all the Republican wins and all the conservative momentum lately, the “front-runners” we get are Mitt and The Donald.

The problem with The Donald is the same problem as with The Thompson last go-round: He talks like a conservative, but his record says otherwise.

Romney is the countryclub elites' guy.

If it comes down to a battle between those two, that signified that the Republican party has evolved beyond any conservatism and has become a moderate party (as with McCain in 2008). Conservatives need no longer apply.