Romney to Tea Party movement: No third party bids!

CNN ^ | 03/9/2010 | By: CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby

[Jim Robinson]

Washington (CNN) - Mitt Romney has a message to Tea Party candidates nationwide: If you lose your Republican primary bids, stay on the sidelines.

The former Massachusetts governor on Monday warned the grassroots movement not to mount third party efforts in general elections, which he said would siphon votes from Republican nominees.

"If there is a conservative candidate that runs in the general election, then obviously, divide and fail is the result," Romney said in an interview with the conservative Web site Newsmax. "Hopefully Tea Party candidates will run in respective primaries and they will either win or lose. And if they win, they will go into the general. If they lose, they won't, and they will get behind the more conservative of the two finalists."

Romney explained that "dividing our conservative effort in the general elections" would "basically hand the country to Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, and that would be very sad indeed."

[yldstrk]

you and whose army Romney

[Las Vegas Ron]

IBTZ!

Hope you’re doing great Jim!

FUMR!

[Grunthor]

“If there is a conservative candidate that runs in the general election, then obviously, divide and fail is the result,” Romney....”

Romney flat out admitting that he is NOT a conservative.

[70th Division]

OH, MITTY, SHUT UP! ! !

[rightwingextremist1776]

not a day goes by this bench warmer doesn’t stick his foot in his mouth.....bye bye Romney RINO.....

[FewsOrange]

I suspect that those who initially opposed Bush and then backed him in the general election, and then opposed McCain and said they would never back him but ended up backing him in the general election will end up backing Romney if he wins the Republican nomination.

[Balding_Eagle]

A Romney nomination would be a strong signal for a third party movement to materialize.

[rockinqsranch]

So who made Romney the Rule Maker?

[iceskater]

And if a Tea Party person wins the primaries are the establishment guys going to support the Tea Party? So far, the establishment support of the Tea Party has been tepid at best.

BTW, I’m not voting for you Romney, you flip-flopping RINO.

[Sir Napsalot]

>>> Romney explained that “dividing our conservative effort in the general elections ....”

This I gotta see. Romney now a conservative.

Wait, stranger things could happen, I guess.

[tiger-one]

Mitt the minute Palin announces you are toast, and you can move back to Mass.

[BenLurkin]

What? Who is he kidding?

[sillsfan]

OMG.
What an idiot.

What clever FReeper is keeping track of all the Romneyisms in just the last two weeks?
I’ve lost count already.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“So who made Romney the Rule Maker?”

CNN

[PapaNew]

If you lose your Republican primary bids, stay on the sidelines...If there is a conservative candidate that runs in the general election

Whoa, looks like we're confusing Republican with conservative again. If Romney is the GOP nominee, looks like the rest of what he says doesn't apply...

[GeronL]

Romney explained that "dividing our conservative effort in the general elections" would "basically hand the country to Barack Obama

He still thinks he is a conservative??

[Las Vegas Ron]

Yeah, I'm fully expecting a couch photo with Nancy any day now.

He and newt should join up for a “How to sink a Presidential Candidacy in Five Days or Less” book.

[LegendHasIt]

Bite me, Mittens.
I’m halfway tempted to vote third party just because of your arrogance in telling me not to.

[dhs12345]

Ya. Sucks, doesn’t it.