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Settling for Romney (Why conservatives are unhappy with him being the front runner)
National Review ^ | 10/07/2011 | Mona Charen

Posted on 10/07/2011 7:54:13 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Two new sets of Republicans are feeling deflated today — the Chris Christie hopefuls and the Sarah Palin stalwarts. The Christie decision didn’t surprise me, perhaps because I grew up in Jersey. In fact, Christie and I attended the same high school. Anyway, Jerseyans are many things (not all of them nice), but slick dissemblers we are not. When Christie said, repeatedly, and in ever more colorful terms, that he wasn’t running, I believed him. And, while I understand the boomlet for him, I’m also a little relieved to see that he is indeed a truthful guy.

Sarah Palin, by contrast, has finally dropped the longest tease in the history of presidential politics. Her bus tours, her visits to Iowa and New Hampshire, her coy references to the importance of finding just the right candidate to challenge Obama (prompting predictable chants of “Run Sarah Run” from her audience). Her refusal to say whether she was in or out. She could use some Jersey straight talk.

Still, there are a few diehards out there who cannot quite relinquish the pursuit of a knight errant. No sooner did Governor Christie reconfirm that he will not be running for president than some of the great mentioners began to whisper that the “big donors” are encouraging Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.) to make the race.

Sheesh. It is no reflection on Mr. Cantor to say that this is beginning to look desperate and even a little pathetic. I confess to having participated, to a point, by urging first Gov. Mitch Daniels (choir sounds please) and then Rep. Paul Ryan to run. But those pleas were in December 2010, and August 2011. It’s too late now. The first primaries are only a few weeks away (bad move Florida, but oh well). Preparing to run a presidential race is just too complex. It takes months — even years — to assemble the local activists (also called the ground game), the money, the advisers, the advertising team, the speechwriters, the advance men, and the other necessities of modern campaigning.

Additionally, the candidate him or herself has to bone up on dozens of issues so as not to be caught flat-footed in debates (some of the current crop neglected that part). No one can do all of that at this late date.

So, realistically, we have our field of candidates, and we’re going to have to settle for one of them.

Yes, settle. I’m disappointed, too, that my favorites decided to sit this out. And I wish the Palestinians really wanted peace, that Vladimir Putin were a democrat, and that the San Andreas fault would go quiet. But part of being a conservative, I believe, is taking the world as you find it and dealing with it.

So, how do we feel about Romney? A year ago, I made the bold prediction that he was going nowhere. Romneycare, I believed, would prove a millstone around his neck and he would be unable to recover from it.

I was wrong about how much of a role health care would play in the race. Obamacare remains important, but as a part of the larger issue of the failing economy. And Romney is widely perceived to be strong on economic issues.

Romney has also proved very fortunate in his adversaries. First Tim Pawlenty swung and missed (or, actually, failed to swing). Then Perry stumbled in attempting to recite Romney’s past flip flops. It’s as if some Harry Potter figure has placed a charm on Romney, causing toads to fall from his opponents’ mouths when they open them — or making them produce gibberish.

To be fair, Romney, who was a good candidate in 2008, has become an excellent one in 2012. He’s knowledgeable, unflappable, and dignified. He doesn’t frighten independents and he may be the Republican party’s strongest nominee — and we simply must win in 2012.

But for Romney to overcome the hesitation among conservatives, he needs to shed his excessive caution and boldly embrace a platform of profound reform. This is an epochal political year, pitting competing governing philosophies against one another in the starkest match-up since 1980. On entitlements, the great anchor dragging down the ship of state, Romney has been vague and timid.

Romney’s literature promises that he will repeal Obamacare, yet his proposed reforms are not so much a bold departure from the top-down Obama approach as a promise to be a better manager. His website promises, “Mitt will use limited federal regulation to correct common failures in insurance markets, while eliminating counterproductive federal rules.” It’s proposals like that that make our hearts sink.

— Mona Charen is a nationally syndicated columnist.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: ineligibleromney; mittromney; polyamory4romney; romneybigdig; romneycare
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To: ottbmare

RE: So let me ask you out there who despise Romney: are you going to sit on your hands in the next election and give Obama another victory, as you did in 2008?

Let’s put it this way. I am in a train hurtling towards the cliff. I want to leave the train, but it ain’t easy.

Would I prefer a driver named Barack who accelerates the train to 100 MPH, or would I settle for a driver named Mitt who accelerates the train to 70 MPH?

I think I’d like to buy a little more time so that I can make plans to jump off if possible.


21 posted on 10/07/2011 8:12:01 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (u)
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To: SeekAndFind

I wonder; when Herman Cain leads all major polls in a couple weeks, will the media still call Romney the “front-runner?”


22 posted on 10/07/2011 8:12:34 AM PDT by Grunthor (Heartless Bigot for Cain.)
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To: Repeal The 17th

RE: Poll: Cain surges, opens up 20-point lead on Romney

I’d be quite happy with this news if it came from Rasmussen. Zogby has been quite inaccurate the past few election cycles.


23 posted on 10/07/2011 8:13:38 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (u)
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To: SeekAndFind

All this pushing Romney isn’t going to convince me to vote for him. If the republicans gave me him as the nominee, I will not vote for him. It’s a guaranteed win for Obama.


24 posted on 10/07/2011 8:14:14 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012 (!)
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To: Mechanicos

Every time I hear one of the cable talking heads refer to Romney as the front-runner, I want to scream!


25 posted on 10/07/2011 8:15:44 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
You're probably right.

If it does come down to Romney vs. Obama, I plan to spend the time I can spare supporting local candidates.

26 posted on 10/07/2011 8:16:12 AM PDT by Rational Thought
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To: ottbmare

>So let me ask you out there who despise Romney: are you going to sit on your hands in the next election and give Obama another victory, as you did in 2008?

These are the Mahdi Republicans who think that if the left destroys the country and that if the GOP loses election after election the next Reagan will appear. Of course we were told in 2008 that 0bama was no worse than Carter and in 2012 the country would run to the next Reagan.


27 posted on 10/07/2011 8:17:12 AM PDT by Perdogg (I would vote for Pawnstar Chumlee, before I would vote for 0bama)
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To: Huck

On the fence about Cain? Out of the batch running, I think he is one of the better ones. The only thing that gives me concern is his 999 plan. One of the 9’s is a nat’l sales tax. That could be a really bad thing down the road if the Rats take over and raise it.


28 posted on 10/07/2011 8:17:14 AM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: Huck

Why are you hesitant about Cain?


29 posted on 10/07/2011 8:19:16 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012
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To: SumProVita

He has the money to do it. No one else does. Cain is linked to Romney, and doesn’t have the money to campain.

I hate it, but right now it looks like Romney will by default.


30 posted on 10/07/2011 8:20:51 AM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: ilovesarah2012
I will not vote for him. It’s a guaranteed win for Obama.

So you are enjoying seeing the country fall apart, good Americans in real pain out of work and losing their homes and businesses failing? You will be happy with Obamacare still on the books?

31 posted on 10/07/2011 8:21:50 AM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: cableguymn

I’m of a similar mind. Romney is my absolute last choice for the GOP nomination, and there’s no way I’d ever support him in a primary vote.

If he does become the nominee, however...gonna be hard to say no. For all the Obama-lite tendencies Romney has, he’s still not Obama. And I think above all else, we have to vote Obama out in 2012.


32 posted on 10/07/2011 8:23:19 AM PDT by DemforBush (Serpentine, Shel! Serpentine!)
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To: Spruce

See what I mean?


33 posted on 10/07/2011 8:24:49 AM PDT by workerbee (We're not scared, Maobama -- we're pissed off!)
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To: ottbmare
Sorry that argument was tried with McCain and Doyle and Bush I second term...no thanks will not be voting for president if Romney is at the top no matter what conservative you stick behind him....

Been there done that to death.

34 posted on 10/07/2011 8:24:53 AM PDT by Lady Heron
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To: ken21

RE: i voted for two bush turds.

Think of it this way, if most conservatives stayed home in 2000, we’d have a President Al Gore and cap and trade.

If if most conservatives stayed home in 2004, we’d have a President John Kerry.


35 posted on 10/07/2011 8:24:53 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (u)
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To: ilovesarah2012

RE: Why are you hesitant about Cain?

Huck is one of those guys who almost never responds to this question. Many have asked him the same question and his response is always SILENCE.


36 posted on 10/07/2011 8:26:32 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (u)
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To: SeekAndFind

Romney is a phony and a fraud.

Willard will never get my vote, primary, general, whatever!


37 posted on 10/07/2011 8:26:36 AM PDT by Reagan Man ("In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.")
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To: Lazlo in PA

And all that would change how if Romney got the nomination?


38 posted on 10/07/2011 8:35:48 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012
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To: Reagan Man; All

Unfortunately, gentlemen, the libs are not as fastidious as you are. They will vote for Obama, no matter how angry they may be now. If you stay home, congratulating yourself on how pure you are, you will allow them to re-elect him.

I like the formulation of some poster further upstream: “Mahdi Republicans.” You who are waiting to vote until St. Reagan is reincarnated are keeping Obama in the White House. Wake up! Reagan isn’t coming back to life before 2012.


39 posted on 10/07/2011 8:43:40 AM PDT by ottbmare (off-the-track Thoroughbred mare)
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To: ottbmare
So let me ask you out there who despise Romney: are you going to sit on your hands in the next election and give Obama another victory, as you did in 2008?

I held my nose and voted for the last republican establishment candidate. It won't happen again. The establishment getting the 'no more rinos' message is more important to me than 'He will do less damage than Obama' candidate.

40 posted on 10/07/2011 8:47:28 AM PDT by LearnsFromMistakes (Yes, I am happy to see you. But that IS a gun in my pocket.)
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