Posted on 10/21/2011 10:02:21 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
In a new web site, in a controversial ad that was launched and then quickly pulled from sight, and in Tuesday’s now infamous debate touching episode, Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney is handling rival Rick Perry as if the Texas governor’s poll numbers were not at a paltry single-digit. With mounting evidence, he is, in short, treating Perry like Perry has Herman Cain’s numbers.
[snip]
If Romney can fatally weaken Perry now, it would allow him to dominate in the early primaries. Strategically, a strong showing in the Iowa caucuses would be followed by an anticipated victory in the New Hampshire primary, resulting in strong momentum as the voting shifts to South Carolina and Florida.
“You’ve got the guy down a bit, you don’t want to let him up off the mat,” said Chris Lehane, a Democratic consultant. “A mistake for a lot of campaigns is the front-runner doesn’t engage, and when they do, it’s too late. Particularly when Perry has the resources to go up in the air with negative ads, I think it’s smart for the Romney campaign. I think the Romney people are making the educated bet, probably the right bet, that there’s no one else in the field that can rise up and can be a sustainable long-term challenger.”
A source close to the Romney camp said, “One of these two guys is going to be president. You learned a long time ago in this business that when you’re getting attacked, you better answer.”
That Romney could be vulnerable to Perry’s millions, or the millions raised by his super PAC, lends a peremptory, inoculative quality to his elevated pressure on Perry. “If you’re Romney and you’re looking around the field you’ve got there … the only one who’s proved he can raise any money is Perry,” said Andrew Smith, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire. “He has to make sure that Perry isn’t able to consolidate his position as a front-runner in polls, because he’s certainly a front-runner in fundraising.”
The stepped-up offensive comes at a curious time, with Perry at his lowest point in the polls since he entered the race in mid-August. Romney is trading the above-the-fray persona he has cultivated at the risk of elevating Perry, putting him on the same plane as the front-runner. A NBC News/Marist poll of likely South Carolina primary voters published last week had Perry at 9 percent, just three points higher than former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is not a serious contender for the nomination.
The flare-up during Tuesday’s debate in Las Vegas stemmed largely from Perry confronting Romney over his hiring of a lawn care company that employed illegal immigrants, prompting Romney to recycle his criticism of a Texas law that Perry signed granting tuition discounts for the children of illegal immigrants. But Romney went beyond policy, taunting Perry by pointing out he had already had “a tough couple debates,” and reaching out to touch his shoulder — a personal space invasion that’s a no-no during debates.
Romney also irritably appraised Perry’s debating style as discourteous: “You have a problem with allowing someone to finish speaking. And I suggest that if you want to become president of the United States, you have got to let both people speak.”
[snip]
Perry Communications Director Ray Sullivan called Romney’s aggression “not a new phenomenon,” but said “this week’s high-profile activities” were proof of Romney’s nervousness about Perry.
“The Romney camp and Governor Romney himself know that Rick Perry is the most likely candidate to be the conservative standard-bearer, given his record,” Sullivan said. “They’re threatened by Governor Perry’s strong record as well as fiscal and social conservatism, and they realize that we have the campaign organization and financial resources to win. Despite all of the efforts to belittle and dismiss, the Romney people know that Rick Perry is a very serious and credible threat to their now six-year-long presidential campaign.”
[snip]
It’s still a start of Cain taking on Romney now that Perry is sinking into irrelevance.
http://nationaljournal.com/politics/for-perry-a-rapid-fundraising-rise-and-fall-20111020
I hope these two RINOs finish each other off soon.
From Romney’s point of view, this makes sense.
I have no problem with going for a quick kill. If the candidate’s candidacy is dying, it is what it is. Let’s get it over with and move on to the next phase.
If Romney’s wrong, he’ll pay the price.
If Romney is right, there’s no guarantee Perry’s supporters will move over to support him.
LLS
Perry’s numbers after dropping off dramatically at the beginning of September have improved consistently throughout the remainder of the month. His final week of Sept total of 3.7 mill was the second highest weekly total of any candidate in the quarter beaten only by Perry’s own final full week of August number.
His fundraising is fine.
Gov. Perry is working as hard as he can to build his funding power because he’s had to fight the GOP establishment before. The Bush-Rove-Hutchison Machine tried to take him out in the last Texas gubernatorial primary. Perry prevailed but it took a lot of money to run against their backers. Then Perry had to run in the general against a Democrat heavily backed by trial lawyers.
The teachers unions (all unions), trial lawyers as well as establishment GOP are working to block him. The green movement and the EPA have a target on his back BIG TIME. He’s gone after all these groups and has plans to go after them again once in the White House. Romney will NOT.
Anyone who understands how Romney is going to muscle/money his way into the nomination knows that they need to put their money on Perry. He is the only conservative that can STOP Perry.
Anyone who understands how Romney is going to muscle/money his way into the nomination knows that they need to put their money on Perry. He is the only conservative that can STOP ROMNEY!
((red face))
“My opinion: Romney wants Cain to be his VP.”
Don’t say that out loud. The Cainiacs go nuts.
That Cain indicates Romney as being one of the two candidates he has the greatest amount of respect for is troubling. Either he knows nothing about Romney, or Cain is a faux conservative.
Shhh...let them fight it out. Cain can sail right to the top.
You’re mean. But funny as hell.
Perry never had a chance to stop Romney. He is a big government crony-capitalist republican who appears to be a moron in debates and interviews.
We all told you this before he got in the race and you didn’t listen. Instead you and his other cronies pushed him on us. This may have kept others out or held down current candidates fundraising.
Now Cain and maybe Gingrich are our only hope unless by some miracle Palin changes her mind (almost zero chance).
You should be ashamed.
LLS
I agree, he won’t move off that Romney adoration.
For gosh sakes he could pick one *Gingrich* or if he needs two and hates Perry—there is Bachmann and Santorum to pick from.
And at least Bachmann has battled Obamacare.
Romney has Romneycare and he is connected to Obamacare.
It is very curious...
Beg to differ. His ground game in VA is solid, and on the cheap. All are volunteers, down to the county level. The only reason why there hasn't been a lot of noise, is VA is looking at house/senate elections 8 Nov: after that, the Cain Train will be very visible.
The elephant has its trunk up Romney's butt.
Beg to differ. His ground game in VA is solid, and on the cheap. All are volunteers, down to the county level. The only reason why there hasn't been a lot of noise, is VA is looking at house/senate elections 8 Nov: after that, the Cain Train will be very visible.
It was a tiny office in a retail shopping area. The door was locked. Nobody was there.
Inside, was a copy machine and a chair. Nothing else.
After the CNN debate, Cain told Anderson Cooper he has 1 person working in Iowa. Just 1 person. And its about to increase to 3.
Presidential elections are built on complex systems. The notion that something going "viral" is going to get someone elected president is just not in the cards. Someone getting elected with "virtually no financial backing" is not going to happen. I understand the concepts but if what you say is true Ron Paul would have been elected in the last election cycle.
—The notion that something going “viral” is going to get someone elected president is just not in the cards. —
Well, I sort of agree. I think what has a better chance of happening is something going viral keeping someone from being elected. Bur “viral” alone is not enough. It does somewhat level the playing field. That is why I said that money still talks, but not as loud as it used to.
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