Lovable? No. Electable? Probably. Romney's relationship with the GOP electorate

Red Dirt Report ^ | October 23, 2011 | Andrew W. Griffin

[SoonerStorm09]

OKLAHOMA CITY – So, how excited were the good, conservative folks at the Jim Thorpe Sports Hall of Fame Museum when Republican Mitt Romney arrived there Friday morning for a fundraising event?

They weren't really. There was polite applause and a "Wow, it's the GOP presidential frontrunner - in the buckle of the Red State Bible Belt! Gee whiz!" reaction. Yeah, there was some "enthusiasm, but it was more subdued than you would have guessed.This reporter came in expecting throngs. Perhaps a lot of them were "busy" or didn't have the spare $20.12 for a ticket.

Regardless, Mitt Romney was in town looking to boost his campaign coffers, to keep that Romney bus gassed up and ready to hit New Hampshire, Iowa and points in between. Normally we're an afterthought, but Romney made a smart - and shrewd decision to come to the Sooner State, hat in hand, with tales of an America that really doesn't exist anymore.

It was a somewhat repetitious stump speech, Romney’s “America is great, America is exceptional” lines were appreciated by this patriotic crowd but didn’t offer the informed bunch a whole lot of new information. Oh there was the bit about ending Obamacare and "revamping" the tax code, but you didn't hear any really big and bold plans come from the man. And his comments about ending "crony capitalism" rang hollow, at least for this somewhat cynical journo.

Make no mistake. Mitt Romney “believes in America,” referencing his campaign slogan. He’s built an empire over the past four decades. He’s a powerful man and America is awesome. Okay, we know that. The audience gets it. What do you stand for, Mr. Romney?

[Sybeck1]

Wish I could get in a Q and A with Romney and simply ask him “Didn’t we tell you no four years ago?” and see what his response is.

[ngat]

This whole attempt to determine who the nominee is going to be before we even have the primary elections is getting ridiculous.

[sodpoodle]

***Mitt Romney was in town looking to boost his campaign coffers***

Well he will not get this dyslexic vote. I always read his name as ‘moneyR’ us.

[newfreep]

I was reading another post that stated Rush is supporting Romney and calls him the MOST conservative of all candidates.

Did anyone hear Rushbo make this comment?

If true, Rush has become just another flip-flopper like Romney himself....

[CASchack]

I was reading another post that stated Rush is supporting Romney and calls him the MOST conservative of all candidates.

If you listened to Rush, rather than reading others' claims of what he said, you would know that Rush is calling him anything but conservative and has been lambasting Romney.

Rush had said during 2008 primary that the only one of the viable candidates who was talking like a conservative was Romney, and that's as far as he would go. Rush isn't saying anything of the sort now.

[onyx]

To: FReepers; Everyone; All;

These two vermin rats Barney *Dancing Queen* Frank and Chris *Waitress Sandwich with Ted Kennedy* Dodd are chiefly responsible for the housing market collapse and banking meltdown. I discovered all the MSM not covered details here on Free Republic, where did you learn about them?

Think about it!

Dancing Queen-------------------Waitress Sandwich

DONATE

To show you appreciate

These two vermin rats Barney *Dancing Queen* Frank and Chris *Waitress Sandwich with Ted Kennedy* Dodd are chiefly responsible for the housing market collapse and banking meltdown. I discovered all the MSM not covered details here on Free Republic, where did you learn about them?

Think about it!

Dancing Queen-------------------Waitress Sandwich

DONATE

To show you appreciate

[hellbender]

Wow, it's the GOP presidential frontrunner

Uh...no. The frontrunner is Herman Cain!

[SAJ]

Rush played some clips from 2008, when Rush ended up supporting Romney after the race had narrowed to McCain, Huckabee and Romney. He did this principally to demonstrate to a caller and some number of e-mailers that he (Rush) had historically not "bashed" Romney, but had in fact supported him for a time.

However, this was ALL 2008. No relevance to this year.

[Yosemitest]

[Finny]

I was reading another post that stated Rush is supporting Romney and calls him the MOST conservative of all candidates. Did anyone hear Rushbo make this comment?

Have you listened to Rush much over the years?

Try going on "bing" or some other general search thingy, type in "Rush Limbaugh on Romney," and see what pops up.

Those who've listed to Rush, even if we didn't hear that particular show, know the answer to your question, and have known it for quite a few years. Here, I'd have to clip and paste and dig and argue and play parsing games with Romney supporters to have any kind of credibiliy in answering the question. Better for you to answer it yourself with a modicum of searching.

[Yosemitest]

Romney's such a loser. He couldn't even beat McCain.

Does anyone remember...

Romney to quadruple La Jolla home size
Aug. 20, 2011

LA JOLLA — GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney, scheduled to attend a series of fundraisers this weekend in San Diego, is also working on plans to nearly quadruple the size of his $12 million oceanfront manse in La Jolla.

Romney has filed an application with the city to bulldoze his 3,009-square-foot, single-story home at 311 Dunemere Dr. and replace it with a two-story, 11,062-square-foot structure. No date has been set to consider the proposed coastal development and site development permits, which must be approved by the city.

The former governor of Massachusetts purchased the home three years ago. According to a description from the listing agent, the Spanish-style residence at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac is sophisticated and understated in its décor, “offering complete privacy and unsurpassed elegance.”

Tentative plans call for new retaining walls and a relocated driveway, but would retain the existing lap pool and spa.

“This offering represents a truly unique opportunity for a buyer who appreciates the scarcity of this caliber of real estate,” the listing said.

Constructed in 1936, the three-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home was among the first built in the Barber tract neighborhood, according to the La Jolla Historical Society, and has a stretch of lawn sloping to the white sand beach.

“I wanted to be where I could hear the waves,” Romney told a gaggle of media last year at a book signing in University City. “As a boy we spent summers on Lake Huron and I could hear the crashing waves at night. It was one of my favorite things in the world; being near the water and the waves was something I very badly wanted to experience again.”

The home was once owned by former San Diego Mayor Maureen O’Connor and her late husband, Bob Peterson, founder of Jack-in-the-Box. The landmark Philip Barber house to the south was once owned by actor Cliff Robertson.

“It’s a very special little area of La Jolla,” said Carol Olten, a local historian. “It’s obviously very close to the ocean. It has unique architecture and the people who live there just love it all the time — even though it gets crowded.” Mitt Romney — Sean M. Haffey

Fundraising events and the prospect of becoming another “Western White House” only add to the lore of the tony tract. Despite some initial concerns about the home’s historic significance, a report prepared for the project concluded that the house is not significant under any designation criteria due to a “lack of integrity.” Several alterations, the most significant being in 1986, were made over the years.

“Historic staff agreed with that conclusion,” a city planner said. “Therefore, it was not required to go to the Historic Resources Board.”

The California Coastal Commission and La Jolla Community Planning Group and have recommended approval.

“It’s actually been a very quiet project,” said Joe LaCava, the group’s former chairman. “No neighbors, at least that we know of, have raised any concerns.”

Jess Durfee, chairman of the San Diego County Democratic Party, offered chiding comment on Romney’s project and residency.

“Let’s hope he hires a contractor that provides union-equivalent wages and helps to stimulate the local economy,” Durfee said. “He also could register to vote here and help out the Republicans, whose numbers are dwindling.”

Romney spokesman Ryan Williams said he would not comment on the planned home renovation. He also wouldn’t confirm the candidate’s calendar.

Mitt and Anne Romney, who have become regulars at political events across Southern California, were scheduled to attend a Saturday brunch organized by longtime finance director Karolyn Dorsee. All of the upcoming events, including a dinner planned for Monday, are closed to the media, Williams said.


View from the beach of the 3,009-square-foot Romney home in La Jolla , which the GOP contender plans to demolish
and replace with an 11,062-square-foot home. — Meg Roussos

And some of you want this mind-numbed rich idiot as the GOP nominee?

[Pining_4_TX]

Ha, ha, I wish you could ask him that question!

The fact that Mitt for brains made an appearance in the reddest of the red states shows that he knows he doesn’t have the support of conservatives. Let him go back to MA and be governor again to see if he can fix the mess he created with Romneycare.

[Lion Den Dan]

If this piece of RINO dung gets the nomination, I will not be voting for President. Romney is as bad as Zero and if elected, will give the rats their talking points for ever more.

[newfreep]

FYI....

I’ve listened to Rush since 1991 although less in recent years as I’ve grown tired of his arrogant elitist attitude that comes out from time to time.

In addition, I get more news from FR that, at times, seems to be Rush’s show prep.

Mark Levin is far more ‘consistent’ conservative.

Yes, I was aware of Rush’s support of Romney in 2008 - hell, I voted for Romney in our Ohio primary as he was the least evil of all the choices.

But Romney is NOT conservative and that was the essence of my question - did Rush state Romney was conservative let alone the MOST conservative?

So ease off on that personal attack there, bub based on your false assumptions...