Posted on 11/25/2011 6:18:51 PM PST by TitansAFC
When we last checked in on Republican candidates’ endorsements — an important measure of party and institutional support that historically has some predictive power for nomination races — we found former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts in a good but not great position.
Using a scoring system called Endorsement Points that weights endorsements based on their importance — for instance, endorsements from governors score more points than endorsements from U.S. representatives — Mr. Romney had accumulated about 44 percent of the endorsement capital through Sept. 23. But Rick Perry was not far behind him, at 30 percent, and had been gaining ground.
(Excerpt) Read more at fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com ...
And with every endorsement, he picks up one more vote.
“When we last checked in on Republican candidates’ endorsements — an important measure of party and institutional support that historically has some predictive power for nomination races — we found former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts in a good but not great position.”
The only trouble, of course, being that Romney is a Democrat in all but name.
But then that, of course, is precisely why the Times is crowing.
How nice. The top four are liberals. We are so screwed. It is going to be another McCain situation if we end up with Romney, Perry, Paul, gingrich. This better not be another throw away election where the liberal Republicans get their way.
It would be interesting to see in list form the promises he is making for those endorsements.
Howard Dean had lot’s of endorsements and it got him nowhere
It was rigged that way from the beginning. It's hard for me to understand how any conservative can fail to see this by now.
Establishment Republicans making endorsements? Somehow I could give a XXXX.
Whoop-tee-doo. He’s calling in chits from the pols he’s purchased over the last 6 years. Utterly meaningless.
How convenient! A list of RINOs to kick out of government!
Well I guess some conservatives hoped it would be different this time for a change. I believe this is our one and possibly only time in a long time to put a serious conservative up and win. We may never get this perfectly aligned planets scenario again for a long time.
What does one win when one wins the race of endorsements?
Well said! The only endorsements that matter are the endorsements we will give at the caucuses and primary voting.
-—”What does one win when one wins the race of endorsements?”-—
Realistically? Money. Money and Organization.
It does help. I’ve been there, and it does give an edge to the endorsed candidate. Not one that cannot be overcome, but an edge nonetheless.
But then that, of course, is precisely why the Times is crowing.
The NY Times has been far more accommodating to Romney's candidacy than for any other republican in the race. Since the mainstream has been in Obama's hip pocket since 2007, I am struggling to come up with their motivation. I've narrowed it down to four possibilities as to why they have not bashed Romney the way they have Palin, Bachmann, and the rest:
1. They know that Obamacare is Barack's most negative "achievement," and they feel like Romneycare will take that issue away from the republicans.
2. They have some really deadly ammo against Romney, and know that if he is the nominee, they could unleash the forces of Hell against him.
3. They realize that Obama is toast, and want the alternative to be the most liberal republican that could possibly get the nomination.
4. They believe that Romney's liberalism would lead to a third party candidate who would give tea partiers an acceptable alternative, while guaranteeing four more years of Obama.
Right now, I'm leaning towards the third choice. I'd love to hear any other thoughts, particularly reasons for the lack of mainstream venom towards Romney that I have overlooked.
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