Posted on 12/04/2011 1:55:03 AM PST by fightinJAG
It’s Iowa minus 32 days, and barring yet another resurrection (or event of similar improbability), it’s Mitt Romney vs. Newt Gingrich. In a match race, here’s the scorecard:
Romney has managed to weather the debates unscathed. However, the brittleness he showed when confronted with the kind of informed follow-up questions that Bret Baier tossed his way Tuesday on Fox’s “Special Report” — the kind of scrutiny one doesn’t get in multiplayer debates — suggests that Romney may become increasingly vulnerable as the field narrows.
Moreover, Romney has profited from the temporary rise and spontaneous combustion of Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and Herman Cain. No exertion required on Romney’s part.
Enter Gingrich, the current vessel for anti-Romney forces — and likely the final one. Gingrich’s obvious weakness is a history of flip-flops, zigzags and mind changes even more extensive than Romney’s — on climate change, the health-care mandate, cap-and-trade, Libya, the Ryan Medicare plan, etc.
[snip]
You play the hand you’re dealt. This is a weak Republican field with two significantly flawed front-runners contesting an immensely important election. If Obama wins, he will take the country to a place from which it will not be able to return (which is precisely his own objective for a second term).
Every conservative has thus to ask himself two questions: Who is more likely to prevent that second term? And who, if elected, is less likely to unpleasantly surprise?
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
This is not posted to support Romney in any way, and not even Krauthammer goes there in this piece.
Basically, Krauthammer lays out the major points conservatives will have to deal with — now or later — if Newt is nominated and then if he is elected.
Yes, some people quickly went “all in” for Newt, but others are still evaluating the field and maybe giving Perry, Bachmann and Santorum another look.
The new Des Moines Register poll shows former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with a solid lead in Iowa, winning support from 25 percent of 401 likely Republican caucus-goers. That’s a huge shift — in October, Gingrich was at 7 percent.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul is in second place with 18 percent, rising from 12 percent in October. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has fallen from 22 percent to 16 percent.
>> It’s Iowa minus 32 days
Which includes major holidays with people totally tuned out.
Mitt vs Newt. Yes, of course it is Mr Krauthammer.
Except not a single vote has yet been cast.
The volatility of this race is mind blowing. It’s the most fluid, unpredictable primary campaign I can remember.
Oh, and Ron Paul is 2nd in Iowa, not Romney. So shouldn’t it be Newt vs Ron, there now?
I’ll reject the basic premise and pick door no.3.
Gov.Perry
The Obama-phile Krauthammer (pseudoshrink who defends
sociopaths and undocumented tyrants like Obama)
LOVES Romney. So he ignores Romney’s unique problems.
Typical Krauthammer.
Will do ANYTHING to enable sociopathic tyrants.
Although psychiatric perspectives are usually to be avoided, CK does hold a degree and he nails Romney very neatly there.
When all you got is a Krauthammer, everything's a nail. (Sorry. Voices in my head there.)
The only operative statement to me,if Obama is reelected he will take the Country to a Place it will never return from and that is his Objective. So take your pick folks,looks like as usual we have No choice and will again face a Humiliating defeat and Witness the end of the United States Of America as we have Known it. I guess we stop worrying and Learn to Love the Bomb
That looney ghoul Ron Paul is a dog turd on the foot of FR.
That plastic hologram Romney must be from another planet - straight from a bad Star Trek episode or the cult of planet people.
That Perry is the future president (of Universidad Perry).
No way, Perry can win against Obama.
You’d think that more would think kinder of Perry now that Newt and Mitt have floated to the top. Some won’t be happy until only Mitt is standing so they can lament that there’s no one to vote for.
If we weren't there already we wouldn't have elected him.
There is no question Milquetoast Mittens is more likely to win and won't surprise us at all: he will govern as a Newtered RINO.
You are way wrong about that. Romney can’t get out of 20% and will soon go below that mark.
I find something very leftwing - or call it extremist - about Conservatives’ inability to coalesce around anything but their own particular view of perfection... all the more so in light of the alternative which is an America that is unrecognizable and completely unconnected from her past.
Concentrate on the 11th Commandment: Thou art not to have Obama another time around! Anybody on the republican side is better, be he an isolationist, a RINO, a WINO, a good-talker, bad-talker, a divorcer, a flip-flopper.
Just close your eyes and listen to him speak again and look at the cheering mobs:
What you’re looking at is NOT AMERICA, mustn’t be allowed to become America.
So make an extra effort to be kinder to those Republicans (all of them imperfect, tainted and full of human faults) that you are not partial to. Enjoy your politics and revel in your beliefs, but never ever lose sight of the real enemy. You’ve had a taste of him. You know what sort of madness you’ll be facing.
Forza America!!!
Scozzafava 2012!!!!
We live in bizzaro-world.
This is my opinion:
I do not consider Romney, Gingrich and Perry to be true to conservative values.....they are all politicians who waffle to please others. Romney is the worst of this bunch.
Gingrich and Perry are polar opposites. Perry is more true to conservative values, but cannot verbally defend them. Gingrich is less true to conservative values, but can articulate conservatism with ease while slicing and dicing his opponents.
Ron Paul is a libertarian who would not be in Congress if he ran as a libertarian under the Libertarian Party banner.
Bachmann, Santorum and Cain have been most faithful to conservative values. Bachmann and Santorum lack leadership experience and Cain was destroyed by liberals due to his skin color.
Huntsman and others are pointless.
So, what are we left with?
The media has narrowed our choices to Gingrich and Romney for us.
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