Posted on 01/21/2012 3:41:45 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
TAMPA — Mitt Romney on Friday wouldn't commit to Florida's first 2012 presidential primary debate, further upending a campaign that has swung from perfunctory to unsettled in a span of 48 hours.
Romney spokesman Ryan Williams said the campaign had "no announcements" on the Monday night debate, which is being hosted by the Tampa Bay Times, NBC News, National Journal and the Florida Council of 100.
Romney probably will decide whether to participate and under what terms after today's primary in South Carolina. Polls there show he now trails Newt Gingrich.
Gingrich pounced on the indecisiveness while campaigning in Orangeburg, S.C., saying that if Romney didn't show, it would "become a running joke."
"Romney can't claim that he's prepared to debate (President Barack) Obama if he's not prepared to debate Newt Gingrich," the former House speaker said. "So I'm confident he'll be there Monday night."
NBC officials said planning for the 9 p.m. debate set on the Tampa campus of the University of South Florida was continuing.
(Excerpt) Read more at tampabay.com ...
That includes for the Dems.
Willard is TOAST after SC.
Btw,
Early Voting in GOP Primary To Begin Across Florida Saturday
5 counties, including Monroe, already began voting Monday
15 hours ago – Early voting in the Republican presidential primary is set to begin throughout Florida the same day South Carolina holds its primary.
Voters in all 67 Florida counties will be able to go to the polls Saturday and casts ballots.
Early voting began Monday in Hillsborough, Hardy, Hendry, Monroe and Collier counties. The number of days available to vote ahead of the Jan. 31 primary is shorter in the rest of the state because of a new voting law that is not being applied in those five counties.
The early voting period will end the following Saturday in at least 62 counties. Elections supervisors can keep polls open up to 12 hours a day in 62 counties and 8 hours a day in the five counties that began voting last Monday.
People...is it not clear to you at this point that Romney will lose in November??? Was it not clear that McCain would lose??? The MSM is going to reelect Obama if they are able. He is their product.
Romney is being set up to lose. Gingrich might lose too, but he will take the liberal media down first.
I’m for Newt simply on that basis.
Hard to avoid it when he and Newt are the last men standing.
She is from the Bush-Rove elitist groupies.
Seriously, Willard should call in sick before Monday’s debate. I’m not kidding.
Everytime he debates Speaker Newt lately, he loses 5-7 points minimum.
Newt Gingrich IS truly the Chuck Norris of debating.
Speaking of the TWICE divorced Rove, where has he disappeared to lately? Hmmmm....
Oops! Link for #21..
But what is he selling? Romneycare? He is unable to even express conservatism.
Rove, wherever he is, is campaigning for Mitt.
Yah got that right.
Any wonder that Perino would be a RINO when considering who she worked for; the consummate, "Compassionate Conservative" George Boosh?
Any semblance of her being "objective"--never mind conservative--went out the window a long time ago.
Thank you for the information.
Mitt gives off flighty and indecisive vibes. Newt is grounded as in gravitas. It would take a larger man to knock Newt over than Mitt.
Yes...but...up 'till now she tried to act as though she were objective about the GOP field -- she failed miserably but she thought she could defend herself as not partisan toward Romney -- not after yesterday on "The Five." She's fully in the tank for him now.
I don’t get this early voting business. If this isn’t ripe for fraud, I don’t know what else is. I don’t trust Florida as far as I can throw it.
(and I can’t throw Florida very far).
Romney avoiding a debate — now that is completely PITIFUL.
Robus and rigorous debate are hallmarks of the political process. Democracy and freedom are strengthened by it. I guess Romney could care less about democracy or freedom.
Not unlike how the MSM is in the tank for Obama. Journalism is dead.
BTW, Mitt is afraid to debate Newt?
If he is afraid of Newt, why should even the GOP Establishment trust him?
And to expand on what Perino said yesterday on "The Five," she suggested that the remaining GOP primary candidates band together and refuse to be in any more debates. Obviously, this will not happen.
No doubt they are very nervous.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.