Mitt Romney: The Unconvincing Convert

http://www.redstate.com ^ | March 5, 2015 | Dan McLaughlin

[NKP_Vet]

"It can be difficult to summarize in one place all of Mitt Romney’s problems as a candidate and as a potential President. I have tried; I wrote, back in 2007, a series so lengthy on Romney’s flaws (some 15,000 words, Part I, II, III, IV & V) that I can’t possibly hope to rewrite the whole thing now, and explained why I preferred McCain to Romney. More recently I focused on the dangers of backing Romney to the integrity of his supporters, the conservative movement’s need to maintain its independence from Romney, and the problems with Romney’s technocratic approach. Let me try to zero in on four of his problems here: the unconvincing nature of his political conversion, the hazards of becoming enamored with candidates whose primary rationale for running is their money, the unprecedented difficulty of winning with a moderate Republican who lacks significant national security credentials as a war hero or other prominent foreign policy figure, and Romney’s vulnerability arising from his dependence on his biography"

[ETL]

All one needs to know in order to outright reject Romney is that he refuses to describe Obama as a socialist, let only what he really is, a communist. The guy is completely out of touch with what is going on today.

[brownsfan]

Ok, so no one here supports Romney. Or, if they do, they aren’t allowed to say so, (did someone say FREERepublic?)

Anyway, Romney is likely to be the nominee. So, what’s your point? Obama is better than Romney? I reject that.

[Diogenesis]

Gov. Palin on the EVE of Election 2008 to throw the election.

FLASHBACK:

The McCain/Palin ticket was up ++4 to 10 pts
in some polls, days prior to Election 2008.
So rather than helping the GOP, Romney and
TeamROMNEY and the RNME (Republican National Media Establishment)
decided …to attack Gov. Palin to throw Election2008.

Romney, and the Van der Sloot RNME RINOs for Obama in 2008

Late in October, The American Spectator's The Prowler revealed:
"Former Mitt Romney presidential campaign staffers…
have been involved in spreading anti-Palin spin to reporters, seeking to diminish her standing after the election.
'Sarah Palin is a lightweight, she won't be the first, not even the third, person people will think of when it comes to 2012,'
says one former Romney aide…
'The only serious candidate ready to challenge to lead the Republican Party is Mitt Romney.
"Some former Romney aides were behind the recent leaks to media, including CNN, that Governor Sarah Palin was a 'diva' and was going off message intentionally."

---

The Palmetto Scoop reported: "One of the first stories to hit the national airwaves was
the claim of a major internal strife between close McCain aides and the folks handling his running mate Sarah Palin."
"I’m told by very good sources that this was indeed the case and that a rift had developed, but it was between Palin’s people and the staffers brought on from the failed presidential campaign of former Gov. Mitt Romney, not McCain aides."
"The sources said nearly 80 percent of Romney’s former staff was absorbed by McCain and these individuals were responsible for what amounts to a premeditated, last-minute sabotage of Palin."
… aides loyal to Romney inside the McCain campaign, said The Scoop, reportedly saw
that Palin would be a serious contender for the Republican nomination in 2012 or 2016, which made her a threat to another presidential quest by Romney.

---

"These staffers are now out trying to finish her off ….hoping it would ingratiate themselves with Mitt Romney."

---

"Who's the Palin Leaker from the McCain Campaign?
National Review Online The publication of a Vanity Fair profile of Sarah Palin
appears to have opened old wounds in the McCain campaign.
... the source of the “Diva” leak was Nicolle Wallace’s husband."

---

"Peeking Out From the McCain Wreckage: Mitt Romney"

"Someone's got to say it: IS MITT ROMNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBAMA'S VICTORY?"

"Vanity: Team Romney Sabotaged Palin and Continuing to Do So?"

"Romney Supporters Trashing Palin"

"Romney advisors sniping at Palin?"

---

[Paine in the Neck]

The list of particulars against Romney is great. Anyone who thinks he’s a conservative - or even a RINO - hasn’t looked into his record. He made a holy mess of Massachusetts with his court appointments and RomneyCare. His one claim to expertise is as a manager. Granted, he knows how to manipulate the levers of crony capitalism but so do any number of kleptocrats on the left. He’s a democrat and is to the left of many of the blue dog dems.

[throwback]

I watched Romney at his pre-super Tuesday pep rally last night on CSPAN. I've seen several others too. I think I finally have identified what's familiar about them. He is a CEO, and his campaign events remind me of company meetings. People think it's a virtue that he isn't a politician. I use to think that, but now I'm thinking the reverse is true. A good politician must move people emotionally. Just ask yourself how inspired you are coming out of your company meetings, and I think you can understand Romney's problem.

[DBrow]

“Obama is better than Romney? I reject that.”

Me too. The problem is that Romney will get lots of support from Republicans. They already support him, knowing what he did in Massachusetts (severe abuse of executive powers, signed a gun ban, more). Democrats already support the lefty things he’s done. If Republicans continue to support Romney when he pulls the same stuff at the federal level, Mitt may be able to get away with more than Obama can now.

[ETL]

“All one needs to know in order to outright reject Romney is that he refuses to describe Obama as a socialist, let only what he really is, a communist. The guy is completely out of touch with what is going on today.”

I should have made that:

All one needs to know in order to outright reject Romney is that he refuses to describe Obama as a socialist, let only what he really is, a communist. The guy is DANGEROUSLY out of touch with what is going on today.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-—— Anyone who thinks he’s a conservative - or even a RINO - hasn’t looked into his record. He made a holy mess of Massachusetts with his court appointments and RomneyCare.-——

Exactly right. MA resident here.

The thing to remember about his tenure in MA is that Mitt failed to risk an ounce of political capital whenever his help was needed.

He’s the consummate politician.

As far as I can tell, his campaign is about becoming class president. He won’t do anything once he catches the car, except blow with the wind.

[brownsfan]

“Mitt may be able to get away with more than Obama can now.”

It’s a very legitimate concern. My impression of Romney is that he wants to be president as a goal. That’s it... being president is the end game. No grand plan, no hopeychangey remake of America. When you’re very rich, and from a political family, it makes sense.

So, would Romney do stupid things? Yes. Would Romney lean left? Probably. But, once Mitt is president, the only thing he’ll want is to be president again. That may keep him in check. But, I don’t think Romney hates America, and I don’t think he wants to break it, in order to rebuild it.

Let’s contrast to the current resident of the White House. Obama is at the least, a muslim sympathizer. Has proven to be racist, a divider, and a Marxist. Obama and his handlers want to starve America for energy, expand the welfare state, and generally remake America ignoring the constitution. Now consider, in a second term, team Obama wouldn’t have to worry about antagonizing voters. They can do as they wish, with no concern about re-election.

It’s still a no-brainer, Romney, with all his flaws is way better than a 2nd Obama term.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-——Just ask yourself how inspired you are coming out of your company meetings, and I think you can understand Romney-——

LOL. BS-bingo is the only thing that made them tolerable.

[hoosiermama]

Just occured to me that if willard wins the nomination it may be with a thirtyish percent base. More people are voting against him than for him. RNC has major problem, wonder if they realize it. Or has Romney managed to fill all the RNC positions with his people?

[Linda Frances]

Romney has not been fully vetted and WILL lose when he is. The left will be laughing all the way to white house when they hear what only a few of us know, and what the RNC won’t tell.

[SoConPubbie]

Anyway, Romney is likely to be the nominee. So, what’s your point? Obama is better than Romney? I reject that.

You're statement is loaded with assumptions.

I can easily make the point that Romney is just as bad, in his own right, as Obama.

Just as much a liar.

And given his record as Governor, an extreme Progressive Liberal, for a Republican.

Why should I vote for such a Lying, evil person for President?

Because the other guy is worse?

Because you think you can look into the future and tell us all the world is going to end if Obama is President and only Romney can save us?

Romney will destroy the GOP if he were to become President just like he did in MA. He will govern from left of center, because that is who he is, and he will drive the conservatives, the base of this party, out.

Furthermore, if we, as the base of the Party, don't draw a line in the sand, the same shenanigans that were pulled by the GOP-E and Romney will be pulled each and every time.

Finally, the Congress, emboldened by a Progressive Liberal GOP President like Romney, will move left on a host of issues, just like they did with GWB. They feel it gives them cover. With Obama, at least they have been fighting back and more or less holding the line. With Romney, you will not get a repeal of ObamaCare, he has already stated he likes major parts of it, he is now defending the individual mandate.

You're going to have to give me better reasons than that.

[AmericanInTokyo]

He will, if he receives the GOP Establishment Coronation with media backing, will go on to a Juan McCain repeat performance....that is, he will give Barack Obama a clean pass on a lot of that crap. He will not engage but will hold back and throw the election. Scorched earth on Conservative GOPs in the primary; velvet glove on Obongo in the general, losing hopelessly.

[brownsfan]

“With Obama, at least they have been fighting back and more or less holding the line.”

Yeah, that’s gone well. They really stopped Obamacare... opps. Well, they did get that pipeline... oh. Well, when it came to the debt limit and the tax holiday, they really... uh, guess that didn’t work out well either.

See my post #10.

Support who you will in the primary, but if the nominee is Romney, do as Newt Gingrich is going to do, support whoever it is. Destroying the GOP is irrelevant. If Obama gets a second term, there won’t be an America left to have 2 parties. It really is that important.

[brownsfan]

“Romney has not been fully vetted and WILL lose when he is. “

How did FR become so rabid? Look, read what I’m typing. I’m not saying go put a Romney sign in your yard. I’m in Ohio, and will vote for Newt today. But, I am looking at the likely outcome.

We’re going to be presented with a choice of Romney or Obama, barring some major event.

So, you have your choice, a rotten apple, (Romney), or a poison apple, (Obama). Do you want to get sick? Or would you prefer to die?

[Linda Frances]

I refuse to vote for romney. I',I'm praying for a third party to rise up of romney wins, otherwise I will write in someone. He lies (well documented), has cheated with the help of the RNC in Iowa (I have documentation if you want to see it) and believes things that slanders and insults the Christian faith.

[moehoward]

"Do you want to get sick? Or would you prefer to die?"

I'd prefer THEY did both....

[brownsfan]

“I refuse to vote for romney.”

Then it’s the poison apple for you. When Obama is re-elected, remember that. Too big to fail is a falsehood, and it applies to countries. The USA can fail, and with Obama at the helm, I’m pretty sure you won’t recognize the America he leaves behind in 2016.