‘Brokered’ GOP convention? Get ready, say political strategists

http://dailycaller.com ^ | 3/15/2012 | Will Rahn

[BO Stinkss]

With a breakaway front-runner still yet to emerge in the GOP race, political observers and senior Republican strategists are beginning to seriously contemplate what a brokered convention in Tampa Bay might look like.

A candidate must win the support of 1,144 delegates to become the Republican nominee for president. While most commentators agree that Mitt Romney is the only candidate with a realistic shot of reaching that number before the convention in August, that outcome is by no means assured, especially after his losses in Alabama and Mississippi.

Brokered conventions in the modern era have been exceedingly rare. The last time Republican delegates arrived at the GOP convention uncertain who their nominee would be was 1976, the year Ronald Reagan nearly snagged the nomination away from President Gerald Ford.

[ejonesie22]

I am starting to like the idea of an astroid slamming into the Earth...

[Pravious]

“I think I’m starting to like the idea of a brokered convention”

Starting? ANYONE they come up with HAS to be better than the losers we have now.

[Yeah, now watch the Elites come up with a “great” candidate, like Nanny Bloomberg, just to prove me wrong]

[Graewoulf]

Here is the reality that the MSM has avoided recognizing until now: “ - - - They’re going to want the guy they think is the right one, and they probably won’t be as malleable as people might suggest.”

Welcome to REALITY, MSM, - - - welcome to reality.

This Primary is for ALL the marbles - - - .

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/15/brokered-gop-convention-get-ready-say-political-strategists/#ixzz1pCXqKOiY

[big'ol_freeper]

RE: I don’t believe Dick Morris’s assertion that it would kill Republicans chances this fall

I think you are exactly right. It would create interest and allow conservatives the ability to talk right to the voters who actually be watching and not seeing the message filtered and manipulated as much by the dinosaur media as it typically is.

And if the nominee was someone other than the three current candidates they would have to start from scratch trying to create dirt, with very little time between the convention and election day.

[lonevoice]

Let the people’s representatives (because that’s what delegates are) come together and, in convention, decide who they want to run against Barack Obama, in the open and by vote. Let’s get back to the American way of electing leaders and tell the manipulating oligarchs to go screw!

Amen!

[big'ol_freeper]

RE: At this point, it will be Romney or Santorum

A majority of the delegates to the convention will be conservatives (read that will be Rick’s or Newt’s delegates). Romney would never end up being the nominee coming out of a brokered convention.

I’d predict whichever of the two had the most delegates he would end up the nominee with the other being the VP nominee.

I wouldn’t count out Sarah though. I could see Newt throwing his support to her with Rick as the VP nominee.

[fantail 1952]

Most of us are!

It would be more accurate to call it an "open" convention.

[3rdcoastislander]

I just think the whole thing stinks. I would probably be drawn to watch it if it does happen. I wish the GOP could just have a do-over and choose different people to run. I dont know if any of them have a chance against Obama except for Newt. Only because he can debate. I don’t agree with many of his moves over the years and really would not be satisfied if he were the next president. To be honest I don’t think I could put my support behind anyone who has been mentioned for a GOP nominee, The vast majority of all politicians have become so disconnected with the American people it is sickening.

[BO Stinkss]

I thinks Newt’s real goal is “Anybody but Romney”

[Mangia E Statti Zitto]

The thought of an open convention is like a cross to a vampire to the GOPe. Imagine, absolutely nothing between the delegates and the candidates. After the first ballot a lot of delegates are up for grabs, right? So the GOPe has seen what Newt can accomplish in ONE debate. Imagine the three of them giving speeches. Two thirds of them already dislike Mitt, who has carpet bombed the other candidates for months. Rick, bless his heart, is boring and humorless. Then Newt gets up to talk...

[Publius Valerius]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with us deciding who our standard bearer will be at the end of the summer

No? I've heard that fundraising is important to these contests.

tell the manipulating oligarchs to go screw!

Yeah, I can't believe for a second that there would be political horsetrading at a brokered convention.

[marron]

A brokered convention is a real convention. Instead of the pantomime conventions we’ve become accustomed to.

Either this party coalesces around its constitutional core, or it shatters. This is my prediction: if Romney is the nominee and loses to Obama, this party shatters. A Romney win does its own kind of damage, but a loss in November will cause an uprising among the rank and file that leaves this party holed and sinking. And good riddance.

The party grandees that are trying to foist Romney on us have a death wish; they don’t realize what they are playing with. In their world they think they are the party. In my world, if they are the party then I’m clearly not one of them. If the “Discount Democrats” steal this nomination I’m out. I’m sure the Romniacs are convinced they can juice the game enough to force me to vote for them against Obama, but they can’t stop the split in the party thats coming in the aftermath.

[maxwellsmart_agent]

You, me and a lot of other Republicans. Romney is not much better than Obama. They gave us Bob Dole and John McCain. Let us object to them giving us Romney.

[cherry]

the apathic public has in the back of their minds that the pubs are in dissaray and can't figure out a candidate and that maybe barryster should be re elected....

get a clue folks....we need to get to ONE candidate and one candidate soon...

I'm not happy with Romney but it is what it is... if he picks a decent running mate...Rubio comes to mind...then he'll be supportable...

lets win the war, not just a battle...

the long road back to America the Great has to start somewhere before its too late....barryster is way past too late...

[MachIV]

I figure the floor of the GOP convention in Tampa will end up like a Texas Cage match in the WWE.

[Graewoulf]

If “ - - - Mitt Romney will be the nominee. - - - , “ then we will have just another Big Spender RINO running for POTUS.

Yep, Big Spender Romney has outspent his Primary rivals, and will outspend what Congress allows him in the Federal Budget if he becomes POTUS.

Lemme see now, on the Right is Tweedle Dumb, and on the Left is Tweedle Dumber - - - - . Hmmmmm - - - - ?

Maybe a Brokered Convention just might, could work!

[Publius Valerius]

So there is no real harm in a brokered convention, is there?

The harm, obviously, is that the GOP is running against itself for several months instead of running against Obama. Beyond that, there's the money issue, which I've mentioned before.

The political wonk in me would like to see a brokered convention because it hasn't happened in decades and it would be interesting. The rational person inside me knows that a brokered convention is idiotic and harms the GOP's chances to win.

[Reo]

"I would love to be a committed Gingrich delegate at a brokered convention"

And then there are those who think all Gingrich delegates should be committed. :) But if Newt can just get to the podium and speak before the choice is made, he'll win.

[matthew fuller]

It’s preferable to Mitt or Santorum in my book, although I really don’t know what to expect.

[Joe the Pimpernel]

The rational person inside me says there is no such thing as bad publicity and the more free publicity the GOP candidate and process get, the better.