Posted on 03/22/2012 4:24:14 PM PDT by throwback
WASHINGTON -- Jim DeMint, among the nation's conservative leaders, stopped just short Thursday of endorsing Mitt Romney for president as the South Carolina senator called on the former Massachusetts governor's foes to re-evaluate their campaigns. DeMint's appeal for Republicans to focus on defeating President Barack Obama came a day after former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, another influential conservative, endorsed Romney and urged party unity. "What I can tell conservatives from my perspective is that I'm not only comfortable with Romney, I'm excited about the possibility of him possibly becoming our nominee," DeMint told reporters on Capitol Hill. At a time when a Romney staffer's "Etch A Sketch" gaffe is once again raising questions about Romney's conservative bona fides among the most stalwart Republicans, DeMint's vote of confidence could help the candidate solidify support among the party's base. "His leadership skills, the fact that he hasn't lived his life in Washington - there's a lot to like there," DeMint said. DeMint said he had no "immediate plans to do an endorsement," but without naming them, he urged former Sen. Rick Santorum, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Rep. Ron Paul to re-evaluate their campaigns. "I think we all need to look at this presidential primary and encourage the candidates to do a little self-reflection here - what's good for the country," DeMint said. "The sooner we can make a decision, I think the sooner we can focus on the real problem, which is Obama," he said. DeMint made it clear that he views a possible brokered presidential convention this summer as harmful for Republicans' chances of making Obama a one-term president.
(Excerpt) Read more at miamiherald.com ...
“A lot of otherwise sensible people have lost their good sense with regard to Mitt Romney. Too bad.”
That’s why I do my own research on candidates, and never rely on anybody else’s endorsement. Even our heroes sometimes disappoint.
I have a news flash for Demint. All the GOP conventions used to be brokered. The party gathered in July or Aug and by about the 3rd or 4th night they nominated somebody and all then the republican voters went out in the general election and voted for him. There was no primary voting. It worked OK then why is it going to be such a problem now?
As far as I’m concerned the less time between the nomination and the election the less time for the MSM and Barry’s hit squad to smear our candidate.
pissant is deeply saddened.
Of course...electing Democrats is the answer!
It's genius! Destroy the country by turning it over to communists. If only all conservatives could be privy to this kind of wisdom!
Yeah, it might be true. Unfortunately, given the current state of affairs, they need each other to stop 0bama. I don’t believe one wing of the Republican Party would be enough to stop him. I’m sure many Freepers would disagree with me, but that’s how I see it.
When confronted with that fact, the spin from DeMint's hardcore fans was to constantly claim that DeMint only endorsed him as a desperate, 11th hour attempt to "stop McCain" when Romney was the only alternate. In fact, DeMint endorsed Romney very early in the nomination process on January 8, 2007, when the field was still wide open and anybody's to win. He made it clear at that time that felt Romney was the best of the 8 or so candidates in the field and urged Republican voters to support him before any primaries had been held.
Interestingly enough, Rick Santorum's 2008 Romney endorsement really WAS done much later as a last-minute "stop McCain" endorsement when the choices were down to Romney, McCain, Huckabee, and Ron Paul -- with McCain ahead in delegates.
I'd say around 85% of freepers were also on the Romney bandwagon at the time (I was NOT among those supporting Romney, but I was in the minority), yet Santorum is constantly trashed for doing the same thing as the vast majority of freepers with the late Romney endorsement while DeMint always gets excused for being one of Romney's earliest supporters. Hmm.
Hey Exempt Jim, how about steppping up and speaking out loud about the First Undocumented Fraud first. Like for starters, his Selective Service card .
Then tell us in SPECIFICS, MandateMitts plans to waiver everyone immediately, just like the discriminatory Federal Labor Camp Arbeitsziehungslager waivers already handed out.
And while your at it, how does it feel to be EXEMPT, along with how many government others, from the Federal Labor Camp concentrated on the human body. Like in Concentrated Camp?
What about presenting TRUE conservative candidates instead of professional incumbents, who have spent decades in Washington doing nothing for the conservative cause?
What’s the use of electing the same RINOs over and over again?
People MUST be reminded day after day what a turncoat Romney is.
When Massachusetts lieutenant governor Kerry Healey called for suspending the states 23.5 cent gas tax in May 2006, Gov.Romney rejected the idea: I dont think that now is the time, and Im not sure there will be the right time, for us to encourage the use of more gasoline. Im very much in favor of people recognizing that these high gasoline prices are probably here to stay.
The “criticism” of Obama’s high price policy today appears hypocritical from Mitt’s part.
Romney won’t permit repeal of anything that puts power into his hands that he might find useful. He is an oldtime rockefeller Republican. He will tweak and he will adjust to make the obamanations “more fair” and his tweaking will serve to latch it all more firmly on the nation. He will not clean house in the agencies and will retain all the Democrat appointees that don’t quit and are beneath the level of head of agency and he will appoint at least half of the new agency heads from Leftist ranks in order to be “president of ALL the people.” The agencies will steadily gain power and scope. He will not have the opposition in Congress that the kenyan might have because, if the Congress is Republican hey will not oppose him as they might oppose the same things from the kenyan and if he has a Democrat Congress then he will embark on a full boat Socialist program without even having to talk about “reaching out” and “compromising.” He is a Snake to replace the kenyan hyena.
DeMint is a Republican Congressman. He has merely reverted to that role after pretending it was otherwise with him for a while.
...former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, another Bush...”
If Romney is the Candidate, WE LOSE! There is no more or less to it. There is no more choosing then. WE LOSE! Is socialism better because an experienced manager is running it? Really? It is better to have the yoke more efficiently put into place? At this point Romney vs.the kenyan is more like Stalin vs. Kosygin. You really think there is a better or worse there?
Senator. But otherwise I agree with all your posts here.
If you can’t understand my last post I don’t know what to say to you. Let me make it real simple.
Romney=Obama
If for some reason you like gun control and socialism when it has an R behind it, Romney is your guy.
I’ll vote third party for President.
Unbelievable! DeMint was one of the few men I respected and admired. He stood up to Obama and even had his share of go rounds with Lindsey Graham.
Coulter, Rush, Fox ..I could see but not DeMint. It is discouraging.
Show me three substantial policy differences between Romney and Zero. These have to be based upon actions...not just campaign rhetoric (where Romney has taken all sides on an issue).
Senator DeMint is another establishment sell-out.
Not another dime, Jim.
This party is dead.
I will actively work to defeat BOTH Obama and Romney, two liberals born of the same political gene pool.
“Ill vote third party for President.”
I’ll vote second party for President because the DNC and the GOP-E form only one party.
We don’t need a third party. We first need a second party.
"I seen the elephant" just meant having been in battle, having faced something strange and terrifying. It's something Civil War veterans would have said proudly, not in shame.
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.