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I'm Tossing in with Romney, With apologies for any coronaries caused.(Critic Becomes Supporter)
RedState.com ^ | ? | Leon H. Wolf

Posted on 11/21/2007 6:06:37 AM PST by Reaganesque

I'm Tossing in with Romney

With apologies for any coronaries caused.

By Leon H Wolf Posted in | | | | | Comments (121) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

So this is probably the last thing I saw myself doing nine or ten months ago when I first started seriously following the 2008 race and committed to support Sam Brownback. But here I find myself doing it nonetheless. So I suppose a little bit of explanation here is in order.

In the first place, I want to rehash something I said a long time ago (Nov. 27, 2006 to be exact) about a three-way race between Romney, Rudy, and McCain:

More below...

As I said several months ago - in a three-way race between Romney, Giuliani, and McCain, I'd vote for Romney. Apart from Brownback (who can't win, however much I like him), there are no personally committed pro-lifers on the 2008 slate. While a committed pro-lifer would certainly be the most desirable choice, the second choice would be a guy who knows which side his bread is buttered on. So, if faced with a choice between a guy like McCain, who has a pretty good pro-life voting record, but recently joined Christine Todd-Whitman's "We hate the religious right" PAC, his voting record is less important than the fact that he's historically shown a willingness to spit in the eye of social conservatives just for kicks and press accolades. Mitt, on the other hand, can apparently be trusted to pander to the voters he needs, which in this case is us.

That analysis still stands. For a while, the Fred Thompson campaign gave me hope for someone who might be a little more solid on the issue, but looking at the polling right now leads me inescapably to the conclusion that Fred Thompson is toast. He's not polling any higher than third in any state right now, and Romney has even moved into second in the crucial state of Florida. I just don't know that Thompson has what it takes to get back up off the mat right now. And while I feel a lot better about supporting McCain than I did a year ago, I still just can't make myself trust him at all. I made it a special point to get on McCain's conference call last week so that I could hopefully get just that little assurance I needed to sway me into his camp - and in my estimation, he blew the question. Like I said, I could get behind McCain a lot more easily than I could at this point last year, but he still isn't my first choice. As for Huckabee? Well, let's just say that I lived in Arkansas while he was governor, and my state tax burden was higher than my federal tax burden. And also that I worked on Jim Holt's 2004 campaign. I hope that explains why I have never seriously considered voting for him.

So what about Romney? Well, you know what? I'm going to maintain some intellectual honesty about all of this. I think a lot of his positions are staked out based on his estimation of what the voters he needs want. That's not exacctly the most comforting feeling in the world, even if you're in the group he needs at the moment (as us SoCons are). But I have to think at this point that, at least on abortion, he doesn't have another flip left in him, and I think he knows it. So that's good enough for me.

As for the rest, there's a lot to like about Mitt Romney (Crank's excellent and well-researched series on his weaknesses notwithstanding). The guy, I think, did a good-faith job of governing as a conservative in a liberal state. He's shown a real competence at managing organizations - which, let's face it, is a welcome change of pace after the last four years. His personal history is squeaky clean - absolutely no skeletons in the closet. And I think his health plan will be hated enough by both sides of the aisle that we won't see any national healthcare plan passed during his tenure in office, which is a victory in and of itself. In all other areas, I don't seriously doubt that he'll govern as a conservative. I have, in all honesty, a *lot* less doubt about that than I had about Bush in 1999.

You know, I think one of the things about blogs and the internet is that it's made it a lot easier to go back and nitpick what people have said and that doesn't always do us a service. We're not always going to get a guy who's been a doctrinaire conservative from birth, although the internet has made it so that we expect that. And if it appears at times that Romney is a relentless triangulator - well, for Pete's sake, he's a freaking politician. That's what politicians do. And if the end result of their triangulation is that they pretty consistently come down where you are, then I guess it's time to be happy about that.

The bottom line for me right now is that for all my personal naysaying and doubting, I have to admit in the end that Romney has worked the hardest, run the smartest campaign, and outlasted all other Republican comers save Rudy, and we all know how I feel about Rudy. In the end, if I had to choose between seeing Romney and Rudy standing, it wouldn't even be a close call. When I examine the field, I see only one candidate left standing with a reasonable shot of winning the White House who would govern as a conservative, and that candidate is Mitt Romney. So from now on, I'm tossing in with him, for better or worse.

In closing, let me say a few things that I hope some Romney supporters will take to heart. It doesn't really do a lot of good to pretend that Romney is perfect, or that he hasn't made a mistake, or that his positions on certain things haven't changed. That's just insulting to people's intelligence and it turns people off from the candidate. May I humbly suggest that the better way to convince skeptical Republican voters that Romney is someone they could support is to encourage them to ask themselves, "Will he govern as a conservative?" I know that part of the reason it took me so long to come around to this position is that I heard too many people saying the former, and not enough repeatedly asking me the latter.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: redstate; romney; support; wolf
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To: Reaganesque

Mitt sure is a better choice than Hillary!....or Rudy, for that matter.


161 posted on 11/21/2007 6:20:07 PM PST by TheLion (How about "Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement," for a change)
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To: Hunterite
"I’d rather vote for a 3rd party."

And Guarantee a Hillary presidency. That must go down as the most brillant idea of the decade.

162 posted on 11/21/2007 6:22:54 PM PST by TheLion (How about "Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement," for a change)
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To: businessprofessor

I think there were only two states that might have beat Romney to the illegal alien, state connection with ice.


163 posted on 11/21/2007 6:25:14 PM PST by TheLion (How about "Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement," for a change)
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To: TheLion

“I’d rather vote for a 3rd party.”

And Guarantee a Hillary presidency. That must go down as the most brillant idea of the decade.

*******************

Moderate Republicans aiding slow incrimental Communism is WORSE then going cold turkey with Hillary.


164 posted on 11/21/2007 6:32:50 PM PST by Hunterite
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To: McGruff
What about supporting the guy you believe would be the best man for job and not be worried about not picking the winner?

Winning is the first part of "the job," and some people run like they want to win and some people don't. Romney runs like someone who wants to win. So does Rudy. So does Huckabee. So does Paul, fergawdsakes, even though he won't.

Duncan Hunter? He's got the conservative bonafides, but he was the first Republican to announce and STILL hasn't gained traction. Monday, I saw him on O'Reilly with Laura Ingraham talking about why Bush should pardon Ramos and Compean, and it struck me -- he's still in legislator mode. Humility is an admirable trait, but a Presidential candidate has to display a willingness to transmit the message, "Nobody can run this nation better than I can."

As for Fred Thompson: He reminds me of one of those Hollywood blockbuster movies for which they start with billboards, trailers, merchandise, and TV commercials months in advance. It looks REALLY cool, and you're counting down the days until you can see it. Finally, the day arrives, you go to the theater, and discover that ALL the good parts of the movie were in the previews. (I'm still smarting from Star Wars Episode II: Revenge of the Clones).

Don't slough the critics off, Fredheads. People were expecting to see him stride into a room crowded with GOP wannabes and suck all the air out of it. Instead, he zipped past supporters on a golf cart, he asked for applause when a speech fell flat, and he sometimes seems lost without a script. The GOP hierarchy and FNC may be salivating for Giuliani, and the MSM fears he will rally conservatives, but face it: Fred's wounds are mostly self-inflicted. These were mistakes that Huckabee didn't make when people were making fun of his name and suggesting that Bill Clinton had ruined Arkansas as a source of GOP candidates.

I would venture to guess most of us have at least once worked with a manager who knows how to lead even if s/he doesn't have the perfect qualifications, and also a manager who knows everything there is to know, but isn't a leader. Successful businesses require face-to-face interviews rather than hiring blindly on the basis of resumes because they want to be moved by a prospective applicant. We -- the electorate -- are the bosses, and the campaign is the time we set aside the resume, look the guy in the eye, and say, what do YOU have to offer the company?

This is the wrong response.

165 posted on 11/21/2007 7:23:47 PM PST by L.N. Smithee
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To: Lazarus Longer

Very true about Harriet. And I definitely believe what you said about the Senate confirming without blinking an eye whatever Hillary would throw up there.


166 posted on 11/21/2007 8:19:00 PM PST by beaversmom
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To: Scarchin

“Here comes the ‘He’s a RINO because he’s not my candidate’ stampede!

Uh, no. He’s a RINO because before running for president, he promoted abortion on demand, endorsed homosexual Scoutmasters, appointed homosexual activists to the bench, endorsed “gays in the military,” opposed a Marriage Protection Amendment to his state constitution, supported gun control, dissed Ronald Reagan, slammed Jesse Helms, praised his dad for walking out on Barry Goldwater, voted in the 1992 Democratic primary for Paul Tsongas for president, personally funded liberal Democrat candidates for public office...

In fact, Human Events, known as President Reagan’s favorite newsmagazine, ranked Romney among the nation’s Top Ten RINO’s:

HUMAN EVENTS
Washington, D.C.
December 27, 2005

Top Ten RINOs: (Republicans in Name Only)
As ranked by the editors of Human Events

1. Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R.I.)
Once approached by Democratic Leader Harry Reid to switch parties, Chafee has long supported liberal policies. He backs legal abortion, gay rights, federal-funded health care, strict environmental protections and a higher minimum wage. Opposes ANWR drilling. Also was the only Republican in Congress not to endorse the President’s reelection and one of three who tried to gut Bush’s tax cuts.

2. Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine)
A self-described “centrist,” Snowe scored a 100% pro-choice voting record as scored by NARAL and consistently votes with Democrats on social issues.

3. Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.)
“Snarlin’ Arlen” warned Bush not to nominate judges who might overturn Roe v. Wade, joined Chaffee reducing tax cuts and supported Democrats on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, HMO and overtime regulation. Also opposed school choice in Washington, D.C.

4. Sen. Susan Collins (Maine)
Voted with liberals on the 1999 tax cut, campaign finance reform and the partial-birth abortion ban. Also advocated “pay-as-you-go” tax cuts with spending increases in 2004, leading to a budget never agreed upon between the House and Senate.

5. Rep. Christopher Shays (Conn.)
He led the House fight for McCain-Feingold campaign finance “reform.” He’s also prone to back environmental causes, gun control and abortion rights. He had no GOP challenger in 2004, but narrowly escaped defeat, 52% to 48%, by a Democratic opponent in the general election.

6. Gov. George Pataki (N.Y.)
Helped unions raise pay and unionize Indian casinos. Has said, “I believe in a limited government, low taxes, a tough approach to crime. ... But I also believe in an activist government. I’m not one of those laissez-faire types.”

7. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (N.Y.)
Over the course of his 23-year career, he’s gained considerable power (chairman of the Science Committee), despite amassing one of the most liberal voting records of any House Republican. Fought back conservative challengers in 2000 and 2002 and could face a GOP challenge in ’06.

8. GOV. MITT ROMNEY (MASS.)
Has said, “I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country.” Supports civil unions and stringent gun laws. After visiting Houston, he criticized the city’s aesthetics, saying, “This is what happens when you don’t have zoning.”

9. Rep. Michael Castle (Del.)
As president of the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership and key player in the so-called Tuesday Group lunches, he is a ring-leader of RINOs. He’s teamed with Democrats to make federal funding of embryonic stem cell research one of his top priorities.

10. Rep. Jim Leach (Iowa)
One of only six House Republicans to vote against the Iraq War resolution in 2002, he was also the only Republican to vote against President Bush’s 2003 tax cuts. His support for environmental causes and abortion rights has won him liberal fans.

http://www.humaneventsonline.com/lists.php


167 posted on 11/21/2007 11:22:15 PM PST by AFA-Michigan
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To: cripplecreek
Seems to be more an issue of cowardly voters than candidates conservative cred.

We agree. Very well said.

168 posted on 11/21/2007 11:30:25 PM PST by TN4Liberty (A liberal is someone who believes Scooter Libby should be in jail and Bill Clinton should not.)
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To: JTC1767

Yes, well you see we like conservatives here, so Mitt doesn’t fit...


169 posted on 11/22/2007 4:05:32 AM PST by ejonesie22 (Mitt Romney, Republican Conservative?)
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To: cripplecreek

No kidding. It seems as if the more liberal the candidate, the more Republicans flock to him. It’s amazing and grotesque at the same time.


170 posted on 11/22/2007 4:24:41 AM PST by Optimus Prime (I recently made the mistake of trying to hit on a woman who supports Ron Paul. NEVER AGAIN!)
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To: teddyballgame

The last time I checked, New Hampshire voters aren’t the only ones who get a vote in this country. Nor is it the end-all or be-all of who ends up getting the nomination. Just ask President Buchanan.


171 posted on 11/22/2007 4:28:02 AM PST by Optimus Prime (I recently made the mistake of trying to hit on a woman who supports Ron Paul. NEVER AGAIN!)
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To: businessprofessor

The truth is, whoever runs against Hillary is going to have a tough time. It’s going to be a real fight. And Hillary fights very hard and she is very nasty and has a major anger problem. She doesn’t back down even when she is called to task. It can be very intimidating as Obama is now finding out. Anyone who runs against Hillary will need to have it very clear in their mind, that they harder they try to make her accountable the meaner she will get. It’s really shocking, because most people are not like that. Hitler was like that. So whoever the nominee is, he will have to understand this and need to expect a knock down fight. And remember to not be shocked at anything she or her supporters might do. It will be important for that person to know that they should never back down, no matter how nasty she gets.


172 posted on 11/23/2007 8:47:26 PM PST by rodeo-mamma
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To: Tribune7

“There is no Reagan in this race. The real sad thing is that there is not even a Bush.”

I disagree with you. I think it is way too early to be making those kinds of judgements. When Reagan was running the first time, he wasn’t as popular as he was as when he was President. Many people came to like him as they got to know him, the same thing about Bush. Of course, Reagan had a more outgoing personality and was more well spoken, so he was more liked then Bush before either were elected.


173 posted on 11/23/2007 8:54:45 PM PST by rodeo-mamma
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To: rodeo-mamma

I hope you’re right.


174 posted on 11/24/2007 6:41:19 AM PST by Tribune7 (Dems want to rob from the poor to give to the rich)
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To: JTC1767

The people who stir up infighting are not real Republicans.
Yeah Hunter can be a ideal sec of defense in a Republican administration.


175 posted on 11/24/2007 10:03:30 AM PST by GregH
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To: businessprofessor

~”However, I think that he has the lowest chances against HER possibly because of his Mormon faith.”~

I disagree. I think his demonstrable family values will attract enough crossover support to swamp any damage he incurs from his religion.

Romney’s not a perfect candidate, but we could do far worse - Giuliani, for example.


176 posted on 11/26/2007 8:36:16 PM PST by tantiboh
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To: joseph20

~”Mr. Romney is a pro-illegal...”~

That’s a myth you’ve made up. There is nothing in Romney’s public record or policy stances that supports that claim. When it comes to immigration issues, Romney is one of the best in the field.


177 posted on 11/26/2007 8:38:39 PM PST by tantiboh
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To: tantiboh

I agree. I like Romney although I will support Thompson in the primary. Romney is preferred to Giuliani although I think that Giuliani is more electable provided that the conservative base does not abandon him. I will support the Republican nominee because I know who the real enemy is. SHE and her rat comrades have many bad plans for this country. We need a conservative to counter the rat takeover of the Congress.


178 posted on 11/26/2007 10:31:13 PM PST by businessprofessor
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