Posted on 10/29/2008 6:34:55 AM PDT by Reaganesque
It’s been the most frequently asked question I’ve gotten from National Review Online readers and conservatives over e-mail and in person since the market chaos and subsequent bailout circus began.
My answer these last few months has always been: Turn on MSNBC. Turn on FOX. Google a conservative candidate for Congress. Romney is liable to turn up.
And yet, a ridiculous item on the Internet yesterday suggested that he’s been in hiding, keeping a “low profile nationally” and unwilling to help out Republicans who aren’t a sure thing.
There are problems with that contention: Why do I keep seeing the man on television? Is any Republican a shoe-in this year? Someone get Norm Coleman on the phone with the good news! Because Romney is scheduled to campaign with the Minnesota senator, who is fighting for his political life against the not-so-funny prospect of Senator Al Franken. The images on his website blog do not suggest someone who’s decided to sit out the election — they suggest someone still engaged in the election year. Nor does his travelog, as he’s been doing McCain surrogate events everywhere from Pennylvania and Colorado to Nevada and Texas (among other places including Oregon, Georgia, Nashville ... ). Nor do his post-debate spin-room appearances or his interview on The Laura Ingraham Show this morning suggest that Mitt is standing down on election 2008.
Romney’s been in Virginia helping Keith Fimian in that newly blue-leaning state. He’s campaigned for Michele Bachman, now a favorite of MSNBC. He’s raised money for John Sununu in New Hampshire and Oregon senator Gordon Smith — both of whose reelection prospects are far from guaranteed. The list goes on.
Since Romney suspended his campaign and subsequently formed the Free and Strong America political action committee in April, he has donated approximately $202,000 to 75 GOP candidates, according to numbers made available to NRO from the PAC. Romney has also made an additional $173,000 in donations through flexible spending accounts to five affiliated state PACS, including $10,000 to the National Organization for Marriage, which is working to pass Proposition 8 in California, and $5,000 to stop a ballot initiative in Massachusetts to decriminalize marijuana.
And when the McCain campaign famously withdrew from Michigan, Romney contributed $50,000 to the demoralized GOP there. According to his PAC, “The total amount of financial support to GOP candidates and conservative causes through Romney-controlled state and federal PACs is $375,000.”
The web piece further blamed former Romney aides for being the source of the Sarah-Palin-is-a-diva complaints coming out of the McCain camp, presumably meant to damage her post-election prospects should the Republican ticket lose next week. The problem with that is: Most of Romney’s inner circle is still his inner circle — some having come from the business world, others being Massachusetts people now running his PAC. Others returned to Washington, and are doing McCain surrogate work, but are far from campaign insiders. Whomever is shooting at Palin from the McCain camp is not doing Romney’s bidding.
The good news for Mitt Romney is folks care what he’s doing. And someone out there sees him as enough of a threat to their ambitions to try to wound him. That rarely happens to irrelevant also-rans.
When longtime Romney spokesman Eric Fernstrom was asked about the former Massachusetts governor’s future on Monday, the longtime aide suggested Romney’s 2008 presidential ambitions weren’t running his life: “Gov. Romney had his shot at the White House, and he lost fair and square.” After a hostile primary season that highlighted some shameful instincts hostile to religious liberty both in the mainstream media and on the Right, you might not blame Romney if he went into retreat. But he never did. Romney got on the campaign trail for John McCain, defending the free-market policies that this successful businessman could no doubt run with, if he were in the driver’s seat.
Romney’s been a team player. Is it because he wants a Cabinet seat? Ask him — but I doubt it. There are easier jobs that taking over a massive bureacracy with limited freedom. Is it because he wants to be president? Ask him, but I don’t think that’s it either — and only time will tell, anyway, who will be Right prospects in a few years.
Watching him these past few months, he acts like a man who found a home on the Right, who both personally and philosophically appreciates those who were open to what he brought to the campaign trail, and continues to want to serve his country in whatever capacity she needs him. Right now, that’s by fundraising, contributing, and campaigning for conservative candidates and causes like the Susan B. Anthony List and Proposition 8 in California.
In his final primary-campaign speech in February, Mitt Romney said:
I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, I feel I must now stand aside, for our party and for our country.
I will continue to stand for conservative principles. I will fight alongside you for all the things we believe in. And one of those things is that we cannot allow the next President of the United States to retreat in the face of evil extremism.
And so he campaigns for candidates who share his general vision of the world. Romney was with McCain in Ohio on Monday. He’ll be in New Hampshire on Wednesday campaigning for congressional candidates Jeb Bradley and Jennifer Horn. And then he’ll take off for get-out-the-vote rallies.
If you’re wondering where Mitt is — and you can suspend some of your cynicism — the answer might just be: Where he can be of use. If you take him at his word and his schedule, that’s what it reads like anyway.
— Kathryn Jean Lopez is the editor of National Review Online.
The PRO-Mitt comments here recently on FR are puzzling. Does it simply boil down to Mormon sentiment or is it a feeling of Superiority??
More than just Mormon folk care what Mitt is doing. I wish he were in a position to give advice about our economy right now. He has much more experience in that area than any of the candidates.
He needs to stay in MA with the people that agree with him.
SOMEone has a Persecution Complex!
I can't find this QUOTE with Google®.
Can you provide a link?
Put your LIES to rest, Petronski. I absolutely HATE liars whether their on the left or the right.
We ALL have a chance to become the Living Prophet® for The CHURCH.
We gotta start SOMEwhere!
--MormonDude(I could speak for GOD)
Please, share your credentials to show you KNOW better than our conservative movement leaders. Why should we trust you more than them? The 40 year comment may be a clue as to why your word may have no credibility.
I applaud your tenacity for what you believe, but do you believe all the hate you portray both on these threads as well as the Mormon bashing threads, really gets you anywhere w/ most here? Is that really what Christ taught? I really think you’re better than that.
How sweet!
Personal attacks from Team Willard.
I just HATE when that happens!
|
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1/19#19
17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! 18 My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join. 19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” 20 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.” |
Many of those from Manhattan, who've rejected Palin, do so because they don't understand her. They can't relate. She is not like them. Similarly, those who reject Mitt, do so because he is not like the guy next door. He's from a different world.
It is class warfare on both sides. It is a form of bigotry from both the anti-Palins and the anti-Romneys who reject them because of where they come from, where they went to school, how they speak or what clothes they wear. Both sides are threatened by what they don't understand.
Many of us Romney fans love Sarah too, in spite of the fact they come from two different worlds.
Some of us are able to put the labels aside.
Good conservatives come from a wide range of financial backgrounds, education levels, religions, and social strata.
While Mitt and Sarah come from different worlds, they both appealed to us because they have a unique ability to articulate the conservative message with competence, charisma and conviction. They both possess leadership abilities that do not come around very often.
Can I call you Gramma? ;^)
Just to WHICH lies do you refer?
Yeah... that's what you GENTILES say; but WE know it REALLY is about religion !
And you HATE us!
--MormonDude(Can't we all just get along?)
So, your objection to someone being a former leftist is restricted to Romney only?
Obama is going to SAVE all of us!
Now you really didn't have to point THAT out; did you?
??
“we” “our”
Just whom do YOU presume to speak for ????????
John McCain said it at this rally:
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=280825-1
It is not saved on C-SPAN, but Norman Bates and I discused it. See if you can find a video of it.
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