Mitt Romney's Rivals Don't Have Time On Their Side [Reality Check for Romney Challengers!]

LATimes ^ | January 14, 2012 | Michael Finnegan

[Steelfish]

Mitt Romney's Rivals Don't Have Time On Their Side The front-runner has spent years and plenty of money firmly setting his national infrastructure in place. If a serious challenger emerges, that candidate would have to build a national campaign operation on the fly.

By Michael Finnegan January 14, 2012

Five Republicans are fighting mightily to deny Mitt Romney a quick coronation as the party's presidential nominee. But if one of them emerges as his top challenger, a monumental task lies ahead: building a national campaign operation on the fly.

For Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich or any other successful insurgent, the state-by-state scramble for delegates would require quick hiring of staffers scattered across the country — first and foremost in Florida, where Romney could essentially lock up the nomination in the Jan. 31 primary.

Offices must be rented, cellphones purchased. Endorsements must be lined up and scores of surrogates deployed. A deluge of media inquiries will gush in not just from the national media, but also from far-flung local news outlets, many of them in strategically vital regions that cannot be ignored.

Simultaneous challenges abound: new TV ads to be produced and tested with focus groups, polls to be taken, brochures to be printed, and databases to be culled to target voters susceptible to persuasion through phone calls and mail.

Seasoned advance staff must navigate the candidate through multiple events a day in diverse and unfamiliar towns. Trivial missteps can escalate instantly into YouTube nightmares.

[nathanbedford]

I am six hours ahead of you here in Germany so I was up a bit earlier and saw this video early this morning my time and I had exactly the same reaction you did. I said to my wife, if the people of South Carolina only see this Gingrich will win.

I note you have placed at the foot of your note the imperative to "pass it on". I quite agree.

The man is spellbinding and the audience was with him with one small exception the entire time. I know that speechifying alone and debating skills alone do not make a president, we have seen that to our sorrow with Obama, but those skills might make a candidate. And as John F. Kennedy said in this context, "first you got to win."

But Gingrich of course is more than a forensic robot, he is a man with a proven record and an encyclopedic knowledge of all issues foreign and domestic, with, above all, the ability to get to the root of an issue and to explain it to the folks in such a way that, first, they understand it and, second, they believe it.

[nathanbedford]

Barney Frank's career demonstrates that high intellect in a politician is not to be equated with wisdom. That is because it is not to be equated with humility. I mean humility not in the sense of Uriah Heap but in the sense that a politician should refrain the temptation to use the apparatus of government to mold society.

Conservatism believes that society is quite capable of managing itself with minimal interference and guidance from the government. The government is there to outline the foul lines, call balls and strikes, and go home when the game is over.

Barney Frank is a very intelligent man, his sister is equally intelligent and very articulate just like Barney. Both of them, however, despite their uncommon intellects, have accepted a political philosophy which tells them that the government is a tool with which to work their vision of the world. Put another way, government is the clay which a God Player can mold to make man in any image he wants.

So when Barney Frank decides to reshape the way America provides itself shelter, he imposed his vision on hundreds of millions of Americans and we see the result.

Intelligence is no defense against the arrogance of a God Player anymore than it is defense against diarrhea.

[nikos1121]

Thank you again. YOur post makes me feel better. Are you in the military?

You say:

“But Gingrich of course is more than a forensic robot, he is a man with a proven record and an encyclopedic knowledge of all issues foreign and domestic, with, above all, the ability to get to the root of an issue and to explain it to the folks in such a way that, first, they understand it and, second, they believe it.”

Then tell me why smart people like Ann Couter with whom just about all of us here would swoon over her articles and ideas, has come out for Romney who is clearly another younger version of McCain, Dole etc?

Ann is a smart person. She knows history. She understands about the checks and balances of our govt esp that the Courts have the least power, yet when Newt states the obvious that the President and the Congress need to check the power of Supreme Court, Newt is deemed a radical.

As he eloquently points out, 1 person, (e.g. a Kennedy) on the Supreme Court has the power to rule this country? I think not.

[Darkwolf377]

Barney Frank's career demonstrates that high intellect in a politician is not to be equated with wisdom.

I couldn't agree more, ditto with his sister. In both cases, I have seen them mold an argument around inconvenient facts, and their intelligence actually made me LOSE respect for them. I could SEE how they knew the truth, but were trying to keep the viewer away from it for their own political purposes.

Just as ignorance doesn't prove moral superiority due to some myth of being 'closer to the land/truth/spirit,' having the prestiguous degrees Barney Frank has doesn't mean he has learned WISDOM from all of the facts and data and personal stories paraded before his eyes over the decades. He clings to his philosophy and that is the sieve through which all information he receives must pass first, I'm afraid.

[nikos1121]

REad post #8:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2833200/posts

I think there are many many people who will rally around Newt once it’s paired down to just Romney and Newt.

I know we keep hearing that you have to win SC and/or FL to win, but dammit who says!!!!???? I mean we’re talking abot a handfull of delegates.

I say Newt hangs in there come what may until Super Tuesday. ONce he’s toe to toe with Mittens people can decide. They’ll see the difference. He will win their hearts.

There’s a big MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OUT THERE ON OUR SIDE who have not listened to the debates, talked about the nomination and who haven’t listened to Newt.

Lastly, I am seeing a kind of inner peace with Newt when he speaks. He sees the big picture. This is a different man from who we’ve come to know over the years.

Many of us here, me included, were embarrassed at the man at first. I thought, oh know, here we go again. We all thought that SArah would put her hat in the ring. Then Newt starts to self destruct. Everyone counts him out and laughs at him.

YOU can’t laugh anymore, FOLKS. Newt is real. He is the man for the moment.

Sometimes you get hold of an idea, and then the idea gets a hold of you. Clearly, he is on a mission. UNLIKE ALL THE OTHERS I deeply feel that NEWT is in this because he can do the most good for this country.

All the others, I think are in it for vanity. Maybe at the beginning Perry was in it because he felt like HE WAS THE CHOSEN, but not now.

How can Santorum get up in front of a crowd and believe that he surpasses Newt? He can’t.

[nathanbedford]

Lastly, I am seeing a kind of inner peace with Newt when he speaks. He sees the big picture. This is a different man from who we’ve come to know over the years.

I quite agree. I came away with the same feeling and have felt this way for some time about Gingrich. This is a purely subjective reaction and I do not expect anyone else to come to the same conclusion. Everyone must judge the character of the candidate according to one's own lights.

As to Ann Coulter, she's highly intelligent, glib, and desperately wants to save the country by getting rid of Obama. I think she like many conservatives puts the highest value on electability and has concluded, like many conservatives, the Romney has a good chance to defeat Obama and Newt does not. I do not share that view for reasons I articulated long before I heard Gingrich talk about the need to drive the debate. As a matter of fact, I remember writing passionate posts four years ago screening for John McCain to go over to the attack arguing that rack Obama would inevitably win the election if he were not morally destroyed.

Romney is not in Gingrich's class in the debate but he is certainly above all the other Republicans and he makes almost no gaffes. He is a safe bet. There is a certain security in supporting Romney when the downside of a loss to Obama is unthinkable.

As the idea of Romney's electability becomes the accepted wisdom it takes on an element of inevitability and I think many conservatives want the strife to end and the attack against Obama to begin.

[JediJones]

As the idea of Romney's electability becomes the accepted wisdom it takes on an element of inevitability and I think many conservatives want the strife to end and the attack against Obama to begin.

Newt nailed it in an interview this week saying that the "inevitability" and "electability" of Romney remind him of how Dole and McCain got the nomination. As far as I can see Newt's ads have been highlighting Romney's record in Massachusetts lately. I simply don't know what's wrong with the voters if they can just wave all that away. Of course the polls have clearly shown that a lot of women voters are voting for Romney based solely on his "good looks." The way that both Hilary and Newt have been "Borked" by their own parties, not to mention the way Marco Rubio is being "groomed," seems to show that the party leaders think "good looks" are the primary measure of "electability" these days. When your swing voters tend to be women who are totally ignorant about politics, government, economics, etc., the sad fact is they may not be wrong.

[nathanbedford]

Good point.

Republican weakness in recent years has been with women especially single women with children who, the theory goes, look to the welfare state as a surrogate husband.

Womens' reaction to Mrs. Gingrich will be absolutely critical. I know my wife reacts negatively to her but I don't know why and how much that can legitimately be extrapolated.

[JediJones]

It seems to me it would be a stretch for a potential first lady to become a deciding factor in an election. Especially since I don’t think it’s typical for them to even give interviews in a campaign. But I guess it all depends if the media can succeed at spinning things that way. I have no doubt that

I actually think that STRENGTH is the most powerful superficial factor in deciding presidential elections. That comes from a stronger human instinct than an attraction to “good looks” and strength appeals to both men and women. It’s natural in any society going back to the beginning of civilization for people to want their leader to be the strongest person they can find. Strength is harder to quantify than appearance, but I think it comes down to getting the sense that a person has courage, tenacity and talent.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

I almost have my doubts that even Reagan could get elected during this time. America has simply slipped further over the cliff. Moral degradation has come full circle.

The youth have clearly turned the corner into Socialism. Thanks to our Public Schools brainwashing system. It’s tragic that we have allowed this to happen.

[reaganaut]

Illegals are a problem costing us billions of dollars a year and they kill 12 Americans a week.

- - - - -
Source for that? I would think it would be at least twice that.

Where I grew up in CA, we are shocked when a non-illegal shows up in the crime report.

[don-o]

He’s opened up a 21 point lead in SC.

Are you talking about that bogus Rooters internet push poll? That was exposed as soon as it was posted last night as the fraud it is.

[Pete166]

WFTR sez “The problem with this set of challengers is that none of them except Mitt Romney and Ron Paul built the organization that could take a campaign through March. Their failure to plan ahead and build a team that could do these things is why each of these candidates has shown himself to be a poor choice for president. “

This is a very astute political observation & whatever y’all think about Mittens & Ron , those two have the org. & $ & base of supporters to run a 50 State campaign , so most likely the choice for the Rep. nomination is Mittens or Paul , looking @ it form a nuts & bolts political reality & not who you may personally support or not

[don-o]

I sent the link to sister in SC along with making the case for Newt. Thanks for posting it

[nikos1121]

I’m amazed at how many people have not spent much attention listening to the debates or reading about what’s going on in the primaries.

This is why I think the situation is unique. The race must be for the one who can hang in there the longest. Newt must pair it down between himself and Romney even if it goes into March.

SAntorum and the rest will fade. They have a wishy washy following who still dislike Newt because of his personal failure in marriage.

Does your sister have any idea of what it looks like on the ground?

[nikos1121]

You may be right, but it’s amazing how many people haven’t listened to ANY debates or listened to the candidates.

I think the race hasn’t started. Even if Newt lose in SC and FL, if he stays close enough to knock out Santorum and Perry then he gets to go one on one vs Romney.

Think about this:

1. Newt loses his entire campaign team last Summer.
2. Republican estabishment and media...ALL MEDIA...trash him.
3. Debates start, and with each debate people listen and agree with him.
4. He climbs back up.
5. KNocked down again with neg ads, MSM and still more republican estab types hit him.
6. He climbs slowly back up where he is in striking distance from Romney going into SC and FL.
7. When he speaks it’s a teaching moment.

In summary, I think if Newt can hang in there until there are just two people he and ROMNEY, people will realize the magnitude of the election.

Also, up until now, people don’t know Romney. I didn’t. Now it’s clear. This guy is a moderate to liberal light weight, who speaks for the MOrmon church.

No, I respectfully disagree with you. I think we have a distinct rare campaign here where it will go down to the wire. Romney vs Newt.

I pray that he hangs in there.

[don-o]

Does your sister have any idea of what it looks like on the ground?

I asked her that question. Will report back if she answers. She was all in for Perry last time we spoke.

[packrat35]

I was incorrect, it seems like it is around 25 a DAY!

http://standwitharizona.com/blog/2011/11/06/today-is-national-remembrance-day-for-americans-killed-by-illegal-aliens/

http://www.firecoalition.com/obc/

http://www.datehookup.com/Thread-827573.htm

[packrat35]

Newt trashed himself. After Perry professed his love of illegals with his “heartless” remark, you would think the “genius” Newt would get it. Instead, he did the same thing.

http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Limbaugh-Newt-Gingrich-illegals/2011/11/23/id/419009

[packrat35]

The reason the “Conservative” candidates failed this year is their support of illegals. People are sick of it and it shows.

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2011/11/23/newt_says_let_illegals_stay_drawing_raves_from_cnn_liberals_for_having_a_heart