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Getbig Main Boards => Politics and Political Issues Board => Topic started by: Dos Equis on February 21, 2011, 12:34:34 PM
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Good summary of the names being tossed around.
Twelve for '12: A Dozen Republicans Who Could Be the Next President
With the GOP's presidential-primary fight fast approaching, TIME looks at the prospective contenders to take on Barack Obama
Mitt Romney
By FEIFEI SUN Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2011/2012_candidates_package/2012_candidates_package01.jpg)
MATTHEW CAVANAUCH / EPA
Age: 63
Last held public office: Governor of Massachusetts, 2003-07
Of all the prospective Republican presidential candidates, Mitt Romney is the only one who could play himself in a movie. With a chiseled chin and a flawless coiffure, the son of a governor just looks the part. His wife, five sons and 14 grandchildren are equally photogenic. Stints at private-equity firm Bain Capital and atop the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games Organizing Committee have endeared Romney to business-friendly conservatives who favor his entrepreneurial approach, and as the former governor of a blue state, Romney has a desirable attribute: the ability to beat Democrats in competitive elections.
The knock on Romney is that he's transparently expedient. In the run-up to 2008, he tacked hard right on a number of issues, but not all Republicans were buying it. Explaining his record has only become more difficult. In 2006, then Governor Romney had the political misfortune of enacting bipartisan health care legislation in Massachusetts that included a requirement for most Bay Staters to purchase health insurance. Why misfortune? The plan he put in place became the model for President Obama's national health care overhaul. Challenging that law — be it on the Hill, in the courts or otherwise — has become a rallying cause of the conservative movement in the year since its passage and has forced Romney, who argues that health reform should be enacted only on the state level, into an awkward position with his base. He also struggles with some social conservatives because of his Mormon faith and unsteady footing on abortion.
(See TIME's video "Romney the Businessman.")
At the moment, Romney is unquestionably the front runner in a poorly defined field. He enjoys better name recognition nationwide than all the other prospective candidates, with the exception of Sarah Palin. His political network and fundraising operation are unmatched. And he's spent the two years since his last stab at the presidency peppering the landscape with careful endorsements, op-eds knocking Obama and book-publicity stops.
Representative quote: "Conservatism has had from its inception vigorously positive, intellectually rigorous agenda and thinking. That agenda should have in it my three pillars: strengthen the economy, strengthen our security, and strengthen our families."
Sarah Palin
By FEIFEI SUN Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2011/2012_candidates_package/2012_candidates_package04.jpg)
JOSEPH CONNOLY / GETTY IMAGES
Age: 46
Last held public office: Governor of Alaska, 2006-09
No one commands the adoration or loyalty of John Q. Republican quite like Sarah Palin. Master of folksy quips and pitch-perfect populism, the former vice-presidential candidate has fabulous base appeal. Her personal story of carrying to term a Down syndrome child gives her credibility with antiabortion activists. After a gig with Fox News, two books, a TLC reality show and two years of swarming attention from the national press corps, the Palin brand is as potent as it is ubiquitous.
One of the characteristics that makes Palin so popular with the Republican base is her unshakable one-against-the-world mentality. In Palin's eyes, the "lamestream media," jealous rivals and the good-ol'-boy network are all working to undo her. It's a compelling narrative at a Tea Party rally, but it hasn't much helped her standing elsewhere. Her public spats over the last presidential campaign and controversial endorsements of candidates like Christine O'Donnell in the 2010 midterms haven't endeared Palin to the Republican establishment. Many voters saw a deficit of seriousness in her early departure from Alaska's governorship, and camping trips with Kate Gosselin aren't exactly the best medicine. A January poll found that just 17% of independents nationwide have a favorable view of Palin.
(See pictures of Sarah Palin's life since the 2008 election.)
Everybody knows Sarah Palin. That's her greatest asset and biggest flaw. Should she run for the GOP nomination, her name recognition and ability to steal headlines would make her a force. But for all Palin's celebrity, there's no indication the party faithful really want her to be President. Most early polls show her trailing Romney and Mike Huckabee in hypothetical primary matchups, and far behind Obama in the general election. Despite all her media coverage, Palin hasn't built networks of donors and allies on par with the most competitive members of the field.
Representative quote: "We believe that the best of America is not all in Washington ... We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America."
Tim Pawlenty
By FEIFEI SUN Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2011/2012_candidates_package/2012_candidates_package03.jpg)
CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES
Age: 51
Last held public office: Governor of Minnesota, 2003-11
A finalist to be John McCain's running mate in 2008, Tim Pawlenty can claim a feat few others have pulled off: he governed a blue state with a Democratic legislature for two terms and came away with a conservative record. He closed budget gaps without raising taxes, put conservative judges on the bench and nabbed an A rating from the libertarian Cato Institute in 2010.
Pawlenty's problem is that few voters outside of Minnesota know about him, and even fewer Republican activists find themselves bedazzled by his mild-mannered Midwestern charms. Despite numerous visits to Iowa and New Hampshire and a heavily promoted publicity jaunt for his book Courage to Stand, Pawlenty lacks the visibility of some of his opponents, including Palin and Romney. Fewer than 40% of Americans recognized his name in a January Gallup poll, and only 13% held a favorable view of the Republican.
(See a 2010 TIME story on Tim Pawlenty.)
Pawlenty has veteran aides to advise him, but he lacks the pull to create fundraising fireworks. He has a long way to go to catch up to the front of the pack.
Representative quote: "The individual mandate in Obamacare is a page right out of the Jimmy Carter playbook. The left simply doesn't understand. The individual mandate reflects completely backwards thinking. They, the bureaucrats, don't tell us what to do. We, the people, tell the government what to do!"
Mitch Daniels
By FEIFEI SUN Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2011/2012_candidates_package/2012_candidates_package05.jpg)
SCOTT J. FERRELL / CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY / GETTY IMAGES
Age: 61
Last held public office: Governor of Indiana, 2005-present
Known as a wonky deficit hawk, the former budget director for President George W. Bush capped state property taxes, dramatically reduced spending and transformed a $200 million budget deficit into a $1.3 billion surplus as governor of Indiana, all while maintaining high approval ratings. He is an ardent proponent of raising the Social Security retirement age and cutting other entitlement programs. And that kind of fiscal focus is exactly what many Republicans feel is necessary to dig the federal government out of debt.
Daniels' signature issue landed him in hot water last June, when he told the Weekly Standard that the next President would have to "call a truce" on social issues like abortion and gay marriage in favor of getting the nation's deficits under control. Prominent social conservatives were upset, and although Daniels clarified his position by saying, "I picked the word truce because no one has to change their point of view," he would still struggle with that constituency should he run.
(See Mitch Daniels' 2011 Beltway debut.)
Daniels insists that he would be a force to be reckoned with if he entered the nomination fight. While he has a loyal fan base in certain circles and is cozy with the party establishment, he hasn't made any real moves toward a run. One possible factor: his wife is said to be wary of campaign life.
Representative quote: "Doing the people's business while living within the people's means is our fundamental duty in public service."
Haley Barbour
By FEIFEI SUN Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2011/2012_candidates_package/2012_candidates_package09.jpg)
BROOKS KRAFT / CORBIS
Age: 63
Last held public office: Governor of Mississippi, 2004-present
Haley Barbour is a consummate insider. A founding member of the powerhouse lobbying firm BGR Group, the Mississippi governor has had stints atop both the Republican National Committee and the Republican Governors Association. He remains popular in Mississippi, where he was credited with reducing the state's deficit by half and praised for his calm, effective leadership in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Barbour isn't shy about his Southern flair or lobbyist past. The latter has its pitfalls in a political environment where special interest is a popular barb, and the former has complicated his life as well. In December, Barbour told the Weekly Standard that he didn't remember the civil rights era "being that bad" and spoke sympathetically about a local chapter of the White Citizens' Council, a pro-segregation organization.
(See "Haley Barbour: GOP Kingmaker or Candidate?")
Barbour already has the fundraising and organizational talent to launch a presidential bid; if he were to run, he'd likely be the sharpest strategic mind in the field. But it's not clear if the average voter would relate to him.
Representative quote: "The Obama Administration and the Democratic Congress have taken the biggest lurch to the left in policy in American history. There have been no Congress, no Administration that has run this far to the left in such a small period of time. And there is a reaction to that."
Mike Huckabee
By FEIFEI SUN Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2011/2012_candidates_package/2012_candidates_package18.jpg)
AP PHOTO / JEFF GENTNER
Age: 55
Last held public office: Governor of Arkansas, 1996-2007
Mike Huckabee cracks jokes, plays the bass and is friends with Chuck Norris. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't find him affable. In 2008, the former governor turned his charms into a major upset in the Iowa caucus, beating better-funded contenders like Romney. A Baptist minister, Huckabee remains hugely popular among Evangelical Christians. Since failing to capture the presidential nomination in 2008, he has written books, hosted his own talk show and kept up appearances in political circles.
Though Huckabee has the best socially conservative credentials of any prospective candidate, his record has hurt his standing with some Republicans. As governor, Huckabee created ARKids First, a program that offered health insurance to poor children, and increased gas taxes to overhaul the state's highway system, moves that do not sit well with the Tea Party set. He also commuted and pardoned more than 1,000 prisoners, including Maurice Clemmons, a felon who was later arrested for multiple charges of child molestation and aggravated assault. In 2009, Clemmons made national headlines when he murdered four police officers in a Washington State coffee shop.
(See TIME's video "Mike Huckabee's Three-Day Tour of Israel.")
Though early polling offers little insight into how the presidential field will develop, Huckabee is consistently near the front of the pack, and no one performs better in hypothetical matchups against President Obama. However, Huckabee is not vastly wealthy and would have to give up the TV and book deals he enjoys. He has yet to give any indication that his heart is in it for another run.
Representative quote: "Pray a little more, work a little harder, save, wait, be patient and, most of all, live within our means. That's the American way. It's not spending ourselves into prosperity or taxing ourselves into prosperity."
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John Thune
By FEIFEI SUN Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2011/2012_candidates_package/2012_candidates_package06.jpg)
CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES
Age: 50
Last held public office: U.S. Senator from South Dakota, 2005-present
With his good looks and reliably conservative voting record, John Thune seems like a natural choice to be a Republican presidential candidate. He's been on the radar of many conservative activists since his successful bid to knock off Democratic majority leader Tom Daschle for a Senate seat in 2004, and he gets along with the party establishment. Asked about Thune's prospects, minority leader Mitch McConnell called him a "very sharp, capable individual" who has "good leadership qualities."
Thune runs the risk of being seen as a cookie-cutter candidate with no characteristics or experiences that truly stand out. From his experience as a Senator, Thune has a paper trail of tough votes to explain should he run. His support for the 2008 Troubled Asset Relief Program is especially taboo in Tea Party circles. Grover Norquist, president of the conservative group Americans for Tax Relief, has said the Senator would have to denounce that vote if he were he serious about a 2012 bid.
(See "Decision Time for Senator John Thune.")
Thune has mostly deflected questions about whether he's interested in running for President. He won re-election uncontested in 2010, and has a sizable campaign account for a Senator just beginning his second term. But he has taken few of the steps formally associated with building interest for a White House bid. In the Senate, he remains a member of the Republican leadership team and has several plum committee posts.
Representative quote: "The Obama experiment has failed."
Newt Gingrich
By FEIFEI SUN Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2011/2012_candidates_package/2012_candidates_package08.jpg)
CHRIS KEANE / REUTERS
Age: 67
Last held public office: Speaker of the House of Representatives, 1995-99
Newt Gingrich is one of the best known and most experienced contenders in the Republican field. The architect of 1994's Republican revolution, which saw House Democrats cede their 40-year majority to the GOP, Gingrich has a reputation as his party's grand-ideas man. Since leaving the House in 1998, Gingrich has turned those ideas into a flourishing enterprise: speaking, consulting, writing books and perennially flirting with a presidential bid.
Gingrich's past, professional and personal, presents a serious impediment to his potential as a presidential candidate. As Speaker of the House, he lost many battles against President Bill Clinton in the arena of public opinion, and he ended his career on the Hill as a divisive and largely unpopular leader. His three marriages, two divorces and admissions of infidelity have tarnished Gingrich's reputation with some sections of the conservative base, and his penchant for bombast can be off-putting to moderates.
(See a photographic look at Newt Gingrich's career.)
It's far from Gingrich's first time around the presidential-speculation circuit, but with his traveling and fundraising at full tilt, Gingrich appears to be closer to launching a bid now than he was in years prior. It would be difficult for Gingrich to overcome his checkered history, but Republican voters know him well, and no one has been a harsher critic of the Obama Administration.
Representative quote: "Our elites are wrong on the basic values that define America. Our elites are wrong on the way in which you create jobs and have economic growth. Our elites are wrong in national security and what threatens America."
Ron Paul
By FEIFEI SUN Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2011/2012_candidates_package/2012_candidates_package15.jpg)
ERIC THAYER / GETTY IMAGES
Age: 75
Last held public office: U.S. Representative from Texas, 1997-present
One might call Ron Paul the quintessential Tea Party candidate, but he predates the phenomenon by several decades. Long before people affixed tea bags to headgear or Sarah Palin anointed her Mama Grizzlies, Paul had a sizable following of small-government grass-roots supporters. His uncompromising views on monetary policy, foreign intervention and the tax code have made Paul hugely popular among libertarians and a small but devoted subset of Republicans. Should he run again, the Texan's tireless calls to reduce the size of the federal government will resonate loudly in a year that saw the national debt reach an all-time high of over $14 trillion.
Opposed to foreign military intervention and major free-trade deals, Paul's isolationism has put him at odds with the majority of his party. Some of his economic prescriptions, like returning currency to the gold standard and eliminating the Federal Reserve, have proved too extreme for some GOPers. If he launches another presidential campaign, Paul can once again expect to face criticism over the disparaging comments about African Americans and gays that once appeared in his newsletters.
(See TIME's video "10 Questions with Ron Paul.")
Paul maintains a devout following. After the Tea Party's influence on the 2010 midterm elections, Paul's support from the movement could make a 2012 run his most successful yet. (He ran unsuccessfully as a libertarian in 1988 and as a Republican in 2008.) But the Representative's views remain substantially outside the mainstream of Republican and American thought. To date, a skepticism of his views has been reflected at the ballot box.
Representative quote: "I am just absolutely convinced that the best formula for giving us peace and preserving the American way of life is freedom, limited government, and minding our own business overseas."
Jon Huntsman
By FEIFEI SUN Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2011/2012_candidates_package/2012_candidates_package02.jpg)
OLIVIER DOULIERY / ABACAUSA.COM
Age: 50
Last held public office: U.S. ambassador to China, 2009-present
Jon Huntsman was barely one year into his second term as governor of Utah when President Obama picked him to serve as U.S. ambassador to China. Even then, many thought there were political motivations for sending the rising GOP star halfway around the world. Huntsman worked for Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, in addition to serving as an executive for his family's billion-dollar business, the Huntsman Corp. He would be one of the only presidential candidates with significant experience as an executive, in the private sector and abroad. His experience with China gives him instant leadership credibility as Americans begin to eye the Asian economic powerhouse with concern.
Despite governing one of the most conservative states in the nation, Huntsman's record is that of a moderate technocrat; he won conservative plaudits for slashing taxes, but he backed Obama's stimulus plan, signaled support for gay civil unions, signed on to cap-and-trade emission controls and, of course, worked for a Democratic President, all of which are anathema to most Republicans. And his Mormon faith has the potential to cause problems with social conservatives.
(See how Jon Huntsman would be a pragmatic Republican candidate.)
Huntsman's record and two-year stint as an employee of Obama are major hurdles for a Republican presidential candidate. In recent years, Huntsman blasted his own side's "gratuitous partisanship" and complained that the GOP was becoming "a very narrow party of angry people." But gratuitous partisanship is the nature of presidential politics, and it's hard to imagine Huntsman winning his party's nomination without a significant rightward shift.
Representative quote: "The most important thing you will do with your education or that I will do as an elected official is to improve the human condition — through better economic opportunity, education, quality of life and security — regardless of which side of the Pacific we came from."
Rick Santorum
By FEIFEI SUN Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2011/2012_candidates_package/2012_candidates_package10.jpg)
RAINIER EHRHARDT / THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE / ZUMAPRESS.COM
Age: 52
Last held public office: U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, 1995-2007
One of the most socially conservative prospective candidates in the field, Rick Santorum hopes to find favor among the party's religious right. The former Senator supports a constitutional amendment banning or restricting abortion and is a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage. In 2001, he introduced a bill that would require schools to discuss controversies with evolution and promote the teaching of intelligent design.
Santorum's time in Congress was marked by a number of controversies. In 2003, he categorized homosexuality with polygamy, adultery and sodomy, calling them things that conflict with "traditional" families. In 2004, he withdrew his kids from a Pennsylvania charter school after questions arose about his residency status. That same year, Santorum endorsed moderate incumbent Arlen Specter over conservative Pat Toomey for the Senate, drawing the ire of many activists. He has since said he regrets the move and talks about it regularly as a lesson in the perils of straying from principle.
(Is Rick Santorum a silent candidate?)
As a dark-horse candidate, Santorum hasn't had the luxury of relying on buzz about his intentions, but he's made them clear with an aggressive travel schedule to early primary states. But his chances of capturing the nomination in a field of better-known and better-funded candidates is slim. When Santorum ran for re-election in 2006, Democrat Bob Casey crushed him by a whopping 18 points, the largest margin of defeat for an incumbent Senator in a quarter century.
Representative quote: "What this country needs is someone with strong conviction who can articulate those convictions and who can provide a vision for America that is an alternative to the big government, freedom-depriving vision of Barack Obama."
Jim DeMint
By FEIFEI SUN Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2011/2012_candidates_package/2012_candidates_package12.jpg)
BILL CLARK / ROLL CALL / GETTY IMAGES
Age: 59
Last held public office: U.S. Senator from South Carolina, 2005-present
Tea Party candidates in the 2010 midterms had no greater champion than Jim DeMint, who bucked his party's establishment to endorse, nurture and fund candidates like Rand Paul in Kentucky and Marco Rubio in Florida. He's been a leader of Tea Party legislative initiatives like the push to ban earmarks, and would be one of the most socially conservative contenders in the 2012 field, opposing abortion even in cases of rape and incest. And as a Senator from South Carolina, DeMint is already well established in one of the nation's first primary states.
Outside of the party's conservative base, DeMint lacks the name recognition and pizzazz of some other prospective contenders. Viability in the general election has historically been more important to Republican primary voters than ideological purity. (They swallowed years of resentment and nominated John McCain in 2008 in hopes of holding on to the White House in a Democratic year.) DeMint may not appeal to those simply looking for the candidate with the best chance to win wide appeal and oust President Obama.
(See a TIME video of Jim DeMint, spiritual leader of the Tea Party.)
Representative quote: "Tea Party Republicans were elected to go to Washington and save the country — not be co-opted by the club. So put on your boxing gloves. The fight begins today."
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2048933,00.html
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LOL!
What a pathetic bunch. Good luck! ;D
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i will vote for everyone on that list, except for the one currently trailing obama by 20 or 25 points in every poll.
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Thune christie daniels and or any combo of the two is fine by me.
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Newt Gingrich you can't be serious.. :-\
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Christie is forming an exploritory committee. Palin/Newt/Huckabee are un-electable for various reasons.
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It's a sad reflection on our society that Sarah is even remotely considered electable :-X
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No - its a reflection on the current occupant more than anything.
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If she didn't have to conduct interviews or speak..she'd be fine. She doesn't say anything different than many other conservatives..she just can't articulate it on camera.
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On the issues that matter, Palin is light years ahead of obama.
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2 Mormons.
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If the evangelicals can get past that, then Mitt has a chance. I want Christie...we've had fat guys as presidents. The RNC can pay a trainer and he can shed the lbs.
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Thune christie daniels and or any combo of the two is fine by me.
FATSO is not running, nobody has heard of Thune, and Daniels is boring and short.
Next! ;D
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FATSO is not running, nobody has heard of Thune, and Daniels is boring and short.
Next! ;D
And what he have is much better ::). Apparently in your world giving a good speech (TOTUS) is more important than having a clue what your doing.
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And what he have is much better ::). Apparently in your world giving a good speech (TOTUS) is more important than having a clue what your doing.
Apparently "in your world" you are still crying over getting your ass handed to you by Obama in 2008. ::)
(http://jutiagroup.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/2008_us_presidential_election_final_results.jpg)
SUCKS to be you! ;D
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Apparently "in your world" you are still crying over getting your ass handed to you by Obama in 2008. ::)
(http://jutiagroup.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/2008_us_presidential_election_final_results.jpg)
SUCKS to be you! ;D
See you have no ability to debate anything just post up some random stupid shit. Just because Obama won doesn't mean he is a good POTUS or has the slightest idea what he is doing.
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See you have no ability to debate anything just post up some random stupid shit. Just because Obama won doesn't mean he is a good POTUS or has the slightest idea what he is doing.
(http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/507/crying_baby.jpg)
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So you have nothing as usual
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So I have nothing, as usual
FIXED ;)
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Newt Gingrich you can't be serious.. :-\
He's actually the most qualified of that group, but I doubt he can win.
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He's actually the most qualified of that group, but I doubt he can win.
ZERO chance of being president. Forget it.
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ZERO chance of being president. Forget it.
Not zero, but unlikely. He'd make a much better president than Obama, and he's certainly smarter, but he has too much baggage.
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Not zero, but unlikely.
I'll stick with zero chance. ;)
He'd make a much better president than Obama
No way in hell, as Newt is a walking disaster.
and he's certainly smarter
LOL! I never figured you for a comedian, BB. ;D
but he has too much baggage.
Yes, his life can be summed up as one of a fat, immoral, douche bag.
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I'll stick with zero chance. ;)
No way in hell, as Newt is a walking disaster.
LOL! I never figured you for a comedian, BB. ;D
Yes, his life can be summed up as one of a fat, immoral, douche bag.
We could have said the same thing about Obama about a year or so before he was elected president. Both Hillary and Biden said he wasn't qualified. Even Obama himself said he wasn't qualified.
Newt is extremely smart. Brilliant politician. Knows history. Has been a leader. What the last two years have shown is we can't put a man in the most powerful position on earth when he has never had a real job. The Obama presidency has been a disaster.
Yes Newt is fat and was an absolute hypocrite. He was also Speaker of the House and led one of the greatest election efforts in history in 94.
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We could have said the same thing about Obama about a year or so before he was elected president. Both Hillary and Biden said he wasn't qualified. Even Obama himself said he wasn't qualified.
However, Obama is now president. That case is closed.
Newt is extremely smart. Brilliant politician. Knows history. Has been a leader.
What about Newt's academic achievements mark him as a man who is "extremely smart?"
If he is a "brilliant politician" why has he done such a colossally bad job of managing his political career progression? How can a man so "smart" have done so poorly in his personal life and career?
Why is Newt no longer a "leader?" Why is he a "has been" leader today?
What the last two years have shown is we can't put a man in the most powerful position on earth when he has never had a real job. The Obama presidency has been a disaster.
That is a personal opinion not born out by the facts. 2012 will be the referendum on whether the majority of voters agree with you.
Yes Newt is fat and was an absolute hypocrite. He was also Speaker of the House and led one of the greatest election efforts in history in 94.
And Newt went on to lose that position and left political office as a disgrace. You need to tell the whole story. This isn't January 1995. It is February 2011. ;)
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However, Obama is now president. That case is closed.
What about Newt's academic achievements mark him as a man who is "extremely smart?"
If he is a "brilliant politician" why has he done such a colossally bad job of managing his political career progression? How can a man so "smart" have done so poorly in his personal life and career?
Why is Newt no longer a "leader?" Why is he a "has been" leader today?
That is a personal opinion not born out by the facts. 2012 will be the referendum on whether the majority of voters agree with you.
And Newt went on to lose that position and left political office as a disgrace. You need to tell the whole story. This isn't January 1995. It is February 2011. ;)
Yes Obama is president, but the case isn't closed. We will have a referendum in 2012. I think it's pretty clear Obama has lost the independents and Republicans who put him in office. I think the only way he stays in office is some kind of terrorist attack or new military action close to the election. Both Bushes had extremely high approval ratings right after Gulf War I and 9/11. Absent something like that, or some miraculous economic recovery, he is done. And yes, this is my opinion. Could be right, could be wrong. We shall see.
Actually you were not telling the whole story about Newt by saying this: "his life can be summed up as one of a fat, immoral, douche bag." Academically, he has a PhD. Professionally, he served in Congress for 20 years and was Speaker of the House. It's his personal life that results in a big failure. The fact he was helping lead the charge in the Clinton impeachment nonsense while engaging in the very same conduct makes him a hypocrite of the highest order.
But if you listen to the man talk about government, public policy, etc., it's pretty clear he knows his stuff. Much better than our current president. Also, his Contract With America concept was brilliant. It's too bad he couldn't take care of his own house.
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Benny - tell me one good thing obama has done that has performed as promised?
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10 of those people wouldn't even make a decent VP on the ticket.
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Huntsman Allies Assemble Campaign, Need Candidate
Saturday, 26 Mar 2011
WASHINGTON (AP) — The campaign is revved and ready, a turn-key operation if there ever was one, with high-powered political strategists and big-time fundraisers who are more than eager to make a splash in the 2012 Republican presidential race as early as mid-May.
Now all they need is a candidate.
Or more precisely, a candidate named Jon Huntsman, who has suggested that he's open to running.
"We may have one final run left in our bones," President Barack Obama's ambassador to China told Newsweek late last year. Weeks later, he announced his departure this spring from the high-profile diplomatic post in a Democratic administration.
When he returns to Washington next month, the former Utah governor will have a full-fledged campaign-in-waiting at his disposal, built by supporters who insist they orchestrated it all without Huntsman's direction. Their theory: The wide-open Republican field has an opening for a former business executive who has adopted a series of moderate positions.
Money wouldn't be an issue. The one-time Mormon missionary to Taiwan would have access to a personal fortune and deep-pocketed Mormon donors.
His loyalty to the GOP would be an issue. Huntsman worked for Obama after a GOP career that included stints in Ronald Reagan's White House, as President George H.W. Bush's ambassador to Singapore and as President George W. Bush's trade envoy.
Several allies associated with Huntsman's recently created political action committee sketched out their thinking on the condition of anonymity because legal barriers prevent him from orchestrating a presidential bid while representing the United States in Beijing.
"There are a lot of limits on what you can and can't do with PACs — don't make any mistakes, keep your powder dry," said Peter Spaulding, a former top GOP elected official in New Hampshire and part of group of Huntsman backers who met in New Orleans recently to talk about a would-be campaign.
The telegenic former governor from a solidly conservative state long had been considered a serious potential challenger to Obama in 2012. The Democrats' political team sought to sideline Huntsman early, offering the Mandarin speaker the China job in 2009. He accepted. The White House was credited by insiders with vanquishing a GOP rival.
A year later, Huntsman bought a $3.6 million Washington mansion that most recently housed contestants on Bravo's "Top Chef" reality show, and he hinted at national aspirations in interviews.
Since then, strategist John Weaver, who directed Arizona Sen. John McCain's failed presidential campaign in 2000 and set up McCain's 2008 presidential operation before leaving when it went broke, has been overseeing the creation of Horizon PAC. Its website doesn't mention Huntsman, but includes a giant red letter "H."
It's essentially a shadow campaign for Huntsman. Supporters are not-so-quietly putting the pieces in place to be ready to move if Huntsman gives them a clear go-ahead.
They're floating a rationale for his candidacy.
— Huntsman could attract independents and centrists while the other candidates fight over — and split the vote of — conservatives who dominate GOP primaries. His support of civil unions for gay couples and belief in humans' role in climate change, not to mention his time in the Obama administration, could enrage the party's powerful right wing or alienate tea party voters.
—He would focus on states with nominating contests where non-Republicans are permitted to vote and where his moderate positions could be attractive. He'd likely skip conservative Iowa, where evangelicals likely would view his Mormonism skeptically. He'd play hard in New Hampshire, where cranky Yankees tend to favor fiscal conservatives and are generally agnostic on social issues. South Carolina, with an open primary, would get attention. So would Florida and Michigan.
They're testing messages.
—The Horizon PAC website suggests themes of service to country and solutions to the nation's ills. It says, "Maybe someday we'll find a new generation of conservative leaders. What happened to actual lasting solutions to problems?"
They're trying out comebacks for likely attacks.
—On Huntsman's link to Obama, they say Huntsman was serving his country, not a partisan administration, and he would be the best positioned to go head-to-head against his former boss. But Obama and top aides already are trying to make the relationship a liability for Huntsman, a taste of what's to come if he runs.
"During his tenure, Jon has been an outstanding advocate for this administration and for this country," Obama has said. The president also has joked that Huntsman "having worked so well with me will be a great asset in any Republican primary."
Weaver has spent the past few months recruiting and hiring experienced GOP talent, many of whom have never even met the ambassador, to study McCain's campaign against Obama and learn from it.
Weaver, who has worked for both Republican and Democratic candidates, has been leading daily strategy talks for a team that draws heavily from McCain's previous bids.
Hollywood-based ad maker Fred Davis and his Washington-based partner Brian Nick would help shape his image. Former Republican Rep. Tom Loeffler of Texas, one of the party's best fundraisers who helped McCain and then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush collect millions, has talked with his friends about money. Matt David, who worked on McCain's 2008 run, is the group's communications chief while fellow McCain alumni Jake Suski and Tim Miller are spokesmen.
It's not unheard of for an ambassador to figure prominently in presidential politics — or have a campaign ready for him.
In 1964, supporters of Henry Cabot Lodge, the U.S. ambassador to South Vietnam under President Lyndon B. Johnson, organized a write-in campaign that won him the New Hampshire GOP primary but little more. Lodge never returned to the United States, and Republicans ended up nominating Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater.
A decade earlier, it was Lodge who orchestrated a similar shadow campaign for Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was leading NATO in Europe. Eisenhower ended up winning the 1952 Republican nomination; he returned to the United States to accept it and won the presidency as a first-time candidate.
"Everyone was waiting to find out whether Eisenhower was Republican or a Democrat," said Jeremy Mayer, an assistant professor at George Mason University who teaches on the American presidency. "When they found out he was a Republican, there was a campaign waiting for him."
Just like there's one for Huntsman.
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/WaitingforHuntsman/2011/03/26/id/390807
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Huntsman is going nowhere.
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I don't know much about him. Will have to hear him speak, talk about the issues, see how much money he has (and can raise).
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Huntsman is going nowhere.
I disagree, my cue ball headed friend.
Repubs are BEGGING for a quality candidate like Huntsman to be the dark horse out of the debate. Given his background and experience, it's baffling to me - that you keep saying Trump this, trump that, then you say "Huntsman ain't going anywhere!"
The man is pretty much the candidate you wish you could design. handsome, rich, experienced in executive, THE foremost national expert on chinese finance, and he's worked across the aisle.
Only a rabid, idiotic GOP base would hate on him because his president asked him to work with china to keep the nation afloat. If you cawksoakers decide to put up a moron like Palin while shitting on huntsman, you deserve another 4 years of taking it up the rump from the kenyan. You friggin' deserve every second of it. You voted with your penises in 2008 and it cost you the white house. Do it again bitches, nobody will be surprised.
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Huntsman's bro: 2012 might not be the year
By: CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
(CNN) - Supporters of Republican Jon Huntsman have all but put together a presidential campaign-in-waiting for the U.S. Ambassador to China when he officially leaves his post next month, but Huntsman's younger brother says 2012 might not be the right year.
Speaking to Bloomberg News, Peter Huntsman confirmed his older brother is definitely interested in a White House bid. But whether that means a campaign later this year has not been decided.
"He is interested at some point," the younger Huntsman said of his brother's presidential ambitions. "That's not necessarily in 2012."
Peter Huntsman, who at 48 is three years younger than his brother, is CEO of Huntsman Corp., a chemical company founded by their father which has made both men significantly wealthy. The younger Huntsman said he voted for President Obama in 2008 but suggested his brother would prove to be a formidable opponent.
"There is a real need in this country for a politician who can have a focus on economic progress and economic development and deficit reduction," he said.
Huntsman has told the Obama administration he will resign his post on April 30, and his advisers say a decision about the presidential race will come sometime this summer. Huntsman was in his second term as Utah governor when he stepped down in 2009 to become U.S. ambassador to China.
A string of veteran political hands led by former John McCain adviser John Weaver is laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign if Huntsman decides to run. The groups political action committee, Horizon PAC, is registered to an address on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington and has hired communications staffers, a congressional liaison and a legal counsel.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/29/huntsmans-bro-2012-might-not-be-the-year/#more-151958
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I like Huntsman. Hoping that guy runs. He has all the qualities to pull in the independents that have been abandoning Obama.
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http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-march-7-2011/rand-paul-pt--2
This guy should get the nomination IMO
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(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/04/01/t1larg.barbours.gi.jpg)
Barbour's wife 'horrified' at presidential prospects
By: CNN's Rebecca Stewart
(CNN)- The wife of Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour says she is "horrified" that her husband is seriously considering a bid for the presidency.
In an interview with CNN affiliate WLOX in Biloxi, Marsha Barbour admitted the "overwhelming" task of a presidential run is something she may not quite be ready for.
"It's been a lot to be first lady of the state of Mississippi and this would be 50 times bigger," she said. "It's a huge sacrifice for a family to make."
The governor is still testing the waters of a potential bid for the 2012 Republican nomination and has made no formal announcement regarding his intentions.
But Marsha Barbour revealed she is wary of a 10-year commitment she believes would accompany a presidential run - and, presumably, two terms in office - during "the last part of our productive lives."
Despite her hesitation, Barbour said that the final decision is up to her husband.
"That's a commitment that I am praying about," she said.
"And if God and Haley decide to do it, I'm sure God will give me strength to be a good partner."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/01/barbours-wife-horrified-at-presidential-prospects/
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Boss hog is going nowhere.
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Boss hog is going nowhere.
"boss hog" has held strong conservative beliefs for decades.
Your saviour Trump was screaming about his support for the assault weapons ban and the need for teh govt to handle universal healthcare just a few years ago.
But you'll vote for the LIB who will KEEP OBAMACARE and BAN RIFLES. Why? Geez, I have no clue why.
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Huntsman heading to South Carolina in May
By: CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Greenville, South Carolina (CNN) - Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, a potential candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, will deliver a commencement address at the University of South Carolina on May 7, a university spokeswoman confirmed Friday.
It's Huntsman's second scheduled appearance in an early presidential primary state: the former Utah governor is also slated to deliver the commencement address at the University of Southern New Hampshire on May 21.
The speech to graduates of USC's Honors College and College of Arts and Sciences places Huntsman in the Palmetto State on the same week as the first GOP presidential primary debate, scheduled for May 5 in Greenville, as well as the South Carolina Republican Party's annual convention in Columbia.
But a source close to Huntsman's potential presidential campaign told CNN that it's unlikely he will participate in the debate. The source said, though, that no final decision will be made until he returns from China. Huntsman's stint as ambassador concludes on April 30.
If Huntsman does seek the GOP nomination, he will have a team in place in South Carolina, one of the first four states on the presidential primary calendar.
Longtime GOP strategist Richard Quinn, who steered Sen. John McCain's two presidential campaigns in South Carolina, is working for Huntsman's political action committee and has said he will support Huntsman if he runs.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/08/huntsman-heading-to-south-carolina-in-may/#more-153535
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What is President Monson's position on Romney and Huntsman both running for President (under the real President)?
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It's a sad reflection on our society that Sarah is even remotely considered electable :-X
boom
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I would like to see her in live debates
Soo much fun
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I would like to see her in live debates
Soo much fun
Compared to Obama she will seem like Margarat Thatcher. Obama now has a disastrous record of unmitigated failure he cant lie about like last time.
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Compared to Obama she will seem like Margarat Thatcher. Obama now has a disastrous record of unmitigated failure he cant lie about like last time.
Im not so sure. He is a corrupt dirtbag but i think he can sweet talk a lot of people
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I would like to see her in live debates
Soo much fun
Check youtube. Plenty of debate coverage. She's actually very good in debates.
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Im not so sure. He is a corrupt dirtbag but i think he can sweet talk a lot of people
i'm not so sure about that. Even in harlem during his last 30k per plate fundraiser - main on the street interviews sounded like me. They were pissed off!
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They left out Bachmann, Trump, Cain, and Gary Johnson, WTF?
Here's my breakdown:
Thune voted for TARP so he's garbage in my book.
Romney likes universal healthcare so he's out,
Huckabee is an evangelical so he's out,
is not experienced or intelligent enough,
Newt has too much sex scandal baggage
Huntsman supports cap and trade and Obama's scamulus package, totally out
Santorum is too socially conservative and won't get independent votes.
Pawlenty is too boring I guess but at least he can balance a budget
Ron Paul and Jim DeMint seem like the best hope to beat Obama.
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Thune voted for TARP so he's garbage in my book.
Romney likes universal healthcare so he's out,
Huntsman supports cap and trade
palin supported tarp AND capping emissions - but she's not out?
Trump LOVES univ healthcare - but he's not out?
Dude, you're so inconsistent.
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palin supported tarp AND capping emissions - but she's not out?
Trump LOVES univ healthcare - but he's not out?
Dude, you're so inconsistent.
Oh my bad dude, I didn't even consider Palin as a candidate b/c she is so unelectable. I forgot to put on her on list as out of the question. Palin is probably the worst out of all of them.
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They left out Bachmann, Trump, Cain, and Gary Johnson, WTF?
Here's my breakdown:
Thune voted for TARP so he's garbage in my book.
Romney likes universal healthcare so he's out,
Huckabee is an evangelical so he's out,
is not experienced or intelligent enough,
Newt has too much sex scandal baggage
Huntsman supports cap and trade and Obama's scamulus package, totally out
Santorum is too socially conservative and won't get independent votes.
Pawlenty is too boring I guess but at least he can balance a budget
Ron Paul and Jim DeMint seem like the best hope to beat Obama.
You mean Ron Paul the evangelical Christian? The one who is pro life and doesn't believe in evolution?
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You mean Ron Paul the evangelical Christian? The one who is pro life and doesn't believe in evolution?
Ron Paul is a Christian yes, but he does not wish to force his beliefs and social ideals on other people like Huckabee would. He believes in individual freedoms and that people can live their life however they choose without gov't telling them what they can't do.
Abortion, teaching evolution, gay marriage, etc. is defintely not a federal gov't issue or responsiblity. He wants to leave it up to local gov't. Huckabe likes big government interference on these issues.
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Ron Paul is a Christian yes, but he does not wish to force his beliefs and social ideals on other people like Huckabee would. He believes in individual freedoms and that people can live their life however they choose without gov't telling them what they can't do.
Abortion, teaching evolution, gay marriage, etc. is defintely not a federal gov't issue or responsiblity. He wants to leave it up to local gov't. Huckabe likes big government interference on these issues.
There isn't much of a difference at all between Huckabee and Paul when it comes to religion.
How are abortion and homosexual marriage issues big government interference?
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I really don't know if I could ever go for huck even as much as I hate and despise faux-bama.
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I really don't know if I could ever go for huck even as much as I hate and despise faux-bama.
I'm fine with him. I like him. I don't think he will win the nomination, but I'd have no trouble voting for him over Obama.
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Santorum takes presidential straw poll in South Carolina
By: CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Greenville, South Carolina (CNN) - Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum has visited South Carolina more than any other potential presidential hopeful, and his efforts paid off Saturday with a straw poll win at the Greenville County Republican Party convention.
Santorum was one of three potential candidates to address Saturday’s convention. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich also spoke.
Vote-rich and conservative, Greenville County plays a pivotal role in the South Carolina presidential primary, traditionally one of the first states to cast ballots in the presidential nomination process.
Santorum, who arrived early at the convention and donned a Palmetto-patterned pink tie for the day, won the straw poll with 31 percent of the 431 votes cast. Finishing second was Gingrich, who took 14 percent. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and reality television star Donald Trump tied for third at seven percent.
They were followed by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at six percent.
Barbour tied for fifth with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who won five percent of the vote.
Huckabee won another closely-watched straw poll in populous York County last weekend. Two other key South Carolina counties, Charleston and Lexington, will hold presidential straw polls next weekend.
Barbour’s showing was underwhelming considering his in-person appearance at the event. He spoke to county delegates shortly before the vote and laid on some southern charm.
“It's great to be at a convention where I don't need an interpreter,” he joked at the opening of his remarks. Barbour also flew into town the previous evening to meet with local Republican activists and potential donors at a minor league baseball game.
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin finished at four percent. Former pizza magnate Herman Cain came in at three percent, and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty took two percent.
The rest of the early and wide-open field finished with one percent of the vote or less. Also on the ballot: Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence and – curiously - activist Al Sharpton won write-in votes.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/09/santorum-takes-presidential-straw-poll-in-south-carolina/#more-153676
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No official candidates yet, but activity is starting to heat up.
2012ers hit the road
By: CNN Political Unit
(CNN) - As the presidential waiting game continues, potential 2012 GOP candidates are off on various travels this week, mostly in presidential contest states.
On Monday, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Texas Rep. Ron Paul will deliver speeches in Iowa, she to social conservatives in Pella and he to a Family Leader group in Sioux Center.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will make a private fund-raising trip to Florida on Monday and Tuesday.
After postponing his trip due to budget negotiations in Mississippi, Gov. Haley Barbour will visit New Hampshire on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Pawlenty will deliver the keynote address at a GOP dinner in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thursday.
Also on Thursday, President Barack Obama will make his first fund-raising trip since filing for re-election with Chicago fund-raisers for the Democratic National Committee.
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum will deliver a policy address at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, Thursday before addressing a Tea Party rally Friday outside the state capitol in Concord.
Pawlenty and Herman Cain, former Godfather's Pizza CEO and radio host, will join Santorum at the Concord event. Later in the day, Pawlenty will address another Tea Party tax day event in Boston.
Cain will speak at a tax event in Florida Friday and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will make an appearance before the Women of Joy Christian group Friday night in Oklahoma City.
Saturday, real estate mogul Donald Trump will make his first political appearance since he started discussing a potential president bid. He will address a South Florida Tea Party tax weekend rally in Boca Raton, Florida. On the same day, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will speak at a GOP event in Cumming, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.
Saturday morning Bachmann will attend a Tea Party event and an afternoon voter registration and block party in Bluffton, South Carolina. And Santorum, who has appeared in South Carolina more than any other potential candidate, returns to the state Sunday.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/10/2012ers-hit-the-road-3/#more-153776
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Romney takes first official step towards running for president
By: CNN's Paul Steinhauser and Robert Yoon
Washington (CNN) - Mitt Romney Monday took his first formal step towards launching another bid for the White House.
The former Massachusetts governor, who was a candidate for 2008 Republican presidential nomination, announced that he was setting up a presidential exploratory committee.
"From my vantage point in business and in government, I have become convinced that America has been put on a dangerous course by Washington politicians, and it has become even worse during the last two years. But I am also convinced that with able leadership, America's best days are still ahead," says Romney, in a video to supporters. "That is why today I am announcing my Exploratory Committee for the Presidency of the United States."
Romney spends most of his time in the video talking about the economy, touting his experience in creating jobs and balancing budgets in the business world. Romney taped his video at the University of New Hampshire and starts his message by pointing out that he spoke Monday morning to students at the Durham, New Hampshire campus. The state holds the first primary in the presidential primary and caucus calendar and is considered a must win contest for Romney.
Monday's announcement allows Romney to begin to fundraise for a White House bid.
"While this step does not constitute a formal announcement of candidacy, it allows Governor Romney to be in compliance with the requirements of federal election law as he begins to raise the funds necessary to explore a potential candidacy," says an email release from Romney's campaign.
Romney raised $65.1 million in contributions for his 2008 bid for the GOP nomination. In addition he loaned his campaign $42.3 million from his personal funds.
As of Monday afternoon, Romney's "statement of organization" and the letter serving as his "statement of candidacy" are both now on file with the Federal Election Commission.
Romney is the second major GOP candidate to announce an exploratory committee. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced an exploratory committee on March 21. Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer and conservative radio talk show host and former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain have also formed exploratory committees.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich filed paperwork with the IRS in March to form a fundraising committee to "explore" the possibility of a presidential bid.
Romney's announcement comes one day before the fifth anniversary of the signing by the former Massachusetts governor of a universal health care law in the Bay state. The measure, which has been criticized by some fellow Republicans, could hurt Romney with GOP primary and caucus voters.
Massachusetts Democrats are holding a party Tuesday to mark the occasion, including a "Thank You Mitt Romney" cake. And next door in New Hampshire, which holds the first primary in the race for the White House, Democratic party officials are urging supporters to tweet Romney to thank him for standing "shoulder-to-shoulder with Senator Kennedy to sign Massachusetts' historic health care reform law."
But senior Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom tells CNN that "somehow I'm not surprised that Democrats are sitting around eating cake while 14 million unemployed Americans are struggling to put food on their table."
On April 12, 2006, the then Republican governor in a state dominated by Democrats, signed into law a health care plan that would insure almost every resident of Massachusetts. At the time, it was praised by supporters of health care reform as a landmark achievement for Romney. The lynchpin of the law was an insurance mandate that required the people of Massachusetts to get health insurance.
Former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, who is expected to make a run for the GOP presidential nomination, has been critical of the Massachusetts law, as has former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who ran for the White House in 2008 and may make another bid for the Republican nomination in 2012.
Romney addressed his record in a March speech, explaining the law was a "state plan intended to address problems that were in many ways unique to Massachusetts."
"Our experiment wasn't perfect. Some things worked. Some didn't. And some things I'd change," Romney said. "One thing I would never do is to usurp the constitutional power of states with a one-size-fits-all federal takeover."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/11/romney-forms-presidential-exploratory-committee/#more-153889
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Top New Hampshire GOPer offers Romney praise
By: CNN Associate Producer Gabriella Schwarz
(CNN) – The chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party spoke kindly of likely presidential contender Mitt Romney Monday, defending the passage of the health care plan he signed while governor of Massachusetts.
"It really was an innovative experiment, he's a very smart man and what he did was he came up with this program geared for the state of Massachusetts, it was never meant to be some model for a national health care program," Jack Kimball said on CNN's "John King, USA" Monday. "And Mitt Romney's made it very clear and as recently as a few weeks ago to me that he's in favor of complete repeal of 'Obamacare' and that each state should come up with their own plan."
"It shouldn't be as big an issue as folks are making it," Kimball added.
Romney, who announced the formation of his presidential exploratory committee Monday, passed the health care law – which has similarities to President Barack Obama's health care plan – five years ago.
Romney's plan and the current health care law include the individual mandate that requires all residents, with some exceptions, to have health insurance or pay a tax penalty. The former Republican governor has received some criticism over the plan from other potential 2012 candidates.
But looking ahead to the New Hampshire primary, Kimball, who mentioned former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain, said there are "very good" candidates in the current field.
"All of them would be far better than what we currently have now," Kimball told CNN National Political Correspondent Jessica Yellin. "I'm excited about the landscape as it's shaping up, and of course New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary is very important and we kind of consider ourselves the state that does the vetting for the nation."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/11/top-new-hampshire-goper-offers-romney-praise/#more-153937
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Its going to be either Pawlenty or Romney. So start getting used to them. And start making your decision on who you want it to be. Quite frankly, either one could easily beat Obama. In fact, I dare Americans to pick Obama over Romney. It would be like picking Barabas over Jesus, when you consider the proffesional resume of each one.
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I thought this was very effective. This is his greatest asset, and he needs to continue to pound on the jobs issue the way he did in this announcement.
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I dont really like the guy and there is a little to much sweet talk, making America great again bla..bla..
But the angle with his business/company background is pretty good. I agree he should be hammering the jobs/economic issue and he might pull it off.
Who cares if he voted for universal health care he should just man up to it.
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It was a good video.
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T-Paw or PEA BRAIN's 2008 fav Mitt Romney will be your nominee, repubes. Wall Street and the big corporate money will not back a loony tunes candidate when things get serious.
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They already did in 2008.
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They already did in 2008.
Not really as the records show they have the loony in their back-pocket
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Did you see my threads on wall street wives?
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Did you see my threads on wall street wives?
Sure did.
Cant say im surprised.
There is 2 societys it seems:
Wall Street and the rest of us. And they seem to be above even the pres.
As i see it violence is the only answer left.
I believe this was what Jefferson had in mind when he spoke of watering the three of liberty with the blood of tyrants.
No tears from me if somebody took care of these people.
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Sure did.
Cant say im surprised.
There is 2 societys it seems:
Wall Street and the rest of us. And they seem to be above even the pres.
As i see it violence is the only answer left.
I believe this was what Jefferson had in mind when he spoke of watering the three of liberty with the blood of tyrants.
No tears from me if somebody took care of these people.
Again - Geithner/Bernake/Summers/Pauson/Bush/Obama - Its so obvious what is going on. All those meetings with Bush and Obama in the WH - we all know what wasbreing discussed.
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What i wouldnt give for some tea-party gun-nut to go postal on Wall Street.
Im sorry but these fuckers have it coming.
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What i wouldnt give for some tea-party gun-nut to go postal on Wall Street.
Im sorry but these fuckers have it coming.
Its like an armed fortress down there. Even in Grand Central now there are big sodiers armed to the teeth all over the place. No one is doing shit.
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Its like an armed fortress down there. Even in Grand Central now there are big sodiers armed to the teeth all over the place. No one is doing shit.
Just fucking great more of our tax dollars spend on these leaches
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In grant central there are these big dudes in camo and armed w side arms flak jackets radios etc.
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In grant central there are these big dudes in camo and armed w side arms flak jackets radios etc.
(http://www.hotstocked.com/articles-img/small/loser.JPG)
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I dont really like the guy and there is a little to much sweet talk, making America great again bla..bla..
But the angle with his business/company background is pretty good. I agree he should be hammering the jobs/economic issue and he might pull it off.
Who cares if he voted for universal health care he should just man up to it.
Personally, I prefer his sweet talk over Obama's divisive political war rhetoric. You know, things like..
"You fired up!!!?? Ready to go??!!!
Or how about when he told Republicans to "Go for it!!!!" when talking about repealing healthcare.
Or how about "GET IN THIER FACE!!!!"
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Personally, I prefer his sweet talk over Obama's divisive political war rhetoric. You know, things like..
"You fired up!!!?? Ready to go??!!!
Or how about when he told Republicans to "Go for it!!!!" when talking about repealing healthcare.
Or how about "GET IN THIER FACE!!!!"
(http://www.wickedlocal.com/beverly/archive/x148134604/g2e22e2000000000000ca4447b91ab4f9148aed1d61674dc68635f6f055.jpg)
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Likely 2012 Candidates Pile on Obama Over Budget Speech
Published April 13, 2011
FoxNews.com
Though Republican candidates have been slow to formally enter the 2012 presidential race, the reaction to President Obama's budget speech Wednesday should leave no doubt the race for the White House is under way.
Several likely, but undeclared, GOP candidates were swift to condemn the president's plan. Obama vowed to cut $4 trillion from the deficit over 12 years, through a combination of spending cuts and tax hikes on high-income Americans.
"Today's speech was nothing more than window dressing," former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said in a statement.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who just launched an exploratory committee and is positioning himself as the business-savvy alternative to Obama, went directly after the president's plan to raise taxes.
"President Obama's proposals are too little, too late. Instead of supporting spending cuts that lead to real deficit reduction and true reform of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, the president dug deep into his liberal playbook for 'solutions' highlighted by higher taxes," Romney said.
Other potential candidates took to Twitter to express their outrage, mostly on taxes.
"President Obama doesn't get it: The fear of higher taxes tomorrow hurts job creation today," Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour tweeted.
"Unbelievable -- President Obama blaming deficit on tax cuts! We do NOT have a revenue problem; we have a spending problem," wrote Gary Johnson, the former New Mexico governor who is expected to soon throw his hat in the ring.
Even the California Republican Party weighed in, accusing the president of trying to "tax our way out of deficit."
Obama made reference to the 2012 candidates in his address at George Washington University, noting that they were championing the GOP budget proposal outlined by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis.
He challenged that proposal as unfair to seniors and the poor, and said he wanted to take a more balanced approach by rolling back the Bush tax cuts on those making above $250,000. He acknowledged the political difficulty in doing so.
"Without even looking at a poll, my finely honed political instincts tell me that almost nobody believes they should be paying higher taxes," Obama said.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/04/13/likely-2012-candidates-pile-obama-budget-speech/
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That speech was embarrassingly bad.
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I like Trump and Cain.....both business savy.....and not career politicians.
They have practical real life knowledge.....unlike Nobama.....who is a sleazy car salesman
We need someone who will lead this country back to greatness....Nobama sold himself as a someone who would lead this nation and not play Washington politics....all the man has done is play Washington politics.
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He will not win a single primary IMO.
Santorum announces presidential exploratory committee
By: CNN Political Unit
Washington (CNN) - Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania took his first official step toward running for president Wednesday, announcing the formation of a presidential exploratory committee.
"In 2008 Americans wanted a president who they could believe in, but after two years they realized that what they needed is a president who believes in them," Santorum said in a statement. "It's time for America to be America again - an America that rewards innovation and hard work, that stands by our allies instead of our enemies, that protects even the most vulnerable of our society, and an America that says every life is to be cherished. That is what I believe in, and that's why I'm taking this next step in a possible run for president."
The filing with the IRS allows him to raise federal political contributions while he explores an official run for the White House in 2012, but his move stopped short of filing with the Federal Election Committee.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, like Santorum, announced his intention to explore a presidential run last month without officially filing with the FEC.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain and former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer have established presidential exploratory committees with the FEC.
Santorum has made dozens trips in the last two years to the early presidential primary and caucus states and will return to the first-in-the-nation primary state of New Hampshire Thursday to deliver a policy address at New England College in Henniker.
Polls over the past year indicate that Santorum registers in the low single digits nationally among Republican voters when it comes to the choice for their party's next presidential nominee. But, due in part to his strong opposition to abortion rights, Santorum remains popular with many socially conservative voters who have long had an influential role in the GOP primary process. This past weekend Santorum made headlines by winning a much-watched straw poll at the Greenville County, South Carolina, Republican convention.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/13/santorum-announces-presidential-exploratory-committee/#more-154345
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I loathe Santorum.
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He will not win a single primary IMO.
No, but he'll be a factor in that he'll peel 4 or 5% of the votes from similar candidates.
He'll cut up that tea party vote a little bit.
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Huntsman caught calling Obama a 'remarkable leader'
By: CNN Political Unit
Washington (CNN) - A source associated with Jon Huntsman's potential campaign for the Republican presidential nomination is brushing off a newly revealed letter from the outgoing U.S. ambassador to China that praises President Barack Obama as a "remarkable leader."
The letter, acquired by the conservative media website The Daily Caller from an unnamed source, was handwritten by Huntsman on August 16, 2009.
"You are a remarkable leader," Huntsman writes in the note, adding an underline to the word "remarkable." "[And] it has been a great honor getting to know you."
The effuse praise of the president is likely to haunt Huntsman should he decide to mount a Republican presidential bid later this year. Huntsman, the former governor of Utah who is scheduled to leave his ambassador post at the end of this month, has already faced skepticism from some Republicans that it will be difficult to mount an effective campaign against the man he served dutifully for two years.
But the source close to Huntsman's possible campaign suggested to CNN the leak of the praiseworthy letter is a sign the White House is threatened by Huntsman more than any other Republican.
"Need further proof the White House fears Jon Huntsman the most? I don't think so," the source said.
Huntsman's praise for politicians who are usually Republican punching bags didn't stop with Obama. In other letters acquired by the Daily Caller, the outgoing Ambassador told former President Bill Clinton, "I have enormous regard for your experience, sense of history and brilliant analysis of world events."
And in the same letter to the former president, he applauds Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for "winning the hearts and minds of the State Dept. bureaucracy – no easy task."
After watching her in action, I can see why," wrote Huntsman. "She is well-read, hard working, personable and has even more charisma than her husband! It's an honor to work with her."
Huntsman has said he will decide on a presidential bid later this spring.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/15/huntsman-caught-calling-obama-a-remarkable-leader/#more-154726
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Going nowhere. He will lay down for bama and easily accept a 49 51 loss. I'd vote for him no doubt - but we need a sherman tank division vs bama not a softy.
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no shit... they fear him the most.
if you think obama would rather run against huntsman than trump, you're batshit looony.
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The american idol - DWTS - media obssessed public is not going to go for huntsman. They should - but they won't.
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The american idol - DWTS - media obssessed public is not going to go for huntsman. They should - but they won't.
They had to pick between two d-bags in 2004. Bush and Kerry. The bigger douche was Kerry and he almost won (minus the weird ohio shit).
33, you can't have it both ways. Sometimes, you say "everyone hates obama and agrees with me that madoff/vendersloot would be way better". Then, you say "We need to run an obnoxious polarizing personality to beat him".
Which is it? IMO, the fact that most sensible repubs are distancing themselves from trump AND palin - and the fact that neither has any sort of political structure - speaks volumes. They probably aren't running. Trump's #1 in polls right now. Look at who else was #1 in 2008. Freaking Fred Thompson - old, dumb, and crabby - was #1 at one point. Getbiggers were all like "but but, he has LEADERSHIP qualities"... um, he didn't.
This is just more of that.
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Ha ha ha ha. Fred thompson was an actor who could barely stay awake. Trump is a businessman who wants to take obama out. Fine by me.
I would rather taking a fighting chance w trump than have some boring dweeb lay down and hand barry a second term.
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Ha ha ha ha. Fred thompson was an actor who could barely stay awake
Yes, but getbiggers were all about "He's the solution for 2008! He has LEADERSHIP skills!"
Sorry, but Trump is an entertainer WAY more than he's a businessman. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he inherited an empire than nearly crashed twice, and he's a lifetime liberal who has given tons of $ to Reid, Rahm, and others.
If he wasn't screaming about the birth cert - you'd see him as a POS liberal elitist. This whole "businessman" thing - sorry, no. His irrational and immature statements would get any CEO fired. We should invade this country and take oil? We should just tell OPEC what to do? Gimme a break. The man's a liberal elite who dealt with the likes of kadaffi. Period.
The fact you're so high on the guy tells me the 2012 repub field is a bucket of shit at the moment :(
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No I'm facing reality at this point that tpaw daniels and romeny will get eaten alive and hand barry a second term on a platter - which is exactly what you want.
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No I'm facing reality at this point that tpaw daniels and romeny will get eaten alive and hand barry a second term on a platter - which is exactly what you want.
this is where the big conflict happens here - I believe 2008 repubs failed because palin was viewed as incompetent. 60% of polled voters agreed.
you don't buy into that. You think 60% saw her as unqualified as veep - BUT - they all voted jsut cause of her. To me that is nonsense, but it's where you're coming from.
So I think americans voted against incompetence in 2008, and they'll do it again in 2012. TPaw and Mittens are both highly competent and dignified/statesmanlike. Palin and trumps are jokes - and many in their own party agree they shouldn't run.
but as long as you think palin HELPED in 2008, you'll think trump has the best chance now.
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Yawn. Mclame sucked and there was massive bush fatiuge.
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Yawn. Mclame sucked and there was massive bush fatiuge.
still... 60% of voters didn't think she was qualified to be veep. you can't ignore that. That's 3 out of 5 people walking in, thinking 1 of the 4 candidates didn't belong there.
You actually think that HELPED the repub ticket. Makes no sense to me.
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Of course mccain suspending his campaign had nothing to do w it.
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Of course mccain suspending his campaign had nothing to do w it.
that was an attempt to cancel the VP debate, remember? Wasn't that part of the deal? "Let's pause the debate, and reschedule the 3rd one where the VP debate goes"?
The look of frustration on his face, that saturday morning as all the palin vetting was going on, that said it all. "You lied about the%*^% baby?" Priceless...
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I don't think he has a snowball's chance.
Barbour nabs straw poll victory in South Carolina
By: CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) – Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour won a presidential straw poll in the pivotal early primary state of South Carolina on Friday night.
The straw poll was conducted by the Charleston County Republican Party at its annual convention. Barbour, fresh off a trip to the first-in-the-nation primary state of New Hampshire, was the only potential 2012 candidate to address the crowd of nearly 200 GOP activists.
Barbour won 22 percent of the 148 votes cast. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney finished second with 12 percent.
In third place with 11 percent was former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who won another straw poll last weekend in socially conservative Greenville County. Social issues are less influential in Charleston, considered more fiscally conservative territory.
Businessman and television star Donald Trump finished fourth at 10 percent. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee tied at nine percent, while Texas Rep. Ron Paul and pizza mogul Herman Cain tied at six percent.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty took five percent, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton rounded out the pack, scraping together only a handful of votes.
Barbour, making his first visit to the South Carolina coast as he lays the groundwork for a possible presidential bid, bonded with the Charleston crowd over the experience of recovering from a devastating hurricane.
For Barbour and Mississippi, it was Hurricane Katrina. For South Carolina, it was Hurricane Hugo, which battered the coast in 1989, killing 26 in the state and leaving 60,000 people homeless.
"People here in Charleston and all up and down the low country understand what it means to be clobbered by a mega-disaster, and what it takes to get back," Barbour said. "Y'all have done it very, very well and gracefully, and I hope that we in Mississippi can do as well."
The governor is making a two-day swing through South Carolina, a state that Barbour's advisers see as key to his presidential hopes should he decide to officially enter the 2012 race.
"If I run, I am going to run to win South Carolina," Barbour promised the audience. "To win South Carolina in my opinion means winning the low country. It means winning this part of South Carolina."
After his appearance at the Charleston convention, Barbour was spotted having a lengthy chat with South Carolina Rep. Tim Scott, a local Tea Party hero and one of two African-American Republicans in Congress.
Barbour arrived in Charleston on Thursday night and spent Friday holding a series of private meetings with area Republicans, including state House Speaker Bobby Harrell. On Saturday, Barbour will attend two county party conventions in and around the state capital of Columbia.
Barbour said Charleston residents repeatedly raised the topic of Katrina with him on Friday.
"People have been bringing it up to me all day," he said. "Brought it up during the day, brought it up at lunch, brought it up at meetings. Someone told me they went to Pass Christian and volunteered."
Also in his speech Friday, Barbour warned darkly that President Obama's management of the economy is more dangerous than any natural disaster.
"Our country faces a crisis that is every bit as dangerous, except it is more pervasive and it will last much longer," he said. "We are recovering from Katrina so that today, five and a half years later, you can see that the Mississippi Gulf Coast is coming back bigger and better than ever. It will take us longer than that to undo the damage that has been done by this administration."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/15/barbour-nabs-straw-poll-victory-in-south-carolina/#more-154788
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Boss hog is going nowhere.
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(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/04/16/t1larg.paulsc.gi.jpg)
Latest S.C. straw poll win goes to Ron Paul
By: CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Bluffton, South Carolina (CNN) - Texas Rep. Ron Paul won the latest in a string of presidential straw polls being conducted in key South Carolina counties this month ahead of the state Republican Party convention in May.
Paul won the vote at the Lexington County Republican Party convention on Saturday, taking 16 percent of the 139 ballots cast. Lexington is considered a bellwether county in Republican primaries and is home to South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, but the party organization there has seen an uptick in libertarian-leaning Paul supporters in recent years.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has done almost no presidential spadework in the crucial early primary state, had another respectable straw poll showing and finished in a tie for second place with business mogul Donald Trump, taking 12 percent of the vote.
Romney finished fourth in a Greenville County straw poll last weekend and second in a Friday night vote at the Charleston County convention.
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, who won the Charleston straw poll and attended Saturday's Lexington event in person, finished with 10 percent and tied for fifth with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Lexington GOP Chairman Rich Bolen also asked party members to pick their second choice for the Republican nomination. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann won that poll with 18 percent of the vote.
In the grand scheme of presidential campaigns, of course, straw polls are only informal surveys conducted by a relative handful of party activists. But they can be helpful in providing an early read on how the
GOP's most dedicated voters in key primary and caucus states view the 2012 field.
Some straw polls are more informative than others, however.
Heavily Democratic Orangeburg County hosted its GOP convention on Saturday and ran a straw poll with 30 names on the ballot, including several noncandidates such as former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, Michigan Rep. Thaddeus McCotter and House Speaker John Boehner.
But only 25 Republicans attended the convention.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/16/latest-s-c-straw-poll-win-goes-to-ron-paul/#more-154821
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Huntsman considers a run for the presidency
By JEFF ZELENY
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Apr 20, 2011
COLUMBIA, S.C. » Three months before President Barack Obama nominated Jon M. Huntsman Jr. as ambassador to China, Huntsman arrived here to introduce himself to three dozen influential Republicans and talk politics with them over dinner at the Palmetto Club.
Huntsman, then serving his second term as governor of Utah and prospecting for his political future, worried aloud that Republicans were growing out of touch with a generation of Americans. If the party wanted to win national elections again, he argued, Republicans needed to broaden their appeal to young voters, Hispanics and independents.
He will put that argument to the test if he joins the 2012 Republican presidential race.
After spending nearly two years as America’s top diplomat in China, Huntsman returns to the United States next week. He has scheduled visits next month here in South Carolina and in New Hampshire, where the Tea Party and social conservatives hold significant sway and have changed the political landscape.
On paper, given his affiliation with Obama, Huntsman would seem to be facing a tough time in a primary where anti-Obama sentiment runs high. But in a crowded field, with many Republicans signaling dissatisfaction with the candidates, his supporters hope he could get beyond short-term challenges with a long-term pitch of electability.
“The stage is set for an attractive new player who can inspire Republicans,” said Richard Quinn, a Republican who attended the dinner with Huntsman here two years ago and intends to support him if he runs. “By the time we get around to voting next year, the one thing that will pull Republicans together is beating Barack Obama.”
A candidacy by Huntsman would test just how frustrated voters are with the party’s lineup and would determine whether there is room in a Republican primary for a fiscal conservative and social moderate, who would present himself as a strong general election choice.
Huntsman has been coy about his intentions. A group of Republican aides, nearly all of whom are alumni of Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaigns, have been working behind the scenes to promote a potential candidacy. They say they have not coordinated with him, which would be a violation of federal law because he is a government employee who cannot engage in elected politics.
In an interview last week in Beijing, Huntsman told a Salt Lake City television station: “While in China, we serve our country. We don’t do politics.” Asked whether he planned to pursue the Republican presidential nomination, he declared, “I don’t know the answer to that yet.”
Huntsman, 51, is a motorcycle-riding, keyboard-playing, Mandarin-speaking Mormon, who worked in the administrations of Ronald Reagan, George Bush and George W. Bush. His family, which owns the Huntsman Corp., a global chemical company, is one of the wealthiest in Utah, worth more than $1 billion, which has only fueled speculation that he could invest his own money into a campaign.
Other Republican candidates are closely watching Huntsman, particularly Mitt Romney. A simmering rivalry came into full view during the 2008 presidential race when Huntsman became a co-chairman of McCain’s campaign, instead of backing Romney, the former Massachusetts governor. (Jon Huntsman Sr., the family patriarch, supported Romney.)
The strategy for Huntsman, if he decides to run, would likely begin in New Hampshire. His supporters believe he should follow a path similar to that taken by McCain: ignore the Iowa caucuses, where social conservatives have a louder voice, and try to compete aggressively in South Carolina, where Romney has struggled to win over voters.
Huntsman would have several disadvantages, including low name recognition among Republicans. Party activists, in conversations at two Republican county conventions here in South Carolina over the weekend, knew little about him. He also has no established donor base and any campaign would start months behind those of rivals.
But some of the groundwork is being quietly done by operatives — without his consent, they say — who have visited donors and asked influential Republicans to sit patiently until he make his plans known.
“I’m just beating the drum and hoping that he runs this cycle and doesn’t wait,” said Fred Davis, a Republican advertising strategist who met with prospective donors last week in Florida. “I’m trying to find someone who is different, who is going to stand out and register in someone’s heart.”
Huntsman’s resume does stand out, in part because of his strong foreign policy credentials. In addition to serving as the ambassador to China, he was ambassador to Singapore for the first President Bush and a deputy trade ambassador for the second.
He opposes abortion rights and his record as a fiscal conservative is solid. But after winning a second term as governor in 2008, he praised the Obama administration’s economic stimulus program, advocated civil unions for gay couples and supported the cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions, all of which drew favorable attention among moderates but criticism from some strict conservatives.
It is unclear how voters will view his relationship with Obama. If some wonder why Huntsman accepted a position in a Democratic administration, others may ask why he is turning against the man who sent him to China. His challenge was underscored late last week, when a letter from the departing ambassador to the president was disclosed by the Daily Caller, a conservative website. “You are a remarkable leader — and it has been a great honor getting to know you,” Huntsman wrote.
John Weaver, a Republican strategist who is among those urging Huntsman to run, said his experience in China only enhanced his credentials. He has organized the Horizon political action committee, which is promoting Huntsman. “If you’re asked by the president of the United States to serve your country in a foreign policy or national security role and you don’t do it,” Weaver said, “that’s disqualifying.”
Huntsman, who recently bought a house in the upscale Kalorama neighborhood of Washington, is scheduled to return to the United States shortly before his resignation takes effect April 30. The next day, he can start conducting political discussions. A campaign operation, complete with a team of fundraisers, researchers and political strategists, is waiting to offer him guidance.
Interviews with nearly a dozen friends and former colleagues in Utah, disclosed that Huntsman is serious about testing a presidential bid over the next few months. They said they expected him to make a final decision by summer.
“He clearly would like to run at some point,” said former Sen. Robert Bennett of Utah, who has known the Huntsman family for years but is supporting Romney. “But he doesn’t have a natural constituency, so forming a political action committee and spreading money around in the 2012 election could be a very smart thing for a politician who wants to run in 2016.”
For his part, Obama has repeatedly mentioned Huntsman’s ties to him.
In a speech at the Gridiron Dinner last month in Washington, the president said he admired all of the potential Republican candidates, but added, “I’m a little biased towards my dear, dear friend Jon Huntsman.”
“As his good friends in China might say, he is truly the yin to my yang,” Obama said with a smile. “And I’m going to make sure that every primary voter knows it.”
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/nyt/Huntsman_considers_a_run_for_the_presidency.html
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Romney beats Obama big in New Hampshire, poll shows
By: CNN Political Producer Alexander Mooney
(CNN) – President Obama is getting some ominous news out of New Hampshire Friday in a new poll that suggests he will lose the key presidential state by a sizable margin if former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is the Republican nominee.
According to the new survey conducted by Dartmouth College, Romney beats the president in a head-to-head matchup by 8 points, 47 percent to 39 percent. Obama's poor showing against Romney is also the product of his weak approval rating in the Granite State, where only 36 percent of voters there give him positive marks. That compares to a 45 percent approval rating for Obama in New Hampshire in a similar poll one year ago.
But it's not all bad news for the president: though losing big to Romney, he soundly defeats every other potential GOP candidate the poll tested, including former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (by 8 points), former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (by 16 points), Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (by 19 points), businessman Donald Trump (by 22 points) and former GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin (by 27 points).
Still, Obama's strong showing against those candidates is likely a reflection of their currently poor name identification in the state than his popularity: The president does not pass the 50 percent threshold when pitted against every potential GOP candidate except Palin and Trump, a sign many voters are prepared to vote against the president when they learn more about the other Republican candidates. Obama carried New Hampshire by 9 points over Sen. John McCain in the 2008 general election.
Having previously run for president only four years ago and serving as the governor of neighboring Massachusetts, Romney undoubtedly begins the GOP primary race in New Hampshire with a big advantage. Given his early strength there, it's possible anything besides a win in that state's first-in-the-nation primary would be a blow to his campaign. In 2008, Romney lost the New Hampshire primary by 6 points to McCain.
The Dartmouth poll surveyed 426 registered voters by telephone from April 11-14 and carries a sampling error of plus or minus 5 percent.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/22/romney-beats-obama-big-in-new-hampshire-poll-shows/#more-156193
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Romney leads GOP pack in New Hampshire
By: CNN Political Producer Alexander Mooney
Washington (CNN) - There's more good news for Mitt Romney in the state of New Hampshire: a new Republican presidential primary poll shows the former Massachusetts governor has a commanding lead over all the other potential 2012 candidates.
According to a new survey from American Research Group, Romney holds a 32-17 percent lead among likely voters over his nearest competitor, businessman Donald Trump. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and Texas Rep. Ron Paul are all at 8 percent.
The ARG poll comes the same day a Dartmouth College survey showed Romney would convincingly beat Obama in the Granite State - the only potential GOP candidate that beats the president in the key campaign state.
The ARG poll surveyed 600 likely New Hampshire GOP voters by telephone between April 16-21 and includes a sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/22/romney-leads-gop-pack-in-new-hampshire/#more-156229
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2012ers hit the road
By: CNN Political Unit
(CNN) – As the presidential waiting game continues, potential 2012 GOP candidates are off on various travels this week, mostly in presidential contest states.
MONDAY:
– Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum: Goose Lake, Iowa: GOP dinner
TUESDAY:
– Santorum: Dubuque, Iowa: Town hall meeting
– Santorum: Dyersville, Iowa: Meeting with conservative activists
– Santorum: Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Address at the Chairman’s Series Dinner
WEDNESDAY:
– Former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain: Washington, D.C.: Addresses the Americans for Tax Reform luncheon
– Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich: Washington, D.C.: National Catholic Prayer Breakfast
– Santorum: Marshalltown, Iowa: Breakfast with conservative activists
– Real estate mogul Donald Trump: First political visit to New Hampshire, meetings with party officials and events
THURSDAY:
– Cain: Rochester, New Hampshire: Speech
– Gingrich: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Documentary screening
– Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul: Chesire County, New Hampshire: Speech
– Sen. Paul: Merrimack, New Hampshire: Speech
– Texas Rep. Ron Paul: Reno, Nevada: Addresses a college Republican group
– Santorum: Washington, D.C.: Foreign policy address at the National Press Club
– Trump: Las Vegas, Nevada: Addresses a GOP women’s group
FRIDAY:
– Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann: Manchester, New Hampshire: Americans for Prosperity job creation and spending summit
– Cain: Manchester, New Hampshire: Americans for Prosperity job creation and spending summit
– Cain: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Addresses the National Rifle Association convention
– Gingrich: Washington, D.C.: Documentary screening
– Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty: Manchester, New Hampshire: Americans for Prosperity job creation and spending summit
– Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: Manchester, New Hampshire: Americans for Prosperity job creation and spending summit
– Santorum: Manchester, New Hampshire: Americans for Prosperity job creation and spending summit
– Santorum: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Addresses the National Rifle Association convention
SATURDAY:
– Bachmann: Manchester, New Hampshire: Speaks at the Freedom Forum
– Cain: Harrison City, Pennsylvania: Addresses tea party rally
– Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Delivers keynote address at National Rifle Association convention
– Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin: Bethesda, Maryland: Speaks at a fundraising dinner for anti-abortion group Heroic Media
– Pawlenty: Manchester, New Hampshire: Speaks at the Freedom Forum
– Santorum: Manchester, New Hampshire: Speaks at the Freedom Forum
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/24/2012ers-hit-the-road-5/#more-156338
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repubs KNOW that huntsman was a huge threat, so obama hired him.
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At this point - beetlejuice will be a threat to bama in 2012 the way things are going.
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At this point - beetlejuice will be a threat to bama in 2012 the way things are going.
serious candidates like Romney are whooping him in polls.
TV character candidates like Trump and Beetlejuice are polling 12 or more points down.
Still, some people like to be entertained more than saved from disaster, so they vote trump/beetle.
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serious candidates like Romney are whooping him in polls.
TV character candidates like Trump and Beetlejuice are polling 12 or more points down.
Still, some people like to be entertained more than saved from disaster, so they vote trump/beetle.
or they vote obama, right 240?
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The only one I may have a hard time voting for is huckster. I think romeny is flipper - but he still beats bama by a mile.
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or they vote obama, right 240?
well, if obama is losing to romney by 5... and leading trump by 12... then yes, it appears some people do look at a joke reality tv candidate, and vote obama. great point comrade.
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http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/04/25/barbour_wi...
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour issued a statement saying he "will not be a candidate for president next year."
He tells supporters: "If I have disappointed any of them in this decision, I sincerely regret it."
STATEMENT OF GOV. BARBOUR
"I will not be a candidate for president next year. This has been a difficult, personal decision, and I am very grateful to my family for their total support of my going forward, had that been what I decided.
"Hundreds of people have encouraged me to run and offered both to give and raise money for a presidential campaign. Many volunteers have organized events in support of my pursuing the race. Some have dedicated virtually full time to setting up preliminary organizations in critical, early states and to helping plan what has been several months of intensive activity.
"I greatly appreciate each and every one of them and all their outstanding efforts. If I have disappointed any of them in this decision, I sincerely regret it.
"A candidate for president today is embracing a ten-year commitment to an all-consuming effort, to the virtual exclusion of all else. His (or her) supporters expect and deserve no less than absolute fire in the belly from their candidate. I cannot offer that with certainty, and total certainty is required.
"This decision means I will continue my job as Governor Mississippi, my role in the Republican Governors Association and my efforts to elect a new Republican president in 2012, as the stakes for the nation require that effort to be successful."
http://www.governorbarbour.com/news/2011/apr/4.25barbou...
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http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/04/25/barbour_wi...
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour issued a statement saying he "will not be a candidate for president next year."
He tells supporters: "If I have disappointed any of them in this decision, I sincerely regret it."
STATEMENT OF GOV. BARBOUR
"I will not be a candidate for president next year. This has been a difficult, personal decision, and I am very grateful to my family for their total support of my going forward, had that been what I decided.
"Hundreds of people have encouraged me to run and offered both to give and raise money for a presidential campaign. Many volunteers have organized events in support of my pursuing the race. Some have dedicated virtually full time to setting up preliminary organizations in critical, early states and to helping plan what has been several months of intensive activity.
"I greatly appreciate each and every one of them and all their outstanding efforts. If I have disappointed any of them in this decision, I sincerely regret it.
"A candidate for president today is embracing a ten-year commitment to an all-consuming effort, to the virtual exclusion of all else. His (or her) supporters expect and deserve no less than absolute fire in the belly from their candidate. I cannot offer that with certainty, and total certainty is required.
"This decision means I will continue my job as Governor Mississippi, my role in the Republican Governors Association and my efforts to elect a new Republican president in 2012, as the stakes for the nation require that effort to be successful."
http://www.governorbarbour.com/news/2011/apr/4.25barbou...
Wise choice. He wasn't going to be the nominee.
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Rep. Paul to announce presidential exploratory committee
By: CNN Senior Producer Kevin Bohn
Washington (CNN) - Republican Texas Rep. Ron Paul will announce on Tuesday the formation of a presidential exploratory committee at an event in Des Moines, Iowa, CNN has learned.
While Paul is announcing an exploratory committee, he has not made a final decision about launching a campaign for the White House in 2012.
"He is still not 100 percent," a source close to the Paul campaign told CNN. "He is strongly considering a run."
"He is moving closer to a final decision," the source said, adding, "You can expect that decision to come in mid-May."
A key factor in prompting the committee announcement now is the upcoming GOP presidential debate where participation is contingent upon the formation of an exploratory committee.
The congressman, whose son, Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, is also considering a run, has run twice for president, most recently in 2008.
But Sen. Paul has said he will not run in 2012 if his father launches a bid.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/25/rep-paul-to-announce-presidential-exploratory-committee/#more-156472
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He certainly has the biggest mouth. :)
Rudy's window has closed.
Giuliani: Trump is 'resonating'
By: CNN Associate Producer Gabriella Schwarz
Washington (CNN) – Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani thinks real estate mogul Donald Trump is the "most exciting candidate in the race" for the White House in 2012.
In an interview with The Washington Times, the 2008 Republican presidential candidate said Trump's controversial comments come from the heart.
"I think he is doing as well as he's doing because he's saying things the American people need to hear – about leadership and about strength and about being proud of America and not apologizing for America," Giuliani said Tuesday. "So I think he's resonating."
Trump has done well in some recent national polls of potential 2012 candidates, while he continues to question President Barack Obama's birthplace. But don't expect Giuliani to jump on the "birther" bandwagon.
"I'm not one who wants to raise that question," he said. "It's been proven to my satisfaction that the president was born in the United States. The documented copy [of his birth certificate] is enough for me. I think the best reason that we should defeat President Barack Obama is because he's not a very good president."
Trump, who has donated extensively to Democratic and Republican political candidates, also contributed $1,000 to Giuliani's mayoral campaign in 1999 and 2000, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Giuliani will travel to the early contest state of New Hampshire next month and said he remains undecided about his own bid for the White House.
"At this point, I'm not actively considering it, but I have the door open," Giuliani said.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/26/giuliani-trump-is-resonating/#more-156811
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I like Huck, but I don't think he'll win.
Huckabee 'asking folks to keep their powder dry,' adviser says
By: CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Washington (CNN) – One of Mike Huckabee's political confidantes in the early primary state of South Carolina spoke with the former Arkansas governor Thursday and received assurances that he is still "seriously" weighing a presidential bid.
Mike Campbell, who chaired Huckabee's South Carolina campaign in 2008, told CNN that he called his former boss after a South Carolina blog erroneously claimed that Huckabee had decided against running again in 2012.
The report quickly shot around the web Wednesday and forced Huckabee's team to knock down the rumor.
Campbell called the blog item "a bunch of bull" but said he decided to call Huckabee anyway.
"He said, 'Mike, obviously that's unfounded and completely untrue,'" Campbell said of his conversation with Huckabee. "He told me, 'I'm just asking folks to keep their powder dry because there may be something coming in the future that may be worth keeping your powder dry for."
Asked about his presidential intentions, the former Arkansas governor told Campbell, "I am weighing it very heavily and I am considering it as seriously as I have ever been."
Huckabee is enjoying the perks of a lucrative Fox News contract and has done little to signal that he's prepping for a repeat campaign, but his advisers have tried hard to keep his name in the 2012 mix as other potential candidates have taken more formal steps toward running.
Campbell said Huckabee can afford to wait longer than other candidates to enter the race because he has an existing network of supporters in key states ready to help him again, putting him in a "great position" to win the nomination.
"I think he is energized to do it, but I think he is going to weigh his options and make sure it's in the best interest of himself and those around him," Campbell told CNN.
He said Huckabee plans to make a final decision in "early to mid-summer."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/28/huckabee-asking-folks-to-keep-their-powder-dry-adviser-says/#more-157193
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Who really cares anymore witch corrupt scumbag is in the oval office
RP all the way
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Who really cares anymore witch corrupt scumbag is in the oval office
RP all the way
Makes a big difference.
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Bachmann, Pawlenty to Cross Paths in NH
Friday, 29 Apr 2011
By Luis F. Perez
U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will cross paths for the first time on the presidential campaign trail in New Hampshire today.
Some see the Minnesota Republicans as rivals for the GOP presidential nomination. But each represents a different wing of the GOP, leaving open the possibility that each could advance in the race without one canceling support for the other, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
Rep. Michele Bachmann "It's two very different restaurants, two very different clienteles," said Andy Brehm, a Minnesota Republican strategist. "She's not stealing votes from him, nor he from her."
At the Americans for Prosperity conference in New Hampshire, Pawlenty and Bachmann are being seen as a double Minnesota threat to surge or place well in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary.
"That's the race to watch," said Andrew Hemingway, chairman of the influential Republican Liberty Caucus in New Hampshire. "They both have amazing opportunities."
While Pawlenty has built a well-organized campaign infrastructure, Bachmann has national star power as a tea party favorite and as founder and head of the House Tea Party Caucus, garnering her much more media exposure.
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Bachmann-Pawlenty-NewHampshire-GOP/2011/04/29/id/394566
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that Clown Car is pretty cramped !
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that Clown Car is pretty cramped !
Tell me about it. Not sure how the preident fits anyone else on Air Force One.
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Huntsman takes big step toward 2012 bid
By: CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Washington (CNN) – Jon Huntsman formed a federal political action committee on Tuesday, taking his first concrete step toward a presidential campaign since returning from his post last week as ambassador to China.
Huntsman filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to create "H-PAC," an organization that will allow him to pay for staff and travel to key caucus and primary states as he considers a bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.
Huntsman will not form an exploratory committee and will simply make a final decision about a White House bid early this summer, a spokesman told CNN Tuesday.
"This is an organizational step," Huntsman spokesman Tim Miller said. "If Jon decides that he wants to run for president, he will make that decision at that time."
Huntsman already has a team of political advisers in place working under the umbrella of a state-based committee, Horizon PAC, an organization formed as "campaign-in-waiting" while the ambassador concluded his service in Beijing.
Huntsman, who was governor of Utah before President Barack Obama tapped him for the China post in early 2009, was forbidden from conducting political activity while working in the diplomatic corps.
But his advisers have been busy putting the pieces together for a Huntsman campaign, thought by many GOP insiders to be a certainty.
The Huntsman team is scattered across the country in places like Florida, South Carolina and California, but they have been shuttling back and forth to Washington in recent weeks as Huntsman's return from China approached.
Huntsman immediately began taking steps toward a campaign shortly after his plane touched down in Washington last Friday.
He attended the White House Correspondents Association Dinner in Washington on Saturday evening and mingled with the many of the reporters and pundits who might cover his campaign.
He also has two upcoming speaking appearances lined up in two pivotal primary states: Huntsman will deliver a commencement address on Saturday at the University of South Carolina and on May 21 at Southern New Hampshire University.
Huntsman broke with his party on issues like climate change and same-sex marriage during his tenure in Utah, and his team sees his path to the nomination as running through New Hampshire and South Carolina, two states that allow independents to participate in their Republican primaries.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/03/huntsman-takes-big-step-toward-2012-bid/#more-157771
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Interested to see Pawlenty and how he performs.
Huck and Palin sitting out the 2012 race is probably a good thing. Don't think either one would make it out of the primary at this point.
The Flag Goes Up on 2012
by Carl Cameron | May 03, 2011
With the first 2012 GOP presidential debate Thursday in South Carolina, top Republicans in the Palmetto State are warning several hopefuls who have chosen to skip the event that it will hurt them.
"Anyone that discounts South Carolina is making a huge mistake," said South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
South Carolina traditionally holds the first primary in the south. Since it began in 1980, no Republican has won the GOP presidential nomination without first winning the state.
In Iowa, home of the first caucuses, New Hampshire where the first primary will be held, and South Carolina, which votes third and takes the campaign trail into the old south, voters are notoriously demanding of candidates.
First -in-the-nation voters expect candidates to visit early and often and resent those who try to use big money and celebrity as a substitute for grass roots campaigning and a strong command of the issues.
"There's an arrogance that's abounding right now with some of these candidates and the state of South Carolina is a perfect conduit to select someone who will go out and work hard, shake hands, meet the people and say look, this is what I stand for, this is what I'm about," warned the state's Republican party chairwoman Karen Floyd.
Gov. Haley believes skipping Thursday's debate will put some of the candidates at odds with demanding Palmetto State voters eager to begin reviewing the candidates and their character.
"They're gonna have to work twice as hard to prove that they're in the game and while it is early, to show that you're strong early makes an important difference in South Carolina," Haley said. "So I would advise all of them get here, get here fast and make sure every part of the state notices you."
Some candidates have argued it's too soon to be debating. That really irks GOP powerbrokers who know candidates like Mitt Romney have been planning and campaigning for months
"They're wrong because we're eight months out. And can you imagine selecting a president without having a cadre of individuals sitting on the stage saying 'this is who I am. this is what I'm about and vote for me.'" said Floyd.
In order to participate in the debate, Fox News and the South Carolina Republican Party have agreed that candidates must meet several requirements, including filing exploratory paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission, filing papers and paying a fee to the state party, as well as polling nationally. The deadline to qualify is the end of business Tuesday.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who plans to attend the debate, said, "I hope all of the serious or even potential candidates are going to get in this debate because, look, this is a president who's got his challenges, but he's going to raise a billion dollars; he's a very gifted campaigner and we've got to start taking the case to the American people why he should be fired."
Others expected to participate include former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who's 2008 run sparked the modern Tea Party movement, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, and businessman Herman Cain.
Newt Gingrich had planned to attend but has indicated he will not have filed the FEC papers in time. Mitt Romney has yet to file his South Carolina candidacy papers and some insiders have hinted that his strategy will downplay the Palmetto State this time.
Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann expressed eagerness to attend but does not expect to have her paperwork in order until June. Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin have filed no paperwork which some Republicans see as a sign that both will opt out of the 2012 race altogether.
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/05/03/flag-goes-2012
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Ron Poop and John Huntsman are the only two that could hack it and at least are intelligent and rational to a degree.
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Madoff/Vandersloot - will be able to beat bama in 2012.
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(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/05/05/t1larg.romney.0505.jpg)
Romney on top in 2 new New Hampshire polls
By: CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
(CNN) – Two new polls indicate that Mitt Romney remains the early front-runner in the battle for the New Hampshire primary.
According to a WMUR/Granite State poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire, 36 percent of likely New Hampshire primary voters say they would support the former Massachusetts governor and 2008 GOP White House candidate if the contest were held today.
Romney's at 35 percent in a Suffolk University/7 News survey. Romney has a large lead over the other probable Republican presidential candidates in both polls, which were released Wednesday evening.
Romney's lead in these two new polls, as well as other GOP horserace surveys conducted in New Hampshire earlier this year, are no surprise. Romney is well known in the Granite state. Massachusetts media dominates in the heavily populated southern part of New Hampshire. Romney has campaigned heavily in the state in the 2008 primary, and he has a summer home in the state's lakes region.
According to the WMUR/Granite State poll, Donald Trump's in second place at 11 percent. The billionaire businessman, real estate mogul and reality TV star says he'll decide by June if he's running for the White House. Everyone else is in single digits. No one other than Romney cracks double digits in the Suffolk University/7 News survey.
But take all these early polls with some skepticism.
"Most primary voters do not settle on a choice until the very end of the campaign, so early poll numbers are a better gauge of a candidate's popularity now than an indication of who voters will end up supporting," says Andrew Smith of the UNH Survey Center. "In the most recent poll, 79 percent of likely Republican primary voters say they are still trying to decide who they will eventually vote for in 2012, 16 percent are leaning toward a candidate, and only 5 percent say they have definitely decided who they will vote for."
The WMUR/Granite State poll was conducted April 15-May 2, with 415 likely New Hampshire GOP primary voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 4.8 percentage points.
The Suffolk University/7 News poll was conducted April 30-May 2, with 400 likely New Hampshire GOP primary voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/05/romney-on-top-in-2-new-new-hampshire-polls/#more-157977
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Will Pawlenty's Message Resonate With South Carolina Republicans?
by Marla Cichowski | May 05, 2011
When Tim Pawlenty arrives in South Carolina to take part in tonight's first GOP Presidential Primary debate it will be only his second visit to the state this year.
In fact, of the five candidates set to debate tonight only one, Rick Santorum, has spent a decent amount of time campaigning in the Palmetto State.
Even though Governor Pawlenty may remain relatively unknown by South Carolina voters, he is striking a chord with those watching the GOP primary race unfold.
"Tim Pawlenty has the best chance of any of the five (appearing at the debate)" says Clemson University political science professor and Republican consultant, Dave Woodard. "I think he can do pretty well here if he can get his message out. He's in the best position of the five candidates (at the debate), assuming he can get money."
Woodard points to Pawlenty's executive experience serving as Minnesota governor for eight years and his traditional upbringing as attractive assets. "Having a strong moral background is very important here."
The Greenville Tea Party listed Pawlenty as a featured speaker at its "Freedom Rally" being held Thursday in downtown Greenville, S.C., the site of the GOP Presidential Primary debate. However, Governor Pawlenty's staff tells Fox News he will not be attending the rally. Pawlenty's last visit to South Carolina was in March when he spoke at the Aiken County Republican Club luncheon meeting. The following day he spent time chatting with South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at the Statehouse.
Woodard says securing support from Gov. Haley or South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint is critical for Pawlenty doing well in South Carolina. "If he could secure a DeMint endorsement he could do well here."
Wooing voters in South Carolina carries even more weight considering ever since 1980, the state's primary voters have chosen the candidate who goes on to become the Republican nominee.
Pawlenty's team says he will make his official announcement about running for President later this spring.
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/05/05/will-pawlentys-message-resonate-south-carolina-republicans
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South Carolina debate was actually pretty decent. They all did a good job. Some comments on each:
Pawlenty: Probably the most “presidential” of the group. Liked what I heard across the board. First time seeing him debate. I like him.
Santorum: Better than I expected. Has zero chance to win the nomination.
Johnson: Decent job. Has sort of an effeminate mannerism, particularly for the tough athlete he is. Two things that will prevent him from getting off the ground: (1) he supports amnesty for illegal workers; wants to give them work visas; and (2) he is pro abortion until viability. He will not crack double digits IMO.
Cain: Really like him. His answers were a little disjointed at times, but he is someone who knows how to lead. Straight talk. If we’re going to put a businessman with no political experience in the White House, I’d take this guy any day of the week over Trump.
Paul: He did O.K. He is essentially a one-issue candidate: the economy. He's good on that issue. Not so hot on other issues, especially national defense and the military.
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South Carolina debate was actually pretty decent. They all did a good job. Some comments on each:
Pawlenty: Probably the most “presidential” of the group. Liked what I heard across the board. First time seeing him debate. I like him.
Santorum: Better than I expected. Has zero chance to win the nomination.
Johnson: Decent job. Has sort of an effeminate mannerism, particularly for the tough athlete he is. Two things that will prevent him from getting off the ground: (1) he supports amnesty for illegal workers; wants to give them work visas; and (2) he is pro abortion until viability. He will not crack double digits IMO.
Cain: Really like him. His answers were a little disjointed at times, but he is someone who knows how to lead. Straight talk. If we’re going to put a businessman with no political experience in the White House, I’d take this guy any day of the week over Trump.
Paul: He did O.K. He is essentially a one-issue candidate: the economy. He's good on that issue. Not so hot on other issues, especially national defense and the military.
Agree with most here. I hate to say it but Santorum is too religiously based to win. Cain did really good but I feel like the American people won't respond to someone who has a little bit of entertainment value and he's not the most charismatic. I actually thought RP did fantastic. Loved almost everything he was saying. That's hard to admit as I haven't been a big fan of his.
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South Carolina debate was actually pretty decent. They all did a good job. Some comments on each:
Pawlenty: Probably the most “presidential” of the group. Liked what I heard across the board. First time seeing him debate. I like him.
Santorum: Better than I expected. Has zero chance to win the nomination.
Johnson: Decent job. Has sort of an effeminate mannerism, particularly for the tough athlete he is. Two things that will prevent him from getting off the ground: (1) he supports amnesty for illegal workers; wants to give them work visas; and (2) he is pro abortion until viability. He will not crack double digits IMO.
Cain: Really like him. His answers were a little disjointed at times, but he is someone who knows how to lead. Straight talk. If we’re going to put a businessman with no political experience in the White House, I’d take this guy any day of the week over Trump.
Paul: He did O.K. He is essentially a one-issue candidate: the economy. He's good on that issue. Not so hot on other issues, especially national defense and the military.
ROFLMAO at the South Carolina joke. Obama will eviscerate these schmucks.
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::) ::)
Ron Paul & Cain would easily beat obama. By next year, with the economy still in the toilet, bama is gone.
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::) ::)
Ron Paul & Cain would easily beat obama. By next year, with the economy still in the toilet, bama is gone.
I know you don`t really believe that. A pizza man and a man who wants to get rid of all the Intelligence services in the United States. Oh brother, that oughta go over well. ::)
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I know you don`t really believe that. A pizza man and a man who wants to get rid of all the Intelligence services in the United States. Oh brother, that oughta go over well. ::)
Herman Cain embarassed Bill Clinton. I'll bump it for you.
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Herman Cain embarassed Bill Clinton. I'll bump it for you.
I`m sure Bill Clinton loses sleep over some no name. ::)
Come on, your party is in the toilet and there is little hope for it unless you dig up someone who has the bona fides. Ron Poop is about the best they can do and the GOP does not like him so that leaves you with nothing.
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I`m sure Bill Clinton loses sleep over some no name. ::)
Come on, your party is in the toilet and there is little hope for it unless you dig up someone who has the bona fides. Ron Poop is about the best they can do and the GOP does not like him so that leaves you with nothing.
I want Christie/West as a first choice, but that is not going to happen.
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I want Christie/West as a first choice, but that is not going to happen.
Bolton would be the GOP`s strongest candidate. He is a hawk, but he is not that irrational. Do you not like him?
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Bolton would be the GOP`s strongest candidate. He is a hawk, but he is not that irrational. Do you not like him?
I think Bolton is awesome. I listen to him on the Batchelor show and other radio shows all the time. I would be thrilled to vote for him, but I dont think people are going to vote for Col. Mustard.
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I think Bolton is awesome. I listen to him on the Batchelor show and other radio shows all the time. I would be thrilled to vote for him, but I dont think people are going to vote for Col. Mustard.
I`ve seen many interviews with Bolton and caught him on Bill Maher several times and found him to at least have a defined world view, realizes the religious nonsense is polluting the GOP on social issues (he is an atheist) and is all about military strength. He is the total opposite of a Sarah Palin and Bachmann in that he is also pretty intelligent and would never get caught in petty nonsense like they always do. In fact, he think both are morons. haha
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ROFLMAO at the South Carolina joke. Obama will eviscerate these schmucks.
No he won't, because none of them is likely the nominee, with the possible exception of Pawlenty.
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Huntsman makes debut as possible White House candidate
By: CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) - In a commencement address Saturday at the University of South Carolina, his first public appearance since returning from Beijing to explore a Republican presidential bid, former ambassador to China Jon Huntsman painted his service in the Obama administration as a patriotic duty.
"Give back, as much as you're able," Huntsman told more than 11,000 graduates of the USC College of Arts and Sciences in Columbia. "Work to keep America great. Serve her, if asked. I was, by a president of a different political party. But in the end, while we might not all be of one party, we are all part of one nation, a nation that needs your generational gift of energy and confidence."
The speech was one of two commencement addresses Huntsman has scheduled in key primary states as he considers a White House bid, which GOP insiders believe is all-but-certain. He is also slated to speak to graduates of Southern New Hampshire University on May 21.
But while Huntsman sidestepped political talk in his remarks Saturday, his two-day visit to South Carolina was unmistakably designed to plant the seeds for a presidential campaign.
Huntsman was accompanied at the speech by several of his top political advisers, including the California-based advertising guru Fred Davis.
And Friday, Huntsman had a series of meetings in Columbia with local Republicans and a private sit-down with South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, whose endorsement is being sought by every Republican in the field.
Questioned about his timeline for deciding on a bid following the meeting, Huntsman told reporters that "things are moving pretty quickly." When asked if he thinks the Republican field is ready for a new candidate, he said "there is always room for a new voice."
He echoed that sentiment on Saturday in his remarks, previewing what could be a campaign message.
"Our system needs new thinking," said Huntsman, who was twice elected governor of Utah before being appointed to the China post by President Obama in early 2009. "We need a fresh generation of innovators, leaders, risk takers, entrepreneurs, scientists, and activists."
Highlighting his foreign policy credentials, Huntsman rejected suggestions that the United States is falling behind China in the global economy.
"I know there are many in China who think their time has come, that America's best days are over," Huntsman said. "And, there are probably some in this country who have lost confidence and think that China is the next best thing. But these people aren't seeing things from my earlier vantage point of 10,000 miles away. The real test of a nation is not how well it does when times are good, but how well it does when times are tough. The way I saw it from overseas, America's passion remains as strong today as ever."
Huntsman, a keyboard player who rides a motorcycle, also sought to position himself as something of a hipper alternative to the candidates currently gunning for the Republican nomination.
He recalled how he kept his hair "Rod Stewart-shaggy" and wore "super skinny jeans" in his high school days, when he played in a rock band called Wizard.
"Wizard didn't make it, but I will never regret following my passion," he said. "Sometimes we take America for granted, sometimes we forget that we have the freedom to pursue any passion while many in this world do not."
He concluded his speech with a line from the band Ben Folds Five and told the graduates, "Never forget to rock n' roll."
Huntsman will spend the next week in Florida, Pennsylvania, New York and Washington, D.C. meeting with Republican leaders and donors.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/07/huntsman-makes-debut-as-possible-white-house-candidate/#more-158304
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Interested to hear this guy speak.
Huntsman impresses GOP heavyweights in key early primary state
By: CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) – Former Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman told a room of South Carolina Republicans on Saturday that he could finalize his thinking about the GOP presidential race before the month is out, multiple sources present for the closed-door meeting told CNN.
One of those in the room, state Rep. Alan Clemmons, tweeted during the meeting that Huntsman said he "will be deciding over the next two to three weeks whether there is critical mass" to mount a White House campaign.
That account was confirmed to CNN by four other Republicans invited to the meeting.
Clemmons, who backed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney during his 2008 presidential bid, was one of roughly 40 influential Republican leaders and donors in the key early primary state invited to meet Huntsman at the Palmetto Club in downtown Columbia.
A roster of state GOP heavy-hitters showed up for the confab, including state Ports Authority Chairman Bill Stern, Attorney General Alan Wilson, former Attorney General Henry McMaster, House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham, state Treasurer Curtis Loftis, state Sen. John Courson, Columbia attorney Kevin Hall and Palmetto Family Council President Oran Smith. Huntsman also met privately with Gov. Nikki Haley on Friday.
Huntsman convened the Saturday meeting after delivering a morning commencement speech at the University of South Carolina, his first public appearance since returning from Beijing to explore a potential Republican presidential bid.
Before the meeting, Huntsman and his wife lunched with one of the state's top legislators, state House Speaker Bobby Harrell.
He also revealed to a handful of Republicans that he dined with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a fellow rock music enthusiast and potential presidential contender, earlier this week in New York.
And Huntsman will have dinner next week with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, an aide confirmed to CNN.
Huntsman focused his remarks on his family, his tenure in China and his accomplishments as governor of Utah and received glowing reviews from several Republicans in the room, who spoke anonymously because they did not want to be named discussing a private meeting.
"The consensus was, 'Holy crap this guy looks like a president,'" said one person who was there. "I have never seen anybody sweep into this state so quickly so fast and get as much accomplished in 48 hours as Huntsman has done."
Huntsman is being advised by several veteran political operatives who managed Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign in 2008, but many of those at the meeting supported opposing candidates during the last presidential race, including Romney, Huckabee and former Sen. Fred Thompson.
Huntsman, it seems, managed to make a good impression among those still looking for a candidate to support in 2012.
"From my conversations with a few others in attendance and glances around the room, his remarks were well-received," another Republican source told CNN. "One person who had never met him before remarked, 'I liked him better than anyone I've seen.'"
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/07/huntsman-impresses-gop-heavyweights-in-key-early-primary-state/#more-158328
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Interested to hear this guy speak.
Huntsman impresses GOP heavyweights in key early primary state
By: CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) – Former Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman told a room of South Carolina Republicans on Saturday that he could finalize his thinking about the GOP presidential race before the month is out, multiple sources present for the closed-door meeting told CNN.
One of those in the room, state Rep. Alan Clemmons, tweeted during the meeting that Huntsman said he "will be deciding over the next two to three weeks whether there is critical mass" to mount a White House campaign.
That account was confirmed to CNN by four other Republicans invited to the meeting.
Clemmons, who backed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney during his 2008 presidential bid, was one of roughly 40 influential Republican leaders and donors in the key early primary state invited to meet Huntsman at the Palmetto Club in downtown Columbia.
A roster of state GOP heavy-hitters showed up for the confab, including state Ports Authority Chairman Bill Stern, Attorney General Alan Wilson, former Attorney General Henry McMaster, House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham, state Treasurer Curtis Loftis, state Sen. John Courson, Columbia attorney Kevin Hall and Palmetto Family Council President Oran Smith. Huntsman also met privately with Gov. Nikki Haley on Friday.
Huntsman convened the Saturday meeting after delivering a morning commencement speech at the University of South Carolina, his first public appearance since returning from Beijing to explore a potential Republican presidential bid.
Before the meeting, Huntsman and his wife lunched with one of the state's top legislators, state House Speaker Bobby Harrell.
He also revealed to a handful of Republicans that he dined with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a fellow rock music enthusiast and potential presidential contender, earlier this week in New York.
And Huntsman will have dinner next week with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, an aide confirmed to CNN.
Huntsman focused his remarks on his family, his tenure in China and his accomplishments as governor of Utah and received glowing reviews from several Republicans in the room, who spoke anonymously because they did not want to be named discussing a private meeting.
"The consensus was, 'Holy crap this guy looks like a president,'" said one person who was there. "I have never seen anybody sweep into this state so quickly so fast and get as much accomplished in 48 hours as Huntsman has done."
Huntsman is being advised by several veteran political operatives who managed Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign in 2008, but many of those at the meeting supported opposing candidates during the last presidential race, including Romney, Huckabee and former Sen. Fred Thompson.
Huntsman, it seems, managed to make a good impression among those still looking for a candidate to support in 2012.
"From my conversations with a few others in attendance and glances around the room, his remarks were well-received," another Republican source told CNN. "One person who had never met him before remarked, 'I liked him better than anyone I've seen.'"
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/07/huntsman-impresses-gop-heavyweights-in-key-early-primary-state/#more-158328
Don`t worry,
Huntsman is way too intelligent for the GOP, especially for the tea party types. Its too bad because he is miles ahead of all the schmucks that you and the rest here seem to rally around.
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Don`t worry,
Huntsman is way too intelligent for the GOP, especially for the tea party types. Its too bad because he is miles ahead of all the schmucks that you and the rest here seem to rally around.
I haven't rallied around anyone. ::)
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I haven't rallied around anyone. ::)
Huntsman is not a bad choice so can you at least try to support him rather than the other lunatics.
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Huntsman is not a bad choice so can you at least try to support him rather than the other lunatics.
I'll likely support whomever is running against Obama.
I'm listening to some clips of Huntsman. He sounds good.
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Why is he running? He sent two love letters to bama for gods sake!
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I've been talking about huntsman as the guy obama is most worried about for 2 years now.
Why is he running? He sent two love letters to bama for gods sake!
Trump sent love letters to Pelosi and you didn't care ;)
Trump praised obama in his book and you didn't care ;)
Why the huntsman hate? The guy's worth billions, he is smart as a whip, experienced with chinese finance, and didn't jump to help obama - his president asked him to take a highly important position in international finance to serve his country, and he accepted. And he offered him that job partially because he was so scared of him for 2012...
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I've been talking about huntsman as the guy obama is most worried about for 2 years now.
Trump sent love letters to Pelosi and you didn't care ;)
Trump praised obama in his book and you didn't care ;)
Why the huntsman hate? The guy's worth billions, he is smart as a whip, experienced with chinese finance, and didn't jump to help obama - his president asked him to take a highly important position in international finance to serve his country, and he accepted. And he offered him that job partially because he was so scared of him for 2012...
And he speaks fluent Mandarin...but he is also a religious nutcase, unfortunately.
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And he speaks fluent Mandarin...but he is also a religious nutcase, unfortunately.
fluent mandarin, that is mindboggling.
obama is not scared of trump or palin. he's scared of this guy.
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fluent mandarin, that is mindboggling.
obama is not scared of trump or palin. he's scared of this guy.
And he speaks the local Taiwan dialect as well....he did live there after all, but he has too many negatives beyond this.
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Why is he running? He sent two love letters to bama for gods sake!
They're all flawed in some way.
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And he speaks fluent Mandarin...but he is also a religious nutcase, unfortunately.
What makes him a "religious nutcase"?
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What makes him a "religious nutcase"?
Huntsman's maternal grandfather David B. Haight was an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which Huntsman and his family are also members.
There is no such thing as 'Mormon light'.
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There is no such thing as 'Mormon light'.
I see. You believe all Mormons are nutcases. Do you believe all Christians are nutcases?
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I see. You believe all Mormons are nutcases. Do you believe all Christians are nutcases?
Depends on the definition, but loosely speaking no.
There are moderate Christians who don't believe in the literal word of the Bible for example.
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maybe this will be the "Year of the Mormon". I thought a Jewish prez would come first.
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Depends on the definition, but loosely speaking no.
There are moderate Christians who don't believe in the literal word of the Bible for example.
This makes no sense.
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Rep. Ron Paul announces candidacy for president
By: By CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
(CNN)-Saying "the time is right" because more people agree with his positions, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas on Friday announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination.
The long-time lawmaker, who was first elected to the House of Representatives 35 years ago, says he's optimistic about his chances and that his "supporters are enthusiastic."
The 75-year-old Paul, whose libertarian views and outspoken criticism of American foreign and monetary policy has often put him at odds with the GOP, made his announcement on ABC's "Good Morning America." Paul is expected to repeat his announcement of candidacy later Friday at a campaign event in Exeter, New Hampshire, where he's also expected to receive several endorsements.
This is Paul's third bid for the White House. He ran as a libertarian in 1988 and for the Republican nomination four years ago. His campaign in the last presidential election raised eyebrows, thanks to the energy and enthusiasm of his legions of supporters, and thanks to his online fundraising prowess. He brought in millions of dollars in one- to two-day fundraising efforts - or so-called "money bombs."
When it comes to fundraising, it seems that Paul picked up in 2011 where he left off after he dropped out of the 2008 campaign. He raised more than $1 million in a 24-hour period last week, timed to coincide with his appearance at the first Republican presidential debate in Greenville, South Carolina.
Paul has hinted for months that he could launch another bid for the White House. His aides announced on April 14 that he had formed a "testing the waters" account and 12 days later announced the formation of an official presidential exploratory committee.
Paul made that announcement in Iowa, the state which holds the first contest in the presidential primary and caucus calendar. New Hampshire comes second on the calendar. After the event in Exeter on Friday, Paul is scheduled to attend a dinner in Lebanon hosted by the Grafton County Republican Party.
Paul generally holds a non-intervention stance when it comes to foreign policy, believing that the U.S. should avoid entangling alliances with other nations and avoid all wars not related directly to self defense of the country. Paul voted against the resolution authorizing the Iraq war. He also advocates withdrawing U.S. participation and funding from such organizations as the United Nations and NATO.
Paul has taken issue with the way the raid against Osama Bin Laden was carried out, saying that "we could have done it differently," and added that he would have carried out the mission to kill the founder and leader of the al Qaeda terrorist network in a different way than President Obama handled the situation.
But as for the killing of the man behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he says "I'm delighted he's gone."
On fiscal issues, Paul is a strong believer in free market principles and has called for abolishing the Federal Reserve. Thanks to his stance on economic issues, Paul enjoys strong support from many Tea Party activists. For two straight years, he's won the presidential straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
The most recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll indicated that 10 percent of Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP support Paul for their party's nomination, which places him fifth in the horse race. But the same survey also indicated that in a hypothetical 2012 general election head-to-head with Obama, Paul trailed by 7 percent, performing better than any other probable or possible Republican candidate.
Paul's son Rand, who like his father is a doctor, won election to the Senate from Kentucky last November. Earlier this year the younger Paul said there was a chance he would enter the race for the GOP nomination if his father didn't.
Rep. Ron Paul will appear on CNN's "The Situation Room" to discuss his 2012 candidacy for president Friday.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/13/breaking-rep-ron-paul-announces-third-bid-for-presidency/?hpt=T1
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Huckabee Opts Against 2012 White House Bid
Published May 14, 2011
FoxNews.com
Mike Huckabee said Saturday there would be no sequel to his surprisingly strong 2008 White House bid, in which he won the Iowa Republican caucus and finished second in the primaries to Sen. John McCain.
"All the factors say go, but my heart says no," Huckabee, who was considered the GOP frontrunner in several national polls, said on his Fox News Channel show.
The show is normally prerecorded before it airs at 8 p.m. ET, but Huckabee saved the last 10 minutes of tonight’s broadcast to make his announcement live.
"The past few months have been times of deep personal reflection," Huckabee said. "Even though I wasn't actively establishing a campaign organization or seeking financial support to run again, polls have consistently put me at or near the top to be the Republican nominee."
"But I know that under the best of circumstances, being President is a job that takes one to the limit of his or her human capacity," he continued. "I can't know or predict the future, but I know for now my answer is clear and firm: I will not seek the Republican nomination for President this year."
Huckabee said others probably thought about a presidential bid more than he did.
"I had not done much toward a race because my life was filled with work that I truly love here at Fox News, doing radio commentaries on my daily Huckabee Report on 600 radio stations, traveling the country for speaking engagements, and helping good conservative, pro-life candidates who were running for office," he said.
Donald Trump delivered a message after Huckabee's decision to opt out.
"A lot of people are very happy that he will not be running, especially other candidates, so Mike enjoy the show," Trump said. "The ratings are terrific. Good luck."
Huckabee led polls early in the 2012 season, even winning a South Carolina county straw poll in April. Supporters took to Facebook to express their dismay.
"Mike- I respect your decision but I am very disheartened," a contributor to Huckabee's Facebook page wrote.
Before his announcement Saturday night, Huckabee hadn't shared his decision with his closest advisers.
Many of those advisers predicted Huckabee wouldn't run.
Ed Rollins, who was Huckabee's national campaign chairman for the 2008 campaign, said he expected this decision after Huckabee had broken off communications with him about a week ago.
“He’s not going to run,” 2008 Huckabee campaign director Ed Rollins told Fox News before the announcement. "About a week ago he broke off communications, which tells me he's not going to run.”
But as late as Saturday morning, Huckabee wouldn't tip his hand even when asked about Rollin's statement.
"I haven't even told my executive producer of the show tonight what the decision is," Huckabee said on "Fox and Friends."
"That's kind of refreshing because for the last several months they've all known," he said when asked about predictions by political insiders that he wouldn't run. "They've either known for sure that I was or for sure that I wasn't, when even I wasn't sure. Now that I'm sure they admit they don't know."
In the end, Huckabee decided that he didn't want to abandon the media empire that he has built since his failed presidential bid four years ago. In addition to his TV show, Huckabee hosts a nationally syndicated radio program, gives paid speeches around the country and has even launched a series of animated videos for children on American history.
The talk show is the centerpiece of Huckabee's enterprises, which have made the one-time Baptist preacher from Hope, Ark., and 10-year governor a wealthy man with a $2.2 million beachfront home under construction in Florida. Huckabee, 55, and his wife moved their residency and voter registration to the state last year.
Rollins and other advisers have said Huckabee could enter the race with a frontrunner status he didn't have as a former governor fresh out of office in 2008. But another Huckabee run would bring renewed scrutiny over his support of some tax increases in Arkansas and his record on clemency -- including commuting the sentence of a man who later killed four Seattle-area police officers.
Huckabee demurred when asked on Fox whether he felt an obligation to run.
"The obligation is to love your country and serve it the best way you can. If that's being a candidate, then yes. If it's maybe in another role, maybe that's it," Huckabee said
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/05/14/huckabee-opts-2012-white-house-bid/
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Thank heavens. Huck was horrible.
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I like Huck, but I didn't think he was going to get out of the primary.
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Huntsman to attend major social-conservative forum
By: CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
Washington (CNN) - Do you need more evidence that Jon Huntsman is making the moves towards running for Republican presidential nomination?
If so, here you go: Huntsman will attend a major social conservative conference early next month here in the nation's capitol. The former U.S. Ambassador to China and former Utah governor will address the Faith and Freedom Conference and Strategy Briefing on Friday June 3, according to a statement Monday from Ralph Reed, the organization's founder. A spokesman for Huntsman confirmed the news to CNN.
Huntsman stepped down as U.S. ambassador to China at the end of last month. Since then he traveled to South Carolina to meet with Nikki Haley, the state's popular GOP governor, as well as meeting with other Republican lawmakers, strategists and activists, as well as giving a commencement speech at the University of South Carolina. The state holds the first southern contest in the primary and caucus calendar.
Thursday Huntsman kicks off a five day campaign swing through New Hampshire, which holds the first primary in the road to the White House.
Huntsman joins a large list of 2012 GOP White House candidates, and probable and possible hopefuls, speaking at the Faith and Freedom two-day gathering. They are former Massachusetts Gov. and 2008 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/16/huntsman-to-attend-major-social-conservative-forum/#more-159287
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Rasmussen: GOP Race Now Wide Open — Look for Dark Horse
Monday, 16 May 2011
By Martin Gould and Ashley Martella
The GOP presidential nominee will probably be someone who’s not even in the mix yet, pollster Scott Rasmussen told NewsmaxTV in an exclusive interview.
The race is so wide open and the enthusiasm for all the declared candidates is so weak that a dark horse could come from nowhere and clinch the nomination at the wire, he said.
And the chances of the Republicans actually taking the White House will depend almost entirely on the economy, Rasmussen predicted. If it’s doing well by fall 2012, President Obama will win a second term; if it’s into a double dip recession the GOP will get in easily and if it’s still bumping along like it is now, it will be a tight race.
Rasmussen was speaking as the political fall-out from the withdrawals of Mike Huckabee and Donald Trump were reshaping the Republican run. He says that latest polls show that Huckabee, Trump and Sarah Palin between them are the first choices of 43 percent of GOP voters — although two are definitely out and Palin probably won’t run either.
After Trump’s official announcement that he was not going to run for president, Rasmussen added:
"The news that Donald Trump is not running for President is not really a surprise and will have little impact on the wide open field seeking the GOP nomination. It’s worth noting that an earlier poll asked people about the race if Huckabee, Trump, and Palin didn’t run. In that race, Mitt Romney and Chris Christie came out on top. For the moment, Romney is a vulnerable frontrunner and many Republican voters are looking elsewhere."
Rasmussen categorized Romney, Mitch Daniels and Tim Pawlenty as the “establishment-approved candidates” but said that could be a disadvantage. “Voters are unhappy with the Republican Party leadership in Washington so look for something different," he said. “They are looking for someone who will change the game, not just play it a little differently."
He said that with the election still nearly 18 months away, there is plenty of time for a new name to emerge, saying he expected perhaps a state governor would announce a run around Thanksgiving or even Christmas and stir up the race. “The process itself is so open at the moment that I’m not at all confident that the ultimate nominee is there,” said Rasmussen.
Of the current candidates, Rasmussen said Newt Gingrich just about ruled himself out with his comments this week supporting parts of the President’s health care plan that call for the mandatory purchase of insurance. “He’s not looking like a team player. I don’t quite know what Speaker Gingrich was doing with this one,” he said.
Rasmussen said the killing of Osama bin Laden gave President Obama a small bump in the polls, and the reason it wasn’t larger is because voters are focusing almost entirely on the economy. “Only 6 percent of voters nationwide say national security issues are number one right now. This was a single decision on a national security matter. The president right now is getting good reviews for his handling of national security but only 34 percent think he’s doing a good job on the economy.”
And it is the economy that will decide the election, he predicted. “If the economy is really humming along and jobs are being created and people are feeling good about their own finances, this president will be hard to defeat.
“If the economy goes into a double-dip recession it will be hard for a Republican to lose and if we muddle along like we are today, it’s going to be a close election. Things like the housing market and personal financial concerns are likely to drive the debate.”
But he said whoever the eventual GOP candidate is, the party faithful will rally round to defeat Obama. “Republicans will not have a passion problem,” he predicted. “Barack Obama will supply the passion for Republicans just like George Bush supplied passion for the Democrats the last time around.”
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/Huckabee-ScottRasmussen-polls-candidates/2011/05/16/id/396523
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Romney fundraising day yields $10.25m
E-mail | Print | Comments (4) Posted by Matt Viser, reporter May 16, 2011 05:16 PM
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By Matt Viser, Globe Staff
LAS VEGAS – Mitt Romney raised $10.25 million from his National Call Day here today, far exceeding the haul he brought in from a similar fundraising day in Boston four years ago.
With around 720 supporters placing calls around the country throughout the day, he sought to put on full display one of the most important attributes for his emerging campaign: raising money.
Supporters -- gathered in a conference room at the Las Vegas Convention Center that Romney aides happily noted was the size of two football fields -- began gathering to make calls at 5:30 a.m., asking contributors to give the maximum to his campaign.
Former Olympic speed-skaters Dan Jansen and Derek Parra were on hand, and model Cindy Crawford was featured in the demonstration video teaching volunteers how to use the fundraising software, dubbed ComMitt.
“It’s only $2,500,” one fundraiser was overheard saying on his cell phone. “I wish I could ask for more.”
The National Call Day was similar to a daylong fundraising event Romney held in Boston during his last campaign, which his staff said drew about 400 people and brought in $6.5 million in actual contributions and signed pledges.
That event, held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, was meant to highlight his home state, with the Fenway Park anthem “Dirty Water” blaring from the loudspeakers after he spoke.
This time, the event was held 2,700 miles away, and designed to show how import Nevada will be to Romney’s campaign this time. The state is set to be third in line, behind Iowa and New Hampshire, and Romney has placed nearly as much early emphasis on Nevada as he has on New Hampshire.
“I think he’s incredibly well positioned,” said Meg Whitman, the former eBay chief executive who ran unsuccessfully for governor of California last year and has been a close adviser to Romney. “Nevada is a crucial state for ultimately Mitt Romney to win the nomination. He will be here a lot…it’s absolutely essential.”
Romney today also held a “town hall” meeting on Facebook, where he appeared live from the fundraiser and selected five questions to answer. Not surprisingly, almost all of them had to do with economic concerns, the area Romney has focused on tightly.
“Our president, likable as he is, has done all the wrong things to turn the economy around,” Romney said. “Government has to be a partner with the economy, not a foe or a competitor with the entrepreneur and the businessperson.”
Romney also criticized the financial reform legislation passed by Congress last year and spearheaded by Representative Barney Frank, of Newton. He called it a “massive burden” and said “it make it harder” for businesses to prepare for future investments.
“Washington passed this big Dodd-Frank bill…that has literally thousands of pages of regulations,” Romney said. “Because the banking industry is so frightened, they’ve held back” on making investment.
He also said he would cut the deficit, largely by focusing on discretionary spending cuts and reforms to entitlement programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. Romney has yet to outline in-depth what types of reforms that would entail.
But he also pledged not to cut the defense budget, saying any spending viewed as wasteful would be redirected to military programs.
He closed by thanking the 900,000 followers who had become his friend through Facebook, and then requested that they consider making a donation.
“You’ll even get airline miles for it,” he said.
Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.
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Romney fundraising day yields $10.25m
E-mail | Print | Comments (4) Posted by Matt Viser, reporter May 16, 2011 05:16 PM
E-mail this article To: Invalid email address Add a personal message: Your e-mail: Invalid email address Sending your articleYour article has been sent.
By Matt Viser, Globe Staff
LAS VEGAS – Mitt Romney raised $10.25 million from his National Call Day here today, far exceeding the haul he brought in from a similar fundraising day in Boston four years ago.
With around 720 supporters placing calls around the country throughout the day, he sought to put on full display one of the most important attributes for his emerging campaign: raising money.
Supporters -- gathered in a conference room at the Las Vegas Convention Center that Romney aides happily noted was the size of two football fields -- began gathering to make calls at 5:30 a.m., asking contributors to give the maximum to his campaign.
Former Olympic speed-skaters Dan Jansen and Derek Parra were on hand, and model Cindy Crawford was featured in the demonstration video teaching volunteers how to use the fundraising software, dubbed ComMitt.
“It’s only $2,500,” one fundraiser was overheard saying on his cell phone. “I wish I could ask for more.”
The National Call Day was similar to a daylong fundraising event Romney held in Boston during his last campaign, which his staff said drew about 400 people and brought in $6.5 million in actual contributions and signed pledges.
That event, held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, was meant to highlight his home state, with the Fenway Park anthem “Dirty Water” blaring from the loudspeakers after he spoke.
This time, the event was held 2,700 miles away, and designed to show how import Nevada will be to Romney’s campaign this time. The state is set to be third in line, behind Iowa and New Hampshire, and Romney has placed nearly as much early emphasis on Nevada as he has on New Hampshire.
“I think he’s incredibly well positioned,” said Meg Whitman, the former eBay chief executive who ran unsuccessfully for governor of California last year and has been a close adviser to Romney. “Nevada is a crucial state for ultimately Mitt Romney to win the nomination. He will be here a lot…it’s absolutely essential.”
Romney today also held a “town hall” meeting on Facebook, where he appeared live from the fundraiser and selected five questions to answer. Not surprisingly, almost all of them had to do with economic concerns, the area Romney has focused on tightly.
“Our president, likable as he is, has done all the wrong things to turn the economy around,” Romney said. “Government has to be a partner with the economy, not a foe or a competitor with the entrepreneur and the businessperson.”
Romney also criticized the financial reform legislation passed by Congress last year and spearheaded by Representative Barney Frank, of Newton. He called it a “massive burden” and said “it make it harder” for businesses to prepare for future investments.
“Washington passed this big Dodd-Frank bill…that has literally thousands of pages of regulations,” Romney said. “Because the banking industry is so frightened, they’ve held back” on making investment.
He also said he would cut the deficit, largely by focusing on discretionary spending cuts and reforms to entitlement programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. Romney has yet to outline in-depth what types of reforms that would entail.
But he also pledged not to cut the defense budget, saying any spending viewed as wasteful would be redirected to military programs.
He closed by thanking the 900,000 followers who had become his friend through Facebook, and then requested that they consider making a donation.
“You’ll even get airline miles for it,” he said.
Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.
A bit better than Ron Paul's million. This is the kind of money the winning candidate will need to bring in after a one-day event.
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well, it is Mitt's turn....
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Bachmann or Huntsman looking to be the dark horses.
Establishment hates mitt. newt self destructing already. pawlenty is just getting more weird and boring. Daniels was bush's budget director and is going so far overboard with the PP stuff...
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Here comes Huntsman
By: CNN Political Correspondent Jim Acosta
Hanover, New Hampshire (CNN) –Jon Huntsman plunged into the presidential waters Thursday, hitting New Hampshire with the kind of swarm of news cameras, journalists and expectations normally seen buzzing around a more established campaign.
In front of a small GOP crowd in the town of Hanover, the former Republican governor of Utah and, more recently, U.S. ambassador to China under President Barack Obama tried to downplay expectations.
"We are the quintessential margin-of-error potential candidate," Huntsman said.
But the presidential stage-crafting was hard to miss. Huntsman arrived at Thursday's scheduled "meet and greet" at Jesse's Restaurant with his wife, Mary Kaye, and two of the couple's seven children at their side.
Inside the eatery once frequented by the likes of candidates including Barack Obama and John McCain, Huntsman said he will make a decision on his 2012 plans in the coming weeks.
"We are in the early stages of due diligence," he said.
Seen as a rising star in the GOP, Huntsman has yet to declare his candidacy. But he plans to make roughly a dozen stops over five days in this crucial primary state. His pre-campaign swing is generating national media attention as some Republicans have expressed reservations about the current slate of potential candidates.
But in a brief interview with CNN, Huntsman acknowledged some Republicans will have questions. First among them is that Huntsman stepped down as Utah's governor to serve as President Obama's ambassador to China. "Every candidate has a record," he said.
Huntsman then took the issue head-on during his opening remarks. "I didn't serve President Obama I served my president," said Huntsman. "I'm the kind of person, when I'm asked, I serve," he added.
The ex-diplomat spent much of the evening laying out his foreign policy views, even offering some brief criticism of Obama's speech on the Middle East Thursday. In that speech, Obama called for Israel and Palestine to return to borders established in 1967.
The president's speech prompted criticism from some Republicans, with likely GOP contender Mitt Romney declaring that Obama had thrown Israel "under the bus."
Huntsman offered no such red meat. "When you've got sensitive negotiations, the first question I have to ask is that if you respect Israel, we probably ought to ask what they think is best," he said.
Huntsman's economic message drew on his experience in China as he reflected on how he viewed the U.S. from "10,000 miles away."
Describing China as "proud" and "growing" and the United States as "depressed" and "dispirited," Huntsman said the upcoming presidential race will determine whether the nation can get its "act together."
"It's going to be about whether this country is ready for the 21st century," Huntsman said.
Huntsman's understated, cerebral approach will be tested by conservatives who don't like the former governor's past support for "cap and trade" legislation and civil unions for same-sex couples.
The low-volume approach didn't work with everybody in the crowd.
"Speak up!" shouted one woman.
The potential contender obliged.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/19/here-comes-huntsman/#more-159928
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GOP leaders restless about 2012 candidates, but ready to take on Obama
By: CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Dallas (CNN) – GOP leaders from around the country who gathered in Dallas this week for a meeting of the Republican National Committee view their field of 2012 presidential contenders as unsettled, unpredictable and perhaps a bit uninspiring.
But there was also consensus at the meeting that their eventual nominee won't have to worry about galvanizing Republican support in the general election, a dilemma the party faced in 2008 when the GOP was burdened by an unpopular president and a nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, who had a famously rocky relationship with conservatives.
The reason for their optimism this time around? President Barack Obama.
West Virginia GOP Chairman Mike Stuart, for one, replied with a flat "no" when asked if voters in his state were excited about the current roster of Republicans seeking the presidential nomination.
A backer of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney when he ran 2008, Stuart said he is now second-guessing his support because of the similarities between Obama's sweeping health care reform bill and the one signed into law earlier by Romney in Massachusetts.
Yet Stuart predicted that Republicans would have no problem rallying behind Romney or any other GOP candidate because of fierce grassroots opposition to the Obama administration.
"Republicans in West Virginia are united behind whoever will run against Obama," Stuart told CNN. "There is so much frustration about the Obama policies."
In nearly two dozen interviews at the RNC's three-day strategy session, party insiders expressed some measure of anxiety about the early field of candidates, highlighted by Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
While several Republicans groused privately about the current crop of GOP candidates, most seemed to agree that their chances of reclaiming the White House remain strong thanks to a resurgent GOP base.
"I am not seeing lightning striking for any of the candidates at this point, but Republicans are eager to find the right candidate to coalesce around,” said Nevada Republican Chairman Bob List, adding reference to the president: “There is a very high voltage current running around the electorate saying we need to take this guy out."
There also was a shared belief - or hope, in some cases - that the early field of candidates will grow larger.
Some party leaders in Dallas remained hopeful that fresh-faced Republicans like Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan or New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will renege on promises not to run, though neither man seems likely to do so.
Others said Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who plans to make a decision about a White House bid in the coming weeks, would bring serious fiscal credentials and a genuine fundraising ability to the race.
Two GOP heavyweights - Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and Texas Gov. Rick Perry - visited the RNC meeting and predicted that more candidates would join the race in the coming weeks or months.
Barbour, who flirted with a presidential bid until deciding not to run last month, told CNN that he wants Daniels, a friend and political confidante, to pursue the nomination.
Perry, himself a subject of frequent presidential chatter, noted that "there are still a number of folks out there who have not made a decision" about running.
Republicans from New York and Florida, two hotbeds for political fundraising, said top GOP contributors in their states are still eyeing the field with caution, even with just seven months left until the Iowa caucuses officially kick off the nomination fight.
"It's kind of a mixed-bag right now," said Florida GOP Chairman Dave Bitner. "The donors are taking a wait-and-see approach."
New York Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox said Romney has a leg up on his competitors among the Wall Street donor set. Romney has assembled a formidable fundraising team and raised more than $10 million in a single day this week, a warning shot to his potential rivals for the nomination.
But Cox said Daniels and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman have the potential to make inroads with some of New York's leading financiers. He also suggested some power-brokers might try to draft Perry or Christie into the race.
"The donors are still sorting the candidates out now and they honestly haven't seen a lot of them show up yet and talk to them," he said.
Ohio GOP Chairman Kevin DeWine acknowledged that the candidates are not yet stirring passions within the Republican base.
But he said the wide-open nature of the race, along with new primary calendar rules designed to lengthen the nominating process, could ultimately help the Republican nominee in the same way a protracted primary fight helped boost Democratic grassroots energy in 2008
"This is a process where, ultimately, Republican voters in 25 to 30 states will have an opportunity to pick the nominee, instead of just automatically picking the guy who finished second in the last race, like we usually do," DeWine said. "All the various factions of the party are paying attention or getting engaged."
In the end, Louisiana GOP Chairman Roger Villere predicted, Republicans will be energized for a fight with Obama, no matter who tops the ticket.
"It's the Super Bowl of politics," Villere said. "We are ready for it."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/20/gop-leaders-restless-about-2012-candidates-but-ready-to-take-on-obama/#more-159922
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Romney to announce in New Hampshire next Thursday
By: CNN Political Unit
(CNN)–A Romney spokesperson tells former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will formally announce his candidacy for president Thursday, June 2, in New Hampshire.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/26/breaking-romney-to-announce-in-new-hampshire-next-thursday/
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Not exactly an electrifying bunch, but Republicans will probably have better choices in 2012 than they had in 2008.
Selling Them Short? 2012 GOP Candidates Work to Improve Image, Connect
By Judson Berger
Published May 27, 2011
FoxNews.com
In some circles, the Republican 2012 field has been written off faster than last year's business expenses.
Newt Gingrich lacks discipline. Mitt Romney's health care law was too similar to President Obama's. Nobody knows who Tim Pawlenty is.
All are common swipes against the budding crop of presidential hopefuls jockeying for the chance to take on Obama next year. But election analysts say these candidates still have a solid shot at competing, if they can just work out the kinks in their campaign machine.
The race is only just starting, and as Obama proved in 2008 and Bill Clinton proved in 1992, no candidate should be discounted. Although some in the GOP establishment clamor for a heavyweight to shake up the field, other Republican strategists say the field has some serious assets already.
"Obama's numbers aren't magnificent, and if you put a viable alternative out there ... then that person will give Obama a run for his money," Republican strategist Ron Bonjean said.
The candidates themselves are vying to be viable, insisting Republicans don't have to wait until 2016 for a chance at the White House. With some polls showing a generic Republican candidate beating the president, the environment suggests voters are just waiting for a GOP candidate who says the right things -- and a candidate they've heard of.
Take Pawlenty. A Gallup poll released Thursday underscored his problems connecting with voters, showing just 6 percent want him as their GOP nominee.
But Brad Blakeman, a former adviser to George W. Bush, said Pawlenty has the right stuff.
The former Minnesota governor comes from a purple state -- part red state and part blue state. And though the state continues to face future deficits, Pawlenty points to his record balancing the budget while in office. The unemployment rate also fell from a high of 8.5 percent to 6.7 percent at the end of his term.
"I think he's both selectable and electable," Blakeman said, referring to the two tests candidates will face -- the primary and general election.
Blakeman, who recently had dinner with Pawlenty in Florida, said Pawlenty has impressed him the most out of the field. He claimed Pawlenty is baggage-free and just needs to build his name -- by talking about his record in office and going more aggressively after Obama on the economy.
Somebody must have gotten Pawlenty the memo. Friday morning on Fox News, the ex-governor assailed the president for not proposing a major entitlement overhaul.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your little European pub crawl," Pawlenty said, referencing the president's overseas trip. "But where's President Obama's Medicare plan? ... We've got an absent president on this issue."
Pawlenty insisted his poll numbers would improve as voters get to know him.
Beating Pawlenty in the polls are former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who has announced his candidacy, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is expected to announce his candidacy next week in New Hampshire.
Gingrich has had a rocky time in his opening days as an official candidate. He had to apologize after criticizing GOP Rep. Paul Ryan's Medicare plan, and then he ran into some questions about a $500,000 line of credit at Tiffany & Co.
But despite the clamor for new conservative voices, Bonjean said Gingrich shouldn't be afraid to talk about what he did in the '90s. The split government back then resulted in a balanced budget and welfare reform, and he presided over a period of prosperity. "He can take some credit for it," Bonjean said.
He said Gingrich needs to connect with public opinion, by contrasting the budget progress of the '90s against "Obama's failure on deficit spending."
The same goes for Romney. The former governor recently delivered a speech in which he addressed concerns about the similarities between his state's health care plan and the one signed by Obama last year. Bonjean said Romney should consider the matter settled and move on to aggressively talking about his record as a corporate executive creating jobs.
Other announced candidates include businessman Herman Cain and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, with former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum expected to announce June 6.
Paul has a loyal base of followers who adore his libertarian-leaning worldview of small government and less foreign intervention. His challenge is breaking out of the mold of GOP gadfly and perennial candidate.
Cain, former head of Godfather's Pizza, seems determined to break into the top tier. Though his candidacy has endured some mocking, the Gallup poll this week showed him beating Pawlenty, with 8 percent support. (It also showed Paul with 10 percent and Romney leading overall.)
GOP strategist Karl Rove has questioned whether Cain has the experience to be a viable candidate. But Cain told Fox News on Thursday that the idea that candidates must have held office is the "old political paradigm."
"You don't have to have worked in politics and in government all your life to be able to solve a problem," he said. "That's what my record says."
The rap on Santorum is he's too focused on social issues, and he lost his Senate race in 2006 by a wide margin. But Santorum said Friday that his "message" will eventually improve his standing in the GOP pack. He noted that he emerged at the top during a recent straw poll in South Carolina.
Analysts say Santorum's social conservative views will help him in key primary states like Iowa and South Carolina, but that he would need a broader message to connect in a general election.
With the economy and deficits on the front burner, foreign policy continues to be the wild card - an issue that could play a much bigger role in the campaign ahead depending on the course of the Arab revolts, Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and the war against Al Qaeda.
The 2012 field is by no means set. Though Donald Trump, ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels say they're out, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has stirred speculation by announcing a bus tour this weekend. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., is expected to announce her plans next month in Iowa, and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman is weighing his options. Others are prodding New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/05/27/selling-short-2012-gop-candidates-work-improve-image-connect/
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Huntsman distances from Obama
By: CNN Political Unit
(CNN) – Potential 2012 GOP presidential candidate Jon Huntsman used an interview published Tuesday to clarify how close he is with President Obama, his former boss.
"We don't have a personal relationship," Huntsman, who served as U.S. ambassador to China under Obama, told Real Clear Politics. "I was asked to do a sensitive job, but it's not like it was based on a personal relationship."
President Obama and his aides have used the relationship to publically jab Huntsman while he mulls a run for the White House and the former Utah governor has said he was simply serving his country.
But in the same interview Huntsman criticized the president's economic agenda.
"We have no pro-growth policies," Huntsman said. "When was the last time we had a free-trade agreement?"
"I think he's a good man, and he's tried his best," Huntsman added.
The press has continually pressed him about his relationship with Obama, which might explain his picks for Republicans he "admires most," Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Huntsman said he admired Ryan's ability to find solutions and Huckabee for connecting to voters in a heartfelt way.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/31/huntsman-distances-from-obama/#more-161664
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Romeny is going to announce tomorrow (Thursday).
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People act like obama is some towering figure. He's not. With the economy in the toilet, he is easily beatable.
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Same man, different strategy, for Romney's second White House bid
By: CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
(CNN) - It was all about the economy and about New Hampshire when Mitt Romney made it official Thursday. The former Massachusetts governor and 2008 Republican presidential candidate formally announced his second bid for the White House, declaring his candidacy at an event in New Hampshire, the state that holds the first primary in the presidential caucus and primary calendar.
The man who many consider the early front-runner in the race for the GOP presidential nomination sharply criticized President Barack Obama over the state of the economy, saying "Barack Obama has failed America."
Romney attacked Obama for expanding the role of the federal government, adding, "we are only inches away from ceasing to be a free market economy. I will cap federal spending at 20 percent or less of the GDP and finally, finally balance the budget."
It's no surprise that Romney focused on the economy. He was criticized during his first bid for the White House for trying to be everything to everyone, weighing in often on domestic, international and social issues. This time around it appears to be different.
National polls indicate that the economy remains the top issue on the mind of Americans.
"The issue that most Americans are concerned about happens to be in my wheelhouse," Romney boasted last week at a campaign event in Iowa.
Romney has repeatedly criticized the president's handling of the economic recovery, blaming Obama for creating a climate of uncertainty for small business owners. He highlights his private sector experience, saying it gives him a better understanding of how to create jobs.
"From my first day in office my number one job will be to see that America once again is number one in job creation," Romney said when he announced his candidacy.
Romney made it official at a noontime barbecue at Stratham farm, a must-stop location for GOP contenders. But he isn't the only big name Republican in New Hampshire Thursday. Two people flirting with bids for the Republican presidential nomination, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, also hold events in the Granite State. Palin has grabbed the spotlight this week as she's made her way from the nation's capital to New England during a well-publicized tour that could be the first step toward a possible run for the White House.
This is the second time this spring Romney has used New Hampshire as a backdrop to make news, which tells us a lot about his strategy for his second bid for the GOP presidential nomination. On April 11, Romney announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee with a video he taped that day at the University of New Hampshire in Durham.
Romney is well known in New Hampshire. He was governor of neighboring Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007, is seen often on TV in New Hampshire (much of the more populated southern part of the state is in the Boston media market), he has a vacation home in the state's “lakes region” and he spent lots of time in the state in 2007 and 2008 in his first bid for the White House and last year as well, when he lent a helping hand to New Hampshire Republicans in the midterm election campaign.
"Republicans in the Granite State have been closely watching Gov. Romney for 10 years since he was elected in Massachusetts in 2002. He needs to win in a state where voters know him best," says Rich Galen, a Republican strategist who advised Fred Thompson during his 2008 GOP presidential bid, and who is the author of Mullings.com, an on-line column.
The strong name recognition and his past efforts in the state are most likely one reason why Romney's far ahead of the rest of the field in a CNN/WMUR poll. The survey, conducted by the University of New Hampshire and released late last month indicates that 33 percent of probable GOP primary voters in New Hampshire back Romney, with Rep. Ron Paul of Texas a distant second at nine percent.
"The shifting nature of the Republican field and a perception that the 'perfect candidate' candidate has not appeared, has led many New Hampshire Republicans to support the best known candidate, Mitt Romney," says Andrew Smith, Director of the UNH Survey Center. "Romney has been the clear favorite among New Hampshire Republicans for more than two years and no other candidate has persuaded voters to move away from Romney."
The poll also indicates that a desire by New Hampshire Republicans to pick someone who can beat President Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election may be behind his poll numbers.
"Republicans are looking for someone who can take on President Obama, and right now, Romney is seen as the only Republican who can do that," adds Smith.
Last week Romney made his first visit this cycle to Iowa, with three stops across the state that kicks off the presidential primary and caucus calendar. Romney also recently made his first stop in South Carolina, the first southern state to vote in the road to the White House.
"You will see me more than you like, I'm afraid, in Iowa," Romney said during a forum at the State Historical Building in Des Moines. "I will be here plenty and you will get to know what I stand for. Iowa plays a critical role in the process of selecting our nominee and selecting our president."
But Romney told reporters during his visit to the Hawkeye state that he'll run a "lean" campaign in 2012 and said his strategy would not hinge on any single state. He deflected questions about the Ames Straw Poll, a crucial test of each campaign's Iowa organization that will take place in August. Romney spent heavily to win the straw poll vote in the summer of 2007. But he ended up losing the caucuses to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. He also had a large campaign in New Hampshire, but came in second to Sen. John McCain of Arizona. This time around it seems Romney will be concentrating his firepower in the Granite State rather than Iowa or South Carolina.
"Whoever wins New Hampshire and the money and momentum that comes with it, has the nomination in his hands,” says Alex Castellanos, a Republican strategist and CNN contributor.
Castellanos was a top media adviser to the 2004 Bush-Cheney re-election campaign and to Romney's 2008 bid for the GOP presidential nomination, but has not taken sides in this cycle.
Romney is at or near the top of the most recent national polls of the Republican nomination horserace. He also appears to be the leading Republican presidential candidate when it comes to the battle for campaign cash. Romney aides say the campaign brought in more than $10 million from donors across the country during an all day phone bank held last month in Las Vegas.
Romney also spent much of April touring the country meeting with donors and fundraisers. He hopes to bring in an impressive haul for the crucial second quarter to show his strength as a candidate.
Romney raised $65.1 million in contributions for his 2008 bid for the GOP nomination. In addition he loaned his campaign $42.3 million from his personal funds.
Thanks to his standing in the polls, his fundraising strength, and his formidable campaign operation, Romney is considered by many to be the front-runner at this stage of the election cycle. And that's one reason why Democrats have increasingly attacked Romney.
"Since Mitt Romney bowed out of the Republican Primary in 2008, he and his handlers have been meticulously planning today's announcement – banking on a 2012 New Hampshire primary victory to slingshot him to the nomination," says Ray Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic party. "However, the problem for Mitt Romney is that the reason Granite Staters rejected him three years ago remains the same today: they believe he is a wishy-washy, flip-flopping politician who will say anything or take any position to suit his own immediate political needs."
National Democrats are also characterizing Romney as a "flip-flopper." The Democratic National Committee is out Thursday with a web video titled "Romney: Same candidate, different positions."
Democrats, as well as rival Republicans, have also fired away at Romney over a universal health care measure the then Massachusetts governor signed into law five years ago.
Democrats, including the president, have recently praised Romney's 2006 law for setting the stage for health care reform on the national stage.
"In fact, I agree with Mitt Romney, who recently said he's proud of what he accomplished on health care in Massachusetts and supports giving states the power to determine their own health care solutions," Obama said earlier this year.
The law insured almost every resident of Massachusetts. At the time, it was praised by supporters of health care reform as a landmark achievement for Romney. The lynchpin of the law was an insurance mandate that required the people of Massachusetts to get health insurance.
The insurance mandate in "Romneycare" wasn't a major liability in his first presidential run in 2008 because Obama's health care law wasn't born yet.
But it's a major issue now. Rival campaigns have attacked him and the issue could hurt him with tea party activists and other grassroots conservatives, who will be very influential in picking the next Republican presidential nominee.
Romney addressed his record in a March speech, explaining the law was a "state plan intended to address problems that were in many ways unique to Massachusetts."
"Our experiment wasn't perfect. Some things worked. Some didn't. And some things I'd change," Romney said. "One thing I would never do is to usurp the constitutional power of states with a one-size-fits-all federal takeover."
Last month Romney traveled to Michigan to give a major speech on health care, in which he issued a defense of the health care "experiment" he implemented while governor, saying "I, in fact, did what I thought was right for the people of our state."
But he also attempted to put distance between the president and himself, while moving closer to the Republican base, by calling the health care reform law passed last year a federal "power grab," describing it as "an economic nightmare" and the reason "why this recession has taken so long to move on from."
In the speech and in an op-ed the same day in the USA Today, Romney said he would "issue waivers for all 50 states" to opt-out of health care reform on his first day in office should he be "lucky" enough to become president.
The spotlights on health care and the economy aren't the only differences between the Romney of 2008 and 2012. Another is his appearance. Mostly gone are the suits and ties that the candidate wore in his first bid for the White House. The new Romney is a more casual candidate who didn't even wear a tie in his April video to announce the formation of his presidential exploratory committee. On Memorial Day, he even sent a tweet to his followers off a Romney family photo, in which he was wearing a polo shirt with slightly disheveled hair.
– CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby contributed to this report.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/02/same-man-different-strategy-for-romneys-second-white-house-bid/?hpt=hp_t1
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Huntsman: Announcement very soon
By: CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
Washington (CNN) - Jon Huntsman's official entry into the race for the White House won't happen before the June 13 GOP presidential debate in New Hampshire, but it could happen soon after the debate.
Speaking to reporters Friday after addressing the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference in the nation's capital, the former Utah governor and U.S. ambassador to China said he hopes to have an announcement "very soon. We've discussed this over the past week as a family, and we hope there will be more on that in the next week or two."
Huntsman will not be attending the CNN/WMUR/New Hampshire Union Leader debate, which is being held on the campus of St. Anselm College.
"Governor Huntsman will be spending the next few weeks continuing the due diligence process in line with the very short decision-making timetable he has laid out. He will not be participating in any debates until after that process is over and he formally announces his intentions. That announcement will not come before the June 13th debate," said Paul Collins, Huntsman's chief consultant in New Hampshire, late last month.
Huntsman didn't show his cards regarding where he will announce his candidacy for the GOP nomination, saying "we'll roll that out at an appropriate time and place, just to hold you in a little bit of suspense."
But he did acknowledge previous reports that his campaign headquarters will be based in Florida, saying "we will be moving, once we're announced, towards a campaign structure in Florida and specifically in Orlando. That is the operating plan at this point."
Asked if there's already an apparatus set up in Florida, he said "I do. I have a wife from Orlando."
Huntsman stepped down as U.S. ambassador to China at the end of April. Since then he traveled to the crucial early primary voting states of New Hampshire and South Carolina, and has begun to build up staff in the two states. Huntsman's aides see his route to winning the Republican nomination starting with strong finishes in New Hampshire and South Carolina, two states where independents are able to vote in GOP primaries.
New Hampshire holds the first primary in the primary and caucus calendar, and South Carolina is the first southern state to vote.
The decision to compete in socially conservative South Carolina might seem unusual for Huntsman given his past support for same-sex civil unions and questions about his Mormon faith, but the Huntsman team is confident that a fractured and wide-open GOP field could leave the door open for a fresh-faced candidate with foreign policy experience.
Huntsman said that part of his address to the Faith and Freedom conference was to "introduce myself and my family" to the gathering of influential social conservative activists.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/03/huntsman-announcement-very-soon/#more-162021
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huntsman has that presidential feel that a romney has... but he's a better version.
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I think Huntsman's tenure as Obama's ambassador to China is going to doom him. People accuse Romney and Pawlenty of not having charisma. This guy REALLY doesnt have it. He isnt someone people will follow.
Otherwise he has a very attractive resume.
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huntsman has that presidential feel that a romney has... but he's a better version.
and better looking..
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Barbour is right: no prefect candidate.
Pawlenty's 'Common Sense":Turn to God, Protect Unborn
Saturday, 04 Jun 2011 10:10 AM
WASHINGTON — A gathering of religious conservatives drew nearly all the GOP presidential hopefuls to a single stage, a claim that a South Carolina debate and a well-publicized forum in New Hampshire couldn't make about their recent events.
The Faith and Freedom Coalition's two-day conference proved that the religious right still plays a major role in the nominating process, even if it's less organized than during the Christian Coalition's heyday and economic issues are dominating the early campaign.
The gathering was a tryout for candidates hoping to fill a void left by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. The Southern Baptist minister won the 2008 Iowa caucus but is not running this time.
Most of the candidates spent more time on money issues than on spiritual matters on the opening day of the conference Friday. But they generally portrayed the federal debt and healthcare policies as moral concerns.
They also paid tribute to religious conservatives who often place abortion, gay marriage and other social issues ahead of questions such as taxes and spending.
Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman bypassed a large scrum of journalists but did give an interview to the Christian-oriented CBN network.
"I do not believe the Republican Party should focus solely on our economic life to the neglect of our human life," Huntsman told the conference audience of several hundred after citing numerous anti-abortion laws he signed as governor.
Huntsman and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney are Mormons, a group eyed suspiciously by some Christian conservatives. They did not directly mention Mormonism in their remarks.
The Republican contenders who seem to be making the most direct appeals to evangelical voters are former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who declined an invitation to the conference.
Pawlenty, a Catholic-turned-Protestant evangelical, opened and closed his remarks with biblical quotes. His said his top four "common sense principles" for the nation are to turn toward God, protect the unborn, support traditional marriage and keep Americans secure.
Bachmann, inching toward a presidential bid, reminded the audience that she home-schooled her five children and served as foster mother to 23 others. She said "marriage is under siege" in America and she ended with a prayer that asked a blessing for President Barack Obama, whom she had sharply criticized moments earlier.
Romney, seen as the Republicans' early front-runner, may have the toughest task in wooing religious conservatives. As a Senate candidate and one-term governor in Massachusetts, he supported legalized abortion, gay rights and gun control.
Romney has reversed his stands on those positions. Since speakers didn't take audience questions at the event, he had an easier time than he will in other settings.
He cited "our belief in the sanctity of human life," and said marriage should apply to "one man and one woman." Romney blamed Obama for the nation's high unemployment. Job losses can push marriages to the breaking point, he said, calling it "a moral crisis."
Rep. Ron Paul of Texas mixed quotes from the Bible's first book of Samuel with his familiar libertarian proposals, such as returning to the gold standard.
All these lines got applause. Still, a sense of unease sometimes hung over the event. Organizers acknowledged that some religious conservatives are not happy with the heavy emphasis on economic matters these days.
The audience members sat silently when Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour urged them to embrace the eventual nominee despite the certainty that they will disagree with him or her on some issues.
"Purity is the enemy of victory," said Barbour, who has decided against his own presidential bid.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Conservatives-GOPPrimary/2011/06/04/id/398828
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there was no perfect dem candidate in 2012.
Edwards was wanging the camera lady. Hilary was a polarizing psychopath. obama had a muslim name and no experience. Biden had hair plugs and no self control.
Two of those four twerps are running the country now!
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there was no perfect dem candidate in 2012.
Edwards was wanging the camera lady. Hilary was a polarizing psychopath. obama had a muslim name and no experience. Biden had hair plugs and no self control.
Two of those four twerps are running the country now!
Hillary was not polarizing. The MSM decided that they wanted obama and pushed that bogus story line to get obama elected. The 95%ers ate it up, the guilt ridden white morons ate it up, etc etc.
Obama is a media creation.
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Hillary was not polarizing.
WTF, dog?
hilary was one of the most polarizing political figures in history. TONS of polls about it-
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1229053,00.html
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WTF, dog?
hilary was one of the most polarizing political figures in history. TONS of polls about it-
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1229053,00.html
Again - YOU BOUGHT INTO THE MEDIA HYPE OVER OBAMA HOOK LINE AND SINKER. The other idiots on this board who voted for him did too.
You still do and dont even realze it. Its sad bro. Really - even after its pointed out to you, and most others who shamelessly and foolishly shill for this garbage potus they voted for, that his promises and policies are lies and bogus crap, you still cant accept the fact that you were conned.
I dont know if its pride, stupidity, naivety, hs girl like crush, peter pan syndrome, or what, but its really embarassing if you can't see how the MSM helped install obama into office by creating bogus nrratives of hillary and mccain.
Watch his and get a clue. She called him out fro day one and the msm and idiot keepadders refused to see the truth about the pofs they voted for.
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don't change the statement. You made a statement that hilary was not polarizing.
Do you stand by that statement, 33?
despite the many articles and polls showing her as one of the most polarizing political figures in a long time?
Do you stand by your statement?
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don't change the statement. You made a statement that hilary was not polarizing.
Do you stand by that statement, 33?
despite the many articles and polls showing her as one of the most polarizing political figures in a long time?
Do you stand by your statement?
Compared to Obama who had the most leftist record on any senator including Bernie Sanders?
GMAFB.
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Compared to Obama who had the most leftist record on any senator including Bernie Sanders?
GMAFB.
wait a second, you want to talk about obama instead of either confirming or denying your statement?
Is hilary polarizing, dude? yes or no?
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wait a second, you want to talk about obama instead of either confirming or denying your statement?
Is hilary polarizing, dude? yes or no?
She may be, but she was running against Obama. So her "polarizing" factor needs to be contrasted with that of who she ran against - the asshole from ILL with the most eftist record of any senator, including Bernie Sanders.
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Hillary was very polarizing. In fact, I thought that would be the thing that would prevent her from winning the general.
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Hillary was very polarizing.
Hillary was not polarizing.
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Hillary was very polarizing. In fact, I thought that would be the thing that would prevent her from winning the general.
She might have been, but for fucks sake - compare the two records in the Senate of obama and Hillary! and you call her Polarizing?
If Hillary was polarizng - what do you call someone w Obama's record? lmfao!
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She might have been, but for fucks sake - compare the two records in the Senate of obama and Hillary! and you call her Polarizing?
If Hillary was polarizng - what do you call someone w Obama's record? lmfao!
Obama didn't have much of a record. That's partly how he got elected.
Hillary's negative poll numbers were extremely high. Don't forget how visceral the Clinton hatred was during his presidency. It was just like the left's hatred of Bush II. She was going to have a hard time pulling independents and Republicans in the general.
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Santorum Running for White House as Reliable Conservative
Published June 06, 2011
Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- Two decades ago, Rick Santorum took the House by storm as a freshman rabble-rouser who gave the complacent Republican leadership fits.
One decade ago, Santorum vaulted into the Senate GOP leadership as a young firebrand whose conservative zeal later helped cost him his seat in Congress.
Now, in a new decade, Santorum is back.
At 53, he's entering the Republican presidential race no longer offering himself to voters as a rising star or the next big thing, but as the tried-and-true candidate conservatives can count on -- like an old shoe that fits better than anything new.
"Someone who's been there for many, many years talking about the same issues in the same way is what a lot of folks, a lot of conservatives, are looking for," he says.
Long a favorite of religious and social conservatives for his staunch opposition to gay rights and abortion, Santorum is joining the GOP field on Monday as a longshot driven by his belief that religion deserves a stronger role in public life.
"To me there are truths out there," Santorum said recently in an AP interview. "There are things that are right and things that are wrong. That may not be popular and it may lose you an election, but that's OK."
Santorum may have lost some swagger since his days as a congressional upstart, but he's betting that the same conservative fire that worked against him when he lost his seat in Congress will be a big advantage in GOP primaries and caucuses often dominated by the right.
He's selling authenticity.
"He says things that are combustible," said Terry Madonna, a professor and pollster at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania. "He's hard-charging and high-octane. ... But he's very direct. You don't have to worry about double-speak with him. He is what he is."
Santorum's conservatism is deeply rooted in his faith.
He grew up in a devout Catholic family in Butler, Pa., the son of an Italian immigrant father who was a psychologist and a mother who was a nurse.
"You had to be on your deathbed not to go to Mass," said his younger brother, Dan.
Butler was a mostly blue-collar town with lots of ethnic churches, Rick Santorum recalled.
"Those characteristics of hard work, loyalty, family and church were very much drummed into me," he said.
Dan Santorum said his brother had a deep competitive streak, evident when he played baseball, chess and board games like Risk. He hated losing.
"He still does," said the younger Santorum. "But he's not a sore loser. He's not a quitter. That's served him well in politics."
During college at Penn State, Rick Santorum drifted a bit from his faith before meeting his wife, Karen Garver Santorum.
"The beautiful thing about it is we grew in our faith together," Santorum said. "We wanted that to be the grounding for our marriage."
That faith has been tested. He and his wife have seven children. Another child, Gabriel Michael, died in 1996, two hours after an emergency delivery.
The couple slept with the bundled dead baby's body in their hospital room that night, wanting to keep Gabriel in their arms until the burial. They took Gabriel's body home so their other children could see and hold the baby before burying him, according to Karen Garver Santorum's book, "Letters to Gabriel."
"Daddy and I wanted to hold you for as long as we possibly could," she wrote.
The couple's youngest child, 3-year-old Isabella, was born in 2008 with trisomy 18, a genetic disorder. Fewer than 10 percent of those diagnosed with the condition live to their first birthday.
Santorum says his daughter's illness cut both ways as he debated whether to run: He wanted to spend as much time with her as possible, but he also felt the need to fight for "children like Bella and for the dignity of human life."
"These children are simply denied care because they don't have long life expectancies," he told the AP. "They're not seen as useful economic units."
Santorum has doggedly laid the groundwork for what he hopes is his comeback campaign. He's been a frequent visitor to New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina, states that vote early in the nominating season. His back-to-better-days campaign slogan: "Fighting to make America America again."
But his candidacy will have to overcome hurdles, including low name recognition and the lack of a strong fund-raising organization. He also has to hope supporters aren't scared off by his 18-point loss in the 2006 Senate race.
Santorum was elected to the House in 1990 at age 32. He shot to prominence as one of the "Gang of Seven" freshman Republicans who bucked their leadership and helped to expose fellow lawmakers who had abused checking privileges at the now-defunct House bank. In 1994, the scandal helped the GOP capture control of the House.
That same year, Santorum beat Democratic Sen. Harris Wofford and emerged as a conservative force to be reckoned with in the Senate, attaining the No. 3 leadership spot in the chamber.
He successfully pushed a bill that banned late-term abortions. In 2005, Time magazine named him among the nation's 25 most influential evangelists.
Santorum held his Senate seat for 12 years before losing in 2006 to Democrat Bob Casey, the son of a popular former governor, as part of an anti-war, anti-incumbent tide.
Controversy over his conservative views hurt him as well.
Santorum drew sharp criticism after saying in 2003 that he believed states had the right to ban gay sex or other private behaviors "antithetical to a healthy, stable, traditional family." He brought up a pending Supreme Court case over a Texas sodomy law and said, "If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery."
His words sparked protest, particularly among gay rights supporters and Democrats.
Santorum later said his remarks were in the context of a past Supreme Court ruling on privacy and were not meant as "a statement on individual lifestyles."
Since losing his Senate seat, Santorum has given speeches and worked at a conservative think tank and as a cable news channel commentator.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/06/santorum-running-for-white-house-as-reliable-conservative/
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google "Santorum" and notice the first entry.
He has an uphill battle on his hands ( and other body parts )
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google "Santorum" and notice the first entry.
He has an uphill battle on his hands ( and other body parts )
hahaha ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww
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Polls: Romney on top in second straight survey
By: CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
Washington (CNN) - For the second straight day, Mitt Romney is on the top of a national poll in the battle for the GOP presidential nomination, and does better against President Barack Obama in a hypothetical general election matchup than any other tested Republican White House hopeful.
According to a Quinnipiac University survey released Wednesday, a quarter of Republicans and GOP leaning independent voters say they would back the former Massachusetts governor and 2008 White House candidate if the 2012 Republican primary for president were held today. Fifteen percent of people questioned say they would support former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who is flirting with a bid for her party's nomination.
Businessman and radio talk show host Herman Cain is at nine percent, with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at eight percent, as is Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who is making his third bid for president. The poll indicates that Rep Michele Bachmann gets the support of six percent, with former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty at five percent and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania at 4 percent. Former Utah governor and former U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, who is likely to announce a bid, is at one percent, with one in five undecided.
"Whether it's because of the media coverage of his recent formal announcement, or the fact that Donald Trump and Mike Huckabee have dropped out, Gov. Romney has surged ahead of the Republican field," says Quinnipiac University Polling Center assistant director Peter Brown. "Until now Quinnipiac University's polls have shown many candidates bunched together in the mid-teens, now he has opened up some daylight on the field and is within six points of the president."
The Quinnipiac survey comes out a day after an ABC/Washington Post poll also indicated Romney on top in the GOP nomination horserace, at 21 percent, with Palin at 17 percent and everyone else in single digits.
In a hypothetical general election matchup with President Barack Obama, the Quinnipiac survey indicates Romney trailing Obama by a 47 to 41 percent margin. According to the poll, the president leads Pawlenty by 12 points, Huntsman by 14 points and Palin by 17 points. The survey also indicates voters are split on whether the president deserves re-election next year.
In the ABC/Washington Post poll, Romney holds a slight three point margin (within the survey's sampling error) over the president in a 2012 general election hypothetical matchup. All other candidates tested trail Obama.
The Quinnipiac poll suggests Romney's religion may be a problem as he makes a second bid for the White House. According to the survey, 36 percent of people say they are uncomfortable voting for a Mormon, including 17 percent who say they are "entirely uncomfortable." Huntsman is also a Mormon.
The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted May 31 through June 6, with 1,946 registered voters questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.
The ABC/Washington Post poll was conducted June 2 through June 5, with 1,002 people questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error was plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/08/polls-romney-on-top-in-second-straight-survey/#more-162494
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Ann Coulter surveys GOP 2012 field
By: CNN Political Unit
(CNN) – Conservative columnist Ann Coulter hearts former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
“She’s fabulous,” Coulter said during an interview Tuesday on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight."
“She is a big star. She’s virtually the biggest thing on the planet.”
But Coulter cautioned the potential presidential candidate about setting her sights on the White House.
“I wouldn’t [run for president] if I were in her shoes,” she said. “I think it would be the worst job imaginable, both running and holding the office.”
And for one already-declared candidate, Coulter has changed her tune - slightly.
She praised one GOP contender and put down another in one swipe at February's Conservative Political Action Conference, saying, “If you don’t run Chris Christie, Romney will be the nominee and we’ll lose.” But the conservative firebrand now admits to having warmer feelings for the former governor of Massachusetts, who recently announced his bid for the presidency.
“I now think the economy is such a disaster and Obama has such a glass jaw that we might even win with Romney. And Romney isn’t a disaster … I like him.”
Yet Coulter still has some reservations about Romney, who also sought the GOP nomination in 2008, and seemed to save her enthusiasm for a firmly declared noncandidate.
“The problem with Romney that a lot of people have, people like me, conservatives, is Romneycare. I still think he’ll probably be the nominee unless Christie jumps in,” she said.
“Christie’s pretty stunning.”
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/07/ann-coulter-surveys-gop-2012-field/#more-162464
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Ann must be a chubby chaser.
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Ann must be a chubby chaser.
lol
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Interested to see this one.
Leading candidates set to meet in first New Hampshire debate
By Mark Preston, CNN Senior Political Editor
June 3, 2011
(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/POLITICS/06/03/debate.lineup/t1larg.debate.candidates.jpg)
(From left) Bachmann, Paul, Gingrich, Cain, Pawlenty, Santorum and Romney will participate in the debate on June 13.
Washington (CNN) -- After months of criss-crossing the country and trying to woo potential supporters in early voting states, seven Republicans hoping to capture their party's presidential nomination will meet this month for the first New Hampshire debate of the 2012 election.
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, businessman Herman Cain, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum will participate in the June 13 debate on the campus of Saint Anselm College.
This is the first time that Bachmann, Gingrich and Romney will appear in a 2012 presidential debate. The event is being sponsored by CNN, WMUR and the New Hampshire Union Leader. CNN Chief National Correspondent/Anchor John King will moderate the debate with journalists from WMUR and the Union Leader participating in the questioning.
The debate takes place eight months before the New Hampshire primary, a critical contest on the road to the Republican presidential nomination. The debate will air live from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET in New Hampshire and across the country.
The three media partners created objective criteria to determine who would participate in the debate. The participants needed to achieve a minimum threshold in either national or New Hampshire primary polls. The full criteria can be found here.
Invitations were extended to the seven Republicans who will appear on stage in New Hampshire as well as Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and businessman Donald Trump.
In recent weeks, Daniels, Huckabee and Trump all publicly said they would not seek the Republican presidential nomination. Giuliani declined the debate invitation, as did Huntsman.
Palin, whose campaign-style bus tour came to New Hampshire Thursday, told WMUR: "I don't think I'm going to be there. Thank you for asking though."
GOP 2012: Who's in, who's not
Several months before the last New Hampshire presidential primary, CNN, WMUR and the Union Leader hosted debates at Saint Anselm in 2007 -- events that helped introduce the Republican and Democratic candidates to voters in the state and around the nation.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/06/03/debate.lineup/index.html?hpt=hp_bn4
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Other than newt and santorum - I'm ok w almost all of the others.
Newt and santorum both creep me out.
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Coulter was honest the first time. Second time was just backing some position to be on the right side of it later. She hates Romney - we got the honest version first ;)
She praised one GOP contender and put down another in one swipe at February's Conservative Political Action Conference, saying, “If you don’t run Chris Christie, Romney will be the nominee and we’ll lose.” But the conservative firebrand now admits to having warmer feelings for the former governor of Massachusetts, who recently announced his bid for the presidency.
“I now think the economy is such a disaster and Obama has such a glass jaw that we might even win with Romney. And Romney isn’t a disaster … I like him.”
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Interested to see this one.
Leading candidates set to meet in first New Hampshire debate
By Mark Preston, CNN Senior Political Editor
June 3, 2011
(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/POLITICS/06/03/debate.lineup/t1larg.debate.candidates.jpg)
(From left) Bachmann, Paul, Gingrich, Cain, Pawlenty, Santorum and Romney will participate in the debate on June 13.
Washington (CNN) -- After months of criss-crossing the country and trying to woo potential supporters in early voting states, seven Republicans hoping to capture their party's presidential nomination will meet this month for the first New Hampshire debate of the 2012 election.
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, businessman Herman Cain, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum will participate in the June 13 debate on the campus of Saint Anselm College.
This is the first time that Bachmann, Gingrich and Romney will appear in a 2012 presidential debate. The event is being sponsored by CNN, WMUR and the New Hampshire Union Leader. CNN Chief National Correspondent/Anchor John King will moderate the debate with journalists from WMUR and the Union Leader participating in the questioning.
The debate takes place eight months before the New Hampshire primary, a critical contest on the road to the Republican presidential nomination. The debate will air live from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET in New Hampshire and across the country.
The three media partners created objective criteria to determine who would participate in the debate. The participants needed to achieve a minimum threshold in either national or New Hampshire primary polls. The full criteria can be found here.
Invitations were extended to the seven Republicans who will appear on stage in New Hampshire as well as Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and businessman Donald Trump.
In recent weeks, Daniels, Huckabee and Trump all publicly said they would not seek the Republican presidential nomination. Giuliani declined the debate invitation, as did Huntsman.
Palin, whose campaign-style bus tour came to New Hampshire Thursday, told WMUR: "I don't think I'm going to be there. Thank you for asking though."
GOP 2012: Who's in, who's not
Several months before the last New Hampshire presidential primary, CNN, WMUR and the Union Leader hosted debates at Saint Anselm in 2007 -- events that helped introduce the Republican and Democratic candidates to voters in the state and around the nation.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/06/03/debate.lineup/index.html?hpt=hp_bn4
(http://dallaspenn.com/pics/albums/album01/feces3.jpg)
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Ann must be a chubby chaser.
and refuses to talk about her personal life....now, there is where the REAL story is !
Three failed engagements; three men changed their minds ? Inquiring minds want to know more!
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Haven't watched it yet, but here is a decent summary:
Bachmann, Romney Shine as GOP Debate Stays Civil
Monday, 13 Jun 2011
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Republican White House hopefuls condemned President Barack Obama's handling of the economy from the opening moments of their first major debate of the campaign season Monday night, and pledged emphatically to repeal his historic year-old health care overhaul.
"When 14 million Americans are out of work we need a new president to end the Obama Depression," declared former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, the first among seven contenders on stage to criticize the president's economic policies.
Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, invited as an unannounced contender for the 2012 nomination, upstaged her rivals for a moment, using a nationwide television audience to announce she had filed papers earlier in the day to run — a disclosure in keeping with a feisty style she has employed in a bid to become a favorite of tea party voters.
Obama was hundreds of miles away on a day in which he blended a pledge to help companies create jobs in North Carolina with a series of campaign fundraisers in Florida. He won the two states in 2008, and both figure to be battlegrounds in 2012.
The New Hampshire event unfolded more than six months before the state hosts the first primary of the 2012 campaign, and the Republicans who shared a stage were plainly more interested in criticizing Obama than one another.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who first sought the nomination in 2008, was the nominal front-runner as the curtain rose on the debate. But the public opinion polls that made him so are notoriously unreliable at this point in the campaign, when relatively few voters have begun to familiarize themselves with their choices.
Already, this race has had its share of surprises.
Several likely candidates decided not to run — Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels among them — and at least one who ruled out a race is reconsidering. Texas Gov. Rick Perry has said he will decide after the state Legislature completes its current session, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's plans are still unknown.
Gingrich, quick off the mark in attacking Obama, suffered the mass exodus of the entire top echelon of his campaign last week, an unprecedented event that left his chances of winning the nomination in tatters.
All seven flashed their anti-abortion credentials, and were largely unified in opposition to same-sex marriage, which is legal in New Hampshire.
Several praised a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would define marriage as between one man and one woman, a position popular among conservative voters. Bachmann said she supported that, but she added that states have the right to write their own laws and said that if elected president, she would not step into state politics — a nod to tea partyers who cherish the Constitution's 10th Amendment.
Obama's rivals found little if anything to like in what the president has done since taking office in the midst of the worst economic recession since the Great Depression.
Former Sen. Rick Santorum accused Obama of pursuing "oppressive policies" that have shackled the economy.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty labeled Obama a "declinist" who views America "as one of equals around the world," rather than a special nation.
"If Brazil can have 5 percent growth, if China can have 5 percent growth, then America can have 5 percent growth," he added, shrugging off criticism that his own economic projections were impossibly rosy.
Businessman Herman Cain, a political novice, called for eliminating the capital gains tax as a way to stimulate job creation.
Romney stressed his experience as a businessman over 25 years as evidence that he can lead the nation out of a lingering recession.
Said Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, the seventh contender on the stage: "As long as we are running a program that deliberately weakens our currency, our jobs will go overseas. And that's what's happening."
As front-runner of a sort, Romney could well have expected criticism from his rivals.
But Pawlenty, a few feet away on the debate stage, at first sidestepped a chance to repeat his recent criticism of Romney in connection with the Massachusetts health care law that Romney signed as governor. It includes a requirement for residents to purchase coverage, a forerunner of the "individual mandate" that conservatives loath in the new federal law.
"My using 'Obamneycare' was a reflection of the president's comments," Pawlenty said, referring to a word he coined in a Sunday interview.
Bachmann — newest to the race — drew one of the loudest rounds of applause Monday night from a partisan debate audience when she predicted that Obama would not win re-election. He is "a one-term president," she declared.
Instead, the most conservative presidential field in memory all but said what Ronald Reagan once preached — that government was the problem.
Romney said the auto bailout was a mistake, and said more generally, "Instead of thinking in the federal budget what should we cut, we should ask ourselves the opposite question, 'What should we keep?'"
Santorum criticized the financial bailout that Presidents George W. Bush and Obama backed, and Bachmann said she had worked in closed-door meetings in Congress to defeat the legislation when it was originally passed.
Pawlenty said politicians had caused the housing price bubble that contributed to the recession, and Paul blamed the recession on the Federal Reserve.
"As long as we do what we're doing in Washington it's going to last another 10 years," Paul said. "What we're doing now is absolutely wrong," he said of federal programs meant to support the housing industry.
Even when they differed, the White House hopefuls did so in muted terms.
Santorum said he wholeheartedly supported Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan's proposal to turn Medicare into a program in which the government subsidizes beneficiaries who would seek coverage from private insurance companies. Under the current system, the government pays doctors and other health care providers directly.
Pawlenty said he would have a plan of his own that shared some features with Ryan's but would differ on other points.
The program's finances are perilous, and Republican calls for fundamental change are at the heart of a roiling debate in Congress that is expected to extend into the 2012 campaign for the White House and both houses of Congress.
Cain bluntly told one questioner he was unlikely ever to receive in benefits from the money he has paid in through payroll taxes during his working life.
Gingrich, who was attacked by fellow conservatives when he criticized Ryan's proposal for being mandatory, said, "When you're dealing with something as big as Medicare ... you better slow down. ... If you can't convince the American people it's a good idea, maybe it's not a good idea."
Gingrich, Bachmann, Romney and Pawlenty all pledged to seek repeal of the health care law that Obama won from Congress earlier in his term. The others on stage hold the same position.
Romney and Paul both said the United States should withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan, but disagreed on a timetable.
Romney said that generals in Afghanistan should guide the pullout schedule of American troops based on conditions on the ground. He said the troops should come home as soon as possible under those conditions. Paul said the president must tell generals what to do. He said if he were president he would begin withdrawing troops almost immediately. He said the United States has no purpose fighting a war in Afghanistan.
Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman did not participate in the event. He is expected to announce his candidacy within a few weeks.
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/RepublicansDebate/2011/06/13/id/399913
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Utah governor Huntsman getting into GOP race
By Philip Elliott
Associated Press
POSTED: 05:52 a.m. HST, Jun 14, 2011
MANCHESTER, N.H. >> Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, a Republican who until the spring served as President Barack Obama's ambassador to China, is running for president, officials said today.
The Republican planned to formally announce his intentions June 21 at Liberty State Park in New Jersey, with the Statue of Liberty in the background, these officials familiar with Huntsman's thinking told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to avoid publically pre-empting Huntsman. He was set to suggest as much later today in an appearance in New York City.
Huntsman, a little-known two-term governor from a conservative state whose moderate stances on some issues and service under the Democratic president could inflame the Republican Party's right-leaning base, enters a GOP presidential field that's taking shape by the week.
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann announced her candidacy on Monday in New Hampshire during a seven-candidate debate in which Huntsman did not participate. He had said he would not participate in debates until he made a final decision about a White House run.
Even so, his entrance into the race has been all but certain for weeks.
Since returning from China over a month ago, Huntsman has focused heavily on laying the groundwork for a full-fledged candidacy. Last weekend, he made his third trip to New Hampshire and he has been building a national campaign to be based in Orlando, Fla.
Huntsman's campaign kickoff was set to begin next Tuesday at the northern New Jersey park where President Ronald Reagan began his 1980 White House run, the officials said, noting Huntsman worked as a staff assistant in the Reagan White House. From there, Huntsman would then travel to New Hampshire and Florida, a perennial battleground and host of the 2012 GOP nominating convention. Then he plans stops in his home state of Utah and then in the early caucus state of Nevada.
Over the past few weeks, Huntsman has honed a message of service to country and called for civil political discourse. In a field lacking deep foreign policy credentials, Huntsman is pitching himself as a politician with international experience who would help the United States' economy rebound. It's an attempt to appeal to segments of the GOP that care both about foreign policy and domestic prosperity.
The telegenic former governor from a solidly conservative state also has a ready fundraising apparatus. He's personally wealthy and could dip into that fortune for a run. He also has strong ties to the Mormon community, which has shown a willingness to support politicians who are of their faith.
Still, Huntsman's challenges are great.
Although he has served in three Republican administrations, Huntsman also served in Obama's administration and that is certain to irk GOP primary voters, many of whom loathe the Democratic president. The Republican has argued that he put service to his country over his personal political ambitions and suggested that he should get credit for doing so.
"Accepting an assignment from everyone's president during a time of war, during a time of economic hardship is putting your country first," Huntsman has said. "I won't shy away from that ... If someone wants to hold that against me, they can."
Huntsman also is not well-known. He ranks in the single digits in early national polls as well as surveys in early nominating states. But many GOP primary voters are undecided and many conservatives are looking for an alternative to front-runner Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who is attempting his second bid for the GOP nomination.
While Huntsman's record on abortion and gun rights is solidly conservative, his positions on climate change and civil unions for same-sex couples are not. As governor, he backed bills providing civil rights protections to gays and lesbians, and he has said humans have had a role in climate change.
Huntsman's Mormon faith also is a hurdle in key nominating states. Romney — a fellow Mormon — discovered as much during his failed 2008 bid. He couldn't persuade evangelical voters who dominate Iowa and South Carolina to overlook their skepticism of his faith.
Huntsman already has said he would bypass Iowa, which holds the lead-off caucuses in February of 2012 and where Christian conservatives have serious influence. Instead, Huntsman's campaign would begin in New Hampshire, where independent voters can cast ballots in either party's primary and are the state's largest political bloc.
From here, Huntsman would compete in South Carolina and Florida in hopes of building momentum and stripping Romney of his front-runner status.
Huntsman long had been considered a serious potential challenger to Obama in 2012. The Democrats' political team sought to sideline Huntsman early, offering Huntsman, a speaker of Mandarin, the China job in 2009. He accepted. The White House was credited by insiders with vanquishing a GOP rival.
But a year later, Huntsman bought a $3.6 million Washington mansion that most recently housed contestants on Bravo's "Top Chef" reality show, and he hinted at national aspirations in interviews. By winter, Huntsman had submitted his resignation, which took effect in the spring.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/123826644.html
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A Democrat's view of the debate:
Schoen: Romney , Bachmann Won, Pawlenty Angling for Romney VP
Tuesday, 14 Jun 2011
By David A. Patten
Democratic pollster, author, and Fox News contributor Doug Schoen slammed former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s performance in New Hampshire on Monday, calling it “tepid,” and declared former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann the big winners in the debate.
Pundit Schoen said Bachmann won the “primary-within-the-primary” debate over which grass-roots conservative candidate would emerge as Romney’s No. 1 challenger for the nomination.
In an exclusive interview, Schoen told Newsmax.TV: “The big winners were Mitt Romney the establishment candidate, who came through largely unscathed, and Michele Bachmann, who appeared for the time being to win the primary-within-the-primary, to be the alternative, hopefully within her mind, tea party candidate to establishment candidate Mitt Romney.
Schoen said Romney turned in an impressive performance and “was most presidential.”
“I think Mitt Romney was most presidential,” Schoen said, adding that he had met the high expectations he faced as the favorite of the GOP establishment coming into the debate. “But in a climate of dissatisfaction, where people are angry at the established order, that’s a double-edged sword.
“And I think Michele Bachmann demonstrated that she has the energy, the enthusiasm, and arguably the message to take the fight directly to the former Massachusetts governor.”
One candidate who surprisingly shied away from going toe-to-toe with Romney was Pawlenty, who just a day before pointed out that President Barack Obama linked Romney’s healthcare reforms with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that is the president’s signature piece of legislation.
On Fox News Sunday, Pawlenty called the reforms “Obamneycare.” But he refused to use that label again Monday. Schoen said Pawlenty had two very good weeks leading up to the debate, but may well have been hurt Monday by what he called a “tepid performance.”
“It suggested to me that he may have been running for president on Sunday, and decided on Monday night that he was preserving his options to be a vice presidential candidate on a Romney ticket,” Schoen said. “No other way to explain it, because given the similarities between Romneycare and Obamacare, it’s hard to understand why the self-described ‘truth teller’ didn’t continue to offer a consistent message.”
Schoen added that despite a solid debate performance former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has a way to go to reconnect with GOP voters, following a rough start to his campaign.
“His support has dropped precipitously in the last month or month and a half as he’s lost his staff and as he criticized the Ryan plan,” Schoen said. “I don’t think he did himself any additional harm, but I’m not sure he turned around what is an increasingly dire situation.”
Other highlights from the exclusive Newsmax interview with Schoen:
• In the past Mitt Romney has been “out of synch” with the GOP base. “And it remains to be seen whether he can continue to avoid the kind of scrutiny that I think many expected him to get last night, but just didn’t happen,” he said.
• He was disappointed that former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain, considered the winner of the first debate in South Carolina, turned in an uneven performance. “I had thought that this was Herman Cain’s opportunity to bat a thousand and go two for two,” said Schoen.
“Regrettably for him, I don’t think he achieved that goal. I think Herman Cain may well have been the loser in the debate, and lost at the expense of Michele Bachmann.
• Republicans would probably do well to avoid suggesting that Muslims, or any other ethnic group, need special scrutiny.
“It’s one thing to subject people to reasonable levels of scrutiny across the board, that’s the American way,” he said. “But to decide on the basis of religion or national origin that people deserve extra scrutiny, that’s not quite American. And I think the candidates were struggling on how to get that right. It’s still a work in progress.”
• He’s growing skeptical libertarian-leaning Republican Rep. Ron Paul of Texas can broaden his base of support: “He’s always had 10 percent. He sort of had it last time, he’s got it this time. It’s a militant, activated 10 percent. But I’m hard pressed to see how his pure libertarian message can in any way be broadened -- could happen, but I think increasingly unlikely.”
• The only path to the White House he sees for former GOP Sen. Rick Santorum is if social issues take center stage in the primary. “If for some reason abortion and gay marriage become the top issue to primary voting Republicans maybe Rick Santorum can win” Schoen said. “But in the absence of that, and I think with the economy in as bad shape as it is, that’s unlikely as well. I don’t see Rick Santorum doing anything more than being a candidate for a position in the next administration, or perhaps an ambassadorship.”
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/DougSchoen-MittRomney-MicheleBachmann-TimPawlenty/2011/06/14/id/400008
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pawlenty was such a little brown noser.
no spine at all. I can see attacks being off limit, that's fine. But don't talk shit on Sunday morning talk shows, then be scared to say it to Mitt's face the next day.
Romney looked presidential. Bachmann kicked ass. Cain and Paul didn't get enough attention but had good answers. Santorum looked surprisingly good. Newt was smart and didn't appear rattled despite his staff leaving. TPaw sucks.
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Romney, Bachmann, Cain Lead The Pack Among GOP Primary Voters
Rasmussen Reports ^ | June 16, 2011 | Rasmussen Reports
________________________ _______________________-
Romney, Bachmann, Cain Lead The Pack Among GOP Primary Voters
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney continues to lead the race for the Republican nomination, but Michele Bachmann has surged into second place following her Monday night entry into the campaign.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely GOP Primary Voters, taken following the candidates’ Monday night debate, shows Romney earning 33% support, with Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann a surprise second at 19%. Georgia businessman Herman Cain is in third place with 10% of the vote.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich picks up nine percent (9%) support, followed by Texas Congressman Ron Paul with seven percent (7%), ex-Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty at six percent (6%) and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum also earning six percent (6%). Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, who did not participate in the debate but is expected to announce his candidacy on Tuesday, gets two percent (2%) of the vote. Eight percent (8%) prefer some other candidate. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Romney and Bachmann are tied among primary voters who say they are Tea Party members, with 26% support each. Romney holds a 36% to 16% lead over the congresswoman among non-members. Most primary voters regard all the candidates with the exception of Huntsman as conservative, but Bachmann is seen as the most conservative.
In late April, billionaire developer Donald Trump led the pack with 19% support, followed by Romney at 17% and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee with 15%. Trump and Huckabee have since announced that they are not running. Bachmann was the leader among the second-tier candidates at that time.
The survey of 1,000 Likely GOP Primary Voters was conducted on June 14, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. Likely GOP Primary Voters include both Republicans and unaffiliated voters likely to vote in a GOP Primary. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
For the third week in a row, a generic Republican candidate leads President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 election matchup. But while 54% of Likely Voters nationwide think Obama is qualified to be president, Romney is the only 2012 Republican hopeful that a sizable number of voters feel that way about.
There is little difference of opinion among male and female GOP primary voters, although women give Romney slightly more support. The gap between Romney and Bachmann is narrowest among middle-aged primary voters.
Romney, Bachmann and Cain earn 31%, 22% and 12% support respectively among primary voters who describe themselves as conservatives. Romney runs strongest among party moderates.
Seventy-five percent (75%) of primary voters describe Bachmann as at least somewhat conservative. That includes 55% who say she is Very Conservative.
By contrast, 61% rate Romney as at least somewhat conservative, but that includes just 11% who say he is Very Conservative. Fifty-seven percent (57%) think Cain is at least somewhat conservative, with 32% who view him as Very Conservative.
Gingrich is seen as at least somewhat conservative by 68% of likely primary voters, with 35% who feel he is Very Conservative. Similarly, 63% say Paul is at least somewhat conservative, including 39% who think he is Very Conservative. Pawlenty is seen as at least somewhat conservative by 59%, but only 19% say he’s Very Conservative.
Fifty-eight percent (58%) think Santorum is at least somewhat conservative, including 30% who view him as Very Conservative. Just 31%, however, say Huntsman is at least somewhat conservative, with seven percent (7%) who rate him Very Conservative. Another 20% characterize him as a moderate, but a sizable 40% don’t know enough about him to venture any kind of opinion of his political views.
Huntsman is the least known of the declared or soon-to-be declared candidates.
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...and yet,
if I were going to vote GOP, Huntsman would be someone i'd consider...
go figure.
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i'd vote for huntsman or bachmann. Both are competent and will steer the country in a better direciton.
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I don't agree with this pledge, because there shouldn't be a litmus test for judicial appointees (even though there is). Cain refused to sign too.
Santorum hits back at Romney over abortion pledge
By: CNN Political Unit
(CNN) - Well, it didn’t take long for the gloves to come off in this fight.
Rick Santorum, the Pennsylvania senator and now presidential candidate, has some tough criticism for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney after his refusal to sign an anti-abortion pledge.
"This past Monday night at the Republican presidential debate, I was asked about Gov. Romney's pro-life conversion, and I gave him the benefit of the doubt,” Santorum said. “I apparently spoke too soon. It is incredibly disappointing that Gov. Romney chose not to defend those who cannot defend themselves.”
Romney’s campaign called the Susan B. Anthony List’s pledge “well-intentioned” but said that while he is opposed to abortion rights, he didn’t “feel he could in good conscience sign it.”
The pledge would require Romney, if elected, to "permanently end all taxpayer funding of abortion," defund Planned Parenthood, and appoint abortion opponents to the federal bench and Cabinet positions.
Rep. Michele Bachmann, Rep. Ron Paul, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich and Santorum each signed the pledge.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/18/santorum-hits-back-at-romney-over-abortion-pledge/
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i'd vote for huntsman or bachmann. Both are competent and will steer the country in a better direciton.
;D I see what you did there.
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June 18, 2011 6:39 PM
Winners and losers at the Republican Leadership Conference
By Brian Montopoli
NEW ORLEANS -- The Republican Leadership Conference - a gathering of conservative and Republican activists that doubles as a cattle call for Republican presidential candidates - wrapped up here Saturday afternoon.
Three of the major GOP candidates - Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and Jon Huntsman - did not speak at the conference. (Huntsman had planned to speak but dropped out at the last minute, citing a cold.) But a number of candidates - including Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum - did address conference-goers.
So what impact did the three-day confab have on GOP landscape? Let's take a look at the winners and losers:
Winners:
Jon Huntsman: Despite missing the conference - his wife and daughter came in his place but did not speak - former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman finished a strong second in the presidential straw poll.
It was rumored that Huntsman's campaign bought tickets for and bussed in a number of college Republicans to up his vote, and his campaign did not deny as much to CBS News.
If true, it might not matter: The headlines out of the conference will be Huntsman's stronger-then-expected showing among the conservative activists who are believed to view him warily because of his centrist positions on immigration, cap-and-trade legislation and gay rights. And that will serve as a signal to potential donors and the GOP establishment that he may be a viable standard-bearer for the party.
Michele Bachmann: The three-term Congresswoman came into the conference with momentum from her widely-hailed performance in Monday's presidential debate, and she carried it through the conference, giving a well-received speech and finishing third in the straw poll.
Bachmann, who cast herself as the voice of the people, has over the past week effectively transformed herself into the standard-bearer for the hardcore social and fiscal conservatives who are seeking an alternative to establishment candidates like Romney and Pawlenty. When the controversial, media-savvy representative first made it known she was considering a run, the media and GOP establishment responded with skepticism; Now she's being taken seriously and looks like a frontrunner to win the Iowa caucuses.
Rick Perry: The Texas governor didn't participate in the straw poll - even though he has made it known that he is considering a (relatively) late entry into the presidential race. But that didn't matter: With many Republicans still casting about for a consensus candidate, the buzz around a possible Perry run is undeniable.
Perry made a play for the unblinking ideologues on the right, calling for Republicans not to apologize for strong conservative positions. While that position could cause trouble in a general election, it's one that could help him quickly catapult to the top of GOP polls if he ends up entering the race.
Herman Cain: Cain, the breakout star in the GOP field following the first GOP debate, took a bit of a hit as a result of his lackluster performance in the second debate. But he was triumphant here, getting a rapturous reception at a conference where he was largely ignored last year.
While Cain remains a long shot for the nomination, he was one of only four candidates to win more than 100 voters in the straw poll - and his background - he is a businessman who never served in office - was often cited positively by conference-goers who like his outsider status. Plus, he even picked up an endorsement here from Republican mini-icon (and most famous failed Alabama Agriculture Commission candidate in history) Dale Peterson.
Ron Paul: Paul, as expected, won the straw poll thanks to the passionate support of his limited following. And while he remains a long shot for the nomination, his continued success at conferences like this ensures that his Libertarian beliefs will be well represented in the nomination fight.
Losers:
Newt Gingrich: The former House speaker could have rebooted his disastrous campaign here. Instead he doubled down, vowing to ignore the accepted strategies to winning the nomination. Gingrich promised to avoid sound bites and attack ads in favor of a "big philosophical campaign" that, it appears, prioritizes long, ideas-filled speeches over campaigning and organization.
And while, as he put it, he could potentially "shock the media" - and the Republican establishment - by winning this way, his speech was unlikely to win back any of the potential donors scared off by his stumbling campaign rollout and subsequent staff exodus.
Mitt Romney: Romney won the straw poll here last year but finished a disappointing fifth this year. That was somewhat mitigated by the fact that the former Massachusetts governor is skipping straw polls this year and he had no real presence here. But a fifth-place finish is not impressive for a nominal frontrunner, and suggests that the race remains far more wide-open then he might like.
Tim Pawlenty: Pawlenty, who has been seeking to cast himself as the establishment alternative to Romney, finished ninth in the straw poll with just 18 votes. And even worse, he was mocked from the podium by an Obama impersonator.
The impersonator mentioned Pawlenty's strange decision to back away at Monday's debate from his coinage of the term "Obamneycare" to link Romney to the federal health care law. Referencing Pawlenty, the impersonator quipped that "spine transplants" are covered under the health care law - prompting guffaws from the audience.
Sarah Palin: Palin had her hardcore supporters here, who carried signs and pins expressing their continued allegiance to the former Alaska governor. But she seems to be fading as a potential candidate; Bachmann appears to be supplanting her as the favorite of Tea Party- and social conservative-types seeking a champion. Palin got just 41 votes in the straw poll; that's the sort of finish that suggests the activists aren't exactly clamoring for her to enter the race.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20072308-503544.html
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I don't agree with this pledge, because there shouldn't be a litmus test for judicial appointees (even though there is). Cain refused to sign too.
Santorum hits back at Romney over abortion pledge
By: CNN Political Unit
(CNN) - Well, it didn’t take long for the gloves to come off in this fight.
Rick Santorum, the Pennsylvania senator and now presidential candidate, has some tough criticism for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney after his refusal to sign an anti-abortion pledge.
"This past Monday night at the Republican presidential debate, I was asked about Gov. Romney's pro-life conversion, and I gave him the benefit of the doubt,” Santorum said. “I apparently spoke too soon. It is incredibly disappointing that Gov. Romney chose not to defend those who cannot defend themselves.”
Romney’s campaign called the Susan B. Anthony List’s pledge “well-intentioned” but said that while he is opposed to abortion rights, he didn’t “feel he could in good conscience sign it.”
The pledge would require Romney, if elected, to "permanently end all taxpayer funding of abortion," defund Planned Parenthood, and appoint abortion opponents to the federal bench and Cabinet positions.
Rep. Michele Bachmann, Rep. Ron Paul, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich and Santorum each signed the pledge.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/18/santorum-hits-back-at-romney-over-abortion-pledge/
FINALLY, a reason to consider voting for Romney...now, if he just gets a few more 'social issues' outta the way, I might go back and vote GOP...
333386 just had a stroke....
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Romney is my least favorite of all of them.
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Romney is my least favorite of all of them.
did you feel this way in 2008, when his positions were idential and you voted for him?
or was it just your OWN political views shifted from RINO to TEA PARTY in the last 3 years? And if so, was it because FOX told you to?
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did you feel this way in 2008, when his positions were idential and you voted for him?
or was it just your OWN political views shifted from RINO to TEA PARTY in the last 3 years? And if so, was it because FOX told you to?
At the time of the NY primary it was really between McPofs and Romney and i thought romneys' business experience was better than McCain's amnesty and other bs.
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At the time of the NY primary it was really between McPofs and Romney and i thought romneys' business experience was better than McCain's amnesty and other bs.
Huck wasn't in it then?
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Huck wasn't in it then?
Huck = 240's messiah (Obama) IMHO
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At the time of the NY primary it was really between McPofs and Romney and i thought romneys' business experience was better than McCain's amnesty and other bs.
LMAO... you guys were on Super Tuesday! Absolutely nothing was decided~
hahahah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Tuesday
41% of the repub votes were up for grabs on this day alone...
I think youre a little confused... try again... why did you vote Romney?
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Doesn't matter. Romney is the frontrunner and quite frankly he can't beat Obama. The Bible Belt will never elect a non Christian into office.
Only Rick Perry or Ron Paul have a chance. Michelle Bachman is an idiot, Herman Cain is inexperienced, and Tom Paw doesn't have the balls to stand on his words
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At the time of the NY primary it was really between McPofs and Romney and i thought romneys' business experience was better than McCain's amnesty and other bs.
Only SEVEN States had voted when it was time for the NY Primary.
http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/timeline.php?year=2008&f=0&off=0&elect=2
Do you stop watching a football game after the first quarter?
Do you stop sex after foreplay?
Do you resign after only serving half of your governor term... oh wait...
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Doesn't matter. Romney is the frontrunner and quite frankly he can't beat Obama. The Bible Belt will never elect a non Christian into office.
Only Rick Perry or Ron Paul have a chance. Michelle Bachman is an idiot, Herman Cain is inexperienced, and Tom Paw doesn't have the balls to stand on his words
You think the Bible Belt will vote for Obama over Romney?
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You think the Bible Belt will vote for Obama over Romney?
Obama is going down like Dukakis
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I don't think he's too old to be president. He looks great for a 77-year-old.
Ron Paul: 'I’m Not Too Old to be President'
Monday, 20 Jun 2011
By Martin Gould
GOP candidate Ron Paul went on the offensive on television on Monday denying that his views are out of the mainstream or that he is too old to be president.
ron paul old president“It’s the ideas that count. It’s your general health that counts. It’s your enthusiasm for liberty,” Paul told Matt Lauer on NBC’s Today show. “I endorse young ideas,”
If elected, Paul would be 77 years and four months by the time he assumes office in January 2013. That’s more than seven years older than Ronald Reagan was when he became the oldest man ever to take the Oath of Office for the first time. Less than three years into his first term, Paul would be the first octogenarian to be president.
But Paul pointed out that his views are particularly important to the young. "It's these endless, undeclared, unwinnable wars that are dumped on the young people," he said. “That’s why the next generation, the current young people between the age of 15 and 25 or 30, are with me. They’re getting dumped on.”
When Lauer asked about his plans to legalize prostitution and drugs including cocaine and heroin, Paul replied, “I want to legalize freedom. What's so bad about that? What’s wrong about legalizing choices about your life and liberty and your religious values? What’s wrong with legalizing the Constitution?
“I defend everything I do by the Constitution, so why can you turn that around and say everything he’s doing is nuts and crazy?”
Paul won the straw poll held at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans at the weekend with 612 votes. Jon Huntsman came in second with 382. He acknowledged that he is not leading in national polls but said that victory should not be dismissed. “All the others had their names on the ballot,” he pointed out.
And Paul, who is running for the Republican nomination for the third time, said his time has now come. “A growing number of people are starting to realize that what I’m talking about is pretty sound.
“It’s very American. It produces prosperity and peace and I’m always bewildered why anybody would reject it.
“We shouldn’t be the warmongers,” he added. “We shouldn’t be the policemen of the world, we shouldn’t be in 130 countries and 900 bases and fighting undeclared wars.”
Paul disagreed with Lauer who told him that many people agree with some of his views but not all. “People don’t want bits and pieces,” the candidate said. “This is a package. Economic liberty and personal liberty are one and the same and a foreign policy that defends America and does not police the world is part of the package as well.”
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/RonPaulI-mNotTooOldtobePresident/2011/06/20/id/400658
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You think the Bible Belt will vote for Obama over Romney?
They'll either vote for Obama or a 3rd party contender for spite. They definitely won't vote for Romney. If he becomes the contender, you can expect a 502 group to rip him to pieces in ads.
The vast majority of Republicans are evangelical Christians and they will not vote for a Mormon. It just won't happen. I'm sure Glenn Beck will help out Romney since he's a Mormon too but any campaign will twist it around to where it will get pretty ugly
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They'll either vote for Obama or a 3rd party contender for spite. They definitely won't vote for Romney. If he becomes the contender, you can expect a 502 group to rip him to pieces in ads.
The vast majority of Republicans are evangelical Christians and they will not vote for a Mormon. It just won't happen. I'm sure Glenn Beck will help out Romney since he's a Mormon too but any campaign will twist it around to where it will get pretty ugly
::) ::)
Clueless.
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::) ::)
Clueless.
Its already happenning. Ever heard of Priorities USA Action. Its a 527 Democrat Attack Group and they are licking their chops at the opportunity. They're only job is to attack anything that looks like an elephant.
When I worked on the Democrat and Republican campaigns growing up, I didn't see any real difference in the strategy and that is to get your voters pissed off enough at the opponent to win.
http://www.prioritiesusaaction.org/
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Again - clueless. Totally clueless. People want obama gone at all costs and will vote for a can of soup over him.
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Again - clueless. Totally clueless. People want obama gone at all costs and will vote for a can of soup over him.
The problem is that it won't be enough people. Obama will win in 2012 and prob much easier than before simply because there is no strong Republican opponent. The strong ones that were there are being largely ignored and once Romney wins....you can go out and buy your popcorn and watch him get "swiftboated" ;D
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The problem is that it won't be enough people. Obama will win in 2012 and prob much easier than before simply because there is no strong Republican opponent. The strong ones that were there are being largely ignored and once Romney wins....you can go out and buy your popcorn and watch him get "swiftboated" ;D
Ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!!! Are you freaking nuts?
Obama won in 2008 by less than 6 points. That was in a year where:
1. McCain ran a horrible campaign on a shoe string.
2. Obama had no record and it was hope & change and media bs about the first black potus (Which is pure nonsense to begin with)
3. Bush fatigue and McCain seen as same as Bush
4. Economy was in nose dive and they blamed Bush.
5. Historic turnout from minorities to get "one of their own" in office.
6. MSM refused to vet and be honest about Obama's lies and hypocrisy.
7. Guilt ridden whites felt that had to vote for obama to prove they were racists.
and even with all of that he won by less than 5 points. So lets jump ahead 4 years now that the messiah was elected.
1. He has a horrendous record of abject failure and incompetence.
2. Every economic indicator and measure is worse.
3. He has been more divisive than any president in modern times.
4. most of his bullshit promises are unfulfilled.
5. We are in more wars than even when he took office.
6. UE rate has skyrocketed.
7. ObamaCare is every bit as unpopularas it was an many indes wont forget that when their health premiuims are skyrocketing its due in part to that.
8. No more white gult by indes since that was proven a disastrous basis to form a vote.
9. Minorities will not come out in record numbers like last time, especially hispanics.
10. GOP campaign will be well funded and run professionally unlike the McCain shoestring budget.
11. Obama is no longer a new fresh face, he is seen as a drone and his promises are empty and dishonest.
12. Many states are now run by the GOP and they have huge advantages in elections.
13. Dems states are losing seats due to redistricting.
Between all of that - there is at least a 7-10 point spread IMHO and that is why he is done and gone.
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Ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!!! Are you freaking nuts?
Obama won in 2008 by less than 6 points. That was in a year where:
1. McCain ran a horrible campaign on a shoe string.
2. Obama had no record and it was hope & change and media bs about the first black potus (Which is pure nonsense to begin with)
3. Bush fatigue and McCain seen as same as Bush
4. Economy was in nose dive and they blamed Bush.
5. Historic turnout from minorities to get "one of their own" in office.
6. MSM refused to vet and be honest about Obama's lies and hypocrisy.
7. Guilt ridden whites felt that had to vote for obama to prove they were racists.
and even with all of that he won by less than 5 points. So lets jump ahead 4 years now that the messiah was elected.
1. He has a horrendous record of abject failure and incompetence.
2. Every economic indicator and measure is worse.
3. He has been more divisive than any president in modern times.
4. most of his bullshit promises are unfulfilled.
5. We are in more wars than even when he took office.
6. UE rate has skyrocketed.
7. ObamaCare is every bit as unpopularas it was an many indes wont forget that when their health premiuims are skyrocketing its due in part to that.
8. No more white gult by indes since that was proven a disastrous basis to form a vote.
9. Minorities will not come out in record numbers like last time, especially hispanics.
10. GOP campaign will be well funded and run professionally unlike the McCain shoestring budget.
11. Obama is no longer a new fresh face, he is seen as a drone and his promises are empty and dishonest.
12. Many states are now run by the GOP and they have huge advantages in elections.
13. Dems states are losing seats due to redistricting.
Between all of that - there is at least a 7-10 point spread IMHO and that is why he is done and gone.
Percentages are meaningless in an election...otherwise Al Gore would have been president instead of Bush as he got more vote. Its all about the electoral college and Obama had a crushing victory of 365 to McCain's 173.
http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/map.html
BTW, the only drone I see is you. ;D
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Huntsman was so bad today. WTF was that?
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Percentages are meaningless in an election...otherwise Al Gore would have been president instead of Bush as he got more vote. Its all about the electoral college and Obama had a crushing victory of 365 to McCain's 173.
http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/map.html
BTW, the only drone I see is you. ;D
33,
Vince made some very valid points here. Your response attempts to change the subject to huntsman. Why?
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33,
Vince made some very valid points here. Your response attempts to change the subject to huntsman. Why?
::)
Al gore lost because he lost TN. The electoral map this time around favors the gop more than obama.
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Percentages are meaningless in an election...otherwise Al Gore would have been president instead of Bush as he got more vote. Its all about the electoral college and Obama had a crushing victory of 365 to McCain's 173.
http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/map.html
BTW, the only drone I see is you. ;D
The electoral college is shaping up very well for the Republicans, and is one of the big reasons he will lose. The Republicans have already closed the gap by 14 electoral points because of the census. Obama won 3 traditional Republican states in 2008 barely, 50-49. Do you really think he is going to win those states this time? The Democrats got slaughtered in Florida in 2010, and I believe a traditional Republican candidate is beating him by 3 points in Flordia. Romeny is beating him in New Hampshire and Nevada. Obama is even appearing to have trouble in Penssylvania. Count him out if he loses Pennsylavania./
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They'll either vote for Obama or a 3rd party contender for spite. They definitely won't vote for Romney. If he becomes the contender, you can expect a 502 group to rip him to pieces in ads.
The vast majority of Republicans are evangelical Christians and they will not vote for a Mormon. It just won't happen. I'm sure Glenn Beck will help out Romney since he's a Mormon too but any campaign will twist it around to where it will get pretty ugly
Bible Belt voters will vote for Obama over Romney to spite Mormons? Really?
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Huntsman getting into race, promises new jobs
By Beth Fouhy
Associated Press
POSTED: 04:12 a.m. HST, Jun 21, 2011
JERSEY CITY, N.J. >> Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman joined the Republican presidential contest on Tuesday, pledging to run a civil campaign and claiming that he and President Barack Obama both love the United States but have different visions of its future.
Huntsman, who until this spring was Obama's ambassador to China, entered the fight for the GOP nomination to take on Obama in 2012 at the same venue where Ronald Reagan formally began his general election presidential campaign in 1980. Huntsman, an aide to Reagan who served in two other Republican administrations, had been expected to join the contest for months.
"This is the hour when we choose our future. I'm Jon Huntsman and I'm running for president of the United States," the silver-haired Huntsman said, with the State of Liberty over his shoulder as a backdrop for a made-for-TV announcement.
Huntsman joins a field of GOP contenders led by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a fellow Mormon. Others include former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann. Texas Gov. Rick Perry is exploring a possible bid as well.
Huntsman is positioning himself as a centrist in a largely conservative field — a candidate with deep foreign policy credentials who could have broad appeal to independent voters in a general election contest against Obama.
Huntsman called the America economy "totally unacceptable" and took a gentle swipe at Obama's 2008 campaign themes of hope and change, saying the country needs "leadership that knows we need more than hope, leadership that knows we need answers."
Huntsman,said he respects Obama but added that he and the president have "a difference of opinion on how to help the country we both love."
But, he added, "The question each of us wants the voters to answer is, 'Who will be the better president, not who's the better American.' "
Huntsman had been flirting with a presidential run for months, and in interviews recently he has criticized U.S. foreign policy, saying the country is overcommitted to world trouble spots. He has also sought to stress his background as a businessman and has said jobs would be a top priority.
"We will not be the first American generation that lets down the next generation," he said, his seven children standing nearby.
"What we need now is leadership that trusts in our strength. Leadership that doesn't promise Washington has all the solutions to our problems, but rather looks to local solutions in our cities, towns and states."
In a speech with nods to conservatives who hold great sway in the nominating process and independents who are frustrated with partisanship, Huntsman pledged civility.
"Our political debates today are corrosive," Huntsman decried.
"We will conduct this campaign on the high road. I don't think you need to run down someone's reputation to run for president."
That's not to say he would shy from differences with his better-known Republican rivals or the incumbent president he hopes to send home to Chicago in early 2013.
"Of course, we'll have our disagreements," he said. "That's what campaigns are all about."
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/124280813.html
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His speech was a disaster. I heard it over the radio total FAIL.
My UPS delivery guy has more fight in him than what I heard today. Embarassing.
Paul / Bachmann !
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His speech was a disaster. I heard it over the radio total FAIL.
My UPS delivery guy has more fight in him than what I heard today. Embarassing.
Paul / Bachmann !
Didn't hear it, but a bad speech doesn't make or break a candidate . . . except for Obama (2004 convention speech).
At this point, I like Bachmann the most out of the declared candidates.
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Didn't hear it, but a bad speech doesn't make or break a candidate . . . except for Obama (2004 convention speech).
At this point, I like Bachmann the most out of the declared candidates.
He was gushing over obama again!
We both love the country - BARF
Obama is an honorable man - BARF
We both want whats best for the nation - BARF
I will not attack obama - BARF
We are not compassionate enough - BARF
embarassing. Wish i would have gotten on my jet ski, fly over there and smack the shit out him.
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He was gushing over obama again!
We both love the country - BARF
Obama is an honorable man - BARF
We both want whats best for the nation - BARF
I will not attack obama - BARF
We are not compassionate enough - BARF
embarassing. Wish i would have gotten on my jet ski, fly over there and smack the shit out him.
lol. :) He doesn't have to attack Obama personally. He needs to attack Obama's record.
Sounds like part of what he's doing is trying to preempt the attacks from the White House showing the good things he has said about Obama while working for him.
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lol. :) He doesn't have to attack Obama personally. He needs to attack Obama's record.
Sounds like part of what he's doing is trying to preempt the attacks from the White House showing the good things he has said about Obama while working for him.
FAILSVILLE - he didnt even do that!
Oh hell no. What I heard today was worse than Romney!
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FAILSVILLE - he didnt even do that!
Oh hell no. What I heard today was worse than Romney!
I want to hear what he has to say at the next debate.
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I want to hear what he has to say at the next debate.
So do I, for comedic value. Truly a massive fail what I heard today.
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So do I, for comedic value. Truly a massive fail what I heard today.
Meh. I wouldn't rule a candidate in or out based on a good or bad speech.
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Meh. I wouldn't rule a candidate in or out based on a good or bad speech.
I hope to not have to vote for this or romney. What I heard today literally made me want to throw up.
Ron Paul / Bachmann for me so far.
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He was gushing over obama again!
We both love the country - BARF
Obama is an honorable man - BARF
We both want whats best for the nation - BARF
I will not attack obama - BARF
We are not compassionate enough - BARF
embarassing. Wish i would have gotten on my jet ski, fly over there and smack the shit out him.
Let's be honest here - huntsman isn't going after your vote, 333386.
He's going after the mitt romney/mccain moderate vote. You know, the one that dominated in 2008.
He'll let RPaul and Perry and Bachmann split up the 50% (or whatever share) of the Tea Party vote. He'll command the biggest share of the moderate vote, and that could work.
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not only that - but he's also going after libs (and left leaning moderates) in a MAJOR WAY.
MSNBC is running a commercial the last 2 weeks... Chris mathews saying "Why can't ONE of these repubs come fwd and say I disagree with Obama on the issues, but he's as american as the rest of us and he loves this country".
Mathews (and his millions of followers) are gonna swoon over huntsman now. Watch and see ;)
And he's got more moolah $$ than Romney...
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Let's be honest here - huntsman isn't going after your vote, 333386.
He's going after the mitt romney/mccain moderate vote. You know, the one that dominated in 2008.
He'll let RPaul and Perry and Bachmann split up the 50% (or whatever share) of the Tea Party vote. He'll command the biggest share of the moderate vote, and that could work.
What I heard today was awful. made me double down on Bach,mann and ron Paul
What a farce huntsman and romney are. two jerkoff rinos at their very worst.
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What a farce huntsman and romney are. two jerkoff rinos at their very worst.
accurate. but inevitable, probably.
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What I heard today was awful. made me double down on Bach,mann and ron Paul
What a farce huntsman and romney are. two jerkoff rinos at their very worst.
I just talked to someone who said they think Huntsman should be a Democrat.
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His speech would not motivate a fat kid to eat cake today.
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:-\
Top Dem picks Huntsman
By: CNN Associate Producer Gabriella Schwarz
Washington (CNN) – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid ventured into the 2012 presidential waiting game Tuesday, offering up his pick for the Republican presidential nomination.
"If I had a choice, I would favor Huntsman over Romney," Reid told reporters after a meeting on Capitol Hill. "But I don't have a choice in that race."
When asked if the country is ready for a Mormon president, the Nevada senator said they are not ready for Mitt Romney. Reid, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and Romney are all members of the Church of Latter Day Saints.
"I think the frontrunner in the Republican stakes now, here is a man who doesn't know who he is," Reid said of Romney.
The Nevada Democrat pointed to Romney's positions on gay marriage, abortion and health care as signs the former Massachusetts governor has flip-flopped on his positions.
"We modeled our bill to a large degree about what he did in Massachusetts. Now he is trying to run from that," Reid said, referencing the health care reform bill Romney signed as governor. "If someone doesn't know who they are they shouldn't be president of the United States."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/21/top-dem-picks-huntsman/#more-164712
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lol OUCH! Harry Reid endorsement. I'm sure Romney won't be writing down one-liners about that one ;)
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I really don't know what the hell he was thinking today.
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I really don't know what the hell he was thinking today.
his strategy? IMO, he's already running in the general election.
instead of trying to out-tea party the far-right candidates, he is SKIPPING Iowa (blaming corn subsidies)... but in reality, he's skipping the far-right places.
He and Romney are going to see who can outspend each other. He can beat mittens.
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He and romney are vying for the rino pofs place in the primary. No thanks.
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He and romney are vying for the rino pofs place in the primary.
You are 100000000% Correct.
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Huntsman Campaign Launch Begins Day with Misspelling of His Own Name
ABC News ^ | 6/21/2011 | Sarah Kunin
Posted on June 21, 2011 7:15:08 PM EDT by Qbert
Every detail of Jon Huntsman’s long-awaited campaign launch was meticulously planned, except of course for one minor detail: the misspelling of the candidate’s name.
Members of the media were handed a press pass that read “John Huntsman for President" -- adding an unnecessary H in the candidate's first name.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.abcnews.com ...
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stop hating on the dude. in a year, you'll be spending 4 hours a day talking about how Huntsy is the only hope for saving america :)
Love your RINO. Do it, man!
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5 GOP Candidates Weigh in on Abortion: Life Begins at Conception
Friday, 24 Jun 2011
By Newsmax Wires
Five of the declared Republican presidential candidates set aside other policy differences to agree on one thing Friday: Life begins at conception. That’s the message they delivered either in person or via Skype to the National Right to Life convention in Jacksonville, Fla., according to CNN’s Political Ticker blog.
Right to Life Convention, Bachmann, Pawlenty, Cain, Paul, SantorumRep. Michele Bachmann, who has five children and has been foster parent to 23 others, told conventioneers that she is the candidate with the strongest record against abortion.
"What you want in a president is someone who is unquestionably 100 percent pro-life," said the founder of the House Tea Party Caucus.
Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, perhaps begging to differ with his fellow Minnesotan’s claim, cited an article from National Review Online, a conservative news outlet, describing him as the most pro-life candidate in the GOP presidential field.
"If we're going to have a new and better direction for America, we're going to need a new and better president," Pawlenty said.
Some of the candidates based their comments on faith, the CNN report said.
For example, Herman Cain, former Godfather's Pizza CEO, blamed an increasingly secular culture for abortion and the country’s “moral crisis.”
"As believers, most of us, we've got to fight back strongly with our voices and our votes," Cain said.
Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, a former obstetrician who said he has delivered more than 4,000 babies, said he would introduce legislation called "We the People Act," intending to shift abortion laws from the federal level to the states. "We could prevent millions of abortions by allowing states to legislate," Paul said, via Skype.
And former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum said the government is ignoring the rights of the unborn.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/GOP-RighttoLife-convention-Bachmann/2011/06/24/id/401374
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well, that makes it easier for me; forgot those five; work the remaining ones.
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hahah Republicans are a joke at this point.
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And what does that make obama that a generic repub beats him?
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Romney and Bachmann Lead Iowa Poll on GOP Presidential Field
Published June 25, 2011
Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa – A new Iowa Poll shows national Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney and tea party favorite Michele Bachmann leading among the state's likely GOP caucus-goers.
The poll conducted for The Des Moines Register shows Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, with support from 23 percent in Iowa. Bachmann is right on his heels. The Minnesota representative who plans to launch her campaign in Iowa on Monday has support from 22 percent.
Romney was the No. 2 finisher in the caucuses in his bid for the 2008 GOP nomination. Bachmann is a three-term congresswoman and newer face in the 2012 White House mix.
The results are based on telephone interviews with 400 likely Republican Iowa caucus-goers from June 19 to 22. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.
Romney has said he plans to run a scaled-down Iowa campaign, compared to the all-out, $10-million effort he waged for the 2008 caucuses.
Tim Pawlenty has been the most aggressive about campaigning in Iowa, having lined up top Iowa and national consultants, been a frequent visitor to the state and ran the 2012 campaign's first Republican candidate television advertisements last week.
However, only 6 percent of Iowa Republicans expected to attend the 2012 caucuses prefer the former Minnesota governor as their choice, according to the poll.
Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, whose campaign has struggled since widespread staff departures this month, has support from 7 percent, the same as Texas Representative Ron Paul.
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum has 4 percent, followed by former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has said he will not campaign in Iowa, with 2 percent.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/25/romney-and-bachmann-lead-iowa-poll-on-gop-presidential-field/
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I like his thinking.
2012 GOP candidate Cain promotes his business plan
SUSANNE M. SCHAFERSUSANNE M. SCHAFER, Associated Press
Jun. 28, 2011
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain says his tax-cutting, pro-business philosophy will power the U.S. economy and put unemployed people back to work.
Cain's message was greeted with applause by about six dozen people when he appeared at a center on innovative technology in Greenville, S.C., on Wednesday.
The former CEO of the Godfather's Pizza chain says there should be a maximum tax of 25 percent on company profits and personal income. He also repeated his calls for an end to the capital gains tax and for the nation to get its national debt under control.
Cain says his plan will produce a job for every home.
http://hosted2.ap.org/HIHON/229cea0feec5482f81543bdaad3ec66c/Article_2011-06-29-Cain-2012/id-f25161bbe02d41d68521ed8dcbf45ed3
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Romney Raises Up to $20 Million, Leads Polls
Friday, 01 Jul 2011
July 1 (Bloomberg) -- Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s campaign said today it has raised between $15 million and $20 million for his 2012 bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
Romney had 24 percent support in a Real Clear Politics average of recent opinion polls, almost double the next-highest number for former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who hasn’t said whether she will run in 2012. Romney’s committee said it raised more than $10 million in a one-day fundraising blitz in Las Vegas in May.
Campaigns released some of their fundraising totals after the second-quarter period ended yesterday. Reports are due to the Federal Election Commission by July 15.
Representative Ron Paul, a Texas Republican, reported on his website that he raised more than $4.5 million.
“It’s vital that the establishment know my campaign has the enthusiasm and fundraising of a top-tier campaign,” Paul wrote in a fundraising appeal.
Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman’s campaign said it had taken in $4.1 million. Less than half of that amount came from the candidate, the campaign said. A former U.S. ambassador to China during the Obama administration, Huntsman entered the race June 21.
Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, who announced her candidacy June 27, had $2.9 million in her congressional campaign account as of March 31, all of which could be used for her presidential run.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/MittRomney-2012PresidentialElection/2011/07/01/id/402249
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20 mil is pretty good for an unemployed guy.
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Poll: Romney still ahead in New Hampshire
By: CNN's Rebecca Stewart
(CNN)-Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney tops a new WMUR Granite State Poll, with more likely Republican primary voters saying they'd support him in the first-in-the-nation primary state. His first-place showing in the poll hasn't wavered since February 2009.
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann took over second place in the survey but still trails Romney by double digits.
More than one-third of likely Republican primary voters–35 percent– said they would vote for Romney, who also sought the GOP nomination in 2008. Twelve percent said they'd back Bachmann.
But support for the three-term congresswoman has increased by 8 percentage points since a well-received performance at the first CNN/WMUR/New Hampshire Union-Leader GOP primary debate and the formal announcement of her presidential bid in June.
With single-digit support, Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has not announced a bid for the 2012 Republican nomination for president, are tied at seven percent in the poll. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, another candidate still mulling over a bid, are also all tied up at three percent support each.
Two percent of likely primary voters support both former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and businessman Herman Cain. One percent back former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum polled below one percent support.
The top pick for Republican primary voters fares well against incumbent President Barack Obama in the poll, and better than any other potential GOP nominee: Romney leads Obama 47 to 43 percent in a hypothetical matchup. But the four-point margin falls within the poll's sampling error, indicating the match is statistically tied.
Most voters simply haven't made up their minds. Three-quarters of voters likely to vote in the first primary in the nation say they're still trying to decide whom to support for president.
And of all those questioned, two in 10 know whom they wouldn't support: Sarah Palin. Twenty-three percent of likely Republican primary voters say they would not vote for the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee under any circumstances-more than any other GOP candidate in the field.
The WMUR Granite State Poll was conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center from June 21-July 1 by telephone among 773 New Hampshire adults. It has a sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. The poll included 357 likely 2012 Republican primary voters with a sampling error of 5.2 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/05/poll-romney-still-ahead-in-new-hampshire/#more-166329
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Texas Governor Perry Likely to Run in 2012
Thursday, 07 Jul 2011
Among political insiders in the Texas state capital, one thing is considered certain: Governor Rick Perry will jump into the Republican presidential race in the next few weeks.
But what happens then, in a campaign where many Republicans are hungry for an alternative to vulnerable frontrunner Mitt Romney, is much less predictable.
Perry's entry in the 2012 race would shake up a field of potential challengers to President Barack Obama that has drawn yawns from Republican activists, potentially elevating him near the top of a pack that also includes conservative rivals Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty.
But Perry, who favors cowboy boots and once boasted he shot a coyote while jogging, could face big hurdles making up ground in fund raising and expanding his appeal to a broader electorate with fresh and often unfavorable memories of another former Texas governor -- George W. Bush.
"My belief is he will run," said Austin lawyer Bill Crocker, general counsel to the Republican National Committee and a Perry friend.
"People keep telling me 'We've got to have him in the race,"' Crocker said. "We need somebody who can win. He is easily the most attractive campaigner we've got."
Perry, a staunch social conservative, is also popular with Tea Party fiscal conservatives. In an election dominated by the troubled economy and persistent unemployment, he heads a state with a strong record of job growth.
His supporters say that will be a formidable combination that could bridge the gap between the party's right wing and establishment center.
"He's getting a lot of people calling him because they think he can fill that void," said Republican lobbyist Cliff Johnson, a Perry hunting buddy who shared an apartment with him when they first served together in the Texas legislature.
'THE GUY TO BEAT'
"If he gets in, he's the guy to beat," Johnson said in an interview in his office, steps from the state capitol building. "He's a voracious campaigner and he's a true conservative."
Even Perry's critics give him points for ability.
"The last thing anybody should do is underestimate his campaign skills," said Texas House Democrat Garnet Coleman of Houston. "His only objective is to strengthen himself politically, and he's not afraid to do or say something controversial if it brings him a bigger audience."
Perry's longstanding opposition to abortion rights and gay marriage, along with his fierce animosity to Washington, gives him the sort of credibility among conservatives that often eludes Romney, a former governor of liberal Massachusetts.
Even before entering the race, Perry is running second to Romney in several national Republican polls, with Bachmann his main challenger for conservative votes.
"He would be a hot ticket in the short term, for sure," said Bruce Buchanan, a political scientist at the University of Texas in Austin. "Whether he could be competitive in a general election is a big question."
Perry, the state's longest serving governor, was raised in a small west Texas town. He was elected as a Democrat to the Texas House of Representatives and eventually became lieutenant governor after switching parties. When Bush won the White House in 2000, Perry moved into the governor's office.
He drew notice in Washington last year when he swept to a third re-election victory, an unprecedented feat in Texas.
"The people who get elected in Texas are characters, and Rick Perry is a character," said Bill Miller, a lobbyist and former political consultant who works with both parties.
Perry has been traveling the country gauging his support for more than a month. Top strategist David Carney said no final decisions have been made as a team of about a dozen Perry advisers and supporters pores through logistical questions.
"It's just the practicality of it -- how much time will be needed to raise money and how much money can be raised?" Carney said.
Perry would enter the race with some clear advantages -- he would be the only governor in the field from the South, a regional Republican stronghold, and the state's dynamic job growth gives him a popular talking point.
But critics say many of those jobs are low-wage, and the Texas record also includes heavy cuts in education, low levels of public service and high rates of uninsured.
Perry also would draw constant comparisons to Bush, the last Texas governor in the White House, raising the possibility of "Texas fatigue" among voters. The irony is the two men have a sometimes antagonistic relationship, made worse by Perry's criticism of Bush's heavy federal spending as president.
Once in the race, Perry is certain to face questions about his comments at a 2009 Tea Party rally that seemed to entertain the notion that Texas could secede from the union.
"We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it, but if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come of that," he said.
Carney said Perry rejected the concept of secession but was echoing the frustration with Washington felt by voters.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/rick-perry-likely-run/2011/07/07/id/402855
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If Perry goes anti- Bush he wont be getting my vote in the primary.
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If Perry goes anti- Bush he wont be getting my vote in the primary.
guess you'll be having a quiet day at home on primary voting day...
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Why the 'Home Field Advantage' Might Not Help the GOP In 2012
By Juan Williams
Published July 08, 2011
FoxNews.com
Since 1960, only two nominees of the major political parties have lost their home state in a general election. George McGovern lost South Dakota in 1972 to Richard Nixon and Al Gore lost Tennessee in 2000 to George W. Bush.
Clearly, when the people who know the candidate best -- the people in their home state -- will not vote for them to take the top job in Washington the nominee is not likely to be moving to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
That is why it was so startling for me to realize last week that, according to the latest polls, not one of the candidates vying for the GOP’s 2012 nomination beats President Obama in head-to-head matchups in their home states.
The only person who even comes close is former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. He is tied with Obama on his home turf in Minnesota, according to a SurveyUSA poll from last week.
According to the same poll, the other Minnesotan in the race – Congresswoman Michele Bachmann loses to Obama by 14 points in Minnesota.
Both Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain trail Obama in their home state of Georgia according to Public Policy Polling (PPP). In deep blue Massachusetts, the state’s former Governor Mitt Romney loses to Obama by 20 points according to another PPP poll.
These are not encouraging signs for the declared candidates in the Republican primary contest.
And the outlook does not look much better for those potential candidates still on the sidelines. Namely, Texas Governor Rick Perry, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. All three potential candidates are losing to Obama in their home states.
A PPP poll released last week from that President Obama beats Perry 47% to 45% in Texas. Perry’s record of job creation has been hailed by conservatives as the “Texas Miracle” and provides the main rationale for him to jump into the race. However, the “Texas Miracle” is not all that it is cracked up to be and most Texans know that.
In fact, some facts about the "miracle" might make voters in the Lone Star State wary that Perry will do for the nation what he has done for Texas. Since 2008, wages have increased by a national average of 5% but in Texas, they only grew by an anemic 0.6%. Twenty-three states have lower unemployment rates than Texas. The state also has the highest proportion of people without health insurance – almost one out of every four people in Texas have no insurance.
New Jersey Gov. Christie, a national conservative rock star, is the most interesting case of a possible GOP candidate who gets national attention while the people in his state are expressing reservations. A poll from New Jersey’s Farleigh Dickinson University found Chris Christie losing to Obama 50 percent to 34 percent in the Garden State.
And this was before the governor used his line item veto to strip out spending provisions favored by Democrats in the state budget.
This prompted the Democratic President of the State Senate, Steve Sweeney, to accuse Christie of reneging on his promises and negotiating in bad faith. Sweeney said of Christie “You know who he reminds me of ? Mr. Potter from "It's A Wonderful Life," that mean old bastard who screws everybody.” This is not likely to help Christie’s standing in the Garden State.
And then there is Sarah Palin. She has not yet declared her intentions one way or the other about running for the nomination but a poll from last week – commissioned by a conservative talk radio host found Alaskans favor Obama over Palin by 6 points. Palin resigned as governor of the state half way into her first term in July of 2009.
Presidential candidates often bank on home field advantage in general elections – the ability to carry their home state or even their home region provides a cushion in the Electoral College that gives them a certain amount of credibility.
Historically, running mates have been selected partly for their capacity to deliver their home state, region or at the very least make the ticket competitive in those areas – more than it otherwise would be.
But, this time the calculus may be different. For whomever becomes the eventual 2012 GOP nominee, the home field advantage could very quickly become a disadvantage -- and a humiliating one at that.
Juan Williams is a writer, author and Fox News political analyst. His next book is "Muzzled: The Assault On Honest Debate" (Crown/Random House) which will be released later this month.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/07/08/why-home-field-advantage-might-not-help-gop-in-2012/
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Campbell family lines up behind Huntsman in South Carolina
By: CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Greenville, South Carolina (CNN) – The family of the late former South Carolina Gov. Carroll Campbell, a towering figure in the state’s political lore, will endorse former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman’s Republican presidential bid on Tuesday.
Huntsman had already secured the backing of Campbell’s son Mike, a former candidate for lieutenant governor who chaired Mike Huckabee’s South Carolina primary campaign in 2008.
CNN has learned that Huntsman will also pick up the support of Mike’s brother, former congressional candidate Carroll Campbell III, and his mother, former first lady Iris Campbell, at an afternoon event in Greenville, a city that blossomed after Gov. Campbell recruited a BMW plant and other businesses to the region in the late 1980s.
Bob McAlister, Campbell’s former chief of staff, also plans to endorse Huntsman.
Campbell helped revitalize the South Carolina Republican Party during a long political career that culminated in two terms as governor from 1987 to 1995. He died of a heart attack in 2005.
The influence of the Campbell name has waned somewhat in recent election cycles, but the family’s stamp of approval lends Huntsman a veneer of credibility in an early primary state that’s key to his nomination strategy.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/12/campbell-family-lines-up-behind-huntsman-in-south-carolina/#more-166966
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Florida Poll: Romney Beats Obama in Hypothetical Race
Tuesday, 12 Jul 2011
By Henry J. Reske
Republican Mitt Romney now leads President Barack Obama in a hypothetical matchup in Florida 46 to 42 percent. The survey of 1,000 likely voters shows that 54 percent disapprove of the job the president is doing, according to a Sunshine State News Poll.
"Clearly, the bleak economic landscape is not good news for Obama. This is quite sobering when you consider that the recession technically ended in summer of 2009, which really shows that people don’t believe we are out of the woods by any stretch," Jim Lee, president of Harrisburg, Pa.-based Voter Survey Service that conducted the survey, said according to Sunshine State News.
Lee said that Romney is “is clearly running as the 'most qualified' candidate to get the economy back on track, while candidates like Michele Bachmann and others are talking more about issues that play to the tea party base -- spending, deficits, not raising the debt limit, etc.”
He told Sunshine State News that Romney wins the support of Republicans 74 to 14 percent while Democrats support Obama 71 to 20 percent and independents favor Romney 42 to 38 percent.
Obama polled better than Romney only in the heavily Democratic area of Southeast Florida where he led 57 to 33 percent. "Next year’s election will be much closer for Obama, even if he manages to squeak it out," Lee told the publication.
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/florida-poll-romney-beats/2011/07/12/id/403345
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Herman Cain !
He needs to promote his gospel CD; he is a great singer!
this is the career he should be pursuing :D
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Looks like he is going to run.
Perry 'More and More Comfortable' With Idea of Presidential Run
Published July 17, 2011
Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry says he'll likely decide in two or three weeks whether he'll run for president.
The conservative Republican has long been scornful of Washington, and he says even now he doesn't wake up wanting to be president. But Perry says he also knows his wife, Anita, and others want him to run and he's getting used to the idea.
Perry told the Des Moines Register that he's "getting more and more comfortable every day that this is what I've been called to do. This is what America needs."
Perry is the longest-serving governor in Texas history. An evangelical Christian, he has a strong following among the social conservatives who often dominate Republican politics.
His aides began making inquiries last month about Iowa's leadoff presidential nominating caucuses.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/07/17/perry-more-and-more-comfortable-with-idea-presidential-run/
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Perry would wipe the floor w MaoBama.
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Perry would wipe the floor w MaoBama.
Perry is pretty famliar with the dem tactics. Ask Al gore.
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Election 2012: Obama Leads Perry, Bachmann by Single Digits
Thursday, July 21, 2011
It’s a long way to go until November 2012, and it’s unclear who the Republicans will nominate to challenge President Obama, but polls continue to show that the race would be very competitive if the election were held today.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that President Obama would enjoy a modest 44% to 39% lead over Texas Governor Rick Perry. Given that choice, 10% would opt for a third-party candidate and eight percent (8%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
A separate survey shows that if Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is the nominee, Obama holds a 46% to 39% advantage. In that case, seven percent (7%) would choose a third candidate and eight percent (8%) are not sure.
Data released yesterday shows that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is in a toss-up with the president: Romney 43% Obama 42%.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The match-up surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters were conducted from July 6-7 and July 8-9, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error for the surveys is +/- 3% with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Romney does a bit better than Perry and Bachmann among Republican voters. That may reflect the unease of establishment Republicans with some of the other choices available. Romney also does better among unaffiliated voters. Among those voters, the former Governor leads Obama while Perry and Bachmann trail slightly.
It’s important to note, however, that Romney benefits from being perceived as the frontrunner. In 2004, the last time an incumbent president stood for re-election, Howard Dean was the early Democratic frontrunner and he polled best against George W. Bush. John Kerry was always a few points behind. However, once Kerry became the frontrunner in early 2008, his numbers became as good as Dean’s.
Polls conducted a year-and-a-half before an election provide a snapshot of where things are today but give little indication of what the mood might be on Election Day. If the economy substantially improves before November 2012, President Obama will be heavily favored to win re-election. If the opposite happens and the country endures a double-dip recession, just about any Republican challenger would be favored. If the economy stays as it is today, the race could be very competitive.
A good measure of the president’s re-election prospects is his Job Approval rating among likely voters. His final vote total is likely to be very close to his final Job Approval figures.
Romney leads the polls for the GOP nomination among Republican Primary voters. However, it is far too early for the polls to give a sense of who is likely to emerge as the Republican nominee. In 2008, John McCain never took the lead in a national primary poll until December 31, 2007.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/election_2012_obama_leads_perry_bachmann_by_single_digits
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Public Policy Polling: “Obama in perilous shape”
Thu, 07/21/2011 - posted by Jason Pye
Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-leaning firm, released new national numbers yesterday for President Barack Obama showing that 46% of voters approve of his job performance, but 48% disapprove. These are obviously not numbers that Obama’s campaign wants to see headed into an election year.
The numbers also show that Romney is now running even with Obama; with independents, voters that will be key if Republicans hope to boot the president, breaking 46/37 for the former Massachusetts Governor. Pawlenty is the only other candidate polled that even comes close to these numbers with independents.
Here is how Obama compares to the group of Republicans candidates tested against him (numbers with independents are off to the side).
Barack Obama v. Mitt Romney
* Obama: 45% (37%)
* Romney: 45% (46%)
* Undecided: 10% (16%
Barack Obama v. Michele Bachmann
* Obama: 48% (45%)
* Bachmann: 41% (39%)
* Undecided: 11% (17%)
Barack Obama v. Tim Pawlenty
* Obama: 48% (42%)
* Pawlenty: 39% (42%)
* Undecided: 13% (17%)
Barack Obama v. Herman Cain
* Obama: 48% (43%)
* Cain: 36% (38%)
* Undecided: 16% (20%)
Barack Obama v. Sarah Palin
* Obama: 53% (51%)
* Palin: 37% (38%)
* Undecided: 9% (11%)
http://www.unitedliberty.org/articles/8475-public-policy-polling-obama-in-perilous-shape
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Romney wins straw poll in Ohio
By: CNN's Rebecca Stewart
(CNN) - Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney took the Ohio Republican Party Presidential Straw Poll late Friday, with 25 percent of the vote.
And former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty received needed good news, placing second in the poll, which surveyed attendees at the Ohio Republican Party state dinner. He received 16 percent support.
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann placed third with 15 percent followed closely by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has not announced an official bid to seek the 2012 GOP nomination for president, but had the backing of 14 percent of attendees as a write-in candidate at the dinner in Cleveland.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul placed fifth with 9 percent, businessman Herman Cain and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum tied with 5 percent, and former House Speaker New Gingrich won 3 percent of the vote. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman netted 2 percent. Other write-in candidates garnered 6 percent support.
A CNN/ORC International Poll released Friday reflected slightly different results nationwide. Romney led the Republican field with 16 percent support across the nation with Perry close at his heels, trailing by only two percentage points. Pawlenty ranked ninth in the survey, backed by 2 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaners.
The Buckeye state was a major battleground in the last presidential election and broke for President Obama, but Ohio GOP Party Chair Kevin DeWine vowed, "Ohio has undergone a political transformation since 2008."
"The energy, enthusiasm and excitement here in Cleveland this evening, and across the Buckeye State, for our qualified presidential candidates is proof that Ohio Republicans are ready to once again return a Republican to the White House in 2012."
New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer and Michigan Congressman Thad McCotter did not appear on the ballot.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/22/romney-wins-straw-poll-in-ohio/#more-168484
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Zogby: Rick Perry Would Lead GOP Field
Tuesday, 26 Jul 2011
Michele Bachmann continues to lead the field of announced Presidential candidates among Republican primary voters, but Rick Perry would be the top choice if he entered the race.
Mitt Romney trails both Bachmann and Herman Cain among announced candidates and falls even further back when Perry and Chris Christie are included. However, he continues to be seen by GOP voters as most likely to be the nominee.
IBOPE Zogby International conducted an online survey of 1,103 likely Republican primary voters. These results are from an IBOPE Zogby interactive poll conducted from July 22-25.
. . .
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/poll-perry-christie-gop/2011/07/26/id/404936
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of course perry 'would' lead the field.
unknown people always lead before they enter, they enter the race, then they drop.
i remember that dumbass fred thompson leading the polls at one time lmao... wes clark led once too. oh brother.
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of course perry 'would' lead the field.
unknown people always lead before they enter, they enter the race, then they drop.
i remember that dumbass fred thompson leading the polls at one time lmao... wes clark led once too. oh brother.
No they don't. ::)
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No they don't. ::)
a lot of the time they do. the primary voters are all like "wow, finally we have a guy with LEADERSHIP skills" like one particular getbigger said in 2007/2008 about Fred Thompson. Wes Clark was in the lead bigtime when he entered. Once the person actually speaks, they almost always plummet as their opinions slowly alienate groups of voters. You can't please everyone.
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a lot of the time they do. the primary voters are all like "wow, finally we have a guy with LEADERSHIP skills" like one particular getbigger said in 2007/2008 about Fred Thompson. Wes Clark was in the lead bigtime when he entered. Once the person actually speaks, they almost always plummet as their opinions slowly alienate groups of voters. You can't please everyone.
I don't recall Thompson or Clark ever leading the polls. Your claim that "Clark was in the lead bigtime when he entered" sounds absolutely false.
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I don't recall Thompson or Clark ever leading the polls. Your claim that "Clark was in the lead bigtime when he entered" sounds absolutely false.
I remember the initial polls in 2003. MSNBC was slobbing the guy's knob left and right. he did lead, and the buzz was all about him. Same way it was all about that dumbass thomnpson.... same way it's about Perry now. once the guy gets in, we see he's just anotehr dude with some weird positions who is awkward and not as bright as we had hoped. It always happens.
http://www.kepisandpobe.com/en/gen-wesley-k-clark
In 2003, Mr. Clark ran for the democratic nomination for President of the United States and led polls at a number of points before withdrawing from the race in early 2004.
Several polls from September to November 2003 showed Clark leading the Democratic field of candidates or as a close second to Howard Dean.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Clark
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I remember the initial polls in 2003. MSNBC was slobbing the guy's knob left and right. he did lead, and the buzz was all about him. Same way it was all about that dumbass thomnpson.... same way it's about Perry now. once the guy gets in, we see he's just anotehr dude with some weird positions who is awkward and not as bright as we had hoped. It always happens.
http://www.kepisandpobe.com/en/gen-wesley-k-clark
In 2003, Mr. Clark ran for the democratic nomination for President of the United States and led polls at a number of points before withdrawing from the race in early 2004.
Several polls from September to November 2003 showed Clark leading the Democratic field of candidates or as a close second to Howard Dean.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Clark
Here is the entire excerpt. It doesn't say or support your claim that "Clark was in the lead bigtime when he entered."
Several polls from September to November 2003 showed Clark leading the Democratic field of candidates or as a close second to Howard Dean. The John Edwards campaign brought on Hugh Shelton—the general who had said Clark was made to leave the SACEUR post early due to "integrity and character issues"—as an advisor, a move that drew criticism from the Clark campaign.[118] Since Dean consistently polled in the lead in the Iowa caucuses, Clark opted out of participating in the caucuses entirely to focus on later primaries instead. The 2004 Iowa caucuses marked a turning point in the campaign for the Democratic nomination, however, as front-runners Dean and Dick Gephardt garnered results far lower than expected, and John Kerry and John Edwards' campaigns benefited in Clark's absence. Although Clark performed reasonably well in later primaries, such as a tie for third place with Edwards in the New Hampshire primary and narrowly winning the Oklahoma primary over Edwards, he saw his third-place finish in Tennessee and distant third in Virginia as signs that he had lost the South, which his campaign had been centered on. He withdrew from the race on February 11, 2004 and announced his endorsement of John Kerry at a rally in Madison, Wisconsin on February 13.[119] Clark believed his opting out of the Iowa caucus was one of his campaign's biggest mistakes, saying to one supporter the day before he withdrew from the race that "everything would have been different if we had [been in Iowa]."[120]
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Clark led polls when he entered. You didn't remember that. WIKi showed he did. I'm not sure what we're even arguing about at this point, to be honest dude :)
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Clark led polls when he entered. You didn't remember that. WIKi showed he did. I'm not sure what we're even arguing about at this point, to be honest dude :)
No, I didn't remember him leading polls. The links you provided showed he did lead in some polls.
What they don't show is that "Clark was in the lead bigtime when he entered." Sort of a big difference between leading in some polls, and having a "bigtime" lead in all polls.
The reason I didn't remember him leading any polls is he was a terrible candidate. Great American, but not a good speaker and was beaten soundly in the primaries.
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Perry near the top in GOP 2012 race in second straight poll
By: CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
Washington (CNN) - As Texas Gov. Rick Perry comes closer and closer to jumping into the race for the White House, a second straight national poll indicates the Texas governor is close to the top of the list in the battle for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.
According to a Gallup survey released Wednesday, Perry appears to be the strongest challenger to Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who is making his second bid for the nomination and who is at the top of the GOP list in most polls.
Among the announced candidates, 27 percent of Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP say that Romney is their first choice for their party's presidential nomination, with 18 percent backing Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and 11 percent supporting Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who's making his third run for the White House. Every other announced candidate listed polled in the single digits.
But add Perry to the mix and it appears to be a different ball game, with Romney at 23 percent and Perry at 18 percent, Bachmann at 13 percent and Paul at 10 percent.
Add in former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and things get even more crowded near the top of the pack, with Romney at 17 percent, Perry at 15 percent, Palin at 12 percent, and Giuliani and Bachmann at 11 percent, Paul at eight percent and everyone else in the low single digits. While both Giuliani, who ran for the presidency four years ago, and Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee in 2008, have flirted with bids, neither has taken concrete steps towards launching a campaign.
"Romney is the nominal front-runner for the Republican nomination, though his status is weaker now than a month ago and could be weakened further by the entry of a candidate like Perry, Palin, or Giuliani," says Gallup's analysis of their poll. "Still, none of those potential candidates' support exceeds Romney's at the moment."
The Gallup survey mirrors a CNN/ORC International Poll released last Friday. According to the CNN survey, 14 percent picked Perry as their first choice for their party's nomination, just two points behind Romney. Romney's two point margin over Perry was within the survey's sampling error.
The CNN poll indicated that Giuliani and Palin were at 13 percent, Bachmann at 12 percent and everyone else in single digits.
According to the poll, Perry appears to be changing some GOP minds.
"In May, 50 percent of Republicans said that they did not want Perry to throw his hat in the ring; now, 50 percent say they would welcome a bid by Perry," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.
The Gallup poll was conducted July 20-24, with 1,088 Republicans and independents who lean toward the GOP questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus four percentage points.
The CNN poll by ORC International was conducted July 18-20, with 455 Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points for questions regarding the GOP presidential nomination horserace.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/27/perry-near-the-top-in-gop-2012-race-in-second-straight-poll/#more-169033
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Thune leaves V.P. door open
By: CNN Associate Producer Gabriella Schwarz
Washington (CNN) - Republican Sen. John Thune isn't ready to rule out the No. 2 spot on the GOP presidential ticket in 2012.
When asked Sunday if he would consider the vice presidency, the South Dakota senator said, "I don't think you rule any options out in politics."
"When you're in this you want to serve your country and put your skill set to its highest and best use," Thune said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
After publicly mulling a bid, he ultimately decided against a White House run in February. At the time he said he was "best positioned to fight for America's future here in the trenches of the United States Senate." His most recent comments echoed those sentiments.
"I'm certainly focused today on what we're doing in the United States Senate, which today is to get a deal to avert a crisis for our country," Thune said.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/31/thune-leaves-v-p-door-open/#more-169502
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Cain Wins Straw Poll of Conservatives in Denver
Sunday, 31 Jul 2011
DENVER (AP) — Conservatives meeting in Denver have handed Georgia businessman Herman Cain a wide victory in a straw poll of Republican presidential candidates.
Cain spoke to the Western Conservative Summit moments before the poll Sunday and drew the crowd to its feet with his life story and biting criticisms of President Barack Obama.
With 508 people voting, 48 percent chose Cain as their favored presidential candidate. Second place, with 13 percent, went to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has not formally announced his presidential campaign but addressed about 1,000 people at the conference Friday.
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who addressed the group Friday, got 10 percent. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, won Colorado's Republican presidential caucuses in 2008, also got 10 percent. Nine other Republicans split the rest of the votes.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Republicans-StrawPoll/2011/07/31/id/405501
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Lol the country is fucking doomed. Keep thinking guys like Romney or Perry are going to make a difference, lol, idiots.
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Cain Wins Straw Poll of Conservatives in Denver
Sunday, 31 Jul 2011
DENVER (AP) — Conservatives meeting in Denver have handed Georgia businessman Herman Cain a wide victory in a straw poll of Republican presidential candidates.
Cain spoke to the Western Conservative Summit moments before the poll Sunday and drew the crowd to its feet with his life story and biting criticisms of President Barack Obama.
With 508 people voting, 48 percent chose Cain as their favored presidential candidate. Second place, with 13 percent, went to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has not formally announced his presidential campaign but addressed about 1,000 people at the conference Friday.
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who addressed the group Friday, got 10 percent. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, won Colorado's Republican presidential caucuses in 2008, also got 10 percent. Nine other Republicans split the rest of the votes.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Republicans-StrawPoll/2011/07/31/id/405501
all right ! pizza for everyone!!!
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Should be some thinning out after Iowa (even though the winner isn't a lock to win the nomination by any means). Perry is going to push a few folks down in the polls.
New CNN Poll: Perry near top of pack in GOP nomination battle
By: CNN Political Unit
Washington (CNN) - As Rick Perry moves closer and closer to a run for the White House, a new national survey indicates that the longtime Texas governor is close to the top of the pack in the hunt for the Republican presidential nomination.
According to a CNN/ORC International poll, 15 percent of Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP pick Perry as their first choice for their party's nomination, just two points behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who's making his second bid for the White House. Romney's two point margin over Perry is within the survey's sampling error.
Read full results (pdf).
The poll's Thursday release comes two days before Perry gives a speech at a major conservative gathering in South Carolina where his staff has indicated he will make his intentions for a presidential run clear. Later in the day Perry travels to New Hampshire to meet with GOP lawmakers, activists, and voters. Perry's travels Saturday come as the rest of the political spotlight will be shining on Iowa, for a crucial presidential straw poll in Ames. Perry heads to Iowa Sunday to speak at a Republican party gathering, which means he will visit three of the crucial early voting primary and caucus states this weekend.
The survey indicates that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who is making his third bid for the White House, are at 12 percent apiece. While both Giuliani, who ran for the presidency four years ago, and Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee in 2008, have flirted with bids, neither has taken concrete steps towards launching a campaign.
According to the poll, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota has the support of seven percent, with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at five percent, both former Godfather's Pizza CEO and radio talk show host Herman Cain and former Utah Gov. and former U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman at four percent, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania at two percent. Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson and Rep. Thad McCotter of Michigan both register at less than one half of one percent.
If the choices are pared down to exclude Giuliani and Palin, Romney remains at the top of the list, with 23 percent, followed by Perry at 18 percent and Paul at 14 percent. The survey indicates Bachmann at nine percent, Gingrich one point back, Cain and Huntsman at five percent, Pawlenty and Santorum at three percent and Johnson and McCotter both registering at less than one half of one percent.
According to the poll, the GOP candidates and potential candidates match up differently against President Barack Obama in hypothetical 2012 general election showdowns. Giuliani has a 51-45 percent advantage over Obama among registered voters, while Romney matches up evenly against the President - 49 percent for Obama and 48 percent for Romney. But the survey indicates Obama appears to have a slight edge over Bachmann (51-45 percent) and Perry (51-46 percent) and Obama has a lead over Palin (55-41 percent).
The CNN poll was conducted by ORC International on August 5-7, with 1,008 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/11/new-cnn-poll-perry-near-top-of-pack-in-gop-nomination-battle/#more-170886
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Perry announces presidential bid
By the CNN Wire Staff
August 13, 2011
Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) -- Rick Perry aimed Saturday to shift the attention from Iowa's straw poll to South Carolina, where he told conservative activists he is seeking the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.
The Texas governor made the announcement at the RedState Gathering in Charleston, one day after meeting with Alabama Republicans.
"I came to South Carolina because I cannot accept the path the country is on," Perry said. "A renewed nation needs a new president. It's time to get America working again."
Perry recited a litany of issues facing America, including debt, high unemployment and hefty energy costs. Leadership under President Barack Obama, he said, is "rudderless."
"It's time to believe the promise of our future is better than the best days behind us," Perry said to applause.
He launched his presidential campaign website, rickperry.org, shortly before the announcement.
The timing of the announcement buttressed Perry's bid to get attention on a busy day in American politics: His speech started the same hour as those given by candidates making a pitch for straw poll votes in Iowa, where he was not on the ballot.
Merle Black, a political science professor at Emory University in Atlanta, said Perry's appeal to both social and fiscal conservatives could be crucial in the South Carolina Republican primary, which every GOP presidential nominee has won since 1980.
"He would appeal to tea party Republicans, he would appeal to the individuals who are interested in job creation in the state," Black told CNN. "He can also, I think, appeal to evangelical Christians, and the overlap between evangelical tea party Republicans, economic development Republicans -- those are a lot of voters in a South Carolina Republican primary."
Perry also was scheduled to attend a Saturday event in Greenland, New Hampshire, a state where he is expected to launch an aggressive campaign.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley helped kick off the RedState conference, saying Republicans will unite to defeat President Barack Obama.
Perry told the South Carolina crowd that he has helped cut taxes and government spending in Texas.
Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said Perry "pledged to support the 'cut, cap and balance' plan that would preserve subsidies for oil and gas companies and tax cuts for the wealthiest while ending Medicare as we know it, eroding Social Security, eliminating hundreds of thousands of jobs and erasing investments in education and research and development."
In a statement, LaBolt claimed the governor "allowed special interests to write their own rules, hired corporate lobbyists to oversee corporations, and cut funding for programs that would create opportunity for middle-class families."
Perry, a Christian, succeeded George W. Bush in the Texas governor's office and has held that job longer than anyone in state history. Now he looks poised to attempt to follow his predecessor's lead a second time.
According to a new interview with Time magazine, Perry described himself as "very calm in my heart that this is what I'm supposed to be doing."
His entry into the race will shake up the Republican field, putting Perry into direct competition with Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota for core right-wing support. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, if she runs, also would vie for that backing.
A CNN/ORC International poll released Thursday showed 15% of Republican and independent voters who lean toward the GOP picked Perry as their choice for the Republican nomination.
That put Perry, still a noncandidate at the time, just 2 percentage points behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, considered the front-runner in the nominating process. Romney's advantage over Perry is within the survey's sampling error.
Working the crowd in Iowa, Romney on Friday said he expects a "more interesting contest" with Perry in the field.
Bachmann, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Texas Rep. Ron Paul are expected to take the top three positions in the nonbinding vote in Iowa.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/08/13/perry/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
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Pretty comprehensive summary of Perry's background. I like what he brings to the table. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Perry
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And if Romney wasn't Mormon, he'd be dropping some F bombs today. :)
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Once a Fringe Candidate, Paul Shaping 2012 Race
Sunday, 14 Aug 2011
DES MOINES, Iowa — Ron Paul, once seen as a fringe candidate and a nuisance to the establishment, is shaping the 2012 Republican primary by giving voice to the party's libertarian wing and reflecting frustration with the United States' international entanglements.
The Texas congressman placed second in a key early test vote Saturday in Ames, coming within 152 votes of winning the first significant balloting of the Republican nominating contest. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota won the nonbinding Iowa straw poll, but Paul's organizational strength and a retooled focus on social issues set him up to be a serious player in the campaign.
"I believe in a very limited role for government. But the prime reason that government exists in a free society is to protect liberty, but also to protect life. And I mean all life," he told a raucous crowd on Saturday.
"You cannot have relative value for life and deal with that. We cannot play God and make those decisions. All life is precious," he said, opening his remarks with an anti-abortion appeal to the social conservatives who have great sway here in Iowa's leadoff caucuses.
Later Saturday, Paul won 4,671 votes, or roughly 28 percent of the votes from party activists who flocked to a college campus for the daylong political carnival
Paul's narrow second-place finish pushed former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty down to third, leading Pawlenty on Sunday to abandon his effort to challenge President Barack Obama next November.
Four years ago, Paul sought the GOP nomination while talking about economic policy, liberty and the Federal Reserve. Since then, the tea party has risen and seized on those issues, and some regard Paul as one of the movement's godfathers.
"The country's bankrupt, and nobody wanted to admit it. And when you're bankrupt, you can't keep spending," Paul said Thursday during a Fox News Channel debate.
He may lack the broad appeal that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney or Texas Gov. Rick Perry are claiming, but Paul's finish Saturday indicated he could compete.
Paul typically does well in such straw polls, which rely on supporters' intensity and organization. His base helped him win straw polls at June's Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans and February's Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, and his followers organize online to ensure strong finishes at any contest they can find.
It is part of their effort to get rid of the notion that Paul is a fringe candidate.
Paul's 2008 campaign came up far short of better organized rivals. This time, his advisers are putting together a more serious effort that taps into voters' frustrations with Washington and the fears about the economy.
His aides are working within the system instead of against it. For instance, Paul's base camp for the Iowa straw poll was at the same location Romney used in 2007. Romney won that straw poll after investing heavily from his deep pockets for the prime real estate.
Paul's campaign notes that it won more votes this year than Romney won four years ago during his first bid for the GOP nomination. This year, Romney didn't actively campaign during the straw poll; instead, he is looking at a campaign launch in New Hampshire, which hosts the first primary after Iowa's leadoff caucuses.
Still, Paul finds himself outside the bounds of traditional Republicans. His opposition to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan defines him as a dove. His skepticism toward the Federal Reserve has spooked Wall Street. And his libertarian views on gay rights draw the ire of social conservatives.
He also tweaks Republicans on foreign policy, arguing it isn't the United States' role to police Iran's nuclear program or to enforce an embargo with Cuba.
"Iran is not Iceland, Ron," an exasperated Sen. Rick Santorum said during Thursday's debate.
Paul also proves a reliable foil for Democrats.
"In previous presidential campaigns, we might have chalked extreme fringe-type candidates like Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul as an anomaly, (and) the Ames straw poll didn't mean as much," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.
"But we're looking at the core of the Republican Party now. The heart of the Republican Party is the extreme right wing," she told CNN.
Paul, a 75-year-old doctor by training, is not backing down.
"These straw poll results, our growing poll numbers and our strong fundraising show that our message is resonating with Iowans and Americans everywhere," campaign chairman Jesse Benton said. "Our message was the same in 2007 as it is in now in 2011, but this time we have quadrupled our support. That means our message is spreading, our support is surging and people are taking notice."
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Paul-2012/2011/08/14/id/407250
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Romney leads, Perry second in New Hampshire poll
By Catalina Camia, USA TODAY
Mitt Romney has a commanding lead for the GOP presidential nomination in New Hampshire, a new poll shows, while Texas Gov. Rick Perry has shot up to second in the crucial first-in-the-nation primary state.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, leads the Republican field with 36% compared with 18% for Perry, in the poll for the New Hampshire Journal, an online publication. Perry entered the race last Saturday and, like Romney, is campaigning in the Granite State today.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul finished third with 14%, while Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann was the choice of 10% of the likely GOP primary voters. All other candidates finished in single digits.
Bachmann's victory in last weekend's Iowa straw poll did not make a difference to poll respondents, the survey firm Magellan Data and Mapping Strategies found. More than eight in 10 likely GOP primary voters said the Iowa straw poll results had no impact on their choice for a presidential nominee.
The poll of 613 people was taken Aug. 15-16, after Perry got into the race and the straw poll was conducted in Ames.
NH Journal was founded by several political consultants in the Granite State, and Perry's strategist, Dave Carney, is on the website's board of directors.
In New Hampshire, Romney kept his focus on President Obama and the Democrat's record on creating jobs. He said he's looking forward to the president's upcoming speech on jobs, and noted that topic would be his focus from Day One if he's elected to the White House.
Perry, meanwhile, gained attention when he said he doesn't believe in man-made global warming and that it has not been scientifically proven.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/08/mitt-romney-rick-perry-new-hampshire-poll-/1
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Not too late, but it's getting close.
2012 GOP Names Still Floating, But is it Too Late for New Contenders?
Published August 21, 2011
FoxNews.com
Possible GOP candidates like Rep. Paul Ryan and Sarah Palin may be forced to make a decision sooner rather than later.
The field is full, though perhaps not complete, but if any other candidates are thinking of joining the Republican presidential race, they better move quick.
That's the thinking from the sidelines, where strategists, former candidates or could-have-been contenders are offering their take on the 2012 race.
"It's getting a little late in the day. If they don't act within the next couple of weeks, just pragmatically it's tough," said former Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., who has often been on short-lists as presidential or vice presidential material.
Getting into the race late has its ups and downs. A former Arkansas governor by the name of Bill Clinton was the last entry into the Democratic contest in 1991. That worked out for him. Texas Gov. Rick Perry is the most recent to join the nominating contest. The scrutiny has been fierce but the polling looks good.
But an axiom of presidential politics is that a candidate is always strongest the day before his or her official entry into the race. After that, candidates face much closer scrutiny, and if the sheen wears thin, voters begin looking beyond the latest entry to the next potential runner.
For most late entrants, the decision on entering the field comes down to whether their presence is a benefit. Such is the concern facing politicians like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, to name a few.
"There's nothing wrong with searching for the best we can do. Right?" asked Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who decided earlier this year to forego entry to the race. "I think that's what all Americans are hoping for. And my own view has been that although I like all those folks -- there's something to like about each one of them -- that this is a more the merrier situation."
"I put credence in rumblings," said Republican strategist Ed Gillespie. "If you're Paul Ryan; if you're Sarah Palin and you're looking at the dynamics right now, of course you're weighing the possibility of getting in."
Gillespie said one of the factors that could motivate fence sitters to enter is President Obama's 39 percent job approval rating in a recent Gallup poll, the lowest of his presidency.
"If you're a Republican, you're probably thinking, well, in 2016, I can't wait because there's going to be a Republican in the White House and I don't want to run in a primary. So if you're going to ... run for president, it kind of speeds things up a little bit," Gillespie said.
Karl Rove, a senior adviser to former President George W. Bush, said both Paul and Christie have been getting a lot of pressure from influential people around the country, and both at least must be considering getting in the race based on the encouragement they're receiving.
As for Palin, Rove said he'd put cash on that bet.
"I'm not much of a gambler but I'd put a little more money that she gets in than if she doesn't," Rove said, citing her scheduled appearance in Iowa next week and her political action committee's release of a video on Friday that sounded very campaign-oriented.
"It looks like that of candidate, not celebrity," Rove said. "Her difficulty is if she doesn't get in shortly after next week, then I think people are going to basically say she's not in, she won't be in, if she gets in, I'm not going to be for her. You can only tease so many times in the political process, and I think she is getting to the end of that."
Arizona Sen. John McCain, who chose Palin to run with him on the Republican ticket in 2008, said he'd put some credence on Rove's predictions, but he doesn't know her plans.
"That's a decision that is so personal. It has to do with your family, it's got to do with and all of these things. So, it's hard for me to know where Sarah should run or not. I think she would be very formidable," he said.
"I hear, for example, maybe Rudy Giuliani is going to get in the race. I think he would be very formidable," he added.
If Ryan were to enter the race, Daniels said his message would "enrich this debate."
"He understands that an affirmative pro-growth, pro-jobs message that says everything else must take second place to that is the one hope for low-income people in this country," Daniels said. "And he would be a very effective and clear spokesman with a heart for people that I think our party must display."
But for Bayh, who agrees Paul is "a serious person," his entry may not be so graciously greeted.
"I admire the fact that he's focusing on entitlements, but if he's the nominee, it's going to be a referendum on Social Security and Medicare. And it doesn't help when you have serious publications out there that have said his plan would end Social Security and Medicare as we know it," he said.
With the field possibly still open to newcomers and primary polling cycle still five months away from starting, none of the politicians or strategists could predict who would be the best bet for Republicans or the nation. But they did agree that today's front-runners could easily be tomorrow's toast, and vice versa.
"I remind you that in 2007 at this time I was done, if you might recall," McCain said. "My campaign was doomed. A lot of things are going to happen."
Rove and Bayh were on "Fox News Sunday"; McCain and Gillespie appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation; Daniels was on NBC's "Meet the Press."
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08/21/2012-gop-names-still-floating-but-is-it-too-late-for-new-contenders/
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PPP Poll: Perry Takes Double-Digit Lead Over Romney
Tuesday, 23 Aug 2011
A new poll shows Texas Gov. Rick Perry with a double-digit lead nationally over the current 2012 frontrunner, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
The poll, which will be released Wednesday by Public Policy Polling (PPP), is not being detailed in advance, the New York Post reported. But PPP's Director Tom Jensen confirmed Perry's double-digit advantage to the Post.
It will be the second poll of Republican primary voters by the Democratically-aligned polling company to show Perry with a lead nationally since the three-term Texas governor entered the contest.
A Rasmussen Reports national poll out Aug. 16 showed Perry leading Romney by 11 points, 29 percent to 18 percent.
Before that, Romney led in national polls pretty consistently going back to early 2010.
In Iowa, a separate PPP poll of state Republicans Tuesday found Perry taking the lead from Michele Bachmann, R-Minn. The poll found Perry favored by 22 percent of Iowa Republicans, ahead of Romney's 19 percent and Bachmann's 18 percent.
Still, Romney currently enjoys leads in the early voting states of New Hampshire, Florida and Nevada, while a dearth of recent polling in South Carolina makes it difficult to predict the preferences of Palmetto State voters, commonly assumed to be fertile ground for Perry.
PPP told the Post that Wednesday's release will show that in a head-to-head matchup, Perry trails President Barack Obama 49 percent to 43 percent. Obama benefited from independent voters who favored him by 56 percent to 32 percent.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/poll-perry-leads-romney/2011/08/23/id/408411
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Perry gains big endorsement in Florida
By: CNN's Ashley Killough
(CNN) – Republican Dean Cannon, speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, endorsed Rick Perry Wednesday, highlighting the Texas governor’s record of job creation in the Lone Star State.
“President Obama’s big-government, Washington experiment has cost our nation more than 2.3 million jobs,” said Cannon in a statement. “Meanwhile, since just June 2009, Rick Perry’s Texas is responsible for approximately 40% of the net new jobs in America.”
Cannon is a high-profile Republican in a critical state for the GOP. He’s also involved with picking a date for the Florida primary, which is currently set for January 31, earlier than Republican National Committee rules allow for the primary and caucus season.
The RNC warns that the Sunshine State could lose half its delegates should it violate the rules and hold its primary before March. Florida has until October 1 to make a decision.
Cannon’s endorsement followed recent poll results that showed Perry leading the Republican presidential field in Florida.
In an American Research Group survey from late July – weeks before Perry jumped in the race – the Texas governor came in first place at 16 percent among registered Republicans. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann tied for second in the poll at 15 percent.
“I know that with Speaker Cannon's help, we will win Florida's primary, the Republican nomination, and ultimately, the Presidency," Perry said in a statement Wednesday.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/24/perry-gains-big-endorsement-in-florida/#more-172286
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For me its between Perry and Romney right now. I have Romney ahead of Perry currently. I like Perry, but he needs to show me how he performs in a debate before I put my support to him. That's why I think it is silly to say it is Perry's to lose and that it is already over for Romney. One thing that I really like about Romney is his ability to answer tough penetrating questions that are very critical of him, and his ability to do so in a calm presidential way.
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For me its between Perry and Romney right now. I have Romney ahead of Perry currently. I like Perry, but he needs to show me how he performs in a debate before I put my support to him. That's why I think it is silly to say it is Perry's to lose and that it is already over for Romney. One thing that I really like about Romney is his ability to answer tough penetrating questions that are very critical of him, and his ability to do so in a calm presidential way.
Based on the current poll numbers, it's likely to be one of those two, but a lot can happen between now and next Spring.
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Romney and Perry have a pretty big lead over Obama in Florida.
Latest Magellan Poll Has Romney, Perry Leading Obama in Florida
August 23, 2011 | Filed under: Election 2012 | Posted by: Admin
by Lone Shark
Take what you will from the latest poll conducted by Magellan Data and Mapping Strategies which surveyed Floridians about their preferences for the Presidential and Senate races. I’ll call it a very promising poll for whomever the Republican Presidential nominee as well as whomever is the Republican Senatorial candidate:
Survey of 723 registered voters was conducted August 16-18, 2011. The margin of error is +/- 3.64 percentage points. Party ID breakdown: 42% Democrat; 39% Republican; 19% Independent.
Magellan Strategies (R) Florida 2012 Presidential Survey
Mitt Romney 49%
Barack Obama 39%
Rick Perry 46%
Barack Obama 39%
Michele Bachmann 43%
Barack Obama 42%
Favorable / Unfavorable {Net}
Rick Perry 33% / 30% {+3%}
Mitt Romney 38% / 40% {-2%}
Michele Bachmann 33% / 43% {-10%}
Barack Obama 40% / 55% {-15%}
Do you approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as President?
Approve 37%
Disapprove 57%
Do you think that Barack Obama deserves to be re-elected, or do you think that Barack Obama does not deserve to be re-elected?
Deserves to be re-elected 37%
Does not deserve to be re?elected 57%
. . .
http://shark-tank.net/2011/08/23/latest-magellan-poll-has-romney-perry-leading-obama/
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I prefer Romney over Perry at this point out of the two.
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I don't have an opinion on Perry yet, but the fact a lot of liberals are frothing at the mouth over the guy has me pretty intrigued. :)
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The thing I am really looking for from Perry is an ability to answer the liberals' distortion of the Texas jobs record and to do so in an articulate way.
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I prefer Romney over Perry at this point out of the two.
but you said you'd take anyone over BO, so it really doesn't matter, does it?
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but you said you'd take anyone over BO, so it really doesn't matter, does it?
I would vote for an AIDS riddled, homeless, dirty, unshowered, bum on a cardboard matt in Penn Station begging for nickles, wearing shoes held together by duck tape, and rambling on about end of the world prophecies over obama.
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I would vote for an AIDS riddled, homeless, dirty, unshowered, bum on a cardboard matt in Penn Station begging for nickles, wearing shoes held together by duck tape, and rambling on about end of the world prophecies over obama.
so, yours is not an informed decision..... ;)
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Romney can't take a leak without changing positions on 5 issues.
Perry can't walk past a mirror without smirking, posing with a rifle, and changing positions from his book (last year).
yet Ron Paul "isn't viable"? Um, okay.
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Mark Taylor was filling in for Dennis Prager on his show yesterday, and he mentioned a problem with Perry that has worried me. He mentioned how in Perry's last debate in 2006, he was debating some real amatuers in Kinky Friedman - a country singer, Carol Keton Streyhorn (the mother of Bush Press Secretary Scott McClellan) , and Steve Bell. Perry held his own but didnt really stand out either. Im concerned how he would do in a debate with Obama. That is why my support is still behind Romney atleast until Perry's first debate.
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Mark Taylor was filling in for Dennis Prager on his show yesterday, and he mentioned a problem with Perry that has worried me. He mentioned how in Perry's last debate in 2006, he was debating some real amatuers in Kinky Friedman - a country singer, Carol Keton Streyhorn (the mother of Bush Press Secretary Scott McClellan) , and Steve Bell. Perry held his own but didnt really stand out either. Im concerned how he would do in a debate with Obama. That is why my support is still behind Romney atleast until Perry's first debate.
wow; Dennis Prager.
haven't heard him since switching to SiriusXM
am surprised he is still on the air...
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wow; Dennis Prager.
haven't heard him since switching to SiriusXM
am surprised he is still on the air...
Prager is awesome. He is the best radio host out there. He doesnt yell at liberals. He is nice and respectfull to them, but if you read between the lines, you can see that he is basically telling them that they are stupid and why theyre stupid, but he does it in such a nice way that he comes off as condescending. I love it.
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perry is a lot like Dubya.
Dubya wouldn't have fared well in a debate with obama.
You can say "but but his position on the issues..." and you'd be exactly right.
But the reality is that quick witted people do better in debates. Obama, for all his socialist liberal policy, is pretty quick witted in debates. He pwned hilary and edwards and Mccain too.
Perry is a simp. he has some good positions (now!) but can he deliver them effectively? It just takes one befuddled/baffled moment and the country instantly believes a person is a buffoon. Ask Palin. We know Mitt won't have those moments (anger seems to be his problem from 08 and today). But Mitt is quick minded. So is huntsman. So is bachmann.
Is Perry?
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Mark Taylor was filling in for Dennis Prager on his show yesterday, and he mentioned a problem with Perry that has worried me. He mentioned how in Perry's last debate in 2006, he was debating some real amatuers in Kinky Friedman - a country singer, Carol Keton Streyhorn (the mother of Bush Press Secretary Scott McClellan) , and Steve Bell. Perry held his own but didnt really stand out either. Im concerned how he would do in a debate with Obama. That is why my support is still behind Romney atleast until Perry's first debate.
I think whomever the nominee is will outperform Obama in debates, but debates don't usually determine the winner on election day.
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I think whomever the nominee is will outperform Obama in debates, but debates don't usually determine the winner on election day.
Obama now has a disastrous record of failure and incompetence he can no longer spin. big difference from the multitude of lies he told in 2008.
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I think whomever the nominee is will outperform Obama in debates, but debates don't usually determine the winner on election day.
ask nixon/JFK about that one
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Perry Topples Romney as Frontrunner, But Stays on Offense
By James Rosen
Published August 26, 2011
FoxNews.com
It’s official: Mitt Romney is no longer the frontrunner in the GOP presidential primary.
Major reputable poll after major reputable poll, conducted over the last ten days or so, shows Texas Gov. Rick Perry leading the former Massachusetts governor by significant margins.
The polling data suggests not only that Perry survived his early stumbles on the stump – most notably, his suggestions that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke could be guilty of “treason” if the Fed prints more money, and that Texans would accordingly treat Bernanke “pretty ugly” – but that Perry is, in fact, picking up steam.
The latest Rasmussen Reports poll of likely Republican primary voters, conducted on August 15, shows Perry leading Romney by 11 percentage points. The latest Gallup survey, querying Republicans and Republican-leaning independents between August 17 and August 21, shows Romney trailing Perry by 12 percentage points. Democratic firm Public Policy Polling, which tallied Republican primary voters between August 18 and August 21, put the gap at 13 percentage points.
Yet Thursday found Perry, during a radio appearance on “The Laura Ingraham Show,” still peppering Romney with stiff right jabs, as if it were Perry who is the scrappy underdog.
“I think Mitt is finally recognizing that the Massachusetts health care plan that he passed is a huge problem for him, and yeah, it was not almost perfect,” Perry said on the program. That was a reference to conservative criticism that the plan Romney enacted as governor of Massachusetts was too similar to President Obama’s – and to Romney’s frequent retort on the stump that his plan, while “not perfect,” was narrowly tailored the needs of his state.
Flanked by antique paintings at the Exeter Historical Society in Exeter, N.H. Thursday, Romney kept his attacks focused exclusively on President Obama, whom he accused of implementing “the most anti-businesses, anti-job, anti-investment policies that we have seen since Jimmy Carter.”
“You shouldn't be on the Vineyard playing golf,” Romney said, addressing Mr. Obama directly and referring to the president’s current vacation destination. “You should be doing your job, putting Americans back to work!”
The closest Romney came to addressing the Texas governor now outpacing him in the primary polls was when a teenager asked which of his GOP rivals Romney would be most likely to select as a running mate.
After engendering laughs by asking which of those in attendance had put the youngster up to asking the question, Romney thrust the microphone back at the boy and asked who he would pick. When the youth hesitated and said he didn’t know, Romney again drew laughter by quickly yanking the microphone back and saying: “There’s my answer, too! There you go!”
That exchange followed a testier one a day earlier, between Romney and a hostile female voter in Lebanon, N.H., in which the candidate found himself repeatedly demanding that the woman finish her question and allow him time to respond.
“You had your turn,” Romney said sternly, during a lengthy period of crosstalk. “You had your turn madam! Let me have mine. Let me have mine. Listen, I’ll give you have the microphone in a moment, but let me complete – I’m sorry, it’s my turn. You had yours; now it’s my turn. Would you please hold on a moment and let me finish?”
It remains unclear how willing Romney is to demonstrate the same steeliness against his Republican rivals.
“What Romney has done for most of the month of August is to lay low,” said Darrell West, the vice president and director of Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. “And it’s always risky in politics to let the other guy dictate the pace of events.”
West said it is equally unclear how well Romney would do even if he made an affirmative decision to attack Perry.
“He's not a pit bull on the campaign trail,” West said in an interview. “He's never been very aggressive about going after rivals. He's done well this year by the fact that he hasn't had to go negative on any of his opponents. In 2008, he actually did most poorly when he did go on the attack.”
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08/25/perry-topples-romney-as-frontrunner-but-stays-on-offense/
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Obama now has a disastrous record of failure and incompetence he can no longer spin. big difference from the multitude of lies he told in 2008.
he'll have to use a defensive instead of an offensive technique. But you can spin anything. Throw any obama position at me, and I can deliver a one-liner that will work on 50% of morons out there.
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Perry Topples Romney as Frontrunner, But Stays on Offense
By James Rosen
Published August 26, 2011
FoxNews.com
recently it was Trump up front. Then it was bachmann leading. now perry.
Just as with the others, as repubs starts to learn about the experience, past actions, and overall behavior of a person, he can only go down. Christie would be #1 if he entered the race tomorrow... you give him 6 weeks of opportunities to lose it, look stupid, fall down some steps, have a 'mission accomplished' moment or just plain punch someone, and he's in 3rd suddenly.
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Obama now has a disastrous record of failure and incompetence he can no longer spin. big difference from the multitude of lies he told in 2008.
He can't possibly run on his record. I expect him to try and come up with a boogie man (Tea Party, etc.) to try and scare people into voting for him.
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Poll: Perry, Romney Neck-and-Neck in Ohio
Friday, 26 Aug 2011
By Newsmax Wires
The battle is on between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry for the front-runner spot in the Republican presidential campaign. In the key battleground state of Ohio, a new Public Policy Polling survey of Republican voters shows the Texas governor barely ahead of the former Massachusetts governor — 21 percent to 20 percent.
Perry’s lead is statistically insignificant given the poll’s 4.9 percent margin of error. The survey was taken Aug. 11-14. Perry only entered the race Aug. 13.
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann took third place in the poll, with 14 percent, followed by businessman Herman Cain with 10 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Rep. Ron Paul tied with 8 percent, and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman with 1 percent.
Putting former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin into the mix, Perry again tallies 21 percent, with Romney second at 18 percent and Palin third at 11 percent.
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Perry-Romney-Ohio-poll/2011/08/26/id/408827
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Well I guess we know who will have one of the biggest voices in a Perry administration.
Religious Right Millionaire Backed Rick Perry's Career, Paved Texas Conservative Politics With Money
First Posted: 8/27/11 10:12 AM ET Updated: 8/27/11 10:13 AM ET
WASHINGTON -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry is expected to rally Christian conservative leaders in Texas this weekend to discuss strategies for his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. The event will be hosted by Dr. James Leininger, a millionaire Christian right figure who was once the biggest political donor in Texas and an early and crucial benefactor to Perry’s political career.
Leininger is not widely known outside of Texas, but inside the state he is seen as a pioneer of political donations to conservative politicians and causes. The conservative activist made his millions selling hospital beds, and since the 1980s he has pushed a mix of religious right fervor and pro-business activism, which is now reflected in the politics of all major Texas Republican figures, particularly Perry. Since 1989, Leininger, who is worth more than $300 million, and his wife have donated at least $6.9 million to political parties, political action committees and state and federal candidates, according to data obtained by TransparencyData.com, a site run by the Sunlight Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to increase government transparency. He has also created a host of nonprofits, most prominently the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), to advance his conservative political agenda.
"James Leininger has been the sugar daddy of the far right in Texas," said Kathy Miller, the president of the Texas Freedom Network, a nonprofit supporting religious freedom and individual liberties in Texas. "He is probably one of the biggest donors to the Republican Party of Texas’ move to far-right extremism."
Leininger has been particularly helpful to Perry over the years. In 1998, Perry was in a close contest for Texas lieutenant governor with Democrat John Sharp. In the waning weeks of the campaign, Perry and Sharp were neck-and-neck, and Perry was running low on funds. Leininger stepped forward with a $1.1 million loan to the campaign, enabling Perry to increase advertising when many voters were just beginning paying attention. Perry won that race by a hair. Since then, Leininger has donated more than $250,000 to Perry's gubernatorial campaigns. A request put into Leininger's office for comment was not returned by Saturday morning.
A report released on Wednesday by Texans for Public Justice documented the many ties between Perry and Leininger. Of particular note, Perry and Leininger have participated together in a number of financial transactions, including investments by Perry in one of Leininger's companies.
Andrew Wheat, research director for Texans for Public Justice, told The Huffington Post, “What puts the relationship between Perry and Leininger apart is these personal financial deals.”
According to the report, Perry made a quick $4,500 from a stock purchase and sale in Leininger's Kinetic Concepts, Inc., the hospital bed manufacturer that made Leininger a millionaire. Perry's stock purchase came after meeting with Leininger and immediately before an investment group started buying up Kinetic Concepts shares, driving up the price of the stock. In total, Perry would wind up making $38,000 off of Kinetic stock investments.
Prior to Leininger's financial assistance toward Perry's 1998 campaign, the two men purchased a turbo prop airplane together. Leininger and his brother put up 90 percent of the stake in the Piper Cheyenne I plane and Perry’s campaign chipped in the other 10 percent. One year after the initial purchase, the Perry campaign bought Leininger’s 90 percent stake with financing from Leininger.
Leininger’s business investments have also received aid from the economic development funds under Perry’s control. In 2009, the governor’s Emerging Technology Fund sent $1.75 million to the Dallas-based company Gradalis, which Leininger holds a significant stake of. Gradlis owns a 10 percent stake in the drug company G-Con, which was awarded $3 million by the Texas Enterprise Fund, a purse controlled by the governor’s office.
Perry's office also did not return a request to comment by Saturday morning.
Leininger also invested in Texans for a Republican Majority (TRMPAC), the political action committee run by former House Majority Leader Tom Delay. Leininger was the second biggest donor to TRMPAC, with $142,500 in contributions. Ultimately, DeLay would wind up convicted on money laundering charges for funneling corporate money through TRMPAC to Texas legislative candidates.
The focus of Leininger's political activity over the past two decades has mostly focused on advancing his specific pet causes, including school vouchers and tort reform, and investing in a conservative Christian infrastructure to support like-minded causes and politicians. He has done this through pumping money into a series of political action committees, nonprofits and charities.
Leininger's most lasting influence may be his support of the politicization and radicalization of the Texas State Board of Education. In 1994, Leininger pumped tens of thousands of dollars into the candidacies of three Christian conservatives seeking seats on the State Board of Education. Most notably, a political action committee funded by Leininger paid for a last-minute mailer to voters that featured a picture of a black man kissing a white man and a warning that the incumbent education board members voted for the promotion of abortion and homosexuality in school textbooks.
That funding continued through the 1990s as Leininger helped to propel even more Christian conservatives onto the State Board of Education. According to Miller, of the Texas Freedom Network, those conservatives "turned the State Board of Education into ground zero for culture war issues in Texas."
By the year 2000, 10 of the 15 seats on the board were occupied by conservatives in the Leininger mold. The board even honored Leininger in 2000 as a "hero for children."
While Leininger’s interest in education largely stemmed from a support of school vouchers, a policy that has not yet been enacted in Texas, the board members he supported also shared Leininger’s Christian conservative values.
Those values would be expressed over the next 10 years as the State Board would attempt to rewrite school textbooks on every issue from Darwin and evolution to the religious beliefs of the Founding Fathers. In 2010, the board approved a number of changes to school textbooks, such as adding sections on the conservative resurgence of the 1980s and 1990s -- which includes Phyllis Schafly, the National Rifle Association and the Contract With America -- placing the violent approach to Civil Rights activism by the Black Panthers alongside the non-violent teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. and cutting Thomas Jefferson out of a list of writers who inspired revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries.
In 2011, the board side-stepped a debate over evolution after it approved some materials deemed controversial by conservatives -- including explanations of cell structures and a comparison of chimpanzee and human skulls -- and punted on the evolution question by waiting for the education commissioner to develop new lesson plans.
Perry has recently echoed positions on evolution advocated by the conservative bloc of the board. The presidential candidate called evolution “a theory that’s out there” and said that “God is how we got here.”
Tort reform, Leininger's other major cause, has, unsurprisingly, also been touted by Perry. After his company, Kinetic Concepts, lost its liability insurance in 1987, Leininger invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in a tort reform campaign targeting state judicial races. This push came as the Texas business community rallied against state trial lawyers after a 1987 report by "60 Minutes" detailed how trial lawyer campaign contributions to judges were affecting outcomes in court cases. Leininger's money was largely responsible for a turnaround in the state judiciary, which led to a follow-up "60 Minutes" report in 1998 detailing how campaign contributions from business interests and doctors held sway over legal decisions by Texas judges.
After designating tort reform a priority issue in 2003, Perry successfully pushed a tort reform package through the state legislature that limited malpractice suits. The Leininger-funded group Texans for Lawsuit Reform spoke with its wallet in favor of Perry’s tort reform success. The group contributed a total of $190,000 to Perry’s subsequent re-election campaigns.
Much of this advocacy has been pushed along by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a nonprofit think tank created by Leininger and modeled after the conservative Heritage Foundation. The Foundation’s policy agenda has largely overlapped with Leininger’s pro-business agenda and has been adopted by Perry and the Texas state legislature.
Leininger has also bankrolled a number of anti-abortion groups, including Texas Right to Life, Heidi Group and the Christian Pro Life Foundation. His charity, The Covenant Foundation, Inc., contributed at least $450,000 from 1997 to 2005 to the Medical Institute for Sexual Health, an abstinence-only advocate. In 2005, he gave $100,000 in support of an amendment banning gay marriage.
The Covenant Foundation, Inc., charity has also been another way for Leininger to project his money into Christian conservative causes. The biggest benefactor of the charity's largesse in the past few years has been the conservative Patrick Henry College, which received $9.3 million in contributions from 2008 to 2009. Leininger sits on the Board of Trustees of the school.
Patrick Henry College has been referred to as “God’s Harvard,” the title of a book by Hanna Rosin, who first profiled the school in the New Yorker. The article explained that 85 percent of the students were home schooled and that all students were excused from classes during the last days of the 2004 election, as so many had volunteered for the re-election campaign of President George W. Bush. Many of these students would ultimately go on to intern and work in the Bush administration.
The large number of political volunteers from Patrick Henry College underlines a well-known fact: Churches and the Christian Right make up the grassroots ground game for the Republican Party. This connection helps explain why Perry is retreating out to Jim Leininger's ranch in the Texas brush this weekend to meet with the businessman and other religious right figures in the state, including David Barton and Rick Scarborough.
Andrew Wheat, of Texans for Public Justice, explained, “Apparently there’s no request for money to get in the door. It’s more about strategizing to get out the vote.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/27/religious-right-millionaire-rick-perry_n_938547.html
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As of 21 Aug.
Perry 21%
Romney 18.5%
Palin 11%
Paul 9.7%
Bachmann 9.5%
Giuliani 9.3%
Gingrich 5.5%
Cain 5.0%
Santorum 2.0%
Huntsman 2.0%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
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Just watched my first ever Rick Perry speech. Very impressive. He's a better speaker than Obama IMO. He will connect with a lot of people.
His comments about the Texas economy were pretty startling when compared to the Obama record: job growth, balanced budget without raising taxes, and a $6 billion rainy day fun. :o
He said all the right things. Loved his emphasis on the 10th Amendment.
I want to hear him more on the campaign trail, including answering questions during the debates, but I like what I've heard and read so far.
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I like tha part where he uses govt funds for HPV vaccinations. Sure, the parents can say no. Can the taxpayers say no too? ;)
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New CNN Poll: Perry sits atop GOP field
By: CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
Washington (CNN) – A new national survey is further proof that Texas Gov. Rick Perry's entrance earlier this month into the race for the White House has dramatically altered the battle for the Republican presidential nomination.
According to a CNN/ORC International Poll of Republicans and independent voters who lean towards the GOP, Perry now sits atop the list of Republican presidential candidates, with strong support from most demographic groups.
Full results (pdf)
The survey, released Monday, indicates that 27 percent of Republicans nationwide support Perry for their party's nomination, with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who's making his second bid for the White House, at 14 percent. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin follows at ten percent, with Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani at nine percent, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who's making his third bid for the presidency, at six percent. Every one else listed on the questionnaire registered in the low single digits.
The survey follows a Gallup poll out last week which also placed Perry at the top of the GOP field. Other polling released in the past week also confirms the findings of the CNN and Gallup surveys.
"Perry's support is higher among Republican men, at 32 percent, than Republican women, at 23 percent, but he has more support among either group than any other candidate," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.
According to the survey, Perry supporters tend to be older and have higher incomes, but the longtime Texas governor also tops the list, albeit by smaller margins, among lower-income Republicans and those under 50 years old.
"Perry's biggest support comes from Republicans who say they are supporters of the tea party movement - he wins 37 percent of their vote - but he also edges Romney by a couple of points among Republicans who don't call themselves tea party supporters," adds Holland.
While both Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, and Giuliani, who ran for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination, have both frequently flirted with bids for the White House, neither has taken concrete steps to launch a campaign.
Take Palin and Giuliani out of the mix and listing only the announced candidates, and the poll indicates Perry with 32 percent support, followed by Romney at 18 percent, Bachmann at 12 percent, Gingrich at seven percent, Paul at six percent, and everyone else in the low single digits.
While Perry has surged in the polls following his late entry into the race, the question remains whether he can maintain his position in future surveys. The last two candidates who made high profile late entries into the race for the White House did not have staying power.
"In 2003, Wesley Clark was a late entrant in the Democratic field and almost immediately jumped to the top of the pack. Fred Thompson did the same thing four years later on the GOP side and quickly was in a virtual tie for first place. But by November, both men had dropped in the polls and neither did very well when the voting started," says Holland. "Bill Clinton was a late entry in 1991 - he filed his papers with the Federal Election Commission in August - but the Democratic field that year was much less crowded than the GOP field today."
Much could change in the coming weeks, as the pace of the race for the White House picks up with a vengeance over the next two months, with five GOP presidential debates (including two CNN debates) and six major events that will also attract many of the candidates.
Meanwhile, the survey indicates that number of Democrats and independents who lean towards the Democratic party who would like the party to nominate someone else besides President Barack Obama has topped out after months of steady growth. Seventy-two percent of Democrats want to see Obama re-nominated, with 27 percent wanting a different candidate. That's virtually unchanged since early August, although it is higher than in June.
The CNN/ORC International Poll was conducted August 24-25, with 467 Republicans and independents who lean Republican, and 463 Democrats and independents who lean Democratic, questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/29/new-cnn-poll-perry-sits-atop-gop-field/#more-172759
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Poll results:
Aug. 24-25 Aug. 5-7 July 18-20
2011 2011 2011
Perry 27% 15% 14%
Romney 14% 17% 16%
Palin 10% 12% 13%
Bachmann 9% 7% 12%
Giuliani 9% 12% 13%
Gingrich 6% 5% 4%
Paul 6% 12% 8%
Cain 2% 4% 6%
Johnson 2% * *
Huntsman 1% 4% 1%
Santorum 1% 2% 2%
McCotter * * *
Someone else (vol.) 3% 4% 4%
None/ No one (vol.) 5% 4% 8%
No opinion 3% 2% 1%
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/08/29/130.poll.pdf
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Inhofe endorses Perry
By: CNN's Ashley Killough
(CNN) – Texas Gov. Rick Perry picked up his first Senate endorsement Monday from Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma.
"Fourteen months ago I called him up. I said, 'Rick, I don't know if it's really going to happen, but I really believe you're the only guy who can really win this thing," Inhofe said at the Tulsa event. "And when the time comes, I'm going to be there to endorse you'."
Of the current 2012 GOP contenders, Inhofe said Perry was the strongest choice to beat President Barack Obama, citing the governor's record of increasing jobs in Texas and cutting down the state's deficit.
"The one thing that he has that nobody else has is his background of experience–not just in being an administrator, but in doing the right thing." Inhofe said, with Perry standing by his side. "No one out there is as aware as to the cost of all the over-regulations we're experiencing right now."
Perry said he was humbled by the senator's endorsement, adding that he was surprised when Inhofe called him last year about running for president.
"I did think you were way outside the realm of possibilities when you called, and I shared that with you," Perry said.
Inhofe is known as one of the Senate's most outspoken skeptics on climate change and shares his doubts with Perry, who has drawn fire for saying manmade global warming is an unproven scientific theory.
The Tulsa World last week reported that Inhofe has also weighed in on other White House hopefuls, saying former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is "a little mushy" on environmental issues. As for Newt Gingrich, Inhofe said he's always had a vision of the former House Speaker "sitting on the couch holding hands with Nancy Pelosi."
Besides Perry, Inhofe said there's another potential candidate who could oust Obama: Sen. John Thune of South Dakota.
"The reason I say that is he's taller than Obama is, he's better looking than Obama is, and he's the same age Obama is. He would have made a good candidate, but he's not running," Inhofe said.
While Thune was a favorite in early talks of 2012 presidential candidates, he decided against the idea in February and said he'll stay in the Senate. But in an interview in July, Thune left the door open for a vice presidential spot, saying he wouldn't rule out any options if asked to be the GOP running mate.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/29/inhofe-endorses-perry/#more-172787
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Oh my: Perry 41, Romney 12, Paul 11, Bachmann 9
Hot Air ^ | 8/30/11 | Allahpundit
Posted on August 30, 2011 7:42:56 PM EDT by Lou Budvis
I know, I know: It’s a Zogby poll. But c’mon. I had to blog it. Just because I knew that headline would rock your world. He’s not leading by this much. But he is leading, comfortably.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
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His tax plan sounds pretty decent.
Huntsman unveils jobs plan
By: CNN Political Producer Rachel Streitfeld
Hampton, New Hampshire (CNN) – Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman introduced a plan Wednesday to dramatically scale back the scope of the federal government and simplify the tax code, in part by including eliminating deductions and credits.
The former Utah governor said his plan would encourage small business growth and induce American corporations to expand their work forces in the U.S. instead of overseas. The plan also lays out a path forward on energy independence and free trade.
"There is no more urgent priority at this point in our nation's history than creating jobs and strengthening our economic core; everything else revolves around it," Huntsman said, speaking at a podium framed by two hulking metal presses at Gilchrist Metal Fabricating in Hudson, New Hampshire. "My plan may be challenged by the special interests, on the left and the right. But it represents a serious path forward – toward fiscal discipline and economic growth."
Addressing the media after the event, Huntsman was asked about potential blow-back on his plan to eliminate popular tax credits and deductions, such as the home mortgage deduction. The candidate said his plan represented "a going-in position" and would be negotiated by both parties if he were to become president.
"Right now we are polarized. We've got the extremes, and no one kind of moving the agenda forward. A president needs to move the agenda forward and get things done," he said. "What I have laid out today really represents our going-in position. This is what I'd like to see done, but there's the reality of the two-party system, there's the reality of the negotiations going forward. I'd like to stick as closely to this as possible."
The plan would eliminate tax deductions and credits, including the popular home mortgage deduction, in favor of a simplified three-bracket tax rate of eight, 14 or 23 percent. The corporate tax rate would drop from 35 percent to 25 percent.
He would also eliminate the alternative minimum tax as well as taxes on capital gains and dividends.
On the regulatory front, Huntsman would repeal the "$1 trillion bomb" he called "Obamacare," in addition to repealing the Dodd-Frank financial regulatory reform act and the Sarbanes-Oxley financial reform measure passed during the Bush administration in response to the Enron accounting scandal. He would also streamline the approval processes at the Food and Drug Agency and the Environmental Protection Agency, including for the controversial fracking method of extracting natural gas.
Huntsman also said he would move to block the National Labor Relations Board from prosecuting Boeing over a high profile union case, and "if they fail to do so, I will replace them."
The former governor's jobs announcement comes a week before former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama lay out their plans to tackle unemployment. Huntsman reminded his audience he was the only Republican candidate to stamp his approval on the debt ceiling deal, and faulted Obama for his leadership on the controversy that consumed Washington for three weeks this summer.
"Meeting our challenges will require serious solutions, but above all, it will require serious leadership – a quality in high demand in our nation's capital, and among my opponents on the campaign trail," Huntsman said. "President Obama never even offered a plan of his own, and all of my opponents supported default, even as far as attempting to undermine the deal at the 11th hour. That simply doesn't cut it – especially in these trying times."
Huntsman also pledged to pursue new trade opportunities with Japan, India and Taiwan, and approve pending deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama.
"We have no choice; we must unite and look beyond politics for solutions," he said. "I believe with a new administration we can do just that."
After his speech, the former ambassador to China was given an opportunity to share a personal story when an audience member asked him about the East-Asian country's one-child policy of restricting birth rates for some families. Huntsman said he hated the policy, and added his 12-year old daughter Gracie Mei was given up for adoption by her parents because of the policy.
Huntsman will discuss his plan Wednesday night on CNN's "John King, USA" at 7 p.m. ET.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/31/huntsman-unveils-jobs-plan/#more-173170
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I'm moving in this direction too. (Not an "endorsement," but liking him as a candidate.)
Steve Forbes: I'm Leaning Toward Perry Endorsement
Wednesday, 31 Aug 2011
By Jim Meyers and Kathleen Walter
Forbes magazine editor Steve Forbes says he “very impressed” with Texas Gov. Rick Perry and is leaning toward endorsing him for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.
“Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, is now the front-runner. He’s had a good record even though liberals are now trying to trash it, along with perhaps some of his GOP opponents,” Forbes, a two-time presidential candidate, tells Newsmax.
“He did some very good things in reforming their personal injury liability system, very very positive reforms. He encouraged energy production instead of states like California that discourage it, and refused to put in a state income tax. So in the great scheme of things that’s a pretty solid record to run on. So he is the front-runner.”
Asked who Forbes is likely to endorse, he says: “I’m looking over the whole field now. I’m very impressed with Governor Perry, so that’s where the wind’s blowing in my little world. I’ll be making a decision soon.
“Maybe one or two other candidates might come in during the next couple of weeks, but I’ve certainly been impressed by what Governor Perry did. Perhaps he gets over-exuberant in what he says about the Federal Reserve, but he is right. The Fed has a lot to answer for.”
As for Mitt Romney, who is currently Perry’s chief rival for the GOP nomination, Forbes says he has a “huge albatross,” called Romneycare, which is “eventually going to torpedo his candidacy.”
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/steve-forbes-rick-perry/2011/08/31/id/409374
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Fox News Poll: Perry Overtakes Romney as Top GOP 2012 Pick; Most Say Palin Should Stay Out of Race
By Dana Blanton
Published September 01, 2011
FoxNews.com
Even as Texas Gov. Rick Perry moves into the lead as Republican voters’ preferred presidential candidate, a Fox News poll released Thursday shows that voters are more likely to view him as “too extreme” than former frontrunner Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney. In addition, most American voters -- including a majority of Republicans -- think former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin should stay out of the presidential race.
Perry receives the support of 26 percent of GOP primary voters in the new poll. That’s up from 13 percent in early August and enough to edge out Romney as frontrunner. Currently Romney captures 18 percent, down from 21 percent (August 7-9).
No other candidate garners double-digit support.
Palin receives 8 percent and Texas Rep. Ron Paul comes in at 7 percent. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann captures the backing of 4 percent, down from a high of 11 percent in late June. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and businessman Herman Cain also garner 4 percent each. Another 4 percent support former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, even though he has said he is not running and his name wasn’t included in the question. Giuliani and Palin are unannounced.
Click here to see the full results of the poll.
When voters are asked to pick just among the announced candidates, Perry’s receives the support of 29 percent of GOP primary voters, followed by Romney at 22 percent, and Bachmann and Paul both at 8 percent. Romney’s support has dropped 4 percentage points and Bachmann’s has dropped 5 points since the August 7-9 Fox News Poll, which was conducted before Perry officially announced his candidacy on August 13.
“Too Extreme”
The poll asked voters to name any Republican contenders they felt were “too extreme to be seriously considered.” Among all voters, Bachmann tops the list at 18 percent, followed by Perry at 14 percent, Palin at 12 percent and Paul at 10 percent. Four percent think Romney is too extreme. Responses were volunteered by respondents; a list was not read. About a third of voters (35 percent) said none were too extreme and 22 percent were unsure.
Among Republicans, Paul is seen as too extreme by 14 percent, Bachmann by 11 percent, Palin by 9 percent and Newt Gingrich by 6 percent. Five percent of Republicans think Perry is too extreme and 3 percent say the same about Romney. Some 38 percent of Republicans say none of their party’s announced or potential candidates is too extreme, and another 26 percent have no opinion.
For the key voting bloc of independents, Bachmann (19 percent), Perry (17 percent) and Palin (14 percent) are the Republican contenders most frequently mentioned as being too extreme to be seriously considered. Five percent of independents consider Romney too extreme.
Should Palin Run?
All in all, most voters -- 74 percent -- think Palin should stay on the sidelines in 2012. Just 20 percent think she should run for president.
The groups most likely to support Palin running are white evangelical Christians (30 percent) and Tea Party members (28 percent). Still, majorities of those groups do not think she should run (62 percent and 66 percent respectively). In addition, 72 percent of conservatives, 71 percent of Republicans and 66 percent of independents think Palin should stay out.
Women (77 percent) are a bit more likely than men (71 percent) to say Palin should sit this one out.
Just among women, Republicans (26 percent) are more likely than independents (24 percent) and Democrats (15 percent) to think Palin should run.
The Fox News poll is based on landline and cell phone interviews with 911 randomly chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from August 29 to August 31. For the total sample, it has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Sarah Palin is a Fox News contributor.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/01/fox-news-poll-perry-overtakes-romney-as-top-gop-2012-pick-most-say-palin-should-1905707772/
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Run, Sarah, run !
the debates will be more fun !
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Run, Sarah, run !
the debates will be more fun !
Sarah, or anyone for that matter - would destroy obama.
THE "ARE YOU BETTER OFF . . . ."
QUESTION IS GOING TO SEND OBAMA PACKING
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New Hampshire House majority leader endorses Romney
By: CNN Political Producer Rachel Streitfeld
Concord, New Hampshire (CNN) - Conservative New Hampshire House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt will endorse presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, Bettencourt said Thursday.
The outspoken young Republican leader called Romney "the most conservative candidate who gives Republicans the best chance to win back the White House in 2012."
Bettencourt was swept into power in the state's tea party wave election last November.
Romney has made winning New Hampshire a centerpiece of his campaign strategy, and has touted his experience in the private sector as key to beating Barack Obama next fall.
"He has the private-sector experience that will be critical to leading an economic recovery," Bettencourt said. "His executive experience was critical to me and he shares my goals of creating jobs, balancing our budgets and reversing President Obama’s failed policies."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/01/new-hampshire-house-majority-leader-endorses-romney/
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Rasmussen: Perry Leads Obama By 3 Points
Thursday, 01 Sep 2011 02:52 PM
By Andra Varin
For the first time this year, Rick Perry tops Barack Obama in a presidential election poll. But given the survey’s margin of error, the race is tight.
The Rasmussen Reports poll, released Thursday, shows Perry getting 44 percent of the vote, while Obama gets 41 percent. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The poll results are still a victory for Perry. Just over a week ago, Obama held a three-point lead over the Texas governor.
Other Republican candidates trailed Obama by single digits. If Mitt Romney were the GOP nominee, he would get 39 percent of the vote, compared to 43 percent for Obama, the poll found.
If Obama were pitted against Michele Bachmann, he would garner 46 percent of the vote, compared to 38 percent for the Minnesota congresswoman.
The telephone survey of 1,000 likely voters was taken Aug. 23-30.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/obama-perry-rasmussen-poll/2011/09/01/id/409491
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The Republican 2012 Field, In Order
By Chris Stirewalt
Published September 05, 2011
FoxNews.com
The Republican 2012 Field, In Order
It is 22 weeks until the Iowa caucuses – maybe as little as 17 weeks if claim jumpers in Florida and Arizona move up their primaries.
That’s a relative eternity in political time. Remember, at this point in the 2008 cycle, all of the smart money was on Hillary Clinton being the next president. One-term Senator Barack Obama was running what was mostly dismissed as a vanity campaign aimed at increasing his national name identification.
But, four or five months is how long it takes to set up a national campaign for president. The fear about John McCain’s August 2007 campaign collapse wasn’t that the voters had already made up their minds, but that he wouldn’t have enough time to build a campaign that could endure through a months-long nomination fight. He nearly didn’t.
Most Americans won’t really start paying attention to the presidential election until next Labor Day, but for millions of political junkies, die-hard Republicans and devoted supporters of the president, today is the first official day of the 2012 campaign. The politicians never stop campaigning, but now it’s for keeps.
Accordingly, Power Play offers the Republican 2012 field, in order.
Rick Perry
The Texas governor has won enough elections to know the perils that come with frontrunner status. That doesn’t make his task any easier, though.
Right now, Perry is taking heavy flak from both sides.
On Perry’s left, Mitt Romney is trying to burnish his Tea Party bona fides. He is doing his best to remind the members of the Republican right that Perry is exactly the kind of career politician that they claim to despise. That’s coupled with an aggressive whisper campaign aimed at undecideds in the Republican establishment about Perry’s electability: too twangy, too dumb, too Christian… too Texan.
On his right, Michele Bachmann is preparing for what may be a kamikaze attack, starting with Wednesday’s MSNBC debate. Certainly the debate hosts and Romney will give her a clear flight path to try to destroy Perry’s credibility with the right. Expect to hear about Perry having been a Democrat until he was 39 and being something of a moderate on immigration.
If Perry is going to win the nomination, he has to use his attackers against each other. The arguments brewing in Bachmann’s camp are things that actually make an argument for Perry’s general-election viability. Being a former Democrat who can talk to Hispanic voters is a good thing when it comes to beating Barack Obama.
To make that argument work, Perry will need to seem cool under fire and look and sound presidential when Bachmann and Romney hit their licks. The tough part will be doing so in a way that doesn’t diminish his greatest advantage: being the only candidate who has managed to thrill the GOP base.
After his successful launch less than one month ago, Perry has been polishing up his presentation and raising money. Today begins a make-or-break three-week stretch for the Texan. Starting with Sen. Jim DeMint’s South Carolina candidate forum today and running through the Florida GOP’s straw poll on Sept. 24, Perry has to prove that he’s for real.
Mitt Romney
The last place anybody expected to see Mitt Romney on Labor Day is at Sen. Jim DeMint’s South Carolina conservative cattle call.
Romney’s strategy called for skipping South Carolina altogether and avoiding the dangers of the Tea Party movement, but the rapid rise of Rick Perry has Romney in Columbia, S.C. today making his case to one of the most conservative members of Congress and has many supporters.
Perry’s ascendancy has accelerated Romney’s move to the right, a journey that he began in 2007. And while his critics call him a flip flopper, Romney’s movement has basically been in one direction. The Republican Party has become more conservative since then, and so has Romney.
What’s tricky now for Romney is finding a way to block Perry without appearing to pander.
Romney so far has resisted any impulse to change his message – other than to play up the fact that he spent only four years in public office before launching what has now been a four-year quest for the presidency. Romney’s message remains a withering assault on President Obama’s record on the economy coupled with a tout for his own business credentials.
If Michele Bachmann obliges Romney and eviscerates Perry or Perry cracks up on his own, Romney can stay on message and actually be helped by his current difficulties. If Perry stumbles Romney will be better off for having broadened out his electoral map. Without Perry, Romney would be the last man standing and could move to secure victory swiftly and abandon his current strategy to win the nomination in a battle of attrition.
The other bit of encouraging news for Romney has been the return of Sarah Palin. She’s on the trail in Iowa and New Hampshire speaking out against good old boys in the GOP and crony capitalism, a pretty direct warning to Perry. If Perry found himself under attack simultaneously by Bachmann and Palin, Romney would be back at cruising altitude pretty quickly.
Palin could be a powerful ally for Perry or a deadly opponent. Romney has to hope it’s the latter. If she doesn’t join the race, Romney may be left with little choice than to move farther to the right and to attack Perry more directly, which would be a serious problem for a candidate who is at his best above the fray.
Michele Bachmann
The high-water mark for the congresswoman’s campaign came on the evening of August 13. She won the Iowa GOP’s straw poll at Ames and delivered a deathblow to the presidential aspirations of fellow Minnesotan Tim Pawlenty.
Bachmann’s time as a top-tier candidate was brief, though. On the next day, Rick Perry’s entry had changed the race for good. Bachmann’s best argument for viability is that she might unite fiscal and social conservatives against the more moderate Mitt Romney. In a party that was dissatisfied with its frontrunner, it was a pretty good argument to make. But Perry offers the same argument and does so with a decade as governor of the second largest state in the union and more polish.
Now, Bachmann finds herself in the second tier of the race with fellow House member Ron Paul. And while Paul has a strong organization and devoted longtime supporters, Bachmann is far less secure in her place.
While Bachmann will be obliging Romney if she launches an all-out assault on Perry’s conservative credentials, she may not have any alternative if she means to remain in the race. It wouldn’t increase her viability as a potential nominee, but if Bachmann does not break Perry right now, she is heading down to the third-tier, and quickly.
If she attacks Perry with as much ferocity as she did Pawlenty, whom she compared to Barack Obama, Bachmann will be reinforcing her biggest negative: that she’s too edgy for mainstream politics. As much as conservative activists want someone who is preaching fundamental change in politics, they know that the middle third of the political spectrum has to be convinced or Obama will squeeze out a second term and cement he and his movement’s gains.
Attack dogs don’t win party nominations, and if Bachmann becomes a perpetual antagonist – especially over matters of conservative orthodoxy – that’s how she will be branded.
She could do to Perry what Jon Huntsman seems committed to doing to Romney on the left: run a geographically narrow effort aimed at hobbling a more powerful candidate. For Huntsman, it’s Florida and New Hampshire. For Bachmann it would be Iowa and South Carolina.
Bachmann is in a pickle. She may have to decide soon whether she would rather see Perry or Romney as the nominee -- a hard choice for a woman who was, for at least one evening, in the lead.
Ron Paul
Ron Paul can command the support of about 8 percent of the Republican electorate indefinitely. That’s not enough to be the nominee, but it is enough to change the trajectory of the Republican Party for the next generation.
Unlike Michele Bachmann or any of the other candidates who have seen bursts of sudden support, Paul is not in the race because of his personality, biography or stump speech. His backers support the 76-year-old Texas congressman because he offers the purest articulation of libertarian principles and doesn’t change his tune is pursuit of broader support.
A lot of politicians like to say that they are leading a movement, not running a campaign. In Paul’s case, that is actually true. And while Bachmann has seen her support diminish amid questions of her viability, Paul has no such concern because his backers don’t care if he’s not the frontrunner.
The question that haunts Republican strategists is whether Paul will take that support into a Libertarian general election candidacy. Paul and his backers have a prickly past with frontrunner Perry down in Texas and surely have no love for corporate captain Romney, he of the mandatory health insurance. If he and his backers balk at backing the eventual GOP nominee, it could be serious trouble for the party in the 2012 election.
While Paul wouldn’t take all of his Republican supporters in the general election, he would pick up many independents and Libertarians to replace them. In an election that could come down to a few precincts in Ohio or Florida, that’s a serious threat.
Paul’s 8 percent is his ticket to stay in the race, remain on the debate stage and its also the reason that Perry and Romney can’t do what Rudy Giuliani tried in 2008 and attempt to demonize Paul or his principles.
The Rest
Labor Day is hard on the third tier of any presidential contest. Now it’s too late to say that it’s early.
For some, like Gary Johnson, Herman Cain and Buddy Roemer, their campaigns are not hard to sustain because the only costs involved are a few small salaries and diesel for a bus. For others, like Jon Huntsman, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, who rely on support from donors to keep slightly larger (or in Huntsman’s case, vastly larger) operations afloat, it’s gut check time.
They can’t qualify for federal matching funds until January, but staying on the road for three more months will be hard for any of them. Huntsman could tap into his father’s fortune if he decides to stay in and try to play spoiler to fellow Mormon moderate Mitt Romney, but for the rest, it will only get harder to endure.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/05/republican-2012-field-in-order/
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His tax plan sounds pretty decent.
Huntsman unveils jobs plan
By: CNN Political Producer Rachel Streitfeld
agreed.... moderation and common sense is rare these days.
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Yeah 240 - you seem really upset by maxine waters, pelosi, et al. Please bump your posts calling out the cbc for their lack of moderation.
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Yeah 240 - you seem really upset by maxine waters, pelosi, et al. Please bump your posts calling out the cbc for their lack of moderation.
cdc? center for disease control? they were pretty shady in that Outbreak movie, to be sure.
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Read my post again fool.
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Looks like this is turning into a two horse race.
Perry continues to shake up GOP field, lead polls
By: CNN's Dan Merica
Washington (CNN) - Two new polls provide more evidence that the entrance of Texas Gov. Rick Perry has drastically changed the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
The Politico/George Washington University Battleground Poll has Perry atop the field with 36 percent, followed by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney at 17 percent and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Texas Rep. Ron Paul tied at 10 percent.
The NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll delivered similar results. Perry is 38 percent of respondent's first choice for the nomination, followed by Romney at 23 percent, Paul at 9 percent and Bachmann at 8 percent.
These polls are only the most recent to show Perry out in front of the field. Earlier polls from Gallup, Quinnipiac and CNN/ORC International all show a similar picture of the field.
Perry, the most recent entrant into the race, announced his run on Aug. 13, the same day that Bachmann won the Ames Straw Poll in the first-in-the-nation caucus state of Iowa.
Since that high point in her campaign, Bachmann has slipped in the polls.
Bachmann's former campaign manager Ed Rollins, who stepped down Monday due to health problems, said Perry's entrance "took a lot of our momentum."
"Legitimately, it's a Romney-Perry race," Rollins said. "I think she's the third candidate at this point in time, which is way different and better than we thought when we started this thing. She's very much in this thing."
The race for the GOP nomination will continue to evolve in September, a month that features three debates, including CNN's "Tea Party Republican Debate" on Sept. 12 in Tampa Florida.
The Politico/George Washington University Battleground Poll surveyed 1,000 likely voters over the phone and was conducted between Aug. 28 and Sept. 1. The poll has a sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
The NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll surveyed 1,000 adults over the phone from Aug. 27 to Aug. 31, and it has a sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/06/perry-continues-to-shake-up-gop-field-lead-polls/#more-173992
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I prefer Romney over Perry if I had to choose, but both are low on my list.
Ron Paul
Bachmann
Cain
Romney
Newt
Santorum
Huntsmun
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I prefer Romney over Perry if I had to choose, but both are low on my list.
Ron Paul
Bachmann
Cain
Romney
Newt
Santorum
Huntsmun
Paul has zero chance to be the nominee.
I like Romney's business background, but Perry has a good record as a leader, plus he has a military background. Either one would be a tremendous improvement over Obama.
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Paul has zero chance to be the nominee.
I like Romney's business background, but Perry has a good record as a leader, plus he has a military background. Either one would be a tremendous improvement over Obama.
So would William Hong, who i would vote for over obama as well.
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I like what he has to say.
Obama is "not a bad guy -- he just doesn't have a clue what to do" about the economy, Romney said in contrasting the president's lack of business experience with his own background as a businessman and manager who invested in the successful Staples chain of office supply centers and oversaw the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
lol. Truth.
Romney unveils his jobs plan with a dig at Obama
By Tom Cohen, CNN
September 6, 2011
Washington (CNN) -- Standing under a banner that read "Day One, Job One," former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney unveiled his jobs plan Tuesday with a pledge to take steps on his first day as president to undo what he called failed economic policies of the Obama administration.
In a speech at an international truck company in North Las Vegas, Nevada, the Republican presidential candidate spoke from notes -- rather than a prepared speech or using a teleprompter -- in describing a 59-point plan that he said would increase U.S. economic growth by 4% a year and create more than 11 million jobs in his first four years in office if he is elected in 2012.
He promised to bring the corporate tax rate down from the current level of 35% to 25%, in line with much of the rest of the world, saying, "I will do that on day one." He also pledged to immediately halt any regulations and policies implemented by President Barack Obama that stall job growth, and to cut government spending -- except for the military and entitlement programs -- by 5%.
Obama is "not a bad guy -- he just doesn't have a clue what to do" about the economy, Romney said in contrasting the president's lack of business experience with his own background as a businessman and manager who invested in the successful Staples chain of office supply centers and oversaw the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Outlining his vision for the country, Romney said America should be a "job-creating machine" that never questions whether the future will be brighter than the past.
"The right course for America is to believe in growth," Romney said. "Growing our economy is the way to get people to work and to balance our budget."
In another dig at Obama, he described the president's policies as failed efforts rooted in outdated thinking.
"President Obama's strategy is a pay-phone strategy, and we're in a smart-phone world," Romney said. "What he's doing is taking quarters and stuffing them into the pay phone and he can't figure out why it isn't working. It's not connected anymore, Mr. President."
A spokesman for Obama's re-election campaign said Romney's economic plan would "tip the scales against hard-working Americans."
"Gov. Romney repackaged the same old policies that helped create the economic crisis: boosting oil company profits and allowing Wall Street to write its own rules, more tax breaks for large corporations and more tax cuts for the wealthiest while working Americans are forced to carry a greater burden," said the statement by the spokesman, Ben LaBolt.
Earlier, Romney announced his economic team for the election campaign, including two former top advisers to President George W. Bush -- R. Glenn Hubbard and Gregory Mankiw -- as well as former Sen. Jim Talent of Missouri and former Rep. Vin Weber of Minnesota.
Hubbard is dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Business, and Mankiw is an economics professor at Harvard.
Romney is the latest among Republican presidential hopefuls to come out with proposals to grow the economy and boost employment. Obama, the man they are hoping to unseat, will unveil his job creation plan in an address Thursday to a joint session of Congress.
The Romney plan includes additional steps he pledged to take on his first day of office, including an executive order to waive the health care reform law implemented by Obama and Democrats last year "so we can stop that in its tracks," as well as efforts to boost domestic energy production and sanction China for unfair trade practices.
He also described legislation he would propose right away to cut the corporate tax rate, bring free trade agreements to open markets for U.S. products and consolidate federal retraining programs into one package that gets handed to states to run.
Romney also proposed the creation of the "Reagan Economic Zone," which he described as a partnership among countries committed to free enterprise and free trade that don't cheat their partners. The World Trade Organization serves a similar role, and Romney did not elaborate on how his proposal would be different.
In response to the Romney plan, the campaign of his leading rival, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, said in a statement that Romney "failed to create a pro-jobs environment and failed to institute many of the reforms he now claims to support" when he was governor of Massachusetts. Perry has forged ahead of Romney in national polls since entering the Republican race last month.
The timing of Romney's and Obama's plans makes sense: Congress returns from its recess this week, and the special congressional committee tasked with proposing $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction measures meets for the first time Thursday.
In addition, a fresh series of Republican debates begins Wednesday, the first of three in September and seven by the end of the year for a race turned upside down by the recent addition of Perry.
All this comes after the latest employment report showed no new jobs created in August, a result that set Republicans howling for immediate action on their agenda rather than what they called Obama's failed policies.
The Republican packages so far, while differing in scope and some details, generally call for major reforms of the tax and regulatory systems that proponents say will ease the burden on businesses, allowing them to increase investment and hire more people.
They share one common trait: getting rid of the health care reforms enacted last year.
Obama took a step in the GOP direction last week by striking a clean-air regulation targeted by the energy industry and Republicans as oppressive, but sought by environmental and health groups as important for reducing smog.
In his address to Congress, the president is expected to offer longstanding proposals, including extending unemployment benefits and a payroll tax cut, boosting infrastructure projects such as repairing the nation's roads and bridges, and completing free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama.
House Democratic leaders offered their own ideas for job creation Tuesday, telling a news conference that economic growth is the most effective way to bring about needed deficit and debt reduction. They called for investing in American technology and innovation, boosting infrastructure development, and creating a civilian conservation corps to help rebuild storm-damaged communities.
They also urged Obama to propose a strong package of steps in his upcoming speech.
"Be bold. Hit it out of the park," said Rep. Xavier Becerra of California, one of the three House Democrats on the special debt committee. "The American public is waiting for that leadership that tells us once again that we're ready to lead not just the United States of America, but the entire world back from this abyss."
On Saturday, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin used a speech in Iowa to outline a five-point recovery plan, extending the speculation that she might formally join the GOP race in the fall.
Calling it a "pro-working man's plan," Palin included the now-familiar staples of Republican economic policy: deregulation, increased domestic energy production, tax reform and repealing the health care bill.
Palin, who raised taxes on the oil industry while Alaska's governor, proposed eliminating all corporate income taxes and making up the lost revenue by closing corporate loopholes in the federal tax code.
"This is how we break the back of crony capitalism," she said, sounding a new campaign theme that evoked memories of her Alaska days when she took on an entrenched and sometimes corrupt Republican political class that was in cahoots with the oil and gas industry.
Meanwhile, Jon Huntsman, who is lagging badly in national polls, got an immediate endorsement from The Wall Street Journal for his plan announced last week that would scale back the scope of the federal government and simplify the tax code.
The plan would eliminate tax deductions and credits, including the popular home mortgage deduction, in favor of a simplified three-bracket tax system with rates of 8%, 14% or 23%. The corporate tax rate would drop from 35% to 25%, and Huntsman also would eliminate the alternative minimum tax as well as taxes on capital gains and dividends.
On the regulatory front, the former Utah governor and former U.S. ambassador to China would repeal the health care reform measure and the Dodd-Frank financial regulatory reform act, as well as the Sarbanes-Oxley financial reform measure passed during the Bush administration in response to the Enron accounting scandal.
In addition, Huntsman would streamline the approval processes at the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, including for the controversial hydraulic fracturing method of extracting natural gas.
Another candidate, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, offered some of her ideas at a Republican forum Monday, calling for steps to "repatriate" money that American corporations are making overseas by eliminating any tax on it through the end of the year.
Bachmann also proposed reducing the corporate tax rate to 20%, removing regulations that she said stifled economic growth and repealing the health care reform law.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/09/06/romney.jobs.plans/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
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adios bolton.
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Poll: Satisfaction With GOP Field Leaps to 65%
Wednesday, 07 Sep 2011
By Henry J. Reske
Satisfaction with the Republican presidential field has jumped to 65 percent among Republicans and GOP-leaning independents. Texas Gov. Rick Perry is significantly outpacing rivals in his bid for the 2012 nomination, significantly diminishing the prospects of Rep. Michele Bachmann, a new Washington Post-ABCs New poll showed.
Just five months ago, there was great concern among Republicans about the strength of the field vying to take on President Barack Obama. At that time, just 43 percent expressed satisfaction with the candidates. That number began inching up as more entered the race and now stands at 65 percent, the poll showed.
Perry’s quick ascendance results partly from strong tea party support. Republicans now view him as the best candidate to beat Obama, a position that Mitt Romney formerly held. Among Republicans and GOP-leaning independents, Perry leads Romney 27 percent to 22 percent. Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is at 14 percent: Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, at 8 percent; and Bachmann, 6 percent.
Perry’s emergence has cut sharply into support for Bachmann, whose campaign is now at risk. Her supporters have been halved. She was the top vote-getter among strong tea party supporters in mid-July, but she has slipped to fourth place among these Republicans in the new poll, the Post reported.
Her support has gone from 21 percent to 1 percent among those identifying themselves as “very conservative” Republicans, and she has slid from 13 to 3 percent among rank-and-file Republicans.
Both Perry and Romney are about even among registered voters in a match-up with Obama. Romney beats Obama 49 to 45 percent, and Perry, 47 to 46, the Post reported.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/GOP-presidential-field-satisfaction/2011/09/07/id/410062
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Even if Charles Manson, Vandersloot, Peterson, OJ, Hannibal Lector, and John Wayne Gacy were the entire slate for 2012 - my approval would be 100% to take on that wretch maobama.
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Decent performance at the California debate. Did not like that Politico hack. His goal was to try and pit the candidates against each other. Liked Newt's smack down in that regard. Some other random thoughts:
- Romney had the best performance IMO. Liked what he had to say. He knows how run a business and knows how to run a government. Romneycare shouldn't be too much of a problem for him if voters believe his promise to grant waivers to every state from Obamacare. Not sure that will be necessary if the supreme court strikes down the individual mandate.
- Perry was ok. The vaccination issue is just terrible for him. His answer sucked: there was an opt-out. ::) He rightfully took bullets from everyone on that issue. What he needs to say is what he said earlier: he was wrong and will not repeat that kind of mistake. He also said 95 percent of the jobs created in Texas were above minimum wage. Is this true?
- Sounded like Huntsman got more questions than anyone. Or least he talked more than anyone. He sounded good. Has the right experience to handle the economy. Not sure how he would do as CIC. His comments about science were just dumb. I doubt he gets out of single digits.
- Not Ron Paul's best performance, although he was sort of an afterthought. They pretty much ignored him, Bachmann, and Newt.
- I like Cain. Agree with 33 that he brings a lot of common sense to the table. Great business sense. I'd put him in charge of the economy. Too bad he has no shot. He had the best line of the night: If God only needs 10 percent, the government can get by with 9 percent. Loved that one.
- Bachmann looked and sounded pretty flat. She needed to have a strong performance and did not. She didn't do a good job of answering questions directly.
- Santorum was ok. This is only the second time I've paid attention to him. He's actually not bad. He'll never get out of single digits either.
- Agree with HH that Newt was probably the smartest guy on the stage. He's the most qualified person in the race IMO. He really screwed himself by being such a hypocrite.
Overall, I think the frontrunners (Romney and Perry) will beat Obama. Either one will be a better candidate than McCain. Either one can run the country better than Obama.
Another thing that struck me was the quality of the people across the board when compared to the folks Democrats put on the stage, e.g., Kucinich, Shaprton, Biden, Obama, etc.
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Did not like that Politico hack. His goal was to try and pit the candidates against each other.
I prefer that. Voters aren't trying to circle jerk to reagan's legacy. Well, most of us.
We're trying to see how the candidates are different, so that we can select which one to vote for. When a host does his best to force candidates to illustrate these differences - that is why they are there!
Unless you just watch to enjoy talking points with a reagan backdrop, which is fine.
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What is this "we" business. We all know you are voting for obama.
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What was the point of asking Perry if he struggled sleeping at night at the thought that an innocent man may have been executed? Why would he have any problem sleeping? He wasn't the one that found them guilty and handed down the sentence.
It seemed to me like a very odd question. Maybe Brian Williams got rattled by the roar from the crowd when he mentioned the 234 executions.
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What is this "we" business. We all know you are voting for obama.
lol
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What was the point of asking Perry if he struggled sleeping at night at the thought that an innocent man may have been executed? Why would he have any problem sleeping? He wasn't the one that found them guilty and handed down the sentence.
It seemed to me like a very odd question. Maybe Brian Williams got rattled by the roar from the crowd when he mentioned the 234 executions.
Agree. That was the loudest applause of the night. A lot of their questions were set-up or "gotcha" questions, not designed to get a candidate's views on a particular subject.
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Haley rules out Huntsman endorsement
By: CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Washington (CNN) - South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said Thursday that she will not support Jon Huntsman's Republican presidential bid, a serious blow to the former Utah governor's chances in the key early primary state.
"Naturally, I am going to go with someone that philosophically I agree with, and Jon Huntsman is not it," Haley told conservative radio host Laura Ingraham.
Huntsman has the largest political operation of any presidential campaign in South Carolina and has made the state a central part of his Republican nomination strategy along with New Hampshire and Florida.
Richard Quinn, a veteran Columbia-based strategist with deep ties to the political establishment there, is also one of Huntsman's senior-most advisers.
Haley met with Huntsman at the South Carolina State House in May and discussed his recently concluded ambassadorship to China and the view of the American economy from overseas.
It was a friendly and productive meeting by nearly every account, but apparently not enough to win over the tea party-friendly governor.
"If you talk to him about things he knows about, China and the economy, yes, that's great stuff," Haley said Thursday. "But what I really want to get is a strong conservative that understands jobs and the economy matter, and it's not what we say, it's what we do, and how are we going to fix this?"
Asked if she was definitively ruling out a Huntsman endorsement, Haley's spokesman Rob Godfrey said simply: "The governor's words speak for themselves."
Spokesman Tim Miller responded to the news saying, "On the issue that matters most to South Carolina, creating jobs, Gov. Huntsman has offered the most conservative, pro-growth plan and has the best record to back it up. We are proud to have the strongest team of supporters in South Carolina as a result of that record and message."
Sen. Jim DeMint, who has a loyal following among conservatives both nationally and in his home state, is probably the most sought after endorser of the 2012 primary cycle in South Carolina, but Haley ranks a close second.
She has met privately with most of the Republican candidates and even invited them to bunk at the governor's mansion when passing through town.
Haley has promised to endorse before the primary but has been less than enthusiastic about the Republican field.
Wednesday night's Republican presidential debate in California changed all that, Haley told Ingraham.
"I was very nervous for a long time because I just wasn't feeling it," she said. "And after watching that debate last night, that's what I needed to see. I needed to see that they were getting down into the issues. I needed to see the strong debate back and forth."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/08/haley-rules-out-huntsman-endorsement/#more-174504
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Pawlenty endorses Romney
By: CNN Political Unit
Tampa, Florida (CNN) - Hours before the start of the first-ever CNN/Tea Party Republican debate, a candidate who dropped out of the GOP presidential race last month is putting his support behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Former presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty threw his support behind Romney on Monday.
On Monday, Sept. 12th, CNN will broadcast the "Tea Party Republican Debate," live from Tampa, Florida at 8 p.m. ET. Follow all the issues and campaign news leading up to the debate on CNNPolitics.com and @cnnpolitics on Twitter.
"Romney is running for president because he is deeply committed to our country, troubled by its current condition, and I believe he can turn it around," Pawlenty said in a statement released by the Romney campaign.
Following the endorsement, Romney's team announced in a statement that Pawlenty will serve as a national co-chair of Romney's campaign.
Pawlenty dropped out of the race on Aug. 14 after a disappointing third place finish at a crucial GOP presidential straw poll in Ames, Iowa. The former two-term governor from neighboring Minnesota campaigned heavily in Iowa in the two months leading up to the straw poll.
Pawlenty was critical of Romney early in the summer, slamming him for his Massachusetts health care program that served as a model for President Barack Obama's sweeping health care reform–an unpopular measure among Republicans.
Pawlenty made one of the first attacks in the GOP 2012 presidential race when he coined Romney's health care plan as "Obamney Care" in June. But in a CNN debate in New Hampshire a day later, Pawlenty didn't follow through on a golden opportunity to attack Romney over the issue.
Regardless of past criticism, in his statement Pawlenty praised Romney's time in office, as well as in the private sector as a businessman.
"Alone among the contenders, he possesses the unique qualifications to confront and master our severe economic predicament," Pawlenty said.
The endorsement comes the same day of the CNN Tea Party Republican debate at the Florida State Fairgrounds near Tampa, where Romney is expected go head-to-head with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, on Social Security, jobs, and other issues.
Perry launched his campaign for president the day before Pawlenty dropped out and since then the Texas governor has jumped to frontrunner status, knocking Romney, the former frontrunner, out of the the top spot.
But for Pawlenty, Romney would be his first choice for the nomination.
"He is a formidable person, and he will certainly be a formidable president," Pawlenty said.
– CNN's Ashley Killough, Paul Steinhauser and Peter Hamby contributed to this report.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/12/pawlenty-endorses-romney/#more-175404
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Only caught about 30 minutes of the CNN debate. A few observations:
- The question about the uninsured person was a pretty dumb hypothetical IMO. Some guy chooses not to get health insurance and then gets sick. Should the government let him die? Really? ::) It would have been a better hypothetical if the person wanted health insurance, but couldn't afford it.
- Bachmann did much better this time around. Did a good job attacking Perry.
- Perry's response on the virus issue was better, but still did too much waffling. He just needs to apologize and shut up about it. Overall, based on the limited portions I saw, he did ok, again. Not overly impressed with either of his debate performances.
- Santorum really worked Ron Paul over on the 911 issue. Said Ron Paul blamed us for the 911 attacks? Paul didn't deny it. Actually admitted he thinks we're partly to blame for the attacks. Did I hear that right? Just crazy talk for someone who wants to be president.
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Jindal Endorses Perry for President
Monday, 12 Sep 2011
WASHINGTON — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal endorsed Rick Perry for president on Monday, calling the Texas governor "the candidate who can lead our party to victory in 2012."
Jindal and Perry announced the endorsement ahead of Monday night's GOP presidential debate in Tampa, Fla. — and just hours after former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty endorsed Mitt Romney, Perry's most significant rival for the Republican nomination.
Jindal praised Perry's job creation record as Texas governor, the central message of Perry's campaign.
"The 1 million jobs he's helped create as governor is a stark contrast to the 2.4 million jobs lost on President Obama's watch," Jindal said in a statement.
Jindal's support makes sense: He's a fellow southern governor who has worked with Perry in the wake of natural disasters affecting their neighboring states. And the pick gives Perry support from a prominent Republican who has been considered a possible presidential contender in the past.
Announcing Jindal's support Monday afternoon also allowed Perry to square off with Romney ahead of their planned faceoff in Florida. Pawlenty, who dropped out of the presidential race in August, announced Monday morning that he would back the former Massachusetts governor's presidential bid.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Perry-Jindal/2011/09/12/id/410690
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Jindel ginning up his chances to become VP ?
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Tom Ridge Endorses Huntsman
Friday, 16 Sep 2011
By Newsmax Wires
The presidential campaign of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has failed to get high off the ground so far. But he is receiving an endorsement from a major national figure — Tom Ridge, Homeland Security secretary under President George W. Bush, according to New Hampshire’s UnionLeader.com. Ridge also was governor of Pennsylvania.
Huntsman is announcing Ridge’s backing in an event in Goffstown, N.H. Friday.
“I know Jon to be a serious, insightful leader who will bring together people from across the political spectrum to solve the many challenges we face, both at home and around the world,” Ridge said in a statement.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/tom-ridge-huntsman-endorsement/2011/09/16/id/411314
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Huntsman Doubts Perry or Romney Can Win US Presidential Race
Saturday, 17 Sep 2011
Republican presidential contender Jon Huntsman Jr. questioned the electability of the two front- runners for his party’s nomination, saying some of Rick Perry’s views are out of the mainstream and Mitt Romney lacks foreign policy experience.
Huntsman predicted he could win in New Hampshire, the first state to hold a primary election, even as the latest polling shows minimal support for him among Republicans.
“Some people have been at zero today and they’ve gone on to win the New Hampshire primary,” he said in an interview on Bloomberg Television’s “Political Capital With Al Hunt” airing this weekend.
Romney doesn’t the “hands-on foreign policy experience,” that’s essential to being president, said Huntsman, who served as ambassador to China for President Barack Obama until resigning earlier this year to seek the Republican nomination.
Huntsman, a former governor of Utah, also criticized Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, for raising taxes. “I prefer having a governor who is Number One in job creation as opposed to Number 47, someone who didn’t raise taxes to the tune of $750 million a year,” he said, in a comparison of his record as governor with Romney’s.
Perry, the Texas governor who leads in primary polling, has taken positions on climate science and evolution that will be rejected by independent and moderate voters, Huntsman said. “On science, he’s out of the mainstream,” he said.
Poll Results
Perry was the top choice of 26 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents in a Bloomberg National Poll conducted Sept. 9-12, followed by Romney at 22 percent. Huntsman trailed the entire Republican field, which includes Representatives Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and Ron Paul of Texas, at 1 percent.
If elected president, Huntsman said his first action would be to present a “growth package” to Congress. His bill would include proposals to change the tax code, cut regulations and increase the country’s energy independence.
Changes in those areas would give an instant boost to the stock market, he said. “I believe those three areas are the most powerful engines of growth that we can consider as a country,” he said.
Fiscal Panel
On deficit reduction, Huntsman said he supported the findings of a 2010 fiscal commission led by former Senator Alan Simpson, a Wyoming Republican, and former Clinton Administration White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles.
Their panel, created by Obama, recommended raising government revenue by eliminating or restricting deductions and credits written into the tax code for such items as mortgage interest and investments in renewable energy.
“I would have voted for it,” he said. “The president made a huge mistake by not embracing this.”
American solar power technology “isn’t ready for primetime in the marketplace,” Huntsman said, when asked about a dispute involving the bankruptcy of a Fremont, California-based solar- panel maker, Solyndra LLC, after receiving a $535 million federal loan guarantee. He was asked if the assistance was a mistake.
“You know, everybody can be a Monday morning quarterback, and I don’t wish to be,” he said. “But I think the reality that we’re all coming to grips with is that, in the renewable energy area, you’ve got to have technologies that are deployable into the marketplace that meet certain economic criteria, in terms of cost conversion. We’re not there yet.”
Tax Increase Opposition
Huntsman, along with the rest of the Republican presidential field, said in an Aug. 11 debate that he wouldn’t support a debt-reduction plan that includes spending cuts and tax increases, even at a 10 to one ratio.
House Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican, has ruled out using tax increases to trim the deficit.
Huntsman said his economic plan, released on Aug. 31 in New Hampshire, borrowed on the findings of the Simpson-Bowles commission. His proposal cuts tax rates and eliminates all deductions, including those for home mortgages and charitable contributions.
“We have a dilapidated, anachronistic, ‘50s tax code,” he said. “If we’re going to compete in the 21st Century, let’s get smart, let’s clean out the cobwebs on both the individual side and on the corporate side.”
Huntsman was asked a question raised in a Sept. 13 Republican candidates’ debate: Who should bear the costs of a young person lacking health insurance involved in a terrible accident?
“Those costs are passed on to all of us now because there are certain commitments” in emergency rooms, he said. “But you know, you’ve got a lot of humanitarian organizations” that can take care of some people.
“There will be a segment of the population who, for whatever reason, have fallen through the cracks and can’t help themselves,” Huntsman said. “We’ve got to have the capacity and the wherewithal to help them as well.”
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/BBEXCLUDE-BNALL-BNCOPY-BNSTAFF/2011/09/17/id/411340
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(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/09/20/t1larg.rick-perry-mitt-romney.t1larg.jpg)
In South Carolina, Perry and Romney lead the pack
By: CNN Producer Gabriella Schwarz
(CNN) – Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry landed at the top of the GOP field among South Carolina voters, who host the first-in-the-South presidential primary, but only slightly ahead of Mitt Romney, according to a new poll.
The Winthrop University Poll released Tuesday showed the Texas governor with 30.5 percent support among Republican and Republican-leaning voters, compared with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's 27.3 percent, a disparity that falls within the sampling error.
Former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain received 7.7 percent support, followed by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has yet to launch a bid for president, at 5.8 percent and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 5.3 percent. The remaining 2012 candidates did not reach five percent.
When asked who they thought would win the GOP nomination, regardless of who they support, 35.4 percent of Republican and Republican-leaning voters said Perry and 29.4 percent chose Romney.
Almost 60 percent of GOP voters who are definitely planning on voting in the Palmetto State primary said it was more important to select a nominee who matched their beliefs, while 33.5 percent said it was more important to select a candidate who could beat Obama in 2012.
A majority of Republican and Republican-leaning respondents said the term "socialist" describes the president well, or very well at 74.7 percent and 30 percent said the president is a Muslim, despite his Christian faith. Thirty-six percent said he was probably or definitely born in another country. Earlier this year, Obama released the long-form version of his birth certificate that reflects he was born in Hawaii.
The Winthrop Poll interviewed 1,552 registered voters and 596 Republican and GOP-leaning voters with a sampling error of plus or minus 2.49 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/20/in-south-carolina-perry-and-romney-lead-the-pack/#more-176967
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If perry is only 3 points ahead of romney in SC at this point, romney is going to win thing most likely.
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Depends on how Perry performs over the next several months. The fact Perry came into the race and immediately jumped ahead of the pack, and has maintained it so far even after two mediocre debate performances, doesn't bode well for Romney.
Romney's major advantage is money, at least for the time being. The big money is going to start lining up behind either Perry or Romney pretty soon.
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President Zero. :)
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I was surprised to see Ron Paul in second, because the story that ran on TV only mentioned Romney and Perry. A little unfair to Paul IMO.
Romney Leaves Competitors in the Dust in New Hampshire Poll
Published September 22, 2011
FoxNews.com
September 21: Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney talks to a supporter after a town hall meeting in Miami.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is so far ahead of the other Republican presidential candidates in the first-in-the-nation primary state of New Hampshire that the other candidates may have to rethink their strategies.
According to a Suffolk University/7NEWS poll of 400 likely Republican primary voters, Romney has a 27-point lead over his nearest rival, with Ron Paul in second place at 14 percent. Jon Huntsman marched up the poll coming in third with 10 percent and Rick Perry is idling in fourth place at 8 percent.
The rest of the field, including undeclared potential candidate Sarah Palin, earned 6 percent or less. Eleven percent of likely New Hampshire GOP primary voters were undecided.
"Mitt Romney is saying 'get out of my back yard' and making New Hampshire his strong firewall despite showing some weakness in the other states' early primaries," said David Paleologos, director of Suffolk University's Political Research Center. "The anti-Romney candidate at this point could be either Ron Paul, who has polled consistently over the past year, or Jon Huntsman, whose numbers are really growing."
Perry, the Texas governor, isn't fretting too much from concerns he could be upstaged as a result of a tussle between him and Romney over Social Security.
"I think it is important for the people of America and certainly in the Republican primary to see the clear differences the Republicans have," he told Fox News on Wednesday night. "We need to nominate someone who will have a stark clear differences between the Republican nominee and President Obama, and I think I am that person who can clearly delineate the difference. We don't need to nominate Obama-lite. We don't need to nominate someone who is going to blur the lines between President Obama and our nominee."
It's no surprise that Romney is doing so well in the Granite State. He owns a home there and is a former governor of neighboring Massachusetts. He has spent a lot of time over the last several years mapping out the GOP terrain in New Hampshire.
The strategy appears to be paying off in the state. Romney's numbers were even stronger in a breakdown of those "very likely" to vote -- 44 percent; and among those who self-identified as conservatives -- 48 percent. He's also listed as the second-choice candidate for 22 percent of voters who didn't pick him as their top nominee, and is viewed favorably by 69 percent of respondents, a very strong number compared to the other candidates.
"Romney's added strength in the second-choice question reduces the probability that any other candidate will be able to mobilize and capture all of the non-Romney voters as well as the undecided voters," Paleologos said.
While Perry has picked up some A-1 endorsements from Republican governors, on Thursday Romney won A-list backing from a Republican congressman. Rep. Darrell Issa of California, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said Romney's business background makes him the right candidate to turn around the economy.
But don't count Perry out. As the GOP candidates prepare to debate Thursday night in Florida in a forum hosted by Fox News and Google, a new Quinnipiac poll puts Perry ahead of Romney there, 28-22 percent. Perry's increase over Romney grows to 31-22 percent if Palin isn't included and leads Romney 46-38 percent in a two-man face-off.
Romney has barely moved since he led the Florida GOP pack with 23 percent in an Aug. 4 survey by Quinnipiac while Perry has surged from 13 percent in that survey conducted before he formally announced his candidacy.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/22/romney-leaves-competitors-in-dust-in-new-hampshire-poll/
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Perry in Lead in New Florida Preferences Poll
by Serafin Gomez | September 22, 2011
ORLANDO, Fla. - On the day of the Fox News/Google Republican presidential debate, a new poll is showing that Texas Gov. Rick Perry has taken the lead over former Massachussetts Gov. Mitt Romney and the rest of the GOP field in the key battleground state of of Florida.
Perrry is ahead of Romney with 28 percent to 22 percent, according to the Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday. If former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin does not jump into the race, the landscape improves for Perry with his lead increasing to 31-22 percent over Romney.
However, if Romney would face President Obama in a hypothetical match-up, the Republican would lead 47-40 percent but Perry would be behind Obama 44-42 percent.
By a margin of 57 percent to 39 percent, voters polled from across the poltical spectrum disapprove of Obama's job performance-- his "worst score in any Quinnipiac University poll in any state," according to a statement released by the survey taker.
With 29 electoral votes, Florida is a crucial state for Obama's 2012 map towards keeping the White House. In 2008, he won the Sunshine State in his victory over then-GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain.
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/09/22/perry-lead-new-florida-preferences-poll
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Some comments on the Google/Fox debate:
- After three debates, I've concluded Rick Perry is not a very good debater. He was terrible. He actually sounded drunk at one point when he was trying to attack Romney's record. He reminded me of a player who reads his own headlines and doesn't prepare for a game like he should.
- Romney was pretty good. The fact he has been campaigning for so long helps, but he really did have command of the stage IMO. I think he would kick the crap out of Obama in debates.
- Liked Bachmann's answer about faith in the public square. She still has sort of a deer in headlights look.
- What the heck was Gary Johnson doing on the stage?
- Santorum is going nowhere, but he was right about DADT. Bring it back. It worked.
- I got interrupted when Paul was answering a question about abortion and the rape exception. Didn't hear his response. But it is inconsistent to believe life begins at conception, that abortion is murder, but also support a rape exception.
- I liked Romney's comment that anyone on the stage would be a better president than Obama. He's right.
- Like Cain a lot. I'm starting to think he might make a good VP choice.
Overall, I don't think the polls will change much as a result of this debate.
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Romney captures Michigan straw poll
By: CNN Senior Producer Kevin Bohn
Mackinac Island, Michigan (CNN) – Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won an overwhelming victory over Texas Gov. Rick Perry in a straw poll of attendees to a major Michigan Republican conference.
Of 681 votes cast in this weekend’s poll, Romney captured 346 votes or 51 percent, according to results announced Sunday.
Perry won 114 votes or 16.8 percent of the ballots.
"It confirms what a lot of people thought that Romney is the best known candidate and is the one to beat,” state Republican chairman Bobby Schostak told reporters Sunday.
Romney was expected to do well because he is a native of Michigan, has a large network of supporters in the state and won the primary here in 2008. He has already campaigned in the state several times, including spending Saturday here on the resort island greeting attendees and meeting with activists and donors.
Romney and Perry spoke on Saturday touting their records to the more than 1,800 attendees of the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference—a major gathering that draws key GOP supporters, activists, party officials and donors both from Michigan and across the nation.
Neither spoke of the straw poll, and there were no overt efforts by any of the campaigns to lobby for votes. Romney’s campaign has said it would not participate in any straw polls this season because of the amount of resources they often require. There were some Romney volunteers on the street handing out campaign literature as conference attendees passed.
Schostak said Perry told him he intends to be competitive in Michigan during the primary fight and is working to build a network of supporters and donors. “He is going to play,” Schostak told CNN. Perry also had meetings with donors and activists on Saturday while on the island.
No other presidential contender spoke at the conference, and no other candidate reached double digits in the straw poll.
When the attendees were asked who would be their top choice for the vice presidential nomination, 481 - or 23 percent - said Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
The straw poll was sponsored by National Journal’s Hotline newsletter and the National Association of Home Builders.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/25/romney-wins-michigan-straw-poll/#more-177574
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Not much movement in the polls after Perry's poor debate performance.
CNN Poll: Perry still at top but Romney stronger vs. Obama
By: CNN Political Unit
Washington (CNN) - Despite his performances in the two most recent Republican presidential debates, a new national survey indicates that Texas Gov. Rick Perry remains on top of the field in the race for the GOP nomination.
But a CNN/ORC International Poll also indicates that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney does better than Perry in hypothetical 2012 general election matchups against President Barack Obama and matches evenly with the president on the issues and on personal characteristics.
According to the survey, which was released Monday, 28 percent of Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP say they support Perry as their party's presidential nominee, with Romney at 21 percent. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is at ten percent, with Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who's making his third bid for the White House, former Godfather's Pizza CEO and radio talk show host Herman Cain, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, all at seven percent. The poll indicates that Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota is at four percent, with former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania at three percent and former Utah Gov. and ambassador to China Jon Huntsman at one percent.
Palin has flirted with a bid for the GOP nomination, but the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee has not taken any concrete steps towards launching a campaign. Taking Palin out of the mix produces a similar result: 30 percent for Perry, 22 percent for Romney, 11 percent for Gingrich, and all other candidates in single digits.
The poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, after last Thursday's debate in Orlando, Florida. Pundits and analysts rate Perry's performance in that debate, and in a debate one a week and a half earlier in Tampa, Florida, as uneven. Perry's distant second showing at a much-watched straw poll of Florida GOP activists this past weekend may be a reflection of his debate performances, and his stance on illegal immigration and border security, which were spotlighted in both debates.
"Did Perry's performance in the most recent debate affect the horse race? Maybe yes, but maybe no," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Perry's support is down just two points, and Romney is up only one to three points - and since all those numbers are well within the sampling error, it doesn't look like much has changed, possibly because average voters aren't as plugged into the debates as political junkies are. If the debates have had an effect, it may be mostly in favor of Gingrich, whose support went from 5 percent in mid-September to 10 percent now."
According to the poll, the president's overall approval rating, at 45 percent, is essentially unchanged since July. Fifty-two percent of all Americans disapprove of his job performance to date.
The 2012 election will not be an up-or-down vote on Obama, but rather a choice between the president and another candidate, so head-to-head match-ups against the top GOP candidates are a better test of Obama's electoral strength.
The survey indicates that Romney fares best against Obama. It's basically all tied up with 49 percent for Obama and 48 percent for Romney in a hypothetical two-way match-up. According to the poll, Obama holds a five point margin over Perry, 51 percent to 46 percent.
In a hypothetical matchup between Paul and Obama, the president holds a four point margin, 51 percent to 47 percent. Obama handily beats Bachmann and Palin in two-way match-ups. But keep in mind, as always, that polls taken more than a year before the election have little or no predictive value.
Obama's ace-in-the-hole remains the fact that he is personally more popular than his policies. According to the poll, his favorable rating, which measures reactions to him personally, is eight points higher than his job approval rating. Fifty-two percent of all Americans disagree with him on issues, but 58 percent believe he has the personality and leadership qualities a president should have. And by a 49 to 43 percent margin, Americans say that personal qualities are more important than issues to their vote for president.
Only Romney matches up well with Obama on both of those measures. Six in ten Americans say Romney has the personal qualities a president should have, compared to only 45 percent who feel that way about Perry.
Forty-six percent of Americans agree with Romney on issues. "That doesn't sound like much, but it's far better than the 39 percent who say they agree with Perry. That 46 percent is also ten points higher than the number who agreed with Romney in his first run for the White House in 2008," adds Holland.
The CNN poll was conducted by ORC International from September 23-25, with 1,010 adult Americans, including 447 Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/26/cnn-poll-perry-still-at-top-but-romney-stronger-vs-obama/#more-177691
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Or maybe there is? :o
IBOPE Zogby Poll: Perry Plummets to 18%; Trails Cain For Lead Among GOP Primary Voters
Obama's Overall Approval Steady at 42%
UTICA, NY--Rick Perry has tumbled by more than 20 percentage points over the past month among Republican presidential primary voters and is now second to Herman Cain, who leads the field with 28%.
Mitt Romney received little benefit from Perrys fall, garnering 17% of the vote for third place.
As for President Barack Obama, both his job approval (42%) and the percentage who believe he deserves re-election (37%) are little changed from recent polls, but he does seem to be winning back some supporters who have been disappointed in his job performance.
These results are from an IBOPE Zogby interactive poll conducted Sept. 23-26 of all likely voters and of likely Republican primary voters.
. . . .
http://www.ibopezogby.com/news/2011/09/26/ibope-zogby-poll-perry-plummets-18-trails-cain-lead-among-gop-primary-voters/
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Fox News Poll: GOP Race Top Tier Now Romney, Perry and Cain
By Dana Blanton
Published September 28, 2011
FoxNews.com
After three September debates, Herman Cain is in the top tier, Rick Perry has stumbled and Mitt Romney's holding steady.
Three September debates have shaken-up the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Herman Cain has jumped into the top tier. Rick Perry’s stumbled. Mitt Romney's holding steady.
And Michele Bachmann is hitting bottom. That’s according to a Fox News poll released Wednesday.
The new poll found Cain’s support has nearly tripled among GOP primary voters to 17 percent.
That’s up from 6 percent before this month’s debates, and puts him in what is essentially a three-way tie with Perry and Romney.
Click here to see the full results from the poll
Cain has benefited not only from his debate performances, but also significant media attention after winning the Florida Republican Party’s straw poll on Saturday.
Perry now garners 19 percent, a drop of 10 percentage points from a month ago. That puts Romney back in the top spot with the support of 23 percent. Last month Romney was at 22 percent.
Newt Gingrich recovered some ground and now stands at 11 percent. Ron Paul receives the backing of 6 percent now compared to 8 percent before the September debates.
Bachmann registers 3 percent support, down from 8 percent in late August and a high of 15 percent in July.
The nomination preference question included only the names of announced candidates.
The order is similar when GOP primary voters were asked which candidate they have the most in common with: Perry tops that list at 17 percent, followed by Cain at 14 percent, Romney at 12 percent, Bachmann at 10 percent, Gingrich at 7 percent and Paul at 6 percent.
Republicans are much happier with the GOP field these days. The number saying they are at least somewhat impressed with their slate of candidates has increased 19 points -- from 44 percent in April to 63 percent now.
After much speculation, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said again Tuesday he would not run for president this year. The poll found that by a 7-point margin Republicans thought Christie should run and by a 4-point margin Tea Party folks liked the idea.
What about the other side of the 2012 ballot? By a 66-27 percent margin, Democratic primary voters prefer Obama as their nominee over his former rival, Sec. of State Hillary Clinton. And another 3 percent volunteer they would like someone else altogether.
Hypothetical, Early Matchups
Obama continues to hold a slim edge over Romney and Perry in hypothetical matchups among all voters, but not among those highly interested in this election. That’s driven by relatively higher levels of interest among Republicans as their party picks a candidate and holds debates.
Among all registered voters Obama tops Romney by 3 points, which is within the poll’s margin of sampling error. In July, Obama had a 6-point edge and a year ago it was 1-point. The strength of party support is similar for each, as 85 percent of Democrats back Obama and 83 percent of Republicans support Romney.
Romney tops Obama among independents by a slim 2 points.
In a head-to-head matchup with Perry, Obama bests him by 8 points among all voters, and by 6 points among independents.
Overall, more voters doubt that Obama will be re-elected president than think he will be (by 50-to-40 percent). In May, 57 percent thought Obama would be re-elected. That was soon after the killing of Usama bin Laden. By a better than 2-to-1 margin Democrats think Obama will be re-elected.
While a 56-percent majority sees Obama’s strategy for re-election as bringing people together “with a hopeful message,” a third of voters (32 percent) think his strategy is to drive people apart “with a partisan message.”
Don’t Bother Lunching with Trump
Since Donald Trump toyed with running for president earlier this year, several Republican candidates have made a point of meeting with him. Even so, hardly any voters -- 6 percent -- say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by Trump. In fact, by a 5-to-1 margin a Trump endorsement is more likely to have a negative impact.
Almost twice as many Republicans say a Trump endorsement would make them less likely to vote for a candidate than say it would encourage their support.
The Fox News poll is based on landline and cell phone interviews with 925 randomly chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from September 25 to September 27. For the total sample, it has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/28/fox-news-poll-gop-race-top-tier-now-romney-perry-and-cain/
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RCP as of today:
Perry - 27.2
Romney - 22.8
Gingrich - 8.2
Cain - 8.2
Paul - 7.8
Bachmann - 6.4
Santorum - 2.6
Huntsman - 1.8
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
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Huntsman is running an awful campaign.
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Another poll shows Perry falling, Cain rising
By: CNN's Kevin Liptak
Washington (CNN) - A second national poll indicates a dramatic decline in voter support for Texas Gov. Rick Perry following a shaky debate performance and questions about his stance on social security and immigration.
According to a Washington Post/ABC News survey released Tuesday, 16% of likely Republican voters back Perry, a virtual tie with Godfather's Pizza executive Herman Cain. Both men trail former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who stands at 25%.
The last time Washington Post/ABC News asked likely Republican voters for their pick, Perry stood at 29%. The thirteen-point drop comes after a rough week for Perry, including rough reviews after a Republican presidential debate in which he said his fellow candidates "had no hearts" for disagreeing with him on a controversial immigration law.
Last week, Fox News released a poll showing a similar decline for Perry and comparable increase for Cain. In that survey, 19% of likely GOP voters backed Perry, while 17% backed Cain.
Cain's jump in national polls follows a surprise win at a closely-watched Florida straw poll, where he upset Perry, who was considered the favorite to win the much watched straw poll of GOP activists. Since then Cain has been in the media spotlight, thanks to a flurry of media appearances.
The Washington Post/ABC News Poll also asked Republicans if they thought New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin should enter the race. Forty-two percent said Christie should jump in, while only 31% said Palin should make a bid. When responding to the same question, 34% said Christie should not enter the race, and 66% said they didn't think Palin should get in.
CNN confirmed Tuesday that Christie will not enter the 2012 race. He will make that announcement at 1 p.m. ET at a news conference in Trenton.
When included with the other candidates, 10% of likely GOP voters backed Christie, putting him eleven points behind Romney (21%) and four points behind Perry and Cain (both at 14%). Nine percent backed Palin.
The Washington Post/ABC News poll surveyed 1,002 adults by telephone from September 29-October 2. The sampling error was plus or minus four percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/04/another-poll-shows-perry-falling-cain-rising/#more-178722
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Huntsman is running an awful campaign.
which is too bad, as If I had to vote GOP, he would get my vote. wouldn't you know.....
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Still a long way to go for all of these candidates. They'll need a lot of coin to compete with Obama.
Perry brings in $17 million in third fundraising quarter
By: CNN's Peter Hamby and Paul Steinhauser
(CNN) – Texas Gov. Rick Perry raised more than $17 million dollars from more than 22,000 unique contributors in the first seven weeks of his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
Perry's presidential campaign announced Wednesday morning that he also has $15 million cash on hand, as of Sept. 30, the end of the third quarter of fundraising.
Perry announced his run for the White House on Aug. 13, half way into the third quarter. His campaign said the vast majority of the money raised by Perry is for use in the primaries and caucuses, with just $50,000 of the funds designated for general election use.
Team Perry said they received donations from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, with 51 percent of the donors hailing from outside Texas.
"The generous contributions from Americans across the nation prove the overwhelming support for Gov. Perry's principled, conservative leadership and vision to get America working again," Perry Campaign Manager Rob Johnson said in a statement.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will report raising between $11 and $13 million over the last three months, according to a source familiar with the tally. That total is less than the $18.2 million Romney collected during the previous fundraising quarter. Romney spokeswoman Gail Gitcho would not confirm the total but said a downturn in fundraising is normal during the course of a campaign.
Friday was the deadline for the third fundraising quarter of 2011, but campaigns are not required to report their totals until Oct. 15.
The quarterly totals will be watched for signs of each campaign's financial strength, but no report will be as closely scrutinized as Perry's.
Perry quickly shot to the top of national polls after his late entrance into the race, but has dropped in those surveys in the past week after two uneven debate performances and criticism by the other campaigns over his stance on illegal immigration and Social Security.
Perry is one of the most prolific GOP fundraisers in the country, but federal finance laws are stricter than those in Texas.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/05/perry-brings-in-17-million-in-third-fundraising-quarter/#more-178889
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"Top notch"? Will have to see the rest of the names on that list.
Romney assembles top-notch foreign policy team
(CNN) – On the eve of his foreign policy speech at The Citadel in South Carolina, former Massachusetts Gov. and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced selections for his foreign policy and national security team.
Romney revealed the names Thursday. They include former Sec. of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, who will serve as a special adviser and co-chair Romney's counterterrorism/intelligence working group.
Romney's 22-member team of special advisers also includes former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman and former Missouri Sen. Jim Talent.
The current frontrunner for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination-according to the latest national polls-also assembled thirteen working groups to tackle international affairs, national security, defense, and human rights with specific groups dedicated to regions around the world.
Romney's Friday address will be his first on major speech on foreign policy.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/06/romney-assembles-top-notch-foreign-policy-team/
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Huntsman: I'd Attack Iran if It Gained Nuclear Arms
Monday, 10 Oct 2011
By Newsmax Wires
Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman generally has positioned himself as the GOP field’s most moderate member. But in excerpts of a foreign policy address he’s giving today, the former Utah governor threatens Iran with attack if it successfully pursues nuclear weapons, Politico reports.
"I cannot live with a nuclear-armed Iran. If you want an example of when I would use American force, it would be that," Huntsman says.
He has voiced such a view previously, telling New Hampshire's WMUR radio station: "What do you do when Iran all of a sudden develops a weapon of mass destruction over the near year to year and a half? . . . Now, if ever there was a reason to consider using U.S. force, it would be in pursuit of situations like that."
But most of Huntsman’s prepared remarks are more moderate. He repeats his call for an end to the war in Afghanistan and says the United States should "right-size our current foreign entanglements."
Huntsman seeks "more agility, more intelligence, and more economic engagement" in foreign policy, rather than "simply advocating more ships, more troops, and more weapons."
On the issue of defense spending, Huntsman says, “A re-examination of America’s role in the world also requires a reexamination of our military and defense infrastructure. It may surprise some people to learn that we spend more on defense today than at the height of the Cold War. Indeed, we spend more on defense than the rest of the world combined.”
The country is stuck with a top-heavy military structure created during the Cold War, Huntsman says. “It needs to be transformed to reflect the 21st-century world, and the growing asymmetric threats we face,” he argues. For example, counterterrorism needs to be a much larger part of our foreign policy. We must be prepared to respond to threats — from al-Qaida and other terrorist cells — that emanate from a much more diverse geography, including Yemen, the Horn of Africa, Pakistan and the Asia-Pacific.”
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Huntsman-nuclear-Iran-attack/2011/10/10/id/413861
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I was surprised to see Ron Paul in second, because the story that ran on TV only mentioned Romney and Perry. A little unfair to Paul IMO.
props. happened in ames too. "Bachmann wins, T-Paw in 3rd!" was the headline
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Christie to Endorse Romney Ahead of GOP Debate
Published October 11, 2011
FoxNews.com
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, just one week after definitively announcing he will not run for president in the 2012 race, plans to endorse Mitt Romney for the job Tuesday afternoon, Fox News has learned.
The event is set to take place in Hanover, N.H., just hours before the Republican candidates gather for a debate nearby at Dartmouth College. In securing the support of Christie, Romney will have at his side a tough-talking governor who during his two years in office has built a reputation as a fiscal hawk not shy about taking on the public employee unions.
The former Massachusetts governor is enlisting Christie at a time when his frontrunner status is once again being challenged. Romney saw his lead slip after Texas Gov. Rick Perry jumped into the race in August. Perry has since fallen back in the polls, but businessman Herman Cain broke through to within a few points of Romney in several recent national polls.
Marking a fast turnaround for Romney, the new endorsement comes one week to the day since Christie called a press conference in Trenton to end once and for all the speculation that he would make a late entrance into the race.
Christie for months had said he would not run, but acknowledged that encouragement from others had him rethinking the decision in recent weeks. But he said he never changed his mind, and determined he had too much unfinished business to take care of in his home state.
The endorsement of Romney should leave no doubt that Christie is out as a potential candidate, but in as a potential high-profile surrogate for the former Massachusetts governor.
Romney also has secured the endorsement of former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who bowed out of the race in August.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/10/11/christie-to-endorse-romney-for-president/
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Are you guys ready for Mitt Romney's coronation as the Republican nominee?
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Are you guys ready for Mitt Romney's coronation as the Republican nominee?
Not so fast . . . . :o
Cain Leapfrogs Romney to Vault to Lead in Poll
Published October 12, 2011
FoxNews.com
What a difference a few debates can make.
Herman Cain's star has risen steadily in the past two months, from a largely unknown CEO running for president to a top-tier candidate in the Republican field for 2012 -- and now voters even rank him above the presumed front-runner, Mitt Romney, in a poll released Wednesday evening.
As GOP voters grow disenchanted with Texas Gov. Rick Perry and remain wary of Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, Cain, a onetime radio-show host and former CEO of Godfather's Pizza, catapulted into the lead in the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
Drawn by Cain's blunt, folksy style in recent debates, 27 percent of Republican primary voters picked him as their first choice for the nomination, a jump of 22 percentage points from six weeks ago.
Romney held firm in second place at 23 percent, his same share as in a Journal poll in late August, while Perry plummeted to 16 percent, from 38 percent in August.
The poll of 1,000 adults, conducted from Oct. 6-10, comes as many Republican donors and officials have begun to rally around Romney as the party's likely nominee, despite a continued lack of enthusiasm for him documented in the new poll.
On Wednesday, with five of the Republican presidential candidates addressing members of the New Hampshire state legislature in the state capitol, Herman Cain fired up the crowd. His fiery speech drew several standing ovations in defending his "9-9-9 plan," which would replace the tax code with flat 9 percent taxes on businesses, personal incomes and sales across the nation.
The question is whether his newfound prominence will be a lasting phenomenon in a campaign that has seen many others surge and then fade. Since the spring, conservatives have given short-lived bursts of support for a string of contenders, including Donald Trump, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Perry.
"Will I be the flavor of the week?" Cain said Wednesday in New Hampshire. "Well, the answer is an emphatic, 'No,' because Haagen-Dazs black walnut tastes good all the time."
Cain in many ways isn't operating a traditional campaign. He was on tour promoting his new book in recent weeks, and he will make stops between Memphis and Nashville on Friday and Saturday, though Tennessee is unlikely to factor in the Republican nomination. He doesn't plan to return to Iowa, site of the first nominating contest, for weeks, his aides say.
Cain, 65, held a New York fund-raiser Wednesday afternoon and an Ohio finance event Wednesday night. His campaign says it has a paid staff of 30, compared with more than 80 for Romney.
Pressed on how much money he had to ramp up his campaign, Cain would only say "enough," while insisting that money began to flow after his win in a Florida Republican straw poll last month.
Cain raised $2.5 million during the second quarter of the year, and one person close to his campaign said he isn't likely to have raised significantly more than that in the quarter that ended last month.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/10/12/cain-vaults-to-lead-in-poll/
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Romney adds more backers
Posted by
CNN Political Unit
(CNN) - Mitt Romney raked in more endorsements Wednesday, this time from a current senator, a former House speaker, a congresswoman and a former congresswoman.
Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, Rep. Judy Biggert of Illinois and former Rep. Susan Molinari of New York announced their support for the Republican presidential contender in press statements.
Cochran said Romney is the right person to lead the country away from President Barack Obama's policies.
"Our country cannot afford another four years of President Obama's policies," Cochran said in the release. "Mitt Romney has the pro-growth message and the unmatched experience that will be required to improve our economy."
Cochran, Mississippi's senior senator, also backed Romney's first bid for the White House in 2008.
Hastert, who served in Congress as an Illinois representative for 20 years, said the former Massachusetts governor will "turn around this economy" and provide the leadership the country needs.
Biggert pointed to Romney's "real world experience" as the reason for her endorsement.
"I am happy to have the support of these important leaders in Illinois," Romney said. "I look forward to partnering with them in our efforts to get America back to work."
– CNN Producer Gabriella Schwarz contributed to this report.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/12/romney-adds-more-backers/
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The more 9-9-9 is vetted the more Cain will suffer, and he will become a laughing stock for having rushed out with it. I like Cain a lot but he really has exposed his lack of government experience with this plan.
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The more 9-9-9 is vetted the more Cain will suffer, and he will become a laughing stock for having rushed out with it. I like Cain a lot but he really has exposed his lack of government experience with this plan.
Laughing stock? I doubt that. He has the right idea: reduce the size of the federal government, reduce our tax burden, drastically reduce the size of the IRS. Whether his plan works or not, he's moving in the right direction.
After listening to him, I have no problem with his lack of government experience. His experience in the private sector is enough. He knows how to successfully run a business. He knows how to lead.
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The more 9-9-9 is vetted the more Cain will suffer, and he will become a laughing stock for having rushed out with it. I like Cain a lot but he really has exposed his lack of government experience with this plan.
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Cain, Romney Tied After Republican Debate, Rasmussen Poll Finds
Thursday, 13 Oct 2011
By Andra Varin
Herman Cain and Mitt Romney are dead even in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, just after they and other GOP candidates debated economic issues, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll released today.
The Atlanta businessman and the former Massachusetts governor both garnered 29 percent support in the nationwide poll of 1,000 likely Republican voters taken Wednesday, one day after the Republican debate at Dartmouth College.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was the only other contender to reach the double digits, and he was a distant third at 10 percent. Texas Gov. Rick Perry, once ballyhooed as the front-runner, had 9 percent.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul was next with 5 percent. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann had 4 percent support, while former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman scraped up just 2 percent each.
In a two-way matchup, Cain squeaks past Romney by 43 percent to 42 percent. The former Godfather's Pizza CEO would wallop Perry, 54 percent to 29 percent. Romney would also best the Texas governor, 54 percent to 30 percent.
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Cain-Romney-Republican-Rasmussen/2011/10/13/id/414346
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Cain offers possibilities for his VP
Posted by CNN's Laura Koran
(CNN) - GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain laid out his key criteria for picking a running mate, and detailed how he would go about selecting key advisers in the White House should he win the presidency, in an interview with radio host Steve Gill.
Cain even went so far as to name specific people he says embody his vision of leadership and who he would consider offering roles in his administration. Among the possible contenders are Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina.
The GOP candidate and former CEO of Godfather's Pizza also offered praise to his opponent Newt Gingrich, saying: "I am going to call upon Newt Gingrich to assist me at some point some way because he brings so much knowledge and insight to this whole [political] process, but more importantly, to the problems we face in this country."
So what criteria does Herman Cain consider crucial for potential advisors? "First" said Cain, "someone who understands problem solving and leadership the same way that I do. You know, there may be different styles of leadership, but there's still only one formula for successful leadership."
Also important: eagerness to surround oneself with smart people, willingness to "challenge the system," and extensive experience in one's given field.
When asked if he would prefer a running mate with experience in government to balance out his private sector background Cain was equally clear, stating: "I would probably look for someone who has had that in-DC experience, experience in Congress or whatever the case may be. But not so much that they're going to say 'here's how we have to do it.'"
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/13/cain-offers-possibilities-for-his-vp/
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Look, Cain tossed out something. Its far from perfect, but at least it starts a debate. Perry has no plan, Romney is a mess, huntsman has a good plan, Ron Paul we know what we get, newt gets shit done, etc
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RP is supposed to be coming with his plan on Monday.
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RP is supposed to be coming with his plan on Monday.
So far RP is still my choice for the NY primary. I think the needle has gone so far in the wrong direction, we really need a radical move the other way. I have no illusion that a libertarian utopia will be arrived at w RP in one term, but we need to send a message that the status quo is not acceptable.
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Look, Cain tossed out something. Its far from perfect, but at least it starts a debate. Perry has no plan, Romney is a mess, huntsman has a good plan, Ron Paul we know what we get, newt gets shit done, etc
Its far from far from perferct, its not even workable. You cant even start there. Its politically dumb and government policy wise it is unworkable. Look, I am all for some type of flat income tax OR flat consumption tax, but youre not going to get there by telling people who dont pay any taxes that they are all of a sudden going to pay 9% income tax and 9% consumption tax. And you cannot put an additional revenue stream onto people. Once it is there it will not go away.
Romney is not a mess at all. In fact, out of all the candidates in the field who are still around, Romney is the only one that seems 100% serious about the Presidency. That is why, for all of his faults, I will be supporting him for the nomination. Tim Pawlenty was serious, but he got out early. Perry is close to serious but is floundering and obviously didnt want the Presidency enough to get in early enough. Give Romney credit for putting people on the ground early and declaring early. He recognized that the peiece of crap we have in the White House was vulnerable, as everyone should have.
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Romney Raises $14.2 Million in 3rd Quarter
by Serafin Gomez | October 14, 2011
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney raised $14.16 million in the 3rd quarter, and has $14.65 million on hand, according to financial numbers released today by the former Massachusetts governor's presidential campaign. Overall, Romney has raised a total of $32 million for the GOP presidential primary.
"We are proud of the $32 million we have raised for the campaign so far. This is just the start of the effort to help fuel Mitt Romney's message that will defeat President Obama next November, " Romney for President National Finance Chairman Spencer Zwick said.
The total represents only primary contributions as the campaign did not raise general election funds, the campaign emphasizes. By comparison in 2007, Romney collected $10 million for the third quarter reporting period. Texas governor and GOP rival for the nomination Rick Perry raised $17 million in the same quarter-- his first full fundraising period as a presidential candidate.
"Seems like they spend a lot of money and have little to show for it," tweaked Mark Miner, a Perry spokesman.
FOX News' Lexi Stemple contributed to this report.
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/10/14/romney-raises-142-million-3rd-quarter
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Good ad.
Ron Paul touts 'pro-life' credentials in new TV commercial
Posted by
CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
Washington (CNN) - Rep. Ron Paul is once again doing what the other Republican presidential campaigns apparently are not doing: Spending big bucks to run commercials on broadcast and cable television.
This time the longtime congressman from Texas is going up with an ad titled "Life" in which the narrator says "Dr. Ron Paul: More than four thousand babies delivered. A man of faith committed to protecting life."
"This whole notion of life not being valuable, just was something I was never able to accept," says Paul in the 60 second spot.
The campaign says the ad will begin airing Friday on broadcast and cable television in Iowa, and on radio in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada, the four states that vote first in the primary and caucus calendar. The campaign says the ad buy is around a million dollars and that the spots will run for weeks.
Paul's campaign recently went up with a sixty second ad that touted Paul's work supporting military veterans
Paul's new ad buys stands in contrast with the lack of paid commercials being put up on the airwaves or cable by the other campaigns, including those of Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the fundraising leaders among the GOP candidates.
This appears to be the fifth time the Paul campaign has gone up with a paid ad buy. In July, Paul ran a commercial in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada highlighting his opposition to raising the nation's debt ceiling.
In mid August, just three days after nearly winning a crucial Republican presidential straw poll in Ames, Iowa, Rep. Paul went up with a television commercial in Iowa and New Hampshire that grouped Perry, Romney, and Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota with President Barack Obama and the top two Democrats in Congress.
In early September, the Paul campaign said they spent six figures to go up with an ad in Iowa and New Hampshire that contrasted Paul's support for Ronald Reagan in 1980 to Perry's support of Al Gore's bid for the Democratic presidential nomination eight years later. Perry was a conservative Democrat at the time.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/14/ron-paul-touts-pro-life-credentials-in-new-tv-commercial/
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Look, Cain tossed out something. Its far from perfect, but at least it starts a debate.
what are the primary 3 flaws with the 999 plan, in your opinion?
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Cain’s 9-9-9 Plan Gain’s Big-Name Backers
Friday, 14 Oct 2011
By Martin Gould and David A. Patten
More ways to share... Mixx Stumbled LinkedIn Vine Buzzflash Reddit Delicious Newstrust Technocrati Share: More . . . A A | Email Us | Print | Forward Article Herman Cain’s catchy 9-9-9 tax overhaul system is gathering major supporters as the former pizza magnate consolidates his position at the top of the Republican field in the race for the White House.
House budget committee chairman Rep. Paul Ryan and Ronald Reagan’s economic guru Art Laffer both expressed their support for the plan which would replace the current tax code.
The anti-tax Club for Growth also came out in favor of Cain’s plan which would cut income and corporate taxes to 9 percent and institute a new national sales tax at the same level. Payroll, capital gains and estate taxes would all be eliminated under Cain’s proposals.
Eventually Cain’s plan calls for the complete elimination of income taxes – and the IRS – and the introduction of what he calls the Fair Tax, in which the all Federal revenue would come from a sales tax.
“I love the 9-9-9 plan, it’s a great first step,” Laffer told Fox News’ Bret Baier. “This is a lot better than our current tax laws that are filled with all sorts of ducks, chickens, pigs and turkeys. They’ve just got to be cleaned out and we’ve got to completely revamp the codes.”
Ryan didn’t go quite as far. The Wisconsin congressman did not endorse the plan, but praised it saying he loved “specific and credible” proposals.
Club for Growth president Chris Chocola called the 9-9-9 “an outline for a more prosperous and globally competitive America,” saying it is “both pro-growth and a good starting point on the way to a flat or fair tax.
“Eliminating taxes on capital gains and dividends and combining that with huge rate cuts in both corporate and income taxes would create an unparalleled economic boom,” said Chocola. “9-9-9 also eliminates the regulatory and compliance costs from the current tax code that suck billions out of the economy each year.”
Much of the criticism of the plan has been the idea of a new sales tax, which critics fear would be bound to grow. But Chocola dismissed those fears. “Of course a future Congress could raise taxes above the 9 percent levels, but under our current monstrosity of a tax system, Congress already can raise taxes at any time and often has. It is on a path to do so yet again next year with the expiration of the Bush tax cuts.
“Herman Cain’s proposal might not be the perfect plan, but it is a truly revolutionary tax reform that would amount to a massive job creating tax cut on investments, savings, and income.”
And Chocola issued a challenge to others in the GOP race. “Instead of tearing down ideas that would create economic growth and jobs, the other Republican presidential candidates should produce their own plans to achieve a flatter and more growth-oriented tax code. The American people deserve nothing less.”
Backing for Cain’s plan also came from Kevin Hassett, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute also praised the Cain’s proposal for moving towards a flat tax. “If someone’s going to attack the 9-9-9 plan, I would say they should be careful because you are talking about the Republican holy grail,” he told the Associated Press.
More equivocal support came from Douglas Holtz-Eakin, the former director of the Congressional Budget Office who advised John McCain during his presidential run. “I don’t think it’s dramatically out of line with reality,” he told Bloomberg.
And Alan Viard, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, which favors smaller government, said the revenue estimates were “in the ballpark in some vague sense.” But Viard said the rates might need to be a little about 9 percent to generate the same revenues as the the current tax code.
As Cain has risen to the top of the GOP field – he is now running neck-and-neck with Mitt Romney at the top of polls –his plan has come under attack. During Tuesday’s GOP debate former Utah Gov. John Huntsman joked that he thought it was the price of pizza while Spirit Airlines have mocked the scheme by bringing in a 9-9-9 plan for certain fares. Texas Gov.Rick Perry’s wife, Anita, said, “When I hear 9-9-9, I want to call 9-1-1.”
Others have even suggested Cain got the idea from the video game SimCity 4 in which citizens live under a tax code of 9 percent for commercial taxes, 9 percent for industrial taxes and 9 percent for residential taxes.
Cain’s case wasn’t helped when he refused to name his advisors, except for “Rich Lowrie from Cleveland, Ohio,” during the Dartmouth College debate. Investigations soon found that Lowrie is a personal tax consultant for a Wells Fargo bank branch in Pepper Pike, an affluent suburb of Cleveland, who has no training in economics.
Lowrie himself defended the plan on Fox News on Friday, claiming, “The economy will expand by $2 trillion, 6 million jobs are going to be created and the unemployment rate will come back down to a more typical or natural rate of 4 or 4 ½ percent.
“Wages are going to go up by 10 percent, businesses investment will go up by a third,” Lowrie added, saying those figures came from former Treasury Department aide Gary Robbins. In an interview with Politico, although Robbins praised the plan, he added, “There’s nothing wrong with the plan, it just wouldn’t be the one I picked.”
Lowrie said Cain had told his advisers he wanted a “simple, transparent, efficient, fair and neutral,” tax code, adding “I want to tax everything once and nothing twice.”
Fox News contributor Stephen Hayes, of the Weekly Standard, said he couldn’t understand why Cain had not mentioned Laffer’s name at the debate instead of Lowrie’s. Despite that, he said Cain’s plan is resonating with the public.
“The most effective line Cain had in the debate the other night was when he said these politicians are all telling you this can’t be done, well I’m not a politician and that’s why I’m making these arguments,” said Hayes.
“He’s really talking to a huge swath of the Republican primary base and Independent voters as well to say the politicians have handled this for years and years and years and that’s why we are where we are.”
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/Cain-999-tax-plan/2011/10/14/id/414487
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Summary of primaries someone e-mailed to me. Interesting to see the movement over the past several months.
http://americanresearchgroup.com/
October 13, 2011
Florida Republican Presidential Primary
Florida
Likely Republican
Primary Voters Oct 2011
Bachmann 3%
Cain 34%
Gingrich 11%
Huntsman 1%
Johnson -
Paul 4%
Perry 5%
Roemer 1%
Romney 28%
Santorum 1%
Other -
Undecided 12%
Herman Cain leads the Florida Republican presidential primary with 34%. Cain is followed by Mitt Romney at 28% and Newt Gingrich at 11%.
In July, Rick Perry was leading in Florida with 16%, followed closely by Michele Bachmann at 15%, Romney at 15%, Sarah Palin at 13%, and Cain at 11%.
Cain leads Romney 34% to 28% among registered Republicans likely to vote in the primary, with Gingrich at 11%.
Among Tea Party supporters, Cain leads Romney 43% to 19%, with 12% for Gingrich. Among likely Republican primary voters saying they are not Tea Party supporters or that they are undecided about the Tea Party, Romney leads Cain 38% to 23%, with 9% for Gingrich.
Among likely voters saying they will definitely vote, Cain leads Romney 36% to 27%.
Details from the survey of 600 likely Republican primary voters conducted October 7-12 can be found here.
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October 10, 2011
South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary
South Carolina
Likely Republican
Primary Voters Oct 2011
Bachmann 5%
Cain 26%
Gingrich 8%
Huntsman -
Johnson -
Paul 7%
Perry 15%
Roemer -
Romney 25%
Santorum 1%
Other 1%
Undecided 12%
Herman Cain leads the South Carolina Republican presidential primary with 26%. Cain is followed closely by Mitt Romney at 25%. Rick Perry is third at 15%.
In July, Romney was leading with 25%, followed by Sarah Palin at 16%, Michele Bachmann at 13%, and Herman Cain at 10%.
Among likely primary voters considering themselves to be Republicans, Cain and Romney are tied at 27% each, followed by Perry at 15%.
Among Tea Party supporters, Cain leads with 35%, followed by Perry at 16% and Romney at 15%.
Among those saying they are not Tea Party supporters or are undecided about the Tea Party, Romney leads with 33%, followed by Cain at 19%, Perry at 14%, and Ron Paul at 10%.
Details from the survey of 600 likely Republican primary voters conducted October 5-10 can be found here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 30, 2011
Lynch and Obama Job Approval in New Hampshire
Lynch Job Approval Ratings
9/29/2011 Approve Disapprove Undecided
Overall 56% 23% 21%
Economy 55% 27% 18%
Has John Lynch received the highest quarterly job approval rating since the New Hampshire Poll began in 1976? No.
The highest quarterly job approval rating, 77%, goes to Jeanne Shaheen in March 1998. She is followed closely by Steve Merrill in June 1993 with an approval rating of 76%, and John Sununu in June 1983 with an approval rating of 71%. Lynch's highest approval rating to date was 68% in September 2006. Lynch's quarterly average is 52% approve compared to Shaheen's average of 53% approve while she was governor.
Obama Job Approval Ratings in NH
9/29/2011 Approve Disapprove Undecided
Overall 31% 59% 10%
Economy 27% 65% 8%
A total of 51% of New Hampshire residents say they are financially worse off compared to a year ago, 37% say they are the same, and 12% say they are better off. Of the 31% saying they approve of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president, 29% say they are better off, 50% say they are the same, and 21% say they are worse off. Of the 59% saying they disapprove of the way Obama is handling his job, 6% say they are financially better off, 29% say they are the same, and 65% say they are worse off compared to a year ago.
Results from the September 2011 Quarterly New Hampshire Poll are now available. NH residents rate NH business conditions, their personal finances, John Lynch, and Barack Obama.
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September 28, 2011
Iowa Republican Presidential Caucus
Iowa
Likely Republican
Caucus Goers Sep 2011
Bachmann 15%
Cain 6%
Gingrich 8%
Huntsman 1%
Johnson -
Palin 4%
Paul 12%
Perry 14%
Roemer 1%
Romney 21%
Santorum 2%
Other 1%
Undecided 15%
Mitt Romney leads among likely Iowa Republican caucus-goers with 21%. Romney is followed by Michele Bachmann at 15%, Rick Perry at 14%, and Ron Paul at 12%.
In early July, Bachmann was leading with 21%, followed by Romney at 18%, Paul at 14%, Sarah Palin at 11%, and Perry at 2%.
Among Tea Party supporters, Bachmann leads with 19% (down from 30% in July), Perry is at 14% (up from 3% in July), Gingrich and Paul are at 13% each, Herman Cain is at 10%, and Romney is at 6%.
Among those saying they are not Tea Party supporters or are undecided about the Tea Party, Romney leads with 37% (up from 31% in July), followed by Perry at 15%, Paul at 11%, and Bachmann at 10%.
Among those saying they will definitely attend the Republican caucus, Romney leads with 19% (up from 17% in July), followed by Bachmann and Perry at 15% each, and Paul at 14%. In July, 25% of definite Republican caucus-goers said Bachmann and 2% said Perry.
Details from the survey of 600 likely Republican caucus-goers conducted September 22-27 can be found here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 22, 2011
New Hampshire Republican Presidential Primary
New Hampshire
Likely Republican
Primary Voters Sep 2011
Bachmann 7%
Cain 4%
Gingrich 4%
Huntsman 10%
Johnson -
Palin 4%
Paul 12%
Perry 13%
Roemer 1%
Romney 30%
Santorum 2%
Other 1%
Undecided 12%
Mitt Romney continues to lead the New Hampshire Republican presidential preference primary. Romney, at 30% among likely Republican primary voters, is followed by Rick Perry at 13%, Ron Paul at 12%, and Jon Huntsman at 10%.
Preference for Romney is virtually unchanged since a similar survey in July, but Perry is up 11 percentage points, Huntsman is up 10 percentage points, and Paul is up 8 percentage points from the July survey. Bachmann has lost 5 percentage points since the July survey.
Romney leads among registered Republicans likely to vote in the presidential primary with 35%, followed by Perry at 13% and Paul at 10%. Among undeclared voters (independents), Romney leads with 19%, followed by Huntsman at 17%, Paul at 15%, and Perry at 14%.
Perry leads among Tea Party supporters with 23%, followed by Romney at 21%, and Paul at 10%. Among likely Republican primary voters saying they are not supporters of the Tea Party or that they are undecided about the Tea Party, Romney leads with 38%, followed by Huntsman at 19%, and Paul at 13%.
Details from the survey of 600 likely Republican primary voters conducted September 16-21 can be found here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 21, 2011
Obama Job Approval Ratings
9/20/11 Approve Disapprove Undecided
Overall 41% 56% 3%
Economy 37% 60% 3%
A total of 41% of Americans say they approve of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president and 56% say they disapprove of the way Obama is handling his job. In August, 41% of Americans approved of the job Obama was doing and 53% disapproved. When it comes to Obama's handling of the economy, 37% of Americans approve and 60% disapprove. In August, 40% approved and 55% disapproved of Obama's handling of the economy.
Among Americans registered to vote, 40% approve of the way Obama is handling his job as president and 57% disapprove. On Obama's handling of the economy, 36% of registered voters approve and 60% disapprove.
Details from the nationwide survey conducted September 17-20 are available at The National Economy.
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He should quit. He has put $2.25 million of his own money into this campaign?? :-[
Huntsman campaign nearly broke as GOP campaign heats up
Posted by
CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
(CNN) - Jon Huntsman's presidential campaign is verging on broke after burning through more than $4 million since the former Utah governor entered the race for the Republican nomination in June.
The Huntsman campaign, which re-trenched last month by laying off staff and moving its national quarters to the must-win primary state of New Hampshire, finished the third fundraising quarter in September with just $327,000 in the bank and $890,000 in debt.
Since joining the race on June 21, Huntsman raised $2.26 million and contributed $2.25 million of his own money to the campaign for a total $4.51 million.
But a campaign official told CNN Friday that they have spent $4.18 million, leaving Huntsman with a paltry war chest as the GOP nomination fights heats up.
By contrast, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney each have roughly $15 million in the bank.
Fundraising reports are due with the Federal Election Commission on Saturday, and the numbers will provide the first official glimpse into the Huntsman books.
Huntsman announced his campaign before the second quarter fundraising deadline on June 30, but federal election regulations did not require him to file a report because he joined the race just days before the deadline.
A source close to the campaign said in an email that "after a fast start fundraising, the projections were far too high. Fundraising dried up in the summer and that accounts for the campaign reining in spending."
But there are encouraging signs for Huntsman supporters.
After a rocky summer that saw the departures of a handful of senior campaign advisers, the operation has slimmed down and reduced spending by half since June.
And after an uptick in the polls in New Hampshire –Huntsman's beachhead in the GOP race– the campaign says they have seen a 240% increase in fundraising since late September.
"Since the end of the third quarter, Gov. Huntsman has unveiled a bold foreign policy plan, performed strongly in the debates and seen positive momentum in every New Hampshire poll," Huntsman spokesman Tim Miller told CNN. "Our campaign has re-organized to become more nimble with a focus on success in New Hampshire and our fundraising this first two weeks of this quarter has reflected that."
Huntsman remains mired between one and three percent in national polls, but his numbers are creeping up in New Hampshire.
Huntsman backers are hoping that television ads will help boost the campaign's profile both nationally and in the Granite State, the underwhelming fundraising numbers suggest the campaign far from prepared to buy any airtime.
That leaves the task of going on television to "Our Destiny PAC," a SuperPAC formed by Huntsman supporters to raise and spend unlimited funds on behalf of the candidate.
A source close to the SuperPAC had better news than the campaign, telling CNN that their fundraising total is "good" and that many of the Huntsman campaign donors have moved to the SuperPAC.
As for when the SuperPAC might actually go on television, the source called that "a tightly held" strategy.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/14/huntsman-campaign-nearly-broke-as-gop-campaign-heats-up/
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Got to watch all of last night's debate on CNN. Some observations:
- Perry was horrible. He does not handle confrontation well. I think he's smart and knows how to govern, but his inability to answer questions, or even properly attack another candidate, is pretty alarming. He could still be the nominee, but Republicans should be very concerned about whether he is ready for prime time. He'll look like a much better candidate when all he has to do is make campaign speeches. Same as Obama.
- Romney did a good job again. It's pretty obvious he has been running for president for a very long time.
- Bachmann did ok, but I thought she was an attack dog a bit too much. Obama sucks, but it seemed like every one of her comments attacked Obama. Got a little old.
- Santorum shouldn't be invited to anymore debates. He's not polling well. He's not going to win. He's sort of a distraction at this point. (Same with Huntsman.)
- Paul was ok. His foreign policy views really hurt him.
- Newt still comes across as the most qualified man on the stage. Too bad he screwed himself. He would be a good president IMO.
- Cain did a good job overall. His comments about releasing terrorists were pretty bad, but at least he acknowledged he made a mistake. One of the critical differences between a good leader and poor leader is an ability to recognize and acknowledge mistakes. Huge difference between Obama and Cain in that regard. I love the fact he has 42 years of experience in business.
As of today, I think this is a three-horse race between Romney, Perry, and Cain.
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I hate to say it, but I agree with BB on just about everything.
I do think that at this point in time - Ron Paul has a greater chance of being president - than Rick Perry does.
RPaul is still on his slow positive slope. Perry is plummeting.
Cain has no $, no organization - It's going to be Romney, hands down. There will be more GOTV for Cain in all those states where he's leading Romney by a little... the $ that Romney will be handing out in the hundreds to workers to drive people to vote romney.
In 94% of races, the man with more money wins. Romney looks good.
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Got to watch all of last night's debate on CNN. Some observations:
- Perry was horrible. He does not handle confrontation well. I think he's smart and knows how to govern, but his inability to answer questions, or even properly attack another candidate, is pretty alarming. He could still be the nominee, but Republicans should be very concerned about whether he is ready for prime time. He'll look like a much better candidate when all he has to do is make campaign speeches. Same as Obama.
- Romney did a good job again. It's pretty obvious he has been running for president for a very long time.
- Bachmann did ok, but I thought she was an attack dog a bit too much. Obama sucks, but it seemed like every one of her comments attacked Obama. Got a little old.
- Santorum shouldn't be invited to anymore debates. He's not polling well. He's not going to win. He's sort of a distraction at this point. (Same with Huntsman.)
- Paul was ok. His foreign policy views really hurt him.
- Newt still comes across as the most qualified man on the stage. Too bad he screwed himself. He would be a good president IMO.
- Cain did a good job overall. His comments about releasing terrorists were pretty bad, but at least he acknowledged he made a mistake. One of the critical differences between a good leader and poor leader is an ability to recognize and acknowledge mistakes. Huge difference between Obama and Cain in that regard. I love the fact he has 42 years of experience in business.
As of today, I think this is a three-horse race between Romney, Perry, and Cain.
it's not so much that Newt screwed himself...as it was all his ex wives... ;)
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it's not so much that Newt screwed himself...as it was all his ex wives... ;)
i forgot about that - newt was ejeculating inside new women while married to old ones.
A real moral stalwart.
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it's not so much that Newt screwed himself...as it was all his ex wives... ;)
Nah. It was the hypocrisy surrounding Clinton. At least that's my main problem with him.
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finally a reason to vote for Herb Cain.
he is pro choice..at least within the last 24 hours. by now I'm sure he has changed his mind.
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True.
Romney: ‘There’s a good shot I might become the next president’
Posted by
CNN Political Reporter Shannon Travis
Treynor, Iowa (CNN) – Mitt Romney on Thursday said he has a "good shot" at becoming president.
At an economic roundtable of business leaders in Treynor, Iowa, the candidate began the question-and-answer session by saying: “Your topics are at your choosing. But there’s a good shot I might become the next president of the United States. It’s not a sure thing, but it’s a good shot.”
. . . .
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/20/romney-%e2%80%98there%e2%80%99s-a-good-shot-i-might-become-the-next-president%e2%80%99/
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finally a reason to vote for Herb Cain.
he is pro choice..at least within the last 24 hours. by now I'm sure he has changed his mind.
he did change his mind. he regurgitated the standard GOP line.
it's funny - the top 3 Repubs have all held pro-choice positions.
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I don't think 6 percent is a "blowout," but I like the fact they polled "registered voters likely to vote in the 2012 general election." More reliable sample IMO.
Romney Wins in 'Blowout' Over Obama in 2012, Poll Shows
Friday, 21 Oct 2011 12:17 PM
By Jim Meyers
A new poll using a more up-to-date voter turnout model than most other surveys shows that President Obama’s lead over his potential Republican adversaries is much smaller than believed — and the race is “eminently winnable” by the GOP candidate.
In fact, the poll conducted for Newsmax by InsiderAdvantage/Majority Opinion Research, taking into consideration current voter demographics, finds that Mitt Romney would defeat Obama in a “blowout,” according to pollster Matt Towery, CEO of InsiderAdvantage.
Polls today generally are using the 2008 turnout model, with a pool of respondents similar to the last presidential election’s voting pool in terms of age, race, gender, and party affiliation.
The survey of more than 1,350 registered voters likely to vote in the 2012 general election, using data from extensive outside polling, more closely reflects today’s turnout model, which differs significantly from the 2008 model and thus is likely to more accurately reflect the true voting preferences of today’s electorate.
“This is a really exciting poll,” Towery declared.
“The model that we created is very reflective of where voters are right now, not in 2008.”
Insider/Advantage first conducted a poll using the scenario that turnout will be exactly as it was in 2008, then weighted the respondent pool as if younger voters, ages 18 to 29, cast their ballots in significantly lower numbers than they did in 2008.
Many pollsters and political analysts predict a much lower turnout by younger voters in 2012, citing their disillusionment with Obama.
The result: Obama gets 47 percent of the vote to 35 percent for Rick Perry if the turnout matches 2008, but drops to 46 percent against Perry’s 36 percent if younger voter turnout is lower in 2012.
Obama’s margin of victory is reduced by one percentage point in a head-to-head matchup with Romney, Herman Cain, or Newt Gingrich when the fewer young voters scenario is compared to the 2008 model, and remains the same against Ron Paul.
The age factor, then, does not immediately appear to be significant, Towery acknowledges, “but every percentage point is important in a race as close as the 2012 race is expected to be.”
Much more significant differences appear when the pollster considered a third scenario: If Republican voter turnout is significantly higher than it was in 2008.
In this scenario, Obama’s lead over Cain drops from 8 percentage points in the 2008 turnout to just 2 percentage points (42 percent to 40 percent, with 18 percent undecided); his lead over Gingrich is sliced from 14 points to 8 points; his margin over Paul goes from 11 points to 6 points; against Perry, from 12 points to 6 points; and Mitt Romney actually defeats Obama, 44 percent to 40 percent, with 16 percent undecided.
Higher Republican turnout is indeed likely in 2012, according to recent polls showing that Republicans are more enthusiastic about voting in 2012 than are Democrats. And, Towery said, “Obama has lost a portion of his Democratic base and they will now vote Republican. We see an erosion of the Democratic Party in this country, in particular among white traditional Democratic voters in swing states like North Carolina and Florida.”
Presidential elections are “won state by state,” Towery added, “and the numbers tell me that Obama is facing a difficult time in swing states.”
The Newsmax poll also examined a fourth scenario: Younger voter turnout is significantly lower AND Republican voter turnout is significantly higher than in 2008 — two likely eventualities.
Then Obama’s vulnerability becomes starkly obvious.
In this scenario, Romney clobbers Obama by a margin of 45 percent to 39 percent — a “blowout,” Towery states.
Cain ties Obama at 41 percent, with 18 percent undecided — and voters undecided at this point in the election cycle are more than likely to turn away from the incumbent, or not to cast a ballot for any candidate, Towery observed.
Obama still holds a 43 percent to 38 percent edge over Perry, but again, 19 percent of respondents remain undecided and could tip the balance toward Perry. The same is the case for Gingrich, who trails Obama 37 percent to 43 percent, and Paul, who trails 37 percent to 41 percent.
The bottom line, according to Towery: “When the Republican nominee is chosen, he will certainly start out with a much firmer foundation than McCain did in 2008.
“No matter who the Republican nominee is, he can be expected to do as well as Cain does [in the fourth scenario], at worst, and the same as Romney, at best.
“This race is much closer than people realize, and is eminently winnable by the Republican.”
“Obama’s big lead simply does not exist.”
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/Romney-defeats-obama-poll/2011/10/21/id/415329
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I don't think 6 percent is a "blowout,"
Sure felt like one to mccain.
6 points nationally = your ass loses by 100 or more electoral votes.
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Roger Stone: Romney is a ‘Weak Front-Runner’
Monday, 24 Oct 2011
Veteran political strategist Roger Stone says Mitt Romney is a weak front-runner in the Republican presidential race and his nomination could cost the GOP support from the tea party movement.
“Romney’s refusal to reach out to tea parties in an effort to preserve his more moderate persona for the general election could still cost him the nomination,” Stone observes on his StoneZone.com website.
Romney is not winning more than 30 percent of the Republican vote anywhere outside New Hampshire, Stone adds, “making him a weak front-runner.
Romney has been hurt by a video showing him as a Senate candidate attacking Ronald Reagan and expressing support for abortion and affirmative action, Stone noted. Also, Romney supported a Massachusetts liberal Democrat, Paul Tsongas, over President George H.W. Bush in 1992.
“If Romney is nominated, any increased acceptability to moderates would be more than offset with a lack of enthusiasm and absent votes from the tea parties and the conservative right,” Stone writes.
The longtime Republican consultant surveyed the rest of the GOP presidential field:
Rick Perry has $55 million in his Super Pac and will have $20 million in his campaign to spend and “exceed expectations in the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire. He must also hope for the decline of Herman Cain.”
Michele Bachmann is now “quietly colluding” with Romney to prevent a Perry win in Iowa. But her strategy of attacking Perry instead of Romney “has to be the most bone-headed piece of strategic thinking I have ever encountered. The way to win the hearts of conservatives is to demonstrate you are the strongest candidate to take on the national Republican establishment candidate Mitt Romney.”
Herman Cain has “deftly grabbed the outsider mantle and tea party enthusiasm.” His campaign is headed by Mark Block, who worked with Stone at the Committee to Re-elect the President in 1972 and who “knows he must translate Cain’s surge into votes at the caucus and on primary night.”
Newt Gingrich has helped the party focus on the need for unity to defeat President Obama. “He continues to look like the adult in the race and yet has little chance to be nominated.”
Ron Paul’s fervent following siphons off conservative votes Perry and Bachmann need. Stone suggests that the other GOP candidates should insist on allowing former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson into the debates to dilute Paul’s support. If Johnson is denied access to the debates, Stone adds, he could seek the Libertarian Party nomination for president.
Jon Huntsman’s campaign is $1 million in the red. But his father, Jon Huntsman Sr., is “no political neophyte” and was a fund-raiser for Richard Nixon’s 1968 comeback drive for the White House, as well as Special Assistant to President Nixon. “It is a mystery how Huntsman Sr. can continue to allow the mis-positioning of his son as a ‘moderate,’” Stone says, “destroying any short or long-term possibility he has of being nominated for president in the Republican Party.”
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Stone-Romney-weak-frontrunner/2011/10/24/id/415555
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romney will feed $ and men to keep cain viable, and keep perry spllit on the tea party vote.
he's got this. you're hearing it more and more. "Rally around..." I heard that shit on fox last night and realized, it's over. they're gonna rally around romney early so he's got the most money and least scars for facing obama.
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romney will feed $ and men to keep cain viable, and keep perry spllit on the tea party vote.
he's got this. you're hearing it more and more. "Rally around..." I heard that shit on fox last night and realized, it's over. they're gonna rally around romney early so he's got the most money and least scars for facing obama.
240 is right on this one. If Romney wins Iowa its over. There just isnt a strong conservative candidate to take on Romney. This Republican Primary is starting to look a lot like the Democrat Primary of 1992. Back then, you had moderate Bill Clinton winning because there were no strong liberal candidates to take him on.
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Note at :40.... cigarette...
This ad comes out the same day the news that he worked as a lobbyist for years-
And took a shitload of $ from RJ Reynolds tobacco...
and Cain actually beat stage 4 cancer....
Hermann Cain wants to be President... true getbigger.
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This ad is already gone viral. John Batchelor talking about it now.
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This ad is already gone viral. John Batchelor talking about it now.
its hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nothing says determination like sucking down a cigarette, closeup, with that obnoxious rock music.
they knew what audience they're appealing to there. toothless, angry tobaccy abusing dbag.
DU: "I think voting for Herman Cain will be as good for my future as smoking cigarettes!"
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240 is right on this one. If Romney wins Iowa its over. There just isnt a strong conservative candidate to take on Romney. This Republican Primary is starting to look a lot like the Democrat Primary of 1992. Back then, you had moderate Bill Clinton winning because there were no strong liberal candidates to take him on.
Not necessarily. Romney's biggest challenge will be the South where he'll have competition from Perry and Cain.
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its hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nothing says determination like sucking down a cigarette, closeup, with that obnoxious rock music.
they knew what audience they're appealing to there. toothless, angry tobaccy abusing dbag.
DU: "I think voting for Herman Cain will be as good for my future as smoking cigarettes!"
It is bad ass and will set the far left on fire.
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Not necessarily. Romney's biggest challenge will be the South where he'll have competition from Perry and Cain.
South carolina - Romney wins that and it's OVER>
He's tied with Cain at 26/25%.... and perry has 9%.
Romney has money and organization. The others can't come close. Romney is now putting energy into Iowa, since his "THIRTY???" point lead in New hampshire and sununu endorsement makes it a foregone conclusion...
People don't have faith in cain or perry. Even most getbiggers don't think they'll win it. money and support will dry up very quickly. It's romneys.
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A lot of Tobacco farmers here in NC have been getting the shaft for years and have been encouraged to plant alternate crops. Its put many a farmer out of work.
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South carolina - Romney wins that and it's OVER>
He's tied with Cain at 26/25%.... and perry has 9%.
Romney has money and organization. The others can't come close. Romney is now putting energy into Iowa, since his "THIRTY???" point lead in New hampshire and sununu endorsement makes it a foregone conclusion...
People don't have faith in cain or perry. Even most getbiggers don't think they'll win it. money and support will dry up very quickly. It's romneys.
Iowa definately looks a lot more winnable for Romney than it did just two months ago. Now, for some reason Perry is still strong in Florida, but if he doesnt win any of the first primaries that wont matter, as we saw with Guuliani 4 years ago.
By the way, I saw that Las Vegas debate a couple of nights ago, and let me say that the highlight videos dont do justice to how much of a meltdown Perry had. I agree that you dont have to be the best debater, but you need to fucking atleast hold your own by not making stupid mistakes, such as bringing up that old, completely vetted story about Romeney's lawn company, and doing it three times, and getting whipped 3 times!!!!
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romney appears to have just melted further, with a rambling defense of his birther comments.
he's feeling pressure, but it's bizarre that when he does screw up, he doesn't at least have a prepared defense comment ready.
hubris?
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Poll: Cain takes top position, Perry falls to fifth
Posted by
CNN Associate Producer Rebecca Stewart
(CNN) - Businessman and conservative radio talk show host Herman Cain came out on top in a CBS/New York Times poll measuring support among likely Republican primary voters that was released Tuesday.
In the first poll since CNN's Western Republican debate, Cain is ahead of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney by four percentage points, within the sampling error for the survey.
One quarter of GOP primary voters support Cain, who has surged in national polls recently due in part, perhaps, to his easy-to-understand "9-9-9" economic plan and consistent debate performances. Romney received 21% support.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich netted 10% followed by Texas Rep. Ron Paul at eight percent.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has fallen to fifth place after early stumbles in candidate debates. He's also been hemmed in with stinging critiques from rivals on his positions regarding immigration and his support for a mandatory HPV vaccine.
Perry received 6% support in the poll, half the amount he received in early October.
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann has also fallen out of favor it seems, after winning the critical Iowa straw poll in August. With two percent support, the congresswoman has struggled to stay relevant as public bickering between former and current staffers exploded in New Hampshire.
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman tied at one percent.
But with 14% of likely Republican primary-goers undecided and roughly four out of five saying it is too early to say for sure who they back for the nomination, a chunk of potential supporters is still in play.
The poll was conducted among 1,650 adults by telephone including 455 voters who said they plan to vote in a Republican primary. The overall sampling error for the survey is plus or minus two percentage points. The sampling error for the subgroup of likely Republican primary voters is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/25/poll-cain-takes-top-position-perry-falls-to-fifth/
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Steve Forbes endorses Rick Perry
By Lucy Madison
Steve Forbes, a businessman, former Republican presidential candidate and the editor and publisher of Forbes Magazine, is endorsing Rick Perry for president, he announced Sunday.
In an interview with Fox News, Forbes voiced his support for Perry's proposed flat tax plan as a "very exciting" way to get the economy back on track. While the specifics of Perry's plan, which he will unveil in a speech on Tuesday, are unknown, generally a flat tax refers to a singular income tax rate rather than the current progressive rates based on income.
"People love the idea of radical simplicity of this horrific tax code," Forbes said. "It is a dead weight on the economy. I think what Rick Perry's going to unveil on Tuesday's going to be very exciting."
"With firm leadership, which Rick Perry will provide... I think this will be a winning issue," Forbes added, saying that is why he is endorsing Perry. "People want it - they hunger for it."
Forbes is a longtime proponent of the flat tax, which he pushed during his failed 1996 presidential bid. Now, according to the New York Times, Forbes is advising Perry on his own flat tax proposal.
Forbes said the plan Perry would unveil would include "low-rate, generous exemptions for adults and children" that would "make it worthwhile to invest in America again. He also said it would "drastically simplify the tax code, lowering the corporate rate" and making it the "best in the developed world."
"It's a win-win all around," he said.
Several Republican presidential have pledged commitment to some variation on the flat tax, which they say is a simple, fair way to overhaul the tax code. Herman Cain, whose "9-9-9" plan includes a 9 percent income tax, a 9 percent national sales tax, and a 9 percent business tax, has been a particular point of focus - both due to Cain's much-heralded claims of the plan's simplicity, as well as the skepticism those claims have inspired.
Newt Gingrich, too, announced an "optional" flat tax plan Monday in an op-ed for the Quad-City Times.
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's history of support for the flat tax, however, is more muddled. Back in 1996, he derided Forbes' plan as a "tax cut for fat cats."
Last August, however, he was quoted as saying "I love a flat tax."
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20124750-503544/steve-forbes-endorses-rick-perry/
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"Perry received 6% support in the poll"
I'll say it again - PROPS to 33 and other getbiggers for not getting on the Perry bandwagon.
Perry was a tool from minute 1.
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He regrets participating because he bombed.
Perry expresses regret over taking part in debates
Posted by
CNN's Ashley Killough
(CNN) – GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry said if he had made any mistakes thus far in the campaign, it was "probably ever doing one of the" debates.
"All they’re interested in is stirring it up between the candidates instead of really talking about the issues that are important to the American people," Perry said on Fox News Tuesday.
Answering criticism over his debate performances, the Texas governor has repeatedly said Americans weren't looking for the "slickest" candidate or the smoothest debater in the race.
Perry, who rolled out his flat-tax plan Tuesday in South Carolina, again said he used the wrong word when describing people who disagreed with him on immigration as "heartless."
He first dialed back his remark in late September after facing a strong reaction from within the GOP.
Perry originally made the comment at the Fox News/Google debate in Florida after taking heat for signing off on a Texas law that allows tuition credits to certain illegal immigrants at public universities.
In the interview Tuesday, Perry also took a shot at former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who sparred with Perry during the CNN Western Republican Presidential Debate last week in Las Vegas.
Continuing his attack on Romney as a flip-flopper, Perry said: "In his own words, he says 'Listen, I need to say whatever I need to say for whatever office I'm running for'."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/25/perry-expresses-regret-over-taking-part-in-debates/
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Hasn't lost steam yet.
Fox News Poll: GOP Primary Voters Get on the Cain Train
By Dana Blanton
Published October 26, 2011
FoxNews.com
Herman Cain takes the lead in the Republican presidential nomination contest as GOP voters continue to deny Mitt Romney clear front-runner status.
A Fox News poll released Wednesday shows support for Cain has quadrupled among GOP primary voters since late August. At that time, he stood at 6 percent. After three September debates, he jumped to 17 percent. And now Cain leads the pack at 24 percent.
While it’s the first time Romney has trailed Cain, it’s the second time he’s been ousted from the lead since July. Romney receives 20 percent -- a new low for him. That’s down from 23 percent last month and a high of 26 percent in early August.
Newt Gingrich now comes in third with 12 percent -- edging out Rick Perry. The former speaker -- like Cain -- has seen his support quadruple since late August.
Perry’s support has dropped to 10 percent, down from 19 percent in September. After his mid-August announcement, Perry captured 29 percent of the vote and took the front-runner role from Romney.
At 9 percent, Ron Paul stays in the top five.
Click here to see the full results of the poll.
Cain is particularly popular among Republican primary voters who identify as being a part of the Tea Party: he captures 32 percent to Romney’s 8 percent among this group. Cain also has a wide 15 percentage-point advantage over both Romney and Gingrich among white evangelicals.
Cain has been helped by media coverage of his “9-9-9” tax plan and his upbeat, direct speaking style. His support has increased despite somewhat confusing comments on abortion and his suggestion he might negotiate with terrorist kidnappers. Yet those issues are not especially relevant for GOP primary voters, as nearly 8 in 10 say economic issues such as taxes and government spending will be most important in deciding their vote. That’s about 10 times as many as say social issues or national security.
On Tuesday Gov. Perry announced a competing tax plan, which would let taxpayers choose between a flat-rate and the current income tax system.
The poll revealed mixed views on the general question of tax structure. When asked which method they would generally prefer to collect federal taxes: 35 percent pick a flat-rate income tax with no deductions, while 26 percent would stick with the current graduated income tax with deductions. Another 13 percent prefer a graduated income tax with no deductions and 12 percent a national sales tax.
Republicans (47 percent) are nearly twice as likely as Democrats (25 percent) to prefer a flat-rate income tax with no deductions, while twice as many Democrats as Republicans would stick with the current tax plan (35 percent vs. 18 percent).
More voters overall would be enthusiastic or pleased if Cain (23 percent) or Romney (21 percent) were to become president than Perry (17 percent). Still, none of the three bests President Barack Obama on this measure: 37 percent of voters would be enthusiastic or pleased if he were re-elected.
The bad news for the president is that more voters would be displeased or scared if he were re-elected (47 percent) than if Cain (32 percent), Romney (33 percent) or Perry (38 percent) wins.
Republicans and Tea Partiers are about twice as likely to be “enthusiastic” about a Cain win as a Romney or Perry victory.
Meanwhile, fewer than half of Republicans would be enthusiastic or pleased if Cain (43 percent), Romney (42 percent), or Perry (34 percent) were to become president. By comparison, more than 7 in 10 Democrats would feel that way if Obama were re-elected (72 percent enthusiastic or pleased).
Among independents, Obama (24 percent) and Cain (22 percent) receive larger positive reactions than Romney (18 percent) or Perry (13 percent).
Finally, Romney has the largest number of voters -- 38 percent -- saying their reaction would be “neutral” if he were to become president.
In terms of simple popularity, Obama has a higher favorable rating (48 percent) than Romney (40 percent), Cain (33 percent) or Perry (23 percent). While Michelle Obama’s 62 percent favorable rating tops them all, that’s down from 69 percent in January, and a high of 73 percent in April 2009.
Romney (60 percent favorable) and Cain (54 percent favorable) are much better-liked among the Republican Party faithful than Perry (40 percent favorable).
Voting for a Mormon
The Mormon issue was recently injected into the campaign by a Baptist minister who introduced Rick Perry at a rally. The minister later described Mormonism as a “cult.” Two GOP presidential candidates, Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, are Mormon.
Of those concerned about voting for a Mormon for president, the poll found more voters would be troubled by Mormons’ socially conservative views (21 percent) than their religious practices and beliefs (14 percent). A 62-percent majority says neither of these concerns them.
Twenty-one percent of GOP primary voters have concerns about electing a Mormon president. Of those, twice as many cite Mormon beliefs as cite the candidate’s views. White evangelicals -- a significant voting bloc in several key GOP primaries and caucuses -- are about equally concerned about the candidate’s views (16 percent) as their religious beliefs (17 percent).
Interest in the Election Highest among Tea Party
Republicans and Tea Partiers are much more tuned-in than Democrats to the upcoming election, which isn’t surprising given all the action is on the GOP side right now. Still, the numbers are dramatic. Some 25 percent of Democrats say they are “extremely” interested in the 2012 election. Compare that to 42 percent who say the same among Republicans and 55 percent among those who consider themselves part of the Tea Party movement.
About one voter in five -- 19 percent -- say they personally or a close friend of theirs is more qualified to be president than anyone running right now. That jumps to 35 percent among Tea Partiers.
The Fox News poll is based on landline and cell phone interviews with 904 randomly chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from October 23 to October 25. For the total sample, it has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/10/26/fox-news-poll-gop-primary-voters-get-on-cain-train/
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Hasn't lost steam yet.
IMO, it's because there isn't another cain in the race.
people jumped from trump to perry to cain - they don't have a place to jump right now.
well, monstly because they're too stupid to choose ron paul.
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This one puts the overall numbers in better context. Shows Romney in the driver's seat and Perry in serious trouble. Cain still very much in contention.
New Polls Show Romney Ahead in First Four States
By Steven Shepard
October 26, 2011
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney leads in new CNN/Time polls of the first four states on the Republican presidential nominating calendar -- Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida -- though in Iowa and South Carolina, Herman Cain runs a close second.
Cain, the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza, runs second in each of the four states, and in three of the four states, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, runs third.
Notably, the best that Texas Gov. Rick Perry can manage in any of the states is a tie for third.
Taken collectively, the polls show that -- despite Cain's slight lead over Romney in some recent national polling -- Romney has the advantage in the four states that will most determine the direction of the GOP nominating process:
-- In Iowa, which will hold its caucuses on Jan. 3, Romney leads Cain, 24 percent to 21 percent -- within the margin of error. Paul was third, at 12 percent, followed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Perry, who both earned 10 percent. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who edged Paul in August's Iowa straw poll, was at only six percent.
-- New Hampshire is expected to hold its first-in-the-nation primary on Jan. 10, and Romney has a strong lead in the poll, at 40 percent. Cain is at 13 percent, with Paul right behind him at 12 percent. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, whose campaign is predicated on a strong performance in the Granite State, is fourth at six percent, followed closely by Gingrich, at five percent. Perry is at just four percent.
-- The first-in-the-South primary will be held in South Carolina on Jan. 21, where Romney (25 percent) and Cain (23 percent) are now in a virtual tie. Paul is third at 12 percent, and Perry is at 11 percent, his strongest performance in the four polls.
-- Romney leads Cain in vote-rich Florida, which will hold its primary on Jan. 31, 30 percent to 18 percent. Gingrich and Perry tied for third with nine percent, and Paul was fifth at six percent.
All four polls were conducted Oct. 20-25 by ORC International. The respective sample sizes and margins of error are as follows:
-- Iowa: 405 registered Republicans; margin of error +/- 4.8 percent.
-- New Hampshire: 400 registered Republicans or independents who voted in the 2008 Republican primary; margin of error +/- 4.9 percent.
-- South Carolina: 400 registered Republicans and Republican-leaning independents; margin of error +/- 4.9 percent.
-- Florida: 401 registered Republicans; margin of error +/- 4.9 percent.
http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2011/10/new-polls-show-1.php
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Cain, Romney top new Des Moines Register Iowa poll
Posted by
CNN Political Reporter Shannon Travis
Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - Herman Cain and Mitt Romney lead, and are statistically tied, in a fresh poll in the first-in-the-nation presidential caucus state.
Released late Saturday, the Des Moines Register's Iowa poll of likely Republican caucus-goers shows the conservative Georgia businessman at 23%, with the former Massachusetts governor at 22%. The difference is well within the survey's margin of error.
Other results from the survey showed Texas Rep. Ron Paul at 12%; Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann at 8%; Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich tied at 7%; former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, 5%; and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, 1%.
The numbers somewhat mirror the most recent CNN/Time/ORC Poll for Iowa.
The results seem to turn conventional political wisdom on its head.
Both Cain and Romney are leading despite spending scant time in Iowa. Cain has campaigned in Iowa only once since late summer. And Romney has spent only six days in the Hawkeye state this entire political cycle, according to the Des Moines Register's candidate tracker.
In contrast, Santorum, Paul and Gingrich have each barnstormed across the state – but remain saddled with low numbers in various polls. That raises questions of whether or not their messages are resonating with voters.
Bachmann's poll results are also noteworthy.
The congresswoman won the first big contest of the presidential cycle – Iowa's Ames Straw Poll – in August. Since then, her poll numbers have plummeted. Between the June survey and the current one, Bachmann's support has fallen 14 percentage points.
The Des Moines Register conducted its poll October 23 to 26. It surveyed 400 likely GOP caucus-goers. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.9%.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/29/cain-romney-top-new-des-moines-register-iowa-poll/
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RPaul beating Bachmann, perry, newt, santorum....
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RPaul beating Bachmann, perry, newt, santorum....
it's his turn to take the lead, now that Herb is having problems...
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RCP numbers as of today (after the Cain sexual harassment stories):
Cain - 26%
Romney - 23.8%
Gingrich - 10.2%
Perry - 9.7%
Paul - 8.0%
Bachmann - 3.5%
Santorum - 1.7%
Huntsman - 1.3%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
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RCP numbers as of today (after the Cain sexual harassment stories):
Cain - 26%
Romney - 23.8%
Gingrich - 10.2%
Perry - 9.7%
Paul - 8.0%
Bachmann - 3.5%
Santorum - 1.7%
Huntsman - 1.3%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
yeah, but this is only 3 days after the stories started.
We don't know the outcome yet. A person may come fwd, campaigns will start blaming each other.
We're still in the 1st quarter of this politicla event. To high five and say "We haven't lost any ground in polls!" just 72 hours after the story broke - and we don't have full information yet - would just be silly.
Give it 2 weeks, see if he's still tops in the polls.
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Ya think? How weak is this? ::)
Perry: I Wasn’t Prepared for Debates
Thursday, 03 Nov 2011
By Newsmax Wires
The presidential campaign of Texas Gov. Rick Perry has sagged in recent weeks, dragged down by his weak performances in candidate debates. So what accounts for the debate problems? The candidate says he wasn’t properly prepared.
"The first 100 days is just a sprint to raise money,” he told Fox News, according to The Hill. “I mean, that's what we were doing. We were spending a lot of time raising money, because we knew we had to. We had, I think, four debates in that time. Frankly, I didn't have time to prepare for those debates. Obviously, it showed.”
Perry freely admits that he feels uncomfortable debating. “I hate debates. I hate debates worse than I did spinning when I was a pilot in the United States Air Force. But you know what, I practiced enough that I got pretty good at it, so there'll be plenty of debates.”
And debates really aren’t the issue in any case, Perry says. “Here’s what people are interested in: we’ve got a great debater in the White House, a slick politician, and our country is really paying a great price for that."
Asked if it’s important for the GOP nominee to debate well against President Obama, Perry said, "I would love to be on the stage with Barack Obama, talking about how in the world did you lose 2.5 million jobs? How did you waste $4 trillion, Mr. President?"
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Perry-Debates-candidate-Obama/2011/11/03/id/416718
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Ya think? How weak is this? ::)
Perry: I Wasn’t Prepared for Debates
Thursday, 03 Nov 2011
By Newsmax Wires
The presidential campaign of Texas Gov. Rick Perry has sagged in recent weeks, dragged down by his weak performances in candidate debates. So what accounts for the debate problems? The candidate says he wasn’t properly prepared.
"The first 100 days is just a sprint to raise money,” he told Fox News, according to The Hill. “I mean, that's what we were doing. We were spending a lot of time raising money, because we knew we had to. We had, I think, four debates in that time. Frankly, I didn't have time to prepare for those debates. Obviously, it showed.”
Perry freely admits that he feels uncomfortable debating. “I hate debates. I hate debates worse than I did spinning when I was a pilot in the United States Air Force. But you know what, I practiced enough that I got pretty good at it, so there'll be plenty of debates.”
And debates really aren’t the issue in any case, Perry says. “Here’s what people are interested in: we’ve got a great debater in the White House, a slick politician, and our country is really paying a great price for that."
Asked if it’s important for the GOP nominee to debate well against President Obama, Perry said, "I would love to be on the stage with Barack Obama, talking about how in the world did you lose 2.5 million jobs? How did you waste $4 trillion, Mr. President?"
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Perry-Debates-candidate-Obama/2011/11/03/id/416718
I don't really think he's a good GOP candidate prepared or unprepared. Would probably still be better than Obama though. And the guy can raise some money!
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I don't really think he's a good GOP candidate prepared or unprepared. Would probably still be better than Obama though. And the #### can raise some money!
he raised a TON of money - but most was bundles from corporate donors upon his announcement.
Does anyone think he'll have a 17 million quarter - now that he's single digits in many polls and speaking drunk?
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I don't really think he's a good GOP candidate prepared or unprepared. Would probably still be better than Obama though. And the #### can raise some money!
He can give a good speech and has a good background, but his debate performances really stunk. Coming out and saying he was unprepared is pretty bad too. Makes you wonder how he would handle the job as president when he would have immensely more responsibilities than he has now.
Still, I'd vote for him over Obama.
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Creeping up . . . .
Another poll shows Gingrich on the rise
Posted by
CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
Washington (CNN) - If you need more evidence that Newt Gingrich's bid for the GOP presidential nomination is on the rise, check out a new poll by ABC News and the Washington Post.
According to the survey, out Friday morning, 12% of Republicans and independents who lean toward the GOP say they support the former House Speaker for their party's presidential nomination. That's up five points from one month ago. Gingrich is in fourth place in the new poll, one percentage point behind Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
Gingrich was in third place at 10% support in a Quinnipiac University national poll released Wednesday, up seven points from late August. He stands at 12% in a recent Fox News Poll and at 10% in a recent CBS/New York Times survey.
And it's not just national polling. In Iowa, the first state to vote in the primary and caucus calendar, Gingrich is in fourth place, at 10%, according to a recent CNN/Time/ORC International Poll of registered Republicans.
Gingrich's campaign was left for dead by many in late spring, after a number of top advisers and staffers quit and the campaign faced financial difficulties.
But the former House Speaker has performed well in eight presidential debates held this year, acting as the elder statesman while many of his rivals for the nomination attacked each other. And his fundraising appears to be picking up. Gingrich says he raised more money in October than the $800,000 he brought in during the previous three months.
Gingrich credits his serious attitude with helping his bid for the nomination.
"I think people are more worried about this country today than any time in my lifetime. Now, I actually think that's the only time I make sense as a candidate because I'm a really serious person," said Gingrich on the campaign trail in South Carolina a few days ago. "I mean, you're not going to hire me to cheerlead at your birthday party but you might hire me to save the neighborhood."
A GOP strategist says that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's announcement last month that he would not run for the Republican nomination is also helping Gingrich in the polls.
"Newt began to edge up as soon as Gov. Christie announced (for the 27th time) that he would not be a candidate for president. That meant Republican primary voters stopped gazing at the political horizon and started analyzing the field," says Rich Galen, who advised Fred Thompson during his 2008 GOP presidential bid, and who is the author of Mullings.com, an online column,
"Newt does wonderfully in debates, he does wonderfully on TV, and he does wonderfully on talk radio. Other than Romney, who will get his share of conservatives but just about all of the moderates, Newt provides a comfort level to the GOP base–that he alone among the conservative candidates has national experience having been Speaker of the House, and thus had to think about issues beyond his Congressional District or his state," adds Galen, who in the 1990's also served as communications director for then House Speaker Gingrich's political shop, but who is not taking sides in this nomination battle.
- CNN Political Producer Shawna Shepherd contributed to this report.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/04/another-poll-shows-gingrich-on-the-rise/
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I could live w newt. He would really go after MaoBama
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He's the most qualified man in the race, but I doubt he can overcome his baggage.
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Creeping up . . . .
Another poll shows Gingrich on the rise
Posted by
CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
Washington (CNN) - If you need more evidence that Newt Gingrich's bid for the GOP presidential nomination is on the rise, check out a new poll by ABC News and the Washington Post.
According to the survey, out Friday morning, 12% of Republicans and independents who lean toward the GOP say they support the former House Speaker for their party's presidential nomination. That's up five points from one month ago. Gingrich is in fourth place in the new poll, one percentage point behind Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
Gingrich was in third place at 10% support in a Quinnipiac University national poll released Wednesday, up seven points from late August. He stands at 12% in a recent Fox News Poll and at 10% in a recent CBS/New York Times survey.
And it's not just national polling. In Iowa, the first state to vote in the primary and caucus calendar, Gingrich is in fourth place, at 10%, according to a recent CNN/Time/ORC International Poll of registered Republicans.
Gingrich's campaign was left for dead by many in late spring, after a number of top advisers and staffers quit and the campaign faced financial difficulties.
But the former House Speaker has performed well in eight presidential debates held this year, acting as the elder statesman while many of his rivals for the nomination attacked each other. And his fundraising appears to be picking up. Gingrich says he raised more money in October than the $800,000 he brought in during the previous three months.
Gingrich credits his serious attitude with helping his bid for the nomination.
"I think people are more worried about this country today than any time in my lifetime. Now, I actually think that's the only time I make sense as a candidate because I'm a really serious person," said Gingrich on the campaign trail in South Carolina a few days ago. "I mean, you're not going to hire me to cheerlead at your birthday party but you might hire me to save the neighborhood."
A GOP strategist says that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's announcement last month that he would not run for the Republican nomination is also helping Gingrich in the polls.
"Newt began to edge up as soon as Gov. Christie announced (for the 27th time) that he would not be a candidate for president. That meant Republican primary voters stopped gazing at the political horizon and started analyzing the field," says Rich Galen, who advised Fred Thompson during his 2008 GOP presidential bid, and who is the author of Mullings.com, an online column,
"Newt does wonderfully in debates, he does wonderfully on TV, and he does wonderfully on talk radio. Other than Romney, who will get his share of conservatives but just about all of the moderates, Newt provides a comfort level to the GOP base–that he alone among the conservative candidates has national experience having been Speaker of the House, and thus had to think about issues beyond his Congressional District or his state," adds Galen, who in the 1990's also served as communications director for then House Speaker Gingrich's political shop, but who is not taking sides in this nomination battle.
- CNN Political Producer Shawna Shepherd contributed to this report.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/04/another-poll-shows-gingrich-on-the-rise/
you summed it up quite with the use of the first word of your entry ! creep.
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Will never happend, but interesting . . . .
Poll: Cain/Gingrich Ticket Could Beat Obama/Biden, If . . .
Monday, 07 Nov 2011
By Newsmax Wires
It almost certainly would never happen, but a presidential ticket of Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich has the potential to beat President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, according to a new poll.
The Republicans are constitutionally barred from standing together, as they both come from the same state, but if they could be on the same ticket, they would win by 44 percent to 43, Poll Position’s http://pollposition.com/2011/11/07/obama-biden-vs-cain-gingrich/ national telephone survey showed.
The result is a statistical dead heat as the poll of 1,179 registered voters, taken on Sunday, a week after Cain’s sex harassment scandal broke, has a 3-point margin of error.
Predictably, Republicans favored Cain/Gingrich by 78 percent to 12, while Democrats went for Obama/Biden by 86 percent to 4. Among independents, the vote went 46 percent to 34 for the Republican duo.
Unless one of them moved, Cain and Gingrich could not stand on the same ticket, as both live in Georgia. The 12th Amendment states that members of the Electoral College “shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves.”
Shortly before Dick Cheney was nominated as the GOP’s vice-presidential candidate in 2000, he put his Dallas home up for sale. He moved his voter registration from Texas back to Wyoming, the state he had represented in Congress for a decade, to enable him to stand on the George W. Bush ticket.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Republican-Paul-Iran-threat/2011/11/06/id/417028
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Poll: Cain, Romney and 'undecided' tied atop GOP poll
Posted by
CNN's Diana Ozemebhoya
Washington (CNN) – When Republicans were asked to select their preferred presidential nominee for a USA Today/Gallup poll released Monday, GOP contenders Mitt Romney, Herman Cain and the 'undecided' option, all tied in first place each garnering 21 %.
The poll was conducted last week while businessman Herman Cain was at the center of accusations that he sexually harassed employees in the late 1990s during his tenure as president of the National Restaurant Association.
However that was before Sharon Bialek, Cain's latest accuser and the first to put a face to the allegations, claimed Monday that Cain sexually assaulted her in 1997. Bialek was accompanied at a news conference by well-known attorney Gloria Allred.
According to the poll, 53% of Republicans are inclined to believe the accusations are not true, with most saying the charges are "probably not true" rather than "definitely not true."
The poll shows about half of Republicans are following the news stories about the sexual harassment allegations against Cain very or somewhat closely.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was the third most preferred candidate at 12%, which is consistent with other national polls showing him rising. Texas Gov. Rick Perry trailed Gingrich by 1 percentage point.
Texas. Rep. Ron Paul, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, former Pennyslvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former U.S. ambassador Jon Huntsman rounded out the last four slots, receiving 8%, 3%, 2% and 1% respectively.
The poll's results are based on telephone interviews conducted from Nov. 2-6, with a random sample of 1,054 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
The sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/07/poll-cain-romney-and-undecided-tied-atop-gop-poll/
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Spin off of the last story:
Poll: More than half of GOP primary voters not concerned about Cain allegations
Posted by CNN Associate Producer Rebecca Stewart
(CNN) – A new poll shows more than half of Republican primary voters say allegations of sexual harassment against GOP presidential contender and businessman Herman Cain will not affect how they vote. But Cain's unfavorable rating across the country has almost doubled.
According to the NBC/Wall Street Journal survey, 54% of Republican primary voters said they were not concerned about voting for Cain because of accusations by three women of sexual harassment against him. The poll was taken before a fourth woman claimed Monday that Cain groped her when she visited him for what she thought was a conversation about a job.
Support for Cain's candidacy has risen in recent weeks as he and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney joust for the top spot in national surveys, but Cain's favorability has taken a hit.
One month ago 24% of Americans had a favorable opinion of the conservative radio talk show host and 18% had an unfavorable opinion. In the survey released Monday, Cain's unfavorable rating has risen to more than one-third for a total increase of 17 percentage points.
But only 13% of GOP primary voters said they were either a great deal or quite a bit concerned about voting for Cain because of the allegations of sexual harassment. Fifteen percent said they were "just a little" concerned.
The NBC/WSJ poll was conducted by telephone among 1,000 adults from Nov. 2-5. It has an overall sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. The sampling error among GOP primary voters is plus or minus 6.2 percentage points.
On Monday Sharon Bialek, a fourth accuser, alleged that Cain sexually assaulted her in 1997. Bialek claimed the incident took place after she sought Cain's assistance in finding a job when Cain was serving as head of the National Restaurant Association.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/07/poll-more-than-half-of-gop-primary-voters-not-concerned-about-cain-allegations/
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Saw most of the CNBC debate. They all did a good job, except for Perry (again).
- Perry's senior moment was just downright embarrassing. What the heck is wrong with that dude? Was he not prepared for this debate too? Maybe he should pull a page out of Palin's book and write notes on his hand.
- Romney was solid as usual. As long as he talks about business, job growth, and the economy, he can compete with anyone on the stage. Head and shoulders better than Obama in that regard too.
- Paul did well. Liked his comments about student loans.
- Bachmann was sort of invisible.
- Cain did a good job. Still a serious contender IMO.
- Newt still comes across as the most qualified man on the stage. His comments about student loans were outstanding. I could see him making a late surge. I might have to rethink whether his nomination is an impossibility.
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LOL @ Bragging that "only" 45% of republican primary voters aren't concerned about Cain harassments claims.
Methinks a lot more than 45% of TOTAL voters will be troubled with it.
I just don't see why the "anybody but obama" party would attach their 2012 chances to a guy with so many Q marks.
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Quinnipiac Poll: Obama, Romney Close in Swing States
Thursday, 10 Nov 2011
Little distance separates President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney in a potential 2012 matchup in three large states, a new poll finds, with Obama leading by 3 percentage points in Ohio, trailing by the same margin in Florida and barely ahead in Pennsylvania.
The “swing state poll” conducted for Quinnipiac University also offers no assurance that Romney will be the Republican presidential nominee.
Conducted as sexual harassment charges swirled around rival Herman Cain, the survey shows the former businessman leading Romney in the Republican race in Ohio and Florida and tied with him in Pennsylvania.
Obama leads Cain and two other Republican contenders -- Texas Governor Rick Perry and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia -- in all three states, in most cases by wide margins.
Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania combine for 67 of the 270 electoral votes needed to be elected president. Obama carried all of them in 2008.
Florida -- with 29 electoral votes -- is shaping up as “the toughest of the ‘big three’ for Obama to carry” in a contest against Romney, said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Hamden, Connecticut-based polling institute.
Rubio Factor
Brown added that if Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio emerges as the party’s vice presidential nominee, as has been speculated, “that would make the Sunshine State even a tougher sale for the president.”
Romney leads the president 45 percent to 42 percent in Florida, according to the survey. The figures are exactly reversed in Ohio in Obama’s favor, and in Pennsylvania the president is ahead of Romney 44 percent to 43 percent, the poll finds.
The poll of registered voters was taken Oct. 31-Nov. 7, and has error margins of plus-or-minus 2.9 percentage points in Florida, 2.7 points in Ohio and 2.6 points in Pennsylvania.
The harassment allegations against Cain surfaced Oct. 30 and have dogged him since then. He called a news conference yesterday in Arizona a day after one of four women to have made allegations detailed her claims of inappropriate sexual behavior by him in 1997.
Cain has denied all of the accusations; he said yesterday “I have never acted inappropriately with anyone, period.”
The poll results show that the charges “haven’t derailed his candidacy so far, and he remains strong among Republicans,” Brown said.
‘Cain Train’
Still, Brown cautioned that “while the immediate effect hasn’t been catastrophic, it’s unclear whether the story will have legs that will make a larger dent in the ‘Cain Train’ as we get closer to the actual primaries.”
Among Republican voters in Florida, Cain leads the primary field with 27 percent, followed by Romney at 21 percent, Gingrich at 17 percent and Perry at 5 percent, according to the poll.
In Ohio, the results are Cain 25 percent, Romney 20 percent, Gingrich 11 percent and U.S. Representative Ron Paul of Texas 9 percent. Perry and Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota each have 4 percent.
In the Republican race in Pennsylvania, Cain and Romney are tied at 17 percent. Gingrich and Rick Santorum, the state’s former U.S. senator, follow with 13 percent, and Perry and Paul each have 5 percent.
Among all voters in the three states, the poll finds that Romney “is considered more honest and trustworthy and makes a more favorable impression, while Cain is viewed more unfavorably,” according to a statement by the Quinnipiac pollsters.
Florida, violating Republican Party rules, has set its primary for Jan. 31. Pennsylvania Republicans are scheduled to vote on April 24 and Ohio Republicans on June 12.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/obama-romney-close-polls/2011/11/10/id/417535
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:o
Gingrich Catches Romney, New Poll Shows
Monday, 14 Nov 2011
By Newsmax Wires
A new national survey of Republicans shows former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has tied Mitt Romney in the race for the party's nomination, as support for Herman Cain's candidacy wanes in light of sexual harassment allegations against him.
A CNN/ORC International Poll shows 24 percent of Republicans and independents who lean GOP say that Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, is their most likely choice for the nomination while Gingrich is at a close 22 percent, a statistical tie.
The poll has a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percent, or 4.5 percent on questions only for Republicans and GOP-leaning independents.
For Gingrich, the news is especially good because since October, his support has jumped 14 points. Romney's numbers have held steady.
With just seven weeks until the Iowa caucuses, Gingrich is surging and taking the "anybody but Romney" spot among the contenders, CNN reports.
Yet, the two men seem to be well-liked by voters. The poll indicates the two are the most popular Republican candidates among the GOP rank-and-file, and the only two with favorable ratings above 50 percent among the Republicans surveyed. Three-quarters say the two have the right qualities to be president.
When matched against President Barack Obama, however, Gingrich falls by 8 points, while Romney, for the first time, tops the president.
The poll found that 14 percent of those potential voters back Cain, down 11 points from October. Four women have made claims that Cain sexually harassed them during the late 1990s when he headed the National Restaurant Association.
Cain has denied the allegations. The poll indicated that Cain is holding on to a bare majority of GOP-leaning voters, and a third say he should end his campaign.
"Cain is struggling with the charges of sexual harassment, and while most Republicans tend to dismiss those charges, roughly four in 10 Republicans think this is a serious matter and tend to believe the women who made those charges," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said.
In the general population, 50 percent of Americans say they believe the women, not Cain. More women say they don't believe Cain, too.
"Not surprisingly, there is a big gender gap on this matter - women say this is a serious matter and believe the women, but men say the story has been overblown and are split on which side they believe," Holland added.
For Texas Gov. Rick Perry, his numbers held at 12 percent in the survey, just one point less than a month ago. While the poll was conducted after Perry's 'oops' moment during last week's GOP debate in Michigan, his numbers show that in September, 72 percent of Republicans said Perry was presidential material. A majority still believe that, but that number has dropped 14 points, according to the poll, indicating his 'oops' may have had an impact on voters.
Rep. Ron Paul of Texas ranked at 8 percent in the poll, with Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota at 6 percent and former Utah Gov. and former ambassador to China Jon Huntsman and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania each at 3 percent.
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/Romney-Gingrich-Tied-Poll/2011/11/14/id/418016
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Iowa poll: 4-way battle 7 weeks from caucuses
Posted by
CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
(CNN) - With the Iowa caucuses just seven weeks away, a new poll indicates that it's a four-way battle in the race for the GOP nomination in the Hawkeye State.
A Bloomberg News survey indicates 20% of Iowans likely to take part in the Republican caucuses say they support businessman Herman Cain for the nomination, with 19% backing Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who's making his third run for the White House. Eighteen percent say they support former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who's making his second run for the GOP nomination and 17% backing former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
It's basically a four-way tie for the top spot when taking into account the survey's sampling error. The poll's Tuesday release comes seven weeks before Iowa's January 3 caucuses, which kick off the presidential primary and caucus calendar.
According to the survey, Texas Gov. Rick Perry's at 7%, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota's at 5%, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania's at 3% and former Utah Gov. and former ambassador to China Jon Huntsman's at 1%, with one in 10 unsure of who they'll support.
The poll also indicates that six in 10 say they could still change their minds on which candidate they are backing.
"In Iowa, it's long been a two-person race between Romney and someone else," said J. Ann Selzer, president of Selzer & Company, which conducted the poll for Bloomberg. "It is now a four-person race between Romney and three someone-elses."
Selzer and Co. is a West Des Moines-based firm that also conducts the Iowa Poll for the Des Moines Register.
More than seven in 10 say that fiscal concerns are most important to them, with only around a quarter of likely caucus-goers saying social or constitutional issues are their top concern.
The Bloomberg News poll was conducted between November 10-12 with 503 adult Iowans who say they are likely to vote in the state's Republican caucuses questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/15/iowa-poll-4-way-battle-7-weeks-from-caucuses/
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Romney remains overwhelming favorite in New Hampshire
Posted by
CNN Political Producer Rachel Streitfeld
Manchester, New Hampshire (CNN) – Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney retains a commanding lead over the rest of the field in New Hampshire, according to a new poll.
A Bloomberg News survey released Wednesday indicates that the two-time Republican presidential candidate received 40% support among likely Granite State GOP primary voters.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul came in second, with 17% support.
The poll shows more encouraging news for Romney, who has been the frontrunner in New Hampshire surveys for well over a year. According to the survey, Romney leads President Barack Obama by 10 points in the battleground state in a hypothetical 2012 general election match-up.
Bloomberg said voters were not surveyed about match-ups between the president and other Republican candidates.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has seen a similar rise in polling in New Hampshire as elsewhere in the nation, coming in at 11%. Gingrich was in the state last week to open his campaign headquarters in Manchester and has been adding staff here.
Businessman Herman Cain seems to have lost some ground in the Granite State, receiving 8% support in the poll. Cain will host a rally in the state Thursday.
Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who hosted his 100th New Hampshire campaign event Tuesday evening, came in fourth with 7%.
The other candidates polled in the low single digits: Texas Gov. Rick Perry at 3%, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann at 2% and former Sen. Rick Santorum at 1%.
Ten percent of those questioned said they were not sure who they would support.
The Bloomberg News poll was conducted Nov. 10-12, with 504 likely GOP primary voters in New Hampshire questioned by telephone. The survey has a sampling error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary is 55 days away. Voters head to the polls Jan. 10.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/16/romney-remains-overwhelming-favorite-in-new-hampshire/
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The sexual harassment talk caught up with Cain.
Fox News Poll: Gingrich and Romney Top GOP Nominee Picks
By Dana Blanton
Published November 16, 2011
FoxNews.com
AP
(http://a57.foxnews.com/static/managed/img/Politics/396/223/gingrichromney.jpg)
Republican presidential candidates former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney laugh before a Republican presidential debate at Oakland University in Auburn Hills, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011.
Newt Gingrich has catapulted to the front of the race for the 2012 Republican nomination while Herman Cain has lost ground with GOP primary voters. Mitt Romney, once again, is holding steady.
A Fox News poll released Wednesday shows Gingrich’s support doubling in the last three weeks. He stood at 12 percent in late October -- before the Cain harassment allegations and Rick Perry’s “oops” debate. Now the former House speaker is at 23 percent, essentially tied for the lead with Romney, with 22 percent.
Romney has been either the frontrunner or in second place in every Fox poll since July. He’s received the backing of between 20-26 percent of GOP primary voters for the last five months.
Cain garners 15 percent. That’s down from 24 percent last month, and slightly below his late-September standing of 17 percent.
Click here to see the full results of the poll
Ron Paul receives the backing of 8 percent, edging out Perry at 7 percent. This is the first time Perry has been in single digits in Fox polling.
Among GOP primary voters who are part of the Tea Party movement, Gingrich is the top pick (35 percent), followed by Cain (20 percent). Romney (15 percent) comes in third -- receiving less than half Gingrich’s support among this group.
The poll suggests this may be only the latest re-shuffling of the Republican deck. Most GOP primary voters say they may change their mind (60 percent). That includes just over half of Gingrich and Cain supporters, and almost 7 in 10 Romney supporters.
Candidate Qualities
GOP primary voters see Romney (26 percent) and Cain (25 percent) as the most likeable Republican contenders. They view Paul (15 percent) and Bachmann (12 percent) as the least likeable. Cain ties with Bachmann as the second least likeable (12 percent), putting him in the unique position of making the top three in both likeable and unlikeable groups.
When asked who they would trust most with nuclear weapons, nearly twice as many primary voters say Gingrich than Romney (30 percent and 17 percent respectively). Those voters would least trust Paul (13 percent), Bachmann (11 percent) and Cain (10 percent) with nukes.
What about electability? GOP primary voters overwhelmingly see Romney as the Republican with the best chance of beating Barack Obama in the general election. Thirty-seven percent of primary voters think Romney is the most electable candidate. That’s double the number that says Gingrich (18 percent) and Cain (17 percent). Three percent of GOP primary voters think none of the Republicans can beat Obama.
Even though about a third of voters say presidential debates are a waste of time, a majority thinks they are a good way to get to know the candidates (35-56 percent). And what have voters learned about the key attributes of integrity and experience?
Romney is the only Republican candidate a majority of registered voters thinks has the integrity to serve effectively as president (55 percent “yes”). Nearly half think Gingrich does (45 percent “yes”). Just over one third says Cain (36 percent “yes”) and Perry (35 percent “yes”) have the integrity to serve.
When asked about experience to serve as president, equal majorities say Romney (59 percent) and Gingrich (58 percent) have it. Compare that with about one in three saying Cain (31 percent) and Perry (35 percent) have the right experience.
Among Republicans, the assessments are more positive. Majorities think Romney (72 percent), Gingrich (70 percent), Cain (59 percent) and Perry (56 percent) have the integrity to serve. And three-quarters of GOPers think Gingrich (79 percent) and Romney (76 percent) have the right experience, while about half say the same of Perry (53 percent) and Cain (47 percent).
Hypothetical Matchups
In hypothetical matchups against his Republican rivals, President Obama’s support remains below 50 percent.
In the new poll Romney narrowly edges Obama by 2 percentage points. In September the results were reversed, with Obama up by 3 points. Both leads are within the polls’ margins of sampling error.
Obama bests Gingrich (by 5 points) and Cain (by 9 points) by single digits. In June, the last time the Obama-Gingrich matchup was asked, the president’s lead was 19 points.
Among independents, Romney’s advantage over Obama increases to 13 points. Obama has a small advantage over Cain (by 6 points) and Gingrich (by 4 points).
Meanwhile, 9 percent of Obama voters “regret” their vote in the 2008 election, and 13 percent say they would back Romney over Obama if the election were held today.
How about bringing back the past instead? When asked to imagine former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush could serve a third term, by a 58-34 percent margin voters would pick Clinton.
The Fox News poll is based on landline and cell phone interviews with 914 randomly-chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from November 13 to November 15. For the total sample, it has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. For the subgroup of 370 GOP primary voters it is plus or minus 5 percentage points.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/16/fox-news-poll-gingrich-and-romney-top-gop-nominee-picks/
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The sexual harassment talk caught up with Cain.
A lot of getbiggers said it would not and has not.
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A lot of getbiggers said it would not and has not.
and once we start revisiting all of Newt's sexual background issues, his star will be in descent, too.
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and once we start revisiting all of Newt's sexual background issues, his star will be in descent, too.
Doesnt matter - at this rate Pee Wee Herman would beat Obama, the rat communist traitor he is.
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Doesnt matter - at this rate Pee Wee Herman would beat Obama, the rat communist traitor he is.
funny you should pick on pee wee...and his masturbatory issues in public theaters.
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funny you should pick on pee wee...and his masturbatory issues in public theaters.
i dont think pee wee was married 3 times then tried to tell people who to live their own romantic lives.
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i dont think pee wee was married 3 times then tried to tell people who to live their own romantic lives.
Sort of like your communist messiah screaming about the top 1% daily and yet giving away the store to them via DOE loans, etc?
HHHMMMM - never ever see you complain about that hypocrisy.
Bro - JUST ADMIT YOU ARE A FAR LEFT IN THE TANK FOR OBAMA LIB. Its ok - at least you will gain some credibility back for being honest.
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Sort of like your communist messiah screaming about the top 1% daily and yet giving away the store to them via DOE loans, etc?
HHHMMMM - never ever see you complain about that hypocrisy.
Bro - JUST ADMIT YOU ARE A FAR LEFT IN THE TANK FOR OBAMA LIB. Its ok - at least you will gain some credibility back for being honest.
pleas,e please don[t move newt into that bag of shit pile that you put obama and cain into, mmmkay?
this defense of "yeah, well obama did this" just doesn't work in primary comparisons, hoss.
obama belongs in jail. The minute you start using that moral equiv bullshit, dude, you really look stupid on this. I'll just say it. Tell us why newt is good or bad... but don't just pull out that "what about when Obama does this..." defense.
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pleas,e please don[t move newt into that bag of shit pile that you put obama and cain into, mmmkay?
this defense of "yeah, well obama did this" just doesn't work in primary comparisons, hoss.
obama belongs in jail. The minute you start using that moral equiv bullshit, dude, you really look stupid on this. I'll just say it. Tell us why newt is good or bad... but don't just pull out that "what about when Obama does this..." defense.
Ann Coulter does the same thing. perhaps 333386 and Ann are related...
OR....
have we ever seen them in the same room together????? OH NO ! could they be one and the same; just one in drag? (that would be Ann)
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Good commentary by my favorite liberal.
Here Comes Iowa -- Who Will Win, Place and Show In the 2012 Caucuses?
By Juan Williams
Published November 25, 2011
FoxNews.com
With 40 days to go before Iowans cast their votes for the GOP presidential nominee, here are my best bets for the top three winners of the 2012 Iowa Caucuses: Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, and Newt Gingrich.
Romney has been trailing in Iowa for most the year but his campaign is now shifting gears. His smart campaign team has decided to begin investing the money needed to build the big campaign organization necessary to get people to the caucuses. And right now it looks as if that money, plus television ads showing a less buttoned-up Romney capable of sharp attacks on President Obama, is the whip to drive Romney to the front of the pack.
The Romney campaign had been willing to cede Iowa to more socially conservative candidates. The Evangelical Christians and hardcore conservative activists who attend the caucuses have never trusted Romney. His 2008 campaign spent $10 million in Iowa only to finish far behind former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
But a Des Moines register poll from late October had Romney statistically tied for first place in Iowa with Herman Cain. And Cain has since seen a sharp drop in his support.
Former Speaker of the House Gingrich is now the alternative to Romney and social conservatives have reservations about Gingrich’s personal history and policy positions. Gingrich is also in debt and is only now putting a campaign structure on the ground in Iowa.
That means the path is clear for Romney’s campaign dollars to push him to victory. And Romney has reason to believe that a win in Iowa, before going into the New Hampshire primary, where he has held a consistent lead for months, will have intimidating political impact on the race.
A win in Iowa could give him insurmountable momentum before the campaign heads back to difficult terrain for him in socially conservative South Carolina.
And the Romney campaign has the money to spend. So, with a month to go Romney is looking to be the smart bet to win in Iowa.
Now who is the best bet to be the place horse – the candidate most likely to finish second in Iowa?
Of all the candidates, Ron Paul probably has the most enthusiastic and steadfast supporters. His Internet-based fundraising and organizational machine has kept him alive in the polls. His team is well organized in Iowa.
Paul came within 200 votes of winning the Ames Straw Poll back in August. He finished a close second behind Michele Bachmann who has since dropped to single digits in Iowa.
Paul, the 74-year-old Libertarian icon has stressed that he wants to be the Republican nominee for president in order to bring the party back to its conservative ideological roots. He is not running for re-election to Congress and this may be his last hurrah.
With a fragmented GOP contest and a comparatively weak front-runner, he is becoming the safe haven for Iowans who don’t want to give Romney the crown. He is not a social conservative but he is in line with Tea Party discontent with the status quo and a terrific protest vote.
Smart money is beginning to load up on Ron Paul because he is looking very strong for a second place finish as we head into the final stretch.
And now for the final entry in the contest to finish in the top three in Iowa: Gingrich.
He has surged to the top of the polls in the last week. Propelled by his strong debate performances and signature skewering of the liberal media, the Republican Party faithful are giving him a second look.
On the ground in Iowa, the lack of money and lack of political organization are holding Gingrich back. But Republicans nationwide, including those in Iowa, highly respect his intelligence and his willingness to put forward bold, original ideas.
The odds are against him winning Iowa only because of all the problems with his family life, his policy flip flops on global warming, his acerbic attack on House Republicans for right-wing social “engineering” and the very big money he earned playing the inside Washington game with conservative demons such as Freddie Mac.
But Gingrich is right when he brags that conservatives who can’t stand President Obama relish the prospect of sending the voluble, pithy, former professor to debate him. Gingrich is capable of launching zingers against the President that will thrill the right-wing.
In every Iowa Caucus since 1972, the eventual Republican nominee has finished in the top three -- win, place or show. Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bob Dole, George W. Bush and even John McCain all had to clear this first hurdle of the Republican contest before they could go on to be their party’s nominee.
For GOP presidential hopefuls who finish out of the money in the Hawkeye State, it is a good bet that they will soon find themselves out of the race entirely.
It also true that the result of the Iowa Caucuses do not always match up with the national polls.
In 2008, Mike Huckabee won the Iowa caucuses with 34% of the vote, Mitt Romney came in second with 25% and Fred Thompson and John McCain tied for third place, each with 13% of the vote.
At the time, the national polls still showed Rudy Giuliani as the clear frontrunner with Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney rounding out the top three. McCain was stuck in fourth place. Recall that McCain did not compete in Iowa in 2008. When he did better than expected in the Caucuses, it gave him the momentum he needed to seal the deal in New Hampshire and South Carolina.
Another point to keep in mind before Iowa is that the most recent Real Clear Politics average of the national polls shows that none of candidates vying for the GOP nomination win in a head-to-head matchup with President Obama.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had some characteristically blunt advice for Republicans last week.
“I think anybody who underestimates the president over the next year, underestimates him at their own peril. These guys have shown that they don't know a hell of a lot about governing, but they know how to campaign. They know how to campaign” said Christie, a Romney supporter.
“I have watched the president now since he's gotten into more campaign-styled things, he gets more energized, he gets more animated, he's off the prompter…speaking from his gut. That's the person that people elected in 2008. That's the guy.” Christie added.
Let the fun begin.
Juan Williams is a writer, author and Fox News political analyst. His latest book is "Muzzled: The Assault On Honest Debate" (Crown/Random House) which was published in July.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/11/25/here-comes-iowa-who-will-win-place-and-show-in-2012-caucuses/
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Too late.
Pro-Palin Group to Launch Iowa Ad
Saturday, 26 Nov 2011
By Gary Cohen
With the primary and caucus season just weeks away, a pro-Sarah Palin group is doing its part to get the former Alaska governor and GOP vice-presidential candidate into the 2012 Republican White House nomination sweepstakes.
Conservatives4Palin says in a blog on its website that it will use Iowa as the launchpad for a TV ad pushing Palin to get into the race for the Republican presidential nomination — and with good reason: the Iowa caucuses are Jan. 3.
The group plans to air the ad on KCAU TV in Sioux City on Nov. 29.
The support group acknowledges on its site that it does not know where its efforts will go next after the ad launch, but it floats the idea of commisioning a national GOP primary poll including Palin as one of the options.
They remind Palin and fellow supporters that "time is running short for her to reconsider."
Conservatives4Palin describes itself as a group of everyday Americans who believe in what Palin stands for, including her push for an energy independent America and her belief in free market capitalism.
The movement says it is "not a draft Palin site" but adds it is dedicated to "rectifying the great wrong committed against Sarah Palin, an honest and honorable leader, in the 2008 election."
The group says its supporters "watched in horror" as a "biased media" attacked Palin during and after the election.
Palin said in October that she would not run for public office. The announcement at the time ended months of speculation about whether she would enter the 2012 race.
In a YouTube video she proclaimed, "You don't need an office or a title to make a difference."
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Pro-Palin-Group-Iowa-Ad/2011/11/26/id/419139
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what kind of brainless idiot would honestly want palin to wreck the GOP's chances of beating obama?
Mitt, newt, Ron paul will all be able to attack obama for his actions and on issues.
cain/perry are mental midgets and unprepard, but GOP voters seem to get their - their polling is falling.
Perhaps this company is run by dems, I dunno.
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Three N.H. sheriffs back Romney
Posted by CNN Political Producer Rachel Streitfeld
Manchester, New Hampshire (CNN) - Mitt Romney has gained the support of three more New Hampshire sheriffs, CNN has learned.
Sheriffs Mike Downing, Craig Wiggin and Michael Prozzo will officially endorse Romney on Monday.
Two other sheriffs had already signed onto the former Massachusetts governor's campaign. There are ten sheriffs in the state, one for each county in New Hampshire.
Romney has long been considered the front-runner in New Hampshire, where he has racked up endorsements from two of three Republican members of the state's congressional delegation, as well as many local officials.
On Sunday he was passed over for one of the biggest coups for a presidential candidate - the support of New Hampshire's Union Leader. The influential state-wide paper threw its support behind former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who has gained momentum in the state and said he hopes to become voters' alternative to Romney.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/28/three-n-h-sheriffs-back-romney/
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wow, 4/5 of repubs truly HATE Mitt, don't they?
Newt was polling in the single digits... repubs don't liek him any more... they just hate him LESS than romney, huh?
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wow, 4/5 of repubs truly HATE Mitt, don't they?
Newt was polling in the single digits... repubs don't liek him any more... they just hate him LESS than romney, huh?
I don't trust Romney one bit. Putting Paul aside, Newt and Hunts are the only two left. Bachmann is cool and I like her, but she is going nowhere.
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all things equal, in terms of being a spend-wise statesman, huntsmann is right up there with ron paul.
he is rated very highly by conservatives, he's religious, he was #1 in job creation in utah. great economic experience.
It's funny that repubs say "we can't look past the fact obama appointed him to the chinese finance job" and they CAN look past all the junk the other candidates have. The ONLY prob with Huntsmann is that he's fluent in chinese finance... LMAO... they prefer "a leader, not a reader" who can't find china on the map.
Sheesh.
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Looks like Newt will definitely benefit from Cain's troubles.
Gingrich Soars in Florida Poll
Wednesday, 30 Nov 2011
A new poll shows Newt Gingrich is favored to take Florida's Jan. 31 Republican presidential primary, apparently the beneficiary of conservative voters leaving Herman Cain.
The InsiderAdvantage/Majority Opinion Research poll conducted Tuesday night for the Florida Times-Union shows Gingrich leading the pack by 41 percent.
The survey of 513 registered voters shows Gingrich has as much support as the next four candidates combined. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
The Times-Union poll was the first in Florida since an Atlanta woman made claims that Cain had a casual 13-year affair with her. Cain drops to third place with 13 percent, behind Mitt Romney’s 17. No other candidate has double digits.
“I am totally shocked by these numbers,” pollster Matt Towery, CEO of InsiderAdvantage told The Times-Union. “Newt Gingrich is winning nearly 50 percent of the independent vote, but more importantly, the Republican vote which makes up the vast majority of the Florida Republican primary.”
Cain holds just 12 percent of Republicans and only 3 percent of independents.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/gingrich-poll-florida-cain/2011/11/30/id/419484
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Holy smokes. :o
Gingrich Pulls Ahead With 21-Point Lead
Friday, 02 Dec 2011
By Margaret Menge
Newt Gingrich leads Mitt Romney by a stunning 21 percentage points in the latest national poll by Rasmussen Reports.
More than 38 percent of likely Republican voters told the pollsters they’d vote for Gingrich, with 17 percent supporting Romney. Herman Cain and Ron Paul each got 8 percent, with the remaining candidates — Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman, and Rick Santorum — all at 4 percent.
It’s a big jump up for the former Speaker of the House, who just six months ago was considered an also-ran. And it’s the largest lead that any of the Republican candidates have so far commanded in the race for the Republican nomination.
“I’m going to be the nominee,” a confident Gingrich told ABC News yesterday.
“The question is whether or not Gingrich can handle the front-runner’s spotlight more successfully than the others,” said Scott Rassmussen, noting that Michele Bachmann, Perry, and Cain all enjoyed surges of support in polls in the last few months, but then dropped back.
Gingrich, many have noted, has the advantage of experience in dealing with political and media attacks as the most controversial Speaker of the House in recent decades.
“I don’t object if people want to attack me,” he said yesterday. “That’s their right. All I’m suggesting is that it’s not going to be very effective and that people are going to get sick of it very fast.”
Gingrich is also leading in recent polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Florida. The Iowa Caucuses take place Jan. 3, with the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire on Jan. 10.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Gingrich-poll-Romney-lead/2011/12/02/id/419792
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Mitt looks to be in near-meltdown mode every time he's near a camera now. You know he's punching walls.
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Given how accurate of a predictor South Carolina has been, this is very bad news for Romney.
Gingrich Climbs to Top in South Carolina Poll
by Fox News | December 06, 2011
In a new poll of South Carolina Republican primary goers, Newt Gingrich has charged to the top, building a wide margin over Mitt Romney, 38.4 percent to 21.5 percent.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry comes in a distant third with 9 percent of the vote.
The results of the Winthrop Poll -- taken between Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 of 1,073 registered voters in The Palmetto State -- show that among likely Republican presidential primary voters, Gingrich has made a dramatic jump since September. At that time, the same polling company found Gingrich earned just 5.3 percent of the vote behind Romney, who came in second with 27.3 percent and Perry, who led the pack with 30.5 percent.
According to the poll, Herman Cain, who suspended his campaign on Saturday, still maintained support among Republicans though it had dropped from 7.7 percent in September to 6.6 percent in December.
The survey also weighed in on national events, and interviewed Democrats and independents as well. It listed 81 percent saying the economy is fairly or very bad, and 47.4 percent saying national economic conditions are getting worse.
Among the whole survey group, 63.4 percent saying it is not possible to address national budget concerns without any tax increases on any groups. However, there were wide differences in the results, with 80.4 percent of Democrats agreeing with that statement while only 47.4 percent of Republicans did. In the all-important independent group, 60.5 percent agreed that the economy can't be fixed without tax hikes on somebody.
Unemployment ranked the top concern with 38.2 percent with the economic and fiscal crisis and education following as top concerns, with 21.1 and 10 percent, respectively. A full 81.4 percent said they disapproved of the way Congress is doing its job.
Despite not knowing who the Republican nominee will be, 58.8 percent said they thought it was somewhat or very likely President Obama would keep his job even though only 44.8 percent approved of his job performance while 47.8 percent disapproved.
Click here for the full results from the poll.
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/12/06/gingrich-climbs-top-south-carolina-poll
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Romney in second is actually pretty good for him, because he hasn't really campaigned in Iowa.
Gingrich tops 4th straight poll in Iowa
Posted by CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
(CNN) - Newt Gingrich leads the pack of GOP presidential candidates in a fourth straight poll of likely Iowa Republican caucus goers.
Thirty-one percent of people questioned in a CBS News/New York Times survey say that the former House speaker is their choice for their party's nominee, with 17 percent supporting former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and 16% backing Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. The poll's Tuesday afternoon release comes four weeks before the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, which kick off the Republican presidential primary and caucus calendar.
The survey indicates that 11% support Texas Gov. Rick Perry, with 9% backing Rep. Michele Bachmann of neighboring Minnesota and 4% supporting former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. Both Bachmann and Santorum have been crisscrossing Iowa the past couple of months.
The poll's results mirror an ABC News/Washington Post survey released Tuesday morning. According to that poll, 33% of likely Iowa GOP caucus goers say they back Gingrich, with Romney, who's making his second bid for the GOP nomination, and Paul, who's making his third run for the White House, each at 18%, Perry at 11%, Bachmann at 10%, and Santorum at 7%.
The survey indicates that Jon Huntsman's at 2%. The former Utah governor and ambassador to China has spent nearly all of his time campaigning in New Hampshire, which votes second after Iowa. Four percent are unsure who to support and six in ten say they could change their minds over the next four weeks.
Asked about the latest polls, Romney told reporters Tuesday in Arizona that "my expectation is that this is going to be a campaign that's going to go on for a while and I expect to win it."
Gingrich's campaign was left for dead by many in late spring, after a bunch of controversies which resulted in a number of top advisers and staffers quitting the campaign. They also faced financial difficulties. But thanks to strong performances in many of the Republican presidential debates this autumn, and thanks to stumbles by Bachmann, Perry and businessman Herman Cain, who suspended his campaign this past weekend, Gingrich has soared in both national polling and in surveys in the crucial early voting states.
The challenge for Gingrich now is to use his skyrocketing poll numbers and increase in fundraising to quickly build a larger and more effective campaign structure in the early voting states. Gingrich went up with his first campaign TV commercial Monday, in Iowa.
According to the ABC/Washington Post poll, Gingrich leads Romney by 27 points when it comes to experience, by 14 points on standing up for what he believes, by 13 points when it comes to reflecting the values of the GOP and by 10 points on understanding the problems of people like me. Gingrich holds a narrower five-point margin over Romney on electability and is basically tied with Romney on honesty.
The survey indicates that, at least in Iowa, the issue of illegal immigration may not hurt Gingrich, who has come under attack by some of his rivals for his calls for a pathway to legitimacy for some longtime illegal immigrants. By 19 points, Hawkeye State Republicans say Gingrich would do a better job on the issue over Romney, who has been critical of Gingrich over immigration. Only 15% say Gingrich's position on the issue is a reason to oppose him for the nomination, with nearly four in ten saying it's a reason to support him.
Separately, only 16% say Gingrich's marital history is a reason to not support him. Gingrich has been married three times and has admitted to extramarital affairs.
Meanwhile, the poll indicates the health care measure signed into law over five years ago by then-Massachusetts Gov. Romney, which includes an individual mandate and is considered by some Republicans as the model for President Barack Obama's national health care law, could be damaging. Forty-five percent of those questioned say the so-called "RomneyCare" law is a major reason to oppose Romney for the nomination.
The ABC News-Washington Post poll was conducted Nov. 30-Dec. 4, with 858 potential Iowa Republican caucus goers, including 356 likely GOP caucus goers, questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus four percentage points, with a sampling error of plus or minus six percentage points for likely caucus goers.
The CBS News-New York Times poll was conducted Nov. 30-Dec. 5, with 642 Iowa registered voters who say they are definitely or probably attending the GOP caucuses questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus four percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/06/gingrich-tops-4th-straight-poll-in-iowa/
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Mitt's GOTV effort will be awesome. As will Ron Paul's.
Newt is dependent upon FOX news motivating people to go vote for the frontrunner. That's his team.
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Mitt may have made a strategic error by being too conservative and not aggressive enough. In fairness, I think he always had a plan b to go aggressive when a candidate didnt implode like Perry and Cain did. But I dont think he anticipated Gingrich's rise, and now it might be too little too late for a plan b this close to the primary. And who can blame him for not anticipating Newt's rise? Newt should not be the nominee and it is an embarrassment that conservatives are actually considering him. Remember when his entire staff walked out on him earlier? Those people havent gone back to him after his rise in the polls. They dont think they made a mistake. That's because his management style sucks. I still have not gotten an apology from Christine Odonnell supporters after being called a RHINO for supporting Mike Castle in the Delaware 2010 Senate Primary. Conservatives seriously need to ask themselves whether they want to send a message or send a president in 2012. THey made a really bad mistake in Neveda and Delaware in 2010. It a would be a shame to make that same mistake in 2012 where it counts the most.
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Poll: Romney holds lead in N.H., Gingrich and Huntsman on the rise
Posted by
CNN's Ashley Killough
(CNN) - Despite big gains in the polls for Newt Gingrich in several key early voting states, fellow GOP presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney still maintains a wide advantage in the first-in-the-nation-primary state of New Hampshire.
According to a new poll out Wednesday, Romney leads Gingrich in the state 38% to 20%, with former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman making a significant bump to third place with 13%.
The Suffolk University/7NEWS poll showed that while Romney still holds the top spot, his numbers have dropped and his margin with Gingrich has narrowed from 27 to 18 percentage points since the poll was last done in mid-November.
Romney was polling last month at 41% of support, with Gingrich and Texas Rep. Ron Paul each following behind at 14%.
Also notable, Huntsman saw his highest numbers yet in the Granite State, where he has largely focused his campaign resources in hopes of winning the primary on Jan. 10.
Huntsman leaped from 9% to 13% over the last month, replacing Paul for third place. The poll credits his surge to more support among independents, a voting bloc allowed to take part in the state's open primary.
"If independents participate in a big way next January, Huntsman will benefit," said David Paleologos, director of Suffolk University's Political Research Center. "While other candidates have focused on the more traditional Republican voters, Huntsman has traction among independents, who could dominate the Republican Primary if mobilized."
The other candidates all polled in the single digits, with Paul at 8%, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann at 3%, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum at 2% and Texas Gov. Rick Perry at 1%.
Meanwhile, former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, who announced his candidacy in July, came in with 2%. Former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain also received 2%, but he suspended his campaign in early December.
Suffolk University Political Research Center surveyed 400 likely voters in New Hampshire's Republican presidential primary via telephone from Dec. 10-13, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.
– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/14/poll-romney-holds-lead-in-n-h-gingrich-and-huntsman-catching-up/
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Nikki Haley Endorses Romney
Friday, 16 Dec 2011
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has endorsed Mitt Romney.
Haley, a darling of Republican tea party circles, is one of the most coveted endorsements in the GOP race for the White House.
Haley announced her pick Friday morning on Fox News.
"Today is the day that I am throwing all of my support behind Mitt Romney for president," Haley said.
The endorsement is critical for Romney ahead of South Carolina's primary next month. Although he was a long-term front-runner, Romney has seen Newt Gingrich overtake him in recent polls.
"Governor Romney is the one candidate that President Obama consistently tries to hit and get out of the way," Haley said. "That lets me know he's scared of him. It also lets me know Governor Romney's got a good fight in him and that he's the one President Obama doesn't want to have to go against."
The South Carolina governor praised Romney for his ideas on jobs, the economy, and spending.
"What I want is someone who is not part of the chaos that is Washington," Haley said. "What I wanted was someone who knew what it was like to turn broken companies around."
All the GOP candidates except Ron Paul spoke with her, she said. Romney was her choice, in part, because he had learned much since his 2008 run.
"He's very much become a great candidate just like Ronald Reagan did, in that in his first run, he learned a lot as a candidate," Haley said. "I don't think this is about being a candidate anymore. He spends a lot of time thinking about our country and how to get it back on track."
Romney plans to head to South Carolina this weekend, where he has a series of town hall meetings along the coast. Haley's support of Romney is not unexpected: She supported him in 2008.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/haley-southcarolina-romney-endorsement/2011/12/16/id/421188
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Watched the Iowa debate yesterday. Some observations:
- Romney was solid again. He has been good in every debate I've watched. I think I can say that when it comes to the economy, I trust him to do a good job. He would be an enormous improvement over Obama. I think he's the safest choice at this point.
- Newt was very good again, except for the Freddie Mac issue. That makes him look really bad. His explanations were terrible. I think that issue will hurt him.
- Perry had his best performance, which for him means not making a fool of himself. He's still not a good debater at all. In hindsight, he probably should have skipped all of the debates.
- Bachmann had one of her better performances. She was a bit too much of an Obama attack dog in previous debates and actually sounded a lot more presidential yesterday.
- Paul was the same: good on the economy, very bad on foreign policy. His comments about Iran were just scary. There is no way he should be the CIC. He also sounded pretty inept when talking about the courts. Definitely outside his comfort zone.
- Santorum and Huntsman: why are they still in the race?
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Watched the Iowa debate yesterday. Some observations:
- Romney was solid again. He has been good in every debate I've watched. I think I can say that when it comes to the economy, I trust him to do a good job. He would be an enormous improvement over Obama. I think he's the safest choice at this point.
- Newt was very good again, except for the Freddie Mac issue. That makes him look really bad. His explanations were terrible. I think that issue will hurt him.
- Perry had his best performance, which for him means not making a fool of himself. He's still not a good debater at all. In hindsight, he probably should have skipped all of the debates.
- Bachmann had one of her better performances. She was a bit too much of an Obama attack dog in previous debates and actually sounded a lot more presidential yesterday.
- Paul was the same: good on the economy, very bad on foreign policy. His comments about Iran were just scary. There is no way he should be the CIC. He also sounded pretty inept when talking about the courts. Definitely outside his comfort zone.
- Santorum and Huntsman: why are they still in the race?
if he should have skipped the debtes then shouldn't he have also skipped running for POTUS
why do you think Romney would be good for the economy. His primary business experience is destroying jobs to enrich himself. How does that translate into being good for the economy?
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if he should have skipped the debtes then shouldn't he have also skipped running for POTUS
why do you think Romney would be good for the economy. His primary business experience is destroying jobs to enrich himself. How does that translate into being good for the economy?
LOL
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Florida will be high stakes.
Zogby: GOP Race Will All Come Down to Florida
Friday, 16 Dec 2011
By Martin Gould and Ashley Martella
Florida is likely to be “the big kahuna” of the Republican primary season, with the winner in the Sunshine State probably going on to take the nomination, leading pollster John Zogby tells Newsmax.TV.
“It’s huge,” Zogby said of the first winner-take-all primary to take place in the 2012 primary season. “You could very well have the scenario of different winners in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, none of which, according to the rules, are winner-takes-all.
“Florida is then the big kahuna, it’s a big state, there’s a lot of delegates that will be at stake,” added Zogby, chairman and chief insights officer of IBOPE Zogby.
Zogby can see the likelihood of three different winners for the first three contests as he feels Rep. Ron Paul could come from behind to snatch Iowa. Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are clear favorites in New Hampshire and South Carolina respectively.
So then Florida’s Jan. 31 contest takes on a huge importance. “It could be definitive or at least provide a clarity,” he said during the exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV.
Zogby was talking the day after the seven leading GOP candidates debated in Sioux City, Iowa, for the last time before the Jan. 3 caucuses in the Hawkeye State.
Winning Iowa historically has “been all over the place,” he said.
“What it does is it winnows in and it winnows out, and it also creates a set of expectations on who can meet those and who can’t. This year, Iowa is very important in the winnowing out process and finding the person who is the conservative candidate.
“Someone will emerge as the anti-Republican establishment candidate,” he said.
He pointed out that, with the exception of Jon Huntsman, who has not campaigned heavily in Iowa, none of the candidates is polling really badly in the state. Figures for Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, and Rick Santorum are all in the high single digits or low double digits, enough for them to make a late surge.
“It’s very fluid out there,” Zogby said. “You are starting to see those numbers being chiseled back downward for Newt Gingrich and there’s still Rick Santorum, there’s still Michele Bachmann.
“What you could see are some of the leading candidates going down a few points, some of those also-rans moving up several points and it’s our job to determine what that all meant on the day after.”
Zogby said he felt Gingrich had a good debate in Sioux City on Thursday night, although he failed to come up with an adequate answer to Bachmann’s charge that he took $1.6 million from the government-backed housing agency Freddie Mac.
“Gingrich was very effective and played good defense. He was really hitting back and getting it from all sides, but on this one issue alone, you are starting to see Gingrich’s numbers going down a little bit in Iowa, going down nationally.
“She effectively took that case to the voters about him and I’m still not sure that he has responded.”
Romney’s quote that President Barack Obama believes the country is in decline — “it is if he’s president, it’s not if I’m president” — was the sort of one-liner the former Massachusetts governor has needed all along. Zogby described the line as “something that’s strong, something that actually is a sound bite that’s about him and not about the other candidates or a response to other candidates.”
“That’s a solid message for the conservative side — the major side — of Republican primary and caucus voters,” Zogby added.
But he painted Rick Perry’s comparison of himself to Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow as an outside chance of making a rebound in the polls. “If you’re counting on Hail Marys, to extend the metaphor, that was a Hail Mary.
“There’s no question about the fact that Rick Perry is in trouble, but his one possible ace are Christian conservatives . . . his strength is going to be with Christian conservatives and there is no hotter Christian conservative out there than Tim Tebow.”
He said it was a good thing that the two front-runners, Gingrich and Romney, saved their attacks for Obama, rather than turning on each other.
“Last night was a night for no runs, no hits, no errors, no $10,000 bets or apologizing about multiple affairs.
“It was a reminder that whoever emerges from this process is the nominee, whose number one task is to beat Obama. That’s the question that voters are going to be asking now — who doesn’t simply make the good points, who doesn’t simply appeal to my heart, but who is going to beat Barack Obama?”
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Zogby-GOP-primary-Florida/2011/12/16/id/421274
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Des Moines Register endorses Romney
By CNN's Ashley Killough and Shannon Travis
(CNN) – The Des Moines Register, the largest newspaper in Iowa, backed Mitt Romney late Saturday in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
The much-anticipated endorsement gives the former Massachusetts governor special bragging rights just over two weeks before Iowa’s critical presidential caucuses on January 3.
Citing the candidate’s “sobriety, wisdom and judgment,” the editorial board said Romney was the most qualified candidate competing in the caucuses.
While the paper didn’t endorse Romney in his last run for president in 2007, the editorial board said voters now face a different GOP field and Romney “has matured as a candidate.”
“Rebuilding the economy is the nation’s top priority, and Romney makes the best case among the Republicans that he could do that,” the editorial board wrote.
The board hailed Romney for his “solid credentials,” saying he was the most likely candidate to see through “knee-jerk, ideological” perspectives and “bridge the political divide in Washington.”
Taking issue with the two other top-tier candidates, the paper claimed Romney stood out against former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, whom the board called “an undisciplined partisan who would alienate, not unite, if he reverts to mean-spirited attacks on display as House speaker.”
It also criticized Texas Rep. Ron Paul as someone with a libertarian ideology that would “lead to economic chaos and isolationism.”
Also significant, the board somewhat defended Romney against a line of attack taken by opponents who criticize him as a “flip-flopper.”
“Though Romney has tended to adapt some positions to different times and places, he is hardly unique. It should be possible for a politician to say, 'I was wrong, and I have changed my mind'," the paper wrote.
But the paper still reserved questions over his changing tune on issues such as abortion and said it was up to the voters to decide “whether such subtly nuanced statements express Romney's true beliefs or if he's trying to have it both ways.”
The editorial is the second major endorsement for Romney in two days, coming on the heels of Friday’s nod from South Carolina Republican Gov. Nikki Haley. South Carolina’s primary, set for January 21, is the first presidential contest in the South and the third overall in the early voting season.
In early December, Romney scored another endorsement from Iowa's Sioux City Journal, which described the candidate as "best prepared through experience, skills and qualities to lead the country."
Romney has taken heat all year for running what many political observers call a lackluster effort in Iowa. He has campaigned in the state far less than Gingrich, Bachmann, Rick Santorum and Rick Perry. He opened up his first office in Iowa just last month.
His campaign chose not to secure a spot in the non-binding but closely watched Ames Straw Poll in August, which measures a campaign's organizational strength in the state.
Romney won the straw poll during his first presidential bid in 2007, but fell short of winning the caucuses five months later.
While Romney didn't actively seek a straw-poll win this time around, he was still on the ballot in August and took sixth place. Bachmann narrowly won the contest, with Paul following closely behind.
Romney has since returned to the state multiple times. He's held steady at or near the top of polls in the state for much of the year, until recently, when Gingrich surged ahead in the GOP horserace.
According to an American Research Group poll taken Dec. 8-11, Romney placed second in the Hawkeye State with 17% of support among likely caucus voters, while Gingrich took first with 22%. Paul tied with Romney at 17%.
Reacting to the paper’s endorsement, Santorum, who’s spent most of his resources campaigning in Iowa, indicated he was not expecting the nod.
"Shocked! I would have been concerned that I was doing something wrong if they'd endorsed me,” Santorum said Saturday at a campaign stop in Harrison County, Iowa.
While the paper’s endorsement is highly coveted, it does not necessarily spell success for a candidate.
In the last election cycle, the paper endorsed GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who didn’t actively campaign in the state and took third place in the caucuses, while former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee pulled off a surprise victory.
At the time, the editorial board said Romney exuded “executive discipline” but decided to back McCain instead, saying the senator was the “most ready to lead America in a complex and dangerous world” and more likely to inspire “confidence in his leadership.”
On the Democratic side, the paper backed then-Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, who later placed third in the caucuses behind then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards.
The newspaper has long endorsed candidates for the general presidential election, but it began making endorsements for the caucuses in 1988.
Since then, three of its choices went on to win the contest: Bob Dole in 1996 and 1988 and then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush in 2000.
In addition, three endorsees eventually secured the Republican nomination: Dole in 1996, Bush in 2000 and McCain in 2008.
Only one of its chosen candidates - Bush in 2000 - went on to win the White House.
– CNN Political Researcher Robert Yoon and CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby contributed to this report.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/17/des-moines-register-endorses-romney/
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Anyone still believe Newt is going to win it? Seems like despite the "it's different this time", he's just the flavor of the weak. [sic]
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If Republicans are smart they will nominate Romney. He will beat Obama.
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DEAD HEAT POLL: Gingrich Lead over Romney Collapses
by Serafin Gomez | December 19, 2011
Newt Gingrich's 15-point national lead has collapsed and the GOP presidential candidate is now in a statistical dead heat with Republican rival Mitt Romney, according to a new Gallup tracking poll out Monday.
The former Speaker of the House is now ahead of Romney by only 26 percent to 24 percent, among GOP voters and GOP leaning independent voters. However, Gingrich's decline has not meant an overwhelming increase in support for the former Massachusetts Governor, and shows that no single candidate has benefited proportionately more from Gingrich's drop.
"Unfortunately for Romney, the sizable percentage of the vote put in play by Gingrich's recent decline has not all gone his way, but instead has been scattered among the entire field," Gallup.com analyzies on their website." This fits the pattern seen over and over again in 2011, in which Romney fails to benefit each time various Republican candidates have fizzled out after surging. That this pattern continues today adds to the body of evidence that a segment of Republican voters want to nominate someone other than Romney. Support for Ron Paul is now 11%, up from 8% to 9% earlier in the month -- marking the first time his support has been above 10% since mid-September. At that time, a Gallup poll of all Republicans/Republican-leaning independents put his support at 13%.
Ron Paull is currently polling at 11 percent while Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry are both at 7 percent. Rick Santorum is at 4%, and Jon Huntsman at 2 percent.
According to Gallup, the latest findings are from Dec. 13-18 Gallup Daily tracking, based on 1,177 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who are registered to vote. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 points.
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/12/19/dead-heat-poll-romney-narrows-gingrich-gap
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Wow, Newt was just like the rest of them. What a sham.
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Wow, Newt was just like the rest of them. What a sham.
Newt is a time bomb.
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WashPost-ABC Poll: Gingrich, Romney Tied Nationally
Tuesday, 20 Dec 2011
By Henry J. Reske
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney are locked in a dead heat nationally. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that both receive 30 percent among Republicans and Republican-leaning voters.
However, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, is surging and now polls at 15 percent, about double his numbers in early November. All other GOP candidates poll in the single digits.
Part of Gingrich’s rise in the polls results from businessman Herman Cain’s decision to suspend his candidacy, the Post reports.
On the question of who Republicans think is best positioned to defeat President Barack Obama, Romney leads by 10 points; he also is viewed as the best GOP candidate to deal with the economy.
Both candidates carry negatives, with Gingrich receiving poor marks for his consulting work for Freddie Mac and Romney for his Massachusetts healthcare plan, the Post reported.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Post-ABC-poll-Gingrich/2011/12/20/id/421576
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We're witnessing Newt's freefall - complements of his own republican party.
It wasn't the worthless libs trashing him. It was a laundry list of republicans that said Newt would lose nationally.
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HOPE springs eternal !!!!
there seems to be a little conversation on the cable news channels that SARAH may get back into the race !
christmas will come early if she does...
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I will donate $100 to sarah palin if she enters the race LMAO
she's just trying to get attention - contract negotiations are probably coming up, and fox is saying "Dude, you're half-irrelevant now..."
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(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/12/22/t1larg.dec22.romney.bush.jpg)
Romney shakes hands with Bush at The George Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M University on Dec. 7, 2007.
December 22nd, 2011
Bush 41 carefully backs Romney
CNN Political Unit
(CNN) - Mitt Romney had "no idea" George H.W. Bush was going to publicly support his bid for the White House Thursday, saying at an event in New Hampshire the backing from the former president meant more personally than it did politically.
"I had no idea that was coming," Romney said, adding he thought of Bush as a "hero."
Romney's comments came after Bush told the Houston Chronicle the former Massachusetts governor was the "best choice" for the 2012 Republican nomination.
The Texas newspaper noted Bush's support did not constitute an official endorsement. Bush and his family live in the state of another presidential hopeful, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, complicating the notion of a full-scale endorsement.
In the interview with the Chronicle, Bush explained why he wasn't backing Perry.
"I like Perry, but he doesn't seem to be going anywhere; he's not surging forward," Bush said.
He also added: "I've got to be a little careful, because I like Perry; he's our governor."
Bush praised Romney's "stability, experience, principles," saying the candidate was more even-keeled than his competition.
"I just think he's mature and reasonable – not a bomb-thrower."
Bush met with Romney as recently as the beginning of December, when the candidate visited the former president and his wife Barbara at their home near Houston. At the time, Romney aides said the trip wasn't meant to secure an endorsement, noting the two politicians were long-time friends.
On Thursday, Romney's spokeswoman Andrea Saul wrote on Twitter the candidate called Bush to thank him for his support.
At his New Hampshire event, Romney said he thanked Bush "for his support, his leadership, his heroic life, and his friendship."
–CNN's Rachel Streitfeld and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/22/bush-41-carefully-backs-romney/
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Boston Globe Poll: Romney, Gingrich, Paul Tops in NH
Sunday, 25 Dec 2011
Mitt Romney remains the top contender in New Hampshire even as Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul gain momentum with just ver two weeks until the first primary state's voters head to the ballot box, a Boston Globe poll has found.
Romney receives 39 percent of the state’s likely Republican voters, a slight drop from a month ago of 3 percentage points.
Gingrich and Paul are tied with 17 percent each, just ahead of Jon Huntsman, who has the support of 11 percent of likely Republican voters.
But with the Jan. 10 contest looming, Paul has gained the most, the poll finds. His numbers jumped by 5 percentage points since November, while Huntsman rose 3 percentage points in the last month and Gingrich has gained 2.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/romney-gingrich-paul-poll/2011/12/25/id/422092
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It's still Romney on top in NH
Posted by
CNN Producer Gabriella Schwarz
(CNN) – Mitt Romney continues to hold a solid lead among likely Republican voters in New Hampshire in the run-up to the January 10 primary, according to a recent survey.
A Boston Globe poll released Sunday showed Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, on top with 39% support followed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas tied with 17% and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman with 11%. The remaining candidates each garnered 3% support or less.
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Since a similar poll in November, Romney dropped by 3 percentage points, while Paul gained 5 percentage points, Huntsman picked up 3 percentage points and Gingrich increased by 2 percentage points.
Overall Romney is the consistent leader among likely GOP primary voters in Granite State polling, yet the standing of the other candidates is more fluid.
Forty-six percent of Republican voters said they are still trying to decide who to back in the primary, while 26% said they made up their mind and 28% said they were leaning toward a candidate.
The Globe survey, conducted by the University of New Hampshire, polled 543 likely voters via telephone between Dec. 12 and Dec. 19. It had a sampling error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/25/its-still-romney-on-top-in-nh/
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if Romney pushes a VAT Tax he will put me in a weird spot. Romney is a lying snake.
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if Romney pushes a VAT Tax he will put me in a weird spot. Romney is a lying snake.
I don't support that either.
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Iowa still a tossup.
Quiet Campaign Pace in Iowa Leaves Caucuses Up For Grabs
Published December 25, 2011
Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa – It's been a different presidential race in Iowa this year -- quieter.
Campaign headquarters have hardly been buzzing with activity, unlike the around-the-clock nature of past contests. Candidates have barely visited the state, compared with years when most all but moved here. And they have largely refrained from building the grass-roots armies of yesteryear, in favor of more modest on-the-ground teams of paid staffers and volunteers.
The final rush of campaigning here gets under way Monday, just a week before the Jan. 3 caucuses, and, to be sure, there will be a flurry of candidate appearances and get-out-the-vote efforts all week.
But that will belie the reality of much of 2011, a year marked by a less aggressive personal courtship of Iowans in a campaign that, instead, has largely gravitated around a series of 13 nationally televised debates, a crush of television ads and interviews.
"We just haven't had as much face time," Republican chairwoman Trudy Caviness in Wapello County said. "That's why we're so undecided."
Indeed, people here simply don't know the Republican presidential candidates that well. And it's a big reason why the contest in Iowa is so volatile and why the caucus outcome could end up being more representative of the mood of national Republicans than in past years when GOP activists here have gone it alone by launching an unlikely front-runner to the top of the field.
With a week to go, the state of the race in Iowa generally mirrors the race from coast to coast.
Polls show Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, having lost ground and Texas Rep. Ron Paul having risen, with both still in contention with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at the head of the pack. All the others competing in Iowa -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum -- are trailing.
But, in a sign that the contest is anyone's to win, most polls have shown most Republican caucusgoers undecided and willing to change their minds before the contest in a state where the vote typically breaks late in the campaign year.
There are a slew of reasons why the Iowa campaign is a much more muted affair than in 2008 -- marked by the iconic clash of Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who together employed almost 300 staff in Iowa and held blockbuster rallies. This year, there is no contested Democratic primary, given that President Barack Obama has no serious challenger. Only Republicans are competing, and those candidates are approaching the state differently, both visiting and hiring less. Also, like it did everywhere else, the race here started slowly -- months later than usual -- as a slew of GOP politicians weighed candidacies, only to abort White House bids.
Long-time Republican activists here, who often joke that they like to meet the candidates several times before deciding, have barely seen the candidates once, much less at all, and no campaign has more than 20 paid staff in the state.
All that's partly a consequence of how technology has changed both the political and media environments in recent years. Campaigns now can more precisely -- and cheaply -- target their pitches to voters from afar, sending personalized e-mails and YouTube video messages from the candidates to voters directly, and more campaign outreach is being handled by volunteers and through central national websites. And voters, themselves, now can go online and find information about the candidates without having to wait for the White House hopeful to show up in the town square.
"Caucuses don't exist in a vacuum. They're not the same every time," said John Stineman, a West Des Moines Republican activist who ran Steve Forbes 2000 Iowa campaign. "But everything else has changed. Why wouldn't the caucuses change?"
Part of the change has been driven by Romney's approach to the state.
The nominal GOP front-runner for most of the year, Romney has been far less aggressive in cultivating support in Iowa than in his failed bid of 2008. He's only spent 10 days in the state this year, compared to 77 days four years ago, in an attempt to lower expectations in the leadoff state where evangelical conservatives have harbored doubts about Romney in light of his Mormon faith and changed positions on some social issues.
Paul, the Texas congressman, has been focused more on building a national following than being a one-state candidate.
Gingrich only became a serious contender in the state a few weeks ago. And, until recently, he didn't have the money or manpower to launch a full-scale Iowa campaign, meaning more sporadic visits and a smaller team. He's struggled to reach all parts of the state more than once; it was just last week that he visited Ottumwa, seat of the county Caviness represents and a medium-size Iowa city uniquely situated in the southeast with its own small media market.
Likewise, Perry has not been to Marshalltown, a central Iowa GOP hub about the same size as Ottumwa and home of the state-run veterans home. It would seem like a natural spot for Perry, a former Air Force officer who has sought veterans support. But he also hasn't visited Fort Dodge, also another mid-size Iowa city in north-central Iowa on the way to heavily Republican northwest Iowa.
Those who have been struggling to gain traction -- and who lack the money of better-funded, better-known rivals -- are turning to old-fashioned retail campaigning in hopes of wooing voters the traditional way.
Bachmann is in the midst of a bus tour that has her crisscrossing the state. And Santorum, who never has broken out of the back of the pack, is betting that a year of one-on-one campaigning will pay off in the end.
Barb Livingston is proof that, for all the changes, there's still something to be said for the personal approach. She has struggled all year to find a candidate to back and is basing her decision on a personal impression she had -- except that impression was established four years ago, riding around Marshall County with Romney.
"When push comes to shove, I had a chance to meet him and travel around with," said Livingston, a former Marshall County GOP chairwoman. "He's someone personally I connected with."
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/25/quiet-campaign-pace-in-iowa-leaves-caucuses-up-for-grabs/
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RP is currently tied for #2 in NH.
If he wins Iowa and takes 2nd in NH, it's going to be tough for repubs to keep saying he's irrelevant.
I'm in awe of this GOp field. Mitt is showing more and more libereal colors every day. Newt looks more and more like the old newt every day.
It really is the perfect storm for Ron Paul to make a huge impact. I still say it's Mitt, but WOW he's such a little liberal.
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Potential Iowa GOP kingmaker conflicted about endorsing
Posted by
CNN Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash
Washington (CNN) - Iowa GOP Congressman Steve King, whose support is coveted by Republican presidential candidates, said he hoped to endorse one of them months ago. But like many other Iowa Republican voters, he is having a hard time picking a horse in this Republican field.
"I've said all along I want my head and my heart to come together, and when that happens I'll jump in with both feet. That just hasn't happened yet," King told CNN.
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King spoke by phone from his car as he was arriving for a hunting outing with former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania – someone he calls a good friend, but not a candidate he's ready to endorse for president.
The Iowa Republican is a prominent conservative with rock solid credentials. Although Iowa voters are known for their independence, several Iowa Republican operatives tell CNN King's endorsement would be a big boon to any GOP candidate.
But King spoke with a mixture of bewilderment and lament about his inability to make a decision about which candidate to support. He even said he may change his mind and not endorse anyone at all.
"I have not come to the conviction where I can throw my energy behind a single candidate," said King.
Four years ago, King endorsed Fred Thompson, who was lagging behind but then went on to come in third in the Iowa caucuses.
King says this year he very much likes three of the lower tier candidates: Santorum, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann. Bachmann is one of King's closest friends and political allies in Congress and someone he says he has "great respect for." He made clear one issue he is weighing is whether to back one of these candidates who may not be viable this year, but could be someone he could help position for the next presidential election.
When it comes to Iowa's frontrunners, King had praise for former Speaker Newt Gingrich's economic plans, but called his immigration policies "troubling."
King is one of the biggest hardliners in Congress when it comes to illegal immigration, and Gingrich supports a path to legality for some illegal immigrants.
King said that's not a "deal breaker" but said it does "make it harder" to endorse Gingrich.
The Iowa Republican had the harshest words for his congressional colleague, Ron Paul – particularly on the issue of foreign policy.
King recalled asking Paul what he would do with the military as commander in chief, and said Paul effectively answered that he would bring U.S. armed forces serving overseas back home.
"I do not want the Chinese knocking at our door, who would fill the power vacuum, as would the Russians, as would anybody else out there with aspirations. I think that would dramatically upset the balance of power in the world and would be something that could go down in history as one of the greatest mistakes this country would have potentially ever made," said King.
With little more than a week until the Iowa caucuses, King is well aware that time is running out for him to endorse, and if he does, for it to have an impact.
"I just haven't gotten to the point where I am convinced that one is so much better than the others and it's different for me than it is for someone going to the caucus to vote. They can put their vote up and walk away," King told CNN.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/26/potential-iowa-gop-kingmaker-conflicted-about-endorsing/
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He could possibly make some noise in Iowa (only) if the "King Maker" endorses him.
In What May Be Final Turn in GOP Roller Coaster, Will Santorum Get Chance at Ascent?
Published December 27, 2011
FoxNews.com
With 45 percent of Iowa Republican voters undecided and a roller-coaster ride about to come to a screeching stop next Tuesday with the GOP caucuses, it may be Rick Santorum's turn to take the final ascent and surprise the political class by ... doing better than expected?
Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator, has been touted as the sleeper candidate by none other than 2008 Iowa caucuses winner Mike Huckabee. He has relentlessly campaigned in the state, hitting all 99 counties and moving his family out there. He has held 350 campaign events in the past year.
Related Video
He has received key endorsements from well-known social conservatives in the state, and has had solid performances at each of the debates. And he's running an old-school style campaign that Iowa voters expect in the retail-style politics of the Hawkeye State.
The man whose at the back of the polling pack -- despite recent buzz giving him a late boost -- is taking nothing for granted but has nothing to lose.
"My feeling is when you're sitting last, if you can do better than that, that's good," he told Fox News.
Santorum said he's got 1,000 caucus representatives in a contest with about 1,700 caucus locations. He acknowledges that means no official representative to make his case at each of the locations, but at "almost all of them, and no other campaign is going to have someone there who's going to get up and speak on our behalf."
Santorum, who claims organization and message will make the difference, is also banking on a divide and conquer strategy.
"There's really three primaries going on here," Santorum said. "Ron Paul has his own primary, the libertarian primary. And (Newt) Gingrich and (Mitt) Romney are sort of the establishment primary. And I think there are three who are vying for the conservative mantle to go up against the Gingrich-Romney duo. And I think that I'm going to be the one coming out Iowa with that mantle.
"And if we can do that, then we're off to the races here, and conservatives around the country, just like they're doing here in Iowa, are going to start rallying around our campaign," he said.
Santorum isn't the only one making a last-ditch effort around the state to appeal to social conservatives. Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann are likely Santorum's most competitive among the social conservative crowd. And both are working vigorously to get supporters to show up at the caucuses next Tuesday night.
Bachmann also won a coveted show of support from Phyllis Schlafly, founder of the conservative Eagle Forum, who on Tuesday said Bachmann "has the courage to be a leader among her peers."
"She is a real champion in speaking up for values we care about. Michele is a woman of faith and the mother of a beautiful family. She has a 100 percent pro-life record and is a strong supporter of traditional marriage," Schlafly said in a long statement to reporters.
Bachmann is trying to follow in Santorum's footsteps, hitting all 99 counties in one week, an ambitious goal. Starting in Council Bluffs on the state's western edge on Tuesday, Bachmann will hit gas stations and diners. By nightfall, she was slated to have visited another 10 counties.
Out on the trail Tuesday, Perry again argued that a vote for him is a vote for a Washington outsider. Taking a dig at Paul, he said voters don't have to pick a candidate who would allow Iran to wipe Israel off the earth.
"You don't have to stand for that," he said. "I have all the respect in the world for the frontrunners," he added, asking if voters replace a Democratic insider with a Republican insider, will Washington change.
With the three conservative candidates making their late play to win over Iowa's base voters, they are joined by Romney and Gingrich on bus tours around the state while Paul is also making his final appeal. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman said early on he is foregoing an Iowa campaign.
Each of the candidates is looking for supporters one at a time and hoping to become a roadblock for Romney, who is looking stronger than expected, and Paul, whose organization is notable for its strength and vastness. With the recent rise of Paul, closer scrutiny is being paid to his record, including a 1990s newsletter in his name that has caused him some trouble.
Santorum, who's been one of Paul's most vocal critics during the debates, alluded to those debates and other policy positions held by President Obama to make his case.
"(Radio host) Rush Limbaugh said that the other day on his show that you'd never have to worry a night that, you know, I wasn't trying to do the right thing in the Oval Office. And that's what I hope the people of Iowa have now picked up," he said.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/27/in-what-may-be-final-turn-in-gop-roller-coaster-santorum-begins-his-ascent/
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iowa voters that can't make up their own mind - and need a 'kingmaker' to tell them to support?
they're as bad as obamabots.
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There goes Santorum.
CNN Poll: Romney on top, Gingrich fading & Santorum rising in Iowa
Posted by
CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser
Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - Did Newt Gingrich peak too early?
A new survey of people likely to attend Iowa's Republican caucuses indicates that the former House speaker's support in the Hawkeye State is plunging. And according to a CNN/Time/ORC International Poll, one-time long shot candidate Rick Santorum has more than tripled his support since the beginning of the month.
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Twenty-five percent of people questioned say if the caucuses were held today, they'd most likely back Mitt Romney, with 22% saying they'd support Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. Romney's three point margin is within the poll's sampling error.
The poll's Wednesday release comes six days before Iowa's January 3 caucuses, which kickoff the presidential primary and caucus calendar. The Iowa caucuses are followed one week later by the New Hampshire primary.
A new CNN/Time/ORC poll of likely primary voters in New Hampshire indicates that Romney, the former governor of neighboring Massachusetts, remains the front-runner, far ahead of his rivals for the GOP nomination.
In Iowa, both Romney and Paul are each up five points among likely caucus goers from a CNN/Time/ORC poll conducted at the start of December. The new survey indicates that Santorum, the former senator from Pennsylvania, is at 16% support, up 11 points from the beginning of the month, with Gingrich at 14%, down from 33% in the previous poll. Since Gingrich's rise late last month and early this month in both national and early voting state surveys, he's come under attack by many of the rival campaigns.
According to the survey, 11% are backing Texas Gov. Rick Perry, 9% are supporting Rep Michele Bachmann, and 1% are backing former Utah Gov. and former ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, who's spending nearly all his time campaigning in New Hampshire.
Santorum is campaigning on a shoestring budget, but he's visited all of Iowa's 99 counties and has made a strong pitch towards social conservative voters, who are very influential here in Iowa on the Republican side. Wednesday Santorum was up with a new radio spot on Hawkeye State airwaves touting endorsements by social conservative leaders. His pitch may be starting to pay off.
"Most of Santorum's gains have come among likely caucus participants who are born-again or evangelical, and he now tops the list among that crucial voting bloc, with support from 22% of born-agains compared to 18% for Paul, 16% for Romney, and 14% for Gingrich," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.
The survey suggests that turnout on January 3 could be crucial in determining who comes out on top in the caucuses.
"Santorum and Paul may benefit from lower turnout, since they have an edge over Romney among likely voters who say that 'nothing at all' would prevent them from attending the caucus," says Holland. "On the other hand, Romney appears to have an edge among those who attended the caucuses four years ago - he did finish in second place in 2008 – and Romney does best among older Iowans."
As a result, the poll suggests it's difficult to predict exactly whose supporters will show up at the caucuses and whose supporters will stay at home.
"Add in the fact that nearly half of Iowa respondents say they are undecided or could change their minds and it looks like Iowa is a wide open contest," adds Holland.
In New Hampshire, the CNN/Time/ORC poll indicates that Romney remains the overwhelming front runner. He's supported by 44% of likely GOP primary voters, up nine points from earlier this month.
Paul is at 17%, with Gingrich at 16%, down ten points from early December. Huntsman, who's hoping for a strong finish in the Granite State, is at 9%, with Santorum at 4%, Bachmann at 3%, and Perry at 2%.
"Iowa and New Hampshire are close together on the electoral calendar, but the two states are different in many significant ways," says Holland. "Born-again voters are less prevalent in New Hampshire, and only a third of New Hampshire likely voters say that moral issues such as abortion or gay marriage will be extremely or very important to their vote; in Iowa. More than half of likely caucus participants say that."
The poll indicates that Romney comes out on top in both states when likely voters are asked to name the GOP candidate who best represents the personal characteristics a president should have, and in both states he has a commanding lead when likely voters are asked which candidate has the best chance to defeat President Barack Obama in November.
But when likely caucus-goers in Iowa are asked to name the candidate who agrees with them the most on major issues, it's Paul who tops the list. And while Romney leads on that question in New Hampshire, it's where he gets his lowest marks from Granite State voters.
Fortunately for Romney, this may not be an issues-driven contest. In Iowa, only 44% say that issues are more important than the candidates' personal qualities; in New Hampshire, only 37% feel that way.
The CNN/Time poll was conducted by ORC International from Dec. 21-24 and Dec. 26-27, with 452 voters who are likely to participate in the Iowa Republican caucuses and 543 who are likely to vote in the New Hampshire Republican primary questioned by telephone. The New Hampshire survey's sampling error is plus or minus four percentage points. The Iowa poll's sampling error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/28/cnn-poll-romney-on-top-gingrich-fading-santorum-rising-in-iowa/?hpt=hp_t1
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I could live w Santorum w/o the neocon stuff. I like his focus on manufacturing.
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I think he might have spent more time in Iowa than any other candidate, but I doubt he gets any traction after Iowa.
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I think he might have spent more time in Iowa than any other candidate, but I doubt he gets any traction after Iowa.
Well, maybe.
There could be a perfect storm of "hate mitt, know newt sucks, and ron paul is too extreme" voters - probably a lot of them - who could settle for a guy like him, if they thuoght he had a viable chance. a win in iowa would give him a lot.
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Gingrich Says Ron Paul Can’t Win Iowa, Calls Him a 'Protest Candidate'
Thursday, 29 Dec 2011
By Jim Meyers
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul appears poised for a strong showing in next week’s Iowa caucuses, but as for his chance of ultimately winning the GOP nomination, rival Newt Gingrich confidently declares: “It won’t happen.”
In an exclusive interview taped for a Newsmax 2012 Campaign Special, the former House speaker dismisses Texas Congressman Paul as a “protest candidate.”
“You have somebody who is for the legalization of drugs, you have somebody who blames America for 9/11, you have somebody who doesn’t think it matters if Iran gets nuclear weapons, and seems totally unwilling to defend Israel, you have somebody who came out for basically the abolition of Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security, and you have somebody who can’t defend and won’t take responsibility for his own newsletters even when they had very negative, very destructive things in them,” Gingrich says.
“Now, I think Ron Paul is terrific as a protest candidate. I mean you have to admire him. He has worked hard. I think he sincerely believes what he is saying and I think a lot of people are initially attracted to him because it sounds pure and it sounds clear but those folks haven’t looked at what he actually stands for.
“I don’t think the Republican Party — and Gary Johnson discovered this, the former governor of New Mexico — is going to nominate somebody who is for legalizing drugs. We’re not going to nominate somebody who thinks that it is okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons and we’re not going to nominate somebody who doesn’t care if Israel is wiped out.
“So I think when you really think about him as president, it’s not going to happen, which doesn’t mean in the short run that [he can’t do well] in a place like Iowa where there is a caucus. He has thousands of young people coming to help him because they want to legalize drugs. Well, that’s their prerogative. In a free society they can be for that and they’ll be formidable in a situation like Iowa.
“But in the long run, in primaries where we have lots of voters, I think the American people are going to repudiate that idea by an overwhelming margin.”
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/gingrich-paul-protest-candidate/2011/12/28/id/422407
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Time to take his lumps.
Huntsman piles on Paul
Posted by
CNN Associate Producer Rebecca Stewart
(CNN) – Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman piled on criticism of Texas Rep. Ron Paul's past Thursday as he continued to hone his focus on New Hampshire with a new web ad.
In the one minute web video, Huntsman questioned Paul's integrity.
As the rest of the 2012 field flocks to Iowa ahead of the Hawkeye State's Jan. 3 caucus, Huntsman remained solely trained on the Granite State's primary held seven days later, where he's been banking on a top finish.
Huntsman's ad targeted Paul, currently ranked second in a new CNN/Time/ORC International poll released Wednesday with 16% support among likely New Hampshire primary voters. Nine percent of likely New Hampshire voters backed Huntsman in the poll, placing him fourth, behind Romney in first and Gingrich in third.
The ad begins with two spliced archival videos of the Texas congressman stating, "I deliver babies for a living but I also do an investment letter…it's called the 'Ron Paul Survival Report' and it covered a lot of what was going on in Washington." The footage of Paul is followed by news coverage of racist and anti-gay statements written in several newsletters also bearing Paul's name.
When controversy over the contents of 1980s and 1990s newsletters written with his moniker reemerged recently, Paul dismissed criticism by asserting that he'd long since disavowed the questionable content and insisting the story was old.
But it wasn't too old for Huntsman, who asked voters at the end of the spot, "Can New Hampshire voters really trust Ron Paul?"
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/29/huntsman-piles-on-paul/
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Santorum said this morning that Paul is from the Dennis Kucinich wing of the Republican Party. Ouch. Now this?
NH paper rips Paul and his supporters
Posted by
CNN's Kevin Liptak
(CNN) - New Hampshire's most influential newspaper took the knives out for Ron Paul Friday, calling the GOP hopeful "dangerous" and labeling his supporters the "lunatic fringe."
Joseph McQuaid, publisher of the Union Leader, lamented that reporters more interested in chasing the latest political developments have largely ignored Paul's views on foreign policy.
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"Those views have been largely overlooked by a news media more interested in the presidential 'horse race' than in the candidates' positions on issues. But we expect New Hampshire primary voters will examine the facts and act accordingly," McQuaid wrote.
The column ticked off several of Paul's views, starting with the stance that suspected terrorists be tried in civilian courts.
"This is nothing short of nuts," McQuaid wrote. "What is needed to competently fight a war, and al-Qaida is indeed at war with us, is the ability to gather information. Telling the enemy that it has a 'right to remain silent' is absurd."
Other positions at issue: Paul's controversial stance on Iran, which has recently come under fire from other candidates on the campaign trail.
"He has repeatedly said that we should allow Iran to continue to develop a nuclear weapon," McQuaid wrote. "This is the same country whose leadership vows death to America, the 'Satanic power,' and who wants Israel wiped from the map."
McQuaid also directed his wrath at Paul's supporters, who he said were far from mainstream.
"Never mind Paul being the favored candidate of the lunatic fringe (see white supremacists, anti-Semites, truthers, etc.)."
Paul's press secretary Jesse Benton released a statement saying the editorial reflected establishment thinking.
"Dr. Paul is fighting for real change and taking on the entire establishment – the neo-conservative foreign policy establishment, the monetary establishment and the big spending establishment in Washington," Benton wrote. "He is bound to take a lot of arrows from supporters of the status quo, but he has broad shoulders and will never stop fighting for what is right."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/30/nh-paper-rips-paul-and-his-his-supporters/
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candidates dont 'swing down'.
ron paul is above them in polls, and they're taking shots. that's good politics.
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He sees blood in the water.
In Strategy Shift, Romney Making Play for Iowa
Published December 30, 2011
FoxNews.com
Dec. 29, 2011: Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign stop at Kinzler Construction in Ames, Iowa.
As the rest of the Republican presidential candidates leap-frog one another in the polls, Mitt Romney has over the last several days watched his numbers quietly rise, lending confidence to his sudden push for a strong finish in the Iowa caucuses.
All along, the former Massachusetts governor's strategy was built around a dominating performance in the first-in-the-nation primary, in New Hampshire. Iowa, a caucus state where he finished a distant second to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in 2008, had not been a priority for Romney -- he skipped the Iowa straw poll in August and until recently had for the most part kept the state off his campaign itinerary.
But while Romney still looks untouchable for the moment in New Hampshire, several recent polls show him narrowly leading in Iowa -- a contest where he is now devoting all his time.
Challenged on whether he really had his heart in the Iowa game Thursday, Romney said he did, noting that he's looking beyond Iowa as well.
"I want to get the support of the people of Iowa, but I also want to make sure that I get the people in New Hampshire and South Carolina and Florida," he said. "I want to make sure that your vote backing me is a vote that leads me to become the nominee."
Romney is making what is arguably his most compelling case to the pragmatic side of Republican primary voters -- poll after poll shows he is better positioned to defeat President Obama. "This is a process not just of putting your name or your hand next to someone who you kind of like," Romney said in Mason City. "It's also selecting who our nominee ought to be, who you think could beat Barack Obama, who you think can get the 1,150 delegates it takes to become our nominee."
A newly released NBC News-Marist poll once again showed Romney with a slight lead in Iowa, pulling 23 percent support. Ron Paul clocked in close behind with 21 percent. In the next tier were Rick Santorum with 15 percent, Rick Perry with 14 percent and Newt Gingrich with 13 percent. The poll of 433 likely caucus-goers had a margin of error of 4.7 percentage points.
A Rasmussen Reports poll the day before showed similar results, and Romney was considered by caucus-goers as the strongest potential GOP opponent to challenge Obama.
Romney, among others, seemingly has benefited from Gingrich's recent slide in the polls, both nationally and in Iowa. A new Gallup poll also showed Romney 4 points ahead of Gingrich nationally.
The results do not necessarily mark a turnaround for Romney. He still has not broken above the 25 percent range in national polls, though for now he has closed the gap with Gingrich. In Iowa, undecided voters could yet change up the race -- the NBC News-Marist poll showed 7 percent of likely voters were still undecided. And Gingrich has dominated polls in the key early states of South Carolina and Florida, though few recent surveys have been conducted and the results of Iowa and New Hampshire could impact the standing of candidates in Florida and South Carolina.
Back-to-back wins for Romney in the first two contests could help assuage concerns of reluctant primary voters who have for the better part of the year courted a string of Romney alternatives.
Romney is making a big push in Iowa in the final days. On Friday, one of his best-known surrogates, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, is hitting the trail in Iowa on Romney's behalf. Christie and Romney were holding a rally Friday morning in Des Moines before branching out across Iowa.
Romney's rivals, however, were working in overdrive to emerge as his chief rival. None went directly after the former Massachusetts governor though. Instead, they kept their focus on each other as all hoped a strong showing here could yield momentum heading into the next contests.
"Don't settle for what's not good enough to save the country," the newly ascendant Santorum implored Iowans on Thursday at city hall in Coralville. He urged voters to put conservative principles above everything else and suggested that his rivals, specifically Paul, lacked them.
For the first time, Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator who lost a bruising 2006 re-election bid, became a target.
"When he talks about fiscal conservatism, every now and then it leaves me scratching my head because he was a prolific earmarker," Perry, the Texas governor, said of Santorum, referring to special spending projects members of Congress seek. "He loaded up his bill with Pennsylvania pork."'
Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota also criticized Santorum on the spending set-asides in a conference call late Thursday with supporters.
"He has a real problem with earmarks," she said.
Santorum defended the practice as part of lawmakers' constitutional role as appropriators, telling CNBC that he owed it to Pennsylvanians to bring money to the state. He said earmarking became abused and that he would support a ban on them if he were president.
The maneuvering underscored the fluid -- if not convoluted -- state of the GOP presidential race as Tuesday's caucuses loom while cultural conservatives and evangelical Republicans, who make up the base of the electorate here, continue to be divided. That lack of unity could pave the way for someone who is seen as less consistently conservative.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/30/in-strategy-shift-romney-making-play-for-iowa/
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Will the Fat Man help him?
Romney Brings in Christie in Iowa Final Push
Friday, 30 Dec 2011
DES MOINES, Iowa - White House hopeful Mitt Romney brought in help from New Jersey on Friday to bolster his prospects for a win in Iowa next week that would put him in the lead in the Republican presidential race.
Romney campaigned alongside tough-talking New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in a final frenzy of candidate appearances before Iowa launches the state-by-state contests to choose the Republican nominee who will face Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 2012 election.
Romney, buoyed by an NBC/Marist poll that showed him leading the field ahead of Tuesday's Iowa caucuses, was upbeat about his chances in the Midwestern state that jilted him for former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee in 2008.
"This feels wonderful," Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, told Reuters as he worked a ropeline of supporters outside a grocery store in West Des Moines. "I tell you, the crowds and the enthusiasm couldn't be more wonderful."
The outcome of the caucuses is by no means certain and polls have been volatile as Iowans deliberate over who to choose and the candidates jockey for position in the final days.
The NBC/Marist poll of likely caucus participants put Romney on top at 23 percent, just ahead of the 21 percent for libertarian Texas Congressman Ron Paul.
Rick Santorum, a social conservative and former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, has seen his prospects improve as influential evangelicals flock to his side. Santorum jumped to third place at 15 percent in the NBC/Marist poll, followed closely by Texas Governor Rick Perry at 14 percent.
The top three or four finishers in Iowa on Tuesday will have momentum heading to New Hampshire on Jan. 10, while the rest will have to make tough decisions about whether to continue.
POWERFUL SURROGATE
Romney brought a powerful surrogate to Iowa in Christie, who is popular with conservatives and might shore up Romney's right wing.
Christie, who has gained a following among Republicans for taking on New Jersey's political establishment, urged a crowd of about 1,000 people to "take nothing for granted" and get out to the caucuses to vote for Romney.
He praised Romney as the best hopes of defeating Obama, who he said has not made good on his 2008 pledge to bring "hope and change" to America.
"Let me tell you, after three years of Obama, we are hopeless and changeless and we need Mitt Romney to bring us back," he said.
Christie told reporters he would not rule out joining Romney as his vice presidential running mate if Romney becomes the Republican nominee.
Former Iowa front-runner Newt Gingrich sank to 13 percent in the NBC/Marist poll. The former House of Representatives speaker, buffeted by negative ads and attacks for weeks, got choked up talking about his mother during a campaign appearance.
Gingrich wiped tears from his eyes in a display of emotion that was reminiscent of Hillary Clinton's teary moment on the Democratic campaign trail in 2008.
At an event aimed at moms, Gingrich lost his composure repeatedly when asked about his own mother, who suffered from depression and bipolar disorder before she died.
"I do policy much easier than I do personal," Gingrich said by way of recovery, to laughter from the crowd.
The candidates took shots at each other and argued they have the conservative policy ideas to help the United States trigger job growth.
"I will send a signal to our country's job creators and to the world that the days of socialist policies are over, that our free market is once again open for business," Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann told supporters in Urbandale.
Romney has shied away from going all-out in Iowa but is hoping the anti-Romney vote is splintered sufficiently among his rivals to allow him to score a victory and give him an aura of inevitability heading to what is essentially home turf for him in New Hampshire.
Some in the crowd at his event with Christie came for the opportunity to hear the New Jersey governor, not Romney.
"I don't want Chris Christie necessarily to run for vice president with Romney, although that would be okay, but he needs to be president, I think, Chris Christie," said John Brown of West Des Moines.
Romney, a multi-millionaire who plays down his wealth by talking about the poor conditions his father experienced, accused Obama of elitism, criticizing the president's vacation in Hawaii and likening his stewardship of the U.S. economy to 18th century French queen Marie Antoinette, who famously declared of the peasants "Let them eat cake."
Romney seized on comments Obama has made that the U.S. economy would be even weaker if stimulus measures he pushed through Congress had not been enacted.
"The other day President Obama said it could be worse, can you imagine hearing that from a pessimistic president? 'It could be worse.' That goes down with Marie Antoinette 'Let them eat cake'," Romney said.
"He just finished his 90th round of golf. We've got 25 million Americans that are out of work or stopped looking for work or underemployed."
The Democratic National Committee said Romney's own personal wealth undermined his message.
"It is actually laughable that the "Quarter-Billion-Dollar Man" would call President Obama out of touch - and use the example of a French monarch to make the point," said DNC spokeswoman Melanie Roussell.
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/RomneyBringsinChristieinIowaFinalPush/2011/12/30/id/422651
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He sees blood in the water.
In Strategy Shift, Romney Making Play for Iowa
Published December 30, 2011
FoxNews.com
LOLZERS....
BB, I've been saying it for weeks - Romney is putting resources into Iowa cause he suddenly believes he can win it.
Then, you start to believe it when FOX finally says it. Sheesh.
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LOLZERS....
BB, I've been saying it for weeks - Romney is putting resources into Iowa cause he suddenly believes he can win it.
Then, you start to believe it when FOX finally says it. Sheesh.
Says the 911 Troofer. lol Do you ever tell the truth? I mean at least one in a week? lol
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I guess he'll be endorsing Romney again in 2012.
Santorum Endorsed Romney in 2008
Saturday, 31 Dec 2011
By Newsmax staff
Hard to believe it, but Rick Santorum strongly endorsed Mitt Romney for President in 2008.
The former Pennsylvania Senator is rising in Iowa polls as one of the conservative alternatives to the moderate former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney.
But now internet blogs are making a hay out of the fact that Santorum offered high praise for Romney as a true conservative when he battled in the 2008 GOP presidential race against other rivals, including Mike Huckabee and John McCain.
Soon after Romney lost the Florida primary in February 2008, Santorum told radio host Laura Ingraham he was endorsing Romney.
Santorum told Ingraham that Romney is “"a guy who has gone through that pressure cooker, who has developed a passion, who understands why he's a conservative and understands the issues, how they weave together."
Santorum added that conservatives are "about traditional values and a traditional way of American life" and that Mitt Romney "understands that, it's not just in his head anymore, it's in his heart."
This year Santorum, a presidential candidate and Romney rival, has said his 2008 endorsement was motivated more by politics than conservative beliefs.
"I made, I hate to say it, a calculated political decision that Romney was the stronger horse and had a better chance to win Super Tuesday with the resources he had," Santorum said. "I like him. The time I spent with him, he was a gentleman. He's very sincere."
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/SantorumEndorsedRomneyin2008/2011/12/31/id/422676
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No endorsement from the "kingmaker," but sounds like he likes Bachmann.
No endorsement from Rep. King
Posted by
CNN Producer Gabriella Schwarz
Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - Iowa Republican kingmaker Rep. Steve King once again declined to make an endorsement ahead of his state's Tuesday caucuses, but he did handicap the 2012 race.
The five-term congressman, who represents a heavily Republican district in Northwest Iowa, told CNN's Soledad O'Brien Monday that the perfect GOP candidate would have traits from each of the current contenders competing in the Hawkeye State.
- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
"We don't have a perfect candidate," King said Monday on CNN's "Starting Point." "We could make a perfect candidate out of the candidates that are there … it isn't all embodied in one."
He praised Mitt Romney's executive experience, Newt Gingrich's understanding of government, Ron Paul's support for the constitution and Rick Santorum's family values. King also praised fellow representative and friend Michele Bachmann, who he said "checks all of the boxes for me."
"She gets all of these pieces right," King said, before adding that "the traction in the campaign is harder, and that's kind of where it stands."
But he is still holding out on endorsement.
"It would have been really nice to have had that epiphany and made that endorsement," King said. "It has to be a conviction. Until then, I'm not able to do that."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/02/no-endorsement-from-rep-king/
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Heard the Iowa governor talking about Huntsman yesterday. Said he personally met with Huntsman and urged him to not to ignore Iowa. Huntsman decided not to participate. The governor said "he's toast." lol
Huntsman: Iowa Winnows, NH Proves Electability
Sunday, 01 Jan 2012
DERRY, N.H. — Campaigning alone in New Hampshire, Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman says Iowa plays an important role in winnowing the field, but it will be New Hampshire that sends a message about which candidate is most electable.
The former Utah governor is skipping Tuesday's Iowa caucuses and has been focused only on New Hampshire, while other candidates are mostly focused on Iowa. New Hampshire holds the first primary Jan. 10.
After a town hall meeting in Derry Sunday, Huntsman told reporters that Iowa plays an important role in narrowing the field, and that Rick Santorum's recent rise there shows that traditional grassroots campaigning is still important. But he said it will be New Hampshire that sets the standard going forward.
Huntsman, has been making modest gains there, chose a more politically correct in assessing the contests today than he did last week, when he said, "They pick corn in Iowa. They pick presidents in New Hampshire."
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Huntsman/2012/01/01/id/422721
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Just a tad more humble since he said he would be the nominee several weeks ago.
Gingrich: 'I Don't Think I'm Going to Win' Iowa
Published January 02, 2012
Associated Press
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa – Newt Gingrich says he doesn't expect to win Tuesday's Iowa caucuses after being battered by millions of dollars in negative ads.
Gingrich told reporters Monday that the "volume of negativity" by his rivals and their allies had done its damage. He then went on to say: "I don't think I'm going to win."
But Gingrich said he would do well enough to continue on to the coming contests in New Hampshire and South Carolina. And he said it was "a victory that I'm still standing."
The former House speaker spoke after a campaign event with farmers in Independence, Iowa.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/02/gingrich-dont-think-im-going-to-win-iowa/
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I guess he'll be endorsing Romney again in 2012.
santorum said it was romney or mccain at that point, so he went with romney.
golly, I dont understand repubs who scream about how much they love the constitution then continually choose rinos. makes no sense.
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Does anyone on here actually really research the past of some of these candidates. I mean, Santorum...really look him up, hes a total fuck up.
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Does anyone on here actually really research the past of some of these candidates. I mean, Santorum...really look him up, hes a total fuck up.
but he promises to send women who have abortion to the streets of tehran to fight an enemy who hasn't attacked us.
I think he's the man for the job.
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McCain to endorse Romney
Posted by
CNN Chief National Correspondent John King
(CNN) – Sen. John McCain of Arizona will throw his support behind Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Wednesday, a senior Republican source close to the senator said.
The 2008 Republican presidential nominee will travel to New Hampshire to make the endorsement.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/04/breaking-mccain-to-endorse-romney/?hpt=hp_t2
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Some observations on Iowa:
- Romney's win, though not a predictor, is impressive for him given the fact he only spent 18 days in Iowa and Iowa is full of social conservatives who don't really trust him.
- Iowa dodged a bullet by the slimmest of margins. Santorum (or Paul) winning would have effectively doomed their chances of holding the first caucus next cycle. I don't think Santorum has a snowball's chance. What his placing shows is grassroots campaigning is still effective. He went to every county.
- Paul had a respectable showing. He is actually better off not winning Iowa when you look at Iowa's history of predicting the nominee. Still, it's all down hill (numbers wise) for him. He's not going to win NH, or SC, or FL, and those three states will probably decide the nominee.
- Newt is still in this. If he wins SC he could also win FL.
- Perry was probably going to quit if Bachmann hadn't dropped out. I doubt he will be the nominee, but he's not entirely out of it yet.
- Bachmann did the right thing by dropping out. If she couldn't get any traction in her own backyard, she has no business being in the race. Too bad, because I really like her.
- Huntsman is a fool for skipping Iowa. He should quit.
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Poll: Romney remains way ahead in New Hampshire
Posted by
CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser
Manchester, New Hampshire (CNN) - Five days before the Granite State's first-in-the-nation primary, a new survey indicates that Mitt Romney remains the overwhelming front-runner.
According to a Suffolk University/7 News two day tracking poll, the former governor of neighboring Massachusetts has the support of 48% of likely Republican New Hampshire primary voters. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas is a distant second, at 18%.
- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
The survey, released Thursday morning, was conducted Tuesday and Wednesday, meaning that about half of the people were questioned after Tuesday night's Iowa caucuses, where Romney edged out former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania by 8 votes to won the contest.
The poll indicates that Santorum is at 8%, with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Utah Gov. and former ambassador to China Jon Huntsman at 7%. According to the survey, a rather large 17% are undecided.
Romney has been the frontrunner in New Hampshire polling for over two years. He is well know in the Granite State, thanks to his years as Massachusetts governor (most of the more populated southern part of the state is in the Boston media market). Romney also owns a vacation home in New Hampshire, and besides spending lots of time in the state campaigning for the White House over the last year and in the past presidential cycle, he's also made many stops in the state stumping for fellow Republican candidates.
The Suffolk University/7 News poll was conducted by telephone, with 500 likely New Hampshire Republican primary voters questioned. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 4.4% points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/05/poll-romney-remains-way-ahead-in-new-hampshire/
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Sounds similar to what Huck did in 08 in Iowa and SC.
Rasmussen: Santorum Surges to 2nd in SC
Friday, 06 Jan 2012
Rick Santorum's surge continues, even in the up-for-grabs primary state of South Carolina where he is now in second place behind front-runner Mitt Romney, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports poll.
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is still in the lead, earning 27 percent support from likely GOP primary voters, up from 23 percent in early November. Santorum is at a close 24 percent of the vote. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is in third with 18 percent of the vote, followed by Texas Congressman Ron Paul at 11 percent.
Bringing up the rear are Texas Governor Rick Perry with five percent percent and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman at 2 percent. Some 11 remain undecided.
In the first Rasmussen Reports survey of the South Carolina Republican Primary race in November, Georgia businessman Herman Cain came in first with 33 percent support, followed by Romney and Gingrich. Cain has since dropped out of the race.
The latest findings from South Carolina parallel the voting sentiments of Republicans nationally following the Iowa caucuses, with Romney out front with 29 percent support. Santorum, after his photo-finish with Romney in Tuesday’s caucuses, runs second at 21 percent, with Gingrich in third with 16 percent of the vote.
The January 21 primary in South Carolina is especially critical for Santorum who has largely written off next Tuesday’s first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary and is counting on the conservative, evangelical vote in the southern state to build the momentum for his candidacy.
Things remain fluid in South Carolina, however, with nearly half the state’s primary voters 48 percent saying they still could change their minds. Just 41 percent are certain already of how they will vote. Those certain of their vote include 62 percent of Paul’s supporters, 51 percent of Perry’s backers, 50 percent of Romney voters. Just 43 percent of Santorum voters and 36 percent of Gingrich supporters are locked in at this point.
In 2008, during the final week leading up to the South Carolina primary, voters for less successful candidates peeled away from their first choice to vote for one of the two front-runners. In that race, it was the eventual nominee John McCain and the second place finisher Mike Huckabee.
It’s important to note, too, that 66% of all likely Republican primary voters in South Carolina, regardless of whom they want to win, think Romney will ultimately win the party’s presidential nomination.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/santorum-romney-poll-second/2012/01/06/id/423288
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Will be interesting to see if this changes after the weekend debates.
GOP rivals gear up for weekend debates
By David Ariosto, CNN
updated 4:01 PM EST, Sat January 7, 2012
(CNN) -- As the field of GOP nominees for president narrows, the remaining crop of those seeking to replace Barack Obama geared up Saturday for a pair of pivotal weekend debates in New Hampshire, just days ahead of the nation's first primary.
Front-runner Mitt Romney, who eked out a narrow eight-vote victory ahead of former Sen. Rick Santorum in the Iowa caucus, has since surged past his competition in the Granite State.
A NBC News/Marist poll has the former Massachusetts governor commanding a robust lead with 42% of the vote.
Rep. Ron Paul, an outspoken libertarian from Texas, is a distant second, tallying about 22%, according to the Saturday poll.
"Mitt Romney's the overwhelming front-runner here in New Hampshire, so of course expect him to have a bull's eye on his back," said CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser. "The two-time presidential candidate is used to being on the receiving end of attacks from his GOP rivals. But this will be the first debate where Rick Santorum isn't an afterthought standing at the far edge of the stage."
The former Pennsylvania senator has enjoyed a recent surge in campaign funding following his strong showing in Iowa and has benefited from a bump in New Hampshire support.
Still, he trails in the third spot.
Santorum's recent rise will likely force Romney to share some of the spotlight as single-digit candidates like Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who once led in the polls, take aim in a much-anticipated sparring match Saturday.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, meanwhile, has watched his numbers decline since late December and will be counting on a break-out performance to stay relevant as the Republican field begins to take shape.
Ex-Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has also staked out his claim in New Hampshire. But despite devoting the bulk of his campaign resources there, he continues to hover around 9%.
Tuesday's primary is widely thought to be a make-or-break moment for Huntsman, a former ambassador to China, who is counting on a strong showing to continue campaigning nationally.
Just 10 hours will separate the two debates this weekend; a one-two punch that will afford voters their last chances to weigh their choices ahead of decision day next week.
ABC News is scheduled to broadcast Saturday's event -- the first debate after more than three weeks of campaigning -- from Saint Anselm College at 9 p.m. ET.
Sunday's debate is set for 9 a.m. ET and is co-sponsored by NBC's Meet the Press and Facebook.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/07/politics/new-hampshire-debates/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
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January 7, 2012, 1:53 PM
Romney Showcases Endorsement by Ex-Ambassadors to Vatican
By MICHAEL D. SHEAR
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Five former ambassadors to the Vatican endorsed Mitt Romney on Saturday, choosing a Mormon over two Roman Catholic rivals in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
In a statement showcased by Mr. Romney’s campaign, the ambassadors said they “are united in our wholehearted support for the candidacy of Mitt
Romney for the Presidency of the United States because of his commitment to and support of the values that we feel are critical in a national leader.”
Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum are both Catholics and often talk about their religion and values on the campaign trail.
The endorsements could also help blunt any under-the-radar attacks by religious conservatives who oppose Mr. Romney because of his religion. Last year, some evangelical leaders called Mormonism a cult.
That might be especially helpful to Mr. Romney in South Carolina, even though it has only a small number of Catholics. Religious conservatives there have traditionally played a large role in the primary where tough, negative campaigning is the norm.
In the statement, the ambassadors cited what they said was Mr. Romney’s commitment to “traditional values” and said that because of his “outstanding record in defense of marriage and the family, we are confident that he understands the importance of strong families as pillars of a vibrant economy and a flourishing polity.”
According to the statement, the ambassadors are:
Thomas Patrick Melady (U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See 1989-1993)
Raymond L. Flynn (U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See 1993-1997)
James Nicholson (U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See 2001-2005)
Francis Rooney (U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See 2005-2008)
Mary Ann Glendon (U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See 2008-2009)
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/07/holy-see-ambassadors-endorse-romney/?partner=rss&emc=rss
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Romney opening up very strong tonight.
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Romney and Huntsman are both looking good tonight.
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Some comments on the NH debate:
Perry improved a lot again . . . until his comments about Iraq. I agree Obama's Iraq decisions were politically motivated and he's a terrible CIC, but saying you'll send troops back into Iraq? That was one of the dumbest things he has said in these debates.
Santorum did a decent job. He handles the issues well. I still don't think he has any shot to get the nomination.
Ron Paul was pretty average overall. He was called out for calling Santorum corrupt. Did not handle that issue well. He didn't answer the question about the newsletters and went off on some tangent about minorities and drugs. Really incoherent. His attacks on Newt based on his lack of military service were pretty Bush League IMO. He doesn't do dirty politics very well.
Romney was solid as usual. Great answer regarding contraception. Knocked that out of the park. Friggin stupid question. Overall he still presents himself as someone who will do a great job against Obama.
Newt was very good again. Fortunately for him, they didn't ask about Freddic Mac/Fannie Mae. Great answer on the homosexual marriage issue, denial of benefits, etc. Showed great composure.
Huntsman was good. He brings a lot to the table. Was not impressed with him speaking Chinese. That was one of those "I'm smarter than you" moments. Fail.
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If he wins those three it's over.
Polls: Romney Maintains Leads in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida
Monday, 09 Jan 2012
Mitt Romney has a 12-point lead over closest rival Newt Gingrich in Florida three weeks before the state's Republican presidential primary, but more than half of likely voters still might change their minds, according to a poll released on Monday.
The poll came as all signs point to a Romney victory in New Hampshire, where the candidate holds about a 15-point lead over his closest rival, Rep. Ron Paul.
And in South Carolina, where conservatives Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, and Rick Perry are looking to tap into a strongly conservative, evangelical base, the former Massachusetts governor is 10 points ahead of his closest rival, Santorum. Romney has 31 percent of likely voters, compared with Santorum's 20 percent, according to RealClearPolitics' average of leading polls.
There are signs, though, that Romney's once-formidable lead appears to be slipping a bit in New Hampshire. In the latest release of the 7 News/Suffolk University tracking poll of likely voters, 33 percent said they planned to vote for or leaned toward Romney. In the previous poll, released Wednesday, Romney was the choice of 43 percent, and his support has been decreasing steadily since then.
In South Carolina, a splintered conservative base is dividing its support among several of Romney's rivals going into the Jan. 21 contest. The former venture capitalist's business savvy is resonating so far with voters in a state with almost 10 percent unemployment, according to recent public polls, internal campaign polling, and Associated Press interviews with South Carolina GOP operatives.
A victory Tuesday in New Hampshire would mean that Romney heads into the first Southern contest with momentum from back-to-back successes in the Midwest and Northeast. But the race is certain to get nasty, quickly, in a state known for brass-knuckled politics.
"Everyone is going to throw everything they've got at him," said Romney's senior South Carolina adviser, Warren Tompkins. "Because South Carolina is Armageddon for the rest of them."
South Carolina may offer the last chance for a single conservative challenger to Romney to emerge. Also, independent groups, or super political action committees, that are aligned with his rivals and can raise unlimited money probably will be active. The goal is to derail Romney before the make-or-break Florida primary Jan. 31.
The Quinnipiac University poll of Floridians released Monday showed Romney with 36 percent, former House Speaker Gingrich with 24 percent, and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum with 16 percent. Paul had 10 percent, Texas Gov. Rick Perry had 5 percent, and former U.S. Ambassador to China John Huntsman had 2 percent.
But 54 percent of respondents said they might change their minds before Florida convenes its Republican presidential primary election on Jan. 31. Results from New Hampshire, which votes on Tuesday, and South Carolina, which votes on Jan. 21, could shake thing up in Florida, the Quinnipiac pollsters cautioned.
"With more than half of voters saying they might change their minds and more than 50 percent of them backing candidates perceived as more conservative, Romney could be vulnerable if those voters settle on one candidate," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
Romney is the best-liked candidate among Florida likely Republican voters, with a 73-14 percent favorability rating.
Among Florida respondents who described themselves as tea party members, Romney and Gingrich tied with 32 percent each, followed by Santorum with 19 percent, Paul with 7 percent and Perry with 4 percent.
The race is closer among white evangelical Christians. Romney gets 28 percent to Gingrich's 26 percent, with 20 percent for Santorum, the poll showed.
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/romney-gingrich-santorum-florida/2012/01/09/id/423492
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RCP average as of today:
Romney - 26%
Santorum - 17%
Gingrich - 16%
Paul - 11.7%
Perry - 5.3%
Huntsman - 3%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
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Rasmussen Poll: Romney Is Only Republican Who Can Beat Obama
Monday, 09 Jan 2012
By Newsmax Wires
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is the only Republican presidential contenders most voters view as having a chance to defeat President Barack Obama.
A new Rasmussen Reports survey released today found that 53 percent of likely U.S. voters believe that Romney is at least somewhat likely to beat Obama in November, while 38 percent say that is unlikely.
Broken down, the findings of the Jan. 5-6 survey of 1,000 likely voters show that 26 percent say Romney is very likely to win, vs. just 11 percent who say he is not at all likely to defeat Obama.
Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, who has moved into second place among Republican voters nationally, Rasmussen notes, now also is viewed by all voters nationwide as the second-strongest potential challenger to Obama. Just over 40 percent think Santorum is at least somewhat likely to defeat the president, but 50 percent say that’s unlikely. This includes 14 percent who see a Santorum win as very likely, compared with 23 percent who say that is not at all likely to occur, the survey found.
Meanwhile, 34 percent of voters feel that Republicans’ current third-place choice, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, is likely to beat the president, with 13 percent who feel it is very likely. But 60 percent say a Gingrich victory is unlikely, including 29 percent who think it’s not at all likely, according to the Rasmussen poll.
Even more voters see a win by Texas Rep. Ron Paul or former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman as unlikely.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Rasmussen-Romney-Obama-Republican/2012/01/09/id/423497
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The candidates are really destroying themselves with these attacks on Romney's Bain Capital past. Its backfiring on them in a big way. I think they probably thought to themselves that since Romney got away with some cinical attacks on Perry's conservative Social Security stance, then they could get away with cynical attacks on Romney's conservative position of "Creative Destruction" in capitalism.
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The candidates are really destroying themselves with these attacks on Romney's Bain Capital past. Its backfiring on them in a big way. I think they probably thought to themselves that since Romney got away with some cinical attacks on Perry's conservative Social Security stance, then they could get away with cynical attacks on Romney's conservative position of "Creative Destruction" in capitalism.
Newt and Perry were jerkoffs for what they did.
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After Romney's 16 point win in NH, here is how things currently stand in SC:
Romney - 31.3%
Santorum - 20.7%
Gingrich - 19.7%
Paul - 10.7%
Perry - 5.0%
Huntsman - 2.3%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/sc/south_carolina_republican_presidential_primary-1590.html
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Someone interesting things from the NH exit polls. Shows that Huntsman and Paul performed so well in part because Democrats and those who like Obama voted for them. Neither one had a lot of Republican support. For example, here is the breakdown of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who supported the top three:
Huntsman: Democrats 40%, Republicans 10%, Independents 22%
Paul: Democrats 25%, Republicans 15%, Independents 31%
Romney: Democrats 14%, Republicans 49%, Independents 30%
This one aspect is pretty telling. Of those who are satisfied, dissatisfied, or angry with Obama, here is how they voted:
Satisfied with Obama: Huntsman 40%, Paul 32%, Romney 21%
Dissatisfied with Obama: Huntsman 16%, Paul 23%, Romney 44%
Angry with Obama: Huntsman 7%, Paul 18%, Romney 46%
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/epolls/nh
There is a lot more, but pretty interesting stuff. If you look at the trends they show neither Huntsman nor Paul will likely repeat their NH performance in states like SC and FL.
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John Bolton endorses Romney
Posted by CNN Senior Producer Kevin Bohn
(CNN) – John Bolton, the former U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations, endorsed presidential candidate Mitt Romney Wednesday.
Bolton made the endorsement on Fox News Channel, where he is a paid contributor.
“I followed the way that the William F. Buckley, Jr. test: find the most conservative candidate capable of getting elected, and there are obviously two variables there,” Bolton said on Fox News’ “On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren.”
“In the words of the old song ‘Give Me That Old Time Religion,’ Romney is conservative enough and I think that’s critical.”
Bolton served in the administrations of former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush before former President George W. Bush appointed him the U.N. role.
Bolton endorsed Sen. John McCain's presidential bid in February 2008, and briefly flirted with a presidential run for himself in 2011.
Bolton's endorsement of Romney was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/11/john-bolton-to-endorse-romney/
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Romney back on top in new CNN national poll
Posted by
CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser
Washington (CNN) - It's amazing what back to back wins can do for your poll numbers.
One-time Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney is back on top in the race for the GOP nomination, according to a new national survey.
See full results (pdf)
- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
A CNN/ORC International poll, conducted on Wednesday and Thursday after the New Hampshire primary, also indicates that the former Massachusetts governor's support nearly doubles in hypothetical one-on-one match-ups against his strongest rivals.
According to the survey, 34% of Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP say they're likely to support the former Massachusetts governor for the nomination, with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 18%, and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania each at 15%. Texas Gov. Rick Perry stands at 9% in the poll, with former Utah Gov. and former ambassador to China Jon Huntsman at 4%.
Romney and Gingrich were tied at 28% support in CNN's last national survey, which was conducted in mid-December, before Romney's narrow victory in last week's Iowa caucuses and his big win Tuesday night in the New Hampshire primary. Romney became the first non-incumbent to win Iowa and New Hampshire back to back.
Gingrich finished out of the money in Iowa and New Hampshire. Romney edged up six points while Gingrich dropped ten points since the last poll. Paul, who came in third in Iowa and a strong second in New Hampshire, has inched up a point, while Santorum, who lost to Romney by just eight votes in Iowa before coming in fifth in New Hampshire, is up 11 points.
"Romney's increased support has come entirely from conservative Republicans, and mostly at Gingrich's expense. Romney has actually lost support among moderate Republicans," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "And most of Romney's newfound strength has come among higher-income categories - he has gained only three points among GOPers with less than $50,000 but 11 points among those who make more than that amount."
The poll also looks at hypothetical two-man matchups for the GOP nomination, with Romney leading Gingrich 59-37%, beating Santorum 60%-37%, and topping Paul 67-31%.
But Romney is certainly not unstoppable. Only 37% say they definitely will support the candidate they are currently backing, with 56 percent saying they might change their mind.
And the poll indicates Romney has some weaknesses.
Paul, for example, is a little bit ahead of him when Republicans are asked which candidate cares most about people. Gingrich tops Romney when Republicans are asked to name the candidate who is most qualified to be Commander-in-Chief.
But Romney continues to have one ace up his sleeve - electability. Seven in ten Republicans say that they prefer a candidate who can beat Obama to one who agrees with them on every issue, and 55% believe that Romney has the best chance of defeating Obama in the general election.
"That's the biggest advantage of winning a race, such as Iowa or New Hampshire. Candidates who have won something look like winners; candidates who lost look like losers," says Holland. "Iowa and New Hampshire are probably a major reason why the number of Republicans who think Romney can beat Obama rose by 19 points since December while the number who think Gingrich has the best chance in November dropped by nearly two-thirds in that time."
The poll was conducted for CNN by ORC International, with 1,021 adult Americans, including 449 Republicans and independents who lean Republican, questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/13/romney-back-on-top-in-new-cnn-national-poll/?hpt=hp_t2
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Romney's Newest Heavy Weight Hitter
by Nicole Busch | January 14, 2012
Mitt Romney's newest foreign policy surrogate didn't waste any time before going on the attack.
Last night, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton made a fierce debut by Romney's side, delivering some of the harshest criticisms of President Obama's foreign policy to date.
"He's not only the most radical president in history domestically; he is the first president, republican or democrat, at least since Franklin Roosevelt, who didn't get up every morning thinking first about what threats the united states faces. he just doesn't care about national security the way other presidents did, " Bolton told the audience at a veterans rally in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
The American people are looking for a president "who doesn't believe that the role of America in the world is to be a well-bred doormat," Bolton said.
He also stripped the president of any credit for the killing of Usama Bin Laden.
"It's because navy seal team 6 killed Usama bin laden. that's his definition of success. as somebody pointed out, in 1969 when Americans landed on the moon, it's like Richard Nixon taking for credit for that, because it happened to occur during his presidency," he said.
Sharing the stage with Bolton and Romney were senator John McCain and South Carolina governor Nikki Haley.
McCain opened with a few recycled jokes from his 2008 campaign, but drew big laughs nonetheless when honoring the "geezers" for their service. he told the 900-plus crowd he "slept like a baby" after he lost the election nearly four years ago to President Obama.
"Sleep two hours, wake up and cry. sleep two hours, wake up and cry," McCain joked.
Then McCain delivered a one-two punch. He defended Romney against an onslaught of attacks this week from his GOP rivals who are labeling him a job killer for his years at Bain capital, and laid a glove on Obama for his investment in Solyndra.
"Staples was started by Mitt Romney and others, $5 million and a warehouse," McCain said. Then, stealing material from Romney's stump speech, he contrasted that with the government's investment in the solar panel maker. "they [Solyndra] didn't start in a warehouse. they started in some beautiful glass palace with $500 million of your tax dollars," McCain said.
In defense of Romney's jobs record, McCain said "yes, there were some jobs lost, but overall it's what the free enterprise system is all about and jobs and business were created all over this country by Mitt Romney."
Meanwhile, former speaker of the house Newt Gingrich renewed his calls for Romney to reveal documentation of the 100,000 plus jobs he claims were created by Bain. Last night Gingrich said, "my only challenge to the governor is, show us. if you got some data, put it up."
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2012/01/14/romneys-newest-heavy-weight-hitter
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Christian conservative leaders vote to support Santorum
Posted by
CNN's Kevin Liptak
(CNN) - A meeting of Christian conservative leaders resulted in the group backing GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins announced Saturday.
The group heard pitches from surrogates for Republican candidates on Friday, and voted to support Santorum after voting on Saturday.
"After three rounds of balloting this morning, and vigorous and passionate discussion, there emerged a strong consensus around Rick Santorum as the preferred candidate for this group," Perkins said on a conference call Saturday.
The group of conservative leaders was meeting at a Texas ranch to discuss the 2012 race, although ahead of the meeting it appeared unlikely the gathering would come to an agreement on backing a particular candidate.
Well-known evangelicals flocked to the event, including Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, Perkins, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference president Rev. Samuel Rodriguez and former presidential candidate Gary Bauer. Members of the media were barred from attending.
Perkins expressed surprise the group was able to come to a consensus, but said what resulted would be a stronger chance of beating President Barack Obama.
"I will have to admit what I did not think was possible appears to be possible," Perkins said.
Representatives winnowed the field to two candidates: Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The final balloting gave 85 votes to Santorum and 29 to Gingrich.
One of the requirements for attending the meeting was a willingness to support the candidate that emerged as the winner. At least one attendee, American Family Association founder Don Wildmon, has publically endorsed Gingrich.
"There is a hope and expectation that those that are represented here, and their constituencies, that it will have an impact," Perkins said.
The individual organizations represented at the meeting will not coordinate in their efforts to back Santorum, Perkins said.
"It will manifest itself in many different ways," he said.
Perkins said discussion of frontrunner Mitt Romney's Mormon religion did not play a significant role in the weekend's discussion, and that the Romney team sent a surrogate to speak to the conservative leaders.
"This was not a bash-Mitt Romney weekend, it was focused on the positive," Perkins said. "It's not news that there is not strong support among conservatives for Mitt Romney, and that was reflected here."
Perkins dismissed concerns that the meeting happened too late the GOP race to have an impact, with Romney already having won the first two contests in Iowa and New Hampshire. A CNN/ORC International poll released Friday showed Romney's lead growing over the rest of the field.
"The race is far from being decided," Perkins said. "South Carolina [which votes next Saturday] is a state that is more reflective of conservative voters. So this is good time to see movement toward a particular candidate for conservatives."
In a statement Saturday, Gingrich campaign spokesman R.C. Hammond said the announcement was only an indication of who evangelical voters did not want in office.
"Conservative evangelical leaders spoke very clearly today that Mitt Romney will not be the nominee," Hammond said. "It is encouraging for the Republican Party to have two choices in Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum. It is also encouraging that public opinion polls show South Carolina conservatives consolidating their support behind Newt Gingrich just a week before the all important First in the South Primary."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/14/christian-conservative-leaders-vote-to-back-santorum/
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S.C. predictions: If Romney wins, he's the nominee
Posted by CNN Producer Gabriella Schwarz
(CNN) – Two influential conservative politicians in South Carolina predicted Sunday that Mitt Romney will effectively wrap up the Republican presidential nomination if he wins the upcoming Palmetto State primary.
Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. Tim Scott, both Republicans, told NBC's "Meet the Press" that a Romney victory in South Carolina on January 21 would end the suspense after the former Massachusetts governor won the first two contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.
"If for some reason he's not derailed here and Mitt Romney wins South Carolina, no one's ever won all three, I think it should be over," Graham said. "That would be quite a testament to his ability as a candidate and a campaigner."
On the same program, Scott said: "If Romney wins South Carolina, I think the game is over."
The comments followed a meeting of influential Christian conservative leaders over the weekend that resulted in an endorsement of former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in an effort to prevent a split among voters on the religious right.
Scott, who won his 2010 election with heavy backing from the tea party movement, said the impact of the evangelical vote - a typically large voting bloc in conservative South Carolina - will be "huge" on Saturday. However, he added that Romney will benefit if evangelical Christian voters are divided between Santorum, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, as polls have indicated.
"It's hard to find a single candidate that rallies all of the Christian voters in South Carolina and therefore that splintered approach will probably have a major impact in the state's primary," Scott said.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/15/s-c-predictions-if-romney-wins-hes-the-nominee/
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I think he's up in Florida too? He will wrap this up if he wins both.
Reuters Poll: Romney Opens Up 21-Pt. Lead in SC
Sunday, 15 Jan 2012
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has opened a wide lead over his rivals in the South Carolina primary election race, trouncing Newt Gingrich and gaining momentum in his march toward the party's nomination, a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, could all but quash his rivals' presidential aspirations with a victory in South Carolina on January 21 after winning the first state-by-state nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Voters in South Carolina - who have favored Republicans in nine of the last 10 presidential elections - appear to have shrugged off attacks on Romney by rivals who accuse him of killing jobs as a private equity executive for Bain Capital in the 1990s.
The poll showed 37 percent of South Carolina Republican voters back Romney. Congressman Ron Paul and former Senator Rick Santorum tied for second place with 16 percent support.
Gingrich, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, has fallen far back after holding a strong lead in South Carolina in December. He was in fourth place at 12 percent in the Reuters/Ipsos poll.
"In primary races things can change quickly but it does look like Romney is in position to win South Carolina, and if he wins ... that's sort of the end of the road for most of his challengers," Ipsos pollster Chris Jackson said.
. . .
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/romney-leads-poll-gingrich/2012/01/15/id/424221
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Rick Perry Still Doesn't Know Which Agencies He'd Eliminate
Perry flubbed his three departments once again, NBC's Carrie Dann reports. During a radio interview this morning, he was asked which federal departments he would shut down. Perry listed: "Three right off the bat: Commerce, Interior, and Energy are the three that you think of." Problem: Those are NOT the three he had previously not been able to name. He swapped Interior for Education. He has not previously said he would eliminate Interior.
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Perry has the right ideas and instincts, and I would vote for him, but he is not polished enough.
BTW. - F U C K Obama
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Perry has the right ideas and instincts, and I would vote for him, but he is not polished enough.
Disagree. Perry doesn't know what his ideas are. He can repeat the policy 'blurbs' that his staffers write for him.
He's a cheerleader, a salesman, a great face for a conservative state. but he's in over his head. Nothing to do with polish - he has plaenty of that when he's on his game talking about the stuff he knows. He could ramble about 9 mm vs 45, and probably speak coherently for hours on the topic with great points.
But the departments he is willing to cut - he doesn't udnerstand what they are and how they work.
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SC as of today. Someone will get a small bump after Huntsman's withdrawal is factored in.
Romney: 29.7%
Gingrich: 22.0%
Paul: 15.0%
Santorum: 14.3%
Perry: 5.7%
Huntsman: 5.3%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/sc/south_carolina_republican_presidential_primary-1590.html
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Florida as of today.
Romney: 37.&%
Gingrich: 22.7%
Santorum: 16.0%
Paul: 8.7%
Huntsman: 3.5%
Perry: 3.5%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/fl/florida_republican_presidential_primary-1597.html
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CNN/Time Poll: Race for South Carolina tightening
Posted by
CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser
Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) - With three days to go until the first-in-the south primary, Mitt Romney remains in the lead in the Palmetto State, but according to a new poll, his advantage over Newt Gingrich is rapidly shrinking.
A CNN/Time/ORC International poll indicates that 33% of likely South Carolina Republican primary voters say they are backing Romney, with 23% supporting Gingrich. The former Massachusetts governor's 10 point advantage over the former House speaker is down from a 19 point lead two weeks ago. According to the survey, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania is at 16%, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas is at 13%, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry stands at 6%.
See full results (pdf)
Tune in Thursday at 8 p.m. ET for the CNN/Southern Republican Presidential Debate hosted by John King and follow it on Twitter at #CNNDebate. For real-time coverage of the South Carolina primary, go to CNNPolitics.com or to the CNN apps or CNN mobile web site.
- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
The survey was released Wednesday, on the eve of a CNN-Southern Republican presidential debate, the final showdown for the candidates before Saturday's primary, the third contest in the primary and caucus calendar. And the poll came on the same day that Romney and his campaign appeared to step up their attacks on Gingrich.
"Gingrich appears to be the only candidate with momentum as the race in South Carolina enters the final few days," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Support for Romney and Santorum appears to be slipping, and Paul and Perry seem flat. Gingrich, however, has gained ground and cut Romney's lead in half since early January."
"All of Gingrich's increased support comes among tea party movement supporters, where he's at 31% support, up ten points from early January," adds Holland. "That suggests that Sarah Palin's remarks urging South Carolina voters to choose Gingrich may have a receptive audience."
Among voters who oppose the tea party or are neutral towards it, Romney holds a commanding 30 point lead over Gingrich and the rest of the field of candidates. The survey indicates that born-again Christians are divided, with 26% supporting Romney, 23% backing Gingrich, and 20% saying they'll vote for Santorum. Among those likely primary voters who don't identify themselves as born-again, Romney has a large lead.
Nearly all the interviews were conducted before the Palin's Tuesday night remarks and before Monday night's presidential debate. Most pundits agree that Gingrich had a strong performance at the debate in Myrtle Beach, S.C. At the same showdown, Romney came under attack by his rivals for hedging on whether he would release his tax returns.
The Thursday night CNN debate could further influence South Carolina voters. And with more than four in ten likely primary voters saying that they could still change their minds between now and Saturday, a last minute surge for one candidate or another could materialize.
Florida's GOP presidential primary follows South Carolina's contest by ten days. A CNN/Time/ORC International poll of likely Sunshine State primary voters indicates that Romney still has a commanding lead, with more likely voters in his camp than Santorum and Gingrich combined. According to the survey, which was also released Tuesday, Romney stood at 43%, with Santorum at 19%, Gingrich 18%, Paul 9% and Perry at 2%.
"As in South Carolina, Romney does better among voters who do not support the tea party and those who do not consider themselves born-again Christians. In fact, he finishes second to Santorum among born-again voters," says Holland. "But, as with South Carolina, more than four in ten Florida voters have not made up their minds, and with the all-important South Carolina primary still in the future, the poll does not stand as a prediction of what will happen in Florida."
The poll in South Carolina was conducted for CNN and Time magazine by ORC International from January 13-17, with 505 voters who are likely to vote in the Republican primary questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
The poll in Florida was conducted for CNN and Time magazine by ORC International from January 13-17, with 391 voters who are likely to vote in that state's Republican primary. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus five percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/18/cnntime-poll-race-for-south-carolina-tightening/?hpt=hp_t1
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This essentially makes it a two-man race between Romney and Newt.
Perry dropping out of GOP race
Posted by
CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby
Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) - Rick Perry is telling supporters that he will drop his bid Thursday for the Republican presidential nomination, two sources familiar with his plans told CNN.
The Texas governor will make the announcement before the CNN debate in South Carolina, the sources said.
Tune in Thursday at 8 p.m. ET for the CNN/Southern Republican Presidential Debate hosted by John King and follow it on Twitter at #CNNDebate. For real-time coverage of the South Carolina primary, go to CNNPolitics.com or to the CNN apps or CNN mobile web site.
Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @politicalticker
The South Carolina primary takes place Saturday.
It was not known immediately whether Perry will endorse another candidate.
Perry placed fifth in Iowa and last in New Hampshire - a state in which he did not actively compete - and had said he would launch a bid to win in South Carolina.
"South Carolinians are looking for a conservative candidate that will get this country back working again and I am it," Perry told CNN last week.
On Wednesday, CNN asked Perry about a poll that showed him with only 6% support among likely voters in the South Carolina primary.
He insisted he was continuing with the effort to have a strong showing in the state.
"We're convinced that that's our goal, so the idea that we're going to do anything else, other than try to impact this election is - that's why we got in it. We didn't get in it because it was our purpose in life to be the president of the United States. We did it because it was our purpose to serve this country, and that's what we've been called for, and that's what we're going to continue doing."
When Perry entered the race in August, he immediately did well in the polls. But a series of gaffes, particularly at debates against his rivals, sent his support plummeting.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/19/breaking-perry-to-drop-out-thursday/?hpt=hp_t1
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This essentially makes it a two-man race between Romney and Newt.
santorum stays in and mitt wins the presidency.
santorum drops out and newt wins south carolina and things get interesting.
santorum controls everything now.
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No he doesn't.
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No he doesn't.
well, that settles that.
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Yes, it does.
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Yes, it does.
thank goodness. I thought this would turn into a debate or discussion or something. Let's try this again.
Mitt is leading 37% to 30% over Gingrich - A lead of 7 points.
Santorum is polling at 10% - and they're the far-right types that might vote for Gingrich over Mitt without Santy in the race.
[/b]
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/19/polls-south-carolina-primary-tightening-hours-before-crucial-debate/
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Santorum doesn't have enough followers outside of SC to impact the race. He'll get a number of votes in SC, like Huck did no 08, but he will fizzle. Romney will either win SC or come in second, and he's way ahead in Florida. Santorum staying in or getting out isn't going to matter. Just like Huntsman and Perry dropping out don't matter.
I thought Perry could get some traction in the South, but I was wrong. He made the right decision by quitting.
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Starting to get interesting.
Gingrich Surging In All Polls, Overtaking Romney
Thursday, 19 Jan 2012
By Martin Gould
Newt Gingrich rode into Thursday night’s Republican presidential debate on a wave of support as four separate polls issued in less than 24 hours all had him surging ahead of presumed front-runner Mitt Romney in the vital state of South Carolina.
Gingrich’s strong debate performance Monday night, where he received a standing ovation after tussling with Fox News’ Juan Williams over welfare benefits, is being credited as the main reason for the sudden surge which has seen him eliminate Romney’s double-digit lead in a matter of days.
Now all eyes are on tonight’s debate in Charleston to see if the former House speaker can repeat his blockbuster performance or whether Romney can dust himself off after hesitating and prevaricating in Myrtle Beach.
A Newsmax poll conducted by InsiderAdvantage first gave evidence that Gingrich was in the catbird seat against Romney in Saturday’s primary in the Palmetto State. The survey, released Wednesday night, gave Gingrich 32 percent support among likely primary voters, compared to Romney’s 29 percent.
That poll was followed on Thursday by three more — all of which confirmed InsiderAdvantage's findings. First, Rasmussen Reports came out with Gingrich up by 33 percent to 31. Hours later, it was followed by a poll from the American Research Group (ARG) that had Gingrich up by 33 points to 32.
Finally, the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling (PPP) had Gingrich up, 34 percent to 28 percent, in the first of three nights of tracking going into the primary.
All four surveys show a remarkable turnaround over just a few days. The ARG poll showed Gingrich had shot up by eight percentage points in less than a week.
“This all shows the race is now Newt’s to lose,” InsiderAdvantage’s Matt Towery told Newsmax.
But he cautioned that it is not all over.
“Romney went into the last debate and he was flat-footed with his answer about releasing his taxes. Everyone who has ever debated can tell you that, no matter how good a debater you are, there are going to be off days," Towery said.
“The chances of Romney having a second off-night tonight are not that high.”
And he said that Gingrich is bound to be asked about allegations from his second wife Marianne that he asked her for an open marriage.
“Whatever his answer is, it is not going to be a comfortable situation for him, and if he flubs it, it could be worse. My advice would be to say this is last-minute gotcha journalism about something that allegedly happened 15 years ago, and then most people will forget it.
“But the situation is that Romney has nowhere to go but up, and Newt has nowhere to go but down,” added Towery.
Rasmussen Reports President Scott Rasmussen also told Newsmax the situation in South Carolina is very volatile.
“The reason Newt Gingrich is doing so well right now is that he is spectacular in the debates,” said Rasmussen. “He has, unique among anybody I’ve seen in a presidential debate, the ability to turn questions around, change the premise and make his points.”
Rasmussen said there are two clear camps among Republicans – those who are for Mitt Romney and those who are looking for an alternative.
“A lot of people would say, ‘Well, I really like Rick Santorum, but right now if Newt Gingrich is the way to slow down Mitt Romney, maybe I’ll vote for him.’ These are the kind of voters and last-minute choices that are going to make the decision” he said.
The polls were unanimous in suggesting that it is tea party supporters that have put Gingrich over the top. “A total of 43 percent of tea party supporters say they will vote for Gingrich,” said ARG, noting that the figure was up from 28 percent in its Jan. 11-12 survey.
PPP said its figures were “not a case of Romney imploding” but of Gingrich picking up votes from former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and from Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who quit the race after the polling was completed.
“It's clear that the debate Monday night did a lot to help Gingrich's prospects in the state,” added PPP. “Fifty-six percent of voters say they watched it, and with those folks Gingrich's lead over Romney is 43-27. Romney still has a 29-22 advantage on Gingrich with those who didn't tune in.”
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/gingrich-surge-polls-romney/2012/01/19/id/424789
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Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell backs Romney
Posted by
CNN Political Unit
(CNN) - Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell announced he was backing GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney Friday, saying his support could help Romney win Saturday's hotly-contested South Carolina primary.
"I'm a Southern governor endorsing Mitt Romney in the first Southern state primary," McDonnell said on CNN's "Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien."
Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @politicalticker
"The governor of South Carolina has endorsed him as well. I think hopefully that will help him some. He's the one that's been consistent. Other candidates have been up and down. He is the consistent, results-oriented conservative who has the best record and the best message on jobs and on cutting spending," McDonnell said.
Romney's campaign said McDonnell would campaign with Romney in South Carolina ahead of Saturday's first-in-the-South primary, including a stop Friday in Charleston.
McDonnell, considered a rising Republican star, has served as governor of Virginia since 2010, and also acts as the chairman of the Republican Governors Association. He is seen by many as a potential vice presidential pick for the eventual GOP nominee.
McDonnell singled out Romney's experience as governor of Massachusetts in his announcement.
"I'm endorsing Mitt Romney because I think he's the right leader at the right time," McDonnell said on CNN. "He's got a proven record of doing that in the public and private sector. I think he's the best chance to be able to defeat President Obama in November. So I'm thrilled to be supporting Mitt Romney. I've said for a long time a current or former governor would be the best leader for America, and he's the one I'm supporting."
McDonnell's announcement comes one day after another governor, Rick Perry of Texas, dropped out of the GOP race. McDonnell took over the chairmanship of the Republican Governor's Association from Perry when the Texan announced he was running for president, and the two are known to be friends.
Early in Perry's candidacy, McDonnell defended Perry after a weak debate performance, saying his stance on important issues would outweigh poor debate delivery.
"He's been in the race for three weeks. I'd say cut him some slack," McDonnell said in September. "People will forgive something they might think is an inferior debate performance if somebody's right on the issues."
Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman also dropped his bid earlier this week. Neither Perry nor Huntsman qualified to appear on Virginia's Republican primary ballot.
In his own statement, Romney praised the Virginia governor's record on job creation.
"Governor McDonnell's leadership in Virginia is an example for the rest of the nation," Romney said. "Governor McDonnell has used the conservative principles of keeping taxes and spending low and creating a fair regulatory climate to make Virginia a top destination for job creators. These same principles can be used in Washington to fix our economy and make government accountable to the taxpayers."
-CNN's Rachel Streitfeld and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/20/virginia-gov-bob-mcdonnell-backs-romney/
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good timing on that. romney could use any good news today.
that guy would be a good VP choice.
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Saw the second half of the SC debate on CNN. Some observations:
- First time I've seen Romney disheveled. Did not handle the tax question well. Appeared defensive. Undecisive. Should have been better prepared.
Liked his answer on immigration. No amnesty. Tighten the border, send illegals home and make them get in the back of the line.
He did a good job responding to Santorum on the abortion question. I haven't really looked into his pro life record as Mass gov, but he sounded like he governed as if he is pro life and Santorum couldn't really disagree.
A couple of Paulbots were in the audience yelling. ::)
- Saw the clip of Newt being asked about his ex. Great response. Really punched King in the mouth.
Did not like his position on illegal immigration at all. He wants to give people who have been here 20 or 25 years some kind of preference to stay. It's essentially amnesty. Screw that.
- Santorum was dead on about illegal immigration. He said someone who has been here illegally for 25 years has been committing a continuing crime for 25 years and shouldn't be rewarded. And if that person is working they probably stole a SSN. Dead on.
- Paul did ok. He always does better when they don't talk about defense or national security.
Ignoring him on the abortion question was a pretty blatant dis.
I think he was wrong in his debate with Santorum about abortion being a state issue. If someone is pro life, they probably believe life begins at conception. If so, you can't have different standards at the state and federal levels. It's like the issue of murder (or theft, perjury, etc.). It's the same whether it's a state a federal crime.
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Current RCP average for Florida:
Romney - 40.5%
Gingrich - 22,.0%
Santorum - 15.0%
Paul - 9.0%
Perry - 3.2%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/fl/florida_republican_presidential_primary-1597.html
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Pretty clear that Newt won SC based on the last debate, and probably due to that stupid question that CNN started with about his ex, coupled with Romney sounding pretty bad on the (irrelevant) tax return question. Palin's support probably helped too.
The exit polls show that 55 percent of the voters made up their mind within a few days of the election.
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/epolls/sc
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Pretty clear that Newt won SC based on the last debate, and probably due to that stupid question that CNN started with about his ex, coupled with Romney sounding pretty bad on the (irrelevant) tax return question. Palin's support probably helped too.
The exit polls show that 55 percent of the voters made up their mind within a few days of the election.
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/epolls/sc
It's not that. Romney is the weakest to attack obama.
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It's not that. Romney is the weakest to attack obama.
That's not it. Romney is the primary one who directs his attacks to Obama instead of the other candidates. If it was all about attacking Obama, Bachmann would still be in the race and would be the front-runner.
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That's not it. Romney is the primary one who directs his attacks to Obama instead of the other candidates. If it was all about attacking Obama, Bachmann would still be in the race and would be the front-runner.
Bachmann lost when she went after perry.
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:o
Newt Surges to Lead in Fla., Romney Trails by 8 Points
Sunday, 22 Jan 2012
Newt Gingrich has now surged to a significant lead over Mitt Romney in Florida, leading the former front-runner now by 8 points, according to a new poll by InsiderAdvantage completed Sunday night of likely Republican primary voters.
The InsiderAdvantage poll of of 557 registered Republican voters is one of the first polls taken in Florida in the aftermath of Gingrich's double-digit win in the South Carolina primary Saturday.
The poll results follow:
Gingrich: 34%
Romney: 26%
Paul: 13%
Santorum: 11%
Other: 2%
No opinion: 14%
The InsiderAdvantage poll was the first major poll last week to show the significant surge for Gingrich in South Carolina.
"The poll shows a huge bounce for Newt Gingrich, coming out of South Carolina," Matt Towery, chief pollster for InsiderAdvantage
told Newsmax. "It reflects the fact that Florida is a bellwether
for the rest of the nation."
He added: "Gingrich has been closing the gap nationally, according to the Gallup tracking poll, Florida is a reflection that Republicans nationally are moving toward to Gingrich."
He warned that the race is still “a very volatile situation…Romney s going to be loaded for bear and if Newt stumbles in a debate…it could be real trouble for him.”
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/gingrich-wins-florida-poll/2012/01/22/id/425086
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That's the only poll that has Gingrich leading. All other polls have Romney up still by a healthy margin. Some still have him up by the 20s. The RCP average still has him up by 14.
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That's the only poll that has Gingrich leading. All other polls have Romney up still by a healthy margin. Some still have him up by the 20s. The RCP average still has him up by 14.
Not the only one:
Florida GOP Primary: Gingrich 41%, Romney 32%
Monday, January 23, 2012
Less than two weeks ago, Mitt Romney had a 22-point lead in Florida, but that’s ancient history in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Following his big win in South Carolina on Saturday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich now is on top in Florida by nine.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Republican Primary Voters, taken Sunday evening, finds Gingrich earning 41% of the vote with Romney in second at 32%. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum runs third with 11%, while Texas Congressman Ron Paul attracts support from eight percent (8%). Nine percent (9%) remain undecided.(To see survey question wording, click here).
Florida allows early voting, and Romney leads among those voters by 11 points. Gingrich leads by 12 among those who have not yet voted. Fourteen percent (14%) have already cast their vote.
One-in-three (32%) say they still could change their minds before they vote in the January 31 primary. Another nine percent (9%) have no initial preference yet. Fifty-nine percent (59%) are already certain of their vote, including 73% of Romney supporters and 62% of Gingrich voters.
Rasmussen Reports has begun daily tracking of potential matchups between both Romney and Gingrich against President Obama (receive free daily e-mail updates).
Throughout the GOP race, Romney has always benefited from the perception that he was the strongest general election candidate in the field. However, among Florida voters at the moment, that is no longer the case. Forty-two percent (42%) now believe Gingrich would be the strongest candidate against Obama, while 39% say the same of Romney. At the other extreme, 64% see Ron Paul as the weakest potential candidate against Obama.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
This Florida survey of 750 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on January 22, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Seventy-seven percent (77%) have a favorable opinion of Romney, while 69% say the same of Gingrich. Sixty-four percent (64%) give Santorum positive reviews, but only 33% have a favorable opinion of Paul. In Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, Paul did better among non-Republicans than Republicans. In the Florida primary, only registered Republicans are allowed to participate.
By a 45% to 30% margin over Gingrich, Romney is seen as the best candidate to manage the economy. Gingrich has a 54% to 23% edge over the former Massachusetts governor when it comes to who is best qualified to handle national security matters.
As for which candidate is best in terms of social issues, 30% prefer Romney, 30% Gingrich and 23% Santorum.
When asked which candidate has the best personal character, 41% say Romney, 30% Santorum, 11% Gingrich and 10% Paul.
Gingrich leads by 28 among Very Conservative voters and by seven among Somewhat Conservative voters. Among all other voters, Romney leads by 20.
Gingrich picks up 52% of the Tea Party vote. Romney gets 17% and Santorum 16% of these voters.
Regardless of their personal favorite, most Florida primary voters (52%) still think Romney will be the eventual nominee, but that's down dramatically from 79% two weeks ago. Thirty-five percent (35%) now think Gingrich will be the GOP nominee.
Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.
Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it’s free) or follow us on Twitter orFacebook. Let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/florida/2012_florida_republican_primary
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Gingrich Surging in Florida, Quinnipiac Poll Shows
Wednesday, 25 Jan 2012
A surging Newt Gingrich has the momentum in a tight race with Mitt Romney in Florida, a poll of Republicans planning to vote in the state’s Jan. 31 presidential primary shows.
Romney has 36 percent support while Gingrich is backed by 34 percent in the survey released today by Hamden, Connecticut- based Quinnipiac University.
The survey of 601 likely Republican primary voters conducted from Jan. 19-23 shows increased support for Gingrich following his 12 percentage point victory over of Romney in the Jan. 21 South Carolina primary. Gingrich led Romney by 6 points among voters polled after the South Carolina contest while Romney led by 11 points among voters surveyed before.
“Gingrich’s South Carolina victory clearly gives him a boost in Florida,” Peter A. Brown, the assistant director of the university’s polling institute, said in a news release accompaning the poll. “The question is whether there is more of that to come, or whether any bump from a previous victory will dissipate.”
Brown termed the Florida race “essentially a dead heat,” and said Romney and Gingrich are in a “two-man race” in the state, where the primary winner will receive all of the state’s 50 convention delegates. Former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, the winner of the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, has 13 percent in today’s poll and Texas U.S. Representative Ron Paul has 10 percent.
Previous Polls
Romney led Gingrich 36 percent to 24 percent in Florida in a Quinnipiac poll released Jan. 9, the day before Romney won the New Hampshire primary by 16 points.
In a sign of the race’s volatility, Gingrich ran ahead of Romney, 35 percent to 22 percent, in a Quinnipiac poll released Dec. 8.
Today’s poll today shows that Florida Republicans see Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, as a better steward of the economy and a stronger general election candidate than Gingrich, the former U.S. House speaker. They see Gingrich, though, as better-prepared to serve as chief executive.
Romney led Gingrich by 17 percentage points on handling the economy and by 14 points on who is best able to defeat President Barack Obama. Gingrich led Romney by 19 points on “having the knowledge and experience necessary to be a good president.”
Gingrich also led by 27 points on handling foreign policy.
According to the poll, 61 percent said they have decided on a candidate while 38 percent said they could change their mind before next week’s primary.
Television Advertising
Gingrich rose in Florida even as Romney and his allies blanketed the state with television advertisements over the past few weeks. Romney and a political committee backing his candidacy spent $6.9 million on broadcast television ads through Jan. 23, according to data from New York-based Kantar Media’s CMAG, which tracks advertising. No other Republican candidate aired television ads through then, CMAG data show.
Winning Our Future, a political action committee supporting Gingrich while operating independently of his campaign, bought $6 million of advertising time in the state yesterday and released an ad painting Romney as aligned with Obama, said Rick Tyler, a strategist for the group.
The Quinnipiac poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. The margins of error were plus or minus 6.2 percentage points for the 254 voters surveyed before the South Carolina results, and plus or minus 5.3 percentage points for the 347 voters contacted after the vote.
--Editors: Don Frederick, Jim Rubin.
To contact the reporter on this story: Greg Giroux in Washington at ggiroux@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jeanne Cummings at jcummings21@bloomberg.net
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/gingrich-romney-tied-florida/2012/01/25/id/425405
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Wow. :o
Rasmussen: Gingrich Leads Romney, 35-28 Percent, Nationally
Wednesday, 25 Jan 2012
By Newsmax Wires
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s victory in South Carolina continues to lift him nationwide, as a new Rasmussen Reports survey gives him a seven-point lead, 35-28 percent over Mitt Romney in the Republican presidential sweepstakes.
The two front-runners reversed spots from last week, when former Massachusetts Gov. Romney had 30 percent and former House Speaker Gingrich, 27 percent.
In the new national telephone survey of 1,000 likely GOP primary voters on Jan. 23, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum’s support is little changed at 16 percent, while Texas Rep. Ron Paul picks up 10 percent. Two percent prefer some other candidate in the race, while 9 percent are undecided.
Support for Gingrich has jumped a total of 19 points in two Rasmussen surveys since early January, while Romney's support has held steady, according to the polling firm’s analysis.
The national table-turning echoes that in Florida, where a pivotal primary contest looms Tuesday. Two weeks ago, Romney had a 22-point lead over Gingrich in the Sunshine State, but new Rasmussen Reports polling released Monday shows the former speaker with 41 percent support now among likely GOP primary voters in the Sunshine State with Romney in second at 32 percent.
Almost 40 percent of GOP voters nationwide now believe Gingrich would be the strongest opponent against President Barack Obama in the general election, while 37 percent say that of Romney. This represents a big shift from last week, when 43 percent viewed Romney as the strongest Obama opponent and 29 percent opted for Gingrich. More than 60 percent consider Paul the weakest general election opponent to Obama.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Rasmussen-Gingrich-Romney-Florida/2012/01/25/id/425483
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Repubs are the dude with 2 ugly chicks that want him. He bangs them both. He goes back and forth. He isn't crazy about any of them and woudl love to find a new chick, but these 2 trolls keep occupying his time lol..
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Repubs are the dude with 2 ugly chicks that want him. He bangs them both. He goes back and forth. He isn't crazy about any of them and woudl love to find a new chick, but these 2 trolls keep occupying his time lol..
The republicans:
1. the nine iron ones
2. the bass boat fishermen ones
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Talk about volatile.
Rasmussen Shows Romney Lead in Florida
Thursday, 26 Jan 2012
Mitt Romney has leaped back into the lead in the Florida Republican primary, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll released Thursday.
Romney had 39 percent support in the poll of 750 likely Florida GOP voters taken Wednesday, compared with 31 percent for Newt Gingrich. Rick Santorum was a distant third at 12 percent, and Ron Paul had 9 percent.
Four percent said they wanted some other candidate, and 7 percent were undecided.
Romney’s return to first place follows the GOP candidates debate Monday night, when the former Massachusetts governor went on the attack against the former House speaker. Just four days ago, following Gingrich’s big win in the South Carolina primary, he led Romney 41-32 percent.
Gingrich was leading in the latest Rasmussen national poll, released Tuesday. It showed the former House speaker garnering the support of 35 percent of likely GOP primary voters, compared with 28 percent for Romney, 16 percent for Santorum, and 10 percent for Paul.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Rasmussen-Gingrich-Romney-Florida/2012/01/26/id/425637
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Crazy race.
Newt Gingrich Campaign Leaking Hot Air Ahead Of Florida Primary, GOP Insiders Say
First Posted: 01/27/2012 4:52 pm Updated: 01/27/2012 4:57 pm
WASHINGTON -- What happened to Newt Gingrich? Less than a week after Gingrich's stunning triumph in South Carolina, air is leaking from his momentarily front-running campaign faster than a parade balloon's after Thanksgiving.
Besides the obvious fact that the new combat-enabled, armored-up Mitt Romney clobbered Gingrich last night, are there other reasons? Yes, based on conversations with Republican and campaign insiders here and in Florida:
The Palin Factor. Some D.C.-based establishment types were preparing to reconcile themselves to former House Speaker Gingrich, if not outright endorse him, before or after the South Carolina primary last week. But according to one such insider, who asked not to be identified because of her prominent corporate lobbying role, Gingrich fatally said on Jan. 18 -- three days before the primary -- that he would offer former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin a "major role in the next administration if I'm president." That one statement scared the accept-Newt, Republican-establishment types. "That sure did it for me, and I think for a lot of other people in town," the lobbyist said.
The Rubio Factor. The popular Cuban-American senator from Florida has not endorsed a candidate, but he doesn't need to. He devastated Gingrich by complaining -- vehemently -- about an ad the Gingrich campaign had run calling Romney "the most anti-immigrant candidate," and implying that Romney had parroted the words of Fidel Castro. On Wednesday, Rubio denounced the ad as "inaccurate, inflammatory and doesn't belong in this campaign." The Gingrich camp withdrew the ad.
The Moon Factor. A science-fiction fan and self-described "grandiose" thinker, Gingrich took it all too far when he vowed to establish an American space colony on the moon by the end of his second term. Even in Florida, where they love them some space exploration, it seemed an extravagant notion at a time when half the home mortgages in the state are under water. Former Massachusetts Gov. Romney, well prepared to capitalize, said that he would "fire" any staffer who brought him such an idea.
The Wolf Factor. Gingrich was unable to bully his way past the savvy and imperturbable Wolf Blitzer as CNN moderator last night when the former speaker tried to decry the role of the mainstream media. And rather than lamely stand by in silence, Romney cleverly sided with Blitzer as he asked probing questions.
The O'Donnell Factor. Debate coach Brett O'Donnell, formerly working for Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn.), earned his pay by coaching Romney in his answer about the role of faith in presidential decision-making. It was deftly pious without seeming to break the wall between church and state.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/27/newt-gingrich-florida-primary-gop_n_1237486.html
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Cain Endorses Gingrich for President
Saturday, 28 Jan 2012
By Martin Gould and Dave Eberhart
Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain endorsed Newt Gingrich for the GOP nomination late on Saturday – at the same time accepting a position as the former House Speaker’s tax reform chairman.
The author of the now-famous 9-9-9 tax plan announced his endorsement in West Palm Beach, Florida, three days ahead of that state’s vital primary. The endorsement is a welcome boost for Gingrich, who has found himself having to defend himself against a vicious onslaught of attacks from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
"It is time for conservatives and Republicans to refocus their attention on the ultimate mission of defeating President Obama," Cain said at the Palm Beach County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner. "I believe Speaker Gingrich is the bold leader we need to accomplish this mission."
Cain was catapulted to national attention when his own campaign for the nomination took off in the fall. His signature 9-9-9 plan which would have provided 9 percent taxation on income tax, corporate tax and new national sales taxes caught fire with the public. At one time, he led in the polls for the right to take on Barack Obama in November. But his campaign faltered and he dropped out of the race in early December.
Cain and Gingrich both come from the Atlanta area and have been friends for more than 20 years. The two men worked together in the early 1990s to help defeat Hillary Clinton’s plans for healthcare, and as House Speaker, Gingrich appointed Cain to the National Commission on Economic Growth and Tax Reform Commission – better known as the Kemp Commission.
Gingrich said he was “honored” to have Cain’s support and immediately announced that the former pizza mogul would co-chair his tax reform and economic growth advisory council.
“America’s challenges are too great for mere tinkering around the edges. Just like Herman, who ran his campaign based on big ideas, I am running on bold solutions that will boost job creation, cut bureaucratic red tape, and fundamentally transform Washington,” Gingrich said.
When Herman Cain suspended his presidential campaign, he promised to stay engaged. This he has done. The watershed moment of that engagement might very well be his endorsement of his former rival for the highest office in the land.
The venue for the endorsement was as unique as Cain’s spirited style – with Gingrich actually stepping in for Herman Cain as the headliner for the Palm Beach County event. The former House Speaker took over Cain's spot as keynote speaker at the Palm Beach County Republican Party's Lincoln Day dinner Sat. evening. Cain then stole back the limelight with his surprise endorsement.
This year's event comes three days ahead of Florida's presidential primary.
Previously, Cain had been tapped by the Tea Party Express to give their response to the 2012 State of the Union address. His 13-minute speech was critiqued as being a lot more animated and vigorous than Indiana governor Mitch Daniels’ official GOP response.
Also not long ago, on Fox News this morning, Cain applauded Gingrich’s well-received admonishment of CNN’s John King, who infamously opened a two-hour debate by asking the former Georgia congressman if he wanted to respond to an accusation from his ex-wife. Both men agreed it demeaned the presidential forum.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Cain-Endorses-Gingrich-forPresident/2012/01/28/id/425834
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Sarah Palin Urges Newt Vote in Florida, Says Gingrich Will 'Clobber' Obama
Sunday, 29 Jan 2012
By Newsmax Wires
Sarah Palin is urging Florida voters to vote for Newt Gingrich on Tuesday in their state's Republican primary.
"Vote for Newt," Palin told Jeanine Pirro, host of the Fox News weekend program "Justice with Jeanine."
Palin made a passionate plea for Republican voters to reject Mitt Romney in Florida to keep the primary process going forward.
The former Alaska governor made it crystal clear that she favors former House Speaker Gingrich, suggesting that the Republican establishment in New York and Washington is trying anoint former Massachusetts Gov. Romney the GOP nominee.
"And I say, you know, you’ve got to rage against the machine at this point in order to defend our republic and save what is good and secure and prosperous about our nation,” Palin said. “We need somebody who is engaged in sudden and relentless reform and is not afraid to shake up the establishment. So, if for no other reason, rage against the machine, vote for Newt, annoy a liberal, vote Newt, keep this vetting process going, keep the debate going.”
Here are key points Palin made on Fox:
"Ronald Reagan wasn't afraid to take on sitting members of his own party who were in office. He challenged a sitting Republican. He knew politics of personal destruction hurt the cause of conservatism. What we see today what happened there in Florida this past week — it's gone beyond the pale, gone beyond aggressive and fair campaigning against an opponent."
Rick Santorum pointed out that Romney “drew first blood, and at first, Newt Gingrich didn't respond — he wanted to take the high road . . . [Newt] announced his intention to take the high road, but when you're continually hit and bombarded with negative rewritten history about yourself and your record, you have to hit back. And that's what you saw Newt Gingrich engage in . . .”
“I've been the proponent of continuing this vetting process and aggressive debate. It should be fair though the healthy debate that our country the electorate will benefit from . . . We see these pundits and politicos and elites and the far away Washington, D.C., beltway telling the electorate that by Florida it's going to be all wrapped up and we'll have our nominee.”
“Well, look at the players in the establishment who are fighting so hard against [Newt]. They want to crucify him because he's tapped into that average everyday American tea party, grass-roots movement that has said enough is enough of the establishment that tries to run the show and tweak rules and laws and regulations for their own good and not for our nation's own good.”
“Both party machines and many in the media are trying to crucify Newt Gingrich for bucking the tide and bucking the establishment. That tells you something. I say you have got to rage against the machine at this point in order to defend our republic . . . Vote for Newt, annoy a liberal. Vote Newt. Keep this vetting process going.”
“Which candidate is most passionate about the sudden and relentless reform that's needed? Which candidate understands that government is not the answer? Not on a state level — same when it comes to mandating what level of healthcare you must purchase? . . . I've appreciated again Newt Gingrich. His style in debates, his thinking, his way of explaining what he stands for, so I think that in a debate Newt Gingrich would clobber Barack Obama. That's one step closer to the voters being able to have a tool to make up their minds whether it should be Obama or the GOP nominee.”
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Palin-Gingrich-Florida-Romney/2012/01/29/id/425837
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Rasmussen Poll Shows Romney Leading Florida
Sunday, 29 Jan 2012
By Newsmax Wires
Mitt Romney has opened a double-digit lead over Newt Gingrich in Florida as the perception grows among Republican primary voters that he is the strongest general election candidate against President Barack Obama, according to a new poll from Rasmussen Reports.
The telephone survey of likely Florida Republican voters in the Sunshine State's primary on Tuesday, shows Romney up by 16 points, with 44 percent support. Former House Speaker Gingrich pulled 28 percent support.
The poll, conducted Saturday, reflects a significant turnaround during the past week, Rasmussen noted. On Jan. 22, just after Gingrich’s overwhelming win in the South Carolina Primary, he led Romney by nine. By the middle of the week, Romney was back in control with an eight-point advantage. Despite all the ups and downs, the results today are very similar to polling results found in Florida three weeks ago, coming off Romney’s decisive victory in the New Hampshire primary, Rasmussen’s analysis stated.
Former Pennsylvania Rick Santorum earned 12 percent support in the new poll, while Texas Congressman Ron Paul picks up 10 percent. One percent prefer some other candidate, and 5 percent are undecided.
Republican voters are looking first and foremost for a candidate who can beat Obama. Earlier in the week, when Gingrich was leading in Florida, the Sunshine State's primary voters were evenly divided as to whether Romney or Gingrich would be the stronger general election candidate. By mid-week, as Romney regained the lead, he had a 15-point advantage over Gingrich on this question. Today, 53 percent believe that Romney is the strongest candidate against the president, while 29 percent believe Gingrich fits that role, Rasmussen found.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Rasmussen-Republican-Gingrich-Romney/2012/01/29/id/425855
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RCP average:
Gingrich - 30.3%
Romney - 27.5%
Santorum - 16.3%
Paul - 12.8%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
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RCP average:
Gingrich - 30.3%
Romney - 27.5%
Santorum - 16.3%
Paul - 12.8%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
Myth is going to be a disaster regardless.
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Myth is going to be a disaster regardless.
Maybe, but he'll be a big improvement over Obama.
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Maybe, but he'll be a big improvement over Obama.
Im doubting that more and more each day TBH. Its really sad, Romney is a white obama w better business experience, but sadly, when he was govenor he acted like a lib!
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Im doubting that more and more each day TBH. Its really sad, Romney is a white obama w better business experience, but sadly, when he was govenor he acted like a lib!
I don't trust any of those politicians, but I'd much rather have a successful businessman running the country during an economic crisis than a community organizer.
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Im doubting that more and more each day TBH. Its really sad, Romney is a white obama w better business experience, but sadly, when he was govenor he acted like a lib!
which is why, if worst comes to worst, I could live with Mitt.
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if it's tied, then romney wins. ppl been voting for weeks here in FL - before the SC primary.
ron paul stickers and signs are everywhere in SW Florida. i have seen a lot of romney stickers in Colliers county (Naples).
Newt - nowhere. Sign of poor campaign infrastructure?
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RCP as of today:
Romney - 30.0%
Gingrich - 26.6%
Santorum - 16.0%
Paul - 12.8%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
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Popular vote tally to date:
Romney - 1,071,281
Gingrich - 817,396
Santorum - 378,827
Paul - 278,565
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html
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RCP as of yesterday:
Romney - 30.6%
Santorum - 24.2%
Gingrich - 20.4%
Paul - 13.6%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
I don't think Santorum's wins amount to much of anything. Romney is going to win Michigan, VA, CA, etc. Here is the current delegate count:
Romney - 124
Gingrich - 38
Santorum - 37
Paul - 27
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
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Maybe I'm in denial, but I don't just don't believe this. RCP as of today:
Santorum - 34.3%
Romney - 27.7%
Gingrich - 14.5%
Paul - 12.3%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
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RCP as of today:
Santorum - 33.4%
Romney - 28.4%
Gingrich - 14.6%
Paul - 12.4%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
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Arizona Governor Brewer endorses Romney
Published February 26, 2012
Associated Press
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is endorsing Mitt Romney in her state's Republican presidential primary on Tuesday.
Brewer says she had looked at all the candidates and decided to endorse the former Massachusetts governor.
Brewer says Romney's business background appealed to her.
She says, "I think he'd serve Americans the best of all the candidates," adding that she thinks he's the candidate who could win November's election.
The endorsement came during an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press", and four days after Romney and three rivals appeared in a debate in Mesa, Ariz.
The former Massachusetts governor is expected to win Tuesday contest in Arizona, which is home to a significant Mormon population.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/26/arizona-governor-brewer-endorses-romney/
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Santorum's lead disappears in national poll
Posted by
CNN Political Unit
(CNN) – Rick Santorum, who last week enjoyed a 10-point nationwide lead over Mitt Romney, is now within one point of his chief GOP rival after dropping several points in Gallup's daily tracking poll.
The survey taken February 22-24 showed Santorum with the backing of 31% of registered Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, down two points from Friday and down five points from his peak on Wednesday.
Support for Romney rose to 30%, a much-needed boost for the candidate who stood at 25% on Wednesday.
For the ongoing poll, Gallup surveys more than 1,000 registered Republican voters on a daily basis. The poll drops the oldest of five days each day and adds results from the most recent day of polling.
In the latest survey, Gallup questioned 1,153 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents by telephone between February 20 and February 24. The survey has a sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.
The results Saturday include two days of polling after CNN's Republican presidential debate in Arizona, the final time the four candidates squared off before key contests in Michigan and Arizona next week, as well as the votes in 10 states on Super Tuesday, March 6.
The two other candidates in the race, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Rep. Ron Paul, were both well behind the two front-runners. Gingrich stood at 16% and Paul was at 11%. Neither Gingrich nor Paul has seen a change in his numbers since Thursday.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/25/santorums-national-lead-shrinks-to-1-point/
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RCP as of today:
Romney - 36.7%
Santorum - 27.3%
Gingrich - 15.3%
Paul - 9.7%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
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Popular vote count ahead of Super Tuesday:
Romney - 1,786,594
Gingrich - 989,187
Santorum - 956,245
Paul - 479,835
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html
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Current RCP average:
Romney - 37.3%
Santorum - 27.7%
Gingrich - 14.3%
Paul - 11.3%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
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Current delegate count:
Romney - 447
Santorum - 170
Gingrich - 118
Paul - 67
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/scorecard/statebystate/r
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RCP average:
Romney - 35.1%
Santorum - 29.3%
Gingrich - 14.4%
Paul - 11.0%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
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Delegate count:
Romney - 498
Santorum - 239
Gingrich - 139
Paul - 69
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
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Jeb Bush Endorses Mitt Romney For President
Posted: 03/21/2012 10:40 am Updated: 03/21/2012 11:50 am
Bush, the brother of the 43rd president, called Romney Wednesday morning to tell him about his plans.
Here is his full statement from the Tampa Bay Times:
Congratulations to Governor Mitt Romney on his win last night and to all the candidates for a hard fought, thoughtful debate and primary season. Primary elections have been held in thirty-four states, and now is the time for Republicans to unite behind Governor Romney and take our message of fiscal conservatism and job creation to all voters this fall. I am endorsing Mitt Romney for our Party’s nomination. We face huge challenges, and we need a leader who understands the economy, recognizes more government regulation is not the answer, believes in entrepreneurial capitalism and works to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed.
Bush joins his father, former President George H.W. Bush, in backing Romney.
The New York Times reported in January that Romney had made substantial efforts to win over Bush's endorsement. The former governor stayed neutral before his state's primary, which Romney won handily.
Bush's call for unity parallel's Romney's, who urged the party to unite behind him after his Illinois win. Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich, however, have vowed to stay in the race.
Gingrich's spokesman, R.C. Hammond, dismissed the endorsement. "It's the completion of the establishment trifecta," he reportedly said, referring to Bush's father and former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.)
Romney reacted to the endorsement on Twitter:
@MittRomney
Mitt Romney
March 21st is turning into a pretty big day. Anniversary, @tromney’s birthday, and now an endorsement from @JebBush.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/21/jeb-bush-mitt-romney-endorsement_n_1369668.html
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Popular vote tally:
Romney - 4,078,166
Santorum - 2,759,236
Gingrich - 2,182,346
Paul - 1,068,291
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html
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romney should pick ron paul for his veep.
Gbers will be kneepadding that ticket!
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Gallup: Romney leads Santorum, 40-26 percent
Friday, 23 Mar 2012
By Newsmax Wires
Helped by his victory in the Illinois primary and an endorsement by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney's national support among Republican voters has increased to 40 percent, according to a Gallup Daily tracking poll. It's the first time a candidate has reached the 40 percent level in the 2012 campaign.
Rick Santorum's support was second-highest, at 26 percent. Newt Gingrich had the backing of 14 percent, and Ron Paul had 8 percent.
The data are based on Gallup Daily tracking from March 18-22.
Prior to this week, Romney's high was 38 percent, in Feb. 29-March 4, polling after wins in Michigan and Arizona, according to Gallup. Santorum's high was 36 percent in mid-February after his sweep of the Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri contests on Feb. 7. Gingrich reached 37 percent in early December.
Romney's 14-point lead is not his largest. He led by 23 points in mid-January after winning the New Hampshire primary, but that lead -- and another he held in late January and early February --disappeared.
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Gallup/2012/03/23/id/433748
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Funny pictures. Romney is in the driver's seat. Most of the remaining states award proportional delegates. California with 172 is winner take all.
Battle of addition: 156 days until GOP convention
(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2012/images/03/12/t1larg.battle-of-addition.t1larg.jpg)
Posted by
CNN Political Unit
(CNN) - Your guide to where the race stands for the Republican presidential nomination:
GOP delegate estimate (as of 3/24/2012):
– Mitt Romney: 563
– Rick Santorum: 251
– Newt Gingrich: 137
– Ron Paul: 71
Needed to clinch GOP nomination: 1,144
Access the latest here.
To see where the candidates are campaigning today, see below.
Upcoming contests:
March 24
– Louisiana primary: 20 delegates at stake of the state's 40 total delegates. Polls close by 9 pm ET.
April 3
– Wisconsin primary: 42 delegates at stake
– Maryland primary: 37 delegates at stake
– Washington, D.C., primary: 19 delegates at stake
On the trail Saturday:
– Romney: No open events
– Santorum: Camp Hill, Pa.; Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Bellevue, Wis.
– Gingrich: Camp Hill, Pa.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/24/battle-of-addition-156-days-until-gop-convention/
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USC/LA Times Poll: Romney Leads Santorum 42-19% in Calif.
Sunday, 25 Mar 2012
By Newsmax Wires
Republican voters in California are gravitating toward presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, substantially expanding his support in the Golden State to give him a 42-19 percent lead over his closest rival, Rick Santorum, according to a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll.
Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul are a distant third and fourth, according to pollsters, who said Romney's support has risen 15 points since a November USC/Times poll, when the now-departed Herman Cain was his closest competitor.
However, the Times noted “a palpable lack of enthusiasm for the Republican field. Half of GOP voters said they wished other candidates were running for president.”
Barbara Foley, a 73-year-old Republican, told the Times she would prefer former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, or Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. She explained that she employed the process of elimination to make her decision, telling the Times that Santorum is too socially conservative, Gingrich is smart but a "loose cannon," and Paul — "well, I just think he's nuttier than a fruitcake."
"I vote the lesser of two evils, unfortunately," said Foley, who added that she deeply disapproves of President Barack Obama, especially his healthcare law, and she “fears the nation has grown increasingly socialist under his watch,” the Times reported.
"Mitt Romney is the lesser of the evils," Foley told the Times.
The poll, conducted for the Times and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, comes less than three months before California its primary, a late contest that has loomed as potentially important as the GOP nomination battle continues.
The Times concluded: Although Romney appears headed to a romp on June 5, when the pool of voters will be limited to registered Republicans, his prospects against Obama in the fall remain dim, the poll found. Obama led Romney by 21 points and the other candidates by even more — Paul by 28 points, Santorum by 29 and Gingrich by 32.”
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/California-Republican-Romney-Santorum/2012/03/25/id/433801
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Rubio endorses Romney, saying he's 'earned' it
Published March 29, 2012
FoxNews.com
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., endorsed Mitt Romney for president Wednesday night on Fox News' "Hannity," saying Romney offers "a very clear alternative" to President Obama's vision for the future of the country.
Rubio, a young, first-termer who has been discussed as a possible vice presidential candidate, criticized talk of a fight for the Republican nomination on the convention floor, a possibility that is keeping alive the campaigns of Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich.
"I think that's a recipe for delivering four more years of Barack Obama," Rubio told Fox News' Sean Hannity.
Romney has "earned this nomination," Rubio said, though he again shot down questions about whether he would accept any offers of a spot on the ticket.
"I don't believe I'm going to be asked to be the vice presidential nominee," he said, adding it's not something he wants.
The endorsement comes after another big-name in Florida politics, former Gov. Jeb Bush, threw his support behind Romney, and former President George H.W. Bush is expected to officially endorse Romney on Thursday.
Romney has a comfortable lead in the delegate count, though Santorum has been able to pick up wins in several recent state contests, including Louisiana on Saturday.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/03/28/rubio-endorses-romney-saying-hes-earned-it/
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And this was before Romney won Wisconsin, Maryland, and DC today.
ACU Chairman Calls on Romney’s Rivals to Exit
Monday, 02 Apr 2012
By Ronald Kessler
Ronald Kessler reporting from Washington, D.C. — Mitt Romney’s rivals must end their presidential campaigns if Republicans are to retake the White House, Al Cardenas, chairman of the American Conservative Union, tells Newsmax.
Cardenas, who has endorsed Romney, says that if Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich continue their campaigns into the GOP convention in late August, Republicans will not have time to raise money and organize to beat President Obama.
“I’m calling on supporters of the other candidates and their peer group whom they listen to, to say to them, ‘I respect you, I care for you, I don’t regret having fought a good fight, but I’m moving on, and I hope you consider doing the same,’” Cardenas says. “That’s the message to my friends who are still in the camps of the other candidates.”
With one million members, the American Conservative Union is the preeminent organization representing the full spectrum of conservative thought. It runs the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, which dominates the conservative political agenda, and publishes an annual “Rating of Congress,” the gold standard for assessing members’ ideology.
When he was 12, Cardenas and his family fled Fidel Castro’s Cuba with only the clothes on their back. He became a prominent lawyer in Miami and a successful investor. He essentially rebuilt the Republican Party in Florida, becoming its chairman and helping Jeb Bush win election as governor. He was a mentor to Sen. Marco Rubio, who was a young lawyer in Cardenas’ Miami law firm.
“The level of discourse in the campaign has begun to appeal to our lower instincts instead of our higher instincts,” Cardenas says. “Candidates are concentrating more on each other’s superficial faults than talking about our vision for tomorrow or taking on the president. And that wear and tear is having a detrimental effect on the general election process.”
What tipped the scales for Cardenas and made him issue a call for the remaining candidates to drop out was that “both Speaker Gingrich and Sen. Santorum have publicly stated that their campaign strategy is no longer winning the nomination outright but preventing Mitt Romney from getting the nod and fighting it out at the convention,” Cardenas says. “That’s just not a workable formula. There’s no way we can compete with the Barack Obama machine given an eight-week time period. You can’t raise resources.”
To be effective, “You’ve got to spend money on day one, and you can’t start day one being the day after the convention and organize all 50 states, or at least swing states,” Cardenas says. “We just would not be competitive.”
So the question becomes, “Are we willing to give up the White House for the sake of letting the contest run through the convention? And the answer to me, clearly, is no,” Cardenas says.
Cardenas says he has always felt that Romney is a conservative who is the most competent presidential candidate and would have the best chance of defeating President Obama.
“It’s not that difficult to be a successful conservative governor of Oklahoma,” Cardenas says. “It’s far more difficult to be a conservative governor of Massachusetts. Mitt Romney clearly ran the executive branch of government in Massachusetts as far to the right as one possibly could.”
Cardenas cites the fact that Romney vetoed more than 800 bills that he felt conflicted with fiscal and social conservative principles. He balanced the budget and left a surplus.
Romney’s healthcare plan for Massachusetts was developed by the conservative Heritage Foundation. At the time, Gingrich and other conservative leaders endorsed the idea. The Massachusetts legislature, where 85 percent of the members were Democrats, tacked on provisions that made the legislation more costly, Cardenas says.
“Romney has clearly said that the federal mandate at the heart of the Obama healthcare bill is unacceptable,” Cardenas says. “He’s clearly said that he would work with the Congress to repeal it on day one of his presidency. And he clearly has said he would give day-one waivers to all the states to abandon it. I’m comfortable with that answer, and I’m comfortable with the fact that he would govern as a conservative.”
As for the claim that Romney is a flip-flopper, “If you agree with that claim, then in essence you’re closing the door to everyone who has transitioned in their public views,” Cardenas says. “As conservatives, we’ve always had a penchant for embracing those who found their way into our ranks. We did that with Ronald Reagan, who proved to be every bit as trustworthy as we had hoped.”
Especially on some social issues, Romney’s thinking has evolved, Cardenas says.
“He’s been preaching the conservative message now for a long time, and I take him at his word that he’s had this conversion on a few critical issues,” Cardenas says. “I know that he’s always governed as conservatively as he could, given the circumstances. I’m comfortable with his evolution, and I’m comfortable with the honesty and integrity of that evolution.”
Cardenas says Romney’s character is flawless.
“He has a reputation that is beyond reproach in the business world, which is as cutthroat a world as there is at his level,” Cardenas says. “In terms of his family life, he’s been a loyal husband and loving father for four decades, and he’s led an admirable personal life, not only with his family but with his faith, in terms of how much effort and resources he’s put to support his faith, and those who depend on it.”
Rivals who have attacked Romney’s Bain Capital because it let go workers don’t seem to appreciate how capitalism works, Cardenas says.
“Those Democrats who criticize him criticize him for the same reasons they don’t want to shrink a bloated government,” Cardenas says. ”They think that giving a pink slip to a government bureaucrat in order to reduce the size of government is a heartless thing. We consider that to be a champion of the taxpayer’s rights to keep more of our money.”
In business, Cardenas says, “You sometimes have two choices: You either reduce the work force and save the business, or the business fails and then everybody’s out of work.”
Asked if Romney will tap Rubio to run as his vice presidential candidate, Cardenas says he is confident the Florida senator will be among Romney’s top picks.
“If he gets the call, I’m hoping he says yes,” Cardenas says. “I know Marco wants to be the best senator he can be. He’s not lobbying for the job. But it’s very hard to turn down a future president in terms of serving your country.”
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Cardenas-ACU-Romney-Santorum/2012/04/02/id/434494
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Delegate count:
Romney - 630
Santorum - 264
Gingrich -137
Paul - 71
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
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Truth. It's all over but the crying.
GOP superdelegates: It's over, Romney is nominee
By Stephen Ohlemacher
Associated Press
POSTED: 05:01 a.m. HST, Apr 07, 2012
LAST UPDATED: 05:19 a.m. HST, Apr 07, 2012
WASHINGTON >> It's over, and Mitt Romney is going to be the GOP nominee for president.
That's the growing consensus among Republican National Committee members who will automatically attend the party's national convention this summer and can support any candidate they choose.
Even some members who support other candidates begrudgingly say the math doesn't add up for anyone but the former Massachusetts governor.
"I would be surprised if Romney doesn't get the number he needs," said Jeff Johnson of Minnesota, who supports former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Bob Bennett of Ohio was more blunt.
"Look, Gov. Romney's going to be the nominee, and he's going to have enough votes," said Bennett, who is publicly neutral but said he supported Romney four years ago.
Romney's chief rival, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, is pledging to stay in the race, hoping a victory in his home state's primary April 24 will give his campaign new life. But Santorum has fallen far behind Romney in the race for convention delegates, and RNC members are taking notice, even though most are publicly staying neutral, preferring to let primary voters decide the nominee.
The Associated Press has polled 114 of the 120 superdelegates, party members who can support any candidate for president they choose at the national convention in August, regardless of what happens in primaries or caucuses.
In the latest survey, conducted Tuesday to Friday, Romney has 35 endorsements, far more than anyone else but a modest figure for the apparent nominee. Gingrich has four endorsements, Santorum has two and Texas Rep. Ron Paul got one.
RNC members have been slowly embracing Romney. He picked up 11 new endorsements since the last AP survey a month ago, after the Super Tuesday contests. Over the course of the campaign, however, Romney methodically has added endorsements from every region of the country. In the U.S. territories, where voters help decide the nominee but can't vote in the general election, Romney has dominated.
Romney has endorsements from all three RNC members in Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands. He was endorsed by two of the three members in Puerto Rico.
Romney may be struggling among voters in the South, but he was endorsed by two of the three committee members in Mississippi, Henry Barbour and Jeanne Luckey. Romney even has support from Robert Asher of Pennsylvania.
Santorum's only endorsements are from members in Iowa and Alabama. In Pennsylvania, state GOP chairman Robert Gleason is publicly neutral.
"I talked to Rick the other day," Gleason said. "He didn't even ask me to support him."
Texas GOP chairman Steve Munisteri said he talked to Santorum for about 20 minutes on Tuesday, when Santorum was in the state for a fundraiser.
Santorum told him "what I already believed, which is we're only a little over the halfway mark and that he thinks he'll do really well in the Southern states," said Munisteri, who has yet to endorse anyone.
"He should go into those states as the front-runner," Munisteri said. "If he can win Pennsylvania, he'd then be able to put a streak of five or six wins together based on all the Southern states holding primaries."
Seventy-two RNC delegates said they were either undecided or not ready to make a public endorsement. Many said they are eager for the nomination fight to end so the party can focus on defeating President Barack Obama in November.
But most said they are reluctant to ask Santorum to quit.
"The decision to get in or get out of a race is an extremely personal decision," said John Ryder of Tennessee, who is neutral. "He's got to decide when he thinks it is no longer politically valuable to continue."
"It is very hard to see any path for Sen. Santorum to the nomination. It is very hard to see any path for Speaker Gingrich to the nomination," Ryder said. "But they and their supporters have to make that final call."
In the overall race for delegates, Romney has 660 and Santorum has 281, according to the AP count. Gingrich is even farther behind, with 135, followed by Paul with 51.
Romney has won 58 percent of the caucus and primary delegates so far. At that pace, he would reach the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination, 1,144, on June 5, when five states, including delegate rich California and New Jersey, hold contests
Santorum met privately Thursday with conservative activists to work on plans to stop Romney's march to the nomination. The group decided to pressure Gingrich to leave the race, believing that would help unite conservatives behind Santorum.
Gingrich, however, has already scaled back his campaign to the point that he schedules few public events. In the three primaries last Tuesday, all won by Romney, Gingrich got 11 percent of the vote in both Maryland and the District of Columbia and 6 percent in Wisconsin.
Even if Santorum had picked up every vote for Gingrich, Romney still would have won all three primaries.
"It's over with," said Bennett, the RNC member from Ohio. "And if Romney carries Pennsylvania, that completes it. He'll be the presumptive nominee before the end of the month."
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/146526585.html?id=146526585
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He's eating his humble pie after saying several months back he would be the nominee.
Gingrich: Romney Most Likely Republican Nominee
Sunday, 08 Apr 2012
Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich once led his rivals for the nomination in polls. Today, he's millions in debt and describing Mitt Romney as "far and away the most likely" GOP nominee.
Running for president "turned out to be much harder than I thought it would be," he said Sunday.
"I do think there's a desire for a more idea-oriented Republican Party, but that doesn't translate necessarily to being able to take on the Romney machine," Gingrich told "Fox News Sunday" in a reflective interview.
After his Jan. 21 victory in the South Carolina primary, the former House Speaker said the Florida primary he lost in the following days turned into a "real brawl." He said Romney did a good job building a substantial machine, adding he has no regrets.
"Unfortunately, our guys tried to match Romney," Gingrich said of the Florida match-up. "It turned out, we didn't have anything like his capacity to raise money."
Gingrich said he has a little less than $4.5 million in campaign debt, and he's operating on a shoestring budget.
Despite Gingrich's acknowledgment of what appears to be his inevitable defeat, the former House speaker isn't ready to drop out. Gingrich wants to influence the party's platform, which is a statement of principles on the issues. He's interested in promoting increased domestic oil production and personal Social Security savings accounts.
"I hit him as hard as I could. He hit me as hard as he could. It turned out he had more things to hit with than I did. And, that's part of the business. He's done the fundraising side brilliantly," Gingrich said.
Gingrich has had a campaign full of ups and downs. Just weeks after entering the race last year, his campaign imploded. Months later, in the weeks before the Iowa caucuses, he surged. He came in behind Romney and Rick Santorum in Iowa, but won South Carolina.
Gingrich had several losses before winning his home state of Georgia. He had hoped to carry the momentum of that win to other contests in the South, so far unsuccessfully.
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Republican-nomination/2012/04/08/id/435152
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Rubio endorses Romney, saying he's 'earned' it
Published March 29, 2012
FoxNews.com
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., endorsed Mitt Romney for president Wednesday night on Fox News' "Hannity," saying Romney offers "a very clear alternative" to President Obama's vision for the future of the country.
Rubio, a young, first-termer who has been discussed as a possible vice presidential candidate, criticized talk of a fight for the Republican nomination on the convention floor, a possibility that is keeping alive the campaigns of Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich.
"I think that's a recipe for delivering four more years of Barack Obama," Rubio told Fox News' Sean Hannity.
Romney has "earned this nomination," Rubio said, though he again shot down questions about whether he would accept any offers of a spot on the ticket.
"I don't believe I'm going to be asked to be the vice presidential nominee," he said, adding it's not something he wants.
The endorsement comes after another big-name in Florida politics, former Gov. Jeb Bush, threw his support behind Romney, and former President George H.W. Bush is expected to officially endorse Romney on Thursday.
Romney has a comfortable lead in the delegate count, though Santorum has been able to pick up wins in several recent state contests, including Louisiana on Saturday.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/03/28/rubio-endorses-romney-saying-hes-earned-it/
LOL!
Saying "he's earned the nomination" is simply a statement of inevitable fact. He's not saying "Romney has a clear vision for saving america. He's a consistent conservative. I believe in his solutions"
No, he's saying "Romney has a mathematical lead that the other guys don't have. So let's beat obama with him.
Which is smart - cause if romney loses as the RINO that he is, rubio doesn't want that stink on him in 2016. Hearing "But you said romney was a conservative, why the hell shoudl we believe you" won't help him then. But him simply stating the math isn't a ringing endorsement.
Romney stinks like tuna fish for any 2016 potential. They'll all deliver these weak ass lines about rallying against obama, while not slobbing his knob like pawlenty and christie are doing.
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Romney didn't earn anything. He waged a dishonest campaign and outspent everyone 20 to 1
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Romney didn't earn anything. He waged a dishonest campaign and outspent everyone 20 to 1
your points are accurate. He was winning by 5 points after spending 6-to-1 over a kookbag like santorum.
Obama won't be outspent 6 to 1 lol, taht's for damn sure. If santorum had the same $ as romney, I think we all believe romney woudl have lost. I mean, 1/4 of repubs like him, and 3/4 of repubs don't. But 94% of the time, the dude with more money wins.
Obama's not exactly gonna be broke lol. And will 3/4 of repubs hate obama enough to donate like crazy? When even romney admits the economy is getting better at the moment under obama, ya gotta wonder :(
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All over but the crying. I think Newt quits after tomorrow's primaries. Ron Paul will probably stay in till the end to inflate his numbers.
RCP average:
Romney - 48.4
Gingrich - 15.6
Paul - 13.7
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
Delegate count (1144 needed):
Romney - 695
Santorum - 273
Gingrich - 141
Paul - 72
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
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After Romney's sweep yesterday:
Romney - 841
Santorum - 273
Gingrich - 141
Paul - 76
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
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Popular vote to date:
Romney - 5,221,445
Santorum - 3,376,375
Gingrich - 2,402,960
Paul - 1,335,024
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html
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Popular vote to date:
Romney - 5,221,445
Santorum - 3,376,375
Gingrich - 2,402,960
Paul - 1,335,024
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html
LOL @ the anti-romney vote > # of votes for romney.
he's in trouble. base hates him.
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::)
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.,
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Looks like Romney got most of Santorum's supporters. RCP average:
Romney - 52.8%
Gingrich - 19.0%
Paul - 15.0%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
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Looks like Romney got most of Santorum's supporters. RCP average:
Romney - 52.8%
Gingrich - 19.0%
Paul - 15.0%
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html
too funny. nobody voted for santorum cause they saw the next reagan. they did it because they looked at romney and were disgusted.
now they hold their noses and say "yes, I loves me some mittens!"
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Romney didn't earn anything. He waged a dishonest campaign and outspent everyone 20 to 1
+1
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Romney didn't earn anything. He waged a dishonest campaign and outspent everyone 20 to 1
do you think he can defeat obama if the money is even?
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I dont like Romney's weak ass flip-flop personality a rich boy with no character but i prefer him over Gingrich and Santorum no doubt
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(http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/535180_345433588849836_242807579112438_890638_151213412_n.jpg)
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The only true conservative in the GOP and a good man too.
Obama/Romney same shit
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dems gotta be thrilled this election. they watched Mitt blink and succumb to the dems when he was in office. He signed anti-gun bills and appointed liberals. he appeased libs left and right. They are gonna focus on keeping a dem senate - they know mitt will do as they say. He's soft. A guy like gingrich would crash the USA to the gorund before he'd let a dem senate win on a SCOTUS appointment.
But Mitt? He's folded under much less stress. Dems are happy. They'd be terrified of a Santorum saying "Obama, sit down, you're a disgrace". They know Romney is going to be safe and predictable and if/when they do try to "unleash" him, it's gonna sound so insincere.
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dems gotta be thrilled this election. they watched Mitt blink and succumb to the dems when he was in office. He signed anti-gun bills and appointed liberals. he appeased libs left and right. They are gonna focus on keeping a dem senate - they know mitt will do as they say. He's soft. A guy like gingrich would crash the USA to the gorund before he'd let a dem senate win on a SCOTUS appointment.
But Mitt? He's folded under much less stress. Dems are happy. They'd be terrified of a Santorum saying "Obama, sit down, you're a disgrace". They know Romney is going to be safe and predictable and if/when they do try to "unleash" him, it's gonna sound so insincere.
True
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(http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/535180_345433588849836_242807579112438_890638_151213412_n.jpg)
(http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/525864_346805668712628_242807579112438_893557_1629181667_n.jpg)
"Funded by US Armed Forces"? Uh, no.
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May 3rd, 2012
Bachmann endorses Romney
Posted by
CNN Political Unit
(CNN) – Former presidential candidate Michele Bachmann threw her support behind Mitt Romney on Thursday.
Standing on stage with the presumptive GOP presidential nominee at an event in Portsmouth, Virginia, the Minnesota congresswoman said she was there to "lend my voice and my endorsement to Mitt Romney as our president to take the county back."
Bachmann invoked rhetoric she used frequently on the campaign trail and urged voters to limit President Barack Obama to one term in the White House.
"There is no question in my mind Americans will go to the polls and they’ll be saying `Mr. President you’re fired!’ and instead we will soundly stand for someone who believes in America," Bachmann said to loud cheers.
She pointed to what she called one of the biggest factors in the election –energy– and argued Romney would be the best leader to further tap into domestic resources.
"Mitt Romney’s future for America would be a legalization of American energy, a legalization of millions of high paying jobs," Bachmann said.
As she stepped aside for Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell to take the stage, Romney offered a gesture of approval.
"Beautifully done," he told her.
But the congresswoman hasn't always had kind words for her former opponent. Prior to ending her presidential bid in early January– shortly after a disappointing finish in the Iowa caucuses– Bachmann took several shots at Romney over the healthcare law he passed as Massachusetts governor.
"This is the seminal issue of Barack Obama's presidency. And this is the chief liability that Mitt Romney has going into the presidential race," Bachmann said in an interview with CNN on January 1.
She added: "He is the only governor in the history of the United States that has put into place socialized medicine in his state. And that's going to be our nominee to stand up against president Obama?"
The congresswoman, however, has repeatedly said in recent weeks it was only a matter of time before she would officially Romney.
As a candidate, Bachmann initially ran with large tea party appeal, frequently bucking what she described as the more establishment faction of the party that Romney represented.
Her endorsement comes weeks after former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum dropped out of the race, a move that essentially locked up the nomination for Romney.
Asked repeatedly why she was holding out in her support for Romney, Bachmann would not go into specifics but said she was working "behind the scenes, bringing together all factions of our party."
"As the line says in the 'Wizard of Oz,' 'All in good time, my pretty,'" Bachmann said on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" last week. "It will happen."
National Review first reported the news of Bachmann's upcoming endorsement.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/03/bachmann-endorses-romney/
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May 3rd, 2012
Bachmann endorses Romney
Posted by
CNN Political Unit
(CNN) – Former presidential candidate Michele Bachmann threw her support behind Mitt Romney on Thursday.
Standing on stage with the presumptive GOP presidential nominee at an event in Portsmouth, Virginia, the Minnesota congresswoman said she was there to "lend my voice and my endorsement to Mitt Romney as our president to take the county back."
Bachmann invoked rhetoric she used frequently on the campaign trail and urged voters to limit President Barack Obama to one term in the White House.
"There is no question in my mind Americans will go to the polls and they’ll be saying `Mr. President you’re fired!’ and instead we will soundly stand for someone who believes in America," Bachmann said to loud cheers.
She pointed to what she called one of the biggest factors in the election –energy– and argued Romney would be the best leader to further tap into domestic resources.
"Mitt Romney’s future for America would be a legalization of American energy, a legalization of millions of high paying jobs," Bachmann said.
As she stepped aside for Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell to take the stage, Romney offered a gesture of approval.
"Beautifully done," he told her.
But the congresswoman hasn't always had kind words for her former opponent. Prior to ending her presidential bid in early January– shortly after a disappointing finish in the Iowa caucuses– Bachmann took several shots at Romney over the healthcare law he passed as Massachusetts governor.
"This is the seminal issue of Barack Obama's presidency. And this is the chief liability that Mitt Romney has going into the presidential race," Bachmann said in an interview with CNN on January 1.
She added: "He is the only governor in the history of the United States that has put into place socialized medicine in his state. And that's going to be our nominee to stand up against president Obama?"
The congresswoman, however, has repeatedly said in recent weeks it was only a matter of time before she would officially Romney.
As a candidate, Bachmann initially ran with large tea party appeal, frequently bucking what she described as the more establishment faction of the party that Romney represented.
Her endorsement comes weeks after former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum dropped out of the race, a move that essentially locked up the nomination for Romney.
Asked repeatedly why she was holding out in her support for Romney, Bachmann would not go into specifics but said she was working "behind the scenes, bringing together all factions of our party."
"As the line says in the 'Wizard of Oz,' 'All in good time, my pretty,'" Bachmann said on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" last week. "It will happen."
National Review first reported the news of Bachmann's upcoming endorsement.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/03/bachmann-endorses-romney/
I lost A LOT of respect for Michelle Bauchman during this primary.
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I lost A LOT of respect for Michelle Bauchman during this primary.
Endorsement from the queen pyscho herself. wonderful.
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May 3rd, 2012
Bachmann endorses Romney
her entire campaign was anti-romney.
she just wants him to pay off her campaign debts? ;)
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They're all going to line up behind him. Except for maybe Ron Paul.
Gingrich says he's already endorsed Romney, still critical
Posted by
CNN's Kevin Liptak
Washington (CNN) – A day after a seemingly lukewarm embrace of presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich said Thursday he had fully endorsed the former Massachusetts governor and would enthusiastically campaign on his behalf.
"I thought I was endorsing him," Gingrich said of his speech Wednesday, in which he formally announced he was suspending his bid for the GOP nomination. Gingrich was speaking in an interview on "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."
– Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
The former House speaker said he tried to make clear he was fully backing Romney, despite barely mentioning him during his departure speech.
"I said I want to campaign for him and he will appoint dramatically better judges than the president and he'll do a better job creating jobs than the president and he'll do far more to balance the budget. I went down the list of why Mitt Romney is better than Barack Obama," Gingrich said.
In his Wednesday event, Gingrich mentioned Romney only briefly, focusing instead on a lengthy list of issues he advocated as a candidate. He praised Romney, but portrayed the choice between the Republican and President Barack Obama as a no-brainer.
"I am asked sometimes is Mitt Romney conservative enough? And my answer is simple – compared to Barack Obama? This is not a choice between Mitt Romney and Ronald Reagan. This is a choice between Mitt Romney and the most radical leftist president in American history," Gingrich said in his speech.
When confronted Thursday with an Obama campaign video splicing together some of his harshest comments on Romney, Gingrich barely backed off his assertion, made during the height of the GOP primary battle, that Romney was a liar.
"The governor said some things that weren't true," Gingrich said.
He added he trusted Romney over Obama "100 times over."
As for potential names on Romney's vice presidential short list, Gingrich offered a slate of oft-mentioned politicians: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.
"You always have to consider three things," Gingrich said of the running mate selection. "Are they capable of being president? Are they philosophically compatible and will they help you win, in that order? And that's the order you've got to think about it. I think he's got a pretty wide range. I think our bench is actually pretty deep."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/03/gingrich-says-hes-already-endorsed-romney-still-critical/
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Aide: Santorum endorsement could come in 'next week or so'
Posted by
CNN's Kevin Liptak
(CNN) – John Brabender, a senior strategist to former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum, said Friday if the ex-GOP candidate endorses his former top rival Mitt Romney it will be "in the next week or so."
Brabender's comments came after a meeting between the one-time opponents, which he characterized as a productive, issues-driven conversation. Nonetheless, the session did not produce an immediate endorsement from Santorum.
"I think if something is going to happen it will happen sooner than later," Brabender said of a potential endorsement. Asked by CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley what "sooner" meant, Brabender said "probably in the next week or so, not in the next two months."
The meeting between Romney and Santorum took place Friday morning at Brabender's office in Pittsburgh, and lasted 90 minutes. In the interview Friday, Brabender broke down some of the important issues the two Republicans discussed.
"I think it was a very friendly yet certainly a very serious talk," Brabender said. "I think both of them are very focused on how to beat Barack Obama this fall. I think most of the conversation centered around that."
Brabender listed manufacturing and pro-family issues as some of the topics Santorum brought up during the meeting.
"I got the sense from spending a little time with both of them it was a very candid meeting, very productive," Brabender said, who also added the meeting itself was a one-on-one between Santorum and Romney, without aides or advisers present.
Brabender explained the span of time between the end of Santorum's campaign and the meeting was not a sign of lukewarm feelings, but rather an indication the former Pennsylvania senator is taking the endorsement process seriously.
"I think if an endorsement comes it'll have more weight and will be more helpful to Mitt Romney if indeed that happens," Brabender said.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/04/aide-says-santorum-endorsement-coming-in-next-week-or-so/?hpt=hp_t3
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Romney slowly but surely racking up GOP convention delegates
Published May 06, 2012
Associated Press
WASHINGTON – Republican party leaders are starting to rally around Mitt Romney, but it's not exactly a stampede of support for the expected GOP presidential nominee.
With Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich out of the race, Romney is his party's pick to take on President Obama this fall, barring a catastrophe. While Romney talks like the nominee, the former Massachusetts governor has work to do to round up enough convention delegates to make it official.
Romney has 867 delegates, according to The Associated Press count. That's 277 short of the 1,144 he needs to win the nomination. Romney could get about 100 delegates from Tuesday's primaries in North Carolina, Indiana and West Virginia, if he dominates the voting in all three states.
But unless he persuades a lot more Santorum and Gingrich delegates to switch allegiances, Romney might not clinch until the Texas primary May 29.
"He's the projected candidate," said Peggy Lambert, a member of the Republican National Committee from Tennessee who endorsed Romney last week. "Let's go ahead and get this thing over with. Let's get as many delegates as we can."
Santorum and Gingrich have said they will help Romney defeat Obama, but neither has released his delegates to vote for Romney at the national convention in August. Santorum has 257 delegates and Gingrich has 130. In interviews during the past week, many said they were reluctant to back Romney without guidance from their former candidates.
The only other Republican still in the race, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, has 83 delegates.
Many committee members are getting behind Romney, though some are half-hearted about it. These party leaders -- three from each state and U.S. territory -- automatically attend the national convention and, in most states, can support any candidate they choose.
They will be asked to donate, volunteer and work for Republican candidates up and down the ticket, making their support for Romney an important barometer of enthusiasm and unity among GOP loyalists.
"I think the process has narrowed down and we've got a chance to hear all the candidates and all the debate," said Jonathan Barnett, an RNC member from Arkansas who serves in the state Legislature. "Really, he's pretty much the only one left standing. It's time to get on board."
Alabama GOP chairman Bill Armistead sounded more enthusiastic. He said he's recruiting volunteers to help Romney in Florida, where the race will be much closer than in Alabama.
"The No. 1 objective of the people I talk to is to defeat Barack Obama," Armistead said.
The RNC has 168 members. Some are required to support the candidate who wins the primary in their state. The AP has identified 120 who are free to support any candidate they choose, regardless of the primaries.
Romney has endorsements from 57 of them, according to the AP's latest survey, conducted in the past week after Gingrich's plans to leave the race became public. Paul has one endorsement while 60 RNC members are holding off on endorsing anyone, even with the race essentially decided. (Two RNC spots won't be filled until June).
Some RNC members say they have yet to endorse Romney because of local concerns.
Kentucky GOP chairman Steve Robertson said he isn't endorsing anyone out of deference to Paul's son, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. In Oregon, Nebraska and New Mexico, RNC members say they won't endorse anyone before their states' primaries, which have yet to be held.
Back when the primary race was competitive, some RNC members questioned Romney's conservative credentials. In the latest survey, no RNC member was willing to say he or she had a problem with him.
But Richard Giessel, a Santorum delegate in Alaska, wasn't shy about his disdain for Romney, calling him "a big government guy."
"We've got too big a government now," said Giessel, who said he now plans to support Ron Paul.
Romney added 22 RNC endorsements since the last AP survey in early April, and he has support from every region of the country. None of Romney's rivals was able to gain much traction among the RNC delegates. Gingrich had four endorsements at one point, more than any of the others.
Drew Johnson, a Gingrich delegate from South Carolina, said he thinks the state's delegates will unite behind Romney. South Carolina, a solidly Republican state, was one of only two states Gingrich won in the primaries.
"Romney has my endorsement and he can count on South Carolina to be one of his biggest cheering sections at the national convention," said Johnson, who leads the Chester County Republicans. "My focus is crystal clear for the upcoming election. We will be making calls to any state it is needed and even send South Carolina activists to real swing states to defeat Obama."
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/06/romney-slowly-but-surely-racking-up-gop-convention-delegates/
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romney's performance against this watered down field is kinda sad.
santorum, newt, ron paul... they're B-list candidates by any measurement.
he hasn't faced a heavyweight powerhouse yet, with the same kind of money and/or better organization.
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romney's performance against this watered down field is kinda sad.
santorum, newt, ron paul... they're B-list candidates by any measurement.
he hasn't faced a heavyweight powerhouse yet, with the same kind of money and/or better organization.
Yet he is being Ghettobama in Gallup today.
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Santorum endorses former rival Romney as GOP presidential candidate
Published May 07, 2012
Associated Press
WASHINGTON – Former presidential hopeful Rick Santorum urged his supporters to back fellow Republican Mitt Romney's campaign Monday in a late-night email that ignored that Santorum once calling Romney the "worst Republican in the country" during their bitter contest.
Santorum, a former senator from Pennsylvania and a newly minted celebrity among conservatives, said that the one-time rivals would unite to deny President Barack Obama's re-election. But in a nod that the wounds had not yet healed, he reminded his supporters of the deep differences between the two and that misgivings had not yet abated.
"The primary campaign certainly made it clear that Gov. Romney and I have some differences. But there are many significant areas in which we agree," Santorum wrote, citing common ground in economic, social and foreign policy.
He added: "Above all else, we both agree that President Obama must be defeated. The task will not be easy. It will require all hands on deck if our nominee is to be victorious. Gov. Romney will be that nominee and he has my endorsement and support to win this the most critical election of our lifetime."
It was a sharp turnabout from what he had to say about Romney in Wisconsin: "Pick any other Republican in the country. He is the worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama."
Romney visited Santorum for more than an hour on Friday at the Pittsburgh office of Santorum's longtime strategist. The session covered many of Santorum's concerns about Romney's campaign, especially the sincerity of his vow to repeal Democrats' national health care law that was modeled on one Romney signed into law as Massachusetts governor. Those worries, it seems, were assuaged during their private session that ended without Santorum's public backing.
"And while I had concerns about Gov. Romney making a case as a candidate about fighting against Obamacare, I have no doubt if elected he will work with a Republican Congress to repeal it and replace it with a bottom up, patient, not government, driven system," Santorum said in an email that allowed him to bypass a public event with the two standing arm in arm.
Santorum also urged Romney's campaign to incorporate some of Santorum's former aides and advisers to ensure conservatives are represented. That too seems to have begun. Santorum's former campaign manager has signed on with Romney to help his outreach to conservatives, a voting bloc that was skeptical of Romney's changed positions on bedrock issues such as abortion rights.
"You can be sure that I will work with the governor to help him in this task to ensure he has a strong team that will support him in his conservative policy initiatives," Santorum said.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/07/santorum-endorses-former-rival-romney-as-gop-presidential-candidate/
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Delegate count after yesterday's votes in Indiana, NC, and WV:
Romney - 925
Santorum - 281
Gingrich - 145
Paul - 82
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
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Delegate count after yesterday's votes in Indiana, NC, and WV:
Romney - 925
Santorum - 281
Gingrich - 145
Paul - 82
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
Stunning
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Stunning
Predictable.
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Lining up behind Romney. Whether they hold their noses or not, they'll all be supporting him. "They" meaning Republicans.
Gingrich to Stump for Romney in Georgia
Saturday, 12 May 2012
Newt Gingrich will begin campaigning for Mitt Romney next week, the former GOP presidential candidate told Fox News.
Gingrich will throw his support behind the presumptive Republican presidential nominee at two events in Georgia, including the state's GOP convention, Fox News reported.
Gingrich, who represented Georgia in the House, suspended his campaign on May 2.
A Gingrich campaign spokesman told CNN on Friday night that the former House speaker also will campaign for Romney in Las Vegas.
“I am asked sometimes is Mitt Romney conservative enough?” Gingrich said when he suspended his campaign. “And my answer is simple – compared to Barack Obama? This is not a choice between Mitt Romney and Ronald Reagan. This is a choice between Mitt Romney and the most radical leftist president in American history."
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Saturday told Fox News that he will be at two Romney events, including the Oklahoma GOP convention in Norman, Fox News reported.
http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/Georgia-Republican-campaign/2012/05/12/id/438853
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Current popular vote tally:
Romney - 6,354,712
Santorum - 3,576,171
Gingrich - 2,525,766
Paul - 1,554,822
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html
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Current popular vote tally:
Romney - 6,354,712
Santorum - 3,576,171
Gingrich - 2,525,766
Paul - 1,554,822
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html
ABO.
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Cain endorses Romney, urges Republicans to 'get over' doubts about presumptive nominee
Published May 16, 2012
FoxNews.com
Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain endorsed Mitt Romney Wednesday afternoon, calling on disgruntled conservatives who didn't consider Romney their first choice to "get over it."
Cain announced his support for Romney in Washington, D.C.
"I've met with him privately and now I'm telling everyone publicly, if Mitt Romney wasn't your favorite candidate for the Republican nomination, get over it," Cain said in a written statement. "We need unity to take back the White House, the Senate and keep control of the House of Representatives."
The backing comes as Romney comes close to winning enough delegates to clinch the GOP nomination. Cain had previously backed Newt Gingrich, who is now out of the race.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/16/cain-expected-to-endorse-romney/?test=latestnews
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After Nebraska and Oregon yesterday:
Romney - 961
Santorum - 274
Gingrich - 145
Paul - 114
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/dates/20120515
I think he reaches the magic number when he wins Texas on 29 May.
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After Nebraska and Oregon yesterday:
Romney - 961
Santorum - 274
Gingrich - 145
Paul - 114
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/dates/20120515
I think he reaches the magic number when he wins Texas on 29 May.
I need to get out there tomorow to vote for Mitt and Ted Cruz.
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Popular vote tally:
Romney - 6,652,234
Santorum - 3,622,918
Gingrich - 2,548,223
Paul - 1,601,986
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html
When you look at the number of states and delegates won by Romney, along with the popular vote, this really wasn't close at all.
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I need to get out there tomorow to vote for Mitt and Ted Cruz.
i need to get and vote for Santorum; then quickly wash my hands to get santorum off them.
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When you look at the number of states and delegates won by Romney, along with the popular vote, this really wasn't close at all.
yeah, it's really cool that repubs managed to choose a candidate that most accurately reflected their severely conservative views.
People who use the ::) icon are sexually confused (in advance)
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yeah, it's really cool that repubs managed to choose a candidate that most accurately reflected their severely conservative views.
People who use the ::) icon are sexually confused (in advance)
Dudes who are pathological liars, believe in fanciful conspiracy theories, and live on internet message boards are often girlymen.
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After Romney takes Arkansas and Kentucky yesterday, here is the current delegate count:
Romney - 1049
Santorum - 264
Gingrich - 145
Paul - 123
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
Romney needs 95 to reach 1144. He likely gets there on 29 May (Texas primary), because even though it's a proportional primary, I doubt Paul gets enough votes to keep Romney from getting at least 95 of the 155 delegates at stake.
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are these delegates legally required to vote romney?
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Giuliani gets over ego and praises Romney
Posted by
CNN Producer Gabriella Schwarz
Washington (CNN) - Rudy Giuliani, now a Mitt Romney supporter, said Sunday that he partially blames his ego for previous criticism of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
"Well, I mean, there's a certain amount of personal ego in that. At that point I was probably comparing his record to my record," Giuliani said on CNN’s "State of the Union." "That’s all part of campaigning."
– Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
While running for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination, Giuliani targeted his then-rival over his record on spending, taxes and health care during his tenure as Massachusetts governor.
Although Giuliani said Romney is now the “perfect choice” given the U.S. economy, he also explained his previous jabs.
"Maybe it was circumstances or whatever, but I had massive reductions in unemployment. He had a reduction in unemployment of about 8, 10 - I think it was 15%. I had a reduction of unemployment of 50%. He had a growth of jobs of about 40,000. We had a growth of jobs of about 500,000," Giuliani said of his time as mayor of New York City. "So I was comparing what I thought was my far superior record to his otherwise decent record, but numbers weren't as great."
Giuliani publicly endorsed Romney in April after some less than flattering remarks directed at the frontrunner earlier in the primary cycle, in particular over his perceived failure at personally connecting with voters.
Although that was Romney’s “problem during the primary,” Giuliani said he’s “doing a much better job at it.”
"Gov. Romney, now that people see who he is, I think they're going to find a very intelligent, very engaged, very committed man who's the perfect choice for a period of time in which we have to revive the economy," Giuliani told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley. "Couldn't think of better credentials to deal with the economy, so maybe the personal part won't become as important."
Ultimately, the outcome of the November election will depend on the economy, Giuliani said.
“If the economy doesn’t improve between now and September or October, I don’t think President Obama will be re-elected,” Giuliani said. “If he gets an economy that starts improving, then it could be anybody’s ball game.”
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/27/giuliani-gets-over-ego-and-praises-romney/
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Romney was a good businessman and great for shareholders.
But Mass was 47th in job creation when he was governor.
And being governor is a lot more like being president - than running a company that has the ability to pick from cows and dogs and pick and choose which companies to address.
As governor (and as president), he is faced with ALL the problems of all the groups of constituents.
As a venture capitalist, he could see troublesome companies and just pass on them.
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Poll: Romney leads Obama among veterans
(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2012/images/05/28/t1larg.romney.veterans.2.jpg)
Posted by
CNN's Ashley Killough
(CNN) - As Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama take a campaign break to pay tribute on Memorial Day, a poll released Monday indicates the presumptive GOP presidential nominee has a big lead over Obama among veterans.
Fifty-eight percent of veterans support Romney, while 34% back the president, according to a new Gallup survey.
In recent weeks, polls have indicated significant gender gap between Obama and Romney, with woman more favorable to the president and men leaning more towards Romney.
Interestingly, the new poll shows that Romney's male advantage may be attributed to his lead among veterans, given that one in four men in the United States have served in the military. When taking into account only non-veteran men, Obama and Romney are essentially tied, the poll shows.
Among non-veterans overall (both men and women), however, Obama holds a four-percentage point advantage, 48%-44%, over his Republican rival.
Neither Romney nor Obama have military records, making the 2012 election the first race with non-veterans as candidates since the 1944 showdown between Franklin Roosevelt and Thomas Dewey.
To commemorate the holiday, Romney makes an appearance Monday with Sen. John McCain at the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center in San Diego, California, while President Barack Obama attends ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall.
Gallup pulled its data from its daily tracking survey between April 11 and May 24, with a random sample of 43,352 adults questioned by telephone. Of the sample, 7,133 were veterans. The poll's sampling error is plus or minus two percentage points.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/28/romney-leads-obama-among-veterans/
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He should have the nomination wrapped up after the Texas primary on Tuesday. He has a lot of work to do and a lot of money to raise to win the general.
Can Romney 'connect'? Poised to clinch nomination, GOP candidate faces next test
Published May 28, 2012
FoxNews.com
Mitt Romney, after weathering an onslaught of rotating primary challengers over the course of the last year, is poised to clinch the Republican presidential nomination as early as Tuesday.
In doing so, his campaign will complete its shift, from knocking off Republican rivals one by one to challenging a single Democratic opponent, President Obama.
And with the Obama campaign now pouring airtime and resources into the latest attacks on Romney's private equity experience, the GOP candidate is discovering early that one of his biggest advantages in the primaries -- his war chest -- isn't quite so impressive in the general.
The latest campaign finance figures from April underscore the financial distance between them at the unofficial start of this contest. Obama had $115 million on hand; Romney had $9.2 million.
The reality of an incumbent's -- particularly this incumbent's -- fundraising power means Romney may have to focus more on message and more on his own personal story. It's a challenging task for somebody who lacks a classic rags-to-riches tale. But Romney the family man, Romney the faithful husband and Romney the determined businessman could start to make a bigger appearance as the race turns from a test of party purity to one of personal connections.
"He doesn't need to make a hardcore ideological argument, but he does need to connect with these people in a way that is lasting and sustained," GOP pollster Adam Geller said, urging the candidate to "tell his story."
Geller said Romney needs to do a much better job of connecting with the "frustrated middle class" and especially America's decisive political middle. At the same time, he has to avoid looking insincere. "It can't be the John Kerry-eating-the-cheesesteak moment," Geller quipped, recalling Kerry's 2003 gaffe of ordering a cheesesteak with Swiss -- which simply isn't done.
Romney could wrap up the nomination Tuesday evening with the voter-rich Texas primary. Based on the Associated Press tally, he needs at least 60 delegates to reach the 1,144-delegate threshold that will earn him the title of nominee. Texas offers a total of 155.
The campaign immediately faces historical headwinds in its bid to unseat an incumbent -- Jimmy Carter stands as the only Democratic president in the last century to lose his re-election bid -- and an unfriendly electoral-vote map.
By most analyses, the Democratic candidate starts out with an advantage in that regard. The number of electoral votes in solidly Democratic states simply is greater than the number in solidly Republican states.
The Cook Political Report, which tracks these numbers, estimates there are 182 electoral votes in states considered a lock for Democrats, versus 143 in states considered a lock for Republicans.
The Democratic advantage holds when states that lean one way or another are factored in. Still, more than a dozen states are on the table -- and Romney showed during the protracted primary that he's at least competitive in several of them.
The former Massachusetts governor, in January, dominated the Florida GOP primary. He also won, albeit by a slim margin, in Ohio. And he emerged on top in the lesser battleground states of Arizona, Michigan, New Hampshire, Nevada and Wisconsin -- as well as Virginia, though his top GOP rivals were not on the ballot in that particular contest. Those states alone are worth 107 electoral votes on the road to 270, though most will be fiercely contested in the fall.
"There's not a lot of wiggle room here," Geller noted. But he said aside from the usual swing contests of Florida and Ohio, the race could come down to an otherwise overlooked state light on electoral votes, like New Hampshire, which has just four electoral votes.
From the looks of the opening round, the general election battle will not be a pleasant one.
The Obama campaign, despite some dissension in the Democratic ranks, is pressing ahead with its effort to highlight companies that went under following the involvement of Romney's former company, Bain Capital.
Obama strategist Robert Gibbs, the former White House press secretary, told CBS' "Face the Nation" over the weekend that "people have a visceral reaction to Mitt Romney's time" at the firm.
"What Bain Capital never did was focus on job creation. That is not what Bain Capital does. It loads up companies with debt, it takes money out of those companies and pays those investors," he said.
Romney adviser Ed Gillespie disputed the claim, saying "there is a correlation" between "growing a company and job creation."
As the Republican candidate presses ahead and introduces himself to a broader swath of voters, he'll be challenged to defend his days at Bain.
Potentially working in Romney's favor, though, is the element of surprise and the potential crossover appeal inherent in whoever he chooses as his vice presidential nominee. By contrast, polling over the past year has shown Americans somewhat tiring of Obama's No. 2, Vice President Biden. The latest Gallup survey showed 42 percent view him favorably, while 45 percent view him unfavorably.
Polls, meanwhile, continue to show Romney struggling to convince people to vote for him, rather than against Obama. In a Fox News poll released May 16, 43 percent of those supporting Romney said they were doing so because he's "not Obama." Just 11 percent of Obama's supporters said they were backing the president because he's "not Romney." In that poll, Obama was leading Romney 46-39 percent.
"When you're running against an incumbent, you necessarily have to get people to vote for you ... who voted for the incumbent," said Fox News analyst Karl Rove, former adviser to President George W. Bush and co-founder of conservative group Crossroads GPS.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/28/romney-poised-to-clinch-gop-nomination/
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And it's over.
Romney hits 'magic number' for GOP nomination
By Gregory Wallace, CNN
updated 10:13 PM EDT, Tue May 29, 2012
(CNN) -- Mitt Romney hit his party's "magic number" on Tuesday, unofficially clinching the Republican presidential nomination in a race he entered as the front-runner and has had to himself for weeks.
Romney led the pack when he announced his second run for the White House last June, and he has watched his rivals for the nomination slowly trickle out as their own wins looked increasingly unlikely.
The delegates to put him over the 1,144 necessary for the GOP nomination came in Texas, the lone state to vote this week. Romney entered the day 78 delegates away from the magic number, and on Tuesday CNN projected he would win the state's GOP presidential primary, where 152 of the state's 155 delegates were at stake.
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On Tuesday, Romney said he was humbled to have secured the requisite delegates to become the GOP nominee.
"I am honored that Americans across the country have given their support to my candidacy and I am humbled to have won enough delegates to become the Republican Party's 2012 presidential nominee," Romney wrote. "Our party has come together with the goal of putting the failures of the last 3½ years behind us. I have no illusions about the difficulties of the task before us. But whatever challenges lie ahead, we will settle for nothing less than getting America back on the path to full employment and prosperity. On November 6, I am confident that we will unite as a country and begin the hard work of fulfilling the American promise and restoring our country to greatness."
The chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, congratulated Romney on the milestone, saying Romney would "offer America the new direction we so desperately need."
Priebus' Democratic counterpart, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, was less enthusiastic.
"Tonight, after six years of trying and millions of dollars spent, and after a year of tepid support against one of the weakest fields in history, Mitt Romney has finally secured enough delegates to become the Republican Party's presidential nominee," wrote Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. "Romney may have finally gained enough delegates to become the nominee, but what's been truly remarkable about his path to the nomination is how much damage he's left in his wake as he enters the general election."
Romney has been the presumptive nominee for weeks, but will not be the official party nominee until the Republican National Convention, set to be held the week of August 27 in Tampa, Florida.
Romney launched his campaign on a warm day last June, telling his supporters gathered at a New Hampshire farm that "Barack Obama has failed America."
"From my first day in office my No. 1 job will be to see that America once again is No.1 in job creation," he said.
The early primary battleground state would play an important role in his campaign. He initially invested more in New Hampshire than the first-in-the-nation caucus state of Iowa, which he eventually lost by a small margin to former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.
New England voters have long been familiar with Romney, even before his 2008 presidential bid. He served as governor of Massachusetts between 2003 and 2007.
Texas figured into this presidential race long before the first votes cast on Tuesday. One of the three factors in Santorum's April decision to end his presidential bid was a decision by Texas Republicans not to change their proportional delegate model to a winner-take-all system, which -- if he had stayed in the race and won the state -- could have given him a boost and held back Romney's delegate accumulation.
Two of Romney's rivals in the once-crowded field are from Texas. Texas Gov. Rick Perry exited the race two days before the mid-January primary in South Carolina after a disappointing fifth-place finish in Iowa and his decision to stop campaigning in the second state to vote, New Hampshire.
Earlier this month, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas said he would no longer actively campaign for the Republican nomination, effectively ending his third run for the Oval Office with 122 delegates.
When Santorum, Paul and others were still in the race, talk of a contested convention swirled and it seemed to some a realistic possibility that Romney might not reach the magic number before the last state voted in June.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich vowed to push his bid onward to the convention unless Romney were to clinch the nomination earlier. He told reporters in late March that if Romney "does not have a majority [of delegates], I think you'll then have one of the most interesting, open conventions in American history." He suspended his bid in early May, and on Tuesday was to appear with Romney at a fundraiser in Las Vegas.
The earliest contests weeded out Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, who won the Iowa straw poll last summer but finished sixth in its January caucuses, and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who ended his bid before the South Carolina vote after falling short in New Hampshire.
Others dropped out before the voting began. Businessman Herman Cain's once-unlikely rise ended in December amid allegations of sexual misbehavior. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty dropped out months earlier, in August, after the high stakes Ames, Iowa, straw poll.
Romney, who becomes the first Mormon presidential nominee of a major party, previously sought the GOP presidential nomination in 2008. He dropped out after Super Tuesday, which allocated 1,020 delegates from 21 states. The Texas primary in early March of that year gave Sen. John McCain of Arizona the necessary delegates to seal up the GOP nomination.
'Other-ness': What Obama and Romney have in common on religion, race
In his 2008 convention speech, Romney spoke about many of the same themes that are prominent in his campaign this cycle, including a call "to rein in government spending, lower taxes, take a weed wacker to excessive regulation and mandates ... pursue every source of energy security, from new efficiencies to renewables, from coal to non-CO2 producing nuclear and for the immediate drilling for more oil off our shores."
President Barack Obama faced no national competition for the Democratic presidential nomination, and CNN projected he accumulated the 2,778 necessary delegates on April 3.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/29/politics/romney-delegates/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
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it's a victory for severely conservative people evreywhere. the right man won. a consistent bastion of everything right with true conservatism.
its a shame the party only ran scrubs in 2012. Not a top tier canddiate among them. Cain, trump, perry? PERRY?
Tough to beat a kenyan incombent... they know it. smart ones are waiting for 2016.
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After the vote in Texas, here is the delegate count:
Romney - 1157
Santorum - 254
Gingrich - 137
Paul - 122
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
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And in other news, after the votes in California, New Mexico, New Jersey, Montana, and South Dakota yesterday, the delegate count stands at:
Romney - 1354
Santorum - 266
Gingrich - 144
Paul - 140
Bachmann - 1
Huntsman - 1
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
Romney's total will increase after the remaining 30 percent of the California vote is in.
Only one primary remaining: Utah.
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Romney now at 1436.
http://us.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
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Steady stream of endorsements. Rand Paul and now a former Santorum backer.
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Friess-Romney-great-president/2012/06/08/id/441720
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Romney is a severe conservative. Of course they're backing him.
Gun bills, romneycare, liberal judges = true reaganism.
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Good decision. I think many of them just want to cause trouble at the convention anyway.
Last primary is tomorrow.
Ron Paul Delegates Booted in Massachusetts
Monday, 25 Jun 2012
By Dan Weil
A Republican committee in Massachusetts has dumped 17 presidential delegates and alternates who are supporters of Texas Rep. Ron Paul.
The Allocations Committee took the action because the delegates failed to meet a deadline for filing an affidavit committing themselves to support Mitt Romney, The Boston Globe reports.
The affidavit required the delegates, chosen in caucuses, to support the former Massachusetts governor because of his resounding victory in the primary, held before the caucuses.
Republican Party rules don’t include any provisions for choosing delegates, and delegates have never been required to sign such affidavits in the past, GOP critics say. They suspect the delegates were ousted simply because they support Paul.
But the Romney campaign was within its rights to axe the delegates, Allocations Committee Chairman Ed McGrath said in a statement.
“Gov. Romney’s campaign, through its representative on the Allocation Committee, made the decision not to certify certain delegates and alternate delegates who were unwilling to sign and return on time the affidavit,” he said.
“The Allocation Committee agreed, by a unanimous vote, that these individuals’ failure to sign and return the correct affidavit on time constituted ‘just cause’ for not being certified as national delegates.”
Paul’s supporters want to work at the convention to promote his platform, such as limiting the Federal Reserve’s power to make monetary policy and the president’s power to declare war.
Massachusetts, perhaps the country’s most Democratic state, could gain more attention than usual at the GOP convention in August, thanks to Romney’s status as ex-governor of the state.
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Ron-Paul-delegates-Massachusetts/2012/06/25/id/443372
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i hope so.
it's the only thing that will make the convention worth TV watching.
unless Sarah makes an appearance/statement.
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i hope so.
it's the only thing that will make the convention worth TV watching.
unless Sarah makes an appearance/statement.
Good point about Palin. From what I recall, her convention speech got higher ratings than Obama's in 08.
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:)
She was the only one to tell the truth about obama in E00x.
Good point about Palin. From what I recall, her convention speech got higher ratings than Obama's in 08.
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After the final primary in Utah yesterday, delegate count stands at:
Romney - 1524
Santorum - 261
Paul - 154
Gingrich - 142
Bachmann - 1
Huntsman - 1
http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
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Final primary/caucus popular vote tally:
Romney - 9,809,662
Santorum - 3,909,460
Gingrich - 2,720,135
Paul - 2,063,043
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html
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Gingrich Urges His Delegates to Support Romney
Wednesday, 22 Aug 2012
One-time Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is asking the delegates he won during the GOP primary race to support the presumptive nominee, Mitt Romney.
In an open letter to delegates released Tuesday, Gingrich says it's time for all Republicans to come together to defeat President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
Gingrich says he is releasing all delegates bound or pledged to his candidacy under any and all state laws or party rules.
A former speaker of the House, Gingrich won just two primaries, in South Carolina and his home state of Georgia. At one time he vowed to challenge Romney all the way to the nominating convention if Romney lacked a majority of delegates to win the nomination outright. But Romney gained the number of delegates he needed.
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Gingrich-urges-support-Romney/2012/08/22/id/449321
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Santorum releases delegates ahead of GOP convention
Posted by
CNN Political Unit
(CNN) - Rick Santorum, who at one point was Mitt Romney's top rival for the GOP presidential nomination, officially released his delegates Friday and encouraged them to back Romney at next week's Republican National Convention.
"I am pleased to share the news with my supporters that I am releasing my delegates in support of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan so we can go in to next week's convention united and committed to defeating Barack Obama in November," Santorum said in a Friday statement. "This is our opportunity to energize our party with a strong, conservative ticket. I look forward to making the case on Tuesday night for Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan, because I believe their conservative policies will put our country back on a path to prosperity."
The former senator from Pennsylvania said he will "make this announcement formal" in a letter later on Friday.
Santorum won the Iowa caucuses in January and came closest to Romney in the race for the Republican nomination. Santorum won 261 delegates before dropping out in mid-April as the delegate math appeared stacked against him. He later said other factors, including the health of his youngest daughter, played a role.
The Republican National Convention this week released a schedule showing Santorum among the speakers slated for Tuesday evening.
During his bid for the nomination, Santorum used scathing attacks on Romney for his role in Massachusetts' health care law, which was used as a model for the national law signed by President Barack Obama that Republicans have vowed to repeal.
In March, Santorum stood on the steps of the Supreme Court to blast Romney as the "worst candidate" to take on the president on health care.
In April, Santorum endorsed Romney in a late-night email to supporters, saying the former Massachusetts governor was a far better choice than President Barack Obama.
"Above all else, we both agree that President Obama must be defeated," Santorum wrote. "The task will not be easy. It will require all hands on deck if our nominee is to be victorious. Governor Romney will be that nominee and he has my endorsement and support to win this the most critical election of our lifetime."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/24/santorum-releases-delegates-ahead-of-gop-convention/
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Sorry, but Trump is an entertainer WAY more than he's a businessman. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he inherited an empire than nearly crashed twice, and he's a lifetime liberal who has given tons of $ to Reid, Rahm, and others.
If he wasn't screaming about the birth cert - you'd see him as a POS liberal elitist. This whole "businessman" thing - sorry, no. His irrational and immature statements would get any CEO fired. We should invade this country and take oil? We should just tell OPEC what to do? Gimme a break. The man's a liberal elite who dealt with the likes of kadaffi. Period.
The fact you're so high on the guy tells me the 2012 repub field is a bucket of shit at the moment :(
Look, it was 4 1/2 years ago, and I called Trump a liberal then.
Today, he endorses amnesty. He's a liberal. Sorry, repubs, sorry coach. Trump is a lib.
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Look, it was 4 1/2 years ago, and I called Trump a liberal then.
Today, he endorses amnesty. He's a liberal. Sorry, repubs, sorry coach. Trump is a lib.
this post didn't age well.