The Frontrunner
While the "Cooler Line" shows Mitt Romney at the top of the pack in Iowa, most observers indicate that the man pictured above is the frontrunner.
The New Moscow Times delivered a must-read article today on the McCain Machine and let me tell you friends- the machine is gaudy.
His still-informal network includes Richard L. Armitage, the former deputy secretary of state; John A. Thain, chief executive of the New York Stock Exchange; and Sig Rogich, who directed the advertising for the 1988 and 1992 presidential campaigns of Mr. Bush’s father.
He is reaching out to Christian conservatives, who helped sink his 2000 presidential bid, by enlisting the aid of figures like Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. of Utah and former Senator Dan Coats of Indiana, both of whom have strong evangelical followings.
His growing kitchen cabinet spans an array of issues and backgrounds, and includes James Jay Baker, a former lobbyist for the National Rifle Association; Niall Ferguson, a historian at Harvard; and Barry McCaffrey, who was the drug czar under President Bill Clinton.
Among the more prominent members of the Bush team who said they expected to play a role in Mr. McCain’s candidacy, if he chooses to run, are Mark McKinnon, a Texas political media consultant who has worked for Mr. Bush for years; Terry Nelson, political director of the Bush 2004 re-election campaign; Nicolle Wallace, that campaign’s communications director; Wayne L. Berman, a Washington lobbyist, friend of Mr. Bush’s and prolific fund-raiser; and F. Philip Handy, chairman of Jeb Bush’s two races for governor in Florida and a major supporter of the president.
Someone will have to emerge as the alternative, but only Gov. Romney has lined up an organization that can compare and the longer Rudy waits the more trouble he will be in. How can the McCain machine be overcome? And where will the other pieces fall?
sorry for the late post...we're having some technical difficulties in the Cooler.
posted by Caucus Cooler at 8/21/2006
27 Comments:
Or not pictured above, we told you we were having technical difficulties.
I caught that article. It is gaudy, but ask Steve Churchill how much the establishment relationships help when you get down and dirty into the Iowa caucuses.
Anybody who thinks Romney, Rudy or Pataki have a prayer of becomming the GOP nominee is on crack. These guys are being talked up and milked like chumps by the consultants. The only thing McCain wants to be is President...he's been running non-stop for more than a decade...so he isnt going to quit easily. That means the social conservatives and Christian right have two candidates to choose from: Huckabee and Allen. Folks, this race is going to come down to a battle between Huckabee and McCain...you can put that in the bank. To think otherwise is simply amateur.
mtco: Christian conservatives have two candidates to choose from??? Are you on crack??? Huckabee and Allen are both non-starters with less than stellar conservative credentials. Let the vetting begin!
OWEAE, what do you feel are Huckabee's "less than stellar conservative credentials?"
He's pro life, unlike McCain, Pataki, Giuliani, and Romney.
He's anti-gay marriage, unlike McCain, Pataki, and Giuliani.
He passed the first broad base tax cuts in the history of Arkansas.
He realizes the importance of education reform, and implemented programs like Smart Start and Smart Step that emphasized the importance of reading and mathematics in elementary through middle school.
And he's compassionate. Read this article about his rare streak of political courage.
Governor Huckabee has stuck to his conservative ideals in the face of his Democratic state legislature, unlike Romney. I don't know how much more conservative you can be.
Your thoughts?
murphy,
Huckabee is firmly (and historicaly) pro life. He'll work every day to put an end to the national tragedy that is abortion.
Huckabee is firmly (and again historically) pro marriage. He'll protect the values that made America the greatest country in the world.
Huckabee is firmly (and, yet again, historically) pro-second amendment. He'll fight to protect our right to keep and bear arms.
Huckabee is fiscally conservative, and an advocate of a tax system that keeps taxes low without cutting desperately needed programs for the elderly and chronically ill, such as Medicaid.
Huckabee strongly believes Americans can make better decisions about how to spend their money than the government can, and is on the record and currently fighting to return his state's surplus to the people.
Huckabee is an actual (and proven) compassionate conservative who considers the impact of Government's actions on the most vulnerable people in our society as well the strongest.
Huckabee is one of the longest-serving and most successful Governors in the United States. Among his strengths is the ability to Govern under a constitutional requirement to balance the budget. Huckabee can, and will support a balanced budget amendment to the US constitution.
Huckabee is a conservative Republican elected twice in heavily democratic Arkansas. He has never had a Republican House or Senate. Despite this, he has Governed successfully and achieved all of his key objectives. And, unlike others, he has done so WITHOUT "setting aside" his personal beliefs and values and shrinking from the challenge.
Huckabee is a staunch defender of state's rights and will fight to stop unfunded Federal mandates and Federalization of the National Guard.
Huckabee is a strong opponent of illegal immigration, and supports the deportation of illegals so long as it is done compassionately, treating them and their children with human dignity.
Huckabee wants our borders to be secured and our country defended against terrorists.
Huckabee is a strong advocate of education and educational opportunities with a record of success in educatonal improvements that is unrivaled in America.
Huckabee is a leader who, unlike most politicians, does what is right -- even when doing so is unpopular.
Huckabee is firmly (and yet again, historically) pro-family values. Meaning he is against gay marriage, gay adoption, and anything else the left can think of to denegrate our society.
Huckabee recognizes the massive negative impact --both in terms of human lives AND the loss of many billions of dollars each year -- of preventable diseases resulting from inactivity, poor diet and obesity and he will continue to be a leader -- despite the inability of some to accept (or perhaps understand) this fact.
Huckabee is man driven by his Christian values. Unlike others, he does not and will not change his values or positons for the sake of political expediency. To quote Huckabee: "I know I will be judged by a higher power than any constituency."
Huckabee is a brilliant politician, a gifted communicator, a Governor, a Southerner, a Christian conservative, a likable and electable candidate, a social and fiscal conservative, and is the only candidate who can carry the Southern bloc of states thereby winning the election.
Those are just for starters.
Huckabee sucks.
Why 9:23? Any reason?
If Huckabee hadn't lost 110 lbs. would he even be considered a candidate? I have a little weight to lose but that doesn't qualify me to be President.
How is he going to raise any money? Who are his donors - Jarad the Subway Guy and Jenny Craig?
10:15, you obviously have never heard him speak or looked into the things he's accomplished as the governor of Arkansas. It is true that he lost a lot of weight. It's also true that Americans spend more money on health care than any other nation and it's rising.
Our government spends billions on Medicare and Medicaid due to lifestyle decisions made decades ago by the current recipients. We can save billions of dollars a year by changing what we eat, stopping smoking, and exercising. It's true. Is that all he talks about? Absolutely not.
Your Subway Jared or Jenny Craig comment would be like me saying the only place McCain will raise money is from Vietnam vets or Romney will only be able to raise money from Mormons. Huckabee's weight loss, McCains's POW stint and Romney's religion will all be brought up, but none of those factors are what these people will be campaigning on.
Some fat people, like Anon 10:15, hate Huckabee because he exposes their lie. They are not fat because of a medical problem, but instead because they are lazy, Twinkie-eating, orally-fixated slobs.
anon 12:51 - "they are fat...beacuse they are lazy, Twinkie-eating, orally-fixated slobs."
How did Huckabee become so fat?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Huckabee gained weight the way a lot of Americans do: he grew up in a family that couldn't afford to eat healthy. He developed bad habits early in his life that continued through adulthood.
If you want to compare resumes, lets do it. It is Romney who caved in to his Democratic ledge on the critical issue of abortion and appointed 75% Democrats to judicial appointments...and before you say "yeah but he got 25% Republicans through" I'll remind you that the Republicans he got through were pro-gay marriage liberals.
Huckabee has also been pro-life his entire life. How long has Romney been pro-life? Oh, yeah...since last Fall when he decided he'd like to try to be President.
Want to compare written statements on Planned Parenthood surveys?
Yes lets compare. The Romney people have told me Mitt has been unwavering on his life stance and I trust these guys who told me.
If Romney is so conservative, how did he get elected Gov in MA? I'm betting he had to pull the wool over many people's eyes then and I'm betting he is going to try to pull the wool over the nation's eyes to become President.
Murphy says: "Romney...would be pro-life...president"
Mitt Romney says: "I believe that Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years, that we should sustain and support it, and I sustain and support that law and the right of a woman to make that choice."
Murphy, were your comments based on fact or was it just your opinion?
Mitt should ask John Kerry how flip-flopping on issues worked in his race.
Good luck with the politics of 2008 not 1994 spin. I am sure people will not think to themselves "If Mitt has changed his position this drastically in the past decade, can we trust him to keep his current position for the next 8 years as our President?"
Murphy 6:51-
You almost had me. I loved the rhetoric until the worst pandering of all was used.
The site lost all credibility as soon as it listed "Reagan" as an issue.
Murphy: "Can you point to anything Romney has promised during a campaign which he did not follow through on? If he makes a campaign promise, that is what you'll get."
By gosh, Murphy, you're right. Romney promised this to the Log Cabin Democrats when he ran against Ted Kennedy:
“...as we seek to establish full equality for America’s gay and lesbian citizens, I will provide more effective leadership than my opponent.”
I believe he ultimately did that.
And here's another sure'nuff example: Romney promised that, as Governor, he would do absolutely nothing to try to stop the wholesale slaugher of innocent human babies through abortion-as-birth control.
And he kept that promise!
Holy cow! What a LEADER! Where do I sign up to support him?
Ugh...I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.
"only won by several percentage points" -- that cracks me up.
Murphy: "Can you point to anything Romney has promised during a campaign which he did not follow through on?"
Flip-flopper Murphy 2 hours later: "Over the course of his entire career, Mitt Romney delivers on campaign promises."
Way to go MTCO! Stick it to these frauds!
Now he's actually pictured above!
Back to your regularly scheduled Murphy v. Huckabee grousing.
Here's the point: What is Romney NOT willing to toss aside in order to advance his own political career?
Leaders lead. Christians defend the unborn, even if that means losing a silly election.
If he was truly pro-life, he would not be able to live with himself. Instead he proudly proclaims: "I promised to do nothing and I kept that promise!"
Try and you might, you will never sell Romney's tragically pathetic abortion record to anyone who cares about the issue.
He's a total hypocrite on the most important issue among social conservatives.
He won't be President...but that is the least of his worries. He'd best get on his knees and do some soul searching.
Trusting someone does not necessarily mean that he has not broke a campaign promise.
Trust comes from being able to take someone at their word.
If Mitt is willing to do whatever it takes to be elected to office for the "greater good" or "the GOP agenda", how do we know what he is saying now is not something he is just saying to get elected no matter the issue?
Who cares what they said? How did they govern? Show me where Romney promoted, passed or signed a law that advanced abortion rights.
Then show me a law or program Huckabee passed, signed or proposed that makes him a nanny statist and a fraud as a fiscal conservative.
If you're going to make the accusations, let's see some links. And I don't care what politicians say to get elected. Both men were governors. Show me what they did.
I say fair enough, too. I Googled "Mitt Romney" and "abortion stance" and here is one of the first links I found:
http://www.greaterboston.tv/features/btp_romney_032902.html
It's worse than I thought. The Boston Globe has analyzed Romney's statements about abortion over time and come to the conclusion that: 1) he is pro-choice; and 2) his positon HASN'T REALLY CHANGED!
Considering all the work Romeny has done to try to obscure his real opinion about abortion, this has to be a real disappointment to him (and his apologists).
Post a Comment
<< Home