Hope for Fred? Mitt may skip South Carolina
posted at 11:25 am on January 10, 2008 by Allahpundit
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The polls are grim (especially the one that has him cratering with five percent), but my black atheist heart bleeds when I see suffering like this. Question, then: Is Mitt’s 15% about to be put back in play, to the possible advantage of the race’s “true conservative”? Keep hope alive!
Romney sources believe the state is coming down to a “knife-fight,” as one put it, between former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Arizona Sen. John McCain, and that one of the two will not survive after the state’s primary results are in…
“The picking-your-state strategy has worked for all the other candidates who cherrypicked which states they were going to do battle in while letting their opponents fight it out in other ones,” said one Romney aide, revealing a trace of bitterness at the chess moves of the four other Republicans. “It’s time for Mitt Romney to give it a try.”…
The move is striking for at least two reasons. First, Romney has touted his ability as the sole GOP candidate with the capacity to play in every state…
The shift is all the more remarkable considering just how much Romney has invested in South Carolina. Romney deployed his first staffer to the state in June 2006 and has been on the air here since Labor Day.
The idea is that Mitt would go to Nevada and try to get an easy win there but that only puts off what Geraghty said yesterday about needing a big win in a close race. Presumably that now becomes Florida, which plays into Rudy’s hands if Huckabee knocks out McCain in South Carolina and then has to contend with Mitt for social cons in his showdown with Giuliani. If instead McCain knocks Huck out in SC — and it sounds from this WaPo piece like Huck might indeed be out if he loses — then I’m not sure who benefits from Romney staying in. Probably Rudy again since McCain would enter the state as frontrunner and draw the bulk of Mitt’s fire as he positions himself as the anti-RINO. Meanwhile, don’t be too dazzled by Mitt’s money take yesterday. It’s impressive but not as much as at first glance.
As for yesterday’s HA poll, here you go. McCain was out big early but Huckabee came back late. I’m suspicious that some pro-Huck site heard of it and spammed it but I can’t find a trail on Technorati so I guess we’ll assume it’s legit. Mind if I ask the people who prefer Huck to McCain to explain their reasoning? He’s as bad as McCain on all the issues McCain is bad on (immigration) and not nearly as good as the issues McCain is good on. Voting for Maverick would be tough; voting for him instead of Huckabee really shouldn’t be.
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Maybe. In the general, I think Mitt can draw more support in red states than the Hildebeast or the Messiah.
csdeven on January 10, 2008 at 12:49 PM
So, essentially, no comment on the question? ;)
MadisonConservative on January 10, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Take all the major debates threads been in, calculate the number of questions and amount of time allotted to each candidate. Compare. It’s not a conspiracy when you’re talking about the same MSM that tried to sink Bush in ‘00 with a drunk driving ticket and in ‘04 with bogus National Guard memos.
MadisonConservative on January 10, 2008 at 12:51 PM
*Fred’s been in…
MadisonConservative on January 10, 2008 at 12:52 PM
I have my issues with F.R., but I like how any member can post articles and links. Maybe someday ……
stenwin77 on January 10, 2008 at 12:53 PM
Page 2?
Editor on January 10, 2008 at 12:54 PM
I know yer new here rhinoishere- but the idea of YOU schoolin’ ME on WHY I SHOULD SUPPORT FRED- is just laugh my ass off funny.
I’ve been one of Allah’s biggest pain in the ass Frednecks for a long, long, time.
My favorable view of Huck IS ONLY IN COMPARISON TO MCCAIN.
I WILL NEVER SUPPORT MCCAIN again!!!
No son- I’m a Fredneck all the way!
FDT the next POTUS! Yeah, baby.
Ex-tex on January 10, 2008 at 12:54 PM
MadisonConservative on January 10, 2008 at 12:55 PM
Mortar round = minimum 30 yards kill radius
9mm round = 1″ in the right spot kill radius
There have to be restrictions. The only complaint you can rationally make is where those restrictions start and end.
csdeven on January 10, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Is allah black? or just his heart?
I’m getting closer to constructing him in my head.
Drunk Report on January 10, 2008 at 1:00 PM
And now we know the rest of the story.
BKennedy on January 10, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Editor on January 10, 2008 at 1:02 PM
Yeah, let’s crack down on those bayonet clips and pistol grips before it’s too late! MITT ‘08!
Good DAY!
MadisonConservative on January 10, 2008 at 1:03 PM
There is no reasoning.
St. John is mostly good on the war, and has a good idea about the long term nature of the fight. Shamnesty about blows that away.
Huck is – a. piece. of. crap. Look, I don’t care how Christian he is, he is wrong on EVERYTHING. Look at how he governed. The fall back is always, “well, he had to work with a majority democrat legislature” – hey geniuses, what will he have to work with in DC? Just like Billy Jeff it would be Arkansas writ large. We are at war, and this jackass doesn’t have the knowledge, ability, or desire to win it.
My heart breaks when I consider what McCain suffered for our country. And he dowsn’t trade on it to the degree that Huck trades on Christianity. I am a bad Catholic, and the Christian angle would normally be in play for me, but Huck feels, smells and tastes like the worst kind of Christian, and that repulses me. Freaking showbiz preacher. Okay, I am getting a little bitter here.
In the end, McCain can win in the general, and Huck cannot.
Stay Home – yes even if it means HRC or Obama, and six lefty Justices on the court. Eventually we can recover from that. We couldn’t recover from Huck wrecking the party or the conservative movement (and he doesn’t really belong to either group).
Keep hope alive…
juanito on January 10, 2008 at 1:04 PM
MadisonConservative on January 10, 2008 at 1:07 PM
wardrobedoor
No, that’s not me. I don’t think there is any conspiracy, and I haven’t seen many ‘FredHeads’ pushing that theory either.
Agreed. I want the guy to do well, but it just hasn’t worked thus far. South Carolina is indeed the last stand. I have my fingers crossed that he can pull out a suprise win. All he has to do is beat Huck and McCain over the head with their past stances on immigration, and he should be able to pull it out, I think.
No, but AP’s attitude sucks. He has an irritating air of liberal pessimism to him.
rhinoishere on January 10, 2008 at 1:09 PM
Ex-tex
Sorry about that, Ex-tex! Thought you were a Huckabee man. Not sure I agree about trusting Huck more than McCain when it comes to judges, though. I just hope it doesn’t come down to those two choices.
rhinoishere on January 10, 2008 at 1:12 PM
by the way, never did see anyone mention who the supposed Reaganite Endorsement is, but I’ll call it here…
America’s Colonel.
Editor on January 10, 2008 at 1:15 PM
You are so right on. I thought I was paranoid at first, but the miniscule amount of time he got on the last Fox debate convinces me that he is being punished for his criticism of that network.
However, nobody likes a whiner! Get in there, Fred, and make your points! I hope he hits the corporate tax, corrupt Mexican politicians, and the killing of the border fence hard tonight. He is the first to talk about the first issue, the only one on the second, and he could really own the immigration issue if he brought up the third.
We’ve been betrayed by immigration drag queens once. Do we really trust another one to keep his word once he’s safely ensconced in a position of authority?
joewm315 on January 10, 2008 at 1:16 PM
Fear the Fred!
right2bright on January 10, 2008 at 1:16 PM
I think you’re right! He can be seen at a Fred rally in Myrtle Beach here
joewm315 on January 10, 2008 at 1:18 PM
If Fred is the only conservative in the race why does he NEED Romney to pull out in order to do well?
EJDolbow on January 10, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Again, I don’t like them all (and I don’t use bayonets), but to completely disregard a candidate on that stance is a narrow view of the political realities of our time. There are bigger fish to fry than fighting for bayonet clips and pistol grips.
csdeven on January 10, 2008 at 1:54 PM
Sorry, bayonet lugs.
csdeven on January 10, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Silence! I keeeeel you!
hahaha
csdeven on January 10, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Igor R. on January 10, 2008 at 1:56 PM
Sorry, only meant to quote the first paragraph.
Igor R. on January 10, 2008 at 1:56 PM
Jeff Dun-Ham…..dot com!
Darksean on January 10, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Same reason we really, really could have used Perot to pull out twice – because some people will fall for a phony. Just seems to be more this time around.
Of course, for disclosure purposes, I did fall for Bush’s shtick. Conservative? Uh, no.
Editor on January 10, 2008 at 2:01 PM
Hee hee.
Regarding the MSM conspiracy against Fred -
Let’s not forget that Fred CHOSE to skip one debate and go on Leno instead. The last debate was a NH debate where he was going to lose big, so Fox pretty much stuck with the 3 who were in contention.
See what happens tonight with the SC debate.
Buy Danish on January 10, 2008 at 2:06 PM
And remember when Fred had such disdain for these debates? He disparaged them just like the media, the pollsters, and the people in NH.
The “cranky constipated old man who can’t keep the kids off the lawn” ‘tude isn’t working for him with most people.
Hopefully, like the debate, he will eventually learn to use the media and the voters of other states to his advantage. It’s probably too late though.
csdeven on January 10, 2008 at 2:16 PM
csdeven, so Fred may have made some mistakes in his campaign strategy? Would an intelligent person concentrate on shaming his campaign strategy or looking at what he stands for?
Igor R. on January 10, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Very few people use bayonets. The question is, why include such a stupid thing in the bill? Answer? Partly, political pandering to people like Rosie…and partly getting people comfortable with more and more restrictions. I know the handgun ban got dropped in DC, but now they’re trying to put one through in Cook County. The SCOTUS decision is all the more important. Even Justice Kennedy, dem that he is, is strong on the second amendment. Mitt could put a “constructionist” judge on the bench and still destroy the decision.
MadisonConservative on January 10, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Debateable. Plus, there is not a better litmus test out there to see how deep a candidate’s roots go on a) the constitution and b) personal liberty. If a candidate considers either of those negotiable ground, they’re dead to me.
TexasDan on January 10, 2008 at 2:38 PM
Take a look at Huckabee’s web site. He is like Tom Tancredo on steroids. Can we trust his unexplained complete change of heart? Probably not, but maybe, just maybe.
Plantation McVain on the other hand, now we can sure trust him to keep on selling America out.
BTW, just what is McVain good on anyway? The first Amendment? Nope, not that for sure. Oh I know on the occupation of Iraq where when asked if we should stay there for fifty years, he said make it a hundred? That must be it.
MB4 on January 10, 2008 at 3:01 PM
From article at Fred08.com
This is EXACTLY the point. Style over substance and we’re gonna end up with the Dems in control of everything and Universal Healthcare or Dems in control of Congress and a Republican “in-name-only” President who’ll sign anything the Dems put on his desk with a big fat “stick-it-to-ya”. And then when everyone’s complaining about how bad Universal Healthcare is we need to start going to Canada, the GOP will get blamed for it and real good. ((You know what I’m talking about too ~ example: “Bush lied, people died”))
Sultry Beauty on January 10, 2008 at 3:06 PM
Hannity is about to have an hour with Fred and Jeri, and you can call in to ask him questions.
Very cool.
Darksean on January 10, 2008 at 3:17 PM
Preach it, Sister. The sad reality is that most voters only take a cursory look at positions and go with their feelings- looks and likeability rule.
It worked in our favor with Reagan, who won a lot of Dem votes from those who wouldn’t have agreed with his positions if they knew or cared what they were. Unfortunately it’s working against our favor with Fred.
My advise to you is to start drinking heavily.
Hollowpoint on January 10, 2008 at 3:27 PM
Part of that media conspiracy against him.
One of the reason AP (and others) like to give you Fredheads such a hard time is you just ask for it the way you respond. Fred probably has more people voting for him here than anyone else, but when Allah is sarcastic about him, you get in an uproar.
People are talking about how he has screwed up on his campaign and then (some) of you Fredheads start yelling about people being too shallow to see the truth and the policies. Welcome to American politics. Remember, we voted for Bill Clinton..TWICE?
Unfortunately today, you have to show some style with the substance. That’s just the way it is. Lamenting that fact isn’t going to help anyone. Fred (who I hope wins) needs to improve the style. He has the substance.
wardrobedoor on January 10, 2008 at 4:26 PM
That appears to be true, but we don’t have to be happy about the fact that style comes before substance.
Hollowpoint on January 10, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Mitt’s a smart man, if he feels he would be humiliated in SC, then he will pull out. He can’t afford man to man confrontational losses. It would be better for him to go to Nevada (like Wyoming) and let his supporters crow about having 30 or so delegates. Some of his sheep feel that is important at this stage of the game, so why disappointed them and set Mitt up for a crippling loss.
However, if he stays in, his internal polling will show he has a good chance, and could be a real coup for him.
And his supporters would bleet: Bahhhhh, Bahhhhhh, and settle down in the meadow feeling safe.
right2bright on January 10, 2008 at 5:37 PM
And r2b bleets: Blaaahhhh, Blaaahhhh, Blaaahhhh.
By the way, r2b, cocks crow, sheep bleat. These mixed metaphors are fun to watch – I think I may start compiling a collection of them, so thanks for your contribution.
Buy Danish on January 10, 2008 at 5:59 PM
I want a president that can bring it all to the job. Style and resolve are not mutually exclusive. Fred should stop acting like they are.
csdeven on January 10, 2008 at 6:33 PM
You answered the question the way I would have.
But i don’t really see a constructionist justice weakening the 2nd.
csdeven on January 10, 2008 at 6:34 PM
Excellent point and I agree. I don’t think Mitt or Rudy have suggested grabbing everyone’s guns.
csdeven on January 10, 2008 at 6:36 PM
Fred Thompson 62% 75
Mitt Romney 29.8% 36
Mike Huckabee 5.8% 7
Rudy Giuliani 1.7% 2
John McCain. 0.8% 1
http://www.thesitrep.com/pres.htm
I think Fred will do well in South Carolina.
TheSitRep on January 10, 2008 at 6:47 PM
You are already stalking me, you remember almost every post, so keeping another pad of interesting comments by me would be fitting.
I give you purpose, the problem is…I do not want your attention, now that is the wrong thing to say to a stalker, because they become even more obsessed. Besides, you have a potty mouth, and you are still riding the debate bench.
Why don’t you write to Mitt every ten minutes, he probably thinks of you all the time…in fact, and I shouldn’t say this, he told me he wants a sealing with you, I don’t know what that means, but I think it’s good he said something about showing you the sure sign of the nail.
right2bright on January 10, 2008 at 7:17 PM
Ah MadisonConservative, Mitt just said he was not skipping SC. Perhaps you want to rescind your statement?
BKennedy on January 10, 2008 at 11:06 PM
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