Romney: Very conservative voters might not be with me now but they will be in November
posted at 7:47 pm on March 14, 2012 by Allahpundit
Via RCP, the key bit comes at around 3:40. This is his whole strategy in a nutshell and I still can’t decide whether to admire him or loathe him for it. He doesn’t care if you trust him. He doesn’t care if his rallies leave you flat. He doesn’t care if pulling the lever for him reduces you to dry heaves in the voting booth. He cares about two things: 1,144 and 270, and he’s likely to achieve at least the first thanks to hard work, careful planning, and the great good luck of having extraordinarily weak competition. Those qualities — high energy, fortitude, diligence, not needing to be liked — could be huge assets in a president if he applied them to enacting a worthy policy agenda, starting with entitlement reform. But I don’t think he’d use them to policy ends; he’d use them to position himself for re-election by pandering to centrists, which means no meaningful entitlement reform or anything else. He’s telling you right here why he’d be such a risk in office to the right. When push comes to shove, you’ll always hold your nose and vote against the Democrat, no matter how annoyed at him you might be. And he knows it — and he doesn’t care. He doesn’t need his base to like him. That’s a recipe for squishiness.
Mitt Romney leads the pack in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. He’s also the second pick for enough Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich supporters that if one of them dropped out, Romney would remain the frontrunner.
Romney has the backing of 38 percent of Republican primary voters in a Fox News poll released Wednesday. He’s followed by Santorum at 32 percent, Gingrich at 13 percent and Paul at 12 percent…
In a straight two-way matchup, GOP primary voters prefer Romney to Santorum by 49-44 percent…
Meanwhile, a 58-percent majority of primary voters would rather nominate a candidate who is more likely to beat President Obama, even if the candidate is not a true conservative. Less than a third — 31 percent — would pick the true conservative who might be less electable.
Romney actually leads Obama by nine points on the question of who’s best equipped to manage the economy, but head to head overall O leads by four. The key data point:
That’s a nice trend for Mitt, but again — he doesn’t care either way. The magic number is 270. If it all comes from column two instead of column one, hey.
Here’s his interview today with Megyn Kelly. Watch for the part where she asks him whether Newt should drop out; Romney, who I think is benefiting considerably from Gingrich’s perseverance notwithstanding the poll data above, conveniently has no opinion. There’s a fun exchange on the mandate at the very end too, but that’s because of the old clip Kelly chose to torment him with. In that same vein, via BuzzFeed’s Andrew Kaczynski, watch the second one below on the vagaries of “ultimate conservatism.”
Related Posts:
Breaking on Hot Air
Hume, Robinson, Powers agree: DoJ investigation of Rosen crosses a big line
Video: Ft. Hood shooter still drawing salary – $278,000 and counting
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2
He has to the Left, nobrain.
Schadenfreude on May 15, 2013 at 4:20 PM
Revise your W4 to assure no tax refund at the end of 2014….the IRS has no power in the law to penalize you for no doing Obamacare…other than to confiscate you tax refund….so make sure you don’t get a refund.
Also, give them not one iota of health information…they can’t be trusted…ever.
III/0317
dirtengineer on May 15, 2013 at 4:20 PM
I don’t believe anyone else here is interested in those types of credentials. We have an ideology. This isn’t an à la carte menu.
Cindy Munford on May 15, 2013 at 4:21 PM
You’re intoxicated by Obama’s shit. May it suffocate you.
Schadenfreude on May 15, 2013 at 4:22 PM
Not if the co-ruling GOP can help it….
Don L on May 15, 2013 at 4:23 PM
This is the ultimate lie in the concern troll’s incredibly limited arsenal. People who are not too bright believe that if you claim to not be affiliated with any particular belief system, it means you somehow more intelligently review “all the arguments” and come to a more logical conclusion. That believe is utter stupidity.
The implicit argument in the above statement is that nonpartisan’s (lie) views are more nuanced then us knuckle-draggers because he is open to everything.
but, he is too ignorant to understand that whether the arguer is “open minded” or partisan has no bearing on the arguments he/she makes. You either make a good argument based in logic and facts or you don’t. Nonpartisan (lie) is trying to use the concern troll tactic of claiming to being open to conservative messages while rejecting every single one and arguing vehemently for liberal positions.
She does this in the idiotic believe that somehow this will convince conservative to abandon their positions because we will believe that some unaffiliated, objective and intelligent observer has looked at all the arguments and decided the liberal position is correct. She isn’t liberal on every position guys, just this one here!!!! And she is so objective and open minded we should listen to her!!!!
It is, despite nonpartisan’s (lie) claim otherwise, entirely possible to have a political philosophy, such as conservatism, yet still review the other arguments objectively and analyze them appropriately. Indeed, far more intelligent people than nonpartisan have done just that.
As to her claims to have always been a Romney supporter and be a fan of Ted Cruz, etc., etc., I think everyone here sees those silly claims for the lies they are. One cannot read the plethora of comments from Nonpartisan(lie) without realizing she is a hard-core liberal activist.
The fact that she claims otherwise demonstrates the depth of pathology that exists in the liberal mind.
Based on her comments, she is probably too young to realize that this particular scam has been tried for at least 13 years by lefties – posing as either conservative or “nonpartisan”. It is not a new or clever gambit and has never yet managed to persuade anyone of anything.
Monkeytoe on May 15, 2013 at 4:24 PM
A fat, unpopular, teenaged liar at that.
Oh, and a lousy one.
CurtZHP on May 15, 2013 at 4:26 PM
Your “noble” lover boy is the opposite on those. How do you square that circle, liar?
BeachBum on May 15, 2013 at 4:26 PM
This is hilarious. It is also a false premise. Obama was never for such.
Schadenfreude on May 15, 2013 at 4:27 PM
I’ve never once supported Obama on any of those
I defend him against attacks I feel are unwarranted and on his character as opposed to his policies
I think he is not nearly as liberal as many on hotair make him to be…he is moreso a centrist, left of the middle of course
nonpartisan on May 15, 2013 at 4:28 PM
No conservative considers them self “pro-torture”. We don’t believe that water-boarding is torture. That is an entirely different argument. Which shows how little you understand conservatism.
Now, to prove your bona fides, please describe for the class what you believe it means to be conservative on:
1. Immigration
2. Education
3. Fiscal policy (and explain how support of Obamacare fits into being fiscally conservative or else disavow Obamacare).
4. Entitlement reform
I’m sure your answers will be highly enlightening.
Monkeytoe on May 15, 2013 at 4:28 PM
It’s interesting that you have never commented on any thread supporting any conservative idea, policy or position.
Yet you are found on every thread about Obama defending him unto the death.
You lie. And you lie. And you lie.
Monkeytoe on May 15, 2013 at 4:30 PM
Obama has NO character, nor ever had any.
He is a narcissistic charlatanic thug.
nobrain is just a chicken.
Schadenfreude on May 15, 2013 at 4:31 PM
Then you truly are a moron. This “noble” lover boy of yours is the MOST radical liberal president since Wilson. He is a Marxist and if you can’t figure that out then there is NO WAY you are “nonpartisan”.
BeachBum on May 15, 2013 at 4:32 PM
nobrain sounds like AllahP on April 1, playing jokes on the commentariat.
Schadenfreude on May 15, 2013 at 4:32 PM
well, I am ProTORTURE…I am not concerned about torturing terrorists for information if needed to save lives, that means Im ok with means beyond waterboarding.
1. immigration – I believe illegals should be deported. I believe immigrants should come only through the legal route. Children of illegals may go to the end of the legal immigrant line.
2.fiscal policy – I believe the tax code should be simplified and reformed. I believe everyone should pay some form of taxes, even those making under 10,000 just so they feel invested in this country. I believe entitlement systems need a massive reform (ie social security age should rise, medicaid and medicare should be means tested and fraud should be eliminated, and punishment for fraud be increased).
3.education – I believe in elimination of affirmative action based on race, I am ok with AA based on socioeconomic status. I am fine with charter schools. I believe tenure system should be reformed, bad teachers should be fired and good ones rewarded.
nonpartisan on May 15, 2013 at 4:34 PM
Also please tell us why you constantly use the offensive term “baggers” in reference to the Tea Party and yet profess to support Ted Cruz.
BeachBum on May 15, 2013 at 4:35 PM
no, I aboslutely have commented in support of conservative ideas, but when I do, no fuss is made so people overlook it or don’t remember it.
nonpartisan on May 15, 2013 at 4:35 PM
Are you suggesting a pattern of civil disobedience? Many millions of people simply refusing to fill out IRS OMBA form? Could that work?
slickwillie2001 on May 15, 2013 at 4:37 PM
Those are fairly vague answers that seem to have a very skewed understanding of what conservatives think.
for instance, in discussing fiscal policy, a conservatives first response would be “everyone should pay taxes” – rather it would be about cutting spending and decreasing taxes and regulation on everyone. And I note you completely dodged the Obamacare question which is an enormous fiscal issue.
On education, I doubt even 1% of conservatives would say the most pressing issue is AA. That’s hardly even in the top 10 issues. what about school choice? what about getting rid of teachers’ unions? What about getting rid of tenure for k-12 teachers altogether? What about getting the federal gov’t out of education altogether?
The fact that you believe that affirmative action is what conservatives are most concerned about with regards to education shows that you know little about conservatism. AA has almost nothing to do with k-12 education.
Also, very few conservatives lead off immigration with “deport them all”.
Your answers actually did what I suspected they would do. They show you have a caricature view of what conservatives believe and thought you could pass yourself off as one.
You failed.
Monkeytoe on May 15, 2013 at 4:43 PM
Now that the IRS has it’s boot off the neck of the Tea Party watch them roar!
Herb on May 15, 2013 at 4:45 PM
nobrain is an auto-generator of HA comments. It’s ironic that it produces that which it abhors.
Schadenfreude on May 15, 2013 at 4:51 PM
Links.
Monkeytoe on May 15, 2013 at 4:52 PM
Can’t, he was lying…again.
cozmo on May 15, 2013 at 4:54 PM
While proclaim Pres. Corpseman the most gifted orator of our generation!
Cindy Munford on May 15, 2013 at 4:59 PM
Bingo!
Actually, the root cause of all three scandals (or is it four?) and the one that is yet to come (oh heck, there are probably dozens more scandals waiting in the wings for a whistleblower)is the lefty attempt to tip the election to Obama. And they succeeded.
Please note that one of the groups whose IRS status was held up is a group that was fighting voter fraud.
Amjean on May 15, 2013 at 4:59 PM
To me, nonpartisans’ most telling answer was claiming that she was conservative on “education” and then clarifying that by saying she is against affirmative action.
to me, that means she believes that conservatives biggest issue is always race. When the issue of affirmative action in reality is pretty far down the chain of issues that effects k-12 education (and when we talk about “education” we generally are talking about K-12, not higher education.
But she – attempting her hardest to think like a conservative – said “aha!! I know what will show I’m conservative. I’ll say I’m conservative about education and then say we need to get rid of affirmative action as the basis for my “education conservatism”.
Because, in her mind, all conservative thoughts and positions are driven by race, when in fact the opposite is more true. Liberals think about race constantly and find ways to make race an issue with respect to everything, conservatives in contrast tend to think about race in regards to whether or not the gov’t is being blind about race. That’s all we want, gov’t to treat all races equally.
Monkeytoe on May 15, 2013 at 5:00 PM
“I am ok with AA based on socioeconomic status” – duplicitous partisan
There it is…the Progressive Social Justice crapola! Not conservative…and still hasn’t denied they have baby feet in a jar.
kirkill on May 15, 2013 at 5:02 PM
what the hell does that even mean?
nonpartisan on May 15, 2013 at 5:08 PM
Nicely done!
D-fusit on May 15, 2013 at 5:10 PM
J_Crater on May 15, 2013 at 5:17 PM
To be fair, I have seen him do it a few times. One of them was today in the Rubio-third world country thread. Not because he actually believes it IMHO, but because he wants us to think he believes it.
xblade on May 15, 2013 at 5:28 PM
If it was anything like his backhanded semi-decent compliments towards Cruz a while back, of course it was made up crap to endear himself low information readers.
cozmo on May 15, 2013 at 5:36 PM
Could IRS scandal re-ignite the Tea Party?
Yes baby. Dear GOPe, we haven’t forgotten how you betrayed us. Also Obama sycophants will be held responsible for confiscatory taxation and other abuses of power.
SparkPlug on May 15, 2013 at 5:39 PM
You claim you are with us fiscally (which you aren’t given the class-warfare you support), so you must be a total social liberal. And social liberals love baby feet in a jar. Gosnell-like pro-abortion.
kirkill on May 15, 2013 at 6:01 PM
He/she made these posts in the Gosnell threads:
slickwillie2001 on May 15, 2013 at 6:40 PM
To be fair, the IRS just following the guidelines laid out by DHS on “domestic terrorists”. They were the first agency of the feral government to explicitly state that anyone who talks about the Constitution is suspicious – which does make sense in the American Socialist Superstate, where the Constitution is nothing but window dressing that must remain subservient to the whims of the ruling dictator. And no one at DHS even so much as got a suspension over that, let alone being ejected from government and forced to stand trial for violating the oath “to protect and defend the Constitution” … So, the IRS ran with it.
Just like things were in good ol’ Indonesia … isn’t that a strange coincidence? Who would have thought that the US would find itself under the thumb of some retarded Sukarno knock-off??
ThePrimordialOrderedPair on May 15, 2013 at 6:45 PM
Fuel My Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paGvWAE9vQg
Count to 10 on May 15, 2013 at 7:28 PM
:)
Axe on May 15, 2013 at 7:39 PM
The WAPO, as usual, isn’t reporting the truth. They measure Tea Party activity only through demonstrations. The Tea Party left that behind and began their movement to take back the local party apparati and work the rot out from the bottom.
disa on May 15, 2013 at 10:35 PM
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2