GOP Nominee 2012 - who will it be?

[Irvine511]

i didn't watch the debate, but the general consensus (read: what i've read on the blogs and in write-ups) seems to be that, much like McCain, he's the only serious general election candidate and the rest are a circus sideshow.

at this point in 2007, i was hopeful that the GOP would nominate McCain and we'd have a serious, adult conversation in 2008.

and those hopes were dashed.

i do think, however, that the GOP has moved to a point where they may not hold a person's religion against him. which is progress for these people. so that's good i suppose.

[BEAL]

I'm hopeful that some point in my lifetime (I'm 32 later this year) that a person's non religion won't be held against them and we can move on from this idea that you must have God on your side to balance a budget or represent people.

[U2DMfan]

I watched it. Romney was clearly the winner. Gingrich did well but he's always been a sharp guy. Maybe his campaigning could be light years better but just as far as someone who knows the issues, he's good and was good last night. Also Bachman seemed to insert herself as a competent alternative to Sarah Palin. I'd give both of them good marks. Paul was Paul and he's just too detached from reality to take seriously (I say this as someone who leans quite heavily libertarian on a LOT of issues). He's just too 'died in the wool', unelectable.

Cain is what he is as well...which is sort of an 'every-man' (even though he's a rich 'every-man') that speaks common sense...and eventually demonstrates that he doesn't know much beyond that. Santorum is the real deal, he's not a fake, he's a principled 'stuck in 1955' old school Republican. Which means, on a personal level I can respect that he's sincere, but his policy opinion is the worst of any of these candidates. Pawlenty is doomed. An absolute snooze-fest. No balls-at-all. His 'stump speech' ain't bad for the Republican base, he just isn't 'Presidential' in the least (read: 'Presidential' to the Rep base means 'John Wayne archetype').

Whatever else happens, you can take it to the bank - this thing will come down to Romney and (someone). Even if that is Rick Perry or Chris Christie or whomever. Of course, most of us already thought this but if there were any doubt - it is gone.

[Canadiens1131]

Romney is fairly articulate and so far has been shrugging off the religious Right and Tea Party folks.

I wonder how many undecideds he will take with him if Obama polls badly amongst them on job numbers around election time.

[MrsSpringsteen]

So Romney won? I was watching the Stanley Cup. Let's pump Mitt's tires. I didn't realize it was my job to.

I couldn't care less what his religious beliefs are. I don't even care any more, I don't think anyone can fix the mess we're in.

[Canadiens1131]

Indeed I doubt anyone wants to be the person who has to tell Joe the Plumber that his widget-welding job is obsolete and he needs to retrain for a digital widget solution integration job.

[kramwest1]

I heard most of the debate on the radio today. The format sucked.

I got whiplash from how fast the group went from "why the hell are we participating in attacking Libya" to "Obama has done nothing to support our allies/He has turned America's back on our international partners."

This is going to be a long year and a half.

[MrsSpringsteen]

Guess he's just trying to be funny, but I forgot to laugh

Romney: 'I'm Also Unemployed' - NYTimes.com

Did anyone see the video of Mitt in a restaurant when he pretended to be goosed by the waitress? I have to find that online. Mitt trying to be funny=painful.

However I don't think we'll ever hear of Mitt sending pics of his weiner to anyone or dirty messaging. Now that could possibly shock me if it ever happened.

[MrsSpringsteen]

Ok where was diam...at some other place during Mitt's campaign four years ago? He didn't specify male or female.


Shakesville: Huh? Mitt Romney Pretends to Get His Ass Grabbed

Romney says, "Let's see if I can get my arms around everybody," as he lines up with several female waitresses for a photo-op. "Aw, come on—much closer, much closer," he says, squeezing them toward him. Then he exclaims, "Oh!" and jumps forward, as if he's been goosed. He looks at one of the waitresses, who points to another and says, "That was her!"

The video cuts to Romney walking down the street later. A reporter asks him if one of them really grabbed him. He grins and chuckles. "No, no, no. That was just teasing 'em." He laughs and then says it really did happen at some other place during his campaign four years ago. Whut?

[U2DMfan]

Mittens Smarmney

[Canadiens1131]

Rommers is such a QT

[MrsSpringsteen]

Mancrushing?

[Irvine511]

really, really want to see this ...

YouTube - ‪Tony Awards 2011 - The Book of Mormon - I Believe - Andrew Rannells - HD 720p‬‏

[MrsSpringsteen]

Bachmann's Unrivaled Extremism - The Daily Beast

"In April 2005, Pamela Arnold wanted to talk to her state senator, Michele Bachmann, who was then running for Congress. A 46-year-old who worked at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Arnold lived with her partner, the famed Arctic explorer Ann Bancroft, on a farm in Scandia, Minnesota. Bachmann was then leading the fight against gay marriage in the state. She'd recently been in the news for hiding in the bushes to observe a gay rights rally at the Capitol. So when members of the Scandia gay community decided to attend one of Bachmann's constituent forums, Arnold, wanting to make herself visible to her representative, joined them.

A few dozen people showed up at the town hall for the April 9 event, and Bachmann greeted them warmly. But when, during the question and answer session, the topic turned to gay marriage, Bachmann ended the meeting 20 minutes early and rushed to the bathroom. Hoping to speak to her, Arnold and another middle-aged woman, a former nun, followed her. As Bachmann washed her hands and Arnold looked on, the ex-nun tried to talk to her about theology. Suddenly, after less than a minute, Bachmann let out a shriek. "Help!" she screamed. "Help! I'm being held against my will!"

Arnold, who is just over 5 feet tall, was stunned, and hurried to open the door. Bachmann bolted out and fled, crying, to an SUV outside. Then she called the police, saying, according to the police report, that she was "absolutely terrified and has never been that terrorized before as she had no idea what those two women were going to do to her." The Washington County attorney, however, declined to press charges, writing in a memo, "It seems clear from the statements given by both women that they simply wanted to discuss certain issues further with Ms. Bachmann."

Lots of politicians talk about a sinister homosexual agenda. Bachmann, who has made opposition to gay rights a cornerstone of her career, seems genuinely to believe in one. Her conviction trumps even her once close relationship with her lesbian stepsister. "What an amazing imagination," marvels Arnold. "Her ideology is so powerful that she can construct a reality just on a moment's notice."

[deep]

In America one has a right to their 'religious beliefs' to try and suppress them would be bigoted and unconstitutional.

[anitram]

Originally Posted by MrsSpringsteen

Lots of politicians talk about a sinister homosexual agenda. Bachmann, who has made opposition to gay rights a cornerstone of her career, seems genuinely to believe in one. Her conviction trumps even her once close relationship with her lesbian stepsister. "What an amazing imagination," marvels Arnold. "Her ideology is so powerful that she can construct a reality just on a moment's notice."

"For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

[Irvine511]

wow. Mittens clearly has his eye on the general election. people think he panders, but maybe he's now pandering by pretending not to pander? the mind boggles.

but, still, good on him for this.

Romney won't sign abortion pledge
By: Kendra Marr
June 17, 2011 09:08 PM EDT

Five Republican presidential candidates have signed a pledge to advance the anti-abortion movement if elected to the White House, but the current front runner for the 2012 GOP nomination — Mitt Romney — isn’t one of them.

Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum each signed the pledge, sponsored by Susan B. Anthony List, vowing to nominate judges and appoint executive branch officials who are opposed to abortion. The pledge also commit signers to push legislation to end all taxpayer funding of abortion and to sign a law to “protect unborn children who are capable of feeling pain from abortion.”

Mitt Romney, who’s leading in national and early state opinion polls, declined to sign.

“Governor Romney pledged in the last campaign that he would be a pro-life president and of course he pledges it today,” said spokeswoman Andrea Saul in a statement. “However, this well-intentioned effort has some potentially unforeseen consequences and he does not feel he could in good conscience sign it.”

Moving quickly to explain his position, Romney published an essay Saturday on the National Review website stressing his commitment to fostering "a culture of life in America" but calling the SBA pledge "overly broad."

"It is one thing to end federal funding for an organization like Planned Parenthood; it is entirely another to end all federal funding for thousands of hospitals across America," he wrote. "That is precisely what the pledge would demand and require of a president who signed it."

The pledge calls for legislation to defund Planned Parenthood – already a rallying point for the social conservative movement – and to cut funding to “all other contractors and recipients of federal funds with affiliates that perform or fund abortions.”

While it’s difficult to evaluate the full scope of the various avenues of defunding, Planned Parenthood offers one window into how this proposal might affect the health care landscape. Planned Parenthood performed 328,300 abortions in 2008, accounting for about a quarter of the 1.21 million abortions that year, according to statistics from the Guttmacher Institute. But those abortions made up just 3 percent of the patient services it offered that year.

It also locks candidates into selecting abortion opponents for “relevant Cabinet and Executive Branch positions, in particular the head of National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health & Human Services, and the Department of Justice.”

That would exclude Republicans like Rudy Giuliani and Tom Ridge from serving a president who signed the pledge.

Other than Romney, two other GOP presidential hopefuls — Herman Cain and Gary Johnson — also declined to sign the pledge, according to the group. The SBA List’s announcement did not say whether or not former Ambassador Jon Huntsman was asked to sign.

Cain has said he opposes abortion and that he supports cutting funds for Planned Parenthood. In a statement issued Saturday, Cain said his respect for the separation of powers prevented him from signing. “[T]he fourth requirement demands that I ‘advance’ the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. As president, I would sign it, but Congress must advance the legislation,” the statement said, adding that Cain remains “a consistent and unwavering champion of pro-life issues.”

Johnson, a former governor of New Mexico, has staked out a libertarian position on many issues, including reproductive health — favoring choice but also insisting government shouldn’t encourage abortion. “A woman should be allowed to make her own decisions during pregnancy until the point of viability of a fetus,” says a statement on his campaign website.

“Any ‘truce’ on social issues is not viable, nor is it acceptable to the grassroots,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement.

Santorum took the opportunity to go on the attack against Romney, after passing on a chance to attack the front runner in Monday’s debate.

“I gave him the benefit of the doubt,” said Santorum in an emailed statement. “I apparently spoke too soon. It is incredibly disappointing that Governor Romney chose not to defend those who cannot defend themselves.”

Romney won't sign abortion pledge - POLITICO.com Print View

[MrsSpringsteen]

yahoo.com

Barack Obama impersonator Reggie Brown briefly stole the spotlight this weekend at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans after making a series of racial jokes and taking digs at several 2012 GOP candidates--the stars of the show--before being pulled from the stage.

When the routine mocked the president and other Democrats, it seemed to get a positive reception from the conservative audience--but the crowd let loose a smattering of groans and boos when Republicans became the butt of jokes.

Brown opened by saying Obama only celebrates half of Black History Month because he is biracial, that the president's "mother loved a black man, and no, she was not a Kardashian," referencing the reality-show sisters who have dated and/or married black men. Brown later compared the Obamas to the stars of "Sanford and Son," to wide laughter.

But when Brown started taking on the GOP's base, things grew tenser. He insulted Barbara Bush's appearance, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's Mormon faith, suggested former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty doesn't have a spine, and joked about former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Just when he was about to make a dig about Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) the comedian was ushered off stage.

As media outlets reported, former Republican National Committee spokesman and current GOP strategist Doug Heye responded to the performance via Twitter, writing: "Wonder why many minorities have problems with GOP? Hiring Obama impersonator to tell 'black jokes' at SRLC, for starters. Our own fault."

Brown was asked on CNN Monday morning if he believes he was yanked due to content or for time. "I do believe that I was over time for a few minutes and I also believe the material was starting to get to a point to where maybe they started to feel uncomfortable about where it was going," Brown said.

Event organizer Charlie Davis told The Ticket via email Monday morning: "I pulled him because his content was inappropriate for the conference."

After asking Davis why Brown wasn't pulled off stage sooner if the comments were "inappropriate," Davis followed up, writing:

The RLC is designed to showcase the top Republican leaders and ideas in the country. To talk about limited government, fiscal responsibility and rebuilding the American economy.

Had I been in the room I would have pulled him sooner. We have zero tolerance for racially insensitive jokes. As soon as I realized what was going on I rushed backstage and had him pulled.

[BVS]

This sums up the GOP pretty well don't you think?

[MrsSpringsteen]

He's cuter than Mitt. Hair looks even better too.


Jon Huntsman: Can a Nice Guy Finish First? - ABC News

The Jon Huntsman campaign seems designed to test whether a nice guy who doesn't speak ill of his opponents can get elected president.

"We will conduct this campaign on the high road," Huntsman said. "I don't think you need to run down someone's reputation to run for president."

And so Huntsman launched his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination in a most unusual way: with kind words for President Obama.

"I respect the president of the U.S.," said Huntsman. "He and I have a difference of opinion on how to help a country we both love. The question is who will be a better president, not who's the better American."

That was Huntsman's only reference to Obama, and even there, he didn't say his name. No mention of "Obamacare." No attack on the stimulus program. No direct criticism of Obama or his administration.

The setting for Huntsman's announcement was designed to evoke the launch of Ronald Reagan's general election campaign in 1980. The stylistic details were almost perfect: the Statue of Liberty over his shoulder and American flags at his side gently fluttering in the wind.

But Huntsman's speech couldn't have been more different. Where Huntsman steered clear of attacks, Reagan used his speech to eviscerate Jimmy Carter.

"The Carter record is a litany of despair, of broken promises, of sacred trusts abandoned and forgotten," Reagan said.

And more:

"Let it show on the record that when the American people cried out for economic help, Jimmy Carter took refuge behind a dictionary. Well, if it's a definition he wants, I'll give him one. A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours. Recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his."

And still more:

"Call this human tragedy whatever you want. Whatever it is, it is Jimmy Carter's. He caused it. He tolerates it. And he is going to answer to the American people for it."

It's not that Huntsman can't attack. Check out what he said about the Republican leadership in Congress in February 2009:

"I don't even know the congressional leadership," Huntsman told The Washington Times. "I have not met them. I don't listen or read whatever it is they say, because it is inconsequential -- completely."