Political Punch

Thank you, John Berman, for discovering one of those wonderful ironies buried in a candidate's history that he'd rather we forget! Perhaps a reporter could call Gov. Romney on this the next time he's attacking Sen. McCain.

What our country desparatly needs is a moral president who understands economics and has the knowledge and fortitude to lead our country away from trends that are bankrupting our nation.

If McCain gets the nomination there will be alot of republicans who vote democratic this year because the disticntion between democrats and republicans will be narrow at best. Check his record, see who his "close friends are". McCain will not win against anyone in a national election.

I'm voting for romney. He is the only one that knows how to fix our government.

I'm voting for romney. He is the only one that knows how to fix our government.

Who honestly gives a darn who Romney or any candidate voted for in an election 16 years ago?

Too bad the media can't criticize Romney's consistent record as governor and have to dig something insignificant like this up.

Anybody remember 1976? 2008 is eerily familiar. Back then Reagan came Oh so close but couldn't convince the old guard, who stayed with Gerald Ford. At the convention, after Reagan's speech, everyone knew they had nominated the wrong guy. Ford lost to Carter, the country tanked, setting the stage for the Reagan revolution in 1980.

Get ready for deja vu. Hillary or Obama will be the Carter of 2008. Carter promised to give the country back to the people. He won by defeating the clumsy oaf country club establishment moderate republican Gerald Ford. Romney may have to wait until 2012. By then the economy will have totally tanked and the country will have buyers remorse over whoever was elected.

Mitt Romney is detestable to me for multiple reasons. Number one: flip-flopper. To me he is an opportunist who tells conservatives what they want to hear and the lemmings follow. Romney is a sneaky businessman in the political realm. He reminds me of John Edwards: Perfect hair, wasteful make-up, and regretful of their political positions in the past. Despicable.

Though as an Englishman I have no vote I am fascinated by the build up to this election. My sympathies are with the GOP and definitely against a new Clinton regime. I am concerned that the front running republicans keep their focus on the contest to come and not only on the republican nomination. I think the most creditable candidates are Romney and McCain and hope that their supporters remain civil to each other. Both would be 100% better than a return to the Clinton years. Both are Christian both are conservative. Look at the (Democrat) alternative.

There is an incredible photo (Pulitzer prize nominee?)of a Taliban elder seated beside his underage bride.Her look of resignation/dread should serve as a warning to those who would ignore the authors of our Constitution and blur the line between Church and State. Disinformation of an especially vile nature,in U.S political campaigns has morphed from the pew on Sunday to laptops in Utah & the mid-west.

Mitt Romney publicly professes that he is concerned about Bill Clinton being back in the White House with a lot of free time on his hands.

He shouldn't be, and it shows a worrisome lack of imagination on the part of Mr. Romney.

There are lots of public/private initiatives that come to mind, just off the top of one's head, some of which the ex-president could conduct from the comfort of the Lincoln bedroom.

Consider these:

1) Special envoy to Fidel's Gulag to end U.S. embargo on Cuban cigars.

2) Commissioner of the Women's Softball League.

3) National spokesperson for adolescent campaign for sexual abstinence.

4) Head of the Motion Picture Association (with lots of unpublicized trips to Hollywood, and foreign film colonies; nothing like private diplomacy, I always say).

5) Head of the U.S. Office of Public Integrity.

6)Chief, White House intern program.

7)Special advisor, Congressional intern program.

8) Co-Chair, with Clarence Thomas and Larry Craig, of blue-ribbon National Commission for the Rights of High-Minded but Misunderstood Public Servants.

9) Washington-based Rove-ing correspondent, Hustler magazine.

The list goes on ...

If the Republicans choose Mr. Romney, claiming that his vast experience in the private sector makes him tailor made to right the economy, we Democrats have a better argument with a Clinton co-presidency. ...

Bill Clinton has been getting down to business for years!

I think the points about independents not supporting Mitt are correct...at this point. If he locks up the nomination, I think his natural 'problem-solving' tendencies will kick in. He will be looking for solutions regardless of the source (D,R,I). This will be seen as a move to the center. I hope he can avoid the 'false dichotomy' that between democrats and republicans and find better alternatives that retain conservative principles, but provide solutions for all Americans.

WOW! I guess the LDS are offering missionary waivers for pro-Romney comments.

Haven't seen such a lopsided result since Saddam Hussein's 100% job approval rating. ;)

The presidency is for sale to the highest bidder - Romney.

If you really believe McCain will rally independents at the general you have listened to the pundits. The pundits have been wrong about Romney on every count. Romney draws the male middle aged independents and the soccer mom vote, many of whom are transitioning democrat to republican which is a bigger swing vote than independents. McCain doesn't get either of those segments.

When Romney was an independent, he voted as an independent, lived as an independent, and decided to become a conservative. He chose the path of conservatism long before the election and has been on that path ever since. The only obstacle in his way of being a dandy conservative was his stance on abortion, which changed due to moral stresses, not political motivation. Mitt has always been honest to what he says he is. Compare that with the 'straight-talker' who is a demo in repub clothing, and talks the 'straight-talk' only when he can blame others. In short, Romney is willing to work WITH democrats, but he draws the line at working FOR them.

Actually, Mitt Romney does have a serious chance in the national election. In terms of polls, the only group doing much worse than George Bush is the Democrat controlled Congress. Once Mitt has the nomination in hand, the people will fortify his vote because we are still likely going to have economic challenges that will be hurting people. In fact, I anticipate that even the independent voter will vote for Romney and his economic plan.

Some suggest that past results of polling data will be used in the national elections, I think their thinking is flawed because of the uniqueness of this political cycle. Right now, all of the Republican candidates who are serious contenders are nearly out of money. Can we seriously expect them to do the majority of their campaigning through Super Tuesday doing fundraisers? I don't think so. Romney is the only serious candidate who can financially make it through this critical time.

His Royal Mittness, is NOT, I repeat NOT, a conservative, and if you think he is then you are either a.) intellectually dishonest b.) deluded or c.) gullible. The only reason that Rush and Hannity are killing McCain is because both of them happen to be employed by Clear Channel Communications - a company that was recently purchased by Bain Capital - of which His Royal Mittness is a silent parner. Go Johnny go!

Mitt is going to win this election and he is going to restore this country's trust in Washington..................... GET READY FOR THE ROMNEYCONOMY!

One of the most important character traits in this election is integrity. Integrity doesn't mean a candidate can't change his mind over time. In fact a candidate with integrity will admit when he is wrong and make a change. Mitt Romney has done this. He has the highest integrity of the entire bunch of candidates. Sadly the leading candidate in the other party lost her integrity a very long time ago.

Go Mitt...the military is behind you...we need someone smart in the White House that can communicate and a strategic thinker for once. We need to start focusing on competitiveness in the world.

I remember campaigning for Reagan in Calif in the early 70's. The media and liberals all said he was unelectable...the Democrats feared him the most. Sound familiar...Go Mitt! I truely believe he's the only one that can beat Hillary....and folks will see him new and will grasp his message.

Ralph

Scotts got a valid point, I personally dont like Mccain, but his moderate stance appeals to many that will be considered the "swing" vote. But if people really take the time to look at our economy and fear that a recession is going to hurt them personally then maybe they will give Romney a 2nd look. Toe to Toe Mitt will tear the democrats apart.

I think America is tired of the Professional Politicans who know how to Spin things in DC but couldn't lead or run a business in the real world where you have to "Earn" your keep. When Mitt Talks about the Economy people listen, In Mccains own words he does not understand economic's.......... and being a good leader does not mean that your team of so called "experts" will give you advice that will work for the country.........

Whereas Romney will work with those who know how to make things work and he will not just be sitting there takig their advice but rather helping to formulate the right approach to make America Strong again both economically and morally.

When its all said and done, its the pocket book that makes you feel all warm and cozy ........that's why the country could get rid of Bill Clinton the economy was good so nobody cared who he was doing in the white house........now if the economy had been bad, Bill would have been run out of town on a rail.

I keep wondering what makes McCain a Republican. He is for Amnesty. He is against lowering taxes. He doesn't support social conservatives.
Besides the democrat views, he also threatened to stay in Iraq for another 100 years, which translates to the entire time he is in office. Well the Democrats will remind the voters of that and there is NO WAY that McCain will win the presidency. They are just waiting to use that trump card.
No McCain. No Democrats. Mitt Romney is the most formidable opponent.

While Romney has supported candidates from across the isle, what bothers many republicans about McCain is that he touts that. He is the republican superstar of the liberal media, no question. That is what really irritates me.

Romney has his minions out posting comments like crazy.
However this strategy will not work.

The Republican so called base, which is imaginary, has weak arguments against the Senator and weaker ones for the suave gov.(even from your own Anne Coulter).

Real people see right through you!

Stop being spoon fed.

Go, John, on to victory we will never desert you.

Duh. Romney will WORK with Democrats. Its that McCain IS a Democrat. Or a RINO: Republican In Name Only.

McCain wants tax hikes. McCain wants to restrict free speech. McCain wants illegal crimin-aliens from Mexico automatically becoming US citizens. Sounds like a page out of Hillary Clinton's play book.

I'm voting for Romney. In fact I just paid $100 to Romney's campaign. He's a SOLID conservative who will get it done in Washington.

I'm glad Mitt has a mind of his own and does what he thinks is right - even voting for a democrat if necessary. Mitt is SO much smarter and wiser than McCain and our new voice in Washington. Go Mitt!

You are all overlooking one very important point. The problem is that Romney will never win the general election and I'll tell you exactly why. It's a truth the hard core members of each party hate to admit but history has shown to be the case time and time again. That is that it's not the party base that really matters and frankly any campaign manager will tell you that. The reason why is because when push comes to shove they will vote for their party candidate whether they like him or not simply because allowing the other party to take power is abhorrent to them. The block of voters that ultimately swing the election are the Independents and moderates who are willing to vote "across the aisle" so to speak.

That voting block is fed up with an ultra-conservative point of view because they associate it with Bush and if you doubt it take note of who controls Congress right now and why. Also note that in the results so far that voting block is supporting McCain first and Obama a distant second. This is critical because even though Obama is just as much of an extreme liberal as Hillary is the perception by some independents is that he is more moderate...and frankly in politics perception is far more important than reality. Who that block is NOT supporting are the Romneys and other ultra-conservatives nor will they. Now don’t misunderstand. They don’t like ultra-liberals either but the current feeling is that after eight years of Bush, if they are forced into a choice of extremes between liberal and conservative, they have been and will continue to vote liberal before conservative.

The point is that while the republican base is screaming for ultra-conservative Romney they do so at their peril because the voting block that ultimately will decide the election won’t support him and as such McCain is very likely the only Republican that can win in November.

Now of course everyone will scream about this but look at what has happened so far. The Independents and moderates are avoiding Romney like the plague. There's a reason why McCain leads national polls head to head against Clinton and Obama while every other GOP trails....the critical voting block will vote for McCain but not for any other hard core republican (which the rest are PERCEIVED to be). If the Republicans are smart they will quickly conclude that their interests are best served with a moderate President McCain rather than an ultra-liberal President Hillary.

Hey John, go back to to hide with your filthy liberal losers, Bill and Hillary. Let the smart people run the country.

Go Mitt!

John you've written an article with a lot of power to persuade people. Even if they read nothing else the title is sufficient. The message is "Don't vote for Mitt Romney." Good job. You'll influence many people. And perhaps they will believe you.

As for myself, I'm still voting for him.

Mitt Romney is my choice for president!! Sow hat if he runs internet ads! Go for it.
MITT ROMNEY 08!!!

blah blah blah... web only ads. big deal. mccain is weak and so are his positions