You've probably already seen what George Will wrote about Mitt Romney:
Romney, supposedly the Republican most electable next November, is a recidivist reviser of his principles who is not only becoming less electable, he might damage GOP chances of capturing the Senate: Republican successes down the ticket will depend on the energies of the tea party and other conservatives, who will be deflated by a nominee whose blurry profile in caution communicates only calculated trimming. Republicans may have found their Michael Dukakis, a technocratic Massachusetts governor who takes his bearings from ‘data’ ... Has conservatism come so far, surmounting so many obstacles, to settle, at a moment of economic crisis, for THIS?[Edited to add the link to the entire Will column.]
It's not over yet. Rick Perry may be a lousy debater and weak in certain areas but he's arguably the most qualified and most conservative of the candidates. Here's his latest ad, featuring the voice of Rush Limbaugh, among others:
Bryan Preston has some advice for the Perry campaign:
Perry needs to go retail and talk radio/online media in a big way. Perry should forget the attacks Romney, just deliver his message and explain his record in a disciplined and relentless way. Do multiple daily appearances in Iowa explaining his plans and message to everyday voters, get those appearances captured and posted on YouTube and moved on blogs and social media. Get them in the local newscasts. Run positive issue ads in Iowa and South Carolina. Attack Obama often, get under his skin and make him respond directly to you. Hit the president on specifics and show where, for instance, Perry’s energy plan will undo the damage Obama is doing and thereby create jobs. As for the debates, attend some, skip some, as the schedule allows, but don’t make an issue of skipping them and don’t let them control the campaign schedule.Stay tuned.
Linked at MichelleMalkin.com -- many thanks.
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You seem to put a lot of faith in Perry's ability to do media. His performance on O'Reilly was not good. How can you propose a tax plan and have no idea how much revenue it will generate? You must at least anticipate the question!
ReplyDeleteCain and Gingrich are running TOWARDS the media, doing extra debates and doing Hannity and Fox Business at least once a day. Romney and Perry are running away from free media, which has to give you pause... Romney maybe doesn't think he needs it at this point, but what's Perry thinking? http://bit.ly/tasQw4
When is the last time someone that loses debates badly time and time again was elected President? Especially against a snake oil salesman that practically owns the media and is given a pass on almost everything by lefties and the uninformed. Mitt, Cain, and Newt have won or done well in every debate. Mitt did so while incurring the wrath of other candidates. Perry all but folded when they went after him.
ReplyDeleteI like Perry but his strategy is flawed in my opinion. Cain and Romney are on top because they are successful businessmen and good communicators. Newt is a great communicator but he is a career politician like Perry. If being a "solid" conservative was the reason then why isn't Michele Bachmann or Santorum on top? If being a state executive was most important the longest sitting governor (Perry) would be on top right now and Pawlenty would be in the race still.
In the final analysis it will be the combination of everything that will be considered FOR THIS ELECTION. This isn't 2008 where candidates ganged up on Romney and drove him out of the race. We saw what happened then. If not for Sarah Palin it would have been an absolute landslide for Obama. If that memory is clear to me I'm sure others are thinking the same thing. At this time, all things considered, Romney is the guy. Just because the "insiders", Republican "elite", and others piss us off doesn't mean they're wrong. They're right this time whether we want to admit it or not.
I'll go one step further. "Romneycare" may be the thing that diffuses the left ... and they know it. It makes us conservatives tentative but he's the only one that can't be portrayed as a "bogeyman" that doesn't care about people... he did it on a state level. He says he's going to REPEAL Obamacare and he's said it time and time again. The idea is to keep the lefties uninspired and to get the conservative base and "moderates" out to vote for the Republican. If repealing "Obamacare" doesn't inspire the conservative base to get out and vote in the general election, nevermind having a left wing radical appointing like-minded people in government then I don't know what would.
Thanks for your comments. Good points all. But I can't accept Romney as inevitable. And I think if he does get the nomination his negatives and weaknesses will cause us some enormous problems.
ReplyDeleteAny GOP candidate who hasn't named the cabinet departments to be abolished is a trimmer.
ReplyDeleteJill, I agree......sent a scathing letter to Senator DeMint after he blathered on about Romney. How out of touch with the base can they get......DC b.s..
ReplyDeleteHe wanted a contribution to the RNC for that endorsement - so not happening.