Romney's Moment

What a powerful day and moment for Mitt Romney!  A sweep of all five states voting today...a clear dominance now in the Republican ranks...and a stunningly clear and powerful address to the nation to set the stage for the battle next to come against Obama.

Here are his remarks as prepared...highlights are mine:

Thank you Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York!  And tonight I can say thank you, America.  After 43 primaries and caucuses, many long days and more than a few long nights, I can say with confidence – and gratitude – that you have given me a great honor and solemn responsibility.  And, together, we will win on November 6th!

We launched this campaign not far from here on a beautiful June day. It has been an extraordinary journey. 

Americans have always been eternal optimists.  But over the last three and a half years, we have seen hopes and dreams diminished by false promises and weak leadership. Everywhere I go, Americans are tired of being tired, and many of those who are fortunate enough to have a job are working harder for less.

For every single mom who feels heartbroken when she has to explain to her kids that she needs to take a second job … for grandparents who can’t afford the gas to visit their grandchildren … for the mom and dad who never thought they’d be on food stamps … for the small business owner desperately cutting back just to keep the doors open one more month – to all of the thousands of good and decent Americans I’ve met who want nothing more than a better chance, a fighting chance, to all of you, I have a simple message: Hold on a little longer.  A better America begins tonight.

Tonight is the start of a new campaign to unite every American who knows in their heart that we can do better! The last few years have been the best that Barack Obama can do, but it’s not the best America can do!

Tonight is the beginning of the end of the disappointments of the Obama years and the start of a new and better chapter that we will write together.

This has already been a long campaign, but many Americans are just now beginning to focus on the choice before the country. In the days ahead, I look forward to spending time with many of you personally. I want to hear what’s on your mind, hear about your concerns, and learn about your families. I want to know what you think we can do to make this country better…and what you expect from your next President.

And I’ll tell you a little bit about myself. I’ll probably start out talking about my wonderful wife Ann – I usually do – and I’ll probably bore you with stories about our kids and grandkids. I’ll tell you about how much I love this country, where someone like my dad, who grew up poor and never graduated from college, could pursue his dreams and work his way up to running a great car company.  Only in America could a man like my dad become governor of the state in which he once sold paint from the trunk of his car.

I’d say that you might have heard that I was successful in business.  And that rumor is true.  But you might not have heard that I became successful by helping start a business that grew from 10 people to hundreds of people.  You might not have heard that our business helped start other businesses, like Staples and Sports Authority and a new steel mill and a learning center called Bright Horizons. And I’d tell you that not every business made it and there were good days and bad days, but every day was a lesson.  And after 25 years, I know how to lead us out of this stagnant Obama economy and into a job-creating recovery!

Four years ago Barack Obama dazzled us in front of Greek columns with sweeping promises of hope and change.  But after we came down to earth, after the celebration and parades, what do we have to show for three and a half years of President Obama?

Is it easier to make ends meet? Is it easier to sell your home or buy a new one?  Have you saved what you needed for retirement? Are you making more in your job?  Do you have a better chance to get a better job?  Do you pay less at the pump?

If the answer were “yes” to those questions, then President Obama would be running for re-election based on his achievements…and rightly so.  But because he has failed, he will run a campaign of diversions, distractions, and distortions.  That kind of campaign may have worked at another place and in a different time.  But not here and not now.  It’s still about the economy …and we’re not stupid. 

People are hurting in America. And we know that something is wrong, terribly wrong with the direction of the country.

We know that this election is about the kind of America we will live in and the kind of America we will leave to future generations.  When it comes to the character of America, President Obama and I have very different visions.

Government is at the center of his vision. It dispenses the benefits, borrows what it cannot take, and consumes a greater and greater share of the economy. With Obamacare fully installed, government will come to control half the economy, and we will have effectively ceased to be a free enterprise society.

This President is putting us on a path where our lives will be ruled by bureaucrats and boards, commissions and czars.  He’s asking us to accept that Washington knows best – and can provide all. 

We’ve already seen where this path leads.  It erodes freedom.  It deadens the entrepreneurial spirit.  And it hurts the very people it’s supposed to help.  Those who promise to spread the wealth around only ever succeed in spreading poverty.  Other nations have chosen that path. It leads to chronic high unemployment, crushing debt, and stagnant wages.

I have a very different vision for America, and of our future. It is an America driven by freedom, where free people, pursuing happiness in their own unique ways, create free enterprises that employ more and more Americans. Because there are so many enterprises that are succeeding, the competition for hard-working, educated and skilled employees is intense, and so wages and salaries rise.

I see an America with a growing middle class, with rising standards of living. I see children even more successful than their parents – some successful even beyond their wildest dreams – and others congratulating them for their achievement, not attacking them for it.

This America is fundamentally fair. We will stop the unfairness of urban children being denied access to the good schools of their choice; we will stop the unfairness of politicians giving taxpayer money to their friends’ businesses; we will stop the unfairness of requiring union workers to contribute to politicians not of their choosing; we will stop the unfairness of government workers getting better pay and benefits than the taxpayers they serve; and we will stop the unfairness of one generation passing larger and larger debts on to the next.

In the America I see, character and choices matter.  And education, hard work, and living within our means are valued and rewarded.  And poverty will be defeated, not with a government check, but with respect and achievement that is taught by parents, learned in school, and practiced in the workplace.

This is the America that was won for us by the nation’s Founders, and earned for us by the Greatest Generation.  It is the America that has produced the most innovative, most productive, and the most powerful economy in the world.

As I look around at the millions of Americans without work, the graduates who can’t get a job, the soldiers who return home to an unemployment line, it breaks my heart. This does not have to be. It is the result of failed leadership and of a faulty vision. We will restore the promise of America only if we restore the principles of freedom and opportunity that made America the greatest nation on earth.

Today, the hill before us is a little steep but we have always been a nation of big steppers.  Many Americans have given up on this President but they haven’t ever thought about giving up. Not on themselves. Not on each other. And not on America.

In the days ahead, join me in the next step toward that destination of November 6th, when across America we can give a sigh of relief and know that the Promise of America has been kept. The dreamers can dream a little bigger, the help wanted signs can be dusted off, and we can start again.

And this time we’ll get it right. We’ll stop the days of apologizing for success at home and never again apologize for America abroad.

There was a time – not so long ago – when each of us could walk a little taller and stand a little straighter because we had a gift that no one else in the world shared. We were Americans. That meant something different to each of us but it meant something special to all of us. We knew it without question. And so did the world.

Those days are coming back. That’s our destiny.

We believe in America. We believe in ourselves. Our greatest days are still ahead. We are, after all, Americans!

God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

Tipping Point for Disaster?

While we have a temporary bit of a lightening in the heavy day-to-day of national politics, let's take a few moments to frame the upcoming political debates.  The elephant in the room this election year is the economy, jobs, and our crushing national debt.  Obama, given that he may - by the end of this year - have added more to our national debt as the entire previous history of the United States COMBINED, will try to distract us, mostly by playing the blame game and encouraging us to ignore the raw facts of what has happened on his watch.

So, take a few minutes if you can to consider the magnitude of the financial mess we have created for ourselves, and ask yourself what we should do next, and whose policies are most likely to get us there.

Dogs: Vacation, Not Dinner

Heard about the Romney comeback to the Obama team's bringing up of old dog stories?  This had me laughing to tears...

Hard Working Mother, Ann

If you haven't watched this, you should.  If you have, you should watch it again.

Now, to Oust Obama...

Rick Santorum finally came to the conclusion that it was time to exit the race and announced this yesterday. Bless him, for it was past time.  Personally I wish him and his family well.  We will need his support and everyone else we can get if we are to succeed in getting Obama out.

It's going to be a rough ride...but let the national campaign of Romney against Obama begin...

Triple Play

Awesome wins in Wisconsin, Maryland, and DC tonight for Mitt!  Brings him up to 648 delegates per CNN estimate, well on the way to 1,144.

More later, but I think it's time for Gingrich and Santorum to back out and support Romney in the effort to get Obama out.

Dictator Obama

Why does it seem so often that Obama talks like a dictator - as though his will and view should just carry the day regardless of public opinion, regardless even of the U.S. Constitution and its separation of powers?

Why did he have to dis (veiled threat?) the U.S. Supreme Court today as they deliberate on the constitutionality of Obamacare?  And in the presence of the president of Mexico and the prime minister of Canada no less?

You'll want to read this in which a U.S. Court of Appeals calls the Obama DOJ to the carpet on the President's remarks.  Good...for...them.

Obama is just so oblivious to what the American people care about.  November can't come soon enough to kick this guy out of the White House.

Obama: "Nothing Is Ever My Fault"

I happened across this blog post and it struck me that this nails the perfect re-election theme for Obama:

"Remember, Nothing Is Ever His Fault"
                 OBAMA 2012

Yeah, well...

So then we hear that Obama was talking to the Russian president today - and unfortunately for them both there was an open mike that overheard this:

President Obama: On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it’s important for him (apparently referring to Vladimir Putin) to give me space.
President Medvedev: Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you…
President Obama: This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.
President Medvedev: I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.

And that, my friends, continues to strike the deepest fear into me: what Obama will be willing to do if he won in November and was no longer restrained by having to run for re-election again.

Gingrich said it well today: “So, I think the question for the President ought to be what is it you plan to give the Russians after the election,” he added. “Tell us now so the American people can decide whether or not that’s a future, a gamble that they want to take with their safety.”

And Romney: "Romney said he was “very concerned” about the president’s remarks, especially because they were made to a Russian leader. Russia is not a friendly character on the world stage and for this president to be looking for greater flexibility where he doesn’t have to answer to the American people in his relations with Russia is very, very troubling, very alarming,” he said. “I am very, very concerned."

Please take a few moments also to listen to this short radio interview of Romney talking to Hugh Hewitt about this.  Romney nails it.  The more I think about it, the more upset I am about what this reveals about Obama.  And the way the media tries to minimize it!  Good heavens, they spent a full day or more talking about interpreting an offhand comment by an AIDE to Governor Romney...and yet here is the President of the United States talking to the President of Russia with significant - and to me horrifying - content and the media is barely paying attention!  Are you kidding me?

UPDATE: read Mitt's written article, "Bowing to the Kremlin" and ask yourself who you want in charge of American foreign policy: Obama or Romney?  Not a hard question to answer for me.

Rick and Newt: Bomb Throwers

Consider for a moment what in the world is going on in the minds of Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich. I know, I know...but just humor me.

First let's dispatch with Newt.  Gingrich would have to win 90% of the delegates remaining to win the nomination.  He has only won two states and is unlikely to win another, meaning he likely will not even have the support of the few delegates he's gained to this point at the convention.  Moreover, the man is going to zoos and checking out the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. rather than doing serious campaigning at this point.  I can fathom only two possible reasons he has not dropped out of the race, and both reflect horribly on him.  First, he's on an extended book/PR tour at the expense of his campaign donors and, worse, at the expense of the Republican cause to oust Obama.  Second, he has a personal vendetta against Romney and is willing to sacrifice the cause against Obama to get back at Mitt Romney somehow, which is worse and more small minded than the first possibility.

Second, consider Santorum.  The bottom line is that even if there was some remote chance of him gaining more delegates and momentum than Romney as of a couple of weeks ago, that chance is over now. Therefore, by continuing to stay in the race - knowing that he only has an outside chance of keeping Romney from the 1,144 delegates to win the nomination outright, and NO CHANCE of getting to 1,144 himself - he can ONLY be aiming for a contested convention.  The rules of the convention in such a case are such that there is NO CHANCE of Santorum becoming the nominee even in that case, and little to no chance of anyone but Romney getting the nomination at that point.  Imagine if Romney had, say, 1,100 delegates.  And was the only person with an organized campaign organization nationwide just 7 weeks before election day.  Can you imagine the outcry if anyone but Mitt got the nod there?  And the abject failure it would be for Republicans even if someone else were somehow handed the nomination?  What an absolute disaster that would be!

So if there is no reasonable, rational alternative to Mitt Romney to give Republicans a chance to oust Obama, then what in the name of Sam do Santorum and Gingrich really think they are doing?  It's hard to avoid the thought that they are simply prepared to be the equivalent of suicide bomber walking into the Republican tent - no thought of helping us succeed but only hoping to take us down, hoping to look - presumably - forward to 2016.  As if we would trust them by then under this scenario.  Does this sound harsh?  Well, it is.  It's that ridiculous to me what these two are doing.  It's time for them to get out.

To supporters of these two...I imagine you are just trying to choose someone you think is motivated to lead as a conservative leader and who you think has a chance this November.  You may have other reasons as well.  That's laudable.  But take a good hard look at the situation and ask yourself what your guy is really doing or trying to do.  Because here's another brutal fact: an Obama victory this November would not just be disappointing: it would be a DISASTER for our nation.  As Romney has said "can you imagine Barrack Obama in the White Hours with no one to answer to?"  Can you imagine what permanent harm he would do to our country if he had 4 more years in the White House with no re-election ahead to reign him in?  The harm done would take decades to try to reverse, and perhaps never would be.

It is time for all of us to unite behind Mitt Romney and support our effort to get Obama out of the White House.  Conservative South Carolina Senator DeMint just announced that he fully agrees.

Now...is...the...time!

Etch-A-Sketch

Really? If you ever want a Class A demonstration about why politics so often appears to be (is?) a circus - and perhaps a key reason why many good, intelligent people would never dream of public service in politics - look no further than yesterday/today's brouhaha about a Romney aide using the term "Etch-A-Sketch" to describe transitioning from the party primaries to a general election mode.

It's great, I'm sure, for the sellers of actual etch-a-sketch toys, but unhelpful at best for the political process and for Republicans.

Consider this: what if every word you utter was dissected and criticized? Taken out of context? Twisted? Blown out of proportion? Now what if you were also judged by every word uttered by your friends? And those words taken out of context, twisted, and blown out of proportion? Yeah.

Keep this in mind: absolutely nothing has changed about Mitt Romney since yesterday. Every candidate - EVERY CANDIDATE - in this race has changed their position on one topic or another in their lives. Let's get over it. Romney is ultra reliable and steadfast and very effective at achieving what he sets out to do. THAT'S the reality. Not some toy or the twisted words of an admittedly stupid advisor.

By the way, follow this link and vote...yes, Mitt would be a conservative as president.

UPDATE: Thank heavens for Ann Romney and her sense of humor!  Here's her take on this nutty distraction:

Jeb Bush for Romney

Good for Jeb:

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush endorsed GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney Wednesday. Bush released the following statement:

“Congratulations to Governor Mitt Romney on his win last night and to all the candidates for a hard fought, thoughtful debate and primary season. Primary elections have been held in thirty-four states, and now is the time for Republicans to unite behind Governor Romney and take our message of fiscal conservatism and job creation to all voters this fall. I am endorsing Mitt Romney for our Party¹s nomination. We face huge challenges, and we need a leader who understands the economy, recognizes more government regulation is not the answer, believes in entrepreneurial capitalism and works to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed.”

Illinois for Romney

Illinois is being called as a win for Romney - it appears a big one, though votes are still being counted.  If it continues this way, this is going to give tremendous boost to Romney moving forward.  Congrats to Team Romney and voters in Illinois!  Illinois, we will need your help to beat Obama in November.

What an awesome speech Romney gave tonight!  Here is one of my favorite segments:

"What is it about America’s culture that made us the greatest economic power in the history of the earth? Many features come to mind: our work ethic, our appreciation for education, our willingness to take risk, our commitment to honor and oath, our family orientation, our devotion to a purpose greater than ourselves, our patriotism.

But one feature of our culture that propels the American economy stands out: freedom.

The American economy is fueled by freedom."

Gas Prices Matter

Do American presidents fully "control" the price of oil/gas?  No.  Can they influence factors that improve the market and pressure the price lower?  Yes.  As usual with Obama, you listen to the words he says, but they matter little.  It's what he DOES that matters.  And he could hardly have done a worse job during his administration on his energy policy, if lower oil/gas prices matter to you.  Almost all of the additional domestic oil production increase in the U.S. was due to the Bush administration's actions to open up additional leases and the work of private landowners to increase production.  Obama has done nothing there, absolutely NOTHING.  But just so you know, he does believe in the potential for future energy production from algae!  Sheesh.  A recent Romney ad puts a point on Obama's words vs. his deeds in terms of energy and the prices of oil and gas.  You decide.  How much does it matter to you?  I know it matters to me.

The Real Conservative

Want to see what politics has done to Rick Santorum?  Check this out from the 2008 race.  Nice...



Come on Illinois today! What a huge difference you can make for Romney and at the same time in the effort to replace Obama.  From an article this morning describing the final pitches of the candidates in Illinois, I liked this:

Speaking at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois tonight (the alma mater of Rep. Aaron Schock,  who introduced Romney), Romney took aim at Santorum’s statement earlier that day  that he didn’t “care what the unemployment rate is going to be.”

“One of the people who’s running also for the Republican nomination today said that he doesn’t care about the unemployment rate, that doesn’t bother him,” Romney told the hundreds assembled out on a lawn. “I do care about the unemployment rate, it does bother me. I want to get people back to work, I’m concerned about those that are out of work.”

“One of the reasons I’m running is to get my expertise in place so we can put people back to work and get America strong again with a strong economy,” he added.

The crowd gathered, many of them college students casually dressed in shorts and t-shirts, was a mixture of supporters and antagonists; when Romney came out, students near me shouted “Obama 2012.” (Paul supporters were also present.) When Romney announced he was taking questions, the first  question was about birth control  “So you’re all for like, yay, freedom, and all this stuff,” said the first questioner, a woman. “And yay, like pursuit of happiness. You know what would make me happy? Free birth control.”

“If you’re looking for free stuff you don’t have to pay for, vote for the other guy,” Romney responded. “That’s what he’s all about.”

Land of Lincoln & Other Thoughts

First, I'm encouraged by polls showing strong support for Romney in Illinois.  Illinois is close to my heart, as I lived there for several years, my son, Sam, was born there, and it nearly became our permanent family home.  They are saying that the urban and suburban areas having the strongest support for Romney, which is a pattern we've seen.  But I'm very hopefully that rural Illinois will turn out for Mitt as well.

A strong win by Romney would go a long way toward being able to get the momentum needed to earn the delegates needed to win the nomination.

One other interesting note: people (media, Santorum campaign, etc.) have  been suggesting that if Newt Gingrich dropped out of the race that his support would go to Santorum and create a more even match against Romney.  Well, apparently not.  In this poll, when Gingrich supporters were asked who they would vote for if Gingrich dropped out, Romney edged out Santorum among these voters.

Over 500...

Thank you, Puerto Rico!  22 of the territory's 23 delegates go to Mitt, which the way this contest has gone is a big deal.  That puts Romney - according to CNN's estimates, up to 518.  552 is the halfway mark to win the nomination, so we're getting close.  Illinois looms large on Tuesday.

Missouri and Puerto Rico...

Two contests coming up this weekend.  They are all important at this point.  Missouri holds county caucus meetings on Saturday.  In theory, Santorum holds advantages there with Midwest evangelicals being reluctant still to support Romney, but I know many good Missourians and the Romney campaign itself have been working very hard to change that.

What I hope voters in the Midwest and the South will understand is how important it would be for Republican efforts to defeat Obama and overturn Obamacare and pull us back from the brink of financial disaster, for them to give Romney victories.  There's no question Romney has been the best and most successful candidate to this point...but what would really allow Republicans to come together and united against Obama is a real show of support for Romney in these important regions of the country.

As important as Missouri is, Puerto Rico also has great significance for a couple of reasons.  First, of course, is delegates.  At the end of the day, Romney is the one who is in a position to get enough delegates to win the nomination; the question is: how soon can he get there?  Delegates are so critical, and they will come from the votes of individual voters in Puerto Rico and elsewhere.  The other reason is that Romney needs to build on his support among Latino voters, like he did in Florida.  Support from Latinos will help tremendously in November against Obama.

Romney has been forthright in his understanding and support of issues important to Puerto Rico, and Governor Fortuño has endorsed Mitt strongly.

Darkness Before the Light Comes

So imagine me sitting at home tonight, trying (with limited success) to get some work done, while keeping my eye on my alma mater BYU's first game of March Madness as well as the Mississippi and Alabama primary results.  Imagine my mood as BYU went down early by 25 points to Iona with the Gaels looking like world beaters and my Cougars looking...well, sort of ridiculous.  At the same time, I see the returns from the South become increasingly clear that Santorum was going to win both states, and Romney likely to come in a close third in both.  Despair?  Not quite, but not all that far off either.

Fast forward an hour.  BYU stops turning the ball over, settles down on defense, starts getting the ball where they like to get it and the shots started falling.  The comeback was not an instant rush and there were some reverses.  But the Cougs had time on the clock, and they kept at it and did the job, winning an amazing comeback win by 6 points and moving on in the tournament - the biggest comeback in NCAA Tournament history.

About the same time, I start looking closer at the actual delegate estimates from the night.  In Mississippi, CNN lists 13 delegates for Santorum, and 12 each for Romney.  In Alabama, Santorum has 19 delegates, with Romney and Gingrich 9 each.  Doesn't look quite so bad.  That's 10 more delegates for Santorum than for Romney in the two states.  But that's before Hawai'i and American Samoa complete their voting in the Pacific, which has proven to be a great stronghold for Romney so far.  Hawai'i will add 20 delegates, and Samoa 9 more.  I think there is an excellent chance that Romney will come out of today with the most delegates on the night.  And THAT would be a miraculous comeback.

All the more amazing when you consider the real story in terms of who will win the nomination: we are about half way through the path to the nomination, which means there become fewer and fewer states for Santorum to try to get anywhere close to the number needed to win the nomination.  Which means the path for Romney only looks better and stronger.  Romney should end the night somewhere close to 500 delegates, which is closing in on half the delegates needed to be the nominee.  And of the states remaining to vote, there are only a few winner-takes-all states left...those become the big prizes.  And every one of them looks solid/likely for Romney.  The rest of the states seem to still have an edge for Romney as well.  Total all that up, and I still don't know how Santorum really justifies his path and thinks he can win an above-board nomination.

So, take heart...the Cougars came back and won.  I believe things are going to be looking better for Mitt as well.

UPDATE: American Samoa's 9 votes go to Romney, CNN reports.  That puts Romney back within 1 delegate of Santorum on the night.  Early results from Hawaii looking favorable.  

UPDATE2: Romney wins Hawaii 45% to 25% for Santorum.  Haven't seen final breakdown of delegates updated yet, but this is huge.  Again, it means Romney will have earned more delegates on the night than Santorum, despite S'rum's wins in the South.  

UPDATE3: By my totals, this means Romney has won more states than all his rivals combined (15 states + 4 territories for Romney, 12 states + 0 territories for the others), more delegates than the others combined (if we give the Hawaii delegates to Romney we should be at about 506 for Romney and about 439 for the others combined), and Romney has about 40% of the total votes cast, more than 50% ahead of his nearest competitor, Santorum.  But the media, of course, is going to talk up Santorum (so is the Obama administration, by the way).  

Sweet Home Alabama

An excerpt here from a nice article where Randy Owen - leader of the band Alabama - voices his sincere support for Romney:

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, whose appeal to conservative, evangelical Deep South voters has been wanting, came to Birmingham on Friday and brought with him somebody who speaks and sings southern.

Randy Owen, leader of the legendary group Alabama, put his southern country roots stamp of approval on the Michigan-born former Massachusetts governor.

"I hope this state is listening to me," Owen said Friday to a packed crowd at Thompson Tractor as he introduced Romney. "I travel all across America playing country music for guys like me, working-class people who grew up poor. . And what I want you to know is that I love this man. I love his family. I love what he stands for."

And from another article describing a rally and support from Southern comedian, Jeff Foxworthy:

Romney, accompanied Monday by comedian Jeff Foxworthy, told a rain-soaked audience in Mobile that he offered the party its best shot at defeating President Barack Obama.

"This president has done almost everything wrong," he said from the restaurants front porch. "This guy is out of ideas, and he's out of excuses, and in 2012, were going to make sure he's out of office."...Foxworthy, a Georgia native, said Romney has the experience needed to get the U.S. economy back on track.

"I avoided politics for 53 years," he said. I don't like politics, I don't like big government. But I do love this country...Mitt Romney is the guy with the best chance to beat Obama and take this country back."

Santorum/Gingrich Desperation

I think accusations of "lying" in politics are generally thrown around way too easily, but let me just say a couple of things about what Santorum and Gingrich have been saying the past day or two.

First Gingrich: he's been saying that - to paraphrase - Romney has not been winning the conservative vote and that this shows what a weak candidate he is for Republicans.  I'm sorry, but I've been following exit polls really closely throughout this process, and that is simply not true.  Romney has been getting more support from conservatives than any other candidate.  The only exception is if you carve out a subset of conservatives - specifically RURAL, EVANGELICAL, "VERY CONSERVATIVE" voters.  But that subset, while not insignificant, is hardly any kind of majority, and looking forward to the general election in November, they will be an even smaller slice of the electorate.  So, come on, Newt...get it straight.

Then Santorum.  The best I can describe what he's been saying is either 'name calling' towards Mitt, or 'magical thinking' in which he tries to obfuscate the delegate math and numbers and try to claim he has as good a chance or better than Mitt to get the nomination.  That would only be true if literally EVERYTHING goes his way and NOTHING goes Mitt's way, AND the Republican Party powers connive to make him the nominee.  Such a path is not only extremely unlikely, but would be the worst possible way I could imagine choosing a nominee to go against Barack Obama.  Seriously...consider a scenario in which Romney has more delegates than anyone else, but some back room deal consolidates everything else on behalf of Santorum.  You think that would go over well?  It's a dangerous fantasy dream by Santorum, in my opinion.

Oh, and when you hear either of these two talk about Romney as a "weak frontrunner," remind yourself how much weaker they are as candidates compared with Romney by any measure and ask yourself what they are saying about themselves.  Just sayin'.

Let's keep our eye on the ball.  Tomorrow represents a chance for Romney to get critical support in the South and nothing could be better for increasing our chances to oust Obama from the White House.

Look at the evidence below of Mitt's strength in the newest polls:

KS v. Wyo & Territories

Kansas ran caucuses rather than a primary vote, which given Kansas demographics was a perfect setup to give Santorum an advantage and he did win most of the KS delegates.  And yet...we again see Romney's genius for organization and wise use of resources.  By winning additional delegates in Wyoming, plus wins in all the U.S. territories, Romney ended up winning more delegates than Santorum won in Kansas - I believe it's 35 for Santorum and 39 for Romney.

That's very well done by Romney.  Now he needs some help from Alabamians and Mississippians here in a couple of days.  I'm telling you, if our Southern boys and gals can pull this off for Mitt, it will carry forward and make a huge difference.

And the Marianas

I'm beginning to feel all tropical inside...and very happy to be seeing this support from American territories in the Pacific.  The Northern Marianas 9 delegates have been awarded to Romney by voters there as well...here is Mitt's press release on this win:

“The Northern Mariana Islands may be far away from the mainland, but one of the great things about our democracy is that every voice has a chance to be heard in selecting a presidential candidate. Now the voters of the Northern Mariana Islands—nearly 8,000 miles from Washington, D.C.—have spoken.  And what they’ve said today is that they want to bring change to their beautiful islands by bringing change to our nation’s capital.  My son Matt told me about his visit to Saipan and the warm reception he received, and I am honored and delighted to have the support of all nine of the CNMI’s delegates.”

Governor Benigno Fitial is the Republican party head in the Marianas and is quoted as saying:

“I encourage the hundreds of thousands of Pacific Islanders living in the Continental U.S. to follow our lead and please support Governor Mitt Romney in the coming months.” 

Guam

Romney has won all nine delegates from Guam...very nice and in a race where every delegate makes a difference...

Here is Mitt's statement about the win:

“I am grateful to have won all nine delegates in Guam, and I am pleased that my son Matt was able to visit the island on my behalf and be there for the caucuses. The people of Guam have always stood bravely for America and the values we hold dear. Today we stand together in our efforts to secure the future that this nation deserves. I am honored to have won the Guam caucuses, an important milestone in my quest to restore America to the principles and practices that made us great.”

Grits, Yes, But No Sugar Please

Southerners are taking a look at Mitt right now and they are having a mutual get-to-know-you.  It seems that Mitt is gaining some traction in Mississippi and Alabama, though he's still the underdog.  This is a fun blog entry about the former governor of Mississippi's recommendation of Romney - the current governor has also endorsed Mitt.  Let's work hard these next few days...

Encouragement

I am seeing some reasons for encouragement as we move into this critical stage of the Republican primaries.

First, check out this note on Hawaii.  Romney has organization and support there which the other candidates do not appear to have.

Second, Romney's superior organization appears to be helping him in terms of encouraging early voting for him, which is a wise approach...again showing how intelligent Mitt is in terms of organization (a key reason to anticipate him being an excellent and effective president).

Third, the last two national polls show Mitt up 12-14 points over Santorum, and near the 40% level.  And that's before what I expect to be some kind of a bump up for Romney based on Super Tuesday results.  This is right at the highest numbers of any Republican candidate throughout this process.

And finally, Real Clear Politics shows polls in the past two days revealing: Mitt with a 15 point lead in New York, a 9 point lead in Alabama (yeah!) - though another poll in Bama showed Santorum up 4, it was done a week ago whereas the 9 point lead was polled from 3/1 to 3/6 - so still a good sign for Romney - and a 6 point lead in California.  I'm surprised we haven't seen a poll in Kansas yet, but maybe that's coming.

The signs of strength in Alabama I consider particularly important.  Here's to hoping my adopted second state will come through for Mitt next week!

Republican Reality Check

I have to admit I'm getting a little fed up with the post-super-tuesday blather of the media.  It came to a point for me this morning listening to Joe Scarborough talk about how unsettled everything is, how Romney "can't close the deal" - all the usual stuff we've been hearing for months, but then he feels to add that he thinks that rather than encourage candidate(s) still in the race to consider dropping out at this point, the Republican Party should try to get some new candidate to jump in to the race still at this point!  Wow.

OK...a little reality check here, folks.  First, let's consider the basic options for Republicans at this point:

(1) We continue this split, pitched battle, everyone trying to tear down "the other guy" and in particular everyone but Mitt trying to tear down Mitt to try to gain an advantage.  This path still seems likely, and has a good chance of taking this primary battle all the way to May or June or even to the nominating convention in Florida.  And yet at the end, Romney is still very likely to win, albeit in a weakened state due to the constant digs and attacks at him by fellow Republicans.
(2) One or more current candidates drop out of the race at this point.  Start with Ron Paul...I think he should consider getting out as he has won no state after 20+ state votes.  That said, he has his own agenda and I think there's very little chance of him dropping out.  Then Gingrich...I think there is the strongest case for him to drop out, since he has won only his home state and one neighboring state in 20+ contests.  I don't know why he wouldn't drop out, other than his massive ego.  But, never, never underestimate the ego of Newt Gingrich.  Then there's Santorum.  On the one hand, he has the strongest case to make in terms of not dropping out, however...it's already been shown that he has little to no chance of accumulating the number of delegates needed to win the nomination.  He has shown a strong but limited "base" of voters which he has been unable to expand from, and which would lead him to be extremely vulnerable against Obama even if he were the nominee.  And, he has shown himself and his campaign to be amazingly inept in terms of basic organization, including not even getting on the ballot in some states and districts within states, etc.  If Gingrich dropped out, then Santorum at least could claim a chance to start increasing his delegate take (though Romney would as well) and continue for now.
(3) We continue the contest, but with conservative activists, media, and voters generally starting to give stronger support and rationale and defense to Romney, allowing him a better chance to make his arguments and his connection to voters, strengthening him along the way to the nomination.
(4) Some 'new guy' enters the race, as Scarborough suggested.  This would be utter disaster.  For one thing, just as only Romney still has the mathematical possibility of achieving the 1,144 delegates needed to win the nomination, a 'new guy' would not have a chance to go back to the 20+ states who have already voted to get delegates.  They also could not legally get on most state ballots going forward.  Thus, they would have no chance to get enough delegates to win.  So, their only chance would be for party leaders to secretly work things behind closed doors to twist or change the rules, etc. to try to force the way for the 'new guy.'  Talk about chaos.  You really think Republicans and voters generally would not react negatively to those kind of tactics?  Ridiculous.  This is the stupidest idea I've heard.  And I used to think Scarborough was reasonably intelligent.  Whoops.

Also keep in mind one other key fact: Republican party people, not Romney or the other candidates, are more to blame for the current situation.  They are the ones who decided to push the state Republican parties to make their choice of delegates proportional to the vote, rather than "winner-takes-all."  I'm not saying there's not some appeal to doing it this way, but recognize the impact of it for what it is.  If these rules had applied in 2008, I am certain that John McCain would have had the same kind of fight on his hands against Romney and Huckabee going all the way to the convention.  The different rules this year are what's making it harder for Mitt.  Not to say he can't do better connecting to...specifically...'very conservative, rural, Evangelical voters' and also to some degree to lower income 'blue collar' workers.  But that is a challenge that can be met.  The rules of the primary process are something Romney can't control or change...but it has to be handled the best way possible, and the difficult challenge created by the party rules this years compared with previous elections should be recognized, I would think, by pundits and media and bloggers.

Still, as they say 'it is what it is' and Romney and Republicans generally should have a clear idea of what they are facing and the path forward.  To me there's no question that for conservatives/Republicans, this is the time to work out our strongest support of Mitt Romney.  Leave the other candidates to determine their own fates.  If Romney starts to get more and more support, the other candidates will see the writing on the wall.  That, in turn, will allow Romney to finally get over the top in terms of delegates and support.  Then we can unite and turn our energized attention to beating Barack Obama.  And that goal is worth our every effort.

Delegate Math

Given that most state primaries to come give out delegates proportional to vote totals, and that the few winner-take-all contests left are in areas of Romney strength, it becomes nearly impossible for him not to win the nomination at this point.  Begs the question of what, exactly, Santorum and Gingrich think they are accomplishing by staying in the race.

All we know is...we need to keep our shoulder to the wheel and push for more momentum.  Let's go Kansas on Saturday!

By the way...what in the world is CNN doing using this particular photo of Romney?  Sheesh.  Come on, CNN...a little professionalism, please.  Just sayin'...

SUPER Tuesday for Romney

Super Tuesday could have turned out a little better for Mitt, but not by much.  It was a very good day for Governor Romney.  Consider:

- Romney wins Ohio, Virginia, Massachusetts, Vermont, Idaho, and Alaska.
- Of his opponents, Gingrich wins ONLY Georgia, and Santorum, who had the second best night, wins Tennessee, Oklahoma, and North Dakota.
- But critically, Romney was second place in every state he did not win, with the exception of North Dakota, where he was a close third behind Ron Paul.  Those second place finishes matter for a couple of reasons: (1) it leads to more delegates for him, and (2) it means that even if some voters are still trying to decide on their support for Mitt, he is at the upper end of their consideration.
- There is concern about how Romney can do in the South.  Given he did not win in Georgia and Tennessee, that is still a valid concern.  However, the fact that Gingrich and Santorum split these two states and that Romney was second place in both states, means that neither Gingrich nor Santorum is likely to consolidate strength in the South.  More importantly to me, it means that many in the South are warming to Romney.  As I consider the South a second home due to having lived in Alabama for several years, that means a lot to me and I hope to see that trend continue (I hope quickly!).
- At this point, the delegate counts matter a lot, and Mitt Romney got significantly more than half the delegates available this day, and more than twice as many as any of his opponents.  Romney is getting close to a third of the way to the number of delegates needed to win the nomination, and is significantly more than double the delegates that Santorum has - in fact, Mitt has more delegates now than all of his opponents combined!
- No matter how the media tries to spin it, the fact is that just a week ago, Santorum was up in the neighborhood of 15-20 points in Ohio, and just that fast Romney stormed the state and won.

The campaign for the nomination is not over, but it becomes increasingly bleak for Romney's opponents, and increasingly confident for Romney in the race to the nomination.  Kansas is up next and is a significant test for Team Romney.  Haven't seen polls there but I assume the terrain is more like Oklahoma, which Santorum won by about 5 points.  Encourage your friends in Kansas to vote Romney this Saturday!

Happy Warriors

I love this photo of Mitt and Ann Romney on the campaign trail today in Youngstown, Ohio.  There has to be loads of pressure and fatigue at this point with all the campaigning done so far and Super Tuesday primaries tomorrow, but you can tell these are happy warriors in the campaign battle.  I appreciate that and think it says a lot about the character and personalities of both of them.  Everyone in these Super Tuesday states: get out there are support Mitt tomorrow!  Could be a big day...sure hope it is.  

Washington...

Romney wins Washington tonight by double digits...a great and important win.  Could it be that Washington just gave Romney the wind in the sails to send him on his way to the nomination and then even, well, to Washington (DC)?  Time will tell but this was a big deal.  Let's see what we can accomplish on Super Tuesday, which is coming up here in 3 days.  Great job, Mitt!  Hats off to the Republican voters in Washington state tonight.

Celebrate and hear Ann Romney talk about her husband in this great video:

Get Acquainted with Ann Romney

You should watch this...

Gallup and Rasmussen

The most recent Gallup and Rasmussen national polls on the Republican race have Governor Romney up by 11 and 16 points, respectively.  It's a good sign of momentum.  Also saw a just-done poll in Washington state...close, but it did have Romney with a 5 point lead.  Hopefully Romney supporters in that state will get out in force to caucus tomorrow.  It you have friends there, encourage them to vote tomorrow.  It's all about actual votes on election days, folks.

Idaho Enthusiasm

I love this article about the intense enthusiasm Romney is generating in Idaho as he campaigns there ahead of Super Tuesday.  Heard Romney was also in North Dakota today talking energy production at a rally.  Not sure if he was in Ohio today...I know he was yesterday.  Maybe Washington tomorrow ahead of their caucus vote on Saturday?

Wyo for Mitt

With all the complicated differences between the various primary and caucus rules in each state, it's hard to keep track, but the Wyoming caucuses held county by county just concluded, and Romney won, with Santorum second.  Read the results here.  Good news!  Washington state holds caucuses next on Saturday.  Let's keep it rollin'...

BAM and BAM!

Terrific wins for Romney tonight in both Arizona and Michigan!  These wins together mean a whole lot in this campaign.  Especially heading toward Super Tuesday next week.  Now we need to build and spread the word...game's on the line here, folks.  Congratulations to Mitt, and to voters in these two important states.

Big Day in MI, AZ!

Encourage your friends in Michigan and Arizona to get out there for Romney.  It's a HUGE, HUGE day and we need Mitt to come out on top in both contests.  Every vote counts they say - never more true than today.

You want a great, rather low key story that gives good insight into Mitt and his wife, Ann, and the Romney campaign?  This is worth the brief time to read.

Obama Believes You're Stupid

You need at least some - though often very little - thinking to see through Obama's words.  His little speech yesterday about gas prices deserves brief mention so none of us lets our friends get suckered by this guy.

The Wall Street Journal says it better than I can here, so take a minute to read this.  A little excerpt here:

'The American people aren't stupid," thundered President Obama yesterday in Miami, ridiculing Republicans who are blaming him for rising gasoline prices. Let's hope he's right, because not even Forrest Gump could believe the logic of what Mr. Obama is trying to sell.

To wit, that a) gasoline prices are beyond his control, but b) to the extent oil and gas production is rising in America, his energy policies deserve all the credit, and c) higher prices are one more reason to raise taxes on oil and gas drillers while handing even more subsidies to his friends in green energy. Where to begin?

Detroit News is for Romney

A great follow-up to last night's debate.  Today, the conservative-leaning Detroit News endorses Mitt Romney for President.  Here's to hoping Michigan voters will show up in droves to support Mitt on Tuesday!

Rally & Debate

Great job by Mitt last night in the debate in Arizona!  His competence, smart ideas, focus, and preparation were on full display.  He clearly had the best night among the candidates.  Gingrich and Paul did a fine job overall as well.  Santorum, on the other hand, was on the defensive all night and to my view just did not come across well at all.  If I were to encapsulate the entire debate in one statement, it would be Romney's directed at Santorum in the discussion on "earmarks" directing federal financial support to various projects: "While I was fighting to save the Olympics, you were working fighting to save the 'Bridge to Nowhere.'"  Santorum and Gingrich (both of whom made an art form of passing their earmarks in the past) tried to claim that they are all the same, but Romney's comment shows how ridiculous that idea is.  An Olympics hosted by the United States of America has a legitimate claim for national support and as Romney noted, it was specifically for help with transportation and security for the Games.  Compare that with "pet projects" like the 'Bridge to Nowhere' which give local benefits but can hardly be claimed to be a national issue.

Well, I'm a bit late on this but wanted to pass on a video and a  few photos from a Romney rally in Chandler, Arizona yesterday morning, all taken by my brother (and contributing blogger), Mark, who had prime seating for the event.  Lucky dude...

Radio for Mitt

Recommended radio interview of one of the contributors to Evangelicals for Mitt blog.  Take the time.  Good stuff.

By the way, props to my bro. Mark for being front and center at a large rally for Romney in Tucson this morning.  Will post some of his photos and video later tonight.

Santorum's Problem

I have a number of concerns with Santorum, as I've mentioned before.  But this excerpt from an article today I think nails another I hadn't quite put my finger on yet:

Moreover, the hysterical and wildly distorted mass onslaught against Santorum over the past few days — which must be understood as an example of the nearly overt way the mainstream media have declared war on the Republican Party in the run-up to the election — is certain to provoke a backlash among voters who’ll know they’re being fed Democratic campaign propaganda.

No, Santorum’s problem is — forgive the technical graduate-school political-science terminology here — that he’s a sourpuss, and sourpusses don’t get elected president. The former Pennsylvania senator looks like he swallowed a lemon — and he acts like America is the lemon he swallowed.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/the_real_trouble_with_rick_heWQPU8VoNAHl6Qu2ESYfO#ixzz1n2oij2bd

Mitt's Personal Style

I believe it's a truism that the media do a poor job of getting a true sense of what candidates are really made of, what really drives them. I ran across this great personal story about Mitt Romney that I want to repost here, as I think it's more enlightening about Mitt than almost anything you would read or hear in the media about him:

"The following account is provided by Greg Davis:
'I noticed an earlier blog entry surrounding the 2007 [California wild]fires. Below is my recollection of that period and my morning “stumping” with Mitt Romney. I will never forget the fires of October 2007. That year unusually hot, dry, Santa Ana winds wreaked havoc in Southern California. Gusts touching 85 mph carried ash and cinders for miles seemingly touching off a new fire every day. Entire cities became ghost towns with an estimated 1,000,000 people being forced to evacuate (myself included). When all was said and done, over a thousand homes had burned to the ground and billions in damage had been done. While my house had been spared, the homes of many friends and neighbors had been burned or damaged and the entire region embarked on a massive clean-up effort. About this time, the national GOP nominating contest was heating up and Mitt Romney was among the front runners. Mitt was coming to San Diego for some political events and wanted to get a better sense of the damage. His son, Matt Romney, invited Mitt to participate in an early morning service project at the house of a friend. Our friend had lost a giant pine tree to the fires (thanks to firefighters his home had miraculously been spared). The tree had been cut and hauled away but a giant stump dominated a pocket of earth in his front yard. Our friend needed help digging it out. Mitt arrived bright and early in sneakers, jeans, and an old cotton shirt. He surveyed the stump and a wry smile crept across his face. I sensed this was not the first foray in stump removal and he knew (far better than I did) the scope of what we were trying to accomplish that morning. The tree had matured and closer inspection revealed a complicated labyrinth of large roots compacted by the surrounding cement sidewalks. Armed with chainsaws and axes we went to work. Our progress was difficult to measure. The moist sappy wood and surrounding earth quickly dulled our chainsaws. I found myself questioning our effort and wondering if we were making any progress at all. After burning out three chainsaws my resolve was weakening and I was ready to hang it up, but not Mitt. It was time for the ax. After several hours it was time for me to go to work and time for him to return to the campaign trail. The stump remained but, surprisingly, we had made tremendous progress. Thanks a timely visit from a neighboring backhoe the stump was out by lunchtime (much to the joy of our friend who figured it would take days to remove). There are several things I remember about this day. I remember Mitt’s focus and work ethic. Our friend bought us breakfast burritos, but Mitt politely declined citing his desire to, “..make some progress first.” I remember moments of ingenuity (Mitt used a crowbar to pry apart cuts in the wood helping our dull chainsaws be more effective). I remember the look on a neighbors face as they passed by walking their dog. Was that really Governor Mitt Romney chopping at his neighbors stump? For me the morning was a microcosm of what I envision a Mitt Romney presidency would be like. Every morning showing up early and ready to work, quickly assessing the challenges of the day, tackling them head on with a heavy dose of hard work and ingenuity, and leavings things in much better shape than he found them. It has been said that our character is what we do when we think no one is looking. Notably, on this morning there were no bright lights or press corp. And as the prolific sweat on his cotton shirt would attest to, this was no token visit to merely score political points. Mitt had come to work and to serve. If America decides to offer Mitt Romney the privilege of being president, I know we’ll be getting a man character; one that not only talks the talk, but walks the walk.'"

Michigan's Home Boy

Romney's Conservative Case

In an interview with National Review Online over the weekend, Romney discussed his speech to CPAC (Conservative Political Action Committee) and his history and policies as a conservative.  It is reviewed here and is an important read for anyone following the campaign and wanting to understand Romney better. Enjoy.

Also was reminded of this Rick Santorum quote - yes, that Rick Santorum - just four years ago when he said this: “Conservatism is a way of life - Mitt Romney understands that. It's not just in his head; it's in his heart."

There's more.  I highly recommend watching this little video.  David French, the award recipient, is with his wife the force behind the "Evangelicals for Mitt" blog, is a lawyer defending freedom of religion and freedom of speech, and joined the military after 9/11 to serve our nation in Iraq.  What an incredible person and family.

The Rational Vote, Part 2

I'm not entirely sure how accurately I perceive the various fracture lines in the conservative coalition in the past few years, but let me take a stab at it.

First, we have a historical problem, which is that - for various reasons, mostly political - Republicans in Congress haven't been much better than Democrats at preventing the growth of government and the expansion of the federal bureaucracy.  So there's some latent hostility towards what is perceived as the "Republican elite" - and I would say it rubs off on most of the Republicans in the Senate and some in the House.  It's hard to find a known name in the Republican field that is not to some degree tainted by this, and it has affected enthusiasm for some of the candidates.

Then, there is the length and cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan [disclaimer: I did and do support our purposes in going into these conflicts, and while we've made some mistakes in the execution of them, I support the troops and realize how complex the environments we have been operating in there].  Some war weariness - understandable - has undercut some of the usual enthusiasm and agreement on foreign policy and military matters.

Perhaps the most volatile and problematic issue is on social issues.  Not that there are significant divisions on policy - that's the funny thing about it.  This is where it gets tricky.  Because these tend to be "close to the heart issues" it sometimes devolves into "identification politics" where a candidate's church affiliation, their accent and manner of speech and language, even their choice of clothing or hair styles, seems to make groups feel "more comfortable" or "less comfortable" with a candidate.

There are other issues from immigration to tax policy and other issues, where there are disagreements.

How do these affect Romney?  Social conservatives hear various claims as to his credentials and history on some policy issues.  They see a northeast politician (making him suspect from the get go in some conservative voter eyes) who established his political credentials in liberal Massachusetts with a mix of moderate and conservative positions.  And, of course, he's Mormon.  That, and a generally fractured conservative coalition, has made it hard for any candidate - including Romney - to create strong momentum and overwhelming support.

What can be done?  There are times where I have my doubts, but I still believe once we get to convention and a nominee is selected, the desire to get Obama out of the White House will kick into gear and it will be a fight down to the wire.  I think the conservative groups will mute their criticisms then and work to get Obama out and the Republican in.

What will be interesting is if we succeed...will those same fractures reappear and make it hard for the new president to succeed and maintain the necessary support?  Time will tell.  But it gives even more impetus to Romney and team to build strong bonds with all these elements and invite them to understand the balance needed to keep everyone in the big tent, which is necessary to the goals of all types of conservatives.

When I hear Romney criticized as "say anything, do anything to get elected," I think first off it's ridiculous because he's not pushing liberal policies and has been consistent in the conservative policy proposals developed in the run of this presidential campaign.  That said, what I think people might be reacting to is simply the effort Romney is making to speak to and bind these various types of conservatives as well as independents/moderates that are needed in the coalition in order to beat Obama.  Romney's challenge is to let all conservatives know that he does hold conservative policies and instincts and should be trusted by them.

United we stand, divided we fall.  So if you, or any of your friends, are aggressively attacking and deepening these divisions on the conservative side, here's an invitation to hold off.  Let's work together and gain confidence in one another.  Romney's win at CPAC before the weekend was good to help reinforce his credentials among conservatives.  His strength continues to be the west and the northeast, and in Florida.  I'm anxious for the South and the Midwest to join the ranks in a stronger way, and give Romney the boost he needs to represent all areas of the country for Republicans.

The Rational Vote

Coalitions are interesting creatures.  Take various groups of voters motivated by "overlapping enough" issues and throw their support together to win an election.  Both the Republican and Democratic Parties are coalitions, of course, but you wonder as you watch this particular Republican Primary process if the Republican coalition is the more fractious of the two.

The Republican/conservative coalition has been described and reported quite a bit over the years and is again a current topic.

I've seen various labels given to different elements of the Republican coalition...here is my attempt to describe them:

Fiscal conservatives ('small government conservatives' etc.): main concern is national debt, balancing budgets, fears of over promising on "entitlement" spending, etc.

Constitutional conservatives: motivated by limited government, sticking to original intent in interpreting the US Constitution, tend to be more libertarian.  Think Ron Paul and some Tea Party groups.  Also, Second Amendment (gun ownership rights) voters.  "Get the government off our backs" conservatives.

Social conservatives: think of religiously motivated voters, issues including pro-life, protection of traditional marriage, importance of religious freedom, etc.  Within this group, there are fractures which can be related to identification with particular churches or branches of Christianity, etc.

Military/Foreign Policy conservatives: care a great deal about maintaining the strength of our military and using American strength with firmness and integrity to support American ideals of freedom and peace around the world.

Unfortunately, it seems that these groups have been working more at cross purposes than with common purpose in recent years.  Romney's challenge is in large part a reflection of the difficulty of inviting these groups to join together and trust him with the charge to stand firm for all of the above if he is elected president.

More to come on the challenge, and how this might be done...

What's the Best Way Forward?

I was just reading a couple of articles this morning that got me thinking.  The first was an article (actually, a collection of articles) in Time magazine by various conservative writers on the topic of where conservatism stands right now with regard to American politics generally and the Republican primary this year specifically.  The second was an opinion piece by Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post with her ideas on what Romney might do to make a stronger, better connection with voters as he looks for ways to get back on the winning track.

I believe anyone paying close attention to the Romney campaign should recognize that he is very aware of the issues brought up in these various articles, and has worked to build and bind the Republican/conservative coalition together and establish a clear reason for his running, which is, in a phrase to get government under control, limit it to constitutional bounds, and establish policies that allow our economy to boom out of the morass it has been in.

That said, campaigns are about getting people to understand your purpose and plan, and buy into it with enthusiasm.  With no illusions about the complex, fractured, roller coaster nature of this Republican primary season, I believe Romney and his team can do this more effectively.

I actually am impressed with the themes/focus suggested in the Jennifer Rubin article referenced above.  Let me restate them in my own words:

BRING BACK FREE MARKET PROSPERITY AND FREEDOMS

LIMIT GOVERNMENT (TO AVOID FINANCIAL COLLAPSE AND TO ALLOW PROSPERITY AND INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS)

AMERICAN NEEDS TO LEAD THE WORLD FROM THE FRONT (WITH INTEGRITY AND STRENGTH)

RESPECT AMERICAN CITIZENS, OUR CONSTITUTION, RULE OF LAW, AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN AMERICA

AMERICAN OPPORTUNITY IS THE RALLY CRY; GIVE INDIVIDUALS MORE FREEDOM OF CHOICE TO SEEK SELF IMPROVEMENT THROUGH EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND ACTIVITIES DICTATED BY THEIR CONSCIENCE

I will add one more:

RECOGNIZING THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO OUR SOCIETY OF STRONG FAMILIES AND HEALTHY, VIBRANT RELIGIOUS AND OTHER PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS, ROMNEY POLICY WILL SUPPORT THEM WITHOUT CONTROLLING OR HARASSING THEM.

Each of these six themes can easily be fleshed out by the positions and policies Romney has already put out there and spoken about, but this can give a simple focus while still providing endless variations of ways to communicate with and connect with voters so it never becomes stale and can be enthusiastically understood and bought into by the many people who will be needed to bring Obama down in November.

The Case for Mitt by the Donald

Donald Trump of course endorsed Romney this past week...today he wrote a very well done editorial explaining why Romney is the way to go for conservatives, Republicans generally, and for America.  Whether or not you like his hair style or watch his show, take a look...

OK, So Let's Look @ Romney v Santorum

Let me start off by saying that Santorum would be my second choice after Romney in this campaign.  He has an at-times compelling personality and understands conservatism - at least, social conservatism - well. I think overall, he's capable and a good candidate.

That said, Santorum has not been heavily vetted, and we need to learn a lot more about him quickly.  He's given himself some momentum again after yesterday; but he had that after Iowa as well and it didn't go very far.

Here's a problem with Santorum: his emotional appeal lies in a rather narrow band of voters - mostly evangelical and similar very conservative social/religiously motivated voters.  This is a good and important group, and it's large enough to win small Republican caucuses in certain states, like they did yesterday.  But they are not nearly a big enough group to win a national presidential election against Obama.  On his emotional appeal/approach, read this article arguing that Romney has the temperament most like Reagan, whereas Santorum clearly does not.  It's a good read.  This article by Charlotte Hays, makes a similar point on Santorum's narrow appeal in a general election.

Another problem with Santorum: although most voters (and media) tend to think that media headlines and a perhaps surprising win or two (or three) predict how things will go in these elections, the fact is that breadth and depth and discipline of organization across the nation - as well as the resources to run a national campaign - still matter a very great deal.  This is true not only for the Republican primaries but even more so in the national campaign against the Obama machine.  Santorum has so far produced very limited organization and very limited resources.  Romney is at the other end of that spectrum, with the most developed and disciplined organization and the resources to support it.  That is much more important - and difficult to achieve - than many may realize.

There are other issues to be looked at.  One that Mitt mentioned in his speech last night that I think is important...all the remaining candidates made their fame in Washington DC except for Romney himself.  Romney's fame and success have been built in private business, in the Salt Lake Winter Olympics, as governor of Massachusetts, as a family man and dedicated member of his faith, and for his more recent years campaigning on the national stage.  Nothing from Washington DC itself.  Want someone that can take a new perspective and help change DC from all its dysfunction?  Mitt's the man.

So yes, let's take a very close look...

Perspective

Overall not a good night for Mitt and crew.  The loss in Missouri is less important to me given it is non-binding and there is another vote in the same state that means something next month; i.e. this vote doesn't matter.  The only concern is when placed next to the loss in Minnesota.  To me, the meaning of this is pretty basic: evangelicals and other "social conservatives" in the Midwest are still hesitant to support Romney.  I'm pretty sure Romney's religion is a factor there still...but that doesn't mean this hesitation can't be overcome.  Problem is that time is running shorter for this to change.

Romney's other problem right now is disappointing to me, and that is that most of the media, being liberal, is naturally going to try to find ways to slight and undermine him, but for him, much conservative media is also doing the same from the other direction.  The only thing I can figure is that somehow they don't see Mitt as a "movement conservative" and so in language and manner they find fault with him.

No candidate is perfect, and I think Mitt can continue to improve his message and style to communicate effectively to more and more voters.  But at the end of the day, what I want most from the next president is that I can trust him to effectively lead and get our economy moving, and efficiently change the giant bureaucracy of the federal government to get us out of our current and future load of debt, while keeping our nation strong and vibrant.  That, to me, is precisely why I support Romney.  He is for me by far the most prepared and the most likely to realistically accomplish all this.  We will be a stronger, freer, and better nation with Mitt Romney as president.

Colorado's vote is still being tallied.  Too close to call.  I hope Romney wins, but win or lose, it's clear there is a long hard fight ahead, so let's put our back into it!

[Update: Colorado went to Santorum also.  One reminder: yes, Romney did better in these states in 2008, but in 2008 McCain still got the nomination.  This time Romney's in the leaders position.]

We Are All Catholics Now

Important read...spread the word.

Some Jobs...Need MANY, MANY More

Two improved job reports, which is better than bad for sure.  But a little perspective is in order.  We need our economy to grow much, much, much faster than this for many reasons. Consider:

"If we keep adding jobs at roughly the pace we added them in December and January, then the United States will return to full employment some time in 2024. That’s unacceptable. To get back to full employment by 2017—a pathetic goal, by the way—job growth would have to further accelerate so that we add an average of 321,000 jobs per month, each and every month, for more than 50 months in a row."

We need Romney in the White House, as soon as possible.

CO, MN, MO Up Next...Poll Notes

Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota vote tomorrow - again hoping to see positive momentum building for Romney.  Minnesota is the tightest upcoming race in the polls, suggesting Santorum and Romney are very close there.  I haven't seen polls in Missouri but I expect we will see similar trend where some conservative and evangelical groups in the Midwest and South are taking longer to come around to supporting Mitt so the voting there may, like Minnesota, be close.  In Colorado, Maine, Arizona, and Michigan - all coming up soon - Romney has a lead in the most recent polls.  Nationally as well we are seeing Mitt at his highest point among voters to date.

This will be an ongoing, steady slog but a very important time in the campaign.  Come on Colorado, Maine, Missouri and Minnesota!

Romney Wins Big in Nevada

Finally results still coming in but per exit polling upper 40's to low 50's likely to be the final tally for Mitt. Tremendous thumping of Newt and the others.  [Update: the final result came out right at 50% for Mitt.]

I Want These

While we wait for Nevada caucus goers to vote today - and hope Romney supporters get out there en masse to produce a big victory - I ran across this...and I want a pair!



Also, if you have a few minutes, this is an interesting article on Romney's appeal to Tea Party supporters. Rings true in many ways; this is an important group to have in the Romney coalition to beat Obama in November.

Religious Liberty in America

This article is a must read for all Americans...an editorial written by Mitt Romney and printed in the Washington Examiner today.  It is pointed in contrasting Obama's war on religion in America with the constitutional principle of the freedom of religion, guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.  Obama has made a grave mistake in his plan to force Catholics and others to either stop helping people or obey their government overseers.  We need to make him regret it by working hard to kick him out of the White House.

Read it now, and spread the word to others to read it.  And here's another on the topic.  Excerpt: "These immediate battles may be about abortion or contraception, but ultimately they are about whether we stand firm on our nation’s core beliefs in freedom of conscience and religious liberty...Coercion and intimidation are the tools of mobs and tyrants and have no place in this calculus."

Rebuilding broken trust in military will be a huge task!

Coming on the heels of Obama's announcement to the world that the US would be slashing funding to our military, and the fact that dangerous regimes are testing our resolve, and finding that Obama has none, I read 2 articles recently that really scared me.

The first one is from Mitt Romney Central. Even though it came from the campaign, the fact are the facts, and it really lays out the fact that Obama had a pattern of not being able to handle the sacred responsibility of Commander in Chief, and putting personal gain ahead of human life.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/MittRomneyCentral

The second one was from the Washington Post, and really scared me. As we all know, Israel CANNOT allow Iran to have nuclear weapons, and neither can we! Well, due to the fact that Obama has been completely inept in dealing with Iran, and has done everything to show Israel that they cannot count on us to support them physically or even politically! So, as we all know, Israel has said they will go it alone if they have to. Then I hear that Panetta told media that Israel will preemptively strike Iran in the next few months. (why can't this administration keep private information private, even at the highest levels???)

Then I read the Washington Post article which said that the Obama administration still hasn't decided how or even if they will support Israel, if they do strike!?!?! That's the problem with having no moral compass, or any kind of solid foundation on foreign policy!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/is-israel-preparing-to-attack-iran/2012/02/02/gIQANjfTkQ_story.html?tid=pm_opinions_pop

What we need now is Mitt Romney, who supports a military so strong that no one will dare test it, and who actually supports our allies, and will deal with dangerous regimes!

One More Time, Slowly Now...

If there's one thing I get most sick of in politics, it's gotcha media seeming to purposefully misinterpret someone's words.  I hate even having to talk about this stuff.  This is like the toilet cleaning part of cleaning your house, but I guess it must be done.

So start with saying that of course Mitt could/should have made his point regarding the middle class with better words.  Fine.  Learn from it.

But here's the point for me: I don't think any fair-minded person could possibly take what Romney said yesterday as any different than what most politicians say all the time.  He clearly was NOT saying he doesn't care about the poor - to the contrary he said he believes the safety net is (and should be) there for them and can be improved where needed.  In what world can that be interpreted as not caring about the poor?  Again, you can't clip out a few chosen words, you have to look at the whole statement.  I could take a conversation from anyone, clip out only the parts I want, and make it sound bad.  But that's unfair and disingenuous.  Get that, media and pundits?

Notice nobody pulled out the line "I'm not concerned about the very rich" - because that wouldn't create the controversy and misinterpretation they want to create.  Oh, no.

In context, you can easily summarize what Romney said this way: "the middle class have been most harmed by Obama's policies, and my priority as president will be to correct this."

OK, now back to my zen state for a few moments...

Vamos Mitteo!

Thought this was funny and interesting at the same time.  Because Mitt's father was born in Colonia Juarez, Mexico, there's been this whispered discussion about whether Romney could be the first President of Mexican-American descent (first "Gringo-Latino" president), and some have light-heartedly started to refer to him as "Mitteo."

Funny, but kind of has a serious aspect to it as well.  I think Romney is right to emphasize the need to get a handle on illegal immigration in order to support legal immigration and make the whole process functional.  At the same time, there needs to be a way to reassure and work with Latino communities that would need to deal with these issues in a new system and allow families to work out being together and supporting one another.

Mitteo has the opportunity to build relationships and inroads that could allow this to happen.  It is also an important source of voter support for him.  Mitteo...I kinda like it.

Yes, Romney Cares about the Poor

Really, media?  This is not hard to understand.  Read this and look at the context.  Should this take any brains to report appropriately?  Wow.

Lest We Forget...

How secular and liberal the Obama administration is:

Notable excerpt: "That means we can't say what we've been saying for 200 years, 'Are you hungry?'" retired Cardinal Theodore McCarrick told Fox News in an interview Tuesday. "We have to say, 'Are you Catholic?' We don't do that."

How Big is Florida?

Huge.  You add the total populations of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina and you have about 9 million people.  The population of Florida?  About 19 million - more than double the total of the others combined.  Florida and it's primary are also a closer reflection of what the general campaign against Obama will be like.

This is a pretty good overview of what a solid, important win this was for Mitt Romney.  In addition to doing very well among independents, Romney did very well among conservatives generally, and conservative Christians/evangelicals in particular, a group people have wondered about in terms of their willingness to support Governor Romney.

And I can't help another dig at Gingrich, as he surely deserves it.  Asked this morning if Gingrich had called to congratulate him on his victory in Florida as is traditional, Romney admitted that not only had Gingrich not called, but he hadn't after Iowa or New Hampshire either, though he himself had called Gingrich to congratulate him after South Carolina.  Does that not say a lot right there?  Romney made the call to Gingrich after his one win, but Gingrich hasn't done the same in return even when all the other candidates have done so.  Amazing.