Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
Peter Robinson ·
Oct 11, 2011 at 7:13pm
...and--this seemed almost surreal at times--none of the other candidates even seemed particularly interested in challenging him. It was almost as if the only candidate on the stage who was running for president--really and truly, running--was Mitt.
Prediction: The next batch of polls will show Mitt ahead in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, all three, and the other candidates will find their financing going very dry very fast.
I could be wrong--and I'd like to hear a word or two of analysis from Troy Senik, who has a good eye for this sort of thing--but the nomination fight now strikes me as all but over.
That was my response, anyway.
What was yours?
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Comments :
Dec '10
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
I still don't see how Romney can win without the conservative base, and he simply cannot appeal to them. I could be wrong, but his outstanding performance in tonight's debate may only stoke the flames of the anyone-but-Mitt coalition.
May '10
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
It's time to concentrate a lot of energy on getting conservatives elected to House and Senate. The best hope for good from a Romney administration lies in his being surrounded by conservatives.
Let him feel the Tea Party heat on his heels when he goes squishy, and its wind at his back when he points true.
Edited on Oct 11, 2011 at 7:22pmRe: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
I hear you, King Prawn, but the anyone-but-Mitt has to be someone. Who? None of the other candidates even seemed interested in a real fight. (Well, with the exception of Santorum. But he's polling two percent in polls with a margin of error of three.)
Aug '10
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
Mccain won without the conservative base. A lot of independents and even dems vote in the GOP primaries.
Besides, even conservatives like to back a winner...
Oct '11
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
Peter, I agree completely. Mitt seemed to be the only one who was truly prepared....and this frightens me. Why no one really pressed him is beyond me...
I had high hopes for Perry at one point, but once again, he was ineffective.
Dec '10
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
Perry was less bad, but still not good enough.
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
I'd agree with every word and sentiment, Drew.
Oh, and welcome to Ricochet!
Aug '11
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
Just because Mitt Romney can perform like a show pony at a contrived event doesn't make him any more appealing to the the conservative base. He's had five years to convince conservatives that he's their guy and all he's done is get a bit better at being a phony.
As for tonight's "debate", it was obvious that the moderators were doing everything they could to crush Herman Cain's momentum, while tossing softballs to Romney.
Tonight's best performer was Newt Gingrich. Too bad he's such an unappealing character.
May '10
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
My reaction? Mitt might just win because we have too many not-Mitt candidates. An unfortunate reality of multi-way races.
If you can't stand the thought of Mitt, then we had better pick a single alternative. Perry, in spite of his recent stumbles, still strikes me as the best choice we have.
Nov '10
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
The moderators won. They stifled the candidates, talking over them with their own talking points and steered the debate to a predetermined outcome. You could see the bewilderment in some of the candidates' eyes -- this was no debate, it was a scripted play. Gingerich to the recue!
Dec '10
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
Peter you are a bit naive about this. We are 13 months from the election. Romney's performance was good but what I was much more impressed by was the performance of the entire field. Once again the moderators were heavily biased. Mr. Bloomberg is Emperor of the RINO's. His organization reflects it. A few minutes of the analysis after made one feel you were watching a DNC strategy session or Axlerod's bar mitzvah. With all the flak the Republican field of candidates showed themselves very well.
We have a long way to go. I think we have our bearings now but it's going to be a bumpy ride. Fasten your seat belt.
May '10
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
Learn to love Romney, Peter, because he's going to be our guy, and he'll be OK.
I know it hurts (I'm not being funny -- I really know it hurts), but look at it this way: Reagan wins. Romney, a formerly apolitical businessman who disavowed Reagan in the past, has come crawling back. Allow him to do so. Allow him to save face. Say, "Welcome home."
That's what Reagan would do.
Dec '10
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
Romney continues to improve with each outing. Given that many voters are not very informed, and are only now starting to pay attention, it's easy to imagine that many will find Romney appealing. I would, if I had no prior knowledge. It's tough to see how any of the other candidates will be able to overcome that.
I think Perry is about done after tonight's showing. He came across as a bottom-tier candidate, meek and unengaged. Maybe it was the format that suggested it, but every time he spoke I kept thinking he's a kid at the grown-ups table.
Cain is becoming a one-note samba. Worse, that seems to be his intent. That may be a good strategy for getting attention and pulling out of the second tier, but I don't think it's enough to sustain him. He needs to show some breadth. I'm not aware of a single source outside his camp that says 999 will work the way he claims. If people aren't convinced that 1) it will work, and 2) it can pass, he'll have nothing left.
Edited on Oct 11, 2011 at 8:18pmNov '10
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
It's gonna be Romney. I'm so depressed.
Jun '10
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
Why do I always end up drinking at the end of these live chats....?
What a great time for the Republicans to put forward a conservative candidate. Negative sentiment for the president has never been as pronounced as it is now. And how do the Republicans respond... business as usual.
Mar '11
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
Frozen Chosen
Mccain won without the conservative base. A lot of independents and even dems vote in the GOP primaries.
Besides, even conservatives like to back a winner... · Oct 11 at 7:21pm
McCain won? I seem to have missed that inauguration.
Mar '11
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
Me too. Tonight marks the beginning of Zero's second term. God help my country.
Apr '11
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
I don't buy this conservative base malarky. Who ever these conservative base people are I doubt they are that monolithic in their sentiments, as to completely refuse, to a man, to vote for Romney. Their vote will be split between Perry, Cain, Santorum, and Bachman, and Romney will pick up a few of them and everyone else, or they will stay at home feeling sad that some mythical candidate did not run. Then we will get a Romney as our nominee and he will make this whole election about The One.
I was a Christie booster. I don't much care for Romney, but I'm willing to vote for a turnip over Barrack Obama, and I think the "conservative base" feels the same way, or they will by the time 2012 rolls around. Look at it this way. How much worse can we do than what we have right now, except to get 4 more years of it?
Is Romeny's scripted glisten so nauseating that we would want to endure 4 more years of the "It's not my fault" presidency?
If Romney's the best we got, well that's the hand fate dealt us.
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
Scott Reusser: Learn to love Romney, Peter, because he's going to be our guy, and he'll be OK.
Look at it this way: Reagan wins. Romney, a formerly apolitical businessman who disavowed Reagan in the past, has come crawling back. Allow him to do so. Allow him to save face. Say, "Welcome home."
That's what Reagan would do. · Oct 11 at 8:12pm
Nicely stated--honestly--but at this point, I feel sure, Reagan would be concerned about the same thing that concerns a lot of us: Since Romney's record of changing policy positions to suit his political needs is flawless, what assurance do we have that when, say, Democrats win back the Senate in 2014 Romney won't lurch to the left? No assurance but Romney's word--but let's at least try to get that.
You very correctly identify the Gipper's fundamental generosity of spirit, Scott. On the other hand, he was also, as you know, fond of saying this: "Trust but verify."
Edited on Oct 11, 2011 at 8:43pmMay '10
Re: Romney Utterly Dominant From Beginning to End
There you go again with the "inevitability," Romney's apparent strategy. I don't buy the idea that Romney is inevitable.
If Romney does eventually get the nomination, it will be just because of money, slick debating performances, and perhaps pure luck (not having a single strong opponent).
First of all, I can't bring myself to say I'd skip voting for him, given the opposition, but any other form of support will be out of the question. There is no passion in me for a candidate this pandering, this wishy-washy, this wrong on so many issues. No donations, no activism, nothing. I'm not the kind to change my mind once the primaries are over, either... this is why McCain lost.
If Romney is the nominee, ask yourself in 2013 why we didn't learn our lesson in 2008.
Perry's not perfect, but he's much more consistently conservative than East-Coast Republican Romney. He's not the best debater, but has been a good governor. He's someone I could actually get behind.