Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
A report in The Detroit News reveals that the Santorum campaign paid for robocalls to Democrats asking them to vote for him in the Michigan open primary today. The campaign's communications director Hogan Gidley justified the robocalling strategy, explaining that, "We know that if we can get a Reagan Democrat in the primary, we can get them in the fall."
Mitt Romney is predictably upset about this maneuver, lambasting it as "a real effort to kidnap [the Republican] primary process."
And Democrats? Well, they seem to be thrilled. Earlier this month, the Daily Kos announced "Operation Hilarity," which calls for Democratic voters in states with open primaries and caucuses to vote for Rick Santorum whom they judge to be the weaker Republican standard bearer.
It's time for us to take an active role in the GOP nomination process. That's right, it's time for those of us who live in open primary and caucus states—Michigan, North Dakota, Vermont and Tennesseein the next three weeks—to head out and cast a vote for Rick Santorum.
Why would we do such a crazy thing? Lots of great reasons!
Republican turnout has sucked, and appears to be getting worse by the contest
Several of the contests have produced razor-thin margins of victory.
The longer this GOP primary drags on, the better the numbers for Team Blue.
The longer this thing drags out, the more unpopular the Republican presidential pretenders become.
[...]
And in any case, it's freaking hilarious. I mean, Rick Santorum? Really? The Republicans have offered up this big, slow, juicy softball. Let's have fun whacking the heck out of it.
I'm skeptical about the efficacy of such a hijacking scheme, but if you're on Team Santorum, I can see being delighted with the plan as you expectantly count down the days until this all blows up in the Democrats' faces as Rick Santorum lands in the White House. If, on the other hand, you're on Team Romney, you're understandably mortified by this development, as you watch the race take yet another turn toward the ugly.
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Comments:
Jan '11
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Joseph Eagar
Prof. Rahe
In the recent matchups with Obama in the polls, Santorum does just about as well as Romney...
A Santorum loss would be viewed by the public as a decisive referendum against movement conservatism.
Respectfully, I think you're both wrong. ;-)
Most of the public doesn't even know what movement conservatism is. That's not a slam on anybody, it's just a fact of political life: people like us love politics all day everyday, but most people tune in a couple months or so before the election. So I don't think a Santorum defeat in the national would destroy conservatism.
But I agree with Joseph that Obama would utterly destroy Santorum in the national. While he may do alright in the polls right now, most Americans still know nothing about him -- he's just "not Obama" for the vast majority. Romney has a bit more name recognition, but most people know very little about him, too. That's because only a narrow demographic cares at this point.
Obama's war chest and ad onslaught fixes that come September.
Mar '11
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Stuart Creque
Joseph Eagar
Santorum would do more than energize the liberal base--he would demoralize a lot of Republican activists and political talent. In a worst case scenario we could suffer outright defections, or even worse, a third party might form.
That's amazing: I have heard exactlythis argument made against Romney's nomination. Verbatim. · 1 minute ago
Yeah, but Stuart, this is different. When Romney gets the nomination, those activists and political talent will fall in line -- just like they did for Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina in California.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other. As far as I can tell, Romney will have two flanks to worry about even after he has the nomination. Which for an adroit, accomplished politician like Mitt, should be no problem, right?
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
You might be right, Tristan Abbey. You might be right. Santorum has a way of allowing himself to be led into territory where he gets lost in the weeds. Romney is different. That I will grant you. But I am not confident that he is better. He, too, says the damnedest things, and his CEO-demeanor is not going to fire anyone up outside his minuscule base. His argument is that he is a better manager (which he is). But Presidents are not first and foremost managers. They are leaders, and like the elder Bush, Bob Dole, and John McCain, he is a status quo politician. Men of this mettle tend to lose. All of the excitement and fire is on the other side.
At his best, Santorum is inspiring. At his worst, however, . . . You might be right.
Feb '11
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Joseph Eagar
Santorum would do more than energize the liberal base--he would demoralize a lot of Republican activists and political talent. In a worst case scenario we could suffer outright defections, or even worse, a third party might form.
And Romney hasn't demoralized people? You think they won't defect, stay home, vote third party, with Romney as the nominee?
I note the assortment of has-beens and no-hopers that Romney has somehow managed to lose to in various ways. He managed to lose the South Carolina primary to Newt Gingrich, various state caucuses to Rick Santorum, and I was told by a Ron Paul fan that the only reason he won a couple of the other caucuses is because the party wouldn't count a lot of the votes for Ron Paul. I also note the various other folks he managed to poll behind for a while, including a Rep. from Minnesota and a guy who'd never been in government.
Know how to describe that? Failure.
If this is the best the GOP and all its political talent can do against that opposition it has no hope against Obama.
Dec '10
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Percival
Stuart Creque
Joseph Eagar
Santorum would do more than energize the liberal base--he would demoralize a lot of Republican activists and political talent. In a worst case scenario we could suffer outright defections, or even worse, a third party might form.
That's amazing: I have heard exactlythis argument made against Romney's nomination. Verbatim. · 1 minute ago
Yeah, but Stuart, this isdifferent. When Romney gets the nomination, those activists and political talent will fall in line -- just like they did for Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina in California.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other. As far as I can tell, Romney will have two flanks to worry about even after he has the nomination. Which for an adroit, accomplished politician like Mitt, should be no problem, right?
Moreover, just as with Whitman and Fiorina, the working-class folk will turn out in droves for Romney, ignoring the efforts of their union bosses to push them to vote for Obama and sabotage Romney's vote. Because Romney is nothing if not the Friend of the Working Man.
Feb '12
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Xennady
...Bluntly, the GOP was a ruined, wrecked party when the political incompetence of Barack Obama and his radicals gave it a new lease on life in 2010. If those fine folks had had a lick of sense they'd be well on their way to consolidating themselves for several decades of political dominance...
The GOP won the most sweeping victory in generations- and, in Washington at least- accomplished almost nothing.
That's failure- and Mitt Romney is its chosen standard bearer.
No thank you GOP.
Exactly. We are still reeling from the destruction wreaked on conservatism by a self-described moderate president, a president who, more often than not, did not know how to make conservative arguments, and rarely made public arguments at all, especially during his second term. Why would we now nominate a man with all of Bush's vices (e.g., favoring government programs) and none of his virtues (e.g., leadership in foreign policy)?
Jul '10
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Not exactly. His perceived ability to reach independents has been put forward as an argument in favor of supporting him, yes.
But the "inevitability" thing has to do with the fact that he has drastically superior resources (money, organization, a steady base of support) to his primary opponents, and experience in a national campaign.
Dec '10
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
You know who's the latest person to criticize Mitt Romney for saying careless things that have been used to portray him as an out-of-touch rich guy?
Mitt Romney.
Jul '10
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Xennady
Joseph Eagar
Santorum would do more than energize the liberal base--he would demoralize a lot of Republican activists and political talent. In a worst case scenario we could suffer outright defections, or even worse, a third party might form.
I was told by a Ron Paul fan that the only reason he won a couple of the other caucuses is because the party wouldn't count a lot of the votes for Ron Paul.
Now there is a credible accusation.
Dec '10
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Palaeologus
Not exactly. His perceived ability to reach independents has been put forward as an argument in favor of supporting him, yes.
But the "inevitability" thing has to do with the fact that he has drastically superior resources (money, organization, a steady base of support) to his primary opponents, and experience in a national campaign.
All reasons why he was expected to steamroll his primary opponents and have a smooth path to the nomination.
What happened? Specifically, what's the explanation for a candidate with drastically superior resources to his rivals and experience in a national campaign stumbling along the way he has?
Is there something wrong with this guy?
Oct '10
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Xennady
Movement conservatism hasalreadybeen eviscerated in the eyes of the public, including in the eyes of a great many conservative-leaning independents, by the people who ran the GOP into the ground prior to the 2006 and 2008 disasters.
Bluntly, the GOP was a ruined, wrecked party when the political incompetence of Barack Obama and his radicals gave it a new lease on life in 2010. If those fine folks had had a lick of sense they'd be well on their way to consolidating themselves for several decades of political dominance.
And maybe they still are, because the leadership of the Republican doesn't seem to have a lick of sense either.
The GOP won the most sweeping victory in generations- and, in Washington at least- accomplished almost nothing.
Except George Bush wasn't a movement conservative. The Bush-era propaganda of far right theologians running the White House collapsed when Obama took office, and helped redeem movement conservatives (who were treated pretty badly by Bush themselves).
This is why the Tea Party was so successful. It disavowed Bush.
Feb '12
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Xennady
Joseph Eagar
Santorum would do more than energize the liberal base--he would demoralize a lot of Republican activists and political talent. In a worst case scenario we could suffer outright defections, or even worse, a third party might form.
And Romney hasn't demoralized people? You think they won't defect, stay home, vote third party, with Romney as the nominee?
I know I would. And if only 1 or 2 percent of conservative voters sit on their hands, it can change the election. The prospect of Pelosi-Reid wasn't enough to scare conservatives into working for a moderate Republican administration in 2006. Nor was the prospect of Pelosi-Reid-Obama enough to scare them into supporting a moderate Republican nominee in 2008.
Furthermore, we forget that the enthusiasm of supporters counts for a great deal. Even if every conservative voter turns out for Romney on election day, how many conservatives will volunteer for him before that? The daily local actions by volunteers is critical to swaying the independents, as is the volume of their public support. Obama had this enthusiasm in 2008; Bush had it in 2004; and the independents followed the enthusiasm.
Oct '10
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Leporello
Xennady
.
No thank you GOP.
Exactly. We are still reeling from the destruction wreaked on conservatism by a self-described moderate president, a president who, more often than not, did not know how to make conservative arguments, and rarely made public arguments at all, especially during his second term. Why would we now nominate a man with all of Bush's vices (e.g., favoring government programs) and none of his virtues (e.g., leadership in foreign policy)? · 5 minutes ago
Please note that I'm not saying Romney would win. I think both candidates have little chance of beating Obama. Romney has a higher chance than Santorum, but the odds still aren't good.
If we must choose the best idiot to lose to Obama, we should choose Romney. None of the candidates on the field can win. If a brokered convention happens, we should draft Chris Christie or Mitch Daniels. If it doesn't, we should concentrate on Senate races and hope a GOP Congress can blunt the damage.
Jul '10
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Stuart Creque
All reasons why he was expected to steamroll his primary opponents and have a smooth path to the nomination.
What happened? Specifically, what's the explanation for a candidate with drastically superior resources to his rivals and experience in a national campaign stumbling along the way he has?
Is there something wrong with this guy?
1. I don't think that his performance is accurately described as stumbling along. We'll see how he does in the two contests today, and the fallout. Then we'll see whether organization & planning pay off a week later.
2. I honestly don't know. Perhaps GOP primary voters are leery of nominating "the next guy in line" to such a degree (must have read that phrase 500 times in the conservative media in the last 5 years) that they are leaping to embrace anyone who doesn't fit that bill. Maybe there are 50 other more plausible explanations.
3.Certainly he isn't the perfect politician.
Dec '10
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Palaeologus
1. I don't think that his performance is accurately described as stumbling along. We'll see how he does in the two contests today, and the fallout. Then we'll see whether organization & planning pay off a week later.
I submit that "stumbling along" is far more accurate a description of his performance than "cruising to victory." I'd even say it's more accurate than "performing competently." A competent performance would leverage his decided advantages in resources and his prior experience with a national campaign to rack up both a lead in the polls and a plurality of state by state victories.
In The Producers, Max Bialystok asks his partner Leo Bloom, "I don't understand it: we got the worst play, the worst director, the worst actor... where did we go right?"
Mitt has the ideal resume, the ideal look, the ideal family, the ideal life story, the ideal bankroll and Rolodex, the ideal organization, the ideal backers in the Party.... doesn't it take a special talent to turn that chicken salad into something unpalatable?
Aug '11
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Joseph Eagar
Please note that I'm not saying Romney would win. I think both candidates have little chance of beating Obama. Romney has a higher chance than Santorum, but the odds still aren't good.
Recent Gallup polling says that Santorum has a better chance of beating Obama than Romney. Not sure whether that's an outlier, but it's worth noting. The idea that Romney has the best chance has never been solidly backed up by polling.
Dec '10
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Joseph Eagar
Please note that I'm not saying Romney would win. I think both candidates have little chance of beating Obama. Romney has a higher chance than Santorum, but the odds still aren't good.
If we must choose the best idiot to lose to Obama, we should choose Romney. None of the candidates on the field can win. If a brokered convention happens, we should draft Chris Christie or Mitch Daniels. If it doesn't, we should concentrate on Senate races and hope a GOP Congress can blunt the damage.
I see. You've sized up the most incompetent President in US history and decided he's invincible.
Please forgive those of us who are still looking for ways to win the election, as opposed to ways to lose good.
Feb '11
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Palaeologus
Now there is a credible accusation.
That's the part of my comment you zeroed in on?
Anyway, I found his complaint about the Maine caucus credible, that for Nevada not credible. But as I'm not a fan of Ron Paul I didn't bother to check.
I mentioned it because it seemed in line with the Romney conniving I've seen. For example, booting Gingrich off the ballot in Virginia.
Note to Romney: You cannot get Obama thrown of the ballot.
You'll have to win votes, which has been one of your many problems.
Jul '10
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Stuart Creque
Palaeologus
1. I don't think that his performance is accurately described as stumbling along. We'll see how he does in the two contests today, and the fallout. Then we'll see whether organization & planning pay off a week later.
I submit that "stumbling along" is far more accurate a description of his performance than "cruising to victory." I'd even say it's more accurate than "performing competently." A competent performance would leverage his decided advantages in resources and his prior experience with a national campaign to rack up both a lead in the polls and a plurality of state by state victories.
As I see it, he's winning, and relatively easily at that.
He has more than 40% more votes than his closest competitor (Newt, and that gap will grow drastically tonight) and more pledged delegates than Newt and Rick combined.
I have a hard time understanding why folks seem to think the contest should/would be over in February. Maybe it was the 500 debates...
Jan '11
Re: Santorum Calls Upon Michigan Democrats to Help Him Defeat Romney
Xennady:
Note to Romney: You cannot get Obama thrown of the ballot.
You'll have to win votes, which has been one of your many problems.
As for winning votes, Romney has received 1.19 million so far -- nearly 40% of all those cast in 9 states -- more than double Santorum's 570,000. Romney also decisively won Florida, the only closed primary.