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The Republican Party Deserves to Lose the Presidential Election Because of the Weak & Flawed Frontrunners

January 24, 2012 by 1 Comment
gop presidential candidates 300x156 The Republican Party Deserves to Lose the Presidential Election Because of the Weak & Flawed Frontrunners

The Republican Party Deserves to Lose the Presidential Election Because of the Weak & Flawed Frontrunners (2012 Presidential Candidates)

I have long maintained that this current slate of Republican presidential candidates is a joke and they deserve to lose to President Obama in November. The most credible candidate, in my opinion, was Jon Huntsman, but he was weighted down by the negative perception of working for President Obama as ambassador to China, as well as his stance on climate change and evolution. These were non-issues in my view, but hey, that’s me. If Newt Gingrich, who has serious moral shortcomings and a very weak Mitt Romney are the best the Republican Party has to offer, then sorry, I’ll take my chances with President Barack Obama for a second term.

Mitt Romney is at a serious disadvantage in appealing to blue collar Americans, the Latino and black communities. Heck, he can’t even appeal to the right wing evangelical wing-nuts in the Republican Party. Pulling out his tax returns, after he kicked and screamed against doing so, is going to reinforce the opinions of people on Main Street. He’s out of touch with the realities we face and he is an elitist. How many of us have the luxury of a Swiss bank account, or money in the Cayman Islands or even paying a 13.9% tax rate? Therein lies Mitt Romney Achilles heel and he won’t overcome that deficit any time soon.

As for the current GOP field, it’s like confronting a terminal diagnosis. There may be an apparent range of treatments: conventional (Romney), experimental (Gingrich), homeopathic (Paul) or prayerful (Santorum). But none will avail you in the end. Just try to exit laughing.

That’s my theory for why South Carolina gave Newt Gingrich his big primary win on Saturday: Voters instinctively prefer the idea of an entertaining Newt-Obama contest—the aspiring Caesar versus the failed Redeemer—over a dreary Mitt-Obama one. The problem is that voters also know that Gaius Gingrich is liable to deliver his prime-time speeches in purple toga while holding tight to darling Messalina’s—sorry, Callista’s—bejeweled fingers. A primary ballot for Mr. Gingrich is a vote for an entertaining election, not a Republican in the White House.

Then there is Mitt Romney, even now the presumptive nominee. If Mr. Gingrich demonstrated his unfitness to be a serious Republican nominee with his destructive attacks on private equity (a prime legacy of the Reagan years), Mr. Romney has demonstrated his unfitness by—where to start? Source: Wall Street Journal

Sorry, but the Republican alternative to President Barack Obama promises to be another fiasco like George W. Bush. I would venture to say, I would be willing to vote for a credible Republican candidate, who personifies the issues important to me, but the hypocrisy emanating from the two frontrunners — Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich —  makes me want to puke. If you want to win an election, um, then please, don’t run with losers.

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Mitt Romney Leads President Obama 48% to 47% in Dead Heat in Latest CNN/ORC Poll

January 16, 2012 by 3 Comments
300px Official portrait of Barack Obama Mitt Romney Leads President Obama 48% to 47% in Dead Heat in Latest CNN/ORC Poll

Mitt Romney Leads President Obama 48% to 47% in Dead Heat in Latest CNN/ORC Poll (Wikipedia)

CNN/ORC poll: President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are in a dead heat in the latest polls. The poll found Mitt Romney leading President Obama 48 to 47%, while President Obama leads Ron Paul 48% to 46%; leads Newt Gingrich by 52% to 43% and Rick Santorum 51% to 45%. As you can see, it’s a statistical dead heat between Obama and Mitt Romney, as well as Obama and Ron Paul. In other words, people aren’t pleased with either side. No matter what, I cannot underestimate the Obama campaign and its deep pockets. They are lying in wait for Mitt Romney to be the nominee.

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David Axelrod: Jon Huntsman Dropping Out of GOP Race Because He’s Unwilling to Make Faustian Bargains with Right

January 16, 2012 by 2 Comments
300px David Axelrod at Cleveland Democratic debate David Axelrod: Jon Huntsman Dropping Out of GOP Race Because Hes Unwilling to Make Faustian Bargains with Right

David Axelrod: Jon Huntsman Dropping Out of GOP Race Because He's Unwilling to Make Faustian Bargains with Right (Wikipedia)

David Axelrod says Jon Huntsman dropping out of GOP presidential race because he wouldn’t sell his soul. Axelrod says, ”He was simply unwillingly to make the Faustian bargains with the Right that Romney has so willingly made,” Buzzfeed reports.

Jon Huntsman’s withdrawal may be a good thing for the Democrats because he appealed to moderate Republicans who don’t necessarily like Mitt Romney. I don’t know if that’s necessarily true because Mitt Romney isn’t an ultra conservative. He is more moderate, though he is masquerading as a conservative. Neither Jon Huntsman nor Mitt Romney appeal to the Tea Party.

Um, one problem David Axelrod, Jon Huntsman doesn’t want his supporters to rally behind President Barack Obama. He wants them to go with Mitt Romney, who he said, is the “candidate best equipped to defeat Barack Obama” despite his differences with Romney.

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Mitt Romney Leads by Double Digits in New SC Poll, Newt Gingrich Slowly Imploding

January 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

InsiderAdvantage poll in South Carolina shows Mitt Romney with a double digit lead over his GOP rivals.

Romney leads with 32%, followed by Newt Gingrich with 21%, Ron Paul at 14%, Rick Santorum at 13%, Jon Huntsman at 6% and Rick Perry at 5%. Jon Huntsman is expected to drop out of the race today and endorse Mitt Romney. If he could only take Rick Perry with him. That’s a sinking ship, only he doesn’t recognize it.

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Jon Huntsman to Drop Out of GOP Presidential Race Tomorrow, to Endorse Mitt Romney

January 15, 2012 by 1 Comment

NEWSFLASH:  Jon Huntsman to drop out of GOP presidential race tomorrow, the NY Times reports. He’s set to endorse Mitt Romney. That’s too bad, but Jon Huntsman just can’t seem to rise in the polls. The AP is now reporting campaign officials have confirmed Jon Huntsman will withdraw. The campaign had no money for television ads, Politico reports. Wow. Jon Huntsman really had no chance of being the nominee.

Matt David, campaign manager to Mr. Huntsman, confirmed the decision in an interview Sunday evening. “The governor and his family, at this point in the race, decided it was time for Republicans to rally around a candidate who could beat Barack Obama and turn around the economy,” Mr. David said. “That candidate is Gov. Mitt Romney.” Source: The Caucus

For what it is worth, I hope we haven’t seen the end of Jon Huntsman. I believe he has a lot to offer. He took a very unpopular position of supporting evolution and climate change, which is a no-no in conservative circles.

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SC The State Newspaper Endorses Jon Huntsman for GOP Presidential Nominee: “He Could Bring Us Back Together”

January 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Ambassador Jon Huntsman SC The State Newspaper Endorses Jon Huntsman for GOP Presidential Nominee: He Could Bring Us Back Together

SC The State Newspaper Endorses Jon Huntsman for GOP Presidential Nominee: "He Could Bring Us Back Together" (Wikipedia)

South Carolina’s The State newspaper is backing Jon Huntsman for the Republican presidential nominee saying, “Jon Huntsman is a true conservative, with a record and platform of bold economic reform straight out of the free-market bible, but he’s a realist, whose goal is likewise to get things done.” I have long maintained that Jon Huntsman is the best candidate among the current slate who can best lead this country out of the economic mess we are in, but he doesn’t seem to able to break out of being seen as a bottom-tier candidate. The media doesn’t give Jon Huntsman the time of day because he’s not as controversial, charismatic or gaffe-prone as some of the other candidates, so people don’t really get to see him in a positive light. Under his leadership, Utah led the nation in job creation. That shouldn’t be lost on the American voter. It should be played over and over in the media, but it isn’t. The Pew Center ranks Utah as the best-managed state in the country.

He also is head and shoulders above the field on foreign policy. He served as President George H.W. Bush’s U.S. ambassador to Singapore and President George W. Bush’s deputy U.S. trade representative and U.S. trade ambassador, and the next entry on that resume is even more impressive: He was a popular and successful governor in an extremely conservative state, well positioned to become a leading 2012 presidential contender, when Mr. Obama asked him to serve in arguably our nation’s most important diplomatic post, U.S. ambassador to China. It could be political suicide, but he didn’t hesitate. As he told our editorial board: “When the president asks you to serve, you serve.”

[...]

We need a president who can work within our poisonous political environment to solve our nation’s problems, not simply score partisan points. Someone who understands that negotiation is essential in a representative democracy, and that there are good ideas across the political spectrum. Someone who has a well-defined set of core values but is not so rigid that he ignores new information and new conditions. Someone who has shown himself to be honest and trustworthy. And competent. Someone whose positions are well-reasoned and based on the world as it is rather than as he pretends it to be. Someone with the temperament and judgment and experience to be taken seriously as the commander in chief and leader of the free world.

We think Mr. Romney could demonstrate those characteristics. Mr. Huntsman already does. And we are proud to endorse him for the Republican nomination for president of the United States.

What makes him attractive are the essential values that drive his candidacy: honor and old-fashioned decency and pragmatism. As he made clear Wednesday to a room packed full of USC students on the first stop of his “Country First” tour, his goal is to rebuild trust in government, and that means abandoning the invective and reestablishing the political center. Source: The State

I would urge the conservatives and Independents to give Jon Huntsman a second look and I am sure they will find a candidate who can best go up against President Barack Obama in the general election. Jon Huntsman has a record of accomplishment and shows he can reach across the aisle and work with the Democrats. After all, he was able to put partisanship aside and work for President Obama. That shouldn’t be a black mark against him. It should be viewed favorably. Either voters want substance over drama or they just want to keep the circus going.  Now let’s see how many times CNN, MSNBC and Fox News mention Jon Huntsman was endorsed by The State.

SC The State Newspaper Endorses Jon Huntsman for GOP Presidential Nominee: He Could Bring Us Back Together
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Utah Democrats Condemn Attack Video Calling Mitt Romney and All Mormons Racist

January 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

If you think the 2008 presidential election campaign was crazy, 2012 promises to be right up there. A video has surfaced slamming Mitt Romney and his Mormon faith as racist for denying blacks entrance until 1978. The video has been condemned by Democrats in Utah. Jon Huntsman’s (who is also a Mormon) campaign has disavowed any involvement any involvement although it purports to have been posted by someone supporting him.

The attack ad says Mitt Romney and all Mormons are racist: “He believes the faith of his fathers that black people are black because in heaven they turned away from God.”

If you think Bain Capital and the thousands of jobs lost under Mitt Romney’s tenure as CEO will be a hot bed issue. It will be the least of his worries as his critics turn their eyes on the issue of blacks and the Mormon church. It should be noted, this issue is quite mainstream, as you will hear MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell’s voice in the video assailing Mitt Romney on his faith and why he would want to be a part of a church that discriminated against blacks.

I don’t support Mitt Romney nor do I want to see him as the nominee, but pushing the race card will backfire. If he were half the politician his father, George Romney, was then maybe I would have given him a second look. We saw it used in 2008 against then-candidate Barack Obama. I asked the question in 2008 of how Mitt Romney at age 30 could have been a part of a church that didn’t accept blacks. There is no evidence that he was racist and should act accordingly, but unfortunately, this will be front and center as the campaigns heat up, if he’s the Republican nominee.

The problem that Mitt Romney faces, if he is the nominee, is that he has failed to live up to the ideals championed by his father, George Romney, who he claimed marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Grosse Point.  (No-one can find any evidence to support his assertion.) It is clear, however, that George Romney, who served as governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969, supported the civil rights leader’s goals and was very vocal about his support. He did so at a time when few politicians would dare to support Dr. King and his vision. When Dr. King visited Detroit and led a rally of 125,000 people in 1963, George Romney issued a proclamation and sent personal representatives.

Though he hasn’t even tried to reach out to the black community but picked up where Ron Paul, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich left off by labeling the first black president as a leader who seeks to “divide with the politics of envy,” while the black community has suffered more than any other group economically. His father’s push for anti-poverty programs and investment in urban renewal during the 1960s was admirable and shows how decent of a man he was. He took positions that could have come at a personal cost to his political career. His reference to an “entitlement nation” plays well with the other reactionaries in the Republican Party. George Romney would not have responded as his son has. He wouldn’t use racially-charged coded language to appeal to his so-called base. Mitt Romney has betrayed his father’s civil rights legacy and don’t expect the black community to come to his rescue when as the allegations swirl about his Mormon faith.

Utah Democrats Condemn Attack Video Calling Mitt Romney and All Mormons Racist
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Mitt Romney Wins NH GOP Primary, Gets 36% of the Votes, Ron Paul 24% & Jon Huntsman 18%

January 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Mitt Romney wins the NH GOP primary running at 36% of the votes with 14% of the results in. Ron Paul comes second with about 24% and Jon Huntsman a distant third with 18% of the votes. Romney is doing about four percentage points more than 2008.  We have to see how the dust settles and whether or not Mitt Romney will ultimately get a big win or will still be considered a weak nominee.

Ron Paul’s strong showing is sending a message that voters are really disgusted with the candidates they have to pick from. Newt Gingrich’s negative campaign may have just backfired. South Carolina is the next battleground. Either Mitt Romney will pull further away from the pack, if he can, or someone else will rise to the top.

Mitt Romney Wins NH GOP Primary, Gets 36% of the Votes, Ron Paul 24% & Jon Huntsman 18%
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“When Mitt Romney Came to Town” Trailer Proves He’s Out of Touch with 99% of Americans

January 8, 2012 by 1 Comment

The film, “King of Bain, When Mitt Romney Came to Town,” speaks volumes about how out of touch the GOP presidential candidate and frontrunner is with 99% of Americans. Winning Our Future, a supporters of Newt Gingrich, bought the rights to the film which is very critical of Mitt Romney’s tenure as CEO of Bain Capital. I might also add his stint at Bain contributed quite handsomely to his wealth, which seems to have been at the expense of thousands of workers who lost their jobs after Bain bought companies they worked for and then put them out of business. What does this mean for blacks? That Mitt Romney doesn’t give one hoot about the social ills that dog the black community. I am pretty sure there were black employees at KB Toys, who lost their jobs when Bain Capital swooned in and bought the company.

The movie was made by former Romney supporters and also features interviews from some workers who blamed Bain Capital for losing their jobs.  Rick Tyler, senior adviser to Winning Our Future, said of Bain Capital, “They targeted companies … they raided them … and thousands of workers lost their jobs. This is not capitalism. This is predatory.”  That was a tough accusation to be leveled against any candidate who envisions leading this great country. The Romney campaign should be very concerned about this film and its implications for his presidential ambitions. I certainly would not trust someone with a history of bankrupting businesses for profit to run this country. The people on Main Street and the poor would feel the brunt of cuts under a Mitt Romney administration, no matter how much he claims he would work on a bipartisan basis.

The film is a public relations nightmare for Mitt Romney. There are shots in the film of Mitt Romney saying, “corporations are people, my friend,” along with his $12 million California beach house and a smiling photograph of him in a business suit having his shoes polished on an airplane runway. Add his comments about wealth being a qualifier to run for elected office is bound to raise the ire of Main Street. He is clearly out of touch with 99% of all Americans and why should we even consider a Romney presidency? This film should be the Swift Boat scandal that brought John Kerry’s presidential aspirations to a screeching halt and Michael Dukakis’ Willie Horton.

This film comes at a critical juncture for Mitt Romney as his lead in New Hampshire has dropped eight percentage points, according to a recent poll. Too bad the other candidates didn’t start chipping away at his record before now. The presidential debate Sunday morning was chock full of zingers and he was put on the spot by Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman and Rick Santorum. This is what should have been done to Mitt Romney from day one. I haven’t seen this much squabbling in the Republican Party in years and it just plays right in the hands of President Obama. Imagine how the Obama machine is gearing up to hang Bain Capital around Mitt Romney’s neck as a milestone? You think it is ugly now? Wait until he is declared the GOP presidential nominee. The Obama campaign has deep pockets and the Chicago way of doing business will take center stage.

Capitalism, free markets, entrepreneurship and a determination to rise above one’s circumstances and station in life have all contributed to making America one of the greatest places in the world, but all this power in the wrong hands can spell disaster. Do you really trust Mitt Romney to heal this country?

When Mitt Romney Came to Town Trailer Proves Hes Out of Touch with 99% of Americans
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GOP Presidential Candidates Let Frontrunner Mitt Romney Off Easy During Presidential Debate

January 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The squabbling GOP presidential candidates didn’t attack frontrunner Mitt Romney as they could have during Saturday night’s presidential debate in Manchester, NH.  Ron Paul squabbled with Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, while Jon Huntsman took a passing shot at Mitt Romney, but there were no fireworks. ABC News came up with a list of why the other candidates treated Mitt Romney with kid-gloves:

1) It’s a lot easier to attack someone when you aren’t standing three feet away from him. Rick Santorum was exactly where he said he’s always wanted to be in this campaign. In the center of the stage and in the spotlight. But, he also discovered, as many others have before him, that with that new position on stage comes additional and unexpected pressures. Making an attack on the campaign trail is easy. Saying it to someone’s face is hard.

2) The Likability Factor:  For months now, the focus has been on which candidate can ultimately become the “not-Mitt” alternative. And, every week it seems, there has been a different alternative. But, voters want to do more than vote against a candidate, they want to vote FOR someone. Attacking Romney would only remind voters about what they disliked about a candidate instead of what they liked about him. Moreover, when Gingrich and Santorum go on the attack, they can come across as snide or mean, the opposite of likable.

3) The Future:  Specifically, candidates on stage had to be thinking of their political future. Did Gingrich want to be known as the candidate that did a slash and burn job on the eventual nominee or that his biting attack on Romney was turned into a devastatingly effective ad for Obama? Source: ABC News

Well, Mitt Romney may look like a perfect candidate for the part of president but he’s a weak presidential candidate and more moderate than conservative, though he doesn’t want you to believe that. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz said it best, Mitt Romney isn’t that the great job creator he brags about being, he’s a “job cremator,” particularly during his stint at Bain Capital. I have no doubt Mitt Romney will be the GOP presidential nominee but it will be fun to watch the Republican Party implode the closer they inch to the presidential elections. Don’t be fooled by the absence of fireworks during last night’s debate. The candidates are going to continue to slam Mitt Romney on the campaign trail and over the airwaves.

GOP Presidential Candidates Let Frontrunner Mitt Romney Off Easy During Presidential Debate
pixel GOP Presidential Candidates Let Frontrunner Mitt Romney Off Easy During Presidential Debate
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