Romney Lessens Expectations in South Carolina
Bluffton, SC –
Governor Romney lessened expectations in the Palmetto State today while campaigning here ahead of this Saturday’s first in the south primary. South Carolina has traditionally been the road to the White House for GOP contenders, but the former Massachusetts governor is only spending a day and a half here before going to Nevada ahead of their caucuses, which are also on Saturday:
“There are 24 delegates in South Carolina and there are 34 delegates in Nevada, and my guess is that our time will be related to the fact that I’m fighting to get the nomination. I’m not looking for gold stars on my forehead like I was in first grade. I want delegates.”
Romney addressed 500 retirees here focusing on a “broken Washington.” But after the event, while talking to reporters he downplayed expectations saying this is McCain territory:
“I’m going to be campaigning hard here in South Carolina. I think Senator McCain has a very strong lead here. He’s the clear frontrunner. It would be an enormous surprise if we were able to win here,” Romney continued, “this is a state I’d expect Senator McCain has pretty well wrapped up, and so I’m going to spend time here to try and strengthen my position, but I’m also going to be spending time in Nevada and spending time in Florida and then we go on to 22 other states.”
done
Romney was buoyant after last night’s victory in his must-win state of Michigan:
“It’s good to have another win under my belt. We’ve won Wyoming, we’ve won Michigan. We’ve got more delegates than anybody else, more votes for president than any of the republicans running for president.”
The presidential hopeful dismissed the notion that the GOP field is wide open because there is a lack of good candidates that “no one gets excited about,” even likening his rivals to ice cream flavors:
“I think the reason for what you are seeing is that there are so many effective and strong contenders that people have a hard time choosing. It is an embarrassment of riches to a certain degree. You’ve got Senator McCain who is a national hero, you’ve got Rudy Giuliani who is “America’s Mayor,” you’ve got Governor Huckabee who’s a very well-spoken and entertaining individual. You’ve got Fred Thompson who is a senator and a charming actor and then you’ve got a guy like myself who has spent their life in the private sector,” Romney continued, “I think voters are looking at a strong field and it is like choosing between rocky road and pistachio and pralines and cream. They are all pretty good.”
Tags: Fred Thompson, john mccain, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani
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Pretty clear that Mitt has a chance to win in Nevada and is a long shot in S. Carolina where Fred Thomson will probably have his best showing, where Mike Huckabee has strong evangelical support and John McCain has also been working hard. So although this may be Mitt’s lowest ranking to date, he may not even get a bronze, the same day he’ll be trying to take another first in a larger delegate state in Nevada. So a good call on his part probably to focus on Nevada.
The best outcome for conservatives might be if Fred Thompson does well and steals further thunder from our more liberal (at least on fiscal policy and illegal immigrants) Republican candidates such McCain (who is certainly conservative on foreign policy, but not on domestic policy) and Huckabee (who is also a conservative on moral issues, butt not on crime, taxes or illegal immigrants)
and wouldn’t it be great if the others (excluding Guiliani, who still is showing support in Florida) would just drop out so we can focus on candidates who actually have some support out in the party at a level makes there actually winning a possiblity (that is to say Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter and whomever I’m leaving out please call it a day, four states already and two more this Saturday with a strong message we don’t want you, please confirm receipt of messsage)
By the way regarding the polls they are often wrong but as a rule of thumb if you add say 10% to your number and take 10% away from the leader and your still lossing then get the message and drop out.
Romney might as well lessen his dreams for the Presidency. Saying you are anti-abortion to run for Presidentin the Republican Party, is like saying I love my mother. If you have a very few years before said I am for a womans right to choose. Or a person who changes values once a year or more does not have Christian values or any other type of values. Mr. Romney I have voted for the Republican candidate ever since I started voting.
If you win the Republican nomination, I will either stay home or vote for the democrate.
Jimmie A. Lewis
How does the Huckabee push poll work in SC. I hope they through the bum out on his ear.
Evangelicals should denounce this practice, and denounce Huckabee for not openly
standing up against it.
He knows who is producing it. If he had any integrity he would through them under the bus, and back up over them…………twice.
Go Mitt,
Nevada Ute
Romney is right. I like all of the candidates. Each of them has a very particular strength to them.
Any one of them would be better for the country than Hillary or Obama in my opinion.
So which of the GOP candidates is behind the SwiftBoat attacks on McCain?
See the story here- http://www.politiporn.com
So far I have the bun and all the fixin’s but “Where is the beef?”
The truth is no matter who the president is he/she will need a cooperative congress to get any legislation through.
What we have is truly a broken government and so far I don’t see anyone with the ability to fix the problems in the house and senate.
I hope we get some real answers real soon.
I don’t think there is a bigger hypocrite when it comes to conservative record than FRED THOMPSON:
Consider this record—a record that includes these votes:
? FOR restricting the rights of grassroots organizations to communicate with the public. See ACU’s vote 3, 1998.
? FOR allowing the IRS to require political and policy organizations to disclose their membership—a vote against the constitutional rights of free association and privacy. (The Clinton Administration used such IRS intimidation against conservative groups that opposed them.) See ACU’s vote 11, 2000.
? AGAINST impeachment proceedings against President Clinton, specifically the reappointment and reauthorization of managers (drawn from the Republican membership of the House Judiciary Committee) to conduct the impeachment trial in the Senate. See ACU’s vote 1, 1999.
? AGAINST an accelerated elimination of the “marriage penalty.” See ACU’s vote 10, 2001.
? FOR handouts to politicians, specifically taxpayer funding of presidential campaigns. See ACU’s vote 6, 1995.
? FOR handouts to politicians, specifically congressional perks such as postage and broadcast time funded by taxpayers. See ACU’s vote 13, 1996.
? AGAINST restraints on federal spending, specifically the Phil Gramm (R-TX) amendment to limit non-defense discretionary spending to the fiscal 1997 levels requested by President Clinton. See ACU’s vote 6, 1997.
? FOR affirmative action in federal contracts. See ACU’s vote 9, 1995.
? FOR the Legal Services Corporation, the perennial liberal boondoggle that provides political activism disguised as “legal services” to Democratic constituencies. See ACU’s vote 16, 1995, and vote 17, 1999.
? FOR an increase in the minimum wage, which, of course, increases unemployment among the young and poor. See ACU’s vote 16, 1996.
? FOR President Clinton’s nomination of Dr. David Satcher as U.S. Surgeon General. Among other things, Satcher opposed a full ban on partial-birth abortion. See ACU’s vote 1, 1998.
? FOR open-ended military commitments, specifically in regard to U.S. troops in Kosovo. See ACU’s vote 8, 2000.
? FOR corporate welfare, specifically the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). See ACU’s vote 23. 1999.
? AGAINST worker and shareholder rights, specifically the Hatch (R-UT) amendment to require unions and corporations to obtain permission from dues-paying members or shareholders before spending money on political activities. See ACU’s votes 4 and 5, 2001.
? AGAINST property rights and FOR unlimited presidential power, specifically by allowing President Clinton to implement the American Heritage Rivers Initiative, which he established by executive order, without congressional approval. See ACU’s vote 20, 1997.
? FOR restricting the First Amendment (free speech) rights of independent groups. See ACU’s vote 23, 1997.
? FOR the trial lawyers lobby, and specifically against a bill that would put common-sense limitations on the medical malpractice suits that increase health costs for all of us. (Of course! He’s been a trial lawyer himself for some three decades.) See ACU’s vote 18, 2002.
And, last but not least:
? FOR limitations on campaign freedom of speech, by limiting contributions to national political parties to $2,000 and limiting the rights of individuals and groups to participate in the political process in the two months before elections. See ACU’s vote 7, 2002.
I don’t think I would have been so nice in speaking about Huckabee. He’s really scaring me.
He want’s to merge church and state…
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Huckabee_Amend_Constitution_to_meet_Gods_0115.html
He’s more like a wolf in sheep’s clothing…
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog/g/33391ddb-ed1f-4bc3-9d19-cdca6181d5d4
Huckabee is crazy…
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Huckabee_Amend_Constitution_to_meet_Gods_0115.html
Huckabee isn’t what he claims to be….
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog/g/33391ddb-ed1f-4bc3-9d19-cdca6181d5d4
Willard Romney is an out and out lier. He’ll say anything at any time too get a vote. In the Michigan primary, John McCain at least told them stright up that the auto industry needed to change and that it would never be back too it’s hey day situation. What does Willard do? He tells them that he’ll ease the “new restrictions for fleet mileage and fuel ecconomy” as a way of fixing the auto industry! You’ve got to be kidding me Mitt! How short sighted is that! Romney is the biggest flip flopper in history. He just says whatever it takes to lie his way too a vote. Watch what happens when issues on Greenhouse gasses or emmisions come onto the table. You’ll never hear a word about “easing fleet mileage standards then. This guy is a talking head. He’s like the used car salesman parodies. He’ll say anything too sell you.
Romney ‘08!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Raise the quality of the rhetoric folks. It is going to be a nightmare general election and there is a lot to lose. Obama would give our security for a vote, Edwards would give our economy for a vote, and Hillary would give anything for a vote. Let’s civily nominate the best conservative Republican possible.
V Racer makes a good point, but apparently the GOP is not immune to this pandering syndrome. One of the GOP campaign has decided that it would be helpful to SwiftBoat a national hero like John McCain - read here - http://www.politiporn.com