Facing Palin factor, Romney mulls political future

[kskiska]

Source: AP

BOSTON – Tagg Romney was in his office the other day when the door opened and in popped his father, Mitt Romney, dropping off the family dog.

It was a mundane task that highlighted Romney's change in fortunes: Instead of managing a White House transition, or preparing to assume the vice presidency, the man who failed in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination and was passed over by John McCain for running mate is focusing on his family and political interests.

And it may stay that way through 2012 and beyond.

The surprising ascendancy of McCain's eventual pick, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and her popularity among some GOP conservatives have left Romney wondering whether he could wage a viable second campaign for the White House, according to friends and advisers.

The former businessman and one-time Massachusetts governor invested $47 million of his family fortune in this year's failed race, undercut by those wary of his Mormon religion and skeptics who questioned whether Romney's conversion to conservatism was genuine. Both points were highlighted by Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and Southern Baptist preacher who beat Romney in the Iowa caucuses and occupied the same political terrain since overtaken by Palin.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081114/ap_on_el_pr/romney_s_future

[onehandle]

1. Not that I would Ever support Mittens, but I'd pick him over Palin in a heartbeat. nt

[acmavm]

2. I agree. Even maybe Huckabee. Maybe being the key word.

I'd have to mull it over long and hard.

[marshall]

18. Huckabee would never align with Romney

And that's the crux of Romney's problem.-

[acmavm]

19. Do you mean on the same ticket? I meant as a candidate himself. Anyone

but Moosalina.

[Shallah Kali]

23. Beware of Huckabee - he pals around with some of the type folk that Palin does

Huckabee connected to Bill Gothard cult
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2008/1/19/19227/2158

The more that comes out about Mike Huckabee, the more I get scared.

So far, he's admitted he's part of the "Left Behind" fandom crowd, he's gotten endorsements and help from hate groups (like a pastor linked with "Watchmen On The Walls" who also wants to kick all non-dominionists out of the country), released rapist-killers from prison, wants to change the constitution to make the US a de jure theocracy, snd rather explicitly has invoked "God's Army" in his speeches.

As bad as that gets, though, it's worse than I feared. It seems that Mike Huckabee is not only a good friend of neopente cult leader and "Bible-based baby beating" and Joel's Army-with-guns advocate Bill Gothard...but he's also a member of his Bible-based cult.

And folks...that has some very scary implications in regards to that whole "Christian Nation" thing.

America Invaded by Gothardite Zombies for Huckabee!
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2008/1/2/101614/4338

Huckabee Endorses His Christian Reconstructionist Arkansas Policy Adviser
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2008/1/6/165911/1705

Does Huckabee Want The Death Penalty For Gays ?
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2008/1/6/165911/1705

In the piece, Burroway examines Huckabee's ties to Christian Reconstructionists George Grant-- who coauthored a book with Huckabee in which homosexuality was categorized along with pedophilia, sadomasochism and necrophilia as "institutionally supported aberrations."-- and Bill Gothard, who among his less sinister and more quaint beliefs holds Cabbage Patch dolls to be vectors of Satanic, or demonic, influence.

Read more of Jim Burroway's story at Box Turtle Bulletin
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/01/06/1249

Did Huckabee believe legislating a death penalty for homosexuality when he co-authored "Kids Who Kill: Confronting Our Culture of Violence", with reconstructionist George Grant (who unabashedly advocated such a penalty ) in 1998 ? Does Huckabee believe it now ? Will any reporter have the guts to ask him ?

Stay tuned...

more: http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Huckabee&btnG=Google+Search&domains=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.talk2action.org%2F&sitesearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.talk2action.org%2F

also some posts on him at PFAW's Right Wing Watch
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/individuals/mike-huckabee

[acmavm]

24. Oh don't worry, even though he comes across as a nice guy, I know he's

nucking futz.

I was talking as if I were a republican. Now please excuse me, I have to go disinfect.

[4lbs]

3. I agree. I could 'suffer' through 4 years of Romney if absolutely required.

He appears to be more of a RINO that changed his spots just for Election 2008.

His views as MA's Gov were somewhat Democratic.

[AllieB]

5. His campaign views were for political expediency.

Governor Photo-Op was too busy campaigning for President while he was governor of MA. His views were typically Republican, except that he had to fake being pro-choice in MA in order to get elected.

[hendo]

4. With Mitt out

I guess that means Huckabee will be the 2012 nominee for the republicans.

[husky92]

6. Romney Plans

Will people please give up this talk about Sarah Palin in 2012. Are we that $#**@! stupid that we'd ever consider electing her or even nominating for our nation's highest office. That is all I've heard the last few days and her 15 minutes is up. She was a disaster waiting to happen. If Republicans are dumb enough to rally behind her than they are truly the dumbest collection of human beings going. I live in NE Florida and was amazed how many people got excited about Palin. I can see Mitt Romney on the ticket, but come on. Unless someone can perform a successful brain transplant on Palin, that might be her only chance. I know I am getting a little carried away, but it ticks me off that people keep tossing her name out there for 2012 and would actually vote for her when she has proven to be a complete moron on everything.

[Raschel]

9. It's beyond phony when Rush talks about her as if she has a brain. What do people like him

and the rest of the talking heads say when they turn off the mike?

[KamaAina]

14. But remember, Rush has one half of his brain tied behind his back.

The other half got stuck because his head is so far up his ass, and is now known as a "pilonidal cyst". :P

[LiberalLovinLug]

16. Never underestimate their appetite for STOOPID

You only have to look at who occupies the White House now. And looking at their slate of candidates this year, McCain actually seemed the sanest of the lot, (sorry no-government Paulinistas) which is saying a lot.

Those same idiots that liked Dubya because he made them look smart in comparison, will flock to Palin. It's all about who makes them more secure. Not in the physical sense, Dubya was a disaster both on his watch before 9/11 and later with Katrina. Emotionally they want someone to fear what they fear (the Devil, Muslims, Commies) and not seem to be intelligent enough to talk over their heads. They want someone who reaffirms their own ignorant prejudices and their narrow look on the universe.

Sarah Palin fits those needs nicely. I for one am worried that she will fill the STOOPID void better (ie. set the bar the lowest) than Romney, Huckabee, or any other loonies that choose to run. She appeals to the lowest of the lowest common denominator in the typical right fundie brain, both intellectually and physically.

It doesn't matter that she pals around with secessionists, or slimes opponents with lies, or gets a trooper fired on a personal vendetta, or spends their contributions on a 180,000 wardrobe. Non of that matters to these folks. You are looking at it from a rational point of view. stick your head in the sand to get a better perspective of who those that think she is the next "Ester of the Bible" and their plans for her.

[Raschel]

20. Ugh - Sarah as Esther - where do these people get off? That's heresy.

And I saw an article today that said that Sarah is the Israel of Politics, because people supposedly believe "lies" about her.

These people are truly fanatical. They talk about Obama worship and they are totally irrational and elevating this woman to an object of worship.

[merh]

7. I wonder if the family dog he dropped off was allowed to ride inside

the car or was it made to ride in a kennel strapped to the top of the car?

:shrug:

I don't like Romney that much but he would have been better than Palin.

[calmblueocean]

8. Palin 2012 is Republican suicide.

That's going to become even clearer as the years go by. There are not enough people who like her to get her elected, and there are more than enough people who loathe her -- in both parties -- to get Obama re-elected.

If she runs on the Republican ticket in 2012, the Republican brand will be dead. We'll see new candidates running as Libertarians instead in 2014.

[customerserviceguy]

17. Agreed

and that's precisely the reason we should be happy that she's blabbing her fool head off. I shudder to think what the election would have looked like if Mittens had been McLame's running mate instead of Caribou Barbie. He's considered to have some OK credentials in finance, he would have been much harder for Joe Biden to beat.

Mitt has more than enough money to buy any election he can get the nomination in. His legions of Mormon drones would raise even more, and they have a lot of practice going door-to-door. We need to fear him way more than her.

The interesting thing is that the fundies fear Mitt, too, they don't want to give the missionaries any more talking points.

[MissMillie]

10. Mitt could end up in the Senate

if anything happens to Ted Kennedy, and/or if John Kerry gets a position in the Obama administration....


.... I can't think of many rising stars in MA politics right now... if a seat opens up sooner, rather than later, Mitt may have a fight in him.

[Ian David]

22. If you're disapointed by the lack of "Rising Stars" in Mass. Politics...

... convince Jass Stewart to run for public office again.

[AllentownJake]

11. If you think Huckabee used Religion as a wedge during the GOP

primary this time....Palin might cause Utah to turn blue in backlash if they ran against each other in 2012.

[Turbineguy]

12. Yeah, this political system is working

against him. He has to overcome the idiots so smarter people can choose whether or not to vote for him.

[louis-t]

13. What's with the good 'Christian' names repugs give their kids?

Tagg? Mitt? Whatever the hell Sarah named her kids? Re: "skeptics who question Romney's conversion". I guess if he doesn't breath fire and scream, curse, and preach hate like Ted Stevens, he's not a 'true' conservative.

[road2000]

15. You beat me to it about those names.

Maybe they took a cue from Bruce Willis.

[Ian David]

21. Thom Hartman thinks the Mormon Ariticle 8 campaign is part of preparing for a Romney 2012 campaign.

I think that's probably at least partially true.