Romney Suspends Race With Paranoid Rant

If ever there was a time to be glad Mitt Romney is not the nominee of any party, today's announcement to suspend his campaign is proof of his strategic failure to use the rhetoric of fear to win.


CNN Reports
Mitt Romney ended his presidential run Thursday, telling a conservative audience that continuing the race against rival John McCain would make it more likely Democrats would win the White House — and “in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.”

Boos rose from the audience at the mention of McCain’s name – and shocked calls of “no!” as he made his announcement. One young man in a blue sports coat grasped his head in his hands, his mouth wide open as he watched Romney on-stage.

“Barack and Hillary have made their intentions clear regarding Iraq and the war on terror. They would retreat and declare defeat,” said Romney.

“And the consequence of that would be devastating. It would mean attacks on America, launched from safe havens that make Afghanistan under the Taliban look like child’s play. About this, I have no doubt.”

The former Massachusetts governor, who conceded the mathematical odds standing between him and the nomination, told activists gathered for the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington that “I must now stand aside, for our party and our country."

Other quotes:

"In this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror. This is not an easy decision. I hate to lose," the former Massachusetts governor said.

"I am convinced that unless America changes course, we will become the France of the 21st Century - still a great nation, but no longer the leader of the world, no longer the superpower," he said.

"If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and frankly I'd be making it easier for Senator Clinton or [Barack] Obama to win," Mr Romney said at the conference.

Romney Wins in "Mitt"-chigan, Clinton Beats Uncommitted

Fave Son Mitt Romney won the Michigan Republican primary with 39% of the vote, beating out the Come Mac Kid, John McCain by 9% despite crossover voters going strongly to McCain. Mike Huckabee came in a distant third with 16% and Ron Paul with 5% bested Rudolph Giuliani who took a pass on the state.

On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton beat Uncommitted 55% to 40%, with Dennis Kucinich coming in 3rd with 4% of the vote, his best showing in the primaries to date.

Tancredo Provides Romney Much Needed "Kiss of Death"?

U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo announced today he's ending his long-shot bid for the White House.The Colorado Republican made his exit from the race official at a press conference this afternoon in downtown Des Moines. He'll throw his support behind GOP candidate Mitt Romney, he said.

Tancredo's name was most associated with his fight against illegal immigration, one of the presidential election's most controversial issues. But his hard-line approach to curbing the unlawful migration of millions across the United States' southern border wasn't enough to vault him from the back of the GOP field.

He registered 6 percent support among likely Republican caucusgoers in the most recent Des Moines Register Iowa Poll.

Romney: There's No US in UN

Mitt Romney, showing his lack of foreign policy experience said:

"The United Nations has been an extraordinary failure of late," Mitt Romney said in response to a question at a pancake house along the coast of early voting South Carolina. "We should withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council."

Fact: The United States doesn't have a seat on the human rights council, which it has been boycotting.

Romney also said he would support a new "coalition of the free nations of the world and bring those nations together so that we can act together."

Fact: George Bush called that "the Coalition of the Willing"

What Romney Did in DeWitt, He Will Do to the Middle Class

Hang onto your wallets you workers of Iowa, or else Mitt will nickel and dime ya.

According to the AP from DeWitt, Iowa

Republican Mitt Romney, the wealthiest presidential candidate with assets of between $190 million and $250 million, had to borrow cash from an aide Wednesday to pay for beverages at the Crossroads Coffee.
Romney ordered a vanilla steamer and offered to buy a cup for his host, DeWitt Mayor Don Thiltgen.
The former Massachusetts governor borrowed $5 from an aide, explaining that he didn't have his wallet.
"I only got three (dollars) in my pocket," he told the mayor.
Thiltgen declined the drink, saying he couldn't accept a gift valued at more than $2.99 - a steamer goes for $3.
Later, Romney visited Necker's jewelers, where he asked the owner about a brown obelisk-shaped fountain. They told him it was a wishing well, prompting someone in the crowd to hand him a penny.
"What do we wish for? I just hope I carry Clinton," Romney said, referring to the county he was in.
He then tossed the penny into the fountain.

Apparently Barack Obama had a similar situation...

Romney Retains Law Firm: Dewey, Blastem, and Howe

Mitt Romney raises more concerns than hackles from Ron Paul during a debate last night.

From CNN Would the U.S. president need Congress' permission before launching an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities?

Responding first, Romney said as president, "you sit down with your attorneys" to determine whether such authorization is needed, but he said, "Obviously, the president of the United States has to do what's in the best interest of the United States to protect us against a potential threat."

Romney's answer drew an incredulous retort from Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who said the president would "absolutely" need Congress' OK before striking Iran.

"This idea of going and talking to attorneys totally baffles me. Why don't we just open up the Constitution and read it?" Paul said. "You're not allowed to go to war without a declaration of war."

The Brothers Romney Getting Served

From the Daily Show

If You Want Fair--Go to the One in Des Moines

Truth and fairness do not always coincide. For instance the Mitt Romney one liner about Barack Obama "went from going to sit down to tea with our enemies, but then he's going to bomb our allies. I mean, he's gone from Jane Fonda to Dr. Strangelove in one week." This statement was in reference to Obama stating that he would enter Pakistan to get Al Queda operatives including Osama bin Laden if the government of Pakistan did not (which Romney actually agreed he would do as well).

Media Matters does a good job of dissecting the story as reported by Andrea Mitchell on NBC's Today show. Often news is presented at face value without the reporter presenting the full context. This type of reporting is a disservice to the public.

One of the reasons that a Fairness Doctrine is still relevant today is that it allows the injured an opportunity to respond. Unfortunately, in our sound bite world, too often truthiness prevails.

The Social (and Global) Divide in Iowa

The Des Moines Register yesterday posted the latest poll results showing John Edwards and Mitt Romney ahead in Iowa according to 801 prospective caucusgoers. What was much more interesting to me was the division on the priority of the importance of issues between Republican and Democrat caucusgoers.

For example, while Democrats put the war in Iraq on top of their list, it comes in number four to Republicans. Where terrorism and national security are number one and two on the list of Republican's priorities, they are number five and seven to Democrats. Maybe the biggest disconnect between Democrats and Republicans on foreign policy is on relations with other countries where Dems place it at number two, Republicans place it at number 12.

On the domestic front, health care, the nation's long-term debt, and the economy and jobs were the Dems top three priorities, while faith and values, immigration, and abortion were the top three Republican priorities.

The only point of agreement appears to be tax policy as a priority (Dems placed it 12th and Reps, 9th)--although it is highly unlikely that Donkeys and Elephants agree about the means, I'm sure everyone would prefer lower taxes.

For those of us who feel that global climate change is real, neither party's caucusgoers share our concern--Dems place it no higher than 11th and it is dead last among Republicans.

If statistics are to be believed, it would appear that the country is more ready for a black, male president (Barack Obama has a 74% favorable rating with 15% of Republicans saying they would support him), before a female president of any color. Although 50 percent of Republicans would like to see Condoleeza Rice run and Hillary Clinton is seen as favorable by 66% of caucusgoers.

Ah, but the caucus season is young and the passions for candidates and issues will likely ebb and flow as January 2008 creeps toward us.