Mitt Romney Has ‘Rockefeller Problems’

[JFootin]

This is an interesting parallel.

Mitt Romney Has ‘Rockefeller Problems’

In his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, Mitt Romney faces the same problem that confronted New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller in his 1964 bid for the GOP presidential nod — a failure to engage conservatives.

That’s the view of Chris DeSanctis, who offers readers a history lesson in a new article on the American Thinker website.

Rockefeller was a liberal Republican and head of the moderate-to-liberal wing of the GOP based in the Northeast, nicknamed me-too Republicans because their platform resembled the Democratic Party’s platform.

Believing his support among moderate and liberal Republicans was secure, early front-runner Rockefeller “tried to court the growing conservative wing of his party” led by Sen. Barry Goldwater, according to DeSanctis, an adjunct professor in the Department of Government and Politics at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.

But the liberal GOP establishment was alienated by Rockefeller’s rightward move, while conservatives failed to embrace a liberal Northeast Republican. So Rockefeller changed course and began to viciously attack conservatives.

The tactic backfired, and Goldwater won the nomination. “The conservative wing of the GOP had shocked the liberal wing,” DeSanctis notes.

Now in this year’s GOP race, “Mitt Romney has Rockefeller problems,” he asserts, quoting former George W. Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson: “Romney’s main political vulnerability is a serious one. Running for Massachusetts governor in 2002, he was a pro-choice, economically centrist, and culturally liberal, business-oriented Republican.”

And due to his Massachusetts record, conservatives “refuse to embrace Romney. Like Rockefeller, this prevents him from uniting the party,” DeSanctis says.

But those conservatives “love” Rick Santorum because he has remained consistent to his conservative beliefs about government, says DeSanctis, who concludes:
“Goldwater’s issues of low taxes, a smaller federal government, strong military, support for individual rights, and conservative family values, among others, are now mainstream in the GOP.

“This is why today, against all odds, a traditional conservative like Rick Santorum is rising.”

A recent poll of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute showed Santorum with 35 percent of the vote to Romney’s 26 percent.

[jeepster09]

We need to win in November!

[yqtszhj]

Good post and sums up about how I feel.

And what Jeepster said too, it's time for change (in the white house.)

[jocko]

get gas prices up around $4.50 to $5 and see how fast people bail on Obummer. Add tothat when Israel nails Iran before election and all the world goes on alert and see how people bail on Obummer. If none of this happens. the as-hole will get back in officer, for I would bet that 99% of the members on this forum either have as job or are retired and trying to live off their investments and or savings and or retirement and not expecting UNCLE SAM to take care of them every step of the way. Many havbe forgotten to try to WALK BY THEMSELVES and havfe grown so accustomed to having people carry them along theway that they now cease to do things for themselves.They can indeed walk they just choose to not to.. That 50% + will probably vote for OBUMMER. Oh yes it is time for a change but the domino's have to fall in a certain order for this to happen and we still have tie for that to happen.

[jeepster09]

Hopefully this will no longer be our NATIONAL SONG.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMTNT_BzkdA

[jocko]

wow, what a loser Harry Belafortee is. He and Obummer would make a great team..I could say more but best not,might bge some kids reading this.

[Coop45]

I'm all for Obama!! Picture this, many of the guns folks are buying like ice cream now will eventually be on the used gun market so we can buy little used guns for cheap!! Am I a blooming genius or what? LOL!!

[Frankhenrylee]

[QUOTE=jocko;138638]Add tothat when Israel nails Iran before election and all the world goes on alert and see how people bail on Obummer.

I don't see Israel allowing Iran to actually build a nuclear weapon. It's a safe bet they will wait it out to the last minute and see if the U.N. is going to do anything about it. And when they don't, Israel will bomb Iran's nuclear facilities, it's inevitable.

[Coop45]

For sure!!

[muggsy]

Mitt's problem is that he'a a conservative come lately. He was the governor of a liberal state with some very liberal policies. He not blue collar and can't relate to the common man. He just isn't trusted by the conservative base. He's running to the right, but I suspect that he would govern toward the middle. He may well be the party's nominee, but the people won't vote for him with the same enthusiasm that they would for someone with better conservative credentials. I would vote for Mitt over Obama in a heartbeat.

[JFootin]

[QUOTE=jocko;138638]Add tothat when Israel nails Iran before election and all the world goes on alert and see how people bail on Obummer.

Au, contraire, mon ami. We have already seen crazy lib Democrats recently saying that the electoral college and even the presidential election should be suspended. And with the recent supposedly anti-terrorist legislation that has been passed without reading, starting under George Bush (?), all Obama has to do, with the support of Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton and the many other insane progressives that are behind him, is to declare a state of emergency because of Israel's attack. The election would be suspended. Then, I guess, he will put epaulettes on his shoulders, grow a beard or a Hitler mustache, don a military hat and insist on being called "El Generalle!" His Civilian Security Forces will come into every one of our homes confiscating all of our guns and sending untold numbers of people who resist, or who own guns, or espouse a Christian belief to detention camps, all in the name of national security.

If you don't believe this could happen, how do explain this unqualified, non-native-born Marxist revolutionary occupying the White House?

[Longitude Zero]

Mitt is a RINO

Republican
In
Name
Only

A recent study shows that the credit ratings in R states has gone up since 08 and in D states it has gone down.

[wlc]

He's still more of a Republican than Obama.

[popgoestheweasel]

Oh no, the dreaded Civilian Security Forces are coming to get us? Concentration camps? Oh Lord.

[Longitude Zero]

He's still more of a Republican than Obama.

True but not by nearly enough. Between them it is a matter of degree and not differences that are huge and undeniable.

[LaP]

The last few elections have boiled down to voting for the lesser of two evils. Since we know the ways of Barry, I am betting Mitt, or Rick would be a better choice.

[getsome]

Boys and girls we sure do need to win this November but I really don't see a way to get it done with the candidates the Republicans have in the line up to bat for the red team...

I like Rick Santorum and believe him to be the best all around candidate...He is squeaky clean with no skeletons in his closet we know of...I agree with his stand on the pro life issue and most of what he stands for but I'm not running for president and HE IS and unfortunately there are lots of moderate Republicans and Independent voters that don't like his far right religious ideas of Church and State politics and I believe if it comes to Santorum vs Obama then Obama wins because there are already just too many left headed Obama lover voters already committed to the anointed one and if you add the Independent voters to them it's over Obama wins...Strike 1

Gingrich is probably the best suited to take on Obama head to head in a debate and I feel he is the most presidential of the bunch but is he has alienated himself with Independents and women voters and he just doesn't have the big money machine going that Romney has and by the time the election gets here we will have seen so many anti Gingrich TV commercials he will be looking more like Public Enemy number one so strike 2 for the Republican team...

I like and respect Ron Paul and he has many die hard followers that are going to vote for him no matter what but IMHO even though I am a Libertarian and would vote for Paul if I felt he had a snowballs chance in he!! of getting elected I have to say if he really cares about Americas future he would just drop out of the race now out and urge his voting supporters to go with whoever the nominee ends up being but that ain't going to happen and he will stay in to the bitter end and all those votes for Ron Paul are really going to end up as votes for Obama...not strike 3 but a definate foul ball here...

Now to Mitt Romney who will most likely be the nominee but I'm not sure he can really pull it off even with all his money and backing....There is just something that seems fake about him and he has already flip flopped and said stupid things like he does't care about the poor and that he likes to fire people that has turned off alot of people that haven't made up their mind who to vote for (myself included)...IMO there is just too much polish to him and not enough substance and it's hard to figure where he stands because it keeps shifting....

Remember when George H.W. Bush went to the grocery story and was amazed with the check out scanners because he had never seen anything like that before or had to go grocery shopping or cook his own meal which made him seem way out of touch to the average working man and women trying to pinch their pennies to make do and get by paycheck to paycheck...Thats how multi millionaire candidate Romney seems to come across to me, more like a talking head politician than a real down to earth man to respect and look up to...Then there is the deal with the Mormon thing...It personally doesn't bother me but it does many other religious right voters and the issue will come up....Strike 3 and game over for the red team....I hope and pray it doesn't go this way but I fear for the future of my country if it does...All I have is my one vote and it will go to the nominee whoever it turns out to be even if it's Alfred E. Newman because even he would be better that what we got now!!!!!...

[skiflydive]

So who does one vote for given the following outline of me. Sorry – this is long

Staunch fiscal conservative. We need to stop wasting all the money we do and “live within our means.” Thinks we need to stop opening the treasury to people just because we feel sorry for them or they’re in some special class. Wonders why we give money for stop smoking programs and at the same time give money to tobacco farmers for example. Thinks there needs to be a non-partisan, non-congressional group that can examine and strike dead excessive spending programs in spite of the protests of the brain dead denizens of Capitol Hill.

A small businessman who is tired of being abused by government and wishes the government would give us incentives for growth, both of the company and our employment/employees

Thinks we don’t need more taxes we need more taxpayers.

Doesn’t give a damn about what consenting adults do in their bedrooms and doesn’t think the government should either. Thinks we need to offer committed same gender couples some consideration involving things like hospital visitation, retirement benefits, insurance coverage, etc. Marriage – maybe not – that’s a religious sacrament. Civil, legal union, maybe.

Agrees that our medical system is SCREWED UP. Doesn’t want to pay for the medical care of fat a$$ed, diabetic, smoking, alcoholics, and certainly doesn’t support the cobbled up POS that is ObamaCare. That ignorant ****** from California said they had to vote for it to see what was in...now how do we get rid of it.

Thinks that life starts at conception but knows that conception doesn’t occur until several hours after intercourse so women who are raped for example have treatments available if asked for on a timely basis. God performs abortions too…we call them miscarriages. Abortion should'nt be paid for by the government and isn't a method of birth control.

Thinks there are millions upon millions of people using marijuana anyway and we aren’t going to get them to stop. We need to stop enriching Mexico and gangsta drug dealers and start treating it, taxing it, and selling it the same way we do alcohol and tobacco.

Thinks we’ve wasted enough money in Iraq, Afganistan, Korea and other places in our efforts to spread our version of democracy. Those places have centuries of political and social culture and aren’t going to change just because we say they ought to. If, on the other hand, we are attacked by one of those funny hat leader countries we ought to quickly and efficiently flatten them.

Is adamant that we need to get rid of this President. Probably, like Jimmy Carter, a very nice, well meaning guy but a totally inept leader. Obama is more inept IMO than Carter if that’s possible.

One might immediately say vote for Ron Paul but I seriously doubt he could beat Obama for the same reason Ross Perot couldn’t beat Clinton, Bush 1,or Dole... A horrific media presence…and let’s face it folks, media presence wins elections otherwise Obama wouldn’t even be there.

Newt has way too much negative baggage IMO but I like his style.

That leaves Mitt or Rick. Completely disenchanted with both but I think the middle of the road part of the spectrum is a bigger pool to fish for votes in than the fanatic right.

[muggsy]

One votes for anyone but Obama.

[Bawanna]

I fear we're doomed. Too many candidates splitting the vote. Can't seem to get behind any one candidate and push him through. Now there's rumors of entering Jeb Bush and a few others. Only weaken us even more.

Wisdom, common sense and intelligence have no part in elections.

When the storm troopers get to my house you'll read about it and maybe see it on the news if they still allow media. Ought to be good.

[Longitude Zero]

ALL the Republican candidates/vipers are violating Ronald Reagans number 1 rule which was to never talk down about a fellow R. As for Ron Paul IMHO he is a dottering old fool and reminds me too much of Ross Perot. His positions on several issues would make our world situation far worse. His attitudes about due process in terrosism investigations are just so ignorant beyond belief.

However Rand Paul is a "president in waiting". If he continues to mature as a politician he could get my vote in the future. Fortunately he has not tarnished his reputation by connecting himself to cloosely to his dad.

[getsome]

Dang skifly, This is scary because I've found someone I agree with 100%... Will you marry me???...:p...I especially agree with your idea of getting the fork out of that corrupt God forsaken armpit butt nugget no mans land of cave dwellers, Afganistan....There should not be another precious drop of American blood spilled trying to make a better place of that flee infested sand pit!!!...

Look at what happened when we accidently destroyed some Qurans...Yes that was a mistake but it was just that a MISTAKE and they go bat chit crazy and start shooting, killing 3 Americans so far and chanting Down with America....I say pull up stakes and get the hell out of that chit hole ASAP...As soon as the dust settles after we leave the Taliban will go right back to the same thing they have done for thousands of years and will continue to do for thousands more until God finally takes us all home...

I also agree 100% on legalizing Marijuana....WE CANT STOP IT from coming in no matter how much money and manpower we pour at it and it makes absolutely no sense to me to keep pouring good money after bad and getting people killed on both sides of the border trying to do so....I don't personally use the stuff but don't have any problem if anyone else fires one up so long as they are in their house and it doesn't bother me because we are a FREE COUNTRY aren't we?...

Only the Government could twist up a certain tax money making idea if legalized and sold in tax paying stores to tax paying citizens who want to buy it without being a criminal and make it into a total money hole to throw millions and millions of dollars into in the so called "War on Drugs"....

Want to stop the 25 to 30 people killed every single day by the Mexican drug cartels?...First off forget crazy stupid ars ideas like Fast & Furious which would never have worked because the cartels are way ahead of any lame brained idea the DEA has to stop them... The answer is to make marijuana legal here and take back the cartels profit motive and start taxing it to TRY to pay off some of this countries MASSIVE DEBT...Last time I checked they were not adding on to Fort Knox's gold vaults cause we just have soooooo much that we need more space....

To answer your question on who to vote for, Just use your precious vote for WHOEVER gets the Republican nomination!!!!...It's our last and only hope to SAVE AMERICA!!!

[skiflydive]

Should have said that the reason I'm pondering this question is tomorrow is our primary here in Michigan...

Of course I'll vote for the Republican in November.