With Wins Saturday, Romney Proves Once Again, He Does Best After He’s Done His Worst
EmailMitt Romney apparently likes to be the underdog.
Ten days after an unexpected loss in the South Carolina primary, Romney turned on the campaign equivalent of turbo boosters and trounced Gingrich and the rest of the field in the Florida primary.
Saturday night, Romney was once again on the ropes. A scrappy Rick Santorum swept three contests on Tuesday and the national polls were showing a Santorum surge. Pundits and Republican activists criticized Romney for his inability to connect with the party’s conservative base. The term “fragile frontrunner” was once again attached to Romney’s lapel.
And, once again, Romney delivered when he needed it most. First came word that Romney had won the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) straw poll, beating out Santorum in what should be Santorum-friendly turf. The Romney campaign credits the ex-governor’s speech to the CPAC on Friday – where he laid on the conservative rhetoric really thick – for his straw poll win.
Then, just an hour later, Romney was announced as the winner of the Maine caucuses, beating out an aggressive Ron Paul effort in the state. Paul even skipped the CPAC confab – where he’s won the straw poll two years’ running – to spend more time in Maine.
To be sure, Romney’s wins Saturday are not going to put questions about whether he can seal the deal with the conservative primary voters. After all, he won both Maine and CPAC with less than 40 percent of the vote. Moreover, with Paul’s dismal showing Saturday night, and his second place showing in the CPAC poll, Santorum can claim the mantle – for now – of the “Romney alternative.”
But, the best news for Romney is that after a very bad week, there’s no bad news for his campaign this weekend.
For now, that counts as victory.
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Ron Paul didn’t have a dismal showing on Saturday. He had a fantastic showing that earned 36% of the Maine vote. Its reported that he is only 194 votes behind Mitt Romney. It’s also reported that Maine’s Washington County, a county heavily favored for Ron Paul, postponed their vote until this coming Saturday, February 18th due to inclement weather conditions yesterday February 11th. It’s likely that once Washington County votes that Ron Paul will in fact have won more votes than Mitt Romney in the Maine caucus. Ron Paul said also during his speech on Saturday night regarding the Maine caucus that he’s confident that he will have the majority of Maine delegates going to he convention.
Posted by: Teleø | February 12, 2012, 10:38 am 10:38 am
TELEØ: In the UK we can bet on elections. Hell, we can and do bet on anything and everything. And the thing is that the bookies rarely get it wrong; that’s why they are rich and the punters aren’t. The bookies assessments are pure and untainted by any personal beliefs, they don’t have any axes to grind, it’s just about the money. And getting it right is the difference between getting rich and going out of business, They really do very rarely get it wrong. Romney is currently 1 to 4 on; ie a £10 flutter would win you £2.50 (plus you’d get your stake back). Ron Paul is 25 to 1; ie a £10 flutter would return £250 (plus your stake back). ‘Nuff said.
Posted by: 2hundredthousand | February 12, 2012, 11:20 am 11:20 am
For the sake of completeness: Santorum is 4 to 1 (£10 wins £40) and Gingrich is seen by our bookies as as big an outsider as Paul at 25 to 1. Marc Rubio is the favourite to get the Republican Vice Presidential nomination at 3 to 1 and Palin and Bachmann are 50 to 1 extreme outsiders.
Posted by: 2hundredthousand | February 12, 2012, 11:21 am 11:21 am
I guess the UK bookies know US politics better than the US public would like to believe. They already know who the anointed one is this cycle.
Posted by: Sunny | February 12, 2012, 11:27 am 11:27 am
2HUNDREDTHOUSAND: bookies aren’t fortune tellers or psychics though my friend. His campaign has the energy and enthusiasm to better those odds. What were the odds on Perry the irst month he was running? Where is he now? So put money on Ron Paul now while the payout is good sir. Ron Paul is like gold in the commodities market; steady up.
Posted by: Teleø | February 12, 2012, 11:36 am 11:36 am
Ron Paul is actually going to win Maine. The vote is only a popularity contest. The real winner is who gets the most delegates, and Ron Paul is getting his supporters to actually become delegates, so the numbers the media puts out is incorrect, as they just list “projected” delegates, but they can vote for whoever, and most are going for Ron Paul. The simple fact is that only Ron Paul and Mitt Romney have the resources to amass enough delegates to get the nomination. The Grinch and Santorum aren’t even on the ballot in 5 states, so they have no viable chance at all.
Posted by: Mike Ikeo | February 12, 2012, 12:39 pm 12:39 pm
It is a rather obvious lie Romney won, and that Ron Paul actually won Maine when you cancel the rest of the caucus voting with almost 20% still left, and declare it is over while Romney hangs on by the manicured fingernails to only a 194 vote margin.
How can anyone in Maine have so little pride in our history and turn their backs so openly on Democracy and let this go on??? The humiliation of being down on your knees before you master in Maine must be monumental, as the rest of the country looks on.
Posted by: MadMax | February 12, 2012, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
It’s sort of sweet the way Dr. Paul’s supporters take every loss as a win. Sort of sweet but full on delusional.
Posted by: 2hundredthousand | February 12, 2012, 1:07 pm 1:07 pm
LOL! …. Here we are, 6 months away from the Republican Convention (August 27th), and it’s STILL not clear who the Republican nominee is going to be. The Republican party is in a “pit bull” dog fight right now as to what they want their party to be. What will they choose…
Course of Action (1): Remain status quo with Mitt Romney, and be the party of “Corporate America” that can care less about America’s middle class.
Course of Action (2): Permit the USA to become an extension of the Vatican, i.e., “the Vatican States of America”, with the choice of die-hard Catholic, Rick Santorum, who doesn’t believe that women have any rights?
Course of Action (3): Select Ron Paul, who will reverse the world-power status that the USA currently holds, by closing 95% of U.S. bases around the world (of course, this is highly unlikely since the corporate military industrial complex will never permit Ron Paul to be the Republican party’s nominee).
or
Course of Action (4): Elect Newt Gingrich…. LOL! … and accept throwing away all the previous Republican party bullogni about being the party of “family values” out the window, out-the-window. (It’s hard to talk about “family values”, when you elect someone who’s exchanged wives 3 timess.)
LMAO! …… tough choices for the righties, some pretty tough choices before August. If only the Republican party had put forward someone who wasn’t so extreme (Santorum and Paul), was more “common, middle class America” (i.e., not Romney), and who didn’t have so many skeleton’s in their closet (Gingrich)…. they may just be in a better position right now with a true front runner.
Posted by: Forrest Gump is DEFINITELY a Republican | February 12, 2012, 1:15 pm 1:15 pm
I believe most people would agree that actions speak louder than words. If that’s the case, why does the media continue to reply audio clips of Romney from 18 years ago? He not only governed as a social conservative (e.g. vetoeing partial birth abortion, limited to stop gay marriage), but also ran Bain capital as fiscially disciplined conservative. His foreign policy has never been tested, but what he is outlining are social conservative principles. He is a decent man who has provided for his family and been faithful to his wife. He gives more to charity than any other political figure-head over his life-time.
The reality is, he has never cast one actual vote that was contrary to conservative principles (not even Romneycare was contrary to conservatism as it operated 6% of the population taking advantage of free medical attention and retained 94% on private insurance).
Romney is Johnny-come-lately to the movement. He admits to that. We have all said things in our life that are contrary to our principles now….we all get it. I would advise you to not vote on rhetoric but only a candidates history votes.
Posted by: VoiceofReason2012 | February 12, 2012, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm
Pope SANTORUM FAR MORE LIBERAL IN HIS FISCAL RECORD THAN ROMNEY…HE’S FOR BIG GOVERMENT SPENDING BIG EARMARK AND PALIN STATE ALASKA THE most majority in welfare and most population work for govt …sound like Liberals.
CPAC the most CONSERVATIVE GROUP AND PROOF MITT THE MOST CONSERVATIVE IN FISCAL VALUE than others…this all HYPE from media obama super PAC and his rivals
Posted by: lisa | February 12, 2012, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm
Stop WITH all ofthe COMPLAININNG!!! The PRESIDENT is doing the BEST he can. Just PAY your HIGHER taxes!!!!!
Posted by: demnme5 | February 12, 2012, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
Just like Elmer Fudd, still chasing “pesky wabbits”, and still failing miserably. Even their “insults” (“Forrest Gumps”, lol) fail totally . Much like Obama himself. LOL! And…hehehehehe…
Posted by: ELMER FUDD IS DEFINITELY A DIM DEM | February 12, 2012, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
None of this helps Obama defend against his own failures and corruption. But whatever.
Posted by: bereal | February 12, 2012, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
Obama may indeed break the suckage meter before November rolls around. Then it’ll be even easier to un-elect our cancer in chief.
Posted by: sai | February 12, 2012, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm
“None of this helps Obama defend against his own failures and corruption. But whatever.”
POSTED BY: BEREAL
True, and where our focus should be.
Posted by: lexington lady | February 12, 2012, 4:06 pm 4:06 pm
Of course, Obama may still win — if he can lie well enough, and if the American public still has a desire to be duped.
Posted by: dan | February 12, 2012, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
I’m not a Ron Paul supporter, but you can’t call Mitt Romney the winner in Maine with only ~80% of the votes counted and the margin of his “victory” at less than 200 votes.
Posted by: Joe | February 12, 2012, 4:13 pm 4:13 pm
May I expand a bit my previous thoughts that contained nearly all that is within our current and recently past purview regarding these roundabout and raucously riling issues? Thanks. Let me expand on that a bit: the concentric metrics of Obama spasms in maledictory attempts at reconciling with wacky weirdsters from the left has resulted in the degenerate deconstruction of the maladies of misty mists afflicting his naughty attempts at radical reelection. He made a mistake, it can be ceremoniously cretinized and rectified by November, with luck and more jock-strap like support from sycophants everywhere. Surely and sanctimoniously, craven charts and gluttoneous graphs surreptitious stats can aid in the visual and experiential experiences of pontificatory propaganda on and surrounding our egregious attempts at marauding and marranging the moronical masses who no not knowingly know which dire direction to praise, plead, or stumblingly stumble, or even truculently trot. Heed my advice and info contained solidly and slippery within, or just be a clear dummy or a prancing poltroon.
Posted by: davem | February 12, 2012, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
EMERALD_SPARKS: I am a Brit and a Londoner. Why do you think I’m not? I’m also a gambling man. I love a flutter; generally I lose a bit on the horses and win a bit on the football (that’s actual football, not your provincial little gridiron game) but win or lose I love a flutter. I claim no wisdom, but thanks for the compliment. Or objectivity. I really like Obama and would love to see him get another term. My posts were simply about the odds that bookies over here are offering on the contest for the Republican candidacy and the Presidency. All easily verifiable; have a look at oddschecker. And my last post was at 1:07; all the posts with my name since then have been by impersonators. I don’t make personal attacks or post inane comments about others’ posts. Silly boys, one and all, but if it makes them happy who am I to argue? I would really like to know why you have reached the conclusion you have re my nationality though.
Posted by: 2hundredthousand | February 12, 2012, 4:47 pm 4:47 pm
Amy, as a “journalist” you are not being honest. You should have mention that Romney “won” with only 87% percent of the votes being counted. Washington County was not included in the count. State Officials are disenfrachising citizens of Maine by not including all voters in the caucus. Amy, you are either ignorant when it comes to this information or you not being honest. The public has a right to know that not all votes have been counted.
Posted by: Cam | February 12, 2012, 7:23 pm 7:23 pm
Romney proves that more money will win out every time.
Posted by: jdoe | February 12, 2012, 8:09 pm 8:09 pm
Almost needless to say, Emerald_Sparks is correct: that 2HundredThousand is not a Brit, and her guess at the “reasons” for his silly charade are probably correct. Either way, he should be far more worried about getting his “own little England” in order (LOL!), not to mention the rest of Europe, instead of poorly pontificating on American politics, and his adolescent love-fest with Obama.
Posted by: jared | February 12, 2012, 9:45 pm 9:45 pm
“Silly boys, one and all, but if it makes them happy who am I to argue?”
POSTED BY: 2HUNDREDTHOUSAND
You crack me up, “mate”. P.S. — it ain’t workin’. Try a new schtick. ; )
Posted by: Emerald_Sparks | February 12, 2012, 9:51 pm 9:51 pm
Like I said, I once visited the UK and am fully qualified to represent their views on these matters. Case closed.
Posted by: 2HUNDREDTHOUSAND | February 12, 2012, 9:53 pm 9:53 pm
Most of this argument eludes me, but Obama is in deep do-do, that’s for sure.
Posted by: marsha marsha | February 12, 2012, 9:54 pm 9:54 pm
EMERALD_SPARKS & JARED: I get that you think I’m actually a Yank but not why. So, why? I can assure you I am a Brit and was born in Battersea in 1953. Again, why is it so hard for you to accept that? Because I like Obama and would far prefer another four years for him, or any other Democrat, than any of your current Republican candidates, or any other Republican for that matter? You’d be hard pushed to find anyone at all in the UK who feels differently to me. Your left is roughly equivalent to our right. Your right is equivalent to the fringe racist/fascist/Nazi parties that get only a tiny fraction of the vote here. Whether you guys like it or not Obama is immensely popular here and throughout the rest of Europe. The world for that matter. As popular as Dubya was unpopular. As you would know if you’d ever left your own country. Travel broadens the mind. Give it a try, you could really do with a bit of broadening.
Posted by: 2hundredthousand | February 13, 2012, 5:51 am 5:51 am
JARED: We’re doing as well as you are. Maybe better. Please don’t lump us in with the eurozone countries that have such severe problems a the moment. You could do worse than to be a bit more like the “little England” you deride. We aren’t all fat. Our murder rate is a quarter of yours and we imprison less than a fifth of the percentage of our population that you do. We aren’t all fat. And in common with the rest of the civilised world we don’t kill our own citizens. The US is the sole Western country that still does. We aren’t all fat. We can have a bet whenever and on whatever we want. We aren’t all fat. Plus we brew the best beer in the world. The fizzy aluminium tasting crap that most of you guys drink is an abomination. And did I mention that we aren’t all fat.
Posted by: 2hundredthousand | February 13, 2012, 6:05 am 6:05 am
“Like I said, I once visited the UK and am fully qualified to represent their views on these matters. Case closed.”
POSTED BY: 2HUNDREDTHOUSAND
Thanks, but no thanks. Preach in another church. Maybe Bulgaria?
Posted by: Jamica | February 13, 2012, 8:02 am 8:02 am
I know I am from England, and I can concur that many of my countrymen (and women) do have a “Just Say No” stance toward routine dental hygiene and maintenance. It’s as foolhardy and unseemly as their support for Obama, and often is the very same people who indulge both negative whims.
Posted by: A Real Brit | February 13, 2012, 8:25 am 8:25 am
“And did I mention that we aren’t all fat…”
POSTED BY: 2HUNDREDTHOUSAND
Who cares, really? Whether you’re from England or elsewhere, you are certainly a lame blowhard indulging in huge generalizations and absurdly posing as if you are really giving us not merely your own personal view, but something very close to “THE view from over there.” It’s pompous bs all the way round, since there is just as much diversity of views over there as there is here. It would be the same idiocy as if I were posting on a UK site and posing as if I was there to enlighten them all to the view from the USA. Your tone and style are thoroughly along these lines, and it’s asinine and absurd, and puffily patronizing in the extreme. LOL. Good luck with that.
Posted by: ripster | February 13, 2012, 8:26 am 8:26 am
“And did I mention that we aren’t all fat…”
POSTED BY: 2HUNDREDTHOUSAND
LOL, why should we care, really? Whether you’re from England or elsewhere, you are certainly a lame blowhard indulging in huge generalizations and absurdly posing as if you are really giving us not merely your own personal view, but something very close to “THE view from over there.” It’s pompous bs all the way round, since there is just as much diversity of views over there as there is here. It would be the same idiocy as if I were posting on a UK site and posing as if I was there to enlighten them all to the view from the USA. Your tone and style are thoroughly along these lines, and it’s asinine and absurd, and puffily patronizing in the extreme. LOL. Good luck with that.
Posted by: ripster | February 13, 2012, 8:30 am 8:30 am