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Romney takes first official step towards running for president

Redress

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Romney takes first official step towards running for president – CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs

Mitt Romney Monday took his first formal step towards launching another bid for the White House.

The former Massachusetts governor, who was a candidate for 2008 Republican presidential nomination, announced that he was setting up a presidential exploratory committee.

"From my vantage point in business and in government, I have become convinced that America has been put on a dangerous course by Washington politicians, and it has become even worse during the last two years. But I am also convinced that with able leadership, America's best days are still ahead," says Romney, in a video to supporters. "That is why today I am announcing my Exploratory Committee for the Presidency of the United States."

No surprise, but it's April 2011 and we are basically starting the presidential campaign for Nov. 2012.
 
Mitt Romney on the Issues

Mitt on the issues. Seems pretty centrist to me. (or maybe I missed something).

Romney used to be very centrist, however, he started pandering for the support of the right-wing base of the GOP during the last election. If I had some assurances that Romney would not become a tool of the evangelicals and right-wing fanatics in pushing their radical right-wing social agenda, he is someone that I could support.
I actually have a great deal of respect for the man and his record.
 
Romney used to be very centrist, however, he started pandering for the support of the right-wing base of the GOP during the last election. If I had some assurances that Romney would not become a tool of the evangelicals and right-wing fanatics in pushing their radical right-wing social agenda, he is someone that I could support.
I actually have a great deal of respect for the man and his record.

Yeah, it remains to be seen if he doesn't McCain himself.
 
Mitt Romney on the Issues

Mitt on the issues. Seems pretty centrist to me. (or maybe I missed something).

I have a very hard time seeing him get the nomination. Being a Mormon, having supported gun legislation, supporting mandatory heath insurance, I think all of that is going to be too much to overcome.
 
I have a very hard time seeing him get the nomination. Being a Mormon, having supported gun legislation, supporting mandatory heath insurance, I think all of that is going to be too much to overcome.

Its a shame too. He will probably be the only conservative candidate that isn't nuts.
 
He's also the only GOP front-runner that actually has a chance of beating Obama....but luckily the wacko base won't see past the Mormon thing and I agree...getting the nomination is an uphill battle for him. It will be harder for Romney to get the GOP nomination than it would for him to beat Obama.
 
He's also the only GOP front-runner that actually has a chance of beating Obama....but luckily the wacko base won't see past the Mormon thing and I agree...getting the nomination is an uphill battle for him. It will be harder for Romney to get the GOP nomination than it would for him to beat Obama.

I tend to think Huckabee has a better chance against Obama. More and more elections are as much about energizing your base as swaying moderates, and Huckabeee generates much more enthusiasm among conservatives. I strongly suspect that Huckabee will be the nominee, and will make things interesting for Obama next year.
 
I tend to think Huckabee has a better chance against Obama. More and more elections are as much about energizing your base as swaying moderates, and Huckabeee generates much more enthusiasm among conservatives. I strongly suspect that Huckabee will be the nominee, and will make things interesting for Obama next year.

I think Huckabee loses against Obama in a landslide. Huckabee will carry the South, but I don't see him carrying much outside of the Southern states and the usually redbelt mid-America (Utah, Wyoming, Idaho....). I think Huckabee would get less electoral votes than McCain.

I understand what you are saying, but I'm not sure if I agree that the same strategy works in the Presidential election. Energizing the base I believe will alienate moderates and independents. I can't see Huckabee bringing many of them into his camp.

If the GOP wants to "energize its base", the best person for that is Palin....and look at how well she would do against Obama.
 
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I think Huckabee loses against Obama in a landslide. Huckabee will carry the South, but I don't see him carrying much outside of the Southern states and the usually redbelt mid-America (Utah, Wyoming, Idaho....). I think Huckabee would get less electoral votes than McCain.

I understand what you are saying, but I'm not sure if I agree that the same strategy works in the Presidential election. Energizing the base I believe will alienate moderates and independents. I can't see Huckabee bringing many of them into his camp.

If the GOP wants to "energize its base", the best person for that is Palin....and look at how well she would do against Obama.

Huckabee polls very close to Obama

RealClearPolitics - Election 2012 - General Election: Huckabee vs. Obama
 
Additionally...its also about money. Huckabee on the ballot ensures that Obama doesn't need to spend a dime in places like California, Oregon, Washington and other strong blue states. McCain's strategy was to force Obama to spend money in those states. With that...Obama has a lot more money to spend on swing states and even on states that he lost that he could be competitive in.
 
I think Huckabee loses against Obama in a landslide. Huckabee will carry the South, but I don't see him carrying much outside of the Southern states and the usually redbelt mid-America (Utah, Wyoming, Idaho....). I think Huckabee would get less electoral votes than McCain.

I understand what you are saying, but I'm not sure if I agree that the same strategy works in the Presidential election. Energizing the base I believe will alienate moderates and independents. I can't see Huckabee bringing many of them into his camp.

If the GOP wants to "energize its base", the best person for that is Palin....and look at how well she would do against Obama.

I think Huckabee loses, but I doubt a landslide. Economic recovery is going to hurt republican chances next year.

Palin would not work to energize the conservative base. Too many of that base view her as a nut.
 
I doubt romney will win the primary, but he will pull votes from others. Theres along way to go and alot of misteps for the candidates to make and others to capitolize on...this whole thing is up in the air.
 
I think Huckabee loses against Obama in a landslide. Huckabee will carry the South, but I don't see him carrying much outside of the Southern states and the usually redbelt mid-America (Utah, Wyoming, Idaho....). I think Huckabee would get less electoral votes than McCain.

I understand what you are saying, but I'm not sure if I agree that the same strategy works in the Presidential election. Energizing the base I believe will alienate moderates and independents. I can't see Huckabee bringing many of them into his camp.

If the GOP wants to "energize its base", the best person for that is Palin....and look at how well she would do against Obama.

Romney won't do good in the south either... It would probably come down to racial minorities in the south, not the religious folk
 
Mitt is REALLY handsome. :giggling:
 
Romney won't do good in the south either... It would probably come down to racial minorities in the south, not the religious folk

No Republican will win with minorities anywhere in the nation. To have a chance in a general election they will have to be able to win 35-40% of the Hispanic vote. This should be what their consultants work on this year. How to get close with that group. Blacks are a write off with Obama on the ticket, probably 97% goes to Obama, no matter what he says/does. The race really gets down to voting blocks, unless something extreme happens in the country. Even then some groups can't be moved.
 
He is materially smarter than McCain.
Romney is far smarter than anyone who has run in several election cycles. he was the ranking student at stanford-which he left for his mission and when he married he transferred to BYU where he graduated first in his class and then earned honors degrees in business (MBA) and Law (JD) at Harvard. he was one of the top 5 business students in his class. iF he was a presbyterian or an episcopalian he would be president now.
 
Romney is far smarter than anyone who has run in several election cycles. he was the ranking student at stanford-which he left for his mission and when he married he transferred to BYU where he graduated first in his class and then earned honors degrees in business (MBA) and Law (JD) at Harvard. he was one of the top 5 business students in his class. iF he was a presbyterian or an episcopalian he would be president now.
Your right, although I have very serious reservation about Mitt, especially his failed state and mandatory healthcare package in MA either by your own expense or the states.
 
Oh good a choice between a liberal democrat and RINO, Thats basically two of the same thing. Hopefully that RINO gets knocked out of the primaries.

sadly purist conservatives don't have much chance of winning. and Romney most likely will appoint 99% of the same judges as your most desired candidate.
 
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