–Marie’s Two Cents
Message to the Paul bearers, from your Constitutional Pied Piper:
Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.) listens to a question during the MTV/MySpace “Closing Arguments” presidential forum at the MTV Times Square Studios in New York City on Saturday.
Scott Gries – Getty Images
Game over.
message to the Huckabites:
Your preacher-in-chief needs to do the math…like Romney, it’s a matter of arithmetic:
Can Mitt still win?
Frankly, no – the arithmetic makes it all but impossible
The Republicans have already chosen most of their delegates, and Romney has won only 256 of the 1,417 chosen so far—some 18%.
To get the delegates he needs to lock up the nomination, Romney would not only have to improve his performance, he’d have to become virtually perfect – winning 934 of the 963 delegates who haven’t yet been chosen. Unless all other candidates dropped out of the race, there’s no way anyone will scoop up more than 97% of the delegates remaining. Even if Mitt gives the greatest speech of his life at tomorrow’s conference of CPAC (the Conservative Political Action Committee) he can’t win enough delegates to become this year’s nominee.
Huckabee can only win if hell freezes over. But that’s not going to happen; instead, it’s his campaign that’s frozen over.
A car’s bumper sticker supporting Mike Huckabee is covered in ice in downtown Des Moines, December 11, 2007.
REUTERS/Jason Reed
A former fetus, the “wordsmith from nantucket” was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1968. Adopted at birth, wordsmith grew up a military brat. He achieved his B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles (graduating in the top 97% of his class), where he also competed rings for the UCLA mens gymnastics team. The events of 9/11 woke him from his political slumber and malaise. Currently a personal trainer and gymnastics coach.
The wordsmith has never been to Nantucket.
In the case of Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee, it’s not just a case of math, it’s a lack of class!
And what about good ole “read the Consitution” Ron Paul? Doesn’t he realize that his continuing in this race now makes it clear that all that crap he was spouting was more about politics than any respect for the Constitution? He admits that “I Can’t Win!…Constitutionally” then what the Huck is he doing?
Well…of course he didn’t actually say that…
And that’s the point! There’s no reason for either of these two to continue, really.
In the case of Paul and the Huckster, they are in too deep. In the case of McCain, he is about as inspirational as preserved pressure treated wood. Does anyone actually think that he will inspire one independent to actually vote FOR him? His problem is not conservatives, it’s with the center, and all the gooides are on the other side.
If Obama wins the Democrat nomination, game over for GOP.
Sadly, the GOP has learned nothing.
Romney “suspends” his campaign and retains control over his 294 delegates until the Convention. As Madden, his spokesperson, just said, Mitt intends to be a force at the Convention and speak for all those who supported him and voted for him. I don’t see him being interested in a second banana VP slot, however, as head of the RNC, he’d be dynamite. The one thing the guy knows how to do really really really well is raise money. He is also extremely Internet savvy, something the RNC has lacked and lagged behind with the dem. side.
Ron Paul is one of those candidates that is almost obligatory in a race. The Huckster, on the other hand, is deluded into thinking he still has a chance. Who is going to vote for him now that all those bigots have no one to vote against? How many pulpits are there left to give him free advertising and support? Mitt has class, the Huck is just another liar from Hope.
McCain is a social liberal, and fiscally he isn’t any more conservative than Huck. He has a track record of treating with contempt conservatives in general, and prolife Christians in particular. Even though he’s making nice with conservatives now, I don’t trust him a bit. How can I vote for him, even against Hillary or Obama? If a Dem pres is elected, a conservative Congressional backlash will probably follow and (hopefully) limit the damage they can do.
I’ll probably stay home in November.
Sara, GREAT POST! Head of the RNC…great idea
[applause]
😀
I particularly like Mitt Romney as the RNC Chair because I think (1) he’d be dynamite in the job, (2) he’ll raise a bucket full of much needed Repub. money, (3) he gets to ingratiate himself with the Party leaders and elites, (4) he’ll get lots of face time as the Party spokesperson, (5) it is terrific exposure over a 4 year period to both Party insiders and everyone else.
I do not want to lose this good and talented man. Let him do what he does the very best and at the same time establish his name and face recognition solidly and positively with Republican voters.
Sara: if Mitt was head of the RNC, he would have to take orders from McCain. Now, as much as today was about unity and the larger picture, I’m not sure Mitt is prepared to be McCain’s lap dog in the RNC.
Mitt is probably better doing things on his own and in his own way without having to take orders from McCain.
In the case of Paul and the Huckster, they are in too deep. In the case of McCain, he is about as inspirational as preserved pressure treated wood. Does anyone actually think that he will inspire one independent to actually vote FOR him? His problem is not conservatives, it’s with the center, and all the gooides are on the other side.
If Obama wins the Democrat nomination, game over for GOP.
Sadly, the GOP has learned nothing.
Are you out of your hucking mind?
Who do you think brought Big Mac back to life? Independents, and Reagan Democrats!
We now have a front runner who is willing to work with us that didnt agree with alot of things he did.
I’m going to take him at his word.
And it’s just time for Paul and Huckabee to call it a day!
Obama doesnt have the experience needed to be President, neither does Hillary.
McCain could beat them handily, oh how thier compaigns must be scrambling today!
Romney as RNC chairman, excellent choice. Since Sara thought of it before the rest of us, perhaps can be persuaded to chair the RNC. 🙂
Huck and RP needs to step aside. Huck has no leverage left with Romney out, and Paul has been out since the beginning. But, I don’t expect them to step aside anytime soon.
Sara as RNC chairwoman that is.
I don’t know why Huckacheese and Paulbot are still in the race for the republican ticket. they should have dropped out by now
LOL. I actually worked at the RNC for a short time during the Maureen Reagan years. It was very exciting back then.
To Mike: I’m not sure he’d be taking orders from the President. I think the RNC Chair’s job is to promote the party platform and raise money for all candidates and official Repub. positions. And in reality, the man in control of the purse strings usually is in a position to call the shots to a great degree. And the face time and national exposure for 4 years is a major plus.
We haven’t seen much out of the RNC lately, but it used to be that the RNC Chair was on TV nearly every night in years past.
Mitt had to give himself 35 million dollars? a good fund raiser? well, i guess you have to be a republican to do that math?
Sara: The RNC Chairman is typically handpicked by the President when the GOP holds the White House. The RNC has always been directed by the White House in terms of general strategy and direction.
I’m all for having a strong RNC Chair. But, I just don’t think Romney would want to be McCain’s lap dog.
Mike, I’m not trying to be argumentative, but I think you are wrong. The following is from the GOP website for the RNC. It is under Party Rules:
RULE NO. 5
Officers of the Republican National Committee
(a) The officers of the Republican National Committee shall consist of:
(1) A chairman and a co-chairman of the opposite sex who shall be elected by the members of the Republican National Committee. Except as otherwise ordered by a majority of the members of the Republican National Committee present and voting on the matter, the chairman and the co-chairman shall be full-time, paid employees of the Republican National Committee. The chairman shall be the chief executive officer of the Republican National Committee. The chairman or co-chairman may be removed from office only by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire Republican National Committee.
Sara: I have a little experience in this area as I was briefly in the White House Political Office during the Reagan Administration and a long follower of the comings and goings at the RNC.
Typically, the sitting President announces who his choice is and the entire RNC votes as a formality to confirm him. Have you ever heard of anyone campaigning for the job and winning?
Here’s President Bush announcing that he has asked Mark Racicot to be RNC Chair:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/12/20011205-5.html
In that release President Bush also thanks outgoing RNC Chair Gov. Jim Gilmore (VA) and alludes to the fact that he asked Gilmore to take the job.
You may recall that after the 2006 election many of us wanted to see defeated Maryland Senate Candidate Michael Steele named RNC Chair. President Bush picked Mel Martinez to replace his former re-election campaign manager and former WH Political Director Ken Mehlman:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/14/AR2006111400719.html
Does that help clear up any confusion?
Who do you think brought Big Mac back to life? Independents, and Reagan Democrats!
No, the media did the job. Though I grant you independent voters in the early open primaries played a critical role as well.
Mac was re-launched mostly due to the Bhutto assassination which highlighted his foreign policy credentials. He would lose Florida anyway, but the Crist endorsement, the effect of which is underestimated, coupled with being plugged into the Crist political machine made the difference, and the rest is obvious.
Mike: I’m not disagreeing with you on how or what of the usual way someone ends up at the RNC. I worked with Maureen Reagan during her time as RNC co-chair, and I was working with the transition team during the Bush 41 incoming admin. and when Lee Atwater was installed as RNC Chair. The job is more often than not a reward. But the rules make it clear that the RNC Chair answers to the full committee and not to the president, which wouldn’t make sense during times when the WH is in dem. hands. The job of the RNC is not to be a president’s lackey, the job is to raise money for the party and to get party Congresscritters elected and to work to elect Republicans nationwide. They work for the full party, not one individual within the party. They can be removed by the committee though if they make it clear that they do not support the president or vice president of the party.
The beauty of Romney is that he is NOT beholden to John McCain and he is in a position to make a deal for something he might want, assuming he would even want the job. And depending on what his future ambitions might be, the RNC is a great place to keep his name in the news in a positive way and get plenty of face time on TV for the next 4 years compared to being side-lined in the VP office. Does anyone really think McCain intends to have any relationship with a Veep anywhere near on the order that Bush has with Cheney? I think it will be more like JFK and Johnson, who barely spoke as I recall. And the last think McCain wants is a tall, good-looking robust guy standing next to him in pictures.
Michael Steele can have the VP slot, which would benefit McCain and Steele.
In Comment 20 Sara said: “Mike: I’m not disagreeing with you on how or what of the usual way someone ends up at the RNC.”
I am confused then. You said in comment 16: “Mike, I’m not trying to be argumentative, but I think you are wrong.”
Not only is the RNC Chairman the President’s pick, but the man in the job is also HIS man and prime defender.
I’ll stand by my first comment that Romeny would not want to be McCain’s lap dog.
I am not trying to be argumentative, but wrong is wrong. 3 members must nominate and then the candidate stand for election by the full committee. The president can put forth his/her choice and, granted, most times that choice is respected and gets the final votes needed, but there is no guarantee that other members won’t nominate their choices and an election fight can ensue.
Take this scenario:
President nominates his choice and that person is elected and serves as Chairman through the President’s term. Elections take place every other year, so he would have had to be relected to his chairmanship at least once during the 4 years. Elections are in January.
Now, the president’s man decides he is leaving to pursue other interests and the sitting president will be leaving office at the end of January and the incoming president is a democrat. If they did it your way, the new dem president would be appointing the RNC chairman. That wouldn’t happen. The process wouldn’t work that way. 3 Committee members would nominate their choice, 3 more might nominate another choice, etc. and then whoever got the vote would be the next RNC chair.
How in the world would a president have time for the minutia of what is going on in some district in say Hawaii. It isn’t that the White House doesn’t have a very active political staff paid to tune in to these things, but they don’t have dictatorial powers over the Party national committee’s primary job of raising money, formulating the party platform, and getting Republicans at all levels elected nationwide.
Yes, he loaned his campaign $35 mil. but his campaign also raised a total of over $90 mil. and more than any other Repub. candidate. You aren’t seriously suggesting Romney doesn’t know how to make money, are you? His name recognition was 3% when he started and he didn’t have the benefit of nonstop media coverage like McCain got, nor the benefit of free advertising throughout the So. Baptist church system. And most of the media he did get was negative anyway, either based on his religion or some other slam against him.
Anyway this is my last comment on this subject. I would point you to 1994 when Haley Barbour was RNC Chair and for the first time in 40 years the Repubs took over the House and added the Senate too. It certainly wasn’t at the bidding of the President, since that was Clinton. It was Haley Barbour and Newt Ginghrich who were calling the shots.
Sara: I thought I made it clear in comment #15 that when the GOP holds the White House the President selects the Chair of the RNC.
You might recall that Bill Clinton selected his DNC Chairs during that period. Terry McAwful being the most prominent.