BEAUFORT, S.C. — Mitt Romney has spent days defending himself against accusations that he was a job-killing vulture capitalist.
It is a line of attack that has delighted the White House, looking 10 months out to the general election.
But in the particular world of a South Carolina Republican primary, this criticism may turn out to be something of a gift for Mr. Romney. In a state that poses a crucial test of his ability to persuade religious, cultural and economic conservatives that he is truly one of them, he has so far been spared a piercing inquisition about his shifting positions over the years on abortion, gay rights and health care mandates — somewhat to the frustration of his opponents.
“I don’t know why they continue to pound on it,” said Rick Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator, conceding in an interview here that he had grown frustrated with the focus on Mr. Romney’s business dealings rather than his evolving views on social issues. “We can’t be distracted from finding a candidate who can draw a clear contrast on the big issues of the day.”
The debate over Mr. Romney’s time buying and selling companies at Bain Capital, which touched off a fierce Republican defense of the merits of American capitalism, has rallied some influential conservative leaders to his side for the first time in the campaign.
The diversion has been a welcome distraction for Mr. Romney from other concerns that are still on the minds of some Republicans here in South Carolina ahead of its primary on Saturday.
At a crowded rally on Hilton Head Island, a woman rose to her feet on Friday evening and said: “Do you believe in the divine saving grace of Jesus Christ?”
“Yes, I do,” said Mr. Romney, a Mormon. “I happen to believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and my savior, but I know other people have differing views, and I respect those views and don’t believe those qualify or disqualify people for leadership in our nation.”
The airwaves here have been dominated by criticism from Newt Gingrich, a former House speaker, who accused Mr. Romney of “looting” companies, and from Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, who suggested that Mr. Romney engaged in “vulture capitalism.” His advisers believe that this criticism could help inoculate him against similar Democratic-led attacks if he becomes the Republican nominee, since the story of Bain Capital could be well-worn by then.
In defense of vultures, they generally don’t do anything that brings about the death of their intended dinner.
The South Carolina TEA parties have endorsed Ron Paul. The evangelicals have endorsed Rick Santorum. The establishment is pushing Romney. And here I thought Obama was a sure loser.
Guess I better start figuring out how to get what little money I have left out of the country. I hear Chile is nice.
Or on second thought, maybe we can just get Texas to secede after all.
huh? The Exorcist reporting of the press and the movement…
Back in September, they were supposedly endorsing Romney when TP fave, Curtis Loftis endorsed him. One guy is “the Tea Party”???
But I don’t see any “Tea Party” endorsement for Ron Paul. What I did see is that Sen. Tom Davis endorsed Paul. So he speaks for the grassroots in it’s entirety now? I’m sure that Loftis will be crushed… LOL BTW, the link I provided about the “pivotal endorsement”? Paid for by the Ron Paul campaign. Must be another one of those vague truths-according-to-Ron-Paul that if 700-1000 in the military industry gave him donations, “the military” and the soldiers are supporting Ron Paul.
This guy is one sleaze bag…
Of course that Ron Paul thinks Davis speaks for all may come to a surprise to the 23,000 Tea Party Patriots who didn’t give RP such a great showing in the conference straw poll less than a month ago… you know, the one RP refused to participate in? And just five or six days ago, the other Tea Party… Kremer’s Tea Party Express… said that the people she thinks she speaks for (ha… like there is one voice for a grassroots movement… hence why it’s “grassroots”…) were bouncing between Perry and Gingrich. They’ve been saying for a week they’d endorse before the SC primary takes place… but nothing from them. Just Davis.
Then there’s the other SC Tea Party darling, Gov Nikki Haley… who endorsed Romney. Oh what to do, what to do… will those mindless TPers follow Haley or Davis and their endorsements? [end sarcasm]
Grassroots have their own minds, and they owe allegiance to only their own conscience. They will vote for whomever they please, regardless of Haley and Davis.
I have never understood why anyone claims to have the Tea Party endorsement. Anyone can say they are a member of the Tea Party. Their is no official organization that I know of. I belong to a few just like many others. What seems to be happening now is that you have people creating “Tea Party” groups who are just doing so to use the name so a candidate can say “See! The Tea Party loves me!” Its a joke.
@MataHarley: I just read the headline…SC TEA Party endorses Ron Paul. Sorry for the confusion but after South Carolina Senator Demint’s comment about the Republicans better start listening to Ron Paul I just assumed that there was something to the headline. (Ass u me).
This election is getting so depressing after I had such high hopes! Comment above was really made more in jest.
Thank you for all your awesome and always well documented/researched comments. I always learn a lot.
Yes, Tercel… that’s exactly what Ron Paul wants voters to think.. that the Tea Party has jumped aboard his dinghy. Just like he wants voters to believe that his military donations is a poll that proves the military supports him over all others. It’s sleazy campaigning. The more I see of Dr. Paul personally, his temper and impatience, and how he and his staff field questions and heat, the less I like him for any thing. The respect I used to have for his fiscal issues has all but melted away.
But then, in truth, most campaigning is sleazy. Generally they let the superpacs take on the ugliest approaches.
BTW, I had to laugh when I saw Santorum demand that Romney reign in his superpac and tell them to stop running ads against Santorum. Is this guy so dumb that he doesn’t know the candidates are forbidden to direct superpac activities??
But I find the media also that stupid. When Romney’s superpac assailed Newt in SC, Romney was left untouched… as he should be. But when Newt’s superpac returned fire, they placed the onus of the superpac activity on Newt. Dual standard much?
PS: BTW, DeMint has refused to endorse any one in the primaries….does that give you a hint that maybe he’s not so enthralled with the selection as well?