It should be quite interesting to see what happens in Michigan today. Will hating college, gays and women’s rights beat hating unions, economic fairness and honesty?
We will soon find out as Santorum and Romney try to cross the finish line first in this race to the bottom. If Santorum wins, he could gain a lot of momentum going into Super Tuesday next week. If Romney loses or wins by a small margin, his entire candidacy could be mortally wounded.
Please join us tonight for a live blog of the primary returns in Michigan and Arizona. The polls close at 6:00 pm PST/9:00 pm EST but this thread is open now for any and all discussions about Romney, Santorum and the GOP primary.
Personally, I’ve already bought my “Santorum/Exorcist 2012” campaign button.
This quote by Erick Erickson on RedState shows the conservative bases contempt for Romney.
http://www.redstate.com/erick/2012/02/29/three-percent/
I dislike Erickson quite a bit but this column could have been written by a moderate or Progressive…because it is the truth.
Amazing how selective people on the Right are about seeing the truth, only about people they don’t like.
The funniest thing is reading some of the comments. While it seems over half agree, you still have delusional people on the right that see Romney or their non-Romney candidate can the GE even if the economy gets better.
It still amazes me how Romney cannot adjust and still is doing everything wrong. He’s still running the inevitably and electability campaign in the GOP. The most ironic part is all his challengers are using the not-Romney strategy and it will probably fail. But Romney appears he’s gonna stick with his not-Obama campaign into the general. He still has made no case for himself or shown a glimmer of a vision for the country. But I guess that’s because he’s a rigid vulture capitalist and you know you can’t question the boss.
Delusion isn’t required to be Republican but it helps. Anyone who would support Santorum or Gingrich in the first place is too ignorant to recognize realities like neither being able to truly compete in a national election.
Romney can’t escape who he is or his lack of a core. That’s who and what he is. I see him as a shallow, greedy man coated in teflon, no matter how his campaign tries to cover him up in a facade that would appeal to people, it just slides right off of him.
I do think that once the GE has begun, all the Kochs’ horses and all the Kochs’ men will put Mitt Dumpty back together again into a shape that looks like he has substance and an agenda but Obama will easily push him off that wall and his facade will once again shatter into pieces…to reveal the out of touch, greedy opportunist he is.
I saw where Romney’s ‘win’ in MI was actually a tie when it came to delegates.
I watched less than an hour of MSNBC coverage last night figured Mittens would win both states and then played video games. I’m at the point now that I hope this clown show ends.
It seems like Santorum gave another raw meat right wing speech and Romney bored the shyte out of everyone, again. The ironic part is the GOP base is probably more done with the process than I am.
KQ, I think you’re absolutely right about that, the GOP’s declining turnout numbers seem to reflect that the rank and file are only more turned off as the primary continues.
And I do think, despite the meme that Repubs are frothing at the mouth to get rid of Obama, we will see a depressed GOP turnout in Nov from what was expected just a few months ago.
Santorum lost the Catholic vote in MI! That just strikes me as hilarious.
http://www.cbsnews.com/primary-election-results-2012/exit.shtml?state=MI&race=P&jurisdiction=0&party=R&tag=resultsR;exitPollsR
So people who voted in MI for Mittens do not care about moral character if the person can beat Obama. Mittens lost big on that one. Only 17% in Romney’s column deemed character important, even Paul beat Romney on that one. Also more people think(still) that Santorum has a better chance of beating President.
I doubt that anyone here is actually surprised that GOP voters don’t truly care about moral character. If they did, they’d have no one to vote for.
That is pretty funny. I can understand why, for sure. Santorum is just too extreme for the most devout Catholics. He distorts the churches views in such a radical way, that the majority of Catholics most likely see him as harmful to the church. And his stupid remarks about JFK didn’t help him, one bit.
Every group has its lunatics who have the gall to think they speak for everyone in that group. 98% of Catholic women (and men indirectly) use or have used contraception.
So Santorum’s views are unsupported by 98% of Catholic women, he knows that yet he charges full speed ahead on this as an opportunist, because he thinks the majority of Baggers, who are his base in the GOP, agree.
Just another reason why Santorum is seen by a majority of Americans as unfit to be President…and a reason that I would be pleased for him to be the GOP candidate.
I guess Obama’s Presidency can now be attacked by Santorum for damaging hopes for the Apocalypse:
http://news.yahoo.com/wyoming-narrowly-defeats-measure-prepare-apocalypse-013100302.html
I have decided to endorse Newt Gingrich for the GOP nominee. I will be throwing my considerable influence among the local GOP in the upcoming caucus on Saturday. And we have fun caucuses in this state.
I’ll let you know how it goes afterward. I’m almost vibrating with excitement!! 🙂
How cool! Would you consider writing an article about your experience in that caucus? Fascinated to hear about it from the inside.
Santorum’s salutatorian speech was perfect. Empty, slogan-y, emotional, combative, and historically inaccurate.
But the best part was when he says its time for “supply-side economics for the working guy”. That, in all seriousness is a genius line.
How does he describe “supply-side economics for the working guy”?
A) Cut the corporate tax rate to 0%
B) Elminate federal funding and running of SS, Medicare, Medicaid and throw them to the states
C) Eliminate the health care the working guy with a pre-existing condition just got.
D) Frack the shit out of everything.
Throw a powered wig and a waistcoat on that pig and you’ve got a winner!!
It really is bewildering how ignorant the GOP voters are. Wish I was selling snake oil to them, I’d make a fortune!
“Now this may look to you like an ordinary rock but it is in fact a tiny meteorite that landed here on Earth from a magical planet at the edge of our galaxy! When you pay me $100 for it and hold the rock in your hand, twice as much money will come back to you by the following week, my hand to God! Now who wants to buy this Magical Money Rock? You people with the Tea Bags hanging from your hats! I thought so! You’ll never regret it!”
Ad, I’m thinking a “Stars and Stripes Fetus” lapel pin.
Seriously in my more darkly cynical moments I think that would be a big seller.
Just put a gun in the fetus’ hand and I think you’ve got something there!
I didn’t even think of that. Genius! Need a job?
Don’t know, I’m pretty busy right now creating stars and stripes fetuses-holding-guns pins, what did you have in mind?
Romney’s victory speech was a robotic laundry list of fantasy promises and lies about Obama. That’s a recipe for victory in a GE?
And consider that he only won by 3% in his home state over a total loon!!! And he only got 41%? Most candidates get over 50% in their home states but Romney couldn’t even manage that.
When you simply look at Romney’s high negatives against Obama’s high positives, people simply don’t like Romney and they like Obama.
Add to that, the depressed GOP turnout is very important to note. Romney is winning in an environment of discouragement and voting out of default rather than enthusiasm.
We still have to work hard to fend off the massive amounts of money that will be spent to buy this election but I only grow more confident about Obama’s prospects as the GOP primary goes on.
Ad, did you expect something non-robotic? 🙂 One thing I thought was interesting is the Democratic turnout this time around was 10%. Nearly all of them voted for Santorum.
Turnout of Dems in the GOP primary? 17%. Nearly all of them voted for McCain.
Romney can’t even inspire Dems to turnout to vote against him!!
Romney’s speech was trashed on MSNBC and they didn’t even point out all the magical thinking and lies, just the fact that Romney was uninspiring.
Most of the things Romney promised aren’t even things a President can do!
“I’ll lower gas prices, make it rain Coca Cola and turn your homes into mansions! Just elect me!”
EXCLUSIVE: VIDEO OF RICK SANTORUM WITH AN AIDE AFTER DELIVERING HIS CONCESSION SPEECH!
Man, I need to watch that movie again. How incredibly apropos. That guy is a Bagger!
Heh! I was kind of enraptured by the clip when I watched it.
Seeing insane people with power is both absurd and frightening, that dichotomy is what Dr. Strangelove is all about.
I’m going to put it on my watch list too!
Turnout is light in Michigan
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120228/POLITICS01/202280374/1361/Turnout-appears-light-in-state%C3%ADs-GOP-primary
GOPers have already given up — they have a choice between Dr. Bland and Crazy Crew, so most stayed home.
They were expecting a million or more and looks like they fell short.
Just to quote from the article:
Romney has won AZ and MI but the damage to him and the GOP has been done. The Dems and Obama couldn’t have imagined a better prelude to the GOP if they had hired the screenwriter of The Artist.
Poor widdo GOPers. 😥
Hello All….just checking in.
I have wavered back and forth this week regarding who I want to win. For a while it came down to my wanting the nation to wrestle over the Santorum vs. Obama vision for America, the Tea Party vs. the Centrist Progressive ideals. I wanted Santorum to win in Michigan and go on to win the nomination. If Romney won the nomination and then lost to Obama the folks on the right would say it was because the GOP had not gone far enough to the right. Nothing would be settled.
But….I shifted and am happy that Romney won tonight.
Why?
Santorum is the kind of person who could reignite the Tea Party bonfires. He is the kind of person who could create the kind of campaign that resurfaces all of the worst elements of those anti health care reform rallies. His would be the kind of campaign that whether he wins or loses would leave the country even more divided.
AND, most importantly, if he were the nominee he might win. If he did, we would have a ultra conservative theocrat in the Oval Office. He would be a stronger debater against Obama because he is more glib and more emotional than Romney. He just might win and that would be the worst outcome of all.
So, congrats…Mitt.
Then it’s a pity that these Dems didn’t think of that before they started this. Not that he’s actually winning there as reported by CNN below.
Democrats launch pro-Santorum campaign for Michigan primary
Republican social conservative Rick Santorum could see an uptick in support during Tuesday’s presidential primary in Michigan from an unlikely voting bloc: hardcore Democrats.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-election/9110225/Democrats-launch-pro-Santorum-campaign-for-Michigan-primary.html
Just in:
CNN projects Mitt Romney will win the popular vote in the Michigan primary, but the delegate count is still too close to call, based on exit polls.
Rick Santorum is battling Romney for a share of the 30 delegates in the state, which awards them proportionately.
Romney was born in Detroit and his father was a governor of Michigan, and a victory there was seen as critical.
Earlier in the evening, CNN projected Romney would also win the Arizona primary and its 29 delegates.
Hi there….
The Dems voting for Santorum is a Santorum initiative — robocalls that sound Dem but end with a tag that the call is paid for by the Santorum campaign and they have readily admitted it. Romney was so concerned about this that he was putting forth the narrative that if he lost tonight it would have been because of the Santorum effort to draw in Dems. Now he doesn’t have to use that story.
Thanks for explaining. I thought it was a rather silly thing to be doing when I first heard about, and why make it so public if it was in fact legit. So now I know it was just another scam, they just love to play dirty games. Cheers.
Romney screamed about it but then video from his days in Mass came out where he told an interviewer he often votes Dem so he could vote for the weakest Dem. Nice.
I’m not as concerned about Santorum having a chance of winning the GE if he won MI and more.
Why I like Romney winning is that:
1. It will anger Baggers and drain their enthusiasm for the GE.
2. When Romney loses to Obama, Baggers will howl, “We told you so!” and either destroy the GOP in a civil war or tear it apart by cleaving away and taking out GOP Elites in primaries or as a third party.
Romney is “severely” damaged and exposed now, he has swerved so far right, when he flip flops to the middle in the GE it will cement the image of him as a man of no core and only avarice.
Just watching Romney’s victory speech….more of the same…. I agree with both of your points re. Romney being nominated and losing. Pretty much my point regarding the push further to the right which trigger that civil war you mention. Romney is, in the long run, weaker than Santorum, and will be more destructive to the contemporary GOP.
I think both Santorum and Romney are weak candidates. Santorum does have a passion that activates the Baggers though. Romney has no charisma and inspires no one.
In the end, I think it’s quite competitive on which is the weakest. Both have alienated such huge swaths of voters in chasing after the hard RW vote in the GOP, they are both terribly damaged.
I agree, Murph. Mitt is shallow and empty but not as scary as Santorum or the others.
Shallow and empty is better. I agree.
From what I can see, there is actually no distinction between your sets of questions. They emphasize different things – but they are actually two sides of the same coin. Confederate guilders, if I have that right…
Nailed it!
“Mitt Romney will win the Arizona Republican primary and its 29 delegates, CNN projects based on exit polls.
All polls are now closed in Arizona and Michigan, where another GOP primary occurred today.
Romney, who is also locked in a close battle with Rick Santorum in Michigan, is 1,983 votes ahead of Santorum in that state, with 17% reporting”.
What will discerning voters in Michigan and Arizona do?
Which candidate has the best imaginary solutions to our most pressing make-believe problems? Only only of them can take us back to a time that never existed and bring back an America that never was.
Onward to the past!
Upward to the depths!
Personally my money is on Romney. Santorum is the GOP’s drunk-dial, soon they’ll get back in line and back to their loveless marriage to the pre-selected candidate.
Funk – Love the metaphor of the drunk-dial, really describes the situation and the results bore out your prediction.
Many in the GOP may indeed go home with the least ugliest drunk in the bar at closing time but the swing voters aren’t wearing beer goggles.
Let’s see how many goose stepping goppers turn out for this latest debacle. Even if only a couple of these fools vote, there will be a “winner” and a “loser” unless, of course, it’s a tie.
Turns out you were quite right, Escribacat posted a link above, turnout was dismal in MI. The GOP is succeeding in reducing interest and enthusiasm in its party and candidates as the primaries go on.
Being elected the captain of the Titanic is quite an amusing contest, indeed.