The 2012 Election

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awip2062
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The 2012 Election

Post by awip2062 »

From CNN:
Romney picked as 2012 GOP front-runner
Conservative activists on Saturday named former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney the winner of a poll for best 2012 GOP presidential candidate.

The poll marked the third consecutive year Romney came out on top.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal placed second in the annual poll, conducted at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Romney received 20 percent of the vote and Jindal got 14 percent.

Close behind were Texas Rep. Ron Paul and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who each received 13 percent of the vote.

The results were culled over two days from 1,757 of the party activists who came to Washington for the annual conference and filled out ballots on Thursday and Friday. Nearly 60 percent of the straw poll participants were between the ages of 18 and 25. More than half of the conference attendees this year were college students.

The choices in the poll were: Florida Gov. Charlie Crist; former House speaker Newt Gingrich; former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee; Jindal; Paul; Palin; Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty; Romney; South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, and "Undecided." There was also space on the ballot for a write-in candidate.

The results could go a long way in shoring up a presidential hopeful's conservative resume, as was the case with Romney when he won the straw poll in 2007 for 2008.

The eventual Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain, finished fifth in the 2007 vote, and lost to Romney in 2008 as conservatives at the conference expressed frustration that the Senate maverick was close to cinching up the nomination.

In criticizing Obama and House Democrats in a speech Friday, Romney -- often interrupted by standing ovations -- made clear that he intends to remain a player in Republican politics as he eyes a potential presidential bid in 2012.

CPAC attendees also were able to vote on their approval of President Obama and Republicans in Congress.

Only 4 percent said they approve of the job Obama is doing.

CPAC ended Saturday with radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh delivering the keynote address.

Limbaugh called on conservatives to take the country back.

"I want to tell you who conservatives are. We conservatives have not done a good enough job of just laying out basically who we are because we make the mistake of assuming that people know," he said.

"We love people. When we look out over the United States of America, when we're anywhere, when we see a group of people such as this or anywhere, we see Americans."

In order to take the country back, Limbaugh said, "All we need is to nominate the right candidate. It's no more complicated than that."

Limbaugh praised Obama as one of the most gifted politicans he has seen, but said, "It just breaks my heart that he does not use these extraordinary talents and gifts to motivate and inspire the American people to be the best they can be. He's doing just the opposite."

Limbaugh accused Obama of wanting people to be in fear instead of motivating the country.

In the absence of a clear GOP leader, a political ad airing Friday put out by supporters of Obama implies the conservative radio host has himself become the de facto head of the Republican Party.

The ad argues that the Republican leadership in Congress is following Limbaugh's lead in opposing the Obama administration's $787 billion stimulus package.

"So who are Republican leaders listening to?," the announcer asks before the 30-second ad cuts abruptly to footage of Limbaugh saying, "I want him [Obama] to fail."

It was paid for by Americans United for Change and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union, two groups that supported Obama during the election and are advocating for his agenda.

In response to the ad, the Republican National Committee said, "The Democrats are running a permanent campaign rather than doing the bipartisan work of governing." Read about the new ad

"These ads are part of the Democrats' larger strategy to do something, anything, to try to take the focus off their massive spending binge," RNC spokesman Alex Conant said.

Meanwhile, throughout the conference, other Republican leaders and rising stars took turns at the podium.

Pawlenty told the conference audience Saturday that Republicans must do a better job of reaching out to working-class voters, a group he said agrees with the GOP on most issues, from gun rights to health care to education.

The problem, Pawlenty said, is that lower and middle income voters -- a group he terms "Sam's Club voters" -- don't believe Republicans "are for the working person."

He said the party must stress its commitment to job creation and market itself "with a feel and concern and tone and an understanding of the importance and the challenges of the working class of this country.

"And it doesn't mean we have to sacrifice our principles to do it," Pawlenty said.

Like most of the Republicans who have addressed the annual gathering of conservatives this week, Pawlenty characterized the White House economy recovery package as a "sprawling spending buffet."

The governor bemoaned the president's budget plan, unveiled earlier this week, which predicted a $1.75 trillion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year.

"A day or two later the Democrats convened a fiscal responsibility summit," he said. "What's next? Are they going to have Rod Blagojevich convene an ethics summit?"

Pawlenty and his wife Mary also spoke Friday night to a closed-door reception for "Rebuild the Party," a Web-based grassroots initiative to modernize the party.

On Friday, Romney and Gingrich packed the ballroom.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul also drew a big crowd and lots of applause. Paul said the conservative movement has struggled to define what it means to be a conservative.
A few thoughts:
(1)Romney rocks! \m/ I'd vote for him in a heartbeat and wished he was running last November.

(2) UGH! We just finished with the elections and now the garbage is starting again! The RNC can say "The Democrats are running a permanent campaign rather than doing the bipartisan work of governing," but come on, so are they.

(3) If Rush Limbaugh is the de facto leader of the Republican party, wow, he did a great job getting the Republican leaders to do what he thought was right. Better than ever before. He has never previously gotten all but three of the House and Senate Republicans to vote the way he thought they should vote! Something tells me they didn't vote the way they did because of Rush, though.

(4) The DNC took this out of context: "So who are Republican leaders listening to?," the announcer asks before the 30-second ad cuts abruptly to footage of Limbaugh saying, "I want him [Obama] to fail."
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Walkinghairball
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Post by Walkinghairball »

I don't like Limbaugh.


Sayin.
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Post by zepboy »

I appreciate Limbaugh's ability to see through the garbage and flush the meat of the matter to the surface.

I don't like the way he speaks about people, the name calling, etc.

I listen sometimes for the substance, but often cringe at the delivery.

I wish he could tone down the personal attacks a bit.
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Post by awip2062 »

I think Limbaugh makes conservatives look like angry, even bitter, condescending, mean-spirited people too often. The name calling and negativism are why I don't regularly play him in the home.
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Post by Walkinghairball »

zepboy wrote:I don't like the way he speaks about people, the name calling, etc. I wish he could tone down the personal attacks a bit.
awip2062 wrote:I think Limbaugh makes conservatives look like angry, even bitter, condescending, mean-spirited people too often.

I agree.
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Post by Big Blue Owl »

Some people love him, though.
And I find that the most bewildering aspect of this fact is that among those that say they love him are good-hearted, honest-to-goodness people of a kind and generous faith who would seemingly do anything to help others and rarely speak a discouraging word.
God bless America.
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Post by awip2062 »

Any thoughts on the article apart from Limbaugh?
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Post by Big Blue Owl »

One thing that kinda gets to me about the folks that spoke at CPAC is the snide, "mean-spirited" approach to the left, their ideas and the people within. Limbaugh saying that he only saw racism in the Dem campaign, Pawlenty with his fiscal responsibility comments, etc. All grasping at straws for the most clever insult. So desperate.
And as for 4% of the attendees supporting Obama; That is surprising that the number is that high at a right-wing hot air fest. Of course we all know that to the country as a whole, he has a 67% approval rating presently. He's doin' alright.

Best wishes and good luck to the Republickers in getting their party rebuilt.
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Post by Sir Myghin »

Big Blue Owl wrote: And as for 4% of the attendees supporting Obama; That is surprising that the number is that high at a right-wing hot air fest. Of course we all know that to the country as a whole, he has a 67% approval rating presently. He's doin' alright.

Best wishes and good luck to the Republickers in getting their party rebuilt.
Politics is all a hot air fes,t doesn't matter whose talking :razz:
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Post by Big Blue Owl »

You've got that right, Mygh.

One other thing that just seemed like a lie was the statement by a few speakers that the left is using fear to forward their agenda. What a hoot! As though every other word from Bush, McCain, Palin and all other high profile rightsters for that last 8 years wasn't "911", "911", "911", "911", "911!" :lol:
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Post by awip2062 »

I see both sides as using fear, sadly.
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Post by Big Blue Owl »

I can understand how that might be the perception, and may be true about some, but could it be possible that fear, in the case of Obama, is plain, blatant, forthcoming truth about the state of the country and its economy? That is scary and is a clear fact. It is what he has to wake up to as his number one challenge every day, and one, alas, that he must bear in spite of not having the backing of the entire nation. Again, I'm thankful to him for taking on the top job, now the dirtiest job. I admire, but don't envy him.
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Post by awip2062 »

I didn't have any particular one person from either side in mind, but let's look at Obama, sure.

Is it possible what he is saying that is causing fear is true? I'll give you the possibility. I disagree with him; I don't think it is, but he could be right.
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Post by Big Blue Owl »

The family two doors down from me who are packing their worldly goods to vacate their home of 9 years would say that the fears are very much true. The cow on the blackberry next office over from mine, with assistance from the government (you and me) and subsidized housing, an SUV and a 60 in. flat screen thinks it is going great.

I'm just in the middle hoping the whole mess doesn't collapse around us.

2012? Obama. Romney for vice president. :-)
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Post by awip2062 »

Of course the one on assistance with the nice TV thinks it is going great. Government is getting bigger and giving more handouts.

As for the neighbors losing their home, that really stinks. But, although I do see things are not going well for many companies and individuals right now, I don't think the sky is falling down around us as so many people are yelling right now. I do believe that we can make it happen, though, through poor economic choices.
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