2012 republican presidential nominee IV: NEEDS MORE BOOING

Initiate lockdown.

Romney's 2009 USA Today op-ed in which he encouraged Obama to pass something very much like the individual mandate that he now disowns:

Our experience also demonstrates that getting every citizen insured doesn't have to break the bank. First, we established incentives for those who were uninsured to buy insurance. Using tax penalties, as we did, or tax credits, as others have proposed, encourages "free riders" to take responsibility for themselves rather than pass their medical costs on to others. This doesn't cost the government a single dollar.

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20090730/column30_st.art.htm

it makes absolutely no sense to compare this to kerry 2004. there's a big difference between 'everybody else lost' and 'romney won' even though the end result is the same.

I want to frame that New Yorker cover.

Best cover since the Blitt terrorist fistbump.

But Norquist has forgiven Romney for the 2009 "mandate" op-ed:

Anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist said Monday that Mitt Romney made a "mistake" in advocating the individual mandate as part of the president's healthcare reform law, but that he was encouraged that the Republican front-runner had shifted "in favor of liberty" and now opposes the requirement.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/214077-norquist-romney-made-a-mistake-in-pushing-individual-mandate

xps: i think the point is to put this primary contest well within recent historical norms, and mark out the 08 republican primary as a real outlier

all polling showing romneys gonna deliver the knockout punch 2moro :/

Jonathon Bernstein is almost certainly correct that the anti-Mitt forces aren't organized enough to stop his getting the nomination, and the nomination is all that matters in the end. What is fascinating to me is the visceral strength of the anti-Mitt emotions among Republicans, and the fact that Mitt (I think) has yet to crack 50% of the vote anywhere, including Michigan. To me, this smells like a sizable chunk of the Republican base sitting on its hands in the general election.

I think the problem is the gop today can't operate as a 'party' in the same manner as previous elections. there was something different about this election - the 15-different frontrunners pattern was abnormal. romney didn't end up w/ this because of party support - he's still not got that much considering how far into the game we are. he ended up w/ this because none of the other candidates were remotely credible as national figures. that is also not normal.

idk. they (and lots of LOTS of white moderates) really, really hate this Obama dude.

xpost

but it is probably the new normal. xp

all polling showing romneys gonna deliver the knockout punch 2moro :/

the gaggle of newt lovers in georgia is really bummed about this btw

If Newt edges Mitt (I love these names, btw) in Georgia, then Newt'll announce himself as still viable and continue his crusade for Newtthink.

Gingrich is going to do more than barely edge out Mitt in Georgia: http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/03/split-decision-for-super-tuesday.html

In Georgia Gingrich leads with 47% to 24% for Romney, 19% for Santorum, and 8% for Paul.

its his home state therefor doe not matter

Newt determines what matters, not what the mainstream liberal media tells you matters. Everyone knows that!

o right my bad

Anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist said Monday that Mitt Romney made a "mistake" in advocating the individual mandate as part of the president's healthcare reform law, but that he was encouraged that the Republican front-runner had shifted "in favor of liberty" and now opposes the requirement.

Did anyone listen to the episode of This American Life with Norquist this weekend? It was very depressing.

did it turn out he was a happy and well-adjusted person with a keen sense of life's limitations and ironies?

I have it in my head that Grover Norquist sleeps with a giant Planter's Mr. Peanut statue next to his bed, but I have been unable to corroborate this tidbit for years and have no idea where I first heard it

he uses a giant tub of goldfish snacks as a side table iirc

Meanwhile, in the world of photos are just what they are:

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff200/baseball_crank/Blog/George-Bush-and-Mitt-Romney-460x307.jpg

Mitt Romney Inhales George H. W. Bush's Soul

its just a thing mormons do everybody be cool

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kRBTLr-TZ68/TCleFog14zI/AAAAAAAAQik/8TaJXnVS928/s1600/PDVD_020.BMP

HW tells romney how the rest of the "there once was a man from nantucket" limerick goes

haha that is the liveliest, most human picture of Mitt I've ever seen

"That, uh, dog thing on the roof--looks bad, not prudent."
"It must have been super-keen being president!"

https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23conservativepoliticalcartoons

are these supposed to be parodies of cartoons or sincere suggestions?

Best hash tag ever?

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/520957/MITT-ROMNEY-OR-MR-BURNS.jpg

Perfect.

Grover Norquist on daily show last week was A+ (might have been an old interview)

New Yorker cover FTW

NBC Nightly News story on the current polls tonight asserted that infighting was the big factor on their bad numbers, as though they all haven't damaged themselves in the campaign.

A win is a win is a win. Except when it's a partial win, or a predictable win, or an empty win. Or something.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2012/03/the_definition_of_a_winner_has_become_elusive_in_this_year_s_republican_primary_.html

or a shootout win

Now that you mention it, maybe they need Bill James to sort out cheap wins (Romney tomorrow in Virginia) from tough losses (Santorum in Michigan).

love isnt top 5 but hes best at his position imho

oops rong thread

Not necessarily--that's a pretty good description of Romney.

gp re gop playing w/fire on contraception http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2012/03/the_wobbly_top.php

Greenwald’s penchant for telling bold truths that the corrupted partisans are too blind to see, in a manner that in no way is sanctimonious, is an inspiring example for us all.

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/03/ny-times-symposium-beats-straw-man-mercilessly.html

lol burn

the overt burn in the next sentence was harsher

But he does tend to struggle with other aspects of his job, such as reading comprehension.

Damned bearded socialist:

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/522670/thumbs/s-SANTORUM-large.jpg

Obviously persecuted for his conservative chugging abilities

She explained the Rooster technique: "You just open your throat."