Will it be Kerry vs. Romney in 2008?

[graywarrior]

A Rising Star, Out of the Blue
While rivals Frist and McCain fumed over the collapse of the immigration bill, Romney made solving thorny problems look easy.

By Jonathan Alter
Newsweek

April 17, 2006 issue - Smooth-faced Gov. Mitt Romney is trying to win the 2008 Republican presidential nomination from Massachusetts, one of the bluest states in the Union. In the Democratic Party, hailing from the other team's territory is considered an advantage, which is why Democratic Gov. Mark Warner of red Virginia will get a close look. But in the GOP, the betting for months was that Romney, for all of his charms, would not be able to flee "Taxachusetts" quickly enough for the conservative base—that his moderate record would seem liberal to the right-wingers who dominate the primaries. Even though he did surprisingly well in a recent Tennessee straw poll, Romney has been viewed as strictly second-tier.




http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12227764/site/newsweek/

:rofl:

[eleny]

1. Two New Englanders

Very interesting.

[Imagevision]

43. Will it be Feingold vs. Romney in 2008? nt

[WI_DEM]

2. I think he could be a major contender among the fundies who

control the primaries/caucuses in the GOP.

[Radical Activist]

33. No, he won't be because he's Mormon.

And most of them attend protestant churches where they're taught that Mormons are a non-Christian cult.

[snowbear]

42. One of the talking heads on CNN said something to that effect too..

That the Christians in the deep south would never go for Romney.

[Nimrod2005]

3. Could be the best thing for America -

I have a high opinion of Romney so far...

[Mass]

5. Are you joking? If not, you may want to learn about him.

If he is so great, why would he not be able to be reelected in a state who has elected 3 Republican governors in the last 16 years.

[snowbear]

11. Can you explain WHY you have such a high opinion of him?

Because he's a popular R in a blue state?

Governor Schweitzer of Montana, Governor Freudenthal of Wyoming, Governor Napolitano of Arizona, Governor Brad of Oklahoma, Governor Lynch of New Hampshire and Governor Manchin of West Virginia are all Democrats in red states with HIGHER approval ratings.

Because he mimicked Hillary Clinton's healthcare proposal that crashed and burned due to -0- support from a Republican House and Senate?

Or completely other reasons?

Thanks for explaining your comment!

[snowbear]

12. You can reply anytime Nimrod..

I'll check this post later and see what your list of reasons are.

[Radio_Guy]

31. Nearly 24 hours later

and still no reply from Nimrod.

[snowbear]

34. 48+ hours now... Nimrod is ignoring me...

Geez Nimrod.. I just asked you to explain your reasoning

I mean -- it's one thing to say that Romney may do well in the Republican field of candidates.. but to say that electing him is the--

"Best thing that could happen to America"

C'mon! We're just trying to see what your point on saying something like that was?

[Rockholm]

16. Romney is an ass.

[wisteria]

17. What? Are you feverish? Sick perhaps?

Please do some more research on this slimmy self serving, egotistical politician. Integrity isn't a word he even understands- Mormon or not.

[Mass]

4. Alter has a very flawed view of Romney.

May be it is time that people say the truth about this lousy healthcare bill. As if uninsured people wanted to be uninsured.

[saltpoint]

6. Romney may have to be taken more seriously than I'd like to take him,

but I'm not convinced the red-meat Right will go for him, plus fairly or not, his religion will be a disqualifying facotr for many GOP primary voters.

Cement-head Allen and the decidedly unstable Sam Brownback will finish strongly in the fundie camp, with McCain doing fairly well with "moderates."

It's possible, I guess. A brokered convention for this bunch of jackals would be kind of entertaining.

We have to be watchful that Haley Barbour does not become the logical emergent candidate. If the factions and delegates are not cleanly decided in spring of 08, Governor Barbour, I predict, will be a potent force in the party.

Kerry again for the Democrats? It could happen.

[Island Blue]

7. I think Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee

is who we have to watch out for. From what I've read, he's somewhat of a bat-shit-crazy fundie on the inside, while appearing perfectly normal and sane on the outside. I think the powers that be in the Republican Party are going to use John McCain for all he's worth, and then pull the rug out from under him at the last minute. As for Romney, I agree that the fundie-wing of the Republican Party will never go for him.

As for Kerry again? Hell yeah!

[saltpoint]

10. Hi, Island Blue. Whoops -- my fault -- I forgot to throw Huckabee in

there. And you're right -- he does fit that description perfectly!

And that's not good!

Even-tempered veneer and as you say, bat-shit crazy inside. I'd like to distribute his campaign posters with that phrase written on them!

[sandnsea]

20. Covenant Marriages

And buh bye Mike. I don't think America is ready for that yet.

But yeah, he does come off as a totally likeable guy.

[CTyankee]

40. PLEEZ folks, not another NE liberal senator!

Don't get me wrong, I love John Kerry and thought he would make a great president, as would Al Gore. But I sorrowfully must say that we've just had it with running NE liberals. The repubs wipe the floor with them. It's disgusting but sadly true.

The ONLY viable candidate for us now just must be Wes Clark. I think voters will see him as someone who can get us out of this mess in Iraq and still be strong. As for a veep candidate, yes, a governor, maybe Napolitano as it helps bring in the western states. South and west is where we have to go, folks (altho Manchin of WVA doesn't look bad).

[Totally Committed]

8. Mittens is a transplant and Kerry lives in Pennsylvania most ot the time..

Not really New Englanders, if you ask me....

TC

[graywarrior]

9. That should help Kerry, shouldn't it?

Transplant is a good description of Mitt.

[karynnj]

13. He seems to have many many events in MA

which are always posted on the Kerry group, sometimes with Teresa - He's obviously in DC a lot. Do you have a problem with him living with his wife? They have multiple residences.

[TayTay]

14. Gee, that's funny. I was under the impression

that Kerry was elected by the good people of Massachusetts 4 times to be a Senator. Perhaps something should be done to inform that natives of their ignorance in electing another Senator for Pennsylvania. Or maybe the good people of Mass do recognize a native and a 'wicked smaht' one at that and appreciate what they have.

[graywarrior]

15. LOL

[Totally Committed]

35. That's not what I meant....

I think his living with his wife is a good thing, and I helped get him elected those four times as Senator AND as Attorney General.

I meant, the what was stated in the OP wasn't as cut-and-dry as it seemed. If Kerry does live (admirably) with his wife in Penn. and Mitten is not from Mass., they aren't "New Englanders", really, are they?

You guys are so touchy about Kerry. He's doing well for himself lately.

TC

[beachmom]

37. Lt. Governor (not Attorney General)

I'm in the South myself, and every time Kerry opens his mouth he sounds like he comes from Massachusetts, not Pennsylvania. But that may just be me.

I know from reading his biography that Massachusetts was where he lived the longest as a child, with his father being a diplomat and them moving around and all. I think that after he came home from Vietnam, he lived in Massachusetts until 1984, when he was elected to the Senate. After that, there is the commute for the job to D.C. But with all of his traveling now, he's just all over the place, but his roots are firmly planted in Mass. JMO.

[Totally Committed]

38. That's true. He's does sound like he's from Mass...

Thanks for the correction, btw... I always get Lt. Gov. and Atty. General mixed up in my Senior Citizen mind.

TC

[karynnj]

39. They also have a very impressive Boston house

From the number of events he's done in Boston - it seems like he is there quite often. I honestly don't know the last time Lautenberg made an appearance in NJ - I really don't think he meets the people in NJ more than Kerry meets people in MA.

He clearly lives in many places, but I think he's a New Englander in all of them - not just Boston and Nantucket. Why do you think he spends more time in PA? - I've read the Kerry group stuff for over a year and I honestly can't tell you which of their places (other than DC) where he's spent the most time.

He even was a good citizen who spent time on jury duty.

[wisteria]

18. You mean Senator Kerry is actually my Senator? I am thrilled.

Thrilled, I say! But....what do we do with Specter or Santorum though?

[rpannier]

29. Keep satanorum and dump spectrum

Cuz satanorum is toast in November.

[WildEyedLiberal]

19. Hi, TC...

... Kerry does not live in PA. He is about as native New England as you can get. Your post isn't fair.

[Totally Committed]

41. Hi, Sweetie!

:hi:

TC

[Fabio]

26. kerry lives in pennsylvania most of the time?

Proof please/

[henslee]

21. Allen/Romney would be a scary ticket.

[RedTail Wolf]

22. Kerry can not win

He comes across as to aloof. Unless he could have a complete personality makeover he can't win. I voted for him , I'm a Democrat and will vote for the nominee, but had we had a candidate that could relate to the common man we would have won. Kerry ives in a lifestyles of the rich and famous world and does nothing to hide it. I don't think our part is served best by people who can't relate to common working people. Sorry just my opinion.

[karynnj]

23. Actually, there's plenty of proof that he is NOT aloof

but that this was another RW lie. He also did not grow up rich, though he was well connected. He actually worked unloading ships during some of the summer months when he was a student at Yale. I grew up the daughter of a working class man and I have absolutely no problem relating to Kerry. I do have a problem with Bush.

Even candidates who grew up poor or middle class likely have been part of the elite since college and law school. (Clinton and Edwards are examples.) I don't know why, but I have the impression that I can see where Kerry is coming from much more easily than I can either of these two people.

[MH1]

27. Heh heh heh

In 2000 there was concern that if Gore picked the "charismatic junior senator from Massachusetts" it would make him look worse in comparison...guess Gore totally avoided THAT problem by going with Lieberman.

It's funny how from 2000 to 2004 the media managed to morph Kerry from "charismatic" to "aloof." It would be hysterically funny, if it wasn't so tragic, that so many Dems fell for it.

btw I only needed to see one actual Kerry event in 2004 to know the media picture was totally crap. I have seen him since and further confirmed that he is quite charming, charismatic, and personable. Once again, the media image is crap.

It's not that Kerry needs a personality makeover, it's that the Dem Party needs a makeover in how they handle the media. And that will affect whatever candidate we nominate, unless perhaps we find another Bill Clinton who can just totally overwhelm the media picture (or perhaps the media just didn't have their game skills sharp yet in 1992). Personally I'd rather have a president with the politics of a Kerry or Feingold than the charisma of Bill Clinton. So I hope we get to work on that media problem and stop blaming our candidates for features that the republicans somehow manage to win with in theirs.

[adriennui]

45. i like aloof

i don't want to be friends with the president of the US. i want someone who is capable and intelligent.

[mrgorth]

24. No

Neither will make it out of their primaries. Romney, in particular, will get eviscerated.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

30. Agree. n/t

[tjdee]

25. If that's the case, for the first time I may stay home.

No, actually I'd go and vote for John "I concede at lightning speed!" Kerry, AGAIN.

That's sad. I hope it doesn't come to that. I'm all for John Kerry if he actually does some leading and winning, but otherwise I'd prefer someone else.

[beachmom]

36. So what was your reaction to Berlesconi's whiny refusal to concede?

He was down by fewer votes than Kerry in a smaller country; yet he still came across as a sore loser going on and on about "election fraud and irregularities". Maybe here in DUland you can get away with this "concede at lightening speed" Kerry remark, but in the real world, he was left with no other choice. Despite nonstop rumblings of election fraud, I have seen nothing that has convinced me that such a case could be proven, either in a court of law or in a court of public opinion (especially considering our media situation). Most people don't even know that there are Democrats talking about election fraud in Ohio. A Kerry refusal to concede in Nov. 2004 (with troops already beginning the Battle of Fallujah) would have seriously damaged the Democratic party for years to come, and would have made Kerry look like an anti-democratic sore loser not respecting the election process.

I'm not saying that funny shenanigans didn't happen in Ohio. Most certainly, some did. But you have to prove that a) they happened and b) it was affecting over 60,000 votes. I don't think that will ever be possible.

[rpannier]

28. No Romney's a loser

He won't be able to successfully appeal to the base.

[Radio_Guy]

32. I'm not sure Kerry will get the nomination

I hope I am wrong, but I'll lay money that Hillary will get the nomination. If not, she will be one of the last two.

[Imagevision]

44. I agree, one must take a long hard look at kerry and Feingold

Russ seems to be out there earning a nomination consideration at the least.