tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post2701715118642590300..comments2024-03-29T10:06:40.313-05:00Comments on Althouse: 78 right-of-center bloggers respond to a poll about the 2012 Republican candidates.Ann Althousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01630636239933008807noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-73456745115255666432011-12-08T20:45:41.635-06:002011-12-08T20:45:41.635-06:00In your own article, there, chieftain:
Currently ...In your own article, there, chieftain:<br /><br /><i>Currently undecided voters would make a big difference.</i><br /><br />My case is thus rested. I win with a grand slam and a slam dunk. Also a hat trick. Undecideds will choose Obama over Gingrich, and Gingrich will get creamed. This has been my exact argument.<br /><br />Thank you for playing. Better luck next time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-82204449714719082332011-12-08T18:47:51.208-06:002011-12-08T18:47:51.208-06:00Please explain to me how you believe Gingrich can ...<i>Please explain to me how you believe Gingrich can obtain the electoral votes to win.</i><br /><br />1) Gingrich keeps all the McCain states. (Pretty much a gimme as it's hard to believe that Obama is more popular anywhere in 2012 than 2008). <br /><br />2) Newt runs the South (picking up Florida, North Carolina and Virginia).<br /><br />3) Newt wins Ohio and Pennsylvania.<br /><br />That's 274 electoral votes for the win. I think he'll get more than that, actually.<br /> <br />Latest poll in <a href="http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/12/newt_gingrich_preferred_over_m.html" rel="nofollow">Ohio</a>.Saint Croixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17876368500159112781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-83879183300376198992011-12-08T08:29:55.192-06:002011-12-08T08:29:55.192-06:00Saint Croix, I'll spell it out for you. Garage...Saint Croix, I'll spell it out for you. Garage does not like Romney. He's playing a game. He is certain that Obama will do better against Gingrich than against Romney, so he is doing his small part to boost Gingrich by pretending to like Romney. <br /><br />Perry ruined his campaign with the flub about the three agencies he'd get rid of. And don't bother trying to argue that it's the equivalent of the 57 states flub. Perry had an opportunity to correct himself, and he couldn't.Peter Hohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-50212263846691684612011-12-08T03:25:10.134-06:002011-12-08T03:25:10.134-06:00Croix -- I will vote for the Republican nominee, a...Croix -- I will vote for the Republican nominee, and I will be here and elsewhere doing my level best to convince people to join me. I hope you will, too. I particularly cannot stand this silly posturing about not voting instead of voting for some candidate.<br /><br />That said, I have patiently answered your questions, more than once. Kindly answer mine. Please explain to me how you believe Gingrich can obtain the electoral votes to win.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-73899176829387304412011-12-08T03:17:44.149-06:002011-12-08T03:17:44.149-06:00Perry is apparently an idiot
Perry is not an idio...<i>Perry is apparently an idiot</i><br /><br />Perry is not an idiot. He's a highly effective governor of Texas, one of the largest economies in the world. <br /><br />He's also (so far) a spectacularly bad campaigner. <br /><br />I agree with Perry on almost everything. If I vote for Newt Gingrich, it will be a pragmatic vote.<br /><br />I see a lot of Republicans thinking along the same lines. We are overlooking his 3 marriages, his adultery, his so-called ethics violations. He was wrong to attack the surge, wrong to attack the Ryan plan, and wrong to film a frickin' Global Warming spot with Pelosi. <br /><br />A vote for Gingrich is a pragmatic vote for a right-winger (who occasionally wanders off the reservation into stupidity) who debates very well, who is in the right on 80-90% of issues, who has a sharp intellect, and who was the Speaker back in the 1990s (a.k.a. when the economy was good). <br /><br />A vote for Romney is a pragmatic vote for a moderate who is very vague and nice-sounding, who polls well, who is in the right on 60-70% of issues, and who was the governor of Massachusetts back when their economy was the pits. <br /><br />The argument that Romney is to the right of Gingrich is stupid. <br /><br />The argument that he is more electable is debatable. I happen to think we're a center-right country, and people to the right of Newt have won before. <br /><br />I also think the disdain of liberals is a good sign, and hostility from the press is nothing new. So, tentatively, Gingrich is my man. But it is a pragmatic vote. I would rather vote for Perry. I'm having trouble convincing myself that he can win.Saint Croixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17876368500159112781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-2814285862154564662011-12-08T03:16:07.618-06:002011-12-08T03:16:07.618-06:007M,
Apparently Edutcher can't accept that two...7M,<br /><br />Apparently Edutcher can't accept that two or more commenters here disagree with him. But he's right that I've been secretly commenting here for 5 years to make sure Obama was elected and is reelected. I've managed to keep Palin out of the race to avoid Obama's sure defeat, got rid of Cain last week, another sure bet against Obama, and now I am taking out Newt Gingrich, Republicans last chance at certain victory. My job is to ensure that Huntsman is the nominee, or at worst Romney. They are RINOs, which means they are the only Republicans Obama can defeat.mcculloughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03168402889404727565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-52721727065778559662011-12-08T02:52:43.809-06:002011-12-08T02:52:43.809-06:00McCullough! Ed thinks you are my sock puppet. Or I...McCullough! Ed thinks you are my sock puppet. Or I am yours. It's not clear to me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-5632097313465117622011-12-08T02:51:15.718-06:002011-12-08T02:51:15.718-06:00Again, if Newt Gingrich is such a liberal, how com...<i>Again, if Newt Gingrich is such a liberal, how come actual liberals hate him? And if Mitt Romney is such a right-winger, why do actual liberals like him?</i><br /><br />You are not the first person to ask this question. It has been answered -- again and again -- in these threads. Opinion Journal had a great piece on the phenomenon, as have many other astute observers.<br /><br />The answer to your question is that, for some stupid reason, people like you want a <i>fighter</i>. It's the word you use. As I have told you, you do not care to win. You do care for effective leadership. You just fantasize about some fight against Obama -- some mythical win based on fighting.<br /><br />Now. Please, for the love of God and all that is holy and just, please stop asking this question.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-75661388460960503762011-12-08T02:48:54.216-06:002011-12-08T02:48:54.216-06:00Huntsman endorsed Ryan's Medicare plan 6 month...Huntsman endorsed Ryan's Medicare plan 6 months ago. Newt calls the plan right wing social engineering. It must be bad for Newt's rent seeking health care clients. But Newt's the conservative and Huntsman's the liberal. Huntsman also wants to eliminate taxes on capital gains and dividends and lower the corporate income tax rate. Huntsman successfully governed Utah as a conservative while Newt was out giving history lessons to Freddie Mac. It's a testament to the ignorance of potential voters that blowhard, big government Newt is the front runner this week. Time for them to pay attention.mcculloughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03168402889404727565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-51738467050676031302011-12-08T02:45:50.040-06:002011-12-08T02:45:50.040-06:00so to those who prefer gingrich over romney, who a...<i>so to those who prefer gingrich over romney, who among them also supported christine o'donnell over mike castle?</i><br /><br />I did. I also supported all the other Tea Party candidates across the board. And I put forth the 2010 election as exhibit one on the rightness of the Tea Party cause. I can only hope that we nominate a candidate who inspires the Tea Party faithful, so that 2012 is a repeat of the magic of 2010. And to pick one or two losses in 2010 as a repudiation of the Tea Party is, ipso facto, short-sighted. <br /><br /><i>How many times will Republicans throw up a vainglorious hack and get stomped before stopping the madness?</i><br /><br />O'Donnell was not a vainglorious hack. She was an inexperienced and bad campaigner. In fact it's absurd to compare O'Donnell to Newt Gingrich on those grounds. He was the Speaker of the House and is a highly effective campaigner. <br /><br />The "she's a witch" campaign against O'Donnell was insane and silly, but it was also effective as she got no traction as a serious candidate. <br /><br />The argument for Castle and Romney is entirely pragmatic. Self-proclaimed experts are telling us who can win and who cannot win. <br /><br />An honest argument for Romney is that he is more moderate than Newt, and is more likely to win independents and liberals and oust Obama.<br /><br />What's not working is the argument that Romney is to the right of Gingrich. People aren't buying it and the pragmatic people who make that argument are pragmatic to the point of having no principles at all.<br /><br />At least the Mike Castle supporters had the moral seriousness to avoid saying that he was to the right of Christine O'Donnell.<br /><br />Again, if Newt Gingrich is such a liberal, how come actual liberals hate him? And if Mitt Romney is such a right-winger, why do actual liberals like him?Saint Croixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17876368500159112781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-86450291913801207692011-12-08T01:46:13.514-06:002011-12-08T01:46:13.514-06:00John Marzan -- EXACTLY!!! And the same shit happen...John Marzan -- <b>EXACTLY!!!</b> And the same shit happened in Nevada.<br /><br />How many times will Republicans throw up a vainglorious hack and get stomped before stopping the madness?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-60119503147518352212011-12-08T01:41:00.960-06:002011-12-08T01:41:00.960-06:00Newt responds that he wants a national conversatio...<i>Newt responds that he wants a national conversation</i><br /><br />Hmmmm. <i>National conversation</i>. Out of what sewers have we heard that phrase before? <br /><br />Also, I thought Gingrich was a <i>fighter</i>. How can you be a fighter and hold a national conversation? Or am I behind on the memes from the hothouses?<br /><br />Gingrich is a hack. He has no constituency other He was not serious about his presidency. He was not serious about running for president until he magically became relevant after a very convenient (for Gingrich) oppo hit brought down the last flavor of the week, Cain.<br /><br />Gingrich cannot beat Obama, people. It will not happen. If Gingrich is the candidate, we lose. Period.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-16561403707629958252011-12-08T01:39:47.667-06:002011-12-08T01:39:47.667-06:00so to those who prefer gingrich over romney, who a...so to those who prefer gingrich over romney, who among them also supported christine o'donnell over mike castle?john marzanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08036820667908976630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-14443667271301697592011-12-08T01:33:17.187-06:002011-12-08T01:33:17.187-06:00Romney was more conservative than McCain in 2008. ...Romney was more conservative than McCain in 2008. A conservative arbiter no less than <i>National Review</i> endorsed Romney in 2008. And McCain is more conservative than Gingrich. I'll let you take the logic from there.<br /><br />Since your case against Gingrich above is so eloquent and compelling, and since Perry is apparently an idiot, and since quite obviously none of the other candidates are any good, I rest my case.<br /><br />It's a standardized test. Romney is the least crappy answer choice. This is only because all the other answer choices suck with so must verve and gusto.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-28831346881939994822011-12-08T01:31:17.901-06:002011-12-08T01:31:17.901-06:00FYI - what Newt actually said about the Ryan plan....FYI - what Newt actually said about the Ryan plan. Note the question to which he was responding: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsHw92j9P0Q<br /><br />Newt is responding to the question whether Republicans "ought to buck public opinion" and push through a voucher system for Medicare.<br /><br />Newt responds that he wants a national conversation about Social Security and Medicare and that he doesn't favor mandates and top-down one-size-fits-all solutions imposed from above.<br /><br />I'm not saying he doesn't criticize the Ryan plan; but it's largely to the extent that it's another federal fix-all that might be mandated to people without our adequately having explored other options. <br /><br />The link to the clip is above if you're interested.hopechangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15345376749281774223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-28157616896699840952011-12-08T01:28:42.662-06:002011-12-08T01:28:42.662-06:00Our public debt is a huge issue.
Our public debt ...<i>Our public debt is a huge issue.</i><br /><br />Our public debt is <i>the</i> huge issue. It's the only issue that matters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-1642819893178100212011-12-08T01:22:32.924-06:002011-12-08T01:22:32.924-06:00the case for Mitt...
What is it? Who makes it? ...the case for Mitt...<br /><br />What is it? Who makes it? Why do you like him? He's empty and vacuous, just like Obama in 2008. <br /><br />Name one issue where Garage and Seven are on the same side. I can't think of one. Except they both like Mitt Romney. <br /><br />That's how empty he is. You are able to deceive yourself and say "that's a Republican I can support" or "that's a Republican who can beat Obama." He's so empty you project your dreams onto him. The National Review guys think Romney is to the right of McCain. He is? Garage thinks Romney is next to Obama somewhere. He is?<br /><br />He is the Republican version of a hope and dream candidate. <br /><br />Newt and Mitt can both be hit hard on the flip-flop charge. In fact, Newt can be hit harder, on more issues. Successful candidates tend to flip or flop on something. You almost have to, if you want to survive. <br /><br />Mitt is way beyond flip-floppy. What annoys so much about him is his lack of definition. I disliked this style in Obama, and I can't say I like it any more on the Republican side. <br /><br />Here is the Romney argument I hear over and over: "Other people will vote for him, so you should too." <br /><br />It's pathetically insecure to vote on the basis of perceived popularity. Didn't we learn this lesson in junior high? Sure, conform on minor issues like fashion or fads, but since when is the Presidency a minor issue? <br /><br />If I'm buying a frickin' car, do you think I give a damn what other people are buying? Sell the car. Why should I buy this car? <br /><br />Mitt Romney: "He's poll-tested."<br /><br />Mitt Romney: "Built for the American public."<br /><br />I would not only like to see Obama ejected from the White House, but I would also like to see the fraudulent, empty, vacuous, "he's got good hair," beauty product style of campaign to go out the fucking window.<br /><br />Sarah Palin was derided for her good looks. She was called a Barbie doll. Who calls Mitt Romney a Ken doll? Other than me? And yet he is utterly vacuous and empty, as Sarah Palin was not. <br /><br />So this is where we are. Palin is attacked for utterly shallow and superficial reasons, and Romney is celebrated for utterly shallow and superficial reasons.<br /><br />Palin is unelectable, we are told, and Romney is electable. Thus the key to electability is to shut your mouth, say nothing, kiss some babies, be as empty as possible, please the media and conform, conform, conform. <br /><br />And certainly there is some truth to this--the Elephant Man isn't getting elected to squat--but it's so vacuous, and nihilistic, and stupid, and craven, that I can't help but despise the argument. But go ahead, PR flacks, and tell us why we should vote for this hair product and not that one.Saint Croixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17876368500159112781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-53093217304774901022011-12-08T01:14:10.478-06:002011-12-08T01:14:10.478-06:00I think the bloggers have it right. I think the s...I think the bloggers have it right. I think the support for Newt is going to grow much bigger. More and more people are finding out what he is actually proposing.<br /><br />In his speech in Polk County, Iowa, Newt talks about why he's running -- starting at about 2:04, after introductory thanks et cetera. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQxturElvxI<br /><br />In this speech, Newt talks about American exceptionalism and what that means; returning government power to the people at the local level; the history of America, his strategy for getting Obama to debate him in the Lincoln-Douglas format of 3 hours, timekeeper only, no moderator; and much more. He talks about the scope of change he thinks it will take to get the country back on track with first principles. He talks about what people did to create the country in the first place, and the sacrifices they made. He talks about his commitment that every single American, from whatever background, should have the opportunity to pursue happiness, which means goodness and virtue, not hedonism and acquisition.<br /><br />It's worth your time to find out what he's actually proposing.hopechangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15345376749281774223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-48781908276815450972011-12-08T00:54:57.988-06:002011-12-08T00:54:57.988-06:00the case against Newt...
Best argument I have hea...the case against Newt...<br /><br />Best argument I have heard is from <a href="http://ricochet.com/main-feed/Left-Coast-Right-Coast-10-A-Partisan-Like-You" rel="nofollow">Jennifer Rubin</a>. (Bit of a surprise to hear Mickey Kaus speak--he sounds like Seinfeld's cousin. On the radio he's nicer, warmer, funnier, and maybe 20 IQ points dumber. In print he comes across as mean, cranky, smart, and interesting). <br /><br />Anyway, Rubin's criticism is that Newt was a vocal opponent of the surge. And of course a lot of people were against the surge (as Mickey points out). But Republicans for the most part backed President Bush on this one. John McCain, for instance, vocally and without hesitation backed the surge. I found this to be one of the more likable aspects of McCain at the time. <br /><br />Even more recent--like, six months ago--Newt took a very public stance against the Ryan plan. This has to distinguish him from, I don't know, every Republican in the universe. <br /><br />So what the hell is that about? <br /><br />One might say that Newt is so egocentric that he has trouble backing anybody else's idea. Bush comes up with a surge, so Newt doesn't like it. Ryan comes up with a plan, so Newt doesn't like it. There are a fair number of academics like this. They are idiosyncratic and love to be contrary, just for the hell of it. <br /><br />Or, even more damning, you might say that Newt is aggressively taking the poll-tested position. The Iraq war is unpopular, the surge is unpopular, so Newt attacks it. Ryan's plan is unpopular, grandma is going to be tossed off a cliff, so Newt attacks it. This makes him seem empty, vacuous, not conservative at all.<br /><br />Indeed, if the other candidates were smarter, they would bring up the Ryan plan in the debates. I would like to hear if Newt is still hostile to it (and replace it with what?) A vocal attack on the Ryan plan at this stage would pretty much sink his candidacy for me. <br /><br />Instead, the other Republicans seem intent on trying to sink him with illegal immigration, which is like #129 on my to do list. The way they avoid Ryan and his plan suggests to me that these other assholes are just as poll-driven and namby pamby as Newt might be.<br /><br />Maybe he's already backed off his criticism and I missed it? But Ryan's plan is a major (and recent) division between Newt and a lot of his supporters, including me. Our public debt is a huge issue. I want to hear a lot more on this.Saint Croixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17876368500159112781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-89929845309789138412011-12-07T21:50:24.060-06:002011-12-07T21:50:24.060-06:00WEHT to Newt's bull dyke half sister? When he ...WEHT to Newt's bull dyke half sister? When he was speaker she was treated by the media as the most important person in the world.<br />Maybe she's the dirt old strega Pelosi is threatening to unleash.ampersandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17145013352755061465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-89475592265572986552011-12-07T21:29:39.970-06:002011-12-07T21:29:39.970-06:00If Gingrich doesn't dump the Dept. of Educatio...If Gingrich doesn't dump the Dept. of Education, the Dept. of Energy, and .....oops (really, anything but defense) within the first 100 days, then he's a one termer too!!madAsHellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01149940549262340795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-48538109093503909022011-12-07T21:08:28.921-06:002011-12-07T21:08:28.921-06:00Hopefully, either would beat Barack Obomba, but th...Hopefully, either would beat Barack Obomba, but they're wrong that Newt would be more likely.DADvocatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04621021178600799126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-34987481735834920562011-12-07T20:37:16.062-06:002011-12-07T20:37:16.062-06:00I just read through this thread. I am me and me al...I just read through this thread. I am me and me alone. I am not McCollough and I find it hilarious that Ed resorts to such ridiculous cassertions. Does it make you feel better, dude, if you think that only one person disagrees with you instead of two? <br /><br />I am still waiting for someone to explain how Gingrich will get anywhere near the electoral votes. You shallow, silly people cannot explain this, because you know it's not possible and you don't care. You just want someone to fight. <i>Fight!</i> That's what's important.<br /><br />It's so bizarre.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-91352664678536074712011-12-07T20:06:05.471-06:002011-12-07T20:06:05.471-06:00Erik Erickson is rethinking Huntsman:
But if Perr...<a href="http://www.redstate.com/erick/2011/12/07/my-confession/" rel="nofollow">Erik Erickson is rethinking Huntsman</a>:<br /><br /><i>But if Perry is not ready, I have to say I may have to seriously reconsider saying I’d never, ever, never vote for Jon Huntsman. He is more consistently conservative than either Newt or Romney, more pro-life than either, and a far more competent executive than either. </i><br /><br />wv: calista, and I have the screen shot to prove it.Peter Hohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-23439383071720581342011-12-07T20:03:39.355-06:002011-12-07T20:03:39.355-06:00Awkward Dilemma; Awkward Poem
Gaga for Gingrich t...Awkward Dilemma; Awkward Poem<br /><br />Gaga for Gingrich they ain't<br />And a word from Mitt would suffice <br />(Like the word "mistake" of MittCare);<br />But more stubborn than nice<br />He proffers them a dare:<br />Thus Mitt into Newt's corner them paint.ricpichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01321511130788764861noreply@blogger.com