Althouse: "As I name a few Republican candidates for president please tell me the ONE word that comes to mind..."

October 19, 2011

"As I name a few Republican candidates for president please tell me the ONE word that comes to mind..."

It's a WaPo-Pew poll, eliciting the first reaction to the names Herman Cain, Rick Perry, and Mitt Romney. For each man, there is one word that clearly comes out on top. Can you guess?

9-9-9, Texas, and Mormon, respectively. It's interesting that the first 5 words for Cain in rank order are positive. In fact, "interesting" is the 3d word. The first negative word, #6, is "inexperience/not experienced."

Perry does much worse in the mental reflex test. After Texas, we come to "no" and "idiot/idiotic."

The #1 word for Romney — "Mormon" — is also #1 by a wide margin. Is it strange that "black" for Cain is only #8 when "Mormon" is so clearly the first attribute assigned to Romney?

107 comments:

carrie said...: The media rarely mentions that Cain is black so I am guessing that many people don't even know that he is black.; 10/19/11, 11:51 AM
Robert Cook said...: Asshole.; 10/19/11, 11:51 AM
Psychedelic George said...: The NYT did an unusually positive piece on Romney's faith this week...

"“He told me that, as human beings, our work isn’t measured by taking the sum of our good deeds and the sum of our bad deeds and seeing how things even out,” recalled Mr. Clark, now 37, sober and working as a filmmaker in Utah. “He said, ‘The only thing you need to think about is: Are you trying to improve, are you trying to do better? And if you are, then you’re a saint.’ ”

Is not that all that God expects of us? To try?

Romney will lose the haters just as Obama couldn't carry racists, and in the end that won't any difference.; 10/19/11, 11:52 AM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/19/11, 11:55 AM
Anonymous said...: Doomed? Futile? Lame?; 10/19/11, 11:55 AM
Peter said...: I think the MSM is working diligently to equate most Christian's rejection of Mormon theology with bigotry, and I'm surprised I haven't seem the word "Mormonophobia."

But, although most Christians do reject Mormon theology, I haven't seen any evidence that this is going to influence how Christians, or anyone else, is going to vote.; 10/19/11, 11:56 AM
Bob Ellison said...: "WaPo-Pew Poll" sounds like a toddler's name for the toilet.; 10/19/11, 11:56 AM
BarryD said...: Religion, in a free country, is a choice. People are, and should be, judged by the choices they make, particularly ones that impact their families greatly.

Cain is being seen for who he is, what he's done, and how he communicates. Race, class, etc. doesn't come to mind.

Whatever this says about the candidates, it says something quite positive about attitudes of people in the US in 2011.; 10/19/11, 11:57 AM
Anonymous said...: "Un-electable"?; 10/19/11, 11:58 AM
Kensington said...: Herman Cain: crazy
Rick Perry: cowboy
Mitt Romney: robot

Those aren't my assessments. I'm just trying to guess what the story asserts.; 10/19/11, 12:00 PM
traditionalguy said...: Cain has been making friends over a second career of motivational convention speaking.

He always gets a good response from people.

Mitt has always been a secret wrapped in an enigma. He changed positions like a weather vane; and therefore,no one knows what he really thinks.

So we are left with the Mormon personality type that Mitt wears as his outer uniform. Great hair.

It actually helped Mitt when people saw him get angry at Santorum and Perry last night ...anger is a real show of what's inside the mystery man who to date had demanded that we just trust his Mormon outer personality as a good thing.

Perry has worn out his hard nosed Texan with good manners schtic. It does not play well outside Texas.

But how will Romney overtake Cain?

The sudden push everywhere to see Gingrich as wise old Newt rather than a self serving grinch is the only hope Romney has to overtake Cain.; 10/19/11, 12:01 PM
Kensington said...: I don't necessarily agree that religion is a choice. It can be, but it sure doesn't seem that way sometimes. For example, I was baptized into the Catholic Church just days after I was born.

I understand intellectually that I can choose not to participate, but I don't really believe that, given that the consequence of dropping out, if the Church is being truthful, is eternal damnation.

When faced with eternal damnation, it's not so easy to turn away.

And, yes, I know how crazy that probably sounds. But I'm sure this perspective is probably widespread amongst a lot of cradle Catholics.; 10/19/11, 12:04 PM
Andy said...: "Idiot" only coming in third for Perry does not do the man justice.; 10/19/11, 12:06 PM
Joe said...: Mitt Romney: robot (but would be a decent president)

Rick Perry: asshole (and would spend all his time being an asshole trying to get reelected.); 10/19/11, 12:07 PM
traditionalguy said...: Studying the findings confirms why Cain polls ahead of both of the media branded "front runners."

Cain had the highest positives and the lowest negatives among both all adults and Rep.adults.

The effort now is for Romney to steer Perry's refugees towards Gingrich. If they go for the actual front runner, Cain, then the race is over for "Mr I'm a Mormon, trust me."; 10/19/11, 12:14 PM
Robert Cook said...: "When faced with eternal damnation, it's not so easy to turn away."

Oh, please.

Grow a pair.; 10/19/11, 12:14 PM
Titus said...: MItt Romney-Romneycare and flip flopper.

But a decent man.; 10/19/11, 12:17 PM
garage mahal said...: Perry: "Texas" "No" "Idiot".

LOL; 10/19/11, 12:17 PM
AllenS said...: Herman Cain, Black

Rick Perry, Texan

Mitt Romney, Mittens

9-9-9 is three words, or three numbers.; 10/19/11, 12:21 PM
Anonymous said...: Is "FiftystatelandslidereelectionforBarry" a word?; 10/19/11, 12:22 PM
Anonymous said...: Also from this weekend's NYT's article on Romney:

"Ted Oparowski, a retired firefighter, and his wife, Pat, a secretary, still praise Mr. Romney for ministering to their 14-year-old son, David, who was dying of cancer three decades ago."

"The boy, upon hearing that Mr. Romney was a lawyer, asked him to help draft a will, so that he might leave something to each of his friends. Mr. Romney pulled out a legal pad, and together they wrote one up. Later, he gave the eulogy at the boy’s funeral.

"If Mr. Romney, who no longer holds an official church title, seems overly polished or wooden on the campaign trail, his defenders say that is just how he is, reserved yet caring. “He’s always been that way, that’s his demeanor,” Mrs. Oparowski said."; 10/19/11, 12:23 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: "... Focus, Kookie - we said candidates, not you..."

Hey, just be glad he's not flinging feces .; 10/19/11, 12:24 PM
Oclarki said...: Robert Cook -a man whos has never doubed the fate of his soul or his political convictions. No wonder you're so popular around here.; 10/19/11, 12:31 PM
Mark O said...: Strange that the word "Mormon" would attach to Romney first? Hardly. Read the bigotry spewed today by MoDo(she who still cannot understand why no man wants her) in today's charming NYT.

Romney must be feared. Now he is "the other."

Hide the womenfolk.; 10/19/11, 12:33 PM
Amartel said...: I doubt that anyone responding to this poll missed the fact that Cain is black. The words most associated with Cain among "all adults" and "rep leaners" is 999 and businessman. The people who responded to this poll know Cain's marketing. Also, they're interested, another word pretty far up the list for Cain. It's great is that the word "black" is so far down the list, #8 among all adults and #11 among rep leaners. He's not the black candidate, he's the interesting businessman candidate whereas poor Romney and Perry are still stuck in their Texas and Mormon boxes. Clearly, Cain has the better marketing campaign.; 10/19/11, 12:39 PM
Original Mike said...: Perry - "Buffoon"

Romney - nothing comes to my mind, which is probably not good for Romney.

Cain - "Mr. President" (Oh, that's two words. Well, I didn't use my word for Romney so I had one coming.); 10/19/11, 12:43 PM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/19/11, 12:52 PM
William said...: The media has done a fine job of marginalizing Romney because of his religion while at the same time proclaiming the need for tolerance. The m.o. is to state that Romney is a Mormon, that evangelical Christians are bigots, and then reference some strange dogma of the Mormon religion. It's a tar brush applied with a delicate stroke.....I'm still curious as to what the Rev. Wright's thoughts are on gay marriage, illegal immigration, and the theology of Elijah Muhammed.; 10/19/11, 12:55 PM
Cedarford said...: Perry - Dubya
Cain - Pitchman
Gingrich - Sleaze
Santorum - Prig
Huntsman - Nice
Romney - Competent
Bachmann - Whacky
Paul - Whackier
Garry Johnson - Who?; 10/19/11, 12:56 PM
DKWalser said...: @Psychedelic George:

Is not that all that God expects of us? To try?

Short answer: No.

Recall that what you quoted was Mr. Clark's three sentence summary of a very long conversation. Clark remembers that part of the conversation because, evidently, his errors and misdeeds weighed so heavily on his mind that he despaired he could ever do enough to be saved. Romney taught him we cannot earn our way into heaven. This simple truth freed Clark of his heavy burden and gave him the strength to accept Christ's offer of forgiveness. I'm confident Romney shared other things with Clark that night. Clark focuses on this part of the conversation because it helped quench his parched soul.; 10/19/11, 12:56 PM
Cedarford said...: Psychedelic George -

I read that NY Times article and also found it unusually complimentary, considering it was the NY Times.

The general description of Romney's personal life with his work as LDS leader, counselor to others in times of trouble, and active charity work was of many laudable years by Romney.

A lot of time spent with people with drug problems, multiple meetings with everyday people with medical problems, interfaith services, building a new meeting house, out doing volunteer work like painting and weeding a common church veggie garden.

He has a human side.; 10/19/11, 1:07 PM
Amartel said...: William, right you are! Any way to work the word "Mormon" into the convo, the hacks will take it. Romney had a great comeback last night when he said, in response to the Perry pastor issue, that he'd heard worse. No doubt. Interesting that even as a frontrunner, highly qualified, experienced, intelligent, loaded with campaign cash, and he's still most associated with the word "Mormon." It's reminiscent of the anti-Catholic hacks during the Kennedy election.; 10/19/11, 1:15 PM
Joseph of FP said...: Cain - Straightforward - I don't really like the 9-9-9 plan all that much, but he seems to be an honest man with strong principles.

Perry - "heartless" - Gov. Perry, I don't take kindly to folks attacking my motives. Run as a Democrat if you like to talk that way.

Romney - Politician - Not much more to say.; 10/19/11, 1:18 PM
traditionalguy said...: Herman is not seen as a black man because Herman relates so easily with white folks. Herman does not send out signals that say this man is dangerous, which is the historical racial division source.

Whites who have abused blacks or consented to their abuse are afraid of a black man seeking revenge.

The Jessie Jackson race hustler types use that division and demand danegelt payments. But Herman has none of that signal in his soul.

It is weird how the MSM, starting with the News week cover, all attaching Cain photos with deliberate backlighting problems to make Herman's loving facial expressions disappear into a mask of a blacked out face.

The psyops guys in the Media are signalling to whites that they should fear this strange black man.

But it is too late to get him with that. Not after he has spoken so well.; 10/19/11, 1:20 PM
Anonymous said...: "But how will Romney overtake Cain?"

Simple, Romney takes Mr. Cain as his running mate and we're off to the races.; 10/19/11, 1:20 PM
edutcher said...: Pew or, more correctly, P U certainly describes this little exercise in Alinskyizing.

Andy R. said...

"Idiot" only coming in third for Perry does not do the man justice.

However, highly successful governor does do the man justice.

OTOH, clumsy, unimaginative troll seems to do it for Hatman.

Robert Cook said...

"When faced with eternal damnation, it's not so easy to turn away."

Oh, please.

Grow a pair.

What Cook wants for Christmas.; 10/19/11, 1:22 PM
Anonymous said...: This simple truth freed Clark of his heavy burden and gave him the strength to accept Christ's offer of forgiveness. I'm confident Romney shared other things with Clark that night. Clark focuses on this part of the conversation because it helped quench his parched soul.

The only thing God expects is for us to keep trying.

And I would add what Mitt surely told him: as long as you don't bail on Christ, and keep trying to be better, he will cover your sins through his sacrifice and atonement.

Or as the book of Mormon scripture says, "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.; 10/19/11, 1:24 PM
BarryD said...: "Oh, please.

Grow a pair."

That about sums it up. I was afraid of eternal damnation for a long time, if I completely turned my back on the church, even though I thought it was preaching a bunch of BS, and my beliefs, even though they weren't MY beliefs.

Then one day, I realized that I'd been brainwashed at an impressionable age, and this fear that had been instilled in me was a complete and total mind-f*ck.

Someone who is a multimillion-dollar donor and an active and elite member of an exlusive, secretive religion that ostracizes others, including non-LDS children in the neighborhood, has made a choice. That choice may serve him. But it's legitimate to use that fact as part of one's assessment of him.

Mormons will undoubtedly favor Romney because of his religion. It is no different if some of us are not so excited about it.; 10/19/11, 1:31 PM
MadisonMan said...: Perry: Texas
Romney: Tall
Cain: Glasses
Bachmann: Red

You might wonder why Cain makes me think of glasses. Well, he wears them, I like them, and I need a new pair.; 10/19/11, 1:31 PM
coketown said...: I'm not surprised by the "Mormon" result. Mormonism is the only thing that distinguishes Romney from everyone's generic, prototypical idea of a politician. How many times have we seen Mitt Romney in Hollywood blockbusters? Like when those terrorists hi-jacked Air Force One in the 90's? Or when he was the mayor of Gotham City? Or when aliens invaded earth and Romney had to fly a fighter jet to fend them off while Will Smith smuggled a nuke onto their mother ship?

He's so generic! And so boring. He became Mormon just to be interesting. Zzzzzzz.

Perry needs to take a hike. Idiot.

I love Herman Cain.; 10/19/11, 1:33 PM
jimbino said...: If Amerikans had any sense, they'd realize that "mathematician" is a good word to describe Cain and something that sets him apart from all the touchy-feely, humanities and liberal arts, and lawyer types that pollute our political scene.

Of course, Ron Paul, being a physician, is also more than a breath of fresh air.; 10/19/11, 1:41 PM
kjbe said...: Perry: Cowboy
Romney: Ken
Cain: Crazy
Bachmann: Crazier; 10/19/11, 1:41 PM
Matt said...: Crazy, Texas, Mormon, Pizza - $9.99 for a limited time.; 10/19/11, 1:43 PM
Scott M said...: Is it broken down by "likely voters" for GOP and Democrats? I would be very interested to see what rank "black" came in for the respective self-labeled party loyalists. Woe unto the Democrats if it's higher than the GOP. Of course, that will be nuanced, even if it was number one, as something like "well, the GOP is so inherently racist and so vacuous in talent that the ONLY story is that they are putting up a black guy" or some such drivel.; 10/19/11, 1:49 PM
traditionalguy said...: NYTNewYorker...Suppose that Romney cannot just "take Cain" and Herman turns out not to be for sale. (The 15th Amendment is an obstacle here)

So again, how does Romney overtake the current front runner?

Romney's only chance is to pump up Gingrich to third place and then select Gingrich as his running mate.

But running a pair of old fashioned white guys gives Obama a real chance.

Why should we risk that when we don't have to. What has Romney ever done for anyone except Romney?; 10/19/11, 1:50 PM
MadisonMan said...: I forgot one:

Santorum: Sheets.; 10/19/11, 1:51 PM
BarryD said...: "What has Romney ever done for anyone except Romney?"

He's given millions to the LDS church. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700171291/Mitt-Romney-gives-millions-to-Mormon-Church.html

But we're not supposed to think about that.

So, pretty much nothing, then.; 10/19/11, 2:03 PM
ricpic said...: All three are false fronts. I don't think it's any mystery why potential Republican voters (we don't know yet since no primary votes have been cast yet) most likely will not vote in significant numbers for Michele Bachmann. Simple really. She's conservative to the core. She'll do what she says she'll do. She's not faking it like Romney, Perry and Cain are. And that scares Americans to death. It's maddening but has to be accepted that Americans - to quote John Lukacs - are split minded. They don't really want a true believer. In anything.; 10/19/11, 2:04 PM
BarryD said...: "The media rarely mentions that Cain is black so I am guessing that many people don't even know that he is black."

He was the CEO of a pizza company, so he must be Italian.; 10/19/11, 2:09 PM
traditionalguy said...: I'll play one word:

Santorum... childish

Paul... false-prophet

Cain...President

Romney... Mystery

Perry... entitled

Gingrich... Professor

Bachmann... Church-Lady; 10/19/11, 2:22 PM
Matt said...: ricpic

Are you really saying that GOP voters won't vote for Bachmann because she is conservative to the core? How about they won't vote for her because they don't much like her political abilities - or lack thereof? She also doesn't seem to be the brightest of the bunch either.

No matter how bona fide someone's credentials are they have to sell it to the voters and appear to have the ability to carry through.; 10/19/11, 2:31 PM
Anonymous said...: Pizza, disappointed and wishy-washy; 10/19/11, 2:32 PM
art.the.nerd said...: Fascinating. I said "black", "jobs", and "Mormon".; 10/19/11, 2:40 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Sarah Palin was there.

Donal Trump makes interesting comments.

That Michele Bachmann's run collapsed should be lesson enough to the religious right ... that their message tends not to stick when it is sent out into the public's domain.

Though Bachmann was used to get rid of Sarah.

While you couldn't make worse choices if you tried! None of the 3 you've mentioned have taken on what people really discuss among themselves ... and that is how screwed up Dubya was.

And, how bad the path we followed.

Obama tracked, at first, Dubya's path. Only to discover we just kept digging down and making our problems worse.; 10/19/11, 2:43 PM
Carol_Herman said...: 1948 was an interesting year.

Gallop said Truman was gonna lose.

Truman climbed on board a train that made many whistle stops ... so people could actually see and hear him ... all across middle America.

Where the votes for Truman were obtained.

Why did Gallop say Dewey had won?

Wasn't it just wishful thinking?

Truman got one million more votes than Dewey. While the Herald Tribune printed their headline "early." Saying Dewey won.

Truman was aboard his whistle stop train ... the next morning. When someone handed him the newspaper ... which he held aloft.

The headline read "Dewey won."

And, Truman just laughed and laughed.

Times then were good.

And, during GOOD TIMES people thought they'd change horses.

Which is what Gallup measured.

It matters nothing what those early polls show!

Can you imagine how well a candidate would do ... if he spelled out the truth? (That the "leaders" on wall street always pick our candidates. And, no one holds them accountable.)

Seems like the GOP wants to avoid all their collusion with the "wall street honchos."

Maybe, that's why Obama is letting the "occupy wall street" unemployed ... make inroads?

Wouldn't any decent government have gone in and tossed out the tarps and the tents?

Why are we copying Cairo? There's no spring, there!; 10/19/11, 2:48 PM
Carol_Herman said...: art.the.nerd. @2:40 PM

And, I still see the bumper sticker:

Funny Underwear Guy and the Pizza Man.; 10/19/11, 2:49 PM
traditionalguy said...: Barry D...See what I told you. All Romney has done was for Romney's favorites with his millions going into building up BYU and Utah so they can defeat the small Texas Christian Frogs.

That alone disqualifies Mystery Man Mitt for me.

Just joking.; 10/19/11, 2:54 PM
ricpic said...: Are you really saying that GOP voters won't vote for Bachmann because she is conservative to the core?

Yes. What I was trying to say in my post is that Americans in general, not only GOP voters, have a very hard time with someone who is definitely no holds barred ANYTHING. Bachmann may not be selling herself effectively but what she's selling is what she is: a pure unadulturated conservative. That scares the bejeezus out of most voters. Believe it or not they are comforted by the fact that Perry won't police the border and Romney won't crusade to end Obamacare and Cain won't challenge the Fed. They don't want pure conservatism or pure anything.; 10/19/11, 2:58 PM
ricpic said...: Dewey lost because of his pencil moustache.; 10/19/11, 2:59 PM
traditionalguy said...: Carol... but can you imagine a world without pizza?

Cain's inaugural will probably serve Pizza and Coke.

If Herman needs a foreign policy, then he can just spend a few days at the North Avenue headquarters and listen at the feet of Coca-Cola's marketers taken from the educated indigenous populations of every country in the world.; 10/19/11, 3:02 PM
BarryD said...: That would be 3 Presidents in a row who were involved with coke at some point.; 10/19/11, 3:04 PM
Matt said...: ricpic

In an abstract sense you may be right about a no-holds barred politician scaring people. For instance dictators scare people too. I don't know if anyone is ever really no hold's barred anything since many people fluctate on various issues. And even the issues themselves sort of come and go. A conservative from 1990 is not the same as a conservative today.

Plus, if a politician doesn't seem willing to work with others that signals to a good many voters that the politician is too rigid and not worthy of serving since the founding fathers themselves were willing to compromise when the chips were down. The best politicians [usually] are those who can reach across the aisle.; 10/19/11, 3:13 PM
BarryD said...: Voters probably don't especially like it when a candidate seems more interested in a predetermined agenda than in leading the country, using the best information available along the way.

Obamacare and the Iraq War are two recent examples of unpopular "come hell of high water" initiatives pushed by Presidents.; 10/19/11, 3:25 PM
ricpic said...: I can't argue with you, Matt, you're too reasonable. ;^); 10/19/11, 3:30 PM
Matt said...: BarryD

Absolutely right. Let me add that a no-holds barred approach in politics is a simplistic approach. Obama said a lot of things that excited the liberal left but following through has been tough - and not realistic.

Similarly Bachmann and Paul can crow all they want about changing the system. If either of them happened to become President they would meet significant resistance from everyone in Washington. And don't get me started with Cain's 999 plan - pure fiction.; 10/19/11, 3:33 PM
shirley elizabeth said...: So, traditionalguy, I'm interested to hear who you give your money to, other than yourself and your favorites.; 10/19/11, 3:38 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: Perry -- fencing maneuver
Cain -- not a brother's keeper
Gingrich -- Genghis, ginger, ginko biloba
Santorum -- sanitarium
Huntsman -- Orion
Romney -- Devo hat
Bachman -- dark beer; 10/19/11, 3:48 PM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/19/11, 3:52 PM
Scott M said...: Gingrich -- Genghis, ginger, ginko biloba.

Melanist.; 10/19/11, 3:54 PM
traditionalguy said...: Shirley Elizabeth...You got me there.

I don't suppose that divorce settlement or donation to hated Democrat candidates asked for by a bundler count?

How about The Boy Scouts annual donations drives and YMCA's Summer Camp drives for poor kids that got time and money? (Herman helped on the YMCA too.)

I don't doubt that Mystery Man Mitt does smart things when he can; but will we ever be the beneficiaries?

So far Romney doesn't want a change in the basic way DC does business. he just wants the job running DC.

Cain, and soon Perry will challenge DC to the core with 9-9-9 Tax or Flat Tax proposals.; 10/19/11, 3:57 PM
Scott M said...: Why is the "N" word verboten around here, but the "G" word is tossed about with wanton abandon?

(right about, had this been an actual conversation, my wife would say, "Are you still talking?"); 10/19/11, 3:58 PM
edutcher said...: BarryD said...

Voters probably don't especially like it when a candidate seems more interested in a predetermined agenda than in leading the country, using the best information available along the way.

From someone who was probably cheering on Norman Vincent Peale 50 years ago when he wanted some kind of cockamamie pledge out of Jack Kennedy because he was (nominally) Catholic.; 10/19/11, 4:06 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: I overheard a woman at the park tell her friends that Mormons have all sorts of Satanic rituals. Yow!; 10/19/11, 4:21 PM
John Althouse Cohen said...: Herman Cain: crazy
Rick Perry: cowboy
Mitt Romney: robot

If you could mate them up, I'd vote for a crazy cowboy robot.; 10/19/11, 4:43 PM
bubble boy said...: obama-connected
obama-disconnected; 10/19/11, 4:48 PM
Anonymous said...: "Is not that all that God expects of us? To try?"

Sounds like something a moral relativist/RINO would say, really.

Kind of sad.; 10/19/11, 4:59 PM
Valentine Smith said...: NonObama.

Nonobama.

NONOBAMA.

Non-Obama.; 10/19/11, 5:02 PM
dave in boca said...: I think that the biggest "tell" that Romney let slip was when he answered Perry's rather rude question was:

"I'm running for office!" I can't be seen hiring illegals to do my yard work!!

A tiny glimpse beneath the polished and otherwise-impressive fellow who up to then I considered the best dude for pounding Obama into the ground.

I'm sure the Democrats will pick up on that un-Freudian slip as well. Appearances are what count. After all, that's what got the numb-nut now ruining the country elected POTUS in 2008.

I wasn't impressed at all with Cain's stumbling and bumbling explanations of how he "mis-spoke." But if Art Laffer and Paul Ryan are in favor of 9-9-9, I'm giving it a closer look.

Perry led with his jaw, ancient fossil Newt did well with the two "b's," bicker & broke, & Michelle still isn't that bad on the eyeballs, plus she was a tax attorney for a while and she sure out shown Sarah Palin who demonstrated mediocrity in the Fox after-debate analysis.

Santorum is too sententious and Newt is impressive, but lacks judgment, all brain & little ethics. Huntsman is out of the race, thank God, so we don't have to listen to RINO yammer, which Romney will supply in plentiful supply.; 10/19/11, 5:05 PM
Toad Trend said...: Romney - politician
Perry - cowpoke
Cain - honest
Bachmann - PTA Mom (LOL Chip 'dark beer')
Santorum - battler
Paul - vindicated
Robert Cook - doorknob
Andy R. - wannabe
Soetoro - road apple; 10/19/11, 5:05 PM
madAsHell said...: It's not a poll poll.

They are just looking for new ways to smear the Republican candidates.

Would they ever ask for a one word summary of Obama??; 10/19/11, 5:56 PM
Carol_Herman said...: 2 WORDS: WON'T WIN; 10/19/11, 6:49 PM
Carol_Herman said...: And, the "game" looks fixed.

How?

Fixed in the sense Bob Dole got the nomination in 1996.

Because the insider's thought Bill Clinton had a "lock" for a second term.

Of course, back in 1992 ... the GOP learned just being IN doesn't guarantee re-election.

Maybe, it's like the Olympics?

You need to devote a lifetime to becoming "eligible?"

Maybe, it's like Hollywood?

There's no explaining how people used to become stars. It seemed the cameras just loved them. Once, in though. The GRIP on power becomes enormous for just a few gatekeepers.; 10/19/11, 6:53 PM
Matt said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/19/11, 7:33 PM
Moneyrunner said...: Carol Herman style.

Once sentence paragraphs.

Leading to failed analysis.

Leading to insipid conclusions.

Please close it up so that when I scroll by you it doesn’t take so much time.

Have a nice day.; 10/19/11, 7:40 PM
LilEvie said...: "There is no try. Only do."
Yoda said so.; 10/19/11, 7:41 PM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: It's about God, reality TV, and pizza.

Oh yeah. And the narcissism, greed and ignorance. The usual Republican bullshit.

Is naming a pizza joint "Godfather's Pizza" a swipe against Italians?

His pizza gets some of the worst reviews of the biz, BTW. Not surprising.; 10/19/11, 7:43 PM
Big Mike said...: Maybe it's my atheism, but I never even think of "Mormon" when I think of Romney.

What does come immediately to mind is "Obama lite," meaning that if he was elected I think he would not make any sort of strong effort to get the deficit down, or to repeal even the most egregious parts of Obamacare. He would have been okay in 2008, but there's a lot of repair work for the next president to do and I just can't see Romney doing the fixing.

I've said before that Romney, like Huntsman, is the preferred choice of people who have no intention of voting Republican. I think that the MSM sees the handwriting on the wall and knows that Obama is about to be rejected in a landslide, and they think that Romney will be acceptable to them. But what's acceptable to them is not in any way, shape, or form going to be acceptable to me.; 10/19/11, 7:44 PM
Palladian said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/19/11, 7:51 PM
Palladian said...: Mitt Romney: Fudge
Herman Cain: Abel
Ron Paul: gold coins
Rick Perry: hair
Newt Gingrich: flabby
Michele Bachmann: brittle
Rick Santorum: sodomy

Barack Obama: cigarettes
Michelle Obama: bite
Hillary Clinton: ankles
Nancy Pelosi: snarling

Ann Althouse: smokehouse almonds
Meade: jawline
Robert Cook: communism
traditionalguy: linen suit
Andy R: crooked hat
John Althouse Cohen: beard
Christopher Althouse Cohen: slender
Freeman Hunt: catsup
edutcher: bungler
J: psychosis
Chip Ahoy: Denver
ricpic: matzoh
Carol_Herman: boring
MadisonMan: cirrus cloud
Coketown: foam rubber
Cedarford: barbecue
Hoosier Daddy: tunic
AllenS: tractor
garage mahal: anger
Ritmo: jaundice; 10/19/11, 7:55 PM
Pastafarian said...: JAC: "If you could mate them up, I'd vote for a crazy cowboy robot."

Alas, Yul Brynner has been dead a long, long time, JAC.; 10/19/11, 7:57 PM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/19/11, 8:11 PM
Andy said...: Romney just put out an ad all but calling Perry an idiot.

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/10/mitt-romney-bushifies-rick-perry-too-slow-to-win.php?ref=fpb

I guess if you're going to attack me for calling Perry an idiot you'll have to attack Romney too.; 10/19/11, 8:11 PM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/19/11, 8:22 PM
traditionalguy said...: Hey Ritmo...How's it hanging?
I look forward to hearing your views on things again.; 10/19/11, 8:29 PM
MadisonMan said...: Smoked almonds?; 10/19/11, 8:30 PM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/19/11, 8:35 PM
Big Mike said...: Just saw Romney's attack ad on Perry. Now I wouldn't vote for Romney if the only alternative was Beelzebub.

There was a reason for Reagan's "11th commandment."; 10/19/11, 8:59 PM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: It'd be fun to give some views, Trad, but listening to a guy who offers his own horrendous version of "God Bless America", a guy who thinks that running a less than mediocre (in terms of quality) retail pizza business is the highest aspiration in America, and have him doing that on the reality TV show setting that is these Republican debates...

Well, that's just the priceless pinnacle of surreal spectacle.

"Imagine there's no pizza... it isn't hard to do...". Lol.

Sorry man, but this is how the cycle renews itself. I wish (for your sake) that I could say this sort of a jokey display bodes well for your side, but I fear not.

wv: ashogin. LOL. WWPS (What would Palladian say?)

Also, I'm not sure if I should pronounce that ass hoggin' (as in stingy with my anal sex partners) or ass hogan (as in something insulting having to do with the American POW from TV Land in Germany).; 10/19/11, 10:23 PM
John henry said...: But, although most Christians do reject Mormon theology, I haven't seen any evidence that this is going to influence how Christians, or anyone else, is going to vote.

I suspect that most Christians reject Catholocism, Methodism, Seventh Day Adventism, Baptists, Episcopals, and every other Christian theology.

I use "reject" in a very loose sense. As an SDA I believe that the theology taught by my church is correct. Not that any of the others are wrong, just that ours is more correct according to the Bible.

Most Catholics, Baptists et al feel the same way. It is why they are in that denomination.

No denomination has more than about 20% or so of the total churchgoing population

John Henry; 10/19/11, 10:27 PM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: LOL.

Top that, Palladian. ;-)

A little too realistic, perchance?; 10/19/11, 10:28 PM
AlanKH said...: Romney: squish
Perry: cowboy
Cain: businessman
Bachmann: emotional
Newt: Scozzafava
Paul: isolationist
Huntsman, Santorum, Roemer: yawn; 10/19/11, 11:32 PM
Toad Trend said...: 'Ritmo Re-Animated'???

Lame.

C4BDH was much better. Smiling Buckley was much better than the green stinkeye as well.

Welcome back asshole.; 10/20/11, 4:25 AM
AllenS said...: That was great, Palladian. It should have been plural, I have four of them.; 10/20/11, 6:37 AM
J said...: Or as the book of Mormon scripture says...

correctio--as Joe Smith allegedly said

Lets not forget Mittens' roots.

Donde estas las placas; 10/20/11, 7:22 AM
J said...: Herman Frankencain--?

BOZO.

And one of Alan Greenspan's pals. Not that the tea-tards seem to mind; 10/20/11, 7:32 AM
Robert Cook said...: After all the verbiage, asshole still covers it, for all of them but Ron Paul. For Paul, the word is: half-cracked; 10/20/11, 8:39 AM
deborah said...: Perry -- redneck
Cain -- warm
Gingrich -- gross
Santorum -- sanctimonious
Huntsman -- buscemi
Romney -- smooth
Bachman -- sincere; 10/20/11, 9:19 AM