I heard this data read on Mark Levin this afternoon, and picked it up from the CNN PoliticalTicker blog by way of Lucianne.
I’ll provide the nothing shy of jaw-dropping stats below… how you choose to absorb this ugly reality about election campaigns and negative advertising is, of course, completely up to you.
Me? To use the “he who dies with the most toys…” old saying, paraphrased, obviously he who has the most money for a campaign, combined with the least scruples, wins.
Statistics provided by the Campaign Media Analysis Group (CMAG).
“I spent much of my academic career telling reporters, ‘Relax, this is not the most negative campaign ever,'” CMAG President Ken Goldstein said. “Well, this IS the most negative campaign ever.”
Numbers from CMAG show a total of 11,586 television spots aired in Florida between January 23 and January 29. [Mata Musing: that’s 1655 per day, or close to one every minute of a 24 hour period… no wonder my relatives were complaining…] Of those spots, 10,633 were negative and 953 were positive.
Of the 1,012 spots Newt Gingrich’s campaign ran, 95% were negative. Mitt Romney’s campaign ran 3,276 ads and 99% were negative.
The two super PACs supporting the top candidates were more divergent in their ad strategies. Restore our Future, supporting Romney, ran 4,969 spots, all of which were negative. The Gingrich-backing Winning our Future ran 1,893 spots, and only 53% were negative.
Correspondingly, the bulk of ads in Florida – 68% – were negative toward Gingrich. Twenty-three percent were anti-Romney spots. Gingrich got support from 9% of ads while pro-Romney spots accounted for less than 0.1%.
With these stats, the lesson learned is that Romney never won by positive campaigning… only by tearing down his opponent. How Obama’esque of him…. I’ve already got a POTUS with this version of ethics. Do I really want to replace him with another, just because he fakes an “R” behind his name?
Romney, of course, was busy playing the victim, whining like a little kid to his Mom, pointing fingers saying “he started it!” in reference to Newt. Unfortunately, that’s not how it went.
It was Romney’s well timed onslaught of SuperPac spending in Iowa that crashed Newt’s momentum there. Romney also outspent Newt 2 to 1 in South Carolina. Florida? Well, the above tells the story.
Needless to say, Romney’s feigned innocence and cries of “victim”, after outspending Gingrich four to one, are somewhat disingenuous to put it mildly.
In fact, as of Jan 10th, 96% of the SuperPACs’ spending on negative ads were targeting Gingrich. It’s amazing the guy’s gotten as far as he has, vacillating between being the front runner and in second both in the state, and nationally. As of the 20th of January, the SuperPAC spending had clicked up to about $33 million (both positive and negative of all candidates), with Romney leading the pack with $11 million, or 1/3rd of all SuperPAC spending alone.
While Mitt’s busy spending money, hands over fists, to destroy his competitor, what will he have left to defend himself again Obama’s massive war chest in the general? If Romney is, today, gloating over a win based on buying a State Primary with negative ads, saying they served him well, he’s got little hope of out spending Obama in the general.
There’s no money back guarantee on a Mittens candidacy if or when he loses to Obama when cast as the heartless, soul’less capitalist pig. The man who is the epitome of everything that Obama rails against. We sure know that health care will be off the table, since Romney was the architect of Obama’care. Mandates that force citizens to buy a product, simply because they live and breathe, are no more Constitutional at the state level than they are at the federal. Our inalienable rights do not stop at State boundaries.
Meanwhile, for some primary return fun, the folks over at ABC have decided to publish their predictions of by just how much Newt would be losing to Romney in Florida, in percentages ranging from 7-8% to 28%. It’s 6:41PM PT, and the cable news has called the election for Romney at 47%/Gingrich with 32% with 81% of the vote in (ever changing). Guess they’ll have to wait to declare the winner.
Wonder if they’re running a pool for cash…
AMY WALTER – ABC News Political Director
Romney- 45%
Newt- 29%
Santorum- 14%
Paul- 12%JONATHAN KARL – ABC News Senior Political Correspondent
Romney – 41%
Gingrich – 28%
Santorum – 16%
Paul – 11%RICK KLEIN – Senior Washington Editor
Romney – 45%
Gingrich – 27%
Paul – 15%
Santorum – 11%Z. BYRON WOLF – Politics Editor for ABC News.com
Romney – 37%
Gingrich – 27%
Santorum – 12 %
Paul – 12 %Eric Noe – ABCNews.com Deputy Managing Editor
Romney: 43%
Gingrich: 29%
Santorum: 16%
Paul: 12%SHUSHANNAH WALSHE – ABC News Digital Reporter
Mitt Romney – 36 %
Newt Gingrich – 29 %
Rick Santorum – 15%
Ron Paul – 13%GEORGE SANCHEZ – ABC News Washington, DC Assignment Editor
Romney – 49%
Gingrich – 21%
Santorum – 16%
Paul – 12%ELIZABETH HARTFIELD – ABC News Political Unit
Romney- 41%
Gingrich- 28%
Santorum- 14%
Paul- 11%CHRIS GOOD – ABC News Political Unit
Romney – 38%
Gingrich – 30%
Santorum – 12%
Paul – 11%MATT NEGRIN – ABC News Political Reporter
Romney – 36%
Gingrich – 29%
Paul – 17%
Santorum – 15%AMY BINGHAM – ABC News.com Reporter
Romney- 43%
Gingrich- 28%
Santorum- 12%
Paul- 9%SARAH PARNASS – ABC News Intern
Romney – 46%
Gingrich – 27%
Santorum – 16%
Paul – 11%ALEXA KEYES – ABC News Intern
Romney -44%
Gingrich – 29%
Santorum -14%
Paul – 11%
We have a problem, folks. While I support the voters’ right to choose via elections, even if not my candidate of choice, the amount of money and the sleazy tactics that have permeated our process are beyond alarming. So you’ll forgive me if I don’t celebrate the primary results, as it’s going now.
It turns out that all we feared may be true, as it plays out before our very eyes and with documented facts… that offices of our central government are, indeed, for sale to the highest bidder with those with the most creative lies.
A “must read” … C. Edmund Wright’s American Thinker article 2/1/12 – “Mitt’s Scorched Earth Win”.
Another “must”…Thomas Sowell’s primary day column, “The Florida Smear Campaign”
George Neumayr’s American Thinker article, “Romney’s Cheap and Empty Win”… tho I might disagree as to how “cheap” it was in a monetary perspective.
Vietnam era Navy wife, indy/conservative, and an official California escapee now residing as a red speck in the sea of Oregon blue.
And he’s the Dem candidate of choice…to get Secret Service protection, in case you didn’t get the message.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/exclusive-mitt-romney-to-receive-secret-service-protection/
He spent $15 million taking Florida (well, with his PACs)!? At that rate it’s not running out of money to fight Obama he needs to worry about, it’s having any money left by Super Tuesday. I mean, his fundraising is good and he started 2012 with $20 million in the bank, but $300,000 per delegate is a pace that will bankrupt even his campaign (and his little superPAC too).
@plainjane: I think Cain had SS protection too. I don’t know how the decision is made but I think it may be something that a campaign requests if they feel they’ve received credible threats.
bbart, per plainjane’s link, it’s not for threats but increasing size of crowds as the primary progresses. I guess the SS has money in on the ABC pool as well, thinking that neither Newt or Santorum will draw any crowds in the future… LOL
And amen on your math per delegate… mind boggling, ain’t it? I mean, my family and friends in Florida told me it was bad… but this, I could never have imagined. Using your $300K per delegate, and needing 1,144 delegates to win the nomination, that would be a staggering $334.2 bil to buy the nomination… and then the general begins. Obama, on the other hand, can use his entire bil he seeks only on the general.
As as OpenSecrets says, 9 out of 10 Congressional and Presdential elections are won by money along… forget the baggage and strategy.
At this rate of spending Romney will spend well over $300 million on the Republican Primary to win the nomination. To me this is immoral and despicable.
@MataHarley: And every penny of Obama’s billion dollar war chest comes from the average working person he claims to represent because they can afford to donate that type of money.
Mata I wouldn’t want these people picking my stocks or sporting events. EVERY ONE over estimated Ron Paul and all but one under estimated Romney. Noticed every one under estimated Gingrich. Hell,some of em can’t add. What a group.
Obviously PACS are a big problem. Have the Dems supported their unfettered existance as much as Repubs?
Ya gotta be joking, rich… ever heard of McCain-Feingold? MoveOn.org? Swiftboat Vets?
SuperPACs were born of that legislation… a bill that was overwhelmingly supported by the Dems in the House (198) and 41 GOPers, and 60 -40 in the Senate, with 48 Dems, the VT Indy (Jeffords) and 11 GOPers.
Here’s a brief history of SuperPACs from the the libertarian think tank, Institute of Justice.
McCain is a joke today, saying that SuperPACs will destroy the process. No shit Sherlock… maybe he should have thought about that before penning the bill that created them with Russ Feingold.
I trust that answers your question? And perhaps explains why McCain was as unacceptable in 2008 as Romney – with his SuperPAC creator bud in tow – is in 2012?
Mata Seems Mac-Feingold designed to regulate campaign financing was skirted by Super PACS upheld by S.C. decision Citizens United vs. Fed Action Com. which cited 1st amend rights to raise as much money as possible.Total cluster f—
Another rare moment of harmony, rich wheeler. A total clusterf*#k indeed. Unfortunately, it all was begat by the RINO we didn’t want in 2008, who’s supporting the RINO we don’t want in 2012, and passed by Democrats.
Can’t blame the courts… they just interpret bad laws. They don’t write ’em.
oops… gonna leave a mark
Spot on Mata. For me it has boiled down to this. The Republican party has decided to destroy itself in order to win the Republican primary. The only logical explanation is that for them, those in control of the Republican party, it is more important to retain power then it is to actually win the general election.
That I refuse to condone or reward with my one vote.
Mata No worries. Mac -Fein had good intentions but big money found a way to circumvent good intentions. What’s new? Reversal of High Court’s afor mentioned decision should be a high priority for all.
Mike H. Absolutely concur with your assessment that retaining power with Romney as nom is of utmost impotance to the Party. At this juncture don’t think Romney or Gingrich can beat a revived and ready to fight POTUS. Rubio of Fla. a must as Veep for E.C. purposes.
Romney scores a HUGE new endorsement:
Romney gets George Soros Stamp of Approval
Soros: Not much difference between Romney and Obama
Now those silly rumors about George Romney and Saul Alinsky being friendly don’t seem so….silly.
Woohoo looks like a Liberal will be reelected this year:)
Funny how Gingrich supporters cry foul when Romney uses negativity campaigning…er…like Newt has been doing before. Didn’t hear much whining about negativity campaigning then did we? Not that hypocrisy has ever stopped Newt. Gingrich has sowed the wind and now he is reaping the whirlwind:D
As for money influencing politics – absolutely let’s start putting in caps.
@GaffaUK: Remind us, who did you vote for in the last U.S. election?
Oh yeah, that’s right.
You can’t.
So your opinion is worth about as much as your (half)witty repartee.
Nice post Mata,
I wonder however how the Florida race would have turned out if Newt had conveyed a clear message rather than wasting his money on anti-abortion ads. In Florida. Erick over at RedState talks about it. In addition, the turnout was low and many people seemed to be turned off by the most negative campaign ever, driven my Mittens of course. The other thing is, if Newt had actually showed up to either of the Fla debates he might have done much better as well. He was outspent in South Carolina as well…
@Antics
Depending in which state you live you probably have as much influence as I do in determining which person becomes the Republican nominee thanks to its bizarre antiquated system of rotating around the same order – giving prominence to same old states. LOL.
And can’t us foreigners like bees comment ? Do you think ANY comments in this forum will have any effect on who becomes President? Even Palin’s supporters are now tearing themselves apart over her half-assed endorsement on Newt. It going to be fun watching Newt slowly bleed away his money and finally give up. As well as watching sour-grapes conservatives bitch about money, the media and the establishment. Then come election sulk and refuse to vote for the Republican candidate – gifting it to Obama. Go Romney:)
Romney is a liberal Taxachusetts politician. Yuk! Romneycare is the father of Obamacare. Yuk!
If Gingrich wins the nomination the President will take him apart piece by piece. Romney might not be your guy, but he has a chance to beat Obama. So ask yourself a question… is having 1/2 a loaf better than none at all. Wanting political purity will be what causes the Republican Party to be in the weeds forever.
@blast: Newt’s chances (likewise Santorum’s and Paul’s) against Obama are presumably thinner than Romney’s. Or at least I’m willing to accept that for the sake of argument. But to twist your analogy about half a loaf: if Romney represents a 30% chance at a half a slice of moldy bread, while one of the others is a 10% shot at a half a loaf of fresh bread, I know which is the better gamble.
Newt attack ads used 1st. Attacking free markets. Bain Capital, if your read some history on it , impressive company, good record. I was a person who was glued to the tv if newt was speaking. Now i just can’t believe he would risk the country this way. Newt has given obambi plenty of soundbites to use against republicans no matter who is the nominee. with the free market attack ads against romney.
all newts ads against free markets will be used against Republicans, even the republicans don’t trust the free market because its bad and the dems are good and on and on .
newt hanging around will make romney use cash he needs to fight the marxist guy. Romney will go after fraud in the government like he did in the olympics in salt lake, i heard he put 5 investigators on each offender and took them out. Made a profit after some time of taking $1 per year and gave that profit to charity. Newt is not on 2 or 3 ballots for the primary, his anger shows too much, not organized compared to romney, which is what the country needs. no whiners. We need a fighter.
Romney tried to be above it all and lost SC to newt, so he had to be more agressive to match newt and the others attacks. An article in real clear politics , by Sean Trende , he mentions that romney appears to be able to allow some dems to break for a semi-credible GOP nominee. I hate it too, but in this electorate that has been ruined by the college professors this is all we are going to get.
So everybody get head out of ass and vote the marxist out. Just saying. Where have i heard that. Oh!!
GaffaUK
FOREIGNERS don’t know who to vote for unless you tell them with goodies, costly goodies,
some to impress them, some to make them happy, some they can see in their pocket,
some with promisses,
nothing to do with voting for the right person. and many old people don’t know the difference also, they have stop being alert because they have their own vulnerability and pain to think about, and are getting use to leave the thinking to other who take care of them.
it’s a fact, that it’s easy to lure the ignorant and dependent people with money.
I really am beginning to qiestion why I even call myself a Republican anymore.
We got the whole Republican establishment pushing a guy that is the Godfather of Obamacare and said he would not repeal it in total and his surrogate said that they want to have Romneycare in each of the states.
And this is the same party that stood by and watched Cain get forced out by lies, and doing the same thing while their favorite candidate is lying about another and still backing him.
I thought the GOP was suppose to be Conservative and not just the party of the squishy middle.
But as Jeffry Lord points out, this has been going on for a long time:
http://spectator.org/archives/2012/01/31/newt-battles-mush-from-the-wim and the squishy middle usually wins out at its own expense.
It is coming close to the time I say what Reagan said about the Democrat Party. “I did not leave the party, the party left me”
Stix
I think that if they put more grease on the extra wheel in the trunk of the car, and less on the 4 wheels under the car, it seems they have a better chance that the car will get where they are aiming for,
even if the 4 other wheels under are ruined, because those new models cars work this way.
Romney has NO CHANCE of EVER getting my vote… period. That includes the general election should he manage to buy the nomination.
Donald Bly
maybe that’s why the liberals want him to win so much.
@Galloway, apparently you choose not to think back to the first battle in IA, where Romney’s SuperPAC sunk the Gingrich moment them in the days before the caucus.
Romney outspent Newt two to one in SC.
Florida, the stats above speak for itself. And I will again remind you that out of the $33 mil spent so far by the SuperPACS for *all* the candidates $11 mil – 1/3 of that ($11 mil) is Romney’s negative ads with Gingrich – 92 to 96% – the prime target. That he has even 32% of the Florida vote against these odds, and won SC, is amazing.
You are incorrect
ah yes… another liberal with crystal ball omnipotence weighs in to tell conservatives what is in our “best” interest. OK… I see the trashcan within pitching distance for that tidbit.
Using the logic of both the RNC and liberals about who can “beat Obama”, we might as well run Hillary. Obviously principles and records mean nothing when the GOP wants to run the guy who is the architect of the mandate, and still thinks it’s okay. So why not Hillary? It’s a shoe in.
pffft
@vince, the Florida debates played less in this primary because the viewership was down. I doubt there’d be any different outcome. Looking to see if the exit polls confirm the Insider Advantage voter profile that the 44 and under went overwhelmingly for Newt, and the 45 and over went for Romney. The senior population dominates Florida, of course.
@Donald Bly:
You’re either a fool, or a Democratic operative. You don’t count.
@ilovebeeswarzone:
Then why did the liberals spend a pants load of money in Florida to defeat Romney?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/liberal-groups-join-in-fla-ad-war-against-mitt-romney/2012/01/24/gIQAYY5tQQ_story.html
@MataHarley:
You won’t support the GOP nominee? Then, you’re the very definition of “liberal omnipotence”.
Should Gingrich be the nominee, I’ll be glad to hold my nose and pull the lever to put the disingenuous prick and his adulterous slut wife in the white House if it means Obama’s defeat..
Enjoy your four more years of Obama.
Billy Pilgrim
just by your insulting NEWT, TELL ME OF THE SAME ONE WHO WON THE FLORIDA,
SAME INSULTING tactics, how much money did you get from him? just to come here
and spit.
Excellent post, Mata. Linked it over at Gateway Pundit’s comments.
IF…. Romney gets the nomination… we better concentrate real hard on capturing the Senate so we can Impeach Obama when he shellacks Romney… but let’s hear from Romney himself on why he can’t beat Obama…
http://spectator.org/archives/2012/01/30/romney-explains-why-he-cant-be
I will not hold my nose and vote for the pablum that is Mitt “The Rhino” Romney….
I still maintain that standing in a pile of crap is slightly better than living in the sewer. Romney’s not my guy, but I will pull the lever for him.
@Billy Pilgrim: I don’t think you should hide how you really feel. Why not be clear as to your feelings on this matter?
@Billy Pilgrim: Rest assured … I do count… as do the 100’s of thousands just like me… I VOTE… Newt 2012.
OT
ilovebees:
I’ve been reading your wonderful comments for nigh on six years now. I seldom comment here but I always enjoy reading the threads. Can you tell me what your nic (ilovebeeswarzone) means, or from where you derived it? I’ve always thought it was one of the more enigmatic nics I’d ever come across. The odd thing that got me wondering: do you work for, or known anyone who works in the videogame industry?
http://www.42entertainment.com/bees.html
Quite interesting. Apparantly it was a marketing campaign by the makers of Halo. It became a meme of sorts in the gaming world, and I only discovered it recently (Halo was released years ago, on a previous generation of game systems). I recently completed the main quest in this little game called Torchlight. When you complete the game, you can retire your character and start another, which is a “descendent” of your “retired” character. BEAR WITH ME! When I started my new character, imagine my surprise when I am rewarded with a rare spell scroll called, verbatim, “ilovebees”. I said “where have I seen that before?”
Never thought of it again until just now.
Anyway, God bless you, ilovebees — you are a joy to read.
One mil from the SEIU/Obama SuperPAC about Bain? Drop in the bucket, and just a token test run for the general, Billy Pilgrim. They have to pretend they are afraid of Romney, or the ploy doesn’t work. They don’t need to use their money to take out Newt because Romney’s spending his. Get with the program, guy.
As I’ve continually said, Obama needs Romney as his foil so he can portray hims as the heartless, soul’less evil capitalist pig. And that, if you’ll notice, was exactly what they were attacking in their ad.
First of all, Billy Pilgrim, those like Donald Bly, myself and others – who find the utter hypocrisy of being against mandates, then running the architect of the mandate (who still supports one) as completely unacceptable – matter *very* much. If you insist on throwing away all your principles and ideology just to change the decor at the WH, you’re going to need the conservatives’ help. And last I looked, anywhere from 54% (in Florida) to 75% of us don’t particularly want to run the joke of a candidate named Romney.
As I said to someone else, if you refrain from your expected mantra of blame for “four more years of Obama” crap, I’ll refrain from blaming you for enabling a GOP that insists on pushing Obama’lite loser candidates on the conservative voter, picking the Granddaddy of the mandate we are opposed to, and perpetuating this joke of central government where both parties dodge the hard stuff.
I fully expect those of you, eagerly willing to abandon your political principles to vote for the creator of O’healthcare, to play the liberal game of crystal ball omnipotence – no matter what the general election outcome is. If Romney loses, you’ll blame those of us who still remain loyal to our principles. If Newt gets the nomination, or Santorum, and loses, you’ll tell us all how you absolutely *know* the parallel universe would have gone so perfectly if only Romney had been the nominee.
Fact is, I think Romney will lose easily against Obama.. not only because of who he is, how he’ll be portrayed, and the fact they are so similar in their records of Dem leaning governing, but because Obama’s war chest will overwhelm Mittens easily.
In the end, you’ll have been the political call girl for the GOP, and I’d at least still have my morals and conscience intact. At least I’d rather lose running something closer to a real conservative with a record of negotiating with opposition parties, and coming out with a right moving Congress, then allowing the GOP to disregard the national opposition to yet another RINO being thrust upon us.
So let me say this right now – playing the guilt card won’t work, and is a tactic worthy of Alinsky himself. In the efforts to “win” over the Democrats and Obama, you have become exactly that which we despise. Unfortunately for you, my principles as a conservative are not for sale, nor can be shamed into casting a vote for a candidate who is an abomination of my ideology.
@ MATA… I really need to take lessons…. I bow to your clear and concise rebuttals.
@Donald Bly, thanks for the link to the link to the link… LOL! I doth believe that Norm Coleman, Romney’s advisor, needs to be quoted about O’healthcare.
I think, gary kukis, you’ll have to enjoy your pile ‘o’ manure and/or sewer digs without my company. I find neither palatable, nor acceptable. Romney for Eight? Never…
Taqiyyotomist
thank you for the kind words,
wow, am I ever surprised of the discovery of the link, very surprised,
my name came to me because of 2 different happenings;
one is the bees I found in my place each one on separated days, and different places in the house, I never could find where they came from, it might be they came in an open door, but I pick up the first one
with a clean cloth, thinking she was dead, praying GOD TO BE WRONG, I went outside and open the cloth, moment after she flew out ever slowly , and the day after, I go downstairs,and what made me look at the last step, who knows, but there is another big one, not moving , again I get the cloth and pick her up, and go out, I see the many dandelions outside and put her on one, she is motionless,I’m crying, and watching,
and suddenly her head sink in the flower, wow, I wait and pick another flower cutting it and present it to the bee, she clime on mine and sink in the flower, then I push another flower close to her, she drag herself onto it, wow I think GOD please, and she suddenly fly around my head and disappear away far.
SO when I began to use a used computer given to me, I had the BBC news, and saw about the war news, I decide to comment, and took my name of today, to give my mind on IEDS killing our MILITARY, I was trying to get the smart people to create a deterrent or a gadget for it, I was so sure it could be done, still sure of it, but not done, the PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA came in with an offer of one million dolard to anyone coming with a plan,at the time,
and I found myself tired, I had to turn away, I had said it al I could, there was time to leave it to other, so then I evolve enough to check other BLOGS, and I found FLOPPING ACES, and fell in love with it,
long story, sorry for that, but you ask for it, and I answer because I know you enough to like you
but I have nothing to do with MICROSOFT GAME , except that MICROSOFT IS IN MY COMPUTER,
AND DO SOME UPGRADING IN MY COMPUTER AT TIMES, THAT’S THE ONLY THING I KNOW. I am still very ignorant of the computer knowledge
bye
Sometime during the FLA count last night I heard an exit poll point that stood out.
Apparently many voters felt that Romney’s attack ads were negative, BUT they still had no issue with voting for him!
Same with some who voted Gingrich, BTW.
I wish I could find this in print today.
It was most interesting.
Nan G, the negative ad effects are not seen by those who did vote, but is reflected in the low turnout that is 14% below the usual. Considering that the Romney ads were 99% negative for his campaign ads, and 100% negative for his SuperPAC, and Newt’s were 95% negative for his campaign run ads, and 53% for his SuperPACs, one can be assured that Floridians were barraged by an average of a negative ad a minute. We had a mini version of that in Oregon, but that stuff will never stop me from hitting the ballot box… or in our case, the ballot mail drop box.
As for the exit polls, I’ve seen the questions linked to the USA Today article, but don’t know the entity who conducted that exit poll.
The first question is one factor… the crystal ball meme that Romney can beat Obama. However what’s also noted is that 44% considered Gingrich the “true conservative”, while only 11% thought Romney was. Romney’s negative ads paid off in destroying Newt’s “moral character”, since only 8% thought Newt’s moral character was acceptable. However Newt was also up by 5% over Romney for the “right experience”. As Romney said, his attack ads on Newt’s character (i.e. divorces/marriages to his mistresses and the lie that he was driven out of Congress “in disgrace” for ethics charges that turned out to not be true) “served him well”.
The FL delegates must feel very expensive indeed, knowing they walk around for the price of $300K each. Hang.. that’s worth more than most Floridians homes.
Additionally, the FL debates didn’t seem to matter because 46% of Romney supporters decided earlier in the month, and 55% decided more than a month ago. And so many use absentee ballots, which are in early.
The NYTs references the Edison Research poll, but their organizational website doesn’t provide a link to the specifics. Thus we are only left with MARJORIE CONNELLY’s summary of the results there. The condensed version is that Romney was perceived as the most likely to beat Obama…
… gee, wonder where everyone gets these omnipotent seer powers? I’d like to borrow them for a quick trip to the casinos and for playing the stock market.
@ilovebeeswarzone:
Awww.
We’ll have to start calling you the Bee Whisperer.
@MataHarley:
I think so many people are so afraid of obama winning another term, they are defaulting to what they THINK is the safe bet- Romney.
I seriously question whether he can beat him.
Correction to my comment above about the USA link to the poll questions. Those are the Edison Research exit poll questions and responses. Something like 2300 were asked exiting the polls, as well as some 800 done via telephone.
@Hard Right, be careful getting in the way of rabid fortune tellers, who will vehemently insist that the Romney is “the only one” is fact, and not crystal ball rhetoric and speculation. You risk being Alinsky’ized by our peers, just like me. You know… that I’m to blame if Obama wins BS?
…“good intentions”??? What’s that saying about the paved road to hell again?
So you excuse the legislation based on intents, but fret about the consequences? sigh
Overturning the courts is just judicial activism and manipulations to make the pig look like it’s got lipstick, rich. The courts interpret the laws, as written. They don’t mold their opinions to fit “good intentions, and try to let Congress save face for badly written bills.
It’s a bad law, proposed by the RINO we didn’t want in 2008, supporting the RINO we don’t want in 2012, and passed by your party’s votes over the objections of most the GOP. And what’s hilarious, and unsurprising, is watching Romney complain about SuperPACs, while taking major advantage and profusely thanking them as “serving him well”.
This is the same type of character flaw I find with the man who is actively complaining that Fannie and Freddie should be dismantled, but he’s busy investing in them- with full personal knowledge – to take advantage of the subprime mortgage purchases. Mittens’ “principles” always go a different way than his personal interests and behavior.
I’ll say it again.. he’s an abomination to all my political ideology.
@MataHarley:
I bet you’re responsible for not preventing forrest fires too. 😉
(Smokey the Bear reference)
Hard Right
ah yes nice, but you won’t believe it, but it also hapen to me with HUMMINGBIRDS AT LEAST 3 TIMES,
THEY had come in the house also, and again the thing that I still find incredible, they each in it’s own day and time, where in a place WHERE I had no reason to find them, as I was drawn to their different location not the same for each, and found them to save them as they where motionless almost invisible by their size as the smaller bees, and each time was a rise of emotion for me during and after they flew away.
very weird is in it? I thought so to at the time.
you have the right word but they might be the real WHISPERER
bye
@MataHarley:
I completely agree on your assessment of Romney. He is an abomination to conservatives.
I don’t believe, and never have believed, that a candidate needs to be perfect before I vote for them. But then, that is much, much different than someone standing by their principles, and living according to what they say they are for, or against.
A person who knowingly violates the principles they espouse is nothing more than a hypocrite, and someone that you CANNOT count on to stand up for your principles. After all, if they don’t have respect for themselves, how can you expect them to have respect for you? I have been turned off by many otherwise intelligent, well-spoken people who claim one principle but violate it when it suits them. Romney is no different than them, for me.
I should also point out that a person enlightened into changing their principles, or issue stances, is quite different than the above type of person, assuming, of course, that they aren’t just placating crowds with words to garner votes, which, it seems, is how Romney seems to be running his campaign.
Of course not, HR… that’s Bush’s fault! LOL /sarc
BTW, Thomas Sowell has, as usual, some money lines in his yesterday’s article about the Florida
primary… er, smear… campaign.Hard Right
yes right again, MATA is a fire. and she burn whoever throw water at her,
wow I cannot believe I said that. I must have learned it from you
bye