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You are here: Home / Politics / Republican Stupidity / Panic on the Streets of DC

Panic on the Streets of DC

by John Cole|  February 17, 20124:48 pm| 191 Comments

This post is in: Republican Stupidity, Clown Shoes

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They are terrified:

A prominent Republican senator just told me that if Romney can’t win in Michigan, the Republican Party needs to go back to the drawing board and convince somebody new to get into the race.

“If Romney cannot win Michigan, we need a new candidate,” said the senator, who has not endorsed anyone and requested anonymity.

The senator believes Romney will ultimately win in Michigan but says he will publicly call for the party to find a new candidate if he does not.

“We’d get killed,” the senator said if Romney manages to win the nomination after he failed to win the state in which he grew up.

They really have no one to blame but themselves. They’ve spent so much time lying about everything and creating an echo chamber to reinforce and transmit those lies within the so-called “conservative” movement that quite simply, anyone who appeals to the wingnut base is someone so twisted as to be utterly repugnant to the rest of the nation.

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Reader Interactions

191Comments

  1. 1.

    matryoshka

    February 17, 2012 at 4:50 pm

    Awwwww. Who are they going to draft–Scarah Palin?

  2. 2.

    Comrade Mary

    February 17, 2012 at 4:50 pm

    Hang the village, hang the village …

    There is no way they can bring in Jeb and respect their own rules for candidates, but given that they can’t even fucking count the votes properly in their own caucuses across several states, maybe they’ll try anyway.

  3. 3.

    Warren Terra

    February 17, 2012 at 4:50 pm

    An enjoyable fantasy, but I have faith in the power of unbelievable amounts of money to slime Santorum and depress overall turnout until Rmoney ekes out a win in Michigan.

    Although, I saw that a Republican Senator from Ohio has switched from the Rmoney camp to the Santorum camp, and in any case I’ve never been good at predictions …

  4. 4.

    qwerty42

    February 17, 2012 at 4:51 pm

    …They’ve spent so much time lying about everything and creating an echo chamber to reinforce and transmit those lies within the so-called “conservative” movement that quite simply, anyone who appeals to the wingnut base is someone so twisted as to be utterly repugnant to the rest of the nation.

    I believe the wingnuts see that as a feature, not a bug.

  5. 5.

    kindness

    February 17, 2012 at 4:51 pm

    This from the party that thought their foundation could be built upon Teahaddism.

    Turns out Americans don’t really like Teahaddists. Karl Rove is feverishly trying to figure out how to turn this on it’s head and blame Obama.

  6. 6.

    geg6

    February 17, 2012 at 4:52 pm

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

    That is all

  7. 7.

    EdTheRed

    February 17, 2012 at 4:52 pm

    I believe this thread should be re-titled:

    Panic! At the Bubble

  8. 8.

    Suffern ACE

    February 17, 2012 at 4:53 pm

    @kindness: I believe that’s the point of the whole “he’s so divisive” “the most divisive President in History” meme. Basically, it blames the president for the fact that your neighbors have gone off the deep end.

  9. 9.

    Benjamin Franklin

    February 17, 2012 at 4:54 pm

    What about Rick Santorum?

    “He’d lose 35 states,” the senator said, predicting the same fate for Newt Gingrich.

    It would have to be somebody else, the senator said. Who?
    “Jeb Bush,” the former Florida governor.

    Jeb: “If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve.”

  10. 10.

    piratedan

    February 17, 2012 at 4:54 pm

    let them bring whoever they want to the dance, we’re still gonna burn the barn down, hopefully they’ll still be inside.

  11. 11.

    Comrade Mary

    February 17, 2012 at 4:55 pm

    OMG-OT: More proof that Obama hates the ghey. Surely Limbaugh is right and Republicans can win on moral — #sputter# — let me try that again — surely they can — BWAH! — aw, fuck it, they’re toast.

  12. 12.

    Rick Taylor

    February 17, 2012 at 4:55 pm

    I wrote a comment on a Not Romney youtube video pointing out that none of the other candidates looked electable to me. I got a serious reply from someone saying they were still hoping Sarah Palin would enter the race.

  13. 13.

    Soonergrunt

    February 17, 2012 at 4:56 pm

    @geg6: This.

  14. 14.

    Tom Hilton

    February 17, 2012 at 4:56 pm

    Which is Mitt’s theme song? “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want”? Or “Oscillate Wildly”?

  15. 15.

    Martin

    February 17, 2012 at 4:56 pm

    “If Romney cannot win Michigan, we need a new candidate party,”

    Less denial in my version.

  16. 16.

    Brandon

    February 17, 2012 at 4:56 pm

    Unfortunately for us entertainment seekers, Santorum looks to have sadly peaked, as other FPers have noted. But a narrow Romney win in MI with lower total votes and % than ’08 is total win for me.

  17. 17.

    Drive-By Nomad

    February 17, 2012 at 4:56 pm

    Utterly. Repugnant.

  18. 18.

    les

    February 17, 2012 at 4:57 pm

    @qwerty42:

    …They’ve spent so much time lying about everything and creating an echo chamber to reinforce and transmit those lies within the so-called “conservative” movement that quite simply, anyone who appeals to the wingnut base is someone so twisted as to be utterly repugnant to the rest of the nation.

    …
    I believe the wingnuts see that as a feature, not a bug.

    You’re right; but it only works if they can implement their gerrymander/vote suppression plan. Unfortunately, they are…

  19. 19.

    JPL

    February 17, 2012 at 4:57 pm

    TooManyJens mentioned Jebb down below.. My response was
    The savior is the brother of the one that led us to a cliff and he happened to marry an undocumented immigrant. There’s a few other things that might come out also, too, i.e. avoiding customs.

    good times

  20. 20.

    BGinCHI

    February 17, 2012 at 4:57 pm

    @Tom Hilton: Frankly Mr. Shankly.

  21. 21.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 17, 2012 at 4:58 pm

    It would have to be somebody else, the senator said. Who?
    “Jeb Bush,” the former Florida governor.

    Oh, sure, like that will work.

    Dang. There goes my Schadenfreude meter again!

  22. 22.

    BGinCHI

    February 17, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    I can’t wait to drink Mitt’s bitter, bitter tears this November.

  23. 23.

    Poopyman

    February 17, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    Panic in the streets of DC? I thought you were referencing Sunday’s weather forecast. Taint no panic in DC’s streets, son. Now, if you’d looked in the boardrooms on K Street ….

    And srsly, “The Senator”? Do I care about another unsourced article?

  24. 24.

    Martin

    February 17, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    @Benjamin Franklin:

    It would have to be somebody else, the senator said. Who?
    “Jeb Bush,” the former Florida governor.

    Uh, nobody is going to volunteer to have ‘GOP Mondale’ tattooed permanently on their forehead. And anyone who is stupid enough to do so is probably too stupid to do any better than Romney.

  25. 25.

    Comrade Mary

    February 17, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    @Tom Hilton: I think this might be Obama’s response to emo-progs.

  26. 26.

    beltane

    February 17, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    The senator believes Romney will ultimately win in Michigan

    The Michigan primary is not a best of seven series. Romney cannot “ultimately” win it, he has to win it the first and only time. The senator who said this sounds exactly like the troll Veritas telling us Romney.Has.It.In.The.Bag.

  27. 27.

    Suffern ACE

    February 17, 2012 at 5:01 pm

    @Brandon: Too bad. I guess his “I would have opposed the bailout, too. I would have opposed it even more and much faster than my opponents. And I’m also nuts.” approach didn’t inspire as much confidence as expected.

  28. 28.

    Benjamin Franklin

    February 17, 2012 at 5:01 pm

    @Martin:

    I’ve always said Jeb was the smarter son.

  29. 29.

    JPL

    February 17, 2012 at 5:01 pm

    @Comrade Mary: You are good.

  30. 30.

    Brachiator

    February 17, 2012 at 5:01 pm

    @geg6:

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    __
    That is all

    Oh yes!

    However, the primaries are just getting started. The GOP will end up with a candidate, probably Romney, and they will then get him to make a VP choice that will make the unsettled fundies happy. Romney will continue to push himself as Mr Businessman, able to leap stagnant economies with a single bound.

    But I could also see Jeb being pushed forward as a uniter of a fractured party.

    No matter what happens, it will be an ugly fight.

  31. 31.

    beltane

    February 17, 2012 at 5:02 pm

    @Brandon: Santorum peaked? For a second time? This means Newt will get to enjoy a second chance at being the top not-Romney. The GOP bench is so thin they get to take turns filling this position.

  32. 32.

    Brandon

    February 17, 2012 at 5:02 pm

    Domain Name: DRAFTJEB.COM
    Registrar: GODADDY.COM, LLC
    Whois Server: whois.godaddy.com
    Referral URL: http://registrar.godaddy.com
    Name Server: NS73.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
    Name Server: NS74.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
    Status: redemptionPeriod
    Updated Date: 17-jan-2012
    Creation Date: 06-dec-2004
    Expiration Date: 06-dec-2011

    I guess they need to find someone else.

  33. 33.

    dmsilev

    February 17, 2012 at 5:03 pm

    Teh funny:

    Romney defector Mike DeWine on Santorum: “People like him. He is human. He’s real.”

    The Romneytronic 3000’s emotion circuits have registered a sad state.

  34. 34.

    Stooleo

    February 17, 2012 at 5:03 pm

    @Tom Hilton: “Unloveable”

  35. 35.

    General Stuck

    February 17, 2012 at 5:04 pm

    I think Jeb is smart enough to not self immolate for the team. Because ‘the team’ is being run by crazy people, and that won’t change by him simply entering the race. The wingers with a brain cell that were electable, saw that coming and stayed out. Until 2016. They are going to have to pick somebody though, and it could go either way, imo, at this point. If they stick with the clowns in the ring now, they could lose it all, big time. Or, they can pick someone at the convention who likely won’t win, but isn’t crazy, and will maybe not drive a stake through the heart of their so called party. Newt just got 10 mil more from his wingnut sugar daddy, so he has gas money and won’t quit till that runs out. And Santorum is still riding his not Mitt wave, that is headed straight for the rocks. I am very uncomfortable being comfortable about ours and Obama’s prospects at present. My life experience tells me that is usually when things go the most wrong, but not always. But I can muster no reasonable or respectful fear of any of the four remaining idiots in the GOP race.

  36. 36.

    JPL

    February 17, 2012 at 5:04 pm

    @dmsilev: just needs a little lube job.

  37. 37.

    Comrade Mary

    February 17, 2012 at 5:05 pm

    Ooh! One for Ron Paul.

  38. 38.

    trollhattan

    February 17, 2012 at 5:05 pm

    Where’s “Truth” in Latin(tm) to remind us Mittens is, for practically the First Time Evah, going to unleash millyuns of dollarz and destroy the primary competition, just as he’d going to destroy Obama [my spelling] in November?

    Where?

  39. 39.

    MattF

    February 17, 2012 at 5:06 pm

    So, looking back over the wreckage, I think there was a turning point when Romney released that flatly dishonest ad, quoting Obama out of context. Maybe not immediately– the winger media claimed it was a Romney victory– but the bad news eventually sank in: Republicans were about to nominate a pathological liar. Oopsie.

  40. 40.

    Tom Hilton

    February 17, 2012 at 5:06 pm

    Of course, if by some fluke one of these clowns (Romney or Santorum) actually wins the presidency, it’ll give new meaning to “November Spawned a Monster”.

  41. 41.

    Martin

    February 17, 2012 at 5:06 pm

    @Brandon:

    Unfortunately for us entertainment seekers,

    Fear not, for Nooooot has gotten another $10M out of Adelson. The entertainment shall continue!

  42. 42.

    Benjamin Franklin

    February 17, 2012 at 5:06 pm

    @General Stuck:

    Or, they can pick someone at the convention who likely won’t win, but isn’t crazy, and will maybe not drive a stake through the heart of their so called party.

    Mitch Daniels?

  43. 43.

    Anonymous At Work

    February 17, 2012 at 5:07 pm

    To me, the big question from the article is what ABC News does if both Romney loses Michigan and the anonymous US Senator does not follow through in calling for a new candidate? Nothing, most likely, despite an anonymous source burning them.

  44. 44.

    Steve

    February 17, 2012 at 5:08 pm

    Mike DeWine absolutely destroyed Romney in the process of switching his endorsement.

    “Let’s be honest,” DeWine said. “In the past months, Mitt Romney and his Super PAC have coupled a remarkable ability to tear down his opponents with an astounding inability to provide voters with a rationale to support him.”

    Possibly the first good thing the esteemed ex-Senator has ever done.

  45. 45.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    February 17, 2012 at 5:08 pm

    Stop making me want to back Markos stupid idea of messing with the Michigan primary. It’s still stupid, but I would love to push the GOP off a cliff.

  46. 46.

    dmsilev

    February 17, 2012 at 5:08 pm

    @beltane: Not necessarily true. As Iowa proved, it’s entirely possible to first win and then lose the same state. It’s apparently at least possible that the same thing might happen in Maine, with the Rombot’s victory (excuse me, VICTORY!) being supplanted by Ron Paul’s merry band of nuts.

    We are fast approaching peak schadenfreude.

  47. 47.

    Bill

    February 17, 2012 at 5:08 pm

    At first I thought this would be about the “Capitol Building Bomber”. How much you wanna bet that will be entrapment of another mentally ill kid.

    We need to start a big “Write in Sarah” promotion in Michigan, to really mess up their primary.

  48. 48.

    scav

    February 17, 2012 at 5:08 pm

    What about Holding Our for a Hero? (I went with Frou Frou but other options are available).

  49. 49.

    TK-421

    February 17, 2012 at 5:09 pm

    This sounds similar to the Florida line- Mitt must win, or we have to do something drastic.

    Meh…Mitt will win Michigan, and then have a surprise loss somewhere else, and then a new line in the sand will be drawn state will be deemed MITT MUST WIN OR WE DO SOMETHING DRASTIC, which he’ll win, then he’ll lose somewhere else, etc.

    It’s going to be Mitt. And if I were a partisan Dem, I’d be happier having President Obama match up against Mitt than against Santorum. BooMan has it right: President Obama will smash either Mitt and Santorum, but the Congressional races look better for Dems with Mitt.

  50. 50.

    JGabriel

    February 17, 2012 at 5:10 pm

    Deleted by author for wrongness. Mis-read the article.

    .

  51. 51.

    Brandon

    February 17, 2012 at 5:10 pm

    @beltane: Santorum peaking twice sounds vaguely nasty. It is a bit sad though, as you note, that their bench is so thin that the Republican base is giving second-second chances to fill the roll of “not Mitt”.

  52. 52.

    General Stuck

    February 17, 2012 at 5:11 pm

    @Benjamin Franklin:

    Doubt it, his wife put the stop to that before, and Daniel’s is an asshole, but also smart enough to not risk ruining his winger creds entering this gathering horror show we will all get to witness the closer we get to Nov. the GOP is going to have to figure a way to get control of its crazies that are now in the drivers seat. Won’t happen soon enough for this election, I don’t think. But who knows, crazy times produce crazy stuff, so we shall see.

  53. 53.

    JPL

    February 17, 2012 at 5:12 pm

    @Belafon (formerly anonevent): GA has an open primary and although it’s tempting, it’s so icky just thinking about pulling santorum’s lever.

  54. 54.

    trollhattan

    February 17, 2012 at 5:12 pm

    @Martin:

    Seems that all realllly beeeeg campaign donors need to, before the campaign begins, buy a crapload of teevee stations so they can just pay themselves to run all these attack ads.

    Or do the Adelsons already have that covered?

  55. 55.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 17, 2012 at 5:13 pm

    @TK-421:

    Um, why aren’t you at your post?

  56. 56.

    Democratic Nihilist, Keeper Of Party Purity

    February 17, 2012 at 5:14 pm

    Smells like VICTORY!

  57. 57.

    Maude

    February 17, 2012 at 5:15 pm

    @Belafon (formerly anonevent):
    No need to mess with the Michigan Primary. GM already did.

  58. 58.

    BGinCHI

    February 17, 2012 at 5:16 pm

    @JPL:

    it’s so icky just thinking about pulling santorum’s lever.

    I see what you did there.

    Someone at a press conference should ask Santorum whether he has ever masturbated. And when he says “No” every man in America will see the liar he is.

  59. 59.

    Brandon

    February 17, 2012 at 5:17 pm

    @Martin: Oh goodie. At some point a post title on the Republican primary needs to use Pink Floyd’s “The (Freak) Show Must Go On”.

  60. 60.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 17, 2012 at 5:20 pm

    @Martin:

    Uh, nobody is going to volunteer to have ‘GOP Mondale’ tattooed permanently on their forehead.

    Amen. A whole bunch of huge egos didnt want to take that risk when the economy looked a lot weaker. To say nothing of the fact that Mitt and his millions are unlikely to go away quietly.

  61. 61.

    David Koch

    February 17, 2012 at 5:20 pm

    Michael Steele just reported on Hardball that internal GOP polling show them bleeding badly because of the contraception debacle.

  62. 62.

    Brandon

    February 17, 2012 at 5:22 pm

    @BGinCHI: That’s where the Press Corpse misses good ‘ole nasty Sam Donaldson.

  63. 63.

    Rafer Janders

    February 17, 2012 at 5:24 pm

    @General Stuck:

    Maybe Zombie Reagan could run?

  64. 64.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 17, 2012 at 5:24 pm

    @David Koch: Did you hear Steele babbling about the “magisterium” and Sunday sermons? These people are so fucking weird.

  65. 65.

    David Koch

    February 17, 2012 at 5:24 pm

    This unanimous senator has to be Lindsey Graham.

  66. 66.

    scav

    February 17, 2012 at 5:25 pm

    @David Koch: hahahahahahaha, oh I could go several ways but I’m giggling too hard. . .

    ETA: no no, drop the tone, it’s a mad chortle.

  67. 67.

    Martin

    February 17, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    @trollhattan:

    Or do the Adelsons already have that covered?

    No, that’s really Rupert’s territory. Adelson isn’t in it for the money – he just wants someone to nuke Palestine.

  68. 68.

    Brandon

    February 17, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    @David Koch: I had my money on DeMint.

  69. 69.

    JPL

    February 17, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    Shocking breaking news..Christie vetoed the civil rights marriage act. He’s still hoping for a Jeb/Chris ticket. Yup, that will win a lot of votes.

  70. 70.

    Soonergrunt

    February 17, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    Not wanting to step on John’s thread with another of mine so soon, so it’s a comment:
    Foster Friess (of aspirin between the knees fame) thinks that rich people shouldn’t pay any taxes and should be thanked for being rich.

  71. 71.

    Rafer Janders

    February 17, 2012 at 5:27 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    When Rick Perry (who?) was touting the virtues of abstinence at one of the debates, I really wish the moderator had asked him “Governor Perry, were you a virgin when you married?”

    You just know that the good ‘ole boy in Perry would have died to have to claim that he was ever a virgin, and certainly that he’d only ever had sex with one woman, and we all would have known it was a lie. But it would have forced him to claim that if he was going to have any consistency with the path he was advocating all others take.

  72. 72.

    eric

    February 17, 2012 at 5:27 pm

    @Martin: that money is to go after santorum in the nastiest way possible so there is no blowback on romney….good times

  73. 73.

    Mnemosyne

    February 17, 2012 at 5:27 pm

    The big money boys created a monster and thought they would be able to control it. You’d think at least one of them would have seen a version of Frankenstein at some point.

  74. 74.

    Soonergrunt

    February 17, 2012 at 5:28 pm

    @David Koch:

    bleeding badly because of the contraception debacle.

    Where do you want your internets delivered?

  75. 75.

    TooManyJens

    February 17, 2012 at 5:29 pm

    @Soonergrunt:

    Friess’s most striking observation was about the value of what he called “self-taxation,” as opposed to taxes levied by the state.

    JFC, first self-deportation and now self-taxation. I’m waiting for self-drafting and self-jailing.

  76. 76.

    Bobby Thomson

    February 17, 2012 at 5:30 pm

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOU-QqWAtvw

  77. 77.

    shortstop

    February 17, 2012 at 5:31 pm

    Ah. I’m feeling a little bit Nelson Muntz.

  78. 78.

    eric

    February 17, 2012 at 5:31 pm

    @Rafer Janders: Perry’s sex with a woman assumes facts not in evidence…..

  79. 79.

    TooManyJens

    February 17, 2012 at 5:31 pm

    Oh, and if we’re playing “guess the senator”, here are the male GOP senators who have not yet endorsed anyone: Alexander, Barrasso, Boozman, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Corker, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Enzi, Graham, Grassley, Heller, Inhofe, Isakson, Johnson, Kyl, Lee, Lugar, McConnell, Moran, Roberts, Rubio, Sessions, Shelby, Toomey, Vitter, Wicker. I’m not even going to try to narrow it down by who can and cannot be considered “prominent.”

  80. 80.

    trollhattan

    February 17, 2012 at 5:31 pm

    @Soonergrunt:

    Well, [my George Will imitation] the reason they’re rich is because they’re awesome and it’s certainly not fair to tax awesomeness, now is it?

  81. 81.

    Maude

    February 17, 2012 at 5:32 pm

    @Soonergrunt:
    #70
    He’s had his 15 minutes of fame, get the hook and pull him off stage.

  82. 82.

    scav

    February 17, 2012 at 5:32 pm

    @Soonergrunt: Ah yes, after self-deportation, we now have self-taxation. This is the buy and bag your own aisle at the supermarket theory of small government.

    ETA: Note to self. Read faster, this is BJ.

  83. 83.

    eric

    February 17, 2012 at 5:32 pm

    @TooManyJens: you can self-tax, but you can’t self “satisfy?” I am all in — this cycle is peak wingnut.

  84. 84.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 17, 2012 at 5:34 pm

    @David Koch:

    Michael Steele just reported on Hardball that internal GOP polling show them bleeding badly because of the contraception debacle.

    On one hand, I find this plausible.

    On the other hand, it’s Michael Steele, who has an axe to grind.

    The gripping hand is not sure what to make of it.

  85. 85.

    SIA

    February 17, 2012 at 5:34 pm

    I am very uncomfortable being comfortable about ours and Obama’s prospects at present. My life experience tells me that is usually when things go the most wrong, but not always. But I can muster no reasonable or respectful fear of any of the four remaining idiots in the GOP race.

    @General Stuck: Yes. I fear the fey.

  86. 86.

    Soonergrunt

    February 17, 2012 at 5:34 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est: I see what you did there.

  87. 87.

    Calouste

    February 17, 2012 at 5:34 pm

    @eric:

    I think Perry has kids, which in this case would be facts in evidence. Well, unless proven otherwise of course.

  88. 88.

    Comrade Dread

    February 17, 2012 at 5:34 pm

    Personally, I think it would be hilarious if Santorum and Romney split enough states so that Ron “GOP: ‘Who?'” Paul’s supporters stealthed in delegates throw the nomination his way.

    Watching the GOP collective’s heads explode at having to try to rally behind crazy uncle Ron would be amusing.

    A brokered convention that came up with Palin would be a close second.

    Jeb would be third.

  89. 89.

    Martin

    February 17, 2012 at 5:36 pm

    @Soonergrunt:

    Foster Friess (of aspirin between the knees fame) thinks that rich people shouldn’t pay any taxes and should be thanked for being rich.

    Hmm. If rich people are so awesome, maybe we should eat a few of them.

  90. 90.

    BGinCHI

    February 17, 2012 at 5:36 pm

    @Comrade Dread: How many GOPs are looking back fondly at the McCain candidacy?

  91. 91.

    kindness

    February 17, 2012 at 5:37 pm

    @JPL:

    it’s so icky just thinking about pulling santorum’s lever.

    That’s because we all know what is gonna come out the other side….ewwww!

  92. 92.

    ira-NY

    February 17, 2012 at 5:37 pm

    For ’12 the GOP brand may be so tarnished that no viable new candidate may be willing to step forward.

  93. 93.

    Soonergrunt

    February 17, 2012 at 5:37 pm

    @Maude: No. Keep linking him to Lil Ricky as much as possible. Particularly if Lil Ricky wins in Michigan.

  94. 94.

    SIA

    February 17, 2012 at 5:38 pm

    @JPL: Ewwwwwwwwwww.

  95. 95.

    jimmiraybob

    February 17, 2012 at 5:38 pm

    So, has anyone speculated on what Foster Friess gets if Santorum becomes president? FDA? NIH? State Department? Department of Lady Parts Regulation? Cabinet jester? Will the Vatican get a cabinet-level position? So many questions.

  96. 96.

    handsmile

    February 17, 2012 at 5:38 pm

    Mittens may now lose his second caucus state after an original declaration of victory. The Maine Republican Party has agreed to “reconfirm” its official figures from last weekend’s caucus tally, and will now include tomorrow’s results from one county whose voting was postponed due to a snowstorm. At the moment, Rmoney leads Paul by less than 200 votes from 5,600 tabulated thus far.

    Even should he eke out a victory in his “home” state, Mittens has sustained so much damage, has become a figure of such ridicule, that a GOP coup d’etat seems to me far more likely than a coronation.

    While I don’t know who might lead that putsch, I will opine with absolute conviction that it will NOT be Jeb Bush. That surname is toxic in national politics for at least a decade. Moreover, it would require fratricide of Biblical proportions, only this time with Abel slaying Cain.

  97. 97.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 17, 2012 at 5:39 pm

    Tweety addressing an issue I’ve been wondering about: Romney’s manic union-bashing. 25% of Republican primary voters in 2008 self-ID’d as part of a union household. Way to preserve that ‘white working class’ vote everyone agrees he’ll desperately need to beat Obama, if and when.

  98. 98.

    les

    February 17, 2012 at 5:39 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    The gripping hand is not sure what to make of it.

    Loverly.

  99. 99.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 17, 2012 at 5:40 pm

    @jimmiraybob: Foster looks to me to be a man who would enjoy a Carribean embassy, Nevis or St Kitts perhaps.

  100. 100.

    Benjamin Franklin

    February 17, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    @shortstop:

    I raise you one,

    President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho…

  101. 101.

    eric

    February 17, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    @Calouste: given the rumors about sir rick, i have no reason to believe they were not sired by a different horse.

  102. 102.

    lamh35

    February 17, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    Obama Administration Wouldn’t Defend Blocking Military Benefits From Same-Sex Couples

    Compare that with this:

    NJ Gov. Christie Vetoes Gay Marriage Bill

  103. 103.

    SIA

    February 17, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    @SIA: Or, what kindness said.

  104. 104.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 17, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    @Calouste:

    Perry may “have kids” but we’d require DNA scans to verify that they were, in fact, the result of his loss of virginity and subsequent sexytime.

    This is one of the little catches about establishing your credentials in a patrilineal situation.

  105. 105.

    Linda Featheringill

    February 17, 2012 at 5:43 pm

    Rick Santorum:

    I noticed that Rick tried to speak about something other than sex while campaigning in Michigan so he talked about how wrong the auto industry bailout was.

    He doesn’t want to be President, does he?

  106. 106.

    LongHairedWeirdo

    February 17, 2012 at 5:43 pm

    They really have no one to blame but themselves. They’ve spent so much time lying about everything and creating an echo chamber to reinforce and transmit those lies within the so-called “conservative” movement that quite simply, anyone who appeals to the wingnut base is someone so twisted as to be utterly repugnant to the rest of the nation.

    That’s not true! It’s *liberals* that do that! I know this because I saw it on a right wing website!

    More seriously, yeah.

    How old are you? I was born in ’66, and so I was getting old enough to get the culture vibe of abortion debates as they were happening. And I was quite scornful of people talking about holding an inquest over a bloody tampon or sanitary pad, and people who acted as if birth control could be outlawed, if RoeVWade were challenged. And I believe that everyone agreed with me that the shrill, shrieking people were wrong, wrong, wrong about such outlandish bullshit arguments about the need to protect abortion rights.

    Color me embarrassed…

    But that’s kind of the point. It was reasonable, back then, to think that people were shrill, shrieking idiots, because as soon as people started scorning birth control, other people would scorn them, and call ’em completely fucking loony.

    But when people did start scorning birth control, it became useful, so the people who should have called ’em completely fucking loony decided to use the birth control hatred, instead.

    And, if you understand what I’m saying here, then you’ll see that *this* is not a non-sequitur: this is why Ron Paul’s racist newsletters disqualifies him from any leadership position, in my mind.

  107. 107.

    eric

    February 17, 2012 at 5:44 pm

    wouldnt it have to be The Huckster if it really played out? Mean? check. overly religious? check. partially vetted? check. I cannot imagine he is really looking at 2016…..perhaps, but he is the only one i see riding a white horse.

  108. 108.

    shortstop

    February 17, 2012 at 5:44 pm

    After Romney stopped being a kid in Michigan and before he became guv of MA, did he put down roots anywhere he could plausibly call a kind of hometown? I know he wandered hither and yon without ever really imprinting himself anywhere. I’ve never really bought that Michigan claims him, but then, does anywhere? He’s a man without a state, as well as a moral center, personality or prayer of becoming president.

  109. 109.

    Marc

    February 17, 2012 at 5:44 pm

    I’d just like to see the republican nominee give their acceptance speech wearing a German WW I helmet.

  110. 110.

    JPL

    February 17, 2012 at 5:44 pm

    @SIA: I could not vote for him even with out diebold machines.

  111. 111.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 17, 2012 at 5:45 pm

    @kindness:

    That’s because we all know what is gonna come out the other side….ewwww!

    Um…jackpot?

  112. 112.

    Raven

    February 17, 2012 at 5:45 pm

    There’s blood in the streets, it’s up to my ankles

    Blood in the streets, it’s up to my knee

    Blood in the streets in the town of Chicago

    Blood on the rise, it’s following me

  113. 113.

    BGinCHI

    February 17, 2012 at 5:46 pm

    @Marc: Like Arte Johnson on Laugh In.

  114. 114.

    eric

    February 17, 2012 at 5:46 pm

    @Marc: or perhaps, during the acceptance speech…..men in red Church attire jump out — “No one expects the Inquisition….”

  115. 115.

    SIA

    February 17, 2012 at 5:46 pm

    @JPL: Just close your eyes and think of Ohio.

  116. 116.

    jheartney

    February 17, 2012 at 5:46 pm

    I keep thinking that at some point the GOP money daddies will grok that 2012 is a lost cause, and that it’ll all be about the recriminations on Nov. 7. If they ram Mitt down the teahadists’ throats, they’ll be the ones to blame for the ensuing debacle. OTOH if they let the crazies have their frothy candidate, who then goes on to a really humiliating defeat, then they can say in 2016 that maybe it’s time for a relatively sane candidate.

  117. 117.

    Raven

    February 17, 2012 at 5:46 pm

    @LongHairedWeirdo: Born in 66. Sheeeet.

  118. 118.

    Maude

    February 17, 2012 at 5:47 pm

    @Marc:
    LOL

  119. 119.

    BGinCHI

    February 17, 2012 at 5:47 pm

    @Raven: Me too. Like all good-looking people….

  120. 120.

    Donald G

    February 17, 2012 at 5:48 pm

    I understand that John McCain is available.

  121. 121.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 17, 2012 at 5:48 pm

    @Soonergrunt:

    Bananas Foster and Rih!

    What a team!

  122. 122.

    Raven

    February 17, 2012 at 5:48 pm

    @Marc: Why WWI, the Nazi’s were not there yet?

  123. 123.

    Raven

    February 17, 2012 at 5:49 pm

    @BGinCHI: Ha, I was at Ft Campbell in boot camp.

  124. 124.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 17, 2012 at 5:49 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    @Marc: Like Arte Johnson on Laugh In.

    “Very interesting….but SCHTOOPID!”

  125. 125.

    bemused

    February 17, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    @Soonergrunt:

    I’m betting he believes he became fabulously wealthy entirely through his own herculean determination and hard, hard work with no lucky breaks or outside support.

  126. 126.

    Raven

    February 17, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    @BGinCHI: In breaking news from Athens, we just got word that CAT is going to build a manufacturing plant that should bring 4000 jobs here!

  127. 127.

    makewi

    February 17, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    An anonymous Senator has me convinced!

  128. 128.

    Anoniminous

    February 17, 2012 at 5:52 pm

    I’ll take that nice hot panic with a side of schadenfreude covered in Hardy-Har-Har sauce.

    There are these things called “Filing Deadlines” and they are in the dim distant past so the GOPers are stuck with the candidates they have, unless it goes to a brokered convention.

    At which point a nice round of internal GOP faction fighting is almost certain.

  129. 129.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 17, 2012 at 5:53 pm

    @Raven:

    He’s into Pickelhaubes

  130. 130.

    shortstop

    February 17, 2012 at 5:53 pm

    Donald G: Mmmmmmm, Grumpy and That One: The Rematch. Just the thought of it makes me all warm and glowy.

  131. 131.

    Calouste

    February 17, 2012 at 5:55 pm

    @eric: Huckabee? Maurice Clemmons

  132. 132.

    handsmile

    February 17, 2012 at 5:55 pm

    @Raven:

    Were they very tiny boots? Or are you actually a Truman baby? (I myself was hatched during the succeeding administration.)

  133. 133.

    Donald G

    February 17, 2012 at 5:55 pm

    @Raven: Also a 1966 baby here, as well. Also a long-haired weirdo (albeit with a bald-patch forming where one used to have an uncontrollable Dennis the Menace cowlick).

  134. 134.

    Gravenstone

    February 17, 2012 at 5:56 pm

    At this point, I think the Republicans are just looking for someone whose coat tails won’t be radioactive levels of toxic. If they can hold the House and maybe tighten the Senate, then they’ll be satisfied, regardless of which clown takes the center ring.

  135. 135.

    jl

    February 17, 2012 at 5:56 pm

    Did Jeb Bush register for the GOP disaster brokered Convention draft? Not sure he would be interested.

    If the primaries turn into a disaster, what loser would they bribe, threaten or blackmail into standing in front of the convention as the backroom brokered nominee.

    Wouldn’t need a helmet, would need a face mask to deflect all the trash the delegates of Newt, Rih and Ron throw. Probably have to clear the convention hall before the lucky candidate could make his acceptance speech.

    I thought the Republican’s were hairy chested bravely manly men, but this Senator is terrified. Well, I, a softy liberal is not terrified. I will brave the sh*tstorm with calm.

    Anyway, after Romney carpet bombs MI with 1000 percent negative attack ads, he will have a chance.

    Frankly, I do not see a problem here at all. What is this Senator so worried about?

  136. 136.

    MikeJ

    February 17, 2012 at 5:59 pm

    @Calouste:

    I think Perry has kids, which in this case would be facts in evidence.

    Dan Savage has kids too.

  137. 137.

    jl

    February 17, 2012 at 5:59 pm

    Romney would be the perfect back room brokered nominee. And Romney would insist that the deal be done in quiet back rooms.

    I think that sense of decorum says ‘Presidential’ to the US voters.

    Not sure if some one who loses the primary can then be brokered into the nomination. Might be some problems with that. I will read up on it.

  138. 138.

    bemused

    February 17, 2012 at 6:02 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Just because Republicans are part of a union household doesn’t mean they love or even like unions. I know many people working in union jobs who bitterly trash their unions. A big disconnect, I know, but it’s as common as senior citizens who attended tea party rallies with signs, “Hands off my SS”.

  139. 139.

    Anne Laurie

    February 17, 2012 at 6:03 pm

    @JPL:

    …Jebb. The savior is the brother of the one that led us to a cliff and he happened to marry an undocumented immigrant. There’s a few other things that might come out also, too, i.e. avoiding customs.

    Back in 1999, the rumor I kept reading about was that “the smarter brother” had been dumb enough to leave a paper trail on his long career of helping the ex-Batista Cuban emigres loot Florida’s public treasury for “agriculture” (turning the Everglades into sugar plantations) and “development” (slapping up all those crappy condos & exurbs that are now underwater). Dubya was perfectly happy to let his handlers steal everything they could lift, but he was too lazy to make the offers in writing. Jeb! tries to take his franchise national, his long career of ‘fvck a buncha rednecks and snowbirds, gimme yer sweet Latino cash’ goes viral as fast as Willard’s SuperPAC can hit “send”.

  140. 140.

    BGinCHI

    February 17, 2012 at 6:06 pm

    @Raven: Congrats. Hope they aren’t union IL jobs……

  141. 141.

    jimmiraybob

    February 17, 2012 at 6:08 pm

    @eric:

    …this cycle is peak wingnut.

    Having followed the discussion since its inception I think it’s a good concept. I’d just refine it to peak still-somewhat-in-the closet wingnut, which appears to be over, and the next phase, peak we’re desparate-and-nobody’s-hiding-the-crazy-anymore wingnut (also known as peak burn the village wingnut).

  142. 142.

    Elliecat

    February 17, 2012 at 6:11 pm

    @BGinCHI: Yeah, my thoughts exactly.

  143. 143.

    AxelFoley

    February 17, 2012 at 6:14 pm

    @piratedan: let them bring whoever they want to the dance, we’re still gonna burn the barn down, hopefully they’ll still be inside.

    The roof
    The roof
    The roof is on fire!
    We don’t need no water
    Let that muthafucka burn!

  144. 144.

    Anoniminous

    February 17, 2012 at 6:14 pm

    Gallup 5 day moving average has:

    Santorum 34%
    Romney 30%
    Gingrich 14%
    Paul 11%

    Romney has dropped 7 percentage points and Frothy is up 17 poinst over the last ten days. Newt has lost 14% and it is very likely he will continue to lose loosely attached voters as the Not-Romney majority switch to the Flavor of the Month (Santorum) with, this point, nothing to indicate a halt or reversal of the trend.

  145. 145.

    Marc

    February 17, 2012 at 6:15 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    There’s also the Producers Approach. He’s a man with a plan…it’s winter for Poland and France…

  146. 146.

    Sloegin +4

    February 17, 2012 at 6:16 pm

    Bush and Christie would pretty much only put their names into consideration at the convention if blackmailed into doing it.

    Marco Rubio is angling for veep, but only on a boat that floats. Doubt he’d jump into some last minute convention cluster-fun.

    Huckster-Mooselini for the Apocalypse ticket!

  147. 147.

    harlana

    February 17, 2012 at 6:19 pm

    @Raven: great news for a great city!

  148. 148.

    harlana

    February 17, 2012 at 6:21 pm

    for once, they really don’t have a plan, do they?

    ((chuckles maniacally to self))

  149. 149.

    Anniecat45

    February 17, 2012 at 6:22 pm

    @ Annie Laurie —

    I thought it was George because he won his race for Texas governor in 1994 whereas Jeb wasn’t elected in Florida til 1998?

  150. 150.

    cmorenc

    February 17, 2012 at 6:27 pm

    Let’s get this straight about the prospect of some “new” person becoming the nominee from a brokered convention (other than the four currently declared candidates still running). Each of these four will have put in the exhausting grind of actively campaigning for ten to twelve months at that point, participating in numerous debates, primaries, and caucuses, and winning a considerable number of delegates, just none of them individually with enough to lock up the nomination. And as a result of “brokered” negotiations, at least two of these men who have for a year been seeing themselves as a would-be President of the United States, having worked hard toward that end, are going to willingly agree to commit their delegates to some other candidate who hasn’t put in the work they have, hasn’t competed in any primaries or debates, hasn’t paid the sort of dues they have? Or even if they don’t agree, are going to gladly tolerate the GOP establishment hijacking their delegates out from under them for a candidate who hasn’t earned the right to the nomination other than what a handful of top honchos think might be best for everyone?

    That ought to go real well. NOT!

  151. 151.

    feebog

    February 17, 2012 at 6:29 pm

    A brokered convention that came up with Palin would be a close second.

    There isn’t enough popcorn in the entire country if that happened.

    Seriously, would she even win Alaska?

  152. 152.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    February 17, 2012 at 6:34 pm

    @EdTheRed:

    Melissa Harris Perry was on with Al Sharpton and she said that the mess on the right is the fault of the President. She explained that he’s a strong and popular candidate whose policies are working. The economy is improving so the Republicans can only muster crazy candidates to run against Obama since nobody else wants to lose against him this fall. I agree with her, the mess on the right is President Obama’s fault.

    Thank you Mr. President! Keep up the excellent work!! :)

  153. 153.

    Mike in NC

    February 17, 2012 at 6:37 pm

    Maybe a brokered GOP convention would result in them choosing — wait for it — George W. Bush! Grover Cleveland did it, so why not Dubya? He also has a lot of unfinished business, you see.

  154. 154.

    General Stuck

    February 17, 2012 at 6:40 pm

    @cmorenc:

    Nobody cares about the hard work and fee fees of the remaining candidates, especially rank and file republicans. As every poll shows they don’t like their choices in the field and is why their voters are playing musical chairs for a dif candidate with each new primary. The activist folks for those candidates will be up in arms at such a call for an ‘open’ convention, but that is about all. The GOP and it’s voters want to beat Obama, and having all of their candidates at this point with unfavorables in the pits, makes that a futile enterprise with the current choices.

    It would cause a lot of uproar overall, but an unelectable nominee has the potential for sinking what is left of a GOP brand, and leaving Obama and dems with such a tidal wave win, causing their very worst fears to come true. If the powers that be didn’t already acknowledge that possibility by purposely putting in new rules to allow for it this time, then it would be impossible.

    But I agree that it must be a base wide approved action, or close enough to that, without causing everything to implode. That is their choice and dilemma, and it would be a last resort to hopefully deter a full frontal disaster. Rock and hard place

  155. 155.

    RossInDetroit

    February 17, 2012 at 6:43 pm

    @Mike in NC:

    Bush 3; The Electric Boogaloo. Because there were so many unanswered questions…

  156. 156.

    chris

    February 17, 2012 at 6:49 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est: Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle FTW!!

  157. 157.

    RossInDetroit

    February 17, 2012 at 6:50 pm

    I’ve said this before, but what the hell…

    What happened to the GOP’s bench and rotation? They always had their shit figured out before game time. No last minute scramble to fill positions. Now they’ve got a third stringer on the mound and the bat boy’s making a bid for his job.
    Jeebus H Christ on a road trip. At least pretend you know how to play this game, Republicans. You’re embarrassing America.

  158. 158.

    Splitting Image

    February 17, 2012 at 6:53 pm

    @eric:

    On paper, Huckabee does seem to be the guy they want. Unfortunately, he pardoned Maurice Clemmons, as mentioned above, as well as Wayne Dumond.

    They way things are going right now, Dumond is probably the more toxic of the two. With the GOP fighting an all-out war to restrict women’s control of their girlie bits, a Presidential candidate who pardoned a convicted rapist so he could rape and murder another woman isn’t going to help their party any.

    Of course, that really just underscores how bad things are for them. Jon Huntsman was probably the best candidate they had, and his campaign didn’t do much but give people the impression he was a bit of a weenie. Aside from him, they don’t have much of a bench. With Chris Christie vetoing the gay marriage bill and the Virginia legislature sending a bunch of horrible bills to Bob McDonnell’s desk to sign, they’ll end up having as much trouble righting the ship as anyone else.

    Out of the rest of the country, the only GOP governors who seem to have kept their noses reasonably clean are Brian Sandoval in Nevada and Susana Martinez in New Mexico. Residents of those two states may be more familiar with their dirt than I am, so maybe they wouldn’t be any better than Rick Santorum once people got to know them.

    Jeb might be the best of the lot after all. He might not do better than losing the same 35 states than the guy in the article thinks Gingrich and Santorum will lose. For Gingrich, though, I personally think the number might be closer to 45.

  159. 159.

    Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony

    February 17, 2012 at 6:56 pm

    If Romney gets the nomination, and loses, it will be because he isn’t ‘conservative’ enough. The next slate of candidates will be equally crazy.

    If Frothy gets the nomination, and loses, then there will confusion, darkness, rending of garments, and gnashing of teeth among the crazy Jesus brigade. They will accuse Democrats of stealing the election, and the crazy will get ramped up to 11. The more moderate low info voters might actually see them for what they are when there is more violence in the streets.

  160. 160.

    Benjamin Franklin

    February 17, 2012 at 6:57 pm

    @RossInDetroit:

    What happened to the GOP’s bench and rotation

    What happened to ‘speak no evil of any Republican?’

    I blame the Tea Party.

  161. 161.

    cmorenc

    February 17, 2012 at 7:00 pm

    @RossInDetroit:

    What happened to the GOP’s bench and rotation? They always had their shit figured out before game time. No last minute scramble to fill positions. Now they’ve got a third stringer on the mound and the bat boy’s making a bid for his job.

    It’s inaccurate to characterize Romney as a “third-stringer”. More aptly, he’s like a #1 draft choice quarterback for an NFL team badly in need of one, where the question is about the soundness of his personal characteristics, but not his athletic talent. But then, come the actual first season, he turns out to unexpectedly be a bust who throws way too many interceptions, gets sacked too often, says awkwardly embarrassing things to the media he shouldn’t, and loses the confidence of his teammates. That’s Romney at the moment.

  162. 162.

    General Stuck

    February 17, 2012 at 7:01 pm

    @Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony:

    it will be because he isn’t ‘conservative’ enough. The next slate of candidates will be equally crazy.

    It would be that, plus the moderate swing voters and even soft republicans are, or have come to the conclusion the guy is a pathological liar. His approval with indies has tanked, as has his favorables with all voters. At present, he may have money, but he is just as big a walking disaster as any of the other candidates, or getting there rapidly.

  163. 163.

    Comrade Mary

    February 17, 2012 at 7:06 pm

    @Raven: Georgia’s a right to work state, isn’t it?

    Good for the people in Athens, but Caterpillar fucked over the city of London and the government of Canada in the process. Nothing like taking several million dollars from Canadian taxpayers, moving to slash wages in a (union) plant by up to half, and then closing shop when the workers refused to join the race to the bottom. (It wasn’t as if their wages were unreasonable: they were very close to what competitors offered. This wasn’t a 10-20% cut: this was 50%. Cocksuckers.)

  164. 164.

    cmorenc

    February 17, 2012 at 7:06 pm

    @Splitting Image:

    Jeb might be the best of the lot after all.

    The huge problem with nominating Jeb in 2012 is that it will be impossible for the GOP to pretend (as they now do) that some mysterious person whose name is lost to history was President immediately before Obama. You have a problem when putting your own last name in a campaign ad is of itself a problem.

  165. 165.

    RossInDetroit

    February 17, 2012 at 7:12 pm

    @cmorenc:

    That’s a better analogy but I’d say the interceptions, sacks and stupid statements should have been part of the scouting report. Mitt had strong negatives going into this and they still couldn’t do any better.

    I’m not concern trolling the GOP. I’m just trying to understand how their legendary party discipline and control fell apart and why. The Tea party certainly figures into it but I don’t see how that led to Mitt.

  166. 166.

    pseudonymous in nc

    February 17, 2012 at 7:18 pm

    Talk of brokered conventions is political catnip, but let’s think of it this way: if the GOP decides that the presidential nominee is a sacrificial lamb designed to win the downticket (keep the House, take over the Senate), then who’s it going to be? Looking at the toss-up Senate races, which are mainly midwestish, then you have to think Rih is the salvage candidate.

  167. 167.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 17, 2012 at 7:22 pm

    @JPL:

    it’s so icky just thinking about pulling santorum’s lever.

    I see what yewwwwwww did there.

  168. 168.

    harlana

    February 17, 2012 at 7:23 pm

    perhaps a brokered convention is statistically impossible, but a girl can dream, can’t she? if Palin resurfaces, however, i’m investing in a set of noise-canceling headphones.

  169. 169.

    jheartney

    February 17, 2012 at 7:26 pm

    @pseudonymous in nc: The way you win the downticket is to win the upticket. If the topline is losing, it’s a matter of how bad the damage is downticket. For that, the Romneybot is your man; Frothy and Noot are both disasters, Jeb doesn’t want it, and anybody else will be even worse.

  170. 170.

    Splitting Image

    February 17, 2012 at 7:27 pm

    @cmorenc:

    It’s inaccurate to characterize Romney as a “third-stringer”. More aptly, he’s like a #1 draft choice quarterback for an NFL team badly in need of one, where the question is about the soundness of his personal characteristics, but not his athletic talent. But then, come the actual first season, he turns out to unexpectedly be a bust who throws way too many interceptions, gets sacked too often, says awkwardly embarrassing things to the media he shouldn’t, and loses the confidence of his teammates. That’s Romney at the moment.

    This might be delving into the sports metaphors a little too deeply, but that is probably a better description of Sarah Palin in 2008. Romney at this point is the well-travelled backup who could never quite get the starter’s job, but whose new team insisted (after signing him to a monster contract after the star went somewhere else and the team failed to land anybody as a free agent) that he’s got the goods and only needs a chance to prove it.

  171. 171.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 17, 2012 at 7:35 pm

    @TooManyJens:

    A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Lamar! Alexander was relatively sane. And he was a Governor of Tennessee, and ran for Preznit once, so I think his “prominent” credentials are in order. I’d put a little bit of discretionary money of him.

  172. 172.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 17, 2012 at 7:46 pm

    @Raven:
    @AxelFoley:

    Smoke! Smoke! Sign of the devil! Sign of the devil!
    City on fire!
    Witch! Witch! Smell it, sir! An evil smell!
    Every night at the vespers bell —
    Smoke that comes from the mouth of hell —
    City on fire! City on fire!
    Mischief! Mischief! Mischief…

  173. 173.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 17, 2012 at 7:48 pm

    @SIA:

    LOL excellent!

  174. 174.

    jl

    February 17, 2012 at 7:49 pm

    IMHO, people should wait to see what the umpty ump gazillion bucks of Romney allies’ negative attack ads do to Rih before they get excited and pee their pants. Even if they are prominent Republican Senators.

  175. 175.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 17, 2012 at 7:51 pm

    @Raven:

    Heard that on the WABE drop-in during ATC tonight. That’s pretty exciting. Makes me feel very optimistic about the shift in the economy.

  176. 176.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 17, 2012 at 7:55 pm

    @Raven:
    @BGinCHI:

    Ah. Year of the Horse. Me too, only 24 years earlier :-(

  177. 177.

    Midnight Marauder

    February 17, 2012 at 7:57 pm

    @Splitting Image:

    Out of the rest of the country, the only GOP governors who seem to have kept their noses reasonably clean are Brian Sandoval in Nevada and Susana Martinez in New Mexico. Residents of those two states may be more familiar with their dirt than I am, so maybe they wouldn’t be any better than Rick Santorum once people got to know them.

    Susana Martinez is another one of those “rising stars” I am totally unworried about:

    “New Mexico used to be known as a place that would bend over backwards and really do the best to accommodate your needs if you are coming from somewhere else, and now the word is that New Mexico is not friendly,” Schweitzer said.
    __
    The state retains its popular 25 percent rebate for film productions shot in New Mexico. But during a battle in the Legislature earlier this year over film incentives, including an initial push by Gov. Susana Martinez to reduce the rebate to 15 percent, New Mexico lost a number of productions to other states that have become more competitive, say industry insiders. The state has a new system in which bigger-budget productions receive their rebate payments over longer periods of time, and an annual limit on total rebates of $50 million.
    __
    Other vendors said they’re facing the same challenges cited by Modern Camera’s owners, but some said they continue to find niches to make up for the production slowdown.

    She straight up destroyed an industry that was actually thriving under former governor Bill Richardson.

    If this is any indication of her competency level, bring this clown on.

  178. 178.

    Midnight Marauder

    February 17, 2012 at 7:58 pm

    @cmorenc:

    It’s inaccurate to characterize Romney as a “third-stringer”. More aptly, he’s like a #1 draft choice quarterback for an NFL team badly in need of one, where the question is about the soundness of his personal characteristics, but not his athletic talent. But then, come the actual first season, he turns out to unexpectedly be a bust who throws way too many interceptions, gets sacked too often, says awkwardly embarrassing things to the media he shouldn’t, and loses the confidence of his teammates. That’s Romney at the moment.

    So…basically…Mitt Romney is Ryan Leaf?

    Or maybe JaMarcus Russell?

    @RossInDetroit:

    I’m not concern trolling the GOP. I’m just trying to understand how their legendary party discipline and control fell apart and why. The Tea party certainly figures into it but I don’t see how that led to Mitt.

    Negroes in the White House.

    Open and shut case, Johnson.

  179. 179.

    Brachiator

    February 17, 2012 at 8:21 pm

    Strangely, more GOP leaders are moving toward Santorum:

    Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced Friday from the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus that he is switching his endorsement for the GOP presidential nomination from Mitt Romney to Rick Santorum.
    __
    “You have to give people a reason to believe that under your leadership, America will be better. Rick Santorum has done that. Sadly, Governor Romney has not,” DeWine said in a statement.

    Maybe someone high up is thinking that Romney has to be rejected early on so that Santorum or Gingrich can have a chance to rack up primary victories.

    It’s getting good.

  180. 180.

    Evolving Deep Southerner (tense changed for accuracy)

    February 17, 2012 at 8:42 pm

    @TK-421:

    President Obama will smash either Mitt and Santorum, but the Congressional races look better for Dems with Mitt.

    I was with you up until then. How would the Congressional electoral outlook be better for Democrats with Romney and not Santorum as the nominee?

  181. 181.

    mclaren

    February 17, 2012 at 8:44 pm

    John, you’re making way too big a deal about this. You’re wildly overgeneralizing from Romney’s crash-and-burn doomed-to-fail attempt to force a party based on evangelical fundamentalist fanatical Christianity to accept a Mormon (which those loons regard as a satanic cult) as their presidential nominee.

    No. And no. And no again.

    The chaotic failure and self-destructing flameout of Romney’s candidacy says nothing about the Republican party’s political stance or how voters in general regard Republican policies.

    Romney is dying because he’s a Mormon and as I’ve repeated until I’m blue in the face, the fanatical Dominionist evangelical Christians who make up the base of the Republican party would rather vote for the corpse of Stalin than for a Mormon.

    You’ve all ignored the elephant in the room. You all keep talking about Romney’s “authenticity problem” and Romney’s policies. None of that matters dick to the people who vote in Republican primaries. The Republican party has become a fundamentalist religious cult. All the Republican primary voters care about is whether a prospective nominee is part of their fundamentalist religious cult.

    Romney isn’t. Santorum is.

    End of story.

    That’s all there is to it, people. Romney will not be the Republican presidential nominess, regardless of what the bobblehead pundits and the oh-so-wise-sounding Balloon Juice front pagers tell you.

    The Republican party is a doomsday cult. If you’re not a member of that doomsday cult (the dead will rise in Megiddo, the seas will turn to blood, the seventh seal will open and the sun will go dark, it’s all spelled out in the Book of Relevations, which the wack jobs who vote in the Republican primaries believe to be literally factually true because they’re fanatical fundamentalist religious cultists), you don’t have a chance in hell of becoming the Republican presidential nominee.

    It’s pretty much the same deal as if some candidate was ideal in every way as a liberal paragon, except he totally 100% rejected environmentalism, were to try to become the Democratic nominee.

    Never. Going. To. Happen.

    Imagine a liberal candidate who stood foursquare in favor of women’s rights, immediate action against global warming, a big hike in the minimum wage, ending pointless foreign wars, raising the budget for social services while cutting back the military, ending the federal government’s erosion of civil rights…but constantly told everyone “and as for the rain forests, pave ’em over and make into parking lots!”

    This guy could never become the Democratic nominee. Ever.

    Same deal with Romney. The fact that he is a Mormon is a deal-breaker. No matter what else Romney says, no matter what else Romney does, he’s still a Mormon, and that makes him unacceptable to the Republican base.

    That’s what’s going on here.

    Do not draw any larger conclusions about the alleged effect of the Republican party’s policies on voters in the general population. This isn’t about that. It’s about Romney being a Mormon. And that’s all it’s about. But that’s enough to prevent him from becoming the nominee.

  182. 182.

    Villago Delenda Est

    February 17, 2012 at 8:44 pm

    “You have to give people a reason to believe that under your leadership, America will be better. Rick Santorum has done that. Sadly, Governor Romney has not,” DeWine said in a statement.

    Well, there’s your problem, right there.

    OvenMitt’s campaign is all about how great OvenMitt is, and how he’d be a wonderful President.

    Whether or not the serfs will be better off is beside the point.

  183. 183.

    Persia

    February 17, 2012 at 8:52 pm

    @JPL: A vote for Paul or Gingrich is a vote for chaos. I’m all for chaos.

  184. 184.

    jheartney

    February 17, 2012 at 9:46 pm

    @mclaren: I dunno if you’re right, but that was one righteous rant.

  185. 185.

    S. cerevisiae

    February 17, 2012 at 9:58 pm

    @eric:

    go after santorum in the nastiest way possible so there is no blowback on romney….good times

    I see what you did there…

  186. 186.

    Smedley the Uncertain

    February 17, 2012 at 10:15 pm

    @Calouste: Are they his?

  187. 187.

    The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

    February 17, 2012 at 10:56 pm

    @mclaren:

    Yeah, this is all 100%, no-money-back, spun glass bullshit. The preachers that the GOP honchos get their advice from may be as down on the Morons as you say, and they may encourage their flock to vote for other candidates in the primaries, but said flock doesn’t know the difference. The Morons are a Christian Church (“Christ” and “Church” are right there in the name!) that supports right-wing causes all the time with big money. That’s all they know or care about.

    Their preachers may disagree, but what are they going to do? Tell their sheep to vote Democratic, or through inaction, allow them to vote Democratic? Yeah, dream on!

  188. 188.

    Jay

    February 17, 2012 at 11:29 pm

    Who’s the senator in that article? DeMint?

  189. 189.

    Taylor

    February 18, 2012 at 5:55 am

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    This.

  190. 190.

    barry

    February 18, 2012 at 7:20 am

    “The senator believes Romney will ultimately win in Michigan but says he will publicly call for the party to find a new candidate if he does not.”

    He’s lying. If Santorum is ahead, he’ll join the parade.
    Later, when Santorum loses, then he’ll talk smack.

  191. 191.

    Lex

    February 20, 2012 at 12:56 pm

    It’s too late. I mean, it’s mathematically too late. In fact, it was mathematically too late three weeks ago.

    So if you want to lob rotten vegetables at Jeb, Christie or whoever, you’ll need to wait ’til 2016.

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