Romney the Centrist Peeks Out

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From the New York Times:
It was just one line slipped into the middle of a paragraph of Mitt Romney’s speech on April 3 celebrating his primary victories in Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia: “And the most vulnerable have been hurt the most — over 30 percent of single moms are struggling in poverty.”

Seemingly unremarkable, these 19 words represent one of the many steps Romney will be taking as he treks back to the center in the aftermath of a primary campaign dominated by the hard right. It was only two months ago, after all, that Romney told CNN: “I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there.”

Without drawing attention to his rhetorical shift, Romney, in a speech on March 30 at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisc., abandoned his attack on President Obama’s “entitlement society,” faulting Obama’s “government-centered society” instead.
Sure am glad Romney is the “most conservative” candidate out of the batch of them (as has been drummed into my head for the past 6 months). [/sarc]

I was just a little bit too young to vote for Gerald Ford when he ran. I’m glad I’ll finally have a chance. [again: /sarc]
 
How is what he said here incorrect? Single moms and women in general have been slammed by President Obama.

Heard a few minutes ago that 90% of the job losses have been women.
 
All right, I am openly a liberal, but I’m not even sure what the most diehard conservative could find wrong with what Romney said here.
 
markomalley said:
From the New York Times:
It was just one line slipped into the middle of a paragraph of Mitt Romney’s speech on April 3 celebrating his primary victories in Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia: “And the most vulnerable have been hurt the most — over 30 percent of single moms are struggling in poverty.”

I was just a little bit too young to vote for Gerald Ford when he ran. I’m glad I’ll finally have a chance. [again: /sarc]
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Much ado about nothing, markomalley. If you have been keeping up, it came out recently that the GOP has a problem with single women voters (as opposed to married women voters). So my guess is that Romney was trying to appeal to those voters that he needs to resonate with to get their support. Its called politics and I’m suprised that you aren’t aware of that. Romney may have his weak points, but why do you have to manufacture a “Romney as Centrist” story? Why is talking about struggling single moms inconsistent with conservative principles? I think you off base here.

Ishii​
 
Just a jump to the left, and a step to the right.
Put your hands on your hips and put your knees in tight.

Romney or Obomney.
 
markomalley said:
I was just a little bit too young to vote for Gerald Ford when he ran. I’m glad I’ll finally have a chance. [again: /sarc]
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Like Bob Dole and John McCain did later, Gerald Ford lost to a Democrat. But then even Al Gore won the popular vote over George Bush. 🤷
 
I’d like Romney to move more to the center on some things, particularly in regards to recognizing the threat that global warming poses. I suspect he is much more of a centrist than he’s campaigned as being during the primaries.

Still, after having said that, I’m finding this to be the most disillusioning Presidential election I’ve experienced since I first voted some 30 years ago. I’m extremely uneasy about Romney.

While I know it sounds horrible, and will offend some, Romney strikes me as dishonest in part because he’s rather quiet about his Mormon faith. Coming from the Mormon belt, I’ve worked with lots of Mormons and been good friends with many, and generally found that those are open about it, like Jon Huntsman was, are as dependable and honest as any people. But those Mormons who are cagey about it tend to be sort of dishonest in ways that give me the willies a bit. I suppose they know that and that inspires it, but that’s my experience, and it makes me very much distrust Romney while I trusted Huntsman.

Of course, the trouble is that the alternative is Obama, who I generally do not dislike, but I can’t get over his abortion support and shoving contraceptives on Catholic institutions, or even on private employers in some ways, through the health care bill.

Great year. I’ll have to go with somebody whom I just don’t trust must, having no other moral choice.
 
I do not think Romney is a centrist. I believe a chameleon is a more accurate description.
 
pnewton said:
I do not think Romney is a centrist. I believe a chameleon is a more accurate description.
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My assessment of the GOP candidates was generally negative, and so this may mean less, but I’ll agree with you 100% on this. I did not like Santorum, I do not like Newt Gingrich, and I do not like Ron Paul (for full disclosure) but you knew what you were going to get with every one of them (well, not so much Gingrich because he’s unpredictable in a different way), but Romney seems like even as president he will simply do what is most politically expedient.
 
pnewton said:
I do not think Romney is a centrist. I believe a chameleon is a more accurate description.
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Just a guess, but I think Romney would want to get re-elected. He can’t get re-elected if he doesn’t govern like a conservative and do the things he promised - such as nominate constructionist judges, repeal Obamacare, and support the Ryan budget plan. Look at what happened to Bush 1 who reneged on “no new taxes” pledge - he lost his re-election bid.

Ishii
 
Lujack said:
My assessment of the GOP candidates was generally negative, and so this may mean less, but I’ll agree with you 100% on this. I did not like Santorum, I do not like Newt Gingrich, and I do not like Ron Paul (for full disclosure) but you knew what you were going to get with every one of them (well, not so much Gingrich because he’s unpredictable in a different way), but Romney seems like even as president he will simply do what is most politically expedient.
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Mine too. But I tend to agree too based on what we’ve seen on the Etch-a-Sketch screen in Massachusetts and then while running for the Republican Party’s nomination. I have no idea whatsover what Romney would truly be like as President if he gets there. You might be right about whatever is politically expedient for him at any given moment. And obviously many conservatives have also had their lingering doubts as to which Mitt Romney would he really be. I’m not willing though to risk it to find out.
 
ishii said:
Just a guess, but I think Romney would want to get re-elected. He can’t get re-elected if he doesn’t govern like a conservative and do the things he promised - such as nominate constructionist judges, repeal Obamacare, and support the Ryan budget plan. Look at what happened to Bush 1 who reneged on “no new taxes” pledge - he lost his re-election bid.

Ishii
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Would be a Catch 22 for Romney. He wouldn’t be able to get reelected either by bending over backwards to the Tea Party conservative types. Liberals over the course of Obama’s first term have seen this as well. Every candidate needs independents, not merely their base, and liberals have seen Obama be willing to compromise and to govern more from the center at times than perhaps they’d have preferred.
 
It’s inevitable and not extraordinary that he would and will move towards a more centrist position. That’s politics 101.

Romney’s not my choice but I’m not going to fault him for this.
 
ringil said:
It’s inevitable and not extraordinary that he would and will move towards a more centrist position. That’s politics 101.

Romney’s not my choice but I’m not going to fault him for this.
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Ringil, Romney might not be your choice but my :tiphat: to you for the early call here on CAF. Way back in the pre-Santorum days of Bachmann, Perry, Herman, Newt, you called it all along. Mitt’s their guy! You never once had a doubt or waivered for someone who Romney was not their choice. You get the trophy. :yeah_me: 😃
 
CMatt25 said:
Ringil, Romney might not be your choice but my :tiphat: to you for the early call here on CAF. Way back in the pre-Santorum days of Bachmann, Perry, Herman, Newt, you called it all along. Mitt’s their guy! You never once had a doubt or waivered for someone who Romney was not their choice. You get the trophy. :yeah_me: 😃
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Oh this thing was decided LONG ago and I suspect that many around here knew it was as well. I suppose the game can still be fun even if you know the eventual winner.
 
CMatt25 said:
Would be a Catch 22 for Romney. He wouldn’t be able to get reelected either by bending over backwards to the Tea Party conservative types. Liberals over the course of Obama’s first term have seen this as well. Every candidate needs independents, not merely their base, and liberals have seen Obama be willing to compromise and to govern more from the center at times than perhaps they’d have preferred.
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You always lump together conservatives with the tea partiers in an attempt to defame conservatism. I never said that Romney would have to bend over backwards to keep the tea partiers happy. I think supporting the Ryan budget to help avert the fiscal mess that Obama has gotten us in will endear Romney to conservatives, tea partiers and probably moderates as well - anyone who doesn’t want us to have a fiscal crisis and knows that a tax the rich scheme would not do much to lower the deficit, but only feed into class envy. Also if Romney nominates solid justices he will please the conservative base. These are things that are mainstream conservative and also appeal to the mainstream of America because most Americans aren’t on the left. That is why Obama care is so unpopular. Sometimes your political analysis is correct but this time I think you’re letting your liberal hopes and dreams cloud your vision.

Ishii
 
ringil said:
Oh this thing was decided LONG ago and I suspect that many around here knew it was as well. I suppose the game can still be fun even if you know the eventual winner.
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It was decided? By who, a sinister cabal of backroom establishment types conspiring to nominate Romney? Did they orchestrate the rise (and fall) of Perry, then Cain, Gingrich, Santorum et al? This must be some powerful group. Hopefully they can conspire to overthrow the Obama regime.

Ishii
 
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