LIVE AT FIVE – 01.31.12

It may be the case that Stacy made an accidental left turn on Kübler-Ross Drive while in Florida. However, noticing the fact that ~~Bruce Campbell~~Mitt Romney looks nearly Clooney-esque in his chiseled, masculine perfection, in contrast to the former Speaker-as-big-as-the-House, is just blatantly obvious.

Should the election be solely about ideas and policy? Sure. Do the appearances matter. You bet your frickin’ bippy they do. Thus we see, about 5 seconds in:Stacy McCain, future U.S. Ambassador to Vanuatu, dispensing fashion wisdom to Rick Santorum. Look for the loud print sweater vest and clashing fedora any day now.

In response to you conclusion about Mitt:

Because he can not win the argument on principle, he is destroying his opponent’s image, name and reputation. Let’s not pretend it’s a new tactic, or that he’s suddenly become something he is not, a charismatic conservative leader.

Look: either the American people are an idiotic pack of sheep, in which case we might as well just post LOLCats and start loving RomBamaCare, or we rally the troops around NotMittRomney and keep our Republic.

Should candidates care about their physical appearance? Sure. Newt should have a personal trainer and trim down. Discipline starts with the self.

Should we fear barrages of attack ads? We should fear un-educated voters far more.

Update: from the seed of an idea, the Curmudgeon at Political Clown Parade gives us Willard Fabio:

Category: Dan Riehl

UPDATE: Newt’s Populist Turn

Posted on | January 30, 2012 | 24 Comments

FORT MYERS, Fla.
6:51 p.m. ET: During his speech today at Page Field, Newt Gingrich spun a conspiratorial view of the opposition to him, saying that Mitt Romney’s campaign is using “recycled” bailout money to attack him.

Saying that Goldman Sachs chose Barack Obama in 2008, Gingrich said the giant Wall Street bank — using taxpayer funds from bailouts — had “recycled” that money into support for Mitt Romney’s campaign. Gingrich said that, if elected president, he would request “a thorough audit” to find out “where the money went.”

Gingrich also referenced remarks by international financier George Soros critical of his campaign. Soros, Gingrich said, was “in Europe, and he’s explaining to Europeans the American campaign … And so Soros says, you know, we think either Obama or Romney’s fine, but Gingrich, he would change things.” Gingrich said, “They are uncomfortable with me and they should be.”

I’m sitting here comparing notes with Jeff Briscoe from Port Charlotte, whose site is Report Bucket. Neither of us seems to have the Goldman Sachs conspiracy remarks on video — I switched between photo and video mode during the speech — but during the speech, I provided an open phone link for Pete Da Tech Guy who transcribed much of it live, and he provides these direct quotes: “Goldman Sacks is very uncomfortable with me. . . . Those ads are your money recycled to attack me.”

Gingrich described his campaign as one of “grassroots populist conservatism” versus “The Establishment.” He cited the fact that Herman Cain appeared with him today here and elsehwere on the campaign trail, and also that Todd Palin has agreed to record a message of support for automated get-out-the-vote phone calls.

* * * PREVIOUSLY (2:40 p.m. ET) * * *

Sitting here at a McDonald’s on Colonial Boulevard a half-mile from Page Field, where Newt Gingrich and Michael Reagan will hold a “grassroots rally” at 3 p.m. I’m not expecting much of a crowd for a mid-afternoon event on a Monday, but maybe I’ll be surprised. There were already three TV satellite trucks at the site when I cruised by about 1:3o p.m., and there were lots of cops preparing for a heavy security presence.

Listening to Rush Limbaugh on the way up here from Naples, the commercial breaks were pretty much wall-to-wall attack ads, Mitt vs. Newt and Newt vs. Mitt. It seemed as if the anti-Newt ads were the majority. Ed Morrissey has audio of Limbaugh telling Newt to stop complaining about Mitt’s attacks.

It’s been a bad week for Newt and I frankly don’t believe the Insider Advantage poll showing Newt within five. If you look at the Real Clear Politics average, there are five other Florida polls in the past five days showing Mitt winning by anywhere from 11 to 20 points. The latest Quinnipiac poll, with Romney up by 14 points, is about average. So if Romney wins by less than 10, it would be surprising.

Somebody in the Newt camp tossed an “internal memo” over the fence to Matt Lewis. Long story short, they’re lowering expectations in Florida. And as I pointed out in my American Spectator column, second place in Florida is worthless — it’s winner-take-all. Team Gingrich just blew through about $2 million for nothing.

Well, it’s past 2:30 now, so I’d better get over to the airport. Let’s hope the Gingrich people don’t sic the cops on me.

UPDATE: It’s nearly 4 p.m. and no Newt yet. There are about 250-300 people here and four network satellite trucks. I talked to one network reporter who told me about the war between the press corps and the Gingrich campaign over charter travel:

The Gingrich campaign isn’t taking reporters on their charter flight on Monday to travel from Pensacola to Miami with stops along the way, destinations that are physically impossible to get to by car in a day.
The reason?
Campaign spokesman R.C. Hammond says he’s ticked off after several media outlets opted not to get on a charter Saturday night.
“I have better things to do than complain with you guys about the cost of flights,” Hammond said when asked why the Monday charter was canceled.
The campaign is also not taking press with them to Nevada on Tuesday night after the Florida primary after initially saying they would be included.

Read the whole thing. It seems that the networks thought the charter rates they were being charged by the Gingrich campaign were too high. So there’s a little inside-baseball camapign stuff for you.

Category: Ed Morrissey, Election 2012, Fear and Loathing in the Sunshine State, Florida, Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh

Tea Party Patriots Bringing It March 24th

Posted on | January 30, 2012 | 4 Comments

by Smitty

Via email from the Alexandria Tea Party:

Tea Party Patriots has obtained permits for the rally on the East Lawn of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. for Saturday, March 24th and for the Supreme Court steps the following Monday through Wednesday when the case will be heard.

Can I get a heck, yeah?

This blog will totally be in attendance for the Saturday piece. The whole ‘job’ thing may conflict with the Monday to Wednesday endeavor. Who is in with me? Freeeeedom! Wolverines!

Category: Health Care, Tea Party

Heritage And Those Pesky Facts

Posted on | January 30, 2012 | 2 Comments

by Smitty

via Granite Grok

Category: Budget

Much Needed Palate Cleanser From Marco Rubio

Posted on | January 30, 2012 | 7 Comments

by Smitty

Remind me again why this guy hasn’t been press-ganged into running for POTUS? Rubio sports more authenticity in a short speech than the entirety of the Mitt Romney cannon:

Oh yeah: some Ruling Class Overlord hasn’t yet decided it’s Rubio’s ‘turn’, or something.
via American Power

Category: Marco Rubio

Like an Earthquake in Vanuatu: Michelle Malkin Endorses Rick Santorum!

Posted on | January 30, 2012 | 29 Comments

NAPLES, Fla.
Woke up about 10:30 this morning expecting to put together a quick aggregation of the morning news. Then I saw Michelle Malkin’s endorsement of Rick Santorum.

All bets are off. Forget everything else — this is freaking HUGE!

UPDATE: I’m about to go get breakfast, but before that, a few more bits of news:

Bella Santorum has recovered from pneumonia.
Rick Santorum is getting a head start on the rest of the field by campaigning today in Missouri and Minnesota, and will have an event Tuesday night in Las Vegas, where the caucuses are Saturday.
Jennifer Rubin is already picking running mates for Mitt Romney — and measuring for new drapes in the Oval Office, no doubt.

Oh, and one more thing: My American Spectator column today.

UPDATE II: Another endorsement for Rick Santorum at American Thinker. Remember: Every time a blogger endorses Rick Santorum, an angel gets his wings.

UPDATE III: Santorum’s schedule for Monday-Tuesday:

Monday, January 30:

2:30pm CT: Senator Santorum will make a major address focusing on jobs, the economy, and American competitiveness in Cottleville, MO.

Location: St. Charles Community College Daniel J. Conoyer Social Sciences Building Auditorium 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive Cottleville, MO

7:30pm CT: Senator Santorum will host a town hall meeting in Luverne, MN.

Location: Pizza Ranch 110 East Main Street Luverne, MN

Tuesday, January 31:

10:00am MT: Senator Santorum will hold a campaign rally in Lone Tree, CO.

Location: The Lone Tree Golf Club Lounge 9808 Sunningdale Boulevard Lone Tree, CO

7:30pm PT: Senator Santorum will hold a primary night watch party in Las Vegas, NV

Location: Rick Santorum for President Nevada Headquarters 8550 West Charleston Las Vegas, NV

Category: Colorado, Election 2012, Fear and Loathing in the Sunshine State, Michelle Malkin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Rick Santorum

Vessels For Altering The American Political Course

Posted on | January 30, 2012 | 6 Comments

by Smitty

When the history of the American recovery is written, Ladd Ehlinger will certainly have a paragraph or five, given his highly refined anti-establishment antics.

Leapfrogging the traditional approach to political ads is Turn This Ship Around, which is a basic ad memorable for its images of children as galley slaves of a piratical state. TTSA is a ‘reduce, reuse, recycle‘ approach, most lately in support of Brian K. Hill, running for Senate in Connecticut.

“Some establishment pundits say Republicans shouldn’t go after Obama because he has personal favorability in some polls,” says Brad Marston, co-founder of the political strategy firm FourTier Strategies, one of the participating vendors in the concept. “Hogwash. Our job is to change the polls, not cower in fear from them. Don’t just take a poll and then throw up your hands. Polling is just part of the initial research. Then you devise a strategy to win.”
“This is what the RNC, NRCC, and the NRSC should be doing,” said Furniss. “They should be experimenting, helping to figure out ways for their candidates to advertise more cost-effectively against Obama and George Soros and other rich Democrats.”
“Why aren’t the guys in D.C. offering asymmetrical advertising for their candidates?” asked Ehlinger. “Most GOP marketers couldn’t promote their way out of a wet paper bag.”

I think it’s worse. Judging by the behavior, the senior GOP weenies would rather run aground on a cruise liner captained by a derelict Italian than risk sailing to victory with Tea Partiers. Why? Because GOP weenies, like any specimen of homo bureaucratus fear risk, and know that the Democrats will give them a bowl to lick if they accept defeat with minimal fuss.

Category: Ladd Ehlinger

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The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

LIVE AT FIVE – 01.31.12

Aw, C’mon, Dan: How About A Little Real World View? UPDATE: Meet. . .
Willard Fabio

UPDATE: Newt’s Populist Turn

Tea Party Patriots Bringing It March 24th

Heritage And Those Pesky Facts

Much Needed Palate Cleanser From Marco Rubio

Like an Earthquake in Vanuatu: Michelle Malkin Endorses Rick Santorum!

Vessels For Altering The American Political Course

THE FULL METAL JACKET REACH-AROUND AWARD

HIT THE FREAKING TIP JAR!

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