South Carolina Primary Thread

He's the "inevitable" nominee because none of the other candidates have proven they have the combination of money, infrastructure and campaigning skills needed to outlast him. Unless one of others proves that he can outlast Romney (and time is running very short to do that), he won't get the money to flow his way, his campaign will whither and Romney will win this thing quickly.

As for this Bain Capital thing, it could turn out to be to Romney what Rev. Jeremiah Wright was to Obama in '08: a potentially major problem that came out late enough in the primary process to not derail Romney in the primary, but still early enough in the total campaign that it could be old news by the time the general election rolls around. It's going to be hard for Obama to keep the "Romney as a real-life Gordon Gekko" meme going for 10 months. Definitely possible, but hard.

 

Whither the anti-Romney?

 

There's nothing "only" about 39 percent when you're going against five opponents. The race was called at dinner time.

 

It would be really interesting if Gingrich wins South Carolina and Florida.

I don't think that will happen.

Even the most conservative of republicans are realizing that Romney is their only chance to beat Obama.

 

It would only be like Jeremiah Wright if Obama had been the one who was the preacher, or if Romney were merely a junior staff member at Bain.

Wright was a "guilt-by-association" problem that Obama solved by talking about where he disagreed with him, and then by dumping him once things got too hot. It's not as if there was video of Obama up there on the pulpit shouting "God DAMN America!" Obama also didn't let the issue fester before responding. Romney, meanwhile, is up past his asscheeks with Bain because he was the company's co-founder, and he was involved in signing off on everything it did while he was there.

Wright also didn't last because Obama wasn't running on his religion as a reason to vote for him (and, hell, a lot of voters still think he's Muslim anyway). Romney is putting his business experience as a "job creator" front and center as a reason he should be president. So it stands to reason -- how many jobs did you really "create"? What did you do at Bain? There is a lot still to mine about Romney there.

And it isn't just Gingrich (and/or Perry) giving Romney a hard time from the right. Sarah Freakin' Palin went on Hannity to call for Romney to release his tax forms, which Romney has said in the past he doesn't intend to do. Probably because all his income comes from dividends, and when people see how little in taxes he pays for what he receives, they're going to have a shit fit.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/12/sarah-palin-mitt-romney-tax-returns-bain-capital_n_1202158.html


[affects Horatio voice] It looks like Mitt Romney's private equity past...



...is going to be the Bain of his existence.

YEAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

 

If Gingrich is nipping at Romney's heels in South Carolina, no way is he going to drop out. Gingrich and Paul don't place nice, so they're not going to drop out in the name of party unity. In particular, Gingrich, despite his "apology" the other day about how he's treated Romney's business past, is going to bring as many people down with him as possible, Romney included.

 

If Gingrich doesn't win South Carolina, he should drop out. If he doesn't win, SC or Florida, he'll definitely be gone.

Before the primaries started, it was a foregone conclusion that of the first four primaries/caucuses that Romney would be lucky to win more than NH. He's already won two and he's doing better than most expected in South Carolina, which is essentially as close to Gingrich's home turf as you can get.

 

Romney speaks French! He speaks FRENCH!!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16549624

But yeah, Newt's a serious and intelligent candidate. Only in the Party of Children.

 

The absurd trainwreck that is the GOP candidates just keeps on giving.

What's goofier: That Newt thinks voters will not vote for Mitt because he speaks French? Or that Newt, Mr.-Get-Off-Your-Ass-And-Get-Working-And-Don't-Be-A-Liberal-Do-Nothing, wrote a dissertation on Belgian education policy in post-war Congo?

Oh, btw, anyone see the story about Rick Santorum's wife shacking up with the very same OBGYN that delivered her? An abortion doc 40 years her senior?

 

Should, yes. Will, no.

 

Without a win, I don't think Gingrich stays in past Florida.

 

Damn ... more evidence that I should never run for public office. If the media should ever look at my dissertation, lemme tell you ...