By Garrett Haake, NBC News
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. -- In his first campaign appearance in this pivotal primary state since his drubbing at the hands of Newt Gingrich in South Carolina, Mitt Romney unveiled a new strategy Sunday night to stop the former speaker's momentum: Hit Gingrich. Hard.
Speaking before a crowd of more than 700 supporters at a rally here, Romney deviated from his standard remarks early, looking to define the candidate who mauled him in South Carolina in a different light by bringing up the tumultuous end of Gingrich's tenure as speaker of the House of Representatives.
"So I've had the experience of leadership. Now Speaker Gingrich has also been a leader. He was a leader for four years as speaker of the House," Romney said, as boos rang out at the mention of Gingrich's name. "And at the end of four years it was proven he was a failed leader. And he had to resign in disgrace. I don't know if you knew that. He actually resigned after four years in disgrace. He was investigated under an ethics panel and had to make a payment associated with that and then his fellow Republicans, 88 percent of Republicans, voted to reprimand Speaker Gingrich. He has not had a record of successful leadership."
Direct assaults like this from Romney on the stump are rare enough to be startling to those who hear him speak daily, but Romney didn't stop there, also tying Gingrich to the housing crisis in a state where the collapse in home values has been acutely felt.
"Over the last, what 15 years, since he left the House ... he talks about great bold movements and ideas, well, what’s he been doing for 15 years? He has been working as a lobbyist, he was working as a lobbyist and selling influence around Washington," Romney said. "He was working for Freddie Mac, heard of those guys? He says that he’s just been a historian, I would like him to release his records; what was his work product? What was he doing at Freddie Mac? Because Freddie Mac figures prominently into the fact that people in Florida have seen home values go down; it’s time to turn that around."
In the hours since Romney's double-digit loss in South Carolina, senior advisers to the campaign have said that the effort to contrast Gingrich and Romney more pointedly will continue in earnest all across Florida in the coming days, including on the debate stage Monday night.
On Monday, Romney surrogates Tim Pawlenty and the Speaker Designate of the Florida House, Will Weatherford, will hold a conference call with reporters cheekily titled "Definitely Not a Lobbyist," in which they will discuss Gingrich's work for Fannie and Freddie. Also Monday morning, Romney will hold just one public campaign appearance, a roundtable to discuss housing issues. It's a safe bet that Fannie and Freddie and Gingrich's work there will come up.


Mitt, give it a rest. You swung and you missed. You have zero credibility left.
There's still 47 states left. Perhaps you should read the news more often.
Yes, that's it, destroy each other and see how easily Obama will run over either of these two clowns. With any luck these two are going to bring down the republicans control of the House as well.
Dem in Texas - 2291575: Applause from Dallas.
And while WE AMERICANS are being Extorted for "Gas Money Ransom" Where are OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS on CrapitalHill????... They Gave BIG OIL Our TaxpayerOWNED Oil fields for Drilling and profiteering.. Well, RepublicanCrimeCartelLapDogs: THEGangrene, Mince 'EmRommel, Vomitorium, THE BONER, M!tchTh' B!tchMcConMan, Eric Can'tOrElse?Where Are these Politicos to help We American Taxpayers????
Why they are IN bed with BigOil as HandMaidens to help in robbing We Americans AND! AND !! AND!!! sucking OUR Taxpayer Owned DrillingFields Dry TO SpotMarket Sell to India and China for the Highest Price While BigOil Props up Gasprices At The Pump.
And considering putting These RepublicanCrimeCartelSOLDIERS In Power Again Is Asking Dracula to SafeGuard Our Nations BloodBanks.
Come November You will Know What to Do; Maybe even you "Fer'Git' Hell!!?!!" CivilWarBots SC Voters who gave THEGangrene his last Gasp. Right Daawwrllen'???
Do I really have to put up with another episode of Dunb And Dumber. I though Bush and Cheney already played those parts, to a fault......
Time to break out the popcorn.... It is fun watching the Rs tear each other to shreds. Stay tuned for Newt's response. This is certainly better than Jersey Shore.
I can't see how anyone won't have a field day with ripping into Obama this year. Hell, go down any street in America, and average Joes and Janes will have curt, spot-on questions and pointed comments of sarcasm about Obama since January 2009. Anyone can focus on failures of promised change, the far left liberal agenda being pushed under the radar of the national media, and OBama having the very financial advisors at his side (the foxes in the henhouse), and how Obamacare will destroy any of us self-employed, educated, under-employed people trying to stay afloat. Never mind I stay active, exercise and eat heathily -- I'll be taxed to spend several thousand in 2014 mandating insurance...or face a fine of several thousand. How can I pay rent, student loans, utilities, car payment and food with that over my head on $1600/month income?
Hey, Stop the BS:
Do what your handle says; you're full of BS if you believe what you write. Why don't you actually do some research on the Affordable Health Care Act (AHCA)? Go here: www.healthcare.gov/law/index.html
You'll see that if you're making $1,600 a month your contribution will be negligible. Moreover, it does not begin to role out until 2014, as you point out. Perhaps you'll be more successful by then (you'll have a much better chance to do that if the President is re-elected).
The upside is that health care costs will become more stable, hopefully, and coverage will be more fair (no pre-existing condition exclusions, portability options, etc.)
Rather than cry that the sky is falling, get a clue. Everything will be all right. Unless Newt or Mitt are elected.
I working in the health insurance industry. I love Obamacare! Do you understand how much money health insurers are about to make? Do you know how many jobs this will create? Can you grasp how cheap medicine and medical procedures are going to become? My company loves it! We are preparing for a bright and glorius future. I do not get where the republicans are coming from, or who exactly they are getting these complaints from.
Once you understand that the consumer does not control or influence the cost of medical procedures, but insurance companies do, you will get it. The more people that have insurance and use it to get an MRI, the less the insurance companies will want to pay for that MRI, hence the price of an MRI will drop.
Dem in Texas-2291575 @1.2
I've been tracking this closely this cycle, to most in the political world, even of the Democrat bent, know that there chances of regaining control of the House this election is slim to none. To add insult to injury, there is a very STRONG chance the Democrats will lose control of the Senate also.
This is irrespective of what happens in the presidential race. Odds on (75/25) that the president will be dealing with a Republican Congress even if he is reelected.
This is according to Democrat Congress watchers who are paid to figure this stuff out.
www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-20/congress-returns-amid-historically-low-approval-ratings
That was a Democrat leaning report.....
So it would seem, that Mitt Romney's negative remarks, and his super-pac ads, are beginning to backfire on him. Maybe the republican's are finally realizing, that all of these ads are filled with nothing but half truth's, misquotes, quotes taken out of context, and down right lies. Newt Gingrich's past is already well known, and is well documented. How about sticking with the issues that the American people want to hear about? Like creating jobs, cutting the deficit, and getting the economy moving.
It would be nice if ALL of the candidates stuck to the issues, but that is NOT the nature of politics. That is why we need to get everyone involved in the Popular Amendment Movement at faircampaignreform(dot)us where you can download the two constitutional amendment petitions. Or you can cut and paste them from here. Then sign them, circulate them among your family, friends, neighbors. Help form a local grassroots movement to collect the petitions and help form a state-wide movement as well. This is the only way that we will ever get true election/campaign finance reform.
Petition for US Constitutional Amendment For Election Reform
We, the undersigned US citizens, duly registered voters in our respective states/territories, do hereby petition for our state to approve the following amendment to the United States Constitution by the method noted below.
Election Reform:
1. Abolish the Electoral College (Repeal Amendment 12)
2. ONE NATIONAL primary date to be held on the Tuesday eight (8) weeks prior to the General Election day for Congressional offices and for the President. Candidate petitions must be filed with the local/state elections boards 60 days prior to the Primary Election date. Federal election petitions shall be uniform in every state and shall include a “contract with the voters” that spells out clearly what that candidate stands for on all issues that they may have to address in elected office. They shall be held accountable in court for breach of that contract if elected and any/all terms are not met.
3. NO campaigning allowed for any elective federal office more than 60 days prior to the National Primary Date.
4. NO campaign contribution shall be donated to any candidate of more than $200 from an individual or $500 maximum from a family (spouses/children living in the same household.) No donations shall be made to a candidate more than sixty days prior to the primary date. No candidate shall contribute from their own funds more than 60% of the total donations from other private individuals.
5. NO campaign contribution from any PAC, corporation, union, non-profit organization, special interest group, etc. shall be allowed for any elected federal office.
6. NO third party campaigning (separate PAC ads, corporate ads, etc.) for/against any candidate shall be allowed at any time during or before the election season.
7. NO party conventions shall be held to select the presidential candidates. The selection must be done at the ballot box in the primary election.
8. The One Man/One Vote Supreme Court ruling shall be enforced by this Amendment, namely that NO federal candidate selection shall be by any means other than the ballot box on Primary/General Election Dates.
9. National Party Organizations shall NOT raise money for or donate to specific candidates of their party prior to the dates outlined above.
10. PAC’s shall NOT be granted tax-exempt status by the IRS, and any non-profit organization who uses their funding for political purposes shall lose their tax-exempt status.
11. All lobbyists shall be outlawed from influencing Congress at all times.
This amendment shall be approved ONLY by State Constitutional Conventions to be called within 90 days of this petition being submmitted to a state’s Secretary of State. A minimum of 25% of the registered voters in each state shall be required to further this petition to the respective Secretary of State.
Name Signature State Address
Petition for US Constitutional Amendment For Congressional Term Limits
We, the undersigned US citizens, duly registered voters in our respective states/territories, do hereby petition for our state to approve the following amendment to the United States Constitution by the method noted below.
Term Limits for Congress:
1. Representatives to Congress shall serve no more than two two-year terms in the House.
2. Senators shall be elected to no more than two six year terms in the Senate.
3. No elected official shall serve more than six terms in office in any combined elected offices (House/Senate/Presidency.)
This amendment shall be approved ONLY by State Constitutional Conventions to be called within 90 days of this petition being submmitted to a state’s Secretary of State. A minimum of 25% of the registered voters in each state shall be required to further this petition to the respective Secretary of State.
Name Signature State Address
No, we don't want Mitt Romney to give it a rest! Mitt Romney should explain to the American people how he made his money at Bain Capital, explain how he made millions (off the backs of Americans) as Americans were loosing their jobs in companies he managed. Mitt Romney says he wants to create jobs in America, Romney should explain the millions of US$ he kept in Cayman, those millions if invested in America would create jobs for Americans. Americans are asking! When is Mitt Romney bringing those millions in Cayman back to the United States?
Mitt Romney wants to become a President for the rich, not for ordinary Americans, Romney wants to be a President so that he can further reduce tax for himself and his rich friends.
Americans are not going to lay this to rest, Romney must explain his Bain Capital activities, the innocent Americans he killed their jobs and took away their life savings, the millions in Cayman and why he wants to lower tax for the 1%?
Watching the Republicans eat each other alive is more entertaining than Jersey Shore by far! It's kind of like Gladiator, with wimps.
Imagine if Christie joins the race in the VP slot...then it will really BE Jersey Shore.
Republicans wanted health care reform until Obama became President. Then, suddenly, they decided they loved the system just as it is.
Conservative opposition to health care reform is simply one more example of how the right is willing to cut off their noses to spite their faces...anything to make sure none of Obama's initiatives--even those that directly benefit them-- will be successful. It's the politics of NO.
Oh, so very true;
National healthcare, XL Pipeline, debt ceiling agreement that leads to reduced defense spending, holding the nation's economy hostage leading to rating downgrade....
and on and on and on.
2011= HUGE TEA-REPUBLICAN FAILURE!
2012 = EVEN LARGER TEA-REPUB FAILURES!
The fact that Newt, with all his baggage, can beat Mitt just shows what a terrible choice Romney is.
Romney doesn't look like someone who comes out swinging, more like flailing away with his eyes closed.
My 70 year old Mother could kick this wimps ass.
Either Mitt or Newt will be a vast improvement over our incumbent. It's comical how the media and the left are portraying the GOP primaries. Hillary and Barry fought until nearly June . They had a good fair fight. The Democrat voters picked Obama. Obama slayed the Clinton machine. ( That and slaying Osama bin Laden are by far his biggest accomplishments). It is only January, and the media thinks it is doomsday that the voters in 3 disparate states have disparate ideas about who the nominee should be.
Newt and Mitt are not flawless. Obama is not flawless. Obama has taken a bad situation and made it much worse. His approval rating is 46%. Unemployment is 8.5%. Both are very bad signs for an incumbent.
Don't know who will win. Don't know yet who I will vote for. I hope the contest is still going strong when the Illinois primary is held, so my vote will count. ( I voted for Alan Keyes in 2000 over Bush). I was for black presidents before it was cool to be for a black president.
I like aspects of each man. I dislike aspects of each. What Newt did last week was to be an unapologetic conservative. He needs to keep that up and stay off of the populism band wagon.
Mitt needs to defend capitalism and defend his record. He should release his tax returns. Forget the % he paid. Focus on the tens of millions this man has poured into the US treasury. Poor people don't write multi million dollar checks each year to the US Treasury. Americans love success. Embrace it and be proud. Despite the whiners, no where else in the world does a child stand the chance to make millions than being in the US, having a good idea, and the organization to make a buck off it.
These debates are brutal on the candidates involved, but think of how sharp the winner will be come October. Obama has had 4 years of softball questions. He won't know what hit him.
his job creating record speaks for itself, he ranked 47th out of 50 states Mitt?
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/06/02/232040/romney-obama-massachusetts-jobs/
pitiful..
This should be interesting to watch... Newt tends to be personable and relate to people, so when he takes a swing at someone, he's swinging for everyone else who would LIKE to be swinging at them too... Mitt, on the other hand, seems somewhat robotic and detached from the "common people", so it will be interesting to see if his "hard hitting" tactics help him or if they make him look like a bully. Newt got more points for taking swipes at the media than he did for taking swipes at Romney... But of course if Romney starts swinging at the media, it will simply look like he's trying to copy Newt (which he would be, of course). I question whether Romney has the personality to pull this off. I guess we will see... (Newt may turn around and be Mr Nice Guy and then have everybody mad at Romney for being such a douche bag!). In the end, I think Newt is just a lot smarter than Mitt and can outflank him in ANY maneuver.
Go away you obama lovers. OBama makes me want to puke let alone listen to him. As far as the campaign, Newt is ahead of Romney in strategy. He is going after a few issues with newt but newt has set him up in a lot of ways. Florida may be tight now where before Romney should have cleaned his clock. Free publicity for newt and people will look at his record which if you think about it is pretty good. He gets thrown out of the house by pelosi and the dem's, it just sets it up better. Newt will debate circles around the teleprompter and empty head chief...... The problem with Romney is he thinks the presidency is a trophy instead of leading america...... All we need is another one of those status quo guys getting into the white house.
Wishful thinking perhaps? Why would anyone vote for the current GOP members of the House and Senate who have made government of the US a game, of we can win in 2012 if we can stall the economy for the next 11 months. It is very obvious that blocking any attempt to get the economy moving is the GOP plan, and nothing else. The GOP is putting itself, Politics, and winning first, Country and its people last.
Umm... NO Ging"RICH" has no credibility period. Mittens hit the nail right on the head to me. However, doesn't really matter.
If Mittens get this nomination, Obama will beat him. If Ging"RICH" gets the nomination, Obama will win in a landslide.
Romney has every right to attack Gingrich on his ethics violations. There are few men that measure up to the scum that is Newt, fortunately most of those men are in a prison somewhere.
Dem - I didn't disagree with his attack on Gingrich, in fact, I said Gingrich has no credibility period. Mitten's only has slightly more credibility, but not much more either. I wouldn't support any of the Republican candidates even if Obama wasn't running for Re-Election
Let's give the Grinch a break. He sais that he recognizes he's made mistakes but now he's found religeon. He's sworn off adultry now that he's almost 70 and can't get it up any more anyway. He's trying to save his money by doing book tours in conjunction with his campaign, so the travel, lodging and meals can be charged to the campaign instead of him paying for the tour himself. He's a changed man, Whatever he did for Freddie and Fannie can not be proven to be lobbying so he's is just a historian and a writer. Of course he writes a lot of alternate history which he thinks is real history, but that's ok. He's almost 70 and has to entertain himself somehoe since he has sworn off strasnge bedrooms.
Think Bob Dole and the Viagra commercials. :)
Dem in Texas
All charges were dropped for lack of evidence. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/govt/leadership/stories/101198.htm Furthermore, Newt was vindicated by the IRS three years later. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/govt/leadership/stories/gingrich020499.htm
Is it NBC that likes keeping people in the dark, the democratic party, or people just don't like to hear the WHOLE TRUTH. I can't tell.
I didn't hear about his vindication till last month. Newt was holding it for a surprise.
So Newt paid that $300,000 fine to the House for being innocent of the ethics charges? Who are you kidding?
From you link above....
He wasn't vindicated...
And he resigned from the third most powerful office in the U.S. Government: Speaker of the House. Who does that if he's "innocent" or "vindicated"?
Face it, DB, Newtie did to the country what he did to his first 2 wives!
The Problem is that the Politicians turned this Country into a Democracy.
What Voters need to demand is turning this Country back into a Republick what it was. That way the Politicians on Capitol Hill, the President and the Supreme Court have to obay the Constitution, otherwise they can be impeached. Changes to the Constitution should be made only if the people of the United States vote for it. That would put them back in their place.
Vote Ron Paul and you won't have to put up with the Slimy Newt or Mitt the Ripper.
Mitt is really about to tell people what a scum bag Gingrich really is huh? Better be careful Mitt. Gingrichs description is kinda universal to so many republicans you could accidently cod kick the whole crowd, yourself included. A flock of half assed drunken Canaries conducting explosive disarmament would be safer.
Gingrich and Romney both fail to have any answers that will make the situation better. Republicans these days only have strategies that make matters worse. It is always easier to destroy that to build, and Republicans have been on a destructive rampage ever since Obama got the Democratic nomination in the last election. If they offer ideas on how to improve the hangover we all suffer with, it always seems to benefit top income earners and gives the shaft to middle class and poor folks. Now they want to disenfranchise many senior citizens who would most likely vote to support Medicare and Social Security. There is nothing in this party's message for the average citizen.
More puke head democrats on this site. Makes you want to barf.
And the worm turns.
Newt has made vows to how many wives now? How can anyone believe he'll uphold the oath of office? He has zero credibility
...and broken every one of those vows...to his wives and to the house of reps
Obama lovers. Go get your house foreclosed on and help him with his telprompter. Its the only job that will be out there in a few years.
i've noticed how everyone wants to give more money , cars , homes , business loans , and credit breaks to the well off. something about that picture has always been troubling. now they've taken their spoiled brat butts to the national front. demanding this pampering from every american. republicans , or, the ''just plain greedy'' , there is no difference between the two. how can they demand the poor to pay equal taxes with them. GOD HERE ME, if that kind of wealth has not passed my life time, i will show the rich and the ''just plain greedy'' how to put the ''LOVE OF GOD'' in their portfolio
I have gotten so tired of hearing Mittens gaspy quick speech like he's trying to say what he wants to say before somebody interrupts him. You know, like the little kid in the lunchroom that nobody listens to? He drives me crazy. I don't think personally that any of them are a decent candidate, the only decent one, none of the GOP wanted because he was too "normal". Used to be, when campaigning, the candidate would de emphasize their weakness and blow up their strengths. Nowadays all they want to do is insult the others. Yuck
I don't care who gets elected as long as it's not Obama. He couldn't lead his way out of a coat closet.
Fortunately for the country you are clearly in the minority. Obama is going to wipe the floor with either of these two morons. Maybe you like a guy like Newt, who does one thing but tells American citizens they should do the opposite. Or maybe you like Romney, a guy who made a living by firing people and shipping jobs overseas. Has Obama made mistakes? Of course, but that doesn't mean America is about to allow a scum bag like Newt or a billionaire who loves to fire people replace a guy who has prevented us from entering into a depression.
Dem. Newt is a PhD in History. That is a minimum IQ of 140. In the Last Debate Santorum hit Newt for supporting the government Mandate for the HCL for 10 years by saying how can he defend himself from that attack from Obama in a debate. Newt replied - "I figured out it was wrong Two years ago and Obama hasn't figured out yet that it is wrong."
Newt's debating skills has caused alarm with the moderate establishment part of the Republican Party. They now see Romney as "brittle" in debate.
BTW: A Lawyer's IQ starts at 130 and so does an MBA.
Gingrich would wipe the floor up with Obama. Nice spin though, to bad they don't hand out awards for that sort of thing. Maybe the left does.
Are you so sheltered and insular to think Obama will retain even half of the demographics that voted for his "false change hopes" in 2008!?? Heck, not only are independents turned off, Obama's ticked of Hispanics, too...
@ DB Akron
1) Bit curious as to where you are getting those IQ numbers.
2) Bit curious as to why you think IQ matters compared to actual knowledge and performance. Why bring up IQ out of the blue.
3) Obama graduated law school and so is quite qualified according to you.
DB, any idea what your IQ might be? Take an IQ test and score 130 and you are a lawyer or awarded an MBA? Do you lie awake at night thinking this nonsense up hoping someone will believe you?
Local gas attendant in my neighborhood, Baltimore - MENSA member- certified 170+ IQ.
No degree. no fancy job title. no nothing except his job selling smokes and gas.
I nominate him for the GOP presidential canidate! Based on your IQ theory, DB!
Newt clearly uses his intelligence for evil. Still want him up there?
Clearly the obama pukes on this site are afraid of newt. If you think for one minute that all these unemployed folks are going to vote for obama with 4 dollar plus gas , I am laughing my a rse off.
Ormond & Daytona are like one town. Wonder how, on a beautiful Sunday he got 700 people to show up? Most folks I know were at the beach!
When I read the headline, I was kind of hoping that Rmoney had decided to take a lesson from the Neut, since SC voters endorsed philanderers. I didn't really think that Mrs. Mitt would be on board to an open marriage.
Pathetic lot, all of them. It's sad that a (General) Dwight Eisenhower, or even Barry Goldwater couldn't possibly get the nomination of this right-wing Republican party of today. No compromise, my way or the highway, etc. never, ever got anything done in this country. And about Dwight's foretelling of the dangers of the "Military Industrial Complex"....it's fallen on deaf ears, on both sides. Our nation's debt? Take a guess where much of that comes from.
How do you all figure that South Carolina, the reddest of red states and having the largest evangelical group by percentage of population, is willing to overlook the hundreds of Newtie's transgressions and sins, especially when Santorum is right there? Can you say "HYPOCRITS"?
Thanks Peter. Isn't it interesting how all Americans have forgotten Ike's warning? He was the ONLY GOP that I would have voted for for president....if I had been old enough to vote for him ('68 was my first eligible election). Of all of the "GOP" presidents since Lincoln, only Ike and Teddy would have possibly earned my vote....and I'm a GDI. I'm now a NO VOTE (USVI) voter and if I lived in Nevada, I'd be a NONE OF THE ABOVE voter. I like to tell all of the candidates that they are unworthy of my vote. That is why I help to support the Popular Amendment Movement and their effort to petition for the passage of the two constitutional amendments I posted above.
A quiet Sunday nite politically, so thought I would share this little blurb:
Baltimore Sun/Kevin Van Valkenburg, staff writer: I think it's probably fair to call this the most heartbreaking loss in Ravens history. If Lee Evans puts two hands on a perfectly-thrown touchdown pass, the Ravens are going to the Super Bowl. If Billy Cundiff makes an easy field goal, they're still fighting in overtime. Other than one interception, Joe Flacco played the game of his life. He absolutely carried his team. But it wasn't enough, and now begins the longest offseason in team history. I'm still a little speechless.
*******************
Crushing defeat for the Ravens & their fans. To think, of all the elite quarterbacks this season, Joe Flacco is the one who ended up playing the best game in the playoffs. The one quarterback no one had confidence in.
From what I have read tonite, it appears if a time out had been called before the end of the game field goal, maybe Cundiff would have nailed it to at least tie the game.
Sports can be so unpredictable.
OT in San Fran! Today's games are great. Don't know how the Super Bowl can match up!
Ormond is in John Mica's district. I heard he endorsed Romney, but didn't see him mentioned in article.
Can't help but feel badly for the 49er's. Great game.
I know you are a NE fan, but I bet the brass in the NFL office would have loved to have the two brothers coaching against each other in the Super Bowl (ratings, ratings, ratings). New OT rules in playoffs.
Oops! Forgot that San Fran had the ball. dangerfield will be pleased.
phine, I'm glad we advanced, but not happy about another NY/NE-Boston match up. Football, baseball - I'm tired of it all. I was hoping that SF could pull this out.
The AFC stunk this year, with Peyton out all season, the Jets imploding and the Steelers unable to beat the Ravens. I never saw this SB coming this year for either the Giants or NE 2 mos ago.
Glad I don't bet.
Pat,
I am in St. Augustine, so my team is the Jaguars. We were battling Indy and Miami to see who could stink it up the worst! LOL
BTW, saw some pictures of Brady's new home in Brentwood. Wow! Fashion model wife and a few super bowl rings and a 20 million mansion can be yours!
when you win in curling you get a broom.
A new broom, or just the one you came with?
phine, yup - just a really bad season in the AFC. Now two weeks of nonstop Boston v NY. Again.
At least we have Mitt v Gingrich. That oughta be fun!
Pat,
You say that because you are in Boston and do NOT have to face all the brouhaha we here in Florida get for the next week or so. LOL
We pretend it is new. It is a Scottish game after all and Scots are mighty frugal.
Frugal is a nice way to put it! You know, the Scandinavians argue they started curling, not the Scots. (I have Scots/Welch from my mother's side and French/Irish from my father's, so I like to buy expensive things a cheaply as possible)
Scandinavians have not won an argument in ages so we let them think that they invented skiing instead.
Ah, but the Greeks did come up with the Olympics!
And thinking ... Greeks invented thinking.
Some Romans may argue that point. (Not to mention a few Egyptians) But who came up with humor?
The Humans!
Mitts: Why just 1 year of tax returns and an estimate? How can multi-year transactions and considerations such as basis, depreciation, subsidies, carry-overs and the rest help paint an accurate picture with only 1 complete year?
Perhaps that's the point of 1 year, apart from "privacy". And what about the LLCs, partnerships, and other entities?
sig:
Are you going to vote on tax retun basis?
No wonder we elect wrong leaders. There is no corelation between any kindof tax returns and success at Presidency. Whybother.
Real issue is does guy has know-how, experience, problem solver, able to talk with all kidn of people intelligently and create consensus.
A woman invites me for dinner. I am interested if she can gook decent meal. I am not interested withwho he had aq sex night before or her tax return.
But tax is your thing, go ahead. We are free. It may not matter we may be freaks.
When Mitt claims to know how it feels to laid off and umeployed, then it will be intersting to see that he is paid millions upon millions in investment interest, dividends and capital gains. The returns will show that he is not a man of the people. His father provided twelve years of tax returns when he ran for president because he had nothing to hide.
Raj-
The tax issue speaks to character, not governing ability. If Mitt has been making money hand over fist screwing the working class of the country I think that's a perfectly fine criteria to base not supporting him on. Or, supporting him if you don't see a problem with that kind of short-term, bottom-line mentality.
RAJ,
I know this seems like a silly question, but, people in this country have also been known to vote solely on an "Electability" basis.
That's right, cast their vote solely based upon another persons opinion. That a person will willing set aside their own reasoned decision process for someone else's opinion is the stupidest reason ever of choosing a candidate.
Mitt Romney: I've been called a flip-flopper, and that is true. I've been called a wishy-washy, windsock, weavervane, weakling who sets his values based on polls, and that is true. I've been called an evasive debate question dodger, and that is true. I've been called a slimy, sleazy politician whose stances are so contrived and immaterial that pinning them down on any issue is like pinning jello to a wall, and that is true. But Newt Gingrich is a serial hypocrite. So there.
Ha funny but true. The Battle of the Pinocchio's!
And he stole the serial hypocrite line from Dr Paul!
It is a fight that I can't lose! GO Mitt! GO Newt!
Knock yourselves out! Both of you!!
Romney, republicans , or the just plain greedy ; have been whinning like toddlers since the death of TRICKLED DOWN ECONOMICS. it's time for them to grow up , and face the generational changes of life in AMERICA. the BUSH REGIME bankrupt america with their arrogant and flawed cowboy diplomacy. insisting on speaking WMD's into existance, just to occupy iraq and get even with SADDAM HUSSIEN. forget usama bin laden, is what bush said. all he did was occupy the USA TAX PAYERS MONEY until we were in the red. can you remember the surplus he inherited ? in just 36 months it was history, '' thanks to the spoiled brat republicans. rush limpbrain always said he can out think democrats with his brains behind his back. apparently that american bankruptcy came on his and the repugs watch. in 36 months, OBAMA killed usama, killed ga goofy and his insane followers, killed key leaders of usama's followers, and is still offering JOBS BILLS, and working hard to get america out of the quagmere BUSH AND HIS WMD ADMINISTRATION put the USA in. Romney JUST ''FORGOT'' TO MENTION THAT. like '' PERRY,'' haaaaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
What 's Mitt trying to hide? Must be his profit from this;
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/11/01/316040/romney-solamere-ponzi/?mobile=nc
Cynic_always: Mitt said he doesn't want to release more tax returns because of the internet?
There's something very fishy going on here. He gets rid of his hard drives and now is afraid of the internet. Media, do your job.
Deep Throat "Follow the Money"
He has nothing to worry about, you have to have an identity before someone can steal it on the Internet.
Still, the former governor from Massachusetts seems to have some deep, um, distrust of computers. And I bet his favorite piece of office equipment is the paper shredder.
Mitt Romney capitalism has been very good for him and Bernie...
http://planetpov.com/2012/01/12/bernie-madoff-defending-mitt-romney-and-free-enterprise/
Cynic
Interesting isnt it that Miitens is ONLY releasing two years of returns? Now hes been running for president for at least 4 years or so and KNEW hed be forced to show some of his tax returns.
What is he HIDING?
Remember when he fired his landscaping crew because they had an illegal worker. He was aware at that time and made the changes so it follows that hes change his recent returns.
Show us the last 12 years returns or non at all Mittens. Two years or returns have been whitewashed
Probably has had time to only white wash the last years returns...once his accountant has "fixed" the last 10 years, then they will be released........
Was thinking - maybe someone should check Newt's stock holdings...how much does he own in the companies that produce Viagra or Cialis???
Maybe they could "neut" Newt at the same time as fixing Mitt's tax returns.....
Ain't no way in h*ll Ging "RICH" could ever beat Obama. NEVER ! LOL you clowns are destroying each other. all Obama will have to do is show clips of you Canidates attacking each others character and records !
These Repub Candidates are a joke ! You will get reelected easily versus these 4 clowns !
Keep up the good work Mittens and Ging "RICH" and Ron Dull, and Rick San "BORE" um tearing each other down !
Mitt RomBAMA, like his alter ego Barack Obama, has no record to run on so trashes his opponent. All this tripe about Mitt RomBAMA being the "most electable" is just that. TRIPE! The fact is, on an electoral basis, Mitt RomBAMA has lost more elections than any of the other candidates. George Will said it best this morning on ABC This Week:
George Will: "Mitt Romney's going in trump card was electability. If you go back now to his 1994 senate primary he's been in 25 races. His record is 6 wins and 19 loses. Newt Gingrich won, it seems, at least 43 of 46 counties. He carried women in Evangelical Conservative South Carolina. He carried, evidently, all 7 congressional districts. So here's what we now know. We all thought going in that the big problem for Romney might be his Mormonism; it might be the Massachusetts healthcare plan. That's not it. Mitt Romney's problem is, somehow, his "Romney-ness". That is the fact that people are just not connecting with him.
Matthew Dowd: "The most consistent thing in this inconsistent race has been Mitt Romney's inability to sell himself in this race. He came in this race as the establishment candidate. He came in this race, that most people thought, was the odds on favorite. He came in this race... with the best organization, best campaign and best money. And as we've seen this entire process unfold the problem has been, maybe not his "Romney-ness", but maybe his "Mitt-ness" because he cannot sell himself as an authentic, competent Conservative in this field and now he's back to, they thought he broke the lid, he's back to the 28%; 25%. And that's a huge problem and it's going to be a huge problem in Florida."
Mitt RomBAMA is nothing but and down and dirty mudslinger. The good news is that everybody knows that. This time the mud is going to do a boomerang!
That record sounds like a lot of AFC teams this year.
He may never have broken the lid. The polls have been so unreliable. PPP & Rasmussen never showed Romney as high as most polls.
So far, PPP and Rasmussen have been the two most accurate pollsters over time in this cycle of all of them, with PPP taking the title from Rasmussen easily.
The only place where PPP missed was the final result in Iowa. They had Dr Paul winning by 9 points. (funny how that is so close to the leaked Exit Polling) Mitts has his 25%, he's always had his 25%, he's going to keep getting his 25%.
The real fight is over the other 75% and it comes down to The Grinch, The Dr. and Santy. Dr Paul usully pulls somewhere in the 20 -27% range but in the west and midwest he pulls 25-30%.
From Dr Pauls position we need santy to drop out soon, and the Grinch to stay in for as long as possibile to keep Mitts down and away from building the momentum the media was giving him free gratis. If it wasn't for Iowa. Santy would be gone already.
I know Newt has the morals of a rabbit in heat, but I just can't get over the way he bashes every Federal institution such as Fannie Mae then takes millions from Fannie Mae as a 'history consultant", whatever that is.
And Mitt better find his inner compass and tell people what he is and not what he would like everyone to believe him to be. Couldn't stand to watch his town hall meeting in New Hampshire when he told folks that he is middle class in his heart - even if he has over $500 million in his bank account.
Santorum likes to preach so I wonder why he didn't enter seminary and become a priest, other than having enough kids to almost field a baseball team might have been difficult if he had.
And Paul looks, acts and speaks as if he would much rather be running for President in the 1812 election instead of the one coming up.
Meanwhile, the Obama team is recording every ridiculous claim and statement made by each of them. Their hardest assignment will be selecting from such an array of pandering.
I hope these four candidates stay in until at least Super Tuesday. The more they air their issues, the better it is for the Republican party.
How would you like to be among the last states to vote, and have just one candidate left? Why bother??
How about a system where all the states have their primaries/caucusus on the same day. Then we all have the same choices.
Say I live in New York, and what do I have for choices on April 24th?? Why should my countrymen in Iowa have many more to choose from??
Good point Joseph.
I totally agree Joseph.
Look on the bright side, Joesph, if all of them were still in contention on April 24th you still wouldn't have anyone to vote for.
Actually, if everyone had theirs on the same day, actual vetting of the candidates would take a huge hit. All you would have would be a few scheduled "Debates" and media spin to make your choices on. In that scenario, Mitts would already be the candidate.
Although they do drag on interminably, they do serve a purpose. I hate it when there is only one choice but sometimes that is the way it works.
But to make it "Fairer", I would advocate for a split season. Since there are 51 voting blocks, we can easily divide them up into three distinct voting dates with say a month between. You do have time for debate, time for observing a campaign, time to think it through. Without the "Media" picking one and anointing him/her. The larger your state elector total is the later date you have in the schedule, this makes it impossible to win before the last primary day.
And the stakes would increase as the three month primary season wore on, and pressure would increase to drop nonviable candidates early.....
What could be more fun than watching conservatives cannibalize each other for the next 3 months? Oh, the Advertizements that will come from these quotes! Gotta love it. Mitt has already completely p*ssed off Newt, who has been ripping him to shreds and now he comes even harder... what do you imagine will be Newt's response to all of this? One can hardly wait. ;)
Any minute now Newt will charge Mitt with being a secret member of the liberal media! That's about as low as Gingrich can go.
Bruce, you should know that neither Mitt nor Newt have a "low point" ... these guys are like a big, black hole ... totally bottomless. Both will stoop to the very lowest level to have the GOP nomination. Neither deserve the opportunity to even be serving our government. The ReThuglicans have reached a new LOW POINT in their Party ... the party of GREED! This party needs to be taken apart and totally re-assembled ... this week should be FUN with the ReThuglicans, both on the campaign trail and in the HOUSE! Can't wait!
Skeptical hominoid,
You miss my point. These interactions amongst the candidates airs all the issues and possible solutions. If we quickly narrowed the field down to one candidate, all we would get is white bread rhetoric and slogans.
By having them in contention forces them to "argue their case" on each and every issue that affects all of us.
This is healthy. This makes the party stronger, and possibly makes both parties stronger in the bargain.
SkepticalHominid
I agree with Joseph above, it makes the parties stronger and the whole process more viable.
The Grinch isn't pissed at Mitts, per se.. He is just the target, The Grinch is seething at the establishment wing of the Party for the manipulation they pulled in Iowa. Mitts Represents the establishment.
Must be tough to be Republican voter these days. Here you have Mitt Romney (the so-called republican establishment favorite) with a supposedly insurmountable lead in the South Carolina primary and all it takes is for Newt to have a couple good debates (by his standards) where he brings out the usual standby comments, trying to scare the voting public. Racism? No problem for Newt! A healthy dose of old fashioned commie /socialist scare tactics is also no problem for Newt. Throw in some religious division and his one-way brand of patriotism where the flags are waved and the pins are in record numbers. Did you ever notice that republican fervor is strongest when they need your vote or expect you to take a bullet in some far off country? Yet when it comes to keeping American jobs in America or corporations actually paying their fair share of taxes they are nowhere to be found. You are on your own. I have never been to South Carolina, but I have this feeling that it must be a special place. Newt's tactics are music to their ears.
There is a sad irony to this whole republican primary. None of the leading candidates can come out and actually be themselves. Hide your tax returns - don't allow any discussion on the morality of their lives. It is all standard fare for these republicans. I've watched enough television CSI shows to know that the detectives or medical examiners have a product that allows them to withstand the stench of a crime scene or dead bodies in the morgue. It should be mandatory requirement that these candidates should provide this product at voting booths around the country. Don't you think that when voting for a candidate you shouldn't have to hold your nose. Hey, even republicans are saying that - don't rely on me.
Dave Reeves, you speak as if each and every Republican in the country owns a business, and is secretly plotting to ship all your jobs overseas. LOL
Hey, we gotta eat too.
I can't blame businesses for shopping around for the lowest labor rates. I would too, especially since they are in competition with the whole world. Remember NAFTA??
How to bring all those fine jobs back?? I don't think just lowering taxes on the corporations is going to be nearly enough. How do you compete with somebody in Asia who will work for $1.00 a day??
Ahh, now we get to the paradox in all this. When we are reduced to third world status, and everyone is working for peanuts, who is going to buy the goods?? See?? So in the long run, it is self defeating.
Too late, Mittens. Coming from a guy who's flipped on just about everything, all of a sudden being 'tough' isn't going to alter anyone's view of you being a complete, utter wimp. Gringrich at your lunch at the debate by being a dick, and you took it. No metal. Did you NOT think you had to release your tax forms? Idiot. Goodbye.
Obama 2012
COME CLEAN, MITT .... SHOW US YOUR TAX RETURNS, MITT! ..... COME CLEAN, MITT!
Tell you what, MITT, you better be arriving in Florida with copies of your tax returns for the past 10 years or Newt is going to give you another butt thumping like South Carolina. And I don't think Santorum is going to stand quietly in the background either. You don't come clean on your taxes while in Florida, you're DONE!
Personally, I wish there was a way both you guys could lose, and who knows, maybe both of you will in Florida ... it is Santorum's turn again, isn't it? But Newt met his skeletons head-on ... Mitt, you're a coward because you have something to hide. Let me guess, you paid less than 5% in federal taxes, and gave less than 1% to charities. Just COME CLEAN, MITT!
Losing to Gingrich in south Carolina is like Christian candidate losing in Saudi Arabia. It is not defining. It is the way South Carolina is and they have evey right to be so. After all they accuse their Governor during election unproiven allegation of soliciting sex. It is like good friend is little lose in his language, but nice guy,
The central issue we need to be deciding we need a good manager, problem solver or we want to emabark on new ideas hatching one every minuite frmg Gingrich that he cannot remember what he said. The question is do we want reconciler and one that knows how to work togather with people who has differen take on issues or we want street fighter.
I like wresting shows. It is fun to watch guys beat up each other. But I will not higher person who want to declare Jihad to have his own way every single issue that may come up. Do American people want to feel good or have a job. In electing Obama over much experienced seasoned Hillary, American felt better. IT was a cleansing of racial sin they might have felt. But it was not a wise choice and we know it now. For better or worse in democracy we make choice and face consequences.
Choice between two is clear. That is a gift.
Brush up on your English and stick to watching guys beating each other up. That is Patel's idea of fun.