Yes, Pawlenty and Romney are both the same. What has happened before will happen again. There are no problems in the Democratic party, those results of those blowout races in NJ and VA should be ignored. And those polls showing Republicans passing the Democrats on generic ballots? Those are phony numbers and should also be ignored. All is well in the Democratic party. Don't change a thing. Continue on with what you are doing. The People are behind you (waaayyy behind you).

Obama tacked to the middle last year. We now see what a lie that was. The most extreme liberal person in the Senate, and in Congress for that matter, turns out to govern like an extreme liberal. No surprises there.

Maybe W will be at the Repuke Governors Cabal since he is now in the Motivational Speaking business!  This should be good for a laugh or perhaps they will all meet on 6th Street, in Austin, for a real Party!

Truly Shakespearean;

Much ado about nothing...

"How now my sweet creature of bombast?"
Henry IV, part I

First Read rants: "The real risk for Pawlenty, as Romney learned in his unsuccessful 2008 campaign, is losing his true voice and his authenticity. Romney spent so much time trying to reposition himself and picking narrow tactical fights with . . . "

Oh stop it! Romney lost because Huckabee wouldn't give up the fight and split the conservative vote between the two of them allowing the moderate McCain to win the nomination. All this hang-wringing from liberals trying to make the primarys out to be more then they were is just nonsense.

Do any of these "conservatives" even know what they are talking about? Barry Goldwater - the grandfather of the conservative movement - was, by today's standards, a moderate - these extremist are complete loons - but please carry on - it will make life much more fun for the rest of us - especially in 2010

Looks like the tea baggers are ‘gearing’ up for round two of their Klan rallies er… I mean town halls!  The first round worked out so WELL for them… lol lol lol  

Nothing like a couple dozen old angry racist white people who are already sucking off the evil ‘Socialized’ system to get ya motivated now is there?


Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Wednesday, November 11, 2009 9:27 AM)


 Going back to the racist card I see. Anyone who disagrees with a libby or Obama is a racist. Of course neither of her sources mention anything about racism. You are pathetic. But that sums up the libbies in a NUT shell.

Of course the fruity gumdrop will retort with the usual “is that all you got” or 3…2…1… countdown learned watching romper room with a self amusing LOL ending. The fruitcake is as predictable as her ignorance.  

Tim Pawlenty has about as much charisma as a slice of white bread. It matters not whether he moves to the right. Huckabee and Palin have that space sewed up.  For those backing Pawlenty, don't waste your time or money. He is a wantabee who willnotbe POTUS.

You just don't give up do you Liberals? You want so bad to point out an imaginary split in the Republican party, all the while the real split is in the Democratic party. Or are you not paying attention to who is fighting whom in all these "Great" debates this year?

Pawlenty as Mit Romney!! Oh I hope so!! Mr. Multiple Choice was the gift that kept giving during last year's election!!

It’s a democrat; no, it’s a republican; no, it’s a liberal; no, it’s a conservative; no, it’s a neo con; no, it’s NONE of the above – it’s Mit Romney, better known as Mr. Multiple Choice!!

Pro-Choice

When running for Senate in 1994 against Senator Kennedy, Romney said in two debates, "I believe that Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years, that we should sustain and support it, and I sustain and support that law and the right of a woman to make that choice.
- (Wow – a progressive Republican, a tip of the hat to you Mit!!)

Kennedy shot back: "I am pro-choice; my opponent is multiple choice."  
- (I think Mit’s headed for some trouble!!)

Gay Rights

When running for both Governor and Senator, during his 1994 and 2002 Massachusetts campaigns Romney stated, he “would have a better policy providing for domestic partnerships than his Democratic opponents would. I will support and endorse efforts to provide those domestic partnership benefits to gay and lesbian couples. We must make equality for gays and lesbians a mainstream concern."
- (Your open-mindedness and compassion is amazing!!)

In 2004, he opposed both same-sex marriage and civil unions in Massachusetts when the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ordered such marriages be permitted. Romney lobbied for a constitutional amendment to overturn the decision.
- (Whoops, I spoke too soon, Mr. Compassion is definitely headed for trouble!!)

Labor

Romney states his hugely successful leveraged-buyout practice “had created jobs”.            
(You’re a fairy godmother Mit!!)

Kennedy exposed that Ampad, a company purchased by Romney's Bain Capital in 1992, had recently bought SCM, an office products company in Marion, Indiana. All 350 workers at the SCM plant were laid off, and then offered their jobs back at reduced wages.
- (Oh boy, now Mit’s IS in trouble!!)

Gun Control

In a 2002 debate during Romney's campaign for governor of Massachusetts, Romney said: "We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them. I won't chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our safety.  These guns are not made for recreation or self-defense. They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people. That's not going to make me the hero of the NRA. I don't line up with the NRA.”
- (Kudos to Mit, you’re concerned about the safety of Americans and cannot be bought by the NRA!!)

Romney now states, "I have a gun of my own. I go hunting myself. I'm a member of the NRA and believe firmly in the right to bear arms. In our state there are a series of laws restricting gun ownership in various ways. Over the past four years, I've worked very closely with the Gun Owners' Action League here, which is an affiliate of the NRA, and we've made some changes which I think they feel have been positive steps. And so you are going to see that, I think, hopefully, in other states as well, as they make progress, perhaps further than Massachusetts has.”
- (Double whoops, the NRA is now his best friend!!)

Healthcare

As governor of Massachusetts, Romney signed legislation that required that nearly all Massachusetts residents obtain health insurance coverage by establishing means-tested state subsidies for people without adequate employer insurance, by directing funds designated to compensate for the health costs of the uninsured.
- (You’re the second coming of Christ Mit!!)

Romney vetoed eight sections of the health care legislation, including a $295 per person fee on businesses with 11 employees or more that do not provide health insurance. Romney also vetoed provisions providing dental and eyeglass benefits to poor residents on the Medicaid program, and providing health coverage to senior and disabled legal immigrants not eligible for federal Medicaid.
– (Mit’s has a new best friend, the Devil!!)
Stem cell research

While running for governor in 2002, Romney strongly advocated stem-cell research and he promised to lobby George W. Bush to embrace such research.
- (A true humanitarian if I ever saw one Mit!!)

Romney now agrees with Bush's decision to ban federal funding for research on excess embryos and believes federal funds should not be used for research using human embryos created during fertility treatments.  
- (You just lost Nancy Reagan’s vote, she’s not happy with you!!)

Economic policy

As Governor of Massachusetts, Romney spoke against Bush's 2001 extension of tax cuts. In 2002, Romney refused to sign an anti-tax pledge because he considered them "government by gimmickry."
- (Kudos Mit, your support for the middle class is mind-blowing!!)

Romney now praises Bush’s tax cuts and states, “they are effective.”
- (Kiss the middle class vote good-bye Mit!!)
Campaign Finance

In his 2002 gubernatorial campaign, Romney proposed taxing private political contributions in order to finance publicly funded campaigns. In his 1994 Senate campaign, Romney advocated spending limits on congressional campaigns and suggested abolishing political action committees.
- (Whew, finally all candidates will be on equal ground thanks to you Mit – Kudos!!)

Romney now strongly criticizes the McCain-Feingold Law, saying "We step into dangerous territory when politicians start eviscerating our fundamental freedoms in the name of amorphous principles, like campaign finance reform."
- (There goes equal opportunity for all candidates – we’ll continue getting screwed!!)

Torture

During the second Presidential debate, Romney supported the use of enhanced interrogation techniques in handling suspects at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, stating, "enhanced interrogation techniques have to be used -- not torture but enhanced interrogation techniques.
- (You can’t accuse Mit of not knowing how to split a hair!!)

Guantanamo Bay & Due Process

During the debate in South Carolina held May 15, 2007 Romney stated that in his view "We ought to double Guantanamo." He then went on to state "I want them in Guantanamo where they don't get the access to lawyers they get when they're on our soil.”
- (Habeas Corpus still on hiatus!!)

Iraq War

Romney' states, "so long as there is a reasonable prospect of success, our wisest course is to seek stability in Iraq, with additional troops endeavoring to secure the civilian population and could become a base for al-Qaeda and could mean a future with far more military involvement and far more loss of American life."
- (Mit, why don’t you support the troops?)

In the June 5 New Hampshire debate, in response to a question asking if Iraq should have been invaded in hindsight, He stated, “if things occurred the same way they had, with Saddam Hussein turning away UN inspectors, Iraq should have been invaded.
- (The Mexicans bombed Pearl Harbor!!)

It was pointed out that Hussein did in fact allow UN weapons inspectors into Iraq, and they no WMD were found.
- (And O.J. is still looking for the real killer)
In conclusion, it is transparently striking how consistent Mitt been throughout the years. Yet this poor man continues to be ruthlessly attacked and some have had the audacity to call him a flip flopper!!
For instance, he states that he has never supported gay marriage and only domestic partnership benefits are in dispute.
- (A perfectly rationale justification for his myriad of sea changes!!)

Romney states “his political opponents like to mischaracterize his past positions for political gain.
- (Whew, that’s good enough for me Mit and it certainly explains your numerous U-turns throughout your political career - poor misunderstood man – now everyone leave him alone!!)
 

The presidential election is 3 years away.  How about you report on something that is actually relevant in today's timeframe.

I've noticed that democrats loved to gossip about the rifts in the republican party and republicans love to do the same about democrats.  

Here's an idea, how about we talk about the merits of a policy and forget about who's pushing it?

The fact that Conservatives have to jump through these ideological hoops is why they can't win. Reagan was himself, both Bushes were themselves. They didn't pantomime and I don't remember them frothing at the mouth like Tea Partiers. Palin lives in an imaginary world...any pol who ventures there (like McCain did) is unelectible.

After some contemplation, my view of the Fort Hood shooter is that he is a traitor who performed an act of war against his country by attacking unarmed soldiers on a military installation, using the trust, loyalty and camaraderie of his fellow soldiers to murder them.  

All this after his country afforded him every opportunity for a good life, advancement and success.

From that perspective, he is even lower than your typical uneducated fanatic that blows himself/herself up in the middle of a fruit market because some other more cowardly fanatic sees him/her as fodder for their own maniacal bloodlust.

I've noticed that a lot of Muslims are killing a lot of Muslims in Pakistan, and we don't have any soldiers there.  

As for the murdering major, his case is one of "allahu FUBAR".  Every good Muslim should be ashamed of him.

I'm assuming the murderous major will be tried in a military court?

Congrats Pam ... 11/11 2009

Long blog.
Too long.
Even the Chi-Gang probably won't take the time.

And just like Romney, little Timmeh! Pawlenty WILL LOSE.

"....or perhaps they will all meet on 6th Street, in Austin, for a real Party!
Ed, San Antonio (Sent Wednesday, November 11, 2009 3:33 PM)


OR- maybe over at the "C" street house for some good old-fashioned, family-values, 'butt-honking'?

Let's wait until closer to the primaries, and have some old-fashioned, Limbaugh style fun.
Operation Chaos, anyone??

You just don't give up do you Liberals? You want so bad to point out an imaginary split in the Republican party, all the while the real split is in the Democratic party. Or are you not paying attention to who is fighting whom in all these "Great" debates this year?
GM - CA (Sent Wednesday, November 11, 2009 3:42 PM)

"I know you are, but What am I??"

Your comments hit the nail on the head Pam.His point of view depends on who he is trying to impress at the tinme he is trying to impress them Good jpb in pointing this out

"an imaginary split in the Republican party"??!?!

It's imaginary that they're tearing each other apart over how extreme their wingnut message should be?  Over whether to be a "big tent" party or a party that dumps its own candidates if they refuse to adhere to talking points & act like "real Republicans"?  It's imaginary that they keep recycling boring has-beens like Huckabee, has-been clones like Pawlenty, or loony tunes like Palin?  It's imaginary that no one can agree on who really represents GOP'ism in 2009 -- John Boehner, Michael Steele or Ruch Limbaugh?

Yep, you guys really have it all together over there.  Keep letting Rush dictate your policy, keep screwing over candidates who think for themselves ... and keep losing elections.

(Oh, and governors in VA and NJ have nothing to do with passing healthcare reform in DC.  Just sayin'.)

Saint Dick has it exactly right.  I am so tired of people, especially those that ought to know better at First Read trying to characterize Pawlenty as some kind of moderate.  Pawlenty is a right wing nut of the same ilk as the Palin idiot.  What he had to do is lie to people in MN and present himself as a moderate.  Those who do no research believed him.  Please start getting this right.  Pawlenty is a right wing nutcase, as bad as any out there.  He has decimated the state.  What will be hysterically funny to those of us who live in MN. is when he starts promising to govern the nation just like he did our state.  Talk to local school districts, especially in outstate MN and find out exactly what has happened to them.  They are all going broke because of Pawlenty, but the rich folk are doing just fine, thanks.  Our only saving grace is that he has pretty much abandoned any effort to be Governor here, because he has delusions of grandeur that he is Presidential material.

Please do not pick on the fiesty redhead----the only excitement on this site is her? telling everybody off for their opinions.------

I guess saying nothing is better than saying something in Washington.  People's minds change.  Even politicians.  

Should they be raked over the coals?  Nah.  

Should their flip flops be shown for everyone to make their own decisions about the person?  Absolutely.

The problem is the context.  Some do a fine job of showing the quotes in the correct settings and contexts.  We should applaud them since it doesn't happen much.

I don't agree with the President on some to most of his ideas. But I incredibly respect someone who stands behind their words.  So far, unfortunately, President Obama hasn't.  There is still, oh what is that word he said so much during the campaign?  Hope.

*** UPDATE *** A Pawlenty adviser responds in an e-mail to First Read: "Some people may assume that Governor Pawlenty's a moderate since he hails from such a liberal-leaning state, but in fact his record is consistently conservative. Since he ran as a conservative and governered as a conservative, it should be no surprise that he continues to lead as a conservative now. He feels strongly that President Obama and Congressional Democrats are leading the country in the wrong direction on health care and deficit spending, and he's going to say so."

----------------------------------------------

I can't blame Governor Pawlenty for issuing this statement...when the tea-bagger start smacking Lindsey Graham around I'd launch a pre-emptice strike like this, too!

Looks like the tea baggers are ‘gearing’ up for round two of their Klan rallies er… I mean town halls!  The first round worked out so WELL for them… lol lol lol  

Nothing like a couple dozen old angry racist white people who are already sucking off the evil ‘Socialized’ system to get ya motivated now is there?


Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Wednesday, November 11, 2009 9:27 AM)


Going back to the racist card I see. Anyone who disagrees with a libby or Obama is a racist. Of course neither of her sources mention anything about racism. You are pathetic. But that sums up the libbies in a NUT shell.

Of course the fruity gumdrop will retort with the usual “is that all you got” or 3…2…1… countdown learned watching romper room with a self amusing LOL ending. The fruitcake is as predictable as her ignorance.  

The blind squirrel (Sent Wednesday, November 11, 2009 3:40 PM
perfect and thank you!

Even Romney didn't tack as far to the right as Pawlenty.  He backed off his stance on the social issues but that was about it.  Pawlenty's mistake was to attach himself with the tea party, far right fringe.  What does it say about Pawlenty as a leader if he's taking his cues from the other fringers; it tells me he is a follower going whatever direction the wind blows.  His similarity to Romney is his personality, a bit like warm milk toast.

Pawlenty is the political equivalent of a flag: to see which way the wind is blowing, just look at it.  

Trust me, I know.  He's been my governor for eight years.  If there's one thing he's good at, it's licking his finger and sticking it up in the air.

The only difference between Pawlenty and Romney is that Pawlenty is even slicker.

There is a big difference between Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney. Mitt Romney was worth several hundred million dollars, which allowed himself to self-finance his campaign, resources which if he didn't have he wouldn't be a viable candidate for the Republican nomination. Romney was very unpopular as MA Governor, with an approval rating of 30 points, voters don't connect with him.

Another thing is that Romney was a Governor of the most liberal state, Massachussets, so he had much more of a liberal voting record as Governor then Pawlenty.

T Paw and Willard Mitt Romney are going to be hurled under the bus by the far right who won't think twice about it. Some right wing extremist near Nazi will be tapped to head the ticket and the Democrats will win without much campaigning really necessary, although they will, of course campaign.

Pam,

I must applaud your diligent efforts and reasoning.  It sounded very reasonable, until I remembered what Mitt stated as he defended himself during the campaign trail.  What I think you don't understand Pam is Mitt believes in representing the interests of the people that he was elected to represent, and not his own special interests.  Mitt never was pro-choice but believed that that was the will of the people of Massachusetts.  Does Mitt believe in hunting for sport?  He probably doesn't.  He probably feels bad about hurting the poor rabbits, but apparently the people in this Country he wishes to help sure think it is important.  So, he must humble himself and buy a hunting rifle and befriend the NRA.   Why did Romney run as governor for Massachusetts?  It wasn’t to change abortion.  He didn’t care about that.  He ran to get the state of Massachusetts out of debt and that’s what he got done.  Now he wants to run as President to fix our Country.  Why would you care if George Washington wore a military outfit in settings less than appropriate?  Why should you care if Romney left the state of Massachusetts after he fixed it.  Washington did the same after he won the war.  Why should you care if Washington just wanted to win the war against the British and nothing else?  Where are the men of yesterday who cared more about the long-term interests of the people than his/her own special interests?  Where are the George Washington’s?   The sad thing is if George Washington tried to run in the current political climate we are well accustomed to, Washington would be run out of town and ridiculed as a flip-flopper because he wasn’t true to his own personal interests.  Running for a Democratic State is a lot different than running for a Country that is mostly purple.  You may call that flip-flopping because the scenery has changed, but the intelligent person calls that proper governing.

I like Pawlenty when he's honest enough to be in the center where he is a good politician. A swing to the right will not be authentic and how many votes will it get him? The right wing media dogs will hound the guy into saying whatever they want, most will see what a pawn he has become and he will lose. Romney did lose lost on the shifty nature of his moves, but he really lost because the fundamental "christians" just will not vote for a morman. He and Tim are also likely too intellegent for Republicans these days. I used to love watching W. Buckley and a host of other great Republican thinkers and, they were very conservative. I didn't agree with much but I respected them and learned a lot from them. I can't find any Republican that I really respect or trust these days. Boehner is just stale bread. Texas Cornyn is dishonest. John McCain was just too dirtied by the last election. Sarah and Bachmann make me wonder if the "flat world society" has grown by two members.

My favorite Pawlenty headline in MN recently?

"Pawlenty Visits Minnesota"

Check and mate.

Richard, Washington State

Thanks for your advice to Muslims. I believe this guy is mentaly unstable. In this country we have murderers killing innocent people everyday. Do we attribute their religion to this outrageous act? So imagine how many soul were prematurely terminated on daily bases by guns. When Oklahoma killing take place nobody says it is christen that thought him to do that.
There will always be individuals in our society that are animals like this one. You thought they were humans but they are not.

As a muslim, the quran says if you save a soul you save a nation. Secondly as a muslim you don't even have the right to terminate your own life, not to talk of killing another person. He further reinforce that statement by saying that you be severely punished for commiting sucide.

Thanks for your writing I hope when see people around us acting suspiciously we should put them under watchful eye.

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