Fox News Fails to Recognize Romney's Win in Arizona Debate

What's not to like?

I'm not sure what debate they saw but Romney had to slow Santorum's surge and he did by putting Santorum on the defense for the entire debate.  Romney has had to battle back all comers in this primary including Bachman, Perry, Cain, Gingrich and now Santorum - and he has done it effectively each time.  Republicans should be encouraged that he does not shrink from a challenge and can be very direct in his arguments while also offering improved policy platforms - a formula which will work very favorably against Obama. And isn't that what this whole primary is about?  I frankly don't understand what's not to like about Romney - he seems like the perfect candidate to me (as Ann Coulter has very well recently penned).

Santorum has been postioning himself as the "real conservative" in the race, but he got pinned down on voting for big goverment education programs (among other things) and saying he voted against his principles.  Sorry. that's not "real conservative".  Last night many right wing blogs, some that have openly supported Santorum, said Romney won.  But today at Fox News they are pooh-poohing the debate as "unimportant" and defending Santorum's performance. Brett Baiar's show hardly discussed the debate.  Liz Cheney, filling in for Hannity, actually asked her panelists if Romney should "drop out of the race" if he didn't win Michigan! Bill O'Reilly blew a gasket saying that none of the candidates spoke about economics, energy or Iran - but they did.  Not exactly sure what you were watching Bill - they all casitigated Obama for not paying attention to Iran and Romney even laid out a plan to deal with Syria, along with his new tax plan.  They all have dumped on Obama's ridiculous allegiance to unproven green energy and have supported increased domestic oil exploration.  Fox News simply ignored reporting on the factual events of the debate. 

I simply do not understand what the "conservative" media have against Romney - he is really the only adult in the room (Newt has too much baggage, Paul is whacky and Santorum is simply not ready for prime time  - and frankly, not presidential). Rumor has it that Mitt has been chilly with the press and has not granted them as much access as they would like.  But is this anyway for the "fair and balanced" Fox News channel to act?  CNN provided a much more measured analysis of the outcome - and that's not debateable.

The Rick Santorum Canard

This is your boy-child "conservative" option?

I actually like sweater vests - but are we supposed to believe that all  "conservatives" are now for Rick Santorum - and not Newt Gingrich?  I thought Newt was the real conservative?  I thought Newt "spoke to the people" and would "take the fight" to Obama.  Well apparently not.  Talk about being principled about your candidate.   So now those committed, fiery, disciplined Newt "Tea Party folks" have flip-flopped to Santorum?  Captain Earmark?  What a joke.  Rick wasn't even a compelling guest on Fox News the past few years. Sarah Palin must be wishing she got in this mess.

The Far Right (which I have a problem with as much as the Far Left) are committed to derailing this election cycle with this silly "who is the most conservative" argument.  Instead of coalescing behind a successful businessman, a prominent conservative governor of a liberal state (Massachusetts) and a turnaround specialist for the Olympics, many "Republicans" think a guy who lost his last real election by 18 points can take on Obama?  It's crazy.  Why do Republicans keep killing themselves on ideology (the same thing we blame the leftists on) in order to undermine the country?  These are the same folks who bailed on McCain (because of immigration) and now say they will bail on Romney - who, by the way, has been strong on the topic and even aggresively campaigned on it in hispanic Florida with the primaries on the line.

Look, Romney just didn't campaign in these states that don't actually commit delegates (something that Hillary also did without great results) - and the turnout was correspondingly low because most people think he had it won - and they weren't real primaries.  It's that simple.  But Santorum did campaign in those states.   That's what a guy who polls 10% (i.e. loses) in Florida and Nevada does - he moves onto the lesser caucus states.  Frankly, this was more of an indictment on Gingrich - and the fluttering commitment of ill-minded conservatives who can't see the forest from the trees.

Newt is Toast (Conservatively Speaking)

And this was your conservative candidate?



Romney won Florida in a virtual landslide - after coming off the deck in South Carolina.  However, according to pundits, from both the left and right, he did it because of negative ads.  I saw one of these ads highlighted on Hannity (on Fox) and it was by no means a negative ad (but boy, didn't they talk about it - who are you for Sean?).  The ad was basically saying Newt was not a Reagan disciple (which is true).  What's negative about that?  I have seen much more grist in the Meg Whitman/Jerry Brown campaign out here in California - that was brutal.  And critcising Newt because he's not like Reagan? (I mean isn't it self evident anyway?)

It galls me that a week ago Mitt was apparently weak, and showed "no gumption", and people were worried if he had the where-with-all to go toe-to-toe with Obama. Well, he just showed he can by wiping the floor with Gingrich - and all of sudden he's running a "mean campaign?".  And of course Newt is whining about the negativity and how he was outspent.  Give me a fucking break.

Newt received millions in backing from a Las Vegas casino owner to run a "documentary" against Bain Capital, and frankly, free enterprise, in South Carolina. Liar scum. He, and Rick Perry, called venture capital companies "vulture capital" firms and railed against Mitt because he actually paid taxes on his capital gains?  The man argued against capitalism .  How can any conservative vote for that?  Well, South Carolinians did.

But, to quote Paul Simon, that's a one trick pony. Meanwhile at Fox, CNN and MSNBC they are all criticising Mitt for being negative - and in my opinion he wasn't.  Telling the truth is not negative. America wake up.  And Paul Begala - shut up.

Update 2-4-12:  Romney has won Nevada with a majority - and Newt's campaign is in disarray.