Mitt, why?!?!?

[YOhio]

Yep. the Pew poll suggests Romney is pu9lling independent voters, which is what you need to do to become president. It certainly worked for BHO. But you need Republicans to get nominated. I think Mitt will run a bit closer to the middle than he did last time. The McCain voters will be his and the conservatives can fight over the Evangelicals.

Caveat: My political predictions are almost always wrong.

It's still so early in the process to really get into predictions, but he's doing what he needs to do to position himself as frontrunner. First things first though, do you think he'll even run? I know it seems like a given, but I wouldn't be too surprised if he sat this one out.

The next six months will be fun to watch as the potential candidates step forward. I see the R field being smaller than last time. Huck and Romney will probably go again. Maybe Palin, but I don't think she'll do it. Maybe Gingrich, but his baggage fees are pretty high. Jeb might give it a shot. Maybe one of the Republican all-star governor's will run; Pawlenty, Jindal or Daniels. I don't really foresee anyone else making much noise. Then again, my record with political predictions is worse than yours.

[LA Ute]

It's still so early in the process to really get into predictions, but he's doing what he needs to do to position himself as frontrunner. First things first though, do you think he'll even run? I know it seems like a given, but I wouldn't be too surprised if he sat this one out.

The old saying is that in politics, anything can happen and it usually does. His wife could get sick. Some strange event could occur. He might make a "brainwashed" mistake like his dad did. But I doubt it. He is a very disciplined candidate - whch has cut both ways for him. (I think he gets that from the year he spent at Stanford prior to his mission.)

The next six months will be fun to watch as the potential candidates step forward. I see the R field being smaller than last time. Huck and Romney will probably go again. Maybe Palin, but I don't think she'll do it. Maybe Gingrich, but his baggage fees are pretty high. Jeb might give it a shot. Maybe one of the Republican all-star governor's will run; Pawlenty, Jindal or Daniels. I don't really foresee anyone else making much noise. Then again, my record with political predictions is worse than yours.

My predictions: Huck won't run. He has gained at least 60 lbs. since 2008 and is making too much money being a TV host. Palin won't run, but maybe that's just me hoping. The guys who will run: Pawlenty and Senator Thune (but he'll do it just to position himself for 2016 or for the VP spot). Maybe a dark horse like Chris Christie, the straight-talking New Jersey governor. Remember, hardly anyone knew who Barack Obama was in 2006.

[katoa]

It's still so early in the process to really get into predictions, but he's doing what he needs to do to position himself as frontrunner. First things first though, do you think he'll even run? I know it seems like a given, but I wouldn't be too surprised if he sat this one out.

Just sat in on a long presentation and Q/A session with Frasier Bullock (representing Sorenson Capital buying into a local company) who was asked this very question. His response, after looking around for cameras and recording devices, was along the lines of: - 'Of course he is running in 2012 - it is just too soon to announce.' He then went on for 20 minutes on why Mitt is the best man for the job. (which I had a difficult time stomaching, as I am no big fan of Mitt)

[beefytee]

Just sat in on a long presentation and Q/A session with Frasier Bullock (representing Sorenson Capital buying into a local company) who was asked this very question. His response, after looking around for cameras and recording devices, was along the lines of: - 'Of course he is running in 2012 - it is just too soon to announce.' He then went on for 20 minutes on why Mitt is the best man for the job. (which I had a difficult time stomaching, as I am no big fan of Mitt)

Frasier Bullock has been the area authority over my stake and I believe he has/had a daughter in my ward. I don't know who and they might be gone because he hasn't attended lately, but having listened to several talks by him now, I would say he is very impressed with Mitt Romney.

I would think that Mitt is a smart guy and I have been a vocal supporter of him in the past. I just wonder if his problem-solving ability is well suited for president.

As a consultant you are given a lot of control of situations. If he becomes president, he will have to learn to mitigate the affect of other influential groups and make sure that what he does that is positive is not turned into a negative by other interests.

I don't know if he makes the excuses that his health care plan in Mass. was ruined by changes put in by the democrats, but his proponents sure do. Well as President, you can bet that such circumstances will be much worst and he won't be able to blame the other side for ruining his great ideas.

[LA Ute]

Frasier Bullock has been the area authority over my stake and I believe he has/had a daughter in my ward. I don't know who and they might be gone because he hasn't attended lately, but having listened to several talks by him now, I would say he is very impressed with Mitt Romney.

I would think that Mitt is a smart guy and I have been a vocal supporter of him in the past. I just wonder if his problem-solving ability is well suited for president.

As a consultant you are given a lot of control of situations. If he becomes president, he will have to learn to mitigate the affect of other influential groups and make sure that what he does that is positive is not turned into a negative by other interests.

I don't know if he makes the excuses that his health care plan in Mass. was ruined by changes put in by the democrats, but his proponents sure do. Well as President, you can bet that such circumstances will be much worst and he won't be able to blame the other side for ruining his great ideas.

The fact is that the Mass. Democrats did add provisions to his original plan over his veto, so many of the obnoxious aspects of Romneycare are not Mitt's doing. But the individual insurance mandate is the centerpiece of his plan, and it was Mitt's idea. The mandate is the subject of the 21-state Constitutional challenge now under way and is the biggest bugaboo in Obamacare for the tea party folks. It is going to be a problem for Mitt.

[katoa]

The fact is that the Mass. Democrats did add provisions to his original plan over his veto, so many of the obnoxious aspects of Romneycare are not Mitt's doing. But the individual insurance mandate is the centerpiece of his plan, and it was Mitt's idea. The mandate is the subject of the 21-state Constitutional challenge now under way and is the biggest bugaboo in Obamacare for the tea party folks. It is going to be a problem for Mitt.

Good summary of Mitt's problem (from the left):

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/20...care_hypocrisy

Excerpts:

"Romney's motives had nothing to do with currying favor with the state's left-of-center electorate. He had long since shifted his attention away from the Bay State and to the national stage. He switched his position on abortion and announced he wouldn't seek a second term in 2005, and by '06 he was spending nearly as much time out of the state as in it -- never missing a chance to warm up national conservative crowds with cracks about his home state."

"So what changed between then and now? It's pretty simple, actually: Obama became the president. And the right decided from the beginning that his healthcare push (just like his stimulus bill and cap-and-trade and so on) represented creeping socialism."