Iowa Hiho!

[AiA in Atlanta]

Yep, Newt projected as winning SC. If he does he will be Romney's Enemy #1.

[AiA in Atlanta]

Thought Ron Paul would have done better than 4th place in SC ...

[Mattus]

The fall and fall of Mitt Romney.

How has this, once was, inevitable winner, this unstoppable money juggernaut who was smashing records for primary victories where the media attention had already moved on to who his vice president nominee would be. How has this slick, organized figure come down to a three way tie with a disgraced Washington lobbyist pussyhound and a preacher's son whose name is now synonymous with anal sex? Romney has dropped 18 points and is staring down a dead heat (at best) in Florida. In Florida for chissake. This is the state that suffered more than any following the collapse of Freddy and Fannie - for whom Newt was a paid consultant. It's a state populated entirely by jilted first wives and Hispanics. By rights they should hate serial adulterer and deadbeat dad Newt, and love Mitt who's father was born in Mexico.

Was it Romneycare? Was it the abortion flip flop? The debates? The tax return? All of these things certainly contributed, but when it comes down to it the reason why Romney's getting his asshair singed is pretty simple, he just sucks at campaigning.

Romney has the turning circle of an Italian cruise liner. He has by far the largest and most "organized" campaign staff, but he's come to rely on them too much. He's unable to think, to even commit to a position without vetting it through his staff first. He can't remember what his position was, is he about to do another flip flop? Where the fuck is Matt Rhoades? Which answer was the least terrible at our last voter focus group? Shit I can't remember, I'll just avoid the question.

Do you support allowing felons who served their time to be allowed to vote?

Ahh, well, first of all the PACs that err, run ads, on various candidates, we unfortunately know in this country are..

Just answer the fucking question, Mitt.

Err, ahh, I believe that, as your realise that, the super PACs run ads, and um, and err, if they ever run an ad, or errr say something that's not accurate, I hope that err, either take off the ad or make it, ahhh, errr, ahhh or, or make it correct.


...

The fuck was that?


Why, when he has double the cash and the best staff money can buy, has he not anticipated and prepared for such a question? Where is the snappy answer which appears so off the cuff? Newt’s “spontaneous” outrage at the liberal media questioning his moral turpitude at the NC debate was carefully crafted by Newt's campaign staff. They saw it coming and told him "Newt, get mad". The problem with Mitt is he has too many consultants. They lack leadership. Of course they must have known he needed a credible answer on Bain or taxes, but with 400 highly paid consultants he gets 400 opinions of the best strategy and response. As a guy running on a chief exec private-sector platform, his campaign looks awfully like an unreformable government bureaucracy: too big, too bloated, overstaffed with no leadership, slow to react, and unable to anticipate needs.

Newt has one guy calling the shots. Sometimes they're the right move - such as the rage in the NC debate, sometimes they're the wrong move - such as the broadside on Bain. But at least he's moving, not listing and sinking like the USS Romney. Romney needs to change staff and strategy and he needs to do it now.

Florida's primary is winner take all, meaning losing it to Newt by half a percent is as bad as losing by 40% because only the winner gets delegates. It's for this reason that Ron Paul has decided not to compete in Florida, and thus the anyone-but-Romney vote is now just divided by 2.

[Neferti]

The fall and fall of Mitt Romney.

How has this, once was, inevitable winner, this unstoppable money juggernaut who was smashing records for primary victories where the media attention had already moved on to who his vice president nominee would be. How has this slick, organized figure come down to a three way tie with a disgraced Washington lobbyist pussyhound and a preacher's son whose name is now synonymous with anal sex? Romney has dropped 18 points and is staring down a dead heat (at best) in Florida. In Florida for chissake. This is the state that suffered more than any following the collapse of Freddy and Fannie - for whom Newt was a paid consultant. It's a state populated entirely by jilted first wives and Hispanics. By rights they should hate serial adulterer and deadbeat dad Newt, and love Mitt who's father was born in Mexico.

Was it Romneycare? Was it the abortion flip flop? The debates? The tax return? All of these things certainly contributed, but when it comes down to it the reason why Romney's getting his asshair singed is pretty simple, he just sucks at campaigning.

Romney has the turning circle of an Italian cruise liner. He has by far the largest and most "organized" campaign staff, but he's come to rely on them too much. He's unable to think, to even commit to a position without vetting it through his staff first. He can't remember what his position was, is he about to do another flip flop? Where the fuck is Matt Rhoades? Which answer was the least terrible at our last voter focus group? Shit I can't remember, I'll just avoid the question.

Do you support allowing felons who served their time to be allowed to vote?

Ahh, well, first of all the PACs that err, run ads, on various candidates, we unfortunately know in this country are..

Just answer the fucking question, Mitt.

Err, ahh, I believe that, as your realise that, the super PACs run ads, and um, and err, if they ever run an ad, or errr say something that's not accurate, I hope that err, either take off the ad or make it, ahhh, errr, ahhh or, or make it correct.


...

The fuck was that?


Why, when he has double the cash and the best staff money can buy, has he not anticipated and prepared for such a question? Where is the snappy answer which appears so off the cuff? Newt’s “spontaneous” outrage at the liberal media questioning his moral turpitude at the NC debate was carefully crafted by Newt's campaign staff. They saw it coming and told him "Newt, get mad". The problem with Mitt is he has too many consultants. They lack leadership. Of course they must have known he needed a credible answer on Bain or taxes, but with 400 highly paid consultants he gets 400 opinions of the best strategy and response. As a guy running on a chief exec private-sector platform, his campaign looks awfully like an unreformable government bureaucracy: too big, too bloated, overstaffed with no leadership, slow to react, and unable to anticipate needs.

Newt has one guy calling the shots. Sometimes they're the right move - such as the rage in the NC debate, sometimes they're the wrong move - such as the broadside on Bain. But at least he's moving, not listing and sinking like the USS Romney. Romney needs to change staff and strategy and he needs to do it now.

Florida's primary is winner take all, meaning losing it to Newt by half a percent is as bad as losing by 40% because only the winner gets delegates. It's for this reason that Ron Paul has decided not to compete in Florida, and thus the anyone-but-Romney vote is now just divided by 2.

Hi Mattus,

I have been enjoying your take on this. I have many Yank friends but ........

A couple of questions.

1. In plain Aussie English, what happened to Mitt Romney? He's the Mormon, right? (Can you see Australians electing one of "those'"?);

I haven't been getting much feed back from my American epals. I think they are bored. Most vote Republican too.

2. Ron Paul. Isn't he 70+? I remember his name from when I first started emailing people in 1995/6. Geeze. Silly old bugger has more money than sense.

So? Who do YOU think will be the Republican contender? Seriously.

[AiA in Atlanta]

Newt can talk the angry Rush Limbaugh-esque talk the appeals to a large percentage of Americans and Romney can't or won't.

[IQS.RLOW]

Most of the the US were expecting more from the the centre lefty and they got exactly what the lefty centre are capable of....SFA

Same as what we got here...lots of talk, lots of committees and nothing

The population is waking up to the left. They are fucking useless

[mellie]

I love the way Gillard has mirrored Obama's slogans and policies in the lead up to and beyond the 2010 election.


"YES WE CAN" -Obama

"YES WE WILL" -Gillard


Pink Bats,clunker cars, Dr Google ....the list is endless.


If you want to know what the aloof incompetent tard has in store for us, just google US policies/bills before congress.

[AiA in Atlanta]

Mormonism is a great religion: you can marry a sixteen year old girl AND her 14 year old sister.

[mellie]

Mormonism is a great religion: you can marry a sixteen year old girl AND her 14 year old sister.

Gillard and her sister Alice thought so?

[AiA in Atlanta]

Most of the the US were expecting more from the the centre lefty and they got exactly what the lefty centre are capable of....SFA

Same as what we got here...lots of talk, lots of committees and nothing

The population is waking up to the left. They are fucking useless

There isn't much of a Left to wake up to here ... that being said, the Conservative media in the USA keeps its audience on edge by making it out there is a Liberal under every bed. And that same Conservative media is suddenly attacking Newt for not being a "real" Conservative.