US Election 2012: Jeb Bush Calls on Republicans to Back Mitt Romney

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Mitt Romney is within touching distance of securing the Republican presidential ticket after an emphatic 12-point victory in Illinois led to fresh calls from senior members of the party, including Jeb Bush, for his rivals to stand aside.

The front-runner was given a further boost yesterday by the endorsement of Jeb Bush, the brother of former President George W Bush.

"Now is the time for Republicans to unite behind Governor Romney and take our message of fiscal conservatism and job creation to all voters this fall," said Mr Bush, a former Florida governor who has himself been touted as a possible future Republican presidential candidate.

His intervention, after months of declining to make an endorsement, was taken as a signal that it was now time to coalesce behind Mr Romney and put an end to a bitterly divisive primary campaign that poll ratings show has damaged both the Republican party and the candidates.

Mr Romney now has 563 delegates, a lead of 300 over Mr Santorum in the race to achieve the "magic number" of 1,144 needed to clinch the nomination outright and face President Barack Obama in November.

"At some point the reality is going to set in that Mitt is the all but certain nominee," Mr Romney's chief spin doctor Eric Fehrnstrom told CNN, adding that no "deus ex machina" was going to come down from heaven and change the outcome of the race. » | Peter Foster | Washington | Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Scrambling Santorum Lashes Out at Romney in Pivotal State of Illinois
THE GUARDIAN: Rick Santorum, facing a blow to his momentum in Tuesday's primary, blasts Mitt Romney as a candidate 'without a core'


The fierce in-fighting among Republican presidential challengers intensified ahead of Tuesday's Illinois primary with Rick Santorumunleashing one of his most personal attacks yet on frontrunner Mitt Romney.

Santorum, scrambling for votes as the latest poll showed Romney with an overwhelming lead, claimed Romney had "no core", was being bankrolled by Wall Street and would be unelectable against Barack Obama.

Such outbursts play into the hands of the Democrats, providing material they can use during the White House race between Obama and the eventual Republican contender, almost certainly Romney. Polls also show that the in-fighting is turning off independent voters, the key to the general election. » | Ewen MacAskill in Chicago | Monday, March 19, 2012

Republicans See Need to Give Paul a Voice
THE WASHINGTON TIMES: Rep. Ron Paul and his loyal band of supporters were uncharacteristically missing from the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington last week — and high-profile Republican leaders say the party can’t afford for that to happen in November if the GOP is to win the White House.

They pointed to, and applauded, the 76-year-old Texan’s unique ability to attract young, independent and first-time voters, giving his campaign a consistent level of energy and enthusiasm that is sometimes lacking in the other presidential camps.

“It would be a dramatic error for the winning campaign to disavow Ron Paul’s contributions to the process,” said Al Cardenas, chairman of theAmerican Conservative Union, which hosted the CPAC gathering. “I am a firm believer that Ron Paul has found a niche and found a movement that he wants to have a voice. It may not be a majority movement, but it’s a growing movement. So, if we are smart, he’s going to have his fair opportunity at convention, and a platform committee to have his points of views discussed and expressed.

He added, “Any winning campaign of the nomination, if it is not his, should embrace him and his followers if we are going to win in November.”

Mr. Paul’s supporters say he is the most genuine candidate and offers a unique brand of politics that doesn’t fit neatly into the Democratic-Republican duopoly that has ruled Washington for decades. Before it was chic on Capitol Hill, they say, he defended the U.S. Constitution, advocated for individual liberty and pushed for limited government through less spending and less taxation.

He also has challenged the police-the-world mentality that he blames for steering the nation into military conflicts that have cost thousands of lives, billions of dollars and diminished the nation’s reputation on the global stage — a stance that has prompted some to urge him on as an independent. » | Seth McLaughlin | The Washington Times | Sunday, February 12, 2012

The Rachel Maddow Show: Ron Paul

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Romney Vows 'New Conservative Era' If Elected

THE WEST AUSTRALIAN: WASHINGTON (AFP) - White House hopeful Mitt Romney has promised to unite Republicans and defeat President Barack Obama in the "battle for the soul of America" as officials in Maine prepared to unveil the results of party caucuses on Saturday.

Romney and his main rivals for the nomination, former House speaker Newt Gingrich and religious conservative Rick Santorum, all made the pilgrimage to the Conservative Political Action Conference here to court the Republican base and lay out their plan to oust Obama in November.

"This country we love is in jeopardy," Romney told a CPAC crowd of thousands Friday.

"I am convinced that if we do our job, if we lead with conviction and integrity, that history will record the Obama presidency as the last gasp of liberalism's great failure and a turning point for a new conservative era."

The upcoming November election, he said, "really is a battle for the soul of America." » | AFP | Saturday, February 11, 2012

Ingraham: Romney Invincibility ‘Dwindled’

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Ann Romney: The Metamorphosis of a Politician’s Wife

THE GLOBE AND MAIL: It was Ann Romney’s first major test as a would-be political wife and by all accounts it was a disaster.

Mitt Romney was fighting his first election in 1994, an uphill battle for a Senate seat Edward Kennedy had held for more than 30 years. Ms. Romney invited a reporter from The Boston Globe to their home to counter her family’s image of privilege, something that did not sit well with Massachusetts voters.

Instead, she chatted about dieting down to her college weight (117 pounds) and how the couple had struggled as students, living off inherited stock investments. Asked to describe herself in three words, Ms. Romney foundered: “Peaceful, loving and serene,” she managed. At one point, she compared a political campaign to pregnancy.

“The thing that’s nice about pregnancy is that in the end, you have a baby,” she told the reporter, who concluded that his encounter with Ms. Romney in her million-dollar mansion resembled something like a trip to the Twilight Zone.

As Mr. Romney forges to the front in the Republican primaries, his wife is being heralded as one of his greatest assets, a humanizing force that counters his rigidity. She is the most visible of the Republican candidates’ wives. » | Sonia Verma | Published: Tuesday, February 07, 2012; Updated: Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Romney et Santorum au coude-à-coude au Minnesota
LA PRESSE: Le scrutin du Minnesota (nord) mardi, prochaine étape de la course à l'investiture républicaine en vue de la présidentielle américaine de novembre, s'annonce serré entre le favori Mitt Romney et l'ultraconservateur Rick Santorum, selon un sondage publié dimanche.

D'après un sondage Public Policy Polling, Mitt Romney, vainqueur confortable de la primaire du Nevada (ouest) de samedi, est annoncé à 27% des intentions de vote, derrière le catholique ultraconservateur Rick Santorum, vainqueur du tout premier caucus (assemblée d'électeurs) de l'Iowa (centre), qui caracole à 29%. » | Agence France-Presse, Minneapolis | dimanche 05 février 2012

Nevada Republicans Favour Mitt Romney in Caucuses Vote
BBC: Mitt Romney has declared victory in Nevada's Republican caucuses, cementing his frontrunner status in the race to be the party's presidential candidate.

With just over 70% of the votes counted, he had secured 47.6% of the vote - well ahead of his nearest rival Newt Gingrich on 22.6%.

It is Mr Romney's second victory in a week, following his success in Florida.

Mr Gingrich - a former house speaker - has vowed to fight on until the party's convention in August.

"I'm not going to withdraw," he said. "I'm actually pretty happy with where we are, and I think the contrast between Governor Romney and me is going to get wider and wider and clearer and clearer over the next few weeks."

Earlier, Mr Gingrich said he expected Mr Romney to win in Nevada, partly due to the state's high Mormon population. Mr Romney is a Mormon.

Mr Romney won Nevada in his previous bid to be the Republican presidential candidate in 2008. (+ video) » | Sunday, February 05, 2012

Ron Paul Speaks to Supporters before Nevada Caucus
 

Ron Paul's Message to Nevada

HT: Underdog News by Klein Verzet »

Ron Paul: Armed Chinese Troops in Texas!

How Mitt Got His Mojo Back: 5 Things He Got Right in Florida

THE GLOBE AND MAIL: More than a dozen polls over the last week all show that former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who by his own admission got beaten up badly in the South Carolina primary, is now on the cusp of a dramatic, double-digit Florida primary win.

Backed by millions of campaign dollars, seasoned strategists, and the Republican party establishment, Mr. Romney allowed an insurgent campaign by former congressman and Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich to gain traction in South Carolina – and send his own campaign in to a momentary tail-spin.

But Florida has been an entirely different story. Here are the five things Mr. Romney did right to get his leadership campaign back on track in the Sunshine State. Leading the debate attack » | Affan Chowdhry | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Mitt Romney would rank among richest presidents ever: Just how rich is Mitt Romney? Add up the wealth of the last eight presidents, from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama. Then double that number. Now you’re in Romney territory. » Connie Cass | WASHINGTON | The Associated Press | Saturday, January 28, 2012

Outgunned This Time, Gingrich Vows to Fight On

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: Newt Gingrich looked ready to cede a string of Republican Party primary contests this month to Mitt Romney, who is poised to triumph in today's winner-takes-all vote in Florida, but was determined to fight on.

Outgunned financially and facing the pro-Romney states of Nevada and Michigan, Gingrich campaign strategists were setting their sights on March and more friendly contests in the south where the former House Speaker can expect to benefit from bigger numbers of Tea Party and conservative Republicans.

They drew comfort, too, from future contests in which delegates would be apportioned according to how many votes candidates won, unlike in Florida where the winner collects all 50.

''Regardless of the message the Romney campaign wants to push and the media wants to deliver, this race is just getting started,'' wrote Mr Gingrich's national political director in a memo to staff and donors. » | Simon Mann | Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Mitt Romney on Newt Gingrich

Sarah Palin: They’re Trying to ‘Crucify’ Newt

Read the article here | MJ Lee | Friday, January 27, 2012

Newt Gingrich Gets Behind Israel, But Fails to Impress Florida's Jewish Voters
THE GUARDIAN: Republican hopeful's support for Middle Eastern state is an attempt to court the evangelical Christian audience

Newt Gingrich threw it all out there: the contentious claim that the Palestinians are a made-up people, Iran threatening a second Holocaust, Israel as a beacon.

The Republican Jewish audience lapped it up. But Gingrich, as grateful as he is for all the support he can get in Tuesday's primary election in Florida, was also courting a very different audience - one that is not Jewish and which worries many who are.

Florida has a relatively large Jewish population, accounting for more than 6% of the state's electorate given that nine out of ten are registered to vote. A few hundred turned out to see Gingrich address the Republican Jewish Coalition in Boca Raton on Friday afternoon.

Many were enthusiasts, including Rick Roth, a farmer.

"He actually has a well thought out policy on the economy. He's not talking in sound bites," he said. "I vote for who is the best candidate, not the one who can win. This electability issue is hogwash."

Roth also liked what he heard from Gingrich about Israel. The Republican candidate said the Palestinians are entitled to self-government - making no mention of a state or independence - only when they recognise Israel's right to exist, abandon a right of return to what is now Israel for Palestinian refugees and abandon hate speech against Jews.

Gingrich warned that if Iran gets a nuclear weapon it could lead to a second Holocaust, and he chided Obama for not confronting Tehran sufficiently strongly. He also said that the Arab spring is turning into an "Arab nightmare" which is only strengthening the threat from "radical Islam".

The Jewish voters in the room seemed happy enough to hear it but Roth said Gingrich's Israel policy made little difference to his decision to support him. Others agreed. They can hear much the same thing from any of the candidates with the exception of Ron Paul, who would cut off all foreign aid - including to the Jewish state. » | Chris McGreal in Boca Raton, Florida | Saturday, January 28, 2012

Phoney War Over as It Gets Dirty in Florida
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: In the high-octane election-year atmosphere of US politics, and an acrid Republican Party nomination race, Tuesday's Florida primary is being hyped as make-or-break for the party's presidential aspirants.

The relative civility of campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire has long evaporated. And, while the heat rose in South Carolina, the intensity of an advertising war and rhetorical crossfire between the chief contenders, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, has become searing.

Getting a grip on such a big and diverse state is chief among the candidates' many challenges. Florida is not the Tea Party stronghold of South Carolina, and a standard joke is that the further south you travel the more north you get - a reference to number of sun-loving and wealthy retirees from north-eastern states who have moved there.

Still, some things reign universal in America right now - economic torpor, for one. Florida has been hit hard by the financial meltdown, the property crash in particular. Home foreclosure rates continue to exceed the national average, at 12 per cent of sales statewide versus 3.5 per cent. Of the 25 metropolitan areas with the highest foreclosure rates, 17 are in Florida, headed by Miami. Unemployment, at 9.9 per cent, is above the national average.

Mostly, the caustic exchanges between Romney and Gingrich - as well as their TV ads - have centred not on their prescriptions for economic revival but on the men's claims to authenticity.

Romney is the richest man ever to seek the presidency. His business record and private tax affairs are under fierce scrutiny. Gingrich's controversial term as Speaker of the House of Representatives and subsequent years as a Washington consultant, during which he advised the failed government-owned mortgage provider Freddie Mac, has been targeted by opponents. » | Simon Mann | Saturday, January 28, 2012

Mitt Romney: In His Own Words
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney talks about his core values: his family, his religion and his country.

Ron Paul: In His Own Words