This is a good article on some of the protest going on about McCain being the GOP nominee.

Virtually all the nation’s political attention in recent weeks has focused on the compelling state-by-state presidential nomination struggle between two Democrats and the potential for party-splitting strife over there.

But in the meantime, quietly, largely under the radar of most people, the forces of Rep. Ron Paul have been organizing across the country to stage an embarrassing public revolt against Sen. John McCain when Republicans gather for their national convention in Minnesota at the beginning of September.

Just take a look at recent Republican primary results, largely overlooked because McCain locked up the necessary 1,191 delegates long ago. In Indiana, McCain got 77% of the recent Republican primary vote, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney, who’ve each long ago quit and endorsed McCain, still got 10% and 5% respectively, while Paul took 8%.

On the same May 6 in North Carolina, McCain received less than three-quarters of Republican votes (74%), while Huckabee got 12%, Paul 7% and Alan Keyes and No Preference took a total of 7%.

Pennsylvania was even slightly worse for the GOP’s presumptive nominee, who got only 73% to a combined 27% for Paul (16%) and Huckabee (11%).

As Politico.com’s Jonathan Martin noted recently, at least some of these results are temporary protest votes in meaningless primaries built on lingering affection for Huckabee and suspicion of McCain.

Link to full article.

Good grief what has happened to our party? Any student of history will recognize the value of the two party system; this primary race demonstrates that the system is only a safe-guard and not a solution. The safeguard has likely failed us, leaving our country with the worst two candidates in the history of our nation.

We can still hold out hope that the remaining states realize McCain is an unacceptable candidate. This is not likely, but consider the delegate math. McCain needs roughly 37% of the remaining un-pledged delegates, this includes non-committed delegates from states that have already held their primaries. That’s a bigger chunk of the vote than he’s been getting in most contested states. We still have time for voters to wake up to the threat of a McCain candidacy. There is little hope for Romney or Huckabee to wrap up the vote prior to the convention, but it isn’t too late to take out McCain.

Should McCain win the nomination what is a principled conservative to do? McCain is a much bigger threat to conservatism than any liberal Democrat, but is it ethical to vote for somebody that is still an enemy to what you believe? Some conservative talking heads preach that we need to vote for McCain for no other reason than the courts, which only raises more concerns with McCain. I predict that should we be so unfortunate to see McCain elected, he will lecture us on why we need justices with moderate political views that believe the constitution is a living document.

The one compelling reason I’ve heard for voting for McCain is his age. If he were to bring on a true conservative as VP, we could hope his current diet of donuts and more donuts would relieve us of his leadership in short time. I’m predicting moderate Republican Governor Charlie Christ of Florida will be the VP nominee, so this won’t be an issue.

One last thought:
Placer County has a reputation of being a conservative area, but if we look at returns for the last few elections, this area is not actually very conservative. For example: in 2006 only 53% of Placer County voters supported parents having the right to know when a school takes their 12 year old daughter to have an abortion, Placer County’s only supervisor with a reputation of being conservative has endorsed a liberal candidate for congress, and yesterday McCain won here.

Perhaps the leftists in our party are correct: If the Republican Party is to remain viable, we need to accept the liberal ideas of the democrats and abandon the principles of Ronald Reagan.

Rush Limbaugh made a stir when he said, don’t expect me to support the Republican nominee…

What Rush must have seen is the power coming down on the side of John McCain. McCain is part of the new wave of Republicans that have drank the Kool-Aid of swinging way to the left of Center to do what they think they need to do to win elections… this has occurred since we went for the win with Arnold.

Like Ose – McCain has attacked other Republicans repeatedly and has been on the wrong side of embryo destruction legislation / gun control / opposing tax cuts in the name of defecits – when his real intent was to stick it in the eye of President Bush…

McCain’s name is all over the Mainstreet Partnership website as Ose’s was when he was in Congress.

Club member Ben Mavy sums up what Republicans are all feeling right now as Huckabee stays in the primary expressly to split the Conservative vote away from Romney to help McCain win. My prediction is if McCain pulls it off – we will see a McCain/Huckabee ticket.

Mavy writes -

My sentiments exactly. One thing that is being overlooked right now because of our complete distrust of and disgust with McCain is the economy. Our economy is in a financial crisis, if you have yet to come to that conclusion please take a look: LINKED ARTICLE. It’s a chart from the St. Louis Fed that should cause us serious reflection. The amount of money banks are having to BORROW to meet reserve requirements isn’t only unprecedented, it is obscene. I am not predicting gloom and doom, but we would be blind to rule out the possibility.

When FDR had the opportunity to help the country out of the great depression, he instead stifled the economy through the largest increase in the scope of our government ever seen. Mitt Romney captured it well last night when he noted that our economy is at a tipping point. We saw that Huckabee wants to follow FDR and McCain wants to place new burdens on US companies through ridiculous regulations. We have the chance to elect someone that is more qualified to lead this country than any candidate we have seen since Reagan. Mitt Romney has a unmatched record of turning around failing businesses, organizations, and governments. He has demonstrated this remarkable ability in the private sector, as a volunteer, and as Governor of Massachusetts.

As a candidate Romney has his flaws, but I am thrilled at the prospect of having someone of his integrity, ability, and convictions in the White House. I really believe that a Vote for Mitt Romney is not just a vote against McCain (which is reason enough), but a vote for a great man who can lead our country through a difficult time.

Ben

When it comes to congress – is Doug Ose going to have the spine to say no to welfare giveaways masquerading as stimulus? If his past record is any indication, he will vote to raise our taxes.

“Mainstreet”!? We need to clean mainstreet up, not walk down it!!!

Rudy Giuliani has hit the skids in a Florida freefall that could shatter his presidential campaign and leave a two-man Republican contest in the state between John McCain and Mitt Romney, a Miami Herald poll shows.

Despite hovering over Florida voters for weeks, Giuliani is tied for third place with the scarcely visible Mike Huckabee in a statewide poll of 800 likely voters.

Miami Herald link

The attached ARTICLE details how the abortion rate is at it’s lowest since 1974.

The rate is 11+ per 1,000 or a bit over 1%.

“Only” 1.2 million cases of legalized infanticide occurred last year.

Read the article and you can tell the slant right away – it makes you feel like only 1.2 million murdered “fetuses” is a bad thing. If it wasn’t for crisis pregnancy centers, Christians (and Mormons) getting in the way… the abortion mills wouldn’t be so upset about business dropping off.

This article illustrates that the abortion issue is a winner for social conservatives. Why? People are using contraception and more women are realizing that this is a life in their womb.

Even Doug Ose (who supports abortion at any time, fully funded with tax dollars as well), would acknowledge that Medi-Cal paying for one woman to have seven abortions is an outrage. (A good friend who works for Sac County has told me that several of his clients have had 3-7 abortions at a cost of $6,500 a piece to the taxpayers)

The voters must think so, too. Surveys still show strong majorities oppose taxpayer funded abortion and think abortion should not be legal after the baby (fetus) has brain waves and a heartbeat. (roughly 6 weeks)

The establishment Republicans run from this issue to their own peril while Americans are figuring it out on their own. Yet another place where the GOP has lost an opportunity.

Romney? One of the attacks being leveled against him is that he flip-flopped on this issue. I posted an article a few months ago from a Massachusetts paper lambasting him for being pro-life long before he decided to run for President.

McCain? used to be pro-life until he decided Lieberman and Kennedy were his best buddies. Endorsed by liberals such as Doug Ose and Jim Nielsen who are two of his delegates from California. (both are pro-choice)

Rudy? I am sure one of his mistresses had to have an abortion.

Fred Thompson and Mike Huckabee are right on this issue.

Rico Oller – as Pro-Life as they come. Another reason why Rico is the “Choice” of the 4th CD.

UPDATE: Steve Frank has also weighed in on this issue Steve’s Blog Post

Please note that Steve’s blog is having some technical issues – his post about abortion is January 20th’s post.

World Net Daily – Posted: January 17, 2008

With a divided GOP field going into South Carolina, voters have a chance to make the Second Amendment an issue in this election. And they should.
South Carolina holds a distinctive place in our presidential nominating process. As the first in the South primary, its focus on faith, family values, military service and American traditions makes it one of the most conservative states in the country.

Anyone who’s ever campaigned in South Carolina will tell you that it’s worlds apart from many other parts of the country. And while Second Amendment rights are a sizeable factor in many states’ elections, in South Carolina you cannot win a general election if you’re seen as hostile to firearm freedoms.

That’s in general elections. In the GOP primary, you don’t even want to show your face in a crowd of Republicans if you aren’t ready to protect their gun rights.

Both Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson have a perfect record for supporting Second Amendment rights. They’ve both talked about that in South Carolina and should make an issue of this latest development.

Is anyone listening? To all the Romney bandwagon jumpers…Where’s Mitt’s name here???

Mitt Romney really must take this opportunity to explain exactly where he stands on the Second Amendment. He angered gun owners in December by endorsing and promising to sign into law the Clinton gun ban and the Brady Bill on “Meet the Press.”Those were two of the worst anti-gun laws in American history. He should forcefully take a stand on this Justice Department brief, and while he’s at it he (Romney) should retract his support for these anti-gun laws.

-The writer of this article is the immediate past president of the NRA and a longtime member of the NRA Board of Directors.

By: Jonathan Martin and Lisa Lerer – The Politico
Jan 17, 2008 06:11 AM EST

Looks like the heat’s getting to Mitt.

Just a day after his big win in Michigan, Mitt Romney ceded South Carolina to his rivals.

“This is a state I’d expect that Sen. [John] McCain has pretty well wrapped up,” Romney told reporters at the Sun City Hilton Head Retirement Center in Bluffton. “It would be an enormous surprise if he were unable to win here.”

Polls show Romney standing in solid third place in South Carolina, taking anywhere from 13 percent to 17 percent of the vote. But in Bluffton, Romney put himself in fourth place, noting that “even a strong fourth is better than what some of the other guys saw in Michigan last night.”

Full article

Gold = winning primary/caucus in given state
Silver = second place finish in given state
Bronze = third place finish in given state

Romney 2xG 2xS
McScam 1xG 1xS
Huck 1xG 2xB
Thompson1xS 1xB
Hunter 1xB
Rudy DNP

Rudy is betting the farm on Florida
Thompson is making his last stand in South Carolina and will likely endorse McCain once he loses.
Huckabee is likely not going to make it until Feb 5th either.

Romney is your front-runner… thank God, because McCain would even lose to Edwards.

Rudy may have waited too long.

Wire reports have him pulling his ads off of the air in South Carolina and Florida. Could him slipping South Carolina be due to the success of the Mormon-bashing?

They also went on to say that Romney was doing “Earned Media” type events. Is this a business decision?

Romney needs to win Michigan in order to fend off the boo-birds.

The wild card is that the pundits are talking openly about how the independent voters in New Hampshire broke hard for McCain. In Michigan, they can vote in either primary as well.

McScam will benefit because Hildabeast will be the only Dem on the ballot there. Romney is in the lead marginally, too bad his father (former Governor) is not alive to hit the trail.

The chilling effect for me personally has been the Mormon-bashing and the seeming effectiveness of it.

Bottom line: I will vote for Rudy before I’d ever vote for McScam. McCain went psycho after winning NH in 2000… and he still looks the part.

The number one issue for Republicans in this race should be judges, based on John McCain’s past and current positions Republicans CANNOT trust him:

Global Warming, Affirmative Action, the International Criminal Court, Guantanomo, Tax-cuts, McCain-Feingold, the Gang of 14, Amnesty(or Z-Visa if you don’t like that word), Christian leaders are “agents of intolerance”. McCain has not admitted to being wrong on any of these issues, with the exception of an apology to Christians for attacking Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson as “agents of intolerance.” I’m sure the apology was as sincere as any of his other straight talk.

As a person who believes in repentance and forgiveness I should comment on why these issues prevent me from EVER supporting John McCain. I believe that a man can repent and be forgiven, but that doesn’t exempt him from facing consequences.

I will not vote for someone who has cheated on their wife, period. McCain cheated on his wife with a beautiful 25 year old with enough family money to launch his political career.

Believe what you want about his supposed straight talk. I am grateful to him for his service to our country, but I would never vote for him.

Well we are awaiting the results from New Hampshire and everyone has assumed that Mitt Romney is ready for the political graveyard. The experts are assuming that McCain will win the New Hampshire Primary and that soon he or Rudy will go down to defeat in November as we prepare for the Presidency of Barak Obama otherwise known as America's new empty suited liberal candidate. I am reminded of the New Hampshire Primary of 1980, where the media already predicted George HW Bush would defeat Ronald Reagan and also in 1976 when the media predicted Ronald Reagan's folly as he challenged a sitting GOP President named Gerald Ford. First lesson never listen to the media pundits and secondly try to cut the Conservative Candidate some slack. Also let's get away from knocking Romney and focus on Obama, who has become the media darling and mr. perfection even though his speeches on the stump sound sort of stupid and his knowledge of foreign policy and defense matters is hazy at best. As we we get ready to watch the results tonight, try to focus some fire on the Democrats and get away from attacking each other. I beleive that was called that was said by Ronald Reagan when he campagined and was part of his legacy.

This incredibly biased AP story says if Romney loses (finishes out of first) in New Hampshire (even though he’d still get delegates…) that he would be finished.

Please note that this story references a CNN/Zogby poll that has Romney -5 to McCain.

I have also seen a Rasmussen poll with Romney at +1. (posted below by…)

The person fighting for their political life is McCain. McCain has to win NH to have a chance…

Story HERE

McCandidate: 32%
Romney: 31%

Rasmussen Reports

People who are Mormon right now should rightfully be wondering if everyone hates them.

Romney’s difficulties lately have as much to do with the effectiveness of his campaign as they do with the withering Mormon-bashing by the puritans.

However – like Doolittle here locally, the opportunists have decided to rail on his religion as well. This religion-baiting is a slippery slope that threatens the ability of anyone of any faith being able to run.

As evidenced by the below linked article – the other GOP candidates are ganging up on Romney. Hence the term ABR caucus, it seems that the other GOP candidates for President are tired of getting hammered with negative ads.

It is about dammed time we had a GOP candidate willing to piss people off and tell the truth about his opponents.

Hopefully someday soon, squishy Republicans that go along to get along will be held accountable. Let’s start with a local congressman who likes to grab our guns and supported McCain’s amnesty bill…

Last night’s debate turned into a Romney fry… will this backfire? I don’t know, Tuesday will probably yield a McCain victory as a result unless the NH voters decide to see through the gang-up. If Romney finishes 2nd in NH… it will be a victory for him as the Mormon-bashing and running 5 vs 1 could only knock him down one place.

For the record – I am not a Mormon and the Mormon bashing really made me mad. I will debate the merits of the religion any day – but it does not apply to the political arena.

The aforementioned article about the Romney-fry debate is linked HERE

Confessed to be in Romney’s corner but could anyone else tonight claim victory? They all had some nice zingers aimed at Romney but when it came down to it, Romney had the presence of a President. He was more articulate, confident, and passionate than anyone else on the stage, and he had a more masterful grasp of every issue that came up. I sure hope Fred Thompson will get behind the Romney campaign, for Fred’s sake. I’m sure he’s right on the issues but he has been unable to communicate it.

Favorite clip of the night was McCain responding to a question about what his principles were. His response was that they have been the same since the day he was sworn in as a cadet in the Navy. He goes on to describe placing his hand on the bible and swearing to blah, blah, blah… Said absolutely NOTHING about the constitution. Isn’t that in there? I predict talk radio will pick that up on Monday, they ought to.

Citizens for Life endorses Fred Thompson as his campaign is sliding into the abyss.

This is actually a fatal blow for Huckabee who is supposed to be the choice of the puritans.

Romney has been beaten up for being a Mormon and if you read Massachusetts papers, they have criticized Romney for being a closet Conservative for years.

Thompson is dust, if McCain can not hold onto the 5% lead he has fallen to in NH, he is dust.

It is time for the Thompson supporters to choose Huckabee or Romney. Romney is way more electable, because he can raise the money to beat Obama. (or Hildabeast)

Romney finished 2nd in Iowa and 1st in Wyoming.

He will finish 1st or 2nd in New Hampshire… this is called momentum even after weeks of Mormon-bashing.

Click on this POST to get links a blog and MSNBC to keep up on the polls.

I am also looking for some fresh polling data on Michigan Nevada and Florida. This is heating up in a hurry and the Wyoming results have Huck and Romney in a delegate dead heat.

Why is Rudy laying so low? Anyone want to take a guess???

I’m not quit sure why my conservative friends haven’t explained why Thompson is taking every pro-life endorsement. Doesn’t Romney care about this issue?

January 4, 2008 – Press Release

CITIZENS FOR LIFE MAKES ENDORSEMENT:
“FRED THOMPSON FOR PRESIDENT!”

Citizens for Life, the New Hampshire affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee, today joins with NRLC and sister pro-life organizations from South Carolina to California in endorsing former Senator Fred Thompson for President of the United States.

“Granite State voters like no-nonsense candidates who stand up for their beliefs. Fred Thompson is such a candidate,” said Roger Stenson, Citizens for Life Executive Director. “Fred Thompson had a 100% pro-life voting record as a member of the United States Senate. For all of us who care about the dignity and sanctity of human life and the most basic freedom upon which our nation was founded – the right to life – Fred Thompson is a leader of great promise.”

Fred Thompson has had a strong, consistent pro-life record throughout his political career. He has routinely stated his opposition to abortion and his belief that the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, which allows abortion for any reason, was wrongly decided and should be reversed. During his years in the United States Senate, he always opposed using tax dollars to promote or pay for abortion and supported the many pro-life measures such as parental notice and consent.

Thompson has also stated his opposition to the kind of stem cell research that requires killing human embryos, while supporting the kind of stem cell research that harms no one and is the only kind producing cures.

We know that each abortion results in the death of a child, and a family is forever changed. Nearly 50 million babies have been aborted in the United States since 1973.

“The majority of the country is opposed to the vast majority of abortions and Fred Thompson has shown by his consistent pro-life voting record that he is firmly in the pro-life majority. Citizens for Life is confident in Senator Thompson’s resolve to protect and defend the most defenseless among us: our unborn children. We are proud to endorse Fred Thompson for President of the United States,” Stenson added.

Citizens for Life is the New Hampshire affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee, the nation’s major pro-life organization.

AND ROMNEY WINS 8 of 12 Delegates in Wyoming!

Updated Story here story

Remember as well – Huck got 20 Delegates in Iowa and Romney got 17.

McCain could be hitting the end of his rope in NH – he has to win NH or he is toast.

Where’s Rudy? Who cares…

Update – this is a LINK to Real Clear politics. It shows that Romney led New Hampshire for several weeks until a recent surge my McCain. This could be due to the fact that McScam pulled some money out of his - and started reminding NH voters that they voted for him in 2008.

And – I think the religion baiting took a toll on Romney. Don’t look now, but the religion baiting is backfiring on Doolittle’s opponents and I think it will backfire against Romney’s as well.

In my first report, we see some interesting things around NH.

First, I see a ton more Dem signs than GOP, which was shocking for me. This used to be such a great Red State. Obama’s people seem really organized. Hillary has more people on the ground walking, mainly middle aged women with clipped hair and mean faces. Anyone listen to Savage? :) I saw the Edwards rally in downtown Portsmouth. Why wasn’t I at a GOP event? Well you see, most of the media coverage is around the Dems and the GOP is absolutely horrible about communicating. I couldn’t find out much about any event except for Huckabee. Thompson didn’t even arrive until late morning so he’s given up and Romney had a post debate rally in a sports bar, alcohol optional.

Second, I’m in a hotel filled with Clinton and Edwards campaign people. Hill and John might actually be a few rooms down from me. God help me!!! It feels like I’m surrounded by cult people.

Word on the street is that McCain will do well here on Tuesday, which I guess I can’t disagree with, but I see almost no signage or people for him. Maybe he already has entrenched support? I can see Ron Paul doing well but I don’t think he’s polling well, but we’ll see on Wednesday, and I know he’ll do better than the media thinks he will do.

It’s cold here but beats the storm passing through Cali right now.

Romney Win Makes a Statement

Since this story posted Romney had won 67% of the delegates.

Fred got 2 delegates, Huckabee wasn’t a blip on the radar…

Question: Why are Murders rarely solved in Iowa?

Answer: Everyone’s DNA is the same and there are no dental records.

My guy came in second in Iowa and this is posted with a tad bit of frustration. It is frankly surprising that Governor Huckabee was able to convince 34% of Iowas Republican voters to pull the lever for him. I could understand an honorable man like Fred Thompson, a hero like John McCain, or even the fanatical Ron Paul winning. What I can’t understand is how Huckabee was able to advertise himself as the “christian leader” and say, “Merry Christmas”, and have 34% of Iowa voters ignore his record of economic liberalism and dangerously questionable judgment. Nevermind, I couldn’t forgive letting McCain be our nominee either; Call me closed-minded but I’m partial to the 1st Amendment, tax-cuts, and a competent judiciary.

The only relief tonight is that 66% of the Republican voters in Iowa weren’t fooled into voting for a guy simply because he had a fish on his tailgate.

“To hear Mitt Romney tell it, Republican Mike Huckabee shares more with Democrat Bill Clinton than a hometown in Hope, Ark., and a stint as Arkansas governor.”

“Both men, Romney suggests, have left-leaning governing philosophies, particularly on taxes and spending.”

Full article

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” today that he wept with relief when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Mormon church, announced a 1978 revelation that the priesthood would no longer be denied to persons of African descent.

Romney’s eyes appeared to fill with tears as he discussed the emotional subject during a high-stakes appearance that he handled with no major blunders.

Article

Republican White House contender Mike Huckabee refused to apologize Sunday after a rival accused him of insulting President George W. Bush by describing his foreign policy as “arrogant.”

Huckabee butted heads with former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney after publishing a foreign policy paper calling for American foreign policy to change its “tone and attitude, open up, and reach out.”

“The Bush administration’s arrogant bunker mentality has been counterproductive at home and abroad,” the former Arkansas governor wrote in the journal Foreign Affairs.

“My administration will recognize that the United States’ main fight today does not pit us against the world but pits the world against the terrorists,” said Huckabee.

Romney, who has seen Huckabee surge past him in opinion polls with just three weeks until the first nominating contest in Iowa on January 3, expressed outrage at his rivals criticism of the Republican president.

“That’s an insult to the president, and Mike Huckabee should apologize to the president,” Romney told NBC television.

Full Article

Huckabee shows again he’s soft on the illegal alien issue. Tancredo was the clear winner here by avoiding this debate altogether. I wish the rest of these guys stayed home as well. The voting/political process is starting to become a real joke in this country.

“It looked like a hostage take. ... [The candidates] were trying to say, ‘You should go home,’ without saying, ‘I hate you,’” said Frank Sharry, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, which favors combining tough border enforcement with an onerous legalization path for those already in the United States.

“But he clearly has developed a case of Romney-itis, the affliction that causes a top-tier Republican to turn from centrist to conservative to avoid political punishment by the party’s base.”

“During the forum, Huckabee called for a “reasonable window of time,” for an illegal immigrant to return home and get at the back of the line to legally reenter the United States.”

Article

The latest Iowa polls…

By Michael Hirsh
Newsweek Web Exclusive

“The new NEWSWEEK poll shows the former Arkansas governor now has a two-to-one lead over Romney, while Barack improves against Hillary.”

“The ordained Southern Baptist minister now leads Romney by a two-to-one margin, 39 percent to 17 percent, among likely GOP caucus-goers.”

Article

PJB gives some conservative street cred to Mitt Romney’s “Mormon speech” the other night. I still have reservations about a guy who only found the pro-life issue in 2005.

Mitt’s Hour of Power
by Patrick J. Buchanan
Posted: December 6, 2007

“If Mitt Romney wins the Republican nomination, it will be due in large measure to his splendid and moving defense of his faith and beliefs delivered today at the George Bush Presidential Library.”

If you also want to read what WorldNetDaily publisher Joseph Farah thought about this speech, click here.

The latest issue that Huckabee is using to derail the Romney machine is Mitt’s Mormon faith. Huckabee is of course a Baptist Minister along with being a former Arkansas Govenor and a RINO.

He feels this issue will be effective in recruiting Christian Conservatives to his candidacy. Nobody told Huckabee you have to be a Conservative first and then a Christian. Huckabee raised taxes, gave illegal aliens instate tuition benefits, and try to social engineer everything from not allowing anyone to eat Milky Way bars to smoking.

My faith is that of a Roman Catholic and I did almost convert to Mormonism in the Eighties. After that I went back to my Catholic Faith and still kept an interest in the Book of Mormon and in the LDS Church. I have respected Mormons, but I find their theology a little screwy.

I started out as a Rudy supporter flipped to Thompson then to Romney and decided to stay with Romney.I do have probems with his faith, but his views and his ability to get elected are a good fit for me.

Huckabee I find to be a self serving RINO opportunist, who has decided to reach out and be the flavor of the month to the news media. It is clear he is running for Vice President to a Rudy or McCain and feels flaming Romney will add to his credilbility with Liberal Republicans. He is nothing, but a Southern Fried Tom Campbell trying to gain traction by using the Anti-Mormon card.

Let’s see… Southern Baptists Democrats include Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter what a pedigree. Well three of my biggest heroes were Billy Graham, John Paul II, and Brigham Young, Men with very different religious background, but solid leaders.

Mr. Huckabee could learn something and watch a BYU Football game and watch a Bing Crosby movie and ask Bill Clinton to lecture on fidelity. Also if he wants to be on Rudy’s ticket at least try to be a tolerant Conservative.

I will vote for Romney and tolerate his Mormonism and
try to eat junk food and still think Huckabee is a twit.

Big gamble!!! I think he’s feeling the pressure from the other candidates.

(CBS) By CBSNews.com Senior Political Editor Vaughn Ververs.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will deliver a much-anticipated speech on religious faith at the George H. W. Bush library on Thursday, CBS News has confirmed. Romney’s Mormon faith has been an underlying theme of his presidential candidacy but, until today, it has been an area he and his campaign have shied away from addressing directly.

“In a potential matchup with Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, Giuliani wins 50-43 percent. Republicans Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney also beat her, although their wins are within the margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.”

Poll

Thanks to Jeff for sending me one of these articles.

As you will read from the two articles linked – GOP Presidential front-runner, Mitt Romney has been attacked in apparent push polls for being a Mormon. This sort of thing has occurred in both Iowa and New Hampshire.

Could this tactic be a reflection of a societal trend against religion of any sort? Or is this a hail-Mary pass by an opponent?

This is quite concerning as I am wondering if in a few years this kind of stuff will be done against Evangelical Christians.

We have seen religion-baiting in the 4th CD race by an opponent of John Doolittle, but much more mildly in comparison to what is reported in the articles being used against Romney. This is the danger of such tactics, they backfire as often as they work.

Could this be the desperation of the Guiliani people?, while Rudy is publicly denying involvement… one could assume that he or McCain are behind these.

I sincerely hope the folks behind these push polls are just a splinter or deranged nutbags.

ARTICLE 1 – IOWA

ARTICLE 2 – New Hampshire

UPDATE – I found a letter to the Editor from the local Guiliani campaign coordinator (who also works for Ted Gaines). In which he states, “many Americans simply won’t vote for a Mormon, plain and simple.

Letter to the editor

In a stunning development on the second ballot, Mitt Romney was endorsed by the CRA.

This is a major COUP for Romney and should significantly bolster his campaign in California.

In other news, the CRA upheld the Vote yes on the Indian Gaming compacts. This is also a major victory as the unions are behind the referendum attempt to kill them. When the referrenda get Proposition numbers, remember to support the four non-union tribes against the Union attempt to force them to accept union labor against their will.

In a bit of inside baseball – sitting CRP National Committeeman Tim Morgan announced that he is running for re-election yesterday.

Morgan was able to hold off an attempt by fromer CRP Chairmen Shawn Steel to gain a CRA endorsement to run against him.

By James Bopp Jr.
James Bopp, Jr., has had a long distinguished career practicing law focusing on life issues including abortion, and on U.S. Supreme Court practice. His clients have included the National Right to Life Committee, Focus on the Family, the Christian Coalition, All Children Matter, Catholic Answers, Christian Broadcasting Network, Gerard Health Foundation, Priests for Life, Traditional Values Coalition, Salem Radio, Vision America, and the Republican parties of Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Texas, and Vermont. He has argued numerous campaign finance cases in defense of pro-life, pro-family, conservative and Republican party groups, including four cases in the U.S. Supreme Court. He also serves as General Counsel for the James Madison Center for Free Speech and is a member of the Republican National Committee.

It would be foolish to imagine that social conservatism can achieve any significant success without a president who strongly supports social conservative positions. The reason for this lies primarily in the president’s power to appoint judges. Social policy in America has been largely shaped by the federal judiciary, which has imposed an unrelenting liberal agenda on a reluctant people. The law, as it concerns the issues of abortion, religious freedom, pornography, gay rights, sexual license, family, and marriage, has been shaped and even determined by judicial fiat. Presidential leadership is vital to reversing these affronts.

There is no doubt that Governor Mitt Romney is running unabashedly as a pro-life and pro-family candidate for president and that he wants Roe v. Wade overturned. But his sincerity is being questioned because, as he has acknowledged, he has changed his mind on these issues. In 1994, in his race against Teddy Kennedy for the U.S. Senate, and in his 2002 race for governor of Massachusetts, Romney was pro-choice on abortion. So it is right to question him about the sincerity of his conversion.

Romney’s conversion was less abrupt than is often portrayed. In his 1994 Senate run, Romney was endorsed by Massachusetts Citizens for Life and kept their endorsement, even though he declared himself to be pro-choice, because he supported parental-consent laws, opposed taxpayer-funded abortion and mandatory abortion coverage under a national health insurance plan, and was against the Freedom of Choice Act, which would have codified Roe v. Wade by federal statute. In 1994, NARAL’s Kate Michelman pronounced him a phony pro-choicer. ” Mitt Romney, stop pretending,” she demanded. “We need honesty in our public life, not your campaign of deception to conceal your anti-choice views,” she said. Some conservative Boston newspaper columnists view it similarly. As Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe put it: “Romney’s very public migration rightward over the last few years is . . . intended not to hide his real views but to liberate them. In 1994, Romney struck me as an extraordinarily bright, talented, and decent man – and a political neophyte who fell for the canard that the only way a conservative could win in Massachusetts was by passing for liberal.”

In 2001, Romney said, in a letter to the Salt Lake Tribute, that he believes that “abortion is the wrong choice, but under the law it is a choice people have.” And in the 2002 governor’s race, Romney made clear that “on a personal basis, I don’t favor abortion,” that he opposed lowering the age at which minors could obtain abortions without parental consent to 16, and that he supported a ban on partial-birth abortions, but that, as governor, he would “protect the right of a woman to choose under the law of the country and the laws of the commonwealth.” As one Boston commentator observed, Romney’s “abortion statements sound as much like someone trying to wrestle with the issue as someone trying to weasel his way out of it.”

Romney now says that he was wrong about abortion in those years, that his position has “evolved and deepened” as governor, and that he is “firmly pro-life.”

The evaluation of Romney’s conversion needs to be considered in light of the pro-life movement’s consistent effort over the years to educate, and thereby convert, people to the cause. The pro-life movement has aggressively promoted conversion and has achieved great success in doing so. Today, for the first time since Roe v. Wade, a majority of Americans identify themselves as pro-life, and many of these are converts, some who have even had abortions themselves. Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, both pro-life presidents, were converts. In 1967, Reagan, as governor of California, signed into law the nation’s most permissive abortion law, and, in 1980, Bush ran as an unabashedly pro-choice candidate. Both were unswerving in their support for the pro-life position as president, and Reagan’s ability and willingness to articulate the pro-life position was invaluable..

Yet how is the sincerity of a conversion to be measured? There are two salient considerations in this regard: first, some defining moment that prompted a change of heart; second, the fact that deeds speak louder than words. Romney’s conversion exhibits both. First, Romney has had a life-changing event. It was when he was governor and researchers were proposing embryonic cloning at Harvard. As he recounts it, one of the researchers said that there “wasn’t a moral issue, because . . . they destroy the embryos at 14 days.” Romney said that “it struck me that we have so cheapened the value of human life in this country through our Roe v. Wade decision that someone could think that there is no moral issue to have racks and racks of living human embryos and then destroying them at 14 days.”

This was not a trivial matter for Romney and his family. As he told the New York Times at the time, “My wife has MS and we would love for there to be a cure for her disease and for the diseases of others. But there is an ethical boundary that should not be crossed.”

And Romney, as governor, acted on these convictions. He vetoed an embryonic cloning bill; he vetoed a bill that would allow the “morning after pill” to be acquired without a prescription on the grounds that it is an abortifacient; he vetoed legislation which would have redefined Massachusetts longstanding definition of the beginning of human life from fertilization to implantation; and he fought to promote abstinence education in the classroom. One should not underestimate the tremendous political price that Governor Romney paid in Massachusetts for these acts. Both conviction and courage are necessary for effective pro-life leadership, and Romney, in office, displayed both.

These actions as governor have lead leaders of the most important social conservative groups in Massachusetts, including Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Massachusetts Family Institute, and the Knights of Columbus, to observe that, while previous comments by Romney “are, taken by themselves, obviously worrisome to social conservatives including ourselves, they do not dovetail with the actions of Governor Romney from 2003 until now – and those actions positively and demonstrably impacted the social climate of Massachusetts.” They conclude that Romney “demonstrated solid social conservative credentials by undertaking” these actions, and has therefore “proven that he shares our values, as well as our determination to protect them.”

Many social conservatives do not share Romney’s Mormon faith, but his faith should be viewed by social conservatives as a good sign, not as a matter of concern. The Mormon religion, while having tenets that Christians do not share, is profoundly conservative in its support for life, family, and marriage. Thus, Romney’s religion reinforces, rather than conflicts with, his conversion. All people of faith believe that the best public officials are those with God, not man, at the center of their lives.

It cannot be forgotten, however, that this is also a political question, a matter of practical choices. And what are these choices? Senator John McCain and Mayor Rudy Giuliani are the other leading candidates for the Republican nomination. Barring the unlikely emergence of some conservative alternative in the next few months, the choice will be between Giuliani, McCain, and Romney. While both Giuliani and McCain would be vastly superior to any of the prospective Democrats, there are serious questions about the policy positions of both, and not just on social conservative issues.

Giuliani is simply not a social conservative. He is pro-choice, pro-partial birth abortion, and pro-special rights for homosexuals. He is also pro-gun control. Senator McCain opposes the federal marriage amendment, supports embryonic stem-cell research, and was a ringleader of the Gang-of-14 compromise that made it easier for Democrats to block President Bush’s judicial nominees. Also, he is the principal sponsor of the McCain-Feingold bill, which imposes severe limits on the participation of citizens groups and political parties in our representative democracy.

It is unlikely that there will be any social conservative in this race to rival Giuliani and McCain other than Governor Romney. And Romney’s record on other conservative issues is impressive as well. He has demonstrated his administrative ability in successfully managing a variety of organizations in the private (his venture-capital firm), the nonprofit (Salt Lake City Olympics), and the public (as governor) arenas. Romney’s views on economic and foreign affairs are thoroughly conservative, his ability to effect them is enviable, and, just as importantly, his skill at articulating them is superb.

Whatever one thinks about Romney’s conversion, and I believe it is sincere, the fact remains that Romney opposes public funds for embryo-destructive research that McCain and Giuliani support. Romney has fought for a federal marriage amendment and McCain and Giuliani oppose one. There is the simple question of whether social conservatives want someone who is currently on their side or someone who currently opposes them.

- James Bopp Jr. is a lawyer who focuses on nonprofit corporate and tax law, on campaign finance and election law, and on life issues. He most recently joined the Romney Presidential campaign as a special adviser on life issues, an unpaid position.