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DEL.ICIO.USThis time, no torch
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The last time Mitt Romney was through town, he was here for the ceremony setting the Olympic flame on its journey to Salt Lake City for the 2002 Winter Games, for which Romney filled the Billy Payne role.
We’re likely to be seeing more of the Massachusetts governor in the future. Romney is serious enough about seeking the ’08 Republican nomination to have troops on the ground in Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan and South Carolina, already.
Officially, Romney isn’t going to make a decision between now and the November election. Between now and then, he has a tough hand to play.
Romney chairs the Republican Governors Conference, and there are eight Republican governors leaving office with only one Democrat leaving. What’s worse, he said Thursday before a speech to the Georgia Public Policy Institute, several of those Republicans who are leaving are from traditionally Democratic states, including New York, Arkansas and, of course, Massachusetts.
“Most people looking at the numbers are going to say we are going to lose quite a few governor’s races,” Romney said.
Romney’s luncheon speech was about his state’s new health care plan, notable not only because it is being spoken of as a possible model for wider health care reform, but because it was worked out with a Democratic legislature.
“It’s hard to understand why Washington has become so paralysed and so bitterly partisan, because in state after state you have Republicans and Democrats in various percentages, and in almost all of them, progress has been made and tough problems have been dealt with,” he said.
Governors have done well in recent presidential elections, but this could be one more sharply focused on international affairs. But as Romney pointed out, some governors have done quite well in foreign policy, Ronald Reagan included.
In fact, Romney added, while he didn’t subscribe to it, Gov. Howard Dean had “the clearest vision of foreign policy” of any of the Democratic candidates in the last election, while Sen. John Kerry’s view was “far more confusing.” A point to ponder.
Comments
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By CVS
June 30, 2006 12:43 AM | Link to this
It will be curious to see how Southerners embrace Romney when they learn he is a Mormon. Shades of 1960?
By GodHatesTrash
June 30, 2006 07:46 AM | Link to this
Southrons are a superstitious lot, their religion not far removed from that of their Druid ancestors, worshipping blood and death and war. They will probably find Mormonism incompatible with their Protestant Moronism/KKKhristianity.
Romney is trash, but probably not trash enough for Georgia GOPers.
By UGA 72
June 30, 2006 01:09 PM | Link to this
This is still way early but it appears that the powers that be, whomever they are, have decided that the public will get to choose between the Devil Hillary and the Devil McCain. Talk about twiddle dumb, and twiddle dumb. Put pants on Hillary or a skirt on McCain and they are identical.