Romney keeps his name in the mix
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney headlined congressional Republicans' big new policy conclave over the weekend, stressing the need to listen to real Americans, but also appearing to slap a potential rival for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.
At the National Council for a New America's first "conversation" in Arlington, Va., Romney, who ran for the Republican nomination last year and has kept his name in the conversation for 2012, joined House Republican Whip Eric Cantor and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush in presiding over the panel.
"I’ve learned that when you sit in a position of responsibility as you do now and as we did once, you typically get the best ideas that really make a difference from people that you’re serving," Romney said, citing his experience helping pass the Bay State's universal healthcare plan.
“Listening to people can make a difference and we’ve got ideas about how we can help people get health insurance, how we can improve our schools, how we can make our economy strong today as well as down the road, how we can reform entitlements," he added. "These are the people of America that have these ideas. We want to share these ideas with one another and make sure that we’re laying out a vision and a plan for America that makes our lives and the lives of our kids better."
But what earned Romney the most publicity was what appeared to be a diss of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the GOP vice presidential candidate last year and a possible competitor for the 2012 nomination.
On CNN on Sunday, Romney was asked about Time magazine including Palin on its list of “The World’s Most Influential People.”
After toeing the party line and saying that he wanted more Republicans on the list, he said, “I think there are a lot more influential Republicans than that would suggest. But was that the issue on the most beautiful people or the most influential people?”
“I'm not sure. If it's the most beautiful, I understand. We're not real cute.”
Romney, by the way, was on People magazine's list of 50 beautiful Americans in 2002.
UPDATE: This evening, Cantor announced that Palin has joined the council's panel of experts, with Romney.
“When NCNA was announced last week, we spoke about a dynamic organization that worked to constantly bring in new people and innovative ideas," Cantor said in a statement. "The launch of the National Council was just the first step in a growing effort to engage the American people in a candid discussion as we work to overcome our shared challenges with common-sense ideas, building a stronger nation along the way.
“I look forward to welcoming additional local and national leaders to the National Council in the days, weeks, and months ahead.”
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Another about-face for Mitt whose major selling point used to be that he was cute. So now he doesn't even claim that. He did say he knew how to 'run' a business, but that was in the days when restructuring and off-shoring weren't taboo skills for a Republican.
I don't think Palin would make any "most beautiful" list either.
Didn't Romney run a campaign ad when running for Governor where he was topless? This guy is another incarnation of Steve Forbes: he inherited wealth and influence (his daddy was governor and also a failed presidential candidate) and can't stand that his money cant buy him GOP love.
Multiple choice Mitt, pull his string and he'll tell you just what you want to hear. Get yours today for just 9.95, only at Wal-Mart.
Uh, Romney was named to People's 100 Most Beautiful People back in 2002. Totally lame.
Hardee har har. Sounds like sour grapes from someone who DIDn'T get to be the VP candidate. So like a man to put a woman down by refocusing the conversation from her achievements to her looks. Say what you will about Sarah Palin (and I'm no fan), but she certainly one upped Mitt Romney, didn't she?
Let's hope the Rushpublicans run Palin one more time. Her sordid family's values reflect the hypocrisy right wingers like her represent. She is the ultimate example of a phony!
While I don't think Sarah Palin has the intellectual mettle for any public office, nevermind the Vice Presidency or Presidency of the United States, I do think Mitt Romney's comment was offensive and patently sexist. Romney owes Palin an apology.
Nixon didn't give up until he was elected to the presidency. Romney and Palin may garner some votes, but enough to get elected? If you listen only to your "peeps," you might imagine you can accomplish anything. Putting them together on the same ticket would be like tying an anvil to an anchor and wondering why it sank so fast.
Good ol' Mitt changes direction more than a weathervane in a hurricane. When running for gov of MA he was big tent Republican lite. Running for president suddenly a born-again right wing fanatic, a Pat Robertson clone. Now he is having yet another epihany and thinks the Repub party needs new ideas. Hey Mitt, why not just revert to your positions from 10 years ago - I'm sure nobody will notice.
Obviously Romney doesn't get it -- his brand of ideology is out of date and what created the economic mess America is facing. The Republican Party just doesn't get it at all -- they failed America in the worst way and want to dump the blame on the Democrats and Obama. They think they have all the "right" answers when all that they have done is WRONG!!
Thanks, but no thanks, Romney -- you and the GOP are just not up to the job of helping America. We need people who will help America -- all of America -- not just the rich, the corporations, Wall St., etc.
Just do America a favor and go away. Far, far away....
Palin would not make any 'most beautiful' list, but she tried to get by with that silly winkin'. Palin's winkin' set women politicians back some.
It's about time that the Republican leadership quit being led by the nose by Big Money and start putting the needs of the day to day public as thier first priority. And I am a Republican !! I came over from the Democratic Party as a "Reagen' Democrat when I saw the Democratic Part starting to lean to the left to the point of rolling over and shaking a leg on the fire hydrant. Slick Willie and his inability to keep 'it' in his pants just solidified my position as far as Democratic integrity was concerned. Now I hear Cantor starting to whine about "spending" when all the Republicans did was let jobs and investment money go overseas, the banking and financial services sectors 'self-regulate' and the Senate, in it's infinite wisdom, letrepeal the Glass-Stegall Act, which was specifically designed by the Rosselevelt Administration to keep the banking ang and insurance business seperated in order to prevent them from mixing money. I may not be a big fan of Obama's but I can see which side of the pool stuff is starting to float.
Palin is beautiful, as is Rush Limbaugh. Mitt is beautiful in his own way, as is Eric Cantor. All these people are beautiful white heterosexual Americans. The GOP needs to realize that while nothing is wrong with this demographic, it is a shrinking percentage of the US population.
re:"stressing the need to listen to real Americans"
Real Americans like Joe the Plumber? Maybe if Republicans started listening to smart Americans instead, they do better both at governing and at getting elected...
Mitt,....you're done....quit while you're ahead. We don't want you as President. You couldn't remain loyal to the job as Govenor of Massachusetts.......and we sure as heck don't trust you as being our President?
....and as for Sarah Palin goes.....beautiful and or influential? WHAT?!!!! She's a common housewife with some "bogus" political aspirations to try and "stiff arm" and correct all the "injustices" in DC. Thanks, but we've got enough blowhards in Washington. Leave Sarah where she belongs ....in Alaska.
Mitt Romney, 2012!!!
Oh I would love to hear more of the continuing stories how Mitt suffered through poverty in his impressionable years, pulled himself up by his bootstraps and hitched up his own pants to find his own way as a vulnerable little boy. Now that Bush is gone the excuse makers for the GOP can rally behind Mitt for a while thinking that the GOP actually has a plan.
Sarah, while being able to spin a yarn Alaska style has to overcome her grating verbal style from the NRC. She has obviously stubbed her toe regarding presidential politics.....most Americans believing she should tend her wayward flock and come back in 2016 or beyond for further abuse. No experts here. Stay home.
Romney and McCain need to go into a corner and suck their thumb like pouting old men who didn't get their way; just like immature 3 year olds.
Sarah has so much more to offer, and her Daddy didn't buy it for her like Romney's back door dealing family did.And Cindy's beer guzzling relatives for McCain. She got to her spot with hard work and beating the "good old boy" machine/
Go Sarah!
He is neither a good republican, good Christian or a gentleman.
It is amazing that it was the liberal ideology of the FED and Big Government politicians(like Obama)who caused the Depression we are now in whom the ignorant turn to for help....When are we going to listen to Ron Paul,who predicted this disaster?Romney and other "mainstream" Republicans are as much as fault as the liberal Keynesian airheads advising Odumbo.
The only reason Foon Rhee and the Globe keep bringing Romneys name up is because he's the only true economist that can fix the messy economy President Obama is now creating putting many people especially children and grand childrens future in chaos.All you people comment here don 't even know the fire is burning under your asses about to burst in flame and then you soon find yourself running and screaming for help.Well quess who is offering that help that you now mocked and reject is no other than the real leader with real concern and love for this country and that is Mitt the great Romney.The economy now is like we're just fed with sweeties and we all know what happen if that is all we eat,our teeth will one by one fall off and then we will all end up wearing fake ones or remain toothless for the st ofour lives.