New ad -- "Everywhere"

THREE days.

Regional Training Sessions

In gearing up for our Feb 5th primary, Gov. Romney's State Director, Brandon Phillips, will be conducting several regional training sessions over the next couple weeks. We will be discussing our strategy as we approach Feb. 5th including our Get Out The Vote (GOTV) program. Yard signs and other supplies will also be distributed. The schedule is shown below, and you are certainly encouraged to attend and bring friends. Please feel free to contact us here at georgiansforromney@yahoo.com with any questions.

Atlanta area: Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Location: Meridian Buckhead, 3491 Buckhead loop, 18th Floor, (Just off 400(off Lenox Rd/Coverdell pkwy)
@ Toys R Us Shping Ctr.
Time: 6:00 P.M.
Notes: When arriving, ask for the Ray Smith/Romney volunteer group.

Savannah area: Monday, January 7, 2008
Location: To be determined.
Time: To be determined.

Macon/Warner Robins area: Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Location: Houston County Library, 721 Watson Boulevard, Warner Robins, GA 31093
Time: 6:00 P.M.

Tifton area: Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Location: Holiday Inn, 1208 Highway 82 West, Tifton, GA 31793 (I-75, exit 62)
Time: 6:00 P.M.

Augusta area: Thursday, January 10, 2008
Location: Comfort Inn - Medical Center, 1455 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30901
Time: 6:00 P.M.

Another poll in Iowa shows the momentum with Gov. Romney

FOUR days.

We have a McClatchy-MSNBC poll this morning showing Gov. Romney regaining the lead. As we mentioned last night, at the very least these new polls show the momentum is with Governor Romney. Here are the numbers:

Gov. Romney -- 27% (+7%)
Huckabee -- 23% (-8%)
Thompson -- 14%
McCain -- 13%
Giuliani -- 5%

"Romney, who had led in the state for months before dropping to second place, regained 7 points since early December.

Iowa Republicans gave him their highest favorable rating, and he ranked first among GOP voters looking for experience, leadership and the ability to win in November. He also led among voters who ranked immigration, taxes or terrorism their top concerns.

A key gain: He now has the support of 27 percent of the state's evangelical Christian Republicans, up sharply from 8 percent several weeks ago. Concerns about his Mormon faith appear to have ebbed."
"

Yet more Iowa polling

From American Research Group:

If this is accurate, it confirms the posting below that Bob Novak reported on. The latest ARG poll shows Governor Romney up by 9% in Iowa. At least, it does tend to show directionally that Gov. Romney seems to have regained his momentum in the closing days before the caucus while Huckabee appears to be sliding dramatically. The numbers in parenthesis are the changes over the last week:

Gov. Romney -- 32% (+11%)
Huckabee -- 23% (--)
McCain -- 11% (-6%)
Undecided 11% (+3%)
Thompson 7% (+4%)
Giuliani 6% (-8%)


21% of likely caucus participants are undecided (11%) or say they could switch candidates between now and January 3 (10%).

85% of those saying they support Romney say their support is definite.

93% of those saying they support McCain say their support is definite.

100% of those saying they support Giuliani say their support is definite.

60% of those saying they support Huckabee say their support is definite.

Among men, Huckabee is at 23%, Romney 28%, McCain 11%, and Thompson 11%.

Among women, Huckabee is at 23%, Romney 37%, McCain 11%, and Giuliani 9%.

More polling from Iowa

From Robert Novak:

Only FIVE days!

Caucus polling, especially a few days out, is usually pretty faulty, but this one is nice to see:

"While public polls show Mike Huckabee leading Mitt Romney in Iowa, a new survey of an oversized sample shows Huckabee slipping and no longer ahead of Romney.

A private corporate interest commissioned a phone bank survey of 15,000 Iowans who say they will attend Republican presidential caucuses Jan. 3. It showed Romney with 30 percent and Huckabee at 26 percent. Sen. John McCain was third with 12 percent and Rudy Giuliani fourth at 9 percent. Fred Thompson had only 1 percent, with slightly fewer votes than Rep. Ron Paul (also at 1 percent). "

CNN Report on Huckabee

As you all know, I don't usually put stuff up about the nomination rivals, but this is too good to resist. CNN ran a report on Huckabee's growing foreign policy problem.


Couple that with this report from Politico, and it hasn't been a good week for the other guy from Hope:

"In recent days, Mike Huckabee has tried to answer long-standing questions about who is on his foreign policy team. On Friday morning, he listed former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton as someone with whom he either has “spoken or will continue to speak.”

At a Thursday evening press conference, Huckabee said, "I've corresponded with John Bolton, who's agreed to work with us on developing foreign policy.”

Bolton, however, has a different view. “I’d be happy to speak with Huckabee, but I haven’t spoken with him yet,” said Bolton, now a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington. "

New ad - "Future"

This is now running in NH:



AD FACTS: Script For "Future" (TV:30):

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message." ANNOUNCER: "John McCain, an honorable man. But is he the right Republican for the future? McCain opposes repeal of the death tax, and voted against the Bush tax cuts twice."

- In 2002, Senator McCain Was One Of Only Two Republicans To Twice Vote Against Permanent Repeal Of The Death Tax. (S. 1731, CQ Vote #28: Adopted 56-42: R 45-2; D 11-39; I 0-1, 2/13/02, McCain Voted Nay, H.R. 8, CQ Vote #151: Motion Rejected 54-44: R 45-2; D 9-41; I 0-1, 6/12/02, McCain Voted Nay)

- In 2001, Senator McCain Was One Of Only Two Republicans To Vote Against The $1.35 Trillion Tax Cut. The bill lowered marginal rates, eliminated the marriage penalty, and doubled the child tax credit. (H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #170: Adopted 58-33: R 46-2; D 12-31; I 0-0, 5/26/01, McCain Voted Nay)

- In 2003, Senator McCain Was One Of Only Three Republicans To Vote Against The $350 Billion Tax Cut. The comprehensive bill lowered taxes by $350 billion over 11 years – including increasing the child tax credit and eliminated the marriage penalty. (H.R. 2, CQ Vote #179: Passed 51-49: R 48-3; D 3-45; I 0-1, 5/15/03, McCain Voted Nay; H.R. 2, CQ Vote #196: Adopted 50-50: R 48-3; D 2-46; I 0-1, 5/23/03, McCain Voted Nay)

ANNOUNCER: "McCain pushed to let every illegal immigrant stay here permanently. Even voted to allow illegals to collect Social Security."

- Senator McCain's 2006 Immigration Plan Would Allow 11 Million Illegals To Remain In The U.S. "The McCain plan – which is being put forward in the U.S. House by Arizona GOP Congressmen Jeff Flake and Jim Kolbe – allows the 11 million illegal immigrants already in the U.S. to stay in the country if they apply for legal status and pay a $2,000 fine." (Mike Sunnucks, "Napolitano, Hayworth Criticize Bush On Illegal Immigration," The Phoenix Business Journal, 2/1/06)

- Senator McCain Voted To Allow Illegals To Collect Retroactive Social Security Benefits. "Specter, R-Pa., motion to table (kill) the Ensign, R-Nev., amendment no. 3985 that would bar illegal immigrants currently in the country from claiming Social Security credits for work done in years before they are assigned a valid Social Security number." (S. 2611, CQ Vote #130: Motion Agreed To 50-49: R 11-44; D 38-5; I 1-0, 5/18/06, Clinton, Kennedy, And McCain Voted Yea)

- "The Senate Voted Yesterday To Allow Illegal Aliens To Collect Social Security Benefits Based On Past Illegal Employment - Even If The Job Was Obtained Through Forged Or Stolen Documents." (Charles Hurt, "Illegals Granted Social Security," The Washington Times, 5/19/06)

- The Washington Times Editorial: Senator McCain Moved Social Security Closer To Insolvency By Offering Benefits To Illegals. "On its way to bankruptcy, Social Security will get there a bit sooner if President Bush, Republican senators (and prospective presidential candidates) John McCain, Chuck Hagel and Sam Brownback and the overwhelming majority of Democratic senators get their way. ... During the Senate debate on immigration reform in May, Mr. Ensign proposed that no illegal alien whose status would be adjusted by the Senate bill be permitted to receive Social Security benefits as a result of unlawful activity. ... In addition to Messrs. McCain, Hagel and Brownback, other still-serving Republicans who opposed the Ensign amendment, which lost by a 50-49 vote, included Sens. Lindsey Graham, Richard Lugar, Mel Martinez, Arlen Specter, Ted Stevens and George Voinovich." (Editorial, "Social Security Siphon," The Washington Times, 1/5/07)

ANNOUNCER: "And Mitt Romney? Mitt Romney cut taxes and spending as Governor."

- Governor Romney Turned The Legislature's Proposed Capital Gains Tax Hike Into A Tax Refund Instead. "Romney was more successful when he took on the State Legislature for imposing a retroactive tax on capital gains earnings. After a bloody fight, Romney succeeded in passing a bill preventing the capital gains tax from being applied retroactively, resulting in a rebate of $275 million for capital gains taxes collected in 2002. Governor Romney also signed legislation that provided property tax relief to seniors and legislation establishing a two-day tax-free shopping holiday in 2005." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

- Club For Growth: Governor Romney "Imposed Some Much-Needed Fiscal Discipline On A Very Liberal Massachusetts Legislature." "[O]n balance, he imposed some much-needed fiscal discipline on a very liberal Massachusetts Legislature." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

- Governor Romney "Attempted To Cut Down On Government Spending By Streamlining Many Duplicative And Wasteful Elements On Beacon Hill." "To his credit, Romney attempted to cut down on government spending by streamlining many duplicative and wasteful elements of Beacon Hill. ... Governor Romney successfully consolidated the social service and public health bureaucracy and restructured the Metropolitan District Commission. Romney even eliminated half of the executive branch's press positions, saving $1.2 million." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

ANNOUNCER: "He opposes amnesty for illegals. Mitt Romney. John McCain. There is a difference."

- Governor Romney's Strategy For A Stronger America Calls For Ending Illegal Immigration Without Amnesty. "Reject Amnesty. Do not give amnesty or any special pathway to those who have come to this country illegally." (Romney For President, "Strategy For A Stronger America," www.mittromney.com, Posted 9/18/07)

- Read Governor Romney's Immigration Plan Here.

Peggy Noonan's take on the candidates

From OpinionJournal.Com:

With SIX days to go until Iowa, one of my favorite columnists, Peggy Noonan, has a piece out today discussing the various candidates on both sides. It's well worth a read. She doesn't endorse a specific candidate, but instead discusses her standard:

"This is my 2008 slogan: Reasonable Person for President. That is my hope, what I ask Iowa to produce, and I claim here to speak for thousands, millions. We are grown-ups, we know our country needs greatness, but we do not expect it and will settle at the moment for good. We just want a reasonable person. We would like a candidate who does not appear to be obviously insane. We'd like knowledge, judgment, a prudent understanding of the world and of the ways and histories of the men and women in it."

I'll copy and paste some of the various Republicans:

"Mitt Romney? Yes. Characterological cheerfulness, personal stability and a good brain would be handy to have around. He hasn't made himself wealthy by seeing the world through a romantic mist. He has a sophisticated understanding of the challenges we face in the global economy. I personally am not made anxious by his flip-flopping on big issues because everyone in politics gets to change his mind once. That is, you can be pro-life and then pro-choice but you can't go back to pro-life again, because if you do you'll look like a flake. The positions Mr. Romney espouses now are the positions he will stick with. He has no choice. "

"Duncan Hunter, Fred Thompson, and Bill Richardson are all reasonable--mature, accomplished, nonradical. Mike Huckabee gets enough demerits to fall into my not-reasonable column."

"I forgot Rudy Giuliani. That must say something. He is reasonable but not desirable. If he wins somewhere, I'll explain."

Gov. Romney on the events in Pakistan

The Politico blog mentioned that Fox went to two candidates live today, Gov. Romney and McCain. Here's what they said:

"This move — and the stern visages of the two candidates — is a startling reminder of two things.

First, of just how serious the stakes at hand are. Forget all the staff and surrogate sniping, this is the real deal. Want to see how these gentlemen will respond as president to crisis, or at least the most serious and unexpected of news developments? Watch these videos. Each had some time this morning to check with advisers and prepare, but this is pretty close to the without-a-net performance that being president regularly demands.

Second, President Bush is still president, but his capital is already dwindling and will decline further the closer we get to next November. More specifically, as Chuck Todd often notes, we're going to have something approaching three presidential voices for a huge chunk of '08. Fox went live to two candidates still mired in their own primary. Just imagine a similar tragedy taking place next summer, after the candidates have been chosen. Will they all speak collectively after such an incident? Will the two rivals receive security briefings after they effectively win the nomination? Just what exactly will a post-Sept. 11, eight-to-nine-month general election look like?"

Romney Using Retail Politics

From the AP:

We're down to one week now until Iowa. All the pundits are drawing up their scenarios on what happens if such and such finishes third in that state, and then another candidate finishes second in another state, etc. It's a crazy week ahead of us.

Anyway, this is a nice quick read on Governor Romney's campaign at this stage. Here's the key point:

""I think Romney's going into the first of the year as the front-runner, and while he's gotten a scare in Iowa from Huckabee, it appears he's going to beat him back. And New Hampshire is still critical, but it's now shaping up that South Carolina could provide Romney's knockout punch for the nomination," said Scott Reed, a Republican consultant who managed Bob Dole's presidential campaign in 1996."

Romney is the Real Deal

From NewsMax.Com:

Earlier this year, NewsMax ran a cover story calling Governor Romney "The Reagan Candidate." In this follow-up, they make the case again that Gov. Romney is the man for the job. The article is well worth your time. Click the link for the full article, but here are a couple main points:

"Last April, Newsmax magazine ran a cover story headlined, “Romney to the Rescue: Romney’s Got the Right Stuff for 2008.”

Based on interviews I conducted with Mitt Romney and his friends, family, and aides, as well as with critics and neutral observers, the profile depicted him as a remarkably successful businessman and conservative governor with impeccable character.

Since the Newsmax article appeared nothing has changed. "

"Romney, on the other hand, has “developed into a candidate who has tried hard to appeal across these factions in the way Reagan did some decades ago,” Keene says. “Like all the others, he began with credibility issues, but as time has gone on, more and more conservatives are beginning to accept today’s Mitt Romney as the real deal rather than the caricature others are portraying.”

That is why Romney has the support of conservatives as different as Robert Bork, Paul Weyrich, former Sen. Jim Talent, Michael Novak, and Kate O’Bierne and the editors of National Review, says Keene.

“This support will broaden and deepen as more and more members of the conservative coalition realize that Romney can hold the coalition together and advance their cause better than the other candidates,” predicts Keene.

The Newsmax cover story last April called Romney “The Reagan Candidate.”

That is as true today as it was then.

Republican Leader of New Harmpshire House endorses Gov. Romney

From MittRomney.Com:

This should help quite a bit in NH which votes in just two weeks.

Boston, MA – Today, New Hampshire House Republican Leader Michael Whalley announced his endorsement of Governor Mitt Romney. Representative Whalley represents Alton Bay residents in the New Hampshire Legislature.

"Mitt Romney is the candidate with the experience, vision and values to lead America. He is a true fiscal conservative who will cut taxes, end illegal immigration, and strengthen our military. With a record of turning around institutions, I believe he has the experience to do the same in Washington. I'm proud to support Mitt Romney for President and I encourage other Granite State residents to join me in supporting this great man," Representative Whalley said.

"We're very pleased to have Mike Whalley sign on as the newest member of the New Hampshire Romney for President team. From his past service as Deputy House Speaker to his current role as House Republican Leader, Mike is a proven New Hampshire leader who is highly regarded by his peers and by voters across the state. His support is further evidence that Governor Romney's message of strengthening our economy, our military and our families is resonating with the people of New Hampshire," Romney for President New Hampshire State Director Jim Merrill said.

Thomas Sowell on the race

From National Review Online:

Only eight days to Iowa!

This morning Thomas Sowell gives his thoughts on the candidates for the nomination on both sides. It's worth reading the whole piece, but here are some of his thoughts on Governor Romney:

"The only candidate of either party who truly looks presidential is Mitt Romney. It was unfortunate that Mike Huckabee and others have tried to make his religion an issue.

John F. Kennedy was supposed to have taken that issue out of politics — and Huckabee’s bringing it back in ought to disqualify him for a shot at the White House, even aside from Governor Huckabee’s wholesale pardons of criminals and his raising taxes."

Merry Christmas

From my family to yours, best wishes for a wonderful Christmas and a Great 2008.

Update on the Iowa Electronic Markets

From Iowa Electronic Markets:

We've looked at this several times over the last several months, but the new update from Iowa Electronic Markets shows something interesting: for the first time, Governor Romney is in the lead for the nomination. Take a look at the graph:

Again, it's a little hard to make out, but Gov. Romney is the light greenish light that has taken over the lead just recently. His support has bounced back in just the last few days back to the levels he was at in early November. Giuliani has collapsed over the last couple weeks as the media has focused on how his Feb. 5th strategy may have been a huge mistake.

Interestingly, Huckabee's support has fallen off as his liberal record in governing Arkansas has come to light. McCain has seen a little resurgence recently but he remains far behind.

The interesting thing of this whole process is that Gov. Romney is pretty much the only candidate that has run a truly national strategy to the nomination.

It's going to be a hectic next several weeks as the voting starts.

Endorsement from Sioux City Journal

From Sioux City Journal:

This is a big endorsement from a paper in Iowa in the heart of the conservative Western part of the area. They endorsed Obama and Governor Romney.

Click the link for the video of the endorsement announcements.

Christmas message from Governor Romney

Washington Post on the Nomination Race

From Washington Post Blog:

This is an interesting article that starts by discussing how each of the candidates appears to have his work cut out for him. It then gets down to assessing the race. Click for the full analysis, but here are the most important points:

"The Fix has spent countless hours trying to figure out which Republican will ultimately claim the nomination. And, for this week at least, that man is Mitt Romney.

Yes, Romney has been passed by Huckabee in Iowa, and his record as Massachusetts governor is coming under heavy scrutiny. But when you look at the entire early playing field, Romney seems the best positioned wind up as the final GOP candidate standing.

As the Post-ABC Iowa poll showed, Romney's support in the state has remained remarkably stable in the face of the Huckabee surge. Romney is still seen as the most electable candidate in the field and the one with the right experience to be president. The growing importance of immigration as an issue to Iowa Republicans dovetails nicely with Romney's attacks on Huckabee's record as governor of Arkansas.

And, in New Hampshire Romney continues to hold a double-digit lead in most independent (and reliable) polling. With Giuliani deemphasizing New Hampshire, that leaves Romney, McCain and (likely) Huckabee to duke it out in the state. Romney should feel good about his chances in that fight.

Don't forget -- as many people seem to be doing -- that Michigan's Republican primary is set for Jan. 15. Romney, who was born in the state and whose father served as its governor, is a strong favorite to win there. The Nevada caucuses, set for Jan. 19, remain an unknown variable in the nominating calculus, but Romney is running a strong second there (behind) Giuliani and should benefit from the state's large Mormon population.

So, even if Romney loses Iowa, he still appears to be on solid ground in New Hampshire and Michigan -- giving him wins in at least two of the first four voting states. No other candidate has two states on such solid footing at the moment. Therefore, Romney takes over the No. 1 spot on this week's Line."

1. Mitt Romney: As already noted, no one currently has more paths to the nomination than Romney. He can win a short fight -- victories in a series of early states -- or a prolonged battle -- a delegate fight through Feb. 5. No other candidate can say the same. While many political insiders have grown weary of Romney's relentless optimism, voters haven't. (Previous ranking:

Gov. Romney on World News Tonight

Pat Buchanan: "Is it down to Mitt and Mike?"

From WorldNetDaily:

Interesting article from Pat Buchanan laying out his vision of the nomination race. There are and will be countless articles over the next two weeks speculating on the outcome of the race, but this one kind of aligns with my thinking.

Click the link, but here are a couple key excerpts:

"But if Romney wins Iowa, he will win New Hampshire and Michigan, and go into South Carolina 3-0. If Romney wins the first two, he is almost surely the nominee. For that would eliminate Rudy, McCain and Thompson, leaving the only man able to stop him in South Carolina, a twice-defeated Mike Huckabee and his Christian prayer warriors."

"If he (Romney) wins Iowa, he is almost unstoppable. If he loses Iowa, he has to come back and beat McCain in New Hampshire. Then it would a Mitt-Mike race through Feb. 5."

Let's hope for a win on Jan. 3rd!!!!

Georgia Leadership Team announced

From MittRomney.Com:

Quite a list:

Boston, MA – Today, Romney for President announced its Georgia Statewide Leadership Team. The Leadership Team will work to organize the campaign's grassroots efforts in Georgia and will help communicate Governor Romney's message of conservative change in Washington.

Making today's announcement, Romney for President State Director Brandon Phillips said, "We have a put together a very strong team in Georgia for Governor Romney's campaign. Governor Romney is the only candidate in this race who has the experience, vision and values to lead our nation forward. When voters in Georgia compare the records of all the candidates in this race, they will find that Mitt Romney is the only candidate who can bring conservative change to Washington. Georgians can be proud to support Mitt Romney for president, and we look forward to helping him towards victory in February."

Romney For President Georgia Statewide Leadership Team:

Honorary Co-Chairs:
- U.S. Representative Phil Gingrey, MD, Congressional District 11
- U.S. Representative Jack Kingston, Congressional District 1
- U.S. Representative Tom Price, MD, Congressional District 6

State Co-Chairs:
- Speaker Pro Tempore Mark Burkhalter, House District 50
- Eric Tanenblatt, Senior Managing Director, McKenna Long & Aldridge

State Director:
- Brandon Phillips

Steering Committee Chair:
- Ric Mayfield, Managing Director, SunTrust Banks

Statewide Leadership Committee:
- Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker
- Anna Cablik, President of Anatek, Inc.
- State Representative David Casas, House District 103
- State Representative Brooks Coleman, House District 97
- Fred Cooper, President of Cooper Capital
- Nancy Coverdell
- Mark DeMoss, President of the DeMoss Group
- State Representative Matt Dollar, House District 45
- State Representative Jan Jones, House District 46
- State Representative Jeff Lewis, House District 15
- State Representative Ed Lindsey, House District 54
- State Representative Chuck Martin, House District 47
- Joe McCutchen, President of Joe McCutchen Inc.
- State Representative Fran Millar, House District 79
- Senator Dan Moody, Senate District 56
- Commissioner Sam Olens, Cobb County Commission Chairman
- Jose Perez, Member of the State Board of Education
- Oscar Persons, Partner at Alston & Bird, LLP
- Spence Pryor, Senior Associate at Alston & Bird, LLP
- State Representative Bob Smith, House District 113
- Bryan Tolar, Georgia Agribusiness Council

Students For Romney Chair:
- Ruth Malhotra, Georgia Tech

Rep. Tancredo drops out, endorses Gov. Romney

From FoxNews.Com:

Earlier today Rep. Tom Tancredo ended his Presidential bid and announced his support for Governor Romney. Click the link above for the article.

“And so today I’m doing two things that I believe are in the best interests of this cause, and that cause is, of course, a secure America. I am withdrawing from the race and I’m endorsing Governor Romney for president of the United States,” Tancredo continued.

New WSJ/NBC National poll shows Gov. Romney tied for the lead

Giuliani Loses Lead In Republican Race

Ex-Mayor Is Tied With Romney In National Poll of Republicans

WALL STREET JOURNAL

By JOHN HARWOOD

December 19, 2007 6:39 p.m.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119810092342540425.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

WASHINGTON -- Rudy Giuliani has lost his national lead in the Republican presidential race, creating the party's most competitive nomination fight in decades just two weeks before voting starts.

A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows the former New York City mayor now tied nationally with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at 20% among Republicans nationally, just slightly ahead of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee at 17% and Arizona Sen. John McCain at 14%. At a time when Mr. Romney has fallen behind Mr. Huckabee in the leadoff state of Iowa, the result signals a dramatic shift in the nature of the Republican contest: In a party with a history of rewarding established front-runners, there's no longer a front-runner of any kind.

In part, this reflects the extraordinary openness of the first White House race in 80 years without an incumbent president or vice president seeking the office in either party. Though the survey shows Sen. Hillary Clinton maintaining a 22 percentage point national lead over Sen. Barack Obama, she too faces a stiff challenge in Iowa and other early states from Mr. Obama and 2004 vice presidential nominee John Edwards.

In Mr. Giuliani's case, his fall from a high of 38% of the Republican vote earlier this year appears to stem largely from unfavorable publicity surrounding his personal life, his security business and his relationship with controversial figures such as one-time police commissioner Bernard Kerik. Just 35% of Republican voters rate Mr. Giuliani highly on having "high personal standards that set the proper moral tone for the country."

By contrast, 65% rate Mr. McCain highly on that score, 60% for Mr. Romney, and 53% for Mr. Huckabee. At the same time, fewer than half of Republican voters say that Mr. Giuliani, a moderate who favors abortion rights, or Mr. Huckabee, a conservative Christian with a populist tilt, or Mr. McCain, an ex-prisoner of war who has staunchly backed the Iraq war, "shares your position on the issues."

A fifth candidate, former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee, also draws double-digit support at 11% after shooting up to second-place support in the Republican field earlier this year. The fluidity in the race has scrambled calculations for the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, the Jan. 8 New Hampshire primary, and the Jan. 19 contest in South Carolina -- all of them historically important in shaping the nomination outcome. Aside from fluctuations in the candidates' personal images, the issue agenda is shifting as well amid rising concerns about an economic downturn.

The Democratic race has remained a more stable contest among the top contenders. Mrs. Clinton draws 45% of the national Democratic vote to 23% for Mr. Obama, both down slightly from November. Mr. Edwards has risen slightly to 13% from 11%, with the remaining Democratic contenders drawing 4% of the vote or less.

But Mr. Obama's momentum in Iowa has spilled over into New Hampshire, where he has narrowed Mrs. Clinton's lead while arguing that he's more in tune with the national mood for change. The Journal/NBC poll may fuel arguments by the Obama campaign that he is more broadly acceptable than Mrs. Clinton, a polarizing figure whose 44% negative rating exceeds her 42% positive mark.

Mr. Giuliani draws a similarly mixed reaction, with an identical 37% rating him positively and negatively. By contrast, Mr. Obama draws lopsidedly positive marks; the 46% of Americans rating him positively nearly doubles the 26% who rate him negatively.

The result: the survey shows Mr. Obama leading Mr. Giuliani by 49%-40% in a hypothetical match up, a margin exceeding Mrs. Clinton's 46%-43% edge over the ex-mayor. Mr. Obama leads Mr. Huckabee, the hottest Republican candidate currently, by 48%-36%. Mrs. Clinton leads Mr. Huckabee by a narrow 46%-44% margin.

Video of Rep. Kingston explaining his endorsement

New ad - "Searched"

Wow.

More Iowa polling news

From RassumussenReports.com:

As we discussed last night, some of the luster appears to be leaving the Huckabee campaign as Iowa voters learn more about his record of tax increases, pardons and clemencies, and other liberal ideas during his leadership in Arkansas. This new poll from Rasmussen shows some more decreases in Huckabee's support. Most interestingly, Huckabee's favorable rating has fallen from 81% to 67% in the space of just one week. The numbers below are the current polling data with the change in the last week in parentheses.

Huckabee -- 28% (-11%)
Gov. Romney -- 27% (+4%)
McCain -- 14% (+8%)
Giuliani -- 8% (NC)
Thompson -- 8% (NC)

This is the second Rasmussen poll this week to show Huckabee falling back to a tie with Gov. Romney, the other one being South Carolina.

Fundraising idea from a Georgian supporter

This is a wonderful idea that William Tayler from Gwinnett County has developed. He sent us the official press release. Take a look:

For Immediate Release
Contact: William Tayler
5019 Woodfall Dr. SW
Lilburn, GA 30047
(770) 755-1530
bill@billtayler.com

ROMNEY SUPPORTER SEEKS TO MATCH CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS

LILBURN, Georgia – "Making every dollar count…twice." That’s the tagline for a new grassroots effort to raise money for Mitt Romney’s 2008 bid for the White House.

William Tayler, father of five, accounting professor at Emory University, and ardent Romney supporter, has launched a new website, www.MatchingForMitt.com, with the goal of bringing together contributors who are willing to match, dollar for dollar, the contributions that others make to the campaign.

"Since campaign finance reform has placed a limit of $2300 per contributor," says Tayler, "everyday, ordinary people must participate in the campaign process if they want their candidate to succeed."

His idea? "I want to encourage the bandwagon effect—the 'I'll give if you'll give' attitude, which also gives people more confidence in their choice of candidate."

For Tayler, that candidate is Mitt Romney. His site accepts pledges to match contributions, and provides fundraiser IDs to let him track contributions made by both ordinary contributors and matchers. When a contribution is made, he then contacts a pledger, who then makes the matching contribution.

"I leave it to each individual to decide whether to pledge to match a contribution, or to immediately contribute," says Tayler.

In the first 24 hours of operation, pledged matching funds exceeded $4,000. The goal, according to Tayler, is "to have no money left on the table come election time, and twice as much in Romney’s camp as would otherwise be there."

Gov. Romney visits Savannah

From The Savannah Morning News:

Governor Romney made a quick visit to Savannah yesterday to accept the endorsement of Rep. Jack Kingston. The visit was a fast jump "across the border" from South Carolina where he was campaigning.

Click the link to read the full story, but here's an excerpt:

"Accordingly, he said the National Journal has termed Kingston, a Savannah Republican, the most conservative member of Congress.

He also acknowledged that backing by Kingston might impress voters on Feb. 5 in the Georgia primary.

"Anytime I'm endorsed by somebody who's more popular than me, that's a big help," Romney said.

First elected in 1992, Kingston is typically re-elected by lopsided margins and sometimes runs unopposed. His is one of most prominent Georgia endorsements rounded up by any of the GOP candidates."

New Iowa Poll shows dead heat

From RealClearPolitics.Com:

A new Insiders Advantage poll out of Iowa now shows essentially a dead heat again. With "Likely Voters" Huckabee is up 27.7% to Gov. Romney's 25.1% and Fred Thompson's 10.1%.

Among "Very Likely Voters" the numbers are basically reversed:

Gov. Romney -- 28%
Huckabee -- 25.1%
Thompson -- 10.8%

This seems to be a shift in fortunes in Iowa, which makes sense given the scrutiny that Huckabee has been under for the last couple weeks for his quite liberal crime and economic positions. It also explains why the Huckabee campaign is basically trying to "disappear" from the media spotlight for the next 16 days in Iowa.

Interesting numbers.

Rep. Jack Kingston endorses Gov. Romney

U.S. CONGRESSMAN JACK KINGSTON (R-GA)ENDORSES GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY

Boston, MA – Today, U.S. Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA) announced his endorsement of Governor Mitt Romney for President of the United States. Congressman Kingston joins over thirty members of the United States Congress who have joined Romney for President.

Making today's announcement, "After months of consideration, I have decided to support Mitt Romney for President. In a field of worthy candidates, Governor Romney has displayed a deep grasp of the issues, a commitment for change, and the character that we need in the next President of the United States.

"Governor Romney, unlike any candidate in either party, has successfully run a business. He understands markets and the invisible hand of capitalism. As we face growing international competition, especially from China, Governor Romney knows how to keep jobs in America.

"His business background and track record in Massachusetts shows that he knows how to reduce government spending and get Washington on a sound fiscal path.

"As Governor, he took on one of the toughest issues facing our country – healthcare. With the exception of Hillary Clinton's failed attempt to socialize medicine in 1993, healthcare has been ignored by other candidates.

"In a country divided by blue and red politics, Governor Romney has proven that he can work with both parties. Being a Republican leader of Democratic Massachusetts shows bipartisanship, which no other candidate can claim. Can you imagine how some candidates will further divide America?

"I enthusiastically support Mitt Romney for President, and I look forward to working with Senator Jim DeMint, Congressman Gingrey, Congressman Price and Speaker Pro Tempore Mark Burkhalter and the entire Georgia Legislative Team on his candidacy in Georgia and South Carolina," said Congressman Kingston.

Welcoming Congressman Kingston to Romney for President, Governor Romney said, "It is an honor to have Congressman Kingston on our team. For over a decade, he has been fighting for our conservative principles in Washington. With his experience as a strong steward of the taxpayers' money, I know that we can work together to change Washington because change begins with Republicans like Congressman Kingston."

Background On Congressman Jack Kingston:

Congressman Jack Kingston Has Served Georgia's 1st District For The Past 14 Years And Is Now In His Eighth Term In The U.S. House Of Representatives. Throughout his public service career, he has fought for sound conservative principles – lower taxes, balanced budges and reducing government interference in our lives. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Kingston serves on the Defense Subcommittee. He is also the Ranking Member on the Appropriations Committee's Agriculture Subcommittee. In 2005, Congressman Kingston was rated as the "most conservative member of the House" by National Journal. Furthermore, he has been named each term as a "Taxpayer's Hero," and "A Guardian of Small Business." Congressman Kingston was also awarded the "Watchdog of the Treasury Award," and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's "Spirit of Enterprise" Award. Congressman Kingston lives in Savannah with his wife and four children.

New South Carolina Poll

From Rasmussen Reports.com:

In an example of how fluid this race is (isn't this why we love campaigns?), there's a new poll out today in South Carolina showing Governor Romney tied with Huckabee. Just two weeks ago, Huckabee was ahead by seven points. Here are the latest numbers with the change over the last two weeks in parentheses:

Gov. Romney -- 23% (+5%)
Huckabee -- 23% (-2%)
Thompson -- 12% (-6%)
McCain -- 12% (+3%)
Giuliani -- 11% (-1%)

New ad -- "Choice: Judgment"

Rep. Jack Kingston to endorse Gov. Romney

From the AJC.com:

In another really important "get" for Governor Romney's campaign, Rep. Jack Kingston has decided to endorse Gov. Romney. Kingston is a national leader in the conservative movement and part of the GOP leadership in Congress.

Here's the story:

U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., will endorse former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for president on Tuesday, the Romney campaign told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Kingston, of Savannah, joins U.S. Reps. Phil Gingrey and Tom Price as Georgia Republican congressmen choosing Romney in advance of the state's Feb. 5 presidential primaries.

Kingston, who will formally announce his endorsement from Washington, had been leaning toward Romney for months. "After months of consideration, I have decided to support Mitt Romney for president," Kingston said in a release that will go out Tuesday. "In a field of worthy candidates, Governor Romney has displayed a deep grasp of the issues, a commitment for change and the character that we need in the next president of the United States."

Kingston praised Romney's business experience and said Romney will improve the country's economy and keep it competitive in the global marketplace.

Kingston has represented Georgia's 1st District for 14 years.

Kingston invited Romney to speak to a group of House Republicans in January and said he came away impressed. Kingston told a Savannah newspaper in August that he was leaning toward either Romney or former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

U.S. Rep. John Linder, R-Ga., had been in Romney's camp before switching and endorsing former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee last week.

Kingston's endorsement is important for Romney, coming as it does after several weeks of watching his front-runner status suffer under a sudden Huckabee surge in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, as well as Georgia.

A recent Strategic Vision poll of Georgia Republicans showed Romney in fourth place in the state with 10 percent, compared to 23 percent for Huckabee.

Romney will make a brief campaign stop in Savannah on Tuesday during a swing through South Carolina.

Patrick Ruffini: "Romney's Race to Lose"

From RedState.Com:

This follows our theme that Governor Romney is attracting support from those seeing him as the most viable candidate. Click the link to read Ruffini's scenario, but here are a couple points:

"The race began as McCain-Romney. After, Rudy! Fred! Huck! it would be a particularly cruel joke on the punditocracy should it end that way. But given the depths to which McCain has had to sink to rekindle the flame, he would face Romney in a much weakened state. Indeed, it would be deeply ironic if McCain manages to weaken his good friend Rudy Giuliani in New Hampshire, only to be hand the nomination to Mitt Romney, his arch-nemesis. In this way, a vote for McCain in New Hampshire is a vote for Romney.

So, unless Rudy manages to turn the election into a referendum on leadership-in-a-time-of-crisis in the next three weeks, at least how it stands now, say hello to Mitt Romney as our nominee. "

Governor Romney on Meet the Press

From the MSNBC website:

I wanted to go ahead and get this posted. I don't have the videos yet where I can embed to this website so you have to click the link above to go to MSNBC to watch the videos.

Here's an excerpt of what one blogger, Ann Althouse, wrote about the appearance:

"At this point in his story, he says that he still remembers when he heard that the Mormon church announced that it was abandoning its belief in discrimination. He was driving his car, he says. I am moved to tears. He then says, after I've started to cry, that he pulled over to the side of the road and wept. Now, that was well done. I felt the emotion in the story and cried before he says he cried. I don't normally cry at anything a politician says. I tend to laugh at anything sentimental, especially when it's at all self-aggrandizing. So I'm going to say he showed some fine — Reaganesque — skill."

Judge Robert Bork endorses Gov. Romney

From MittRomney.Com:

There are few icons like Judge Robert Bork out there. We all remember his Supreme Court fight after he was nominated by President Reagan. What was done to him now has its own verb, "borking." Anyway, this is a really good endorsement by one of the most respected consevative jurists in the country.

Today, noted conservative jurist Judge Robert Bork endorsed Governor Mitt Romney for President of the United States.

Joining Romney for President, Judge Bork said, "Throughout my career, I have had the honor of serving under several Presidents and am proud to make today's endorsement. No other candidate will do more to advance the conservative judicial movement than Governor Mitt Romney. He knows firsthand how the judicial branch can profoundly affect the future course of a state and a nation. I greatly admired his leadership in Massachusetts in the way that he responded to the activist court's ruling legalizing same-sex 'marriage.' His leadership on the issue has served as a model to the nation on how to respect all of our citizens while respecting the rule of law at the same time."

Judge Bork continued, "Our next President may be called upon to make more than one Supreme Court nomination, and Governor Romney is committed to nominating judges who take their oath of office seriously and respect the rule of law in our nation. I also support Governor Romney because of his character, his integrity and his stands on the major issues facing the United States."

Welcoming Judge Bork's support, Governor Romney said, "For decades, Judge Bork has been a leader in moving the conservative legal movement forward. As one of our nation's premier conservative jurists, he has been an important voice for our conservative values in Washington. I look forward to his counsel and working with him on the most important judicial matters facing our nation today."

Background On Judge Robert Bork:
Judge Bork Is A Leading Conservative Jurist With A Long Record Of Public Service. Judge Bork served as Solicitor General from 1973 to 1978 and acting Attorney General from 1973 to 1974. From 1982 to 1988, he served as a Circuit Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. On July 1, 1987, he was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to the position of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. In February 1988, Judge Bork resigned from the Circuit Court and joined the American Enterprise Institute. Judge Bork, who also served as a partner at a major law firm and a Professor of Law at Yale University, is currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Hudson Institute and a Professor at the Ave Maria School of Law.

Gov. Romney on Meet the Press

Just so you know, Governor Romney will be Tim Russert's guest on "Meet the Press" this Sunday. Be sure to set your TiVo.

Michael Novak's endorsement

From MichaelNovak.Net:

I read this a couple days ago but hadn't posted it until now. For those of you unfamiliar with Mr. Novak, you can read his bio here, but he is an internationally recognized theologian and author. Quite an impressive guy.

He has decided to endorse Gov. Romney and here is his article:

Why I decided to support Mitt Romney

National Review beat me to it, alas, but I have been deciding to come out publicly for Mitt Romney for some days now. I have been supporting him privately for weeks, though I was trying to avoid supporting anybody publicly.

But the attacks upon Romney's religion have been a last straw. They are just not fair. I remember his father's campaigns and what an upright man he was — and no one even breathed a word against him because of his religion.

In addition, every one of the Mormons I have ever worked with, beginning with a great graduate assistant for one of my classes at Stanford in about 1967, have been the most well-mannered, inquisitive, competent, kind and thoughtful people I know. Arch Madsen of Bonneville Broadcasting, with whom I served on the Board of International Broadcast for many years, Joe Cannon who was on the AEI Board, Senator Orrin Hatch, and a long list of others always lifted my spirits.

One of my favorite texts from the New Testament is "By their fruits you shall know them." That verse has taught me to look for persons who actually love God, not so much by the churches they attend or what they say they believe, but by how they and their families live their lives. Over two public generations now, the Romney family has given us examples of upright, decent, warm lives, given to public commitment even though they did not have to be.

These days, though, it has become imperative for some Christians to come out publicly for Mitt, now that his religion has come under unfair attack. I am no expert on Mormon theology, but I do profoundly admire the good family life and good individuals it keeps sending forth into the world. Those are signs I read clearly.

And last night and today I was too sick at heart at Mike Huckabee's low and dirty dig at the Mormon faith, along disgustingly false lines. In running a clean campaign, the devil is in the details. Here Huckabee made the devil into a dirty headline. It seems to be a fatal mistake. Since Huckabee has shown himself to be such a good-humored, folksy man, this aside was entirely unnecessary, and emphatically wrong. He should disown it, and publicly apologize, very quickly.

In any case, that's the last straw. Someone has to protest, in the name of Christianity itself, that spreading bigotry and hatred for the sake of winning a political campaign is wrong. I for one don't want to let this issue of bigotry and suspicion pass by without protest — and without open support for its victim. The least Americans can do is speak up for each other on matters of religious liberty.

Romney is a good, executive-keen man, and without this mud he would earn the respect and love of the American people on his own.

Poweline's Paul agrees

From Powerline.Com:

In support of what I just mentioned about conservatives coalescing around Governor Romney, here's a posting from over at Powerline:

"A new Republican frontrunner?

For some time, Rudy Giuliani has justifably been considered the Republican frontrunner, though not a terribly convincing one. As Giuliani continues to slip slowly in the polls, I'm beginning to think that Mitt Romney can now claim this (perhaps dubious) distinction.

That's because Romney is looking more and more like the choice of mainstream conservatives. The best evidence is the National Review endorsement. As John noted, while endorsements generally aren't worth much, this one has value. More importantly, National Review's analysis may well exemplify (rather than influence) the thinking of a critical mass of conservatives. In the past month or two, a number of my most conservative friends have come around to supporting Romney for basically the same reasons National Review cited. Today, we learn that the estimable Michael Novak has, as well.

Romney would have sealed the deal with mainstream conservatives much earlier, but for the moderate to liberal positions he took on key social issues as a Massachusetts politician. When those positions came to light, many conservatives backed off, waiting for an alternative. Some evangelicals eventually found that alternative in Mike Huckabee. I'm thinking that a majority of conservatives as a whole are going to bite the bullet and go with Romney (personally, I'm still undecided).

It's a bit counter-intuitive suddenly to view Romney as the frontrunner, just as Iowa may be slipping away from him. If time permits, later today I'll offer a scenario under which Romney loses Iowa, but wins the nomination. "

Mona Charen on Gov. Romney

From RedState.Com:

There looks like a real movement toward Governor Romney among those who are concerned about maintaining the conservative coalition. More and more, people are recognizing that Gov. Romney is the best candidate to unite social AND fiscal conservatives. Take a look a the link for an article by Mona Charen but here are some excerpts:

"But no one running is more impressive than Mitt Romney. It was his speech on religion in American life that caused me to take another look at him. Until then, I confess that I saw him as a sort of robo-candidate: smooth, articulate, but perhaps a little opportunistic and possibly even insincere. The religion speech cast a new light on him."

"It is difficult to find any significant weakness in Romney. He is refreshingly articulate, exceedingly well prepared and self-disciplined, clearly an excellent manager with both private and government experience, happily married with a large, supportive family, and well within the mainstream of conservatism on every major issue. His nomination would not divide the base.

He is just the sort of candidate people complain that they never get."

Gov. Romney on Fox & Friends

Nebraska Governor endorses Gov. Romney

From Mitt Romny.Com:

Today, Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman announced his endorsement of Governor Mitt Romney for President of the United States. Governor Heineman joins current Governors Matt Blunt (R-MO) and Don Carcieri (R-RI) in endorsing Governor Romney.

"In his campaign for the presidency, Mitt Romney has outlined the clearest vision to move our country forward. With exceptional leadership experience and outstanding values, Governor Romney is the only candidate who can bring true conservative change to Washington. I am proud to be a part of his team and look forward to joining him as he travels across this country discussing his strategy to build a stronger America," said Governor Heineman.

Making today's announcement, Governor Romney said, "Governor Heineman understands that our party is strong when we stand for a strong defense, strong economy and strong families. In just a few short years as Nebraska's chief executive, he successfully passed the largest tax relief package in the state's history. Through conservative principles, Governor Heineman is making Nebraska a better place to live, work and raise a family. I look forward to working with him as we advance our strategy for a stronger America."

Background On Governor Dave Heineman:

Governor Dave Heineman Was Sworn In As Nebraska's 39th Governor On Friday, January 21, 2005. He was elected to his first full term on November 7, 2006 by the largest margin in recent history. In May of 2006, he overcame a forty point deficit to win a historic primary. Prior to becoming Governor, he served more than three years as Lieutenant Governor and nearly seven years as State Treasurer. Since becoming Governor, he has worked with the Nebraska Legislature to pass the largest tax relief package in the history of the state and the most comprehensive jobs creation, economic incentive legislation since the 1980s. A native Nebraskan, Governor Heineman is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served for five years in the U.S. Army. He is also a graduate of the Army's Airborne and Ranger Schools.

Video responses to the Iowa debate

Debate Feedback

WHAT THEY'RE REALLY SAYING ABOUT GOVERNOR
MITT ROMNEY AT THE DES MOINES , IA GOP DEBATE

Fox News' Frank Luntz: "When we do these debates, usually there is some sort of a split in how people react in terms of winners or losers. We do not have a loser this time, but clearly, Mitt Romney was the winner." (Fox News' "Live," 12/12/07)

· Luntz: "When Mitt Romney talked about education, it was an absolute home run. Romney's communication of education talked about his background and it was very effective in his presentation." (FOX News' Post-Debate Coverage, 12/12/07)

· Luntz: "[Romney] united both elements of the Republican Party. And not only was his language effective, but they thought that the job that he did was very well-communicated." (FOX News' Post-Debate Coverage, 12/12/07)

· Luntz: "It was a very good day for Mitt Romney – very effective." (FOX News' Post-Debate Coverage, 12/12/07)

National Review's Kathryn Jean Lopez: "Mitt won – sounded presidential, competent, made a case for himself, and was optimistic but realistic about the threats we face. He's hit his stride." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "Romney, the Manager," National Review's The Corner, http://corner.nationalreview.com/, Posted 12/12/07)

· Lopez: "…he seems to be focusing on his managerial skills in a big way this debate. Strikes me as a smart idea." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "Romney, the Manager," National Review's The Corner, http://corner.nationalreview.com/, Posted 12/12/07)

The Atlantic 's Marc Ambinder: "Mitt Romney had a hell of a good afternoon." (Marc Ambinder, "First Take: The Final Republican Debate," The Atlantic, http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com, Posted 12/12/07)

· Ambinder: [Romney] seemed more sinewy than usual, less programmed, quite (dare we say) presidential, and even-tempered." (Marc Ambinder, "First Take: The Final Republican Debate," The Atlantic, http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com, Posted 12/12/07)

National Review's Rich Lowry: "Romney wins in a romp. Positive and substantive." (Rich Lowry, "Luntz Focus Group," National Review's "The Corner," http://corner.nationalreview.com/=, Posted 12/12/07)

· Lowry: "Romney nails his answer to the tax question." (Rich Lowry, "Middle Income Families," National Review's "The Corner," http://corner.nationalreview.com/=, Posted 12/12/07)

· Lowry: "I think Romney's tax answer was so good with its emphasis on 'middle class families' is that so far the only candidate to try to address the anxieties of the middle class is Huckabee. Romney needs to get on that territory, but provide better policy answers than Huckabee. Which is exactly what he did." (Rich Lowry, "Off The Charts," National Review's "The Corner," http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/=, Posted 12/12/07)

· Lowry: "Another plug for 'middle class families' from Mitt. It's important for him to keep hitting on it." (Rich Lowry, "Another Plug For 'Middle Class Families'," National Review's "The Corner," http://corner.nationalreview.com/=, Posted 12/12/07)

Commentary's John Podhoretz : "Romney says it's incredibly important that the next president should be a conservative. We need to follow Ronald Reagan's model: social conservatives, economic conservatives and foreign policy conservatives. I want to draw on those strengths. Very strong answer." ( John Podhoretz , "LIVE: Blogging the Republican Debate Part Two," Commentary's "Contentions" www.commentarymagazine.com/, Posted 12/12/07)

· Podhoretz: "Quick call on the debate: Romney is very good." ( John Podhoretz , "LIVE: Blogging the Republican Debate Part Two," Commentary's "Contentions" www.commentarymagazine.com/, Posted 12/12/07)

The Weekly Standard's Richelieu: "Romney on his game." (Richelieu, " Richelieu : The Iowa Debate," The Weekly Standard's "Campaign Standard," www.weeklystandard.com/, Posted 12/12/07)

National Review's Jim Geraghty : "The issues – education, the budget – played to [Gov. Romney's] strengths." ( Jim Geraghty , "Iowa PBS and the Des Moines Register: Making CNN Look Good," National Review's "The Campaign Spot," http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/, Posted 12/12/07)

National Review endorses Governor Romney

From National Review.Com:

This is big and worth copying the whole thing:

Romney for President

By the Editors

Many conservatives are finding it difficult to pick a presidential candidate. Each of the men running for the Republican nomination has strengths, and none has everything — all the traits, all the positions — we are looking for. Equally conservative analysts can reach, and have reached, different judgments in this matter. There are fine conservatives supporting each of these Republicans.

Our guiding principle has always been to select the most conservative viable candidate. In our judgment, that candidate is Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts. Unlike some other candidates in the race, Romney is a full-spectrum conservative: a supporter of free-market economics and limited government, moral causes such as the right to life and the preservation of marriage, and a foreign policy based on the national interest. While he has not talked much about the importance of resisting ethnic balkanization — none of the major candidates has — he supports enforcing the immigration laws and opposes amnesty. Those are important steps in the right direction.

Uniting the conservative coalition is not enough to win a presidential election, but it is a prerequisite for building on that coalition. Rudolph Giuliani did extraordinary work as mayor of New York and was inspirational on 9/11. But he and Mike Huckabee would pull apart the coalition from opposite ends: Giuliani alienating the social conservatives, and Huckabee the economic (and foreign-policy) conservatives. A Republican party that abandoned either limited government or moral standards would be much diminished in the service it could give the country.

Two other major candidates would be able to keep the coalition together, but have drawbacks of their own. John McCain is not as conservative as Romney. He sponsored and still champions a campaign-finance law that impinged on fundamental rights of political speech; he voted against the Bush tax cuts; he supported this year’s amnesty bill, although he now says he understands the need to control the border before doing anything else.

Despite all that and more, he is a hero with a record that is far more good than bad. He has been a strong and farsighted supporter of the Iraq War, and, in a trying political season for him, he has preserved and even enhanced his reputation for dignity and seriousness. There would be worse nominees for the GOP (see above). But McCain ran an ineffectual campaign for most of the year and is still paying for it.

Fred Thompson is as conservative as Romney, and has distinguished himself with serious proposals on Social Security, immigration, and defense. But Thompson has never run any large enterprise — and he has not run his campaign well, either. Conservatives were excited this spring to hear that he might enter the race, but have been disappointed by the reality. He has been fading in crucial early states. He has not yet passed the threshold test of establishing for voters that he truly wants to be president.

Romney is an intelligent, articulate, and accomplished former businessman and governor. At a time when voters yearn for competence and have soured on Washington because too often the Bush administration has not demonstrated it, Romney offers proven executive skill. He has demonstrated it in everything he has done in his professional life, and his tightly organized, disciplined campaign is no exception. He himself has shown impressive focus and energy.

It is true that he has less foreign-policy experience than Thompson and (especially) McCain, but he has more executive experience than both. Since almost all of the candidates have the same foreign-policy principles, what matters most is which candidate has the skills to execute that vision.

Like any Republican, he would have an uphill climb next fall. But he would be able to offer a persuasive outsider’s critique of Washington. His conservative accomplishments as governor showed that he can work with, and resist, a Demo­crat­ic legislature. He knows that not every feature of the health-care plan he enacted in Massachusetts should be replicated nationally, but he can also speak with more authority than any of the other Republican candidates about this pressing issue. He would also have credibility on the economy, given his success as a businessman and a manager of the Olympics.

Some conservatives question his sincerity. It is true that he has reversed some of his positions. But we should be careful not to overstate how much he has changed. In 1994, when he tried to unseat Ted Kennedy, he ran against higher taxes and government-run health care, and for school choice, a balanced budget amendment, welfare reform, and “tougher measures to stop illegal immigration.” He was no Rockefeller Republican even then.

We believe that Romney is a natural ally of social conservatives. He speaks often about the toll of fatherlessness in this country. He may not have thought deeply about the political dimensions of social issues until, as governor, he was confronted with the cutting edge of social liberalism. No other Republican governor had to deal with both human cloning and court-imposed same-sex marriage. He was on the right side of both issues, and those battles seem to have made him see the stakes of a broad range of public-policy issues more clearly. He will work to put abortion on a path to extinction. Whatever the process by which he got to where he is on marriage, judges, and life, we’re glad he is now on our side — and we trust him to stay there.

He still has some convincing to do with other conservatives. Romney has been plagued by the sense that his is a passionless, paint-by-the-numbers conservatism. If he is to win the nomination, he will have to show more of the kind of emotion and resolve he demonstrated in his College Station “Faith in America” speech.

For some people, Romney’s Mormonism is still a barrier. But we are not electing a pastor. The notion that he will somehow be controlled by Salt Lake City or engaged in evangelism for his church is outlandish. He deserves to be judged on his considerable merits as a potential president. As he argued in his College Station speech, his faith informs his values, which he has demonstrated in both the private and public sectors. In none of these cases have any specific doctrines of his church affected the quality of his leadership. Romney is an exemplary family man and a patriot whose character matches the high office to which he aspires.

More than the other primary candidates, Romney has President Bush’s virtues and avoids his flaws. His moral positions, and his instincts on taxes and foreign policy, are the same. But he is less inclined to federal activism, less tolerant of overspending, better able to defend conservative positions in debate, and more likely to demand performance from his subordinates. A winning combination, by our lights. In this most fluid and unpredictable Republican field, we vote for Mitt Romney.

Washington Post article on Gov. Romney

From WashingtonPost.Com:

The Washington Post has a long article focused on Governor Romney's experience as a missionary in France during the late sixties. It is quite interesting. I think many of you know about the auto accident that he was involved in, but you may not know that he essentially helped run the church's operation in France for a time as a result. It has interesting tidbits talking about Gov. Romney's leadership traits.

Click the link for the full piece, but here are a couple excerpts:

"And then came an even scarier realization: As assistants to the mission president, Romney and McKinnon would be left in charge. This mess fell at their feet.

"We were young, and we were used to everyone else taking care of the hard part," McKinnon said. "Then it just crashed all around us. It's not like we had any choice. We had been called to serve." "

"Joseph Fielding Nelson packed a large suitcase in Geneva. Church officials had asked Nelson, president of the Mormon mission there, to provide adult supervision in Paris. He planned to stay in France for at least a week, maybe 10 days, to motivate missionaries after the tragedy.

On the evening he arrived in Paris, Nelson met with Romney and McKinnon to talk about what needed to be done. The next morning, Nelson repacked his suitcase and traveled back home.

"They didn't need me," he said. "Mitt just gave off the general impression of total confidence and calmness. He knew exactly what he was supposed to do."

"A few months later, Romney flew home with his confidence fortified. He had identified a lofty goal and then achieved it, a strategy he planned to replicate whenever opportunity called. "

Newt's comments on Gov. Romney's speech

On Sunday, I appeared on ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" to comment on what I am calling a bureaucratic coup d'etat, that is the new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran released earlier this week. I'll give you my take on it in a minute, but first, I wanted to share with you that while I was getting ready to appear, it occurred to me that all the historical comparisons being made between presidential candidate Mitt Romney's speech last week and President John Kennedy's speech in 1960 are wrong in a fundamental way.

After my appearance, I listened to some of the program's political analysts criticize former Massachusetts Republican Gov. Romney for pointing out the current, judicially-driven effort to drive faith and God from America's public square -- something Kennedy didn't do.

The Kennedy-Romney comparisons are fundamentally false because President Kennedy spoke at a time when Americans had a fundamentally different understanding of faith in the public square. He gave his speech almost two years before the Supreme Court decision Engel v. Vitale outlawed school prayer in 1962.

Kennedy Did Not Have the Burden of Defending Faith in the Public Square

Kennedy spoke 11 years before the 1971 Supreme Court decision in Lemon v. Kurtzman, in which the court devised its most stringent standard of legal secularism.

Kennedy spoke 20 years before the 1980 Supreme Court decision in Stone v. Graham, which found that the state of Kentucky could not post copies of the 10 commandments in public school classrooms.

Kennedy spoke 32 years before the 1992 Supreme Court decision in Lee v. Weisman, which held that non-sectarian invocations and benedictions at public school graduation ceremonies were unconstitutional.

Kennedy spoke 40 years before the 2000 Supreme Court decision in Santa Fe School District v. Doe, in which the court found that brief, nonsectarian, student-led prayer before football games (which no one is forced to attend, and where no one is forced to pray) is unconstitutional.

In the forty-seven years since Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kennedy delivered his historic speech, the courts have been increasingly hostile toward public religious expression and increasingly tolerant of anti-religious bigots and their agenda to remove all references to and acknowledgement of God from public life.

As Callista and I point out in our new DVD, Rediscovering God in America, public expressions of faith and God are central to America's past and critical to our future. President Kennedy certainly understood this.

Consider what Kennedy said in his inaugural address. He began by reminding us that he had just "sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago." He went on to reassert Jefferson's premise in the Declaration of Independence that we are all "endowed by [our] Creator with certain unalienable rights" by saying that "the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe-the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God."

Kennedy concluded his inauguration speech with these words, asking Americans to aspire to something greater than ourselves "with a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own."

You can read the entire Kennedy inaugural address here. You can listen to it here.

It is indeed true, as President Kennedy made plain, that our rights do indeed come to us from God, not from government, and they belong to all Americans -- believers and unbelievers alike.
What is different today is that we are living in an America that has suffered from 47 years of a judicial war against American freedom of religion. Gov. Romney deserves credit for defending American religious freedom -- and defending it well.

Quote of the Day

Today's quote is from Chet Huntley, who was born on this date in 1911: "[I used to believe] the government was the answer to all our problems. But the . . . government, I've concluded, is now an insufferable jungle of self-serving bureaucrats."

New ad -- "Choice: The Record"

AD FACTS: Script For "Choice: The Record" (TV:30):

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message." ANNOUNCER: "Two former governors, two good family men. Both pro-life, both support a Constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage."

- Governor Romney Has Been Recognized For His Pro-Life Leadership In Massachusetts . "Mitt Romney was a great Governor, who served with honor and distinction. But most importantly, he was a pro-life Governor. He vetoed a number of pro-abortion pieces of legislation and made many pro-life appointments. He was always there for us. He's a busy man these days and we are extra fortunate that he and his wife Ann could be with us. Governor, you have been an inspirational leader in many ways. And if I may say so, Mitt, you're looking very presidential. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming our friend, Governor Mitt Romney, to the podium as our 2007 Mullins Award Winner for Outstanding Political Leadership." (Kevin Jourdain, Remarks, Agawam , MA , 5/10/07)

- Governor Romney Supports A Constitutional Amendment Defending Traditional Marriage. "While Romney is willing to generally leave it to states to decide how to set up health care coverage plans, he said it shouldn't be left to states to decide same-sex marriage issues. 'It's a status that lasts a lifetime. And so, if somebody is married in one state and they move to another state, that status travels with them. And so, if you have gay marriage in one state, whether you want it or not, you have gay marriage in all states,' Romney told reporters after speaking at a Greenville , S.C. , restaurant." (Amy Lorentzen, " Iowa Gay Marriage Ruling Stirs 2008 Race," The Associated Press, 9/1/07)

ANNOUNCER: "The difference? Mitt Romney stood up, and vetoed in-state tuition for illegal aliens, opposed driver's licenses for illegals."

- Governor Romney Vetoed In-State Tuition For Illegal Immigrants. "Mr. Romney also cut several outside sections, including a plan that would allow illegal aliens to pay in-state tuition rates at state colleges and universities; he said the plan would encourage illegal immigration." (Shaun Sutner, "Romney Approves $22.5B Budget," Telegram & Gazette, 6/26/04)

- Governor Romney Opposed Efforts To Give Driver's Licenses To Illegal Immigrants. "'Those who are here illegally should not receive tacit support from our government that gives an indication of legitimacy,' the governor said, echoing arguments that opponents have voiced in the Commonwealth and in other states considering similar license measures. 'If they are here illegally, they should not get driver's licenses,' he said." (Scott S. Greenberger, "Romney Stand Dims Chances Of License For Undocumented," The Boston Globe, 10/28/03)

ANNOUNCER: "Mike Huckabee? Supported in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants. Huckabee even supported taxpayer-funded scholarships for illegal aliens. On immigration, the choice matters."

- Huckabee Fought To Pass A Bill Which Granted In-State Tuition Breaks For Illegals. "Other than the highway plan, the only bill in the governor's 21-bill legislative package that failed to win legislative approval was a proposal to make the children of illegal immigrants eligible for state-funded scholarships and in-state tuition to Arkansas colleges. After passing the House relatively early in the session, the bill faltered in the Senate where it was amended to remove the scholarship provision but fell just short of passage Tuesday and Wednesday. Huckabee said his office worked throughout the day Wednesday for the two Senate votes needed to pass the bill." (Melissa Nelson, "Governor Touts Successful End To Legislative Session," The Associated Press, 4/13/05)

- "'I Don't Understand The Opposition To It, I Just Honestly Don't,' Huckabee Said." (Melissa Nelson, "Governor Touts Successful End To Legislative Session," The Associated Press, 4/13/05)

- Huckabee Proposed Extending Taxpayer-Funded College Scholarships To Illegal Aliens. "Gov. Mike Huckabee is proposing extending eligibility for state-funded college scholarships to illegal aliens who graduate from Arkansas high schools - an idea that several legislators predicted will go nowhere" (Laura Kellams, "Huckabee Plan Would Aid Illegal Aliens," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/12/05)

- Huckabee Said It Was "Terribly Unjust" That Illegal Aliens Couldn't Have Taxpayer-Funded College Scholarships. "Huckabee said it's 'terribly unjust' for a child who arrived in Arkansas at a young age and graduated from high school to be denied state-funded college scholarships because of a 'a status that he had no control over.'" (Laura Kellams, "Huckabee Plan Would Aid Illegal Aliens," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/12/05)

Article from American Chronicle

From AmericanChronicle.Com:

This is a good piece that I found written by a self-described evangelical minister. Click the link for the full piece, but here are a couple excerpts:

Give Romney a Chance

"It's no secret that many evangelicals have great concerns over presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his Mormon faith. Their fear (I suspect) is that his religious beliefs could potentially lead the country down the wrong road. As an evangelical minister myself, I would like to appeal to my fellow believers to consider giving Mitt a chance. "

"From what I’ve seen thus far, Mitt Romney seems like a man of integrity with strong moral convictions and an authentic personality. Those are important qualities for a President whether he is a Christian or not.

But what about the position he takes on the issues? That ought to be of extreme importance to all of us. Have we seen anyone in recent times that was clearer about what he believes than Mitt Romney? He doesn’t hem haw around when asked a question but gets straight to the point, whether it’s something you want to hear or not. You have to give him that. Not only that but he stands for most everything we as evangelicals hold dear. He is pro-family and pro-life; he is for traditional marriage as being exclusively between a man and a woman. He is opposed to illegal immigration and affording special benefits to those who are not citizens. He believes in the rule of law and its enforcement. He is for lower taxes and less spending. And I could go on. He is in my view the conservative among conservatives still seeking the Republican nomination. And, if you check out his record as governor of Massachusetts, you will see that he has a proven ability to get things done.

Folks I really believe Mitt Romney would be a President we could all be proud of, and I know that many of you have already come to the same conclusion. He has a presence like none of the other candidates, and he consistently portrays an impeccable personal appearance wherever he goes. Besides all of that, he has to be one of the best political speakers and communicators we’ve witnessed since Ronald Reagan.

I hope all evangelicals will go to the polls with an open mind because, despite his Mormonism, he is still I believe a solid and yes safe choice. He could be even more if you give him a chance. "