Secret Romney - Santorum ‘Deal’ Never Happened
Mitt’s Campaign Turns Its Guns On Santorum
By Dell Hill
So very much of what most call “news” during a heated political campaign is really just guesswork and conjecture. A case in point; recent headlines suggested strongly that Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum had reached some sort of agreement NOT to attack each other during the primary campaign. That suggestion is hogwash.
“Generally speaking, political campaigns don’t waste time or effort attacking competitors who pose no threat to their standing. The Mitt Romney campaign has mostly focused on Newt Gingrich for its attacks, which made sense in December and January, as Gingrich had the poll standing and the cash to pose a serious threat — a threat fulfilled in South Carolina. Now, however, the Romney campaign has a new target:
The campaign has sent out three press releases attacking the former Pennsylvania senator in the past 24 hours — and is trotting out lead-surrogate former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty to attack Santorum in a conference call this afternoon.
“Rick Santorum is a nice guy, but he is simply not ready to be President,” Pawlenty said in a statement released by the Romney campaign. Pawlenty also attacked Santorum for his record as “pork-barrel spender” who is not as conservative as he presents himself to be.
The new focus is a response to Santorum’s strong position leading up to Tuesday’s Minnesota caucus, leading Romney 29% to 27% in a Saturday poll by the Democrat-leaning Public Policy Polling.
Additionally, Santorum has been the only candidate who seems capable of tripping up the usually-unflappable Romney. In the two Florida debates, Santorum drew blood with attacks on the Massachusetts health care law Romney championed. The Romney campaign issued a separate list of Santorum’s “false attacks” on Romney’s signature legislative achievement in the Bay State.”
Dell’s Bottom Line:
Stay involved in the process and absorb as much information as possible, but don’t buy everything every camp is selling. This is a prime example.
Mitt Romney didn’t attack Rick Santorum because, at the time, Santorum was not a threat and it would have been a waste of time, money and energy to stomp on a dying horse. Far better to attack the candidate who poses the most formidable threat - in this case, Newt Gingrich. But, now that the worm has turned, so to speak, and Santorum is raising eyebrows, the Romney campaign has turned it’s guns around.
There was never any agreement between Romney and Santorum in some sort of shrewd, clandestine political hit job on Gingrich, despite what the writers’ crystal ball may have told them.
The Romney camp would love it if Santorum ran out of money and steam today! The Santorum camp is holding on for dear life and hopes to stay at least in third place (or higher) in the race because the guy in third is carrying the vital swing votes for one of the top two.
That’s the same reason Ron Paul is still with us. He’d like that third spot, if possible, to carry political muscle into the process - especially at the convention. That prospect continues to dim on a daily basis. Netting just 7% of the vote in Florida - after many years of campaigning on the very same issues - had to be the death knell for Dr. Paul’s presidential hopes. Third place is the best he can hope for and recent Santorum support would tend to put the final nail in the Paul political coffin. That’s not to say he won’t hang around and/or run as a third party candidate, it just means he’s done as a viable candidate for this year’s Republican party nomination.
Mitt’s Campaign Turns Its Guns On Santorum
By Dell Hill
So very much of what most call “news” during a heated political campaign is really just guesswork and conjecture. A case in point; recent headlines suggested strongly that Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum had reached some sort of agreement NOT to attack each other during the primary campaign. That suggestion is hogwash.
“Generally speaking, political campaigns don’t waste time or effort attacking competitors who pose no threat to their standing. The Mitt Romney campaign has mostly focused on Newt Gingrich for its attacks, which made sense in December and January, as Gingrich had the poll standing and the cash to pose a serious threat — a threat fulfilled in South Carolina. Now, however, the Romney campaign has a new target:
The campaign has sent out three press releases attacking the former Pennsylvania senator in the past 24 hours — and is trotting out lead-surrogate former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty to attack Santorum in a conference call this afternoon.
“Rick Santorum is a nice guy, but he is simply not ready to be President,” Pawlenty said in a statement released by the Romney campaign. Pawlenty also attacked Santorum for his record as “pork-barrel spender” who is not as conservative as he presents himself to be.
The new focus is a response to Santorum’s strong position leading up to Tuesday’s Minnesota caucus, leading Romney 29% to 27% in a Saturday poll by the Democrat-leaning Public Policy Polling.
Additionally, Santorum has been the only candidate who seems capable of tripping up the usually-unflappable Romney. In the two Florida debates, Santorum drew blood with attacks on the Massachusetts health care law Romney championed. The Romney campaign issued a separate list of Santorum’s “false attacks” on Romney’s signature legislative achievement in the Bay State.”
Dell’s Bottom Line:
Stay involved in the process and absorb as much information as possible, but don’t buy everything every camp is selling. This is a prime example.
Mitt Romney didn’t attack Rick Santorum because, at the time, Santorum was not a threat and it would have been a waste of time, money and energy to stomp on a dying horse. Far better to attack the candidate who poses the most formidable threat - in this case, Newt Gingrich. But, now that the worm has turned, so to speak, and Santorum is raising eyebrows, the Romney campaign has turned it’s guns around.
There was never any agreement between Romney and Santorum in some sort of shrewd, clandestine political hit job on Gingrich, despite what the writers’ crystal ball may have told them.
The Romney camp would love it if Santorum ran out of money and steam today! The Santorum camp is holding on for dear life and hopes to stay at least in third place (or higher) in the race because the guy in third is carrying the vital swing votes for one of the top two.
That’s the same reason Ron Paul is still with us. He’d like that third spot, if possible, to carry political muscle into the process - especially at the convention. That prospect continues to dim on a daily basis. Netting just 7% of the vote in Florida - after many years of campaigning on the very same issues - had to be the death knell for Dr. Paul’s presidential hopes. Third place is the best he can hope for and recent Santorum support would tend to put the final nail in the Paul political coffin. That’s not to say he won’t hang around and/or run as a third party candidate, it just means he’s done as a viable candidate for this year’s Republican party nomination.
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