Romney Spokesman Says Ron Paul is a 'Serious Competitor'

[sailingaway]

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2012/02/08/romney-spokesman-says-ron-paul-is-a-serious-competitor

[walt]

That Romney / Paul thing gets more bizarre all the time, doesn't it?

[nasaal]

That Romney / Paul thing gets more bizarre all the time, doesn't it?
Egh, political alliances are fairly typical. Not happy with Paul doing it, but no one is perfect.

[G-Wohl]

Egh, political alliances are fairly typical. Not happy with Paul doing it, but no one is perfect.

You're not happy that we've escaped the negative advertisements that every other candidate is receiving from the Romney camp?

Ron Paul is infiltrating the mainstream GOP with some seriously positive results. I say full steam ahead.

[sailingaway]

I don't think it is an alliance, I think Romney sees his own best chance as better if the 'opposition vote' is spread out than if it were solidly behind any one candidate at any given time. sort of like Santorum surged when Gingrich cratered and vice versa. He'd rather no one get all that high. I also think that he realizes that if he were able to get the nomination, we are the real ones he would have to be speaking with. Santorum and Gingrich's supporters dislike Obama much more than they dislike Romney. We're the ones who literally aren't sure there's much difference there to get excited about.

[CaptUSA]

They don't want to piss us off. They figure they're going to need us.

As far as the threat they perceive from Paul, it's probably just the fact that Paul is amassing delegates. And if Newt and Santorum stay in all the way, it's gets harder and harder for Romney to hit the magic number. But if they force one or the other out, they run the risk of coalescing the opposition. That makes Paul pretty important to their calculus. Not that he'll win, but that he'll end up preventing Romney from putting it away.

[specsaregood]

I don't think it is an alliance, I think Romney sees his own best chance as better if the 'opposition vote' is spread out than if it were solidly behind any one candidate at any given time. sort of like Santorum surged when Gingrich cratered and vice versa. He'd rather no one get all that high. I also think that he realizes that if he were able to get the nomination, we are the real ones he would have to be speaking with. Santorum and Gingrich's supporters dislike Obama much more than they dislike Romney. We're the ones who literally aren't sure there's much difference there to get excited about.

I think it might also be that Romney was wise enough to realize Paul's "weakness". Dr. Paul lives his life by the golden rule and non aggression principle. Wead hinted at it in an interview, that Romney has not lied and attacked Paul on the campaign trail. Wead specifically said that the other people had "lied" about Dr. Paul and his positions. Ron and his campaign is in many ways a counter-puncher, Romney hasn't thrown the first punch.

[BUSHLIED]

ugh, not according to CNN, all I have been watching is Santorum being pushed as the NEW anti-Romney...and they are showing Santorum now talking about his electability etc...

[trey4sports]

I don't think it is an alliance, I think Romney sees his own best chance as better if the 'opposition vote' is spread out than if it were solidly behind any one candidate at any given time. sort of like Santorum surged when Gingrich cratered and vice versa. He'd rather no one get all that high. I also think that he realizes that if he were able to get the nomination, we are the real ones he would have to be speaking with. Santorum and Gingrich's supporters dislike Obama much more than they dislike Romney. We're the ones who literally aren't sure there's much difference there to get excited about.


This. They know they can't win without our vote. All other supporters will line up behind the chosen one. Not us, nuh uh.

[thoughtomator]

An alliance requires both sides to contribute. Paul isn't really doing anything with respect to Romney, the ass-kissing is all Romney-side because they know they cannot win without us.

[AlexG]

You're not happy that we've escaped the negative advertisements that every other candidate is receiving from the Romney camp?

Ron Paul is infiltrating the mainstream GOP with some seriously positive results. I say full steam ahead.

Negative ads didnt hurt Gingrich, the truth hurt Gingrich. Gingrich has a past that many Americans can't settle with.

[KnowNothing]

You're not happy that we've escaped the negative advertisements that every other candidate is receiving from the Romney camp?

Ron Paul is infiltrating the mainstream GOP with some seriously positive results. I say full steam ahead.

I don't think I have ever seen a negative ad against Paul? Does one even exist?

I can't even begin to think of what the content would be. . . "He is not pro-America! He wants to repeal the Patriot Act!"

[Schiff_FTW]

This. They know they can't win without our vote. All other supporters will line up behind the chosen one. Not us, nuh uh.

Is that really true, though? Every poll that matches up Romney vs Obama shows Romney either close to or within the MOE. I don't know how much of "our vote" is factored in but currently Romney can potentially win with just the support he has now.

[sailingaway]

Is that really true, though? Every poll that matches up Romney vs Obama shows Romney either close to or within the MOE. I don't know how much of "our vote" is factored in but currently Romney can potentially win with just the support he has now.

They won't turn out.