Maybe we should lay off Romney for a bit.

[thesquanderer]

If he's too badly damaged before the convention, they may find a way to nominate someone else who will be tougher to beat. So maybe we should hold the big guns until after he's nominated!

[onehandle]

1. Uh... no. And he's the nominee, period. nt

[Iceberg Louie]

21. I'm not so sure these days...

The Republican'ts are slowly beginning to accept that, with significant shifts in demographics over the last 30 years, their tried-and-true Southern Strategy lacks the political punch it used to have. Not being above pulling any bottom-feeder stunt to seize power, they may now be turning to the oldest trick in the magician's handbook...misdirection.

I've had this feeling lately that the CONs are hoping to exhaust their opponent's resources by baiting them with this shamelessly vapid, empty suit with little ground to stand on and many vulnerable points, then switching out for a wild card at the convention, by which point it would be too late to build momentum against that newcomer.

I've always suspected that Rmoney is the GOP fall guy this time around one way or another. At any rate, one of three outcomes is guaranteed:

1.) Rmoney will lose, having no substance or merit of his own to run on, which the GOP puppetmasters were well aware of from the outset, focusing behind the scenes on prepping their 2016 super-candidate
2.) The puppeteers at the state level will pull a 2000 redux via the resurgence of voter purge, and Wall Street will have officially closed on their wholesale buyout of Washington
3.) Bait and switch, and in the confusion, slipping their guy/gal into the White House uncontested

[magical thyme]

41. doubt it. nobody but crazies from their clown car to switch to.

And they are well known crazies.

Too little time to introduce an unknown.

Jeb is holding out for a better shot in '16.

[democrat_patriot]

2. They would NEVER replace Romney. unless he's indicted or something.

Wouldn't that just leave Ron Paul?

Not sure how it works - but I'd like our chances against Paul.

[kitt6]

4. My thoughts

exactly.

[1StrongBlackMan]

10. Nope ...

If romney drops out (or is indicted), before the convention all nominee bets are off and the nominee field is open ... allowing the gop to draft Santorium or Pawlenty or Porter or Rubio, after rejecting bid by $i$er $arah and her sister god-whisperer, bachmann, and the donald.

If romney were to drop out after the concention, his VP ticket-mate would no doubt ascend to the top of the ticket.

The conspiract theorist in me suspects this is the plan that is in the works ... romney is the stalking-horse that will pull up with about 6-8 weeks to go before the election.

This campaign season has shown that the gop/right-leaning "independents" LOVE any gop candidate for about 4-8 weeks ... when they are faced with a challenge and the stupid falls out.

If romney were to pull out (or be indicted) after the convention, it would give his VP ticket-mate 4-6 weeks of campaign messaging; allowing the electorate to "get to know" him in an unchallenged environment. which should reduce the likelihood of unforced, off-message errors.

That would take us right up to the general election with few, if any, opportunities to debate the gop candidate or focus the Democratic message against the gop candidate.

I will be worried that I am correct if the gop VP candidate comes out speaking fire-breathing, base-talk ... with romney nowhere around.

[handmade34]

13. I agree with you!

I can imagine Romney stepping down... it will not be pretty

[CreekDog]

23. every cycle a handful of people say this and every cycle...

the reason it isn't done is because it undoes a primary result.

the second reason is that it's an implosion and will be seen as such.

and a new candidate doesn't start off with more support than the old one, unless the old one is absolutely getting trounced.

[1StrongBlackMan]

24. And ...

and a new candidate doesn't start off with more support than the old one, unless the old one is absolutely getting trounced.

in the event of an indictment, or being forced to admit he lied for political gain and then argued to cover up that lie, wouldn't result in Candidate romney getting trounced?

[JNelson6563]

3. Know thine enemy.

If there's one thing we know about Rethugs, when they fuck up, they don't correct, they double down.

I say the harder we hit before convention the more tightly they cling to Mitt. They hate him now but if we keep nailing him they will take him in.

Julie

[mac56]

15. +1

[corkhead]

27. Exactly. Expect them to circle the wagons. I can't wait till the convention.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

37. Turn the screws

[Sheepshank]

5. Actually, I don't see how a different/new nomination would be a bad thing?

It would prove the party in total disarray. And after the Palin debucle, their ability to make decent nominations will for ever be tainted.

[arcane1]

30. My thoughts exactly!

If this is some sort of repub strategy, then they suck more than I imagined!

[Avalux]

6. Hahaahaa! NO.

Do you really think the GOP base will believe the truth about Rmoney? They'll stand by him and go down with the ship. It's a beautiful thing.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. Are you kidding?

He needs to be pounded mercilessly and nonstop all the way to the election.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. Feel free, you and yours. Me and mine don't lay off Republicans ever.

Not for a second.

[CreekDog]

9. LMAO! Smooth!

Not that dumb, nope!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

11. Switch the scenario: if this were Obama, do you honestly think they'd lay off him?

Don't be naive, my friend.

We must continue to pounce. There are still too many Americans not paying attention and thinking that there's little difference between Obama and Mitt Romney. We need to continue to educate the American voter.

[wandy]

12. Not a chance! And while we are at it...

Romney should not be our only concern. We should also keep the heat on republican members of congress and republican governors.
Romney gets away with nothing!
Allen West gets away with nothing!
Joe Walsh gets away with nothing!
Scott Walker gets away with noting!

Add any repub you wish to the list is fair game!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

18. Totally agree with you

We need to focus on EVERY race and make sure that, if nothing else, the Republicans have to fight tooth and nail for every single vote. We need to stop making it so easy for these low(-life) tier candidates can't just keep sliding back into office year after year and election after election without anybody standing in their way.

[rufus dog]

14. No way in hell

Keep pounding his lame ass, let's say he becomes so damaged that the 'pukes do come up with an alternate. Then they look bad for having such a horrible candidate make it through the primaries.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

16. Why?

Like somebody else said earlier, they're not likely to replace him and even if they did, that wouldn't make them look very good (plus the Obama campaign would have a field day with it too). I say that we keep hitting 'em where it hurts. We need to fight fair (and with the truth as our ally) but fight tough. I can't believe that, after years and years of getting the stuffing kicked out of candidates and this country by the GOP that anybody would seriously counsel going soft on them, particularly since we're going to have to fight twice as hard this year to make sure enough of OUR people get out to vote to counter voter suppression/disenfranchisement efforts IMHO.

[flamingdem]

17. Donald Trump should step in!

He'd make a great candidate

[lonestarnot]

33. Mudflap would make a great candidate.

[thesquanderer]

39. Chris Christie might be formidable (n/t)

[KurtNYC]

42. GE seems to think he can be their next Reagan

(since Pat Buchanon didn't pan out for them)

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

19. Having the de facto nominee quit in disgrace would set Republicans back at least ten years

Coming right after the Palin and Chimp disgraces it might ruin the party forever. If the Republicans could reinvent themselves with a new nominee and pretend that nothing happened, and if people went along with that without question, it would shock and frighten me more than any horror movie scenario ever invented by Hollywood.

[my2sense]

20. Only if we want to lose more

Being nice to the very party that wants to do away with the middle class, cut safety nets, tax the bottom 99% while the wealthy continue to rake in an obscene amount of money? You can't fight fair with a bully. Pull out all the stops. Expose them for who they are and what they stand for whenever the opportunity presents itself.

[grantcart]

22. Replacing him at this point will mean a collapse of, among other things, contributions.

Landslide.

[Rosanna Lopez]

25. Not again!

Where does this idea keep coming from that Romney is going to be replaced with a different nominee?!

I just don't get it. That doesn't happen. Not in modern history at least. You don't change your nominee half-way through an election, even if he's doing very badly. (And Romney's not even doing that badly).

[MichiganVote]

26. Nah, he's it. They want him. They got em'.

[Hoyt]

28. I think that is a rational concern.

[braddy]

29. The attack needs to intensify, not cease. Now is the time to brand him.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

38. Absolutely!

[HopeHoops]

31. Yeah, they might pick someone better, like Palin.

[fascisthunter]

32. hahahahaha....

so transparent... do you really think people here are THAT stupid?

[Wounded Bear]

34. Bad idea....

Team Obama are the kings of rope-a-dope. I doubt they would fall for a Repub try at that strategy.

I might shift some emphasis down ticket to boost our House seats and hold the Senate, but I see no reason to show W Mitt Romney any "mercy."

The Repub machine is running out of oil. Time to throw more sand in the works.

[mnhtnbb]

35. Hell, no! Hold him down and give him a haircut.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

36. Seriously, the attacks on Romney are just 'wee jabs'

Obama's campaign is just giving Slick Willard a wee jab at times. The real stuff is still to come.

[KurtNYC]

40. who is "we" ?

Just some perspective: this is a website. We don't control the national media or the Obama campaign so it it is not up to us.

In 114 days we will lay off.

[ZombieViolin]

43. Seriously

Nothing we say or do will change the Republican Convention.

It is going to be a goat rodeo of immense proportions because they chose the strip club capital of America as their venue. It will be paparazzi heaven.

If only we could pay enough cover charges we might be able to deprive them of a quorum.

Having Romney as a candidate will also destroy their chances in 2016.

They needed to run a wingnut rather than a moderate this go round in order to put the Tea Party back in their box.

When Romney goes down in flames, as he will, the part of the party the Republicans keep locked in the attic will point to his failure and blame it on his being a flip-flopping waffle of a moderate. Then they will run a true believing eye-spinner in 2016 and the Democrats will win yet again.

They understand how to cheat pretty well, but it has caused them to lose their ability to play the game.

[Generic Brad]

44. Someone tougher to beat?

He's the best they have. You have just unintentionally cracked me up.