The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

BREAKING: Team Romney Snubs Conservative Media in Anti-Newt Call UPDATE: Team Romney Denies

Posted on | December 9, 2011 | 46 Comments

UPDATE (8:50 p.m. ET): Both Da Tech Guy and Hot Air have received e-mails from the Romney campaign denying that there was any bias in the operation of the conference call. However, I have received an e-mail from Matt Lewis saying he sticks by his story.

So: Accusation or denial — which do you believe?

** PREVIOUSLY (3:21 p.m. ET) **

Mitt Romney’s campaign organized a media conference call Thursday on which two Romney surrogates — Missouri Sen. Jim Talent and New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu — took turns bashing Newt Gingrich.

Matt Lewis at Daily Caller points out that although they took questions from left-wing outfits like Talking Points Memo and Mother Jones, the Romneyites couldn’t find time for any conservative media.

UPDATE: Just to give you a small sample of the many mainstream media headlines that conference call generated:

Romney seeks high ground
as allies attack Gingrich
— Associated Press

Newt’s nastiness comes back to haunt him
— Washington Post

First Thoughts: Newt’s moment of truth
— MSNBC

And I emphasize that this is a small sample — a teaspoon from the ocean — of anti-Gingrich coverage generated by that phone call, in which it seems a “No Conservatives Need Ask Questions” policy was enforced.

While I have zero love for Gingrich, there are ways to fight that are fair and honorable, and ways that are unfair and dishonorable. Team Romney did themselves no favors by their choice of weapons and tactics.

UPDATE II: Da Tech Guy says this isn’t going to win Mittens no love, and Ed Morrissey — also not invited to the conference call — has this video in which Romney lays the knife into Newt’s spleen:

You know who’s smart to stay out of this ugly infighting among Republicans? The next President of the United States, that’s who!

UPDATE III: Alana Goodman at Commentary:

Something that may resonate with Iowa Tea Partiers even more than the Romney ad is this devastating Rand Paul column in the Des Moines Register attacking Gingrich as a phony conservative “establishment” figure.

Ron Paul fans will want to frame Goodman’s post –probably the only time you’ll see favorable notice for someone named “Paul” at Commentary.

Category: Election 2012, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich

Comments

46 Responses to “BREAKING: Team Romney Snubs Conservative Media in Anti-Newt Call UPDATE: Team Romney Denies”

  1. Finrod Felagund
    December 9th, 2011 @ 3:46 pm

    Yet another reason that no one who deigns to call themselves conservative should even consider voting for Mitt Romney for any office above assistant dog catcher.
     

  2. Joe
    December 9th, 2011 @ 3:54 pm

    Remember in Lord of the Rings, Return of the King when the King of Rohan and his horse are attacked by the Wraith King riding the Nazgûl.   The beast is about to feed on the fallen king who lies mortally wounded, when his neice jumps up to defend him.  The Ringwraith declares:  “Do not come between the Nazgul and his prey…” 

    Well you know how that turned out. 

    This article reminds me of that movie scene.   Hewitt is a ringwraith for Lord Romney. 

    Okay, okay, Romney does not have the gravitas to be evil Lord Sauron. 

    Now don’t get me wrong, even a broken clock is right twice a day.  Hewitt is right we should not trust or encourage Trump.  Rush Limbaugh said today Trump is a trojan horse for Obama.  If Trump runs, Republicans lose.  But we all know who Hewitt is in the bag for. 

  3. Anonymous
    December 9th, 2011 @ 3:57 pm

    So you’re saying that if Romney gets the nomination, you’re voting for . . . ?

  4. MrPaulRevere
    December 9th, 2011 @ 4:05 pm

    From Matt Lewis’s twitter feed: I wonder if MoveOn or DailyKos will finally get to ask a question on today’s Romney conference call…             

  5. Finrod Felagund
    December 9th, 2011 @ 4:10 pm

    Well, four years ago I swore I’d never vote for John McCain, either.

    I ended up justifying my vote by saying I was voting for Palin and her running-mate.  Lame, I know.

    Just for my own curiosity, if Newt Gingrich gets the Republican nomination, will you vote for him in the general election?

  6. Zilla of the Resistance
    December 9th, 2011 @ 4:17 pm

    Romney’s people sound like prog d-bags. I am so sick of “republicans” catering to the Obama-shilling leftist media who the hell do these idiots think will be voting in the GOP primaries anyway? If a Republican candidate wants the respect of  conservative voters, they should try talking with conservative media because most of us don’t bother with puffho or the Daily Kos. They need to realize that Conservative bloggers exist and that the dinosaur media is circling the drain. Wouldn’t it be nice if the GOP joined the 21st century?

  7. Joe
    December 9th, 2011 @ 4:27 pm

    I will vote for whoever the GOP puts up.  It will not be Ron Paul.  It will probably not be Santorum or Bachmann or Perry…it will likely be Romney or Gingrich.  I am not thrilled about it, but Obama has to go. 

    http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/obamas-thing-gruel-osawatomie/247271

  8. DarthLevin
    December 9th, 2011 @ 4:30 pm

    If Romney gets the nomination, my vote will go to either a) the non-D/R who best represents a constitutional candidate or b) a write-in for “None Of These Bozos”. I refuse to vote again for a statist wearing an “R” badge. Remember, when you choose between the lesser of two evils, you’re still choosing evil.

  9. Anonymous
    December 9th, 2011 @ 4:37 pm

    If Newt actually meant that key line (“I don’t think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering”), he’d be the GOP’s best bet since Reagan.

    But of course he doesn’t mean it, as he’s demonstrated over and over.

    Really, the only two candidates who aren’t ten pounds of shit stuffed in a five-pound sack are Santorum and Paul.

    Narrow that down to who’s right or wrong on the most, and most important issues, and Paul becomes the only candidate whose nomination would not be tantamount to the GOP telling America “yeah, sorry about that, we’re just not really that into you this year.”

  10. Anonymous
    December 9th, 2011 @ 4:50 pm

    Good….good….(evil grin)

  11. M. Thompson
    December 9th, 2011 @ 4:55 pm

    Mr. Romney:  playing to the enemy.  At least Mr. Gingrich tries to care.  And I repeat what should be the main chorus around here:  Kick out Mr. Obama, and pack the House and Senate as conservatively as possible.

    So if that means we have to get a squishy type in the Oval Office  to ensure the right majority in Congress, so be it.  But focus on bringing your local district as far to the right as possible.  You know your local terrain best, so fight there!

  12. Joe
    December 9th, 2011 @ 5:08 pm

    Paul is unelectable because he is so fundamentally wrong on issues like foreign policy.  But the GOP really does not have a lot of good options this election.  So my guess they will go with either Romney or Gingrich, as the least bad (as least as the party elites see it), blandest picks of the bunch. 

  13. Anonymous
    December 9th, 2011 @ 5:16 pm

    Actually, Paul’s the only one who’s anywhere close to fundamentally right — or at least nominally in accord with the GOP’s line prior to WWII, its formative line between the end of the Cold War and 9/11, and the stated preferences of the current American majority — on foreign policy.

    There’s no way for the GOP to compete with Obama from the “hawk” position. He’s Bush on steroids. Any further in that direction would require the construction of a giant arena in Nuremburg, Pennsylvania for party rallies, and there’s just no money in the budget for that kind of thing.

  14. Guest
    December 9th, 2011 @ 5:19 pm

    …and who did you vote for in ’08, RSM? Bob Barr, wasn’t it?

  15. Guest
    December 9th, 2011 @ 5:22 pm

    Newt is a squishy conservative at best.
    Romney is actively courting the Democrats.
    Decision looks simple to me…

  16. Mortimer Snerd
    December 9th, 2011 @ 5:45 pm

    Paul’s column is devastating, indeed.  With regard to his Rockefeller republican comment, I was a little surprised to read in his Wiki article recently that Newt was the southern regional director for NelsonR.  in 1968.  He would have been only 25 at the time.

    For an even more devastating tome on Newt, check Ann Coulter’s latest.  Ouch!

  17. Anonymous
    December 9th, 2011 @ 5:59 pm

    Sorry…I’m not on the ABO bus.

    A Progressive with an (R) is still a Progressive.

  18. Anonymous
    December 9th, 2011 @ 6:00 pm

    Rick Santorum?

    Write in Cain?

  19. Anonymous
    December 9th, 2011 @ 6:22 pm

    I will vote for -and campaign enthusiastically in support of- Mitt Romney as nominee

    Until then- we’ll all be fighting tooth-and-nail to keep from having to do that

  20. Joe
    December 9th, 2011 @ 6:37 pm

    Although the unions in Pennsylvania would love the public works work. 

  21. Anonymous
    December 9th, 2011 @ 6:43 pm

    You bet they would!

    Of course, between Obama and the Republicans, I won’t be surprised if four years from now we’re all in FDR/CCC style work camps building dams across non-existent rivers or digging holes and filling them in “to get the economy going.”

  22. Gayle
    December 9th, 2011 @ 6:58 pm

    My family and I will vote third party if Romney is the pick. I can vote for Bachmann, possibly for Santorum, hold my nose for Newt and Perry, and maybe even hold my nose for Ron Paul. But I will NOT vote for Romney under any circumstances. And I have heard the same from more than a few others.

  23. Joseph Fein
    December 9th, 2011 @ 7:05 pm

    Folks, something to keep in mind – Romney hired some of the same people from Meg Whitman’s campaign.

    If you want to see what a Romney Primary win will look like, look no further then CA 2010.

    It was the Whitman staff (who now works with Romney) that shut down the Southland Fundraiser.  But could not find the time to call me — instead she delegated that out to my friend who was the Political director of the CRP (before he was fired to save the Whitman campaign $10,000)

    Thank me later.

  24. Guest
    December 9th, 2011 @ 8:18 pm

    Vote for  Bob Barr? Write-in Snoopy?

  25. richard mcenroe
    December 9th, 2011 @ 8:47 pm

    And now we get to wonder all over again who was the original leak on Cain to Politico, don’t we?

  26. Rick Santorum is the Most Consistent Conservative in the GOP Primary | The Lonely Conservative
    December 9th, 2011 @ 9:11 pm

    […] Santorum earlier. You have to love a guy that isn’t afraid to name the enemy.Update 5: Mitt Romney’s campaign denies excluding conservatives. Okay, take them at their word. But why don’t they set aside a half […]

  27. jwallin
    December 9th, 2011 @ 9:21 pm

    All this should come as no surprise.

    Romney’s a charter member in the GOP  aka The Stupid Party.

  28. Garym
    December 9th, 2011 @ 10:23 pm

    Romney’s team are acting like a bunch of democrats.

  29. Dan
    December 9th, 2011 @ 10:26 pm

    A vote has two main effects. It’s primary effect is to select a new president. It’s secondary effect is to signal to the party putting a candidate forward what kind of candidate is acceptable.

    If the primary effect is largely meaningless, either because the candidates are of very like minds re: policy, say a contest between Bill Clinton and John McCain, or the outcome is predetermined, say a contest between Not GW Bush and Any Republican, the secondary effect becomes determinative.

    So if I determine that the election is already lost, or that the candidate put forward by the GOP is not capable of making any significant difference in the trajectory of the country, it is my obligation to point out to the party what a disaster their choice is. Since I haven’t enough donation money to get their attention, my vote is the only currency I have to bargain with.

    Of course, the GOP has repeatedly demonstrated that they are incapable of learning from experience, as learning would require the removal of dozens of professional parasites. As Sinclair Lewis said:  “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it!”

  30. Garym
    December 9th, 2011 @ 10:28 pm

    Romney is edging towards the Ron Paul precipice of candidates I won’t vote for.

  31. ThePaganTemple
    December 9th, 2011 @ 11:03 pm

    It occurred to me earlier something that might make any GOP candidate win the general election. They need to ask Rand Paul to be their running mate. That way most of Ron’s pod people will vote for the GOP ticket.

  32. Santorum ‘Planning to Win’ in Iowa : The Other McCain
    December 9th, 2011 @ 11:18 pm

    […] the question, and Santorum gave his honest opinion. This wasn’t gratuitous Newt-bashing. NTTAWWT.My own interest was trying to capture a sense of how the campaign “feels” out there in […]

  33. Garym
    December 9th, 2011 @ 11:24 pm

    The problem with that is Ron Paul will most likely endorse or run as the liberatarian candidate and Paulbots will follow.

  34. Edward
    December 9th, 2011 @ 11:41 pm

    As an independent I can choose who I want to vote for without any of this nonsense.  And if it’s Romney, he can kiss my ass.

  35. Romney Campaign Slams Gingrich in Conference Call: Conservative Media Ignored » Conservative Hideout 2.0
    December 9th, 2011 @ 11:49 pm

    […] chance that you needed another reason to avoid Romney like the one manned RINO Plague that he is, here is the lastest, from The Other McCain… Mitt Romney’s campaign organized a media conference call Thursday on which two Romney […]

  36. Adjoran
    December 10th, 2011 @ 12:49 am

    Then you will help reelect Obama.  Nice work.

  37. Adjoran
    December 10th, 2011 @ 12:58 am

    Unless you have some conservative reporter who was on the conference and didn’t get to ask a question, it’s just more fabricated garbage.  Romney’s campaign says everyone who wanted to ask a question was answered on this call, unlike most.

    I haven’t seen any indication it was any different than any other phone conference call with questions.  You are signed in when you access the number, then connected.  At some point the facilitator tells you to press “#” or “1” if you have a question. 

    People who’ve been on many of these calls know to press the second they tell you which button, as time will limit the number who get through. 

    But it’s nothing unusual for some people to threaten to leave the party over crap like this which someone apparently pulled out of their butt. 

  38. Adjoran
    December 10th, 2011 @ 1:00 am

    How?  By answering EVERY question asked?

    WHO didn’t get their question answered?

  39. Adjoran
    December 10th, 2011 @ 1:00 am

    Hell,  just cut out the middle man and vote for Obama.  Why pretend you don’t want him to win?

  40. Adjoran
    December 10th, 2011 @ 1:02 am

    So, were you also a sucker for Obama in 2008?

  41. Adjoran
    December 10th, 2011 @ 1:03 am

    And yet Matt wasn’t even ON the call, although invited, because he had better things to do.

    Whiny little prig.  Well, it’s the Daily Caller, after all. 

  42. Adjoran
    December 10th, 2011 @ 1:05 am

    Which conservative reporter/blogger didn’t get to ask a question?  The Romney people say they answered every one on this call, none left in the queue.

  43. The Minority Report Blog » Under the Fedora: Endorsements, Islamists and 10 decades of film
    December 10th, 2011 @ 4:14 am

    […] If Mitt doesn’t want the conservative vote, I can’t think of a way to express it better than this. […]

  44. Anonymous
    December 10th, 2011 @ 11:31 am

    Romney sucks and will not be President.

  45. Republicans, They Thirst for Death « Ric's Rulez
    December 10th, 2011 @ 12:20 pm

    […] side. Moe Lane is resignedly indignant that no right-leaning outlets were included, and Stacy, The Tech Guy, and Ed Morissey are a little more outspoken. It’s quite true that […]

  46. Edward
    December 10th, 2011 @ 1:22 pm

    Nope.  I did not vote for Obama nor did I vote for McCain.

    I vote for conservatives only and that’s it.  I don’t waste my time voting for least objectionable piece of crap that the GOP presents on a platter.  I did that for over 20 years and all I saw was a GOP absolutely intent on excluding conservatives wherever and whenever possible.

    And as long as conservatives are willing to go along with that and aren’t willing to make a stand then you’ll continue to have situations where the GOP determines who the candidates are and not the voters.