Mitt "Elmer Fudd" Romney on the stump (but not a deer stand, apparently)

[eidsvolling]

Straight talk from a straight shooter, on his credentials to lead the country. Well, sorta straight at least -- "close enough" to the truth is OK, right?

Romney calls himself a longtime hunter, even though he's only gone out 2 times

"In a question-and-answer session Tuesday in Keene, N.H., Romney spoke of his experience with hunting in a manner that suggested a close affiliation with the sport.

'''I purchased a gun when I was a young man. I've been a hunter pretty much all my life,''' he told a man sporting a National Rifle Association cap.

"Yet the former Massachusetts governor's hunting experience came during two trips at the bookends of his 60 years: as a 15-year-old, when he hunted rabbits with his cousins on a ranch in Idaho, and last year, when he shot quail on a fenced game preserve in Georgia.

"The 2006 trip was an outing with major donors to the Republican Governors Association, which Romney headed at the time.

"An aide said Wednesday that Romney was not trying to mislead anyone, although he confirmed Romney had been hunting only on those occasions in his life."

But hey, he did buy a lifetime NRA membership last year . . . right when he started running in the Republican primary.

 

[JWarren]

The man is a piece of work.


John

 

[Lone_Gunman]

It is really hard to believe that the Republican Party's most popular candidates are McCain, Giuliani, and Romney.

 

[the pistolero]

It is really hard to believe that the Republican Party's most popular candidates are McCain, Giuliani, and Romney.

Perhaps that's about to change:

Thompson's bona fides as the great conservative hope

By ROBERT D. NOVAK
In just three weeks, Fred Thompson has improbably transformed the contest for the Republican presidential nomination. It is not merely that he has come from nowhere to double digits in national polls. He is the talk of GOP political circles, because he is filling the conservative void in the Republican field of candidates.

Republican activists have complained for months that none of the big-three contenders — Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney — fits the model of a conservative leader for a conservative party. The party faithful have been waiting for another Ronald Reagan. But in conversations with them the past year, nobody mentioned Thompson as the messiah until he appeared March 11 on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.

His statement to Wallace that he was "giving some thought" to a presidential run generated a reaction that surprised Thompson. In the first Gallup poll that listed Thompson (March 23-25), he scored 12 percent — amazing for someone out of public life for more than four years who has not campaigned.

More important than the polling data is his backing within the political community. Buyer's remorse is expressed by several House members who had endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Romney.

Thompson's popularity reflects weakness among announced Republican candidates, as reflected in the Gallup survey. Sen. McCain, no longer an insurgent but still not accepted by conservatives, is stuck in the 20-25 percent range. Former New York City Mayor Giuliani has dropped precipitously from 44 percent to 31 percent, amid attacks on his ideology and personal life. Most startling, despite a well-financed, well-organized campaign, Romney has fallen to 3 percent.

Sophisticated social conservative activists tell me they cannot vote for Giuliani under any conditions and have no rapport with McCain or Romney. They do not view Sen. Sam Brownback, representing the social right, as a viable candidate. They are coming to see Thompson as the only conservative who can be nominated. Their appreciation of him stems not from his eight years as a U.S. senator from Tennessee but his actor's role as district attorney of Manhattan on Law and Order. That part was molded to Thompson's specifications as a tough prosecutor, lending him political star power.

Thompson's political origin as a protege of Sen. Howard Baker, leader of the Tennessee GOP's more liberal wing, prompted hard-line Senate conservatives to consider him a little too liberal.

Actually, his lifetime Senate voting record as measured by the American Conservative Union was 86 percent. It would have been close to 100 percent except for his repeated votes supporting McCain's campaign finance reform. None of the big-three Republicans has been so consistently conservative as Thompson on tax policy, national security and abortion.

The principal complaint about Thompson concerns not his ideology but his work ethic. The rap is that he does not burn the midnight oil — the identical criticism of Reagan, before and during his presidency. That carping may betray resentment that Thompson has emerged as a full-blown candidate without backbreaking campaign travel and tedious fund-raising.

Thompson's critics assert that, bored with his lucrative career as an actor, he has enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame created by a chance TV interview and will not really run. But he privately assures friends that this is for real. His performance on Fox News Sunday was no accident. He went on the program for the purpose of unveiling his possible candidacy.

Thompson did not leave public policy when he left the Senate. He has served on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. He hardly knew Scooter Libby but felt he was getting a raw deal, appeared in his courtroom and helped raise money for his defense fund.

Friends bet Thompson will run. He clearly wants to try, and his wife, Jeri, is all for it. Seeking the best timing, he wants to avoid the pitfalls encountered by Democrat Barack Obama, who may have damaged himself by starting his campaign too quickly.

I met Fred Thompson in 1974 as Howard Baker's 31-year-old minority counsel on the Watergate investigation. I considered him cool, careful and conservative. He still is, and that is how he would run for president, which appears in the offing.

Novak is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington.

 

[71Commander]

On Romney:

The man is a piece of work.

His father was a piece of work as well.

 

[JWarren]

His father was a piece of work as well.

I think his son, Tagg, will be a piece of work, too. He was on Fox News as a spokesman for his pop. He is actively working on Mitt's campaign.


I swear-- what is it with those guys in MA?? The kid's name is Tagg!

Me thinks Mitt and Tagg have seen more yachting time than hunting time.


John

 

[antsi]

---quote-----
It is really hard to believe that the Republican Party's most popular candidates are McCain, Giuliani, and Romney.
--------------

I don't know about "most popular," certainly not most popular among the rank and file.

Perhaps "most hyped by the media," "Republicans most popular among Democrats," or "most heavily promoted by the weenies who are pulling the strings at the Republican National Committee" would be a better description of these clowns.

The only Republican candidate who is generating enthusaism among actual Repblican voters is Fred Thompson. Not coincidentally, he is also far more conservative than any of the media's top three Republicans.

 

[GEM]

The politician goes hunting!

Kerry shoots his goose.
Bush shot down the endangered TX cockamaime bird - or whatever.

It's those damn O/U assault shotguns!! They have two barrels!! Drives pols mad with aggressive lust.

Tommy Thompson was raving about being a hunter to Chris Matthews.

 

[xd9fan]

why is it when I see the GOP front runners......they act and look like the Democrat front runners.....

 

[Malone LaVeigh]

He went on the program for the purpose of unveiling his possible candidacy.

Nothing for or against Thompson, I just thought that line was priceless...

 

[cbsbyte]

Personally, I don't believe anything Mitt says. He could tell me its snowing outside, and I would look out the window. He is a two face liar who will say anything to get elected, like many politicans, but he is a natural. Trust me I am from Mass, and know first hand what this man will do, thank the gods the Dems are in control and would not cave in to his demands. It is also quite possible the man had never hunted in his life. He supported closing more public land to hunters in Mass.

 

[Matt King]

No grown man can change his political positions that quickly. One day Mitt Supported Gun Control, the next day he was a member of the NRA. How convenient that he makes this change around the same time that he announces his candidacy for President. And still some people actually think that the GOP is all that better than the DNC.

 

[hqmhqm]

I swear, hearing Republicans support Romney reminds me of those Lousiana voters who supported David Duke. I remember this lady being quoted as saying "well, he's changed. He's born again, I believe in giving him a chance".

How stupid do you need to be to not get the message that this guy will say anything at all to get himself elected. I think some people vote for his "leading man" looks, he has better hair than the other guys. It makes me fear for the future of the country.

I live in MA, I have seen first hand the total slime this guy gives off. He has no principles that I can tell which he would not exchange for being voted into power. His claim to fame before being elected in MA was running the Winter Olympics, which is as corrupt and venal an organization as you will find anywhere. I just do not get it.

 

[Standing Wolf]

why is it when I see the GOP front runners......they act and look like the Democrat front runners.....

It might have something to do with the fact that they're the "Republican" front-runners annointed by the national leftist extremist so-called "news" media. They're sock puppets.

 

[gezzer]

Wow, everyone is just realizing that Mitt is the same as Kerry. I cannot say we did not warn you of politicians from MA.

 

[GEM]

No grown man can change his political positions that quickly.

Reminds me of that gay reverend a few months ago who when he got caught, went and prayed with some other reverends to be 'cured'.

 

[Master Blaster]

A republican Trojan Horse.

He loved the 1994 AWB and passed a Massachusetts version didnt he??

Keep the gates closed and stay inside the city guys and maybe that Romney horse will roll back to Mass.

Michael Mooore also joined the NRA as lifemember didnt he???

 

[eidsvolling]

Romney Redux

With apologies to John Updike for the subtitle, but you gotta admit the pun is funny. (Or maybe the better metaphor is Alice in Wonderland? --watch below for the "jack rabbit exception," as Mitt runs down the hole and away from the game wardens.)

1.Jan. 10, 2007 : “The Glenn and Helen Show” podcast. “I have a gun of my own. I go hunting myself. I’m a member of the NRA and believe firmly in the right to bear arms.” Start listening at minute 12 in the audio file: http://drhelen.blogspot.com/2007/01/podcast-with-mitt-romney.html

2. Feb. 18, 2007: ABC News “This Week” http://www.abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/Politics/story?id=2885156&page=2

“I’ve been a hunter all my life, not frequently, but as a boy, when I worked on a ranch in Idaho, we used to go out shooting rabbits, because they were eating all the barley, and I got pretty good with a single shot .22 rifle, and been quail hunting more recently.

“So I’m a hunter and believe in Second Amendment rights, but I also believe that assault weapons are not needed in the public population.”

3. April 3, 2007: Keene, NH, campaign appearance, to a guy wearing an NRA cap who asked about gun control: "I purchased a gun when I was a young man. I've been a hunter pretty much all my life." http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5592560?source=rss

4. April 4, 2007: AP story: "Yet the former Massachusetts governor's hunting experience is limited to two trips at the bookends of his 60 years: as a 15-year-old, when he hunted rabbits with his cousins on a ranch in Idaho, and last year, when he shot quail on a fenced game preserve in Georgia. Last year's trip was an outing with major donors to the Republican Governors Association, which Romney headed at the time. An aide said Wednesday that Romney was not trying to mislead anyone, although he confirmed Romney had been hunting only on those occasions in his life . . . . Romney added: "Shooting a rabbit with a single-shot .22 is pretty hard, and after watching me try for a couple of weeks, (my cousins) said, 'We'll slip you the semiautomatic. You'll do better with that.' And I sure did."" http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5592560?source=rss

5. April 5, 2007: Indianapolis news conference: ”I’m not a big-game hunter. I’ve made that very clear,” he said. ”I’ve always been a rodent and rabbit hunter. Small varmints, if you will. I began when I was 15 or so and I have hunted those kinds of varmints since then. More than two times.” http://news.bostonherald.com/politics/view.bg?articleid=193266

6. April 6, 2007: AP story: "Officials in the four states where Mitt Romney has lived say the Republican presidential contender, who calls himself a lifelong hunter, never took out a license. Romney says that's because he has seldom hunted where he needed one.

"Questions about his hunting activities trailed Romney this week after he remarked at a campaign stop that he has been a hunter nearly all his life. The next day, his campaign said Romney had been hunting only twice, once as a teenager in Idaho and again last year with GOP donors in Georgia.

"That was wrong, Romney said the day after that, adding that he had hunted rabbits and other small animals for many years, mainly in Utah. Hunting certain small game there doesn't require a license.

'The report that I only hunted twice is incorrect,' Romney said in a statement issued Friday. 'I've hunted small game numerous times, as a young man and as an adult. I'm by no means a big game hunter. I'm more Jed Clampett than Teddy Roosevelt.'

"His staff refused Friday to provide details about his hunting history, including whose gun he used, with whom he hunted and whether he hunted in Utah as a college student or as an adult. He does not own a firearm, despite claiming to earlier this year.

"The former Massachusetts governor issued the statement Friday after The Associated Press asked wildlife officials in Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Utah for any documentation verifying Romney had been a registered hunter.

"Officials from Michigan, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, where a license is necessary to hunt such small game, said they could not immediately locate any license for Romney. An official in Utah said a change in state law last year blocked public access to license records.

"Of the four states, Utah has the most liberal hunting regulations for small game. Jack rabbits can be hunted without a license and killed without limit, but cottontail rabbits and snowshoe hares require a license."
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/ROMNEY_HUNTING?SITE=VTBRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT.


In other words, apparently it depends on what your definition of "rabbit" is . . .

 

[Valkman]

Most of his "hunting" was probably for two-legged splittails in bars!