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Subscribe to RSSCHARLESTON, SC—In a state where the Tea Party may hold greater influence than in any other early primary contest, Mitt Romney told reporters in South Carolina today he could be the “ideal” candidate to earn Tea Party support.
“I believe on the issues as well, that I line up with [Tea Party supporters]: a smaller government, a less intrusive government, regulations being pared back, holding down the tax rates of the American people, maintaining a strong defense – and so many Tea Party folks are going to find me, I believe, to be the ideal candidate,” Romney said.
The former Massachusetts governor also contrasted his personal background with that of the state’s current frontrunner, Newt Gingrich, in making his appeal for Tea Party support.
“I think the Tea Party is anxious to have people who are outside Washington coming in to change Washington, as opposed to people who have been in Washington for 30 years,” Romney said.
At his side, Governor Haley noted that there was “no such thing as a Tea Party candidate,” but that a candidate can be supported by the Tea Party.
“That is what makes the Tea Party great. They’re independent people,” Haley said.
Romney came to Charleston for a town hall event with Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC), who has hosted forums with seven of the eight top candidates thus far.
“Lucky number seven,” Romney noted.
Amid questions on issues like spending, military policy (a major issue in this military community) and immigration, Romney managed to work in a handful of digs at President Obama, often to the crowd’s vocal approval.
“He’s taking his first run at leadership in the White House, it’s not a place for on-the-job training,” Romney said, after earlier predicting that the American people would reject “Obamaism” – a new term in the Romney lexicon.
Scott, who told reporters he expects to endorse a candidate after he has met with each of them, saved the last question for a VIP – his mother. She asked Romney why he deserved her support.
“Number one, I can win,” Romney told the crowd.
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Now that's some funny stuff!
Chapter #499 in the book of you just can't make this stuff up!
As much as I loathe tea baggers, at least they have a core & some convictions!
Things Williard is seriously lacking!
I'll take 'Famous Flip-Flopper's for $10,000 Alex!
I will up your core and show lack of convictions with the tea party supporting Leroy Newton.
I'll take Famous Fanny Mae historians for 1.6 million Alex!
Mittens it looks so bad when you have to pander to people who don't like you.
How does that song go....
"If I only had a brain....."
With choices like these I am not looking forward to the GOP primary in Florida. Here I thought Romney was better then all the GOP candidates except for Huntsman, then he has to go and open his mouth.
Romney would have been a Tea Party candidate if the Tea Party had remained a fiscal group in favor of the 1% instead of being hijacked by Evangelical obsession with abortion and gays. Even with the trend back to the old tired social wedge issues, go to Utah and you see the same obsession with abortion and gays. The problem is other Christian groups out-number Mormons, which believe the LDS church is a cult. At this point I don't understand why Mormons continue to support the Teapublicans at all -- Why be a part of something that wants no part of you? Well Rule of Reason is not conservative's strength.
Speaking of lack of conviction and flip flops, Obama just did a full 180 on the XL Pipeline.
He promised he would veto legislation with any mandate regarding the pipeline.
All Obama promises come with an expiration date.
Gag me.
Mitt wants to be all things to all people.
loser
Yes, Mitt, you COULD be.......if only elephants COULD fly!
...Mittens really is a funny guy.
Thank goodness elephants can't fly, the GOP already craps on working Americans as it is.
Being the ideal 'King of the Morons' is nothing to boast of.
Still, he's a Rhodes Scholar compared to Rick Perry.
O'Barma would clean Romney's clock.
You know who else would be the perfect Tea Party candidate? George W.Bush. Republicans: always longing for a third Bush term.
They have been talking up Jeb Bush lately as the smart one in the family. Who needs Jeb when Romney has brought back most of the Bush advisers who brought our country to her knees.
First Romney believes in the person-hood amendment. Now he is for the Ryan bill that kills Medicare. He is even claiming he is now the perfect tea-party candidate. I am thinking that Romney has been caught in the tea party undertow and is losing the intelligent republican and the independent vote.
Heck, if you want more war with no way to pay for it vote for a republican.
If you want to lose your social security and medicare, vote for a republican.
If you want to drive a stake into the heart of the American people to protect the rich from even a very small sacrifice on their second million then vote for a republican.
If you want the banks with even more deregulation to drive America into a depression, vote for a republican.
I can not find one good thing that republicans intend to do for the people in our country unless you are the 1%.
Americans firster....
He never had either to start with, he only thought he did...
That is quite a stretch there mitt, and I am not a teapartier.
Try converting to Pentecostalism, Mitt. That's a flip flop the Teavangelicals would heartily embrace.
Pandering 101. You don't need to take that class again, Mitt, you've easily passed the final exam.
I agree Mr. Romney. I have attended Tea Party gatherings and I know what the Tea Party agenda is. Your platform meshes nicely with that of the Tea Party.
Good luck in Iowa and Merry Christmas.
ABO 2012.