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Subscribe to RSSMitt Romney remained optimistic while Newt Gingrich capitalized on his fiery performance in Thursday's debate. NBC's Peter Alexander reports.
GILBERT, SC -- Mitt Romney said Friday he was "cautiously optimistic" he could still pull out a win in South Carolina's primary, where he's working to withstand a last minute surge by Newt Gingrich.
Romney, who finished fourth in the 2008 primary, has watched Gingrich chip away at his lead in polls here over the course of the week. Voters head to the polls tomorrow to cast their ballots in the first-in-the-south primary.
"I sure would like to win South Carolina, but I know that if those polls were right, regardless of who gets the final number, we’re both going to get a lot of delegates. I want as many delegates as I can get -- I want the most delegates coming out of South Carolina," Romney told reporters gathered for a press conference. "But I don’t know what the numbers will be. I’m pretty confident, cautiously optimistic."
The former Massachusetts governor also acknowledged the tightening of the race, which has twisted and turned dramatically in the last 24 hours.
"I think I said from the very beginning South Carolina is an uphill battle for a guy from Massachusetts. I knew that. We're battling hard. The fact is right now it looks like its neck and neck that's a good spot to be in. I'm pretty pleased and pretty proud about the success of our effort," Romney said.
Romney campaign staffers and surrogates began dialing back expectations of a win in South Carolina in the spin room following last night's debate, with several members of the Romney camp reminding reporters of Romney's distant fourth place finish here in 2008. Romney himself seemed to be trying to lower expectations at times during today's press conference.
"Well just last time around I came in number four. And, and so this time I realized that I had a lot of ground to make up. And speaker Gingrich is from a neighboring state, well-known, popular in the state," Romney said. "I knew that we’d have a long, long road ahead of us. And frankly to be in a neck and neck race at this last moment is, is kind of exciting.
Romney, who just days ago looked likely to clinch a third straight primary win here has seen his Iowa victory morphed into a loss to Santorum after the release of certified results in that contest, and his South Carolina lead greatly strained by Gingrich's latest surge. Both of those developments could extend a GOP primary in which states are awarding delegates proportionally for the first time, a fact Romney lamented this afternoon.
"You know, I wish it were a winner-take-all state. I wish we had all winner take all states, but we don’t. And so it’s going to be a longer process than, perhaps, than that would’ve suggested. But you know, it looks like we’re going to get real support into South Carolina and then we go into Florida.," Romney said. "You know, I’m still hoping and planning to win here. And I’m sure the Speaker feels the same way I do. But we’re going to go on for a long race and I think I’ve got the staying power and a, and a message that I believe connects with people."
After facing another series of questions about his tax returns last night, Romney said again today he would release those documents in April -- and defended his handling of the issue by saying he had not anticipated the level of interest in his returns, which he said provided less information than financial disclosure forms he had already filed.
"I know you guys do and the Democrats would like to and my opponents would like to, but in order for me to defeat President Obama I have to do what I think is the absolute right way to run a campaign and provide information, consistent with the public interest. And I know there is interest and so I have indicated that I will release my tax returns," Romney said. "I'll do so when they are prepared. Which would be April, first middle part of April, and then they’ll all come out at one time. It'll be more than one year, I don’t know the exact number, but people can take a look at it."
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who appeared with Romney at his rainy outdoor rally and flanked him at the press conference, also defended Romney's handling of the tax returns, saying they were effectively a non-issue.
"The people of South Carolina are not talking about tax returns. They're not. They're talking about jobs, spending, and the economy," Haley said. "They want to know how you're gonna bring jobs. So, that's me talking as the governor of South Carolina, talking to my people -- everybody knows someone without a job. Everybody is touched by somebody that doesn't have a job. That's what they care about. They don't care about tax returns."
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Well, well, well! The Queen Bee & Romney! What a pair of corporate puppets! 9.9% unemployment, but boy they're bringing in the jobs! One after another @ $5 to $10 an hour! ARE THEY GOOD OR WHAT!!! If you listen to them, you'd think we're booming when actually we're busting. Capitalism does not work for the American People of the United States, it only works for the corporates! GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE & FOR THE PEOPLE! Not government by the corporates, for the corporates!!! They don't like unions, they don't want government by the people otherwise they can't take care of their WallStreeters or their CEO's. What a shame! WE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES WANT OUR COUNTRY & TRUE DEMOCRACY BACK! IT'S TIME FOR CORPORATE TO GIVE BACK TO THE SAME PEOPLE THAT MADE THEM WHAT THEY ARE! IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE, AND THAT TIME IS NOW! NOT LATER BUT RIGHT NOW!
TR... your spirit is well placed you just don't understand your terminology. We DON'T WANT A DEMOCRACY.... and NEVER DID. We want our Free Republic back. What we have IS a Democracy. We have a society run by a crude form of mob rule. A Democracy is basically one group using the government to financially enslave another group. This is either by corporate/union lobby or entitlement junkies. The difference between a Democracy and a Free Republic is the "individual" is protected from the majority and government wants by a Constitution. The Constitution supersedes the wants of the mob or government.
In a Free Republic neither a corporation, union or entitlement junkie can use the government as a platform to extort money from others. Right now that is pretty much all the federal government is used for. They are extortionists for hire and the Constitution has been thrown in the toilet to satisfy the lobbies and "the mob".
WHO YOU GOING TO VOTE FOR? WHICH ONE OF THE CORPORATE PUPPETS ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE FOR? Go ahead vote for them and they'll throw you some bread crumbs while they give millions and millions to the WallStreeters and CEO's.
OR JUST DON'T VOTE! IF YOU TAKE A CLOSE LOOK, WHAT DID THE REPUBLICANS GIVE YOU TO VOTE FOR ANYWAY? DO YOU THINK THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT YOU FUTURE? Wrong, they're only worried about their own corporate greed. We, the American People of the United States are nothing more than Tennessee Ernie Ford's old song. "We owe our soul to the CORPORATE store!!!
You might not like our black president, but he likes us. He's trying to give the country back to the American People of the United States. Stick with him, you'll get far more than you'll ever get from these corporate crooks! AND GUESS WHAT? I'VE BEEN A DEVOUT REPUBLICAN MY WHOLE LIFE, WHICH IS A LONG, LONG TIME! I'VE BEEN LIED TO AND BRAINWASHED BY THEM ALL THESE YEARS!Instead of voting, save your gas money, because if the corporates are elected to office, you're gonna need every penny to help take care of them.
IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE, AND THAT TIME IS NOW! NOT LATER, BUT RIGHT NOW!
Newt is on a tear being with the campaign's Southern Sweepstakes! South Carolina which always picks our nominee is just the beginning:)
This is the Obama administration's way of saying "Romney su#$%" ???
"President Obama's top campaign strategist, David Axelrod, criticized Romney for
having a "Bain mentality"
The White House emphasized Jeff Zients' "twenty years as a CEO, management
consultant, and entrepreneur" when announcing his promotion at the OMB, but did not
mention that Zients' used to work with Bain & Company."
LOL. Wow, the Obama hypocrisy keeps coming.
This is the YEAR to offer the American Voters a clear choice-Liberal Democrat or Conservative Republican. RNC does not really want change. They want to send forth a moderate from Taxachutts. JUST SAY NO! Vote to send forth into battle with EVIL OUR NEWTRON BOMB-our women will come around. They are much smarter than the media thinks:)
My wife has already seen the irony of the woman who took Newt from his lst wife being angry over a better looking gal taking him from her. What did she expect??? LOL After viewing the two women, Newt chose wisely and has the mens' vote!
Clear choices between two totally failed ideologies are what got us into this mess. That combined with their legacy lobbies they refuse to do anything with but increase revenue collection.
We don't elect "party's" anymore. We elect "lobby groups" and the politicians are their marketing managers. Stope electing people who are backed by lobbies and most of these problems will go away. It would be amazing to see what America would be like being run for "the people" rather than for the "lobby's" and special interest groups.
We don't have Democrats... we have Socialists. We don't have Conservatives.... we have Fascists. Remove the lobby's and special interest groups then you have Democrats and Conservatives again.
Just look and listen to what the corporates gave us to vote for! Wowee! Just take a real close look. And if you still feel you can vote for any one of them, MAY GOD BLESS!
You are correct TR....... If you put the GOP candidates in a car with Obama, They sound like a bunch of drunks with Ron Paul being the only sober person....... but they won't let him drive.
From a financial and personal freedom standpoint this is exactly what is happening. We have mainstream candidates from both party's who are drunk on power whose focus is to remove our rights and fleece as much money out of us to line the pockets of their supporters. FORCE is the method they intend to use to collect and enforce that. This is why all the other candidates want to "rule" rather than "restore".
What's a South Carolina GOP voter to do? First you have Robotic plastic man Romney with his effective tax rate that is lower than most middle class folks. A constant flip flopper, who can't figure out where he stands on any issue. Next, you have the thrice married Newt, who likes the idea of an open marriage. So much for family values. Finally there's Santorum, who is so anti-choice he wants to ban birth control. In a delicious piece of irony, Newsweek reported that Rick's wife, Karen, had an eight year affair with an abortion doctor, forty years' her senior. Folks, you can't make this stuff up. What a field of clowns.
R Bell,
That tired line , "the Repubs are 'clowns' " is deflection from the truth....
"Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, delivering the weekly Republican address, said Obama told Americans in 2009 that an economic stimulus plan would improve the economy and offered health care reform as an economic boost in his 2010 speech. Last year, Hensarling said Obama vowed "that his budget would help us `win the future."'
"Instead, the lawmaker said 1.9 million fewer Americans have jobs since the President took office, gas prices have doubled and more Americans are now on food stamps than ever before. "
The Obama administration is what you call classic CLOWNship.
Leona, you're right. The clown reference is getting old. My point is that in spite of Obama's short comings, he's the best person running. He's proven he's tough on terrorism. We've had no major attacks since he's been in office and he's decimated the radical Islamist networks. The economy is getting better. Here in Massachusetts, the unemployment rate has declined over the past few months. Only an extreme ideologue could possibly support any of these flawed GOP candidates. Granted, Obama should be vulnerable in this election cycle but the Republicans failed to present a moderate, centrist candidate acceptable to mainstream voters.
R Bell,
Sorry, but Obama is tough on terrorism, you said? He has a military who accomplished anything that Obama is taking credit for. Meanwhile, Obama is planning to downsize our military to appease his liberal base.
How much time does Obama spend actually WORKING??
We have a President who goes to Disney, Hawaii, golf outings, hanging out with the NBA, eating ice cream cones and FUNDRAISING.
TIME for a REAL President, America.
One who actually WORKS.
Go Republicans ......the men who like to work !!
Leona, I get that you despise Obama. Nothing Obama accomplishes will satisfy you. it's sad we have this partisan tribal mentality in this society. I realize some Democrats had an intense hatred for Bush that was irrational. I was opposed to most of the Bush policies but I didn't hate him. The country is more important than any one individual, even the president. Many people dislike Obama because he's black and has a foreign name. We have to remember we're all in this together. The partisan divide is tearing the country apart. More civility is needed in our political discourse.
RBell,
You can call out the tired old race card too. That doesnt "fly" anymore.
If Obama was White ( and he actually is half White) , I would call it like I do now. The man has a very poor record.
I care about this country too, just like you say that you do.
I care about my kids future's and want them to have the same opportunities that I had for a better future , etc.
The govt. is NOT suppose to "take care" of people, except in emergency or stop gap situations. Today there is a road to generational poverty because the Dems are pushing that agenda on people who don't believe in a hard work ethic anymore.
We are tax'd enough and we need to STOP THE GOVT. SPENDING !
p.s. many people of very tired of the liberal agenda and the liberal lies.
Leona, People are also tired of the Democrats being called the party of entitlements and pushing a welfare agenda. It's simply not true. There is an underclass of poverty in this country that is pervasive. Democrats would love nothing better than to foster an economy where they can all get decent jobs. Most of my friends and co-workers are Democrats and successful, No one in my circle is dependent on government largess. Now I know for a fact that racial bias drives some of the hatred for Obama. I've heard it myself. Obama, while not perfect, will protect the rights of all, especially women. For example, all the GOP candidates would ban a women's right to choose. Some, like Santorum, would even make birth control illegal. This is not mainstream thinking. Once voters get a chance to study the differences between Obama and whoever the GOP nominee is, They'll do the right thing and reelect Obama. bet on it.
For all of the supporters of 'Conservative' Newt, watch this:
For all the supporters of 'Conservative' Santorum read this:
And for all those who support the corpo, bankster candidates (Obama/Romney) watch this: www.iwantyourmoney.net
I would vote for Obama over dirty Newt. Repubs kicked him out as speaker. Fined $300,000 for ethics violations. This will all come out, every detail if he gets the nomination.