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Republican presidential candidate and former Senator Rick Santorum holds up an Etch-a-sketch while addressing supporters at a "Get Out The Vote" rally in Mandeville, La., March 21, 2012.
ARBUTUS, MD -- Mitt Romney said he plans to run on the same issues in the general election as he has in the primary in response to a top aide's comment likening Romney's pivot to the general election to an Etch A Sketch.
Romney acted to hastily control the damage resulting from comments by adviser Eric Fehrnstrom on CNN, which prompted a day's worth of attacks from Democrats, as well as Romney's Republican rivals.
Romney told reporters following his lone event today that while his campaign will change organization, the issues on which he'll run "will be exactly the same."
"I'm running as a conservative Republican," he said. "I'll be running as a conservative Republican nominee."
The comments gave Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich a new weapon to use against Romney, figuratively and literally illustrating their case that the former Massachusetts governor is only a conservative of political convenience.
Mitt Romney said he plans to run on the same issues in the general election as he has in the primary in response to a top aide's comment likening Romney's pivot to the general election to an Etch A Sketch.
The two men, who lag behind Romney in the delegate count, jumped at the opportunity to attack Romney after a senior adviser, Eric Fehrnstrom, this morning compared moving into the general election campaign to the children’s toy this morning, saying, “you can kind of shake it up and restart all of over again.”
Both Gingrich and Santorum brought small Etch A Sketch toys to their afternoon events in the state of Louisiana.
“We're not looking for someone who's the Etch A Sketch candidate,” Santorum said after pulling out the toy during his event in Mandeville. “We're looking for someone who writes what they believe in in stone and stands true to what they say."
Santorum even told the crowd it was “the first of what I’m going to now call my ‘Etch A Sketch Tour of America.'"
“Given everybody's fears about Gov. Romney's flip flops, to have his communications director say publicly to all of us, if we're dumb enough to nominate him we should expect by the acceptance speech he'll move back to the left, triggers everything we should worry about,” Gingrich said as he began his town hall in Lake Charles, where he appeared holding the toy. "I think having an Etch A Sketch as your campaign model, raises every doubt about where we're going."
The former House speaker handed the popular childhood toy to a little girl sitting in the front row of the Harlequin Steaks and Seafood restaurant and joked, “You can now be a presidential candidate.” (Gingrich went on and autographed the toy for her after the event.)
Santorum said he purchased his Etch A Sketch at a Toys R Us store “down the way” while the Gingrich campaign simply said they bought the “Cars” themed toy today.
But the two candidates themselves were not alone in their purchases.
More than 2,000 miles away outside Romney's Arbutus event, Santorum’s press secretary was passing out mini Etch A Sketches in the parking lot.
Holding the one remaining toy she had yet to distribute, Alice Stewart told reporters this “gaffe” from a top Romney advisor “confirms what a lot of conservative have been afraid of.”
“The campaign acknowledged that his [Romney’s] conservative credentials can come and go with the climate, just like an Etch A Sketch, and we can’t have that,” Stewart said.
Romney had initially refused to address Fehrnstrom’s Etch A Sketch comments while asked several times on the ropeline following his event in Maryland.
“I’m not doing a press conference right now, OK?” Romney told reporters.
One group that does seem happy with all the buzz of the children’s toy today is the Ohio Art Company, the Etch A Sketch manufacturer.
"Happy to see Etch A Sketch, an American classic toy, is DRAWING attention with political candidates as a cultural icon and important piece of our society," said Nicole Gresh, spokeswoman for the manufacturer. "A profound toy, highly recognized and loved by all, is now SHAKING up the national debate. Nothing is as quintessentially American as Etch A Sketch and a good old fashion political debate.”
Alex Moe reported from Lake Charles, LA. Jamie Novogrod reported from Mandeville, LA.
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Wouldn't it be great if we could just shake Romney and he would just go away etch-a-sketch style!!!
Obama 2012.
Ok Kevin
Which one of your knights in shining armor are you rooting for? Which GOP gleaming example of a human being do you think is even remotely capable?
you are kidding right ??? anyone would be better then the radical leftist,racist,domestic terrorist loving president we have now ...heck hillary would have been 100% better
pssst..that radical leftist, racist, domestic terrorist loving president seems to be the only one in Washington fighting for tax breaks for the middle class after the Republicans keep fighting for more tax breaks for the rich.....you bottom feeder.
Bless your heart Kevin, terrorist loving...really?
I do agree in part with you.. I love Hillary as well. You do have a redeeming quality ;-)
Obama loves you Kev
Obama doesn't give a damn about the middle class. Never did and never will. He probably never even met anyone in the military before he was president.
123 -
Didn't Mitt say that his sons were serving the country by helping him win an election, instead of being in the military? I may not have it completely correct, but I believe that was the gist of what he was saying.
Please tell me where Romney's new economic plan looks out for the middle class? I must have missed that sentence.
Any way you look at it, Romney is still better than Obama, Gingrich or Santorum!
Please explain
dboygoode..great question..I'm dying to hear the answer to that one as well..perhaps Clean House can share with us which of Romney's platforms he likes the best
I just see a skeleton looking at us.. with duh in mind
I'm SOOOOO glad I'm an Independent. You Repub Candi..Dates are really getting bad. That is why we need another party (and don't say Tea Party either).
Sorry but chastising one party does not say Independent, it's more like lazy Dem.
That's why I am an Independent. I HATE BOTH PARTIES. They are a bunch of buffoons.
Too bad Etch a Sketch outsourced its manufacturing to China in 2001.
Just about all children's products have been outsourced. Thank a Democrat.
123 sorry that buckle my shoe song is old..people know who the real enemy of working people are
Yeah they do and its the party of the guy who's never worked in the private sector.
Oh Romney thats right. thanks..his dad gave him riches of his estate when he died thanks for telling the world that
Elvis,
Romney donated his entire inheritance when his father died, he is a self made man but I forgot you libs hate it when people actually work hard and become succesful. Yea hate the rich! dumbass.
no don't hate the rich Obama is rich Nancy is rich..and John F Kennedy was rich..you can be rich and be for all Americans..not like you people..rich kids only for school
I didnt say anything about school. It just bugs me when people jump all over Mitt for being wealthy and like you said Obama, Nancy ect are all rich. Mitt has good values and gave away all the wealth his father left to charities and his school, which made him work hard for all the wealth he has today.
vote for me I'm dumb..i don't remember anything bad about Bush..just good things..like not finding the door before he left office..talking on the wrong side of the phone..the Cord end..remember that..and not doing anything to stop Enron..and the recession but hey he was the boss right..people told him before hand but hey he needed to see if the market could fix itself...oh and the government was out of the way far away..from business
Romney is just throwing mud against the wall and seeing what sticks with his base. Good luck taking this "Bush-as-Saviour" theme on the road in the general. Voters are not that dumb. Even Bush is sitting in his ranch in Texas saying "Don't talk s***, Mitt. Why do you think I've become a recluse since leaving office?"
Romney is a great businessman and would be an even better used-car salesman. Pure, slimy BS every time he opens his mouth.
yes indeed..ten years of tax breaks..i want Bush's tax breaks to expire...he has plenty of money and stadiums in my home state TX..we need that tax money for our schools
What would you do with that money for your schools to improve the education?
123 in Texas there is nothing wrong with our schools nothing...the only thing that has been wrong is our budget of no money..get it
nearly $10,000 per child annually and they graduate less prepared for college than the kids who go to the $3500 tuition private school. No, nothing wrong, huh?
whats funny like i said the rich republicans today think there child is the only one who should get an education just like what i said ..and you just said it in your words of cost..can a poor child go to a private school
123ang: if it's so bad you should look into private school then. Since you seem to support repubs you must have the money. Since they are trying to take money out of social programs and raise taxes on the poor and middle class, there agendas must not effect you.
Are there any Liberal Suck ass Democrats in the house? U all are pitiful. Keep kissing Bahamas ass and see what happens to our country.
yes it wont turn into a christian crusade of nut cakes like you..enforced new laws force on us
Who is forcing what on who? The federal government wants to decide what is in my health insurance plan.
Well if I had to guess, I'd say it will continue to get better, as it has for a while now.
Frigem ... just for you
The block everything do nothing Republicans can spin all they want about the deficit ... but the deficit belongs to them/Bush and the continued idiocy of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy that are suppose to create jobs! They started the massive job losses, the bank failures, the auto industry in bankruptcy all with a needless unpaid for war. I'll take the present economy any day to those idiots. We've got an effective pragmatic leader in Obama who is cleaning up the mess with no help from them so celebrate our success in avoiding a massive depression caused by Republican leadership and the needless war! The deficit is coming down and will come down further!
How things are better in the last 31/2 years: I know the list of successes for this President will never be long enough for the Republicans..... even when the Dow hit 14,000 and their 401Ks have spilled over with money!......it will still be about banning contraception and going to war with them.
Negotiated a nuclear moratorium with North Korea!
24 months of job growth, rather than the 4,000, 000 jobs lost in the last 3 months of Bush
Bin Laden dead, Bush said he didn't care where he was..he didn't think about him much
Kaddaffi dead
Auto industry back and growing
Health care reform.. with preventive care which saves you money
401 Ks back
Credit card protection reform
Banking protection reform
Equal pay for women in the work force
TAX CUTS PROVIDED TO YOU unless you make over $250,000
A positive GDP
Ending of a useless war In Iraq
Stock Market back
Student loan reform
Pell Grant reform
Lowest interest rates in 50 years!!!
Killed 11 times as many terrorists as GW - That is a bonus
Started the withdrawal from Afghanistan
Removal of DADT
Managed a Natural disaster in the Gulf better than Bush handled a hurricane response.
Oil production coming from the US is at an all time high..rising oil and gas production, and a greater mix of energy sources and decreased consumption.
Stopped a pipeline that was opposed by the state it was going to run through until they can reroute it away from the aquifer.
Did I help you out and answer your question… Obama 2012
This is asinine. Romney didn't say it.
His staffer did. And not just any staffer, but one prominent enough to get on CNN. The only thing asinine is any thoughts that this won't stick.
In the history of the party, have you ever heard of a presidential nominee about whom two Republican opponents and now one of his own prominent staffers has said we can't trust that nominee's word?
Oh yeah, this lacking integrity thing may just be hitting critical mass tonight.
He may not have said it. But a prominent figure in his campaign who represents him did. If he can't have those close to him trust his beliefs why should anyone else?
Flip Flop ...Flip Flop.... Mitt went up the clock, on Nov 6 the clock shouted OBAMA and Mitt came tumbling down.. and then got together with his other 1%er buddies and went to watch one of their football teams or NASCAR teams. Flip Flop…Flip Flop Mitt went up the clock!
Wish there was a Republican candidate who had the courage to say to the extreme right that the Republicans are a Big Tent party and there is NO Such thing as a RHINO just like there is no such thing as a liberal in name only there would be hope for the grand old party of Lincoln. No one fits the narrow view of being liberal or conservative any more some people are fiscally conservative which makes them a republican "No" because at the same time they support a woman's right to choose so the are a democrat "No" again because they view marriage as something between a man and woman republican right "Well No" because they are for alternative energy and protecting the environment, finally democrat "No not quite" they believe unions have too much influence and may have out served their usefulness got to be a republican "Not sure" they like the affordable care act............ You get my point. It is healthy when both parties operate from a base that allows the broadest assembly of views so they have the freedom to COMPROMISE without fear of retaliation from an extreme faction of their party faction that subjugates those whose views provide the moderation needed for effective leadership and governance. The country needs a Republican Party that is vibrant ingenuous and attractive to diverse views as competition to the Democrat Party....Nuff Said!!
Dan Quayle and Bush Jr. have nothing on Mutt. For this year's election, the question will be not who becomes president, but who grabs the title of the biggest Repugnican laughingstock.
Poor Eric Fehrnstrom..That was definitely an R.G.E. Resume Generating Event.
It makes no difference and the longer it goes on the better.
Giving the dummy in the W.H. 7mos. to build a campaign is just stupid no matter who gets the nod.
I would just like to see the infighting go away at this point.. All four need to be attacking Odummy and not each other.
I am for Newt, but who ever gets the nod gets my vote in the end. Now the four only need to understand most of us will and let it go.
they have no more talking points..Obama is bad for the economy is all they have..to say
Newt? The guy who embarrassed the Senate as Speaker and got reprimanded by his own party right before he lost his re-election bid and then became a lobbyist and gave advice to Fannie and Freddie. You know those two well oiled financial powerhouses that are currently doing so well (rolling eyes).
NEWT!?
His own party hates him, and you should have your voter's rights taken away for thinking like an ancient relic!
Love Romney! America really doesn't deserve such a regal and reliable representative. But, despite getting hammered for being a great negotiator, with a solid foundation of integrity, he keeps on keeping on. No volleys, not even etcha sketches will erode the man. And who gives a crud about an 'etcha-sketch'?....those with brains know EVERYTHING does change in the final battle!! All of the dynamics! What a bunch of losers in Santorum and Newt...showing off, in tandem, their kindergarten toys. Well, they can play with their 'toys' all they want, in the end, they won't win.
How can you Republicans be a part of these Yo-Yo's?
We have Larry, Moe and Curly writing for MS-LSD ?
I read this jumble of semi-intelligible tripe and wonder if anyone at MS-LSD ever got past the 5th grade. The Etch-A-Sketch comment was made by an aide.
Why don't these supposedly intelligent people replay the comment O"Bummer made about his healthcare plan when he said that if you like your insurance plan, you can keep it. If you like your doctor, you can keep it. Get that quote and replay it over and over in the next 8 months.
I know you won't because you aren't smart enough to figure out why you should!
Because this story isn't about that? Or is that too logical a reason for your foxnews tainted brain?
Anyone else hear the Benny Hill theme when any republican candidate speaks? Doesn't matter who...the bland guy, the delusional guy, the evil guy, or the crazy guy...every time they speak I can see Benny chasing that little guy back and forth through doors...
I see Chuck Barris (the Gong Show) every time they walk out on a stage together for a debate.
Yep ... and Obama is Gene, Gene, the dancin machine!!
Newt Ginrich and Rick Santorum forgot so fast about their comments "aspirin in the knees" by Mr Freeis the money donor....and Santorum said he doesn't care about the "economy and Jobs".but "FREEDOM" and many more. We don't need someone who doesn't care about our sufferings? price gas, no jobs, no money, groceries are not affordable, Why do we need Santorum for???? if he doesn't care for us??? he has lots money ..... and the allegation made by Marianne Gingrich about "OPEN MARRIAGE" and numerous adulterous affairs while married with his 2 wives? someone who will spend lots money to coloninize the moon? gas $ 2.50? not true, He can't do nothing whatsoever to put down the gas price.? Gingrich and Santorum need to think about their wrongdoings before they declare war to Romney !) they will not get the nomination 2) they need to see the dirt in their eyes and clean it first before they clean their oponent Mitt Romney's eyes..
They're Republicans, they don't care about anything except their corporate masters will.
What a stupid article and what a freakin joke that people would take into consideration this stupid statement. Anyone that actually takes this article from a totally liberal biased media and hangs their hat on it, is a halfwitted moron. It's all about the economy and who has the ability to turn things around. With gas heading for $4.00 per gallon because Barry wants to use "seaweed" to run our cars, turned down the pipeline which not only would totally take away our dependence on foreign oil, but also create a ton of jobs for Americans and has raised our debt to $7 mil .... get a freakin grip. The guy has no idea what he's doing ... his decisions are mentally defective, and he is so out of bounds, that it is actually amusing to watch him try to come to grips with the idea that he actually needs to make important decisions!!! Barry, stick to picking basketball games and let a true leader run the country.
The tendency of candidates to play to their audience is undeniable. However, a brief moment of glory often turns sour when the national press then takes their words out of context and turns them against them. A good rule of thumb would be that if your not prepared to defend or clarify a statement that you make along the campaign trail, then maybe you should just keep your mouth shut. Thus far, the only candidate that I have seen that is willing to stand behind what he says is Dr. Ron Paul. You may not like or agree with what he says but he will not back down. The two main characters in our current presidential sweepstakes, incumbent President, Barack Obama, and former Massachusetts, Governor, Mitt Romney, have left a trail of words from the present and previous campaigns, that will be broadcast in ads in the Fall that will portray them as flip-floppers or out an out liars. This is going to be the dirtiest campaign in history and we, the electorate, are going to be made to sit through it and try to sort it out in order to cast an intelligent vote for the man that seeks to lead our nation for the next four years. Be prudent my fellow Americans and look below the surface in seeking the truth before going to the polls this year.
The tea party need to GO..They think only there child should receive education yes the rich only...do you see a America and they say they want to take care of All of our children..they are bull sh-iters
Elvis it's their .... not there?? Get your GED and then come back!
read down zman
I've already decided I'm not going to vote for anyone who has (or is) serving in the White House, the Senate or the House. They've all proven for the for years now (even back to the Bush administration) they are all unable to give leadership... .including Obama.
It's easy to call candidates liars and so forth, but when the rubber hits the road, what the heck has anyone currently in office done for us? (That's good, that is.) In November 2008, a candy bar on sale at Walmart was 35 cents. Today, on sale $1. Gasoline today was $3.999 a gallon. They claim they have "created" more jobs, yet they don't count the number of businesses failing because they can't make ends meet.
I don't care if your red or blue, rep. or dem., or even independent for that matter, if you've held office on the Federal level, I will not vote for you.
So, does this mean you are going to vote for Romney?
If Nancy Pelosi and Obama were on a boat and it started to sink, who would be saved???
America!!
did i tell you to Go to ozz for a brain..
I guess if you grow up poor ..and become president of the USA...you dont have no kind of leadership..the tea party says...I guess they dont want no poor person to become President from now on...Obama work for a living just like us growing up in life..folks.he had struggles just like us he understands ....dont let the rich tea party folk say different and brain wash you like the last election..voting in business people only is not a good thing
Elvis ... it's, you don't have any kind ... not ... you don't have no kind??? Forget the GED and whatever you do, don't lose the job at the carwash!!
Zman, don't be so had on elvis that was his first crack at a paragraph!!!
He's about to graduate as the vine jester!!!!
Vote comrades soros, van jones and obama OUT!!!!
aww two teachers
On July 3, 2008, presidential candidate Barack Obama said this:
"The problem is, is that the way Bush has done it over the last eight years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $5 trillion for the first 42 presidents — #43 added $4 trillion by his lonesome, so that we now have over $9 trillion of debt that we are going to have to pay back — $30,000 for every man, woman and child. That’s irresponsible. It’s unpatriotic."
Obama has now created in 3 years more debt than Bush did in 8 years! Per Obama's own words, not a spokesperson or surrogate, HIS words, incurring that much debt is "irresponsible" and "unpatriotic." Thus, per Obama's own words, not some lackey of his, HE, President Obama, IS "irresponsible" and "unpatriotic!" And the news story for the day is something stupid a campaign worker says? RU kidding me? Look at what Obama has said, personally, and then talk to me about gaffes. I cannot believe the unmitigated gall of Libs to get on this site and attack Romney for something an aide said while at the same time ignoring the President calling himself "irresponsible" and "unpatriotic."
I guess you skipped the part about the unforeseen damage that the recession would take after that speech? The recession caused by the Bush administration...and President Obamas debt was from taking care of the American people that lost jobs and their homes, and similar tasks, and that's not a cheap task. What did Bush do? Spend trillions on unfunded wars, then duck his tail and run to hide on his ranch.
RU serious? A REAL event that had an impact on this country was 911! Bush created a whole new agency, Homeland Security, went after the terrorists in Afghanistan, not to mention air traffic was shut down for more than a week, and the overall economy took a devastating blow! No Democrat cuts Bush any slack for that REAL crisis, why on earth would anyone believe the nonsense you just spouted? Oh, and homes were lost because of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and THAT was caused by DEMOCRAT Barney Frank!
911 happened on Bush's watch. Whether it was lack of coordination, ignorance or too arrogant to care it happened at a location the enemy had tried once before and after the adminstration had been warned. The Conservative reaction was to blame the previous adminstration for 911, and then create the "Patriot Act," one of the largest events to lessen the freedoms of all Americans. Troops were pulled out of Afghanistan to go to war in the wrong place based on lies manufactured by the Bush adminstration. It took Democrats to ensure that the ports and borders were better defended. It was after they raised hell about the continued lack of security in those locations that personnel were hired, trained and put in place.
As I was reading these comments I was actually getting extremely concerned that most of these people (some actually coherent) seemed to be planning on re-electing the biggest deficit spender in the history of the United States. Then I remembered I was on MSN.com, whew...I thought it was real for a minute there.