2012 Republican Presidential Candidate Race

[Ragnus]

I will admit Test has a point but, like Byrthnoth said, the RNC will happily gloss over this to keep Romney as the presumed candidate.

[Tyche]

Test has a great point, tell us more about it. I need all the reasons Ron Paul is being shafted.

[AoE]

Some lulz to start your day.

http://dcist.com/2012/05/on_second_t...e_bachmann.php

Less than two days after the world learned that Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) had claimed the Swiss citizenship that was rightfully hers, the fiery lawmaker announced that she is relinquishing her status as a naturalized member of the Helvetian people.

In a statement released by her office today, Bachmann announced that U.S. citizenship alone is good enough for her:

Today I sent a letter to the Swiss Consulate requesting withdrawal of my dual Swiss citizenship, which was conferred upon me by operation of Swiss law when I married my husband in 1978. I took this action because I want to make it perfectly clear: I was born in America and I am a proud American citizen. I am, and always have been, 100 percent committed to our United States Constitution and the United States of America. As the daughter of an Air Force veteran, stepdaughter of an Army veteran and sister of a Navy veteran, I am proud of my allegiance to the greatest nation the world has ever known.


Bachmann, who was born in Iowa to Norwegian-Americans, had been eligible for Swiss citizenship because her husband, Marcus, is the son of Swiss immigrants. Under Switzerland's naturalization laws—some of the toughest in the world—Marcus Bachmann has been a Swiss citizen since birth. Michele Bachmann, having been married to Marcus for at least six years (they wed in 1978) and proving "close ties" to the neutral, landlocked country, became eligible herself and claimed her Swiss allegiance on March 19. The story was first reported Tuesday evening by Politico.

A Swiss person DCist spoke with yesterday—OK, fine, it was Martin Austermuhle—about the congresswoman with the propensity for rhetorical bomb-throwing was initially quite disturbed to learn that Bachmann had become his countrywoman.

"Das ist bullshit," Austermuhle said yesterday.

But upon learning that Bachmann is flip-flopping on his home country, Austermuhle is back to his demure, reserved self.

"It was funny that she got Swiss citizenship to begin with, but it's just foolish that she should have to give it up," he said. "Does anyone doubt her jingoistic American credentials because she took advantage of Swiss citizenship she's legally entitled to?"

That's as mellow and diplomatic a response as one could expect from a real Swiss person.

[Salodin]

I read the swiss thing, and for the life of me am not understanding the big deal to the article.

[Dantrag]

The only thing is, why did she just now apply in February. Other than that who cares. Just stupid timing.

[Demosthenes11]

only republicans could be outraged at someone getting dual citizenship

[Andalusian girls]

she was getting attacked by the left, not the right

[Demosthenes11]

most of the outrage I read was conservatives; damnit liberals, stop being retarded

[Dantrag]

only republicans could be outraged at someone getting dual citizenship

Both, on NPR they interview republicans that voted for her. Some didn't like that she did this, some didn't care. So mix on both sides. Left shouldn't have even brought it up and left it alone.

[Milkster]

During an appearance on Meet The Press with David Gregory on Sunday, Reince Preibus became the latest Republican to criticize President Obama for coming out in support of same-sex marriage. Preibus told Gregory that respecting gay people means not allowing them to get married. He also said that marriage equality isn’t an equal rights or civil rights issue.
REINCE PREIBUS: Mitt Romney is a gracious, caring person who believes that every individual in this country, including people who are gay, deserve the dignity and respect that every American deserves. But that doesn’t change the fact that we believe that marriage should be between one man and one woman. So–
DAVID GREGORY: Do you think the fight for gay marriage is a civil rights struggle ?

REINCE PRIEBUS: I don’t think it’s a matter of civil rights. I think it’s just a matter of whether or not we’re going to adhere to something that’s been historical and religious and legal in this country for many, many years. I mean marriage has to have a definition. And we just happen to believe it’s between a man and a woman. So–
DAVID GREGORY: For those people who do think it’s a civil right would say all those things you’ve just said could have been said about Jim Crow laws.
REINCE PRIEBUS: I think there’s a big difference between people that have been murdered and everything else that have come with Jim Crow than marriage between a man and a man and a woman and a woman. Here’s what we agree on. Is that people in this country, no matter straight or gay, deserve dignity and respect. However, that doesn’t mean it carries on to marriage. And I think that most Americans agree that in this country the legal and historical and religious union, marriage has to have the definition of one man and one woman.
DAVID GREGORY: But do you believe that gays and lesbians in America deserve equal rights?
REINCE PRIEBUS: I think they deserve equal rights in regard to, say, discrimination in the workplace, issues such as, as Mitt Romney has pointed out numerous times, hospital visitations. I mean I think that for the sake of dignity and respect, sure. But if you’re defining marriage as a civil right, then no. I don’t believe that people who are same sex should be able to get married under our laws.
Here’s the video:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

So Preibus thinks the definition of respect and dignity means not giving all human beings the right to marry the person they love. How Republican of him. Let’s address some of his statements, shall we?
Preibus says Mitt Romney and the RNC agree that LGBT people shouldn’t be discriminated against in the workplace, yet, Mitt Romney allowed anti-gay conservatives to force his gay foreign policy spokesman to resign. It sounds to me like Romney approves of discriminating against gay people.
Preibus also says same-sex marriage isn’t a civil rights issue. At one time in this country, interracial marriage was seen as an abomination in states across the South and was illegal. Many of those same states still feel that way today, but the Supreme Court struck down those laws because they violated civil rights. Laws that ban same-sex marriage should be treated the same way. These laws ban one consenting human being from marrying another consenting human being and therefore, violate civil rights.
Let’s also examine Preibus’ claim that marriage is defined by the Bible. The thing about the Bible is that conservative often ignore the parts that disagree with their agenda. Specifically, they ignore the romantic relationship between Jonathan and David as depicted in the first book of Samuel. The Bible, which conservatives consider the word of God, describes their relationship as a loving and romantic sexual relationship. If Preibus actually ever read the Bible, he would know about this.
Marriage is a right that all adults should be able to enjoy. Preibus is trying to fool the LGBT community into believing that Republicans care about them, but their policies are more than enough to prove that the GOP cares very little about gays and lesbians. Republicans support bullying homosexuals at school, at work, and in daily life. How can any human being feel respect and dignity if they are not even allowed to marry the person they love? Until Republicans officially endorse same-sex marriage and fight for policies that protect the full rights and equality of the LGBT community, the Republican Party will continue to be seen as a threat to equal right, civil rights, and love.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/05...eince-preibus/

[quannum]

i like old definition of marriage better, when it was a property transaction between a man and a woman's father

[Demosthenes11]

or a woman and her rapist

[Kurokikaze]

most of the outrage I read was conservatives; damnit liberals, stop being retarded

Yeah this is one of those times where it's actually the liberals being stupid... I think the only funny thing about this whole ordeal is her stance on gay people and that of the Switzerland. lol

[Apelila]

Something tells me gay marriage is being brought up again to stir up the liberal base. In 2004 the people using it as a rallying point for the conservatives didn't have to justify it.

Now that they're being forced to they sound "count to potato" retarded.

[Ragnus]

Not surprising but Romney has passed the 1144 delegates needed to win the nomination.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/29/153956...-texas-primary

Mitt Romney clinched the Republican presidential nomination Tuesday with a win in the Texas primary, a triumph of endurance for a candidate who fought hard to win over skeptical conservative voters he must now fire up for the campaign against President Obama.

According to the Associated Press count, Romney surpassed the 1,144 delegates needed to win the nomination by winning at least 88 delegates in the Texas primary.

Romney, who came up short in the Republican presidential race four years ago, outlasted a carousel of Republican rivals who dropped out of the state-by-state primary contest. None of his former rivals actively campaigned in Texas.

The former Massachusetts governor has reached the nomination milestone with a steady message of concern about the U.S. economy, a campaign organization that dwarfed those of his Republican foes and a fundraising operation second only to that of Obama, his Democratic opponent in the general election.

Romney must now energize conservatives who still doubt him, while persuading undecided voters that he can do a better job fixing the nation's struggling economy than Obama.

"I am honored that Americans across the country have given their support to my candidacy and I am humbled to have won enough delegates to become the Republican Party's 2012 presidential nominee," Romney said in a statement.

"Our party has come together with the goal of putting the failures of the last three and a half years behind us," Romney said. "I have no illusions about the difficulties of the task before us. But whatever challenges lie ahead, we will settle for nothing less than getting America back on the path to full employment and prosperity."

In Obama, he will face a well-funded candidate with a proven campaign team in an election that will be heavily influenced by the economy.

One issue that has drawn backing from some of the most conservative Republicans the question of Obama's citizenship resurfaced again on Tuesday.
Romney spent Tuesday evening at a Las Vegas fundraiser with celebrity real estate mogul Donald Trump, who has been renewing discredited suggestions that Obama wasn't born in the United States. Romney says he believes Obama was born in the U.S. but has yet to condemn Trump's repeated insinuations to the contrary.

The Obama campaign released a video Tuesday criticizing Romney's unwillingness to stand up to Trump and the more extreme elements in his party.

"If Mitt Romney lacks the backbone to stand up to a charlatan like Donald Trump because he's so concerned about lining his campaign's pockets, what does that say about the kind of president he would be?" Obama's deputy campaign manager, Stephanie Cutter, said in a statement.

Asked Monday about Trump's contentions, Romney said: "I don't agree with all the people who support me. And my guess is they don't all agree with everything I believe in." He added: "But I need to get 50.1 percent or more. And I'm appreciative to have the help of a lot of good people."

Trump told CNN in an interview Tuesday that he and Romney talk about other issues jobs, China, oil and more and not about the place of Obama's birth or the validity of his birth certificate. Asked how he viewed Romney's position that the president was indeed born in the U.S., Trump said: "He's entitled to his opinion, and I think that's wonderful. I don't happen to share that opinion and that's wonderful also."

Republicans won't officially nominate Romney until late August at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida.

He won at least 88 delegates in Texas with 64 left to be decided, according to early returns. The 152 delegates in Texas are awarded in proportion to the statewide vote. Romney now has 1,174 delegates.

Texas Republicans also voted in a Senate primary to choose a candidate to run for the seat being vacated by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. The mainstream GOP choice, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, grabbed a double-digit lead with results trickling in Tuesday evening, but fell short of winning the majority of the votes cast needed to beat former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz outright. A runoff will be held July 31.

The nominee will be strongly favored to win in November in heavily Republican Texas.

Romney, 65, is clinching the presidential nomination later in the calendar than any recent Republican candidate but not quite as late as Obama in 2008. Obama clinched the Democratic nomination on June 3, 2008, at the end of an epic primary battle with Hillary Rodham Clinton. Four years ago, John McCain reached the threshold on March 4, after Romney had dropped out of the race about a month earlier.

Several other Republican contenders including Newt Gingrich, a former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Rick Santorum, former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania earlier dropped out of the race as Romney's well-financed campaign gained momentum.

Romney has been in general-election mode for weeks, raising money and focusing on Obama, largely ignoring the primaries since his competitors dropped out or stopped campaigning.

Libertarian-leaning Texas Rep. Ron Paul said on May 14 he would no longer compete in primaries, though his supporters are still working to gain national delegates at state conventions.

[Byrthnoth]

Ron Paul 2016! Whoooo!

[Dantrag]

Lol, he will either be dead or look the same.

[test123]

Mittens have only 591 "pledged" delegates, and many of them are Ron Paul moles

[Melena]

Mittens have only 591 "pledged" delegates, and many of them are Ron Paul moles

Where did you get your tin foil hat fitted at? It looks kind of snug.

[archibaldcrane]

Mittens have only 591 "pledged" delegates, and many of them are Ron Paul moles

Cool, so do you think Ron Paul is going to win? Serious question.