2016 Postmortem

babylonsister

(171,032 posts) Wed Sep 19, 2012, 04:52 PM Sep 2012

The GOP freak-out starts to take shape

Posted with permission.

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/09/19/13965002-the-gop-freak-out-starts-to-take-shape?lite

The GOP freak-out starts to take shape
By Steve Benen
-
Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:39 PM EDT

As I went through the news this morning, I picked up on a subtle theme that seems to be permeating the political discourse right now.

The Hill quoted a GOP strategist saying Team Romney has "the stench of a losing campaign."

Politico quoted Greg Strimple, who worked on John McCain's 2008 campaign, saying, "The problem is the campaign is now in a spiral and no one knows how to pull out." The same piece quoted a senior Republican who's also deeply involved in this cycle's campaign, who said, "As a candidate, {Romney} is just not going to improve." A Romney bundler added, "{W}e're just ... imploding."

The New York Times reported that a "palpably gloomy and openly frustrated mood has begun to creep into Mr. Romney's campaign for president," and some Romney aides "are now wondering whether victory is still possible." A "flustered adviser, describing the mood, said that the campaign was turning into a vulgar, unprintable phrase."

The Daily Beast ran a piece from Mark McKinnon, a former Bush adviser, who wrote, "I honestly don't know what Romney can do to win support from the voters he needs to gain a majority. I thought the debates would be an opportunity, but he has dug his hole so deeply now, I don't know if he can pull himself out.... I loved Michelle Obama's line in her speech: 'A presidency reveals who you are.' So do campaigns. And mark me down as one Republican not happy with what is being revealed about Mitt Romney."

And the Huffington Post quoted a Republican consultant with deep experience on Capitol Hill and extensive contacts in the Romney campaign, who said, "There's a feeling of almost that this thing's in free fall."

Clearly, Romney is not where he wants or needs to be, but I'm rather amazed the panic is so widespread and public. President Obama's leading, but his advantage can best be described as modest, and Romney and his allies are sitting out a mountain of cash, which will finance "carpet bombing" that has not yet begun. There's just no need for this freak-out.

But the freak-out is nevertheless well underway.

There's a real danger of a self-fulfilling prophecy here, in which donors and activists simply start to assume Romney is doomed -- because Republicans keep telling them he's doomed -- and pull back from investing more resources.

16 replies

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Highlight:

The GOP freak-out starts to take shape (Original Post) babylonsister Sep 2012 OP

WE CAN'T LET UP gopiscrap Sep 2012 #1

Get used to it repukes! Nobody is buying your bullshit anymore rachel1 Sep 2012 #2

WTF is a "bundler"? TrogL Sep 2012 #3

These folks jberryhill Sep 2012 #5

Lol! I'd actually take the puppy from these two. Indpndnt Sep 2012 #10

A combo of "butler" and "handler". so as to not bruise Mitt's ego. aletier_v Sep 2012 #6

I thought it was a combo of "butt" and "handler" jberryhill Sep 2012 #11

It is this: Jennicut Sep 2012 #9

They should be freaking out. wildeyed Sep 2012 #4

They're zealots... zealots freak out... mikelewis Sep 2012 #7

Exactly.... WCGreen Sep 2012 #8

NOooooo! They need to spend every dime on this guy KurtNYC Sep 2012 #12

Oh those silly wabbits.. Cha Sep 2012 #13

They are blaming the media. DCBob Sep 2012 #14

"Gloomy and frustrated" is my favorite Republican attitude. Scuba Sep 2012 #15

Money talks, but what is it going to say? Jester Messiah Sep 2012 #16

gopiscrap

(23,725 posts)

1. WE CAN'T LET UP

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 04:59 PM

Sep 2012

Keep campaigning as if we're 5 points behind!!!!!

rachel1

(538 posts)

2. Get used to it repukes! Nobody is buying your bullshit anymore

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 05:00 PM

Sep 2012

I wonder how they'll react in 2014 & 2016.

TrogL

(32,818 posts)

3. WTF is a "bundler"?

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 05:02 PM

Sep 2012

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

5. These folks

Reply to TrogL (Reply #3)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 05:11 PM

Sep 2012

Indpndnt

(2,391 posts)

10. Lol! I'd actually take the puppy from these two.

Reply to jberryhill (Reply #5)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 05:31 PM

Sep 2012

Anything to get it out of their hands!

aletier_v

(1,773 posts)

6. A combo of "butler" and "handler". so as to not bruise Mitt's ego.

Reply to TrogL (Reply #3)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 05:12 PM

Sep 2012

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

11. I thought it was a combo of "butt" and "handler"

Reply to aletier_v (Reply #6)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 05:35 PM

Sep 2012

As in, "Romney just doesn't have that spring in his step without first seeing his bundler."

Jennicut

(25,415 posts)

9. It is this:

Reply to TrogL (Reply #3)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 05:23 PM

Sep 2012

A "bundler" is a person who gathers contributions from many different individuals and presents the sum (or "bundle&quot to a campaign in one lump sum. "Bundlers" are invaluable to campaigns - because of this, campaigns will usually bestow honorary titles upon the "bundlers".
http://www.davemanuel.com/investor-dictionary/bundlers/

People that raise a crap load of money from lots of different people, in other words.

wildeyed

(11,243 posts)

4. They should be freaking out.

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 05:11 PM

Sep 2012

Weak candidate and HORRIBLE, unpopular policy positions. My observation, you can have one or the other, but both is the kiss of death.

I am so, so motivated to win right now. My state NC is in play and we have some awful statewide pols to kick out on their behinds.

mikelewis

(4,079 posts)

7. They're zealots... zealots freak out...

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 05:14 PM

Sep 2012

It's sort of fun to get them all stirred up and watch the mosh. I wouldn't worry about it... Mitt's leading the most delusional bunch of folks that ever existed to the polls, they'll show up. Hell, they may even win. The Diebold poll has Mitt up by 5 points in all republican held swing states. It's anyone's game.

WCGreen

(45,558 posts)

8. Exactly....

Reply to mikelewis (Reply #7)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 05:23 PM

Sep 2012

The people in charge, the one's planning the campaign could care less. They won't be blamed for this building disaster and they will get paid. It's the volunteers and the mid level people who actually do all the work that won't get paid...

KurtNYC

(14,549 posts)

12. NOooooo! They need to spend every dime on this guy

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 05:41 PM

Sep 2012

and Mitt owes it to his supporters to repatriate his money and spend it all!

C'mon Mitt -- America is not going to insult itself. You have to do it.

Cha

(296,795 posts)

13. Oh those silly wabbits..

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 05:47 PM

Sep 2012

"The problem is the campaign is now in a spiral and no one knows how to pull out." The same piece quoted a senior Republican who's also deeply involved in this cycle's campaign, who said, "As a candidate, {Romney} is just not going to improve." A Romney bundler added, "{W}e're just ... imploding."

Don't they see Romney raising his hand like crazy from the back row?! He's saying: "I know how! I know how! Just recycle Breitbart..bring back Ayers, get Rev Wright on the phone! Hell, lets get Ann out there and claim I don't Disdain, The Poor."

Yeah, I wonder why those who are freaking out ..are Freaking out so early? Was it the Motherlode of Taped Sessions staring, Mitt Unplugged? That doesn't usually happen to such a catatrophic Level. Or like NEVER.

DCBob

(24,689 posts)

14. They are blaming the media.

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 06:12 PM

Sep 2012

I listened to a few minutes of RW con radio this morning and this evening and they are all blaming the media. When all have left is to blame the media then you know its close to being over.

Scuba

(53,475 posts)

15. "Gloomy and frustrated" is my favorite Republican attitude.

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 06:19 PM

Sep 2012

Jester Messiah

(4,711 posts)

16. Money talks, but what is it going to say?

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Wed Sep 19, 2012, 10:16 PM

Sep 2012

Romney's got no message. The argument for Romney was supposed to be that he's Mister Economy, but that got him nowhere. He's obviously got NO foreign policy chops, no hint of proficiency in matters military, and he recently told half the country to go fuck itself. What is he gonna say at this point?

I mean, I guess he can go 100% negative, spend all that money on attack ads, but Obama plays great defense. What are they going to attack him on? Being a "marxist soshalist muslim kenyan atheist?" That plays well in freepertown, but it'll send independents running for the exits.

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