I'd be afraid that one day he'd take a bite out of someone.

Weight shouldn't matter but let's face it, Christie is exceptionally large (more like obese). Does anyone know if he has any serious health issues? On the surface he seems ok by his sarcastic attitude and schoolyard personality but is he healthy? I mean people were complaining about President Obama's smoking addiction, well wouldn't this be a health factor as well?


TIS

That's very true, Oli. And you'd think that would be a motivating factor for Catholics to get behind Santorum. But not this Catholic.

Nor this one.


I forgot where, but just today one site had the link to JFK's religion/politics speech. He's probably rolling over in his grave.


TIS

That speech is getting a lot of press today because Santorum said it made him "want to throw up."

I think the fat lady is starting to warm up as far as he's concerned. I predict that Romnney will win Michigan by at least 8 points.

As extremists eventually find, yes, you will have your zealots pledge their eternal loyalty. Hopefully, the zealots are only the minority. Eventually that crazy talk starts to turn people off.

Mr. Santorum has reached that point.

I would say "William Taft says hi," but I'm more concerned why he's trying to eat your brains. BRRRRRAINS!

On a serious note, I don't think Christie's weight is a problem in itself.

His problem is that damn helicopter gaffe. That'll tie into his weight, that he's a lazy fatass who needs a 'chopter to do something rather mundane.

A blogger on Santorum:



http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/

Not a gaffe, but I think he's practicing the Donald Trump school of humility.

Not for Paul himself to be the VP nominee, but his son from Kentucky. He is a tea party favorite and geographically out of the northeast.

Here's a link my sister made me aware of from Michigan that I check out from time to time.

It is a tight race with Romney holding a slight lead. However, in Michigan EVERYONE can vote in primaries, Dems & Reps. 16 percent have already voted by mail which they say favors Mitt. YET, I have heard rumors (and looking at comments in the article) that Dems are encouraged to vote and to vote for Santorum to throw Mitt off. Whether that is true or whether or not it happens, could be interesting.


http://www.mlive.com/




TIS

TIS - My problem with that notion is this: If Democrats do vote tomorrow, they'll be voting who they identify with more, most likely for Mittens.* (Like Mittens voted for Tsongas in '92.) Most average folks are not strategically voting like Daily Kos would daydream.

Anyway, Mike Huckabee quipped this yesterday:



Does Hucky kick himself for not running? Or is he glad he's not stuck in that bullshit circus?

*=Taking for granted of course that MI isn't swarming with pro-life Democrats who've never forgiven JFK like Santorum.

These damn Michigan polls confuse me.

First Santorum was leading, then we had Mitt-mentum surging (especially after the debate) and taking the lead, now polls are giving mix signals, dead heat apparently. Total toss-up tomorrow night.

I'll give the explaination that everybody is thinking. Tomorrow, voters in the Michigan Republican primary will make a critical, monumental decision at the polls: Bullet to the head or Icepick to the balls?

I was reading at least one poll had Santorum ahead (by only one). Also, a robo call went out to Dem voters in MI encouraging them to vote for Santorum because Mitt wanted the auto industry to fail. At end of call it's stated that it's "paid for by the Santorum for President people." Definitely a race worth watching that's for sure.

I really have to think that Romney's stance on the auto industry WILL have an affect. Whether or not enough to lose MI I don't know, but I simply can't believe people in MI won't think twice before voting for him.

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/0...uaw.php?ref=fpa




TIS

TIS - Somebody posted an article yesterday about how the GOP (or more specifically, Mittens) has lost Michigan for the fall because of the primary campaigning and Mittens giving his convoluted, confusing pretzel-evolving stance on the bailouts. (Bias of partisanship, I defy anybody to understand all that gobbledy goop.)

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/02/26/michael-tomasky-on-the-gop-s-michigan-give-away.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thedailybeast%2Farticles+%28The+Daily+Beast+-+Latest+Articles%29

Then Michigan Governor (and Mittens supporter) Rick Snyder actually stated that he supported the bailouts:



A Republican Governor would only say that publicly if he thought it was politically toxic for him to oppose the bailouts (or be perceived as such). If his party's top elected official in that state is afraid of attacking it, I think Mittens is screwed in that state if he wins the nomination.

Of course a note of solace for the GOP: It's a blue state. They're not losing anything.

Then one of my right-wing favorites, David Frum tweeted this today:



http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/02/27/when-you-ve-lost-the-auto-executives.html

Santorum is hitting Romney hard on his opposition to the auto bail out. It should also be noted that Santorum too opposed and criticized the auto bail out.

You mean he's a hypocrite? A politician?

Noooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!

That's not possible - that would mean that he is a politician that will lie and misrepresent himself just to get elected. I feel my faith in the election process starting to waiver.

Local paper says Mittens has giant lead in AZ--46 to 26; nothing is said about Michigan. But there's the pattern again: no "winner" has gotten more than 50% of the GOP vote. Tells me that whoever gets the nod shouldn't count on all--or even most of--the GOP voters to fall in behind him in November.

That's why they can't win, TB.

In their minds, they're living the fantasy that 2016 will usher in another Bush type of era. They don't want to take the chance and get behind Romney because they know if he wins they can't run a true conservative until 2020.

From what I understand the Democrats are also running ads in Michigan criticizing Romney's opposition of the auto bailouts. No doubt jockeying for Santorum and getting a head start for November.

I'm guessing everybody read this, but I'm posting it anyway.



You'll be surprised, but I have mixed emotions. He's right about his party base being too much foam-in-mouth rabid. Nobody will disagree with him.

On the other hand...he pretty much indirectly called his own party's base stupid. I won't disagree with him on that diagnosis either, but I'm not the one desperately trying to win over their votes. Especially on the day of a primary! Usually when you call voters fools before they cast their ballots, they tend to get pissed off. (Just ask Jimmy Carter.) Rush Limbaugh certainly was pissed about that comment today. Yes he's a clown, but that clown has fans. Who vote.

But really gets me, really stuck in my teeth is him whining with "I am what I am." The message overall is find, but the wrong messenger to play the righteous credible candidate. From pro-choice to pro-life (coincidentally timed with a presidential campaign), from greatest state policy achievement RomneyCare to disowning it to reowning it somewhat, from moderate GOP Governor of a blue state to wannabe Reagan/Dubya 2.0.

It's one thing to bullshit "evolve" on some issues out of political convenience, it's another when you change on so much that the new you may have the same name and looks as the "old" Mittens, that's where the similarities end.

You know what ironically this thick irony reminds me of? When back in the day, Newt Gingrinch lead the morality crusade against Bill Clinton's adultery.

The message isn't wrong, but it's the messenger.

One thing I've learned about Romney is that he is not as politically smart as I thought. He constantly is putting his foot in his mouth. I pictured him to be much smoother a politician.

Anyway, I read turnout thus far in MI is low and a few reports that Dems are showing up at the polls. Hopefully my Michigander friend, Lilo will pop in to update us.

TIS

You rang???

I saw those reports too TIS, that turnout was light. On my morning commute I drive past a library that is the local voting precinct. Usually for primaries in election year there's a lot of traffic. This time there wasn't. Of course I live in a predominantly Democratic leaning area. So maybe that doesn't mean too much.

I would love to see Santorum win the Republican nomination so I hope he wins Michigan. I was just surfing "Hardball" and Joe Klein says he thinks Santorum will do better among Lincoln Park and downriver voters which is , if you're familiar with the area, a polite way of saying Santorum will do better among poorer, less educated people. We'll see. Polls close soon.

As far as Democrats crossing over, Santorum asked for it. Some are doing it.

Thanks Lilo. I know of Lincoln Park but usually think of Detroit area in terms of Wayne County (it's been a long time). I go to MI-Live to see any local updates when I can and have too read comments from people and how they will vote.

I did call MI today to wish my brother brother a Happy Birthday. As of recent years, we are so far apart politically that we can actually argue if we get going, so I refrained from getting on that topic.

Lilo, do you agree that Romney's comments about letting the auto industry fail is a HUGE minus for him? Grand Rapids has many auto plants that have closed and I can only imagine how Detroit must feel not to mention the entire state. Agree???


TIS

CNN has it practically a dead heat with Santorum holding less than a pct. point lead with only 7 % of vote counted. May be a long night.

I know. 17 per cent in and still neck & neck with Santorum ahead by only 200 & some votes. Long way to go but if it remains this tight it will be an all nighter.


TIS

Less than half of voters in the Republican primary said they strongly favored their own candidate, while 52% had reservations or disliked the other candidate more, according to the exit poll data.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/02/everythings-coming-up-romney-115885.html

EDIT - Santorum lost the Catholic vote, by several points. Pathetic.

MSNBC is projecting Mitt winner in Michigan Primary. Close, but he did it.

Yet Santorum sounds like he's giving a victory speech.




TIS