VP? Nah. Rubio-Bush-Ryan plan: Stop Rick Santorum

Marco Rubio sounds worried. So do Jeb Bush and Paul Ryan.

Their candidate, Mitt Romney, is losing to President Barack Obama. The GOP primary is becoming “counterproductive.”

So when the three Republicans endorsed Romney over the past two weeks, it wasn’t so much about jockeying for a vice-presidential slot on Romney’s ticket. Their underlying goal was more fundamental: Stop the primary.

That means stop Rick Santorum.

The former Pennsylvania senator has little chance of winning the nomination. But his ability to damage Romney and the Republican National Convention in Tampa is real. Nothing says Tea Party like wrecking the establishment’s tea party.

Santorum has pledged to take his candidacy to the convention. So has Newt Gingrich.

"They are saying the only way they can win this race is by having a floor fight in Tampa in August," Senator Rubio said Wednesday of the “recipe for disaster” on Fox News. " I think that’s a recipe to deliver four more years to Barack Obama. And our country — forget about the Republican Party — our country cannot afford that."

Even before Rubio’s endorsement, Gingrich appeared to be softening his attacks on Romney. He looks like he’s preparing for a graceful exit.

Not Santorum. It’s as if Obama’s campaign is writing Santorum’s attack lines about how Romney is virtually indistinguishable from the president.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/01/v-fullstory/2726126/rubio-bush-ryan-plan-stop-rick.html#storylink=cpy

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Marco Rubio endorsing Mitt Romney (but Jeb's a better choice for VP)

Florida Senator Marco Rubio endorsed Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney -- just a week after his political mentor, Jeb Bush, threw in with the party's frontrunner.

Rubio's endorsement is another sign that Romney is viewed as the party's inevitable nominee and that the GOP establishment is growing more concerned with the protacted primary that has dragged down Romney's poll numbers.

"I don't have a problem with primaries," Rubio told Sean Hannity. "But I think we're at a stage now where at least two of the candidates have openly admitted that the only way they're going to be able to win the nomination is to have a floor fight in Tampa in August. I don't think there's anything good about that. There is no way that anyone can convince me that having a floor fight at the convention in Tampa in August is a recipe for victory in November. On the contrary. I think it's a recipe for disaster. So I just don't think that's a wise route to go."

Asked if he is endorsing Romney, Rubio said "I am going to endorse Mitt Romney.... He offers such a stark contrast to the president's record."

Rubio said he's convinced of two things: "No. 1, Mitt Romney will govern as a conservative. And No. 2 that he will be head and shoulders better than the guy who's in the White House right now."

Jeb Bush on why 'best orator' Marco Rubio should be Mitt Romney's VP pick

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review caught up with former Florida Jeb Bush yesterday and asked him about his endorsement of Mitt Romney and who his VP pick should be. Bush chose the man to whom he bestowed the Sword of Chiang (derived from "Unleash Chiang Kai-shek") when Marco Rubio was Florida House Speaker.

Bush, 59, the son of a president and brother of another, pushed aside any interest in running with Romney. But he has strong feelings on whom he wants Romney to pick as a running mate.

"Marco Rubio," he said of the freshman Florida GOP senator, who served as a volunteer on Bush's governor's campaign. Bush described Rubio, 40, as "dynamic, joyful, disciplined and principled."

"He is the best orator of American politics today, a good family man. He is not only a consistent conservative, but he has managed to find a way to communicate a conservative message full of hope and optimism," Bush said.

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Etch-A-Sketch gaffe could erase good news of Jeb's endorsement of Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney began Wednesday basking in the glow of the surprise endorsement of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush less than 24 hours after a big Illinois win.

All the good news was in danger of being erased by what’s known as the Etch-A-Sketch gaffe.

As Bush’s endorsement rattled about Twitter and the blogosphere, Romney advisor Eric Fehrnstrom flubbed a question on CNN when he was asked if the campaign plans to retool its message in the general election

“I think you hit a reset button for the fall campaign, everything changes,” Fehrnstrom said. “It’s almost like an Etch-A-Sketch, you can kind of shake it up and we start all over again.”

Liberals, Obama’s campaign and Romney’s Republican rivals pounced. Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich later brandished the 1960’s-era sketching toy end at their respective campaign events.

The flub was a costly one because it involved such a childish goofy sounding word that pointed to a more-serious truth: Opponents see Romney as a flip-flopper.

Reporters, kept at bay from the gaffe-prone Romney, asked the candidate about it Wednesday in Maryland, but he initially snapped that he wasn’t giving a press conference.

Then he reversed himself and, rather than talk about the Bush endorsement, told reporters that he was the same old candidate.

"I’m running as a conservative Republican,” he said. “The policies and positions are the same.”

So are Romney’s problems. He has repeatedly been hobbled by a lack of enthusiasm among Republican voters and, it seems, after every big win Romney commits a gaffe. The difference this time: The mistake was made by his advisor, not the candidate.

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Jeb Bush endorses Mitt Romney

Florida's former governor, Jeb Bush, has finally made his long-awaited endorsement (months after Florida's primary). If past is prologue, this won't make much difference for Romney and, chances are, his opponents will stay in the race for at least a little while longer.

Still, it's significant in that an influential voice in the GOP is basically saying "enough." It's a sign the primary is less and less helpful to Republicans, and that Romney is looking more and more like the inevitable candidate.

But at least the endless GOP-primary chatter on the cable news shows will focus on something more than delegates -- at least in the short term.

The statement:

“Congratulations to Governor Mitt Romney on his win last night and to all the candidates for a hard fought, thoughtful debate and primary season.  Primary elections have been held in thirty-four states, and now is the time for Republicans to unite behind Governor Romney and take our message of fiscal conservatism and job creation to all voters this fall.  I am endorsing Mitt Romney for our Party’s nomination.  We face huge challenges, and we need a leader who understands the economy, recognizes more government regulation is not the answer, believes in entrepreneurial capitalism and works to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed.”

Note: this was sent to us a while ago but wound up in spam. Thanks, gmail

Trayvon Martin cases puts focus on 2005 'stand your ground' law

The death of an unarmed 17-year-old and a police department's reluctance to charge or arrest the neighborhood watch captain who shot him has stoked a national debate about a 2005 Florida law at the center of the case.

The "stand your ground" law — approved overwhelmingly by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jeb Bush — allows people to use deadly force in cases of self-defense when they believe their life is at risk.

George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old neighborhood watch volunteer, has told police he acted in self-defense when he shot Trayvon Martin Feb. 26.

In Tallahassee on Tuesday, several Democrats called for the 2005 law to be reviewed, amended or repealed, while leading Republicans, including the sponsors of the original legislation, said "stand your ground" might not — or should not — apply in this case.

Ann Coulter: Jeb Bush would be "embarrassing to the Republican Party"

Politico: Conservative commentator Ann Coulter predicted on Sunday that Jeb Bush was throwing his hat into the ring in hopes of being chosen the Republican nominee, but had harsh criticism for that prospect.  

"It looks like we can throw Jeb Bush's hat into the ring, along with Sarah Palin, as hoping to be chosen as the nominee after a contested convention," Coulter said on "Fox News Sunday.". 

 

Coulter was reacting to comments Bush made earlier on in the week, when he said that the Republican presidential candidates are "appealing to people's fears." 

 

The conservative author, who is supporting former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, said that a Jeb Bush candidacy would be a disaster. 

 

"I think on closer examination, Jeb Bush would be the worst of all candidates to run, for one thing," said Coulter. "We don't need another Bush.  That would be embarrassing to the Republican Party."

 

"He's more pro amnesty for illegals than his brother was, more than Rick Perry was," she added. ...

Posted by Adam C. Smith

Jeb finds “fear” mongering by GOP candidates “a little troubling.” Paging Rick Santorum?

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has watched the 20 Republican debates. And he doesn’t like what he sees. Unlike the candidates and some in the conservative cognescenti, Bush doesn’t seem to be on a blame-the-media jihad. He thinks the candidates have problems in and of themselves.

 “I used to be a conservative and I watch these debates and I’m wondering, I don’t think I’ve changed, but it’s a little troubling sometimes when people are appealing to people’s fears and emotion rather than trying to get them to look over the horizon for a broader perspective and that’s kind of where we are,” former Florida governor Jeb Bush said after a Thursday Dallas speech, according to Fox News reported. “I think it changes when we get to the general election. I hope.”

Bush didn’t give specifics, though his concern about the GOP’s tone over the immigration debate is longstanding. Bush also didn’t single out any candidates, but his comments tellingly follow the last debate where former Penn. Sen. Rick Santorum essentially dissed Bush’s brother’s singular education reform plan: No Child Left Behind.

More broadly, as the Washington Post points out, Santorum sounded anything but optimistic when he said: “We hear this all time -- so you cut spending, limit the government, everything will be fine. No, everything’s not going to be fine.”

Santorum, who did poorly in the debate, blamed his performance on what he said was a pro-Romney crowd. Earlier in the week, the pro-Romney Drudge Report dredged up a 2008 speech at Catholic Ave Maria University where Santorum said Satan was targeting the United States.

Right now, national polls indicate President Obama would beat any Republican candidate by a slim margin, but Romney matches up best against him. Still, as the primary drags on, Romney’s favorability ratings are slipping.

Hasner! gets the endorsement of Jeb!

Senate candidate-turned Congressional candidate Adam Hasner scores a big endorsement, Jeb Bush, former Republican governor simply campaigned as Jeb! His endorsement in a GOP primary is a big deal. Any other Republicans planning to run now need to ask themselves if it's worth it.

From a press release:

Boca Raton, FL - U.S. House candidate Adam Hasner today announced that he has received the endorsement of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

In announcing his endorsement, Jeb Bush said the following: "I am proud to endorse my friend Adam Hasner for the U.S. House of Representatives in District 22.  Adam has a passion for reform and for common-sense conservative solutions, and he will take that passion to a Washington that is certainly in need of both. 

"The challenges America faces grow each and every day, and we need representatives that share Adam's commitment to principle, his dedication to government accountability and his proven record in working for his community. 

"Adam served Palm Beach and Broward counties with distinction in the state legislature, and I know he will continue to do so in the U.S. House."

Adam Hasner said, "I am deeply honored by the support and endorsement of my friend Governor Jeb Bush.  He stands as one of the greatest governors of our time for good reason: his passion for education, his commitment to reform, and his record of fostering economic growth is second to none. It was an honor to work with him when I represented Palm Beach and Broward counties in the Florida Legislature and I am proud to have Jeb on my side in the race ahead."

 

Jeb joins the Dis Newt Gingrich's Message Club over 'ridiculous' Crist bashing

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush dissed Republican candidate Newt Gingrich for invoking the name of former Republican-turned-independent Gov. Charlie Crist, whose former staffers work for Mitt Romney (some former Crist-ites also work for Gingrich's camp)

“That’s not a serious accusation,” Bush told the National Review Online. “Candidates win elections. I’m not a big Charlie Crist fan, as you recall, but these guys shouldn’t have that moniker attached to them, as if Governor Romney is part of some evil plot. That’s ridiculous.”

Bush's comments are a harsher version of Sen. Marco Rubio's statement on the matter Tuesday. Rubio followed up Wednesday with a forceful condemnation of Gingrich's Spanish-language radio ad that called Romney 'anti-immigrant.'

Not a good week for Gingrich heading into Tuesday's vote.