Romney wins Iowa straw poll

gldstwmn · #1 08-12-2007, 12:54 AM

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/...oll/index.html

AMES, Iowa (CNN) -- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the Iowa Republican straw poll Saturday, giving his campaign a boost six months before the state holds its first-in-the-nation caucuses.

Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney received almost 32 percent of the vote in the Iowa Republican straw poll.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee came in second, followed by Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback.

Romney received 4,516 votes, or 31.5 percent of the total. But his victory was slightly overshadowed by low participation from GOP activists and the absence of several opponents.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Sen. John McCain -- as well as former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, an unannounced candidate -- chose not to spend the money needed to win the contest.

"It is a win," David Yepsen, political columnist with The Des Moines Register, said in an interview.

"But it is somewhat shallow, because his big opponents didn't show up. What does it mean to get in the ring and your opponents don't even show up," added Yepsen, who is considered the dean of the Iowa political press corps.

The straw poll was held on the campus of Iowa State University and is viewed as a test of organizational strength in Iowa. In almost every case, the candidates paid the $35 per person fee charged to vote in the straw poll. It's a major fundraiser for the state Republican Party.

A malfunctioning voting machine delayed the release of the results by more than an hour, as GOP officials were forced to count more than 1,500 ballots by hand.

The candidates set up tents outside Hilton Coliseum to feed supporters, hand out campaign literature, T-shirts and stickers, as well as to allow people to escape the blazing sun. Watch Mike Huckabee jam with the band »

Romney and Brownback invested the most resources in the straw poll by paying for the privilege to erect massive tents near the voting entrance.

The former Massachusetts governor had a large outdoor stage with bands and other entertainment performing throughout the day.

Brownback offered air conditioning in his tent, which featured a stage for entertainment and a moon bounce and other activities outside for children. The other candidates had much smaller tents scattered around the coliseum.

In the middle of the day, the candidates each took the stage inside the coliseum to talk about their vision for America and urge attendees to vote for them.

Perhaps anticipating a poor showing at the event, California Rep. Duncan Hunter told CNN hours before the results were announced that he planned to continue his bid for the White House.

"I think for the guys who have spent a lot of money here getting their message out, they are going to have to judge whether or not they have done as well as they want to do," Hunter said. "For us, we consider this a start of a marathon. This is just the tip-off."

In the next 24 to 72 hours, the GOP presidential field could be winnowed if some of the candidates believe Saturday's showing is an indicator of the lack of support for their campaign.

The Iowa Democratic Party does not hold a similar event.

Iowa Straw Poll Results
Mitt Romney: 4,516 votes
Mike Huckabee: 2,587 votes
Sam Brownback: 2,192 votes
Tom Tancredo: 1,961 votes
Ron Paul: 1,305 votes
Tommy Thompson: 1,039 votes
Fred Thompson: 203 votes
Rudy Giuliani: 183 votes
Duncan Hunter: 174 votes
John McCain: 101 votes
John Cox: 41 votes

strandinthewind · #2 08-12-2007, 01:00 AM

Good - because I think he, a Mormon and a former quasi pro choice person - cannot get elected with the majority of the R support, which comes from the far right, which loaths both of those charateristics.

Musicman408 · #3 08-12-2007, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/...oll/index.html

AMES, Iowa (CNN) -- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the Iowa Republican straw poll Saturday, giving his campaign a boost six months before the state holds its first-in-the-nation caucuses.

Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney received almost 32 percent of the vote in the Iowa Republican straw poll.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee came in second, followed by Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback.

Romney received 4,516 votes, or 31.5 percent of the total. But his victory was slightly overshadowed by low participation from GOP activists and the absence of several opponents.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Sen. John McCain -- as well as former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, an unannounced candidate -- chose not to spend the money needed to win the contest.

"It is a win," David Yepsen, political columnist with The Des Moines Register, said in an interview.

"But it is somewhat shallow, because his big opponents didn't show up. What does it mean to get in the ring and your opponents don't even show up," added Yepsen, who is considered the dean of the Iowa political press corps.

The straw poll was held on the campus of Iowa State University and is viewed as a test of organizational strength in Iowa. In almost every case, the candidates paid the $35 per person fee charged to vote in the straw poll. It's a major fundraiser for the state Republican Party.

A malfunctioning voting machine delayed the release of the results by more than an hour, as GOP officials were forced to count more than 1,500 ballots by hand.

The candidates set up tents outside Hilton Coliseum to feed supporters, hand out campaign literature, T-shirts and stickers, as well as to allow people to escape the blazing sun. Watch Mike Huckabee jam with the band »

Romney and Brownback invested the most resources in the straw poll by paying for the privilege to erect massive tents near the voting entrance.

The former Massachusetts governor had a large outdoor stage with bands and other entertainment performing throughout the day.

Brownback offered air conditioning in his tent, which featured a stage for entertainment and a moon bounce and other activities outside for children. The other candidates had much smaller tents scattered around the coliseum.

In the middle of the day, the candidates each took the stage inside the coliseum to talk about their vision for America and urge attendees to vote for them.

Perhaps anticipating a poor showing at the event, California Rep. Duncan Hunter told CNN hours before the results were announced that he planned to continue his bid for the White House.

"I think for the guys who have spent a lot of money here getting their message out, they are going to have to judge whether or not they have done as well as they want to do," Hunter said. "For us, we consider this a start of a marathon. This is just the tip-off."

In the next 24 to 72 hours, the GOP presidential field could be winnowed if some of the candidates believe Saturday's showing is an indicator of the lack of support for their campaign.

The Iowa Democratic Party does not hold a similar event.

Iowa Straw Poll Results
Mitt Romney: 4,516 votes
Mike Huckabee: 2,587 votes
Sam Brownback: 2,192 votes
Tom Tancredo: 1,961 votes
Ron Paul: 1,305 votes
Tommy Thompson: 1,039 votes
Fred Thompson: 203 votes
Rudy Giuliani: 183 votes
Duncan Hunter: 174 votes
John McCain: 101 votes
John Cox: 41 votes

It just blows my mind how McCain can go from contender, to pretender in no time.

Tarot · #4 08-12-2007, 10:15 PM

Ron Paul '08

irishgrl · #5 08-12-2007, 11:25 PM

wow, Rudy and McCain all the way at the bottom! more Diebold antics maybe?

That just CANT be real! and if it is, and Romney does get the Republican nomination, perhaps even Hilary cant lose!

paperflowers · #6 08-12-2007, 11:28 PM

This is interesting to see how the social conservatives are willing to compromise. I would think Romeny’s flip flop so conveniently close to announcing his bid for president would be transparent but alas it's slim pickings on the republican side. Romney spent mega bucks in Iowa; he looks like he came from central casting (I'm not a president but I play one on t.v.

). Romney is arguably the closest thing to a Christian Conservative in the top tear. Many, such as certain Baptists do not even consider Mormons Christian. It’s going to be very interesting to watch how this plays out. If your interested in learning more about the Mormons, Frontline has an excellent piece that you can watch in its entirety online ( http://www.pbs.org/mormons/view/ ). I am not saying that all republicans are social conservatives but that it is those folks that vote in primaries. IMO Romney may fragment the party even further then say Giuliani. At least there isn’t much to argue about as to where he stands on issues important to the Christian right; he is pro-choice and pro-civil union. As a dem, I love the idea of Romney getting the nod. He is soooo going to be mince meat to any of the top tear Dems.

gldstwmn · #7 08-13-2007, 12:14 AM

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/...bid/index.html

GOP hopeful Tommy Thompson abandons presidential bid

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson is abandoning his presidential bid, his campaign announced Sunday night.

Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson dropped out of the race for the GOP presidential nomination.

Thompson, who also served in the Bush Cabinet, did not meet the expectations he set for himself in the Ames Republican straw poll held Saturday.

"I want to thank the people of Iowa who were welcoming and supportive as well as my volunteers and contributors from around the country," Thompson said in a written statement.

Thompson, former secretary of Health and Human Services, had hoped to place second in the poll. Instead, he finished sixth.

Speaking to reporters Sunday, he smiled and said he simply needed to accept that he "lost."

"There's no sense in looking back," he said.

"I felt my record as governor of Wisconsin and Secretary of Health and Human Services gave me the experience I needed to serve as president," he said.

"But I respect the decision of the voters. I am leaving the campaign trail today, but I will not leave the challenges of improving health care and welfare in America."

Thompson had raised just over $890,000 dollars for his campaign as of June 30, according to the Federal Election Commission. That total was ninth among GOP candidates.

The campaign said Thompson, who was four times elected governor of Wisconsin, would return to the "private sector." He was working as a senior partner in a law firm when he announced his candidacy in April.

Thompson had set up a presidential exploratory committee in December 2006 and filed a statement of candidacy in January.

In April, Thompson said he was hoping to appeal to Republicans who feel that other GOP candidates are not conservative enough on economic and social issues.

"I am the reliable conservative; my record shows that," he said at the time. "All that people have to do is look at my record, and I am one individual that they can count on.

The Tower · #8 08-13-2007, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Iowa Straw Poll Results
Mitt Romney: 4,516 votes
Mike Huckabee: 2,587 votes
Sam Brownback: 2,192 votes
Tom Tancredo: 1,961 votes
Ron Paul: 1,305 votes
Tommy Thompson: 1,039 votes
Fred Thompson: 203 votes
Rudy Giuliani: 183 votes
Duncan Hunter: 174 votes
John McCain: 101 votes
John Cox: 41 votes

They all suck asssssssssssssss thank gawd.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarot

Ron Paul '08

Do you even know what he stands for???

paperflowers · #9 08-13-2007, 04:53 AM

[http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070812/OPINION01/708120348/1001[/URL]

Yepsen: Republicans seem lethargic about choices

Ames, Ia. - Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney may have won the Iowa Republican straw poll here Saturday, but his victory was a bit hollow. There are signs he may not be the prohibitive front-runner in Iowa after all.

Only 14,302 people voted in the poll, far fewer than the 23,685 who cast ballots in the last big straw poll in 1999.

That's a sign Republicans are not happy with their choices. At least they aren't excited enough to brave the summer heat to vote for them.

Romney got 4,516 votes, fewer than the 7,418 votes George W. Bush received when he won the 1999 straw poll.

The results tell us several things:

- It doesn't mean much to win a fight when the other prize fighters don't get in the ring. Romney won, but Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Fred Thompson were no-shows in the competition.

- It does mean something to lose a fight like that. Tommy Thompson's sixth-place showing is likely to knock him from the race. He said he had to finish first or second in order to continue.

- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas finished second and third. Those finishes should give their campaigns a boost. Historically, the eventual GOP nominee comes from the ranks of the top three finishers in the straw poll.

Those numbers are also a sign Huckabee is doing the better job of rallying GOP social conservatives. The two were locked in a stiff competition for those votes on Saturday.

-Republicans seem lethargic about their choices. The low numbers in the balloting also reflect some dissatisfaction among rank-and-file Republicans with their choices in the presidential race. Why go to Ames on a hot day if you're cool toward the candidates? A recent ABC/Washington Post poll of likely GOP caucusgoers showed only 19 percent were enthusiastic about their options.

- Republicans may be in a more general funk, too. One leading Republican strategist said privately here Saturday that "in 1999, Democrats were suffering from Clinton fatigue; now, we're suffering from Bush fatigue."

That seemed obvious from the speeches the candidates gave here. President Bush's name was rarely invoked by the candidates. Instead, they spent much of their time charting a new course and telling the audience what they'd do differently from the current administration.

The name of the unpopular president was rarely mentioned. He wasn't bashed, as is done at Democratic events. He was basically just ignored.

Instead, the GOP contenders seem to know that if they have any hope of holding the White House in 2008, it's going to be by offering voters a new direction, not more of the same.

"Change begins in Iowa and change begins today," said Romney. "If there's ever been a time we needed to see a change in Washington, it is now."

He said the nation's politics is marked by "bickering and partisanship. ... It's time to have change in Washington."

There is good reason for Republicans to chart some new courses. Recent polls show Bush's poll ratings are among the worst since pollsters began charting such things. Leading Democratic candidates are beating the leading Republican ones in trial heats of the 2008 presidential race.

Any "more of the same" politics seems a loser. Instead, the best applause lines here were the ones that cut against Bush administration policies:

- None of the candidates endorsed the immigration bill the president supported. Instead, all of them attacked illegal immigration and promised to build barriers along the border with Mexico and crack down on employers who hire people here illegally.

Those in the United States illegally should "get in line with everybody else, no special pathway. Amnesty will not work," Romney said.

- Huckabee said the GOP lost elections in 2006 because of "false advertising." "Last year we had the leaves of Republicanism but not the fruit," he said.

- Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo criticized the administration's "rules of engagement" that U.S. troops in Afghanistan must follow in battle. He said those are "politically correct," and in his administration "the only rule of engagement is we win, you lose."

- On Iraq, Brownback said "we also need a political solution" to the Iraq war, and he has proposed a three-state solution in which the country will be divided along sectarian lines with a federal capitol in Baghdad. "That is a political solution that can meet our military commitment. Something we can do and something that will work. We've got to get that done."

- Texas Congressman Ron Paul argued for a more isolationist foreign policy saying, "We were not meant to be the policeman of the world."

- California Congressman Duncan Hunter criticized U.S. trade policies he says were moving the nation's manufacturing base offshore, especially to China.

Romney almost seemed to acknowledge Bush was being slighted when he said, "Let's not forget at least one thing ... he has kept us safe these last six years."

Columnist David Yepsen can be reached at [email protected] or (515) 284-

skcin · #10 08-13-2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Musicman408

It just blows my mind how McCain can go from contender, to pretender in no time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishgrl

wow, Rudy and McCain all the way at the bottom! more Diebold antics maybe?

That just CANT be real! and if it is, and Romney does get the Republican nomination, perhaps even Hilary cant lose!

Did you guys catch this little bit of info in the original article?

Quote:

Romney received 4,516 votes, or 31.5 percent of the total. But his victory was slightly overshadowed by low participation from GOP activists and the absence of several opponents.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Sen. John McCain -- as well as former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, an unannounced candidate -- chose not to spend the money needed to win the contest.

"It is a win," David Yepsen, political columnist with The Des Moines Register, said in an interview.

"But it is somewhat shallow, because his big opponents didn't show up. What does it mean to get in the ring and your opponents don't even show up," added Yepsen, who is considered the dean of the Iowa political press corps.

The straw poll was held on the campus of Iowa State University and is viewed as a test of organizational strength in Iowa. In almost every case, the candidates paid the $35 per person fee charged to vote in the straw poll. It's a major fundraiser for the state Republican Party.

I'd say that was a major factor. BTW - MITT? His name is Mitt? Is that short for something?

irishgrl · #11 08-15-2007, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Good - because I think he, a Mormon and a former quasi pro choice person - cannot get elected with the majority of the R support, which comes from the far right, which loaths both of those charateristics.

oh Jason, Romney is not pro-choice apparently:

Quote:

Romney delineates his abortion stance

By GLEN JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer Tue Aug 14, 9:32 PM ET

BOSTON - Asked about abortion rights last week, Mitt Romney grew exasperated and said: "I'm pro-life; it would be great if we could just leave it at that."

But as his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination progresses, Romney is revealing more complex thoughts on the subject for which he has already been labeled a flip-flopper. It shows even his current position defies easy labels or rote town-hall meeting answers.

Before audiences in early voting Iowa and New Hampshire, where Romney leads in the polls, the former Massachusetts governor insisted he wants the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and allow the states to determine their own abortion policies. He said it's preferable to the "one-size-fits-all" federal approach embedded in the court's 1973 landmark decision that established a constitutional right to abortion.

Yet in recent weeks, he has acknowledged he also supports a plank in the 2004 Republican Party platform calling for a federal "Human Life Amendment" to the Constitution. It would repeal Roe v. Wade with an eye toward banning abortion nationwide.

In addition, Romney has said he supports the platform's call for federal legislation expanding protections in the 14th Amendment — which added due process and equal protection clauses — to unborn children. That could also block abortions nationally.

While both moves would supersede court or state action, Romney insists those positions are not a further evolution in his abortion views. He has already conceded moving from the "effectively pro-choice" position he held until July 2005 to the staunch opposition he emphasizes today on the campaign trail.

"The right course, in my view, and the course that has the greatest prospects of success, is to see a president elected who will appoint strict-constructionist judges who will be inclined to return to the people and their elected representatives and the states the ability to fashion their own laws related to abortion," he told reporters last week during a visit to the Mississippi River city of Bettendorf, Iowa.

When the subject was first broached, he replied, "I'm pro-life; it would be great if we could just leave it at that."

Romney went on to minimize the Human Life Amendment, even though he supports it and it was written by James Bopp Jr., a conservative lawyer and general counsel to the National Right to Life Committee who serves as Romney's "special adviser on life issues."

Romney said Bopp had recently told him "there are a wide range of possible human life amendments," varying from one that would include an abortion ban to one that would leave the matter in state hands. Romney said Bopp also told him getting three quarters of the states to approve one — as is required for a constitutional amendment — "is just not realistic."

That, Romney added, is why he emphasizes electing a president committed to creating a high court majority opposed to Roe v. Wade. He has said conservative justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and John Roberts are the type of justices he would appoint.

And that, Romney says, would allow an intermediate recalibration of abortion rights.

The nuances of Romney's abortion views don't impress critics, who say he's shifted his position to suit his need to curry favor with the GOP's social conservatives.

"What we tell everybody is that no matter where they stand on the issue of choice, he or she should question where Mitt Romney stands," said Kelly O'Bryan, a spokeswoman for NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts.

O'Bryan recalled Romney telling her abortion rights group during an interview amid his 2002 gubernatorial campaign, "I will not allow any chipping away at Roe v. Wade." She said notes of the Sept. 26, 2002, meeting also reflect Romney saying, "You need someone in Washington like me." At the time, Romney said that while he personally opposed abortion, he would not only support Roe, but block any state action to undercut abortion rights.

Angus McQuilken, spokesman for the Massachusetts chapter of the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund, cited similar statements to his group both during the gubernatorial race and Romney's 1994 U.S. Senate campaign.

"The issue with Romney has always been his credibility," said McQuilken. "His current platform on abortion rights is just the latest in a long line of contradictions. What voters need to know about Mitt Romney is this: Where he stands on any issue is always a moving target."

Romney said he changed his mind on abortion after reflecting on a November 2004 meeting with a Harvard stem cell researcher. He said the conversation evoked images of "Brave New World" embryo cloning and convinced him he could no longer say he was personally opposed to abortion but publicly supportive of abortion rights.

Nine months later, Romney proclaimed in a newspaper opinion piece: "I am pro-life."

Today, the 60-year-old Romney says his view reflects a lifetime of experience and is similar to the abortion conversions undergone by former presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

He said in Iowa he supports the GOP platform because "it's a very broad, encompassing view, and it suggests, as I believe, that our party should stand for life, and that there should be an effort to communicate that to the American people."

strandinthewind · #12 08-15-2007, 08:40 AM

^^^

I said "former quasi pro choice person" -- IMO, he was never pro choice in that he never really supported any pro choice legislation.

irishgrl · #13 08-15-2007, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

^^^

I said "former quasi pro choice person" -- IMO, he was never pro choice in that he never really supported any pro choice legislation.

not sure why you would call him ANY sort of pro-choice person....considering he's all for that stupid "Human Life Amendment", I hope he loses big.

strandinthewind · #14 08-15-2007, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishgrl

not sure why you would call him ANY sort of pro-choice person....considering he's all for that stupid "Human Life Amendment", I hope he loses big.

In the article you posted, it states:

Quote:

Romney said he changed his mind on abortion after reflecting on a November 2004 meeting with a Harvard stem cell researcher.

Prior to that he was quasi-pro choice, to wit:

Romney currently holds a pro-life platform, though in 1994 he promised not to infringe upon abortion rights in Massachusetts, which he says was a result of having a sister-in-law die as the result of an illegal abortion. In the 2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial campaign, he was endorsed by the Republicans for Choice coalition. In a March 15, 2007 interview with Larry King, Romney explained that while governor he adapted his political position on abortion when the idea of cloning human embryos for the purpose of harvesting stem cells became an issue of debate in his state, but has made some comment that affirmed his previous pro-choice position months after he says that he had become pro-life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney

Also -

Mitt Romney on Abortion
Click here for 16 full quotes on Abortion OR other candidates on Abortion OR background on Abortion.
Absolute good day for America when Roe v. Wade is repealed. (May 2007)
Personally pro-life, but government should not intrude. (May 2007)
Was effectively pro-choice until cloning changed his opinion. (May 2007)
Altered nuclear transfer instead of embryonic stem cells. (May 2007)
Would welcome overturning Roe v. Wade. (Mar 2007)
Breach of Constitution for justices to adjust Constitution. (Mar 2007)
Committed to not change law on abortion as Gov., and did not. (Mar 2007)
Stem cell research lofty goals don't justify destroying life. (Mar 2007)
Now firmly pro-life, despite 2002 tolerance for abortion. (Dec 2006)
Opposes Roe v Wade, but won't tamper with abortion laws. (Dec 2006)
Anti-abortion views have "evolved & deepened" while governor. (Jul 2005)
Vetoed emergency contraception for rape victims. (Jul 2005)
Vetoed stem cell research bill. (May 2005)
Endorsed legalization of RU-486. (Mar 2002)
Personally against abortion, but pro-choice as governor. (Mar 2002)
For safe, legal abortion since relative's death from illegal. (Oct 1994)

http://www.ontheissues.org/Mitt_Romney.htm#Abortion

Finally -

Mitt Romney on Abortion
Republican MA Governor

Absolute good day for America when Roe v. Wade is repealed
Q: Would the day that Roe v. Wade is repealed be a good day for America?
ROMNEY: Absolutely.

BROWNBACK: It would be a glorious day of human liberty and freedom.

GILMORE: Yes, it was wrongly decided.

HUCKABEE: Most certainly.

HUNTER: Yes.

THOMPSON: Yes.

McCAIN: A repeal.

GIULIANI: It would be OK to repeal.

TANCREDO: After 40 million dead because we have aborted them in this country, that would be the greatest day in this country's history when that, in fact, is overturned.

Source: 2007 GOP primary debate, at Reagan library, hosted by MSNBC May 3, 2007

Personally pro-life, but government should not intrude
Q: In recent months, you've said you were "always for life," but we've also heard you say you were once "effectively pro-choice." Which is it?
I've always been personally pro-life, but for me, it was a great question about whether or not government should intrude in that decision. And when I ran for office, I said I'd protect the law as it was, which is effectively a pro-choice position.

Source: 2007 GOP primary debate, at Reagan library, hosted by MSNBC May 3, 2007

Was effectively pro-choice until cloning changed his opinion
Q: You were effectively pro-choice as governor?
A: About two years ago, when we were studying cloning in our state, I said, look, we have gone too far. It's a "brave new world" mentality that Roe v. Wade has given us, and I changed my mind. I took the same course that Ronald Reagan took, and I said I was wrong and changed my mind and said I'm pro-life. And I'm proud of that, and I won't apologize to anybody for becoming pro-life.

Q: Some people are going to see those changes of mind as awfully politically convenient.

A: When I ran for the first time, I said I was personally pro-life but that I would protect a woman's right to choose as the law existed. Two years ago, as a result of the debate we had, the conclusion I reached was that cloning and creating new embryos was wrong, and that we should, therefore, allow our state to become a pro-life state. I believe states should have the right to make this decision, and that's a position I indicated in an op-ed in the Boston Globe 2 years ago.

Source: 2007 GOP primary debate, at Reagan library, hosted by MSNBC May 3, 2007

Altered nuclear transfer instead of embryonic stem cells
Q: Would you expand federal funding of embryonic stem cell research?
A: It certainly will. Altered nuclear transfer, I think, is perhaps the best source.

Q: Embryonic.

A: Altered nuclear transfer creates embryo-like cells that can be used for stem cell research. In my view, that's the most promising source. I have a deep concern about curing disease. I have a wife that has a serious disease that could be affected by stem cell research and others. But I will not create new embryos through cloning or through embryo farming, because that will be creating life for the purpose of destroying it.

Q: And you won't take any from these fertility clinics to use either?

A: It's fine for that to be allowed, to be legal. I won't use our government funds for that. Instead, I want our governments to be used on altered nuclear transfer.

Source: 2007 GOP primary debate, at Reagan library, hosted by MSNBC May 3, 2007

Would welcome overturning Roe v. Wade
Q: Would you welcome the overruling of Roe v. Wade by the Court?
A: Yes. I would like to see each state be able to make its own decision regarding abortion rather than have a one-size-fits-all blanket pronouncement by the Supreme Court.

Q: Would you have a "litmus test" of any sort when it came to nominees for the Supreme Court?

A: I think we'd all like to apply a litmus test. Each of us would like to say, "Here are all the decisions that are going to come up. How will you vote?" But I don't think that's the process that you're going to see employed by me or, frankly, by others as well. Doing it that way would make it very difficult for the nominee to be confirmed. There will not be a litmus test. Instead, there will be a philosophical test, which is: "Is this a person who follows the law, who abides by the Constitution, who will strictly construe the Constitution as intended, or is this a person who looks to expand upon the Constitution to 'write' laws without the benefit of legislation?"

Source: A Mormon in the White House, by Hugh Hewitt, p.103-104 Mar 12, 2007

Breach of Constitution for justices to adjust Constitution
Romney said this about the Supreme Court and potential justice nominees: "I believe the Constitution embodies the values that the Founders thought were critical for a successful nation to survive; therefore, justices have to hold true to the Constitution to maintain the foundation of values that made it successful. I want justices who will follow the Constitution & will not add to it, not subtract from it but instead look to the Constitution & the values of the Founders to set the course for the nation. We have a process for changing the Constitution. It is an amendment process. The people are very much involved in that process. I find it a breach of the constitutional path for justices to effectively change the Constitution rather than allow the constitutionally devised processes for making those adjustments occur. I thought both Justices Robert and Alito were ideal examples for what we should select for justices going forward. I know I depart from my liberal friends on this front."
Source: A Mormon in the White House?, by Hugh Hewitt, p.101-102 Mar 12, 2007

Committed to not change law on abortion as Gov., and did not
The pro-life community is sophisticated and educated, and quite capable of understanding how a pro-life politician in Massachusetts has to advocate for the possible, and must not allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good.
"I am pro-life," Romney told me pointedly. He went on to explain how his campaigns have provided fodder for his 2008 opponents. "In my 1994 debate with Senator Kennedy he said that I was 'multiple choice' for which he got a good laugh because I would not say I was pro-choice. I said what I would do if I were elected senator, the same thing I said when I was running for governor. As governor, I indicated that I would not change the law as it related to abortion. I would keep it the same. I have had roughly four provisions that have reached my desk which would have changed the laws as they relate to abortion, all of which would have expanded abortion rights. I vetoed each of those. My record as governor has been very clearly a pro-life record."

Source: A Mormon in the White House?, by Hugh Hewitt, p.110 Mar 12, 2007

Stem cell research lofty goals don't justify destroying life
Romney adopted the "pro-life" label after his battle over stem cell research. Ann Romney has multiple sclerosis. Romney, who not surprisingly cites the diagnosis of his wife's disease as one of the greatest blows of his life, is nevertheless alarmed by the aggressive program of embryonic stem cell research consortiums. He has taken a stand against the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.
The Harvard Stem Cell Institute was seeking legal protection for an embryo production line for the purpose of creating and harvesting stem cells, and Romney refused his support. He said, "Lofty goals do not justify the creation of life for experimentation or destruction."

Romney's views would permit for research the use of embryos about to be destroyed by their parents; this puts him at odds with President Bush's more restrictive position. Romney has never supported state-funded research on embryonic stem cells, and is a believer in the efficacy of alternative methods of producing stem cells.

Source: A Mormon in the White House?, by Hugh Hewitt, p.111-114 Mar 12, 2007

Now firmly pro-life, despite 2002 tolerance for abortion
In New Hampshire on Thursday, he deflected conservative concerns about his record on gay marriage and abortion. He said he now describes himself as "firmly pro-life," despite citing his tolerance for abortion rights during his 2002 gubernatorial campaign, after researching the embryonic stem cell issue.
Source: CNN.com, "Inside Politics" Dec 22, 2006

Opposes Roe v Wade, but won't tamper with abortion laws
Opposes Roe v. Wade.
Believes that abortion should be banned in all cases except rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.
Vetoed an emergency contraception bill in July 2005.
However: Has kept campaign promise not to tamper with state abortion laws.
Said in 1994: "I had a dear, close family relative that was very close to me who passed away from an illegal abortion. We will not force our beliefs on others. And you will not see me wavering on that."
Source: CivilLiberty.about.com profile of Romney Dec 1, 2006

Anti-abortion views have "evolved & deepened" while governor
When he ran for governor in 2002, Romney pledged not to change the state's abortion laws, despite his personal opposition. But his veto Monday of an emergency contraceptives bill & his comments in recent months have fueled speculation among critics that Romney is hardening his opposition to abortion and other sensitive social issues to gain support from GOP conservatives. Romney says his anti-abortion views have "evolved and deepened" since he took office, colored in part by the debate over embryonic stem cell research.
"In considering the issue of embryo cloning and embryo farming, I saw where the harsh logic of abortion can lead--to the view of innocent new life as nothing more than research material or a commodity to be exploited," Romney wrote in an opinion piece in Tuesday's Boston Globe. He also said he believes each state should decide whether to allow abortion, rather than having the "one size fits all" precedent of Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court case that legalized abortion.

Source: Associated Press on NewsMax.com Jul 27, 2005

Vetoed emergency contraception for rape victims
Massachusetts' Legislature is overwhelmingly Democratic, and Romney's first term as governor barely touched on the issues dear to social conservatives until recently.
In May, Romney vetoed legislation to expand stem cell research because it allowed the cloning of human embryos for use in stem cell experiments--a practice Romney said amounts to creating life in order to destroy it. The Legislature overrode the veto.

His veto of the emergency contraception measure is also likely to be overridden. That bill requires hospital emergency room doctors to offer the medication to rape victims, and would make it available without prescription from pharmacies.

Romney is on a list of possible contenders for the White House in 2008. Others include Sens. John McCain of Arizona, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Sam Brownback of Kansas and George Allen of Virginia, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Source: Associated Press on NewsMax.com Jul 27, 2005

Vetoed stem cell research bill
This House vote affirmed passage of the bill supporting stem cell research as originally passed by the House and Senate, rejecting Governor Romney's proposed amendments and veto, and avoiding delays of implementation.
Source: MassScorecard.org Bill S. 2039 ; roll call 69, passed 112-42 May 31, 2005

Endorsed legalization of RU-486
Favored basic Roe v. Wade abortion rights, though would not endorse a specific version of the Freedom of Choice Act, which would codify those court-established rights as federal law
Said he would leave the matter of Medicaid funding for abortion to individual states
Endorsed legalization of RU-486, the abortion-inducing drug.
Source: Boston Globe review of 1994 canpaign issues Mar 21, 2002

Personally against abortion, but pro-choice as governor
Romney was asked to clarify his position on abortion. Romney's stance appeared to have changed between his 1994 campaign against Sen. Kennedy and when he moved to Utah. He recently told a Salt Lake City newspaper that he preferred not to be labeled "pro- choice."
"On a personal basis, I don't favor abortion," he said. "However, as governor of the commonwealth, I will protect a woman's right to choose under the laws of the country and the commonwealth. That's the same position I've had for many years."

Source: Erik Arvidson, Lowell Sun Mar 20, 2002

For safe, legal abortion since relative's death from illegal
Romney disclosed that he became committed to legalized abortion after a relative died during an illegal abortion. The disclosure came after Romney, who said he is personally opposed to abortion, was asked to reconcile his beliefs with his political support for abortion rights. "It is since that time that my family will not force our beliefs on that matter," He said the abortion made him see "that regardless of one's beliefs about choice, you would hope it would be safe and legal."
Source: Joe Battenfeld in Boston Herald Oct 26, 1994

http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Mitt...y_Abortion.htm

irishgrl · #15 08-15-2007, 08:10 PM

alright, thanks for that research. frankly, I could care less what he used to believe, its what he stands for NOW that bothers me. and all the Republican candidates, including Giuliani, are pro Roe's appeal. That just STINKS. if Romneys sister died because of a botched illegal abortion, does he think that women who want an abortion are just going to say "oh, ok, I think I'll have this baby after all..." NO! and all these potential "millions" of aborted lives, where is the $$$$$$ going to come from to support THEM? its the poor folks who are having these babies, and they sure as hell cant support them...the whole thing just makes me sick.

KEEP YOUR LAWS OFF MY BODY! Government has NO BUSINESS deciding personal medical issues.

ps: if Romney's wife or child developed a serious debilitating disease that could be helped from stem cells, do you think he'd flip flop on THAT too??? What an ASS.