FrumForum | Building a Conservatism that can win again

MSNBC Joins the Anti-Romney Bandwagon

I have always been weary of the whine regarding the purported "liberal media"; having won 60% of presidential elections over the last 40 years, near-complete dominance of the radio airwaves, and a cable news behemoth with ratings greater than the aggregate of both its nearest competitors, conservat…

Written by Jay Gatsby on Thursday January 5, 2012

Santorum's Flawed Plan for Working America

In my column for The Week I discuss the problems with Rick Santorum economic plan: Santorum's concern for the American middle class has been one of the most attractive features of his candidacy for the Republican nomination. Alone among the Republican candidates, he took note of the …

Written by David Frum on Thursday January 5, 2012

Seriously, Why Won't Perry Drop Out?

So it looks like the indications are that Rick Perry, former front-runner, last place finisher in the 2011 Republican Debate Tournament, is not hanging up his brush jacket yet. Despite his very melancholy nigh-concession last night, the Texas governor seems to be headed to South Carolina instead …

Written by Zac Morgan on Wednesday January 4, 2012

Santorum Masters Retail Politics

David Frum argues that a "A Romney-Santorum contest is not much of a contest at all." He's probably right about this. Romney beats Santorum hands down in resources, organization, discipline, and support from GOP elites. But there's one wild-card that could make things interesting: Santorum may …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Wednesday January 4, 2012

The Road Ahead

In the wake of the Iowa caucuses, what matters now is not the exact order of Romney, Santorum, and Paul; the numbers are very close. What does matter is the range between the candidates. Iowa gives us basically a tie between Romney and Santorum, with both at around 25%. Ron Paul comes out a strong …

Written by Fred Bauer on Wednesday January 4, 2012

The Expectations Game

Byron York has a tough read on the meaning of the Iowa result for Romney. In the end, Romney escaped humiliation, and he did it at far less cost than in 2007-2008, when he gave Iowa everything he had in his first run for the GOP nomination. "If you look back four years ago, we had 52 paid …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday January 4, 2012

The Secret of Ron Paul's Success

Based on the tiny unrepresentative sample at the precinct caucus I attended: his core group are true believers, who have absorbed his message on Austrian economics and foreign policy non-interventionism. But when they communicate to the broader Iowa Republican rank-and-file, they repackage …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday January 3, 2012

You Read it First at FrumForum

Well, however tonight turns out it appears Rick Santorum is being given his chance . I particularly liked the analogy that makes the boyish Santorum Luke Skywalker, but whether the X-Wing takes down the well-coiffed Death Star Santorum's doggedness and convictions appear to be paying off . And …

Written by John Vecchione on Tuesday January 3, 2012

Waiting Time in Iowa

I attended Romney's closing rally last night in Des Moines. Very professionally done, introduction by Senator John Thune. Three themes really stood out: * Romney opened with a statement about the danger from Iran. Without mention of Ron Paul, it astutely poked at the top vulnerability of the …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday January 3, 2012

Change Iowa's Secret Ballot

University of Iowa professor Stephen Bloom has gotten a lot of well-deserved criticism for an error-ridden piece in em> The Atlantic

Written by Eli Lehrer on Monday January 2, 2012

The Straw Poll Scam

Why doesn't the national Republican Party discourage the presidential hopefuls from participating in the Ames Straw Poll? While the benefits of this event to the Iowa GOP are perfectly clear, I don't see any benefits to the party as a whole, and there may even be some harm. The straw poll has …

Written by Andrew Pavelyev on Sunday August 14, 2011

Pawlenty and Bachmann Spar in Iowa Debate

A spirited debate tonight on Fox News, but one where the winner ultimately turned about to be someone who said the least substantively. Frontrunner and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney escaped unscathed - no one seriously challenged him, and with expectations that he would be targeted, …

Written by Tim Mak on Thursday August 11, 2011

Can Bachmann Count?

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Written by Andrew Pavelyev on Thursday August 11, 2011

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