Overview for 2012-election

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

Ron Paul's Personal Responsibility

Andrew Sullivan complained yesterday that I had engaged in a "McCarthyite" attack on Ron Paul by writing the following : A politician isn’t answerable for the antics of every one of his supporters. But there’s surely a reason, isn’t there, that racists, anti-Semites, 9/11 Truthers, and …

Written by David Frum 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

It's Still Romney's Turn

Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich's mutual failure to qualify for the Virginia ballot raises lots of questions about their long term viability, funding, and organization. But it isn't that surprising at all for one simple reason: neither has run for President before while the two candidates who …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Monday December 26, 2011

Wall Street Ties Won't Sink Romney

Some on the right are concerned that Obama would slam Romney as a denizen of Wall Street and that Romney's wealth would prove a hindrance in the general election. While some worries about Romney's business background are more the product of sympathy for other candidates than anything else, there …

Written by Fred Bauer on Wednesday December 21, 2011

Newt is Confused by Democracy

Newt Gingrich believes in much more democracy than the founding fathers. They believed the U.S. House should consist of representatives elected by white male property owners. Voting at the time was a public act. On election day the voters would show up at a public place, usually a county seat, …

Written by Howard Foster on Monday December 12, 2011

It's 3AM, Do You Trust Newt Gingrich?

David Brooks makes a great point in his column today about Newt Gingrich's temperament: But how you believe something is as important as what you believe. It doesn’t matter if a person shares your overall philosophy. If that person doesn’t have the right temperament and character, stay away. …

Written by David Frum on Friday December 9, 2011

GOP Zombies vs. Dem Vampires

A statistical study indicates that our pop culture churns out more vampire-related entertainment under Democratic administrations and more zombie stories under Republicans. The implication of the research is that those icons act as archetypes for each party. Naturally, as a Republican I’m …

Written by Chris Ladd on Friday December 9, 2011

Will Newt Win? Lets Ask President Giuliani!

Though Newt Gingrich seems to be styling himself as the inevitable nominee, a look back at the polling in during the Republican primary race in late 2007 suggests that Gingrich's camp should not get too confident yet. In December 2007, no polls seemed to show McCain as the frontrunner. …

Written by Fred Bauer on Wednesday December 7, 2011

Why I Like (George) Romney

With the race for the Republican Presidential nomination now seemingly down to two candidates – Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney – suddenly Romney is in the uncharacteristic role of underdog. Astonishingly (to me), polls show Gingrich some 10 points ahead of Romney in the upcoming Iowa primary; …

Written by Peter Worthington on Tuesday December 6, 2011

Signs of Hope, Part 5

Make sure to read previous entries in the 'Signs of Hope' series: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4 . As Newt Gingrich surges in the polls in Iowa and other early primary states, several leading conservative columnists are explaining why Gingrich should be rejected by Republicans voters. …

Written by FrumForum Editors on Tuesday December 6, 2011

Your Morning Newt Basket

John Podhoretz on Gingrich in the New York Post today . "[Republican primary voters] know him mainly from Fox News." From a funny story in Politico that I missed while traveling: "He’s going to blow up at some point, and I’m just hoping it comes before he gets the nomination,” said one …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday December 6, 2011

Give Santorum His Chance

Well the punditry has pretty much come down to determining that Republican choices are Gingrich or Romney. Here’s the big Kahuna of Conservative Commentary on that very subject. In my quest to avoid voting for Romney I have pretty much picked through the remainders of announced candidates …

Written by John Vecchione on Monday December 5, 2011

State Legislators Like Romney, A Lot

Scottsdale, AZ--Even as he continues to fight off challenges from an ever-changing troop of "flavor of the week" candidates, Mitt Romney's organization appears to be gaining the type of support it most needs to win primaries--the support of conservative legislators. Here, as the American …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Thursday December 1, 2011

Signs of Hope, Part 2

American elections are always hotly contested, and 2012 already conforms to type. Yet Mitt Romney at least is opening the contest by acknowledging the realities faced by President Obama in 2009: {Y]ou were dealt a hard hand. You came into office in the midst of an economic crisis that was not …

Written by FrumForum Editors on Tuesday November 22, 2011

Answers for the Next Foreign Policy Debate

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Written by David Frum on Wednesday November 16, 2011

That's a Lot of History!

It wasn't $300,000 that Freddie Mac paid Gingrich for his work supposedly as a non-lobbyist " historian ." It was between $1.6 million and $1.8 million. Gingrich says that all he did for that money was tell Freddie that their business model was "insane." Anybody find that believeable?

Written by David Frum on Wednesday November 16, 2011

The (Liberal's) Case for Mitt

Kevin Drum states it: A few months ago I was pretty much rooting for a Perry or a Bachmann to win the GOP nomination because I figured (a) they'd lose big in the general election, and (b) their loss might push the Republican Party back toward the center sooner than otherwise. But it's just …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday November 15, 2011

My Questions for the Next GOP Debate

Had I been on the panel for Wednesday's economics debate, I'd have opened with the question: "Are taxes lower or higher today than on the day President Obama was sworn into office?" Just for fun. CBS and National Journal asked me among others to suggest some questions to ask the candidates at …

Written by David Frum on Friday November 11, 2011

Freddie Mac Didn't Pay $300K for History Lectures

In the obsequies over the Perry candidacy, let's not overlook this audacious moment from the debate: Newt Gingrich's breathtaking assertion that Freddie Mac paid him $300,000 for a lecture he gave "as a historian" about how they should forthwith cease their business practices. Turns out, that's …

Written by David Frum on Thursday November 10, 2011