Is Mitt Romney the Hillary Clinton of 2012?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
He probably wouldn't appreciate the comparison - but Mitt Romney just might turn out to be the Hillary Clinton of 2012.
Politico talked to veterans of the Clinton campaign who pointed out "eerie" similarities between the two campaigns.
"Romney has followed the Clinton playbook so closely ... you'd think she won her party's nomination," the former aides told Politico. Another former Clinton adviser talks of suffering "PTSD" when an Iowa poll showed Romney in third place.
Both Clinton in 2008 and now Romney in 2012 were "supposed to" be their party's nominees - both well-funded and establishment-blessed candidates. Clinton lost to Barack Obama in that bruising, drawn-out battle, while Romney faces a more-than-serious threat from Newt Gingrich.
Here are some other similarities:
Where Clinton took a stand on her vote to authorize the Iraq war, Romney has refused to apologize for the health care mandate in Massachusetts, which some Republicans see as a fatal flaw.
Both Clinton and Romney initially ran cautious campaigns, trying to stay above the fray. When it didn't work - they went negative.
And both suffered a major debate gaffe: For Clinton, it was a muddled answer she gave on driver's licenses for illegal immigrants. For Romney, it's the now-infamous $10,000 bet.
But there are also differences.
While Romney has faced a series of opponents, from Michele Bachmann to Rick Perry, Herman Cain and now Gingrich, the Clinton team battled what they saw as a Kennedyesque, once-in-a-generation politician - Barack Obama.
Another difference that could work in Romney's favor: Clinton's rival, Obama, had an extensive organization in the later-voting states. Romney doesn't have to worry about that.
Lastly, there is that chance for Romney to win this thing if Gingrich self-destructs, something Clinton's people never expected Obama to do - and he didn't.
Here’s my question to you: Is Mitt Romney the Hillary Clinton of 2012?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What does Mitt Romney have to do to recapture his front-runner status?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
With three weeks to go until the Iowa caucuses, the pressure is squarely on Mitt Romney. It wasn't supposed to go this way at all. The Republican presidential nomination was supposed to be a coronation for Romney. But instead, Romney finds himself chasing Newt Gingrich, and Gingrich is pulling away.
In New Hampshire, Romney and Gingrich took off the gloves, throwing direct jabs at each other. Romney can no longer simply remain above the fray. The fray has frayed his lead rather badly.
New Hampshire was once considered a sure thing for Romney. Now it could be a make-or-break contest for him.
One New Hampshire pollster tells The New York Times that expectations are so high for Romney there that Gingrich could lose by 10 percentage points and still spin it as a win.
Gingrich – who is leading in the national polls as well as in Iowa, South Carolina and Florida – has narrowed the gap in New Hampshire to just 9 points in one recent poll.
What's working in Romney's favor is that New Hampshire voters think he's much more likely to beat President Obama than Gingrich is.
But these voters don't appear excited by Romney ... and the momentum is clearly with Gingrich.
For example, Gingrich held a town-hall-style meeting for a 1,000-person overflow crowd at a New Hampshire high school on Monday night. The applause was described as "deafening."
Meanwhile, Howard Kurtz writes in the Daily Beast that it's not time to rule out Romney just yet. Kurtz suggests that Romney is still a plausible president in these tough economic times and that his campaign is financed for the long haul. Maybe so, but remember, Romney already lost this race once. He's the same guy voters rejected four years ago.
Kurtz says Romney needs to demonstrate real passion and can't simply wait for Gingrich to self-destruct.
Oh, and he should probably stop making $10,000 bets.
Here’s my question to you: What does Mitt Romney have to do to recapture his front-runner status?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 4pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
GOPers say Gingrich a favorite uncle, Romney a missing father?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
In a presidential election, a lot of things come into play when determining the outcome.
Our country is beset with countless serious problems. For starters, we're broke, we're not creating jobs the way we need to and congress and Washington are a divided, dysfunctional mess.
So every four years we get to listen to candidates who come forward with ideas about how to make our lives better. Like the candidates themselves, some of the ideas are good and others are not.
But at the end of the day, it's often the likeability or the power of a candidate to connect with voters that makes the difference.
On the Republican side, the choice increasingly looks like it's between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich.
And one study found some interesting differences between the two men. Democratic pollster Peter Hart has described a focus group of Republican primary voters done for the Annenberg Public Policy Center.
When asked what relative Gingrich reminded them of, several Republicans said a favorite uncle or a grandfather. They described Romney as a "missing father" or a second cousin. Not exactly warm and fuzzy feelings for Romney.
Just one more strike against the one-time presumed nominee.
Meanwhile, Politico reports on the many reasons why Gingrich might win this thing, including:
Romney being forced to play catch-up; Gingrich's message being perfect for the anti-Washington Times; Gingrich rocking the debates, which are drawing huge audiences; the Obama campaign doing much of the anti-Romney work; social conservatives distrusting Romney, and Gingrich has momentum on his side, with the first four states voting in January.
Here's my question to you: What does it mean when Republicans say Newt Gingrich reminds them of a favorite uncle or grandfather, while Mitt Romney reminds them of a missing father or second cousin?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What does it say about Romney that he won't debate Gingrich one-on-one?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Mitt Romney is refusing to debate Newt Gingrich one-on-one in a Lincoln-Douglas-style debate.
Real Clear Politics reports that the conservative publications "Human Events" and "Red State" had locked down a date, December 19th, and a place for the debate.
They say Gingrich was rearing to go, but Romney turned down the offer.
It would seem potential Republican voters would welcome the opportunity to see the two top candidates answer tough questions face-to-face. Romney could benefit from the two-person format with his toughest opponent instead of the debate format where candidates who have virtually no chance of winning the nomination are included.
Plus it could be good practice for debates against Pres. Obama if Romney winds up being the nominee, which is appearing less likely each day.
So why won't Romney agree to debate Gingrich? Critics say he's "trying to run out the clock."
Gingrich will have a debate partner on the 19th after all. Jon Huntsman has accepted the invitation, while taking a swipe at Romney. Huntsman's campaign says the substantive format makes it hard for Romney to "hide from his record."
Romney could be making a big mistake by refusing to talk to the media, debate Gingrich, etc. The coronation he was counting on appears to be slipping away.
Gingrich now sits atop the national polls, as well as those in key early voting states. In Iowa, a new poll now shows Romney in third place, behind Gingrich and Ron Paul. In New Hampshire, another poll shows Gingrich has climbed nearly 20 points since October.
Meanwhile, there are reports that Herman Cain is getting ready to endorse Gingrich. If that happens, it's more bad news for Romney, who stands to lose more potential voters.
Here's my question to you: What does it say about Mitt Romney that he won't debate Newt Gingrich one-on-one?
Tune in to "The Situation Room" at 4 p.m. ET to see if Jack reads your answer on the air.
And we'd love to know where you're writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
Which GOP candidate – Romney or Gingrich – is more likely to beat Pres. Obama?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It's a high stakes game the Republican nominees for president are playing. If the election was held today, President Obama would likely lose. At this moment he is vulnerable and then some.
A recent Gallup Poll puts President Obama's approval rating almost three years into his first term lower than any other president in modern history...including Jimmy Carter. That's being vulnerable and then some. Jimmy Carter?
Gallup has President Obama's approval at 43%. The only other president in modern times with an approval rating almost that low was Lyndon Johnson - 44%... and he didn't run for a second term.
Over on the Republican side, Newt Gingrich has to be scaring the hell out of long-time presumed nominee Mitt Romney.
Gingrich has jumped to the top of the pack in national polls - and he's leading in key early voting states like Iowa and South Carolina.
And check out these numbers in the critical swing state of Florida:
A new American Research Group poll shows Gingrich with 50% to Romney's 19%. That's a 39-point jump for Gingrich since last month. If numbers like these hold in a state like Florida, it may be difficult for any of the other candidates to touch Gingrich.
Actually at this point it's probably safe to say the Republican nomination boils down to a race between Romney and Gingrich.
A recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows 40% of Republicans think Romney has the best chance of beating President Obama. 21% say Gingrich. But maybe this particular poll didn't ask you... so we will.
Here’s my question to you: Which Republican candidate – Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich – is more likely to beat President Obama?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 5pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
In the GOP race for president, is Gingrich the tortoise and Romney the hare?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Newt Gingrich says he's the tortoise - and Mitt Romney is the hare.
The former House Speaker is comparing the Republican presidential horse-race to Aesop's Fable:
"The bunny rabbit runs by and falls asleep. The tortoise just keeps coming. So hopefully in this game, Mitt Romney will be the bunny rabbit and I'll be the tortoise. That would all work out perfectly."
And Gingrich has reason to be hopeful:
He's seen a jump in the polls - along with a spike in his fund-raising - in recent weeks.
Gingrich is now polling in the double digits, which puts him in third place behind Romney and Herman Cain in several national polls. He's also in fourth place in Iowa.
Gingrich believes there's a "big opportunity for an alternative candidate" since Romney seems stuck at about 25% in the national polls. And Cain risks fizzling out with recent sexual harassment allegations. Gingrich thinks there's more room in the race for him.
He has performed well at the eight GOP debates so far, acting the role of the elder statesmen while some of his rivals bickered with each other. He will have another chance when the Republicans again debate tonight.
Gingrich's campaign was left for dead by many in the Spring. Several of his advisers quit after he took two weeks off to go on a Mediterranean cruise.
Meanwhile, this Republican race has been a volatile one - with many conservatives hoping for "anyone but Mitt."
Several candidates have seen temporary jumps in popularity - from Rick Perry to Michele Bachmann and now maybe Herman Cain.
All the while other Republicans held out hope for a candidate like Chris Christie to run.
Here’s my question to you: In the Republican race for president, is Newt Gingrich the tortoise and Mitt Romney the hare?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Destroying Romney right way for Pres. Obama to win 2nd term?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
"Hope" and "change" may be a distant memory when it comes to President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.
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Politico reports the president's campaign will center on a "ferocious personal assault" on Mitt Romney's character and business background. This is based on the expectation that the Republican front-runner will be his party's likely nominee.
The president's aides have apparently been studying former president George W. Bush's 2004 takedown of Democratic Sen. John Kerry. Remember swiftboating and flip-flopping? As one Democratic strategist tells Politico, "Unless things change and Obama can run on accomplishments, he will have to kill Romney." Figuratively speaking.
Sources say there are two aspects to the strategy. The first is to go after Romney on a personal level as inauthentic, unprincipled and "weird."
The second is to go after the former Massachusetts governor's record as a businessman. He was CEO of the venture capital firm Bain Capital, which both created and eliminated jobs. The goal is to paint Romney as the picture of greed.
Romney's campaign describes this strategy as despicable, desperate and disgraceful. They insist there's nothing the president can do to make the election anything but a referendum on the economy. And they may very well have a point if things continue in the direction we're headed.
Meanwhile, the Obama campaign is pushing back against Politico's story saying anyone who claims to hold a "crystal ball" for their strategy doesn't speak for the campaign. And they claim that Romney is shedding "crocodile tears."
Let the games begin.
Here’s my question to you: Is destroying Mitt Romney the right way for President Obama to try to win a second term?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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