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Chris Matthews & Panel On Mitt Romney: ‘What Hasn’t He Done To Appeal To The Right?’

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Mitt Romney‘s inevitable nomination by the Republican party this fall is becoming less inevitable by the day. He got swept away by Rick Santorum in three states last week, and he only won Maine in a narrow victory over Ron Paul. Romney is the candidate of choice for Republican moderates who don’t want a strong social conservative nominee. On his show today, Chris Matthews asked the panel what Romney is going to have to do in order to win over more than just the moderates.

RELATED: Mitt Romney At CPAC: ‘I Was A Severely Conservative Republican Governor’

Matthews noted that less than 20 percent of self-identified conservatives were backing Romney in the Republican race, and noted the focus in the campaign on social issues was certainly not helping him, since he tends to be stronger on economic issues. Kathleen Parker attributed Romney’s failure in the Midwest last week to his campaign not courting the conservative base as well as his rivals, instead focusing on independents and moderates. Matthews noted all the bold, strongly conservative statements Romney has made in the past few months to court that wing of the party, and yet he has remained unsuccessful at winning most of them over. Matthews asked what, at this point, Romney hasn’t done to reach out to them.

Gloria Borger actually gave the Romney campaign credit for pursuing independents and moderates, while his rivals are busy fighting over the conservative vote, which allows Romney to be less concerned with winning them over himself. Matthews cited a poll saying that the more voters get to know Romney, the less they like about him.

Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page brought up Romney’s comments about poor people, which he didn’t think were necessarily that controversial, but the problem was Romney’s phrasing made it more controversial than it should have been. He pointed to Romney’s “charisma deficit,” and Borger agreed, saying that Romney selling himself as a business leader does not exactly inspire people.

RELATED: Chris Matthews: Romney Cannot Connect With Voters Because He Has ‘No Evidence Of Having Suffered’

Matthews brought up an in-house poll he conducted among twelve of his regular guests, and most of them predicted Romney would still have issues with low voter turnout in the general election, unless, of course, President Obama does something to really light a fire under the conservative base.

Watch the video below, courtesy of NBC:

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  • Anonymous

    Mittens will never be able to overcome this narrative.  This is what happens when you are a product of consultants and managers.  You end up with a candidate whose beliefs changes with the political winds because he has no core beliefs other than making money.

  • http://www.proactivepolitics.blogspot.com/ Norbit Peters

    1. Did Romney make any recent comments about the Democrats War on the Religion?
    2. Would Romney take the #2 spot behind say, Jeb Bush, coming out of the brokered convention?

  • Gloves Beau Donahue

    Spats Harrigan here. Liberal,… moroon, some say. But, that’s rendundant.
    Anyway, Chris is my heroe for his deep thinks and the way you can’t tell how much he’s been into Ed Schultz’ thermos this morning. Romney will beet our wonderful boss, Omaba, and we must denigrate him at every turn. So he can’t never do no right on this here channel.

  • Anonymous

    What hasn’t he done to appeal to the right? That the problem with Romney. He’s tried so hard to appeal to them he doesn’t come off as remotely genuine, not to the right, not to anyone. He’s like the sleazy guy in a bar who’ll try any line to get a girl to go home with him, even ones who know all about his track record. He should have defended his record, not tried to lie about it and paint himself as the arch conservative, that’s too big a lie for even the right to swallow.

  • 12voltman1

    Our Liberal is better than yours.

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    The second Mittens asks to see Obama’s birth certificate, the right will start backing him!!

    Plus, he has to explain that he was on some serious LSD  when he came up with the idea of “RomneyCare” and will have to vow never to take acid again!!

  • Anonymous

    Taking on liberal positions throughout his time as governor and conceding to Obama on many issues that the conservatives have been yelling about and making signs for over the past 4 years doesn’t help Romney’s standing with conservatives at all.  Also, being a Mormon for Massachusetts.  

  • Mr. Awesome!

    I had a dream Mit Romney was having an illicit affair with the Chimpanzee from BJ and the Bear.

  • Anonymous

    If Mitt talks about how evil white people are and his hatred of America then DogPee and the rest of the liberal extremists will agree with him and vote for him.

  • Anonymous

    And what are Obama’s core beliefs?  In 2008 he was the favorite and beloved by the “base” i.e. radical liberals and now they call him a moderate.  Were they duped by him?  Was he a radical liberal then and he changed when in office?

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    I would never vote for someone who claims they aren’t concerned about the very poor in this country!!

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    You really think “Bear” would lower his standards and have an affair with someone like Mittens??

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/3EV7LMBN3SWQMEVDJCAKUCTCKM Top

    Lemme see here… uhmmm…

    Mittens did use a hose to wash off Shamu’s fear. Both Limpo and Moose, er, Alaska Snooki say Mittens ain’t a real conservative, but mAnn Coulter sez he will make a real clownservative out of Mittens. Add to that the endorsement by the Donald and the xtian Taliban sayin’ Mittens ain’t a real xtian.

    That’s presidential material right there!

  • bsorin1

    He doesn’t kowtow deeply enough. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_TWK2YYJTTIDLZIVV7NKZM23Z6Q Tyler

    I’m sorry, but Romney is the best we got and we have to all rally behind him for the sake of the party.  I just hope he picks a good VP.  

  • Anonymous

    What did Romney need to do to appeal to conservatives?

    Have a conservative policy when He was Governor.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_TRRQ2XVPI3G3ATFANINWFQN2BM fggfdgfdgdf g

    he follows a false prophet.  nuff said

  • Anonymous

     Would Romney say anything people want to hear?

  • Anonymous

    SLICK has not mastered,nor does he possess the ability to master,the art of feeding red meat to the rabid rabble whose hate has consumed their every waking moment.His persona prevents him from matching the fevered pitch of say,Noot,or the scale of social notes triumphed by the Sanitarium.He’s flounders when attempting to mimic the extremist role,and sounds disingenuous when he endeavors to play the same.He’s caught in-between applying an ocean of corporate campaign cash to buy the pulpit of Bandleader,when everyone, including the pitchfork toters within his Party,realize he’s tone deaf and ultimately ineffective.It has to be setting his handlers nucking futs!!!!!!!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6NVQXKGM4GSM6RZ7ZW3BQ2D73I Kim

    My friend just met a chocolate man on Blackwhitemeet.COMit’s where for men and women looking for interracial’ship for a fabulous lifestyle
    It’s a nice place for black white sing’les, to interact with each other…no bounds or extremes in front of true love.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6NVQXKGM4GSM6RZ7ZW3BQ2D73I Kim

    My friend just met a chocolate man on Blackwhitemeet.COMit’s where for men and women looking for interracial’ship for a fabulous lifestyle
    It’s a nice place for black white sing’les, to interact with each other…no bounds or extremes in front of true love.

  • 12voltman1

    Everyone drifts center after being elected.
    Everyone!

  • 12voltman1

    Your party is so screwed this year,

  • 12voltman1

    I’ll have whatever your having.

  • Anonymous

    Bitty Peter, exactly what war on religion are you ranting about?

  • Anonymous

    As opposed to which real prophet?

  • Anonymous

    I saw Mitt on the battlefield for you guys,you shouldn’t be so tough on him, he took out 7 nuclear power plant protesters and a transvestite before reporting to Colonel O’Reilly

  • Anonymous

    Prediction: if Romney is the nominee and the economy becomes a non-issue, watch for a repeat Sarah Palin VP role exploration by Romney camp, Palins’ flirtation with Newt endorsement notwithstanding

  • http://www.proactivepolitics.blogspot.com/ Norbit Peters

     It’s like the “Racism” canard. Say it long enough, make it a mantra, and it will instill the (if I may) Fear of God in people, and result in millions of anti-Democratic/Marxist votes at the polls.

    It’s a little hyperbole for the greater good.

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