Dave Weigel: After This ‘Horrible Week,’ Romney ‘Doesn’t Look Like A Winner’ At CPAC

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by Frances Martel | 1:59 pm, February 11th, 2012

» 26 comments

Mitt Romney spent a good deal of his speech time at CPAC this week trying to convince voters that he was conservative. “Severely conservative,” in fact. Whether that worked, however, is a topic of conjecture, and Rachel Maddow, in particular, doubts that it did. Speaking to guest Dave Weigel last night, both agreed that it appeared an uphill battle for Romney, with Weigel going further in that Tuesday’s primaries coupled with CPAC (not exactly his home turf) doesn’t make him “look like a winner.”

After a long explanation of the evolution of Mitt Romney‘s position on drug tests for some people who receive government benefits, Maddow concluded that Romney was “trying really, really hard to make conservatives like him,” and whether that was working was an open question. For Weigel, it did not seem to be in some ways because, as one person put it, “imagine them if they weren’t running for president: would Romney be talking like this?” He concluded that he would not, while Rick Santorum hadn’t changed at all, even during the time he was “a complete has-been.”

While Weigel noted that Romney “has a biography they can approve of as a businessman who hates government,” he did not think that this was the best of weeks for the campaign. In fact, “this is a horrible week for him– after losing some caucuses he didn’t really try to win, he goes to a conference he never really wins, [and] he doesn’t look like a winner in situations like that.”

Despite that, however, Weigel noted later in the chat, regarding the actual state of the race, that the delegate count was in Romney’s favor and that his loss on Tuesday was not at all as bad to the campaign as the media seemed to think it was. “Colorado was the only disappointment,” he noted, but the campaign “don’t think they wheels came off this week,” and that the conservatives they didn’t win over at CPAC were beyond their reach anyway “because they don’t think he’s more electable.”

The segment via MSNBC below:

2012 elections, CPAC, Dave Weigel, Mitt Romney, msnbc, Rachel Maddow, Republicans, Rick Santorum

Anonymous

Which one is Dave and which one is Rachel? I can’t tell from the picture.
Gloves Reggie Donahue

According to reporter T. Christopher, who was there, (while Weigel’s mom was making him clean up his room), Romney was well received at CPAC.

” I spent a few minutes at Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney‘s speech to see how he handled the “lion’s den” that the media kept insisting he was walking into. Instead, he got a rousing, convincing standing ovation from the crowd. Either they’re “falling in line” behind Romney, or they’re putting on a good show to confound the media (whose attentions they are well aware of).”
Anonymous

I watched some of Mitts speech and i was reminded of someone who wants to be in a club but the other club members don’t want him so he’s doing everything he can to get them to let him in.

His speech sounded more like a desperate plea for acceptance rather then any code or principal that he stands for.

And that is what people, as a whole and not just the right, don’t like about Mitt. He doesn’t seem genuine like a Santorum or Ron Paul, alot of those ideas are off the reservation but people appreciate honesty, or, at the very least, a good political ability to fake it. Mitt can’t do either and the fact that he doesn’t stick up for any of his past accomplishments doesn’t endure him to anyone, instead he looks like the stereotypical politician who will literally do or say anything to get votes and that rubs virtually EVERYONE the wrong way because people i think would like their politicians to stand for something, even if its Santorum bigotry or Ron Paul gold standards.

Mitt is arguing too much for a title rather then letting his ideas for the country speak for themselves.
At this point i don’t think the country as a whole will vote for him unless things really tank badly, no independent voter I know or for that matter republican think Mitt is a good choice because he won’t stand for anything that they believe isn’t pandering
Anonymous

Oh? I wonder what your better half looks like if you can’t tell the difference. No telling what you got :)!
Anonymous

Absolutely agree.
Anonymous

Hilarious joke, BarryHu, and one that’s sure to play well whenever you get a bunch of homophobes in a room. The funny thing will be when you slowly realize that some of those people have relatives or friends who are gay, or are open minded and don’t share your bigotry, and that they are repulsed by this vein in the GOP.

For a party that claims to love the Founders so much, it’s a little weird to openly display bigotry when our country’s first settlers arrived to escape religious bigotry, don’t you think? But putting together facts like that may be too difficult for you.
Anonymous

awesome
Centrist79

Romney is about as welcome at CPAC, as CPAC is welcomed at a Mormon Temple.
Anonymous

Romney needs to tell America how many Blacks and Mexicans belong to his Church !!!
Charles Ulysses Feney

Romney’s campaign has no passion. It’s a mile wide with cash, and an inch deep with grassroots support. No way can he unify the Republicans behind him.
Anonymous

those racist rascals will lose all three in november…
Anonymous

The passion for Obama’s campaign comes from people who don’t want their food stamps taken away from them. Like Charlie.
Anonymous

I agree. Obama and the black racists and guilt ridden white people will lose all three in November.
Wendilynn Kerezman

I would have to disagree with this interpretation of the speech.
http://twitter.com/Staciisa_bitch Staci Chase

That was a severely great interview Rachel!
http://www.sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

Mitt Romney Wins CPAC Straw Poll

Guess Dave was wrong.
Anonymous

I’ll tell ya if you tell me which one is the Barry & which one is the Hoe
The Real Royal Emperor

Au contraire, My Dear. The fix was in not to have Dr. Ron Paul win this year, as we all know, and Willard scarcely beat Sanitarium. The details, my dear, the details ….
The Real Royal Emperor

You’ll notice at the poll, Willard scored a mere 38%. That seems to be his cap.
Anonymous

Flipper will always be flipper.The guy who lost too the guy who lost too Obama.That’s the best conservatives have too offer?Winning!
Cecelia

Ah… a conspiracy freak.
BooBoo Bear

It would be a good story if he had garnered 50%. He however didn’t even get 4 out of 10 votes. In most places that “election” would have called for a runoff between to 2 top vote getter’s.
Gloves Reggie Donahue

Or just a regular one.
http://www.proactivepolitics.blogspot.com/ Norbit Peters

Or Obama at a Catholic Mass.
ATHF

All I can say for all these new breed of reporters on MSNBC is this: JourNOlist

http://noisyroom.net/blog/2010/07/26/socialist-journolistas/
Centrist79

Obama would be welcomed in a Catholic Mass, he just not receive Catholic Sacraments. He would not be allowed to enter Mormon Temple.