Romney to CPAC: ‘I Was a Severely Conservative Republican Governor’
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) made a concerted effort to woo a conservative crowd today by talking about his opposition to gay marriage even before plans to slash the deficit.
He also peppered his speech before a full house at CPAC with the word “conservative,” frequently in the form of “we conservatives.”
“I did some of the very things conservatism is designed for… and I’m not ashamed to say I was successful in doing it,” Romney said for his first standing ovation, and his longest round of applause.
“I served in government but I didn’t inhale,” he said. “I’m still a business guy.”
Romney expressed confidence that he could sail to victory as the Republican nominee, predicting that the party still sans nominee is “poised for victory” in November.
“President Obama, he is the conservative movement’s top recruiter,” he said. “I don’t think this is the community he planned on organizing but he did.”
“Of course we can defeat Barack Obama,” he added. “That’s the easy part.”
But he said conservatives must define why they deserve to lead and articulate to the nation how they will.
“Barack Obama is the poster child for the arrogance of government,” he said in one of several jabs at the commander in chief, calling this election a “battle for the soul of America.”
“He will not be lecturing us on values as a man whose ineptitude and failure has created pain for so many Americans.”
Romney’s comments against gay marriage were foreshadowed by American Conservative Union Chairman Al Cardenas, who brought up traditional marriage in his introduction of Romney.
The former governor said that he fought for a stay on the court decision that legalized same-sex marriage in his state, pushed for a marriage amendment and fought to keep out-of-state gay couples from getting hitched in Massachusetts.
“On my watch I fought hard and prevented Massachusetts from becoming the Las Vegas of gay marriage,” he said.
“I was a severely conservative Republican governor,”
Individual mandate?
No kidding, if his actions as govenor are his view of “severely conservative”* then, as many of us fear, he has no real clue what “conservative” even means and this just falls in line with his “I’ll say whatever the audience I am with wants to hear because I really really really want to be president”…
What kind of adjective is “severly” in this context… stuach, devout, consistent are all good adjectives… but ‘severely’??
It is unfortunate…but I believe Romney is sweating..and will say almost anything for a vote. He gets flustered, turns red, says dumb things..
I don’t believe I like him politically.
He saved the Olymics in Utah…well, the church did. He went to the church and asked for volunteers…it was announced in church the next sunday, and by monday they had 10,000+ volunteers…yes, the games were a magnificant, “severe”…success, hopefully we will be able to do it again in the next few years…however, Mitt did come in and tie all the strings together..I think being president is another story, and he does not fit my bill.
He “appears” to be.. milquetoast. Obama will wipe up the dais up with him in a debate..and we Americans don’t care about the facts..it’s gonna be visual perception..eg, kennedy..
I’m not a Romney fan by any means, but I think he simply misspoke — meaning to say “seriously.”
Puh-F*****g-leeze.
Blow it out your ass, Miriam.
I really want to believe him. However, does he really mean what he says? Would he be conservative, even with states that allow gay marriage? Or is that his conservative high card?
RomneyCare: it’s cost housewives their insurance coverage. Coverage is expensive, so families triage: husbands earning money, kids in sports. Wives- housebound in winter- ice means a broken leg.
And the mother of all welfare states. Jaw-dropping rates of social workers.
Who will he bring in to groom for round two or three?
I’d like to believe him. I really would. He’s obviously succesful, committed, focussed, all that…..
Mr. Romney, you keep using that word “Conservative”, I do not think it means what you think it means.
Hive Five for the Princess Bride reference!
Rob Reiner just threw up when he found out his movie was referenced on this site.
I think he meant to say that he was severely constipated.
constrained
compliant
…
If Romney isn’t a lot more careful, we’re all scrod.
So Fiscal Conservatives, Social Conservatives, NeoConservatives, National Security Conservatives and Compassionate Conservatives weren’t enough qualifiers? Romney sees a need to add “Severe Conservatives”? How does being a “Severe Conservative” equate to moderates flocking to him as the only “electable” Republican. Not “electable Conservative” mind you, but “electable Republican”. I guess Romney decided that his focus on winning the moderates was going to cost him the nomination so he’s now telling them that he’s been lying for the last 10+ years? He really is a Reagan Conservative, he just played a Moderate in office? He opposed the “Contract for America” as a political ploy and he only expanded government in order to give him more to “severely” cut?
Let me give you a clue Mitt, if you have to go out of you way to tell me that you’re a “Severe” Conservative then you’re not a Conservative. If you want the nomination then you need to run as who you are and quit auditioning for the starring role in Sybil. But it’s becoming increasing apparent then not even Mitt knows who Mitt is.
Romney is what this country needs. If you want arrogant, look to some of the views at the various conservative sites. The world is not all about “I’m the most conservative.” This election has big issues and it should be about big ideas. There is too much breast-thumping, “I’m more conservative than you.” Grow up. Yes, we want to hold on to what is good. Yes, we want to reduce government and strengthen our defenses. But, cutting off your nose to spite your face. That’s dumb.
News flash.
That’s exactly what Mitt was trying to do.
And he’s failed at it.
This has to be satirical.
How about we scrap the current candidates and demand that Jim Demint and Paul Rayn run whether they want to or not for the good of the country.
Demint/Rayn or Rayn/Demint for president works either way.
Because slavery and indentured servitude are illegal in this nation.
Really, seriously?
Being enslaved to support the other half of the population isn’t indentured servitude?
Someone who is forced into becoming a candidate against his own judgment, isn’t going to be an enthusiastic campaigner.
You’re not going to beat Barack Obama with a “reluctant warrior.”
Do you really think Mittens or Santorum is going to beat dumbo?
Is he kidding?
Romneycare
Cars with AAA memberships to welfare recipients
Worked with John Holdren who’s now with Zero’s EPA?
This is Conservative?
Whoa, back up…
Citations on John Holdren, cars for welfare queens?
Not doubting you, just want to find out more…
A Massachusetts RINO, using the word “severe” as a modifier to “conservative” to describe himself.
All you ever needed to know about Mitt Romney…in a nutshell. In RomneyLand, anybody to the Right of himself is an Extremist Conservative out of the Mainstream….because he himself was “severe” enough.
Please, please let Anybody But Romney be the GOP Nominee for POTUS.
Where was Joe Wilson at CPAC? He spoke the truth about The One’s blatant lies, does he have the courage to speak the truth about the Mittsters?
I do, but I am just one small voice (well my wife says BIG voice but that’s because I am half deaf…)
So here goes:
HEY ROMNEY! YOU LIE!!!!
Willard Milton Romney is a Limousine Liberal Democrat failed governor of a Marxist mess of a state. We’d be better off nominating Hillary! NLN. The political beliefs and policies would be identical, but Hillary actually has a pair (Stainless.. keeps them in a pouch in her pants suit pocket…)
There is one thing that might please the cynics that abound among the commentary posters… A vote for Romney is a vote for the end of the Republican Party.
The Pledge: Willard Milton Romney is a Liberal Democrat and I WILL NOT vote for him; EVER!
-John, The Mighty Fahvaag
I’m severely ROFLing
Well at least he didn’t use his time to smear the other candidates.
Methinks the gentleman protesteth too much.
At some point, I begin to get suspicious when someone repeatedly and inexhaustibly reassures me of who or what they are…
For example, if a vacuum cleaner salesman showed up at my house and, throughout the demo, repeatedly mentioned that he was a vacuum salesman, I’d begin to get suspicious and ask him to leave…
Or, for example, if a police officer repeatedly assured me he was a police officer during a traffic stop, I’d ask to see his badge and then call it in with the local department…
Or, for example, if a random stranger turned up at my door and kept insisting he wasn’t a burglarizing crackhead while offering to sell my own lawn furniture back to me for a fiver…
I’ve heard too many people, normally reliable concervitive Republican voters say “If the choice is Romney or Obama…I’d have to go with Obama. Rather the devil you know…And concentrate on Congress.”
That’s very scary.
You are definitely running with the wrong crowd …
Yeah, hardly a “concervative” position. The true conservative position is that Obama must go. PERIOD. Be it Rick, Mitt, or Newt.
You need to stop hanging around with Romney’s people.
Not the devil you know, the devil with the D.
“he’d push for the Defense of Marriage Act and an amendment to the constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman”
Romney is going to be on the wrong side of history on that one. Gay marriage is inevitable.
“Gay marriage is inevitable.”
Just like Romney?
Are the Israeli Jews going to be on the wrong side of history, so best just to throw them to the Islamic wolves now, instead of putting up a fight?
Civilization is worth fighting for, even if you lose in the end.
If gay marriage is inevitable, it is inevitable the way European socialism was inevitable — it will be here as long as Europe is here. A European Europe, I mean. In about a generation, maybe two, Europe will no longer Europe, and I have my doubts European socialism will survive a rule by imams and sheiks. In fact, they are so broke it is doomed regardless.
Gays are getting on the marriage wagon at the same time Western civilization has already trivialized it to the point of meaninglessness. They can join the ranks of other “marrieds” who aren’t having kids and teaching “religious” values. And in another generation, maybe two, we won’t be America anymore.
But that’s okay. Liberalism is all about tearing down institutions, isn’t it? Why not America itself? I doubt they’ll enjoy the results of their handiwork, but it’s pretty clear they won’t accept the blame for it.
So, I guess that makes Obama a severe conservative Democrat for emulating Romneycare?
“… he said conservatives must define why they deserve to lead and articulate to the nation how they will.”
Show me, Mitt.
Until then, I’m for Rick.
Rick? Santorum? The meddling, pro-censorship, pro-life progressive?
What, compared to Jerry Brown?
Mitt Romney: I’m so SEVERELY conservative, I once tried to shake Terri Schiavo awake.
Awesome for Mitt Romney that the whole GOP outrage squad is blasting a birth control policy that he included in Romneycare.
Mittens Romney “severe Conservatism” is parallel to Meghan McCain’s “progressive Republican”; in other words, they are both trying to hide it’s meaningless jargon for their liberalism.
The word “Conservative”, like “pregnant”, requires no modifier.
“Severely Conservative” connotes that it was somehow a mistake or a terrible misfortune…a negative quality…
Romney should keep talking. I want to see just how liberal he actually is, and the only way to do it is to watch for these types of enlightening moments.
‘I Was a Severely Conservative Republican Governor’. And was Romney also the very model of a Modern Major General?
“Actions speak louder than words”
Romney’s political achievements are identical to Obama’s: Increased Spending, Increased Taxes, Created Obamneycare, and if his lips are moving he is lying.
What possible case can Romney make for voting for him over Obama? That he has an R after his name? That he is White? He certainly isn’t going to fight for or implement the limited government policy’s we need to thrive.
He can say he is conservative as often as he wants too, but his actions say he is lying.
Romney is severly unbalanced; there is something wrong with that guy…