And so it begins.
Mitt Romney has instructed his closest advisers to explore the possibility of stopping Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention, a source close to Romney’s inner circle says.
The 2012 GOP nominee’s advisers are examining what a fight at the convention might look like and what rules might need revising.
“It sounds like the plan is to lock the convention,” said the source.
Romney is focused on suppressing Trump’s delegate count to prevent him from accumulating the 1,237 delegates he needs to secure the nomination.
But implicit in Romney’s request to his team to explore the possibility of a convention fight is his willingness to step in and carry the party’s banner into the fall general election as the Republican nominee. Another name these sources mentioned was House Speaker Paul Ryan, Romney’s running mate in 2012.
You don’t have to read too far between the lines of the speech Romney gave Thursday at the University of Utah to see the imprint of this plan. He urged voters to support the candidate most likely to prevent Trump from racking up delegates in their states — saying he’d back Florida Sen. Marco Rubio if he were voting in the Sunshine State, Gov. John Kasich if he were voting in Ohio, or Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the states where he polls as Trump’s strongest foe.
“If the other candidates can find common ground, I believe we can nominate a person who can win the general election and who will represent the values and policies of conservatism,” Romney said.
They don’t care what we think. After all, they know better.
Stella's Place 
NBC Nightly News had a segment on a few nights ago discussing whether “party” or “person” is more important. Laying the groundwork.
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Scum of the earth.
I hope people now will wake up and see that if you don’t vote for Trump you will get Hillary. It is no longer about but Trump said this, Trump did that, I love Cruz, it’s about stopping Hillary and you can only do that by voting for Trump. Cruz is never going to be the nominee, it’s a pipe dream to believe he is. There is only one way to stop Hillary and that is with Trump. Folks might not like it, but if they fight it or they stay stubborn and vote for Cruz, Rubio or Kasich then I for one, then they will be supporting Hillary.
Nobody can deny that any longer.
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Looks like the RNC might get behind Cruz, and have the others drop out, so that they can try to deny Donald Trump the minimum number of primary delegates that he needs (1,237).
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This is what I’m talking about:
http://www.charismanews.com/politics/primaries/55600-ted-cruz-campaign-just-announced-some-good-news
First, it announced several former national finance committee members of the Jeb Bush presidential campaign have joined the Texas senator’s national finance committee. The following are the new members of the Cruz national finance team:
Paul Dickerson – Houston, Texas
Boyden Gray – Washington, D.C.
Charles Foster – Houston, Texas
Reginald J. Brown – Washington, D.C.
Paula and Jim Henry – Midland, Texas
Nancy and Randy Best – Dallas, Texas
“I am excited to welcome this outstanding new group to our finance team,” Cruz said. “They arrive at a pivotal time for our campaign, as the field is winnowing down to a two-person race. I am honored to have such an impressive committee. It is yet another sign that conservatives are coalescing behind our campaign.”
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Again Cruz voters can’t keep on denying what is staring them in the face.
I want a refund on money I donated to him for his Senate run.
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Me too.
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Me three…
*sigh*
Never again.
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I’m with you all. Want my money back from Cruz and from Ben Sasse. So disappointed in those two!
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Oh Goody, ineligible Canadian Cuban Ted gets more new puppet strings. 😉
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This is the part that scares me. What price is Cruz willing to pay to win the nomination this go-round? Those who know me, know that Cruz has been my horse. I’m not against Trump, I’m just not for him. However, if Cruz is co-opted by the Bushies, I’m out. I will vote for whoever runs against Hilda-beest, but it will be one more case of being bamboozled…………and scrooed. I hope I’m wrong, but I doubt it. Our role model did it the right way, and suffered the slings and arrows for it. I don’t think that person exists today. Trump may come the closest, but I don’t trust him to do the right thing either. Regardless, I’m finally back at Rancho el Gordito and seeing Mrs. T for the first time in three weeks, so I’m not going to get all verklempt tonight. 😆
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And then they’re not going to give it to Cruz at the convention. Cruz is a sorry SOB to go along with this.
I’m tired of trying to play nice with Cruz supporters. If they are too blind to see what is going on then they need to open their eyes. If they don’t care, then they are part of the problem.
It’s not about Trump or Cruz, it’s about our country and both parties and all the elites holding on to their power. They do not want a Republican or a Democrat President, they want who keeps them in power and they have decided Hillary is their woman.
I’m sorry it can’t be looked at any other way. A brokered convention will keep voters at home in November. People are going to be furious.
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A friend suggested that Cruz and Rubio are going to be offered as a “unity ticket” Cruz top of the ticket Rubio on the bottom, the party of course has to get Rubio on board but all of Cruz’s delegates would then not be lost as they would be with a new ticket like Romney/Paul.
The idea will be floated to the unemployed Rubio soon, likely he will spit, but obey his handlers, maybe not until after he loses Florida, but that is the only path that gives them a sliver of hope to steal the election without a brokered convention.
Friend says that is their only path. Seems plausible to me.
Filthy rotten people. Putting a corrupt party above our country. SMH.
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I don’t understand their thinking, not totally. I absolutely get that they don’t give a damn about us, I’ve known that for years. But in order to maintain their power, their offices that they now hold, they have got to have some support from some voters somewhere.
I just do not see them disenfranchising us totally and coming out unscathed. They may be able to pull this off, against the express will of the people. Then what? I am looking forward to the discussion here, because I really think this could sink the Republican Party. Am I wrong? What am I missing?
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I think they underestimate their base, to their eventual detriment. They may win the battle (I hope not) but lose the war.
If that happens, the only choice is to go third party.
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I can’t remember if I actually made this comment the other day when I started thinking about it. Apologies if it’s a repeat.
I voted Romney in 2012, against my better judgement. As you know from being blog pals so long, I have been thinking of leaving the Republican Party for a number of years. In the end I just could not stand the thought of Obama for four more years and I thought Romney had a shot. I hated voting for him because they, the GOPe, get us that way every damned time.
Now, in hindsight, I believe that caving on my principles and voting Republican when they shoved Romney down our throats has brought us to this point. The Republicans and Romney view their voters as cheap prostitutes they can sc**w and not call again until the next time.
I will say it and mean it. If they take they nomination from Trump I will be voting third party. Let the people’s will be done. If Trump gets out voted that’s one thing. But they better not steal it from him, because that is totally disenfranchising me as a voter. Which of course has been going on for years with all the cheating.
This time they are bringing it out into the open. Either way, they have lost me.
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I’ve come to that conclusion.
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Amen.
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I did not support Romney in the primary, was actually ticked he was their chosen one.
I regret it now but once he was the nominee I fought hard for him. I promised myself that from now on I would vote my conscience.
In 2014 I did just that, I did not vote for one single incumbent, I voted for all independents or didn’t vote at all in some races.
After witnessing them come out in the open, it will be a cold day in hell before I vote for Romney, Cruz or Rubio, if there isn’t an Independent on the ticket I won’t vote.
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I supported Santorum in the 2012 primary, but I voted for Romney in the general election. No more nose holding for me.
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I didn’t support him in the primary either, was really po’d when they shoved him down our throats. But I sucked it up and voted for him in the end. As I said, how I regret that.
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I stayed out of the booth. First time, ever.
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My Dad was mad at me about that decision.
But why vote for someone who doesn’t want to win?
Why vote for someone who was running against the express wishes of the base? Conservatives didn’t want him! The GOP said “screw you people.”
We really do need a second party. Uniparty be damned.
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The G.O.P. and McCain bit me the previous cycle.
I learned my lesson shortly thereafter. He didn’t want to win, either.
Nothing but abject praise for his opponent. Anything else would have been racisss.
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I came to that conclusion when McCain “took a dive” in 08 and pretended to run for POTUS.
The G.O.P. gives us the candidate that we least desire, every time.
Who was McCain? He was the only Republican the MSM had kind words for.
“Maverick!” No, “Democrat.” Likewise, Romney.
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I agree completely, Menage. I held my nose and voted for Romney because I thought Obama was SO bad that even Romney could beat him. I will NOT do it again. If they try to force him, or some other RINO on us, I will write in Trump. They can lead me to that nasty water, but they can’t make me drink it.
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Ditto.
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They are establishment hacks and they in their mind are the party. The party will be what they want it to be and if they lose the nomination to Trump in the GOP’s collective mind the party is just as lost as if they lose the vast majority of their base voters.
The PTB in the GOP/RNC are acting irrationally, thinking irrationally, they can no longer read the mood of “We the people” because they have hoodwinked us for so long and we have held our noses for so long voting for terrible candidates that the powers that be simply cannot conceive that we are seriously out this time and not coming back if they steal the nomination from Trump.
They are ringing the bell and can’t understand why we are not salivating, so they will continue to ring the bell until their bloody hands fall off.
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Great comment.
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There are more reasons, too.
The PTB in the GOP/RNC are also, like many of that half of America, also HEAVILY INFLUENCED by the MSM, and all it preaches and brainwashes, in all it provides.
I bet most of them have their favorite shows in primetime, each night.
That doesn’t have zero influence on thinking.
As an aside: what a huge industry. You work for TV, in whatever obscure capacity, you make dollars. Whether you’re the outfit making the granite and glass anchor desk, or the people making and maintaining the sitcom set, or the people with the IT knowledge, or the people with the camera knowledge, or the people with the mopping the floor experience, you’re making fat wads of cash.
And you’re working to brainwash America. Good gig.
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Framers. Electricians. Painters. Programmers.
All working to brainwash you. What a world.
Most people on the TV-hating right (like myself) focus on the on-air Talent, and the owners of various media companies, when directing their vitriol.
But those other workers aren’t exactly chopped liver. They’re contributing to the cause just as much, and probably more, than “the Talent”.
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RNC: “Here’s SIXTEEN great, conservative candidates for you all to make a choice from.”
Enter Donald Trump. 6 months later.
RNC: Whoops, “Here is our best candidate, REALLY, trust us”.
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On some thread, I think at CTH yesterday, somebody posted a form with Romney/Ryan on it for President. I don’t know if it was real or not. I can’t find it. But, supposedly it was filed at the end of Jan., I believe.
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I don’t know either, but it looks like the truth. Phyllis Schafly predicted this months ago. She said it would be Paul Ryan.
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Romney for President, Inc. FEC Paperwork:
http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/844/201602019005302844/201602019005302844.pdf#navpanes=0
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This is from the FEC page. This was in existence last year. I don’t know the viability of the organization now. See if you can tell.
http://www.fec.gov/fecviewer/CandidateCommitteeDetail.do?candidateCommitteeId=C00431171&tabIndex=1
ADD: Your document is part of this one (see tabs). Looks like they are keeping it alive.
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There is another one too. I posted the link on the debate thread last night.
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http://www.fec.gov/fecviewer/CandidateCommitteeDetail.do?candidateCommitteeId=C00518282&tabIndex=1
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In case that doesn’t work:
http://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/forms/C00431171/1047622/
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How did you get into my apartment?
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On the other side of my keyboard, I have a “bring da amberlamps” key, and a “SMOD” key.
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https://twitter.com/smod2016/status/705845131602071552
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SMOD would be some serious Change. Hope? Maybe.
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Writing workshop exercise: Earth-sized comet obliterates Earth.
What happens next? We all like to think that there is something after, that these bodies are vessels, and that we’re living in Flatland.
Start with: we’re all judged? And it’s obvious we all died. Comet obliterates Earth. All of us dying is a given, here.
And then?
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So, I don’t really want SMOD.
That would mean we all gotta go to the next level.
And none of us know what the next level is.
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Vogons. They actually did that. Earth? You have to go. Eminent Domain, sucka.
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And I f’n hate Vogons. Their poetry is crap.
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(It’s painful to listen to.)
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Aww Weedie, you always gotz the answer! Heck yes.
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Rush Limbaugh today – A Theory on Romney’s Remarks
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2016/03/04/a_theory_on_romney_s_remarks
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Oh, the whole thing is silly. Romney went to Disneyland in 2012, and they just drug him off the boat ride. It’s 2016 and the guy has not been involved in anything going on since throwing the last election. Nobody outside of the core RNC cares what he says. The RNC core is just a bunch of very isolated upper country club set that honestly believe everyone outside of their group has the mental acuity of a toddler. Distract the toddler and wear them out. They will forget all about whatever it was they wanted tomorrow and accept what you gave them.
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They don’t know anything about toddlers or voters. Both have a way of throwing a fit for what they really want when denied it.
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“Ted Cruz tonight blasted this idea of a brokered convention as nonsense that the GOP establishment loves to talk about. He then warned if GOP power brokers try and pick the nominee at a brokered convention, which he also said was the ‘dumbest idea’, the people will absolutely revolt.”
Cruz doesn’t like it either. If Romney and pals somehow pull this off, they will lose the election and much much more, so I am surprised they would try. If they do.
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I think they believed that they could fool Cruz and Rubio into joining as a Pres/VP combo, in order to deny Trump the delegates needed for a nomination, THEN pull a switcheroo, and substitute Romney/Ryan at the convention.
I think Cruz is too smart to fall for that. Hence, this response. I don’t think the establishment likes him any better than they like Trump. Well, maybe a little bit better.
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Either that, or Cruz is providing cover for Romney, but I don’t think so.
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Cruz is trying to straddle the fence it sounds like to me. Who are these majority of Republicans?
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/271875-cruz-brokered-convention-would-lead-to-voter-revolt
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Time to give the RNC the AARP treatment. When you get something in the mail, spring for the stamp, but put a nice little handwritten note in it instead of a check. Tell ’em, and you can use this quote from me – “Go F*@K Yourselves”. 👿
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