A normally very knowledgeable Republican told me recently that Warren Tompkins’ decision to back Mitt Romney was a signal to the base that Jim DeMint, despite his public neutrality, was really for Romney.
Why, I asked, didn’t DeMint just come out for Romney the way he did four years ago? The answer: It was OK four years ago to support the author of Romneycare. But not now, when the GOP is defining itself in terms of its staunch belief that Obamacare — which was based on Romneycare — is the end of the world as we know it.
Interesting thesis.
But if it’s true, how come DeMint keeps saying all these nice things about Ron Paul? Check out the video above, or this from earlier this month:
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said Wednesday the Republican presidential candidates need to listen to Ron Paul and would benefit from integrating some of his libertarian ideas into their platform.
“One of the things that’s hurt the so-called conservative alternative is saying negative things about Ron Paul,” DeMint told conservative radio host Laura Ingraham. “I’d like to see a Republican Party that embraces a lot of the libertarian ideas.”…
DeMint said he does not agree with the Texas congressman on everything but that the rest of the GOP presidential field should capture some of what Paul’s been talking about for years because the Republican Party “needs” the libertarian movement.
“You don’t have to agree with everything he’s saying, but if the other candidates miss some of the wisdom about what he’s saying about monetary policy … that will be to our detriment,” DeMint said…
So what’s up with that?
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He apparently appreciates someone who is consistent in his beliefs. You know, someone who doesn’t pull a Graham.
Good golly man, what’s with this? I don’t care much for DeMint but really this is about as benign as it gets. He says he agrees with Paul on monetary policy, hardly a surprise, and all of a sudden Brad is inventing some kind of conspiracy theory. I think it’s time for Brad to take a vacation from politics; he’s waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overthinking this.
I actually think it has a lot to do with Jim DeMint being a screwed politician, protecting his own brand.
In 2007, Jim DeMint was not yet a national brand when he became Romney’s chief backer in the Palmetto State. This time around, Jim DeMint is often referred to as a “kingmaker” and the face of the modern day conservative/tea party movement.
He knows he can’t publically endorse Romney when probably 90% of his foot soldiers want anybody but Romney. He only came to Romney’s defense when the rest of the conservative movement did the same. DeMint also knows that Ron Paul and his movement occupies a bigger space on the conservative spectrum than they did last time. He has seen an alliance morph between the existing Ron Paul liberty activists and the newer tea party activists, and he wants to continue his role as one of the de-facto leaders of the larger movement.
I got a little bit of income from my book, but I gave that all away. And then I get speaker’s fees from time to time, but not very much.”
-Mitt
Romney collected more than $360,000 in speaking fees from such companies as Barclay’s Bank and Goldentree Asset Management over a 12-month period ending last year, according to his financial disclosure filing.
-Washington Post
The arrogance of this man is simply breathtaking. How can anyone be so completely out of touch. He considers $360k “not very much”. Really? I’m sure someone working at Lowes or Burger King making 20k/year would be delighted with that “not very much” amount. How this man ever expects to connect with working class or even middle-lower upper class voters is beyond me.
Brad, why didn’t you join the online protest of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)? This is something that could threaten the integrity of the Internet in a big way and needs to be stopped.
What’s up is that DeMint is trying to appear cool, rogue, revolutionary even, by going off what was presumed to be a short leash. Do South Carolina Republicans really care who will be the next president as long as it is not Mitt Romney? The SC Rs just want to split the vote and break his stride in this primary. That’s about all they will be good for: saboteurs. Unless they really are for Ron Paul who will likely fine-tune the Islamization of America begun by Barack Obama.
They are turncoats, at any rate.
~~~~~~~
http://www.sunlituplands.org/2011/03/jim-demints-blind-spot- mitt-romney.html
http://www.thestate.com/2012/01/15/2114295/will-sc-go-rogue.html
DeMint’s statements are the absolute antithesis of how he has been operating as a US Senator where it’s his way or the highway…up to and including being the only vote against tax breaks to assist in the hiring of veterans.
So, compromise is OK now? Or, does it just depend on who you compromise with?
I guess they do have a common thread in John Birch and Cato.