Ace of Spades HQ

June 11, 2012

Mitt's Hitting The Road For A Bus Tour
— DrewM

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Monday announced a five-day bus tour through six battleground states, beginning with New Hampshire on Friday. The likely Republican nominee will meet with families and business owners in small towns in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan, where he will focus on what he calls President ObamaÂ’s failed economic policies.

Let's see....what do all those states have in common? Why, I believe they are all states one Barack Obama won in 2008.

Now it's obvious that Mitt needs to flip some states that Obama won last time for him to win but Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan are certainly states that Obama didn't think he'd have to be playing defense in.

Many successful Presidents actually win over new states during their reelection bids. Obama on the other hand has already likely lost North Carolina and Indiana from his 08 column.

Not all of these states will be in play come fall. It's June so it's cheap for Mitt to test the waters, make Obama worry and make him spend some time and money in his backyard. Still, enough "doing fine" cracks from Obama (along with not fine at all growth and unemployment numbers) with a little early attention from Romney could nudge some of these states into the competitive zone for Team Romney come fall.

Either way, Mitt is expanding the playing field beyond traditional swing states that happened to have gone blue in 08 while Obama isn't even thinking of winning any new states, he's just trying to hang on to enough of his other states to stay in office.

Not a bad position to be in for the challenger.

Posted by: DrewM at 08:31 AM | Comments (76)
Post contains 296 words, total size 2 kb.

1 And, as a big f u to the MFM, I will be going on a battleground state horse-drawn carriage tour with my "dancing ponies".

Posted by: Ann Romney at June 11, 2012 08:46 AM (P2oOf)

Will it be a magic bus?

Posted by: dananjcon at June 11, 2012 08:46 AM (eavT+)

"It's June so it's cheap for Mitt to test the waters, make Obama worry and make him spend some time and money in his backyard."

well, at least Romney's spending his own money, we have to pay for Barry's nonsense.

Posted by: johnc_ex-democrat at June 11, 2012 08:47 AM (ACkhT)

Mitt's competitive. I love that and the fact that he's not going to concede any state to OBummer.

If this election can turn into a rout, that's a stronger mandate for overturning ObamaCare, etc. and will (hopefully) give GOP senators and congressmen more spine. Damn near impossible or unheard of for anything in government to be undone. They need all the push we can give them.

Posted by: Scruffy McGee at June 11, 2012 08:47 AM (LI1g/)

5 Wait, Cory is under Mitt's bus?? Don't you mean Obambi's??

After his walkback, no he's under Mitt's bus too.

Posted by: EC at June 11, 2012 08:47 AM (GQ8sn)

6 Don't come here Romney...We loves Pres Bama and loves him so much that we don't care if unemployment is 50% and zero jobs in VERMONT.

Posted by: The People of Brattleboro, Vermont at June 11, 2012 08:47 AM (48wze)

7 Finally. After 4 years of not fighting, the GOP and Mitt are coming out swinging. I like it.

Posted by: momma at June 11, 2012 08:47 AM (sYijI)

8 Now would also be a good time for Romney to mention that consumer confidence is at a 5 month low per Rasmussen.

Thingamajig sales hardest hit.

Posted by: GnuBreed at June 11, 2012 08:47 AM (ccXZP)

9 Can we use Jeb as a bug shield?

Posted by: dananjcon at June 11, 2012 08:47 AM (eavT+)

10 check out this headline at NYTimes.

How Racist Are We? Ask Google

You mean how racist are you, New York Times?

Is infinity a number? Alright a billion then. Same thing.

Posted by: eleven at June 11, 2012 08:48 AM (KXm42)

11 The left will not surrender their Racio-centric view of the Universe, and will concoct any horseshit they need to to prop it up.

Posted by: nickless at June 11, 2012 08:48 AM (MMC8r)

12 The likely Republican nominee will meet with families and business owners in small towns in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan, where the private sector is doing fine.

Posted by: The Wolf at June 11, 2012 08:48 AM (rmNTC)

13 Seriously, who would you like to see as Mitt's VP?

West
Gowdy
Rubio
Ryan

Posted by: momma at June 11, 2012 08:49 AM (sYijI)

14 ha ha a bus how stoopid he's rich who does he think he's fooling wow I bet it uses a lot of gas that struggling Americans can't afford how out of touch can he be???????

Posted by: MSM at June 11, 2012 08:49 AM (bN5ZU)

15 Go read some of the news out of Michigan. The group trying to recall the GOP Governor there has just called it quits, in light of the WI debacle and the fact that they'd only raised a little more than 2000 signatures. They were only about 90% off their goal for June 1.

The tide is turning. People, especially those in the Midwest and Rustbelt are starting to see that unions generally, and PEUs specifically, are bad for business, and bad for the economy.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) Channelling Breitbart at June 11, 2012 08:49 AM (8y9MW)

16 32 Will it be a magic bus? Posted by: dananjcon at June 11, 2012 12:46 PM (eavT+) Too much - the magic bus

Posted by: The Robot Devil at June 11, 2012 08:50 AM (136wp)

17 My favorite RINO, Juan McLame was on F&F this am. He allowed there was media bias. No shit.

Posted by: maddogg at June 11, 2012 08:50 AM (OlN4e)

18 Finest thingamajigs! Priced muchly low for happy business time.

Posted by: Most Fine Thingamajig Enterprise Factory and Manufacture, Nanking at June 11, 2012 08:50 AM (MMC8r)

19 The Four Word Tour: "Private Sector's Doing Fine"

Posted by: S Daniel at June 11, 2012 08:50 AM (BVkEs)

20 Everyone here keeps discounting PA. But I don't see why we have to concede the state to Zero so easily. The WI recall has proven that the vote fraud machines can be made irrelevant. We still have the voter ID law in effect (so far). And Romney has a major case to make to the folks up and out in coal country that Zero and his EPA has put them out of work. I know about the tease PA has been in the past, but all bets are off this time.

Posted by: Damn Sockpuppet at June 11, 2012 08:50 AM (YmPwQ)

21 wonder why Romney won't go to Virginia, I do some business in VA, I've met a surprising number of people who voted for Barry last time, cannot stand him now.

Posted by: johnc_ex-democrat at June 11, 2012 08:50 AM (ACkhT)

Didn't teh wan win the last election? Wait, not so fast!

"My research, a comparison of AmericansÂ’ Google searches and their voting patterns, found otherwise. If my results are correct, racial animus cost Mr. Obama many more votes than we may have realized."

Posted by: Dass Rayciss at June 11, 2012 08:50 AM (i3pKT)

23 Heh. Ironically enough, I'm travelling to New ENgland next week and I'll be passing through Brattleboro VT. I'll be sure not to stop there.

Posted by: Damn Sockpuppet at June 11, 2012 08:51 AM (YmPwQ)

24 Does this bus have a Commerce Secretary Avoidance System?

Posted by: nickless at June 11, 2012 08:51 AM (MMC8r)

25 I know I read just last week that Romney had given up on PA.

It's dead, Jim.

Wait! There's a pulse.

Posted by: GnuBreed at June 11, 2012 08:52 AM (ccXZP)

26 I offered to drive the bus, but was rejected.

They just laughed at me.

Posted by: John Bryson at June 11, 2012 08:52 AM (8y9MW)

27
We must dare, dare again, always dare!
-Danton

****

Just don't lose your head.

Posted by: WalrusRex at June 11, 2012 08:52 AM (Hx5uv)

28 <i>Seriously, who would you like to see as Mitt's VP?</i>

I'd hope that does not depend upon identity politics...

Posted by: Tex Lovera at June 11, 2012 08:52 AM (wtvvX)

29 41 The left will not surrender their Racio-centric view of the Universe, and will concoct any horseshit they need to to prop it up.

Posted by: nickless at June 11, 2012 12:48 PM (MMC8r)

May I Twat that for you? I always H/T.

Posted by: dananjcon at June 11, 2012 08:53 AM (eavT+)

30 Seriously, who would you like to see as Mitt's VP?

Ace.

Posted by: Blanco Basura at June 11, 2012 08:53 AM (4WhSY)

31 Mitt's VP pick could stop all this momentum dead in its tracks.

It really worries me.

Posted by: momma at June 11, 2012 08:54 AM (sYijI)

32
Pennsylvania....

Kinda hard to get from New Hampshire to Ohio by bus without going through Pennsylvania, regardless of how swingable your campaign really thinks the state is.

Now, if Mitt took a detour through West Virginia, then we'd know he's throwing long.

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at June 11, 2012 08:54 AM (kdS6q)

33 Will it be a short bus??

Posted by: Corky at June 11, 2012 08:54 AM (eavT+)

34 60 Be my guest.

Posted by: nickless at June 11, 2012 08:54 AM (MMC8r)

35 I know I read just last week that Romney had given up on PA.

I'm not sure how much time/money/effort Romney will spend on PA. It probably is a lost cause. However, just the fact he is going to be able to go through and make a showing should be causing Democrats to defecate in their drawers.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) Channelling Breitbart at June 11, 2012 08:54 AM (8y9MW)

36 Romney came to WA for a quick visit last week. Not much fanfare or news coverage. Weirdly, though the number of Obama 2012 bumper stickers is incereasing daily, I've seen quite a few Romney yard signs over the last couple months. They are usually gone almost immediately, so I assume some of the Demoncrat money is going to pay somebody to sneak around and pull them out. I am beginning to expect that Romney, while not winning WA of course, will get more votes here than McCain did.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlInSeattle at June 11, 2012 08:54 AM (RZ8pf)

37 Well, after last night, my "private sector" is doing FANTASTIC!!!

Posted by: Tex Lovera at June 11, 2012 08:54 AM (wtvvX)

38 Now, if Mitt took a detour through West Virginia, then we'd know he's throwing long.

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at June 11, 2012 12:54 PM (kdS6q)

Just came from WV. BO does not have the support he had in 08 there. Don't believe the hype.

Posted by: momma at June 11, 2012 08:55 AM (sYijI)

39 Can I drive??

Posted by: David Diehl at June 11, 2012 08:55 AM (eavT+)

40 I think Mitt should change his dog's name to "Private Sector".

Posted by: Tex Lovera at June 11, 2012 08:56 AM (wtvvX)

41 >>The WI recall has proven that the vote fraud machines can be made irrelevant.

Did they ever get Racine County sorted out?

>>racial animus cost Mr. Obama many more votes than we may have realized

Probably did, and not in the way the Times wants to believe. Not a lot of people will vote for a guy who freely admits he hates them because of their skin color/culture.

Posted by: Kinder, Gentler HeatherRadish™ at June 11, 2012 08:56 AM (ZKzrr)

42 Everyone said Mitt would be a bad primary candidate (which he was) and a good general election candidate (so far so good). Nobody should be surprised by this. Mitt has been game-planning this election strategy since at least 2008. Thank God we didn't go with Santorum or Newt or whoever the GOP heartthrob of the week was (Perry, Cain, Bachmann, whatever). With all due respect these other candidates, they were operating on shoestring budgets at best (except Perry). Does anybody really believe that Santorum would ever have been able to outraise Obama or get the Wall Street crowd to abandon Obama and turn to him? No way.

Posted by: Sean at June 11, 2012 08:57 AM (HDEPa)

43 65 60 Be my guest.

Posted by: nickless at June 11, 2012 12:54 PM (MMC8r)

Done...I'm out of fresh material.

Posted by: David Diehl at June 11, 2012 08:57 AM (eavT+)

Good news, Mr. Stephens-Davidowitz: the country is far less racist now, because Barack Obama is president and has healed our racial divide.

The reason people won't vote for him this time around has nothing to do with racism, it will be because he's our WORST PRESIDENT EVAH. Got that?

Posted by: Scruffy McGee at June 11, 2012 08:58 AM (LI1g/)

45 Off drunkin football player sock.

Posted by: dananjcon at June 11, 2012 08:58 AM (eavT+)

46 Mitt is going for a 50 state landslide.

I approve of this pile of skulls strategy.

Posted by: Kristopher at June 11, 2012 12:41 PM (0aV2C)

But what if Barry wins the other 7 states?

Posted by: TheQuietMan at June 11, 2012 08:58 AM (1Jaio)

47 70 Can I drive?? Posted by: David Diehl at June 11, 2012 12:55 PM (eavT+) I'm an excellent driver. Gotta get my boxer shorts at K-Mart

Posted by: Zombie Ted Kennedy at June 11, 2012 08:59 AM (136wp)

48 Can't beat my Obama 2012 Choomwagon!!!!

Posted by: Barry the Choom King at June 11, 2012 09:00 AM (Y+DPZ)

49 A Bus!?
How do you get a dog on the roof of a bus?

You can put a whole kennel on top of a bus.

Just sayin'.

Posted by: John P. Squibob at June 11, 2012 09:00 AM (kqqGm)

50 Mitt's VP? Louis Gomert.

Posted by: maddogg at June 11, 2012 09:01 AM (OlN4e)

51 >>>Can't beat my Obama 2012 Choomwagon!!!!

Now that we know about this it make the "stuck in a ditch and they're suckin on a slurpee tellin us which way to push" bit rather funny.

Posted by: typo dynamo at June 11, 2012 09:03 AM (MJ76f)

52 I have to admit, I was in the anyone-but-Mitt camp but he is turning out to be a much better campaigner than I had initially thought.

No, I thought Mitt would be a (1) brilliant strategist (2) have a top-notch team ready to go at lightening speed (3) ruthless campaigner (4) money machine (5) mediocre debater/speaker (6) policy moderate (7) statesman who gets the formal role of the presidency right.

I've been pleasantly surprised on the first 6 counts and I don't expect to be disappointed in the 7th. Even after getting the nomination, he hasn't turned Left. And he hasn't done what Jeb Bush loves to do (this isn't the only time he's done this) and McCain liked to do: scold his base.

I'd argue he's been *more* conservative since securing the nomination. He ain't perfect and will be disappointing, especially after taking office, but he's making the case for fiscal conservatism and taking it to Obama on substance and policy, while eviscerating him on gaffes.

And don't be too sure, all of the states he's going to are in play according to polls and there are very good reasons to believe they'll be likely wins this time around.

Posted by: AmishDude at June 11, 2012 09:05 AM (T0NGe)

53 (5) mediocre debater/speaker

Huh....I've always found him to be a good speaker.

Posted by: eleven at June 11, 2012 09:08 AM (KXm42)

54 Everyone here keeps discounting PA. But I don't see why we have to concede the state to Zero so easily.

I think Mitt very much might win PA.

And if he does, it won't matter.

Posted by: AmishDude at June 11, 2012 09:09 AM (T0NGe)

55 85
He's avuncular sounding. Obama is professorial.

Posted by: Sean at June 11, 2012 09:10 AM (HDEPa)

56 He's got Indiana in the bag. Remember, we gave Lugar his walking papers. Or was it walker papers?

Posted by: Cicerokid at June 11, 2012 09:11 AM (tS2BT)

57 >>But what if Barry wins the other 7 states?

Not to bring racist math into this, but they have a combined 0 votes in the Electoral College.

(Realistically, I think the best Mitt can do is 47 states.)

Posted by: Kinder, Gentler HeatherRadish™ at June 11, 2012 09:11 AM (ZKzrr)

58 wonder whyRomney won't go to Virginia, I do some business in VA, I've met a surprising number of people who voted for Barry last time, cannot stand him now.

You don't need a bus tour to go to VA and VA is a much easier win than the states listed above. If he needs to campaign in VA, it'll be more cost effective to do it in the fall.

Posted by: AmishDude at June 11, 2012 09:12 AM (T0NGe)

59 (5) mediocre debater/speaker

Huh....I've always found him to be a good speaker.

I'd say mediocre. He's not overly compelling. Less mesmerizing than Obama, but much, much better off the cuff. (So much so, I am really expecting no more than 1 presidential debate.) He is genuine and...I'm not sure avuncular is the word. I am reminded a bit of Ike. Competent, serious, sympathetic but not flashy. He doesn't have Ike's resume or cache, of course, but he seems a bit similar personalitywise.

Posted by: AmishDude at June 11, 2012 09:16 AM (T0NGe)

60 Well, I hope we win and I hope the opposition gets bonked so thoroughly that they'll kick out the marxists and other infantile far-leftists. And I hope I don't starve to death or get hit by a train. Gotta cover all bases.

Posted by: Inspector Asshole at June 11, 2012 09:17 AM (YSyyZ)

Oooh, found another. Washington Post says "Middle-aged white guys" are the problem. This time, not getting up for pregnant women on transit. She's an expert, you know, using science.

Pregnant and hunting for a seat on Metro By Dana Hedgpeth

Posted by: Dass Rayciss at June 11, 2012 09:18 AM (i3pKT)

I'd argue he's been *more* conservative since securing the nomination. He ain't perfect and will be disappointing, especially after taking office, but he's making the case for fiscal conservatism and taking it to Obama on substance and policy, while eviscerating him on gaffes.

The central issues of our time are 1) the economy, 2) illegal migration, and 3) as always, national defense.

So far I've got no complaints. I can tolerate him straying on other issues as long as he holds fast on these.

Posted by: CoolCzech at June 11, 2012 09:18 AM (Iaxlk)

63 Tex Lovera writes: 6 Mitt needs to keep hitting him hard and stay on the offensive. Obama might just learn that it's really not such a good idea to point your chin at people like that, especially when the other fellow is interested in knocking you out--in a political sense, I mean, of course.

Posted by: Boston12GS at June 11, 2012 09:23 AM (aVw1v)

64 Smart, on the heals of the private sector is doing fine comment. Plus the media will have to cover this. Now I wonder if the SS will force Romeny to use the death star style bus. Romney should hit every small - mid size business he can.
Ignore the big liberal cities and the poverty pimps - hit the weak elements of the Dem collation.

Posted by: standfast24 at June 11, 2012 09:29 AM (s4wkw)

65 I'm disappointed he didn't include Colorado in that swing.

Posted by: crosspatch at June 11, 2012 09:30 AM (ZbLJZ)

66 89-- 47 is pretty much wishcasting, but I'll hazard that the three states out of reach are Vermont, Maryland, and Hawaii?

Posted by: Kind and Gentle NewBrunswicker at June 11, 2012 09:30 AM (FOlqu)

67 We still loves you Pres Bama.....

Posted by: The People of Brattleboro, Vermont at June 11, 2012 09:32 AM (48wze)

68 Obama is dropping a lot of coin in western Pennsylvania on TV ads. They must be worried about dem turnout.

Posted by: Marie at June 11, 2012 09:35 AM (P9OJs)

69 44 Look! Jose has a sock!

Posted by: Cliff In TX at June 11, 2012 09:55 AM (8yWf/)

70 I'm disappointed he didn't include Colorado in that swing.

Colorado is an interesting bird. As blue as it may be thanks to Denver and some of the wealthier mountain communities, it relies heavily on oil and the tourism industry. Bad mouthing the private businessmen who in good times drop $10k on ski vacations in Aspen isn't going to win over many of the people who live down valley and rely on that money.

Posted by: Alex at June 11, 2012 09:55 AM (aNu4E)

71 97 I'm disappointed he didn't include Colorado in that swing.

Most of those states are contiguous, with NH being the exception. And the distance from NH to PA is much smaller than the distance from IA to CO.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at June 11, 2012 09:56 AM (e0xKF)

72 So far I've got no complaints. I can tolerate him straying on other issues as long as he holds fast on these.

My hope is that Romney will try to avoid a fight with conservatives by pushing off a lot of stuff back to the states. I'm perfectly happy to fight "health care reform", for example, at a state level vs. trying to influence a squishy Republican Congress in Washington DC.

Posted by: Alex at June 11, 2012 09:58 AM (aNu4E)

73 Romney 3.0 Upgraded, overclocked, and ready to roll

Posted by: sulla at June 11, 2012 10:07 AM (NocFh)

74 THE WALL IS CRACKING But only if we keep striking at it.

Posted by: CAC at June 11, 2012 12:39 PM (J93hD)

75 Why do we tacitly assume that 2008 reset any kind of de facto state of current political or ideological division in the United States?

It didn't! The sooner you get this ridiculous concept clear of your thinking, the better. We are an ideologically polarized and divided nation, we have been trending this way since the the 1990s. 2008 was an abomination, a one-off event.

To use it as the baseline is it's just another leftist talking point. The left is always talking about how polarized this nation is -- until it's time to talk about electoral projections and then we become a nation of Hope, Change and Unicorns again. We're 2004 until we need to be 2008 for expediency, then back to 2004 again to rile up the liberal base.

This elecoral battleground will be fought primarily on the economic/defense-axis. We'll play in a map that's a hybrid of the state-issue interaction from election 2000 with 2004's polarity.

Posted by: Uriah Heep at June 11, 2012 12:42 PM (JdSQO)

76 Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a miserable failure.

Posted by: steevy at June 11, 2012 03:02 PM (Xb3hu)

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