Romney Leads in Ill Will Among G.O.P. Candidates

[kurth]

January 24, 2008
Romney Leads in Ill Will Among G.O.P. Candidates
By MICHAEL LUO

TAMPA, Fla. — At the end of the Republican presidential debate in New Hampshire this month, when the Democrats joined the candidates on stage, Mitt Romney found himself momentarily alone as his counterparts mingled, looking around a bit stiffly for a companion. The moment was emblematic of a broader reality that has helped shape the Republican contest and could take center stage again on Thursday at a debate in Florida. Within the small circle of contenders, Mr. Romney has become the most disliked.

With so much attention recently on the sniping between Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama on the Democratic side, the almost visceral scorn directed at Mr. Romney by his rivals has been overshadowed. “Never get into a wrestling match with a pig,” Senator John McCain said in New Hampshire this month after reporters asked him about Mr. Romney. “You both get dirty, and the pig likes it.”

Mike Huckabee’s pugilistic campaign chairman, Ed Rollins, appeared to stop just short of threatening Mr. Romney with physical violence at one point. “What I have to do is make sure that my anger with a guy like Romney, whose teeth I want to knock out, doesn’t get in the way of my thought process,” Mr. Rollins said.

Campaign insiders and outside strategists point to several factors driving the ill will, most notably, Mr. Romney’s attacks on opponents in television commercials, the perception of him as an ideological panderer and resentment about his seemingly unlimited resources as others have struggled to raise cash... “The glee the other candidates go after Romney with is really unique,” said Dan Schnur, a Republican strategist who worked on Mr. McCain’s presidential campaign bid in 2000 but is not affiliated with any campaign now.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/us/politics/24romney.html?hp

[Frances]

1. I would rather have Obama OR Clinton OR Edwards

than Romney!!

Please folks let's focus on the REpubs and not each other.

[Hoof Hearted]

2. Well, finally something I can agree with a few republicans about.

Willard Myth Romney is vile and disgusting.

[thunder rising]

3. Wooohooo they found one .. and it likes Mitt

[AlCzervik]

4. Romney is really snake like, i could see people taking an instant dislike to him.

i did, he seems like a total opportunist, not that they all aren't but he seems a little greasier.