Romney campaigns for Chambliss!

ATLANTA (MyFOX Atlanta) -- Former Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is in Georgia Friday to help rally support for Saxby Chambliss.

Chambliss is the incumbent United States senator from Georgia who is in a run-off election against Jim Martin.

Saxby Chambliss and Jim Martin are in a high-stakes race for the U.S. Senate and have called several high profile names to encourage voters to return to the polls, including John McCain, Bill Clinton, Mike Huckabee, and Al Gore.

“Now, it’s time to make sure that we send this man back to the Senate. That we get him working on the challenges we face. That he keeps America strong. That he keeps America free. That he keeps America’s economy growing and striving to make sure we have a bright future. It’s time to reelect once and for all Saxby Chambliss," said Romney.

A win for Chambliss or Martin is crucial for the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.

If Martin and democrat Al Franken from Minnesota win, then the democrats would have 60 seats in the Senate, which would ultimately eliminate the republican filibuster.

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7917988&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Romney on Morning Joe (MSNBC)

Let Detroit Go Bunkrupt!

Mitt Romney has a new op-ed in the New York Times.

IF General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye. It won’t go overnight, but its demise will be virtually guaranteed.

Without that bailout, Detroit will need to drastically restructure itself. With it, the automakers will stay the course — the suicidal course of declining market shares, insurmountable labor and retiree burdens, technology atrophy, product inferiority and never-ending job losses. Detroit needs a turnaround, not a check.

I love cars, American cars. I was born in Detroit, the son of an auto chief executive. In 1954, my dad, George Romney, was tapped to run American Motors when its president suddenly died. The company itself was on life support — banks were threatening to deal it a death blow. The stock collapsed. I watched Dad work to turn the company around — and years later at business school, they were still talking about it. From the lessons of that turnaround, and from my own experiences, I have several prescriptions for Detroit’s automakers.

Gov. Romney back on the campaign trail!

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney announced today that he will be campaigning in Georgia for U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss on Friday, November 21, and that his Free and Strong America PAC has made a contribution of $5,000 to help with the runoff election.

Romney will be appearing at political rallies in Atlanta and Savannah, as well as at a series of private event fundraisers. Chambliss won the Nov. 4 general election, but the Dec. 2 runoff was called when neither Chambliss nor his Democratic opponent, Jim Martin, achieved 50 percent of the vote due to third party participation.

"This is a critical election whose outcome will be important to maintaining a balance of power in the Senate," said Romney. "It is critical that Republicans safely retain the ability to filibuster in order to prevent the worst abuses of single party rule."

Romney praised Chambliss as an outspoken leader in protecting the homeland from terrorism and called him an important voice for strengthening America's military and getting our economy moving again through pro-growth, low-tax policies. The $5,000 contribution from Romney's PAC is in addition to $2,300 that the PAC donated to Chambliss during the general election campaign.

The Free and Strong America PAC (www.FreeStrongAmerica.com) supports officeholders and candidates who are dedicated to advancing social, fiscal and foreign policies that will strengthen America at this critical time in the nation's history. The guiding focus is on the core principles that have built and nurtured America since its founding – uncompromised military strength, a belief in the power of free markets and that a competitive America is one where taxes are low and government is small, an emphasis on strong families and a federalist approach to government that leaves decision-making as close to the people as possible.

Romney the man to save GOP in 2012?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/13/romney.future/index.html

After bowing out, Romney maintained a constant presence on the campaign trail and cable news circuit on McCain's behalf, signaling to political observers that he still harbored presidential ambitions, even after he was passed up for the No. 2 spot on the party's ticket.

Romney also has maintained close relationships with key supporters in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire, according to party officials there, and could easily revive the infrastructure he built should he launch another bid.

If the economy continues to flail after four years of Democratic rule, Romney's economic acumen may be in demand when it comes to restoring GOP power to the White House.

"If the economy remains the dominant issue, there will certainly be a draft Romney movement, you can count on it," Lewis said.

Romney also may be positioned to attract a wider base of support than some of the other figures on the Republican bench, including the now-GOP rock star Palin and Huckabee, whose 2008 campaign outlasted Romney's. Both have shown the ability to generate excitement among base voters but appear to remain fairly unappealing to the more moderate faction of the party -- not to mention independent voters who are permitted to vote in some Republican primaries.

The betting money is on Romney in 2012!

From U.S.News

It's never too early for Intrade to start putting odds on the next presidential election. For the GOP nomination: 1) Mitt Romney 24.5 percent, 2) Mike Huckabee 11.1 percent, 3) Sarah Palin 10.5 percent, 4) Newt Gingrich 8.9 percent (thanks Bob Novak). No wagers have yet been placed on Bobby Jindal and David Petraeus, but volume overall is pretty light. Plenty of time to get in early. Interestingly, the GOP nominee is given a 40 percent chance of being the next president.

Romney helps GOP Senators (Boston Globe)

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/11/romney_seeks_he.html

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor November 11, 2008 02:49 PM

Mitt Romney is coming to the aid of two fellow Republicans still locked in election battles that could determine the shape of the US Senate, urging his supporters to donate to their campaigns.

Through his Free and Strong America political action committee, Romney is featuring Senators Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Norm Coleman of Minnesota.

Chambliss faces a runoff next month with Democrat Jim Martin, after neither won a majority in a three-way race last week. Coleman is in a recount with Democrat Al Franken after a bitter, nasty campaign.

Counting independents Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Democrats will control 57 votes in the Senate that is sworn in in January. They need 60 for a potentially filibuster-proof majority to help push through President-elect Barack Obama's priorities, with the race in Alaska also still up for grabs.

Romney created the PAC after losing out for the Republican presidential nomination as a vehicle to support Republicans and keep his name in the mix for a possible run in 2012.

Romney offers his advice to Barack Obama (Fortune)

This is the latest from Fortune magazine. A great very candidate interview with Mitt Romney. Here is one of the best snipets:

What concerns you the most about the economy right now? Any dangers lurking in the global economy that we didn't hear much about during the campaigns?

Far too little attention was paid to America's long-term competitive position during the campaign. I see four major economic strategies at play in the world today: the first is ours. It combines freedom and free enterprise.

The second is China's. It combines free enterprise with authoritarianism.

The third is Russia's. No longer is Russia's plan for dominance based upon industrial capacity but rather upon controlling energy throughout the world. Hence Russia's cozy relationship with Iran and Venezuela as well as its belligerent entry into Georgia. Russia's strategy is based on energy and authoritarianism.

The fourth strategy is represented by radical violent jihad. The intent of the jihadists is to cause the collapse of the other three, such that the "hidden Imam" or the Caliphate remains the last man standing.

The real challenge for America is how to strengthen our competitive position so that our economy outperforms those of the other three. If we're successful, freedom will be preserved for the world. If we're unsuccessful, the results are unthinkable.

When you talk about making America more competitive, what do you have in mind?

First, America must substantially improve our education system. We've fallen behind, particularly in areas of math and science.

Second, we're going to have to remedy our disproportionate health care cost disadvantage. America spends far more than any other nation as a percent of GDP on health care. This effectively is an enormous tax on the economy and on our businesses.

Third, our national debt is excessive and our entitlement obligations pass a massive burden onto the next generation.

Fourth, tax and regulatory policies weigh down our ability to compete. Specifically, our products carry an embedded tax which makes American goods less competitive abroad and at home.

Fifth, America's apparent retrenchment from the concept of open, free and fair trade could put us further behind other nations that are aggressively seeking trade relations around the world.

Sixth, our lack of an effective energy policy drains our economy by approximately half a trillion dollars a year.

And, finally, the blow that Wall Street has taken may make us less competitive in financing entrepreneurship.