Mitt Romney's other big regret

You may recall the other night in the The Times-cosponsored Republican debate at the Reagan Library, candidate Mitt Romney mentioned, as a compliment to Sen. John McCain's military service, that he had "two great regrets" in life and one of them was never having served in the military. (He had a deferment for his two-year religious mission overseas.)

Yeah, so what, the Ticket wondered, was the other big regret?

Well, now we know. Thanks to our colleague Ron Allen over at NBC News, we have the answer. During a campaign flight today, he asked the candidate the obvious question and Romney said, not having more children.

The former Massachusetts governor has five sons and, so far, 11 grandchildren.

As Ron notes, Ann Romney was not available for immediate comment on the more-sons idea.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Jenny Owen]

A vote for Mitt Romney is a vote for Wall street, lobbyists, special interest groups, government mandated programs & socialized medicine...Run don't walk away from Mitt Romney and cast your vote for Huckabee, the only true conservative!!

[A.J. Tubbs]

If you're worried about the economy then you must vote for Romney - he is really the only true fiscal conservative. He is the only one who knows how to pull this country out of the financial hole we are in. If you like paying bigger taxes, dealing with bigger government and allowing illegal entrants in our country to stay without consequence - then feel free to vote for any of the other candidates. Republican - Democrat it doesn't really matter. The rest are all about the same. I guess that's why they all hate Romney.

[brad]

Jenny: That is ridiculous, Huckabee is not conservative. Since when does conservatism engage in class warfare? Plus, Huckabee believes in big government and social healthcare...he sounds like a democrat "main street not wallstreet." Huckabee and Edwards could campaign together...Romney is the only conservative. Rick Santorum just endorsed him!!!

[Tammy]

Isn't class envy a liberal ideal? Mitt Romney worked in the private sector, he ran a company and he made a fantastic living. He didn't take a salary as governor, he gave back the salary he received for his work for the Olympics - the man isn't greedy! Mike Huckabee and John McCain continue to slam Mitt because he has wealth - they are the schoolyard bullies that beat up on the smart kid - sorry, the smart kid is always the one who succeeds! I would have more respect for Huckabee if he just admitted that he endorses John McCain and the only reason he's still in the race is to be VP. Huckabee is by far the most dishonest of all candidates - his record (and ethics problems) speak for themselves. Check out the facts!

[Scott]

Our nation will have two big regrets if we keep on the course we are on. 1. We will regret selecting McLiar, HillaryCare, or the one who rhymes with the terrorist. 2. Not picking Mitt Romney.

None of the candidates are perfect, but Romney is far and away the best choice. Period.
APOLITICS NOW!!!!
www.apoliticsnowblog.com

[Larry]

Romney or Paul are the only candidates worth voting for.

[Dave Jefferson]

I myself was skeptical of Romney but the more I hear from him the more presidential he is, I'll be voting for him because he has an excellent background turning things around.

GO MITT!!!!!!!!!!

[Savea7]

After reading and hearing of the past news about this presidential race, I came to a conclusion that as dirty as politics can be, Mitt Romney is still above the rest when it comes to integrity, honor, optimism, hight morals, and experience. He'll only lose because of the evangelicals ignorance and 'holier than thou' judgementality, resentment and jelousy from kissin' cousin Mike and John, and dirty tactics to undermine and screw up the minds of many citizens.

Mike Huckabee should back Mitt Romney but I don't see it. If Mitt don't win, I will switch to the Democratic. It's scary to think of McCain, the arrogant and short fuse old man near the real switch.

[RB Scott]

Regarding Mitt Romney's second regret about not having more children: I'm pretty sure the desire to have more children had everything to do with the Romneys desire for a daughter. Given their track record, they probably concluded that number 6 would be a boy too.

[Betsy Meier]

I cannot believe you Romney supporters. Why don't you look at his record as Governor. He was pro choice, pro gay, has the first health care plan run by government that has some major problems. It is just like the health care plan that Hillary wants to implement in the U.S. He'll tell you anything just to get elected, so don't call McCain a liar. Mitt is the biggest liar of all. The conservative talk show hosts love Romney because he's pro big business. Their views are as distorted as usual.
So, if you want a republican president you better support McCain,. I get really tired of listening to the lies that people put out about McCain. He is an honorable man that was ripped apart by the swift boaters who lie about everything.
Vote McCain! And research history! He is the true Reagan republican.

[afisher]

Dr. Dobson: I Will Never Vote for McCain

Friday, February 1, 2008 12:07 PM

Article Font Size

While John McCain has risen to the top of the heap among contenders for the Republican presidential nomination, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson remains adamant that he will not support McCain’s bid for the White House.

Dobson, one of the nation’s most influential evangelical Christians, declared more than a year ago that he wouldn't support McCain under any circumstances, saying McCain didn't support traditional marriage values.

A Dobson spokesman told the New York Times’ David Kirkpatrick Wednesday that he stood by that position, and as a matter of conscience could never vote for the Arizona Senator.

According to the paper, Dobson is joined by a slew of other prominent conservatives who oppose McCain on a number of issues:

Talk radio host Mark Levin urged visitors to the National Review’s Web site to “rally for Romney” to ward off a McCain win, saying: “Conservatives need to act now, before it is too late.”
Talker Rush Limbaugh told listeners on Thursday: “McCain is in a lot of these places not actually the Republican candidate. He is the candidate of enough Republicans, but [also] independents and moderates and probably even some liberals.”
Pat Toomey, president of the anti-tax organization Club for Growth, said in comments reported by the New York Times: “I have yet to see McCain make any attempts to reach out to free market conservatives.”
Conservatives fault McCain for voting against President Bush’s tax cuts and a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, and for supporting embryonic stem cell research, looser immigration rules and stricter environmental regulations.

Conservatives were particularly irked when McCain made a deal with Democrats to break a deadlock on judicial nominations, according to the Times.

Anger over that compromise was rekindled this week when Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund wrote that McCain had privately criticized Bush’s Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito because “he wore his conservatism on his sleeve.” The McCain campaign denied that report.

Following McCain successes in early primary states, however, other conservatives are beginning to warm up to his campaign:

Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, who previously opposed a McCain nomination, said: “He has moved in the right direction strongly and forcefully on taxes.”
Former McCain foe Tony Perkins, a prominent Christian conservative, told the Times: “I have no residual issue with John McCain,” adding the candidate needed to “better communicate” his stand on social issues.
Richard Land, an official with the South Baptist Convention, agreed, noting that McCain “is strongly pro-life.” He said: “When I hear Rush Limbaugh say that a McCain nomination would destroy the Republican Party, what I want to say to Rush is, ‘You need to get out of the studio more and talk to real people.’”
© 2008 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

[afisher]

Please don't dilute the Christian Vote
Focus on the Family
Dr. Dobson: I Will Never Vote for McCain

Friday, February 1, 2008 12:07 PM

Article Font Size

While John McCain has risen to the top of the heap among contenders for the Republican presidential nomination, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson remains adamant that he will not support McCain’s bid for the White House.

Dobson, one of the nation’s most influential evangelical Christians, declared more than a year ago that he wouldn't support McCain under any circumstances, saying McCain didn't support traditional marriage values.

A Dobson spokesman told the New York Times’ David Kirkpatrick Wednesday that he stood by that position, and as a matter of conscience could never vote for the Arizona Senator.

According to the paper, Dobson is joined by a slew of other prominent conservatives who oppose McCain on a number of issues:

Talk radio host Mark Levin urged visitors to the National Review’s Web site to “rally for Romney” to ward off a McCain win, saying: “Conservatives need to act now, before it is too late.”
Talker Rush Limbaugh told listeners on Thursday: “McCain is in a lot of these places not actually the Republican candidate. He is the candidate of enough Republicans, but [also] independents and moderates and probably even some liberals.”
Pat Toomey, president of the anti-tax organization Club for Growth, said in comments reported by the New York Times: “I have yet to see McCain make any attempts to reach out to free market conservatives.”
Conservatives fault McCain for voting against President Bush’s tax cuts and a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, and for supporting embryonic stem cell research, looser immigration rules and stricter environmental regulations.

Conservatives were particularly irked when McCain made a deal with Democrats to break a deadlock on judicial nominations, according to the Times.

Anger over that compromise was rekindled this week when Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund wrote that McCain had privately criticized Bush’s Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito because “he wore his conservatism on his sleeve.” The McCain campaign denied that report.

Following McCain successes in early primary states, however, other conservatives are beginning to warm up to his campaign:

Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, who previously opposed a McCain nomination, said: “He has moved in the right direction strongly and forcefully on taxes.”
Former McCain foe Tony Perkins, a prominent Christian conservative, told the Times: “I have no residual issue with John McCain,” adding the candidate needed to “better communicate” his stand on social issues.
Richard Land, an official with the South Baptist Convention, agreed, noting that McCain “is strongly pro-life.” He said: “When I hear Rush Limbaugh say that a McCain nomination would destroy the Republican Party, what I want to say to Rush is, ‘You need to get out of the studio more and talk to real people.’”

[missmarple]

The thought of either Guiliani or Huckabee being selected as VP simply scares the He*l out of me. McCain's age and health makes it possible that he may not last through his first term and we would end up with either President Guiliani or President Huckabee. I find it incredible that McCain's message " The Jobs Aren't Coming Back, The Economy Is Only going to Get Worse, The Illegals Aren't Going Home and There Are Going To Be More Wars was greeted with wild applause and cheering. It's hard to believe that someone running on this platform could be elected. Will they be as loyal to him if he institutes a Draft to carry out his ambitions for bombing Iran and their kids get called up?

[SkyPete]

The Republican Party is in a free fall. They have wrapped themselves too tightly into the ideology of conservatism that it has left them brittle. Now so brittle that under the stress of this campaign season it appears to be shattering. Over time the meaning of conservatism has been lost replace with hardline views on a few issues..

The (R) candidates and supporters do verbal battle over who is the most conservative based on who supported what position and when. The conservative platform of God Gays Guns Wars Surges Taxes Immigrants SmallGovernment can not be made into an absolute. Yet this forced rigidity in its platform makes it such that if any candidate has or does vary from the hardline view; arguments can be made that they are not a True conservative.

McCain is not a True Conservative because of his views on Immigration.
Romney is not a True Conservative because of his past positions on everything
Giuliani is not a True Conservative because of his positions on Guns and Gays
Huckabee is not a True Conservative because of past positions on Taxes
Ron Paul is not a True Conservative because of his views on Wars and Surges

Republicans need to decouple themselves from Ideology or they will end up like the Whigs.

[bluemoon]

I think Jenny represents the typical Huckabee supporter: narrow-minded, ignorant and jealous of successful people. "Socialized" means something paid for by the government, which is not Romney's health plan in Mass. It's just a mandate to make sure everyone has health insurance. Some people blindly attack candidates without even understanding their platforms or the issues. Huckabee and McCain are the worst Republican candidates. Having integrity can no longer win you the highest office in this country. How pathetic!

[Mary McCurry]

A vote for Huckabee is a vote for McCain - That's reality.
Did you watch the last debate on Thurs noc ? There was a question about the economy. Mitt Romney gave a very precise and articulate answer. John McCain gave....some said confusing, some said a bizarre stream of consciousness and I say that his answer showed the only real likeness to RR was the age of onset of dementia. Scary to think of him as Chief Executive.
On social issues - I am a very conservative Catholic. I don't look for theological parallels among candidates but I do look 1) they must be pro life and pro-family and 2) their actions and lives, including their tactics and demeanor as campaigners, must demonstrate the highest levels of moral fiber and personal integrity and self control. Mitt Romney is the only candidate who fills the bill. I could take issue with him on a few points but more so with all the rest. Bottom line is I trust him, I respect his character, I will continue to campaign for him, donate money and time (have litte of former) and above pray for him, his wife Ann and family and our country. Go Mitt, Go!!!

[Adam]

You say "As Ron notes, Ann Romney was not available for immediate comment on the more-sons idea."

Why sons?

Please keep you bias to yourself. If he said he wanted more children that's probably what he meant. MAYBE he even meant he wanted a daughter. But no, a Mormon wouldn't want that...

[tashekor]

I believe the quote was "I would loved to have served in the military." Instead, he was pedaling a bicycle in Provence, and with no doctrinal prohibition on cheese and pate, one might suspect, having a fairly good time. The man was deferred from the draft because of his faith's requirement that 18 year olds spend two years in service to their church. Oh my heck, if it weren't for this flippin' church thing, I'd be over there fighting the Viet Cong. Crud!

[charlie]

i like the people who say mitt romney is (a) a good businessman who will (b) get rid of illegal immigrants.

hey, folks, wake up -- the biggest supporters of illegal immigration in this country are corporations run by people like mitt for one reason: cheap labor that can be exploited without fear of being turned in. Even the ethical ones like the cheap labor part.

So if mitt is as good a businessman as you say he is, do you really think he will waste the nation's resources rounding up 12 million people and shipping them overseas knowing that nobody is going to be available to take the jobs those people filled?

So you're the one in a fantasy and, not suprisingly, mitt is letting you live in it so long as you vote for him. As soon as he gets in office (presumption!) he'll have another one of his learning periods and realize that illegals in this country are valuable after all, just like George Bush did.

meanwhile, he'll pander away, because that's what a good businessman does, tell the customer what he wants.