Shall the South rise again?
Here in Memphis, the Republican Southern Leadership Conference has all the hallmarks of a Presidential nominating convention. Like a silver screen gem, the smooth story on tap for this weekend was "Dr. Smith Goes to Washington." The Frist operation, once non-existent at the RNC Convention's New York Marriott Marquis hotel, was extremely well funded ($175k would buy a couple of new Assembly seats for the California republicans) and they sported designer labels - "FRIST" - on their baseball caps and more. But the real greased lighting for this weekend came from Boss Hoggs' machine. That political operation this day ran right over the football toting, tobacco chewing, nail spitting George Allen to significantly damage Allen's favored son status. And guess who was promoting a "lame" duck at the expense of the sitting duck? By now you've heard Allen finished a distant third tied with a retiring George W. Bush in the Hotline straw poll conducted at RSLC.
Surprisingly, the RISING star is Mitt Romney. His speech was warm enough for the Southern hospitality crowd, savvy enough for the Bush crowd, and conservative enough for the evangelicals. The Massacusetts Governor made a big splash in the duck pond that is Memphis' Peabody Hotel. Romney's was the only name mentioned in ladies room chats. And in a Mr. America contest, Romney for President can only to be outdone by Texas Governor and major hottie Rick Perry. Mitt Romney's liabilities: Eastern... Mormon... Handsome... Wealthy (such drawbacks) were overcome with enough collaterals to lend comfort and grant permission to the 1500 hardened pols camped around the lobby bar watching MSNBC's Chris Matthews' Live beat Fox News all to heck and gone for coverage.
In another competition, imagine Bill Frist opening his remarks by suggesting that Mitch McConnell is the man to replace him as Senate Leader. While today Trent Lott demonstrated his superior public personae and vitality as an articulate proponent of the Republican agenda in this Congressional session, McConnell is the Leader's choice?
Finally, while Bill First hopes you believe that the Republicans' 2008 hopes rise with the South; it is worth noting that this weekend's political construction of one part famous politician to three parts Volunteers was an amazingly successful ratio for Mitt Romney and not George Allen.
Here in Memphis, the Republican Southern Leadership Conference has all the hallmarks of a Presidential nominating convention. Like a silver screen gem, the smooth story on tap for this weekend was "Dr. Smith Goes to Washington." The Frist operation, once non-existent at the RNC Convention's New York Marriott Marquis hotel, was extremely well funded ($175k would buy a couple of new Assembly seats for the California republicans) and they sported designer labels - "FRIST" - on their baseball caps and more. But the real greased lighting for this weekend came from Boss Hoggs' machine. That political operation this day ran right over the football toting, tobacco chewing, nail spitting George Allen to significantly damage Allen's favored son status. And guess who was promoting a "lame" duck at the expense of the sitting duck? By now you've heard Allen finished a distant third tied with a retiring George W. Bush in the Hotline straw poll conducted at RSLC.
Surprisingly, the RISING star is Mitt Romney. His speech was warm enough for the Southern hospitality crowd, savvy enough for the Bush crowd, and conservative enough for the evangelicals. The Massacusetts Governor made a big splash in the duck pond that is Memphis' Peabody Hotel. Romney's was the only name mentioned in ladies room chats. And in a Mr. America contest, Romney for President can only to be outdone by Texas Governor and major hottie Rick Perry. Mitt Romney's liabilities: Eastern... Mormon... Handsome... Wealthy (such drawbacks) were overcome with enough collaterals to lend comfort and grant permission to the 1500 hardened pols camped around the lobby bar watching MSNBC's Chris Matthews' Live beat Fox News all to heck and gone for coverage.
In another competition, imagine Bill Frist opening his remarks by suggesting that Mitch McConnell is the man to replace him as Senate Leader. While today Trent Lott demonstrated his superior public personae and vitality as an articulate proponent of the Republican agenda in this Congressional session, McConnell is the Leader's choice?
Finally, while Bill First hopes you believe that the Republicans' 2008 hopes rise with the South; it is worth noting that this weekend's political construction of one part famous politician to three parts Volunteers was an amazingly successful ratio for Mitt Romney and not George Allen.
posted by Dr. Dora @ 7:19 PM
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