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2012 Latest

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    Chris Stirewalt and Fred Barnes discuss the latest news from the 2012 campaign trail.

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Character.

We we have those qualities.

That was former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum and quarterly and Idaho I -- reporters about questions about his electability not just to win the Republican nomination but whether or not he -- go toe to toe with Barack Obama in the -- this is power play I -- -- -- -- that and that and let me ask you something.

Didn't Valentine's Day not work out the way you want admitted if you did did you not get the flowers and candy that you wanted.

Or did you like me goes seeing kind of a bad movie.

With George Clooney.

What I have something that would brighten your day Fred Barnes he's a senior writer for the weekly standard.

Here to share the love of politics.

We view Internet welcome brother -- thank you so much look at the movie was the descendants -- like that movie.

I I -- And struggled to care about the plight of extremely rich people in Hawaii it was day you -- I'm a Cinderella man Canada I want the I want the I want the gritty.

The quiet man somebody with a little grip to a relative risk watch.

Wired wired okay -- see there you go.

Fred Barnes does it offer you Internet he gives you movie picks and tells you what's going out of politics to ask -- this question I wrote about today in my power play.

This question of electability and -- yeah.

So Rick Santorum has.

It used to be half of Newt Gingrich and now he's twice Newt Gingrich and he's tied tied in the lead.

In every -- new -- that's coming out -- -- Mitt Romney are neck and neck we have primaries on the 28 but something that was very interesting to me CNN did a poll.

That Santorum outperform running by two points 34 to 32 but on the question of who is best suited to beat Barack Obama.

Santorum was only 18%.

And Romney.

-- and it was it was a blowout so.

How kids should stay informed survive with that big of a gulf between people's view of his electability.

And their affection for.

Yes I think he can't vote but he's got to wins more primaries and you certainly helped last week.

Inundating me help they're both on February 28 in Arizona in Michigan and then it was on Super Tuesday if he doesn't well then.

Appropriate for him in effect yeah but you know electability.

It's that -- it is very amorphous this who's electable and not know.

Through four weeks ago I -- said clearly.

Mitt Romney's more electable because you could see it in the most important thing at least to me game in polls is who among the Republican candidates does well among independents right Romney was doing quite well.

Now I don't think he's doing any better than does Santorum you know he's among us about it he's lost a lot of that so.

I think he has more potential among independents.

Doesn't sit dormant.

I'm only guessing I mean this is very hard enough.

It's it's very hard to know and you know it's very -- for Romney what he's been doing essentially -- strategy has been remained plausible.

Remain.

-- an escape valve setting for when Republicans tire -- the not Romney primary that he will be there.

I'm ready to receive them and meantime kick the teeth and whomever the top not Romney is at the moment whether it's Rick Perry -- -- -- -- -- Herman Cain but Newt Gingrich go very hard at these folks -- harder to go after because.

Republicans genuinely like him because they'd like kids they like that he has lived at the foot of the cross that he has been true to his orthodox Catholic world view -- he has this big family he obviously loves his wife think he's a much tougher target right.

She must've missed the ads by the super pac backing Romney didn't -- them they do me a big spender Washington insider.

You know will do which tells me to which shows we really two things one what this campaign is -- -- -- They're huge things happening -- they don't particularly with the Obama budget and the gutting of the of defense spending again and really make things.

And we see these ads.

Big spender that -- dorm.

Washington insider I mean look anybody of -- what Washington is today the insider so that's ridiculous at the but it shows you.

That is the same tactic.

Which Romney is used up all along I like what you said a moment ago that they're probably just sort of treading water while his path.

-- whoever his opponent is -- as viciously as necessary.

What now -- it's and he says that because in Michigan and the -- super -- today is rolling out a big guy.

That's been running a lot of places.

Attacking Rick Santorum a couple things not just on the spending.

But also on labor and Santorum has and he -- said that when he was a senator from Pennsylvania -- watch represent the interest of Pennsylvania.

That included voting against national right to work that included voting to -- federal express and stuff like that.

That he thought in the best interest of his constituents that he says he would treat that differently national.

But to look at the do what -- campaigns going.

So Mitt Romney attacks himself President Obama on labor unions he's in Michigan attacking President Obama on big -- Simultaneously by accident the -- super back accident I'm sure the -- -- -- -- over here.

Hitting it Rick Santorum on the same issue it's is that it's that is your movement.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- I certainly -- so little attention talent to -- senator from -- doesn't handle Missouri attacking Santorum because Santorum voted I think Democrat if I'm wrong the Medicare prescription drug benefit our -- Jim Talent actually voted for as well and he's attacking said they voted.

For Jim Jim Talent discovery of his libertarians like as Dana good talent and -- -- discovery of their bitter libertarians has been an interesting side effect.

Visit especially at a level -- what this campaign is operating community didn't.

It's a pretty low level.

And I think Republicans are hurting themselves ultimately because.

Obama's riding high AME destroys are now appearing -- based on some uphold evidence that.

I'm glad blew them via.

Obama.

Base -- coalition are coming together behind -- and so on and I think.

They are well -- They are there we should point out that riding -- from President Obama now -- -- about a 47% -- it brutal race this is not this is not 2009.

Stratospheric numbers this is back to it plausible path to victory in it in a narrow election -- and exactly Wilson OK so for Romney.

As Santorum goes toward we have a debate that CNN is testing on the 22 and then 128.

And that should be by the way the wildest.

-- is debate yet Newt Gingrich will be fighting for his life Rick Santorum will be in the hot seat Mitt Romney will be laid it all out there and it's going to be in Arizona which is a bright red.

Tea Party -- -- kind of statements that that should be -- that should be quite a sexy but then on the twentieth you have these two votes that are -- of the warmup beginning at four Super Tuesday and then the week after Super Tuesday that you have two big prizes.

Including Alabama which is mother -- of Republican delegates.

Going into this.

What does Santorum need to do in this debate and then on the 28 in order for this to really be a two man race with him and -- You know it was us and cars been pretty good in the last two debates that are three debates is on he's got he's got much better remember in the early it was whiny when they were more people there and he wasn't getting enough face time -- And liberal left and any school in the offense against Romney particular Romney care and had been he's really.

They deconstruct it Romney care I wish -- were talking about Obama care but but they're not -- And he's been very strong and you never get anything new from Romney is I think you pointed out.

That before probably could be super pac is cracking.

Good and attacking and -- Santorum I'm sure Romney will throw a couple of things in there about how.

Now let's Agile voted for the for the debt limit increase five times -- -- -- -- practically everybody -- in congress -- at -- -- -- used to be like no big deal and we'll see how Newt Gingrich -- so that we know what Ron Paul's -- weeks.

He doesn't change.

But here's the thing about Romney that's likely both in in this game in the debates and also in his campaign he never appreciate anything do.

He never -- usually plan a big idea about this about taxes about entitlements even though.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- So I think you'll be very aggressive and attacking Santorum.

Michigan is -- -- don't want to update to a 28 -- remotely you'll remember as I -- how strongly.

Romney won.

Over.

McCain -- 2000 aided in his home state.

If he doesn't win there and Santorum wins in Michigan.

That would be that would be not a death blow to Romney by any means but it would be boy it would be a blood.

Letting it would tend to reset the race in the same way that Newt Gingrich is -- in South Carolina basically push the reset button and like now it's time to start over and talk about this again.

Going forward.

So when we look at how these candidates stack up against Obama.

And why do you think that Republicans.

Even -- at least there are almost half if you were just gas almost half of the people who say they prefer Rick Santorum the most don't think.

That he's the one to go up against -- them -- most likely to defeat Barack Obama.

Is it that they would rather have somebody -- true to their beliefs even if they don't stand as good a chance against Obama.

Or is something else going on here.

But we'll be done because they say he won't -- as early as Obama well you know he lost.

Only ran for reelection by a huge amount and I think even many Republicans believe wrongly.

It looked at social issues like abortion and gay rights and those things.

-- it -- -- to drag down the Republican candidate if he talks about it right mindset or certainly does talk about these enhanced his -- and and he's not.

An exciting candidate not the Romney using.

It's definitely excited about this but Santorum does tend to drone on you know he has gotten better remembering it.

It's a little early debates and appearances you know he was really -- I -- and I watched him overly chatty watched him keep captive the group of folks at a senior citizens home in New Hampshire for two hours.

You can't do that to folks it's not -- that's that's not cool and you're right he has changed.

And he has become.

More SoundBite friendly and he certainly seems you know I think one thing that gets forgotten in all of this is that Rick Santorum.

Unlike Rick Perry unlike Herman Cain has some experience playing big boy politics he has he has we did at the very high level is 2006 race saw an incredible amount of spending.

It was a focus of a lot of national it was a proxy vote on George W.

Bush in many ways it was a really big deal so he's used to playing high stakes poker.

He has and look you know what we'll change the polls of among Republican voters saying whether they think I santorum's electable and -- against Obama.

If he wins in Michigan may be in Arizona does well in Super Tuesday those numbers and we'll really --

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