MITT WAS A HIT

"Utah's leading newspaper," the Salt Lake Tribune fully lived up to its reputation as a left-wing rag last Saturday (9/29), when it breathlessly reported in its lead front page article that Dick Cheney and Mitt Romney had just spoken to a meeting of "the most influential members of the conservative movement" so "cloaked in secrecy," so "shadowy," that the group of leaders is known as "The Sith Lords of the Ultra-Right."

All of us who were there in Salt Lake at this "secretive meeting" of course laughed our heads off over the headline story.  The "shadowy" group scaring all the moonbats is the Council for National Policy (CNP), of which I have been a member since the early 80s soon after it was formed.

We meet in private, not "secret," a difference lost on the moonbats, which means no leftie journalists are allowed.  It means we're free to discuss what we want in confidence.

Mitt Romney, however, did not speak to us in confidence – he wants everyone in America to know where he stands.  So I can tell you what he said – and I can also tell you he made a deeply positive impression on what is indeed the most influential collection of conservatives in the country.  Mitt was a hit.

The theme of his talk was the multitude of "challenges" facing America and his solutions for them.

He talked of how to put an end to the two biggest, Jihadism and a nuclear Iran.  He talked of how best to deal with the challenge of "competition from Asia," i.e., China.  He talked of domestic challenges such as government overspending by both Republicans and Democrats, how to achieve energy independence by increased domestic production and energy sources such as coal liquefaction (not one word about switch-grass, ethanol, and other scams).

He talked of securing our southern border "for real" and of withdrawing all federal money from "sanctuary cities";  of free market dynamics as the best solution to health care.

He condemned the path down which Hillary, Obama, and Edwards want to take America:  that of "big taxes, big government, big brother."

That was the intro.  Then he swung into his main theme, the challenge of the Left's attack on our culture.  That, he said, was "the number one challenge of our day."

The place to focus that challenge, he said, was on the education – or miseducation – of our children: 

"The failure of our public schools to properly educate our children is the number one civil rights issue of our day."

And he lay the blame for this at the feet of the anti-America left-wing teachers' unions such as the NEA:

"You can't be pro-teachers' union and pro-child at the same time."

Then he came out for the Federal Marriage Amendment as the only solution to the threat of court-imposed homosexual marriage.

He followed that with:  "Let's be clear about this:  I am pro-life and anti-same-sex marriage.  The claimed rights of abortion-on-demand and same-sex marriage are not in the Constitution."

The guy is 6-2 with the build of a linebacker, almost comic-book hero handsome, embodies family values with his wife and kids, and has a track record of incredible business and managerial competence. 

This is not an endorsement on my part.  The only issue for me is who can best defeat the Democrat (most likely the PIAPS but you know what Yogi said about things not being over) next November.  Maybe that's Romney, maybe not – but I can tell you he sure was impressive.

Impressing the folks at CNP is a big leg up for any presidential candidate.  Failing to do so is often the kiss of death.  That's what happened to Fred Thompson – and that's why you learned Thompson's candidacy was DOA last May in Thompson Bummer. 

So don't be surprised if conservative mover-shakers start pumping Romney as the best alternative to Giuliani.  The ticket they'll push for is Romney-Huckabee.  The pairing of two former governors, one from the northeast (Romney, Massachusetts), the other from the south (Huckabee, Arkansas) has a lot going for it, in both voter appeal and electoral college count.

Huckabee is a good guy, bright, capable, and engagingly funny on the stump.  He hasn't the money, organization, or oomph to nab the top of the ticket, but he'll make a great running mate.  Not with Giuliani, though, as they're on the opposite sides of the solar system on social issues.

So watch out for Romney-Huckabee – and forget about the blather in the media regarding conservatives forming a third party.

While at the CNP meeting, well-known conservative Richard Viguerie pitched a number of folks on the idea, then vented to the press, giving rise to a raft of news stories such as Conservatives Consider 3^rd Party Run.

Richard is a personal friend of many years.  I've taken him on safaris in the Serengeti, and think the world of him.  So this is painful to say, but he has let his bitterness towards Bush unhinge his brain.  He is so mad it has driven him mad.

That's why he got a lot more interest from leftie journalists, all a-twitter about conservatives committing hara-kiri, than from the CNP folks he pitched.  It's also why Huckabee told him to get lost.

And what about Romney's Mormon shtick?  "Mormon-shmormon," one very major CNP conservative (and very influential evangelical Christian) told me.  "I'm voting for a president, not a pastor.  Besides, on what issue – domestic, foreign, national security – will his being a Mormon make a difference damaging to America?"

Good question.  The Republican race is coming down to Rudy and Mitt. 

You know how much I like Duncan Hunter (A President To Watch America's Six), but he has no chance – although should the GOP win, we've got to push for Duncan as Secretary of Defense.

McCain has faded and it's hard to see how he can catch up.  You saw what I think in John McCain As The Perfect Liberal.  The rest of the guys will stay second-tier.

So it's Rudy or Mitt.  We'll soon have to choose.  Who do you think has the best chance to keep the Party of Treason from power next November?