Politics

McCain 2008 Campaign Opposition Research File on Romney Hits the Web, 200-Pages Long

Posted on January 19, 2012 at 12:00am by Christopher Santarelli
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McCain 2008 Campaign Opposition Research File on Romney

Sen. John McCain made nice with 2012 Republican presidential primary candidate Mitt Romney by offering his endorsement earlier this month, but the memory of their heated 2008 competition is not too far away, as someone has made sure we don’t forget. The entire 200-page McCain campaign opposition research file on Romney from 2008 hit the web late Tuesday night, providing a handbook for journalists, the Obama campaign and the well-known anti-Romney faction within the Republican Party.

The document includes a biographical timeline, addresses and home values, education and employment history, and a devastating “Top Hits” portion bullet pointing executive record blemishes and unfavorable quotes from the former Massachusetts governor on issue after issue.

Andrew Rosenthal of The New York Times notes that “these campaign documents have a funny way of leaking,” pointing to the Clinton campaign’s internal book on how to make Bill seem honest and Hillary a warm and loving wife, that the Times’s Michael Kelly wrote about just after the 1992 election.

Business Insider outlined some of the most egregious Romney flip-flops uncovered in the the McCain campaign report:

1.On immigration and path to citizenship:

FLIP: “Gov. Mitt Romney expressed support … for an immigration program that places large numbers of illegal residents on the path toward citizenship … Romney said illegal immigrants should have a chance to obtain citizenship.” (Evan Lehmann, “Romney Supports Immigration Program, But Not Granting ‘Amnesty’,” The Lowell Sun, 3/30/06)
FLOP: “I think I’m best off to describe my own positions. And my positions, I think I’ve just described for you – secure the border, employment verification and no special pathway to citizenship. I feel that’s the course we ought to take.” (CNN’s “The Situation Room,” 5/22/07)

2. On Bush tax-cuts:

FLIP: “Romney spoke at the 10th annual legislative conference organized by U.S. Rep. Martin T. Meehan (D-Lowell) and met with the Massachusetts delegation. … Congressional sources said that a point of contention arose when Romney refused to take a position on Bush’s massive, 10-year tax cut plan.” (Noelle Straub, “Romney Talks Policy With Bush Staffers, Mass. Delegation,” Boston Herald, 4/11/03)
FLOP: ”McCain opposed President Bush’s tax cuts, Romney noted. ‘I supported them,’ the former governor said.” (Lee Bandy, “Romney Targeting McCain,” The State [SC], 2/4/07)

3. Opinion of Ronald Reagan

FLIP: “I was an independent during the time of Reagan-Bush. I’m not trying to return to Reagan- Bush,” Mitt Romney said during a debate with Ted Kennedy
FLOP: ”‘Ronald Reagan is one of my heroes,’ Romney said as he praised Reagan’s strategy for winning the Cold War: ‘We win; they lose.’” (Michael Levenson, “Romney Links Gay Marriage, US Prestige,” The Boston Globe, 2/26/05)

4. On the National Rifle Association and gun laws:

FLIP: “[Romney] said he will take stands that put him at odds with some traditional ultra- conservative groups, and cited his support for the assault rifle ban and the Brady gun control law. ‘That’s not going to make me the hero of the NRA,’ he said. ‘I don’t line up with a lot of special interest groups.’” (Andrew Miga, “Mitt Rejects Right-Wing Aid,” Boston Herald, 9/23/94)
FLOP: Romney told a Derry, N.H., audience, ‘I’m after the NRA’s endorsement. I’m not sure they’ll give it to me. I hope they will. I also joined because if I’m going to ask for their endorsement, they’re going to ask for mine.’” (Glen Johnson, “Romney Calls Himself A Longtime Hunter,” The Associated Press, 4/5/07

Read ten more “bald-faced Mitt Romney flip-flops that were dug up by John McCain” at the Business Insider.

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Comments (31)

mooshoo
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 9:12pm
Interesting…
We know everything about every one of the Republican candidates.
Yet, no past record of Obama.
No college friends.
No high school friends.
No Madrassa friends.
No birth certificate.
No ex-girlfriends.

A Man Without a Past.
Scary.
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EqualJustice
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 10:02am
Now all we need are the thousands of pages of Obama opposition by Hillary, INCLUDING her being the FIRST one to QUESTION OBAMA eligibility. SHE’S A BIRTHER!!
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- JRook
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:44pm
  Weak attempt at deflection. Stick to the issue and question. Romney has written this story and his policies and tax plan are indicative of and individual who will do nothing for the middle class and most likely the federal deficit. He will however do much for his brethren in the 1%.
  Report Post »
Hickory
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 9:43am
McCain is owned by the progressives. They have something which is being held over his head. Rumor is that it is associated with his POW experience.
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Maxim Crux
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 9:06am
Where is the birth certificate? Amazing we can get all the facts on this guy and not get college transcripts, a thesis and a birth certificate from Obama.
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- Mateytwo Barreett
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 9:13am
  What does Romney’s birth certificate indicate as place of birth? aye?
  Report Post »
Babeuf
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:28am
Romney staff spent nearly $100,000 to hide records
(Reuters) – Mitt Romney spent nearly $100,000 in state funds to replace computers in his office at the end of his term as governor of Massachusetts in 2007 as part of an unprecedented effort to keep his records secret, Reuters has learned.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/06/us-usa-campaign-romney-computers-idUSTRE7B500X20111206
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- PharmD_in_UT
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 9:23am
  And Ron Paul had no idea what was published under his name?????????
  Report Post »
Tower7_TRUTH
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:18am
I want to know if Mitt really gives 10% to the Mormon church ?
If not does that make him a Jack Mormon ?
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livedasawsj
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 5:54am
Flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar bank owned bank owned bank owned bank owned bank owned bank owned bank owned bank owned establishment tool establishment tool establishment tool establishment tool establishment tool establi unelectable unelectable unelectable unelectable unelectable unelectable unelectable unelectable unele out of touch out of touch out of touch out of touch out of touch out of touch out of touch out of touch the white obama the white obama the white obama the white obama the white obama the white progressive progressive progressive progressive progressive progressive progressive progressive anticonstitutionalist anticonstitutionalist anticonstitutionalist anticonstitutionalist anticonstitutionalist
War whore war whore war whore war whore war whore war whore war whore war whore war whore THIS IS WHO HE IS THIS IS WHO HE IS THIS IS WHO HE IS THIS IS WHO HE IS THIS IS WHO HE IS THIS
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- Tower7_TRUTH
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:12am
  Rick Satan or um wants to make his Morals the LAW of the land.
  Rick Santorum says that the “liberal” view of freedom is “not the kind of freedom our founders envisioned.” Elaborating, he says “It is an entire culture that focus (sic) on immediate gratification and the pursuit of happiness and personal pleasure. And it is harming America.”
  
  Actually, Rick, here’s what those wacky founders wrote in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence:
  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (emphasis ours)
  Not only does Rick have the audacity to claim that he knows what sort of freedom the founders envisioned, he believes that one of the three “unalienable Rights” they chose to enumerate is harming our country. Here’s the video: http://santorumexposed.com/serendipity/archives/52-Santorum-the-pursuit-of-Happiness-harms-America.html
  I think I read somewhere that the anti christ will require us to take the Mark
  of the beast and worship him and his flag.
  Report Post »
- BehindBlueEyes
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:18am
  @livedaswsj
  Let me guess, your a Ron Paul guy?
  Report Post »
- PharmD_in_UT
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 9:25am
  If you took as much time to actually look at him as you did to type this gibberish you may actually find out who he is. Unlike Pres. Obama he isn’t owned by anyone.
  Report Post »
vtxphantom
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 2:57am
Clinton must have some nice opposistion research on obama
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- PATTY HENRY
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 5:21am
  McCain Stinks
  Report Post »
- Gonzo
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 8:29am
  Why didn’t she use it when she needed it then? The wagons are circled so tightly around Obama that even the Clinton machine couldn’t crack it.
  Report Post »
TeaPartyForRomney
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 2:49am
This book has been around for the last year. It was on a anti-Romney bloggers website for over a year, I won’t drop any names. We ( http://www.TeaPartyForRomney.com ) have gone through it and disputed every claim in the flip-flop section. They are completely false. Okay so Romney flip-flopped on his favorite book and movie, and evolved in his thinking on abortion, but you have to know the whole story, which is on our site. This is nothing new, recycled news.
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- LittleBigMouth
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:34am
  How about “Tea Party for NDAA”. Just look at the pic…The guy who created NDAA and the guy who openly supports it. This is the trash we need to get rid of….
  Report Post »
LB
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 1:36am
Maybe McCain should have collected 200 pages on Obama instead.
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- Jeff says
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 1:50am
  Best comment I’ve read all day!
  Report Post »
- PATTY HENRY
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 5:22am
  I’ll second that. Maybe McCain should have DONE something in CONGRESS except make it easier to corrupt elections.
  Report Post »
Common.Cents
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 12:21am
At least he is consistent with his flopping, and there is no more flipping. I believe he is a changed moderate/liberal to conservative. I trust him.
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- Captain77
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 1:18am
  Flip flopping is just another way of saying the man will tell you what you want to hear. To get even more down to it, its called lying. An occasional change of opinion is one thing, but the be habitual about it, like Romneys history shows indicates either a lacking in character or a weak mind willing to hold onto whatever is popular for the moment.
  Report Post »
- livedasawsj
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 5:36am
  A serial flip flopper is all this bank owned clown is, he has been groomed and manicured for the sheeple to accept him but the establishment didn’t realize their days of picking losers and cramming them down our throats is over…if I have to vote 3rd party for the sake of this country I won’t blink or hesitate.
  Report Post »
KangarooJack
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 12:18am
They are devouring themselves and it really ****** me off!

I don’t have alot, but what I have is mine. I try to stock up on things, but not like I would like. Crap, the way the Republicans are fighting over a friggin porkchop bone, it’ll be Obama that makes off with the steak. How the heck am I supposed to store plywood to cover my windows in my apt.??
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- CatB
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 12:21am
  Great minds KANGAROOJACK … we seem to think alike .. I am getting sick of this … go after Obama who ever does that the best I will vote for in the primary . btw .. you have until Jan 31st .. that is when I vote!
  Report Post »
- Captain77
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 1:21am
  I don’t care if the republicans fight if what is exposed is the truth about the candidates. What erks me though is when candidates lie and deceive about each other. I can’t stand McCain (especially since he co-sponsored the traitorous bill NDAA) but if he brings to light things about Romneys character that I had not known before that is correct and true, then I am grateful for it.
  Report Post »
CatB
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 12:10am
What a coincidence .. talk about getting nasty .. feeding the Obama campaign from the Republicans is not good. Are they trying to get Obama re-elected?
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- Tower7_TRUTH
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:21am
  .
  McCains re election in AZ is a prim example of voting fraud in AMERICA
  I will add the Harry Reid and Barbra Mukouski election to that
  and if you reaserch you will find they are all 3 NWO TSA,Patriot Act,NDAA,SOFA.Food Bill,
  FEMA Camp building Lucifarians.
  and Now we see Rick Satan or um being pushed over Ron Paul
  Report Post »
- Mateytwo Barreett
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 9:11am
  It doesn’t take a whole lot of imagination to make a case for that. Romney is the ideal candidate to oppose Obama. . Unless, of course, the want to recycle “My friends” McCain.
  Report Post »
- Tower7_TRUTH
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 5:27pm
  Lisa Mukouski
  Report Post »

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