Romney lost with ads like this?

There are mythical pro-life democrats who used this ad as a reason not to vote for Romney seeing as his position appeared to be equal to the Democrat platform.

Bp. Callahan on the Al Smith Dinner

I received word last January from some friends in Milwaukee, who also happen to be friends of Cardinal Dolan, the former Archbishop of Milwaukee (and my former boss), concerning the Al Smith Dinner and inviting me to attend as their guest. Time, of course, passed swiftly and before I knew it they needed an answer to their invitation.

The Al Smith Dinner is an annual gathering of “glitterati” who raise an enormous amount of money for children’s charities in the Archdiocese of New York. Hosted by the Cardinal Archbishop, it is an evening of lighthearted, self-deprecating humor, poked at some folks of means who have the resources to raise millions of dollars, and who are of such stature in the community that their self-inflicted humorous anecdotes are found particularly funny.

The dinner was established by His Eminence, Francis Cardinal Spellman, in honor of Al Smith, a former governor of New York State, who was the first Catholic to run for President of the United States. The dinner, therefore, has always had a distinctive social-political curve to it while it brings together some great citizens (mostly from NYC) who have the wherewithal to raise the kind of money needed for these charities.

So, last Thursday, yours truly joined a group of Wisconsinites from all over the State – and beyond – to witness history.

You see, every presidential election, the sitting president and the candidate from the opposing party are invited to share the dais, put aside politics, and embrace the civility and honor that makes this a truly noble and exceptional republic.

This year, however, there was great controversy concerning Cardinal Dolan’s invitation to President Obama. The president is not necessarily favorable to us Catholics and we are currently in litigation against his forced HHS mandate involving Health and Human Services and Catholic institutions – schools, hospitals, and charities. The president is pro-abortion and against the Defense of Marriage Act. So, there was plenty of “push-back” by the Catholic community against the Cardinal’s invitation. In all fairness, I must add, people were not necessarily jumping up and down in joy to invite Governor Romney, either. I think many folks would have just considered passing over the tradition of having the candidates for dinner and go with a less provocative guest(s).

It is sometimes necessary, however, to have your bravest, strongest soldier go forth against a formidable adversary. I believe that the Cardinal is now in a position of leadership for the Church in the United States to meet the challenge. His invitation was meted out according to the practical and spiritual attributes of the Gospel – in a profound spirit of charity. I paraphrase his own words: if he only ate with saints, he’d eat alone an awful lot of times.

I’d like to think we all want to be heralds of hope and instruments of peace in difficult situations, especially in some of the troubling times that are now set before us. I believe our best efforts must be to fight the fight that must be fought – and this we are doing in our lawsuits and with our expectations of justice in favor of the First Amendment. We must always remember, however, that charity still carries the day for us as Christians. Even in persecution it should be said: “See how they love one another.”

Diocese of La Crosse

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Laughable

Catholic Memes

Will Romney continue the HHS persecution? Sounds like yes....

via Mark Shea

So by tomorrow, we will not be seeing GOPers flooding Romney with demands he grow a moral center. Instead, we will all be told to ignore Romney’s complete and utter betrayal on the HHS Mandate:

Romney: “I’d just note that I don’t believe that bureaucrats in Washington should tell someone whether they can use contraceptives or not. And I don’t believe employers should tell someone whether they could have contraceptive care or not. Every woman in America should have access to contraceptives.”

This is basically conceding the farm on the Mandate. It’s a line straight from the Obama playbook. According to the Administration, employers who don’t want to be forced to buy contraceptives are “telling women they cannot have contraception”. Romney is signaling he opposes employers who make that argument just as much as Obama does.

continue at Mark Shea 

I continue to struggle with how I can vote for Romney.  I know, anybody but Obama.  I despise the two party system, and we should all stop believing in it.  Yes, nobody wants to talk about this, or just figure as long as Obama is gone it will be okay.  I think I'd rather have Romney win, but I may watch this election from the sidelines.  How can I vote between two men who both support persecution of Catholic institutions?  How does Paul Ryan feel in private?  It's hard to say, but I'd like to know.  Maybe he could garner a broader exception to the mandate.  I think another good piece is by my favorite John Zmirak in the NC Register.  It would seem that one of the reasons that Romney chose Ryan over Rubio(say that three times fast) was he could deflect valid criticism from his campaign because he has the Catholic golden boy as his VP. 

As a side note, I plan to start the Christian Democrat Party of America.  Hmm, I see someone got started.  Fine, the Royalist Party of America - I think those poor souls gave up on that cause.  Vive le Roy!

And also, you have all of these supposed pro-life organizations like National Right to Life, Susan B Anthony, etc. who are "neutral" on contraception, which they de facto support the HHS mandate(since there's nothing wrong with contraception).  Contraception is the biggest issue holding back the pro-life movement today.  It is the best issue for abortion groups to attack, divide and conquer the pro-life movement. 

10,000+ show up for Romney/Ryan rally in Wakesha

It's the Drudge headline.  MkeJS gettin Drudged!

Alright, I'm going to try to do a Paul Ryan roundup on Creative Minority later this week.  Lots of I think fair comments on the previous post.  There's alot of concern since Romney is not a conservative whether or not he can still be voted for(since Ryan doesn't change his stance on social issues).  I'll chime in on that as well. 

Paul Ryan named Romney's VP!!

via The Weekly Standard
The Romney campaign has released excerpts of Paul Ryan's speech to be delivered very soon in Norfolk, Virginia:

Mitt Romney is a leader with the skills, the background and the character that our country needs at a crucial time in its history. Following four years of failed leadership, the hopes of our country, which have inspired the world, are growing dim; and they need someone to revive them. Governor Romney is the man for this moment; and he and I share one commitment: we will restore the dreams and greatness of this country.

…

For the last 14 years, I have proudly represented Wisconsin in Congress.  There, I have focused on solving the problems that confront our country, and turning ideas into action; and action into solutions.  

I am committed, in mind and heart, to putting that experience to work in a Romney Administration. This is a crucial moment in the life of our nation; and it is absolutely vital that we select the right man to lead America back to prosperity and greatness.

That man is standing next to me. His name is Mitt Romney. And he will be the next president of the United States.

…

Let me say a word about the man Mitt Romney will replace. No one disputes President Obama inherited a difficult situation.  And, in his first 2 years, with his party in complete control of Washington, he passed nearly every item on his agenda.  But that didn’t make things better. 

In fact, we find ourselves in a nation facing debt, doubt and despair.

This is the worst economic recovery in 70 years.

Unemployment has been above 8 percent for more than three years, the longest run since the Great Depression. Families are hurting.

Butter Burgers

via Paul Ryan

Former MN governor moves to top of Romney VP list

Tim Pawlenty has jumped to the top of the vice presidential shortlist of several Mitt Romney advisers after emerging as the most effective — and well-liked — surrogate for the GOP nominee-to-be, according to several Republicans familiar with campaign deliberations.

The former Minnesota governor has impressed top Romney officials with his winning onstage presence at a grueling roster of Republican events throughout the country and with his low-maintenance personal style that has made him a favorite with the campaign’s tight-knit inner circle at the Boston headquarters.

Pawlenty is strong where Romney is weak — with the regular-guy, working-man connection with voters in casual settings.

“Pawlenty will walk up and put a supporter in a headlock,” said a Republican consultant who was startled to witness just that. “He provides a nice yin and yang to Romney.”

continue at Politico 

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Wisconsin: Romney 47%, Obama 44%

Mitt Romney now leads President Obama for the first time in Wisconsin where the president's support has fallen to its lowest level to date.

The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Romney with 47% of the vote to Obama’s 44%. Five percent (5%) prefer some other candidate, and four percent (4%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Prior to this survey, Obama's support in the state has ranged from 45% to 52%, while Romney has earned 41% to 45%. Last month, the numbers were Obama 49%, Romney 45%. The president led his likely Republican challenger by 11 points in March - 52% to 41%.

Rasmussen

Leaving Barrett to hang out to dry might cost Obama. 

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HT Diemish

Rasmussen: WI Primary: Romney 44, Santorum 34

The latest Rasmussen Reports survey finds Mitt Romney with a 10-point lead over Rick Santorum.

The survey found 44 percent of likely GOP primary voters favored Romney, while 34 percent backed Santorum. Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul were supported by 7 percent each.

A week ago, a Rasmussen poll had Romney up 46-33.

This week's survey of 717 likely GOP primary voters was conducted Thursday and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

WiPolitics

I think it's likely that Romney would pick Catholic Marco Rubio as his VP.

In 2008 it looked like this:

John McCain	224,755	54.74%	34
Mike Huckabee	151,707	36.95%	6
Ron Paul	19,090	4.65%	0

Romney had already dropped out prior to the Wisconsin Primary.

Rep. Paul Ryan endorses Mitt Romney

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) endorsed Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney on Friday, saying he believed the former Massachusetts governor was the best candidate to face off against President Obama in the fall and hold the nation’s highest office.

"I am convinced that Mitt Romney has the skills, the tenacity, the principles, the courage and the integrity to do what it takes to get America back on track. So I believe he's the right person for the job," Ryan said on Fox News.

The popular Wisconsin lawmaker said his decision was partially prompted by voters in his home state asking him before the upcoming presidential primary whom they should vote for.

continue at The Hill

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CapTimes: In moderate Wisconsin, Santorum is poised to win GOP primary

When it comes to social issues, Wisconsin is a middle-of-the-road state. While the Republican Party here confidently supports the national platform on issues such as abortion, sex education and gay rights, the religious right is not front-and-center of politics here the way it is in the South.

Perhaps the best indicator of a population's stance on social issues is church attendance, and according to a 2009 Gallup poll, about 40 percent of Wisconsinites go to church weekly or biweekly, a rate slightly lower than the national average of 41.6 percent.

While Wisconsin voters comfortably approved a ban on gay marriage in 2006, recent polls indicate that, if given the opportunity again, Wisconsinites would vote differently. As for abortion, Wisconsinites, like many Americans, are ambivalent, but polls show the vast majority are opposed to a "personhood amendment" that would define life as starting at fertilization, thus banning all abortions and emergency contraception.

So why is Rick Santorum -- the man who alleged "Satan" was "attacking the U.S." in 2008 -- poised to squash Mitt Romney in the state GOP primary in April? According to a Marquette University Law School poll released today, Santorum has the support of 34 percent of likely GOP primary voters, followed by Romney at 18 percent, Ron Paul at 17 percent and Newt Gingrich at 12 percent. Seventeen percent remain undecided.

Read more at Your Progressive Voice

In 2008, of the three candidates left, McCain took 55%, Huckabee 37%, and Paul 6%. 

Wisconsin Family Council put out a voters guide.  It's pretty good, but interesting they did not publish if the candidate supported taxpayer funded contraception which is a bigger deal to both sides than say: "Using a prospective federal judge's ability to empathize with particular societal groups as a criterion for their nomination."  Wouldn't it be nice if the Catholic dioceses put something out like this?  Or distributed the WFC guide?