FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog

Definitely no love lost between these two former GOP Presidential rivals.

On Tuesday, that book will arrive on store shelves, and in terms of payback, it will not disappoint. At once a memoir of his campaign, a treatise on the ills of the Republican Party and a blueprint for his own political future, Do The Right Thing: Inside the Movement That’s Bringing Common Sense Back to America is filled with sharp words for his fellow Republicans who frustrated his bid for the party’s nomination.

Mitt Romney, Huckabee’s principal rival in Iowa, comes in for the roughest treatment. Huckabee writes that the former Massachusetts governor’s record was “anything but conservative until he changed the light bulbs in his chandelier in time to run for president.” He notes that Romney declined to make a phone call of congratulations after Huckabee beat the oddsmakers to win the Iowa caucuses, “which we took as a sign of total disrespect.” He mocks Romney for suggesting, during one debate, more investment in high-yield stocks as a solution to economic woes. “Let them eat stocks!” Huckabee jokes.

In the Politico, renown for bing a pro-Romney mouth organ, Mitt Romney fires back:

Asked to respond, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said Huckabee was acting small.

“This type of pettiness is beneath Mike Huckabee,” Fehrnstrom. “If we’re going to move the party forward, we need to offer more than personal recriminations. Unfortunately, in this book, Mike Huckabee is consumed with presumed slights, and he seems more interested in settling scores than in bringing people together.”

The winners in this firestorm: Bobby Jindahl, John Huntsman, Tim Pawlenty and Sarah Palin.

The AP and AllahPundit over at Hot Air ponder Mitt Romney’s political future and fate vis a vis the emergence of Sarah Palin.

Mitt Romney’s path to re-emerge from the political wilderness is through California and it has already started.

Remember the tag team of Meg Whitman, former President and CEO of eBay and Mitt Romney for the U.S. Senate seat of Barbara Boxer and the term limited out seat of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. It has been rumored for weeks that Romney is leaking he is interested in entering California GOP politics.

California’s economy is poor and ripe for the deliverance of new leadership away from the failed policies of the Democrat dominated Legislature and RINO Schwarzenegger. Romney or Whitman as accomplished business professionals may be what California voters desire. And, both had major presence in the successful pro-Proposition 8 campaign that restored the traditional definition of marriage.

Watch in January whether Mitt opens a federal U.S. Senate fundraising committee. If Romney doesn’t then, it will be Romney for Governor and Whitman for Senate.

Mitt Romney should he win California office will be well positioned to again seek the Presidency, Palin notwithstanding. If not, Romney will NOT be a Presidential player in 2012 or thereafter.

Flap put 2 and 2 together in May and speculated that Mitt Romney purchasing a home in La Jolla was more of a political move than a real estate deal.

While John McCain BBQ’s today at the family ranch in Sedona, Arizona and hosts among others Mitt Romney, it is “LEAKED” that Mitt Romney has purchased a home in La Jolla, California.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has reached a deal to buy a home in Southern California.

The unsuccessful Republican presidential contender is closing at the end of the month on a property in La Jolla, just north of San Diego, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom confirmed Saturday.

While California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is term-limited and must leave office after 2010, the spokesman denied any political positioning. Romney finance chairwoman Meg Whitman, the former chief executive of eBay, is also reported to be considering her own campaign for California governor.

“Gov. Romney has been looking at property on the West Coast because he has family in California, and because his wife, Ann, spends a good deal of time there riding horses,” Fehrnstrom said.

One of Romney’s five sons, Matt, lives outside San Diego, while son Josh lives in Salt Lake City.

Well, since that time Mitt Romney was NOT selected by John McCain as his Vice Presidential running mate and according to fellow Ventura County blogger and Sacramento Bureau Chief of the Ventura County Star, Timm Herdt, has turned his political sights to Sacramento.

Although a Romney spokesman said at the time the purchase was based mainly on the family’s desire to spend more time closer to their horses that are boarded in Ventura County, Cole speculated that the former governor of Massachusetts might be thinking of becoming the future governor of California.

The speculation is becoming more intense. Over the last week I’ve heard it raised in Sacramento and from someone in Ventura County. The latter source claims to trace the rumor to eavesdropping by someone who works for the Romney family in a nonpolitical capacity.

The California Republican Party continues in decline under the “FAILED” leadership of SOMETIMES Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold’s post-partisan leadership style and his criticism of California Conservatives has led to a party in disarray. Moreover, Schwarzenegger’s governance of California and particularly its economy has lead to wildly unbalanced budgets and economic malaise in the Golden State.

So, in comes Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts Governor with astounding achievements in the business world and with running the Winter Olympics (saving it from ruin).

What better way to rehabilitate your failed Presidential bid by running and holding another executive political position in the nation’s most populous state? Does Mitt Romney remember that President Ronald Reagan was the former Governor of California?

What are Mitt Romney’s prospects?

Flap thinks very good - at least for the GOP nomination.

Romney has the money to self-fund his own primary campaign, is far more conservative than his opposition, California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and has statewide name recognition. Plus, Romney and his Mormon (LDS) supporters have been very active in the California Proposition 8 (Protect Traditional Marriage Constitutional amendment) working with conservative Catholics and Evangelical Christians who comprise a goodly number of GOP primary voters and volunteers.

Now, Mitt Romney could decide to avoid a confrontation with Poizner and run in a “WALK” against California Senator Barbara Boxer in 2010, but, Flap doubts it. Flap bets that Meg Whitman, Mitt Romney’s chief Presidential fundraiser and billionaire former head of e-Bay will run against Boxer. Romney and Whitman will tag team the Democrats in 2010.

How positive is Flap?

Bet the farm…….

Mitt Romney correctly criticizes Team McCain on the handling of Sarah Palin.

“Holding Sarah Palin to just three interviews and microscopically focusing on each interview I think has been a mistake,” Romney said. “I think they’d be a lot wiser to let Sarah Palin be Sarah Palin. Let her talk to the media, let her talk to people.”

Palin’s limited availability to the press has been repeatedly criticized by Democrats.

Romney, who was on McCain’s running mate short list, said that, ultimately, Palin’s “maverick” credentials will boost the GOP ticket in November.

McCain’s handlers are renown for micro-managing. Remember the Soren Dayton flap early on?

Let Sarah hit the talk shows and even SNL with Tina Fey.

Next, bring Mitt Romney back to Washington to help craft a GOP successor to the disastrous bailout bill that failed to win passage in the House today.

Matt Drudge has a poll up on his main page and Romney is beating second place Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison almost three to 1. Tim Pawlenty is in fourth place behind a dark horse candidate selection.

On Intrade, Mitt Romney is leading Tim Pawlenty 62.2 to 20.0 up 17 points. Tom Ridge is in third place.

So, will Mitt Romney be the GOP Vice Presidential selection?

Conventional wisdom says yes but Flap can feel the deflation out of the GOP if McCain chooses him. Americans want different this election season and Mitt Romney along with McCain will assure an Obama-Biden win in November.

The GOP desperately needs to attract independent and women voters and with that……

Flap’s picks:

!. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin

2. Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

3. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty

4. Lousiana Governor Bobby Jindal

Geraghty says informed sources indicate an announcement soon and it is either Tim Pawlenty or Mitt Romney.

Judging from the activity on the blogs and MSM press it really could go either way. Lobbying activity is heavy for both candidates.

McCain will be well served in making a sooner rather than later announcement.