O'Reilly pronounces Romney the frontrunner!

My co-blogger at electromneyin2008.com found a VERY interesting article today over at the Michigan Republican Party Blog. Bill O'Reilly, he of the highest rated show in cable news, gives Romney the edge to be our next president.

I'm not the biggest fan of O'Reilly personally (he's too populist for my taste), but his voice on the right is unmistakably strong. We're expecting a groundswell of momentum to begin soon. If O'Reilly starts repeating these views on his television or radio shows, we might very well remember this day as a key step into realizing the Romney Administration.

O'Reilly Gives Early Edge To Romney
(TRAVERSE CITY) — Fox News commentator Bill O'REILLY told a gathering here today that Massachusetts Gov. and former Michigander Mitt ROMNEY is his early favorite to win the 2008 presidential election over U.S. Sen. Hillary CLINTON (D-N.Y.) in what he sees now as the likely head-to-head race.

Speaking at the Michigan Future Forum, sponsored by the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, O'Reilly said former frontrunner U.S. Sen. John McCAIN (R-Ariz.) will be hurt for his "soft" positions on the terrorist interrogation and border security issues.

The host of the "No Spin Zone" and the "O'Reilly Factor" added that another top-tier Republican candidate, Rudolph GUILIANI, the former New York City mayor, is being hurt by his inability to handle the press and his mushy positions on issues. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt GINGRICH and U.S. Sen. George ALLEN (R-Va.) round out the top five candidates on the GOP side.

But in the last two weeks, O'Reilly said he's seeing a lot of reasons to give Romney an edge.

"He's photogenic. He's articulate. He's got money. New Hampshire likes him. This guy . . . you watch him," O'Reilly said.

The commentator made famous for his unabashed conservative lean said Clinton is far and away the favorite on the Democratic side. She has more money than any other presidential candidate at this point in history, he said. The problem is that while 35 percent of the people love her, a strong 44 percent of people don't like her and wouldn't vote for her if she was running against Osama Bin LADEN, he quipped.

Former President Bill CLINTON had the personal charm to change people's opinion of him. His wife does not. She is not engaging with the public. She doesn't give press conferences. That's a "huge negative," O'Reilly said.

U.S. Sen. John KERRY (D-Mass.) is spending a lot of time in Iowa these days, a clear sign that he's running again after losing in 2004 to Bush. Why else would a millionaire spend time in Iowa, he pointed out. The Democrats' 2000 presidential nominee, Al GORE, insists he's not running, but insiders have their doubts. Either way, O'Reilly didn't give the global warming crier much of a chance.

In a head-to-head match-up between Clinton and Romney, O'Reilly gives the edge the Romney unless the economy collapses. If terrorists hit the United States again, this country is going to "take a dramatic turn to the right," he predicted.

"If we're attacked again, the Democratic Party can go away," O'Reilly said. "People are so angry underneath."

That would hurt McCain, who does not support President George W. BUSH's position that terrorists are exempt from having to be detained and treated under Geneva Convention rules because they do not represent a country and are not soldiers in a traditional sense.

McCain, a former prisoner of war, also doesn't agree that interrogation techniques that some would consider torture, such as "water-boarding" should be used against terrorist suspects. O'Reilly said allowing the president to OK water submersion under "extraordinary circumstances" works and has stopped 12 attacks, including a suspected terrorist plot in Los Angeles.

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