Romney says he'll attend Monday debate in Florida

[highplainsdem]

From the AP:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gIGRe5r9j4lrzHby9WPhssU5Bxaw?docId=5c2b81d0ab514ef9ae19f0b9bfb8b42c

Romney says he'll attend Monday debate in Florida
By KASIE HUNT, Associated Press – 29 minutes ago

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Mitt Romney says he will attend the next GOP presidential debate set for Monday in Tampa, Fla.

After last weekend's two debates in South Carolina, advisers to the former Massachusetts governor had said the candidate hadn't committed to any more campaign debates.

But Romney said Saturday, on the day when South Carolinians are voting in their state's GOP primary, that he will be at the Tampa debate.

-snip-

More from Politico:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/01/romney-commits-to-nbc-florida-debate-111720.html

Mitt Romney has announced that he will be attending the NBC debate on Monday night in Tampa Bay, Florida.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be doing the debate on Monday," he said Saturday morning. "Yeah, I'm in."

Until now, the Romney campaign had been coy about the candidate's inentions. Romney's campaign strategist Stuart Stevens told reporters after Thursday's CNN debate in North Charleston that Romney would debate next week, but declined to commit to either the Monday night’s debate or the CNN debate in Jacksonville next Thursday.

But the reality is that the NBC debate was one Romney couldn't afford to miss, especially after Newt Gingrich’s surge in South Carolina and his electric performance in North Charleston on Thursday. Such an absence would have provided Gingrich and the other remaining candidates with an opportunity to attack Romney unopposed, an embarrassment for Romney that would have been even more poignant if he loses tonight in South Carolina.

[onehandle]

1. Translation: I will lose South Carolina. nt

[DCBob]

2. I wonder how the numbers in Florida are being affected by events in SC.

I suspect some but maybe not enough to push the Grinch over the Gecko.

[grantcart]

3. Not a lot of polling

This was the latest poll but it doesn't seem to match campaign internals now.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/18/fl-2012-primary-43-romney_n_1214314.html

[DCBob]

4. Thats a huge lead for Willard.

Hard to imagine how Gingrinch can overcome that unless Santorum drops out. However, even if you add them up it still doesnt put him over Romney.

[Joe Bacon]

5. Just wait!

If Newt wins South Carolina in a landslide, and Mitt screws up another debate, the tide is going to turn Newt's way.

I fully expect a real bloodletting between them in Florida.

[MjolnirTime]

6. Newt had the same lead in Florida a few weeks ago. After SC he'll have it again.

[DonCoquixote]

7. wait till newt wins SC

and rick scott decides to turn on Mitt.