From The Salt Lake Tribune
WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney isn’t talking about Mitt Romney.
He’s talking about John McCain, about energizing the party base, about strong candidates for a “strong economy, strong families and strong military.”
The former presidential candidate spent more than a year officially on the trail, talking himself up to voters as he sought the Republican nomination for the White House. But now he has a new role: boosting other Republicans.
The move, which brought Romney back to Utah last week to join President Bush in another fundraising blitz, is meant to prove Romney is a loyal soldier, and to help burnish his credentials for a possible White House bid in the future.
Romney, McCain’s former chief rival, now is one of the Arizona senator’s most active, effective fundraisers and cheerleaders. The head of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City appears to have headlined more events than any of the large field of former GOP presidential candidates and may be on track to raise the most money of the pack.
“I could go back to the private sector but I believe what I said during my campaign,” Romney told The Wall Street Journal recently. “I think this is a very critical time for the country. And I was helped by a lot of people and turning back to entirely personal pursuits would not be consistent with the many contributions of time and resources that came my way. So I’m going to help Senator McCain and other people who I think would make a difference.”
In a sense, Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, never left the trail when he ended his campaign last February. He has criss-crossed the country serving as a surrogate for McCain and backed the nominee-in-waiting on multiple television appearances.
McCain spokesman Jeff Sadosky said Romney has played a large role in the campaign and has been a “very, very active” surrogate.
“Governor Romney has been a tremendous help and we value his support,” Sadosky said.
Romney has spoken at the state party conventions in Nevada and Maine, and the Lancaster GOP convention in Pennsylvania. Saturday, he hit the Colorado Republican Convention and he’s slated to appear for McCain at the conventions in Oregon and Texas within the next two weeks.
Romney also is offering his help to boost McCain’s coffers, and has become essentially a Western warrior for McCain, drumming up support in areas where Romney is popular.
This week, Romney, with help from President Bush, raised about $2 million for McCain and the party in a fundraiser at his Deer Valley home. Since withdrawing, this was Romney’s second trip to raise money in Utah, the state second only to California in financial donations for Romney’s failed bid.
Romney also has called on his top money raisers to work on McCain’s behalf, inviting many of them to Houston in early May to meet the senator and jump on the Straight Talk Express.
Romney’s aggressive support for McCain has many pundits saying he is actively campaigning to be McCain’s running mate.
Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom dismisses such talk.
“We’re not going to join the . . . guessing game over who is going to be John McCain’s running mate,” FehrnÂstrom said. “That is not what Gov. Romney is focusing on. His focus is on helping John McCain and other Republicans get elected.”
To that end, Romney recently launched a new political action committee, the Free and Strong America PAC.
The group, with a post office box in his home of Belmont, Mass., is aimed at helping elect Republicans at all levels. Romney’s former deputy chief of staff and conservative outreach guru, Peter Flaherty, is serving as executive director.
Former senior adviser Tom Rath, who helped shepherd President Bush through the New Hampshire primary in 2000, says Romney has been getting some “positive feedback” from stumping for McCain and some people who weren’t sure of him as a candidate are now getting to know and like him better.
“He likes being involved, is getting really engaged on the ‘we need to elect John McCain’ message and feels he’s helping,” Rath says.
“He’s not spending much if any time thinking about V.P.,” Rath adds. “He knows it’s a long shot at best and basically out of his control, and he’s not a guy who worries too much about things he can’t control.”
Romney acknowledged to the Journal that he’d like to be the nominee, but he’s doing his best to pump the party up nonetheless.
“I would rather have the shoe on my foot but you recognize that when you don’t win, then, in some respects, I think you have a responsibility to help the person that does,” Romney told the newspaper.
tburr@sltrib.com
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June 2nd, 2008 at 9:40 am
Perhaps the ONLY “Politician” I have ever met who does exactly what he says and believes. We will forever support this man with our money, our time and our pride. We will not support McCain with money UNLESS he nominates him as VP - we will, however, vote for McCain SIMPLY because Mitt has asked us to and no other reason.
June 2nd, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Regarding: “Romney’s aggressive support of McCain has many pundits saying he is actively campaigning to be McCain’s running mate.”
Pundits are partners in low-expectation rote politics: dialogue, discourse, pronounce, pontificate, promise, orate, and grand stand. The current state of affairs in the nation reflects politics-as-usual and politics-as-they-have-been. For a politician to actually DO what they said they would leaves established punditry befuddled, stupefied, and suspicious. Their cynical minds can’t process the truth that Romney is acting on core convictions, not posturing or personal aggrandizement!
If ever there were evidence that Romney is not an inside Washingtonian or a career politician, this is it! Mitt’s life is filled with “producing.” Romney is the definition of doing, accomplishing, battling, achieving, incentivizing, motivating, proceeding, stimulating, engaging, promoting, working, and executing.
Romney is action. Mitt is a VERB. We need Romney on the ticket.
Let’s “mitt” this thing done!
June 2nd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Ditto! 2the point: Double Ditto!!!!A bumble bee in a jar!!!!
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Great posts up above. I really believe in Mitt, however, I get really sad when he is interviewed and states he is pretty sure it is not going to be him. I just cannot stand it. Knowing how badly this nation needs him, it is pretty hard to think he may not get in there and we will have to suffer through 4 years with one or the other of the 3 stooges and some goofy side kick. How depressing. On the up side, all that negative crap being said (that I myself just stated), I actually, when I think spiritually or prayerfully, can at times feel really uplifted about it all. I am not sure how that all works, but there it is. I just know this nation needs Mitt and his great assets and I pray we might be blessed and McCain might have a moment of actual clarity and do the right thing….
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:31 am
Paulee & Mike - love the “bumblebee in a jar” characterization, too!
KKSM, this should lift your spirits! Here’s a SWEET link to hear Bumblebee Mitt “buzz” for McCain last Saturday at the GOP convention in Colorado. It runs 12:07 minutes. There are two additional clips – a great interview and local news report that play successively (15 second ad airs between clips). Click on video screen at top right:
http://cbs4denver.com:80/local/gop.convention.republicans.2.738096.html
McCain has a “honey“of a deal with Mitt making a beeline all across the country to speak on His behalf!
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:14 am
What makes me really ticked off is when some former candidates sit on their hands, do nothing, but then their minons (and them) talk about how McCain hates Romney, and never would pick him. Yet, there is only one guy out there, front and center. Romney. Romney is a lesson in class and grace in defeat. He is a very loyal footsolider. I almost hope that if Romney is not chosen to be veep, that McCain chooses someone so distastful, like Huckabee, that the loss of the whitehouse is a landslide, so Romney can bat clean up in 12.
Of Course, this could all be smoke and mirrors. Romney could be the veep choice, but McCain is out there keeping folks on someone else, so Romney can do his magic.
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:44 am
IMHO, Gov. Romney is doing exactly what the party needs at precisely the right time. You can be sure that the party leader’s and grassroots activists are watching this closely and making mental notes on who is “in the game”, whose jersey has dirt and grass stains on it and who is sitting in the stands with a Coke and two steak fajitas.
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:50 pm
You’re right, Chris. Pretty much every commentary from the MSM on Romney and McCain footnotes how much McCain dislikes Mitt. MSM VOODOO - they don’t want Mitt and John to hook up and we know why! M&M would infuse a whole lotta snap-crackle-pop into soggy, saggy Republicans/Independents.
John, I agree and you make me laugh - loud! Coke and steak fajitas… Ha!
Huckabee would be lollygagging in the stands with a jug of moonshine between his feet with his fists wrapped around a french-fried squirrel sandwich. I kid you not! I found this bit of gastric trivia regarding Huck and have been waiting for an opportunity to share it. On “Morning Joe” (MSNBC) January 17, 2008, at one minute 58 seconds into the tape, Hucky reveals to Joe Scarborough and Mika Bzrezinski that he used to eat fried SQUIRREL that he sizzled in an old metal popcorn popper. For reals. Check it out:
http://campaigncircus.com/video_player.php?v=7065
Now we know why, during the debates, he appeared so bright-eyed and bushy tailed!!!
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Hey everyone, that bumble bee in a jar is so Mitt, but it was John Cronin’s explanation of how Mitt Romney’s Grand dad explained Mitt as a child, I wish it was my analogy, It’s Perfect, isn’t it??? Actually reminds me, with a chuckle of my 17 year old grandson.
KKSM: Cheer up, it will be okay. There are some things we can control, the others leave to prayer and hope for a miracle!!! I’m serious, this is going to be a hard contest!
Actually, Mccain’s choice for VP will make alot of difference. The republicans have to be sharp, answers satisfying, they have to convince the people that they will be the best of the best! Trust is critical! They have their work cut out for them, we have had 8 years, do I dare say, why are we in this mess? Gas prices, insurance prices, food prices,Etc. I even heard a senerio of the great depression of the 30’s, that this could happen in todays time. Whoa! you got to be kidding! Mitt’s probably our very best bet, I’m just so afraid of the Huck people ruining Mitt’s chances, if he is chosen. We must put down the armor at some point and stand united.
2thepoint: Isn’t that just what we invision our next President’s ultimate goal to fry up some squirrel? I saw that sad display, it’s the Elmer Fudd hat that got me, I’m not kidding.
KKSM: Clever how you used the honey, buzz , etc. really fun, thanks.
Well, tonight we have a historic, black candidate, that is good for America, however he may not be the one we wish to lead our country.
John, I heard about Michelle’s words today, nothing more since. I’m sure Hannity will have it, if it’s real. People are saying it was a predudice against Bush????? We’ll be listening.
June 4th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Thanks 2thepoint! That was a great video of him speaking in Colorado. I love that he said the surge worked it was just that BHO missed it! That was too funny along with some other lines. He is a great man. He is refreshing in that he has so much confidence in America. It is sad that so many people just look for the negative. It is almost that they are looking for something to be wrong instead of wanting to work hard to make something right. I just don’t get it.
A great man named Henry B. Eyring said a couple of years back that “criticism is America’s new blood sport”. Many are proving him right sadly.
June 5th, 2008 at 12:45 am
Gotta love Henry B. He’s right on the money on that statement!