ComMITTed to Romney!

http://blogs.venturacountystar.com/dennert/archives/2008/06/the-money-game.html

P R E S S R E L E A S E FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Matt Guthrie June 18, 2008 (805)

***-**** STRICKLAND FUNDRAISER FEATURING MITT ROMNEY SURPASSES EXPECTATIONS

Strickland Campaign Raises Nearly Quarter Million Dollars (Westlake Village) Last night, featured speaker Mitt Romney addressed a packed room of close to five hundred donors and supporters of Tony Strickland at the State Senate candidate’s highly anticipated fundraiser in Westlake Village. The event, which highlighted the importance of the 19th District Senate race, surpassed the original fundraising goal of $200,000 and took in nearly a quarter-million dollars. The sold out event was an overwhelming success for Strickland and continues the trend of strong and growing support for his campaign. With only two days to prepare, the Strickland team was also able to organize a successful pushback to a protest at the event that had been planned for over a week and included between 30-40 people. At 92 supporters strong, the pro-Strickland crowd more than doubled that of the protest demonstration as they lined the streets with American flags and signs showing their support for Tony Strickland and welcoming Governor Romney to California. Strickland’s opponent also didn’t escape the wrath of supporters as they carried signs slamming her tax and spend positions and exposed the hypocritical nature of contributions received by Hannah-Beth Jackson and the democratic party. Governor Romney’s message to California voters was clear. “I believe Tony Strickland can cut back on wasteful spending and can remove the interest of special interests and bring new ideas to Sacramento,” Romney said in an interview before the event. Strickland received a standing ovation when speaking about the importance of this particular race and his message about growing the economy while being environmentally responsible played well with the crowd. “You can be pro-economy and pro-environment,” Strickland said. ” The solution isn’t raising taxes, it’s to help the economy grow. Raising taxes will only drive people and businesses out of the state. We need to push the green economy so we can get off of foreign oil and reduce gas prices for all Californians”. ###

http://www.politickerca.com/alexisenstadt/1221/
romney-fundraiser-expected-net-more-250k-strickland

By Alex Isenstadt

Category: President, LocalTags: Mitt Romney, Tony Strickland, Hannah-Beth Jackson

The campaign for state Senate candidate Tony Strickland says tonight’s fundraiser with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will likely surpass $250,000. The campaign had originally set a goal of $200,000 for the event, said spokesman Matt Guthrie.
Strickland, a former Assemblyman, is no stranger to Romney. The Moorpark Republican was California chair for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.

Strickland is running against Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson, an Assemblywoman, for the seat state Sen. Tom McClintock is vacating.

The fundraiser will be held at the Westlake Hyatt Plaza in Ventura.

I just received an email from the National Conservative Campaign Fund whose Honorary Chairman is Ronald Reagan’s former Attorney General, Edwin Meese III.

Back in May of this year the Fund teamed up with Mitt Romney at the home of George Allen in Virginia to raise money for conservative candidates.

Gov. Romney is burnishing his conservative credentials by working so tirelessly with conservative candidates all over the country. Even if he isn’t selected for the VP spot, he will be solidly in the GOP establishment well before 2012. His name recognition will be off the charts by then and he will have a large core of national followers ready to go to work for him if he runs again and I know all of us most assuredly hope that he does.

~~John Cronin~~

http://www.nccfpac.com/officers.cfm

Edwin Meese, III, Honorary Chairman

Officers

Thomas L. Phillips, Chairman
D. Jeffrey Hollingsworth, Executive Director
Michelle Easton, Secretary
P. Jay Carven, Treasurer
Marjory G. Ross, Assistant Treasurer

Directors

Morton C. Blackwell, T. Kenneth Cribb, Carol G. Dawson, Daniel D. Faoro, Thomas A. Fuentes, Kevin Kellems, Alex X. Mooney, J.A. “Jay” Parker, James C. Roberts, Ronald E. Robinson, Randal C. Teague

National Advisory Board

George A. Alcorn, Sr., Gary Aldrich, John M. Belcher, L. Brent Bozell III, Floyd Brown, Angela “Bay” Buchanan, Ann Coulter, Ronald F. Docksai, Alan Dye, Rich Eichler, Tony Fabrizio, George Gilder, Michael P. Gorman, Patrick Gorman, Phil Hixon, Donald P. Hodel, Terrence P. Jeffrey, John Lenczowski, G. Gordon Liddy, James C. Miller III, Brad O’Leary, Randall Phillips, Fred Potter, Roger Ream, Ralph Reed Jr., Alfred S. Regnery, William Bradford Reynolds, Bret Schundler, Frank Shakespeare, Howard Segermark, John K. Singlaub, Mark Skousen, R. Emmett Tyrrell, Faith Ryan Whittlesey

The National Conservative Campaign Fund (NCCF), founded in 1999, is an independent political action committee. Our goal is to raise funds to enable us to contribute the maximum allowed by law to the top 100 conservative candidates running for the U.S. House and Senate. NCCF is a non-profit corporation governed by an all-volunteer leadership. Our financial activity is reported regularly to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and our reports are available for review at all times at the FEC’s Web site.

Unlike other political action committees, NCCF isn’t interested in helping candidates simply to gain access to them or to advance any particular legislation or agenda. Instead, our goal is to elect as many bona fide conservatives as possible to Congress – conservatives who won’t abandon their principles once they get to Washington, and whose voting records will consistently favor limited government, lower taxes, a strong national defense, and the just interests of the United States.

Gov. Romney was in Virginia stumping for presumptive GOP Presidential nominee John McCain.

~~John Cronin~~

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-06-06-0146.html

By TYLER WHITLEY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, mentioned as a possible vice presidential running mate for John McCain, said yesterday in Innsbrook that he is not seeking the job.

But Romney declined to say whether he would turn down the post if it is offered to him.
“Most people consider the vice president request to be a great honor for their party,” Romney said, adding he would leave speculation about his chances to others.

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

In order to get a feel for how much John McCain needs Mitt Romney’s fund raising expertise, take a look at the figures below.

~~John Cronin~~

http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_9343009

President Bush is expected to meet with LDS Church leaders next week, the first meeting since the new general authorities were sustained in February.

The meeting between Bush and the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is scheduled for May 29, said Rob Howell, a spokesman for the church. The White House has not released details of the trip.

“Romney had a very powerful fundraising operation with a lot of donations coming out of this area, and of course now he can leverage that to help McCain,” said Quin Monson, a Brigham Young University political science professor. “And the McCain campaign clearly needs the money to compete. They’re clearly not raising the small donors’ money that Obama is.”

McCain’s campaign report through the end of April showed that he raised $502,650 from Utah donors. Obama has raised $584,009 and Clinton raised $489,842 through the same period.

Romney, who was head of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Utah, raised $5.5 million before dropping out of the presidential race and endorsing McCain.

This post is aimed at every Mitt Romney supporter who feels that the Republican Party and the country is headed in the wrong direction. If you agree that the guiding philosophy of the party has moved away from the conservative principles that made it great in the past, then here is your opportunity to steer the party back toward policies that Ronald Reagan articulated in the 1980’s and those that Mitt Romney spoke of in the primary campaign.

I hope you will visit Gov. Romney’s new website and that you will get involved. It promises to be great fun and I believe you will be rewarded with that feeling of accomplishment that only responsible civic involvement can bring.

~~John Cronin~~

https://www.freestrongamerica.com/

Sign up for our grassroots network!

If America is to remain a leader in the world, we must be prepared to face the numerous challenges of the 21st century. These problems can be tackled with innovation, determination, and a commitment to our nation’s founding principles. Together with you, Free and Strong America PAC will work tirelessly to promote these principles, and help elect like-minded candidates who are prepared to take on the challenge of keeping America free and strong.

You may be wondering what else you can do to help our efforts. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to take a moment today to:

1) Make a contribution to Free and Strong America PAC. Your contribution will help promote conservative causes and support conservative candidates.

2) Spread the word about Free and Strong America PAC to your friends and family. We need to grow our grassroots network as broadly as possible in the coming months and we are counting on your help.

3) Learn about the candidates we are supporting. Every week, we will be profiling new candidates on our website so that you can learn more about them and support them directly if you wish. Please visit our website often for the latest updates.

Thank you again for all of your support and dedication. With your continued help we will ensure that this great nation remains – as it always has been – the beacon of freedom and hope of the world.

Best Regards,

Mitt Romney
Honorary Chairman

Hat Tip #2 to Doug & Darlene

There is an old expression that says: “Any publicity is good publicity”, but I beg to disagree. Pastor Huckabee’s disastrous attempt at ad lib humor reinforces the need for MH to stay completely scripted and leave the comedy to Mitt Romney, who is actually good at it.

That said, while Huckabee is hard at work destroying what little is left of his credibility and diligently attempting to embarrass the GOP, Mitt Romney and George Bush are raising boatloads of cash to help pull the Party’s bacon out of the fire and prevent an Obama administration.

Kudos to both Mitt Romney and President Bush for doing the spade work and filling the party’s coffers, while Huckabee runs around the country, laying eggs and wasting our time.

~~John Cronin~~

http://www.townhall.com/blog/g/2bcedfdb-9587-4013-b6e9-25429f1735bc

Monday, May 19, 2008 Romney to the Rescue? Posted by: Matt Lewis

John McCain’s campaign can’t compete with Barack Obama’s money, so he’s turning to the RNC. They, in turn, are looking to George W. Bush and Mitt Romney.

From today’s NYT:

… Republican officials said they were enlisting President Bush, a formidable fund-raiser who has raised more than $36 million this year for Republican candidates and committees, for three events on Mr. McCain’s behalf. They will appear together at a fund-raiser in Phoenix on May 27, and the next day the president will take part in a luncheon with Mitt Romney in Salt Lake City and then an exclusive dinner at Mr. Romney’s vacation home in Park City, Utah.

It is of interest that while Mike Huckabee continues to garner media exposure, Mitt Romney is becoming the “go-to-guy” when it comes to raising Republican money …

Hat Tips to NY FOR MITT and to DOUG & DARLENE for the heads up on this article.

~~John Cronin~~

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/earl-ofari-hutchinson/romney-poses-bigger-threa_b_
102262.html

Excerpts taken from an Opinion piece by Earl Ofari Hutchinson

The burning question is who close-to-presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama will pick as his running mate. The question is better asked of his GOP foe John McCain. His vice presidential pick is far more crucial than who Obama picks.

He has no choice but to implore Mitt Romney to sign on to the ticket.

The reasons for Romney go beyond McCain’s image problem and party doubts. Romney was the first GOP presidential candidate to publicly warn back in January that Obama would be the likely GOP opponent, and then say that he could beat him. This was not mere political braggadocio. He like Obama sold himself as the change guy who can go to Washington cut the cronyism, bureaucratic and congressional inertia, and restore public confidence. McCain is the walking embodiment of the much loathed Washington insider establishment.

Romney is a social conservative, but he’s also one that social conservatives like, have confidence in, and have gotten behind with passion. McCain isn’t.

In nearly all polls, affordable health care worries ranks close behind the economy as a major concern of millions. Obama will tell what he will do if elected to provide affordable care for millions. Romney can tell what he actually did to provide it.

McCain will have to spend time and money building name identification for any VP pick other than Romney. Romney has that name identification, and more importantly, name identification that is not saddled with a trunk load of negatives.

Romney is a decade younger than McCain. Age, as race with Obama is a great X Factor, for McCain. He will be the oldest president ever on inauguration day. This, and health questions, is a big concern of many voters.

The most successful presidents have been governors (with one very current exception). They bring the administrative and management skills crucial to the office. Romney would put the minds of many voters at ease that if McCain succumbed to health problems, he could immediately step in and ably run the affairs of state.

He’s a team player. When he shut down his campaign in February he immediately met with and smoothed over the ruffled feathers with McCain, and urged his delegates to support him. He then went to a couple of states to pitch him. One of them was Michigan which is very much in play for the GOP given the large number of social conservatives there and his strong roots there during his father, George Romney’s, years as governor.

McCain bets the political bank that his strengths on national security, the war against terrorism, and strangely, even winning the war in Iraq on his terms, will resonate with millions of voters. He’ll need more than that to offset voter and party doubts, divisions, and the X Factor of age and health. Romney gives him added insurance to help offset these potentially deal breaking liabilities for him. Romney poses a bigger threat to Obama than McCain.

News from Dr. Bob Onder’s campaign office shows a growing list of influential Missouri leaders have endorsed his candidacy. His first quarter fund raising shows some financial firepower as well.

While the national press is ringing the death knell for the Republican Party in this election, it seems the good citizens of Missouri didn’t get the memo.

~~John Cronin~~

Jefferson City – Representative Bob Onder today announced the support of twenty-two current and two former state elected officials in his bid to represent the people of the Ninth District.

Dr. Onder’s announcement comes shortly after winning the first-quarter fundraising race against
all other candidates to replace Representative Kenny Hulshof when he raised over $370,000,
more than any other candidate in the race regardless of party affiliation.

“As I prepare to bring my prescription for change to Washington, I am honored to have the
support of so many conservative leaders in the 9th District and around our great state,” said Dr. Onder. “These leaders understand what it takes to defend our freedoms and fight for mainstream Missouri values. I greatly appreciate their support.”

“Dr. Onder has been a leader in the General Assembly from his first day in office,” said House
Republican Majority Floor Leader Steve Tilley. “Simply put, he is a proven winner who gets
things done on the issues that matter most to Missourians. I know he’ll take that same ability to
Washington.”

“I can’t think of anyone more qualified to represent the people of the 9th District than Dr.
Onder,” said Representative Doug Funderburk of St. Peter’s. “His experience as a doctor and
lawyer, and his willingness to fight for the right-to-life and tax relief and to stop illegal
immigration and wasteful spending will serve the people of Missouri well in Washington.”

“From watching him work in the Missouri House, I know that Dr. Onder will stand up for
principle and Missouri values when he gets to Congress,” said Representative Jason Smith of
Crawford County. “He’s just the type of leader we need to fight the liberal excesses of Nancy
Pelosi and the MoveOn.org crowd in Washington.”

Representative Brian Nieves noted that Dr. Onder’s leadership is not restricted to the pro-life
issue. This year, Dr. Onder also sponsored House Bill 1549, an effort to outlaw sanctuary cities
in Missouri and to give local law enforcement the tools they need to stop illegal immigration.
“Last year, I stood side-by-side with Bob Onder when we passed my bill to put English as the
official language on this year’s ballot,” said Representative Brian Nieves of Franklin County.
“This year, I was proud to stand by him as he proposed House Bill 1549. When he gets to
Washington, I know Dr. Onder will fight for effective enforcement of our immigration laws and
against San Francisco-liberal calls for amnesty.”

Dr. Onder has been a leader his entire life, particularly on pro-life issues. After graduating with a
medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis, he opened his own medical practice in
St. Charles. Later, after seeing so many of his physician friends face frivolous lawsuits, he went
to night school to get a law degree at St. Louis University. He is an active member of St. Gianna Catholic Church in St. Charles, and has six children with his wife, Allison. He has served on the boards of Missouri Right to Life, the Catholic Medical Association, and the Center for Bioethics and Culture. In 2006, he led the statewide fight against Amendment 2 as President of
Missourians Against Human Cloning.

The growing list of endorsements, combined with the first-quarter fundraising win, shows
Onder’s increasing momentum and widespread support. A full list of endorsements and
statements follows:

ENDORSEMENTS

Senator Scott Rupp R-Wentzville
Brian Nieves R-Union
Jason Smith R-Salem
Sally Faith R-St. Charles County
Mark Parkinson R-St. Charles County
Doug Funderburk R-St. Peters
Cynthia Davis R-O’Fallon
Stanley Cox R-Sedalia
Jane Cunningham R-Chesterfield
Ward Franz R-West Plains
Tim Jones R-Eureka
Don Ruzicka R-Mt. Vernon
Dwight Scharnhorst R-Manchester
Shane Schoeller R-Willard
Ryan Silvey R-Kansas City
Rick Stream R-Kirkwood
Mike Thomson R-Maryville
Don Wells R-Cabool
Rod Jetton R-Marble Hill-Speaker of the House
Steve Tilley R-Perryville-Majority Floor Leader
Senator Jason Crowell R-Cape Girardeau
Former Representative Bob Behnen R-Kirksville
Former Representative John Bennett R-St. Charles
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