comMITTed to Romney!

Hat Tip to Ranzel for bringing this excellent analysis to our attention. Mitt Romney is nailing down the Reagan coalition.

NEW YORK TIMES

Tags: Florida, John McCain, Mitt Romney

Does Mitt Romney have a victory to cling to in Florida? Joshua Trevino, vice president for public policy at San Francisco’s Pacific Research Institute (and one of the founders of the conservative blog RedState), breaks down the numbers on his personal blog.

“Mitt Romney is in a bad way,” Trevino writes. “He blew through $10 million in Iowa and lost; and outspent McCain eight to one in Florida, and lost that too. But for all this, Mitt Romney is not done yet and the reason lies in the breakdown of this evening’s Florida vote.” He continues:

CNN has the exit-poll numbers, and they reveal some surprising things:

* Romney won pro-lifers.
* Romney won the mainstream religious. (Huckabee won the very religious ­ less than one-fifth of the pool.)
* Romney won the Protestants.
* Romney tied Huckabee with Evangelicals.
* Romney won the pro-GWB voters.
* Romney is the primary second choice of Giuliani voters, Thompson voters …. and McCain voters.
* Romney won the immigration hard-liners.
* Romney won the upper-middle class, earning between $100,000 and $200,000 annually.
* Romney won the terrorism-oriented voters.
* Romney won the self-identified conservatives and the self-identified very conservative.
* Romney won the values-oriented voters.
* Romney won the white voters.
* Romney won the tax-cutting voters.

In short, Mitt Romney won the Republican Party’s idea of itself ­ and that, too, is a big deal. If you’re white, Protestant, anti-abortion, go to church on Sundays, think well of the President, want lower taxes, hate terrorists, make a good living, want to do something about immigration, and live in Florida, chances are you voted Romney. The question before Florida was whether McCain could win a closed Republican race, and now we know he can. The question now is whether he can win conservatives ­ and in Florida, he did not.

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Introductory Comment: Writing this is Vic Lundquist. I took the liberty of moving this outstanding post by David Kim to the top of the site again. I also took the liberty of removing the page break so that no reader would miss the eight reasons listed by Ms. Goldstein. Rarely has there been a blog post at this site with over 30 comments. The comments alone are worth reading. This is one of the finest articles I have read about Governor Romney. In light of the New York Times article stating why the other Republican candidates hate Governor Romney, I thought it would be best to provide a more accurate editorial. Please forgive me David for taking this liberty without first consulting you.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Original Post by David Kim:

H/T to ERI2008 reader Ranzel (thanks!)

Great article that sums up why the other guys seem to dislike Mitt so much from the American Thinker. Full article after the jump…

January 23, 2008
Why they Hate Mitt Romney
By Amy D. Goldstein

Have you noticed how all of the Republican candidates can barely conceal their contempt for Governor Mitt Romney? It goes way beyond the typical good-natured competition that usually is the hallmark of Republican contests. Senator McCain has snarled at Governor Romney in debates and Gov. Huckabee has tried to paint Romney as cold and uncaring, while Sen. Fred Thompson attacked Governor Romney right out of the box. This display of hatred usually is the hallmark of the Democrats.

So, why do the other candidates hate Mitt Romney? Several reasons:

1. He can win. Governor Romney appeals to economic conservatives and could appeal to foreign policy conservatives based upon his understanding of the issues. Most non-partisan foreign policy wonks who have briefed the major candidates tell me that Romney “gets it” better than any other candidate — even better than those who have held high profile office for decades. Moreover, he is the candidate that the Democrats most fear.

2. Jealousy — from his hair to his appearance to his family to his money - these are all reasons for deep seeded, if unseemly, jealousy. This green-eyed monster makes its appearance in almost every speech or presentation, in the form of a joke, a jab or a veiled reference.

3. He isn’t beholden to interest groups. Governor Romney’s wealth frees him from any influence that interest groups could apply to others - especially those who lack funds or who are Washington insiders. He doesn’t need them, and that scares the interest groups and their allies. He is not of the game and wants to change it - and his personal wealth allows him to do so. He really can change Washington.

4. His brains - not only is he one of the smartest people ever to seek the presidency (having earned a Harvard MBA and JD simultaneously), but he understands the complexities of the issues that America faces and is able to devise workable solutions. Just look at his proposal for an economic stimulus and compare it to what the other candidates are proposing. Romney clearly can lead this country through economic challenges.

5. His wealth — again. While he has raised more than any other candidate, Governor Romney doesn’t need to raise the money in order to continue. Nevertheless, he understands that successful candidates must have people invested in their candidacy in order to succeed. He has learned the lessons of past wealthy businessmen who make vanity runs for the White House. The other candidates have to constantly raise money in order to continue their campaigns.

6. His experience. The rest of the Republican field has been in politics in one form or another for most of their adult lives. Governor Romney came to public service after having a successful career in which he directly created jobs, saved jobs, invested in new companies and turned around failed businesses. He even fixed both the Olympics and the failing state of Massachusetts. More than any other candidate, Governor Romney’s experience is most directly applicable to the average American’s situation.

7. He believes that America’s best days are ahead of it, and not a memory. Governor Romney is a man of the future, not of the past. He sees America as a beacon of freedom for the entire world, and not a country limping toward its last days. His infectious optimism is informed by his business experience, his love of country and his family values. His can-do spirit is the antidote to defeatism masked as “straight talk” or “reality.”

8. His beliefs. When all else fails, Governor Romney’s opponents attack his religion in the hopes of sowing fear and loathing. Not only is this unseemly, but it is dangerous. We have seen this type of rhetoric before - in the 1920’s and 1930’s - from the likes of Henry Ford and Father Caughlin and others who sought to disenfranchise whole segments of the American population. Governor Romney believes in the common American faith of democracy and religious freedom, as he so eloquently stated in his speech “Faith in America.” These are the values our Founding Fathers codified in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Why do the Republican candidates hate him? Because they don’t have any answers to his challenges. They seek to undermine him by using personal attacks more worthy of a middle school playground than a presidential contest. This is politics and Washington as usual, and choosing any candidate that employs these tactics will only get us more of the same. One would hope that Americans could see beyond these base attacks and choose the candidate who is best for the country - Governor Mitt Romney.

Amy D. Goldstein is an occasional contributor to American Thinker.

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…who needs enemies? Like the “front-runner” label, the NY Times endorsement may be a kiss of death for a Republican nominee. Here are a few quotes about their man McCain:

We have strong disagreements with all the Republicans running for president. The leading candidates have no plan for getting American troops out of Iraq. They are too wedded to discredited economic theories and unwilling even now to break with the legacy of President Bush. We disagree with them strongly on what makes a good Supreme Court justice.

So, who does this left-leaning, cut-and-run, big spending, big government, activist-judge-lovin’ publication say they find the most attractive? Senator McCain.

What about his occasional conservative positions?

We have shuddered at Mr. McCain’s occasional, tactical pander to the right … He was an early advocate for battling global warming and risked his presidential bid to uphold fundamental American values in the immigration debate.

So, Republicans: if you share the NY Times’ concern for global warming and providing amnesty for illegals, John’s your man. Just forget about your concerns about the economy and social issues.

Oh, and there’s more:

He has been a staunch advocate of campaign finance reform, working with Senator Russ Feingold, among the most liberal of Democrats, on groundbreaking legislation, just as he worked with Senator Edward Kennedy on immigration reform.

The NY Times seems to really like it when you get along well with liberal Democrats. And the McCain Feingold campaign finance reform is something many conservatives still can’t get over.

Boy, if I were John McCain I’d be tempted to call the NY Times and beg them to endorse someone else.

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http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/14/giulianis-lead-shrinks-in-florida-poll-shows/

By: Michael Cooper

THE CAUCUS.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM

NAPLES, Fla. — The campaign’s signs say “Florida is Rudy Country.’’ But despite Rudolph W. Giuliani’s heavy advertising effort here, and the fact that he has the state almost to himself while his rivals duke it out in colder climes, a poll released Monday shows that his lead in Florida has slipped, and the state is now very much up for grabs.
The poll, by Quinnipiac University, showed Senator John McCain, Rudolph W. Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and Mike Huckabee all within the margin of sampling error. And it found that even though Mr. Giuliani now has the airwaves here to himself, Mr. McCain has gained nine percentage points since the last Qunnipiac survey was taken, between Dec. 12 and Dec. 18, while Mr. Giuliani lost eight percentage points.

The poll, which has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 5 percentage points, showed Mr. McCain with the support of 22 percent of likely primary voters, Mr. Giuliani at 20 percent, and Mr. Huckabee and Mr. Romney with 19. The survey polled 419 likely Republican primary voters from Jan. 9 through Jan. 13.”

Is it just me, or is the MSM showing world class chutzpah in calling for Mitt Romney to withdraw from the race when a mega delegate state like Florida is this tight in the polls?

Speaking of “tight”, that word reminds me of a classic “Dan Ratherism” from a few years ago that I wanted to get out of storage and dust off to recycle it here. Dan might say that the polls in Florida are: “Screwed down tighter than rusted lug nuts on a ’56 Ford pickup truck.”

~~John Cronin~~

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It’s already rolling. Go to USA Today’s Wyoming site for the totals throughout the day. Right now with 67% of precincts in, Mitt has won 6 out of the 8 delegates that have been claimed (one each were taken by Hunter and Thompson), with four more up for grabs. If Mitt gets the delegates people have reported elsewhere (about 9 from Iowa), that would put him in the nominal lead as of right now, with Mitt at 15, Huck at 13, Thompson at about 6 and McCain at 5. Iowa’s system is indirect enough (and neither is technically binding, they’re based on an honor system–see the NY Times explanation) these numbers aren’t exact (one more place to look for delegate counts: the Green Papers website). But if these counts are right, the Tour de France metaphor is turning out to be correct so far in the early going. Take 2d in IA, win the stage in WY. On to the yellow jersey!

Another story: Mitt has the lead for claim of Republican National Convention’s delegates not tied to any one state. CNN ran this story before the Iowa caucuses.

Keep an eye on WY and keep calling out there in NH!

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“Mike Huckabee is the candidate that just keeps on giving!” [quote from Jeff Fuller just now after speaking with him]

Does Mr. Huckabee think we are all complete, utter idiots?

[Please forgive me for using the nickname "Duckabee" --- I depart from the normal decorum in this one instance as I believe the label best suits Huckabee as he continues to dodge truth --- I simply could not resist.]

KUDOS to Rusty, Ann Marie, and Mike for getting the Huckabee low-road story up so fast. Is this amazing, or what? Seriously, I think Huckabee woke up this morning and said to his wife,

“I think I want to become the first presidential candidate in the history of the Iowa caucuses to become a certifiable laughing stock of the media and the good folks of Iowa. What do you think darling? What is the best way for me to do that today?”

There are so many words that came to my mind after seeing all the reports today on this. I chose the title of this post from a line in Rusty’s post. Here are the words that came to my mind after watching all of these reports on Duckabee:

— CUNNING — INDECISIVE — MANIPULATIVE — CRAFTY — DISENGENUOUS — UNSOPHISTICATED — BACK-WATER — DISHONEST — CORRUPT — DECEITFUL — FRAUDULENT — DOUBLE-DEALING — UNPRINCIPLED — UNSCRUPULOUS — GUILE — TWO-FACED — DESPERATE (I could list the other 25 but want to keep this short)

Why the word “dishonest”? Simply because Duckabee absolutely knew that the State of Massachusetts, by law, does not allow capital punishment. Even if the guy feigns ignorance on this, he is inept at the very least. Governor Romney campaigned to add the death penalty in Mass.

The best moment of this day with Duck? When he said he made the (”high road”) decision to not run the ad but that he wanted to show it to the reporters so they supposedly would know he made the ad. He made that statement with a complete straight face as if he were serious. Then the entire audience burst out in complete spontaneous laughter and Duckabee stood there with a complete serious face. I totally expected him to burst into laughter himself. That was hilarious!

Carl Cameron, in one clip I saw, said this could end up as a genius move by Duck. If the people of Iowa don’t mind being played the fools by his camp, then maybe. There is a chance that Huckabee has attained “martyr” status in the minds of some in Iowa. If so, then there will be a sympathy following, but still I cannot imagine thinking people backing a person who touts his “Christian values” while his behavior is completely dishonest at best.

No, I think this will sink Huck’s life-raft. Iowans are not fools. Reporters of the MSM are not fools and I think they will turn on Huck. Until about two weeks ago, Huck has gotten a pass from the MSM. His presumptuous, manipulative, and cunning behavior to play all the reporters for fools will backfire. They will shred him in the next few days. Mark my words. It is over for Huckabee. He will get the martyr-sympathy vote, but that is it (credit to Jeff Fuller for this insight). Iowans are too smart to vote for this guy. I think we will see the media eat Huckabee alive over the next three plus days.

I wish I could be a fly on the wall in one of the Republican caucus meeting halls to hear the discussions among voters. Oh, how sweet it would be.

Here is how I would like the results to show three nights from now, in Iowa, on Thursday night:

— Romney: 44%
— Hunter: 18%
— Thompson: 9%
— Keyes: 8%
— Giuliani: 5%
— Paul: 5%
— McCain: 5%
— Tancredo: 4% (yes, he will still get votes)
— Duckabee: 2%

I gave Duckabee 4%, not because I think there are really dumb Iowans, but because I think 4% of the Republican voters of Iowa who liked Duckabee a month ago, will not have gotten the news from today.

IOWANS: Please remember that both Giuliani and McCain abandoned the Ames Straw Poll in August effectively telling you a) your straw poll does not matter, and b) we [McCain/Giuliani] don’t want you to have any of our campaign money for your economy.

~ Vic

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Please Read Rusty’s Post that already mentioned this earlier on the blog. I missed that he’d already posted it. You gotta love those fast moving news days

You read that right, he assembled a room full of reports to Unveil his attack ad against Romney, and then said, ““It’s never too late to do the right thing,” in regards to not airing them. Then he proceeded to play the ad because he said Reporters wouldn’t believe it existed.

I find this description of the ad almost humorous (from The NY Times):

At the same time, he pointed to media cynicism as the reason he felt compelled to show the ad, saying that unless he showed it, reporters would not believe that it really existed. It criticized Mr. Romney’s record as governor of Massachusetts, saying he supported gun control, allowed a co-pay for abortions in his health plan, raised taxes and ordered no executions.

The last part in bold above is the most humorous, seeing that Massachusetts —>doesn’t have the death penalty. I guess that Huckabee would have Governor Romney just going around and ordering people to randomly execute people. I guess he’d like for him to become a “Mafia like” figure.

I swear this guy is absolutely clueless, and he gets more ignorant by the moment.

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Campaign Chairman Says Reagan Legacy “Doesn’t Mean A Whole Lot”
“All along, Mitt Romney has wisely run as the only candidate who represents all three legs of the ‘three legged stool’ that is the Republican coalition. For those of us who believe it is imperative to preserve the Reagan coalition, Rollins’ pronouncement is almost an argument to vote for Mitt Romney.” – Townhall’s Matt Lewis (Matt Lewis, “Rollins: Reagan Coalition Is Done,” Townhall, Posted 12/29/07)
Gov. Huckabee’s Campaign Chairman Declared The Reagan Coalition Dead:
Gov. Huckabee’s Campaign Chair Ed Rollins: The Reagan Coalition Of Social, Fiscal, And Defense Conservatives “Doesn’t Mean A Whole Lot To People Anymore.” Huckabee Campaign Chairman Ed Rollins: “The breakup of what was the Reagan coalition — social conservatives, defense conservatives, anti-tax conservatives — it doesn’t mean a whole lot to people anymore.” (David Kirkpatrick, “Shake, Rattle And Roil The Grand Ol’ Coalition,” The New York Times, 12/30/07)
Rollins On The Reagan Coalition:
“It’s Gone.” “[Huckabee's] success is setting off a debate in his party over whether his success marks the fading of the old Reaganite conservative coalition — social conservatives, anti-tax activists and advocates of a muscular defense — or, rather, offers a chance for its rejuvenation. ‘It’s gone,’ said Ed Rollins, who once worked as President Reagan’s political director and recently became Mr. Huckabee’s national campaign chairman.” (David Kirkpatrick, “Shake, Rattle And Roil The Grand Ol’ Coalition,” The New York Times, 12/30/07)
Rollins:
Some Parts Of Reagan Coalition May “Go By The Wayside.” “‘It is a time for a whole new coalition — that is the key,’ he said, adding that some part of the original triad might ‘go by the wayside.’” (David Kirkpatrick, “Shake, Rattle And Roil The Grand Ol’ Coalition,” The New York Times, 12/30/07)
Gov. Romney Aims To Keep The Reagan Coalition United:
Townhall’s Matt Lewis: “Rollins’ Pronouncement Is Almost An Argument To Vote For Mitt Romney.” “All along, Mitt Romney has wisely run as the only candidate who represents all three legs of the ‘three legged stool’ that is the Republican coalition. For those of us who believe it is imperative to preserve the Reagan coalition, Rollins’ pronouncement is almost an argument to vote for Mitt Romney.” (Matt Lewis, “Rollins: Reagan Coalition Is Done,” Townhall, Posted 12/29/07)
National Review:
“Romney Is A Full-Spectrum Conservative.” “Our guiding principle has always been to select the most conservative viable candidate. In our judgment, that candidate is Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts. Unlike some other candidates in the race, Romney is a full-spectrum conservative: a supporter of free-market economics and limited government, moral causes such as the right to life and the preservation of marriage, and a foreign policy based on the national interest.” (Editorial, “Romney For President,” National Review, 12/11/07)
Gov. Mitt Romney:
We Need To Unite “Social Conservatives, Economic Conservatives And Defense Conservatives.”
GOV. ROMNEY: “I believe that to win the White House that our candidate has to be somebody who can represent and speak for all three legs of the conservative stool or conservative coalition that Ronald Reagan put together – social conservatives, economic conservatives and defense conservatives.” (Gov. Mitt Romney, Press Availability, Grand Rapids, MI, 10/13/07)
Gov. Huckabee Alienates Fiscal And Foreign Policy Conservatives:
National Review:
Gov. Huckabee Would Pull Apart The Conservative Coalition By Alienating Economic And Foreign Policy Conservatives. “Uniting the conservative coalition is not enough to win a presidential election, but it is a prerequisite for building on that coalition. Rudolph Giuliani did extraordinary work as mayor of New York and was inspirational on 9/11. But he and Mike Huckabee would pull apart the coalition from opposite ends: Giuliani alienating the social conservatives, and Huckabee the economic (and foreign-policy) conservatives. A Republican party that abandoned either limited government or moral standards would be much diminished in the service it could give the country.” (Editorial, “Romney For President,” National Review, 12/11/07)
Club For Growth’s Pat Toomey:
Gov. Huckabee Is “A Big-Government Liberal.” “In order to earn back the public’s trust on economic issues, not to mention offer a compelling contrast with a Hillary Clinton-led Democratic ticket, Republicans must present a consistent message. A big-government liberal like Mike Huckabee, who takes pleasure in attacking the Republican party as the ‘party of Wall Street,’ will only reinforce the image of Republicans as ‘the big spenders that they used to oppose.’ A Huckabee nomination, even as vice president, will make it impossible for the Republican party to reclaim its brand of fiscal conservatism and limited government, without which it cannot be a majority party again.” (Pat Toomey, “Dump The Huck,” National Review, 10/26/07)
Columnist Robert Novak:
Gov. Huckabee “Is A High-Tax, Protectionist Advocate Of Big Government.” “Huckabee is campaigning as a conservative, but serious Republicans know that he is a high-tax, protectionist advocate of big government and a strong hand in the Oval Office directing the lives of Americans.” (Robert Novak, “The False Conservative,” The Washington Post, 11/26/07)
CNBC’s Larry Kudlow:
Gov. Huckabee Naïve “On Dealing In International Affairs With Iran And Others.” CNBC’s LARRY KUDLOW: ” Condi Rice came out of the State Department … and attacked him because of his naïveté on dealing in international affairs with Iran and others. He doesn’t seem to understand power politics, and that we are in a jihadist global war.” (Hugh Hewitt Radio show, YouTube, 12/21/07)
Columnist Charles Krauthammer Said Gov. Huckabee’s “Naïve And Unconvincing” Views On Foreign Policy Are Disqualifications To Be President. “Huckabee is funny, well spoken and gave a preacher’s stemwinder that wowed the religious right gathering in Washington last Saturday. But whatever foreign policy he has is naive and unconvincing. In wartime, that is a disqualification for commander in chief.” (Charles Krauthammer, Op-Ed, “A Fine Field Of 4½,” The Washington Post, 10/26/07)

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As we approach the primary voting season, there are more and more new folks finding their way to our humble blog. The information I found on this blog was extremely helpful to me as I assessed the various candidates in search of “the One.” As such, I thought it would be fitting for me to share why I am a staunch supporter of Governor Mitt Romney in his run for the White House.

In a nutshell, Mitt Romney is the only “full-spectrum” Conservative who can rally the support of all three wings of the Reagan coalition, namely, Social, Economic, and Foreign Policy Conservatives.

For a full treatment of Mitt Romney’s positions, I would refer you to his comprehensive policy book “Vision for a Strong America.” Let me summarize here, however, the highlights across the major issues:

• Foreign Policy
o War against Islamic Fascism: We are engaged in a multi-front war which will require using all of our military, economic, and diplomatic might to win; we must defeat the terrorists and those who aid and abet them as well as help the Muslim people enter the 21st century (click here and here)
o Iraq and Afghanistan: The surge is working and we must do what it takes to help Iraq and Afghanistan become stable democratic allies in the war on Islamic Fascism and support our troops (click here and here)
o Iran: Iran must not be allowed to become a nuclear state; diplomacy and economic sanctions are critical, but may not be enough; the military option must remain on the table (click here)
o Military: Need to increase defense spending to a minimum of 4% of GDP to make sure our armed forces have the equipment they need in the field and the support the need back home; the best ally of peace is a strong America (click here and here)

• Economic Policy
o Taxes: We need to keep the Bush tax cuts permanent, eliminate the Death Tax, and cut taxes on capital gains, dividends, and interest to zero for the Middle Class (click here, and here)
o Spending: We need to restrain Federal spending and close the deficit; will veto any budget where non-defense discretionary spending growth exceeds inflation minus 1%; Need to give the President a line-item veto; Strong track record of financial management from Massachusetts where he closed a $3B deficit and turned it into a $1B surplus without raising taxes; carry out a comprehensive review of government spending to increase efficiency and effectiveness (click here and here)
o Entitlements reform: Maintain benefits for current Seniors, but institute fundamental reforms combining slowing the rate of increase for benefits based on income, extending the retirement age, individual retirement accounts, and no tax increases (click here)
o Healthcare: Mitt Romney is the only candidate on either side of the aisle who implemented a universal health care plan; He covered all of the citizens of Massachusetts using market-based insurance without raising taxes; Governor Romney advocates a Federalist state-by-state approach to make health insurance more affordable for everyone (click here)
o Globalization: Continue to trade around the world but make sure we negotiate level playing fields in foreign markets and upgrade American competitiveness through investments in education and innovation (click here and here)

• Culture and Values
o Illegal immigration: Control the border first and turn of the “magnets” that attract illegal immigrants by implementing an employment verification system, no special path for illegal immigrants to become citizens (i.e. no amnesty), no sanctuary cities, increased enforcement by local police agencies (click here, here, and here)
o Traditional marriage: In favor of amending the constitution to keep marriage defined as between a man and a woman; fought the Massachusetts Supreme Court to prevent the state from becoming a destination for same-sex couples looking for marriage licenses (click here and here and here)
o Life: Much has been made of Governor Romney’s switch from being Pro-Abortion to Pro-Life; This is a critical issue for me; I have heard many times why he made this change, and I believe him; I believe that Mitt Romney will fight for the rights of the unborn and be a great leader in supporting Life (click here, here, and here)

The choice of a nominee and President, however, is not strictly a “right-brained” decision based on policy statements and positions. There needs to be something inspirational about a candidate whether it’s the way that they speak to a crowd, interact one on one, or something about their personal story that sets them apart.

Experiencing Mitt through articles and videos really helped seal the deal for me. Below, I have listed some of what I would consider the best of the best articles and videos that helped me come to the decision to support Mitt actively. I’m sure I’m missing some great material, but there is a lot down below. I would encourage you to click through as much of this as you can, and if you have a favorite that wasn’t listed, please leave a link in the comments!

Key videos, speeches, appearances, and articles:
• Articles
o Romney to the Rescue (Newsmax) – Great overview of Mitt Romney
o National Review’s endorsement of Mitt Romney
o The House that Mitt Built (Private Equity International) – Behind the scenes view of how Mitt ran Bain Capital and his leadership style
o The Making of Mitt Romney (Boston Globe) – Reasonably balanced biography of each of the major phases of Mitt’s life starting from his youth through today
o Consultant in Chief (Wall Street Journal) – Interview of Mitt where he talks about how he would fix the Federal Government
o For Romney & Company, Campaign is all Business (NY Times) – How Mitt runs his campaign and what it would mean for his Presidency
o Evangelicals for Mitt statement of support
o Mark DeMoss on why Evangelicals should support Mitt
o Ann Romney Opens Up (People Magazine) – Great interview with Ann; she would be a fantastic First Lady!

• Speeches
o “Faith in America” – Seminal address on the role of religious faith and liberty in our nation
o Address to the Value Voters Summit – Seminal address on culture and value issues
o Iowa Straw Poll victory speech
o Highlights from the Republican debates (click 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th)
o Speech at CPAC 2007 – One of Mitt’s first major addresses to the leading grassroots gathering of Conservatives; one of his best speeches in my opinion
o Presidential Campaign Announcement – Mitt announcing that he’s running and why he’s running

• Campaign videos
o Biographical overview video of Mitt Romney (click part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and VII)
o “Path to Victory” webcast – Mitt and Meg Whitman (CEO of eBay) discussing the 2007 campaign and discussing the plan for 2008
o Retrospective of Governor Romney’s campaign in 2007
o Online “Ask Mitt Anything” – For those of us who don’t live in an early primary state, Mitt held an online town hall meeting which provides a really good overview of his key positions
o Christmas 2006 – Behind the scenes look at the Romney family and how they made the decision together that Mitt should run for President; cynics have criticized this video as contrived, but I love the fact that he has held his family together while achieving such exceptional success; you can’t fake this stuff

• Media appearances
o Mitt on Jim Cramer of CNBC’s Mad Money – Great interview by Jim Cramer where he calls Mitt the “Best businessman in America”
o Mitt on ABC News talking about Ann – Great interview of Mitt where he discusses what he loves so much about Ann
o Mitt on Meet the Press – Tim Russert throws everything he’s got plus the kitchen sink at Mitt who proceeds to address each point in a clear, classy, and compelling way

• My favorite TV spots
o “Searched” – Compelling true story of how Mitt Romney shut down Bain Capital and moved all the employees to NYC to search for and find the daughter of one of his partners
o “Choice: Judgment” – Striking contrast ad highlighting Mike Huckabee’s 1,033 pardons and clemencies (more than 2x his three predecessors) vs. zero from Mitt Romney
o “Choice: The Record” – Ad contrasting Mitt’s record on illegal immigration vs. Mike Huckabee’s record of supporting tax payer funded scholarships and in-state tuition for illegal immigrants
o “Not Politically Correct” – Mitt’s record supporting life, English immersion education, and traditional marriage
o “Experience Matters” – Ad highlighting the lack of real world, executive experience on the part of Hillary Clinton (and equally applicable to the other Democrats)
o “Ready for Action” – Summary of Governor Romney’s stump speech in 60 seconds; user-generated ad based on a contest that was run back in September
o “Our Home” – Some precious footage of Mitt playing with his children and grandchildren; focuses on the importance of strengthening our families
o “Leadership” and “Energy” – I just love the images of Mitt jogging through the backwoods and the focus on his track record in business; I think he’s the only politician I’ve seen jogging where it looked like he was actually in shape…not just a photo op
o “Ocean” – Ad lamenting the degradation of our culture and Mitt’s thoughts on how he would like to address it; as a parent this one really resonated with me
o “Tested, Proven” – One of his early ads highlighting his track record in Massachusetts
o “I Like Vetoes” – Ad highlights his track record of vetoing excessive spending; no doubt in my mind that he’ll control spending after seeing this ad and other times when he has addressed this topic

Finally, it is one thing to support Mitt with your vote, but I’d like to ask you to consider supporting Mitt in a more active way. Like many of you, I had always followed politics, but never became active in politics (other than voting) until this year in support of Governor Romney.

This year is different. First, this is arguably the most consequential election in over twenty years. The challenges and issues that will be faced by our next President will have far reaching ramifications for our children and grandchildren.

Additionally, we face a set of candidates on the Republican side who represent vastly different positions and perspectives, some of whom threaten to tear asunder the Reagan coalition that has served us so well. Whether it is the socially liberal and sanctuary city defending Rudy Giuliani, the divisive, theocratic, soft on crime and illegal immigration, and fiscally populist Mike Huckabee, or the McCain Feingold, “Gang of 14”, and pro-Amnesty John McCain, there are clear differences in the way that each of these individuals would take the Republican Party.

If you’ve found this persuasive, please do whatever you can to support Mitt Romney’s candidacy. If you’re from Iowa, please caucus for Mitt (get more information here). Winning Iowa is job one between now and January 3.

If you are not from Iowa, please stay informed by checking in here at Elect Romney in 2008 every day. Make a donation to help Mitt win the media air war. Put on a bumper sticker or put up a yard sign (get them here). And most importantly, talk with your friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors about why you’re supporting Mitt Romney! Personal testimonials from trusted individuals are by far the most effective ways to gain more supporters for Mitt!

If you still have questions or remain unconvinced, leave a comment and we’ll do our best to answer your question. Or better yet, if you are also a Mitt supporter, leave a comment telling us why! Thank you for reading!

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I have often wondered about the flying arrangements of Governor Romney — amazed at how many campaign stops he makes in a given day, often in multiple states.

This is a great behind-the-scenes article with a glimpse into “a day in the life . . . ” The entire article (brief) is worth the read. Click here to read it online:

December 18, 2007 — On the Road: Flying Romney Air — By Michael Luo

Not that any of this is free. The various media organizations on board foot much of the bill for the plane travel. It is unbelievably expensive . . .

THIS IS CLASSIC. Just imagine that some woman out there in America has bragging rights on this one! You have to wonder when her story will surface when Governor Romney is elected President. This is hilarious!

But the prize for best anecdote from Mr. Romney came when he was asked to describe the strangest thing that had happened to him so far on the campaign trail. He told of a time when a woman at a campaign event posed for a picture with him and grabbed his rear end.

Many times I have mentioned that what impresses me more than just about anything is Governor Romney’s frugality as a leader. I just love the fact that they stay in Hampton Inn!

We pulled into the Hampton Inn at Myrtle Beach at 8:20 p.m., more than 12 hours after we first set out. I was thoroughly pooped, even though all I had done was taken a bunch of notes, filed a blog post, done some interviews between flights, and sent in a feed for an article.

In comparison, Mr. Romney gave speeches at five different events, shook the hands of dozens of supporters at each and held two media availabilities.

Mr. Romney likes to tell audiences about how charged up he gets after a day of campaigning that he often has trouble falling asleep at night but “thanks to Gideon’s,” referring to the Gideon’s Bible in all hotel rooms, he has some good reading to help him doze off.

Not me. I sleep like a log.

Is there any other candidate out there among the 20 or so that has a stronger work ethic than Governor Romney? I doubt it.

~ Vic

Help Governor Romney get his message out — PLEASE CONTRIBUTE NOW, HERE

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Good old Mike asks:

Don’t Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?”

This new article will be included in the Sunday edition of the NY Times.

I found the AP article here.

Hotair has posted  it here.

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There are so many breaking headlines that it’s hard to know where to start.

Let’s just wade into the most recent stuff.

Mitt is going to deliver “The Speech.” I was just on the NYT Caucus blog and while there were some thoughtful responses, (Jeff and Vic’s among them) there were also the usual diatribes and mindless rehashing of Democratic talking points.

It seems that some of our fellow citizens are scared out of their wits that Mitt Romney is going to usher in a dark age of religious oppression if he is elected president. I made the following suggestion to them.

If you are afraid that a Mitt Romney presidency will somehow establish a state sponsored religion in America, ask yourself the following questions.

When John Kennedy was elected the first Catholic president in this country’s history, was he able to establish a Catholic theocracy? Did he even try?

When Harry Reid was elected Senate Majority Leader, did he try to establish an LDS theocracy?

When Mitt Romney was elected Gov. of Massachusetts, did he try to turn MA. into an LDS theocracy?

If anyone, of any denomination, tried this what do you think the publics’ reaction would be?

What would happen to that President’s approval rating?

How would Congress react?

Do you think any cases would make their way to the Supreme Court, and if so, how do you think the justices might vote?

Would the ACLU roll out the red carpet and welcome these wholesome changes?

The other headline I wanted to comment on is Tax-Hike Mike’s surge in the polls and the timing of “The Speech.” Couldn’t be better. My sense is that Huckabee has peeked in Iowa and the Romney speech this Thursday will dominate the news cycle through out this week, turning the spotlight from MH and shining it on MR. I said months ago that I thought the speech should be postponed until it became clear that it was necessary to make it, if that time ever came. That time is now here and with the polls showing Huckabee up by several points in Iowa, this lowers expectations just enough, to take away any last minute surges by MH (if he were still in second place) that would give the MSM the headlines they were hoping for.

In the scenario that I anticipate, MH’s surge gives the MSM the drama that they have been looking for, but I expect his numbers to drop from this point going forward as “The Speech” shifts the media’s and the voter’s attention back to Romney. Based on the campaign’s competency that we have all observed over the course of this year, I would expect Romney to hit a home run with a very well-crafted speech and the resultant “buzz” will generate interest from those voters who are only vaguely aware of the religious question. If Huckabee keeps attacking Mitt, especially if MR’s speech is well received, the backlash against the man from Hope will be strong enough to end his 15 minutes of fame, as he places second in Iowa and gets his plow cleaned in New Hampshire. Without a national team, his only usefulness to the Giuliani campaign will be over.

Then he can write a book about his experiences on the campaign trail and start making appearances at Barnes & Noble stores around the country.

~~John Cronin~~

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I was just reading an article by Michael Luo at the NYT Caucus political blog about what is becoming a “Romney trademark.” It’s his jogging during appearances at parades.

I have seen this in videos on major news organization’s sites, the characteristic energy and enthusiasm at these parades. Clips of MR running down one side of the street, crossing over to the other side to say, “Hi, I’m Mitt Romney and I’m running for President.” Then catching up to the parade by jogging down the street.

We have all noticed how the Presidency ages the men who serve in that office. It’s important that the person we elect not only has the right positions on the issues, but also has the abundant energy to face the rigors of the office. There is no question in my mind that Mitt Romney has those characteristics, in abundance.

~~John Cronin~~

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Great article in the NYT (imagine that!) about Governor Romney’s campaign and what it tells us about his management style and capabilities.

November 24, 2007
For Romney & Company, Campaign Is All Business
By MICHAEL LUO

Presidential campaigns, with their boiler-room pressure, news media scrutiny and organizational challenges, have always functioned as something of a dress rehearsal for the White House. How do the candidates make tough decisions? Are they willing to listen to opposing points of view? Do they micromanage?

These questions have taken on a particular edge among the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, who have remained for the most part ideologically close to President Bush but are trying to cast themselves as more competent.

Mitt Romney, in particular, is staking his campaign in large measure on his image as a managerial guru. He has emphasized his advantage on this score on the stump, saying it derives from the data-driven, analysis-laden business practices he acquired in his years in the private sector — and which his aides say are evident in how he runs his campaign.

“What concerns me about Washington is that people have answers before they’ve gathered any data, done any analysis, solicited opinions from people who disagree,” Mr. Romney said in an interview. “From the business world, you look at that and you say, ‘You’ve got to be kidding.’”

No governing from the gut for Mr. Romney, his aides say. This is a man who relishes “metrics,” is always on the lookout for data to frame discussions and brings a devil’s advocacy to every discussion, whether it focuses on policy formation or advertising.

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The New York Times has an article on Gov. Romney’s business-like leadership style.

Another expectation was measuring progress in every aspect of the campaign. Mr. Gage, a veteran of several previous presidential campaigns, said the Romney campaign required a greater level of “documentation” than others he had worked for.

“A lot of presidential campaigns just end up on yellow legal pads,” he said. “People don’t write memos, prepare presentations or organize defenses. It is just sort of ad hoc.”

Staff meetings at the Romney campaign’s Boston headquarters are typically full of statistic-laden spreadsheets and PowerPoint slides. But the defining feature is the kind of back-and-forth that Mr. Romney demands before decisions.

Illustrative of this approach was the way the campaign went about deciding whether to stay in the Iowa Straw Poll after two rivals, Rudolph W. Giuliani and Mr. McCain, announced on the same day in June that they were dropping out. The campaign had long been focused on the straw poll as a defining test that could lift Mr. Romney’s profile. But a watered-down field diminished its significance as a bellwether for the nomination and would still cost the campaign millions of dollars.

After a flurry of deliberations at the staff level, Mr. Romney had a conference call with his advisers. Gentry Collins, his Iowa state director, advocated staying in and had prepared data on a number of factors, like cost estimates and get-out-the-vote operations. Mr. Romney ran through a list of questions about why the other campaigns had dropped out and what could be gained by staying in.

“He was looking for a great deal of information,” Mr. Collins said.

By the end of the call, the consensus was to go ahead.

“He is not the kind of you guy can say, ‘We all decided to go do this,’ and he’ll sign off on it,” Mr. Collins said. “He demands to know why we wanted to make that decision, why someone else wants to make another decision.”

If the general tilt of the article seems familiar to you, it should. It’s very reminscent of the the Weekly Standard piece last week. It seems that uber-competance is the message the Romney campaign is pushing at the moment. Always a good campaign issue and one that will serve him well as Gov. Romney prepares to transition into a national candidate.

~~~Thomas

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