GOP Rivals Go After Romney Over Mass. Health Care Plan
(AP)
Why today? November 15 happens to be the deadline for Massachusetts residents to sign up for an insurance plan or else face tax penalties. As the Associated Press notes, this follows earlier incentives to sign up for coverage, such as an expansion of subsidized health care by the state, and a requirement for private insurers to offer less expensive policies.
Fred Thompson has struck the harshest blow so far. In a release today, after noting that Massachusetts residents face an average fine of $219 this year and $2,000 over the next year, the campaign points out that Romney's plan has a $50 co-pay for abortions and says "Mitt Romney's plan covers ALL abortions – no restrictions."
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Romney: Health Care For All Americans In Four Years
(AP)
Addressing an audience composed mainly of medical students and professionals at Des Moines University on Tuesday, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney delivered a detailed policy speech on health care. Along the campaign trail, Romney often demonstrates a firm grasp on the nuances of the issue, but this speech provided something new: a prediction that it would take no more than four years to get every American insured under his plan.
"I just want to underscore something — we can get everybody in this country insured," Romney said. "My plan is designed to get everybody in this country insured. My estimate is that from the time you would put in place this program—pass the legislation necessary to put in place this program — within four years every American would be insured."
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Romney Won't Seek Donations To Repay $45 Million "Loan"
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney won't try to acquire donations to repay the $45 million in loans he made to his unsuccessful presidential campaign, The Boston Globe reports. Romney intends to send a letter to the Federal Election Committee that explains he will "forgive the outstanding loans."
"Mitt Romney's priority right now is raising money for other Republicans and not trying to recoup the money he put into his own race," Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom told CBSNews.com.
While not unexpected, the move could help heal any remaining wounds from the bruising primary battle Romney had with presumptive GOP nominee John McCain by demonstrating that Romney has no intention of asking McCain to help him recover some of his debt.
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"Mitt Romney's priority right now is raising money for other Republicans and not trying to recoup the money he put into his own race," Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom told CBSNews.com.
While not unexpected, the move could help heal any remaining wounds from the bruising primary battle Romney had with presumptive GOP nominee John McCain by demonstrating that Romney has no intention of asking McCain to help him recover some of his debt.
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The Romney Tour Rolls On
Former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney stepped in for legendary radio host Paul Harvey yesterday. Harvey is recovering from pneumonia and prepping for surgery, and Romney was one of the guests asked to fill in until his return April 25.
You can check out Romney's radio skills on Harvey's site, by clicking on the Thursday show.
Now, the rest of the story: This is just the latest high-profile move by Romney since he dropped out of the race on Feb. 7th. His campaigning on behalf of presumptive GOP nominee John McCain – and his promise to raise $15 million for the presidential run of a man who he once suggested was similar to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on key issues – has prompted speculation that Romney running for vice president.
Romney boosters suggest that the former venture capitalist could shore up McCain's economic bona fides as the country enters a difficult economic period, but a group of social conservatives have launched an effort to keep Romney off the ticket for being insufficiently socially conservative.*
*CORRECTION: This post initially stated that former Romney supporter and conservative leader Paul Weyrich was behind the "NoMitt" campaign. Weyrich was merely one of those listed as backing the initiative, and he released a statement this week asking that his "involvement in this effort be disregarded." You can read it here.
You can check out Romney's radio skills on Harvey's site, by clicking on the Thursday show.
Now, the rest of the story: This is just the latest high-profile move by Romney since he dropped out of the race on Feb. 7th. His campaigning on behalf of presumptive GOP nominee John McCain – and his promise to raise $15 million for the presidential run of a man who he once suggested was similar to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on key issues – has prompted speculation that Romney running for vice president.
Romney boosters suggest that the former venture capitalist could shore up McCain's economic bona fides as the country enters a difficult economic period, but a group of social conservatives have launched an effort to keep Romney off the ticket for being insufficiently socially conservative.*
*CORRECTION: This post initially stated that former Romney supporter and conservative leader Paul Weyrich was behind the "NoMitt" campaign. Weyrich was merely one of those listed as backing the initiative, and he released a statement this week asking that his "involvement in this effort be disregarded." You can read it here.
Romney Returns To The Fray
CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder has two items out today related to the future of former GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.
The first report relates to a group of prominent conservatives who have formed a group to submit a petition calling on John McCain not to pick Romney as his running mate.
One of the group's sponsors, Moral Majority co-founder Paul Weyrich, had previously endorsed Romney's candidacy. But Ambinder writes that other sponsors are allies of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.
The group is paying for full-page newspaper ads, which tell McCain that Romney "would fatally harm your appeal to voters with deep constitutionalist and social conservative commitments."
And after a short stint out of the limelight, Romney appeared alongside McCain at fundraisers in Colorado and Utah last week. Now, Ambinder writes, Romney's "national leadership team" is scheduled to meet in Houston for a "reunion." A top Romney fundraiser writes in an email to the group that Romney "has asked his supporters to help Senator McCain's campaign financially."
The Beach Boys, who are apparently not among Romney's favorite musical artists, are on the bill to entertain the assembled group.
The first report relates to a group of prominent conservatives who have formed a group to submit a petition calling on John McCain not to pick Romney as his running mate.
One of the group's sponsors, Moral Majority co-founder Paul Weyrich, had previously endorsed Romney's candidacy. But Ambinder writes that other sponsors are allies of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.
The group is paying for full-page newspaper ads, which tell McCain that Romney "would fatally harm your appeal to voters with deep constitutionalist and social conservative commitments."
And after a short stint out of the limelight, Romney appeared alongside McCain at fundraisers in Colorado and Utah last week. Now, Ambinder writes, Romney's "national leadership team" is scheduled to meet in Houston for a "reunion." A top Romney fundraiser writes in an email to the group that Romney "has asked his supporters to help Senator McCain's campaign financially."
The Beach Boys, who are apparently not among Romney's favorite musical artists, are on the bill to entertain the assembled group.
Past Statements Could Make Romney A Tough VP Sell
In his first interview since ending his presidential bid, Mitt Romney said he would "be honored" if John McCain were to select him as his running mate. Appearing on Fox News' "Hannity and Colmes," Romney said that he and John McCain had buried the hatchet since their bitter GOP primary battle.
"There are really no hard feelings, I don't think, on either side of this," he said. "There were no attacks and so forth that make people feel like we will never come together. Instead these campaigns are all coming together. We are supporting our nominee enthusiastically, aggressively. I intend to campaign for Senator McCain. I have already asked my fund-raising team to meet with his team. They've done so. We're laying out ways to support his campaign."
Some conservative pundits including Fred Barnes and Karl Rove have recently made the case that Romney would be a solid choice for McCain.
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"There are really no hard feelings, I don't think, on either side of this," he said. "There were no attacks and so forth that make people feel like we will never come together. Instead these campaigns are all coming together. We are supporting our nominee enthusiastically, aggressively. I intend to campaign for Senator McCain. I have already asked my fund-raising team to meet with his team. They've done so. We're laying out ways to support his campaign."
Some conservative pundits including Fred Barnes and Karl Rove have recently made the case that Romney would be a solid choice for McCain.
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Romney Backer Goes Down Firing
Did Conservative Talk Show Host Laura Ingraham know Mitt Romney was about to suspend his campaign when she was introducing him at CPAC today?
You might not know by the way she was knocking John McCain, now the clear GOP frontrunner.
So much for getting out of the way of McCain's national campaign - Romney's stated reason for stepping aside.
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You might not know by the way she was knocking John McCain, now the clear GOP frontrunner.
So much for getting out of the way of McCain's national campaign - Romney's stated reason for stepping aside.
Continue »
Following Disappointing Super Tuesday, Romney Considers His Options
After a Super Tuesday that put him significantly behind John McCain in the delegate count, Mitt Romney and his advisors are reportedly assessing their options today.
The Romney campaign had planned to advertise in the Washington D.C. and Baltimore markets in advance of the upcoming contests in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia next Tuesday, CNN reports. Now, the campaign is considering whether or not to move forward.
"As of early this AM it was a go," a campaign source told CNN, though an advisor admitted that "it is tough to saddle up" this morning.
After his Jan. 29th loss to McCain in Florida, Romney briefly considered not buying ads in Super Tuesday states, though he ultimately decided to do so. Electing not to advertise would have been a tacit admission that he believed his campaign, into which he has invested more than $35 million of his own money, had become a lost cause.
Meanwhile, Politico reports that the McCain campaign is arguing that Romney's bid is indeed a lost cause. In a memo, McCain strategist Charlie Black suggests "the math is nearly impossible for Mitt Romney to win the nomination."
"The remaining contests account for roughly 963 delegates," Black writes. "For Mitt Romney to match our delegate [count], he would have to win more than 50% of those delegates." Black also notes that because many upcoming contests reward delegates proportionately, not on a winner-take-all basis, "Mitt will have to win by big margins in many states to garner every last delegate."
CBS News estimates that McCain presently has 677 delegates to Mike Huckabee's 159 and Romney's 152. 1,191 delegates are necessary to clinch the GOP nomination.
As the results came in last night, Romney vowed to continue his campaign.
"I think there's some people who thought it was all going to be done tonight, but it's not all done tonight," Romney said. "We're gonna keep on battling. We're gonna go all the way to the convention. We're gonna win this thing, and we're gonna get in the White House."
The Romney campaign had planned to advertise in the Washington D.C. and Baltimore markets in advance of the upcoming contests in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia next Tuesday, CNN reports. Now, the campaign is considering whether or not to move forward.
"As of early this AM it was a go," a campaign source told CNN, though an advisor admitted that "it is tough to saddle up" this morning.
After his Jan. 29th loss to McCain in Florida, Romney briefly considered not buying ads in Super Tuesday states, though he ultimately decided to do so. Electing not to advertise would have been a tacit admission that he believed his campaign, into which he has invested more than $35 million of his own money, had become a lost cause.
Meanwhile, Politico reports that the McCain campaign is arguing that Romney's bid is indeed a lost cause. In a memo, McCain strategist Charlie Black suggests "the math is nearly impossible for Mitt Romney to win the nomination."
"The remaining contests account for roughly 963 delegates," Black writes. "For Mitt Romney to match our delegate [count], he would have to win more than 50% of those delegates." Black also notes that because many upcoming contests reward delegates proportionately, not on a winner-take-all basis, "Mitt will have to win by big margins in many states to garner every last delegate."
CBS News estimates that McCain presently has 677 delegates to Mike Huckabee's 159 and Romney's 152. 1,191 delegates are necessary to clinch the GOP nomination.
As the results came in last night, Romney vowed to continue his campaign.
"I think there's some people who thought it was all going to be done tonight, but it's not all done tonight," Romney said. "We're gonna keep on battling. We're gonna go all the way to the convention. We're gonna win this thing, and we're gonna get in the White House."
Romney Will Run Ads In Super Tuesday States
Last night we noted that Mitt Romney had yet to buy any advertising in Super Tuesday states. Today comes word that he will: CBS News confirms that the Romney campaign is making a "significant ad buy" in California and other Super Tuesday states. The price tag is in the seven figure range, and the governor's decision to make the buy was made this morning.
Romney has spent perhaps $40 million of his own money on his campaign. Coming off losses to John McCain in Florida and South Carolina, the former Massachusetts governor has been debating how much money to invest in advertising before Super Tuesday. Had Romney elected not to advertise, it would have sent a signal that he did not believe he had a legitimate chance at beating out McCain for the GOP nomination.
The Associated Press notes that Romney is worth up to $250 million. He has said that he and his wife have agreed on a cap on personal spending, though he has not said what it is.
Romney has spent perhaps $40 million of his own money on his campaign. Coming off losses to John McCain in Florida and South Carolina, the former Massachusetts governor has been debating how much money to invest in advertising before Super Tuesday. Had Romney elected not to advertise, it would have sent a signal that he did not believe he had a legitimate chance at beating out McCain for the GOP nomination.
The Associated Press notes that Romney is worth up to $250 million. He has said that he and his wife have agreed on a cap on personal spending, though he has not said what it is.
Romney Not Advertising In Super Tuesday States
CBS News has learned that the Mitt Romney campaign has yet to purchase advertisements in the states where voters go to the polls on Feb. 5th, Super Tuesday. Romney, who has already sunk millions of dollars of his own money, is coming off a disappointing second-place finish in Florida.
According to the Associated Press, citing officials with knowledge of internal discussions, the Romney campaign "was not attempting to purchase television advertising time in any of the states on the Super Tuesday calendar." The AP says Romney plans to campaign in California and the other Super Tuesday states.
According to the Associated Press, citing officials with knowledge of internal discussions, the Romney campaign "was not attempting to purchase television advertising time in any of the states on the Super Tuesday calendar." The AP says Romney plans to campaign in California and the other Super Tuesday states.
With Economy Looking Shaky, Romney Stresses Business Background
This morning's stock market dip is bad news for most Americans, but there could be a silver lining for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Throughout his campaign, and in a new ad that begins running today in Florida, Romney has spotlighted his business background. In the Florida ad, Romney opens by telling viewers, "today, our economy is slowing. Many feel anxious about the future."
He then goes on to say he knows "how America works because I've spent my life in the real economy," stressing how he ran a business and "turned around" the Olympics.
"My plan will make our economy strong," Romney continues. "We need to invest in people and businesses with tax cuts that will get us moving again."
If, as the Democrats suggested at last night's presidential debate, John McCain is now the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, an economic downturn could benefit Romney because it takes the spotlight off of McCain's central issue (the war in Iraq) and puts it squarely on the economy, where Romney can claim the stronger resume.
Throughout his campaign, and in a new ad that begins running today in Florida, Romney has spotlighted his business background. In the Florida ad, Romney opens by telling viewers, "today, our economy is slowing. Many feel anxious about the future."
He then goes on to say he knows "how America works because I've spent my life in the real economy," stressing how he ran a business and "turned around" the Olympics.
"My plan will make our economy strong," Romney continues. "We need to invest in people and businesses with tax cuts that will get us moving again."
If, as the Democrats suggested at last night's presidential debate, John McCain is now the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, an economic downturn could benefit Romney because it takes the spotlight off of McCain's central issue (the war in Iraq) and puts it squarely on the economy, where Romney can claim the stronger resume.
Romney's Michigan Ad Tab Runs To $2M
According to statistics compiled by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network (and reported by the Detroit Free Press), Mitt Romney spent over $2 million on television ads in Michigan during the month leading up to today's primary. Since Jan. 4th, John McCain spent $744,000 and Mike Huckabee $483,000 in the state, according to the analysis.
Romney Focused On Michigan
As CBS News' Scott Conroy reports, Mitt Romney is digging in for the long haul. Romney is now seeking more money and vowing to win the Michigan primary, hoping a win there would rejuvenate his presidential campaign following disappointing second-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Romney certainly seems to be turning his focus almost entirely to Michigan, which votes on January 15th: CBS News political consultant Marc Ambinder reports that Romney is presently not airing ads in Florida and South Carolina, two key upcoming primary states.
"Resources are being reallocated as we head into Michigan," Romney's press secretary Eric Fehrnstrom told CBS News. "We are dark for today and tomorrow in those states, but no final decisions have been made."
Romney certainly seems to be turning his focus almost entirely to Michigan, which votes on January 15th: CBS News political consultant Marc Ambinder reports that Romney is presently not airing ads in Florida and South Carolina, two key upcoming primary states.
"Resources are being reallocated as we head into Michigan," Romney's press secretary Eric Fehrnstrom told CBS News. "We are dark for today and tomorrow in those states, but no final decisions have been made."
Romney Focused On Michigan
As CBS News' Scott Conroy reports, Mitt Romney is digging in for the long haul. Romney is now seeking more money and vowing to win the Michigan primary, hoping a win there would rejuvenate his presidential campaign following disappointing second-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Romney certainly seems to be turning his focus almost entirely to Michigan, which votes on January 15th: CBS News political consultant Marc Ambinder reports that Romney is presently not airing ads in Florida and South Carolina, two key upcoming primary states.
"Resources are being reallocated as we head into Michigan," Romney's press secretary Eric Fehrnstrom told CBS News. "We are dark for today and tomorrow in those states, but no final decisions have been made."
Romney certainly seems to be turning his focus almost entirely to Michigan, which votes on January 15th: CBS News political consultant Marc Ambinder reports that Romney is presently not airing ads in Florida and South Carolina, two key upcoming primary states.
"Resources are being reallocated as we head into Michigan," Romney's press secretary Eric Fehrnstrom told CBS News. "We are dark for today and tomorrow in those states, but no final decisions have been made."
Romney's New Hampshire Closer
It's not just the Democrats who can't stop talking about change. On the eve of the New Hampshire primary, Mitt Romney has made it his closing argument.
In a two-minute spot to air tonight on New Hampshire and Massachusetts television, Romney says "those who've spent their careers in Washington can't change Washington" – a not-so-veiled attempt to highlight John McCain's many years in the Senate.
Those Washington insiders, Romney says, have failed at fixing schools, fixing health care, and securing borders. "We need new energy, we need new ideas, and we need new leaders," he continues. "We need people who can turn around Washington. I'm the only candidate for President who's done that in the real world."
Romney's campaign strategy has long been to build momentum by winning the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire. But Romney lost to Mike Huckabee in Iowa, and a New Hampshire loss would be another significant blow to his campaign. Recent polls show the former Massachusetts governor trailing McCain by about 5 points in the Granite State.
In a two-minute spot to air tonight on New Hampshire and Massachusetts television, Romney says "those who've spent their careers in Washington can't change Washington" – a not-so-veiled attempt to highlight John McCain's many years in the Senate.
Those Washington insiders, Romney says, have failed at fixing schools, fixing health care, and securing borders. "We need new energy, we need new ideas, and we need new leaders," he continues. "We need people who can turn around Washington. I'm the only candidate for President who's done that in the real world."
Romney's campaign strategy has long been to build momentum by winning the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire. But Romney lost to Mike Huckabee in Iowa, and a New Hampshire loss would be another significant blow to his campaign. Recent polls show the former Massachusetts governor trailing McCain by about 5 points in the Granite State.
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