Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like Mitt Romney

By: Scott Conroy
Topics: Mitt Romney

(CBS)

From CBS News' Scott Conroy:

BOCA RATON, FLA. -- At a pre-debate rally at Bogart's Bar & Grille, Mitt Romney prepared the excited crowd for what to expect when the five leading GOP candidates take the stage.

"Tonight I predict that most of the guns will be aimed at me," Romney said to the cheering crowd of about 150 people.

"I predict they're gonna be shooting shots one after the other and they're gonna miss, but they're gonna shoot time and time again. But you know, if they're shooting at me that means I'm the guy they're worried about and for good reason, and for good reason, because we are going to win Florida!"

Romney, who often says he doesn't like to make predictions, also predicted that he was going to win Iowa, New Hampshire and Michigan (he lost the first two but did win Michigan).

If the past is any indication, the former Massachusetts governor has good reason to believe he'll be the focal point of tonight's GOP showdown in Boca Raton. In most of the debates in recent weeks, Romney been the recipient of a slew of personal barbs from the other Republican candidates. He and John McCain are vying for the lead in Florida, according to most recent polls.

"So give it your best shot, we'll go back to that great Muhammad Ali strategy," Romney said. "Remember the rope-a-dope strategy? Go ahead and just hit, hit, hit and I'll just keep on taking, taking, taking, and the more they hit me, the more I'm able to talk and describe my vision for the future and talk about how I believe we can create more jobs in our economy and have a brighter future and I can talk about optimism and contrast my optimism with inside the Beltway pessimism."

The referee rings the opening bell at 9 p.m. Eastern Time tonight.

Scott Conroy
Scott Conroy is a National Political Reporter for RealClearPolitics and a contributor for CBS News.
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by kidflake January 25, 2008 3:48 PM EST: Gov. Huckabee''s best shot was below the belt - a lame joke about Romney spending his sons inheritance. Is he jealous? Does he want to be adopted? Does he wish he could run a billion dollar company? Or does he just want Jay Leno''s job?; Reply to this comment


by l00ker January 25, 2008 12:25 AM EST: That''s right Gov; like Pat Benatar said, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", fire away. Good Luck tonight.; Reply to this comment