Raucous Crowd Boos McCain At Romney Event

By: Scott Conroy
Topics: Mitt Romney

(CBS)

From CBS News' Scott Conroy:

DENVER -- A boisterous crowd of several hundred people gathered at a Ford dealership here and gave Mitt Romney the warmest welcome he's received in some time. But they were not so generous to John McCain.

"Senator McCain is a wonderful person," Romney said, drawing loud boos from the crowd.

Romney continued that McCain is a national hero and a man he respects, but then he ran out of kind words for the Arizona senator.

"He happened to say that the economy was not his strong suit," Romney said. "Well, in a time like this—in a country like this—I think it's important to have a president for whom the economy is his strong suit.

The crowd later broke into a loud chant: "We want Mitt! We want Mitt!"

"You're getting the full monty," Romney said. "Don't worry."

At an outdoor press conference after the event, a small group of anti-abortion rights protesters who said they were Alan Keyes supporters held signs and chanted, "Mitt's pro-abortion," causing the hundreds of Romney supporters who remained on site to drown them out with their own pro-Romney chants. Romney supported abortion rights when he ran for Senate in 1994 and governor in 2002, but he changed his mind in office and had an anti-abortion rights record as governor.

At the press conference, Romney touted his endorsement by the Denver Post.

When asked if his campaign was now looking past Feb. 5th, Romney admitted that the race had not gone how he expected it to go.

"You know, I have been so wrong in predicting what would happen," he said. "I mean, I thought I would win Iowa, New Hampshire and Mayor Giuliani would be almost an impregnable force in Florida. And all three of those things ended up being wrong. This race has been so much more fluid then we would have expected that it's really hard to predict what'll happen."

Scott Conroy
Scott Conroy is a National Political Reporter for RealClearPolitics and a contributor for CBS News.
Follow on Twitter »

10 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment


by conspiracygirl February 3, 2008 5:59 PM EST: SGT Campbell,

Since my husband has served longer and outranks you, perhaps these people should listen to him instead... :-)

I know that you have a great committment to your candidate, but Huckabee is ill-prpared for the presidency, both academically and emotionally. He has not overcome certain character flaws, the presence of which would be tragic in a commander-in-chief.

His pettiness and vindictiveness are currently on public display. He is using and abusing his own supporters to achieve an entirely different agenda than the one they are supporting him for. Huckabee is campaigning for McCain.

Ask yourself why he defends McCain and only attacks Romney...? If he were a sincere candidate, he would be going after BOTH their records.

Huckabee is now firmly committed to his own interests, not yours. And if he can use you to obtain them he will do so.

You still have a choice. You can be his pawn or not be his pawn.; Reply to this comment


by marinepatriot February 3, 2008 8:03 AM EST: I HAVE SERVED MY COUNTRY FOR OVER (13) YEARS IN THE MILITARY. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO WATCH (1) VIDEO FOR ME. (THIS IS NOT A R. PAUL VIDEO)

THIS VIDEO HELPS MAKE A CHOICE BETWEEN ROMNEY, MCCAIN AND HUCKABEE.

***I SERVED YOU AND MY COUNTRY, WILL YOU TAKE JUST 1 MINUTE TO HEAR ME?***

HERE IS MY QUICK VIDEO:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnU3G-HCf9w

SEMPER FI
Dan Campbell
Sgt., USMC; Reply to this comment


by jackiern2001 February 2, 2008 4:51 PM EST: THIS KENNEDY ENDORSES ROMNEY

I am a ABM (Anyone But McCain) voter and I am one of many ABMs. I normally vote Independent but I have been so impressed with Romney''s skills, record and values, I registered as a Republican so that I can get my vote in for Romney. If McCain wins the Republican nomination, my vote will go without hesitation to the Democrat nominee. McCain does not have the temperament to be our president. Look at all the F words he has flung at his fellow countrymen/colleagues? What kind of words will he send to world leaders if he doesn''t get his way? McCain is a "bull in a china shop". He lacks diplomacy and class. There is such a thing as too much straight talk. He has a sense of entitlement that we owe him, compounded with years of built up anger. Others go as far as calling him a warmonger. Yes, he is a hero, but we owe him no more than our other veterans. We now have to repair our reputation with the world. Romney can do that because he is a gentleman. He has the negotiation and global diplomacy skills that McCain lacks. So Huckabee supporters, if you truly value who will be choosing the next Supreme Court replacements, a Democrat or a Republican, you know what you now have to do.

Jackie, Mission Viejo, CA; Reply to this comment


by newideas1 February 2, 2008 4:39 PM EST: Am I alone in having gone from viewing Romney as a reasonable (though not my first) choice for President to someone who makes me angrier and angrier with every headline-making sound bite he utters?

How dare any candidate for office say things like a vote for one candidate (Huckabee) is equivalent to a vote for another candidate (McCain). How dare any presidential candidate stand behind a man (Gov. Blunt - MO) while he says that a vote for a candidate (Huckabee) is a "wasted vote."

These types of remarks, and that line of thinking, are completely un-American and are clear attempts to undermine the democratic process and manipulate the media.

If this is a reflection of the current state of politics in this country, then I am disgusted.; Reply to this comment


by jennyowen February 2, 2008 2:14 AM EST: A vote for Mitt Romney is a vote for Wall street, lobbyists, special interest groups and government mandated programs & socialized medicine...Run don''t walk away from Mitt Romney and cast your vote for Huckabee, the only true conservative!!; Reply to this comment


by drnewknee February 2, 2008 2:10 AM EST: A vote for Huckabee is a vote for McCain which is a vote for Hillary.

The only hope for real conservatives is to stop dividing the anti-McCain vote.; Reply to this comment


by conspiracygirl February 2, 2008 12:20 AM EST: Chris George writes: (and I agree!)

McCain is an angry war monger. All he knows is war. He fights his party, he fights his colleagues, he has a deep personal hatred born of years as a prisoner. He sings "bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb Iran" like its a joke, but it reveals who he is, a man forever at war. Reagan and Bush 41 were hawks, but they didn''t joke about war. They were statesmen who understood their place in the world. They spoke softly and carried a big stick. McCain is forever looking for some kind of revenge or payback for what he suffered. That''s not leadership. It''s an obstinant sense of entitlement. He believes America owes him the Presidency. Well Senator, America doesn''t owe you more than it owes any other veteran.; Reply to this comment


by johnjacobs99 February 2, 2008 12:08 AM EST: Go Mitt !!

McCain is a liberal. Look at the newspapers who support him. Huckabee is to wacky with his tax ideas. He is no class act and is certainly not presidential. Huckabee is always broke, showing that he really has limited support. For all those years of running in Arkansas, where is his support?

Mitt Romney 08 - the TRUE conservative; Reply to this comment


by slr38 February 1, 2008 10:21 PM EST: It''s the endorsements people give when they have more to lose than to gain by the endorsement that matter. Ingraham, AND ESPECIALLY HANNITY, have more to lose by endorsing Romney than to gain, since they know they risk alientating the probable winner and his supporters with the endorsement (McCain). It shows Hannity and Ingraham have beliefs that matter more than their personal interests, and it reaffirms to me that they are principled. This is also the reason that Crist and Swarzenegger''s endorsements of McCain mean nothing. They''re opportunistic. They were waiting to see how they could gain the most personally with their endorsements. Unlike most, I believe McCain is a sure loser in the general election -- perhaps the weakest candidate the GOP could run against a democrat, and I think it''s bigotry that''s secretly killing the GOP this election (of the religious variety).; Reply to this comment


by kandereck February 1, 2008 10:03 PM EST: In Wednesday''s debate, McCain''s fix for the economy was a joke!

"Because I know how to lead,%u201D he said. %u201CI led the largest squadron in the United States Navy. And I can hire lots of managers, but leadership is a quality that people look for."

How big is a Navy squadron? 10? 100? 1,000? I don%u2019t know the size of the "Navy%u2019s largest squadron,%u201D but I suspect it is pretty small. Not the kind of %u201CD-Day%u201D command McCain is trying to place in the minds of the voters.

Contrast that with Mitt Romney%u2019s leadership. In business, in the Olympics and in government, Mitt has led thousands and tens of thousands. More importantly, Romney%u2019s world is filled with bright people who have minds of their own. Big egos and entrepreneurs know they won%u2019t get %u201Cthrown in the brig%u201D if they disagree or express contrary thoughts and wishes.

True leadership comes from winning over the minds and actions of followers, not barking orders to underlings who can%u2019t object!

I am a Vietnam veteran, myself. And I respect McCain%u2019s military record. Regretfully, John, you are no Eisenhower. And on the subject of fixing the economy, your experience is zero.; Reply to this comment