What Romney Says He Learned From '08 Campaign

AP

CHICAGO -- Former (and likely future) Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is not typically one to spend much time second-guessing himself, but he did open up a bit on Wednesday night when asked to name some mistakes that he made during the 2008 campaign.

"One of the things that's important in running a good campaign is to make sure that you're known for the things that really motivate you, and I needed to do a better job to focus my campaign on the economy and getting the economy right and creating jobs," he said. "And whether through my ads or through my responses to debate questions or on the stump, you know, my power alley is the economy."

Romney's remarks came after he participated in a forum hosted by the nonpartisan McCormick Freedom Project, as part of his nationwide book tour.

He added that the surge in Iraq had been the key issue when he was running in the presidential primaries and that eventual nominee John McCain had benefited by embarking on a highly visible nationwide tour in favor of the surge.

"I mean you can't compete with Sen. McCain on who's most experienced in dealing with Iraq," Romney said. "Then when we came to Michigan, the issue became the economy, and that's of course where I tended to do better. And yeah, I wish I'd have got on that earlier and made that more clear to people as I was out on that stump."

During the hour-long forum, moderator Elizabeth Bracket peppered the former Massachusetts governor with tough questions about his emphatic opposition to the national health care bill that President Obama signed into law on Tuesday, especially in light of Romney's own successful push for universal health care in Massachusetts.

Romney reiterated his affirmation that the manner in which the president went about pushing reform through Congress was a "terrible abuse of power," citing the fact that the bill had no Republican support and decrying "special deals" that were cut with interest groups.

AP

Tanned and well-coiffed as always, Romney's answers were sharp throughout the evening's event, and he often seemed more at ease on stage than he was at times during the 2008 campaign.

He was particularly engaged when PBS's Brackett asked him about his recently released book "No Apology: The Case For American Greatness," the focus of which centers around Romney's belief in the concept of American exceptionalism and the idea that the assertion that the Obama administration hasjeopardized the American era of global dominance.

"Weakness is what invites war and terror," he said. "America's strength, in particular, well, it's the best friend peace has ever known."

The economy may always be the issue most obviously in Romney's wheelhouse, but foreign affairs seem to occupy his attention at least equally as much these days. The substance of Romney's book begins with a discussion of America's role in the world, in which he opines on everything from the decline of the Ottoman Empire to current European perceptions of the United States.

Romney certainly will strive to more effectively emphasize his economic credentials if he does make another run for it in 2012, but don't be surprised if foreign policy is another focal point of his revamped message.

Scott Conroy is a CBS News digital journalist.

[thebob-bob]

Before Obamacare there was ... Romneycare. The government required you to buy insurance. He was for it before he was against it. Give it up Mitt. If you're the nominee, Evangelicals will not vote for you and without their votes, you don't have a chance. Don't you get it????

[arizonacowgirl]

Romney didn't learn a thing, he is still a flipper -

tells all below how Mitt is a fake.
http://mittromney2012potus.blogspot.com/

[pasmalltown]

This says it all:

"Romney's remarks came after he participated in a forum hosted by the nonpartisan McCormick Freedom Project, as part of his nationwide book tour."
He's out hawking book sales, who cares what he learned in 2008?

[arizonacowgirl]

His book tells the tale that Romney has learned nothing.

[koko98-2009]

What he should have learned is that Religious Republicans don't believe Mormons to be Christians. Mormons belong to a cult just like Roman Catholics. Barrack Obama has as much chance of winning the Republican nomination as Romney does.

[camchristensen]

If you believe Mormon's are not Christian, you are obviously ignorant of the religion. They study the King James Version of the Holy Bible. They believe that Jesus Christ is their personal Savior and Redeemer and that having faith in Him is the only way to be saved. They believe in being good people and "doing unto others as you would have them do unto you." Most of all, the proper name of the church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What is not Christian about that?

[sy25]

Romney has done more flip flops than a short order cook at IHOP. No one would really know nor could anyone depend on his philosophies should he ever enter the White House. He would blow the way the wind blows.

[camchristensen]

Can you tell me that you have never voted for a candidate that has ever reversed their position? If you voted for McCain, I hope you said no. McCain's "flip-flopps" as you call them make Romney's look like he changed his mind on whether to order fries or onion rings. Would you rather have a candidate hold to a position that is wrong and destructive to our country or listen to informed opinion and consider the fact that he might actually be human and have been wrong about something? The man currently in the Oval Office has reversed key positions he was elected on. I sure hope you didn't vote for him...