Randomly chosen or familiar faces? Romney takes questions from backers

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks as Republican vice presidential candidate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., listens during a campaign stop at Saint Anselm College on August 20, 2012 in Manchester, New Hampshire.

/ Photo by John Moore/Getty Images

(CBS News) Mitt Romney held the 100th town meeting of his campaign Monday in Manchester, N.H. - the same town where he held his very first last year. He has often remarked to reporters that he truly enjoys hosting such campaign events, feeding off of the energy and spontaneity provided by his questioners.

However, today, it seemed that spontaneity was not quite as omnipresent.

While the top of the event, attended by an estimated 3,000 people, mostly focused on the economy, two questions at the end were about foreign policy, a topic that he and his running mate, Paul Ryan, also present today, have little hands-on experience with during their political careers.

The queries were about Afghanistan and Israel, asking what a Romney-Ryan administration would do to achieve American pursuits in both. Romney took the opportunity in his answers to criticize President Obama for failed leadership abroad, and offered that he would be a much stronger and transparent leader.

The audience members who asked the questions, however, were not strangers.

The Afghanistan question came from New Hampshire state senator Jack Barnes, 80, who is serving his 16th year in the state Senate and was among the first in the state's legislature to endorse Romney last year. His question was followed by one regarding Israel, posed by prominent New Hampshire Tea Party activist Jennifer Horn. Horn is a former congressional candidate in the state, and was heavily involved in the Republican primary process, hosting town meetings featuring many of the candidates though her "We the People" forum group.

Neither Barnes nor Horn identified themselves by name upon taking the microphone, but it seems likely that Romney knew who they were when taking their questions. When Romney answered Barnes' question, he thanked him for his military service, prefacing it with "you know I've said this to you before." After Horn endorsed Romney in December, she has stumped solo and alongside him at multiple campaign-sponsored events.

The Romney campaign did not comment when CBS News asked for reaction.

[olblugill]

1. This is a news article? "he and his running mate, Paul Ryan, also present today, have little hands-on experience with during their political careers." The authors bias is clearly manifested.
2. This was a public forum open to all. What is the big deal if at the end two people who were obviously Romney supporters asked questions? You state most of it dealt with economics and then emphasize at the end two people ask questions. You make it seem like some huge conspiracy. Your article confirms again the liberal bias of the media.
3. As far as "dumb" look at the comments here. Nothing but name calling.

[liberalmike]

Hah reminds me of a few religious zealots who plant people in the audience to be healed on LIVE t.v. lol!!!

Is this all the rpubliCON's got?................a stacked deck?

what a freakin' joke!!!

[AOCGUY]

I don't mind the "planted" question - too bad though he didn't answer it. Saying that he would be a "much stronger and transparent leader" doesn't mean squat. How about this: Gov Romney, please explain what the US Goals are in Afghanistan and what you would do differently to achieve those goals and how will you know when they have been achieved?

[DinFla]

Could RobMe be anymore of a wimp?? He simply isn't cut out for politics. All his whining and asking for apologies and now he stacks the audience because he isn't up for it. He's a cardboard cut-out of a man. There is simply nothing behind the curtain, He won't tell us his top secret plans for when he is president because he has none. God forbid anyone ask him to actually "say something".

[sjc_1]

I guess you can stage it and pretend it is real, but when people find out you are toast.

[Jaylah54200]

Hey, when you only have a few people dumb enough to follow you, you've got to take 'em where you can get 'em, I guess.

[davidd5063]

Fox News exclusives, staged town halls, and Obama bashing - throw in a little fear mongering and a tax cut for the rich and you have "trickle down" and the entire GOP for the past 30 years in a nice tight wrapper.

[esq777]

So Willard and Pretty Boy use a potted plant "rent a crowd." Nice