Romney's Strategy In Peril

Washington Post: With Huckabee's Ascent, Bid For Early States Appears In Jeopardy

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Michael D. Shear.

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A year ago, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney gathered his campaign team for the first time at his suburban Boston home. There were PowerPoint presentations, and Ann Romney made sandwiches. "It was like the first day of school," said one senior-level participant.

It was then that Romney put in motion his strategy to become president: Win Iowa and New Hampshire by wooing fiscal and social conservatives, and use that momentum to overwhelm the competition in the primaries that followed. But with less than two weeks before Iowans vote, that strategy is in danger of unraveling because former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee has seized the conservative mantle and has emerged as the front-runner. His sudden rise in the past month -- sparked by passionate support from the same Christian conservatives Romney has been unable to win over -- has raised questions about Romney's strategy.

"In Iowa, someone was always going to challenge Romney as a conservative alternative," said GOP consultant Scott Reed, who managed Robert J. Dole's presidential campaign in 1996. "Huckabee has caught the eyes of social conservatives in Iowa, and the issue is if they have grown enough in numbers to deliver a win."

Romney's advisers bristle at the notion that he could have run his campaign differently. They are particularly sensitive to charges that the former governor changed his positions on abortion, immigration and gay rights to be more in tune with Republican voters, particularly in Iowa. They say his conservative credentials are genuine.

And, they say, they always knew Romney would face a challenge like this, though at the December 2006 meeting, the talk was about former House speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) and former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani -- not Huckabee.

"We were sitting around with a PowerPoint," a senior adviser, one of a half-dozen who were at the December gathering, said on the condition of anonymity. "We weren't sitting around with a crystal ball."

A year later, Romney's top aides spend their time in meetings working to beat back Huckabee's challenge.

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"Are there moments of quiet and sometimes not-so-quiet desperation? Of course," another longtime adviser said. "But . . . this is the strategy we have. We don't have the option of doing anything else."

Campaign spokesman Kevin Madden described the mood at the Boston headquarters as "determined" and "poised" these past few weeks, even as Romney's lead in Iowa has evaporated. He said staff members are following the lead of their candidate, who appeared calm as ever last week as he skipped across Iowa in a rented jet.

On the campaign trail, Romney tells how a friend, Sen. Robert F. Bennett (R-Utah), told him in 2004 that he needed to start making preparations if he wanted to at least have the option of running for president.

Over the next year, Romney formed a PAC that he used to spread money to local candidates in Iowa and New Hampshire. In 2006, he became chairman of the Republican Governors Association, a position that gave him an excuse to travel regularly to those states.

And he began meeting with his brain trust: Spencer Zwick, his finance chief; Robert F. White, a partner at Bain Financial, the firm he started; Beth Myers, who would become his campaign manager; New Hampshire consultant Tom Rath; and Iowa consultant Gentry Collins, who headed the PAC. Benjamin L. Ginsberg was the PAC's lawyer and also a confidant. Ron Kaufman, a top aide to President George H.W. Bush, was present, as were Mike Murphy, a consultant who ran Romney's campaign for governor, and Dave Kochel, an Iowa strategist.

That group conceived the plan for Romney, who was hardly known outside of his home state and Utah.

"There are two ways to run: run as the front-runner, or you play the breakthrough/early-state strategy," said one of Romney's longtime advisers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "You don't get to choose."

The adviser added: "You burrow down deep and spend time building these organizations, going back over and over and over again. You are really playing for three years for about three weeks."

The idea from the beginning was to focus on Romney's business credentials and his reputation as a pragmatic problem-solver, as the savior of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and as governor of Massachusetts. It was assumed that Romney would have to work hard for acceptance in Iowa, where as many as 85 percent of likely Republican caucusgoers are against abortion rights.

"He's a Midwestern guy. He's from Michigan. His family was always well received in Iowa," a longtime adviser said. "We felt pretty good that we could do well in Iowa. And it was self-evident that if you are going to be running against John McCain, who was known in the party, and Rudy Giuliani, the fifth most famous man in the world, an early-state strategy was really the best -- and perhaps only -- way to establish a rationale."

But Romney advisers concede their candidate has spent more time than they planned talking about social issues. They say that is because rival campaigns have forced him to react, and because of the rise of Huckabee, who has coalesced more of the Christian vote than past candidates.

If Huckabee wins the Iowa caucuses Jan. 3, Romney's campaign will have four days to recover before making a stand in New Hampshire, where he is leading in recent opinion polls. Romney aides claim a potential upside for their candidate: Huckabee's meteoric rise has reset expectations for Romney, who will be credited with a meaningful win in Iowa should he pull it off.

Romney no longer talks about Giuliani on the stump. His advisers barely mention former senator Fred D. Thompson (R-Tenn.). The message has become "all Huck, all the time," though in the past several days Romney also has had to contend with a resurgence by McCain in New Hampshire. Romney last week began a barnstorming of three early-voting states by assailing Huckabee as a liberal, adding his own voice to new negative television ads and to mailings that his campaign has begun churning out every day.

On immigration, Romney cited Huckabee's support for a bill that would have granted in-state tuition to illegal immigrants. On crime, he highlighted the 1,033 pardons and commutations Huckabee granted as governor. On the economy, he told reporters that Huckabee presided over a state budget that grew from $6 billion to $16 billion.

"I'm convinced that as people take a close look, that the good, conservative Republicans of South Carolina will be supporting a conservative candidate like myself and they won't be supporting Governor Huckabee," Romney said, campaigning in South Carolina on his way to Iowa. "But time will tell."

Romney received a boost last week when Rep. Tom Tancredo (Colo.) dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed him, saying he believed Romney would protect the country's borders.

Huckabee spent the week basking in newfound popularity in Iowa. A month ago, he was having events in pizza parlors with 40 people and almost no press. Last week, 200 people packed into a raucous event in West Des Moines, with 50 more waiting outside.

Huckabee has described Romney as "desperate," and his descriptions of Huckabee's record as "dishonest," "misleading" and "unfair." For the moment, Romney's advisers insist, they feel apprehension but not panic. "Would we like it to be different? Of course," said one adviser who has been with Romney for years. "You have to trust the team. You have to trust the strategy. You have to trust what your original instinct was. I think that's where the governor is."

Staff writer Perry Bacon Jr. contributed to this report.

[cordonhops]

Definition of Jack Mormon.

"... was made cause of offense by the Utah anti-"Mormon ringites," and was sufficient to discredit the newly arrived governor with them, and led at once to his being denounced as a "Jack-Mormon"- (i. e., one not a member of the church but in sympathy with the "Mormons")." B. H. Roberts, Comprehensive History of the Church, Vol.5, Ch.152, p.596

Lots of people think they know what a Jack Mormon is but they don''t.

[e-mail]

[cordonhops]

For your information. What a "Jack Mormon" is.

A Jack Mormon is not a Mormon who is less active or inactive in the Mormon Church. A Jack Mormon is a person who is not a Mormonn but is frinedly towards the Mormons.

"Your president has already mentioned that Uncle George is not a Mormon. I hope you will forgive me%u2014and I hope this is not a wrong expression%u2014but Uncle George insists that he is a Jack-Mormon. He says that if you do not know what a Jack-Mormon is, to tell you that it is the closest thing to being a Mormon without being one." Assembly Honoring George Luther Barrett, BYU Speeches, October 14, 1960, p.8

Get a load of that! you amateurs.

[e-mail]

[b-easy63]

Hillary cares about her own agendas. The people are just a rung of a ladder to step on. Nothing more.

Posted by bennyblack1 at 02:14 AM : Dec 26, 2007


Whereas Mitt Romney definitely does NOT even care about his people...look at how quick he is to repudiate old friends and supporters and throw them under the bus...then back his car back and forth over the corpses to "prove" they mean nothing to him. And America means nothing to him--just a stepping stone. No one but a complete *** would support a war yet claim his kids should not have to serve, because helping him with his career and empire are more patriotic. NO one decent and honorable that is. We don''t need to know Romney''s history. We can just watch how quickly he guts his staff to avoid association after they are found to do wrong. THAT, like Guiliani boinking his mistress on the public dime--says more than enough!!!

[b-easy63]

It does not matter who the Republican frontrunner or nominee is--all decent Americans LOATHE neo cons and Republicans after the past 7 years of evil and corruption. Without the endorsement of Independents and at least some Democrats, only the rigged voting machines can save them now. And we hear those are being pulled out faster than an 18 yr old guy''s--well.. you get the picture. LOL

[coolprophet]

MORMONS ARE GOOD PEOPLE
There are lots of Mormons where I live. For the most part, they are good people, but they mostly keep to themselves. However, they do have some strange beliefs: that black people are a cursed race; that their missionaries need to wear special undergarments they obtain from their church; celestial marriage; that their God figure, Elohim resides near a star called Kolob; and that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers. There''s more, but I''ll spare you. Research it yourself. I don''t hold anything against Romney for being Mormon, though. I don''t like Romney because he, like Giuliani and McCain is soft on illegal immigration and national sovereignty (as most globalist CFR members are), and he''s a war-monger who approves the use of torture. I love my country, and with a guy like him in office, Old Glory will be coming down soon, and the North American Union flag goes up. They are already minting the "Amero" (the replacement for the Dollar) at the U.S. Mint in Denver, and most people are clueless. Why do you think The Federal Reserve is tanking our Dollar. It''s the age old "Problem Reaction Solution" dialectic--after the central bankers cause our economy to collapse and repossess our leveraged assets, we''ll be begging them to save us with their new, silver-based NAU currency. Forget about controlling immigration under the NAU scheme. There won''t be any borders anymore, or a free America.

[bennyblack1]

Hillary cares about her own agendas. The people are just a rung of a ladder to step on. Nothing more.

[bennyblack1]

that doesn''t mean he''s active. For all we know, he''s a jack Mormon, one who might attend the church and rejects many of the doctrines of the LDS church. Like, does he drink coffee? Does he drink Coca-Cola and Pepsi...or anything with caffein? Does he actually tithe like he''s supposed to (a requirement in LDS)? Does he teach his kids the Doctrine and Covenant? The Pearl of Great Price? And does he actually subscribe to the doctrines of Joseph Smith? You see, you can''t go back in the past to determine the sort of man that he is today. Does he actually attend services every week as required? And, is he actually standing up in the LDS congregation every Sunday and teaching the principles of the LDS church? He may have been certified. But it doesn''t MEAN much of ANYTHING but a parent protecting his young kid from danger. Which may have been a horrible mistake that his father made on his behalf. It should never have happened. But, whatever you do, look at the man TODAY and as the governor. Not when he was young, stupid, and still under the shadow of his parents.

[bennyblack1]

1

[winnersedge4]

Veteran71--I am sure Mitt is praying. Do you pray? Have you had a chance to "reflect" on yourself? Take a deeper look--at yourself before you judge. Listen to yourself. Take this words in your heart, "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. Proud and haughty scorner is his, name, who dealeth in proud wrath (Proverbs 21:23-24). Have a delightful day:)

[hillary4sout]

HILLARY 08 THE ONLY ONE IN THE RACE THAT REALLY CARES ABOUT PEOPLE. DID YALL SEE THE ARTICAL ON OBAMA AN THE POOR. HE COULD NOT EVEN LOOK THE DUDE IN THE FACE AN SAY THAT HE FELT HIS PAIN, WHY BECAUSE HE HAS HAD MONEY ALL HIS LIFE IT''''S NOT LIKE HE IS FORM THE "HOOD" YOU KNOW AN HAD TO PULL HIMSELF UP OUT OF DIER POVERTY THE FAKE BBBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH ON OBAMA GIVE EM HILL HILLARY HE IS A FAKE AN HE KNOWS IT ..........GO WATCH THAT TALK SHOW, YOU KNOW THE ONE WITH THE BLACK FEMALE "O" WHO GIVES AWAY CARS TO POOR WHITE WOMEN WHO ADORE HER AN MAKE HER RICHER AS SHE LOL @ THEM WHILE SHE SLEEPS, HEVEN HELP US IF THIS A** IS ELECTED PRESIDENT HILLARY ALL THE WAY ... HILLARY 08 .. AN OH YEAH GOP IM SURE OBAMA THANKS YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AN MONEY YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN HIM HE STILL WONT WIN YOU NUT CAKES .. WE ARE SMARTER THAN YOU THINK GOP .... THANK GOD WE HAVE ONE OF YOUR OWN DAUGHTERS RUNING AGINST YOU YES WE KNOW HILLARY WAS REPUBLICAN BEFORE SHE MARRIED BILL SO THAT LEAVES US NOW WITH YOUR OWN WHO WILL BECOME PRESIDENT UNDER THE DEM ROOF AN PUT YOU TO OPEN SHAME IN THE GENERAL ELECTION .. HILLARY ALL THE WAY .........08

[frb01]

Hillary has a high negative rating which will prevent her from winning the presidency. Romney''s biggest problem is that 39% of those polled won''t vote for a Mormon, don''t ask me why. He also comes across as not being very sincere. Say what you want about Huckabee, but he comes across as a nice guy and someone you would want as a neighbor, much like Obama has that same trait. The pundits need to get in the game, with Ron Paul getting all that fundraising money, all bets are off on traditional poll taking.

[formrusmcsgt]

This country cannot afford another liar.

Posted by jcnbma at 11:52 PM : Dec 24, 2007

Considering that our system makes it impossible for an honest person to get the job, I think your in for a dissapointment regardless of who wins.

People don''t come up with $200 million dollars, which is what it takes to compete, without some payback. Yet they all say they are looking out for "us".

Colin Powell, who in my view towers over all the candidates running, mused in his autobiography "My American Journey" that "an honest man can''t raise $200 million dollars (updated from $50 million) to run for the presidency".....

And he was right.

Our campaign finance syatem is designed for influence to be peddled ahead of time so that individuals are beholding when they sit down the first time at the desk. And then the payback starts at the expense of all of us.

[gkc99]

"Furthermore, only LDS in the priesthood wear that stuff. He''''s not in the priesthood. He''''s not a bishop, an elder, or even a counselor. --"Posted by bennyblack1


What are you talking about! He was certified as a preacher by the Mormon church and his powerful daddy so he could skip Vietnam! Only real preacher men could avoid combat that way!

So Tancredo is another chickenshithawk? One chickenshithawk endorsing another!

It''s amazing how the most vicious, warlike sadists of the neoconscum movement are the biggest personal cowards. These guys supported the Vietnam war, but thought it was just find for the Nigras and Po''-Boys to do their dying for them.

John Kerry went to Vietnam, then came out against the war.

For this the Neocockroaches smeared his name.

It''s time for the Neococks*ckers to end up on the $hitheap of history as the lying vermin they are.

[jsilver2th]

"Romney received a boost last week when Rep. Tom Tancredo (Colo.) dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed him..."

Ha Ha Ha Ha

Another draft dodger like Mitt...

"While in college, Tancredo was active with the College Republicans and a conservative, nonpartisan organization, Young Americans for Freedom (YAF). Tancredo was in favor of the Vietnam War and spoke in support of the conflict as a Republican student activist. He became eligible to serve in Vietnam after graduating from the University of Northern Colorado in June 1969. Tancredo has said he went for his physical, telling doctors he''d been treated for depression, and eventually got a "1-Y" deferment..."

[jsilver2th]

Maybe Mitt should bring back is Senate Liason Larry Craig to patch things up.

[smirk5]

I marched with Genghis Kahn and his roaming hoards. Figuratively, that is.

[bennyblack1]

And Dan;
This is one HECK of a time to start learning.

[bennyblack1]

Dan;
but you are right. If he can''t talk or communicate, he''s going to be a problem. He''s not asking for support because he knows he''s not a popular governor, and probably won''t get it.

[bennyblack1]

dan
That just says he''s an unpopular governor. That''s pretty much ALL it says. The right decision is not always the most popular decision.

[bennyblack1]

Oh no! Did I say "Illuminati!"