Mitt Romney: I’m no back stabber

Boston Herald ^ | 11/8/2003 | Dave Wedge

[GVnana]

Aides blast accusations, not from Mitt camp

By Dave Wedge

Saturday, November 8, 2008 -

Mitt Romney’s camp is firing back at reports his foot soldiers are behind a brutal smear campaign against Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in a backdoor strategy to position the former Bay State governor for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.

“It’s a completely absurd allegation that is totally divorced from the truth,” Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said.

Fox News, the New York Times [NYT] and Newsweek have reported on a host of criticisms of Palin, including that she threw tantrums that made staffers cry and didn’t know Africa was a continent. Several media outlets reported some of the leaks came from within the McCain campaign. But the political blog, The Palmetto Scoop, citing “very good sources,” said it was Romney loyalists working for McCain who were behind the “premeditated last minute sabotage” of Palin.

Fehrnstrom took issue with the Scoop’s claim that as much as 80 percent of Romney’s campaign staff went to work for Sen. John McCain’s team after the GOP primary. Only “a handful” of Romney operatives joined the Arizona senator’s campaign, he said.

“The truth is, there are no former Romney staffers in senior roles at the McCain campaign,” Fehrnstrom said. “I can think of a handful of people, maybe three or four, who went over, all in junior positions.”

However, Romney’s former campaign spokesman Kevin Madden was among the ex-Romney staffers to bash Palin. In an interview on CNN just a week before the election, Madden called Palin “unseasoned” and questioned whether she should have been McCain’s pick.

“When you put out an unknown and you give them 70 days with which to go through a vetting process, both by voters and the national press corps, ugly things can tend to happen,” Madden said.

Since McCain’s loss, Palin has been accused of dragging down the ticket in what her spokeswoman Meg Stapleton reportedly called “a circling firing squad.”

GOP strategist Holly Robichaud, who writes the “Lone Republican” blog for the Herald, said: “It’s definitely Romney’s people. They’ve been doing it for a while. Romney is thinking about running again in 2012 and he needs to kill off Sarah Palin in order to get there.”

Romney himself has defended Palin, calling her a “positive addition to the ticket” in an appearance on CBS’ “Early Show” a week before the election.

“For a first-time candidate on the national stage . . . you’re subject to the national spotlight. It’s more like a national torch,” Romney said. “She has been able to keep cool under the pressure.”

Meanwhile, a new Rasmussen poll shows that 64 percent of Republicans want Palin to be the GOP presidential candidate in 2012 while 11 percent prefer Romney.

[GVnana]

Looks like Kevin Madden should go on THE LIST.

[DieHard the Hunter]

Three words for him: “Et. Tu. Brute.”

[SolidWood]

Was the headline supposed to sound Nixonian? (No insinuation. Milhous was a decent guy...)

[1rudeboy]

This is friggin’ beautiful. The Dem operative who came up with this plan deserves a medal. Axelrod gets kudos, regardless.

[ElkGroveDan]

The Dem operative who came up with this plan deserves a medal.

Her name is Nicolle Wallace. She's a liberal former TV reporter who has been posing as a Republican for a little over 10 years now.

[buccaneer81]

Every homo march in California is hurting Romney's chances for national office.

Thank goodness.

[GVnana]

Yeah, this "unseen third hand" is getting ridiculous. Time for the principals involved to get off their high horses, and start taking names.

It will come down to one person, either a traitor in the ranks or an instigator outside the ranks.

[GOP_Lady]

Good.

[nmh]

Don't believe this crap.

Romney and his supporters are not smearing Sarah Palin.

This is utter bull from the LIBERAL RAG, the BOSTON HEARLD.

BTW, where is McPain? WHY isn't he defending Sarah Palin? Romney flew all over the place after he withdrew to endorse the pain in the arse McPain.

Don't let LIBERALS destroy US.

[Diogenesis]

Bzzzzzzt.

SSDD

Romney who has had NO judgment, honesty, or compliance with the law (except what he made up on the fly).

Romney had his shock troops attack the general citizenry (as he has directed them to attack FReepers)
with Romney's fake troopers sporting fake badges.

Or, how about the story of Romney’s chief staffer who pretended to be a "US special forces operative" (until caught lying),
and who was caught trolling on MySpace page for ... ???? (until caught)

Romney aide’s bogus badges: Sources detail ‘illegal’ security tactic

" Boston Herald - Friday, July 20, 2007
In an apparent violation of the law, a controverisal aide to ex-Gov. Mitt Romney
created phony law enforcement badges that he and other staffers used on the campaign trail
to strong-arm reporters, avoid paying tolls and trick security guards
into giving them immediate access to campaign venues, sources told the Herald.
“They (the aides) knew the badges were fake and probably illegal,”
said a presidential campaign source who asked for anonymity
because the story could damage the individual’s career.
Two additional sources confirmed that the badges - described as bright silver plates with a state seal attached -
were first created and used by Garrity while Romney was still governor."

[sionnsar]

Since McCain’s loss, Palin has been accused of dragging down the ticket

They have got to be kidding. She's the one who energized it.

[mad_as_he$$]

Which list? I started an “Enemy of the Republic” list do you want him there?

[buccaneer81]

Romney is just another RINO. You don't get elected governor of Massachusetts as a Republican by acting like Reagan.

No more RINOs. Including Romney.

[org.whodat]

If you look at the polls you see she made no difference. The election is over.

[GOP_Lady]

Huh?

[Arizona Carolyn]

Kevin Madden was on CNN smearing her even before the election... and he was SUPPOSED to be on our side...

[NavVet]

Romney is not one of “us”.

[buccaneer81]

I believe I made a cogent statement.

[Earthdweller]

I have one thing to say...Nina Easton, Fox news.

[nmh]

I'll; happily vote for him again and

WORK HARD to get him as our next PRESIDENT.

If you want to believe lies, that's your problem.