Mitt Romney eyes smaller footprint, later start for 2012

politico ^ | 11/18/10 4:38 PM EST | Kassie Hunt

[onyx]

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is letting donors know it’ll be a while before he looks to 2012 — and that any presidential campaign he builds will have a much smaller staff than in 2008.

“People are exhausted from the 2010 election, and they’re not anxious to begin right away with the next campaign,” Romney told 245 of his top financial supporters on a conference call Thursday, a Romney aide told POLITICO. His team organized the call to connect with top supporters following a busy 2010 season and discuss Romney’s political future.

Romney also told supporters that his organization will be “smaller in scale than our last effort.”

The rationale, as Romney explained it: In 2008, he was a little-known figure who had to spend millions on a large organization if he was to compete against Arizona Sen. John McCain for the Republican nomination. In that cycle, he announced an exploratory committee in January 2007 and officially announced a bid in February.

This time, January and February will come and go without an announcement, he told his supporters — and he can plan a leaner staff because he’s now a leading national Republican figure and needs a team that can hang on through a prolonged primary campaign amid a crowded GOP field.

Joining him on the call were top staffers certain to be part of any operation, however small, including Beth Myers, his 2008 campaign manager; Spencer Zwick, who was his finance director; Matt Rhoades, who runs his Free and Strong America PAC; and Eric Fehrnstrom, his longtime spokesman.

[onyx]

“A nightstick the size of a telephone pole and the muscle to wield it effortlessly.”

“A nightstick the size of a telephone pole and the muscle to wield it effortlessly.”

“A nightstick the size of a telephone pole and the muscle to wield it effortlessly.”

[onyx]

Preach it, Al B.!! Tell us what this really says!

[Cicero]

Just go away, Mitt. You aren’t wanted.

[Jim Robinson]

FUMR!!

[onyx]

Sounds like he’s receiving our message!

[FrankR]

[Ciexyz]

We want new blood.

[ari-freedom]

I can’t believe he is still a leading national figure. You’d think romneycare would’ve doomed him for good.

[catbertz]

Hey Mitt, You look a little tired these days. You should consider a vacation, a really long one.

[Jim Robinson]

Romney’s hands and teeth are drenched in blood. Innocent blood.

[ColdOne]

Stick a fork in him he’s done!

[SteelTrap]

Ditto amigo - that guy pisses me off. Another nanny stater wanting to run my life. He and the Huckster can suck ol buck.

[J Edgar]

Late start in 2012 => How about 2028? I can live with that number!

[J Edgar]

Late start in 2012 => How about 2028? I can live with that number!

[Windflier]

Interesting. He seems to be intentionally lowering expectations.

Then again, Mitt’s a windsock. He’s got to see what happens after Sarah’s (ineluctable!) announcement before he knows what to do.

This is the same way he’d govern, if he were ever elected.

Sarah’s sharp enough to read this as, “If you announce, and if your buzz and support is as awesome as everyone thinks it’s going to be, I’ll bow out.”

[CharlesWayneCT]

Where is that quote from: “A nightstick the size of a telephone pole...”?

[onyx]

You betcha, FrankR!
Corrupt bastards all.

[Windflier]

I can’t believe he is still a leading national figure.

He's really not.

You’d think romneycare would’ve doomed him for good.

It did.

[OneVike]

Mitt is already dead in the water. Look at this poll result of what Christians think of Mormons.

This is from How Religion Divides and Unites Us. it is a leftist Christian group that is trying to find a way to divide Christians so the Democrats can win. However, their results on what Christians think of Mormons is very telling.

• Mormons like everyone else, while most everyone else dislikes Mormons. Jews are the exception, as they give Mormons a net positive rating. (This suggests that there is a perceived commonality, given that they are both minority religions.)

From my perspective, I see no way a Mormon is ever going to win the republican party nomination. Especially a fired up Christian backed Teaparty group of primary voters.

It also tells me that the republican nomination is Sarah palins to lose, Oh by the way, she will not lose it if she runs.

[Andrea19]

I hope you and the other Palin White Knights lay some plastic wrap over your keyboards.