The Calculations That Led Romney to the Warpath (Details on M. Drudge, M. Rhoades, J. Curl, C. Hurt)

NY Times ^ | 1/28/12 | JIM RUTENBERG and JEFF ZELENY

[maggief]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/matt-rhoades-romney-campaigns-under-the-radar-chief/2011/11/17/gIQARfsyfN_story.html?wprss=rss_style

“People always ask, ‘So what does Matt Rhoades look like?’” said Kevin Madden, a friend and former Romney spokesman. “I always say, ‘When he wants to meet you, he will call you.’ He is Keyser Soze.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyser_S%C3%B6ze)

For Rhoades, this mystique is politically useful, and he’s not about to dispel it.

“Now that he has a job that he could get famous in,” said Steve Schmidt, his old partner in the Bush-Cheney war room, “it’s the furthest thing from his mind.”

On a recent afternoon, the Romney campaign refused to let a reporter into its three-story headquarters in Boston’s North End. Rhoades was also off-limits. Senior Romney advisers agreed to talk — albeit bloodlessly — about Rhoades in an empty Italian restaurant across the street.

Rhoades is a good manager, a loyal worker and a smart guy, they said. He speaks daily with Romney, gives instructions on how to best manage the stripped-down budget and exudes quiet self-confidence.

(snip)

“This is a very message-driven race,” said Beth Myers, Romney’s closest aide, who served as campaign manager in 2008 and hired Rhoades. “And that is right in his wheelhouse.’’

(snip)

Colleagues later credited Rhoades with significantly damaging Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) by characterizing him as a Francophile flip-flopper. (Rhoades apparently finds Romney’s own fluency in French less bothersome.)

(snip)

Griffin, who was leaving the RNC, invited Rhoades to a steak dinner in Miami with Drudge. At that dinner, Griffin passed the torch to Rhoades as Drudge’s chief connection in the GOP. Exactly how that relationship works is a mystery, but Rhoades’s own stock rose as a result and insiders considered it a coup when Romney hired him as communications director for his last campaign.

(snip)

Some reporters go out of their way to curry favor. “ENGAGED,” read an August posting in Politico’s Playbook announcing Rhoades’s engagement to Jamie Loftus, a McCain campaign veteran. It added that he “popped the question Saturday night on the beach in Siasconset, on Nantucket.”

(snip)

http://mittromneycentral.com/tag/jamie-loftus/

ENGAGED: Matt Rhoades, Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign manager, to Jamie Loftus, chief of public and government affairs for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. Loftus, like Rhoades, is an alumnus of the DCI Group. She also worked on the McCain campaign.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI_Group

Industry Public relations
Lobbying
Founded 1996

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jamie-loftus/7/a22/8bb

[maggief]

Pay to play, baby!

[BuckeyeTexan]

Priceless.

[DesertRenegade]

What amazes me is how transparent Drudge has been with his agenda. Years ago I considered Matt a true conservative. He has to still be incredibly rich and already set for life so it bewilders me why he would totally sell out to RINO Romney. If I didn’t know any better, it seems like Drudge wants to destroy the Republican Party.

[Shelayne]

No kidding, Nana!

Man, the gushing over Romney and shrieks for Huckabee to “GET OUT” because Romney was going to lose to McCain was nauseating here. When Fred dropped out, remember all the posts saying, “I’m a Mitten now! Go Mitt!”? No, I didn’t like McCain, either, but Romney? Yeeesh. I was even called a troll for asking a question about Romney. LOL.

Now I read these things about him, I feel like I need a shower. He really is scum.

I remember you and several other determined posters were trying to educate FR about Romney back then. Thank you for that.

[bvw]

Speaking of which:

I ain’t gonna work for Maggie’s brother no more
No, I ain’t gonna work for Maggie’s brother no more
Well, he hands you a nickel
He hands you a dime
He asks you with a grin
If you’re havin’ a good time
Then he fines you every time you slam the door
I ain’t gonna work for Maggie’s brother no more

[bvw]

And the finale verse:

Well, I try my best
To be just like I am
But everybody wants you
To be just like them

[Newton]

All of this reminds me of something I read from the White House Insider over a year ago. I know that there is skepticism regarding WHI but I am offering this a food for thought and you all can draw your own conclusions. (links below).

Obama wants to run against Romney - just like he wanted to run against McCain. His regime has been preparing for it with the Occupy garbage, class warfare, anti wall street movement. He knows - or believes - he can demonize Romney enough to win re-election. On the other side, the RINO faction which is nothing but demonrat lite, wants Romney because he won't disrupt the status quo. Romney wants it as a career move - as though it is his turn and he should be given the presidency. So now we have Newt, who is hitting a nerve with the people, who are beyond fed up with all of this garbage and the RINOs and Obamites didn't see this one coming. So this all out war from the RINOs against Newt is playing right into the Obamites hands. That is what really makes me sick - that Coulter, Drudge et al. are doing nothing but helping Obama....and he doesn't even have to do anything to get Romney - they are doing it for him.

Here are the links:
McCain the Campaign part 1

McCain the Campaign part 2

I'm hoping that Florida throws the polls for a loop and Newt is the winner!

[Kit cat]

He will definitely will not won without us, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR
ROMNEY, under any circumstances. The GOP thinks we will just fall in
line, NO MORE NOT ME,!!!!,!,!

[Ronaldus Magnus]

Mitt Romney is the modern embodiment of Richard Nixon, both in his left-of-center slant and in his ruthless disregard for ethics and honesty. If elected Romney’s slimy and destructive political ambition will damage the Republican party for a generation just like Nixon’s did.

[Newton]

I wish I could vote in FL it makes me sick to my stomach to think that the forces are working over time to foist mittens on us! I’m hoping that SC was a sign of how the rest of the country feels.... also something that has really bothered me, The way that Iowa turned out... it seems like it was rigged to make sure that the image of mittens winning got out there... then quietly it was acknowledged that Santorum won - with enough time to make sure that Rick got no real benefit from that win.

[advertising guy]

bttt

[Kit cat]

I am very depressed because I am finally aware that MONEY is all
that money is all that matters anymore. The ESTABLISHMENT will
Make the decision and that is where the money will go. WE THE PEOPLE
have no choices any longer. I for one have decided I WILL NOT vote
For Rommey and if Obama wins so be it, the GOP be damned I will no
Longer have a candidate crammed down my throat!!!!!! If we all make this
stand we may lose but the ESTABLISHMENT will know they will lose also!! NO MONEY, NO VOTE. Romney spending 17,000,000,00 in Florida
Is just obscene while people in this country are on food stamps, just makes me sick!!!,!

[GlockThe Vote]

I have always like Ron Paul. If you listen to his posts over the years, the man is spot on as to economics.

[dps.inspect]

But to get to the white house these days, you cant’t appear as he does; idiotic on national security; silly antics during debating, ie, acting as though his positions on so many issues are the natural conclusions of a “rational” mind... they are not; and his dopy looking appearance... ain’t gunna get him to the white house... but hey, I’d still vote for him over Obamy...