Posted on 05/22/2007 4:01:41 PM PDT by Reaganesque
BOSTON -- For Mitt Romney, the multimillionaire venture capitalist turned Olympic savior turned politician, all is going according to plan.
With an eye-popping $21 million raised in the first quarter of this year for his presidential campaign and a steady stream of television advertising, the one-term former governor of Massachusetts has caught the attention of both voters and political insiders. Star turns at the first two Republican debates gave his candidacy yet another shot of credibility.
And now, recent polls in the early-voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire show Romney surging with a double-digit lead over Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The Des Moines Register put Romney's standing at 30 percent, 12 points ahead of McCain and 13 points over Giuliani. A Zogby poll in New Hampshire shows Romney at 35 percent, with both McCain and Giuliani at just 19.
At Fenway Park Monday, during an interview in a corporate skybox along the first-base line, Romney said the administration's missteps in Iraq may have prolonged American involvement there and his own approach to decision-making could have shortened it.
"I think we made a number of miscalculations in the Iraq war," he said, sitting forward in a brown leather club chair. "I think we were under-prepared for what actually existed in Iraq. We were under-planned for what we would do when Saddam Hussein was replaced. We under-managed the troops, so we have created many of the difficulties and extended the conflict longer than may have been necessary."
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
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Romney’s OK but I like Rudy or Hunter the most.
I’ve been impressed with Hunter thus far. I wouldn’t mind him as the nominee either.
Personally, I believe the above is remarkable! Go Mitt! : )
I do get the sense he’s peaking too soon - there are still more than six months to go.
Am I crazy?
No don’t peak too soon!
"I think we made a number of miscalculations in the Iraq war," he said, sitting forward in a brown leather club chair. "I think we were under-prepared for what actually existed in Iraq. We were under-planned for what we would do when Saddam Hussein was replaced. We under-managed the troops, so we have created many of the difficulties and extended the conflict longer than may have been necessary."
I've been interested to know what he would have done differently. It's easy enough to say we were under-prepared, under-planned, and under-managed (similar to what McCrazy says, too). But, why? Was it a defect in intel? A defect in military leadership? I'd like to know what Mitt would do as CIC to discover and repair whatever defects lead to this situation.
Its been a good week for Mitt and a bad week for McGoring.
Unless Mitt acually does go out and shoot Guatemalans, his recent surge has been good.
Not my choice, but Mitt looks more appealing than the other two Media Darings (Rudy, McGoring)
Only time will tell. But remember, Mitt Romney is a CEO and a successful planner. I feel that he is pacing himself. If it appears that he is “peaking” too soon, then it’s only because people are finally discovering who he is and what he stands for. We shall see if he can stand the test of time.
Only time will tell. But remember, Mitt Romney is a CEO and a successful planner. I feel that he is pacing himself. If it appears that he is “peaking” too soon, then it’s only because people are finally discovering who he is and what he stands for. We shall see if he can stand the test of time.
Of course you’re not crazy. It is a concern. But there are others who would have a better sense of this than I, though six months is a long time, you’re right.
Hunter does not have the organization or the money. He is great but not likely overcome his liabilities. Rudy is toast. His weakness on immigration should sink him.
Well, I did hear Romney imply in the 60 Minutes interview that the prevailing belief in the White House that democracy in Iraq would be "welcomed with open arms" was the wrong presumption. Based on that, I think the whole approach to the war might have been executed differently--Romney seems to be big on using your allies against your enemies as I've heard him speak of potentially using China against Iran, as an example. To me, that suggests he might have preferred we use a little more political and economic pressure rather than strictly military action. But again, that's entirely my own speculation.
"I'd like to know what Mitt would do as CIC to discover and repair whatever defects lead to this situation."
Again, I'm just taking a stab here but my guess is that Romney would employ the old Bain way of doing things--question everything, debate all sides, and then plan your attack...it seems to have worked quite well for him in the past. Hugh Hewitt's book does a pretty good job explaining how Romney used the approach at Bain, the Olympics, and in MA.
He’s still in the single digits in the national polls so, there’s a ways to go yet. The strategy, for now, is to win the first few primaries and build name recognition and momentum and it seems to be working. Still, it is a long way to the Convention and anything can happen but, if anyone can manage momentum, its Mitt Romney.
I don't understand the hatred against Romney here. Of the so-called Big Three, he's the one I'll vote for if he's nominated.
Bump!
“He would take an objective look at our burgeoning federal entitlement programs and departments, and likely downsize or eliminate them.”
You would certainly hope so; but remember that the federal government is an entirely different beast. For all his political skill, Reagan couldn’t even drop the Department of Education.
I think such expectations are maybe overoptimistic, even for a proven executive such as Romney.
WRONG
National Defense, Law and Order, Economic freedom, tax policies, the key issues.
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