Romney Talks Jobs in Atlanta, Supports GOP Efforts to Cut Spending, Hires New Communications Advisor

What was Mitt Romney doing in Atlanta, Georgia yesterday?

A whole lot of listening and a little talking.

Romney met privately with business leaders to discuss jobs and the economy. Though Romney hasn’t announced his intentions to run for president, he presumably was also strengthening his fundraising network. During the last presidential race, he came in 3rd place in the GA presidential primary with 30% of the vote.

Romney made another important stop in Atlanta and tweeted about it:

Mitt Romney: Just got a Trim at Tommy’s in Atlanta http://twitpic.com/45fama

Unbeknownst to the Gov, his tweet dispelled a brief false notion bandied about in Twitterville a few weeks ago that he spends hundreds of dollars on John Edwards-like haircuts. (We know that isn’t true – he’s Mr. Frugal!)

Politico 3/2/11

Mitt Romney stopped by Tommy Thomas’s barber shop in Atlanta on Tuesday for a trim.
[...]
Thomas charges $16 for a trim, but he offered to give Romney a cut for free — but the well-coiffed former governor refused and gave Thomas a $20 bill, telling him to keep the change.

Romney tweeted this picture of himself on Tuesday in Atlanta and said: “Brave Tommy, taming the beast with clippers and a comb.”

“He’s got a nice head of hair. He’s got the hair, he’s got the looks, got the whole package,” Thomas told POLITICO.

“We talked about just what’s going on in the economy and things like that,” he added. “Then we cut up about the weather.”

Romney’s unexpected stop lasted about 15 minutes, and he took pictures and talked politics with all of Thomas’s patrons.
[...]

(my emphasis)
Good job, Tommy! Looks like the ‘beast’ got a proper shearing…

UPDATE

Sam Olens, Georgia’s Attorney General, tweeted this today:

samolens: I had a great time at lunch today with our next President, Mitt Romney.

An interesting note… Olens won his election last November, but he had to break through one of the oldest barriers in Georgia politics to do so. He was the first Jewish candidate to win a statewide, partisan race in Georgia. Congratulations to Sam Olens! (Mitt endorsed Olens last fall.)

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Romney was busy yesterday!

We know the Gov is a master at cutting budget waste, staunchly advocates cutting government spending, and wants to stuff Uncle Sam’s credit card in the shredder. To put muscle behind supporting GOP efforts in Washington to cut spending, his Free and Strong America PAC contributed a walloping $83,500 to 40 U.S. Senate and House leaders.

Romney’s statement:

“It is important that we stand with our Republican Members of Congress and show that we support their pro-growth agenda and their efforts to reduce the size of government,” Romney said. “Now is the time for all of us to send a powerful message that Americans will no longer tolerate the Washington culture of higher taxes, higher spending, and higher debt.

To see the substantial list of those receiving donations, click here.

In addition, Romney donated $124,500 to 50 additional U.S. Senate and House Republicans in January. In just two months, his PAC’s total year-to-date generosity comes to over $200,000. Let’s keep up our support for Free and Strong America.

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

News today points further to a presidential run for Gov Romney. He has hired a new Communications Director:

Andrea Saul, a veteran of political campaigns in the western US, is joining Mitt Romney’s political action committee as the Republican readies for a second presidential campaign.

In a statement today, Romney said Saul will serve as a communications adviser to the Free and Strong America PAC.

Review Saul’s substantial credentials here.

Eric Fehrnstrom has been Mitt’s right hand man in taking care of most of Romney’s communications in the past. According to the article, his focus will be more on helping Mitt develop advertising strategy and television commercials (another good Romney candidacy sign!).

Fehrnstrom tweet this morning:

Welcoming Andrea Saul to Romney PAC! Fun fact: Andrea first met Mitt when she was running surrogate ops for McCain-Palin.

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Looking ahead, Governor Romney will continue his listening tour in Florida and New Hampshire this Saturday.

► Jayde Wyatt