Newsweek reports that Mitt Romney is taking a different and unique approach than other potential 2012 candidates are. Unlike other politicians, including Obama himself, who feel compelled to offer their opinion on every issue that stirs controversy, Mitt Romney remains focused on the core issue that worries, as well as, unites Americans: the economy.
But now, while Palin and Co. are using the Ground Zero mosque controversy to burnish their far-right bona fides, Romney is seizing on the kerfuffle as an opportunity to do something else entirely: prove that he’s the only potential Republican nominee with the fortitude to ignore the 24/7 news cycle’s endless array of bright, shiny objects and focus instead on improving what he calls “the foundations of our economic vitality.”
Romney realizes that 2010 isn’t 2008, and he’s betting that 2012 won’t be, either. With the U.S. economy in shambles—and the rest of the Republican pack either too unpolished (Palin), too damaged (Gingrich), or too obscure (Pawlenty) to unseat Obama—the once-and-future candidate sees an opening for himself as the only grown-up, business-savvy, economic-turnaround expert in the race. Back in April, Romney told me what he regretted most about his last presidential run. “I wish I had been more effective in being able to communicate the central rationale of my campaign, which is strengthening the economy, getting better jobs, raising incomes,” he said. “Instead, as a candidate I spent a good deal of time answering questions about social issues.” Note how Romney mixed the past and present tenses. The implication was that he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
Lets hope that the implication is more than just making the same mistake twice, but a potential hint for a second run in 2012.
The fact that Mitt Romney is focusing on the economy is an approach that is helping Mitt win supporters among those who are not usually fans of him. They like the fact that not only is he talking about the economy but that Mitt Romney is offering specific solutions on what he would do, if he was the President, to fix the economy. Even the author of the Newsweek article is impressed by Mitt’s approach to the 9/11 Mosque:
But that’s precisely the point. I, for one, would rather listen to a debate over the merits of competing economic visions—including the views of Romney’s conservative defenders, which are sure to emerge soon—than to self-interested bloviators talking past each other about whether or not a mosque should be as close to Ground Zero as a strip club. I think most voters agree. So kudos to Romney for taking the road less traveled by. In the end, it may make all the difference.
~Jared A.
Two new polls have come out recently showing that Mitt Romney is in the lead among various pollsters.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation conducted a poll in which they asked Republicans participating in the survey to choose among a list of nine potential GOP White House hopefuls. Among the nine potential 2012 candidates, Mitt Romney is at the top. Moreover, it found that who ever becomes the 2012 nominee would have the edge over President Barack Obama if the election were held today.
The poll found that of the nine potential 2012 candidates, 21% of those who participated in the survey supported Mitt Romney, 18% voted for Sarah, 15% chose Newt Gingrich and only 10% wanted Ron Paul. Gov. Haley Barbour, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, and Rep. Mike Pence each received a meager 3% of support and Sen. Rick Santorum got a tiny 2% of the vote.
Not only did the CNN poll find that Mitt was ahead but that he is very popular among Tea Party Republicans:
“More than half of all Republicans we questioned consider themselves Tea Party supporters or active members of the Tea Party movement,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. “Romney tops the list among Tea Party Republicans; Gingrich is next on that list and Palin is in third.”
Another poll conducted by the Clarus Research Group, which was not sponsored or paid for by any client, candidate or political party, asked those who participated in the poll to choose from a list of eleven potential GOP candidates that they would most likely to support. The results of the poll found that although the field is wide open for Republican candidates in 2012, Mitt Romney has taken the lead among those who participated in the poll. Here are the results:
| Mitt Romney | 26 |
| Mike Huckabee | 21 |
| Newt Gingrich | 14 |
| Sarah Palin | 12 |
| Tim Pawlenty | 3 |
| Lamar Alexander | 3 |
| Haley Barbour | 2 |
| Mitch Daniels | 1 |
| John Thune | 1 |
| Other (volunteered) | 2 |
| Undecided/not sure | 15 |
~Jared A.
Photo By Eric Draper/Meg Whitman For Governor 2010
On Saturday, June 5th, two former governors made appearances at two different rallies in southern California to help Meg Whitman with her final push to become the Republican nominee for the California Governorship. One of the former governors was Pete Wilson. The other was Mitt Romney.
The first rally took place in the morning at Escondido Charter High School in San Diego. The second rally took place at noon in Orange County at The Villa Del Sol in Fullerton, California.
I went to the rally in Orange County. The Villa Del Sol wasn’t big enough to hold the crowd that came to the rally. The crowd filled the atrium and people stood where ever they could on the stairways, hallways or balconies. The place wasn’t able to contain the excitement that filled the air.
Mitt Romney was on the stage for only a short time but the audience was thrilled to see him give his endorsement for Meg Whitman. The crowd loved to hear about Mitt’s personal stories about Meg Whitman’s first few days on the job and what it was like to work with her in business. The audience enjoyed hearing Mitt give his personal support for her as she was making her final push to win the California primary.
Tomorrow, June 8th, is the California primary. If Meg Whitman wins the Republican nomination, you can expect to see more of Mitt as he helps his friend become the next governor of California in November.
~Jared A.
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