From the Archives – Romney pledges to run a different campaign

The Concord Monitor has the story.

A no-new-taxes pledge: Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney was against it before he signed it. In the latest shift for Romney (his changing positions on abortion and same-sex marriage have been well-publicized), he recently signed a “taxpayer protection pledge” sponsored by the Grover Norquist-led Americans for Tax Reform. In 2002, according to the Boston Globe, Romney declined to sign a written pledge not to raise taxes. Previous Republican governors, including Romney’s predecessor, Jane Swift, had signed it. At the time, Romney’s spokesman derided no-tax pledges as “government by gimmickry,” the Globe said.

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From the Archives : Romney: No to gay marriage, despite “equality” support

Des Moines Register has the story.

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney affirmed his opposition to gay marriage while visiting Iowa on Wednesday.nnThe stop marked the Republican presidential prospect’s first trip back to the leadoff caucus state since questions about his gay-rights position re-emerged last week.

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From the Archives : Romney connecting quickly with bloggers

The Boston Globe has the story.

Over cold cuts, cookies, and soft drinks, Governor Mitt Romney made his presidential pitch two Sundays ago to prominent Tennessee Republicans at the home of a newly elected state senator outside Nashville. Romney’s public schedule that day didn’t list the event. Members of the mainstream press weren’t invited. But influential Nashville-area bloggers Bill Hobbs and Nathan Moore were, and both penned accounts Romney must have liked. Hobbs likened the governor to Ronald Reagan. Moore called Romney impressive and declared him “a formidable candidate for the 2008 nomination.

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From the Archives : Romney huddles with family at Utah retreat

Salt Lake Tibune has the story.

Days away from launching the first leg of his presidential bid, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is skiing, dining and huddling with family members and associates in Utah before jetting back to Boston on Sunday. “We’ve already begun a series of, if you will, fireside chats with my family – my five daughters-in-law, my five sons, and Ann and I have a spent a lot of time talking about the future of our country,” Romney told Human Events, a conservative weekly, in an interview published Thursday on the publication’s Web site.

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From the Archives : Romney left Mass. on 212 days in 2006

Boston.com has the story. Laying the foundation of a presidential candidacy, Governor Mitt Romney has spent all or part of 212 days outside Massachusetts so far in 2006, an average of more than four days on the road each week, a Globe review of his public schedules shows. Since announcing a year ago he would not seek reelection, Romney has been a one-man barnstorming show, traveling to 35 states and eight countries and logging well over 200,000 air miles.

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From the Archives: Romney, the absent Governor

Romney skips Marine’s funeral – One cannot be in two places at once, but Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney surely wishes it could be so. He is taking flak for spending considerable time away from his job in Boston. With an eye on 2008, Romney is fervently working early primary states like South Carolina and Michigan.  He is spending time and money supporting other Republican candidates in those states. But by doing so, he has been absent from Mass. for 23 of the past 35 days. The operative idea behind all this frenetic travel and spending is, of course, the ancient political doctrine of quid pro quo. If Romney can help candidates win in November’s mid-term election, then he can theoretically reap political capital come 2008. For all potential presidential candidates, the current election season is all about what favors can be bestowed upon local officials in early battleground states with the hope of reciprocity in 2008. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has pledged to return home for important occasions and prided himself on attending the funerals of state servicemen, skipped the funeral of a Marine yesterday to campaign in South Carolina and Michigan. “Gov. Romney was not at the funeral because he was out of state,” Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney’s communications director, said. “He spoke with the widow and the soldier’s mother, and the widow is coming to meet with him privately.”

Source: Concord Monitor

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From the archives: Romney bags Rove-like strategist

Via L.A. Times:  Mass. Governor Hires Jeb Bush Aide for ’08 Bid. So many candidates, so few strategists. There are just so many good Republican strategists available for hire and Mitt Romney has bagged one of the better operators for his 2008 presidential bid: Sally Bradshaw, a longtime political advisor and confidante to Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, confirmed Thursday that she has signed on as a consultant to Romney’s political action committee. Known in Florida circles as Jeb Bush’s equivalent to President Bush’s Karl Rove, Bradshaw will advise the Romney campaign on navigating the complicated political contours of the most populous battleground state. But more important in the context of what is likely to be a competitive GOP primary, Bradshaw\’s presence helps Romney shore up his credentials with conservatives who view the Florida governor as one of their favorite Republicans.

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The Binge-Purge Politics Of 2012

In the days following the umpteenth Republican presidential debate — Tuesday night in New Hampshire — America continues to ladle praise on its newfound hero: pizza mogul Herman Cain. A just-released NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll shows that Cain has the support of 27 percent of Republican primary voters, versus Mitt Romney’s 23 percent and Rick Perry’s 16 percent. A recent Rasmussen Poll of likely Republican primary voters puts Cain at 29 percent, tied with Romney. And according to American Research Group, Cain is outrunning Romney, 34 percent to 28 percent, among likely Florida Republican primary voters.

NPR

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Why Nevada’s Latino vote could make the difference in the 2012 election

A tour outside the casino zone in Las Vegas reveals the Latino influence in Nevada. The billboards and shops advertising in Spanish anything from Mexican, Venezuelan or Salvadoran food to a relaxing massage are just as prevalent as the iconic neon signs in Las Vegas.

- CNN.com

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Five Bellwethers to Watch in 2012

The term “bellwether” is often bandied about in election conversations, but in this case its meaning is two-fold: a state that reads the mood of the rest of the country and one a candidate strategically needs to carry in order to win the White House. Since the election is still 14 months away, it’s difficult to definitively apply this label to specific states. But looking at one state each from the Rust Belt, the Midwest, New England, the Mountain West, and the South gives us a viable barometer of where those regions appear to be headed next November.

RealClearPolitics

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Sabato: Romney’s Mormon Faith Won’t Cost Him 2012 Election

Political virtuoso Larry J. Sabato of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics says Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith will be “a much more minor issue than people think” in the 2012 GOP presidential nomination. NewsMax

 

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What if the 2012 election doesn’t change anything?

For months, politicians have been pointing to the 2012 election as a final judgment (or at least the next judgment) on what the American people want from their government and elected officials. - The Washington Post

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Hispanics Take Center Stage In 2012 Elections

CHARLOTTE, NC – New Census data indicates Latinos could play a critical role in the 2012 elections. This information comes out just as President Obama hits an all-time low with Hispanic support. And except for Texas Governor Rick Perry, Republican presidential candidates are taking a hard line on immigration. Does this mean an important voter bloc is up for grabs?

FOX Charlotte

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US election 2012: Jon Huntsman says US must expand foreign ties

English: Jon Huntsman at a political conferenc...

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Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman called on Monday for a new era of U.S. global engagement based on strong economic partnerships and a leading role in what he said would be a new “Pacific Century.”

Telegraph (UK)

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How Obama’s data-crunching prowess may get him re-elected

Obama may be struggling in the polls and even losing support among his core boosters, but when it comes to the modern mechanics of identifying, connecting with and mobilizing voters, as well as the challenge of integrating voter information with the complex internal workings of a national campaign, his team is way ahead of the Republican pack.

CNN

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‘Now Is Not My Time’ to Run, Christie Says

Saying “now is not my time,” Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey announced

Governor of New Jersey at a town hall in Hills...

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that he would not seek the Republican nomination for the presidency.

NYT

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2012 Election Could Generate $3.2 Billion in TV Ads

According to the Los Angeles Times, candidates, party committees, and special interest groups are combined expected to boost TV ad spending well above the amounts spent during the 2008 and 2010 elections.

Mediabistro

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The 54 trillion dollar question: Is Obama on his way out?

In the run-up to his election victory, Mr Obama won praise for keeping quiet about the economy. It was the time of the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers, and the financial situation was shifting quickly: since it was hard for anyone to predict what would come next, silence seemed wise.

Daily Mail (UK)

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Why the 2012 election could be an ugly one

Remember when people wanted the president to get angry? Reporters poked him to let off a little steam over AIG bonuses. There were calls again during the BP oil spill. Now Obama gets mad all the time. On Tuesday, he called out House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. Last Saturday, the venue was the Congressional Black Caucus dinner. Claiming Republicans don’t want to pass anything that would give the president a victory, he has taken to saying: “Give me a win? Give me a win? Give me a break.”

CBS/Slate

Official portrait of Congressman .

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CNN Adds Frum and Cardona to 2012 Election Team

CNN continued to beef up its roster of 2012 political contributors with the addition Democratic strategist Maria Cardona and conservative columnist David Frum.

Mediabistro

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