Remember Mitt Romney?

By CaraBayles on Wed, Aug 27, 2008 1:37 pm

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The war room The Republican Party War Room HQ are in the backside of an office building?? Off Speer Boulevard, with dilapidated cardboard "McCain" signs pointing to the parking lot. But the inside, covered in posters showing a cartoon Barack Obama and the slogan "A Mile High, an Inch Deep," and "Not Ready 08," along with huge American flags flanking the main desk.

Mitt Romney, flanked by Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart R-Florida, Rep. Eric Cantor R-Virginia and Rep. Marsha Blackburn R-Tennessee, called a press conference to explain beyond the glitz and glamour and the celebrity, that we talk about facts, not just platitudes and aspirations, that we talk about reality and what people have done in the past, and what they will do in the future."

Republicans in Denver Cantor spoke of the cost of fuel and off-shore drilling and Joe Biden's position on Iran. Diaz-Balart spoke of immigration, how Barack Obama never attended bipartisan meetings about the issue. Blackburn spoke about healthcare, saying Obama's proposed "single-payer system would lead to a rationing of healthcare."

Romney spoke of the "gaps in domestic policy" in Obama's platform and his record. "He's said a lot about taxes. You've heard him. At one time or another, he's proposed raising corporate taxes, investment taxes, taxes on social security, taxes on income. His record shows the facts of what he's done: 94 times he has voted to raise taxes, or to prevent a tax decrease," he said. "He's wrong on taxes." Romney also insisted Sen. Obama was wrong on spending, since he's talked about decreasing war spending, though he's used earmarks for spending in his state of Illinois. And John McCain, according to the four Republicans, was right on taxes, foreign policy, immigration and spending. "On the major issues that America faces, we agree," Romney said.

Romney was asked about the Massachusetts model for healthcare, and he said it was one of his presidential campaign points, "But I didn't win." He boasted the success of insurance in our state, claiming "440,000 people are now insured and half of them bought private plans."

not so cute close up For many of the questions he took from the press, Romney would point to his cohorts, indicating he was not the star of the show, that perhaps they would like to field questions clearly directed at him. He stuck to the humility act for the entire press conference. He refused to discuss the possibility of being the Republican VP pick, but there he stood, clearly in the spotlight, with his shoeshine hairdo and his oil slick smile, looking very (vice) presidential, in a Ken doll sort of way.

When asked about Obama's VP pick, Joe Biden, Romney said Biden was clearly picked to bolster the ticket's claim to foreign policy experience. "But if you look at Joe Biden's foreign policy record, it's about 30 years of generally being wrong on foreign policy issues," he said. "He said the US build up during the Reagan years would make the Soviets try to become stronger, when in fact, it led to the end of the Cold War. He said during the first Gulf War, we shouldn't get Sadam Hussein out of Kuwait. He was wrong. He opposed the surge, he was wrong."

One reporter pointed out that Biden and McCain collaborated often on foreign policy.

"Yes, and I didn't say he was wrong every time. Sometimes, he agreed with Sen. McCain" Romney said, sliding right out. "So I'll suggest those were good places, Bosnia, for instance."

adoring fans After the conference, Romney groupies stood outside, pressing against reporters to get a glimpse of him. "If he doesn't come out and say hi to us, I don't think I'll like him anymore," said one young woman who had taken a pilgrimage from Salt Lake City, Utah, the Mecca of Romney's Mormon faith.

Caleb Martinez 18, of Denver, called his friend to postpone plans, explaining "I've just got to get a picture of Romney." When the former governor's flak announced Romney would not be leaving soon, the crowd cleared, with the young volunteers moving to the Arts Center to protest.

Caleb Martinez Martinez, a political science major at the University of Colorado Denver. "I wanna, not just get, you know, book smart, I want to experience the political process. I served as a delegate to my county congressional district at the state convention," he said. "I'm conservative, I've held those beliefs, they're passed down from my family, and I want to continue those traits." But he didn't mind the Democrats converging on his city. "I think it's great for Denver, even though I'm not a Democrat. I think it's good for our economy," he said.