DETROIT - It’s been nostalgia week for Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney as he campaigns in his native Michigan trying to find some momentum for his bid.
The former Massachusetts governor was born in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. and now is counting on the Great Lakes State, which votes on Tuesday, to revive his campaign after he came in second in the first two key early nominating contests Iowa and New Hampshire.
Trying to round up votes on the trail, Romney frequently recounts his childhood in the state, his father’s service as its governor, going to the annual auto show with him (and Romney will visit again Monday), as well as reminding voters that his mother and father are buried here.
Romney visited the state capitol in Lansing and paid homage by his father’s portrait in the rotunda. At another stop in Livonia, his first grade teacher showed up to say hello. And then at a raucous rally in Southfield, Mich. on Sunday a supporter brought a sign from his father’s 1968 failed presidential campaign.
However, it remains to be seen whether Romney’s family history in the state will provide enough coat-tails for the White House hopeful.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
- Photo credit: Reuters/John Gress
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9 comments so far
[...] this race; while Romney has an edge on the economy and is drawing interest for his native appeal (hyped even more by Mitt himself) and business-related background, JMac still has great feelings among the powerful independents in [...]
- Posted by Political Buzz » The BuzzThat’s kind of funny. While he ran to the left of Ted Kennedy he couldn’t remember anything about Reagan when he was asked but, now his memory has suddenly returned…how convenient;
Candidate Research - Know Who You’re Voting For ( The Easy Way )
- Posted by Winghunterhttp://sayanythingblog.com/readers/entry /candidate_research_know_who_youre_voti ng_for/
Mitt Romney ignored the economic problems in Detroit and the suffering of their people, but ran to Utah to bail them out of their problems with the Olymipic games.
Romney’s loyalty is to Utah, the Mormon stronghold. They preside over him. And if he presides over America, Utah Mormons will preside through him.
To a lifelong Mormon, all non lifelong Mormons are second class citizens. Don’t let him do what Mormons do best, present a good image. Underneath that pretty picture is a very ugly reality.
- Posted by Rick Van WeeldenDear Rick Van Weelden,
Mitt Romney was asked to come help with the Olympics. For those of us who live in Utah we followed the story closely and knew that the situation was really a mess. I also attended the Olympic games and saw first hand that it was a VERY WELL organized success!
After living in seven states and four countries I am now a “Utah Mormon.” To me your argument is absolutely absurd. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints does not want Mitt Romney to speak for us, and Mitt Romney does not want to speak for the Church. It’s the same way we don’t want Harry Reid to be a spokesman. What evidence do you have for such an outlandish assertation?
Your statement, “Don’t let him do what Mormons do best, present a good image. Underneath that pretty picture is a very ugly reality.” is evidence that you are not interested in truth. Many people may disagree with LDS theology, but it is commonly accepted that Mormons are sincerely good people and good citizens.
- Posted by MelissaYou mean a person that buys elections and America?
(per Newsweek) http://www.newsweek.com/id/91664
“Romney had hired Warren Tompkins as a South Carolina consultant. Known admiringly in the political trade as “the god of hell,” Tompkins is legendary in the state as a disciple of the late Lee Atwater, an old Bush-family operative and perhaps the most renowned modern practitioner of campaign dark arts. The old Atwater attack machine may have been switched off, or at least turned down. Still, Tompkins, who has always denied authorship of the nastiest attacks on McCain in 2000, tells NEWSWEEK that he doubts the state’s primary will suddenly become a model of civility.”
(source Newsweek)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/91664
- Posted by Dan CampbellBetter see what the former Mass. Governor says about Romney. SHe didn’t even get paid to say it!
“Before Romney had even finished delivering the speech one of McCain’s surrogates, Former Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift, issued a response:”Michigan voters shouldn’t be fooled by Mitt Romney’s latest campaign promises of economic development and job growth. They need to look closely at his record in Massachusetts, where manufacturing job growth was third-worst in the country and taxes and ‘fees’ increased by over $700 million per year. Mitt Romney even advocated a new SUV tax that would have hurt the same American auto industry in Michigan that he now claims to champion. Mitt Romney has a reputation of saying anything to win. A comparison of his record versus his rhetoric on the economy shows why.”
(source Fox news) http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/01/ 14/romney-addresses-the-detroit-economic -club/
The USA toady polls show Romney is in third place
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/el ection2008/poll-tracker.htm#Close
- Posted by Dan CampbellMichigan Romney Backer Switches to Huckabee
by John Gizzi
Posted: 01/14/2008
As most polls of likely primary voters in Michigan now show a near-tie between Republicans Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and John McCain, the Romney camp got a jolt Saturday as a key backer announced he was switching his support to Huckabee.
With three days to go before the primary, State Rep. Fulton J. Sheen of Allegan County, introduced Huckabee at the Amway Grand Hotel and announced he was changing to the former Arkansas governor from native Michigander Romney. In an exclusive interview the evening before his announcement, stalwart conservative Sheen — namesake-nephew of the legendary Roman Catholic bishop in the 1940’s and ‘50’s — said that Romney’s attacks on Huckabee’s Fair Tax proposal convinced him to switch to the Arkansas man.
source
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?i d=24432&page=1&cp=1#hec95554
I am jumping up and down!!!!!!!!! Huckabee all the way!!!!!!!!!!
- Posted by DanVan Weelden’s ignorance is astonishing.
Mitt Romney did the impossible by saving the Olympic games in Salt Lake City. Through the overwhelming, difficult challenges of cleaning up a huge mess that he did not create, he donated his $800,0000+ salary to charity and gave a million dollars of his own money to help get the games back on track!
Along with the grueling work of turning Massachusetts around, he DID NOT accept a salary while serving as Governor of that state.
Romney’s loyalty is to his WIFE and FAMILY. The ignorant and bigoted assertion that Utah Mormons will preside through him is absurd.
Lifelong Mormons do NOT view non lifelong Mormons as second-class citizens - they are some of the most generous, service-oriented, hard-working people on the earth.
Anyone who works for free for his country and the Olympics is very generous and committed. The undisputable fact that Mitt Romney was successful in those endeavours is evidence that he has the skills, knowledge, wisdom, and temperament to be president of this country.
Romney’s accomplishments, selflessness, and family life are the real proof of his character. Our nation would be wise to vote for Mitt Romeny and put him at the helm of our troubled nation.
- Posted by J WellsAs a Michgan resident for 43 years I know how bad it is here state-wide. Pandering to the “Big Three” and tax cuts won’t help anymore. If real change is to happen here politicians need to think regionally. Hats off to Mayor Daly of Chicago for recognizing this, and a need for mass transport and livable communities that are not just design to accomodate the automobile.
- Posted by Marjarita