Exclusive Coverage: Mitt Romney To Challenge Obama In DEMOCRATIC Primaries As Well.
Mitt Romney, presently running well in the GOP primaries, announced today that he will also seek the Democratic nomination for President. He told this reporter, who had been suspiciously hanging out at his Massachusetts HQ, “I sense an opportunity. The President’s falling in popularity, even in Democratic strongholds. In the business world, you jump or you sink. I’m jumping. If I win both primaries, it’ll be an exciting campaign next Fall. I’m quite good at debating, as you know.”
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His campaign staff is already hiring additional advisers who possess well-regarded Democratic party credentials. Enemies and nemeses have suddenly become best friends. James Carville has already accepted a position on the Dem side to be “near my wife who’s on the GOP side of Romney’s staff.” Ms. Malkin refused to comment. Also considering an appointment to the Democratic primary staff is Independent Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut. This would make him the only adviser to be working for both the GOP and Democratic side of the Romney equation. “I’m very comfortable switching sides. That way, I have nothing but friends,” Lieberman explained.
Romney’s shocking and unprecedented move roiled his GOP staff, as well as the other GOP candidates who were informed as well. Newt Gingrich, however, was impressed, and told me later by phone, “Damn! And they call me the ideas guy!” Rick Perry, once upon a time a Democrat, didn’t understand the news I conveyed in the slightest, but was miffed nonetheless, “Another Mormon runnin’ at the presidence?” In any event, Mr. Romney has shaken up the race for the White House, leaving disbelief in his wake.
About that, I spoke with Chris Matthews (upon whom I forced an eight hour news embargo). The MSNBC icon was, in colloquial English, “blown away,” saying “this is wonderful, incredible. The audacity of it, the brilliance – I’ve always maintained Romney’s a political genius – the innovation. Man, this is gonna rock both parties’ worlds! The brilliance of the man, the fighting spirit, the delightful nuttiness of it all . . .” He charged on; I charged out. But you get the idea. Wait until Ed Show Ed gets in the loop!
But, me first. Following Mr. Romney’s announcement to his GOP staff, I had a brief opportunity to speak with him in his Massachusetts HQ office in his brother’s basement.
(At Romney campaign HQ Massachusetts, October 27, 2011.)
Your reporter: So, Mr. Romney, you’ve created quite a stir. I hear that some junior staff interns wet themselves. . .
Mr. Romney: [Chuckling]
Your reporter: Sir?
Mr. Romney: Sorry, Mike. Really I am. But wetting themselves? That’s priceless. Did you get their names?
Your reporter: No. Perhaps later . . .
Mr. Romney: I’d appreciate it. Now, I understand you have some questions about my decision today to challenge President Obama in the Democratic primaries. . . ?
Your reporter: Yes, yes, certainly. My first question is “What the fu*k?”
Mr. Romney: Well, let’s look at it strategically, like a businessman deciding how many people to fire when taking over another company. The President is weak in the polls, and sinking more each day. He’s vulnerable. He’s a Mom and Pop store waiting to be gobbled up and digested by the stronger business. In political terms, I’m the gobbler.
Your reporter: Well, yes, Obama’s support has weakened lately, but no one in his own party is challenging him for the presidency . . .
Mr. Romney: I know. [ Smiling broadly] And that leave me an open field. Frankly, the GOP primaries are beginning to bore me . . .
Your reporter: Didn’t you express that sentiment last week when Herman Cain leapfrogged you to the number one spot in some national and regional polls?
Mr. Romney: I never said anything about that. If I did, I was misquoted. What I said was that Mr. Cain has qualities that escape my understanding, and he would make an exceptional VP on a Romney ticket.
Your reporter: I see. Do you object to my quoting you on that?
Mr. Romney: I never mind accurate quotes I can later deny making.
Your reporter: You are unusual in that, sir. In any event, as you told your staff, you’re now the first ever candidate to be running as a Republican and a Democrat.
Mr. Romney: No. I never said that. Perhaps you missed my meaning. I’ll be running as an entirely different Mitt Romney in each primary. GOP Mitt; Democrat Mitt. Accordingly, I’ll take different positions on the issues to reflect the opinions of each party’s constituency, and, of course, my own.
Your reporter: So, one day, you’re for Obamacare, the next day, you’re against it? On Tuesday, you’re pro choice, on Wednesday, you’re con? Flat tax at a coffee klatch, 9-9-9 at a Baptist convention, millionaires’ surcharge at a union gathering? Is that pretty much it, sir?
Mr. Romney: Precisely.
Your reporter: So, you’re really not changing your persona much at all? You seem to be, in a way, institutionalizing your reputation as a flip flopper.
Mr. Romney: I never said that. What I am doing is creating a situation where I can take well thought out positions on all sides of important issues. In electability terms, that’s a big win. To all Americans I’ll seem presidential. I am loud and stolid when I make statements on the questions that perplex us. To Americans it’s irrelevant how many sides I take on these issues. My plan is that whichever group – GOP or Democrat – likes my opinions the most – with their primary votes – that’s the party for me, and theirs are the opinions I’ll adopt fully. You have my promise. People make too much of political parties, anyway. I’m the most literally bipartisan person in this great land of ours. I’ve proved that in policies from abortion to gun control, from flat tax to no tax. It’s a record of acceptance of others’ viewpoints, and why must I be attacked for that? Why just the other day this young reporter approached me and . . .
Your reporter: Excuse me, sir. You really, really want to be President, don’t you?
Mr. Romney: Like the Pope wants solid gold rosary beads.
Your reporter: Thank you, Mr. Romney, for your time. And good luck should you face yourself in the 2012 presidential election!
