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Stuart Stevens

Sorry, critics: We at Team Romney ran a good campaign

In doing so, he raised more money for the Republican Party than the Republican Party did. He trounced Barack Obama in debate. He defended the free-enterprise system and, more than any figure in recent history, drew attention to the moral case for free enterprise and conservative economics…

On Nov. 6, Mitt Romney carried the majority of every economic group except those with less than $50,000 a year in household income. That means he carried the majority of middle-class voters. While John McCain lost white voters under 30 by 10 points, Romney won those voters by seven points, a 17-point shift. Obama received 41 / 2 million fewer voters in 2012 than 2008, and Romney got more votes than McCain…

There was a time not so long ago when the problems of the Democratic Party revolved around being too liberal and too dependent on minorities. Obama turned those problems into advantages and rode that strategy to victory. But he was a charismatic African American president with a billion dollars, no primary and a media that often felt morally conflicted about being critical. How easy is that to replicate?

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Yeah, those under 50K amount to 56% of the people. That isn’t much of an argument. The median is 44K. So, no, he did not carry the majority of middle class voters. If he had he would have cruised to victory. The idea that you think the majority of middle class voters are above 50K in household income is the main reason you lost.

Rocks on November 28, 2012 at 12:10 PM

Ouch, very good point.

Caiwyn on November 28, 2012 at 12:44 PM

It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, but how you play the game is a nice thing to tell a 7 year old who is learning how to play a game. But for a grown up to say it about something as important as the Presidency is just sad. Lets give Team Romney a Participation trophy so they’ll feel better.

Flange on November 28, 2012 at 12:11 PM

LOL

Romney is probably the last person on earth I even think about. He lost, he has millions, he’ll be fine, he has much to live for. He is also the most irrelevant person in politics now. Does anyone think he is going to spend the next four years crusading for conservatism throughout the country? Me either.

Night Owl on November 28, 2012 at 12:45 PM

He defended the free-enterprise system and, more than any figure in recent history, drew attention to the moral case for free enterprise and conservative economics…

No, he didn’t. In fact he shot down people who tried to point out that the sort of thing Bain does isn’t necessarily “free” enterprise. His presence kept us from agreeing with 60+% of Americans that some of the big guys didn’t get there fairly and that there’a a lot more we could be doing to level the playing field in business. “Too big to fail” is not a natural result of a free market; it’s the result of a few well-connected business guys with too much influence over banking regulators.

alwaysfiredup on November 28, 2012 at 12:49 PM

Face the facts: we have reached a critical mass of low-lifes, moochers, layabouts and leeches. That is not Romney’s fault, who was a good candidate and would have been a good president.

Ted Torgerson on November 28, 2012 at 12:21 PM

If it was such a good campaign, why did you lose?

Tasha on November 28, 2012 at 12:21 PM

See the comment immediately above yours.

The Republican Primary went on too long given that the nominee was up against an incumbent with the support of 90% of the media, the entertainment industry and academia and who had been organizing for 5 years.

Notwithstanding these very formidable obstacles, if Sarah Palin had backed the only candidate with a prayer of defeating Obama and the Primary had ended after Florida Mitt Romney would likely have won.

Basilsbest on November 28, 2012 at 12:50 PM

He trounced Barack Obama in debate.

Maybe Stuart Stevens can learn to properly structure a sentence before he works on another campaign.

Sorry, but the Romney Team was just pathetic. I live in a battleground state and tried multiple times to volunteer. Never got a single call back. ORCA was a disaster. The campaign was totally absent from media when it counted. The GOTV effort was non-existant.

Compared to the McCain/Palin campaign in 2008 (which had very few resouces and faced a much more daunting task); the Romney campaign was about 10x worse. I never seen a more inept candidate and campaign. Ever.

Norwegian on November 28, 2012 at 12:56 PM

Norwegian on November 28, 2012 at 12:56 PM

All, and I mean ALL of Romney’s successes in life requiredone or both of two things. Starting life as the son of a very successful man. Spending massively large amounts of money.

astonerii on November 28, 2012 at 12:59 PM

lol. Blame Sarah Palin? That’s rich. Why would the “dumb-Caribou-Barbie-reality show star-illiterate-quitter ex governor’s” endorsement matter? The GOP establishment excludes her from everything yet now she represents the missing key to Romney winning? That’s a desperate excuse.

conservative pilgrim on November 28, 2012 at 12:59 PM

Of course we ran a great campaign, look at the money we spent!

What about results?

Well, we have computer models that say results were phenomenal!

astonerii on November 28, 2012 at 1:00 PM

Nobody with the intials S.S. should ever work on a Republican campaign again.

besser tot als rot on November 28, 2012 at 1:03 PM

Nobody with the intials S.S. should ever work on a Republican campaign again.

besser tot als rot on November 28, 2012 at 1:03 PM

Hey, Don’t count my kids out just yet!

astonerii on November 28, 2012 at 1:06 PM

Remember the last two weeks of the campaign Obama went on the view, the comedy network (jon stewart), leno/letterman, nickelodeum, univision etc.. He was tring to reach the uninformed/ethics. It worked. Did romneycare even attempt to do these network interviews, no because he doesn’t have a bone of populism in his body. Only Palin in the GOP would do all these…..

Hee hee hee. And BOY HOWDY would Jon Stewart and Joy Behar and Piers Mogan love to have their political Lucy Ricardo sitting right there is person to say something stupid on their show. It’s why she shows up all the time in those places in person now.

Marcus on November 28, 2012 at 1:06 PM

Nobody with the intials S.S. should ever work on a Republican campaign again.

besser tot als rot on November 28, 2012 at 1:03 PM

Hey, Don’t count my kids out just yet!

astonerii on November 28, 2012 at 1:06 PM

On second thought, hopefully by the time they get older, the Republican party should hopefully be long gone by then.

astonerii on November 28, 2012 at 1:07 PM

Basilsbest on November 28, 2012 at 12:50 PM

God, you rombots are worthless. You pimped romneycare for years at this site, you got everything you wanted. Now after your binky lost, it’s Sarah Palin’s fault. The same person you have been trashing in tens of thousands of entries here.

You sh*t, face it you and your candidate suck. You have NO credibility.

By the way, your venom toward Palin is very concerning, you need to see a shrink!!

Danielvito on November 28, 2012 at 1:10 PM

Romney is probably the last person on earth I even think about. Night Owl on November 28, 2012 at 12:45 PM

Romney’s pride might be bruised a bit, but he and his family will be fine. I was referring more to the Team, people like the author.

Flange on November 28, 2012 at 1:11 PM

Marcus on November 28, 2012 at 1:06 PM

Boob, romneycare, your idol, just lost to Obama,now I’m stuck with that azz for 4 more years and all you can do is insult Palin.

I think it’s clinical with you Mittbots, Palin envy!

Danielvito on November 28, 2012 at 1:13 PM

if Sarah Palin had backed the only candidate with a prayer of defeating Obama and the Primary had ended after Florida Mitt Romney would likely have won.

Basilsbest on November 28, 2012 at 12:50 PM

How exactly was Romney damaged by the primary extending past Florida? Other than by revealing to conservatives that he would use more hardball tactics against them than against the Democrats, of course.

alwaysfiredup on November 28, 2012 at 1:14 PM

So explain how it works when Romney proposed to fix and pay for the very same programs that created these low-lifes, moochers, layabouts and leeches!??!

I want an explanation of how beneficial Romney’s presidency would be when he planned to ensure that the programs that create the problem you see as the reason for his failed run continue forever.

astonerii on November 28, 2012 at 12:38 PM

Obama will step on the gas forward into the ditch. Romney would have stepped on the brakes. You are bent out of shape because the primary didn’t elect someone who promised to slam us into reverse. When the car is out of control, getting someone competent behind the wheel who knows how to use the brake is more important. Argue about the navigation later.

Resolute on November 28, 2012 at 1:15 PM

What is the definition of a good campaign? One which wins the election. Therefore…

Shump on November 28, 2012 at 1:16 PM

How exactly was Romney damaged by the primary extending past Florida? Other than by revealing to conservatives that he would use more hardball tactics against them than against the Democrats, of course.

alwaysfiredup on November 28, 2012 at 1:14 PM

these would be the save conservatives who spent the majority of their time attacking Bain Capital?

Joey24007 on November 28, 2012 at 1:18 PM

Obama will step on the gas forward into the ditch. Romney would have stepped on the brakes. You are bent out of shape because the primary didn’t elect someone who promised to slam us into reverse. When the car is out of control, getting someone competent behind the wheel who knows how to use the brake is more important. Argue about the navigation later.

Resolute on November 28, 2012 at 1:15 PM

Does it matter?
If Romney won this time, next time the group of losers listed would have been bigger through Romney’s work.

If the problem this election was those listed. Romney making more of them after squeaking by with a minimal victory would still have left the electorate in the hands of the progressives.

I personally do not think it was those groups, but rather people who could have been enthusiastic with another candidate not convincing or or even trying to convince their friends to turn out.

I usually turn out between 20 and 33 of my family. I turned out 0 this year, me being the exception.

astonerii on November 28, 2012 at 1:19 PM

these would be the save conservatives who spent the majority of their time attacking Bain Capital?

Joey24007 on November 28, 2012 at 1:18 PM

Deserved to be attacked.

Hundreds of millions of dollars of tax payer money fraudulently billed under the supervisory Romney.

Are you saying that our candidates should not be vetted?

Remember Akin? He was put over the top by Democratic support. Probably would have been good there to have a longer primary, you think?

astonerii on November 28, 2012 at 1:22 PM

“There you go again” — RR

Schadenfreude on November 28, 2012 at 1:32 PM

Can somebody name for me another GOP primary participant that would have been better than Romney?

Joey24007 on November 28, 2012 at 1:50 PM

He trounced Barack Obama in ONE of three debates.

FIFY. Romney knew he did well in the first debate and then, almost with a Republican zeal and after prying open a few checkbooks, including mine, he instinctively changed course.

What is the definition of a good campaign? One which wins the election. Therefore…

Shump on November 28, 2012 at 1:16 PM

Yup.

Fallon on November 28, 2012 at 2:05 PM

Does anyone think he is going to spend the next four years crusading for conservatism throughout the country? Me either.

Night Owl on November 28, 2012 at 12:45 PM

Ultimately, this is why he lost.

Romney didn’t believe his own message.

faraway on November 28, 2012 at 2:06 PM

Can somebody name for me another GOP primary participant that would have been better than Romney?

Joey24007 on November 28, 2012 at 1:50 PM

Even if we agree for the sake of argument that Romney was the best (or most acceptable, or least awful) candidate available in 2012, that still doesn’t let Romney off the hook for failing to close the deal with the voters.

Aitch748 on November 28, 2012 at 2:18 PM

Sorry, critics: We at Team Romney ran a good campaign

Channeling Stuart Smalley? “I’m good enough. I’m smart enough. And doggone it, people like me.”

bloviator on November 28, 2012 at 2:21 PM

But he [Obama] was a charismatic African American president with a billion dollars, no primary and media that often felt morally conflicted about being critical.

WTF? If this is your objective view of the LSM, it should automatically disqualify you from any involvement in politics — let alone managing a Presidential campaign … no wonder you lost.

ShainS on November 28, 2012 at 2:24 PM

if Sarah Palin had backed the only candidate with a prayer of defeating Obama and the Primary had ended after Florida Mitt Romney would likely have won.

Basilsbest on November 28, 2012 at 12:50 PM

Blaming Palin for Romney’s failure?

REALLY?

portlandon on November 28, 2012 at 5:32 PM

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