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Romney: 'I Don't Have Lobbyists Running My Campaign'
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ShareJanuary 17, 2008 1:39 PM
ABC News' Matt Stuart Reports: Things became tense between Mitt Romney and a reporter Thursday in Columbia, South Carolina over the former governor's assertion that lobbyists aren't running his campaign.
During a media availability, Romney told reporters Washington needs a leader who "will fight to make sure we resolve the issues rather than continuously look for partisan opportunities for score settling and for opportunities to link closer to lobbyists," he said. "I don't have lobbyists running my campaign."
An Associated Press reporter following Romney's campaign challenged his claim.
"That's not true governor," said Glen Johnson, a reporter with the AP. "That is not true. Ron Kaufman's a lobbyist. How can you say that you don't have lobbyists?"
Johnson was referring to Kaufman, a senior advisor to Romney, who has traveled extensively on the campaign.
Then, a heated exchange ensued between Romney and the reporter:
Romney: "Did you hear what I said? Did you hear what I said Glen?"
Johnson: "That you don't have lobbyists running your campaign."
Romney: "I said I don't have lobbyists running my campaign and he's not running my campaign."
Johnson: "He's one of your senior advisors."
Romney began to argue that his campaign manager is Beth Myers, not Ron Kaufman.
Romney: "Beth Myers has been on the plane with me and Beth Myers is running my campaign."
Johnson: "So Ron is just window dressing? He's just a potted plant on your plane?"
Romney: "Ron is a wonderful friend. An advisor, he's not paid as an advisor like many others. But I do not have lobbyists running my campaign. I appreciate that you think that's funny but Ron Kaufman has not been any in on any of the senior strategy meetings of our campaign."
Johnson pressed Romney about whether Kaufman had ever been in a debate strategy session.
Romney: "At any time, has he ever been in a debate session? Sure. Is that a senior strategy meeting?"
Romney suggested the reporter was out of line and the reporter suggested Romney wasn't being truthful.
"Don't be argumentative with the candidate," Romney campaign spokesperson Eric Fehrnstrom told the reporter.
Underlying the exchange is tension between Romney and some of the reporters covering his campaign, who have accused him of a "candor gap."
January 17, 2008 in Palin, Sarah, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (67)
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The only candidate that doesn't have any lobbyist in his campaign is Edwards, all the other Democrats and Republicans have them all.
Posted by: John | Jan 17, 2008 2:08:05 PM
Dancing around the question...
Basically, he HAS a lobbyist as a senior advisor, but NOT specifically running it.
The reporter should have said, ok, he's not RUNNING it per se, but is he a top advisor and is he advising strategy for the campaign direction?
Posted by: Joe | Jan 17, 2008 2:47:04 PM
Just more of the same from Romney. It's starting to look like even all his money couldn't buy him the presidency.
Posted by: Julie | Jan 17, 2008 2:52:33 PM
The lib media has an agenda and it does not involve reporting the positives about Romney. In New Hampshire the media actively and openly campaigned against Romney. This so-called "reporter" Johnson is dispicable makes yet even more people despise the media.
Posted by: Bill | Jan 17, 2008 2:54:54 PM
Hillary will never abandon the people of Michigan or any American no matter what anyone/organization tell her.
Posted by: tom | Jan 17, 2008 3:00:27 PM
The pen is more powerful than the pocketbook.
Posted by: Steve | Jan 17, 2008 3:02:01 PM
Romney is so squeaky-clean that reporters have to resort to manipulating voters into thinking he's a flip-flopper or a phony. Anyone doing their homework on the candidates is not fooled by this attempt or any of the others.
For those that have yet to read the truth on the candidates... look them up on Wikipedia.
The truth is that Mitt has the most integrity, self-control, education, and experience to deal with the kinds of problems facing our country right now!
Romney is exactly what the US needs!!!
Posted by: news121 | Jan 17, 2008 3:08:14 PM
Ron Paul doesnt have any either! So dont say they all do!
Posted by: H. Clinton | Jan 17, 2008 3:09:46 PM
More disturbing than lobbyists are the Blackwater consultants in Romney's campaign. Cofer Black is his main security adviser. Also Blackwater is putting up money for his campaign, probably to increase their involvement in the US government here at home. Really scary stuff after what Blackwater did to the people of Iraq.
Posted by: US Citizen | Jan 17, 2008 3:24:01 PM
Mitt is a member of a cult. Why on earth would we allow him to run?
He will flame out in Nevada then it'll be over.
Posted by: kgh | Jan 17, 2008 3:24:51 PM
Now if we can just get the media to ask obama some tough questions instead of treating him with kid gloves .
Posted by: Derrick | Jan 17, 2008 3:29:13 PM
After his lies about "seeing" his father march in Michigan with Martin Luther King Jr. (never happened), why are people surprised? Mitt is willing to tell any lie as long as it pushes him toward office. His father was a good governor and a man of integrity: apparently that didn't get passed on to his son.
Posted by: Me | Jan 17, 2008 3:29:14 PM
Look Mitt up on Wikipedia. He's a great man and very qualified to be president!
Posted by: news121 | Jan 17, 2008 3:32:14 PM
Odd the very same day that Bill Clinton made an ### of himself (again) arguing with an ABC Reporter..now comes an ABC News article about Mitt Romney "in a heated exhange" with an AP Reporter. It was either a set-up to take the heat off Bill Clinton or ABC News is making something out of nothing...being that the media has no creditablity and want John McCain as the GOP nominee....it was probably both.
Posted by: No to Dems in 2008 | Jan 17, 2008 3:37:53 PM
Did anyone else catch that? He has a LOBBYIST as a senior advisor, who is ...cough, cough...working for FREE? (He's not a PAID advisor.) Free as in working but no salary? No contingent benefits? So if you were ever elected Mitt, you wouldn't owe him any favors??? My jaw dropped when I read that response. What lobbyist ever works for free and doesn't expect an eventual payoff? It would be much more honest to pay him for his work and not owe him any favors.
Posted by: Michelles | Jan 17, 2008 3:42:16 PM
FLIP FLOP MITT ROMNEY = PLASTIC
I hear Romney's campaign staffer's is aligned with the Bush Crime Administration. I also hear Romney also
has a vice president of BLACKWATER in his campaign...real nice huh????? .He thinks he can buy voter with his money. He can keep all the voter's drinking his kool aid.....I don't think he has a chance. But, sure hope Mitt keeps pumping all that money back in to the economy, because we sure can use it......Someone
also needs to ask Mitt since he is PRO-WAR, HOW COME HE NEVER VOLUNTEERED
FOR THE MILITARY???? He also joins the
others Guiliani, Edwards, Thompson, Obama, Huckabee in NOT JOINING
THE MILITARY. I also don't see Mitt's own sons in the military. WHY NOT??????
Posted by: Tom | Jan 17, 2008 3:45:48 PM
"Don't be argumentative with the candidate,"
Waah, what a hell of a president would he be: "Don't be argumentative with the president. He knows everything... NOT.
Mitt is fake and very agressive when you don't agree with him.
Posted by: Nicholas | Jan 17, 2008 4:05:29 PM
You want ANOTHER president bought and paid for by big money interests, vote Romney.
Posted by: Sean | Jan 17, 2008 4:07:40 PM
People are trying to hard to attack Mitt Romney. It's the reporters that are manipulating the people into believing untrue things of him. They go way out of their way to find any little thing to cling on to, to make him appear to be a liar and a fake. Mitt Romney is an honorable man. Don't let these slanderers fool you.
Posted by: amanda | Jan 17, 2008 5:08:05 PM
Reporter = shill for Democratic party. Also known as a de facto DNC operative, just like the rest of the MSM.
Posted by: jdawg | Jan 17, 2008 5:17:07 PM
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