The Candidates
This interview was originally published on March 29th, 2007.-KWN
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I am proud to present this exclusive interview for Race42008 with Rob Wasinger, the campaign manager of Brownback for President. Wasinger worked as Sen. Brownback’s chief-of-staff in the Senate before becoming campaign manager.
BV: How long have you been working for Senator Brownback and in what capacities?
RW: I started with then Congressman Sam Brownback in 1996 on his campaign for U.S. Senate. It has been a deep honor to work for a man of such conviction and principle over the course of the past decade.
BV: Are you enjoying some time off from the Senate? Although I’m sure the campaign is in no way a vacation.
RW: It’s nice to get away from the partisan atmosphere in the Senate, especially when the Democrats are clearly more interested in scoring cheap political points rather than advancing a clear agenda.
The campaign is nice because it gives Senator Brownback a real opportunity to show the American people a positive, issue based agenda for a better tomorrow, and a stronger America.
BV: How does the campaign plan on moving Brownback into the 1st tier?
RW: Senator Brownback is going to continue reaching out to voters in the early states, and across the country spreading his message of lower taxes, and a strong national defense along with the very critical need that we must all face together as a nation — which is to begin the work of renewing our families, so that we can restore our culture.
BV: Where are you finding Brownback has the most support? And what issue(s) do you find Brownback most stands out on?
RW: Senator Brownback clearly has a strong level of support from fiscal conservatives and those committed to reigning in the reckless spending that has permeated the Washington culture. The Club for Growth recently gave him an excellent review based on his clear record in the House and the Senate. Also, committed pro-lifers and those that care deeply about the pro-family agenda in the country are strongly supporting Senator Brownback’s candidacy. He hasn’t had to re-make himself or “evolve” to fit into the conservative base of the Republican Party like other candidates have had to do; he’s always been there.
BV: Some are claiming Brownback would be unelectable in the general, and that is the only reason they are not supporting him. How do you respond to these claims?
RW: Senator Brownback is a Reagan conservative, with a proven track record of conservative accomplishments. The values that Senator Brownback talks about are American values, and they will always win the day.
BV: The Romney camp has claimed Brownback, like Romney, has not always been pro-life. Are these claims true?
RW: The mere comparison of Romney to Brownback is utterly absurd on the face, and laughable to anyone that knows anything about the track records of these two radically different individuals.
When it comes to policy, there is no similarity between Senator Brownback and the former Governor of Massachusetts on any issue of consequence. They are polar opposites.
BV: Fundraising. How is that going?
RW: Senator Brownback is very excited about our fundraising efforts; it’s obviously a tough game and it never comes in fast enough; but the response among grassroots conservatives has been overwhelming. We have a lot of low dollar contributions from people that really care about the same issues that Brownback cares about and they are rising up to support his efforts, and we are deeply grateful.
BV: Any other general thoughts or comments?
RW: Senator Brownback is going to continue running a positive issues based campaign, and is looking forward to the debates and the chance to get his message out.
**Update —
In response to on-going accusations in the comments section that Brownback has not always been pro-life, I asked Rob Wasinger to address it, to which he responded:
“Brownback is unquestionably pro-life and always has been.”
March 31st, 2007 at 12:44 pm
“Brownback is unquestionably pro-life and always has been.”
Well, that’s not exactly true:
March 31st, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Why has this been posted twice in the same week? Especially after how it was torn apart by commenters the last time?
Notably “polar opposites.” This campaign manager has no credibility.
March 31st, 2007 at 2:00 pm
david b –
I am not sure the romney campaign has any credibility.
After spending nearly $2 million in radio and television ads over the past five weeks, and having a campaign staff of well over one hundred people, I am not convinced Romney is getting any traction. As far as I can tell Brownback has not aired one ad on radio or television, and has at best a shoestring campaign operation, and yet, according to the most recent gallup/usa today poll Brownback and Romney are tied in the race for President. And….Brownback beat Romney in the Spartanburg straw poll. I am sorry, but it looks like the Romney campaign has no credibility.
And, after reviewing the track records of these two individuals, it does look like they are polar opposites. Romney’s 1994, and 2002 defense of abortion on demand is enough of a difference between these two individuals to justify the phrase, “polar opposites”, and yet the differences between these two candidates goes on, and on and on. From guns, to taxes, from government spending to marriage. There just isn’t any similarity. The good news is, at least republican primary voters will have a clear choice to make between these two candidates.
March 31st, 2007 at 2:40 pm
I agree with Brownback’s campaign manager Brownback and Romney are polar opposites. Brownback is a man of principle and conviction; Romney is an ambitious politician willing to say anything to be elected. Romney was pro-abortion in 2002 running for governor in Massachusetts, now he is pro-life. Romney was against the Bush tax cuts in 2002, now for the tax cuts. In favor of campaign finance reform, then against. For gun control and an opponent of the NRA, now a lifetime member of the NRA. Romney was an independent/Democrat who never supported Reagan or Bush I, now Reagan is Romney’s “hero.” Nobody takes Romney seriously except a handful of GOP operatives who sold out and a large constituency of Mormons who believe Romney is destined to fulfill the “White Horse” prophesy of Joseph Smith. Well, unlike Jopeph Smith, Romney only has one “sweetheart”, as he loves to point out.
Unfortunately, however, Romney has had more flip-flops on the issues than Joseph Smith had wives. Romney is no conservative. He isa transparent fraud. Just like the Mormon religion.
March 31st, 2007 at 3:05 pm
How about some direct quotes from the candidates instead of he said/she said:
Brownback 1996 - “I’m pro-life,” Brownback said. “This has been my position from day one.” (Kansas City Star, 10/08/06)
Romney 2007: “I am firmly pro-life I was always for life.” (Associated Press, 2/9/2007)
Fair enough, they both lay it out there pretty clearly. The only real difference is over a decade between quotes. Brownback hasn’t said anything that refutes this before or after that anyone can source or that I can find. However:
Romney 1994: “I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country. I have since the time that my mom took that position when she ran in 1970 as a US Senate candidate. I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years we should sustain and support it.” (The Boston Globe, 3/2/06)
Romney 2001: “I do not wish to be labeled pro-choice.” (The Salt Lake Tribune, 7/12/01)
Romney 2002: “I respect and will protect a woman’s right to choose. This choice is a deeply personal one Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not mine and not the government’s.” (The Boston Globe, 7/3/05)
Romney 2007: “Over the last multiple years, as you know, I have been effectively pro-choice.” (Associated Press, 1/29/07)
Clear as mud.
All the Romney supporters that are posting on this need to provide one, just one single quote directly from Brownback, or show one vote that shows Brownback has ever been anything but pro-life. Quotes from his previous opponents aren’t exactly a credible source. He said/she said does not come close to the reams of contrary quotes from Romney in the last few years. And the stuff you are citing was refuted by Brownback in print over a decade ago. And the New Republic as credible to conservatives is dubious at best.
Team Romney has a vested interest in trying to find movement on the life issue from Brownback (the most consistently pro-life candidate in the field according to National Right to Life,) all in hopes of providing a toe-hold to try to prove that Romney’s change of views in the last few years is somehow not important and acceptable. Only time will tell.
Romney folks should focus on getting their own candidate some traction instead of continually trying to shine their turd by erroneously sullying Brownback. It will be a pleasant surprise when the Romney supporters flip flop on this talking point can’t be too long if they follow their leader.