October 22, 2007
The Ability to Execute
Regardless of what you think about “Romney the candidate”… “Romney the campaign” is unmatched in its ability to execute.
Take this last week for example. Think of it in terms of a business case study, outlining the “challenge”, proposing a “solution”, targeting specific “benefits” and measuring “results”.
CHALLENGE: Disolve concerns about Mitt’s Mormonism among Conservative Evangelicals.
SOLUTION: Highlight the Governor as the only leading candidate meeting 100% of the SoCon values and win endorsements from leading Evangelicals leading up to the seminal pre-primary “Values Voters” conference.
BENEFITS: Develop day after day endorsements followed by a good showing at the straw poll giving serious momentum to the campaign among Evangelicals and building qualified talking points to address the Mormon question.
EXECUTION PLAN
2 weeks out – Lead up to the conference. Look for “Mormon questions” addressed to Perkins, Bauer, Land and others. Rely on their even-handed past dealings with this issue as a positive sign. (check, check)
1 weeks out – Letter from Mark DeMoss addressed to numerous Evangelical leaders contrasting Romney and Rudy and laying the foundation for a larger swath of backers. (check)
5 days out – First endorsement, ideally, from far extreme of the religious right showing that anyone could endorse Romney (check – Chancellor and Dean of Bob Jones)
4 days out – Letter from James Bopp, Jr. highlighting the growing movement of Evangelicals behind Romney (check)
3 days out – Talking heads start to notice the pattern. Experts concur. (check)
(reach out to blogger base for email-only campaign for the online straw poll)
2 days out – Pull out the big guns. Lengthy, detailed article by new Evangelical endorsement laying the intellectual framework in which Evangelicals can accept a Romney candidacy. (check – Wayne Grudem)
1 day out – Endorsement by an excellent conservative Evangelical coinciding with Romney’s speech to the “Values Voters” Conference in DC. (check – Dr. Don Wilton).
Day of straw poll – Final endorsement before the conference ends. This time taken from another campaign. (check – Dr. Willkie founder of a pro-life effort)
Goaline: Place or show in the straw poll to drive some good press. (check – or win it 
)
None of this happens by accident. The plan is laid, the efforts set and the execution is nearly flawless. Classic Team Romney.
Is there another campaign that has demonstrated this kind of prowess? Yes. But we don’t want her to be President.
http://race42008.com/2007/10/22/the-ability-to-execute/trackback/
October 22nd, 2007 at 4:42 am
And when the people you are trying to con see it laid out in this manner, you don’t think it may backfire?
This post is a prime example of Team Romney’s tone-deafness on how Romney is perceived as a scheming phony by so many people.
October 22nd, 2007 at 4:48 am
Yick. Just what we don’t need to see on a Monday morning. I know you want to prop up your candidate, but couldn’t we have done without the pictures? I’d prefer to keep my Frosted Flakes in my stomach.
October 22nd, 2007 at 5:59 am
I hate to say it but at this point I feel sorry for Romney and his supporters. They have a great campaign and good organization but it probably won’t be enough.
October 22nd, 2007 at 6:10 am
knee jerk reaction from the anti romney crowd. Campaigns are about competent and communication.
also. I should note that the above timeline is fiction and my own creation.
October 22nd, 2007 at 6:12 am
typing on the iPhone makes my speelling even worse than it usually is.
October 22nd, 2007 at 7:38 am
I should note that the above timeline is fiction and my own creation.
That’s a relief. I was about to point out that this mechanical approach renders the actual candidate and his real positions virtually obsolete.
October 22nd, 2007 at 7:44 am
Watching these guys supporting Romney is more fun than watching the Ron Paul people. They do standard coordinated ops t that campaigns do all the time, and act like they have invented some new campaign technique. I am happy for you that you have the resources to do coordinated, message events, really I am. But it is no different than anything any of the other well funded campaigns have been doing this cycle or campaigns in general for years up to now. What you describe is kind of Campaign PR 101. But I am happy for you and I am happy that you have such enthusiasm for your guy.
October 22nd, 2007 at 7:52 am
18 minutes for the first negative post. You’re slowing down, Metro. And to answer your question, no, I don’t think it may backfire. I know this may be difficult to accept, but since one of the biggest complaints about our handling of the war in Iraq, among many other things, by the Bush Administration was a “lack of planning” (justified or not), you don’t think that a good example of making a plan and working a plan will engender confidence from those Romney’s trying to reach?
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:04 am
I never realized it before, but this site is individual bloggers shilling for one candidate or theother, isn’t it? Just dawned on me. What was with Romney’s hair last night? A little wild. The coiff was off.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:13 am
Cliff, I think I’ve notice the coif has changed, recently. I’m sure all the anti-Mitt folks will call that a flip-flop on hair.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:20 am
Justin,
That was a great post. Romney has an unparalleled ability to approach any problem, no matter how tough and systematically grind through it. As a business person and a TRUE Wall Street Republican, it is easy to observe why he is a success in his many ventures.
As to those who are knee-jerk, anti-Romney, I see a repeating pattern of unrealistic spins as well as sophomoric and incongruent observations, all designed to cast aspersions. These aspersions would only work if you’re a superficial reader on this site.
Metro: It is not a con, and no matter how fast you type the comment, it still isn’t any kind of “Con”. Romney is straight forward with his platform and these men have endorsed it. And you can spin former positions as much as you want – that one has been dealt with and refuted already.
Adam: Absolutely no substance in your post.
Econ Grad: You’re predicting Romney will lose? I cut and pasted your comment and am saving it for February.
News Flash! The aspersions aren’t working and backfire because the Romney crowd is not the superficial crowd. Romney fans tend to be thinkers and don’t wait in on site polling lines when they can vote from their iPhone.
Did it occur to you that when you make unintelligent comments with no substance that you are re-enforcing the perceived lack of IQ from the anti-Romney crowd?
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:29 am
11. There’s that condescension thing AGAIN.. from yet another romney supporter.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:29 am
It is clear that Romney can get things done. Several months ago, I never would have thought possible that these endorsements would be coming Romney’s way.
Many social liberals / Rudy supporters many not care for these people, their endorsements or their organizations, but they have to acknowledge that fact that whomever has gain these endorsements in the past has went on to win the nomination.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:40 am
I was just reading Byron Yorks assesment of the weekend and I am quickly coming to the conclusion that we place to much emphasis on a single event, or weekend. MOst people stilll aren’t in attention mode quite yet and there are so many factors that to say any debate or confereance is make r break is probably a little far reaching.
Most of this stuff is a drop in the bucket. This could have been a larger drop, but I am guessing not a single member of immediate family watched the debate or paid attention to the news of the Presidential race.
I will give Huck the overall win for the weekend, but Romney didn’t do bad, a strong second. But thinking back to a year ago. 90% of the blogosphere were writing Romney off as no chance with any Evangelicals. A sstrong second with great endorsements is more than Romney needed. And Jim G. at the campaignspot really nailed things on the head:
I really think we are seeing the same talk about Huckabee after Ames, and he showed no ability to capitilize. Who is going to write McCain a check when he failed with the money he had before? That leaves you with Rudy, Romney and Fred. Fred will need a lot more performances like last night to overcome his problems, so we are back to Rudy and Romney.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:42 am
Sorry I missed adding the quote by Jim Gerhaghty:
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:43 am
Pathetic. What a phony loser Romney is.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:52 am
As a Mitt supporter, I would like to know why Mitt failed to respond last night when McCain said that he’s been “conning” the public w/r/t his record.
That’s not the time to take the high road. When someone calls you a liar, you need to defend your good name and respond forcefully. If Mitt thinks he’s going to take the high road when the Clinton smear machine gets ramped up, that’s not going to work (IMHO).
That said, it’s precisely the plan/execute/measure mentality that Justin’s talking about in this post that makes me hopeful Mitt would be an effective President AND political leader for conservatives.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:53 am
He was not too impressive last night – and what was with the hair???
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:57 am
Fredo,
I am mixed on that. I think telling McCain to stuff it would have been a high point with Pundits, but a low point with the average voter. I don’t think voters really care for the arguing, but the pundits who have been covering this for going on 2 years need some fireworks to awake there sleepy eyes. That’s probably why Thompson takes so much heart on the laziness rap, people are tiring of the race (not me!) and they need a “wake me up” some political java, and they seem to actually be finding that in Huckabee.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:58 am
Shawnie,
In case you missed it, I was poking a little fun at how much these so-con leaders make my stomach turn. Don’t worry. I didn’t say anything about poor defenseless Romney. Not this time.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:59 am
I try to read just about everything that comes out concerning the Romney campaign, and I’ve read so many articles with the meme that Romney will never be acceptable to Evangelicals and the Religious Right that they seems as numerous as the grains of sand in the Sahara. Lately, I’ve been getting nostalgic for them: where have they gone? As the polls come and go, it’s increasingly apparent that the number of Americans who would never vote for a Mormon is in sharp decline. The numbers aren’t so scary anymorfe. IL wonder why that is? The number of articles about flip-flopping seem to be vanishing as well. The press actually seems to be flip-floppilng on the whole flip-flopping thing…you just can’t trust some people! It makes me wonder where this whole campaign year is headed. After Romney starts winning state after state, what will be the themes of the attack articles of the future? Could one actually hope that they are less pathetic than the ghost of attack ads past?
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:11 am
Fredo,
I was wondering the same thing. I despise McCain and have since McCain/Feingold. He’s the one guy in our race I wouldn’t vote for. I’d even vote for Ron Paul…I’ve done it before. But all in good time. It doesn’t make sense for Mitt to really get into it with McCain, since McCain isn’t going anywhere. The one guy it does make sense for him to mix it up with is Rudy. Rudy’s the only guy standing between him and the nomination, and as much as I like Rudy, it’s necessary for the good of the universe to take him down. In the future, if you see Mitt counterpunching Rudy while ignoring McCain as completely as possible, it’s simply because Mitt is kkeping his eye on what’s important.
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:13 am
#12 Scott
“There’s that condescension thing AGAIN.. from yet another Romney supporter.”
And there’s another smug quip without substance or refutation from Scott.
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:15 am
As a business person and a TRUE Wall Street Republican, it is easy to observe why he is a success in his many ventures.
This will be a total liability in a general election against Clinton. They will conspicuously advance the idea that they have won over mainstream investors with their arguments, but Romney has to self-finance out of money he earned buying companies and shipping jobs overseas just to make himself into a fat-cat who could buy the Presidency. It may be unfair and untrue, but it is the obvious tactic Democrats would use to cut Romney off at the knees before he can get out a positive message.
As the economy continues to slow, the contrast will be fostered overtly: While you poor, hard-working folks in the nation were trying to make ends meet, put food on the table, prepare your kids for college, and pay the mortgage, here’s this silver-spoons joker exporting American jobs. Romney’s background is also a substantial liability because his perceived perfection and purity can be turned around to show him as “out of touch” with mainstream America — recall the Clinton playbook against GHW Bush in ‘92!
Of course, you can reject all this and live in denial. But it will come as surely as the rains of spring.
Did it occur to you that when you make unintelligent comments with no substance that you are re-enforcing the perceived lack of IQ from the anti-Romney crowd?
The modern media dwell on superficial nonsense with enthusiasm. The IQ argument always falls flat — it is consistently turned around to make those who try to sell their own smarts as egg-heads who are out of touch with the real world the “rest of us” live in.
I hope Romney’s folks have started engineering some plans to deal with all this “positive baggage” in case he wins. He’s unlikely to be confronted with this strategery in the Republican primaries.
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:18 am
#20 Adam
OK, that’s fair – I got it.
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:20 am
James Bopp and Hugh Hewitt look like twins.
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:27 am
#24 MarkG
If I understand you correctly, Romney will make America and its people less prosperous and competative? And you skip over the fact that Romney has raised more than anyone else from individual investors, he hardly qualifies as a self-financed candidate. Does he have an edge, yes? And it’s that very same edge he brings to every entity he touches.
I agree that the media panders to a dumbed-down audience, but I was specifically referring to folks who frequent this site.
“I hope Romney’s folks have started engineering some plans to deal with all this “positive baggage†in case he wins. He’s unlikely to be confronted with this strategery in the Republican primaries.”
Gee, I’m sure their campaign is completely unaware of national trends and sentiments. You’re right, they’ll probably fall.
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:33 am
Shawnie, sorry but I’m extremely dubious that a man like Mitt, as undeniably great as his resume is, can ever win in the general election against the Clinton machine. I’m just calling it like I see it. I can live with the fact that some will not like that.
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:37 am
I just read all the posts.
Econ…..yours was pathetic. You feel sorry for us?? Oh poor Romney supporters. He maybe won’t be pwesident. Toooo baaaad. So maybe we should have never have tried? Or maybe we should just give up? My Frosted Flakes just about came up after reading your post. PATHETIC Econ!!!
October 22nd, 2007 at 10:52 am
M.t
I don’t want you to stop trying. I just feel like you guys are setting yourselves up for disappointment by raising expectation so high with posts like these.
There’s a bit of this on Rudy’s side too.
October 22nd, 2007 at 10:58 am
MarkG:
“While you poor, hard-working folks in the nation were trying to make ends meet, put food on the table, prepare your kids for college, and pay the mortgage, here’s this silver-spoons joker exporting American jobs.”
What’s this? Romney has exported jobs? Please cite your sources. Romney may have downsized to save a business, but I’ve yet to see a valid source claiming offshoring.
There is a difference. It is better to have a business albeit smaller which still employs some while paying taxes verses a bankrupt one. Is this now a liability for Romney?
October 22nd, 2007 at 11:37 am
A problem with Romney is that he has already spent over $50 million in campaigning. I know he has a lot of his own money, but he needs to learn how to spend it more wisely.
October 22nd, 2007 at 11:51 am
Awesome post. Right on the money. What an execution plan for Romney!
October 22nd, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Wow, Jason, #14, admitting Huckabee is the overall winner from this weekend. I’m impressed. Team Romney learns about playing expectations in late October 2007.
October 22nd, 2007 at 1:02 pm
boy that Bob Jones endorsement was great, 32% republicans less likely to vote for Mitt now, only 27% more likley.
October 22nd, 2007 at 1:18 pm
#32 UA Razorbacks
“A problem with Romney is that he has already spent over $50 million in campaigning. I know he has a lot of his own money, but he needs to learn how to spend it more wisely.”
Maybe you could offer him some of your counsel, because Romney could really use some financial management skills. Poor guy just does not seem to know what he is getting into.
LOL
October 22nd, 2007 at 1:41 pm
I know everyone feels passionate about their candidates. But these a priori dismissals of your candidate’s critics don’t dismiss their criticisms. ‘My guy is awesome’ won’t cut it for us undecideds.
I want evidence my eventual candidate can beat hillary.
October 22nd, 2007 at 2:06 pm
These endorsements are great! The Conservative Christian have realized that the only way to not have a Clintiani or Giulton Presidency(there is so little difference) is Mitt Romeny. McCain, Thompson and Huckabee just can’t do it. It’s time to decide and pull together. The elections are closer than you think. Mitt Romney in 2008 is a winning vote!
October 22nd, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Who is Guilton????
October 22nd, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Who is Guilton????
Must be the yin to Mitt “Romeny’s” yang.
October 22nd, 2007 at 5:02 pm
#39 Just to be clear…. If the social conservatives split their votes between Fred, Huck and Mitt, then Giuliani wins. If Giuliani wins the SoCons form a third party and Hillary wins…. but in my mind Giuliani and Clinton are so similiar that it barely batters which of them wins.
October 22nd, 2007 at 7:37 pm
It’s the evangelicals/social conservatives who really control this race and cast the deciding vote. They’re the ones everyone should be watching closely right now, because the primary results are dependent on that tie-breaking constituency.
They’ll decide who wins the primary, and who wins the general election. They’ll decide if they want Giuliani, the non-social conservative, or if they can let go of all bias and support Romney, the social conservative Mormon. If they let Giuliani win the nomination, they’ll decide whether or not to break away into a third party and let the Democrat win or not.
I would like to hear more news about reactions from evangelicals to the Values conference to see whether or not Romney is gaining more support besides the above mentioned endorsements. It will be interesting to see the South Carolina polls.
October 22nd, 2007 at 7:51 pm
#42 Melstrom – “They’ll decide if they want Giuliani, the non-social conservative, or if they can let go of all bias and support Romney, the social conservative Mormon. If they let Giuliani win the nomination, they’ll decide whether or not to break away into a third party and let the Democrat win or not.”
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I just thought of the story of King Solomon when the two mothers came to him with a dilemma.
They both had children, but one had died. They each wanted the one that was alive.
King Solomon in his wisdom, told them he would divide the living child in two and they could each take one half.
In the end the real mother gave the fake mother the child, in one piece, rather than have it die.
When she did this, King Solomon knew that the woman choosing life was the real mother, and she got to take home the child.
————
I’m not sure how this story exactly applies to the current candidate-choosing dilemma, but it’s a cool story, nonetheless.
October 23rd, 2007 at 9:47 am
shawnie – I meant that his national poll numbers should be higher after spending over $50 million.