This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/us/politics/ann-romney-takes-larger-campaign-role.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ann Romney Takes Bigger Role on Behalf of the Man She Knows | Ann Romney Takes Bigger Role on Behalf of the Man She Knows |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| LAS VEGAS — Ann Romney sounded like a seasoned political operative. Backstage at a rally in Iowa recently, she delivered instructions to Renee Fry, a former aide to Mitt Romney who is now campaigning for him: Tell the Bristol-Myers story. | LAS VEGAS — Ann Romney sounded like a seasoned political operative. Backstage at a rally in Iowa recently, she delivered instructions to Renee Fry, a former aide to Mitt Romney who is now campaigning for him: Tell the Bristol-Myers story. |
| As governor of Massachusetts, Mr. Romney had negotiated a major deal to persuade Bristol-Myers Squibb to open a plant in the state, luring hundreds of jobs. “No one would have thought about Massachusetts before that,” Mrs. Romney told her. “Tell them what Mitt can do for the economy.” | |
| Once in the background, more cheerleader than consultant, Mrs. Romney is asserting herself with new force as the campaign enters its final weeks, publicly scolding Republicans who second-guess her husband and privately pushing for ways to recast him in her own terms. | Once in the background, more cheerleader than consultant, Mrs. Romney is asserting herself with new force as the campaign enters its final weeks, publicly scolding Republicans who second-guess her husband and privately pushing for ways to recast him in her own terms. |
| She regularly sits in on high-level strategy sessions, weighs in with candid opinions for her husband and calls senior advisers to share her views, according to campaign aides, who are reluctant to discuss her private conversations. | She regularly sits in on high-level strategy sessions, weighs in with candid opinions for her husband and calls senior advisers to share her views, according to campaign aides, who are reluctant to discuss her private conversations. |
| On the road, Mrs. Romney notes voters’ worries, complaints and suggestions, which she passes on to the campaign. | On the road, Mrs. Romney notes voters’ worries, complaints and suggestions, which she passes on to the campaign. |
| “She is collecting information and suggesting action about it,” said Ms. Fry, who has campaigned with Mrs. Romney in Iowa and Wisconsin recently. | “She is collecting information and suggesting action about it,” said Ms. Fry, who has campaigned with Mrs. Romney in Iowa and Wisconsin recently. |
| At a time when some Republican operatives say the Romney campaign is foundering because of the candidate’s weaknesses or missteps, his wife of 43 years, is a relentlessly upbeat figure inside the Boston headquarters, pushing back against that line of thinking. Her message: the story of the Mitt Romney she knows — an empathetic man who has cared for suffering families, nurtured women’s careers and given up riches to serve the public — has not reached the electorate. | At a time when some Republican operatives say the Romney campaign is foundering because of the candidate’s weaknesses or missteps, his wife of 43 years, is a relentlessly upbeat figure inside the Boston headquarters, pushing back against that line of thinking. Her message: the story of the Mitt Romney she knows — an empathetic man who has cared for suffering families, nurtured women’s careers and given up riches to serve the public — has not reached the electorate. |
| With her husband reluctant — or unable — to tell his own story in a compelling way, she has made the task of humanizing him a personal mission. But it is late in the game, and polls show that the Obama campaign has effectively substituted its own, unflattering version of Mr. Romney. | With her husband reluctant — or unable — to tell his own story in a compelling way, she has made the task of humanizing him a personal mission. But it is late in the game, and polls show that the Obama campaign has effectively substituted its own, unflattering version of Mr. Romney. |
| Mrs. Romney’s frustration with the popular image of her husband is at times palpable. During his trip to Europe in August, when he seemed to cast doubt on preparations for the Olympics and suggested that culture explained Palestinian economic woes, Mrs. Romney was so livid about the news media’s coverage that she had to be persuaded not to walk to the back of the campaign plane to upbraid reporters, according to multiple aides. | Mrs. Romney’s frustration with the popular image of her husband is at times palpable. During his trip to Europe in August, when he seemed to cast doubt on preparations for the Olympics and suggested that culture explained Palestinian economic woes, Mrs. Romney was so livid about the news media’s coverage that she had to be persuaded not to walk to the back of the campaign plane to upbraid reporters, according to multiple aides. |
| In Iowa last week, she admonished Republicans who question her husband’s strategy and performance. “Stop it,” she said. “This is hard.” | In Iowa last week, she admonished Republicans who question her husband’s strategy and performance. “Stop it,” she said. “This is hard.” |
| Internally, Mrs. Romney insists that the campaign allow Mr. Romney to be himself and that those around him provide positive reinforcement. “Encourager in chief,” an aide calls her. | Internally, Mrs. Romney insists that the campaign allow Mr. Romney to be himself and that those around him provide positive reinforcement. “Encourager in chief,” an aide calls her. |
| Laraine Wright, a close friend of Mrs. Romney, put it this way: “Everyone wants to give them advice, and she said it’s very nice, but Mitt is who Mitt is.” | Laraine Wright, a close friend of Mrs. Romney, put it this way: “Everyone wants to give them advice, and she said it’s very nice, but Mitt is who Mitt is.” |
| That has led some close to the campaign to suggest that Mrs. Romney’s approach might discourage constructive criticism from reaching Mr. Romney, a worry at a time when his campaign is lagging in some swing states, according to recent polls. Two Republican strategists who do not advise Mr. Romney but who are familiar with the workings of his campaign said that Mrs. Romney’s defense of her husband’s instincts have blunted negative — but necessary — feedback. | That has led some close to the campaign to suggest that Mrs. Romney’s approach might discourage constructive criticism from reaching Mr. Romney, a worry at a time when his campaign is lagging in some swing states, according to recent polls. Two Republican strategists who do not advise Mr. Romney but who are familiar with the workings of his campaign said that Mrs. Romney’s defense of her husband’s instincts have blunted negative — but necessary — feedback. |
| Campaign aides, though, dismissed that claim as carping from misinformed outsiders. | Campaign aides, though, dismissed that claim as carping from misinformed outsiders. |
| Mrs. Romney has encouraged those who have worked with Mr. Romney in the past, in the governor’s office or at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, to publicly recount their experiences with him. The idea, she has said, is to both familiarize voters with the her husband’s softer side and counter claims that his agenda would set women back. | Mrs. Romney has encouraged those who have worked with Mr. Romney in the past, in the governor’s office or at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, to publicly recount their experiences with him. The idea, she has said, is to both familiarize voters with the her husband’s softer side and counter claims that his agenda would set women back. |
| Beth Lindstrom, the secretary of consumer affairs under Mr. Romney in the governor’s office, said Mrs. Romney urged these women to discuss how family friendly he was as a boss. Ms. Lindstrom, who had three small children when she went to work for Mr. Romney, has told audiences about how Mr. Romney told her, at their first cabinet meeting, that he his approach was “family first.” | Beth Lindstrom, the secretary of consumer affairs under Mr. Romney in the governor’s office, said Mrs. Romney urged these women to discuss how family friendly he was as a boss. Ms. Lindstrom, who had three small children when she went to work for Mr. Romney, has told audiences about how Mr. Romney told her, at their first cabinet meeting, that he his approach was “family first.” |
| “I think we all feel frustrated, and I’m sure Ann specifically, because she sees the fellow that he is and knows his skill set and knows how he is being portrayed as being unfriendly to women and it’s just not true,” Ms. Lindstrom said. | “I think we all feel frustrated, and I’m sure Ann specifically, because she sees the fellow that he is and knows his skill set and knows how he is being portrayed as being unfriendly to women and it’s just not true,” Ms. Lindstrom said. |
| Mrs. Romney has long served as an informal adviser for her husband, a calming presence and a gut-check barometer. She has played those roles since his days as governor, when aides used to invite her to into the office for lunch on days when Mr. Romney was in a dark mood. As Ms. Fry recalled, her presence alone made him forget whatever was bothering him. | Mrs. Romney has long served as an informal adviser for her husband, a calming presence and a gut-check barometer. She has played those roles since his days as governor, when aides used to invite her to into the office for lunch on days when Mr. Romney was in a dark mood. As Ms. Fry recalled, her presence alone made him forget whatever was bothering him. |
| Inside the campaign these days, said a top Romney adviser, “it’s very positive and Ann helps us keep it that way.” | Inside the campaign these days, said a top Romney adviser, “it’s very positive and Ann helps us keep it that way.” |
| During campaign debates, Mr. Romney routinely looks to his wife after delivering answers to gauge her reactions, sometimes conferring with her during commercial breaks. After Mr. Romney gave Newt Gingrich a drubbing during a primary season debate, Mrs. Romney telegraphed her views in a brief conversation: enough. Mr. Romney had made his point, an adviser recalled. | During campaign debates, Mr. Romney routinely looks to his wife after delivering answers to gauge her reactions, sometimes conferring with her during commercial breaks. After Mr. Romney gave Newt Gingrich a drubbing during a primary season debate, Mrs. Romney telegraphed her views in a brief conversation: enough. Mr. Romney had made his point, an adviser recalled. |
| Her place in the campaign has grown as she hits the trail with her own team of staff members, evolving from occasional stand-in to full-blown campaigner in her own right. On Monday, she read Dr. Seuss’ “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” to a kindergarten class in Henderson, Nev., then spoke to a crowd of about 1,000 at a local convention center. On Tuesday, she held a rally in Denver and sat down for six local television interviews. | Her place in the campaign has grown as she hits the trail with her own team of staff members, evolving from occasional stand-in to full-blown campaigner in her own right. On Monday, she read Dr. Seuss’ “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” to a kindergarten class in Henderson, Nev., then spoke to a crowd of about 1,000 at a local convention center. On Tuesday, she held a rally in Denver and sat down for six local television interviews. |
| At Las Vegas event on Tuesday, Mrs. Romney was introduced by an old friend, who recalled how Mr. Romney, then a local Mormon leader, all but adopted her family when a daughter became gravely ill. Images of faded photographs of Mr. Romney cradling the girl and a handwritten thank you card flashed on a big screen. | At Las Vegas event on Tuesday, Mrs. Romney was introduced by an old friend, who recalled how Mr. Romney, then a local Mormon leader, all but adopted her family when a daughter became gravely ill. Images of faded photographs of Mr. Romney cradling the girl and a handwritten thank you card flashed on a big screen. |
| As she took the stage, Mrs. Romney looked relieved, as if somebody had finally captured her husband as she sees him. | As she took the stage, Mrs. Romney looked relieved, as if somebody had finally captured her husband as she sees him. |
| “I love the fact that people are standing up and saying this is the Mitt Romney I know,” she said. | “I love the fact that people are standing up and saying this is the Mitt Romney I know,” she said. |
| Mrs. Romney acknowledged that her husband does not excel at telling stories. “He doesn’t talk. He does,” she said to applause. “You’ve got to find voters who voted for Obama,” she told well-wishers along a rope line in Nevada, as she posed for photographs and signed T-shirts. “We’ve got to win this.” | Mrs. Romney acknowledged that her husband does not excel at telling stories. “He doesn’t talk. He does,” she said to applause. “You’ve got to find voters who voted for Obama,” she told well-wishers along a rope line in Nevada, as she posed for photographs and signed T-shirts. “We’ve got to win this.” |