A surprising aftermath to Mitt Romney's campaign

News from campaign financial reports that Sen. Hillary Clinton's stumbling Democratic presidential effort paid many millions of donor dollars to consultants for advice that didn't work, tens of thousands of donor dollars to hotels for uneaten vegetable trays at abandoned victory parties and 1,300 donor dollars just to Dunkin' Donuts got us thinking.

First, that's an awful lot of donuts. (Especially Boston creams.)

But also, maybe it's not such a bad thing sometimes to have rich, successful businessmen and -women with enduring marriages and large families and even larger fortunes run for the White House.

Large campaigns like John McCain's when he faltered last spring and summer, Rudy Giuliani's later when he stopped staff pay and now Clinton's have a way of spending other people's money at a pretty good clip. (Yes, Hillary put $5 million of her own money into that campaign, but 1) it's a loan and 2) she's charging interest.)

Everyone forgets about the campaign of Rep. Ron Paul, whose followers shockingly....

donated the most money of any Republican campaign in the fourth quarter of 2007 (nearly $20 million), whose followers have given more than $6.1 million more since Jan. 1 and who's carrying a debt of absolutely zero. 

Rich candidates like, say, Mitt Romney can be willing to put a large chunk of their own dough into the effort -- and not charge interest. As we recently reported here, the former Massachusetts governor and his wife of 38 years, Ann, decided together to pour $42.3 million of their own money into his ultimately unsuccessful $98-million effort.

Except for being shot at, nothing focuses your mind quicker than reaching for your own wallet.

Anyone who has ever given money to a political campaign (or NPR, for that matter) will recognize the pattern. First, like it or not, be warned the initial donation is just the beginning of your financial relationship with that operation. You just know you're gonna get hit up for more money down the road once they get your address or e-mail. And some even sell those address lists to other beggars.

Second, when that campaign ends in defeat or surrender, as almost all presidential efforts do (remember, not so long ago we had 18 of these traveling circuses), you're also likely going to be receiving additional pleas for more money to pay off the bid's debt. Chris Dodd and Bill Richardson are doing that right now.

One option available to coveted campaigners is to peddle their endorsement to a surviving candidate, whose supporters then quietly erase the bills. Why does the name Tom Vilsack come to mind? And that of Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback?

Another option is simply to quit and close up shop yourself out of the spotlight. When Romney did disappointingly on Super Tuesday, he met with his staff the next day like a businessman. He read the delegate and expense numbers, confirmed how unlikely it was to catch McCain in delegates and, surprisingly quickly, pulled the plug during a thoughtful speech to the Conservative Political Action Committee 48 hours later that left little doubt he'd be back in GOP politics.

A week after that, again surprisingly quickly during such a healing period, Romney heartily endorsed McCain and, literally, stepped aside on that stage and off.

Now, instead of a public plea for more money to cover the massive debts of his yearlong failed effort, here's what you get at the Romney campaign's shuttered website.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[say]

Historically, putting Clinton and Obama on the same ticket that will win in November would be a great way to cap off the 20th century and it's historic struggles. It would bring to symbolic climax the suffrage struggles of African Americans and Women and the moral causes behind the civil rights and sexual liberties movements - i.e. no more 'glass ceilings' or lower pay for equally talented people. It would be the crowning evidence that affirmative action does have impact in breaking thru barriers of social and power exclusivity and allows for the best and smartest to rise to their highest potential - regardless of race or gender. 



We are at a tremendous moment, America, this decision in 2008 - AFTER a reign (8 years?) of such a duo, we could THEN enter into the necessary paradigm shift truly appropriate for the 21st century. Reagan/Eisenhower, clean-Christian GOP politcs are dead and no longer relavent. Now let's get on with it and bury the 20th century idealism of FDR, JFK, RFK and MLK with one sweep! Clinton/Obama 2008!



Our children and grandchildren will need a smarter, more agile, more globally connected and culturally saavy administration in 2020 than any of these candidates could ever begin to deliver, but we have to have a political evolution in order to get there. 21st century America is no longer Black & White on so many levels.



Let's get on with it! Democrats start making the call for a ticket that will positively transform America for the 21st century! Democrats United NOT Divided!

[John McCall]

First poster should be careful what is asked for. Should that come about, two years hence will see things quite different from what those who vote for saviors expect.

[Bobster]

An Obama-Clinton ticket? I guess that would be okay if they didn't hate each other. But they do. And after Hillary played second-fiddle in the White House to Bill Clinton for eight long years, she has no desire to do it again.

[TheOneLaw]

First poster is apparently not aware that a universal military draft will be the second act of an Obama Presidency.
Of note is the fact that it will be gender-blind.

Or maybe First poster is aware and honestly hopes for it...

[Vectorpedia (Rick)]

Didn't Hillary also spend $11,000 on pizza.......I'm delighted that they publish the expenses for all to see.......all candidates may have second thoughts of blowing funds if they know the public is watching.

(Alas, as you might imagine these campaigns employ hundreds of people, some of whom are smarter than others. Obviously, the candidate is responsible overall and their name is on the operation, but doubt that any of them are involved in ordering up pizza or veggie trays.)

[Marty]

Excuse me Say, don't you think turning America into a Socialist Swamp is a rather heavy price to pay for the supposed justice to blacks and women.

[Rick LaBonte]

Romney has far too much class for the Republican party or the American public. It's his misfortune and ours that the mainstream media advanced the fraudulent nonentity Huckster in order to exploit the religious bigotry of the born-agains. The two-party system under McCain-Feingold seems designed to elevate the worst candidates into a lesser-of-two-evils race. Thus do once-great empires slide into mediocrity, corruption, and dissolution. Presidential politics is an excruciating, torturously slow and nauseating spectacle - which is what the media do best.

[Rick LaBonte]

Romney has far too much class for the Republican party or the American public. It's his misfortune and ours that the mainstream media advanced the fraudulent nonentity Huckster in order to exploit the religious bigotry of the born-agains. The two-party system under McCain-Feingold seems designed to elevate the worst candidates into a lesser-of-two-evils race. Thus do once-great empires slide into mediocrity, corruption, and dissolution. Presidential politics is an excruciating, torturously slow and nauseating spectacle - which is what the media do best.

[ajrizona]

Romney will make back his money in a couple years with interest on his net worth. Again showing his brilliance.

A person who puts his money where his mouth is is perhaps the "most authentic" person you will ever find.

How sad, as we reflect and can now see that it was McCain and Huckster who were the real flip floppers,
name callers, liars, and the catty backstabbing candidates, they accused others of being, who by teaming together,
knocked out our Nations best hope.

Like the old maid who is so picky she ends up with nothing, America will have to hold her nose this year,
too little too late. It's Jimmy Carter time, folks.

As we stand today and can reflect on the last year, we should all realize that we let slip away
the most qualified leader in a generation . Let's hope for America's sake that there is a round
two for the Mittster.

ajarizona

[James]

In regards to the second comment. I'll take a savior any day over a bitter and cynical atheist. Let's Go Dems. We have to put the proverbial smackdown on the Conservatives and the GOP this year. No Mercy!

[Bucket65]

Poster #1. Could you please be more specific with what you are proposing? For a while there I thought you were quoting Obama. Are you proposing we should become EU Facists or just give away everything to everybody until there is no more to give?

[Keith]

Will Clinton accept the VP spot? I doubt it.

[Tracy Hall Jr]

I have a close relative who was a paid web designer for the Romney campaign, and who produced the final "thank you" page at http://www.mittromney.com/

(Yes, that's all that's left of the web site -- one page!)

My relative said Romney treated his entire staff with class. He loved working there and felt that he was appreciated and encouraged to do his best. He had full benefits while working for Romney, and he received almost a month's severance. After suspending, Romney posed for a photo with every staff member, allowed personal use of facilities and computers for several weeks, and encouraged senior staff to use their networks to help junior staff find new jobs.

Governor Romney has my utmost respect for the way he treated his staff.

Tracy Hall Jr
hthalljr'gmail'com

[Michael]

Watch Hillary's funding dry up when it becomes widely known that she helped a child rapist get a reduced sentence by impugning the character of the 12-year-old victim.

If the rapist were still alive, perhaps he would buy a vegetable tray for one of her parties.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/ny-usark245589997feb24,0,2934440,print.story

[Say what]

Keep drinking the Kool-Aid, say.

[Pete Morgan]

WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE SHARE WITH THE AMERICAN PUBLIC -- WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS OBAMA HAS TO BE PRESIDENT?

AS I SEE IT, HE IS THE MOST UNPREPARED, UNQUALIFIED CANDIDATE IN AMERICAN HISTORY TO BE THIS CLOSE TO WINNING.

AM I WRONG? WHO IN HISTORY HAD LESS QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE?

[jim of bentley]

Matthew,
The link was interesting, but, as much as I dislike Clinton, she was the man's lawyer and duty bound to give him the best defence possible. Further, the treatment of rape - by both police and the courts - has dramatically changed over the past 30 years. As such, the methods used then (not just by Clinton but my many defence lawyers) would not be permitted today.

[hdimig]

"Historically, putting Clinton and Obama on the same ticket that will win in November would be a great way to cap off the 20th century and it's historic struggles."

Obama will not do it. His campaign pretty much demonized Hillary and that was very successful for him. The Obama people would never allow her on the ticket even though half the Democarts like her. Frankly, I don't think Obama has it in him to have a VP with any kind of national stature. You will get a no-name.

[SimpleRep]

So, what's new...this is politics and these are politicians. You can pretty much tell the heart of a person by what he or she says. However, for a politician, you know what kind of people they are on how they conduct their personal campaign donations and allocate thier finances.

[tk]

Americans get the leader they want. If we elect inexperience we will get it, if we elect wastefulness we will get it, it we elect corruption we will get it, if we elect incompetence we will get it, if we elect greed we get it.

What surprises me; is how angry, shocked and surprised Americans are when they get what they elected.

We had an honest, experienced, intelligent, prudent candidate who ran….may be Americans are too incompetent, greedy, wasteful and corrupt to see a good candidate when they have one.

[angela]

When I read all the postitive posts about Romney, all I can think is "who are they talking about?" Obviously, these people have not done their research on his record as governor or they have chosen to ignore it. Quit listening to Hannity, Rush, and Beck and think for yourself for a change.

[DLounsbury]

Angela:

There is a reason why Romney had more negative hit pieces written about him than ALL other candidates combined (Republicans AND Democrats). There is a reason why the Democratic National Committee feared Romney more than any other candidate as is evidenced by the fact that they produced more negative internet postings on Romney than ALL other Republican candidates combined. This surprisingly about a candidate who has no skeletons in the closet. When you don't have skeletons people have to make a big deal about how you transported a dog 20 years ago or who does your landscaping work. Really, the efforts to pursue Romney were never even considered for the other candidates.

You may have believed all or a portion of this "journalism." I think it is not a coincidence that this happened. I tend to believe Romney drew more fire because he posed the biggest threat to the liberal media and the democrats for getting a liberal in the white house. If you don't believe the mainstream media has taken the gloves off and lost their "unbiased" reporting you are from another planet. We have returned to the days of Lincoln when media centers were a wing of the respective political parties. There is a reason Lincoln used Marshals at times and thugs at others to close down opposition presses during the war. At least then the newspapers were honest and open about their disdain for the opposition.