Craig Romney, 26, youngest son of Mitt Romney, took time for a quick telephone interview with this newspaper editor at The Clare (Mich.) Sentinel as the candidate’s son made his way to the airport in Grand Rapids on Friday.
Craig Romney, who’s taken a leave of absence from his job with an advertising firm, talked about some of the downsides of working on a political campaign
Asked to share some things about his father that most people don’t know about him, Romney’s son said, “One thing that is funny to me … people don’t know this about him, is that he literally never relaxes. He gets off handful days a year. While everyone else will be relaxing, reading a book (on a family vacation), he’s always got little projects going on … he has a tractor in New Hampshire, and will be digging holes, always working on something.”
The son also said his father, Mitt Romney, has a low tolerance for waste, explaining childhood memories, “If I took a shower two minutes too long, left the lights on overnight … I’d hear about it. As a teen-ager, it drives you crazy, he took that same sense of frugality to Massachusetts, where spending was out of control and you’ve got to cut back on a lot of things. We’re going to have run a tighter ship here. He (Mitt Romney) obviously … he’s a wealthy man, and is very much a borderline cheapskate.”
Monday, January 14, 2008
Brownback for McCain
I took a call at the Clare Sentinel office Friday from U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., a former GOP presidential hopeful (until he dropped out of the race a few months ago) who has since thrown his support behind U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for the GOP presidential nomination.
Here’s what I was able to glean about McCain from Brownback’s perspective:
BLANCHARD: Why did you choose to endorse Sen. McCain?
BROWNBACK: … because he is really the most complete candidate on our side and matches up best against Hillary or Obama in Florida, Ohio and Missouri and (has a strong) prolife voting record. Of the candidates on both sides, McCain has the most foreign policy experience now that Joe Biden is out of the race. He is a fiscal conservative of the top order and he’ll have as commander in chief, the most experience since President Eisenhower. He’s a true hero. He could have left North Vietnamese camp early, but declined when he was told the other men wouldn’t be released, too.
BLANCHARD: Who do you like second best after McCain among the GOP candidates?
BROWNBACK: I would have to think about that for quite a while. Think the field falls off (after McCain) …. Each GOP candidate has clear strengths and weaknesses. I looked a lot at Mike Huckabee. I didn’t go with Mike Huckabee due to his lack of foreign policy experience. He (Huckabee) is not an economic conservative. I don’t think he could deal as a GOP conservative. He is a good, wonderful man, a beautiful speaker and wonderful on issues of the heart, but he lacks foreign policy experience.
BLANCHARD: Who do you think is least qualified?
BROWNBACK: I don’t know. … it’s good field of candidates … a diverse field. Former mayor of New York, former governors, senators.
BLANCHARD: What role do you think Christian faith plays in Sen. McCain’s personal, professional life?
BROWNBACK: I think it is a strong, overall impact for as far as the Judeo-Christian values, quite a signifcant part in his personal and in his worldview would be the way I would see it in my knowledge … I know him fairly well as a friend and a colleague since 1996 (when Brownback entered the U.S. Senate.)
BLANCHARD: How does that differ from the role Christian faith plays in your life?
BROWNBACK: For me as a personal issue, my faith is very personally lively and active. I push on a lot of issues that are close to my faith. Prolife, marriage … John (McCain) doesn’t push on most of those issues, but for me I bring a lot of those issues (to the front)… John would generally vote the right way on issues, which makes me feel good about McCain being president. He’s going to support them if we bring those issues forward. He would bring those military issues forward and I’d be there to support them.
BLANCHARD: What would you say is Sen. McCain’s top strength aside from his military/foreign affairs expertise?
BROWNBACK: He’s probably a better a general election candidate than a primary candidate. He’s reached across the aisle … in general election, he matches up well against (Democrat nominee) … (people) like his Maverick nature. If elected president, the country is in a mood that it doesn’t want the partisanship, it wants to see people make government work for them on issues of importance to them. McCain’s at a point in time in his career, if a big topic arises and needs to be dealt with it doesn’t matter the size of the fight … when you have got to get something done. Campaign finance was one, which was having a corrupting force. I disagreed with him, didn’t think it was constitutional, but McCain thought it was having a corrupting impact. A lot of topics like that made him have difficulty.
BLANCHARD: Do you think McCain will do as well on Tuesday as he did against George W. Bush in 2000 primary in Michigan?
BROWNBACK: If the past is a prologue to places he’s performed well before, he’s done well in Iowa and New Hampshire …. I think there’s a good chance without Democrats on the ballot, not fighting over independents like Obama, McCain should be able to perform well in Michigan.”
BLANCHARD: Would you accept an invitation to serve as the vice presidential candidate on a McCain-Brownback ticket in the fall?
BROWNBACK: I’d sure look at it … those things are a long way off … aren’t decided until the very end. People ask two questions about potential vice presidential candidates: 1) can this person serve as president; 2) can he help me win in the fall.
BLANCHARD: Who do you like best among the Democratic candidates?
BROWNBACK: Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico, or U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, D-N.J., … Joe Biden I’ve worked with the most, we put forth a proposal for Iraq, the three-state solution … the only bill that passed … would leave Iraq as one country, Sunni, Kurds, Shiites …
BLANCHARD: Anything else you’d like to say?
BROWNB ACK: I urge people to get out and vote. The eyes of world will be on Michigan now … Michigan will have a big impact.
Here’s what I was able to glean about McCain from Brownback’s perspective:
BLANCHARD: Why did you choose to endorse Sen. McCain?
BROWNBACK: … because he is really the most complete candidate on our side and matches up best against Hillary or Obama in Florida, Ohio and Missouri and (has a strong) prolife voting record. Of the candidates on both sides, McCain has the most foreign policy experience now that Joe Biden is out of the race. He is a fiscal conservative of the top order and he’ll have as commander in chief, the most experience since President Eisenhower. He’s a true hero. He could have left North Vietnamese camp early, but declined when he was told the other men wouldn’t be released, too.
BLANCHARD: Who do you like second best after McCain among the GOP candidates?
BROWNBACK: I would have to think about that for quite a while. Think the field falls off (after McCain) …. Each GOP candidate has clear strengths and weaknesses. I looked a lot at Mike Huckabee. I didn’t go with Mike Huckabee due to his lack of foreign policy experience. He (Huckabee) is not an economic conservative. I don’t think he could deal as a GOP conservative. He is a good, wonderful man, a beautiful speaker and wonderful on issues of the heart, but he lacks foreign policy experience.
BLANCHARD: Who do you think is least qualified?
BROWNBACK: I don’t know. … it’s good field of candidates … a diverse field. Former mayor of New York, former governors, senators.
BLANCHARD: What role do you think Christian faith plays in Sen. McCain’s personal, professional life?
BROWNBACK: I think it is a strong, overall impact for as far as the Judeo-Christian values, quite a signifcant part in his personal and in his worldview would be the way I would see it in my knowledge … I know him fairly well as a friend and a colleague since 1996 (when Brownback entered the U.S. Senate.)
BLANCHARD: How does that differ from the role Christian faith plays in your life?
BROWNBACK: For me as a personal issue, my faith is very personally lively and active. I push on a lot of issues that are close to my faith. Prolife, marriage … John (McCain) doesn’t push on most of those issues, but for me I bring a lot of those issues (to the front)… John would generally vote the right way on issues, which makes me feel good about McCain being president. He’s going to support them if we bring those issues forward. He would bring those military issues forward and I’d be there to support them.
BLANCHARD: What would you say is Sen. McCain’s top strength aside from his military/foreign affairs expertise?
BROWNBACK: He’s probably a better a general election candidate than a primary candidate. He’s reached across the aisle … in general election, he matches up well against (Democrat nominee) … (people) like his Maverick nature. If elected president, the country is in a mood that it doesn’t want the partisanship, it wants to see people make government work for them on issues of importance to them. McCain’s at a point in time in his career, if a big topic arises and needs to be dealt with it doesn’t matter the size of the fight … when you have got to get something done. Campaign finance was one, which was having a corrupting force. I disagreed with him, didn’t think it was constitutional, but McCain thought it was having a corrupting impact. A lot of topics like that made him have difficulty.
BLANCHARD: Do you think McCain will do as well on Tuesday as he did against George W. Bush in 2000 primary in Michigan?
BROWNBACK: If the past is a prologue to places he’s performed well before, he’s done well in Iowa and New Hampshire …. I think there’s a good chance without Democrats on the ballot, not fighting over independents like Obama, McCain should be able to perform well in Michigan.”
BLANCHARD: Would you accept an invitation to serve as the vice presidential candidate on a McCain-Brownback ticket in the fall?
BROWNBACK: I’d sure look at it … those things are a long way off … aren’t decided until the very end. People ask two questions about potential vice presidential candidates: 1) can this person serve as president; 2) can he help me win in the fall.
BLANCHARD: Who do you like best among the Democratic candidates?
BROWNBACK: Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico, or U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, D-N.J., … Joe Biden I’ve worked with the most, we put forth a proposal for Iraq, the three-state solution … the only bill that passed … would leave Iraq as one country, Sunni, Kurds, Shiites …
BLANCHARD: Anything else you’d like to say?
BROWNB ACK: I urge people to get out and vote. The eyes of world will be on Michigan now … Michigan will have a big impact.
Gov. Granholm, take a cue from Rep. Tim Moore, R-Farwell
Just when you think there’s no one in state government who knows how to balance a budget and live frugally, state Rep. Tim Moore steps up to the plate by returning almost $7,000 of his unused office allotment funds to the Michigan treasury.
"All during last year’s budget debate, I supported reforming and restructuring state government spending before raising people’s taxes," reported Moore, R-Farwell. "Saving taxpayers about 7 percent of my individual office allotment was one of the ways I can directly start the reform effort, even if it’s just a small step at a time. We trimmed expenses where possible, as long as it didn’t impair the service provided to district residents."
The former auto parts store owner from Farwell reports that each year state lawmaker offices are allocated funds for staff salaries, mailings, printing, publications, telephone and other operating expenses. Moore saved $6,903 from the amount he was budgeted for in 2007.
We wonder how much money other Michigan Republican and Democrat legislators, and Gov. Jennifer Granholm managed to avoid spending in their respective office budgets during 2007?
Let’s do some quick math. If the remainin 109 state representatives saved $7,000 apiece that would equal $763,000. If the state senators saved $10,000 apiece (only 38 of them) that would equal $380,000. Combined, that would total $1,149,903, including the $6,903 that Moore managed to not spend.
Then, if the governor’s office ended 2007 not spending say, about $350,097, that would bring the total savings to $1.5 million, which could be returned to the state treasury. It would be a start.
The opinions expressed in the weekly "Our View" editorial represent those of The Clare Sentinel. We encourage our readers to share their views, pro or con, on this or other issues of general interest. Send letters to the editor at: newsroom@claresentinel.net or via mail to: P.O. Box 237, Clare, MI 48617.
"All during last year’s budget debate, I supported reforming and restructuring state government spending before raising people’s taxes," reported Moore, R-Farwell. "Saving taxpayers about 7 percent of my individual office allotment was one of the ways I can directly start the reform effort, even if it’s just a small step at a time. We trimmed expenses where possible, as long as it didn’t impair the service provided to district residents."
The former auto parts store owner from Farwell reports that each year state lawmaker offices are allocated funds for staff salaries, mailings, printing, publications, telephone and other operating expenses. Moore saved $6,903 from the amount he was budgeted for in 2007.
We wonder how much money other Michigan Republican and Democrat legislators, and Gov. Jennifer Granholm managed to avoid spending in their respective office budgets during 2007?
Let’s do some quick math. If the remainin 109 state representatives saved $7,000 apiece that would equal $763,000. If the state senators saved $10,000 apiece (only 38 of them) that would equal $380,000. Combined, that would total $1,149,903, including the $6,903 that Moore managed to not spend.
Then, if the governor’s office ended 2007 not spending say, about $350,097, that would bring the total savings to $1.5 million, which could be returned to the state treasury. It would be a start.
The opinions expressed in the weekly "Our View" editorial represent those of The Clare Sentinel. We encourage our readers to share their views, pro or con, on this or other issues of general interest. Send letters to the editor at: newsroom@claresentinel.net or via mail to: P.O. Box 237, Clare, MI 48617.
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