How Romney is running his campaign: Like an incompetent CEO

[AdMan]

Romney’s convention stumbles have provoked weeks of public griping and internal sniping about not only Romney but also his mercurial campaign muse, [Stuart] Stevens [Mitt Romney’s top strategist]. Viewed warily by conservatives, known for his impulsiveness and described by a colleague as a “tortured artist,” Stevens has become the leading staff scapegoat for a campaign that suddenly is behind in a race that had been expected to stay neck and neck through Nov. 6.

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To pin recent stumbles on Stevens would be to overlook Romney’s role in all this. As the man atop the enterprise — in effect, the CEO of a $1 billion start-up — Romney ultimately bears responsibility for the decisions he personally oversaw, such as the muffling of running mate Paul Ryan’s strict budget message and his own convention performance.

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...whatever Stevens’s shortcomings, presidential candidates get the campaigns they want. And Romney, who in an interview with POLITICO last month said his leadership style very much centers on having a variety of smart people offering advice and him being the decider, has taken a very active role running his own campaign.

In a way, that’s the problem. Romney associates are baffled that such a successful corporate leader has created a team with so few lines of authority or accountability.

Romney has allowed seven distinct power centers to flourish inside his campaign, with the strategy pod, headed by Stevens and Schriefer, handling the most essential ingredient — the candidate’s public message and image.

Inside the campaign: How Mitt Romney stumbled

Can't wait for the tell-all book(s), once Romney loses.

 

[hgc]

If this narrative takes hold, it's a big blow to the central theme of Romney's claim of qualification -- his experience as a business leader. And, I had to wonder if it could get any worse for Mitt. It can.

 

[MaxHardcore]

Sack half the workers and get a big bonus.

 

[Olowkow]

The minute I heard Chris Christie's rant at the convention, I sensed that Romney had lost control of his campaign. Seeing Ryan becoming a loose cannon was further evidence. Then, Eastwood's appearance clinched this observation in my opinion. It's not a "team", rather just a bunch of egos running amok.

They really need Steve Schmidt, though I doubt he'd ever get involved at this stage.

 

[Monketi Ghost]

If this chaotic bag of goofballs running around with dollar signs in their eyes and crap pouring out of their mouths wins the election, my faith in the voting public will be... unchanged, I suppose.

 

[daredelvis]

Sack half the workers and get a big bonus.

You will also need to change the logo to get that big bonus.

Daredelvis

 

[jj]

Since Romney's only business move is to raid and move on, there is no evidence whatsoever that he actually knows how to RUN a company. Why is anyone surprised.

Given that his policies make it clear that as president he just wants to raid the USA of its remaining (and dwindling) weath, and move on.

And in Ohio, Pa, Florida, and Arizona, the fix is in. Money talks, freedom walks.

 

[Crossbow]

I find that the Romney 2012 Campaign reminds me of the McCain 2008 Campaign, the Dole 1996 Campaign, and the Bush 1992 Campaign.

In the three latter cases I got the distinct impression that the respective Republican candidates did not actually want the job that they were campaigning for and as a result they ran rather poor campaigns.

 

[Manopolus]

...whatever Stevens’s shortcomings, presidential candidates get the campaigns they want. And Romney, who in an interview with POLITICO last month said his leadership style very much centers on having a variety of smart people offering advice and him being the decider...

Nice George W. reference there... is that in the words of Romney or a tricky little paraphrase that was intended to remind us of one of Bush's well known verbal blundering episodes?

I'm thoroughly sick of this type of manipulative crap in politics. That said, I'm decisively left of center, so I'm not particularly hostile to the message itself.

...then again, maybe Romney actually did say it that way. I can't be bothered to look it up, personally. If he did use those words, he most likely shouldn't have.

 

[mikedenk]

I find that the Romney 2012 Campaign reminds me of the McCain 2008 Campaign, the Dole 1996 Campaign, and the Bush 1992 Campaign.

In the three latter cases I got the distinct impression that the respective Republican candidates did not actually want the job that they were campaigning for and as a result they ran rather poor campaigns.

Interesting and possibly true with regards to McCain, Dole, and Bush. But Romney? Seems like he's been setting the stage for a run for a while now.

 

[TragicMonkey]

Interesting and possibly true with regards to McCain, Dole, and Bush. But Romney? Seems like he's been setting the stage for a run for a while now.

My own personal, completely subjective, opinion of Romney is that he's full of anger because everybody doesn't love him. I believe he honestly expected the presidency to fall into his lap because he hears all these people saying how bad Obama is, and now to find that he's having to work for it and get criticized for the things he says, well, I expect its been a shock.

 

[dudalb]

Since Romney's only business move is to raid and move on, there is no evidence whatsoever that he actually knows how to RUN a company. Why is anyone surprised.

Given that his policies make it clear that as president he just wants to raid the USA of its remaining (and dwindling) weath, and move on.

And in Ohio, Pa, Florida, and Arizona, the fix is in. Money talks, freedom walks.

Conspriacy Theory Section That Way...........

 

[dudalb]

Interesting and possibly true with regards to McCain, Dole, and Bush. But Romney? Seems like he's been setting the stage for a run for a while now.

That is what is interesting. Romney has spent probably the last 15 years getting ready for a Presendential run, but he is coming off like a real amateur.

 

[Alferd_Packer]

That is what is interesting. Romney has spent probably the last 15 years getting ready for a Presendential run, but he is coming off like a real amateur.

Gov. Deval Patrick (on Romney as Governor): Romney was more interested in having the job than doing the job

 

[Dorian Gray]

"But... but.... look at my hair."

 

[Ziggurat]

If this narrative takes hold, it's a big blow to the central theme of Romney's claim of qualification

That's rather the point though, isn't it? It's a narrative which the press is telling. And they're telling it with exactly that goal in mind. The question is, why do you believe it?

Unfortunately for the press, they didn't coordinate their attacks, and ended up making competing contradictory claims. Yet some will still consider them credible.

 

[Upchurch]

That's rather the point though, isn't it? It's a narrative which the press is telling. And they're telling it with exactly that goal in mind. The question is, why do you believe it?

Unfortunately for the press, they didn't coordinate their attacks, and ended up making competing contradictory claims. Yet some will still consider them credible.

Golly, Zig. It's almost like "the press" isn't the monolithic entity you pretend it is, huh?

 

[MattusMaximus]

If this narrative takes hold, it's a big blow massive self-inflicted piling on to the central theme of Romney's claim of qualification -- his experience as a business leader. And, I had to wonder if it could get any worse for Mitt. It can.

Ftfy

 

[hgc]

That's rather the point though, isn't it? It's a narrative which the press is telling. And they're telling it with exactly that goal in mind. The question is, why do you believe it?

Unfortunately for the press, they didn't coordinate their attacks, and ended up making competing contradictory claims. Yet some will still consider them credible.

I use that word because it's the narrative that will do the damage. I happen to believe it's true because I am witnessing the effects of bad management almost every day when I see the way the Romney for President campaign operates.

Sorry, but the press's goal is to sell their product, not to badmouth Mitt Romney.

 

[Ziggurat]

Sorry, but the press's goal is to sell their product, not to badmouth Mitt Romney.

Then why do they seem to do so well at the latter and so terribly at the former?