Romney
Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney made his first solo appearance on behalf of John McCain Thursday, and told the Lancaster County Republican Party he believed the country would vote for strength in November, NBC/NJ’s Matthew E. Berger reports. “Isn’t it fun watching Hillary Clinton try to convince us Barack Obama shouldn’t be elected; watching Barack Obama try to convince us Hillary Clinton shouldn’t be elected?” he said. “You see, I agree with both of them.”
At the county party fundraiser, Romney singled out Obama’s positions on foreign affairs, arguing he would meet with leaders like Cuba’s Fidel Castro and Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. “The contrast couldn’t be more clear, I think,” he said adding McCain would form a league of democracies that would bring together America’s allies.
“John McCain recognizes that the greatest ally peace has ever known is a strong America,” and I am convinced Americans will choose strength when they go to the voting booth this November. That’s the right course for this great nation.”
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BLOOMBERG: Don't believe the NYC mayor and ex-CEO is interested in being Obama's second banana? Then take a look at THIS newsy NYT lead. "It was only hours after Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg finally made it clear that he was not running for president that his chief political guru, Kevin Sheekey, suggested that he would be the perfect running mate for Senator Barack Obama.
"In presenting Mr. Obama, Mr. Bloomberg pointedly noted that he had not endorsed a candidate, saying that now was the time for people to listen to the candidates’ ideas. Referring to the “private breakfast” the two men shared at a Midtown coffee shop in November with a throng of news media pressed against the window, Mr. Bloomberg joked that it was his pleasure to introduce him, “and not just because he picked up the check.”
“Mr. Obama had kind words for Mr. Bloomberg as well, saying that he had ‘demonstrated extraordinary leadership.’ He joked: ‘The reason I bought breakfast is because I expected payback. I’m no dummy. The mayor was a cheap date that morning. There are some good steakhouses in this city.’”
ROMNEY: It is remarkable how much Mitt Romney is helping McCain. If you didn't believe it before, then believe it now, this guy wants the second slot... badly.
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From NBC/NJ's Adam Aigner-Treworgy
McCain will host a $1,000 a plate fundraiser in Salt Lake City today with Mitt Romney, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Romney will then travel with the McCain campaign to Denver.
"Romney, who dropped out of the race after poor showings in the primaries, received nearly 90 percent of the Utah GOP vote on Feb. 5, while McCain had just 5 percent," the Tribune writes. "Romney is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as are more than 60 percent of the state's residents.
"While McCain raised about $183,000 from Utahns since January 2007, Romney raised millions. Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., who has been the subject of media speculation as a possible McCain running mate, will be in attendance, organizers said."
From NBC/NJ's Adam Aigner-Treworgy and NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
On his campaign charter plane,
McCain spoke to reporters about
Romney’s comments in a television interview that aired last night where he said he would be “honored” to serve as McCain’s running mate.
When a reporter said that it sounded like Romney would be open to sharing the ticket with him, a smiling McCain said he understood that Romney had mentioned his interest in serving as running mate.
“I got that impression,” he said.
He went on to say that his campaign is “just starting the process.”
“We’ve had at least a hundred volunteers to lead the search effort for the VP candidate,” McCain said, smiling again, of supporters volunteering their advice. “Incredible acts of generosity and willingness to serve the country.”
In describing the campaign’s steps so far towards defining their VP selection process McCain predicted that they should have a process nailed down with the next “few days or a week.”
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Whether Romney's 282 delegates can be given to McCain depends on each state's rules on "releasing" delegates, per the RNC.
Language to watch for during Romney's endorsement is if he says he is "releasing" his delegates "to McCain." That, or some variation, may be enough in some states where he won BOUND delegates.
Caucus states' rules are less restrictive and several of these states' delegates are completely unbound and may be able to go to whomever they so choose.
Here are the primary state delegates Romney has won: Ark. (1), Calif. (6), Ga. (3), Ill. (3), Mass. (22), Mich. (23), N.H. (4), Tenn. (8) and Utah (36).
Caucus state delegates won: Alaska (12), Colo. (43), Iowa (7), Maine (18), Minn. (38), Mont. (25), Nev. (17), N.D. (8), Wyo. (8).
Of these, all of the primary delegates are pledged. But, of the caucuses, the following are not bound: Colorado, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada and Wyoming.
*** UPDATE *** Highlighting how complicated this all can be, the Massachusetts Republican Party, said once Romney says his delegates can be released, then they are no longer bound to him, BUT they aren't sure if they would be legally bound to McCain -- if Romney so urges -- or if they can vote their conscience. They are checking.
*** UPDATE 2 *** For perspective, NBC News' Election Unit reminds us that in many states, the actual delegates -- the actual people who will sit at the convention and vote -- have not been elected yet. Even in a state where Romney won pledged delegates, unless they are actually elected already, the next phase could elect delegates who are McCain, Huckabee or uncommitted or something else. And in many states, it's not likely that a candidate who releases his delegates could "bind" them to another candidate.
From NBC's Mark Murray
First Read has confirmed an AP report that Mitt Romney will endorse McCain today.
The endorsement, per a Romney source, will occur at Romney's headquarters in Boston around 3:30 pm ET and 4:00 pm ET. And McCain, who has been campaigning in nearby Rhode Island, will be in attendance.
Note: Erin McPike covered Mitt Romney for NBC News and National Journal, and below are some of her observations after covering his campaign. First Read ran a similar dispatch from our Edwards embed, Tricia Miller, after he pulled out of the race.
From NBC/NJ's Erin McPike
When Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, went to his campaign headquarters in Boston for meetings the day after Super Tuesday, he drove the two of them –- alone. For a couple that’s spent the bulk of their time during the last year riding in motorcades and boarding chartered planes, it was a telltale sign that the whirlwind run was coming to an end.
Romney flew down to Washington on February 7 on a routine morning US Airways flight at 8:00 am with his wife, strategists Cindy Gillespie and Ron Kaufman, several other staffers and -- as luck would have it -- the AP reporter, NBC producer, and NBC/National Journal embed (yours truly) assigned to cover him.
Seated in the 12th row of the aircraft, one row behind me, Romney worked on something quietly and stopped only a few times -- one of which was to ask Ann and those around him how to spell “propitious.” Though he knew he would be calling off his presidential bid in a few hours at the conservative confab, CPAC, he appeared to be in good spirits.
Just one day earlier, the Romney campaign spent the day making the case that it would go forward. That seemed like a fantasy and a heady approach for a businessman who built part of his message around his background as a data-driven number-cruncher, because more and more analyses of the GOP primary started showing it would be next to impossible for Romney to catch McCain in the delegate hunt.
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From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum and Lindsey Pritzlaff
WASHINGTON -- When Romney bowed out of the race at CPAC, his supporters in the audience were not happy, as First Read reported earlier. With overwhelming booing and people screaming out "no" and "stay on, stay on," Romney was appreciative of the support but undeterred in his decision.
"Even though we face an uphill fight, I know that many in this room are fully behind my campaign," Romney said to cheers. About a third of crowd -- about 150 -- enthusiastically held their Mitt signs, giving Romney a standing ovation several times throughout his speech.
"If this were only about me, I would go on, but its never been only about me," Romney said solemnly but optimistically. "But I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, I feel I must now stand aside, for our party and for our country."
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From NBC's John Boxley
Romney spokesman Eric Fehrenstrom says the decision to withdraw was made last night. Earlier in the day, Romney had held meetings with senior staffers, looking at options. At a later meeting with the entire staff, they enthusiastically encouraged him to stay in the race.
So he went home last night to write his CPAC speech, and Eric says it became a "farewell speech"
Romney wanted to do what was right for the party. Though he still saw a pathway to nomination, he was concerned about a protracted struggle within the party at a time when the country is at war.
Romney hopes today's decision unifies the party, his family supported the decision, and he will endorse McCain if he is the nominee.
What next?
Romney is meeting with congessional leaders on the Hill this afternoon, then going home to Massachusetts for some much needed R and R. He is not speaking at Lincoln Dinner tonight as earlier scheduled
From NBC's Chris DonovanWord hadn't traveled to many in the room before Romney spoke. A whole group of Romney student supporters near me in the room were completely shocked to hear Romney announce he was dropping out despite at least Blackberry reception. One apparent supporter whispered "unbelievable" -- and by the time I made it to the Romney exhibit booth after it had already been abandoned, while there was a line.
