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Romney, revising Just Don't Call Him "Loser"By Rick Horowitz
"...and we're back, and ready for another journey along the road to the White House. We call it 'Destination: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,' and it's our chance to meet some of the people hoping to be elected our next president. This morning, we welcome a successful businessman, the 'savior' of the Salt Lake City Olympics, son of a well-known political family, and the former governor of Massachusetts: Mitt Romney. Governor, welcome to the program." "Good to be here, Tom. By the way, it's Milt." "What is?" "My name. It's Milt Romney." "But I thought -- " "It used to be Mitt. Now it's Milt."
"It's evolved. The more I thought about it, the more I came to believe that Milt was the appropriate name for me to have." "And this has nothing to do with your running for president." "Of course not." "You weren't thinking that Mitt might not sound presidential enough?" "Never entered my mind. It just seemed like the right thing to do, and the right time to do it." "And when was this?" "About an hour and a half ago." "I see." "Tom, I like to think that as I've gotten older, I've gotten somewhat wiser, too. And if one's experiences don't continue to shape one's outlook on life -- well, it just seems to me that these are lost opportunities for growth, and I'd hate to think that I had missed out on those opportunities. That's how I see it, anyway." "Mitt didn't poll very well, did it?" "Tom, the American people have a wisdom all their own. Anyone who seeks to serve them -- and I'm talking now about any level of government service -- anyone who seeks to serve them benefits from a fuller understanding of 'What's on their mind?' and 'What are their concerns?' and such. It simply makes you a better leader." "But governor, isn't that one of the biggest negatives in your campaign so far, this perception that you're willing to shift positions, do a 180, when it's more politically useful? I'm talking, for instance, about your views on stem-cell research -- " "Well, my policy posture has certainly developed on that one as I learned more." "Much closer to where Republican primary voters are, your critics say. Likewise, on abortion, where you used to claim you -- " "And on that one, too, Tom. Developed. Even Ronald Reagan -- " "And on gay rights? When you ran for the Senate against Ted Kennedy back in 1994, you said you'd be stronger for gay rights than Ted Kennedy was. And now you seem to have turned around completely on that." "Well -- " "Even on guns. First you said you didn't line up with the NRA, and now you've become a life member." "Tom, I don't think my positions are inconsistent at all." "With all respect, governor, if you take position 'x' at one point, and then suddenly you're for position 'y' -- what's consistent about that?" "Tom, I don't think the American people want a leader who's so set in his ways, and so unyielding in his beliefs, that he can't adapt to new information, or changing circumstances." "Like different groups of voters you have to win over?" "That would certainly be a changed circumstance." "So you admit -- " "But that isn't to say that my positions, whatever they are, aren't deeply rooted in my own core beliefs." "However convenient they happen to be." "Exactly." "Well, this has been a most enlightening conversation -- I hope we can have you back as the campaign continues. Thanks for being here and sharing your thoughts with us, Governor Mitt -- sorry, Milt -- Romney." "You can call me Matt." Posted 2/27/07. Looking
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Rick Horowitz
