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Romney's large family helps his presidential campaign, offers contrast to Republican rivals
The International Herald Tribune ^ | 06/22/07 | Associated Press

Posted on 06/23/2007 12:09:33 PM PDT by Reaganesque

BOSTON: Mitt Romney values his family, and when it comes to his presidential campaign, his family members are providing value for him.

His wife of 38 years, his five strapping sons and his photogenic daughters-in-law don't just back the former Massachusetts governor's candidacy, they are giving it a lift in ways both subtle and overt.

Tagg Romney, his eldest son, quit his marketing job with the Los Angeles Dodgers and is working full-time at campaign headquarters. Brother Josh is taking leave this summer from real estate development in Salt Lake City to drive a recreational vehicle to all 99 counties in Iowa which holds the first party caucuses in the nation to choose delegates to the national presidential nominating convention. And their siblings Craig, Ben and Matt are co-contributors to the "Five Brothers Blog" on Romney's Web site.

This week the online campaign diary included a 13-minute film of the family celebrating Christmas and weighing the approaching campaign. Several family members will be on hand Sunday night for a barbeque at Fenway Park in Boston to thank major donors to the campaign.

But beyond those workmanlike duties, the former Massachusetts governor and his brood are telegraphing another message to voters, especially social conservatives pivotal in the Republican primaries and caucuses: Mitt Romney is no John McCain, Rudy Giuliani or Fred Thompson.

Each of those rivals has been divorced, and Giuliani — the leader in Republican polls — is estranged from his children after a very public split from his second wife.

(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: elections; family; rivals; romney
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Interesting article. While I personally wouldn't automatically disqualify a candidate for a single divorce (mistakes happen), it would be nice to have a President who has had one wife and a happy family life.
1 posted on 06/23/2007 12:09:36 PM PDT by Reaganesque
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To: Austin1; bcbuster; beaversmom; bethtopaz; BlueAngel; Bluestateredman; brivette; BullHalsey; ...
Mitt Ping!

• Send FReep Mail to Unmarked Package to get [ON] or [OFF] the Mitt Romney Ping List


2 posted on 06/23/2007 12:10:30 PM PDT by Reaganesque (Romney 2008)
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To: Reaganesque

It’s a big plus in his favor.


3 posted on 06/23/2007 12:16:46 PM PDT by CaptainK (...please make it stop. Shake a can of pennies at it.)
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To: Reaganesque

Their family video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcNc6qHmcvo


4 posted on 06/23/2007 12:18:16 PM PDT by DieselHoplite
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To: Reaganesque

This reminds me of the 2000 Presidential election. I did not think that George W. was EVER going to get Laura and Barbara out on the campaign trail. I called radio talk shows asking: “Where the heck is Laura and Barbara; everybody loves Barbara”.

Finally they surfaced but it was almost too late.


5 posted on 06/23/2007 12:21:13 PM PDT by no dems (Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my gun.)
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To: CaptainK

this is getting very old......can’t wait til Fred gets in.


6 posted on 06/23/2007 12:24:52 PM PDT by cherry
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To: Reaganesque

I have been through two divorces and anyone who says it’s no big deal is a dang liar! Darn near killed me - twice! I thank God for Mitt’s strong family.

I actually cried when I saw the Christmas video of Romney’s.


7 posted on 06/23/2007 12:26:03 PM PDT by Saundra Duffy (Romney Rocks!)
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To: Reaganesque

I like Mitt, but don’t want to make a big deal out of this. After all, Reagan also divorced once, while Clinton is still married to one person.


8 posted on 06/23/2007 12:26:43 PM PDT by paudio
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To: cherry

I mean I’ll take a man with all his wrinkles and flaws and mistakes and the experience of regular human life over a man that claims he is perfect with the perfect family and the perfect religion...


9 posted on 06/23/2007 12:27:38 PM PDT by cherry
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To: cherry

Who forced your keyboard to click here?

I see a lot of Fred’s thread and I don’t click it!


10 posted on 06/23/2007 12:31:40 PM PDT by restornu (Whatever time we have is being paid for with our life!)
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To: cherry

What fairy tale are you reading if someone is perfect they are not residing on this planet! Many are striving to the best they can is that a defect to you?


11 posted on 06/23/2007 12:33:36 PM PDT by restornu (Whatever time we have is being paid for with our life!)
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To: Reaganesque
"What family does for candidates is it gives voters a connection to the candidate: 'I'm not just a wealthy, white guy who's made a lot of money. I've raised kids and gone through the same things everyone else has gone through,'" the professor said.

True. He understands American families. When I saw him in person it seemed he was genuinely motivated by making a difference and doing what is best for the future of his kids and grandkids (and our kids and grandkids). He can relate to business owners too. He has a lot of practical experience that helps him connect in different ways. The Five Bros. Blog is a great way for the family to connect with real people and humanize the campaign.

________________

And their siblings Craig, Ben and Matt are co-contributors to the "Five Brothers Blog" on Romney's Web site.

Did you catch the photo of some of the Romney brothers with the Harley Davidson/Hell's Angel guys they have posted on their blog? Pretty humorous. http://fivebrothers.mittromney.com/

Oh, and for the ladies, Ann has posted a favorite family recipe for meat loaf on there. LOL! The sauce sounds very tempting. Might have to try it.

12 posted on 06/23/2007 12:36:56 PM PDT by redgirlinabluestate (MittReport.com)
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To: cherry

Mitt Romney doesn’t claim to be perfect. What are you talking about?

How sad that you can’t find it in your heart to enjoy the fact that the Romney’s have a nice strong family. How sad.


13 posted on 06/23/2007 12:37:16 PM PDT by Saundra Duffy (Romney Rocks!)
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To: paudio
I like Mitt, but don’t want to make a big deal out of this. After all, Reagan also divorced once, while Clinton is still married to one person.

Ronald Reagan lived in a different era when discretion was was honored!

14 posted on 06/23/2007 12:37:20 PM PDT by restornu (Whatever time we have is being paid for with our life!)
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To: cherry

>>>mistakes and the experience of regular human life over a man that claims he is perfect with the perfect family and the perfect religion...<<<

One of Mitt’s more endearing character traits is that he is so frequently self-depracting in an aw-shucks kind of way.

It’s other people who attack him for being “too perfect,” whatever that means. And Romney has remained reticent to speak about his religion in pubilc, simply that it means a lot to him. That, of course, has not stopped other people from speaking depracatingly about his religion pubically, either.

So my question to you is why you’d single out a guy who hasn’t done any of what you mentioned and just casually assert those character traits to him.

You have a guy who jokes about how he wasn’t particularly athletic growing up, about how he was lucky to win over his wife, about how his kids make fun of him all of the time, about how his state’s healthcare reforms probably aren’t perfect and that other states will experiment and may do better and may borrow from Mass.....

I just don’t get where this is coming from.


15 posted on 06/23/2007 12:52:45 PM PDT by CheyennePress
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To: paudio

True. Divorce is not in and of itself an indicator of a person’s worth. In Clinton’s case, yes, he was/is married to one woman, but has cheated on her multiple times. It’s the whole package that we should be looking for. I’m simply stating that it is nice to have someone who not only is married to his high school sweetheart, has never cheated on her and has five wonderful children to vote for. Mitt is the all-to-rare candidate that actually walks the walk when it comes to family values.


16 posted on 06/23/2007 1:44:31 PM PDT by Reaganesque (Romney 2008)
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To: Reaganesque

Anne Romney had talked about this “get together” in an interview she did awhile back with George Stephanopolous. She said the family had come together to discuss the impact on them, if Romney ran for President.

One of the reasons, she said, was that the family would have to take up part of the slack for her because of her MS. She said she “went to empty” pretty quickly sometimes, and wouldn’t always be able to do campaigning, and the family said they would step in and take up the slack, in times when she couldn’t participate.

I’m impressed with anybody (politics or religion don’t have to do with it) when they’ve been married to the same person for many years and obviously have a good relationship with their grown children and in-laws. He did something right. Whether that will make him a good President, who’s to say at this point, but it does show something about the man.


17 posted on 06/23/2007 1:51:51 PM PDT by dawn53
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To: redgirlinabluestate
You mean this?

Very funny! My favorite is the next one down the page, though:


18 posted on 06/23/2007 1:55:38 PM PDT by Reaganesque (Romney 2008)
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To: Reaganesque
Here's another favorite:

I love the shirt! Their family alone could comprise a good 5% of the national vote.

19 posted on 06/23/2007 1:58:11 PM PDT by Reaganesque (Romney 2008)
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To: Reaganesque

Yes! Did you read the comments posted along with the photos? “Christian biker” for Mitt wrote in! Love it.


20 posted on 06/23/2007 2:10:16 PM PDT by redgirlinabluestate (MittRocks.blogspot.com)
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