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Winning the Gold Medal in Semantics Gymnastics

By glanko

I know it's old news, but I felt compelled to comment.

On January 17th, in Columbia, South Carolina, Mitt Romney had a testy exchange with Glen Johnson, a reporter with the Associated Press.

Johnson basically interrupted Romney, mid sentence, expressing his incredulity as to Romney?s statement "I do not have lobbyists running my campaign." Johnson immediately named a high level senior advisor Romney?s, Ron Kaufman, a lobbyist for the powerful Dutko Group, as a senior advisor of Romney.

Romney?s response? It was nothing if not Clintonesque (and I think you know what I mean).

?I don?t have lobbyists running my campaign. I don?t have lobbyists tied to....?

Romney explained that his campaign is "run" by Beth Meyers. Romney?s parry seems to indicate that only one person can ?run? a campaign. Makes sense I suppose. But then why even say "I don?t have lobbyists (the plural form of lobbyist) running my campaign," because apparently there is only room for one at the top.

Johnson's real blunder was cutting Romney off. Has he let the governor continue for another two seconds, it appeared as it Romney was going to say "... no lobbyists tied to my campaign." Such a statement, of course, would leave absolutely no wiggle room.

But don't order now, there's more.

Romney: ?My campaign is not based on Washington lobbyists. I have not been in Washington. I don?t have lobbyists at my elbows ...?

Of course, lobbyists aren?t sophisticated enough to figure out that the potential Republican nominee, indeed one of the two frontrunners, might, just might, wield power some day.

As if on inauguration day, Union Carbide or General Electric will slap their forhead and say ?Of course!! We should have known that the guy that won half of the primaries could become President!?

So, take it from Mitt, kids, in order for lobbyists to influence you, you must already be elected. Never mind this is wholly contrary to the logic that you need lobbyist money to get elected in the first place

Romney: ?He [Ron Kaufman] was not in senior strategy sessions of our campaign?

Translation: He flies with me on my plane, he?s present at debate sessions, but has no influence on me. Nor do his friends. Or employers.

Romney: ?Ron is a wonderful friend, an advisor, he is not paid, he?s an advisor like many others...?

Hmm, you know, I don?t know many lobbyists that do get paid by candidates. In fact, I think they usually are the contributors. I could be wrong though.

This man, and his hair, may win Florida.

Full post as published by Expressio Unius on January 24, 2008 (boomark / email).