The Washington Post’s Trail Blogger Alec MacGillis reports that Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling (the highest elected GOP official in the Commonwealth) will endorse Mitt’s candidacy for the Oval.  This is a real pick up for Mitt because it shows some southern support for him.  For those of you in Rio Linda, yes, Virginia is a southern state.
 
KSL’s Carol Mikita documents some Mormon political history and “America’s” insatiable curiosity with a curious religion.
 
The Oskaloosa Herald’s Wes Kappelman reports on Mitt’s latest coffee klatch.
 
FoxNew’s Martin Frost takes 15 paragraphs to say the religious right might sit out the 2008 election because of Mitt.  Sigh.  He’s been saying this for months now.  Memo to Martin:  Wishing don’t make it so.  End Memo.
 
The Des Moines Register’s Reid Forgave caught up with Three of the Five Brothers as they joined a bike race in Iowa.  Forgave included such details as to the brother’s choice of pies along the route and their visit to the Field of Dreams.  It was built.  They came.  Pies were baked, they were eaten.   Memo to Reid Forgave:  Thank you, sir, for putting some originality in your work.  End Memo.
 
The American Spectator’s Jennifer Rubin reports on the latest addition to Mitt’s staff, Legal Eagle Wendy Long.  Rubin wastes no time in getting right to the point:

How did she come to select Romney? She candidly acknowledges that she always liked Fred Thompson, in part because his support of causes like Scooter Libby “warmed her heart,” but ultimately concluded that Thompson could “not hold a candle to the Governor on intellect or leadership.” She contends that Romney is “the constitutionalist” in the race, meaning he best understands and supports concepts of federalism and the commitment to originalism in interpreting the Constitution. 

I like this woman – in a judicial way of course.

Silliness pervades today’s (and the weekend’s) Mitt coverage.  I’ll start today with People Magazine’s Sandra Sobieraj Westfall and her piece on Ann.  Let me first say for the record that People Magazine doesn’t exactly occupy a serious space in the journalism world.  That said, some people actually read the tabloid.  A good chuck of Westfall’s article focuses on [drum roll] Ann’s conversion to Mormonism some four decades ago.  I wonder if People Magazine had the same type of religion question for Hillary in 1992.  Methinks not.
 
Foster’s Online’s Bob Cook basically rehashes the same old issues about Mitt and his religion.  Yawn.
 
Tuscaloosa News’ Alexandra Steigrad continues the MSM exercise of flogging a dead horse. Memo to Alexandra:  As someone who reads almost everything there is to read about Mitt, please understand my plea:  Originality.  Try it.  Please!  End memo.
 
It’s almost like the aforementioned two authors took their guidance from this AP story.  Even the AP lacks original thought.  Can they keep this up for 18 months?
 
The Houston Chronicle’s Roth and Davis dissect the zip codes from the latest Mitt Money Report.  Ugh.  That kind of work makes my eyes bleed.
 
Newt suggests the eventual Republican nominee will face a Hillary/Obama ticket.
 
The AP’s Glen Johnson reports on the Romney family as an asset to Mitt on the campaign trail.  At least Johnson is original, though he saw fit to include some corny moments from the Romney Christmas.  Memo to Tagg:  Never mention defeat – especially in front of a camera.  Also, try and stay away from words like “laughingstock”.  The MSM doesn’t need help coming up with new labels.  End Memo.
 
Newsday’s Tom Brune says both Mitt and Rudy will skip the CNN/YouTube Circus Debate.  I’m pretty sure that leaves McCain and Ron Paul.  I’m going to side with Blogfather Hugh on this issue.  I think the majority of the questions posed during the Democratic Circus were pathetic and meaningless.  Frankly, I’m pretty sure Mitt has other better things to do.
 
The Orlando Sentinel’s Kevin Spear has a story about Mitt and one of my favorite subjects.  I love the smell of Tax Cuts in the morning.  Smells like money.
 
The Cincinnati Enquirer’s James McNair writes about Mitt’s fundraising prowess in the Buckeye State. 
 
The Boston Globe publishes an “investigative” (read hit) piece on Mitt’s economic record.  Sum and McLaughlin set out to paint Mitt as the reason behind the Bay State’s economic woes, but what they succeeded in doing was exposing the fact that Massachusetts isn’t exactly a business friendly environment.  Mitt did wonders for Massachusetts – facts borne out by actual economic data.  Massachusetts has been run by liberals for most of its existence.  What Sum and McLaughlin should have investigated is what would the Bay State’s economic status be but for Mitt.  Don’t look for that exposé anytime soon.
 
Mitt has a plan to cure Latin America’s poverty problem.  Its called free market capitalism and trade.   Freedom works everywhere its tried.  Hugo Chavez, call your office.
 
The New York Sun’s Ryan Sager has Mitt on the Death Watch.  Again.  What precipitated this latest foray into silliness? A 2002 quote from Mitt expressing his uncertainty about the nation’s interest in a “progressive-on-social-issues governor of Massachusetts.”  So let me get this straight:  A five year old quote expressing uncertainty about an election six years from then is relevant?  Scraping the barrel, Ryan.
 
The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza weighs in on Mitt’s possible “religion” speech.  Memo to Chris:  I wrote that speech last week.  Its really short.  When Obama gets the same questions Mitt faces, come talk to me.
 
Political Derby’s Ethan Boivie misses the point about Mitt skipping the CNN/YouTube Circus.  Mitt’s not afraid of answering the questions, Ethan.  If you’d bother to check out footage from an “Ask Mitt Anything” event, you’d know that.  The fact of the matter is, CNN isn’t exactly a fair arbiter of the YouTube video questions.   Add to that the fact that most of the questions are so far left they only appeal to the Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich people and you have an environment that only a fool would willingly enter.  Mitt may be many things, but he’s not a fool.  Maybe I’m wrong.  I just don’t see how this debate helps Mitt or any other Republican candidate.

The AP’s Amy Lorentzen caught up with Mitt on a Iowa golf course and describes his “stinging” assessment of Bush’s handling of the Iraq war.  What the MSM doesn’t seem to understand is Mitt is not Dubya and thus would handle things differently.  I don’t see the stinging rebuke.  Mitt is right, however, that the Democratic candidates (and the overall party) are dangerously overconfident.  The Democrats are busy rooting for defeat and have no dedication to victory – which is what the American people want. 

The AP is also reporting that Mitt is considering a “Kennedy-esque” speech about his religion.  Article VI’s Lowell thinks this is a bad idea.  With this in mind, I am going to write my very first Memo to Mitt.  He can take or leave my advice, but this is what I’d suggest: 

Memo to Mitt:  Word on the street is you’re considering a speech about your (and my) religion.  While I agree you’ll probably end up having to address this issue – though none of the other candidates will be met with the same requirement – I don’t believe there’s a way for you to satisfy the preconceptions of friends and foes alike.    Therefore I suggest you make the speech very short, direct, and to the point.  In fact, I suggest your entire speech consist of the following paragraphs: 

The issue of my religion has been an incessant one during this long campaign.  Most Americans believed President John F. Kennedy dealt with the question of a candidate’s religion in the last century.  Evidently some have forgotten his pioneering efforts and thus I must plow the same ground as it relates to my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

To do so, I will paraphrase one of the founding documents of my Church.  I will say no more than this, as I am running for the office of President of the United States and not President of the LDS Church. 

[I] claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of [my] own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may. 

This is a country founded upon religious values – a country where membership in a specific church or religion is not required by law but protected by the Constitution.  I do not question the religious beliefs or tenets held by my opponents.  I would hope they would do me the same courtesy. 

Thank you. 

Feel free to use any part of this in your speech – no attribution necessary.  The donation box is at the top left of the screen.  End Memo to Mitt.

The WaPo’s Chris Cillizza has his latest rankings of both Republicans and Democrats.  Mitt comes in at #1.  Stay tuned for accusations that Chris just wants to latch on to Mitt in order to increase his income. 

Speaking of rankings, and in the “It’s About Damn Time” category comes Political Derby’s Jason Wright.  Jason has some slippage of Mitt to the #2 slot behind Rudy.  Oh well, some days you’re the statue, other days you’re the pigeon.   Jason only escapes a chiding slap because of his caricature of Michael Moore. 

The Boston Herald’s Inside Track refers to Mitt and Ann as the second coming of the Eisenhowers.  Covered this already guys.  Where have you been? 

The Telegraph’s Kevin Landrigan writes of Mitt’s stand against “gay” marriage while not being hostile to homosexuals.  Some people don’t get how a person can work to protect a group of people against discrimination while also working to defend traditional marriage.  Homosexuals are citizens and are thus entitled to the protection offered citizens by government.  There are those of us (quite a lot of us actually) who don’t believe that government protection extends to redefining the institution of marriage.  It really is that simple. 

The New York Times’ Michael Luo has Mitt’s barbs aimed at Obama following the YouTube/CNN Circus.  Commenting on Obama’s pledge to meet with the International Thug Caucus (Iran/North Korea/Cuba/Venezuela), Mitt said: 

[Obama] told us his agenda for the people he’d be visiting his first year: Ahmadinejad, Chavez; he’d be going to Syria, meeting with the president of Syria.  It’s absolutely extraordinary that somebody can be so out of touch with the nature of our world.  It’s a bit like Chamberlain. It’s more Chamberlain than it is Churchill. We need to have leadership that understands the importance of a strong America and understands the willingness to stand with our friends and to be able to say no to those who are evil around us. 

That’s gonna leave a mark.  Truth hurts. 

The Forest City Summit’s Bob Fenske details Mitt’s well oiled Iowa campaign machine. 

The Citizen of Lanconia’s Cutter Mitchell chronicles Mitt’s visit to Central New Hampshire. 

The Des Moines Register’s Grant Schulte reports on Cheap Shot Sam Brownback’s use of automated phone call machines to slime Mitt.  Brownback sticks to his guns, but the bottom line is he’s running a Tier 2 or 3 campaign and is desperate for a good showing at the Ames straw poll.  Memo to Sam:  You’re an also ran.  The sooner you figure this out the better for the party.  End Memo. 

The Union Leader’s John Distaso writes that Mitt is considering not participating in the upcoming CNN/YouTube circus.  Well, after seeing the YouTube questions posed to the Democrats, I really don’t see the point of participation.  Other than Obama’s gaffe, not a single question actually dealt with any pressing issue.  It was all fluff, but then again, that’s CNN. 

Also from the Union Leader, Stephen Beale reports on Mitt’s judicial philosophy. 

The AP’s Philip Elliot reports that Mitt has no problem with the Manchester County GOP holding a fundraiser where guests will get to shoot Uzis and M-16’s.  Mitt admits to being a poor shot with the automatic rifles.  Stay tuned for more firearm fallout.  I’m sure Damien LaVera will question why Mitt was allowed to fire such weapons during his trip to Iraq. 

411Mania.com’s Jason Easley sees some truth to Gingrich’s “pygmy” label referring to the current crop of GOP contenders.  While I like a lot of what Newt has to say, his electability is somewhere around that of Jimmy Carter.  Mitt’s response to Newt’s barb was polite, but could be translated to “get in the race or shut up, Newt.”

ABCNews’ Teddy Davis is out with the latest assault on Mitt’s record using a tried and true liberal weapon – the Minimum Wage.  As a governor, Mitt proposed indexing the government mandated minimum wage – mostly so the few, far between, and usually large increases wouldn’t do too much damage to job creation.  Yes, it is a proven fact that increases in the minimum wage actually does cause entry level jobs to disappear.
 
Davis manages to find a bunch of union-thugs to bring up the specter of “yet another” flip-flop by Mitt.  Here’s the bottom line: As a governor Mitt thought about tinkering with the minimum wage and ended up not doing it.  What might work for one state probably won’t work on a national scale, despite declarations to the contrary by people like Americans United for Change’s Brad Woodhouse.  Wages should be set by businesses, not government.
 
CBN’s David Brody has the latest on Cheap Shot Sam Brownback’s Boy Scout barb.  To answer your question, David, no, it won’t work.  This is old news already refuted several times.  It’s the hallmark of a sinking Tier 2 or 3 campaign desperate for headlines and thus willing to use cheap shots to score column inches and sound bytes.
 
The New York Sun’s Seth Gitell was surprised by Mitt’s source for a recent speech.  Gitell is right, so is Shimon Peres and Mitt.
 
Mitt’s Press Shop has a good round up of what real people are saying about Mitt.
 
PC World’s Mark Peckham is positive there is an instilled climate of fear it today’s society.  Somehow, Mitt has something to do with it, though I’m not sure why and Peckham does little to bolster his opinion.  Memo to Mark Peckham: Your point sir?  How exactly does Mitt tie into Puritans burning witches?  Even the hard core anti-Mitt crews only go back as far as frontier Mormon polygamy.  End Memo.
 
The AP has more fallout from “The Picture”.  Mitt’s response?  “Lighten up.”  Sorry, Mitt, the MSM only has one setting and that is “frenzy”.
 
The Christian Science Monitor’s Linda Feldmann sees a possible narrowing in the race to Mitt and Fred.  I’m not sure I’ll write off Rudy that quickly, but the possibility is interesting.
 
The New York Times’ Michael Falcone has a story about Mitt’s visit to the Republican National Hispanic Assembly.  This visit, and Mitt’s comments to the group, may come as a surprise to many who accept the MSM adage that any Republican who didn’t support the amnesty bill is a raving anti-Hispanic racist.  Howlin’ Mad Howie Dean’s Head Mitt Hit Man Damien LaVera sure thinks so.   (In fairness to LaVera, at least he quoted someone other than himself today.)  Mitt has no problem with legal immigration.  It’s the illegal immigration that he – and most Americans – abhor.
Pajamas Media’s Richard Miniter has an interview with Mitt where he unequivocally states that he is “absolutely” committed to victory in Iraq.  No nuance, no bet hedging.  Hillary, are you listening?
 
Mitt summarized the CNN/YouTube debate rather well.  Naïveté doesn’t work as a basis for foreign policy.
 
Article VI’s Lowell makes a good point.  Today marks the 160^th anniversary of the day when Brigham Young led a rag-tag bunch of weary pioneers down Emigration Canyon and boldly proclaimed the Valley of the Great Salt Lake to be “The Right Place”.  Mitt’s ancestors followed Brother Brigham into that valley, as did mine.  Will you hear Mitt talk about that today?  Probably not – and that is sad.  That he needs to be that cautious about mentioning his ancestral roots speaks volumes about the current political and religious atmosphere.
 
Drive on.  All is well.

 

I’ll start this Roundup with some no doubt offensive links – if you’re a Democrat that is.  After all, it should be noted that any of the Republican contenders is a darn sight better than even the best Democratic contender.  Mitt took some shots at the Democratic field over the weekend.  He criticized Obama for endorsing sex-education for kindergartners and had this to say about Hillary’s “economic” plan:

Hillary Clinton’s course: Let government manage your life. Our course: Let the individual and personal responsibility lead and guide.  She said we have been an ‘on-your-own society’ and she says we need to replace that with shared responsibility and ‘working together society.’ That’s out with (free-market pioneer) Adam Smith and in with Karl Marx.  She wouldn’t be elected president of France today, never mind the United States.

(If I may be so bold as to interject a comment - the fact the author felt the need to give a quick bio of Adam Smith speaks loads about the sad state of the economic education in this country.  End Digression.) 

And he took a well aimed shot at the entire field with this remark:

It would be helpful to have a person leading the country who understands how the economy works and has actually managed something. In the case of the three Democratic front-runners, not one of them has managed even a corner store, let alone a state or a city.

No, Hillary, eight years as First Lady in your husband’s (sorry excuse for) administration doesn’t count as executive experience.  Neither do all those years as First Lady of Arkansas - wherever that is.
 
And for those of you waiting for my take on the story behind Mitt’s picture with the lady who can’t spell “Mamma”, let me state, unequivocally, that I simply do not care.  The Daily Utah Chronicle’s Lindsay Sine, however, does care.   She thinks Mitt has done a dis-service to Mormons everywhere and she’d rather be identified with Donnie and Marie than with Mitt.  Good luck with that, Lindsay.
 
CBN’s David Brody has the latest cheap-shot from the Brownback camp.  Sam wants you to think Mitt is anti-Boy Scout now.  Good luck with that, Sam.
 
The Examiner’s Andrew Miga has Mitt’s immigration comments to a Hispanic gathering.
 
Bloomberg News’ Albert Hunt takes up the well worn issue of faith and the presidency.  There is no real news here other than Hunt’s discovery of the root of anti-Mormonism.  Yes, dear reader, Hunt declares
 
The real root of anti-Mormon sentiment is the religion’s passion for proselytizing - Romney and his five children all spent two years as church missionaries - and an illegitimate threat: to some, it’s a weird cult.
 
Now why haven’t we thought of this before?  If Mormons would simply stop sending out the legions of missionaries, we’d be accepted as Christians and be able to sing Kum-by-ya around the campfire with the boneheads who consider a vote for Mitt equal to a vote for the Prince of Darkness.  Nice try, Al.  Article VI’s Lowell disagrees with me and thinks Hunt’s piece may have a grain of truth to it.  Ok.  Maybe a small grain.
Newsflash:  Jay Garrity has resigned.  Don’t look for the MSM “fake cop” cries to quiet down anytime soon.
 
The AP reports Mitt has scaled down his Ames Straw Poll efforts in Iowa.  Common sense is a hallmark of Mitt’s campaign.  Simply put, he sees no need to spend money on a contest he’s already won.
 
The Gazette’s Rod Boshart has more coverage of Mitt in Iowa.
 
The Sunday Times’ Sarah Baxter profiles the Romney family.
 
Newsbuster’s Michael Lanza dissects an ABCNews piece which started out as a story on Obama’s endorsement of kindergarten sex-ed and turned into hit piece on Mitt.  You’d almost think it was planned that way, but that would require an extra layer of tin-foil.
 
The New York Times’ Michael Falcone profiles Ann on the campaign trail.  Falcone’s work is pretty good, but the Nutters own the comment space.
 
HuffPo’s Chris Kelly says Mitt thinks “you” smell.  His piece contains all the DNC bullet points and nothing much original.  After having read what you pass off as work, Chris, I can say now for the record, You Stink.
 
And finally, Mitt took some time to scoop out some ice cream at Kingston’s Memories Ice Cream parlor.  I hate to give Damien LaVera any ideas, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a press release slamming Mitt for contributing to the “obesity epidemic.”
 

NRO’s Joshua Treviño writes about Mitt and Mormonism.  For some odd reason he saw the need to include “Rum” in the title of his piece.  Perhaps he was trying to answer Captain Jack Sparrow’s immortal question, “Why is the Rum always gone?”  The answer, obviously, is Mitt didn’t buy any.  According to NBC’s Today Show, Mitt spent only $118 on beer this past quarter.

Other than that Treviño’s column doesn’t hold much water.    He seems to think a candidate’s religious beliefs should be fair game in the political world.  This despite a long history of said beliefs having been off-limits and a Constitutional Amendment guaranteeing freedom of religion and a clause declaring there shall be no religious test for public office.  Those important facts mean nothing to Treviño.  He’s all for grilling candidates on religious questions.  He even goes so far as to advocate a discussion of “Mormonism per se and its role in public life.”

Go right ahead, Joshua.  Just don’t plan on anybody taking you seriously – and no, guys like Jim Geraghty and Richard John Neuhaus don’t count.

The Denver Post’s Chuck Plunkett reports from Mitt’s visit to Colorado’s El Paso County GOP’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner.  Most of the article is dedicated to the over inflated concern about a Mormon’s ability to court the Christian vote.  Little is mentioned about what he actually said there.  The Gazette’s Ed Sealover went to the same show and has a far more informative (and optimistic) piece complete with reaction quotes from attendees.

The Washington Examiner’s Bill Sammon interviewed Mitt where he had some forceful things to say about internet pornography.  Somehow a reference to Mitt having dropped the f-bomb twice made it into Sammon’s piece.  Somebody please tell me the relevance. 

USAToday’s Susan Page writes about Ann’s “delicate balance”.  Overall a good biographical piece.  Ann’s a strong, classy woman. 

Financial News’ Heidi Moore has some mind numbing private equity donation numbers.  All I can tell the money-men is donating to Obama hoping he won’t raise your taxes is like throwing steaks at lions hoping they won’t eat you next. 

The Nation’s Matt Blumenthal thinks “values voters” are set to unleash their “wrath” on Mitt.  Please.  He sees a “sudden swell” of support for Fred Thompson among values voters.  Fred Thompson is a fine man and a great Senator.  That said, Blumenthal allows himself to be used as a shill by AFA’s Michigan chapter president Gary Glenn who believes values voters would rather stay home and allow Hillary to complete her coronation run rather than elect Mitt.  What a waste of bandwidth. 

The Economist has an in-depth profile of Mitt.  Well worth the read.  In all their research they can only find religion and the fact that Mitt doesn’t swear or drink anything stronger than Vanilla Coke as reasons to “not be smitten.”  I always say, you takes the compliments you gets. 

GoUpstate.com’s Jason Spencer sat down with Mitt to get his take on ways to eliminate poverty.  Mitt relies on common sense, a trait foreign to most democratic candidates.

Bostonist’s Caroline Roberts has a crush on Mitt.  It would be so much easier if she’d just come out and admit it.
 
The Boston Globe’s James Pindell has good Mitt polling data coming out of New Hampshire.
 
CBN’s David Brody has some reaction to Mitt’s Ocean ad.   RCP’s John McIntyre has some more – most of it negative.  McIntyre sees an underlying strategy in releasing the ad now and I can’t argue with his logic.
 
The Examiner’s Bill Sammon has Mitt responding to MSM “concerns” about how he’s spending his money.
 
The Deseret Morning News’ Suzanne Struglinski informs us that not all Mormon politicians are flocking to Mitt’s fold.  Surprise, surprise, surprise.  Mormons can, and often do, think for themselves when it comes to politics.  Sigh.
 
The Article VI Boys devote most of today’s discussion to a post by Richard John Nehuaus.  Neuhaus thinks a Mormon president would give legitimacy to a religion other than his own, and this troubles him.  Concludes Neuhaus:

The question is not whether, as president, Mr. Romney would take orders from Salt Lake City. I doubt whether many people think he would. The questions are: Would a Mormon as president of the United States give greater credibility and prestige to Mormonism? The answer is almost certainly yes. Would it therefore help advance the missionary goals of what many view as a false religion? The answer is almost certainly yes. Is it legitimate for those Americans to take these questions into account in voting for a presidential nominee or candidate? The answer is certainly yes.

He goes on to say that anti-Catholicism is “an unreasonable prejudice” whereas anti-Mormonism is “not unreasonable.”  Memo to Mr. Neuhaus:  Actually, the answer to every single one of those questions is a most certain “NO”.  Please provide a list of the candidates about whom you hold the same concerns.  If it’s just Mitt, then you – not he – have a serious problem.  Congratulations.  You’re a bigot.  Here’s your sign.  End Memo
 
Brian Ross over at ABCNews’ The Blotter has some interesting insights into some nasty YouTube clips targeting Republican candidates.  The origins are a mystery, but as long as no Democrats on the list, I don’t think you have to wonder about the impetus behind the videos.

Newsweek’s Lisa Miller brings up the Mormons on “Belief Watch”.  She brings up Mitt, Harry Reid, Orrin Hatch, and Ross Anderson.  (No, I’m not going to refer to that empty-suited, spineless embarrassment of a Mayor as “Rocky”) Miller would like you to believe Anderson and Reid represent a strong undercurrent of Mormon politics.  They don’t.  The circles in which Mitt would be the “Mormon” poster boy are light years bigger than those where the same could be said of Anderson.
 
CBS carries an unsigned AP report as to how Mitt is spending his money.  Sadly, it seems the AP author has little or no understanding of the time and money it takes to run a start-up organization.  Bottom line, Mitt knows how to make and raise money as well as spend it.  He’s not going at this campaign on four cylinders.  He’s got all eight roaring.
 
The Deseret Morning News’ Lee Davidson and Bob Bernick report that Mitt has raised eight times as much cash in Utah as all other candidates – combined.  There’s a simple reason for this.  Most other candidates are unaware of Utah’s status as a state.
 
You all remember the Junior Senator from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, John Kerry?  Yeah, he’s the one who ended up a few million votes shy of the Oval back in 2004.  Well, he emerged from his Beacon Hill estate yesterday to deliver this whopper on what sank his presidential ship:

Let’s be very clear. I had not changed my positions and they played a game with that.

As if that wasn’t enough, he saw fit to level a broadside at Mitt:

He’s changed on abortion, he’s changed on gay rights and he’s changed on marriage.  He’s changed on guns and he’s changed on the war. That’s pretty significant. I think people are asking the question out there, ‘Who is he, really?’

John Kerry lives in a world of his own imagination.  Mitt’s spokesman Eric Fehmstrom wasted no time in firing back with a broadside that left the SS Kerry leaking at the waterline: 

This is a textbook case of Freudian projection.  John Kerry is projecting his own undesirable traits onto other people. It’s a mild form of personality disorder. Usually, it’s not a cause for concern unless it shows up in a U.S. senator.

Other than the obvious smackdown laid on Kerry, it should be noted that the Mitt Campaign isn’t pulling any punches here.  There will be no attack – no matter how miniscule in size or origin – that will not be responded to immediately and forcefully.  Don’t think just because he has a spit and polished image that he won’t turn around and lay out an opponent with a well placed right cross.
 
Opinion Editorials’ Phil Gallagher wonders how Mitt will do when the political temperature rises.  Memo to Phil:  This is a guy who brokers more billion dollar deals before lunch than most guys do in a career.  He dealt with the extremely hostile and aggressive Boston press corps very effectively.  I wouldn’t look to see him sweat anytime soon.  End Memo.
 
Politico’s Kenneth Vogel reports that Mitt spent $300 in “makeup consulting”.  The reality is, appearance matters.  The Kennedy-Nixon debates proved that, and Al Gore’s clown makeup job at the 2000 debate series sealed it.   So far I bet Mitt’s entire “appearance budget” doesn’t even begin to touch the cost of a single John Edwards haircut.  The American Thinker’s (and RightWingNutHouse’s) Rick Moran agrees with me.  Congrats on the new gig, Rick.
 
Political Derby’s Ethan Boivie looks at Mitt’s spending record and believes Mitt’s star is falling.  His solution?  Mitt should stop spending and shut up.  Yeah, that’s the ticket.  Let your opponents (both Democratic and Republican) define you.  Mitt is a patient, detail oriented politician.  He’s spending money where it needs to be spent and wisely not paying attention to the worthless national polls.  The Republican primary race will be largely affected by who wins Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina – at least two of the three.  Mitt leads in Iowa and New Hampshire.  Thanks for the advice, Ethan.  Don’t hold your breath on Mitt taking it.
 
And finally, Howlin Mad Howie Dean’s Head Mitt Hitt Man, the ever self-quoting Damien LaVera, puts forth yet another sorry excuse for a press release.  The DNC talking about credibility holds about as much water as Hillary decrying the President’s commutation of Scooter Libby’s jail sentence.

Check out Mitt’s latest Townhall editorial – “The Four Walls Of The American Home”.  Mitts writing is tight and informative.  The commenters? Not so much.
 
Blogfather Hugh posts a Townhall piece on Mitt’s latest “Ocean” ad.  Hugh comments on the professionally run campaign and the quality of the product it puts forth.  I like the simplicity of the text behind Mitt’s speech excerpt.  It says “Mitt Romney.  President.”  It has the look of a statement of fact.  I like it.
 
The speech excerpt highlights the “cesspool” which is today’s media world.  That brings me to an issue which is percolating – sometimes under the surface, other times boiling over onto the stove – about Mitt’s dealings with the Marriott hotel chains.  Yes, dear reader, lets talk about porn.
 
CBN’s David Brody points to a Deseret Morning News (unsigned) editorial which “slaps” Mitt for not taking action requiring the Marriott hotels to remove the “adult” films from their in-room movie services.  Never let it be said that Mormons can’t be self righteous – especially when they don’t have to sign their names to the editorial.
 
Yes, they do have a point.  Pornography is bad.  That said, I’d like to propose a test for those who would like to stone Mitt as a pornographer.  Here we go – take notes as your score will matter.
 
Question 1:  Do you have Cable/Satellite TV in your home?
 
Question 2:  If “Yes” to Question 1, do you subscribe to any “premium” channels? (eg. HBO, Showtime, Cinemas, TMC, ect)  Bear in mind, even if you don’t pay for them – even if said “premium” channels are part of your package – and even if you don’t watch them, you must answer “Yes” if you meet the criteria.
 
Question 3:  Does your Cable/Satellite TV package offer “Pay-Per-View”?
 
Now, here’s the best part:  If you answered “Yes” to any of the above listed questions, congratulations are in order.  Congratulations!  You support porn by supporting the production and distribution of those filthy movies.  Even if you don’t have “Premium” channels you’re still lining the pockets of the distributors.
 
So – who’s ready to cast the first stone?
 
The Denver Post’s Chuck Plunkett delves into the Mormon question as Mitt prepares to address the El Paso County Republicans at their annual Lincoln Day Dinner.  Its at the Broadmoor – pretty nice digs if you ask me.  Plunkett does a pretty good layman’s analysis of Mormonism and he doesn’t touch on anything new.  Most of his interviewees believe a “religious test” is out of bounds.
 
One of the Boston Globe’s Brainiac Bloggers  Christopher Shea likens Mitt to a mannequin.  C’mon, Christopher.  You gotta do better than that!
 
McClatchy’s Steven Thomma (writing in the Miami Herald) takes a look at Mitt’s Bay State health care plan and wonders why he hasn’t made more use of it on the national stage.  Personally, I think its because it hasn’t been fully implemented and he doesn’t have control over it now.  It’s very possible the liberals might start making fundamentally unsound decisions and try to blame Mitt for their failure.  It’s a tried and true strategy.
 
The Deseret Morning News clips a copy of The Economist’s assessment of Mitt.  Well worth the read if you don’t get the magazine.
 
The Register-Mail’s Ron Jensen talks to a bunch of Mormons and finds that [SURPRISE] they’re not all inclined to vote for Mitt.  Shocking.  Yes, I know.
 
The LA Times’ Dan Morain and Maloy Moore report that Mitt is spending money.  Yet another surprise to the MSM.  A well worn capitalist moniker is “you have to spend money to make money”.  In this case, Mitt is spending money to increase name recognition – most likely because most people who get to know Mitt end up liking him.
 
For those of you convinced about a Mormon Conspiracy, here’s something that will keep you awake at night.  We’re everywhere.  We’re taking over.  Get used to it.