ANALYSIS

Romney And Gingrich Subtly Eye 2012

Presidential Wannabes Are Already Making The Rounds, Albeit With Low Profiles, To Push A Bid

by James A. Barnes

Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008


Mitt Romney is hosting a hospitality suite at the St. Paul Hotel for delegates and supporters. Newt Gingrich is being squired around the Twin Cities by a veteran advance man. And at a dinner hosted here by hedge-fund financier Paul Singer, a major fundraiser for the 2008 presidential campaign of Rudy Giuliani, Jeb Bush called for "a 21st- century conservatism."

With so many presidential wannabes already making the rounds, can 2012 be far off?

Any would-be contenders for the role of Republican standard-bearer were careful not to show too much leg while party activists are squarely focused on the uphill campaign of their 2008 nominee, John McCain. "If you look like you're campaigning for 2012, you'd get shot down," said California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring. "That would be distracting from the mission at hand."

But it is hard not to notice possible contenders as they review their potential foot soldiers. Former Massachusetts Gov. Romney seems to cut the broadest swath and arguably is the best positioned to be the next GOP nominee, should McCain not win in November. Convention Daily's survey of 78 Republican Insiders found that 55 percent expect Romney to be the 2012 nominee if McCain loses. Jeb Bush was second, with a mere 8 percent. Romney has spoken at breakfasts for a number of delegations, including those of Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Utah, and has attended four fundraisers for candidates on the ballot this fall.

At a Wednesday breakfast, Michiganders gave Romney a warm welcome. He briefly touted McCain, then said that others were waiting to speak. "In a lot of respects, my time on the stage is up," he said, eliciting a chorus of "No" from the Romney faithful.

"He's too good to leave on the sidelines," said Macomb County GOP Chairman Bill Cowan, who supported Romney in the primary. "I anticipate in the future he'll have a major role in the Republican Party."

Asked about Romney's 2012 prospects, Cowan replied, "He's asked everybody to be as focused as possible on the [McCain] ticket." As Romney worked the room and posed for pictures, Michigan GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis noted, "One of the ways you prepare for the future is to make sure you thank people."

Even some of the rising GOP stars missing from the Twin Cities this week had made plans to strut their stuff. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour was slated to address the Michigan delegation breakfast on Tuesday but Hurricane Gustav changed his plans. (First lady Laura Bush subbed.) Likewise, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist had been scheduled to speak to an Iowa delegation breakfast.

Republican operatives say that the four-years-in-advance maneuvering at this convention is much more subdued than it was four years ago, when it was clear that neither the incumbent GOP president nor his vice president would be seeking the 2008 nomination.

In the Big Apple, one of the hottest 2004 tickets was the huge bash that McCain threw at the swank Cipriani restaurant. Then-Gov. George Pataki of New York entertained visiting Republicans at Tavern on the Green; and Romney wooed delegates at a clam bake on the aircraft carrier Intrepid.

Perhaps the most over-the-top convention party this year was thrown by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. It featured country music star Josh Turner. Money was raised for school music programs and hurricane relief as delegates from Southern states waved glow sticks while Huckabee and his band, Capitol Offense, rocked on.

Huckabee also met with delegations from his home state and Tennessee, but his schedule was more eclectic than a typical White House hopeful's at a national convention and included speaking at a conference on obesity and performing with his band at a Republican Governors Association event.

Gingrich held a fundraiser in Minneapolis for his political action committee. And when he strode onto the convention floor at the start of the speech by Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut on Tuesday night, the former House speaker was mobbed by admirers.

"2012 is definitely on his mind," a former Gingrich aide said. And surely not on his alone.

  •  
  •