Preidential candiate Romney appears in first 'Ask MItt Anything' event

By: North County Times Wire Service | Sunday, September 23, 2007 9:05 PM PDT ∞

ORANGE -- Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is scheduled to field questions from the public today at Chapman University in Orange at his first "Ask Mitt Anything" event in California.

The town hall meetings have become a staple of the Romney campaign in the early caucus and primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, has conducted 87 in seven states, plus an online forum, according to Sarah Pompei, a deputy press secretary for regional media for the Romney campaign.

"At the `Ask Mitt Anything' events, the questions that come at Governor Romney are tough and insightful," Pompei said. "The governor is able to answer these questions and talk to voters about what his vision is to keep America stronger as the next president."

People wishing to attend need reservations. Tickets are available by calling (857) 288-2667, or by sending an e-mail to california@mittromney.com.

The town hall sessions give Romney "a direct Q and A session, the essence of a small state caucus, where you have to talk to people over and over again," and the opportunity to use his best answers in television commercials and as video clips for Web site, said Bruce Gronbeck, the director of the University of Iowa Center for Media Studies and Political Culture.

The public's questions to candidates are on the same topics as the news media's, "but the question is personalized because almost inevitably, those questions are going to be asked from somebody's life experience," Gronbeck said.

"That forces a candidate to get personal as well," Gronbeck said. "The position has to be talked of in terms of human beings."

However, at least once when Romney was forced to get personal at an "Ask Mitt Anything" event, it ended up backfiring.

On Aug. 8 in Bettendorf, Iowa, a questioner asked whether any of his five sons were serving in the armed forces. "If none of them are," she asked, "how do they plan to support this war on terrorism by enlisting in the U.S. military?"

Romney gave a long answer expressing appreciation for the nation's volunteer army and mentioned a niece whose husband he said had just been called up by the National Guard.

Eventually, Romney said, "It's remarkable how we can show our support for our nation and one of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping to get me elected, because they think I'd be a great president. My son, Josh, bought the family Winnebago and has visited 99 counties, most of them with his three kids and his wife. And I respect that and respect all of those in the ways they serve this great country."

After drawing criticism, Romney later said he misspoke and "didn't mean in any way to compare service in the country with my boys in any way."

Romney is also set to attend fundraisers in Huntington Beach and Monarch Beach today. He is scheduled to return to Southern California Wednesday for an "Ask Mitt Anything" town hall in Long Beach, then conclude his five-day California campaign swing by meeting with voters in Sacramento Thursday.

Romney is among at least three presidential candidates scheduled to visit the Southland this week. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, is set to guest on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" tomorrow, while Republican front-runner Rudy Giuliani is scheduled for a series of events in Los Angeles and Lancaster Thursday and Friday.

One reason for the flurry of visits is that it gives the candidates one last chance to tap into the deep pockets of Californians before the end of the quarterly fund-raising period next Sunday, a test of the viability of their candidacies and their ability to have enough money to spend on advertising and other expenses.

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