Open Thread: A Look Into Romney's Campaign Structure
While he may look like a stereotypical presidential candidate, presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney's campaign organization doesn't look the part at all, at least according to this Politico article which takes a look at how he's set up his staff structure.
According to the piece, Romney runs a more vertical-oriented structure which can streamline processes but might potentially make him too caught up in the details to run things effectively. On the other hand, he clearly is more than just a figurehead the way that Barack Obama was during his 2008 campaign:
Mitt Romney, well into his second, more successful presidential run, still has no Rove-like figure — an all-seeing adviser engineering the entire, increasingly sprawling, political apparatus. But aides and insiders say there is someone very much in charge — and that would be, for better or worse, Mitt Romney.
Romneyworld consists of a set of interlocking circles, created during his time in business and in government, tied together by a campaign manager with a clear mandate over the operation but with the candidate himself at the center. According to the basic presidential political playbook, that’s risky; staffers always say their boss is in charge but also always worry about a candidate who’s too immersed in the nitty-gritty details. Nomination narratives are full of cautionary tales about candidates who couldn’t see the proverbial strategic forest because they obsessed over every decision, creating a leadership vacuum.
But the CEO-structure of Romney’s campaign reflects a central belief set by campaign manager Matt Rhoades and adhered to by others that staff should not be the focus of attention — and it reflects the management style that has made Romney successful in the past.
“(Romney) likes a pretty horizontal organization where there’s a number of different inputs into him,” said former Missouri Sen. Jim Talent, a Romney ally and surrogate. “He fields information so quickly and he has such a strong frame of reference that he knows what questions he wants to ask.”
“You have a group of people there that are mature, collaborative, [there’s] very little personality conflict and turf-fighting and the like.” said former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has become a key Romney surrogate. He credited Romney, saying the way the campaign functions reflects the personal approach of the former Massachusetts governor.“I think it’s remarkable because the campaign is really high-functioning, and part of the reason it’s so high-functioning is because Mitt has assembled a group of seasoned [operatives],” he added, saying they have experience “coming to a team conclusion and executing it as a team.”
Personally, I don't think the structure of a campaign dictates the success of one unless it's executed poorly. Still, the article is an interesting look into how Romney does things.
- Matthew Sheffield's blog
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Comments
Politico's snark aside
Submitted by Blonde on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 10:26am.
...Romney's campaign structure bodes well, not only for the election, but for his potential administration.
It says to me that he's a totally effective manager (we knew that though, didn't we?). Compare and contrast to McCain's mess of a staff, where the segmentation created dissent.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Blonde~
Submitted by GG_NB on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 12:34pm.
The "effective manager" qualification will go a long way.
Why on earth did McCain ever run? He never seemed into it, and like you said, his organization/staff was a mess the entire way through, but he showed no leadership and seemed to care not.
I know, it's the past -- but still bugs me.
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan
WE HAVE A SPAMMER IN OUR MIDST!
Submitted by Dave. on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 2:30pm.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
More SPAM!!!!
Submitted by Grumpy in Arizona on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 2:34pm.
WarnerAlvin - Now a member for over 3 Hours!!!
- Grump
Huh?
Submitted by GG_NB on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 3:52pm.
Okay, guys, GG is a little lost. I swear I'm not a spammer! Warner Alvin? Did I miss something?
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan
~It's totally tempting to mess with you, here...
Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 4:54pm.
LOL
There was a spammer comment right below yours and when it was removed the responses to it nested under your comment. No worries.
Bru~
Submitted by GG_NB on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 4:59pm.
Ah, thanks. And also for not messing with me. Haven't I suffered enough just trying to reason with Bal and with Jer on that other thread? LOL.
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan
Sounds like ID theft.
Submitted by CobraMan on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 2:49pm.
Ahh, you may want to avoid your co-worker's step-sister (talk about 6 degrees of separation!). The only unemployed people who make $20,000 in a few hours over the internet are those people who steal someone's ID and use it to rob them blind. You don't want to inadvertently become an accomplice, do you?
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
It might point to something more structural with our politics...
Submitted by c5then on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 10:40am.
The last few campaigns have been politicians that have had to be managed by a group of electioneers. This time we have an actual manager who knows what he wants and is telling his underlings how to go get it done.
This is why, perhaps that Clinton needed Carville and why G.W. Bush needed Rove and why Obama needed Rahm and now Axelrod and his minions.
The person who wants to be the President of the United States, and therefore the leader of the free world (still, and for a little while longer hopefully) needs to actually BE a leader not just a figurehead for a group of political policy wonks that want to get their pet ideas enacted. IMO, this is why McCain was so upstaged by his VP pick, Sarah Palin. It was obvious in his campaign, that she was more of a leader than he was and also was clashing with his campaign organization because of that.
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
Got that right!
Submitted by Newsbubba on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 10:52am.
"I don't think the structure of a campaign dictates the success of one unless it's executed poorly"
That statement is true of almost everything involving a group of people working together. Structure is a great "management" topic to hyperventilate over if you're a consultant, but it doesn't mean Shiite if what you're organizing is a bunch of morons, incompetent fools, clowns, or people on power trips.
Good people with a common objective will "organize" themselves to accomplish that objective in spite of "structure."
It works in the military all the time when you are surrounded by good people who want to get it done.
Execution is everything.
Ruthlessness
Submitted by Lamdog on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 10:55am.
There is a ruthlessness to the Romney campaign that I did not appreciate during the Republican Primary, his ability to stay focus and on target is admirable. The only question can he pick a V.P. that drives the left crazy when his name is mention?
Dat would be Rubio, doggie!
Submitted by Newsbubba on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 11:55am.
I guess the libs could start calling him a "white Hispanic."
One thing is for sure. Marco Rubio was smarter when he was five years old than Joe Blow Biden is today.
Speaking of Marco
Submitted by Blonde on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 3:41pm.
Apparently his stock is rising.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Ruthlessness
Submitted by Lamdog on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 10:55am.
There is a ruthlessness to the Romney campaign that I did not appreciate during the Republican Primary, his ability to stay focus and on target is admirable. The only question can he pick a V.P. that drives the left crazy when his name is mention?
Double Posts
Submitted by Blonde on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 11:13am.
I have a method for tricking the sticky server when it "hangs" while trying to post your post.
If you see it hang (the wheel on your tab turns and turns and you are sitting there going "well, I got my coffee, now what?")...do the following, instead of hitting "Save" again (and creating the dread double).
Copy the body of your post. Then go to the bottom of the page and hit the "Blogs" link. That should force your post through, and take you back to the blog page, where you can check the sidebar to see if your post hit the thread. This usually works for me about 95% of the time, and if not, you have your comment copied to your clipboard, so you can just paste it in the comment box and try again.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
~That's what I do
Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 2:11pm.
I've only had a double post twice in going on 4 years.
(I can't believe it's been that long. Is Obama gone yet?)
I like this description of
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 12:01pm.
I like this description of Romney's organization. I pray he will know when to delegate and when to make the hard choices. Perhaps Romney will be a good pick. Gingrinch needs to school him in debates though.
GMTA, Dan
Submitted by Blonde on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 12:03pm.
I said the same thing about Newt/Mitt/debate coaching on the "Juan Williams Stoopid Question" thread.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Is it just me?
Submitted by Newsbubba on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 12:11pm.
I heard a commentator on the radio today as I was driving, talking about Panetta's trip to Vietnam, when she mentioned that he traded "war mementos" with the NVA.
She said something to the effect (honest to God) that the Vietnamese gave us a letter that had been "taken off the body of a deceased American" which they used for propaganda because of all the bad things that he had written in the letter to his family about the things were were doing in Vietnam.
She then said that Panetta gave the Vietnamese "a diary that was STOLEN by a US Marine off the body of a North Vietnamese soldier that he had killed."
I have no doubt that that is the way the press release from the Obama regime read.
They "took off the body," while our US Marine "stole" from the dead.
I'm really, really tired of this whole GD pack of commie stooges in Washington.
WTH?
Submitted by stratman on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 12:44pm.
[operatives]?? What was actually said? Is this Leftwing word choice bias?
Strat~
Submitted by GG_NB on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 12:47pm.
Oh, did you miss that? He recruited about 10 guys from the CIA.
;)
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan
Huh?
Submitted by stratman on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 12:57pm.
Did Richard Armitage out more CIA desk jockey operatives?
Yeah~
Submitted by GG_NB on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 1:11pm.
I believe that's what the Left/MSM is now peddling. Thank goodness we can count on them to keep us in the loop. [*_*]
P.S. Here's the sad part: could someone actually believe this story is out there? Uh, in the MSM Twilight Zone/O Propaganda Era we now live in, yes!
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan
Just to make sure where the commie
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 1:17pm.
votes go...
The EPA
Submitted by jon_torlin on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 3:52pm.
What's with the EPA using UAVs over the farms in Nebraska?
If I'm not mistaken, that's illegal, but when did that ever stop the bogus potus?
-Jon
Newest Gaffe
Submitted by jon_torlin on Tue, 06/05/2012 - 9:02am.
Hey Blonde, is this worthy of your list?
Obeyme calls Romney "George"
I think the reaction to that is very telling, not to mention his lame attempt at backpedaling, kinda like the non-apology for the "Polish Death Camps."
-Jon