Mitt teaches Crisis Management 101

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January 27, 2012

Mitt teaches Crisis Management 101
Posted by Laura

Mitt Romney, who had his best debate performance on Thursday, should send two dozen long-stemmed roses (from 1800Flowers.com, of course), to Newt Gingrich today. Setting aside the fact that it was probably Gingrich's worst debate of the 930 we've seen thus far in this campaign, he has turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to the former governor of Massachusetts. The claims about how "destructive" the former Speaker's rise has been for the GOP, this has been just what Romney needed to allay the concerns of conservatives who wonder if he has enough passion and fight to take on Barack Obama (a.k.a. the Billion Dollar Baby). Many saw Romney as a likable Ward Cleaver-sort. Reassuring but not thrilling. They now see a cunning, relentless, and aggressive side to him that they've been waiting for.

For most of this debate cycle, Romney performed ably, turning in workmanlike, but uninspiring, performances. This served him fine in Iowa and New Hampshire; but in South Carolina, where Newt Gingrich rose from the ashes (again), Romney's team found itself in crisis. Suddenly, the buzz was that the front-runner was a paper tiger--too meek and moderate to vanquish Newt, forget Barack. But how could anyone forget that crisis management is what Romney does best? The entire Romney operation is run like Salt Lake 2002. His team was prepared for the rise of Bachman, Cain, Perry and finally Newt. The response to Newt's second coming in South Carolina was flawlessly orchestrated. Mitt hit hard at Monday's debate, and did a mop-up operation on Thursday night. He marshaled the help of boosters and aggressive defenders in media and politics. When Tom DeLay emerged from forced retirement and Bob Dole from convalescence to lay waste to Gingrich, you know it was a coordinated hit Godfather fans should recognize. Gingrich was caught in a revolving door, bullets flying, with nowhere to go. Will there be a third life for Gingrich? We'll see. But if so, Romney will hop back into crisis management mode again, which is where he shines.

01/27/12 4:32 AM

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