Campaign conundrum: A 'fund-raiser' vs. a 'finance event'
Lakewood, Colorado (CNN) – A Mitt Romney campaign aide found himself trying to explain the difference between a "finance event" and a "fund-raiser" after reporters were told they would not be allowed to cover a Tuesday evening finance event - or was it a fund-raiser? - with vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan in Las Vegas.
The aide, who insisted on briefing reporters without being named, was disputing reports that the move meant Romney officials were changing the coverage agreement they made with news organizations about covering campaign fund-raisers.
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The campaign allows reporters to cover remarks made by Romney at rallies, or at receptions with donors that are held in a public venue. In theory, the same would hold true for Ryan, his new running mate.
Ryan is holding some kind of finance-related meeting Tuesday evening in Las Vegas with GOP mega-donor Sheldon Adelson, but the campaign said Tuesday they will not let reporters cover it.
Why?
"Tonight's event is not a fund-raiser. It is a finance meeting. The rules are pretty clear on this," the Romney aide explained to reporters after a Ryan rally in Colorado. "If it's a public venue, for a fund-raiser, we have press there. Given that it is not a fund-raiser, it is a finance meeting, it is closed press."
Got that?
Peppered with questions seeking clarification on the difference between a "finance event" and a "fund-raiser" - terms the Romney campaign has used interchangeably in the past - the aide repeated the same answer at least seven times.
"This is a finance event, not a fund-raiser," the aide said.
The Romney aide returned a few moments later to attempt to clear it up.
"The difference between a finance event and a fund-raiser is you don't pay money. The difference between a finance event and a fund-raiser is that you don't pay for a ticket to go to a finance event. No money is raised at the finance event."
Does that mean Romney has not actually raised money at past "finance events"? The answer remained unclear.
The meeting with Adelson at The Venetian resort, which was first reported by CNN last weekend, is not on Ryan's official schedule.
Campaigns aren't always forthcoming with information about fund-raisers or finance events so it was no surprise answers were not readily available.
The most detailed answer reporters were able to glean from the aide was that the Ryan meeting is "a Nevada Finance Leadership" event.
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Once again, Romney/Ryan must rely on misleading labels and dodges to cover up outright falsehoods.
And the sneakiness continues... hiding behind semantics. Why would Adelson need to be informed of "finances" unless he is informing Ryan how governmental finances WILL be changed in his favor IF Ryan wants to keep the millions in donations. He just needs to make sue Ryan is on his team... a form of the mafia.
retroactive fundraiser?
Seems "political correctness" has been resurrected within the GOP by Team Rolls/Royce.
Rank amateurs, and the clown wants to try and run the country?
No money is raised at a "Finance event"? Mitt's whole team is a Flip Floppin' bunch of liars.
Adelson is calling in him to assure that they will be following Adelson orders should he continue the finance program. Ugh and Ugh to CNN on uour biased coverage.
For months the American people had to listen to Obama and his supporters brag about his BILLION dollar war chest ... but, as soon as his opposition out raises him, Obama and his supporters cry foul. More hypocrisy !!!
Out only 4 days ago, and radical Ryan is already becoming as obnoxious as alexithymic Mitt.
Finance event vs fundraiser......quite different in Romneyspeak......like the difference between offshoring vs outsourcing. They accomplish the same thing, but they are somehow "different"......
It least It would have been fair to witness the transaction of our government. Imagine this, some day in the future we would have said to our children we were there when our government was being sold. After all this is our government. Right? It is unfair to do it in closed door; I hope they will tell as how much it worth.
Republicans doing what they do best - redefining reality to fit their hypocritical policy positions and irrational spin.
When a square peg won't fit in the round hole, break out the belt sander.
Sorry but Romney has got away too much to hide. Homeboy is crooked. Nixonian...
The Romney campaign does not want the media to know just who is backing his campaign. Between the PACS and these events where the media is not allowed it is a wonder if we will ever know who is backing Romney. Guess the media will be at the mercy of the campaign. So much for open elections.
Big surprise – the Romney campaign has answers that aren't clear.
They lie!! They are up to no good!
So there is a difference between a finance meeting and a fund raiser. The difference is the presence of the press. We couldn't have the press reporting on special meetings with millionaires. There will be a lot of "finance meetings" until Mitt and Paulie get their stuff straight.... That being said, I guess the "fund raising" events are over.
Oooooooh – those pesky little hoity-toity condescending differences that he just keeps pointing out about himself. Don't take my word for it - "you people" (to quote Ann Romney) can just ask Rafalca.
It seems as though Team Romney lacks the courage of their convictions, hence their propensity to run and hide whenever a (non-News Corp) journalist requests the opportunity to ask a question.
Or perhaps Ryan is simply trying to hide the identity of the corporate fat cats with whom he and his wife have developed a "quid pro quo" relationship over the years.
It quacks like a duck, what else should we say?
Is there really a difference? In this case, there really isn't one. I hope that all these social welfare groups actually do something other than just be for or against legislation.
Finance event? That's rich. In Romney and Ryan, Adelson knows he's got two first class Tukhes lechers-just how he likes them.
Wow, how clever!! They find a loophole whenever they need one – and if there is none they make one!! Wait until “they in charge” if enough people are coned to vote for them – but do not complain then, they say loud and clear what they will do to 95% of the people!
Please, get informed before you vote! Then it should be an easy choice – 100% Democrat!!!