Romney transition chair is building 'ship that you hope will set sail'
Dubuque, Iowa (CNN) – The boss of Mitt Romney's "readiness project" said Saturday he and his team were "building a ship that you hope will set sail" leading into Election Day.
Michael Leavitt, the former governor of Utah, has been tasked with helping Romney set up a presidential administration, should he be elected. The project began in June, when Leavitt was appointed to the role.
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Appointing a transition team before the general election is a common practice among presidential candidates, meant to ensure no president-elect is caught off guard with the requirements of becoming commander-in-chief.
Obama appointed John Podesta, former President Bill Clinton's chief of staff, to lead his transition team well ahead of 2008's general election.
On Saturday, Leavitt noted there were roughly 77 days between Tuesday and Inauguration Day, giving him and his team more than two months to put a team in place if Romney winds up the victor.
Leavitt wouldn't say how long the transition team would remain in Boston, where Romney's campaign is headquartered, before moving to Washington, saying those details would come later.
Romney was traveling with many of his top aides Saturday on a campaign swing through New Hampshire, Iowa and Colorado, among them Beth Meyers, who led the GOP nominee's search for a running mate; former Bain executive Bob White; Peter Flaherty, a Boston political strategist who also worked on Romney's gubernatorial run; Russ Schriefer, a senior strategist; and Stuart Stevens, Romney's image guru.
Meyers told reporters she was on the campaign flight because the closing days of the race mark the end of a ten-year run working for Romney. She called the other advisers present her "best friends."
Romney spokesman Kevin Madden said the top staffers had been keeping it light during the campaign flights, talking about their favorite movies.
Romney's favorite? The 2000 dark comedy "O Brother Where Art Thou?" – starring (Obama supporter) George Clooney.
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Romney is calling his campaign a "MOVEMENT."
I had a big one of those this morning. A two flusher.
Yes.......the majority of the country, hopes that it will sail.
Real Change, Yea Right.... Why dont you start by Appointing a BLACK Elder to the Mormon CULt in Salt Lake .Bishop??? What up wit all Dat Bigotry in The Churh of the Fake Bible????
This yahoo Mormon has the Same Chance of winning the Oval Office as the Lds appoiny a Black to the Qourom of 12, 0!!!!!!!!!!
Too Bad they will all be out of work on Wednesday, November 7, 2012!
Romney's so-called ship is taking on water, and is going nowhere.
Forward Obama/Biden 2012
A Bain executive and a image guru with Romney. This is just too funny.
Romney's ship will sink before its' first voyage, still in port.
A ship that would sail straight back in time to 2000-2008. To think there are people who actually want that....and to think many of these people are working middle class..... incredible!
Interesting the LDS believe this is a fulfullment of their prophecy that a Morman will become President and save the country. He surrounds himself with people like Leavitt (Morman) and then they check with the heirachy of the LDS Church for approval. For such a so called Christain Group it is unfortunate they LIE AND DECEIVE like they do as illustrated by Mr. FLIPFLOPPER ROMNEY!
Get ready the Mormon ship is sailing into DC
Mike Leavitt governor three times. Prior to leaving the statehouse to work in the Bush Administration,
Romney / Leavitt = GW BUSH ,
Romney's campaign is headquartered Boston Mass , but he can't even carry his own state .
Do they have their binders of women?
"...saying those details would come later." Oh boy, to Romney everything comes later! Didn’t he have enough time (8 years) to prepare? Taxes he paid (or not), taxes he wants to lower (for his friends and donors), taxes (fees) he will raise for the 95%, jobs he wants to create (without any unions and if – than at Chinese conditions because the people there loved it and then he would not have to send jobs there anymore), things he wants to send back to the (already bankrupt) states, health care he wants to change (to the ER again), SS he wants to take to Wall Street to make more money and let the rest go bust, ...and...and...and all for you to know later!
Romney and the GOP is only one thing for sure now already: Sickening! And it would not get better later for sure!
Please, get out the vote, support your friends that are being bullied by employers, take your neighbors and family to the pools! Save Democracy! Vote for President Obama! This Romney nightmare has to end on Wednesday!
Which ship will sail? Mr. Romney did not get the ship to sail in MA. He left the state in worse shape and completely ignored the western half of the state. That area houses more of the 47% and he certainly did not care about them then either.
After two years as Governor, Mr. Romney chose to start his campaign for the presidency. He lost that campaign to Senator McCain. He left the governorship after two years and headed west to NH. He clearly stated how happy he was to be out of MA. Funny, when he started his campaign he came back to MA to a "small" condo. Notice he does not talk about all the wonderful things he did for MA but takes credit for what was already established.
Well, I think you should probably keep your day job ... because "chief transition guy" - ain't gonna happen, buster!
Ha ha ha, Willard, your ship has sunk long ago!
Former governor of Utah? If Romney wins & you've got alcohol, you had better drink up because the new Mormon administration is going to bring back prohibition.
Getting a little ahead of ourselves aren't we? Transition team? Get real. I just saw the Ohio coverage on CNN. The people voting for Romney all stated they were not too thrilled with him but were voting for him anyhow.
Does this sound familiar? This is how John Kerry tried (and almost) got elected in 2004. Did any of the Romney personnel notice the word ALMOST? This is how Romney got the the Republican nomination (he backed into it) and it didn't work for Kerry and it probably is not going to work for Romney. People don't back into the Presidency; they win it.
The romnetanic., I bet 10,000 dallars it sinks on Nov 6!!!!
Like the SS Titanic, the SS Romney will hit an iceberg and sink into the abyss.
The romnytanic will hit the obsmaburg on Nov 6. And sink with all gop hands, they tryed to call fema but the gop house cut the funds as wasteful spending ,to bad !!!!!
Mitt and Ann Romney were notified today that they have been charged of ethics violations.
Remember... this is not a criminal (jail) or civil (probably settlement) charge. It is ethical, which at minimum would discredit his corporations (he'd then dissolve them) and probably end in a fine or settlement which would only be a fraction of the actual profit. Depending on how this shook out, criminal charges of fraud (based on the viability of the company vs the 12.9b payout) might follow. That would mean jail. If he were president, he would prob be impeached and removed from office giving us President Ryan.
The Romney team is in for a major disappointment. Obama will win with over 300 electoral votes.