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PARK CITY, Utah -- After two days of meetings, meals and hobnobbing with the candidate, his top advisers and leading figures of the Republican party here in this exclusive resort community, Mitt Romney's biggest donors and bundlers say they are fired up and ready to go.
Charles Dharapak / AP
Mitt Romney greets attendees at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials conference in Orlando, Fla.
"I’m going to do everything that I can do. I’m going to bundle every penny I can get," said Michigan lawyer Rodger Young, a long time Romney supporter who, like the hundreds of other guests here, have raised or personally donated more than $50,000 to Romney's campaign. "I think I came here with the idea that we were all going to take on more finance responsibility and I’m certainly prepared to do that."
"It’s even more than hopeful," a donor from New Orleans said of the atmosphere at the retreat. "We are beyond that now."
It is precisely that spirit which Romney and his campaign are looking to capture with this weekend's retreat, designed as a rally, a reward and a launching pad for top donors to continue to support the campaign -- and get their friends and family to do the same.
To generate such goodwill, Romney's campaign invited the donors and their spouses here for two days of briefings on campaign strategy and policy issues, intermixed with opportunities to rub elbows with Republican stars like Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, as well as the candidate and his family.
On Friday night, the campaign hosted a welcome dinner at Park City's Olympic park. Guests were ferried from their hotels by bus, up the mountainside, and treated to spectacular views and a cookout-style dinner where former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu and former Secretary of State James Baker warmed up the crowd, and introduced Mitt and Ann Romney. The couple gave remarks and mingled with guests who were also entertained by Olympic ski-jumpers practicing their technique on the ramps and pools at the facility, which remains a training center for Olympic winter athletes.
Saturday's festivities began with a breakfast and included a strategy briefing from top campaign advisers. Among the highlights of the day, according to several donors who attended the event, was a lunchtime speech by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who received not one but two standing ovations for a speech one attendee described as "exhilarating."
Rice along with Ryan and Jindal are among the names tossed about as part of the weekend's other major storyline: with few exceptions, nearly every Republican thought to be under consideration to become Romney's partner on the ticket is also attending this event in some capacity. Sens. Bob Portman, R-Ohio, and John Thune, R-S.D., are on the guest list, as are former Govs. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Jeb Bush of Florida, as well as the current Virginia governor, Bob McDonnell.
The Romney campaign has been tight-lipped about the vice presidential vetting process, with only Florida Sen. Marco Rubio confirmed to be receiving a "thorough vetting."
But Romney's adviser in charge of that process, his former Chief of Staff Beth Myers, has also traveled to Utah, along with most of the top figures of Romney's high command in Boston, fueling speculation -- even among the donors and campaign advisers here -- that this weekend away from the rigors of the campaign trail may also figure in to Romney's vice presidential selection process.
Saturday evening and Sunday the event will wrap up with dinner, desert and dancing, according to a leaked copy of the agenda, and with the opportunity to play golf on Sunday at a private course in the area -- all designed to foster camaraderie amongst those most involved in financing Romney's campaign, and to get them excited about November.
To hear the donors tell it, the strategy seems to be working.
"Things are looking pretty darn good," Young said.
Leave a Comment:
TeaBillyism = Selling your Soul to da Republicans.
Republicanism = Selling your Soul to da Devil.
You BetCha….Fer Sure.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell gets a “Boehner” every time he watches Cantor Suk Koch.
You BetCha…..Fer Sure.
All of them suk koch!
God help us from the people as Romney and the super packs "The Mormon
Church" and “Church of Ladder Day Saints” and the starry eyes masses of
the GOP. Who will lead? Not Romney.
Unlike the Catholic and JFK if feel this time these church would prove to be the
puppet masters. I once was a Republican
now that my eyes are open I am a Democrats.
Good for you. Me to.
Of course, to paraphrase John Kerry, before I was a Republican, I was a Democrat.
I figure both Parties left me, not vice versa. The Democrats with the nomination of McGovern. Republicans with the nomination of Bush The Unmentionable.
GOP - The best self-serving politics money can buy.
Some very disturbing spin coming from the Republicans over the last few days. Has anyone else noticed this subtle reference to the healthcare debate. Some Republicans and I heard Rubio this morning state this, are talking about getting businesses out of being the provider of health insurance and allowing the individual to go directly into the market. Rubio this morning was touting this as a way to lower costs as consumers will drive down the costs and get the same tax breaks as businesses. He sees no need for businesses to be providing insurance. So here you have it.....here's the Republicans plan....repeal HCA, remove tax breaks for businesses that provide health insurance and provide those tax breaks to individuals instead. I also heard him talk about removing guaranteed issue from Medicare as well. The Republicans are smooth though because it's so subtle and reasonable sounding and yet it's devastating to the middle class who will have to spend the better part of their income on health insurance while employers now will no longer have to provide insurance. It's a windfall to employers who won't necessarily compensate their employees back for the savings in health insurance spending. Republicans don't care at all what happens to the middle class. They are only concerned about the businesses.
You poor poor lefties
My poor Leftie likes to whine all the time, whine all the time, whiiiiiine all the tiiiiiiime
I realize that you don't have any choice, but to use, colorful colloquialisms
talk ab0ut racism, denigrate with name calling, This behavior reminds somewhat me of wimps on the play ground.
There is no good record for, or from, POTUS #44. BHO has given you liberals nothing positive to proclaim, so you do what comes ever so naturally and descend in to the abyss of the lowest common denominator "hate & envy"
"teabilly" LOLOLOL now that is a funny term. I'm sure many many great Americans are laughing about that as well Those Tea Party American's/ Conservative's are going to Rip the incumbent's a new one on November 6th. Great voting your guys & gals out!!!
I know you can't help it, you see your guy imploding rt----> before your eyes. LQQK David Axelrod is killing BHO MMM MMM MMM chances with this campaign strategy of divide an conquer this will NOT work because they played their hand to soon the No.# s aren't there for what they wanted to do. But that is what they have done all along put the cart before the horse, also did not do the research needed to be able to fully implement their plan. See there are variables that they did not acct. for trying to move 4ward too Quick & they got too Impatient. The tea party cut off their power half way there. {This being a good thing} You CAN NOT circumvent the will of the People & expect to get away with it HA HA HE HA HA HA DONKEY !!!\
Let not your heart be troubled, we here in Realville will still love you enough to get you through your dis-heartened despair and give you the opportunity to pull yourselves up into the inevitable prosperous future ahead. good luck!
VOTE, THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE=No more OBAMA after January 20th 2013.!. hooooray!!!
Dream on. Conservatives do a lot of "projecting".
Obama is way better than Bush. It is very easy to break something(ask Bush), It is much more difficult and can take a very long time to repair(ask Obama). Especially if the republicans go out of their way to stop the repair. Yes Obama2012.
OK Folks
Romney,the Latter Day Saint..Can anyone seriously consider that we may entrust the highest office in the land to an oaf who is guided by a religion based upon "truths" revealed to an illiterate farmer who,behind a curtain,could read gibberish remarks on a rock dug from his fields --but only if one wore special spectacles and then had it translated by some angel in a nightgown--and this may be the future decider for our poor nation?---Could have done better if we elected a High Voodoo Priest--this is the fitting end of eons of ascent from savagery to a civilized governance?.
By their fruits ye shall know them (Book of Matthew). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints partners with the American Red Cross to give humanitarian and disaster aid, as well as working together on blood drives. They also send aid throughout the world when disasters strike, or when immunizations are needed in Africa for example. They also partner with Catholic Charities to bless and serve others. The church teaches morality to its young people such as chastity before marriage and complete fidelity after marriage. Tens of thousands of 19-21 year olds willingly give their time as full-time missionaries, sharing the gospel and giving community service for 18 months to 2 years of their lives. They pay their own way during this whole time, they are not paid a cent. I invite you to take a look around you at the young people in our country who use these years to drink, use drugs, break laws and father or bear children out of wedlock. Again, I invite you to look closer. By their fruits ye shall know them. www.mormon.org
looks as if "reader" is spouting some canned Latter Day inane advertising--for all the good it professes,still cannot gainsay that we face the possibility that we'll have a President who firmly espouses the silliest petrified drivel as his guiding light--pretty scary..
Romney no longer needs donations. Just his name on the ballot will do just fine. Many disillusioned Americans will vote for whoever is running against Obama.
This election is already over. Just waiting for that concession speech from Barrack. Wonder if he'll blame bush in that speech too. LOL
That's your big hope,eh? That we'll lose the presidency of enlightened rationality to someone who denies science,evolution,compassion but offers ignorance,greed,deception and just plain vacuity --well,have fun while your beliefs blossom into disaster for the entire world--including all dumbells like yourself...
I'm surprised to see so many of you libtards posting today. I would have thought that you would be still celebrating Gay Pride Day. But no, you're back on here spewing all your ignorant nonsense. Can't wait until November when your fearless leader loses.
good ole poor bobby
thump thump at your door...
.!.
Don't you have a flag desecration in zucoiti to attend? did you urinate in your sleeping bag ?
or have you been urinating in the sump pump cause you are to lazy to go to the bathroom upstairs or you are afraid your mommy will ask you if you looked for a job this week ? "troll much" cowboy bobby ??
POTUS Number 44 will be rendered merely A "what not to do" DNC footnote in history. (you can bet on that and WIN!) or not, up tooooo you,
vote nobama
wow the Flintstones do own a cave
barney rubble i guess is rubio
I wounder if Romney flintstone had Mexicans at his cave
Did they buy Blackwater for Mitty so he can force the country to do whatever he wants? That is only way a repub will win for another few decades, cheating like Bush Jr./Florida repubs did or violent intimidation.
@ bobby-1483087
"im really hoping romney wins, that way when he backstabs 99% of americans, the republicans will never see a government seat for a LONG LONG time, and romney just might be the second president to be impeached. :)"
Apparently you do not realize that my good Robert has already been accomplished however it is in the personage of Barrack Hussein Obama MMM MMM MMM great experiment at the expense of the American people. But hey he had his turn at bat twice he got on base with 4 balls and struck out just lookin at the ball go by.
So now;
Maybe one of his buddies in Hollywood will help him out with a TV reality show, they can name it One & Done in Chicago. lol
VOTE for: Bill an Burnie's home coming party for Barry
I wish i had 50.thousand dollars..that would pay off my house ..not pay Romney for a one dinner plate..with it
The financial punch that will come in October will be mind boggling. We will finally know how much it cost to but the presidency.
BWWWAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! HOOOOOHOOHOOHOOHOOHOOHOO!!!!!! AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The liberals are FREAKING OUT!!! Isn't it going to be FABULOUS when we finally have an American in the White House???
(...and for all the libtarded people. I don't care if your crackhead was born in Washington D.C.... ACTUALLY I don't even care if he was born inside the White House, on top of the Resolute Desk. I know illegal Mexicans that literally jumped over the fence who are more American than this crackhead you like to call a "president" ever was or ever will be.)
LOL
vote nobama
lol at you cow boy bob, you are out of your league here, best to quit before you are totally embarrassed ...
POTUS #44
Is like a plastic grocery bag caught by one of the handles on a barbed wire fence.
Twisting, turning, flailing about in the wind every now and then catching the air and inflating. Soon the handle will break and he'll be blown back to the windy city.
vote out loud in November
99 percent down baby bob call me when a 99er gives you a job worth a dam
VOTE
this artical proves to me we need someone such as Obama who will look after the middle class.
"Romney rallies top donors at Utah retreat" You mean the Mormon church? After all, they banked rolled prop 8 in California.
You communists are a sluggish bunch. Obama is finished.
Adamdenver: By using the word "they" who are you referring to in post # 272 ? The Catholic Church asked the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to join them in a common cause in Calif. If you are referring the "they" to individual members contributing time,energy, and personal money, you would be correct. Then the word "they" would cover all the other religions too who joined in along with a majority black and hispanic support in that State with that cause. If you think otherwise, to tell us all, how much money did the Catholic Church directly contribute? How much did The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints directly contribute? How much did other Churches donate directly? Then please tell us how much individuals contribute to the cause? Numbers please. You must know adamdenver as you made the bold statement that "they" the Mormon Church banked roll prop 8 in Calif.
I am republican and would never vote for this bozo the clown salesman with no platform. I am tired of politicians like Obama and Romney. If Romney went to the Mirror he would see Obama in it. There is no difference in the two. Romney care = Obama care. They are both support abortion. Yes Romney supports it. He has said it to many times on video. They are both supported by goldman and sachs. Until the GOP decides to go back to it's roots I am voting for Gary Johnson this time around. You can say all you want about a vote for Johnson is a vote for Obama. At least I will be voting what I believe in. Not in what the GOP and Democrats has shoved down are throats. Two socialists who would destroy this country of our freedoms. Don't worry the internet is next with CISPA. All you sheep just keep voting for these jokes all you want.