E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
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:
Romney is a right wing nut job. He shouldn't even be voted in as a DOG CATCHER in Utah. Romney has nothing to offer america. He gets his backing of funds from rich people that want favors later. They are all crooks and should be treated like criminals.
VOTE democrat right down the line. Get rid of all repugs in november.
Tinycowlady,
Respectfully, you are spouting opinions without facts. President Faust, First Councilor of the Mormon Church was the head of the Democratic Party of Utah. There are many Mormon Democrats including many in the legislature and cabinet positions. Invisiblehand pointed out a number of them. The Mormons aren't trying to take over the country anymore than the Baptists or Catholics. I support President Obama, but you should not defame Mitt Romney's religion and mine with rumors parading as facts. Just because someone told you something doesn't make it true. There are jealots and nutcases in any group and religion is no different. Don't pass off hearsay and act like you know what you're talking about.
Well said spn alaska,Send me some cool weather, it was 108 in my area today.
Have not seen one thing on the fate of ObamaCare on MSNBC in the last week. The ruling can come as early as today. It's going to be a good week.
Yes Young said our plans are looking good! You know the plan for big corporations and the 1% too soon have their way totally! Goodby Middle Class you peons are not worthy! You will soon be our serfs,working for a couple of dollars an hour with no benefits,labor laws,retirement and you will like it or else! Goodby to the following:Social Security,Medicare,Medicade,veterans benefits,the VA,The EPA,and all environmental laws and more! Hello: Sweat Shops,Orphanges,Poor Houses,beggars on every street corner,children once again working in factories and so much more! You peons are so not worthy! me and my 1% friends are,and we will all live in heavily armed gated communities living the "good" life! Yes life is good! Vote Romney and our plans are complete! Common suckers vote for Mitt!
Good communist
The GOP: The best self-serving politics money can buy.
Rightwingers wrote the book on hate,it's their mantra. Much like the Nazis of the Third Reich they hate everyone but their own. The similarities are striking. The only thing missing are the brownshirts and the Swastikas. Notice they always support evil over good. Ideology over country,every time!
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
This Romney Utah meeting should be broadcasted for all middle class America to see. These are exactly the friends Romney is going to help if he gets elected president. Not us.
Its time to get his orders and show what side of the issues he is really on now!! "Etch it Sketch time"!!
Whatever obama does he is opposite. So Romney wins.
Pretty simple. What ever the WORST president does do the opposite.
Well that worked for President Obama following the worst and only president wanted on war crimes!!.
Bush crashes economy , Obama fixes it.
Bush starts 2 wars on lies, Obama stops them
Bush starts the Fast and Furious, Obama stops it.
See it works!!
Mitt Romney: my struggling multi-millionare/billionare friends really need my help! I owe them! Middle Class you say? I don't owe them anything ,and they don't matter! Them lazy peons are not worthy! I owe them nothing! Complain and I'll send more of your Middle Class jobs overseas as I've done in the past! Yes vote for me! You can trust me honest!
Worker drones connned again...yes, I mean you you and you...
Romneys first 100 days don't include anything for you but plenty for people like me...more banker and high tech jobs, employer tax credits, tax cuts for those in my income group...and guess what drones?
I still won't create more jobs until I need more drones...I'd rather sit on my cash and count it than employ another person until I absolutely have to...quick economics lesson for you drones
So the rich and famous have dictated their policy behind closed doors, before donating. How refreshing. That really aught to help the middle class.
I wonder if Vern Buchanan is their with Romney and the millionaire and billionaires scheming to buy this general election
Romney and his corporate friends will create more jobs when the American worker will be willing to accept third world working conditions. Like two dollar an hour wages,no benefits,no retirement,no labor laws and no safety standards. Yes you,your children and grandchildren face a real bright future if you are a 99% American with Mitt in charge. Enjoy!
How would like to be a fly on the wall at this Utah conference with all of Mitts millionaire/billionare donors! The sparkle of dollar signs in their greedy little eyes would be blinding! Lots of "greed is so good" being said on a regular basis! The final plans for the elimination of Americas Middle Class is almost complete! Happy days are here again for Americas Robber Barons!
I hope they all drink the salt water!
Hollywood liberals giving forty thousand dollars each for a plate of sushi for Obama's campaign is somehow ok, while it is terrible that Romney has the gall to raise campaign funds with a meeting.
No what's illegal is having his Superpac's at a "strategy meeting".
You are talking about Carl Rove, I believe. So you want to infringe on Rove's right to talk to people of his choosing? How democratic of you.
Why is everyone mad at Romney for outsourcing? He made money at bain not jobs!!
I don't care what he does, he will not top the $40,000 per plate fund raisers that were held for Obama by George Clooney in California and Sarah Jessica Parker in New York.
The president REALLY knows how to get out the money to get out the vote.
Romney is a piker when compared to the president.
Obama's SuperPac's weren't present, Romney's were.
How illegal !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not to mention, the laundered money, the Great Blamer gets from the UAW. It seems it is only bad for a republican to have a fundraiser. November can't get here soon enough, when we get rid of the farce in the White House.
Living History: Sen. Mike Lee says Mormons have ‘extra chromosome’ for American exceptionalism.
www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54359356-78/mormons-god-american-exceptionalism.html.csp
Salt Lake Tribune
It is important to understand that Mormons believe that God has sent Romney down to us, to save all of us.
Kim, You are not telling the truth.
Kim, does that include Dirty Harry? He is a Mormon. Do you remember the old singer Ethel Mormon? :-)
Imagine.
All that hate and corruption in a single room as Romney begs for help to become the next puppet on the throne.
You mean "rubber stamp" for Koch and Rove.
The "Angry Old White Man" fest. Wonder how much toe tapping was going on in the bathroom stalls out there in mormanland?? Would love to take Rove down a double black diamond run----in the summer!
what !!? No ethnic diversity at this event !!?
Gotta love that Romney's SuperPac's showed up, eventhough they aren't supposed to "coordinate", and Karl Rove even spoke.
How illegal !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How do you know what Rove was doing there? That is only left wing speculation, and you know it.
Lots of hypocrisy here. So it's ok for O to hook up for $40k a plate dinners with the elite of Hollywood, Corps, Unions, Hedge Fund mgrs but shame on Romney for doing the same. All's fair in love and war sheep!
Ahh this makes us, the hard working middle class, feel so good (w/ a little sarcasm). Meeting of the rich in a private resort, to discuss/buy the potential next president. EXCELLENT :)
Part of the hidden agenda which apparently got oppressed: Replace Mitt-he's a goner if he has to debate the President! ! ! !
Is the Catholic/Mormon/Catholic/Baptist VP candidate Marco Rubio present at this meeting of the elite in Mormonland? Are Marco Rubio's parents and all relatives presently enrolled Mormons? Just asking, to determine where Rubio's true loyalties lie at the present time. Just asking.