Oct

2012

1:17pm, EDT

Romney eases back into politicking at first post-hurricane rally

By NBC's Garrett Haake

TAMPA, FL -- Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney reined in his criticism of President Barack Obama on Wednesday, signaling a softer tone at the outset of a three-stop swing through Florida coinciding with the president's trip to New Jersey to survey hurricane damage.

Returning to the campaign trail after cancelling several campaign events out of respect to victims of Hurricane Sandy, Romney joined several prominent Florida Republicans in blending a pitch for storm recovery support with more traditional political fanfare.

In his first formal campaign event (Romney morphed one planned stop in Ohio into a "relief event" on Tuesday), Romney struck hopeful notes.

"You should know I could not be in this race if I were not an optimist. I believe in the future of this country I know we have huge challenges, but I’m not frightened by them, I’m invigorated by the challenge," Romney told supporters gathered in an airplane hangar here near the close of his remarks. "We’re going to take on these challenges we’re going to overcome them!"

As the storm cleanup begins, the Republican presidential candidate is facing questions about his position on the federal government's role in disaster relief. NBC's Peter Alexander reports.

And Romney included an entreaty for donations to the Red Cross as the East Coast reels from the impact of the hurricane earlier this week. (Romney himself made a donation to the Red Cross, an aide told NBC News.)

"If you have an extra dollar or two, send them along and keep the people who are in harms – who have been in harms way, who’ve been damaged either personally or through their property, keep them in your thoughts and prayers," Romney said. "We love all of our fellow citizens. We come together in times like this and we want to make sure that they have a speedy and quick recovery from their financial and in many cases, personal loss."

Romney was joined on the trail by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the latter of whom noted that Floridians are more familiar with hurricanes than most of the nation, and urged the roughly 2,000 attendees here to pay back the generosity they have experienced after past storms.

At a campaign event in Tampa Bay, Florida, presidential hopeful Mitt Romney promotes a five-point plan for growing the economy.

"People are going to be living with the aftermath of the storm, and so our hearts and our prayers go out to them, and also our help," Rubio said. "If you see on the screen the number you can text the Red Cross and make your donation. We have been the beneficiary of these donations in the past. Let's make sure we pay it forward for our neighbors and fellow Americans up north who are suffering."

Bush, who had to handle numerous hurricanes during his time as governor, also waded into the politics of disaster relief, suggesting that local governments contributed more to recovery efforts than the federal government.

"My experience in all this emergency response business is that it is the local level and the state level that really matters," he said to applause. "That if they do their job right the federal government part works out pretty good."

Brian Snyder / Reuters

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney greets audience members at a campaign rally in Tampa, Florida October 31, 2012.

But today's event was certainly a return to the issues that have driven the campaign for the last year -- with Romney criticizing the president's stewardship of the economy indirectly, and offering his own plan in contrast.

“My view is pretty straight forward and that is I believe that this is time for America to take a different course, that this should be a turning point for our country, and I say that because I look at where we are and with 23 million Americans – you think about that. These are real people. These are folks trying to put food on the table," Romney said. "Twenty-three million people struggling to find a good job. This is something that requires in my view a different path than we’ve been on."

Slideshow: On the campaign trail

Reuters, Getty Images

In the final push in the 2012 presidential election, candidates Mitt Romney and Barack Obama make their last appeals to voters.

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Anna Marie & Gabriel

Eeeasing baaack into politicking??? Romney never stopped!! He's been playing at orchestrating recovery efforts, all the while criticising, and back-biting, and dissing President Obama, and chewing nails because Republican Gov. Christie has been praising the president for doing everything humanly possible, round the clock, to aid recovery efforts in his beleagured state! Romney has done nnnothinnng but continued to campaign, ignoring questions, having people set up "stages" around him to look like he's actually concerned about the Sandy victims, going through a 'hard time', as he so mildly put it. ~We're absolutely incensed at his nonchalance over such a cataclysmic event that Romney has shown! It's inexcusable! And he wants to run the country??? NO THANK you!!!!

He wants to help so much?? Put down the microphone, tell the camera crew to go home, get to NJ and actually get down and dirty HELPING!!!

#104 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:41 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

I heard Gov. Christie say he was not concerned about the election. And rightfully so. He is concerned about recovery. What people fail to realize is with this disaster many people will be outside their registered voting district. They are displaced. And voting is the very last thing on their minds. They need to find a place to live, try and get back to work, if possible while filing claims with FEMA, insurance companies, etc. When I went through a disaster 3 weeks had elapsed after the storm before I realized it. And it took me a year to recover. So Tuesday will come and go and those survivors of the storm will not even notice.

1 vote

#105 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:51 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

why shouldn't people devastated feel better ??? i mean , we do have a great president at the helm people. this man single handedly killed usama bin ladin , saved the auto industry from BAIN CAPITAL , and ended that war of lies , started by those warmongering republican conservative wall street gagers. why shouldn't they be happy to know this man not only has the back of those 47% who robme calls '' AMERICA'S FREE LOADING REJECTS '' , but their's as well ??? GOD HAS BLESSED THE USA WITH A GREAT PRESIDENT , AND A REAL KEEPER OF HIS BROTHER !!!!!!!!!!

1 vote

#105.1 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:53 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

This controversy is so dishonest by Republicans, especially when Mitt said on secret tape, if he got an outside event, he would make it an "opportunity" and exploit the situation. This is so cynical because it shows he is not concerned about the lives lost but his own political aspirations.

1 vote

#105.2 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:55 PM EDT

t3save

I thought Obama said "A Keeper of His Brother"????

://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/barack-obama-brother-anti-documentary-george-obama-346807

#105.3 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:04 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

it's apparent ROBME has never been through the hard times of the ordinary citizens '' fighting for their livelyhoods '' after such a devastating STORM. all i can say about republican conservative tea party of the greedy is HEARTLESS DESPERATE HIPOCRITS. '' TAKE YOUR CAN OF BEANS AND SHOVE THEM DEEP INTO YOUR OFFSHORE ACCOUNTS '' , IF YA'LL GET MY DRIFT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 vote

#105.4 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:12 PM EDT

Tchamek

Obama has not answered what happened in Benghazi, the American people deserve to know that he did not allow a C-130 helicopter gunship that was nearby to rescue those Americans in Benghazi. As a result, 4 Americans, including the Ambassador were killed. STINKS, worse than Watergate!!!

#106 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:53 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

RCP Averages as of 10/31/2012 7:20am EST

Colorado(9) - Tie - trend is flat
Florida(29) - Romney +1.0 - trending down for Romney (previous: 1.8, 1.5, 1.4, 1.3)
Iowa(6) - Obama +1.0 - trending down for Obama (previous: 2.3)
Michigan(16) - Obama +3.0 - trending down for Obama (previous: 4.0)
Nevada(6) - Obama +2.4 - trending down for Obama (previous: 2.6)
New Hampshire(4) - Obama +1.0 - trending up for Obama (previous: 1.4, 2.0)
North Carolina(15) - Romney +3.3 - trending up for Romney (previous: 3.8, 3.0)
Ohio(18) - Obama +2.4 - trending up for Obama (previous: 2.3, 1.9, 2.1)
Pennsylvania(20) - Obama +4.7 - trend is flat
Virginia(13) - Obama +0.3- trending up for Obama (previous:Tie)
Wisconsin(10) - Obama +2.3 - trend is flat

Give Romney the states that are tied and those where he is ahead and Obama still wins:

Obama 294
Romney 243

1 vote

#106.1 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:05 PM EDT

Clotho

Here is a full Benghazi timeline. Read through it, and we can answer any questions you have. But honestly, empty accusations about a cover-up don't do anyone any good. There is no evidence of any cover-up, lies or wrongdoing. Everything points to the problem of not having the intelligence sources the U.S. has before the overthrow of Khaddafi and the fledgling democracy.

http://factcheck.org/2012/10/benghazi-timeline/

#106.2 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:19 PM EDT

talibaptist

"Eases back"??! GET REAL: he never stopped !!

2 votes

#107 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:55 PM EDT

Bartman123

Get off this republicans hate Obama because he is black. He is half black. In fact, he is more white than black. His mother is white and he was raised by a white grandmother. The black side of his family were not in the picture.

We don’t like Obama because he is a piss poor president who can’t find the empty chair in the oval office, cancels the security briefing the day after the attack, doesn’t understand anything about the middle east and the terrorist motives, etc… He is a phone in president. Even the democrats in congress and the senate said so. It goes on and on and on. Stupid is no respecter of color.

1 vote

#108 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:55 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

It'd be nice if the President and/or the Governors of the worst-affected states would declare a three-month moratorium on rents, loans, and mortgage payments for people and companies under a certain amount of net worth (obviously not rich people and businesses).

If there's no public transportation, people can't get to work. If they can't get to work, they can't pay their rent. If their landlords can't collect rent, they can't pay their own mortgages.

1 vote

#108.1 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:57 PM EDT

Clotho

Obama is black because he appears black and identifies himself as such. There is no requirement that an African-American have 100% black parentage to be a black person. We have a black President, just deal with it.

#108.2 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:22 PM EDT

occupy_this

This is why the MSM has zero credibility. This guy was doing "rallies" from the very beginning, calls them "relief efforts" (in Ohio no less) and you guys bite onto that as though it's the truth.

FAIL.

1 vote

#109 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:57 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

when you are secure , and flying high in the dough , '' you give those who have become homeless a can of beans '' , and expect them to VOTE for you. I AM SOOOOOO ASHAMED OF WHAT THOSE REPUBLICAN CONSERVATIVE TEA PARTY OF GREED HAS BECOME !!!!!!!!!!

1 vote

#110 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:59 PM EDT

JoyP

Really, his first rally after the hurricane? When did he stop politicking? i.e., the "disaster relief" staged rally.

1 vote

#111 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:00 PM EDT

Progressive=Forward 11

The GOP/RNC "Pathological Liar and Chief" never stopped his "Crazy Conservative Clown Campaigning." The GOP/RNC "Romulian" is out touch with the American People, and is out touch with reality. The GOPRNC "Speculator and Chief" has no clue of what the Middle Class, the Working Poor, the elderely, and the disabled are living in right now. The nation needs a true President, and not a "Corporate Boss." President Obama is with out a doubt the true Commander and Chief of the United States. That is fact!

#112 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:01 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION , AND AMERICANS LEFT HOMELESS ; tell that to '' mr. polygamist '' , and his band of caring republican conservative tea party of the '' STEAL FROM THE DIRT POOR , AND GIVE IT TO WALL STREET AND THE KOCH BROTHERS ''. THEY FEEL YOUR PAIN , AND THEY KNOW ENTITLEMENTS ARE WHAT'S HURTING YOU. all you homeless and desperate people need is '' A CAN OF BEANS , LOL , LOL , LOL , haaaaaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa heeeeeeeeeeeeeee heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it's their gift , that they want to keep on giving !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 vote

#113 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:02 PM EDT

Bartman123

let's do this!!! > "polygamist"? Who are you talking about? Must be Obama since his father was a polygamist.

#113.1 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:59 PM EDT

Johnny B-1876520

Romney took one day off. He did his photo opps loading up relief supplies (good to see him actually work) and then moved on. His compassion for the hurricane victims was pretty short lived. He's a total phoney guy. Meanwhile the President is coordinating the real relief efforts and working hard to make sure that aid gets to those who need it. All of Romney's relief events were in swing states. Did he really suspend his campaign? I don't think so. What a dirt bag.

1 vote

#114 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:03 PM EDT

SenvoooDeleted

Bettina Kozlowski

Hey Lloyd, is all you have to offer here hate and ignorance? Does your vote count more than our Liberal vote? I suspect you're in a red state so it doesn't matter more than Feisty redhead's or mine and you're increasingly frustrated at your "candidate" blowing up? I listened to Romney in Tampa on TV today and heck folks, he wants to drill for oil in your backyard, increase manufacturing and trade with South America and give all job seekers a job!!! No Way! That's fresh!:) Not. Does he think Obama pursues the opposite, except may be not drill for oil in your backyard?

One thing we have learned just this week, though, is that we'd rather have President Obama in charge when a hurricane like Sandy strikes, than a Romney or Ryan.

1 vote

#116 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:06 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

RCP Averages as of 10/31/2012 7:20am EST

Give Romney the states that are tied and those where he is ahead and Obama still wins:

Obama 294
Romney 243

2 votes

#117 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:07 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

WORTH REPEATING !!!!!!! ; The GOP/RNC "Pathological Liar and Chief" never stopped his "Crazy Conservative Clown Campaigning." The GOP/RNC "Romulian" is out touch with the American People, and is out touch with reality. The GOPRNC "Speculator and Chief" has no clue of what the Middle Class, the Working Poor, the elderely, and the disabled are living in right now. The nation needs a true President, and not a "Corporate Boss." President Obama is with out a doubt the true Commander and Chief of the United States. That is fact!

2 votes

#118 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:09 PM EDT

jerry l-1335133

Johnny,

The President is off to Las Vegas tonight so he made one appearance with a Republican to show how bi-partisan he is and then gone across the country to meet with Eva Longoria.

#118.1 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:44 PM EDT

deb-3232690

Romney goes to Virginia saying he supports the coal industry. When he was Governor of Massachusetts he stood in front of a coal-fired power plant in Massachusetts saying "Coal kills peope." He stated he'd never support the coal industry.

Flip-Flop-Flip-Flop-Flip-Flop-Flip-Flop. Romney!!! Romney!!! Romney!!! Stop this Flip-Floping, your hurting my stomach laughing at you.

President Obama--2012

2 votes

#119 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:09 PM EDT

rsamps

Former Governor Romney has serious character issues, & "crybaby" Paul Ryan is an extremist.

Its amazing that its even close- lets not forget how Romney & his wife hate the common people- & if somehow elected, would enable the ultra-rich & corporate titans to continue their complete destruction of the middle class started under Bush Jr. Willard Romney is dangerous. President Obama is not.

2 votes

#120 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:10 PM EDT

John Magnusson

I wonder how Romney was able to come to terms with shaking hands with the no class 99%. Maybe he settles his nerves by picturing them all naked.

2 votes

#120.1 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:20 PM EDT

sadsackguy

Romney is asking all of us "little people" to donate for Sandy relief. I still want to know how much he is donating? He cannot state that he is because he probably is not donating or is donating an amount that would seem minimalistic to the 47%'ers.

2 votes

#121 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:11 PM EDT

t3save

get a clue!!!

//harndenblog.dailymail.co.uk/2012/01/much-ado-about-nothing-mitt-romney-is-very-rich-he-also-gave-millions-to-charity-and-the-taxman.html

#121.1 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:14 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

2 votes

#122 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:13 PM EDT

t3save

Obama is his brothers keeper!!!????

://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/barack-obama-brother-anti-documentary-george-obama-346807

#123 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:14 PM EDT

Gene-1589017

I see the hate is alive and well. This election is about the economy. We have people (not statistics) who lost jobs and now have lost unemployment. We have a defecit of over 16 million because Obama lied. He said he would cut the deficit in half, but doubled it instead. We can't afford 4 more years of a man who can't budget or balance a budget. We can't afford four more years who lied about crossingthe aisle, but instead rammed Obamacare strictly partisan with not one Republican vote.

Time for a businessman to fix the US. Time for a man who truly cares about Americans in Libya and will be honest with the American people. People accuse Romney of being a liar. The rule liar promised us hope and change with lots of other lies. Obama has a track record of 4 years of failure and lies.

1 vote

#124 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:15 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

NO , NO ,NO , CORRECTION ; '' BUSH LIED '' , AND OBAMA CAME IN AND SAVED THE AUTO INDUSTRY FROM BAIN CAPITALIST . SINGLE HANDEDLY KILLED USAMA BIN LADIN , RESTORED TRUST IN AMERICA , STOPPED THE WAR OF LIES THAT WERE STARTED BY YOU WARMONGERING TEA PARTY OF THE RACIST , ENDING WARS AS WE SPEAK , AND IS ABOUT TO SERVE HIS SECOND TERM '' FOR A JOB WELL DONE ''!!!!!!!

2 votes

#124.1 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:25 PM EDT

let's do this !!!

RCP Averages as of 10/31/2012 7:20am EST

Give Romney the states that are tied and those where he is ahead and Obama still wins:

Obama 294
Romney 243

2 votes

#124.2 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:28 PM EDT

Natalie Rosen

Romeny's charitable giving for Sandy a PHONEYIEST of all BALONEY. What a crushing FAILURE .. why you might ask? Because that puke PAID $5,000 for a PHOTO OP of him wearing his phony jeans and putting water in a truck. HE IS A JOKE....a PUTRID joke. I never disliked no hated a politician so much as I HATE him..he is a DESPICABLE LIAR and incompetent and even Chrysler and JEEP told him to *&^%$ off! Rancid human being.

So today he likes FEMA he's going to keep it. Well WHO THE HELL CARES what you like or what you want to keep or your latest flip flop no policy policy ... YOU WILL NEVER BE PRESIDENT ...EVER!

2 votes

#125 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:20 PM EDT

jerry l-1335133

Natalie,

As opposed to Biden who gives a whole $369.00 a year, that is an example to follow.

#125.1 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:46 PM EDT

t3save

get a clue natalie!!

://harndenblog.dailymail.co.uk/2012/01/much-ado-about-nothing-mitt-romney-is-very-rich-he-also-gave-millions-to-charity-and-the-taxman.html

#125.2 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:58 PM EDT

Natalie Rosen

Jerry, WHO CARES, ROMNEY IS A FAKE A FRAUD A PHONY and PROBABLY a felon ... let's see those damn tax returns you LYING SOB! He is such a fraud total fraud. Even his jeans look like a FRAUD, his smile is PHONY, his laugh is nervous. He is a MENTAL case and no wonder Ann worries about him when he's stressed he can't even take it when he shouldn't be stressed... and this guy wants the WHITE HOUSE this is the best a Republican Party of HUGE money can do? Mitt Romney? Even Gingrich or Sanitarium is better than ROMNEY...what a joke candidate...HE HAS NOTHING, no policy NOTHING!

1 vote

#125.3 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:59 PM EDT

jerry l-1335133

Natalie,

That is an intelligent thought out response but typical, you cannot defend your man, you can only call the other candidate names. As the President said in 2008 "when you have no record to run on you try to make your opponent somebody to run from".

#125.4 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:16 PM EDT

Clotho

Maybe Romney will decide he doesn't want to be President when he finds out he would live in the White House, which is smaller than any house he's ever lived in.

3 votes

#126 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:23 PM EDT

bisoncookie

When Obama asked the Seals they got Bin Laden. When the Seals asked Obama they got denied and 4 Americans died waiting for his order.

2 votes

#127 - Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:26 PM EDT

Eldon L. White

President Obama is in New Jersey showing compassion for the american people and ordering the Federal Government to help in anyway that they can, and where is Romney? Oh Yea, he's in Sunny Florida trying to get votes! Is that the kind of president that anyone wants????