Collision 2012: Obama vs. Romney and the Future of Elections in America (57 page)

debates in, 131–37, 220, 301–17, 351–52

demographics shifting in, 7, 41, 53, 54, 239, 242–44, 333, 350

economy as issue in, 3, 5, 7, 8, 43–44, 51–52, 232–33, 239–42

and election, 332–35

epilogue, 349–54

fund-raising for, 6, 41, 172, 220, 253–54

as grassroots based, 40, 41, 82, 104–5, 253, 289, 351

and Obama,
see
Obama, Barack; Obama reelection team

and polarization, 8, 16, 239, 244–45, 276–78

polls in, 57, 352

populist themes of, 4, 71, 72, 113

research and data in, 51–55, 77–79, 82, 249, 262, 326–27

and Romney,
see
Romney, Mitt; Romney team

rule changes in, 220, 233, 267–68, 351

social media in, 78–79, 118, 204, 294, 301–5, 315, 335, 352

swing voters in, 58, 73, 327

technology in, 40, 51, 74, 75–79, 84, 326, 336

toxic nature of, 276–78

undecided voters, 83, 253, 314, 327, 353

voter anger in, 8

voters in exit polls, 223–24, 332–35

voter turnout in, 332, 333

presidential campaigns:

ad spending in, 203, 221–22, 255–56, 259, 260–61, 279–80

campaign finance laws, 261, 268, 280, 351

debates in, 131–37, 220

electoral votes needed in, 75, 320, 332

field operations in, 74–76

importance and power of money in, 5

Internet fund-raising in, 220

invasive nature of, 88

moments of adversity in, 138, 308

“October surprise” in, 331

personality issues in, 96, 132, 253

and social media, 220

straw polls in, 137–38, 139, 141, 170

super PACs in, 185, 220

third-party candidates in, 8

and voting patterns, 244

Priorities USA, 254, 277, 324

Project Vote, 75

Prophet Muhammad, video about, 296

Psaki, Jen, 11

Quayle, Dan, 131

Ramos, Mike, 11

Rattner, Steve, 251

Reagan, Nancy, 124–25

Reagan, Ronald, 69, 166, 272

and the economy, 35, 240

election of, 243, 263

legacy of, 206

and 1980 campaign, 93, 131, 182

and 1984 campaign, 40, 136

Romney’s admiration for, 30, 31

Reagan administration, 37, 102, 107, 114, 177, 180

Reagan Democrats, 350

Reagan Library, 149, 150

Reagan Revolution, 100–101

recession, 12, 63, 72, 239, 242, 290

Recher, Jason, 111

Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Colorado, 328–29

Reed, Bruce, 290

Reed, Harper, 76, 77, 78, 79

Reed, Scott, 108, 109

Reid, Harry, 39, 277

Rendell, Ed, 251, 252

Republican National Committee, 234, 260

Republican National Convention (2004), 280

Republican National Convention (2012), 208, 234, 279–86, 295

Anne Romney’s address, 281–82

Christie’s keynote address, 276, 282–83

Eastwood’s empty chair in, 284–86

final night, 283–86

opening night, 281–82

Romney’s acceptance speech, 286

Ryan’s acceptance speech, 283

timing of, 280–81

Republican nomination contest, 84, 106, 117, 127, 221–25, 226–27, 232, 351–53

in battleground states, 299, 319, 332;
see also
specific states

candidates in, 91–92, 106, 120, 130, 159, 181, 187, 199–200;
see also
specific candidates

and debates, 131–37, 140–41, 149–52, 154–57, 168, 173, 183–84, 227, 351–52

and midterm elections (2010), 100–101, 102–5

Republican Party:

as apocalypse party, 100–105

and budget cuts, 43, 61

and Congress, 38–39, 48–49, 52, 61, 104, 226

conservative base of, 33, 44, 57, 99, 100–101, 102, 114–16, 168, 174–75, 200, 214, 221, 222, 224, 225, 232, 274, 314, 330, 349–50

and debt ceiling, 46–48, 60–61

and demographic shifts, 243–44, 341, 350

and the economy, 72;
see also
economy

and election results, 332–35, 346, 350

evangelical base in, 110, 224

and Gang of Seven, 211

and general election campaign (2012), 84, 208, 222, 225, 226;
see also
Romney, Mitt

and George Romney, 29

identity crisis of, 199–200

and immigration issue, 228–31, 243, 346

intraparty differences in, 98, 100, 102, 103, 122, 133, 200, 206, 216, 223, 226

and McCain-Palin ticket (2008), 62, 111, 112, 129, 264

media firms of, 89, 247

and midterm elections (2010), 7, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 112, 119, 180

new rules played under, 49, 93, 100, 176, 180–81, 187, 197, 220

nomination battle in,
see
Republican nomination contest

opposition to Obama, 3, 4, 12, 38, 41, 42–43, 48–50, 52, 56, 61, 62, 64, 66–70, 72, 94, 102, 104–5, 140, 188–89, 199, 226, 234, 244, 257, 261, 277–78, 349

as out of control, 110

public dissatisfaction with, 8, 226

shrinking the government, 43–44, 173, 245

shutting down the government, 43, 163

and super PACS, 253, 258, 259, 261, 279, 298, 322, 351

and Tea Party, 7, 35, 47–48, 62, 67, 94, 100, 101–5, 112, 127, 180, 199–200

and values, 71, 72, 148, 346, 350

and women’s issues, 297–98

Restore Our Future (ROF), 171, 177, 186, 203, 261

Rhoades, Matt, 175, 285

and debates, 197, 308, 309, 341

on election day, 21, 337, 345

and health care, 95

mapping the race, 89, 91, 95, 96

and running mate selection, 273, 274

and 2012 general election campaign, 234, 257, 259, 260

and 2012 primary campaign, 128, 137–38, 148, 157–58, 169, 170, 179, 197, 198, 207, 210, 214, 221, 223, 228

Rhodes, Ben, 11, 316

Rich, Frank, 36

Rivera, Craig, 161

Rivera, David, 271

Rivera, Geraldo, 161

Roberts, John, 256

Robinson, Craig, 173

Rogers, Ed, 108–9

Rollins, Ed, 111, 136–37, 147

Romney, Ann Davies, 285–86, 337, 338

and campaigning, 16, 20, 23, 89, 216

and cancer, 33

and Christie, 126

convention speech by, 281–82

and debates, 311

and decision to run, 87–88, 90, 96, 340

horse owned by, 272

marriage of Mitt and, 29

Romney, Craig (son), 87

Romney, George (father), 28–29, 216, 343

Romney, Joe (grandson), 20

Romney, Lenore (mother), 30

Romney, Matt (son), 89

Romney, Mitt, 28–33

attack ads against, 57, 246–47, 249–52, 254, 255–56, 259, 262, 280, 297, 322–24, 344

attack ads against Obama by, 98–99, 258, 259, 260, 277–78

“Believe in America” slogan, 98

biographers of, 30

as businessman, 5, 22, 29–30, 57, 58–59, 91, 183, 184, 186–88, 204, 215, 221, 235, 246–47, 249, 258, 289, 294

and campaign financing, 351

changing political views of, 32–33, 57–58, 95–96, 127, 135, 151, 227, 229, 341

concession speech by, 337–38, 345

and conservatism, 33, 99, 174–75, 200, 214, 225, 232, 274, 314, 349–50

“Corporations are people” comment, 169

and debates, 18, 217, 301–11, 314–17, 324, 329, 341, 344–46

decision to run, 87–88, 90, 96–97, 339, 340

early years of, 29

on election day, 20–21, 332–35, 337–38, 345–46

and Etch A Sketch comment, 227, 242

as family man, 5, 87–88, 90, 235, 335, 340

as flip-flopper, 33, 57–58, 95, 151, 229

formal announcement of candidacy, 98–99

and 47 percent video, 6, 293–95, 296, 298, 300, 309, 315, 346–48

as front-runner, 90, 92, 93, 99, 106, 110, 120–21, 122, 130, 138, 142, 159, 168, 184, 189, 190, 196, 205, 220, 226

and fund-raising, 208, 234–35, 247, 259–61, 269, 271, 351

and Gingrich, 174, 176, 177, 178, 183–84, 194, 197–201, 203–4, 206, 213, 233–34, 250

as governor of Massachusetts, 31–33, 89, 94, 97, 148, 183, 201, 214, 249, 255, 258, 341

and health care, 31–32, 94–99, 108, 127, 133, 135, 174, 217, 340

and his father, 28–29, 216, 343

and Hurricane Sandy, 331–32, 340

“I like to fire people,” 294

and immigration issue, 228–31

international travel of, 271–72

Kennedy-Romney debates, 33, 288

lack of Republican Party enthusiasm for, 5, 122, 127, 159, 168, 199, 200, 210, 212–13, 235, 297, 298

mapping the race, 87–99

marriage to Ann, 29

media interviews with, 174–75, 339–48

and Mormon religion, 29, 88, 92, 93, 340–41

No Apology,
88, 127, 175

personal qualities of, 22, 23, 29

political persona of, 28, 29, 32–33, 57–58, 90, 97, 98–99, 235, 249

on poverty, 207, 294

public image of, 5, 6, 23, 105, 207, 218, 219, 227, 231–33, 235, 249, 251, 262, 280, 281, 294–95, 298, 309, 314, 324, 333, 335, 345

and Republican convention, 286

and Ryan, 263–64, 276

selecting a running mate, 264–68, 271–72, 273–76

and Senate campaign (1994), 30–31, 94, 171, 177, 183–84, 250

and super PACs, 171–72, 176, 186, 197–98, 203, 221–22, 233, 351

support for Republican Party, 88–89, 169

tax returns of, 189, 190, 194, 197, 200, 202, 249, 250, 258, 266n, 277, 288

and 2008 presidential campaign, 5, 22–23, 33, 90–91, 95, 106, 129, 200

and 2012 nomination contest, 5–6, 8, 132–33, 134–35, 137–38, 140, 143, 148–51, 154, 157, 158, 168–71, 173, 175–79, 182–84, 187–91, 194–96, 197–208, 226–27, 249

and 2012 presidential campaign, 16–18, 19, 21, 51, 57–59, 67, 70, 73, 87–99, 234–35, 247–48, 259–62

vulnerabilities of, 58–59, 184, 199, 200, 208, 213, 220, 227–28, 231, 249

wealth of, 5, 28, 30, 189–90, 202–3, 204, 227, 231, 232, 235, 250, 258, 262, 264, 288, 322, 340, 341, 344, 348

and Winter Olympics (2002), 31, 201, 217, 271

Romney, Tagg (son):

and campaign, 89

and debates, 311, 317

and decision to run, 87–88, 96–97, 340

and election day, 20, 21

Romney team:

campaign strategies of, 90–93, 295–96, 308–9, 315, 323–25, 330

and “Day One” campaign, 260–61

and debates, 301, 306, 308–9, 310–11, 312–15, 317, 344–46

and decision to run, 88–89

exploratory committee, 92

field operations, 325–26, 335–36, 340

and fund-raising, 89, 120, 279–80, 322, 344

and general election funds, 279, 280

members of, 89

and polarization, 276–78

political action committees (PACs; super PACs), 88–89, 186, 197–98, 233

and polls, 19, 95, 189, 199, 299–300, 312, 329–31, 333, 345

presentation styles tested by, 98–99

research and data, 262

state-by-state plan of, 92–93

and technology, 335–36

Roosevelt, Franklin D., 27, 148, 240

Roosevelt, Theodore, 3, 72

Root, Jay, 156

Rose, Charlie, 50, 257, 285

Rosen, Hillary, 304

Ross, Brian, 191

Rove, Karl, 123, 145, 147, 149, 172, 336

Courage and Consequence,
40

Rubio, Marco, 205, 229–31, 267, 271, 275, 283, 342–43

Rucker, Philip, 30, 174, 195, 264, 273, 298

Russia, arms treaty with, 38, 39

Ryan, Nick, 174

Ryan, Paul, 19, 70, 122, 136

acceptance speech by, 283

and budget cuts, 42–45, 163–64, 175, 270, 276

campaigning, 320, 328

and debate, 313–14

and election day, 20–21, 335, 337

and Medicare plans, 198, 274, 276

“The Path to Prosperity,” 44

as running mate, 263–64, 273–76, 278, 299–300, 319

and shrinking government, 43–44

Sabato, Larry, 205

same-sex marriage, 350

Sanders, Sarah Huckabee, 139

Santelli, Rick, 101

Santorum, Karen, 174, 224

Santorum, Rick, 209–24

and debates, 132, 140, 160, 183, 193, 201, 217–19

family concerns of, 210, 211, 224

and Gang of Seven, 211

It Takes a Family,
211

Red, White and Blue Fund, 222

reelection bid (2006), 212

and Tea Party, 212

and 2008 primary campaign, 91–92

and 2012 primary campaign, 174, 177, 178–79, 183, 184, 187, 195, 209–12, 213–20, 221–22, 224, 232, 343

withdrawal of, 224, 260

Saturday Night Live,
204

Schiavo, Terri, 212

Schieffer, Bob, 316

Schmidt, Eric, 41, 79

Schriefer, Russ, 220, 275

and ad campaigns, 201, 260, 273, 343

and ad media, 89, 247

and convention, 281, 282, 283, 285, 286

Schroeder, Bob, 138

Schultz, Greg, 325

Scozzafava, Dede, 102

Scully, Matthew, 286

SDI (Steel Dynamics of Indiana), 259

SEALs, and bin Laden, 46

Seamus (Romney family dog), 305

Second Amendment, 104

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), 267–69

Service Employees International Union (SEIU), 52, 53

Shapiro, Walter, 136

Sharp, John, 144

Sides, John, and Lynn Vavreck,
The Gamble,
261–62

Silver, Nate, 73, 338, 352

Simas, David, 52, 313

Simon, Roger, 305–6

Simpson, Alan, 45

60 Minutes,
36, 299

Slaby, Michael, 76

Slate,
64

Smith, Adam, 202

Smith, Erik, 287

Smith, Sylvia, 135

Smoot, Julianna, 254

social media, 40, 78–79, 118, 204, 294, 301–5, 315, 335, 352

Social Security, 148–49, 150–51, 157–58, 229, 341

Solmonese, Joe, 39

Sonmez, Felicia, 320

Soptic, Joe, 246, 277

Sorenson, Kent, 178

Soros, George, 220

South Carolina:

debates in, 132, 160, 187–89, 192–93, 197, 198, 200, 201

Gingrich’s comeback in, 185–86, 187–89, 190–96, 197, 198, 208, 209, 342

Obama campaign in, 75

Republican campaigns in, 41, 93, 176, 185–96, 199, 200, 207, 209, 210

Romney campaign in, 93, 95, 176, 185–87, 197, 198, 200, 207, 221, 224, 342, 343