Romney Campaign Press Release - What They're Saying About Governor Mitt Romney's CPAC Speech

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kevin Madden (857) 288 - 6390

Washington Post Columnist Charles Krauthammer: "Romney, I thought, had a very strong speech." (Fox News' "The Special Report," 3/2/07)

National Review's Kate O'Beirne: "Romney emphasized the importance and power of an enduring coalition of economic, social, and national security conservatives and he clearly hopes to unite them behind him. Today, he did a convincing job of explaining why they should." (Kate O'Beirne, "Romney Scored," National Review, http://corner.nationalreview.com, 3/2/07)

- O'Beirne: "It seems to me that Mitt Romney's willingness to make specific pledges and outline a platform helpfully moved him beyond the typical GOP platitudes about smaller government." (Kate O'Beirne, "Romney Scored," National Review, http://corner.nationalreview.com, 3/2/07)

The Washington Times: "Addressing the 34th annual Conservative Political Action Conference, Mr. Romney stood out from the pack of Republican presidential aspirants." (Ralph Z. Hallow and Stephen Dinan, "Romancing The Conservatives," The Washington Times, 3/3/07)

The Politico's Jonathan Martin: "A forceful Mitt Romney unveiled new rhetoric and a much more aggressive style in his speech before another standing-room-only CPAC audience." (Jonathan Martin, "A New Mitt," The Politico, 3/2/07)

The New York Times' Adam Nagourney: "...Mr. Romney arrived to a much more subdued reception but left to a rousing roar of applause." (Adam Nagourney, "Romney And Giuliani Make Pitch To Conservatives," The New York Times, 3/2/07)

National Review Online's Kathryn Jean Lopez: "This speech – this is a rallying speech." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "The Turnaround," National Review, http://corner.nationalreview.com, 3/2/07)

- Lopez: "This is a speech – ending on a forceful, adamant, ticked-off but optimistic about the future note." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "The Turnaround," National Review, http://corner.nationalreview.com, 3/2/07)

- Lopez: "Immediately after his speech, a social-conservative activist who was so not into him said to me 'now that's more like it.'" (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "Romney Reax," National Review, http://corner.nationalreview.com, 3/2/07)

- Lopez: "Headline: 'Mitt regains that MoMittum.'" (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "Romney Reax," National Review, http://corner.nationalreview.com, 3/2/07)

Real Clear Politics' Blake Dvorak: "First, Romney did what he had to do." (Blake Dvorak, "CPAC: Romney Hits One Out," Real Clear Politics, 3/2/07)

Red State's Erick Erickson: "I have to say that it was a tremendous speech." (Erick Erickson "Giuliani Had Leadership. Romney Had Conservative Principles," Red State, www.redstate.com, 3/2/07)

- Erickson: "The people who want a conservative have found their man, it seems. Mitt Romney was pitch perfect and willing to talk social issues..." (Erick Erickson "Giuliani Had Leadership. Romney Had Conservative Principles," Red State, www.redstate.com, 3/2/07)

- Erickson: "Charisma flowed on blogger row. Mitt Romney just came to Blogger Row. He was passionate, articulate, friendly, and well spoken." (Erick Erickson, "Romney One Ups Rudy: Comes To Blogger Row And Takes Questions," Red State, www.redstate.com, 3/2/07)

The American Spectator's Philip Klein: "I thought [Mitt Romney] brought his A game, and gave the type of energetic speech that he really needed." (Philip Klein, "Re: Romney At CPAC," The American Spectator, www.spectator.org, 3/2/07)

Veteran Conservative Strategist Greg Mueller: "He gave a good, bullet point-like speech demonstrating how he beat back liberalism in Massachusetts while giving conservatives a lot to look forward to in a Romney administration." (Chuck Raasch, "GOP Candidates Preen For Conservatives," USA Today, 3/2/07)

CNN: "Former Gov. Mitt Romney pledged a thorough review of the federal government at the Conservative Political Action Conference in a speech Friday that stressed the Massachusetts Republican's record as governor in a liberal state." (Alexander Mooney and Bill Tucker, "Romney At CPAC: Pledges Curbs On Government Spending, McCain-Feingold," CNN, 3/2/07)

Power Line's Paul Mirengoff: "[B]uilding on the theme of a unified conservative movement articulated by Ronald Reagan at the same forum 30 years ago, Romney presented a fiery defense of all three major strands of conservatism – economic, social, and security." (Paul Mirengoff, "Mitt's Speech," Power Line, http://powerlineblog.com/, 3/2/07)

Los Angeles Times' Molly Hennessy-Fiske: "Some who arrived at the conference undecided left with Romney campaign signs, including Margo Saule, 65, a horse breeder from Charlottesville, Va. Saule called Romney's speech 'straightforward,' saying 'I liked his convictions.'" (Molly Hennessy-Fiske, "Candidates Woo Conservatives," Los Angeles Times, 3/3/07)