Stuffed Chicken and Stump Speeches
Mackinac Island, MI - Today's lunch speech by homeboy Mitt Romney received polite, though not overwhelming response. Maybe it was the stuffed chicken over a bed of shredded carrots -- or maybe it was the speech itself, which prompted random, scattered laughs from the audience. However Romney did take the opportunity to criticize his own party, urging activists to instead be Reagan and Roosevelt Republicans.
Despite his railing on Washington Republicans, Romney twice mentioned President Bush -- a name that has scarcely been mentioned thus far this weekend. The first Bush mention referred to how the sitting president restored integrity to the White House, while the second mention hailed him for keeping the country safe for the past few years.
Spotted: Fred Thompson, who was mobbed in the Grand Hotel lobby just before Romney's lunch speech, with wife Jeri prominently at his side (he was easier to see over the crowd than she was). He speaks tonight at dinner, sharing the program with 2000 MI primary winner John McCain.
Both have a lot riding on their performances tonight. For the relatively unknown Thompson,the speech will be an opportunity to define himself. McCain, who just recently lost his state chairman, Atty Gen Mike Cox, must convince the audience that he remains a viable choice. McCain, along with Romney, has the most significant contigent of sticker-wearing/t-shirt wearing supporters.
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