Romney loses cool with radio talk-show host in Iowa
Mitt Romney is known for his cool, disciplined demeanor on the campaign trail. But last Thursday, a conservative radio talk-show host in Des Moines provoked him into a rare show of ire in a heated exchange about abortion, Mormonism, and the role Romney's faith should have in his politics.
Romney engaged in a protracted argument with the host, Jan Mickelson. Though he kept his anger in check, he was obviously annoyed -- by turns gesturing emphatically, laughing sarcastically, and insisting that Mickelson let him finish his sentences.
The most intense exchange happened off air but was captured by a camera in the studio -- unbeknownst to Romney. But the Romney campaign clearly thought Romney came off well; it posted the video on YouTube. Romney supporters have been trumpeting his performance.
The Democratic National Committee tried to seize on the tiff, issuing a press release that said Romney had "shown a thin skin."
Kevin Madden, a spokesman for Romney, replied in an e-mail yesterday that the DNC was "as usual, tragically unaware of just how favorably the interview was received by those who viewed it."
The exchange began when Mickelson, of Newsradio 1040 WHO, began asking Romney about his position on abortion, which Romney acknowledged had gone from "effectively prochoice" to antiabortion. Mickelson began to grill Romney on whether his original position on abortion had violated church rules.
Romney at first tried to avoid getting into it. He told Mickelson that some Mormons, including church leaders, personally opposed abortion but supported abortion rights. He repeatedly said he was not there to talk about his religion.
LISA WANGSNESS
Campaigning in Iowa, Obama went after agribusiness lobbyists who he said have carried too much influence over US agriculture policy and funneled hundreds of millions of dollars to big business instead of small farmers. He vowed to work to change that in the farm bill now before Congress.
"While you're working in the fields, lobbyists are working in Congress to block the rural reforms America needs," Obama said at campaign events in Iowa, according to his campaign.
Obama also pointed to Saturday's liberal bloggers forum in Chicago, where he touted his promise not to take money from lobbyists and where Clinton said, "A lot of those lobbyists, whether you like it or not, represent real Americans."
Obama told the Associated Press that he profoundly disagreed with Clinton's statements.
SCOTT HELMAN
On her Facebook profile, 17-year-old Caroline Giuliani listed herself as a member of Obama's Facebook group, "Barack Obama (One Million Strong for Barack)." She left the group yesterday morning after the online magazine Slate sent an inquiry.
Later in the day, a campaign spokeswoman said the teen did not intend to comment on the 2008 race. "Before the presidential campaign got underway, Caroline added herself to a list on Facebook as an expression of interest in certain principles," said the spokeswoman, Joannie Danielides. "It was not intended as an indication of support in a presidential campaign."
Caroline, who is Giuliani's daughter with his second wife, Donna Hanover, recently graduated from Trinity and and will attend Harvard in the fall.
Giuliani, campaigning in Iowa, declined to discuss his daughter's political preference.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
