Today’s New Hampshire Union Leader is reporting that longtime Republican National Committeeman Tom Rath will resign that position and officially sign on with Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in his quest for the Republican party’s presidential nomination:
Veteran Republican strategist Tom Rath of Concord has chosen his candidate for the 2008 Presidential election: Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.Officially, Rath has joined Romney’s Commonwealth Political Action Committee as a senior adviser. The PAC is the forerunner of what is expected to be a Presidential campaign organization.
Now, let me re-iterate the fact that GraniteGrok has in no way endorsed or written off any potential presidential candidates at this point. Several friends of the ‘Grok in fact work for various candidates. At this point, we remain informed observers of the "big picture" as the 2008 election approaches with NH’s still "almost first in the nation" party candidate selection process. We will "spank and thank" all candidates as warranted.
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Back to Mitt and Tom Rath- When I look at a candidate for any office, I always look behind the scenes to see who is in their circle of supporters, when they joined the team, and why. Senior Political Correspondent for the Union Leader John DiStaso writes of Tom Rath
Since 1980, Rath has advised the Presidential campaigns of former Sens. Howard Baker and Bob Dole, former President George H.W. Bush, Sen. Lamar Alexander and President George W. Bush. He has also been a strategist for current and former U.S. Sens. Judd Gregg and Warren Rudman.
This guy Rath is a big party guy, eh? He must be quite the conservative with this resume. Well, er, maybe not- Lamar Alexander? Warren Rudman? Bob Dole? Conservatives? Not hardly. And neither is Tom Rath. He’s what I would describe as a "country club" "Rockefeller Republican". Always looking for the deal. The consummate party man. I guess I’m a bad Republican to feel a "party man" loyalist is in some way bad- so be it. When have I heard Rath say anything in defense of Republican principles lately? Has he defended the war? Supported the troops? Written a letter? Of course not- he’s too busy being that genteel diplomatic, deal making sort. Don’t rock the boat.
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While I am not prepared to paint Mitt with that same brush, I believe that people DO judge you by the company you keep. More of the "same-ole-same-ole" doesn’t seem like it’s going to cut it for me in the next election…
