Romney: Dubya in Centrist's Clothing

She keeps things personal, appeals to conservative base

(NEWSER) - Ann Romney’s image as a demure stay-at-home mom separates her from more "modern" First Lady aspirants – and solidifies Mitt's plan to coax Christian conservatives to the polls, the Boston Globe reports. “His message is going to be, 'Not only am I against abortion and gay marriage, but I practice what I preach," says one analyst. "And voila, look at my beautiful stay-at-home wife." More»

(NEWSER) - GOP frontrunners Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney are trading heated barbs over immigration, each accusing the other of a weak stance on illegals. Through radio ads and campaign speeches, both candidates are looking to rally the conservative GOP base, the Washington Post reports—though neither man has solid conservative credentials on the issue. More»

Showing could catapult GOP longshot into top echelon

(NEWSER) - Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was a surprise winner in Iowa's straw poll yesterday when he came in a strong second, which may have catapulted him into the top tier. He pulled 18.1% of the vote to Mitt Romney’s 31.5%. Huckabee's performance is particularly impressive given that he spent almost no money on the race, report's Politico's Roger Simon. More»

Campaign sinking before it starts swimming

(NEWSER) - Fred Thompson's White House campaign is in trouble before it has even officially begun, according to the Washington Post's campaign diary. Short of money and minus a manager, the unannounced Thompson is tied for last in the polls with the floundering John McCain. More»

Controversial moves shadow onetime buyout specialist

(NEWSER) - Mitt Romney's business success gives him the resources necessary to run a presidential campaign, but his deal-making background also opens him to criticism. The success of Bain Capital helped Romney built his personal fortune, the Times report, and the fact that he wasn't afraid to cut jobs for the sake of the bottom line may come back to haunt him. More»