Romney Blasts Liberal Washington

Campaign aims to do the opposite of McCain

(NEWSER) - Team Romney’s rule of thumb: Do the opposite of everything John McCain did in 2008, or so reports Politico in a look at the campaign's strategy. The approach applies broadly, say advisers—focus hugely on the economy, fully engage in fundraising, integrate early with the Republican National Committee—but comes most into play in the search for a VP. The campaign doesn’t want to end up with its own version of Sarah Palin, so it is going to great lengths to avoid anyone who could be seen as unprepared. The goal, according to one official: Go with an "incredibly boring white guy." More»

Governor wishes she'd spoken to reporters more

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin wishes she’d interacted with the media more while campaigning with John McCain, the Alaska governor told Human Events. Palin identified her “biggest mistake” in the ’08 campaign as not taking a more active role in communicating with voters through the media. “I was not allowed to do very many interviews, and the interviews that I did were not necessarily those I would have chosen,” Palin said. More»

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin's big introduction to America last night drew 37.2 million viewers, Variety reports. Her huge Nielsen ratings came in just 1.1 million under Barack Obama's for his acceptance speech last week. Palin, who officially became the vice-presidential nominee today, dwarfed the ratings of Joe Biden (24 million). She also topped the Olympics opening ceremony (34 million) and the Oscars (32 million), CBS notes. Of those who watched, 19.5 million were women. More»

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin tonight played up her small-town credentials, cast herself as a political outsider, and took a swipe at her critics in the media during her much-anticipated address to the Republican convention, Politico reports. After formally accepting the nomination to be vice president, she took a not-so-subtle shot at Barack Obama. "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,’ except that you have actual responsibilities." More»

Slate's Dickerson questions McCain's 'hasty' impulse

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin is so entertaining to cover, from her daughter's pregnancy to her policy disagreements with John McCain, that Slate's John Dickerson is wondering if it's "being made up as we go along." After painting Barack Obama as the risky candidate, McCain made a choice even veteran party members are calling "reckless"—"and he might yet pay the price for it," Dickerson predicts. More»