Romney Associates Color His World

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More from "All in the Family"...

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2007/02/ ... ler_o.html
February 15, 2007
Brent Sembler on the Romney team

St. Pete developer and former Charlie Crist finance chairman Brent Sembler has jumped about the Mitt Romney campaign. That may not sound like a big surprise considering his dad, former ambassador Mel Sembler, is already on the Romney national fundraising team. But like all fathers and sons, the two aren't always on the same page. Mel was miffed when Crist stood up the President Bush in the Panhandle last year, while Brent stood by Crist on that one.

The younger Sembler said he was sold on Romney after spending a few days with him earlier this year in Israel. "By the end of that trip, getting exposed to him and getting to know him personally, I was satisfied that he is the real deal. He's the best of us. He's so smart, he's so humble, he's got a very clear mind."

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Recent Development:  Democrats Launch New Anti-Romney Website
http://wwf.fornits.com/viewtopic.php?t=23114

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BOSTON GLOBE
Campaign Notebook
Romney adviser tied to anti-Thompson site
By Sally Cragin, Globe Correspondent  |  September 11, 2007

WASHINGTON - A top adviser to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney appears to be behind the launch of a new website attacking GOP presidential rival Fred Thompson during his first week on the trail.

The site, PhoneyFred.org, painted an unflattering picture of Thompson, dubbing the former TV star and senator: Fancy Fred, Five O'clock Fred, Flip-Flop Fred, McCain Fred, Moron Fred, Playboy Fred, Pro-Choice Fred, Son-of-a-Fred, and Trial Lawyer Fred. Shortly after a Washington Post reporter made inquiries about the site to the Romney campaign, it was taken down.

Before it vanished, the front page of the website featured a picture of Thompson depicted in a frilly outfit more befitting a Gilbert and Sullivan production than a presidential candidate.

Under the heading "Playboy Fred," the site asked the provocative question: "Once a Pro-Choice Skirt Chaser, Now Standard Bearer of the Religious Right?"

Nowhere on the site was any indication of who was responsible for it. But a series of inquiries led to "Under the Power Lines," the website of the political consulting firm of J. Warren Tompkins, Romney's lead consultant in South Carolina. Tompkins did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Late yesterday afternoon, a spokesman for Thompson called on Romney to fire Tompkins.

"There is no room in our party for this kind of smut. As the top executive of his own campaign, Governor Romney should take full responsibility for this type of high-tech gutter politics and issue an immediate apology," said Thompson spokesman Todd Harris. "If this is true, Governor Romney should exercise some of his much-touted executive acumen and immediately terminate anyone related to this outrage."

A spokesman for Romney's campaign said he would look into questions about the anti-Thompson site. "Our campaign is focused on the issues and ideas that are of paramount concern to voters," said spokesman Kevin Madden. "The website we are focused on is MittRomney.com."


© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.