Romney Strategist Stevens Has Campaign in Chaos

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright Sept 17, 2012
All Rights Reserved.                                         

                 When the GOP put Hollywood actor Clinton Eastwood on stage at the Republican National Convention in Tampa Aug. 30, it was the brainchild of key Romney advisor 58-year-old Stuart Stevens.  Stevens played a key role in writing Mitt’s acceptance speech and choreographing Eastwood’s convention role.  When Eastwood appeared incoherent, it was Steven’s fault for putting the 82-year-old actor on stage, no matter how much he wanted to capture the “Dirty Harry” crowd.  Stevens had all the credentials having worked on both Bush-41 and Bush-43’s campaigns, working on Romney’s failed 2008 campaign.  A Middlebury English grad in ’72, Stevens attended UCLA Film School, though it’s not known whether he graduated.  Stevens worked on various TV and film projects and dabbled in fiction writing before turning his attention to a full-time political consulting career.

            Since the RNC convention ended Aug. 30, experts wondered why the 65-year old former Massachusetts Gov. got no post-convention bounce.  Stevens apparently controls Romney’s overall message and strategy, down to the minutia involved in campaign ads, hammering away at President Barack Obama’s credibility.  Stevens is responsible for stepping on Barack’s throat when it comes to the economy.  He’s also responsible for Romney’s misfires on foreign policy, where the former Wall Street investment banker got hammered in the press.  Obama’s steady rise in the polls after the DNC convention has less to do with the convention itself than with Romney’s campaign ineptness.  Stevens received flack for Romney’s acceptance speech that went over like a lead balloon.  “I just don’t think that way.  I don’t think it would matter one vote,” Stevens told ABC News.       

            Some conservatives, like columnist George Will and radio talk show host Laura Ingraham, were critical of Stevens’ failure to mention Afghanistan or other elements of national defense the Sept. 30 acceptance speech.  Stevens has been credited largely for keeping Mitt’s laser focus on Obama’s failed economy.  Stevens never allows Mitt to give Barack any credit for killing Osama bin Laden, key Taliban and al-Qaeda figures during his first four years.  Stevens insists Mitt keep hammering away about the sluggish U.S. economy.  He urged Mitt to stay deliberately vague about what he actually plans to do differently with the economy.  “Listen, I think Clint Eastwood, having Eastwood on your side and what he said about the president, is incredibly powerful.  He came out an gave a strong stance, and I think its was great,” said Stevens excusing Clint’s RNC performance.

           Stevens’ either star-struck from his Hollywood days or suffering from burnout and should step aside as Romney’s chief strategist.  Anyone watching Clint’s speech knows the embarrassment, as the octogenarian stumbled-and-mumbled over his words.  Stevens knows the GOP’s disdain for Hollywood yet chose to let Eastwood bash Obama and sell voters on Romney.  Stevens’ failure to recognize his self-orchestrated train-wreck raises more than eyebrows, making Mitt look mismanaged.  Ingraham was especially critical calling this a “gimmie election” before Stevens mucked it up.  Other than those in the right wing bubble, no one expected this to be a “gimmie election,” no matter how challenged the economy.  Romney’s attempt to unseat a popular incumbent with a nearly 50% approval rating was always an uphill battle.  Stevens’ task involved a narrative that didn’t match voters’ reality.

            Instead of attacking Obama on all fronts, Steves sought to narrow the focus to the economy.  He didn’t keep up with Wall Street’s meteoric rise from 8,000 when Obama took office Jan. 20, 2009 to its close today at 13,553, a whopping 70% increase.  Stevens continues to insist on using former President Ronald Reagan’s refrain: “Are you better off than you were four years ago.”  Clearly, if you’re an autoworker in the Midwest you’re much better off today than four yeas ago when General Motors and Chrysler faced bankruptcy.  Now running on all cylinders, the auto industry benefited from Barack’s Feb. 17, 2009 $787 billion bailout.  If you work in the banking industry, you’re better off today than four years ago.  Stevens’ insistence framing the debate around Reagan’s question has hurt Romney.  Voters must ignore all Labor and Commerce Dept. data and believe Stevens’ GOP bleak ads.

            Stevens’ insistence on bending voters’ minds without solid data has put the campaign into chaos.  When Stevens’ wrote VP Paul Ryan’s talking points that the president was responsible for all the Mideast unrest, voters finally lashed out.  Unlike more fact-based political consultants, Stevens believes you can create any narrative or fiction, no matter how far-flung and detached from reality.  He’s finding out the hard way that it’s difficult to dupe the American public.  “It’s just not how politics works,” said Stevens.  I never get mad at people who criticize.  I love their passion,” failing to recognize that constructive criticism helps right the ship.  Stevens shows he’s impervious to feedback.  “The president had a terrible week last week,” referring to Mideast unrest.  What Stevens doesn’t get is that voters don’t blame Obama.  They’re blaming his farfetched narrative that doesn’t match the facts.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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