In comments that could worsen tensions between the Romney campaign and the GOP's conservative base, a campaign adviser said party activists would have "very little" influence in a Romney White House.
Avik Roy, an outside adviser to the Romney campaign on health care issues, made the comments Sunday on Up w/ Chris Hayes during a discussion about the significance of the GOP's extreme party platform, which has been the subject of extensive news coverage this week.
Former RNC chair Michael Steele argued that the party's efforts to distance Romney from the platform—which includes a blanket opposition to abortion with no exceptions, as well as an endorsement of the gold standard—wouldn't go down well with the party rank-and-file.
In response, Roy tried to downplay the issue, prompting the following exchange with host Chris Hayes:
Roy: We have this conversation every four years about every platform. It's a sport. Every time there's a platform, people say, 'oh, well there's this in the platform, it's different from what the candidate thinks, different from what maybe the consensus of the country is.' We always talk about it, and then we forget about it, because at the end of the day it's about the candidates.
Hayes: So you're basically saying the entire thing is a purely cynical exercise, to write things in paper to placate people?
Roy: No, I think it's a statement of what activists in the party ... believe should be the core of what activist conservatism or activist liberalism [fights for]. But that is different from what a candidate who is appealing to the center of the country is going to try to do.
Hayes: Those activists, should Mitt Romney be president, how much purchase do they have in the White House? That's the open question, right?
Roy: Very little.
Hayes: Do you hear that, Republican activists? You have very little purchase on a Mitt Romney presidency.
Roy, who writes about health policy for Forbes magazine, is not an official Romney campaign spokesman. But he has been used to brief reporters on Romney's policies. And he's exactly the kind of technocratic policy maven who, conservative activists fear, would have Romney's ear in the White House—to their detriment.
Of course, many liberals and moderates fear the opposite—that Romney would be swayed by the conservative movement that helped elect him. As Hayes told Roy in response: "I'm not sure if I believe that."
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mitt romney not winning at all...he is their only because president obama need a opponent to run against.
Good God MAN - learn some writing and grammar skills! I mean I'm on your side - but you do yourself no favors with this incomprehensible writing! I believe you mean "Mitt Romney is not winning at all as he is there only because President Obama needs someone to run against."
First off, that just is not remotely true as Romney has nearly half the country behind him along with the least productive, least respected radically outdated and evil Congress in the history of America. As if their agenda against women and anyone who is not male and white is not enough, they also have desire to destroy our country's natural beauty and heritage by installing oil drilling in every port, gulf and National Park on the continent. Romney and his ilk have so little regard for life as we know it (simply because they can afford to live in gated castles far away from the effects of their legislative desires and goals) that they obviously see themselves living an out of sight out of mind agenda straight through to the utter demise of all we hold great in America. They must be stopped at all costs and anything less than defeat will mean the end of our nation as we and the world have known it.
The term "purchase" is so relevant here, given the fact that a few billionaires are "purchasing" this election for him. Does Roy think we're all stupid? Of course they expect their investment to yield high returns.
" But that is different from what a candidate who is appealing to the center of the country is going to try to do. "
Gov. Etch-a-Sketch rides again!
(Don't look at what I do, look at what I say, oh wait, don't look at what I say either, just trust me.)
If Romney gets in the White house he will be President in name only everyone in the Republican party will be telling him what to do, and I believe the main one will be Ryan I hope everyone will open there eyes and see if he gets in this country is going to be destroyed.
Outstanding program, this morning. Chris and guests provided a more honest discussion of the structure and direction, within the Republican Party, than the GOP is willing to provide itself. Do hope that all of the Convention participants were in their motel rooms, this morning, watching UP with Chris - they might have learned a thing or two,
I think the final straw for Romney was the GOP endorsement of the gold standard. There's a reason the US isn't on the gold standard. I suggest Repubs in favor of putting us back on the gold standard take a look at what happened to Bretton Woods in the 1970s and what Nixon had to do to preserve the global monetary system. Romney is nothing if not an astute financier. He is not stupid enough to tear down US monetary policy mechanisms based on Ayn Rand's flawed ideology and unsophisticated understanding of the relationship of gold to currency.
I do believe that Romney believe that the American people are stupid. He talks so much but say nothing. He wants everyone to trust him on the plan he has for America but he won't tell us what that plan is. He said trust him that he has a great tax plan but he won't show us his tax return nor will he tell us what his tax plan is. We know that him and his party hate women, seniors, blacks and the poor. Let's all admit it he only cares about rich people.