Trying to build greater recognition in Colorado, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney conducted a signature “Ask Mitt Anything” forum to a packed hall at the University of Denver Law School Wednesday afternoon.
The former Massachusetts governor opened with a stump speech that cast America at a pivotal point in history requiring the pro-business, limited-government style of leadership he hopes to personify.
While criticizing the Democratic presidential field as too focused on “big government” solutions, Romney also chastised his party as having lost sight of GOP values with too much spending and deficits.
“If Republicans don’t act like Republicans, we’re going to lose,” he said.
Romney, who trails former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in Colorado polls, but has locked up most of the state’s elite GOP politicians and fund-raisers, told the crowd his goal was to continue to focus on the earliest primary states, like Iowa and New Hampshire, where his holding more than 460 events has made him a strong contender.
He pointed out former Pres. Bill Clinton, who also entered the race as a governor, employed a similar strategy.
A fund-raiser following the event was expected to collect more than $100,000.
And though the crowd reacted warmly to Romney, discussions with attendees show the candidate — or any candidate — has work to do with this generation.
Many students see the distinction between the parties as “very blurry,” said Jonathan Keyser, 26, a first- year law student who asked Romney one of the opening questions. Keyser had recently returned from seven months in Iraq as an intelligence officer.
The Montrose native and graduate of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs asked how Romney would handle the war in Iraq.
Romney thanked Keyser for his service, said he supported Gen. David Petraeus’ plan and said he lamented that mistakes were made after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Military planning meant to deal with the post-Hussein period was lacking, Romney said.
Keyser said he appreciated the directness of the answer.
The Petraeus plan calls for a gradual draw down of troops beginning in January, but keeps forces on the ground to prevent renewed safehavens for insurgents or Al Qaeda operatives.
Keyser said after the forum that he appreciated Romney’s answer but remained neutral on which candidate he might support. Whichever person that is, he said, will be the one who convinces him he will be a strong commander-in-chief.
“Time will tell,” Keyser said. “I guess (Romney’s) lucky he gets another year to get another data set”
Romney said the world’s peace depended on a strong America, and challenged the students to help support an aggressive routing of Islamic Jihad while maintaining an entrepreneurial business class that remained competitive in the world marketplace.
On the domestic front, Romney said he supported better access to market-driven health care, strong families formed by marriage between a man and a woman, a stronger education system and less dependence on foreign oil.
In a statement issued before the event, Democratic Party spokesman Damien LaVera anticipated Romney’s charges against the Democratic field and argued: “all he has to offer is four more years of President Bush’s failed economic policies.”
Chuck Plunkett: 303-954-1333 or cplunkett@denverpost.com
