LOS ANGELES — Amid complaints that he’s failing to show Americans why they should elect him, Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign hit the reset button Monday, declaring that the Republican candidate will give more specifics on his proposals in the weeks leading to November’s election.
Romney showcased the new approach — more but not necessarily new details — in a speech Monday to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, where he repackaged his broad economic goals with added facts and background.
“Our campaign is doing well,” Romney told the Spanish-language network Telemundo, dismissing reports of infighting among his staff.
But his campaign nonetheless signaled a shift in approach midway between the national conventions and the kickoff of make-or-break debates the first week of October.
Key advisers characterized the shift as “a natural progression” rather than a response to a compilation of recent bad news that includes President Barack Obama leading in key swing states and harsh criticism of Romney — even among some Republicans — for breaking with tradition and blasting Obama last week for his handling of deadly violence in Libya and Egypt as the events were still unfolding.
“We do think the timing is right to reinforce more specifics about the Romney plan for a strong middle class,” senior Romney adviser Ed Gillespie said. “There are a lot of Americans out there who are just starting to lock in and starting to look for more information, and now is the time for us to provide that for them.
“We’re not rolling out new policies so much as we are making sure people understand when we say we can do these things, here’s how we’re going to get them done and these are the specifics.”
Monday’s call to reporters followed complaints from Republicans and conservative pundits that Romney has been too vague about exactly what he’d do if elected.
“You didn’t get a lot if detail on what he would do if he got the job, and people want to see that,” said Keith Appell, a veteran conservative political strategist, referring to the Republican National Convention. “If they are going to give more detail, many people on the center-right would agree with them.”
In a speech Monday to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Romney reiterated a five-point economic plan he unveiled last month:
• Increasing energy independence by approving offshore oil exploration and approving construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
• Revamping U.S. trade policy, in part by expanding trade with Latin America.
• Reducing federal spending by 10 percent through attrition and combining unspecified federal agencies.
• Increasing access to higher education.
• Repealing the 2010 federal health care law.
“The president has put us on the road to Greece,” Romney said in prepared remarks, alluding to the economically distressed nation. “I will put us back on the road to a stronger America, one which stops spending more than we take in.”
Romney also made references to how today’s economy has affected the nation’s Hispanic community and businesses.
