The only remaining question is how Mitt Romney will feel about my repeated likening of him to the endearing cartoon character, Yogi the Bear. I got to know Romney pretty well when I volunteered for him on his ’94 Senate campaign; the Yogi the Bear comparison definitely shortchanges him in the gravitas department.

But in the political world, as he was in the business world, Mitt Romney is most definitely smarter than the average bear. While it’s conceivable that Romney’s rivals may be able to close the ground in the fundraising game, the Yogi factor will be Romney’s consistent advantage.

Disclosure: Dean Barnett volunteered for Mitt Romney’s 1994 Senate campaign.If Team Romney will take him, he will also volunteer for Romney’s run for president.

Labels: bear, campaign, communications, fundraising, Romney, smart

"Romney's push-back at the YouTubing of his '94 debate with Ted Kennedy – happening in rapid response fashion – means an entire news cycle on a somewhat significant story has played out before even one newspaper reported it, with the anti-Romney forces (clearly worried about the big $ Monday and the DeMint Tuesday) trying to put a stick in the spokes, and Romney's team finding a way to knock it down in the same cycle. That's a preview of what it will be like all year."

"You'll be saying it too by the end of the campaign – Romney is Smarter Than The Average Bear."

In today's mail I had a very traditional package from John McCain-- you've seen them: A too-long letter auto-signed by McCain and enclosing a bunch of additional pages. No one will ever read past the first few lines of the letter and the extra pages will go into the trash unread.

My wife asked me: "Now, how many mailings like this have we gotten from Romney? And do you think we will get any?"

Labels: bear, hewitt, Technology