Romney Tracker

Kevin McHale Donates to Romney's Presidential Campaign

Mitt Romney is counting another former Celtics great among his supporters.

Kevin McHale was among those attending a fundraiser for the Republican presidential contender on Saturday night in Minneapolis.

He joins Danny Ainge, who has already maxed out as a Romney contributor.

Ainge and McHale were teammates on Boston Celtics teams that won two world championships during the 1980s.

Ainge remains with the Celtics as the team's executive director of basketball operations, while McHale is vice president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Romney was in Minnesota raising money and addressing a rally before the state holds a presidential caucus on Tuesday.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Endorses Romney

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia's largest newspaper, is endorsing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the Republican race for the White House.

The newspaper said in an editorial published in its Sunday newspaper that it believes Romney best exemplifies the qualities needed in a president, including business knowledge and experience and the ability to perform under pressure.

"In all respects, Romney looks, sounds and acts presidential, projecting competence and the intelligence to deal comfortable with policy nuance and complexity," the newspaper said. "In a perilous world, whether the peril is terrorism, global competition or a tanking economy, Mitt Romney is the Republican who inspires confidence in his ability to lead."

The newspaper said that Arizona Sen. John McCain, who is also seeking the GOP nomination, lacks the management experience and business and economic expertise to be the nominee.

Last week, the newspaper endorsed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential race.

Georgia's presidential primary is Feb. 5.

2 Michigan Newspapers Endorse Native Son Romney

Two large Michigan newspapers endorsed native son Mitt Romney on Friday as the Republican Party's nominee for president of the United States.

Both The Grand Rapids Press and The Oakland Press of Pontiac put their support behind Romney, a former Massachusetts governor with ties to Michigan.

His father, George Romney, ran American Motors Corp. before serving as Michigan's governor from 1963-69, ran unsuccessfully for the GOP presidential nomination in 1968 and was secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Nixon.

"Among Republicans on the ballot in Tuesday's presidential primary, two candidates would offer solid leadership: Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney," the Grand Rapids newspaper said in its endorsement editorial. "However, when it comes to Michigan's challenges and needs, the passion and knowledge of Mr. Romney tip the scales in his favor."

The paper decided not to back any of the Democratic candidates. It called the race "a disappointing non-contest" because four candidates -- most notably Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina -- scratched their names from the ballot, bowing to party rules.

The Pontiac newspaper said "there's no doubt whom state Republicans should vote for -- Mitt Romney."

"Romney certainly has the credentials to run the country," The Oakland Press said in its editorial. "He is a former Massachusetts governor who turned that state's economy around and proved to be a more than able leader."

Because Hillary Rodham Clinton will be the only one of three front-runners who will be on Michigan's Democratic primary ballot, it was "difficult, if not impossible, to endorse one at this time."

Earlier this month, both the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News endorsed McCain for the GOP nomination. Neither paper backed a Democratic candidate.

Romney Suggests Healey Failed to Succeed him Because of Herself, Campaign

By GLEN JOHNSON
AP Political Writer

Kerry Healey has been among the most loyal of Mitt Romney's former aides, endorsing his presidential campaign, heading his policy group and donating to his committee.

Romney said Wednesday she failed to follow him into the governor's office last year because either of her own shortcomings or those of her campaign.

The former governor made the statement during a brief return to Bay State politics prompted by two questioners at a preprimary town hall meeting across the border at Thomas More College.

The first speaker said he judges candidates, in part, by how their successor does, noting that in New York, Michael Bloomberg succeeded Rudy Giuliani as mayor after Giuliani endorsed him.

In Massachusetts, though, Healey -- then Romney's No. 2 as lieutenant governor -- was "demolished" by Democrat Deval Patrick even though he was a political neophyte and Healey had the endorsement of a sitting governor, the speaker said.

"I think the endorsement of a candidate for the person that follows them is important, but I must admit, overwhelmingly, the most important is the candidate -- him or herself -- and their campaign," Romney said.

Rather than elaborating, the former governor turned to his own presidential candidacy, noting that Healey was giving him her unbridled support.

"That's probably the best endorsement I could get, is someone who I worked with for four years, and has been part of my inner circle, my political family, has endorsed my effort," Romney said.

Healey could not be immediately reached for comment, and some of her former aides withheld any comment before speaking with her.

A second questioner said he had personally convinced 380 people to support Romney for governor when he ran against Democrat Shannon O'Brien in 2002, but he felt the Republican hadn't lived up to expectations as governor.

In particular, the speaker said Romney failed to trim a bloated bureaucracy, reduce the state budget, revive a "corrupt" court system and reign in the Democratically controlled Legislature.

"Finneran and Travaglini handled you rather than you handling them," the questioner complained, referring to former House Speaker Thomas Finneran and former Senate President Robert Travaglini.

Romney interrupted the speaker as he made each point, insisting his record was positive on every count.

Later, he said he did the best he could given a Legislature that was 85 percent Democratic, and pointed to his success in reducing the state employee headcount, holding spending to a 2.2 percent growth rate, creating an independent Judicial Nominating Commission and passing a universal health care plan in unison with legislative Democrats.

"I'm pretty proud of the record. Take a look at the record," Romney said.

Second of Boston's Newspapers Endorse McCain, Not Romney

John McCain has been endorsed by both of Mitt Romney's hometown newspapers, a blow to the former Massachusetts governor who often taunts his opponents with negative e-mails titled, "Those who know him best."

The Boston Herald, the state's conservative tabloid, endorsed Arizona Sen. McCain for president in an editorial posted online Thursday.

"There are times in this nation's history so perilous that they cry out for a steady, experienced leader, a person so trusted that we would put the fate of this country in his hands. This is one of those times, and Sen. John McCain is that person," the newspaper said.

It did not mention Romney, who led Massachusetts from 2003 to January of this year.

The newspaper also did not endorse anyone in the Democratic presidential race, breaking its tradition of choosing candidates in both parties.

Both the Herald and The Boston Globe, which announced its backing of McCain earlier this week, circulate in vote-rich southern New Hampshire, which holds the nation's first presidential primary on Jan. 8. Romney maintains a sizable lead there, but McCain is hoping to repeat his primary victory in 2000.

McCain also has been endorsed by the Union Leader, New Hampshire's largest newspaper.

Romney has brushed off the endorsements, citing his own, including from Republican Sen. Judd Gregg, the senior Republican in New Hampshire.

The Boston newspaper endorsements could provide fodder for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who has pulled into first place and ahead of Romney in Iowa, which holds caucuses Jan. 3. Since losing the lead, Romney's campaign aides have taken to e-mailing daily missives about Huckabee written by people familiar with his record. They are headlined, "Those who know him best."