Why Romney lost
I'm tired of seeing this clip show up partly because it's always mischaracterized by the press who toil over it, getting even the basic facts wrong. No media has contacted me for several years about the facts surrounding the shooting of this video, so I'll answer a few claims here.
Claim: The exchange was off the record.
False. There were no less than eight people within earshot of the governor, with various affiliations, so even if an assurance had been extended, such a promise would have been impossible to keep. The host stated at one point: "While we're off the air..." The camcorders were not part of the broadcast.
False. I set up two camcorders for the shoot, both in plain site and mounted to tripods. One was pointed at the governor's position and the other toward the host. I started both camcorders and stood by one of them during the entire exchange. The governor was flanked on both sides by these camcorders. I red recording light was plainly visible from his perspective.
Claim: Romney lied on national television about the camera being hidden.
True. The governor told Katie Couric (during a CBS News interview) a few weeks later that, unbeknownst to him, the host had a camera "hidden on the console." There's no possible way, judging from the studio setup and the shot angles, that any footage emanated from the console. Any accusation that I shot this footage nefariously is provably wrong and insulting. While I can't know the governor ever looked at the cameras, I can assure you there's no possibility his statement concerning a hidden camera is true.
Claim: The host attacked the governor's religion.
False. Any objective observer would have to conclude this wasn't an attack on Mormonism. Mickelson even went so far as to tell Mr. Romney that he agreed with his religion. The questions actually centered around overturning the landmark US Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade and how Mr. Romney rationalized his former pro-choice position in light of his faith. After several conversations with Mr. Mickelson on this encounter, my sense is that he felt the faithful and conservative members of his audience would need to hear Romney weigh in on these points before they could comfortably choose the former Massachusetts governor as a viable Presidential candidate. Even those who didn't agree with Mormonism, Mickelson asserted, they could still "...vote for you if they feel you are a loyal Mormon."
Mickelson has said he believed these two points on abortion would be dispensed of quickly so the two would have time to discuss the other issues of the day. Unfortunately they had an "extraordinarily limited time," considering the governor showed up 20 minutes late for scheduled the interview. They literally had less than ten minutes on the air together.
It was intended to be a grand opportunity for the candidate to square things for the radio audience. That's unfortunately when Gov. Romney became combative and defensive, stalling the discussion and destroying any traction he might have earned.
"I'm running for President and I'm not here to talk about Mormonism."
The host invited the governor to stay on to talk after the news break, but Romney declined. Mickelson also invited Gov. Romney to come back another time so they could have a more lengthy discussion. "No, I don't want to come on a show like yours and have it be all about Mormonism..."
In the five years and two Presidential campaigns since that interview, Mr. Romney has never darkened the doorstep of WHO Radio. Gov. Mitt Romney has lost both of those Presidential bids, due in some small way, I believe because of the behavior shown in this video.
