Did Romney Almost Have a Dean-Scream?

Mary Katharine Ham | December 13, 2007 11:10 AM

So sayeth First Read, but I have a hard time imagining any impassioned speech that includes the phrase, "real darn well" making anyone think he's a dangerous loose cannon. If anything, Romney's a cannon that could stand to be a bit looser.

Here's an excerpt:

Funny enough, when Romney was wrapping up his remarks, he said the following: “You're going to do something which people don’t expect, which is give me a victory. And then I’m going to New Hampshire, where I’m pretty solidly in the lead in New Hampshire, and then I’m going to be in Nevada, and I’m going to win Nevada, and then I’m going to be in Wyoming, and I’ll win that one, and then Michigan, and we’re going to end up doing real darn well. That’s at least what I plan. Brian over here was afraid I was going to scream as I was saying that -- the Howard Dean moment, but I’m not doing that. No predictions like that, no screaming allowed…. I’m going to find you, track you down, make sure you vote in the caucuses.”

Shortly after, as Mrs. Romney tried to nudge him, he said, “Ann’s pulling me off the stage, I can tell.”