It sounded fine to the faithful, who clapped and cheered. But in reality, the Olympics analogy is a positive spin on a series of troubling events for a deep-pockets campaign that, despite winning in Wyoming and placing second in Iowa, appears to be spinning its wheels. And there's no traction in sight.
Next up is Tuesday's Michigan primary, where native son Romney holds a narrow two-point lead over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in a New York Times poll. But despite the home-field advantage, Romney has been slipping in Michigan polls, as Huckabee's working-class populist message resonates with residents of the economically troubled state.
Romney, a Mormon, also trails Huckabee, an evangelical, in devoutly Christian South Carolina, which votes Jan. 19. And he lags behind former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in Florida and Nevada, the two other states with primaries leading up to delegate-rich Super Tuesday on Feb. 5, when Republicans in 19 states cast ballots.
The paucity of wins may not be a concern, yet. But Romney must surely be troubled that Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister, is still hanging around after a third-place finish in New Hampshire. Romney appeared to have the family-values Christian conservative crowd in his corner, but will now be forced to compete with Huckabee for those votes in the Bible Belt.
Romney needs to take a lesson from the New Hampshire exit polls and tone down his rhetoric. Voters said they were turned off by his "negative" campaign.
Still, there's no need for Romney supporters to push the panic button. There have been three contests and three winners. No clear favorite has emerged, nothing has been decided, and nothing has transpired that should come as a surprise.
Huckabee won Iowa, a state thick with Christian evangelicals. Sen. John McCain, not known for towing the party line, won New Hampshire, a state with a mile-wide independent streak. And Romney, by virtue of his "gold and two silvers," trails Huckabee just 31-29 in the delegate c ount.
But on Feb. 5, when approximately 1,000 delegates are up for grabs, many of them in winner-take-all states, silver medals won't count for much. Romney needs some wins. The runner-up is the first loser.
