Franklin Roosevelt once said, "In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way."
…So you can bet that when a Governor from Massachusetts comes in second place in the Hotline's straw poll held in Memphis, TN, of all places - it's not the result of an "accident" - it was "planned that way."
In fact, the Tennessean today reveals some of the behind-the-scenes planning that made it happen. According to the article, "Romney supporters in Tennessee helped pay the way for more than 50 college students…"
It is quite a coup for Romney to come in second place (behind TN Senator Bill Frist) at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference. Granted, it's early in the election cycle, but this is one more hurdle he has jumped - and it helps build momentum. While winning a straw poll may not make or break your campaign, doing well is certainly better than doing poorly.
Again, I don't begrudge him for orchestrating this second-place finish. This is the stuff that good campaigns do.
