| Is that Pat Riley of the Miami Heat? |
"I do not believe Washington can be transformed from within by lifetime politicians," Romney said, seeking to turn a potential liability, his limited political experience, into an asset. "There have been too many deals, too many favors, too many entanglements - and too little real world experience managing, guiding, leading."
The comment was a veiled swipe at his top rival for the GOP nomination, four-term Sen. John McCain of Arizona. In elective office only four years, Romney is not nearly as well known nationally as McCain and former two-term New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, political celebrities who consistently lead popularity polls.
A serious contender even though he is little more than a blip in such surveys, Romney is seeking to convince Republican primary voters that his record of success in the private, public and voluntary sectors proves he has the know-how to lead a country at a crossroads.