The New Republic published a story on Mississippi native and campaign sensai Stuart Stevens. Mr. Stevens is the point guard for the Romney campaign. Let's just say he is not your typical political consultant. Some excerpts:
" As an adolescent in an affluent, liberal enclave of Jackson, Mississippi, Stevens idolized British travel writers like Evelyn Waugh and Peter Fleming (brother of Ian) because their stories offered a temporary escape from the provincialism of the Deep South. These authors would implant themselves in the harshest locales on the planet with little knowledge of the terrain or culture, even less in the way of equipment, and no particular expertise in survival. (Graham Greene’s contribution to the genre is titled Journey Without Maps.) And yet somehow they would always find their way back to civilization with a wry expression and a charming narrative to convey.
It is impossible to miss the influence of these writer-adventurers on Stevens, who has published three books about his journeys across Europe, Asia, and Africa. In 1984, he decided to complete all ten races on the Worldloppet circuit, a series of cross-country ski marathons, in a single eight-week stretch. Twice, he finished a race on a Saturday afternoon and had to catch an overnight, transatlantic flight to compete in another one Sunday morning. In preparation for the legendary Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race, a 1,200-kilometer odyssey, he once put himself on an elaborate steroid regimen and documented the experience for Outside magazine. In 1997, he published Feeding Frenzy, a chronicle of his month in Europe dining at each of the 29 restaurants with claims to three Michelin stars. “It seemed like a ridiculous notion,” Stevens told Charlie Rose. “I think by doing things to excess, you kind of, like, can crack them open and have fun.”
Stevens approaches politics the same way: as an all-consuming, quasi-physical challenge that he can play for laughs when the election’s over. Though his sensibilities suggest a faint Toryism––in his travel books, he periodically bemoans the influence of modern civilization and its corollary, the bureaucratic state––he is far too idiosyncratic a character to embrace an ideology or align with a movement...
FOR THE 2008 ELECTION, Mitt Romney hired an all-star team of strategists representing some of the finest minds in Republican politics––and, when he lost, he concluded it was a terrible idea. With so many smart people in the room, it was nearly impossible to stick with a decision.
The next time around, Romney knew he wanted one chief strategist. And he knew he wanted that person to be Stuart Stevens, whom he first considered hiring while running for governor of Massachusetts in 2002 and had briefly employed during his previous run for president. Romney was impressed by Stevens’s smarts and felt they had more in common than met the eye.
There was a minor hitch, however: Stevens had gradually been losing his appetite for politics. He complained that campaigns were taking longer and longer, crowding out his extracurricular thrill-seeking, while critics increasingly panned his firm’s ads as formulaic. “I got the sense that, after the Bush campaign, he might be thinking about hanging up his six-gun, hanging up his spurs, and doing something else,” says Peter Matson, his literary agent. But Stevens was up for one last romp if he would be leading the mission. “He wasn’t going to do [the Romney campaign] unless he was going to be The Guy,” says one former colleague.
As it happens, the relationship between Romney and Stevens has proved remarkably stable. They’re both hyper-literate and often pass books back and forth. “Stuart sort of has this intellectual connection with Romney,” says the colleague. They’re also fond of quoting movies to one another––Annie Hall and O Brother, Where Art Thou? are favorites––and share an impish sense of humor. Getting off a plane in New Hampshire in 2011, Romney turned to Stevens and, according to an e-book by Mike Allen and Evan Thomas, cracked: “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done by, like, twenty times. ... I just had no idea. Why didn’t somebody tell me?” Without missing a beat, Stevens replied, “You didn’t ask me.”
Romney and Stevens spend hours together working on speeches, which both men take pride in, and on debate prep, which Stevens essentially masterminds. When Stevens comes across a detail he deems useful for Romney—as when he discovered that Rick Perry had advocated eliminating Social Security in his campaign book, Fed Up!––it’s only a matter of time before Romney transmits it to the world. .."
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Sunday, August 5, 2012
TNR on Mississippi's Stuart Stevens
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16 comments:
Nice Bro-mance. The only thing that matters, though, is whether Romney can do what he needs to do to win.
FYI, Stuart is the son of Phineas Stevens, the last living co-founder of Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada. Phinny is 93 and still going strong. I guess the "liberal enclave" referred to is the Stevens' old house on Pinehurst Street in the Belhaven neighborhood. Ms. Welty lived a block away, but I don't know if you would call her a "liberal." Of course, it doesn't take much to be called a "liberal" in Jackson.
I know this "Liberal Enclave"...it consist of a row of homes, 3 moderate Republicans, a non-registered voter...and 5 former democrats who now are registered republican....its a "Communist" haven over there!!!!! I dont know how he escaped!!!!
Is there something missing from this article? Is there an unanswered question? The article contains tons of information about Stuart Stevens’ personal habits and hobbies. He bikes, runs, skis, is obsessive with his body (Stevens says, “I ended up spending around $7,500 for [steroids] in my eight-month program.” See http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/Drug-Test.html), and he grew up in a liberal “enclave” in an otherwise conservative bastion. He is highly literate, a quick thinker (he can quickly recall arcane movie lines and references), he tacks to the middle if not to the left of the political party he is aligned with, he worked for Congressman John Hinson and he is your friend today but tomorrow will slice and dice you in a kiss-and-tell expose’. Lot’s of info – except about his family???? It avoids that topic. Hmmm. Between working, traveling, training and competing, does Stevens even have time for a conventional family? Oh, wait at second. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
This type of Northeastern intelligentsia “reporting” is ridiculous. If the guy is gay, stop the innuendo and just say so. And even if he doesn’t want to be “outed”, so what? The story’s author is a reporter. REPORT! The insinuation that Stuart Stevens is gay is woven throughout the storyline. If it’s true, it is definitely relevant to the type of advice Romney is getting. It also says a whole lot about Romney’s selection criteria for his top advisors. Romney has said, “[A]s governor, I had members of my team who were gay. I appointed a couple of judges who I found out later were gay. I didn't ask people their sexual orientation.” If Stevens is gay, then we can pretty much say Romney’s claim is verified.
But in Stevens’ case, it really means a lot more. Maybe Romney didn’t ask Stevens if he is gay before hiring him, but after knowing him for at least four years and working closely with in the last campaign, all the warning signs mentioned in this article would make Stevens’ sexual orientation pretty obvious. In other words, if true it would mean that Romney didn’t appoint Stuart Stevens without knowing his sexual orientation. He appointed him despite his sexual orientation. THAT’S REAL NEWS. That’s worth writing about. And to all of you who made a point of dining at Chik-Fil-A on August 1 for Chik-Fil-A appreciation day, it’s most disheartening.
I think Stuart is married. But it is odd the way the article doesn't mention that but does mention all those other things.
" The only thing that matters, though, is whether Romney can do what he needs to do to win."
You mean, release his tax returns?...
" Ms. Welty lived a block away, but I don't know if you would call her a 'liberal.'"
"A lifelong Democrat, Welty has supported Democratic candidates and liberal causes from the beginning," wrote her biographer, though Welty did take pause over the Bilbo types.
Stevens had a wife in 2005, after (and maybe while) he took up steroid use:
The problem now - other than degrading vision and workouts that aren't as easy as they used to be - is what happened afterward to Stuart Stevens. Suzy Stevens, Stuart's wife, says "it's not like he grew green hair or anything."
How did the ghosts of Welty & Gov. Bilbo enter these comments ?
Stuart Stevens has been married for nearly three decades to a woman who has her own successful career in a field completely unrelated to politics. It is her prerogative to keep a low profile vis-a-vis her husband's very public career. Stevens is not a candidate, he's a consultant, so unlike Mitt there's no reason for his family to become public personae. Don't find meanings where there are none.
1:59, that is the most ridiculous, or intentional misleading, comment I've read on a blog in the years I've bothered to read anonymous comments. You take this guy's lifestyle and stereotype them into your version of someone who is gay. And then take your stereotyped analysis and condemn Romney with your "obvious" conclusion.
From my personal knowledge of Stuart, and his personal and family life, I'd say you have a real problem. Next time - do a little research rather than just decide that: someone that travels a lot, enjoys life to the fullest, is athletic, enjoys fine things in life - and has the money and ability to live this lifestyle - is gay???
I'll admit that just because he has a wife (that you automatically assumed he didn't have because it fit your predetermined assumptions) doesn't 'prove' anything, but I would bet that she would give you a totally different analysis.
Get a life!
It smelled like a smear job. I knew it would get totally debunked. Sometimes I want to see how low someone will go and also to kill a rumor. Instead of driving it underground, put a spotlight on it.
You know, that description could've applied to William F Buckley and he was happily married as well. Nice attempt at a smear job, scumbag.
August 5, 3:06: Aren't Romney's tax returns in the same "secret" vault with ObaMao's entire past life's records (you know, passport records from the 80's, collegiate records, reason for his SS# being from a State in which he's never been a resident, etc.)? Now, before your knee jerks and kicks out a "racist" or "hater" claim, in an attempt to stop any further discussion, I have to ask why the left isn't concerned with the TOTAL secrecy of our current president's past? We're not talking about something as insignificant as how much money a candidate has, we're talking about the basis for a person's ideology........ Oh wait, what was I thinking. That IS the reason y'all are unconcerned. As long as the country is fundamentally transformed into an equally-poor nation, that's enough to know. The ends justify the silence!
Uh...most everyone in MS was a registered Democrat 40 years ago, remember? The South was solidly Democratic,but Southern Democrats were hardly liberal.
No Southerner wanted to join " the party of Mr. Lincoln".
It wasn't until 1968 that that really began to change and not until Gil Charmicheal's near success that politicians started changing parties.
Liberals then and now are still hard to find in MS. Most of the " liberal " Democrats here were seen as conservatives in the rest of the world until recently. Now , with the Tea Party, mainstream Republicans are considered " liberal" too.
4:35's comment strongly suggests that the real danger isn't voter fraud, it's voter insanity.
The MS GOP has been notoriously inaccurate about who is or isn't gay. Indeed, when it comes to sexuality in general, like the difference between bisexually and homosexuality and how birth control works, the naivete is striking.
I don't know Mr. Stevens. I agree it's sleazy to suggest that he's gay without some reason. But, this person suggests he or she does know Mr. Stevens. I don't know whether that's true or not.
As for me, I don't know and I don't care what he does or doesn't do as long as he doesn't force himself on or mislead his sexual partners .
It's none of my business. If it's wrong, God will sit in judgment, I don't have to do that.
But, if you guys think being married is proof he is not gay, I have two words for you...Jon Hinson.
Really, I can't believe anyone still trots out " but they are married" argument.
I also find it hysterical that the GOP doesn't ever have questions about some of their " batchelors". And, then there's the womanizers.
If the GOP would stop making sex such a big political issue, then you don't have to look so naive and/or hypocritical.
Besides, if someone wants to hide their sexual orientation, the best place to hide or hope you can keep those bad feelings in check is by aligning with a group that doesn't approve.
If you actually read anything about human sexuality and how it affects behavior, you'd know that.
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