Mitt Romney's Caution On Department Of Education Owed To '94 Campaign Ad

WASHINGTON -- Unaware that reporters were listening, Mitt Romney offered a private gathering of fundraisers on Sunday night more details than normal as to which government agencies he'd axe as president.

But even in what Romney believed to be an off-the-record setting, the former Massachusetts governor was fairly guarded. He didn't say he would eliminate the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He said it "might not be around later." As for the Department of Education, Romney talked about consolidating it "with another agency, or perhaps [making] it a heck of a lot smaller." But he stopped short of saying he would "get rid of it entirely," arguing that it could serve an important role in going after teachers' unions.

The caution could be owed to the fact that Romney simply favors massive reductions over outright elimination. But the more popular theory is that it's political. Romney has candidly admitted that he's keeping his plans for eliminating government agencies secret so that they don't come back to haunt him in the general election. As he told the fundraising crowd on Sunday, he's still smarting from the ad Ted Kennedy ran against him in the 1994 Senate race, which homed in on Romney's call to eliminate the Department of Education.

The Huffington Post obtained that ad, which seems almost tame by today's attack-ad standards.

That this spot would stick with Romney 18 years later -- even in, what are supposed to be, private moments -- underscores how greatly the Massachusetts Republican has been shaped by his previous political experiences. But if Romney was hoping to buffer himself from attacks by stopping short of calling for the Department of Education's elimination, he underestimated the reaction to his position.

"If all he wants to do is use the Department of Education to go after unions -- then he’s clearly not interested in using it to help kids," Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers said in a statement. "How does it help kids when Romney wants to use the federal government to undermine teachers and their unions? Romney is out of touch. He doesn't get it."

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[Tmiley]

12:02 AM on 04/21/2012

I am starting to think that anyone who votes for Robme is an idiot. Obama is very intelligent and cares about the middle class and poor. I think he did a great job his first term without the help of the grand OLD party and Tea Baggers. Obama is going to be really something his next term because he will not have to think about re-election. I would like to see a new system of the president having a one term 6 year administration. I think this change makes a lot of sense and is something we should really have.

[Tmiley]

11:56 PM on 04/20/2012

I read today that Obama has 350 million to use in the election so far and Robme has backers that will give him unlimited resources. Thankyou Supreme Court for voting for a system that allows powerful people to buy the presidency. I thought judges in the Supreme Court were intelligent, but this ruling is so stupid. Do we really want the riches person to become president?? I think it is time to limit budgets in the elections of the future. I am afraid that money is the most important thing in the USA, when it should be education. Our country would be better off with a highly educated population, rather than a rich one. My father was a banker and became president of our home town bank. I guess that is why I hate big business and large corporations, that only care about profits. If money was the only reason why I work, I would kill myself and put me out of my misery. There is so much more to life than money. My passion is learning science and technology. I am lucky that I get to teach what I love. Money is the root of all evil and that is more true today then ever.

[sinbad usn]

09:48 PM on 04/19/2012

Many of the agencies Romney will 'reduce' or outright eliminate, are so overbloated with featherbedders, he would be leading us toward a nation not overrun with government. Which is what the founding fathers wanted in the first place. Sounds good to me :0)

[Jahli]

02:08 PM on 04/19/2012

Ok folks ".......serve an important role in going after teachers' unions." the GOP will not be happy until they end one of the things that made this country great: "educational opportunities for all"

The GOP plot to "keep Americans stupid" is working... the lower the education level the apt people are to vote conservative.....

[shlack123]

11:07 AM on 04/19/2012

Nonsense. Let's continue to dumb-down America, eh Mitt?

[Bill Jones123]

08:40 PM on 04/18/2012

Why are teachers evil union thugs.

They legally formed this free association.

There is NO thuggery here.

It is all entirely legal.

[Jahli]

02:10 PM on 04/19/2012

Legal and essential. individuals must organize and work together to balance power with employers regardless of whether the employers are corporations or legislatures.

[trisha08]

10:31 AM on 04/18/2012

Mitt can't tell Americans what he would do as President because he is waiting for direction from the Mormon Church. If anyone thinks the LDS Church wouldn't be involved in the WH, you don't understand the Mormon Church. Of course they will be involved in the WH as they have a strong history of meddling in politics way back when they got involved in defeating the ERA and Prop 8 They are salivating at the possibility of getting Mitt in the WH.

[Jahli]

02:12 PM on 04/19/2012

As an Idaho native, I have lived among Mormons forever... and they will take over the WH entirely. They hire each other, only socialize with each other, and don't expect to be welcome among them unless you join the "club."

[sinbad usn]

09:51 PM on 04/19/2012

ah, another disgruntled woman's libber heard from. Also, one not familure with her subject. Disgruntled ex-member or just an uninformed and hateful non-member?

[trisha08]

10:24 AM on 04/18/2012

Mitt seems to think that the American public is like all the Mormons who listen to him and do whatever he asks because he was/is in a powerful position in the Mormon church. He is not accustomed to having to answer to anyone because as a male Mormon..he doesn't have too. Plus, Mormons fall at his feet in worship just because he is Mormon. So he really thinks he can get away with not answering any questions about what he will do as President. Well Mitt, we aren't a bunch of clueless Mormons who are under your spell.

[sinbad usn]

09:55 PM on 04/19/2012

so - when did you visit Blarney Castle?

[trisha08]

10:17 AM on 04/18/2012

Gosh. We are all supposed to vote for him because Ann said its their turn. Their turn????? The self entitlement is unbelievable. He thinks he should be President just because he thinks he deserves it!!!!! Astonishing.

[xxixpines]

05:34 PM on 04/18/2012

Study the man, he is not astonishing at all except for his attitude.

[KingsleyHeath]

02:42 AM on 04/18/2012

I have never seen a candidate as clueless as Mitt Romney.

[RocheTm]

12:05 AM on 04/22/2012

Where have you been the last like 6 months?

[hopeisalive]

02:30 AM on 04/18/2012

I think Mr. Romney didn't want to say to much because he needed to hear from the "base" what he was supposed to endorse tomorrow which then could change the day after tomorrow.

[Whoahox]

02:01 AM on 04/18/2012

Of course, Mitt. Any halfway-decent feudal prince knows that the serfs are best kept ignorant. How's your dog, by the way?

[bluejaykira]

01:17 AM on 04/18/2012

Romney knows there is no profit in favoring women and children!!!

[Jahli]

02:14 PM on 04/19/2012

He was raised in the "cult" of the "good old white boys" club disguised as a religion

[sinbad usn]

10:45 PM on 04/19/2012

he's a goy?

[bluejaykira]

03:08 PM on 04/20/2012

EXACTLY right I'm afraid Jahli F&F!

[Chockolate]

12:56 AM on 04/18/2012

I need to take a mitt.

[Whoahox]

02:04 AM on 04/18/2012

Normally I favor either Popular Science or, perhaps, Time when I notice a Mitt is likely.

[dessertsfirst]

12:42 AM on 04/18/2012

He will continue where gWB left off in gutting the country in order to protect the upper 1%.