.@mittromney Romney plows forward with Ohio "victory rally" disguised as "storm relief event." #p2 #tcot

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/30/1152457/-Mitt-Romney-attends-storm-relief-event-In-Ohio-Sponsored-by-his-campaign

Yesterday, Mitt Romney's campaign floated the idea of doing a photo-op with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to survey damage from Hurricane Sandy, but this morning Christie shot down the idea, saying he was not in the "least bit" interested in playing "presidential politics."

Combine that with Christie's praise for President Obama's hurricane response, and Mitt Romney's relevance just took a one-two punch from none other than his handpicked Republican convention keynote speaker. But if you're a Romney fan, don't give up hope—Mitt thinks he's figured out how to keep his campaign in the headlines:

attribution: Mitt Romney Campaign

Well that's a shock. Mitt Romney schedules his "storm relief" event to take place in the swingiest of swing states, Ohio. But it's not a campaign event, right? Nope, at least according to the GOP (as Tweeted by Mike Barbaro of The New York Times):

On local TV local GOP official says Romney event in Dayton this am.
"not a campaign event per se". #wiggleroom
— @mikiebarb via Twitter for iPad

Hmm. Perhaps what he meant to say is that it's not a "victory rally," per se?

Press badge for today's "storm relief event" in Ohio:http://t.co/...
— @Ari_Shapiro via Camera on iOS

Here's that press badge:

So ... victory rally or storm relief event? Well, if it's a storm relief event, it might have been useful if Romney had said something the press release about what he hopes to achieve at the event and what he wants his supporters to bring. But there's nothing of that nature in his press release.

Maybe the problem is that Romney doesn't know what to ask for: yesterday, in announcing the event, his campaign said they wanted to to collect "relief supplies." Only problem: the American Red Cross doesn't accept donations of physical goods for relief efforts like this.

Hopefully something good will come out of this event, but it sure seems Romney has done his best to make sure that it won't. Still, in the charitable spirit that Romney hopes to demonstrate, let me give him some credit with his response here: at least he didn't release a statement in the middle of the night attacking President Obama for sympathizing with and apologizing to Mother Nature.

7:24 AM PT: Hmmm:

Romney campaign now playing their campaign video from the RNC at their charity concert in Ohio for Sandy victims.
— @ChrisLaibleFN via Twitter for iPhone

7:27 AM PT: So apparently the campaign is still trying to collect relief supplies even though the American Red Cross says it cannot accept physical goods "due to logistical constraints."

Campaign video playing at "storm relief event" - there is an area roped off for supplies ... http://t.co/...
— @JFKucinich via Twitter for iPhone

7:43 AM PT: Another sign at the rally:

Sign at the Romney storm relief event in Kettering Ohio this AM. http://t.co/...
— @mikiebarb via Camera on iOS

It says: "THE TRENT ARENA TRACK WILL BE CLOSED ALL DAY TUESDAY OCTOBER 30, 2012 FOR THE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN RALLY." (My emphasis.)

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