The Romney campaign does not dispute that Mitt Romney is a neoconservative, it just refuses to say the word neoconservative.
His embrace of American values and interests and his call for American leadership abroad throughout this campaign is indicative of a philosophy of peace through strength, Alex Wong, the campaigns foreign policy director, said in an interview.
Does he embrace neoconservatism?
You know, said Wong, throughout this campaign Governor Romney has indicated that his view on the world is peace through strength, American leadership, in guaranteeing an American century, that this new century continues to be an American century. And thats the governing philosophy of Governor Romney on peace through strength.
So does he consider himself a neoconservative?
What Im saying is, said Wong, Governor Romneys embrace of American values and interests and his call for American leadership is a philosophy of peace through strength.
So then does he dispute the classisfication of neoconservative?
What Im saying is, said Wong, Governor Romneys embrace of American values and interests and his call for American leadership
So does he feel comfortable being called a neoconservative?
What I am saying is, said Wong, that Governor Romney has used, has said, that his philosophy is peace through strength.
Does he have a problem with the term neoconservative?
Governor Romney has indicated that he has a philosophy, said Wong, peace through strength.
So he does have a problem with the term neoconservative.
Governor Romney, said Wong, has throughout this campaign talked about American values and interests and called for American leadership abroad.
Does he embrace the concepts of neoconservatism, just not the title?
I think I have given you a lot here, said Wong. I have described Governor Romneys philosophy and the way hes discussed it and how he makes his decisions.
Got it. So he does not embrace the word neoconservatism.
Governor Romney has discussed throughout this campaign a call for American leadership abroad, restoring American leadership, restoring the sinews of American strength, and thats based on restoring our economic strength number, thats one, restoring our military strength, thats two, and restoring the strength of our values. These are the three pillars of American strength abroad. And it is a philosophy of peace through strength.