Riding with Romney

MITT ROMNEY is in a hurry. His meet-and-greet in Charles City, at the Floyd County Museum, went a little long after organizers decided to hold it in the museum’s tractor annex, where Romney could speak to supporters surrounded by antique tractors made by the Oliver Farm Equipment Company, the now-defunct manufacturer of the first internal-combustion tractors in the United States. Given that Romney is the man who chose to announce his candidacy standing in front of an old car, a new car, and a vintage airplane, it was guaranteed he would want a look at the big green machines.

That takes a little time. But another group of supporters is waiting for him 30 miles away in Mason City, and at this moment, Romney’s black SUV is gunning it down Highway 18, hitting 80 miles an hour on a road where it’s not unusual to be stopped by the cops for doing much less. But Romney is lucky today, and he arrives at the Mason City Country Club in time to treat the crowd of about 120 mostly older supporters to . . . a PowerPoint presentation.

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Byron York

Byron York is a former White House correspondent for National Review.

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Mitt Romney

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MITT ROMNEY is in a hurry. His meet-and-greet in Charles City, at the Floyd County Museum, went a little long after organizers decided to hold it in the museum’s tractor annex, where Romney could speak to supporters surrounded by antique tractors made by the Oliver Farm Equipment Company, the now-defunct manufacturer of the first internal-combustion tractors in the United States. Given that Romney is the man who chose to announce his candidacy standing in front of an old car, a new car, and a vintage airplane, it was guaranteed he would want a look at the big green machines.

That takes a little time. But another group of supporters is waiting for him 30 miles away in Mason City, and at this moment, Romney’s black SUV is gunning it down Highway 18, hitting 80 miles an hour on a road where it’s not unusual to be stopped by the cops for doing much less. But Romney is lucky today, and he arrives at the Mason City Country Club in time to treat the crowd of about 120 mostly older supporters to . . . a PowerPoint presentation.