Mark Leibovich’s profile of Mitt Romney this week is worthwhile reading as it is, but today’s response from the Romney campaign makes it all the more entertaining. In the piece, Leibovich illustrates the Gov’s tight-assedness with this anecdote:
He (Romney) travels with an entourage that includes two or three “operations” guys who serve as advance men and a security detail. (Between stops in New Hampshire, this reporter found himself trailing the former governor’s S.U.V. on a back road, only to be led to the shoulder and instructed to “veer off” by a man wearing an earpiece who emerged from Mr. Romney’s car. “We ran your license plate,” he told the reporter, and explained that no one was permitted to follow Mr. Romney’s vehicle.)
Turns out, however, per AP, that “New Hampshire law does not allow private staffers access to license plate databases, nor does it allow campaign staffers to pull over fellow citizens.” Good thing that, per Romney, Leibovich made it up mischaracterized it*:
“We can confirm, though, that at no time was the reporter’s license plate run through a check or was his vehicle pulled over.”
Insert your own Jayson Blair joke here but, personally, my money’s on Leibovich in this match up. He’s tough.
UPDATE: The Romney team insists that it’s not a case of anyone accusing Leibo of lying it’s just that different people remember things. Their position on lying is evolving. Or something.
UPDATE: Karen was out all day, Joe’s out of pocket, Jay is either in California or Greece and Hillary Clinton turned down my invitation to guest blog. Sorry you were stuck with me all day. I tried. Sniff.