INFIGHTING

Romney Camp Fends Off Bain Attacks

Caught off guard by rivals’ criticisms.

Mitt Romney's campaign was as surprised as Sean Hannity and John Sununu to hear Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry decrying free-market capitalism and attacking Mitt Romney as a corporate raider for his time as a venture capitalist at his old firm, Bain. Matt Rhoades, Romney's campaign manager, worries that the attacks will hurt Romney's favorability rating, especially in South Carolina, with its many shuttered businesses and suspicion of corporate elites. At the same time, the attacks are uniting some conservatives around Romney. Sen. Jim DeMint, speaking after Romney gave his acceptance speech, said, “Frankly, I’m a little concerned about the few Republicans who have criticized some of what I consider the free-market principles here.”