Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney took his presidential campaign to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Wednesday night. I'm writing this as I watch, and Romney and his campaign have got to be thrilled with his performance. Romney's coming across as likable, smart, successful, confident and at ease, trading humorous quips with Leno as he discusses his political and government experience, running the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, his Mormon faith, his perfect hair, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's trip to Syria. He's been interrupted numerous times by applause.
Leno's no hardball interviewer, of course, but that's not why an appearance on The Tonight Show is an important stop for candidates running president. It's an important part of a campaign schedule because it allows a candidate to reach millions of Americans in a format that mimics a small house meeting rather than a speech to hundreds or thousands - the way that voters in Iowa and New Hampshire get to experience the campaign and get to know presidential candidates before the race heads off to larger states and becomes an air war of megabucks media buys.
An appearance on The Tonight Show is relaxed and informal retail politics the way, only with an audience of millions.
More candidates will make the trip to The Tonight Show. Right now, they're all hoping they do as well as Romney did. If and when there's video available, I'll link to it here at ElephantBiz.com.
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