kevin madden, super pacs just how they've changed the game.four yees ago the campaign you worked on and were paid by had spent over ten, maybe up to $11 million at this same point on television ads. now the actual romney campaign has spent just over a million. the super pac is up to $3 million. >> you know, it used to be that campaigns were very hierarchy in nature. you had the rnc and candidates really driving the message and the activity in the states and now because in a post citizens united world a lot of that has been smashed these things are a little bit more competitive and you're seeing these super pacs with a lot less bureaucracy, very easy decision making going on up in the -- >> is it like each candidate has their own personal political party structure? >> yes, they do. >> you were at the dnc and your job was to do the big negative so the candidate could be positive right? >> we didn't have the super pac last cycle so we had to do a little more with air cover but now everybody can have their own little group. >> all right. karen, ka

joining us now is kevin madden. aign advisor for romney, now a republican strategist. kevin, i know you've heard these complaints before from the tea party. whatever you want to call it, grassroots or not, it's a crucial part of the republican party right now. mitt romney hasn't been able to win them over. can he? >> i believe he can. the tea party is not a monolithic group. there are a lot of elements within the tea party movement, and many are anxious and animated around the issues of spending and deficits. they are a reform element. if you look at governor romney and you look at the proposals for changing washington, a lot is focused on fiscal reform, what we can do to reform entitlements and rein in spending and rein in the size and growth of government. if he focuses on those issues like a laser, i think while these tea party activists go through the consideration of candidates, in the end they will see this is somebody who has the right vision, the right plans, the right proposals to lead the republican party a

joining us now is kevin madden. he's a campaign advisor for romney, now a republican strategist. kevin, i know you've heard these complaints before from the tea party. whatever you want to call it, grassroots or not, it's a crucial part of the republican party right now. mitt romney hasn't been able to win them over. can he? >> i believe he can. the tea party is not a monolithic group. there are a lot of elements within the tea party movement, and many are anxious and animated around the issues of spending and deficits. they are a reform element. if you look at governor romney and you look at the proposals for changing washington, a lot is focused on fiscal reform, what we can do to reform entitlements and rein in spending and rein in the size and growth of government. if he focuses on those issues like a laser, i think while these tea party activists go through the consideration of candidates, in the end they will see this is somebody who has the right vision, the right plans, the right proposals to lead the republ

we're joined by democratic strategist tad devine and republican strategist kevin madden, who i should, kevin, you laugh to yourself when i read that quote about this is essentially in the bag. you worked very closely on the romney campaign in '08. is that not the sentiment because to mark's point romney is the best financed guy with the best organization across the country and across the early states. is that a sentiment that they hold if they don't say publicly? >> well, look, i think the best campaign staffers always treat themselves like a night watchman. you always have to assume tonight is the night we're going to get robbed. >> boy scouts, be prepared. >> right. that is the most important thing. and i think what you have there is a little bit more of an amped up sentiment of what i think is the real sentiment, which is that you have to ask yourself in a campaign oftentimes would i trade my position with anybody else in this campaign? and in this particular instance i don't think boston would. but you still have to earn it. and this is a campaign from the very beginning that has

treat for you let's cross live to a festive studio overlooking red square where a rather chilly kevin madden he said no way standing by. neither rory thanks ever so much yet the show page ready very much so this and of course we got a great view of the scene of the celebrations of the heart of moscow just over a shoulder the kremlin the be full of fireworks later hundreds are going to be gathering in red square behind this and of course thousands more expected to fill the streets across the city tonight. but well they did fresh air fun and festive fireworks is about to be plenty of happy hugs and kisses going around as well of course i do if you can stay with us here at r.t. for the whole evening for the next couple of hours as we bring you the celebrations from russia's capital live and in the meantime of course we're also looking at what it was like in twenty eleven and what twenty twelve may have to bring it's already arrived for billions of people across the pacific region asia and in most of russia i defer you are in that part of the world we wish you a very happy new year and we wave f

. >> kevin madden, i'm sure you like this because you work for romney.at the national review said about romney. highly intelligent and disciplined. takes conservative issues. he would make a fine president but has not overcome general voter skepticism. people just aren't passionate about him. >> well, look, the most important thing that governor romney has to do is make the argument to voters, particularly republican voters in these early contests, about the level of accountability that he welcomes from conservatives and even moderate republicans as he seeks to be the nominee for the party. and i think what's most important for him to talk about is the anxiety that they have about the economy and how his expertise and his record as a governor has always been to address a lot of those challenges that he had in massachusetts and the challenges and how he overcame them. >> i just want to play a quick sound bite from rudy giuliani from this morning. here he is. >> there's something wrong when you've been running as long as mitt has and you're at 25% and you