Change of plans doesn't faze Romney faithful

It was supposed to be a routine stump speech at the Romney/Ryan Victory Headquarters on San Jose Boulevard in Mandarin.  Instead, the national media trained its eye on Jacksonville in the wake of a U.S. ambassador's death in an attack outside the American Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.  Three other Americans also died when armed militants attacked the building.

Reports of violence in the Middle East buzzed many smartphones late Tuesday night, but the death of four Americans had not yet reached the U.S. as dawn broke over the Western Hemisphere, so Romney supporters lined up outside the Mandarin victory headquarters as early as 6:30 Wednesday morning.  However, plans changed quickly as news of the Americans' death broke on morning news programs around the country and changed what was supposed to be a campaign stop to thank supporters into a national press conference.  Fortunately, those who showed up said it was the right move for Mitt Romney to seize the opportunity and give his two cents.

"It kind of changed the mood, but we're still here to support Mitt Romney," said Romney supporter Darren Golez.

For a while, the plan was to let the first 150 people to show up inside the headquarters and have Romney talk to the whole room from a corner.  But when campaign and AV workers began changing the venue, the crowd was forced outside the building.  Crew members, some of whom had been there since 9 p.m. Tuesday night, moved barriers around and cleared out the group of smiling, sign-bearing supporters they had originally set up behind the podium in lieu of a blue backdrop with several American flags lining the curtain.  The podium was shifted to the middle of the room to give the national media a better view of Romney as major networks scrambled to put together the impromptu national broadcast.

Ashok Padmanavhan says he's glad the governor addressed the Libya situation because he thinks it could now be a key issue on the campaign trail.  He thinks we may even start to see campaign ads on foreign policy in addition to those already running on the two issues driving the 2012 election, jobs and the economy.

"I think really and truly that these points need to be hammered home in a very clear way that the average voter who is not engaged in the political process can understand."

Dee Lansford is a volunteer at the Mandarin headquarters.  She says she would have liked to hear more from Governor Romney, but considering the significance of the date Tuesday, it made sense for Romney to focus on foreign policy and addressing the attack.

"I was expecting exactly what he said because I know his feelings," said Lansford.

After taking a couple questions from the media, Romney did boisterously greet the crowd that showed up, thanked them for their support and hard work, and even signed a few autographs and shook some hands before heading off to a fundraiser at the Hyatt Riverfront hotel in downtown.