With Mtt's mind on his money and his money on his mind

From NBC’s Ron Allen
Romney's been saying a lot lately that the nation needs someone in charge who has some business experience. Romney of course spent 25 years as a consultant and turnaround artist rejevenating struggling companies, and making a fortune estimated at some $350 million dollars.

Romney doesn't like questions about his wealth, especially about how much of it he has loaned himself -- $17.5 million as of last October, the last public reporting period, and before the run of primaries and caucuses began.

But lately, he has shown signs money's on his mind. A week or so ago, he said he wouldn't be spending and investing so much of his own money if he wasn't determined to win, and convinced he can fix Washinton's problems. Today, while talking about the plunging stock market, he said that if his assets weren't in a blind trust, he'd be looking to buy.

And the look on his face and the sound of his voice suggested he really knew what he was talking about. Makes you wonder how much he might be making.

We're all anxious to know how much of his own cash he's spent to date. Has he passed the point of interest and dipped into principal? By law, he's able to "loan" himself as much as he wants. He's also allowed to pay himself back with contributions. Romney always insists, it’s his message not his money propelling his candidacy.

His rivals wonder. Rivals, who, by the way, can't match his checkbook. Rivals, who, Romney would say, he's much better qualified than to manage the nation's affairs.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/01/23/601099.aspx