Mitt Romney planned to be inaugurated just like Eisenhower and Reagan before him.
And for a few, brief moments on Tuesday night, the Republican candidate's transition website - designed ahead of a desired victory - accidentally went live, providing a candid portrait of what the election results almost yielded.
Screenshots snapped by CQ Roll Call's Taegan Goddard show Romney planned to cast himself as a steward for the Republicanism that defined Presidents Eisenhower and Reagan by, like them, scheduling his inauguration for Jan. 21, a day later than is traditional.
"I'm excited about our prospects as a nation," the so-called president-elect says in a pullquote on the site's would-be homepage. "My priority is putting people back to work in America."
Another page invites readers to apply to join the administration. Though, perhaps ironically, potential appointees are asked to submit financial documents showing income and assets.
To see the transitional site, click here.
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