That is pretty much standard practice, although Romney certainly doesn't need the money.
It's not about the money. It's about boosting his book sales, so the book looks more popular than it is, and it's able to reach #1 on the NYT bestseller's list.
Is it actually "standard practice"? It may well be. I know "bulk sales" to boost sales figures are standard practice, but is it actually standard practice to do a speaking gig somewhere, and explicitly do it in exchange for your host purchasing many thousands of copies of your book that they have no intention of re-selling?
