The Real Romney (53 page)

Chapter 9: The CEO Governor

224 A year before: Lisa Riley Roche and Bob Bernick, Jr., “Public Service for Romney,”
Deseret News
, August 20, 2001.

224 “If politics is”: John Powers, “Golden Opportunity,”
The Boston Globe Magazine
, February 3, 2002.

224 Friends and his former chief: Ibid.

224 “I do not wish”: Mitt Romney, letter to the editor
, The Salt Lake Tribune
, July 11, 2001.

225 And Massachusetts was clearly: LaVarr Webb and Ted Wilson, “Romney Has a Shot at Utah Governorship,”
Deseret News
, December 30, 2001.

225 Romney had said: Powers, “Golden Opportunity.”

225 “People are just sort of”: Scott Helman, “GOP Activists Angling Toward Romney,”
The Boston Globe
, March 15, 2002.

225 “I know you’re really busy”: Interview with Barbara Anderson, 2007.

225 He was noncommittal: Interview with Kerry Healey, 2007.

225 “The guy looks like”: Dennis Romboy, “Mitt’s Stock Is Sky-High,”
Deseret News
, February 28, 2002.

225 “It was clear”: Interview with Massachusetts Republican, 2007.

225 Romney never called: Interview with person with knowledge of the ballroom reservation, 2011.

226 “huge qualms”: Glen Johnson, “Mitt Romney’s Tough Decision,”
The Boston Globe
, March 17, 2002.

226 a fresh poll indicating: Joe Battenfeld, “It’s Mitt’s Party—Mere 12% in GOP Stand with Swift If Romney Runs for Gov,”
Boston Herald
, March 17, 2002.

226 The mother of three young children: Frank Phillips, “Swift Yields to Romney, Saying ‘Something Had to Give,’ Exits Race for Governor,”
The Boston Globe
, March 20, 2002.

226 “Lest there be any doubt”: Ibid.

226 “I learned in my race”: “Cover Story,” New England Cable News, October 31, 2002.

227 $6.3 million of his own money: Frank Phillips and Brian Mooney, “Governor’s Race May Set a Record,”
The Boston Globe
, June 10, 2006.

227 After evaluating a list: “Mitt Romney Running Mate Drops Middle Name for the Campaign,” Associated Press, May 1, 2002.

227 the expedience of their alliance: Globe staff writers, “Romney Is Bedeviled by the Details During Radio Talk Show Appearance,”
The Boston Globe
, April 14, 2002.

227 “Any effort”: Frank Phillips and Rick Klein, “Democrats File to Halt Romney Bid,”
The Boston Globe
, June 8, 2002.

228 But soon after: Ibid.

228 choosing George W. Bush over John McCain: Interview with Mitt Romney, 2007.

228 “credible in all respects”: State Ballot Law Commission decision, June 25, 2002.

228 O’Brien herself had opposed: Stephanie Ebbert, “Major Abortion Rights Groups Give Nod to O’Brien,”
The Boston Globe
, October 3, 2002.

229 “My position has not changed”: Frank Phillips, “Romney Carries the Day with GOP,”
The Boston Globe
, April 7, 2002.

229 “I respect”: Ibid.

229 Ann Romney also tried: Ann and Mitt Romney, TV interview, www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKwVNUz52vo, 2007.

229 His answers: National Abortion Rights Action League questionnaire, April 8, 2002.

230 “We applaud your commitment”: Republican Pro-Choice Coalition letter to Mitt Romney, October 2, 2002.

230 “promised to protect”: Campaign flyers, Romney for Governor, 2002.

230 But Romney quickly distanced himself: Rick Klein, “Romney Kin Signed Petition to Ban Same-Sex Marriage,”
The Boston Globe
, March 22, 2002.

230 Romney did not support:
Bay Windows
questionnaire, 2002.

230 Richard Babson, a board member: Interview with Richard Babson, 2007.

231 In addition, Romney said: “Don’t Dismiss Romney, Gay Republicans Say,”
Bay Windows
, October 24, 2002.

231 his campaign distributed pink flyers: Campaign flyers, Romney for Governor, 2002.

231 “protect already established rights”:
Bay Windows
questionnaire.

231 Romney, according to one participant: Interviews with the meeting participant and another person familiar with the meeting, 2007.

231 “At a very young age”:
Bay Windows
questionnaire.

232 “clean up the mess”: Scott Helman, “Independents Key in Western Suburbs,”
The Boston Globe
, November 14, 2002.

232 “microtargeting”: Scott Helman, “Candidates Spend Heavily on Voter Lists,”
The Boston Globe
, July 19, 2007.

232 He insisted: Rick Klein, “A Look at the Facts Behind the Exchanges,”
The Boston Globe
, October 2, 2002.

232 “government by gimmickry”: Scott Helman, “Romney Finds ‘No New Taxes’ Promise Suits Him After All,”
The Boston Globe
, January 5, 2007.

232 That idea unnerved: Interview with former aide, 2011.

232 One of the first things: Interview with former Romney aide, 2011.

233 “Massachusetts,” she said: Frank Phillips, “It’s O’Brien for Democrats,”
The Boston Globe
, September 18, 2002.

233 “I think it made him”: Interview with Michael Murphy, 2007.

233 “Mike came and said”: Brian C. Mooney, “Romney Guru Thrives in Political ‘Show Business,’”
The Boston Globe
, June 12, 2005.

234 But Romney and his advisers: Scot Lehigh, “The Moment of Truth,”
The Boston Globe
, November 6, 2002.

234 “That last debate”: Ibid.

234 “as disgraceful”: Rick Klein, “Ads Link O’Brien Spouse, Fund Loss,”
The Boston Globe
, October 21, 2002.

234 “It was the Ted Kennedy punch”: Interview with Michael Travaglini, 2007.

235 Romney had climbed back: Frank Phillips, “Poll Finds Romney and O’Brien in Dead Heat,”
Boston Globe
, November 1, 2002.

235 “We took on”: Frank Phillips, “Romney Sails to Victory,”
The Boston Globe
, November 6, 2002.

235 Romney, while celebrating: David Guarino, “Romney Tops O’Brien for Corner Office,”
Boston Herald
, November 6, 2002.

236 A few weeks after being sworn in: Interviews with current and former legislators, 2011.

236 “My usual approach”: Interview with Andrea Nuciforo, 2011.

237 “in memory of Mitt Romney”: Massachusetts Senate session transcript, State House News Service, July 17, 2003.

238 “We probably presented him”: Interview with Robert Pozen, 2007.

238 “the most important”: Anthony Flint, “Development’s Impact to Test Next Governor,”
The Boston Globe
, October 12, 2002.

238 “a decision maker”: Interview with Eric Kriss, 2007.

239 The budget gap never became: Scott S. Greenberger, “Romney Often Casts Himself as Budget Hero but Speeches Omit Some Important Detail,”
The Boston Globe
, October 24, 2005.

239 When Romney left office: Interview with Geoffrey Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, 2007.

240 “Cities and towns”: Interview with Eric Fehrnstrom, 2007.

240 “What people don’t credit”: Interview with Barbara Anderson, 2007.

240 “the most significant restructuring”: Rick Klein, “Layoffs, New Fees in Romney Budget,”
The Boston Globe
, February 27, 2003.

240 After four years: E-mail from Eric Fehrnstrom, April 2007, based on state Human Resources Division data.

241 Weld, for example: Frank Phillips and Peter J. Howe, “Hill Deal Hurts Weld’s Outsider Image,”
The Boston Globe
, December 11, 1994.

241 “Weld had a genuine curiosity”: Interview with Thomas Finneran, 2007.

241 “You remember Richard Nixon”: Interview with Democratic lawmaker, 2011.

241 “My program for creating jobs”: Brian C. Mooney, Stephanie Ebbert, and Scott Helman, “Ambitions Grow and the Stances Shift,”
The Boston Globe
, June 30, 2007.

241 The state lost about 200,000 jobs: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov.

242 about a 1 percent increase: Ibid.

242 It was the fourth weakest: Interview with Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody’s Analytics, 2007.

242 Under Ranch C. Kimball: Ranch Kimball, PowerPoint presentation, 2006; intervieew with Kimball, 2007.

242 In 2006, Bristol-Myers Squibb: Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development data, August 2011; www.bms.com/sustainability/worldwide_facilities/north_america/Pages/devens_massachusetts.aspx.

242 an unusual show of teamwork: Stephen Heuser, “Teamwork Landed Bristol-Myers,”
The Boston Globe
, June 3, 2006.

242 “His theory of government”: Interview with Salvatore DiMasi, 2007.

243 One was a bill: Scott S. Greenberger, “Lawmakers Toughen Drunken Driving Bill,”
The Boston Globe
, October 28, 2005.

243 Another came when Romney refused: Raphael Lewis, “Lawmakers to Rescind Retroactive ’02 Tax Bills,”
The Boston Globe
, December 2, 2005.

243 “an embarrassment”: Scott Helman, “Wiretap Mosques, Romney Suggests,”
The Boston Globe
, September 15, 2005.

243 But Romney committed the state: Michael Levenson, “With Bay State Relief Effort, Romney Gets Moment to Shine,”
The Boston Globe
, September 11, 2005.

244 “You’re too big”: Interview with witness, 2011.

244 As Romney and Amorello: Ibid.

244 “disappointment”: Kimberly Atkins, “Pike Boss in Hot Water,”
Boston Herald
, July 12, 2006.

244 “At a moment of crisis”: Interview with David Luberoff, 2007.

244 Tony Kimball, Romney’s former colleague: Interview with Tony Kimball, 2011.

245 Bulger had invoked: Shelley Murphy, “Bulger Refuses to Give Answers to House Panel,”
The Boston Globe
, December 7, 2002.

245 In June 2003: Shelley Murphy, “Grilled by US Panel, Bulger Says He Did Not Aid Brother,”
The Boston Globe
, June, 20, 2003.

245 The next day: Frank Phillips, “Governor Raps Bulger, Eyes Ouster,”
The Boston Globe
, June 4, 2003; Shelley Murphy, “On Brother, Bulger’s Memory Lapsed,”
The Boston Globe
, December 4, 2002.