The Real Romney

Michael Kranish, Scott Helman

• Verlag: Harper
• Jahr: 2012
• ISBN:
  9780062123299
• Thema: Politics & International Relations
• Thema: Political Biographies

"Absorbing and fair-minded."
— New York Times

"Romney's story in full and clear detail…fascinating in-depth stuff."
— Los Angeles Times

"A fascinating story [that] sheds next light on an elusive subject."
— Boston Globe

Despite his political prominence, Mitt Romney remains an enigma to many in America. Who is the man behind that sweep of dark hair and the high-wattage smile? A savvy politician or someone who will simply say anything to win? A business visionary or a ruthless dealmaker? In this definitive, unflinching, and widely-acclaimed biography by Boston Globe investigative reporters Michael Kranish and Scott Helman, readers will finally discover the real Mitt Romney. Based on hundreds of interviews and more than five years of reporting, The Real Romney offers for the very first time a full understanding of this complex political figure.

Notes

The pagination of this electronic edition does not match the edition from which it was created. To locate a specific passage, please use the search feature of your e-book reader.

Interviews for this book were conducted by the authors and a team of Boston Globe reporters, including Neil Swidey, Beth Healy, Brian C. Mooney, Michael Paulson, Bob Hohler, Ann Silvio, Stephanie Ebbert, Rob Gavin, and Sasha Pfeiffer. Much of the 2007 interview material first appeared in a seven-part Globe series, “The Making of Mitt Romney.”

Prologue

6 “There is no leader”: A. F. Mahan, “Busy George Romney Can’t Resist Challenge,” Associated Press, February 8, 1962.

7 “Politics is like washing diapers”: Niraj Warikoo, “Wife of Former Governor Had Opinions of Her Own,” Detroit Free Press, July 8, 1998.

Chapter 1: Praying for a Miracle

11 Now, in 1946: Neil Swidey, “Lessons of the Father,” The Boston Globe Magazine, August 13, 2006.

11 She needed a major operation: George Romney, letter to his family, March 13, 1947. Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, call number 852178 Aa 2.

12 “I remember my father’s face”: Neil Swidey “Lessons of theFather,” The Boston Globe Magazine, August 13, 2006.

12 “long and heated arguments”: Clark Raymond Mollenhoff, George Romney, Mormon in Politics (New York: Meredith Press, 1968), 44.

12 “never marry him”: Ibid., 45.

13 “Miss Lenore LaFount”: “Inspiring Lives: George Romney,” http://byutv.org/watch/31c61253-ffe4-42ad-808d-e3b3486c1c7e#!page=2&season=All-Seasons.

13 “the biggest sale”: George W. Romney, The Concerns of a Citizen (New York: Putnam, 1968), 259.

13 “never had any regrets”: “Fate Changed Mrs. Romney’s Plan to Become a Film Star,” The Holland (Michigan) Evening Sentinel, February 24, 1962, p. 4.

13 “This was the legend”: Interview of Jane Romney by Neil Swidey, 2006.

13 He left his lobbyist job: Mollenhoff, George Romney, 44–48.

14 “We consider it a blessing”: George Romney, letter to his family, March 13, 1947, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, call number 852178 Aa 2.

15 In 1953: “Republicans: The Citizen’s Candidate,” Time, November 16, 1962, www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,829375,00.html.

15 “We’re going to make”: Mitt Romney, Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games (Washington, D.C.: Regnery Publishing, 2007), 11.

15 One of the keys: Mollenhoff, George Romney, 118–119.

16 “If Ramblers are such great cars”: Interview with Scott Romney, 2007.

16 thirty miles per gallon: Mollenhoff, George Romney, 103; “Autos: Gamble on the Rambler,” Time, December 19, 1955; U.S. Department of Transportation, “Summary of Fuel Economy Performance,” April 28, 2011, www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/rulemaking/pdf/cafe/2011_Summary_Report.pdf.

16 30-cents-per-gallon gas: The price of gas was about 30 cents a gallon in 1955. The inflation calculation comes from www.westegg.com/inflation/.

17 “It was more like”: Romney, Turnaround, 11–12.

17 When Mitt was fourteen years old: Arthur O’Shea and Bert Emanuele, “Mormons: Each a Teacher, Each Taught,” Detroit Free Press, April 16, 1961.

17 “Dream and dream big”: Romney, The Concerns of a Citizen, 263–267.

17–18 “I grew up idolizing him”: Romney, Turnaround, 11.

18 “Dad was more settled”: Neil Swidey and Michael Paulson, “Touched by Tragedy a Leader Emerges from a Life of Privilege,” The Boston Globe, June 24, 2007.

18 “a real breakthrough”: “Back at the Mansion,” Time, January 11, 1963.

18 “the Bickersons”: Interview with Tagg Romney, 2007.

18 “a loner”: Brock Brower, “Puzzling Front Runner,” Life, May 5, 1967.

19 Mitt wanted no repeat: Jack Thomas, “Ann Romney’s Sweetheart Deal,” The Boston Globe, October 20, 1994.

19 “Mitt’s more like”: Neil Swidey, “Lessons of the Father,” The Boston Globe Magazine, August 13, 2006.

19 When George held: Swidey and Paulson, “Touched by Tragedy, a Leader Emerges from a Life of Privilege”.

20 “one of the most enchanted”: www.cranbrookart.edu/Pages/History.html.

20 “He was tall”: Swidey and Paulson, “Touched by Tragedy, a Leader Emerges from a Life of Privilege.”

20 “Mitt is doing well”: Mitt Romney 1961 report card, Cranbrook School, www.boston.com/news/daily/24/romney_reportcard.pdf.

21 “He came up to the car”: Interview with Graham McDonald, 2011.

21 “was genuinely distressed”: Interview with Gregg Dearth, 2011.

22 “It was definitely looked upon”: Interview with Sidney Barthwell, 2011. Barthwell, the lone black in Romney’s class, went on to become a magistrate judge in Michigan as well as a successful runner.

22 had cramped up: Interview with Graham McDonald.

22 “It is something”: Interview with Gregg Dearth.

22 running through the New Hampshire woods: “Ad Watch: Romney’s ‘Leadership’ and Lakeside Jog,” The Washington Post, August 8, 2007, http://blog.washingtonpost.com/channel–08/2007/08/ad_watch_romneys_leadership_an.html.

22 George agreed to work with: Mollenhoff, George Romney, 163–167, 173; recession information at http://recession.org/history/early-1960s-recession.

23 “You know, I think”: “Cover Story,” New England Cable News, October 31, 2002.

23 George decided: Mollenhoff, George Romney, 167.

23 “I would introduce myself”: Romney, Turnaround, 12.

23 “You can’t find”: Tom Wicker, “Kennedy Assails G.O.P. over Trade; in Detroit Speech, He Says Republicans Impeded Bill,” The New York Times, October 7, 1962.

23 But even President Kennedy: Romney would have many interactions later in life with the Kennedy family. He would lose a Senate race to President Kennedy’s brother Edward but then, as governor, work with him on health care legislation.

24 a pamphlet: “Who Is the Real George Romney?” (Detroit: Michigan AFL-CIO, 1966).

24 “too much as a business party”: “The Citizen’s Candidate,” Ti...