Romney’s Olympics Leadership Comes Under the Microscope
- Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:02pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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Leading the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City out of disfunction is a sterling bullet point on Mitt Romney’s resume that his campaign has consistently fallen back on while skating away from dicier issues like his time at Bain Capital or alleged “flip-flopping” on social issues. The experience leading an event embodying patriotism and love of sports has come up more prominently in the news of late, as London launches the thirtieth summer games this week.
But how much does America really know about what Romney did as President and CEO of the Winter Olympics that shows us how he would govern?
Romney has found himself in a soundbite scuffle with Conservative Party British Prime Minister David Cameron over the last 48 hours, first saying during an interview with NBC’s Brian Williams that several logistical issues at the 2012 Olympic games were “disconcerting.”
To that, Cameron quickly responded Thursday;“We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world. Of course it’s easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere,” which some have perceived as a swipe at Salt Lake City.
Romney’s campaign website references his time in Salt Lake City shortly, equating it to his tenure as Governor in Massachusetts; ”In one chapter of his distinguished career, he reversed the decline of a state mired in recession. In another chapter, he salvaged the 2002 Winter Olympic Games from certain disaster.”
The pro-Obama Super PAC “Priorities USA” released a new attack ad this week, splicing video footage of Romney acting as president of the Salt Lake City games while referencing familiar attacks against Romney shipping jobs overseas, Swiss bank accounts, and secret Bermuda companies. The ad did last long though, as the Super PAC removed the video from their website within one day at the request of the U.S. Olympic Committee.
The Wall Street Journal published a report Tuesday examining Romney’s role in the 2002 games, noting that when the future Republican presidential candidate took over the troubled Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, it was tainted by allegations of corruption and facing a widening budget hole. The Journal reports that to get the games back on track, Romney immediately made cuts to programs on cultural-education and free catered lunched for committee board meetings, going on to balance the games’ budget through a $2 million cut to youth camp, cutting wetlands restoration, and scaling back the decorations budget to $6 million from more than $20 million. When Romney arrived, the games were running $387 million short of reaching their planned budget of $1.45 billion. When the games ended, Romney was left with a $100 million surplus.
Based in Salt Lake City, the Deseret News is currently running a two part series on Mitt Romney’s role in the 2002 Olympics and what it might teach us about how he would govern and manage crises as president. Read an excerpt from part one below:
Both supporters and critics of Romney’s three years as the CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee say his experiences in Utah offer insights into what he would bring to the White House.
Utahns say they miss Romney’s self-effacing sense of humor, evident with the unveiling of an Olympic pin proclaiming “Mitt happens,” and his joining in a champagne toast to an inclusive rather than a “Mormon” Olympics — with a flute of orange juice.
Lost in the presidential campaign is the charisma that Romney — the man brought in as the “White Knight” to save the Games — used to win over critics and woo new supporters following revelations that Utah bidders tried to buy the votes of International Olympic Committee members.
Romney the candidate has been criticized for being disconnected from voters because of his privileged background and personal wealth. He’s made clumsy references on the campaign trail to his wife’s pair of Cadillacs and his friendships with NASCAR owners rather than car racing fans.
Just about everything on Romney’s resume, from his prep school antics to his time as the head of Bain Capital, has been attacked first during the hard-fought GOP primary race and now by President Barack Obama’s re-election effort.
So just what was Romney’s approach as he took over the 2002 Winter Games amid bribery allegations that challenged an Olympic world centered around money and power?
The report goes on to quote colleagues of Romney’s while running the games, the liberal Mayor of Salt Lake City at the time, and Salt Lake Olympic committee advisors among others, questioning their opinion of how Romney ran the games and how it could transition to his duties if elected president.
Read the full part one report of the two-part series at DeseretNews.com.
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wwwjr
Posted on July 28, 2012 at 1:13amOK, let’s get serious. All the plans to correct the problems at the 2002 winter Olympics were well under way before Mitt Romney arrived. His only role of any significance with those games was that he appeared to be a squeaky clean guy, which SLOC needed for their image. The problems had been, for all intents and purposes, fixed be Mittens showed up to take the glory. In fact a strong argument could be made that his tenure was solely for the purpose of laying the ground work for a presidential run, because he had NO prior experience in actually managing anything. Sound a lot like the current nutcase we have in the white house.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on July 28, 2012 at 11:26am.
Report Post »If they’re digging in the Olympics, it shows how desperate they are.
That’s the best you got? Bring it on.
OneTermPresident
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 12:48pm@DORA GLASBERG… a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.
Check out Dora the troll here…. http://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ie=UTF-8#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=DORA%20GLASBERG&oq=&gs_l=&pbx=1&fp=dddf8a6dafb67f55&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1152&bih=605
Report Post »SocialistSlayer
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 3:08pmDora is an Acorn Commie obama operative. She is a communist, nothing more. She is of no value. She is a Troll. Feel sorry for her because she is not of a right mind!
Report Post »diamactive
Posted on July 30, 2012 at 4:12amThis Dora woman is a knucklehead. If she was normal and would read The Amateur, maybe she would come around. But she appears to be so deeply infested in that socialist cesspool that sprang up in Chicago that she has gotten used to the stink. Sorry, but the truth hurts. It will be a rude awakening for those blindfolded know-it-alls.
Report Post »MajorStroker
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 12:15pmQuestion: how much federal aid (ie taxpayer dollars) did the 2002 Olympics receive under Mitt Romney leadership? Anyone know??
Report Post »OneTermPresident
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 12:35pmNope.. But after everything was done and said he left them with a $100 Million surplus.
Report Post »DOra Glasberg
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 4:12amMitt was confused having to pronounce all those foreign names, Wilson, Jones, Smith, Kelly. Ya know.
Report Post »quiltgal
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 9:44amWit, maybe. Intelligent arguments, not so much. Comments to ignore, definitely.
Report Post »SocialistSlayer
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 3:10pmDora is a shinning example of what make me want to vote for Romney! Dora go crawl back in your Rat hole.
Report Post »DOra Glasberg
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 1:01amI see they finally put a muzzle on Ann ‘Youpeople’ Romney.
Report Post »Poor woman can’t hide her true color, blue blood and white as snow.
Gumbercules
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 1:25amI will have pitty upon you and leave a ‘reply’ to your dimwitted posts, cause it looks like nobody else is agreeing with you.
Sorry you suck :S
Report Post »DOra Glasberg
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 4:09amPoor Ann, “She was born with a silver foot in her mouth.” (And Mitt too. “Do ya like grits?”) Oy
Thank you Ann Richards.
Report Post »PATTY HENRY
Posted on July 29, 2012 at 4:50amNO dear, YOU are the liar. IF you kept up with the news you’d know that ANN ROMNEY NEVER SAID YOU PEOPLE. But you keep trying to float that balloon. DO you really think that any troll with mis-information is going to hurt MItt Romney ? Show us how stupid Soros is for paying you sad-sacks.
Report Post »DOra Glasberg
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 12:55amRomney is as charismatic as a wet fart.
Report Post »Free2speakRN
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 9:11amMy, my….
A lady is among us. In all reality she would probably admit to using restraint. And be proud of it, indeed. It ‘is’ hard to talk, if you’re emoting. Another Tough Guy…yawn……..
Hey, Dora, don’t let the dora hit you in the Glasberg.
Report Post »DOra Glasberg
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 12:54amThe author left out the part about Mittens being a registered lobbyist at this time, and getting his buds to approve 1 BILLION for the games.
Report Post »But hey ‘Mitt Happens’
He such a card. Now there’s a reason to vote for someone.
torabora
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:36pmI’ll vote for Mitt anyway,not that i like him but is a vote against Barry !!
Report Post »3monkeysmomma
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 11:35pmyep, I’ve just about resolved to bring a barf bag with me to the polls when I go, just like in 2008.
Report Post »West Coast Patriot
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 3:38amTorabora, this clip is about your stance: http://www.fox19.com/story/19005563/reality-check-are-independent-voters-moving-away-from-mitt-romney
This will tell you what you are going to get: http://www.fox19.com/story/18947076/reality-check-obama-and-romney-no-real-opposing-views-on-healthcare
Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results, is insanity. – Albert Einstein
Report Post »encinom
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:28pmSo Romney’s big foreign policy trip overseas and what is the first thing he does,insult the City of London, in London, to the point were the Conservative Prime Minister had snide remarks for him. Where is Beck‘s outrage at this fool’s insult to our greatest Allie?
Report Post »DOra Glasberg
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 12:56amGet MIttens gets a 2- (on a scale of 10) for diplomacy.
Report Post »KURT1010
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 6:02amWait untill the Games are over before you open your mouth ! Not that I want anything to happen, but there has been many years to plan some kind of act during or after the games…your a nut !
Report Post »Free2speakRN
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 9:26amThis is petty as far as getting along goes. They’ll get along. They are actually happy to perhaps not have an English Colonial Socialist as POTUS. One who may know the bust of Churchill is a temporal gift in the friendship of freedom.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:27pmThe only problem is that the federal government is nothing like the olympic games. We have a federal government that needs to do less and constitution that needs to be restored. I dont think Romney satisfies either of those requirements
Report Post »3monkeysmomma
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 11:36pmWe elected Obama. America has no standards my friend.
Report Post »DOra Glasberg
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 4:10amWe definitely needed the Thriller from Wasilla as VP.
Report Post »N37BU6
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:39pm“The ad did last long though, as the Super PAC removed the video from their website within one day at the request of the U.S. Olympic Committee”
Typo.
Great article, BTW. Need more like this.
Report Post »The_Cabrito_Goat
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:34pmI think this is responsible vetting of a presidential candidate the blaze is doing. However, let‘s make sure it’s FAIR vetting.
Report Post »Individualism
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:22pmWow so Romney even mentioned issues with security, A false flag attack has a good chance of happening than. many sources suggesting the possibility of it and other sources also mentioning the faults Romney did.
Report Post »Mike Benton
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:12pmThe British media was reporting problems all week; all Romney did was say if they are true, that’s disconcerting. Isn’t it?
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:35pmThe problem is that he used a word that most people probably dont understand…..“disconcerting”
Report Post »slr4528
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 12:18amCameron is a conservative??????? He loves Obama and he set Romney up to look bad by manufacturing outrage and feeding it to the press. The way Cameron and the supposed conservative Mayor Boris Johnson attacked Romney was what was out of line. No wonder Britain is so screwed up if Cameron and Boris are the conservative leaders in England. How could any conservative favor Obama over Romney???
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:09pmCrony capitalist Romney vs. Marxist Obama,some choice eh? Too bad the GOP screwed Paul since he‘s the only one who understands government’s role in our lives,he‘s for smaller government an end to the welfare warfare state and state’s rights,sound money ie return to the gold standard and securing our borders,he sure is radical.
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:19pmHear hear.
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:21pmI feel bad for you that Paul didn‘t win although I don’t think he would have beaten Obama. But for God’s sake; LET IT GO MAN, let it go!
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:33pmyea, let it go….the only thing at stake is the future of our country.
More tyranny or start turning this thing around. I still fight for the latter
Report Post »Chris
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 10:21pmOh my god… Please let the Paul stuff go… His economic policies would have been great… But everywhere else he was a space cadet… Give it up.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 10:26pmtell you what….I’ll give it up if Romney picks it up
Report Post »3Bigdogs
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:06pmWow!
There are security concerns at the olympics, and there are venue concerns about the olympics…
Romney intimated as much, and is now taking heat…
I guess now you just have to totally bald face lie to make people happy (as if that’s even possible)…
I sure hope these olympics go off with out a hitch…
Go USA!
Report Post »Brother Winston Smith
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:46pmWell… since we’re lookn through microscopes…
LEFTIST Mitt Romney:
Report Post »Leftist judges
Supports redistributed wealth for student loans
Supports NDAA
Bain wrecking ball, manufacturing jobs overseas
Bankrolled by the SAME TOP bailed-out CONTRIBUTORS AS OBAMA
Touchback Amnesty
Dream Amnesty
Hired illegal alien criminals (and DAMN WELL knew it).
Mandated Purchase of Romneycare (HALF-funded by feds – unconstitutional)
Romneycare-funded illegal alien criminal healthcare
Undeclared Nation-building
Supports the 4th-rejecting “Patriot” Act
Global warming (when politically useful)
Supports abortion (when politically useful)
Instituted sodomite/lesbian “marriage” (and tried to blame courts)
Supported TARP
Supported the Brady Bill and Assault Weapons ban
Notorious Flip-flopper
Supports Private Federal Reserve
Supports Assassinating citizens without Due Process
barber2
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:01pmLEFTIST Oh, Brother : The Troll who goes beyond the realm of Broken Record and takes us into a world of Tourette‘s’ Syndrome of anti-Romney comments..
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:02pmWINSTON, you forgot the Biggest one, EXTREME, RADICAL LEFTIST RON PAUL. His positions on Everything besides monetary policy and the Second Amendment (and even those are shaky since he supports a return to the Gold Standard and personal ownership rights for nuclear weapons) is 100%, dead-in-line with the entire Modern American Left, including Obama, Reid and Pelosi. (except Reid is actually Pro-Life). Got any POLICY responses to that?
Report Post »3Bigdogs
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:10pmYou are smoken’ something , but it ain’t Winstons…
And please don’t demean yourself, by asking me if I know who Winston Smith is…
Report Post »Mutiny
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:21pm@barber
Can you dispute anything Brother posts? Maybe instead calling us names you could show us how we are wrong or just admit Romney is no different than Obama policy wise.
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:24pm@ Brother Winston Smith: And to think Romney will probably beat Obama, that tells you how bad is it with Obama. Your list pales in comparison.
Report Post »3monkeysmomma
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 11:40pmBrother is right. Refute his points if you can, but don’t just call him names.
I say again: BROTHER IS RIGHT.
Report Post »Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 10:45amAh yes, right on queue there is 82A1 with name calling and rhetoric and lies and an inability to tackle any of the assertions that the original poster made. There ya go, just wave your arms and shout and accuse and spin and deflect. Saul Alinsky would be proud of you.
Now, before I deconstruct your lies, please be a sport and at least attempt to refute the original post will ya?
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:28pmWell based upon just these the highpoint of this paragraph – Romney immediately made cuts to programs ……….going on to balance the games’ budget …………scaling back ………….When Romney arrived, the games were running $387 million short ………., Romney left with a $100 million surplus.
Gee compared to O’s record – which should we chose….hmmmm I wonder????
Report Post »cloudsofwar
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:43pmit’s a hard choice. marxist or capitalist. commie or american.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:09pmCLOUDS: Agree. This election boils down to capitalism versus anti-capitalism ; between the private sector versus the public sector ; between the Republican candidate and the ( Progressive Socialist – Marxist/ whatever ! ) ) Democrat, Obama.
Report Post »jackact
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:20pmThe irony is that the I.O.C. should be examined under a microscope.
Report Post »And not soon enough.
How such an anti-semitic and anti-American organization has remained intact at this point, and without the total condemnation of the American media and members of our Congress, is pathetic and alarming.
American TV ratings for this crap have achieved an all time low.
Time to kiss this hubris goodbye and start our own Olympics.
Israel, Japan, the UK and Australia are invited.
Ok………Canada too.
barber2
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:19pmInteresting to watch the British press , all part of the Lefty Lap Dog Media , take swipes at a conservative like Romney. The International Left Media is still holding their media witch hunt on conservative Murdoch. They would love to destroy the conservative media outlets of Murdoch in both the UK and Fox in America. The international Left, through unions, the media, and old alliances , are much more militant and organized than are conservatives. Their control of media provides them with a daunting propaganda tool .
Report Post »Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:39pmUm, if Romney is a conservative I’ll kiss your (beep).
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:50pmROTH since, in your opinion (as clearly inferred by everyone here) there are only two “real” Conservatives in America, Ron Paul and yourself, your “wager” is a safe one.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:04pmROTH : compared to the international Left he IS a conservative.
Report Post »Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 1:25pmI’m not a conservative…at least not a Neo-Con in the wolfowitz GWB sense. I’m a right-leaning, Christian Libertarian. I part company with libertarians on abortion primarily. Reagan conservatism is much like libertarianism. Just look at his own words on the topic. He was more of a classical liberal than most modern GOP.
So there is conservatism – Classical Liberalism.
There is neoconservatism which follows the Bush Doctrine more closely. Based on your comments I’d put you in this camp.
There is libertarianism – miniarchist. I’d be in this camp. But clearly there are degrees here.
Of course, if it fits your little mind to box everyone into some odd binary interpretation of the world then you do what you gotta do there. Calling libertarians / miniarchists liberals in the context of modern liberalism/progressivism is just foolish. It makes you look like a “slack jawed” (your words) rube.
Report Post »audiemurphy
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:17pmWell of course they try to discredit every accomplishment he has. Obama has not accomplished anything prior to being President and even still his accomplishments are embarrassing but hey he didn’t accomplish anything everyone around him did . So why blame Romney? Blame everyone around him cause we know he didn’t accomplish anything either. Hhmmmmmm I think I am sounding hypercritical . Hey I sound like Obama!
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:10pmI look forward to the day when I read a headline like this, “Obama’s (Fill in the Blank. Anything. Anything at All) Leadership Comes Under the Microscope”. Not holding my breath.
Report Post »TheEDGE
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:59pmNo kidding. Ya think maybe the microscope should be pointing at something other than Mitts’ Olympic record? Seems reasonable to me.
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