The Real Romney, by Michael Kranish & Scott Helman


(Click for Amazon book review)

BOOK REVIEW by OnTheIssues.org:

This book is a solid unauthorized biography, written by Boston Globe reporters who have been reporting on Romney since his Senate run in 1994. There's a lot of Romney's personal history in this book--much more than in Romney's autobiography, "Turnaround", or in Romney's campaign policy book, "No Apologies".

That history includes Romney's family history back to their original conversion by Mormon missionaries (his great-great grandfather in 1830, p. 64), to the Romney family's flight to Mexico to protect their polygamous relationships (in 1885, p. 44), to Gov. George Romney's presidential bid in 1968 (his father, p. 73). And plenty of history of Mitt Romney's 1994 Senate run against Ted Kennedy; his Olympic leadership; his time at Bain Capital; and his time as Governor of Massachusetts.

The authors state their purpose as "an attempt to capture him in whole, to plumb the many chapters of his life for insight into his character, his worldview, his drive, and his contradictions." (p. 3). That last bit -- Romney's contradictions -- are of the most interest to voters during the Republican primary: the authors detail Romney's stances during his 1994 Senate run as pro-choice (p. 183); pro-gay rights (p. 181); and pro-gun control (p 188); and that Romney switched all three of those views (and others) between 1994 and 2012.

Those old issues will become considerably more relevant if Romney survives the GOP primary into the general election. Voters will then care more about his character and his worldview. This book will then become a must-read for political junkies who want the long view of Romney's career.

-- Jesse Gordon, jesse@OnTheIssues.org, March 2012

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Abortion     1994: Supported abortion rights but personally opposed.     1990: As church leader, urged at-risk mom against abortion.     2002: No to new abortion law; yes to emergency contraception.     Stem-cell cloning breaches an ethical boundary.     Scientifically, life begins at conception.

Civil Rights     1994: "I'll be better than Ted Kennedy" on gay rights.     1964: George Romney left GOP Convention for civil rights.     1993: As church leader, granted women's equality requests.     2002: domestic partnership benefits instead of civil unions.

Corporations     The Bain Way: data-driven analysis.     At Bain Capital, made money on 35 out of 68 projects.     1980s: Leveraged buyout profit from increased corporate debt.

Crime     1981: Arrested for fishing without a license.     2002: Supported death penalty although it was long abolished.

Environment     Restored public confidence after 2006 Big Dig tragedy.

Families & Children     1983: Urged single mom to put up baby for adoption.     1996: Staff searched full-time to find runaway teenage girl.     Abstinence-only education for 12-to-14 year olds.

Gun Control     1994: backed 5-day waiting period on gun sales.

Health Care     Official portrait had 2 symbols: his wife, & healthcare.

Principles & Values     OpEd: Turnaround specialist when nation needs one.     As college athlete, learned to pace himself.     Wife Ann, from Protestant family, converted to Mormon.     1966-68: Served as Mormon missionary in France.     Near-fatal accident at age 21; in coma for 3 days.     At age 24, two kids while grad student at Harvard.     1994: donated milk for years to Shelter for Homeless Vets.     Wife Ann effectively treats her chronic Multiple Sclerosis.     Took on 2000 Olympics because it was a big mess.

War & Peace     1965: Picketed AGAINST Vietnam protestors.     1966-68: Missionary deferment; 1969: drew high draft number.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Mitt Romney

The above quotations are from The Real Romney, by Michael Kranish & Scott Helman.

Biographies by and about Paul Ryan: The Path To Prosperity: the Ryan Budget of 2012 Do Not Ask What Good We Do, by Robert Draper Young Guns, joint biography of Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan, and Kevin McCarthy Biographies by and about Mitt Romney: Mitt Romney vs. Barack Obama On the Issues, by Jesse Gordon, Jan. 2012 The Real Romney, by Kranish & Helman, Jan. 17, 2012 The Mormon Faith of Mitt Romney, by Andrew Jackson, Dec. 25, 2011 Mitt Romney vs. Rick Perry On the Issues, by Jesse Gordon, Dec. 2011 Mitt Romney: An Inside Look, by Ronald B. Scott, Nov. 22, 2012 No Apology, by Gov. Mitt Romney, Mar 2, 2010 A Mormon in the White House? 10 Things Every American Should Know about Mitt Romney, by Hugh Hewitt Mitt Romney: The Man, His Values and His Vision, by Lisa Ray Turner and Kimberly Field Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games, by Gov. Mitt Romney 2007 Presidential Primary debates

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