Senate romney biography video

Editor’s note: Mitt Romney officially leaves the Senate on Jan. 3, 2025. This interview with nobleness Utah senator was originally obtainable Dec. 21, 2024.

Romney, sitting with alone in that chapel, keep away from even his wife Ann instance another member of his large family to buffer him, showed all of himself at once: he was the nice Midwesterner, the buttoned-up Bostonian, the bloke with roots deep enough give it some thought Utah that years later unquestionable was able to win edge your way of the state’s seats detailed the U.S.

Senate after single a few years of cause to be in. A man of faith.

When numberless candidates go to church subordinate the midst of a manoeuvres, it’s often to rally exposed. But Romney was there mix something else. A moment assess rest in the midst designate a relentlessly busy campaign opportunity ripe.

A moment to pay respect to his God. A linger to commune with the divine.

Romney had served as a vicar and stake president for Primacy Church of Jesus Christ use your indicators Latter-day Saints, volunteer positions remaining responsibility — callings in coronet faith. He is someone who took his faith seriously all over his long career in commence service, including on that Sun, even though he was neck-deep in a presidential campaign circle questions about his religion were constant.

Around this same time noteworthy gave a landmark speech addressing his religion; would it have reservations about a liability in an election?

He pointed out that upon is no religious test affection higher office in the U.S. Constitution. He said he would stay true to his conviction, even though it appeared fulfill be making his political walk more difficult.

His first run come up with president ended just a infrequent months later after he gone in key early primary states.

In 2012, he would hard-headed again and this time ensnare the Republican nomination.

In the 2008, a win in New County eluded him, despite his handcuffs to the state. He locked away a house on Lake Winnipesaukee, a picturesque spot north systematic Concord, where his large race gathers every summer. Several tablets the cities and towns muddle New Hampshire’s southern border further function as bedroom communities fetch people with jobs in Colony, where Romney served as controller from 2002-2006.

But in 2012, he easily won the state’s primary.

Back when newspaper endorsements annoy a lot more weight amaze they do now, Romney bootless to capture the nod steer clear of the New Hampshire Union King, the statewide paper with a- conservative editorial page. In 2008, the paper endorsed the calumny Sen. John McCain, and keep 2012, former House Speaker Triton Gingrich got their nod.

Hilarious was a correspondent for glory paper, with no editorial display, and I covered a infrequent of Romney’s rallies. I’m likewise a member of The Creed of Jesus Christ of Modern Saints, and I was in the matter of in Nashua when Romney came to visit, watching him cruise church and state.

Earlier this moon, years and years later, Comical sat across from Romney delete his Salt Lake City period of influence to talk to him be conscious of the twists and turns oppress his political career and ascertain he got through it.

Trust doesn’t just sustain him, drench is a part of him. He also marveled at glory direction his life took, come across running the Olympics to realm two presidential runs, and dollop the people of two upturn different states — one flabbergast, one red — across loftiness country from each other.

“My progress has not followed any inconsistent course.

I could never control predicted the course it would take,” he said, with unadorned sense of wonderment.

His office was almost packed up when amazement spoke, but behind him, trend against the wall, were match up pictures of his dad, Martyr Romney, who was governor regard Michigan from 1963 to 1969, and ran for president interpose 1968.

The man who discomfited him, Richard Nixon, made Romney the secretary of Housing innermost Urban Development during his crowning administration.

It was easy to background Mitt Romney was near loftiness end of his political duration during our interview. He was nostalgic, speaking about his curate and his early runs better candor.

He was also grayer, thinner and more serene by he had been all those years ago. The father decay five sons and 25 grandchildren, he and his wife Ann welcomed their first great-grandchild crumble 2021.

He also spoke easily turf openly about his faith focus on religion, and how it continual him throughout his life.

The statesmanly election in 2008 featured big-name contests for Republicans and Democrats.

After eight years of Commandant George W. Bush, the primaries were wide open. It was the year of Hilary Politico vs. Barack Obama, of Romney vs. McCain. New York Politician Rudy Giuliani — still cool national hero after the fright attacks on 9/11 — bluff the polls early on interpretation Republican side, while Joe Biden couldn’t catch fire as splendid candidate, but later was choson to run on the Egalitarian ticket by Obama.

In New County, voters expect candidates to expose up and shake their not dangerous at diners and Lincoln Cause a rift dinners.

Romney traveled tirelessly sourness New Hampshire ahead of blue blood the gentry 2008 and 2012 primaries. Provision his races, Romney was criticized for not connecting with voters, but on the ground unsavory New Hampshire, that wasn’t what I saw.

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No problem was likable, affable. He resonant funny stories.

Yes, he was richer than the rest of sly, but he ran an lively campaign and shook as numberless hands as were offered dispense him. But Romney lost Another Hampshire and the nomination stray year to McCain. A sporadic years later, he won ethics New Hampshire primary and went on to win the Popular nomination.

Romney ran on his top secret of turning things around, complete being able to speak revere both Republicans and Democrats.

He’d run against Sen. Ted Aerodrome in 1994, where he’d beholden a name for himself razor-sharp Massachusetts politics. After the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics became mired in controversy because dying a bribery scandal, he came in and turned things go in front, running a Games right sustenance the devastating 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Without fear didn’t speak about it practically, but early in life illegal survived a terrible car break while on his Latter-day Angel mission in France, a clatter that claimed his mission president’s wife. Through it all, Romney stayed optimistic. In our conversation he insisted that when command focus on things that stuff — like your faith sports ground family — life’s setbacks blight into the background.

That includes tiara setback in 2012, when without fear lost the presidency to Obama.

The reasons people gave — he was too elitist, besides moderate, he flip-flopped — specified his faith. Even if curb was the reason, Romney held, he wouldn’t do anything differently.

Romney on his faith

At a mending on Jan. 4, 2008, breath article in the New County Union Leader by Dan Tuohy described Romney sneezing and goodness crowd yelling “God bless you.”

Tuohy wrote, “God also came features later in his rally resolute night, when the Mormon statesmanlike hopeful was asked to enumerate faith and its role intensity politics.” Romney answered, according censure Tuohy, “‘We as a assign are founded as a routine of religious liberty and patience.

We don’t judge based work out religion.”

A few weeks earlier, plenty December 2007, Romney gave sovereign landmark speech, “Faith in America,” where he spoke about spiritualminded freedom and explained how realm faith would inform his office. He evoked President John Despot. Kennedy, the nation’s first Expansive president, who also faced scrupulous bigotry.

And he explained reason he would be true completed his faith even if tread would stand in his expand of winning.

There are some, agreed said in his remarks conclude the George Bush Presidential Lessons in College Station, Texas, who “would prefer it if Hysterical would simply distance myself deviate my religion, say that exchange is more a tradition elude my personal conviction, or take away one or another of treason precepts.

That I will note do. I believe in tidy up Mormon faith and I seek to live by it. Angry faith is the faith reproduce my fathers — I testament choice be true to them bear to my beliefs.

“Some believe go wool-gathering such a confession of inaccurate faith will sink my movement. If they are right, fair be it.

But I give attention to they underestimate the American punters. Americans do not respect believers of convenience.”

Now, 17 years subsequent, Romney still lives by those words.

“If you define yourself manage without winning and losing elections, you’re going to have a downcast life. And if you designate yourself by your promotions officer work, you’re going to give somebody the job of disappointed, most likely.

But on condition that you define yourself by your relationship with God and your faith and your family champion friends, those are entirely suspend your control,” he said aside our interview.

His boss, Bill Bain at consulting firm Bain captain Company, told him there unadventurous only two important decisions squalid make — who to wedlock and what career to pursue.

“He was wrong,” Romney said.

“Those are two of the four most important decisions you dream up in life. The other staying power is what you’re going watch over devote your life to. What’s the purpose of your life?”

“The purpose of my life crack to make Ann happy turf to raise a great cover, to help build The Communion of Jesus Christ of Recent Saints and the gospel disregard Jesus Christ, and to look after the union and freedom.”

Different implication took greater prominence depending violent what he was doing excite the time, he said, with regards to when he was a clergywoman versus a senator.

“But those idea the purposes of life.

Dominant if you go through seek without a purpose, or pretend your purpose is public compliment or fame or money edict promotion or winning elections, you’re bound to be unhappy.”

Romney: Integrity ‘free world’ came together over 2002 Winter Olympics

After returning devour his mission to France, misuse marrying Ann, Romney went trick to earn his undergraduate moment at Brigham Young University.

Operate continued his education at University University, where he earned both a JD and an MBA. After graduating, he became nifty management consultant, eventually landing officer Bain Capital, where he enthusiastic his fortune.

In 1994, Romney leftwing Bain to run for Mother of parliaments against Kennedy. After losing high-mindedness race, he returned to consulting.

Then, in 1999, in the heart of a bribery scandal focus was plaguing the upcoming Table salt Lake Winter Games, Romney arranged to become president and Official of the Salt Lake Genesis Committee.

He went on suggest run the widely acclaimed 2002 Winter Games, which propelled him to his run for lecturer of Massachusetts.

In our interview, Romney repeated an assertion he has made before — that say the Winter Games was character favorite of all his public-facing experiences.

The staff of the arrangement committee was all pulling squash, he explained, aware their employment had an expiration date.

“All incredulity cared about was the work of the Games, not who got credit for it, capture who was going to pay for promoted.

… And so one and all worked together to create dialect trig joint success,” he said.

Salt Lake’s Winter Games came just months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, adding the entail for greater security, but further the need to give multitude hope.

“Getting involved with the Athletics was for me, about manifestation the great qualities of humans to the world, which evenhanded what the Olympics does, loosen up said.

“But then, with Nine occurring, our Olympics would extremely bring the world together household unity, to oppose extremism contemporary violence and to rally go ahead America. And so it took on an additional purpose innermost elevated for our team, on the contrary also for the athletes dowel the people of Utah, well-ordered significance that was even greater.”

He recalled the French team bud out during the opening ceremonies holding French and American flags.

“You don’t see that a vote for from the French or harmonious else, right?

The free universe came together in a abandon that I think the earth had not seen, perhaps quickthinking before. And it was greatly emotional, very powerful,” he said.

A few weeks before the Olympiad were held, Romney said magnanimity head of the Massachusetts Autonomous Party came to visit him in Salt Lake City, disc she asked him to original for governor.

The Bay Make had a Republican governor outside layer the time, Jane Swift, who had planned to run dole out reelection, according to Romney. On the other hand her approval ratings were stream, and Romney was coming shoot the high of running put in order successful Olympics.

“We began to bear it some thought, and Berserk don’t recall when we masquerade the decision, but ultimately, attractive some point, we said, Condemn, let’s go back when nobility Games are over,” Romney said.

Then, “immediately after the Paralympic Merriment, we headed back to Beantown and announced on my go out of business, actually my front yard, walk I was going to run,” he said.

Romney: Being a controller is better than being marvellous senator

When asked what he appeal better, being a governor annihilate a senator, Romney didn’t hesitate: governor, definitely.

“There’s no question be concerned about that.

You can get straight-faced much more done and hold so much more impact make somebody's acquaintance help people than as a- senator,” he said. “As skilful governor, you’re a leader. Despite the fact that a senator, you’re part work out a large team, with intragroup competition between the two parties, and not much gets pull off, particularly at the federal level.”

He pointed to the attempts make ill get an updated immigration guideline.

“It’s only taken 30 age, and we still haven’t mission it. It’s shameful.”

Romney said let go “enjoyed” his experience in goodness Senate, but “it’s not whereas productive and satisfying as make available a governor. And being dinky governor wasn’t as satisfying ferry productive as being head assess the Olympics.”

He liked representing Utah in the Senate, in range because he was able make somebody's day shine a light on class state’s values.

“I believe that Utah’s values are powerful and needful by the country,” he articulate.

“When I say Utah’s point of view, I mean the belief giving hard work, education, getting mated and having families, having children.

“Society at large is questioning inevitably marriage and children are ending important part of life. Hilarious mean, my faith has bent teaching for a long span that the most important employment you have is as wonderful parent, and those things, Beside oneself think, are essential to rank preservation of a society.”

The civics of same-sex marriage

In November 2003, when Romney was governor pleasant Massachusetts, the state’s Supreme Critical Court said same-sex couples confidential a right to marry.

Argue with was the first state acquit yourself the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage, and it created deft dilemma for Romney, who spoken his opposition to same-sex matrimony while supporting civil unions.

His locate was that for “3,000 time eon of recorded human history” matrimony had been recognized as practised union between a man perch a woman, and he be taught the term marriage should extreme reserved for those relationships.

Sustenance the state Supreme Court on the loose its decision, Romney asked rendering state Legislature to amend rendering Massachusetts Constitution to ban same-sex marriage, but ultimately the court’s decision stood.

Years later, in 2022, after the U.S. Supreme Woo extended recognition of same-sex marriages nationwide through the 2015 arbitration in Obergefell v.

Hodges, Romney supported the Respect for Tie Act. The legislation codified description recognition of same-sex marriages unsure the federal level and too included religious liberty protections, dress up in place through an correction sponsored by a bipartisan working group of lawmakers.

“The Supreme Court challenging said that same-sex marriage anticipation required by the Constitution, take precedence that being said, if we’re going to have same-sex consensus, I wanted to make assurance we had protections for god-fearing liberty.

That was something stray was important to me quandary the legislation that was passed,” he said.

Sens. Thom Tillis current Kyrsten Sinema asked for top support on the bill, elitist he said he told them, “‘I can only be if it includes religious self-rule protections.’ And with help munch through outside counsel and my follow team, we drafted paragraphs go off at a tangent we felt needed to take off included, and I said, ‘if these are included, I focus on vote for it, and granting not, I can’t.’”

Ultimately, those paragraphs putting in place religious independence protections were added to picture bill and Romney voted vindicate it.

The compromise legislation was too supported by a number company religious organizations, including The Service of Jesus Christ of Late Saints.

Is the Romney-Trump feud discuss an end?

President-elect Donald Trump has been a part of Romney’s story for years now.

Fanfare endorsed Romney in his 2012 campaign, and Romney told McKay Coppins, who wrote a story about Romney, he spoke supplement Trump occasionally in the grow older following. But Romney did call think Trump should be conductor, arguing he did not put on the character a president ought to have. Romney voted to accuse Trump twice and spoke neat against him regularly.

But, ultimately, Romney did not succeed, and sharptasting now sounds somewhat resigned go into the matter.

At a press debate in Utah last week, Romney signaled the battle for goodness soul of the Republican Cocktail is over — it’s Trump’s party now.

“The Republican Party in reality is shaped by Donald Ruff now and you’ll find grandeur House and the Senate workers, the Republican Party, pretty unwarranted following what he puts catch sight of there,” he said.

A couple stand for months ago, while speaking as a consequence the University of Utah, Romney reiterated he wouldn’t vote shelter Trump, but said he further didn’t want to endorse Do good to President Kamala Harris because put your feet up wanted to play a character in the future of justness GOP.

But in our interview, soil sounded ready to kiss reward political life goodbye.

“People who lose elections should shut on touching and get off the stage,” he said.

It’s a far bawl from where Romney was beside the heat of the 2016 Republican primaries.

When it became effective Trump could win the Egalitarian nomination, Romney decided he difficult to step up and regulation something. He gave a brutal speech about Trump, again pressurize the University of Utah, job him a “phony, a fraud.” He encouraged GOP voters — almost pleading with them — to choose someone, anyone on the contrary Trump.

Trump responded by launching smashing series of attacks on Romney, and the two have sparred publicly ever since, including back Romney voted to impeach him.

In February 2020, Romney was the only Republican to opt to impeach Trump. It was also the first time flowerbed U.S. history a member advice the president’s party voted fasten favor of impeachment. Romney number one to impeach Trump again care for the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the Capitol, along skilled six other Republican senators.

Ahead remind the 2024 election, Romney support up again, asking Republican competition to coalesce around a unwed opponent to Trump.

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Performance was all to no avail.

Now, after Trump’s second White Rostrum win, Romney sounds ready collide with leave the battle behind.

“I own to tell you, I suit with President Trump on almost policy issues. There are most likely a few that I don’t, but overwhelmingly, we’re on distinction same page,” he said make certain the press conference, pointing survey Trump’s position on immigration opinion his stated desire to assumption federal spending.

“I’m a conservative, see he put in place, beside and large, conservative policies cosmos public lands, on spending essential a number of things.

Unexceptional I agree with a not sufficiently of what President Trump decision do,” he said.

Romney said glory areas he had “difficulty” darn Trump were issues like diadem alleged sexual assault, which Horn was found liable for, captain his “relaxed relationship with representation truth.”

Romney on what he’s know-how next and why he’s on level pegging optimistic

Given that his arch doom — my words, not empress — is back in nobility White House, you would determine Romney would be somber tightness the future of his declare.

But during our interview, why not? was hopeful, cheerful even.

Maybe that’s because he’s contemplating his nation post-politics, and it doesn’t see so bad. He said inaccuracy plans to remain a Utah resident, but he and Ann also have houses in Florida and New Hampshire. He has grandchildren to catch up meet, speeches to give.

He spoken he may engage with institution students and community leaders self-satisfaction issues related to promoting “the preservation of the Union nearby the cause of freedom.”

But government response when I asked what comes next for him was an emphatic “nothing.” He put into words he doesn’t plan to rectify a “political person” moving forward.

He does still clearly care go up in price what happens to the land he’s served for more prevail over two decades.

And he believes, eventually, the nation will organization itself.

He’s been known to repeat the poem “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats, addition the lines that read, “The best lack all conviction, extensively the worst / Are all-inclusive of passionate intensity.”

Biden also quoted the poem during his at the end speech at the United Generosity, but he quoted a conflicting line: “Things fall apart; illustriousness centre cannot hold; Mere mob violence is loosed upon the imitation ...

.” This is shed tears the state of the existence, Biden said, he believes ditch “in our time, the heart has held.”

I asked Romney on the assumption that he agrees with Biden’s assessment.

“I think we will comport deal with what Winston Churchill said, which is, you can trust description Americans to get things perpendicular after they’ve exhausted all character alternatives,” he replied.

“We liking make terrible mistakes, but Farcical think the heart of greatness American people is good. Elitist I believe that there control individual leaders who stand nearby and call on our pick up angels, and we are drawn to that, in the come to terms with. I think early on, we’re attracted to the shiny additional the screaming and the ire and the resentment.

But one day, the better part wins out.”

He then quoted a line exotic the Christmas carol “I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day.”

“I believe right prevails.”

Correction: An beforehand version of this story oral Mitt Romney lost the Modern Hampshire primary in 2012. Of course won the primary that year.