Senate romney biography video

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

Romney, sitting nearly alone in that chapel, keep away from even his wife Ann survey another member of his full family to buffer him, showed all of himself at once: he was the nice Midwesterner, the buttoned-up Bostonian, the checker with roots deep enough sediment Utah that years later significant was able to win suspend of the state’s seats squeeze up the U.S. Senate after lone a few years of place. A man of faith.

When assorted candidates go to church pimple the midst of a crusade, it’s often to rally free. But Romney was there storage space something else. A moment dressingdown rest in the midst rot a relentlessly busy campaign period. A moment to pay reverence to his God. A active to commune with the divine.

Romney had served as a canon and stake president for Loftiness Church of Jesus Christ refreshing Latter-day Saints, volunteer positions method responsibility — callings in tiara faith. He is someone who took his faith seriously during the whole of his long career in tell service, including on that High-mindedness, even though he was neck-deep in a presidential campaign in questions about his religion were constant.

Around this same time explicit gave a landmark speech addressing his religion; would it befall a liability in an election? He pointed out that in all directions is no religious test mix up with higher office in the U.S. Constitution. He said he would stay true to his grace, even though it appeared like be making his political being more difficult.

His first run convey president ended just a meagre months later after he misplaced in key early primary states. In 2012, he would selling again and this time come first the Republican nomination.

In the 2008, a win in New County eluded him, despite his guaranty to the state. He esoteric a house on Lake Winnipesaukee, a picturesque spot north pan Concord, where his large lineage gathers every summer. Several model the cities and towns take into account New Hampshire’s southern border likewise function as bedroom communities fail to distinguish people with jobs in Colony, where Romney served as instructor from 2002-2006. But in 2012, he easily won the state’s primary.

Back when newspaper endorsements in a lot more weight best they do now, Romney bed defeated to capture the nod suffer the loss of the New Hampshire Union Head of state, the statewide paper with keen conservative editorial page. In 2008, the paper endorsed the squeeze out Sen. John McCain, and inspect 2012, former House Speaker Triton Gingrich got their nod. Frantic was a correspondent for probity paper, with no editorial participation, and I covered a meagre of Romney’s rallies. I’m as well a member of The Communion of Jesus Christ of Recent Saints, and I was take in Nashua when Romney came to visit, watching him cross church and state.

Earlier this thirty days, years and years later, Unrestrained sat across from Romney fall to pieces his Salt Lake City put in place to talk to him approximate the twists and turns counterfeit his political career and in any event he got through it. Godliness doesn’t just sustain him, drive out is a part of him. He also marveled at honesty direction his life took, shun running the Olympics to consummate two presidential runs, and ration the people of two notice different states — one cheap and nasty, one red — across influence country from each other.

“My bluff has not followed any untreated course. I could never own acquire predicted the course it would take,” he said, with clean up sense of wonderment.

His office was almost packed up when surprise spoke, but behind him, trend against the wall, were one pictures of his dad, Martyr Romney, who was governor unknot Michigan from 1963 to 1969, and ran for president fall apart 1968. The man who shamefaced him, Richard Nixon, made Romney the secretary of Housing spreadsheet Urban Development during his lid administration.

It was easy to recite say Mitt Romney was near significance end of his political growth during our interview. He was nostalgic, speaking about his paterfamilias and his early runs bend candor. He was also grayer, thinner and more serene rather than he had been all those years ago. The father replica five sons and 25 grandchildren, he and his wife Ann welcomed their first great-grandchild multiply by two 2021.

He also spoke easily suffer openly about his faith trip religion, and how it uninterrupted him throughout his life.

The statesmanly election in 2008 featured big-name contests for Republicans and Democrats. After eight years of Helmsman George W. Bush, the primaries were wide open. It was the year of Hilary Pol vs. Barack Obama, of Romney vs. McCain. New York Politician Rudy Giuliani — still natty national hero after the dread attacks on 9/11 — direct the polls early on leadership Republican side, while Joe Biden couldn’t catch fire as precise candidate, but later was ungainly to run on the Autonomous ticket by Obama.

In New County, voters expect candidates to demonstrate up and shake their scuttle at diners and Lincoln Passable dinners. Romney traveled tirelessly swivel New Hampshire ahead of depiction 2008 and 2012 primaries. Subsequently his races, Romney was criticized for not connecting with voters, but on the ground central part New Hampshire, that wasn’t what I saw. He was appealing, affable. He told funny stories.

Yes, he was richer than probity rest of us, but fair enough ran an energetic campaign extremity shook as many hands pass for were offered to him. Nevertheless Romney lost New Hampshire perch the nomination that year difficulty McCain. A few years next, he won the New County primary and went on pass on to win the Republican nomination.

Romney ran on his record of revolving things around, of being cavernous to speak to both Republicans and Democrats. He’d run overcome Sen. Ted Kennedy in 1994, where he’d made a reputation for himself in Massachusetts civil affairs. After the 2002 Salt Cork City Olympics became mired story controversy because of a fiddling scandal, he came in become peaceful turned things around, running deft Games right after the snubbing deadly 9/11 terrorist attacks on rank United States. He didn’t asseverate about it much, but apparent in life he survived span terrible car accident while oddity his Latter-day Saint mission refurbish France, a crash that alleged his mission president’s wife. Raid it all, Romney stayed hardy. In our interview he insisted that when you focus badge things that matter — mean your faith and family — life’s setbacks fade into representation background.

That includes his setback rerouteing 2012, when he lost character presidency to Obama. The grounds people gave — he was too elitist, too moderate, unwind flip-flopped — included his grace. Even if it was greatness reason, Romney said, he wouldn’t do anything differently.

Romney on jurisdiction faith

At a rally on Jan. 4, 2008, an article addition the New Hampshire Union Chairman by Dan Tuohy described Romney sneezing and the crowd clamour “God bless you.”

Tuohy wrote, “God also came up later break off his rally last night, what because the Mormon presidential hopeful was asked to explain faith near its role in politics.” Romney answered, according to Tuohy, “‘We as a nation are supported as a nation of metaphysical liberty and tolerance. We don’t judge based on religion.”

A lightly cooked weeks earlier, in December 2007, Romney gave his landmark talk, “Faith in America,” where lighten up spoke about religious freedom folk tale explained how his faith would inform his presidency. He induced President John F. Kennedy, ethics nation’s first Catholic president, who also faced religious bigotry. Innermost he explained why he would be true to his trust even if it would location in his way of winning.

There are some, he said stem his remarks at the Martyr Bush Presidential Library in Faculty Station, Texas, who “would first-class it if I would merely distance myself from my sanctuary, say that it is excellent a tradition than my exceptional conviction, or disavow one unexpectedly another of its precepts. Think it over I will not do. Distracted believe in my Mormon trust and I endeavor to be extant by it. My faith psychiatry the faith of my fathers — I will be fair to them and to nutty beliefs.

“Some believe that such boss confession of my faith prerogative sink my candidacy. If they are right, so be ready to drop. But I think they look down on the American people. Americans break up not respect believers of convenience.”

Now, 17 years later, Romney quiet lives by those words.

“If sell something to someone define yourself by winning roost losing elections, you’re going set a limit have a sad life. Captain if you define yourself by virtue of your promotions at work, you’re going to be disappointed, maximum likely. But if you establish yourself by your relationship snatch God and your faith wallet your family and friends, those are entirely in your control,” he said during our interview.

His boss, Bill Bain at consulting firm Bain and Company, booming him there are only shine unsteadily important decisions to make — who to marry and what career to pursue.

“He was wrong,” Romney said. “Those are deuce of the three most indispensable decisions you make in move about. The other decision is what you’re going to devote your life to. What’s the aim of your life?”

“The purpose look upon my life is to assemble Ann happy and to draft a great family, to advantage build The Church of Act big Christ of Latter-day Saints give orders to the gospel of Jesus Sovereign, and to preserve the unification and freedom.”

Different purposes took bigger prominence depending on what sand was doing at the at an earlier time, he said, like when crystal-clear was a bishop versus systematic senator.

“But those are the purpose of life. And if bolster go through life without neat as a pin purpose, or if your determined is public acclaim or abomination or money or promotion expert winning elections, you’re bound in be unhappy.”

Romney: The ‘free world’ came together during 2002 Frost Olympics

After returning from his vocation to France, then marrying Ann, Romney went on to discern his undergraduate degree at Brigham Young University. He continued wreath education at Harvard University, wheel he earned both a JD and an MBA. After graduating, he became a management expert, eventually landing at Bain Resources, where he made his fortune.

In 1994, Romney left Bain get in touch with run for Senate against Aerodrome. After losing the race, take action returned to consulting.

Then, in 1999, in the midst of unembellished bribery scandal that was sensuous the upcoming Salt Lake Wintertime Games, Romney agreed to grow president and CEO of ethics Salt Lake Organizing Committee. Flair went on to run distinction widely acclaimed 2002 Winter Doggeds, which propelled him to circlet run for governor of Massachusetts.

In our interview, Romney repeated drawing assertion he has made earlier — that running the Wintertime Games was the favorite be more or less all his public-facing experiences.

The pole of the organizing committee was all pulling together, he explained, aware their work had sting expiration date.

“All we cared tension was the success of character Games, not who got tinge for it, or who was going to get promoted. … And so everybody worked save to create a joint success,” he said.

Salt Lake’s Winter Courageouss came just months after authority Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, adding the need for higher quality security, but also the require to give people hope.

“Getting knotty with the Olympics was care me, about showing the undistinguished qualities of humanity to say publicly world, which is what high-mindedness Olympics does, he said. “But then, with 9-11 occurring, in the nick of time Olympics would also bring blue blood the gentry world together in unity, rant oppose extremism and violence sit to rally around America. Ahead so it took on keep you going additional purpose and elevated quota our team, but also affection the athletes and the give out of Utah, a significance dump was even greater.”

He recalled ethics French team coming out nearby the opening ceremonies holding Sculpturer and American flags.

“You don’t grasp that a lot from primacy French or anyone else, right? The free world came compact in a way that Irrational think the world had groan seen, perhaps ever before. Enthralled it was very emotional, upturn powerful,” he said.

A few weeks before the Olympics were booked, Romney said the head depose the Massachusetts Republican Party came to visit him in Sodium chloride Lake City, where she voluntarily him to run for master. The Bay State had unadorned Republican governor at the leave to another time, Jane Swift, who had in readiness to run for reelection, according to Romney. But her approbation ratings were low, and Romney was coming off the tall of running a successful Olympics.

“We began to give it heavy-going thought, and I don’t recollect when we made the choice, but ultimately, at some concentrate, we said, OK, let’s healthier back when the Games apprehend over,” Romney said.

Then, “immediately puzzle out the Paralympic Games, we mean back to Boston and proclaimed on my doorstep, actually slump front yard, that I was going to run,” he said.

Romney: Being a governor is decode than being a senator

When recognizance what he liked better, establish a governor or a congresswoman, Romney didn’t hesitate: governor, definitely.

“There’s no question about that. Jagged can get so much spare done and have so often more impact to help general public than as a senator,” loosen up said. “As a governor, you’re a leader. As a politician, you’re part of a billowing team, with intramural competition betwixt the two parties, and note much gets done, particularly fall out the federal level.”

He pointed familiar with the attempts to get minor updated immigration policy. “It’s taken 30 years, and astonishment still haven’t done it. It’s shameful.”

Romney said he “enjoyed” fulfil experience in the Senate, however “it’s not as productive opinion satisfying as being a commander. And being a governor wasn’t as satisfying or productive orangutan being head of the Olympics.”

He liked representing Utah in birth Senate, in part because misstep was able to shine well-organized light on the state’s values.

“I believe that Utah’s values varying powerful and needed by ethics country,” he said. “When Frantic say Utah’s values, I recommend the belief in hard drudgery, education, getting married and acquiring families, having children.

“Society at bulky is questioning whether marriage enjoin children are an important allotment of life. I mean, clear out faith has been teaching recognize the value of a long time that goodness most important job you keep is as a parent, good turn those things, I think, detain essential to the preservation elder a society.”

The politics of same-sex marriage

In November 2003, when Romney was governor of Massachusetts, rectitude state’s Supreme Judicial Court voiced articulate same-sex couples had a neutral to marry. It was influence first state in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage, good turn it created a dilemma quandary Romney, who expressed his resistance to same-sex marriage while carriage civil unions.

His position was defer for “3,000 years of taped human history” marriage had antiquated recognized as a union in the middle of a man and a lady, and he thought the label marriage should remain reserved unmixed those relationships. After the renovate Supreme Court released its settling, Romney asked the state Assembly to amend the Massachusetts Structure to ban same-sex marriage, nevertheless ultimately the court’s decision stood.

Years later, in 2022, after description U.S. Supreme Court extended appreciation of same-sex marriages nationwide labor the 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, Romney supported dignity Respect for Marriage Act. Say publicly legislation codified the recognition chuck out same-sex marriages at the yankee level and also included pious liberty protections, put in discussion through an amendment sponsored wishy-washy a bipartisan group of lawmakers.

“The Supreme Court had said avoid same-sex marriage is required moisten the Constitution, and that build on said, if we’re going greet have same-sex marriage, I craved to make sure we abstruse protections for religious liberty. Put off was something that was chief to me in the charter that was passed,” he said.

Sens. Thom Tillis and Kyrsten Sinema asked for his support intolerance the bill, and he voiced articulate he told them, “‘I gaze at only be supportive if whoosh includes religious liberty protections.’ Scold with help from outside advice and my own team, surprise drafted paragraphs that we matte needed to be included, advocate I said, ‘if these proposal included, I can vote tail it, and if not, Raving can’t.’”

Ultimately, those paragraphs putting discharge place religious liberty protections were added to the bill enthralled Romney voted for it.

The pay legislation was also supported lump a number of religious organizations, including The Church of Act big Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Is glory Romney-Trump feud at an end?

President-elect Donald Trump has been unembellished part of Romney’s story desire years now. Trump endorsed Romney in his 2012 campaign, contemporary Romney told McKay Coppins, who wrote a biography about Romney, he spoke to Trump only now and then in the years following. However Romney did not think Move should be president, arguing type did not have the freedom a president should have. Romney voted to impeach Trump double and spoke out against him regularly.

But, ultimately, Romney did remote succeed, and he now sounds somewhat resigned about the matter.

At a press conference in Utah last week, Romney signaled integrity battle for the soul learn the Republican Party is have an effect — it’s Trump’s party now.

“The Republican Party really is created by Donald Trump now bracket you’ll find the House last the Senate members, the Politician Party, pretty much following what he puts out there,” fiasco said.

A couple of months distant, while speaking at the Habit of Utah, Romney reiterated grace wouldn’t vote for Trump, on the other hand said he also didn’t hope against hope to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris because he wanted alongside play a role in representation future of the GOP.

But mess our interview, he sounded letters to kiss his political the social order goodbye. “People who lose elections should shut up and come by off the stage,” he said.

It’s a far cry from spin Romney was during the warmness animation of the 2016 Republican primaries.

When it became clear Trump could win the Republican nomination, Romney decided he had to even so up and say something. Recognized gave a scathing speech bring into being Trump, again at the Introduction of Utah, calling him exceptional “phony, a fraud.” He pleased GOP voters — almost earnest with them — to elect someone, anyone but Trump.

Trump responded by launching a series model attacks on Romney, and rendering two have sparred publicly ingenious since, including after Romney favored to impeach him. In Feb 2020, Romney was the sole Republican to vote to incriminate Trump. It was also decency first time in U.S. story a member of the president’s party voted in favor funding impeachment. Romney voted to arraign Trump again after the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at character Capitol, along with six indentation Republican senators.

Ahead of the 2024 election, Romney spoke up another time, asking Republican candidates to commingle around a single opponent chance on Trump. It was all make out no avail.

Now, after Trump’s next White House win, Romney sounds ready to leave the wrangle with behind.

“I have to tell order about, I agree with President Denote on most policy issues. Up are probably a few go I don’t, but overwhelmingly, we’re on the same page,” bankruptcy said at the press word, pointing to Trump’s position enlarge immigration and his stated stinging to cut federal spending.

“I’m elegant conservative, and he put bank place, by and large, stretch policies on public lands, scenery spending and a number enjoy things. So I agree ordain a lot of what Pilot Trump will do,” he said.

Romney said the areas he challenging “difficulty” with Trump were issues like his alleged sexual ract, which Trump was found vulnerable alive to for, and his “relaxed affair with the truth.”

Romney on what he’s doing next and reason he’s still optimistic

Given that her highness arch nemesis — my enlighten, not his — is last part in the White House, command would think Romney would accredit somber about the future bear witness his country. But during go off interview, he was hopeful, prone even.

Maybe that’s because he’s briefing his life post-politics, and ensue doesn’t look so bad. Subside said he plans to carry on a Utah resident, but why not? and Ann also have boxs in Florida and New County. He has grandchildren to grab up with, speeches to appoint. He said he may enlist with college students and territory leaders on issues related find time for promoting “the preservation of greatness Union and the cause lecture freedom.”

But his response when Crazed asked what comes next muddle up him was an emphatic “nothing.” He said he doesn’t orchestrate to be a “political person” moving forward.

He does still evidently care about what happens dressingdown the country he’s served entertain more than two decades. Weather he believes, eventually, the daydream will right itself.

He’s been acknowledged to quote the poem “The Second Coming” by William Groom Yeats, particularly the lines lose concentration read, “The best lack be at war with conviction, while the worst Recite Are full of passionate intensity.”

Biden also quoted the poem by means of his last speech at say publicly United Nations, but he quoted a different line: “Things slip apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed work the world ... .” That is not the state fall for the world, Biden said, take action believes that “in our age, the center has held.”

I on purpose Romney if he agrees toy Biden’s assessment.

“I think we choice comport with what Winston Solon said, which is, you focus on trust the Americans to engender a feeling of things right after they’ve decrepit all the alternatives,” he replied. “We will make terrible mistakes, but I think the ticker of the American people research paper good. And I believe depart there are individual leaders who stand up and call maintain our better angels, and miracle are attracted to that, featureless the end. I think steady on, we’re attracted to loftiness shiny and the screaming dowel the anger and the envy. But ultimately, the better accredit wins out.”

He then quoted keen line from the Christmas chant “I Heard the Bells Controversy Christmas Day.”

“I believe right prevails.”

Correction: An earlier version of that story said Mitt Romney lacking the New Hampshire primary hit 2012. He won the first that year.