© National Journal Group Inc.
Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007

This is the ninth in a series of reviews on books written by the 2008 presidential contenders. See the archives for earlier reviews, and check back later for a look at John Edwards' "Ending Poverty In America." By Mitt Romney with Timothy Robinson ISBN 1596985143 Regnery Publishing 397 pp. Purchase This Book

Mitt Romney has made change the mantra of his campaign for president. His team releases a new ad nearly every week, proclaiming his vision for the country and reciting the slogan "Change Begins With Us" (subscription). But his platform of responsible management is hardly new. In fact, it's a philosophy and image that Romney has been honing for years.

Romney arrived on the national stage when he took the helm of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, which had been marred by a high-profile bidding scandal. The success of the Winter Games catapulted the son of a former governor and presidential candidate into his own position as governor and his own presidential candidacy.

"Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership and the Olympic Games" offers insight into Romney's approach to problem-solving, money management and public relations, which he promises to take to the White House if elected in November 2008. In the nearly 400-page memoir, Romney recounts how he reluctantly agreed to become president of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. Romney was approached in part because of his Mormon heritage, and real estate developer Kem Gardner repeatedly pitched the job to Romney because of the managerial skills and financial acumen he honed at Bain Capital, which Romney co-founded. But ultimately, it was Romney's wife, Ann, who convinced him to head west.

Similarly, Romney claims it was others who ultimately persuaded him to run for governor of Massachusetts in 2002. In drawing comparisons between his gubernatorial campaign and his time at SLOC, Romney cites four principles that guided him:

• Know why you're running.

• Assemble the right people for the team.

• Carry out a strategic audit.

• Communicate the vision and challenge the team to stretch.

In an almost diary-like approach, Romney's book details every meticulous stage of planning, lobbying and selling the Games. (Political wonks may take a backseat to Olympics fans who will relish Romney's "behind the scenes" look.) Among his tasks were restoring faith in the SLOC by mending relationships with state and local officials and members of the International Olympic Committee, securing new sponsors and managing a global media campaign. After new staff members were hired, Romney charged them with his guiding principles, which he reproduced and codified for each employee. Teamwork, passion, communication and integrity were all qualities Romney said would be an integral part of the planning process. "Fun and celebration" were included, too, and Romney's light-hearted side shows through when he describes how he mandated that each meeting begin with a joke or offers an aside about his love for old Coca-Cola commercials.

One of Romney's larger challenges was securing federal support for the Games, and he had to lobby Congress directly for funding. Many senators had a history of protecting and shepherding the Games, he said. But one of Romney's future rivals was also the chief obstacle to more federal money: Arizona Sen. John McCain.

"McCain had earned the unfair reputation of being out to destroy the Games," Romney writes. "In reality, the Senator did not oppose the Olympics -- he simply opposed the federal government paying for the Games, particularly when he saw any waste and abuse."

His reverence for the Olympics, not just as an American tradition but also as a global equalizer, was an important motivator for Romney. "They celebrated the human spirit by revealing the Olympic athlete's unrelenting drive to push the limits of human capacity," he writes.

Romney also offers unique insight into staging the first post-9/11 Olympics. While enhanced security was to be expected, Romney writes that the Games were needed not just to unify the nation but also the world: "Even in an uncertain world, civilization would proceed, nations would gather, freedom would ring, and young heroes would be celebrated."

Many consider Romney's Mormon heritage a liability to his campaign for president, and since announcing his candidacy, he has seemed less than eager to delve into his religion. However, because the Olympics were inextricably linked to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Romney discusses his faith freely and openly at many points in the book, citing his religion as the reason for his path toward community service. While it was crucial to have the support of church leaders for the Olympics to be successful, there were also points of contention with the church that could resurface -- most notably, leaders' objection to serving alcohol at the Games.

Although the book was published shortly before the 2004 election and official 2008 candidates had yet to emerge, the entire book acts as a sales pitch for Romney's approach to the management of a crisis: a top-down model to leadership that includes surrounding oneself with good managers and advisers. Romney's presidential campaign is clearly following that strategy -- and his success to date in polling in New Hampshire and Iowa might attest to its effectiveness -- but it will be put to a more stringent test as campaign season wears on.

--Jessica Taylor, NationalJournal.com