Indiana GOP Forum: Romney Blasts Obama, Remembered For Saving 2002 Winter Olympics

Ahh, the beautiful Hoosier State…

Governor Romney was there last night to speak at a free GOP forum…

An article linked on the Indiana GOP website reported that The Gov’s visit created the most buzz among local Republicans:

His [Romney's] visit has created the most stir among local Republicans. Far more people have told the Indiana Republican Party they plan to attend Romney’s forum than showed up to hear either of the first two candidates to campaign here: former Godfather’s Pizza Chief Executive Herman Cain and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman.

While speaking to a large crowd of about 400 party activists at the JW Marriott downtown, Romney ripped into Obama for the uncertainty and pain his policies have injected into the American economy:

Romney hammers Obama in Indianapolis

For about a half hour, he talked to a crowd of Republicans at the JW Marriott downtown. Romney spent the better part of his time hammering President Obama, accusing the president of hurting the American economy by creating uncertainty with his policies on everything from health care reform to new financial regulation.

“We can deal with bad news. Businesses encounter bad news all the time. What we can’t deal with as entrepreneurs and innovators is uncertainty, and virtually everything the president did increased uncertainty in this country,” said Romney.

Romney also said Obama’s policies have generally been harmful to time-honored fundamentals of the country’s economy like capitalism and free enterprise.

Because he’s an experienced businessman who’s created jobs, Romney said he’s the right person to lead the country. Romney is also a former governor of Massachusetts and was credited for making the Salt Lake City Olympics a success.

Romney frequently compared his business experience to that of the president Friday, saying that Obama had no real executive experience going into the White House and that the country is now seeing the consequences.

While speaking, Romney was also complimentary of Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels. The article points out that perhaps the most interesting party of Romney’s visit might have been what he didn’t say. No mention of Rick Perry…

Romney hammers Obama in Indianapolis: wane.com

The Political Hotsheet (CBS News) reports that a number of Republicans attending the GOP forum are most impressed with Romney’s extraordinary work to save the debt-ridden, scandalous 2002 Winter Olmpic Games:

On the stump, Romney has made his success as a businessman his calling card, but a number of Republicans here said they are most impressed with his record rescuing the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City from scandal.

“He had a huge problem to deal with. He was kind of thrust into it,” said Wayne Baer, a Romney supporter who described himself as a Republican moderate. “We’ve got a lot of problems on a bigger scale, but you know, I like that. I think he can handle anything.”

This is a perfect place to remind our readers of the extraordinary feat Governor Romney accomplished in salvaging the 2002 Winter Olympic Games:

When the offer came for Romney to take over the troubled 2002 Olympic Winter Games, to be held in Salt Lake City in Utah, she [wife, Ann Romney] urged him to take it, and eager for a new challenge, he did. On February 11, 1999, Romney was hired as the new president and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee.

Before Romney came on, the event was running $379 million short of its revenue benchmarks. Plans were being made to scale back the games to compensate for the fiscal crisis and there were fears the games might be moved away entirely. The Games had also been damaged by allegations of bribery involving top officials[.]

Romney revamped the organization’s leadership and policies, reduced budgets, and boosted fund raising. He soothed worried corporate sponsors and recruited many new ones. He admitted past problems, listened to local critics, and rallied Utah’s citizenry with a sense of optimism. Romney worked to ensure the safety of the Games following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks by ignoring those who suggested the games be called off and coordinating a $300 million security budget. He became the public face of the Olympic effort, appearing in countless photographs and news stories and even on Olympics souvenir pins.[…]

Overall he oversaw a $1.32 billion budget, 700 employees, and 26,000 volunteers.

Despite the initial fiscal shortfall, the Games ended up clearing a profit of $100 million, not counting the $224.5 million in security costs contributed by outside sources. Romney broke the record for most private money raised by any individual for an Olympics games, summer or winter. His performance as Olympics head was rated positively by 87 percent of Utahns. Romney and his wife contributed $1 million to the Olympics, and he donated to charity the $1.4 million in salary and severance payments he received for his three years as president and CEO.

Romney was widely praised for his successful efforts with the 2002 Winter Olympics including by President George W. Bush, and it solidified his reputation as a turnaround artist.

Harvard Business School taught a case study based around Romney’s successful actions.

(footnotes removed, emphasis added)

Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony (Part 1) The Fire Within:

The fire within… an apt description of Governor Romney.

► Jayde Wyatt