His politics on hold, Romney concentrates on public safety
Mitt Romney is set to appear on NBC's ''Today Show" this morning, but don't expect the Republican governor to use his national air time to take on John F. Kerry. Romney's people have given Katie Couric's people strict ground rules: No politics.
This week, Romney is vowing to put aside his assignment as an occasional GOP attack dog and focus instead on his role as host and on the security for the 35,000 people in town for the Democratic National Convention. In so doing, the telegenic first-term governor -- widely viewed as having national aspirations of his own -- is forfeiting a chance to bask in the glow of unmatched media coverage.
''Public safety is of paramount importance to Governor Romney. There will be plenty of time for politics later," Romney spokeswoman Shawn Feddeman said.
The Republican National Committee wanted Romney to help its ''rapid response" team offer GOP spin to counter the onslaught of Democratic rhetoric coming out of Boston this week. But Romney declined; Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey will replace him in that role, beginning today at the first of the GOP's daily convention press conferences.
Romney will receive daily security briefings during the four-day event; he also has a mobile command center ready for him if disaster strikes. He plans to personally inspect some of the state's security forces and facilities, and today he will join Senator Edward M. Kennedy, whom he lost to in a 1994 US Senate race, to dedicate the Rose Kennedy Greenway. But he will spend much of the week in the State House, according to aides, signing bills and conducting staff meetings.
That contrasts with Romney's role so far in the presidential campaign. As Kerry's home state governor, Romney has parlayed his position to help Bush and raise his own profile at the same time. The national media have found him to be a useful Massachusetts counterpoint to Kerry.
On the day of the New Hampshire primary in January, Romney told a Republican women's group in Portsmouth, ''I don't think I can put my finger on what [Kerry] fights for." In April he was in Michigan, where his father served as governor, to campaign for Bush. And on the day Kerry picked John Edwards as a running mate, Romney stepped out of his State House office to deride both men as too liberal for the public to accept.
Two weeks ago, some Democrats accused Romney of putting politics before security when he went to Washington to deliver a speech on the same day Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge came to Boston to discuss convention security with local and state officials. On that day, Romney said of Kerry: ''His conflicted positions have been well-documented, as have his tortured explanations of them."
Several months ago, some Democrats even accused Romney of trying to sabotage the convention itself when he suggested that it be moved to the South Boston convention center to minimize hassles for commuters, long after it was feasible to do so.
One of Romney's recent moves actually helped the Democrats. He helped settle the dispute between Boston and its police union when he replaced the acting chairman of the state's labor relations board with one who would push for expedited arbitration. In one fell swoop, he tweaked labor unions -- a major target of his government ''reform" efforts -- while appearing to offer leadership at a time of crisis.
The state Democratic chairman, Philip W. Johnston, said he isn't impressed by Romney's pledge to eschew politics this week -- especially since his lieutenant governor will be acting as a surrogate.
''I'm troubled by the fact that he's simply putting Kerry Healey out there as the pit bull for the week," Johnston said. ''I don't believe there's much difference between the two. If he were truly serious about behaving in a less partisan manner, he would ask everyone in his administration to refrain from partisan talk."
As the week progresses, Romney will undoubtedly be pulled between being a partisan critic and a gracious host. Rob Gray, one of Romney's political advisers, sees Romney choosing the latter role.
''Obviously, the governor has been on the campaign trail criticizing Kerry. He has been helpful to the president's reelection campaign in the past, and he will be again in the future," Gray said. ''But for the good of the state, and all of the people attending the convention, it made sense for him not to be involved with politics this week."
But it will be a brief recess. He heads to Salt Lake City next Monday to hawk his new book on his role running the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. On Aug. 4, he will make an appearance on ''Hannity & Colmes," the sharply partisan talk show on Fox. And this fall, he says, he is ready to campaign for Bush, vowing to send Kerry to ''ignominious defeat."
