Patrick defends travel against Romney comparison

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick today defended his decision to travel more during his second term, saying it is far different from the extensive travel engaged in by Republican Governor Mitt Romney that prompted sharp criticism from Democrats.

Patrick, himself a Democrat, said, "I'm going out promoting the commonwealth, while he was out making us a laughingstock.”

The governor was referring to Romney's extensive travel in preparation for his 2008 presidential campaign. In but one example of his out-of-state comments, Romney once told South Carolinians "being a conservative Republican in Massachusetts is a bit like being a cattle rancher at a vegetarian convention."

Patrick recently visited Washington and Chicago to prepare for an expected role as a surrogate speaker on behalf of President Obama during the Democrat's re-election campaign next year.

Next month, Patrick is also visiting Denver to address a Democratic dinner, before jetting off to Israel and the United Kingdom on a trade mission. In April, he will be participating in a multi-city tour promoting his memoir. He has also promised more trade missions.

“It’s not a bad thing for us to raise our profile" the governor said during his monthly appearance on WTKK-FM.

He said bragging about balanced budgets, an improved bond rating, and high student achievement scores is "a story we ought to be telling."

He then veered into the political, recalling a Globe story from 2006 that detailed how Romney had spent all or part of 212 days out of state that year.

"That’s a lot different from what I'm taking about, and I'm going out promoting the commonwealth, while he was out making us a laughingstock.”

Glen Johnson can be reached at johnson@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @globeglen.