By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

An anti-spending group has issued an economic assessment of Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney.

The conservative Club for Growth today released its fifth white paper on the GOP candidates.

It is available at the group's website.

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

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

Just days after announcing his presidential bid, Mitt Romney says not to expect him to hit the campaign hustings too hard anytime soon.

“Right now, your greatest enemy is overexposure," he told CNN's Piers Morgan in his first major TV interview since his announcement. "People get tired of seeing the same person day in and day out."

"People are going to start focusing on the elections probably after Labor Day," he added. "And until Labor Day hits, I'm going to be pretty quiet."

Being quiet for Romney became easy tonight. In fact, he was supposed to be on the show for the full hour, but his time was more than cut in half to make room for coverage of a scandal involving Representative Anthony Weiner and his tawdry Tweets (almost as a counter-balance, Romney tonight tweeted a photo of him, his wife, Ann, and their son, Matt, eating takeout on a park bench in New York City).

Glen Johnson/Globe Staff

About 3,000 Massachusetts Democrats gathered in Lowell this morning for their annual state convention.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

LOWELL — The six Democrats who so far have declared they want to unseat US Senator Scott Brown next year blasted the Republican and mocked his service in "the people's seat" as they rallied delegates today at their party's annual convention.

"Scott Brown didn't make a mark in the Massachusetts Legislature — and he isn't leaving any footprints in the United States Senate,'' said City Year co-founder Alan Khazei. ""We need a senator who leads."

Newton Mayor Setti Warren accused Brown of voting against the interests of Massachusetts men, women, and children.

"This is our senator, who even questions the science of global climate change," Warren said. "Is that someone who represents the values of our state?"

The crowd of roughly 3,000 delegates gathered at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell replied with a robust "no."

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Mitt Romney tonight began a speech to a ballroom full of Christian conservatives by reaffirming his positions against abortion and gay marriage.

“We’re united tonight in a lot of things,” the former Massachusetts governor said at the start of a 13-minute address in a downtown hotel here. “We’re united in the love we have for this great country. We’re united in our belief in the sanctity of human life. We’re united in our belief in the importance and significance of a marriage between one man and one woman.”

Romney, who wrote a portion of the speech on a legal pad during a flight from Boston to Washington late this afternoon, then turned to the economic themes that are expected to drive his recently launched presidential campaign.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

The head of Fiat-Chrysler said today that Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney must have been "smoking illegal material" when he argued in 2008 that the US auto industry could be resurrected without federal financial assistance.

During an interview with CNN, Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Fiat and Chrysler, said government support was pivotal.

The comment contrasted with a 2008 op-ed column in which Romney urged the federal government not to provide an industry bailout but instead force automakers into a "managed bankruptcy."

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney was headed from New Hampshire to Washington this afternoon so he could speak tonight at the Faith and Freedom Conference.

Just don't expect much talk about social conservative issues, which were the bane of his first campaign for the presidency in 2008.

Instead, advance excerpts show a reprise of the economic focus that permeated Romney's campaign kickoff speech yesterday.

It's part of his campaign's message-management the second time around:

“President Obama said that unemployment wouldn’t go beyond 8 percent. Today it is over 9 percent. We are going backwards, and that is the wrong direction for America. President Obama has failed.

“Unemployment is not just a statistic. Unemployment means kids can’t go to college; that marriages break up under the financial strain; that young people can’t find work and start their lives; and men and women in their 50s, in the prime of their lives, fear they will never find a job again. President Obama has failed these good and decent Americans.
“Sixteen million Americans are out of work or have stopped looking for work. Make no mistake. This is a moral tragedy - a moral tragedy of epic proportion.

"President Obama should have had one central mission when he took office - put Americans back to work! Fight for every job! Because every job is a paycheck and paychecks fuel Americans dreams. Without a paycheck, you can’t take care of your family. Without a paycheck you can’t buy school books for your kids, keep a car on the road or help an aging parent make ends meet.

“The debt we are amassing as a nation and passing on to our children is immoral. It was once said that we should pass a torch to the next generation. Instead, we are passing on an unpaid bill. Throwing more money at our problems is not the answer.”

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Prospective Republican presidential contender Sarah Palin will continue her "One Nation" tour beyond Washington, D.C., and the New England states.

She said this morning that she plans to take her tour to Iowa and South Carolina, two early voting states.

She made the announcement after having breakfast in Portsmouth with US Senator Kelly Ayotte.

While Palin insisted her visit to the Granite State wasn't a poke in the eye to Mitt Romney as her potential rival held two days of events in New Hampshire, news of her visit trumped coverage of Romney’s formal announcement speech yesterday.

"Palin hits the Seacoast," blared a four-column headline in today's New Hampshire Union Leader.

A story about Romney's speech was relegated to Page A3.

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Massachusetts Democrats are converging on Lowell this afternoon for the fun part of their annual convention: the convention-eve parties.

Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray is throwing a bash, while Senate candidates such as Alan Khazei and Marisa DeFranco are holding smaller receptions. The host committee is also having a party organized by former Lowell City Councilor Curtis LeMay.

In addition, there's a Young Democrats bash at the Brewery Exchange.

Stephan Savoia/AP

Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney holds a town hall meeting this morning at the Manchester campus of the University of New Hampshire.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

MANCHESTER, N.H. – In the first town hall of his freshly-announced presidential campaign, Mitt Romney this morning continued to offer a sharp critique of President Obama’s handling of the economy.

“Look he’s a nice guy, he’s well spoken - he could talk a dog off a meat wagon - and yet he hasn’t delivered,” the former Massachusetts governor said in a conference room at the University of New Hampshire’s campus here. “We’ve had three years now - at the beginning it was all George Bush - we’re not hearing a lot about George Bush now, by the way, as we’re seeing unemployment at nine percent plus. It went up again today.”

“He can’t keep blaming George Bush,” he added. “This is now his economy.”

It was the first time this year that Romney has faced a group of voters in the unscripted forums that New Hampshire prides itself on. About 100 people showed up to the event, bringing written questions to ask the candidate about issues he has not brought up himself: education, climate change, and abortion.

By Shira Schoenberg, Globe Correspondent

NORTH CONWAY, N.H. - Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said today he is pondering whether to run again for the presidency and will decide by the end of summer. If he does run, he said, he would "do it the right way" this time and spend more time on person-to-person campaigning in New Hampshire.

In 2008, Giuliani led in the polls at various times and was sometimes described as the front-runner. But he made little effort in first-caucus state of Iowa, eventually pulled most of his advertising out of the first-primary state New Hampshire, and focused on Florida, where his campaign collapsed.

Giuliani placed fourth in the 2008 New Hampshire primary after doing little campaigning here. He vowed to run differently if he decides to jump into the 2012 race.

(Pat Greenhouse / Globe Staff Photo)

Sarah Palin, right, with celebrity look-alike impersonator Cecilia Thompson during a tour of Boston's North End neighborhood.

By Michael Levenson and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

Even as she insisted that she was not trying to undermine Mitt Romney's presidential campaign announcement today, Sarah Palin sharply criticized Romney's universal health care law while touring historic sites on Romney's home turf in Massachusetts.

“In my opinion, any mandate coming from government is not a good thing,” Palin told reporters during a visit to the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. The law will be one of the reasons that it “will be a big challenge” for Romney to appeal to Tea Party supporters.

“It's tough for a lot of us independent Americans to accept [the mandate] because we have great faith in the private sector and our own families and our own business men and women making decisions for ourselves, not any level of government telling us what to do,” said Palin, who is a potential challenger to Romney for the Republican presidential nomination.

Glen Johnson/Globe Staff

Mitt and Ann Romney served up her chicken-and-bean chili today before the former Massachusetts governor publicly declared his second campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

STRATHAM, N.H. — Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney today publicly launched his second bid for the presidency with an outdoor speech at a farm in the lead primary state of New Hampshire.

---

1:16 p.m. - "I refuse to believe that America is just another place on the map with a flag," Mitt Romney told the crowd.

"We know we can bring country back," he said, before reprising a line from the movie, "The American President." "I'm Mitt Romney. I believe in America. And I'm running for president of the United States.

The declaration triggered a chorus of "Go, Mitt, Go."

With that, the speech was over.

---

1:12 p.m. - "Turning around a crisis takes bold action," Mitt Romney declares.

He says he will cap government spending at 20 percent of the budget and "finally, finally" balance the budget.

Then, channeling a famous Democrat, President John F. Kennedy, he says his generation will pass a torch to the next generation — "not a bill."

He pledges his primary focus from Day One as president will be job-creation.

"You know, if you want to create jobs, it helps to have actually had a job — and I have," he said.

Of course, Romney has joked that he has been unemployed since leaving the governor's office in January 2007.

---

1:09 p.m. - Unlike President Obama's European-style solutions, Romney is saying he will bring a CEO's acumen to the White House.

He recalls that he balanced the Massachusetts budget without taxes — but fails to mention he also jacked up fees for a variety of services.

And, despite criticism from conservatives and some of his presidential contenders, Romney says his Massachusetts health care plan was "a state solution to a state problem."

---

1:04 p.m. - The speech is not much of a departure from what Mitt Romney has been saying for the past couple years.

Glen Johnson/Globe Staff

Staffers hung a Romney banner.

Romney says he believes in a country of freedom and opportunity, propelled by entrepreneurship.

He complained that a newly inaugurated President Obama traveled the world, "apologizing" for America.

And he said the president is treating Israel "the same way so many European countries have, with suspicion."

---

1:01 p.m. - The audience applauds as Mitt Romney delivers the signature line of his announcement speech: "Barack Obama has failed America."

Three years later, he said, jobs are hard to come by, grocery and gas prices are up.

"It breaks my heart to see what is happening to our country," he said.

---

12:59 p.m. - Mitt Romney is lauding the country's history as a democracy, and a republic, not a monarchy.

"Who is it that rules this great nation?" he said. "You do."

The voters, in 17 months time, will choose who gives the State of the Union speech.

---

12:56 p.m. - Ann Romney is testfying to her husband as a partner, father, and problem-solver.

"That's why I have all the confidence in the world that this man standing next to me will be the next nominee for the Republican Party — and will be the next president of the United States."

---

12:54 p.m. - Ann and Mitt Romney are taking the stage. She will introduce him.

"Thank-you; very generous," Mitt Romney said to Doug Scamman.

As he has said elsewhere this second campaign, Mitt Romney told the crowd, "Old friends."

---

12:53 p.m. - Doug Scamman, a former speaker of the New Hampshire House, is now introducing the Romneys.

Glen Johnson/Globe Staff

The Scammans' Bittersweet Farm

The Scammans supported John McCain the last time around, and now they are with the proverbial party "next-in-line."

But Doug Scamman is citing Romney's business and civic background as the basis for his support.

"We need somebody in the White House who can work with everybody," Scamman said.

---

12:50 p.m. - The program is beginning with Stella Scamman saying hello and a 12-year-old leading the Pledge of Allegiance.

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12:31 p.m. - Events are running behind schedule, as Mitt and Ann Romney greet their supporters — amid a scrum of TV cameras...

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12:22 p.m. - Former New Hampshire governor and Bush 41 White House Chief of Staff John Sununu is among those on hand.

---

12:11 p.m. - It IS a different kind of campaign the second time around.

Mitt Romney emerged the Doug and Stella Scamman's farmhouse clad in an open collar and lacking a suitcoat, and then he and his wife, Ann, made their way not to the stage for his announcement speech, but to a table of crockpots to serve her recipe of chicken-and-bean chili.

"Who wants some chili?" the candidate said as he served up heaping scoops.

---

12:04 p.m. - Ace campaign photographer Brooks Kraft reports the chili being served in conjunction with the announcement speech is fantastic.

Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom says volunteers had 36 crockpots in the campaign headquarters yesterday to cook chili according to Ann Romney's family recipe.

---

11:55 a.m. - They've brought the crowd in front of the stage to provide a populist scene for the announcement speech.

Old Romney hands Eric Fehrnstrom, Peter Flaherty, and Russ Schriefer are working through the crowd of supporters and reporters.

Also here is at least one of Mitt Romney's sons, Josh, a father of five who deals in real estate in Utah.

---

11:40 a.m. - For Republicans who like to criticize President Obama and his use of TelePrompTers, Romney will be speaking from one.

His campaign has also set-up a tripod just below his podium so it can get close-up shots for use in future videos and campaign commercials.

---

11:18 a.m. - It has been hard to blog from the site, with the wind whipping and the excessive glare from the sun as it jumps in and out of the clouds.

Nonetheless, the report begins: A crowd is assembling at the Scammans' farm, including New Hampshire politicos such as Tom Rath and former Massachusetts supporters including House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones Jr. He brought his father-in-law.

Groups of Romney aides, dressed in blue T-shirts with the campaign slogan "Believe in America" are racing around, completing last-minute preparations.

Mitt Romney was doing a handful a pull-aside interviews beforehand, including with the Fox New Channel's Sean Hannity and ABC News correspondent John Berman, whose network broadcasts over WMUR-TV, the dominant television station in New Hampshire.

Romey is slated to begin speaking about noon.

---

10:24 a.m. - The bucolic setting at Doug and Stella Scamman's Bittersweet Farm was leavened with blustery conditions in the aftermath of a tornado-laden weather system that blew through Romney's home state overnight.

Campaign workers had erected tents and sunscreens for a chili cookoff following the speech, but they dismantled them to avoid them going airborne.

In a nod to the setting, hay bales ringed the stage, media riser, and even the speaker stands.

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

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

Mitt Romney this morning is planning to announce his presidential bid by delivering a forceful speech that continues to criticize President Obama’s handling of the economy.

The former Massachusetts governor and Bain Capital executive will also seek to portray himself as the candidate with the know-how to get the country’s economy back on track.

“When Barack Obama came to office, we wished him well and hoped for the best,” Romney plans to say, according to excerpts of the speech. “Now, in the third year of his four-year term, we have more than promises and slogans to go by. Barack Obama has failed America.”

Democrats, meanwhile, are poised to continue focusing most of their own attacks on Romney, with plans for conference calls and the release of a new video tagging him as a wishy-washy politician. The video, called "Romney: Same Candidate, Different Positions," is being released this morning by the Democratic National Committee.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Be sure to return to "Political Intelligence" before noon tomorrow for coverage as Mitt Romney's publicly declares his second campaign for the presidency.

My Globe colleague Matt Viser and I will be on hand at Doug and Stella Scamman's Bittersweet Farm in Stratham, N.H., for the speech and ensuing chili cookoff.

Ann Romney will be offering her signature campaign; does that stack the odds in her favor?

We plan to live-blog the pre-speech activities and announcement itself, wrap up Romney's remarks, and gather video to complement the coverage.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Massachusetts Democrats plan to focus on Republican Scott Brown and the record he has compiled in the US Senate during their annual convention in Lowell on Saturday.

According to an agenda released this afternoon, the party will also focus on building upon its 2010 achievements, including repelling a national GOP tide by reelecting an all-Democratic congressional delegation, as well as President Obama's 2012 reelection campaign.

The convention gavels to order at 10 a.m. at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell.

It will include remarks by Governor Deval Patrick and the state's other constitutional officers, as well as the four Democrats who have already declared their candidacy against Brown.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Mitt Romney is publicly announcing his second presidential campaign tomorrow in Stratham, N.H., and he'll get down to work fast.

His campaign committee has announced that he will hold a town hall meeting in Manchester, N.H., on Friday.

It will take place at the University of New Hampshire Manchester Campus at 8:30 a.m.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Sarah Palin and Donald Trump walk toward a limousine last night after leaving the Trump Tower in New York City.

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

Sarah Palin’s mystery tour/summer vacation/media scavenger hunt is headed toward Boston, perhaps as soon as this afternoon.

The former Alaska governor, who has been visiting historic sites across the Northeast (and eating pizza with Donald Trump), as part of her One Nation bus tour, spent the morning in New York City, visiting Ellis Island.

Now, reporters for ABC News, CNN, and Real Clear Politics, who have been chasing after her bus, are reporting that she’s headed to Boston en route to New Hampshire, which holds the nation’s first presidential primary.

Larry Downing/Reuters

After losing his first bid for the presidency, Mitt Romney is following an Olympian's example with another try.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

For anyone who listened to Mitt Romney during his first campaign for president, it’s no surprise that Olympic speedskater Dan Jansen attended the biggest fund-raiser to date for Romney’s second campaign.

Jansen became an international sports celebrity with his example of picking himself up after defeat and pushing on to victory.

It’s an example the former Massachusetts governor hopes to emulate starting tomorrow, when he publicly kicks off his 2012 White House bid.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

In less than 140 characters, Newton Mayor Setti Warren made a big announcement.

Just after 1 p.m. today, the Democratic Senate candidate announced he and his wife had a son.

"My wife Tassy and I are proud & excited to welcome our son, John David Warren into the world," said the mayor.

The couple already has a daughter, Abigail.

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

Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

Senator Scott Brown listens as General Peter Chiarelli speaks to the crowd before the May 22 "Run to Home Base" event for wounded veterans and families at Fenway Park.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Republican Scott Brown may be a US senator now, but that hasn't stopped him from rekindling his roots as a state senator as he tries to stoke support for his 2012 reelection campaign.

Twice in recent weeks, Brown has issued statements condemning local Democrats amid the ongoing federal corruption trial of former House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi.

Yesterday, he did so after Governor Deval Patrick appeared on the witness stand, though Brown was careful not to single out the most powerful Democrat in the state by name.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Massachusetts Democrats and their counterparts in Washington are at odds over how best precisely to field a challenger to Republican Senator Scott Brown next year.

Governor Deval Patrick, who controls the Massachusetts Democratic Party, favors an organic process, with the candidate rising from a contested primary field.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which is charged with ensuring President Obama has the party majority he needs to pass his legislative agenda, is pointed toward landing a big-name candidate who can clear the field and take on Brown with maximum resources and minimum infighting.

Some of them haven't forgotten that Massachusetts Democrats took the blame when Brown surprised the 2010 state nominee, Martha Coakley, and cost the national Democrats their filibuster-proof majority in the US Senate.

Washington colleague Mark Arsenault and I looked at the dispute for a story in today's Globe.

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

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

DES MOINES – Updated, 5:31 p.m. Mitt Romney returned yesterday to the state that delivered to him a disappointing defeat in 2008, and once again began trying to woo Iowa caucus-goers for his nascent presidential campaign.

“It’s good to be home,” he said to an audience of about 200 here. “Ah, this isn’t exactly home, but it felt like it last time I was around.”

But his first high-profile event in the state – held at the State Historical Building, with about 200 people sitting on fold-out chairs eager to hear from the former Massachusetts governor -- was cut short by burning popcorn that triggered a fire alarm and an evacuation.

Michael Dwyer/AP

Governor Deval Patrick leaves the Moakley courthouse this afternoon after testifying in the federal corruption trial of former House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick today traded the State House for the courthouse, testifying during the federal corruption trial of Salvatore F. DiMasi that the former House speaker repeatedly pressed him for a computer software contract and that he told his staff he would support it "if we could do it within the rules."

Prosecutors allege that DiMasi and his codefendants instead got kickbacks for getting the contract approved. Patrick is not accused on any wrongdoing.

The governor also vividly recounted how DiMasi became visibly upset in 2008 and accused the administration of being a leak after the Globe began reporting about the suspect contract.

The governor said the speaker demanded that he issue a statement saying DiMasi had no interest in the contract. Patrick said he refused.

"I said we couldn’t do that, because it wasn’t accurate,” the governor told the jury.

Appearing confident as he adjusted his microphone, the Harvard-trained lawyer smoothly answered questions for about 70 minutes — the first time by a sitting governor since William F. Weld also did so during a corruption case in 1995.

At that time, then-state Senator Henri Rauschenbach was accused of accepting illegal payments from an investment banker. He was subsequently acquitted.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

DES MOINES – Mitt Romney is planning to announce next week what has been a poorly kept secret for months: he’s running for president.

The former Massachusetts governor is planning to make the announcement in New Hampshire, in an indication of just how vital the Granite State is to his second presidential bid.

Romney is planning to make the announcement next Thursday at an afternoon barbeque in Stratham, NH. It will be held at the Bittersweet Farm, the home of longtime Republican activists and state legislators Doug and Stella Scamman, and the menu is expected to consist of hot dogs, hamburgers, and a chili made from Ann Romney's special recipe.

"I think, by far, he's the most qualified in this race," Stella Scamman, who with her husband endorsed former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 2008, said last night in an interview. "We're trying to invite a whole bunch of our friends to come and meet him."

The Scammans own a 200-acre farm that has played host to numerous political events in the past, including ones for President George H.W. Bush, President George W. Bush, Vice President Dan Quayle, and Senator Bob Dole.

Romney's campaign activities have seen a notable uptick in recent weeks, with visits around the country to raise money and stoke a political network that remains largely in tact from his 2008 campaign. Much of his efforts have been around fundraising, with the hopes of scaring away any would-be challengers, but his formal announcement next week indicates a transition into a more aggressive public phase of his campaign.

He is planning to make his first trip of the year tomorrow in Iowa, which will hold the first nominating contest of the year.

So far, though, Romney has placed far more emphasis on New Hampshire, as indicated by his choice to make his formal announcement there next week.

Romney also used New Hampshire as the backdrop for his announcement six weeks ago that he was forming a presidential exploratory, the first step in mounting a run. He recorded a video at the University of New Hampshire and released it on his website.

News of his formal announcement was first reported by the Union Leader in Manchester, and confirmed by a Romney spokeswoman.

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced this week in Des Moines that he was running for president. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former businessman Herman Cain also announced earlier this month that they was running. Several others, including former senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, are expected to announce their plans soon.

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is also planning a bus tour, starting on Sunday, that will travel from Washington up through New England. Some of her recent activities have stoked speculation that she'll enter the race.

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.

Jim Cole/AP

Republican Tim Pawlenty addresses employees of Cirtronics today during his first visit to New Hampshire as an official presidential candidate.

By Shira Schoenberg, Globe Correspondent

MILFORD, N.H. — Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty today denounced the federal stimulus program, even though under his leadership his state benefited from billions of dollars of the federal aid.

During his first trip New Hampshire as an official candidate for president, the Republican also said for the first time that he could support Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan’s plan to turn Medicare into a voucher program.

Pawlenty said he would publish his own plan with some differences, but, he said, “If that was the only bill that came to my desk and I wasn’t able to pass my own plan, I would sign it.”

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Senator Scott Brown pushed a multi-pronged approach to job creation today in an op-ed column for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

The Massachusetts Republican called for congressional approval of trade agreements, boosting education, and promoting job re-training are all elements of the plan.

"This year, I have worked across the aisle on a targeted approach to boost our economy," Brown wrote. "As your senator, and a member of the Senate’s Manufacturing Task Force, I will continue to look for common sense economic policies that help create jobs. With the passage of these trade agreements, we can start to tear down some of the barriers holding us back."

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

By Shira Schoenberg, Globe Correspondent

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich continues to back away from criticism he made earlier this month of Representative Paul Ryan's plan to overhaul Medicare, but at the same time he is stopping short of fully endorsing the plan.

Speaking at Derry Medical Center yesterday, Gingrich delivered an entire speech about health care without mentioning the overhaul, and then declined to take press questions about it.

Later in the day, at the Manchester home of former US Senate candidate Ovide Lamontagne, Gingrich said his words criticizing Ryan's plan were "clumsy."

Stephan Savoia/AP

Vice President Joe Biden today marked the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's moon-shot speech by complaining that that the US has sometimes become 'too incremental' in its pursuits and needs similar big dreams.

By Tracy Jan, Globe Staff

Vice President Joe Biden today marked the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's speech about reaching the moon by complaining the United States has occasionally become "too incremental" instead of pursuing similarly big dreams.

The Democrat, speaking at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, recalled being an 18-year student at a Catholic boys school when the newly inaugurated president addressed Congress and laid down a monumental challenge.

"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth," Kennedy declared on May 25, 1961.

That goal was achieved in July 1969, nearly six years after Kennedy was assassinated, when the crew of Apollo 11 visited the moon and successfully returned home.

By Shira Schoenberg, Globe Correspondent

DERRY, N.H. — Representative Paul Ryan’s plan to overhaul Medicare is causing controversy in Congress — and likely contributed to yesterday’s defeat of a Republican House candidate in New York’s special election.

But speaking at Derry Medical Center in New Hampshire today, presidential candidate Newt Gingrich delivered an entire speech about health care without mentioning the overhaul, and then declined to take press questions about it.

Gingrich had previously criticized Ryan’s plan to turn Medicare into a voucher program, but the former House speaker backtracked after taking flak from his fellow Republicans.

By Shira Schoenberg, Globe Correspondent

HENNIKER, N.H. — Former New York Governor George Pataki today kicked off a New Hampshire advertising campaign aimed at pressuring President Obama and Republican presidential candidates to address the mounting national debt.

“President Obama has the worst fiscal record of any president in the history of our country,” Pataki said, speaking to around 65 people at New England College. “This year, we’ll have the largest deficit than in any year in the history of our country. …It’s not sustainable.”

In a companion interview with the Globe, Pataki said he was reconsidering his decision not to seek the 2012 GOP presidential nomination out of concern over government spending.

Win McNamee/Reuters

In this Sept. 14, 2001, photo, then-President Bush meets with two men who may now try to run for the job he once held, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former New York Governor George Pataki.

By Shira Schoenberg, Globe Correspondent

HENNIKER, N.H. — Former New York Governor George Pataki, who recently started an organization focused on reducing the federal debt, has not ruled out a 2012 presidential run.

The Republican said last month that he would not run, but he said today the recent decision of Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels to skip a campaign may prompt him to reconsider.

“I’m not a candidate at this point, but down the road, you never say never,” Pataki said during an interview after a speech at New England College. “I’m not running now. …We’ll see what happens over the course of the next month.”

Another New Yorker, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, is also weighing a campaign.

By Shira Schoenberg, Globe Correspondent

As the Republican presidential field shapes up, “America’s mayor” is considering another shot at becoming America’s president. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani “is still considering it very definitely,” said Wayne Semprini, Giuilani’s 2008 New Hampshire state chairman.

Giuliani plans to visit New Hampshire, home of the first primary, next month. It will be his third visit to the state this year. According to Semprini and Giuliani’s New Hampshire spokeswoman, Alicia Preston, Giuliani will meet with Republican groups, reconnect with friends and raise funds for other organizations, but not for his own run.

By Globe Staff

WASHINGTON -- There was plenty of speculation a few months ago that Mitt Romney would ignore Iowa in the 2012 election after a disastrous and expensive outcome there helped seal his fate in 2008.

But while he is not spending near the time or resources this time around – instead focusing more closely on New Hampshire and Nevada -- Romney’s strategy in this GOP presidential primary clearly does include the Hawkeye State. How much may become clearer this week as he travels to Des Moines for the first time since announcing his exploratory committee. He is scheduled to appear at a forum at noon Friday sponsored by the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity.

The former Massachusetts governor also announced today that he is naming Sara Craig as state director of his campaign. Craig was central Iowa field director for Romney in 2008. Romney named Phil Valenziano as state field director, according to a press release from the Romney for President Exploratory Committee.

Iowa’s caucus votes are very much up for grabs since former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee opted out of the presidential contest this month. Other candidates including Newt Gingrich have been spending far more time than Romney in Iowa. And Tim Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor who is trailing in New Hampshire polls, announced his candidacy yesterday in Des Moines.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

IRMO, S.C. – Mitt Romney this afternoon assailed President Obama for not articulating a clear position on how he would reform Medicare – but then the former Massachusetts governor declined to articulate such a position himself.

The health care program for the elderly has become an increasingly hot-button issue in national politics and is bound to dominate debate in the 2012 presidential race. House Republicans recently passed a plan – spearheaded by Representative Paul Ryan, of Wisconsin – that includes drastic cuts to Medicare.

“Where’s our president’s plan? What would he do?” Romney told reporters today after meeting with small business owners at a plumbing company here. “Is he just going to sit on the side and accuse Paul Ryan of being un-America? I simply can’t understand how the president and his people can attack Republicans who are putting forward constructive ideas, when he hasn’t got an idea of his own.”

Still, Romney would not elaborate on what he himself would do, saying he’s still an undeclared presidential candidate and would give detailed proposals later. “I will be happy to describe my specific plan, but clearly at this stage that’s still a little premature,” he said.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – A Massachusetts native and former Senator Edward M. Kennedy aide was tapped today to take the top post in coordinating the Democratic Party’s national convention.

Stephen J. Kerrigan, who also helped coordinate the Democratic convention when it was in Boston in 2004, has been named as chief executive officer overseeing the 2012 convention in Charlotte, N.C.

“It’s basically everything, start to finish,” he said in an interview.

Kerrigan, 39, grew up in Lancaster, Mass., and graduated from St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury (fun fact: Kerrigan was three years behind future Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray).

At 25, he was elected to the Lancaster Board of Selectmen, and later became Kennedy’s national political director. He was also chief of staff to Thomas F. Reilly, who was Massachusetts Attorney General.

Kerrigan is getting ready to move to Charlotte, where he’ll oversee all operations involving the convention – from security to transportation to housing.

“We’re very excited to bring the 2012 Democratic National Convention to Charlotte where we will re-nominate President Barack Obama,” Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, said today in a statement. “The team we’ve put together to lead the Convention embodies the diversity and talent of the Democratic Party, and they’ll work closely with our partners in Charlotte to put on an event that showcases the progress President Obama and Democrats have made on behalf of the American people and our vision for the future.”

The Republicans are holding their convention in Tampa, Fla., and it’s no mistake that the Democrats chose Charlotte for their convention. North Carolina, which Obama carried narrowly in 2008, is expected to be a major battleground in the 2012 election.

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Mitt Romney is the focus of the first attack ad of the 2012 presidential race, with an independent group run by former aides to President Obama tagging Romney as both a flip-flopper and a politician who would not protect Medicare.

“Mitt Romney says he's 'on the same page' as Paul Ryan, who wrote the plan to essentially end Medicare,” a narrator says, as dark, black and white images of the former Massachusetts governor flash across the screen. “But with Mitt Romney, you have to wonder...which page is he on today?"

The ad, which also tweaks Newt Gingrich, is going to be running in South Carolina just as Romney makes his first visit of the year to the state tomorrow.

The ad is being run by Priorities USA Action, a political action committee that is headed by President Obama’s former deputy press secretary, Bill Burton. The group can accept unlimited donations and is meant to counter Republican groups that were formed during the 2010 midterm elections. Those groups were criticized at the time by top Democrats, who have filed legislation to curb the influence of outside money in politics.

" President Obama and his team are desperate to change the subject to anything other than jobs and the millions of Americans out of work,” Andrea Saul, a spokeswoman for Romney’s presidential exploratory committee, said in a statement. “With 9.6% unemployment in South Carolina, voters are looking for a jobs plan not a smear campaign."

Romney tomorrow is planning to visit South Carolina and meet with business owners. It is his first trip to the Palmetto State this year.

Romney has in fact said that he and Ryan were “on the same page,” although he has not wholly embraced the Wisconsin Republican’s budget plan, which includes drastic cuts to Medicare. Romney said last week that he would at some point present his own plan on reforming the health care program for the elderly sand said it would “not be identical but shares objectives” with Ryan’s plan.

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.

By Theo Emery, Globe staff

HANOVER, NH - Former US ambassador to China Jon M. Huntsman Jr. made his debut appearance here today before a crowd of voters who packed a banquet room for their first glimpse of the likely GOP presidential candidate.

"We are humbled even to be standing here with the possibility that we might make that decision in the weeks to come -- that of running for the presidency of the greatest country in the world," he said, with his family standing behind him.

The former Utah governor wasted no time addressing one of the issues often pointed to as a potential liability among primary voters and GOP activists: his tenure working for the Obama administration. He made no apologies.

"I served my president. My president asked me to serve. In a time of war, in a time of economic difficulty in this country, I'm the kind of person, when asked by my president to stand up and serve my country - when asked, I do it," he said.

The event, hosted by a former Republican National Committee member, took place in a popular restaurant outside the heavily Democratic college town of Hanover, but some attendees traveled long distances to question the man many see as a key challenger to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who has a formidable fund-raising network and organizational structure.

Huntsman is not widely known outside of Utah and Washington, so the five-day tour of New Hampshire represents his introduction to a state where voters expect to closely question candidates.

The inaugural event was in a restaurant dining room decked out like a hunting lodge - a bear skin was draped from a rafter and an enormous moose head loomed over Huntsman's head as he spoke.

The planned choreography of the event quickly collapsed, as reporters and photographers swarmed Huntsman as he made his way around the room, introducing himself to voters. Microphone booms bobbed overhead, and senior citizens had to duck the cameras trained on Huntsman.

After some introductory remarks, those assembled began peppering him with questions. The first two were from a Dartmouth senior who asked about Israeli and Palestinian relations, and followed up by bluntly asking, "why should I work for you?"

As the crowd chuckled, Huntsman joked about being put on the spot in his first Granite State appearance.

Questions about Afghanistan, energy policy, and relations with China followed. As he later worked the room, he faced more questions, including what his views are on the House budget advanced by Wisconsin Republican Paul Ryan, who proposed sweeping changes to Medicare.

"The way we do it in America, we put ideas on the table, we discuss them," he said. " There is a lot that is part of the Ryan plan that needs to be considered."

When pressed, he didn't endorse Ryan's proposal to turn Medicare into a voucher system, but said "that is something like (what) we set up in Utah, where you've got a multiplicity of insurance options." Turning Medicaid into block grants for states "is a good thing, because right now Medicaid is blowing a hole in budgets throughout the United States."

Even after the crowd began dissipating, he went table to table in the restaurant to meet newly arrived diners.

Theo Emery can be reached at temery@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @temery.

Charles Dharapak/AP

President Obama and Governor Deval Patrick greet the crowd at a fundraiser this evening at the Cyclorama in the South End.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

President Obama told a revved up crowd in Boston this evening that he needs to be reelected next year because "we've got more work to do."

At the first of two fund-raisers in Massachusetts, he said, "Change is hard. Change takes time ... We've got more work to do!"

He said that to-do list includes immigration reform.

Photos

Obama's trip to Boston

Obama’s message team

• Obama tells Mass crowd, 'We've got more work to do'
• With Obama's visit, Brookline woman gets her wish - in spirit
• Obama gives commencement speech at Coast Guard Academy
• Herald complains about access to Obama
• Air Force One aborts landing attempt in Conn.
• Donovan Slack tweets while traveling with Obama
• Graphic Areas with most
  support for Democrats
• Graphic States with most
  support for Democratics
• Democratic contributors
  from Massachusetts
• Bay State’s Cutter plays
  key role on Obama team
• A look at Obama’s team
• Princeton’s West
  takes shot at Obama

By Globe Staff

A complaint by the Boston Herald about the limited access its staff would have to President Obama during his visit to Boston today prompted an Obama aide to fault the paper for its coverage of an Obama visit to Boston in March.

On that day, the Herald devoted its front page to an opinion article by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, a likely candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, in which he criticized the administration's job-creation record.

"I think that raises a fair question about whether the paper is unbiased in its coverage of the president's visits,'' White House spokesman Matt Lehrich told the Herald in an email.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Mitt Romney announced this afternoon that a veteran public relations consultant was joining his burgeoning campaign as a senior adviser.

Mark DeMoss is currently president of the DeMoss Group, which is a large Atlanta-based public relations agency that focuses on serving Christian leaders, businesses, and non-profit organizations.

"Governor Romney is uniquely qualified and competent to lead our country out of turbulent economic times and create jobs,” DeMoss said in a statement released by Romney’s exploratory committee. “He has worked in government long enough to know how government works, but not so long that he only knows how to work for the government.”

By Theo Emery, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON — New Hampshire voters will get their first glimpse of another potential GOP presidential contender in coming days when former ambassador Jon M. Huntsman Jr. sweeps through the crucial primary state.

Lauren Victoria Burke/AP

Jon M. Huntsman Jr.

It starts with a Thursday afternoon meet-and-greet in Hanover, then continues Friday with back-to-back house parties in Keene and Hancock, before he speaks at a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Concord late in the day.

On Saturday, he delivers the commencement address at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, then participates in photo ops at a gun shop and a country store before speaking before the Windham County GOP.

Charles Dharapak/AP

President Obama poses today with newly commissioned officer Amy Tow of Sugar Land, Texas, (left) and her father at the US Coast Guard Academy graduation in New London, Conn.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

A commencement speech and missed Air Force One landing behind him, President Obama was departing New London, Conn., this afternoon en route to two fundraisers in Boston and Brookline.

The president had a more than hourlong drive to Bradley International Airport before flying on to Logan International Airport.

The campaign events were preceded by the day's "official" appearance, the president's address to graduates of the US Coast Guard Academy. He noted they collectively had the highest GPA of any class in the academy's history.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

When President Obama pulls up tonight at a stately Brookline home for a campaign fundraiser, he will have two hosts in the flesh — Jack and Eileen Connors — and a third in spirit.

Elizabeth Minot Graves was the daughter of George Minot, a Massachusetts General Hospital physician and Harvard Medical School professor who shared the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1934 for his work in developing a treatment for pernicious anemia.

National Park Service

George R. Minot House

In the eyes of Liza Weld Graves, the daughter of Elizabeth Minot Graves, her late mother has been expecting the president.

"My mom died shortly after Obama took office," Liza Graves wrote today in an email from her current house in Sonoma, Calif.

"She had dementia, but was thrilled when Obama was elected, so much so that through her dementia haze, she demanded that my brother call the president-elect to invite him to tea with her father... She was quite upset when we told her this was not to be.

"In an odd way, her wish is being granted tonight," she wrote.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

A trip that will bring President Obama to Boston got off to a rocky start this morning.

Air Force One executed a missed approach as it neared its first destination, Bradley International Airport outside Hartford.

White House Spokesman Nick Shapiro said: "AF1 did a go-round at Bradley International Airport this morning because of weather. They circled around and landed safely a few minutes later, at 10:05 a.m.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

New Hampshire Democrats have announced that Vice President Joe Biden will headline a party fund-raising dinner next week.

He will deliver the keynote address at the annual McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner on Wednesday in Nashua.

The appearance underscores the battleground nature of the state, which broke Democratic in 2008 but went Republican in leading races last fall.

"We are excited to welcome Vice President Biden to this year's event," Ray Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, said in a statement this morning. "Working with President Obama, Joe Biden has played a key role in turning our economy around and getting America on the right track."
 
The announcement was made as the president was en route for his own trip to New England. He was delivering the commencement address at the US Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., before flying to Massachusetts for reelection fund-raisers in Boston and Brookline.

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

Charles Dharapak/AP

President Obama waves goodbye at Andrews Air Force Base as he departed this morning for New London, Ct., and Boston.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

President Obama is coming to Massachusetts later today for a pair of fund-raisers in Boston and Brookline.

He arrived at Andrews Air Force Base at 8:52 a.m. and Air Force One took off at 9:01 a.m., destined for New London, Conn., and a commencement address at the US Coast Guard Academy.

The Globe's White House correspondent, Donovan Slack, is in the traveling pool, riding aboard the presidential jet and getting a front-row seat for his speech at the Cyclorama in the South End and, this evening, at the Brookline home of Boston advertising executive Jack Connors Jr.

John Bazemore/AP

Cornel West, shown speaking last year in Martin Luther King Jr.'s former church, labeled President Obama 'a black mascot' and 'black puppet' during an interview.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

Cornel West, a Princeton University professor and leading black intellectual, is harshly criticizing President Obama, a candidate he once supported but now calls “a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats.”

West, a former Harvard University professor, said during an interview with the website Truthdig posted yesterday that the president has not been true to his race.

“I think my dear brother Barack Obama has a certain fear of free black men,” West said. “It’s understandable. As a young brother who grows up in a white context, brilliant African father, he’s always had to fear being a white man with black skin. All he has known culturally is white…When he meets an independent black brother, it is frightening.”

The White House did not have an immediate comment. West did not respond to messages left at his office.

Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

President Obama awarded Boston Celtics Hall of Fame player Bill Russell the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House on Feb. 15.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

The First Hoopster will get a salute tomorrow from two prominent members of the Boston Celtics family, Hall of Fame member Bill Russell and current All-Star Ray Allen, according to a top Democrat briefed on the plans.

Both will address the audience tomorrow afternoon when President Obama visits Massachusetts for a fund-raiser at the Cyclorama in Boston, said the Democrat, who requested anonymity to speak in advance of the formal announcement.

The president will then attend a smaller event at the Brookline home of advertising executive Jack Connors Jr.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

LAS VEGAS – Mitt Romney, while clearly buoyed by the $10.25 million his supporters raised today, is nonetheless not ready to rule out what could become another potent financial weapon in his all-but-certain presidential run: tapping into his own personal wealth.

“That’s counsel I’m going to keep with Ann and myself, and that’s all,” he said, referring to his wife. “So I can’t give you any more update than that. We’re just going to keep that to our own counsel.”

The decision could be significant, not only on Romney's pocketbook but also on the contours of the race. During the former Massachusetts governor’s 2008 presidential campaign, he used $42 million of his own funds. One of Romney’s potential rivals -- Jon Huntsman Jr., who comes from a wealthy family – has already ruled out self-financing his campaign.

“If we were to get in the race – no self-financing,” Huntsman told reporters recently in South Carolina. “Unless you can raise it legitimately, you’re not going to win.”

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

LAS VEGAS – Mitt Romney raised $10.25 million from his National Call Day here today, far exceeding the haul he brought in from a similar fund-raising day in Boston four years ago.

With around 720 supporters placing calls around the country throughout the day, he sought to put on full display one of the most important attributes for his emerging campaign: raising money.

Supporters -- gathered in a conference room at the Las Vegas Convention Center that Romney aides happily noted was the size of two football fields -- began gathering to make calls at 5:30 a.m., asking contributors to give the maximum to his campaign.

Former Olympic speed-skaters Dan Jansen and Derek Parra were on hand, and model Cindy Crawford was featured in the demonstration video teaching volunteers how to use the fund-raising software, dubbed ComMitt.

By Farah Stockman, Globe Staff

Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters today in Pakistan that "there is too much at stake" for the United States and Pakistan to abandon their alliance.

He said he and Pakistani officials have agreed on a series of steps that each side would take to improve relations, but declined to detail what those steps were.

"There are real differences between our two countries, but the bonds that tie us together in the fight against the threat of extremists is stronger than those differences," he said during a news conference in Islamabad.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

In announcing today that he would not seek the Republican presidential nomination, Donald Trump made clear that for all his sound and fury, he prefers to make money above solving political problems.

"I have spent the past several months unofficially campaigning and recognize that running for public office cannot be done half-heartedly," he said in a statement. "Ultimately, however, business is my greatest passion and I am not ready to leave the private sector."

Weeks earlier, Trump hinted at his priorities in a less-polished fashion, as he visited New Hampshire with all the atmospherics of a traveling carnival.

Mian Khursheed/Reuters

Senator John Kerry meets today with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at the prime minister's residence in Islamabad.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

There's never been a shortage of people willing to lampoon Senator John Kerry, or who have delighted in him being roasted.

Kerry has inflicted some of the damage himself, from trying to register a yacht in Rhode Island in an apparent Massachusetts tax dodge, to heading out windsurfing when presidential campaign advisers said it would underscore the elitist image they were trying to overcome.

Other damage has come from piling-on, all too easy with a person who can spend nearly as much time deciding what brand of beer to drink as it takes to down the first pint.

But those thoughts, emotions, or memories can seem petty when considering the duties he undertook today: representing the United States — and delivering its complaints — in the aftermath of the May 2 raid that found and killed Osama bin Laden while he hid amid a Pakistani military garrison.

Jane Flavell Collins

In this artist's rendering, former House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, left, listens as a prosecutor addresses the jury in his federal corruption trial.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Senator Scott Brown said yesterday the federal corruption trial of former House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi highlights the dangers of one-party dominance in Massachusetts and a "go-along-to-get-along" political culture.

Injecting politics into a normally celebratory moment, Brown said in remarks delivered at the Lasell College commencement ceremony: "I don't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican, just as one political party can't be right 100 percent of the time, it shouldn't have 100 percent of the power. Unchallenged power grows arrogant over time. It is what has given us one case of graft after another."

The lone Republican in the Massachusetts congressional delegation, Brown is seeking reelection next year in what has historically been a Democratic state. Democrats have begun lining up to challenge him, and Brown opponents have already started pounding him with advertising campaigns.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Newton Mayor Setti Warren has outlined how far he is willing to go to become the next US senator from Massachusetts: He will shake hands — in the cold — outside Fenway Park, if need be.

“I love the Red Sox — they're doing pretty well," he told former Globe reporter Rick Klein when he appeared on "Top Line," the ABC News online program he now hosts each weekday. "I was at a game a few weeks ago. I’m gonna be out there, and across the state. We've been to cities and towns — that's the kind of campaign I'm going to run, and that's the kind of campaign that will win.”

The comment harks back to January 2010, when fellow Democrat Martha Coakley mocked her then-Republican rival, then-state Senator Scott Brown, for pressing the flesh outside the ballpark when it hosted the NHL's "Winter Classic" on a frigid New Year's Day.

Brown went on to win the campaign and replace the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

Coakley went back to being attorney general.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

"Mitt Romney, Belmont, Mass." penned a Letter to the Editor that appeared in today's Wall Street Journal, responding to a scathing editorial on the newpaper's conservative editorial page the day before.

In it, Romney sought to address some criticisms of the universal health care law he signed while governor of Massachusetts, a measure the Journal had argued raised questions about his fitness to be president.

The 2006 Massachusetts law became the template for the federal universal health care law signed last year by President Obama, which the Journal and others deride as "ObamaCare."

"While I have had my disagreements with the Journal's editorial board, where we find common ground is on the need to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with reforms that empower states to craft their own solutions," Romney wrote. "A one-size-fits-all plan that raises taxes and ignores the very real differences between states is the wrong course for our nation."

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

J.D. Pooley/Getty Images

Expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney tries to address conservative concerns about his Massachusetts universal health care law with a speech and PowerPoint presentation today in his native Michigan.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Mitt Romney this afternoon tried to rebut conservative criticisms of his Massachusetts health care law as he called for abolishing President Obama’s national plan and replacing it with a new, more state-based reform of the US health care system.

In his first — and perhaps most significant — policy speech of his budding presidential campaign, he gave the strongest defense to date of his signature Massachusetts health care plan.

“A lot of pundits around the nation are saying that I should just stand up and say this whole thing was a mistake, that it was a boneheaded idea and I should just admit it, it was a mistake, and walk away from it,” Romney said. “And I presume that a lot of folks would conclude that if I did that, that would be good for me politically. But there’s only one problem with that: it wouldn’t be honest. I, in fact, did what I believed was right for the people of my state.”

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The topic: health care. The concern: It could undermine Mitt Romney's run for president. A key critic: The Wall Street Journal. The response: A speech and a PowerPoint presentation.

That was the tack the former Massachusetts governor took today as he tried to address a key vulnerability in his expected presidential campaign. But it's also the exact tack Romney took in 2006, while he still was governor, as he geared up for his first White House campaign.

In each instance, he tried to mollify conservative critics who argued universal health care cut against their free-market and libertarian beliefs.

The following article was published in The Boston Globe on April 26, 2006:

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Check "Political Intelligence" at 2 p.m. for a live stream of the health care speech being delivered today by expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Mitt Romney's favored communication medium in the run-up to his second presidential campaign has been the op-ed column, with sometimes unexpected results, since expounding in such a sober medium allows him to avoid distracting questions from other elements of the media.

Today, though, he is the focus of a blistering editorial in The Wall Street Journal, which carries the unflattering headline, "Obama's Running Mate."

The editorial, which included a trademark Journal stipple portrait of the former Massachusetts governor, runs across two columns and consumes two-thirds of the space usually allotted to editorials written from a conservative perspective.

John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

Democrat Edward M. Kennedy debates with Republican Mitt Romney during their 1994 US Senate race. During that campaign, Romney said he would back a federal health care plan that included a mandate requiring individuals to buy insurance coverage. Such past support is now complicating his planned second presidential campaign.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — As Mitt Romney prepares for a major address on health care here this afternoon, the likely presidential contender is still expected to continue defending what has become a third rail in Republican politics: a requirement from government that people purchase health insurance.

The so-called individual mandate was a core component of the signature health care plan Romney signed into law while governor of Massachusetts, and he has stuck by that decision — even as he has decried it as part of the federal plan signed into law last year by President Obama.

During a question-and-answer period last month in Las Vegas, for instance, Romney used an example of someone without insurance getting in a car wreck and going to the hospital.

“We don’t let them die in the streets,” Romney said. “They go to the hospital and are treated. And guess who pays for that? You. Government. You all are paying for that.”

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

A spokesman for Senator Scott Brown refused to say if he will travel to the CIA to see photos of a dead Osama bin Laden, after the agency offered today to show them to members of a congressional committee upon which the Republican serves.

The only other member of the Massachusetts congressional delegation who would qualify under the same offer, Democrat Niki Tsongas, will decline.

“The congresswoman is convinced that Osama bin Laden was killed and will not be requesting to see the photos,” said spokesman John Noble.

Brown spokesman Colin Reed said, “No comment on this.”

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Democrat Warren Tolman is considering a campaign to unseat Republican Senator Scott Brown next year.

Bill Brett for The Boston Globe

Warren Tolman

Tolman refused to say if those people are dissatisfied with the current field, which doesn't include any of the better-known politicians in Massachusetts. Those who have already declared include Newton Mayor Setti Warren, City Year co-founder Alan Khazei, former lieutenant governor candidate Bob Massie, and Salem immigration attorney Marisa DeFranco.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Mitt Romney is planning a major address on Thursday to discuss health care, in what could become a defining moment of his emerging presidential bid as he gives a prominent answer to one of his biggest perceived shortcomings.

Romney is planning to outline his plan to repeal President Obama’s health care plan and replace it with something else. The address will be given in Ann Arbor, Mich., at the University of Michigan’s Cardiovascular Center.

It will be Romney’s first major policy speech, and comes amid increasing activity in his campaign. Over the next few weeks, he is also planning to travel to Las Vegas to raise money, as well as to two early primary states, Iowa and South Carolina.

Health care has been the primary problem for Romney’s early campaign, and even his supporters have said they wanted him to address it in a prominent way. His speech on Thursday will be aimed at both winning over his critics and bolstering his supporters.

The health care plan that Romney signed as governor of Massachusetts has provided a template for the national plan signed by President Obama last year. With Republicans focused on attacking Obama’s plan, many have raised questions over whether Romney would be the right advocate for their party.

Romney has defended the Bay State plan, while saying he would repeal Obama’s national overhaul, saying it unfairly mandates a one-size-fits-all system on each state.

His campaign today provided a brief outline of his health care approach, including:

• Restore to the states the responsibility and resources to care for their poor, uninsured, and chronically ill.
• Give a tax deduction to those who buy their own health insurance, just like those who buy it through their employers.
• Streamline the federal regulation of healthcare.
• Reduce the influence of lawsuits on medical practice and costs.
• Make healthcare more like a consumer market and less like a government program.

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Senator John Kerry today labeled Osama bin Laden's death "a potentially game-changing opportunity" for a political solution in war-torn Afghanistan.

Kicking off the third of six hearings on Afghanistan and Pakistan this month by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, Kerry said that could "bring greater stability to the region and bring our troops home." The Massachusetts Democrat serves as chairman of the committee.

"Let me be very clear: A precipitous withdrawal from Afghanistan would be a mistake and I, for one, would take that option off the table," Kerry said in his prepared remarks. "Instead, we should be working toward the smallest footprint necessary, a presence that puts Afghans in charge — and presses them to step up to that task — at the same time that it secures our interests and accomplishes our mission of destroying Al Qaeda and preventing Afghanistan from ever again becoming a terrorist sanctuary.

"But make no mistake, it is unsustainable to continue spending $10 billion a month on a massive military operation with no end in sight — and the good news is, we don’t have to. I am convinced that we can achieve our core goals at a more sustainable cost, in both lives and dollars," he added.

President Obama has pledged to begin removing some of the 130,000 US troops by July 31.

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

Matthew J. Lee / Globe Staff

Senator Scott Brown, speaking in February at the induction ceremony for US District Court Judge Denise Jefferson Casper, is the focus of Democratic calculations as he heads toward his reelection campaign in 2012.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

(Editor's Note: This post contains math and, even more ominously, math performed by a journalist — with guidance from politicians.)

Newton Mayor Setti Warren was set this morning to personally declare what he stated yesterday in a slick movie: He is a candidate for US Senate next year.

With City Year co-founder Alan Khazei, Somerville activist Bob Massie, and Salem immigration attorney Marisa DeFranco already declared candidates, that all but guarantees a contested Democratic primary in September 2012, even with some dropouts.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Mitt Romney is planning to make a show of force next week in Las Vegas, expecting to bring in around 800 supporters to place calls around the country and display one of the most important attributes for his emerging campaign: raising money.

The supporters will start making calls next Monday around 5:30 a.m. (or 8:30 a.m. on the East Coast), according to a copy of the invitation obtained by the Globe. There will be an opening ceremony at 8 a.m.

The National Call Day will be similar to a daylong fundraising event Romney held in Boston during his last campaign, which drew 600 to 800 people and raised more than $1 million.

That event, held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, was meant to highlight his home state, with the Fenway Park anthem “Dirty Water” blaring from the loudspeakers after he spoke.

This time, the event is behind held 2,700 miles away, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The invitation offered group rates at two of the strip’s most luxurious hotels – The Encore by Wynn, and the Venetian (although the group rates don’t seem to offer that steep a discount: A two-night stay in a luxury suite at the Venetian costs $174 through Romney, or $189 through the hotel website).

Regardless, the volunteers should come prepared. There is one reminder at the bottom of the invitation: "Please bring with you: cell phone, cell phone charger, iPad and/or laptop.”

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.

Pat Greenhouse / Globe Staff

Mayor Setti Warren, right, marches last year in Newton's Memorial Day parade alongside its grand marshal, Senator Scott Brown, second from left. Warren announced today that he will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Brown for re-election next year.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Newton Mayor Setti Warren announced today that he will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Senator Scott Brown for re-election next year.

In a heavily produced video, complete with stirring music, the former Kerry and Clinton aide said: "Many of you don't know me; I'm probably about as well known as Scott Brown was at this point two years ago."

Nonetheless, Warren said the race should reduce to a debate about party values.

By Emma Stickgold, Globe Correspondent

Massachusetts Republican Party leaders today filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against the League of Women Voters, alleging the nonprofit organization failed to properly file paperwork after it launched a television ad campaign criticizing Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown.

"We are calling on the League to immediately reveal their secret donors as the law requires, and to live by the same standards of openness and transparency they have encouraged others to adopt," Massachusetts Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Nassour said in a written statement.

The ads criticized Brown as well as Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, for votes related to the Clean Air Act. Responding to the complaint, Elisabeth MacNamara, the organization's president, defended the ad, saying the ad targeted one particular issue, not the upcoming elections.

"Our ad will stand up to scrutiny because it is about Senator Scott Brown's vote to weaken the Clean Air Act and endanger public health," McNamara said in a statement issued Sunday. "It is not about an election that is 18 months away or a politician who may or may not be on the ballot in that election. The allegation to the FEC is simply a charade, designed to deflect attention away from Senator Brown's vote to block the Clean Air Act."

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Newt Gingrich is planning to formally announce this week that he’s running for president, one of a series of upcoming events that could put the slow-moving Republican presidential field into sharper focus.

The announcement from the former House speaker, who said two months ago that he was exploring to run for president, has been widely expected. He is planning to make the official announcement Wednesday on Facebook and Twitter, although that seems sure to be anticlimactic given that his staff is forecasting the news nearly 48 hours in advance.

Gingrich will also give an interview to Fox News that night, and is planning his first speech as a presidential candidate on Friday at a Republican convention in his home state of Georgia, according to spokesman Rick Tyler. He’ll also head to Eureka, Ill. – which happens to be Ronald Reagan’s hometown -- on Saturday to deliver the commencement address at Eureka College.

Tom Rettig / Worcester Telegram & Gazette

An aide to Scott Brown and a State Police trooper await the Republican senator and Governor Deval Patrick, respectively, before they attended Saturday's funeral in Auburn for Air Force Major David L. Brodeur. The 34-year-old was one of eight American service members shot and killed by an Afghan military officer in Afghanistan on April 27.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

On Saturday morning, Scott Brown joined his Senate colleague, John Kerry, as well as Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray in Auburn for the funeral of an Air Force officer killed by a rampaging gunman in Afghanistan.

In so doing, the officeholders conferred the weight and stature of their respective offices on the event, signaling to the public in deed if not in word that this was a moment worthy of pause amid the motion of daily life.

It’s because of the esteem the public holds for such high office that people also stopped and listened last week when Brown went on television and weighed in on the debate about whether to release photos showing Osama bin Laden after he had been shot to death by US troops in Pakistan.

“Hello, I’m Scott Brown, and I have the honor of representing Massachusetts in the United States Senate.

“Last Sunday night, we heard President Obama deliver the message that Americans have been waiting for since September 11, 2001. It’s a very rare thing when so many people across the world observe the loss of life with something other than regret. But this man, the late Osama bin Laden, had chosen his fate long before in a life filled with cruelty. If he expected mercy when our forces found him that was asking much more than he was ever known to give.

“This was a man who rejoiced in the suffering and death of others, who set in motion all the horror and grief of 9/11 and considered it just a start. He was a teacher of evil, and now, for him, the lesson is over. It ends not in the fulfillment of some fanatical vision, but in the depths of the
Arabian Sea.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

The Massachusetts Democratic Party issued a statement today saying Senator Scott Brown "owes" Massachusetts residents an explanation after the Republican asserted — and then retracted — that he had seen postmortem photos of Osama bin Laden.

“As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Brown owes the people of Massachusetts more details as to what led him to believe that he was shown an authentic photo, and then what led him to feel comfortable enough to speak out publicly about the photo," party Chairman John Walsh said in a statement.

"He needs — right away, today — to provide answers to the following questions: who showed him the fake photo; who told him it was genuine when it wasn’t; and what are the procedures he uses to make sure he has reliable information before he gives voters that information?" Walsh added.

The chairman said the senator needs to “understand that his words matter, and his assertions are taken at face value because of his position."

Brown spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom replied: "With the Sal DiMasi corruption trial going on, I'm surprised that John Walsh has the time to criticize Republicans."

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Mitt Romney continues to dominate in early polls in New Hampshire, holding onto a sizable lead in a state that is crucial for his presidential bid.

The former Massachusetts governor is favored by 35 percent of those polled, giving him a lead of more than 27 points, according to a poll released tonight by WHDH-TV.

None of the other 17 potential candidates included in the poll, which was conducted by Suffolk University, are in the double-digits.

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

US Senator Scott Brown said in several televised interviews today that he had seen perhaps the most controversial and closely guarded photos in the world: those showing Osama bin Laden’s dead body.

Brown, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, suggested he had viewed them as part of an official briefing, and he argued that they were too graphic to be released to the public and could enflame terrorists.

Oops.

Brown later acknowledged that he had fallen victim to a hoax, apparently the same doctored images that were making the rounds on the Internet.

‘‘The photo that I saw and that a lot of other people saw is not authentic,’’ the senator said in a one-sentence statement issued hours after the interviews aired.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Anyone hoping for firm clues on whether Mitch Daniels will run for president would have been sorely disappointed.

The Indiana governor this afternoon spoke here in a speech that was much-anticipated, because his timeline for an announcement on his political future is expiring.

“You are here under false pretenses,” he told the crowd at the American Enterprise Institute, which included at least eight television cameras. “I just came for a meal.”

He then spoke for about 30 minutes in a policy-rich speech – complete with a slide-show presentation -- about the education reform that he was implementing in his home state.

UPDATED

By Mark Arsenault, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON — Having seen unreleased photos of Osama bin Laden’s corpse, US Senator Scott Brown does not believe pictures of the dead terrorist leader should be made public, the Massachusetts Republican said in an interview on NECN.

“Let me assure you that he is dead, that bin Laden is dead — I have seen the photos,” Brown said hours before President Obama declared he would not release the images.

During an interview with "60 Minutes," the president told the CBS News program that "we don't trot out trophies."

Asked directly if the pictures, which have been described as bloody and gruesome, should be made available for everyone, Brown told NECN: “If it’s to sell newspapers or just have a news cycle story, no, I don’t think they should be released. We’re still dealing with the sensitivities of the Muslim and Arab world. And we still have men and women serving throughout the world.”

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Mitt Romney’s former campaign chairman in the crucial state of New Hampshire says he won’t be back for a second presidential bid.

Bruce Keough, a 2002 gubernatorial candidate and a former state senator, says he opted against joining Romney’s campaign again because the candidate could not articulate consistent positions on key issues.

"He struggled with that in the last campaign," Keough told Mother Jones, which first reported Keough’s defection. “And to some extent I think he's still struggling with it."

UPDATED

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

Newton Mayor Setti Warren, a prospective candidate for US Senate, has booked the same American Legion Post where he announced his mayoral run for an unspecified event next Tuesday.

Aaron Goldman, who handles constituent services for the mayor, said Warren had reserved Post 440 in Newton for a “service breakfast,” but declined to elaborate.

"No comment," Warren told the Newton Tab, which first reported the booking, when the paper asked Warren if he planned to announce he is running against Republican Senator Scott Brown.

Deborah Shah, the mayor’s political director, said, “The mayor is hosting a service breakfast with people in his life who have done things for the community and he wants to honor them. I can’t say anything further at this time.”

Warren is a Navy veteran and a former aide to Senator John F. Kerry. City Year co-founder Alan Khazei and Somerville activist Bob Massie have already announced campaigns.

Michael Levenson can be reached at mlevenson@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mlevenson.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick, just back from addressing Wisconsin Democrats, will reprise the role next month in Florida.

The Florida Democratic Party made the announcement today. Patrick will speak June 11 in Hollywood, just south of Fort Lauderdale.

“As Governor, Deval Patrick has focused on common sense solutions to bring jobs to his state. His leadership in implementing Massachusetts’ landmark health care reform law now serves as the national model for bringing affordable health insurance to all Americans,” Chairman Rod Smith said in a statement.

“We are thrilled that Governor Patrick is joining us at our 2011 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, helping us as get ready for the 2012 elections and work to hold (Governor) Rick Scott and his extreme Republican Party accountable," said Smith.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Mary Beth Cahill, once Senator Edward M. Kennedy's chief of staff, has been named director of the United Auto Workers' Washington office, as well as director of its UAW Community Action Program.

Globe file photo

Mary Beth Cahill

In both jobs, she will oversee the UAW’s political program nationally. She will also serve as a senior adviser to UAW President Bob King.

Cahill formerly served as assistant to the president and director of the Office of Public Liaison in the Clinton White House, as well as Kennedy's chief of staff and director of Senator John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign.

She also spent five years at EMILY’s List, a PAC that supports female candidates and supports abortion rights.

“We are thrilled to have Mary Beth join the UAW leadership team especially in light of the difficult challenges ahead for our union,” King said in a statement. "As we navigate the tough political environment in this era of attacks on American working families and the middle class, and head into national contract talks for the domestic automakers, I’m confident that she will help us elect officeholders who are allies in the battle to save the American middle class."

Cahill is a Massachusetts native and the daughter of a UAW autoworker. She graduated from Emmanuel College with a degree in English and political science, and held a fellowship at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government in 2005.

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

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON -- Likely presidential candidate Mitt Romney this morning said President Obama deserved to be credited with an “enormous success” for overseeing the mission that killed Osama bin Laden.

“We’ll all remember where we were when Osama bin Laden was finally killed,” Romney told reporters this morning, according to an NECN video. “I congratulate the president, the intelligence community, our military. It’s an extraordinary accomplishment.”

“The bad guy took one in the eye,” he added.

Romney, who is considering vying for the role of occupying the Oval Office, was also eager for some more behind-the-scenes details.

“I look forward to hearing more,” Romney said. “How did we find out where he was located? What sources of intelligence were developed over the years? How many blind allies did they have to pursue until they finally found this guy?”

By Farah Stockman, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON — Richard Lugar, Indiana Republican who is the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said today the strike on Osama bin Laden in Pakistan raises questions about whether the continuing war in Afghanistan is worth the cost.

“With al Qaeda largely displaced from the country, but franchised in other locations, Afghanistan does not carry a strategic value that justifies 100,000 American troops and a $100 billion per year cost, especially given current fiscal restraints,” Lugar said in his opening statement at a hearing on Afghanistan.

Senator John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who serves as chairman of the committee, called the death of bin Laden a "seminal moment." Questions about the future US role in Afghanistan are even more relevant now, he said.

"The death of Osama bin Laden is obviously an event with enormous consequence," he said. "It doesn't end the threat, however, but still it is a major victory in the long campaign against terrorism waged by our intelligence agencies and our military."

Essdras M. Suarez / Globe Staff

Jack Connors and his wife, Eileen, are hosting President Obama at their Brookline home on May 18. The event is the latest example of the advertising executive's expansion from traditional philanthropy work to political fundraising.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

When Vice President Joe Biden wanted to meet the right people in March to set up the fundraising apparatus for his and President Obama's reelection committee, it was Jack Connors who greeted him at his 60th floor office in the John Hancock Tower and then took him down two flights for a reception he put together.

And when Obama comes to Boston in a couple weeks to ask for cash itself, it will be Connors again who welcomes him, this time at his Brookline home.

The president will leave with about $2 million from a dinner that is already sold out.

The back-to-back events highlight Connors's connection to the White House, as well as his expansion from the philanthropy and foundation work that has followed his successful career founding the advertising powerhouse Hill Holliday.

Glen Johnson / Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick inscribed a copy of his memoir, "A Reason to Believe," in Milwaukee on Saturday night before concluding the first phase of his book tour.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

MILWAUKEE — Governor Deval Patrick flew home yesterday on a 7:30 a.m. fight from Milwaukee, capping off the first phase of the sales tour promoting his new book, “A Reason to Believe.”

Starting April 12, the memoir’s official publication date, he visited New York, Washington, his native Chicago, Los Angeles, and Milwaukee, as well as Boston, Cambridge, South Hadley, and Great Barrington, Mass.

He was interviewed by Matt Lauer on NBC’s “Today” show, Jon Stewart on Comedy Central’s “Daily Show,” Lawrence O’Donnell on his MSNBC program, Tavis Smiley at PBS, Diane Rehm of NPR, and Bill Maher on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.”

He also appeared on CNN.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON -- Likely presidential candidate Mitt Romney is not participating this week in the first GOP presidential debate, saying it was too early to begin facing off against opponents.

The debate, being held Thursday in South Carolina and sponsored by Fox News, will feature only a handful of candidates, including former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and former Senator Rick Santorum, of Pennsylvania.

Romney, who is planning to be in South Carolina for a visit later this month, did participate in a forum on Friday in New Hampshire. The candidates were each given eight minutes for prepared remarks, but never appeared on stage with one another.

But he has been coy about whether he would participate in the first debate. On Friday, he told reporters, "Stay tuned," when asked whether he would be there. Today, he definitively said no.

"Gov. Romney will not be participating in this week's South Carolina debate because it's still early, the field is too unsettled and he's not yet an announced candidate," Matt Rhoades, one of his top advisers, said in a statement. "Fox News and the South Carolina Republican Party have both been notified of this decision. Gov. Romney is planning to visit South Carolina on May 21st and he looks forward to debating there closer to their primary."

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Senator Scott Brown just issued a statement saying he requested his annual summer Massachusetts National Guard service period in Afghanistan.

“As a lieutenant colonel in the Massachusetts Army National Guard, I have service obligations that I fulfill each year.

"Following in the tradition of other lawmakers who have completed their military service requirements overseas, this year I have requested to conduct my annual training in Afghanistan.

"Doing so will help me to better understand our ongoing mission in that country, and provide me first-hand experience for my duties on the Senate Armed Services, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs committees," he said.

Brown has been in the Guard since 1979, but he has never been deployed to a war zone. His service this summer will come around the July set by President Obama for beginning to start removing some of the 132,000 US troops stationed in Afghanistan.

Typically such training periods last two weeks. It would not be considered a formal activation of his JAG unit.

The statement was issued about 90 minutes after Brown spoke with the Globe about heading to the war zone.

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

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON -- Just after President Obama made the most important announcement of his presidency, the field of candidates hoping to unseat him began reacting to the news that Osama bin Laden had been killed.

"Welcome to hell, bin Laden," former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee said, in one of the bluntest statements.

The shocking news is likely to temporarily divert away from any talk of the economy and high gas prices -- topics that Republican candidates have focused on in recent months. It could also bolster Obama's low approval ratings, and could expose a Republican presidential field that so far lacks a candidate with substantial foreign policy experience.

UPDATED

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Senator Scott Brown issued a statement this morning saying he has requested to conduct his annual National Guard training in Afghanistan.

“As a lieutenant colonel in the Massachusetts Army National Guard, I have service obligations that I fulfill each year.

"Following in the tradition of other lawmakers who have completed their military service requirements overseas, this year I have requested to conduct my annual training in Afghanistan.

"Doing so will help me to better understand our ongoing mission in that country, and provide me first-hand experience for my duties on the Senate Armed Services, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs committees," he said.

Brown has been in the Guard since 1979, but he has never been deployed to a war zone. His service this summer will come around the July set by President Obama for beginning to start removing some of the 132,000 US troops stationed in Afghanistan.

Brown for Senate

Lieutenant Colonel Scott Brown

About 90 minutes before issuing his statement, Brown said in a telephone interview with the Globe, "I’m going to be going over at some point to do some missions.”

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

After President Obama told the nation last night about the death of Osama bin Laden, senior members of his administration held a conference call to brief reporters on the details of the mission.

Following is a transcript of that call, as provided by the White House, with all but one of the speakers identified as "senior administration officials."

It was led by Tommy Vietor, the chief spokesman for the National Security Council:

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Following are the full texts of statements issued last night by President Obama and Massachusetts Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown after the death of Osama bin Laden:

Jason Reed / Reuters

President Obama strides to the lectern to deliver news already coming into view on the TelePrompTer: Osama bin Laden has been killed.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

President Bush started the search for Osama bin Laden on Sept. 11, 2001, and President Obama ended it yesterday, and each man took special pride in the accomplishment.

Bush, in a statement posted on the Facebook page of his wife, former first lady Laura Bush, said: "The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done."

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"Justice has been done," the president said in remarks that began at 11:35 p.m.

Obama also went to lengths to detail the circumstances that led to bin Laden's death, as well as his leadership of it, starting with him saying he made it his top terrorism priority since shortly after taking office in 2009.

"Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice," said the president.

Then, in his crescendo, he added: "Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan."

Obama's backers will surely argue that the achievement validates his effort to shift the focus from the war on terror from insurgents and Saddam Hussein's loyalists in Iraq to the Taliban in Afghanistan, part of a campaign pledge he made to target bin Laden, the culprit of the 9/11 attacks.

As a senator, Obama declared he would authorize US forces to go into Pakistan to get bin Laden if that was where he sought refuge. In the end, that is what happened, with uncertain diplomatic repercussions for the country.

The president himself did not have to gloat, the facts potent enough to speak for themselves.

Glen Johnson / Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick addresses the 400 attendees at last night's Democratic Party of Wisconsin Founders Day Dinner.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

MILWAUKEE — Governor Deval Patrick addressed Wisconsin Democrats last night.

Here is the full story:

MILWAUKEE — Governor Deval Patrick waded into the national debate over labor rights last night, telling fellow Democrats in the union battleground state of Wisconsin that Republicans “have abandoned any sense of responsibility for our common future in order to win power at all costs.’’

Glen Johnson / Globe Staff

Copies of Governor Deval Patrick's memoir, "A Reason to Believe," are on sale tonight outside a ballroom where he is speaking to members of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

MILWAUKEE — Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is in Wisconsin tonight, addressing state Democrats energized in the aftermath of their collective bargaining dispute with Republican Governor Scott Walker.

Patrick is the keynote speaker at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin's Founders Day Dinner, which organizers proudly say sold out at 400 attendees in the aftermath of the Walker fight.

The governor flew into town this morning from Los Angeles, where he appeared on HBO as part of the book tour for his new memoir, "A Reason to Believe." He also was pulling double duty in Wisconsin, holding a book signing after the dinner. In addition, copies were available for purchase at a table outside the ballroom entrance.

UPDATED

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney tread on socially dangerous ground last night as he talked about the need to "hang" a misery index around the neck of Barack Obama, the nation's first black president.

Romney almost immediately caught himself, with the English major declaring "metaphorically" speaking, but the mix of nervous laughter with applause indicated at least some in the audience realized its potency.

Romney said: "You remember during the Ronald Reagan/Jimmy Carter debates? That Ronald Reagan came up with this great thing about the 'misery index,' and that he hung that around Jimmy Carter's neck, and that had a lot to do with Jimmy Carter losing. Well, we're going to have to hang the 'Obama Misery Index' around his neck. And, I'll tell you, the fact that you've got people in this country, really squeezed, with gasoline getting so expensive, with commodities getting so expensive, families are having a hard time making ends meet. So, we're going to have to talk about that, and housing foreclosures and bankruptcies and higher taxation. We're going to hang him — uh, so to speak, metaphorically — with, uh, with, uh — you have to be careful these days, I've learned that, with an Obama Misery Index."

A video of the remarks posted on YouTube cuts off at, "you have to be careful," without the final 10 words.

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

Glen Johnson / Globe Staff

An attendee at tonight's Americans for Prosperity presidential candidate forum in New Hampshire saved his seat with a program.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Five prospective Republican presidential contenders are attending a forum tonight sponsored by Americans for Prosperity, a pro-GOP group with ties to billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch.

Glen Johnson / Globe Staff

Mitt Romney spends $38.52 filling up an aide's Ford Escape while speaking with station owner Tony Chedid about high gasoline prices.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Mitt Romney pulled out his own credit card and spent $38.52 today to fill up the Ford Escape owned by aide Will Ritter, before he blamed high gasoline prices on the country's inability to generate a sufficient supply of energy.

The prospective Republican presidential contender said the Obama administration's reliance on creating green technologies and renewable energy supplies is commendable, but it has also caused price increases because of the expectation that supply of existing fuels will not increase.

He called for more oil drilling and natural gas pipelines, as well as coal production.

By Theo Emery, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Scott Brown is hitting back at a voter education group that began running a critical television spot today, saying the ad "reeks of political demagoguery."

The League of Women Voters’ television spot features a young girl on a respirator, and accuses Brown of siding with polluters when he voted this month for a measure that would have stripped the EPA of its ability to regulate greenhouse gases. A similar ad aimed at Democrat Claire McCaskill is airing in her home state of Missouri.

"It is outrageous for an allegedly non-partisan group to use sick children to misrepresent a vote about jobs and government over-regulation. These type of over-the-top distortions have no place in our political discourse,” Brown, a Republican, said in a statement.

Brown and McCaskill's states are the only ones where the ads are playing; both are up for re-election in 2012. The spots have the appearance of issue ads that typically pop up during election seasons that point out how candidates voted on particular issues.

Before Brown's comments, League of Women Voters President Elisabeth MacNamara said the spots were not attack ads, and did not target Brown and McCaskill because of their upcoming elections. She said that “there is an accountability piece” to running them, but said it was not related to their elections. The votes of all 100 senators are available at an accompanying Web site.

“These are not intended to at all attack these particular senators. They are designed to draw attention to the votes that were made by these two particular senators," she said.

Theo Emery can be reached at temery@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @temery.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

MANCHESTER, N.H. – New Hampshire Democrats are preemptively attacking likely presidential candidate Mitt Romney hours before he makes his second public appearance of the year in this crucial first-in-the-nation primary state.

The state Democratic Party this afternoon criticized the former Massachusetts governor for, among other things, planning a campaign appearance this afternoon at a gas station here. The Democrats pointed to a 2-cent-per-gallon increase in a gasoline fee that was implemented in 2003 the Bay State when Romney was governor. The special fee, assessed on gasoline companies and aimed at cleaning up contamination around underground fuel storage tanks, was raised from 0.5 cents per gallon to 2.5 cents per gallon.

To drive home the point, state Democrats released a map showing all New Hampshire gas stations that border Massachusetts. The map is called “Last Stop Before the Romney Gas Tax.”

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Matthew Barzun, a former Lincoln resident who is now US ambassador to Sweden, will give up his diplomatic post to work for President Obama's re-election by overseeing what some have projected could be the country's first $1 billion White House campaign, The Boston Globe has learned.

US Embassy

Matthew Barzun

Barzun, a 40-year-old Harvard College graduate, will serve as national finance chairman for Obama for America, the president's Chicago-based campaign committee. He is replacing Penny Pritzker, the Chicago billionaire who helped raise nearly $750 million for Obama's 2008 campaign.

During the 2012 race, the Obama committee, working in unison with the Democratic National Committee, expects a fierce advertising battle after the Supreme Court struck down a ban on corporate funding of campaign commercials.

"Not only was Matthew Barzun one of the Obama campaign's top fundraisers in 2008, but he also brings strong working relationships with President Obama's supporters from across the country to this race," said a national Democrat who confirmed the appointment today.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Check "Political Intelligence" after 6 p.m. tonight for a live blog from the Americans for Prosperity forum in Manchester, N.H.

Five prospective Republican presidential candidates — Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Michelle Bachmann, Rick Santorum, and Herman Cain — will address Republican activists in the first candidate cattle call in almost two months.

The event kicks off at 7 p.m., when Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina speaks at an hourlong dinner honoring former New Hampshire Senate candidate Ovide Lamontagne as “Conservative of the Year."

Lamontagne has become something of a GOP kingmaker in the first presidential primary state, helping to explain the turnout.

At 8 p.m., the broader speaking program begins, with each prospective candidate addressing the audience for eight minutes and then responding to questions from Tim Phillips, president of the AFP Foundation.

There will not be a direct debate, as the candidates are slated to speak in this order: Pawlenty, Santorum, Romney, Cain, and Bachmann.

The gathering is billed as a "Summit on Spending and Job Creation."

The appearance comes as a new poll sponsored by New Hampshire's leading television station, WMUR-TV, finds that President Obama's approval rating has fallen to 44 percent.

The survey also found that 52 percent of respondents disapproved of his job performance.

In one potential head-to-head matchup, Obama lost to Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, by a margin of 50 percent to 43 percent.

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

By Donovan Slack, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON — The New Hampshire Democratic Party announced this morning that it is filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that Republican Mitt Romney violated campaign finance laws by using large contributions given to a series of state PACs to fund his presidential ambitions.

The complaint asks the commission to investigate and cites a Boston Globe story published earlier this month that outlined Romney's state committee fund-raising system.

By using committees set up in individual states with no contribution limits, Romney was able to get around individual federal contribution limits of $5,000 per year. Through state committees in Alabama, Iowa, Michigan, South Carolina, and New Hampshire, the former Massachusetts governor raised large contributions totaling $1.62 million from 43 individuals in 2009 and 2010. That's an average contribution amount of $37,700.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

President Obama is coming back to Boston next month for a fundraiser on behalf of his newly created reelection committee.

The Democrat is scheduled to appear at a 3 p.m. event at the Cyclorama in the South End on May 18.

A Democratic official who confirmed the trip would not provide further details, but if Obama follows the practice he has used in recent weeks in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City, he will attend several events for both mass audiences and more intimate groups while in the city.

The goal is to raise money for the 2012 campaign.

Obama was in Boston last month for an education event at TechBoston Academy in Dorchester, as well as a fundraiser on behalf of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee at the Museum of Fine Arts.

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

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

CONCORD, N.H. -- The contrast could not have been clearer. Where Donald Trump flew into this first-in-the-nation primary state yesterday on his personal helicopter, Senator Rand Paul flew in on Southwest – and had coffee spilled on him, to boot.

Where Trump was greeted by a horde of reporters, only a handful came to hear Paul speak before the Merrimack County Republican Committee at a Holiday Inn here. And where Trump is heavy on the style and oftentimes light on the substance, Paul delivered a policy-rich speech in a dry tone.

But not without tweaking Trump today for his insistence that President Obama release his complete birth certificate.

“I’ve come to New Hampshire today because I’m very concerned,” Paul said. “I want to see the original long-form certificate, with embossed seal, of Donald Trump’s Republican registration.”

“Seriously don’t you think we need to see that?” he said, adding that Trump had donated to Democrats such as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

President Obama came to Boston on Oct. 16 to campaign for his personal friend and political ally Governor Deval Patrick.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick, a close personal and political friend of President Obama, today said questions about the authenticity of his birth certificate — and thus his legitimacy as the country's leader — represent "a new low in American politics."

“I hope and I believe that the American people are bigger and better than this," the Democrat said during his monthly appearance on WTKK-FM, his most free-wheeling regular public engagement.

Asked whether he felt race was motivating questions not only about Obama's birthplace but also his academic record, Patrick — like Obama the first African-American to hold his job — said: “I have no idea, but whatever is motivating it, it feels like a new low in American politics, particularly when you consider the extraordinary challenges facing this country and this president, that we would spend our time on stuff like that and attempts to marginalize our president.”

Jim Wilson/Globe Staff

Paul Tsongas acknowledges the crowd as he announces his candidacy for the 1992 Democratic presidential nomination during an April 30, 1991, speech in Lowell's Boarding House Park.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Listening to Donald Trump yesterday, speaking caustically and bombastically against the backdrop of a gleaming helicopter emblazoned with the name "Trump," I was struck by the contrast between him and the late Senator Paul Tsongas.

The Massachusetts Democrat announced his candidacy for the presidency 20 years ago Saturday, on April 30, 1991, and the approaching anniversary had prompted me to reminisce in recent weeks about the first White House campaign I covered.

The difference between Tsongas and Trump could not be more pronounced.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert has weighed in on Mitt Romney's suggestion earlier this week that President Obama had engaged in a huge "peacetime" spending binge.

Romney's staff later clarified that in his op-ed piece Monday for The New Hampshire Union Leader, the prospective Republican presidential contender meant to blast the incumbent for the largest expenditures since World War II.

Colbert addressed the situation last night on his satirical pundit program.

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

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. – Donald Trump is well known for having a distaste for one of the most basic human rituals: shaking hands.

"One of the curses of American society is the simple act of shaking hands, and the more successful and famous one becomes the worse this terrible custom seems to get,” he wrote in his 1997 book, “The Art of the Comeback.” “I happen to be a clean hands freak. I feel much better after I thoroughly wash my hands, which I do as much as possible."

So as he launched on a whirlwind trip to New Hampshire today – to meet with activists, donors, and average voters – it was unclear whether he would change his habits and agree to shake hands with the uncleaned masses.

The answer became clear when he entered the Roundabout Diner and Lounge here, and began grabbing hands like it was his job.

“How are you?” he said, extending his arm to one person. “Nice to see you,” he said to another.

“It was very warm and very strong,” Brian Murphy, a 49-year-old independent from Rye, said of the handshake he received. “I was surprised.”

Trump has been known to stretch the truth a bit, and it was no different on his past position on pressing the flesh.

When a reporter commented that he was getting good at shaking hands, he said, “I have no problem with it. That’s a rumor that the enemies say.”

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.

Bill Greene/Globe Staff

Donald Trump spoke to the media in New Hampshire today.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. - With his trademark New York bravado, Donald Trump today said "I'm very proud of myself" for supposedly prompting President Obama to release a copy of his birth certificate.

"I am really honored, frankly, to have played such a big role," the New York real estate mogul and television celebrity told reporters just after the White House announced its release.

The decision came amid lingering suggestions from so-called "birthers" that the president is not a legitimate leader because he allegedly was born in his father's native Kenya and not Hawaii, as the certificate endorses.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — Donald Trump's New Hampshire schedule is secret no longer.

The prospective Republican presidential contender is scheduled to arrive at 9 a.m. at the Pease International Tradeport.

After a press conference in a Port City Air hangar (which won't begin until the rotors on Trump's helicopter stop - hair concern?), Trump will head to the Roundabout Diner at the Portsmouth Traffic Circle.

Then, at 10:30 a.m., he's slated to visit the Wilcox Industries Corp. in Newington, where he will go on a tour and meet with employees and guests.

At 12:30 p.m., Trump is the headliner at a fundraiser for the New Hampshire Republican Party, which is providing logistical support for his visit.

Then, at 3:15 p.m., Trump is stopping by Newick's Lobster House for what is sure to be a picturesque photo op.

He is due to fly out at 4:50 p.m.

Before this morning, Trump associates had refused to release his schedule, citing concerns about mischief-makers and "security" worries.

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

Richard Drew/AP

Donald Trump speaks Monday during an interview with The Associated Press. Today he is making his first visit to New Hampshire as a prospective presidential candidate.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Real estate mogul and television celebrity Donald Trump is making his first visit to New Hampshire today as a prospective presidential candidate.

Just don't ask where.

After a press conference at the Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth, the New York Republican is going to try to ditch the media pack as he makes a half-dozen secret stops aimed at introducing him to key players in the lead presidential primary state.

By Noah Bierman, Globe Staff

Alan Khazei today officially declared he is running for the Democratic nomination for the seat currently held by Republican US Senator Scott Brown.

Alan Khazei

"It's official,'' he wrote. “I’m in.''

A two-and-a-half minute announcement video posted on his website offered a more detailed look at his campaign themes.

“As I’ve traveled across our state, I’ve heard from many people who are concerned that opportunity is drying up, that the American dream is in trouble and the system is failing too many Americans,” Khazei says in the video. “It’s stacked in favor of powerful special interests and designed for a time long gone by.”

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Veteran Democratic political strategist Joe Trippi has signed on with Somerville activist Bob Massie in his campaign against US Senator Scott Brown.

Massie has already declared his candidacy for next year's Democratic nomination. City Year co-founder Alan Khazei also announced today that he was running.

In a statement, Trippi noted he began his career on the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy's 1980 presidential campaign. The strategist also was instrumental in Howard Dean's surprise showing in the 2004 Democratic presidential primary campaign.

“Bob Massie has a remarkable story in which he has demonstrated insight, courage, and tenacity," Trippi said in a statement. "He will defend the American Dream, excite the Democratic base, draw in independents, and take the seat back from Scott Brown, who simply does not represent the values of Massachusetts."

Massie campaign manager Matt Wilson said: “Joe Trippi’s history motivating and engaging the grassroots is second to none. His experience in local, national, and international politics complements Bob’s vision of a better life for all.”

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

David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

The trial of former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, which starts today, has cast a pall over the rest of Beacon Hill. The current speaker, Robert DeLeo, left, is on the witness list, as is Governor Deval Patrick and Senate President Therese Murray. Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, center background, is not.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Deval Patrick railed against the "Beacon Hill culture" when he ran for governor in 2006. Now he's part of a trial with the potential to expose its most unsavory elements.

Patrick is the highest-profile potential witness in the trial of former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, which begins today in federal court as prospective jurors fill out questionnaires. DiMasi, a Boston Democrat, is accused of receiving $65,000 in kickbacks for helping funnel $17.5 million in state contracts to the Burlington software company Cognos.

Richard Vitale, DiMasi's friend and former accountant, and their friend Richard McDonough, are charged with extortion and mail and wire fraud, among other charges, for allegedly misappropriating DiMasi's power as speaker.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Live by the op-ed, die by the op-ed.

Expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney learned that today, when he made an apparent gaffe in what has become the favored form of communication in his carefully choreographed pre-campaign run-up: the newspaper op-ed column.

The former Massachusetts governor found that when you virtually limit your media exposure to written columns, as opposed to unrestricted media questions, you can control your message — but you also leave no one else to blame when there's trouble.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour announced today he would not be a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

In a statement, he highlighted the grueling personal commitment that had made his wife, Marsha, wary of such a campaign.

"A candidate for president today is embracing a ten-year commitment to an all-consuming effort, to the virtual exclusion of all else," Barbour said. "His (or her) supporters expect and deserve no less than absolute fire in the belly from their candidate. I cannot offer that with certainty, and total certainty is required."

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

Brian Blanco for The Boston Globe

Mitt and Ann Romney arrive at an H&R Block office in Orlando, Fla., on April 15 for a tax-day discussion.

UPDATED

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

None of the best-known potential Republican presidential contenders has yet to formally declare his candidacy, but when they do, it's clear it'll be a two-fer.

Mitt Romney says his wife, Ann, has been the one egging him on to mount a second White House campaign.

Tim Pawlenty doesn't issue a press release without mentioning his wife Mary's assent with the news.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

President Obama didn't exactly blame the American people for missing the point last night as his poll numbers have plunged, but he did state they have been so focused on their daily lives they haven't focused deeply enough on the broader, more thematic underpinnings of the great recent congressional debates.

Addressing a star-studded fundraiser audience at the Tavern restaurant in Los Angeles that included actors Tom Hanks and George Clooney, Obama said he expected the majority of voters to end up siding with him when they focus their attention on the candidates, the policies they propose, and their personal values during next year's campaign.

Massachusetts listeners can't but hear the echoes of the "values" focus that Governor Deval Patrick offered during his successful reelection campaign last fall, and which he has continued amid his recent book tour.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON — Likely presidential contender Mitt Romney today criticized President Obama for not being clearer on the mission in Libya, saying that the United States was entering into a "mission creep" in the war-torn country.

“It is apparent that our military is engaged in much more than enforcing a no-fly zone,” Romney wrote in a blog post on National Review Online. “What we are watching in real time is another example of mission creep and mission muddle.”

“Military action cannot be under-deliberated and ad hoc,” Romney added. “The president owes it to the American people and Congress to immediately explain his new Libya mission and its strategic rationale.”

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney is trying to pick and choose which media outlets he appears in before he makes any formal announcement, but there was no avoiding The Onion today.

The satirical newspaper posted a mock article in which the former Massachusetts governor ostensibly regretted signing the state's universal health care law in 2006.

"Every day I am haunted by the fact that I gave impoverished Massachusetts citizens a chance to receive health care," The Onion "quotes" Romney as saying in the satirical piece. "I'm only human, and I've made mistakes. None bigger, of course, than helping cancer patients receive chemotherapy treatments and making sure that those suffering from pediatric AIDS could obtain medications, but that's my cross to bear."

Again, it's satire. I think.

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

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick, pressed about his aspirations for higher
office during an appearance on national television today, said he would
not run against US Senator Scott Brown, even if President Obama urged
him to do so.

"That conversation is not going to happen, and I've been very clear I
do not want to serve in the United States Senate," Patrick said during
a five-minute interview with Matt Lauer on the "Today" show.

Patrick was appearing on the show to promote his memoir, and Lauer,
who introduced the governor as a "rising star," asked several times
whether the book was a precursor to a run for national office. Patrick
insisted it was not.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney wants President Obama to personally meet with officials from Standard & Poor's after the financial agency maintained the country's AAA bond rating on Monday but downgraded its long-term outlook from "stable" to "negative."

“If you will, they downgraded the Obama presidency," Romney said today during an interview on the San Diego-based “Mark Larson Show."

"In my own view, this is not something to be laughed off as the president’s people seem to be doing. The president really ought to personally sit down and meet with S&P. I did that when I was governor (of Massachusetts); I met with the ratings agencies and talked about our future and tried to instill confidence in our future because, look, how they rate our debt and how they rate our future as a nation will affect the interest costs that we end up paying and will affect homeowners and borrowers all over the country," said Romney.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Senator Scott Brown says people demanding he name the former counselor who allegedly sexually abused him when he attended a Cape Cod summer camp as a 10-year-old "have no clue" about working through such an episode.

The Massachusetts Republican made the allegation in mid-February when released his new book, "Against All Odds." But since then, he has refused to name the camp where the alleged abuse occurred, the counselor he says abused him, or provide authorities with information for a possible prosecution.

The senator has explained that he wants to move on with his life, even as critics suggest remaining silent has allowed an abuser to go unpunished and possibly victimized others.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Senator Scott Brown threw out the first pitch before the Patriots Day game between the Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.

Then he headed to the NESN broadcast booth and described the jealousy some fellow members of Congress feel over the success of his hometown teams.

"People don't realize when you're in a state where they have no chance of ever winning anything, the amount of jealousy amongst the senators and the congressmen, 'Oh, my gosh, you're from Boston? The Red Sox, the Celtics, the Bruins,' everyone's always in the playoffs, always in the hunt," Brown to play-by-play man Don Orsillo and color commentator Jerry Remy.

"If you're down in Washington or Baltimore, they're not quite there," said the senator, who was dressed in a Red Sox warm-up jacket for the occasion.

Nonetheless, Brown said he has attended some Washington Nationals games with his family and staff, to relax with the former and work on team-building with the latter.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Senator Scott Brown is taking a tour tomorrow of XL Hybrids, a Somerville-based company that converts standard gasoline engines into hybrids.

The tour will occur from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Afterward, Brown will hold a press conference to discuss his proposed legislation for reducing energy costs.

The Republican is up for re-election. He is back in Massachusetts during the congressional recess.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Potential US Senate candidate Alan Khazei has announced the first event for his campaign exploratory committee.

In a Facebook posting, the Democrat said he would meet with supporters at 6 p.m. on April 26 at the Old South Meeting House in Boston.

"I would love the opportunity to share with you my thoughts on how to get our country back on the right track and also hear your ideas and thoughts," said Khazei. "I look forward to meeting and listening to the voters of the commonwealth to hear their concerns and ideas about the challenges and opportunities facing our state and country."

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

President Obama's deficit-reduction speech wasn't just about numbers but what kind of country America will become, Governor Deval Patrick said this morning during an appearance on ABC's "This Week" news program.

While Republicans have criticized the partisan nature of last week's address, in which Obama proposed cutting $4 trillion over 12 years, Patrick said the critics glossed over its overarching theme.

“It’s a fiscally responsible but also mutually responsible kind of community, and I support that," the governor told host Christiane Amanpour.

Brian Blanco for The Boston Globe

Expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, listen today to the tax concerns of local business owner Jason Albu, back to camera, as H&R Block office manager Kathy Severtson, right, looks while the Romneys tour an H&R Block office in Orlando, Fla.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

ORLANDO – Former Governor Mitt Romney this morning criticized President Obama’s deficit reduction plan as “deceptive and intellectually dishonest,” but largely strayed from outlining what his own proposals would look like.

He also did not fully embrace the House Republican plan to curb spending in the cherished entitlement programs Medicaid and Medicare, saying at one point that “it’s essential for us to protect Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security as safety nets for the American people.”

Republican presidential candidates have struggled to discuss both the desire to cut spending, and whether those cuts should include the politically popular entitlement programs that make up the largest chunk of spending. Romney said he supported Representative Paul Ryan for bringing the ideas forward.

“I applaud the fact that we are now talking about this issue,” Romney said, in his first public appearance since announcing on Monday that he was forming a presidential exploratory committee. “Chairman Ryan’s plan is not identical, I don’t imagine, to what I’ll be putting forward in a campaign that will potentially go forward. But it’s the right step. We’re on the same page, to put this agenda out there and talk about spending restraint.”

Glen Johnson/Globe Staff

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, guided by New Hampshire Republican operative Michael Dennehy, walks through Riley's Gun Shop in Hooksett on the second day of his visit to the lead primary state as a prospective presidential candidate.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

HOOKSETT, N.H. – With a 22-person media contingent outside, and only a handful of prospective voters inside, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour wasn't trying to conceal the message he was sending to New Hampshire voters as he wound down his first visit of the year as a prospective presidential contender.

I'm one of you, he said with deeds as much as words nonetheless spoken with a Southern drawl.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Senator Scott Brown’s communications director is leaving to join Mitt Romney’s emerging presidential campaign, the former Massachusetts governor announced this morning.

Gail Gitcho, who joined Brown just as he took office in February 2010, was previously a regional press secretary during Romney’s 2008 presidential bid. She later was the mid-Atlantic communications director for John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, and then served as national press secretary for the Republican National Committee.

Gitcho is leaving Brown’s staff at a crucial time, as he prepares to run for reelection in Massachusetts in a race that will draw national attention. She also joins Romney at a crucial time, as he prepares for a second presidential run.

It also highlights the overlap between the advisers for Brown and Romney – two candidates whose political careers and personas are very different but who are advised by many of the same people. Both Massachusetts Republicans will continue consult a trio that has steered campaigns for both before – Eric Fehrnstrom, Peter Flaherty, and Beth Myers.

Globe colleague Glen Johnson wrote three weeks ago about the political tightrope the candidates – and staffs – will have to walk as the campaigns get underway.

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.

Glen Johnson/Globe Staff

Prospective Republican presidential contender Haley Barbour talked guns, the Boston Red Sox, and political issues during a visit this morning to the Chez Vachon restaurant in Manchester, N.H.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Who knew?

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour claimed a New England connection this morning as he confessed to being a Boston Red Sox fan on the strength of his longtime friendship with a former team catcher.

Stopping by a frequent political haunt, the Chez Vachon on the west side of Manchester, Barbour told a table that included Mayor Ted Gatsas that he played on a two-time state high school championship team with future Red Sox player Jerry Moses.

Glen Johnson/Globe Staff

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour works with room last night as he stopped by the Bow home of Jayne and Shawn Millerick during his first visit to New Hampshire this year as a prospective presidential candidate.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

BOW, N.H. – Southern charm collided with Yankee skepticism last night as Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour made his first visit of the year to New Hampshire as a prospective presidential candidate.

With his trademark drawl and affable demeanor, Barbour worked a crowd of about 30 people at the home of former New Hampshire Republican Party chairwoman Jayne Millerick, introducing himself by saying simply, "Hi, I'm Haley."

(See my earlier post here.)

Then he was peppered with questions about everything from his views on spending cuts and entitlement reform to US intervention in Libya, as voters in the lead presidential primary state upheld their tradition as vetters-in-chief of would-be commanders-in-chief.

Glen Johnson/Globe Staff

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour addressed a house party tonight as he made his first visit to New Hampshire of the year as a prospective presidential candidate.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

BOW, N.H. – Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour tonight told an audience in the lead presidential primary state of New Hampshire he would offer "casual, comfortable, plainspoken commonsense" if he decided to seek the Republican nomination.

He argued that the American people "are tired of happy talk," and need straight information about cutting government spending while also resisting the temptation to raise taxes.

He pledged a decision about his candidacy by the end of the month, as he kicked off a two-day trip that was his first to the state this year.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON — Expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney immediately pounced on President Obama’s deficit-cutting proposal, saying it didn’t go far enough and relied too heavily on tax increases.

“President Obama’s proposals are too little, too late,” Romney said in a statement released minutes after Obama today finished his speech outlining his plan. “Instead of supporting spending cuts that lead to real deficit reduction and true reform of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, the President dug deep into his liberal playbook for ‘solutions’ highlighted by higher taxes.”

Obama proposed a menu of options to reduce the deficit, including cuts in defense spending, an overhaul of the tax system, and an end to Bush-era tax cuts for wealthier Americans. The plan would lower the deficit by about $4 trillion over a dozen years.

Obama’s proposal comes in response to a House Republican plan that would cut $5.8 trillion in spending over the next decade. That plan would allow the Bush tax cuts — now set to expire in 2012 — to be extended indefinitely, and Republicans have opposed any proposal to end the tax break.

"With over 20 million people who are unemployed or who have stopped looking for work, the last thing we should be doing is raising taxes on job-creators, entrepreneurs, and small business owners across America,” Romney said in his statement.

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

So when is a would-be president officially a candidate?

It's a hard question to answer, since some of the rules and regulations are gray, and enforcement of them all can depend on whether a prospective candidate faces a complaint alleging their breach.

Right now, the most prominent official candidate for president of the United States is the person who already has the job, Democrat Barack Obama.

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo, setting up a fight with unions, today proposed a $30.5 billion annual state budget that cuts more deeply than Governor Deval Patrick’s proposal and goes further than the governor to strip local public employees of their right to bargain over health care.

House leaders said their plan would cut $94 million more than Patrick’s proposal unveiled in January, and would represent the biggest year-to-year cut in state spending in two decades. The Senate still has not released its proposed budget.

State leaders are grappling with the loss of $1.5 billion in federal stimulus funds and a shaky economic recovery.

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick endured some friendly ribbing about the state’s health care law and his political future from Jon Stewart on “The Daily Show” last night. But Patrick mostly stuck to script and let Stewart make the jokes.

Poking fun at the governor’s declaration that he is guided by conviction and idealism, Stewart said, “This politics of conviction, this idealism, have you ever thought of giving those up to run for national office?”

“I’m not running for anything else,” Patrick said, laughing. “But I haven’t given up those ideals and those values for any job.”

“I look forward to the system corrupting you,” Stewart quipped.

“Not gonna happen,” Patrick shot back in his 8-minute spot on the show, which he flew to New York to tape.

Patrick’s appearance was part of a flurry of national media appearances he is making over the next two weeks to sell his memoir, “A Reason To Believe.”

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

Mitt Romney tonight pushed back against those in his party who are questioning President Obama's citizenship, suggesting his fellow Republicans should put their energy into more substantive issues.

"The citizenship test has been passed," Romney said tonight on CNBC's Kudlow Report. "I believe the president was born in the United States. There are real reasons to get this guy out of office...but his citizenship isn't the reason why."

Several prominent Republicans — including Donald Trump and Sarah Palin — have once again tried to stoke controversy by questioning Obama's citizenship even though his birth in Hawaii has been confirmed by officials in the state.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson said today he will make a "major announcement" on April 21 in New Hampshire.

Since the Republican previously said he would eschew the interim step of forming a presidential exploratory committee, and instead plunge directly into a campaign itself if he were to run, that announcement most likely is of his decision to become a candidate for the 2012 GOP nomination.

The announcement will be made at 9 a.m. at the Capitol in Concord, and his followup schedule only perpetuates the thought that he will declare his candidacy.

He will meet with the media for two hours afterward, lunch with state legislators, and then hold what is billed as a "public kick-off event" in Manchester.

A similar schedule holds for the next two days.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Amid all the fluff and confection of presenting Mitt Romney with cakes celebrating today's fifth anniversary of the Massachusetts universal health care law, state Democrats also produced a video with some meat on its bones.

"Thank You Mitt" contains clips of Romney, then the Bay State's governor, touting the law during appearances on the Fox News Channel and, gasp, MSNBC back in 2006.

The most potentially problematic comment is Romney claiming he "authored" the measure, since many of his fellow conservatives view the law as a precursor to the federal universal health care law enacted last year by President Obama.

Julie Jacobson/AP

Expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney appears with Kathy, Dave, and Allie Tyler after touring their Las Vegas neighborhood on April 1. The value of the Tylers' home has decreased by more than $200,000 since 2008.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Former Massachusetts Governor William F. Weld, the Republican who launched a 16-year period of GOP rule on Beacon Hill, favored an expression apparently shared by Mitt Romney, the former governor who concluded their party's era of State House control.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold," Weld would say, quoting a phrase used in everything from the French novel "Mathilde" to "The Godfather" and "Star Trek II."

In announcing his presidential exploratory committee in a deliberately understated way, Romney declared his intentions — on his terms and in his own tone — with a variety of messages for an array of audiences.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney this afternoon announced he was forming a presidential exploratory committee, allowing him to start raising money for a presidential bid he has been preparing for almost since the moment he lost the 2008 Republican nomination.

Romney made the announcement in a video posted on a new website. It was taped with little fanfare at the University of New Hampshire following a meeting between the Romney and students who said they were worried about getting a job after graduation.

“I have become convinced that America has been put on a dangerous course by Washington politicians, and it has become even worse during the last two years. But I am also convinced that with able leadership, America's best days are still ahead,” Romney says in the video. “That is why today I am announcing my exploratory committee for the presidency of the United States.”

Romney is planning to open his campaign headquarters next month in Boston – in the same building his last campaign was based, on Commercial Street in the North End. Romney aides declined to say whether he would participate in the first GOP presidential debate, scheduled for May 5 in South Carolina.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

The Massachusetts Republican Party has landed two high-profile guests for upcoming fundraisers.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus will appear April 28 at the Union Club on Beacon Hill.

There is a $500 charge for a private roundtable discussion at 5:30 p.m. and a $150 charge for a general reception at 6 p.m.

On May 10, former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer will appear at the Union Oyster House at 11:45 a.m. There is a $75 charge, including lunch.

Details are available at 617-523-5005.

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

David L. Ryan, Globe Staff

Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney shares a laugh with House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and other Democrats as the Republican signs the state's universal health care law at Faneuil Hall on April 12, 2006.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Northeast Democrats will be at their most creative today and tomorrow, as they aim to tweak Republican Mitt Romney in conjunction with the fifth anniversary of the Massachusetts universal health care law.

New Hampshire Democrats are sending out an email at 9 a.m. today, urging their supporters to flood Romney's official Twitter handle, @MittRomney, with thanks and congratulations for a piece of legislation that is anathema to many of his fellow conservatives across the country.

The 2006 Massachusetts law, signed while Romney was governor of the state, became the model for the 2010 federal universal health care law signed by President Obama, the Democrat he hopes to face in next year's presidential race.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick's planned appearance Monday on NBC-TV's "Today" show is being postponed until later this week.

The date still has yet to be set, but spokesman Steve Crawford said the Democrat fell prey to the crush of recent news, including the near-government shutdown that finally was resolved just before midnight Friday.

Instead, the governor will spend Monday in Boston.

This week is the launch of the book tour for the governor's memoir, "A Reason to Believe."

Patrick is still slated to head to New York on Tuesday for a series of stops, including Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick embarks on his booktour Monday, with a pretty good first stop: A time slot in the 7 a.m. hour on NBC-TV's "Today" show.

It's shown locally on WHDH-TV (Channel 7).

It's still unclear who will interview him, but the governor is expected to talk about his memoir, "A Reason to Believe."

As a friend and political ally of President Obama, he could also expect questions about any government shutdown, the fifth anniversary of the Massachusetts health care law (on Tuesday), and his dust-up with Senator Scott Brown at today's groundbreaking for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.

The governor is coming back to Massachusetts after the show, but heading back to New York on Tuesday for a series of stops, including Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Massachusetts Democrats plan to mark Tuesday's fifth anniversary of the state's universal health care law with balloons, speeches, and a sheetcake.

For former Governor Mitt Romney.

The tweak is aimed at embarrassing the expected Republican presidential contenders as he continues to criticize the Obama administration's federal universal health care law that is based on his Massachusetts law.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is delivering the inaugural Alan D. Solomont Lecture at Tufts University today.

The California Democrat, who served as the first female speaker of the House, planned to reflect on her career and the importance of public service during a 2 p.m. address in the school's Cohen Auditorium.

This lecture is part of the 10th anniversary celebration of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service.

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

By Christopher Rowland, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – He’s the (soon-to-be-former) ambassador to China and former Republican governor of Utah. And next month – in a move that will generate waves of political interest – he will be stepping more fully into his role as potential presidential candidate with his first public appearance in New Hampshire.

Southern New Hampshire University President Paul LeBlanc confirmed in a telephone interview this evening that Jon Huntsman Jr. has accepted an invitation to be graduation speaker at the Manchester school on May 21.

"The politics of the state of New Hampshire right now are so rancorous and polemical, and a lot of people like the fact that Huntsman seems to defy that ideological rigidity," LeBlanc said.

With a moderate profile and a resume that includes an ambassadorship under the current presidential administration, Huntsman – if he chooses to run for president – would be competing with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for moderates, independents, and crossover Democrats in the New Hampshire Republican primary.

Huntsman also shares Romney’s Mormon faith, which could be a factor in another early and potentially crucial GOP primary state, Nevada.

LeBlanc said the Huntsman appearance does not reflect any endorsement by him or the university. But if recent history is a guide, a graduation speech at Southern New Hampshire University could be the equivalent of political gold. In 2007, the university’s commencement speaker was Barack Obama, the senator from Illinois.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney is giving $45,000 to GOP election committees in the aftermath of President Obama announcing his re-election campaign.

Romney's Free and Strong America PAC is giving $15,000 apiece to the Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, and the National Republican Congressional Committee.

The latter two are charged with electing Republicans to the US Senate and US House, respectively. The RNC, meanwhile, is ultimately charged with helping elect a Republican president.

The former Massachusetts governor said in a statement this afternoon: “President Obama and his big spending allies in Congress have confused priorities for our nation. Instead of focusing on putting unemployed Americans back to work, they have raised taxes, expanded the size and scope of government, and prolonged the recession. I believe that by electing Republicans, we will make America strong and prosperous again.”

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Senator Scott Brown plans to report over $8.3 million cash on hand for his 2012 re-election campaign when he files a federal finance report on April 15, an aide said today.

The tally includes $1.7 million raised during the first quarter of the year.

By some estimates, Brown may spend up to $25 million on his campaign, in which he is seeking his first full term after replacing the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy in February 2010.

"Finally, Senator Brown, like other senators from Massachusetts and elsewhere, is registering a political action committee, 'ScottPAC,' which will allow him to respond to requests for financial support from other candidates," said spokeswoman Gail Gitcho.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, an expected candidate for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, has the "Free and Strong America PAC,'' while former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, another potential candidate next year, has the similarly named "SarahPAC."

Such so-called leadership committees allow politicians to travel the country and build their national political base, while also developing chits by sprinkling donations on like-minded candidates.

Earlier today, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll announced she would not seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Brown, citing her current job and young family.

But all the potential challengers have cited the money they have to raise as a potentially decisive factor in their ultimate decision to run.

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

Joanne Rathe/Globe Staff

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll worked in her City Hall office on Feb. 9, 2010. She announced today she would not run for the US Senate next year, citing her work in the city and her young family.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll released a statement this morning saying she will not seek the Democrats' 2012 US Senate nomination in Massachusetts.

She had explored a run against the Republican incumbent, Senator Scott Brown, but also been upfront about her concerns over running while leading a city and raising three young children.

Driscoll had been the most prominent woman to publicly express interest in a campaign.

"Plain and simple, I do think the seat is winnable, but there is a time and place for everything," she said in her statement.

Bryan Snyder/Reuters

Howard Dean drew big crowds during the 2004 presidential race, but his campaign was fueled with vast sums of money raised over the Internet. Eight years later, declared and likely 2012 candidates are taking advantage of another digital development - social media - to boost their campaigns.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Tim Pawlenty announced he was forming a presidential exploratory committee via Facebook.

President Obama announced he was seeking reelection to the highest office in the country via a YouTube video.

Mitt Romney sent out his retort via Twitter.

Collectively, those developments have highlighted the prominent role social media will play in the 2012 presidential campaign.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney today gave a Bronx cheer for the Obama administration's decision to hold trials for the top 9/11 suspect and four alleged co-conspirators at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, instead of as planned in New York City.

“An inexperienced and naďve president has finally reversed himself on Guantanamo and terrorist trials; let’s hope he sees the light on his other flawed policies," the former Massachusetts governor said in a statement.

Attorney General Eric Holder announced that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the others will appear before a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay rather than before a civilian court on Manhattan.

Another Massachusetts Republican, Senator Scott Brown, lauded the reversal, too.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Senator Scott Brown today issued a statement in reaction to the Obama administration's decision to forgo a civilian trial in New York City for alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other suspects.

Instead, they will appear before a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Brown, a military lawyer in the Massachusetts National Guard, had opposed the New York plan and advocated for a Guantanamo proceeding.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney used his Twitter account this morning to respond to the announcement of President Obama's re-election campaign.

"@barackobama I look forward to hearing details on your jobs plan, as are 14m unemployed Americans," @MittRomney said in his cheeky post.

Romney's retort followed Obama's decision to use YouTube to release a video announcing his re-election campaign.

Romney then popped out his Twitter response, before another likely GOP presidential candidate, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, released his own response via YouTube.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty certainly isn't dithering.

No sooner had President Obama's re-election committee released its kickoff video this morning than did Pawlenty's committee release its retort.

In his own YouTube spot, Pawlenty pokes at Obama's new signature phrase by asking, "How can America 'Win the Future' when we're losing the present?"

After showing a series of dark scenes and downtrodden voices, Pawlenty himself says to camera, "In order for American to take a new direction, it's going to take a new president."

Pawlenty, a first-time national candidate, has already announced, via Facebook, the formation of a presidential exploratory committee.

Using another social medium for Obama's announcement and Pawlenty's reaction shows the rise of YouTube as an inexpensive and direct means of communicating with voters.

There's no 30-second commercial to finance, and no reporters serving as a middleman on the message.

The candidates also benefit from follow-up coverage — and links to their spots — that send the message virally.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

As Republicans form presidential exploratory committees, or promise to do so, or hint that one is coming, the incumbent isn't dithering.

President Obama kicked off his re-election campaign this morning with a video featuring average citizens making the case for giving him a second term.

The president's team will follow-up by filing papers official paperwork with the Federal Election Committee and then a fundraising drive. The re-election campaign, as with his 2008 campaign, will be based in his hometown of Chicago.

Obama does not speak in the kickoff film, which opens with a scene featuring "Ed" from North Carolina.

It's no coincidence that someone with a Southern accent, and from a state so coveted by the Democrats they are holding their 2012 convention in Charlotte, is given such a prominent role.

His message also is an appeal to Obama true believers as well as some of his early supporters who may have lost their enthusiasm as the aftereffects of the Great Recession have lingered and, more recently, the president launched military action in Libya.

"I don't agree with Obama on everything, but I respect him and I trust him,'' says Ed.

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

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

LAS VEGAS – It was billed as a foreign policy address, but it didn’t take long before the most prominent issue that could haunt Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign came up.

The first question from the audience after his 24-minute address before the Republican Jewish Coalition here was not about Israel or unrest in the Middle East. It was about Romney’s health care plan in Massachusetts.

Romney largely defended the rationale of the Massachusetts plan, saying that it helped spur greater health care coverage so uninsured residents wouldn’t simply go to emergency rooms for care.

But he sought to distinguish the plan from President Obama’s national plan by casting it as an issue of states’ rights.

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Likely presidential candidate Mitt Romney this afternoon toured a depressed neighborhood besieged by foreclosed homes as he continued trying to criticize President Obama’s handling of the economy.

Romney so far has staked his budding presidential bid on economic concerns, but new upticks in the unemployment rates could complicate his case.

“I’m afraid some people are becoming conditioned to unemployment rates above 8 percent,” Romney said today. “Unemployment should be around 4 percent or less. And the idea that we celebrate 8.8 percent, I’m glad for the progress, but my goodness, we’ve got a lot of people out of work.”

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Senator Scott Brown has a pair of public events in Massachusetts this weekend.

Tonight, he's joining Governor Deval Patrick and other local politicians for the annual “Banned in Boston” benefit for Urban Improv. It describes itself as "an interactive program for young people that uses improvisational theater workshops to teach violence prevention, conflict resolution, and decision-making."

The show starts at 7:45 p.m. at the House of Blues on Lansdowne Street.

Tomorrow, the Republican is the keynote speaker at the annual Pioneer Valley USO fundraiser dinner.

It takes place at 8:15 p.m. at Delaney House in Holyoke.

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

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Republicans in early-voting states today levied harsh criticisms of their counterparts in Florida for so far refusing to move their primary date, part of an ongoing squabble that could have far-reaching implications for the presidential nominating calendar.

Republican Party leaders in both Iowa and South Carolina today said that national Republicans should consider moving the national convention from Tampa, Fla., unless Florida moves its current primary date.

It is all part of an ongoing disagreement over the nominating calendar, which could prove crucial for which candidate wins. National GOP leaders had been seeking an orderly and extended primary season, in part by punishing states that scheduled their elections before March 1, 2012. They carved out an exemption for four states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

"Or, as I like to call it, the 'People's Library,'" the Republican quipped at the South Boston St. Patrick's Day political roast.

Senator Scott Brown

Brown argued he wasn't filling Kennedy's seat, but "the people's seat."

He will discuss his new memoir, "Against All Odds: My Life of Hardship, Fast Breaks, and Second Chances," with NECN correspondent Alison King.

This forum will be held from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Reservations are no longer available to the public.

The forum will also be webcast live at www.jfklibrary.org/webcast.

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

UPDATED

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Expected Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney today accused President Obama of inattention to job creation.

The Democratic National Committee responded by criticizing Romney's job creation record while governor of Massachusetts, as well as job losses in the aftermath of corporate acquisitions while he ran Bain Capital

In an op-ed piece appearing in USA Today, Romney called for tax polices that reward savings, investment, entrepreneurial risk-taking, and exports; free, open, and fair access to foreign markets; elimination of what he termed "the federal bureaucratic and regulatory stranglehold on business"; and budget restraints and entitlement reform.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

A Harvard University poll released this morning found President Obama's approval rating rising among the so-called "Millennials" or "Generation Y" that spans from 18 to 29 years old.

The president had an approval rating of 55 percent, up 6 percentage points from a similar survey last fall. Both were conducted by Harvard’s Institute of Politics, which is part of the John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Among students at four-year college campuses, Obama's approval rating rose even more, from 51 percent last fall to 69 percent now.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Vice President Joseph Biden is visiting the University of New Hampshire on Monday to call attention to the high rates of sexual assault and violence committed against young women in schools and on college campuses across the country, the White House announced today.

Joined by US Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Biden will will introduce new guidance to help schools, colleges, and universities understand their civil rights obligations to better prevent and respond to sexual assault, a statement said.

Biden was the author of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and worked as a US senator to change the way domestic violence is handled.

Nonetheless, the statement said, young women aged 16-24 experience the highest rates of rape and sexual assault, while one-in-five will be a victim of sexual assault during college.

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

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine shakes President Obama's hand last night after introducing him at a party fundraiser at the Studio Museum in Harlem.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

President Obama has once again borrowed from Governor Deval Patrick, this time when it comes to nudging along prospective US Senate candidates.

Patrick created a stir in February when he bluntly told a National Journal reporter that City Year cofounder Alan Khazei, Somerville activist Bob Massie, and Newton Mayor Setti Warren were "in, for sure" for next year's US Senate race against Republican Scott Brown.

That left Khazei and Warren scrambling to clarify that they had not made any final decision. Massie had already declared his candidacy.

David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Worcester residents Ken Ricardi, Scott Schaeffer-Duffy, and Julia Skjerli hold an anti-war demonstration amid last year's Greater Boston Tea Party rally on Boston Common. Tea Party members say former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty will be the keynote speaker this year.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Likely Republican presidential contender Tim Pawlenty is headlining an upcoming Tea Party anti-tax rally on Boston Common.

The third annual event, sponsored by the Greater Boston Tea Party, will occur from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on April 15 — the tax-filing deadline.

The speech will bring Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota, to the home state of a potential rival for the 2012 GOP nomination, Mitt Romney.

It also puts him in a Tea Party spotlight enjoyed last year by former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who was the event's 2010 keynote speaker.

"Governor Pawlenty's leadership in Minnesota has put his state on a course towards economic success," said a statement issued by Christin Varley, the group's president. "His is a message voters need to hear."

Also slated to appear is former state Representative Karyn Polito, a Shrewsbury Republican who waged an unsuccessful campaign for state treasurer last fall.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Politico has an interesting story this morning looking at the recent wave of political book authors, with a special focus on US Senator Scott Brown.

The story reports that Brown’s book, "Against All Odds," had sold 15,534 copies as of last week, according to Nielsen BookScan. It tracks bookstore sales but not bulk purchases that can be made by politicians and their campaign committees, as Brown and fellow Republican Mitt Romney have done.

The story notes that President Obama seemed to start the wave, selling the rights to "Audacity of Hope" just 46 days after being elected to the Senate.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

One of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy's top aides is thinking about challenging Republican Scott Brown for re-election.

Gerry Kavanaugh worked for Kennedy from 1993 to 2001, the bulk of the time as his chief of staff. He has since worked for the Democratic National Committee, Senator John Edwards and his presidential campaign, and, most recently, as the owner of two software companies and the co-founder of a nonprofit.

In an interview with the Globe for a story today, Kavanaugh cited the high cost of a campaign as one of the key factors for any of the possible Democratic challengers.

He'd also have to work on name recognition, with a campaign being his first run for elective office.

Kavanaugh would have something of a built-in field operation: The Dartmouth native and New Bedford resident has five of six siblings still living in Massachusetts.

Read the full story here.

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

By Noah Bierman, Globe Staff

Possible presidential candidate Newt Gingrich will be in Salem tomorrow, addressing a Salem State University audience as part of an annual speaking series.

The Georgia Republican's speech is titled, “Jobs, Economic Growth, and Prosperity: Getting America Moving in the Right Direction.”

Gingrich has been traveling to Iowa, New Hampshire, and other early presidential voting states. He's also announced he's considering forming a presidential exploratory committee, another indication of his potential interest in a campaign.

Massachusetts residents who want to listen to the former House speaker can attend the 8 p.m. event at the O’Keefe Sports Complex on Canal Street for $20, or $10 if they are students at the university.

Noah Bierman can be reached at nbierman@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @nbierman.

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

Third-graders in East Bridgewater and Whitman came home from school with a note last week. Typically, that’s not news. But this note included an invitation to a fundraiser for a freshman state representative, a violation of state ethics rules.

Representative Geoff Diehl, a Whitman Republican, said today he is sorry for sending the note on Thursday, and he now realizes it violated the state law that bars the use of public resources for private campaigns.

“Really, it’s a lesson learned,” he said. “I feel horrible for the ramifications.”

The note invited parents to enter their children in a lottery, with the winners participating in a reading of “The Ride of Paul Revere,” at Diehl’s fundraiser with former New England Patriots player Steve DeOssie, on Patriots’ Day, April 18.

“Kids 12 and under eat FREE,” the note reads. “Adults $25.”

The flier, which teachers handed out to students at the end of school, does not make clear that the proceeds go to Diehl’s campaign account.

Susan T. Cote, superintendent of schools in East Bridgewater, said she only realized it was a fundraising solicitation after a parent — who had supported Allen McCarthy, the Democratic incumbent whom Diehl defeated last fall — called the school to complain.

“Once I realized it would go to his campaign, I said, ‘Oh. I should have never sent that home,'” Cote said.  

Diehl said he has also contacted the State Ethics Commission, which told him he would not be penalized if he does not continue to solicit funds through the schools. The fundraiser, he added, will go on as planned.

Michael Levenson can be reached at mlevenson@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mlevenson.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney has re-hired a policy expert from his 2008 campaign for his expected second White House run.

Though the former Massachusetts governor has not formally announced another campaign, a string of recent hirings and comments has dropped all pretense that he is undecided about running again.

His Free and Strong America PAC announced today that Lanhee Chen will join the PAC as policy director.

In 2008, Chen served as Romney's chief domestic policy adviser during his first campaign for president. He was also a health policy adviser to the 2004 Bush-Cheney campaign.

Chen went on to serve the Bush administration as a senior policy and political aide at the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Most recently, Chen was the deputy campaign manager and policy director for Steve Poizner, the California insurance commissioner who made a failed bid for governor.

Chen earned a doctorate and masters in political science, a law degree cum laude, and an undergraduate degree in Government, magna cum laude, all from Harvard University.

Romney himself has business and law degrees from the school.

In recent weeks, the former governor has hired a new communications adviser and filled other top jobs at the PAC, which previously had been financing his national travels and providing a vehicle for him to make donations to like-minded political candidates.

Most recently, Romney sent $25,000 to the New Jersey Republican Party to help finance its activities.

Romney also penned a blog item last week talking about how he would change the Obama administration's health insurance program. It began, "If I were president..."

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

Elise Amendola/AP

Governor Deval Patrick speaks to reporters on March 18 after returning from his trade mission to Israel and the United Kingdom. He will be on the road again next month, following a book tour schedule announced Friday.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

If there's one thing reporters covering the Patrick administration have come to expect, it's the Friday-afternoon news dump.

As the State House echoes with emptiness, as the public turns its attention from a week of work to a weekend of play, the administration has made a practice of stepping into the vacuum and filling it with unsavory news that can lose some of its pungency before Monday rolls around.

In a one-month span last fall, the topics ran the gamut, from tax collections that came in below expectations to the resignations of two Cabinet members, as well as the release of a well-past-deadline report analyzing the generous compensation at public-private agencies in the state.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Items that piled up amid a week focused on long-term planning for the boston.com Politics page...

MITT ROMNEY:

For anyone who doubts if the former Massachusetts governor is going to take a second shot at the White House, Romney himself pretty much eliminated all question this week with a National Review blog post that began, "If I were president..."

Charles Rex Abrogast/AP

Mitt Romney

Then, as Romney moved from Washington to New York for a meeting with big-money supporters, The Wall Street Journal popped up with what appeared to be a campaign-sanctioned story about Romney's effort to raise $50 million to overwhelm his potential opponents.

Follow-up reports on yesterday's meeting at the Harvard Club in Manhattan revealed that Romney may announce a presidential exploratory committee in early April, building momentum for a 15-city fundraising sweep that ends with a major event in Las Vegas on May 16.

Romney observers may recall he jumpstarted his 2008 campaign with a January 2007 telethon at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center that raised $6.5 million — then a considerable sum for such a relatively unknown national candidate.

A formal campaign kickoff would come later, just as in 2007, when Romney followed up the big fundraiser with an announcement speech at the Henry Ford Museum outside Detroit.

Word also leaked this week that Team Romney had signed two operatives for any New Hampshire campaign. Jim Merrill, who served as state director in 2008, will be senior adviser in 2012. And Jason McBride, who ran Romney's winning Michigan campaign last time around, will take over as New Hampshire campaign manager.

As another Romney senior adviser, Tom Rath, recently told the Globe's Matt Viser: “It’s like a duck; there’s a lot more activity going on under the water than on top of the water."

REDISTRICTING:

The release of Massachusetts town-by-town US Census data this week lays the factual foundation for both legislative and congressional redistricting efforts.

Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

William Keating

If history is any guide, the math will now be contorted to address political considerations.

Overall, the biggest mathematical fact is that the state is losing one congressional seat because of its overall population decline. It will drop from 10 to nine districts.

The other fact is that the borders of Massachusetts remain unchanged, meaning those nine districts will soon have to be stretched to cover what is currently 10 districts' worth of population.

Each will soon expand to include over 700,000 people.

From the political perspective, those redrawing the congressional lines will look for signs of candidate weakness or some figment of rationale as they force two of the current House members to square off for just one seat.

The district that had the slowest growth, and is represented by the oldest member, is the far-western District 1, where Representative John Olver serves. His district could be merged with neighboring District 2, which had more than double the growth and is represented by Richard E. Neal, the former mayor of Springfield.

But Olver sits on the House Appropriations Committee, while Neal is near the top on the House Ways and Means Committee. Forcing them to run off would inevitably hurt the state's political clout in one form or another.

The other two districts with the smallest growth — Districts 6 and 10 — are represented by John Tierney and William Keating, respectively.

One one level, it's a true pick-'em.

Tierney's wife just completed a jail sentence after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the filing of false tax returns for managing a banking account that collected more than $7 million in illegal gambling profits. The question lingers about how the congressman did not know about that. Keating, meanwhile, is a freshman lawmaker, with the least seniority in the delegation.

Yet Tierney represents a distinct geographical area, the North Shore, as does Keating, Cape Cod and the South Shore.

One school of thought has Tierney forced into a showdown with Representative Niki Tsongas, whose District 5 spans the neighboring Merrimack Valley and has repeatedly shown Republican tendencies. Tsongas, though, is the lone female in the delegation.

A competing school of thought has Keating forced into a runoff against Representative Barney Frank, a popular and veteran member whose District 4 stretches from Newton to Fall River. That would take some map-maneuvering, but Frank once noted that including Fall River in his current district recalls the Russians' quest for a warm-water port on the Black Sea.

It's currently hard to attach any political rationale to ousting any of the other congressmen, who have a blend of seniority, population centers, and political stature to retain a seat.

CHARLES BAKER:

Last fall's Republican gubernatorial contender has made it clear this month he's moved on from his campaign, announcing his new job with a venture capital firm and his seat on the board of a local credit union.

Wendy Maeda/Globe Staff

Charles Baker

Both positions will put him in proximity to small- and mid-sized businesses and job creation, a far cry from the corporate health insurance post that Governor Deval Patrick used to portray him as lacking the common touch during the 2010 campaign.

Give Baker a couple years to rebound from the more than $2 million in salary he gave up while running for governor and he'd be positioned to consider another run for the Corner Office or the US Senate.

Another sign Baker hasn't left Patrick — or politics — behind?

He just sent his supporters an email seeking contributions for The Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund and a tribute to Tom Kelley.

Kelley served as secretary of Veterans Affairs under both Republican and Democratic governors before Patrick, having just won re-election in November, told the Medal of Honor winner his services were no longer needed. Kelley was replaced by Coleman Nee, a Gulf War veteran the governor argued may be better attuned to the needs of more recent veterans.

"Many of us were disappointed that Tom left state service without any kind of gathering to celebrate his 40 years of service, so we decided to hold a party in his honor on his birthday, Friday, May 13th," Baker wrote in his none-too-subtle tweak to his former rival.

Net proceeds, he explained, would go to the Legacy Fund, which raises money to pay for college scholarships for the children of Massachusetts servicemen and women who have lost their lives fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq."

"Tom is a great American and a good man," Baker told his past – and possibly future – supporters.

JEFF MULLAN:

The governor coldly dismissed Bernard Cohen as state transportation secretary, then backtracked on 2006 campaign criticism of the "Big Dig culture" by hiring Jim Aloisi as his replacement.

He finally seemed to hit the mark by hiring Mullan to oversee the state's road, rail, port, and aviation systems.

Globe file photo

Jeff Mullan

From aging bridges to pothole-filled roads, from commuter-rail trains that don't come on time or T subway trains that dash through a flaming railbed like a circus tiger jumping through a burning hoop, the exposure to criticism for any transportation chief is immense.

For the most part, Mullan has handled it with aplomb. His admitted — and biggest — mistake? This month's botched explanation about how he and his department responded after a 110-pound light fixture fell off the ceiling of a Big Dig tunnel ceiling.

First, Mullan said he had kept Patrick in the dark because he wanted to inspect the other 23,000 fixtures in the Big Dig tunnel before telling the governor about the scope of the problem and his proposed remedy.

The governor was upset with that decision, and some in the public asked what responsibility Mullan would have had if another light fell and landed on some unsuspecting driver.

Mullan apologized.

Then, the Globe reported yesterday that Mullan's staff actually hadn't told him about the light falling until shortly before he told the governor. He said he wasn't lying the first time around, just speaking in the collective "we" as he outlined when his agency first learned of the problem, the steps it took to quantify the problem, and when he finally told the governor about it.

He pledged a full review of internal and external communications, with answers as early as today, but the whole episode sparked questions about whether Mullan should remain as transportation secretary.

Mullan may have blown the falling-light episode, but there's a lot to like about him as a public servant.

He's from here, having grown up in Worcester. He went to school here, at UMass-Amherst and Suffolk University Law School. He has worked here, having been a partner at the Boston law firm Foley Hoag LLP.

Perhaps most importantly, he has served the state, first in the Department of Public Works, then, after leaving his law firm, in a variety of transportation roles. On top of that, he still serves his hometown of Milton in one of local government's most thankless roles, as a member of the Board of Appeals.

When the dust settled, the story about how he learned about the falling light also was instructive: Mullan, driving through the Big Dig, wondered why engineers were up on a lift, inspecting light fixtures.

His follow-up question led to an unsettling answer and admittedly lousy communication, but that runs counter to a professionalism, plainspokeness, and selflessness that's long been on display to those who closely follow state government in general and transportation matters in particular.

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

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

Likely Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney is trying to put the pieces in place so he can achieve a resounding victory in the so-called first primary: fundraising.

The former Massachusetts governor has been traveling the country — he was at the Harvard Club in New York today — to sign up key donors for his emerging campaign. Donors are pledging to raise at least $25,000 — and up to $100,000 or more — in order to help him make an emphatic statement to rivals and voters alike well before the first primaries and caucuses.

“I don’t know how to underline more that I believe what will shine through is his undeniable heartfelt enthusiastic belief about the greatness of this country,” said Lewis Eisenberg, a prominent hedge fund manager who was the finance chairman for John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign and is now committed to Romney.

Romney’s supporters expect him to announce an exploratory committee sometime next month, which would kick off the aggressive fundraising campaign. A Romney aide said his finance team is using a figure of at least $50 million to describe the minimum amount they believe it will take to win the GOP nomination.

Most candidates, including Romney, have been dancing around the idea of running for president, but within weeks several candidates are likely to take more formal steps. Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty filed paperwork earlier this week to establish an exploratory committee, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia said he soon intends to do the same.

Others have been more coy about their plans, and have suggested they would wait until the summer to make their decisions. But if Romney forms an exploratory committee next month — allowing him to start raising money for his campaign — it could force other candidates to jump into the race in order to compete with his fundraising.

The warning bell will go off on April 1, the start of the second quarter.

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com.

Glen Johnson/Globe Staff

The feel of America's local political scene is evident in these signs for Selectman Don Stewart.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Newt Gingrich's consideration of forming a presidential exploratory committee and Tim Pawlenty's decision to actually take the plunge — and form an exploratory committee himself — signal that again, and soon, the nation's attention will return to that seminal rung of politics.

Of course, it's the presidential contest.

But as anyone who has observed politics from the bottom-up will tell you, local politics is where the real action is at.

Nowhere are the candidates as raw, or so directly in contact with voters, as they are in the cities and towns that dot the United States.

The late Paul Tsongas, who rose to US senator from Massachusetts and 1992 Democratic presidential contender, used to say, "Everything I needed to know in politics, I learned on the Lowell City Council."

While presidential candidates are surrounded with advisers, guided by polls, and protected from reporters by velvet ropes, eager aides, or Secret Service agents, most local pols have their phone number in the book — and answer when you call, too.

That's the way it was until a year ago, when former Wrentham town assessor and selectman, former Massachusetts state representative, and former Massachusetts state senator Scott Brown got elected to the US Senate.

Now it's a little harder to get the Republican to pick up.

You can go from the Ipswich and Tewksbury board of selectmen to the Salem and Lowell city councils, from the Massachusetts State House to the US Capitol and a presidential campaign itself, and still find it hard to exceed the fun or feel of the local political scene.

And, for all the hype and hoopla that builds up the political ladder, not much changes beyond the number of zeroes in the budget, or the distance between the candidate and the voters.

Along the way, you'll likely encounter roughly four genres of politicians pervading the US system:

1. The good guy: Every political body (except, perhaps, some of the former leaders of Bell, Calif.) has one or two super-earnest members who try to do the right thing. Sober and direct, you can trust what they say, which explains why they are repeatedly re-elected.

2. The bomb-thrower: Every political body (including, it seems, some of the former members of the Detroit City Council) has one or two members who delight in attracting attention to themselves with brash, unvarnished speech. The meeting room is the stage, local cable the medium. They are true characters and stand for something — anything — which explains why they are repeatedly re-elected.

3. The media suck-up: Every political body has one or two members who feel that the best way to achieve their goals is to court the reporters who cover them. They're often willing to hand-off reports, suggest beers after a long meeting, or provide the inside dope on deadline — not that there's anything wrong with most of those. They almost always have higher aspirations, which can be plainly apparent to voters, explaining why they are sometimes defeated.

4. The back-bencher: Every political body has one or two members who have no higher aspiration than their current office. They don't make waves or try to draw attention to themselves. It's not beyond them to go to Sunday Mass, shake hands on the way out, and then go back in — so they can attend Mass again and shake more hands on the way out. They are often re-elected, until some upstart calls them out or they make an age-related gaffe, when they get tossed.

In one community north of Boston, Don Stewart is the prototypical local pol. He's seeking election next Tuesday as a town selectman.

He was born in town, literally, and now, at age 70, lives five doors down on the same street. He served as a selectman for 15 years before losing re-election in 2006.

On a main drag heading into town from a major highway, a supporter planted a big sign touting what passes for a platform in much of Americana: "Don Stewart cares about townies, seniors, veterans, self-employed & the disabled."

On the phone yesterday, Stewart laughed about the sign, particularly the use of the term "townie."

"There's not enough room to put down 'lifelong resident,' but it rubs some people the wrong way," said Stewart. "I asked him to take it down. If it offends one person, that's too much for me."

Stewart grew up in town and graduated from high school in 1958. While he was 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds at the time, he never played sports because he worked 40 hours a week — at 50 cents an hour — to help support his family. (Stewart made up for it by playing softball until he was 62.)

He segued to a mill job, before developing a house-painting business. His contact with the locals led to an additional 18-person janitorial service, which gave Stewart and his wife of 49 years enough money to send their son and daughter to college.

Along the way, though, the Stewarts opened up their home. To kids in the "A Better Chance" educational program. To battered women. And to 68 foster children over 30 years, including one who recently moved back after trouble in his own marriage.

"The one thing that's missing from that sign is 'kids,' because they've been a big part of my life," Stewart said.

Today, he is retired, at least from work. His 20-year stint as town Santa is behind him, as is his service on other local panels. He still goes to selectmen meetings just to watch, his institutional memory so valuable the current board often calls into the audience for Stewart to provide some missing historical context.

He ran for school committee in 2007 and lost a close race. He ran for selectman in 2009 and lost again, though narrowly.

Last year, he had prostate cancer, so he took a year off the campaign trail. This year, he's back to give it one more shot. Local politics, and public service, are part of his composition.

“I sit at home now and I got to have something to do. There’s no way I'm just sitting here, watching TV," he said.

Then, before hanging up, he didn't bother to say goodbye.

Embodying Tip O'Neill's maxim that "all politics is local," he encouraged participation, even if not for him.

“Make sure you get out to vote Tuesday," said Stewart.

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

Jim Davis/Globe Staff

Mitt Romney shakes Scott Brown's hand after he won the Massachusetts US Senate special election on Jan. 19, 2010.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

As Senator Scott Brown skewered leading Massachusetts Democrats with a joke-filled routine during a St. Patrick's Day political roast over the weekend, one of his top advisers delighted in a moment he helped script.

"Scott Brown at St. Patty's Day breakfast says he doesn't think John Kerry is an elitist ... and 'neither do his butlers,'" communications consultant Eric Fehrnstrom said via Twitter.

"Ha! Scott Brown says Southie parade only one where (House) speaker rides in a car for which previous speaker made the license plate," Fehrnstrom said in another of his series of tweets.

Yet as the crowd roared when Brown displayed a bipartisan flair, telling another joke that tweaked fellow Republican Mitt Romney for owning not one but three houses, Fehrnstrom's Twitter feed went silent.

No re-tweet of that dig at Fehrnstrom's original, and ongoing, boss. No basking in the glory enjoyed by his subsequent, and continued, boss.

The decision illustrates the challenge confronting Romney and Brown — and some of the key men and women who have helped both reach their high stations in national politics.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Peter Flaherty, Scott Brown, Eric Fehrnstrom

Fehrnstrom and business partners Peter Flaherty and Beth Myers not only served Romney as governor of Massachusetts; they were top staffers for his unsuccessful campaign for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.

They then branched out on their own, formed the Massachusetts-based Shawmut Group, and directed Brown's upset win in the 2010 Massachusetts US Senate special election.

Now, the trio is assisting Romney as he plots a second presidential campaign and Brown as he seeks re-election to his first full Senate term.

The men's political fates could be decided the same day, Nov. 6, 2012, but the candidates and their advisers will face a challenge until then working in such close proximity to each other.

Romney was extraordinarily popular in Massachusetts when, in 2002, he returned from his successful leadership of the Olympic Winter Games and was elected governor. His star dimmed, though, as he began laying the groundwork for his presidential campaign with a move to the right, jokes before conservative audiences about his liberal homestate, and heavy out-of-state travel.

Such was his station that he was a virtual no-show for his running mate, Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, as she ran to succeed him in the 2006 gubernatorial race.

Healey was happy to have it that way.

Romney also dropped out of sight during Brown's 2010 campaign, only to take the stage on election night — after voters had already cast their ballots.

Brown was happy to have it that way, too.

Today, both men are complimentary but not necessarily complementary toward each other.

Brown declared early and often that Romney has his endorsement in the race for the GOP's 2012 presidential nomination. Romney has reciprocated, highlighting Brown's success as proof a strong Republican message can penetrate even the bluest of Democratic states.

Yet there is potential for future tensions.

First of all, there is time and focus for their mutual advisers. Romney will face a hydra-headed challenge for the nomination, confronted simultaneously by rivals such as Tim Pawlenty and Haley Barbour and Newt Gingrich. Or Sarah Palin.

That will occur this fall and next spring, well before Brown's re-election campaign begins (he almost assuredly won't face a Republican challenger for the GOP's Senate nomination). So far, so good.

But if Romney wins the nomination, and Democrats succeed in their effort to recruit a challenger to Brown, both of their campaigns will reach their peaks the following fall.

Who gets the Shawmut Group's best effort? Best commercial ideas? Debate prep? Political roast jokes?

Secondly, as Romney veers rightward nationally to win the nomination, while Brown moves to the center to win re-election in Massachusetts, conflicting views are inevitable. Each is his own man, but it's only natural for two people with similar political pedigrees to face questions about the other's policy views.

After all, if Romney and Brown were to win their campaigns, Brown would have to vote on Romney administration programs.

Currently, both men express similar views about Libya: They say US air strikes were justified because Moammar Khadafy was slaughtering his own countrymen.

Recently, though, they differed on the New START Treaty: Romney vehemently opposed the pact President Obama signed with Russia, while Brown voted for its ratification.

Both will also have to stage an artful dance as they call for repealing Obama's universal health care program, which was modeled after a 2006 Massachusetts bill that then-state Senator Brown voted for and then-Governor Romney signed into law.

Advisers argue that despite their shared party, geographical roots, and team of advisers, Romney and Brown are individual candidates with their own views. On some points they agree; on others, they don't.

You can also argue that Brown will benefit if Romney is at the top of the Massachusetts ballot come the fall of 2012, or, perhaps more likely, that Romney will benefit from being on the same ballot as a senator consistently polling as the most popular politician in Massachusetts.

And should Romney run, Fehrnstrom, Myers, and Flaherty are not expected to be paid staff members again but consultants. Fehrnstrom, for example, doesn't plan to be on Romney's plane again as traveling press secretary; rather, he intends to work from the home office and focus on message development and television commercials.

In Massachusetts, a relatively shallow Republican talent pool also doesn't give Brown many other options with Shawmut's breadth of local experience or national contacts.

Finally, Fehrnstrom and the other advisers note that they are hardly the only political consultants with more than one client. Their roster includes other politicians and businesses they prefer not to name.

"Our consulting business is not unlike other firms that have more than one client," said Fehrnstrom, readying himself for another Democratic tweak. "In this economy, we’re just thankful to have any clients at all."

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Former Governor Mitt Romney is marking the first anniversary of President Obama's universal health care law by vowing to dismantle it state-by-state.

"If I were president, on Day One I would issue an executive order paving the way for Obamacare waivers to all 50 states," the would-be Republican presidential candidate said Tuesday night in a blog post for the "National Review."

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who announced Monday he was forming a presidential exploratory committee, released his own statement this morning saying he would support the law's repeal. While governor last year, he joined a lawsuit seeking to do just that.

"The law infringes on individuals' and states' rights by forcing individuals to purchase a good or service," he said. "If courts do not do so first, as president, I would support the immediate repeal of 'Obamacare' and replace it with market-based health care reforms."

Romney's statement used his most aggressive language yet regarding a potential presidential campaign. He insists publicly he has yet to decide whether to seek the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, yet nearly all of his actions for the past two years have been geared that way.

A formal kickoff is expected later this spring.

Romney presided over Massachusetts when, in 2006, it enacted the nation's first universal health care law. Now over 98 percent of state residents have private, government, or government-subsidized private coverage.

Last year, Obama signed a federal law modeled on the same principles, including a mandate that all residents obtain whatever coverage they can afford, as well as penalties for not doing so.

Romney said in his blog post that his executive order would direct the secretary of Health and Human Services and all relevant federal officials "to return the maximum possible authority to the states to innovate and design health-care solutions that work best for them."

The former governor argues states should be free to enact what Democrats have countered is "Romneycare."

He said in his statement: "As I have stated time and again, a one-size-fits-all national plan that raises taxes is simply not the answer. Under our federalist system, the states are 'laboratories of democracy.'"

Romney said his ultimate goal is to repeal the Obama program "and replace it with free-market reforms that promote competition and lower health-care costs."

Acknowledging such a repeal would take time, "an executive order is the first step in returning power to the states," he said.

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

By Globe Staff

The Menino administration is disputing US Census figures released today by Secretary of State William F. Galvin that purported to show that Boston lost population during the past decade.

Galvin released the figures this morning at a widely attended State House news conference, where the figures were immediately broadcast by reporters from a number of media outlets.

Moments later, Menino's office reached out to reporters, saying Galvin was mistaken about the Census numbers and that Boston had actually gained population, growing to 617,594 from 589,141, a 4.8 percent increase.

"We are confident that our population continues to grow," said Dot Joyce, a Menino spokeswoman. "Boston is a growing, vibrant city." Joyce said city officials are reviewing the new figures.

The official Census figures are due to be released this afternoon.

The data will be used to determine the shape of legislative districts, as well as to remap the congressional districts in Massachusetts.

Earlier figures already showed that the state would lose one of its 10 congressional districts.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Globe colleague Noah Bierman represented the Boston-area media today as he served as pool reporter for Vice President Joseph Biden's appearance at what Governor Deval Patrick termed a "friend-raiser" in the Hancock tower.

My preview story is here.

In his pool report, which the White House relayed to other reporters, Bierman said Biden addressed about 110 major Democratic donors on the building's 58th floor.

He also said the vice president spoke for 21 minutes, during which he tried to rally core financial supporters; recited administration accomplishments; and talked about the need to work with Republicans while repelling some policy goals he said would damage
the nation’s economic recovery and enlarge the deficit.

A storified version of the report's highlights:
 
“Thank you on behalf of Barack and myself for all the hard work you did," Biden told his Boston audience. "I would not be standing here. He would not be representing the United States of America in South America right now, were it not for the work of you folks in this room and probably another 1,000 like you all across America.”
 
He added: “It’s not just that we couldn’t have won without you. We will not be able to win
again without you.”

Biden also spoke about new Republican majority in US House of Representatives.

“The cuts that the Republicans are talking about would not only cripple the economy, but they would also enlarge the deficit," he said.

Biden said of the more conservative members elected recently, “They mix up the Tea Party that took place in Boston Harbor and the Tea Party they represent.”

But Biden also called it a “myth” that the White House cannot work with Republicans,
pointing to the 17-day lame duck session as more productive “than any time in
the last two years.”
 
Biden was introduced by Governor Deval Patrick, who is planning to serve as a surrogate campaigner for Obama and Biden in the coming campaign.

“We stopped the red tide here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and we have
many of you to thank for that," Patrick said.

Offering what what could be his own stump speech, Patrick said of Republicans: “They
have set as their goal, not how to make a better country, but to stop this
administration.”

Among those spotted in the crowd were advertising executive Jack Connors, Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, Senate President Therese Murray, and House Speaker Robert DeLeo.

The food included passed hors d'oeuvres of miniature beef “Wellington” and warm melted-brie tartlets.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Massachusetts Republicans are branding Newton Mayor Setti Warren as "not ready for primetime" after the potential US Senate candidate incorrectly labeled a potential colleague as dead.

During a weekend broadcast of WCVB-TV's "On the Record," Warren was asked to name the San Francisco mayor assassinated in 1978 along with city supervisor Harvey Milk.

"Dianne Feinstein," Warren said after a brief pause, providing the name of the future mayor.

Making the mistake all the worse is that Feinstein is a fellow Democrat who has served alongside Warren's former boss, John Kerry, in the US Senate since 1992.

Co-host Ed Harding laughed at the reply, prompting Warren to backtrack.

"Dianne Feinstein became mayor after, and then became US senator, after Harvey Milk was assassinated," Warren replied.

For the record, the mayor who was assassinated was George Moscone.

Even as it tweaked Warren in a press release, the Massachusetts Republican Party raised questions about its own readiness for the spotlight.

Both times the release incorrectly spelled Moscone's name as "Mascone."

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

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON — Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is taking the first formal step today toward a presidential run, putting him in front of the pack of potential candidates.

Pawlenty announced — through a video posted on his Facebook page this afternoon — that he is forming a presidential exploratory committee. The committee allows him to begin raising money for a presidential race, even while not technically being a formal candidate.

The video shows Pawlenty in St. Paul, Minn., dressed in a beige jacket that is strikingly familiar to the barn jacket Scott Brown wore to victory in Massachusetts (Brown’s was made by Golden Bear Sportswear; Pawlenty’s clearly has a Carhartt label).

The heavily produced video also shows Pawlenty shaking hands, posing for pictures, and skating on an ice rink.

“There is a brighter future for America,” he says at one point, with soaring music in the background. “We know what we need to do: grow jobs, limit govt spending, and tackle entitlements.”

“Today, I’m announcing the formation of an exploratory committee to run for president of the United States,” he says toward the end, as fighter planes blast through the sky and fireworks go off. “Join the team, and together we’ll restore America.”

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich previously declared he intends to form an exploratory committee at some future date, likely in May.

Pawlenty has already traveled to New Hampshire and hired aides to work on a campaign, but the committee step is the next available to candidates to earn free media coverage in advance of a pomp-filled formal announcement.

The announcement also reflects the new-media tools available to candidates, in how they choose to make major political news. Rather than staging a press conference or addressing supporters in a ballroom, Pawlenty is choosing to weigh in on the most popular social networking site.

“Be sure to visit my Facebook page today at 3 p.m. ET for a special message exclusive to Facebook supporters,” Pawlenty posted this morning on his Facebook page.

He sent a similar message out on his Twitter feed.

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Vice President Joseph Biden is visiting the Hancock tower in Boston this evening for a pair of events, including one that Governor Deval Patrick says is a "friend-raiser" ahead of the 2012 presidential election.

One of the two meetings is taking place in the personal offices of Jack Connors, the local advertising executive who has been spearheading the fundraising effort for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, according to a Connors assistant and a top local Democrat who saw the invitation.

"Massachusetts has been good to the Obama-Biden ticket, and was the last time around, and the administration has been good to Massachusetts, and the vice president is here to refresh those relationships and rally some of the organizers for the coming election," Patrick told reporters at the State House.

The trip is coming almost exactly two weeks after President Obama visited the city for a fundraiser on behalf of the committee charged with helping elect Democrats to the US House of Representatives.

The back-to-back visits underscore the party's emphasis on strengthening itself in the aftermath of the mid-term election, when the Democrats lost their House majority. Obama and Biden also are gearing up for what The Washington Post projected in December could be the first $1 billion presidential campaign.

Obama himself met last week with top donors in Washington, although he did not directly solicit contributions at that time.

Instead, the president told the group: "As 2012 unfolds, I expect that we’re going to have a lot of questions and there are going to be vigorous debates, but I don’t want us to lose sight of the huge opportunities we have to seize the moment and make sure that America is not just changed, but is changed for the better."

He added: "And my hope is that the same spirit that helped change this country in 2008, that that spirit is still in each and every one of you.”

Massachusetts was one of former President Bill Clinton's most reliable fund-raising states, but two area Democrats who helped him raise money — Steve Grossman and Alan Solomont — are now in different roles.

Grossman was elected state treasurer in November and just started his term in January; Solomont is serving as US ambassador to Spain and Andorra after an appointment from Obama himself.

"My understanding is it's a 'friend-raising' meeting getting ready for the 2012 elections," said Patrick.

Earlier in the day, Biden joined US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Delaware Governor Jack Markell, US Senator Chris Coons, and other officials from his home state of Delaware to tour the Howard High School of Technology in Wilmington.

According to a pool report, "they visited a classroom of students who were learning about physical science."

Biden told reporters he is hopeful that Howard High School's turnaround plan will help students, saying that "part of it is believing in them and setting the bar high," the report said.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who previously served as the first female speaker of the US House of Representatives, will deliver the inaugural Alan D. Solomont Lecture at Tufts University on April 8.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Nancy Pelosi

The California Democrat will reflect on her career and the importance of public service during a 2 p.m. address in the school's Cohen Auditorium, according to a university statement.

This lecture is part of the 10th anniversary celebration of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service.

It is intended to serve as a catalyst for active citizenship at Tufts and is the only university-wide program of its kind. Serving undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students, the goal is to prepare young people to be lifelong active citizens.

Pelosi's speech will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Alan D. Solomont, for whom the lectureship is named.

A prominent Democratic fundraiser and activist from Massachusetts, the former nursing home executive now serves as US ambassador to Spain and Andorra. He also is a member of Tufts' Class of 1970.

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

Dina Rudick/Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick told a few jokes before singing a song yesterday for those attending the annual St. Patrick's Day breakfast and political roast in South Boston.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

The South Boston St. Patrick's Day political roast has long had the reputation as the preeminent place to hear political wit, but lately it's also veered toward a cross between "American Idol" and a politicians' gag slide show.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo showed yesterday — and last week in an expletive-filled appearance in Salem — he's among those who still get the drill. And so did Senator Scott Brown.

In a joked-filled routine, the Republican skewered both Democrats and the GOP alike, as well as himself.

Read my full story here.

In the first of two moments that triggered laughs but actually were full of meaning, Brown mentioned the state's traveling governor, Deval Patrick, and said of the Democrat: "Honestly, really, I’m so glad that the governor is here, because if he wasn’t here, he'd actually be out trying to recruit another candidate to run against me.”

At another point, as the crowd laughed at some of his tart criticism, Brown alluded to his coming re-election campaign as he said with a laugh himself: "I figured I might as well start. I’m going to get the you-know-what kicked out of me soon, so hey, why not?”

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

Goran Tomasevic/Reuters

Vehicles belonging to forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy explode Sunday after an air strike by coalition forces, along a road between Benghazi and Ajdabiyah.

By Globe Staff

The 12-member Massachusetts congressional delegation, all Democrats except for Republican Senator Scott Brown, offered an array of positions today in reaction to the launch of US air strikes on Libya over the weekend.

Here are the comments they or their spokesperson made to the Globe or, in Kerry's case, as well as on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Senator John Kerry, Democrat:

"Well, the goal of this mission ... is not to get rid of (Libyan leader Moammar) Khadafy, and that's not what the United Nations licensed. And I would not call it going to war. This is a very limited operation that is geared to save lives, and it was specifically targeted on a humanitarian basis. It is not geared to try to get rid of Khadafy. He has not been targeted. That is not what is happening here. So, in my judgment, we have to see where we go from here."

In an interview with the Globe, Kerry added: "I believe very, very deeply that America's strategic interests and our values require us to support people's aspirations. ...I think you have to have some faith in what the possibilities of diversity and pluralism can produce."

Senator Scott Brown, Republican:

"I support the administration's involvement at this point. Obviously, it gets to a point where you have to draw a line in the sand, and when innocent civilians are being killed, it's important for the world community to step forward, and we're doing it in a coalition manner, and I'm supportive of that."

Representative John Olver, Democrat, 1st District:

A spokeswoman said "he supports the steps the president, the UN, our European allies, and the Arab League are taking."

Representative Richard E. Neal, Democrat, 2nd District:

"I welcome the passage this week of UN Security Council Resolution 1973 implementing a no-fly zone over parts of Libya. I also support the establishment of an international coalition, working together with the Arab League, to prevent further atrocities from happening in flashpoints like Benghazi. It is clear that Colonel Khadafy and his regime were not going to stop the campaign of terror and violence against their own people. For the safety of innocent civilians, and to encourage the pro-democracy movements across the Middle East, I support the actions of the international coalition."

Representative James McGovern, Democrat, 3rd District:

"I just have this uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. . . None of us know who is really calling the shots in terms of the opposition. It's very dicey and very dangerous. I am hoping and praying for success. I am deeply worried."

Representative Barney Frank, Democrat, 4th District:

"If our role is limited to Tomahawk missiles from the ships, and the airplanes are French and British, I will support it. ...Our opposition is for America picking up the entire tab. The fact that you have such a multinational, multicultural support for this, I hope it is a new paradigm. "

Representative Niki Tsongas, Democrat, 5th District:

"I am concerned that our military action in Libya lacks a clear objective. It is critically important that our commitment there not extend beyond the scope of UN Resolution 1973 and under no circumstances should American ground troops be inserted into that country."

Representative John Tierney, Democrat, 6th District:

"These are the lingering questions: Why Libya? Why now? There are certainly other dictators acting badly toward the own citizens. And who is the opposition? If you're picking sides in a civil war you better know who you're siding with."

Representative Edward J. Markey, Democrat, 7th District:

“The current government of Libya has lost all legitimacy. Left unchecked, Khadafy will commit unspeakable brutalities against his own people. ...The more nations involved in this multilateral effort, the more the people of Libya will know that the movement for democracy that is spreading throughout the Middle East has global support. We are watching a watershed moment not only in Libya but throughout the Middle East. History is on the side of these 21st century young, educated people who are calling for the end to this 20th century oil-fueled dictatorship. Seventy percent of Libya is young people, but they represent 100 percent of the future of the country. The message to Colonel Khadafy is clear: the entire world community is united in protecting the Libyan people. Libyans must be able to chart their own future, free from violence and intimidation.”

Representative Michael Capuano, Democrat, 8th District:

"So far, the only stated goal is to protect civilians, the civilian population, which is a laudable goal, but if that's the new measure of when military power's going to be put in play, well then I suspect we'll be going to the Congo and Sudan, Ivory Coast, Yemen, maybe Bahrain, very very soon, if that's the measure."

Representative Stephen Lynch, Democrat, 9th District:

"I was very troubled by the decision to use US forces and to do so without consulting with Congress. I don't believe that Libya presents a direct threat to the United States. Lacking those circumstances, I think it was incumbent upon the president to talk to Congress. We have got two wars going on right now. We are tremendously over-extended."

Representative William Keating, Democrat, 10th District:

"Since the humanitarian issues surrounding the non-engaged Libyan civilians have not been fully vetted to Congress, I'm forced to view this on a step-by-step basis. I feel strongly, however, that our involvement should not expand beyond that purpose."

Glen Johnson/Globe Staff

Senator Jack Hart this morning at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center for the 2011 South Boston St. Patrick's Day breakfast and political roast.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

12:33 p.m. - Senator Jack Hart closed by recognizing family members, as well as friends who organized the breakfast.

He also asked that guests keep the family of the late Middlesex Sheriff James DiPaola, who committed suicide in November, in their prayers.

Then Irish tenor Ronan Tynan closed with, "God Bless America."

He said it took on special meaning for him not as he sang it at Yankee Stadium, as he famously did for years, but when he did so for U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan.

---

12:22 p.m. - Following a tradition from the Roman Catholic Mass, host Senator Jack Hart read a long list of those who are sick or recently died, asking that they be remembered.

The finale will be Irish tenor Ronan Tynan singing, "God Bless America."

---

12:16 p.m. - The step dancers, who include Senator Jack Hart's three daughters as well as his sister's triplets, are on stage as we near the even finale.

---

12:09 p.m. - The newly elected local state representative, Nick Collins, noted during his debut appearance at the roast that he was single and Senator Scott Brown's elder daughter, Ayla, was, too.

He asked Brown, who had already left for another St. Patrick's event, if Ayla was available — for singing lessons.

---

12:05 p.m. - The first person to bring up Auditor Suzanne Bump's decision to claim a tax break on two residences simultaneously — was Bump herself.

She said despite having a home in South Boston for the past eight years, her neighbors woke in October to read a story revealing they were her "principal" friends, not her "primary" ones.

That was the distinction Bump, an attorney, tried to make as she claimed the two breaks.

The rest of her routine suffered, as she held up posters too small for the audience to see, but Senator Jack Hart, the host, threw her a lifeline by crediting her effort.

"That's the first time out. I thought she was excellent," Hart said, urging applause from the crowd.

---

11:59 p.m. - The show is running through the scheduled ending time, but Treasurer Steve Grossman is now at the microphone.

His wife, Barbara, is joining him for a song. It's "There's Nothing Like a Dem," to the tune of, "There's Nothing Like a Dame,'' from the musical, "South Pacific."

Somewhere this show has turned into a local version of "American Idol."

Auditor Suzanne Bump also has her turn, and Irish step-dancers are making their way to the side stage.

---

11:48 a.m. - Irish tenor Ronan Tynan called Boston "truly a piece of Ireland," marking the end of the first year he's been in the city since decamping New York.

For his second song, he sung, "Grace," in honor of Grace Gifford, an Irish artist and cartoonist active in the movement to create an independent Irish republic.

---

11:42 a.m. - Irish tenor Ronan Tynan is absolutely rocking the house from the side stage with a rendition of, "The Fields of Athenry."

---

11:34 a.m. - Much to Governor Deval Patrick's chagrin, House Speaker Robert DeLeo just revealed he's taking another international trip next month: to Italy, to meet the parents of the man who married one of his daughters.

Patrick, who has been pummeled with criticism for spending time out of state, was surprised by such a public declaration and tried to say that nothing had been confirmed.

DeLeo didn't back off, but dug the hole deeper, telling the governor that first lady Diane Patrick had told DeLeo herself they were making the trip.

---

House Speaker Robert DeLeo took the stage. Technical difficulties digested my recap of his remarks.

---

11:23 a.m. - Auditor Suzanne Bump is in her "principal" residence this morning.

Or is it "primary?"

Whatever, the newly elected auditor is in South Boston for the breakfast. Clad in a solid green dress, she joined state Representative Michael Moran at the microphone to sing, "The Wild Rover."

Surprisingly, Bump has escaped criticism so far over claiming two tax breaks for her eastern and western Massachusetts residences.

---

11:21 a.m. - The Tommy Butler tribute is ending with the singing of, "The Wild Rover."

---

11:16 a.m. - They're playing a video tribute to Southie's own Tommy Butler, a former Massport executive who died earlier this month.

He's also being remembered with mentions on lanyards distributed at the breakfast, and with a photo page on the inside cover of the program.

---

11:12 a.m. - Former host and current US Representative Stephen Lynch is at the microphone.

He joked that MIT scientists decided to test the Jeopardy-winning IBM supercomputer "Watson" against the math whiz in Massachusetts, Secretary of State William Galvin.

Lynch joked that Galvin, who is famously droll, tied with Watson, but the computer won "based on personality."

---

11:09 a.m. - Senate President Therese Murray proves that with the great success of oversized photos of Scott Brown in Cosmopolitan magazine last year, no turn on stage is complete without some blown-up prop.

She had mock posters for movies supposedly made in Massachusetts, including, "Home Alone," featuring Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray.

---

11:06 a.m. - Senator Jack Hart introduces Senate President Therese Murray.

Murray says that while House Speaker Robert DeLeo slipped on ice and broke his ankle, "There's no truth to rumors I was out in front of his house that morning with a hose."

She quickly turns on Governor Deval Patrick, saying, "How can we miss you when you won't stay away."

She also gave him a traveling kit, with books by Senator Scott Brown, former Governor Mitt Romney and their fellow Republican, former President George W. Bush, "when you're just looking for an easy read."

---

11 a.m. - Add to Governor Deval Patrick's many talents: He can actually sing, hitting all the high notes in his song.

The governor made a point of getting on and off of the stage, even saying at several times that he was almost done.

---

10:54 a.m. - Governor Deval Patrick is introduced and joked, "Good to be back with all my cousins this morning."

Patrick himself made light of the reaction to his recent travels, saying Republicans criticize him for not being here to hear their criticisms, Democrats for not being here to distract from their own inaction, and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray — for not staying away for longer.

"Seriously, I missed you when I was away," the governor told the crowd, before saying he had sung himself to sleep with a rendition of "Oh Danny Boy" he wanted to repeat despite it being a Scottish tune.

"Oh, Bobby Boy, the slots, the slots are calling," he started, targeting House Speaker Robert DeLeo, an advocate of slot machines at the state's four racetracks. "From Wonderland to down by Raynham way. Those racinos in love with which you're falling, while I am gov, won't see the light of day."

---

10:49 a.m. - Senator Scott Brown spreads his hits around, saying of his senior colleague, Senator John Kerry, "I don't think he's elitist — and neither do his butlers."

Brown then hit House Speaker Robert DeLeo, who recently broke his ankle, and who also follows three speakers who, to put it kindly, had legal problems.

He joked that in riding in a car for the Southie St. Patrick's Day parade, DeLeo would have the unique of experience being in a vehicle where one of his predecessors actually made the license plates.

Brown concluded with a quip that he was having a book signing at the Kennedy library, "or as I like to call it, 'the people's library.'"

---

10:45 a.m. - Senator Scott Brown, who went to Tufts University with host Senator Jack Hart, takes the stage.

He starts with appreciation to veterans and those still serving everywhere, as well as the Japanese earthquake victims.

Brown jokes that Hart tricked him into coming by telling him the breakfast was a book-signing.

The senator said to Governor Deval Patrick, "Thanks for visiting. Are you here long?"

Brown also gave Patrick a cellphone pre-programmed with phone number of Fidelity Investments, including the U.S. country code for his next foreign trip.

Obviously, it was a jab at the company's decision to ship 1,100 jobs out of Massachusetts while Patrick was on his trade mission.

The governor said he was blind-sided by the announcement.

---

10:42 a.m. - The band just finished a rendition of "Charlie on the MTA" reworded as a tribute to Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the city's longest-serving leader.

"The Mayor Who Would Never Retire" was the key verse.

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10:35 a.m. - Mayor Thomas M. Menino jokes about autobiographies by Senator Scott Brown and Governor Deval Patrick with a three-page book of his own: he was born (complete with a photo of Menino as an infant), became mayor, the end.

Menino also hit Patrick over his trade mission to the Middle East and the United Kingdom, asking to the effect of, "Whoever thought it was possible to bring pork back from Israel?"

The mayor sounded very raspy.

---

10:33 a.m. - Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino taking stage as video plays recalling his many injuries this year and to images of Lee Majors turning from astronaut to the "Six Million Dollar Man" in the famed 1970s show about a bionic man.

Rocky theme also played.

"The rumors of my ultimate demise have been greatly exaggerated," Menino says. "Sorry, all you wannabes."

---

10:32 a.m. - Senator Jack Hart starts with bad-winter jokes, saying it was so cold, "I saw a picture of Senator Scott Brown in Cosmopolitan — with his clothes on."

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10:19 a.m. - Commanding officer of the USS Ross, a Navy guided missile cruiser that came into Boston for parade weekend, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and now they're commemorating the 30th anniversary of construction of South Boston's Vietnam War memorial.

There were 25 from the neighborhood who died in the war.

Tom Lyons, who led the remembrance, left with six friends. Three died.

---

10:15 a.m. - The priest, the Rev. Joe White, just announced that Mary Fitzgerald Finneran, the mother of former House Speaker Thomas Finneran, died last night, as he recalled Tommy Butler and others who have recently passed away.

The news sent a murmur through the crowd.

---

10:14 a.m. - Even the priest, in his invocation, hits Governor Deval Patrick for his recent travels.

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10:07 a.m. - Senator Jack Hart, the host, delivers first tweak to Governor Deval Patrick, welcoming him "home" from his "spring break" and "sporting a new tan."

Surely more travel jokes to follow.

---

10:04 a.m. - Senator Jack Hart takes the stage to, "If your Irish, Come into the Parlor."

Quick segue to, "Southie is my Hometown."

---

10:00 a.m. - The background music and clapping kick up as NECN goes on the air...

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9:58 a.m. - The remembrance of Tommy Butler extends to the lanyards all breakfast officials are wearing. They read, "In memory of Tom Butler," with a heart symbolizing love.

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9:52 a.m. - Senate President Therese Murray and House Speaker Robert DeLeo are seated side-by-side three and four seats to the right of the podium.

Newly elected City Councilor Tito Jackson has also qualified for stage treatment.

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9:47 a.m. - Advance word that Governor Deval Patrick will sing, "Oh Danny Boy" during his turn at the microphone, while Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray will do, "On the Road Again."

A reference to the governor's many travels?

---

9:43 a.m. - Breakfast is down: scrambled eggs, two sausage links, and corned beef hash. Coffee, orange juice, and soda bread on the table.

Treasurer Steve Grossman just walked across the stage and boasted he can sing.

Somehow, he feels like a prime candidate for a good roasting.

---

9:28 a.m. - Guests are asked to take their seats before any remainders are filled.

The type of event this is?

Even the two fire marshals and two nurses on hand to take care of everyone get introduced — and are greeted with knowing applause from the crowd.

---

9:15 a.m. - Senator Scott Brown arrived about a half-hour ago and told the Globe and WBZ Radio he supports the US air strikes against Libya.

"Obviously, it gets to a point where you have to draw a line in the sand, and when innocent civilians are being killed, it's important for the world community to step forward, and we're doing it in a coalition manner, and I'm supportive of that," the Massachusetts Republican said.

See the full story here.

---

8:39 a.m. - Nice touch by Senator Jack Hart and other event organizers: Inside the cover of the program is a photo and tribute to Southie's own Thomas Butler, a Massport executive who died March 4.

"Never to be forgotten," it reads. "Rest in Peace, Tom."

---

8:25 a.m. - After organizers cleared the room for a photo of the set-up, the doors have opened and the guests are rushing for prime seats.

Those with yellow bracelets get to sit and enjoy corned beef and eggs; those with orange will have to stand and watch.

And, yes, the bar is open.

Outside the ballroom, in a quiet hallway, twin 19-year-old sisters Dylan and Olivia Mullen are warming up for their rendition of the National Anthem. They toured last year with tenor Ronan Tynan.

---

I'm live-blogging today from the annual South Boston St. Patrick's Day breakfast and political roast.

It's being held at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, and formally begins at 10 a.m.

NECN is providing exclusive television coverage starting at that time. It will also stream a tape of the event at 1 p.m.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick is hosting a fundraiser at his Milton home Sunday evening despite his insistence that he is leaving political office after completing his term in 2015.

The suggested donation for the event, which will have a St. Patrick's Day theme, is either $250 or $500, with a notation on the invitation that up to $5,500 can be contributed.

Patrick spokesman Steve Crawford said the fundraiser will help retire the governor's campaign debts and also benefit the Massachusetts Democratic Party.

Earlier this month, members of a Boston law firm hosted a similar event on Patrick's behalf.

The first $500 donated - the maximum allowable annual contribution for individuals under state law - went to the governor's campaign account.

The remaining $5,000 was allocated to the state party.

The notation on the invitation for the Sunday event is a disclaimer outlining how any large contribution would be allocated, Crawford said.

Patrick has repeatedly said that he will serve no longer than two terms as governor. The Democrat has also ruled out a potential challenge to US Senator Scott Brown when the Republican seeks re-election next year.

Nonetheless, he has ramped up his political activity since winning his second term in November.

He flew to Washington to meet with Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, and to Chicago to meet with David Axelrod, who has served as a top political adviser to both Patrick and President Barack Obama.

In addition, he is forming a political action committee to pay bills he anticipates incurring over the next two years as he speaks to his fellow Democrats and acts as a surrogate campaigner for Obama.

He addressed Colorado Democrats earlier this month.

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

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

NASHUA, N.H. — Newt Gingrich is making his first trip of the year to this politically crucial state as the Georgia Republican gauges whether there’s enough of a calling for him to run for president.

Steve Pope/Getty Images

Newt Gingrich

The former House speaker is scheduled to start today at a St. Patrick’s Day charity breakfast in Nashua, an event where those at the podium are judged more by the quality of their jokes than their political policies.

The breakfast has been a must-attend event in the past, with featured speakers including Pat Buchanan and Mitt Romney.

Later in the day, Gingrich is attending a luncheon at the Boys and Girls Club in Salem, N.H., before finishing his mini-tour with a dinner in Manchester.

Gingrich announced earlier this month he was starting an exploratory phase in his presidential run, and this marks his first trip to New Hampshire since that announcement.

It could prove to be a vital trip — for Gingrich’s decision in running for president, for the role New Hampshire would play in his campaign, and for the GOP elite here who are still looking for a candidate who can effectively challenge President Obama.

“Most of us have fond memories of him from 94,” said Charles Arlinghaus, president of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, a Concord-based conservative think tank. “The question for him is, can he transfer that sort of celebrity. He’s a great talking head on television or giving a speech, which is a slightly different skill set than being a candidate for president.”

Gingrich’s trip comes amid heightened activity in the Granite State as likely presidential candidates begin to test run their messages. Stumping in the state last week were former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, US Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, and former US Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is speaking tomorrow night at a dinner in Manchester.

Romney, who addressed state GOP activists earlier this month, is far and away the frontrunner in New Hampshire —: and the state is vital to his hopes in becoming the Republican nominee.

Forty percent of likely GOP primary voters said they would vote for the former Massachusetts governor, according to a poll conducted last month by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. The only other candidate in double figures was Giuliani, with 10 percent. Only 6 percent said they would vote for Gingrich.

One hurdle for Gingrich: in the poll, 40 percent said they had an unfavorable view of him, a figure that was worse than every candidate except Sarah Palin (50 percent unfavorable) and Donald Trump (64 percent)

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com.

By Mark Arsenault, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON — It’s the speculation US Senator John Kerry just can’t shake: Is he seeking to be the next secretary of state?

The conjecture grows more intense as the Massachusetts Democrat and chair of the Foreign Relations Committee has taken highly-public role in shaping US policy toward the political upheaval in the Middle East.

With Secretary of State Hillary Clinton acknowledging in a CNN interview that she would not serve another term if President Obama is reelected in 2012, could the stage be set for Kerry to take over? With his lengthy foreign policy experience, Kerry has long been considered by pundits a potential cabinet pick for Obama, whom Kerry strongly supported early in his presidential candidacy.

But does Kerry want to be secretary of state?

“No,” said the senator’s spokesperson, Whitney Smith, in a one-word answer by email.

Somehow that doesn't sound like the final word on the subject.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

The process to redraw the state's legislative and congressional districts reaches the public arena today, when the Special Joint Committee on Redistricting holds its first meeting.

Senator Stanley C. Rosenberg of Amherst and Representative Michael J. Moran of Boston, the committee co-chairmen, will preside over the panel's first organizational meeting at 1 p.m.

The session will take place in Gardner Auditorium at the State House.

Afterward, the chairmen will unveil a redistricting website, as well as a schedule for their proposed public hearings.

The release of the US Census each decade triggers redistricting, since both legislative and congressional districts much reflect population apportionment.

Massachusetts lost residents during the past decade, so it is losing one congressional seat, going from 10 seats in the US House to nine. Those remaining districts much be expanded to accommodate.

Districts for both the state House and Senate must also be adjusted to accommodate population and demographic shifts.

The new districts must be establish for the 2012 elections.

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

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

It’s become a hot spot for politicians hawking books.

Governor Deval Patrick

On April 12, the day his memoir is released, Patrick will be a guest on “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart, according to the show’s staff.

His star turn on the popular Comedy Central program is expected to be just one of several national television appearances he makes to promote his memoir, “A Reason to Believe: Lessons from an Improbable Life.”

His publisher, Broadway Books, has already confirmed that the governor has agreed to several speaking engagements to promote his work, including appearances at the National Press Club in Washington and the Harold Washington Library in Chicago.

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

NEWTON — Former US Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, who campaigned for Mitt Romney in 2008 but is now weighing his own bid for the Republican presidential nomination, today attacked Romney for signing Massachusetts’ universal health care law.

Globe File Photo 2011

Rick Santorum

“The issues, unfortunately, don’t line up particularly well for Governor Romney this time, particularly with health care being front and center on the stage,” Santorum said in an interview before he addressed a Roman Catholic group.

Globe File Photo 2011

Mitt Romney

Santorum added that both the state and federal laws "tend to drive employers out of the private sector plans because they’re expensive and more people end up on the government plan."

“Ultimately, it’s a failure," Santorum said.

Romney's spokesman, Eric Fehrnstrom, responded today by saying the Massachusetts law may not work for every state.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Massachusetts Democrats weighing a US Senate campaign next year against Republican Scott Brown are still acting coy publicly, but they're betraying themselves electronically.

Over the weekend, word broke about an e-mail showing a supporter of Newton Mayor Setti Warren was trying to stockpile talent for a campaign starting in late April.

Today, an e-mail surfaced showing local communications strategist Dorie Clark seeking a campaign press secretary.

"A Democratic US Senate campaign seeks a press secretary," Clark wrote in an e-mail dated March 11, dropping any question about whether her candidate would run. "The ideal candidate will have on-the-record experience with a federal or statewide campaign. The position in based in Boston, Mass."

She asked that resumes be sent to her company e-mail address.

The request is also being circulated on the "JobsthatareLEFT" Google chat group, which seeks positions for liberal Democratic workers moving between campaigns.

When Clark was contacted by the Globe, she refused to explain for whom she was working.

"No comment at this point, I'm afraid," she wrote.

Clark is based in Somerville, the same hometown as Representative Michael Capuano, a prospective candidate. When he ran in the primary preceding last year's US Senate special election, he relied on his own congressional staff — namely spokeswoman Alison Mills — for his campaign needs.

Meanwhile, Robert Massie of Somerville has also announced he's running for the Democratic nomination. His campaign manager sent out a press release today touting Massie's showing in a weekend straw conducted by the North Andover Democratic Town Committee.

Massie was first, with 30 of 74 votes, or about 41 percent. Driscoll, who joined Massie in attending the meeting, was second with 18. Capuano had 14; Representative Stephen Lynch had 4; City Year co-founder Alan Khazei and Representative Edward J. Markey had 3 apiece; and Warren and finance executive Robert Pozen each received no votes.

Massie's campaign manager, Matt Wilson, said the ad was not for their campaign.

Khazei supporters took the none-too-subtle step last week of filing papers with the IRS to create a Senate exploratory committee.

While he said the press secretary ad isn't his, another posting on "JobsthatareLEFT" sought campaign finance workers for his exploratory committee.

"Responsibilities include: traveling and working directly with the candidate, organizing and coordinating events, organizing and working directly with donors, compiling and analyzing data, and developing and implementing strategic finance plans," the post says.

It adds: "Applicants must have a strong desire to work in the intense environment of a political campaign."

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

Essdras M. Suarez/ Globe Staff

Setti Warren embraces Governor Deval Patrick (back to camera) after being sworn in as mayor of Newton on Jan. 1, 2010.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Somerville resident Robert Massie has already said he's going to seek the Democratic nomination to run against Senator Scott Brown next year, and this past week, backers of City Year co-founder Alan Khazei filed papers with the IRS to form a campaign exploratory committee on his behalf.

Meanwhile, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll continues to weigh the balance between work and family, questioning whether she can make the commitment to a campaign while both leading a city and serving as mother to three young children.

And then there is Newton Mayor Setti Warren, who is impersonating his former boss, Senator John Kerry, by preparing to campaign while saying he is not.

Back in 2001 and early 2002, Kerry said his only focus was on getting re-elected during the fall of 2002. That he made the comment during visits to Iowa, New Hampshire, and other early presidential-voting states prompted questions about the sincerity of the statement.

The senator ended up with a free pass in the 2002 election, propelling him into a 2004 presidential campaign that resulted in him becoming the Democratic presidential nominee but losing the election to the Republican incumbent, President George W. Bush.

Throughout that effort, Warren served as Kerry's trip director. He was in charge of keeping the trains running on time and making sure Kerry got to where he needed to be. After the campaign, Warren did a stint in Kerry's Boston office before heading overseas on a military deployment. In 2009, he won his his first campaign for elective office.

Now, after little more than a year as mayor of Newton, Warren is weighing a challenge to one of the hottest commodities in the US Senate, Brown himself.

Brown's surprise win the January 2010 special election to replace the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy has heartened longshots everywhere. That the lowest-ranking member of the minority party of the Massachusetts state Senate could suddenly become the make-or-break vote in the upper chamber of the US Congress is already the stuff of political legend.

Brown went from nobody to everyman in less than three weeks, riding a post-New Year's poll showing him running strong all the way to a victory on Jan. 19, 2010.

Guided by savvy advisers, he also stopped blowing money when he had ample advertising and it became clear he was going to win, seeding a warchest for the true test: winning re-election to a full term in 2012. Brown now has over $7 million in the bank, and the book tour to promote his new autobiography, "Against All Odds," is being used to introduce him to potential Republican backers across the country.

The recent video showing him hitting up billionaire David Koch for a donation belied Brown's claims that he won't be politicking until next year. As he told Koch on the hidden-camera video, "I'm in cycle right now. We're already banging away."

By some estimates, Brown may spend $25 million on his campaign.

Last month, Governor Deval Patrick revealed Warren was more than considering a race, saying the mayor was "in, for sure," along with Khazei.

That forced Warren to at least acknowledge he was considering a race, but also to temper any actual commitment to running. Last week, the dance continued, as he showed up for President Obama's speech at TechBoston Academy, only to bob-and-weave afterward about whether Obama had asked him to challenge Brown.

He ultimately said they discussed a race, but the president did not ask him to run. Then, two days later, Warren renewed speculation by using his very public Twitter account to criticize one of Brown's Senate votes.

Over the weekend, Gintautas Dumcius of the Dorchester Reporter had an intriguing story saying a political consultant had sent an e-mail saying she may be staffing a Warren campaign by the end of April.

On one level, it's hard to envision Warren having much of a shot against the Brown juggernaut. Warren is barely 40 and has only one year in office to his credit. Brown is over 50 and served in Wrentham town government before working his way up to the state House of Representatives and state Senate.

While members of the Tea Party lament Brown's move to the middle, there are plenty of Republicans nationally who love the idea that their party holds Ted Kennedy's former seat. They show their affection with donations to Brown.

A poll just released by Western New England College found 52 percent of respondents felt Brown should be re-elected. It also showed him leading Warren head-to-head by a margin of 51 percent to 34 percent, as well as over another potential challenger, Representative Michael Capuano, by 51 percent to 38 percent.

(The telephone survey of 472 registered voters, conducted March 6-10, had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.)

Yet on another level, Warren's backers see a potent challenger.

Warren has proven an adept campaigner at multiple levels, winning election as class president at Newton North High School as well as his alma mater, Boston College. He has worked in federal office as both a Senate staffer and the New England director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

While Brown touts his service as a JAG officer in the Massachusetts National Guard, Warren can match it with his tenure an an intelligence officer in the US Navy Reserve. And when it comes to deployments, Warren can do one better: He did a year deployment in Iraq, a US combat zone, while Brown has not.

And though they don't publicly state it, Kerry, Patrick, and other Warren supporters make note of a simple fact: Warren is an African-American.

There currently are none in the US Senate. It's an omission they believe Massachusetts Democrats may want to address.

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

By Christopher Rowland, Globe Staff

LEBANON, N.H. – Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty strongly opposes requiring citizens to buy health insurance, which is a core aspect of both the Democrats’ federal coverage law and the Massachusetts healthcare program signed by former Governor Mitt Romney.

But ask Pawlenty whether he specifically opposes the so-called "individual mandate’’ in Massachusetts, or if he thinks it was a mistake for Romney to adopt it, and he balks. He said he would rather not answer than generate more controversy within the possible GOP presidential primary field.

In that respect, he is different than Mike Huckabee and Haley Barbour, potential Republican candidates who have openly and specifically criticized "RomneyCare.’’

"Every time you see me you ask me some variation of these questions, trying to get me to contrast with Massachusetts, and I’ll just tell you what I did and what I believe and leave the analyzing to somebody else,’’ he told reporters today after discussing health reform with a group of doctors at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

"What happens is, if I comment about it, then you go back and write that Pawlenty bashes Massachuseetts, and there is tension between Pawlenty and Mitt, and I’m just not going to do that.’’

Pawlenty does have some specific ideas about overhauling the health care system.

He wants to change Medicaid into a block grant program for states, so they can spend the money however then want, as long as it is on healthcare delivery. He believes having federal standards for health plans is an excessive intrusion on the ability of states to innovate. In Medicare, he wants to offer more options like health savings accounts and Medicare HMOs.

Overall, Pawlenty maintains that he is a big believer in the power of quality and price transparency to create a market where consumers make choices and drive down costs through the power of free enterprise. He added that technology and greater efforts to combat waste and fraud will also drive down costs. The individual mandate – even though insurance companies say it is needed to expand the insurance pool to more healthy people and thereby hold down premiums – is an unprecedented "overreach’’ by government.

Some doctors at the noon forum today challenged Pawlenty, saying he was not offering sufficiently detailed alternatives to Medicare or ObamaCare, and that healthcare is too important a service to allow consumers to be subjected to the whims of the markets.

But Pawlenty said he has a different philosophy, built on giving information to patients and families and letting free markets do the rest.

"If they need financial help, then give it to them,’’ he said, "but let them make the choice and empower them rather than have a big government bureaucracy do it.’’

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

The state of Massachusetts is making sure former Governor Mitt Romney can't run away from the universal health care program he signed into law, and his opponents can't misrepresent it.

The Health Connector and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, which are charged with implementing the 2006 legislation, sent out an e-mail Friday containing a Top 10 list of facts about the measure.

One specifically describes the law Romney enacted as the model for the federal universal health care program signed into law by President Obama last year.

It has become the subject of national debate, as Republicans have derided what they term "Obamacare," while Democrats have noted it was modeled on "Romneycare."

The connection is particularly sensitive for Romney, a prospective 2012 GOP presidential candidate, since conservatives whose support he will need in his party's primaries have generally opposed both laws.

Romney has tried to rebuff the criticism by arguing that states should be free to enact their own plans, not be subjected to a single measure imposed by the federal government.

Governor Deval Patrick, a Democrat who is planning to be a surrogate campaigner during Obama's re-election campaign next year, has publicly highlighted the similarities in the measures. Now his administration is echoing the message.

"As much is being written about our landmark 2006 Massachusetts health reform legislation and implementation, we want to make sure you have all the pertinent facts at your disposal," Connector spokesman Dick Powers said in the e-mail.

The No. 6 point says flatly: "Massachusetts health reform provided the model for national reform. Like Massachusetts, the new national law calls for the formation of (health insurance) Exchanges. The Health Connector’s tiering system, which offers consumers a choice of gold, silver or bronze coverage, was also adopted in a slightly expanded way. Like Massachusetts,the national law sets minimum coverage standards and will include benefits like elimination of pre-existing condition exclusions. A number of the benefits in the Massachusetts law are enhanced under national reform, most notably extension of subsidy assistance for individuals from 300 percent to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, extension of federally-subsidized coverage to legal immigrants and extension of insurance protections to self-funded private coverage."

Item No. 7 also touches another hot-button topic: the requirement in the law Romney signed that provides tax penalties for residents who are capable of buying insurance but fail to do so.

"The individual mandate has worked fairly and effectively to expand coverage in Massachusetts," says the fact sheet. "Some 97 percent of the taxpayers are complying with new health reform filing requirements. Furthermore, the Health Connector’s appeals process, which rules on hardship exceptions, has been fair to taxpayers, with a 60-percent approval rate for those who follow through with an appeal."

Powers said the poster was produced in-house, at no additional cost to the taxpayers. The two photos used, he said, came from annual progress reports about the state law.

"It wasn't meant to tweak anyone," said Powers. "One of the frustrating things about
sitting here is watching people on both the left and the right twist information to suit their ideological agenda. With bloggers taking a more active role, it's amazing how quickly bad information can and does spread. This is just our attempt to get the facts out there so the media and eventually their readers and listeners will have the correct facts. With federal reform under the microscope and a presidential election on the horizon, it's logical to assume that more eyes will be cast on what we're doing here."

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

While other potential Republican presidential candidates tried to grab the spotlight this week with a series of insider announcements about new staff hires, Mitt Romney claimed substantive ground for himself with a wave of campaign donations and a potent Florida endorsement.

In a statement yesterday, Romney's Free and Strong America PAC announced he had sent out another wave of contributions to 45 Republicans in Congress.

All told, they received $93,000. That follows the $208,000 that Romney’s PAC has given to 90 US Senate and House Republicans since the start of the year.

“There are many important issues facing Congress and the nation," the former Massachusetts governor said in the statement. "By showing our support for Republican candidates who are fighting for conservative principles in Washington, we hope to influence the national debate on jobs, taxes, the economy, and the budget."

The statement came amid a week in which Romney visited Texas to meet with key financial and campaign backers, and then aimed to visit Florida to meet with Republican Governor Rick Scott. Romney had campaigned for him last fall.

Their meeting ended up cancelled because of flight delays for Romney, but he nonetheless received the endorsement of state Senator John Thrasher. The St. Augustine Republican is a former House speaker who most recently served as chairman of the Republican Party of Florida.

“If Governor Romney decides to run for president in 2012, I will absolutely be supporting him and helping him in Florida,” Thrasher said an e-mail to Abel Harding, a columnist for The Florida Times-Union. “He would be a great GOP nominee.”

Due to population shifts, Florida will pick up two congressional seats — and two Electoral College votes — in the 2012 election. The state will also host the Republican National Convention, which is being held in Tampa.

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

By Christopher Rowland, Globe Staff

MANCHESTER, N.H. – In Arizona recently, Tim Pawlenty courted a convention of Tea Party supporters with a passionate defense of constitutional freedoms. This week in Iowa, he wooed the religious right with a strident speech against abortion and gay marriage.

Tonight, the former Minnesota Governor presented another side of himself, to an appreciative gathering of Republican activists in New Hampshire. Meet Tim Pawlenty, the seasoned problem-solver, ready to tackle thorny issues and show America how to get things done.

``We’re not going to freak `em out. We’re going to show `em a positive and constructive way forward,’’ Pawlenty told a packed living room at the home of Ovide Lamontagne, a conservative Senate candidate who almost toppled the establishment Republican, Kelly Ayotte, in a primary last year.

Asked in a brief interview how all these sides fit together – the Tea Partier at the ramparts, the Christian warrior, and now the pragmatic chief executive – the likely presidential candidate said he wants to unify a splintered GOP.

``The conservative movement is a coalition,’’ Pawlenty said. ``I think we can pull the coalition together.’’

Pawlenty’s multi-dimensional approach seemed to go down reasonably well last night, although hardly anyone in the crowd of about 200, gathered around trays of barbecued meatballs and sipping wine, was ready to support a particular candidate in the would-be primary field.

Pawlenty mingled, posed for pictures, signed a few books, and soaked up positive vibes. He easily defused a sharp question about ethanol subsidies from Ray Shakir, of North Conway, who said government support for ethanol was not just a boondoggle, but also fouled the carburetor on his snow-blower.

Pawlenty’s face lit up.

Snow-blower, did you say?

``I’ve got a 15-year-old snow-blower from Sears,’’ Pawlenty parried. `` I blow the snow a lot in Minnesota.’’

Pawlenty’s wife, Mary, helpfully chimed: ``It’s 17-years-old, at least.’’

Pawlenty continued that coal and oil producers also get government assistance, and that any reductions in ethanol payments should be looked at in the entire context of energy subsidies.

In other remarks, Pawlenty boasted about how he stared down bus drivers in a union dispute and endured a 44-day bus strike. On Libya, he told the group: ``If there’s a plausible way to implement a no-fly zone, we should.’’

On the Capitol Hill budget crisis, he said a government shutdown could shock Washington into fiscal responsibility.

``Sometimes if you’re going to get something done, you’ve got to take a dramatic step,’’ he told the Globe. He noted that Minnesota experienced a nine-day state government shutdown on his watch. Media reports have said he opposed the 2005 shutdown before it occurred.

Pawlenty and the rest of the possible GOP pack are far behind former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in New Hampshire polls. The latest University of New Hampshire/WMUR/Granite State poll, taken in February, put Romney at 40 percent, Rudy Giuliani at 10 percent, and Pawlenty and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee both at 7 percent.

Rick LeVasseur, chairman of the Hudson Republican Town Committee and one of the curious Republicans who turned out to see Pawlenty, said Pawlenty failed to get his conservative juices flowing. (This despite a photo of a hand-painted sign on the potential candidate’s web site: ``Tea-Paw.’’)

But Pawlenty should take heart. LeVasseur said no one else in the potential lineup is conservative enough for him, either. He favors Sarah Palin and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

``Neither are in the field right now,’’ LeVasseur said, ``but give it time.’’

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

During a career that has now spanned over 25 years, I've had a chance to meet and even work with several great and legendary political journalists, including R.W. "Johnny" Apple Jr. of The New York Times; Curtis Wilkie, Robert Healy, David Shribman, and Walter V. Robinson of The Boston Globe; Mary McGrory and David S. Broder of The Washington Post; and Walter R. Mears of The Associated Press.

The Washington Post

David S. Broder

The last two intersected in an infamous way, during the 1964 presidential campaign, when a group of reporters got to drinking before a late-evening Barry Goldwater speech.

Broder thought Mears had a few too many, so, ever the courtly mid-westerner, he decided to leave Mears a copy of his own story. His aim was to nudge his colleague along for early East Coast deadlines.

Instead, Mears banged out his own story, returned Broder's to him, and said in response, "David, I can write better drunk than you can sober."

But with Broder's death Wednesday at age 81, it's not journalism so much that prompted me to sit back down at my laptop after a long day in a new job.

It was to reflect on the uncommon decency displayed by a veteran worker for a newcomer in their shared profession. It's a lesson for everyone in every industry, and especially for me as I make the turn from the front- to back-nine of my career.

I can't believe I just wrote those words.

I graduated in 1985 from a small Wisconsin college, Lawrence University, and set out to build a career for myself in journalism. Having a father who was a stock broker and a mother who was a real estate agent, I had no real "in" with the profession, so I worked my way up the ladder.

My first full-time job was at the City News Bureau of Chicago, a legendary news institution that spawned such legendary writers as novelist Kurt Vonnegut, columnist Mike Royko, and investigative reporter Seymour Hersh — still going to this day.

I later moved from The Salem Evening News to The Sun of Lowell, where, in November 1990, I read a story in the Boston Sunday Globe recapping Broder's speech at Colby College. He had just received an honorary doctorate of laws and the Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award.

I had long admired Broder and his reporting on and analysis of national politics, so much so that I subscribed to the Post's then-national weekly edition. It contained the best of the newspaper's stories from the prior week, as well as the columns of writers such as Broder.

"I realized that I have continuously looked to you for compass headings in my quest to be the most ethical and accurate newspaper reporter possible," I wrote in a Nov. 18, 1990, letter to Broder prompted by the story.

"For example, I have paid close attention to your warnings about crisscrossing the boundary between political insider and journalist," I added.

Noting how Broder encouraged all reporters to spend more time speaking with voters than campaign consultants, I felt inspired to ask Broder if I could come to Washington, work for him, and learn at the knee of the master.

"If you ever need a researcher or cohort to assist in the preparation of your column and articles, I hope you would consider me for that position," I wrote.

I sent the letter off, not really expecting a reply, battle-hardened from the challenge of breaking into the industry just five years earlier.

Yet several weeks later, a wide postcard arrived in the mail.

When I flipped it over, it was embossed with the name, "David S. Broder," and emblazoned with the Post's logo.

In between, in hand-typed lettering, Broder responded: "Dear Glen Johnson."

He thanked me for my note, resume, and sample newsclippings, and promptly said there were no researcher openings at the Post. But then, he went further.

"Your work reads to me as if you are past that point," Broder wrote. "You show a lot of skill and confidence in your reporting and I hope you'll let it carry you to the goals you seek, not step back into a researcher role."

He signed off with an affectionate "Yours," and used a pen to write, "David Broder."

Months later, lightning struck. At the height of President George H.W. Bush's popularity following Operating Desert Storm, a former US senator from the hometown of my small newspaper, Lowell's own Paul Tsongas, announced improbably that he'd challenge the incumbent president for re-election in 1992.

The Sun remains a relatively small paper, but it had a big heart, especially for the local story, so, by then as the Lowell city political reporter, the editor sent me out on the trail.

I filled one suitcase with my clothes, the other with a "library" of news clippings, notebooks, batteries, and acoustic couplers for my Radio Shack computer, as well as a copy of The Almanac of American Politics. I was a one-man show, but I got to work in proximity to some of the great or rising young political reporters of the time: Dan Balz of the Post, Cathleen Decker and Ronald Brownstein of the Los Angeles Times, Robin Toner and Richard Berke of The New York Times, and Wilkie himself.

I also was able to cross paths with Broder.

In April 1992, after Tsongas quit the race and "Comeback Kid" Bill Clinton was en route to the Democratic nomination and presidency, I wrote a thank-you note to Broder.

"I wanted to let you know that I enjoyed meeting you while I chased around Paul Tsongas for The Sun," I said.

By 1996, I was working for the AP in Boston and assigned to cover then-Governor William F. Weld's epic US Senate race against the Democratic incumbent, John Kerry. Clinton cruised to re-election against Bob Dole in a campaign that was largely a non-event.

By 2000, though, I had transferred to the AP's Washington bureau and landed a plum assignment covering the presidential campaign of then-Texas Governor George W. Bush in a wide-open race for the presidency. Mid-campaign, I joined the Globe, my hometown newspaper, and again ran into Broder on the trail.

Covering a presidential campaign is hard on everyone involved, from the candidate to the press corps to the legion of college kids who make everything work, from setting up events to unloading baggage from the charter jet.

I was amazed to see Broder, then 71, still schlepping along, listening to the candidate speeches, traipsing through Iowa and New Hampshire, and polishing gems gleaned from those voter conversations about which he always preached.

One day, in Florida as best I can remember it, I found myself trudging into a filing center behind none other than the Dean himself, David S. Broder.

There were plenty of tables at which to sit, but for a still-young political journalist, there was only one place to be.

I took the seat next to Broder.

We had chatted earlier in the trip, but as we sat next to each other and worked on our stories, he for the Post, me for the Globe, I recalled the history of our interaction, from my time in his native Chicago at the City News Bureau; to the days at The Sun as I chased after him and the other Boys on the Bus; to the present, when we together watched an election whose conclusion neither of us could have imagined at that moment.

I also remembered that everywhere I went that campaign, I carried a camera in a case affixed to my belt.

Aware of the preciousness of the moment, I pulled it out, passed it to anyone standing nearby, and asked them to take a picture of me and Broder.

Today, I remembered that picture, and flipped back through my Bush picture volume to find it.

Glen Johnson

Me and David S. Broder

The time-stamp on the back read, "2:49 p.m., Sept. 22, 2000."

At that moment, Broder was 71 and I was 37.

It was less than a year from Sept. 11, 2001, a day of infamy in American history, as well as the date on which Broder would mark his 72nd birthday.

It also was almost precisely a decade after I had written Broder that first letter, in which I sought to become his researcher and he pushed me to chase bigger goals, on my own.

Then, as now, another 10 years hence, I'm glad I followed his advice. And I have no doubt that in leaving this world, he'd hope that everyone follows his example as it comes time to send the next generation of workers on their way.

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

By Adrian Walker, Globe Staff

I'll always remember the night in 1994 I was at West Roxbury High School, covering a debate between the candidates for Suffolk County district attorney, and turned to see David Broder of The Washington Post sitting behind me, taking notes.

Alex Wong/Getty Images

David Broder

But in keeping with his great love of politics, when Broder read an interesting story about the local district attorney's race, he grabbed a notebook.

I introduced myself, and asked him what he was doing at such a minor-league event. He asked me how a black Republican like Ralph Martin could have any chance of winning a race in Suffolk County.

A week or so later, he wrote a column about black Republicans making inroads in local races, with Martin as the lead.

Broder, in fact, had a soft spot for high-spirited Massachusetts politics. He was known to appear at state conventions; he once explained to me that few states still have conventions like ours.

He thought they were fun, an opinion with which I've occasionally quibbled.

Broder had a deep belief in the wisdom of voters — he was famous for pushing reporters to talk to fewer consultants and more voters — and his longevity gave him a great sense of history.

After Mitt Romney won his party's gubernatorial nomination at the Republican State Convention in 2002, I asked the Dean to tell me about George Romney, Mitt's dad and the former governor of Michigan.

He obliged with an instant lecture on how the elder Romney, whom Broder considered a great governor, had transformed Michigan politics.

But I will remember most of all, was that, for him, Ralph Martin and Gerry Malone were just as interesting as Kennedy and Romney.

He was a reporter's reporter, and the legion who will miss him is vast.

Adrian Walker is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at walker@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @adrian_walker.

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

The nation’s No. 1 basketball fan met the team the Boston area hopes will be the nation’s No. 1 NBA franchise this year.

When President Obama visited the Museum of Fine Arts for a fundraiser this evening, he had a private meeting with members of the Boston Celtics.

Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and coach Doc Rivers were among those who talked hoops with Obama, a southpaw who maintains an active game and has his own court in the White House backyard. A notable absence was center Shaquille O'Neal.

The meeting was organized by two of the team’s co-owners, Jonathan Lavine and Stephen Pagliuca. Lavine is a managing director at Bain Capital, and Pagliuca tried his hand at party politics when he ran in the Democratic primary for last year's Massachusetts US Senate special election.

Several team members turned out for one of his fundraisers, too.

Lavine and Pagliuca also arranged for the Celtics to mingle with the crowd at the fundraiser, which is expected to raise $1 million for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. It’s the body charged with helping the Democrats regain the majority in the US House of Representatives in 2012.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Representative Steve Israel of New York, the committee’s chairman, and members of the Massachusetts House delegation were slated to attend, as well.

It’s something of a sports week for the president: not only is it conference championship week for NCAA teams, and “Selection Sunday” this weekend for teams entering the NCAA men’s basketball tourney, but Obama is also welcoming his hometown Chicago Blackhawks to the White House.

The squad won hockey's NHL Stanley Cup last year.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

We used this live blog and tweets @globeglen to provide up-to-the-minute updates about President Obama's visit to TechBoston Academy in Dorchester.

4:06 p.m. - The president just wrapped up. No real rising close, no real oomph. But the kids are still thrilled he came.

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4:04 p.m. - This has to be the most pastoral presidential event I have ever covered. Very sober atmosphere, very respectful crowd, very solemn president, despite his jokes.

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4:02 p.m. - Obama concedes it will "cost money" to make changes he's proposed, but he immediately segues to budget cuts he has offered as means to support the education programs for which he wants to pay.

"We cannot cut back on job-creating investments, like education," he said. "There's nothing responsible about cutting back in our investment in these young people."

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3:57 p.m. - Instead of pouring money "into a broken system," president says, Arne Duncan has launched "Race to the Top," which draws applause. Says if states show good programs, "we'll show you the money."

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3:55 p.m. - Students answer with slow "y-e-e-s-s-s" when Obama asks if they come from tough neighborhoods. But then he notes their high achievement rates.

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3:53 p.m. - Obama notes each student here gets laptop upon enrolling. They then have to take care of it, and use it to take core math and other classes, including forensic science. President jokes he's not even sure what that is.

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3:50 p.m. - President laments USA falling to ninth in nations in terms of proportion with college degree. It used to be first.

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3:47 p.m. - Cheer as president explains he came to TechBoston because "you are model of how it's done" for rest of country.

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3:45 p.m. - Obama recalls time at Harvard Law and how Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard. Then he started a "modest" computer software company. When kids didn't laugh, president reminded them it was a joke. They laughed at that.

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3:43 p.m. - Shriek from students as Obama takes stage.

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3:39 p.m. - Melinda Gates says she and "Bill," as in Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, are happy they invested in school nearly a decade ago.

She is recalling excitement among students they just meant at knowing where they are going: to college.

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3:37 p.m. - Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Melinda Gates are announced to stage. She is speaking first.

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3:34 p.m. - They just announced "the event will begin momentarily."

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3:28 p.m. - The president is running more than 15 minutes behind schedule, allowing the Boston city councilors in the room to work the crowd for votes.

Newton Mayor Setti Warren, a potential US Senate candidate, is also in the audience.

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3:05 p.m. - Rotor noises above from a State Police helicopter signal the motorcade's arrival at TechBoston. The president was touring a classroom and meeting some students before speaking in the gym.

Former Boston newswoman Rehema Ellis is on-hand to live shots for MSNBC.

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2:46 p.m. - There's a lull in the activities as the president tours the school and the audience waits in the gynmasium. It's a relatively small crowd in here, very controlled, unlike more rambunctious campaign events. Still, all the guests appear excited.

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2:36 p.m. - HE must almost be here... presidential seal attached to "blue goose" armored presidential lectern.

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2:34 p.m. - Two students just led Pledge of Allegiance and did heartfelt rendition of national anthem that left their classmates cheering. Then they hugged each other with ear-to-ear smiles. Nice start.

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2:30 p.m. - TechBoston Academy JROTC color guard bringing in American flag.

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2:23 p.m. - Inside TechBoston Academy, people being asked to take their seats. Behind podium, banner reads, "Winning the Future," the president's forward-looking slogan since State of the Union. Presidential seal, always a last-minute addition, still not affixed to podium.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

President Obama today is following the lead of other Democrats who view Massachusetts as a campaign finance ATM, yet he's hoping the focus will instead be drawn to a high-profile visit he's making to a Boston school.

Joined by Education Secretary Arne Duncan and philanthropist Melinda Gates, the president will tour and then speak at TechBoston Academy in Dorchester. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provided some of the funding to found the school in September 2002.

Obama will echo his State of the Union speech, as well as a visit he made last week to a rebounding Florida school, as he argues government, businesses, philanthropists, educators, and local communities have to jointly promote innovative education strategies that prepare American students to — in his vernacular — "win the future."

“There is no better economic policy than one that produces more graduates," said an excerpt of Obama's prepared text. “That’s why reforming education is the responsibility of every American — every parent, every teacher, every business leader, every public official, and every student.”

Obama's 2012 budget calls for $90 million in funding for the creation of a new grant competition called the "Advanced Research Projects Agency – Education" (ARPA-ED).

Groups would compete to create breakthroughs in using technology to empower learning and teaching.

The budget also calls for extending the "Investing in Innovation" (i3) program with a $300 million competition with a priority for projects in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Despite being considered hospitable Democratic territory, the president was being greeted by a protest organized by some of his fellow Democrats.

Former Representative Joseph P. Kennedy II, along with current Representatives Edward J. Markey, Michael Capuano, and James McGovern, called a news conference to protest the administration's proposed cut in the LIHEAP program.

It provides assistance to people who cannot afford their heating bills.

LIHEAP currently receives $5.1 billion under the federal budget; the president has proposed cutting it by $2.5 billion.

After the events at TechBoston Academy, Obama was traveling across town to the newly refurbished Museum of Fine Arts for the fundraiser.

In an e-mail soliciting contributions, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi labeled the gathering as "an unforgettable evening with President Obama and leading Democrats from across America."

She added: "It is critical that we show the world how strongly we support President Obama's bold vision to encourage innovation and invest in America's future."

One of Obama's prime boosters in the area, Governor Deval Patrick, is missing the events because he is in Israel at the outset of a trade mission.

He and Obama share the same political advisers, and Patrick is gearing up to serve as a surrogate speaker for the president's re-election campaign next year.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

During a weekend speech to New Hampshire Republicans, Mitt Romney delivered what will likely be his most durable rejoinder to critics of the universal health care program he signed into law while governor of Massachusetts.

Still remaining, though, is a lingering, fundamental question about his authenticity that has only been perpetuated by recent appearances.

You could argue that how well he answers that core concern, not just addresses a single issue, will determine whether he wins the GOP's presidential nomination next year and has a shot at being elected president in 2012.

In a speech to Carroll County Republicans, Romney did not run or shy away from the health insurance law he signed with great fanfare in April 2006.

"Our experiment wasn't perfect. Some things worked; some things didn't. Some things, I'd change,'' Romney said, as AP National Political Writer Liz Sidoti put it, he addressed an "obvious political vulnerability" against critics who complain the state plan paved the way for "Obamacare."

Mea culpa complete, Romney then outlined his rejoinder.

"But one thing I would never do is usurp the constitutional power of states with a one-size-fits-all federal takeover," he said.

Romney argues Massachusetts had a unique health insurance situation, with a unique financial backdrop, and a unique path for addressing it. Adhering to the federalist principle underpinning the Constitution, the Harvard Law School graduate argues, such power should be reserved for the states.

Imposing a federal solution through a nationwide plan, the logic goes, undercuts states' rights.

The argument allows Romney not to run from the Massachusetts plan even as he distances himself from the federal one modeled after it.

"I would repeal Obamacare," he told his audience in the lead-presidential primary state. "My experience has taught me that the states are the place where health care programs for the uninsured should be crafted, just as the Constitution provides. Obamacare is bad law constitutionally, it’s bad policy, it’s bad for American families. And that’s one reason why President Obama will be a one-term president.”

Of course, that argument does not address conservative concerns about the government mandate to obtain health insurance — and accompanying penalties for failing to do so — that drive the Massachusetts plan (and were replicated in the federal law). Nor does it address cost growth and tangential challenges such as increased waits for primary care doctors that have occurred in Massachusetts.

Nonetheless, there is logic to the rebuttal, unlike some of the more emotional responses he has offered.

During his 2008 presidential campaign, Romney largely tried to ignore what may have been his more far-reaching accomplishment as governor.

In 2009 and 2010, he cast about for different responses as he positioned himself for a second run. He earned condemnation on the right when he said the Massachusetts program was the "ultimate conservative plan" because it required individual responsibility. He was criticized by the left when he blamed state Democrats for altering the plan by overriding eight vetoes he made the day he signed the bill into law.

A year ago, he also sounded resigned as the attacks piled up.

"You do what you think is right, and if people decide that that's not something they're happy with, so be it," he said after an audience member upbraided him over the subject during an appearance in Chicago.

This year, as he stands on the cusp of a second White House bid, Romney has been forced anew to respond. Not only are potential Republican presidential rivals such as Haley Barbour and Tim Pawlenty criticizing him, but so is a rising star like Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, as well as Obama himself, whom the Democrats will offer as their 2012 candidate.

The response came in the form of a meaty paragraph inserted into an otherwise broad attack on the president's handling of domestic policy and foreign affairs.

"The federal government isn’t the answer for running health care any more than it’s the answer for running Amtrak or the Post Office," Romney said as he concluded that section of his speech. "An economy run by the federal government doesn’t work for Europe, and it certainly would never, ever work here."

At the outset of his remarks, though, Romney offered fresh reason to doubt his authenticity as a political candidate.

After organizing a speech in the first presidential primary state, after flying up from a conservative economic cattle call in Florida, after driving up to a New Hampshire hotel on a driveway lined with "Romney for President" signs, Romney acted as if he were still undecided about another race.

Of course, some of that is political posturing, but then he triggered snickers by telling the crowd it wasn't so much him that was the driving force behind a second campaign as it was his wife, Ann.

Ann Romney is a strong and vivacious woman who has not only raised five sons but endured near-total separation from them as they spent two years apiece as Mormon missionaries. She still copes with debilitating multiple sclerosis, and had to fend off a case of breast cancer.

Yet it stretches belief to think that Ann Romney is the reason why:

*Mitt Romney was a loyal soldier to John McCain almost immediately after losing the 2008 GOP primary campaign, raising him money, campaigning ceaselessly, and offering himself as a vice presidential running mate.

*Mitt Romney formed and made himself "honorary chairman" of the Free and Strong America PAC in 2009 and used the so-called leadership PAC to sprinkle campaign cash on candidates across the country.

*Mitt Romney sat in their oceanfront home in La Jolla, Calif., writing a book, "No Apology," and then in a dim studio to personally read aloud each page for an audiobooks version.

*Mitt Romney has retained the core team of political advisers from his 2008 White House race and meets regularly with them at an office park in Lexington.

*Mitt Romney has undertaken a aggressive travel schedule both last year and this, including stops last week alone in Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and New Hampshire. This coming week, he's off to Texas and another visit to Florida.

The comment recalls the moment in 2006 when Romney signed the heath care law in Boston's Faneuil Hall.

Ceremony attendees climbed the building's steps to its historic second-floor meeting hall, where they were handed programs printed on mock parchment inscribed with mock quilled ink. Before them stood the permanent stage, which was festooned with banners and expanded with a platform. It was covered in an oriental rug and bearing a desk on which the bill would be signed into law.

The entire scene was professionally lit and the event was broadcast by professional sound technicians.

All of it also was controlled by Romney's staff, which to this day pays special attention to the theatrics of his appearances — including kicking reporters out of the ballroom before Saturday night's speech so they could adjust the TelePrompTer and attend to other aesthetics in private.

The governor arrived that April day with great fanfare, climbed the steps himself, and when he entered the hall, appeared thunderstruck at the scene before him.

Wow, he said to reporters standing next to him. Who arranged all this, he asked.

The response: You did, through the team that surrounds you constantly and briefs you on every appearance.

But it wasn't just Saturday night's comment casting himself as a subservient being propelled to action.

Earlier in the week, as potential rival Newt Gingrich traveled to Georgia to reveal he was laying the groundwork for his own presidential exploratory committee, Romney himself decided to make a little news during his own visit to the state.

Following a path trodden by other politicians such as Gingrich and former President Carter, Romney decided to visit Tommy Thomas's barbershop in Atlanta.

“Just got a Trim at Tommy’s in Atlanta,” Romney wrote on his Twitter account, which also posted a photo of the visit.

It showed Romney with his trademark mane of perfectly coiffed, perfectly gelled hair — and barely a speck of hair on the cloth around his neck or the smock across his chest.

When Globe colleague Matt Viser called Thomas to find out more about the visit, the barber told him he hardly touched Romney's hair.

“I gave him a super-light trim,” Thomas said. “He wanted to know what our concerns were, what everyone thought of what’s going on in Washington.”

The Tommy's trip came a couple weeks after Romney popped up in Florida at the Daytona 500.

Romney is a true auto buff, a Mustang owner who is the son of a former American Motors president and was raised in Michigan, home of the American auto industry.

That a potential presidential candidate would show up at the biggest NASCAR event of the year, or glad-hand among potential supporters, is hardly out of the norm.

Yet when photos surfaced of Romney working the crowd, he was wearing a "Bass Pro Shops" shirt as if he were a regular angler or race sponsor.

It recalled the moment during the 2008 campaign when he proclaimed himself "pretty much a lifelong hunter," only to have his spokesman struggle to go beyond two episodes of hunting in his life. Even the guns kept in Romney's Utah vacation home turned out to be owned by one of his sons.

Individually, such incidents will hardly bring down a presidential campaign. But cumulatively, they can erode its foundation. Just ask John Kerry, another Massachusetts politician who ran for president.

His 2004 presidential campaign was undermined by doubts about his own authenticity and political core, encapsulated in his infamous "I-voted-for-it-before-I-voted-against-it" comment about war funding.

Despite public opposition to the Iraq War, despite a faltering economy, despite — in the eyes of most political analysts — beating President Bush in their three prime-time campaign debates, Kerry lost the election.

Voters just did not connect with him in sufficient numbers to oust an incumbent a lot disliked.

In Romney's case, he has a commendable resume on which to campaign, rooted in a moral base highlighted by a 42-year marriage and a religious faith rooted in clean living.

He did well as a student, earning a law degree and masters in business at Harvard at the same time. He did better than well in business, providing seed money as a venture capitalist and making himself tens of millions for himself in the process. He then walked away from Bain Capital and deals that could have earned him tens of millions more to do a public service by volunteering to resurrect the financially troubled 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

Returning to Massachusetts, he helped reverse a budget shortfall and signed into law the nation's first universal health care law, all while eschewing a salary. Today, over 98 percent of state residents have insurance, and the plan has served as model for national legislation.

Over the weekend, Romney provided an answer for those asking how he could have done such a thing. Still to come is an answer for those asking why he does other things, and what they all say about him.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Check back tonight as I live-blog here at "Political Intelligence" and tweet @globeglen about Republican Mitt Romney's speech at the Carroll County Lincoln Day Dinner in Bartlett, N.H.

8:54 p.m. - Wireless outage at hotel delayed me in reporting antler sold for $1,050.

Auction ending, but crowd at Red Parka in North Conway, N.H., expected to grow shortly.

Thanks for reading. Come back to "Political Intelligence" on Monday morning for my analysis for Mitt Romney's message tonight.

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8:35 p.m. - Speech concluded, the live auction is now beginning.

First item for bid is ... the moose antler.

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8:31 p.m. - The would-be candidate gets thick of voice and choked up in chest as he begins delivery of patriotic conclusion to remarks.

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8:21 p.m. - Romney, rebutting some critics, also addresses the universal health care law he signed while governor of Massachusetts. Some of his prospective rivals complain, as Obama himself even notes, that the state plan was the model for the federal law the president enacted last year.

"You may have noticed that the president and his people spend more time talking about me and Massachusetts health care than 'Entertainment Tonight' spends talking about Charlie Sheen," he said to laughter.

"Now, our approach next door was a state plan, intended to address state problems, in ways that were in many ways unique to Massachusetts. What we did was what the Constitution intended for states to do — we were one of the laboratories of democracy," he added.

"Now, our experiment wasn’t perfect; some things worked, some didn’t, some things I’d change. One thing I would never do is to usurp the constitutional power of states with a one-size-fits-all federal takeover. I would repeal Obamacare.

"My experience has taught me that states are where health care programs for the uninsured should be crafted, just as the Constitution provides. Obamacare is bad law constitutionally, it’s bad policy, and it is bad for America’s families. And that’s one reason President Obama will be a one-term president," he said.

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8:16 p.m. - The Republican says he likes President Obama, but he "doesn't have a clue how jobs are created."

In a bit of gender outreach, Romney adds: "He doesn’t know what goes through an entrepreneur’s mind when she borrows and scrapes to get the money to start a new company — because he’s never done it himself."

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8:11 p.m. - Romney says by delaying recession recovery, president has added to "Obama Misery Index."

It will only be addressed "with a new president of the United States."

Then he recapped his work as a turnaround artist, in business, at the Salt Lake Olympics, and as governor of Massachusetts.

Romney complains that Obama delegated economic recovery to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, while he pursued personal priorities like health care reform and cap-and-trade policy.

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8:06 p.m. - Romney says he likes New Hampshire so much, he "may play a double-header" here, but the applause line falls strangely flat.

He's now getting into meat of anti-Obama attacks, saying president is unprepared to conduct foreign policy.

"Instead of leading the world, he's been tiptoeing behind the Europeans," Romney said.

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8:03 p.m. - Someone looking suspiciously like a television commercial or campaign-announcement movie-maker was shooting video of Romney as he worked the room and, now, as the people are applauding.

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7:59 p.m. - Mitt and Ann Romney introduced, and he sets to microphone. Immediately says the "Romney for President" signs lining the drive must have been old ones from the garage.

His wife, Ann, is speaking, saying she is the one encouraging him to think about running.

Recalling their 42 years together, she said he is a problem-solver and "actually quite selfless" as shown as a husband and father.

"I love him and I think he should really think about it," she said.

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7:51 p.m. - Guinta told crowd of about 300 it was great to arrive in Washington as part of a Republican majority, but it can be even better.

"I cannot wait, I cannot wait, to be in Washington watching a Republican sworn in as president," he said.

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7:48 p.m. - The speaking program has resumed with Representative Frank Guinta, former mayor of Manchester.

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7:42 p.m. - I guessed wrong: Romney went for the pot roast and "cleaned the plate," crack staff assistant Will Ritter said.

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7:37 p.m. - The dinner plates have just gone down. Some are getting glazed salmon. Some are getting chicken marsala. Others are getting Yankee pot roast, the smell of which dominates the air.

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7:10 p.m. - The moose antler debate is resolved: Mitt Romney has signed it before the bidding has ended.

And to describe it as a mere moose antler is also to not do it justice; it is a moose antler bearing a painting of the Old Man of the Mountain and an autograph from Mitt Romney.

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6:53 p.m. - The dining has commenced: again, the options are chicken marsala, glazed salmon, and Yankee pot roast.

My bet for Romney, who may spend the whole time shaking hands, is salmon. He's very careful about what he eats, and Zen — a sushi place near the State House — was a favorite haunt.

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6:48 p.m. - Senator Kelly Ayotte is following party Chairman Jack Kimball at the microphone.

She says there is a battle in Washington between fiscal responsibility and "bigger government, bloated spending."

The senator complains that the spending freeze President Obama proposes would extend to only 12 percent of the budget.

"If we make a difference in 2012, ... we can make a difference across this country by passing things like a balanced-budget amendment,'' Ayotte said.

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6:41p.m. - The most intriguing item in the silent auction to raise money for the Carroll County Republicans is a moose antler. The great debate is whether to have Romney sign it first to drive up bidding, or personalize it afterward for the winning bidder.

Two other auction items: a massage, and a hair cut.

New Hampshire's Republican senator, Kelly Ayotte, is also in attendance, but she has told reporters she has yet to endorse a candidate in the primary campaign.

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6:36 p.m. - Mitt and Ann Romney have arrived, shaken hands around the room, and stood for the invocation.

The former governor is dressed casually, leaving the tie back in Massachusetts and appearing open-collared in a sport coat.

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6:15 p.m. - Mitt Romney has yet to arrive in the ballroom.

Those Republicans who ridicule President Obama for speaking from a TelePrompTer won't take any solace from Romney: He's got one set up on the stage.

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5:55 p.m. - The likely candidate is upstairs at a private reception, but the ballroom is filling up with guests and supporters.

Among those reporters joining Sue Page in making the trek from DC are Erin McPike of Real Clear Politics and Jeff Zeleny of The New York Times.

Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom has also arrived.

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5:12 p.m. - My Globe colleague Matt Viser and I have made it to the Grand Summit Hotel overlooking Attitash Mountain. It was a nice drive up from Boston, but it was foggy with the warmer weather melting some of the abundant snow.

Outside, you could allay any thought about whether Romney has decided to run for president for a second time: The driveway was lined with "Romney for President" signs (see the photo above I snapped).

As usual, the AP's New Hampshire photographer Jim Cole was staked out at the front door, awaiting the candidate. Just inside were Romney supporters Jim Merrill and Tom Rath, as well as Sue Page of "USA Today."

A bit of a rough reception walking in the door, though. We went into the ballroom to set up our equipment and make sure the wireless connection was good and, well, to start live-blogging, when a Romney aide asked us to leave the ballroom.

Apparently, the Romney folks aren't letting the media in until 5:30 p.m.

Harkens back to the days of Romney's velvet ropes outside the governor's office in the Massachusetts State House.

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Organizers say the doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the program begins at 6 p.m.

For those interested, the menu includes a choice of chicken marsala, glazed salmon, and Yankee pot roast.

This will be Romney's public first speech in the lead primary state this year, and the former Massachusetts governor will continue to lay the groundwork for a second White House campaign beginning this spring.

I've just posted a preview of the remarks here.

The trip also offers a chance for Romney and his staff to work the locals — and the local scene.

Longtime spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom tweeted earlier today that he's planning to hike Tuckerman Ravine on the southeast face of Mt. Washington tomorrow if it doesn't rain.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Republican Mitt Romney defended the universal health care law he signed while governor of Massachusetts tonight even as he attacked President Obama over his own health care law, as well as his conduct of domestic policy and foreign affairs.

In his first speech of the year in the lead-primary state of New Hampshire, Romney said Obama didn't internalize the lessons he should have learned while campaigning in the state in 2008, so it's time for "a new president."

In remarks delivered at the Carroll County Lincoln Day Dinner in Bartlett, N.H., Romney said: "Senator Obama campaigned hard in New Hampshire but he apparently didn’t like what he saw. He certainly didn’t learn from it. Instead of lowering taxes, he raised them. He wrapped businesses in red tape, he grew government, he borrowed trillions of dollars, and he made it clear that he doesn’t like business people very much."

Romney says that has triggered a "deeper recession" that delayed the nation's economic recovery.

"The consequence is soaring numbers of Americans enduring unemployment, foreclosures and bankruptcies," said Romney, who closely followed a prepared text of his remarks by reading off a TelePrompTer. "This is the 'Obama Misery Index,' and it is at a record high. It’s going to take more than new rhetoric to put Americans back to work — it’s going to take a new president."

The Democratic National Committee responded with a "Fact Check" rebutting many of Romney's claims. It cited Congressional Budget Office and media reports saying the administration's stimulus bill had added jobs, while pointing to different sources that criticized Romney's job creation record during the four years he was governor Massachusetts.

Factcheck.org wrote that Massachusetts gained only 1 percent in payroll jobs during that term, while the nation added 5.3 percent.

On the subject of health care, Romney took on critics — some prospective White House rivals — who complain that the state plan was the model for the federal law the president enacted last year. Obama himself has credited Romney for presaging his own plan.

"You may have noticed that the president and his people spend more time talking about me and Massachusetts health care than 'Entertainment Tonight' spends talking about Charlie Sheen," Romney said to laughter.

"Now, our approach next door was a state plan, intended to address state problems, in ways that were in many ways unique to Massachusetts. What we did was what the Constitution intended for states to do — we were one of the laboratories of democracy," he added.

"Now, our experiment wasn’t perfect; some things worked, some didn’t, some things I’d change. One thing I would never do is to usurp the constitutional power of states with a one-size-fits-all federal takeover. I would repeal Obamacare.

"My experience has taught me that states are where health care programs for the uninsured should be crafted, just as the Constitution provides. Obamacare is bad law constitutionally, it’s bad policy, and it is bad for America’s families. And that’s one reason President Obama will be a one-term president," he said.

Romney has yet to formally declare if he will launch a follow-up to his unsuccessful 2008 presidential campaign, but his spokesman offered a fresh take on his timetable.

"I don't know precisely when Governor Romney will announce a decision about his future plans, but I feel confident that when he does it, they'll be playing baseball at Fenway Park and the snow will be gone and the sun will be shining warmer on our faces," said spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom.

The Boston Red Sox open their home baseball schedule on April 8 when they host the New York Yankees.

Romney, a former venture capitalist, has argued that the country needs someone with a business background as it rebounds from the Great Recession. In his remarks, he underscored the point.

"We need to stop penalizing companies that want to invest in America," he said. "Right now, we tax companies who make money overseas if they want to bring it home, but we don’t tax them if they keep their money abroad. That makes no sense at all. We want that money here, invested in new factories, new equipment, and new jobs."

Romney added: "How much money do American companies store overseas that’s waiting to come back? Estimates range as high as $1 trillion. Bringing a trillion dollars back to the United States will create hundreds of thousands — or even millions of good, permanent, private sector jobs."

The dinner speech marked Romney's second visit to New Hampshire this year. On January 31, he made a private trip in which he met with small business leaders in Manchester and job re-trainees at Nashua Community College.

In 2010, he made four campaign visits over five days. Romney also continues to own a vacation home overlooking New Hampshire's Lake Winnipesaukee.

In addition, Romney's so-called "leadership" political action committee, the Free and Strong America PAC, donated $86,335 to various candidates and Republican committees in New Hampshire during 2010. The biggest recipient was the state committee's non-federal account, to which the PAC donated $15,000.

Romney also sprinkled $500 and $1,000 checks on individual candidates across the street.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Sean Healey, the husband of former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, is moving to Florida, but the couple remains married and she will continue to keep her home and voting residency in the Bay State.

The Boston Business Journal reported today that Sean Healey, was relocating from Beverly to Palm Beach, Fla. He is CEO and chairman of Beverly-based Affiliated Managers Group Inc.

The newspaper story said the firm will remain in Massachusetts, but Healey, his wife, and their daughter, Averill, were listed on a form switching his "domicile" to Florida, which has no state income tax. The couple's son, Alex, is heading to college in the fall.

A spokesman for Kerry Healey said that despite the domicile form, she "will remain a resident of Massachusetts, and will continue to remain active in the Massachusetts political scene."

Sean Healey will live in a $17 million oceanfront home in Florida, the state where Kerry Healey was raised. The couple also has a second house in Massachusetts, a second house in Florida, as well as a house in Vermont.

Since losing her campaign as the Republican's 2006 gubernatorial nominee, Healey has taught at Harvard, her alma mater, and worked with on justice issues with women in Afghanistan.

She also worked with her former running mate, Mitt Romney, on his 2008 presidential race, and Healey is involved again as he contemplates a second campaign.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

Former Governor Mitt Romney is speaking in New Hampshire Saturday night as his still-unannounced second presidential campaign gathers momentum.

Since a two-week break in Hawaii over Christmas, when both he and President Obama were vacationing in the 50th state, the Massachusetts Republican has undertaken an aggressive travel schedule making clear his intentions even if he has yet to declare them outright.

Romney has traveled from coast to coast and overseas as well. He's been on late-night television and "The View." He's talked cars at the Daytona 500 and gotten a trim at Tommy Thomas's barber shop, a political stomping grounds in Atlanta.

On Saturday alone, he's speaking behind closed doors in Florida to a meeting of the Club for Growth, then flying north for a speech at the Carroll County Lincoln Day Dinner at the Attitash Grand Summit Hotel in Bartlett, NH.

It will be his most prominent public audience since he addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington early last month.

The appearance also comes as likely rivals Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty, Mike Huckabee, and Haley Barbour ramp up their own activities — and their rhetoric.

Barbour, the governor of Mississippi, was especially entertaining on Tuesday as he sat beside Governor Deval Patrick and testified before a US House committee examining Obama's health care overhaul.

You might have thought that Patrick, a Democrat from blue-state Massachusetts, would have been Barbour's target. Instead, it was Romney, a fellow Republican, who endured the governor's silver-tongued jabs.

“Massachusetts has a state health insurance program that they’re obviously happy with, and we think that’s their right," Barbour said.

Then, deftly unsheathing a dagger, he added: "And Senator (Edward M.) Kennedy and Governor Romney and then Governor Patrick, if that's what Massachusetts wants, we're happy for them. We don’t want that. That’s not good for us."

Nor is that kind of talk good for Romney.

Try as he may, Romney has found it a challenge as he's insisted the state universal health care law he signed while governor of Massachusetts is different from the federal one Obama enacted into law last year.

It does him no good when a potential opponent reminds the GOP base, which can't find enough pejoratives to condemn "Obamacare," that Romney created its predecessor in concert with Kennedy, a favorite party target before his death in 2009.

The argument that may gain the most traction for Romney is that Massachusetts was free to design its own program, and other states should have the same option without having a federal plan imposed upon them.

Obama has delighted in declaring that his plan was modeled on Romney's, muddying a potential 2012 opponent in the process. But he may have given the former governor the most viable form of cover this week: The president shifted course and said he would not object to allowing states to design their own programs, as long as they are at least as good as the federal law that is being put into effect.

That sounds like the message that has been coming from Romney ever since he transitioned from governor to presidential candidate.

The speech Saturday comes as the pulse of the Republican campaign quickens.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich announced yesterday that he was entering the "testing the waters" phase. That will allow him to raise money and hire staff before declaring whether he is moving to an exploratory committee.

Barbour has been toying with reporters, telling them to watch his waistline as the clearest indication of his own possible candidacy — and then claiming it is getting more trim.

Huckabee has been delighting in polls showing him running strong among social conservatives, and Pawlenty has been taking advantage of a veteran staff of advisers to efficiently plot his own campaign and pick his spots for making news.

Elsewhere, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin remains free of any of the traditional constraints, given her ability to command an audience and raise money in a snap.

That is why it will be interesting to hear what Romney has to say.

Instead of letting his opponents frame him, he will have the opportunity to make his own case. And in the lead presidential primary state, the reason for his remarks will be clear, whether or not he wants to admit it yet.

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

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff

President Obama, joined by Melinda Gates and Education Secretary Arne Duncan, will visit TechBoston Academy in Dorchester when he comes to Boston on Tuesday.