Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney did not wait for instructions from Washington or the Department of Homeland Security when hearing of the recently foiled terrorist attempt on what he should do as the state’s chief executive. Rather, he immediately took action as governor to do what he could to protect Massachusetts’ citizens.
He immediately activiated the state’s national guard (the first governor nationwide to do this) to help law enforcment and security personnel at Logan International Airport. He beat George Bush to the airwaves to inform Massachusetts’ citizens of the current status and news. He canceled a trip to a republican fundraiser in Wisconson to say on the job and direct the state’s response.
The state’s official website detailed Governor Romney’s actions here and here. You can watch a portion of his morning press conference here. The Boston Globe reported:
Members of the Massachusetts National Guard were sworn in as deputy sheriffs Thursday to help ease congestion at Logan International Airport, where news of a foiled terror plot in Britain targeting U.S.-bound flights prompted heightened security measures.
Gov. Mitt Romney spoke to about 50 members of the 972nd Military Police Company who were deployed to the airport to man new Logan security checkpoints — at each departure gate — where passengers will be screened again, after going through terminal security.
“I appreciate your honor and integrity,” he said, “your willingness to respond so quickly to the emergency that we face.”
As deputies, the guard members will screen baggage for blacklisted items, which now include almost all liquids. They will also have the power to make arrests.
Romney cited Logan’s involvement in the Sept. 11 attack in his decision to deploy the Guard.
“Logan has a specific history with regards to the initiation of terrorist activity on airlines, and therefore we have a heightened degree of concern here,” said Romney, a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2008 who canceled a planned political fundraising trip to Wisconsin.
The Boston Herald reported:
Just as he did after the fatal Big Dig collapse, Gov. Mitt Romney sprang into action yesterday following news of a possible terror attack, taking firm control while scoring praise from political pundits and even some Democrats.
The possible 2008 presidential contender was the first governor nationwide to launch the National Guard – even though none of the terror-targeted planes were headed to Boston. He also called a 10 a.m. press conference, beating even President Bush to the airwaves, and abruptly canceled a trip to Wisconsin for a Republican fund-raiser.
“I think the governor’s actions were most appropriate, under the cirumstances,” said U.S. Rep. Martin T. Meehan (D-Lowell). Asked how Romney’s take-charge persona is playing out on the national political scene, Meehan replied: “Anytime an executive makes the right decisions under pressure, voters respond.”U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Newton) agreed, saying: “I think what he’s done is appropriate. We have bad guys trying to kill people and you’ve got to respond.”
Alexander Lamis, a political professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, said Romney’s response to the Big Dig collapse and the latest terror plot make him “somebody who certainly has to be taken seriously in the presidential race.”
Contrast Romney’s response with George Bush’s initial response after 9/11 where he sat reading The Pet Goat for several minutes after having been advised that America was under attack. Governor Romney’s response demonstrated real leadership ability. This guy is the real deal. He will bring a breath of fresh air to Washington, unlike any of the current potential Presidential hopefuls talked about regularly in the press. Mitt Romney becomes more and more impressive as time goes along.
Messenger and Advocate 
August 11, 2006 at 2:52 am
Impressive. He’s winning me over. Guy, do you perchance have any quotes from him about how he would run the “war on terror?”
August 11, 2006 at 4:52 am
Dan, Good question. I’m researching that–but I did like another blog entry from a pro Romney blog about some of his views on terrorism, which you can read here
I’m looking for more and will try to post on it as well. Let me know if you come up with something.
August 11, 2006 at 5:36 am
hmmm, the best I could find was what you just showed. He really hasn’t spoken out much about the “war on terror” except to back the war in Iraq and criticize the failures (such as not enough troops, lack of intelligence, etc).
I wonder how the war in Iraq will play out in the ’08 elections if it continues down this path towards Civil War…..
August 11, 2006 at 9:20 am
My favorite quote so far has been:
“We under-communicate to the world and to the American people when we call it a “War on Terror.” Terror is the technique that’s involved by the others side. This really is a war against radical jihadists. And we’re going to have to recognize that, and see it’s breath and help the world of Islam reject the extremists, because they and we together are going to have to do this.”
(from Bill Bennett’s radio show, transcribed here: http://iowansforromney.blogspot.com/2006/08/hear-mitt-speak-speak-mitt-speak.html)
August 11, 2006 at 9:35 am
And what I like about the quote in #4 is:
1) He can sound like he’s talking tough (which is all GWB cares about doing).
2) He skewers the ridiculous rhetoric of a “war on terror.”
3) He shows that the way forward is by cooperating with foreign governments to curb the causes and limit the activities of radical extremists.
This quote alone has nearly sealed my vote for him.
August 11, 2006 at 9:48 am
That is a good quote. It shows that Romney has a far better understanding of the enemy than Bush and his supporters do, that’s for sure. The thing about the “war on terror,” is that Bush and his supporters have left “terror” vaguely defined purposefully, so that they would then have the freedom to identify terrorists as they choose. Anybody can therefore be an enemy of Bush, including political opponents at home.
August 11, 2006 at 10:02 am
I’m afraid a lot of this sounds mostly like political grandstanding. And as much as I’ve come to dislike Bush, I think all the criticism about “My Pet Goat” is misplaced.
August 14, 2006 at 6:06 am
Guy,
Dick Pohlman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes a column and a blog.
In his latest blog, he received a memo from Frank Lunz, a Republican pollster who gathered a focus group in Iowa to gauge the Republican candidates for 2008. It is an interesting read. This is what Dick Polhman says about what he read about Mit Romney:
It does seem that Romney’s religion will be a major factor to Christian conservatives.
August 14, 2006 at 11:31 am
Dan, Yes, I agree. Mitt has a much better handle on terrorism and its causes. Bush lamely repeats over and over that the terrorists hate America because they hate democracy and freedom. I think that’s just nonsense. Most of Islam hates us for our foreign policy positions. I don’t think most Islamic extremists could care less about democracy one way or the other. I’m going to have to do some more research on Mitt and terrorism. I know in the past he has voiced support for the Iraq war, which is one of his weaknesses–but as time goes along I think he will change his support as the war becomes increasingly more and more unpopular.
Also thanks for the link to the other sources. I’ve been out of town and not able to check back as often as I would like–but will certainly check them out.
Lief: Thanks for the link and analysis. I agree 100%
Ed: No one could possibly come close to George Bush and political grandstanding on terrorism, Iraq and the lot.
September 6, 2006 at 9:45 am
Guy,
I just saw this Huffington Post article about Romney directing the state of Massachussets to not provide any assistance to Khatami’s visit to Harvard University. Khatami, as you know, was the former president of Iran, a moderate, and one who is trying to bridge the gap between the two nations.
In my eyes, this is a very bad move for Romney, and if this signals the direction he wishes to take as president, he will never get my vote.
September 6, 2006 at 1:16 pm
This really saddens me. I just looked at the Elect Romney Blog and commenters there are super happy that he did this. These were my comments:
September 7, 2006 at 5:47 am
I wouldn’t read too much into Romney’s action. He has an opinion that may be different from some–but shared by others. Refusing to provide state police to escort a cleric from Iran is a far cry from sending young men and women to die in Iraq.
September 20, 2006 at 1:39 pm
I was never likely to vote for Romney anyway, but his recent enthusiastic support for the Bush administration’s proposals on torture and the Geneva convention pretty much nailed the coffin shut on any hopes he had of convincing me.
September 20, 2006 at 8:42 pm
I too have been disapointed in some of Romney’s responses about Iraq. It is his greatest weakness that I have seen. Time will tell how he sorts these things out.