By now, we’ve all seen the evidence of Mitt Romney’s sorry post-election life. In the past month, he’s been caught pumping his own gas — without hair gel! — and taking in rides at Disneyland. He went to the White House for an hour and ate turkey chili. According to the Washington Post, he ordered Boston Market for Thanksgiving.
That’s what happens when you lose the big one, and you don’t have a Senate seat to fall back on; deprived of his lifelong goal, holed up in his beach house in La Jolla, he’s a wannabe titan, sorely in need of a purpose.
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are you kidding me, if I were Romney i'd sit back and enjoy life and my family, and watch America go down the tubes....
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Except that won't happen. Mitt and Ryan were making it up.
I have a better idea. Let's find someone else to fantasize about. There are other fish in the sea besides Romney. Mitt may be "sorely in need of a purpose" but Ms. Weiss is sorely in need of another subject.
I always enjoy these headlines from The Onion.
Stop it! Even as a thought experiment stop it!!!! Let Mitt fade away.
Why is it that the world wants to find this man a job?
He doesn't need one. Let him go away!
Mitt got 19.25% of the vote in Boston. A ham sandwich would have a better chance of getting elected Mayor.
And for good reason.
of course he did, he's not offering freebies, he's for personal responsibility, working and supporting your family, their not interested in that.
The fact that Romney holds contempt for most of the city's residents might be a stumbling-block on this one.
Do not forget, Mitt was one of the guys who was responsible for managing the "Big Dig" !
Let the gloating and jeering begin.
Surely you jest.
Johanna Weiss must have binged out on silly pills this morning. It is this kind of wayward nonsense speculation that detracts from the seriousness of getting proper governance. Somehow this article bypassed any editorial scrutiny.
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If you look at why and how Mr. Romney lost the Presidential election (besides gaffs and a milque-toast personality), he lost it betting everything on a 'secret', election-day resource deployment IT system that totally fizzled. Meanwhile, Obama did things the old-fashioned way - people on the street, in the polls, on the phone insuring that their voters voted. And they did.
Boston is a high-touch town at the precinct level. Menino has known that from the get-go. That's why he's so many places, in people's faces, to insure that they are there for him when the elections need the votes.
Do you think that Romney could get elected, much less govern, waving at the 53% he cares for from a limo?
Fifteen yard penalty for Late hit and piling on.....
Will Romney totally control the Boston Redevelopment Authority, like Menino has for years?
Romney couldn't win a vote for dog catcher in MA. We can see through all his lies. His run for president was all about personal ambition and had nothing to do with making America better.
That is what I thought when His Smugness pushed Jane Swift aside and ended up being elected as governor for a few months on his way to Washington. His ascendency from tourist to governor made me realize that anything is possible in politics, especially with financial lubricant.
i think he would work well with community organizers in mattapan and roxbury
Proposing Mitt as mayor is an insult to GLBT and people of lesser means, as he has repeatedly shown his antipathy towards us.
A lot of hostility towards this tongue-in-cheek piece, but while facetious, it does make a point. Romney, whatever else you may feel about him, is an effective technocrat, and would likely be an able administrator, if that dang ego of his would stay in check (sorry Mitt, enough brains, but not enough empathy, even the fake kind, to be a President). Let's face it, Menino is, or should be, on his way out, and I sure don't see anyone on the horizon with the vision to lead the city into the 21st century (Menino's kept it in the 20th). This article at least floats a trial balloon to raise the question: WHO'S NEXT?
It appears that NO ONE cares if Boston has a mayor or not! Menino is 'ill' and dellusional in thinking he will be back soon.
But it would be interesting to know who are the straw-men 'acting' the role.
Stop! Don't give him any ideas.
I doubt that Romney could be elected Mayor of Boston. People have lost respect for Romney because of the way he conducted himself during the last year he was governor and the way he conducted himself during his campaign for president.
Is your non'de plume an abbreviation for, "NO Clue?"
Norquist has no clue?
This HAS to be a joke. Romney doesn't get people, just money. And the office of mayor is about people.
Mitt Romney isn't worried about people 'forgetting' him.
Besides, Gov. Romney is a better fit for the job of mayor of New York.
There is probably no one better able to identify and champion Boston's next mayor than our current one, who seems to be open to talented young people bringing fresh ideas to the city, and has hopefully crossed paths with a politically talented few? Probably the single most important thing Mayor Menino can do ensure a sterling legacy to the city is to surface and champion this candidate that will replace him. What do you say, Mayor?
Romney? A creative suggestion, but despite all of his education, he seems not to have learned the business lesson regarding the need to avoid burning bridges... I, for one, want nothing to do with him going forward, unitl such time as he makes the Mormon equivalent of a mea culpa.
The man was a mediocre governor and that is probably giving him more credit than he deserves since he spent the last two years of his term running for president and ignoring the needs of the state. There may be cities where Romney could get elected mayor but Boston sure isn't one of 'em.
Dipping in early to that "medicinal marihuana," Joanna?
When hell freezes over.
Thankfully he is available.
PUH-LEEZE!! Just when you think it's safe to go in the water... Thankfully, I think we all know he would lose, and lose big, and I don't think he's up for losing another one right now. Mitt, do us all a favor and GO AWAY for good. Enjoy your retirement.
Running for mayor of a major city shouldn't just be a boredom breaker or a bucket list task. Thats the problem Romney and his minions in the first place-this constant belief that things can't proceed at an successful level without his direction or insight. The world will be all right without Mitt, always has been and always will be,....so if Romney really wants to be Mr Everyday guy, instead of a roller coaster ride, lets try retirement instead.
Mitt Romeny is not in touch with the people of Boston. He is not equipped to help the City create a vision grounded by our neighborhoods, and aligned with our education excellence and strong entrepreneurial spirit. After almost 2 decades of Menino, it's time for a breath of fresh air. For our next Mayor let us consider a woman, and how about perhaps a person of color? Let's embrace our new century and the future, not fall back onto the white patriarchal model, of the past, which too often, has failed us. I do not want a corporate insider, a man who has devoted his life to the pursuit of riches, at the expense of his fellow sisters and brothers, as my next mayor.
Please, Ms. Weiss, Boston can do much, much better than Mr. Romney. Boston is not the answer to his ennui.
I for one liked this IDEA.
Im sorry but I think Menino's cronyism and bully pulpit style of governance is outdated and antiquated, even by Boston standards and its time he go.
I do not love Ryomney, I dont even LIKE him, but I would appreciate a new mayor that would lead as described in the thought expirment above.
I just cant see any of the other potential canidates leading in any other way except for how Boston has always been run. A network of old-boys and patronage. Id love to see Romneys STYLE of technocratic governancy.
Just an idea, that I kinda liked.
Governance is about people. Techonology is just one tool of governance. Romney has shown he doesn't have the ability to connect with people on either side of the aisle, or with any spectrum of politics. Connections are extremely important in local government -- much more so than national office.
Whether you like him or not, Menino makes those connections. He's the best mayor Boston has had in my lifetime. It's a much better city than it was in the 20th century. The population is actually growing again and the central neighborhoods are undergoing revitalization.
I'm not a Boston resident so I've never voted for him, but the revitalization of Boston has affected the smaller cities on its periphery, including mine.
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What a fun idea! However, Joanna I would like to see us continue to have a public school system, and that whatever problems they have be addressed by someone other than a supposedly brilliant pragmatist who is inclined to privatize all-things public.
Please tell me you are not being paid to speculate on this sort of thing....
I didn't know residents of Belmont could run for Mayor of Boston!
Not that that short of obstacle has stopped Mitt in the past! :-)
Just kidding, right?
Hard to imagine Mitt showing up at the fundraising auction for my kid's school with Ann in tow. Maybe he should run for Mayor of La Jolla.
I don't think Romney needs our help finding a job. He's probably had numerous offers already, but maybe he doesn't want an ordinary job. He's 65 and maybe he's ready for something more rewarding, like charitable work or special projects. I'm sure mayor of Boston (or New York, for that matter) are not on his list for consideration.
Leave him alone and let him decide what he wants to do next. It's his life.
That would make sense if boston consisted of just back bay, beacon hill, and the south end.....I find it tough to imagine he would be comfortable walking down Norfolk Street, shaking hands in Codman Square....or hanging out at the Hyde Park Christmas tree lighting ceremony....Boston is more than a few designer neighborhoods....Menino's ability to relate to all...no matter what the economic or social status is what has made him a great mayor..:)
You've got to be kidding!
Mitt Romney for dog catcher.
Wouldn't work. He'd only be interested in 53% of the dogs......
I would't mind he ran for governor again. On his worst day Mayor Menino is more effective than Deval on his best day.
Because you feel sorry for him he should be mayor, or is it because he is rich and rich people need jobs too? What are his qualifications "fixing things" again? This is a man that is so clueless he actually didn't believe in the polls (math) or that he needed to be bothered with 47% of the population. Last time I checked Boston has a population equaling 100%, meaning 47% (at least) would be left out of his plans. How about he is mayor of Belmont where more of the 1% resides, so he doesn't have to worry about the little people.