"I was outraged at the hypocrisy," Barto said. "In less than two months, he went from saying we're going to run a tight ship to throwing out free tickets to a group of people who could help him politically."

Savoring success

On Feb. 8, 2002, Mitt Romney and President Bush marched together amid heavy security to the center of Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium in Salt Lake City to mark the arrival of the flag from the World Trade Center and open the Winter Games.

Over 17 days, 2.1 billion people around the globe watched the competition, with the United States winning 34 medals.

In overseeing the event, Romney helped to clear Brigham Young's "great highway of the nations" for the kings and queens, presidents and nobles, elite athletes, and everyday people who converged for the Salt Lake Games. -->

In the end, Romney helped to generate nearly a $100 million budget surplus for the committee and a trove of political goodwill for his next endeavor.

There was no need for him to return to private life. Before the Zambonis had cleared the last ice shavings from the Olympic rinks, Romney was racing to make another change.

On March 17, 2002, Mitt and Ann Romney stepped off a plane at Hanscom Field wearing matching leather jackets adorned with Olympic logos. They headed home to Belmont, where more than 200 supporters encouraged Romney at a rally the next day to continue in public service.

There was a job on Beacon Hill to pursue.

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Next: The Governor