Romney used Olympics for political gain, article says

Bullock, who said in the article that Romney "tried very hard to build an image of himself as a savior, the great white hope," told the Deseret Morning News that to say Romney "saved the Games, that's just revisionist history."

The article traces Romney's stewardship of the Olympics in detail, including the role of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is labeled "a source of contention." The LDS Church provided downtown land used for the nightly medal ceremonies.

With Romney being "chosen in part because of his Mormon credentials, some people in Utah — including some Mormon leaders — feared the church could be the next target of scandal-mongers," the article stated.

That didn't happen. Bob Garff, owner of a chain of auto dealerships and the chairman of the organizing committee's board of trustees, said in the article, "it all worked out beautifully after the church backed off," Garff said, on using the Games to promote the faith.

Garff also told the Boston newspaper that Romney's "high credentials in and out of the church" were key. "It would have been a disaster if we just picked a stranger and they didn't understand the mores of the community."

Romney, though, still ended up rubbing some people the wrong way.

According to the Globe, "some found him inspiring and others found him intolerant." The Boston newspaper cited an incident during the Games where Romney allegedly swore at a volunteer because of problems directing traffic. Romney denied using the so-called "f-word."

Also Thursday, the Globe published on its Web site a separate story about Romney tapping his Olympic contacts for more than $1.5 million in political donations during his governorship and turning to them again as a presidential candidate.

Romney accepted a $476,000 severance package from the organizing committee, the Boston newspaper reported. He had deferred his $280,000 salary after taking the job, promising to accept it only if the Games broke even.

The money was donated to an unspecified charity, according to a Romney spokesman. Romney, who had given $1 million to the organizing committee, had told reporters at the time he would contribute his earnings to charity.

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