About Utah: Colleague of Romney's past predicts Election Day victory

"He'd been a businessman before that," Bullock says. "But I think the Olympics was his step into the public service career that really looks like it will last for the rest of his life."

Heading the Olympics, Bullock points out, gave Romney all sorts of important new experiences: "He had to reach out to 83 countries. He had to become a very good diplomat working with the IOC. He had to turn around a severe budget problem. He had to assemble a great team. All those elements just added to his skill set and capability to be able to run for the presidency."

So if — or when — Romney becomes POTUS, the Salt Lake bid scandal deserves a big pat on the back.

Bullock plans to be with Romney on Tuesday in Boston to watch the results come in.

And after that? Will Bullock and Romney reunite yet again?

"I tell my wife I wish that Hawaii were a foreign country because I'd love to be ambassador to Hawaii," says Bullock. "Other than that, who knows?"

Lee Benson's About Utah column runs Monday and Friday. Email: benson@desnews.com