Mitt Romney: An Inside Look at the Man and His Politics [Paperback]

Ronald B. Scott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 22, 2011

The 2012 race for the White House is in full tilt. Mitt Romney is widely assumed to be the front-runner for the Republican nominee. Question is, can he hold the lead? R.B. (Ron) Scott provides the first independent (unauthorized) biographical profile of the possible Republican nominee. Mitt Romney takes a frank and revealing look at what makes Mitt the man tick, more human than he often appears to be on the stump: his character, convictions, his words and actions, yes his flips and his flops too, and, his triumphs and setbacks. It will also attempt to answer the question everyone keeps asking: Could a faithful Mormon really win his party's nomination and then upset the popular if now struggling, incumbent President, Barack Obama? Drawing on extensive research amassed over more than two decades, including interviews with people who know him best--allies and adversaries alike--this book will paint a savvy, textured, and revealing portrait of the candidate, his history, family, religion, political beliefs, and strategy. It will put Mitt, his family, his history and  religion in context like no other book to date.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“As a talented journalist, as a Mormon, and as a distant cousin, Ron Scott is able to skillfully pierce the carefully-crafted public image of Mitt Romney to provide a fascinating portrait of one of America’s most complicated political figures. The combination of dogged reporting, captivating writing, and familiarity with Romney’s background makes this insightful book required reading for anyone wanting to look beyond the Tin Man image of a man who could one day become president of the United States.”

—George E. Curry, Nationally syndicated columnist

 

“Ronald Scott comes at his biography of Mitt Romney from a slightly different direction: He’s known Romney for decades, since the Republican frontrunner was his stake president in Massachusetts. The result is honest, yet never a simple takedown. Through dogged reporting and his own personal recollections, Scott paints a broad-ranging portrait of Romney, from his college years through his missionary experience, his business triumphs and his time running both the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and the state of Massachusetts. It’s a look at the ideals he adopted from his father, former Michigan Gov. George Romney, as well as where he steered his own politics in a different direction. The image that emerges, as is true of any well-studied individual’s life, is more complex than you might expect. Scott highlights the personality traits that simultaneously made Romney a success in the private and the public sector, and a difficult-to-embrace enigma for many potential voters.”

—Salt Lake City Weekly

 

From the Back Cover

Mitt Romney takes a frank and revealing look at what makes Mitt the man tick, protraying him as more human than he often appears to be on the stump: his character and convictions, his words and actions, his flips and his flops, and his triumphs and setbacks. It also attempts to answer the question everyone is asking: Could a faithful Mormon really win his party’s nomination and then upset the popular, if now struggling, incumbent president, Barack Obama? Drawing on extensive research amassed over more than two decades, including interviews with people who know Romney best—allies and adversaries alike—this book paints a savvy, textured, and revealing portrait of the candidate, his history, family, religion, political beliefs, and strategy. It puts Mitt in context like no other book to date.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Lyons Press (November 22, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762779276
• ISBN-13: 978-0762779277
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #628,026 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ronald Bruce Scott is an American journalist and author. His a biography of Republican presidential candidate Willard Mitt Romney --"Mitt Romney: An inside look at the man and his politics"-- was published in November 2011 by the Lyons Press imprint of Globe Pequot Press in Guilford, CT. The biography has has received significant media attention and, in the process, Scott has become a regular commentator on the 2012 Presidential Elections in The United States.

His first novel -- "Closing Circles: Trapped in the Everlasting Mormon Moment"-- was released in late January 2012 by Gray Dog Press in Spokane, Washington ties into the 2008 and 2012 Presidential elections. The working titles and projected release dates of the remaining novels in what the author has characterized as the "Mormon Quad" or the "Pratt Pentalogy" are as follows: "The Mending: A life too well remembered (late 2012/early 2013); "Finding Faith: a girl, her father and the rub of the green (late 2013);"Quad Pratt: Prince of New England, Lord of Star Valley" and "Leaving West Perish (2014)."

Born in Salt Lake City (October 4, 1945), the eldest of eight children, Scott was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New England (1965-67). He studied journalism at the University of Utah while working as a reporter for both of the city's daily newspapers, "The Salt Lake Tribune" and "The Deseret News" (now "The Deseret Morning News"). He joined United Press International in 1970 before accepting a position with Time, Inc. in New York City, where he reported and wrote for all of its magazines "Time," "Sports Illustrated," "Life" and "Money" and was part of the small start-up editorial team that founded successful People Magazine in 1974.

He lives near Boston, Massachusetts with his wife. He is the father of three sons and two daughters, and grandfather to three granddaughters.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Balanced and placed in good context December 8, 2011

By J Zollinger

Format:Paperback

Ron Scott has finished a 20 year project to report on the real MItt Romney. This comes at a perfect time. Millions of voters will be eager to know the would-be president of the U.S. and this insider's view has the indisputable validity the public deserves in a biography. While not written for political persuasion, the book outlines Romney's positions on the dominant issues facing american society and this in a time progression from 1993 ot the present. the flip flopper accusations are thus better understandable when firmly placed in context.

Not often do biographies furnish such complete information on the lives of the subjects close family members. This one does, probably to underscore the well known family solidarity and religious grounding of Romney and his LDS faith. Fortunately, this works since, to a person, no crazy ants emerge. The powerful influence of Mitt's father George, himself a past presidential aspirant, is apparent by tracing the father's values and basic political philosophy through the years of his son's youth and early manhood.

As I read a preliminary manuscript, my mind was primed to sort out any mormon historical inaccuracies and my affect alert to any strong biases the author may harbor due to a personal relationship with Romney. I was delighted to find the book well balanced and without any obvious slant in any respect. The quotations from a large swath of co-workers, clients, church members and family were representative of the true gamut of Romney's associations. I especially enjoyed the insight into Massachusetts Mormon social dynamics. That an "Organization of Mormons against Mitt" could exist ought to help blunt the stereotype of LDS monolithic political life. The cross-section of member's experience with Mitt as stake president reveals the man as flawed in the ordinary sense of humanity, but on balance finds him acceptable as a fair and sincere leader. Also of interest is the repeated description of this politician as a listener -then decisive in action as a listener first. This feature of a leader is difficult to discern given the format of debates, commercials, and the negative campaigning that experts say win elections.

RB Scott writes in a well paced, lucid manner, expected of a professional journalist. Sentence formation is varied and vocabulary is crisp and only occasionally requires a dictionary. There is plenty here for the scholar, the voter and the politically motivated to find satisfying. Knowing Mormon history as an avocation, I see no room for fault in this respect. Overall, Mitt Romney comes out fit for the office he seeks. That a few embarrassing real-life scenes are found in these 297 pages only attests to the fairness and value of this excellent, timely read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Analyzing Mitt November 19, 2012

By Ryan Carmichael

Format:Paperback

After reading this novel I can summarize to you simply what the author is aiming for. Ron Scott gives a brief, very objective overview of Mitt Romney's personal and professional life. I really appreciated how the author made Romney appear very down to earth and did not capitalize on the fact that he is a Mormon or that he was deemed as an "out of touch millionaire". Yet though, none of those things are present in the book, Scott maintains a very non-partisan view and is not swayed by either side. Providing objective statements throughout a whole political book is a very hard and rare thing to accomplish. I am amazed that Ron Scott also wrote this book for the true Mitt Romney and did not attempt to put any types of political persuasion. This book was very on key and brief enough to seem like it was a short read, yet, got a substantial amount of information about Mitt Romney. The three things that stood out the most to me were Romney's political stances and how Ron Scott provided analytical information about campaigns and how Romney ran them, the fact that it is indeed written by a non-partisan author with an objective view, and the time taken to assure the reader that information is not biased and factually correct. This book was written over the course of 20 years and it is very accurate. Throughout the book Scott also takes critical looks campaigns Romney has been running since the early 1990s.
I was very interested by Romney's goals and aspirations. All he is really trying to accomplish in life is fulfilling his religious duties keep a good relationship with his family, and help maintain his country. Ron Scott tells you campaigns he ran and how he ran them. It is very apparent to me too, that no human is perfect. I admit that after the reading that Mitt Romney has made mistakes as governor of Massachusetts in my opinion. Huge accomplishments talked about this book for Mitt have also been very substantial. The most popular ones I read about were how he started and maintains the role of CEO of Bain Capital, and how he saved the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Throughout the book Mitt is portrayed as a very intellectual man; not only with intellect, but as a man of integrity and discernment.
This book was very enjoyable to read for me because of two reasons. I am a diehard republican fan who believes in the values that Mitt Romney wants to instill into our government, and because this book was written by a non-partisan man named Ron Scott who provided me with this objective documentation. I really dislike when people, especially authors and news reporters who bash other people and ostracize them for their beliefs and mistakes. So this was a very refreshing thing to notice throughout the whole book. I am drawn towards solely accurate information so that I am not swayed one way or the other by opinions. I like establishing what I believe and educate myself of specific reasons for why I believe what I do.
I am also appalled at the time taken to write this book on Romney. This book that I just read with 224 pages took 20 years for Ron Scott to write and acquire all the knowledge put into this book. I truly believe that the author wanted to state facts and facts only and I, being a very literal person, appreciate accuracy and brevity.
Overall I agree with all of the statements at hand entirely because it was written with no political persuasion or party affiliation. I appreciate and trust that this precise information on Mitt will always be held as a loving man of integrity and his future campaigns and goals will reflect that.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting biography October 30, 2012

By James D. Crabtree VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Scott's book places the life of Mitt Romney in context, how is Mormon upbringing has shaped his life and provided him with the drive to be successful and the determination to make a difference. This bio does not portray Romney as a saint, but neither does it make him out to be a religious fanatic or out-of-touch millionaire. It looks at him as a human being, a man who has a sense of humor and who has a way of getting things done. It includes interviews with those who intend to vote for Romney as well as those who dislike him personally or have other beliefs (interestingly, in a couple of cases they are one and the same person). It takes a critical look at the campaigns that he has run, the business dealings that he has had and his role in the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat you can enjoy this book (unless you're a fanatic, in which case there are left- and right-wing conspiracy books available on Amazon) because it tries to be objective, something that is so rare anymore.

As an aside, this book makes me interested in more works by Ronald Scott.