I found this old Business Week article from exactly 5 years ago. Mitt had recently announced his candidacy for governor of Mass. and just finished his spectacular rescue of the 2002 Olympic Games...

Business Week
June 24, 2002
By William C. Symonds in Boston, with Lorraine Woellert in Washington

He didn't get the gold, but few received as much acclaim during the Winter Olympics as Mitt Romney, CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. When the telegenic Mormon multimillionaire parachuted in from Massachusetts to rescue SLOC in 1999, it was facing a $ 379 million deficit and the worst scandal in modern Olympic history. By the time the Olympic flame was extinguished in February, Romney had produced a $ 50 million surplus and near-flawless Games, despite the terror threat. ''Mitt, you did a fabulous job,'' gushed President George W. Bush at a post-Olympics celebration.

Massachusetts Republicans began talking about Romney as the great hope of a state party so weak that it doesn't hold a single seat in Congress and has only token representation in the state legislature. ''Romney is a new beginning,'' says Jonathan Fletcher, executive director of the Massachusetts Republican Party. Adds GOP consultant Scott W. Reed: ''Romney has made it a competitive race in a year we're facing a guaranteed net loss of governorships.'' Even Democrats began handicapping Romney's Presidential prospects. If he wins in Massachusetts, ''the Republican Party would clearly see Mitt as national ticket material,''

...Bain's investments created thousands of jobs.

''Romney's right-wing social views would not resonate well within this state,'' ...

With plunging revenues creating a budget gap of about $ 3 billion, ''Massachusetts is facing the most serious fiscal crisis since World War II,'' says Michael J. Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.

...Romney also predicts that he could save as much as $ 1 billion by slashing patronage, inefficiency, and other waste. And he vows to shake up failing public schools -- with English immersion classes, merit pay for teachers...

Wow, so Romney had "right-wing social views" clear back in 2002. The economy was a mess and Romney really did SAVE the Olympics. He's definately the kind of person we need in the White House.