Mitt Romney's New Hampshire getaway
A view of the main house on Mitt Romney's property in Wolfeboro, N.H.
/ CBSLittle pumpkins decorate the driveway, despite the fact that lakefront property is closed up for the winter. Neighbors walk their dogs down the street where the only address is Romney's. Locals bundle up out-of-towners and take them for rides on their boats to see the Republican presidential contender's house from the water, the most spectacular view.
It's a stunning getaway that, in this election year, comes with a bit of a burden. As the former governor of neighboring Massachusetts and a property owner in the Granite State, Romney is the next-best thing to a favorite son (though he's not a registered voter in the state), meaning that anything less than a first place finish in the state's first-in-the-nation primary will be read as a potentially crippling blow to his quest for his party's nomination.
CBSNews.com special report: Election 2012
Romney recently generated a flurry of unwanted headlines over plans to expand another high-priced home he owns in La Jolla, Calif., but the home he owns here is hardly a cottage. Occupying nearly 800 feet of waterfront, the view from the lake is "fabulous," says local real estate agent Kathryn Aiken. Purchased for $3 million in 1997, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader, the home is now valued at more than $10 million.
The stable house at Romney's Wolfeboro property.
/ CBSIn other New Hampshire towns, such as Manchester or Concord, almost every inch of lawn space appears decorated with signs touting one presidential candidate or another. Wolfeboro residents tend not to wear their political preferences on their lawns - although the few posters that do freckle the tony landscape belong to Romney supporters. Though the Romney is clearly adored by many in the hot weather haven, he isn't taking his summer neighbors' votes for granted: He held a town hall at the local Bayside Grill and Tavern in July. The area is predominantly Republican, residents say, though in 2008, President Obama came close to winning in Wolfeboro. GOP presidential nominee John McCain eked out a 2,137-2,032 victory, according to town clerk Patricia Waterman.
Town residents have only kinds things to say about the Romneys, but that doesn't mean they want them in the White House. There's a pervasive fear that their quaint, quiet town might turn into tourist haven -- as Kennebunkport, Maine, did when one of its summer residents, George H.W. Bush, became president. Nancy Bell, who was born in Wolfeboro and works at the local high school, is worried that the security and tourists that would invade town with Romney in Washington. "The fear is there that some of the small town character of Wolfeboro could be lost." She said she likes "that I can walk down the street and see people I know and walk into the post office and say hi," without the intrusion of strangers.
The boat house on the property.
/ CBSDespite the fact he's a Democrat, Paul Jenne, a Massachusetts native who owns a small store in town called Flags Over Winnipesaukee said he'd have the White House effect on Wolfeboro. "It's fine with me the better business is" he smiles, taking an entrepreneurial attitude that Romney might appreciate. "And the traffic is always bad anyway."
Jenne's wife, Penny Sommer, owns a candy shop across the courtyard from his store. Once, Mitt and Ann Romney stopped to buy candy for their grandchildren. Afterward, they headed over to Jenne's shop, where Mitt chatted with Paul about how the economy was treating his store. After the former governor left, Sommer breathlessly dashed into her husband's store gasping: "I don't know who that was, but he was just the most gorgeous man!"
Staying incognito is important to the Romneys here and the locals seem to respect that. Karen Baker, who owns The Country Bookstore, knows he has been in her shop, but he slipped out before she realized who he was.
Another view of the main house.
/ CBS
Maggie O'Reilly, who has lived in Wolfeboro since 1994, echoes that sentiment. "They're really just part of the crowd when they're here," she says. She and her husband spotted the Romneys at bandstand summer concerts and the local hardware store. "They are very well respected in this town," says OReilly.
Many say the same of the Marriotts, the hotel dynasty that also owns a great deal of land in town, according to Aiken, the local real estate agent. George Romney, Mitt's father and a former Michigan governor, and J. Willard Marriott, were famously great friends. Romney's little used first name is Willard. "They are very very polite," says Aiken. "Maybe it's something to do with the Mormon religion. They're all very family oriented and have a lot of strong values." There is a Mormon church in town, right on Main Street, that both families are said to attend when they are in town.
Aiken recalls seeing the Romneys at a local ice cream shop over the summer, noting that Mitt was in blue jeans and would have come off as looking like anyone else in the crowd - except for the fact that his hair was "too well coiffed." She pulls at her own long blonde hair laughing at the contrast to many of the townies. "Here, it's live free or die."
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Just because I don't have it, only means I can't afford it. Only an ignoramus would begrudge another's success.
He has certainly hired thousands more people than all the critics herein combined.
While your liberal mantra is clearly displayed by your unsubstantiated critique and name-calling, it is obvious, you know NOTHING about Mitt Romney. Even less about yourself and your disgruntlement.
I assume you think the Black Helicopters are all piloted by Mormons as well? Get a grip.
Get over it.
This article is about a house. There is no big deal about a multimillionaire owning a fancy house.
http://www.businessinsider.com/check-out-the-12-million-beach-mansion-mitt-romney-is-tearing-down-2011-8
I don't deny someone doing well (or in Mitt's case - his father) - but this dufus walks around telling people in Iowa that he's "unemployed" and "middle class". On what planet is he "middle class"? And who are the nit-wits who believe him when he says those things???? Maybe a new name for them should be "Mitt-wits". LOL
You can be uber rich and still be in touch with the common man, highly unlikely but still possible.