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Long Quest for the Presidency Draws to a Frustrating Conclusion Long Quest for Presidency Concludes With a Concession Speech
(about 1 hour later)
PITTSBURGH — On the 523rd day of his second presidential campaign, the moment that had long eluded Mitt Romney, the candidate of so many missed political connections and unrequited electoral affections, arrived at long last. PITTSBURGH — On the 523rd day of his second presidential campaign, the moment that had long eluded Mitt Romney, the candidate of so many missed political connections and unrequited electoral affections, arrived at last.
As his head of meticulous silver-and-black hair popped out of a plane here in a state he would lose within hours, his eyes caught the unfamiliar sight of a spontaneous outpouring of love: 1,000 or so strangers, lining the decks of a dingy parking garage above the tarmac to show their support and watch him perform the simplest of acts: walk off a plane.As his head of meticulous silver-and-black hair popped out of a plane here in a state he would lose within hours, his eyes caught the unfamiliar sight of a spontaneous outpouring of love: 1,000 or so strangers, lining the decks of a dingy parking garage above the tarmac to show their support and watch him perform the simplest of acts: walk off a plane.
Mr. Romney stared in disbelief, then walked up to a chain-link fence and placed a grateful hand over his heart.Mr. Romney stared in disbelief, then walked up to a chain-link fence and placed a grateful hand over his heart.
“They were,” he said later of the crowd, “connected emotionally with me.”“They were,” he said later of the crowd, “connected emotionally with me.”
It was, of course, too late.It was, of course, too late.
For Mr. Romney, Election Day was a time to relish what he could — a race that had evolved, slowly, sometimes painfully, from what often seemed to be a frustrated movement against the president into an embrace, however tepid, of the Republican nominee by his supporters.For Mr. Romney, Election Day was a time to relish what he could — a race that had evolved, slowly, sometimes painfully, from what often seemed to be a frustrated movement against the president into an embrace, however tepid, of the Republican nominee by his supporters.
It was day of family, of politicking and of ritual: by the end of the night, he was huddled with his children and grandchildren in a hotel suite at the Westin, eating his favorite dish — meatloaf. It was a day of family, of politicking and of ritual: by the end of the night, he was huddled with his children and grandchildren in a hotel suite at the Westin, eating his favorite dish: meatloaf.
But the bad news kept flashing across the two giant screens in Boston at Mr. Romney’s election night party at the Boston Convention Center. By 9:45 p.m., his aides had cut off the volume on the news shows, asking a band to strike up a version of “You Make my Dreams.” A few members of the largely listless crowd swayed to the music. But bad news kept flashing across the two giant screens in Boston at Mr. Romney’s election night party at the Boston Convention Center. By 9:45 p.m., his aides had cut off the volume on the news shows, asking a band to strike up a version of “You Make My Dreams.” A few members of the largely listless crowd swayed to the music.
An hour later, several of Mr. Romney’s staff members were gathering in the back of a half-filled ballroom at the Boston Convention Center, mumbling about the staggering margins by which they had lost states they had expected to be close. (“Iowa by 10,” moaned one, still sounding incredulous.) An hour later, several of Mr. Romney’s staff members were assembling in the back of a half-filled ballroom, mumbling about the staggering margins by which they had lost states they had expected to be close. (“Iowa by 10,” moaned one, still sounding incredulous.)
His day began a little before 8 a.m. in Belmont, Mass., a tidy suburb of generously sized homes that yielded so many of the idyllic images that crowded his biographical campaign videos: his brood of five sons tumbling madly across a couch, or turning a garden hose loose on their unsuspecting father. Mr. Romney did little to conceal his disappointment in his concession speech. “I so wish I had been able to fulfill your hopes to lead the country in a different direction, but the nation chose another leader,” he said.
After a breakfast of peanut butter and honey on toast, Mr. Romney and his wife, Ann, arrived at the Beech Street Senior Center, a polling place where a plaque on the wall describes the Romneys as “Diamond Benefactors.” On the street, they found the same closely split loyalties that played out across the country. Pro-Obama signs shared space with friendlier handmade ones. “Mitt and Ann enjoy your new White House,” one read. Turning to his wife, Ann, he declared, “She would have been a wonderful first lady.”
Mr. Romney’s day began a little before 8 a.m. in Belmont, Mass., a tidy suburb of generously sized homes that yielded so many of the idyllic images that crowded his biographical campaign videos: his five sons tumbling madly across a couch, or turning a garden hose loose on their unsuspecting father.
After a breakfast of peanut butter and honey on toast, Mr. Romney and Ann, arrived at the Beech Street Senior Center, a polling place where a plaque on the wall describes the Romneys as “Diamond Benefactors.” On the street, they found the same closely split loyalties that played out across the country. Pro-Obama signs shared space with friendlier handmade ones. “Mitt and Ann enjoy your new White House,” one read.
Inside, Mr. Romney took a long look at top of the ballot, and the small font that read “Romney and Ryan.” Seeing his name “was quite a moment,” he said later. “We’ve been working for this a long, long time, and to be on the ballot for the president of the United States is very humbling.”Inside, Mr. Romney took a long look at top of the ballot, and the small font that read “Romney and Ryan.” Seeing his name “was quite a moment,” he said later. “We’ve been working for this a long, long time, and to be on the ballot for the president of the United States is very humbling.”
From there, the almost-presidential mixed with the workaday mundane for Mr. Romney. After voting, Mr. Romney asked his daughter-in-law if she wanted to travel with him to Cleveland. She politely declined. She had to take her children to school, she explained. From there, the almost-presidential mixed with the workaday mundane for Mr. Romney. After voting, Mr. Romney asked his daughter-in-law if she wanted to travel with him to Cleveland. She politely declined, explaining she had to take her children to school.
His last-minute campaigning in Ohio and Pennsylvania Tuesday morning was as much a deliberate distraction as a political strategy. Mr. Romney loathes unstructured time, and he had let his aides know that spending a day holed up in a hotel room awaiting results was unacceptable. His last-minute campaigning in Ohio and Pennsylvania Tuesday morning was as much a deliberate distraction as a political strategy. Mr. Romney loathes unstructured time, and he had let his aides know that spending the day in a hotel room awaiting results was unacceptable.
And though the campaign’s internal poll numbers were tight, the mood all day was resolutely relaxed and playful. Stuart Stevens, the candidate’s chief strategist, wandered to the back of the candidate’s plane to shoot reporters with a Nerf gun. All day, Mr. Romney was his essential self, careful and disciplined, unemotional and measured, nearly as uneasy in the limelight as when he began his campaign on June 2, 2011.
But Mr. Romney was his essential self, careful and disciplined, unemotional and measured, nearly as uneasy in the limelight as when he began his campaign on June 2, 2011.
After much pleading, he agreed to talk to his traveling press corps — the 50th news conference of the campaign.After much pleading, he agreed to talk to his traveling press corps — the 50th news conference of the campaign.
Postcampaign, he said, he was thinking of getting a puppy. “Assuming I win, one of the benefits would be to get another Weimaraner.”Postcampaign, he said, he was thinking of getting a puppy. “Assuming I win, one of the benefits would be to get another Weimaraner.”
As he started to walk off, he paused and looked back, as if there was something more he wanted to say.As he started to walk off, he paused and looked back, as if there was something more he wanted to say.
But as the reporters thrust their recorders back toward him, Mr. Romney tensed up, turned around and walked away.But as the reporters thrust their recorders back toward him, Mr. Romney tensed up, turned around and walked away.

Ashley Parker reported from Pittsburgh; Michael Barbaro from Boston.

Ashley Parker reported from Pittsburgh; Michael Barbaro from Boston.