Romney's Big Dig

While campaigning in Iowa the summer of 2006, Mitt Romney called the infamous Big Dig a "tar baby".

He took a lot of heat for that remark back then. During yesterday's GOP debate, John McCain lit the fire once again.

In one bitter exchange, Senator John McCain of Arizona turned to Mitt Romney and said: "Governor Romney, you've just spent the last year trying to fool people about your record. I don't want you to start fooling them about mine."

Although the remark took aim at the Romney support on gay rights and abortion rights, the remark caused me to think back to the controversy circulating the Big Dig. Safety issues, cost overruns and the death of restaurant worker Milena Del Valle-- killed when a piece of the Big Dig tunnel fell and crushed her car--all occurred on Romney's watch.

Read the timeline of unfortunate events here.

It's a fascinating albatross worthy of further study.

As reported by the Boston Globe, October 2006:

Romney is running for president, using his response to the Big Dig crisis to showcase his management skills. Yet, part of his administration's response was to give Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff a new $8 million contract extension. There are also questions about whether his administration told bondholders the truth when Romney officials said they were conducting ongoing safety examinations of Big Dig tunnels.

Romney--who took over control of the Big Dig-- said back then that the construction and engineering firm-Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff-- "isn't real credible on safety."

But he never got rid of the firm.

Is Romney taking us for a ride through use of the Big Dig?