The Hiller Instinct: Boston Hosting DNC

Mayor Tom Menino (D) Boston
"I feel overjoyed, relaxed and just so happy. I really do. I called my wife and she was crying, in happiness."

Back in his office this afternoon, the mayor had a chance to reflect:

Mayor Tom Menino
"I was thinking about when I started this process, people laughed at me. How you gonna beat New York? I had the confidence we could put an application together that could beat New York."

Menino downplays his role in getting the convention, but others who were with him when the winning call came don't:

Gloria Larson, Chmn MA Convention Center Authority
"Despite the difficulties and the challenges, he just knocks them one by one out of the way and he delivers. We've all seen him do that for this city over and over and, boy in this case, he hit the ball out of the park."

Paul Guzzi, President, Boston Chamber of Commerce
"He's done it in his own special way... Very steady, brought in other people, and, of course, brought in Senator Kennedy, who also was critical to this."

Andy Hiller
"No Menino, no convention?"

Paul Guzzi
"No Menino, no convention."

Andy Hiller
"This is part of his legacy."

State Sen. Dianne wilkerson (D) Boston
"That's right, oh absolutely, absolutely, it'll go down at the top of the list."

During the news conference, the mayor reminded everyone that he beat me in a bet.

Mayor Tom Menino
"I'm going for a lobster dinner on some reporter I know... and the question is, I want to know the most expensive restaurant in the city, because am going to eat."

Andy Hiller
"I hope you will accept this as a down payment on the dinner I owe you."

Mayor Tom Menino
"This is not even a down payment. This is like..."

Andy Hiller
"It's a symbol, mayor, there's a real dinner coming."

Mayor Tom Menino
"O.K., but it's going to be much bigger than this."

Give Mayor Menino credit, he beat the odds, and all the skeptics who didn’t believe Boston could get this convention. I was one. So let me just say, mayor, you were right! Congratulations! And I'll be pleased to buy you a big lobster dinner, but first I'm going home to eat some crow.