Editing Jane Swift (section)

=== Tenure as governor ===
{{see also|2001–2002 Massachusetts legislature}}
[[File:Office of the Secretary - Secretary Elaine Chao with Governor Jane Swift (R-MA) - DPLA - 4e999eabf8c9808afe610c317df1af2c (a).jpg|thumb|Swift (left) with Secretary of Labor [[Elaine Chao]] in October 2001]]

Swift became acting [[governor of Massachusetts]] in April 2001 when Governor [[Paul Cellucci]] was appointed [[United States Ambassador to Canada]] by President [[George W. Bush]]. In Massachusetts, a vacancy in the governor's office is filled by the lieutenant governor, who serves as acting governor without formally taking on the office. She was pregnant with twins at the time, and became the first sitting governor in U.S. history to give birth when her twin daughters, Lauren and Sarah Hunt, were born one month into her term of office. She made national headlines when she continued to exercise executive authority during her maternity leave, including chairing a meeting of the [[Massachusetts Governor's Council]] by teleconference while on bed rest for preterm labor.<ref name="newsbank" /> Members of the Democratic-controlled Governor's Council objected, contesting her authority to convene official meetings while on leave.<ref name="maternity">Ferdin, Pamela. "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2001/05/17/mass-governor-begins-debated-maternity-leave/ Mass. Governor Begins Debated Maternity Leave]{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}." ''Washington Post''. 2001-05-17. Retrieved 2017-01-29.</ref>

Swift won widespread praise for her response to the [[September 11 attacks]] in 2001 and for her management of the fiscal crisis that followed in Massachusetts. On the day of the attacks, Swift insisted that polls remain open for [[2001 Massachusetts's 9th congressional district special election|a special congressional primary election]] scheduled for that day, and later led a comprehensive, statewide response to prevent further acts of terrorism. In addition, Swift led 45 governors in urging Congress to create the [[Department of Homeland Security]]. The ''[[Boston Herald]]'' summarized her response to the crisis, stating, "Acting Gov. Jane Swift has had her finest hour during this crisis...she has been steady, stable, calming, decisive."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/editorials/|title=These are times that try an optimist, September 13, 2001 |access-date=2008-09-23}}{{failed verification|date=January 2022}}<!-- More specific URL needed--></ref> After it was learned that some hijackers boarded planes at [[Logan International Airport]] in Boston, Swift came under political pressure and forced the CEO of [[Massport]] to resign.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/11/19/opinion/opinion-journalism-hardest-words-are-i-was-wrong/ |title=In opinion journalism, the hardest words are 'I was wrong' |author=Joan Vennochi |website=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=November 19, 2021}}</ref>

Faced with a widening budget deficit in the aftermath of the attacks, Swift cut nearly $300 million in programs and vetoed nearly $600 million in proposed spending.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bostonmagazine.com/articles/in_her_own_words/ |title=Boston Magazine, January 2003 |access-date=2008-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709093310/http://www.bostonmagazine.com/articles/in_her_own_words/ |archive-date=2009-07-09 }}</ref> She received high praise from the Massachusetts High Tech Council for her response to the budget crisis without resorting to massive tax increases.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mhtc.org/downloads/pressreleases/july29_02.pdf |title=High Tech Council Support Swift's Balancing of Budget |access-date=2008-09-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029085454/http://www.mhtc.org/downloads/pressreleases/july29_02.pdf |archive-date=2008-10-29 }}</ref>

Her tenure as acting governor was not without controversy. In February 2002, she drew criticism for her refusal to commute the thirty-to-forty-year sentence of [[Gerald Amirault]], who was convicted in the 1986 [[Fells Acres day care sexual abuse trial]] and who had already served 16 years in prison. Her decision, which went against the unanimous recommendation of the state parole board, came at the urging of [[Martha Coakley]], then [[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]] District Attorney and subsequently State Attorney General. Both Coakley's and Swift's motives in denying Amirault clemency have been impugned as politically inspired.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB108328121782598112 |work=The Wall Street Journal |title=Gerald Amirault's Freedom |date=2004-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213222517/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB108328121782598112.html |archive-date=13 December 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Swift received a grade of B in 2002 for her fiscal policies.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Moore|first1=Stephen|last2=Slivinski|first2=Stephen|publisher=[[Cato Institute]]|url=http://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/pa454.pdf|title=Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors: 2002|work=Policy Analysis No. 454|date=September 20, 2002|access-date=September 3, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Moore|first1=Stephen|last2=Slivinski|first2=Stephen|publisher=[[Cato Institute]]|url=http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-454es.html|title=Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors: 2002|date=September 20, 2002|access-date=September 3, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904142858/http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-454es.html|archive-date=September 4, 2015}}</ref> from the [[Cato Institute]], a [[Libertarianism in the United States|libertarian]] think tank, in their biennial Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors.

====Cabinet and administration====
{| cellpadding="1" cellspacing="2" style="float:margin:1em 1em 1em 0; border:1px solid #000; font-size:85%;"
|-
! style="background:#dcdcdc;" colspan="3"|The Swift Cabinet
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|'''OFFICE'''||align="left"|'''NAME'''||align="left"|'''TERM'''
|-
! style="background:#000;" colspan="3"|
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[Governor of Massachusetts|Governor]]||align="left" |'''Jane M. Swift'''||align="left"|2001–2003
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts|Lieutenant Governor]]||align="left"|'''Jane M. Swift'''||align="left"|2001–2003
|-
! style="background:#000;" colspan="3"|
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Secretary of Transportation||align="left"|'''[[James Scanlan (government official)|James Scanlan]]'''||align="left"|2001–2003
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Director of Housing & Community Development ||align="left"|'''[[Jane Wallis Gumble]]'''||align="left"|2001–2003
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Secretary of Environmental Affairs||align="left"|'''[[Robert Durand]]'''||align="left"|2001–2003
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Director of Consumer Affairs||align="left"|'''[[Jennifer Davis Carey]]'''||align="left"|2001–2003
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Secretary of Health and Human Services||align="left"|'''[[Robert Gittens]]'''<br>'''[[Ronald Preston (state cabinet secretary)|Ronald Preston]]'''||align="left"|2001–2002<br>2002–2003
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Secretary of Elder Affairs||align="left"|'''[[Lillian Glickman]]'''||align="left"|2001–2003
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Director of Labor & Workforce Development||align="left"|'''[[Angelo R. Buonopane]]'''||align="left"|2001–2003
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Secretary of Administration & Finance||align="left"|'''[[Stephen Crosby (Massachusetts politician)|Stephen Crosby]]'''<br>'''[[Kevin J. Sullivan (state cabinet secretary)|Kevin J. Sullivan]]'''||align="left"|2001–2002<br>2002–2003
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Secretary of Public Safety||align="left"|'''[[Jane Perlov]]'''<br>'''[[James P. Jajuga]]'''||align="left"|2001–2001<br>2001–2003
|}

====2002 gubernatorial campaign====
In October 2001, Swift announced that she would run for a full term as governor in the [[2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial election|2002 election]].<ref name="aap-04">{{Cite book|title=[[The Almanac of American Politics|The Almanac of American Politics 2004]] |last1 = Barone |first1 = Michael | author-link=Michael Barone (pundit) | first2= Richard E. | last2=Cohen | author-link2 = Richard E. Cohen |year = 2004 |publisher = [[National Journal Group]] |location = Washington |isbn=0-89234-106-8 | type=paperback | pages=772–773}}</ref> In January 2002 she named [[Patrick Guerriero]], her deputy chief of staff, as her running mate.<ref>{{cite news|last=Anderson|first=Lisa|title=Massachusetts savors prospect of hot primary|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/107015879.html?dids=107015879:107015879&FMT=ABS&FMTS|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629091706/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/107015879.html?dids=107015879:107015879&FMT=ABS&FMTS|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 29, 2011|access-date=18 March 2011|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=February 12, 2002}}</ref> Guerriero became the nation's first openly gay candidate for lieutenant governor.<ref>{{Cite news | publisher=WCVB Boston | url=http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/1168473/detail.html | title=Swift Names Guerriero As Running Mate | date=January 2002 | last=Wu | first=Janet | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320073348/http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/1168473/detail.html | archive-date=2012-03-20 }}</ref>

Despite her widely praised response to the September 11 attacks, Swift's popularity was damaged by political missteps and personal controversies.<ref name="aap-04"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://tspweb02.tsp.utexas.edu/webarchive/04-11-01/2001041120_s02_Massachuse.html|author=The Associated Press|title=Massachusetts's first female governor takes office, under heavy statewide scrutiny|work=The Daily Texan|date=April 11, 2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220142213/http://tspweb02.tsp.utexas.edu/webarchive/04-11-01/2001041120_s02_Massachuse.html|archive-date=February 20, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="bgseries6">{{Cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part6_main/?page=full |title=The Making of Mitt Romney: Part 6: Taking office, remaining an outsider |last=Mooney |first=Brian |date=June 29, 2007 <!--|access-date=2007-07-03--> |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]]}}</ref> Many Republicans viewed her as unable to win a general election against a Democrat and campaigned to persuade businessman [[Mitt Romney]] to run for governor.<ref>Frank, Mitch.[http://www.time.com/time/columnist/frank/article/0,9565,219417,00.html "Jane Swift Takes One For the Team:The Massachusetts GOP took a risk by choosing Mitt Romney over the more progressive Swift. Will their decision come back to haunt them?" ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030406181452/http://www.time.com/time/columnist/frank/article/0%2C9565%2C219417%2C00.html |date=2003-04-06 }} ''Time Magazine,'' March 21, 2002. Retrieved October 29, 2006.</ref><ref>Berwick Jr., Bob and Roch, Lisa Riley. [https://archive.today/20061102011803/http://deseretnews.com/oly/view/0,3949,70001352,00.html "Boston GOP beseeching Mitt: But hero of S.L. Games is coy about his future"] ''[[Deseret News]]'', February 22, 2002. Retrieved November 1, 2006.</ref> On March 17, a ''[[Boston Herald]]'' poll showed Romney defeating Swift in a Republican primary by a 75 percent to 12 percent margin.<ref name="bgseries6"/><ref name="cnn-swiftwd"/> On March 19, 2002, Swift declared that she had decided not to seek her party's nomination, citing family reasons and also saying, "I believe that this is in the best interest of our state, as it will allow the Republican Party's best chances of holding the governor's office in November."<ref name="cnn-swiftwd">[https://web.archive.org/web/20070813060324/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/03/19/massachusetts.governor/index.html "Swift exits, Romney joins Mass. governor's race" ], [[CNN]], March 19, 2002. Retrieved October 30, 2006.</ref> Three hours later, Romney announced his candidacy<ref name="aap-04"/> and he went on to defeat Democrat [[Shannon O'Brien (Massachusetts politician)|Shannon O'Brien]] in the general election.

Swift's official portrait was unveiled in the [[Massachusetts State House]] in 2005.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/10/25/capturing_the_legacy_of_a_governor/|title=Boston Globe: Capturing the legacy of a governor|access-date=2008-09-18 | work=The Boston Globe | first=Joanna | last=Weiss | date=2005-10-25}}</ref>

==== Involvement in 2008 presidential campaign ====
A skilled campaigner and fundraiser, Swift continued to be considered a "power player" within the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news/2008/view/2008_09_05_Jane_Swift-ly_returns_to_the_GOP_spotlight/|title=Boston Herald.com, September 5, 2008|access-date=2008-09-18}}</ref> She endorsed Senator [[John McCain]] for president in February 2007 and campaigned on his behalf throughout 2008.<ref name="wpostreturn">
{{cite news
  |last=O'Keefe
  |first=Ed
  |title=The Return of Jane Swift
  |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]
  |date=2008-09-12
  |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/12/the_return_of_jane_swift.html
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616055832/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/12/the_return_of_jane_swift.html
  |url-status=dead
  |archive-date=June 16, 2012
  |access-date=2008-09-14 }}
</ref> Swift appeared on news and political commentary shows, providing point/counterpoint discussion on the campaign.<ref name="lipstick">{{Cite web|url=http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Chuck_Todd_Obama_lipstick_gaffe_faux_0910.html|title=The Raw Story {{!}} Obama: McCain pig ad 'a made-up controversy'|website=rawstory.com|access-date=2018-03-26}}</ref> Swift also decried sexist criticism of vice-presidential nominee [[Sarah Palin]].<ref name="wpostreturn" /><ref name="lipstick" />