Sochi Scene -- Romney Talks Sochi; U.S. Security

Salt Lake Olympic Leader Questions Russian Choice

Mitt Romney, the former head of the Salt Lake City Organizing Committee, said he would not have voted for Russia to hold the Olympics.

"Were it my choice, I would not vote for Russia to hold the Winter Olympics or the Summer Olympics," Romney said on Fox News Sunday.

"They are a player on the global stage. They have a right to make their bid. But they do strain the view of people like myself as to their leadership and their characterization of the Olympic spirit."

Romney gave the Sochi Olympics his vote of confidence, despite the recent terrorist attacks on the Russian city of Volgograd.

"A successful Olympic security program is not just the hardened events and the magnetometers and the fences and so forth," Romney added.

The Salt Lake City Olympics took place five months after the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States. Despite security threats, the Games occurred with no major incidents.

"My guess is the Russians have done a pretty good job on the intelligence side of things tokeep the most dangerous people away."

United States To Work with Russian Security Leaders

Two United States security leaders pledged support and cooperation with Russia on ensuring security for the 2014 Winter Games.

Janet Napolitano, the leader of the U.S.’s delegation to Sochi and former head of Homeland Security, said the U.S. will work "closely" with the Russians in Sochi.

"We look to cooperate with the IOC, with the host nation, and the other countries that are there in terms of protecting the security of the games," Napolitano told NBC News on Sunday.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke with his Russian counterpart Saturday to discuss the recent terrorist attacks and Olympic security.

According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Defense, Hagel pledged any support needed from the United States for the Sochi Olympics.

Procter & Gamble Main Advertisement

Procter & Gamble released their main Sochi advertisement for the Games.

The commercial, entitled "Pick Them Back Up," stars future Olympians’ mothers encouraging helping as their children learn their respective sports.

P&G waited until after Christmas to release the ad, and is only expecting around a third of the sales boost generated from the London Olympics.

"For winter, we found that it's best to start right after the holidays and then leading up to the Games," Marc Pritchard, global brand-building officer for P&G, said in a statement.

Written by Aaron Bauer