When did Romney say "They won't be successful"?
We have gone from a local nationalist press (and rightfully so under the circumstances) obviously sensationalizing Romney's comments (and deservedly so), which were a grevious error on his part to be sure, to altering what he said to fit some king of ridiculously stupid narrative.
He said that he didn't know how it would turn out and unless Boris Johnson has a time machine or a crystal ball neither did he. I bet he didn't know he would get stuck on that zip line thing.
What happened with Romney was the technocratic "fixer" answering a question and thus introducing the sausage making into the public square in a way that it is innappropriate for a politician. Those in charge are suppose to rally the troops, those visiting are suppose to pay deference to that effort.