The 2012 GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave a speech today in which he strongly criticized Donald Trump. If you want to hear what Mitt said, read it somewhere else; I'm not going to discuss the details. No, I just want to say that I think that Mitt Romney is a jerk for giving this speech.
Let's start at the beginning. I supported Romney in 2012. He wasn't my candidate in the primaries, but once he pulled ahead, I got behind Romney and did all I could to get him elected. He's a decent human being, a smart individual, and a highly flawed candidate. He managed to lose an election that he should have won because he and his campaign refused to take on president Obama and the Democrat smear machine.
Now we are four years later. Donald Trump looks like he will be the GOP candidate, although that is not yet certain. So what does Mitt do? He comes forward at the last minute to attack the GOP front runner. He couldn't do more for Hillary Clinton than if he were on her payroll. In 2012, the people who did not support Mitt did not savage him once he became the candidate. No, those Republicans got behind him and worked for his election. His response is to try to sabotage the front runner now.
If Romney were serious about wanting someone other than Trump to win, he could have acted months ago. Romney could have endorsed one or another of the candidates and then worked to get that person elected. Does anyone doubt that a Romney endorsement of Rubio or Kasich or Christie or Cruz or even Scott Walker would have helped that candidate, particularly in New Hampshire where Romney is quite popular? But Romney just coasted along in silence while New Hampshire chose Trump. Romney who wouldn't take on Obama when it mattered didn't take on Trump when it mattered either. Mitt is a good man, but he has the political instincts of a turtle.
I lived through the 1964 election when Barry Goldwater was nominated and a big part of the party refused to back him. As a result, we got Lyndon Johnson, the Vietnam War, the War on Poverty which never helped anyone, and a huge increase in the size of government. The idiots who ran out on the party in 1964 have their spiritual heirs coming forward not to denounce Trump. I guess their goal is to guarantee that Clinton wins.
It's not too late for the fools to step back from the brink and renew their party loyalty. It could all start tonight in Michigan. I hope that Rubio, Cruz, Kasich and Trump each say that they will support the nominee no matter who it is. I also hope that they call on their supporters to do the same thing. Beating Hillary is too important.
Let's start at the beginning. I supported Romney in 2012. He wasn't my candidate in the primaries, but once he pulled ahead, I got behind Romney and did all I could to get him elected. He's a decent human being, a smart individual, and a highly flawed candidate. He managed to lose an election that he should have won because he and his campaign refused to take on president Obama and the Democrat smear machine.
Now we are four years later. Donald Trump looks like he will be the GOP candidate, although that is not yet certain. So what does Mitt do? He comes forward at the last minute to attack the GOP front runner. He couldn't do more for Hillary Clinton than if he were on her payroll. In 2012, the people who did not support Mitt did not savage him once he became the candidate. No, those Republicans got behind him and worked for his election. His response is to try to sabotage the front runner now.
If Romney were serious about wanting someone other than Trump to win, he could have acted months ago. Romney could have endorsed one or another of the candidates and then worked to get that person elected. Does anyone doubt that a Romney endorsement of Rubio or Kasich or Christie or Cruz or even Scott Walker would have helped that candidate, particularly in New Hampshire where Romney is quite popular? But Romney just coasted along in silence while New Hampshire chose Trump. Romney who wouldn't take on Obama when it mattered didn't take on Trump when it mattered either. Mitt is a good man, but he has the political instincts of a turtle.
I lived through the 1964 election when Barry Goldwater was nominated and a big part of the party refused to back him. As a result, we got Lyndon Johnson, the Vietnam War, the War on Poverty which never helped anyone, and a huge increase in the size of government. The idiots who ran out on the party in 1964 have their spiritual heirs coming forward not to denounce Trump. I guess their goal is to guarantee that Clinton wins.
It's not too late for the fools to step back from the brink and renew their party loyalty. It could all start tonight in Michigan. I hope that Rubio, Cruz, Kasich and Trump each say that they will support the nominee no matter who it is. I also hope that they call on their supporters to do the same thing. Beating Hillary is too important.
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