The “Establishment” Republicans are running scared, trying to keep the Tea Party Movement from gaining complete control of the party, as it did in a different form when Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater took the nomination away from New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller and Pennsylvania Governor William Scranton precisely a half century ago, leading to a disastrous defeat of Goldwater by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964!
Their hope had been New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who won a massive re-election victory last November, and who now sees his Presidential campaign, and even his Governorship, lying in tatters, with the question whether he will be forced to resign or face impeachment in the “Bridgegate” scandal and related scandals in a corruption ridden administration, nothing really new in the history of New Jersey!
A second thought has been that former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, the son and brother of two Presidents named Bush, with the brother very unpopular after the disasters of his eight years in the White House, might be convinced to run. But Jeb’s mother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, has twice said there have been enough Bushes in the Presidency, and that she did not want her younger son to run. Still, Jeb has hinted he is thinking about it, but after a very long time out of public office, ten years, more than any President in the past except Abraham Lincoln, one has to wonder whether Jeb would have a realistic chance at the nomination, and to be elected by a public wary of the Bush Family heritage.
Of course, those who really want a very qualified “Establishment” Republican may want former Utah Governor and Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman as their choice, but Huntsman’s problem is that he is TOO qualified, TOO sane, too decent and mainstream, to be the GOP nominee, and he also worked for President Obama, which makes him “persona non grata” to most in the Republican Party.
So in desperation, some are starting to think of a “re-do” of the 2012 campaign, by bringing former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney into the fray once again, for the third time, but after having lost the election in 2012.
But there are many problems with this scenario:
Despite having run twice for the Presidency in 2008 when he failed to win the nomination, and 2012, when he did and lost, it is a fact that by 2016, Romney will have been out of public office for the same amount of time as Jeb Bush, ten years, and unlike Jeb, who had two terms as Governor, Romney only had one term of four years, making him the least experience in public office, compared to any actual Presidential nominee or President, other than Wendell Willkie and Woodrow Wilson.
Additionally, Romney would be nearly 70 at the time he took the Presidential oath in January 2017, only seven months older than Hillary Clinton, and four years and four months younger than Joe Biden, so this would be a truly “old folks home” race if Romney were the nominee.
Finally, Romney has proved to be a chameleon, supporting health care for Massachusetts, but then opposing a similar plan known as “ObamaCare”, and completely remaking himself to please the extreme right wing, but coming across as unprincipled, mercenary, and opportunistic, as well as being a massive liar, on a scale way beyond the norm of any Presidential campaign. He came across, also, as arrogant, insensitive, uncaring, phony, and will never be able to live down the “47 percent” comment, which will be part of the historical record for all eternity! How can Romney “remake” himself, and be taken seriously and seen as truthful, when he has proved to be totally unable to be believed and trusted?
So the best idea is to inform Mitt Romney to forget about it, be happy you are super wealthy, continue to amass that gigantic fortune that you wish to leave to your heirs, so that they do not have work and struggle like the rest of us “peons”, and be thankful you at least had the opportunity to run for the Presidency, which in itself is a special group that goes down in history! Be honest, making money as an obsession, is what you are best at, so go for it, and leave America alone!
I could not agree more Professor! Romney needs to just give it up and I suspect he doesn’t wish to go through another devastatingly embarrassing loss. I’m pretty sure his wife is not particulary keen on the idea of another campaign. Losing a presidentail bid three times I should think , tells the Romneys the country does not want them. Further more if Hillary Clinton decides to run, she will easily shred him up into oblivian…he and his silly wife who stated, ” it’s Mitt’s turn now !”. Ann R. wanted to wear that crown so bad and honestly felt she deserved to be Queen ! Gosh even the thiught of those two in the White House gives me a headache!
I support Mitt Romney running once again, and winning his party’s nomination, for president of the United States. He should select Texas U.S. Rep. Louis Gohmert as his vice-presidential running mate. And I think that selection will make the difference with managing to carry one of the ticket’s home state. And best yet is with the state of Utah. It has been the No. 1 best-performing state for Republicans from Gerald Ford in 1976 to George W. Bush in 2004. Unfortunately, John McCain let it slip to No. 3 in 2008. But Mitt Romney got it back on track and shot it all the way to No. 1 again in 2012. I think Mitt Romney can do for his margins in 2016 Utah what 2013 New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie wanted with his re-election margins had it not been for that bastard from Fort Lee: garner an additional one or two percentage points. Therefore, I say, “Run, Mitt, run!”
HAHA! You are hilarious, D, in your sarcasm! LOL I could imagine your saying it in person! 🙂 HAHAHAHA!
Mitt possessed many honorable characteristics, I particularly admired his love of people and America
Obama on the other hand dispises America and has shown it his entire life, whether it be associating with terrorist or sitting in a hate filled church for twenty years, again I see your comments completely lacking in judgement.
You may have liked Romney, Davy, but the rest of us American people aren’t interested in having Mitt again after his 47% comment!
Obama associating with terrorists? LOL! Thanks for the laughs Davy Knows Nothing!
Dave, Romney has NO honorable characteristics, and does not love America and its people. He despises those who are not wealthy like him, and is a massive liar par excellence, not true to his record as Governor of Massachusetts. He is a major phony, insincere, uncaring, even a bully when in high school. It says a lot about YOUR character that you admire this man who worships money!
Speaking of people with poor character, I saw this on the Facebook page of one of the Progressive blogs I read. Shows what goes on at Tea Party town halls. http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-obama-should-be-executed-draws-laughter-at-a-tea-party-town-hall/
Thanks for that Jane Doe. It’s ok to disagree with a president’s policies but wanting a president to be executed is very disrespectful.
Dave and Mark, what say you, as Bill O’Reilly loves to say, about Tea Party suggestions at open meetings that the President should be lynched, executed? What is your stand on this, heh?