Romney, Kristol meet about independent bid

[Independent voter]

If Romney runs, I'm not sure what will happen. Trump winning the nomination has sapped my confidences in predicting political things.


https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/pol...fQP/story.html

In spite of his insistence that he will not run, Mitt Romney is being courted this week by a leading conservative commentator to reconsider an jump into the volatile 2016 presidential race as an independent candidate.

William Kristol, the longtime editor of The Weekly Standard magazine and a leading voice on the right, met privately with the 2012 nominee on Thursday afternoon to discuss the possibility of launching an independent bid, potentially with Romney as its standard-bearer.

‘‘He came pretty close to being elected president so I thought he may consider doing it, especially since he has been very forthright in explaining why Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton should not be president of the United States,’’ Kristol said in a phone interview Friday, where he confirmed that he and Romney had a ‘‘little meeting in Washington.’’

But knowing Romney’s reluctance, Kristol told Romney that if he remains unwilling to run, many top conservatives would appreciate having the former Massachusetts governor’s support for an independent candidate, should he and other right-leaning figures enlist a willing contender.

‘‘Obviously, if there were to be an independent candidacy, Romney’s support would be very important,’’ Kristol said. ‘‘I wanted to get his wisdom on whether it was more or less doable than I thought.’’

‘‘It was not like, ‘You should do it.’ I wouldn’t presume he’d do it. But I’m hoping that he begins to think about it a little more,’’ Kristol said. ‘‘His name is one of the names part of the discussion.’’

The closed-door huddle was held at the J.W. Marriott hotel in Washington, District of Columbia, which is located just blocks from the White House. It was requested by Kristol, according to a person close to Romney, who requested anonymity to discuss the session. Kristol said that the conversation was held over glasses of water.

Kristol has been working informally for weeks to seek out a prominent political or military figure who could be drafted into the general-election contest, such as retired Marine Corps general James N. Mattis, who recently declined such overtures.

Later Thursday, both Kristol and Romney attended an awards gala for American Friends of The Hebrew University, an area group that supports the Jerusalem-based school.

At the dinner, when asked in front of the attendees about possibly running as an independent this year, Romney said he was not interested.

‘‘No, I’m certainly going to be hoping that we find someone who I have my confidence in who becomes nominee. I don’t intend on supporting either of the major party candidates at this point,’’ Romney said, according to the Washington Examiner.

But, Romney added, ‘‘I am dismayed at where we are now, I wish we had better choices, and I keep hoping that somehow things will get better, and I just don’t see an easy answer from where we are.’’

A Romney spokesperson was not available for comment Friday evening.

[Moralgy]

Round 3, fight!

[Chetnik]

Romney got his ass handed to him in 2012. What the hell is he doing trying to give advice to anyone? That's like John Kerry or Bob Dole giving election advice.

[Xeones]

I was about to say Romney is a billionaire and thus can't win, but then there is Trump with his unknown value.

Either way Romney does nothing but ensure Trump can't win unless Bernie runs an independent campaign. Then things become complicated.

[Skroe]

He shouldn't run. Moderate republicans need to back Hillary. I like Romney a lot but he had his chance in 2012.

[Deleted]

Became close to becoming president. Ayy lmao, I guess 9% difference is pretty close now for republicans.

[Zyster]

Romney got his ass handed to him in 2012. What the hell is he doing trying to give advice to anyone? That's like John Kerry or Bob Dole giving election advice.

And hows the current president doing that gave you all these hopes and dreams that ended in Romney's loss? Let's not also ignore the clearly biased voting pool like almost all the Black populace (for example).

[Celista]

He should go for it, I'd love to see Sanders run independent and have more than two viable candidates for a general election for once. Jill Stein could also get in the fray.

Honestly I never liked Romney (at ALL) but I'd be FAR more likely to vote for him than Trump. In some universe where there wasn't a viable left-leaning candidate.

[Athor]

The people who are going to put up the 1.5-2 billion for Hilary to make sure they still control America, would actually save money by instead putting a measly 200 million into a funding a 3rd party independent conservative campaign to prevent trump from winning. So for them it's actually cheaper to try and split the republican vote, then to spend lots of money into persuading republicans to vote democrat.

And as long as Romney gets his cut, he will say and do anything. So i see this as a possibility

[Budong]

This has been such a strange election cycle. You have a democrat who seems more like a traditional moderate republican and then you have a republican who...well honestly there's no telling what the real Trump is like. His ideologies are all over the map and constantly shifting.

One day after Cruz drops out he pivots left and says minimum wage should be raised and the wealthy should be taxed more. An obvious attempt at Bernie supporters but who knows if he actually intends to follow through on it. Who knows if he will follow through on ANY of his proposals thus far.

[Celista]

The people who are going to put up the 1.5-2 billion for Hilary to make sure they still control America, would actually save money by instead putting a measly 200 million into a funding a 3rd party independent conservative campaign to prevent trump from winning. So for them it's actually cheaper to try and split the republican vote, then to spend lots of money into persuading republicans to vote democrat.

And as long as Romney gets his cut, he will say and do anything. So i see this as a possibility

This is coming from other Conservatives, although I agree that a Trojan horse Republican candidate would be a good move for the Dems.

Honestly I have a lot more respect for the RNC base that thinks Trump is too retarded to be president and that he would destroy their party. Because he would, and he is.

[Shadowmelded]

Aren't a lot of the Republican voters (pundits and politicians aside) against Trump for being too liberal? Surely Romney wouldn't be able to plug that gap?

[Xeones]

Aren't a lot of the Republican voters (pundits and politicians aside) against Trump for being too liberal? Surely Romney wouldn't be able to plug that gap?

That is a claim they make based on his past but not his current position, but I haven't seen any claims that the things he currently is saying are liberal. The claims about him are that he is a undercover democrat trying to make republicans look bad... which he has done.

I believe it was saturday night live that made fun of him with the line "You don't say racist things! You just suggest them". The republican party is unhappy because Trump has made it really hard for them to make any appeals to minority voters.

[Chetnik]

And hows the current president doing that gave you all these hopes and dreams that ended in Romney's loss? Let's not also ignore the clearly biased voting pool like almost all the Black populace (for example).

At least we haven't gone to war in Syria or Crimea, both areas that a Romney presidency most certainly would've seen us involved in to a much greater extent. Besides, I don't know why you're mad at me, I support Trump now. Hillary is as much a hawk as Cheney was. I wanted Sanders to win, but I'll never vote for a chickenhawk to be elected president as long as the job of the president is to lead the military. When a constitutional amendment is made to remove the power of the military from the executive, then I'd consider voting for Hillary.

[Hooked]

Its fine, that can be their new party, a 3rd party with zero influence in anymore republican party decisions. Bye Romney and take the rest of the backstabbers with you.

[Celista]

This has been such a strange election cycle. You have a democrat who seems more like a traditional moderate republican and then you have a republican who...well honestly there's no telling what the real Trump is like. His ideologies are all over the map and constantly shifting.

One day after Cruz drops out he pivots left and says minimum wage should be raised and the wealthy should be taxed more. An obvious attempt at Bernie supporters but who knows if he actually intends to follow through on it. Who knows if he will follow through on ANY of his proposals thus far.

This is fundamentally why I don't understand Trump supporters...he flip flops more than any presidential candidate I've ever seen, just over the course of one election cycle. None of us have any idea what Trump would actually do as president, save perhaps enact pro-business policies to serve his own interest. Then again, maybe he wouldn't. Maybe.

A friend of mine texted me the other day, "wouldn't it be funny if Trump became the best president we've had in the last century?". Which would indeed be amazing and I 100% hope will be true, because his lack of scruples and voters' short attention span means he has a more than valid shot at winning at this point.

Raising the minimum wage would indeed be good business sense but I'm not sure Trump sees things that way.

[McCulloch]

He should go for it, I'd love to see Sanders run independent and have more than two viable candidates for a general election for once. Jill Stein could also get in the fray.

Honestly I never liked Romney (at ALL) but I'd be FAR more likely to vote for him than Trump. In some universe where there wasn't a viable left-leaning candidate.

If it's Romney, Trump, and Clinton, Clinton wins.

If it's Romney, Trump, Clinton, and Sanders, Romney wins. Election goes to House and Ryan would probably pick Romney. Sanders would be throwing the election.

[Grummgug]

This is fundamentally why I don't understand Trump supporters...he flip flops more than any presidential candidate I've ever seen, just over the course of one election cycle. None of us have any idea what Trump would actually do as president, save perhaps enact pro-business policies to serve his own interest. Then again, maybe he wouldn't. Maybe.

A friend of mine texted me the other day, "wouldn't it be funny if Trump became the best president we've had in the last century?". Which would indeed be amazing and I 100% hope will be true, because his lack of scruples and voters' short attention span means he has a more than valid shot at winning at this point.

Raising the minimum wage would indeed be good business sense but I'm not sure Trump sees things that way.

Well that argument won't work, considering Obama had no experience when he took office and ran on a slogan "hope and change" without specifics. Most voters didn't even understand there was a tax hike buried at the core of Obamacare until it came time to pay it. I'm pretty DAMN sure most people who voted Obama had no idea THAT tax was coming. So voters had to eat that tax. And Obamacare is deeply unpopular, and then the argument against Trump is that we have no idea what he would actually do as president. Well...that boat sailed.

[drwelfare]

Romney didnt seem to try last time, didn't want him in 08, voted in 12 because he was only choice.

[Celista]

Well that argument won't work, considering Obama had no experience when he took office and ran on a slogan "hope and change" without specifics. Most voters didn't even understand there was a tax hike buried at the core of Obamacare until it came time to pay it. I'm pretty DAMN sure most people who voted Obama had no idea THAT tax was coming. So voters had to eat that tax. And Obamacare is deeply unpopular, and then the argument against Trump is that we have no idea what he would actually do as president. Well...that boat sailed.

Obamacare is very popular in blue states. In states where you see none of the benefits of Obamacare because your state opted out of it, then all you got were the downsides (fines and increased insurance costs).

And yes, change campaigns are very powerful and are as powerfully disappointing when that change does not occur. Although in all fairness we have had a more contentious house/senate than previous presidencies.

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If it's Romney, Trump, and Clinton, Clinton wins.

If it's Romney, Trump, Clinton, and Sanders, Romney wins. Election goes to House and Ryan would probably pick Romney. Sanders would be throwing the election.

Personally I think that encouraging something other than our two-party system would be good for the country no matter who would win. Maybe the libertarian party would have a chance to throw their hat in the ring, too.