Washington D.C. felt political tremors yesterday over two related stories. First, Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, who was the Republican Party’s presidential candidate 11 years ago, announced he would not run again for his Senate seat in 2024. Second, excerpts from his biography, written by McKay Coppins after countless late night interviews with the Senator, have dropped in a shattering preview piece in The Atlantic.
I have read through the comments, and I understand the frustration with Romney, but I have to disagree that we should basically ignore him or what he has exposed because he should have done so sooner. Romney clearly believes himself to be a Republican, which in context puts him to the right of Joe Manchin. To expect by way of principle is already a stretch. So I will take this as a win, because it far exceeded expectation.
Like all Never-Trumper Republicans, Romney seems to forget that his party has been working inexorably towards becoming the vile thing it is today since Tricky Dick and Saint Ronnie. I find it amusing (and terrifying, of course) to see the dog finally catch the car. As "principled' as he was, Romney and all the others helped to create the nightmare we are living today.
Hawley, Cruz, McConnell, et al, the entire rogue's gallery of poltroons name-checked by the Mittster, will simply shrug off his revelations in the book, in exactly the manner that they treated his prescient warnings about tRump and the events surrounding Jan6. Do you know why? Because (1), they are so without shame and (2), they know that NOBODY CARES what Romney thinks amongst Repub voters. Such is the dismal state of this miserable excuse of a major political party.
Romney was a good governor of Massachusetts per liberal friends who live there. The ACA was modelled on the health care plan he devised for that state. He kept his presidential campaign clean. He does seem to have integrity.
But. A couple of things. Why did he and Angus King not confer with the FBI, the Pentagon, Capitol Police at the time rather than approaching McConnell? This turns to the stand-down exposed by the 1/6 committee. Underlying it all was the fact that TFG was never evacuated from DC that day, but was allowed to wander about, watch TV, ignore the violence. The Secret Service is supposed to evacuate the President to a secure location at any hint of this sort of mayhem.
Second, the image in my mind is of Romney groveling at that dinner with TFG when he wanted to be Secretary of State. If he had integrity without hard political convictions, he never would have gone. But, no, like all the rest he debased himself and still didn't get the job.
I am not a fan at all of Romney, and yet I am not comfortable with our tendency to focus on the messenger here. I by no means intend this as a defense of Romney - he's a big boy, and can handle the consequences for his oppressive worldview. But what happens to the *message* here when we focus so much on the *messenger* instead? What's important to figure out here is not whether or how much his reveal might let Romney off the hook. What's urgent is for us to determine what the info he has provided means, whether it is believable, and what to do with it. For example, I hope to find out more about Romney's and McConnell's apparent awareness, days ahead, of what was likely to happen on 1/6, and if that information is useful to Smith and/or Wllis in their prosecutions.
The thing I never understood about those Republicans who wanted to vote to convict but didn't out of fear for their own and their family's safety, why didn't they go public with these threats?
Why didn't they hold a special press conference and say something like, "As a matter of conscience, I will vote to convict despite being threatened not to do so. My family has been threatened also so I want you to know my vote is still a vote to convict even though my life could be in danger."
If members of Congress were threatened, why wasn't the FBI investigating this?
I'm sure some were threatened. I'm also sure others used this excuse so they could appear to want to convict but didn't because they had to "save" their family.
Too little too late, Mittens. Far too little. We needed him to stand up for the Constitution years ago. To stand up to racism in his own party years ago. A spine? I think not.
Romney is a coward. Just like all of the other Republicans who saved their tales for a profitable book deal. Romney could switch parties and vote with the Democrats while he's still there, but he won't. I have little sympathy left for Republicans who fear the base they built. They were fine with the threats of violence when it was aimed at Democrats and marginalized communities. Good riddance.
On May 24, 2001, Vermont Senator Jim Jeffords withdrew from the Republican party to become an Independent who caucused with the Democrats and, in doing so, switched control of the Senate from the Republicans to the Dems (at least until the following midterms). He'd been a Republican since his first state election in 1967 but felt his party was moving too far for him to continue. He is the only Republican I've ever voted for on a federal level and I remember being proud of him when he did that. He said "Increasingly, I find myself in disagreement with my party... I understand that many people are more conservative than I am and they form the Republican Party. Given the changing nature of the national party, it has become a struggle for our leaders to deal with me and for me to deal with them."
Sorry too little, to late. The "I was the sole voice of reason" act won't do it. I seem to remember you sucking up to trump for a cabinet position after his election.
The suits are afraid of the working class. We have arrived at this moment because of physical cowardice. Having fed their base with rancor for decades they now retire to play golf and write their memoirs. Why do so many moral mediocrities populate one party? That's what the donor class wants and has paid for. When you hire people based on their willingness to fuck mother earth this is what you get.
“You’re lucky,” McConnell continued. “You can say the things that we all think. You’re in a position to say things about him that we all agree with but can’t say.” (A spokesperson said that McConnell does not recall this conversation and that he was “fully aligned” with Trump during the impeachment trial.)"
Someone is lying about the incident and my money is on McConnell since he has proven himself a proficient snake in the grass.
Little to admire about anyone who stays mostly silent until he's ready to leave. Seriously doubt Jack Kennedy would include Romney in his "Profiles in Courage II."
“People in Utah carry guns.” Could that possibly be more ironic coming out of the mouth of the congressman most beholden to the nra? These people are exhausting!
Mitt Romney Calls It Quits. And His Burn Book Is Something Else.
I have read through the comments, and I understand the frustration with Romney, but I have to disagree that we should basically ignore him or what he has exposed because he should have done so sooner. Romney clearly believes himself to be a Republican, which in context puts him to the right of Joe Manchin. To expect by way of principle is already a stretch. So I will take this as a win, because it far exceeded expectation.
Like all Never-Trumper Republicans, Romney seems to forget that his party has been working inexorably towards becoming the vile thing it is today since Tricky Dick and Saint Ronnie. I find it amusing (and terrifying, of course) to see the dog finally catch the car. As "principled' as he was, Romney and all the others helped to create the nightmare we are living today.
Hawley, Cruz, McConnell, et al, the entire rogue's gallery of poltroons name-checked by the Mittster, will simply shrug off his revelations in the book, in exactly the manner that they treated his prescient warnings about tRump and the events surrounding Jan6. Do you know why? Because (1), they are so without shame and (2), they know that NOBODY CARES what Romney thinks amongst Repub voters. Such is the dismal state of this miserable excuse of a major political party.
Romney was a good governor of Massachusetts per liberal friends who live there. The ACA was modelled on the health care plan he devised for that state. He kept his presidential campaign clean. He does seem to have integrity.
But. A couple of things. Why did he and Angus King not confer with the FBI, the Pentagon, Capitol Police at the time rather than approaching McConnell? This turns to the stand-down exposed by the 1/6 committee. Underlying it all was the fact that TFG was never evacuated from DC that day, but was allowed to wander about, watch TV, ignore the violence. The Secret Service is supposed to evacuate the President to a secure location at any hint of this sort of mayhem.
Second, the image in my mind is of Romney groveling at that dinner with TFG when he wanted to be Secretary of State. If he had integrity without hard political convictions, he never would have gone. But, no, like all the rest he debased himself and still didn't get the job.
I am not a fan at all of Romney, and yet I am not comfortable with our tendency to focus on the messenger here. I by no means intend this as a defense of Romney - he's a big boy, and can handle the consequences for his oppressive worldview. But what happens to the *message* here when we focus so much on the *messenger* instead? What's important to figure out here is not whether or how much his reveal might let Romney off the hook. What's urgent is for us to determine what the info he has provided means, whether it is believable, and what to do with it. For example, I hope to find out more about Romney's and McConnell's apparent awareness, days ahead, of what was likely to happen on 1/6, and if that information is useful to Smith and/or Wllis in their prosecutions.
Will you please ask Liz Cheney to comment on his book? She and Adam Kinzinger seem to be the only other Rethuglikkkans to buck the MAGA idiots.
The thing I never understood about those Republicans who wanted to vote to convict but didn't out of fear for their own and their family's safety, why didn't they go public with these threats?
Why didn't they hold a special press conference and say something like, "As a matter of conscience, I will vote to convict despite being threatened not to do so. My family has been threatened also so I want you to know my vote is still a vote to convict even though my life could be in danger."
If members of Congress were threatened, why wasn't the FBI investigating this?
I'm sure some were threatened. I'm also sure others used this excuse so they could appear to want to convict but didn't because they had to "save" their family.
What cowards.
Too little too late, Mittens. Far too little. We needed him to stand up for the Constitution years ago. To stand up to racism in his own party years ago. A spine? I think not.
Romney is a coward. Just like all of the other Republicans who saved their tales for a profitable book deal. Romney could switch parties and vote with the Democrats while he's still there, but he won't. I have little sympathy left for Republicans who fear the base they built. They were fine with the threats of violence when it was aimed at Democrats and marginalized communities. Good riddance.
On May 24, 2001, Vermont Senator Jim Jeffords withdrew from the Republican party to become an Independent who caucused with the Democrats and, in doing so, switched control of the Senate from the Republicans to the Dems (at least until the following midterms). He'd been a Republican since his first state election in 1967 but felt his party was moving too far for him to continue. He is the only Republican I've ever voted for on a federal level and I remember being proud of him when he did that. He said "Increasingly, I find myself in disagreement with my party... I understand that many people are more conservative than I am and they form the Republican Party. Given the changing nature of the national party, it has become a struggle for our leaders to deal with me and for me to deal with them."
Show that kind of courage, Mitt.
Sorry too little, to late. The "I was the sole voice of reason" act won't do it. I seem to remember you sucking up to trump for a cabinet position after his election.
Here is a link to the picture: https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best/newscms/2019_43/3070536/191025-donald-trump-mitt-romney-reince-prebius-ew-527p.jpg
The suits are afraid of the working class. We have arrived at this moment because of physical cowardice. Having fed their base with rancor for decades they now retire to play golf and write their memoirs. Why do so many moral mediocrities populate one party? That's what the donor class wants and has paid for. When you hire people based on their willingness to fuck mother earth this is what you get.
With 12 years to go (his words-not mine) Mitt, former vulture capitalist at Bain Capital and all around Republican - finds a soul?
Anyone in the market for a bridge ?
“You’re lucky,” McConnell continued. “You can say the things that we all think. You’re in a position to say things about him that we all agree with but can’t say.” (A spokesperson said that McConnell does not recall this conversation and that he was “fully aligned” with Trump during the impeachment trial.)"
Someone is lying about the incident and my money is on McConnell since he has proven himself a proficient snake in the grass.
Little to admire about anyone who stays mostly silent until he's ready to leave. Seriously doubt Jack Kennedy would include Romney in his "Profiles in Courage II."
“People in Utah carry guns.” Could that possibly be more ironic coming out of the mouth of the congressman most beholden to the nra? These people are exhausting!