Mitt Romney

[edhopper]

The last GOP candidate for President before Trump 3 times now. A lot can be said about Romney's policies. He was way too pro business and pro Rich. But all and all he was a "normal" Republican who loved his country.
There is nothing to illustrate the depths of the decline in the Republican Party than sinking from Romney to the Criminal, traitor, rapist.

[CTyankee]

1. I share your concern. I've seen how the republican party has changed over my lifetime.

It has descended to hell.

[hibbing]

2. They are all batshit

Look at governors and state legislatures. We all know how almost every one has shifted so far to the right they can't be compared to even ten years ago.

Foward!

[orthoclad]

3. There are no more "conservatives", only

right wing radicals.

I wish the corporate media would stop using the word "conservative" to describe what are actually fascist people and policies.

[TwilightZone]

8. There are some semi-traditional conservatives left.

The ones in the Problem Solvers Caucus come to mind. There just aren't enough of them to do much, and they still cave to Trump, et al, when it matters.

[orthoclad]

17. they're in hiding, ducking the radicals

[biophile]

4. Maybe he wasn't ever a "normal" Republican

Because apparently he isn’t one now. Give props to Liz Cheney. It’s the Republican woman who has stood her ground on her conservative policies while still defending democracy. You’ll never be able to say that about Romney or any number of the other so-called men in that party. Lookin at you, Lindsay Graham!

[edhopper]

7. He voted

To Impeach.

[biophile]

14. True

Well that’s true. Sadly, he couldn’t hold on to his principles.

[TwilightZone]

5. The party would be in much better shape if they had more Romneys.

That being said, Romney and McCain both considered moderates (in relative terms) had to swing pretty hard right to win their primaries. They moderated again somewhat for the GE, but not fully back to their traditional positions. The right lurch has been in motion for a long time.

Hell, Lindsay Graham used to be about as moderate as Republicans got, and look at what Trump has done to him.

[Abolishinist]

16. I disagree in part, saying that the former 'did' something to Lindsey.

He wasn't able to 'do' much to McCain or Romney, what happened to Lindsey is that he has shown he has neither spine nor character. He's denigrated himself to be nothing more than a rancid, disgusting, soulless piece of Reich-wing garbage who should be despised, and rightfully so.

[Cosmocat]

29. Graham was always that way

He came in with the Nwet Gingrich class and always was always a right wing loon and partisan shit stirrer.

In his early years he tried to play it both ways and act like he was someone who would work w dems because he had potus aspirations.

Once he saw that wasn't happening, he just has been who he really is.

[llmart]

6. I may have missed it but...

has he come out to say he's voting for Harris yet?

[edhopper]

9. He has said

He will not vote for Trump.

[llmart]

10. What a weaselly thing to say.

Maybe he's writing his own name in or not voting at all. I'll save my praises of him when he says he will vote for Harris.

[biophile]

15. Also good

To publicly say that also takes courage today.

[TwilightZone]

11. No.

He's previously said he would write in his wife's name, which is what he did in 2016 and probably again in 2020.

In private, he was said to be pulling hard for Biden, so I think he's probably doing the same for Harris. He's unlikely to make that public, because he hopes to have influence on the party in the future. He's much more likely to have that opportunity if Trump loses, and especially if he loses big.

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2024/05/16/mitt-romney-msnbc-biden-trump-president-vote-pardon/

[llmart]

18. If he can't say it publicly, than he's a self-serving coward.

He's already seen as a traitor by the current GOPers, so he can hope to have influence in the future, but by the time the GOP becomes a semblance of normalcy he'll be too old.

[Turk182]

12. With all due respect to the Romney estate..

F him.

[edhopper]

19. So you think no difference

from Trump?

[msongs]

13. money thirsty corporate predator... nt

[Xolodno]

20. He's a vulture capitalist.

He'll agree with something if there is something to gain monetarily. Classic Star Trek Ferengi. Trump will probably cost him money, so naturally he's not for him. He's an opportunist, not idealist.

[RussBLib]

21. once a criminal, always a criminal

...so said Trump at some stupid rally today. or was it yesterday? who knows? he says so much stupid stuff, who can really keep up?

So, even if a teenager commits a crime (because they are young and rather stupid), then they are forever branded a criminal? And if it's a felony, you may forever lose your right to vote. Hey, Trump is a felon, although he still has not been sentenced. Can Trump even vote?

https://russblib.blogspot.com

[UTUSN]

22. Uh, hasn't he passed his torch yet? - half vote/impeachment here and there

[Prairie Gates]

23. Romney is a good man

The ACA is modeled on Romney's Massachusetts version.

Making Romney out to be some kind of villain was a mistake.

[LudwigPastorius]

24. The Republican Party's presidential selections have been criminals, nuts, or cruel greed heads since I've been alive.

Eisenhower was the last one who wasn't absolute shit on a stick.

[no_hypocrisy]

25. IMO, the last "moderate" Republicans to run for President were

John McCain and Bob Dole.

[LostOne4Ever]

26. McCain yes

Bob Dole no…he supported Trump before he died.

[no_hypocrisy]

27. I have a theory about that.

When Bob Dole was a Senator, he had on his staff, Roger Stone. Yeah, THAT Roger Stone.

And while Stone was fired after Dole learned that he was one of the "Dirty Pranksters" for Nixon, there is no evidence that Stone lost contact with the Senator. And in 2016, Dole was pretty ill and wanted some relevance before he died. IMO, Stone got Dole to be the first significant Republican (Christie doesn't count) to endorse Trump for President.* I don't believe that Dole had enough information to truly endorse Trump. To him, it was just systematically endorsing a Republican over a Democrat for President.

* During 2015-2016, Dole previously endorsed Jeb Bush and then Marco Rubio during the Republican Primaries. He endorsed Trump after he won the nomination.

[JI7]

28. "moderates" McCain and Romney "let" a black guy win.

I think that's how a lot of Republicans see things.

But also important to remember that McCain and Romney won the GOP nomination in part because the crazies split the vote .