I opened @MittRomney op-ed hopefully and sincerely giving him the benefit of the doubt. I was even excited, because so many people are praising it.
My goodness. It is so empty and insipid. This is the new face of #NeverTrump?
I want Flaky Flake back.
washingtonpost.com/opinions/mitt-…
My goodness. It is so empty and insipid. This is the new face of #NeverTrump?
I want Flaky Flake back.
washingtonpost.com/opinions/mitt-…
2/ The opening graf starts off well. A December to remember... for its disasters.
But then graf 2:
"His early appts of Rex Tillerson, Jeff Sessions, Nikki Haley, Gary Cohn, McMaster, Kelly and Mattis were encouraging."
What? Sessions?
And Rexxon w/ all that Russian shadiness?...
But then graf 2:
"His early appts of Rex Tillerson, Jeff Sessions, Nikki Haley, Gary Cohn, McMaster, Kelly and Mattis were encouraging."
What? Sessions?
And Rexxon w/ all that Russian shadiness?...
3/ And Romney ❤️ Child-Cage Kelly?
"Encouraged" by Kelly's incompetent and malevolent Muslim Ban 1.0 roll-out immediately after the inauguration?
Or by Kelly's announcement of his family separation plans in March 2017, right after his confirmation? shugerblog.com/2017/08/01/the…
"Encouraged" by Kelly's incompetent and malevolent Muslim Ban 1.0 roll-out immediately after the inauguration?
Or by Kelly's announcement of his family separation plans in March 2017, right after his confirmation? shugerblog.com/2017/08/01/the…
4/ Now Romney brings the heat:
"But, on balance, his conduct over the past two years, particularly his actions this month, is evidence that the president has not risen to the mantle of the office."
Whoa! Somebody call the fire department!
Because Trump just got burned!
🔥🔥🔥
"But, on balance, his conduct over the past two years, particularly his actions this month, is evidence that the president has not risen to the mantle of the office."
Whoa! Somebody call the fire department!
Because Trump just got burned!
🔥🔥🔥
5/ I had forgotten how enthusiastic Romney was in Jan 2017 about Betsy DeVos. At least he had the decency and the selective memory to forget his endorsement of her.
h/t @MikeNicolella chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/c…
h/t @MikeNicolella chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/c…
6/ Now back to this searing-hot Romney op-ed.
Paragraph 3: A list of Trump's successes!
Lowering corporate taxes! Deregulation!
Cracking down on China! (hello, disastrous trade war?)
Conservative judges! (Because Kavanaugh and Mr. Disenfranchisement Farr-Right, amirite?)
Paragraph 3: A list of Trump's successes!
Lowering corporate taxes! Deregulation!
Cracking down on China! (hello, disastrous trade war?)
Conservative judges! (Because Kavanaugh and Mr. Disenfranchisement Farr-Right, amirite?)
7/ And the rest of the @MittRomney op-ed is utterly anodyne.
Vague calls for leadership, character, "better angels."
Not a single specific criticism to anything Trump has done past that short intro. No reference to the Russia investigation or protecting it from obstruction.
Vague calls for leadership, character, "better angels."
Not a single specific criticism to anything Trump has done past that short intro. No reference to the Russia investigation or protecting it from obstruction.
8/ "Furthermore, I will act as I would with any president, in or out of my party: I will support policies that I believe are in the best interest of the country and my state, and oppose those that are not."
Sorry, that misses the entire point of how the GOP can resist Trump!
Sorry, that misses the entire point of how the GOP can resist Trump!
9/ Example: Jeff Flake finally got it - far too late - when in December he voted against all judicial nominees (whom he otherwise supported) in order to force a vote on the Mueller protection bill.
GOP: You have to VOTE AGAINST some things you like if you want to oppose Trump.
GOP: You have to VOTE AGAINST some things you like if you want to oppose Trump.
10/ "But I will speak out against significant statements or actions that are divisive, racist, sexist, anti-immigrant, dishonest or destructive to democratic institutions."
Where've you been for 2 years?
Better late than never?
Or just lately #NeverTrump...in words, not action.
Where've you been for 2 years?
Better late than never?
Or just lately #NeverTrump...in words, not action.
11/ Lots of commentators I respect praised this op-ed. I'll give them credit for optimistic tea-leaf reading, but I wonder if it's a mix of wish-fulfillment and the ever-lowering bar for Republicans.
Don't pat @MittRomney on the back until he actually does something real & brave.
Don't pat @MittRomney on the back until he actually does something real & brave.
12/ This is spot on.
As I was saying, Romney more or less said this explicitly in the op-ed. As long as he votes party-line and falls in line behind McConnell, he's just Ben Sasse - and that's a lot worse than Flake.
As I was saying, Romney more or less said this explicitly in the op-ed. As long as he votes party-line and falls in line behind McConnell, he's just Ben Sasse - and that's a lot worse than Flake.
