Bob Schieffer: Romney may consider 2016 run if Jeb Bush doesn’t

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

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Washington Post

[MurrayBannerman]

Please no. Please. Just no.

[Never]

I wonder if he would lose the exact same states that he could not carry in 2012, or if he would do worse against Hillary Clinton? Romney seems like a suitable Treasury Secretary, but I don't think he could win the presidency.

[Suburbia]

I don't know if his time has passed or not. Some people still like him. As his vice-presidential choices he may pick John Thune, Tim Pawlenty, Rob Portman, or even Paul Ryan again. A Romney-Pawlenty 2016 ticket could win Iowa or Wisconsin but for some people, they don't like Pawlenty. I don't know if Republicans would want Romney-Ryan 2016 again though.

[Mordecai]

You know, I could actually see this happening. Especially if Jeb Bush decides not to run and the establishment promises to give Romney their full support. And especially considering that he now has bragging rights for Russia's annexation of Crimea.

He was actually on Face the Nation last month with Schieffer, criticizing Obama and Clinton for underestimating Putin. I thought it was interesting that he specifically made a jab at Clinton in his response because she's the 2016 Democratic presidential front-runner. I guess now we know why.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

The thing is, I can sort of see Romney at least flirting with the idea of a run if the last election were close, but it really wasn't.  Romney won't have the 'electability' argument on his side this time.  The fact that the Republicans will probably have better candidates next time around (after all, the 2012 bench won't be hard to beat) doesn't help him, either.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Mitt Romney has become cute and endearing now that he's no longer a presidential prospect. I don't want that to go away.

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

I can't see Jeb running against Hillary. I don't think he wants the presidency as much as she does, nor is he (or anyone else on earth) interested in a Clinton vs Bush election.

[Potatoe]

I can't see Jeb running against Hillary. I don't think he wants the presidency as much as she does, nor is he (or anyone else on earth) interested in a Clinton vs Bush election.

It'd be hilarious if he ran, picked Ben Quayle, Clinton runs and picks Albert Gore Jr. (Wins in 2008), and Ross Perot Jr. launched an Independent campaign of his own. I'd laugh at that.

[Mordecai]

The thing is, I can sort of see Romney at least flirting with the idea of a run if the last election were close, but it really wasn't.  Romney won't have the 'electability' argument on his side this time.  The fact that the Republicans will probably have better candidates next time around (after all, the 2012 bench won't be hard to beat) doesn't help him, either.

Aren't the establishment coalescing around Jeb Bush? That's pretty desperate, considering it would be so easy for the Democrats to beat him about the head with his brother's failings. On the other hand, Romney could campaign as the "I told you so" candidate trying to save the country from Obama's third term.

[Mister Mets]

While Romney made some obvious mistakes, it's not clear that he was a bad candidate.

He overperformed most Republican candidates for statewide office, and lost narrowly in the popular vote (the difference between him and Obama was less than 1/25th of the vote) in a political environment that favored Obama (the economy was improving, Obama's response to Hurricane Sandy was well-received.)

He might not be that bad in 2016, especially with less of a learning curve than anyone else.

There are some significant negatives. He's not exactly a fresh face, and a few months older than Hillary Clinton. All the political campaigns have meant that there are a lot of public statements to scrutinize and attack.

[Zioneer]

Well, if they want to have a three-time loser... I can only imagine the damage that would do to the Republican party.

[Maxwell]

Mitt Romney needs to grow a mustache, see if he looks like his idol Thomas Dewey

[Cory]

It's Tom Dewey all over again.

[IceSpear]

Please let this happen.

[DrScholl]

If he couldn't beat in an incumbent President in a shaky economy, his chances at an open seat are even less. Romney already demonstrated why he was a bad candidate, it's not like much will change if he runs again.

[NewYorkExpress]

While I agree Romney probably isn't going to run, I'm just not sure who the GOP will get that's a better candidate....

[Never]

If he couldn't beat in an incumbent President in a shaky economy, his chances at an open seat are even less. Romney already demonstrated why he was a bad candidate, it's not like much will change if he runs again.

I thought that it was easier to win an open race than defeat an incumbent. Sure, the economy was shaky, but that didn't mean that Obama was a pariah in 2012. Romney is probably not a good candidate, but his chances might not be that bad. His floor in 2016 would probably be at about 45-46%, around McCain territory, and we would probably see that in a Romney-Clinton matchup, but against any other Democrat, Romney might make it to 50% of the vote and 270 EVs. It would probably come down to one state, but not that many states would change from one party to another. At most, four or five states might switch parties. If the Democrats win, they could peel off NC/GA, and if Romney wins, he would pickup FL/VA/OH/CO, and maybe PA or NH.

[Liberalrocks]

I almost thought this was a joke until I read the story. Sure let him run no protest here, he has proven he is a horrible candidate lost an election that was quite winnable and most people just don't like his personality even if they might agree with him on an issue. As a democrat I would welcome him running a third time.

[Badger]

I have a hard time seeing the GOP re-nominate Romney after 2012. Sure it was a reasonably close race, but if he couldn't beat Obama then, establishment Republicans are likely to turn to a "fresher" face.

[henster]

Why is nobody in the establishment looking at Walker we keep hearing how Jeb or Romney need to run but is there something about Walker that scares them?

[tmthforu94]

This may come as a surprise to some, but I would enjoy seeing a Romney comeback and he would have my enthusiastic support. I hope he takes the plunge.

[Badger]

Why is nobody in the establishment looking at Walker we keep hearing how Jeb or Romney need to run but is there something about Walker that scares them?

He's VERY divisive for a national candidate after breaking the public employee unions in WI, much more so than Bush or (pre-Bridgegate) Christie. He could still win, but Bush and Romney (despite his own "rich guy" baggage) don't start off with every union family in the country intensely mobilized against them.

[SWE]

If he couldn't beat in an incumbent President in a shaky economy, his chances at an open seat are even less. Romney already demonstrated why he was a bad candidate, it's not like much will change if he runs again.

Wouldn't it be easier to run for an empty seat than against an incumbent?

[Indy Texas]

It wouldn't be unprecedented for him to try again (Dewey, Stevenson).

The problem isn't with Mitt so much as with the Republican Party. He was more electable before he started running, and by the time he emerged from the RNC he was carrying all of the baggage that makes people not want to vote for a Republican - bashing illegal immigrants, hitching his wagon to downright psychotic positions on social issues. It's worth remembering that Mitt didn't utter his "47 percent" comment unsolicited. He was responding to a question from a man who practically bated him into it by more or less asking what Mitt would do to make the poors stop being so lazy and poor.