WaPo: friends of Romney want to recruit Romney, in order to beat Carson, Trump

[Mr. Morden]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/time-for-gop-panic-establishment-worried-carson-and-trump-might-win/2015/11/12/38ea88a6-895b-11e5-be8b-1ae2e4f50f76_story.html

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[Likely Voter]

I seriously doubt Romney will ever get in but it shows the level of frustration and panic with the establishment. Most of the elected establishment hasn't endorsed and much of the establishment money is waiting on the sidelines. They don't know what to do. Carson and Trump have been first and second since the polls came in after first debate in August. Since September they have averaged a combined 45% of support. They are the two faces of Frankenstein monster of the GOP that they can't seem to get rid of, religious kookiness and angry nativism.

Bringing in Mitt Romney isn't going to help.

[Mr. Morden]

I seriously doubt Romney will ever get in but it shows the level of frustration and panic with the establishment. Most of the elected establishment hasn't endorsed and much of the establishment money is waiting on the sidelines. They don't know what to do. Carson and Trump have been first and second since the polls came in after first debate in August. Since September they have averaged a combined 45% of support. They are the two faces of Frankenstein monster of the GOP that they can't seem to get rid of, religious kookiness and angry nativism.

And I'd say they're overreacting.  They're taking the polls too seriously, when it's actually still rather early.  Like I said in another thread, basically every single recent presidential primary race has seen huge shifts in the polls in the weeks leading up to or immediately after IA/NH, on a scale bigger than the current leads by Trump/Carson.

That said, even if the chances of Trump or Carson winning is only ~20%, that's still uncomfortably high for many party elites.

[Famous Mortimer]

This plan is ridiculous. They think Trump and Carson can be defeated by a guy who barely beat Cain and Santorum?

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

Deadlines are already passing so it would be a moot point for Romney to get in. And he did almost lose to Santorum so...

[bobloblaw]

Romney wouldnt do much better than Bush right now. In fact if I was Trump or Carson, Id want Romney in to dilute the Rubio vote even more.

Of course no mention from the Romney crowd that the goal is defeating Hillary, not Trump or Carson.

[zs4321]

Yes bring in Romney I want to see trump tear him apart and make him cry. Trump could remind him he has a Gucci store worth more than him.

[bobloblaw]

"" “It’s not just that it could be somebody Hillary could destroy electorally, but what if Hillary hits a banana peel and this person becomes president?”""

Proof the GOPe would rather Hillary win than Trump or Carson

[Clark Kent]

"" “It’s not just that it could be somebody Hillary could destroy electorally, but what if Hillary hits a banana peel and this person becomes president?”""

Proof the GOPe would rather Hillary win than Trump or Carson

Well, yeah. At least Hillary knows what she's talking about. I'd rather have anyone except Sanders over Trump, and most people over Carson.


Anyways, bad idea. Rubio's doing well, let's support him instead of splitting into even more establishment candidates.

[mencken]

Romney could easily dispatch them (look what he did to Perry, Gingrich, and Santorum), unlike Rubio. The issue is that Rubio would likely be too stubborn to bow out when he's the current establishment favorite, and Bush is too stubborn to bow out while he is still solvent.

[Lincoln Republican]

Clearly Mitt is supremely qualified to be President of the United States, perhaps more qualified than anyone, but his decision not to run again is final.

This is, obviously, a tremendous loss for everyone.

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

If they're really panicking this hard then their best bet is to coalesce around Rubio as the Establishment candidate.

The funny thing is, it'll probably backfire as a move like that would give Carson, Trump, Cruz and the rest of the field a candidate to all train their fire on.

So it's really a lose-lose situation for Establishment Republicans.

[bobloblaw]

"" “It’s not just that it could be somebody Hillary could destroy electorally, but what if Hillary hits a banana peel and this person becomes president?”""

Proof the GOPe would rather Hillary win than Trump or Carson

Well, yeah. At least Hillary knows what she's talking about. I'd rather have anyone except Sanders over Trump, and most people over Carson.


Anyways, bad idea. Rubio's doing well, let's support him instead of splitting into even more establishment candidates.

Hillary cant even use google

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

I'm surprised that, for once, poor old Mitch Daniels isn't being touted as the mythical establishment white knight who will save us from the wing-nuts.

[Maxwell]

Yes please. Let's have more establishment candidates in the race. I recommend Jon Huntsman, Mitch Daniels, Rick Snyder, Tom Ridge all also enter the race to split up that vote either further.

[bobloblaw]

Romney could easily dispatch them (look what he did to Perry, Gingrich, and Santorum), unlike Rubio. The issue is that Rubio would likely be too stubborn to bow out when he's the current establishment favorite, and Bush is too stubborn to bow out while he is still solvent.

This isnt 2012. Romney cant dispatch anyone now.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

"" “It’s not just that it could be somebody Hillary could destroy electorally, but what if Hillary hits a banana peel and this person becomes president?”""

Proof the GOPe would rather Hillary win than Trump or Carson

Well, yeah. At least Hillary knows what she's talking about. I'd rather have anyone except Sanders over Trump, and most people over Carson.


Anyways, bad idea. Rubio's doing well, let's support him instead of splitting into even more establishment candidates.

Where does the idea that Rubio is "doing well" come from? He's at a distant 18% for third place in his home state, and even further behind with 12% nationally. Saying Rubio is "doing well" is like claiming the Romanians were "winning WWII" in 1941.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I get it that the GOP Establishment thinks that they need to airlift a candidate into the race.  I don't get why any of them think that at this stage of the game, Romney would be their solution any more than Jeb or Kasich.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Why not Bob Dole?

[I support Sanders]

Romney has as much of a chance of winning the nomination as Bush does. The establishment will soon have to choose between Kasich or Rubio.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Why not Bob Dole?

Because he never won. They're going to go with George HW Bush.

[Lexii, harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy]

you remember  that whole Biden thing  a few  months  ago, amirite?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Why not Bob Dole?

Might as well run George H. W. Bush.

[TarHeelDem]

Trump would destroy him. It would be quite embarrassing.

[Lincoln Republican]

My money's on Cheney.