Romney can retire later
Romney’s post-election behavior has been, in a word, small. Never again, likely, will his voice and influence be as powerful as they are now. Yet rather than stepping forward to help find a way out of the fiscal standoff, or to help his party rebuild itself, he delivered a perfunctory concession speech, told wealthy donors that Obama won by giving “gifts” to minorities, then avoided the press at a private lunch with President Obama. …
A former adviser, Eric Fehrnstrom, told Rucker that Romney will “be involved in some fashion” in public service. And nobody can begrudge Romney some downtime. But his failure to engage now, at a time when he could have the most clout, reinforces the impression that his candidacy was less about principle and patriotism than about him. …
In the fiscal-cliff debate, it’s not clear that John Boehner, Mitch McConnell or anybody else is in control of Republican backbenchers. GOP lawmakers such as Sen. Saxby Chambliss (Ga.) and Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.) are treated as heretics for stating the obvious need to compromise. Even in defeat, Romney’s voice could be enough to return his party to reason.
Blowback
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Liberal media bobbleheads complaining that Romney’s not helping resolve our country’s fiscal issues, just weeks after vilifying him as an evil, uncaring, felon and tax cheat.
You wanted Obama at the helm, you got him. Choke on it.
Bruce MacMahon on December 5, 2012 at 12:14 PM
That’s my answer to everything at this point. This is what you all wanted, choke on it.
John_Locke on December 5, 2012 at 12:17 PM
Romney has ZERO influence. He never had. He has no natural following (Except for his worshipers) he didn’t win his home state of Michigan, didn’t win the state he Governed, nor won any Northeast State of the region he represents.
Romney was merely a falsely calculated foil to the Obama campaign.
To the ash heap of History with him.
portlandon on December 5, 2012 at 12:17 PM
Wow was that a stupid report. Who cares what Romney is doing now and how is it “tone deaf” if he isn;t running for anything or even in the running for anything?
Warner Todd Huston on December 5, 2012 at 12:18 PM
There’s zero comparison between becoming President, and weighing in on the “fiscal cliff”. None. One would matter, the other is just another powerless person adding to the noise. Obama is the President now. He’s in charge.
Paul-Cincy on December 5, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Exactly. If they wanted him as anything other than a convenient club with which to beat Republicans into surrender, “to help find a way out of the fiscal standoff” they would have wanted him elected to do it.
Dana Millbank can shut the F up right now.
JeffWeimer on December 5, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Go pound sand Dana.
forest on December 5, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Says the clown who supported the candidate that told people to vote for revenge.
Ted Torgerson on December 5, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Mittens gets to retire now. He should be able to hang out in CA with the grandkids and sulk over ice cream with unkempt hair. He didn’t become President, so it isn’t his job to solve Barry’s mess for him.
Illinidiva on December 5, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Aw, looks like someone misses the gaffes. You realize that Romney’s life of leisure will go on. You didn’t make that disappear.
Yo also realize Romney didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. It’s just that no one was supposed to say it at all.
Yes, you want Obama, you got Obama.
Moesart on December 5, 2012 at 12:21 PM
But he doesn’t need the money, why would he work for the private sector???? <- liberal clueless. It's all about money and greed for them. Doofus! If you wanted Romney to work for you, you should have voted for him.
rhombus on December 5, 2012 at 12:21 PM
Jeebus, leave the man alone instead of the continued pissing on his grave.
JPeterman on December 5, 2012 at 12:22 PM
Translation: We admit Obama is an F student, so we want Romney to do his homework for him. That way, Obama “earns” another good, solid B+.
Christien on December 5, 2012 at 12:22 PM
Hilarious- the left needs a villain, and a scapegoat. Guess what losers, you don’t have one anymore. Now can we start blaming Obama for his policies and not private citizens like Palin and Romney?
Kristamatic on December 5, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Fluke you to a million smithereens, Dana Milbank, in very painful ways. What national unity is Obama for?
God damn most all the current media. May most of you give birth to cripples, especially those in the tank for Obama. YOU deserve NO less, you incestual beasts. YOU are responsible for the demise.
Full steam ahead with the destruction. Let your king live good.
Romeny and Obama will both be billionaires, either way. May all the fools’ heads split in two, especially the elitist ones.
Schadenfreude on December 5, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Old and Busted: Repub ex-presidents and failed candidates should go away and stay away.
The New Hotness: Stick around and say, “How high?” when we say, “JUMP!”
Christien on December 5, 2012 at 12:26 PM
This is the dumbest article in the history of human existence.
Romney doesn’t owe Obama or the American electorate – especially an a$$clown like Milbank – anything. They had their chance to give him the job over an incompetent miserable failure, one that was heartily supported by Milbank. They voted for the miserable failure instead of Romney, they and Milbank get exactly what they deserve.
thirteen28 on December 5, 2012 at 12:27 PM
Where is the evidence that the Obama is willing to compromise on anything? And why in the hell would Romney or anyone else with half a brain cast their pearls before people who are clearly negotiating in bad faith?
#questionsthatdanawillneverask
Kataklysmic on December 5, 2012 at 12:28 PM
yep.
IR-MN on December 5, 2012 at 12:29 PM
True. I don’t expect to ever see Romney make another appearance at CPAC for instance. Nor do I expect to ever hear him utter the word “conservative” again.
That being said, I won’t miss him. Romney, Fehrnstrom and the rest of these amateurs should never again be associated with the conservative movement.
Norwegian on December 5, 2012 at 12:30 PM
+1
gwelf on December 5, 2012 at 12:30 PM
Exactly.
Now that Romney has been safely neutralized Milbank can praise him and ask him to bail out Obama.
NeoKong on December 5, 2012 at 12:32 PM
Barky ate the dog that ate his homework, and Dems demand Romney scoop the poop.
Christien on December 5, 2012 at 12:34 PM
the air was thick with irony.
Joey24007 on December 5, 2012 at 12:34 PM
…with profuse apologies to the clean pigs
You’re welcome, good one.
p.s. I lauded your objectivity the other day. You deserve a special place in Heaven.
Schadenfreude on December 5, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Witless and gutless wonders deserve NO less. This all happens because it can.
Schadenfreude on December 5, 2012 at 12:36 PM
America had an opportunity to choose a different path – a better path – but, a majority of American voters chose the status quo. Even with all of his flaws, electing Romney would have instantly changed the outlook and the mood of the country and given us renewed hope for the future. Romney wanted the responsibility – he wanted the job of working to restore America – but a majority of Americans don’t care about our future.
Romney has no obligation beyond that of any private citizen. He tried his best – let him be.
Pork-Chop on December 5, 2012 at 12:37 PM
Obama should simply appoint Romney as his “Republican Czar.”
Christien on December 5, 2012 at 12:39 PM
The help you’re looking for Dana would be for Bark and the Dems to drop their Marxist policies.
antipc on December 5, 2012 at 12:39 PM
Dana, you are stuck on stupid, as usual. Barry won. He’s the president. This is his mess. And for the love of God, can we leave the Romneys alone now?
NebCon on December 5, 2012 at 12:39 PM
yep
Joey24007 on December 5, 2012 at 12:40 PM
He made his offer. He was demonized for months in response.
You got what you wanted, and you made it clear you had no interest in his contribution. Solve your own damn problems and stop wasting column space on a private citizen of your own making.
The Schaef on December 5, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Just. Wow.
This really leaves me speechless. Romney ran on a serious plan to fix the economy and create jobs, which is the only way to get us out of the fiscal mess. America said, no thanks. What the hell could Romney now offer as a private citizen that could make a difference?
This is just a cry from the MSM that Romney isn’t going to be around for them to make fun of anymore. I guess they had hoped to make Mister Wall Street Plutocrat the titular head of the GOP. Now they’re back to dealing with Boehner and McConnell, who they can’t caricature so easily.
rockmom on December 5, 2012 at 12:45 PM
Tom Brady should help Eli Manning win Superbowl XLVII, since the Giants beat the Patriots last time.
Christien on December 5, 2012 at 12:45 PM
winner on the first post
cmsinaz on December 5, 2012 at 12:51 PM
First of all, the entire premise of this article – that Republicans need to return to reason – is absurd. Obama is the one refusing to negotiate and laying out impossible offers. Not the Republicans.
Second vis-a-vis Romney – he’s actually right. Romney’s motivation in this election appears to have been only about him and his quest, having nothing to do with policy or principle. Which is what it looked like in the election when he refused to advocate and promote any governing principles (preferably it would have been free market principles). He thought he could hug Obama on policy and ride his way to election on being Not Obama. That didn’t work for any of his rivals in the primary, why the hell would he think that it would work for him in the general? Just stupid.
besser tot als rot on December 5, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Personally, I prefer this one:
besser tot als rot on December 5, 2012 at 12:55 PM
Romney can retire later
Yeah, maybe Romney can go to DC and convince Reps
and Obama to give those voters of Detroit some “bacon”.
The so called “columnists” in this country apparently
have run out of worthy issues to cover, if this joke of an
article is any indication.
ToddPA on December 5, 2012 at 12:55 PM
The article makes clear what the press really thought of Romney, however. That he was closer to Obama on policy than to the House GOP caucus. Pretty telling.
besser tot als rot on December 5, 2012 at 12:57 PM
FU milbank.
VegasRick on December 5, 2012 at 12:58 PM
Jeez… It is all they can do – bash, bash, bash – I wonder how they would like a dictatorship? Sounds like that is what they flipping want. No more republicans. One party rule.
djl130 on December 5, 2012 at 12:59 PM
heh
cmsinaz on December 5, 2012 at 1:01 PM
”Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard. “
H. L. Mencken
Galt2009 on December 5, 2012 at 1:03 PM
Counter: Obama can retire now.
Christien on December 5, 2012 at 1:03 PM
If Marriott expands and becomes more profitable and successful, should we take bets on whether or not they’re audited?
Can we say “I told you so?”
c.j.ammenheuser on December 5, 2012 at 1:04 PM
It just shows the complete ignorance and prejudice of Milbank. For him, a board membership is a sinecure where you get to sleep through a meeting and then get $50,000 for it. The idea that Romney might actually help Marriott in a way that might mean the difference in thousands of lives is not a thought Milbank is capable of thinking.
bobs1196 on December 5, 2012 at 1:04 PM
What a ridiculous article. For one thing, Obama’s the President…it’s his problem. You wanted him, you got him. It’s his job to persuade Republicans to join him, not for Romney to whip them into shape so they’ll support, um, Obama. How would that work, anyway? Also, concluding that him not helping means he was in it for himself? ALL POLITICIANS are in it for themselves…I dare anyone to name one that’s in it to really, truly help people. But where is Bill Clinton? Where’s Jimmy Carter? Why aren’t they helping…does it mean they’re not about principle too?
More importantly, though, Romney would have zero influence as a failed presidential candidate on any of them. He was never that attached to the Beltway GOPers, having never worked in DC or with Congress, and he holds no current office. Why, exactly, would Romney sway them one way or another?
changer1701 on December 5, 2012 at 1:06 PM
Unreal. The left is truly unreal.
Chuck Schick on December 5, 2012 at 1:07 PM
Obama media cheerleaders are now begging Romney to come back so they can have something besides Obama to talk about.
I am enjoying your desperation.
Moesart on December 5, 2012 at 1:08 PM
Thanks Buddy.
Wait aren’t you the person who said you couldn’t bring yourself to vote Republican this year because of Santorum’s extreme positions on life?
Kataklysmic on December 5, 2012 at 1:10 PM
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