Detroit Mayor... Mitt Romney?

In our time travel, it’s right after the 2008 election. Instead of writing an op-ed for the New York Times with that fateful headline (“Let Detroit Go Bankrupt”), Romney is meeting with Detroit Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr., future mayor Dave Bing, and Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

Mitt makes a simple spiel: “I’m moving back to Detroit,” he says. “This city was great once. It can be great again. I just wasted the better part of $50 million running for president. I have another $50 million that I’m willing to use creating jobs and opportunity in the city of my birth—I can raise a lot more—and I have the business expertise to make sure it won’t go to waste.

“I know you are Democrats and that four years from now you’ll be supporting President Obama’s re-election,” the alternate-universe Mitt Romney continues. “I hope I can, too, but if I believe we need a change, I may run against him. For the next three years, though, let’s work together.”

Another native son of Detroit, Washington-based political writer Ron Fournier, recently visited the city and wrote how the current mayor, Mike Duggan, quips to various prodigal sons, “Thanks for coming, leave your money.” What he really wants is for people who got their start in Detroit to return with their money. Mitt Romney didn’t do that in 2008 and he didn’t do it in 2012. He could still do it now. Then, he’d be worthy of being back in the political conversation.