Thread: Mitt Romney Meets with Donald Trump and Mike Pence in New Jersey

Jim Hoft Nov 19th, 2016 12:31 pm

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney met with Donald Trump today at Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey.



There were rumors earlier this week that Mitt Romney was being considered for Secretary of State in the Trump administration.

Romney savaged Trump during the runup to the election this year.

Oh to be a fly on the wall…



http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016...ce-new-jersey/

High caliber man making himself available.

Yes, it was very nice of Donald Trump to take time out of his busy schedule to meet with Mitt. Now that that's' out of the way, Trump can move on with his transition work and setting up his cabinet and other appointments. News say Mitt wanted Secretary of State appointment, but I don't think that would be wise from both policy and personality. Every time Mitt would ever say anything, the news media will replay his awful statements about Trump and use that to demean the Trump Presidency.

Every time Mitt would ever say anything, the news media will replay his awful statements about Trump and use that to demean the Trump Presidency.

Interesting thought you have there Judy. The media has shown since the election they have no plans to ease up on Trump.

Thank you Jean. Miitt looks weak too, like some crazy dude who screwed the pooch as they say, crawling back with his hat in hand and his wife driving him to the meeting and sitting in the car during the meeting like a chauffeur. Plus every foreign leader has heard Mitt's horrible remarks about Trump, they were completely false and unfounded as the foreign leaders knew or will learn. There was no professionalism, no honor, no loyalty to someone who endorsed Romney when he ran, who contributed to his campaign and who helped him raise a lot of money. What foreign leader would want to deal with someone like that? The Mitt Camp is saying today that "well, it was a rough campaign'. Yeah it was, for Trump. Mitt wasn't in the race. Foreign leaders will overlook things you say against your opponent, but Mitt wasn't in the race, he had his shot, so all he was trying to do was undermine Trump, try to cost Republicans the election, and elect a Crook to the American White House.

To me, Mitt is out, a huge liability with no assets at all to contribute at this point, because Mitt Romney is no longer the man who saved the Olympics. Mitt proved that with his NeverTrump Movement and the awful things he said about a man who was representing the people of our country. When Mitt said and did those things, he wasn't just trying to hurt Trump, he was trying to hurt the people of our country who supported Trump because we want to fix our country. So these morons on television claiming "Mitt is still a patriot" are stupid, he's not a Patriot, he's not a Republican, and frankly, he's not even a good American at this point. I believe people change, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse, and Mitt Romney is the latter.

Saturday, November 19, 2016 11:06 AM
By: Sandy Fitzgerald

Former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney had little to say to reporters after meeting with President-elect Donald Trump for just over an hour Saturday afternoon.

After coming out of the front door at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ, and shaking hands with Trump, a non-smiling Romney told reporters that he'd had a "far-reaching conversation," particularly regarding various world leaders.

"We had a far-reaching conversation with regards to the various theaters in the world where there are interests of the U.S." Romney said. "We had a very thorough and in-depth discussion in the time we had and appreciate the chance to speak with the president-elect and look forward to the coming administration."

Then the still grim-faced former Massachusetts governor walking away from reporters' shouted questions, getting into a vehicle, and leaving without answering questions about speculation over whether they'd discussed his becoming Secretary of State.

He also would not answer questions about if he'd take any other position in the administration, about whether he still thinks Trump is a "con artist," as he called him earlier this year, or if he and Trump had apologized to each other for their bitter words.

Trump did not address the press at all, but went back inside the club while Romney was speaking with the press. Minutes later, he and Vice President-elect came out the door to greet former Washington, D.C., schools chancellor Michelle Rhee for another private meeting.

Romney and Trump had an often-contentious relationship throughout the 2016 campaign, with Romney labeling Trump as a "phony, a fraud" during the 2016 campaign, and Trump calling Romney "choke artist" for losing his election to President Barack Obama.

Romney did extend an olive branch to Trump with a phone call to congratulate him for his win, but Trump so far has chosen mostly loyalists for key roles, including Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus as chief of staff, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions for attorney general and retired Army Lieutenant Gen. Michael Flynn as national security adviser.

However, his choice for CIA director, Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo initially backed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for the GOP nomination. Trump also met this past week with Sen. Ted Cruz, whose sparred fiercely with the eventual president-elect and who refused to endorse him even during a speech at the Republican National Convention.

The meetings are sending a "clear signal" that Trump's appointments will not depend on political affiliations or loyalty to him, Republican National Committee spokesman and Trump transition team member Sean Spicer said Friday.

"He's met with Democrats, independents, Republicans," said Spicer. "His goal is to pick the highest quality and caliber of individuals to advance the agenda that will make the country better."

No official reason has been announced for the meeting, and skeptics note that Romney does not have a great deal of foreign policy experience that would lend itself to his being named as Secretary of State.

In addition, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump surrogate and close adviser, has widely been reported to be under top consideration for the spot.

Romney also campaigned with Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who had dropped out of the race in May.

After that, Priebus urged Trump and Romney to reconcile their differences, but even this summer, Romney told CNN that Trump's "trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry, trickle-down misogyny, all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America."

Romney's views on Russia will also likely clash with Trump's. President Barack Obama, during a debate against Romney in 2012, ridiculed him for basing his foreign policy on the 1980s after Romney warned of the growing threat of Russia.

Meanwhile, Trump has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for his leadership skills, and the Russian leader was one of the first world leaders to congratulate the new president-elect on his victory.

But while some are seeing Romney's meeting with Trump as a sign of party cooperation, others, such as Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren ridiculed the thought of Romney becoming part of a Trump administration.

Warren sent Romney a tweet Friday, including a photo collage of "Donald Trump's Cabinet Shortlist," a photograph that included just four women:

Gov @MittRomney: when you're meeting with @realDonaldTrump, maybe you could bring your binders full of women with you? pic.twitter.com/4tJdYxTchc

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) November 18, 2016
She also asked him if "maybe you could bring your binders full of women with you," a reference to Romney's use of the phrase "binders full of women" to answer a debate question about the number of women he'd reviewed for jobs while he was still governor.

Trump arrived Friday night at Bedminster, reports NJ.com, for a series of meetings that will also include New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who lives just 10 miles away from the private golf club, on Sunday.

Christie was demoted to vice chair of Trump's transition team last week, but it remains unclear if he'll be offered a position in Trump's administration. On Thursday, Christie said he expects to finish his final term in office, which will end in 2018, but did not rule out a role in Trump's administration.

Trump is also scheduled to meet with retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, a possible contender for Secretary of Defense.

http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Romn.../19/id/759782/

As some say, 'well that happened.' Have a feeling nothing much happened or if it did it didn't go well. Oh, to be a fly on the wall. lol

I am thinking that Romney was there to lobby for the TPP. That's why he was grim. He'll have to call his Globalist Buddies and tell them down in Peru at the APEC meeting, "it's over, forget it, the US is out". I think that's why he wanted to meet today while the conference was still on-going. Mitt for some sad reason thought he could influence Trump to support the TPP. That's why he was "grim-faced" and saying way to many "and uh's".

Originally Posted by Judy

I am thinking that Romney was there to lobby for the TPP. That's why he was grim. He'll have to call his Globalist Buddies and tell them down in Peru at the APEC meeting, "it's over, forget it, the US is out". I think that's why he wanted to meet today while the conference was still on-going. Mitt for some sad reason thought he could influence Trump to support the TPP. That's why he was "grim-faced" and saying way to many "and uh's".

You may be right. Romney is CFR and a globalist, not an "America Firster", so I'm not keen at all on him in a Trump administration.

Donald Trump Advisers Divided Over Secretary of State Pick

• By JONATHAN KARL
• JOHN SANTUCCI
• DEVIN DWYER
• KATHERINE FAULDERS
• BENJAMIN SIEGEL

Nov 23, 2016, 3:30 PM ET

Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo

President-elect Donald Trump and Mitt Romney shake hands as Romney leaves Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in Bedminster, N.J., Nov. 19, 2016.more

As President-elect Donald Trump weighs his choice for secretary of state, he is facing competing schools of thought among his close circle of advisers over the wisdom of selecting Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani for the key position, or an alternate candidate.

Advocates for Romney, the party's former nominee who has international renown from his time running the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games, say his selection would send a signal of reassurance to the country and show flexibility in who the president-elect chooses for his administration. Some are also worried that Giuliani, whose global business interests have drawn scrutiny, could have a messy confirmation hearing and find trouble getting confirmed.

But some Trump loyalists like Newt Gingrich say picking the 2012 GOP presidential nominee would be a big mistake given Romney's sharp public criticism of the now president-elect.

Rudy Giuliani Emerges as Contender for Secretary of State
Trump Holds Meetings With Mitt Romney, Michelle Rhee and Others

There are also voices within the Trump circle suggesting he look at an alternate candidate, such as retired Gen. David Petraeus, who said Wednesday he would be open to a job in the Trump administration. Petraeus is highly regarded by leaders in both parties on Capitol Hill, but his 2015 guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of mishandling classified information could complicate an appointment.

The competing views have emerged in ABC News' interviews and conversations with multiple officials inside the Trump transition, who have spoken on condition of anonymity. Public comments from several Trump associates close the process have also suggested a divide.

“No decision has been made yet on that position, and ultimately that decision will be up to the president-elect. He's looking at a number of very highly qualified potential choices there,” Trump spokesman Jason Miller told reporters Wednesday.

Gingrich and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee have been outspoken advocates for Giuliani and are also Romney-skeptics.

“I think there are huge advantages to Rudy Giuliani, frankly, I think that, if you want someone who is going to go out and be a very tough negotiator for America and represent American interest in the way that Trump campaigned, I think that probably Rudy is a better pick and has the right temperament,” Gingrich told reporters at Trump Tower earlier this week.

“Nice to have meeting--but no admin spot; Mitt said Trump was con man; phony. That's insult to Trump voters,” Huckabee tweeted after Trump’s meeting with Romney last weekend. He later deleted the message from his account.

“The only thing that would surprise me more than Donald Trump offering the position would be that Mitt Romney would take it. If he does, I have to question why would he do it because, I mean, if you don't believe that the person who is offered you a position is a person that you can trust, you think is a fraud, a con man, you have to think, 'Boy, his ambition is so great that he would take a position from someone for whom he holds utter contempt,'” Huckabee said on Fox News Wednesday. "I can't imagine that makes sense."

A representative for Romney did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment on whether the former GOP nominee would accept a post in the Trump administration or whether he had been offered a job.

Miller said several options remain on the table as the president-elect retreats to his Florida estate for Thanksgiving.

“What's really going to drive the president-elect is the judgment and decision-making strength that he looks at with potential applicants to any position, whether it's this or any other Cabinet-level-type position. I think they'll be looking for things like chemistry, experience, a similar vision in what the president-elect and vice president-elect are trying to do with this administration, and ultimately whoever the president-elect does pick will be somebody of absolute top caliber.”

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/donal...ry?id=43742340