Mitt Romney Leads Donald Trumps Picks for Secretary of State

[brooklynite]

Source: The Wall Street Journal

President-elect Donald Trump is leaning toward asking former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to be his secretary of state, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

The next U.S. president is also likely to name retired Marine Gen. James Mattis to serve as secretary of defense in his administration, and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is the leading candidate to be the next ambassador to the United Nations, the people said.

Delaying Mr. Trump’s decision about secretary of state is an internal tug of war between supporters of Mr. Romney, and those urging the selection of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. A third group is pressing the president-elect to keep searching for candidates.

The New York businessman views Mr. Romney as the prototypical choice to be the nation’s top diplomat, and a group of advisers inside the transition are pushing him to select the 2012 Republican presidential nominee. Two people said Mr. Trump is inclined to select Mr. Romney.


Read more: http://www.wsj.com/articles/mitt-romney-leads-donald-trumps-picks-for-secretary-of-state-1479846765

[metroins]

1. He's an OK choice

Romney is right but I don't think he's evil.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. Frankly, I would welcome Romney as SOS, considering some of the choices Trump has made

for other positions. At least Romney has some government experience and enough class to not embarrass the US when negotiating with other countries.

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. What a hypocrite.

Just another asshole whose head has been turned by the promise of a top cabinet job. Makes that great speech he gave earlier in the year just empty words.

[DefenseLawyer]

4. At this point, given the other names I've seen, he's the best they've offered.

Which is sad. He's 1000% better than John Bolton, that's for sure. Still, nothing will be as bad a Jeff Sessions running the Justice Department. That's just a nightmare.

[hopeforchange2008]

5. He certainly showed himself capable during the 2012 campaign...

https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-news-blog/2012/jul/26/mitt-romney-britain-gaffes

[Skinner]

19. Ah, those were the days.

[BainsBane]

35. How quaint of us to think he was bad

Fast forward four years, and we're living in a nightmare.

[Yavin4]

6. Romney won't last a year as SOS

He'll be hated more than Colin Powell by some of the folks in the WH. For example, Mitt hates Putin. That won't go over well in Trump Tower.

[Maeve]

7. So he still has dreams of riding in on a white horse and saving America, huh?

[haele]

8. Romney is Pence's choice.

And from what I've observed, the modern Republicans view SoS and the State Department in general as a negligible position, window-dressing subordinate to DoD and/or NSA/CIA.

I'm pretty sure Sessions is Pence's choice, also. If you look at the way Pence ran his state, the way business is run in Alabama, and what Sessions has supported in terms of how "Justice" is supposed to work, I can easily see the match.

I think what we will see is that Trump's cabinet picks are really Pence's picks.

Here's another prediction:
By August/September, we will be in the middle of a contentious impeachment trial and contemplating a President Pence. I think Pence will turn around and float Romney as a potential VP, and someone else in a safe legislative position who's waiting to punch the party ticket will end up SoS. Or someone like Joe Manchin, that will weaken the Democrats when it comes to the balance of power. That is, if Joe Manchin doesn't already defect and run to the GOP side, because the Dems were mean to his daughter's pharmaceutical company...

Haele

[geek tragedy]

10. Sessions was onboard the Trump Train way before Pence was.

He's a Trump loyalist and there's no reason to think he's Trump's guy.

[geek tragedy]

9. Does Rudes get DHS as a consolation prize?

I don't see how Romney/Trump works as a partnership. How does a globalist/interventionist carry out the foreign policy of an isolationist and Putinist whom he's called a con man?

[Turin_C3PO]

15. I'd rather Rudy

as SOS than AG or DHS to be honest.

[Ligyron]

17. That will blow things up quicker. A good thing, perhaps.

[geek tragedy]

22. Definitely he'd be amongst the worst for AG. DHS he'd also be scary. nt

[Ilsa]

11. I can live with this, I hope.

Geez, what's happening to me? Way to settle.

[BainsBane]

34. It's the bargaining phase of grief

I saw Mitt on TV the other day, and I found myself wishing he could be president. Bargaining.

[elmac]

12. seems like a good fit for Romney

compared to other insane administration choices. First post back from the russian hack with no thanks to the FBI which was too busy trying to destroy HRC. , hope things go better for DU in the future, its my only news site, don't trust anything else.

[OKNancy]

13. Like others in this thread, Romney is not a crazy person so I think he would be fine

Given some of the names before his, at least I don't think Romney is a kook or a crazy man.
Also, I know a lot of Mormons and they are pretty good folks, so hopefully Romney is one of the good ones ( like Harry Reid)

[TexasBushwhacker]

38. And he knows French! n/t

[Turin_C3PO]

14. Fine.

Best we can expect, all things considered.

[peggysue2]

16. It Will Be Interesting

I understand that during the press dressing down, The Trumpmeister mentioned that Mitt was 'desperate' for the SOS position. Considering the names thrown out, Romney is the least crazy. In fact, I can't believe I'm hoping that Mitt gets the job because at least he's stable and sane.

But I wonder if this is a ruse, a way of paying Mitt back for the things he said during the primary. Dangle an important position before the man, let him grovel a bit, then rip the possibility away. Wouldn't put it past the man-child Trump and his incredibly thin-skinned view of the world.

Ugh!

[Skinner]

20. I would not be surprised if you are right.

Trump doesn't strike me as the type of person who would forgive Romney for that.

[geek tragedy]

23. Trump likely views it more transactionally--can he get use out of dangling Romney's name?

He had use for Ted Cruz's email list, and then his endorsement, even after Cruz called him every name in the book.

[StatGirl]

31. Romney is a major contender for an Electoral College upset

Watch Trump decide on someone else after December 19th.

I doubt very much that Romney is desperate for the Secretary of State, although I'm sure he'd like the job.

[Ligyron]

18. But where's the Commerce Secretary and all the jobs people he promised?

One would have thought that would be his number 1 priority.

Do I need the:

[GeorgeGist]

21. Does Mitt have 10s in his binders?

[Vinca]

24. I can't believe I'm happy to see Mitt and his magic underwear.

At least he won't completely embarrass us abroad.

[C_U_L8R]

25. Clueless Trump is peeking across the aisle for instruction.

Trump's incompetence never ceases to amaze.
With Romney, perhaps Trump hopes to mimic Obama's
previous successes... appointing two consecutive
Presidential contenders for Secretary of State
(who, by the way, both did amazing jobs).

So with Mittens, Trump's got his very own former prez candidate
but... one who comes with ZERO foreign policy experience.
Perhaps the logic somehow works out in Donald's spongified brain,
but Romney's apt to be yet another empty suit in the
inglorious Trump administration.

[elfin]

26. He will be welcomed as the USA "real" Pres. until....

He gets his marching orders and obeys them from his "leader."

Then he will be fired if he modulates or ignores his leader.

Just another hopeful tool of the Cheeto. Useful until he bucks Putin - and then bye bye.

[JonLP24]

27. The choice doesn't make much sense

It does for Romney to increase his stock but this job usually means the person is the top foreign policy advisor to the President.

From Wiki
Participates in high-level negotiations with other countries, either bilaterally or as part of an international conference or organization, or appoints representatives to do so. This includes the negotiation of international treaties and other agreements

Responsible for overall direction, coordination, and supervision of interdepartmental activities of the U.S. Government overseas

Providing information and services to U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad, including providing credentials in the form of passports and visas
Ensures the protection of the U.S. Government to American citizens, property, and interests in foreign countries

Supervises the United States immigration policy abroad

Communicates issues relating the United States foreign policy to Congress and to U.S. citizens
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secretary_of_State

I don't know what Romney has to qualify him for this job. He was only a Governor. I honestly don't know what to expect which may not be a bad thing as many SoS were corrupt since John Foster Dulles

[democrattotheend]

28. I'm ok with that

Romney is a lot more palatable to me than Bolton or Guiliani. I never thought he was a bad person.

State seems like an odd choice for him though, because he doesn't really have much foreign policy experience. Commerce or Treasury would make more sense for him. I don't even really know where he stands on a lot of foreign policy issues.

Still, the thought of Romney being our ambassador to the world doesn't terrify me.

[dubyadiprecession]

29. what about trump's sons Qusay and Uday?

They aren't really going to run trump enterprises.

[mvd]

30. Well, he is definitely more sane than Bolton. But isn't it..

Really sad that we are debating bad choices vs. hideous choices? We should be debating how GOOD Hillary's choices would be. Still want to be woken up from this nightmare.

[JI7]

32. not a bad pick considering the rest. but i feel like maybe

They want him as the person to blame if anything goes wRong.

[BainsBane]

33. Good

He or Corker are about the best we can hope for.

[StevieM]

36. My gut is telling me that it is going to be Corker.

There is too much wrong with Gingrich, Guiliani and Bolton, and Trump already seems to have moved away from them.

Romney bashed him too hard. And Nikki Haley has no real qualifications for the job.

That leaves Corker, who Trump seems to like.

[BainsBane]

37. Reid said Corker would be fine

So that works for me.

[RAFisher]

39. I'll believe it when I see it. Der fhrer is only concerned about loyalty and vengeance

I still think Mitt just building it up to make him feel excited. Then der führer will stab him in the back and pick someone else.

[Little Tich]

40. I never thought that I would consider Romney to be a reasonable choice for SoS.

At least he's not batshit insane...

[phleshdef]

41. Definitely better than John Bolton.

That dude is a fucking nightmare.

[phleshdef]

42. So Trump is going to hire his predecessor's previous election opponent as his Secretary of State.

He is all like "fuck, who do I choose for Secretary of State, what would Obama do?"
Well, at least what Obama did for his second term. If Trump wanted to copy Obama's first term, he would hire Ted Cruz for SOS (based on 2nd place in the primary). Still, if Romney is his choice, there are so many ironies there...

[Danmel]

43. When your reaction is "at least he's not unhinged"

You know how bad things are. Not unhinged is a pretty low bar.