Posted on 11/03/2013 6:55:45 PM PST by markomalley
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who lost the 2012 election to President Barack Obama, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that he believed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie could “easily” become the GOP presidential nominee in 2016 and “save our party.”
Christie most recently made national news when he decided to drop a legal challenge to rulings in New Jersey state courts that declared same-sex marriage legal there. And not long before that, he changed his position on the question of whether illegal aliens should get in-state tuition rates at New Jersey state colleges. Now he backs legislation that would give that privilege to illegal aliens.
These two moves won Christie a recent article from the Los Angeles Times that described him as having "staked his place near the political middle ground."
Romney’s statement that Christie could “save our party” came even as Time Magazine’s website published an excerpt from the upcoming book “Double Down: Game Change 2012” by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, that was featured above the masthead on the Drudge Report, and that describes a Republican vice presidential vetting process that resulted in Romney himself deciding not choosing Christie as his vice presidential running mate.
“Meet the Press” host David Gregory on Sunday asked Romney about the revelations in this book.
“Well, I know that the vetting people who went through that analysis and put together their report laid everything out,” Romney told Gregory, according to NBC’s transcript of the program. “But, frankly, there was nothing they found that wasn't already part of the public record and that hadn't already been dealt with effectively by Chris Christie. So there was nothing new there.”
A moment later, Romney said: “Chris, by the way, could easily become our nominee and save our party and help get this nation on the right track again. They don't come better than Chris Christie.”
“Look, I know that the Democrats will try and go after him, if he's our nominee, in every way they can,” said Romney. “But you can't argue with the kind of success he's had. He's been a governor, he's about to win I think on Tuesday pretty solidly, and his record as governor really stands out. I mean, New Jersey, after all, is a very blue state. He's a very popular governor in a very blue state; that's the kind of popularity and the kind of track record the Republican Party needs if we're going to take back the White House.”
Gregory asked Romney if he thought Christie was the “odds-on-favorite” to be the Republican presidential nominee in 2016.
“Well, I think it's kind of early to say who's the most electable and who would be the most effective candidate,” said Romney. “But at this stage, you look at Chris Christie and say, That's a very impressive guy, with a great track record, with a demonstrated ability to work across the aisle, with support of labor and blue-collar voters in New Jersey. It's a pretty compelling story. And there are some other very compelling stories: Paul Ryan, Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio.
“I mean, there's a long list of very capable people,” said Romney. “But Chris Christie stands out as one of the very strongest lights in the Republican Party.”
When pushed, Romney said he was “not going to disqualify” Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, whom he had omitted from his list of possible Republican candidates with “very compelling stories.”
“Does Ted Cruz stand out to you as a potential light of the Republican Party?” asked Gregory.
“I'm not going to disqualify anybody,” said Romney. :But I think I've indicated some of the names that I think are most effective in becoming elected, and we'll see where it goes.”
Yep...not going to play in the old boys game again...the nation will fall if we don’t get our guys in there...and so be it if we can’t get our guys in there. I will not put my name behind someone who is that far from what I believe and know this country to be again...might as well vote for a Democrat..and that i won’t do either.
“Chris Christie could “easily” become the GOP presidential nominee in 2016 and “save our party.”
I quit reading right there.
I’ll never vote for him.
Hard to believe Romney would support him either after he made out with Obambi on the beach just before election day.
Guess he told Romney he wouldn’t set HIS hair on fire, either.
“Hey Romney—if Krispy is so wonderful, why didn’t you put him on your ticket when you had the chance?”
The recent published story about the vetting of Christie by Romney’s campaign staff makes this headline complete BS.
If CC is the nominee I will likely stay home. I have better things to do than help elect another socialist. I think sleeping in late, and reading some science fiction, practicing some Korean are all much worthier uses of my time.
Romney has no principles....so he says whatever he thinks will work for him at the time. He is a two-faced snake.
Right, let’s let McCain and Romney tell us what candidate we need.
The party always the paarty, fck the country.
<...” some Freepers are still blaming the base for his loss, instead of realizing that many of them couldn’t bring themselves to vote for a Democrat In All But Label Only”...>
I tell ya Windflier, I will not torture myself as I did when voting for Romney this last time...and i fought as hard not to as I did to vote ....all the way to the voting booth. But in the end another four years of Obama scared me enough to “settle” for Romney. That will not happen this time....and there will be no struggle either.
I am in for Cruz right now...he has set the bar IMO.
Where’s your /s ?
I will definitely stay home if any of the "my friends" Stupid Party crowd is the nominee.
I just find it funny that people (not you) talked trash about Romney wound up falling all over themselves to vote for him and blasted everyone that didn't - are now some of the same ones talking about how bad Christie is.
I voted against Obama, by selecting Romney, but I respect those who didn’t vote for Romney. I don’t begrudge them one bit.
Christie would take the torch from Dole and McCain and lead the party to mediocrity, then extinction.
Well unfortunately that is what we got to work with.....I remember Cruz saying that Republicans don’t realize yet how close we are as conservatives to taking over the party....we only saw the tip of the iceburg and we never behind the closed doors to see the conflict nor the real victors.....
I’m not ready to throw in the towel....but if they put up Christy it’ll be the same plays as we saw with Romney winning out...all the other seat warmers will step aside in order for Christy to mount..and I will not be watching that happen if it does.
I really did hold back some during the general election campaign. I could comment on the “horse race” and stuff but when I gave my opinion the reaction was usually crickets and shrugs as if others were thinking “we know he stinks but what can we do now?”
Did Coulter get the vapors from that?
Pray America will wake up
The Base to Mitt: If Christie is our nominee, the party ain't worth saving.
Christie is bad...you know that too....
I don’t think there were many at all who wound up tripping over themselves to vote for Romney...those who did had inner wars and troublesome to even consider....
Speaking for myself only, my great and well founded fear of Obama getting another four years was the ultimate straw that broke my back of resistance....and I was close to doing a write in.
I want to hear more from Cruz who experienced ‘from the inside’, and behind closed doors, just where the party is at. His saying we are closer than we realize in taking over the party, I believe, or how could he have even stood as he did without sufficient supporting him.
But I will not be voting for the lesser of evils this time around.
Agree. He is a far left democrat in a fat suit.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.