[Clutch Martin]

Romney doesn’t do anything unless it benefits him personally. That’s not leadership either.

Trump is a worker, an owner and an entrepreneur with a pair. Mitt, Obama, Clinton’s...et al, hop from crises (real or invented) to crises building a reputation by being onscene picking their collective noses. LBWA (leadership by walking around) looks good, might make some folks feel inspired, heck - even the press gets sucked in, but the impact is marginal if the walking around is done by somebody who really doesn’t know, or has no experience whatsoever except for blabbering semi-coherently enough (but not actually factually) for the lunkheads in attendance to knod in a show (i.e. pretending) of understanding.

[nathanbedford]

Romney's game is difficult to understand.

To go on CNN of all places and to compound his previous deflections with these statements means that he has the bulk of the Republican Party base looking for pitchforks.

That implies that he cannot get a nomination to the presidency from this party. Does it mean that he thinks that Trumpism is so dead that he can safely stomp on the grave? Does it mean that he intends to jump parties? Does it mean that he envisions his remaining career as a lion of the Senate, casting the tie-breaking votes or threatening to do so and thus, Chief Justice Roberts style, become the de facto leader of the Senate, or what's left of the Republican Senate caucus?

Does he envision a new political party, one that draws on the Republican establishment and some remnants of sanity left on the Democrat side in which he can become a new champion?

Is Romney simply venting visceral hatred of Donald Trump heedless of the consequences to himself? Does he think he is doing a noble and honorable thing? Does he actually believe what he is saying?

The man's motivation eludes me.