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The Donald Trump Endorsement: What Was Mitt Romney Thinking?

Posted: 02/ 2/2012 4:19 pm

If you're making a list of the ten most uncomfortable-looking Americans of 2012, you may want to take a look at the clip of Mitt Romney being endorsed by Donald Trump.

Why did Romney do this? Certainly not to win votes in Nevada. The only message the candidate was sending to this weekend's caucus-goers was that he thinks Nevadans are easily impressed by extremely cheesy publicity stunts.

On behalf of New York, I'm embarrassed. We created this guy. But I don't think any politician with a shred of credibility would imagine that a Donald Trump endorsement would garner any votes in New York.

Or actually, anywhere else. Romney's people must have seen the polls that almost no voters would be impressed by a Trump endorsement, while a great many said they'd be more likely to shun anybody the Donald said he liked.

Why did Romney do this? And on the day after he announced on CNN that he wasn't interested in poor people. Great timing.

What does he think Trump has to offer him? You have to remember that Romney didn't bother to show up to accept Jon Huntsman's endorsement when the former Utah governor dropped out of the presidential race. But he'll be there for Trump, whose only contribution to the campaign was to re-energize the birther movement.

Declaring himself to be "delighted" by this benediction, Romney added, "There are some things you just can't imagine." Right about that, Mitt.

Other than a photo-op that will come to haunt him, it's hard to figure out what Romney got out of this deal. But here's what he lost: the credibility of his elect-me-because-I'm-a-businessman sales pitch.

Romney spent his life and made his fortune buying companies and then turning them over. We will be spending the next nine months debating whether this was a wholesome enterprise that invigorated the economy, or a vulture-like attempt to use borrowed money to drain the resources out of fragile companies and then dump them into the bankruptcy courts.

If you wanted to make your case for the former, the best way to do it would not be to appear on stage with a guy whose money mainly comes from renting out his name, a name blown up to its present circus-balloon expansiveness courtesy of reality television, product placement, and publicity stunts -- like endorsing Mitt Romney.

"I spent my life in the private sector -- maybe not quite as successful as this guy," Romney said, as he accepted the Trump endorsement at the Trump hotel, just a little more than a week before the start of a new season of the Trump reality show, Celebrity Apprentice.

Mitt, you're fired.

 
If you're making a list of the ten most uncomfortable-looking Americans of 2012, you may want to take a look at the clip of Mitt Romney being endorsed by Donald Trump. Why did Romney do...
If you're making a list of the ten most uncomfortable-looking Americans of 2012, you may want to take a look at the clip of Mitt Romney being endorsed by Donald Trump. Why did Romney do...
 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Venicelady
Ignorance is NOT bliss.
11:33 AM on 02/05/2012
For the life of me, I can't imagine why any candidate would even CARE if Donald Trump endorses him/her or not.

Over the years, Trump has proven himself to be nothing more than a media hound seeking attention and glory for himself- hardly a serious person that should have any influence or input on domestic or foreign policy decisions made by those that govern, or seek to govern.

Let Trump stick to what he knows best, glorifying himself and getting that media attention he seems to crave.
03:08 AM on 02/04/2012
Question:

How are we to discuss this if a comment which acknowledges forthrightly that Donald Trump represents the racist/birther element of the Republican party (a signifigant faction) is deleted for so doing?

Can such a FACT be stated in this venue tonight?

Testing, testing, .....check ..one, two?

tm
10:08 PM on 02/03/2012
Mr.Collins in politics any type of endorse shows a gain to any canidate who needs votes.
Please use your common sense. Trump realize at the last moment that Gingrich was not the right one.
So no matter how bad trump looks by endorsing Romney is a gain to voters to vote for Romney
10:05 PM on 02/03/2012
for this reporter on this story - use your brain
Why not accept Trump's endorsement - remember he endorse Gingrich and also remember he wastrying to set-up Romney with a debate with Gingrich. Which was planned out by Gingrich to use Trump to set this up. But at last Trump finally realize Gingrich is not looking so good. So he realize he endorsed the wrong GOP canidate. Look Mr.Collins this is how politics work NO matter how corrupted a person might be an endorsement is ALWAYS a big key in helping ANY canidate get voted
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
04:17 PM on 02/03/2012
Over the next 9 months Trumpy will drive Willard crazy.....................He will be on TV and his Twitter account saying all kinds of nonsense which Romney will be asked to defend.............. Willard let a TV personality become one of his spoksmen like it or not................ Trumpy will upstage him and embarrass him many times in the next 9 months..............Trumpy doesn't care because as R. Sanatorum said (he smelled it out correctly) Trumpy is interested in Trumpy and nothing but Trumpy..................... Poor Willard....................
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Soulmentor
"To thine own self be true...."
09:36 AM on 02/03/2012
Seems like everything possible to be said about the Republican candidates has been said. One can only look on in wonder.....or just stop looking and go do the laundry.
09:30 AM on 02/03/2012
The Donald's endorsement is the Trump card in the political bridge game to nowhere.
10:11 PM on 02/03/2012
Actually your wrong especially when Trump first endorsed Gingrich then realizing he made a mistake because Trump realize he felt Gingrich was NOT the canidate for this job and then re-endorses Romney - if you know how to read a reaction this actually tells you Romney is on a road of success.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
suennui
If I didn't hear it, it wasn't funny.
09:19 AM on 02/03/2012
I have a working theory that at a subconscious level Mitt Romney really doesn't want to be President. It's the only reason I can think of to explain some of the mind-numingly dumb things he has said and done lately. Actually, showing up to accept an endorsement from Trump in a casino in Las Vegas (bet his fellow Mormons loved that) just makes me think that I might be onto something. It would only have been worse if he had been drinking a bourbon and coke.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
truthsayer4ever
Veritas In Caritate
09:13 AM on 02/03/2012
"What was Mitt Romney thinking?". He wasn't, doesn't, and won't. That's all voters need to know. Obama 2012!!!!!
10:14 PM on 02/03/2012
Hey buddy - your just not seeing the picture clear - by Donald Trump who endorsed Gingrich first then changes over to Romney actually tells all voters tat Romney is coming on strong and Obama is not. If you didn't know - ALL Wall Street Fund Raisers abandon OBama and joined Romney - you should change your statement to Romney 2012 !
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
anitaroosevelt
want some Ayn Rand with those fries?
07:18 PM on 02/05/2012
Are these the same Wall Streeters who crashed our economy , begged for bail outs and then gave themselves bonuses?

Obama doesn't need their help. The people of America will support him with millions of smaller donations. It adds up.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
ronp121
08:48 AM on 02/03/2012
Without a script Mitt doesn't think all that much. Better for him that way. Without his written script he seems to get himself in some unwise situations.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
phoenixdoglover
My dog loves my progressive treats agenda
08:37 AM on 02/03/2012
I think Trump endorsed Romney for the same reason some of the biggest contributors to pro Romney Super PACS are investment bankers.  These are the wealthy guys that make their money off of investments, just like Romney. They are positively thrilled at the prospect of having a guy in the White House who would  protect their income laundering schemes and maybe push for an even lower capital gains tax rate,
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Allan H Clark
Knee-jerk bleeding heart liberal
01:05 PM on 02/03/2012
Exactly. It's the "He's one of us" factor.
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RonMcH20
True believer in the "golden rule"
08:28 AM on 02/03/2012
I used to think Romney would be formidable challenger to Obama --- not!!
The more Romney gaffs,the greater will be the margin of his defeat.
Shoot, he might get beat more soundly than McCain did.
10:20 PM on 02/03/2012
Think what you want to you think but alittle advice "don't judge a book by its cover"
What might sound they way its going could surprising have a DIFFERENT turn to this story. Becareful in what you hear and say.
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Annieke
Rules are not necessarily sacred, principles are.
07:27 AM on 02/03/2012
The chatter was that Trump wanted to endorse Newt. In the end he probably did by officially endorsing Romney.

If you have supporters like Trump who needs adversaries.
09:20 AM on 02/03/2012
Mitt might have cut a deal to finance Donald future project, If he becomes president.
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Sundae Driver
Bin Laden is dead and GM is alive.
05:49 AM on 02/03/2012
Romney was "thinking" anything. He just continues to try to endear himself to the Tea Perty.
05:25 AM on 02/03/2012
What does he think Trump has to offer him? Nothing. The real question is what does he think Trump will do if he rejects the great honor paid to him by DT's "endorsement?"