Romney looks strong for 2016

Shortly after 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney withdrew from the presidential campaign of 2016, I suggested that he was probably pursuing a brilliant strategy intended to let the other Republican candidates wear each other down while the media investigated them all, paving the way for Romney to step in as the savior of the party. My Machiavellian theory early this year is starting to look pretty good today!

{mosads}In my column this week about the magic of Bill Clinton, I suggested that because of the great success of the Bill Clinton presidency, the vast experience of Hillary Clinton and huge popularity of Bill Clinton tower above any of the GOP candidates. Looking at the comparison of Hillary Clinton with her would-be Republican opponents, I recall the title of a movie about Snow White — except there are more than seven Republicans running.

We have seen the soap opera of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) and his various positions on the Iraq War; the incoherence of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R) trying to explain his position on the Iraq War; the comic opera of Carly Fiorina (R) trying to explain why she is qualified for anything after being unceremoniously removed as CEO of Hewlett-Packard for a failed performance (after laying off thousands of workers). We have seen Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) trying to explain his statement about enrolling in ObamaCare. We have observed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) taking a crash course to study about military affairs and foreign policy while his fans propose his lack of a college degree may be an asset with GOP primary voters. Excuse me? If Walker did not have a high-school degree, would that be an even greater asset with Republican voters? Where do they find these guys?

Honest Abe would not be inspired by this cattle car of Republicans today.

For another way to look at this, check out the excellent column by my colleague A.B. Stoddard on the GOP debate problem — there are so many candidates that it will be hard to conduct serious presidential debates. Either excluded candidates and their supporters will be outraged, or included candidates will be so numerous that they will have little time to speak about the great issues and they will need to sound even more radical right and extremist to get any attention in the jam-packed cattle car debates.

Compared to this crowd, playing by these rules, voters will be ready to put Hillary Clinton on Mount Rushmore and start singing “Hail to the Chief” to “Madam President” by Election Day.

On the other hand — if my early prediction of a revived Romney for president campaign is correct — Romney is tanned, rested, ready, prepared, well-financed if necessary and eminently qualified to be president. When you take out the popcorn to watch the Republican debates, remember the gentleman from Massachusetts who will not be there, ready to answer the call when the time is right.

This piece has been corrected to reflect the year of Mitt Romney’s nomination as the Republican presidential candidate.

Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was then chief deputy majority whip of the House. He holds an LL.M. degree in international financial law from the London School of Economics. Contact him at brentbbi@webtv.net.