Mitt Romney: Arrogant and Clueless

Last week, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney showed himself to be both arrogant and clueless. After winning some of the Super Tuesday primaries, he practically ordered his two main opponents, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, to withdraw from the race on the grounds that they would not be able to win enough committed delegates to the Republican National Convention to gain the nomination. His public statement will probably have the opposite effect and only serve to strengthen their resolve.

Although privately they may come to the same conclusion as Romney, does Romney really think that they are going to admit to this publicly? Dream on, Mitt. That's not the way that politics works.

In my opinion, this is the way that Romney should have handled it:

Pick up the phone and call Newt Gingrich. The conversation might go something like this:

"Newt, I'm wondering if you and your team have had an opportunity to do the math when it comes to winning enough delegates to secure the presidental nomination at the convention? I've looked at the numbers and I don't see how you're going to be able to do it. If you and your advisors come to the same conclusion, then I'm suggesting that for the good of the party and the country, we stop wasting our time and resources attacking each other when we both know that our real goal is to defeat Obama in November.

"Let us say, hypothetically of course, that I win the nomination and the election. My first task would be to put together an administration. Would you see a role for yourself in that administration?...Newt, I like that idea and I would have to give it very serious consideration. You know that although we have strong differences on certain issues, I have great respect for the many years that you have given to public service in this country.

"All that I'm asking here is that you and your team take a hard look at the numbers and the way that our party assigns delegates and do the math. If you come to the same conclusion that my people and I have reached, then I hope that you will at least consider withdrawing from the race, releasing your delegates, and urging them to support my candidacy. Meanwhile, I appreciate your taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me and hear me out. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck."

There's a big difference between challenging an opponent publicly and speaking with them privately. Look at what this approach does:

1--If Newt Gingrich decides to withdraw from the race, it becomes his idea, not Romney's. This approach gives him the opportunity to save face.

2--Romney suggests that he might give Gingrich a role in a Romney administration without absolutely committing to one.

3--Romney asks Gingrich to withdraw from the primaries for the good of the Republican Party and the country, so that they can use their resources to defeat Obama in the general election. How can Gingrich be opposed to the good of the party and the country? (Romney used this argument in his public challenge as well, but I suspect that this message will have been lost in his attempt to back Gingrich and Santorum against the wall.)

4--If Gingrich releases his delegates to Romney, even someone as naive as Santorum would hopefully see the writing on the wall, realize that the situation was hopeless, and bow out of the race without needing any encouragement at all from Romney.

This isn't rocket science, folks. It's Politics 101. Didn't Mitt Romney learn anything from his father, George, who was an effective politician? Apparently not.