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UPDATED 2 X: Romney Says He Won’t Run for President
Last edited Fri Jan 30, 2015, 12:48 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: New York Times
Mitt Romney will not seek the Republican nomination for president in 2016, according to people familiar with his decision.
Mr. Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, was expected to share his decision on a conference call with a small group of advisers and later with a larger group of supporters on a subsequent call.
By not pursuing a third White House bid, Mr. Romney frees up scores of donors and operatives who had been awaiting his decision, and creates space for other potential center-right candidates such as Jeb Bush.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/31/us/mitt-romney-2016-presidential-election.html?
UPDATE 1: TDB got it wrong:
Mitt Romney Is Running for President
Mitt Romney will call senior donors at 11am EST Friday to give them “an update” on his campaign plans. Sources have told The Daily Beast that the former Massachusetts governor will announce his intention to explore a third run for the White House. Romney and his senior aides believe he is the best placed candidate to defeat Hillary Clinton. In a memo sent by Romney to his inner circle on Thursday he highlighted three reasons he should run: He thinks he’s the only qualified Republican in the field, polling is favorable to a win, and he thinks he can do better as a campaigner in 2016. Romney had originally intended to wait until later in the cycle but the bullish entry of Jeb Bush into the field encouraged him to jump early.
David Freelander reported last month that Bush is a joke in Romneyworld. "A Bush can’t beat a Clinton," one donor quoted Romney as saying.
The outlines of Romney's presidential run appear to be an emphasis on helping the poor and middle class. After dismissing the "47 percent," Romney seems to want to help them now, Jackie Kucinich writes.
###
UPDATE 2
Reports: Mitt Romney Isn't Running For President
By DANIEL STRAUSS Published JANUARY 30, 2015, 11:00 AM EST
Just ahead of a conference call with supporters on Friday, reports came out saying Mitt Romney had decided not to run for president in 2016.
Both The New York Times and conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt reported Friday that Romney had decided not to run a third time. The first sentence of a report in the Times simply said: "Mitt Romney will not seek the Republican nomination for president in 2016, according to people familiar with his decision."
Hewitt, meanwhile, posted what he said was the full remarks of Romney's speech. TPM was on the conference call and those remarks were the exact ones Romney used.
Let me begin by letting you know who else is on this call, besides Ann and me. There are a large number of people who signed on to be leaders of our 2016 finance effort. In addition, state political leadership from several of the early primary states are on the line. And here in New York City, and on the phone, are people who have been helping me think through how to build a new team, as well as supporters from the past who have all been kind enough to volunteer their time during this deliberation stage. Welcome, and thank you. Your loyalty and friendship, and your desire to see the country with new, competent and conservative leadership warms my heart.
After putting considerable thought into making another run for president, I’ve decided it is best to give other leaders in the party the opportunity to become our next nominee.
Let me give you some of my thinking. First, I am convinced that with the help of the people on this call, we could win the nomination. Our finance calls made it clear that we would have enough funding to be more than competitive. With few exceptions, our field political leadership is ready and enthusiastic about a new race. And the reaction of Republican voters across the country was both surprising and heartening. I know that early poll numbers move up and down a great deal during a campaign, but we would have no doubt started in a strong position. One poll out just today shows me gaining support and leading the next closest contender by nearly two to one. I also am leading in all of the four early states. So I am convinced that we could win the nomination, but fully realize it would have been difficult test and a hard fight.
I also believe with the message of making the world safer, providing opportunity to every American regardless of the neighborhood they live in, and working to break the grip of poverty, I would have the best chance of beating the eventual Democrat nominee, but that is before the other contenders have had the opportunity to take their message to the voters.
I believe that one of our next generation of Republican leaders, one who may not be as well known as I am today, one who has not yet taken their message across the country, one who is just getting started, may well emerge as being better able to defeat the Democrat nominee. In fact, I expect and hope that to be the case.
I feel that it is critical that America elect a conservative leader to become our next president. You know that I have wanted to be that president. But I do not want to make it more difficult for someone else to emerge who may have a better chance of becoming that president. You can’t imagine how hard it is for Ann and me to step aside, especially knowing of your support and the support of so many people across the country. But we believe it is for the best of the Party and the nation.
I’ve been asked, and will certainly be asked again if there are any circumstances whatsoever that might develop that could change my mind. That seems unlikely. Accordingly, I’m not organizing a PAC or taking donations; I’m not hiring a campaign team.
I encourage all of you on this call to stay engaged in the critical process of selecting a Republican nominee for President. Please feel free to sign up on a campaign for a person who you believe may become our best nominee.
I believe a Republican winning back the White House is essential for our country, and I will do whatever I can to make that happen.
To all my supporters, friends and family who worked both tirelessly and loyally to support my campaigns in the past, I will always be deeply appreciative. What you have already done is a tribute to your patriotism. We are overwhelmed and humbled by your loyalty to us, by your generosity of spirit, and by your friendship. God bless you all.
After putting considerable thought into making another run for president, I’ve decided it is best to give other leaders in the party the opportunity to become our next nominee.
Let me give you some of my thinking. First, I am convinced that with the help of the people on this call, we could win the nomination. Our finance calls made it clear that we would have enough funding to be more than competitive. With few exceptions, our field political leadership is ready and enthusiastic about a new race. And the reaction of Republican voters across the country was both surprising and heartening. I know that early poll numbers move up and down a great deal during a campaign, but we would have no doubt started in a strong position. One poll out just today shows me gaining support and leading the next closest contender by nearly two to one. I also am leading in all of the four early states. So I am convinced that we could win the nomination, but fully realize it would have been difficult test and a hard fight.
I also believe with the message of making the world safer, providing opportunity to every American regardless of the neighborhood they live in, and working to break the grip of poverty, I would have the best chance of beating the eventual Democrat nominee, but that is before the other contenders have had the opportunity to take their message to the voters.
I believe that one of our next generation of Republican leaders, one who may not be as well known as I am today, one who has not yet taken their message across the country, one who is just getting started, may well emerge as being better able to defeat the Democrat nominee. In fact, I expect and hope that to be the case.
I feel that it is critical that America elect a conservative leader to become our next president. You know that I have wanted to be that president. But I do not want to make it more difficult for someone else to emerge who may have a better chance of becoming that president. You can’t imagine how hard it is for Ann and me to step aside, especially knowing of your support and the support of so many people across the country. But we believe it is for the best of the Party and the nation.
I’ve been asked, and will certainly be asked again if there are any circumstances whatsoever that might develop that could change my mind. That seems unlikely. Accordingly, I’m not organizing a PAC or taking donations; I’m not hiring a campaign team.
I encourage all of you on this call to stay engaged in the critical process of selecting a Republican nominee for President. Please feel free to sign up on a campaign for a person who you believe may become our best nominee.
I believe a Republican winning back the White House is essential for our country, and I will do whatever I can to make that happen.
To all my supporters, friends and family who worked both tirelessly and loyally to support my campaigns in the past, I will always be deeply appreciative. What you have already done is a tribute to your patriotism. We are overwhelmed and humbled by your loyalty to us, by your generosity of spirit, and by your friendship. God bless you all.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/reports-mitt-romney-not-running
53 replies
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She really is a piece of work ...... I remember a Fox News fluff piece on their compound in New Hampshire
in which she said that the family did all the upkeep to the grounds own their own and me being in the
business in only took a short look at the landscapes to know she was lying her ass off. The Romney had
many many plantes in front of their house and the planters looked really nice but I have properties that
I take care of that have planters and you have to take care of them almost every day from late spring until
fall and I don't see "Queen Ann" watering, weeding, dead heading flowers, and changing out plants w/the seasons.
So are Perry, Paul, Ryan, Gingrich, Cain, Trumpy, Rubio, Cruz, Palin, Graham, Huckster, Christie, Walker, Carson, Bachmann, Bolton, Fiorino, Gilmore, Ehrlich, Jindal, King, Santorum, Pence and all of the other 250 candidates running for the GOP nomination.
came in from the NYT and have updated the OP. Thanks for the heads up though, dixiegrrrrl 
It will only go DOWN!!!
Damn, I was hoping his run would weaken Jeb. Wonder what they gave Mitt to get him to drop his candidacy?
I've always said that Jeb was the one that scared me, and now that's even more of a concern. He's a real Koch kind of guy, says one thing and does the opposite, so I'd bet they fund him to the max.
like a wart .
