Is Mitt Romney’s Integrity in Decline?

Last updated on: November 29, 2016 at 10:16 pm by Kermit Zarley

Is Mitt Romney’s Integrity in Decline? 2016-11-29T22:16:38-07:00 Kermit Zarley

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U. S. President-elect Donald Trump, a Republican, is meeting with Republican Mitt Romney to consider appointing him as his Secretary of State, and Romney is acquiescing. Both moves are mind-blowing.

No one spoke out more fully and strongly against Donald Trump during the campaign for president than did Mitt Romney. He said, “Mr. Trump is a con man and a fake.” Romney later said, “Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He’s playing members of the American public for suckers.” Romney added, “dishonesty is Donald Trump’s hallmark,… bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third-grade theatrics.”

Donald Trump never did respond equally to these remarks from Romney except to rightly state when Romney ran for the same presidency office in 2012, he asked Donald Trump for his endorsement, which he gave him.

First off, it is remarkable that The Donald would consider Mitt Romney for a cabinet appointment, and such an important one, since Romney had recently spoke so disapprovingly of Donald Trump for president. It obviously indicates that Mr. Trump can let bygones be bygones even thought he has quite a reputation for vindictiveness.

Secondly, it is even more remarkable that Romney would consider a cabinet post in a Trump administration, again, due to Romney’s recent remarks about Trump. Americans are trying to assess this situation, and a lot of them are saying Romney’s refusal to accept consideration, let alone if Trump does indeed choose him, just shows that Mr. Romney–a very devout Mormon, a very successful businessman, and a former Massachusetts governor–is not the man of high moral integrity that people thought. Some are even saying he’s going back on this previous criticisms of Trump due to the chance to have power.

That’s the way I thought at first. But on second thought, there’s more than one way to look at this. First of all, when the U.S. president-elect asks you to serve, a refusal doesn’t look so good. And Trump considering Romney obviously indicates he is willing to dismiss Romney’s remarks. But it seems to me that Mr. Romney may be thinking beyond accepting an appointment as U.S. Secretary of State as a further service to his country; he may be thinking that he can be of great service to President Donald Trump in an area in which Mr. Trump is weak. And I think Romney can do that job quite successfully. Trump obviously thinks so, too.

Romney accepting Trump’s invitation reminds me of a Christian wrestling with a decision to stay or leave his or her church over some disagreement. Romney is being like the person who decides to stay thinking he or she can be a positive influence with a hope of contributing some good.

The main objection I had to Donald Trump being our president, besides hid failings in character, is what I think is an inability to conduct foreign policy. With his shoot-from-the-hip style, Trump could be, to use one of his favorite words, “a disaster”! To deal with other heads of state, you have to be a person of respect who listens to others, compromises, and doesn’t constantly bully people to get your own way. If Trump chooses Romney and he accepts, and they can get along, I would soften my view just a little of President-to-be Donald Trump.

And incidentally, I’ve taken a different view of Mrs. Melania Trump’s last public speech. In it she said she would as First Lady speak out advocating against bullying among children. I said she needed to say that to her husband. I’ve since learned that she says they do discuss things and have disagreements. Maybe that has been one of them, so that in that speech she was indirectly speaking to her husband, The Donald. He must have known what she was going to say in that speech and let her run with it.

In conclusion, I don’t think Mitt Romney’s integrity declines if he becomes President Donald Trump’s Secretary of State. But will the relationship work if it happens?

Politics

Donald Trump

Mitt Romney

U.S. Secretary of State

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