# I don't think Mitt Romney even really wants to be president anymore... **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 3, 2012, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353 "2012-08-03T22:37:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/21 "2012-08-04T01:37:31Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > I’ve had the same feeling myself. I think maybe he’s only running because he lost a bet with someone. Or because he wanted to do America and/or the GOP a genuine service and make sure none of this year’s **other** Pub contenders got the nomination. What a crop of crazy! :eek: At least Mitt’s not like **them!** ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/22 "2012-08-04T01:49:24Z")
> [@IceQube](#): > > If you notice his hair as really been turning white. . . . This. I think his lackluster performance may largely explained by campaign fatigue. How many of us could maintain a schedule like his, and not come across as a bit droopy? Remember Bill Clinton losing his voice? Running for Prezzy is a damn hard job! ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/23 "2012-08-04T02:00:25Z")
I like to think that McCain lost the wind from his sails when he realized that Palin as VP would be morally irresponsible. I think Romney’s issue is that he’s never been owned by so many ‘investors.’ I’m sure he can’t blow his nose without it be vetted through all the issues that his donors have paid to have on his plate. Then every time his genuine personality shows through with those un-scripted errors, I’m sure the investors start having a fit about it since there’s no ROI for them if Romney doesn’t win. I think Romney does want to be President, but he figured he’d be able to delegate more the the campaigning stuff to other folks and just wait for it to be handed to him and his family. IF he is elected, I have no doubt that he’ll delegate as much as possible and already has a list of investors ready and willing to pay for their guys to take control of their favorite part of his administration. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/24 "2012-08-04T02:14:53Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > finding that in order to get elected, he’s having to compromise some of his ideals. I think he’s finding it tiring to be constantly on guard against saying the wrong thing, no longer able to speak his mind because he has to stick to a script that he doesn’t always fully support. Oh please; this isn’t anything new to Romney. Being on guard against saying the wrong thing has been a way of life for the man for how many decades now? It’s definitely not something unique to his Presidential campaigns. When did Romney _ever_ “speak his mind”? About anything other than his steadfast refusal to release his taxes, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/25 "2012-08-04T02:24:16Z")
Am I actually seeing liberals argue that Mitt Romney has compromised his ideals? Please. Romney embodies that old Groucho Marx line, “Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them… well, I have others.” ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/26 "2012-08-04T02:49:20Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Am I actually seeing liberals argue that Mitt Romney has compromised his ideals? Please. Romney embodies that old Groucho Marx line, “Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them… well, I have others.” I don’t think Romney actually has many core, important principles (other than lowering taxes, and providing health care to people). His comments he made in Israel recently about health care costs, and needing to do something about them in the US was a moment of genuine honesty. Remember back in 2008 and earlier, when he argued that his health care plan enacted while governor was and should be considered the republican solution to the problem? He was proud of it. He saw it as a victory for the republican party. And I think he believed in it. Now of course he is forced to say “well it works for the states but we shouldn’t force it on the entire nation” for really no good reason whatsoever. So I think he DID compromise his principles somewhat, just because he had to, more or less, to have a chance in the primaries. Of course, on pretty much everything else, he seems to not be very strongly inclined one way or the other. So the Marx quote is quite applicable. But I can sympathize with him. I too am ambivalent about a lot of things and issues, so might “flip flop” as I was trying to represent my constituency accurately. I for one have no problem with Romney shifting to being more conservative running as president, as compared to running for Governor of Mass. because the constituencies are very different. The country as a whole is obviously way less liberal than the state where he was governor, so it makes sense to shift what he says he will support and push for. Obviously, I think he has shifted way too much to pander to the ultra-conservative base… and that he doesn’t REALLY believe in all that. But ultimately he will do what they want if he becomes POTUS, because he really won’t have any other choice. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/27 "2012-08-04T03:08:53Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > I don’t think Romney actually has many core, important principles (other than providing health care to people). That isn’t (or wasn’t) a “core principle” of his. It’s just like everything else in life; he adjusted his ideology/principles to meet the needs of the constituency to which he was behold. If it was a core principle, why would repealing “Obamacare” supposed be one of Romney’s first acts if elected President? ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/28 "2012-08-04T03:21:00Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > I believe that Bush really had a vision and dream for America, and wanted to be president, and pushed for it and such. He had ideas, he had goals, and he used his political capital to push for things he wanted. He certainly wasn’t a great president, but at least, to me, it seemed obvious he really wanted the job. I don’t want to derail the conversation, but I want to address this one statement. If we’re talking about George W. Bush, the former Governor of Texas, I disagree. He did not want to be president, at least not in the conventional sense. He knew that it was likely that whoever was the GOP nominee would be elected. Clinton fatigue ruled the day and Gore tried to wash it off, but it just wouldn’t go away. (Personally, I think Gore should have run on the Clinton record, rather than run from it, but that’s a different conversation.) Bush came from a prominent family and knew he could get the nom. But he had to give up being the Governor of Texas if he won. Texas Governor is a really cushy job. It is the weakest governor in the fifty states. Basically, you just sit around and try not to screw up. You get to act all executive, but you don’t really have to do much. It was the perfect job for Shrub. Given that the guy is rather engaging, he was quite successful at bringing political enemies together and ginning up a dialog that got things done. He gave that up to go to Washington, where he would be expected to do more than just be sociable. He only did it because he wanted to get back at Clinton, he wanted to get back at Saddam Hussein (we were going to Iraq whether or not 9/11 happened), and, well, why not? He didn’t so much _want_ the job as much as he knew it was his to have. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/29 "2012-08-04T03:43:06Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I wouldn’t be surprised if he has second thoughts. He’s got a really comfortable lifestyle. Lots of friends and travel. That all gets wiped out if he becomes President. Even afterward he’ll have Secret Service hovering around and restricting his life. > > After the convention he will gear up and go into full campaign mode. I think he’ll give the campaign all he’s got. But, won’t be heartbroken if it doesn’t work out. This isn’t a guy that needs to be President. He’s here to serve if the voters want him. > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > If there’s anything to the OP (and I’m not sure there is) it’s because Romney is coming to learn and accept what being a president will really mean – a life of powerlessness and frustration compared to the power he wielded as a CEO. And he doesn’t like it, and he knows there is no way he’s going to be able to keep most of his promises, and he probably doesn’t even like most of the promises he’s made. > > Now, if he wants to pick an enemy and start a war, the presidency is the best job in the world for that. But in terms of managing the government as if it were a large company, his powers are really limited. I agree with both of the above. I remember thinking “God, _anyone_ but Bush” when he was up for re-election, as I didn’t think things could get any worse. Now, I get the feeling that it’s more “you got lucky with the first term, not gonna happen again even if we have to elect someone worse”. Romney may want to be president, but who can really say he has a strong _desire_ to? If he does, it doesn’t show one bit. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/30 "2012-08-04T04:36:08Z")
Romney’s a hard guy to read. I’ve seen candidates lose interest and I’ve seen candidates who just want it too much. Romney, it’s hard to tell. The inability to relate to him, to get a sense of who he is and what he’s feeling at any given time is part of his problem connecting with voters. If Romney really didn’t want to run anymore, it wouldn’t be too late to drop out. A Republican brokered convention would be potentially damaging, but also potentially beneficial if a stronger candidate emerged. But given his current poll standing and money, I can’t imagine the guy has any interest in giving up. This race is very winnable for him. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/31 "2012-08-11T16:03:31Z")
I’m more convinced than ever now, with the Ryan pick, that Mitt really doesn’t want to be president. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/32 "2012-08-11T16:45:40Z")
Just as well. I also don’t want him to be president. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/33 "2012-08-11T16:47:20Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > I’m more convinced than ever now, with the Ryan pick, that Mitt really doesn’t want to be president. Your position isn’t based on the facts. I’m not sure why it suits you to think he doesn’t even want to win, but it doesn’t make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/34 "2012-08-12T09:43:27Z")
I agree in a hyperbolic sense. Consider him a man who is as tepid towards the tea patty wing as they are towards him. He is more or less aligned with them, so it’s not wholly repugnant to him to espouse many of their ideas. He’s also a Republican at heart—lower taxes, etc. But he doesn’t buy his bullshit in the same way that Gingrich does, isn’t as batshit as Bachmann, and isn’t the True Believer that Santorum is. I know these are caricatures, but I hope the point I’m trying to make comes across. I think the Limbaughs and Hannities lie with impunity and have no problem with it because it’s done to advance an agenda, whereas I see Romney’s lies as positions to advance his career, and that’s not that easy. By ‘lies’, I don’t mean political shenanigans per se, but his retreat and abandonment of societal desires and ideals. To take an easy example, I think he believes that Obama’s approach to healthcare was correct, and his change in position stems from pure electoral pragmatism. I think the goal of a political campaign is to be different, but there are too many areas for him where he’s not all that different from Obama and doesn’t have substantive criticism (this does not imply that there is no substantive criticism of Obama, just that Romney’s past suggests that he wouldn’t have done things substantially different had he been elected in 08). What we’re seeing, what the OP is a reflection of, is that a significant percentage of his positions are driven by elements he would ordinarily be in conflict with. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/35 "2012-08-12T11:01:36Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > By ‘lies’, I don’t mean political shenanigans per se, but his retreat and abandonment of societal desires and ideals. To take an easy example, I think he believes that Obama’s approach to healthcare was correct, and his change in position stems from pure electoral pragmatism. I think the goal of a political campaign is to be different, but there are too many areas for him where he’s not all that different from Obama and doesn’t have substantive criticism (this does not imply that there is no substantive criticism of Obama, just that Romney’s past suggests that he wouldn’t have done things substantially different had he been elected in 08). What we’re seeing, what the OP is a reflection of, is that a significant percentage of his positions are driven by elements he would ordinarily be in conflict with. And this leads into a question which is probably a hijack of this thread, but since it’s not moving all that much, I’ll bring it up anyway… What’s the job of the politician? Is it to have his own ideals, and stick to them, or is it (should it be) to reflect the ideals of his electorate and stick by them? Should he be fighting for what he thinks is right, or should he be fighting for what the people who elect him want done? Is he a leader or is he a representative? And is the answer the same for a Senator and the President? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/36 "2012-08-12T12:12:34Z")
I think he sees the writing on the wall, that’s all. And I think we can all see what’s really wrong in the Republican party, all of their candidates have to become ‘say nothing’ puppets, through a long, long slog to election day. I’d wager they probably think they can press their issues, should they get in. (And I suspect Romney’s are rolling back abortion rights, contraception funding, striking down gay marriage, etc.) But the process itself probably reveals that’s unlikely in the extreme, between the contributors and the puppeteers. How do you not lose steam when clarity dawns? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/37 "2012-08-12T15:13:11Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > If there’s anything to the OP (and I’m not sure there is) it’s because Romney is coming to learn and accept what being a president will really mean – a life of powerlessness and frustration compared to the power he wielded as a CEO. And he doesn’t like it, and he knows there is no way he’s going to be able to keep most of his promises, and he probably doesn’t even like most of the promises he’s made. > > Now, if he wants to pick an enemy and start a war, the presidency is the best job in the world for that. But in terms of managing the government as if it were a large company, his powers are really limited. One of the things that happens once you clinch the nomination is that your Secret Service detail becomes much more Presidential. And suddenly you get a clue what life under these circumstances is going to be like. He’s starting to get briefed on National Security issues (the mention of the secret meeting in London with MI5) - and that means he may be beginning to understand that the problems he faces are no-shit more serious than anything you run into as a businessman or governor. And people are hounding his personal life and his gaffes like never before. At this point, you’d have to be really dedicated to the idea, or stupid, not to have something like cold feet. Obama either didn’t “get it” early during the campaign itself or managed to maintain his composure and passion through the election and into inauguration (I suspect the second, but he could be more naive than I think). But he said some things post inauguration that were versions of “this is a hell of a lot more draining than I thought.” About both the Secret Service detail and the weight of responsibility. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/38 "2012-08-12T15:30:19Z")
Mitt Romney has all the charm and charisma of a urine-soaked mattress from the Spokane-airport Doubletree after Andy Dick and Lindsay Lohan split a case of Boone’s Farm and then passed out on it. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/39 "2012-08-12T16:19:25Z")
I don’t believe Romney has lost heart; I think it’s hot & muggy, and no-one was paying much attention, so he was saving his energy. I think he truly believes a country can be run like a business. > [@WhyNot](#): > > And this leads into a question which is probably a hijack of this thread, but since it’s not moving all that much, I’ll bring it up anyway… > > What’s the job of the politician? Is it to have his own ideals, and stick to them, or is it (should it be) to reflect the ideals of his electorate and stick by them? Should he be fighting for what he thinks is right, or should he be fighting for what the people who elect him want done? Is he a leader or is he a representative? And is the answer the same for a Senator and the President? And what about representatives? Their job is to clearly state their philosophy, their objectives, and the mechanisms they will promote to implement the objectives. Then I can evaluate them, decide which I believe will acts in ways I support, including, obviously in response to events I have not anticipated. THEN they do what they think best. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353/40 "2012-08-12T17:24:00Z")
I got that feeling about George H. W. Bush when he ran against Clinton in 1992. He seemed somewhat disinterested. Romney clearly doesn’t care all that much for people. I’m sure he’s fine in a small family or staff gatherings, but in public he seems stiff and unnatural. Making comments like: “The trees are the right size in Michigan.” That reminds me more of Richard Nixon than any other presidential candidate. Mitt is giving it a pretty good try and he’ll be outspending Obama 2:1 for the next three months, so he’s not out of it by any means. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-mitt-romney-even-really-wants-to-be-president-anymore/630353.md?page=3)