# Romney may be Secretary of State **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 19, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465 "2016-11-19T20:07:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/1 "2016-11-19T20:07:05Z")
I didn’t think this photo would ever happen. [https://www.google.com/amp/amp.usatoday.com/story/94124850/?client=ms-android-motorola](https://www.google.com/amp/amp.usatoday.com/story/94124850/?client=ms-android-motorola) Its encouraging to see these three men put aside the harsh words said during the campaign. Romney would make a great Secretary of State. Romney’s appointment could help unify the Republicans. It would also be a clear signal that Trump will work with people that previously opposed him. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/2 "2016-11-19T20:13:35Z")
Wonderful. Another ammoral businessman in government. Nice how he described Trump as a conman but now that Trump’s in power, he’ll help throw the country under the bus. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/3 "2016-11-19T20:14:38Z")
I’m not sure this meeting means much, except symbolically. As wrong as I’ve been about Trump, I shouldn’t make predictions. But I don’t see Trump offering Mitt a real job. It’s easier to imagine him summoning Mitt, toying with him, then offering no job (or a menial job). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/4 "2016-11-19T20:17:04Z")
I welcome any moderate Republican willing to serve in the new Presidential administration. We need moderate voices to counter the other hard liners. I’m not sure if Romney will get offered the job. There’s a lot of bad blood from the campaign. But at least they are talking. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/5 "2016-11-19T20:25:18Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I welcome any moderate Republican willing to serve in the new Presidential administration. > > We need moderate voices to counter the other hard liners. While the Outsourcer-In-Chief pretends he can bring jobs back, Romney shows [how to destroy jobs.](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/us/politics/after-mitt-romney-deal-company-showed-profits-and-then-layoffs.html) > [@](#): > > By the time the Harvard M.B.A.’s from Bain were finished, sales at the medical company, Dade International, had more than doubled. The business acquired two of its rivals. And Mr. Romney’s firm collected $242 million, a return eight times its investment. > > At Bain Capital’s direction, Dade quadrupled the money it owed creditors and vendors. It took steps that propelled the business toward bankruptcy. And in waves of layoffs, **it cut loose 1,700 workers in the United States** , including Brian and Christine Shoemaker, who lost their jobs at a plant in Westwood, Mass. Staggered, Mr. Shoemaker wondered, “How can the bean counters just come in here and say, Hey, it’s over?” ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/6 "2016-11-19T20:27:29Z")
I don’t think Romney is evil, so this is a step up from the other names that have been floated. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/7 "2016-11-19T20:29:03Z")
So \*this \*is what draining the swamp looks like. Warren has urged Romney to bring his binders full of women to the meeting. ---
**Author:** ![ganthet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@ganthet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ganthet)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/8 "2016-11-19T20:29:20Z")
It is unlikely that any Republican who strongly criticized Trump would be offered a high profile cabinet job. Romney’s and Trump’s foreign policy views, particularly concerning Europe and Russia, are pretty far apart and I don’t see Romney accepting them or defending them (or explaining away his earlier criticisms) in a confirmation hearing. Trump wants people who are either completely loyal or completely dependent on him. Romney is neither. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/9 "2016-11-19T20:31:57Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > It would also be a clear signal that Trump will work with people that previously opposed him. He worked with Christie, who previously opposed him. Then, after the election, he unceremoniously dropped Christie, to everyone’s surprise and chagrin, even though Christie had been thought to be the Attorney General pick. Why did he drop Christie? Because some years ago, Christie prosecuted Jared Kushner’s dad and sent him to prison for two years. That’s from the Washington Post, quoting multiple members of Trump’s team. That’s just what’s in the Post. But let’s read between the lines. Trump knew this fact about Christie and Kushner’s dad all along. Why would he work with Christie in the first place? That’d be because it was the plan all along. This was literally an evil movie villain scheme to prop up somebody Trump hated only in order to humiliate them later on, to “make up” for a past slight. Yeah, Trump works with his enemies… or, works on them. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/10 "2016-11-19T20:36:40Z")
Since this was part of the article… > [@](#): > > There was no confirmation or suggestion of a job offer despite reports of Romney’s interest in the secretary of State post. Analysts say it’s doubtful Trump would offer a job in his administration or that Romney would accept it given the verbal jabs they exchanged on the trail. …I don’t get the title of this OP. Still, even if it’s unlikely to happen, Romney would be a far better choice than the other names that have been floated for Secretary of State. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/11 "2016-11-19T20:41:33Z")
I’ve learned not to make too many predictions about Trump, but I agree with the analysts. I don’t think they could work together. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/12 "2016-11-19T20:43:14Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > So \*this \*is what draining the swamp looks like. > > Warren has urged Romney to bring his binders full of women to the meeting. What Trump forgot(or more likely, doesn’t know) is that you block the source before draining the swamp. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/13 "2016-11-19T20:45:57Z")
Could do worse, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/14 "2016-11-19T20:47:59Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Could do worse, IMHO. Not so loud, Trump will take that as a challenge. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/15 "2016-11-19T20:49:10Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Could do worse, IMHO. It seems like only four years ago that Romney getting into power was a _worst_-case scenario. Now it’s something to be hoped for. ---
**Author:** ![ganthet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@ganthet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ganthet)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/16 "2016-11-19T20:54:08Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > That’d be because it was the plan all along. This was literally an evil movie villain scheme to prop up somebody Trump hated only in order to humiliate them later on, to “make up” for a past slight. > > Yeah, Trump works with his enemies… or, works on them. If there is one that seems clear and consistent about Trump is that he didn’t seem to have a specific long term plan. Stories have suggested he didn’t want to map out too much of an actual transition plan ahead of time because Trump “didn’t want to jinx it” while other stories have suggested his staff didn’t map out too much themselves because they didn’t think Trump would win. It seems more likely that the last minute Christie move was prompted largely by the recent conviction of two of Christie’s aides in the bridgegate trial and both the prosecution’s and defense’s common strategy and argument that Christie was the driving force behind either thr closure itself or that he ratified it once informed midway through. Given Christie’s dismal NH primary finish and crumbling NJ approval ratings, he didn’t really add much to Trump’s campaign or appeal, so adding him with the ultimate intention of dumping him later on seems a complete waste of time. It would have been far easier to just let Christie’s relevance diminish completely once he suspended his campaign, similar to Huckabee, Rand Paul, or Rick Perry. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/17 "2016-11-19T20:55:57Z")
Considering the other choices of Trump so far, It looks to me like Romney is being setup as the official fire fighter that will have to run constantly around the world to douse the threats and stupidity that will come out of Trump’s mouth for 4 years. His mantra will be: “He did not meant to say that! Stop tossing shoes at me!” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/18 "2016-11-19T20:58:38Z")
> [@ganthet](#): > > It would have been far easier to just let Christie’s relevance diminish completely once he suspended his campaign, similar to Huckabee, Rand Paul, or Rick Perry. But far less satisfying - Trump could never pass up the opportunity to make a guy who had annoyed him grovel before him, fetch his McDonald’s orders, and so forth. Vindictiveness mattered more than any actual planning or organization, and still does, and has hallmarked his personnel choices so far. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/19 "2016-11-19T20:58:52Z")
Putin likes Mormons? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465/20 "2016-11-19T21:04:20Z")
Putin knows his stash of Vodka is secure when Mitt visits. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-may-be-secretary-of-state/772465.md?page=2)