Blake Shuart: Move along, Mitt

Move along, Mitt Romney. As far as Utah’s 2018 senate race is concerned, there’s nothing for you to see here. Yes, we know – America’s political landscape is a barren wasteland of hopelessness without your vast talents, but consider Sen. Orrin Hatch’s remarks last week about his decision to retire as a special message to you as well: “Every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves.” Listen to your elder statesman, please, and leave yours on the shelf.

Every indication is that you were awaiting Hatch’s decision with great interest. You even changed your location on Twitter last week from Massachusetts to “Holladay, UT” within hours of his announcement. If conveying to the world that you suddenly consider yourself a resident of the state where the senate race will be held is not an indicator of interest, what is?

And why wouldn’t you run, after all? You are highly popular in the state on both sides of the aisle and your fundraising apparatus is a polished machine, so you are the clear favorite from the outset. But there’s something else very important to consider here, even though you’d like us all to forget: A little over a year ago, you sold your political soul to Donald Trump.

Back in 2012, when you were running for president, you were thrilled to receive Trump’s endorsement just days before the Nevada caucuses. You praised Trump at that time for his “extraordinary ability to understand how our economy works and to create jobs,” and also for being “one of the few who has stood up to say China is cheating” in international trade.

You lost that election to Barack Obama, and when the 2016 election came around, you decided to interject yourself into the race from the sideline. It was Trump who needed the support this time around, but alas, you did not reciprocate. You said you did not expect Trump to win, and when he fired back, you doubled down on your criticism. Suddenly, a man with “extraordinary abilities” in 2012 was now a “fraud,” a “phony” and a “con man.”

You stepped in to protect a Republican establishment that had long indulged your political aspirations, but it turns out you were not the white knight they had hoped for. Trump won anyway, and as far as the annals of Trump and Romney go, this could have been the end of the story.

But then you were played. President-elect Trump entertained you as a candidate for the Secretary of State post – or so you thought – and you went right along with the ploy. When the Trump camp reached out, you could have politely declined. You also could have expressed a willingness to serve the country without pandering to your interviewer. Instead, you praised Trump for winning the presidency when you couldn’t. You praised him again for his “message of inclusion” and his “vision.” You went to dinner at one of Trump’s fancy restaurants and ate frog legs, then glowed over the “wonderful evening” you’d just had.

Predictably, Trump did not appoint you to the post after you called him a fraud. And conveniently, you have renewed your criticisms of the president since that time. You are an intelligent man who has done some impressive things in your life, but you sacrificed your dignity for a political appointment you did not receive. You’ve had your chance to lead – now move along. Give someone else a turn.

This story was originally published January 8, 2018 at 4:40 AM with the headline "Blake Shuart: Move along, Mitt."