Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor and twice-failed candidate for president, in 2008 and 2012, took to national airwaves Friday to defend his scathing attack on Republican front-runner Donald Trump and to assert: No, I'm not running for president.
"There are no circumstances I can foresee where that can possibly happen," Romney said, in answer to "Today" host Matt Lauer's question about the former governor's intent to join the race.
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As Lauer pointed out, referring to Romney's harsh tone and rhetoric against Trump during his widely watched press conference: "You left the door open just wide enough for you to ride through it on a white horse."
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But Romney was adamant. He said: "I'm not running for president and I won't run for president."
The line of questioning comes as many political watchers have guessed Romney not only sought to take down Trump, but also lay the groundwork for a brokered convention – and one that could lead to his own reentry into the political world.
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Romney was also called to task by Lauer to address his attack on Trump – during which he characterized him as "absurd" and akin to a third-grader, as WND reported – and his 2012 excitement at receiving the billionaire's endorsement for president.
Lauer first said: "You said [during your press conference this week] 'he's dangerous for the country, dangerous for working Americans.' You attacked him on his economic policies, his foreign policy, his personality, which you call 'his third grade antics.' His business acumen ... [But] listen to this."
Lauer then played a clip of Romney, back into 2012, accepting Trump's endorsement for his race against President Obama and saying: "Donald Trump has shown an extraordinary ability to understand how our economy works, to create jobs for the American people. I spent my life in the private sector, not quite as successful as this guy, but successful nonetheless."
After the video of Romney cut, Lauer reminded: "That was four years ago, same two guys, Donald Trump and Mitt Romney."
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Romney then said Trump was "a successful guy" who has "made a lot of money," but then added: "He hasn't been uniformly successful and he's far from a business genius. ... So just because he's made a lot of money, one, you don't measure your life by how much money you've made, but just because he's made a lot of money doesn't mean that his economic policies are right for America."
And Lauer's response?
As Media Matters posted, in a transcript of the interview, Lauer said: "But the people who are angry at you this morning, Governor Romney, are saying, wait a second, he willingly welcomed the endorsement of Donald Trump four years ago, even though he was already knee-deep in the birther movement and had made other incendiary comments. Why go 180 degrees on the guy now?'"
Romney said times have changed.
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"Well, first of all," he said, "I was seeking his endorsement, now he's seeking mine. That's very different. A lot of people endorsed me I wouldn't endorse for president. And secondly, a lot has happened in the last year. And frankly had I heard him say the things I've heard him say now, I wouldn't have welcomed his endorsement. When he calls George W. Bush a liar. When he says that Putin is a strong and powerful leader, popular with people. When he mocks a reporter because of their disability. When he attacks women based on their looks or their menstrual cycle, you basically got a guy that is out of the kind of realm that I'd want to have support me."
Lauer followed up with a blunt question.
He asked: "Did you beg him for his endorsement four years ago?"
And Romney's reply: "I was welcoming his endorsement, I was happy to have it. I was looking for as many endorsers as I could possibly have. But when it comes to who I would support for president, there are a lot of folks who endorsed me I would not want to see as president."
