The 2012 Republican Presidential nominee Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA) had harsh words towards 2016 GOP Presidential front-runner Donald Trump. This is quite a different tune than when Romney sought the Manhattan Mogul's endorsement in 2012. While Romney is an unlikely attack dog for the establishment, so be it.
Expect Trump to highlight that inconvenient truth, along with proto-typical bombast disparagements of "Loser" and "Nasty guy" in Trump's afternoon answer.
This is primary politics. While Romney is not a Republican candidate in this cycle, he does have a respected voice which he is utilizing to amplify the Republican Establishment's repulsion towards Trump's politicking. What is telling is the thin-skin which Trump displays in quickly coming back to answer Romney's rebuke. If Romney is an "irrelevant loser", then why have a presser to respond?
In his post Super Tuesday results event, Trump tried to take a more Presidential tact, complimenting the hard work of Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) in winning his home state of Texas. During that presser with an adulating audience, Trump only mildly jabbed at Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). Some voices in the Republican friendly media speculated that he might be changing into projecting a more statesmanlike persona.
Trump has benefited from an angry electorate along with several early voting states with open primaries, drawing in cross-over voters. Trump has a penchant of saying outrageous things, which has not proved fatal. However, the weird way that Trump handled the oblique endorsement by David Duke and promoting Mussilini quotes may have hurt him in Minnesota (where there was no early voting). Romney adding some jabs from outside of the primary ring may soften up Trump with those undecided. Trump-eteers will ignore any criticism of their dear leader and will focus their two minute hate to the latest loud critic.
Mitt Romney may have made some fatal mistakes (like not being hard hitting in later debates and his buggy digital GOTV platform) which contributed to losing the 2012 election to President Barack Obama. But Romney has a reputation of being an honorable man. Something serious must have troubled him to speak out in the 2016 Election Cycle so strongly against primary phonies. Romney should expect some painful counter-punches, which may epitomize both the appeal to some and the alienation for others of Trump candidacy.
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