An interesting subplot to the Donald Trump-Mitt Romney “Game of Thrones” routine, going since Romney dropped his attack on the president in the Washington Post this week, has been the interfamilial fight. One of the early and somewhat severe attacks on Romney came from his own niece, and chair of the Republican National Committee, Ronna McDaniel.
POTUS is attacked and obstructed by the MSM media and Democrats 24/7. For an incoming Republican freshman senator to attack @realdonaldtrump as their first act feeds into what the Democrats and media want and is disappointing and unproductive. https://t.co/ArhI7Bi7bo
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) January 2, 2019
It’s a little harsh, especially the “freshman senator” thing. I mean, he was governor of Massachusetts, and the GOP presidential nominee, and, well, her uncle. These are tough times we are living in. The black flags are up.
But a source close to the senator who has spoken to Mitt Romney says he’s taking it in stride. According to the source, Romney’s position is that “it’s politics, and she has a job to do, but there’s no hard feelings.”
Much of Washington was puzzled by the timing of Romney’s scathing op-ed. It was claimed he was a hypocrite for accepting the president’s endorsement and running as a pro-Trump candidate, then unleashing on Trump after he won. But during that Senate race Romney penned a very similar op-ed in a Utah paper. He hasn’t really been inconsistent on Trump, people just weren’t paying much attention.
Romney still thinks he can work with Trump, but he won’t bite his tongue. And Trump’s reaction to Romney’s attack was widely viewed as fairly muted compared to the president’s usual style. Could a bromance emerge between Romney and Trump — Mitt joins the team and Donald takes some etiquette lessons?
That might be a stretch. But unlike the stalwart Never Trump conservatives, Romney, given that he says he may endorse Trump in 2020, is not throwing the towel in on this administration. Some kind of dance is going on between the two of them, and it might be good for both.
Meanwhile, family suppers at the Romney household seem safe from too much political strife. It is a game, after all. The players know how to hang up their cleats and go enjoy a nice dinner together. It’s the fans who can’t. But maybe if Romney and Trump can make the peace, there’s a chance for that also.
