Mitt Romney Just Gave the Most Pointless Speech of the 2016 Race .
If there was a Trump-versus-Clinton race , where would Romney stand ? 
It was a high bar , but Mitt Romney met the challenge . 
But not Romney . 
Romney literally spoke of Trump as "twisted ." 
But Mitt Romney did not say he would refuse to vote for Trump as the Republican nominee in the fall . 
Romney dominated the discussion following the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses that saw Donald Trump dramatically advance his candidacy for the nomination of the party that made Romney its standard-bearer four years ago . 
But Romney has also ripped Clinton and said she "must not become president ." 
Cynics will argue that Romney simply wants to set himself up as that alternative . 
Romney fails to endorse an alternative to Trump . 
But not Romney . 
Next to nothing , because Mitt Romney 's speech did not answer what now quite likely will be the essential question for Republicans in the 2016 cycle : Will those who oppose Trump as a candidate for the party nomination oppose Trump as the nominee of the party ? 
As Romney prepared to speak , commentators announced that "the Mitt is about to hit the fan ." 
The political and media elites , who have always taken Romney more seriously than the American electorate has , did everything they could to pump up the hot-air balloon , and then Romney popped it . 
But if we take Romney at his word that his speech Thursday was not an announcement of candidacy -- as the pick of a brokered convention or as an independent "Lincoln Republican" alternative in November -- then what are we left with ? 
Romney offered credible criticism of Trump . 
Romney has ripped Trump and said that he should not be the Republican nominee . 
Romney tells us that Trump is "a phony and fraud" and : "His domestic policies would lead to recession . 
Romney called Trump 's approach to foreign policy "recklessness in the extreme" and declared that Trump "lacks the temperament to be president ."
Mitt Romney Just Gave the Most Pointless Speech of the 2016 Race. If there was a Trump-versus-Clinton race , where would Romney stand? It was a high bar , but Mitt Romney met the challenge. But not Romney. Romney literally spoke of Trump as "twisted. " 
But Mitt Romney did not say he would refuse to vote for Trump as the Republican nominee in the fall. Romney dominated the discussion following the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses that saw Donald Trump dramatically advance his candidacy for the nomination of the party that made Romney its standard-bearer four years ago. But Romney has also ripped Clinton and said she "must not become president. " 
Cynics will argue that Romney simply wants to set himself up as that alternative. Romney fails to endorse an alternative to Trump. But not Romney. Next to nothing , because Mitt Romney 's speech did not answer what now quite likely will be the essential question for Republicans in the 2016 cycle : Will those who oppose Trump as a candidate for the party nomination oppose Trump as the nominee of the party? As Romney prepared to speak , commentators announced that "the Mitt is about to hit the fan. " 
The political and media elites , who have always taken Romney more seriously than the American electorate has , did everything they could to pump up the hot-air balloon , and then Romney popped it. But if we take Romney at his word that his speech Thursday was not an announcement of candidacy -- as the pick of a brokered convention or as an independent "Lincoln Republican" alternative in November -- then what are we left with? Romney offered credible criticism of Trump. Romney has ripped Trump and said that he should not be the Republican nominee. Romney tells us that Trump is "a phony and fraud" and : "His domestic policies would lead to recession. Romney called Trump 's approach to foreign policy "recklessness in the extreme" and declared that Trump "lacks the temperament to be president. "