Mitt Romney To Speak At CPAC

When Mitt Romney left the stage after his concession speech on Election Night, most people figured that would be the last time we’d see him in a political context. It turns out, though, that he’ll be speaking at next month’s Conservative Political Action Conference:

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will appear at the Conservative Political Action Conference next month, according to two sources familiar with the event’s itinerary. Romney’s speech, which will be delivered at the Gaylord National hotel in Prince George’s County, Md., marks the former Massachusetts governor’s return to the political scene.

After he lost the presidential election, Romney decamped to his beachfront home in La Jolla, Calif. But friends say he has become somewhat restless, and he’s eager to contribute to the national debate. Sources say he’ll likely focus on economic and fiscal issues, and that his message will be optimistic.

“This is really an opportunity for Governor Romney to thank all his supporters and friends,” says a senior Romney aide.

Given that conservatives have been doing everything they can to distance themselves from Romney since the polls closed last November, this is at least somewhat surprising.

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Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. Sources say he’ll likely focus on economic and fiscal issues, and that his message will be optimistic.

    But still condescendingly arrogant.

  2. anjin-san says:

    and he’s eager to contribute to the national debate

    “The rich are not rich enough, and the poor are not poor enough”

    “I desperately want to be seen as a great man”

    I think that about covers his message.

  3. which will be delivered at the Gaylord National hotel in Prince George’s County, Md.,

    The GOP considers this outreach on LGBT issues.

  4. swbarnes2 says:

    “This is really an opportunity for Governor Romney to thank all his supporters and friends,” says a senior Romney aide.

    Didn’t he show his gratitude to his supporters already by cutting off campaign credit cards the night of the election with no warning?

  5. grumpy realist says:

    Just in time to remind everyone why they really, really couldn’t stand Mitt.

  6. Mark Ivey says:

    I hope he grew a beard, and he comes out on stage holding an AR-15..

  7. legion says:

    “This is really an opportunity for Governor Romney to thank all his supporters and friends,” says a senior Romney aide.

    Bull. Nobody speaks at CPAC to “thank” people. they speak at CPAC to get – or stay – in the conservative spotlight. I’ll wager the same little voice that told him to run for Pres just told him he wasn’t done running just yet…

  8. David M says:

    I didn’t see this coming. I wonder if Romney learned anything from his election loss, or if he’ll double down on the 47%.

  9. Nick says:

    Mitt Romney
    Paul Ryan
    Sarah Palin
    Marco Rubio
    Rand Paul

    “Star-studded” lineup with the same old message. Only Rand Paul veers more than 2% from GOP conventional wisdom, and even then, more in theoretical terms than with actual policy.

  10. Jr says:

    Irrelevant.

  11. legion says:

    @David M: I bet you seven hojillion dollars he doubles down…

  12. David M says:

    @legion:

    Romney doesn’t have enough convictions for me to be remotely confident what he’ll say next.

  13. grumpy realist says:

    Oooooh….d’you suppose that this is setting the stage for ol’ Mitt running again in 2016? ‘Cause that would be AWESOME!

    Romney/Palin 2016!

  14. J-Dub says:

    I grew up in P.G. County. Fitting that he would make his “comeback” in a county where he probably got less than 1% of the vote, and that’s being generous.

  15. legion says:

    @David M: I agree completely with your description of Romney. I just don’t think that, if he was going off the reservation, that he’d do so at CPAC. I’ve no direct experience, but I’m pretty sure that if you don’t toe the party line, you don’t even get a ticket to the show, let alone a mic. I hear even Rand Paul has a couple of ex-KGB “minders” following him every day of the show…

  16. anjin-san says:

    cutting off campaign credit cards the night of the election with no warning?

    I wonder if any of the staffers that got stiffed are still out of pocket. I also seem to remember Michelle Bachmann owing campaign workers money.

  17. PogueMahone says:

    Given that conservatives have been doing everything they can to distance themselves from Romney since the polls closed last November, this is at least somewhat surprising.

    Say what!?

    How, exactly? Because I can’t think of a single issue that Romney stood by that conservatives are distancing themselves from.

  18. anjin-san says:

    Given that conservatives have been doing everything they can to distance themselves from Romney since the polls closed last November

    Well, they either can admit they are wrong on the issues, or blame Romney. No surprise which way that is breaking…

  19. Argon says:

    I didn’t see that coming.

    Who could have imagined that Romney (aka ‘The guy who lost to Obama’) would be accepted back at CPAC before any gay groups? Then again, Palin is going to be there so one could say it will be packed with losers. Perhaps the gay GOP organizations got the better deal after all.

  20. Mr. Replica says:

    I really can’t think of anything to say to this. I mean, I guess I could think of something. I would just have to stop laughing first.

  21. Dan says:

    Just when I have forgotten about Romney’s annoying robotic head turns when he’s making a speech, you go and remind me of it, why, why, why?

    By the way, have anyone been counting how many Twitter followers he has lost since losing in November? I have! He has lost at least 100000 followers. I have never been to his Facebook page but I hear he has lost more “likes” there. Such a loser.

    I don’t know what the idiot that ran the silliest and most incompetent presidential campaign in history have to contribute to the national debate.

    I am willing to bet a good amount of money on Romney saying “I believe in America” during his speech. He said that a lot during his campaign, I don’t think he himself knows what he means by that.

  22. swbarnes2 says:

    @PogueMahone:

    How, exactly? Because I can’t think of a single issue that Romney stood by that conservatives are distancing themselves from.

    Conservatives don’t really care about issues. Even here. Remember Joyner’s essay about why he supported Romney, and how policies were virtually absent from this list?

    But conservatives love the swaggaring, manly types, and Romney is now a loser, so they all have to act like they never swooned over his jawline or scorn for 47% of Americans.

  23. Montana says:

    This reminds me of the former Soviet Union where, time and time again, the party would roll out the same LOSERs of the past and try to force them down the people’s throat, in this case the GOP. I mean come on, the only two that can make a decent run for the white house is Chris “krispy kreme” Christie who loathes CPAC, and CPAC frontrunner “W” brother Jeb Bush.

    I like his name implies Chris “krispy kreme” Christie, until he get his weight down and stops going to the Hospital (like on July 28, 2011) he will be just a noise, he is the only one that can win, but CPAC apparently does want to win. Jeb Bush, of course just has the problem that he was in charge of the Florida when his brother “W” got in the first time (what a joke) and where he passed the crazy “stand your ground” law and the remaining GOP party tried to US Citizens from voting by giving them long lines this last Presidential election , but hey, its Florida, its like a third world country down there.