Waiting until he was ahead in the polls, Mitt Romney asks to be Vice President. Here's how this happens, how it shatters the momentum of the global political and economic downward spiral, and breathes new hope to the world convinced of the endless status quo.
A Not Entirely Absurd Proposition
Part I
By: Thomas G. Marshall
Summer, 2012
A nervous but resolute Mitt Romney breathes deeply and walks through the entrance to the Oval Office of the White House, and first sees the single secret service agent standing near the wall. Romney turns to see President Barack Obama standing in front of a blue armchair. The agent turns and walks out. Romney hears the heavy door close behind him with an oddly silent click.
Romney opens his mouth to speak to have Obama's words show up first, "My goodness, welcome Governor."
"Hello Mr. President, I hope you and your family are well, and I sincerely thank you for seeing me on such short notice."
The president gestured to the arm chair positioned across from him, "please make yourself comfortable." As they both sit down at the same time, he continued "How can I help you?"
Looking around the Oval Office, "It must not have been easy to convince your staff to see me entirely alone."
"It was an odd request to make of them", said the president stiffly, "as odd as it was to hear you request it of me. Especially since I'm still not entirely sure how this will appear in the press----for either of us. But I recognize that it must be fairly important for you to feel the need to meet me in this manner."
"Mr. President, the odd nature of this visit is certainly not lost on me. But it is paramount, and must happen now."
Politely reassuring with a small hand gesture, "please" said the president knitting his eyebrows, softly inviting him to continue. He was fighting appearing unsettled, but his confusion was clear. The Governor continued quickly.
"I want to be your Vice President."
"I want to be your Vice President."
~~~
Mitt was relieved that the predictable initial exchanges consisting of words to the effect of "Well that's not what anyone expected", and "I'm not sure I understand" took less than a minute.
"Trust me Mr. President, when this idea first occurred to me I had all the same initial reactions condemning it as you must have now. I need to make this clear: I don't intend to sell you on this today, I only intend to make clear to you my sincerest hopes, and why I believe it to be so important to the future."
With his head tipped back slightly, but locking eyes nevertheless, "I'm listening", said the President.
"What we have now is a populace on both sides in the country as convinced of there being nothing but the same lock down partisanship as ever. Regardless of the President. And globally this is true as well. There is a notion out there that the US is forever stymied in a morass of uncooperative legislators creating uncooperative multi-thousand page legislation with the entire effect of doing nothing any different. Not in the long run, nor in the short run. And with final arbitrators engaging in 5/4 decisions. The despair is unparalleled in history."
"You know I can't agree with what you just said entirely, but please continue."
The governor nodded quickly with his eyes shut briefly as if he predicted that response word for word. "Do China, Iran, North Korea, and the eventual fillers of the vacuum in Afghanistan and Iraq in particular care who is president? Think of it. If the US is stuck in what is universally perceived as a stymied infighting, to what degree could it possibly matter".
Quickly stepping to the side of the conversation, "Call me Barack; may I call you Mitt?"
"Yes."
"Mitt, it will help me to understand this if you first tell me before anything else, what makes you think that I'd be up for this level of reasoning, whatever it may be that you envision. What makes me approachable in your mind? Let's start there before we get mired in details."
"Because I've seen you struggle with the difference between your campaign promises and what you must do when facing the reality of actually being President. I don't need to be privy to the details of Gitmo, for instance, to see this as clear as day. Nor do I see you stopping the outsourcing of interrogations. And there are more examples, all to your credit by the way."
"Offhand I'd have to say that at the very least what you're proposing would bring turmoil within the executive branch as well. The 'in-fighting', as you put it, would be within all 3 branches instead of just 2."
"The world needs a shock Mr. President. And no, the in-fighting in particular would flatten, and the spirit of that will spread".
"How?" This was getting more and more obtuse by the second. Barack was beginning to wonder how it is a President has a conversation like this in the first place.
"Because as I cave in on issues, it'll increase the likelihood that you yourself will cave in on issues, simply to maintain the cooperation. Because the world will be holding its breath watching carefully what happens, the importance of not being the one to hold fast will increase. This attitude will spread to the legislature----no one, absolutely no one, will hold fast to a party line when they might be branded as the one to capsize the bold attempt that we make, you and I, right now."
The Governor continues, "Fox News would be without words. As would NPR. Any words that they would typically make would seem to fly in the face of the grand efforts of both sides. As a secondary effect, even Al Jazeera wouldn't know "how" to treat this. All media efforts would be forced directly into facts, and not commentary. Why? Because in the eyes of the public, bias of any kind would place them against ALL people."
Barack responds, "And rogue nations assume that there is no fundamental military direction or commitment? Sounds dangerous to me."
Mitt leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, emphatic, "No, if you analyze the variables involved, it's now a situation where for the first time in history the danger states wouldn't dare make a prediction about US reactions or involvements."
Continuing, "Mr. President, it's at this point that it is the most productive for you and I to stop the discussion for a day or so. You need to go through the internal analysis that I went through. Right now, in your role of president talking to a political adversary, you are slotted into a certain track that only you can derail by discussing this with yourself. Regardless of your conclusion, can I have you agree to meet me again tomorrow----will your schedule allow it?"
"Who else knows of this?", asked the president.
"Absolutely no one but you and I. I ask that it remain that way."
"Mitt, why now?"
"I had to wait until I was substantially ahead in the polls before giving you everything you need to tank my career."
"Or else it would look self-serving" nodded the president. "You've been running for president for nearly 10 years. What made you think of this?"
Standing up, straightening his suit, "You believe in God, Mr. President." A statement.
"Yes I do, but I do not bring that belief into the White House."
"Yes, of course. I also believe in God. Ask yourself, what do you suppose He'd say if we do this?"
Silence. Eyes remain locked.
"Can we meet again Mr. President?"
"Yes."
"Trust me Mr. President, when this idea first occurred to me I had all the same initial reactions condemning it as you must have now. I need to make this clear: I don't intend to sell you on this today, I only intend to make clear to you my sincerest hopes, and why I believe it to be so important to the future."
With his head tipped back slightly, but locking eyes nevertheless, "I'm listening", said the President.
"What we have now is a populace on both sides in the country as convinced of there being nothing but the same lock down partisanship as ever. Regardless of the President. And globally this is true as well. There is a notion out there that the US is forever stymied in a morass of uncooperative legislators creating uncooperative multi-thousand page legislation with the entire effect of doing nothing any different. Not in the long run, nor in the short run. And with final arbitrators engaging in 5/4 decisions. The despair is unparalleled in history."
"You know I can't agree with what you just said entirely, but please continue."
The governor nodded quickly with his eyes shut briefly as if he predicted that response word for word. "Do China, Iran, North Korea, and the eventual fillers of the vacuum in Afghanistan and Iraq in particular care who is president? Think of it. If the US is stuck in what is universally perceived as a stymied infighting, to what degree could it possibly matter".
Quickly stepping to the side of the conversation, "Call me Barack; may I call you Mitt?"
"Yes."
"Mitt, it will help me to understand this if you first tell me before anything else, what makes you think that I'd be up for this level of reasoning, whatever it may be that you envision. What makes me approachable in your mind? Let's start there before we get mired in details."
"Because I've seen you struggle with the difference between your campaign promises and what you must do when facing the reality of actually being President. I don't need to be privy to the details of Gitmo, for instance, to see this as clear as day. Nor do I see you stopping the outsourcing of interrogations. And there are more examples, all to your credit by the way."
"Offhand I'd have to say that at the very least what you're proposing would bring turmoil within the executive branch as well. The 'in-fighting', as you put it, would be within all 3 branches instead of just 2."
"The world needs a shock Mr. President. And no, the in-fighting in particular would flatten, and the spirit of that will spread".
"How?" This was getting more and more obtuse by the second. Barack was beginning to wonder how it is a President has a conversation like this in the first place.
"Because as I cave in on issues, it'll increase the likelihood that you yourself will cave in on issues, simply to maintain the cooperation. Because the world will be holding its breath watching carefully what happens, the importance of not being the one to hold fast will increase. This attitude will spread to the legislature----no one, absolutely no one, will hold fast to a party line when they might be branded as the one to capsize the bold attempt that we make, you and I, right now."
The Governor continues, "Fox News would be without words. As would NPR. Any words that they would typically make would seem to fly in the face of the grand efforts of both sides. As a secondary effect, even Al Jazeera wouldn't know "how" to treat this. All media efforts would be forced directly into facts, and not commentary. Why? Because in the eyes of the public, bias of any kind would place them against ALL people."
Barack responds, "And rogue nations assume that there is no fundamental military direction or commitment? Sounds dangerous to me."
Mitt leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, emphatic, "No, if you analyze the variables involved, it's now a situation where for the first time in history the danger states wouldn't dare make a prediction about US reactions or involvements."
Continuing, "Mr. President, it's at this point that it is the most productive for you and I to stop the discussion for a day or so. You need to go through the internal analysis that I went through. Right now, in your role of president talking to a political adversary, you are slotted into a certain track that only you can derail by discussing this with yourself. Regardless of your conclusion, can I have you agree to meet me again tomorrow----will your schedule allow it?"
"Who else knows of this?", asked the president.
"Absolutely no one but you and I. I ask that it remain that way."
"Mitt, why now?"
"I had to wait until I was substantially ahead in the polls before giving you everything you need to tank my career."
"Or else it would look self-serving" nodded the president. "You've been running for president for nearly 10 years. What made you think of this?"
Standing up, straightening his suit, "You believe in God, Mr. President." A statement.
"Yes I do, but I do not bring that belief into the White House."
"Yes, of course. I also believe in God. Ask yourself, what do you suppose He'd say if we do this?"
Silence. Eyes remain locked.
"Can we meet again Mr. President?"
"Yes."
