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