On Fox News, Mitt Romney Declares “I'd Like To See An Open Convention”

Romney: “That's How Politics Works. People Don't Need To Be Afraid of Real Politics”

From the March 4 edition of Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto:

Video file

NEIL CAVUTO (HOST): You don't want Donald Trump to be the nominee, you said that everyone should go out and support the candidates who are out there, if it's John Kasich in Ohio, vote for John Kasich, and Marco Rubio in Florida. You're almost wishing for a brokered convention. 

MITT ROMNEY: Well, I'd rather see someone besides Donald Trump become the nominee outright, on the first ballot. 

CAVUTO: But what if he does, what if he does? 

ROMNEY: But if that doesn't happen, then I'd like to see an open convention where there's more give and take between the candidates and someone else besides Donald Trump becomes the nominee. 

CAVUTO: You heard what Lindsey Graham said about that, Governor, and he is no fan of Donald Trump. He says that a brokered convention wouldn't be fair to Trump, and that he would leave, and he would have a right to leave. 

ROMNEY: Well, if he wants to leave, that's fine. Everyone has the right to do whatever the heck they want to do, but a -- in a convention, let's say Donald Trump had 40 percent of the delegates, and the other guys have 30% each, and what does that give us? That's 100 percent, alright? So in a case like that, you say that's 60 percent that don't want Donald Trump, and totally appropriate for them. Let's say they get together, form a ticket. That's how politics works. People don't need to be afraid of real politics. 

[...]

CAVUTO: We never quote other shows, just so you know Governor. But I do want to bring you, and I know your time is tight, but obviously you knew ahead that this would be tough on you, some people would come out to the degree they have, but NBC News is reporting -- I quote another organization -- the American Freedom Party, which I guess is promoting white nationalism, is going to put out ads effective today or this weekend, targeting you, Mitt Romney and his mean-spirited, establishment conservative, protect big moneyed interests, where captains of industry reap billions in profits while the working man struggles to make ends meet. Donald Trump is a populist, he cares about the working man. I would imagine we're going to see this played out across the country. 

ROMNEY: Well I'm happy to have the Trump supporters attack me, because that means they're not attacking Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and John Kasich, who I think would be far better nominees than Ted Cruz, so they can waste their money attacking me. 

CAVUTO: But these are robocalls, everywhere, and they're going to use you as a poster child for the old order. 

ROMNEY: Great.

Previously:

NBC's Matt Lauer Calls Out Mitt Romney For Previously Embracing Donald Trump's Endorsement

“Take It And Shove It”: Conservative Pundits Pan Mitt Romney's Anti-Trump Speech

Conservative Media Figures Object To “Stupid” Third Romney Run