On the day he unofficially seized the Republican presidential nomination, Mitt Romney was at a Las Vegas fundraiser with the mercurial billionaire Donald Trump, raking in more than $2 million with the help of a man who epitomizes exuberant wealth even as Romney tries to shake the perception that he’s an out-of-touch elitist.
Romney is hoping the big-dollar donors that Trump attracts will outweigh the political risk of aligning himself with someone whose reality TV show catchphrase is “you’re fired” and who unapologetically insists that President Obama is not an American citizen.
But Trump, always in search of a spotlight, isn’t making it easy for Romney to squeeze him for money without a little made-for-TV controversy.
Over Twitter and on national television, Trump has tried to reignite a debate over Obama’s birthplace, even after Obama released a long-form birth certificate in April 2011, proving he was born in Hawaii, and despite efforts within the Republican Party to put the “Birther” issue aside so Romney can focus on the economy.
When asked about Trump’s beliefs, Romney set off a media firestorm by refusing to directly repudiate his ally, underscoring Romney’s belief that Trump will ultimately prove a net asset to his campaign.
“You know, I don’t agree with all the people who support me, and my guess is they don’t all agree with everything I believe in,” Romney told reporters. “But I need to get 50.1 percent or more [of the vote], and I’m appreciative to have the help of a lot of good people.”
The Obama campaign on Tuesday posted an ad portraying Romney as a captive of extremists within his own party, including the so-called Birthers.
“It raises a question, that’s come up before during this campaign, as to whether Gov. Romney will embrace these extreme voices in his party, or stand up to them,” said Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt.
While some in the public, and Romney’s own party, see Trump, a one-time presidential candidate, as a publicity monger and loose cannon, Romney’s campaign instead sees the New York billionaire as an “American business magnate” whose advice on the economy was worth seeking, according to an internal campaign memo obtained by The Washington Examiner.
“[Romney] should ask Donald for his advice and thoughts on the economy and for his help,” reads the memo, which was intended to guide Romney in his first meeting with Trump last September.
“Though he has experienced his share of financial crises, in 2011, Forbes estimated Trump’s wealth was valued at $2.7 billion, though Trump claimed it was much more,” the memo continues, noting that Trump is “a longtime friend” of Robert Wood Johnson IV, the billionaire owner of the New York Jets.
Accompanying the memo is a photo of Trump, with his characteristic closed-mouth pout, seated on a couch next to his third wife, Melania. The memo describes Trump’s various political beliefs but never mentions his affiliation with Birtherism.
“Mr. Trump’s present political stances includes being pro-life, against same-sex marriage, anti gun control, and anti foreign aid,” the memo reads. “Mr. Trump also believes that the U.S. should stand behind Israel and that China should be considered more of an adversarial competitor.”
And clearly Romney has no plans to distance himself from Trump. He scheduled another fundraiser with Trump for late June.
