Mitt Romney won’t run for president, meaning Jeb Bush must be actively exploring the living shit out of a White House bid right now. We’re not sure which is more awkward: Chris Christie’s dinner with Romney tonight, or video that emerged of the New Jersey governor falling from a chair. And Paul Ryan is among a group of Republicans developing an alternative to Obamacare. Combining the two strongest forces in medicine: the need to compulsively check WebMD and telling the injured “it’s just a flesh wound,” the plan is expected to revolutionize medicine. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Friday, January 30th, 2015:
MITT. OUT. BYE. – He can now go back to doing what he loves: looking disheveled while fueling his car. Also, Hugh Hewitt is the Medium of the GOP. Paige Lavender and Sam Levine: “Former Massachusetts governor and 2012 GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said he will not run for president in 2016. Hugh Hewitt posted text of the remarks Romney was to make on a conference call with donors discussing his 2016 plans on Friday. ‘After putting considerable thought into making another run for president, I’ve decided it is best to give other leaders in the Party the opportunity to become our next nominee,’ the prepared remarks say…But even as he denied he was interested in another campaign, Romney left the door open. Romney told donors earlier in January that he was considering running for president, and moved to reassemble his old campaign team.” [HuffPost]
Romney will dine with Chris Christie tonight, though whether they’ll sit down to eat or Romney will awkwardly hand out sandwiches to Christie remains unclear. “Use your fingers — we’re friends!” he’ll say. Awwww, Mitt.
Turns out Obama’s put-down was the Battle of New Orleans of Romney attacks: just a little bit too late: “Addressing House Democrats at their annual retreat in Philadelphia on Thursday night, Obama referred to one ‘former presidential candidate’ who was ‘suddenly deeply concerned about poverty.’ ‘That’s great. Lets do something about it,’ Obama said, according to a White House pool report.” [HuffPost’s Igor Bobic]
–
@ilanagain: Chris Christie’s PAC is http://LeadershipMattersForAmerica.Org — or LMFAO, in acronym form.
@LEBassett: All the trees in Michigan are at half-mast today.
@JohnDingell: Congratulations to Mitt Romney for finally saying something the American people want to hear.
Got something to add? Send tips/quotes/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to Eliot Nelson (eliot@huffingtonpost.com) or Arthur Delaney (arthur@huffingtonpost.com). Follow us on Twitter @HuffPostHill (twitter.com/HuffPostHill). Sign up here: http://huff.to/an2k2e
