This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Washington • A one-time nemesis to President-elect Donald Trump, Mitt Romney on Tuesday applauded the incoming president, whom he disavowed at one point, saying he was impressed with him and has "connected with the American people in a very powerful way."
Romney — a Utahn who accepted Trump's endorsement in his 2012 presidential race but then excoriated him during the primaries this year — ate dinner with Trump in New York on Tuesday night, a meeting moderated by Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.
Romney has been touted as a possible secretary of state; a top adviser to Trump says news of any appointments could come early Wednesday.
The former GOP standard bearer, Romney told reporters that he was impressed by Trump's victory and took a bow of shame in acknowledging that he wasn't able to do the same himself four years prior.
"By the way, it's not easy winning. I know that myself," Romney told reporters after dinner. "He did something I tried to do and was unsuccessful in. He won the general election, and he continues with a message of inclusion and bringing people together, and his vision is something which obviously connected with the American people in a very powerful way."
Romney continued: "The last few weeks, he's been carrying on a transition effort, and I can tell you I've been impressed by what I've seen in the transition effort. The people he's selected as members of his Cabinet are solid, effective, capable people."
Trump, who had called Romney a "loser" and a "choker" after his failed 2012 run — after Romney called Trump a "phony" and "fraud" — met with the former GOP presidential nominee for the second time amid apparent discontent from Trump's insiders.
Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway had dismissed Romney as a potential candidate for any Cabinet position, tweeting over the weekend that the "volume & intensity of grassroots resistance to Romney is breathtaking."
"I'm all for party unity, but I'm not sure that we have to pay for that with the secretary of state position," Conway said on Sunday's CNN's "State of the Union."
"We don't even know if Mitt Romney voted for Donald Trump," she added.
Romney and Trump apparently came together over dinner that included garlic soup with thyme and sauteed frog legs, and scallops with caramelized cauliflower and a caper raisin emulsion. Priebus, whom Trump has appointed his chief of staff, joined his boss in ordering prime sirloin with a citrus glaze and carrots. Romney ordered lamb chops with the mushroom bolognese sauce.
Pictures from the dinner show Trump and Romney drinking water — neither imbibes alcohol — from wine glasses. All three, including Priebus, had chocolate cake for dessert.
A longtime Romney aide said Tuesday night that Trump deserves a lot of credit for meeting — twice — with someone who wasn't a supporter but who could be helpful in his incoming administration.
"I'm not sure if Governor Romney will have a role in" Trump's administration, said Ryan Williams, a right-hand man to Romney for nearly a decade. "I think it's very encouraging that the two men are meeting and discussing international relations on positive terms. This shows that President-elect Trump is willing to reach out to people beyond his core group of advisers and listen to viewpoints [of those] who did not support him during him during his run."