Establishment Republican savior Paul “reluctant” Ryan continues to look every bit like a shadow presidential candidate. A day after nationally syndicated radio host Hugh Hewitt called for a convention overthrow of Donald Trump, the Beltway rock star rolled out HIS vision of an interventionist foreign policy in his own security plan. During an appearance at The Council on Foreign Relations, the wunderkind laid out a globalist vision nearly indistinguishable from that of Hillary Clinton. He followed up with ramming the Puerto Rico bailout package through the House and then headed out for the conclave of Never Trumpers hunkering down with meddlesome Mitt Romney at his Utah compound over the weekend.

The Washington Post reports “At Romney summit, anti-Trump Republicans in exile ponder their party’s future”:

At this time four years ago, Mitt Romney ­summoned the leading figures in the Republican Party to this mountain resort at the start of his general-election campaign. He was then the standard-bearer of a party united and seemingly confident about its future.

Today, the GOP is divided and anxious, and as many of these same people gather with Romney once again, they now represent a party in exile, retreating to the political wilderness of Deer Valley and powerless in what has become the party of Donald Trump.

Romney will open his annual ideas festival here Thursday evening with the Republican Party newly riven by issues of race, following Trump’s accusations against a federal judge of Mexican heritage. The controversy has escalated concerns about Trump’s electability and the possible fallout from his candidacy on other GOP candidates.

Romney has been the most visible spokesman for the “Never Trump” movement. But the guest list includes both those hostile to Trump as well as some of his allies — including Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, some of Trump’s top fundraisers, and endorsers such as House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.).

AND

The event comes amid chatter in some Republican circles about ways to establish party rules that could somehow deny Trump the nomination at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland next month. Those conversations underscore the continuing discomfort with Trump, yet have produced nothing concrete, either in terms of a clear strategy or a consensus alternative candidate.
Romney has steadfastly ­refused to run again, though the reunion here of his friends and allies is expected to produce some encouragement from well-wishers for him to reconsider, as it has the previous two years here.

“We’re at the point now where Mitt is the last dog in this fight who can run a credible ­third-party effort,” said Republican strategist Rick Wilson, who has tried, unsuccessfully so far, to draft a Trump alternative. “There will be tremendous pressure on him.”

AND

Romney will deliver remarks in a closed-door session, and he has no plans to make public statements or give media interviews, his aides said. “He’s trying to not make this full of drama on purpose,” said Ron Kaufman, a Romney adviser and friend.

Some attendees said they will be watching carefully for how Romney and Ryan interact. The two have been close since running together on the GOP presidential ticket in 2012, but they split on the issue of Trump, with Romney vowing never to vote for him and Ryan offering his endorsement, though only after a period of awkward deliberation. The House speaker has since criticized Trump for his attack on the federal judge, Gonzalo Curiel, which he called the “textbook definition” of racism.

“That’s the $64,000 question,” said one attendee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid offending either man. “There’s the father figure and the mentee together with two very different viewpoints of what one ought to do in this election.”

The WAPO piece is disingenuous propaganda by referring to Ryan, Reinhold “Reince” Priebus and Bob Corker as “allies”. While the triad may currently be speaking well of the presumptive nominee in public – if you believe being called a “textbook” racist is polite – they have worked diligently to undermine Trump throughout the campaign. Corker has been promoted heavily as a potential Trump running mate despite his collaboration with the illegal alien friendly Gang of Eight and is a snake that the billionaire had best tread lightly around. The piece goes to great lengths to downplay the appearance that there may be scheming and sinister activity afoot at the meeting but Romney is obsessed with taking down Trump. While he may not have the stones to do it himself there will be continued efforts to prep the ambitious Ryan for the task and with Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (who will also be in attendance) renouncing Trump the other day it’s possible that the Cheesehead mafia has never abandoned the idea of sending Trump to sleep with the fishes.

A convention overthrow of Trump would surely punch Hillary’s ticket to the White House but Romney and his minions are on a suicide mission.