And now from the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, the Act Spiles, with your host,

David Axelrod.

Stuart Stevens was my opposite number in the Mitt Romney campaign when I was the chief strategist

for President Obama's re-election in 2012.

Now he's a fellow at the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago, the author of

five books including The Last Season of Father, a son, and a lifetime of college football.

A really interesting and good read about his growing up in segregationist Mississippi and

the link between he and his father around the University of Mississippi football team,

highly recommended.

I sat down with Stuart the other day to talk about Donald Trump, the Republican Party,

and a lot of the craziness that is dominating our news today.

Stuart Stevens, four years ago, you and I were plotting and scheming against each other,

not personally, but we were both deep into the presidential election.

Do you have withdrawal regrets?

Are you sorry you're not in the middle of this food fight?

Well I'm sorry we lost, but I'm not sorry I'm not involved in this race.

I wish Mitt Romney was running again, I think he'd be winning.

Why didn't he?

He was just a personal decision.

You know I was talking to him a lot in January.

You know usually with Mitt Romney, his own record and off record are the same.

This is usually not a hidden agenda.

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