Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee for President of the United States,

a man who secured more than 59 million votes from his fellow citizens to be commander

in chief is retiring from politics.

He is a man of integrity, character, and decency. These are

values that are necessary in a free society. Without them, we lurch towards an abyss.

With them, we have the ability to step back from it. Mitt Romney has had a long career

in public service. He has kept the faith. There's something important to understand. If you can't

look at somebody who you have a political disagreement with and see their innate

decency understand that they're an honorable person that they are committed to the country

their family and their duty then you are part of the problem.

And part of the reason we have arrived at this feted moment and this moment of crisis

in our national life.

Mitt Romney has fought the good fight.

And Mitt Romney is not going quietly into that good night.

There's a book coming at. Mitt Romney has apparently given astonishing levels of access to one of the

very best writers and chroniclers of politics in Washington, D.C.,

the Atlantic magazine's McKay Coppins. Mitt Romney has nothing to hide. Mitt Romney's telling

the truth about what he saw, inside and up close. And it's disgraceful.

What he depicts is a cauldron of cowardice and faithlessness and an absence of duty.

This is one of the most remarkable political stories I have ever read.

And I'm going to read from it extensively as we talk about it.

Mitt Romney saw what was building, what was coming in early January of 2021.

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