Trump distraction continues to plague Romney

>>> today romney hits the delegate jackpot. what happens in vegas doesn't stay in vegas especially if if involves donald trump . the donald took what was supposed to be the milestone day for the rominee and turned it into a political circus over the president's birth certificate .

>> there are many people who don't agree with that birth certificate .

>> i don't know when you say many people don't agree.

>> many people.

>> give me a name of somebody --

>> there are many people. i don't give names.

>> donald , you are beginning to sound a little ridiculous.

>> i think you are.

>> with 1,183 delegates romney crossed the threshold. he won't officially clench the nomination until the republican convention in summer. donald trump remains a thorn in the romney campaign's side.

>> any regrets by the campaign of spending the day that you clench the nomination with donald trump .

>> governor romney has made it clear they disagree on issues. governor romney says he believes the president was born in the united states . he said it repeatedly. he says he thinks the issue is closed.

>> let's bring in this morning's power panel. democratic strategist and radio talk show host. it's great to have the three of you here. this was supposed to be mitt romney 's big moment. this is what he has been primarying for around the country to reach 1,144 delegates to seal this nomination. the background singer turns out to be to the lead singer of donald trump . how does romney dump trump gracefully?

>> i would say yesterday the romney campaign did get traction on some of their messages. in fact, some of the questions directed at the white house press secretary yesterday were about equating bain, mitt romney 's firm as well as the administration's investments into the one that failed. and some of the messages are getting traction but yes trump did overshadow it somewhat. the other thing i would point out is the romney campaign has not been strong enough in their language yet to make this go away. said that mitt romney believes that the president was born in the united states but could make that stronger by saying that mitt romney knows the president was born in the united states . until they get very strong on that it is not going to completely go away.

>> does mitt romney 's team need to come out and disavow donald trump who promotes this conspiracy theory?

>> thomas, all of these politician s from obama to others can have their achilles heel . there are people who believe what many people believe is nonsense. he happens to be someone who is very influential and very successful at business. he supported mitt romney . there was a time he thought he would have to run. mitt romney has done enough to disavow the things that trump has said that he disagrees with. if trump wants to support him he should welcome that support like any politicians. the voters are mature enough to separate mr. trump who has been trumping his card for ages. romney knew what he was getting when he decided to do this event with trump . why do you think trump is different?

>> do you think democrats are in danger of overplaying their hand in this?

>> i think democrats have been very clear when people on our side have said things that are obnoxious. when you think the archie bunker hour is over here comes donald trump spitting in the punch bowl as mitt romney crosses the finish line. while we give mitt romney a pass on the hair cutting bullying incident when he was in high school there is a theme of him not standing up to bullies. he did not stand up to rush limbaugh . he did not stand up to ted nugent when we know the kind of language ted nugent referred to the president with and has not stood up to donald trump . armstrong is wrong. for him to say i believe that the president was born in the united states he needs a much stronger statement. he needs to say i disavow this and i disavow his tactics. if he can't stand up for what is right for the republican party and in terms of basic decency how will he stand up for the united states ?

>> and newt gingrich has spoken up on the birther conversation.

>> far be it for me to suggest to the donald what he should do. he's a loose entrepreneur. he has made his fame by being who he is. governor romney is not distracted. the republican party is not distracted. we believe that this is an american born job killing president.

>> there is newt's way to disavow all of this but letting it play out kind of laughing at it. mitt romney released his birth certificate on tuesday. does the timing of this release add more fuel to the fire or are they getting it out of the way while trump is holding the political bull horn ?

>> i think more than anything it's just saying here he is. here is the republican nominee and it just establishes that so that he doesn't have those problems on his own, not that he would. this was mitt romney 's day yesterday. they are reintroducing him.

>> his dad went through the birther controversy being born in mexico when he was running for president. it is ironnic that this is going on now. we heard from governor romney on this taped interview on fox.

>> there will be people and you know this already who will look at you as a successful rich guy.

>> like fdr and john f kennedy . there is not a nation that divides people. we don't say this person won the lottery and they can't understand me.

>> is he trying to prevent wealth from isolating him? is this the constant that is going to play to the kwekivity question?

>> i don't think anybody begrudges his success. i think people question whether he has been effective at doing what he says he does which is creating jobs. i think people question whether he is able to relate to the average man on the street. while he is talking about birthers and while talking about his wealth he is not talking about what he is going to do for the country. the three things he is out there on is taxes. two is energy. obama 's licensed 42 new rigs were all-time high for energy production . and education where he wants to go to vouchers but wants to under fund and cut funding. there is very little there when it comes to what romney wants to do for this country in terms of principle reasons for running. that is why this vacuum gets filled up with silliness. his personal issues and the birther nonsense.

>> when we talk about wealth there have been lots of questions and requests to get tax records yet we got the birth certificate on the day he is trying to disavow the birther movement. we did get an insight into ann romney .

>> he is the hardest working person i have met besides his father who was a crazy man.

>> crazy good?

>> crazy good. crazy unbelievable good.

>> so saved there by her interviewer. does this under score how hard it is to get away from interviews without potential political damage?

>> you say the political damage but let me remind you that even though mitt romney may not be the sterling candidate that people want in terms of being teleogenic and forceful and saying what he means. the best thing that happened to mitt romney is even though he is the nominee he is in a dead heat with president obama . as i have said before this is really not about mitt romney because president obama were doing the jobs and the promises he made with his hope and courage speech he gave when running for president mitt romney would not be so relevant. the election is obama 's to lose. the reason they are tied is because many americans are dissatisfied with the president's handling of the economy and jobs. while we may point out the weaknesses of mitt romney he does not have it to lose. it is president obama . we go into a presidential election .

>> as the incumbent. our power panel for today. thank you to all three of you.