Mitt Romney says his
annual "ideas summit" in Park City, Utah, is part of a larger effort to help shepherd America back to a leading role in the world.
Appearing from the summit by satellite on
Fox News Channel's "Your World with Neil Cavuto" on Thursday, Romney laid out a laundry list of failures he attributed to President Barack Obama and Clinton, Obama's former secretary of State.
"There's almost not a place in the world that's better off from her leadership in the State Department," Romney said. He pointed to Nigeria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and China's recent moves to claim disputed islands in the South China Sea.
"A policy of weakness and accommodation that came from the Obama and Hillary Clinton team has led to very serious and negative results," he said.
Obama's foreign policy is what has led to several crises throughout the world, he said, adding that it will be a challenge to recapture the lead and prevent more problems.
"And, gosh, I hope the president's able to do that in his last two years," Romney said. "I don't know how we can go on with the country not having the kind of leadership that it needs."
America, as leader of the free world, has the potential to guide history and shape events that are best for the world and for the United States, he said, but added that Obama hasn't taken the action necessary to protect our interests overseas.
Obama's failure to follow up on his Syrian "red line" threat or to get a status-of-forces agreement in Iraq so 10,000-15,000 U.S. troops could remain there have
led to the current insurgence by militants who have taken over two cities, Romney said.
"This is the consequence of a president that did not take the right actions at the time opportunity presented itself," he said.
A Hillary Clinton presidency, he said, would be a continuation of the same failed policies both at home and abroad.
"We've watched this administration deal with everything from the IRS scandal to reporting irregularities in terms of providing information to the press, as well as this VA scandal," he said. "It's time to finally get to the bottom of who's responsible for the kinds of failings we've seen and expect people to take accountability."
Though most of the people attending Romney's private conference lean to the right, he pointed out that Democrat Brian Schweitzer, former governor of Montana, is also in the lineup.
He said each will present ideas for how to make America stronger.
As part of that give-and-take of ideas, he brought up House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, who on Tuesday suffered a surprising primary defeat by tea party newcomer Dave Brat.
"I like Eric Cantor," Romney said, but also congratulated Brat on his win. Both will be part of the "competition of ideas" in the party in the years to come, he predicted.
Romney said he was encouraged to hear Cantor say he would continue fighting for conservative causes, a role he says he has been happy with even though he is no longer in office.
Romney shrugged off any suggestion that his summit, which includes GOP stars such as Chris Christie and Rand Paul, is an attempt to crown a Republican nominee for 2016. He said he just wants to keep the conversation going.
"I'm far from a kingmaker," he said.
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