John Fund:
‘I don’t like to analyze myself, because I might not like what I see.” So said Donald Trump, in an interview for Never Enough: Donald Trump and the Pursuit of Success, by business journalist Michael D’Antonio.
In a press conference last Tuesday, after he won Michigan and Mississippi, Trump said: “I can be more presidential than anybody. I can be more presidential, if I want to be, I can be more presidential than anybody. . . . I would say more presidential than anybody other than the great Abe Lincoln.” But he never rises to anything like that standard, because he can’t.
When you see Trump acting “presidential,” just wait five minutes. During the news conference, he briefly made a plea to “unify the party,” but he also launched into a schlocky infomercial for a group of Trump-branded products. Most of the products are in fact no longer available or not sold in stores.
A couple of days later, during a GOP debate in Miami, a subdued Trump did steer away from inflammatory rhetoric and insults. But after the debate, he accused a female reporter who works for a pro-Trump website of lying when she said she had been manhandled by Trump’s campaign manager. Trump accused her of fabricating the controversy even though there was overwhelming evidence to support her claims.
The next day, a Trump rally in Chicago was canceled after outside agitators staged a protest that led to violence. The protesters were egged on by the left-wing group MoveOn.org, which has endorsed Bernie Sanders. Trump has a legitimate beef with people who disrupt his rallies and attempt to silence him.
But Trump then went way over the top. When NBC’s Chuck Todd asked him today whether he would pay the legal fees of a Trump supporter who brutally sucker-punched a black man in the face at a Trump rally, he replied: “I’ve actually instructed my people to look into it.” (At an earlier rally Trump had promised to pay the legal fees of supporters who would “knock the crap out of” protesters reportedly getting ready to throw tomatoes.) Today, he told Todd that the man who threw the sucker punch “got carried away.”
Earlier on Sunday, Trump had tweeted: “Bernie Sanders is lying when he says his disruptors aren’t told to go to my events. Be careful Bernie, or my supporters will go to yours!” Trump insisted his message didn’t constitute a threat. But at the very least, he is encouraging a combative attitude that could lead to further mayhem at his rallies. These are not the words of a person who says he wants to “unify” the Republican party or the country.
Some people say that Trump’s nomination is inevitable. No, it’s not. It’s four months until the GOP convention in Cleveland, and Trump has dozens of opportunities for further outrageous behavior that could drag down his general-election numbers. He already is the only Republican to consistently lose to Hillary Clinton in the RealClearPolitics average of all polls. He currently trails her by 6.3 percentage points (47.3 to 41.0). It may be worse by the time the gavel opens at the Cleveland convention.
With the exception of Barry Goldwater in 1964 and George McGovern in 1972, no major political party in the modern era has nominated a likely loser in the fall if a plausible alternative was available. A great many voters in GOP primaries don’t seem to care much about Trump’s weakness when it comes to electability, but almost two-thirds of general-election voters have an unfavorable view of him. That’s a path to the White House that won’t be blazed until something freezes over.
The more I hear the GOP establishment and the National Review bitch and moan about Trump, what little respect I have for them (after I lost 80% of it over the past decade) disappears.
Make no mistake. We want to KILL the GOP as it exists today. For the past generation, the GOP has been corrupted – as bad as the Democrats. They say they stand for limited government, fiscal responsibility, low taxes etc., but when they have the power to do something, they waffle, and bow to the Chamber of Commerce or other special interest.
Screw them. It’s been 150 years since a major party has been shoved aside to make way for something new. The Whigs and the Federalists were pushed out, maybe it’s time to do the same with the GOP.
“But at the very least, he is encouraging a combative attitude that could lead to further mayhem at his rallies.”
Of course, this is not in response to Trump haters who are doing exactly the same thing.
“Trump has dozens of opportunities for further outrageous behavior that could drag down his general-election numbers. He already is the only Republican to consistently lose to Hillary Clinton in the RealClearPolitics average of all polls. He currently trails her by 6.3 percentage points (47.3 to 41.0). It may be worse by the time the gavel opens at the Cleveland convention.”
This is remarkably similar to arguments against concealed carry put forth by the professionally frightened.
“Someone could take their gun away!”
“There will be blood in the streets!”
“People will be shooting each other over parking spaces!”
Much hysteria, much fear, few facts.
Yeah, Trump could say something that would make him unelectable. But what? Hillary’s lies haven’t done it for her. Cruz’s attacks on Trump supporters haven’t done it for him. I doubt if it will happen to Trump.
So all of you shrill Trump haters, keep whistling past the GOPe graveyard. That’ll keep you safe in your little happy places.
This popcorn tastes great. It’s salted with GOPe tears.
Trump gave his followers permission to feel angry, for years of having crap like AHCA shoved down our throats. Policies and regulations that increased poverty. Being told we are racist and other horrible labels if we dont agree with those policies.
He tells his followers its ok to fight back that they dont have to take it, he is super rich and is gonna fix it.
At our age we know better, he may do some good, but no way no how is he going to get away with the s**t Obama got away with, they would impeach him in a heart beat.
Theres nothing wrong or different with his supporters they are the average Americans that have permission to get in touch with their feelings and theres a guy that is saying You’re right follow me grab the pitchforks and the torches kill the Monster that is Washington.
Cat move over on the couch pass the popcorn. (I still want Cruz to win but lets watch the heads explode)