Posted on 08/29/2015 1:30:36 PM PDT by Steelfish
The GOP Field That Failed By RICH LOWRY August 28, 2015
The rise of Donald Trump is, in part, a function of a vacuum. He is thriving in a Republican field that is large, talented, and, so far, underwhelming. To paraphrase Bruce Springsteen, theres 17 candidates and nothing on. Except Donald Trump. Now, this has much to do with the media, and with Trumps unique qualities as a showman. He has the advantage of not caring about anything, apparently the facts, his reputation, or, ultimately, winning the presidency. In consequence, he is a free man. Yet no speech, no policy proposal, no argument, nothing from the other candidates has come close to capturing the imagination of voters, giving Trump the space to loom all the larger.
The weakness starts at the top, or what was supposed to be the top. Jeb Bushs shock and awe has turned into getting sand kicked on him at the beach by a loudmouth and bully. Its not just that Bush is trailing Trump badly in the polls; he has acceded to the terms of the debate being set by the mogul. In the argument with Trump over mass deportation, clearly Bush is right. But the split screen with Trump doesnt necessarily do him any favors. Trump is such a forceful communicator that he comes off as some sort of throwback alpha male, whereas Bush is such an earnest wonk, he looks and sounds like a sensitive dad from a contemporary sitcom. Its like watching a WWE wrestler get a stern talking-to from Ned Flanders.
Bush is not a natural performer to begin with, and he believes his contribution to the race is to be the non-threatening Republican, which is often indistinguishable from the uninteresting Republican. So while Bush has methodically built the superstructure of an impressive campaign with fundraising, organization, and policy proposals he has so far barely warmed up an ember among voters. Scott Walker, in contrast, had a surge early in the campaign. It dissipated over time when his limited preparation on national issues didnt match his outsized early press exposure. A so-so debate performance and the rise of Trump have continued his long fade to middle of the pack in the latest early-state polling (tied for fourth in New Hampshire and tied for seventh in South Carolina). The rules of gravity say Trump will come back down to earth.
Walkers ability to appeal to both the establishment and the activist wings of the party had looked like a strength, but now it seems a precarious balancing act, made all the more difficult by a panicky reaction to Trump. No sooner had Walker pronounced himself aggressively normal in the debate than he seemed to opt for just aggressive in an attempt to play to the passions tapped by Trump. Who could have predicted that the Midwestern candidate who tells stories about buying shirts for $1 at Kohls would have to play populist catch-up with the New York billionaire who travels by eponymous helicopter? As for Marco Rubio, for whom expectations have been so high, he has been the least reactive to Trump. His campaign is still betting on the long game. It believes his talent will tell over time, but he doesnt have a natural geographic or ideological base.
Ted Cruz may be benefiting most from the Trump surge in his strategic positioning. He has a cogent theory of the case, which is that if he is nice to Trump and the other outsider candidates he eventually can inherit his supporters. This makes intuitive sense, although Cruz exceedingly careful in crafting his words and in calculating his interest is hardly a natural anti-politician. It is still August, of course. The rules of gravity say Trump will come back down to earth. The media interest that is so intense now could burn out. His lack of seriousness should be a drag over time. Even if he fades, though, someone else will have to fill the screen. To this point, no one else has been big or vivid enough to do it.
Lol. This race hasn’t even started, but people are already saying it’s over? Stupidity.
Doesn't describe the reality I see. Walker just sank like a brick.
Does that describe Trump?
my thoughts exactly; one debate and they’ve already failed...
failure?? that’d be the majority of the GOPe presently in power (and many no longer in power).
The rise of Donald Trump is, in part, a function of a vacuum. He is thriving in a Republican field that is large, talented, and, so farmorally and ideologically bankrupt. For the vast majority of them.
What a disgusting comment on Bush, and on Rich Cuckservative Lowry who wrote it.
Rich Lowry is a jerk.
I find absolutely nothing in Rich Lowry’s arguments that I agree with, and normally I like what he has to say. All I can say to his credit is that he did not resort to the over-the-top anti-Trump hyperbole of George Will's recent column.
Pundits getting wrong again. It is more than Trump's personality. His issues of immigration, jobs, and trade are resonating with Americans. The other candidates are weak on these issues. The GOPe didn't want the issue of immigration even raised during the campaign.
BUMP
people need to come to their senses and vote for a real conservative.
Sheesh. No wonder Ann Coulter referred to the guys at National Review as girly men.
Yo, Rich, ain't National Review a part of the media? Why don't you report on what the other candidates are saying and doing?
Yup - suck causes a vacuum....and The Donald is filling that vacuum and scratching the itch of the scorned and disappointed Republican electorate.
“In the argument with Trump over mass deportation, clearly Bush is right.”
National Review IS the GOPe. They are pretty limp on every issue.
Field? At least the GOPee is not just swinging by the various early primary States....
Difference between Berni Sanders and Trump in handling interruptions....
Bernie...here take the microphone.....
Trump....Sit down and shut up.....Security evict this person
“One debate and they’ve already failed”. To bad they didn’t apply this logic to Zero and Romney’s first debate!
The rise of Donald Trump is, in part, a function of a vacuum.
This is true. The vacuum exists because the GOP is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Cheap Labor Express and is activey trying to prevent the citizens from stopping the illegal alien inundation.
The Democrats represent the illegal aliens.
The GOP represent their employers.
No one represents the 65% of the citizens that want the laws enforced and the border secured.
That is the vacuum Trump stepped into.
The RNC thought they were going to nominate ¡Yeb! right into the teeth of their voters but the voters have other options this time.
Go Trump!
I like Scott Walker, but he’s another milquetoast midwester governor who’s not prepared to take on the national mediots.
I appreciate what he’s done in Wisconsin, but he’s just not personality strong enough for the big time. Like Trump, you have to be larger than life to gather attention. Hillary for all her criminality is also larger than life, Obola too. This characteristic isn’t Scott Walker or many of the others. This bravado comes naturally to Trump. In the others is would seem contrived.
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