Posted on 04/23/2016 5:20:04 AM PDT by Kaslin
Despite his big win in New York on Tuesday, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has had a pretty bad week. But will it matter? It should -- and just might.
During an NBC "Today" show town hall Thursday, the host read a question from Twitter concerning Trump's views on LGBT issues and how he plans to be inclusive as president. "Speak about North Carolina bathroom law in particular."
Trump responded: "I had a feeling that question was going to come up, I will tell you. Well, look, North Carolina did something that was very strong, and they're paying a big price, and there's a lot of problems. ... North Carolina, what they're going through, with all of the business that's leaving and all of the strife -- and that's on both sides -- you leave it the way it is. There have been very few complaints the way it is. People go, they use the bathroom that they feel is appropriate. There has been so little trouble."
In response to a follow-up question, Trump said he would not support putting new bathrooms in Trump Tower. "I think that would be discriminatory in a certain way."
These politically correct answers from the alleged king of political incorrectness have to be music to the ears of Democrats -- not only those far left enough to agree with Trump's view but all others because they know this will alienate Trump from the tons of Republican voters who recognize such lunacy. Perhaps Trump should have been more forthcoming about his true New York liberal values.
Before you buy into Trump's inevitable walk-back of this disaster, remember how he began his answer: that he had anticipated the question. I'm not sure whether that should be more damning than if his answer had been purely spontaneous, revealing his true feelings apart from political calculation, but it's greatly troubling either way.
Trump says he is concerned about the strife and "the economic punishment (North Carolina is) taking." But it seems he also sees the issue from the perspective of adult men who want to use little girls' bathrooms. Has he even considered this from the perspective of the parents of these girls and all other sane people who don't feel comfortable sharing bathrooms with people of the opposite gender?
Who thinks like this, other than a candidate pandering to new constituencies? Who actually believes that prohibiting grown men from using little girls' bathrooms is discriminatory against the transgender community rather than against the 99 percent of people who have always had the comfort of going to public restrooms without the fear that people of the opposite gender could invade their privacy? Isn't protecting public safety one of government's chief duties?
It will be interesting to see how Trump's infinitely forgiving fans explain this one away or whether they'll even bother to try. I get it; all they think about is unfair trade and "the wall," so maybe they'll explain why Trump wants to tear down public bathroom walls.
Also on Thursday, Trump said he would support raising taxes on the rich, which should concern all economic conservatives who support reducing taxes across the board to stimulate robust economic growth. It should also concern Trump's defenders who believed he was standing by the tax plan posted on his website, which includes a cut to the top rate, from 39.6 percent to 25 percent.
Those convinced that Trump has few ideological moorings and an inclination toward liberal positions are vindicated -- again. No matter what written plans Trump has proposed for use in his campaign, his instincts are to support the liberal position on many issues. And for those who buy that he's made a strong conversion from his previous liberal ways, you should know that there has apparently been no change in Trump's views about taxes since 1991, when he testified as a Democratic expert witness and described Ronald Reagan's tax cuts as "catastrophic."
Those who still believe in the sincerity of Trump's conversion to conservatism should be aware of the other bombshell that exploded this week in Camp Trump, which may be the most troubling of all.
In a private meeting aimed at reassuring concerned GOP leaders about Trump's positions and electability in a general election, Trump's "chief lieutenants" reportedly told them that Trump has been "projecting an image" up to this point in the primary season and "the part that he's been playing is evolving" in a way that will make him more palatable to general election voters. How utterly comforting.
Trump's new campaign guru, Paul Manafort, reportedly told Republican National Committee members that Trump has two personalities -- a private one and another one when he's onstage. "When he's out on the stage, when he's talking about the kinds of things he's talking about on the stump, he's projecting an image that's for that purpose. You'll start to see more depth of the person, the real person. You'll see a real different guy."
So his own campaign chief just comes right out and says Trump has been playing a role -- pretending to be someone he's not? This is just incredible stuff, folks.
For the life of me, I don't understand how Trump's most ardent supporters can feel comfortable relying on his always-shifting promises -- even on immigration. Those who still feel comfortable about his candidacy baffle me.
Yes, Trump won his liberal home state resoundingly, but looking back, this could be one of his worst weeks of the campaign.
100% agree.
Dear David Limbaugh ,
you need to get outside more... enjoy the fresh air.
and next time when you are feeling all glum and down, maybe you could write about our current resident in the whitehut, because face it - you belt way boys really dropped the ball on that one. and still do. or maybe a little piece on Hillary?
too much too ask, i know.
Trump has said he will publish a list of a dozen or so people he’d consider for the USSC before the election and has pledged to only consider people on that list when he becomes President. Why don’t you hold off on your criticism of Trump until he publishes that list?
-btw The two names he has already mentioned immediately after Scalia’s death are also solid conservatives and Trump has made repeated references to Justice Roberts failure to stop Obamacare. Clearly Trump doesn’t want squishes on the high court.
Hang it up, David. How big of a political snob are you? What are your vested interests in Republican elite corruption?
You seem to be saying that it's alright for Trump to pander a bit to the liberal whackos in order to secure some of their support, since it's an issue that he won't be in a position to address. But that's not the point. The point is that he's revealed himself for what he truly is, and that is not consistent with conservative beliefs and a conservative style of governance.
Cruzablanca: “We’ll always have Wisconsin.”
I don’t get the difference between him saying something rational about muslim immigration that outraged all the right folks and this bathroom thing. I haven’t talked to one blue collar dem that isn’t outraged over the dem leadership over this issue.
Freegards
So the conservative who is clearly in bed with the Bush globalists isn’t deceiving you Cruzers as well?
‘But nooooo. St. Ted had to greedily cling to his meaningless delegates and lose the issue.’
It goes way beyond that. Cruz keeps jabbering about his “five landslide wins.” It honestly, no exaggeration, does remind me of Bogart and the strawberries. People sense that, even if they don’t articulate it. It’s why Cruz’ numbers are dropping like a rock through water.
Every week is a bad week for Trump
Indeed. Portraying oneself as a rigid and extreme social conservative might play well with a small minority, but most people are not extreme. I think most people don't care about a lot of these fringe issues, and wouldn't think about them at all if it weren't for the left exaggerating them and shoving them in our faces.
Trump refuses to debate Ted one on one. Why is that? It's because there is a likelihood that he will open his mouth and say something dumb to the effect like, "I'd let tranny's use my bathrooms in Trump Tower" on a national stage with all the cameras focusing on him, and then Trump supporters can wonder whether they've made the right choice - as can delegates whose votes have not yet been cast.
I'm not worried at all how Ted will come off in such a debate. His message has been consistently conservative.
It ain't over til it's over. More Trump gaffes are coming, and while there's still time for a delegate to change his mind let's see whose message unites and is the consistently conservative voice that conservatives supposedly claim - though many at heart merely pretend - that they want on this site.
All the smash-mouthing the media by "Double-down" Donald is welcomed and amusing - while he's doing it to those guys. Trump, however, is known to turn on people on a dime. Imagine yourself opposing him on something and his reply to you is a middle finger and a double-down?
Are all his adoring FReepers ready for that?
He starts resembling the current occupant more and more in some very unwelcomed ways.
I prefer a gentleman statesman with the consistent conservative message and the savvy to know how to quietly get the job done and to allow his opponent to become his own worst enemy.
That's why I prefer Ted Cruz.
FReegards!
Cruz hasn’t changed his conservative positions. Trump isn’t a conservative and keeps getting caught being a liberal.
just because some establishment people support cruz doesn’t mean he supports them.
I don’t know. Maybe Trump told him what he wanted to hear.
Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t expect or want Trump to come out as a bible-thumper on the issue - calling LGBTs sinners and saying that they’re ‘damned to hell’, but I would have preferred him just ducking some questions - perhaps saying that it’s a local issue and should be decided locally. Of course then he’ll be hit up with the same question regarding federal facilities. The best answer for that is the Rubio technique on Amnesty, which is to say something to the effect that we’ll have a ‘national conversation’ on the issue, and leave it at that.
Ted comes across as utterly fake. He looks like he's made a list of "conservative" stereotypes, and then created a persona to exemplify those stereotypes. Whatever or whoever Ted is at his core cannot be seen. He is a caricature of a conservative, not real at all.
One reason I prefer Trump is that he is a real person. Sure, he misspeaks sometimes--but all real people do that. It means he is not a trained politician, he is one of us.
He starts resembling the current occupant more and more in some very unwelcomed ways.
The current occupant and Cruz are almost alike in both temperament and professional training. Neither of them has the skills or experience to run an executive office. The mess that is the Obama presidency will only continue under a Cruz presidency. Thank goodness that is not likely to happen!
Bill Still’s wife responds to bathroom issue in Bill Still #812.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bznug53IPto
Thanks sorry about my lack of computer skills!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.