Posted on 08/06/2015 11:13:03 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
ATLANTA—Crammed into a hotel ballroom to watch the first GOP presidential debate, hundreds of the most conservative activists in the country cheered Thursday when Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas talked Middle East policy, predictably. They booed when former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush talked education policy, also predictably.
But with Donald Trump, nothing is predictable, and it's there that the "Red State Gathering" crowd offered up a surprise: When Trump defended his reversal on abortion, his donations to Democrats like Hillary Clinton, even his refusal to rule out a third-party run should he not win the Republican nomination, the crowd responded with among the biggest cheers of the night.
If the Red State crowd is any indication, the Summer of Trump is not even close to over.
"He says a lot of politically incorrect things that a lot of people are thinking," said Randy Daniel, a dentist from the Atlanta suburb of Stockbridge.
Indeed, when Trump actually cited "political correctness" as he defended his public insults of women over the years, the 600 in attendance went wild, just as they did when he hit back at Fox News moderator Chris Wallace for his question on Trump's bankruptcies.
"They're just glad that someone's finally saying what they want said," said Erick Erickson, the head of the conservative Red State blog and the host of the annual conference.
But does that mean conservatives are actually ready to vote for him for president? Erickson says probably not, explaining that their current willingness to support Trump is more of a message to the Republican Party establishment than an actual embrace of the New York developer-turned-reality TV star.
In the same way many Bernie Sanders supporters believe they will realistically have Hillary Clinton as their eventual nominee, today's Trump backers know they will, in the end, have a different nominee, but want to make their point to party leaders nevertheless, Erickson said.
"Donald Trump is at least willing to throw the punches they're not willing to throw," he said.
And fight back when punches were thrown at him.
Mary Howard, of Indianapolis, particularly enjoyed Trump's response when Fox's Megyn Kelly asked him about his comments about women. "He turned that right back around on her," she said.
Yet while many like Howard praised Trump for forcing the issue of immigration to the forefront of the GOP race and for his combativeness, he did not seem to be seen as a desirable nominee a year from now.
Catherine McDonald, of Atlanta, likes what she saw from Cruz, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson. As for Trump: "I don't take him seriously as a candidate. I think he's about sound bites, I think he's about promoting himself," she said. "I really don't feel he is who we would need running the country."
Even Randy Daniel, the dentist, allowed that brashness and boldness would only take Trump so far. "If he was the neighbor next door, you wouldn't invite him over for dinner," he said.
Red State is an outlet of Town Hall, which in turn is owned by conservative Christian-oriented Salem Communications. Nine of the 17 Republican presidential candidates are scheduled to speak at the conference Friday and Saturday, while Trump is scheduled to appear at the group's "tailgate party" Saturday evening at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
“Red State Crowd” eh? Does Monsieur Dáte mean ‘Americsns’?
I think the insider crew for the Republicans....the lobbyists and special interest groups who run the real party...are a bit shocked. Trump was supposed to be finished off by this point. He’s gaining traction. If he comes out ahead in Iowa and New Hampshire....I think five or six of these guys (including Bush) can go ahead and stop their campaign efforts.
Ideally I want to see Walker, Cruz, Jindal, and Fiorina duke it out in the end. But if Trump is for real I am open.
This is hilarious...the Fox team clearly set out to make Trump look like a terrible person. Even if he didn’t “blow his top”...the questions were designed to simply throw as much mud at him as possible.
And the viewers are, in fact, completely disgusted. With Fox News...epic backfire...LOL!
> “Catherine McDonald, of Atlanta, ... As for Trump: “I don’t take him seriously as a candidate. I think he’s about sound bites, I think he’s about promoting himself,” she said. “I really don’t feel he is who we would need running the country.””
Meanwhile the majority of women in America are telling Media Douchebag MeGYN Kellhole what she can do with her boob job in response to the way she treated Donald:
https://www.facebook.com/MegynKelly
A sampling:
Gina Thompson Smith
Megyn, your disdain for Trump has always been obvious, but to be in the position tonight that you’re in at the debate, and to start your questioning with Donald J. Trump the way you did...that’s what a liberal would do. I’ve lost all respect for you. I expected better from a Fox News employee. Especially you.
Likes 1,656
Kim Daskam
WTF was that!? How unprofessional! You attacked Trump on personal issues....FOX and the GOP are treating Trump unfairly. If he decides to go 3rd Party? it will be YOUR fault for not giving him a fair shake! It’s pretty clear, FOX and the GOP are railroading Trump......
Likes 2,466
I did not watch the debates, but everything I’ve read indicates that Trump stole the spot light again. Heh!
I have more respect for people who are liberal but honest about it. I detest people like Megyn Killer and Chris Wallace who pretend to be fair and balanced.
You can tell they are pissed, that it backfired.
Speak for yourself Mr. Erickson. I expect to have Trump keep pulling away from the pack.
One big question is does he announce his cabinet before the election? A total break with tradition, but maybe a good move. He picks up supporters from a dozen rivals.
He and Cruz sure did. Was jebber even on the stage?
I hope the Blond bitch notes how thousands didn’t approve of her attacking Trump. I expected it since they were bragging how they were going to “handle” Trump. Who acted most cordially except when being under attack.
Hume defended Kelly and said independents won’t like Trump’s response to Kelly’s attack. To me , as a Feminist being that I think just because a woman is bitchy she must not be called out on her unladylike behavior. Hume is such and Ass.
I have never seen a firestorm on facebook like the one going on foxnews page, thekellyfile page and megynkelly’s page. Unbelievable the anger being expressed at foxnews and megyn kelly.
When Newt was good he was very very good ......
I am disgusted with FOX and disappointed in Trump.
I know...I was reading them a little bit ago...they have to be just SHOCKED that this has been turned around on them. They don’t get it; we have always hated them too...just never had a person to rally around; someone who would call them out for their perfidy.
Those of us in “flyover country”...who pay for everything...have been insulted and kicked around for years by these worthless hacks while watching our country circle the drain. They are all very lucky that they are getting Facebook posts instead of the usual treatment handed out to despots when the people have finally had enough.
Rush will have a field day with this tomorrow given his comments on yesterdays show...lol.
The issue is fairness, Americans want Trump to be treated fairly.
This might be a Candy Crowly moment for Kelly.
This is. She just got fat with comments. Let her know. She turned into a cow. Nasty assed bitch no real man wants.
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