Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post: Don’t count out non-Trump, non-Cruz candidates yet

The Waco Tribune ^ | January 19, 2016 | Jennifer Rubin, The Washington Post

[2ndDivisionVet]

Following the Thursday GOP presidential debate, the campaigns are trying to make the most of their gains and minimize their problems coming out of feisty face-offs with their rivals.

Donald Trump is continuing to bash Sen. Ted Cruz over his "New York values" slur; Cruz responded with a snarky dig at liberal politicians, which was non-responsive considering his crack was about the values of New York. More forcefully, Trump is keeping the flap going about Cruz's Goldman Sachs and Citibank loans, telling Jake Tapper, "How are you going to be president if you didn't know about a million-dollar loan from Goldman Sachs? And you said it's something you don't know about, now he doesn't know that he was a Canadian citizen? I mean, that's in a way maybe worse than all the other things we're talking about."

Trump kept up his Tweet storm pointing to a news account regarding Cruz raising money at the home of two gay New York businessmen, calling Cruz a "hypocrite . . . [who] says one thing for money, does another for votes." That's Trump for you, and if Cruz is to prevent a defeat in his must-win state of Iowa, he will have to figure out some way to get off defense and get his message out. Right now he's running after fly balls Trump is hitting all over the park.

Then there is the tussle between New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., over Christie's denial that he ever supported Justice Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court....

[2ndDivisionVet]

"...she shrieked, despairingly, to anyone who'd listen."

[South40]

Well, Trump did declare Rubio eligible.

[SteveSCH]

Jeb is starting to climb in the polls... A lot of voters are getting turned off by this back and forth between Ted/Cruz, and Rubio/Christie and see JEB as the calm in the storm...

My gut tells me that Cruz and Trump will stay even in Iowa, but in NH Jeb will be surging, and both Cruz and Trump will in points.

[nickcarraway]

I agree. Not a single vote has been cast.

[SmokingJoe]

Yup. The mad creepy witch of the WAPO engages in wishful thinking aided by a nasty tasting witches brew. Pure desperation.

[stars & stripes forever]

Try as they may, JEB is not going to make a comeback.

[JennysCool]

You’re kidding, right? Jeb doesn’t surge ... he just sort of rumbles aimlessly ...

[gg188]

I'd say there's a 90% chance that the GOP Elite Establishment, Reince Priebus, Rove, Kochs, The Donor Class, etc., will devise or have already completed a means to manipulate the results of the convention's votes.

For one thing two critical rules that greatly favor the Establishment and would directly target Trump were implemented by the GOP in 2012 under Romney.

Other factors include peeling off committed delegates away from the candidate they are committed to. This can be done after the first vote if there's no winner of a majority of ballots in the first vote on the floor. Chances are, this peeling can be done also before the first floor vote, using the rules of machine politics, treachery, arcane provisions, small print, etc. The peeling of votes on the SECOND ballot will be done with bribes, threats, blackmail and promises of patronage jobs. (If no one candidate has a majority on the first ballot, all delegate commitments are off, all become "free agents", free to negotiate the best bargain they and their delegation can get in return for throwing their votes to that particular candidate.)

It is a very good probability that GOP lawyers will get this nomination handed to Bush. And justify it with language, like, "To prevent our party from being torn apart by the warring parties of Cruz and Trump, to unite the party under one candidate as a compromise..." or, "The GOP cannot nominate a candidate who is a dangerous unknown who has never held office, therefore, in seeking a compromise that everyone can live with, we present Jeb Bush."

Dirty tricks aren't just for general elections, silly rabbit!

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

WHO?

[ifinnegan]

Very good. Quite funny and apropos.

[TigerClaws]

I saw fat boy Rove on tonight with his little white board saying someone (Bush) could come from last to first. He used Santorum as his example.

How many tens of millions will it costs these guys if Trump of Cruz makes it through?

[Right_Wing_Madman]

You're kidding, right? Jeb doesn't surge ... he just sort of rumbles aimlessly ...

Jeb! could surge from 3% to 4%.

[SunkenCiv]

Like RedStain, Rubin is another media shill all-in for Rubio.

[DesertRhino]

I remember when I had my first beer.... It’s Cruz or Trump. And that’s ok )))

[DesertRhino]

“but in NH Jeb will be surging, and both Cruz and Trump will in points.”

Hitler.....Bunker.

[CASchack]

“Hey—we’re the RINO candidates over here! We’re running, too!”

[Fresh Wind]

A lot of voters are getting turned off by this back and forth between Ted/Cruz, and Rubio/Christie and see JEB as the calm in the storm...

And that calm will persist all the way 'till November, when Hitlery or Burnout takes the big prize.

[Dr. Sivana]

For one thing two critical rules that greatly favor the Establishment and would directly target Trump were implemented by the GOP in 2012 under Romney.

The rules change did not anticipate a non-Establishment candidate who would clean up in the northeast. Trump , Cruz, maybe Rubio can get a majority of delegates from eight states or territories. As things now stand, no one else will. The 2,500 or so delegates are not mostly superdelegate types who are easily bribed or blackmailed. They are mostly folks like us who care enough to get seriously involved. Look at YouTube videos of the 1976 Republican convention. Look at the Reagan delegates. They weren't gonna be bought off by anybody. Viva! Ole!

[elcid1970]

“...she shrieked, despairingly, to anyone who’d listen.”

Heh, heh!

;^)

[GOPJ]

Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post - no one has voted on Pulitzer Prizes yet either... Don't count out papers like the Shreveport Times Largo Leader and Joliet Herald - News