Posted on 07/19/2015 1:01:23 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Even before Donald Trump found himself on defense for disparaging Sen. John McCain's military service, Sal Russo wasn't too impressed with the real estate mogul's presidential prospects.
Russo knows a thing or two about populist uprisings and anti-establishment candidates. The former Reaganite spent eight weeks advising billionaire Ross Perot's third party campaign in 1992. In 2002, he consulted for a conservative challenger to moderate Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan in California's Republican gubernatorial primary (his candidate won the nomination). A few years later, Russo founded Tea Party Express, a group he still runs.
On Saturday, Trump came under fire for questioning whether McCain's time as prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, during which he was severely tortured, qualifies the Arizona Republican as a war hero. The day before, in a telephone interview with the Washington Examiner from his home in Sacramento, Calif., Russo discussed the billionaire businessman/reality television star's upstart bid for the GOP presidential nomination.
Russo's verdict: The frustration with Washington and the political establishment that Trump has tapped into with his unorthodox, blunt style is very real and shouldn't be dismissed. Trump has risen in part by taking a hard line on illegal immigration. But the New Yorker's comments have been interpreted by some as broadly anti-immigrant, and Russo said that Trump's message lacks the substantive seriousness and positive, uplifting vision required to turn anti-establishment agitators, like President Ronald Reagan, into winners at the ballot box.
The interview with Russo was edited for length and clarity.
Examiner: What do you make of Donald Trump?
Russo: Both Trump and Bernie Sanders are taking advantage of abject frustration with the established order — on the left and the right. People think the system doesn't work. The manifestations are, of course, candidates that speak very boldly but not necessarily in ways that make them universally popular. The problem with their electability is, protest candidates aren't usually successful. Those that are successful articulate a vision for the future.
Examiner: Has Trump caught fire with Tea Party voters?
Russo: I would say no to that. We continually poll our donors to see what they're thinking and he has not polled very well.
Examiner: In 1992, you spent about eight weeks in Dallas advising Perot, another billionaire businessman rabble-rouser. Any similarities?
Russo: I don't think the overlap is clear with Trump other than the frustration and [voters] liking the blunt, straight talk. And Perot was pretty folksy — he was far less provocative than Trump.
Examiner: You live in California and witnessed first hand the 2003 recall of Gov. Gray Davis, which featured another celebrity-turned-politician in Arnold Schwarzenegger. Any similarities between that race and what you're seeing with the Trump phenomenon?
Russo: Schwarzenegger has the celebrity that Trump has, [although] in the campaign Arnold never said anything too provocative. That's where Trump — a lot of things he says strains credibility. He hasn't laid out an agenda where people can relate to it. But when you look at Arnold saying, 'I'm going to blow up the boxes,' nobody was offended by that. It was, okay, he's going to go up there and clean up. It's an important pivot point, credible even if unspecified. If voters like you and trust you they'll impute to you what they think should be done. But you need to be likable.
Examiner: Is Trump hurting the Republican Party's brand and jeopardizing the eventual nominee's chances against Hillary Clinton?
Russo: I would generally say no to that. I don't think anything is damaging particularly. The nominee defines the party. When we have a nominee that person is going to define the party and what the alternatives are. I hear all that hand wringing; I think it's pretty silly. I don't think it's going to matter. If Trump's on the ticket, it matters.
Examiner: Can Trump win?
Russo: We have never in modern times elected a protest candidate as president. The candidate with the more forward looking agenda has tended to win all of the time. So the big question is, can Trump turn his protest movement into something more appealing to the general public? The personality candidates seem to often be the protest candidates, which means there is a limited shelf life. People want a vision.
He went from Republican to Democrat. Just like Hillary Clinton!
You think that the Tea Party like big government?
around 8:10 to 10:00 in this video . 2 and a half years ago . I think Donald did change his opinion somewhere along the way but not recently . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iksVbzx5iN4
Do you have any proof Trump has “come around?” He supports amnesty. he supports universal healthcare. He supports the government stealing private property. He thinks Muslims should be immune to criticism.
What issues do you think Trump is conservative?
I want the TRUTH
“Hardly a position that would be taken from a free market conservative.”
The only thing good about being a “free market conservative” is shopping at Walmart...
The tea party is non-existent since the Obama admin began it’s persecution of them with the IRS scandals. This Obama government is evil & tyrannical. No one stands up to them! Trump is so welcomed and looked at in awe because he is good at handling the media, rich(can afford lawyers) and has the courage to stand up to a multi-international web of Marxist Globalists. He loves America and not many politicians do these days.
“but his actual plan is to slap on tariffs which history has proved will lead to higher prices (hurting the middle class the most) and less American jobs”
History has proved no such thing... American jobs don’t depend on importing, they depend on manufacturing here. America is the largest consumer in the world. However we are now consuming stuff everybody else makes. Tariffs are exactly what we need.
When people say “history has proved”, it usualy means they are making it up...
“Do you want universal healthcare?”
Senior citizens already have universal healthcare. It’s called medicare...
“Do you want your property taken by eminent domain?”
Eminent domain is absolutely necessary for a society to function. We wouldn’t have an infrastructure without it. No highways, no rail road, no electric grid, no water systems, etc. Just because it’s misused sometimes doesn’t make it bad...
As long as Trump is taking it to the establishment I'm backing him.
That statement is a bit misleading since only 15 states have legislation granting in state tuition to illegals in the first place.
There are only 15 states that have legislation awarding in state tuition to illegals in the first place.
It is remarkable how vicious the Cruz supporters on FR are towards Trump. Cruz is doing all he can to maintain a good relationship with Trump and those who support Trump but the Cruz people here do nothing but lie and slander Trump. Dido Walker supporters.
Your right there is nothing we can do to bring jobs back to the USA. Screw the middle class. Long live the 1%!
No, there is plenty we can do to increase jobs in the US. Things like fewer regulations (ex. the energy sector), lower corporate taxes will encourage us to produce jobs in those sectors that are growing and have a solid future. The Donald is proposing a 20% tariffs on imported goods from China that will mean fewer jobs because they will retaliate and kill our export market.
Senior citizens already have universal healthcare. It’s called medicare...
So you are supportive of Obamacare?
Don't tell anyone that may stop their funding....
I think the Donald would classify himself as a "free market conservative"
Besides, I love shopping at Walmart. The cheapest prices around meaning I get to keep more of my hard earned paycheck.
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.