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Longtime McCain aide launches vitriolic attack on Trump, Cruz
Politico ^ | 7/30/15 | Adam Lerner

Posted on 07/30/2015 11:59:27 AM PDT by VinL

Longtime John McCain aide launched a scathing attack against Donald Trump and Ted Cruz Thursday, calling the former a con man with bad hair and the latter his accomplice.

Mark Salter, who has worked for McCain for approximately two decades and co-authored numerous books with the Arizona senator, writes in RealClearPolitics that “either the phoniness in American politics has reached record levels or I’ve grown irremediably cynical in my old age” and that he was “referring, of course, to Donald Trump.”Trump, according to Salter, is a modern day P.T. Barnum, who enriched himself off of hoaxes and later started Barnum & Bailey Circus, before also entering politics. The only difference, Salter said, is that Barnum had “a less ridiculous hairdo, better taste and more tact.”

At a campaign event in Iowa earlier this month, Trump launched an attack on McCain, saying “he’s not a war hero” and that, when it comes to heroic veterans, he “like[s] people who weren’t captured.” The comments were widely condemned by Republicans of all stripes, but Trump’s poll numbers did not suffer significantly from the backlash.

One prominent Republican who refused to condemn Trump despite disagreeing with the comments was Sen. Cruz (R-Texas).

Later in the article, Salter accuses Cruz of being ripped off by “the more experienced huckster” and also perpetrating a hoax, but far less grandiosely than Trump. Salter said Cruz is hiding behind Ronald Reagan’s oft-cited 11th commandment — that Republicans should not attack one another — as he triangulates “in the hope of eventually inheriting the billionaire huckster’s supporters.”

Except it’s not working, Salter says, because Trump is “the one candidate in the race who has longer and more successful experience with shameless self-promotion and political flimflammery.”

“Were Trump in some epic misfortune to become the GOP nominee with his toxic favorable-unfavorable ratings and general repulsiveness, he could be the first candidate to lose all 50 states,” writes Salter. “Although his outsized ego may prevent him from realizing that, Republican leaders and the other 2016 candidates certainly do.”

“And [in that case] one can imagine a disappointed Ted Cruz, his political career over as quickly as it began because his demagoguery didn’t quite equal Trump’s know-nothing hucksterism,” Salter concludes.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Arizona; US: New York; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 2016election; arizona; cruz; election2016; johnmccain; marksalter; mccain; newyork; senatorjohnmccain; senatormccain; tedcruz; texas; trump
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To: VinL

Mr Smith goes to Washington is an appropriate story anyway. Mr Smith sent to Washington with the hope that he could be corrupted and bent to the party’s will.


41 posted on 07/30/2015 12:49:20 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Sad fact, most people just want a candidate to tell them what they want to hear)
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To: VinL

From the loser who gave us the first Obama term. No thanks.


42 posted on 07/30/2015 12:51:07 PM PDT by tioga
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To: VinL

No folks. Really. The evil purists are all wrong. Principle is the problem. Lesser evil results on no damage to America or conservatives fighting to save it.

Really. It’s harmless. Lets elect as much of it as we can.


43 posted on 07/30/2015 12:51:33 PM PDT by Norm Lenhart
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To: VinL
Here's your metrosexual Butthurt cream, Mark.


44 posted on 07/30/2015 12:53:14 PM PDT by TADSLOS (A Ted Cruz Happy Warrior! GO TED!)
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To: VinL

We’re all sure he knows whereof he speaks. Working with mccain for so long, he’s had a chance to observe phoniness up close and personal.


45 posted on 07/30/2015 12:55:03 PM PDT by DPMD
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To: VinL
“either the phoniness in American politics has reached record levels “

Chuckle! This sucker sat across the two biggest phonies in US history politics, Barack Obama and John McCain and still didn't recognize them for what they were? No surprise McCain got slaughtered in 2008, with a top adviser like that.

46 posted on 07/30/2015 1:14:08 PM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: VinL; All

Surprise surprise surprise

the Collaborators aide is as foolish as his boss


47 posted on 07/30/2015 1:19:09 PM PDT by Nifster
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To: VinL

Do we need to hear from every drunken stumblebum out there. Now it’s John McCain’s own personal Chuck Colson - a do or die flunkie who will run over his grandmother for McCain.

This is not news. McCain is a failure, get used to it. There’s not a dime’s worth of difference among McCain, Kerry and McConnell. It only reinforces what this nation needs and that is term limits. The professional political class has to go, their money trains, their lobbyists, their private gambling clubs and their mistresses. Fire the bunch of him. Two terms in the Senate and out. Everything else will clean itself. Take the money out of politics by taking the decades out of politics. Let them get real jobs and do real work instead of lining their pockets.


48 posted on 07/30/2015 1:21:34 PM PDT by Titus-Maximus (It doesn't matter who votes for whom, it only matters who counts the votes - Joe Stalin)
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To: VinL

What’s the matter, Mr. Salter?

Did poor ol’ johhny boy forget what to say, or has he decided that he is not the man he appears to be, to do it for himself?


49 posted on 07/30/2015 1:29:56 PM PDT by Terry L Smith
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To: VinL

“con man, modern day P.T. Barnum, experienced huckster, shameless self-promotion, political flimflammery, general repulsiveness, outsized ego, demagoguery”

Indeed, Salter knows his boss pretty well. This description fits McCainiac to a T.


50 posted on 07/30/2015 1:54:00 PM PDT by SharpRightTurn (White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
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To: VinL

Gee, Mark, I don’t know...maybe it’s just that people are pissed.

And by the way, how’s Johnny feel about getting primaried?

See, Mark, that’s what Johnny is really sweating...if Trump stays in, and drives up the turnout in Arizona, your boss is out. Johnny needs Jebthro to be the big name draw...nice and moderate, milktoast. Drops the primary turnout to levels he can manage.


51 posted on 07/30/2015 2:03:08 PM PDT by ameribbean expat
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To: VinL

McCain and his fellow moles are obviously feeling the heat. They are so angry. That tell us that we’re getting to them...ha! Stay the course Donald! We’re with you!


52 posted on 07/30/2015 2:35:53 PM PDT by WyCoKsRepublican
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To: WyCoKsRepublican

P.S. We voted for that senile, demented clown (and not by choice). To quote the WHO: We Won’t Be Fooled Again!


53 posted on 07/30/2015 2:39:17 PM PDT by WyCoKsRepublican
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To: VinL

Oh no, we’re having a wittle fit!


54 posted on 07/30/2015 3:10:12 PM PDT by PistolPaknMama
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To: DoughtyOne; VinL

“Longtime McCain Aide and Party to Evil Launches Vitriolic Attack on McCain’s Betters, Trump & Cruz “

Nice fix it job.


55 posted on 07/30/2015 3:10:18 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (My Batting Average( 1,000) (GOPe is that easy to read))
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To: stephenjohnbanker; VinL

= :^)

Thanks...


56 posted on 07/30/2015 3:19:10 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Now remember honey, if you can't remember your name, just tell the police JEB. John Ellis "Jeb" Bush)
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To: VinL

McCain is laying low because he is up for re-election. Same M.O. as last time. Instead, he will have his henchmen or recent FNC contributor daughter spew his thoughts.


57 posted on 07/30/2015 3:55:39 PM PDT by SMM48
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To: VinL

The definition of phoniness - suspending your presidential campaign to handle an important vote in the Senate.


58 posted on 07/30/2015 7:51:57 PM PDT by justa-hairyape (The use of the name is sarcastic. Although at times it may not appear that way.)
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To: VinL

59 posted on 07/30/2015 8:33:18 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: VinL

I would not want to live my life hating like this man. No wonder he gets along so well with McCain.

Why can’t these progressive Republicans engage their brains and argue to the issues with Trump? They are like Demonrat progressives...they think they can dismiss their opponents’ policies with mindless shout downs like “racist” or “sexist.”

This is an article written by a con-man.


60 posted on 07/31/2015 5:39:55 AM PDT by SaraJohnson
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