Donald Trump Considering Taking Pledge Not to Run as Third-Party Candidate

ABC News/Good Morning America ^ | 8/10/15 | Jon Karl

[tellw]

Donald Trump may soon do what Republican leaders have been asking the billionaire candidate to do -- pledge not to run as an independent candidate for president, a senior Trump adviser told ABC News.

Trump refused to take that pledge at the start of Thursday's GOP debate but is now seriously considering promising not to run as an independent if he does not win the Republican nomination, the adviser said.

[Arm_Bears]

Nope—Damage already done—On both sides.

You can’t unring a bell.

The candidates who have since criticized Trump are off my consideration list as they don’t seem to understand that the enemy is the DemocRAT Party, not other Republicans.

Will not watch Faux News again, either.

[thefactor]

Great. Enjoy Hillary or Bernie. You’ll have yourself to thank for it. This is big boy politics, not some rebellious teen acting out.

[IC Ken]

Trump said when asked to raise his hand in the pledge that it would depend on who won the nomination. The others (ALL OF THEM) all pledged to support Jeb Bush if he got the nomination. GO TRUMP!

[Mr. N. Wolfe]

Agreed. Some of the actions by the moderators of this debate and previous ones were inexcusable.

[conservative98]

How about Trumpe will not run 3rd party because the Repubics will become third party if Bush wins. Trump will run in the NEW Republican party.

[mrsmith]

Too soon. Let them squirm another month or two.

[TomGuy]

Keep’em guessing, Donald!

Don’t fall into their rhetorical traps.

==

Trump is still dominating the headlines.

Sorry, Luntz, but it is difficult to bury someone when he is still dominating the political theater.

[dfwgator]

Never take any option off the table.

[Servant of the Cross]

I would love Donald Trump to say ...

... as long as this party does not nominate Jeb Bush, I pledge to support the winner and not make a third party run. However, if Jeb is the nominee, all bets are off.

[dfwgator]

Third Party? Where’s the second party?

[spokeshave]

[bassmaner]

+1

[cymbeline]

“Third Party? Where’s the second party?”

Good one.

Trump taking a plege or whatever to not run as an independent would be a serious blow to his competitors.

[gunnyg]

Uh Huh, sounds right!.............in any case if Mr Trump agrees to agree to any such “agreement” (?) it will change many minds now in favor of him and what he stands for, including me, for whatever that’s worth, I know!

Dick.G: AMERICAN !
aka: Gunny G
******

[Buffalo Head]

"Will not watch Faux News again, either."

Please explain how that will help yourself or teach Fox some kind of lesson.

[annieokie]

You are CORRECT, meaningless pledges. Heck even marriage vows/pledges don’t mean anything anymore.

[jjsheridan5]

This is big boy politics, not some rebellious teen acting out.

You are right in saying that this is a high-stakes, cut-throat field. But you draw the wrong conclusion. A pledge of support to the GOPe (in any manner -- pledge not to run 3rd party, pledge of future support, etc.) is effectively giving carte blanche to a syndicate that has proven that there is no rule or law that they will not bend or break, in order to bypass the will of their constituents in favor of their big donor masters. Essentially, a pledge, in any form, is a big "kick me" sign, directed at a group (the Republican wing of the DC cartel) who has shown no hesitancy to fight dirty, and shows no willingness to go quietly into the night.

This isn't a "rebellious teen". This is someone who understands high-stakes negotiations better than all of us combined. A pledge, of any kind, is giving away the ace up your sleeve to an opponent who has been blatantly stacking the deck for decades.

[BaldJohn]

I think it would be foolish for Trump to pledge not to run third party. That would give the GOPe chance to dis-invite him from debates for some little thing he says, much like Erick Erickson did at Red State.

[US_MilitaryRules]

Trump should have thrown the ? back at the other candidates! “Will all of you support me if I win the nomination?”

Would any of them raised their hands?

[Chauncey Uppercrust]

Yes I loved that he said it.