Trump Turns To S.C. To Propel Unstoppable Campaign

washingtontimes.com ^ | February 9

[Helicondelta]

A day after the New Hampshire primary, Republican presidential hopefuls were set Wednesday to fan out across South Carolina and begin jockeying for the first-in-the-South primary that has a history of picking the eventual nominee.

Billionaire businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump has the early edge in polling there and in other key states as the race turns to the South and West over the next six weeks.

South Carolina has the potential to launch Mr. Trump into victories in a series of delegate-rich multistate primaries next month and turn his campaign into an unstoppable juggernaut toward the nomination.

[Neu Pragmatist]

The saving grace is the new mass media and smartphones/ technology ... it’s a lot harder to get away with what they used to get away with ... very risky for the estab nowadays

[Neu Pragmatist]

The problem is that Cruz is unelectable ... the majority of people know this

[Crucial]

There’s a cult of personality surrounding Trump that’s almost bloodthirsty. I agree with the Muslim ban and waterboarding. I agree with many of his positions but I distrust his vicious attacks on his opponents. He is almost merciless. He is also unprincipled, really. I simply don’t trust him to aspire to make America great like a shining city on a hill. I want America to defend itself and become strong again but it needs to be an example and beacon of freedom. I really don’t think Trump gets that.

[Neu Pragmatist]

Looks like I was right yet again ...

Passive-aggressive weirdo Jebbie isn’t done yet ...

http://www.politico.com/blogs/new-hampshire-primary-2016-live-updates/2016/02/bush-plans-scorched-earth-attack-on-kasich-rubio-219058

[Admin Moderator]

The headline was changed at the website.

[Paul R.]

I don't bash Ted Cruz's principles, I question his political skill.

I think you are on to something there. On the one hand, Cruz built an impressive ground game in Iowa, but it took a huge effort: He self-congratulated himself on his 12,000 volunteers in IA, and 200,000 nationwide (at least some of whom participated remotely in the IA effort.) Cruz spent a LOT of time in IA (somewhat similar to Kasich' effort in NH.) It's hard to imagine that getting only 4.3 votes per volunteer (counting only the 12,000 volunteers) is sustainable.

However, there may be bigger factors in play. Cruz is a long time politician, and he or at least his staff play that way: The "shaming" mailers in IA, and the gossip-mongering about Carson dropping out are examples. Then, when caught, instead of cleanly putting those things behind him, Cruz tries to lawyer-talk his way out. Supporters excuse the tactics as common politics, but Cruz and his people never seem to quite realize that "business as usual" in politics is a significant part of what many people are fed up with. (That "disgusted" attitude is also a significant component of why so many people don't vote or don't vote often, or if they do vote, figure "they are all crooks or jerks, so I'll just vote for the crook / jerk who'll send me the most $$.) Trump offers these voters an alternative.

Trump plays rough too, in ads and public comments, but falls back on his mostly self-funded campaign to deflect the "typical politician" accusations.

Trump also utilizes a sort of multi-angle bombardment, as we saw last night: He was very gracious to the other candidates in the opening of his victory speech, even while unfurling his new attack ad on Cruz in SC.

Post-Iowa, Trump (with regard to the Carson rumor bit) reminded me of the guy in a movie(?) who walks into a bar, re-instigates a dispute between some hotheads there, and walks out with a couple bottles of booze, as behind him the whole place dissolves into a brawl.

[glock rocks]

I’m not a republican.

[Eisenhower Republican]

"I want America to defend itself and become strong again but it needs to be an example and beacon of freedom.

Few people grok how late in the day it really is. Everything that ever made this country great will be dust and ashes soon if we don't start enforcing our borders.

Any damage Trump might do would be repairable. IMHO, some of it is absolutely necessary. He's a walking litmus test for principle. I may not like his style, but the fact that someone with an ego that huge, and that much to lose, is willing to stake his precious public image and personal fortune to the dirt in defense of US sovereignty and the Bill of Rights earns my respect. He also connects with millennials in a way that none of the other candidates ever could.

The party had the option of supporting good men like Tancredo and Hunter. They made well-reasoned principled arguments and they lost. Some of "our side" participated gleefully in their demise.

The GOPe have been running good men out of DC for a long time, then claiming they can't get anything done up on the Hill due to apathy and momentum. All the while bathing themselves in baksheesh they took in exchange for destroying every last vestige of the party Eisenhower and Reagan built. The only way that adheres to principle is if "principled" is now newspeak for 'pusillanimous'.

[StAnDeliver]

"Passive-aggressive weirdo Jebbie isn't done yet ..."

He is crazy enough to demand the Veep spot behind Trump, the way Poppy did behind Reagan. He won't get it.

[StAnDeliver]

"There's a cult of personality surrounding Trump that's almost bloodthirsty. I agree with the Muslim ban and waterboarding. I agree with many of his positions but I distrust his vicious attacks on his opponents. He is almost merciless. He is also unprincipled, really."

This isn't your Grandma's Democrat Party. Your Grandma's Democrat Party wasn't fully entrenched in the media, in the federal unionized mandarin corps, in the Sec8/SSI/WIC/TANF/SNAP/Bobophone ghettos.

You don't like the fight, then look away.

[wardaddy]

You’ve got a point....Cruz was my first pick till Trump jumped in

Trump fights in the two big issues

That’s enough for now

I have faith in his fiscal skills

Those three will keep him busy

[wardaddy]

I agree with you completely

Both sides are bad but the Cruz people have been louder nastier and very few of them magnanimous

Since I openly support Cruz too they mostly leave me alone but they are so ugly about it

Look at several of them in this thread

Just like folks were 5 years ago if u were critical of Sarah Palin the tiniest bit and some of these Cruz or seppeku posters were in that same bunch

And now they have attacked Sarah Palin as a hussy loser even though they’d drink her bathwater in 2011

I think being so ugly is what they do

It can’t just be politics

[LibsRJerks]

There’s a cult of personality surrounding Trump that’s almost bloodthirsty. I agree with the Muslim ban and waterboarding. I agree with many of his positions but I distrust his vicious attacks on his opponents. He is almost merciless. He is also unprincipled, really. I simply don’t trust him to aspire to make America great like a shining city on a hill. I want America to defend itself and become strong again but it needs to be an example and beacon of freedom. I really don’t think Trump gets that.

That’s all well and good, but we can’t be a beacon of freedom if our economy sinks into collapse. We will neither be shining, nor strong, nor free. We are in DEBT, major, massive, excruciating debt, in case you haven’t noticed. Trump may have an effect on that ...or at least he is our last hope to turn it around.

And THAT is what I think folks like yourself maybe do not get. I mean, you really don’t get that. The country is on life support ...we just turned the corner to 19 tril.

[Caipirabob]

It's not meant to be insulting. We need to keep people engaged and the antagonistic remarks are getting out of hand. You've been here a long time, too. Most of the crap I've seen is from noobs but we need to try to keep opposing views in check if for no other reason than to keep FR from bleeding members.

Each Freepathon is running a full 90 days before we make the numbers. We need to keep every single one of our good standing contributing members to keep this place going.

I've watched good people leave year after year after useless flame wars. Yes, it's good to BBQ a noob troll, but for anyone who loves to be here and participate daily, we need to tone down the rhetoric.

Yes, explain why Trump is this and that, talk about Cruz being a so and so.

But stop unnecessary tormenting of our best, brightest and donating FReepers. We'd like this place to be here for the entire election.

Anyway, yes. I'm tagging trolling and taunting. You're going to see more of that, not less. Weak? Maybe, survivalist? Yeap. I've seen too many people leave over this stuff.

[erlayman]

The attacks always seem to be with a wink and a grin to me. Wasn’t Trump open to considering Cruz as VP just a few days ago ? Always liked the guy, always gotten along well, just a sad thing that happened in Iowa which I’m over now...Erratic and opportunistic maybe but I don’t get a sense of cruelty or mercilessness. Although obviously no one gets to his position in life without doing everything possible to win.

[Bryanw92]

>>The attacks always seem to be with a wink and a grin to me. Wasn’t Trump open to considering Cruz as VP just a few days ago ?

I watch the Trump vs Cruz attacks and am reminded of Bush attacking Reagan in the 1980 primary. That turned out OK.

[praytell]

Maybe you could explain this so I may get a clear understanding of why you despise Cruz. I want Cruz because of his unwavering conservative and constitution loving principles. IMHOP, Trump is a RINO.

We don't need RINO's who supported Hillary, who has regularly hung out with Al Sharpton, donated to Bill Clinton's campaign, is for gun control, has filed bankruptcies multiple times, is pro-choice, etc.

Are these your principles as well or is there something I am missing?

[Aleya2Fairlie]

“I think being so ugly is what they do”

I think you’ve put the whole matter of obnoxious posters on both sides in a neat little nutshell. Some people just naturally gravitate towards anything that will let them practice their snark, hatefulness, and vile rhetoric.

You’re so right! That’s just the kind of people they are. A political discussion board is just another playground for them. They most likely don’t have any real convictions of any sort.

[pghoilman]

You’re giving him grief for watching CNN? I can barely tolerate Fox News anymore - and find myself watching CNN for a more objective take on things lately.

[jokemoke]

Trump will win in Ohio...just letting you know.