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Trump’s Ceiling of Support May Be Limited
The New York Times ^ | 2/11/16 | Sean Trende

Posted on 02/13/2016 12:50:30 PM PST by TBBT

Few professional analysts seriously expected six months ago that Donald Trump could win the Republican nomination. But after Tuesday night, it is a clear possibility.

How much of a possibility? To get that answer right, it is important to understand some things about the Trump phenomenon.

Perhaps most important, Trump's campaign is not a Tea Party phenomenon. While there's been a tendency to try to lump Trump in with various G.O.P. insurgencies of the last few years, that role is best filled by Sen. Ted Cruz, who really occupies the "Tea Party lane" of the G.O.P. primary more cleanly.

Instead, Trump is a part of a much older insurgency within the G.O.P., dating back to the 1992 Pat Buchanan campaign and even to some internal debates within the Nixon administration. Candidates in this vein, such as Gov. Mike Huckabee and Sen. Rick Santorum, have argued from varying angles that the economic libertarianism of the G.O.P. is a tough sell, and should be pulled more toward an economic populism that allows for increased redistribution and for helping the "little guy" who has been left behind in the era of globalization. It is because of this confusion that so many of the early attacks on Trump - from questioning his conservative bona fides to making fun of the way he talked - fell flat. Trump's voters simply didn't care about these things.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Business/Economy; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: alieninvasion; aliens; amnesty; bombtheshitoutofthem; botworkingovertime; buildthewall; deportthemall; disaster; economy; elections; endanchorbabies; endsanctuarycities; enforcethelaw; gangof14; immigration; infiltrators; invaders; isis; islam; jihad; jobs; military; moratorium; musliminvasion; muslims; populism; populist; richgreatwhitehope; securetheborders; securethenation; sendthemback; taketheitroil; tbbt; tbbttroll; teaparty; terrorism; trade; trojanhorse; troll; trump; trumpdisaster; trumpvalues; trumpwasright
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To: heights
-- IF Cruz were nominated SNL and every other comedy show would have a Treasure Trove of insanity to work with. --

SNL makes hay with whatever is available. I wouldn't use "SNL fodder" as a disqualifier. They all have enough material to work with.

I've upped my standards, now up yours. -- Pat Paulson

161 posted on 02/13/2016 2:01:58 PM PST by Cboldt
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To: TBBT

Rove has been singing this tired old song since Trump’s numbers were in the high teens and low 20’s. Trump’s numbers keep rising.

How come none of the others seem to have ceilings, but they remain mired in the teens and single digits.

Going with this theory would mean that none of the candidates can win either the nomination or the general.


162 posted on 02/13/2016 2:02:08 PM PST by euram
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To: Jim Robinson

Jim, this used to be a place where honest disagreements led to discussion. The Trump supporters here (of whom I am relatively sure are paid by the campaign to post pro Trump articles) is sickening. You’ll probably miss me about as much as I’ll miss you guys. Adios.


163 posted on 02/13/2016 2:02:29 PM PST by festusbanjo (Obama..Incompetent, Untrustworthy, Lawless, Arrogant. The one that our founders warned us about.)
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To: festusbanjo
Jim, this used to be a place where honest disagreements led to discussion. The Trump supporters here (of whom I am relatively sure are paid by the campaign to post pro Trump articles) is sickening. You'll probably miss me about as much as I'll miss you guys. Adios.

I thought you'd never leave.

164 posted on 02/13/2016 2:03:46 PM PST by Lazamataz (I'm an Islamophobe??? Well, good. When it comes to Islam, there's plenty to Phobe about.)
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To: The Toll

Sorry. Forgot it was patented. :)


165 posted on 02/13/2016 2:04:38 PM PST by Lazamataz (I'm an Islamophobe??? Well, good. When it comes to Islam, there's plenty to Phobe about.)
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To: Cboldt

What they ( SNL ) did to Palin, they will do to Cruz X10. He will be a National laughingstock.


166 posted on 02/13/2016 2:05:22 PM PST by heights
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To: altura; The Toll
What do you mean? I really want to know.
Rivers of blood?

In 1968 Enoch Powell, Conservative member of Parliament, delivered a speech referred to as the "Rivers of Blood" speech.

It is a historic classic, and, for those so disposed, it is educational.

Ironically, it addressed uncontrolled, mindless immigration.

Rivers of Blood

167 posted on 02/13/2016 2:06:57 PM PST by publius911 (IMPEACH HIM NOW evil, stupid, insane ignorant or just clueless, doesn't matter!)
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To: festusbanjo

Post another like the one I deleted, you’ll get the zot. And that’s a guarantee.


168 posted on 02/13/2016 2:07:58 PM PST by Jim Robinson (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to to God!)
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To: festusbanjo

Adios.


169 posted on 02/13/2016 2:09:04 PM PST by Jane Long (Go Trump, go! Make America Safe Again :)
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To: Allen In Texas Hill Country
Trump has not clearly elucidated any conservative principals in the last couple of months.

That would indeed be useful, if we were discussing education...

170 posted on 02/13/2016 2:09:32 PM PST by publius911 (IMPEACH HIM NOW evil, stupid, insane ignorant or just clueless, doesn't matter!)
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To: DoughtyOne


171 posted on 02/13/2016 2:10:21 PM PST by itsahoot (1st impression. Trump is a fumble mouthed blowhard that can't speak in complete sentences. VoteTrump)
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To: TBBT

Expected when trump doesn’t try to appeal to the supporters of other candidates who he attacks


172 posted on 02/13/2016 2:10:30 PM PST by RginTN (Donald J Trump- why would the people of Ky want a rookie senator when they have Sen Mitch Mcconnell)
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To: TBBT

The ceiling almost did come down last night.

173 posted on 02/13/2016 2:13:32 PM PST by McGruff (if Making America Great Again is your thing Trump is your guy)
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To: itsahoot

“:^)


174 posted on 02/13/2016 2:13:44 PM PST by DoughtyOne (the Free Republic Caucus: what FReepers are thinking, 100s or 1000s of them. It's up to you.)
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To: The Toll

1/2 of a wall will go up. Trumps own words. 1/2 of the border will not need one. Trump said 1,000 miles of the 2, 000 needs a wall. The rest does not. He is correct, but it is disingenuous to slam others to say “wall” is the only way to go. The wall doesn’t need to exist where their are natural borders, etc. Trust me, there will be no wall from San Diego to Brownsville. I know that, Trump and Cruz know that, and we all should know that, too.


175 posted on 02/13/2016 2:15:45 PM PST by GrouchoTex (...and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free.)
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To: GrouchoTex

Doesn’t matter. Scalia passed away. Obama will get a judge and nothing designed to protect Americans will stand.


176 posted on 02/13/2016 2:19:43 PM PST by The Toll
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To: The Toll

Yeah, I ust heard. Wow! We’re in a world of trouble now. Pushes more into the Cruz camp, to be honest.


177 posted on 02/13/2016 2:24:00 PM PST by GrouchoTex (...and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free.)
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To: tenthirteen
One may hope that Cruz gets the nomination, but I sense the only thing he will get is the heave. As time goes on, he is becoming less of a factor because his campaign is erratic and shiftless.

In all fairness, I don't think this reflects so much on him as it does his handlers; logically they are committed GOPe.

I continue that to believe that "party uber alles," being a Clinton creation, does not ever reflect well on anybody.

Cruz should have kept closer control over his public image.

personally, for me, for some time, both Trump AND Cruz were tied for #1; I hate politics!

178 posted on 02/13/2016 2:35:09 PM PST by publius911 (IMPEACH HIM NOW evil, stupid, insane ignorant or just clueless, doesn't matter!)
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To: The Toll

Shame.....Scalia was a great judge!!! It is now much more important that Donald J. Trump be elected POTUS this coming November, 2016!!! I have great fear that McConnell will cave to Obama and let a new nominee be elected to the Supreme Court. McConnell, McCain, Graham, etc. will sell us all out!!!

I see one ray of hope...and only one, Donald J. Trump!!! End of story!!!


179 posted on 02/13/2016 2:38:12 PM PST by JLAGRAYFOX (Defeat Hillary Clinton & totally destroy the entire Democrat Party, politically!!!)
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To: TBBT

Well if the NYT say so...

LOL, what a dope.


180 posted on 02/13/2016 2:40:58 PM PST by patq
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