Posted on 04/19/2016 11:37:58 AM PDT by Kaslin
A lot of very smart political people predict that Donald Trump will arrive at the Republican convention in Cleveland shy of the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the nomination on the first ballot.
Here’s why I don’t think that’s the way it will play out.
To begin with, you’ve got to understand Trump’s mentality—and I believe I understand him better than most people outside his immediate family.
I’ve known Trump for 35 years, met with him on numerous occasions, talked to him on the phone countless times, traveled with him, and written two lengthy magazine cover stories about him.
One cover story appeared in the December 2013 issue of Vanity Fair and was titled “Trump Family Values.”
In that story, I reported that the once nearly bankrupt Trump had figured out a way to make a comeback and become a billionaire.
The second cover story appeared in the August 2012 issue of Newsmax magazine and was titled “The Trump Effect.”
In that story, I explained Trump’s appeal to a vast swath of Americans—“blue-collar and low-level white collar workers who say that they’re tired of hearing the same old political falderal from career politicians.”
What I learned from reporting these stories is that Trump always has an ace in the hole.
In the case of the Republican convention, where he may arrive 50 to 100 votes short of the necessary 1,237, his ace will be the 136 unbound delegates.
Trump has already identified each one of these 136 free-to-vote-for-whomever-they-please delegates and has begun to woo them.
And, let’s not forget, he is the master of the deal.
Unlike you, I wouldn't paint supporters of any candidate with a broad brush...your comments do not in any way reflect upon other Cruz supporters or Cruz himself.
I would say that to call you a moron is perhaps unfair to other morons, so I want to assure them that I don't want this to reflect badly upon them.
It's not about personalities, and it's not a case of neener-neener.
Those who ignore and cheat the will of the people...be they parties, politicians, volunteers or too-sharp candidates...do so at their own peril. The delegates Cruz collects on that basis are illegitimate, and he is the recipient of stolen goods...regardless of the 'rules.'
Ok You win. You are political. I am political. Trump is political. Cruz is political. Aunt Sally is political as is Uncle John. Everyone is political. Anyone who is political can be bought, therefore everyone can be bought.
You are right...
I should have said according to some Trump supporters.
But I have never called anyone names...nor have I used words such as
Trumpeters, Trumpsters, or etc.
I have been for the most part respectful.
If those “free” things are tax deductible (and they are written off) does that mean that tax payers are paying for it?
“But I have never called anyone names...nor have I used words such as
Trumpeters, Trumpsters, or etc.
I have been for the most part respectful.”
Oh, come on.
Deceptive Donnie doesn’t have a filter.
Why should we? :-)
I’m quite certain that the GOPe doesn’t like Cruz. I heard it from their mouthpieces at Salem radio too many times last summer, before they began to fear Trump.
Right now they see Cruz as the vehicle for denying Trump 1237. That’s the sole reason for their “support”. They will stab Cruz in the back as soon as they satisfy themselves that Trump can’t win.
Then we will have the open convention that the GOPe wants, and Jeb or Ryan or whomever will get the nomination.
The only chance for the insurgents is the first ballot.
So if that is true than Putin’s son by an American maid in Trump Towers could be president? Really?
Let’s seize their flocks and herds, too.
.
Problem with your assertion is that Cruz has the delegates to win the second ballot already. Nothing is going to change that. He will accrete more and more as the primaries continue to launch more delegates.
You and the Magic 8 Ball have equal credibility.
I was reading another thread, “Republicans Think They’ll Outfox Trump? Think Again,” and had to search for your post.
DT KNOWS ABOUT DELEGATES. If he could keep track of the elections over all these years and talk about delegates then what he has been NOT doing must have a reason.
He’s aware of the rules. He loves sliming people, doesn’t he? Pot calling the kettle black.
Trying to confuse the issue at hand is a losing strategy use by the everyone does it excuse. You know that people that devote time an money to attain a semblance of importance in the party are not ordinary voters.
I certainly have political opinions but no political ambitions what so ever. I would like to see the country change directions and I see Trump as the only viable candidate to do that at this time.
Why don't you cite the actual evidence backing up your claim? Please start with which laws Trump broke and his specific actions that broke those laws.
I'm sure you won't.
You know whatever you want to call it, it is bribery when you get politicians to do what you want by giving them money.
From Wikipedia...
Bribery is the act of giving money, goods or other forms of recompense to a recipient in exchange for an alteration of their behavior (to the benefit/interest of the giver) that the recipient would otherwise not alter. Bribery is defined by Black’s Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or other person in charge of a public or legal duty.[1]
https://politicalwire.com/2015/07/30/trump-quote-of-the-day-20/
“As a businessman and a very substantial donor to very important people, when you give, they do whatever the hell you want them to do. As a businessman, I need that.”
— Donald Trump, quoted by the Wall Street Journal, explaining campaign donations he once made to Hillary Clinton.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/430266/donald-trump-bribes-politicians-and-boasts-about-it
Diagnosing the break might be thought the occasion for an apology, not a curtain call. But Trump gets the curtain call. And being Trump, he knows he’s on a roll and doubles down. Rival Rand Paul needled, “You’ve donated to several Democratic candidates. You explained away those donations saying you did that to get business-related affairs. And you said recently, quote, ‘When you give, they do whatever the hell you want them to do.’” This is the point where the guy suspected of bribery, if he can afford a lawyer (or a million lawyers!), takes the Fifth . . . or at least whines, “You’re taking my words out of context!” Not The Donald. He grins and squeals, “You better believe it.” And the crowd eats it up. Just as they did in Iowa recently when he brayed, “I’ve got to give to them, because when I want something, I get it. When I call, they kiss my ass.”
Under your loose rules, Teddy boy accepted a bribe from Goldman Sachs.
Only in the sense that Trump can probably write some of his expenses off as business expenses—and you can hide a lot of double-duty expenses in a billion dollar business.
Let’s say Trump invites some delegates to fly from their home state to Cleveland with him. If he can figure a way to write off the cost of the trip as a business expense, who is going to know at the IRS that there were some extra passengers on board.
Trump says he gets audited all the time—and I believe it. I suggest that he probably pushes the envelope all the time on what expenses can be written off legally. Remember, he is a stickler for rules in business that favor him, such as the bankruptcy laws where his personal wealth is protected from creditors in those corporations which failed.
Bribery is the act of giving money, goods or other forms of recompense to a recipient in exchange for an alteration of their behavior (to the benefit/interest of the giver) that the recipient would otherwise not alter.
I guess the key phrase in that definition is
“an alteration of their behavior”
If the donation causes the “person/politician” to change their behavior/vote/etc...then by definition it is bribery.
But that is pretty much not going to be prosecuted because the corruption has gone on for so long.
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