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Trump's 3 Challenges: Himself, Media and Republicans
Townhall.com ^ | June 23, 2016 | Larry Elder

Posted on 06/23/2016 4:42:55 AM PDT by Kaslin

After finally getting the endorsement of House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Donald Trump frittered the goodwill away. Trump called a judge born in Indiana a "Mexican." Rather than apologize, Trump, at first, doubled and tripled down, until finally saying that he didn't mean that the judge's ethnicity equaled bias.

That Trump fired his campaign manager shows that he's not oblivious to criticism. Reportedly, his children came to him and told him that now ex-campaign manager Corey Lewandowski must go. Trump's critics had called him immune to change, and Lewandowski's dismissal shows that they were wrong. Most, of course, now say this won't matter, revealing that their dislike of Trump had little to do with his campaign manager.

But assuming Trump now starts to pay attention to those with more major-league experience, this only addresses problem one.

Problem two is weak-kneed Republicans, deathly afraid of being accused of racism, sexism or any kind of -ism. When Democrats whip out the race card, the Nazi card or the bigot card, Republicans pretend they didn't see it. Republican leaders said nothing when Al Gore accused then-President George W. Bush of employing "squadrons of digital Brown Shirts" to go after media outlets that were "critical of the president." Digital Brown Shirts? As in Hitler's street thugs?

Then-Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., accused George W. Bush of genocide during Hurricane Katrina. Frank said Bush engaged in "ethnic cleansing by inaction." He later explained that Bush intentionally allowed Katrina to get out of hand so that blacks would leave, making "a much richer, much whiter New Orleans," ensuring that Louisiana would remain a red state in perpetuity. Republicans said nothing.

Vice President Joe Biden, addressing a group of blacks, said then-Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, if elected, would "unchain" Wall Street and that was "going to put y'all back in chains." Republicans said virtually nothing.

When then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, before a predominantly black audience, accused Republicans of running the House of Representatives "like a plantation -- and you know what I'm talking about," Republican leaders said nothing.

Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., once the chair of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, called George W. Bush "our Bull Connor," referring to the notorious Birmingham, Alabama, public superintendent of safety who sicced dogs and turned water hoses on civil rights marchers. More recently, he said about Republicans: "They hate. ... Some of them believe that slavery isn't over, and that they won the Civil War." Republican leaders said nothing.

Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, in 2011, said Republicans "want to literally drag us all the way back to Jim Crow laws" because some Republican states push for photo voter ID. Never mind that the majority of blacks also support voter ID. Republican leaders said nothing.

Donna Brazile, then Al Gore's 2000 campaign manager, told a Washington Post interviewer that the Republican Party has a "white-boy attitude." Silence from Republicans.

The list is far too long for an 800-word column. Note that these racist, bigoted, incendiary statements occurred well before Donald Trump arrived on the scene as a candidate, let alone as the presumptive Republican nominee. Rather then defend themselves against these insulting and baseless charges, and teach the voters about the despicable way Democrats play the game, Republicans seldom remind voters of their admirable history as the champions of civil rights for blacks. Instead, they turn on their own in an attempt to show that, "Hey, I'm not a racist." So Trump has to battle Republicans who have been cowed into submission by the insistent -- and effective -- race-card playing of the Democratic Party.

Where were Republicans when reportedly during the 2008 campaign, Bill Clinton told Sen. Ted Kennedy about Barack Obama, "A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee"? Or when a credible book described Hillary Clinton calling her husband's failed 1974 congressional campaign manager a "f---ing Jew bastard"?

Trump's third problem is the media's ever-present, full-blown disdain for Republicans, whether the party's leader is named Romney, Bush, Reagan or Trump. Give them ammunition, as Trump often does, combine that with Republicans' refusal to fire back by pointing to the Democrats' shameless bigot mongering -- and Trump finds himself on an island, pretty much alone.

Trump can still win. It's still the economy, stupid. This remains the worst economic recovery in the lifetime of the voters. Most believe we are on the wrong track economically, and on the wrong track as to foreign policy. Trump must focus on those two main issues, as well on as the deep ethical flaws of his opponent. To drastically understate the case, Hillary Clinton is a target-rich opponent.

But Trump must also give a severe, long overdue tongue-lashing to Republicans. He should offer up example after example from the cesspool of the Democrats' vulgar, cynical, conniving, race-baiting tactics. He should attack Democrats' hypocrisy for then pointing to Republicans and screaming "racism"! This double standard must stop.

It's time for Trump to ask the media and especially his fellow Republicans, "Why the silence?"


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: demonrats; donaldtrump; republicans

1 posted on 06/23/2016 4:42:55 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

The Rinos and Dems love that judge story! Laura Ingraham pulls it out every day. I mean wasn’t that two weeks ago???


2 posted on 06/23/2016 4:44:42 AM PDT by miss marmelstein (Richard the Third: With my own people alone I should like to drive away the Muslims)
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To: Kaslin

Why the silence? You’d be hard pressed to come up with a complete spine among the pillars of Jell-O in the GOP establishment. They are used to only rolling over and playing dead, when these bogus charges are hurled around. The dems and the media has found that tactic to be extremely effective, and that’s why it’s always their go to move.


3 posted on 06/23/2016 4:50:14 AM PDT by euram
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To: miss marmelstein

The judge is a virtual beaner.


4 posted on 06/23/2016 4:50:33 AM PDT by Lisbon1940 (No full-term Governors)
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To: Kaslin

Sad that the biggest challenge is his own party.


5 posted on 06/23/2016 5:15:46 AM PDT by showme_the_Glory ((ILLEGAL: prohibited by law. ALIEN: Owing political allegiance to another country or government))
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To: Kaslin

Trump was 100% right about the judge. La Raza is a racist organization and anyone that belongs to it is a racist.


6 posted on 06/23/2016 5:16:03 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: fieldmarshaldj

He sure was.


7 posted on 06/23/2016 5:20:11 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him. He got them and now we have to pay the consequences)
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To: Kaslin

Note the reference on podium sign to “text” which the campaign is using to get the message out because of $$$$ problems. Which is all well and good but not not everybody runs around peering into their walkphones, or has them.


8 posted on 06/23/2016 5:20:15 AM PDT by mosesdapoet (My best insights get lost in FR's because of meaningless venting no one reads.)
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To: Kaslin
I know the list of DNC hyperbole could fill books but I am surprised that Larry didn't mention Robert Byrd actually using the N word on ABC's "This Week" circa 2001. Again, silence from the GOP, silence from the MSM. At that time I was a daily NYT reader and no mention at all.

The only place I saw it covered in depth was here on the FR. Even Rush only mentioned it briefly before going on to other topics. For any doubters, there is audio and video backing this up.

9 posted on 06/23/2016 5:20:58 AM PDT by Sir_Humphrey (Strong minds discuss ideas., average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people -Socrates)
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To: mosesdapoet

The “text” podium signs have been used since at least March, probably earlier. It’s standard practice.


10 posted on 06/23/2016 5:22:11 AM PDT by NeoCaveman (Oil: natural, organic, and gluten free)
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To: Kaslin

A completely scripted Trump may make his handlers happy and cut down on the verbal gaffs but it also ends the free-wheeling style that attracted millions to him in the first place. There has to be a happy medium in there somewhere.


11 posted on 06/23/2016 5:27:20 AM PDT by Lower Deck
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To: Lower Deck
I like him better unscripted also. He will get better using the teleprompter. His speeches are being written for him and, although they are his thoughts, they are written in somebody else's words. He is not used to that.

No biggie for me. If he shoots somebody on 5th Avenue I would have to make sure the guy didn't deserve to be shot before I got upset.

12 posted on 06/23/2016 5:33:07 AM PDT by Former Proud Canadian (Gold and silver are real money, everything else is a derivative)
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To: Lower Deck

I don’t think anyone who has followed him is going to dump him because he uses a teleprompter. I personally believe it will make him more likable to his sceptics.


13 posted on 06/23/2016 5:33:44 AM PDT by PJammers (Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?)
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To: PJammers

Trump doesn’t have to worry about the Democrats, he’s running AGAINST the RNC and the media. I hope and pray he destroys all of them.


14 posted on 06/23/2016 5:43:58 AM PDT by DaveA37
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To: Kaslin
Trump called a judge born in Indiana a "Mexican."

When did he stop being a Mexican?

15 posted on 06/23/2016 5:47:29 AM PDT by ROCKLOBSTER (Canadians can't be our President.)
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To: Kaslin

Trump/Palin 2016 !!!
http://us.blastingnews.com/news/2016/06/sarah-palin-as-donald-trump-s-vp-becomes-serious-possibility-joint-appearance-scheduled-00979657.html


16 posted on 06/23/2016 5:47:31 AM PDT by biggredd1
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To: PJammers
I don’t think anyone who has followed him is going to dump him because he uses a teleprompter. I personally believe it will make him more likable to his sceptics.

We will see. But is seems to me that his supporters were attracted to the feisty, don't-give-a-damn, take no prisoners Donald Trump. The more that they see of the button down Trump will they begin to question whether he's gone to the dark side and embraced the GOP establishment?

17 posted on 06/23/2016 7:10:15 AM PDT by Lower Deck
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To: Lower Deck

Did you watch the speech? He was in full attack mode. He pulled no punches. It was just more polished than the stream of thought type speeches he gives at rallies.


18 posted on 06/23/2016 9:18:52 AM PDT by PJammers (Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?)
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