Posted on 01/16/2016 7:37:50 AM PST by conservativejoy
Bill Kristol argues that because Republican presidential candidates aren't focusing on such issues as Obamacare and Supreme Court appointments-crucial issues on which Donald Trump is quite vulnerable—GOP voters are becoming "increasingly comfortable" with the notion of casting a ballot for Trump. A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll of likely Republican primary voters provides further evidence of this increasing level of comfort.
The poll finds that as of ten months ago, less than a quarter (23 percent) of GOP voters "could see" themselves supporting Trump for the nomination. (Trump's 23 percent then trailed the tallies for all GOP candidates except for Lindsey Graham and Carly Fiorina.) Ten months later, the percentage who say they "could see" themselves supporting Trump for the nomination has nearly tripled—rising to almost two-thirds (65 percent). That's higher than the tally for any other Republican candidate except for Ted Cruz (71 percent) or Marco Rubio (67 percent), and even Cruz and Rubio aren't beating Trump by much in this regard.
The speculation has always been that Trump couldn't prevail if it ever came down to a two-man race—the theory being that most GOP voters would presumably prefer almost anyone to Trump.
The NBC/WSJ poll, however, asked voters who they would support if the race came down to Trump versus either of his two leading challengers. In a two-man race between Trump and Cruz, the poll found that Cruz would win, 51 to 43 percent. In a two-man race between Trump and Rubio, the poll found that Trump would win, 52 to 45 percent. Either way, that's hardly a rout.
As for the general election, any plausible Republican nominee should be well-positioned to win.
Anderson is a Hudson Institute senior fellow.
I do not trust Trump to appoint conservative Supreme Court Justices. Without them, we lose the Republic.
Drop the crack pipe Bill. Just because you say something is so doesn't mean it's so. Trump started off his campaign on Obamacare, so long ago that it is now and old and tired subject until someone is in place to do something.
I don’t trust Rubio, Bush, Christie, Fiorina, Kasich, Paul, Santorum, Carson or Huckabee to appoint such either.
“I do not trust Trump to appoint conservative Supreme Court Justices. Without them, we lose the Republic.”
Fair comment - I do not trust DEMOCRATS to appoint conservative Supreme Court Justices, with them we lose the country.
I also don’t see a path to victory in November for Cruz. He’s great with the Republican base, but he needs a lot more to win than the usual red states. Maybe he’ll connect outside the base at some point, but he certainly hasn’t yet.
Then why did he say that single payer can work (in the first debate)? Is that what Trump is planning to replace Obamacare with? Maybe you should vote for Sanders.
Trump is great on the issues - full of command and more important, loaded with economic experience. The campaign has deteriorated into 100% baloney of late with birther, NYC, Carly’s face, Rubio’s boots, etc. Trump would rocket even more if we started taking about taxes, jobs, trade and healthcare. No one else running for office - either side - knows squat about any of that.
Kasich is probably a competent expert on the federal budget, entitlements and appropriations but he’s awful and going nowhere. Still, his stint at Lehman would put him miles and miles beyond anyone else running other than Trump about how capitalism works. I think that Rubio’s lack of ability to manage even his tiny pile of assets is a super bad detriment to his chances. Cruz has remarkable little money given he’s 45 and his wife’s at the Iron Bank, Goldman Sachs. Jeb’s cash was made long ago by Poppy and Poppy’s Poppy.
Bill Kristol doesn’t know how the play with the ‘big boys’ he’s just a journalist...
Trump has the first two years of his Presidency already mapped out...
GO.TRUMP.GO...LIVE THE LAWS THAT AMERICA WAS FOUNDED UPON!!!
You'd better start focussing on who the Senate will confirm, too.
A person who is going ban Muslim immigration and eliminate gun free zones will not put liberals in the supreme court
:)
Because it's true.
OF COURSE single payer can work. That's why we've been against it for this long.
The problem now is the damage that's being done, daily, to the system we used to have.
"Obamacare" is a purpose-built structure to damage beyond repair the mechanisms for delivering hospital, physician, and nursing services that existed in March 2010, so that they can be replaced with a nationalized, unionized, and government run Health Service.
The damage was designed to begin slowly, and then to accelerate so that by 2017 the old system could not be revived.
We are entering Year Six of a seven-year plan of destruction which is succeeding brilliantly.
I now believe single payer to be inevitable. Not because it's good, but because it will be the only mechanism to rescue vital institutions and structures from collapse.
Don't waste your time over it. The deal is done.
Trump will say anything to be elected. He is a liberal to the marrow of his bones.
Trump has always wanted a single payer system.
That's why he, Fred Barnes, Krautenjammer, Will, Hume and all the rest are so pist.
They thought they were the big boys.
Bill Kristol is of the same ilk as George Bush who made this quote “Islam is a relegation of peace” (yes George Bush said that)
Hes one of those buffoons who think you can bring democracy to muslims when time and time again it has been proven when muslims get to vote they vote the most extreme musim candidate around.
Even turkey the so called “model” Muslim nation for its “moderate values” voted in a party with more then 50% of the votes that advocates revving the ottoman empire
What did Egypt do with democracy ? THey voted in the muslim brotherhood a muslim group that wants to bring strict sharia laws and turn egypt it another Saudi Arabia , What did Palestine do with democracy ?
They voted hamas who were the most hardline muslim theocrats on the ballet
Muslims cant be trusted with democracy and Bill Kristol still has not gotten that , he is a total buffoon.
Muslims need a dictatorship to keep them in check like Sisi in egypt who outlawed the muslim brotherhood and has put many of them to death.
Trump trashed Scalia and embraced affirmative action.
I am glad to see an answer.
It is 4.5 to 4.5 now. Won’t take much to tip SC against gun rights and much more.
I trust that Rubio will be Bush2. No thank you.
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