You’re right. I think Trump really caught fire when he came out with his “Wall” theory and got the commentariat crazy. Then instead of backing down he punched right back. This was a breath of fresh air for all of us who are sick of conservatives apologizing for their positions. Then the attacks in San Bernardino happened and he caught a wave of interest then too.
So that’s when he really surged in my mind at least, facts might prove otherwise.
But recently he is punching wildly and he needs to stop and act more mature. The Megyn Kelly thing is an absolute embarassment to me and others. His new thing about a PAC-ad on his wife is over-the-top too. Maybe it is to distract from the Utah result or something like that? I don’t know.
Several of his speeches and debate performances after Rubio went low were appalling as well. The reference to his “down there” in the debate was unwelcome. The people it appealed to were already pro-Trump. Convince those on the fence that you can be trusted and you have the right positions and the right demeanor.
This act means a bunch of R voters in the burbs who want to vote for someone respectable as President are becoming nevertrumpers. And this especially shows in the current, massive gender gap. To win nationally, an R candidate needs the suburban moms (and many other constituencies). Wild vulgar rants and bullying aren’t helping here.
I support Cruz, but if I were advising Trump I’d try to get him to dial it back and be aggressive on issues that matter and stop the attacks on people and issues that don’t.
Fair enough, I’d probably agree with some of that. I don’t blame him about Megyn Kelly. She tried to torpedo his candidacy at the first debate, she was way out of line, completely biased, and he’s right to spend the rest of the campaign if not his entire Presidency looking to make her pay for it. She’s a hack, and she has no business being considered in the ranks of serious journalism. It also will not hurt Trump at all in the general election to be perceived of as independent from Fox News and Rupert Murdock. A lot of independents and Democrats dismiss those Republicans who only exist within that little protective bubble.
The Rubio thing also, I can’t believe that he gets blamed for that, when he was literally defending his “manhood” against Rubio’s “small hands” attack. Expecting a man to let that one slide off of him is a bit much in my book!
But yes, he does need to get at least some of the soccer mom vote and he isn’t doing a very good job of it so far. I’m very curious to see what Trump’s general election pivot will look like. It would of course be a bit easier for him do so if the Republican Party could unite behind him.