Donald Trump Illinois delegates reveal leadership chaos ahead of convention

The Manchester Guardian ^ | March 27, 2016 | Ben Jacobs in Washington

[2ndDivisionVet]

Delegates discuss contacting other campaigns for advice, lack of organisation and the disappearance of state chair Kent Gray during anxious conference call

Illinois delegates elected to represent Donald Trump have voiced fears about chaotic organisation and a lack of leadership in their state as Republicans prepare for what could be the first contested convention in decades.

During a torturous two-hour conference call on Thursday night, the delegates struggled to figure out how to help the frontrunner at the Republican National Convention in July, wondering how best to contact the campaign in Wisconsin for tips.

Anxiety was mounting throughout the conference call about the lack of organization in the Land of Lincoln for Trump. As one person said "There is no Trump team in Illinois, it's us", a statement echoed by pro-Trump activist Doug Ibendahl when he pointed out on the call "we don't have any leader, it's just us."

The Guardian understands the delegates also tried to deal with the mysterious disappearance of former Trump state chair Kent Gray from the campaign's operations. Before leaving the campaign, Gray had tried to keep rival campaigns from making the ballot in Illinois but failed because he had not filed the paperwork in a timely manner....

[Mechanicos]

We are guaranteed a Republican (Representative) form of Government under the Constitution - ignoring the voters and playing games like this is not Constitutional nor is it American. It makes the outcome illegitimate - like in Marxist countries.

[okie01]

If you get the votes you should get the corresponding delegates period. It shouldn’t require ignoring the peoples sacred vote for procedure, but that’s the insane corrupt Republican party that Cruz fans seem so proud of.

Four years ago, you were probably cheering for Ron Paul -- as he made monkies out of the GOP-e by "stealing" delegates that Romney and Santorum won via "the peoples' sacred vote".

By the way, it's called "following the rules" and taking advantage of those who haven't studied them.

[catnipman]

I have yet to see the Guardian even come remotely close to understanding American politics. They are the most clueless “major” newspaper in existence when it comes to foreign reporting. For all I know, they may be that clueless about the U.K. as well, it’s just that I only read their asinine articles about contemporary U.S. politics. As a result, when I do bother to read them, it’s to get a good laugh.

[Iowa David]

If you are a Trump supporter, you can always blame Cruz for being “dishonest”, or as non-Trump supporters like to say, following the rules.

What I get out of this, is this is a very poorly run campaign. What a joke this is. In every state he is being taken to the cleaners. He may be the greatest negotiator in the history of the universe, but he has ass clowns running his campaign.

I have heard he is cheap when it comes to paid staff. Doesn’t even have a paid pollster.

[etcb]

I can’t imagine ever waking up one day and finding myself supporting that kind of deceitful crap.

I have been observing presidential politics since the Truman administration and the study of political history has been a lifelong passion. Yet, I have never, until this year heard or read about a leading presidential candidate showing such disrespect for his opponents and the process itself as Mr. Trump. I find his daily and gratuitous referral to Senator Cruz as "Lying Ted" to be unconscionable. While that behaver may titillate some of his fans, I can't accept that our society has deteriorated to a level where such juvenile behavior is acceptable in a contest for the highest elective office.

Yet a candidate following the written rules established by a state legislature is deceitful crap. I am sure there are a great number of people available to explain the rules to Mr. Trump if he would only ask.

[Catsrus]

I went to that site and read the article, and the comments below it. One person said he/she was on that call and this article is complete nonsense.

[Mom MD]

But don’t worry He will put together a competent administration when the time comes /s

[perfect_rovian_storm]

Good lord, man. Grow a pair.

Ever read about the Adams/Jefferson campaign? You should Google it and educate yourself.

If you find it so distasteful that Ted is branded as “lyin’ ted”, why not ask him to stop lying, so that wouldn’t have to happen anymore?

A guy who peddles bullcrap like this deserves to be called a LIAR, because that is exactly what he is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwIHJhtTSLg

[JoSixChip]

I was afraid something like this would happen. Being born wealthy - or even becoming a celebrity - is not the same as leadership.

Well that is interesting, considering cruz and jeb have spent more then $250M and Trump has spent less then $20M. Apparently wealth can buy exactly what you say it cant. The wealthy celebrity has spent next to nothing and has cleared the field and is beating the socks off everyone else. It looks like you must spell leadership "L""o""s""e""r", eh?

[Dr. Sivana]

Cruz is using smoky back rooms to further his ends. That’s hardly the same thing and you know it. This is stupid that we even are having this conversation

First, most backrooms don't allow tobacco use anymore, certainly not in Illinois. If you are lucky, you might get to vape.

Second, part of Trump's strength is supposed to be his business organizational ability. Trump does not lack for financial or human resources. Why is it that the Ron Paul people were able to do this by the book four years ago with a fraction of the resources and no help from the establishment, and Trump can't?

Trump knows how to make a legal contract work to his advantage, he should know how to make the mechanics of caucuses and primaries also work to his advantage, or hire people to do it for him, as these rules have been mostly available for years, to also work to Trump's advantage.

Trump actually did that in one of the U.S. Territories, the Northern Marianas Islands, where Cruz was trying to get an easy majority to get the eight states or territories needed at the convention under Rule 40. Trump "stole" one of the Cruz operatives and got a big majority of the delegates, in part due to his work. Cruz apparently picked the wrong guy, or didn't create conditions to keep him on board, or Trump made him an offer too good to pass up. It doesn't matter. Trump got the delegates that Cruz had prepped. Pretty clever. Trump also has to protect what he has in states like Illinois and Louisiana and South Carolina.

Third, Illinois, like South Carolina and Georgia do NOT have party registration. That's the way it works. Reagan took advantage of this and won plenty of crossover votes in 1976 against Ford in states like Alabama and Indiana, winning them both ... big. There is nothing wrong with Trump winning on the votes of folks who are Democrats or Independents at heart but pick up a Republican ballot in an open primary, because that is part of the rules in play. In those states, if you want to prevent the kind of interloping that happened in McDaniel/Cochran in Mississippi, you have to use a caucus or get party registration at the state level. Trump made a great play in those states, and we will never know what margins he would have if the primaries were closed.

We are seeing that is half the battle. Wars are won by winning the beginning an end of the battle. Reagan was able to get faithful delegations in his states in '76, which is why the contest was so close. If Trump cannot organize or find enough people in Illinois to organize and be Trump delegates, or in South Carolina, or in Louisiana, how can we expect him to organize state organizations (especially since the official ones are hostile to him) to win states in the general election?

I happen to think that Trump could win in November, but this continued carelessness and sloppiness in relation to something where you're setting yourself up to lose needlessly because you don't take care of the whole picture is inexcusable.

Like Romney and John Ellis Bush, Trump is not obliged to spend all or any of his fortune if he doesn't want to. His is less fungible than barons like Soros because Trump has his in hard assets that are not easily liquidated, as opposed to pieces of paper like the Soros-types and the Buffetts have. But, if he loves his country, and I believe he truly does, he will either have to dig into that fortune now to get the mechanics right, or bite the bullet and raise money for real, trusting that his supporters will be happy to give and that he is still going to play his way. His call.

He doesn't need to buy media, he plays them well all on his own, and I respect that. He does need someone to do all the boring stuff that can be done by folks who want to be paid, but aren't particularly interested in influencing the agenda... the Jewish accountant types that he talks about.

Fourth, I don't know about you, but after McCain, Dole and Romney, I want someone who knows how to attack an opponent, any opponent who should be attacked. Both Cruz and Trump have demonstrated that they won't be Dole, McCain or Romney on that score.

Cruz is not running for VP or SCOTUS. Trump is not running for VP or any cabinet position. Both have expressed a willingness for a one on one contest. If we have that, Trump can prove he can win a majority of the vote once and for all. Cruz can prove otherwise, if he can. Trump would clean up in the northeast, Cruz in the mountain states and heartland, with the west coast being the main battleground, with a small advantage for Trump. There is nothing wrong with a contest.

Trump has not been able to get enough Republicans outside of the Establishment to support him in order to claim the mandate. If he can pull it off, by getting his act together and getting his 1,237 delegates. He'll have my vote.

[JoSixChip]

Deceitful? Convincing people to vote for you over your opponents? That’s what elections are.

The people have voted and they voted for Trump. You want those elected to betray those who elected them. You want exactly what the rest of us are fighting against. You definitely belong with the gopE.

[JoSixChip]

Why is Trump apparently unable to put together a decently-competent campaign organization?

I think what you are asking is why hasn't Trump spent $250M to buy the election the way cruz and jeb are trying to.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Perhaps it is time for a business man to be President. Calvin Coolidge said...
“The business of America is business” or “The business of the American people is business.”

Since there are NO military leaders who have stepped up to the plate it is time for a REAL businessman.

[5thGenTexan]

If Trump and his people can’t run his own delegation, how is he qualified to run the country?

[skr]

If Trump is going to be the nominee, we should all be concerned why he’s lacking basic organization, which has nothing to do with who is or isn’t running against him. You can bet Hillary won’t be caught out without having people in place.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

No, I'm asking why he hasn't put together a basic campaign organization. That's not stealing anything. It is his own people complaining about a basic lack of organization. Not even putting forward a decent slate of names for his own delegates to vote for.

[Mr Rogers]

“Let’s say Ted Cruz wins the presidency in November, but the electoral college votes for someone else to be president in December, would you still call that smart? “

You mean, like when Al Gore won the popular vote and lost the election?

[JoSixChip]

It is his own people complaining about a basic lack of organization. Not even putting forward a decent slate of names for his own delegates to vote for.

How do you figure there his own people. The were elected by the voters to represent them at the convention. Now you cruz supporters may think that you have to buy delegates, but we Americans believe you have to earn them through votes. And I assure you all this talk of Trump delegates betraying their voters and jumping to cruz, is just that, talk. I'm always amazed at just how easily you fools are played by the mem and national political parties.

[lonestar67]

Conservatives must be destroyed.

I’ll never give up.

Come and take it!

Go Cruz!

[etcb]

Good lord, man. Grow a pair.

Good retort. Quite appropriate from you but it would not be for a serious presidential candidate.

I am aware of the spirited and sometime even violent nature of past presidential contest. My objection is not to a hard fight but rather to turning a serious matter into a kindergarten affair. Constantly taunting his opponent while whining about unfair treatment when faced with the slightest resistance is not adult behaviour. I would not be surprised to see him stick his tongue out at his opponents and to fall to the floor kicking and screaming the next time he doesn't get his way.

As to the original subject before I foolishly diverted to an unrelated rant about behaviour, Mr. Trump needs to take some time off from playing with his twitter and read the rule book. Either that or hire some competent people to do it for him. If I were one of his devotees, I would be very upset with him for not doing the necessary organizational and managerial task necessary to compete in all phases of the process. On second thought, if I were that emotionally invested in him, I would probably make excuses and blame someone else for his shortcomings also.