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....

[trebb]

Cruz seems hell bent on giving it all to Hillary - it appears that he also has an ego and a narcissist side. I had great hopes for him and now he’s as useful as Scott Walker or Rick Perry.

[Girlene]

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

No. Bush won the delegates. The delegates voted the way their voters told them to, by their vote. I'm talking about the designated Bush delegates deciding to cast their vote for Gore or some other person. It doesn't happen. It could, but it doesn't.

[jeffersondem]

“Apparently wealth can buy exactly what you say it cant.”

Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason? Why if it prosper, none dare call it treason.

[jeffersondem]

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

Trump is both. According to Trump, he wore a uniform in high school.

As far as the part about “honest businessman”, well . . .

[perfect_rovian_storm]

You know what isn’t adult behavior? Lying 6 times in 4 minutes like Ted Cruz.

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

Making up obvious lies (and spouting them to attack your opponent at what should be a victory speech no less) is something a kindergartener would do.

That doesn’t change the fact that nobody cares except hand-wringing little whiners like you. For slime like Ted Cruz to pretend he’s ‘taking the high ground’ is laughable. Meanwhile, he is having his SuperPAC attack people and then pretending he didn’t know about it.

I don’t know you and based on our interactions, I don’t think much of you as a person, so I remain unconcerned about how you sleep at night after rationalizing away the behavior of the Cruz campaign. However, I have known some of the others here for years and I really was speaking to them.

[napscoordinator]

Trump is beating Cruz where it counts. Voters! Can you imagine if Cruz were to win the nominee with 3 primary wins? He clearly would be the weakest in GOP primary history. Of course they legitimately call the republicans the stupid party.

[Nickname]

I’m mystified myself. I’ve been reading for months that his every move and utterance is genius.

[Nickname]

Trump’s also received what.... $2 billion in free media coverage?

[JoSixChip]

Trump’s also received what.... $2 billion in free media coverage?

That's a joke right? The msm and the gopE has gone more out of it's way to destroy Trump then ever before in history. That's not called free media, it's called a conspiracy.

[Nickname]

You may not like it but it’s neither a joke nor a conspiracy; it’s a fact.

[JoSixChip]

You may not like it but it’s neither a joke nor a conspiracy; it’s a fact.

You're an idiot, stop wasting my time.

[Nickname]

I’ve come to expect trashy responses such as yours from Trump supporters.

[etcb]

….except hand-wringing little whiners like you......... I don’t know you and based on our interactions, I don’t think much of you as a person

What a brilliant and cogently set of observations. I appreciate you offering this insight and will give it the attention it deserves. I am sure your brilliantly executed strategy will win many converts to your way of thinking. Keep up the good work.

Thanks again and have a good day.

[JoSixChip]

I’ve come to expect trashy responses such as yours from Trump supporters.

I expect you would. We Trump supporters don't have a lot of tolerance for idiots.

[Nickname]

You’re also very much like liberals. When you can’t argue the facts, you resort to name calling.

[JoSixChip]

You’re also very much like liberals. When you can’t argue the facts, you resort to name calling.

You were not arguing facts, you were presenting your embarrassingly stupid opinion as fact. There is a difference.

[Nickname]

Fact:

Donald Trump has earned $2 billion in free media coverage, study shows

http://money.cnn.com/2016/03/15/media/trump-free-media-coverage/index.html

Embarrassingly stupid opinion:

All of your replies to me thus far.

[JoSixChip]

Embarrassingly stupid opinion

Exactly. first it's your opinion that the media coverage has been a positive for Trump, embarrassingly stupid. Second, the whole piece you reference is someone else interpretation of the data, i.e. opinion. My interpretation is the data suggest the msm and gopE has spent $2B dollars promoting cruz and jeb, i.e. valid opinion.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

How do you figure there his own people. The were elected by the voters to represent them at the convention.

Did you even bother to read the article itself, or do you just reflexively respond like this to anything that is critical of Trump?

These are delegates who actually support Trump, terrified that the lack of organization is going to lose them votes. This is from the article:

Illinois delegates elected to represent Donald Trump have voiced fears about chaotic organization 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.

They also spoke about fears the #nevertrump movement would use “riffraff” to steal delegates and were uncertain about what to do next to help secure the GOP nomination for Trump.

These are people who support Trump, like him, and want him to win the nomination, complaining about the lack of organization and leadership.

So the question is, why is Trump not hiring the best and brightest to run his campaign organizations, the same way he claims he's going to get the best and brightest to help run the country?

[JoSixChip]

Illinois delegates elected to represent Donald Trump

Read that, then read what I wrote again. I don't get paid to educate your ass, so I have spent all the time on this with you I am going to. Now stop bothering me.