Posted on 05/18/2011 8:01:07 AM PDT by Albion Wilde
I agree and I’ll take it one step further. If Trump were a conservative and could articulate conservative principles like he articulates Trump greatness — and could add that to his boldness and fearlessness, he would already have cleared the deck in the GOP field and the general election would de facto be underway.
But he is far far away from being any kind of conservative at all.
You are underselling the depth of our problems with Trump and missing the point on why Reagan was a great communicator.
It has nothing to do with looking for perfection. It has to do with huge foundational differences. Reagan’s ability to communicate cannot be separated from what he was communicating. As as communicator spouting scripted ideas, he was a B or C grade actor. As President communicating his version of America, he was an A+ communicator. He was his message.
Trump’s done us all a favor and I think most appreciate it, but his candidacy was doomed because of who he is and has nothing to do with DC groupthink and nothing to do with a mindless search of perfection — and I agree, both DC groupthink and the search for perfection are problems — they just have nothing to do with Trumps demise.
If there had been an FR when Reagan was running, I have no doubt whatsoever that 50% of the posts regarding him would have been screaming murder about his divorce, flimsy credentials, apparent stupidity, et cetera, et cetera. You are standing securely on 20-20 hindsight. Congratulations.
...both DC groupthink and the search for perfection are problems — they just have nothing to do with Trumps demise.
"Nothing" to do with his demise? A clear example of Republican extremist, black-or-white, all-or-nothing mentality.
You are wrong with both conclusions. And you say I’m standing on hindsight - well yes, we call it history.
You can go ahead and blame Trump’s demise on perfectionists and on inside the beltway elites if you want. Sip your kool aid while you do. Trump’s demise is on Trump, pure and simple.
And while there was no FR during Reagan’s day, there was still critiques of Reagan and he was well vetted, and the conservatives still supported him by overwhelming majorities. They never would for Trump. I’m sorry, Trump is just not at all like Reagan. Never has. Never will be.
Nothing wrong with that per se, but it is what it is.
We’re not called ‘conservative’ for nothing. Like the generals fighting the last war, we’re determined to stay with what worked, instead of updating what worked to the present reality.
Talk radio is consumed this week with Newt. He was conservative when conservative wasn’t cool. He did remarkable things when he was in power. But he’s stuck in the mid 90s; others of us are stuck in the 80’s. Those templates are not going to work in the 20-teens.
During the Reagan years the left devised a new political tool: Borking. We’ve seen successors in Quayle and, notably, Palin. The tactic will be used on each and every GOP candidate who emerges. We need to develop an effective counter, and/or someone with Reagan’s ‘teflon.’
I want a brash candidate out there who will not back down. I’d rather a Trump who doesn’t pass the ideological purity test but does have this country’s interest at heart, is educable, and would confront Obama up close and in his face, than a 100% ideologically pure conservative gentleman. Gentility has gotten us where? Politics is a rough and tumble game, and the GOP damned well better learn how to play it.
Funny how the Donald’s “presidential run” just coincided with the sweeps for his Apprentice show...
Make that a ‘liberal Democrat’ and you’ll be getting closer.
Funny how the Donald’s “presidential run” just coincided with the sweeps for his Apprentice show...
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True. Also funny how Obama pre-empted Celebrity Apprentice - only to keep us waiting an hour more - to tell us of bin Laden’s death.
Life and politics have strange coincidences, huh?
If he really had balls you would here him right now going after Obama ....but he is a fake
People need to realize the RINOS are just as bad as the Rats. They are Rats in sheep’s clothing. They will side and work with them; not us.
Don’t go after the Trump-bots with logic and the truth. They aren’t ready for it yet. I guess when he endorses Obama shortly after the GOP nominee is decided they’ll figure it out. Until then, he’s Reagan and WE missed it.
He did speak up when everyone else was saying NOTHING. He got hammered by everyone. So now he is not going to run for president and you think he should speak up and help exactly who??? Perhaps he is laying low, you know like others are doing, that "strategy thing". Or perhaps he will say nothing, let the bottom fall out of America and then scarf up on the deals? I find it interest that you question his "balls" yet it is apparent that other than Trump, no one has shown much of anything. Are the other candidates/potential candidates fakes??? no balls??? both???
I guess Trump got shown just how powerful the presidential office is...I’m still in shock that trump is not questioning the obviously faked birth cert...Obama is laughing at how easy it was to put that over on the world!
Excellently said, and bears repeating!
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