[nathanbedford]

Most conservatives, perhaps all conservatives who support Donald Trump, misunderstand this primary contest.

The choice is not between Donald Trump and Jeb Bush, the choice is between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. In considering the primaries in this context, Trump supporters ought to ask themselves, who is the more authentic conservative?

Trump supporters ought to ask themselves, who has actually acted against the Republican establishment on behalf of a conservative base, and who has only talked? When Ted Cruz was filibustering all night long on the floor of the Senate on our behalf against the forces of the Republican establishment, whose side was Donald Trump on? Had he voted for Obama? Had he contributed to Hillary? Did he speak out in any way to support Ted Cruz attack on the establishment? When Ted Cruz called Mitch McConnell a liar to his face on the floor of the Senate, was he attacking the establishment? Was he doing so at great personal political risk? In this context, what has Donald Trump actually done?

Trump supporters ought to ask themselves, who has the better chance of beating Hillary Clinton? Who has the higher negatives, who will divide the voters in the party, not just the establishment portion of the party? Who will make more gaffes? Who will turn off the women voters?

Trump supporters ought to ask themselves, who has the more clear and more consistent record on immigration and amnesty?

Trump supporters ought to ask themselves, which of these two men gives us greater confidence of safety and security knowing that his finger as president will be only inches away from the nuclear football?

If the present practice continues of Trump supporters indulging in personal invective against those who oppose Trump, of resorting to hyperbolic language without adducing facts, one will expect the answers to the above questions be foaming and flaming but to be regrettably without substance.

Trump supporters are angry, and rightly so, they are frustrated, and rightly so and they are, yes, frightened and rightly so. In their fear they turn to a former Democrat, a supporter of socialized medicine, a former advocate of amnesty, an advocate of abortion, an advocate of soaking the rich, by his own admission, a practitioner extraordinaire of crony capitalism, a bedfellow with the Republican and Democrat establishment known as the "Washington cartel," as the man to lead them out of the wilderness. Most of all they see Trump as the only man who can and will stand up to the Republican establishment, the leftists in the media, the Chinese, and the Mexican invasion. In all of these things Trump has the right message today but because of his history and his character flaws he is the wrong messenger.

Ted Cruz has the biography, the record, the forensic skills, and the faith of an authentic conservative who will stand against the "Washington cartel" and give the Republic its best chance of repairing what that cartel has done to us, surviving the coming crises and restoring America to real constitutional governance.

These questions are asked to generate a reasoned debate on the facts, the biographies of the candidates, the statements of the candidates, but not mere conclusionary language and vituperation. Let's see if Trump's supporters can be a better than Trump himself or will they descend to his level?

This reply was posted only moments ago on a different thread before Andy McCarthy's excellent article popped up. I reproduce that reply above because the sentiments expressed by McCarthy resemble my own. And I want to associate myself with his views because McCarthy cannot be accused even by the most rapid Trump bot of being a running dog of the Republican establishment. Andrew McCarthy's conservative pedigree is impeccable.

[magna carta]

I support Trump & Cruz.
I think we need the VIKING WARRIOR DUDE to stay for a bit longer

[libbylu]

Yep. Impeccable. Did I read that he is a Cruz guy?

[Steelfish]

Absolutely on point. Time to end this Trumpomania and focus on Ted Cruz.

[grey_whiskers]

Nathan, I ask you respectfully to read this carefully.

Please follow the links contained within.

(Vanity): The Republican Debates: The GOP-e bids No Trump

Private FReepmail coming.

[Duchess47]

“The choice is not between Donald Trump and Jeb Bush, the choice is between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. In considering the primaries in this context, Trump supporters ought to ask themselves, who is the more authentic conservative?”

If you are honest with yourself, it is between Jeb Bush and Donald Trump. Yes, Ted Cruz is an authentic conservative. He is calm and reasonable and polite. He will not get the nomination, even if Trump drops out. Moderate Republicans will go with Bush if for no other reason than his name and the GOP wants him. Ted Cruz can not win against Hillary, he can’t pull in Democrats and Independents. I think our very country depends on this election, we are currently circling the drain.

And if by some chance Ted Cruz did get elected, do you think the crazies in the middle east and Iran would be afraid of him? They would be worried if they thought we had another loose cannon in the White House, someone who might, like Reagan, send a missile through a bedroom window. Just my opinion, but Trump has a lot of good ideas for this country and is not constrained by manners and politeness. He seems to love this country and to h*ll with the rest.

From what I see locally, people know Trump and respond either favorabally or laugh him off. Few know much about Ted Cruz and don’t seem interested. That’s Democrats, Independents and Republicans, not just conservatives. It will take all of them to get to the White House.

[Hostage]

Cruz is the magnificent conservative. Trump is the trench warfare demolition expert.

They need each other.

Cruz is principled. Trump also has principles as expounded in his recent revised release “Time To Get Tough”. You should read it.

But Trump has one thing that Cruz doesn’t have, the low information voter.

Put it this way, a Trump/Cruz 2016 ticket wins hands down.

Individually it’s a roll of the dice.

And a few other things to note:

The media is already marginalizing Ted Cruz by ignoring him. Still he gets through to conservatives and the high information voters. But he does not penetrate the massive middle, not yet and maybe never if he doesn’t get the needed exposure.

But Trump has the tabloid news cycle people on his staff that are experts at the game of trapping the MSM into daily sensationalism. The Trump people know how to keep the controversy going and how to introduce and inject new scandals and controversies on a weekly basus. They know how to set the traps and catch the rodent media scum every time.

Cruz does the same but he aims his attacks on the deserving GOP leadership, Obama and eventually Clinton. But he’s not attacking the media. He can beat anyone in the media in a real-time debate on any issue and he has done so. But he won’t retaliate for their attacks on him like Trump does.

Today Ted had a perfect opportunity to tell the press that Megyn Kelly was out of line by trying to corner candidates on PC-loaded questions. He had the perfect chance to say that political correctness has no place in designing ‘gotcha’ scenarios.

But Ted unfortunately flubbed it.

Whereas Trump’s response to Kelly’s PC invective was to point out that Christians are having their heads chopped off in a world that is the worst ever for Christians and yet people in the media are hung up on political correctness.

The bottomline is that Trump and Cruz need each other. I don’t see one, not one candidate that Trump would choose as a running mate other than Cruz. Fiorina? Forget it! Huckabee? Not even a consideration! All the others have demonstrated their stupidity and duplicity.

[GeronL]

Trump learned triangulation from Bill Clinton, his golfing buddy and favorite President

[GraceG]

Trump seem to be a “populist bubba effect” thing going on.

[DB]

Just wanted to say thank you for stating things so clearly. It is pretty disturbing so many conservatives seem to be so deeply invested in Trump, a man with no conservative history or accomplishments. Meanwhile, the one who does, is seemingly invisible.

[piasa]

Thank you, very well said- as usual.

Another of the warning flags was Trump’s comment about never asking God for forgiveness. What kind of leadership do people expect of a man who has never sought redemption?

Fits in well with the warnings everyone had from Obama- his speeches glorifying power for the sake of power, and having to be corrected about his own religion by Stephanoplous.

Neither of them change course when they are proven wrong; they both they just double down, because both of them are afflicted with such extreme narcissism that they would rather see the stable burn down with everyone’s horses in it than see their nag lose a race.

[palmer]

Did he speak out in any way to support Ted Cruz attack on the establishment? When Ted Cruz called Mitch McConnell a liar to his face on the floor of the Senate, was he attacking the establishment? Was he doing so at great personal political risk? In this context, what has Donald Trump actually done?

Trump attacked Bush and Grahamnesty on immigration and other issues. He attacked McStain. He attacks Clinton relentlessly along with Obama, Kerry, etc. He attacked Rubio and Perry a few times. Conclusion: Trump attacks the establishment.

knowing that his finger as president will be only inches away from the nuclear football

At least Trump would ensure that our nuclear arsenal actually works as opposed to the military just saying it works.

Trump supporters are angry, and rightly so, they are frustrated, and rightly so and they are, yes, frightened and rightly so. In their fear they turn to a former Democrat, a supporter of socialized medicine...

Trump opponents turn to dime-store psychoanalysis to paint supporters as emotional idiots. Indeed Trump has changed some views and some of his views are still unknown. But Trump has promised a couple of things to turn this country around, mainly by reducing the power of Washington. I would obviously like to see more specifics, what agencies will be cut and eliminated. Because make no mistake, Trump can do that unlike any other candidate in this race.

As for your claim that it is Trump versus Cruz, that is complete nonsense. Trump has not attacked Cruz and vice versa. Trump and Cruz agree on many important issues like immigration. Trump is a good placeholder for Cruz so if and when Trump flames out, Cruz alone can fill his shoes. Carson is an outsider with similar views, but is not aggressive.

[central_va]

Trump is an imperfect weapon, but he fights Big Media. Big Media runs this country thru its surrogate the Democrat party.

[odawg]

“...whose side was Donald Trump on? Had he voted for Obama? Had he contributed to Hillary?”

Why ask that? Trump endorsed McCain and raised money for him.
Statistically, he has contributed as much, or more, to Republicans than democrats. That is the way the game is played on his level.

“In this context, what has Donald Trump actually done?”

Trump was much opposed to TPA when Cruz was for it before he was against it. Cruz supported the Obama agenda by voting, along with all but one senator, for the Iranian treaty, disguised as a “bill”. That bill directly imperils this nation’s survival. If you can justify that vote by Cruz, I will send him campaign money.

[Carry_Okie]

It mystifies me that Trump supporters really believe the man. This is a guy who makes money in the golf course and hotel business. Guess how many groundskeepers, maids, and dishwashers he employs. Any bets on how many are illegals? So if the Donald dreams about 'sending them back' when we all know that the lawsuits will fly the moment he tries, isn't it obvious that when he mentions the 'hard-working' he means to legalize the bulk of the illegal workforce whether they have to make a round trip to Ensenada or not?

Dupes for Donald.