If this guy were as leftist as some maintain, the media and party establishment would be falling all over themselves to see him nominated. They don't want him anywhere near the GOP nomination because they know he can win.
"Tell, me, did you wind up voting for Romney, after your resolute preaching here?"
I'd have dropped an anvil on my frank and beans before voting for Willard. I voted for Virgil Goode for President in 2012.
"I don't see a dimes worth of difference between Trump and Romney, other than Trump's narcissistic braggadocio..."
Except Willard was a pathological liar whose sole mission was to stop a Conservative nominee and to lose to Zero. It was the same mission as McQueeg. His record in MA was clear as a bell: He was a Socialist fraud. Trump is running to win in the general. He's not engaging in the kind of phony-baloney ass kissing of the base we saw from Willard and McQueeg that could be seen through from a mile away that didn't match their record.
After it was "all over" for Willard & McQueeg, they could go back to things as usual, no fuss, no muss. This is not so where Trump is concerned. His running as he is, taking the positions that he has, and everything else along the way is causing him more problems with his own class and peers, both financially and personally. He's set fire in a spectacular way to the bridges to the cultural elites and there's no going back.
If he did not truly believe in what he says, there's simply no benefit to him. If he wins and rips off the mask and says he's really a left winger, no one will trust him or work with him. The left certainly won't. They may crow and chuckle for a few minutes, but they'd have no use for him in the end. He has to be fully committed to this, fully committed to winning, fully committed to doing what he's saying. He's set himself on that single course and can't deviate from it now without destroying his reputation for the rest of his life and for all time. Apply some logic here and you'll realize this.
If this guy were as leftist as some maintain, the media and party establishment would be falling all over themselves to see him nominated. They don't want him anywhere near the GOP nomination because they know he can win.
As Conservatives are wont to do, I will retire to his record - What he's done is what he is - And I doubt very highly that you will try to defend him by his record. If you care to try, bring it.
His historic position is undoubtedly at least center left, and that, IMHO, is being kind. He makes for good copy, which is enough to get him much exposure - But I wonder how much of his fame is exactly by design, with all this bombast (to ridiculous heights) taking the air away from those who rightly deserve the Conservative mantle... Hoping perhaps that his tantrums blow all the steam out of the population before it has any effect on the election. I consider him to be exactly that sort of stalking horse. He is pushing every single button.
As to his determination to win, I am not sure of that at all - If he succeeds in wearing out the Conservative, and then stays in, I may be forced to cede to your position.
However, even if that is the case, and he obtains the nomination, How does he stand any better chance than Romney in the general? Nobody is paying attention right now, so he gets the benefit of the doubt - But do you really think the Christian Right is going to go to the wall for him once they find out his historic positions? What does he offer to DEFCONS? He is in exactly the same place as Romney, with about the same things to offer FICONS (which actually isn't much), and nothing to offer, or worse, opposition to, the other factions... He's got nuthin' for Conservatives.
And finally, supposing he gets elected without the Christians, Defense/foreign policy conservatives, and the libertarian/civil conservatives, how in fact shall he govern? According to his electioneering, or according to his record? I won't take that chance. I think he will be every bit the tyrant that we have now. But he's 'our' tyrant, eh?
Nah - I won't vote for that, even if Cruz would accept VP... Anymore than I would vote for McQueeg, just because he started waiving Palin around.