[randita]

Alinsky 101. Don’t attack the substance - attack the messenger.

It may be an alien concept to Trump supporters, but there are actually conservatives here who do their own research, analyze it, and act individually on it.

They aren’t easily swayed by popular opinion. They think for themselves and they act on what they believe solely because they care about their children and grandchildren and want them to enjoy liberty and freedom.

There are also plenty of us who haven’t decided yet on a candidate. Trump supporters are not winning folks like us to their side.

[kiryandil]

Alinsky 101. Don't attack the substance - attack the messenger.

Here's your "messenger" - 26 Trump-bashing articles in the last 7 days. That's about 4 a day. I don't think Rodger Schultz was posting anti-Clinton articles at that pace back in the day. You'd think Trump was some sort of criminal Clintonian re-incarnation.

CW has been doing this for WEEKS and MONTHS on end.

28 Trump-bashing articles in the 9 days before that [January 23 - February 1].

I could give you your own CW Trump-Bash RSS feed, if you like that sort of stuff. :)

• Steve Forbes on Donald Trump and His 'Hoo-Ha'

  02/08/2016 4:30:07 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 55 replies

  The Street ^ | December 20, 2015 | Jeremy Greenfield

  Steve Forbes ran for president twice -- in 1996 and 2000 -- spending a reported $69 million of his own money in failed bids to win the Republican nomination. His campaigns mostly focused on establishing a flat income tax and other similar economic reforms. The multi-millionaire chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media isn't running for president this time around, but he does have a new book out this week (Reviving America), promoting three big reforms he believes America should adopt: repeal and replace Obamacare with something akin to a free-market health-care system; scrapping the Federal income tax code in favor...

• 'I have at least 20 Muslim friends', says Donald Trump, but can't name them

  02/07/2016 10:53:43 PM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 156 replies

  The Daily Telegraph ^ | February 7, 2015 | David Lawler, New Hampshire

  ..... The Republican presidential candidate has repeatedly said that "Muslims love him" despite his provocative policies, but has so far failed to name any single individual Muslim supporter. Asked by the Telegraph to elaborate, Mr Trump again ducked the question responding: "Oh, I could give you about 20 of them."... Donald Trump Junior, Mr Trump's son, was also unable to tell the Telegraph who his father's Muslim friends were, saying only that they had "completed a lot of business deals" in the Middle East.

• How Ted Cruz Could Deliver the Coup de Grace to Donald Trump

  02/07/2016 1:49:19 PM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 129 replies

  Intellectual Conservative ^ | February 7, 2015 | Ralph Benko

  Presidential elections are about, above all, just two things: our security and our prosperity. Promises of prosperity have all but faded into the background... except by Donald Trump. In the last debate in which he participated Donald Trump hit the voters' target bull's eye in stating "I want to use that same up here, whatever it may be, to make America rich again." None of the other candidates came close to featuring The Message we voters wish to hear. Prosperity. If the other candidates - most notably #2 Ted Cruz - wished to gain the voters' hearts, or at least...

• The Real Shape of the Race

  02/06/2016 4:55:12 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 57 replies

  The Weekly Standard ^ | February 15, 2016 | Stephen F. Hayes

  Trump is not a conservative. He's an economic nationalist whose limited involvement in politics over the years has largely consisted of furthering his own interests by contributing to members of both political parties. His current policy positions often contradict those he's publicly expressed in the past, and his governing philosophy, to the extent he has one, combines crony capitalism with government activism (eminent domain; ethanol; protectionism; universal, government-paid health care).Des Moines, Iowa - The shorthand understanding of the likely three-man race for the Republican nomination goes something like this. Donald Trump is the populist outside agitator, running on economic nationalism...

• New presidential poll shows Cruz leading Trump 30-25 in Texas

  02/04/2016 1:43:34 PM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 96 replies

  Dallas Morning News ^ | January 28, 2016 | Tom Benning

  Jan 28, 2016AUSTIN - Ted Cruz leads a new presidential primary poll in Texas, just over a month before the U.S. senator will face his home-state voters in the much-anticipated Super Tuesday contest. A KTVT-TV/Dixie Strategies survey released Thursday shows Cruz at 30 percent among likely GOP primary voters in Texas. He's followed by mogul Donald Trump at 25 percent, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida at 12 percent and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 8 percent. That's a change from October, when the same pollsters said Cruz was trailing in Texas behind Trump and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson....

• Cruz uses Jimmy Carter's words in anti-Trump ad

  02/04/2016 12:24:08 PM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 60 replies

  The Hill ^ | February 4, 2016 | Rebecca Savransky

  Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz is using video of former President Jimmy Carter against rival Donald Trump. A new ad released Thursday quotes Carter, who said Wednesday that if he had to pick between the two, he "would choose Trump" over Cruz. "Trump has proven already that he's completely malleable," Carter, a Democrat, continues in the clip. "I don't think he has any fixed opinions that he would really go to the White House and fight for. Ted Cruz is not malleable."

• Trump Desperately Trying to Hide the Shrinking Size of his Crowds

  02/04/2016 11:55:32 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 245 replies

  Red State ^ | February 4, 2016 | Leon H. Wolf

  There's a reason why Donald Trump is taking his loss in Iowa so hard - it's been devastating to his national standing. His standing in the polls might already be falling like a rock, and now it appears that the rolling concert tour that was his national campaign might be coming to an end. Now comes pretty convincing evidence that his crowds are shrinking, and he's trying to hide it (poorly). Trump was in Little Rock last night, and he tweeted a picture that seemed to show a typical Trump full house, and that specifically claimed that the crowd was...

• Cruz Asks: Who Will Trump Call 'Stupid' Next? - It's no holds barred in New Hampshire

  02/04/2016 4:35:32 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 85 replies

  The Weekly Standard ^ | February 4, 2016 | Chris Deaton

  Fresh off a victory in the Iowa caucuses, a feisty Ted Cruz unloaded on his rival Donal Trump Wednesday afternoon, asking repeatedly who the New Hampshire frontrunner might call "stupid" next. "You know, he accused the people of Iowa of being stupid. In fact, he skipped the Iowa debate," Cruz said during a press availability in New Hampshire. "It makes you wonder if his next step is to accuse the people of New Hampshire of being stupid -- if he plans to skip the New Hampshire debate, and after that if he plans to accuse the people of South Carolina...

• Levin says Trump Took a Baseball Bat to Carson Before Defending Him Now

  02/04/2016 3:58:54 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 73 replies

  Conservative Review ^ | February 3, 2016

  Tonight, on his nationally syndicated radio program, Mark Levin went through the "controversy" surrounding the Cruz campaign and a tweet about CNN. Donald Trump is calling for Iowa to vote again because of Fraud. It makes it look as if Trump is defending Carson. In addition to going through the absurdity of Trump's current attacks, Levin reminded his listeners of how Trump took a "baseball bat to Carson" back in November. ListenLevin reminded the audience that Trump likened Carson to a "child molester" among many other things. Trump questioned Carson's faith. It was all in all very nasty.

• Cruz: Trump 'melting down' after Iowa loss

  02/04/2016 3:32:14 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 70 replies

  The Hill ^ | February 3, 2016 | Jordain Carney

  Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz is upping his rhetorical battle with rival Donald Trump, saying the businessman is "melting down" after he came in second during Monday's Iowa caucuses. "I have to say it is interesting seeing Donald Trump, you know, just apparently melting down. He seems to be taking losing really badly," Cruz said during an interview with "The Sean Hannity Show" on Wednesday. Cruz's comments come after Trump accused the Texas Republican of committing voter fraud because Cruz's campaign erroneously suggested Ben Carson was dropping out of the race during the caucuses. Cruz apologized, saying his campaign should...

• Trump's cash crunch

  02/04/2016 2:17:06 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 56 replies

  The American Thinker ^ | February 4, 2016 | Frank Friday

  Count me in with those who suspect that Donald Trump is no billionaire, but merely a poseur who may never have recovered from his many big-deal failures, as AT and others have already noted. Ted Cruz is finally bringing this idea up, but it's a testimony to just how opaque Trump has made his finances that only recently has anyone outside the financial press even discussed the matter. Trump just released his fourth-quarter FEC report, and again, the political press doesn't know what to make of it - beyond the fact that he lent his campaign $12.8 million, which in...

• What does losing in Iowa say about Trump's temperament?

  02/04/2016 1:30:41 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 89 replies

  The American Thinker ^ | February 4, 2016 | Ed Straker

  One of the things that has troubled me the most about Donald Trump is his lack of emotional maturity. Unlike with a reality TV show host, it is vital that the president of the United States be grown up and mature. But Trump, time and time again, acts like a child, name-calling, holding grudges, and crying when things don't go his way. Case in point: the Iowa caucuses. On election night Trump grudgingly congratulated Ted Cruz. But now he's saying that Cruz "stole" the Iowa caucuses by repeating a news report that Ben Carson was about to leave the presidential...

• Cruz revels in Trump bashing

  02/04/2016 12:34:50 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 105 replies

  Politico ^ | February 3, 2016 | Katie Glueck

  NASHUA, N.H. - Still riding a wave of confidence after winning the Iowa Caucuses, Ted Cruz was in rare form Wednesday night as he mocked Donald Trump over everything from losing Iowa to a previous record of liberal policy positions. "Have you noticed Donald doesn't take losing well?" he said at a town hall here. "Donald told us every day for a year he was going to win Iowa, win it big, win it 'yuuuuuge,'" he said, poking at Trump's speaking style. "I don't think people are interested in temper tantrums, or you could call it a 'Trumpertantrum,'" he continued,...

• Carter: ‘I Think I Would Choose Trump’ Over Cruz [Cruz is not malleable]

  02/03/2016 10:32:29 PM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 94 replies

  The Daily Caller ^ | February 4, 2016 | Christian Datoc

  Former President Jimmy Carter surprised reporters in London Wednesday by saying he would choose Donald Trump over Ted Cruz to win the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, "which may surprise some of you." Carter stated that given the choice, "I think I would choose Trump.... Trump has proven already he's completely malleable,” reports The Atlanta Journal Constitution. "I don't think he has any fixed (positions) he'd go the White House and fight for. On the other hand, Ted Cruz is not malleable. He has far right wing policies he'd pursue if he became president." Still, Carter feels Trump will "fade away"...

• President Norma Desmond: Donald Trump is not ready for his closeup

  02/03/2016 10:39:39 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 46 replies

  New York Daily News ^ | February 3, 2016

  ....." Donald Trump: "I've built an unbelievable company worth billions and billions. I don't have to hear from this man." Norma Desmond: "No-one ever leaves a star. That's what makes one a star." Donald Trump: "We'll have so much winning, you'll get bored with winning." Norma Desmond: "Without me, there wouldn't be any Paramount studio." Donald Trump: "Let's see how much money Fox is going to make on the debate without me, okay?"..............

• Has Donald Trump Already Decided to Run Third Party?

  02/03/2016 9:11:54 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 182 replies

  Red State ^ | February 3, 2016 | Leon H. Wolf

  As far as I can tell, Donald Trump's grieving process works more or less completely in the reverse order from what you would expect from a rational human being. Immediately after the event, Trump was more or less in acceptance mode, saying he was proud of finishing second, he loved the people of Iowa, he was going to come back and buy a farm there. Then he went into depression, secluding himself for an uncharacteristically long time from twitter and the media. Working backwards, he skipped over bargaining and went straight to anger, blaming the media and their unfair treatment...

• The blood sport of Iowa: A squeaker victory, losers who "win" and the msm's bizarre caucus narrative

  02/03/2016 1:01:12 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 37 replies

  Salon ^ | February 2, 2016 | Andrew O'Hehir

  It was getting on toward 2 o'clock on Tuesday morning after the bewildering Iowa caucuses, so I can't be too sure about anything. As the TV coverage wound down into nothingness, Chris Matthews of MSNBC became increasingly disgruntled about the lack of clear winners and losers in the Hawkeye State, at least in the Democratic photo finish between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Getting to hear the losers make concession speeches is what makes our democracy exciting, he insisted. Iowa in 2016, according to the Matthews worldview, was not exciting. "This was just vague," he muttered. He may actually have...

• Cruz lashes out at Rubio, Trump in NH

  02/02/2016 1:08:02 PM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 158 replies

  Billings Gazette ^ | February 2, 2016 | AP

  <p>Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz is lashing out at Marco Rubio and Donald Trump on immigration while facing New Hampshire voters for the first time since his Iowa caucus victory.</p> <p>Cruz charged that Rubio led the fight for "amnesty" for immigrants in the country illegally. He also said Trump didn't do anything to fight immigration reform as the debate raged on Capitol Hill in 2013.</p>

• Limbaugh: Trump Lost Iowa Because He Attacked Cruz 'Like A Liberal Democrat'

  02/02/2016 11:18:23 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 219 replies

  The Daily Caller ^ | February 2, 2016 | Christian Datoc

  Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh said Tuesday that Donald Trump lost the Iowa caucus because his criticism of Ted Cruz made him sound "like a liberal Democrat." "I don't think Trump skipping the debate had a thing to do with what happened last night," began Limbaugh. "This is a Republican primary. It's Iowa. Conservatives win in Iowa." "Donald Trump, I don't know if you forgot - one thing that everyone remembers - he went out and tried to criticize Ted Cruz," explained the talk-show host. "Ted Cruz isn't the enemy," he continued. "Hillary Clinton is the enemy. Ted Cruz is...

• How did Iowa caucus polls get GOP vote so wrong?

  02/02/2016 10:23:32 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 105 replies

  New York Daily News ^ | February 2, 2016 | Dan Good, Adam Edelman

  Iowa pollsters' losses were Ted Cruz's gain Monday night, as even the most storied surveys of the Hawkeye State's electorate missed the Texas senator's surging momentum. Cruz cruised to victory in the early-voting state's caucuses, easily beating bombastic billionaire Donald Trump 27.6% to 24.3%, with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio finishing a close third, with 23.1%. But polls, even ones released just hours before voters headed to caucus-locations, showed Trump in the solid lead: A Quinnipiac University poll out Monday afternoon had Trump beating Cruz 31% to 24%, while a Des Moines Register / Bloomberg Politics survey out the day before...

• Trump blames the VOTERS for Iowa loss: Repubican claims he got no credit for self-funding, claims..

  02/02/2016 9:18:23 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 177 replies

  The Daily Mail ^ | February 2, 2016 | Nikki Schwab

  Trump blames the VOTERS for Iowa loss: Republican claims he got no credit for self-funding - then claims he isn't getting credit for 'long-shot great finish' Donald Trump spent this morning doling out blame on Twitter for his Iowa loss. 'I don't believe I have been given any credit by the voters for self-funding my campaign, the only one. I will keep doing, but not worth it!' Trump tweeted. He also pointed fingers at the media for now crowning his second place finish behind Ted Cruz a win. 'The media has not covered my long-shot great finish in Iowa fairly....

• Trump Iowa loss could mean trouble ahead

  02/02/2016 5:31:18 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 163 replies

  The Washington Examiner ^ | February 2, 2016 | Byron York

  WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- Donald Trump's supporters showed up at the Sheraton Monday night fully expecting their man to win the Iowa caucuses. And why shouldn't they? Trump had held a lead of varying sizes in 13 of the last 13 polls listed in the RealClearPolitics average of Iowa polls. How could that not win? "Beats the hell out of me," said Michelle Tepley, a Trump fan from Waukee. "It doesn't make any sense." "Sad," said Kimberly Hawn of West Des Moines. "I don't know, I don't know," said Steve Brewer of Norwalk. Months ago, before Trump took the...

• Trump Nation's Faded Boarding Pass

  02/02/2016 1:25:22 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 210 replies

  The American Thinker ^ | February 2, 2016 | Geoffrey P. Hunt

  [snip] ".........Trump Nation is tired of failed transactions leaving only humiliation, disrespect, hardship, and despair. Trump Nation wants a transaction president. Donald Trump knows transactions. Donald Trump advertises that he's not only a high stakes negotiator. Trump will save the nation in the grandest transaction yet. It is that simple. Just like Trump Airlines. Recall Trump's promises in 1988 -- a lot more than a simple transaction in keeping the aging Eastern Airlines shuttle fleet flying. Trump promised luxury, convenience, style, personal touches, affinity to grandeur, and profitability. Except for convenience, Trump delivered nothing else for which customers were willing...

• Ted Cruz, Triumphant

  02/01/2016 10:28:42 PM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 197 replies

  The National Review ^ | February 1, 2016 | David French

  I tip my cap, unreservedly, to Ted Cruz. With everything on the line - and so many GOP colleagues cowed and intimidated - he took on Donald Trump and won. Late last year I wrote that the GOP needed an actual leader, someone who would step up and take on Trump directly: Now is the time. A presidential campaign is an early test of leadership, a proving ground for dealing with the challenges of the world's most difficult job. I don't want the last man standing. I want the guy who took down the king. If Trump can absorb the...

• Trump: "FOX Is Great. We're Back. We're Friends"

  02/01/2016 1:02:40 PM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 96 replies

  Real Clear Politics ^ | February 1, 2016

  ......."Frankly, FOX is great. We're back. We're friends. All of that stuff," Trump said about his relationship with the news network. "But I said, I'm not going into that debate. We held something in lieu. of the debate. I said, let's hold a rally for our veterans."

• The Art of the Deal-Breaker

  02/01/2016 11:33:34 AM PST · by Cincinatus' Wife · 61 replies

  The National Review ^ | February 1, 2016 | Jim Geraghty

  For the past year, one political power player after another has tried to negotiate with Donald Trump, and gotten bitten for the effort. Yet, like lemmings, each successive figure stepped up to meet the same fate, convinced despite all available evidence that gravity would give them a better deal. These movers and shakers seemed to think they could control Trump, and attempted to reach a bargain with the man who wrote The Art of the Deal. It did not end well for any of them. Ted Cruz bent over backward to avoid criticizing Trump, in hopes that the billionaire's campaign...