Posted on 02/14/2016 3:52:35 AM PST by reaganaut1
I feel like we’re back in the pre-Iowa period when no one could figure out whether Donald Trump skipping the Iowa debate would hurt him–by the normal rules, of course it would hurt him; by the Trump rules, it wouldn’t make a difference and maybe even help (by demonstrating strength).
By the normal rules, Trump embracing a blood libel about George W. Bush (he knew there were no WMD in Iraq), saying Planned Parenthood does great things, and often swinging wildly and angrily would hurt him a week out from a primary in Bush-friendly, hawkish, socially conservative South Carolina.
But we’ll see. Certainly Trump’s behavior reinforces the idea that he’s disruptor and not just another politician, and Republican voters might not mind so much that one of the candidates is outspokenly anti-Iraq war (even if he takes it too far). Trump continues to be able to interrupt everyone else with impunity and act the Big Man on stage, with no one really able or willing to assert themselves against him.
Jeb is trying the hardest. He continues to improve–he seems a bit more relaxed and authoritative every debate– and did better against Trump than ever before. But some of his strongest moments were defending his family and although that is honorable, I’m not sure how much that gets him. He has still not figured out how to clearly best Trump, even when he has the better of the argument.
Rubio was very good. A little sharper, a little more conversational. He probably got in more telling jabs against Trump in the Iraq debate than Bush did (although I doubt anyone cares much that Bush was enforcing U.N. resolutions).
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
What kind of county health departments give women free birth control? None that I’ve ever encountered.
And no, your radar is off. Trump is not in it for Hillary, he has flirted with this idea for a couple of decades. Was and is a huge Reagan fan (and national fundraiser for Reagan).
It was pathetic TV. But the GOPe is crazed about trying to drag down Trump and Cruz—and can’t see any further than that.
I didn’t know Norman Vincent Peale was his pastor. I’d like to hear him talk about all of what you’ve written here.
> “By the way, do you think there is a chance Trump would choose someone outside of the current pack of contenders for VP? If so, who?”
I really don’t know. Trump breaks all the rules. I am confident he’s going to pick a running mate that optimizes his run.
He can still choose Ted. Many tickets in the past have buried their hatchets and united for the interest of the party.
I am a bit disappointed in Ted, but more than disappointment I am concerned about his self-dignity going forward. Hw wants the nomination so bad that he’s fallen into tactics that are out of his character. Hope he recovers soon. He’s really a good guy, and he’s definitely eligible. Makes me mad that Donald raises the birther nonsense.
That said, Donald landed some devastating blows on Ted yesterday evening, just brutal. Donald really doesn’t play games does he? He goes for the jugular and aims to kill. Tells me how he will be viewed by America’s enemies.
Nobody but Trump is left.
_____________________________________
Yep. He’s far tol “left” for me.
Maybe, but the American people, all of whom have already been born, seem to have a penchant for abortion “rights” as they call them.
1: I’m not defending Planned Parenthood.
2: If you only fund PP if they stop doing abortions, then PP will go out of business. That or they stop doing abortions. Win. And you get to avoid the hysterical war on women shit, while we locally can keep spreading the truth on OUR level.
3: Conspiracy theories, AGAIN? Sheesh.
Yes, GHWBush referred to Reagan’s voodoo economics and then went on to serve as his VP.
And you’re right about this aspect of Trump: “Tells me how he will be viewed by America’s enemies...”
He’ll scare the sheet out of our enemies.
Reminds me of the saying, “Sometimes it’s better to be FEARED than RESPECTED.”
Confidence is one of Trump’s selling points. Voters have always voted for the candidate with the most self-confidence, except, perhaps Carter and Nixon. Think of the self-confident presidents we’ve had: Kennedy, Reagan, Clinton, Obama, Bushes
He looks younger than his 47 years. Is his main motivation getting donations from the gop-3?
Your post was fun to read.
~~Go Trump Go~~
Carson would be a good choice, I think. Softens the ticket on one side, and gives Carson a chance to temper his kindness and compassion with the decisiveness that being a good leader requires.
My personal preference is Sessions, if we can stand a Senator Veep.
There are historical videos going back decades all over the internet about Donald Trump, but a producer needs to put the videos together and make a serious biographical documentary about his life.
There are so many lies out there. And as a Cruz supporter, I was very disappointed that Ted picked up on one of the lies last night regarding Vera Coking, eminent domain and her home.
Here’s the short summary, she bought her home for $20k and she wanted to keep it. Fine, nothing wrong with that. Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione offered her $1 million and she refused. Fine, I have no problem with that.
Donald Trump offered her twice as much at nearly $2 million and she refused. It was during a time when Donald was not free and independent of his Atlantic City partners who he called sharks, “awful people”. Anyone who has lived on the eastern seaboard probably knows the type.
After she refused Donald’s offer, his awful partners went after her using eminent domain and they lost. Donald later took the partnership into bankruptcy after they accused him of weak leadership and threatened to go after his assets in Manhatten. So he raked them over the coals in court and left them dry; good for him.
Later, Vera passed away and her children couldn’t sell her property even at $500k. They ended up selling it at $250k. Now that is a tragedy. Donald offered that family a way to raise themselves up a notch in society and they lost out because of Vera’s selfishness and stubbornness. Many families have a Vera in their fold so they understand how frustrating it can be. Vera could have financed the college education of her grandchildren but she had to show the fat cats she was boss. But instead she showed she was stupid.
Now the story has become a fable that Trump tried to throw a women out of her home to build a parking lot for his casino. That’s a lie. He offered her and her family much more than they ever dreamed, and it wasn’t for a parking lot, it was for a high rise tower that was going to employ thousands.
I don’t agree with Donald on the use of eminent domain, on Kelo and so on. But he really stuck it to Bush last night on Bush’s use of eminent domain for private commercial purposes. Many of those candidates on the stage are such hypocrites.
“I don’t agree with Donald on the use of eminent domain, on Kelo and so on.”
Neither do I. If this is the truth of what happened, then it’s something else he needs to explain instead of blowing up about during a debate in which he gets a few seconds. It would take him all of 5 minutes on Hannity, BOR, and Greta — all three of those and maybe a few others.
He has explained it. He blew up in grizzly fashion last night because the attack was aimed at demoralizing the evangelical Trump supporter in South Carolina.
Trump is now receiving hundreds of attacks each day; hundreds of twisted lies. He can’t possibly respond to all of them but those he chooses to fight have to be spectacular shows. He showed tremendous anger last night and that set the example for his supporters to not put up with the flim-flam of the media and other candidate attacks.
Sounds like you could fall into the Carson camp. I thought Ben did very well last night. He showed me he’s on top of the real issues and has insight into their workings. I am thinking his gentle intelligent character would be a perfect running mate for the grizzly Trump.
Excellent post, Jim.
Very thought provoking.
Well said and spot on analysis of the candidates.
Well said.
We need an executive this time around, not another lawyer/politician/pontificator.
We are out of time.
That was nice of you to say.
Thanks.
Good background on the Coking issue.
I did not know about Trump’s partners in AC.
He was responding to Jeb’s desperate attacks mostly. Jeb looked really small.
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