Trump breaks the ice with Congress

Washington Examiner ^ | 3/15/16 | Susan Ferrechio

[huldah1776]

The icy relationship between Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump and Republican leaders in Congress may be starting to thaw.

Both House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Tuesday discussed having positive phone conversations with Trump after weeks of refusing to even mention the business mogul by name.

In both cases, Trump picked up the phone first.

"Donald Trump called this morning and we had a good conversation," McConnell told reporters Tuesday. "I appreciated his call."

[nathanbedford]

I am not here to win friends, to win a beauty contest, to gain "supporters," I am here to present my views in an effort to persuade. I will do so as a matter of principle in a principled manner even if Donald Trump wins every vote in every state and wins American Samoa too.

Parenthetically, I have also said that I will support Trump once he gets the nomination and I intend to do so. Meanwhile, I calls 'em as I sees 'em.

I have not engaged in "absolute nastiness" I leave that tactic to Trump supporters who have reflexively resorted to the ad hominem. I have sought always to persuade with reason rather than invective and I think your personal accusations are unfair.

It is not my character that is at issue but Donald Trump's and Ted Cruz'. I think you should keep the character assassination limited to your political enemies not your conservative friends.

[nathanbedford]

Ted Cruz operated in public on the floor of the Senate. Donald Trump operated in secret in the bowels of the New York Times. Trump need only release the transcript of that sell out to clear the air, but he will not.

The entire power to exonerate Trump is in Trump's hands but he will not lift a finger of one of those hands to do so-because he cannot permit his words to become public.

If you really want to go to an extraneous subject, Trump's outrageous behavior time and again on the podium, I will do so but I will not concede that his bullying and indecent behavior has anything to do with this discussion.

Don't worry, at the end of the discussion when you lose the argument you can always point out that Cruz is really a Canadian. Oh, and ad, "LOL."

[palmer]

Your faith in Trump's bombast is actually pathetic.

Calling your opponents pathetic is not an argument. The fact is many people who support Trump realize that without Trump and his bombast we would be looking at Bush and a couple of other establishment choices. Cruz would be 3rd or 4th at best. It doesn't bother us.

It is very simple, all the crap and media lies that was directed against Trump since last summer would have been directed against Cruz.

I went out in VA and voted for Cruz because between Trump and Cruz we have the nomination locked up. I like them both. But Trump has won the contests so far and done so without any establishment support. Certainly no support from the two congressional leaders you claim are closet Trump supporters. That's a good start. If he doesn't have the votes at the convention he will have to work with Cruz and that will be a good finish and put us in good shape for November.

[Dagnabitt]

You're absolutely correct. It would be nice to see what Trump told the NYT about his real immigration and border positions.

He let the mask slip a bit with his "I'm changing. I'm changing" remarks at that debate.

[nathanbedford]

I know that you are perfectly capable of drawing the unavoidable conclusions from Trump's biography and believing the record rather than the bombast.

[palmer]

I have not engaged in "absolute nastiness"

True, but you did say we were "pathetic".

[Lakeshark]

So much hyperbole.

I've never called him a Canadian, and can't remember the last time I ended a post in LOL.

But so much for your condescension.

I noticed you didn't try to defend your ridiculously hyperbolic post claiming the NYT had a secret recording showing they shouldn't worry about Trump actually dealing with immigration. The line I happened to point out.

But then, why admit your own foibles when you can move on, right? And then you can claim I lost the argument. Whatever it was in your own mind........

[nathanbedford]

True, but you did say we were "pathetic".

Well, actually I said, "Your faith in Trump's bombast is actually pathetic."

It is not my assertion that your essential character is pathetic but that you are on this occasion pathetically misguided. A slight correction in course and you will resume your normal enlightened dominant characteristic.

[huldah1776]

Sure...

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

Blow it out your hole.

[itsahoot]

I am not here to win friends

Oh good then you are not a total failure.

[nathanbedford]

Do you deny that the New York Times is a secret recording?

Do you deny that the subject of the recording was at least, in part, immigration?

Do you deny that Trump is been accused of softening his stance on immigration in that recording?

Do you deny that Trump refuses to authorize the release of that recording?

By the way, I did not accuse you of losing the argument I accused typical Trump supporters of resorting to irrelevancies. Whether Cruz is a Canadian has nothing to do with whether Trump is selling out to the Republican establishment, nor does Cruz' criticism of Trump's bullying during his rallies.

[palmer]

A slight correction in course and you will resume your normal enlightened dominant characteristic.

Thanks and I wish the same to you.

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

Because I said what a lot of people are thinking. So.... as I said. Blow it out of your hole you self righteous self important blow hard.

[going hot]

Hey, sour grapes.

Your population of those who must be wrong for Trump to be right is getting smaller daily, if not hourly.

He is going to make a fine president.

[nathanbedford]

See what I mean?

[napscoordinator]

Don’t you think it’s tragic that Cruz is talking tonight? He had his worst night and he’s going to talk. He’s so obnoxious talking about how great 3 third place wins are. Really. Cruz needs to drop out. Bernie decided not to talk due to his bad night like Cruz.

[nathanbedford]

He is going to make a fine president.

I hope so, I said I would support him if he is nominated.

Meanwhile, it appears he's cutting deals with the establishment and that is unlikely to make, "a fine president."