Posted on 08/31/2016 3:14:48 PM PDT by RoosterRedux
Just when it seemed like the negative image of Donald Trump as a xenophobic, racist, and cartoonish excuse for a presidential candidate was permanently stained into most of the voters' minds, someone on his campaign staff had the brilliant idea to accept the invitation to meet Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto in Mexico City.
And now that the meeting is over, and both Trump and Nieto have made their formal statements, it's clear Trump has been given a crucial presidential-looking shot in the arm from perhaps the one foreign leader we least expected to give it to him. But that's not where the positives for Trump end, not by a long shot.
Suddenly, we now have a new context for Trump's long-awaited speech on immigration. Before the meeting, Trump was facing a tough challenge. Several conservatives, and even one of his most ardent supporters in Ann Coulter, had been getting much attention as they accused Trump of flip-flopping on illegal immigration and especially the deportation question. There are reports the Trump campaign is hoping to gloss over deportation at least somewhat by focusing on securing the southern border with Mexico instead. That seems like it might be a tough needle to thread. But now that Trump is making the speech coming directly from that border, that new focus suddenly becomes more plausible.
The buzz is now about the Mexico meeting and fewer people are talking about deportation. And since President Peña Nieto himself made border security part of his own set of priorities in his portion of the news conference, this entire event is amounting to something of a home run for Trump and his quest for legitimacy.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
Methinks El Presidente is not happ with the new sheriff in town. Note the clenched jaw. :-)
Based on the content, the setting and tone of the briefing afterwards I think you’re right. They think Trumps going to win and they want to be on the right side.
Smart move, Trump is loyal and will remember the frankness, strength and grace of the Mexican president. This is something that should have happened years ago.
Heads from both countries working together to help the Mexican people, against the cartels and their oligarchs.
Thx much Cobra, old friend.
Yep, he affirmed the wall right there in Mexico in the presence of the Mexican president and with his implicit consent. That is huge. Hard to claim that Trump’s just kidding about it or that it’s just a pipe dream now.
I feel like voting for Trump 5 times, all Chicago style, today.
I have been farting a lot more lately.
Must be the beans.
Yup. I foresee a sudden silence in the "Trump has flip-flopped on immigration!" articles we've been seeing so many of lately.
Home run ... out of the park!!
YUP! :-)
Plus I exercise a lot.
On a serious note that you know well, we are called as children by the Big Guy.
I am old but still have the awe of life that a newborn must have.
I tried to get up on my high horse, but it turned out to be my cat.
And he told me to get down and open another can of tuna (which of course I dutifully did ASAP).
This is the sort of finesse you would expect for someone who is a master of "the art of the deal."
Say what you will otherwise, but New York is a pretty D@mn good training ground for being a Wheeler Dealer.
"If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. "
:)
Based on his jaw muscle extension, I would say that President Nieto has come to understand Trump’s gravitas.
Better to remain silent and let people think you a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
He seems to be very on the ball, and Trump seems to trust him like he does his sons.
And, BTW, Jared was on that trip with him.
A wall would benefit Mexico. It would prevent the drug cartels from selling their product in the USA, in which currently gives them money and power in Mexico. It would dry up the demand, starving the cartels and maybe decreasing crime on the Mexico side.
Trump played it smart today. Total end run around old, sick, boozy Hillary.
Good to know. Thx for that info.
Yeah, me too. The more I’m thinking about this, the more I’m sort of pinching myself at what Trump pulled off today. This was an epic coup.
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