Posted on 01/29/2022 5:43:05 AM PST by Kaslin
At a critical point in the 1980 campaign, Ronald Reagan had enough and cleaned house of his senior political advisors including campaign manager John Sears. One staffer would later recall, “Ronald Reagan would not have come so close in 1976 had he not hired John Sears; and Ronald Reagan would not have won the GOP nomination had he not fired John Sears in 1980.”
As it does on so many occasions, history repeats itself. Like Reagan before him, Donald Trump now must clean house if he hopes to make a serious political comeback.
Trump’s 2016 win was mostly of his own doing. Being the outsider candidate that he was, he accordingly attracted crowds and was afforded endless free airtime by a media that treated him as a novelty. What’s more, he had the good fortune of running against the worst presidential candidate in recent history and accordingly devastated Hillary Clinton in all of their debates. Finally, he developed a sound state by state strategy while Clinton ignored key electorates, all of which propelled him to his stunning victory.
His loss in 2020 was mostly the doing of bad consultants and advisors. I know because I know many of them. Then some have the nerve to write their own autobiographies as if they themselves are important.
As we approach 2024, all the right conditions are there for Trump to win again should he decide to run. Joe Biden has proven to be an unmitigated disaster in every aspect of his presidency. Crime is rampant, inflation has skyrocketed, shelves are empty, and the southern border between America and Mexico is practically nonexistent. In the realm of foreign affairs, Biden shamed the country when he disgracefully allowed the Taliban to take back control of Afghanistan and abandoned hundreds of Americans still stranded in that godforsaken country, while simultaneously allowing our adversaries to run circles around us. Don’t get me started on the stupidity of Ukraine.
In short, Trump has the perfect recipe to win again, but all that means nothing if he doesn’t get his own house in order first.
Many years ago, I worked for the New York Racing Association and there was a saying at the track: “A good jockey cannot make a bad horse win, but a bad jockey can make a good horse lose.”
Campaigns are fresh and campaigns are stale. Campaigns need new personnel, new ideas and new initiatives. And Trump’s is no exception. As my old boss Terry Dolan was fond of saying, “never forget the first three letters of the word ‘consultant.’” And yet pollsters and consultants have become millionaires out of their malpractice.
If I were to give my advice, I would begin by telling Trump to keep former House Speaker Newt Gingrich close at hand as he lays the groundwork for a possible rerun. Aside from being my good friend, Newt is perhaps the smartest person in American politics today. He is polished, articulate, knowledgeable of laws and legislation, and can provide Trump (and by extension the entire GOP) with the ideas they’ll need to gain control of Washington if they win the House, Senate, and White House back in the coming years.
What Trump doesn’t need to do is keep those who bring needless controversy and buffoonery to his brand within his circle. He dosen’t need an endless menagerie of political consultants who only know how to lose elections.
In short, Trump has the perfect recipe to win again, but all that means nothing if he doesn’t get his own house in order first.
Many years ago, I worked for the New York Racing Association and there was a saying at the track: “A good jockey cannot make a bad horse win, but a bad jockey can make a good horse lose.”
Campaigns are fresh and campaigns are stale. Campaigns need new personnel, new ideas and new initiatives. And Trump’s is no exception. As my old boss Terry Dolan was fond of saying, “never forget the first three letters of the word ‘consultant.’” And yet pollsters and consultants have become millionaires out of their malpractice.
If I were to give my advice, I would begin by telling Trump to keep former House Speaker Newt Gingrich close at hand as he lays the groundwork for a possible rerun. Aside from being my good friend, Newt is perhaps the smartest person in American politics today. He is polished, articulate, knowledgeable of laws and legislation, and can provide Trump (and by extension the entire GOP) with the ideas they’ll need to gain control of Washington if they win the House, Senate, and White House back in the coming years.
What Trump doesn’t need to do is keep those who bring needless controversy and buffoonery to his brand within his circle. He dosen’t need an endless menagerie of political consultants who only know how to lose elections.
“His loss in 2020 was mostly the doing of bad consultants and advisors. I know because I know many of them.”
...no need to go any further. He didn’t lose. The presidency was stolen. Trump did have bad advisors and consultants however.
Good advice, but the two worst advisors he has are closet democrats Ivanka and Jared.
Absolutely, we all saw the bad advice and bad calls throughout his Presidency. He needs to open a “Suggestion Box” for his base to submit who we know would steer him right.
> He didn’t lose. The presidency was stolen. Trump did have bad advisors and consultants however. <
Right, right, and right again.
The only concrete advice was: Keep Newt Gingrich close. I agree with that.
Otherwise, a bunch of opinions which cannot be proven.
*some have the nerve to write their own autobiographies as if they themselves are important.*
This article’s timing-right when Kellyanne comes out with a book. Her choice in men is the only thing I hold against her. Gotta be a show-stopper regarding book sales. We’re winners and think ahead. Same with Sarah not taking on Murkowski. We need this fight.
I read Shirley’s book on the ‘76 primary between Ford/Reagan. He’s on top of the going’s on issues within the party.
We, the people, need to clean House (and Senate) but Trump is making it difficult for us to so our part of the swamp draining by continuing to endorse swamp monsters.
The infrastructure bill passed with the help of these nineteen Assistant Democrats.
Dan Sullivan (R-AK) Trump endorsed
Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) Trump endorsed
Mike Crapo (R-ID) Trump endorsed
Roy Blunt (R-MO) Retiring
Richard Burr (R-NC) Retiring
Deb Fischer (R-NE) Trump endorsed
Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Trump endorsed
Rob Portman (R-OH) Retiring
Thom Tillis (R-NC) Trump endorsed
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) being primaried by Trump endorsed candidate
Jim Risch (R-ID) Trump endorsed
Chuck Grassley (R-IA) Trump endorsed
Bill Cassidy (R-LA) Trump endorsed
Kevin Cramer (R-ND) Trump endorsed
Roger Wicker (R-MS) Trump endorsed
Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Trump endorsed
John Hoeven (R-ND) No endorsement yet
Susan Collins (R-ME) Trump endorsed
Mitt Romney (R-UT) Trump endorsed
As far as I can tell, Trump has never had any close friends or competent political advisors.
You cannot clean house if there is no one in your house.
Yeah, keep Newt and O’Reilly and get rid of the populists to become more of a DC insider.
You nailed it. The author of The Art of the Deal traded bona fide conservatives Sebastian Gorka and Steve Bannon for New York liberals Jared and Ivanka—a bad deal. Even President Trump has his Achilles heal.
I love what Trump did for America. However, he could've stopped that Plandemic BS by March, 2020....but he didn't.
Trump likes to be loved and flattered. When he speaks to the crowds on the trail, he knows what to say to them. Behind closed doors with power-brokers, he probably sounds 180 degrees different.
I call him the WWE President- he's mostly Kayfabe.
Think I'm wrong? Why isn't Hillary in prison?
If you still really think this is all due to Trump being a bumbling fool, I think you’re as “mass formed”, in another way, as the mask and jab zombies.
What?!! No Karl Rove???!!
Ivanka and Jared were NOT closet Democrats. They were open Democrats as were others in the Trump family who could not vote for DJT in the primary.
A complete purge is needed along with a commission to investigate the coup, the stolen election, the stealing and laundering and send all these pukes to jail or the hangmans noose
Re: Keep Newt Gingrich close.
Great idea.
A 78 year old candidate with an 80 year old top adviser.
Donald Trump is a very intelligent observant and canny operator…who NOW knows EXACTLY what he is up against. This ain’t 2015 Donald Trump or even 2020 Donald Trump.
If he gets in again be PERSONALLY ready to back his play. And if he DOESNT same.
...and same day registration,and ballot harvesting,and 30 days of voting,and no ID required to register or vote.
I would say Craig Shirley is a bad advisor for not recognizing the big steal was why Trump lost in 2020
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