Posted on 07/27/2015 11:32:26 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Conventional wisdom says that despite his lead in the polls, Donald Trump can't win the Republican Party presidential nomination.
And I agree with that. At least, I agree with it six days a week.
The other day, I am paying attention to Rush Limbaugh.
When Trump's diss of John McCain's military service became a cudgel for people to use against him, Limbaugh called it a "teachable moment" about how "the Washington establishment and media" operate, and he predicted that Trump would survive it by refusing to back down. On Thursday, Limbaugh took a victory lap on Trump's behalf, saying "Trump beat back the outrage machine."
It would be going too far to say that Limbaugh is supporting Trump. But he's not not supporting Trump. And he's certainly not trying to destroy Trump.
This matters because major conservative mass media entrepreneurs arguably count as influential party leaders just as much as members of Congress or governors. And it's not obvious that Rush and his fellow talk radio stars especially share a conventional politician's cynical interest in winning elections. Trump versus Clinton would be a heck of a show, and a Democrat in the White House is probably better for ratings anyway. David Frum has long worried that conservative talk radio has this kind of perverse incentive to push the GOP in tactically unsound directions.
All of which is to say that it's at least conceivable that important elements of the conservative media would rally around Trump, and that would give him a form of establishment support that he thus far desperately lacks.
This is probably good news for Jeb Bush
Still, the more likely scenario is that this is simply all good news for Jeb Bush.
Bush's greatest weakness in the campaign is that Scott Walker is an utterly plausible nominee who has a clearly more conservative record in office. Every day that conservative talk radio is not talking about this is a good day for Jeb Bush. Trump is simply a much, much, much, much less plausible nominee than Walker or Rick Perry or even Ted Cruz. Conservative media supporting Walker is a real threat to Bush. Conservative media chasing after a shiny Trump-shaped object is, objectively, a favor to Bush because it sucks up oxygen that his lesser-known rivals need.
Matthew Yglesias - another lib that hasn’t a clue.
There’s no time to bash Walker which might help Walker.
Most of it is Trump bashing Rubio/Jeb.
I’ll have some fun with this:
“Conventional wisdom says that despite his lead in the polls, Donald Trump can’t win the Republican Party presidential nomination.”
Conventional wisdom promised us that Trump would never get this far too.
“The other day, I am paying attention to Rush Limbaugh.”
Smart man.
“When Trump’s diss of John McCain’s military service became a cudgel for people to use against him, Limbaugh called it a “teachable moment” about how “the Washington establishment and media” operate, and he predicted that Trump would survive it by refusing to back down. On Thursday, Limbaugh took a victory lap on Trump’s behalf, saying “Trump beat back the outrage machine.””
That is true...Rush called it perfect.
“It would be going too far to say that Limbaugh is supporting Trump. But he’s not not supporting Trump. And he’s certainly not trying to destroy Trump.”
I remember Rush VERY WELL in the early 1990s and he was on the warpath against Perot from the start. Totally opposite here. He definitely sees something different in Trump.
“This matters because major conservative mass media entrepreneurs arguably count as influential party leaders just as much as members of Congress or governors.”
I wouldn’t say ‘arguably’, I would say DEFINITELY. Why on Earth should Republican voters trust people that have lied to them on a continuous basis?
“And it’s not obvious that Rush and his fellow talk radio stars especially share a conventional politician’s cynical interest in winning elections.”
The left still tries to discredit our side by claiming we’re being manipulated by talk radio types that want our side to lose. Well McCain/Romney certainly were NOT people that Rush wanted as candidates, and they managed to lose on their own, just fine. But Rush did want Bush-41 and Bush-43...and they did win (just for completeness).
“Trump versus Clinton would be a heck of a show, and a Democrat in the White House is probably better for ratings anyway”
I wouldn’t call Trump a Democrat, the way he’s campaigning, and since there is NO WAY that Trump will walk over to The Wildebeest and kiss her feet in a debate (as McCain/Romney did, and Jeb would do), I don’t see her having a prayer against Trump.
“David Frum has long worried that conservative talk radio has this kind of perverse incentive to push the GOP in tactically unsound directions.”
Other than Cruz making an occasional stand in the Senate, just when has talk radio managed to ‘push’ any Republican candidate or office holder?
“All of which is to say that it’s at least conceivable that important elements of the conservative media would rally around Trump, and that would give him a form of establishment support that he thus far desperately lacks.”
He lacks support from people that either LOSE, when they’re in charge (as in running McCain/Romney), or manage to SCREW UP every opportunity and then some when given power on a silver platter through no effort of their own (i.e., Congress).
“This is probably good news for Jeb Bush. Still, the more likely scenario is that this is simply all good news for Jeb Bush.”
What does Jeb have to do with anything here?
“Bush’s greatest weakness in the campaign is that Scott Walker is an utterly plausible nominee who has a clearly more conservative record in office.”
I guess anyone, to try to stop Trump. And Walker’s record on Amnesty, very similar to Rubio’s, will excite the left.
“Every day that conservative talk radio is not talking about this is a good day for Jeb Bush.”
What does Jeb have to do with anything here?
“Trump is simply a much, much, much, much less plausible nominee than Walker or Rick Perry or even Ted Cruz.”
Trump wasn’t supposed to be in the lead, or did you forget that.
“Conservative media supporting Walker is a real threat to Bush.”
What does Jeb have to do with anything here?
“Conservative media chasing after a shiny Trump-shaped object is, objectively, a favor to Bush because it sucks up oxygen that his lesser-known rivals need.”
...until Trump gets the nomination, that is. So I get it now, a DEMOCRAT is telling us that we need to dump Trump, or else we might get Jeb. If that were the case, then Rove would DEFINITELY be pushing Trump - just for that reason.
That was fun.
(I’ll repeat my last line)
“Conservative media chasing after a shiny Trump-shaped object is, objectively, a favor to Bush because it sucks up oxygen that his lesser-known rivals need.”
So I get it now, a DEMOCRAT is telling us that we need to dump Trump, or else we might get stuck with Jeb. If that were the case, then Rove and the other insiders would DEFINITELY be pushing Trump - just for that reason.
I guess they really are out of options now.
He’s not a professional politician. We need him and 535 more and hundreds more in the states like him. These other POS liars, conmen and thieves have corkscrewed the country into the ground and forced us, our children and grandchildren into debt slavery
BIG GOVERNMENT IS CRONY SOCIALISM. Socialism Is Legal Plunder - Bastiat
Rules for Changing a Limited Republican Government into an Unlimited Hereditary One
6. But the grand nostrum will be a public debt
7. It must not be forgotten that the members of the legislative body are to have a deep stake in the game
10. “Divide and govern”
11. As soon as sufficient progress in the intended change shall have been made, and the public mind duly prepared according to the rules already laid down, it will be proper to venture on another and a bolder step toward a removal of the constitutional landmarks
http://www.constitution.org/cmt/freneau/republic2monarchy.htm
/clinton-bush
Good summary.
The left DESPERATELY wants a Bush-Clinton election. It’s the only one she can win.
Back in 1996, when I supported Pat Buchanan for the GOP nomination, that was the same logic I used when people asked why. I said Pitchfork Pat was the ONLY Republican that had a chance to beat Clinton.
Well, they nominated Dole and see how that turned out.
Hes not a professional politician
Amen. We need to get rid of “politician” as a profession. Across the board.
I’m beginning to wonder if Hillary will somehow find a way to fumble the D nomination. She is incredibly lame.
Amen. We need to get rid of politician as a profession. Across the board.Hes not a professional politician
. . . and to do that, we need not only term limits but a minimum age of at least 30 to hold elective office.
This early the “sucking the oxygen” meme is not apt. There’s plenty of time for plenty of media nonsense.
It may be apt to say the interesting Republican race is “sucking the oxygen” from the Dems though.
Trump can win. He is driving the ruling political class crazy. Political hacks like John McCain mock Mr. Trump while establishment apologists like Cael Rove and Dana Milbank babble that Mr. Trump has no chance of winning even the nomination. But privately they are worried.
The most astute members of the political class know that since Bill Clintons first election the presidency has been held by cult leaders. Clintonistas refused to see any faults in their idol. The Bushiban was equally zealous in their fawning worship of their idol, as is the Obama cult of their idol.
Mr. Trump is attracting the same type of following. In fact, Mr. Trump may be even better at building a cult than even Obama. Of course, Mr. Trump starts out with more to work with than the other three.
Bill Clinton was a likeable rouge whose career high point was being a mediocre governor of a small state. George W. Bush lacked Clintons likeability. He had a less than stellar business career before riding his family name and political machine to two lack luster terms as governor of a huge state, but managed to attract an idolatrous following.
Obama had even less to work with except he started with a base of Black voters who were willing to overlook his record, including Black Christians willing to overlook the fact that he voted to legalize infanticide when he was a state senator.
Trump on the other hand, started with likeability at least equal to Clintons coupled with huge name recognition and a record of business accomplishments that catapulted him from the upper middle class to enormous wealth. He also starts as a TV star which gives him street cred with a segment of low information voters.
Couple Trumps plane talk that attracts people fed up with politically correct babble coming from most of the rest of the field with his other assets and it is more than believable that enough voters will be attracted to Trump to put him in office. It is no more unlikely than voters electing a community agitator as president.
: ) Always good to see you, c_I_c. Comments BUMP!
Including your great analysis tschatski. BTTT!
Rush Limbaugh = free speech..let the ratings decide.
Donald Trump = free markets
He DID build that
let the competition decide.
HOORAY Rush
HOORAY Trump
: )
The likes of Donald Trump hired you and gave you a paycheck because YOU had value.
The POS parasitic politicians took a lot of that money (your time of life) before it ever got to YOU, to feed YOUR family and take care of YOUR needs.
On top of it all, the POS political UNIPARTY has put YOU, YOUR children, YOUR grandchildren and YOUR great-grandchildren, etc., etc. in DEBT SERVITUDE in perpetuity.
Debates in the House of Representatives on the First Report on Public Credit 918 February 1790
James Jackson (Ga.)
But it is doubted with me whether a permanent funded debt is beneficial or not to any country.
The same effect must be produced that has taken place in other nations; it must either bring on a national bankruptcy or annihilate her existence as an independent empire. Hence I contend, sir, that a funding system, in this country, will be highly dangerous to the welfare of the republic; it may, for a moment, raise our credit and increase the circulation, by multiplying a new species of currency; but it must, in times afterward, settle upon our posterity a burthen which they can neither bear nor relieve themselves from. It will establish a precedent in America that may, and in all probability will, be pursued by the sovereign authority until it brings upon us that ruin which it has never failed to bring, or is inevitably bringing, upon all the nations of the earth who have had the temerity to make the experiment.
http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/875
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