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Obama’s Trump Card The damage the Donald can do
National Review online ^ | April 26, 2011 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 04/26/2011 9:28:40 AM PDT by jmaroneps37

The boomlet for Donald Trump as a Republican nominee for president of the United States ought to be a wake-up call for Republican candidates and Republican party leaders alike.

Why has Trump surged ahead of other Republican candidates and potential candidates in the polls? It is not likely that his resurrection of the issue of Barack Obama’s birth certificate has aroused all this support.

The birth-certificate issue does more political damage to Obama’s critics than to the president himself, because it enables the media to paint those critics as kooks. Nor are Donald Trump’s political positions such as to create a stampede to his cause.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Radio-talk-show host Mark Levin has rebroadcast Trump’s varied and mutually contradictory statements on political issues and personalities over the years. It was a devastating revelation of Trump’s “versatility of convictions,” to use a phrase coined long ago by Thorstein Veblen.

So then what is Donald Trump’s appeal? And why should it concern Republican leaders in general?

Trump has what so many other Republicans are so painfully lacking: the ability and the willingness to articulate arguments clearly, forcefully, and in plain English. Too many Republicans talk like the actor of whom a critic once said, “he played the king like he was afraid that someone else was going to play the ace.”

What electrified so many Republicans about Sarah Palin in the 2008 election campaign was that her speeches offered such a contrast to the usual mealy-mouthed talk common among other Republican candidates, including Sen. John McCain. Whether you agreed or disagreed with her position on the issues, you didn’t have to wave your hand in front of her eyes to see if she was awake.

Donald Trump is dangerous in at least two senses. If, by some tragic miracle, he should become the Republicans’ candidate for president in 2012, that would be the closest thing to an iron-clad guarantee of a second term in the White House for Barack Obama.

That would be a huge setback for the Republicans — and, far more important — a historic catastrophe for this country.

What seems more likely is that Donald Trump as a candidate for the Republican nomination would use his superior articulation skills — not to mention brash irresponsibility — to trash all the other Republican candidates for that nomination, leaving them damaged goods in the eyes of the public, and therefore less able to gather the votes needed to prevent the reelection of Obama.

Why Republicans seem not to understand the crucial importance of putting the same time and attention into articulating their positions as the Democrats do is one of the enduring mysteries of American politics.

It was obvious that the Democrats coordinated their talking points and catch-phrases — “social justice,” “tax cuts for the rich,” etc. — even before the overheard and recorded statements of Sen. Chuck Schumer about Democrats’ plans to repeatedly use the word “extreme” to characterize Republicans.

But how many Republican catch phrases can you remember? Republican rhetoric tends to range from low key to no key.

Nor is there much evidence that Republicans have asked themselves how the left wing of the Democratic party gained such ascendancy in recent years, in a country where millions more people identify themselves as conservative than as liberals.

In short, there is little or no evidence that most Republicans see any need to fundamentally change their approach to the public. But if they think that they can rely on Obama’s declining popularity to win the 2012 election, they may be in for a rude shock. Worse yet, the whole future of this country and of Western civilization will be in jeopardy — in a world where the likes of Iran and North Korea become nuclear powers while we engage in empty talk at the U.N.

Barack Obama’s declining support in public-opinion polls makes some conservatives feel that his reelection hopes are doomed. But Donald Trump can be Barack Obama’s secret weapon in his fight to remain in the White House. The Donald can be his Trump card.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: certifigate; comboverboy; sowell; thomassowell; trump; trumpery
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To: jmaroneps37
They strangely left one small part OUT of the equation.

OBOZO is lethally UNPOPULAR.. and continues to sink as I keyboard this

What most are starting to realize.. nearly ANYONE would be a BETTER alternative then the Clown Prince.

121 posted on 04/26/2011 1:06:10 PM PDT by VideoDoctor
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To: curiosity

“Yes, he’s refusing to release some records. However, none of the records he is keeping private is relevant to his eligibility to be president.”

You know this HOW?
You know whether his scholarships were paid as a foreign student or an American citizen? You know who paid for his education?
His long form birth certificate, if he has one, is not relevant to whether he is a “natural born citizen”?
Really?


122 posted on 04/26/2011 1:11:13 PM PDT by realetybytes (realetybytes.com)
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To: Sprite518
Some how you think Obama should be immune from the law and it’s okay for Obama to continue to HIDE his birth record, School records, employment record and medical records in order to deceive the public.

Actually, it's precisely because Obama IS NOT immune from the law that he can hide those records. It is the law, privacy law, to be precise, that allows him to keep all of that information private.

If you want to force him to disclose all of those things, you are going to have to change the law.

123 posted on 04/26/2011 1:12:57 PM PDT by curiosity
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To: Sprite518

How ‘bout you take that load of horsesh*t somewhere else. Prove it to everyone here that I said anything inconsistent. There was no doublespeak.


124 posted on 04/26/2011 1:13:10 PM PDT by BuckeyeTexan (There are those that break and bend. I'm the other kind. *4192*)
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To: The Cajun

Fair enough. If you don’t support Trump and weren’t attacking Sowell, then I posted too soon and I apologize.


125 posted on 04/26/2011 1:14:43 PM PDT by Notary Sojac (Populism is the antithesis of conservatism)
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To: realetybytes
You know whether his scholarships were paid as a foreign student or an American citizen?You know who paid for his education?

No, but I don't see how it's relevant to his eligibility. Please explain.

His long form birth certificate, if he has one, is not relevant to whether he is a “natural born citizen”?

No, because his natural born status has already been established by other means.

126 posted on 04/26/2011 1:16:49 PM PDT by curiosity
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To: curiosity

Hey, could you please find me another colb or lfbc from 1961 that lists the race of the child as African? I’m sure I’m not as smart as you are because I have been looking for one since early 2008. I’m sure with your superior intellect you will surely know first of all that African is a race and that in 1961 most all children of black parents were listed as African. Right? Should I hold my breath?


127 posted on 04/26/2011 1:18:21 PM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: VideoDoctor
nearly ANYONE would be a BETTER alternative then the Clown Prince

And nobody is better proof of that statement than comb-over boy. When we get to the point that people are seriously considering Donald effing Trump as an alternative, no question that Zero is at rock bottom.

128 posted on 04/26/2011 1:21:15 PM PDT by Notary Sojac (Populism is the antithesis of conservatism)
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To: curiosity

LOL! Nice try again.....

It’s a Constitutional requirement that Obama show us where he was born, and Obama keeps hiding it along with the rest of his records.

I KNOW you already know I’m right. You can defend Obama all you want, but that does not prove he was born in Hawaii.

Show the public the long form Birth Certificate. Obama can’t because he does not have one.

You have to keep asking yourself WHY WOULD OBAMA NOT JUST RELEASE THE LONG FORM AND END THE DEBATE? It’s because if he had it, then it would have been already released.


129 posted on 04/26/2011 1:21:24 PM PDT by Sprite518
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To: CynicalBear
Hey, could you please find me another colb or lfbc from 1961 that lists the race of the child as African? I’m sure I’m not as smart as you are because I have been looking for one since early 2008. I’m sure with your superior intellect you will surely know first of all that African is a race and that in 1961 most all children of black parents were listed as African. Right? Should I hold my breath?

Hawaii allowed parents to check "other" and write in a category. That an African nationalist, who felt little connection with American blacks, would not want to classify himself as "negro" is not at all surprising.

130 posted on 04/26/2011 1:23:16 PM PDT by curiosity
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To: Sprite518
It’s a Constitutional requirement that Obama show us where he was born, and Obama keeps hiding it along with the rest of his records.

He has already released a document that is sufficient to prove birth in Hawaii, and Hawaii officials have confirmed the state's vital records show he was born in Hawaii. That's all he needs to prove eligibility.

There is no constiutional requirement to show college transcripts, or kindergarden records, or baptismal records, or any of the other documents birthers keep asking for.

131 posted on 04/26/2011 1:25:07 PM PDT by curiosity
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To: BuckeyeTexan

Awl I got your panties in a wad because I called you out for your B.S. debate tactics. There you go again.... Only a Stooge would fall for your double talk. You double talk all day long. You do something and say you are not doing it. LOL! Priceless!


132 posted on 04/26/2011 1:26:14 PM PDT by Sprite518
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To: Sprite518
You have to keep asking yourself WHY WOULD OBAMA NOT JUST RELEASE THE LONG FORM AND END THE DEBATE?

The answer is very simple: he doesn't want to end the debate. He wants to keep it going because it distracts his opposition from the real issues.

133 posted on 04/26/2011 1:26:22 PM PDT by curiosity
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To: curiosity
Of course you know you are wasting your time here.

Dedicated birthers know that a couple of books and papers written in the eighteenth century define "natural born citizen" as something that Obama isn't, and for them, that settles it for all time.

134 posted on 04/26/2011 1:29:01 PM PDT by Notary Sojac (Populism is the antithesis of conservatism)
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To: curiosity
>> Hawaii allowed parents to check "other" and write in a category. That an African nationalist, who felt little connection with American blacks, would not want to classify himself as "negro" is not at all surprising.<<

You must be way smarter then me. Coming back with pure conjecture. Wow! I asked you to find at least one more with the “race” listed as African. African, get it? In my small world Africa is a country, not a race. NOW, could you please find a colb or a lfbc that lists African as the race? I’m sure your way ahead of me on that and can produce that quickly. Right slick? We want proof. PROOF. You understand proof right?

135 posted on 04/26/2011 1:29:58 PM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: Notary Sojac
Fair enough. If you don’t support Trump and weren’t attacking Sowell, then I posted too soon and I apologize.

Since I never mentioned Dr. Sowell and never mentioned Trump, but only responded to *curiosity* calling anybody interested in the birth certificate *Crackpots*(Curiosity never mentioned Trump or Dr. Sowell in his post either), I am really wondering why you pinged me.
Would really like to know what led to your conclusions about my post that I was supporting Trump for president and attacking Dr. Sowell.

Odd, very odd indeed.

136 posted on 04/26/2011 1:31:28 PM PDT by The Cajun (Palin, Bachmann, Free Republic, Mark Levin, Rush, Hannity......Nuff said.)
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To: Sprite518

And there it is. Game over. You lose.

You can’t prove it because there is no such proof. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt by assuming that you simply misread or misunderstood my posts. Now I’ll call a spade what it is. You’re a liar.


137 posted on 04/26/2011 1:32:52 PM PDT by BuckeyeTexan (There are those that break and bend. I'm the other kind. *4192*)
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To: Sprite518

And there it is. Game over. You lose.

You can’t prove it because there is no such proof. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt by assuming that you simply misread or misunderstood my posts. Now I’ll call a spade what it is. You’re a liar.


138 posted on 04/26/2011 1:33:21 PM PDT by BuckeyeTexan (There are those that break and bend. I'm the other kind. *4192*)
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To: The Cajun

Other than apologizing for mis-reacting to your post I am not sure what else you want me to say.


139 posted on 04/26/2011 1:33:51 PM PDT by Notary Sojac (Populism is the antithesis of conservatism)
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To: curiosity

YEAH THAT’S THE TICKET!....

Okay well I’ll make you a tin foil hat for your conspiracy theory.

The facts are is that Obama is not eligible to be president. The common denominator with the birth record, the school records, employment records and medical records is his place of birth...... That’s why he has sealed all records that could lead to WHERE he was born.

I find it funny how it does not even bother you that he has had multiple names, a Connecticut Social Security Number, etc....

It’s AMAZING how you continue to defend someone who has been so deceitful to the public and at the very least decisive (as tin foil conspiracy theory). How you call that leadership and defend it is beyond me?


140 posted on 04/26/2011 1:34:21 PM PDT by Sprite518
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