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.
I would guess that is because he has business interests in Chicago.
Trump was out raising money for McCain in the last election, which is more indicative of where he is politically.
Well put. Thank you.
When Did I ever say that I support Trump for any political office????
See my tag line genius!
I support Trump's dropping his wallet on the birth certificate issue, trying to get to the bottom of it and bring the usurper down, but that's all I support him on.
Nice try to twist things, try again genius.
I would call directly advocating for a Canadian style single payer socialist health care system a little bit more than a "liberal streak". This is much more radical than what Obama pushed through and we fought that tooth and nail.
To eliminate the national debt, though.
So now that the debt is 14 trillion what makes you think Trump wouldn't advocate a 14 trillion wealth surcharge to "eliminate the national debt"? Is that something you'd support? If so, there are a lot of progressives/socialists who would be glad to know their agenda has support on a forum like Free Republic.
But, I much prefer Trump to dishonest liberals like Mitt Romney. He is far better candidate than John McCain.
How is it any less dishonest when Trump starts changing his past positions and statements now that he's considering running in the Republican primary? Like Romney, Trump used to be pro abortion - and now the both of them flip flopped and are supposedly pro life. Trump just 10 years ago gave a long interview to some gay magazine when he was thinking of running as a reform candidate. Back them he believed in a "very strong domestic partnership law" that would give gays effective marriage rights, now, he is against it. I just don't see how Trump is any less dishonest than Romney. They are both chameleons who say whatever they need to say to win.
Whether or not it’s what you intended, when you brought up JR’s statement about the BC on a thread about Donald Trump, it came across as equating JR’s desire to see the long-form with an implicit support of Trump.
I’ll take you at your word. If you say you don’t support Trump for political office, then that’s the way it is. And I’m glad for the clarification. Thank you.
Thank you for admitting Obama is HIDING HIS RECORDS! LOL!
You want to play let’s argue where the money is coming from. LMAO! I don’t care if Bugs Bunny is paying for Obama’s defense! It does NOT MATTER who. The FACTS ARE that OBAMA continues to COVER UP HIS PAST from the American public.
But NOOOO.... you want to get into technicalities on WHO is paying for Obama’s continuation to hide from the public his birth record, school records, employment records and medical records. LOL! Like I said Priceless!!!
BTW, your hope that ALL lawsuits have not been dismissed is total B.S.! Their are $hit load of law suits! I don’t know what Obama Goon told you this? Please link it where ALL lawsuits on Obama’s records have been dismised??????
And like I said Obama to continues to HIDE the truth.
I know you know deep down inside I’m right. Most employers would not put up with an employee that hid all their birth record, school records, employment records and medical history on a background check.
Nonetheless you think that is okay and normal.... Unbelievable how dishonest you can be when it comes to this issue.. Guess what it’s not going to go away either. Too many people are asking this question. It’s not going away as much as you wish it would.
If you want to be mad at anyone..., then be mad at Obama for hiding his background.
Because the debt is almost three times as high as it was in 2000 and taking that sort of money out of the economy would destroy it. You don't think Trump is smart enough to know that?
There WAS validity and advantages to wiping out the national debt at the time.
I just don't see how Trump is any less dishonest than Romney
I don't see a thing conservative about Romney's record. I do see some conservative beliefs that Trump has had and has had for a long time. That doesn't mean I'd vote for either in a primary.
The media went bonkers when some conservatives spent enormous amounts of time trying to prove Clinton killed Vince Foster. That didn't amount to anything either.
There was also a movement of people, including Jerry Falwell I believe, that were convinced Clinton was part of some massive drug trafficking scheme. The media loudly attacked people advocating that as well. The issue went nowhere.
Just because you can get under the skin of the media doesn't mean the issue is a good one for our side.
I didn't see Clinton hiding any information about Vince Foster.
Obama had consistently refuse to release his long-form birth certificate. There is only one reason for that -- because it either doesn't exist or there is something on it that he doesn't want made public. Either way, it is legitimate issue to ask why he won't show it and what he is covering up.
There was no more validity to a massive wealth tax then than there is now. It was a stupid idea then, and it's a stupid idea now.
I don't see a thing conservative about Romney's record. I do see some conservative beliefs that Trump has had and has had for a long time. That doesn't mean I'd vote for either in a primary.
I don't really disagree with you about Romney. He never was particularly conservative and flip flops when he feels it necessary. Thing is, I consider Trump a clown, so to me Trump isn't even an option. In the primaries I am much more interested in supporting candidates like Palin or Bachmann.
I just bet you are Ace.
Don't really give a damn if you take me at my word or not.
I brought up JR statement saying that I supported it. No mention of Trump anywhere in my post!
equating JR’s desire to see the long-form with an implicit support of Trump
You've got quite an imagination there Ace, nice try, try again. Maybe you can huddle up with your other little pals on this thread and try to come up with a different approach.
I am hoping that Trump will be much more vetted than Obama was because I for one am not very pleased with Trump and his being all over the political spectrum, tailoring his beliefs after what the polls say he should believe in order to woo conservatives. My point being is just who is Donald Trump? What are his real core beliefs? Where are his skeletons and how many closets does he have waiting to be opened/exposed.
I too like his tough talk but I fear it is just a smoke screen to divert attention away from his ugly secrets. Beware of what you wish for.
I never called him a conservative.I called him experienced and successful. I say he is a tried and true fighter, who knows his way around.
I am ready to listen to anyone who will come into the picture with a successful view of Americas future. Trump has changed tactics when necessary to be successful in the private sector, including greasing the corrupt wheels of both parties wen it suited his long-term needs.
He is intelligent enought to look an see what we need to succeed, and I believe he can drive that home. His past non-political business dealings bother me not, it is what he contracts with us to do in the future. Reagan was a democrat.I’m not comparing the two other than that, but if Trump has to put on what for him would be a conservative act, but pushes the policies we need to be successful, than more power to him.
At least he hasn’t spent his life lying to constituents for power. He hasn’t longed to control us. I would hire him as a “contract politician”. I don’t care what he really believes, if he will follow our direction and push our points today.
Exactly. Right now, I’d settle just for a “Pro-American” candidate, because there hasn’t been one since Reagan.
The facts show he is paying a law firm to HIDE his birth certificate, school records, employment records and medical record. Obama REFUSES to release them.BTW, your hope that ALL lawsuits have not been dismissed is total B.S.!
Now you're just making up sh*t. I said no such thing. Below is what I said. I gave three options.
All of the other lawsuits were either dismissed sua sponte, defended by the DOJ (7 cases), or did not include Obama as the defendant
You can access a spreadsheet on my FR home page that lists all of the eligibility lawsuits, provides details about each, and links to court documents.
I never said Obama isn't hiding his records. Clearly, he is. Otherwise, we'd have access to them.
I'm not "mad" at you or birthers in general. It isn't worth my time. What is worth my time is to correct demonstrably false information.
Your post is typical of a birther. You can't defend your position with facts so you resort to a personal attack.
Typical birther venom.
It takes a lot less taxes to wipe out four trillion than 14 trillion dollars. The latter is impossible with destroying the economy.
In the primaries I am much more interested in supporting candidates like Palin or Bachmann.
I totally agree. No conservative should consider Trump over either one of them. I'm guessing when the final field is set, that Palin or Bachmann (I think only one will run) will start rising in the polls and Trump will be an afterthought.
You were arguing “Technicality” and it’s WHY you brought it up? That is why I’m laughing at your B.S. nonsense.
You can use your Leftist buddies smear names all you want because I already know you know I’m right. LOL!
It’s called the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law. I understand that upsets you, but it’s the law. We are either a country of laws or we are not. You don’t get to pick and choose which laws you want to follow based on your own political ideology
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. I’m perplexed you have the audacity to even defend that. AMAZING!
Ohhhhh, did I hurt your little feelings there sport.
Not letting my statements getting twisted by the likes of *your kind* is just not playing fair huh Ace, LOL! LOL!
I like games like this, I really do.
Try again!
Trump was out raising money for McCain in the last election, which is more indicative of where he is politically.
I think the Emanuel donation is more indicative - and this is what it indicates: Trump is in this for Trump.
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