Posted on 07/21/2015 8:17:59 PM PDT by Reno89519
The GOP field wants to talk about their ideas for America. But the media only wants to talk about one thing: Donald Trump.
Gov. John Kasich formally announced his White House bid at the Ohio State University on Monday afternoon, pitching himself as a serious conservative with a résumé that outclasses anyone else in the Republican field. But just as he wrapped up, his fellow GOP candidate Donald Trump was giving out Sen. Lindsey Grahams personal cellphone number at a rally in South Carolina.
Kasich got Trumped.
Last week in Camden, New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie rolled out his vision for the future of criminal justice reform, a thoughtful synthesis of liberal and conservative ideas about community policing.
He got Trumped.
On Tuesday, Rand Paul even brought out a chainsaw, wood chipper and fire to destroy the U.S. tax code. He also announced a plan to defund Planned Parenthood.
Trumped and Trumped.
Jeb Bushs economic policy speech? Trumped. Scott Walkers $26 million money haul? Trumped. Carly Fiorinas attack on Hillary Clinton? Marco Rubios thoughts on Iran? Bobby Jindal in general? Trumped, Trumped, Trumped.
Just 35 days since the brash real-estate mogul launched his presidential campaign with all the subtlety of a rhinoceros, Republican candidates have been gasping for air, choked off from media access and desperate to break out beyond an egomaniacal celebrity who is polling better than most of the field. The early jostling has a special urgency this year: The first GOP debate on Aug. 6 is just two weeks away, and only 10 candidates will make the cut.
The contenders have taken different tactical approaches. Some, like former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Graham, have attacked Trump with abandon, calling him a jackass (Graham) and telling him to drop out of the race (Perry) in response to Trump saying Sen. John McCain is not a war hero because he was captured. Top-tier candidates like Bush have taken a subtler approach, calling Trumps language divisive while avoiding getting down and dirty with a world-class mud wrestler.
But every time any of them manages to get a little attention, Trump ups the ante.
Christies proposal for criminal justice reform drew on the many programs he brought to the streets of New Jersey and called for a compassionate approach to criminals who have been locked away for minor crimes. After delivering a detailed speech and touring a halfway house, he was ready for some tough questions about his take on a policy issue that has become the subject of intense national debate. Except thats not what the press wanted to talk to him about.
After the drug rehab round table, the only questions from the gaggle were about Donald Trump, said Samantha Smith, a Christie campaign spokesperson.
Bush, who is second in the polls after Trump but is blowing away his rivals in the money race, laid out his vision of limited government on Monday, pledging to fight Washingtons bloat and extend the ban on former members of Congress going into lobbying.
It got a little news. Not as much as Donald Trump, Bush said on Tuesday at a campaign event in South Carolina. His first question after the panel? Trump.
Bushs expression visibly soured.
I respect the sentiments that people feel when they hear Trump talk, Bush said. The problem with Mr. Trumps language is its divisive, its ugly, its mean-spirited.
Walker, who is fighting for the top tier along with Bush and, well, Trump, has had a number of big policy moments in the past week, from signing a 20-week abortion ban in Wisconsin to saying hed tear up the Iran nuclear deal on Day One as president to signing an executive order allowing National Guard members to carry guns while on duty.
Despite a sit-down interview withKelly ODonnell of NBC Nightly News, the clip shown on Sundays NBC Nightly News? Walker responding to Trump.
In the interview, Walker said he tried to stay away from talking about his Republican rivals. Then he talked about Trump.
I say on policy any of them can speak for themselves, but when it becomes personal like this, not just against John McCain, but really to me, thats a swipe at any of our American heroes, particularly those who were taken as prisoners of war. At a minimum, he needs to apologize.
A spokesperson for Walker declined to comment.
On Tuesday morning, just before Trump broadcast his cellphone number to the world, Graham called President Barack Obama the Neville Chamberlain of our time ordinarily the kind of torqued-up rhetoric that would win him headlines. Instead, the news was soon all about his feud with Trump. But a CNN chyron later in the day didnt even mention his name, reading simply, Trump reveals rivals cell number on live TV.
Jindal had one of the most positive receptions at the Family Leadership Summit in Iowa over the weekend, with multiple standing ovations, and is experiencing a slight rise in recent polls. But no one noticed.
While Donald Trump distracts other candidates nationally, we are making headway on the ground in Iowa, Jindal spokesperson Shannon Dirmann said in an email.
I hhhhhhhhhate that man..!!!
Trump is controlling the agenda, and he hasn’t even spent any money yet. This is all free news coverage.
The contenders have taken different tactical approaches. Some, like former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Graham, have attacked Trump with abandon, calling him a jackass (Graham) and telling him to drop out of the race (Perry) in response to Trump saying Sen. John McCain is not a war hero because he was captured.
That is not what Trump said. But then this is from Politico. And everyone ignores that McCain called everyone who went to hear Trump in Phoenix “crazies”.
I respect the sentiments that people feel when they hear Trump talk, Bush said. The problem with Mr. Trumps language is its divisive, its ugly, its mean-spirited.
The R political elites don’t understand that huge numbers of us want to puke when we hear anyone whining about others being mean spirited or divisive and want to punch them in the face. I wonder if Bush respects my feelings in that regard.
The other clowns have had plenty of opportunity to talk about their ideas.
Trump opened the conversation about illegal immigration, and the rest
ran and hid. They trashed Trump but don’t offer their ideas about illegal
immigration. They avoid that conversation like the plague.
Rolling out “Kate’s Law”, lowering flags to honor our terrorist murdered service members.
Those business as usual RINO’s are good at symbolic resistance when we need more real meaningful resistance like armed citizens guarding military recruiting offices in Tennessee.....
I see the GOPe on Capitol Hill running scared and trying to take the ball back from Trump.
The Republican Establishment has gotten “Trumped” in the rump.....
The 14 losers the GOP has fielded still think this election is about policies. This election is about attacking the ENEMY. The enemedia/Rat complex.
These GOPe candidates all sound like democrats with their proposals and compassionate programs. Idiots all.
And it's precisely the correct tone to take when your nation is being ripped asunder by our domestic enemies, dumbass.
That is why Trump is smoking you and the rest of the herd in the polls.
That’s exactly the problem.
Most of them are Democrats in R jerseys.
All except for Ted Cruz, who publicly applauded Trump's statement.
That is true. I guess I should have said most, instead of all.
This seems to be missed in media discussions. 24/7 coverage of Trump is free. And will Trump drop out when it stops? I don’t think so. Consider he’s made clear he’ll self-fund his campaign. Two to three billion, even four or five is nothing overall to Trump. In a manner of speaking, he could buy the election. My guess is that if he continues to be serious and doesn’t quit, between the free media and his pile of money, he’s unstoppable.
The Republicans have been way out of touch with their voters for years! It is finally coming home to roost!
At least one of our Republican candidates has the guts to state the truth. Sure hope that this makes it clear just who is stating the truth and not limping along with the liberal media..
Agreed! And that is why Trump so easily trumped them. They are still trying to figure out what hit them. Almost like a chicken with its head chopped off, still walking around.
Exactly.
The Ruling Class suck ups will always play footsie with themselves and their Marxist counterparts.
The Donald is speaking his mind, speaking the truth and doing so without apology - something the professional political class runs away from like pansies.
Of course Trump is going to trounce the Stupid party circus, because he is not whitewashing treason or incompetence and plays the media like a fiddle.
I sure hope he’s worthy of our support... My gut tells me he is.
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