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 Graham’s 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 Bush’s economic policy speech? Trumped. Scott Walker’s $26 million money haul? Trumped. Carly Fiorina’s attack on Hillary Clinton? Marco Rubio’s 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 Trump’s 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.
Christie’s 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 that’s 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 Washington’s 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.
Bush’s expression visibly soured.
“I respect the sentiments that people feel when they hear Trump talk,” Bush said. “The problem with Mr. Trump’s language is it’s divisive, it’s ugly, it’s 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 he’d 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 O’Donnell of “NBC Nightly News,” the clip shown on Sunday’s “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, that’s 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 didn’t even mention his name, reading simply, “Trump reveals rival’s 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.
What all the candidates do not realize is that Trump has assumed the role of interim CEO of USA, Inc and is going to work solving the problems of the country and he has already shown results. That is what he is doing. He is acting as the man in charge. So obvious!
Donald Trump...
This guy has the potential to do more good for the nation having never been elected, than the last four Democrat presidents have in 7 terms in office.
Let that sink in...
[The problem with Mr. Trump’s language is it’s divisive, it’s ugly, it’s mean-spirited.”]
He talks like a New Yorker. He & Rudy Giuliani are chips off the same block.
You might want to put some ice on that, Jeb.
How about Trump and Cruz, with Giuliani as Atty General? A mandate to clean it all up, expel the crooks, prosecute the evil ones, and take the US back? Take back all the money that has been stolen from us from their personal funds. Prison time and a few hangings for Treason might just get some attention in the District of Criminals.
Trump is just saying what’s on everyone’s mind, and doing it with a kick of sand in the face of the establishment. Nobody else can because they are all bought-and-paid-for whores.
I was dumping on that guy in 1999.
Don’t blame me.
How about Trump and Cruz, with Giuliani as Atty General? A mandate to clean it all up, expel the crooks, prosecute the evil ones, and take the US back? Take back all the money that has been stolen from us from their personal funds. Prison time and a few hangings for Treason might just get some attention in the District of Criminals.
I like it Trump, Cruz, and Giuliani and we also need to clean up the Supreme Court.
Trump is the CEO. He hires people of integrity to clean it up and gives them free rein. He is the 10,000 watt megaphone, and his job is to explain why this needs to be done. All career parasites are in the cross-hairs. Let them scream and run scared. It’s takeback time.
"Just to sweet"
This is the funniest view of the situation ever and Trump knows it...I was laughing so hard didn't want it to end........
This is going to be the best election ever, or at least the most fun. Go Trump and Cruz......
Obama has the database and has used it. Expose them ALL. Make politicians have to stand naked. I am also for the death penalty for any politician caught lying to the American People.
lol, good one.
I just hope he brings Cruz along with him.
I don’t know about Giuliani as Attorney General.
He has a history of being very anti-Second Amendment.
He's doing it daily, and making hearts across the country sing. Mine included.
“He is acting as the man in charge.” I agree. Trump is acting like a strong independent. Michael Medved this week pointed out on the radio that there are more Independents than Republicans and Democrats combined. Thus, Trump is talking to Independents as a person from Main Street. McCain is talking to Republicans from Wall Street. As a result, Trump has a bigger audience than McCain and can talk like a winner.
“I like it Trump, Cruz, and Giuliani and we also need to clean up the Supreme Court.”
As Cruz has said, make the SCOTUS stand for a retention election! If we have both Houses and the Presidency, we have a good chance of getting that kind of a law on the books.
Just an idea. If enough people wake up, the 2nd Amendment should be safe, and the spotlight will be harsh. The key is to wake people up and keep the focus on the politicians. There are many years of liberal BS to undo. It will take some very loud and compelling voices. Trump’s is one of the loudest. He can be controlled, because he feels the same way as most of the rest of us. He’s sick and tired of BS politico types screwing America.
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