It may not help Trump.
But this is what I have more or less decided.
These kind of “gotcha” antics have gone on UNDERHANDIDLY for years. Trump does it out in the open. It’s interesting.
Looks like Trump, or someone on his staff, picks up on issues and points him in the right direction...everyone shouts Me Too!!
Walker, from what I read, really didn’t do or say anything. Some staffer did. But that is evidently the kiss of death.
Disclaimer: I am not in Camp Trump or Camp Walker at this time. I’m not in any camp. Just watching at this point.
I respect that view. I am very happy Trump is running and doing what he is doing. The chances of him being the nominee in 16 months I view as about 2%, IMO. If that. I am nevertheless interested in having him “in theater” for as long as possible. Part for entertainment, part for forcing the others to talk about stuff they do no want to talk about.
In the meantime, as you suggest, the GOPe who has the proven track record of attacking its own, IMO >has got to be< developing a strategy of probing Trump to see how he can be provoked. If enough attacks come and he has to respond “in character” to all of them, I believe (they think) it will define him as a loose cannon. They are probably right.
In Trumps’ shoes, I would have responded to this kerfuffle by saying “I like Scott Walker and I think he’s a good guy. But he has some jerks on his staff, as we just found out.”
[implication>> I’m not going to let a little thing like this get me ruffled.] This would be a more calibrated response. This would be like a chess move where a captured pawn is retaken not by bringing out the queen early, but by using a lesser piece.
There are 16 months to go in this. Conserve ammo. Do not expect the other side(s) to keep using tactics that are (up to now) backfiring on them. These things shift over time. The Alinsky tactic of ridicule will become much easier for the other side(s) if Trump gets exercised easily, while the flinger of insult looks weaker if there is no apparent reaction by the insultee. Now, maybe you say “look at the traction Trump got by whacking Linda Graham”. Yes, because Linda is easy to ridicule. And Trump had this whole piece of VERY amusing theater (LG asking Trump to help him get on Fox, Trump came through, and this is the thanks he gets) to pull out. A staffer, nobody knows who he is. He doesn’t merit the full response.
Actually, Walker denounced Trump for his comments on McCain. Then, Walker was asked to apologize for the comment made by his donor, or to denounce it. After several days, he still had not, so Trump let him have it.
Didja see how Trump clarified his comments re: Walker almost word for word how I projected he should??