"Marginalizing Trump" carries no risk of "alienating a substantial Republican cohort," Will assures us, for these "Trumpites" are neither Republicans nor conservatives. Better off without such trash.
I see the elitist Perrier Conservative is back... Go pound sand, Mr. Will.
So, Trump refuses to pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee because he will lose his “leverage,” as he himself said. What leverage? The fact that the GOP, rightfully, might refuse to treat him as a legitimate GOP candidate?
But why should the GOP include a candidate who would hand the election to the Dems if he’s not the chosen one? That’s not negotiating. That’s blackmail. So just leave him off the GOP ballots across the country and see how he does as an Independent from the get go. Why wait until after he’s lost the GOP nomination? Do it now instead.
After all, in negotiations both sides usually have some leverage. The GOP’s leverage is “Do you want your name on the GOP ballots in the primaries or not? If you do, take the pledge.”
Why would any Trump supporter have a problem with that? After all, it’s just negotiating.