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GOP donors wrestle with possibility of Trump nomination
//thehill.com ^ | November 29, 2015, 07:00 am | Jonathan Swan

Posted on 12/01/2015 10:43:16 PM PST by GOPAreDemProgressives

When asked who he would vote for if the presidential race comes down to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the former mayor of Los Angeles and a longtime Republican establishment figure, Dick Riordan, says: "I would probably go find a deserted island."

"I think Hillary is disgusting," said Riordan, a wealthy investor who has exceeded $500,000 in political donations throughout his career.

"And I think Trump is crazy," Riordan added in a telephone interview Monday. Riordan is not alone. In conversations over the past month, GOP establishment donors have confided to The Hill that for the first time in recent memory, they find themselves contemplating not supporting a Republican nominee for president.

Most, however, still believe that Trump will flame out before they have to face that decision.

The subject of Trump came up at a recent Beverly Hills lunch hosted by former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Rockwell Schnabel.

Seated around the table in the private dining room of the Hotel Bel-Air were several of the West Coast's most powerful Republican donors, including Ronald Spogli, the venture capitalist and former ambassador to Italy under President George W. Bush; his business partner Bradford Freeman; and Riordan.

A story that circulated after the lunch was that the donors engaged in a hypothetical question: "If it was Donald Trump running against Hillary Clinton, who would you vote for?"

One version has it that most of the Republicans at the table put their hands up for Clinton.

Schnabel disputes that account and said in a telephone interview Tuesday that it was just banter among friends and that he is confident that all the Republicans at the table would support the final GOP nominee for president, whomever that turns out to be.

Schnabel called back later on Tuesday afternoon to clarify what

(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: backstabbers; elections; for; gop; gope; hillary; treachery; trump; uniparty; vote
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To: GOPAreDemProgressives

That’s a hopeful scenario, but I think probably BS. If Trump is the nominee, and these people sit on their hands, or support the rat; and this turns into the movement it’s looking like it’s turning into; then they have no seat at the table in a Trump administration. Just like the media have no seat at the table in a Trump administration. Probably what he’s banking on. He will owe them nothing.


21 posted on 12/02/2015 1:52:16 AM PST by ichabod1 (Spriiingtime for islam, and tyranny. Winter for US and frieeends. . .)
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To: GOPAreDemProgressives

Let them rant...they’re just validating everything Trump has said about them.

The GOPe is headed down the path to extinction, sort of like the Whigs.

The “bait and switch” of the republican “majority” was the tipping point that threw me from being a loyal republican to an Independent.

The GOPe needs a good ass-whipping from conservatives and independents.


22 posted on 12/02/2015 2:43:11 AM PST by FrankR (You're only enslaved to the extent of the charity that you receive!)
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To: GOPAreDemProgressives

I’m glad to know Riordan is still alive, but he doesn’t seem to have learned much in the past twenty years.


23 posted on 12/02/2015 3:33:12 AM PST by Theodore R. (Liberals keep winning; so the American people must now be all-liberal all the time.)
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To: roadcat
Look at what the nominees they supported every 4 years in recent memory. Losers all. So get out of the way and let us have a true conservative nominee, long overdue since Reagan won

You don't get it.

This is not an amicable discussion between equals, or friends. It's not even an argument between business partners.

These multimillionaire Hollywood "donors" are part of a movement. They came together with political, news, and entertainment comrades after 1984 and pledged to one another, "never again, never another Reagan".

The Bush family has been close to these people since then, or even before then.

Not only would they support Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump, they will support John Ellis Bush as her VP.

"Let us have..."?

Don't ask them for anything.

24 posted on 12/02/2015 3:40:34 AM PST by Jim Noble (Diseases desperate grown Are by desperate appliance relieved Or not at al)
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To: CatOwner; All

titled GOP donors wrestle with possibility of Trump nomination, CatOwner wrote:
The one possible downside is if Trump and the GOP congressional candidates aren’t working together, that may not bode well for keeping the Senate and/or keeping the large advantage in the House.

This is why conservatives in certain states should be focusing on Senate and House candidates who do believe in controlling the purse and getting the government out of our bedrooms, kitchens, backyards, churches, and schools.

Even if it means resorting to defunding and government shutdowns.

And by campaigning using those issues and asking why the go along, get alongs bipartisans refused to use these tactics which should have been applied with this bunch of socialistas bent on destroying this country


25 posted on 12/02/2015 3:56:35 AM PST by mosesdapoet (My best insights get lost in FR's because of meaningless venting no one reads.)
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To: taxcontrol

You’ve hit the nail on the head.


26 posted on 12/02/2015 4:02:37 AM PST by JayGalt (The cowards never start, the weak fall along the way, only the strong survive.)
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To: GOPAreDemProgressives

The GOPe wants to retain the current power structure—which is destroying our country. Hillary would maintain the staus quo, leading to demographic, economic, and cultural Armageddon. TRUMP return power to the people and flush the system of crud. It would be logical for them to support Hillary—but futile. We outnumber the bastards.


27 posted on 12/02/2015 4:30:44 AM PST by SC_Pete
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To: GOPAreDemProgressives
The GOPe has had things their way for so long that they just can't imagine why we aren't listening anymore...It couldn't be because they have lied to us, called us stupid, told us we don't matter, told us they knew better than we did....

NOW the tables have turned, and in their eyes, we are rioting in the streets, we are destroying the ‘little town’ they have built for us, and we aren't listening anymore...

No we aren't! This is OUR election, WE are going to decided this time who WE want...they have no control...their puppets are controlled by super pacs, lobbyists, handlers...but there is ONE that isn't, and that ONE person is the only ONE that is turning over every apple cart he comes across...

GO TRUMP GO!!!

28 posted on 12/02/2015 5:42:41 AM PST by HarleyLady27 (TRUMP SUPPORTER 100% from day ONE!!!)
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To: Bob434

I do think he will say that.

He will be much more diplomatic, of course.

Otherwise a whole slew of Freepers will whine ‘See I TOLD you he wasn’t presidential’


29 posted on 12/02/2015 6:04:39 AM PST by Balding_Eagle (The Great Wall of Trump ---- 100% sealing of the border. Coming soon.)
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To: GOPAreDemProgressives

What is wrong with these people.

1.Either they are very stupid, calloused individuals and cannot see the fact that Trump is the kinda candidate that could lead to a Republican landslide and control of the Housae and Senate. A strong, principled, visionary President united with the House and Senate would be awesome.

The implications for the American people, the stabilizing affect of once again being on the side of good on the world scene. This would demolish the Dems for generations, unite different ethnic groups into 1 country. Restore the American dream. The scenarios are endless.

Surely all these benefits would be great for them also.

2.They have totally lost the concept of patriotism, they dont’ care about the American people and see the US as just another land mass with people on it.

I lived through Ronald Reagan following Jimmy Carter, the changes in everyone’s lives, and in the world were not incremental but tremendously good and made life good again.

It was like going from the darkest of night to bright noonday.


30 posted on 12/02/2015 6:37:13 AM PST by fingers_crossed
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To: GOPAreDemProgressives

It is fine for me to be loyal to the GOP, no matter the nominee, but not you? And for election after election you gave us losers! We held our noses; voted for the lesser of the evils. The tide has turned!


31 posted on 12/02/2015 6:43:54 AM PST by jch10 (Hillary in the Big House, not the White House .)
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To: GOPAreDemProgressives
I remember when Pat Buchanan won the NH primary in 1996, neoconservatives and Rockefeller Republicans were saying that they would vote for and endorse Clinton if Buchanan is the GOP nominee. Then these hypocritical frauds turn around and demand loyalty from conservatives when liberal Republicans like Bush, Dole, McCain, and Romney get the nomination.

I suspect that if Trump gets the nomination, the GOP establishment will wind up supporting Hillary, at least implicitly.

32 posted on 12/02/2015 7:26:42 AM PST by ek_hornbeck
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To: RC one

If they cant own you, they dont want you.

^^^exactly!


33 posted on 12/02/2015 9:05:52 AM PST by GOPAreDemProgressives
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To: LeoWindhorse

RE “Wrestle”:

Haha! They better get a good grip, then... Might I suggest some Velcro...?


34 posted on 12/02/2015 9:32:58 AM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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To: DesertRhino

RE “...I almost cannot see that us having it has mattered anyway...”

As it stands so far, you are absolutely correct.


35 posted on 12/02/2015 9:34:14 AM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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To: jch10
And for election after election you gave us losers! We held our noses; voted for the lesser of the evils. The tide has turned!

Everett M. Dirksen, another old compromiser, said much this same remark at the 1952 convention; he even shook his finger at Governor Dewey, who was in the hall. But ol' Ev later spent his time bootlicking for Lyndon B. Johnson. And his son-in-law Howard Henry Baker, Jr., was such a TN disappointment. He called the centerpiece of Reaganism "a riverboat gamble." Then Nancy had to call him to bail out Ronnie over "Iran Contra".

36 posted on 12/02/2015 8:03:10 PM PST by Theodore R. (Liberals keep winning; so the American people must now be all-liberal all the time.)
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