Trump was out of control in South Carolina debate (Delusional? Only in your fetid imagination troll)

NY Post ^ | 2/14/2016 | John Podhoretz

[DCdude]

Donald Trump was so awful, so horrible, so disgusting in the latest Republican debate — his lies, his distortions, his deceits, and his libels thicker and fouler than they’ve yet been—that he’s done us all a favor. If he wins easily in South Carolina after his monstrous turn, he’ll be going straight to the Republican nomination.

Such a victory in a classically conservative state like South Carolina after his romp in idiosyncratic New Hampshire will prove Trump’s repellent personality is the real key to his success. You want me to delineate his dishonesties? That would be like asking me to count how many breaths he took.

We will not be able to labor under any delusions after a win comparable to his triumph in New Hampshire. We will know for a certainty that the man Republicans want for their tribune in 2016 is a disgusting jerk they somehow believe will have their backs when the only back he’s ever had is his own

[jjsheridan5]

Trump has either lost me or is quickly losing me. He's dead wrong on 9/11, planned parenthood and the Iraq War.

In terms of 9/11, there is a legitimate debate over whether Bush didn't take seriously enough warnings that bin laden was growing in capability, and looking for ways to attack the US directly. Clearly, this doesn't excuse Clinton, nor does it verge into "Truther" territory. In addition, I remember pre-9/11 concerns made by intelligent people that Bush was too preoccupied with Saddam, and was dismissing the greater threat. Regardless of how you stand on that debate, it is going too far to say that he is "dead wrong".

In terms of the Iraq war, all I can say is that many conservatives were very uneasy about both our rationale, and the strategy, of kicking over that hornet's nest. Once again, rationale people can disagree. I wouldn't say he is "dead wrong" here, either.

Planned parenthood is a trickier one, but I think people aren't grasping why is taking the approach he is. Personally, I think it is quite clever, and is far more likely to succeed in destroying PP than the more direct approach taken by other conservatives. If any Republican goes directly after PP, the response will be that that candidate is against "women's health". That is the reason that PP has token "other services" -- to make an attack on PP an attack not on abortion, but also legitimate health issues. This is not dissimilar from other terrorist organizations like Hezbollah having divisions which do legitimate charity work -- it inoculates them against attacks on their real purpose.

By saying that PP does good things, he is effectively splitting PP in two, and allowing him to remove PP's public relation's "shield", and isolating the abortion wing of PP (which is, like any terrorist organization, the only real purpose of PP) from the token legitimate side.

Personally, I believe that this is quite clever, and has a greater chance of success in terms of defeating that terrorist organization than the less tactical approaches taken by Trump's rivals. Either way, it is going too far to say that he is "dead wrong" on this.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

But don't forget, he didn't get his "team" set up until 6 months into his term, thanks to Al Gore and his endless attempt to steal the election. The intelligence they had at the time was a general threat, not specific.

It's easy in 20/20 to look back and say he should have known, but I wouldn't personally fault him for it

I don't know enough details of what was known to pass judgement because of security clearance to know it. Still, there was enough known that they should have been on high alert. Obama had his team working from the night of his election forward (Office of the President Elect). I don't give Bush a pass.

[qman]

You are wrong, I completely understand why Trump is where he is. You are pissed, well so am I! Yet I don’t want to burn the constitution on the 50 yard line of the local football field, because I’m pissed!
Some people think a president can bring jobs back to the USA. They are wrong! That’s your job! The only thing a president can do is propose, he has no legislative power!
The only thing that Trump can do is write executive orders, just like Obama! So it’s OK if your guy does it but not if theirs does it! At least try to be consistent!

[Resettozero]

#96, The Mouth of Manhattan went full Code Pink/OWS last night.

A Yankee blowhard, eh?

I didn't know if I could vote for him or not until just a few days ago. Selected Cruz posters on FR helped me decide to stop my Cruz/Trump fence-straddling and decide.

Solid Trump supporter now. Heck yeah I'll vote for him next Saturday, Lord willing.

[Las Vegas Ron]

More nonsense. I’m done talking to you.

LOL, what's funny is that he doesn't realize what his own logic does to his candidate....if what he is trying posit were true.

[kenmcg]

John Podhoretz is and has been a typical RINO for the GOPe. Take anything he says with a grain of salt.

[GilGil]

This South Carolina poll out today!

[samtheman]

Biggest single blunder in U.S. history.

[combat_boots]

I haven’t thought through what I think about what to do with entitlements. But I was struck that no other person on stage said a word about them. No one but Trump. There were no alternatives offered.

This happened on several occasions, but it’s the social security/veterans benefits angle that has made me think.

[Enlightened1]

YEAH RIGHT AND THAT’S WHY ALMOST EVER POLL HAS TRUMP WINNING THE DEBATE.

[af_vet_1981]

Yep, Trump was essentially correct although there were other avenues to avoid the catastrophe.

[UnwashedPeasant]

Trump was unhinged and psychopathic.

He was an inch away from the 911 Truther position.

If he wins SC after that, then voters do not care what he says or does.

[TomGuy]

Winning with 34-35% in the polls should be a clue that the other 65% can't stand the guy. He is at his ceiling.

By that logic, the other candidates have ceilings of 3% to 19%, thus leaving 97% to 81% who do not like them.

[Carry_Okie]

Those who support Trump must feel he is a political arsonist who will burn down the Republican Party in order to rebuild it from the ashes.

Oh he'll burn down the Republican Party all right, using 11 million "formerly illegal" aliens and future Democrats to remake it in his own image.

[Las Vegas Ron]

Obama had his team working from the night of his election forward (Office of the President Elect). I don't give Bush a pass.

Obamie wasn't mired in laws shits so he was able to set up his team before he was sworn in.

How do you know we weren't on high alert?

There was no specific threats, it was general chatter.

I'm just saying I don't hold Bush personally responsible for 911 but there plenty of other thing that really are his fault to be held personally responsible for.

[jimbo807]

I like how JEB tries to do a bodybuilder lat spread to appear bigger. What a dork.

[Las Vegas Ron]

LOL, oh crap.

shi!ts = suits

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

Podhoretz is right.

And his voters will get what they deserve.

[Stentor]

If he wins SC after that, then voters do not care what he says or does.

Of course we care. We don't care about what you think about what he says and does.

[tumblindice]

Fierce Weakly Standard neo-cons like Podhoretz, meh .... Saudi operatives associated with Osama bin Ladin and the Taliban were behind 9-11 ... so we carpet bomb them until they're cross-eyed. That's a good thing, a *real* good thing. Bomb them into the corn field. Then the neo-con `Anthonys' demand we go after ... the Saudis? No. The Baath party. It's similar to our satiric: "Did we give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor??" Is she made of wood? Does she weigh as much as a duck? Just to be safe, wish her away Anthony!