The South Carolina primary results don't mean Trump will be the nominee

The Brookings Institute ^ | February 20, 2016 | John Hudak

[Charles Henrickson]

So he's a clown, what are you?

I am a social and constitutional conservative, neither of which Trump has any clue about.

[sruleoflaw]

Jarhead, I’m with you. After Dole, McCain and Romney, it will be a very cold day in hell before I vote for the man who praised Obama and supported his stimulus and auto bailout. Trump is a big-government, long-time Democrat.

[WilliamIII]

learn more about Pryor before you spout off.

[sruleoflaw]

Maybe you need to learn more about Trump.

Did you support the Obama stimulus? Trump did.

Did you support the auto bailout? Trump did.

Have you been a big-time supporter of partial-birth abortion? Trump has.

I’d suggest you learn a little more about Trump, too.

[JoSixChip]

Folks, these are not 2ndDivisionVet's comments.

But he did post it. Along with 100 other articles tonight and every night. Not to mention how condescending and passively insulting he has been. I don't think he is deserving of a free pass for anything.

[JayGalt]

They can think they rule the world but I’m hoping America will stand.

[Shortstop7]

People are just going to have to deal with it. Trump has outsmarted and out campaigned them all.

Why? Because the man is brutally honest. He has his flaws, but who among us doesn’t? I don’t care about his divorces and most folks in the U.S. don’t either. What matters to me more is his relationship with his family. He has strong, smart and hardworking children. That speaks volumes to me.

Trump may not be the constitutional conservative many on this board want. The fact is, a Ted Cruz type of guy would never win the general. No way, no how.

Trump, whether you like him or not, is brutally honest. I cringe sometimes when he says things. I probably cringe from hearing too much PC crap for so long. LOL It doesn’t phase Trump. He is just saying what a lot of honest, hardworking Americans are thinking.

Illegal immigration MUST be stopped. Borders MUST be secured. Muslims MUST be stopped from entering this country. Jobs MUST be brought back to this country. The race to take business out of the U.S. continues to happen each and every day.

Trump is winning because he is saying what people all across America know and want. We have been quiet too long.

He connects with people. He’s humble enough to know he can’t do it alone. He hires smart people.

It’s ridiculous to whine and moan that he’s not ‘conservative’ enough. He is the only one diverse enough to beat the Hildabeast. That is enough for me. If we can get Trump in this time, perhaps we can go more to the right next time. It will take time to fix this mess......

[The Toll]

Agreed, sick of these people constantly trashing our parties front runner.

[WilliamIII]

All I pointed out is, not voting for Trump in the general is choosing Hillary to pack the court. A simple fact. Meanwhile Trump has Jeff Sessions advising him on court picks. That’s why Pryor - a fierce conservative and friend of Sessions - was mentioned by Trump

[Just mythoughts]

You got to admit, there is some entertainment value in that.

I have not gotten to the 'entertainment' stage yet... After all the dollars of the packer donors were spent, (talk about burning cash) and the push polls, and that 'mean' Trump debate.. I figured Trump would be lucky to come out with his head still attached... But to take A L L 50 is just S H O C K I N G!!!!!

[Boardwalk]

We don’t need you. Be an idiot.

[DoughtyOne]

JoSixChip, that’s a fair observation.

We’ve been through hell around here.

My take on it is that Rubio was just ten points behind Trump tonight, and Bush who just dropped out pulled in 7.9.

If Rubio had Bush’s votes, he’d be just two points from Trump.

We can’t continue to bicker here, or we’re going to give this whole thing to Rubio.

I hope that the Cruz folks will grasp that too.

At any rate, I appreciate the alternate opinion,

I know where you are coming from.

Hopefully this settles down of the next couple of days. If it doesn’t, we in for some serious trouble.

[AlanGreenSpam]

I’ve got issues with Trump too, but love his anti-PC and his patriotism and business sense.

I’ve met Ronald Reagan in person once... Trump is no Ronald Reagan. Anyhow, bragging aside, you should know that if you sit out the election and not vote for Trump because of your pride, you’re unwittingly enabling HITLERY to win because you’re not using your vote AGAINST HITLERY.

Please don’t be a fool like those who stayed home in 2008 and 2012 rather than using their vote AGAINST absolute evil (Obama) because they were too proud to vote for a RINO. No RINO could be worse than the time we’ve spent under President Narcissus Obama. None!

Let me ask you this: Are you convinced that “Trump will destroy the nation” MORE than Hitlery/Bernie??? If you think so, you need a reality check.

Again, I’ve got doubts about Trump too and I feel there’s no perfect candidate, but conservatives need to be realistic and choose either deeply evil (Hitlery/Bernie) or a somewhat flawed mostly conservative candidate.

[JayGalt]

I’m not sure I buy that. I associate conservatism with a more nuanced approach.

[Smokin' Joe]

...somehow Mr. Trump has built a wall to combat common wisdom

Now, that's a statement I can't argue with.

I think the author may have meant "Conventional wisdom", but the slip is something I find appropriate.

There is no mystery to the phenomenon.

Trump dominated the headlines and news time. For every word the other candidates (combined) got in, he got in two by being a bomb thrower.

Now, it is down to the finesse of the soft smear, allegations above the fold, refutations tomorrow, below it. Cloward Piven approach to news coverage. All masterfully executed.

I'm not sure how long that will continue to play well, but so far it has been working.

America will get the candidates it deserves.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Again, are you the site owner? If not, what’s it to you?

[JayGalt]

Would this discussion correspond to what conservatism means to you? Conservative Principles

[matthew fuller]

What you advise is supporting the ONLY Republican candidate that CANNOT beat hillary, according to RCP- (and none of them can beat sanders.)

General Election: Trump vs. Clinton FOX News Clinton 47, Trump 42 Clinton +5
General Election: Cruz vs. Clinton FOX News Cruz 46, Clinton 45 Cruz +1
General Election: Rubio vs. Clinton FOX News Rubio 48, Clinton 44 Rubio +4
General Election: Bush vs. Clinton FOX News Clinton 45, Bush 46 Bush +1
General Election: Kasich vs. Clinton FOX News Kasich 47, Clinton 44 Kasich +3
General Election: Trump vs. Sanders FOX News Sanders 53, Trump 38 Sanders +15
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton Quinnipiac Clinton 44, Trump 43 Clinton +1
General Election: Cruz vs. Clinton Quinnipiac Cruz 46, Clinton 43 Cruz +3
General Election: Rubio vs. Clinton Quinnipiac Rubio 48, Clinton 41 Rubio +7
General Election: Kasich vs. Clinton Quinnipiac Kasich 47, Clinton 39 Kasich +8
General Election: Bush vs. Clinton Quinnipiac Clinton 43, Bush 44 Bush +1
General Election: Trump vs. Sanders Quinnipiac Sanders 48, Trump 42 Sanders +6
General Election: Cruz vs. Sanders Quinnipiac Sanders 49, Cruz 39 Sanders +10
General Election: Rubio vs. Sanders Quinnipiac Sanders 47, Rubio 41 Sanders +6
General Election: Kasich vs. Sanders Quinnipiac Sanders 45, Kasich 41 Sanders +4
General Election: Bush vs. Sanders Quinnipiac Sanders 49, Bush 39 Sanders +10

It looks like Trump has a ceiling, about 35% to 40%.

[davidb56]

Correct....but the GOPe doesn’t really care, as long as they stay in power. Our vote and preference doesn’t mean s$it to them. Look at the laws passed against our desires... obambiecare, un mandates, treaties, etc. The constituents.....f#$k them...Thats their attitude.

[tinyowl]

That is essentially, almost exactly, the reasoning behind my Trump support. I LOVE Cruz, but this primary is bearing out that Americans, rightly or wrongly, are not prepared to FOLLOW Cruz.

It does America no good for Cruz to stand there as President being right for 8 years if nothing else happens other than he's perfectly right for 8 years.