Posted on 03/02/2016 8:47:14 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
... The story of Trump's rise has played out day after day on television and on social media, but the conversations behind closed doors among members of the Republican elite during this period have been less well documented.
Many of the conversations had one thing in common: a stubborn refusal to take Trump seriously, even as fans packed sports stadiums to see him in the summer months, as he dominated media coverage of the election, and as polls showed him winning wide support among young and old, men and women.
Many in the Republican establishment believed he would eventually self-destruct or that Americans would lose patience with his bombast, his free-wheeling insults and lack of firm policies to back up his promises to "Make America Great Again."
They were wrong.
Trump's rise seemed to take place entirely outside the structures of the normal nomination process within the Republican party.
Early in his run, Trump was a source of puzzlement for rich Republicans, such as those who gathered one Sunday in early August in the Hamptons, New York's gilded summer retreat destination, to discuss the 2016 race.
The attendees discussed Trump's rise and observed he had struck a chord with many Americans, the source said. They fretted over whether his presence would force other candidates to go negative. They hoped he wouldn't hijack the first Republican presidential debate, then less than a week away.
But they decided, however it had begun, Trump's reign atop the polls wouldn't last.
"I think it's literally just a matter of time before his NASCAR careens into the wall - and hopefully not into the other drivers," the source said in an interview on Aug. 6.
Trump has not crashed.
And on Monday, the CEO of NASCAR, Brian France, endorsed him.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
The elites have only themselves to blame. They thought we weren’t watching them.
Because they were preoccupied with attacking the "wacko bird" who was trying to get the message to them.
Even now they and the media agree that Cruz is a four letter word not to be used in polite society.
It will be interesting to see how Cruz avoids being sucked into the failed "Rubio Defense" of a spitting contest when Trump turns nasty and Ted finds himself inside the pincer.
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