[Charles Martel]

Back in 1980, the establishment simply waited until the convention, then pressured Reagan into accepting Bush as his running-mate. I'm sure that was the long-standing paradigm for such things.

Now, we have the establishment soliciting public attacks on the party frontrunner. They are announcing very clearly that the choice of the people is a secondary consideration, at best. Even Rev. Graham doesn't speak of the likely implications.

The GOPe is steering a course that leads off the edge of the map. Here, there be dragons.

[OKSooner]

Yes... what you say is true.

[Pontiac]

Back in 1980, the establishment simply waited until the convention, then pressured Reagan into accepting Bush as his running-mate.

Yes, the times were different then.

The Republican Party had been out of power in congress for essentially forty years. They were accustom to being the minority party, they were comfortable with that fact.

So to the establishment the presidency was important but not really a game changer most of the time.

Now with the Republican establishment more accustom to being in control the presidency is much more important because it matters in helping carry down ticket candidates over the finish line.

A rebel presidential candidate may not help a down ticket establishment candidate and a wildcard presidential candidate may lose the election and consequently down ticket Republicans may lose by association.

A fair percentage of voters only vote presidential elections. If those of these voters that vote Republican don’t see in the wildcard candidate someone they want to vote for they may stay home election day and the down ticket candidates suffer.

The establishment Republicans see the outsider candidates as existential threat to their hold on power. And it is power that matters to the establishment Republicans.