With Donald Trump in Charge, Republicans Have a Day of Reckoning

NYT ^ | May 4, 2016 | Michael Barbaro

[King of Florida]

Now that Donald J. Trump is the presumptive presidential nominee, a parade of prominent Republican leaders is breaking with the traditions and rituals of party unity and offering him a blunt message:

Nope. Never. I can’t. I won’t.

In a flurry of social media posts and interviews over the last 24 hours, these Republicans raced to distance themselves from Mr. Trump, delivering a remarkable rebuke to him at precisely the moment when parties usually coalesce around a candidacy.

Mark Salter, a longtime strategist for Senator John McCain of Arizona, sounded resigned and disgusted as he said the unthinkable: He was now prepared to back Hillary Clinton.

“The GOP is going to nominate for President a guy who reads the National Enquirer and thinks it’s on the level,” he wrote on Twitter late Tuesday. “I’m with her.”

The dissenters, who range from wizened elders to younger strategists and even elected officials, are loudly and publicly proclaiming their unwillingness to support Mr. Trump.

Many have expressed reservations about him in the past, but left open the possibility they might back him in the future. Now they are forcefully foreclosing that option.

[Lucas McCain]

You shoulg change your name to TheButtman.

[Jarhead9297]

Because someone didn’t support our candidate doesn’t make them an open borders shill. I have yet to ever witness a FReeper openly supporting via threads open borders.

Been around since 2000/2001 (was under name AbsoluteJustice at that time.) I could be mistaken but this meme has to end. It’s not constructive

[kiryandil]

"You mentioned Cruz - I was referring to Trump. But I’m pretty sure you knew that."

I wanted you to spell out your opus, TheZottman. :)

Do you smell ozone? LOL!

[Hugin]

Trump bashers have been politely asked to leave by the owner of this site. Just go.

[silverleaf]

Please provide specifics of how trump attacked cruz personally in any manner different than how cruz spoke of trump or “slimed his family “

Since those are the things that make you the angriest

[Wallace T.]

In the 1980s, the neo-conservatives became the dominant player in the conservative movement, taking over established conservative publications like National Review and Human Events and think tanks like the Heritage Foundation. What assisted their dominance was an alliance with Christian conservatives, such as Pat Robertson, James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, etc., and their organizations. In the 2000s, these leaders either died or retired and their organizations went dark or moribund. The conservative talkers were more or less in line with the neo-conservative wave, with Michael Savage being a singular exception. However, the changing media landscape and the aging of the AM radio audience have caused their market to shrink. The Tea Party wave during the Obama years was a mixed bag of neo-conservatives, libertarians, and paleo-conservatives. They succeeded in switching the Congress to the GOP. However, with RINO leadership and the absorption of many freshmen into the Washington Borg, the Tea Partiers were disappointed and increasingly frustrated.

The Trump phenomenon is a repudiation of the neo-conservative and moderate wings of the Republican Party and the conservative movement generally. If you look at those Republicans who are on the Trump train, they are largely former insiders who fell off the A-list (Gingrich, Giuliani, Christie) or paleo-conservatives who have been long waiting for an event to overturn the powers that be (Schlafly, Savage, Buchanan). We are moving into uncharted waters. Like the British cabinet minister told an aide during the period of Napoleon's conquests in Europe, it is time to roll up the old maps, as they won't be needed.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

... Or TheButthurt

[oldbrowser]

I sense a major realignment of the parties is coming.

[NTHockey]

If McCain is reelected, look for him and his puppet Graham switching parties and handing the Senate over to the Democrats. Arlen Spector lives!

[Carthego delenda est]

“What these people understand all too well is that they are reason Trump won the nomination.”

I’m not so sure they do understand that. Their grossly overinflated sociopathic egos and views of self-importance blinds them.

[yuleeyahoo]

Good! The rats are leaving and going back home.

[thoughtomator]

“serial liar” is just a synonym for “politician”

As far as the rest... Trump is the presumptive GOP nominee, which most definitely makes him not a Democrat

And as far as “progressive”? He’s the most anti-progressive candidate available, the ONLY one to tell the PC police to go to hell.

Where were your “conservative Republican truth tellers” when the wave of PC came crashing down?

I can really think of only one person who fits the “conservative Republican truth tellers” description... and he was not at all popular around here.

[MNJohnnie]

Mark Salter, a longtime strategist for Senator John McCain

Good bye to bad rubbish.

[silverleaf]

Hillary sanders and even obama have probably read the constitution

And every day show their contempt for it and desire to subvert it in the name of ‘ change”

Trump may not be a weatherman but he knows that yellow stuff being dumped on working Americans by our government - both parties - ain’t RAIN

[thoughtomator]

Graham won’t switch. Can’t get elected in SC as a Democrat.

[GOPJ]

As Liz would say:

(Sniffle) I just want to say a few words over the remains:

(Bows head in prayer) "I hope you all rot in hell. Amen."

[silverleaf]

Lol!
Bless her heart

[Beagle8U]

“vote for the orange Hillary in a suit either...”

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=angry+orange&view=detail&mid=6337073C4F47FA0FEB946337073C4F47FA0FEB94&FORM=VIRE

[Vigilanteman]

Forgive the shouting, but it boils down to this:

Even if your thinking is so shallow that it can be driven by the media and you THINK Donald Trump is evil incarnate, he still beats the h3ll out of Hillary who actually is.

[Nifster]

We live in interesting times

Trump has done his due diligence. Before running he contacted many a person and sought council (Including Jeff Session, Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain). He made his decision and went all in.

Frankly Donald may not be a label but this I know he LOVES America and will do what is best for us. What a refreshing change after the last 8 yrs