Posted on 06/29/2016 3:49:56 PM PDT by Sybeck1
HOME 2016 ELECTION POLITICS POLICY MAGAZINE OPINION WATCHDOG BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL MEDIA VIDEO NEWSLETTERS PODCASTS EMPLOYEE RIGHTS ACT ABOUT US SCROLL DOWN FOR NEXT STORY
"They say it was the roughest campaign ever in the history of Republican politics, but what you do is you go to sleep for a couple of days and you wake up and you honor [the pledge]," Donald Trump said. (AP Photo) Trump unloads on former GOP opponents who refuse to back him
By GABBY MORRONGIELLO (@GABRIELLAHOPE_) • 6/29/16 5:26 PM SHARE TWEET SMSMore Donald Trump railed against several of his Republican primary opponents on Wednesday night for declining to endorse him in the general election, going so far as to suggest "they should never be allowed to run for public office again."
"I have guys out there and if you really think about it, they're really sore losers," Trump told supporters during a campaign rally in Bangor, Maine.
Trump was referring to at least seven GOP presidential hopefuls who signed a loyalty pledge to support their party's presidential nominee and have since declined to do so. Such candidates include former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, businesswoman Carly Fiorina and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
"It was a rough campaign," he conceded. "They say it was the roughest campaign ever in the history of Republican politics, but what you do is you go to sleep for a couple of days and you wake up and you honor [the pledge]."
Stay abreast of the latest developments from nation's capital and beyond with curated News Alerts from the Washington Examiner news desk and delivered to your inbox.
Enter your email Signup
The presumptive Republican nominee continued, claiming that he considered the pledge to be "legally binding" and assuring his supporters that he would have honored it had Kasich, Cruz or any other GOP candidate clinched the nomination instead.
"There are people I don't like or particularly respect on that stage, but I would have honored it," Trump said. "I wouldn't have gone crazy, yelling it from the loudest building."
Trump himself routinely changed his position on the pledge during the primary, threatening more than once to leave the Republican party and launch an indepedent bid.
"But you know what, we have people who haven't honored the pledge and that's a terrible thing," he told the crowd. "They signed a pledge saying they will abide, they will back the candidate of the party and now they sit back and ... they broke their word."
"In my opinion, they should never be allowed to run for public office again because what they did is disgraceful," he added.
Some of the billionaire's former opponents have said that in addition to declining to endorse Trump, they will not attend next month's GOP convention.
Except for those who don’t pledge their full support to Donald. Damn them to hell. May they die an early and painful death.
I’m not worried. Trump will learn his lessons and apply them moving forward.
Right. What about my question?
What about it?
You evaded it. Or maybe you missed it?
Perhaps if you were to rephrase it.
We've had decades of corrupt loser leaderhip, economic decline, debt of death, trillion dollar policy disasters in every direction, 35++ million in country illegally and destruction of Middle America, etc.
How many mistakes are you willing to forgive for those in D.C.? Is there a magic number?
Oh my goodness. Not restated. Rephrased.
It’s possible I might answer your question if you word it differently.
Game over.
Dragnet2 wins.
Why are you evading such a basic simple question? It’s not complex and it was based on your own comment.
??
Trump made the rookie mistakes. Not the career politicians. I apologize if that wasn’t clear from what I said.
Uh huh. Btw, no need to apologize.
Take care.
Your whiny bitterness is getting on my nerves. Not that it matters to you, I’m sure, but I’m still going to call you about as emotionally mature as a toddler.
Why are you opposing the candidate that Jim has endorsed, hmm?
Oh wait, that argument only held water when you were the one using it.
Hypocrite.
>>>”If Trump loses, it will be because these traitorous republican”
There ya go, there’s your excuse. Won’t be Trump’s fault at all.
>>>WRONG. It is the only winning strategy. .. I would make attack ads attacking ..
Yeah, attacking democrats and republicans.. there’s a winning way!
Sorry, its a prescription for landslide loss.
The goal of the nominee is to unite his party behind him.
Mr Trump -— Keep your eye on the damn ball.
You are running against Hillary Clinton. What is with you? Do you have ADHD or something.
Stop chasing after every little rabbit. Concentrate.
Put together a campaign to beat Hillary Clinton and execute it.
**************************************************************
Chris Plante is that you?
But those in the party are the problem. Why would they unite behind Trump? The American people got behind Trump. Why wouldn’t the GOP? Do you see what I mean?
I don’t think going after them is a winning strategy. It won’t help him. First, they aren’t going to honor the pledge. Second, he’s not running against them per se. He is running against the GOP establishment, though. People like Ryan, McConnell, Sasse, Flake, etc. are undermining him. However, he has to decide who he is ultimately running against. Running a split campaign against the GOP establishment and Hillary is not a winning strategy. There are voters of candidates like Walker, Cruz, Bush, and Kasich who might not be firmly in the #NeverTrump camp. These comments don’t play well with them or the general electorate, IMO. Those candidates might be four votes, but the supporters are the key. They play well with us because we’re angry, but his primary base won’t be enough to take him over the finish line. What they are doing is shameful, and Cruz has tarnished himself in my eyes because it’s a lot of his supporters that make up the #NeverTrump movement plus who are involved in trying to overthrow Trump at the convention. However, I don’t believe Trump will be able to shame them into doing the right thing.
Trump has exposed the GOP establishment, and it’s not pretty, but the more support he can get from the GOP is a good thing. Some are unsure and may come around yet. His best bet may be to ignore them. I know it’s hard, and it’s frustrating (makes me wish for primary season), but ultimately, it’s for the best. They will make their sly remarks, but the problem is that the media (who normally hates Republicans) will portray them in a favorable light, but if Trump responds, they will portray him in a negative light. They will say he is a loose canon who can’t unite the members of his own party. The only thing Trump could do is respond without attacking them personally to certain comments they make, assuring the voters it’s not true and explaining why - making them look like fools without calling them fools. Ultimately, though, that might backfire, drawing more attention to there comments, lead to more division, and get Trump off the track of attacking Hillary.
Party infighting won’t help in the end because the bottom line is this - there is only one name on that ballot in November. Her name is Hillary Clinton. That’s what the American people care about. Focus on her. You beat her. You are in office. You have also beaten the establishment.
>>>But those in the party are the problem. Why would they unite behind Trump?
That’s the question Trump has to answer. It’s his task to do just that - unite them behind him.
>>>The American people got behind Trump. Why wouldn’t the GOP? Do you see what I mean?
I definitely see what you mean. But the “American people” who got behind Trump were a subset. It was not the “American People.” Certainly not libs, and not a majority of republicans. Not enough to win the general election.
The first job of a nominee is to unite his base. To get those who didn’t support him in the primary behind him. To unify the party as a whole - with or without some - behind his candidacy going forward.
If he cannot unify - and turnout - the base republican vote, then his chances decrease greatly.
But it is the job of the nominee to unite republicans behind him. If he can’t lead and unify and turn out at this level, then..
If he cannot unify...
There ya go again. Why would they unite behind Trump when it's they who are the problem?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.