Donald Trump looks increasingly like a stray orange hair to be flicked off the nation’s sleeve

Washington Post ^ | March 4, 2022 | George Will

[lowbridge]

Floundering in his attempts to wield political power while lacking a political office, Donald Trump looks increasingly like a stray orange hair to be flicked off the nation’s sleeve. His residual power, which he must use or lose, is to influence his party’s selection of candidates for state and federal offices. This is, however, perilous because he has the power of influence only if he is perceived to have it. That perception will dissipate if his interventions in Republican primaries continue to be unimpressive.

So, Trump must try to emulate the protagonist of “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.” In Mark Twain’s novel, a 19th-century American is transported back in time to Britain in the year 528. He gets in trouble, is condemned to death, but remembers that a solar eclipse occurred on the date of his scheduled execution. He saves himself by vowing to extinguish the sun but promising to let it shine again if his demands are met.

Trump is faltering at the business of commanding outcomes that are, like Twain’s eclipse, independent of his interventions. Consider the dilemma of David Perdue.

He is a former Republican senator because Trump, harping on the cosmic injustice of his November loss in 2020, confused and demoralized Georgia Republicans enough to cause Perdue’s defeat by 1.2 percentage points in the January 2021 runoff. Nevertheless, Trump talked Perdue into running in this year’s gubernatorial primary against Georgia’s Republican incumbent, Brian Kemp, whom Trump loathes because Kemp spurned Trump’s demand that Georgia’s presidential vote be delegitimized. In a February poll, Kemp led Perdue by 10 points.

Trump failed in his attempt to boost his preferred Senate candidate in North Carolina, Rep. Ted Budd, by pressuring a rival out of the race. As of mid-January, Budd was trailing in the polls.

[ConservativeMind]

George has nearly always looked like that tiny, rolled up ball of toilet paper that somehow stayed stuck to a butt hair.

[BiteYourSelf]

🐄💩

[Anti-Bubba182]

Here is that useless bastard trying to be clever! Retire, eat mush and be quiet!

[Roman_War_Criminal]

Will is a gutless political hack who is owned by others.

[Tucker39]

Hey George! What about the dozens of candidates Trump endorsed in last Tuesday’s election, and they all won?! You’re so full of crap, your eyes are brown, George! Go back in your hole, George!

[unclebankster]

Will can write as many stupid columns as wants till November 2024.

It still doesn’t change one very important fact:

Will doesn’t have a Republican candidate that can defeat President Trump in the Republican Primary.

The DC Establishment is testing the waters for Trump’s blood, so they can attack in a frenzy.
So far they’re batting 0 and looking like idiotic buffoons.

Anti Trump Republicans are like “The Little Engine That Could.”

I think I can beat Trump
I think I can beat Trump
I think I can beat Trump

But unlike the the little engine who made it over the mountain, these “losers as suckers” will blow an engine,roll back down the hill, and lose the 2024 Primary.

[nesnah]

👍👍👍👍👍

[reasonisfaith]

Has George Will ever been to the Bohemian Grove?

[M Kehoe]

Hi.

“...Republican primaries continue to be unimpressive.”

Huh?

Isn’t President Trump winning about 90% regarding candidates supported so far?

That ain’t bad.

5.56mm

[Mr. Mojo]

The CPAC straw poll must’ve deeply disturbed George. Not just because Trump finished as the clear winner, but because the second place finisher (DeSantis) isn’t Will’s cup of GOPe tea either. I suspect he’ll soon be a registered Dem like most of the other TDS-afflicted NeverTrumpers, if he isn’t already.

[StAnDeliver]

80 years old and every word betrays senility.

[Cincinnatus.45-70]

George Swill has been a phoney conservative since the 1970s.

[Arcadian Empire]

Years ago, George Will said that it wasn’t “conservative” to overturn Roe vs. Wade because the “conservative” way was to keep the status quo no matter what.

It was the statement of an idiot and a coward.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

I wish I could take credit for it. Some hilarious person here at FR used to post it on George Will threads years ago. I wish I could remember who it was. It always stuck with me and seemed so perfect for Will’s uniquely prissy priggish manner.

[nicollo]

Trump is faltering at the business of commanding outcomes that are, like Twain’s eclipse, independent of his interventions.

Typical Will esoteric deflection. Worse, he's trying to have it both ways:

1. The claim is that Trump is irrelevant and therefore not responsible for the success of his endorsements (see Texas...);

while simultaneously claiming that

2. Trump is irrelevant bc his endorsements in GA, AL, NC, and ID aren't leading the polls. (Hilariously Will points to a NC poll in which there are 50%+ undecideds, lol).

No, Georgie, you're hoping Trump is irrelevant bc he has made you irrelevant. Go pour another one at the Capital Grill with your Neocon buddies and whine about how the world no longer listens to you.

[Chode]

feh...

[enumerated]

This pompous ass is still around?

[Tailback]

Well, I for one am not going to rush to judgement on this piece by George Will. I’m waiting to hear what William Kristol has to say before making a final decision.

/S

[McGruff]

Speaking of hair.

[T-Bird45]

I guess Will’s editor called and told him he had to do a political column since baseball won’t have spring training this year as column fodder.