Free Republic

Donald Trump is one shrewd move away from becoming electable. Don't let the sputtering and hand-wringing from both Left and Right obscure your vision. He is the political real deal. He's more in touch with voters than most of his critics. The reasons aren't hard to figure. In this bright and bouncy new age, I first need to certify that his policies and rhetoric are anathema. His policies and rhetoric are anathema. But something serious is going on and it isn't enough to hope he goes away. (full article) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-brodsky/trump-one-shrewd-move-fro_b_8810206.html

Sarah Palin isn't shy about her least-favorite candidates in the 2016 field. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio? "Robotic." New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie? "Embraced Obama." Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush? "George." Hillary Clinton? "Nyquil." And President Barack Obama himself? "Warned ya." Palin delivered the answers to CNN's Jake Tapper as the two played a word-association game Monday night at a "Politics on Tap" event at the Double Barrel Roadhouse in Las Vegas. It came the night before the fifth GOP presidential debate of the 2016 campaign. Palin's comments reflect what much of the GOP's conservative base think of Jeb Bush —...

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is planning to campaign in Michigan next week. The billionaire real estate developer has scheduled a Dec. 21 event at the DeltaPlex Arena & Conference Center in Grand Rapids, according to his campaign website. The event is free people who register in advance on Trump's website. http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/Donald-Trump-to-Campaign-in-Grand-Rapids-Next-Week--362075791.html

Washington (CNN)Donald Trump has hit a new milestone in national polling, garnering 41% of the Republican vote in a new national poll. Trump is at 41% in a Monmouth University poll out Monday, holding a wide advantage over his GOP challengers. His support was up from 28% in October. In second was the rising Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, at 14%; followed by Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, at 10%. Ben Carson was at 9%, down 9 points from October, and all other candidates were in the low single digits. (full article) http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/14/politics/donald-trump-new-poll-monmouth/index.html

WASHINGTON—They share his suspicion of Muslims. They share his hostility to Hispanic illegal immigrants. But many Donald Trump supporters are angriest at a group of white Christians. Elected Republicans. The voters who have propelled the race-baiting billionaire to the top of the Republican presidential primary aren’t arch-conservative party loyalists. They’re right-leaning people, mostly lower-income whites, who believe they have been betrayed by both sides of a political system rigged for the benefit of rich campaign contributors. They sometimes sound like the left-leaning people who support Democratic socialist Bernie Sanders. (full article at link below) http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/12/13/why-americans-support-donald-trump.html

We are hearing a loud outcry over Donald Trump's plan to temporarily ban Muslims from entering this country until they can be properly vetted. This is only the latest of several outcries coming from liberals and conservatives alike, including almost all other candidates for president. What is it about Trump that can provoke response from people of almost every political position? The answer, I think, is political correctness. Trump is often not politically correct in what he says, and that is what sets people off. (full article) http://www.theintell.com/opinion/letters/trump-rejects-political-correctness/article_adefcc73-d1d1-5edb-b66f-468beecdeb14.html

REPUBLICAN frontrunner Donald Trump is spending a fraction of his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton as he continues to dominate political debate in the United States. While Mrs Clinton wrote off £19million in the past quarter to bolster her bid for the White House, the billionaire property tycoon is estimated to have invested just £3million. Since Trump’s controversial demand for Muslims to be temporarily banned from entering the US following an Islamic Stateinspired mass shooting in San Bernardino, donations have been pouring in to his campaign coffers. Experts estimate more than 100,000 supporters have given donations averaging £40 to his campaign,...

GREER, S.C. (AP) — As she's working the counter at a hole-in-the-wall hot dog stand named Rosie's in upstate South Carolina, Tracy Hooker isn't interested in debating the merits of Donald Trump's proposal to temporarily block Muslims from coming into the United States. She knows some people think it's bigoted. That others argue it's impractical, legally dubious or both. And that every other Republican running for president has, in some way or another, rejected the idea the plan is even worth talking about. That's why she says Trump is "my guy." He's the only one who gets it. "Think about...

AUSTIN - A new poll shows GOP front-runner Donald Trump is increasing his lead in the Republican presidential race, even as the business mogul faces increasing criticism over his inflammatory demeanor. Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are in a second tier of candidates, considered to have a good shot at the nomination if Trump and Carson fade in the primaries. No other candidate was above 4 percent support. (full story) http://thevillagessuntimes.com/2015/12/14/trump-leads-republican-field-by-20-points-in-new-poll/

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump and Ben Carson could dangle the possibility of independent runs for president well into the primary season next year, but they can't wait forever. State filing deadlines would give the two Republicans until about March to launch independent or third-party campaigns, experts said. That would give a well-financed campaign enough time to gather sufficient signatures on petitions so the candidate could appear on the ballot in every state. Starting next summer would be too late. "Ross Perot in 1992 didn't start petitioning until March," said Richard Winger, editor of Ballot Access News. "He was on...

Washington (CNN)After Ben Carson bashed swirling reports of Republican Party officials discussing the possibility of a brokered convention, Donald Trump wrote him a note to thank him for his "excellent" point. "I watched what Ben said. I agreed with him 100%. I even wrote him a little note. I thought it was excellent, and frankly, he may be right," Trump told CNN's Jake Tapper in Des Moines before holding a campaign rally. "I've been hearing about these closed door meetings, and I don't like that." http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/11/politics/donald-trump-ben-carson-brokered-convention/index.html

Christie, Rubio tied for 2nd place in WBUR poll http://wwlp.com/2015/12/11/trump-still-on-top-in-new-hampshire/ BOSTON (WWLP) – Donald Trump continues to strengthen his position on top of the Republican candidate field, even after controversial comments suggesting Muslims be banned from entering the country. A new poll from Boston NPR station 90.9 WBUR-FM shows the billionaire is the first choice of 27% of New Hampshire voters- far ahead of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who trail with 11% each. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was in fourth with 10% and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in fifth with 7%.

Donald Trump has made his most outrageous statement yet in a string of beyond-the-pale utterances. His plan to temporarily stop all Muslims from coming to the U.S. was condemned across party lines as being xenophobic, un-American and detrimental to U.S. national security. But, just like every other outrageous thing Trump has said or done, his poll numbers went up and his supporters have cleaved even more passionately to his candidacy. Here are four reasons why: (link to full article) http://www.npr.org/2015/12/11/459274277/4-reasons-trumps-supporters-arent-going-anywhere-and-why-the-gops-worried

Holy cow. I clicked onto Fox Business a couple of minutes ago. Not really looking for a particular show. Lou Dobbs was on. He was just going to a break, and said he would have Michelle Malkin on after the break, so I stayed on the channel. What followed was incredibly, in my mind. I know that Michelle Malkin and Donald Trump have gone at it in the past. Big time. They were diametrically opposed. But both of them, came out and complimented Donald Trump for being brave, and standing up for the important issues. Clearly.

OK there is a pretty good show on Bloomberg right now, it has a couple of guys each day, who are pretty reasonable about the campaign. Today they reported that yesterday I think it was, Ted Cruz said in a closed meeting, some things critical of Donald Trump. I haven't heard a peep from Donald about this, and I don't know whether he will say a word about it. But it seems that Ted Cruz is starting to stray hazardously close to becoming a target himself.

Ali's comments on Islamic extremism: I am a Muslim and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris, San Bernardino, or anywhere else in the world. True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so called Islamic Jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion. We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda. They have alienated many from learning about Islam. True Muslims know or should know that it goes against our religion to try and force Islam on anybody. http://www.arklatexhomepage.com/news/muhammad-ali-hits-at-trump-and-misguided-murderers-sabotaging-islam

WASHINGTON — The question of the day is whether Republicans, particularly the Republicans running for president, would support Donald Trump if he were to become the party's nominee. Much as they might hem and haw when they get asked — many insist that it's a moot point since he won't be the nominee — the real answer is simple: Of course they would. Let's put what's happening right now in context. Periodically, the political press finds a question candidates (and sometimes other politicians as well) are having a difficult time answering, and so they ask it again and again. It's...

There is a myth circulating in the beltway. The myth is that bombastic business mogul Donald Trump can be taken down if only a Republican donor were to write a big enough check, if only a fellow GOP contender were to attack him with a vengeance or if only someone, somewhere concocted the right campaign-combustion cocktail. Pundits, pollsters, reporters and donors have been racking their brains in war rooms and newsrooms from Washington to Iowa since the summer trying to understand the best way to explain and then to solve the problem of Trump. Underlying most of the scenarios gaming...

The Granite State's GOP primary voters have a history of preferring establishment candidates, and the party's past two nominees, John McCain and Mitt Romney, won the contest in 2008 and 2012, respectively, but 32 percent of GOP supporters in New Hampshire now back the real-estate mogul, a new poll conducted by CNN and Manchester ABC affiliate WMUR revealed. It means that Trump has been able to add another 6-percentage points to his already considerable September lead, the news channel reported. (full article at link) http://www.latinpost.com/articles/100960/20151209/donald-trump-polls-trump-expands-lead-in-new-hampshire.htm

While many in the GOP are fiercely condemning Donald Trump for his proposal to temporarily ban all Muslims from entering the U.S., a whole lot of other Republicans are saying, hey, he has a point. From established party figures such as Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum to more hard-core right-wing personalities such as Ann Coulter, numerous Republicans are either stopping short of condemning Trump’s audacious proposal or are outright applauding the billionaire businessman as finally offering a common-sense solution to terrorism threats. They are offering a glimpse into why Trump has continued to zoom ahead in the polls, despite a...