Vocal Trump critics in GOP open to supporting Clinton

T. Belman. Trumps success mirrors their failure. Trump resonates with the voters. They alienated the voters. Trump and Cruz are right on Muslims and they are wrong.

THE HILL

Trump1Members of the GOP foreign policy establishment are open to supporting Ted Cruz or even Hillary Clinton for president if that’s what it takes to prevent Donald Trump from becoming commander in chief.

In interviews with The Hill, prominent Republicans who signed a scathing open letter denouncing Trump said they aren’t wavering from their opposition to him.

“What’s happening is you have a lot of people who are desperate to get anybody in there other than Trump. … People are going to go for Cruz, because at the end of the day they think he’s considerably less bad than Trump,” said Eliot A. Cohen, a former Jeb Bush adviser who also served in the George W. Bush administration.

Cohen, along with Bryan McGrath, organized an open letter opposing Trump that was signed by more than 120 members of the Republican foreign policy establishment. The letter declared that Trump is unfit to be president because his views of American power are “wildly inconsistent and unmoored in principle.”

The Hill contacted 13 of the people on the letter and heard back from all but two of them.

Support among the group appears to be shifting to Cruz, especially now that the Texas senator has won endorsements from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

“Donald Trump is not a Republican. … He is a caricature of classless wealth. … He is a caricature of the ugly American,” said McGrath, the deputy director at the Center for American Seapower at the Hudson Institute who is now working with the Cruz campaign.

Still, some say the fact that more supporters of Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) haven’t joined Cruz shows how unenthusiastic many are about him.

“All the palatable choices are gone,” said a senior Republican congressional staffer who wished to remain unidentified in order to speak freely.

When Cruz put out his list of foreign policy advisers last week, only two of those named were from the Rubio campaign — Jim Talent and Eliot Abrams — and none were from the Bush campaign.

Recently, the Truman National Security Project, a left-leaning think tank, detailed several areas of foreign policy that Trump and Cruz had in common, such as wanting to impose a religious test on Muslim refugees.

“For someone who is a George H.W. Bush Republican, this is really an uncomfortable choice,” said Daniel Drezner, a professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy who signed the open letter and voted for Rubio in the Massachusetts primary.

Stephen Rodriguez, a former Bush adviser and managing partner at One Defense who is now supporting Cruz, called Trump “amoral,” a “fraud” and a “dangerous demagogue.”

“I don’t know what’s worse — having Trump say all those ridiculous things and being totally clueless, or having him say all those things and actually mean it?” said Rodriguez, who signed the letter.

“At the end of the day, he has done nothing to earn my vote. He doesn’t have the character or the values that would qualify him to be president of the United States and commander in chief, nor is he a conservative or a Republican,” said Roger Zakheim, a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, who advised Rubio and also signed the letter.

Trump did little to win over his detractors with his list of foreign policy advisers, which the billionaire businessman released this week.

The list included five new names: former Pentagon inspector general Joseph Schmitz; oil and energy consultant George Papadopoulos; BAU International University provost Walid Phares; former Army lieutenant general and consulting firm executive J. Keith Kellogg Jr.; and longtime energy executive Carter Page.

Drezner noted that Schmitz was accused of stonewalling congressional investigations during the George W. Bush administration and resigned, while reports in 2012 alleged there was a link between Phares and war crimes in Lebanon.

“Trump promised he was going to introduce, like, the classiest foreign policy team … let’s just say, this isn’t it,” Drezner said.

“To say the least, it’s a pretty underwhelming group of people,” Cohen added.

Trump said he is planning to release more names, but his critics in the foreign policy sphere aren’t expecting much.

“Anyone who decides to work for him, they’re sort of revealing themselves as probably not among the best of the GOP foreign policy thinkers, because it’s such a stigma,” Drezner said.

Some members of the Republican foreign policy establishment are “shell-shocked” by what has happened in the primary race, the GOP staffer said, and are just planning to stay on the sidelines going forward.

Some of them are hoping for a third-party candidate from the GOP.

“If indeed it comes down to Hillary versus Trump as the nominees … then I’m certainly interested in whether or not we’ll see a third party, but I can’t support Trump’s candidacy,” Zakheim said.

John Noonan, a former Jeb Bush adviser, said he would write in Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins for president if Trump is the GOP nominee and then vote Republican down the rest of the ballot.

“Cousins isn’t any less experienced than Trump, and at least Cousins has never bankrupted a casino,” he said. But, he added, “I’d like to see Cruz beat Trump or a third-party conservative come in, in that order.”

Several admit that if absolutely forced to choose between Trump and Clinton, they would pick the former secretary of State.

“I’ll never support Trump, period. If the only choices I’m offered is between Hillary and Trump, I’ll go for Hillary,” said Cohen, who said he’s hoping for a third possibility or a write-in.

One pointed to Clinton’s speech earlier this week at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, saying it was relatively well received and could have been delivered by Rubio.

McGrath said he would vote for Clinton if he “got a gun held to my head” and was forced to choose only between her and Trump. He added that in reality, however, he would write in a name.

But, he added, “on foreign and defense policy, I at least trust Hillary’s judgment.”

McGrath isn’t alone.

“If it’s between Trump and Clinton, I will vote for Clinton,” Drezner said.

“I think there are others who will make that determination, even if you don’t like Hillary Clinton, if you dislike her domestic agenda,” he added.

Max Boot, a Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow and former Rubio foreign policy adviser who also signed the letter, said he would choose Clinton over both Trump and Cruz.

“I would consider a conservative third party but would vote for Hillary over Trump — not a close call,” he said. “Cruz [versus] Clinton is a closer call but on foreign policy grounds I would probably vote for Hillary.”

March 24, 2016 | 256 Comments »

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50 Comments / 256 Comments

  1. Bear Klein Said:

    A new CNN poll released Thursday, taken before the spat with rival Ted Cruz over his wife, found that 73 percent of registered female voters in the United States had an unfavorable view of Trump.

    hmmmmm…. next sentence:
    Bear Klein Said:

    a Reuters poll from last week that found more than half of American women hold a “very unfavorable” view of the billionaire.

    Bear Klein Said:

    “It further highlights the calamity that a Donald Trump nomination would be,” said Doug Heye, a former Republican National Committee aide who opposes Trump.

    just add it to the rest of the gop narratives:

    bernard ross Said:

    Trump hates blacks
    Trump hates latins
    Trump hates Jews
    Trump hates Israel

    Bear Klein Said:

    A recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that 47 percent of Republican women could not see themselves supporting Trump,

    what about the other 53%?
    here is more from another source pushing the same GOP smear campaign:

    He won the highest percent of women’s votes in 11 of the first 15 Republican primary and caucus nominating contests, according to ABC News’ exit polls.

    In Missouri and Massachusetts, he got 46 percent of women’s votes, and 45 percent of the female vote in Nevada.
    http://www.timesofisrael.com/women-the-achilles-heel-that-could-doom-trump/

    that was at the bottom of the GOP hit piece
    here is the real story:

    Nothing makes Katie Packer, a Republican strategist who worked for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign in 2012, angrier.

    She called Trump “incredibly sexist and misogynistic” and said he would be “catastrophic” for the Republican Party.

    Packer is supporting an anti-Trump attack ad in which female actors read out some of Trump’s past insults.

    it all ties together, the GOP attack smear campaign which needs to show that Trump hates everyone because they have no platform that can win their own voters without it.

  5. Ted trying to post a very relevent post on Cruz and your establishment filter keeps blocking it . Ols retreive and post Thks!!!

  6. After a brief flurry, Roseanne – I mean Klein – has lapsed back into unconsciousness:

    As he announces his presidential ambitions on Tuesday, Ohio Gov. John Kasich will be greeted with well-deserved criticism from conservatives over his expansion of Obamacare.

    To recap, in 2010 Kasich was elected as an opponent of Obamacare, but in 2013, under pressure from hospital lobbyists, he embraced the program’s expansion of Medicaid, framing his cynical move in the language of Christianity, and attacking conservative opponents for being “heart-hearted.” When the Republican legislature rightfully rejected the expansion, Kasich bypassed lawmakers and rammed it through a separate panel…

    http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/john-kasichs-top-5-failed-defenses-of-his-obamacare-expansion/article/2568656

    Now try posting while sober, Rosie.

  7. The Hill:

    A new CNN poll released Thursday, taken before the spat with rival Ted Cruz over his wife, found that 73 percent of registered female voters in the United States had an unfavorable view of Trump. That’s in line with a Reuters poll from last week that found more than half of American women hold a “very unfavorable” view of the billionaire.
    “That gives him a huge number of voters he has to make up from somewhere,” said American University political science professor Karen O’Connor. “And I don’t know where they will come from.”

    Opposition to Trump among women also extends to the GOP. A recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that 47 percent of Republican women could not see themselves supporting Trump, a number significantly higher than for any other GOP candidate.

    “It further highlights the calamity that a Donald Trump nomination would be,” said Doug Heye, a former Republican National Committee aide who opposes Trump.

    “While Republicans in the past have cried foul, rightly so, about Democrats talking about a war on women — Donald Trump has personally waged a war on women for decades.”

    https://pjmedia.com/trending/2016/03/25/the-gender-gap-and-donald-trump/

  8. Trump is polling behind Cruz in Wisconsin and will probably lose it.

    California is highly competitive now and Cruz and Kasich polling much better. So Trump will not get enough delegates either in California.

    It is looking less likely that he will get to 1237 now and so it will be a contested convention. Which will be highly divisive.

  9. @ bernard ross:
    If Trump does not get 1237 on the first ballot he could lose or win depends on the delegates and how many will vote for him on subsequent ballots. That is how it has been historically in the GOP.

    I am sure if he does not win you will not be happy. So Sorry! Any of the other candidates have a better chance to beat Hillary so I hope Trump loses. Even though I still prefer him to Hillary or the commie Bernie (your number 2 really?)!

  10. babushka Said:

    Deporting people for the purpose of importing them is the most asinine idea since anthrax pudding.

    see how you are part of that GOP group which loves to tell fibs?
    His purpose, except to a disingenuous gop, was not to import them… but to deport them forcefully BUT he did not seek to get rid of legal immigration…. it they qualify legally they can enter.
    Your twist on what he said, similar to you fibs on his purported nuetrality towrds Israel is what will cost the GOP the election. It is the GOP doing the smear job on Trump and NOT the dems. They are doing it dishonestly with folks like lying ted pretending that the superpac run by kate packer from mitt romneys 2012 campaign is not connectedd with Ted or his GOP establishment handlers. Neither I nor donald is stupid enough to buy that rubbish. the attack dogs belong to the GOP not the dems and like them you are willing to tell fibs to get in your man.
    the GOP is trying to make this a campaign of irrelevant and superficial character assassination and smear because they cannot even win the GOP primary registered voters on the basis of their platform but only on smears and panicking voters from Trump like Cruz did with Carson… telling lies to divert votes.
    If the gop wins their smear campaign against their own front runner they will cost the GOP the general election… there is no way that they can win on their platform with the electorate.. only Trump can bring the GOP a win…. but why would they deserve a win when their candidates suck? Their establishment is happy to vote for hillary who will give them TPP and HB1. That all the corporatists really care about.

  11. Kasich position – Since Danny I mean Babushuka mispresented Kasich’s position.

    Obamacare is the Wrong Diagnosis and Must Be Repealed and Replaced: Access to affordable health insurance is an important priority but Obamacare has failed to achieve this because it has driven up the cost of health insurance approximately 80 percent in Ohio’s individual and small group market and raised taxes to help subsidize health insurance coverage for families making up to $94,000 annually. Too often Obamacare mistakes treating symptoms for solving problems which only worsens the overall, long-term problem. John Kasich believes Obamacare must be repealed and replaced with efforts that instead improve access by actually lowering health care costs without interfering with Americans’ personal health care decisions or imposing punishing burdens on job creators.

    The Real Problems Remain Unchanged: Americans get what we pay for in health care, and too often what we pay for is more care instead of better care. In many areas a predominantly fee-for-service system creates financial incentives for health care providers to perform more services for a person who is sick rather than work to keep that person healthy. As a result, an estimated one-third of America’s health care dollars are wasted on things patients don’t need (IOM 2009) and, at the same time, 55 percent of Americans have been found to go without recommended treatments for preventive care and chronic care management (NEJM 2003). The time has come for leadership to fix it.

    A New, Conservative Vision: In Ohio, health care purchasers, health insurance plans, and providers realize the current system is unsustainable and are working–together with Gov. Kasich’s Administration–to explore new payment models that, instead of just rewarding volume, reward value that helps people stay healthier.

    • Better primary care (patient-centered primary care): The first step is having a primary care system that helps promote long term good health instead of just reacting when someone gets sick. Ohio is working through its Medicaid system to encourage patient-centered primary care practices that go the extra distance to keep people healthy and thereby help control costs. Savings generated this way accrues, in part, to health insurance plans as avoided costs. To help incentivize more robust participation in this model,Ohio’s four largest commercial insurers—Anthem, Aetna, Medical Mutual and UnitedHealthcare—as well as Ohio’s five Medicaid managed care plans, are designing a system that also shares those savings with the providers whose work helps improve health and hold down costs.

    • Rewarding value instead of volume (episode-based payments): Even with primary care payment reform, high-cost episodes will continue to account for most health spending. Today we pay for all of the inputs in these episodes separately, but if these inputs were considered as a whole then the providers involved would, similarly, work as a team to control costs and maximize quality. In a joint replacement, for example, surgeons, anesthesiologists, hospitals, device manufacturers, rehabilitation therapists, and drug makers all have separate roles and little incentive to worry about each other’s costs. Instead, what if the surgeon earned more for meeting high quality standards while also better managing the entire procedure in order to produce lower costs? Many providers are actually doing this today but the savings only accrue to the health insurance plan, not the high-value provider who generates it. In March, 2015, Ohio began working with our state’s four largest commercial insurers—Anthem, Aetna, Medical Mutual and UnitedHealthcare—and five Medicaid managed care plans, to set this model in motion for certain high-cost episodes.

    The Path Forward: Everyone knows that Obamacare must be repealed and replaced with something that actually works in line with America’s market-based principles to help Americans be healthy. So, let’s not only oppose Obamacare but also put in motion real solutions that will work to improve health care access by holding down costs and help Americans live healthier lives. The Ohio model provides a path forward for the nation: patient-centered care, choices, market competition, decentralized decision-making, higher quality, respect for individuals and an end to Obamacare’s big government interference.

    Following the principles that have long served America well means returning control of health care choices to patients and returning full control of insurance market regulation to states. In doing so we will help more Americans get and stay healthy in a high-quality and affordable way that sustainably supports our country’s long-term economic growth.

  12. @ babushka:
    Accurate facts were never your strong suit? You have completely misrepresented Kasich.

    Accurate analysis even if critical has more weight. Sorry Danny!

  13. Keli-A Said:

    babushka Said:

    Wrong. Trump resonates with approximately forty percent of the GOP, specifically the Goober Pyle wing of the party. Many Republicans despise him, and that number will only increase as the Demented One continues his sick jihad against women. First Carly. Then Megyn. Now Heidi. Mister Small Hands has some severe psychological issues.

    Wrong again Babsie

    Great News For Trump – Poll Shows Majority Of Republicans To Unite Behind Him!

      

    Well, not this voter. I will not unite behind this vile pig. And there are many more conservatives who feel the same way. We don’t need to be the majority, but enough of us refusing to vote for him, will cause him to lose. The GOP needs to be taught a lesson that they cannot just place any disgusting pig as the nominee and expect me to fall in line to support him in the name of stopping Hillary. I’m tired of having to choose between the lesser evil, and in this case I’m not sure who that is. I will not be feared or guilted into voting for Trump by those playing the Hillary card. For once I wanted to have the opportunity to actually enthusiastically get behind and vote for a candidate in November. That chance was and still is possible. We have a Reagan conservative to vote for in Ted Cruz. If GOP voters or party honchos throw him under the bus in favor of that vile degenerate, misogynist pig, then they all deserve a world of hurt in November.

    I sincerly apologize for denigrating pigs.

  15. babushka Said:

    There are none so blind.

    hmmmmm????
    bernard ross Said:

    he says to ban muslims
    he says to get rid of TPP and unfair trade
    he says to deport illegal immigrants and secure the border and end the current flooding
    he says to end abuse of HB! visa scam by major corps who use it to replace US workers already employed
    He says he will not cut medicare or SS
    he says he will support the 2nd amendment
    He says that china keeps N Korea alive and that we can influence china to reign them in
    He says that the arabs are responsible for the maintenance of the conflict by teaching their children hate and that he is a strong supporter of Israel
    etc etc etc
    I see no bullshit here…

    try to be more specific and try to focus on major issues.
    If Trump is not elected we will be subject to further danger from muslim immigration because no one else sees the need to focus on muslims to avoid terror….. notwithstanding Cruz hilarious ineffectual suggestion of more police patrols in muslim neighborhoods as a solution. Here is what I know and vote upon:
    banning muslim immigration, deporting muslims, subjecting muslims to intense scrutiny will work.

  16. babushka Said:

    http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/11/12/trump-romneys-self-deportation-policy-was-mean-spirited-doesnt-support-restricting-legal-immigration-further/

    are you nuts?

    …after illegal immigrants are deported, they “can come back in, but they have to come in through a legal process.”

    When asked, “do you think legal immigration should be restricted further?” Trump responded, “I think that legal immigration’s a good thing. If they come in legally, they go through a process, and if they come in legally, I think that’s a good thing, Bret.”

    whats wrong? He wants to deport illegals and allow legal immigration… DUH???????????????????
    babushka Said:

    http://bearingarms.com/donald-trump-will-death-second-amendment/

    wait, are you quoting Ted for words that Trump is alleged by lying Ted to have spoken…. without context…. pulllllleaze. 😛

    Trump has regularly insisted on the campaign trail that he is in favor of the right to keep and bear arms.

    whats your problem, even lying ted admits that Trump said he supports the 2nd?

    Mr. Trump’s lack of conservative principles,….

    aha, trump does not subscribe to the religion of conservative ideology is your argument? Neither does bernie and he supports the 2nd, and me too. Try not to be so childishly transparent next time… quoting Teds opinions as if they are actually evidence of something.

  18. Babs Darlin, you also must pay attention to your spelling skills or employ spell check. [sequitur is spelled with an ur not an er ].

    Thank you, Spelling Bee.

    Dearest Yankee Boy , this Texas girl will tell you that BS is most useful when spread. Which you have most admiralty done in your above post. Thank you Sugar.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acnt3r6z5ns

  19. honeybee Said:

    BS is most useful when spread. Which you have most admiralty done in your above post.

    I dont think you are saying that my last post was BS?

  20. Bear Klein Said:

    77% of Latinos have a negative view of him.

    most latinos already vote democrat except for cubans. the question is how many of them can he get to move over… is 23% of them enough. What I am showing you is that the posting of polls without further information is merely a manipulation used to convince gop voters to abandon Trump. We saw Cruz use that same tactic on Carson and Rubio so perhaps it comes from his camp or his handlers informed both. In most cases polls are posted for the purpose of influencing people rather than informing them of relevant info.
    If you read my link on Trump supporters you will see a latina who does not follow that poll, the same is true of blacks, blue collar dems and independents. The likelihood that Cruz can appeal to them is much lower than Trump. The battle against Trump is not on his platforms but on a smear campaign of trying to get voting blocks to hate Trump based on misinformation:
    Trump hates blacks
    Trump hates latins
    Trump hates Jews
    Trump hates Israel
    etc etc
    it is not a coincidence that all of these false canards are being propagated in the media and by the GOP establishment. They are all lies… and those propagating it know they are lies.

  21. @ bernard ross:

    Dearest Yankee Boy , this Texas girl will tell you that BS is most useful when spread. Which you have most admiralty done in your above post. Thank you Sugar.

  22. babushka Said:

    Everything trump says is BULLSHIT.

    he says to ban muslims
    he says to get rid of TPP and unfair trade
    he says to deport illegal immigrants and secure the border and end the current flooding
    he says to end abuse of HB! visa scam by major corps who use it to replace US workers already employed
    He says he will not cut medicare or SS
    he says he will support the 2nd amendment
    He says that china keeps N Korea alive and that we can influence china to reign them in
    He says that the arabs are responsible for the maintenance of the conflict by teaching their children hate and that he is a strong supporter of Israel
    etc etc etc
    I see no bullshit here… I only read the raves and rants of those who call him a bullshitter. I also see no other candidate who will support all these platforms with which I agree. Those are rational and reasonable platforms from the ONLY candidate who states them.

  23. babushka Said:

    After honeybee has just lamented that you are the singular intellectual presence on the site, you deliberately betray her confidence by posting a non sequiter

    Babs Darlin, you also must pay attention to your spelling skills or employ spell check. [sequitur is spelled with an ur not an er ].

    As for being disanointed in yamit82, now don’t faint Dearie, but his hands are ever larger then his brain, which is immensely powerful.

  24. Bear Klein Said:

    If he gets to be the nominee he will lose the election.

    the entire gop establsihment no longer has any argument to sway their own voters based on their platform… hence their only hope is to convince the rank and file of their only straw to grasp…. that the polls show that their front runner cannot win the general. They are desperate now and this shows they are preparing for a big cheat. They are already cheating Trump out of delegates. they reneged on their agreements with Trump, I am sure he knows, so I am interested to see how he will deal with them… I expect it to be dirty because the dirty cannot expect better treatment.

  25. Bear Klein Said:

    he has horrible negatives and he is highly unlikely to overcome these.

    the negatives are superficial and fabricated in many cases. the GOP is heavily invested in giving the frauds wings. The only fact I see is that the GOP is getting out every dirty trick possible to thwart any advance of trump in the primary or general. We have this thread because GOP want hillary over Trump… that due to TPP and HB1 visascam. They, hillary, murdoch and soros agree on these. its no longer about the parties, its about corrupt establishment interests trying to avoid their death knell…. only Trump will affect that… all of the others are part of it…. hence the bogus Cruz supported by the Bush family.

  26. @ Bear Klein:
    when I see the level of animosity from the GOP establishment and their frantic attempts to destroy his campaign I can be confident that all their bought media are beating their drum and the likelihood of accurate polls falls to the bottom… money spent in a focused manner tends to bend results. Polls are not my idol when I see scenarios like this. Those that engage like the GOP does now will not hesitate to use corrupting influences. Polls are easily manipulated.

  27. Bear Klein Said:

    If he gets to be the nominee he will lose the election

    the gop will try to make sure that he will lose the general if they cant cheat him at the convention. every day we see their bought media trashing trump…. that will not do down well.
    The gop do not want the general election if Trump is their candidate.
    their main donor goal is the TPP and HB1 visa… Hillary will give them that and they will give hillary what she wants… just like they did with obama.
    The GOP demonizing of Trump daily by the GOP means that they are not interested in the general… had they supported Trump fairly like other candidates we would not see this reaction. They are trying to cover up their platform by substituting these baloney issues… they are trying to prevent Trump from getting his message accross. The GOP is the culprit…. they reneged as soon as the primary date for registering as an independent had passed.

  28. babushka Said:

    Everything. Literally everything. There is is no there there. He is perpetually contradicting himself. Nothing he says has any real world meaning. His words are merely tools to manipulate the gullible. You can’t really agree or disagree with Trump because his “positions” are written on the wind and have the constancy of a chameleon trapped in a kaleidoscope. When it comes to being full of shit, this guy is in a class by himself. He is the Babe Ruth of bullshit.

    Interesting that you gave not one example or evidence. It sounds like you just dont understand what he says.. I see no conflict.. just like when you said he was nuetral… you either lied or you didnt understand.
    It is interesting that those demonizing trump with their highly emotional tantrums post little evidence for their rants.

  29. @ bernard ross:
    Bernard you sited several times in the past that the polls about Trump in the primary were wrong to offset his lousy polls in the general election.

    This is mistaken shortly after he entered the race he ended up in front in the polls. He has loyal followers such as yourself but he has horrible negatives and he is highly unlikely to overcome these.

    77% of Latinos have a negative view of him. His polling with 18-29 year olds and women is also lousy.

    If he gets to be the nominee he will lose the election.

  32. Laura says:
    March 26, 2016 at 3:52 am
    @ bernard ross:
    Everything trump says is BULLSHIT.

    And while we are handing out accolades, you will never read a more accurate comment than this:

    Everything trump says is BULLSHIT.

    Everything. Literally everything. There is is no there there. He is perpetually contradicting himself. Nothing he says has any real world meaning. His words are merely tools to manipulate the gullible. You can’t really agree or disagree with Trump because his “positions” are written on the wind and have the constancy of a chameleon trapped in a kaleidoscope. When it comes to being full of shit, this guy is in a class by himself. He is the Babe Ruth of bullshit.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTi9qDJziAM

  33. the subject of this thread is about GOP voting for Hillary and I have no doubt that the establishment would support Hillary over Trump as their main agenda is TPP and HB1 and she will approve both.. she is on the team just as Obama was with the TPP. In the same way that Soros and Murdoch agree on open borders the same with the dems and gop on TPP, HB1 visascam and corporate welfare. The other issues dont matter to them. Trump is the only candidate who will try to stop this.

  35. Bear Klein Said:

    No way to become POTUS

    yes, they said there was no way he could win the GOP nomination also but they were thinking that most gop would not vote for him rather than that the GOP would cheat him. I have no doubt that if they cheat him they will lose the general. it appears that the anti trumps want the gop to cheat trump

  36. babushka Said:

    You dropped a turd in the punch bowl by including independents.

    😛 😛 😛
    that “turd in the punchbowl” is the only thing that can get the gop into the presidency. Without them there is no GOP presidency. The turd is more important than the registered GOP voter because when the turd votes for the dem the president will be a dem but if the turd does not vote for the gop there will be no gop pres.

  37. Laura Said:

    Trump is the one trying to change the rules as i said.

    no, the gop have already said they will change the rule 40 which reuqires a majority in a minimum of 8 states… but that would knock out the non trumps. that rule was put in to whittle down a race and knock out th ebits and pieces. Its all fixed.
    Laura Said:

    Trump broke the agreement by his behavior.

    no, the establishment broke the agreement the minute they saw he had a good chance. They have been attacking his character, his motives, his wife, etc… they just wanted him to bring them votes which he did. donald is not the sort of man who will let you use fine print to violate the spirit of an agreement, unlike the politicans who live on fine print.
    Laura Said:

    He has become a detriment to the GOP’s chances in the general election.

    no, he has become a detriment to those continuing their unchallenged rule of the gop. They invented the general election loss and dispensed it to their media and pollmakers because they have no other justification for the plan they have to cheat donald
    They dont care about losing the election.. I have no doubt that when they are seen to be cheating they will lose the general… but they wont mind that as they will still be in power in their party ready to accomodate the dems on their most important issue:TPP. Hillary will pass the TPP which is why they will vote for hillary.

  38. Laura Said:

    Everything trump says is BULLSHIT.

    and yet you never demonstrated that as a fact
    Laura Said:

    I’m so sick of you bernard and your indefensible defense of that misogynist low-life.

    thanks, I love you too.

  39. babushka Said:

    The Trump campaign is an expression of anger. There is no intellectual or moral component.

    and yet I posted the specific rational reasons why I would choose Trump.. specific to his platform of muslims, immigration, trade, tpp, hb1 visa, no dismantling of medicare or SSA, etc
    none of the dems and gop fulfill my requrirements
    It looks like the emotion, anger and tantrums are owned by you and the other Trump demonizers here.
    babushka Said:

    The irony is that this is one time when an excellent solution is readily available. Ted Cruz is offering ethical representation to the white working class voters whose sense of victimization has led them to Trump

    baloney, he is for TPP, HB1 visa scam, and a childish typical ideologue. furthermore, he just demonstrated how inept he would be as president in his latest attempt to mimic donald superficially but miss the mark entirely on substance: he wants to patrol muslim neighborhoods where bombs dont go off and where I dont even care if they go off.. donald says to ban muslims. Donald made the connection of terror to Islam and is willing to do the NOn pc action whereas Ted is still thinking about what to say. He proved that he cant make sensible judgements fast in a changing situation… whereas Trump the man who builds things can. As for ethics I saw how he dealt carson and trumps wife.

    babushka Said:

    Alas, once someone has partaken of the Kool Aid all logic and reason evaporate more quickly than a loogie in the Sahara. The Trumplings’ arguments read like bad theology, a conglomeration of crazy myths and weird superstitions totally devoid of reality.

    hmmmm, that sounds like this:
    babushka Said:

    a masochistic temper tantrum by people who feel aggrieved, ….who choose to express their rage irrationally. It is the equivalent of a child feeling victimized but powerless and venting frustration by hitting his head against the wall.

    that psychological projection concept appears to be right on.

  40. The Winner in Real Clear Politics of the Unfavorables is Trump!!

    RCP Average 2/26 – 3/22 — 30.4 63.2 -32.8
    FOX News 3/20 – 3/22 1016 RV 31 65 -34
    Bloomberg 3/19 – 3/22 1000 A 29 68 -39
    Quinnipiac 3/16 – 3/21 1451 RV 33 61 -28
    CBS News/NY Times 3/17 – 3/20 1252 A 24 57 -33
    CNN/ORC 3/17 – 3/20 1001 A 31 67 -36
    Monmouth 3/17 – 3/20 848 RV 30 60 -30
    The Economist/YouGov 3/10 – 3/12 2000 A 36 61 -25
    ABC News/Wash Post 3/3 – 3/6 1000 A 30 67 -37
    Gallup 2/26 – 3/3 A 30 63 -33

    Trump loved by some an hated by many! No way to become POTUS. The big number in all polls of 60 – 68 is the unfavorables. The small number ranging from 29 to 33 is Trumps favorables.

  41. 1) Trump resonates with approximately forty percent of the GOP

    2) a majority of Republican and Republican-leaning independents

    1) and 2) are entirely compatible. You dropped a turd in the punch bowl by including independents.

    Man, you Hebrews are a treacherous lot. No wonder everybody hates you.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ4mzpIo13g

  43. Laura Said:

    bernard ross Said:

    Laura Said:

    The rules should not be changed for drumpf. You must get required number of delegates.

    LOL, nothing to do with rules… they made an agreement to prevent him from running as an independent and now that it is too late and he is much more successful than they imagined they are doing whatever they can to libel and demonize him… aside from the fact that they are changing the rules specifically made to deal with the current situation. The GOP has conducted itself like sleazy liars with a pretense and facade of respectability. Trump will not allow that to pass without reply, nor should he. They made the agreement with no intention of following through in spirit. They pulled together all their resources and bought media to attack trump, his character and now his wife. Their behavior is transparent.

      

    Trump is the one trying to change the rules as i said.

    Trump broke the agreement by his behavior. He has become a detriment to the GOP’s chances in the general election. They are not obliged to give him the nomination if he doesn’t get the required number of delegates. THOSE HAVE BEEN THE RULES since Lincoln.

      

    Not so Laura they make up the rules as they go along that’s what the convention rules committee does each convention. If Jeb Bush or Rubio had come up short but ahead of Trump at the convention they would have bent the rules and nominated either one. What you and Babbsie fail to understand is that only Trump appeals to a majority of independent males and a sizeable number of democrats… They should make up for any losses to traditional Republican support and put some important blue states in play for the Republicans none else has that appeal. Trump can win even without a lot of support from traditional base. He will go after Clinton without the reserve and reservations of the PC traditional politicians and he will wipe the floor with her.

  45. babushka Said:

    Perhaps you would be kind enough to have your well.

    You claimed that ” Trump resonates with approximately forty percent of the GOP”

    I prersented a poll/survey that says “Poll Shows Majority Of Republicans To Unite Behind Him!”A new poll shows that for the first time, a majority of Republican and Republican-leaning independents want the GOP to unite behind Trump at a possible contested convention!”should Trump fail to accrue the necessary 1,237 delegates, 54 percent of those polled said the party should back Trump for the nomination anyway. More than a third said the delegates should nominate another person, and 7 percent were unsure …..The Monmouth poll of 817 Republican and Republican-leaning voters was conducted via telephone March 17-20 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. Sources: The Political Insider, Politico”

    Im always thought 54% being over 50% represents a majority??? You apparently don’t !! Proving that you do not have my “incomprehensibly enormous Arcturus-sized brain or spectacular hand-eye coordination” and are not among my intellectual peers past or present. 😛

  46. Either you are so obtuse you can’t recognize real intellectual and moral components or…

    No, that’s it.
    I am obtuse, Pops.

  47. babushka Said:

    The Trump campaign is an expression of anger. There is no intellectual or moral component. It is a masochistic temper tantrum by people who feel aggrieved, in many cases justifiably, but who choose to express their rage irrationally. It is the equivalent of a child feeling victimized but powerless and venting frustration by hitting his head against the wall.

    Either you are so obtuse you can’t recognize real intellectual and moral components or you have a different definition of them than the majority of American voters.

    Typical Trump supporters salt of the earth

    http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/bikers-for-trump-rev-up-in-florida/2262240

  48. bernard ross Said:

    Laura Said:

    The rules should not be changed for drumpf. You must get required number of delegates.

    LOL, nothing to do with rules… they made an agreement to prevent him from running as an independent and now that it is too late and he is much more successful than they imagined they are doing whatever they can to libel and demonize him… aside from the fact that they are changing the rules specifically made to deal with the current situation. The GOP has conducted itself like sleazy liars with a pretense and facade of respectability. Trump will not allow that to pass without reply, nor should he. They made the agreement with no intention of following through in spirit. They pulled together all their resources and bought media to attack trump, his character and now his wife. Their behavior is transparent.

      

    Trump is the one trying to change the rules as i said.

    Trump broke the agreement by his behavior. He has become a detriment to the GOP’s chances in the general election. They are not obliged to give him the nomination if he doesn’t get the required number of delegates. THOSE HAVE BEEN THE RULES since Lincoln.

  50. After honeybee has just lamented that you are the singular intellectual presence on the site, you deliberately betray her confidence by posting a non sequiter. I have now reviewed your link several times, searching in vain for the smoking gun that you have presented which verifies I am wrong to claim Trump will divide the party into a landslide defeat.

    Perhaps you would be kind enough to have your incomprehensibly enormous Arcturus-sized brain locate the relevant passage and then utilize your spectacular hand-eye coordination to post it in this thread. I would be much obliged, and I am sure that wherever your intellectual peers (Archimedes, da Vinci, Newton, Einstein, Tesla…) might be spending eternity, they would be most appreciative as well.