Jeff Greenfield speculates that a Trump nomination would cause the Republican establishment to run a third-party candidate.
With Trump as its standard-bearer, the GOP would suddenly be asked to rally around a candidate who has been called by his once and former primary foes “a cancer on conservatism,†“unhinged,†“a drunk driver … helping the enemy.†A prominent conservative national security expert, Max Boot, has flatly labeled him “a fascist.†And the rhetoric is even stronger in private conversations I’ve had recently with Republicans of moderate and conservative stripes.
This is not the usual rhetoric of intraparty battles, the kind of thing that gets resolved in handshakes under the convention banners. These are stake-in-the-ground positions, strongly suggesting that a Trump nomination would create a fissure within the party as deep and indivisible as any in American political history, driven both by ideology and by questions of personal character.
Indeed, it would be a fissure so deep that, if the operatives I talked with are right, Trump running as a Republican could well face a third-party run—from the Republicans themselves.
Greenfield goes on to describe other times when presidential nominees were abandoned by their parties and consider what the Republican establishment might do. The most likely scenario, IMO, is that the the establishment will try to ignore Trump and work their butts off for House and Senate candidates instead, stacking Congress so that a Democratic president could be kept in check. I don’t see them trying to run an alternative candidate.
Me?
I’d rather have t-RUMP be the GOP nominee, than Teddy Cruz-ader.
Cruz is more dangerous than t-RUMP, because he understands politics better, and is outwardly more “Christian,” and more conservative – the latter two points, are what he wants he want his and t-RUMP’s base to know.
And, he’s just as big an egotistical and demagogic loon as t-RUMP – as we can all see.
He is now sending out video’s in key states of him interacting with his wife and kids. The message is to non-conservatives (he’s already thinking of how to move back from his far-right base, but without losing them, in preperation for the general election), saying, in effect, “See! I’m not really the blood-thirsty and extremist nut the liberal MSM is telling you I am. I’m just a other average American family man.”
He’s more dangerous, because he thinks ahead, and doesn’t just react, like t-RUMP.
Go to Steve M’s great website – No More Mister Nice Blog – for more info, and why he too, fears the “Cruz-ader.
Rumor has it, that certain members of the GOP establishment had a meeting regarding this issue. The way it was explained was that the convention would most likely be brokered, leaving open the possibility of slipping in the candidate of the establishment’s choice. Supposedly, that choice is Ryan with maybe Rubio as his VP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNMHNETnxro
I keep thinking “The Donald” is pulling an Andy Kaufman,( Man on the moon, REM). No matter what happens with his campaign, there will be a book deal, a movie, a mini series on TV, and the apprentice is resurrected. He can’t loose, what ! I think that’s why he is beginning to be even more outrageous and provocative.
I am watch from a distance
I am disappointed that the Colorado Republican Party has canceled their Caucus…Now I can’t “ratfuck” either one of ’em….
Sorry, my computer asked me to sign in and then posted autonomously, or would that be automatonously?
Anyway, I am watching from a distance and with a filter due to limited access to the media. I also am watching with a generous lack of understanding, so that’s my excuse for being an oracle of the obvious and for oversimplifying.
I am not sure how to describe what happens to the American public in preparation for the things we call elections. It’s like a very attenuated storm, or a tsunami of derp or an endless con game that fleeces us of our mental balance, our money and our time. “It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury.” One of the drivers is the huge profits to be made by the corporations who own the media, who can then “reinvest” them in backing the candidate of their choice as they set their thumbs down on the scale of political discourse. That’s formed a positive feedback loop that keeps the pot stirring and the rhetoric hot.
Decades ago, some brainiacs and public relations men decided to assemble disjointed elements of public opinion into a wave that they could ride to power. Love God, hate government, oppress women, build an arsenal, … well you know the rest. In doing this, they seem to have assembled a monster that is about to turn on them, or maybe we can only “understand” it by turning it into a morality play or cautionary tale. As noted above, Cruz seems to be a master politician, but Trump seems to be the master public relations man. (Curse you, Edward Bernays!!) They do seem to have produced the condition of their own destruction, and of our destruction, too. But, if the Reagan Revolution has taught us anything over the last forty five years, it’s that, it’s only going to get worse. (The perennial question seems to be, “How can it get much worse?” But, time will tell.)
I am far from an expert, but there do seem to be some unsettling commonalities between our time and the period of the rise of Fascism. If you think of the Italian Futurists and their sensibilities as the mindset of proto-fascism, you can find myriad kindred souls among the American rightwing. Once again, Donald Trump has summed it up best. “I love war, but, only if we win.” That is probably the most essential statement of fascism that I have ever heard, and it also seems to capture the precise mood of a recent Republican debate.
Sometimes I feel as though we are all trapped in a Thomas Hardy novel.
This comment is provided for NOVELTY PURPOSES ONLY.
I always thought the Anti-Christ would be better looking…
Everything Trump Does is Strategic
A third party run would be a the best possible gift for Hillary, and so I don’t think it’s realistic. Trump will find away to make nice with the establishment, and get them behind him.
And I disagree with you gulag, as to who’s more dangerous. Trump will find a way to be dictator, effectively ending the Republic. It may not be expressed in those terms, but that’s the effect.
I don’t think Cruz has that much appeal beyond the social cons. He may be gunning for, or paired up as Trump’s running mate.
moonbat,
I don’t know about tRUMP – while I think he’d love all of the trappings of being a Dictator, I think he’d find it too much work.
He’ll hire and fire subordinstes, for sure, when things inevitabely fail. But being a Dictator means you’re ultimately responsible.
He just likes taking all of the credit for other people’s work. And in the racket he’s in, he can get away with that. In government, not so much…
And he’s not politician enough to learn the in’s and out’s of getting away with doing the same thing in government.
Cruz, on the other hand, would relish being a Dictator. As a human being, he’s a sociopathic louse. But, the guy knows politics. My understanding, is that he’s built a pretty strong game and ground plan, nation-wide.
The Cruz-ader’s not sitting around, waiting for the GOP establishment to give him the crown – largely, because knows they won’t, unless he’s their last and only choice; and even then…
Jeb and Marco could learn a lot from The Cruz-ader!
I just hope we ever have to find out about any of them!
They’ll all gladly finish the job of making the US a 3rd World Banana Republic.
Though I’m not her biggest fan, Hillary at her worst, is a million times better and smarter than either of the two egotistical and demagogic loons.
Whoever the Dem candidate will be, I’ll be out there, helping to GOTV!
It’s official our Doug is running for congress!
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/89c609d415c74756bcc74e7a8675be71/man-capitol-gyrocopter-stunt-challenge-dnc-chairwoman
Go get’em Doug!
I don’t think Cruz has that much appeal beyond the social cons. He may be gunning for, or paired up as Trump’s running mate.
I don’t think Cruz’s ego would allow him to play second fiddle to Trump. Unless it’s a rehash of the Bush/Cheney presidential relationship.. Trump probably would be very comfortable sucking up the prestige of the office while being oblivious to necessary responsibilities the job requires…..Egotistical abdication?
I seriously doubt that Trump will get the nomination. If he does, I’d reason that our country is in such bad shape that it’s bordering on hopeless.
Go Doug!
YOU DA MAN!!!!
Thanks all. There’s a bipartisan loathing of DWS that I’m going to try to tap.
If Sanders supporters nationwide chip in and if the right wants to take a swing at the ultra-partisan DWS, I might raise enough cash to be viable.
Primary contests against the incumbent are low-turnout events. Split 10% turnout between 4 candidates (if there are two republicans and me and DWS). YOu are talking about a tiny sliver of the population – 3 to 4% is all it takes to win. Pouring huge amounts of money doesn’t have much effect on turnout.
This could happen.
What will happen if the leading evangelicals follow Franklin grahm’s lead and leave the R party?
Does Ted Cruz become their choice irregardless of the Party?
“What will happen if the leading evangelicals follow Franklin grahm’s lead and leave the R party?”
Probably bluffing.
A truly vile, mean-spirited individual. There already is a party for him. He can join the smoldering remains of the Taliban. Slight doctrinal differences, but the hate looks pretty much the same.
Go get ’em, Doug.
———————-
One of the other concepts that seems to have grown out of the anti-government frame of mind, is that anyone is competent to serve as the POTUS. It seems to me that a lot of my fellow citizens think that you could pluck any one of the local ministers out of his church, set him down in the Oval Office, and he would have things running tickety-boo by the next morning. On one hand, I find their faith in those around them kind of touching, on the other, I find it completely mad. For most of us, democracy offers some chance that our hopes, values and convictions will be reflected in the way the country is governed. Reality is swift to disabuse us of any certainty in this regard. That is frustrating, But, being president of the US is a curse that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, unless he were foolish enough to want it and experienced enough to carry out the job.
For all the talk of the Constitution, a lot of voters seem to want some like minded authoritarian, who could dispense with all the red tape, compromise and “political correctness,” and make things “right” again. For them democracy is a zero sum game when they’ve won, and a rigged game when they’ve lost.
So they have skirted, or been herded around the idea of competence. There is no reason on earth why they should worry about experience, ability or knowledge because for them the idea of a large unifying central government is completely devalued. They have no real idea how it works or how it could ever work. So, if someone has name recognition, a fat wallet and a loud mouth, he’s the man! Trump and Cruz fit this description best.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Here’s today’s (Dec. 24) WaPo coverage of “Our Doug.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pilot-who-landed-gyrocopter-on-capitol-lawn-now-wants-to-join-congress/2015/12/23/9b578b72-a9ab-11e5-9b92-dea7cd4b1a4d_story.html?hpid=hp_regional-hp-cards_no-name%3Ahomepage%2Fcard
To quote Gulag: Go Doug! You da man!
Doug: let us know when/where we can contribute to your campaign.
I’m supposed to be working on the web site now. (Don’t tell my wife that I’m not – she’s campaign manager til I get a campaign manager. Then she’s the manager of the campaign manager.) There’s a go-fund-me that goes to my wife if anyone’s in the mood.
In January I’ll have my web site up and a dedicated campaign bank account. That bumps my first FEC reporting until April. Y’all can go look but keep it to yourselves for now. DougHughes2016.com – comments welcome here, until I have email up there. I will be on Fox & Friends on Monday morning.
Getting the money out of politics is something voters on both sides agree on. Actually doing it will require that democrats and republicans work together on this one issue – and it can be done without either side compromising their beliefs. I’m gambling that my flight did resonate across the aisle and I can bring voters together on this ONE principle.
Doug,
You’re a brave man to go on FUX & Fiends.
Be polite, respectful, and informative.
But don’t take any sh*t!
Oh, who am I talking to?
Of course you know that!
It’s me who’d have to be put in restraints by FUX Security after dealing with those sycophantic twits for 30 about kseconds!
Oy!
A boo-boo!
Obviously, I meant “…after about 30 seconds.”
Sheeeeesh!
And I haven’t even had any neg ogg yet…
?
Ok.
Maybe ha swipe ur 2….
Zzzzzzzzzzz…
I’m confused but then I am 76 yo. I certainly support Doug’s efforts but I thought someone convicted of a felony could not run for public office. Correct me if I am wrong. On the other hand, Trump does not need a VP, he can do the job all by himself. But what do I care! Santa Claus comes tonight.