Your friend Jim George thinks you'd be a great addition to Ricochet, so we'd like to offer you a special deal: You can become a member for no initial charge for one month!
Ricochet is a community of like-minded people who enjoy writing about and discussing politics (usually of the center-right nature), culture, sports, history, and just about every other topic under the sun in a fully moderated environment. We’re so sure you’ll like Ricochet, we’ll let you join and get your first month for free. Kick the tires: read the always eclectic member feed, write some posts, join discussions, participate in a live chat or two, and listen to a few of our over 50 (free) podcasts on every conceivable topic, hosted by some of the biggest names on the right, for 30 days on us. We’re confident you’re gonna love it.
The Republican National Convention is when the party faithful set aside the fractious primary rhetoric and unite to defeat perfidious Democrats. Aside from Cruz’s call to support freedom (a position now considered treasonous in the GOP), other speakers focused on the myriad faults, failures, and crimes of Hillary Clinton, saying her name onstage even more than Donald Trump’s.
I’m reading your quotes in his voice and am genuinely perplexed how someone who talks like this has the ability to close deals. Short basic sentences, little words (not ‘great words’, little words), insult, rinse and repeat. Are we being punked?
I do not want to be confused with being as petty as Trump. I am only offering a possible explanation. Please do not explode on me. Trump might be looking at the Ryan race with a bit of payback considering how long it took Ryan to endorse Trump. Ditto Ayotte. Didn’t she take a bit to warm up to Trump too? McCain is a dirtbag so good riddance.
I bet his lawyers do all the talking while Trump just glad hands you. Because you are right. How in the high stakes world of big real estate can someone like this find any success?
He’s running like payback is his top priority, not winning the election.
Isn’t that literally true? Trump Tower is at the corner of 5th Avenue and East 56th Street, both of which are one way streets.
Excellent. Here’s a passage from a recent column by Josh Marshall that, despite the author’s leftward politics, perfectly describes this aspect of Trump’s awful character:
In attacking Ryan, McCain and Ayotte, Trump continues to draw the bright lines ever more distinctly — not that they have ever been hard to distinguish for anyone who values basically sound character. Trump is entirely unfit to be trusted with the power of the presidency, as is Hillary Clinton.
I can’t decide if Trump is
1) Working for Billary, with all the attendant quid pro quos that would entail.
2) A childish, thin skinned cretin who somehow made a billion dollars.
3) Doesn’t really want to be president.
4) All of the above.
I’m sure you’re correct as his life has been about delegating, which is what he probably plans to do as President. But holy cow. This year’s 7th bout of depression kicked in the past few days. I’m gonna need some Wellbutrin to make through November.
Yes he needs to run as though the future of the country depended on it. Maybe this was cat food after all.
McCain, Ryan, and Ayotte have all been quite diffident in their support for Trump. That’s the two way street. They don’t want to come out for him, why should he come out for them? He knows if he bends over to kiss their “rings” they’ll stab him in the back.
2016 is not going to be a “forgive and forget” election. A lot of the apparatchiks of the conservative commentariat have already incinerated their reputations, a lot more are playing with matches. Ditto the GOPe Nomenklatura like Ryan, McCain and Ayotte when it’s all over. They may keep their seats, but they will have destroyed a terrific amount of political good will and capital.
What exactly does it mean for the Presidential nominee of a party to be “beating [a Senator from the same party] in the polls by a lot”? Like, what does a comparison like that even mean when they’re not running against each other for the same office?
Might I suggest a good Madiera or Port. Something sweet and refined that packs a punch.
I think Trump, in his Trumpish way, is saying that he is polling better than she is in New Hampshire. I would like to see those polls if that is the case.
While this has merit I have to say it does none of these people any good to air the dirty laundry out in public. Except for McCain because he really is a less than stellar human being.
Somebody’s got to take one for the team. When Trump starts shooting himself (and fellow GOP) like this, somebody’s got to yank out the microphone cord. “Technical difficulties, please stand by” is a perfectly legitimate communications strategy.
My God. Eight years ago, we mocked the guy who could only read off a teleprompter. Now we’d settle for that in a heartbeat.
There is still something to the “doesn’t want to be president” thing. If you look at all the crazy stuff Trump has done as a cry for help: “let me off this wild ride!” then it makes a bit more sense. During the Republican primary, he just kept daring the voters to pick someone else. He would’ve complained– no one likes to lose– but he would’ve been able to go home, move on with his life and claim that he was popular.
But the scary issue with Trump now is that in some places he’s a liability, in others, he may help people. But if you don’t come out and endorse him, me may target you and start fights. This is why I think Trump as president wouldn’t have some perverse effects on congress. He won’t be the party’s “leader” and his support may turn out to be toxic for some members. Though, I can’t necessarily bring myself to feel but so much sympathy for many in Congress.
Isn’t it pathetic how often we have to work hard to try to draw something coherent out of Trump’s words?
I hope you realize that according to the terms of your analogy, Trump is now ole’ ‘Uncle Joe’ Stalin.
But at least he fights!
Whatever his reasons are they probably deserve it because His Excellency is never wrong. Ever.
I think you guys want to be governed by Democrats, but you people don’t know how to express it.
But seriously, how can anyone deny that he is not destroying the GOP. I’m not going to be a concern troll and pretend that I don’t like this, but why are you guys making it easy for my side?
Having recently been explained to me that Trump is working in frequencies way beyond my simple ears, I can only assume this is some sort of pentrangulation strategy, or something.
I just saw this a couple of minutes ago. I live in NC so I’m starting to see a lot of political ads, although I hardly ever watch the ads. I fast-forward through them. But this caught my eye so I went back to watch it.
John McCain needs to go. His military career should be celebrated, but it shouldn’t be used to protect his garbage, conservative- undermining political career.
I truly expect two possible outcomes over the next month or so. First, Trump will find an excuse to not debate Hillary. He ran away from Cruz’s challenge to debate, and his recent comments on the conflicts with the NFL schedule sound to me like he is already preparing his excuses. The second is that he will find an excuse to not run. It may be that he is totally convinced that the system is rigged to defeat him and that he has more important things to do than run a false race, or some other such nonsense. Other than his rallies, what is he doing to gain support? Everything I see from his attacks on the Khans to his being interviewed during the speech by Gold Star mother, Smith, speaks of someone who has never really thought about winning at all. He has been slumming and he is now looking to get back to his normal life among the real people who are important to him. None of the issues he brought up during the primaries are that important to him. He was selling a product in which he has little of no faith, but as a salesman closing the deal is the real challenge. Winning the primaries, getting the nomination was the close. Now he’s bored and wants to move on to the next sale. Unlike most of his other deals, no one is likely to sue him when his “warranty” proves to be useless.
It gives one pause to think that perhaps he doesn’t think more than 5 minutes ahead.
The best way to sabotage the famous “First One Hundred Days” is to antagonize the leaders of Congress upon whom your success is partly dependent.
‘Tis a puzzlement.
He’s already made statements that indicate he doesn’t care which party controls Congress.
We are watching our party burn. I’m at a loss for words. Today is our primary for local races in Washington State. My state representative posted on Facebook who he’d be voting for in the primary. One of the seats up for re-election is a seat in the U.S. House. My state rep picked one candidate over another, and that second candidate just scorched him for it. Calling him stupid. Blaming him if the seat stays with the Democrats. We’ve come unhinged.
There is no pivot. Stop waiting for it.
I remember @mikelaroche often posting gleefully about the “Rinocalypse.” I’m not sure if that’s the right term for what we’re observing. Can anybody come up with a pithy term for destruction of any semblance of a viable right-wing coalition in this country in opposition to the democrats?
Hope those saying it was worth giving the nom to Trump to stick it to the GOPe enjoy what the next several years are going to bring.