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More Thoughts to Come, But for Now…
I was a fool to think this couldn't happen and to condescend to those who did. May the next 4 years humble me with prosperity and progress.
— Rob Long (@rcbl) November 9, 2016
Those who confess and repent quickly will be sent to the better NeverTrump camps that are being set up, and will have to do less hard labor.
Early on I felt much as you did. Trump seemed petty and vindictive and his message lacked substance. His conservatism was not well formed, yet there were hints of a conversion. As he continued, I began to accept his sincerity. His children helped win me over, a better reflection of him, I think. Yes, he could be coarse and unfiltered, yet he had an endearing quality about him, an unexpected grace, a simplicity in approach. He seems like good company. So sincere, gracious, good company offset his sometimes crass, unfiltered, New Yorkishness. At the same time his message started to reverberate – an optimism, can-do American first agenda. OK, he’s not a pure conservative like Cruz, but he’s not a smug whiner either (that did not wear well.) He’s not articulate and cute like Rubio, but he stuck his chin out and took roundhouses with a smile (unlike Marco who went down with the first Christie jab). In the end the old encyclopedia salesman won out over the lawyer, walking dictionary.
Forgive yourself. Anyone who spends his time split between NY and LA can be expected to see Trump as the head deplorable. You hear it. It’s understood. There are the smart ones and then there is everyone else (you know, morons.)
Well, everyone else handed you the Congress, Senate, Presidency and the SCOTUS. Thank them. They have already forgiven you for your lack of faith. They know how hard it is to be faithful when everyone around you is so certain.
What a mensch.
Not all of us. Some of us are really, really happy. And I think we were obviously the majority.
Kinky Friedman, who is a national cultural treasure on a par with Will Rogers, had some interesting thoughts on Trump recently.
Bush grew in office. Obama shrank. What will Trump do? If the transition he’s gone through during the campaign (where he went from loud, bombastic and borderline racist to gracious and magnanimous in victory) is any indication, he might just do well.
I did not think he would win, and feared for the Senate.
And Rob, you never came off that bad to me.
Rob, thank you for saying this. I love the forum you helped to create.
Jes
Here’s an even quicker turnaround:
PAUL KRUGMAN
The Economic Fallout
If the question is when markets will recover, a first-pass answer is never.
A second-pass answer is, before noon. The markets are largely unchanged, with the Dow up slightly at the moment.
Yes and we must be prepared to wander the battle field and bayonet them in the gut.
Based on my experience with Twitter this year, I shall call the day after every presidential election “The Time of Un-muting.”
It takes a big man to apologize, and it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.
KIDDING! (but I had to vent for a moment).
Welcome back. We missed you these past few months.
Rob, you were always humble and thoughtful and open to – actively inviting even – pro-Trump views like mine. The Ricochet podcast – and Ricochet in general – was and is my go-to place to hear things hashed out by intelligent conservatives with widely (surprisingly) disparate views. Hope that if the Trump forces did not convince you before the election they and we can do so after.
@roblong has been busy swanning around NYC and LA cocktail parties and running yet another hit TV show.
I do enjoy his “swanning” stories on the podcast.
I don’t think Rob Long was wrong in that it does appear that Clinton may win the popular vote.
The real loser here will be the Electoral College.
Agreed C.N. The Nevers (and I agree with the “most” part) helped keep us honest.
Ding, dong.
Very gracious, @roblong . Good on ya’.
Rob, a very thoughtful tweet. If only all tweets were that thoughtful.
All of us that didn’t support Trump have to reassess our thinking about what we know about the electorate. This certainly changes my understanding more than even the primaries did.
Nobody saw this coming but the Trumpies never lost hope and retained their energy. I started to have hope when I saw the size of his rallies but remained pessimistic, thinking that most voters had lost all moral compass and the country couldn’t be saved. That is still partially true, looking at the popular vote totals. But the Trumpies hadn’t lost their hope and wanted it more than anyone and earned it. I still worry that change will be temporary unless we can roll back the administrative state. I heard that his transition team is respected for its professionalism. His picks will define him. I expect him to pick great leaders and delegate. Many will be solid conservatives. The real winner….de Codeville…he identified the country class vs the ruling class in 2010. I see this as the day that conservatism was saved.
well…
May it humble all of us. Your criticisms do not disappear overnight, and all that was wrong with Trump is still wrong with Trump. So a little humility across the board may actually just ensure that prosperity you mentioned.
You’re a good man and your country needs you.
This was just a wonderful comment, @dougkimball. It is exactly how I went through the same transition…insulted and put off to curious to endeared to impressed with his energy and stamina to actually believing in his goodness and ability. Donald J Trump may be a great President. I see no reason to be anything but positive at this juncture. And he comes in with the House and Senate on his team. This could be JUGE!
notes to self:
keep reading Rob.
Keep avoiding Charen.
Thanks, @roblong I’m trying to figure out where “Crow” is for myfitnesspal.com. I’m eating A LOT of it today.
Even better, perhaps a Trump presidency can even save Ricochet. We have lots of people to educate. If we lost this one, that was it for conservatives. Demographic shifts make winning 2020 tough unless we can show low corporate taxes and rolling back the regulatory state is the key to jobs and investment.
Prosperity and progress….only 819 new members to go.