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On a website devoted to debate (civil, mind you), we can all agree that politics is not the arena for shrinking violets. Who better to remind us of this fact than the former governor of the Garden State, Chris Christie? He gives us the lowdown on his successes in a Blue State and his thoughts on how Republicans need to keep their eye on the prize. Even with the mention of “Christie Porn,” we promise listeners a PG-rated podcast.
Also, the regular gang go from the economic blockage to “Let’s Go Brandon,” from intellectuals talking about third parties to Captain Kirk back in space. (Well, kinda-space if you wanna get technical.)
Music from this week’s podcast: Man At The Top by Bruce Springsteen
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Pretty sure this is how it works…Trump probably has about 50+ million, maybe since Biden has driven the country into the ground, maybe about 60+ million supporters – those willing to vote for him if the election were held today. There are probably about 40 million very hardcore supporters. Name me another GOP political figure right now with that kind of following and support. Take your time. I’m here all week. As much as I’d vote for DeSantis in a heartbeat, even he is envious of the numbers of Trump supporters. If, for whatever reason, Trump decides not to run in 2024, then the last thing DeSantis will do is insult Trump or his followers but rather build a bridge to them and a strong coalition. Christie and many others can’t quite comprehend that. Jeb can’t do that. A lot of the other has-beens can’t do that.
If unifying the GOP is the goal, then you need to get past your constant hissy fits about Trump’s style and realize that his plain speaking is one of the reasons people like him, even if he occasionally blurts out something crazy or he’s mean to one of your favorite politicians. Given the number of Trump supporters, it’s probably a better strategy not to throw him on the metaphorical pyre as your buddy Rob urged because doing so, essentially means the GOP will be a permanent minority party and go the way of the Whigs. And regarding self-control over one’s mouth or keyboard, there is a saying about glass houses.
Oh give it up for crying out loud!
For some, ignorance is clearly NOT bliss.
Goldwater lost by 15,951,287 popular votes in 1964, Mondale lost by 16,878,120 popular votes in 1984, and McGovern lost by 17,995,388 popular votes in 1972.
Trump lost by 3 million popular votes in 2016 and 7 million popular votes in 2020. For a 3-peat, do you think that Trump could lose by more than 18 million popular votes in 2024?
Except that I would vote for DeSantis, and I will never vote for Trump. (To his credit, DeSantis had an incredible interview with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya from July 26, 2021, which ran as the Ricochet Podcast on September 20, 2021. https://ricochet.com/podcast/ricochet-podcast/conversations-with-dr-jay-bhattacharya-florida-governor-ron-desantis/.)
Please show your evidence. Trump lost 60+ lawsuits, but maybe you can win on the 61st try.
Humm, a “RINO traitor who stabbed his country and party in the back.” Are you aware that Christie vigorously practiced with Trump before his first debate, and repeatedly defended Trump on This Week with George Stephanopoulos?
I changed my mind. I will likely vote for any nominated Republican (except for Trump) over any nominated Democrat over Trump. Trump is sui generis in my mind.
Actually no. According to Pew Research, 44% want Trump to be renominated, 22% want Trump to be relevant by for us to move on to a new candidate, and 32% believe that Trump should not remain a major political figure. 22% plus 32% would by 54%. 54% beats 44%. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/10/06/two-thirds-of-republicans-want-trump-to-retain-major-political-role-44-want-him-to-run-again-in-2024/
Great interview, Christie is impressive;. A number of months ago Rich Lowry wrote an article in NR with a title that said in part “A presidency is a terrible thing to waste”. Trump was treated unfairly; but attacking anyone he thought disloyal, tweeting insanely, ignoring advice, talking without thinking, undercutting the Republicans in congress (witness his demand for a 2000 stimulus check) … the list goes on … he did waste it. A better leader would have risen above his critics. It is possible, Reagen did it. Trump cost the senate; Trump cares only about Trump. It is past time to ignore Trump
Feh. And among other things, Reagan didn’t get treated nearly as badly, nor did Reagan get banned from Twitter while the opponents continued to lie, etc, etc, etc. CNN was actually rather fair at first, but that changed over time. MSNBC didn’t even start until 1996. Facebook didn’t start until 2004, and it wasn’t like it is now for some time. Twitter started in 2006. By all means, tell us how well Reagan would have done against, CNN, and MSNBC, and Twitter, and Facebook…
(snort) Granted, the media landscape was different, but he was incessantly mocked as old and doddering, when he wasn’t cruel and bent on planetary homicide. All of the anti-nuke messaging of the 80s laid the problem at his feet, and the idea was beat into our heads over and over: the world is going to end unless Ronnie Raygun changes.
I think he would have done fine, because the clips would’ve shown a guy who was either smiling and projecting American optimism, or bearing down and making clean, clear points in a forceful fashion. He had the WaPo and the NYT, which set the agenda in almost every paper in the country, against him, and he vaulted over it.
He wouldn’t have been banned from Twitter, because he probably would’ve had staff write anodyne posts instead of thumbing out rage-tweets at 1 AM. He would have had better things to do than tweet.
Hey Brian, I have a news flash for you: I don’t have to do anything. This idea that we’re all just supposed to fall in line behind a candidate is un-democratic and kind of creepy. Donald Trump can win my vote and support like every other candidate: convince me. You and the rest of your crew browbeating me (and Rob), name calling, guilt-tripping — none of the stuff is going to work. Just the opposite.
And please, if you are going to lecture me about hissy fits, I recommend you refrain from using the phrase “glasses houses” because it is unintentionally ironic. Unless you are referring to the pretty good Billy Joel album from the 80’s.
Finally, I don’t know where you are getting your numbers from (the Brian Watt Poll?), but anyone who thinks they know what conditions will be like 18 months from now and how many people are going to be supporting a candidate at that time is kidding themselves. It’s entirely possible that Trump may have overwhelming support or he may not make it out of the primaries. Or even run in the them. No one knows. And if you do, I suggest you buy a lottery ticket.
Hey Brian –that’s not an insult. It’s the truth. If Twitter had kick him off their platform in 2019, he’d be President right now. No question.
I’m not afraid of anyone, Vince. You’re the one who refuses to listen to the stuff we put out. What are you afraid of?
Yes, I aspire to be as great as Steve Bannon.
Am I remembering correctly that your favorite President fired Bannon from his position in the White House after two or three months?
This is a topic I have been thinking a lot about lately and may write about later this week. The short version is we are who we are and the content we create (not the content you create) reflects that to a large degree. It’s fine for you to disagree with it, ignore it, even deride it in the comments. But you are never going to get us to be something we’re not.
Oh, really? Because your pals at NewsMax disagree with you.
What pals? I don’t look at NewsMax, never have.
Not really the point, but fine. At least you can’t dismiss it like you would if I posted a piece from the NYT.
Strange. When I joined Ricochet it was a community of members who each brought unique perspectives and topics to the table and it was whatever we were. Now it’s whatever you decide it is. At least you’re admitting that now. See the Member feed for an example of what’s left of what Ricochet used to be.
That’s fine, just so long as you stop calling yourselves conservatives.
Once again Yeti demonstrates his spectacular misunderstanding of conservative America.
Jerry, I contend that nothing Christie said was a poke in the eye, unless one wants to consider it a poke in the eye. Most of what he said I agree with. This is what I’m saying. Disagree, and its a poke in the eye. No. It’s just disagreement.
Why is Trump even in the conversation at this point? Because he is putting himself in the conversation by continuing to litigate the 2020 election. Whatever happened, it’s now over, we are a year on. How do we win the next election?
I’m decidedly not in the camp of “Well, we will never win anything ever again if this doesn’t get fixed!” I understand the view and I disagree with it. We must push forward. That’s the only way.
If you want to know how he’d have done, go watch his interviews with Johnny Carson in the 70s. He was friendly, had no issues speaking his mind, but did so respectfully and candidly. He had a wonderful understanding of the issues and how he would fix them. He was bold, but not belligerent. That’s what we need now. Tough, yes. Belligerent and petty, no.
He worked very hard on this. He practiced speaking about it in a suit at home.
Not sure how you derived that interpretation from what I wrote. I never advocated for that.
Well, I don’t have a “crew”. I haven’t browbeaten Rob, I simply referenced a remark he made post-election about the sitting president. Not sure that rises to the level of browbeating. Offering criticism of a founder’s remarks is permitted on Ricochet, is it not?
Indeed.
Which is why I qualified my comment by saying “…if the election were held today…” that you omitted in your response. Here’s an article from August in PJ Media citing a Rasmussen poll on that. The poll was conducted before the end (on television anyway) of the Afghanistan horror show, before the visuals appeared of the Texas illegal alien encampment, before the supply chain crisis began to take center stage. So, one can argue that Rasmussen’s poll results will have only increased in Trump’s favor.
My last comment here on this thread.
Let me know when Steve Bannon discusses it.
I humbly submit that the tit for tat is unhelpful. It is understandable, but it is unhelpful.
You are 100% correct.
As usual. ;-)
I just rejoined Ricochet after leaving during the 2016 election. I’m dismayed that the same T vs. NT discussions are going on here. Really? Really? <face palm>
You thought things would calm down after what happened in last year’s election? Really? Really? <face palm>