Ryan and Trump Unite to Unify Potential for Unified Unification

 

paul-ryan-donald-trumpThough not held at Camp David or Reykjavik, the summit between presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan created nearly as much speculation as an ’80s arms-control treaty. Last week, Speaker Ryan said he was “just not ready” to endorse Trump, to which Trump responded he was “just not ready” to endorse Ryan’s legislative agenda.

But at a meeting today in DC, it was all smiles and happy talk, though light on substance. The dueling Republicans released an official statement that read like an early-stage UN negotiation:

The United States cannot afford another four years of the Obama White House, which is what Hillary Clinton represents. That is why it’s critical that Republicans unite around our shared principles, advance a conservative agenda, and do all we can to win this fall. With that focus, we had a great conversation this morning. While we were honest about our few differences, we recognize that there are also many important areas of common ground. We will be having additional discussions, but remain confident there’s a great opportunity to unify our party and win this fall, and we are totally committed to working together to achieve that goal. We are extremely proud of the fact that many millions of new voters have entered the primary system, far more than ever before in the Republican Party’s history. This was our first meeting, but it was a very positive step toward unification.

[I]t’s critical that Republicans unite around our shared principles … many important areas of common ground … to unify our party … working together to achieve that goal … very positive step toward unification. That’s diplo-speak for “we couldn’t even agree on the proper wood grain for the negotiating table.”

Feckless head of the once-grand Old Party Reince Priebus enthused about, well, what else: “The meeting was great. It was a very positive step toward party unity.”

Meanwhile, Roger Stone is being Roger Stone:

Screen Shot 2016-05-12 at 4.15.24 PM copy

So, do you think this is the dawning of a newly unified Republican Party or should we expect a barbed wire-draped DMZ midway down Pennsylvania Avenue?

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  1. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    “So, do you think this is the dawning of a newly unified Republican Party or should we expect a barbed wire draped DMZ midway down Pennsylvania Avenue?”

    This is the dawning of the age of no veritas.

    • #1
  2. Leigh Inactive
    Leigh
    @Leigh

    Ryan’s playing hard to get but not too much so. Winnable but not yet won.

    To make Trump act like a sort-of conservative for as long as possible, because that keeps Trump’s voters closer to conservatism. And just to buy time.

    • #2
  3. BrentB67 Inactive
    BrentB67
    @BrentB67

    Just more evidence of the irrelevance of the Republican Party. They are playing for a dramatic demise and I am praying for a quick and merciful exit. As usual they will take the day with the drama, but in the end they will be no more.

    If America survives may we have a conversation and commitment to the original text of our Cinstitution and that individual citizens are what makes America great, not welfare, entitlements, and alphabet soup tyranny.

    • #3
  4. St. Salieri Member
    St. Salieri
    @

    Is anyone actually surprised by this?

    Although, I’m now confused, to whom does the title of establishment adhere?

    • #4
  5. BrentB67 Inactive
    BrentB67
    @BrentB67

    St. Salieri:Is anyone actually surprised by this?

    Although, I’m now confused, to whom does the title of establishment adhere?

    Yes.

    • #5
  6. Z in MT Member
    Z in MT
    @ZinMT

    Over the weekend, the talking heads described Paul Ryan as a conviction politician. I kind of liked the sound of that over ideological.

    • #6
  7. Tuck Inactive
    Tuck
    @Tuck

    Do they really have a choice?  #NeverTrump is suicidal, at this point.

    • #7
  8. Z in MT Member
    Z in MT
    @ZinMT

    Tuck:Do they really have a choice? #NeverTrump is suicidal, at this point.

    Voting for Trump or Hillary is suicidal. I choose to be murdered by the Hillary or Trump voters.

    • #8
  9. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    Z in MT:

    Tuck:Do they really have a choice? #NeverTrump is suicidal, at this point.

    Voting for Trump or Hillary is suicidal. I choose to be murdered by the Hillary or Trump voters.

    One or the other will win.  I prefer #notHillary

    • #9
  10. Leigh Inactive
    Leigh
    @Leigh

    So evidently, after looking at all the coverage and Ryan’s press briefing, the news is that nothing changed.

    Last week, Paul Ryan publicly declared his current state of non-support for the nominee in the most positive language conceivable. Today he reaffirmed his continued state of non-support in the most positive language conceivable.

    I don’t think we’ve learned much, except that Trump really does want this endorsement after all. The switch from dismissive threat to sheer flattery indicates that — to the point of saying yesterday that Ryan is the leader of the party. In Trumpian terms, that’s almost obsequious.

    If he thought Ryan was going to throw him under the bus, he wouldn’t bother. But if he thought he had it wrapped up, he wouldn’t bother either.

    This means Ryan has every incentive to drag this out, if it has any influence on Trump at all besides flattery. So we might be watching this dance for a while.

    I don’t particularly believe the press release, but I would be really, really curious what Donald Trump and Paul Ryan being “honest about their differences” would look like.

    • #10
  11. PsychLynne Inactive
    PsychLynne
    @PsychLynne

    This is one of my favorite post titles, ever

    and I appreciate the smile it brought to my face!

    thanks Jon!

    • #11
  12. TKC1101 Member
    TKC1101
    @

    Sheesh,Mr Gabriel. I can deal with your writing , but why are you doing the ABC, NBC CBS news style photo choices?

    I used to bristle when unflattering pictures were shown of Reagan or Bush side by side with fairly normal shots of the opposition.

    I know todays cameras can shoot mutli frame mode so you can pick the most unflattering expression but I used to think that one was for the slimeballs on the left.

    O  well.  The descent into the maelstrom continues.

    • #12
  13. Ball Diamond Ball Member
    Ball Diamond Ball
    @BallDiamondBall

    My, my, my, how the story changes when the shoe is on the other foot.

    • #13
  14. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    What is it we expect from such meetings? Any policy exchange is meaningless.  Any promise has no legs.  The one thing that would matter to me is a Trump initiative to name a Scalia replacement we’d all love, one that Cruz would approve, or Cruz himself, and appointments at Treasury and State of adults Shultz and Kissinger would enthusiastically embrace.   These are appointments with Trump not Ryan or RNC stamped on their foreheads.  They must be his and they must be more conservative than the establishment would have picked.  let him do it as part of his acceptance speech.   Then when he makes sounds of reaching across the aisle, or other liberal sounding themes we don’t have to panic and we can confidently vote against Hillary because at least we get the court.

    • #14
  15. GirlWithAPearl Inactive
    GirlWithAPearl
    @GirlWithAPearl

    So, do you think this is the dawning of a newly unified Republican Party or should we expect a barbed wire-draped DMZ midway down Pennsylvania Avenue?

    All I can say is I’m so happy to be a RIMO – Republican in memory only. I’m free to enjoy the comedy, use the pronoun “they” instead of “we” when describing the GOPt(rump). I don’t worry about unification, just focused on getting my free summer entertainment quota filled with convention headliners sure to include Ted Nugent, various lounge acts from Vegas, celebrity poker, maybe a Victoria’s Secret runway show one night and a yuge Dunk-a-Mex tank next to a life size section of The Wall. We will get bored with its greatness!

    Remember when the Dems voted God and Israel off the island at their convention? And how they turned it into a week long baby killing, gender bender? Ha, the GOPt will show ’em how to take back the culture!

    • #15
  16. Marion Evans Inactive
    Marion Evans
    @MarionEvans

    Paul Ryan 2020 or… maybe 2016?

    • #16
  17. GirlWithAPearl Inactive
    GirlWithAPearl
    @GirlWithAPearl

    **winner**

    Voting for Trump or Hillary is suicidal. I choose to be murdered by the Hillary or Trump voters.

    Z in MT, thanks for the excellent gallows humor. Made me smile in spite of it all.

    • #17
  18. Baker Inactive
    Baker
    @Baker

    TKC1101:Sheesh,Mr Gabriel. I can deal with your writing , but why are you doing the ABC, NBC CBS news style photo choices?

    I used to bristle when unflattering pictures were shown of Reagan or Bush side by side with fairly normal shots of the opposition.

    Umm…that’s what he always looks like. He makes faces constantly because he has the maturity of a 10-year-old. There are WAY worse ones. Paul Ryan never looks like that. He’s a rational, stable human being.

    • #18
  19. Proud Skeptic Inactive
    Proud Skeptic
    @ProudSkeptic

    If these two guys are as smart as I think they are, they will realize that the two of them would make a powerful team.

    • #19
  20. Eeyore Member
    Eeyore
    @Eeyore

    [Inspired by post title]

    Jon Gabriel, Ed.: [S]hould we expect a barbed wire-draped DMZ midway down Pennsylvania Avenue?

    Nah, these two dealmakers know how to make deals – GREAT deals! They are going to make deals that will make the Republican Party great again. They will make deals all the way up to the Convention, which will be known as the Convention of Great Deals. But you don’t need to know about the deals – only the dealmakers need to know about the deals. Because you, Jon Gabriel: conservative, ain’t no big deal.

    • #20
  21. TKC1101 Member
    TKC1101
    @

    Baker: Umm…that’s what he always looks like. He makes faces constantly because he has the maturity of a 10-year-old. There are WAY worse ones. Paul Ryan never looks like that. He’s a rational, stable human being.

    It is just this kind of civil conversation that Ricochet is known for. Stay classy and keep that dialogue going.

    • #21
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