Official 2016 GOP thread: Is it really going to be Donald Trump?? (3 Viewers)

[Steve Tasker]

The thought of the GOP coalescing around Cruz is probably scarier than them coalescing around the Donald.

 

[Mr. Pickles]

There are far more "white people" in the country. But a lot of them will not vote for Trump IMO. He has a niche market not the general market.

Hate to say it.....but it's the parties fault for not having good candidates this election cycle (except for Kasich IMO)

I guess that "deep bench" argument is looking pretty stupid about now. 

 

[roadkill1292]

I disagree with the second line, but this is another one of those issues where I know I'm in the minority.  Direct democracy is a terrible idea, and our system contains lots of little anti-democratic snags for a reason.  Back in the day, nominations were sorted out in a smoke-filled room by party elders, not by the common rabble.  Say what you will about "party elders," but they never would have seriously entertained the notion on nominating somebody like Donald Trump.  In fact, I'm kind of inclined to go a little further and use Trump as Exhibit A for why the modern primary system is inferior to the smoke-filled room.  But again, that's just me, and I'm very open about not being a big fan of democracy to start with.

I'm sure there's a good explanation somewhere for the bolded part but the nominating process we have in this country for POTUS candidates is really screwy.  

 

[Rove!]

Great point.  So easily the best candidate in the GOP field and he's getting lost in the circus that Trump has created. With Hillary (puke) being the Democratic candidate, this could have easily been a year I voted for a Republican (I haven't since 2000). And then they throw up a Donald Trump. :X

The media has basically buried him.  When Bill Clinton took 2nd in New Hampdhire he was dubbed the comeback kid.  When Kasich does it, he gets ignored.  At that point he could have touted as the anti trump.  Then after South Carolina, where he was not projected to do well to start, the media narrative became "three man racE." 

The media sucks and are largely responsible for what a horrible government we have.  The public sucks too, for so easily falling for these cheap parlor tricks prepetrated by the media, the political parties and trump....

 

[Rove!]

There are far more "white people" in the country. But a lot of them will not vote for Trump IMO. He has a niche market not the general market.

Hate to say it.....but it's the parties fault for not having good candidates this election cycle (except for Kasich IMO), Clinton will be our country's next President. It's becoming quite clear.

They had good candidates.  It's their voters that suck

 

[Jobber]

I Don't get this at all.  So you basically go against the will of your voters and somehow they're going to come out and vote for your anointed one?

 If Trump gets to the convention with an overwhelming lead but just a little short, any attempt by the RNC to not appoint him will basically just mean the Democrats will run the table because the voter anger will trickle down into the lesser elections as well 

If the GOP pulls this stunt, I vote for Clinton, and send her a $100 to boot.

 

[Rove!]

Election 2016: battle of the con artists.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

Putting up a conservative 3rd-party candidate seems like a much better plan for conservatives that don't like Trump as it will be much better for Congressional races.

 

[Ditka Butkus]

If Rubio loved his party and country more than himself he would drop out.

 

[Rove!]

I wonder if we will see some cracks in the Trump wall.  A few weeks ago, he was competitive in Texas and wound up losing big.  It makes me think Rubio may be able to make up those 20 points in FL and Kasich can hold Ohio.

if Trump trends downward, the race may become a bit wild....

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

I wonder if we will see some cracks in the Trump wall.  A few weeks ago, he was competitive in Texas and wound up losing big.  It makes me think Rubio may be able to make up those 20 points in FL and Kasich can hold Ohio.

if Trump trends downward, the race may become a bit wild....

20 points in half a month seems unlikely. Ohio is definitely obtainable for Kasich.

 

[Rove!]

20 points in half a month seems unlikely. Ohio is definitely obtainable for Kasich.

In just the last week, Trump was beating Cruz in Oklahoma by 10 to 15 pts and Cruz beat him by 6 pts

 

[Ditka Butkus]

I wonder if we will see some cracks in the Trump wall.  A few weeks ago, he was competitive in Texas and wound up losing big.  It makes me think Rubio may be able to make up those 20 points in FL and Kasich can hold Ohio.

if Trump trends downward, the race may become a bit wild....

I agree...Last night was a hint that the winds of change may be starting to blow.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

In just the last week, Trump was beating Cruz in Oklahoma by 10 to 15 pts and Cruz beat him by 6 pts

Did not know that. Would be happy to be wrong about FLA

 

[RnR]

If Rubio loved his party and country more than himself he would drop out.

Well, that's wrong. The party needs Kasich to hold serve in Ohio and Rubio to find a way to pull out Florida. Then they can talk about who needs to drop out and how to handle things moving forward. Cruz ain't winning either of those states with them gone.

 

[lod01]

Today I voted Bernie.

In November, it will likely be Gary Johnson, given how the primaries are turning out.

A couple good choices. The problem is that they can't win and stick it to the establishment. Trump can. Thus he is the logical choice if you want to defeat the R's & D's who #### this country up daily with their incompetence.

 

[RnR]

I think people are underestimating Cruz's ability to unify the GOP, and defeat Trump. If Rubio exited, Cruz would get a much larger portion of his voters than Trump, IMO. Moreover, Cruz has the ability to tap into Trump's anti-establishment support base, whereas the others do not. Lastly, most of the remaining states have closed primaries, which hurts Trump and benefits Cruz, since Trump will not be able to pool from independents/ Democrats, and Cruz will do very well with loyal GOP voters/ movement conservatives.

Cruz is a non-starter in the general election. May as well punt to 2020 if he's the nominee.

 

[sho nuff]

A couple good choices. The problem is that they can't win and stick it to the establishment. Trump can. Thus he is the logical choice if you want to defeat the R's & D's who #### this country up daily with their incompetence.

I think Bernie is doing more good to make real change than Trump can.

And don't give me the BS about sticking it to the establishment...its a crap excuse to support that fool at this point.  And there is nothing logical in voting for Trump.  Want to see someone really screw up the country with his incompetence...get more people to vote for your guy.

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

I think people are underestimating Cruz's ability to unify the GOP, and defeat Trump. If Rubio exited, Cruz would get a much larger portion of his voters than Trump, IMO. Moreover, Cruz has the ability to tap into Trump's anti-establishment support base, whereas the others do not. Lastly, most of the remaining states have closed primaries, which hurts Trump and benefits Cruz, since Trump will not be able to pool from independents/ Democrats, and Cruz will do very well with loyal GOP voters/ movement conservatives.

This all sounds good, but I think it ignores that Republicans are different in different parts of the country.  I have a hard time seeing Cruz win in places like New York and California and Illinois.

 

[RnR]

Well, Rubio/ Kasich have no path to the nomination except via a convention battle, and that will fracture the party/ guarantee a Clinton victory. IMO, Cruz is the only candidate that has the ability to defeat Trump outright, and hence save the party.

Convention battle would be bad, but odds are just as good that Rubio/Kasich come out of it and do well against Hillary 1 on 1 as they are that Cruz rallies support and takes things to November.

Point me to a battleground state Cruz wins against Hillary. Just one.

 

[whoknew]

This all sounds good, but I think it ignores that Republicans are different in different parts of the country.  I have a hard time seeing Cruz win in places like New York and California and Illinois.

Right. And Cruz's problem is that many (if not all) of those non-Cruz states are winner take all. He did well yesterday, obviously, but he's got a real numbers problem. 

 

[TobiasFunke]

A couple good choices. The problem is that they can't win and stick it to the establishment. Trump can. Thus he is the logical choice if you want to defeat the R's & D's who #### this country up daily with their incompetence.

"This country is ####ed up!" says resident of the country who is afforded the time, resources and liberty to post whatever the heck he wants on the internet at 1 in the afternoon during a workday

Let's hope none of us ever see what an actually ####ed-up country looks like, GB

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

A couple good choices. The problem is that they can't win and stick it to the establishment. Trump can. Thus he is the logical choice if you want to defeat the R's & D's who #### this country up daily with their incompetence.

Except that every instinct that Trump has "sticks it to the establishment" in the wrong direction. As in he is more authoritarian, more crooked, etc.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

Cruz is a non-starter in the general election. May as well punt to 2020 if he's the nominee.

The only reason that Cruz is even partly getting a pass for being an unlikable, hate-spewing, frightening moron is that Trump is worse.

Cruz would be the worst nominee from the GOP party in my lifetime, as would Trump.

Tremendous choices. oopemoji:

 

[urbanhack]

Do you have anything to support this?

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ted+cruz+is+an+idiot

 

[culdeus]

Some of the early talk on this election in the first 10 pages is pretty funny.  

 

[culdeus]

At what point do we start hearing the processes to not have Trump as the GOP candidate of choice?  How do they fill 2-3 days of air time at the convention with people that will support him?  The blowhards that make speeches at those things hate him, could you see someone outright advocating against him when he's likely to have the votes nearly no matter what?  The delegates are those that certainly despise the guy.  

Should be the best convention of our lifetimes.  Could be a watershed historical moment in this country.  

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

So Trump is not beholden to anybody, right?

It appears that his Atlantic city operations, Trump Entertainment Resorts, has now exited bankruptcy. Low and behold, Carl Ichan (a debt holder) provided Trump Entertainment Resorts with $82.5MM in exit financing. So he now owns the Taj Mahal and Trump Plaza. 

Ichan just so happens to be one of the only people Trump has mentioned he was considering for a cabinet position. 

 

[JuniorNB]

So Trump is not beholden to anybody, right?

It appears that his Atlantic city operations, Trump Entertainment Resorts, has now exited bankruptcy. Low and behold, Carl Ichan (a debt holder) provided Trump Entertainment Resorts with $82.5MM in exit financing. So he now owns the Taj Mahal and Trump Plaza. 

Ichan just so happens to be one of the only people Trump has mentioned he was considering for a cabinet position. 

LOL  Meet the new boss.  Same as the old boss.

 

[roadkill1292]

I skipped 30 or 40 recent pages of this thread; is that where all the mocking and taunting of Christie for being a shameless fanboy took place? If so, I'll go back through what I missed.

TIA, T&P

 

[Zegras11]

Carson not going to Detroit debate. 

 

[snogger]

Carson not going to Detroit debate. 

Yep.. All but out of the race.. then there were 4

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

Carson donezo

 

[Ditka Butkus]

Yep.. All but out of the race.. then there were 4

So which candidate benefits?..Kasich?

 

[RnR]

Kasich should benefit from one less person speaking. (Even though Carson didn't get much time at the last debate)

If the other three get get into the #### show they were in last time, Kasich is going to come out smelling like a rose to anyone paying attention. Of course, not many have figured that out so far, so I'm not sure why I'm optimistic the 11th time is the charm.

 

[James Daulton]

Yep.. All but out of the race.. then there were 4

BenCarson.org finally stop getting page views?

 

[bolzano]

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ted+cruz+is+an+idiot

It's nonsense. Cruz's resume/ academic pedigree is tremendous- Princeton BA, Harvard JD, national debate champion, world debate semi-finalist, editor of Harvard Law Review, clerked for Justice Rehnquist, Texas Solicitor General, etc.

Dershowitz on Cruz:

At Harvard Law School, he was — the professors were in awe of his intellect. 

“Off-the-charts brilliant... Never underestimate Ted Cruz. He is off-the-chart brilliant.

“Without a doubt he is among the smartest students I’ve ever had… I’ve had great students but he has to be at the top of anyone’s short list, in terms of raw brain power.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44BfNx1ZV6U

 

[joffer]

met someone last night who went to Princeton with Cruz.  She said all the stories about everyone hating Cruz are true.  one of the biggest jackholes she's ever known.  brilliant though.

 

[Shula-holic]

Kasich should benefit from one less person speaking. (Even though Carson didn't get much time at the last debate)

If the other three get get into the #### show they were in last time, Kasich is going to come out smelling like a rose to anyone paying attention. Of course, not many have figured that out so far, so I'm not sure why I'm optimistic the 11th time is the charm.

Kasich is such a long shot now, yet the only realistic option in my mind.

 

[Shula-holic]

It's nonsense. Cruz's resume/ academic pedigree is tremendous- Princeton BA, Harvard JD, national debate champion, world debate semi-finalist, editor of Harvard Law Review, clerked for Justice Rehnquist, Texas Solicitor General, etc.

Dershowitz on Cruz:

At Harvard Law School, he was — the professors were in awe of his intellect. 

“Off-the-charts brilliant... Never underestimate Ted Cruz. He is off-the-chart brilliant.

“Without a doubt he is among the smartest students I’ve ever had… I’ve had great students but he has to be at the top of anyone’s short list, in terms of raw brain power.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44BfNx1ZV6U

He's not for me and I just don't see a path for him once the race leaves the South as I don't think he's gonna play well in the upper midwest, northeast, and far west.  But while I don't like him, everyone who knows him at all attests to how smart he truly is.

 

[Shula-holic]

Carson not going to Detroit debate. 

Just means the stage guy won't have to roll out the cot to set up behind the podium.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

Do you have anything to support this?

I do not have time to look up a bunch of things, but he told a Princeton(?) classmate her mother was a whore, because she got pregnant when she wasn't married. 

 “We need 100 more like Jesse Helms in the U.S. Senate.”

“If the citizens of the state of Iowa or the citizens of the state of Texas want to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman … the states have the constitutional authority to do so and the federal government and unelected judges cannot set aside the democratically elected legislature’s reasonable decisions to enact and protect traditional marriage,”  (apparently he isn't too clear on the equal protection clause or the function of the Supreme Court)

From what I understand, virtually everybody who has ever dealt with him in person, except for other Tea Party evangelicals, find him to be a vile person.

 

[snogger]

    Romney to Lay Out Case Against Trump in Speech Thursday

The rapidly intensifying effort by the Republican establishment to dislodge Donald Trump from the top of the party's presidential nominating race will star 2012 nominee Mitt Romney, who is preparing a speech for Thursday when he'll lay out his case against the front-runner.

 

[timschochet]

Michael Medved argues that it's not too late for the GOP. His two main points: 

1. According to exit polling, 25% of voters did not make up their mind until the last few days. Of those voters Trump finished dead last. Medved believes this indicates that Republican voters are "waking from the spell". 

2. Trump needs over 50% of all delegates to win the nomination. So far he's averaging 35-40%. At best this means a brokered convention. 

Anything to this? 

 

[Shula-holic]

Michael Medved argues that it's not too late for the GOP. His two main points: 

1. According to exit polling, 25% of voters did not make up their mind until the last few days. Of those voters Trump finished dead last. Medved believes this indicates that Republican voters are "waking from the spell". 

2. Trump needs over 50% of all delegates to win the nomination. So far he's averaging 35-40%. At best this means a brokered convention. 

Anything to this? 

Yes but there haven't been any winner take all states yet.  He can win Florida at 35% and get 100% of the 99 delegates.  The only chance of stopping him is a brokered convention and enough of the other candidates staying in to deny him the amount needed.   

 

[Jobber]

Yes but there haven't been any winner take all states yet.  He can win Florida at 35% and get 100% of the 99 delegates.  The only chance of stopping him is a brokered convention and enough of the other candidates staying in to deny him the amount needed.   

And then what? If at the convention, Trump is ahead in delegates, he should get the nom. But the way it's sounding, the GOP powers that be would instead try to appoint someone else.

 

[Shula-holic]

And then what? If at the convention, Trump is ahead in delegates, he should get the nom. 

I don't disagree, but that's the discussion.  And they just think the party is splintered now.

 

[TripItUp]

Michael Medved argues that it's not too late for the GOP. His two main points: 

1. According to exit polling, 25% of voters did not make up their mind until the last few days. Of those voters Trump finished dead last. Medved believes this indicates that Republican voters are "waking from the spell". 

2. Trump needs over 50% of all delegates to win the nomination. So far he's averaging 35-40%. At best this means a brokered convention. 

Anything to this? 

he's overlooking the winner take all states...I think

 

[SIDA!]

Putting up a conservative 3rd-party candidate seems like a much better plan for conservatives that don't like Trump as it will be much better for Congressional races.

It is a brilliant idea put forth by the same clowns who were suggesting that the supreme court was too important to risk on Donald Trump. Now they want to hand it over to HRC. Let them. The party will burn if they do this.

 

[lod01]

 at these losers trotting out another loser: Romney, to try and stop our freight train. They are so desperate.