The Bull Elephant has filled the void in the Virginia blogosphere as the home for conservative dissenters of the Donald Trump Republican nomination. On this blog you found the staunchest supporters of Ted Cruz, and Rand Paul. Despite accusations to the contrary, vocal supporters of Donald Trump have been in the distinct minority here.
I, however, tried. I outlined my initial thoughts on Trump back in 2015, summarized by that great Jefferson quote “a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.”
My flirtation with Trump and back and forth support was largely fueled by my overall frustration with the way our political system works. Two parties who are really nothing more than glorified federal agencies that attack each other on divisive and largely useless issues while working together to bankrupt our country and leave us in perpetual war.
For those who remember, Ron Paul is a huge influence on me. Trump’s rise and campaign turned our system on it’s head and for the good in my opinion. Living in Northern Virginia and witnessing first hand how the system works, meeting the young strivers who crave nothing but power, has colored my views as well. Watching Trump make a mockery of our fake politics has been joyful to watch and even participate in.
Moreover, I have felt that there are aspects of what Trump has done are making the Republican Party better. I’ve had a hard time verbalizing this feeling because the bullshit that goes along with him is so hard to defend. But then I this week I started reading David Stockman’s new book Trumped! In it Stockman articulates essentially what I’ve struggled to convey. The Amazon blurb puts it best:
Stockman’s book is no testimonial on behalf of Trump’s candidacy, and contends that much of what he advocates is wrong-headed or downright reprehensible. But it does salute him as the rallying force for Main Street political insurrection because the existing regime of Bubble Finance on Wall Street and statist aggrandizement in Washington threatens incalculable harm.”
I voted for Gary Johnson in 2012 because I fundamentally reject what I call Romneyism. Republicans tried to make hay out of Barack Obama’s “you didn’t build that” comment and in doing so completely missed what he was saying and what the American people were hearing. Romney morphed the party into one strictly for the business owner, not the people who work in that business. For every small business owner’s vote Romney earned, ten of their employees voted for Obama. The party of business will never win, the party of the people will. Trump has reached people Republicans haven’t reached in a long time. His vote total during the primaries, against as many as 12 other opponents, was impressive.
But this: “And when you’re a star, they let you do it. Grab them by the p***y. You can do anything.”
What am I supposed to say to my friends about this who know I’m a Republican? When my daughter is older and asking me about this when she reads about it, how am I supposed to tell her that I voted for him? I know, it’s kind of lame to invoke the Helen Lovejoy defense but that was the first place my mind went to after reading about this. How am I supposed to look my wife in the eye and say, “Yeah I’m voting for that guy?”
Some one the left are of course gloating at the crow we are eating, which I would do if the shoe was on the other foot. For some reason, this has finally done it. I can’t explain why it’s this and not something else. Maybe it’s the guttural vulgarity that confirms everything we all kind of knew?
I’ve never been on the Trump train, but I was certainly on the same tracks. His overwhelming victory in the primaries and some of the hilarious #NeverTrump hyperventilations drove me to give him my vote. But no more. The #NeverTrumpers were right from the beginning.
This man is unfit for the office, not because he isn’t capable of being President, but because he’s jovially described sexual assault and thinks it’s locker room banter. I played football and lacrosse in high school, I’ve never heard anything like that. It’s just so terrible and I’m tired of telling my friends, “Yeah, but…” when talking about Trump.
If he drops out I’ll gladly vote for Mike Pence. As of now, I’m definitely voting for Gary Johnson if nothing else changes. We got through 8 years of Barack Obama, I can hold out for four years of Hillary Clinton, who is probably more willing to play ball anyways.
Can this year just end now?
57 comments
argument from a worn out —–!
Explain this to Precious.
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/10/know-youre-losing-debate-spokesman-tells-trump-go-fck/
Well said, Mr. Beer. The more the trolls object, the more you know you’ve hit the nail on the head.
What are you going to tell your precious about Bill Clinton getting oral sex while on the phone w/a congress critter?
that he was a creep who had no business being president. Why does Bill Clinton’s terrible behavior justify voting for Trump?
Because otherwise you bring two back and all that they carry.
You actually think Hillary as President is acceptable?
Because it just demonstrates that we aren’t in Heaven where everything is perfect. We are fallen creatures and our culture is increasingly becoming courser, so what has been happening and discussed in private for hundreds of years is now being publicly aired. Fifty Shades of Grey sold 80 million copies showing there is an appetite for this kind of thing. Time to be realistic and not idealistic.
50 Shades of Grey was not about sexual assault. Even if it were, how does that make Trump bragging about sexual assault ok?
that’s what I don’t get. Those are FICTION stories about consenting adults, not a billionaire bully telling someone that because your rich and a star nobody will say anything if you grab them by their genetalia
Do you really think that women are blameless? Gold diggers and future trophy wives are everywhere and on the hunt. Trump was a great trophy.
Are you serious? God … what has become of us that someone would write those sentences right there?
The defense of Trump says a lot about his defenders, none of it positive.
Unlike you, I am not a two year old. There are massive numbers of usually liberal women who will sell themselves for money and power. Just exactly what do you think Hillary Clinton is?
Isn’t that what rich stars do?
Because the other choice is Hillary. Explain to precious how you voted for that.
if I thought one was better than the other I’d worry more about it.
I agree with Wendy. Republicans need to get a grip! A locker room comment over 11 years ago should not even be an issue.
Bill Clinton has been accused of rape for over 20 years now. Hillary protected a child molestor. The content of the Wikileaks emails is so damaging. So how does the Establishment react? Throwing Donald Trump under the bus!
Pitiful behavior by these Republicans. Trump will win once again like he did in the primary even with the entire Republican establishment working against him.
These Never Trumpers should be more concerned for the women staffers in the WH if Hillary were to be elected President.
What measures would Mrs Clinton have in place to protect female staffers from Bill! This is the real story!
The establishment is filled with RINOs and they see themselves being exposed. Better to have a compliant and ignorant base than one up in arms over ineptitude. Ted Cruz had it right in shutting down the government – and how did the Republicans respond? Oh how horrible! Spain has had a central government in 9 months and the citizenry loves the freedom.
Welcome aboard, Chris.
We seem to be observing the stupid Party showing us that it is missing a spine also. If Trump should resign from the campign for something he said 11-12 years ago that was stupid, but not atypical of conversations most of us have heard in boys/men only gatherings; then what should Hillary do for evrything she has done, not said, in her professional/private life. Maybe something short of suicide, like arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment for a long menu of high crimes and misdemeanors. This country cannot survive four more years of the same crap that has been served up by our current President. My fear is that Hillary, eventhough she can be bought if the price is high enough, will be Obama on steroids. Electing Trump is our only chance of slowing this slide into the socialist abyss so we have a chance at reversing the country’s direction.
You want reward without risk and profit without loss. You never tried and now you have an excuse.
Chris, I agree totally with Wendy. While I appreciate some of your thoughts, what I never get about the #NeverTrump people is that they seem to have no passion about being #NeverHillary. They only put the negative about Trump. I agree with you about the system. It is what it is, and that being the case, you vote for either Trump or Hillary. A non-vote or a throw away conscience vote is a vote for the other. So what you tell your wife and daughter when you vote for Trump is that the alternative was too horrible to contemplate for the future for this country. You think Trump is bad? Remember what we know about a sitting President and now former President on the verge of becoming the First Husband (Lewinsky and what went on just outside the Oval Office, cigars, alleged assaults and rapes, traveling on a plane with a known pedophile to islands with underage kids, etc). Remember what we know about Hillary – corruption and influence peddling for personal gain while Sec of State; lying and coverups over an illegal server and mishandling classified information that she got away with because of who she is; Benghazi, etc). Like it or not, #NeverTrump is #GoHillary. Try harder…
So this is what put you over the top? Not the prior misogynistic statements? Not the vile racism of being a Birther? Not the call to deport 11 million people (many of them citizens) using deportation squads? Not the “textbook racist” comments regarding an American Judge with Mexican heritage? Not the racism associated with his views on the Central Park Five?
This was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Such drama… So, you’re staying home or voting for Hillary now?
ban camels they are weak
We all knew that Trump was profane. This incident should have surprised no one. You have a rapist and enabler pitted against a guy who is profane. Have you not heard of salty language, crude jokes, etc. – and this horror of horror occurred over a decade ago.
I was also a Ron Paul fan. That’s my one positive.
The one thing I do hope for with a Hillary win, is that the “Never Trumpers” reap the whirlwind first, while the USA, as we have known it, disintegrates into the abyss.
Common sense is rare here……a vote for anyone other than Trump is a vote for HRC. 11 year old hot mic is changing your mind? You kiddin’ me? Please watch tonights debate and wear RED on Nov 8th and vote Trump. Folks like you who vote any other way will take the hit for the SCOTUS appointments and our further decline in military strength and a myriad of other issues. Don’t know about you, but when I behold my 29 yr old daughter and 25 yr old son and think about the world they will live in should HRC become the next POTUS, makes me shudder. Read this: http://www.rightsidenews.com/editorial/rsn-pick-of-the-day/trump-will-prevail/
Maybe Trump will grab your daughter’s pussy!
its not that it was an 11 year remark off the cuff, it just clearly verablized what most of us kind of sorta figured Trump was really like.
That was your epiphany?
Perhaps this politics stuff is best left to others
you can have it
You are correct. These never Trumpers are essentially pro-treason.
Chris,
I am puzzled by the angst and consternation that is currently going on concerning Trumps comments. So of course, they are indefensible, but are people really shocked? Surprised? Can’t believe he said it? Really?!? Trumps general attitude towards women has always been pretty obvious. His attitude towards most of us that he would believe to be his inferior, is also pretty obvious. Or should have been. Clearly most republicans in the primaries were either extremely naive or don’t care because they want someone to “shake up the establishment”.
So now we are stuck with voting for him because the impact that Hillary will have on the country will likely be more than it can take. Of course we have no idea what Trump is going to do because he himself has no idea. (Other than making the country great.)
Chris, if you were part of the support for Trump in the primary and now that you have stuck the rest of us with him, you are going to bale, shame on you! I am not going to try to justify his actions by saying that Hillary’ s are worse (which of course they are), but in spite of almost anything Trump has done, I can’t support directly or indirectly (but voting for someone who can’t win) putting Hillary in power.
its a difficult tug on the conscience for sure.
One question here, was what Donald was quoted saying in a private conversation above true?
Judging from the interns that are happy to rub Bill Clinton’s feet I’d surmise yes.
Hillary shows us what the rich and powerful can get away with.
I’d suggest not telling your daughter that you voted for Johnson, no daughter should realize that it was her father that helped put Hillary in the White House.
Take a breath! How about saving some of your angst for the REAL story…..emails documenting Hillary Clintons’ TWO economic policies. The “public” one designed to reel in the tens of thousands of Bernie Sanders’ “movement” that she refer to as “losers”, OR the “private” one for the 1% Wall St donors that basically own her. It would be helpful to ignore this current media firestorm Fauxtroversy so her voters have a chance to know they’re being played. Pity!
Ummm, because they aren’t the important things?///
What is important is a rich man that has it all sitting on a bus w/a bunch of young men hanging onto his every word, dreaming and fantasizing they could be just like him, and Trump playing along, being the cool old dude making those men giggle like school girls.
I have watched the video and that is EXACTLY what was going on. The minute they stepped off the bus the professional face went on both Trump and Bush Clan Jr. When they met the woman, it was Bush Clan Jr. that asked some provocative/teasing comments of said woman, in turn the said woman answered w/some innuendo sexual undertone. But I guarantee you the pansies at this site haven’t bothered to watch the video in its entirety to put it into context.
The press is utterly anti-Trump, anti-conservative, and anti-Republican. The never Trumpers are like the folks in the hungry lions cage who hope to be the last eaten. Don’t worry never Trumpers, Hillary will treat you with great kindness.
For some reason I always associate certain NT’ers w/those on The Walking Dead that are the fools that always end up getting bit, just too stupid and naive to fight back, and the other NT’ers are pooping in their pants that their access to trillions could potentially be destroyed by one man, and they are just too stupid and naive to realize that the majority of America is onto their nonsense.
The newly discovered “Trump Tapes” that expose The Donald as an oversexed rich guy is hardly a reason to abandon this fraud. He is still the recklessly outspoken and under-informed candidate he always has been. Yeah, that’s the term … “has been.” Only four more weeks until the circus leaves town.
We’re going to need to buy all new furniture.
What was JFK but an oversexed rich guy?
Please read my post again. I forgive the oversexed rich guy.
JFK was a poorly informed and reckless president who blew the chance to rid the Western Hemisphere of a vile dictator. Trump isn’t a shrinking violet.
This article is a joke right? You won’t support Trump because of what? But you’ll vote for Johnson ( a vote for Hillary) and wait out another 4 years with Clinton and allow her to appoint at least one judge to SC, probably more like 3 judges, all liberals….taking away more freedoms…allowing more bastardization of our Constitution and you won’t have trouble looking your daughter in the eye in 10 years without a tear because she might be wearing a hijab? Or possibly losing a battle with cancer (God forbid) because she can’t get into the proper doctors due to the single pay socialist health care system we’re sure to convert to. What do you think this country is going to look like after 4 years of Hillary Clinton? Is that the country you want her living in. Maybe she’ll go to college in a sanctuary city and be raped/attacked/murdered like that beautiful young DAUGHTER, Kate Smilie in San Francisco…because we’ll have a POTUS & administration that protects illegal criminals. Wow, what a lucky family you have…you are such the protector. And all because a man that you don’t like much said some lewd things 11 years ago about an actress to some idiot cousin of George W’s that has nothing to do with our country and our way of life…..yes, this article must be a joke. Why don’t you get real….our country dies with Hillary Clinton, we may just survive with Donald Trump, even if he makes another lewd comment it doesn’t begin to compare with the criminality of Hillary and the entire liberal agenda.
Such a drama queen you are!
I don’t think your hyperbole is going to scare anyone into the voting booth to vote for Trump. That only works on Democrats.
Billy Bush is not related to the Presidents Bush. If I am wrong, please direct me to a source.
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/nbc-mum-billy-bush-resurface-air-42685513
One of several articles that mentioned a relationship….and like someone else said, too bad the #nevertrump people can’t look at what Hillary Clinton will do to this country and feel half as much for #neverhillary.
Billy is a nephew to both Jeb and W. http://money.cnn.com/2016/10/08/media/billy-bush-donald-trump-video/index.html. And he has been suspended from the Today Show. http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2016/10/09/billy-bush-monday-today-show-donald-trump-lewd-tape-fallout/91835032/
Billy Bush is Jeb’s nephew.
Billy Bush is George H. W. Bush’s nephew and first cousin to Jeb and GW. Do you not know how to use Google?
defending sexual assault by pointing out other people have done it isn’t very convincing.
Bingo.
So — your heroes are Ron Paul, Mike Pence, Gary Johnson? And a flirtation with Trump?
Here’s some advice from an old grey-haired Southern Democrat: Turn off Fox, go outside and get some fresh air, then have a long talk with yourself.
Read two books by Hacker and Pierson: “American Amnesia” and “Winner-Take-All Politics.”
thanks for the advice … I did indeed spend yesterday watching the Skins and Nats, then the wife and I went to a movie instead of watching the debate.
The real world is very cathartic!