Rep. Todd Akin was a decent, well-meaning GOP nominee for Senate who carelessly misspoke in answer to a question on abortion. His “legitimate rape” phrase dogged every single Republican candidate in the 2012 election cycle. So far this year we have seen Mr. Trump’s racist comments about Judge Curiel similarly haunting Republicans. Rep. Paul Ryan, for example, was trying to present a new, hope-filled plan for the GOP, but the first five questions from reporters concerned Mr. Trump’s remarks.
Here are some more issues that GOP candidates can be sure will get questions from the media:
1. Mr. Trump has openly – and repeatedly – admired dictators and strongmen such as Putin, Mussolini, Saddam Hussein, Kim Jong-Un, and Moammar Gadhaffi.
2. Mr. Trump has habitually cheated workers out of promised money, calculating that they would accept cents on the dollar rather than spend money suing.
3. Mr. Trump has publicly mocked a disabled reporter.
4. Mr. Trump has continually belittled his opponents.
5. Mr. Trump has the endorsement of David Duke and white supremacists.
6. Mr. Trump went on the record as saying there must be some form of punishment for women who have an abortion. He later retracted this view, but at the time he stood firm, as this unedited YouTube clip of Chris Matthews interview shows.
The opposition ads write themselves. Let’s face it: the media wanted Mr. Trump to be the nominee to face Hillary, and gave him unprecedented coverage to the tune of $2 billion dollars.
Republicans need to be aware of the upcoming tsunami of grilling by the media of every single candidate regarding Mr. Trump’s views and comments. Remember Todd Akin! The presumptive Republican presidential nominee is aiming to make the entire 2016 campaign about himself. For those who have hopes that Mr. Trump will grow more presidential, here’s what he said:
You think I’m going to change?” he told reporters at a press conference this week. “I’m not going to change.”
Do we really want to spend the next five months cringing and being forced to defend reckless statements and boorish behavior? Do we want the Republican party to be defined by anti-Hispanic rhetoric that would, in the words of New York Times‘ Peter Wehner, “leave an indelible stain”?
It’s not too late! We still have more than a month before the GOP convention in Cleveland. The delegates can be unbound, as outlined in this Wall Street Journal article.
Mr. Trump is the presumptive nominee on the basis of winning open primaries with the help of mischief-making Democrats, and winner-take-all primaries with a plurality of the vote. His total percentage of the vote was 40% before Senator Cruz suspended his campaign. Right now dozens of prominent Republicans are on the record as being #nevertrump, which is unprecedented.
We don’t have to bow the knee and accept his nomination as inevitable! Please contact the RNC ( https://www.gop.com/contact-us/ ), whose sole purpose for existing is to elect a Republican president. Here is a list of VA delegates to the GOP convention.
Many Republicans privately are looking at a bloodbath down-ticket if Mr. Trump is the nominee. Big donors have already expressed reluctance to back Mr. Trump.
We can express our dissatisfaction with Mr. Trump, letting the RNC and the convention delegates know we will not be donating, going door-to-door, or making phone calls to the presidential race in the general election if he is the nominee. Please, for the sake of the nation and the party, contact these men and women today. Thank you for your service. Remember Todd Akin, and don’t let Mr. Trump harm the nation and destroy the party.
60 comments
Light reading for our delegates
http://time.com/4373856/gop-dump-trump-convention/?xid=time_socialflow_twitter
I don’t think winning the White House is a realistic goal at this point. We can hold out hope, but strategic decisions like those proposed here should be aimed at keeping the House, which will be our only check on the Hillary administration. I’m convinced that to keep the House, the republicans need a decent conservative on the ballot to drive turnout. There are two ways to do that. One is to dump Trump at the convention. The other is the ongoing ballot access initiative. I think the latter would be better because the down ballot republicans would end up getting support both from Trump voters and from the conservatives who turn out to vote for the independent candidate. Dumping Trump at the convention would mean that the substituted candidate would have to pull democrats (not impossible with Hillary) since the Trump supporters certainly would not vote for anyone else. The problem with the ballot initiative approach is that no candidate has come forward yet. Perhaps the best approach is to proceed along both tracks and see how things pan out. In any event, conservatives need a responsible place to put their vote.
As far as donors. Billionaires like Sheldon Adelson are donating to Trump.
Trump got press coverage because he was in the lead and knocked out each candidate one by one. Cru when offered to go on air refused to be interviewed. O’Reilly spoke about this over and over again. Maybe if Cruz was not so obsessed with using dirty tactics against his opponents he would have been more interesting to the viewing public.
Trump got press coverage because his unguarded speech was good for ratings.
I predict Trump’s most committed believers will question the validity of your references, demean your writing style, tell you it’s over, question your loyalty, and even deny that Trump’s recorded statements are really Trump’s recorded statements.
Teddy Roosevelt said “A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.”
It’s never too late to speak truth. It’s never the wrong time to encourage others to speak truth. Shoot straight. Thanks for writing.
I will mock conservatives that use libetard talking points from a libetard news media any day of the week. Ms. Martin’s writing style is just fine in my book. If your goal is to put Mrs. Cankles in the Oral office, by all means continue the lunacy.
This article might be better entitled “Pollyanna at the Wailing Wall.” And with so many of the old propaganda techniques so much in exhibition, this article just may come off as being a tad boorish, and maybe even tediously time worn.
But for sure, we shall never reclaim our right with such supine writing.
So write one yourself. TBE isn’t afraid of differing opinions, and if you can write like you criticize, your article is sure to get posted here.
I some years now past did write and had some influence across Virginia in certain circles which reached into the General Assembly. But I’ve gotten old and worn, and must now do my frying in other pans.
I am now content with simples dissents or approbations, with these being in their own way as important as the writing of articles. It is, of course, the comment section with it lively back and forth which is TBE’s fount of life.
Thanks for your messaging!
You’re welcome — reasoned differences can be discussed for the good of all. Would love to read something of yours. Any of it on the web?
Nope! Don’t think anything is on the web. The best stuff I did was with a friend of mine. It was General Assembly bill analysis of the sort you never see these days. For a very limited time frame, we did some astonishing stuff. I had a list of around a thousand readers across the Commonwealth. Many were the heads of Tea Parties, Liberty activists, people who could run with good information and do some good work way beyond their numbers. If I had been younger, I could have made a career out of this kind of thing.
In this work, it took me too long to overcome the deficits of a public school education. That is, too long ot overcome age constraints. But I was continually amazed at what I did not know, and of what was deliberately kept hidden away from all of us. All in all, I learned much.
In all of our troubles which have befallen us, I am a bit relieved to see young people increasingly catching onto the evil that has been perpetrated upon them. Seeing this, I can now with greater ease someday take my leave of this world knowing that a certain few shall never be vanquished, and that these will struggle on, an undying inspiration to others.
Take good care of yourself my friend!
Agree. The thread remains me of the same old tired, excuses the Dems use when things don’t go their way.
I am not particularly a fan of Mr. Trump, but I do find it refreshing that he has kicked aside a can chuck full of nonsense, and can’t be played by the same old crap narratives. Nope! He sweeps aside the fake shame, the fake compassion and guilt trips, speaks from perceived realty, like it or not — agree with it or not.
If people want saints, they should look monasteries. There is no perfection in politics, not even in the late 18th century.
This is a stupid article. It’s to late to get on the ballot in Texas and NC. It’s to late to meet the requirements to get on the ballot is other states.
Vote for Hillary, and lose the Senate? She picks SCOTUS judges, who then take away guns. Vote for Trump and who knows what we get.
Hell of a choice. Like I said, stupid article because it’s to late to get on the ballot.
Agree this article is stupid and is simply showing the ignorance of the writer.
Does anyone really care that Graham,Bush, and Romney don’t support Trump? It works greatly in Trump’s favor that that these morons don’t support him.
Thanks. Can’t you just get Trump to go back to talking about stopping illegal immigration, and stopping the export of jobs to China?
He’s not going to go back to talking about stopping illegal immigration. He got what he wanted and he’s moved on. Now all that’s left is for the people who supported him on that issue to realize that (as the rest of us were saying all along) he never meant it in the first place. He will (I believe) give us Amnesty AND he won’t build the wall. Just my opinion. Too bad folks who cared about this issue did not support the one candidate who was tried and true on it. Not like it wasn’t staring them in the face or anything… Oh well.
Which candidate was tried and true?
Really?
Yes, really?
Well, which of the other candidates had nothing to do with Gang of Eight, actually stood up in the Senate to use the power of the purse to defund Obamacare and also Obama’s illegal executive amnesty, etc? That’s the one.
You talking about the multi-millionaire senator? The one with the wife who is the high ranking executive at Goldman Sachs?
Are you kidding me? So you judge someone for honest achievement and success, and can’t see the contrast between people who go into the lions’ den without compromising principles and those who go in to become one of the lions?
This is honest also. But….
http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/20/news/economy/hillary-clinton-goldman-sachs/
Ballot access efforts are funded and underway right now. But I think this article is proposing dumping Trump at the convention, which would moot the ongoing ballot access efforts.
There is NO ballot access available in some states as the deadline has passed. End of story.
Dumping Trump and not having a candidate? That is BS. He is the people’s choice. Let the voter dump him at the poles.
The republican candidate will be on the ballot in every state. I read this article to be proposing that the republicans dump Trump at the convention and run with someone else. That substituted candidate would be on the ballot in every state. Do you read it some other way? The ballot access alternative (which I kind of favor) is not a dump Trump option. It would involve allowing Trump to run for the republicans while fielding a conservative option in many states. You’re right that it’s too late for that in a couple states, but the goal of the third candidate would be to siphon off enough electoral college votes to throw the election to the House, not to win the thing outright.
The question seems to be do the two major political party nominees, (D & R) have automatic ballot access in all 50 states. Even without furfilling all the states requirements. I do not know. Why have a primary and get all the signatures, pay fee’s, if this is so?
Trump is the nominee, period. Paul Ryan said Trump won it fair and square. There are no plans to dump Trump, it’s all talk.
Anyhow, do you think Trump would not sue?
To be precise, Trump is the presumptive nominee. He won’t be the actual nominee until selected by a majority of the delegates at the convention in July. As you probably know, there are movements afoot to convince those delegates to ignore the plurality who selected Trump and to vote their consciences. I agree with you that I don’t think that will happen, but as his campaign continues to implode, the likelihood becomes greater with each passing day. If they did that, he’d probably threaten to sue, but I doubt he would. The analyses I’ve seen indicate that he has no legally enforceable personal entitlement to the party’s nomination at this point.
The law says Virginia delegates have to vote for Trump on the first ballot.
Since Hillary will beat Trump unless she is indicted, what difference does it make?
The best reasoned authorities suggest that state law attempts to bind national convention delegates are unenforceable. People have various reasons for wanting to replace Trump. I’m sure some think that another candidate actually could win. Some are more concerned about down ballot races. (But as I’ve indicated, I think an independent conservative run would be better for down ballot races.) I think most are concerned about the damage that Trump is doing to the republican party and brand. (I wonder sometimes whether the damage already is too great and it might be better just to start over with a new party for conservatives and libertarians.) But I think all of those who are seeking to replace Trump are doing so, at least in part, because they can’t, in good conscience, support him. Note that all of these reasons except the first don’t have anything to do with defeating Hillary.
How brilliant! You noticed Trump is “rough around the edges” and not perfect in some ways. We’re certain if we watched you for awhile we would all be moaning too. You do not mention Trump’s strengths, or that he won a landslide of votes for valid reasons across the country. He IS our candidate, the people have spoken. He has excelled in ways few others have. Now is the time to quit whining, search for maturity, and do what is right: support him in every way we can.
Butt hurt Cruzers at it again!
Get off your wine cycles and join the only candidate left that’s putting America first!
He’s a credit to used car salesmen everywhere! Sucker!
Barring some kind of miracle, Trump will be soundly defeated in November. Not because of any particular kind of Republicans … conservative, establishment, Tea Party … but because of Trump’s unprecedented ability to alienate voters (70% so far). As an active Republican, my focus is now on getting people to the polls to save our down-ballot Republican candidates.
It IS because of some kind of Republicans — those who want to take their ball and go home if they can’t set the rules. I guess most of them must have been tennis or golf players, if they were in sports, as they seem not have learned teamwork.
Actually, it is many of us really concerned Tea Partiers who now don’t know what to do.
I think the Establishment is far less worried about the prospect of a Trump than are those of us who have been fighting for limited and constitutional government, controlled borders, no amnesty (really), repeal of Obamacare, fair taxation, and reduced spending and cronyism.
I began the primary season thinking I could support Trump with no hesitation whatsoever if it came down to it. However, in the intervening time, Trump himself has succeeded in alienating me to the point that I don’t think I can vote for him at all, even with the prospect of Hillary looming … and that is saying a lot.
I agreed with your last article about uniting behind Ted Cruz. Made a lot of sense to me. However, I couldn’t get past the first four words of this article without strong disagreement. I think I’ve already said everything I can say about why your recommendation is a not a good idea. I’m going to sit out on the debate this time.
In 35 days or so, hopefully we will be done with this issue.
Wow! How many Lame Stream Media anti-Trump news articles can one use in one post? If you people are going to continue to cry about the candidate that received a record number of votes in a republican presidential primary, perhaps you should just go ahead and sign up for the Shrillary campaign. Or, maybe you should just take your own advice and “shut up until Nov. 9th” if you are going to let the liberal biased media with their skewed polls influence you thought processes. You people do Chicken Little proud.
Thanks to the open primary, many of those voting were Dems. As evidenced at the state convention, if only Republicans voted, VA would not have voted for Trump.
Then get the state (and taxpayer money) out of party processes. It wasn’t the Dems who elected Trump, it was the ex Republicans who were expelled when the RPV burned down the big tent with their slating crusade.
Thank you! We tried to tell them when the State Central Committee voted to have Presidential primary.
Easy to see how you earned your “handle”.
Ha! Dems voting in the presidential election are perhaps the only way Republicans will stand a chance of coming out triumphant in a general election. And perhaps inclusion of disaffected and equally as disenfranchised Democrats is a better way to begin to think about electoral politics than the old sterile and encapsulating template of ‘Left blinder D, Right blinder R!’
Cruz crybaby at it again. There is absolutely no evidence to back up your statement. Get over it Trump won fair and square.
I was working the polls during the primary and I saw Democrats crossing over to vote for Trump and cackling about it after they left the voting stations. So yes, he is correct.
No, Trump won dirty. His campaign (especially the “Lyin’ Ted” epithet) was absolutely filthy.
You can keep crying in you beer and building them myths for as long as you want. The funny thing, The Donald did not just win here in Virginia, did he? The RPV has a long history of not wanting to close our primary system, so maybe you should blame them for their st-st-st-stupidity. If their panties are in such a bunch over this supposed crossover vote, maybe they will close the primary now. Something I would much prefer, BTW.
I was at the state convention too, and it appeared the delegates were evenly split for The Donald and Teddy regardless of how the leadership manipulated the split on the 13 national delegates.
Clearly, there are pros and cons for both conventions and primaries. Unfortunately the more recent of both have not been advantageous to true conservatives. Four more years of Leftist rule and shoddy Republican leadership should polish-off our once great country. Prayer, and lots of it, is our only saving grace. On our knees is where we all must be.
Some serious whiners at this site that need to grow up and put country first. This is too critical of an election to continue w/the pouty face.
You are absolutely correct that we need to put country first. That is what we are all trying to figure out what to do now that both major Party choices are big liberals, neither of whom we believe will oppose amnesty or repeal Obamacare or care about the constitution or address cronyism or support free markets, etc. It is a huge dilemma. Let us figure it out because most of us cannot see a way through this.
Nothing to figure out, vote Trump to make sure he wins by a landslide over the Uniparty. Love him, or hate him, he is what we have.
I would if I thought he were better.
At this point w/everything going on then you are a traitor to this country.
For struggling in good conscience to make a wise decision, you call me a traitor. How does one become a patriot – by falling in line behind a pro-amnesty, pro-gun control, pro-Planned Parenthood, slanderous, pro-cronyism, anti-free market, big government New York liberal? Honestly, the differences between him and Hillary seem so slight. OK, so she’s a Marxist ideologue. But he’s embracing Marxism too. If I think there will be a contrast, I’ll vote for him, but the contrasts are evaporating daily.
Umm, either you are completely unaware of what is going on w/in our gov’t, or you don’t have a conscience. Take your pick.
Quite aware, quite concerned. Hillary belongs in jail and will destroy this nation/cement Obama’s transformation of America from self-governing constitutional republic to totalitarian socialist state. Trump does not belong in jail, Ias far as I am aware, but the net effect will be approximately the same in my estimation at this point. If by November I believe Trump will be better than Hillary, I’ll consider what to do, but he is so thoroughly dishonest it is hard to get a read I him. As with many Christians, I also have a fundamental problem voting for any person who supports Planned Parenthood.
Well said.
He doesn’t support PP, at one time, yes, he did, it was more or less one of those issues he didn’t really think about or had to deal with. This is the problem w/the anti-Trump people they only go on media sound bites and don’t do their own homework.
Have you watched any of his rallies? Have you been to his webpage? Have you seen any of the one on one interviews where he is very presidential? Conservative Treehouse is the biggest pro-Trump blog out there, to the point of they are almost Cruzbot like, but there are some great articles, essays, and video of Trump, and I always learn from the comment section from every site I visit, I try to ignore the gushing and check out the links commenters post.
Gateway Pundit is pro-Trump. Intellectual Froglegs is a fun one, Weasel Zippers has some Pro-Trump commenters that are incredibly informed people. Get out more, get off the negative blogs and go visit the pro-Trump blogs and see why other people are excited about him, like him, and trust him. I don’t trust any politician, but I will put my faith in Trump that he isn’t going to DELIBERATELY sell us out, like all the other GOPE’s and RINO’s are doing. Besides that Trump is an work-o-holic, he will take the job seriously and show up for meetings. People let Trumps New York in your face language and attitude bother them. Bush has that darn swagger of his, and cocky head shake thing going on.