Trump Campaign Brags about “Crushing” Conservatives and the Grassroots

written by Jeanine Martin July 15, 2016

Trump is not a conservative, never has been. So why do Trump supporters continue to argue otherwise? Now we have the proof from Trump’s campaign manager who bragged about their big wins in yesterday’s Rules Committee at the convention. Trump and the establishment joined forces to crush the grassroots. They would permit NO changes in how the Republican Party is run. For the next 4 years we are again stuck with Romney’s rules, a party that is run from the top down with little or no regard for the grassroots.

Now Trump’s campaign manager, Paul Manafort, is bragging about crushing the grassroots, Ken Cuccinelli and Morton Blackwell, in the Rules committee. (Never mind that Cuccinelli’s and Blackwell’s proposals had nothing to do with Trump.) On his twitter feed he said,

Anti-Trump people get crushed at Rules Committee. It was never in doubt: Convention will honor will of people & nominate @realdonaldtrump.

He is bragging about crushing such rule changes as allowing members of the RNC to vote for party officials rather than Reince Priebus ~~anointing~~ appointing them. Another proposed change would be to use nomination methods that discouraged Democrats from voting in our primaries. (Apparently the establishment and Trump don’t want that. It’s obvious why Trump wouldn’t want it. Had that rule been in effect Trump would never have won the nomination. He needed Democrats voting in our primaries.) Another change would have given more weight to Republican districts rather than all districts being equal in nominating our candidate. Nancy Pelosi’s district would not carry the same weight as Dave Brat’s district. But Trump and the establishment “crushed” these changes, authored by Morton Blackwell and supported by Ken Cuccinelli, changes that would have benefitted our party.

Is this the way to bring the party together? Bragging about ‘crushing’ the conservatives and grassroots in the Rules Committee won’t do anything but cause more resentment and perhaps open a few eyes to the fact that Trump is not a conservative and cares nothing about the grassroots. Some of us have known that from the beginning.

More here.

Jeanine Martin

Also known as Lovettsville Lady, I am a Republican activist in the wilds of western Loudoun County.

Johnny Park

You’re right. Hillary is better.
- AnninVA26
  
  funny.
John Fredericks

Oh my gosh, Jeanine I love you, but this is pure hyperbole nonsense.

The main objective of Cuccinelli and Co. was to unbind the delegates and negate the the wishes of 15 million GOP voters and nullify 50 state primary elections in one fell swoop.

We mobilized our Pro Turmp national delegates against this crybaby baloney and crushed the Pro-“Unbound” Cuccinelli-Curly Hougland circus sideshow. They got 12 votes.

All that hype, plus Beau Correll’s silly lawsuit that wasted time and money –and meant nothing — and they got 12 votes out of 114.

Please, get over it.

The RNC Convention rules changes they proposed went with the effort to jettison Trump.

If Cuccinelli was authentic about “grassroots” rules changes, he would have disavowed the Unbound effort and seperated the two out. He did not- because he could not.

Welcome to the real American political revolution. It’s in Cleveland. It starts Monday. It’s real.

Our movement is growing in America every day. Join us!
John Fredericks

Oh my gosh, Jeanine I love you, but this is pure hyperbole nonsense.

The main objective of Cuccinelli and Co. was to unbind the delegates and negate the wishes of 15 million GOP voters and nullify 50 state primary elections in one fell swoop.

We mobilized our Pro Turmp national delegates against this crybaby baloney and crushed the Pro-“Unbound” Cuccinelli-Curly Hougland circus sideshow. They got 12 votes.

All that hype, plus Beau Correll’s silly lawsuit that wasted time and money –and meant nothing — and they got 12 votes out of 114.

Please, get over it.

The RNC Convention rules changes they proposed went with the effort to jettison Trump.

If Cuccinelli was authentic about “grassroots” rules changes, he would have disavowed the Unbound effort and seperated the two out. He did not- because he could not.

Welcome to the real American political revolution. It’s in Cleveland. It starts Monday. It’s real.

Our movement is growing in America every day. Join us!
- Tom White
  
  And Trump only said he crushed the #NeverTrump group (of 12). He never said he crushed Conservatives and grassroots. Here is the actual tweet without spin. @realDonaldTrump: #NeverTrump is never more. They were crushed last night in Cleveland at Rules Committee by a vote of 87-12. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
  - John Fredericks
    
    Tom, the truth will set you free!
  - Lawrence Wood
    
    We all need to all be prepared for the new meme I predict from these individuals between now and election day (does anyone really believe this is over} and that is it will be OUR support of the valid, massively primary preference voted, Republican candidate Donald Trump, that will put Hillary Clinton in the White House, because after all we wouldn’t listen to their rantings and support their TBD candidate 90 plus days out from the ballot box.
    
    You would think this level of party and voter rejection would cause for a moment of pause and reflection on positions and approach but I doubt it. After all they are doing this for the parties salvation and the voting base both of which they somehow can reconcile as not laughable while both of these entities summarily ignore their idiocies.
    - Rocinante
      
      It’s not like they have meaningful political skillz outside of packing a venue for inter party squabbles. Actual electoral success has eluded them. Ken failed to carry the Commonwealth or any of the statewide ticket.
      
      They have fumbled away the State Central, handed Comstock renomination devoid of challenge nor accountability and Beau lost Commonwealth Attorney 4 to 1, in a Republican District, against an independent!!!
      
      I wonder the best way to avoid the political embrace of ‘suck’ by them post nomination.
- Larsele
  
  I couldn’t agree more. Every word is spot on!!!
  - John Fredericks
    
    Thank you.
- Culdees2020
  
  You obviously haven’t stayed informed. Ken was wanting to reform for 2020 to keep Democrats from helping pick a massive loser like trump. Educate yourself on who’s doing what in the GOP.
  - kelley
    
    Ken is a winner where?
    - Culdees2020
      
      AG of Virginia barely beaten by Clintonista Terry McAwful who was funded by trump.
      - Rocinante
        
        Makes Trump kinda prescient don’t it. Ken could have done much more damage as Governor. Good thing he deployed his skill for loss then and now.
  - mezurak
    
    Keeping Dems from helping pick GOP losers? You mean like McCain and Mitt? Or is the problem Virginia’s open primary system that the GOP state incumbents have been exploiting forever? In any event, that issue is a state issue, not the Corporate United funded RNC. But that is another issue way beyond a peon like Cooch’s pay grade.
    - Culdees2020
      
      No, keeping Democrats from picking one of their own like trump. If it was just a state issue why the RNC oligarchs stop it. Go back and study how the Party’s snape primaries.
      - mezurak
        
        Ah, so the RNC wants dems to pick GOP candidates? That’s why they blocked the Cooch and his gang?
      - Culdees2020
        
        Correct. Do you actually know anything about the reforms proposed or are you an ignorant trumpbot? The Priebus cabal said no.
- D Guest
  
  You are wrong about what Cuccinelli was doing. And Morton Blackwell was never for freeing the delegates to vote conscience. However, he was for a number of rules changes that would help conservatives win against the RINOs of the future, and the committee, which sounded like a bunch of Democrats, steamrolled all of them.
  
  Face it, Trump and the establishment are joined at the hip. Every time he does another RINO or even Democrat pivot, you will be twisting yourself into more of a pretzel to justify it until you have no principles left.
BigFurHat

Couldn’t wait to click this post to see how disconnected your headline would be from the story.
I nailed it.
- Sue
  
  Paul Manafort was bragging about beating Ken Cuccinelli and Morton Blackwell, so yes, he was bragging about crushing conservatives, and thus, the headline is on point with the article. Ken & Morton are about as conservative as they come.
  - Jeanine Martin
    
    Thank you! Yes they are very proud of beating conservatives. Trump is not a conservative and his campaign team isn’t either.
    - BigFurHat
      
      So, Hillary will do while you wait for your preferred guy?
      Moronic.
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        Apparently. Look at the polls.
      - BigFurHat
        
        General Election: Trump vs. Clinton CBS News/NY Times Clinton 40, Trump 40 Tie
        General Election: Trump vs. Clinton Rasmussen Reports Clinton 37, Trump 44 Trump +7
        General Election: Trump vs. Clinton Economist/YouGov Clinton 45, Trump 43 Clinton +2
        General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Associated Press-GfK Clinton 40, Trump 36, Johnson 6, Stein 2 Clinton +4
        General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson CBS News/NY Times Clinton 36, Trump 36, Johnson 12 Tie
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_clinton_vs_johnson_vs_stein-5952.html
      - BigFurHat
        
        Ummmm.. did you check the dates… (snicker)
        
        Not the date of the Friday post compared to the Thursday post, the dates of the polling.
        
        The last poll RCP has is Rasmussen – Rasmussen Reports 7/12 – 7/13 1000 LV 3.0 37 44 Trump +7
        
        Also, the national average of all polls is within the margin of error and we’re 3 months out.
        
        You run this blog?
        Why do people stand for such incompetence?
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        It is delusion at its finest, you have to admit it makes for some entertaining reading.
      - Lawrence Wood
        
        I have to admit I actually start to laugh when I read some of these post butt kicking self-justifications on their self righteousness behavior. The thing to recall here for those individuals who are in effective elected Republican officials come up for re-election is THEY haven’t learned or internalized a single thing from all this nonsense, it’s still the party’s voting base that overwhelming preference voted for Trump and supports him against Hillary Clinton that are confused and mistaken. That is what we are dealing with here at the net level.
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        I also take in account that most seem to be Country Club Republicans and have zero idea about the rest of country, nor do they understand the global uniparty when they get on the GOP bandwagon that is Washington. Even my 80 year old neighbor gets that and she doesn’t have internet, only cable. I doubt only a few at this site know who Soros is, understand hawal, the refugee/islam plan, BLM, and other such things. It is like retro 50’s here. I also believe especially since Miss Jeanine lives in Loudon, a once beautiful place, and others here, all must hold or have spouses w/gov’t jobs in NOVA, the rest of us are in ROVA. They are all in fear in Trump wins their posh lifestyle and cushy jobs will no longer exist.
        
        And you are correct, the GOPE’s will never get the whole concept of party’s voting base. They certainly didn’t learn from Cantor’s oust, if that didn’t wake them up nothing will. Hopefully WI will do the same to Ryan. Praying hard for that one to happen. The Bull RINO people here would be happier if they switched to the Democrat side and ended their charade. The hypocrisy of pretending to love this country, but the inability to vote for Trump is the most telling.
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        Other than the fact I live in Loudoun (2 u’s) the rest of your post couldn’t be more wrong. RINO’s we are not. Nor do we care about gov’t jobs since none of us are employed by the government or consultants.
        Oh, and no one would call government jobs ‘cushy’.
        You are a hoot, you never let facts get in the way of a good rant.
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        It is much more fun being a hoot, than delusional.
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        Good news! It looks like Trump will carry Missouri! http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/
      - chuck
        
        I’ll never understand why some people have to use “Ummmm” as part of their commentary. Is it to project “thoughtfulness”? (snicker).
      - BigFurHat
        
        No, it’s to project that you have contempt and little respect for the other person’s commentary, particularly when they were trying to claim the upper hand over someone with a clearly asinine and amateurish and wrong-headed posting.
      - chuck
        
        Ummmm..Now I get it. Doh!
      - chuck
        
        Ummm..Now I get it. Doh!
      - John Fredericks
        
        I like big fur hat! Smart! We are going to win and take back America for Americans!its a beautiful thing!
      - D Guest
        
        Trump may win, but only if many more horrors are inflicted on the world by terrorists due to our current awful potus’ weakness. Sad price.
        
        Then we get ‘our own’ dictator – who will proceed to implement HIllary’s policies anyway.
      - BigFurHat
        
        Ya. Trump is a dictator. And this opinion is based onnnnnnnnnnnnnn what, exactly? When Trump was governor? Mayor? When?
        The world will get Hillary because “D GUEST,” and other dullards like him, the world renowned experts on parroting each other’s words until it becomes a faux-reality for mouth breathers, says Trump is a dictator.
        
        Hey, news alert. Trump just changed his logo because the people didn’t like it.
        That’s very, very dictatorial, dontcha think?
        All dictators care very much about what the public thinks and then acts accordingly.
      - chuck
        
        If trump changed his logo, it’s because someone told him that people were making a fool of him over his ridiculous logo!
      - BigFurHat
        
        And a dictator would keep the logo and find the people who need to get their minds right.
      - chuck
        
        So what does that make trump? A pushover?
      - BigFurHat
        
        Responsive, open to constructive criticism, a listener, a learner.. you know, things that you are not.
      - chuck
        
        Thanks. Didn’t take long to get personal. You a Democrat?
      - BigFurHat
        
        Awwwww, Chuck. Need directions to your safe space?
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        The logo is horrid. It must be changed. No one will put that monstrosity on their lawn or lapel!
    - John Fredericks
      
      Oh stop shunning Jeanine – it’s a great week in the history of America!
  - Greg Schumacher
    
    Again, they are Conservative, but with due respect to Morton Blackwell, if he also was trying to undermine the will of the voters, I totally disagree with that, conservative icons or not. So Manafory was not gloating about crushing them because they were Conservative, but because they were anti-Trump, and the effort was ill-advised. Turn this around. What if Cruz had the votes Trump does, but some other group had more votes in the actual conventions, and delegates were mounting an effort to sabotage him. I think your tune would be very different.
    - Jeanine Martin
      
      No, they were not anti Trump. Cuccinelli and Blackwell wanted to change RNC rules to make the party more about the grassroots, more bottom up rather than top down. Their proposals had nothing to do with Trump.
      
      Why is this so difficult for Trumpsters?
      - Lawrence Wood
        
        This is the cover story AND they are going to stick to it. After all the anti-trumpers, they were the victims, not the millions of Republican primary voters they supported to disenfranchise. We just don’t understand. lol
      - Steve Albertson
        
        This is a paranoid delusion. The facts are the facts, but they must be recast as some sort of conspiratorial smoke screen. Right.
      - Lawrence Wood
        
        Get real Mr. Albertson no thinking person is buying the cover story you can separate out the issues so as to CYA on the realities. if you want to try and sell that fine but John Fredericks strikes the nail on the head when he correctly states above
        
        “If Cuccinelli was authentic about “grassroots” rules changes, he would have disavowed the Unbound effort and separated the two out. He did not- because he could not.”
        
        Paranoid delusion is not granting the fellow travelers on this a free pass when a choice was available and they made theirs. So call me conspiratorial if you chose but I prefer realist observer of political events and believe that anyone who would support your constant calls for the state convention process after this demonstration of delegate slating and rules machination support behavior is out of their political minds. But I leave it to the base voter to make their own decisions on this, something you frankly, often seem less comfortable with.
      - D Guest
        
        Donald Trump has achieved exactly what he wanted – destroy the GOP and turn a portion of conservatives away from the Constitution. Divide and conquer, mission accomplished.
      - Rocinante
        
        The Cruz people bailed on the constitution by definition.
      - Robin Harrison
        
        More facts. Despicable ones – https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2016/07/gop-establishment-crushes-conservative-voices-in-rules-committee?utm_source=CRFB&utm_medium=FB&utm_campaign=establishment-crushes-conservative-committee-7-16-16
        
        Someday these facts will come back to bite the foolish members of the know nothing sector in the arse.
      - Sbn
        
        Where was all this so called “grassroots”, “bottom up rather than top down” line of thinking and effort from Mr. Cuccinelli prior to this year?
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        Yes. Ken has always been about the grassroots.
      - Sbn
        
        lol, yeah he is.
        
        Or, perhaps he sees his role as King or Kingmaker diminishing?
        
        Would he have challenged this apparent egregious oversight if Cruz won the nomination?
        
        While I’m not opposed to the premise in the least, to portray Mr. Cuccinelli as a saviour for the common man is a little…….silly.
      - Rocinante
        
        Furthermore KC should not be mentioned in the same sentence as Morton Blackwell — I know Morton Blackwell and Ken Sir, is no Morton Blackwell.
      - Rocinante
        
        It’s a shame that Morton’s work and influence was so tainted by KC’s scorched earth efforts. People who are #never-anything have no place in politics.
    - Sue
      
      Morton Blackwell was not part of the NeverTrump delegates. Everything I’ve read about this that has mentioned his name had Morton saying that the conscience vote wasn’t going to win in the Rules committee. Rather, he was interested in restoring a rule (Rule 42, I believe?) that gave RNC members power to vote on measures between elections — instead of ceding that authority to one person — the chair as it stands now. The way things are now gives WAY to much power to the chairman. So, in essence, killing Morton’s amendment was killing democracy within the RNC. And bragging about beating back Morton, a leader in movement conservatism, is not a way to build fences with the conservatives that Trump needs in order to win.
      
      Here’s a link to one story which shows Blackwell wasn’t part of the FreeThe Delegates coalition:
      http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/some-republicans-discuss-anti-trump-convention-coup-n588301
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        Thank you! That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to tell them!
      - D Guest
        
        Rule 12, but otherwise you are correct.
      - Rocinante
        
        The NeverTrump cooties/baggage tagged Morton and actual necessary reform — but fret not, I’m sure that the efforts of our embarrassing delegation will pay off in the long run…. Well, maybe a show of protest… or perhaps a demonstration of the moral high ground that has paid off so well in electoral contests??
    - BigJohn
      
      If most of Cruz’s votes were from democrats, if Cruz shamelessly accused his opponents’ family members of infamous crimes, if Cruz constantly changed his positions, if Cruz had mafia ties, if Cruz bribed government officials for personal gain, if Cruz were such a low life as to brag about his “equipment” during the family hour on a live debate, if Cruz were facing RICO charges, if Cruz were facing pedophilia charges, if Cruz donated money to Hillary, Reid, and Schumer, if Cruz sent his goons to threaten and intimidate convention delegates and their families, if Cruz bragged about commiting adultery, if Cruz praised rapists and brutal dictators, etc, etc, etc, then the GOP delegates would be within their rights, in fact it would be their duty duty, to reject him at the convention.
      - Greg Schumacher
        
        Big John, It is wearisome to hear the same, tired charges repeated. There is no factual basis to the claim that Trump won because of democrat votes. A charge oft repeated to rationalize Cruz’ crushing defeat. Donations to Dems? He freely admits, as a businessman, gave to both parties. Kind of like how lobbyists get the companies they represent to not parties, and both parties freely accept. A pedophilia charge? I give that as much credence as you probably give to charges of infidelity on the part of Cruz. The bottom line is, if we want the delegates to choose, then we scrap primaries altogether. And your side is happy right now to keep pushing this, because you think you have the delegates to pull it off(although we just found out that you don’t), but if the situation was reversed, your side would be saying the same thing we Trump supporters are saying.
      - Rocinante
        
        Yes, delegates are the Supreme Court of the party — makes no difference what the voters in Virginia have decided, nor what is best for the RPV and the grassroots — Those publicity hounds that play convention reindeer games well are far from adequate party spokesmodels. Losers like Ken and Beau leading just get us more losses.
  - Rocinante
    
    KC & company were outmaneuvered again and the RNC took advantage by lumping Morton and the constructive changes in with the NeverTrump crowd. For somebody that has been working the rules and convention at least since Cruz got his 20% in Virginia, you’d think that Ken would have been better at this kind of thing.
- RubyTwoThree
  
  Ha! It is fun isn’t it?
Greg Schumacher

Agree with John. He did not say they crushed the “grassroots and conservatives” but the “anti-trump” forces. This is what the MSM does- try to make it seem somebody said something they actually didn’t. While he die-hard Cruzites and anti-Trump folks will claim folks like me aren’t “real conservatives” if we support Trump, I beg to differ. And saying that Trump and the Establishment are tight? They hated him as much as they hate Cruz. But they saw the hand-writing on the wall. As to him only winning because Denocrays voted? Please. A record turnout in votes an enthusiasm. Large number of independents, and probably some disaffected Dems. Trump is our only chance to slow down the destruction the ruling class of both parties has wreaked on our country. By the way, as much as our side rails against how we elected Repubs to the majority, and they didn’t follow through on doing what we sent them to do, having delegates “vote their conscience” would be doing the same thing- not doing what they were sent there to do. And do you think for a moment that if the rules committee went the other way, that Erickson, Cucinelli, and all the Cruz supporters wouldn’t be gloating?
- Sue
  
  “And saying that Trump and the Establishment are tight? They hated him as much as they hate Cruz.”
  
  Greg, I have two words that simply refute your above point: John Boehner. Who’s more establishment than he is? He was all in for Trump, even going so far as to compare Cruz to Satan.
  - Greg Schumacher
    
    Sue, I appreciate the feedback. I definitely remember the part about Boehner comparing Cruz to Satan. I’ll take your word for him being all in for Trump, though that I don’t recall. Even if true, virtually every other Establishment Republican, including the candidates, trashed him- until it was apparent he had the votes and the momentum. Anti-Trump folks say a vote for Trump is a vote for Hillary. I say a conscience vote or a stay home is a vote for Hillary.
    - Sue
      
      https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2016/04/28/trump-and-boehner-texting-buddies-or-donald-trump-and-john-boehners-late-night-texts/
- John Fredericks
  
  Boom!
- RubyTwoThree
  
  Yeah, all those stadiums and arenas were filled to the brim w/Democrats turning out for Trump////
  - just a wild & crazy RINO
    
    A REAL Clinton rally https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fe79222457204068bbc4095db1977076be90c6344c2453295f812c1fa7e3d4d9.jpg
    - RubyTwoThree
      
      Take away the media, her staff, and EMT personnel and maybe she has 20 people? That doesn’t even look like a place her Highness would go.
  - chuck
    
    Not filled. Just a good percentage.
    - RubyTwoThree
      
      Many were over filled w/people standing outside, some they brought in video streams for those outside to see.
      - chuck
        
        Shades of Obama rallies 2007. Sycophants rushing to touch the hem of his garment.
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        Nope, people fed up w/the Uniparty, grabbing for the last hope to keep the country alive. Perhaps you are jealous your boy didn’t didn’t fill an arena?
      - chuck
        
        I’m just as “fed up” as anybody. I’m just not willing to support a lousy candidate just because the Dems are running a lousier one. VERY far from feeling any type of jealousy toward trump.
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        Again, self-righteous, pious, prig behavior at this site over love of country. It is a theme here. I have no clue how Trump will be, he could be amazing, or just awful, but I know he is better than the Beast, I know her agenda and what she will do.
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        Wow. Why are you Trump fans always so angry and nasty? Not liking Trump does not make us “self-righteous, pious, prig”. You need to go do something that makes you happy. Hanging out here is not working for you.
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        I don’t hang out here, I come for laughs. The Never Trumpers are no picnic either, look in the mirror.
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        When did I ever say I was a Never Trumper? I didn’t because I’m not. Please try to stop calling our commenters names.
      - just a wild & crazy RINO
        
        I actually followed your advice and did something that made me happy. Went to the gun show at Hampton Roads Convention Center. Had a grand time talking to people or should I say listening to people. Had on my dark blue Trump t-shirt and the new white Trump hat, so even a democrat could figure out who my candidate was. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1e10dc88673b3daaf94b0698aee4f1315b16ac20633ff2329735086632b945ad.jpg
      - chuck
        
        Not sure where your justification for determining my degree of “love of country” came from. I think I probably love it as much as the donald. While he was serving in his “personal war against venereal disease” during Vietnam, I was serving in the actual US Army. I know he loves the money this country has provided him at the expense of screwing his creditors by declaring bankruptcy 4 times. I know he has claimed to be profoundly Pro Choice until he decided there might be an opportunity for him to take advantage of the anger going around against the criminal administration currently running the show. No shortage of people ready to jump on the “I’ll build a wall, and Mexico will pay for it” bandwagon. I know he loved manipulating the system to his advantage as a “businessman”. This involved financing the very people we were trying to defeat, from Bill and Hilary Clinton to Pelosi to Harry Reid, to Mitch McConnell. Love of country my hind leg!
      - D Guest
        
        Thank you for serving at a very difficult time.
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        Another Veteran, oh goody.
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        What has made you so foul and nasty? I sure hope you feel better soon.
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        My mother recently passed away, that could be some of it. I come from a military family, 3 tours OIF/OEF, and I find it really offensive when a Veteran wants to sling in his Veteran card, like somehow that just makes him so much better than the next guy, to continually whine over non-issues where Trump is concerned. It isn’ about Trump it about winning our country back,
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        It does make him better than the next guy. Everyone in my family, my husband father, my grandfathers, great grandfathers, all the way back before the Revolution have fought in every war this country has been engaged in and yes, I think we owe them our lives and our liberties. Yeah, that makes them special.
        
        Sorry you lost your mom, that’s so hard, and glad to know you aren’t always this unhappy and angry.
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        Thank you. Military are special, but to me it takes their specialness away when they deliberately play their card, they can argue point as person, not because of their uniform. Most the Vets I know don’t do that, they are combat ones though and they don’t brag about their service or use it to sway anyone one way or another.
      - chuck
        
        Who played the “I love my country card and you don’t” card?
      - D Guest
        
        If you have no clue how Trump will be, how do you know he is better than the Beast?
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        Really? You ask that question? Let me start and end with he hasn’t spent his life under criminal investigation for corruption and lies, and he doesn’t have a trail of dead bodies behind his name.
      - BigJohn
        
        Since Drumpf does have Mafia ties both here and in Russia, I wouldn’t be so quick to say you know he has no dead bodies in his past. In addition to the upcoming Trump University RICO trial, there’s also Drumpf’s upcoming child rape trial. You may choose to pick your flavor of evil to vote for. As for me I’ll vote for Neither; but I guess that makes me a selfish prig in Your book.
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        Yes, selfish prig.
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        Please stop with the name calling. I’ve asked several times and I hope this will be the last time. Thank you.
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        It isn’t name calling, it is descriptive adjectives. You wouldn’t want to hear my name calling, so I don’t do that here at this pristine site. Thank you.
      - BigJohn
        
        If you say you “have no clue how Trump will be”, then you truly can’t say that you “know he is better than the Beast”.
        Logic/think much?
      - RubyTwoThree
        
        I can say that because Trump hasn’t been living as a life long lying career criminal w/a trail of dead bodies in his wake. He stays on message and it is a good one, Hillary’s message is not. Trump is a leader.
      - BigJohn
        
        He stays on message? Give me break! There is not enough time in the day to list all of his flips and flops. I can see I am wasting my time with you.
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        Sometimes the lesser of two evils is still evil.
      - D Guest
        
        Trump completes the Uniparty transition. Just wait.
      - chuck
        
        BINGO!
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        He made that clear yesterday when he jumped in bed with the establishment.
Culdees2020

Gary Johnson or staying home is the best way for conservatives to send soon to be 3x loser “Rinse” Priebus the finger. Give him what he wants an irrelevant regional Party.
- Bob McMahan
  
  Culdees, yeah that would be a self fulfilling prophecy. “Conservatives” have acquiessed to open borders. Trump may not be all we would like, but he at least recognizes that the uncontrolled influx of folks from the outside will ruin our country. Gary Johnson cannot bring himself to deny anyone entry to our nation.
  - Culdees2020
    
    Too bad it’s a fair accomplit thanks to trump and his followers who have made Hillary POTUS.
- Downstater
  
  That is essentially a vote for Hellary.
  - Colonel_Bob
    
    Another one. Please please stop this nonsense that voting for a libertarian or staying home is a vote for Hillary. We do not have 100% turnout in our elections. I guess by your reasoning all those people are votes for Hillary, too.
    
    Your comment assumes the aforementioned people have always voted Republican in every presidential election which is not necessarily true.
  - Chad Davis
    
    Thank you Downstater! I don’t get conservatives on here who refuse to support any nominee but Ted Cruz. It’s just as bad at bearing drift where they want Gary Johnson because we didn’t nominate John Kasich or Marco Rubio. I can only hope the Bernie Sanders supporters are just as rigid on the left.
  - D Guest
    
    But you see, some of us are no longer GOP because it is a party for big government and caving to every liberal issue under the sun. And now crazy dictator wannabes. Just one of his outrageous statements would have doomed him in the party (he would have been kicked out) but his money and celebrity (ie his being of the elite) has protected him and propelled him forward.
    
    Trump wants single-payer. He wants to use the government to silence his critics. He wants gun control. He wants the LGBT agenda. He favors Planned Parenthood. He adores Putin.
    
    Just wait. When the truth hits you in the face sometime after the convention, you will have to decide if you are going to acknowledge the truth or lose all your principles. That’s more that’s at stake than even this election.
  - Culdees2020
    
    No it will be a vote for Johnson or choosing not to vote. ALL trump Supporters are Hillary Supporters by Proxy.
- RJ
  
  Then enjoy YOUR next president, Killary C-unton.
  
  And STFU when Heller is overturned and the second amendment disappears.
  
  And when Citizens United is overturned and the first amendment disappears.
  
  And when crime in your community goes up 300% from the 100’s of thouands of “refugees” that C-unto will invite into your home.
  
  Vote for Johnson.
  
  But don’t EVER complain about anything again.
  - Culdees2020
    
    You should have supported somebody other than Hillary’s crony trump. You Trumpicans own this mess. Now quit whining.
    - Jeanine Martin
      
      Yup. They wanted him, they’ve got him. They own it. ANY other candidate would beat Hillary easily, but they wanted Trump. It’s on their head.
      - Rocinante
        
        If any other candidate could beat Hillary easily, it stands to reason
        that they could have beaten Trump easily. Unless Trump would be the
        candidate that could beat Hillary easily…. B-B-B-But…
    - Rocinante
      
      I think that Trump did the job that no other Republican candidate would do and took our issues and ran with them. The rest of our candidates were posturing for VP (because it was Jeb’s turn) while Mitt got scared off
      and muttered “And I could have gotten away with it too, if it hadn’t been for that meddling Trump.”
      
      You can either support Trump, or you can oppose him — If you actually think Hillary and the Dems are better for the country than Donald and the Republicans you really have no place in the party.
      
      If you think that the GOP will outlast the country if we lose in November, you really have no place in Politics.
    - RJ
      
      Enjoy Hillary C-unton as YOUR president.
      
      And remember – you’ve lost the right to complain again about anything ever again.
Jeanine Martin

A good summary of what’s happened so far, https://www.facebook.com/jerblosser/posts/10206808304832834
cpf_taxed

The #nevertrump people weren’t crushed. They are still not voting for Trump.
Jeanine Martin

More on this story here, http://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/article_a5b687e4-c1ed-5168-9b23-ee2b3ed3eaaa.html
Pingback: Ergogan's aftermath and yesterday's links()
RJ

Some people have trouble telling the truth, starting with their Anointed King from Kanada.

He said they defeated the “anti-trump” forces, not “conservatives” or “grass roots.”
- Rocinante
  
  Which seems to imply that somebody thinks that anti-trump qualifies as conservative and/or grassroots — only in that small impotent faction is this true.
mezurak

“Ken was wanting to reform for 2020 to keep Democrats from helping pick a massive loser like trump.”

Keeping Dems from helping pick GOP losers? You mean like McCain and
Mitt? Or is the problem Virginia’s open primary system that the GOP
state incumbents have been exploiting forever? In any event, that issue
is a state issue, not the Corporate United funded RNC. Which is a different issue that is way beyond a peon like Cooch’s pay grade.
- Rocinante
  
  Hey, we’re pretty good at picking losers, just look at our leadership and representatives.
mark Jawsz

Jeanine – I read your blog everyday and we agree on many – if not most – topics. But a few times I have caught you attributing words to other people which they did not utter. This is one such moment.
- Rocinante
  
  This is just part of the muckraking charm of this blog. I think it’s done on purpose to get us fired up!
  
  The quote marks were only around the “crushing,” so technically it’s just headline bait. (And we bit)
  
  Much in the 10th dances around semantics — just look at how we slither around ‘support the nominee.’ Gotta be something in the water.
ZZTX

Many Republicans and Trump sycophants do not understand what really happened at the Republican National Convention in respect to the Cruz speech. There was a much bigger agenda than just expecting Ted Cruz to endorse Donald Trump. Trump and his people knew what Cruz was going to say. They all knew that there was going to be no official endorsement coming from Cruz. No self respecting potential party nominee would have allowed anyone to make a speech like that if there was not going to be an endorsement. So what was the motivation for allowing Cruz to deliver such a speech? It was simple. Cruz is seen as the standard bearer for the conservative faction of the Republican Party in the U.S. Congress. The GOP establishment has been diligently trying to disparage the conservatives in Congress since 2010 when the first tea party candidates were successfully elected. The GOP good ol’ boys club has been pissed off ever since that happened. They have fought everything those conservatives have attempted to do in the Congress. By making Cruz the bad guy, they have succeeded in not only humiliating Cruz, but they have for all practical purposes vanquished those damned “tea partiers”! What you witnessed is the beginning of the assault to purge that element from Congress, and it appears that Donald Trump and his staff are in on this plot up to his eyeballs. If you thought Obama was bad, hold on to your horses folks. It’s going to be another bumpy ride no matter who gets elected.
Benjamin Marchi

Ms. Martin, I’ve read much of what you’ve written over the years; most of which I agree with. I do take exception though with your changing Mr. Manafort’s words to suit your narrative. To say Trump supporters are not grassroots is to say that ordinary working folks who work for a living are not grassroots. Political hacks who depend on politics for a paycheck (like Ken Cuccinelli) cannot claim the mantle of “grassroots” any longer. You fail to qualify once you whore yourself out to bidders. Go ahead; tell me how they do it out of patriotism. But that just isnt so – the folks who pushed the rules fight were paid hacks, no better than Ray Allen himself.
On the other hand, Trump volunteers and the Whips in most cases at the convention were, yes, Volunteers, and volunteers are grassroots.
So I’m sorry Ms. Martin, but I respectfully disagree with you on this one. That said, keep giv’in ’em Hell. VR, Ben Marchi
CatPaw

Trump is like the people that buy elephants and then use them for entertainment purposes… we are the elephants.
http://www.theiaa.io/2016/08/29/elephant-totally-crush-tormentors-not-asshole/
Eric Kennedy

This is a VERY strange website. I find the deliberate undermining of the GOP nominee not only offensive but borderline treasonous. With so much at stake in this election (Supreme Court, demographic changes in key battleground states with open borders/amnesty). There is no 2020 if Mr. Trump loses. The Supreme Court will be gone for 30-40 years. That means our civil rights will be eroded beyond recognition, our guns taken, and conservative groups banned from social media and possibly more. (We’ve already seen preliminary signs of all of this to recognize this isn’t hyperbole).

What is Ms. Martin’s point with this article? The same as that moron Cuccinelli? To have Hillary win?

Regardless, I find her offensive and a faux conservative. I wonder what her true motivations are.
BLSkinner

Stop with this garbage. We have an election to win and a country to save. You are pathetic.

Trump Campaign Brags about “Crushing” Conservatives and the Grassroots

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