The Very Presumptive/Presumptuous Nominee, and 3rd Party Gambit -- Touché!
Contents
1.
4/27/16 Hopes Still High
2.
5/3/16 Day of the Indiana Primary – Trump Trash
3.
Cruz Drops Out
4.
What Now?
5.
5/4/16 Prager, Kristol & Hannity Weigh In
6.
5/5/16 Paul Ryan & the “Presumptive” Nominee
7.
On the Democrat Side
Executive Summary
Following is more or less a log of my thoughts over the
course of a momentous week. With more
political cartoons than usual – perhaps laughter is the best medicine.
In this post (including 39 political cartoons
to help the medicine go down) I discuss a momentous week, from elevated hopes
with Cruz picking Carly as running mate, to the Indiana primary that resulted
in the despair of Cruz & Kasich dropping out. With Trump now the
“presumptive nominee,” I discuss the dilemma of whether to support such a
deficient and left-leaning character. A choice between the indecent and the
unindicted.
Is it possible to at least influence the GOP
nominee towards conservatism? While he seems to insist that the GOP must unify
by conservatives getting onboard the Trump train, without any compromise on his
part, I am reminded of his repeated 3rd party threats through his campaign.
Perhaps he will be more responsive if we play his old gambit on him, and threaten to go 3rd party unless he
“treats us nice.” Without conservative support (over half the party that did
not vote for him), he has no hope of winning in November. And if he is not more
committed to conservatism, is he really any better than Hillary, especially if
he pivots left, and she right? One indication would be early commitments to
specific able, conservative cabinet members & VP. If he can compromise with
Palestinians and Russians, he’d best start with conservatives.
4/27/16 Hopes Still
High
Today Ted Cruz gave me (& everyone) another good reason
to back him – his choice of Carly Fiorina as running-mate & VP. As anyone who’s followed my blog the last
year knows, she has long been my first choice as VP, though my dream ticket had
her paired with Rubio. But I’ll readily
settle for this ticket. 2 valiant,
articulate and talented conservatives.
They are both fighters, and that’s what we need – as she said, there is
too much at stake not to fight, despite the media having decided the race already
for Trump.
She showed her softer side, singing a song she’s sung on the
road with Cruz’ little girls. Then she
lashed out as only she can against Trump & Hillary, how they are the system
– two sides of it, one selling influence, the other buying, and both
liberal. She is truly inspiring, and to
be honest I prefer to hear her speak to Cruz, though I support both of their
values.
Trump’s foreign “policy” speech today was his typical non-specific
Pablum, looking out for the U.S. He is a
product of the media – from his celebrity on reality TV, to the excessive and
preferential coverage the mainstream media has given him in the campaign to
produce a candidate they’re confident Hillary can beat. And too many low-information voters have gone
along with his celebrity and the media coverage focus, confusing the roles of
celebrity and political leadership.
We’ll see if Indiana can pull us back before we go over the
abyss. There is still hope in a
contested convention, as described in my blog.
Trump continues to cry over Cruz’ & Kasich’s tactics – I guess he
never played Risk.
5/3/16 Day of the Indiana
Primary – Trump Trash
Trump’s latest attack on another member of Cruz’ family –
apparently lending credence to a National Enquirer story (their owner a Trump
supporter) saying Cruz’ father may have been involved with JFK’s assassin,
Oswald. Is there no limit to their shamefulness? Or what Trump’s followers will put up with or
believe?
How about that piece of Trump trash that didn’t want a civil
discourse w. Cruz? They should be
embarrassed and disown such. Or better,
acknowledge that that’s what Trump attracts, and abandon him. ABC coverage of the incident only showed the
extremely rude Trump supporter yelling “lyin’ Ted” and asking why he didn’t
drop out of the race, not Cruz’ very tempered, civil attempt at conversation
with the man, which the Fox news at least did show. Despite Fox giving Trump endless coverage in
general.
I was tempted to join the Trump protests in Costa Mesa.
I have yet to hear an articulate, rational, substantive
Trump supporter. One Trump supporter
called in to Medved today, admitting Trump is basically a sociopath, and wouldn’t
want their daughter to marry him, and wouldn’t go into business with him, but
will trust him with the highest office and greatest power on earth. Medved asked if she were sane, and she said
yes, and justified that he’s such a successful businessman. Medved pointed out his many business
failures, and over 200 lawsuits against him.
Trump today: “Cruz doesn’t have the temperament to be
president.” Now if that isn’t the pot
calling the kettle black….
Cruz Drops Out
Well, I heard Cruz’ speech after the Indiana primary results
were evident today, suspending his campaign.
I was hoping he’d fight on to California – I didn’t think it would be
totally decided until then, but apparently California being last never
matters. Just one more hope dashed after
Rubio dropping out. And I think I speak
for many other Republicans – maybe even the majority or very close to it. I feel the GOP, or at least those who call
themselves Republicans, or conservatives, if they even know what that means,
has made a terrible mistake. One that
will be evident either if Trump becomes president, or if he loses to
Hillary.
This uninformed electorate that relies on media celebrity
and hollow platitudes seems hell-bent on learning the hard way, just as it was
8 and 4 years ago. I don’t have the
exact numbers, but it is claimed that evangelicals are very supportive of Trump
– apparently more so than Romney. I
think they’ll see the result of that support prove just as disastrous as their inconsistent
lack of support for a much better man.
They’ll take a materialistic man of crude language and demeanor over a service-oriented
gentleman Mormon.
I don’t know what I’ll do with the Cruz-Carly bumper
stickers and yard signs I ordered, or if they’ll even come. Maybe collector items? It was I think the shortest-lived candidate
team – a week? I’m very disappointed
that I don’t have anyone left in the race to vote for other than Trump in the
California primary in a few weeks. Once
again, we’re irrelevant. Cruz’ name is
still on the ballot I just got, so maybe I’ll go ahead and cast a symbolic
vote for him.
What Now?
I said earlier that I’d probably prefer Trump to Hillary,
but the more I think about it and see his continuing low-life character, it is
harder and harder to see that he is clearly better. I think they are both dishonest, and share
many of the same positions. I don’t’
have to support him or vote for someone of his character, values and policies. If he doesn’t start acting better and
articulating conservative principles, then I won’t support him and include
myself among the mindless, unprincipled low-lifers who’ve supported him no
matter what, and so facilitated and encouraged more of the same. Surely not all of his supporters are mindless,
unprincipled low-lifers, but they seem to be in the minority of those I’ve
heard.
Perhaps some scriptural counsel is relevant here:
“Wherefore, honest
men and wise men should be sought
for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold;
otherwise whatsoever is less than these
cometh of evil.” D&C 98:10
I also listened to Trump’s most ungracious and narcissistic
victory speech after Indiana and after Cruz dropped out of the race. He also said “You will soon be very proud of
this country.” He can start with trying
to make us more proud of him. He needs
to win over the majority of Republicans who dislike him, and may well not vote
for him. He cannot win a general
election without their support and votes.
We’ll see if he can unite the GOP and the country, after
being so divisive and personally abusive.
It wasn’t that long ago that Obama was promising the same thing, and
then has left us more divided than ever.
I will continue to criticize Trump when I think it’s
deserved and needed. But will also
continue to point out Hillary’s shortfalls, of which there are plenty. In the end, the voters will have to choose
the lesser of two evils.
Kasich apparently is staying in, hoping for a contested
convention. If there are somehow enough
unbound delegates who would dare go for someone with so little apparent
support. Cruz would have much more
legitimate claim, as would even Rubio.
And by merely “suspending” their campaigns, technically they still have
delegates, should it somehow miraculously be contested.
5/4/16 Prager, Kristol
& Hannity Weigh In
One caller to Prager said the presidential race is now
between the indecent and the unindicted.
A Trump supporter called, saying he supports Trump “because he will
shake things up [the status quo]”, and he’s a “ruthless businessman who’ll get
things done.” Apparently it’s felt that’s
what’s needed to break the political gridlock.
One might ask “what things?” The
supporters generally seem not concerned over conservative principles/values,
but only what everyone of course wants – a better economy, America’s interests
to be first. How one achieves that, and at
what costs, of course, also matter.
William Kristol said that while Trump may hopefully change
his positions to more conservative, he’s not at all optimistic about him
changing his character at his age. I
agree – and he’s already shown his propensity for lying (and accusing others of
it – projection), narcissism, meanness, and crudeness. Some think now he may actually pivot to the
left for the general election, to appeal to the moderates, and Hillary may
pivot to the right. They don’t seem all
that far apart already in many areas.
Prager – “It’s a dark Time in America” – the title of his
article written the day of the Indiana Primary.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/434850/dark-time-america
Trump says he’ll get great people, but he’s slandered and
dismissed many of the truly great and capable people – apparently anyone who
disagrees or opposes him. Only Christie,
Carson & Palin have openly kissed up.
I don’t think he knows where to find the best. Hopefully he’ll be big enough to recognize
and acknowledge them if/when they step forward or are recommended.
Hannity, who gave Trump great deference and coverage, now
bloviates that Trump’s victory is a natural result of the impotence of GOP
politicians who didn’t fight the system.
Which of course shows how ill-informed they are of Cruz’ efforts. And what results (or even efforts) does Trump
have to show, other than promises that anyone can make?
5/5/16 Paul Ryan
& the “Presumptive” Nominee
Paul Ryan says he’s not yet ready to support Trump, but he
is meeting with him next week. He says
the primary burden of unifying the party over his candidacy is on Trump. Exactly my sentiments – he doesn’t just
automatically get our support just because we’re Republicans. At least half of Republicans didn’t vote for
Trump. Life-long, principled Republicans,
unlike Trump. We need respect, too – it’s
2-way.
Trump right away signaled that if people in the GOP don’t
want to support him, he doesn’t want or need them. Specifically Paul Ryan, Lindsay Graham. Childish.
Why is the onus all on others?
Why are we less justified in thinking the same thing? If we formed an independent 3rd
party, as some are seriously talking, his general election chances would be
over. Two can play that game that he
played for months during the campaign, threatening a 3rd party run
if he wasn’t treated nice. We can show
our indifference to the importance of his election, especially compared with
preserving conservatism, just as he showed indifference to the GOP/conservatism
in threatening a 3rd party run.
Is that posturing, or not? Maybe
it depends on whether he “treats us nice,” to quote him. If he pivots any further Left than he already
is, there’s no way I could support him in the general election. If only for the sake of the GOP. In fact, if he doesn’t pivot more to the
Right & conservatism, I don’t think I or a decisive number of Republicans
will support him.
I can’t be expected to suddenly experience amnesia over
Trump’s prior behavior and positions, nor suddenly, thoughtlessly, embrace or
endorse them, unlike apparently a large number of his supporters.
Trump is the “presumptive” nominee. Yes, he’s very presumptuous – that all who
disagree with him are to be dismissed and belittled, that to unify, all others
must compromise and come to him. By his
own words, he’s more willing to compromise with Palestinians, with Russia, etc.
than with conservatives. Hmmm, sounds
like someone else we know who currently occupies the White House.
On the Democrat Side
Obama is now boasting how united the Dems are – less difference
between Hillary and Sanders than between Republicans. He/they should rather be ashamed of their fascistic
lack of diversity, and being so united so far to the Left. The Nazis were united, the Russian &
Chinese Communists & North Koreans,…..
Hillary continues to brush off the seriousness of the
classified emails, saying there was no intent.
But the law doesn’t require intent, but only negligence. Sanders pulled off an upset win in Indiana,
and remains fairly close to Hillary – closer than Cruz was to Trump.
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