So I've made it fairly clear in the past that I did not like Donald Trump as a candidate for President. His ego, narcissism, and tendency to take everything critical of him as a personal affront or insult reminds me of the current President, which is not a feature, but a bug (in the IT parlance). And in the past, he has made statements that got under my skin (and before you point out hypocracy here, I will first point out that the statements were not criticisms of me but of others, and second I am not running for President), such as his vile personal attack of Senator John McCain's military service. While there are many things to dislike about Senator McCain, frankly I find nothing remotely questionable about the conduct of Captain McCain. And to insult him because "he got caught" is a slap in the face of all POWs, which a better man than Donald Trump would be ashamed of making. But he's not a better man.
Well, over the weekend, he crossed yet another line. With his slander of former President George W. Bush as having lied us into war, I think the mask has slipped again. I have wondered previously, but after this and along with his defense of Planned Parenthood, I am becoming more and more convinced than ever that Donald Trump has gone through no Road to Damascus moment. He was a liberal Democrat, he is a liberal Democrat, and he will continue to be a liberal Democrat. Whether he is a Clinton stalking horse or not is frankly immaterial. He is no conservative, regardless of his stated stances on immigration. He has directly insulted all of us who supported President George W. Bush during his difficult administration by saying we were supporting a war-mongering tyrant (which would make us culpable, as we supported him). I am not ashamed to admit that there were actions taken and decisions made by President Bush that I felt were misguided. But at no time did I (nor do I currently) believe he was anything other than a good man doing his level best to protect this country. And once again, I think the accusations Donald Trump made at the most recent Republican debate were such that a better man would be ashamed of making. Or at least a better conservative would be ashamed of making them. A liberal would likely feel little to no shame in making those accusations.
8 comments:
Mike, I think the Trump performance indicates he thinks he has the nomination sewn up. He's running for the general now. That "Bush lied" and Planned Parenthood is a basically good organization are commonplaces among the majority of voters who pay light attention to the facts. That majority, I mean, that gets its opinions in the manner of extroverted people, that is, by adopting as true the opinions that are popular.
That's quite an assumption. He's only won a single primary so far and neither of those two expressed opinions will play well in South Carolina. And if he loses big here, it puts his candidacy in serious jeopardy. His strength has been running on vague promises ("Make America Great Again" sounds a hell of a lot like "Hope and Change") and the fact that he's the front runner. He could blow off Iowa as a fluke and sneaky politics (and has done his level best to try and do so), and New Hampshire brought back some of that credibility. But to lose in an actual conservative state like SC will make a lot of people take another look at that "I'm the leader" quality.
I hope you're right that it's an arrogance that will give another -- Cruz, by preference -- a shot at flanking him and making a serious challenge for the nomination. It would be in keeping for him to make an arrogant mistake. However, just that he and his manner remind you of Obama is a reason to think he will win: Obama carried this kind of voter to large majorities, especially in 2008. They're the bulk of the electorate.
Well said, Mike. Can't think of a single thing to add.
As Parker at Neo Neo said, trojan horse or what I call stalking horse, or what Clinton might call his split vote card.
People underestimate the Leftist alliance, and thus they also underestimate one of their founding members, the Democrat party.
Trump has gone further. He's renewed his threat to sue Cruz over his citizenship and eligibility, he's demanded the RNC do something about Cruz' eligibility question, and he's strongly implied that his pledge not to run as a third party candidate hangs in the balance.
Were I Cruz, I'd call him out on that: "If I haven't received your suit filing by [noon Thursday next], the whole world will know your lawyers know you have no case, and you're just blowing smoke.
And after that deadline, I'd end every speech with the following: Trump still hasn't filed; he's still blowing smoke, and then I'd ask what he's afraid of and whether so timid a person belongs in the White House.
Eric Hines
I agree, Mike. Now, how do we convince Trump's voters to change their minds? That's what we need to focus on.
I would say by telling our friends and neighbors our concerns with him as I have just done with this post. I really can do no more, because I do not have the time to stump against him, I do not have anyone in the race that I would actually stump for, and I don't have the money to contribute to a PAC to stump against him on my behalf. So my words will have to suffice.
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