February 27, 2016

"Despite all the forces arrayed against Mr. Trump... the party has been gripped by a nearly incapacitating leadership vacuum and a paralytic sense of indecision and despair..."

"... as he has won smashing victories in South Carolina and Nevada. Donors have dreaded the consequences of clashing with Mr. Trump directly. Elected officials have balked at attacking him out of concern that they might unintentionally fuel his populist revolt. And Republicans have lacked someone from outside the presidential race who could help set the terms of debate from afar. The endorsement by Mr. Christie, a not unblemished but still highly regarded figure within the party’s elite — he is a former chairman of the Republican Governors Association — landed Friday with crippling force. It was by far the most important defection to Mr. Trump’s insurgency: Mr. Christie may give cover to other Republicans tempted to join Mr. Trump rather than trying to beat him. Not just the Stop Trump forces seemed in peril, but also the traditional party establishment itself."

From a NYT article, based on interviews with insiders, titled "Inside the Republican Party’s Desperate Mission to Stop Donald Trump."

The most interesting revelation is that despite Christie's skewering of Rubio for his robotic scriptedness, after Christie dropped out of the race, Rubio reached out to Christie, to try to get his endorsement. But Rubio bungled it. He left a voice mail that included some sort of assurance that Christie had "had a bright future in public service":
Mr. Christie, 53, took the message as deeply disrespectful and patronizing, questioning why “a 44-year-old” was telling him about his future, said people who described his reaction on the condition of anonymity. Further efforts to connect the two never yielded a direct conversation.
Meanwhile, Trump "made frequent calls to Mr. Christie once he dropped out," and "the two met at Trump Tower on Thursday with their wives."

And doesn't that show the problem? It's not just that Trump has his posh real estate and well-practiced socializing skills to butter up useful people, but that Rubio doesn't have anything comparable. He left a voice mail and it was patronizing. He even had the opportunity to script the hell out of the message before calling and he failed to anticipate how his words would affect someone about whom he knew plenty. How is this man supposed to deal with all the many people a President must interact with in all sorts of planned and spontaneous encounters? How can GOP insiders have come up with the idea of everyone coalescing around Rubio? The only argument seems to be to scare everyone into thinking that Trump is a horrible disaster. But Christie's judgment refutes that last ditch scare tactic.

And, by the way, Mitt Romney won't endorse Rubio:
Mr. Rubio’s advisers were... thwarted in their efforts to secure an endorsement from Mr. Romney, whom they lobbied strenuously after the Feb. 20 South Carolina primary. Mr. Romney had been eager to tilt the race, and even called Mr. Christie after he ended his campaign to vent about Mr. Trump and say he must be stopped. On the night of the primary, Mr. Romney was close to endorsing Mr. Rubio himself, people familiar with his deliberations said. Yet Mr. Romney pulled back, instead telling advisers that he would take on Mr. Trump directly.
What's wrong with Rubio?!

290 comments:

1 – 200 of 290   Newer›   Newest»
Dan in Philly said...

Lots of people with no experience in persuasion seem to think it's always a positive experience. Trump has loads of persuasion experience and knows often you can make someone agree with you even if they don't want to. Pressure, fear, self interest, lots of things can make others do what you wish them to.

Trump doesn't care how he manages to get you to go along, he just does it. What was the old line about politics? Grab them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow.

DanTheMan said...

What's wrong with Rubio? He's a charming, first-term senator with no real accomplishments.
Sound familiar?

Ann Althouse said...

Here's an April 2012 article in Mother Jones, "10 Things You Need to Know About Marco Rubio" noting that "Rubio has endorsed Romney [and] tagged along on the presidential campaign trail": "Mitt's spokeswoman has called Rubio 'a wheeling and dealing Miami lobbyist and politician, always trying to scam the system for his personal benefit.'"

What does Romney know about Rubio?

There are so many distasteful characters in the Republican crowd. I really don't know how to sort them out. I'm put off by the desperate accusations that Trump is "evil" or somehow something like Hitler. You can't beat something with nothing.

Laslo Spatula said...

"Yet Mr. Romney pulled back, instead telling advisers that he would take on Mr. Trump directly."

Cause Romney's gots street-fighting skillz.

I am Laslo.

Kansas City said...

A highly flawed guy like Christie decides it is in his self interest to endorse another self absorbed like Trump and the question is "what is wrong with Rubio?"

Ann Althouse said...

Why won't Romney endorse Rubio?

Why does there seem to be something physically or neurologically wrong with him? What do we know about him?

Why couldn't he reach out to Christie decently?

Henry said...

I don't know about Rubio, but I think sportswriter Joe Posnanski has a brilliant essay about Trump's method (not his madness), titled Trump and the Fourth Wall.

Donald Trump breaks the fourth wall so effortlessly, so easily, that it’s easy to miss. He constantly and happily refers to poll numbers, for instance. Any time a positive new poll comes along, he tells people about it. But he more than tells people — he luxuriates in his poll numbers. “The new polls came out and they’re very, very good for us,” he says over and over in every possible setting. Think about it: When was the last time you heard anyone running for president talk so lovingly about poll numbers? You’ve never heard it before because to talk polls is basically to get out of character, to admit that the speech you are giving, the positions you are stating, the line you are drawing in the sand is not authentic but instead part of a big game. It’s the opposite of method acting. This is like Marlon Brando, in the middle of the orange scene, turning to the camera and saying, “I’m getting great reviews for this, great reviews, I’m thinking Oscar.”

Reading this, and thinking about the Christie endorsement, and thinking about the barrage of Trump-as-downfall-of-civilization agitprop nonsense I'm seeing in social media, I've decided that not only do I not believe half the things Trump says, neither do the people who know him.

The Republicans have a public duty to knock him out of the race. He's a disaster for their party. He's a bubblegum spittoon of a human being. But they don't believe anything he says. Partly this is because political professionals know you can't show up in Washington and blow your horn and the walls of Jericho stand up again. Partly this is because those that know him -- Christie knows him -- probably actually like him. Most importantly, the elites don't fear him. Christie doesn't fear him. Romney doesn't fear him. The Clintons don't fear him either. Fear is for the rabble that need to be roused.

M Jordan said...

Rubio needs four or eight more years. He does have some natural political talent; his comedy act yesterday showed it. But he's raw and green. And he's no match for Lord VoldeTrump.

traditionalguy said...

This Strong Christian sure has stirred up everybody. The red alerts are flashing inside the Australian Murdoch's Media Empire, and inside The salt Lake City Mormon Temple, and inside the Telemundo Hispanic Invaders headquarters in Mexico City, and inside the Vatican, and inside the Mortgage Bankers of Wall Street, and inside the Chinese Communist Party, and inside the Bush Political Machine in Houston and Kennebunkport.

That Trump is a DIFFICULT man.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Chris Christie is the fat McCain. Romney is the loser. I'm not sure I'd care to focus on those endorsements.
That said, If Romney endorses Trump, I'm gonna laugh really hard.

Ann Althouse said...

Why are the GOP insiders intent on coalescing around Rubio?

I thought we were going to get one of the governors?.Kasich is the last governor standing. Why wasn't he the one?

I'm reading in the NYT article that the insiders are all pissed at him for not getting out. I don't get it. Is it some insane delusion around the idea that the GOP could be the party of ethnic diversity? Are they smitten with his supposed handsomeness? What unfathomable mediocrity!

Trump keeps saying: I'm not a politician. I'm new at this. And he seems quirkily surprised that the nomination was there for his taking. Why was the party so pathetically vulnerable?

I'm not a Republican, but I care about the balance of the 2-party system.

I guess if both parties crack up in the same year, there's some balance in that.

Kansas City said...

I assume Romney dreams of getting the nomination. Everything he does should be seen from that perspective.

This is not hard. Rubio needs to beat Trump in Florida. I think Rubio should also challenge Christie directly to meet and debate his "endorsement" of Trump.

Henry said...

As for Christie, it seems to me that he's blown Kasich off his game. Kasich is running for VP or a cabinet position. His game is to play nice with everyone and endorse the winner. But now Christie has beaten him to Trump. Kasich either needs to go all in and endorse Rubio or keep playing nice and settle for an ambassadorship.

Hell, the Clintons would probably give him an ambassadorship just for splitting votes from Rubio.

MadisonMan said...

I think a better description of the leadership vacuum in the Republican Party would modify things with 'corrupt Washington DC Politicos'. So there is not leadership in the party from corrupt Washington DC Politicos.

Trump is doing a fine job of leading the Republican Party, as evidenced by his trajectory in the Primaries; that the Powers That Be in the party don't like it says a lot about them; It sucks to lose power.

Tank said...

Ann Althouse said...

Why are the GOP insiders intent on coalescing around Rubio?

*****

Trump keeps saying: I'm not a politician. I'm new at this. And he seems quirkily surprised that the nomination was there for his taking. Why was the party so pathetically vulnerable?


Because they have been lying to and shitting on and double crossing their base for years. That was an easy one.

M Jordan said...

"Ann: Why won't Romney endorse Rubio"

Tactics and doubt. Tactics because Romney thinks it's not quite the ripe moment. Doubt because Romney doesn't want to back a losing horse. And it's likely that doubt will grow making it impossible for the Rom-Meister to endorse.

More interesting to me, the dynamic has changed in the last three or four days. Then it was "Winnow the field!" Now it's "Everybody, stay in the pool!" At least that's what it should be if the establishment types and the non-Trump candidates are smart. A brokered convention is their only hope and that requires all the dwarves to chip off a few delegates song the way.

Once written, twice... said...

The Democratic Party is not cracking up though. That will be further demonstrated after the polls close tonight. Sanders can easily transition to endorsing Clinton. Democrats will be in great shape to unify and turn their focus to fighting Trump. Who on the Republican side will join us?

Tank said...

Kasich would probably be a good VP pick for Trump, and that's a good reason for him to stay in and visible.

Limited blogger said...

I've never felt like a Republican. I universally vote Republican because that's where the candidate with the closest approximation of my values is situated. Trump is running as a Republican. What he really is or what he will really do is something the voter must take a bit of a gamble on. You want a sure thing? Vote for Rubio you'll get establishment GOP like GHW, Dole, GW, McCain, Romney. You want uber-conservative like Reagan? Vote for Cruz. You want someone to build the wall, and Make America Great Again? You know what to do.

M Jordan said...

I am carefully writing and editing this post so that it becomes my first not to betray me with auto-correct errors.

I did tit!

pm317 said...

He left a voice mail and it was patronizing. He even had the opportunity to script the hell out of the message before calling and he failed to anticipate how his words would affect someone about whom he knew plenty. How is this man supposed to deal with all the many people a President must interact with in all sorts of planned and spontaneous encounters? How can GOP insiders have come up with the idea of everyone coalescing around Rubio?

Ha.. love this!

Kansas City said...

I'm sure Ann is correct people who know Trump realize that, to the extent he is saying anything of substance, he does not really believe it, or at least does not believe it sufficiently to stick with it if something better comes along.

But I don't understand Ann's hostility toward Rubio. Compared to the rest of the crowd of highly flawed people in the self absorbed occupation of politician (of self promoting businessman), he seems at or near the top.


Hagar said...

Why do we not see any articles on why the Democrats don't - or can't - stop Hillary!?

JHapp said...

I recall tuning into a republican debate only to find Rubio and Cruz locked into a mindless circle of esoteric and semantic arguments. Part of me was hoping Trump would just pull out a gun and shot them.

Psota said...

Romney must sense there is something inherently untrustworthy in Rubio, even if he couldn't point to any one particular disqualified. The Mitt campaign vetted Rubio for VP and my memory is they couldn't pull the trigger.

Personally, I think Rubio comes across as someone with the strong potential for developing a "John Edwards" problem.

pm317 said...

I'm not a Republican, but I care about the balance of the 2-party system.

This is the year of non-party people rising. Both parties will get screwed if Trump wins because he is no Republican. He is just taking over the party that is the easier of the two. What I want to know is who is behind the curtain on Trump's side.

Hagar said...

or won't.

Titus said...

Rubio is not as smart as he thinks he is-and he reminds me of a male Tracey Flick.

David Begley said...

Nice leak to the NYT of a private voice mail by that pathetic Chris Christie.

Hey, Chris. Marco got way more votes than you. Age makes no difference.

Kansas City said...

By the way, putting all this emphasis on anonymous hearsay reports of a purported voice mail and Christie's alleged reaction to it seems strange. Let's make this simple. Christie is acting in his own perceived self interest. I doubt that the purported voice message has much to do with Christie's assessment of his self interest.

M Jordan said...

Christie's all about Christie. Anyone recall his speech at the last convention, the one where the theme was Chris Christie, not Mitt Romney?

Bob Boyd said...

"What's wrong with Rubio?!"

He's part chihuahua.

M Jordan said...

Christie's focus on Rubio yesterday shows he's still smarting from being the suicide bomber against Marco. He went after Marco, succeeded to some extent, but blew up himself in the process.

mtrobertslaw said...

"...something neurologically wrong with him?" Althouse may be unto something here. Whenever he goes on autopilot, which he still does even after Christie's attack, Rubio gets this weird blank look. He just might have a few wires loose.

David Begley said...

Love all these worshipful comments of the great and powerful Trump. But the BIG NEWS is that yesterday he said he wants to "open up" our libel laws so blogs like this couldn't criticize The Donald. Trump will issue an Exceutive Order and strike down New York Times v. Sullivan. Trump is an unhinged con artist.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Once written, twice... said...
The Democratic Party is not cracking up though.


Correct. It is uncharacteristically disciplined. Yet, their candidate is a terrible match for the zeitgeist.

Kansas City said...

One last point is that if Trump gets the nomination, his history of sexist remarks will kill his chances. Three years after Princess Diana died, he was still on the Howard Stern show talking about how much he would have liked to have had sex with her. Assuming Hillary is not indicted and the nominee (about , how does he win?

Mark said...

Elected officials have balked at attacking him out of concern that they might unintentionally fuel his populist revolt.

You are about six months too late, dumbasses. You, GOP Establishment together with Fox, created this monster with your constant near-complete focus on Trump personally from the very beginning, including making it all about Trump when you ask questions of other candiates. By sucking all of the oxygen out of the room for other people, with the never-ending barrage of ad hominem attacks against Trump, people began to sympathize with the buffoon while never getting the chance to learn about other candidates, much less ever have any discussion on things like the issues.

For this I blame the party establishment and a great deal of the blame goes to Fox News too. They have turned the election into a damned reality TV show.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
dreams said...

Its kind of amusing to read all these Republican pundits badmouthing Trump calling him all kind of bad names saying he is a vile bully without realizing it is they who are being the bullies, it seems to me.

Mike Sylwester said...

Rubio can win if he adopts a harder line on immigration.

I myself have switched from Walker to Trump to Cruz -- every switch because of the immigration issue. I'd be happy to switch to Rubio if he would shift satisfactorily on the immigration issue. Until then, I'm staying with Cruz.

Here's a first, baby step for Rubio. Announce that he now advocates a reform of birth-right citizenship, by Constitutional amendment if necessary.

I think that such a reform would be very popular. Practically nobody supports the idea that foreign women should be able to visit the USA and give birth here so that the baby becomes a US citizen. So far, only Trump and Cruz have advocated such a reform.

traditionalguy said...

The Sanders supporters will most likely vote for President Trump, but not admit it. They need jobs and they know it matters more than Revolution, and Trump is sort of a Revolution too. The French Revoluton says Peggy Noonan. And everybody secretly likes Napoleonic strong winners restoring the Glory Again.

Anonymous said...

The Democratic Party is not about to crack up. It's solid. The vast majority of Democrats will accept the Democratic nominee whichever one it ends up being and will vote for that person, considering the alternative.

dreams said...

I have never liked Rubio, he always seemed like a lightweight to me.

Michael K said...

"What's wrong with Rubio? He's a charming, first-term senator with no real accomplishments."

Yes and that is why I am not happy about him.

I am worried about Trump and whether he will just blow things up if elected.

How about this scenario ? Trump and Hillary both implode and Romney is invited to take over ? I think Romney sees this as an end game and is content to wait and see what happens. I was an enthusiastic Romney supporter in 2012 and still think it was a disaster of Biblical proportions that he lost to Obama. I doubt he is willing to do anything but wait now. He is the competent manager that Dukakis thought he could be.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Rubio does his homework and he is well spoken. He has an opportunity to be the much needed young future of an aging GOP. He's not perfect and his gang of 8 decision is the only real item that haunts him. But he does his homework. Most of his negatives are manufactured in the hackDNC meat-grinder uni-thought media who fear him the most because he is all those things and up against an old tired Hillary. He must be stopped.

Kasich should be running as a democrat. I'd have more respect for him. Kasich and Webb should be running on the D-side. Hillary should be in a cell-- or laughed off the stage, but the media elites are desperate to coronate her.

The void - a socialist or an old repetitive big-mouthed flip flopping bloviating position shifting billionaire with a hot wife and big plans that keep shape shifting and have no basis in reality. We are ready to toss a system that used to be guided by the major branches of government. We do want a king. We DO want a dictator. sad tits.

Derek Kite said...

Republicans want to build a movement without the ugly and messy details of actually getting someone to vote for them. Leave that to the consultants and their computers. The line I have heard over and over again is who else will they vote for? Then Trump shows up.

There will be a third party. The divisions in the Republican party are irreconcilable. This is similar to the Red Tory/Western conservative break in Canada.

Any Democrat who feels there is comfort to be had should look at the Nevada turnout numbers. Democrats won't vote Republican, they simply won't vote.

I predict a record voter turnout for Republicans in every primary to come, and that will carry through to the general. The last man standing is the one who has not either directly or by proxy insulted the Republican electorate. I have a sense who that will be.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

It is interesting that two sitting U.S. governors have now endorsed Trump's outsider campaign. I would guess that those who actually have to govern in the real world find the blather about principles, in Washington and on the airwaves, estranged from the economic reality of their states and their constituents.

dreams said...

Rubio will do what it takes to make money, he will soon be history in politics, I think.

Anonymous said...

It's pure wishful thinking to seriously believe any significant percentage of Democrats would vote for Trump over Hillary Clinton. Trump is not going to be able to bring back jobs any more than any other President. He is selling film flam. Most Democrats understand this.

Tank said...

Mike Sylwester said...

Rubio can win if he adopts a harder line on immigration.

I myself have switched from Walker to Trump to Cruz -- every switch because of the immigration issue. I'd be happy to switch to Rubio if he would shift satisfactorily on the immigration issue. ..


Why are you volunteering to be "the Mark?"

Rubio = Amnesty. Even if he lies about it now, he is Amnesty.

rcocean said...

Sad that Romney didn't endorse Rubio, it would've been the kiss of death.

Nothing would make me happier than if Romney, Grahamnesty, McCrazy, and Bob Dole had a big press conference and attacked Cruz/Trump and endorsed Rubio.

Paco Wové said...

"that pathetic Chris Christie."

Interesting to watch Republicans tell the world how much other Republicans suck. Gotta be some wheels-within-wheels strategy here, but I'm just not seeing it.

David Begley said...

Kansas City

I didn't know about the Princess Di comment but there is video of Trump on The Five stating that if Ivanka wasn't his daughter, he'd date her. This stuff should have been out months ago.

We are headed to a landslide win for Hillary.

rhhardin said...

Cruz and Rubio and Kasich and the others have no sense of humor. That's what's wrong with them.

If they were girls they'd be feminists.

Trump has and uses his sense of humor, and is the true feminist: let the girls do what interests them.

Anonymous said...

Trump is perpetrating a fraud on a segment of the American people. It's simply another "Trump University", but on steroids and the gullible are enrolling.

averagejoe said...

"How is this man supposed to deal with all the many people a President must interact with in all sorts of planned and spontaneous encounters? How can GOP insiders have come up with the idea of everyone coalescing around Rubio?"

Asks the Rubio cheerleader who has been advocating for Mario for the last 6 weeks....

rcocean said...

Coalesce around Kascih? Impossible. Outside of NE and Industrial Midwest Kascish is a big zero. He got 6% of vote in South Carolina and Nevada.

Plus, he's old, white, liberal-centrist, and boring.

David Begley said...

Paco

Chris is a Notheast liberal RINO. No national appeal. Irrelevant beyond NJ.

rcocean said...

The Establishment SHOULD coalesce around Cruz. He's the conservative alternative to Trump and is 10x smarter than Rubio.

But they hate Cruz more than their dislike of Trump. Just showing that their hatred of Trump isn't due to Trump personality or his liberal positions but because he's not a member of their club and will do something about one-sided trade deals and immigration.

JackWayne said...

Amanda, ask yourself who will win NY. Do they like Trump or Hillary? My bet is that Trump wins NY going away. And that will be the election right there.

Michael K said...

"find the blather about principles, in Washington and on the airwaves, estranged from the economic reality of their states and their constituents."

I agree. I'm starting to worry that we are agreeing so much.

I worry a lot about whether Trump is selling us a "Hoover" as the British say. And will do what he pleases if elected.

The Congress branch of the GOP put us here by ignoring the actual voters and cooperating with the donor class who want immigration, both illegal and H1B legal. They also do a lot of "virtue signaling" with PC and gay marriage and other symbols that hurt the base members but the donor class are immune to.

If Trump is just bullshitting us and turns left there are some Robespierre wannabes in waiting.

Balfegor said...

Wait, how did we go from "everybody endorse Rubio!" * to:

Why does there seem to be something physically or neurologically wrong with him? What do we know about him?

I don't think Rubio is ready for the presidency, and I do not support him, but why would we think there's something "physically or neurologically wrong" with him? Can't it just be that the party elders who otherwise could be endorsing him held off for a long, long time because (to their credit!) they thought he was too inexperienced to put forth as the candidate of the establishment, and have only flipped to him now that all their good options have dried up.

And re: the voicemail to Christie, it could just be that -- with his melange of inexperience, insecurity, and self-regard -- Rubio is just a bit too self-involved to read those kinds of high-stakes interpersonal interactions accurately. Obama has had the same problem.

* Or were all those earlier posts meta, in the sense of if the objective is to stop Trump then they ought to endorse Rubio?

trumpintroublenow said...

I recall all the candidates pledged to support the nominee. Will be interesting to see how Rubio manages to finesse this and actively support a "con artist" What's his line -- our con-artist is not as big a crook as your con-artist?

rcocean said...

Funny that Trump calls Cruz a "Liar". The real liar is Rubio. Got elected by running against Amnesty, then once elected jointed Gang of 8 and become point man in selling Amnesty.

Its like Sanders getting elected and then cutting top tax rate and getting rid of Corporate income tax and Capital gains tax.

Rubio's still lying about his support for Amnesty.

JackWayne said...

Elections for President are always about strength. Who is the Strong Horse. Who is stronger regardless of politics? Obama or McCain? Bush or Clinton? Reagan or Carter? Out of the 20 Republicans, Trump is the strongest. It's why he's winning. Ask who is stronger: Clinton or Trump? That will be your winner, politics be damned.

averagejoe said...

Ann Althouse said...
There are so many distasteful characters in the Republican crowd.
2/27/16, 9:36 AM

I know, right? Why can't they be more charming, like Hillary and Bernie, like Li'l Barry and Debbie W-S, like Howard Dean and Chuck Schumer, like Donna Brazile and John Kerry? Such classy elegant sophisticates. Why can't republicans be nicer, like democrats are....

Balfegor said...

Re: David Begley:

I didn't know about the Princess Di comment but there is video of Trump on The Five stating that if Ivanka wasn't his daughter, he'd date her. This stuff should have been out months ago.

I think it was -- neither of these is new to me today.

Kansas City said...

My problem with Cruz, which I realize is very subjective, is that he comes across to me as oozing phony sincerity. His tone of voice tries to convey how sincere he is, when he is talking normal political pap that he knows is tripe. Maybe that is the problem. He knows it is political BS, but he falsely tries to convey sincerity when he says it, which results in the phony sincerity.

David Begley said...

Trump and Christie are not just unlikable, they are repulsive.

Balfegor:

Very few people know ten percent of the dirt on Donald and when it comes out people rationalize it. Trump is *our* strongman.

Anonymous said...

David Begley @2/27/16, 10:05 AM:

Love all these worshipful comments of the great and powerful Trump.


Could you please point out all these worshipful comments?

Honestly curious whose comments among those preceding yours @10:05 AM you consider "worshipful".

If you just meant tradguy, I'll let you slink away without bothering you about it anymore.

bbkingfish said...

Christie is a life-long Bushie.

Marco will be getting no help from The Family in Florida or Texas. He is on his own.

Paul said...

"One last point is that if Trump gets the nomination, his history of sexist remarks will kill his chances."

Hilarious!! You are delusional. You fools are so far from your finger being on the pulse that it's actually a fascinating anthropological phenomenon.

I'm so intrigued, albeit in a disgusted way, at the sheer puerile meltdown of the cuckservatives over the Trump ascension that I will take enormous guilty pleasure in their tears of impotent rage when he wins the general.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

AprilApple said...
Rubio does his homework and he is well spoken.


He's so DREAMy.

Anonymous said...

Begley, seeing you call Christie a RINO is the height of hypocrisy. YOU are the RINO. Well, to be fair, since you're an establishment hack, I suppose you are a 'real Republican'.

You keep trying to throw Trump under the bus. Bad news for you: What bus? You establishment losers have no following. Get used to it.

Amanda, you're a lonely voice out there. I see what's going on. The cascade is truly beginning. There's nothing any of you can do about it.

David Begley said...

Angle

Not going to do research for you because then you'll dispute whether the comments amount to Trump worship.

Malesch Morocco said...

Maybe Chris Christie got a voicemail from Bruce Springsteen to endorse Trump. That would explain it.

Saint Croix said...

And doesn't that show the problem? It's not just that Trump has his posh real estate and well-practiced socializing skills to butter up useful people, but that Rubio doesn't have anything comparable.

Althouse, next time you might check the endorsement primary before you say something like this.

SteveR said...

Democrats are loving this uproar in the Republican ranks while Hillary is slinking into the nomination and ready to get on to the coronation. But they soon may face the reality that not only is she a really terrible candidate, but people don't like any of these people, not just establishment repubs.

Ann Althouse said...

"But I don't understand Ann's hostility toward Rubio. Compared to the rest of the crowd of highly flawed people in the self absorbed occupation of politician (of self promoting businessman), he seems at or near the top."

My respect for Rubio has fallen in the last few weeks.

1. The bad comedy, with the childish proud-of-himself grinning, especially the peeing in his pants stuff.

2. His failure to make key connections with Christie and Romney. He seems to lack interpersonal skill and I'm worried that Romney knows something about him.

3. He seems to have something physically/neurologically wrong with him that isn't being disclosed. Why does he have one drooping eye and excessive thirst?

4. He is, as Christie said, scripted. He's robotic. He doesn't come across as a genuine human being. Is he hiding something? Trump is an unusual and exaggeratedly expressive person, but I look at him and recognize that I'm looking at a real person. I don't know what Rubio is supposed to be.

5. Why didn't Jeb get out and support him in October? I thought that was what needed to be done. But Jeb stayed in, and the insiders must have been supporting that. I'm guessing they felt Rubio didn't have what it takes and that Jeb, for all his terribleness, was still the best hope of the establishment. Why has Jeb still not backed Rubio?

6. I realize I don't know that much about Rubio. I don't know what the Democrats would throw at him if he got the election, and I don't have any way to guess how well he'd bear up under attack. With Trump, I do know that.

Anonymous said...

TCom,
Democrats are laughing their asses off at the Republican Party and the monster, Trump they've created. It only benefits Democrats that you folks are so fucked up.

David Begley said...

TCom

Yeah, I'm a real RINO. I backed Carly; the person with no political experience who would have turned DC upside down.

DanTheMan said...

>>his history of sexist remarks will kill his chances

..and Hillary's lifelong enablement of a sexual predator and accused rapist will have no impact on hers?

So, sexist remarks are worse than covering rapes and sexual assault?

Trump has already shown the R's what to do if HRH HRC tries to play that card.

rcocean said...

"Trump is the strongest."

Its amazing how he dominates the debates. Forget the words, even with the sound off, he dominates.

Beside him Rubio DOES look like a little kid. Savage said Rubio looks like a bus boy, Cruz like a Maitre Di (sic) and Trump the Club Owner. I'd add: Christie is the pastry chef, Kasich is the grumpy accountant in the back room, Carson is the classy piano player, and Bush is the guy who just got fired for being low energy.

Ann Althouse said...

Let me be clear: I don't like ANY of the candidates, in either party. I don't support either party. I don't feel that the different possible outcomes will have much effect on me personally. I'm just hoping for the best.

But this is a democracy, and I respect that. I am trying to understand my fellow citizens. I'm interested in observing and understanding how people think. I'm not interested in persuading anyone to any particular outcome and I don't have a preference right now. I will vote on April 5th, but if the Wisconsin primary were today, I don't know who I'd vote for or even which party's primary I'd vote in.

Anonymous said...

Trump's behavior toward Hillary won't win him any female votes in any significant percentages. He is a misogynist and a bully, it won't play well in the general election.

Anonymous said...

Carly's bought and paid for. She didn't have the momentum or finances to be pushed like that without people behind her. You see, we get it now. It doesn't fool us anymore. Besides, why would you think that she is a good executive while Trump isn't?

Trump is a P-type personality. J-type personalities tend to talk only when they are decided, while P-types think out loud and muse. The irony is that P-types are generally more reluctant to decide early than Judging types, preferring to wait if able to gather more information.

Trump is not a loose cannon. He's just a personality type you may not understand very well. I suggest you do some research on it.

Now, let me educate you on the preference cascade happening: http://redditlist.com/

Check the activity list on the left side. Trump's subreddit is #4 on the site now, a Bernie stronghold. Then look at the tiny number of subcribers compared to all the others. This has taken off in the last week.That's what you call HIGH ENERGY.

It's over, Begley. Make your peace with the Donald.

CWJ said...

Kansas City,

Althouse's Chuck Todd post on December 13 last year.

David Begley said...

AA

What are you talking about re drooping eye and excessive thirst? I've seen Marco twice (at length) and saw no evidence of either. I have pictures at Power Line. Speculation on your part that Marco has an undisclosed and material illness.

We should all wonder about the bone spurs of Trump that got him out of the Vietnam draft. Or what health problems a 69 year old man might have. Or why he won't release ANY tax returns when he told Hugh Hewitt he would.

And, of course, what does China now know about us because of Hillary's criminal behavior.

Saint Croix said...

The only argument seems to be to scare everyone into thinking that Trump is a horrible disaster.

I have trouble following where the hell Althouse is on the five stages of grief. I think she's through denial and anger. Seems to be stuck on bargaining. Later there will be depression. Oh that fucking depression. I think Mr. Trade War might rewrite the stages of grief. We'll all be stuck in a depression for four years. Unless one or both parties tries to impeach the asshole, which is a distinct possibility. Do we have an independent counsel yet? I'm ready for the independent counsel.

Yeah yeah, I'm still in anger. I just hope some of these Trump supporters will start putting up yard signs, so my dog will know where to pee.

Balfegor said...

RE: Althouse:

3. He seems to have something physically/neurologically wrong with him that isn't being disclosed. Why does he have one drooping eye and excessive thirst?

Oh I see. Does he really drink that much water? I know there were the jokes about it when he did the response to the State of the Union, but is he gulping down water during the debates and ordinary press appearances too? Maybe he is prone to migraines -- my family have that problem, so I try to drink a lot of fluids, especially when travelling.

Tank said...



Ann Althouse said...

Let me be clear: I don't like ANY of the candidates, in either party. I don't support either party. I don't feel that the different possible outcomes will have much effect on me personally. I'm just hoping for the best.

But this is a democracy, and I respect that. I am trying to understand my fellow citizens. I'm interested in observing and understanding how people think. I'm no interested in persuading anyone to any particular outcome and I don't have a preference right now. I will vote on April 5th, but if the Wisconsin primary were today, I don't know who I'd vote for or even which party's primary I'd vote in.


1. I too don't like any of the candidates.

2. I am trying to be disinterested instead of depressed about America (which is what everyone should be).

3. You (not you personally) should not be able to choose a party at the last minute. I don't get that at all. Why do Rep (or Dems) let independents and members of the other party "pick" their candidate? If you are not registered Rep or Dem, you should not be allowed to vote in a primary. JMHO. YMMV.

BrianE said...

What's the problem with Rubio?
Rubio and Cruz are about the same age, yet Cruz seems more mature. I noticed during the last debate that whenever Rubio landed some 'zinger' on Trump he would smile broadly like some frat boy.
Almost all of Rubio's work experience has been as a politician-- though he is still an adjunct professor at Florida International University and did start a private law practice for a short period of time.
His 'work experience' supports the idea that he is a political opportunist. I would prefer a President that has worked in the private sector for some time in his career.
Rubio strikes me as a Republican alternative to Obama.
Ted Cruz's resume includes time as a bureaucrat (time at the FTC), worked as an associate deputy Attorney General and Texas Solicitor General along with adjunct professorship at UT-Austin. Still no private sector experience, but I think a more rounded experience.

I've come to the conclusion that the twitter generation is having a significant effect on this election. The ability to display snark, insult and a dismissive attitude seems to be a required skill. Trump obviously leads in this category.

Rubio is better at this than Cruz, but still isn't in Trump's league. I listened to Rubio's 'takedown' of Trump yesterday and he repeated con man so much it made you suspect he hadn't studied his thesaurus first. It was so repetitive that it lost its impact.

Cruz would be smart to stay away from this and it appears that he has.

Kasich is the only candidate left that has the temperament, experience and ability to tame the federal leviathan.

Howard said...

I am surprised that Rubio gets no love. After the choke artist comments, you would thing republican men would be lining up to get behind him.

Anonymous said...

Rubio is a dead man walking. You think Trump has negatives? Try foam parties along with an arrest after hours in a car drinking with a man who is now a gay porn studio owner.

You can put two plus two together, right? I mean, I'm sure so many of us here on this thread have done at least one of those, right? Oh, and by the way, I'm gay, so don't even try that retort. Rubio wears high heels and goes to foam parties. Every gay person I know thinks that's ridiculous.

Sebastian said...

"Christie's judgment refutes that last ditch scare tactic." Christie showed "judgment"?

BrianE said...

Ms. Althouse,

What is your objection to Kasich? He's a moderate Republican with conservative tendencies.

He is pro-life, and while he was against SSM, he's stated that bakers should bake and florists should florist.

Laslo Spatula said...

"Yet Mr. Romney pulled back, instead telling advisers that he would take on Mr. Trump directly."

I've told you and I'll tell you again: it takes a Pimp to beat a Pimp, and Romney is no Pimp, no way...

I mean: First, he's a Mormon. When a Mormon Dude gets six girls in his stable what does he do? He fucking marries all of them, rather than turning them out on the street Pimp-style. You marry six women, you're not a Hustler, you're a Stupid Bitch, dude...

Romney, he might have binders of women but he sure don't have any knowledge of how to handle a damned Ho. Hell, he couldn't even bitch-slap Obama back in the Day. Seriously: put a Dude like Obama in prison and he'd be sucking dick before he even got to his cell...

Me, if I got my hands on Obama I'd turn him out on the street real quick, if I was the type to work with Male Hos. Which I don't: you know I keep the peas and the carrots from touching...

Still, I bet Obama could make a Pimp a lot of money: a bet a lot of Gay Dudes would love having him suck their cock while grabbing onto those ears...

I am Laslo.

bagoh20 said...

It's the voters, stupid. They keep picking incompetent liars that appeal to their feels, and this time they are intent on going full retard, one way or another. I'm proud to say it's been a while since I voted for a winner. The winners are who got us here, but we keep using them as examples of how to win as if that's the whole point. Maybe if we stopped following our feelings and used our heads, we wouldn't need to be looking to blame someone.

Naaa, just kidding. It makes no difference how things are going, we will always be pissed off. It's our thing.

Meade said...

For the good of the country, Romney should have been elected in 2008.
He should have been elected in 2012.
And he should be elected this November.

n.n said...

Without the right orientation, the Republicans have been caught by the left undertow.

Brando said...

Why would any of these endorsements make a difference? Christie was long a friend of Trump over their Atlantic City crony capitalism, and who in their right mind would think Romneys endorsement would help Rubio? Is there a single Trump supporter who'd say 'oh, he's got Romney now, maybe I'll give Rubio a second look"? Romney endorsing Trump, or Christie supporting Rubio, would be news.

And thinking about all these characters just reminds me what a mess the GOP is. If the Dems weren't also pathetic there'd be no hope for them at all.

And Professor--the "bad comedy" routine? What part of this race has been anything but bad comedy? Not that it doesn't entertain, like watching Road House.

Anonymous said...

Kasich seems to be by far the most normal candidate on the right, I don't know why conservatives don't like him. Too compassionate maybe?

mikeyes said...

When I see Senator Rubio I see sweat flop, dry mouth, flexed body position, jitteriness and anxiety. He seems to be in constant "fight or flight" mode which doesn't bode well for him in stress situations. Being President of the United States is probably the toughest and most stressful job in the world. Senator Rubio won't cut it due to his chronic anxiety (which is his neurological condition, I'll wager.)

tim in vermont said...

I think if Kasich can manage to stick around, the nomination may fall in his lap. I don't think that it is that expensive for him to run his campaign.

CWJ said...

Meade,

It's too late for even a turnaround artist like Romney. 2012 was our last chance. From now on the best we can hope for is an extended well managed decline rather than total collapse.

Saint Croix said...

Imagine if Trump was in the Democrat primary. It's easy to imagine, he's voted Democrat for years. And he is saying the exact same things. He's attacking George W. Bush, and Jeb Bush, and Romney, and Cruz, and Rubio, and HIllary. He says everything that he has said up to now. Except now he's saying these things and doing these things with a "D" on his shirt.

Would you still vote for him? Would you still think he would make a great president?

Anonymous said...

So what if Rubio were to be gay? So TCom claims he's gay, yet would hold it against Rubio? Hmmmm.

David Begley said...

Since we are wondering about Rubio's medical conditions. I think we need an independent medical exam of Trump; top to bottom.

Why is is hair so weird?

Why is his skin orange? I've seen him. It is.

Why does he want to date Ivanka?

Why was he married three times?

Why does he consider sleeping around in NYC to be his own personal Vietnam?

Any STDs due to his Vietnam experience?

Why all the name calling?

Why all the bragging?

Are those bone spurs now okay to be Commander-in-Chief?

Why can't he spell? Eyesight? Dyslexic?

Saint Croix said...

A question I wish a journalist would ask Trump: "Have you ever voted in a national election? Who did you vote for in 2012? In 2008? In 2004? In 2000? Tell us about your voting history."

Limited blogger said...

They always show before and after shots of the presidents. How much they age, how grey they become. Trump will get more Orange?

Anonymous said...

Saint Croix,
Trump wouldn't get far as a Democrat. That's why he had to run as a Republican.

pm317 said...

Romney didn't pick Rubio in 2012. Why was that?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...


"Since we are wondering about Rubio's medical conditions. I think we need an independent medical exam of Trump; top to bottom."


Yes indeed. Start with a CT scan of Trump's brain, then move on to extensive psychological examination.

cubanbob said...

SteveR said...
Democrats are loving this uproar in the Republican ranks while Hillary is slinking into the nomination and ready to get on to the coronation. But they soon may face the reality that not only is she a really terrible candidate, but people don't like any of these people, not just establishment repubs.

2/27/16, 10:48 AM"

Yes indeed. The Democrats are going to coronate Hillary. And right after the coronation when Obama is finally a completely lame duck the FBI starts 'leaking' all about Hillary. All through the fall it will be a constant drumbeat about Hillary's criminal conduct.

Michael K said...

"It only benefits Democrats that you folks are so fucked up."

It's interesting to me that Democrats, at least Democrat internet trolls, are unconcerned about the country. It is all about the party, sort of like

“All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state.”
―Benito Mussolini

Some of us worry about the country and would vote for a Democrat if one could still be found who was a patriot.

Limited blogger said...

If the Dems chosen candidate was younger, the MSM and everybody else would be droning on about Trump's age. But since Hillary is much older than her actual advanced age and Bernie is just plain OLD, they can't use that angle against Trump. Funny.

Anonymous said...

David Begley: Not going to do research for you because then you'll dispute whether the comments amount to Trump worship.

I'm not interested in disputing you on this point; I promise I won't. I'm honestly curious about what you consider "worshipful".

But if you consider it to be an onerous job of "research" to quickly scroll through the couple of dozen comments that preceded your own @ 10:05 AM to jog your memory about who by your lights was being "worshipful", I understand.

pm317 said...

Kasich does not look good on camera, where are his eyebrows? His wife is smoking hot, though. That aside, he apparently tried to sell weed to campaign staff in 1976, a/c Trump guy Roger Stone. Looks like Trump does not have opposition research, he seems to have collected the insiders from everywhere who will spill at the right time.

Anonymous said...

Dear Michael K,
I'm extremely concerned about our country, that is why exactly why I am a Democrat and why I saw Trump for what he was on day one. If I were not concerned about our country, I'd encourage you fools to vote for him.

Bob Ellison said...

Dear Amanda,
If you are concerned about our country, leave the Democrat party.

Anonymous said...

And Michael K,
I would vote for Kasich if I felt I had to to save the country.

tim in vermont said...

I want to like Trump, but he has lost me on this "sue the press" thing. Sure they are obnoxious and biased to the point of utter one-sidedness, but he was doing very well fighting them with rhetoric. I think he is just shooting from the hip now, showing a little too much little prince Fauntilroy,

traditionalguy said...

Enemy perception is the last talent that people acquire. But it is the key talent needed in competitions like political war. And Trump has it at the master level. How that can be defeated by a cheap character Assassination mantra spouted by Rubio on tape replay after 6 months of getting to know Trump is the mystery.



Amexpat said...

My respect for Rubio has fallen in the last few weeks ... The bad comedy, with the childish proud-of-himself grinning, especially the peeing in his pants stuff.
That struck me as particularly puerile. He had rattled Trump in the debate with the Trump University line of attack. Following it up with labeling Trump as a conman duping conservatives in the GOP was also good. But then he watered it down by parroting Trump's juvenile attacks against him. It's fruitless trying to trump Trump with schoolyard insults.

I think Rubio is done as the anti-Trump candidate. The best hope now is for a brokered convention. For that to happen, Cruz needs to win Texas and Kasich Ohio and some northern states. Also, Rubio needs to drop out if he loses Florida.

Sebastian said...

"the party has been gripped by a nearly incapacitating leadership vacuum and a paralytic sense of indecision and despair..." So much for the feared "GOPe."

To really stick it to them, let's vote for a guy who was for the Iraq and Libya wars before he was against them, would love to have a trade war with China and thinks we "if we did no business with China, we will save a lot money," is "going to open up our libel laws" in order to make it easier to sue papers publishing "horrible and false" articles, is a pro-lifer who thinks Planned Parenthood is just great, has an "inexpensive" plan to replace Obamacare (with or without the "mandate," now that he has presumably figured out what the mandate is), who, though he "gets along with the Republicans," is also "a little bit different" because "I don't want people dying on the streets," and who, of course, favors amnesty for illegals.

cubanbob said...

Blogger Ann Althouse said...
Let me be clear: I don't like ANY of the candidates, in either party. I don't support either party. I don't feel that the different possible outcomes will have much effect on me personally. I'm just hoping for the best.

But this is a democracy, and I respect that. I am trying to understand my fellow citizens. I'm interested in observing and understanding how people think. I'm not interested in persuading anyone to any particular outcome and I don't have a preference right now. I will vote on April 5th, but if the Wisconsin primary were today, I don't know who I'd vote for or even which party's primary I'd vote in.

2/27/16, 10:54 AM"

Althouse it really isn't that difficult: in the general your choices are (between the two major parties unless you decide to go third party) between the criminal and the non-criminal. As for your primary election vote, if you are voting in the Democrat primary your choice is simple: the out and proud Communist or the criminal champaign crypto-Communist?

The Democrats would very fortunate to have the problems the Republicans are having. One thing not discussed threads is what impact will a Trump nomination have on downstream Republican candidates? Will Trump have coattails?

Ann Althouse said...

"I have trouble following where the hell Althouse is on the five stages of grief. I think she's through denial and anger. Seems to be stuck on bargaining. Later there will be depression. Oh that fucking depression. I think Mr. Trade War might rewrite the stages of grief. We'll all be stuck in a depression for four years. Unless one or both parties tries to impeach the asshole, which is a distinct possibility. Do we have an independent counsel yet? I'm ready for the independent counsel."

Bargaining? How do you figure that?

I'm tired of the 5-stages-of-grief meme, perhaps because I believe in living in the real world. If I think something is real, I am at least resigned to it. I'm usually looking for ways to adapt and find the good in it. I think the nomination was pretty much won by Trump quite a few weeks ago, and I'm just trying to observe the American scene and comment on it in ways that you might find enlightening.

I'm not in the game. I'm an observer, forever on the sidelines. I have been that kind of person all my life. I'm a writer. An artist. Maybe a bad one, but it is what it is in this, the real world.

bbkingfish said...

Lifelong centrists and non-risktakers like Christie and Romney are loathe to endorse Rubio because of his close family ties to the Colombian cartel.

Anonymous said...

Amanda, there's a difference between someone who doesn't let their orientation define their life, and those who do.

Going to foam parties and getting caught with gay porn studio owners is the latter. I, and those I know, are the former. Rubio is a joke. A fake, owned puppet.

Michael said...

The Establishment (both parties, such as it is) probably thinks they can co-opt Trump, and they are probably right. They probably see Rubio as unready, and are afraid that Cruz means what he says. Lots of "probably," I know.

Michael K said...

"If I were not concerned about our country, I'd encourage you fools to vote for him."

I have not supported Trump but you are supporting a treasonous felon and a senile Socialist whose promises don't add up in real world arithmetic.

MayBee said...

I like Rubio.
I don't understand Republican voters trying to destroy, at this point, any of the Republican candidates.

But Christie hasn't liked Rubio. Why would he look at a voicemail from Rubio positively? He's friends with Trump, he answered Trump's call, he went out to dinner. It's not about skill between the two men, it's about Christie's existing relationship with the two of them.

Christie has always had a little bit of this in him. He screwed Romney when Romney didn't pick him for VP, too. It's an ugly side of Christie.

Rusty said...

Blogger Amanda said...

"Since we are wondering about Rubio's medical conditions. I think we need an independent medical exam of Trump; top to bottom."


Yes indeed. Start with a CT scan of Trump's brain, then move on to extensive psychological examination.

Which one are you voting for, Amanda? Sanders or Hillary. Because if you want to debate the deeply flawed mental condition of the candidates either one of those two would do quite nicely.

Drago said...

Amanda: "Dear Michael K,
I'm extremely concerned about our country, that is why exactly why I am a Democrat and why I saw Trump for what he was on day one."

Amanda, like all Dems, is extremely concerned that if Hillary is not elected Bill Clinton will lose his direct connection to Pedophile Island.

Bill visiting said location on many occasions with known pedophiles is always "For the Children", just not in the way any normal person understands it.

Sayyid said...

"Why are the GOP insiders intent on coalescing around Rubio? [...] Is it some insane delusion around the idea that the GOP could be the party of ethnic diversity?"

That's the "fit for public consumption" line of it, anyway. Remember, this is the Republican party that has strongly pushed amnesty for illegal immigrants and massive increases in visas for foreign workers to replace Americans at least three times in the last ten years. Always to be defeated by their own base that absolutely despises the idea. And that's not counting the number of times they've weakly pushed it or refused to fight Obama's moves in that direction. In public, they say it's because they want to broaden the party. It's all out of the post-mortem playbook produced after Romney's run.

In private though, there's a far dumber reason. Rubio loves him some open borders and amnesty, and Rubio is 100% comfortable lying his ass off about it. The Republican opinion-makers and one-percenters of the party have very selfish reasons to love open borders and amnesty. The rich Republicans that go to cocktail parties together in New York and DC aren't impacted by immigration except that it means the people they hire are less expensive. So they love it. To them, it's a donation cash cow to ride (from corporate donors that want cheap labor) and a personal expense reducer. Never mind what effect it might have on voter demographics, never mind what effect it has on the working class opinion of the Republican party, never mind anything. It's easy to convince themselves that just granting amnesty will win over a huge new pool of voters whose ideology actually skews Democrat because it's to their pecuniary benefit to pass the policy anyway.

And those sorts of people are just barely smart enough to realize the rest of the party won't stand for it. So they need a liar. Thus enter Rubio, the only one on the stage that both supports the policy they want and lies his ass off about it.

There's a reason Rubio's "second place victory" in South Carolina was "won" on the backs of the 17% of primary voters there that earn more than $200,000 per year. His is a direct appeal to the snobs looking down at the rest of the country while hiring a gardener illegally in the country.

Michael K said...

"I'm an observer, forever on the sidelines."

I appreciate your ability to find interesting items and blog about them.

There is, however, a deadly serious side to this election. "When you look into the abyss the abyss looks back into you."

I think we lost the war when Romney was defeated in 2012 but the unraveling will take a few years and it is interesting to watch.

I'm glad I am not 40.

Drago said...

Michael K: "I have not supported Trump but you are supporting a treasonous felon and a senile Socialist whose promises don't add up in real world arithmetic."

Sanders is not a senile socialist. A socialist would have chosen a socialist country to visit on his honeymoon. Bernie Sanders chose the Soviet Union.

And nothing in his record indicates a change in outlook. There has only been the guardrails created by the American voter that has reigned in Soviet wannabees like Sanders over the years.

Of course, if Rubio and Begley and Chuck get their way, the dems will be able to finally rid themselves of those troublesome American voters by replacing those voters with an invading army of undereducated 3rd world socialist types who will gladly vote in our version of Fidel and Hugo.

BrianE said...

Barack Obama is more polished, demonstrated more finesse at slinging one-line insults, since he didn't so much engage in potty mouth talk like Trump.
That may be an Alinsky thing and the right really doesn't have a comparable playbook.

Simon said...

Here's the fundamental problem for the commanding heights of the so-called "establishment": It's not that they just want to stop Trump. The problem is that they want to stop Trump and Cruz.

I've been saying it since Iowa: It's either Cruz or Trump, those are the two possible outcomes. We all get behind Cruz, or it's Trump. But the quote-unquote establishment hates Cruz almost as much as they hate Trump, and they just aren't willing to face reality; Trump is the product of their failure, and if he gets the nomination, their failure will be complete.

Drago said...

Amanda: "Yes indeed. Start with a CT scan of Trump's brain, then move on to extensive psychological examination."

Well, we've certainly seen that play out of the leftist playbook in the past (and present), haven't we?

http://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/14/us/psychiatric-abuse-in-soviet-assailed.html

You can always count on leftists like Amanda to "go there" in diagnosing political opponents as somehow mentally deficient.

You know, in a fascistic sort of way. Unexpectedly!

Birkel said...

I enjoy the way Althouse is merely an observer looking for interesting things about which to write, but somehow that Cruz fellow with his long history of litigation successes never seems to pass muster.

Because cruel neutrality bull shit.

traditionalguy said...

Reflecting on the First Item of business. For The GOP guys through FOX News was challenge everyone at the Debate to commit to support the nominee.

Trump alone said not yet until I am assured of fair treatment. He understood them well.

So they made that deal a few weeks later. But it was all a slime all con job by the GOP Taipans that con the base every election.

But the just love Mitt Romney. And now Mitt is the one talking about going third party on them and leaving Trump a scorched earth deserted party.

We are in the days of Truman in 1948 again.

Drago said...

And remember, when Bernie Sanders visited his beloved Soviet Union on his honeymoon in the 60's the Soviets had already launched 20 to 40 million people into mass graves and had tens of thousands of political prisoners in slave labor camps.

I need to be careful about recounting all of that all at once, it's likely to get the Amanda's and garage mahals of the world all worked up...and not in a good way.

MayBee said...

We are all observers here.
Seeing oneself as an observer does not make those observations correct or astute, even if they may be interesting.

cubanbob said...

Amanda said...

"Since we are wondering about Rubio's medical conditions. I think we need an independent medical exam of Trump; top to bottom."


Yes indeed. Start with a CT scan of Trump's brain, then move on to extensive psychological examination.

2/27/16, 11:27 AM"

Trump has enough of a brain to not be a felonious traitor or a communist. That makes him more intelligent, more sane and of better character, better qualified and infinitely more patriotic than any Democrat candidate.

Anonymous said...


"I need to be careful about recounting all of that all at once, it's likely to get the Amanda's and garage mahals of the world all worked up...and not in a good way."

Naw, don't worry about it Drago. Unlike Trump we believe in free speech. We won't sue you for speaking your mind.

MayBee said...

I feel confident the NYTs has the best inside information on Romney and Rubio.

Birkel said...

Didn't Trump expose his medical records already? I know he said he would.

cubanbob said...

Blogger Birkel said...
I enjoy the way Althouse is merely an observer looking for interesting things about which to write, but somehow that Cruz fellow with his long history of litigation successes never seems to pass muster."

I also wonder why Althouse doesn't cut Cruz some professional courtesy.

Birkel said...

That is funny, MayBee.

MayBee said...

Naw, don't worry about it Drago. Unlike Trump we believe in free speech. We won't sue you for speaking your mind.

By "we", you most certainly do not mean progressives.

Simon said...

cubanbob said...
"[Since we are wondering about Rubio's medical conditions. I think we need an independent medical exam of Trump; top to bottom.] Yes indeed. Start with a CT scan of Trump's brain...."

They have to find it first. I suggest inverting the search order and starting at the bottom.

Skeptical Voter said...

What's wrong with Rubio? He's ready to run for high school junior class president and prom king--that's whats wrong with him.

Drago said...

Amanda: "Unlike Trump we believe in free speech."

It's like Amanda is completely unaware of "Teh Internets" and thinks no one is aware of the speech codes and limitations and thought crime laws the left implements everywhere they gain effective control.

Which begs a question: how much of a tool do you have to be to stand on the mountain of Orwellian speech restrictions enacted by the lefties while screaming at the top of your lungs how you are "for free speech"?

Anonymous said...

"You can always count on leftists like Amanda to "go there" in diagnosing political opponents as somehow mentally deficient."

Drago, I guess you forgot about the sweetheart of the conservative hate talk radio, Micheal Savage. Didn't he write a book tiled "Liberalism is a Mental Disorder" or something to that effect? He coined that phrase a long time ago. But Drago sees no "fascism" in that sentiment? What I see is hypocrisy.

Birkel said...

cubanbob:

The answer is obvious. Althouse believes, correctly, that Cruz actually believes in limited government. Althouse believes government is necessary to accomplish her preferred policy goals.

The problem Althouse is witnessing is that the slope may be more slippery than she, a close observer, predicted. But conservatives cannot be credited with correctly predicting that. Because then a whole host of preconceptions might need revisiting.

Drago said...

The next thing you know Amanda will be regaling us with reasons why Castro's ordering of homosexuals to be lobotomized should be forgiven and doesn't really matter which is why the left still holds Castro up as a revered saintly leader.

Dude1394 said...

Rubio is too slick, too practicesed, too young and too bought by half. He is the worst candidate in the race. Cruz is a much more honest candidate but he is a zealot and I do not think has the chops to be elected.

Neither Obama, Cruz, Rubio have the experience to be a decent president. Obama is a complete cluster, rubio would be as well.

Anonymous said...

Drago, you seem a bit desperate today. I'm not playing your game, but your attempts are amusing.

Simon said...

[Self-promotion] IIRC, we talked about the bottom-line Cruz-Trump fight on the last episode of the podcast (S2.1), which some of y'all may enjoy.

Michael K said...

The political orientation of psychologists is well known.

Haidt began by reviewing the field that he is best known for, moral psychology. Then he threw a curveball. He would, he told the gathering of about a thousand social-psychology professors, students, and post-docs, like some audience participation. By a show of hands, how would those present describe their political orientation? First came the liberals: a “sea of hands,” comprising about eighty per cent of the room, Haidt later recalled. Next, the centrists or moderates. Twenty hands. Next, the libertarians. Twelve hands. And last, the conservatives. Three hands.

A well known event and Haidt has followed up with interesting observations about the campus left wing activism.

A month before the Yale Halloween meltdown, I had a bizarre and illuminating experience at an elite private high school on the West Coast. I’ll call it Centerville High. I gave a version of a talk that you can see here, on Coddle U. vs. Strengthen U. (In an amazing coincidence, I first gave that talk at Yale a few weeks earlier). The entire student body — around 450 students, from grades 9-12 — were in the auditorium. There was plenty of laughter at all the right spots, and a lot of applause at the end, so I thought the talk was well received.
But then the discussion began, and it was the most unremittingly hostile questioning I’ve ever had. I don’t mind when people ask hard or critical questions, but I was surprised that I had misread the audience so thoroughly. My talk had little to do with gender, but the second question was “So you think rape is OK?” Like most of the questions, it was backed up by a sea of finger snaps — the sort you can hear in the infamous Yale video, where a student screams at Prof. Christakis to “be quiet” and tells him that he is “disgusting.” I had never heard the snapping before. When it happens in a large auditorium it is disconcerting. It makes you feel that you are facing an angry and unified mob — a feeling I have never had in 25 years of teaching and public speaking.
After the first dozen questions I noticed that not a single questioner was male.


Yes, Amanda would be in favor of psychologists studying Trump and other Republicans.

Dude1394 said...

I think the GOP has coalesced around Rubio because he is or can be their puppet. It is as simple as that. He is their bought and paid for candidate.

Drago said...

Amanda: " But Drago sees no "fascism" in that sentiment? What I see is hypocrisy."

I would humbly suggest that Bernie Sanders holding a murderous totalitarian regime that actually imprisoned thousands upon thousands of it's citizens for the "crime" of wanting freedom and labeling those "crimes" as mental disorders to be somewhat of a different order of magnitude than 1 guy publishing 1 book somewhere with no political power.

But I do appreciate your hilariously desperate attempt to shift the subject away from lefty-loving state-mandated incarceration of freedom-loving political opponents in Bernies workers-paradise as well as the mass implementation of totalitarian speech restrictions by lefties with control of institutions.

Hey Amanda, is there some other niche talking head with no power that you'd like to compare to the systematic abuses against hundreds of millions of people by leftist governments?

'cuz "logic".

Saint Croix said...

It's fruitless trying to trump Trump with schoolyard insults.

Rubio has been far better at insulting Trump than Trump has been at insulting Rubio. Hell, Althouse is better at insulting Rubio than Trump has been. Trump was so unable to respond he had to bring up Chris Christie and New Hampshire. "My big fat brother will destroy you!" Because Trump can't do it, obviously.

I grant you that it's unseemly that the race has dropped down to Trump's level. But insulting Trump is quite easy once you start. Rubio has a natural and quick mind. For instance, when he stuck that shiv into Cruz. "You don't even speak Spanish!" That was brutal. Cruz got red in the face and started yelling in Spanish. And Cruz is a very unemotional guy!

Rubio has been running a high-minded campaign, and has avoided attacking Trump for a long time, staying on the high road. But I think he was absolutely right to mock Trump.

Have you been watching the television converge? It's all Trump and Rubio, Rubio and Trump. It feels like a 2-man race now, at least in the media. I attribute the increased media attention to Rubio (and the shutting out of Cruz) to be almost entirely based on the entertainment value of Rubio's attacks. If this has to be a wrestling match (and Trump has made it so), then at least we have a good guy to cheer for as he smacks the red-faced rino bastard.

Drago said...

Amanda: "Drago, you seem a bit desperate today. I'm not playing your game,"

My "game" is pointing out undeniable historical facts.

No wonder you don't want "to play".

Unexpectedly!

BTW, when do we get to see Bernies honeymoon pics from the Soviet peoples paradise? of

Saint Croix said...

Amanda, are you for the socialist or the felon?

MayBee said...

How can GOP insiders have come up with the idea of everyone coalescing around Rubio?

The first GOP insider I read who had this idea was named Ann Althouse.

Anyway, I still see Marco as a great messenger of conservatism and a potentially good president. I'm not going to measure him against Trump's game, which is its own thing. I have no feel for how Trump will do in the rest of this election process, because I've been wrong about him all along.

Drago said...

BTW, here's another "game" Amanda will hot want "to play":

It's a video from 1985 of Bernie Sanders praising Fidel Castrol.

1985.

Long after it was known that Comrade Fidel had homosexuals LOBOTOMIZED!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3281335/Bernie-Sanders-praised-Fidel-Castro-1985-interview-educated-kids-gave-kids-health-care-totally-transformed-society.html

So, here we have Amanda speaking highly of Bernie who spoke highly of Castro long after many of the facts about the Cuban totalitarian leader had become well known.

Well, you don't have to be a "political mathematician" to understand the transitive property in play to call out Amanda for her direct support of lobotomizing homosexuals.

So, what was that about Trump and Michael Savage again? I've already forgotten.

Birkel said...

It will be easier for Drago to forget after Amanda is in power to lobotomize him for having WRONGTHOUGHTS.

Drago said...

Birkel: "It will be easier for Drago to forget after Amanda is in power to lobotomize him for having WRONGTHOUGHTS."

Would that be better or worse than CONTINUALLYSOUGHTOVERWROUGHTWRONGTHOUGHTS?

Etienne said...

"...Americans would not be living nearly as well as we do if we had mandated that 11 million people should forever be employed in farming." - Warren Buffet

I think he's saying that 11 million illegal aliens is a good thing, because we can exploit them, and keep our stock market functioning.

n.n said...

Michael K:

re: political orientation of psychologists

It's not just psychologists. Liberalism is permissive of greater variance than libertarianism than conservatism. It's a Peter Pan syndrome that is common to children and immature adults; to advanced states of wealth, pleasure, and leisure; and, apparently, to the halls of academia. It is both a progressive condition (e.g. nurtured) and an intrinsic trait in some, many individuals that is expressed in the absence of parental oversight.

Drago said...

Quite frankly I'm surprised Amanda failed to move to phase 2 of "leftist defense of indefensible thugs and policies" by claiming the homosexuals that Sanders beloved Fidel ordered lobotomized "had it comin'!!!"

Drago said...

At least Hillary had the entrepreneurial instinct to cash in on the betrayal of her own nation. Numbskull Bernie gave his support away to murderous thugs for free!

Birkel said...

Was your response meant as a joke, as was mine, Drago? I cannot tell

Drago said...

Right now Amanda is feverishly pecking away at keys in the hopes of coming up with anything remotely approaching comparable to what the leftists had done, continue to do, and will continue to do in terms of freedom & speech.

I fully expect her to offer some high school seniors English Lit final as a comparable event to say, beloved lefty Mao plowing under 60 million human beings.

Drago said...

Birkel: "Was your response meant as a joke, as was mine, Drago? I cannot tell"

Of course. And no more awards for you. You've already received your honorary blog humor lifetime achievement award. I hope you aren't asking for another.

My intent was to draw our attention to how empty and specious the claims/assertions of the Amanda's of the world are when placed in context.

Remember, I'm pretty sure it was Amanda that was on here talking about she is a fighter against misogyny AND islamophobia and she did it with zero sense of irony.

Uh oh Amanda. Heads up. There just might be some white frat guy somewhere in the US who just tuned in to watch one of the late-night cinemax shows.

RAPE CULTURE!!

Meanwhile: Rotherham mass islamist rape ring? What's that?
Europe-wide New Years Eve islamist mass sexual assault event? What's that?

Drago said...

Part of my point in the multiple postings above is to illustrate what I believe a Donald Trump definitely would bring up (and potentially my guy Cruz as well) and why those 2 are really the only 2 options for engaging with the modern dem leftist party.

They need to be called out at every single turn in the harshest language because, lets face it, this is truly a fight for the whole enchilada (all puns intended).

Etienne said...

The thing that irks me, is when a standing Senator or Congressman runs for President, but they don't give up their seat.

To me, this spells loser.

walter said...

“We do not need reality TV in the Oval Office right now,” he said. “President of the United States is not a place for an entertainer.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-gop-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/02/chris-christie-endorsement-donald-trump-shouldnt-be-president-219864#ixzz41Og9Sg00


And now...the big hug.

Fernandinande said...

David Begley said...
I didn't know about the Princess Di comment but there is video of Trump on The Five stating that if Ivanka wasn't his daughter, he'd date her.


I think part of Trump's appeal is, re. both or either of those comments: So what? Why accept the mindset of hysterical feministas?

Birkel said...

Fernandinande,

The social regressives (who wish to use government to enforce their view of morality) have lost their grip on the GOP. This is to the good, as the use of government is fraught with danger.

These Trump.issues matter to the social regressives.

walter said...

Ann Althouse said...
I don't feel that the different possible outcomes will have much effect on me personally
--
Even with student debt under consideration, none of the candidates dare explore reducing the actual costs.
Two Americas.

Gahrie said...

What's wrong with Rubio?!

Amnesty

Gahrie said...

There are so many distasteful characters in the Republican crowd.

No comment on the Democratic side? An aged Commie left over and a a lying incarnation of corruption aren't distasteful to you?

I really don't know how to sort them out. I'm put off by the desperate accusations that Trump is "evil" or somehow something like Hitler.

Why? Trump is like Hitler, a rabble-rousing demagogue telling the crowd that their plight is "not their fault, it is the fault of the {insert designated enemy here} and if you elect me, I'll get rid of them and restore our nation to greatness!"

You can't beat something with nothing.

Tell that to Romney and McCain.

Sebastian said...

"What's wrong with Rubio? Amnesty" OK, fine. But Trump explicitly promotes it. So honest promotion of amnesty is preferable over a supposedly insincere conversion?

Hagar said...

"Despite all the forces arrayed against Mr. Trump, the interviews show, the party has been gripped by a nearly incapacitating leadership vacuum and a paralytic sense of indecision and despair. . . ."

Fox Butterfield, is that you?

Joe said...

Trump and Christie are not just unlikable, they are repulsive.

I don't. They're both narcissistic nuts, but are quite likable and unlike all the other serious candidates, have the advantage of actually being in executive positions.

I find Cruz and Clinton to be completely unlikable and repulsive. Sanders is a crank and Rubio is an empty suit.

I rarely vote for someone, but against someone. That is no more true than this year. Not that it matters; I'm registered to vote in Utah and they pretty much vote straight Republican, no matter the Democrat.

All that said, the hysteria about Trump cracks me up. I almost want him to win just to see the Begley's of the world have strokes.

YoungHegelian said...

What could the Republican leadership done to have prevented the rise of Trump? They could have done the jobs their constituents sent them to do.

The pusillanimous performance by two presidential candidates, both of whom were too ball-less to go after a Democratic candidate / president with a hard-left history / failed program after failed program because they feared the charge of racism, soured the Republican base on the wisdom of their betters. The defeat of the incumbent Eric Cantor in the Republican primary in a relatively "liberal" Republican district was the canary in the coal mine.

When this article gets out, & the base hears that there is talk by the leadership of subverting the will of the Republican voters by a brokered convention if Trump wins, they're going to get even angrier. If Trump wins the plurality of the popular vote & the majority of delegates, & is denied the candidacy, there will be blood. The 1968 Democratic Convention will seen as a walk in the park in comparison.

The Republic will survive four years of President Trump. It will not survive the open subversion of the voters' will because the party stalwarts don't like the people's choice.

traditionalguy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
YoungHegelian said...

Should Mr. Trump clinch the presidential nomination, it would represent a rout of historic proportions for the institutional Republican Party, and could set off an internal rift unseen in either party for a half-century, since white Southerners abandoned the Democratic Party en masse during the civil rights movement.

Oh my God, the liberals are just addicted to this ridiculous piece of revisionist history, aren't they?

It took the South 30 years to go Republican. Here's the goddamn electoral college break downs! Go look at them.

Big Mike said...

@Althouse, you want to know what's wrong with Rubio? He's not good enough for the job he wants to have, and he doesn't have good enough advisors to help him.

BTW, I note that Maine governor Paul LePage and former Arizona governor Jan Brewer have joined governor Chris Christie in endorsing Trump. The preference cascade has begun.

Time for Reince Priebus to return to Wisconsin and reconnect with real voters. Paul Ryan needs to be on the same flight.

traditionalguy said...

The GOP insider guys all need to do the honorable thing like Tojo's staff did when Japan surrendered. And no executing of the American airmen prisoners this time.

David Begley said...

Blogger Fernandinande said...

"I think part of Trump's appeal is, re. both or either of those comments: So what? Why accept the mindset of hysterical feministas?"

Incest is an attractive quality in our President.

Scott Adams may be right. You've been hypnotized. Or a person who will rationalize anything.
Insane either way.

David Begley said...

Joe

Rubio's an "empty suit?"

You get up there on stage and field all those questions and answer them half as well as Marco. The guy is whip smart. And cool under pressure. This sweating stuff is total BS. More of the con from the con artist.

eddie willers said...

Romney pulled back, instead telling advisers that he would take on Mr. Trump directly.

Romney finally goes after a presidential candidate.

Sebastian said...

"Maine governor Paul LePage and former Arizona governor Jan Brewer have joined governor Chris Christie in endorsing Trump. The preference cascade has begun." Wait. I thought Trump was going to dismantle the GOPe.

Fabi said...

David Begley is more unhinged than even Amanda today!!

Morez popscornz plz

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