Trump goes one step too far

[Mr. Morden]

Rubio joins Perry in calling on Trump to drop out of the race:

http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2015/07/19/trump-defends-mccain-comments-rivals-call-for-trumps-exit/

[Likely Voter]

What would happen if candidates started saying they wouldn't participate in the FOX debate if Trump is invited. I think if Bush did this, other candidates will follow, akin to how he lead the charge to get rid of the Iowa Straw Poll. It is a risky move because if FOX and the RNC dont pull his invitation, then you kind of have to stick to your plan and not go. Also kicking Trump out of the debate will also raise the chances that he runs as an indie and that is almost guaranteed to give the election to Hillary. All he would need is 3-4%

[Tender Branson]

What would happen if candidates started saying they wouldn't participate in the FOX debate if Trump is invited. I think if Bush did this, other candidates will follow, akin to how he lead the charge to get rid of the Iowa Straw Poll. It is a risky move because if FOX and the RNC dont pull his invitation, then you kind of have to stick to your plan and not go. Also kicking Trump out of the debate will also raise the chances that he runs as an indie and that is almost guaranteed to give the election to Hillary. All he would need is 3-4%

You are assuming that all the other 16 candidates would boycott the debate ?

I guess at least Carson, Cruz, Santorum etc. would still attend it and FOX could go ahead with it.

[Likely Voter]

I'm not assuming anything. I'm not sure. I think some would follow Bush and Rubio and some wouldn't. It would be a mess. But I'm sure there are some who dont want him on that stage and now is the moment to strike.


BTW, where the F is Rand Paul. As far as I can tell he still hasn't denounced Trump's comments on Mexicans and rape. Havent heard anything about this. He was late with a comment on SCOTUS SSM (and that ended up with his weird 'lets stop marriage entirely thing'). I'm not sure he has said anything yet on the IRan deal either.  Is he still running for POTUS?

[Reluctant Republican]

With so few debates scheduled I can't imagine many of the candidates being willing to skip one. Especially since I imagine many of them are looking to gain points by bashing Trump. Maybe not the McCain thing specifically, but it offers a golden opportunity to talk about his past support of Democrats and unorthodox positions. Trump will probably get half the debate speaking time given all the rebuttals the moderators will need to give him.

A grain of salt must be offered, but from what I've seen many of his devoted fans don't seem too troubled by these comments. His facebook page is full of people praising his "courage" and being the only one to "tell it like it is" and his likes continue to increase rapidly. I don't think one should necessarily put much faith into social media support, but I did a similar thing when Rand made  a hawkish statement awhile back that really disturbed many of his supporters. In that case, his likes  took a notable decrease for a few days while the news dominated headlines. Trump does not appear to be experiencing that.

The Right Wing Blogophere also seems to be defending him. Right Wing News had an article that defended Donald's remark against McCain and called it "old school manliness", and accused the outcry over the remarks as being  a result of men being wussified in this country. Which strikes me as an... interesting way to look at it. But the point is that Trump's base seems unbothered by these comments. He's probably hurt himself with people who were on the fence with him, but the ones who were already committed seem to show no sign of switching horses.

[Likely Voter]

Obviously none of them want to skip debates. The bet they would be making is that if thy threaten the RNC with skipping the RNC will find a way to kick Trump out. I bet you anything that some of the campaigns are sniffing each other out on this issue, but would only do it if they got to some kind of critical mass where a bunch of them all agreed and issued a joint statement. 

[Crumpets]

I can't imagine the non-Trump candidates being able to pull together to force Trump out any more than all the non-Romney candidates being able to do so in 2012. If anything, they'd rather be on stage with a Trump than a Romney so that they can shoot him down (pun intended) and come across as the good guy without having to stake out any divisive policy positions.

[Reluctant Republican]

Obviously none of them want to skip debates. The bet they would be making is that if thy threaten the RNC with skipping the RNC will find a way to kick Trump out. I bet you anything that some of the campaigns are sniffing each other out on this issue, but would only do it if they got to some kind of critical mass where a bunch of them all agreed and issued a joint statement.  

True, but as you said, Trump has a big of an ego. An insult like that would likely inspire him to go third party. And even if they wanted to, he is leading the polls or a least in second place.  I just don't think they have the capital to pull it off.

I also found this old article when Trump was polling at only 6 percent, which suggests it's not possible to disinvite someone who meets the qualifications without violating campaign finance laws.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/why-republicans-can-t-kick-donald-trump-out-of-their-debates-20150708

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So I think the networks would be forced to call the candidates bluff.

[Likely Voter]

Remember this image of Romney getting off a plane in 2012


Obama's team used that footage in multiple ads. They never mentioned Trump by name but focus groups always picked up on it (which is why they kept using the footage). Merely getting off a plane next to Trump's plane helped drag down Mitt Romney. Now Trump has denigrated Hispanics and Veterans. Hillary already talks about Trump and lumps all the others in with him. You can be sure she will try to find a way to show the eventual nominee with Trump. People like Bush I'm sure dont want to be anywhere near Trump for fear of a pictures/videos of the two being used in the future.

Trump is now completely toxic for the general election. Not only that, for the GOP race he sucking up all the oxygen, thus denying lower tier candidates a chance (note Christie gets no bump). Yesterday the RNC even issued a statement denouncing him. The party wants him out. I'm not sure if they will be able to find a way but I am sure they are trying to find a way to get rid of him, with the major caveat that they are worried he will run 3rd party.

[dudeabides]

"Between the illegal immigrant quote and now this, we have a window into his soul and the way he thinks. It's not a pretty picture." - Lindsey Graham

Should that bloodthirsty old queen really be commenting on the darkness of other people's souls?

There are a few issues where I disagree with Lindsey Graham, but I know he is a good person. He has served his country in uniform, and for that I respect him. That is more than I can say about Donald Trump. Also, like everyone else running in both parties, Lindsey has a much higher I.Q. than Donald Dump.

[Negusa Nagast 🚀]

The RNC attempting to bully out a legitimate candidate for President is what is despicable. He should run third party if he doesn't get the nomination.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I'm not assuming anything. I'm not sure. I think some would follow Bush and Rubio and some wouldn't. It would be a mess. But I'm sure there are some who dont want him on that stage and now is the moment to strike.


BTW, where the F is Rand Paul. As far as I can tell he still hasn't denounced Trump's comments on Mexicans and rape. Havent heard anything about this. He was late with a comment on SCOTUS SSM (and that ended up with his weird 'lets stop marriage entirely thing'). I'm not sure he has said anything yet on the IRan deal either.  Is he still running for POTUS?

Rand Paul isn't exactly good on racial issues. He met with Cliven Bundy, who thinks blacks were better off as slaves.

[Cubby]

This is just more of Trump's "truth to power" schtick he riding. Its backfiring because even though its sort-of true, it's also a step too far.  All vets (except Chelsea Manning and Bowe Bergdhal) are Heroes(tm) because they are vets. Challenging our civic religion is still forbidden, it seems.

Those two are still more heroic than most Americans. At least they were soldiers at one point. You're just upset that Chris Kyle can't run for Senator from Tejas to replace Cornyn, you must be devastated.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Remember this image of Romney getting off a plane in 2012


Obama's team used that footage in multiple ads. They never mentioned Trump by name but focus groups always picked up on it (which is why they kept using the footage). Merely getting off a plane next to Trump's plane helped drag down Mitt Romney. Now Trump has denigrated Hispanics and Veterans. Hillary already talks about Trump and lumps all the others in with him. You can be sure she will try to find a way to show the eventual nominee with Trump. People like Bush I'm sure dont want to be anywhere near Trump for fear of a pictures/videos of the two being used in the future.

Trump is now completely toxic for the general election. Not only that, for the GOP race he sucking up all the oxygen, thus denying lower tier candidates a chance (note Christie gets no bump). Yesterday the RNC even issued a statement denouncing him. The party wants him out. I'm not sure if they will be able to find a way but I am sure they are trying to find a way to get rid of him, with the major caveat that they are worried he will run 3rd party.

Trump's current run and associated infamy is the inevitable result the Republicans have been building to since Obama was elected. If they didn't want to turn their party into a sewer, then they shouldn't have spent years cheerleading whenever someone threw another shovelful of feces onto their bandwagon. If it wasn't Trump, it would be someone else.

[Simfan34]

We'll have to wait and see what the polls say.

[SWE]

Lief is the only person talking any sort of sense in this thread.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

This is more offensive.

[Maxwell]

Honestly, if you're a Trump supporter, do you even care about these remarks? John McCain isn't exactly loved in the fringe far-right that loves Trump, and if you are the kind of person who honestly would vote for Trump you've already managed to ignore or agree with every other despicable thing Donald Trump has ever said or done; no reason this one should be the straw that broke the camels back.

That implies there are actual Trump supporters, as opposed to low information GOP voters who kinda like a guy who is being flamboyant in the media. I definitely think Trump's support is inflated, and will dissipate quickly even IF Trump stays and leads til the Iowa caucuses.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

This is just more of Trump's "truth to power" schtick he riding. Its backfiring because even though its sort-of true, it's also a step too far.  All vets (except Chelsea Manning and Bowe Bergdhal) are Heroes(tm) because they are vets. Challenging our civic religion is still forbidden, it seems.

Those two are still more heroic than most Americans. At least they were soldiers at one point. You're just upset that Chris Kyle can't run for Senator from Tejas to replace Cornyn, you must be devastated.

That was supposed to be sarcasm, indicated by the (tm). (Sometimes this site really could use some emoticons.) I was trying to touch on the Orwell-like hypocrisy about how the Right considers that all members of the military are somehow heroes (no matter what they actually did: good, bad, or nothing ) except when they do something the Right doesn't like. Then their "soldiers are all heroes" line somehow evaporates like morning dew. Politically, I'm very far left, and a supporter of Manning and Bergdhal (and Snowden, Assange, Bryant and many more). 

I do think it would have been funny to watch Cornyn get primaried, though. Not that it would change anything.

[Mr. Morden]

"Veterans for Trump":

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/23/politics/trump-veteran-coalition/

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[Fuzzy Bear]

It's been over a week, and Trump hasn't folded.  All the tut-tutting hasn't driven Trump's poll numbers down yet.  Why is that?  Is it because people are stupid?  Or are they just uncouth?

[TJ in Oregon]

It's been over a week, and Trump hasn't folded.  All the tut-tutting hasn't driven Trump's poll numbers down yet.  Why is that?  Is it because people are stupid?  Or are they just uncouth?

No idea. His antics since, in particular giving out Lindsey Graham's cell phone number have demonstrated no matter what his ideological views are that he's utterly incapable of serving.

[Blue3]

Perry called it disgraceful, Jindal and Walker said McCain is an American hero.

And where are Perry, Walker, and Jindal now?


Reading through the first page of this thread again is so funny.

[Fuzzy Bear]

This is such ancient history now.  Amazing how wrong folks got this one. 

Anyone who thinks Trump isn't in it to win it is nuts.  He's probably not going to win it, but he'll be a force in the GOP from now until he kicks the bucket.

[ProudModerate2]

Probably one reason why many/most veterans groups are NOT supporting Trump's veteran event (on Jan 28th), is because all military personnel and their families, remember Trump's disgusting words towards our brave men and women who were previously captured and tortured.