A guy just won the Republican nomination for president by spending no money, hiring no pollsters, running virtually no TV ads, and just saying what he truly believed no matter how many times people told him he couldn't say that. - - Ann Coulter , And Then There Was One
[Full column if you...]
A guy just won the Republican nomination for president by spending no money, hiring no pollsters, running virtually no TV ads, and just saying what he truly believed no matter how many times people told him he couldn't say that.
I always hoped I'd see this once before I died. It's like to going to Mecca, for Americans. Pay attention, because it's the last time we're going to see it in our lifetimes.
For those of you not yet on the Trump Train, I know you don't want to vote for Hillary, but all the pundits have been trying to convince you that Trump's a complete fraud. (That was between their smug assurances that he wouldn't make it out of Iowa.)
It's odd. When Trump launched his campaign by talking about Mexican rapists and the wall, his critics hysterically denounced him, rushing to TV to say he did NOT represent the Republican Party! Only after it became resoundingly clear that large majorities of Americans agreed with Trump did his critics try a new tack: He doesn't believe it!
That's what my friend Andy McCarthy at the now-defunct National Review wrote recently. I had to spend the weekend figuring out how to attack a friend without saying, "This is the most retarded argument I've ever read."
Here goes: This was not Andy's best effort.
Of all the arguments that could be made against Trump, McCarthy settled on: I don't trust him on immigration. (I'd love to have been a fly on the wall at that pitch meeting.)
He bases this claim on a remark Trump made as a businessman four years ago in which he regurgitated the official GOP line about Romney -- and which was being stated as fact 1 million times a day on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News.
To wit, Trump told Newsmax that Mitt Romney "had a crazy policy of self-deportation which was maniacal," adding, "He lost all of the Latino vote ... he lost everybody who is inspired to come into this country."
It is strange that Trump would denounce "self-deportation," which is like a chocolate sundae compared to his own plans for illegals.
But to give you the tenor of the interview, Trump went on to promote "Celebrity Apprentice," note that he had just bought the Old Post Office building in Washington, D.C., and boast about his recently acquired Ritz-Carlton Golf Club and Spa in Jupiter, Fla. -- "which is a phenomenal area."
Also, a lot of people didn't like the phrase "self-deportation." Why not just say: "They'll go home the same way they came"?
So is Trump lying about his signature issue, immigration? The countervailing evidence to that 2012 pop-off is:
-- Nine months of Trump soaring to the top of the polls and slaying all comers by talking about how he's going to build a wall and make Mexico pay for it;
-- His never, ever, ever backing down on the wall, sanctuary cities, anchor babies, suspending Muslim immigration, etc., etc., despite unprecedented attacks from both the liberal and "conservative" media;
-- The fact that he talks about immigration at every single one of his massive rallies and always gets the biggest, most sustained standing ovations when he mentions the wall;
-- The blizzard of tweets he sent out in 2013 denouncing Rubio's amnesty bill as it was sailing through the Senate, supported by the entire liberal media, Rupert Murdoch, Fox News, most of talk radio, and every other GOP candidate for president this year, including, for a while, Ted Cruz (whose job was to know about bills being voted on in the Senate, unlike a Manhattan developer);
-- Trump's one and only policy guy is the magnificent Stephen Miller, who was Sen. Jeff Sessions' main immigration guy.
And so on.
Maybe Trump is the Manchurian Candidate and contrary to his entire life's work he really just wants fancy people in Manhattan to like him.
Maybe the window into his soul is what he said four years ago about Romney's phrase "self-deportation."
Maybe 50 years of Trump's talking about the working class was all a clever ruse leading to this one shining moment when he would trick Americans into voting for him, so he could sell us out, like any other candidate would.
On the other hand, maybe he's changed his mind about that 2012 remark.
I'm bitter and cynical enough on immigration that I don't trust anyone not to betray us. But if there was ever a candidate we could believe will build a wall and stop the mass importation of the Third World, it's Trump.
We needed George Patton and Chesty Puller, and they gave us Wesley dgam Clark and diversity training.
This is the result.
I really looked at the Indiana data. (I'm involved with Decision Desk, so have worked several states this primary.) I got the feeling of all those people, 2,000 here, 10,000 there, voting for the person to represent their party and their country. These are folks trusting Trump to do what he says he will do. That's not an easy burden to bear. We have had so many politicians say they care about us and will do what's right. And then they sell out. I don't see that with Trump. He already has money, power, fame, beautiful wife, great kids. Why would he set that aside to run for President and put up with the daily grief he will get from the media? I can't come up with any other reason than he genuinely cares about this country.
Posted by: Teri Pittman at May 5, 2016 10:36 AMI'm also disappointed that Andy McCarthy toed the NR line. I thought he had more sense. But I suppose the pay check dictates.
As for Teri Pitman's post above. Look Teri, if I was an American, rather than a Brit (and English to boot), I'd vote for Don Trumpolini in a flash. However, your assumption that someone who has it all because of his business acumen can't have an ulterior motive in seeking the job as POTUS, is perhaps a little starry eyed? Could it be that's he's pissed at having to buy the influence of Washington and State pols for donkey's years to further his business, so has decided to occupy the Oral Office so that he can sell influence instead. Or would that be cynical?
Whatever - Go Donald! Nothing could be worse than another Alinsky surrogate as the 'Leader of the West'.
Watch this if you have a couple of hours to spare:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDbCwFm1Cmo&index=74&list=WL
Presumably Jim Comey has this on file. So what's holding you up, Director?
Posted by: Frank P at May 5, 2016 11:25 AMThe books in the UK have Trump at 9-4. I don't think they ever have been wrong.
Posted by: Vermont Woodchuck at May 5, 2016 12:00 PMFirst, Ann Coulter's paragraph is nonsense. "Spending no money" because jumbo jets fly on unicorn farts? I think perhaps money was spent, if only on trucker hats and convention hall rental. "Running virtually no TV ads?" Maybe not. He's such a clown show reporters followed him around like baby ducks, begging to be the first to record the faux pas du jour. "Saying what he truly believe[s]?" He seems to believe a great many contradictory things. I think the only thing Donald Trump truly believes is "Donald Trump for President." I have no opinion about the bit concerning pollsters.
It is absurd that in this country, the United States of America, a place many of us were raised to take seriously, these two creatures are the best the parties could do as presidential candidates.
I say scrap the whole process. For this year only, the race is to be a literal race: A one-mile sprint, winner take all. Through a minefield. Spectators are encouraged to bring - and use - rifles. If nobody wins, nobody gets to be president for four years and we'll all see if we're better off that way.
Posted by: Joel at May 5, 2016 12:57 PM"It is absurd that in this country, the United States of America, a place many of us were raised to take seriously, these two creatures are the best the parties could do as presidential candidates."
========================
It's always funny watching children achieve adulthood, finally.
Hey Joel, it's been this way for a loooooong time.
Welcome to the grown ups house. LOL
Question: Do you honestly believe the voters chose Obama? Really?
Posted by: ghostsniper at May 5, 2016 1:13 PMThe hand-wringing and angst over the prospect of a Trump administration amuses and baffles. Post 2008? really?
Posted by: Will at May 5, 2016 1:19 PMSpent none of the _public's_ money. $40M is not chicken feed, but the point is taken.
Posted by: ahem at May 5, 2016 3:02 PMI don't argue with NeverTrumpers. I remind them that Hillary is just as pro-Islam as Obama. Not Islam the religion, but Islam the ascendant attempt at world power.
Posted by: Joan of Argghh! at May 5, 2016 6:12 PMThe message to the citizens that:
(1) You are not the evil bearers of some pox;
(2) Your elected officials should, you know, represent you;
(3) While defending others maybe some of them being defended could break a sweat once every so often;
(4) When it comes to trade deals perhaps we need a little more "slick and slimy" on our side of the negotiating table;
(5) And who the F%*^ asked these mooks to be our "national conscience" or whatever? I mean - who cares what Brazil thinks about us afterwards - was that trade deal a good deal for us? If no, then it was a lousy job and those guys need to be fired - no, I'm merciful, there's a tire dump whose fire needs to be managed, it's somewhere in Jersey - I'll send them there."
Has anyone else noted that the easiest way to voice Donald Trump is to do Damon Runyon, "Guys and Dolls"?
Nathan Detroit: I have been running the crap game since I was a juvenile delinquent.
Miss Adelaide: Speaking of chronic conditions, happy anniversary.
Donald Trump: Now I am going to break in because you two kids have something great going on and I really mean that it is wonderful, like a Broadway song; but you have this load of negativity, that's bad, very bad. We need to work out something that will bring you kids together - Nathan; my resort in Florida has a guaranteed salary for someone to lead a tame crap game that looks wild; Adelaide - all of these old gals want this Pilates - I don't know what that is, I thought he was the one that crucified Christ - now it's something with a lot of sunlight and they think they're exercising - anyhow, you two kids at the resort - what do you say? Get the rest of these bums to vote Trump?
You will? I knew you had it in you.
Posted by: Mikey NTH at May 6, 2016 9:29 PMFilters, fascinating. Trump throws out all kinds of crap, contradicts himself six times a day, and the audience uses filters to hear what they want to out of the racket, and totally ignore the rest. Tribal types hear only that this guy's got our back (really?), people who think America is an idea as well as a territory are appalled. Maybe neither of them are right, but it looks like we will soon know.
Posted by: Ed at May 7, 2016 5:27 PM
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