A Commonsense Analysis From A Sound Conservative Republican

[MajGenl.Meade]

Trump's abhorrent victory turns poor old James L Petigru's dictum upside down. South Carolina may have been too small for a republic in 1860 but the United States is not - and yet apparently it's also not too large to be a lunatic asylum.

[Big RR]

LJ, doesn't having someone on "ignore" mean (a) no peeking and (b) no responding even if someone else quotes it?

I did peek the one time, (thanks to you ) and I do respond to quotes that others post...(it's not like there are any real "rules" to this... )

wes--if you don't like Will's writing, so be it. But the idea is distinct from the messenger.

So wes doesn't like George F. Will?

I suppose that's understandable...too many long, complicated three syllable words and complex sentences... probably gives him a headache trying to read Will's writing...

And the news just gets better and better:

Kasich dropping out of presidential race

John Kasich is dropping his presidential bid, according to a senior campaign adviser, one day after Donald Trump became the presumptive nominee and Ted Cruz bowed out of the race.

The Ohio governor had long ago been mathematically eliminated from clinching the GOP nomination outright but had hoped to emerge as a consensus candidate at a contested convention.

Ultimately, Kasich outlasted nearly all of his rivals but can claim to have beaten few of them. He won only one contest — his home state of Ohio — during the primary season, and his final tally of 153 delegates puts him fourth in the race behind Marco Rubio, who dropped out in mid-March.

Kasich had said Tuesday night that he would keep fighting, but after Cruz suspended his campaign and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus declared Trump the presumptive nominee, Kasich apparently decided to end his bid.

Kasich had been expected to talk with reporters this morning at Washington Dulles International Airport before embarking on what his campaign termed a full day of finance events in Maryland and Virginia. But the campaign later canceled the briefing and scheduled a news conference at 5 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/k ... ace-222792

I guess we can now formally hand the lunatics the keys to the asylum...

Jim--does this finally put the death knell to the contested convention, or could some backroom maneuvering still deny Trump the nomination?

Also, do you think there is any chance that another repub could mount a third party challenge?

Also, I read recently (I don't know where) that the best chance to defeat Trump might be to have Hillary take a left leaning republican (there are few) as a running mate to further attract republican support away from Trump and assure he loses. Given what's at stake, do you think there's any chance of that? Maybe it's wishful thinking, but Trump could spur bipartisanship.

[Scooter]

I think the last time a similar thing happened was when Lincoln chose Andrew Johnson, and that was followed by all sorts of unpleasantness.

[Lord Jim]

Jim--does this finally put the death knell to the contested convention

Yes, unfortunately that possibility is now completely dead...

Even RNC chairman Reince Priebus, after Cruz dropped out is now declaring Trump the "presumptive nominee"...(a declaration that he must enjoy about as much as a tooth ache...)

do you think there is any chance that another repub could mount a third party challenge?

I would dearly love to see that happen, but the calendar and the logistics are daunting...

The good news is that there would be the money available for a serious organized effort, the bad news is that a serious organized effort would have to begin pretty much immediately to make the ballot requirements across the country...

[Sue U]

do you think there is any chance that another repub could mount a third party challenge?

I would dearly love to see that happen, but the calendar and the logistics are daunting...

The good news is that there would be the money available for a serious organized effort, the bad news is that a serious organized effort would have to begin pretty much immediately to make the ballot requirements across the country...

A "True Republican" third-party run would kill the down-ballot candidates. As much damage as Trump will do at the top of the ticket, a party split will lose both the Senate and the House as well.

Run, Mitt/Jeb/Inanimate Carbon Rod, run!!!!!!!

[oldr_n_wsr]

Run ...... /Inanimate Carbon Rod

No can do this time around. I'll consider it in four years.

[Sue U]

[Lord Jim]

A "True Republican" third-party run would kill the down-ballot candidates.

I completely disagree...in fact the effect down-ballot is one of the reasons I support this idea...

A "True Republican" third party candidate would bring out additional voters that might otherwise stay home with Trump at the top of the ticket...

And whether the voters show up for Trump or for the "True Republican" they're both likely to vote GOP down ballot...

I'm sure Kelly Ayotte , Pat Toomey, and Mark Kirk, (for starters) would be delighted to see a second GOP option at the top of the ballot...(especially with Trump as the official nominee)

[Lord Jim]

The Democratic Party is going to try to wrap Donald Trump and "Trumpism" around the neck of every single GOP Senate candidate, Congressional candidate, Gubernatorial candidate, state assembly candidate and dog catcher candidate running in this election cycle...

And I don't blame them...

That's exactly what I would do...

There are going to be so many commercials with split screens showing Donald Trump and the local candidate, with quotes from Trump and voice over lines like, "A vote for Congressman Flabergass is a vote for Donald Trump" and "Donald Trump and Wilberforce Flabergass; bad for women, bad for America"...

It will make your head spin...

Donald Trump at the top of the ticket is a complete catastrophe down ballot...A third party "True Republican" couldn't do anything but help mitigate the damage...

[Sue U]

But there's the rub: Rep. Flabergass is going to need both the Trump voters as well as the GOP Regulars to win, and the Dems will force him to declare his allegiance either to Trump or Rod as the preznitial candidate -- either way, the kiss o' death for one bloc or the other.

[Big RR]

My main concern is that a third party republican candidate might take some of the moderate republican vote away from Hillary (if she is the nominee for the dems), but leave Trump with his base. I'd like to think that wouldn't be enough to win, but then I thought that there was no chance of his getting the nomination from the republicans, and look where we are. IMHO, the most important thing to do is to ensure he is not elected, as it would be a complete disaster to have him as president.

Maybe Cruz's dad can use his Oswald contacts again and ...

[Lord Jim]

But there's the rub: Rep. Flabergass is going to need both the Trump voters as well as the GOP Regulars to win, and the Dems will force him to declare his allegiance either to Trump or Rod as the preznitial candidate -- either way, the kiss o' death for one bloc or the other.

Now here's how a smart fella answers that question:

Reporter: Congressman Flabergass do you support your party's Presidential nominee, Donald Trump, or the Independent Republican candidate?

Flabergass:

I'm glad you asked me that question, because it's an important question, and it's a question that the voters have a right to have an answer to. The answer is that I support the hard working men and women of Michigan's 14th District, as I have tried to do my best for over these past eight years, that I have been privileged to serve them in the United States Congress.

And if I am honored by them with re-election to a fifth term, I will do everything I can to continue to be worthy of their confidence and their trust. And I will continue to work tirelessly on their behalf in Washington, and work with anyone to improve the lives of those who I represent.

[oldr_n_wsr]

LordJim, THE third choice.

[Lord Jim]

Hey, sometimes the answers just write themselves...

[Scooter]

And the headline will read "Flabergass says Clinton can count on his support if she is President" and he loses the support of both sets of Republican voters.

[Joe Guy]

Now here's how a smart fella answers that question:

Reporter: Congressman Flabergass do you support your party's Presidential nominee, Donald Trump, or the Independent Republican candidate?

Flabergass:

I'm glad you asked me that question, because it's an important question, and it's a question that the voters have a right to have an answer to. The answer is that I support the hard working men and women of Michigan's 14th District, as I have tried to do my best for over these past eight years, that I have been privileged to serve them in the United States Congress.

And if I am honored by them with re-election to a fifth term, I will do everything I can to continue to be worthy of their confidence and their trust. And I will continue to work tirelessly on their behalf in Washington, and work with anyone to improve the lives of those who I represent.

Flabergass for President! He's not just another politician. He's just a nother politician. There's a difference!

[Lord Jim]

And the headline will read "Flabergass says Clinton can count on his support if she is President" and he loses the support of both sets of Republican voters.

Flabergass holds the headline from the local fishwrap over his head...(winking, smiling, and nodding to folks in the audience ...)

"Well, this is not the first time our local liberal press has attempted to misrepresent my positions...

(Flabergass pauses; audience laughs...)

Nor I suspect, will it be the last! ... (audience breaks into hysterics and applause...)

[Gob]

WTF?

[Lord Jim]

You really didn't get that?

Or was that you just doing your faux puzzled "your system is nuts" routine?

[Gob]

The whole "Flabergass" thing threw me, I thought you'd added in another twist to the sorry show.