trump is serious!!!!!

[Lord Jim]

maybe if you lent me your rose coloured glasses.....

You don't need rose colored glasses wes...

just take off the Trump Goggles and put down the



The other big difference between what Rubio is doing and the previous weak attempts at truth telling about Trump is that those efforts focused almost exclusively on Trump's vile behavior as a candidate, and/or his ridiculous hate and fear mongering political ideas...

They didn't get into the flagrant way he's trying to con the voters into believing he's some sort of hero for "the little guy" when the fact is that he has built his entire career screwing over working class Americans and American small business owners...

This aspect of Trump has never been prominently exposed by a major opponent of his before, nor has it ever gotten the kind of media focus it is now receiving...(Rubio's right; most of the media would have preferred not to really expose Trump until after he became the nominee; but now Marco has left them with no choice.)

Also, Rubio has put Trump back on his heels in a way no one else was previously able to do. Rubio is now driving the narrative, and Trump is being forced to respond to it. His juvenile counter punches that withered previous opponents aren't landing...He's being defined by Rubio, rather than the other way around. Marco is laughing off his attacks and turning them back on him. Here's the latest example:

Marco Rubio Saturday afternoon continued his attacks on Donald Trump, meeting the school yard bully on his own turf. The Florida Senator who just a week ago was demolished for being a "robot," after repeating his own scripted remarks over and over during a GOP debate came after the GOP frontrunner during Thursday's debate, and hasn't stopped since.

“You guys wanna have a little fun today?” Rubio asked a crowd of supporters in Kennesaw, Georgia. Looking at his cell phone, Rubio boasted that Trump was "pretty calm" after he "punched him around a little bit."

"He’s learning how to spell, I guess," Rubio continued, after many on social media and even Webster's mocked Trump for making several spelling errors while posting to Twitter Friday. "But he’s flying around on Hair Force One and tweeting."

“So here’s the one tweet he put out, he put out a picture of me having makeup put on me at the debate,” Rubio said.

“Which is amazing me to me, that the guy with the worst spray tan in America is attacking me for putting on makeup,” he continued, gleefully mocking his nemesis.

"Donald Trump likes to sue people," Rubio announced, in what seemed to be a rehearsed line. "He should sue whoever did that to his face."

He's both exposing Trump for the con artist that he is and mocking and belittling him in the way Trump has done so effectively to others...

And Trumpster Dumpster's counter punches don't land because far from being made defensive by his attacks, Rubio repeats them and mocks them...it's a brilliant approach... (the "chock artist" thing ain't workin' for Trumpty...)

He's not just giving Trump a dose of his own medicine; he's pried open his jaws and is pouring the whole damn bottle down his vile throat...

And have you noticed who has gotten almost no press coverage since Rubio has started giving Trump his long overdue comeuppance?

That would be Ted Cruz...

The other thing Rubio is achieving is to turn the narrative into a him versus Trump one-on-one race...

If you want a candidate who will finally take it to Trump and expose him for what he is, (and also btw, the candidate who consistently beats Hillary by the largest margins in general election polls) then Marco is your guy...

That certainly makes him my guy...

(Note to wes: please do NOT take that as a cue to post a Youtube video of Mary Wells singing My Guy...thanking you in advance...)

ETA:

One thing I found hilarious during Chris Christie's embarrassing suck-ass endorsement of Trump last week was how in an attempt to slam Marco's electability, he said that Hillary, "will destroy a freshman Senator"....

Really Chris? History would seem to indicate otherwise....(see Obama, Barack, 2008....)

[dales]

I wonder why Trumper is reluctant to reveal his income tax statement?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphilli ... ad289966d0

[wesw]

let 'em stew Donald, don t release nuttin', just let 'em stew....

[Scooter]

Because you would be saying the exact same thing if any other contender for the nomination, Republican or Democrat, refused to release their tax returns.

You're such a hypocrite, wes, and the hilarious part is that you are completely clueless about how transparent your schtick has become.

[Lord Jim]

Trump said, about the return, “As far as my return, I want to file it. I will absolutely give my return but I’m being audited now.” He went on to add that “everybody” would agree that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) should complete its audit of the returns before Trump releases the returns

Well, uh, actually everybody does not agree; from the article Dale posted:

Trump could absolutely release those returns now – even in the middle of an audit. While an audit could result in a change (or two) to his returns, it does not change what Trump filed, signing “Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this return and accompanying schedules and statements, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, they are true, correct, and complete.” In other words, no matter how what happens as a result of the audit, what Trump submitted, he did so claiming that it was true at the time. If the IRS makes an adjustment (which happens, even with the best prepared returns), it shouldn’t substantially change the nature of the returns. And if the IRS makes no adjustment, then there was no harm, no foul, in releasing those returns. Trump could release those returns at any time.

Yet more dishonest bullshit from the dishonest bullshit factory that is Donald Trump. At a guess, I'd say the returns probably show that he hasn't been honest about how much money he's been making, (Trump arrives at that 10 billion dollar figure that he likes to throw around by grossly inflating the value of his so-called "brand" No reputable wealth analyst has ever accepted his numbers) and also he has probably been very parsimonious with his charitable contributions and/or he's been contributing to organizations that would be problematic for him as a GOP Presidential candidate.

[Bicycle Bill]

let 'em stew Donald, don t release nuttin', just let 'em stew....

That sounds more like advice to "duck and cover", wesw.

-"BB"-

[Lord Jim]

Trumpty sends his house boy on his way:

'Get in the plane and go home. It's over there': Trump is caught cold-shouldering his newest endorser Chris Christie on hot mic as he tears into 'little Marco' Rubio



The theme music from Harrison Ford's movie 'Air Force One' blared over loudspeakers in a rural Tennessee airport hangar, and minutes later a less presidential noise wafted over a hot mic.

'Get in the plane and go home. It's over there. Go home.'

That was Donald Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner, telling his newest endorser Chris Christie in front of 12,000 people exactly where to go and how to get there.

Christie had just sung The Donald's praises following the dramatic entrance of his plane in a stunt the campaign invented a month ago in Dubuque, Iowa.

[Scooter]

[Lord Jim]

Why Won't Donald Trump Repudiate the Ku Klux Klan?

On Sunday, CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Trump whether he’d repudiate the support of David Duke, the former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, or “other white supremacists.” Trump evaded the question:

Donald Trump: Well, I have to look at the group. I mean, I don’t know what group you’re talking about. You wouldn’t want me to condemn a group that I know nothing about. I’d have to look. If you would send me a list of the groups, I will do research on them, and certainly I would disavow if I thought that there was something wrong.

Jake Tapper: The Ku Klux Klan…

Trump: But you may have some groups in there that are totally fine, and it would be very unfair. So, give me a list of groups and I’ll let you know.

Tapper: Okay, I’m just talking about David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan here but…

Trump: Honestly, I don’t know David Duke. I don’t believe I’ve ever met him. I’m pretty sure I didn’t meet him, and I just don’t know anything about him.

In 2000, Trump was unambiguous about condemning the intolerance of the Reform Party, because it “now includes a Klansman, Mr. Duke, a neo-Nazi, Mr. Buchanan, and a communist, Ms. Fulani,” he said. “This is not company I wish to keep.'' On Friday, Trump was asked about Duke’s support, and replied, “I disavow him, OK?” But somehow, by Sunday, he’d forgotten both who Duke was, and how repellent his ideology is.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc ... an/471345/

No political candidate can control who endorses them, but they can sure as hell control how they respond to the endorsement.

Those who make absurd comparisons between The Trump-thing and Ronald Reagan should consider the striking contrast between Trump's " you may have some groups in there that are totally fine" and Mr. Reagan's unequivocal reaction to Klan endorsements:

In 1980:

Mr. Reagan rejected the endorsement, saying , "I have no tolerance with what the Klan represents, and I want nothing to do with it."

and again in 1984:

In 1980, I said that I have no tolerance for what the Klan represents, and would have nothing to do with any groups of that type. If anything, my feelings on this subject have only grown stronger. The politics of racial hatred and religious bigotry practiced by the Klan and others have no place in this country, and are destructive of the values for which America has always stood. Those of us in public life can only resent the use of our names by those who seek political recognition for the repugnant doctrines of hate they espouse.

I firmly believe that there is no room for partisanship on this question. Democrats and Republicans alike must be resolute in disassociating ourselves from any group or individual whose political philosophy consists only of racial or religious intolerance, whose arguments are supported only by intimidation or threats of violence.

We must, and will, continue our unified rejection of such elements of hate in our political life, for while there are many issues which divide us, it is fundamental principles such as this which will always draw us together.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1986988/posts

[rubato]

Trump is just working the "hate and fear immigrants, foreigners, and Muslims" strategy which all Republicans have used for 16 years.

And just as dishonestly as all of them have done. Illegal immigration is not and has not been a practical problem in any recent time. But xenophobia sells, just look at the ultra right in France, England, Greece, Russia @c.




Yes,
Rubato

[Lord Jim]

Trump explains tweeting Mussolini quote

Donald Trump said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he retweeted a quote from Benito Mussolini, the Italian fascist dictator, because he wants to “be associated with interesting quotes.”

“Chuck, it's OK to know it's Mussolini. Look, Mussolini was Mussolini. It's OK to — it's a very good quote, it's a very interesting quote, and I know it,” he said Sunday morning. “I saw it. I saw what — and I know who said it. But what difference does it make whether it's Mussolini or somebody else? It's certainly a very interesting quote.”

Trump posted the tweet early Sunday morning from @ilduce2016: “It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.”

When asked if he wanted to be associated with a fascist, Trump said: “No, I want to be associated with interesting quotes. And people, you know, I have almost 14 million people between Instagram and Facebook and Twitter and all of that. And we do interesting things. And I sent it out. And certainly, hey, it got your attention, didn't it?”

Benito Mussolini took power in Italy in the early 1920s and ran the nation for more than two decades, until being toppled from power in 1943 as Alliied forces fought their way up Italy. "Il Duce" was allied with Germany's Adolf Hitler during World War II, and his armies invaded a number of nations, including Ethiopia, Greece and Yugoslavia. Mussolini was captured and executed in April 1945.

The website Gawker claimed to have created the account that sent out the Mussolini quote that Trump re-tweeted.

Trump has come under criticism for declining to distance himself or reject support from those on the far right, particularly white supremacists. On Sunday, he declined to condemn either David Duke or the Ku Klux Klan.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/t ... z41Uj1DfEm

[Scooter]

Sometimes evil people can say wise or perceptive things that are worthy of quoting, but context is important. That quote was an expression of Mussolini's glorification of violence as a means to turn Italy into a great world power.

And, of course, Trump would be too clueless to know that Mussolini intended to recreate the Roman Empire by conquering the lands of North Africa and the Middle East where relations with the U.S. are troubled, to say the least. I don't believe the implied threat in reproducing that quote would be lost on them, even if it was lost on Trump.

[Lord Jim]

On Friday, Trump was asked about Duke’s support, and replied, “I disavow him, OK?” But somehow, by Sunday, he’d forgotten both who Duke was, and how repellent his ideology is.

Gee, I seriously doubt that was a memory slip...

Trump's a bright fella, and he loves to brag about his fantastic memory...

It is of course laughably ridiculous to think that he forgot who Duke was in just two days...(especially since he made perfectly clear that he knew exactly who he was as long as 16 years ago...)

But Sunday on CNN he had a larger audience, and he understands that racists make up an important component of his constituency, and he didn't want to alienate them...(In stark contrast to Mr. Reagan, who made quite clear in unequivocal terms that he wanted no part of them.)

It would be unfair, (and untrue) to say that all of Trump's supporters are racists. (There's an array of misguided reasons that people support Trump) but it would be fair to say that just about all the racists are Trump supporters...

At least those racists who care to participate in the mainstream political process. Sad to say, it's reasonable to conclude that one of the reasons, (emphasis on the word "one") that participation in GOP primaries and caucuses is up is because a number of these racists who previously weren't participating in the process (because there wasn't a major candidate who was pandering sufficiently to them) are rallying to Trump's banner...

And when he puzzles over whether or not the KKK group endorsing him might be one of the "totally fine" Ku Klux Klan groups, he's not just sending a "dog whistle" to these loathsome characters...

He's cued up a 100 piece orchestra...

[Econoline]

Another endorsement for the Donald: "Si j’étais américain, je voterais Donald TRUMP."

[Lord Jim]

Trump had a racist twofer yesterday:

Trump attacks judge's ethnicity

Donald Trump doubled down on his assertion that he’s being treated unfavorably by a U.S. district judge because of the judge’s ethnicity and disagreements over border policies.

The Republican front-runner is the defendant in a class-action suit in front of U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel stemming from Trump’s association with Trump University – one of three ongoing legal actions against Trump for his link to the so-called university, which was a series of seminars. Plaintiffs who attended the seminars from 2005 to 2011 have complained about subpar instructors and taking pictures with a cardboard cutout of Trump after being promised a photo with the man himself.

But Trump said he believes Curiel, who was born in Indiana to immigrant parents, according to a 2013 profile in a Federal Bar Association newsletter, has acted unfairly due to Trump’s oft-stated promise to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.

“I think it has to do perhaps with the fact that I'm very, very strong on the border, very, very strong at the border, and he has been extremely hostile to me,” Trump said on “Fox News Sunday.”

During a rally in Arkansas on Saturday, Trump specifically cited Curiel’s ethnicity after noting perceived “hostility” from the judge.

“The judge should have thrown the case out on summary judgment. But because it was me and because there’s a hostility toward me by the judge, tremendous hostility, beyond belief––I believe he happens to be Spanish, which is fine, he’s Hispanic, which is fine, and we haven’t asked for a recusal, which we may do, but we have a judge who’s very hostile.”

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who has filed a $40 million suit against Trump and Trump University for fraud, accused the tough-talking businessman of “racial demagoguery.”

“I will not engage in a debate about ongoing litigation,” Schneiderman said in a statement on Saturday. “But there is no place in this process for racial demagoguery directed at respected members of the judiciary. The state Supreme Court has already ruled that Trump University operated illegally in New York as an unlicensed education institution, and we look forward to prevailing on the rest of our claims as the legal process moves forward.”

While the suits against Trump University have been common knowledge for years, they recently entered the spotlight after Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., attacked Trump for the university during Thursday’s GOP debate.

“There are people who borrowed $36,000 to go to Trump University, and they're suing now — $36,000 to go to a university that's a fake school,” Rubio said. “And you know what they got? They got to take a picture with a cardboard cutout of Donald Trump.”

Trump brushed off any notion of wrongdoing.

"I could've settled this suit numerous times. Could settle it now. But I don't like settling suits," he said.

[Econoline]

[Lord Jim]

On The Today Show this morning Trump attempted blame his inability to condemn David Duke and the KKK on a "bad ear piece"...

The problem wasn't his ear piece, it was his mouth piece... Looks to me like he heard everything just fine:



"I know nothing about David Duke, I know nothing about white supremacists"....

Yeah, Trumpty, you're a regular Sergeant Schultz...

Except, oh yeah:

In 2000, Trump was unambiguous about condemning the intolerance of the Reform Party, because it “now includes a Klansman, Mr. Duke, a neo-Nazi, Mr. Buchanan, and a communist, Ms. Fulani,” he said. “This is not company I wish to keep.'' On Friday, Trump was asked about Duke’s support, and replied, “I disavow him, OK?” But somehow, by Sunday, he’d forgotten both who Duke was, and how repellent his ideology is.

ETA:

Mike Barnacle made an excellent point on Morning Joe earlier:

He pointed out that Trump is a guy who has no problem calling people "stupid" and "losers", etc., all day long...

Why can't he bring himself to use some of that "Trump language" to describe David Duke and the KKK?

The answer is as obvious as it is disgusting...

[Scooter]

John Oliver skewered him but good last night:

[MajGenl.Meade]

Well that was quite a show! Should be compulsory viewing for wesw - Drumpf has no clothes

[Scooter]