The Chronicles of Narcissist

[Dannyalcatraz]

The Donald is running for POTUS, and to nobody's surprise, he's made some...inflammatory...statements.

http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/0...icle_organicsidebar_expansion&iref=obnetwork#

Now, a lot of people thought he'd be running for the same reason as last time: publicity. IOW, he ran to improve the profile of his business ventures.

However, if this is true, it doesn't seem to be working the way you'd expect. Instead of re-assessing and reframing, he's doubling down- again, not surprising. But the easily is he's losing business partners, and is even launching lawsuits. The optics on this are not very presidential.

...and yet he's second among all GOP candidates in all of the most recent polls.

I think this is just a phase. Prospective GOP voters are attracted to their new shiny thing. But I suspect he'll flame out as the electorate realizes how profoundly unelectable he is. I'm guessing...1-2 months.

How do YOU see this tale spinning out?

 

[Joker]

With his deportation as the sole crew member of the first manned mission to Mars. With a slingshot.

That is my professional opinion.

 

[Ryujin]

Money or not, I doubt that the party is crazy enough to make him their candidate for President.

 

[Kramodlog]

The character Trump is playing in front of the cameras is a reflection of the Republican base. This is why is he second in polls. It also means that if is in the first 10 in polls, he will be invited to the Fox News debate. A great stage for him to get visibality, say disgustig things and get huge applauds from the crowd.

Like Erik Erikson from Red State points out, Trump will matter in the primaries because his hyperboles will force other candidates to make the same toxic statements than him or try to surpass him. Statements that are helpful in a Republican primary, but harmful in a genereal presidential election. And close enough, we have Ted Cruz who refuses to critic Trump, and media in the conservative bubble praises them both.

The Republican primaries of 2012 were named a circus, and they were quite entertaining, but this one, it is gonna even better with 15 and still counting candidates.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The one GOP candidate that surprised me most in his reaction- or lack thereof- to Trump's statement was Jeb Bush. Y'know, what with his wife being a Mexican and all. I can understand the others making statements that are politically calculated & measured, but Trump essentially made a personal attack on Bush the candidate's WIFE. There should have been the political equivalent of the events of Lynyrd Skynard's "Gimme Three Steps" going on.

Does Jeb have a backbone?

 

[Umbran]

Does Jeb have a backbone?

You will note that the GOP candidates are *not* going after each other, in general. Each of them is, for the moment, trying to campaign on the basis of how much they hate the President and his policies, and not how they are better than the other Republican candidates.

Calling Trump on his racist comments would 1) break that truce, and 2) cheese off a good chunk of the GOP base. While Jeb's spouse is likely an asset in his home state, he probably doesn't want to point her out to the folks who like what Trump is saying right now.

Jeb has a backbone, yes - and that means not letting slights get to him. He'll stay quiet, and allow the media and his commercially-visible business ties rip Trump up for him. Jeb is still in the lead, so getting dirty probably isn't in his best interests.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

The one GOP candidate that surprised me most in his reaction- or lack thereof- to Trump's statement was Jeb Bush. Y'know, what with his wife being a Mexican and all. I can understand the others making statements that are politically calculated & measured, but Trump essentially made a personal attack on Bush the candidate's WIFE. There should have been the political equivalent of the events of Lynyrd Skynard's "Gimme Three Steps" going on.

Does Jeb have a backbone?

Jeb? A backbone? Not a chance.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

You will note that the GOP candidates are *not* going after each other, in general.

Some are warming to the task in h Rick Perry said the comments were not representative of the GOP. Rubio went farther, and called them offensive, inaccurate, and divisive.

And honestly, I'm sure a stronger response from Bush- citing Columba's rather impressive track record in the public eye- would have been a big rhetorical slap in Trump's face. It would have virtually sewn up the Latin GOP vote for him as far as non-Latino GOP candidates were concerned. Only Rubio or Cruz would have a chance. (And Cruz really doesn't have one.) Who else could touch him on this?

And he needs a win like this. Conservative commentators have been pointing out his weak, stumbling responses to various issues of the day. This would have given him a political identity beyond "the next Bush in line."

He should have spiked this one. Instead, he gave it a weak lob return.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Jeb? A backbone? Not a chance.

Yeah, you've seen him up close for many years, haven't you?

That lack of a spine is going to cost him. If he can't stand up for family, how can he stand up for his country? At least, that's the thoughts will go.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

Yeah, you've seen him up close for many years, haven't you?

That lack of a spine is going to cost him. If he can't stand up for family, how can he stand up for his country? At least, that's the thoughts will go.

Unfortunately, yes. He was our governor here in Florida, so we know just how spineless he is. I've also had the chance to run into Marco Rubio several times since he "teaches" at my former university.The horror that are Florida politicians.