From Roger Simon at Politico:
"Bye-bye baby — time for all of us to grow up
By ROGER SIMON 09/30/15 05:19 AM EDT
Maybe this democracy thing is overrated. We would like to believe that every four years, Americans go to the polls and prove that our system of government works.
But maybe this time it won’t. Maybe this time, democracy will hiccup and produce a president who is not just professionally unqualified for but also personally unworthy of the job.
I could give you a list. But I am not sure I can remember that many names.
Let me quote the president who Republicans still worship:
Ronald Reagan. Reagan was good at the quip — “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help” — but he was also good at what is now called “the vision thing.”
The vision thing used to be important in American politics. Now it is considered a parlor trick. If you can master it, fine. If you can’t, don’t worry. We’ll just use a video.
This is from Ronald Reagan’s last speech from the Oval Office:
“I’ve spoken of the shining city all my political life,” Reagan said. “After 200 years, two centuries, she still stands strong and true to the granite ridge, and her glow has held no matter what storm. And she’s still a beacon, still a magnet for all who must have freedom, for all the pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, toward home.”
I never liked Reagan’s policies, but he knew how to rouse a nation. And that line about hurtling through the darkness toward home can still give one chills.
No Republican would say that today, of course. We don’t want to be a magnet. We don’t want pilgrims from lost places. They need a home? Fine. Let them find one — far away from us.
And who is the leading Republican this time around? And what does he say? Well, he says a great deal. Not much of it inspirational, however.
Here is a list of Donald Trump’s greatest hits compiled by USA Today:
Jeb Bush is “weak” ...
Bobby Jindal is at “zero” in the polls.
Lindsey Graham is a “total lightweight.”
Karl Rove is “a total loser.”
Chuck Hagel and George Will are “morons.”
On Rick Santorum: “I have a big plane. He doesn’t.”
On Fox newscaster Megyn Kelly after the Republican debate on Aug. 6: “Fox viewers give low marks to bimbo.”
On Megyn Kelly on her returning from vacation in late August: “The bimbo’s back in town. I hope not for long.”
Why Trump’s dislike of Kelly? She held him to account for what came out of his mouth. He wasn’t used to that and he didn’t like it one bit.
At the debate, Kelly had said to Trump: “You’ve called women you don’t like ‘fat pigs,’ ‘dogs,’ ‘slobs’ and ‘disgusting animals.’ Your Twitter account has several disparaging comments about women’s looks. You once told a contestant on ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’ it would be a ‘pretty picture’ to see her on her knees. Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president?”
Trump was angry with the question and after the debate denied saying some of the things Kelly accused him of saying.
So PolitiFact.com, a nonpartisan fact-checking agency of the Tampa Bay Times, looked into Trump’s claim that Kelly had lied.
“The record, however, shows the opposite is true,” PolitiFact said. “He has said exactly what Kelly mentioned in the debate. We rate Trump’s statement False.”
There has been much written lately that the “Summer of Trump” is over, the public finally sees through him. His poll numbers are slipping, and people are finally waking up to his act.
That might make an ordinary candidate nervous. It makes Trump belligerent.
This is a CNN news release from Monday:
“Donald Trump admitted Monday that his rhetoric on the campaign trail may not always sound entirely presidential.
“Probably is a little childish,” Trump said in an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett at Trump Tower in New York. “But you know what? This is a campaign.”
Hell yes! This is only a campaign! And only for the presidency of the United States!
So why get all huffy and dignified and fancy-shmancy. Treat your critics like the insects they are. Especially if they aren’t rich and don’t own big planes.
Being childish is what the political process is all about. Or at least it’s what Donald Trump is all about.
Because there has never been a bigger baby running for president."
This time??? Uh...we've already done this very thing, TWICE in fact...2008 and 2012!!!
O as many before him has proved you can't judge a book by its cover.
The Rock
Bang. Hammer falls square and plumb on head of nail.
"Trump says..."
The operative word here is 'says.' In the past he's said precisely the opposite on many of those things.
If Trump says you're the Queen of England, does that make it so?
George Bush said, "Read my lips. No new taxes."
How'd that turn out for ya'?
Obama said he supported the Second Amendment.
How'd that turn out for ya'?
We've got an entire forum here where everyone's pizzed off at the GOP because they SAID one thing when we voted for them, then did the opposite.
Yet many of those very same people claim a self-obsessed blowhard with the emotional maturity of a fifth grader as their hero simply because of what he SAYS, even though most of what he SAYS is the opposite of what he's said and DONE in his past.
Utterly baffling!
I chose the word 'hero' precisely for the reason you noted.
Can anyone else say otherwise? Can ANY politician say otherwise?
All people can say is what Trump will not do in politics which is basically saying, well.....nothing.
Hmmmm.......
The Rock
What names am I supposed to name?
Trump says,"Jeb Bush is “weak” ...
Bobby Jindal is at “zero” in the polls.
Lindsey Graham is a “total lightweight.”
Karl Rove is “a total loser.”
Chuck Hagel and George Will are “morons.”
On Rick Santorum: “I have a big plane. He doesn’t.”
On Fox newscaster Megyn Kelly after the Republican debate on Aug. 6: “Fox viewers give low marks to bimbo.”
On Megyn Kelly on her returning from vacation in late August: “The bimbo’s back in town. I hope not for long.”
vs
Trump says,"We CAN build a wall!
We CAN deport illegals!
We CAN get our jobs back!
We CAN have a strong military!
We CAN stop the Iran nuke deal!
We CAN stop illegal immigration!
We CAN take care of our veterans!
We CAN control our trade agreements!
We CAN stop spending money we don't have!
We CAN prosecute and jail Hillary Clinton!
We CAN Make America Great Again!"
I just don't see anything there that I seriously disagree with on either side of the argument. Certainly not enough to obsess over.
Mr Trump is a political stalking horse. Sit back and enjoy the show.
I agree...and as I have stated it is for Ted Cruz. Which BTW would be fine by me.
The Rock
Yes I agree at this point. If Trump should throw his weight behind Cruz, which I see in next 5-6 months you may very well see a Cruz/Trump ticket in the General. If Trump should hold and win I can guarantee the Trump/Cruz ticket. These two could not be separated by the good Doctor and would wreak havoc on Washington. Remember E.F. Hutton......everyone will listen. ;-) Another prophecy. If these two make it you will hear more from Rand Paul in their designs.
The Rock
True. The entire tenure of this man as president makes Steven Spielberg green with envy. I refuse to believe this occurred in our nation AFTER 2001. This is an ongoing nightmare in which I have lost all faith in the American voting system and the American voter in general. The American landscape has changed and has wrought upon America this great pestilence. I am arm wrestling with the devil as I speak. My ball$ may be in my cheeks from the strain but I ain't a givin'up a just yet. Lets see how this recent GOP Shakespearean play unfolds. Someone and their message on THIS stage has revitalized me. That will rankle a few.
The RFock
