After leaving the White House, former President Trump moved to Florida. Having endorsed Ron DeSantis for Governor in 2018, Trump in 2022 said he would vote for DeSantis again. Two weeks ago, Trump started a series of attacks against DeSantis that DeSantis had too aggressively locked down Florida. Trump complained that DeSantis had harmed Florida’s economy as a result. Never mind that it was local authorities who decided to close beaches in Florida, Trump attacked DeSantis for doing so and for shuttering schools. Remember, please, that when DeSantis reopened Florida schools while Trump was President, Trump criticized him for doing so.
As long as you have the microphone in front of those Florida Congressmen, it would be interesting to ask if anyone from the Trump campaign had approached them with the choice, "Support Trump now or he not only will not endorse your reelection, but he'll seek to put up an opposition candidate to you." This is exactly what Trump did with several senate and House candidates that would not publicly condemn the 2020 election results. Several of those who refused were primaried out in favor of Trump candidates -- a number of whom lost, costing the GOP the Red Wave. The Dems were so certain Trump-backed candidates would be weaker, that many of them changed parties to vote for the Trumpsies in the GOP primaries. Wonder how many of them stayed on the GOP rolls, now boosting Trump's numbers against DeSantis?
Do Byron Donalds and others really think Trump has the best chance of winning? They should read Andy McCarthy's latest National Review column.
"If this were Biden, we’d be questioning if Grandpa Dementia’s memory was failing him again. Roughly the same age, perhaps we are now dealing with Dementia Don."
Politicians increasingly depend on the willful ignorance of supporters. Thus, Biden and the Dems in Congress blast Republicans for playing debt ceiling politics that they themselves played in past decades. Trump is using the same strategy, knowing his supporters will nod and pretend to believe.
Ok, so two weeks ago you told us that Trump was the antichrist. Last week you told us Trump was an avaricious millionaire. Now Trump is mentally deranged. I repeatedly criticize you as you slip further down the Trump derangement spectrum. I continue to criticize you for your absolute and near total focus on Trump and concomitant failure to address the root cause of the Trump phenomenon; to wit, the abject failure of the established Republican Party to serve its constituents in keeping with its half-century of false promises. And you beat the dead horse. Having said that, and given your deference for the established political class, you now have reason to give Trump credit. In speaking out of both sides of his mouth, he is becoming what you respect and revere the most: a politician.
I disagree. Hyperbole is a perfectly legitimate method to make a point. And the point I am making is this. Erick knows that Trump is unelectable, and as a pundit, he is trying constantly to convince people to move beyond Trump to avoid split tickets. He does this by constant attacks on Trump, some more legitimate than others. I do not disagree with Erick on this. I am saying that Erick’s attacks on Trump are not only ineffective; they may be counter productive. I believe that Erick would be far more effective if he were to focus on the root of the Trump phenomenon, and that is the failure of the established Republican Party. Then make arguments as to why the establishment is the better choice for Trump voters. But there are two reasons why Erick won’t do that. One, because he has a deep reverence for the political class; he simply won’t say what needs to be said. In that regard Erick and I are polar opposites. And second, Erick cannot think of any convincing reason for a Trumpian to vote for the established Republican Party. I’m with Erick on that. I don’t have the answer any more than he does. The Republican Party long ago abandoned conservatives and most moderates. Millions moved away from the Republican Party and many of them moved to Trump. You’re brilliant, so you tell them why they should abandon Trump and return to the Republicans. Avoid “because they’re better than the other guys” and avoid reference to the Republican platform, because the party abandoned that 25 years ago. Those lazy arguments will not convince the lost voters to abandon Trump for the establishment. Ok critic: 3,2, 1, go ….
I'm in agreement. Erick has not even been consistent on Trump. The day or the day after his indictment in NY (can't remember which) Erick was crowing that this was going to win the presidency for Trump, and he would be saying I told you so. Then he has turned around and says Trump is unelectable. I tend to agree with that, but Erick needs to address the root cause reasons why Trump is so popular with a large number of Republican voters and the ones he brought into the party.
Erick makes light of the fact that Trump fights, but that is a large reason why many like him. The way he fights does turn some people off, but not to fight has been a problem for the Republican party. Particulary when the party of Evil has so many things they could be hammered on. Trump did deliver on many of his promises which the old, establishment Republicans would just give lip service to and then expect our votes.
All that being said, I think Trump will be the Republican candidate, he will lose, call it stolen again and chaos will reign.
Ok, Robert, I'm not going to criticize you - don't have an inclination to, but I thought you fleshed out your disagreements with Erick rather well, not saying I agree. Where I'm fuzzy on your reply is where have the Republicans abandoned conservatives over the last 25 years, specifically? I agree, they always give in to Democrats, and are afraid to take stands where liberal papers will criticize them. Maybe as a refresher, you would considering listing the failures when possible. But, I thought your response to Bob was pretty good. Not denigrateing Bob, to be clear.
"Trump seems to have no memory of just two weeks ago attacking DeSantis for doing the exact opposite of what Trump is now attacking him for." I think the question that should complement that statement is "Do the voters have no memory of this fact?" How is it that a statement posted to MySpace in the early 2000s can come back to bite a candidate in the arse, but something said two weeks ago is all but forgotten? If we want better candidates, we need to be better voters.
Let’s not forget that it was Trump, parroting Fauci, calling for closures in the first place. And some of us were screaming at the TV for them to cease with ruining people’s lives. So as far as I’m concerned Trump can have a Coke and a smile in regards to the shutdowns, death toll, etc. Besides he’s just trying to figure out what will stick to DeSantis, who I’m not entirely sure about.
Trump engaged Republicans in 2016 with the left's playbook.
He is now all in with their playbook, and I see his followers encouraging it because the perception is the left wins with it, so can the right.
He is straight up doing what Karine Jean-Pierre does, lie and gaslight.
What Trump doesn't understand is Conservatism is fundamentally different from liberalism. "Liberalism is the most gutless choice you can make...conservatism is an applied process or behavior"
~Rush Limbaugh
Trump wants to win for Trump, he is a carnival huckster, I think a lot of Republicans recognize this. Democrats want to win for their base of cool kid victims. It is why liberal policies are so successful, at being destructive.
Desantis hasn’t announced yet. Till he does it’s irrelevant.
Trump won with the lowest total vote and percentage count in 2016.
This time it will be less candidates and less of a chance of that happening.
Saying that. Thanks for the notes Erick on trump. Now can we get back to bashing democrats and talking about the disaster that Biden is. What about the house and senate in 2024 which is, in my opinion, more important than the presidency.
Trump's conflicting comments are a good thing to point out, and because of that and his apparent knee-jerk habit of lashing out verbally without a smidge of moderation, I'm for DeSantis, or any other Republican nominee. I think DeSantis should just let Trump's attacks roll off of him, maybe calmly mentioning what Erick stated. Getting into a verbal back-and-forth with Trump would be dumb and play into the media's hands.
Erick, I hope you use whatever influence you have with anyone in Trump's orbit, to convince him to abide by the decision of the nomination process. If he starts a third party if he loses the nomination, as Linda stated, he might as well officially join the DNC.
"...he might as well officially join the DNC." I'm wondering if that isn't what's at play here. Not that he is consciously making that decision, but he seems willing to win at any cost. And if that cost is attracting more Democrats through his vilification of DeSantis, so be it.
As long as you have the microphone in front of those Florida Congressmen, it would be interesting to ask if anyone from the Trump campaign had approached them with the choice, "Support Trump now or he not only will not endorse your reelection, but he'll seek to put up an opposition candidate to you." This is exactly what Trump did with several senate and House candidates that would not publicly condemn the 2020 election results. Several of those who refused were primaried out in favor of Trump candidates -- a number of whom lost, costing the GOP the Red Wave. The Dems were so certain Trump-backed candidates would be weaker, that many of them changed parties to vote for the Trumpsies in the GOP primaries. Wonder how many of them stayed on the GOP rolls, now boosting Trump's numbers against DeSantis?
Do Byron Donalds and others really think Trump has the best chance of winning? They should read Andy McCarthy's latest National Review column.
Money quote...
"If this were Biden, we’d be questioning if Grandpa Dementia’s memory was failing him again. Roughly the same age, perhaps we are now dealing with Dementia Don."
It’s the smell anger and desperation
If Trump wins the nomination will DeSantis support him in the general? Yes.
If DeSantis wins the nomination will Trump support him in the general? No.
All you need to know.
I think my head is going to have a "rapid unscheduled disassembly" just thinking about those two running for President.
Hilar!
I pray that Trump won't be the Republican candidate in 2024. He would lose!!
And be a lame duck, and be just plain lame and predictable.
Not dementia. Just Trump being Trump. He’s always operated like that.
Politicians increasingly depend on the willful ignorance of supporters. Thus, Biden and the Dems in Congress blast Republicans for playing debt ceiling politics that they themselves played in past decades. Trump is using the same strategy, knowing his supporters will nod and pretend to believe.
Ok, so two weeks ago you told us that Trump was the antichrist. Last week you told us Trump was an avaricious millionaire. Now Trump is mentally deranged. I repeatedly criticize you as you slip further down the Trump derangement spectrum. I continue to criticize you for your absolute and near total focus on Trump and concomitant failure to address the root cause of the Trump phenomenon; to wit, the abject failure of the established Republican Party to serve its constituents in keeping with its half-century of false promises. And you beat the dead horse. Having said that, and given your deference for the established political class, you now have reason to give Trump credit. In speaking out of both sides of his mouth, he is becoming what you respect and revere the most: a politician.
Your hyperbole and hyped up charges leave you without credibility in your comments.
The only time you come close to accuracy is with regard to "the abject failure of the established Republican Party..."
I disagree. Hyperbole is a perfectly legitimate method to make a point. And the point I am making is this. Erick knows that Trump is unelectable, and as a pundit, he is trying constantly to convince people to move beyond Trump to avoid split tickets. He does this by constant attacks on Trump, some more legitimate than others. I do not disagree with Erick on this. I am saying that Erick’s attacks on Trump are not only ineffective; they may be counter productive. I believe that Erick would be far more effective if he were to focus on the root of the Trump phenomenon, and that is the failure of the established Republican Party. Then make arguments as to why the establishment is the better choice for Trump voters. But there are two reasons why Erick won’t do that. One, because he has a deep reverence for the political class; he simply won’t say what needs to be said. In that regard Erick and I are polar opposites. And second, Erick cannot think of any convincing reason for a Trumpian to vote for the established Republican Party. I’m with Erick on that. I don’t have the answer any more than he does. The Republican Party long ago abandoned conservatives and most moderates. Millions moved away from the Republican Party and many of them moved to Trump. You’re brilliant, so you tell them why they should abandon Trump and return to the Republicans. Avoid “because they’re better than the other guys” and avoid reference to the Republican platform, because the party abandoned that 25 years ago. Those lazy arguments will not convince the lost voters to abandon Trump for the establishment. Ok critic: 3,2, 1, go ….
I'm in agreement. Erick has not even been consistent on Trump. The day or the day after his indictment in NY (can't remember which) Erick was crowing that this was going to win the presidency for Trump, and he would be saying I told you so. Then he has turned around and says Trump is unelectable. I tend to agree with that, but Erick needs to address the root cause reasons why Trump is so popular with a large number of Republican voters and the ones he brought into the party.
Erick makes light of the fact that Trump fights, but that is a large reason why many like him. The way he fights does turn some people off, but not to fight has been a problem for the Republican party. Particulary when the party of Evil has so many things they could be hammered on. Trump did deliver on many of his promises which the old, establishment Republicans would just give lip service to and then expect our votes.
All that being said, I think Trump will be the Republican candidate, he will lose, call it stolen again and chaos will reign.
Ok, Robert, I'm not going to criticize you - don't have an inclination to, but I thought you fleshed out your disagreements with Erick rather well, not saying I agree. Where I'm fuzzy on your reply is where have the Republicans abandoned conservatives over the last 25 years, specifically? I agree, they always give in to Democrats, and are afraid to take stands where liberal papers will criticize them. Maybe as a refresher, you would considering listing the failures when possible. But, I thought your response to Bob was pretty good. Not denigrateing Bob, to be clear.
Yes.
I'm pretty sure it is politics. Apples & oranges comparison to Biden.
"Trump seems to have no memory of just two weeks ago attacking DeSantis for doing the exact opposite of what Trump is now attacking him for." I think the question that should complement that statement is "Do the voters have no memory of this fact?" How is it that a statement posted to MySpace in the early 2000s can come back to bite a candidate in the arse, but something said two weeks ago is all but forgotten? If we want better candidates, we need to be better voters.
These are not the droids you are looking for.
Let’s not forget that it was Trump, parroting Fauci, calling for closures in the first place. And some of us were screaming at the TV for them to cease with ruining people’s lives. So as far as I’m concerned Trump can have a Coke and a smile in regards to the shutdowns, death toll, etc. Besides he’s just trying to figure out what will stick to DeSantis, who I’m not entirely sure about.
Deflect and/or project.
Trump engaged Republicans in 2016 with the left's playbook.
He is now all in with their playbook, and I see his followers encouraging it because the perception is the left wins with it, so can the right.
He is straight up doing what Karine Jean-Pierre does, lie and gaslight.
What Trump doesn't understand is Conservatism is fundamentally different from liberalism. "Liberalism is the most gutless choice you can make...conservatism is an applied process or behavior"
~Rush Limbaugh
Trump wants to win for Trump, he is a carnival huckster, I think a lot of Republicans recognize this. Democrats want to win for their base of cool kid victims. It is why liberal policies are so successful, at being destructive.
AMEN!!
I think I am getting dementia due to trying to keep up with all this 😂. Thanks for bringing some sanity to the madness Erick!
Desantis hasn’t announced yet. Till he does it’s irrelevant.
Trump won with the lowest total vote and percentage count in 2016.
This time it will be less candidates and less of a chance of that happening.
Saying that. Thanks for the notes Erick on trump. Now can we get back to bashing democrats and talking about the disaster that Biden is. What about the house and senate in 2024 which is, in my opinion, more important than the presidency.
Trump's conflicting comments are a good thing to point out, and because of that and his apparent knee-jerk habit of lashing out verbally without a smidge of moderation, I'm for DeSantis, or any other Republican nominee. I think DeSantis should just let Trump's attacks roll off of him, maybe calmly mentioning what Erick stated. Getting into a verbal back-and-forth with Trump would be dumb and play into the media's hands.
Erick, I hope you use whatever influence you have with anyone in Trump's orbit, to convince him to abide by the decision of the nomination process. If he starts a third party if he loses the nomination, as Linda stated, he might as well officially join the DNC.
"...he might as well officially join the DNC." I'm wondering if that isn't what's at play here. Not that he is consciously making that decision, but he seems willing to win at any cost. And if that cost is attracting more Democrats through his vilification of DeSantis, so be it.