Tag Political Commentary

Fasten Your Seat Belts…

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Hillary Clinton“She’s a radical. If she gets in, whoa! Everybody had better fasten their seat belts”

President Richard Nixon spoke those words about Hillary Clinton to Monica Crowley, during the 1992 election cycle, when incumbent President George H. W. Bush was challenged by Arkansas Governor, Bill Clinton.

Of course, President Nixon was referring to the possibility of Hillary Clinton becoming First Lady, but the quote is prescient. I would love to know what the late President would have to say about the very real chance that she may soon be the first female President of the United States.New Nixon

Richard Nixon knew Hillary Clinton from twenty years earlier, when she served on the committee to impeach him over the Watergate scandal. Nixon resigned rather than put the country through the ordeal of an impeachment trial, but in retrospect, Watergate pales in comparison to the Clinton transgressions. And they are many!

Even before Bill Clinton won the presidency, his extramarital affairs made headlines, prompting an exclusive interview with 60 Minutes where he, with a dutiful Hillary by his side, could defend himself directly to the American people. It was a successful maneuver, and he emerged unscathed from the same allegations that cost Gary Hart his 1988 presidential candidacy.

Shortly after Clinton’s election, the Whitewater controversy emerged, and Nixon was incensed that the Republicans failed to hold the Clinton’s feet to the fire as the Democrats had joyfully held his. The suicide of Hillary’s friend, former law partner, and White House counsel, Vince Foster, who had links to Whitewater, sparked further interest when it was discovered that files related to the Clinton’s went missing from his office the evening of his death.

President Nixon believed that Bill Clinton’s election, “lowered dramatically the moral gauge not only for the presidency but for the country”.(Crowley) Through his involvement in Watergate, Nixon acknowledged his own damage to the ideal of the presidency politically, but now it was also damaged personally. The time when someone seeking the office of the presidency was held to a higher standard of morality and character appeared to be over.Nixon and Clinton

After his election, President Clinton began to consult with Nixon on foreign policy issues and invited him to join Hillary and he in their private quarters at the White House. Nixon quickly developed the opinion that Hillary was the real force behind Bill Clinton.

He said, “she’s the brain; he’s the vessel” and described her as “ice-cold”. “She represents everything she claims to condemn: all of that money-making greed and opportunism she and her gang criticized the Reagan era for-well, they are just as guilty of it. Hypocrites! Their hearts bleed for the poor just as long as they aren’t poor.”

With all Richard Nixon’s experience interacting with world leaders over his forty-plus years in politics, I would imagine he was a rather astute judge of character, and he was wary of Hillary. Apparently, the same cannot be said for the average American voter. Hillary is still ahead of Donald Trump in the polls, and I think she will be hard to stop. The media used to refer to President Reagan as the “Teflon candidate”, but Hillary is way ahead of him on that score.

She is immune to scandal, above culpability and evidently above prosecution. Since they entered the political arena in Arkansas over forty years ago, the Clintons have been involved in a shocking number of personal and political offenses. None have slowed their momentum. It is hard to imagine that anything will.

The election cycle of 2016 should have been an easy win for the GOP. After eight years of America’s destruction at the hand of Barack Obama, ANY credible Republican candidate would have made quick work of Hillary Clinton. Her unfavorable rating is exceeded only by Donald Trump’s. The ONE candidate Hillary Clinton consistently defeated in all the primary polls is the candidate the GOP chose to represent them.

So, the woman that President Nixon warned us about 24 years ago, is most likely going to get her shot at the top job this November.

Fasten your seat belts!

Crowley, Monica. “Part II.” Nixon off the Record. New York: Random House, 1996. N. pag. Print.

Crowley, Monica. “Part II.” Nixon in Winter: The Last Campaign. New York: Random House, 1996. N. pag. Print.

 

Founding Fathers Got It Right

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God governs in the affairs of menBen Franklin

The following paragraph appears in “Light in the Darkness”, by Father Jonathan Morris. The speaker is Benjamin Franklin, and he is addressing George Washington at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Apparently, the founding fathers were clear on who was in charge of the process of making America. I think it serves as a great reminder for all of us during this contentious election cycle.

“The small progress we have made…is, I think, a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the human understanding…I have lived, Sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing Constitutional Conventionproofs I see of this truth, that GOD governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that “unless the LORD build the house, they labor in vain who build.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.”

Is All Hope Lost?

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Can Trump Be Stopped in Cleveland?RNC

As the Republican National Convention draws closer, those of us not enamored of a Donald Trump candidacy wonder if the window of opportunity is closing to “dump Trump”. Now that Trump has secured the necessary delegate count to clinch the nomination, is there any hope of stopping him?

There is still plenty of noise in the news and on social media about efforts to unbind the delegates. Kendal Unruh, a Colorado delegate, is leading one group, and Steve Lonegan, former state director of the Cruz campaign in New Jersey, is leading another. In order for a motion to unbind delegates to be brought to the floor, a minority report would have to be issued by the RNC Rules Committee.

This committee is composed of 112 members; one man and one woman from every state and territory, including Washington, D. C. They meet together a few days before the official start of the RNC Convention. It takes only 28 votes from the committee to formally issue the report, but this move in itself is predicted to cause chaos among the delegates.New Trump

Polls since the primary season began have consistently shown Trump losing to Hillary Clinton, and the latest polls have her leading with double digits. Roughly one-third of Republican voters say Trump is unqualified for the presidency. Those leading the effort to unbind delegates see disaster ahead for the GOP should Trump be the candidate in November. Trump appears to be his own worst enemy, as he continues to make headlines with racist comments and to conspicuously demonstrate a general lack of knowledge on the inner workings of government and especially, foreign policy.

Party standard-bearer’s like Mitt Romney, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and John McCain have all decided to skip this year’s Republican Convention in Cleveland, which does not reflect favorably on Trump, and his so-called status as a unifier.

In what the anti-Trump movement sees as an affirmation of their desire to unbind the delegates, Speaker Paul Ryan voiced his opinion that all delegates should be free to vote their conscience. Curly Haugland of North Dakota, a member of the RNC Standing Rules Committee says the practice of binding delegates did not begin until the 1976 Convention, when pro-Ford delegates passed the rule in an effort to deny the challenger, Ronald Reagan, the nomination. He concludes that the delegates are in fact free to vote their choice even on the first ballot.

Wisconsin Governor, Scott Walker, told the Associated Press, “I think historically, not just this year, delegates are and should be able to vote the way they see fit”. The Weekly Standard reported this week that John McCain agrees saying, “I think it’s up to every delegate to make up their own minds”.

Of course, this exercise is just academic without someone waiting in the wings to assume the mantle for the GOP in November. It will be difficult to stage much of a coup without an alternate candidate. Names like Ted Cruz and John Kasich have been tossed around, and both of the former candidates have declined to endorse Donald Trump. Trump commented in a recent interview with the New York Times that unless an endorsement is forthcoming, neither of them will be invited to speak during the convention. It’s doubtful either of them are unduly upset by Trump’s ultimatum.

And what about Mitt Romney? As the former GOP presidential candidate, he has been very outspoken in his disdain for Trump. His news conference last March, in which he gave a scathing review of candidate Donald Trump, was seen by some as “too little too late”, while others disenchanted with Trump pushed for Mitt to step in and save the Republican Party.

Chances are, this is all just a pipe dream and we will end up with The Donald, but it is something to think about. Of all the possible contenders, Romney would be among the most likely. At 69, it’s doubtful he will seek the nomination again so for all intents and purposes, this would be his last chance. He is already a thoroughly vetted candidate and has excellent name recognition among voters. His 47.2% showing against President Obama’s 51.1% in 2012, proves he can handle the pace of a general election. He could indeed be another “greatest comeback” like Richard Nixon in 1968. In my opinion, he has less to lose by jumping in than someone like Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio, who have a considerable political future ahead of them.

At the very least, garnering votes for a minority report will force a discussion on the binding of delegates that could impact future elections. Also, ending the practice of open primaries in those states that currently conduct them could preclude the GOP from facing another bizarre election cycle like 2016 has proven to be. One thing is for certain, our answers are less than a month away!

#Never Trump

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WeddingThe Bane of the GOP

If you are enthusiastic about the candidacy of Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, then this article is not for you. If you don’t find either candidate particularly appealing, but have decided to vote for one of them because “you have no choice”, then this article is not for you. If you are a registered Republican and beside yourself at the thought of casting a vote for Donald Trump, then you might want to read this article because misery loves company.
First, you are not alone. Actually, about half of the Republican voters in this country agree with you. Second, don’t give up hope. Even though Donald Trump is our “presumptive nominee”, the convention is still a few weeks away and there is a preponderance of discord within the party.
Some interesting facts:
1. Every poll since the beginning of the primary season has shown Donald Trump losing to Hillary Clinton.

2. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have the highest unfavorable ratings of any candidates in the history of polling.

3. Three out of Four women do not support a Trump candidacy. (Incidentally, women vote more often and have more influence over votes than men)

4. Trump has very low support among minority and millennial voters.

5. The GOP field was rich with 17 candidates when the primary season began, and the most inexperienced and vacuous among them is now our nominee.

When Donald Trump announced his candidacy back in June, most of us did not take him seriously. It appeared to be just another opportunity for him to grab the spotlight, but we obviously underestimated him. My favorite analogy of the Trump phenomenon comes from Greg Gutfeld of Fox News (also anti-Trump), “Donald Trump is like the guy in high school who tries out for the lead in the school play to impress a girl, never expecting to get the part.” The problem for many of us is, now that we have him, what can we do about it? The chances for a contested convention are off the table. With Cruz and Kasich out of the race, Trump will likely get the 1237 delegates he needs pre-convention.
The only real chance we have is with a third-party candidate, and historically this has not proven a winning situation. Most recently, in 1992, Ross Perot ran as an Independent and in so doing, managed to hand the election to Bill Clinton over incumbent George H. W. Bush. This is a risky endeavor, but the conservative movement is already at risk with Donald Trump at the helm of the GOP. Don’t kid yourself, he is not a conservative. Not now, not ever. Many Republicans fear that he will set the conservative movement back fifty years, if not destroy it completely. Trump will say what he thinks the conservatives want to hear, but at heart he is more moderate to liberal Democrat.
Remember, Trump contributed financially to the campaigns of Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, to name just a few. Admittedly, he has also donated to Republicans, but more than half his donations have been to the Democratic Party, of which he was a recent member. Another fun fact, his adult children could not vote for him in this year’s New York primary, as they are still registered Democrats and New York has a closed primary. I think if an Independent could ever win, 2016 would be their best bet.
This idea of a third-party candidate is currently being researched by Bill Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard and outspoken critic of Trump. A few days ago, he met with Mitt Romney to float the idea and get Romney’s input on the viability of it as an option to Trump. Incidentally, Mitt Romney has said that at this point, he will not vote for either Trump or Clinton. He is not alone, either. Columnist and Fox News contributor, Dr. Charles Krauthammer, said on the O’Reilly Factor this last week that he has no intention of supporting either candidate. These people are highly-respected individuals who take the business of politics very seriously, so this is truly a contentious situation. Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, publicly stated his aversion to the Trump candidacy, and incurred the wrath of a lot of colleagues within his party.
Several months back, as Trump began to rise in the polls and was believed to be a legitimate contender for the nomination, a Twitter movement known as #Never Trump emerged. If you are not familiar with Twitter, the “hashtag” identifies a certain topic or subject matter to others who follow Twitter. “Never Trump” means exactly that. These people will not ever vote for Trump under any circumstance. The Never Trump movement took off almost immediately. Media pundits and politicos have spoken derisively of those who refer to themselves as “Never Trump”, but it is a force to be reckoned with. After Cruz left the race, and Trump became the de facto nominee, the media largely quelled the movement. They were premature though; Twitter is exploding with Never Trump tweets.
A majority of the population think we can do better than Trump or Clinton. They don’t feel well represented by either candidate, and they want another option. I am part of the #Never Trump movement because I cannot bring myself to vote for a man I consider vulgar, amoral, juvenile, bombastic, insipid, dangerous and totally inept in foreign policy and government. In my opinion, Trump is the antithesis of a commander in chief.
The fact that Hillary Clinton is every bit as distasteful does not make it any more palatable to vote for him. This is not a decision I make lightly. I love my country and I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to vote. I consider it both an honor and a privilege. However, implicit in this honor is following my conscience and making a decision based on my best moral judgment. I cannot do that and simultaneously vote for Donald Trump.
Nebraska Republican Senator, Ben Sasse, also an outspoken Trump critic, talks of drafting “an honest leader” to run as a third party candidate. In a lengthy Facebook post, the Senator outlined his thoughts on the Trump/Clinton candidacies, and invited open discussion among disenfranchised GOP voters for an alternative.
Will it come to fruition? Hard to say. At this point, only one thing in this crazy primary season is perfectly clear: the #Never Trump movement is alive and well.

The Power of the Press

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Trump TriadHow Fox News Has Propelled Donald Trump to the Nomination

I don’t think anyone expected Donald Trump to enjoy the phenomenal success he has since announcing his candidacy for the presidency. Did he have the name recognition? Yes. Was he successful? Yes. Did he have the financial backing? Yes. (His own, mostly) Was he politically savvy? No. Not even a little bit. And, this was not Donald Trump’s first rodeo. Since the late 1980’s, Trump has publicly mulled the idea of a presidential bid in multiple election cycles, and even entered the race as a Reform Party candidate in 2000, dropping out in February of that year.

Also, Donald Trump’s penchant for provocative statements is not exactly a useful trait for someone running for political office. Oddly enough it ultimately worked to his benefit, as voters found his outspokenness and political “incorrectness” a nice change in our current climate. With all this in mind though, he was not seen as a serious contender. Adding to the equation the fact that he was up against sixteen talented candidates, his chances seemed slim to none.

That was last summer. Today, things look much different. That promising field of seventeen has dwindled to three, with Donald Trump leading the pack. Of course, to secure the prize, he has to reach a threshold of 1237 delegates before the Republican National Convention in July. With his current delegate count of 845, he’s still short of the mark. If he does not reach the magic number of 1237, the GOP will find itself in a contested convention where the nominee will be chosen by the delegates. There are all kinds of rules binding delegates to certain candidates through the first or second ballot, but usually by the third ballot all delegates are free to vote for the candidate of their choosing. Contested conventions are a rare occurrence in the history of the GOP, and undesirable because of the likelihood of a fractured party and “bloodied” candidate.

In 1976, President Ford entered the Republican convention short of the requisite number, and found himself in a competition with Ronald Reagan. Of course, President Ford secured the needed votes on the first ballot, and the suspense was over. The last time a convention advanced beyond the first ballot vote was in 1952, when the Democratic convention selected Adlai Stevenson.

So what has propelled Donald Trump to his current spot at the top of the leader board? In a word, media. In my humble opinion, Fox News is the main culprit. Since his entrance into the primary, Donald Trump has received nearly $2 billion dollars in free media coverage, with nearly $30 million coming from Fox News Channel. I call them the main culprit, because as a well-known and highly popular conservative news organization they carry a lot of weight with those of us who identify ourselves as Republican, and especially, Conservative. I’m a regular viewer of Fox News, or was anyway.

By legitimizing Trump’s candidacy with their unprecedented coverage and their obvious support for him, they have given him the green light among voters. If FNC, the conservative media giant, is for him who should be against him?

The enamor of Trump, other than how it translates to ratings, escapes me. The anchors and commentators at Fox are very knowledgeable politically. There is simply no way they can sincerely believe that he possesses the skill set to lead our country. The man cannot even complete a sentence. His performance in debates, other than his one-liners and insults, is abysmal. Of course, they most often spin it as a win for him, but anyone who has watched him attempt to answer policy questions is well aware that he is in over his head.

As an example, in the CNN debate in December, he was questioned on the nuclear triad. It was clear that he was unfamiliar with the term, and his answer was nonsensical. I’m not trying to slam the man; politics is a complex business and it is not something you can expect to learn in a few months. I don’t see Donald Trump as the type of person who wants to crack the books and start schooling himself in history and geopolitics. That’s just not his thing. He would much rather be on Twitter or calling into a news show with some incendiary remark. However, the presidency should not be an entry level position.

While Fox News might find Trump’s effectively turning the GOP upside down refreshing, I find it downright scary. Just this past week, he announced that he wants to change the GOP platform on abortion, allowing exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the mother. This is no small matter. We’re talking about a basic tenet of the Republican Party, and Fox News has been mute on the subject. The abortion issue is complex, and I will not get into it here, but anyone who deludes himself into thinking Donald Trump is a Conservative is going to pay a high price in November. He is not now, nor has he ever been conservative. Fox News portrayal of him as such is disingenuous, to say the least. I must add there are a few at FNC who refuse to jump on the “Trump train”. Stephen Hayes, Charles Krauthammer, Brit Hume, Megyn Kelly, Bret Baier and Greg Gutfeld have resisted the urge to fawn over Donald Trump.

Every poll from the beginning of the primary season has shown Hillary Clinton will crush Trump in a general election, so any of the other sixteen candidates would have been preferable as a nominee. A contested convention may be our only hope for selecting an electable candidate. Of course, Trump has continued to fire up his supporters with how the GOP is attempting to steal the nomination from him, insuring rioting at the convention if he doesn’t win. He seems incapable of understanding that going into the convention short of 1237 delegates means he didn’t win. His accusations of delegates being “unfairly” awarded in individual primaries discount the fact that each state has its own rules.

Personally, I hope he does as he threatened early on and leaves the GOP to run as an Independent. With Trump, it’s a lose/lose anyway, and I would rather lose with a credible candidate who reflects the brand of the GOP, than see our party trampled by the likes of Donald Trump. No one man is worth the destruction of the Republican Party.

Fox News is complicit in Donald Trump’s success. They have elevated him over the other candidates, promoted his platform, and given him a pass on hard policy questions. (Again, I am not referencing all the commentators at Fox News). Their selective representation of his policies, failure to hold his feet to the fire on releasing tax returns and total dismissal of his past liberal views, should weigh heavy on them in November.

Rubio’s Path Forward

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Where Does He Go From Here?

 Rubio on Time

The evening of March 15, brought the end of Senator Marco Rubio’s bid for the White House. Losing his home state of Florida to Donald Trump, and along with it, all 99 delegates, Rubio suspended his campaign. Although he still has more delegates than John Kasich, even with Kasich’s Ohio win, Rubio took one for the team, and backed out of the race with a speech that was reminiscent of Ronald Reagan in 1976. Reagan delivered a speech to his tearful campaign staff in Kansas City, Missouri, after he failed to win the Republican nomination that was akin to the upbeat message Rubio delivered. Both candidates entreated their constituents to remain optimistic in the face of defeat, but struck a tone that left them wondering if their beloved candidates would rise again.

For those of us who supported Marco Rubio, it was a heart-wrenching evening, indeed. I am still mourning the loss. It felt like 2012 all over again, when I sat on the floor in my family room watching the election returns as Mitt Romney challenged incumbent President Obama. I really thought that Romney would prevail, as did pundits like Dick Morris who predicted a landslide win for Romney. Karl Rove infamously thought news stations had called the race too early and continued working the delegate math on his dry erase board, but it was not to be. The voters had spoken and returned Obama to Washington for another four years. I remember staring blankly at the television wondering how this could happen, and when I saw Barack Obama head to the podium for his victory speech, I hit the “off” button on the remote. I prepared for four more long years, and prayed for a winning candidate in 2016. For me, Marco Rubio was that candidate.

I will admit I did not support Rubio initially. I was really a fan of Ben Carson and his common sense approach to politics. After watching a few debates, and reading Rubio’s autobiography, “An American Son”, I became a believer. I have never cared for Trump or Cruz, and now, after seventeen candidates, this is where we are. Kasich has no path, so he will be gone in due time. I have negative feelings towards Kasich anyway, and I think he should have departed the race before Rubio. He cost Marco a minimum of a win in Virginia, and if Carson and he had just put aside their egos earlier, as they polled in single digits, this race would look quite different. Even now, Kasich refuses to throw in the towel.

Winning Ohio is not the coup most would think for his campaign, as he is their sitting Governor. I read a great analysis of Kasich’s character on twitter some weeks back, “He’s the guy in the office who drinks the last cup of coffee and doesn’t make a fresh pot.” Some think he is bucking for the vice-presidential spot on a Trump ticket and that could be, but I really believe he thinks he can win and so refuses to cede the floor.

Where does Rubio go from here? He opted not to run for reelection to the Senate, so his term will be up in January 2017. Rubio hit the political scene as a rising star in the Tea Party movement in 2010, after winning a hard-fought election against “establishment” favorite, Charlie Crist. Time Magazine and many among the GOP referred to him as, “The Republican Savior”. I think it is highly unlikely that he is finished in the political arena. He has too much talent and an intrinsic motivation to serve in public office.

A logical move after his time as a State Representative and Speaker of the Florida House would be a run for Governor. The current Governor, Rick Scott, will be term limited in 2018, and rumor has it he will seek election to the United States Senate. At 44, Marco Rubio has a lot of time to make a second bid for the White House, as Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan did before him.

This election cycle has been like none other. I do not think anyone expected Donald Trump to be the frontrunner, edging out the more qualified candidates. I think we will most likely have a contested convention in Cleveland, as even Trump with a plurality of delegates will have to secure over 55% in each state going forward to cinch the nomination. In true Trump fashion, he has already promised, “rioting in the streets” if the GOP tries to deny him the nomination. Ted Cruz will need 78% of the delegates going forward to win the nomination outright, so the chances for him to be the de facto nominee are even slimmer.image

In addition, Marco Rubio still has 164 delegates, and most remain his until after the first ballot of the convention. In his concession speech in Florida, he said he was “suspending” his campaign. In 1992, Ross Perot reentered the race as late as October against George Bush and Bill Clinton, so stranger things have happened. We could even see a deal prior to or at the convention where a Cruz/Rubio ticket emerges, which would be formidable.

 

One thing is for sure, neither Trump nor Cruz is the first choice of the GOP. They want to win and Donald Trump loses in every poll against Clinton, and Cruz does not fare well in most. They would much rather have Rubio, because he is the only candidate who has polled consistently to win a match-up against Hillary Clinton. Will they bring him back in as a unity candidate at the convention? Doubtful maybe, but then again, politics is a strange science.

I can promise you this: we have not seen the last of Marco Rubio.

Vote Rubio Not Trump

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Marco Rubio Best Chance Against Hillary Clinton

imagesVE442OWMToday is Super Tuesday, and twelve states are casting their votes for the GOP candidate that they support. Oklahoma is one of these states. Today’s election, in my opinion, is actually more important than the general election we will have on November 6, 2016, for this reason; Oklahoma historically votes Republican. For example, in 2012, President Obama did not win a single county in our state. On Election Day in November, Oklahoma will be Red.

Today is our chance to select the candidate we believe is most likely to defeat the Democratic candidate and win the presidency. If we do not get this election right, we will lose the election in November. Voters have to think ahead to the end game. No matter whom you might personally like, if they cannot win the White House, then this primary is an exercise in futility.

At this point, Donald Trump is the frontrunner for the GOP, and Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are alternately second and third. Hear this; Donald Trump cannot defeat Hillary Clinton, the de facto Democrat nominee. She will wipe the floor with Trump, and every poll shows that to be correct. She can call him out on his insubstantial knowledge of the issues, his plethora of past business and personal indiscretions, the fact that he supported Democratic candidates, including donating to the questionable Clinton Foundation, and the list goes on. If you do not trust the polls, then trust common sense and political strategy.

First, the Democrats want Trump to win the primary, and that is a telltale sign. If you follow the news, you know this is true. He will be the easiest candidate for them to defeat in November. He has no political experience, no depth as a candidate, and he has a controversial background. When the primary is over, the media will tear him to shreds.

Second, the media wants Trump to win because he drives ratings, and because most of them are liberal and they know he will lose in a general election. They have given him the benefit of more television, newspaper and internet coverage than any other candidate has received. That translates into millions of dollars that would be cost prohibitive for the other candidates. In the televised debates, they have deferred to him on airtime, and given him a pass on tough questions.

A case in point: Anderson Cooper of CNN hosted a Town Hall in South Carolina, with all the Republican Candidates. Jeb Bush was still in the race, so they divided over two nights, three and three. They were on an individual basis, and the candidates answered questions by voters and by Anderson. While the other candidates answered questions on policy, Trump and Anderson discussed what kind of fast food Trump likes, his favorite music, and his tips on parenting.

When Trump refused to participate in a Fox News debate, because he objected to Megyn Kelly as a moderator, (she does not treat him fairly) the media shrugged it off. When he said he could stand on Fifth Avenue in New York City, shoot someone, and still not lose supporters, and when he did not immediately disavow the KKK, the media just quoted him. I can list dozens of cases where the media mitigates Trump’s disrespectful and inappropriate behavior and comments. They would destroy any of the other candidates for acting in a similar manner. The disparity is undeniable. Make no mistake though, if Trump secures the nomination, the kid gloves will come off and the media will obliterate him, and there is ample material for them to do so.

Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio are the other viable options. They are the only two who have a chance to defeat Donald Trump. The polls have consistently shown that Marco Rubio is the ONLY candidate that beats Hillary Clinton in the general election in November, and this is why the Democrats DO NOT want Marco to be the nominee. Joe Trippi, a Democratic consultant, came right out and said that last week on Fox News. In an off-handed comment, he said Democrats would rather run against Trump, or possibly Cruz, but not Rubio. Bill Burton, another Democratic strategist, has echoed that repeatedly ever since the primary season began.

I will take Ted Cruz over Donald Trump every day of the week, but Rubio has a much better chance to win in November, and that is the point of this elective process. Ted Cruz does not have the support of his own party, and Hillary Clinton will capitalize on that fact. He has a reputation in Washington for being difficult to work with and he is more concerned with promoting himself as an “outsider” in the beltway, than he is with working across the aisle to enact legislation. Hillary will depict his as polarizing and extremist. A president must be able to negotiate with both parties, or nothing is accomplished. Ronald Reagan is an excellent example. He knew he would be unable to further his agenda without some support from the Democrats. That’s just the way Washington works.

Marco Rubio has the endorsement of conservative Senators like Tom Coburn, Trey Gowdy and Tim Scott, to name just a few. His list of endorsements is extensive, including Oklahoman David Green, a Christian conservative, and founder of Hobby Lobby. His likeability and reputation for a willingness to work alongside the Democrats is widespread. Despite how the media and other candidates portray him, he has an ACU (American Conservative Union) rating of 98%, and he was the Tea Party favorite when he ran his senatorial campaign in Florida. His personal biography is the American dream, and his own life experiences uniquely qualify him as a contrast to Hillary Clinton. In Glenn Beck’s words, “He will crush Hillary Clinton in a debate. He will make her look like she is a 1000 years old”.

Everyone has to make their own decision about whom they will support in this primary. I have studied the remaining candidates, and I am 100% certain Marco Rubio is the one to beat Hillary Clinton in November. I had the opportunity to see him and hear him speak at two of his rallies here in Oklahoma. I can tell you he has the charisma of a Jack Kennedy and the political savvy and strategy of a Ronald Reagan. I cannot think of a more winning combination.

The GOP Field After South Carolina

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 Still a Three-Man Race

Trump Cruz and Rubio

After New Hampshire, and Kasich’s second place finish, the media did its best to convince us that we were witnessing a shake-up in the whole GOP race. Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio, in that order, rounded out the top five in that primary. Having Bush finish over Rubio had the pundits debating whether Senator Rubio actually had a path to the nomination. Of course, for quite some time the polls had Trump winning and Kasich with a strong showing because that is where he spent most of his time and funding, but they like to spin!

Apparently, Senator Rubio’s stumble in one interaction with Chris Christie was enough to drag his numbers down, and move Bush up. However, despite the media predictions, neither Kasich nor Bush had a clear path beyond New Hampshire. The media frenzy notwithstanding, I opined it was a three-man race.

After ten days, endless hours of pondering by the pundits, and millions of dollars in advertising, guess what? It is still a three-man race. Trump came in first in South Carolina, with 32.5%, followed by Rubio with 22.5%, and Cruz with 22.3%. Jeb Bush came in fourth, at 7.8%, Kasich fifth with 7.6% and Carson with 7.2%. Bush had the wisdom and grace to suspend his campaign last night, going out with an emotive speech. Kasich and Carson are vowing to stay in and continue fighting the not so good fight. They are not doing themselves or the GOP any favors by doing so. The numbers speak loudly though, Kasich and Carson are on borrowed time.

During Trump’s victory speech last night, he condemned news organizations for saying that as the field continues to winnow, the orphaned supporters will not go to Trump. He thinks otherwise. We need to remember that Trump has never had more than thirty-five percent of support among GOP voters, which means that 65 percent of them do not like him. That is a significant number.

Although he is presently leading in the delegate count, he still has only four percent of the total delegates he will need to secure the nomination. Despite what you hear from the media, this race is far from over, and Trump is not our de facto nominee. Let’s break it down, using the South Carolina numbers.

Jeb Bush supporters will NEVER support Trump. They will most likely go to Marco Rubio, because Ted Cruz is too extreme for them. Add Bush’s 7.8% to Rubio’s 22.5%, and now Rubio is at 30.3%. It is just a matter of time before Kasich and Carson go the way of Jeb Bush, and if they want to help the party, they will do it sooner. Right now, they are just propelling Trump towards the nomination. Kasich supporters could possibly split between Trump and Rubio. Again, they will probably find Cruz too extreme. Add half of Kasich’s 7.6% to Donald Trump, which brings him to 36.2%, and half to Marco Rubio, which brings him to 34.1%.

The Carson folks will not go to Trump. Cruz has disenchanted them with his Iowa campaign shenanigans, so I think they will most likely get behind Rubio, especially if Ben Carson endorses Rubio. That now puts Rubio at 41.3%. As the field narrows further, it will have a deleterious effect on Donald Trump. Even if Cruz inherits some of Carson’s supporters, Trump’s numbers will still go down. Keep in mind that the next primaries are not “winner take all”. Their delegates will be divided proportionally.

Ted Cruz had the edge in South Carolina. He did not win one county in the state. With a large population of evangelical voters, (72%) they were supposed to be heavy in the Cruz camp, but Trump won 33% of their vote to Ted Cruz’s 27%, and Marco Rubio’s 22%. At this point in the primary, Ted Cruz is the candidate on the shakiest ground. His path forward really depends on the evangelical vote, and he is not getting a plurality.

Rubio had a second place finish, and despite the narrow margin over Cruz, Marco Rubio had some great exit poll numbers. He scored highest with voters in three categories: those who are split over whether they want a candidate with experience, those who back some sort of a legal pathway to citizenship, and those that identify themselves as “late deciders” in their choice of candidate. Most importantly, Rubio still polls as the candidate most likely to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House.

With Jeb Bush out of the race, look for Marco Rubio to pick up steam going into the next primary in Nevada. Also, look for former Bush supporters, like Senator Dean Heller of Nevada, to throw their endorsement to Senator Rubio. Lastly, as we have fewer candidates on the debate stage, Trump’s deficiencies as a candidate will become more apparent. “We’re going to build a beautiful wall”, will only get you so far. Now, if we can just get Ted Cruz out….

What Is the Point?

The Right Slant Leave a comment

election 2016Our strategy for Election 2016

For those of us who identify as members of the GOP, our goal in November 2016 is to retake the White House, period. That is our end game. Regardless of who the Republican nominee is, we want him (Carly Fiorina is out of the race) to defeat the Democratic contender, and win the presidency. It is that simple, and that straightforward.

The Primary process is about anyone desiring the presidency throwing their hat in the ring, garnering financial support, and campaigning across the United States in an effort to prove to American voters why he or she is the best choice for the Republican Party. They make commercials, they go on radio and television news and talk shows, they participate in televised debates, and fly and bus their way through almost every state making their case.

Along the way, they spend millions of dollars, and some even engage in nasty personal attacks against their competition. Eventually though, after all the money is spent and the attacks are winding down, the field narrows itself with declining voter support and we come down to just one candidate, our de facto nominee.

We pin our hopes on this man to do us proud in November and win the election. It would logically follow then, that we would select the candidate most likely to do the job. If we do not, the primary process is really just academic.

Every day, we hear about the “polls”. What do the polls say? Which candidate is in the lead? Which candidate is the favorite to win a particular primary? Which candidate is the favorite among a specific group of voters? Polls are important. They might not always be 100% accurate, and they frequently change, but they relay vital information that influences campaign strategy, and voter opinion.

The poll that we need to pay the most attention to, however, is the poll that shows which candidate among our potential nominees is most likely to defeat Hillary Clinton. That particular poll consistently shows that candidate is Senator Marco Rubio. Check it out for yourself. The Democrats do not want Hillary Clinton to have to face Marco Rubio in a debate, much less in an election. Glenn Beck said about a Hillary/Marco debate, (you can look up the video) “Marco will make Hillary Clinton look like she is a 1000 years old!” Rubio and clinton

Marco Rubio is the candidate that the Democrat’s most fear, precisely because the polls show he will beat Hillary Clinton. If you follow the media, you have probably heard this repeatedly. Even Bill O’Reilly, of “The O’Reilly Factor”, said it on his show last week, and Bill is very factual. The National Review recently posted,

In fact, Senator Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) is the only GOP contender who consistently defeats Hillary Clinton in head-to-head heats. In the NBC/WSJ survey, he beats Clinton 48 percent to 45. The Fox poll put the attractive, savvy, severely well-spoken Rubio at 45 percent and Clinton at 43. Senator Ted Cruz (R., Texas) loses to Clinton in the NBC/WSJ match-up, 43 percent to 48, while he ties her at 45 points in Fox’s contest.
 Why then, would Republican voters cast their vote for any of the other candidates still in the race? It just does not make sense. We want the man who can actually win the election. This is a pivotal period in our country, and thus a pivotal election. We cannot afford another four years of the Obama administration, which is what we will have with Hillary Clinton. So seriously consider whom you are casting your vote for in the primary election. Do not waste it on someone who cannot defeat Hillary Clinton. Otherwise, what is the point?

 

Sources:

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/429092/marco-rubio-conservative-polls-beats-hillary-clintonurces:

 

Game Over!

The Right Slant Leave a comment

Christie

Chris Christie Is Out…

If Chris Christie thought he was helping his campaign as he attacked Marco Rubio during last Saturday night’s debate, he was mistaken. Christie invested a lot of time and money in New Hampshire, but after tonight’s primary results, it was all for naught. Finishing in sixth place, with 8% of the vote, the Christie campaign announced that he has suspended his presidential run. In their words, “He is returning to New Jersey to take a deep breath”.

Donald Trump was the big winner tonight for the GOP, taking 35% of the vote, with John Kasich at 16%, and Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio all at 11%. A sixth place finish disqualified Christie from participating in the next GOP debate scheduled for February 13, in Greenville, South Carolina. Only the candidates who placed in the top three in Iowa, and those finishing in the top five in New Hampshire will be included. That means that Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and John Kasich will be taking the stage.

Donald Trump has maintained a lead in New Hampshire, so everyone expected him to win, though not by the landslide number he received. John Kasich has spent the majority of his time in New Hampshire, as well as his campaign funds, so he was also expected to do well. Marco Rubio, who had an exceptional debate before the Iowa Caucus last week, and who outperformed his poll numbers there, went into New Hampshire with his numbers rising. His trajectory had many of the pundits expecting him to take second place. After the debate on Saturday night, and Christie’s attacks, the polls began to change. Although Senator Rubio regained his footing in the debate with Christie, and did very well in the latter part of the debate, the media hammered him over the last three days. Those who did not see the debate had only to open their newspapers or flip on their television to see how “badly” Rubio performed. The media has amazing power to shape voter opinion.

Obviously, I am not upset to see Christie out of the race, and this is not just because of his attacks on Rubio. I have never recovered from his speech at the Republican Convention in 2012, which had little to do with helping Mitt Romney, and a lot to do with helping Chris Christie. Worse still, I think his hug fest with President Obama after Hurricane Sandy, combined with the gushing words of praise for him, hurt Romney in the election. He’s just not someone I admire.

It was a disappointing night for the Rubio campaign, but he can resurrect his momentum with a powerful performance in both the South Carolina debate and primary. Rubio needs to pull ahead of Bush in that primary, but the word is already out that the Bush campaign is planning a “scorched earth” attack on Rubio going into the race. Jeb definitely has the money behind him, so it will be another hard fought contest to watch. Trump and Cruz poll well in South Carolina, but I do not expect that Kasich will have a strong showing.

The pundits are really spinning New Hampshire as shaking up the whole field, but I still see this as essentially a three-man race. Kasich will not be in much longer, because he does not have the infrastructure in the other states, or the funding to launch a strong ground campaign. If Jeb Bush does not do well in South Carolina, he may be out as well. He has the financial backing to go the distance, but I am hoping that he will consider the welfare of the GOP and suspend his campaign. At this point, his continued presence in the race benefits Trump.

That leaves Trump, Cruz and Rubio. All three have the funds and the organization to stay in the race and duke it out for the nomination. Marco Rubio is the ONLY candidate who can beat Hillary Clinton. All the polls have been consistent on that score. Most of the pundits agree. Bill O’Reilly even announced it on his show last night. The goal for the Republicans is to retake the White House in November. The voters need to get serious, look ahead, and coalesce behind the candidate who can win.