Trump, Republican leaders realizing they may need each other

[rooster59]

Trump, Republican leaders realizing they may need each other

JILL COLVIN, Associated Press
JULIE PACE, Associated Press
STEVE PEOPLES, Associated Press


DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Donald Trump and some mainstream U.S. Republicans are engaged in a long-distance flirtation. Both sides are coming to the realization that they'll need each other if the billionaire businessman becomes the party's presidential nominee.

The Republican establishment is no fonder of Trump than when he first roiled the campaign last summer with his controversial comments about immigrants and women. But with voting beginning in just over a week, his durability atop preference polls has pushed some donors, strategists and party elders to grudgingly accept the prospect of his winning the nomination.

"We'd better stop hoping for something else and accept the possibility that he's our nominee and be prepared to rally around him if that's the case," said Fred Malek, a top Republican presidential fundraiser.

Bob Dole, the 1996 Republican nominee who represented Kansas in the House and Senate for decades, said of Trump: "He's got this personality where I do believe he could work with Congress."

Trump, too, has started to suggest that he'd look for ways to work with Republican leaders if he wins.

"I'm a dealmaker who will get things done," he said Thursday during an event in Las Vegas. "There's a point at which — let's get to be a little establishment. We got to get things done, folks, OK?"

However, the establishment's growing acceptance of Trump's electoral prospects so far hasn't manifested itself in tangible support for his campaign. The real estate mogul has not been endorsed by any congressional lawmakers or governors, nor are there any indications of a big wave of major donors planning to get involved with his campaign, despite Trump's assertion that he's received "so many calls" from wealthy and influential Republicans.

If anything, the most visible signs of support for Trump's campaign in recent days have come from those who see themselves as outside the Republican establishment. Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and a favorite of the tea party insurgency, announced her support for him on Tuesday.

Much of the mainstream Republican reckoning with Trump is rooted in deep disdain for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, the businessman's closest rival. Cruz is seen as more likely to try to upend the web of lobbyists, donors and other powerbrokers who have long wielded enormous influence in the Republican Party.

Liz Mair, a communications operative who is running one of the Republicans' few anti-Trump efforts, said donors affiliated with other candidates would rather let Trump beat Cruz in the early voting states than let their least-favorite senator gain momentum.

"They'd rather that he kills Cruz by winning in Iowa and New Hampshire and then try to take him down," Mair said.

Even as he's taken up the anti-establishment mantle, Trump has made some quiet overtures to Republican powerbrokers. He met with Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson last year and has also reached out to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, though he hasn't spoken directly with House Speaker Paul Ryan.

There are still big swaths of establishment-minded Republican voters and officials who staunchly oppose Trump's candidacy and believe both he and Cruz are unelectable in November. They say there's still plenty of time for a more mainstream candidate to mount a serious challenge.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush are all seeking to beat expectations in Iowa, then be a top finisher in New Hampshire. Ohio Gov. John Kasich is also in the mix in New Hampshire.

On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is facing an unexpectedly strong challenge from liberal insurgent Sen. Bernie Sanders.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-23

[Pinot]

"There are still big swaths of establishment-minded Republican voters and officials who staunchly oppose Trump's candidacy and believe both he and Cruz are unelectable in November."

They're all unelectable. The GOP is in meltdown. We can thank Fox News and the conservative echo chamber of the fringe media.

And thank baby Jesus for Sarah Palin...she's back.

[brewsterbudgen]

The GOP Establishment would rather see Trump get massacred by the Dems (which they can put down as a "one-off", and then regroup for 2020) than let Cruz loose on the Party.

[spidermike007]

It is indeed a bleak day in America, when the choices come down to Hillary (a $35 Arkansas street gal) and Trump (a $50 NY street guy). Both are bad choices. On the one hand, you have a democrat who is compromised on every level, in the pocket of corporate America, and does not know integrity if it hit her in the face. On the other hand you have a racist, xenophobic nationalist, who has anger management issues, thinks he is the greatest person who has ever lived (he might admit Jesus was better, but not really sure of that), would not ever know when he was wrong, would be second only to Obama, when it comes to surrounding himself with sycophantic, inferior counsel, and would insist on turning the US into even more of a warmongering nation, that embraces hate, division, racism, and the quaint notion that somehow life was better when the country was populated with primarily white people (even though most were from immigrant families).

It must be a difficult day in the life of Dangerous Don, when he has to cooperate with the Republican party leadership in order to attain his prize of being the most famous and the most powerful man on earth.

[stillbornagain]

Here's a link to a great column from the conservative columnist Kathleen Parker.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/with-trump-and-palin-republicans-get-what-they-deserve/2016/01/22/9890658e-c153-11e5-bcda-62a36b394160_story.html

[geriatrickid]

The GOP is not in meltdown. The people who are besides themselves are the folks who consider themselves the sole sources of the truth. Trump has revitalized the GOP and taken a primary season that would have been dull and dominated by deadwood breathed some life into it. The people claiming the GOP is in meltdown are also the same ones claiming the Democrat establishment is in panic mode because of Sanders. Again, not the reality. Sanders the curmudgeonly grampa has infused enthusiasm into the primary process and is making Hilary work for the nomination.

All of this is good for the USA.

[Cats4ever]

"A fool and his money are soon elected". Will Rogers.

[elgordo38]

"There are still big swaths of establishment-minded Republican voters and officials who staunchly oppose Trump's candidacy and believe both he and Cruz are unelectable in November."

They're all unelectable. The GOP is in meltdown. We can thank Fox News and the conservative echo chamber of the fringe media.

And thank baby Jesus for Sarah Palin...she's back.

All this anti-establishment talk by Cruz is baloney to suck in voters. Once ensconced in the White House it will be kiss and makeup time we have fooled the electorate again. Happened time and again in the past I have lived it.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

It is indeed a bleak day in America, when the choices come down to Hillary (a $35 Arkansas street gal) and Trump (a $50 NY street guy). Both are bad choices. On the one hand, you have a democrat who is compromised on every level, in the pocket of corporate America, and does not know integrity if it hit her in the face. On the other hand you have a racist, xenophobic nationalist, who has anger management issues, thinks he is the greatest person who has ever lived (he might admit Jesus was better, but not really sure of that), would not ever know when he was wrong, would be second only to Obama, when it comes to surrounding himself with sycophantic, inferior counsel, and would insist on turning the US into even more of a warmongering nation, that embraces hate, division, racism, and the quaint notion that somehow life was better when the country was populated with primarily white people (even though most were from immigrant families).

It must be a difficult day in the life of Dangerous Don, when he has to cooperate with the Republican party leadership in order to attain his prize of being the most famous and the most powerful man on earth.

I agree with a lot of what you say with a few exceptions/clarifications

1) every US politician is in the pocket of Corp America. Only outlawing all forms of lobbying and dealing with it for what it truly is, illegal bribing of corrupt politicians, will begin to put an end to this.

2). The only way Trump would ever admit that Jesus was better than him would be to get the relion voters to buy his BS. Deep down he thinks he is superior to Jesus too.

3). Trump would never admit when he wa wrong, never has never will.

4). All (not most) white people are immigrants (from immigrant families) to North America. And all of Trump's wives were/are immigrants.

The only reason they are likely trying to deal with the Donald now is that he will have to choose a VP soon and they are trying to position for that now that they know they have no shot at the party nomination.

[bark]

Finally the USA will get a President who will use some the the Nukes on the Chinese; India. The world needs to reduce the populations of both these countries by 50 %.

[SouthernMan3]

It is indeed a bleak day in America, when the choices come down to Hillary (a $35 Arkansas street gal) and Trump (a $50 NY street guy). Both are bad choices. On the one hand, you have a democrat who is compromised on every level, in the pocket of corporate America, and does not know integrity if it hit her in the face. On the other hand you have a racist, xenophobic nationalist, who has anger management issues, thinks he is the greatest person who has ever lived (he might admit Jesus was better, but not really sure of that), would not ever know when he was wrong, would be second only to Obama, when it comes to surrounding himself with sycophantic, inferior counsel, and would insist on turning the US into even more of a warmongering nation, that embraces hate, division, racism, and the quaint notion that somehow life was better when the country was populated with primarily white people (even though most were from immigrant families).

It must be a difficult day in the life of Dangerous Don, when he has to cooperate with the Republican party leadership in order to attain his prize of being the most famous and the most powerful man on earth.

Have you not yet heard of Bernie ?

[SouthernMan3]

Finally the USA will get a President who will use some the the Nukes on the Chinese; India. The world needs to reduce the populations of both these countries by 50 %.

Great idea !

And then we can all die of radiation poisoning.....

[chuckd]

You can try and control the hysteria. The VP pick will not be Palin.

[Publicus]

Nearly impossible to think of any respectable regular Republican who'd want to run on a ticket headed by Donald Trump. Or who'd do it to take one for the team.

Can't have the vp candidate on the ticket contradicting the potus candidate, so any vp to Trump heading the ticket would have to be from the Duck Dynasty wing of the GOP. Might yet have to go with choosing a knuckledragger backbench US senator from Idaho or some such state nobody knows or cares anything about.

Even preacher Huckabee said the banning of all Muslims thing was not consistent with the Constitution.

So the floor is presently open for nominations.....

[luckyman]

"There are still big swaths of establishment-minded Republican voters and officials who staunchly oppose Trump's candidacy and believe both he and Cruz are unelectable in November."

They're all unelectable. The GOP is in meltdown. We can thank Fox News and the conservative echo chamber of the fringe media.

And thank baby Jesus for Sarah Palin...she's back.

And isn't it truly amazing ?

I saw her speech the other day, in which she confirmed to endorse Trump, mind blowing!

I ask myself sometimes how such a vast country with such an immense and mixed population can not come up with better candidates for it's presidency ?

[Pinot]

Finally the USA will get a President who will use some the the Nukes on the Chinese; India. The world needs to reduce the populations of both these countries by 50 %.

This is exactly why we need to keep Republicans far away from that button in the White House. Has to be the silliest post of all time. Yeah, just nuke em.

[mopar71]

Nearly impossible to think of any respectable regular Republican who'd want to run on a ticket headed by Donald Trump.

I would think they all would. I still find it hard to believe that Trump would/could put with all the restrictive crap a president has to. Once he gets that POTUS feather in his cap, will he really hang on for 4 full years? Maybe not, and his VP will be waiting to take over the top job.

[mopar71]

Finally the USA will get a President who will use some the the Nukes on the Chinese; India. The world needs to reduce the populations of both these countries by 50 %.

This is exactly why we need to keep Republicans far away from that button in the White House. Has to be the silliest post of all time. Yeah, just nuke em.

The only person in history ever to authorize a nuke was a Democrat.,,and he did it twice.

[Pinot]

Finally the USA will get a President who will use some the the Nukes on the Chinese; India. The world needs to reduce the populations of both these countries by 50 %.

This is exactly why we need to keep Republicans far away from that button in the White House. Has to be the silliest post of all time. Yeah, just nuke em.

The only person in history ever to authorize a nuke was a Democrat.,,and he did it twice.

Truman, a Democrat, authorized the use of atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima ending WW2.

Your point is....?

This is getting weird.

So we should...because they did it twice... Huh?

[Publicus]

Finally the USA will get a President who will use some the the Nukes on the Chinese; India. The world needs to reduce the populations of both these countries by 50 %.

This is exactly why we need to keep Republicans far away from that button in the White House. Has to be the silliest post of all time. Yeah, just nuke em.

The only person in history ever to authorize a nuke was a Democrat.,,and he did it twice.

Due to the time, place, circumstance, the decision to utilise them was appropriate. United States hasn't ever apologised and history continues to be neutral about it.

If the post might be intended as a negative criticism from the partisan and ideological far right it would be sadly misplaced.

Trump didn't know in the debate what the nuclear triad policy of the United States has been since nuclear powered and armed boomer submarines were invented many decades ago to create a land, air, sea, nuclear weapons integrated delivery system.

When it comes to nuclear Trump can't count to three. Neither can almost any of his supporters.

Tell ya what while we're at it....let's open a contest to choose by popular vote a TVF poster to be Trump's running mate. That would be as good as anyone else to fit Trump if he might get the nomination.

[JakeSully]

"We'd better stop hoping for something else and accept the possibility that he's our nominee and be prepared to rally around him if that's the case," said Fred Malek, a top Republican presidential fundraiser.

I can't believe I voted Republican twice and this is the same party.

I blame the endless demogagory on Fox News and other outlets like it, for a poisoned environment, in which, some forty percent of likely Republican voters support an openly racist, religiously bigoted and misogynistic candidate. The closet racists and bigots are coming out of the closet. We all knew they were in the GOP, all along but back then Dole and Bush atleast tried to make minority voters feel comfortable.

Now Trump just had to "smoke em out of their holes" as one one Republican president talked about doing to bin Laden, while a democratic president Obama, actually did it.

[wooloomooloo]

Tell ya what while we're at it....let's open a contest to choose by popular vote a TVF poster to be Trump's running mate. That would be as good as anyone else to fit Trump if he might get the nomination.

Can we discuss the salary?

Edited January 24, 2016 by wooloomooloo

[Publicus]

Tell ya what while we're at it....let's open a contest to choose by popular vote a TVF poster to be Trump's running mate. That would be as good as anyone else to fit Trump if he might get the nomination.

Can we discuss the salary?

$230,700 annually plus a big mansion on the Naval Observatory Grounds in ritzy upper Northwest Washington at Massachusetts Heights along Embassy Row.

If you're Dan Quayle however you have to pay the government a dollar a year to be vp (plus you have to spell Observatory). The same would be true I'm afraid for any veep that might be elected on a Trump ticket as impossible as that is to imagine or conceive of.

Vice President's official duties btw are to have official duties.

Bush's Dick Cheney had officials duties to lie, destroy and make bucks for his corporate buddies who then hired him after he left office. So a lot of Republicans are interested this time around with Daesh and all the rest of it. Sarah Palin was disappointed however cause she never got to see Russia through the Observatory telescope.

Republicans are especially interested in Trump and a vp this election cause the Rockefeller Washington estate is nearby and because Barbara Bush used to live at the Observatory while GHW was Reagan's veep. Barb loved playing tackle with Secret Service agents out on the sprawling lawn. Jeb has pictures to prove it.

You do have a C.V. of course....

[NeverSure]

Fox News has been doing it's very best to try to knock Trump off. Some of you haven't been paying attention.

The good old boys who've had control of the Republican Party for decades are shitting themselves over The Donald. They can't believe they can't get their boy Bush in there even with his mommy's help.

The phrase "Deer in the headlights" best describes the rotten Republican party right now. The term Clinton best describes the rotten Democrat Party right now.

People are sick of both rotten parties and they are going to get the boot.

Cheers.

[Publicus]

Well oddsmakers do tell us something about it so here are today's odds on the winner of the Republican party nomination for potus....

Donald Trump has odds of 11-10 which translate to a probability of 47.6% to win nomination

Marco Rubio has odds of 9-4 or the probability of 30.7 percent

Raphael Edward "Ted" Cruz of Texas by way of Canada has odds of 6-1 or 14.2%.

John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is at 8-1 odds or a probability of 11.11% to win nomination.

Trump has been the oddsmakers favorite for the first time since last week. Looking at the odds and their movement over time is one good way to try to figure the equation and outcome. After all, the color of the odds is green.

[mopar71]

Finally the USA will get a President who will use some the the Nukes on the Chinese; India. The world needs to reduce the populations of both these countries by 50 %.

This is exactly why we need to keep Republicans far away from that button in the White House. Has to be the silliest post of all time. Yeah, just nuke em.

The only person in history ever to authorize a nuke was a Democrat.,,and he did it twice.

Truman, a Democrat, authorized the use of atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima ending WW2.

Your point is....?

This is getting weird.

So we should...because they did it twice... Huh?

If one makes silly comments about Republicans being a danger because they will use nukes then they should fully expect the response...that is if they know history before making the comment as I am pretty sure you did.