Romney, McCain: Trump a danger for America's future

[webfact]

Romney, McCain: Trump a danger for America's future
By STEVE PEOPLES and BRADY McCOMBS

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — In an extraordinary display of Republican chaos, the party's most recent presidential nominees, Mitt Romney and John McCain, lambasted current front-runner Donald Trump on Thursday, calling him unfit for office and a danger for the nation and the GOP.

"His is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader," Romney declared. He called Trump "a phony" who is "playing the American public for suckers," a man whose "imagination must not be married to real power."

Hours later, Trump lashed back, calling Romney "a choke artist" who lost to Barack Obama four years ago only because he was such a poor candidate.

The vicious feud marked a near-unprecedented scenario pitting the Republican Party's most prominent leaders, past and present, against each other as Democrats begin to unite around Hillary Clinton.

Underlying the clash is a bleak reality for panicking Republican officials: Beyond harsh words, there is little they see to stop Trump's march toward the presidential nomination. Party leaders are poring over complicated delegate math, outlining hazy scenarios for a contested national convention and even flirting with the idea of a third-party effort.

In the most notable verbal attacks against Trump to date, Romney and his 2012 running mate, House Speaker Paul Ryan, urged voters in the strongest terms to shun the former reality television star for the good of country and party.

The GOP's 2008 nominee, Arizona Sen. McCain, joined in, raising "many concerns about Mr. Trump's uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues." That echoes the worries of dozens of leading conservative defense and foreign policy officials.

Romney embraced what might seem a long-shot approach to deny Trump the delegates necessary to secure the nomination. He did not call on Republicans to unify behind a single alternative candidate but outlined a plan to divide the electorate and force a contested national convention in July.

"Given the current delegate selection process, this means that I would vote for Marco Rubio in Florida, for John Kasich in Ohio and for Ted Cruz or whichever one of the other two contenders has the best chance of beating Mr. Trump in a given state," Romney said.

Another idea rumbling through power corridors in Washington was the prospect of a late third-party candidate to represent more mainstream conservatives.

A Romney confidant, Republican National Committeeman Ron Kaufman, said such talk may be swirling around Romney, but he laughed it off. "It's not happening," he said.

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been approached by "a mixture of people" about being part of a third-party bid, said Jeff Miller, who managed Perry's failed GOP presidential campaign. But Miller said Perry found the idea "ludicrous."

Suggesting that Romney may continue to have 2016 ambitions of his own, Trump said the 2012 nominee had "chickened out" earlier when he understood he'd be going up against the billionaire businessman.

"He doesn't have what it takes to be president," Trump said at a Portland, Maine, rally. "I made so much more money than Mitt."

Romney's views are irrelevant, he said. "Look, Mitt is a failed candidate."

The back-and-forth came as the Republican candidates prepared for their first post-Super Tuesday debate, scheduled for Thursday night in Detroit.

Four years ago, Romney and Trump stood side by side in Las Vegas, with Trump saying it was a "real honor and privilege" to endorse Romney's White House bid. Romney at the time praised Trump's ability to "understand how our economy works and to create jobs for the American people."

On Thursday, Trump said Romney "was begging me" for an endorsement that year.

"I could have said, 'Mitt, drop to your knees.' He would have dropped to his knees," Trump said.

Earlier Thursday, in Utah, Romney assailed Trump's temperament, his business acumen and his ability to keep America safe.

"If we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished," he said.

During his Capitol Hill press conference, Ryan dismissed comments Trump made this week that if the Wisconsin Republican didn't get along with him, Ryan would "pay a big price."

"I just laughed out loud," Ryan told reporters. "Sometimes, reality is stranger than fiction around here these days."

The speaker added that "conservatism is being disfigured" by some of Trump's ideas and statements.

Voters have not so far responded to such warnings.

Trump padded his delegate lead with victories in seven Super Tuesday contests, with Cruz claiming three states and Florida Sen. Rubio picking up his first victory of the 2016 race.

Still, the front-runner is not yet on track to claim the nomination before the party's national gathering in July, according to an Associated Press delegate count. He has won 46 percent of the delegates awarded so far, and he would have to increase that to 51 percent in the remaining primaries.

March 15 could be a last opportunity to stop Trump through the normal path of winning states and collecting delegates. A win for Rubio in his home state of Florida could raise questions about Trump's strength, as could a win for Kasich, Ohio's governor, on his home turf.

The GOP mayhem contrasts sharply with a clearer picture on the Democratic side, where Clinton is drawing broad support from voters and her party's leaders. Rival Sen. Bernie Sanders has vowed to keep up his fight, though his path to the nomination has become exceedingly narrow.
___

Peoples reported from Detroit. Associated Press writers Kathleen Ronayne in Detroit, David Sharp in Portland, Maine, and Julie Pace, Kathleen Hennessey, Andrew Taylor, Julie Bykowicz, Stephen Ohlemacher, Alan Fram, and Donna Cassata contributed to this report from Washington.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-03-04

[keemapoot]

"He doesn't have what it takes to be president,"

'Mitt, drop to your knees.' He would have dropped to his knees,"

"I made so much more money than Mitt."

Total class.

[NeverSure]

Romney and McCain are two of the biggest losers ever to attempt to run for POTUS. The people already rejected them soundly one at a time. I wonder why they think people really care what they think?

This blatant attempt by the moneyed power brokers in the corrupt halls of DC to derail a candidacy is probably the first in the history of the US. It's supposed to be an election where the people choose their government, not one where the government and Wall Street do the choosing.

This is so corrupt it's unreal.

[keemapoot]

^ I agree this is fascinating and historic to observe. This really appears to be a fundamental sea change in the GOP in America..., unless the GOP establishment effectively crushes it with these campaigns and at a brokered convention....

[fiddlehead]

I don't like Trump. He's too arrogant and his style sucks IMO.
But seeing as these 2 (typical Republican politicians?) are bad-mouthing him, I'm taking a new look.
Maybe Trump IS the answer we are looking for, for change in Washington.

And yes, I do vote.

[JakeSully]

Isn't this appropriate how the GOP is reacting?

[JakeSully]

I don't like Trump. He's too arrogant and his style sucks IMO.

But seeing as these 2 (typical Republican politicians?) are bad-mouthing him, I'm taking a new look.

Maybe Trump IS the answer we are looking for, for change in Washington.

And yes, I do vote.

In response to these..

Sadly I think we're on the verge of a second civil war and the GOP realizes it.

The trump fans/ racist/ xenophobes will never accept defeat come November but if they win.. we can look forward to ethnic cleansing (the kind that was carried out by Hitler) and I'm not kidding about that.

Look at what he says in different pieces..

1. eminent domain to take lands,

2. blacks (BLM) are the enemy,

3. waterboarding,

4. mexicans,

5. asians,

6. walls,

7. deportation squads,

8. not being nice,

9. anchor babies not being citizens,

10. take take take for america.

11. killing families of enemies of America.

Connect the dots.

losing homes to eminent domain, deportations and waterboarding, etc. We've already had plenty of islamophobic assaults on people that weren't muslim or terrorists.

Do you really think they'll spare innocents or the constitution will matter to a guy like him running on cleansing America from undesirables such as _________ (fill in the blank.. pretty much).

A vote for Trump might haunt us more than a vote for the establishment. And they'll never have enough votes to impeach him once he becomes President. Romney realizes this and knows civil war is something no one wants except the nutjobs who want ethnic cleansing like the KKK and Trump is their champion.

[NeverSure]

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.)" Don't 'stifle' voters"

March 03, 2016, 04:09 pm

“Here’s my message to the Republican Party leaders: Focus more on listening to the American people and less on trying to stifle their voice," Corker said Thursday in a statement.

Corker's comments come as establishment Republicans are stepping up their criticism of Donald Trump in an attempt to slow the GOP presidential front-runner's momentum. Trump won seven out the 11 states holding Republican primary elections on Super Tuesday, including Corker's home state.

More

[Boon Mee]

The "Political Class" is running flat-out scared with that Wasserman-Schultz leading the pack!

It's beautiful!

[NeverSure]

I don't like Trump. He's too arrogant and his style sucks IMO.

But seeing as these 2 (typical Republican politicians?) are bad-mouthing him, I'm taking a new look.

Maybe Trump IS the answer we are looking for, for change in Washington.

And yes, I do vote.

In response to these..

Sadly I think we're on the verge of a second civil war and the GOP realizes it.

The trump fans/ racist/ xenophobes will never accept defeat come November but if they win.. we can look forward to ethnic cleansing (the kind that was carried out by Hitler) and I'm not kidding about that.

Look at what he says in different pieces..

1. eminent domain to take lands,

2. blacks (BLM) are the enemy,

3. waterboarding,

4. mexicans,

5. asians,

6. walls,

7. deportation squads,

8. not being nice,

9. anchor babies not being citizens,

10. take take take for america.

11. killing families of enemies of America.

Connect the dots.

losing homes to eminent domain, deportations and waterboarding, etc. We've already had plenty of islamophobic assaults on people that weren't muslim or terrorists.

Do you really think they'll spare innocents or the constitution will matter to a guy like him running on cleansing America from undesirables such as _________ (fill in the blank.. pretty much).

A vote for Trump might haunt us more than a vote for the establishment. And they'll never have enough votes to impeach him once he becomes President. Romney realizes this and knows civil war is something no one wants except the nutjobs who want ethnic cleansing like the KKK and Trump is their champion.

Sorry, this is nut job stuff, straight off a space ship. I'm not going to take those on one at a time because they are either untrue or out of context. Your conclusion is just plain out there.

Cheers.

[NeverSure]

The "Political Class" is running flat-out scared with that Wasserman-Schultz leading the pack!

It's beautiful!

It IS beautiful to see the snakes being smoked out of their dens. Those crooks in DC who are owned by their big donors on Wall Street are in full panic mode.

Cheers.

[JakeSully]

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.)" Don't 'stifle' voters"

March 03, 2016, 04:09 pm

“Here’s my message to the Republican Party leaders: Focus more on listening to the American people and less on trying to stifle their voice," Corker said Thursday in a statement.

Corker's comments come as establishment Republicans are stepping up their criticism of Donald Trump in an attempt to slow the GOP presidential front-runner's momentum. Trump won seven out the 11 states holding Republican primary elections on Super Tuesday, including Corker's home state.

More

What a joke they are..

I seem to remember Palin saying Obama consorted with William Ayers (domestic terrorists).

And then they want to vote for a candidate that openly supports bombing churches and committing terrorism like the KKK.

I'm not surprised that the deep south would vote for this guy.. didn't they have to edit out Kirk kissing Uhura not too long ago because it was too much against their bigoted beliefs?

[JakeSully]

I don't like Trump. He's too arrogant and his style sucks IMO.

But seeing as these 2 (typical Republican politicians?) are bad-mouthing him, I'm taking a new look.

Maybe Trump IS the answer we are looking for, for change in Washington.

And yes, I do vote.

In response to these..

Sadly I think we're on the verge of a second civil war and the GOP realizes it.

The trump fans/ racist/ xenophobes will never accept defeat come November but if they win.. we can look forward to ethnic cleansing (the kind that was carried out by Hitler) and I'm not kidding about that.

Look at what he says in different pieces..

1. eminent domain to take lands,

2. blacks (BLM) are the enemy,

3. waterboarding,

4. mexicans,

5. asians,

6. walls,

7. deportation squads,

8. not being nice,

9. anchor babies not being citizens,

10. take take take for america.

11. killing families of enemies of America.

Connect the dots.

losing homes to eminent domain, deportations and waterboarding, etc. We've already had plenty of islamophobic assaults on people that weren't muslim or terrorists.

Do you really think they'll spare innocents or the constitution will matter to a guy like him running on cleansing America from undesirables such as _________ (fill in the blank.. pretty much).

A vote for Trump might haunt us more than a vote for the establishment. And they'll never have enough votes to impeach him once he becomes President. Romney realizes this and knows civil war is something no one wants except the nutjobs who want ethnic cleansing like the KKK and Trump is their champion.

Sorry, this is nut job stuff, straight off a space ship. I'm not going to take those on one at a time because they are either untrue or out of context. Your conclusion is just plain out there.

Cheers.

Nope, it's out of reality because you can see the results at Trump rallies of people getting beat up, spit on, urinated on, Seig Heil, Hail Hitler.

And the saddest part is I don't even have to show proof, just a google search provides it LOL.

It's no one else, it's your guy Trump and you're welcome to him.. that much we're sure about. I'm enjoying the popcorn watching the GOP self destruct.

Remember not voting for Trump is an insult to white heritage.. Romney sees this travesty ending in a civil war and he's deeply patriotic so he said something.

Edited March 3, 2016 by JakeSully

[Berkshire]

I almost feel sorry for the GOP at this juncture. It's a mess and they know it. Trump is no more a conservative Republican than Bernie Sanders. But the fact is they created Trump. All their rhetoric and lies these past seven years have created an atmosphere of fear and anger within their base. Trump is simply exploiting it. Kind of hard to put the genie back into the bottle at this point.

[NeverSure]

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.)" Don't 'stifle' voters"

March 03, 2016, 04:09 pm

“Here’s my message to the Republican Party leaders: Focus more on listening to the American people and less on trying to stifle their voice," Corker said Thursday in a statement.

Corker's comments come as establishment Republicans are stepping up their criticism of Donald Trump in an attempt to slow the GOP presidential front-runner's momentum. Trump won seven out the 11 states holding Republican primary elections on Super Tuesday, including Corker's home state.

More

What a joke they are..

I seem to remember Palin saying Obama consorted with William Ayers (domestic terrorists).

And then they want to vote for a candidate that openly supports bombing churches and committing terrorism like the KKK.

I'm not surprised that the deep south would vote for this guy.. didn't they have to edit out Kirk kissing Uhura not too long ago because it was too much against their bigoted beliefs?

What in the world are you on? This isn't about Palin or anyone supporting the KKK. This is about an attempted theft of the rights of the people by the powerful people in DC. The people are coming out in record numbers to refute the corrupt status quo and that's all you can come up with?

[Boon Mee]

The "Political Class" is running flat-out scared with that Wasserman-Schultz leading the pack!

It's beautiful!

It IS beautiful to see the snakes being smoked out of their dens. Those crooks in DC who are owned by their big donors on Wall Street are in full panic mode.

Cheers.

Just one example:

IMAGINE A TRUMP-APPOINTED SUPREME COURT JUSTICE. - Wasserman Schultz

Alternate headline: Imagine a Supreme Court judge appointed by a failed community organizer who began his political career in the living room of a guy who bombed the Pentagon.

'Nuff said

[JakeSully]

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.)" Don't 'stifle' voters"

March 03, 2016, 04:09 pm

“Here’s my message to the Republican Party leaders: Focus more on listening to the American people and less on trying to stifle their voice," Corker said Thursday in a statement.

Corker's comments come as establishment Republicans are stepping up their criticism of Donald Trump in an attempt to slow the GOP presidential front-runner's momentum. Trump won seven out the 11 states holding Republican primary elections on Super Tuesday, including Corker's home state.

More

What a joke they are..

I seem to remember Palin saying Obama consorted with William Ayers (domestic terrorists).

And then they want to vote for a candidate that openly supports bombing churches and committing terrorism like the KKK.

I'm not surprised that the deep south would vote for this guy.. didn't they have to edit out Kirk kissing Uhura not too long ago because it was too much against their bigoted beliefs?

What in the world are you on? This isn't about Palin or anyone supporting the KKK. This is about an attempted theft of the rights of the people by the powerful people in DC. The people are coming out in record numbers to refute the corrupt status quo and that's all you can come up with?

The theft of the rights of the people are in Bernie's camp.

Remember Bernie $15 an hour minimum wage.

Trump: Wages are too high.. they need to go down and you need to work even harder.

Sounds to me like Trump's camp is bigotry and racism period which is why Romney is calling him out.

[NeverSure]

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.)" Don't 'stifle' voters"

March 03, 2016, 04:09 pm

“Here’s my message to the Republican Party leaders: Focus more on listening to the American people and less on trying to stifle their voice," Corker said Thursday in a statement.

Corker's comments come as establishment Republicans are stepping up their criticism of Donald Trump in an attempt to slow the GOP presidential front-runner's momentum. Trump won seven out the 11 states holding Republican primary elections on Super Tuesday, including Corker's home state.

More

What a joke they are..

I seem to remember Palin saying Obama consorted with William Ayers (domestic terrorists).

And then they want to vote for a candidate that openly supports bombing churches and committing terrorism like the KKK.

I'm not surprised that the deep south would vote for this guy.. didn't they have to edit out Kirk kissing Uhura not too long ago because it was too much against their bigoted beliefs?

What in the world are you on? This isn't about Palin or anyone supporting the KKK. This is about an attempted theft of the rights of the people by the powerful people in DC. The people are coming out in record numbers to refute the corrupt status quo and that's all you can come up with?

The theft of the rights of the people are in Bernie's camp.

Remember Bernie $15 an hour minimum wage.

Trump: Wages are too high.. they need to go down and you need to work even harder.

Sounds to me like Trump's camp is bigotry and racism period which is why Romney is calling him out.

Don't go all crazy and bring Bernie into this. This is the powerful Wall Street brokers and their bought and paid for lap dogs in DC fighting Trump. This has nothing to do with Democrats.

Try to remember what the topic is.

Cheers.

[JakeSully]

Don't go all crazy and bring Bernie into this. This is the powerful Wall Street brokers and their bought and paid for lap dogs in DC fighting Trump. This has nothing to do with Democrats.

Try to remember what the topic is.

Cheers.

The topic is Romney on why he thinks Trump is a danger for America's future.. maybe you need to glance at it again.

[NeverSure]

The drooling idiots who've be tricked by shysters need to wake up and vote for the people who have their best interests at heart. That would be the banksters and gangsters on Wall Street who've given hundreds of millions of dollars to the insiders in DC and who are backing this war in the R party? ??

The privileged class in DC is in full panic mode about possibly losing its power in DC. Period.

[NeverSure]

The next two weeks until the primaries on March 15 will be the most brutal we've ever seen in American politics. The establishment is going to spend big money on TV ads and say every dirty thing they can trying to stop Trump.

Trump has to beat Rubio in Rubio's home state of Florida where the governor has refused to endorse him. Right now Trump has a big lead in the polls.

The big money interests on Wall Street HAVE to stop Trump on March 15 or resort to dirty tricks at a brokered convention if they are going to stop him.

They don't give a damn about what the people want and that should be scaring everyone on both sides of the aisle. They are supposed to just let the people vote.

[keemapoot]

It seems to me the establishment GOP lost control of the party starting with the tragic and consequential errors of George W., (perhaps earlier) and the emergence of the bizarre Tea Party. The old guard is just not in control of a rational alternative now.

[Boon Mee]

The next two weeks until the primaries on March 15 will be the most brutal we've ever seen in American politics. The establishment is going to spend big money on TV ads and say every dirty thing they can trying to stop Trump.

Trump has to beat Rubio in Rubio's home state of Florida where the governor has refused to endorse him. Right now Trump has a big lead in the polls.

The big money interests on Wall Street HAVE to stop Trump on March 15 or resort to dirty tricks at a brokered convention if they are going to stop him.

They don't give a damn about what the people want and that should be scaring everyone on both sides of the aisle. They are supposed to just let the people vote.

Let's hope common sense will prevail and the folks will see through these cheap attack ads

[Boon Mee]

Those pesky folks in Flyover Country?

The reason both the Democratic and Republican establishments are in full on panic mode about the rise of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders is a deep seated fear that the plebs have finally woken up.”

They haven't reached for the pitchforks yet but if the elites don't wake up soon, it's going to be ugly for them.

[lannarebirth]

^ I agree this is fascinating and historic to observe. This really appears to be a fundamental sea change in the GOP in America..., unless the GOP establishment effectively crushes it with these campaigns and at a brokered convention....

The damage is done IMO. Now, on to the Democrats.

[NovaBlue05]

Nice of Mitt & John to remind everyone of why Trump is dominating their party.

[NeverSure]

Don't go all crazy and bring Bernie into this. This is the powerful Wall Street brokers and their bought and paid for lap dogs in DC fighting Trump. This has nothing to do with Democrats.

Try to remember what the topic is.

Cheers.

The topic is Romney on why he thinks Trump is a danger for America's future.. maybe you need to glance at it again.

Romney IS a wealthy and powerful member of the Wall Street class. He's being the front man. This is the wealthy and powerful elite including Romney grasping at maintaining their privileged positions.

IMHO this will just fire up the Trump supporters even more because this is why people are supporting him. It's the year of the outsider.

[JakeSully]

Don't go all crazy and bring Bernie into this. This is the powerful Wall Street brokers and their bought and paid for lap dogs in DC fighting Trump. This has nothing to do with Democrats.

Try to remember what the topic is.

Cheers.

The topic is Romney on why he thinks Trump is a danger for America's future.. maybe you need to glance at it again.

Romney IS a wealthy and powerful member of the Wall Street class. He's being the front man. This is the wealthy and powerful elite including Romney grasping at maintaining their privileged positions.

IMHO this will just fire up the Trump supporters even more because this is why people are supporting him. It's the year of the outsider.

You're right about the low information voters but the high information voters and there's a lot of them in the age of the iphone will think twice.

[NovaBlue05]

The GOP is well and truly F'ed. Their lone remaining pet squirrel Rubio is all but mathematically eliminated leaving them with the absolute two worst candidates for their cause.

[NeverSure]

Donald J. Trump Announces Senator Sessions as Chairman of National Security Advisory Committee

(New York, NY) March 3rd, 2016 – Today Donald J. Trump announced Senator Jeff Sessions, who has advised the GOP frontrunner on issues such as trade and immigration and endorsed Mr. Trump on Sunday in Alabama, will serve as Chairman of Mr. Trump’s National Security Advisory Committee.

Senator Sessions has been on the Armed Services Committee for almost 20 years and is Chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee.

More