House Speaker Paul Ryan refuses to back Donald Trump

[Jonmarleesco]

'I think it's very important that there's a demonstration that our standards will be beared ...' He said what?

[Traveler19491]

I think many republicans think the same as Ryan, just look at the Bush family as an example. Like it or not that is the way it is. The Trump followers are not the mainstream republicans and I think many mainstream voters won't vote this year. This is all great news for the democrats as if voters don't turn out then seats in the house and senate will go democrat. I just wonder if this was all planned by big money as Hillary is their poster child.

I don't think so i think the majority will damn Ryan for being two faced when he should be showing leadership by keeping to his promise. He waits until Trump wins then says 'i've changed my mind'? I dun think so...

I would disagree. Bush I & II have already come out and stated that they will not support Trump. Many on the far right have already abandoned him. Glen Beck, Steve Deace, the Iowa talk radio host, Brian Fischer, the not quite all there American Family Radio host, and multiple other GOP luminaries have all come out against Trump. There is massive turmoil in the party due to Trump being the presumptive nominee. The problem for the GOP is that, due to Trump's unhinged rhetoric, the majority of independent voters are against him. This is hugely ominous for down ticket candidates. It is quite likely that, with Trump at the head of their ticket, the Dems will retake the Senate. There is even the not unreasonable possibility that they will retake the House. And this has the suits in the GOP in a panic. Thus the rebellion in the party ranks.

I still expect to see some maneuvering at the Republican convention to deny Trump the nomination. But, therein lies another bucket of worms. If they do that, then the GOP will be finished for this election cycle.

Interesting times to be a Democrat. Not that they don't have their own brush fires to put out, what with Hillary being handed the nomination via various underhanded tactics. American politics. Not a sport for the feint of heart.

[LannaGuy]

I think many republicans think the same as Ryan, just look at the Bush family as an example. Like it or not that is the way it is. The Trump followers are not the mainstream republicans and I think many mainstream voters won't vote this year. This is all great news for the democrats as if voters don't turn out then seats in the house and senate will go democrat. I just wonder if this was all planned by big money as Hillary is their poster child.

I don't think so i think the majority will damn Ryan for being two faced when he should be showing leadership by keeping to his promise. He waits until Trump wins then says 'i've changed my mind'? I dun think so...

I would disagree. Bush I & II have already come out and stated that they will not support Trump. Many on the far right have already abandoned him. Glen Beck, Steve Deace, the Iowa talk radio host, Brian Fischer, the not quite all there American Family Radio host, and multiple other GOP luminaries have all come out against Trump. There is massive turmoil in the party due to Trump being the presumptive nominee. The problem for the GOP is that, due to Trump's unhinged rhetoric, the majority of independent voters are against him. This is hugely ominous for down ticket candidates. It is quite likely that, with Trump at the head of their ticket, the Dems will retake the Senate. There is even the not unreasonable possibility that they will retake the House. And this has the suits in the GOP in a panic. Thus the rebellion in the party ranks.

I still expect to see some maneuvering at the Republican convention to deny Trump the nomination. But, therein lies another bucket of worms. If they do that, then the GOP will be finished for this election cycle.

Interesting times to be a Democrat. Not that they don't have their own brush fires to put out, what with Hillary being handed the nomination via various underhanded tactics. American politics. Not a sport for the feint of heart.

he has tons of support and does not need the dinosaurs but, having said that, I don't believe he will beat Clinton but this thread is about Ryan's disingenuous hypocrisy by promising one thing then doing the other

Ryan i always thought was a kinda decent guy (for a Republican) but not now and I believe many will see his flip flop for what it is any now believe he has no honour

[Dumbastheycome]

It's "entertainment" Jim. Not as you want it. Just enjoy the distraction !

[Jingthing]

Ryan had a mild reaction to the horror show of the Trump nomination.

Check out these other REPUBLICAN reactions.

My favorite:

Donald Trump is a proto-fascist grotesque with zero political experience and poor impulse control.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Jingthing

[NovaBlue05]

Ryan's holding back while the masters continue to pressure him to enter the race

[keemapoot]

To quote Thomas Harris "when the fox hears the rabbit scream - he comes a runnin,' but not to help."

Hillary Clinton Targets Republicans Turned Off by Donald Trump

More broadly, Mrs. Clinton’s campaign is repositioning itself, after a year of emphasizing liberal positions and focusing largely on minority voters, to appeal to independent and Republican-leaning white voters turned off by Mr. Trump.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/07/us/politics/hillary-clinton-republican-party.html

[NovaBlue05]

Whatever...Her position changes depending on the audience that day.

[sgtsabai]

Ryan is a prick that wants to destroy Social Security, Medicare, Veterans disability and care and anything else he finds that benefits the Middle/Working class American. Read his budgets sometime. If Clinton gets the nomination as she was preordained to do it will be a debacle and a farce to the end. The only possible good to come out of this farce of election with it's voter suppression, rigged voting machines, lying and unworthy candidates (Trump a neofascist), not speaking of Bernie, would be the destruction of the present day right wingnut Republican Party and the neocon/neoliberal Wall Street criminal corporate Democrat Party and it's DNC.

[ggt]

This is political posturing...pure and simple...Ryan...the man who would be President...wants to let Trump know who really wields the power in Congress...

Trump will have to figure out how to become more politically savvy without losing himself in establishment politics...

[boomerangutang]

And so begins the process of trying to get Trump to shape up his platform and rhetoric so that normal Republicans can 'shoehorn' their support in for him. This must be just killing these guys. Trump will probably adjust his rhetoric and platform somewhat to accommodate Ryan and the establishment, but he cannot just jettison all his irrational, ill-informed crap without losing the base of his supporters, cause that's the tooth fairy Trump they believe in.

Trump has momentum at the moment and things like this just feed that momentum. Trump has the country angry with the establishment and want change. The more the establishment fight him the more Average Joe will back him. Trump is seen as the man to do a correction on American politics, by the man on the street.People who have not voted for years or have never voted will come out because they will believe Trump can get the US back in order.Best the establishment stop bashing him.

Trump has a core fan base. It won't grow. It probably won't diminish either. The same people who are rooting for Trump were also rooting for Bush Jr, McCain and Romney in prior contests. They were wrong the previous 3 times, so why not be wrong again, eh?

Ryan has as much personality as a toilet brush. The only reason people might care who he sides with, is for an indication of who not to support. Ryan will get behind Trump. He's just playing for some wiggle room. In case anyone forgot, Ryan (when running alongside Romney) kept advocating spending much more for an already bloated military budget - in order to garner military votes. He and Romney advocated giving the military more than they asked for. In true Republican style, they wanted to spend carelessly and increase the deficit. Trump is the same. Trump never did anything without first getting tens of millions of dollars from lenders, often with his daddy as co-signer. Oh, over-spending is not enough, Trump also wants to lower incoming revenue (lower taxes for the very rich himself included, along with abolishing the IRS). Great combination for harming America. For ISIS and America haters, it's GO TRUMP!

[NovaBlue05]

Problem is when you look the other way you see Hillary.

I don't think of her as the "lesser of the evils".......just a known evil

[boomerangutang]

Problem is when you look the other way you see Hillary.

I don't think of her as the "lesser of the evils".......just a known evil

I venture that you and your fellow Hillary haters haven't listened to any of H's speeches in the past weeks. You're so determined to demonize her, that you don't want to see or hear anything redeemable about her. In contrast, I listen to H's and Trump speeches often and in their entirety. So I have a better handle on assessing who stands for what.

[Grouse]

How embarrassing for Americans!

How could such an oaf be selected as the Republican Party candidate

I feel embarrassed for all Americans

Edited May 8, 2016 by Grouse

[Dagnabbit]

Problem is when you look the other way you see Hillary.

I don't think of her as the "lesser of the evils".......just a known evil

I venture that you and your fellow Hillary haters haven't listened to any of H's speeches in the past weeks. You're so determined to demonize her, that you don't want to see or hear anything redeemable about her. In contrast, I listen to H's and Trump speeches often and in their entirety. So I have a better handle on assessing who stands for what.

Why listen to what she says she will do when her track record tells us what she will do?

[ttthailand]

Ryan's holding back while the masters continue to pressure him to enter the race

I agree ! Ryan runs as third party and that guarantees trump does not win or maybe perhaps no one gets enough votes and the republican Congress picks the President, who in this case would be Ryan. Could happen !

[Boon Mee]

Ryan had a mild reaction to the horror show of the Trump nomination.

Check out these other REPUBLICAN reactions.

My favorite:

Donald Trump is a proto-fascist grotesque with zero political experience and poor impulse control.

Rachel Maddow?

[Jingthing]

So you don't like Rachel Maddow? Who cares? She is speaking words of REPUBLICANS. That's the point, dude.

[stevenl]

He'll back Trump later, he just needs some wiggle room now.

Edited May 8, 2016 by stevenl

[Traveler19491]

Problem is when you look the other way you see Hillary.

I don't think of her as the "lesser of the evils".......just a known evil

I venture that you and your fellow Hillary haters haven't listened to any of H's speeches in the past weeks. You're so determined to demonize her, that you don't want to see or hear anything redeemable about her. In contrast, I listen to H's and Trump speeches often and in their entirety. So I have a better handle on assessing who stands for what.

The fact is that speeches matter not one whit. What matters is track record, and Hillary's is pretty abysmal. She voted for Iraq, she supported the Trans Pacific Partnership, supported fracking, refuses to state unequivocally that she will go after Wall Street and the big banks, was opposed to gay marriage until 2013, refuses to support a livable minimum wage, has accepted mammoth amounts of money from the likes of Goldman Sachs, and has turned a blind eye to her underwriters engaging in hugely illegal campaign tactics. Listen to her speeches all you want. I've had a very hard look at her history. Not pretty. Just listening to someone spout pretty words does not make you an expert in what that person will actually do once in office. Sanders, on the other hand, has a 40 year track record of sticking to his principles, and never wavering. Vote for Hillary, that's your right. But don't try to pass her off as a genuine solution to the myriad problems plaguing America. She's nothing more than Republican Light.

[Scotwight]

How embarrassing for Americans!

How could such an oaf be selected as the Republican Party candidate

I feel embarrassed for all Americans

I think it will be far more embarrassing for the European countries who don't pay their fare share of NATO and ISIS and illegal immigrants and radical Muslims and Iran and countries who have been getting the better of trade deals that leaves American on the short end of the balance of payments.

That is if Trump's foreign policy speeches are to be believed.

[NovaBlue05]

Paul Ryan is thinking about a 2020 run and doesn't want a GOP incumbent. After 4 years of Clinton, he should be able to skate in

[boomerangutang]

I can imagine the upcoming conversation between Ryan and Trump, ....something like this:

Trump: "Remember we agreed. No recordings."

Ryan: "Yes, no recordings, this is just between you and me."

Trump: "I'm serious. I won't stand any recordings leaking out. Who is that person over there? Tell her to leave. My enemies will take anything I say and turn it against me."

Ryan: "Donald, it appears as though....."

Trump: "Call me Mr. Trump, or inevitable President Trump"

Ryan: "Mr. Trump, my colleagues and I are concerned about your language. You seem to be denigrating a lot of groups. You must know that may lower voter numbers in the general election."

Trump: "Listen, my numbers are great. Great. And by the way, you're going to back me, and so are all Republicans, except maybe the do-nothing Bushes. Frankly I don't care if you back me, and I don't need your backing. You could be doing me a bigger favor by not backing me, because everyone sees you as the establishment. Back me or don't back me, frankly I don't care. I'm going to get many many many votes either way."

Ryan: "You're right. I will back you. I'm a card-carrying Republican, so I have no choice. But, can you try and tone down the hateful rhetoric a bit? Pretty please? You've been saying recently in your stump speeches that you hate reporters."

Trump: "I didn't say that. I said I wouldn't kill any."

Ryan: "It's been recorded, sir. You repeatedly say you hate reporters. It doesn't help anything or anybody by saying that."

Trump: "People love me. I can't say anything wrong. Have you seen my numbers?"

Ryan: "OK, it's plain nothing I say is going to sway you at all."

Trump: "Listen, who's running for president, me or you? You had your chance with underwear model Romney and you both tanked against the Muslim Kenyan. It's my turn now. Look at my fans. I can do no wrong. I could lay my mother out on the stage, cut out one of her kidneys and auction it off, and everyone would love me just as much. I wouldn't lose any fans. You couldn't hail a cab. Who are you to tell me what to do? I'm doing everything right. The best thing you can do is step aside and smile and applaud every time I walk by."

[Jingthing]

Many have complained that the two nominees of the U.S. major parties this time have such strong negatives. Trump's being the much more severe case, being a psychopathic demagogue with ZERO political experience, and has indeed torn apart the republican party in a historic way. (Relevant to thread.)

So ... what is the background for this and how did it get this bad? Consider this:

This item was obviously broadcast BEFORE the dangerous demagogue referred to (trump) clinched the republican party nomination.

Now patriot Americans of all parties will need to unite to reject this most horrific of choices (trump) and the only way to do that is to support a candidate that is not great but considerably LESS horrible. So of course many republicans are going to vote for Clinton, never endorse trump, endorse trump very weakly, protest throwaway vote for libertarian, etc., or stay home (as good as supporting Clinton).

It's a shame for both parties and the nation that it is gotten this bad ... but it can get much, much worse by electing the trump.

Edited May 8, 2016 by Jingthing

[Linzz]

Interesting times. Like not being endorsed by the Bush's (which could be the kiss of death for Trump), zero political experience could be a plus. Lots of flip flops but his supporters don't really care. Time will tell.