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[Kathian]

Thought this was very interesting after what is clearly some people putting their toes in the water for Trump. And yes I'm editoralising the headline but the actual article is all tied around imagery but its the general point.

The palatable, easy-to-digest candidates - a Marco Rubio, a Jeb Bush, even a John Kasich or Chris Christie - are not on the menu.

There is only so long that you can look at the polls and say one of them will break through to challenge the two insurgents, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

As things stand, rather than the "moderates" getting together and trying to work out which of them has the best chance to face down Trump or Cruz, they seem to have formed themselves into a circular firing squad and are busy spraying each other with gunfire.

So it's hard to overstate the significance of what has been unfolding over the past few days. It is the grudging acceptance by significant parts of the Republican establishment that not only is Mr Trump the least worst option - he is virtually unstoppable in the race to be their candidate.

The conclusion they've reached is they can live with Mr Trump but they can't with Mr Cruz. Mr Trump will cut deals and compromise; Mr Cruz won't. Mr Trump is biddable; Mr Cruz is not.

Furthermore, you would have to guess that if Mr Trump's nearest rival, Mr Cruz, pulls out of the race, most of his support will switch to the real-estate mogul.

All of which can only lead to one conclusion - Mr Trump is now going to be extremely difficult to stop.

This might help explain why Republican grandees are starting to make their first tentative moves towards Mr Trump.

And it helps explain why - as often happens on a flight - you end up saying - I'm going to get something to eat when I land.

Full Article; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35388292

 

[Miles Quaritch]

As things stand, rather than the "moderates" getting together and trying to work out which of them has the best chance to face down Trump or Cruz, they seem to have formed themselves into a circular firing squad and are busy spraying each other with gunfire.

Seems about right.

Pretty frightening and depressing that Trump is going to be a legitimate candidate for US president.

 

[SpaceWolf]

Imagine if this man became president.

 

[foxtrot3d]

Imagine if this man became president.

So this is how democracy dies...

 

[XenodudeX]

Still don't see how trump wins the Nom. Once Cruz wins Iowa he's going to ride the wave right to NH.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

So this is how democracy dies...

Trump: Execute order 66

 

[teruterubozu]

Yup, apparently Trump's been getting calls from the establishment.
You can hear Trump's rhetoric has changed recently to "I'm a negotiator, while Cruz isn't."

 

[Stinkles]

Cruz's levels of personal despicableness must be off the charts. There are even people who're aligned with him politically who want him buried.

I wish there were more anecdotes from folks like his college roommate.

 

[Christine]

It's shocking how bad Ted Cruz is. I saw Maher put Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson to the question of if he would have to choose one, and he chose Trump because Cruz reminded him of McCarthy, and yes, the perception that Trump is about doing "deals".

I don't often recommend Real Time, but the most recent episode is worth checking out, Grayson makes some interesting points while trying to explain Trump's appeal to his supporters.

 

[ivysaur12]

Cruz's levels of personal despicableness must be off the charts. There are even people who're aligned with him politically who want him buried.

I wish there were more anecdotes from folks like his college roommate.

I really can't wait for the first book about the election.

 

[thepotatoman]

It's hard for them to make an ally out of Trump because Trump doesn't have a reason to care about making allies out of them.

It's hard to make an ally out of Cruz because Cruz is an underhanded psychopath that will stab his allies in the back and never live up to his side of the bargain.

Someday, Trump will need the support of the party, but Cruz will never stop being the despicable person he is.

 

[G.ZZZ]

Better a consummated capitalist entrepeneur than a religious fanatic, one will compromise for his interests, the other won't.

 

[Tallshortman]

I don't know if anything else says how dislikable Cruz is as an actual human being, let alone a politician, than establishment republicans prefering Trump to him. Cruz is an absolute ideologue, which is something everyone should be wary of.

 

[pa22word]

I was at a lunch once where my own senator was asked about Cruz, and he gave the party line after quickly masking a grimace of total disgust and hatred that flashed for a brief second once his name was mentioned.

Everyone hates the dude, and I've been telling people from day 1 that Cruz has always been the scary one. Unlike the donald, Cruz actually believes most of the shit that comes out of his own mouth.

 

[demon]

So this is how democracy dies...

With thunderous border walls.

 

[B-Dubs]

It's shocking how bad Ted Cruz is. I saw Maher put Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson to the question of if he would have to choose one, and he chose Trump because Cruz reminded him of McCarthy, and yes, the perception that Trump is about doing "deals".

I don't often recommend Real Time, but the most recent episode is worth checking out, Grayson makes some interesting points while trying to explain Trump's appeal to his supporters.

You have to keep in mind that every single person who has ever worked with Cruz hates him more than anyone else they have ever met. His colleagues in the Senate would sooner stab him in the back than see him have a half-way decent day.

 

[Toxi]

Imagine if this man became president.

Would be pretty great. Palpatine's gonna end Separatist terrorism and support our Clone troops. Sure he has espoused somewhat anti-Jedi views, but he's just saying that stuff to please the base.

 

[Funky Papa]

Cruz's levels of personal despicableness must be off the charts. There are even people who're aligned with him politically who want him buried.

I wish there were more anecdotes from folks like his college roommate.

Even his college roommate hates the fuck out of him.

I'd post some choice tweets, but I'm on mobile.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Yep that's what I said before, if they don't kick him out Trump will have BIG chances to become president because they'll put their support behind him, that means lots of cash. So far Trump has done all this on his own with the party against him, but once they decide to rally behind him he's going to win the presidency if it doesn't light a fire under Hillary's backers to stop him.

I put the chances of Trump winning the presidency at 60% right now.

 

[Averon]

It is no surprise they hate Cruz. Trump may be a self promoting narcissist, but he won't stab you in the back like Cruz would.

Anyone else remember what Cruz did during the last government shutdown? Going behind his senate colleague's backs and rallying the TP wing in the house to sustain the government shutdown. Throwing senate GOP leadership under the bus constantly while peddling lies to delusional Tea Party congressmen and congresswomen that they are just THIS close to victory?

Just imagine that on a presidential scale.

 

[Euron]

Still don't see how trump wins the Nom. Once Cruz wins Iowa he's going to ride the wave right to NH.

No way Cruz takes it. He is the Huckabee/Santorum of this election, which is ironic considering both of them are also running this election. He'll pick up the evangelical votes that will propel him to victory there but it's a different game in other states. Trump will probably end up taking NH but the rest of the states are up for debate. We might see Rubio begin to build momentum and win Super Tuesday. Of course, that means all of the Republican candidates would need to put aside their differences and drop out in order to unite against Trump and Cruz.

It is no surprise they hate Cruz. Trump may be a self promoting narcissist, but he won't stab you in the back like Cruz would.

Anyone else remember what Cruz did during the last government shutdown? Going behind his senate colleague's backs and rallying the TP wing in the house to sustain the government shutdown. Throwing senate GOP leadership under the bus constantly while peddling lies to delusional Tea Party congressmen and congresswomen that they are just THIS close to victory?

Just imagine that on a presidential scale.

Trump knows what audience he's going for and has been bringing them in perfectly. He's doing terrible things but just manipulating a group of voters because he can. I don't think he believes half of what he says but maybe that's just me trying desperately to make sense of all this. Cruz is just a legitimately terrible human being.

 

[Anion]

Imagine if this man became president.

Does that make Palin Jar Jar?

 

[Team Alucard]

Still don't see how trump wins the Nom. Once Cruz wins Iowa he's going to ride the wave right to NH.

Trump is ahead of Cruz by about 5 points in most aggregate polling now.

 

[Wolfe]

Yep that's what I said before, if they don't kick him out Trump will have BIG chances to become president because they'll put their support behind him, that means lots of cash. So far Trump has done all this on his own with the party against him, but once they decide to rally behind him he's going to win the presidency if it doesn't light a fire under Hillary's backers to stop him.

I put the chances of Trump winning the presidency at 60% right now.

Not even a chance imo, won't be surprised to see him win the nomination though.

 

[kittenbreath]

It is no surprise they hate Cruz. Trump may be a self promoting narcissist, but he won't stab you in the back like Cruz would.

Anyone else remember what Cruz did during the last government shutdown? Going behind his senate colleague's backs and rallying the TP wing in the house to sustain the government shutdown. Throwing senate GOP leadership under the bus constantly while peddling lies to delusional Tea Party congressmen and congresswomen that they are just THIS close to victory?

Just imagine that on a presidential scale.

.

 

[gutter_trash]

Still don't see how trump wins the Nom. Once Cruz wins Iowa he's going to ride the wave right to NH.

NH don't like Evangelic nutters, NH prefers their North-Eastern values even if they are Conservative old school New England values.

No Evangelical Born Again nutter ever wins in New Hampshire.

John McCain beat George Dubya Bush in 2000 in NH.
McCain again in 2008
Mitt Romney beat that frothy Santorum in 2012

Live Free and Die Trump will beat that Calgary Cannuck Cruz handily come February

 

[Ether_Snake]

Not even a chance imo, won't be surprised to see him win the nomination though.

The media are in large part in the Republicans' pockets. If the establishment rallies behind him, the environment will be entirely different than how it's been until now. They'll laugh and say he's smart and not that bad after all, best chance to win, let's make America great again, etc. You'll see plenty of candidates who ran against him play the admirable-defeat card and say they actually respect him and will support him. With the big political machine behind him, I don't see him losing unless Sanders and his supporters go away, but chances are the Democrats will soon end up with their own Tea Party instead.

 

[RastaMentality]

You have to keep in mind that every single person who has ever worked with Cruz hates him more than anyone else they have ever met. His colleagues in the Senate would sooner stab him in the back than see him have a half-way decent day.

Are there any specific stories as to why? Is he just a rude asshole behind the scenes? He has to be doing even more than that to be this widely hated.

 

[Orbis Tabula]

I'm not shocked that Trump is getting support, but I am surprised at how badly Cruz ended up doing. I was afraid of him for a while, but I really underestimated the depths of their hatred for him.

 

[thepotatoman]

Even his college roommate hates the fuck out of him.

I'd post some choice tweets, but I'm on mobile.

Given how unbearable adult Cruz is, the thought of a teenage Cruz is downright terrifying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt-vG_TdOT4

Just imagine being stuck in the same room as that guy.

 

[GavinGT]

Are there any specific stories as to why? Is he just a rude asshole behind the scenes? He has to be doing even more than that to be this widely hated.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=everyone%20hates%20ted%20cruz

 

[Jonm1010]

Where is that poster from the other thread a week ago arguing that Trump has no chance, that al the supporters of Carson, Cruz, Rubio and Bush will flock to anyone but Trump as he drops.

Trump is getting the nom guys, it is happening.

 

[Jonm1010]

Yep that's what I said before, if they don't kick him out Trump will have BIG chances to become president because they'll put their support behind him, that means lots of cash. So far Trump has done all this on his own with the party against him, but once they decide to rally behind him he's going to win the presidency if it doesn't light a fire under Hillary's backers to stop him.

I put the chances of Trump winning the presidency at 60% right now.

The electoral college deficit is nothing to look past.

Republicans, Trump or other, have a large mountain to climb to win.

 

[Rymuth]

It's shocking how bad Ted Cruz is. I saw Maher put Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson to the question of if he would have to choose one, and he chose Trump because Cruz reminded him of McCarthy, and yes, the perception that Trump is about doing "deals".

I don't often recommend Real Time, but the most recent episode is worth checking out, Grayson makes some interesting points while trying to explain Trump's appeal to his supporters.

I saw it, it was pretty good. The 'dog turd' lady in the middle almost ruined the segment for me, tho'

 

[Jack Remington]

Still don't see how trump wins the Nom. Once Cruz wins Iowa he's going to ride the wave right to NH.

Trump now leads in Iowa.

 

[Blader]

If nothing else, there will be an interesting post-mortem on how badly Jeb fucked over the party.

Guy absorbed all the money and endorsements, and then completely imploded while still staying in the race long enough to keep Rubio from picking up enough momentum.

 

[FStubbs]

Think about the Flint, MI water crisis.

And as awful as Snyder is to have caused it (maliciously diverting funds from Black areas), Cruz's response would be to block the federal government for helping out, and aim to create more Flints. (And probably just cut water off entirely and dare anyone to do anything about it.)

 

[Ecotic]

If nothing else, there will be an interesting post-mortem on how badly Jeb fucked over the party.

Guy absorbed all the money and endorsements, and then completely imploded while still staying in the race long enough to keep Rubio from picking up enough momentum.

Really good point. Everything that could have been done against Trump was very early on in the race. Also as the de facto 2nd place candidate for much of summer '15 Bush provided an easy portrait of the effete establishment for Trump to use.

 

[Infinite Stars]

If nothing else, there will be an interesting post-mortem on how badly Jeb fucked over the party.

Guy absorbed all the money and endorsements, and then completely imploded while still staying in the race long enough to keep Rubio from picking up enough momentum.

Jeb just comes off as tone deaf to me. He's had several signs that he's the least appealing candidate in the polls, he always comes off as completely unprepared whenever Trump starts attacking him, he's honestly an anomaly in both how poor he's done yet still be considered a major candidate.

If he+The majority of the bottom feeders were to drop out, I'd be willing to bet that Rubio/Kasich/somebody not insane would get a decent hike. Maybe not enough to beat Trump/Cruz, but enough to potentially rally the establishment to something.

I think it's going to be safe to say that this Election will be one for the history books, not just how the Republicans bet on an unwinnable candidate, but also how it's the first notable election where politic power shifted away on both sides from the Donors to the people. Trump is effectively riding a wave of popularity to the nomination and Sanders has made what everyone thought was a Clinton lock into an uncertainty.*

*Clinton's odds of winning the nomination is about 70-80% I'd say at this point, which is a decrease from a year ago.

 

[Barkley's Justice]

Still don't see how trump wins the Nom. Once Cruz wins Iowa he's going to ride the wave right to NH.

Trump gonna win the prezey yo.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

I wonder if Trump gets the nom, if a state like Texas has a chance to go blue this season. Probably not, but I'd think it would be close. I know it has been trending that way just on demographics alone, but who knows.

 

[Scott32020]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_transition_of_Barack_Obama

Imagine this, but with Obama and Trump.

 

[riotous]

The only evidence they have of the establishment actually backing Trump is a paraphrased version of this quote:

"I've come around a little bit on Trump," Hatch said Thursday. "I'm not so sure we'd lose if he's our nominee because he's appealing to people who a lot of the Republican candidates have not appealed to in the past."

The bolded claim by the author that "they've come to the conclusion" is pretty ridiculous; he only has the Hatch quote and a small mention of someone else being willing to talk to Trump lol.

While I think it's possible they'll actually back Trump; it seems more likely they are going to attack Cruz and stay somewhat quiet on Trump.

Backing Trump outright makes them look crazy to the majority of GOP voters who dissaporve of Trump.

Bashing Trump continually makes them look ba to the significant (but minority) portion of GOP voters who are currently backing Trump.

It's still quite possible they'll just attack the shit out of Cruz, then have all the other establishment politicians drop out instead of one and put ther full weight behind that candidate.

 

[ReplacementPelican]

I swear that I swore an advert for a Trump documentary on British television this week but on searching for it I can't find anything.

Is anyone aware of this?

 

[Rafa=FedKilla]

Even his college roommate hates the fuck out of him.

I'd post some choice tweets, but I'm on mobile.

Imagine if his roommate was actually funny or had talent.

 

[riotous]

Imagine if his roommate was actually funny or had talent.

Does he actually have any juicy stories?

The tweets in that article amount to "nobody liked him and he thought he had a shot with girls!"

The dude has an attractive and highly successful wife so that last tidbit is hardly all that meaningful.

Other than "nobody likes him!" the anti-Cruz bashing is really boring lol.

 

[thepotatoman]

The only evidence they have of the establishment actually backing Trump is a paraphrased version of this quote:



The bolded claim by the author that "they've come to the conclusion" is pretty ridiculous; he only has the Hatch quote and a small mention of someone else being willing to talk to Trump lol.

While I think it's possible they'll actually back Trump; it seems more likely they are going to attack Cruz and stay somewhat quiet on Trump.

Backing Trump outright makes them look crazy to the majority of GOP voters who dissaporve of Trump.

Bashing Trump continually makes them look ba to the significant (but minority) portion of GOP voters who are currently backing Trump.

It's still quite possible they'll just attack the shit out of Cruz, then have all the other establishment politicians drop out instead of one and put ther full weight behind that candidate.

They also might be trying to be softer on Trump just so the narrative that "a Trump nomination will be the death of the republican party" doesn't turn into a self fulfilling prophecy, now that it's looking more and more likely that Trump is the nominee.

 

[riotous]

They also might be trying to be softer on Trump just so the narrative that "a Trump nomination will be the death of the republican party" doesn't turn into a self fulfilling prophecy, now that it's looking more and more likely that Trump is the nominee.

Yeah brand management essentially.

But I don't see strong evidence they'll back Trump; I think they are staying hands off for now and seeing what can be done about Cruz first.

The last thing they want is to bash Trump and then have that lead to Cruz gaining more popularity.

There are still hundreds of endorsements from congress, governors and other prominent GOP people to hand out. Never seen anything like it myself, backing Jeb really backfired.

 

[Plinko]

Still don't see how trump wins the Nom. Once Cruz wins Iowa he's going to ride the wave right to NH.

LOL at Cruz winning anything in New Hampshire.

 

[Jarmel]

You can't negotiate with believers.