Support NeoGAF

[johnsmith]

And everybody is too scared to actually go after him. Some are comparing it to a Goldwater style blowout if he does get the nomination.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/02/u...ump-gop-leaders-are-caught-in-a-standoff.html

For months, much of the Republican Party’s establishment has been uneasy about the rise of Donald J. Trump, concerned that he was overwhelming the presidential primary contest and encouraging other candidates to mimic his incendiary speech. Now, though, irritation is giving way to panic as it becomes increasingly plausible that Mr. Trump could be the party’s standard-bearer and imperil the careers of other Republicans.

Many leading Republican officials, strategists and donors now say they fear that Mr. Trump’s nomination would lead to an electoral wipeout, a sweeping defeat that could undo some of the gains Republicans have made in recent congressional, state and local elections. But in a party that lacks a true leader or anything in the way of consensus — and with the combative Mr. Trump certain to scorch anyone who takes him on — a fierce dispute has arisen about what can be done to stop his candidacy and whether anyone should even try.

Some of the highest-ranking Republicans in Congress and some of the party’s wealthiest and most generous donors have balked at trying to take down Mr. Trump because they fear a public feud with the insult-spewing media figure. Others warn that doing so might backfire at a time of soaring anger toward political insiders.

...

Another Republican strategist in Ohio replied to an email asking about Mr. Trump’s effect in the state by sending a link to a Wikipedia page on the 1964 congressional elections, when Barry Goldwater’s presence atop the Republican ticket led the party to lose 36 House seats.
​

 

[LUFTRAUSER]

I can't believe the Republicans are scared of this guy... I mean seriously.
He's just hot air, money, and a bad comb over. Nothing else.

 

[RPGCrazied]

Dude is a joke. If he wins the nomination then the GOP has bigger problems than I thought. At least it would give Clinton the presidency without question.

 

[friskykillface]

SHOOK

Believe in trump the god

 

[shadowsdarknes]

Good.

I await him winning the nomination.

Hopefully destroyed in the general. But if he does win the presidency, I'm cool with watching the world burn, too.

He could also be impeached, too.

I can't wait to see his VP pick.

 

[orochi91]

Yea, I imagine his win will cause the GOP to fracture into different parties.

You'll have a moderate conservative one, and then the Trump party.

Possibly even a third one for the extreme far-right.

 

[Fenderputty]

I can't believe the Republicans are scared of this guy... I mean seriously.
He's just hot air, money, and a bad comb over. Nothing else.

Right, but that "nothing more" has captivated their monster base they created.

 

[Juice]

well in 11 years on GAF I finally learned about [ INDENT ] tags

 

[Africanus]

I can't believe the Republicans are scared of this guy... I mean seriously.
He's just hot air, money, and a bad comb over. Nothing else.

They are scared of what he, and more particularly his rabid constituency, represent for the future of the face and demographics of the Republican Party.

Trump has soured many different groups (Mexicans, Chinese, Women, fellow Republicans, Democrats, African-Americans) to the Grand Old Party, and if he is the nominee, those who are soured will connect those ideals of Trump to the Republican party at large.

 

[FairyD]

By not dealing with Trump early on the republicans are now in a damned if you and damned if you don't situation.

 

[Elfforkusu]

I can't believe the Republicans are scared of this guy... I mean seriously.
He's just hot air, money, and a bad comb over. Nothing else.

He's blatantly and uncompromisingly anti-establishment in a year (decade?) where the electorate is blatantly and uncompromisingly anti-establishment. It's not yet clear if anything else matters.

The GOP thinks he would doom them in the general -- they also thought Romney would win.

 

[HylianTom]

I think my favorite part is that some don't want to take him down because Cruz stands to benefit. So damn delicious.

 

[King Tubby]

I can't believe the Republicans are scared of this guy... I mean seriously.
He's just hot air, money, and a bad comb over. Nothing else.

The Republicans are coming face to face with how out of touch they are with the electorate on a national level, and how extreme their own electorate has become. It's a no-man's land for any viable Republican candidate.

 

[sprsk]

Trump nom would the best thing to happen to the republican party in a while for basically this exact reason.

Hillary crushing Trump would basically render the tea party irrelevant. It would essentially allow the establishment to take the party back.

 

[dextran]

Reap what you sow racists

 

[GraveRobberX]

Republicans:

If somehow the establishment make him lose the nomination, third party
Fucking LAWL
Fracture the base real good

 

[Fenderputty]

I think my favorite part is that some don't want to take him down because Cruz stands to benefit. So damn delicious.

Yes. Amazing all around really.

 

[Bam Bam Baklava]

The greater scenario that many don't talk about is if the establishment gets their way for a third time in a row and they still lose. It would be open revolt.

 

[B-Dubs]

I think my favorite part is that some don't want to take him down because Cruz stands to benefit. So damn delicious.

Don't forget those that just can't be bothered to care since it doesn't affect their reelection.

 

[ISOM]

This is the fruits of their labor in stoking the fires of the tea party and having their party move further to the right in an attempt to quell the monster that they created. They deserve everything that will happen to them.

 

[Dishwalla]

Didn't everyone see this coming? Except I guess the Republicans.

 

[Averon]

The GOP has nurtured this monster for the past 40+ years, or since the creation of the Southern Strategy to be precise.

Now they cannot control it and they don't know what to do. I'd laugh at their misfortune if it weren't for the fact that their ugly monster affects others not into their BS.

 

[orochi91]

The greater scenario that many don't talk about is if the establishment gets their way for a third time in a row and they still lose. It would be open revolt.

What are the odds that the Republican party can fracture off into a couple other parties, if Trump wins?

Because right now, a single GOP party doesn't seem like it serves the "diverse" support base.

 

[Orbis Tabula]

I was really hoping that that picture of Trump and Hillary would have him hoverhanding. Just imagine.

 

[entremet]

The GOP has nurtured this monster for the past 40+ years, or the creation of the Southern Strategy to be precise.

Now they cannot control it and they don't know what to do. I'd laugh at their misfortune if it weren't for the fact that their ugly monster affects others not into their BS.

Yep. The demagoguery has come home to roost.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Yea, I imagine his win will cause the GOP to fracture into different parties.

You'll have a moderate conservative one, and then the Trump party.

Possibly even a third one for the extreme far-right.

Soooo permanent Democratic presidency, then.

Which is why it would never happen.

 

[sangreal]

Should have thought of that before getting their base worked up with lies for so many years

 

[totowhoa]

This is definitely historic and exciting to witness in all its madness. My only fear would be trump winning, but unledd the polls later next year somehow signal that that could occur, I'm not too worried about it actually happening.

well in 11 years on GAF I finally learned about [ INDENT ] tags

You must not venture into the gaming side much these days you see it in OTs from time to time.

 

[Africanus]

It's time for a second Era of Good Feelings.

 

[orochi91]

Soooo permanent Democratic presidency, then.

Which is why it would never happen.

But the current GOP can't possibly survive as it is.

There's this weird race to the bottom within this party, with the worst pandering I've seen to such toxic bases.

 

[Makai]

Soooo permanent Democratic presidency, then.

Which is why it would never happen.

Even if it did happen, a new party would form.

 

[Hycran]

Trump - Palin 2016

"Because today is a good day to die"

 

[dankir]

Isn't his wife an immigrant as well? What a jerk.

 

[Fenderputty]

The Republicans are coming face to face with how out of touch they are with the electorate on a national level, and how extreme their own electorate has become. It's a no-man's land for any viable Republican candidate.

The establishment knew this 4 years ago and has done fuck all to rectify it. They've actually let the crazy faction of the party further their extreme positions. Especially during the midterms.

 

[rjinaz]

mrburnsexcellent.gif

Let them reap what they sowed.

 

[teruterubozu]

But the current GOP can't possibly survive as it is.

There's this weird race to the bottom within this party, with the worst pandering I've seen to such toxic bases.

Maybe not presidential, but they get plenty of seats in the government and locally. It's why they survive.

 

[entremet]

The establishment knew this 4 years ago and has done fuck all to rectify it. They've actually let the crazy faction of the party further their extreme positions. Especially during the midterms.

It's actually a winning strategy for the rural areas and states. Republican control more state houses and governorships.

They're boned by demographics and the EC.

 

[norm9]

Arnold won, so it's not crazy to think Trump has a chance.

 

[totowhoa]

Soooo permanent Democratic presidency, then.

Which is why it would never happen.

For all intents and purposes, we're seeing it right now. Especially with the threat to run independent. Even if we don't see a literal, name-changing division of the Republican Party, it seems to be happening at an ideological level now. And has been with the tea party movement to a small degree already. You can see the cracks.

 

[Suikoguy]

No post 25th polling out yet.

If that still shows the same lead, I think things will change from has a chance, to more likely than not.

 

[Fenderputty]

Soooo permanent Democratic presidency, then.

Which is why it would never happen.

Demographically they face a permanent dem prez anyway. The far right in the party isn't shifting to the left either.

It's actually a winning strategy for the rural areas and states. Republican control more state houses and governorships.

They're boned by demographics and the EC.

Yup. They've doomed themselves to local election success only.

 

[Syph Medwes]

lol. Look at polling in past elections this far out. Look at who actually won the nomination. Look at the number of endorsements per candidate.
Good place to start if you want panic mitigated: fivethirtyeight.com

Rubio 2016 baby

Although imagine a Trump/Fiorina ticket

 

[Citadelofmythoughts]

He's blatantly and uncompromisingly anti-establishment in a year (decade?) where the electorate is blatantly and uncompromisingly anti-establishment. It's not yet clear if anything else matters.

The GOP thinks he would doom them in the general -- they also thought Romney would win.

How the hell is Trump anti-establishment? He's a rich white dude, you don't get more establishment than that.

He's in the lead because he's pandering to racists and sexists, which is the real Republican base. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Nekofrog]

don't worry guys, nate silver says he doesn't stand a chance and we all know nate silver is a psychic

 

[LUFTRAUSER]

Demographically they face a permanent dem prez anyway. The far right in the party isn't shifting to the left either.



Yup. They've doomed themselves to local election success only.

That's the problem, though. You'll be left with a small but significant minority that is full of rage and has no political power because of it. I'm worried how they'll react.

If they can't win with ballots they might try to with bullets.

 

[Suikoguy]

lol. Look at polling in past elections this far out. Look at who actually won the nomination. Look at the number of endorsements per candidate.
Good place to start if you want panic mitigated: fivethirtyeight.com

Rubio 2016 baby

Although imagine a Trump/Fiorina ticket

Yeah, look at it:

http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/2012-national-gop-primary

Romney was the only candidate to maintain in the polls, this time it's Trump, only it's more decisive.

don't worry guys, nate silver says he doesn't stand a chance and we all know nate silver is a psychic

Nate Silver was one of the few to read the polls and tell it like it is. He is a terrible pundit.

 

[ShutEye]

The destruction of the republican party, and hopefully two party politics in the US would be great. It's sad that it's going to take a proto fascist to make it happen.

 

[danm999]

How the hell is Trump anti-establishment? He's a rich white dude, you don't get more establishment than that.

It means in the context of establishment politics of the Republican party.

 

[noshten]

Funniest thing is that even if they manage to somehow topple Trump it would be Cruz that becomes the standard-bearer and he would end up losing just as much.

It's why the whole Sanders/Hilton electability rational is silly do people honestly think Trump or Cruz have any chance in a GE?

well in 11 years on GAF I finally learned about [ INDENT ] tags

Thank you for pointing that out, I will definitely put that to use in the future.

Arnold won, so it's not crazy to think Trump has a chance.

Lets be serious if Arnold had eligible he would be Reagan 2.0 by now, he could have easily hid all the dirt for another 20 years if he had the right motivation.

 

[Bam Bam Baklava]

lol. Look at polling in past elections this far out. Look at who actually won the nomination. Look at the number of endorsements per candidate.
Good place to start if you want panic mitigated: fivethirtyeight.com

Rubio 2016 baby

Although imagine a Trump/Fiorina ticket

You can literally feel the panic in this post.