Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Unstoppable



    I've heard from anxious readers, wanting reassurance. 
    Tell us, they say. Is Donald Trump unstoppable?
    The question is echoed in headlines. "Is Trump unstoppable?" asks a headline on The Hill, and dozens of other publications.
    Unstoppable? God no, Donald Trump is not unstoppable. 
    Stopping him is so easy that I'm certain it's going to happen. I try not to traffic in predicting the future, but you can take that to the bank.
    When panicked Republicans talk about Trump being unstoppable, they mean by other Republicans. And in that they are correct. Marco Rubio is punching too far above his weight to have any chance. And Ted Cruz is too universally-despised: with good reason, by the way. Given the choice between the two, I'd take Trump without hesitation. Better an erratic egomaniac than a laser-focused monster. One reason the GOP is so terrified of Trump is because his conservative beliefs are so recent and lightly held. He could get into office and go back to being a Democrat.
     But he won't get into office. Because Hillary Clinton is going to stop him. Not that Hillary is so great a candidate, mind you. Lots of baggage—the negative word for "experience"—and a personal style that is as careful and measured as Trump's is reckless and improvised on the spot.
     But as long as 51 percent of Americans haven't gone batshit crazy, to use the term that Sen. Lindsay Graham used last week to describe the Republican Party, then it's going to be Hillary.
     And I'll tell you when the moment is going to come. Trump's trademark activity is lashing out at people's personal characteristics, in a low, mean fashion. And Clinton's, remember, is restraint. So they'll be having a debate, and he'll lay into her for some physical trait, make some gross, leering comment, and Hillary Clinton will just look at him, her face frozen in cold loathing, and say something about how that's not the way Americans want their president to be. And then it'll be all over but the voting. 
     At least that is what I hope. 

23 comments:

  1. Yes, I was thinking the same thing, and looking forward to the debate as well. I don't think Trump can easily intimidate Hillary, or intimidate her at all. She'll be ready for whatever he throws her way, and it'll be only a question of when, not if, Trump makes the fatal blunder.

    SandyK

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh Bless your heart sweetie. I wish mine wasn't filled with the cold dread that at the moment you describe Trump will sew up the election. How I've gotten to the point where I'm so much more cynical than you about the goodness and intelligence of the American people I'm not sure.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Agree with Annie. Pretty to think so as our host often says. Hope is not a plan. What an exceptional country we live in, huh? I'm ashamed to be an American. The more disgusting Trump gets, the more popular he becomes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe I'm hiding my head in the sands of optimism. But I don't think hoping that only 49 percent of Americans are delusional haters, and not 51, is setting the bar too high.

      Delete
    2. Percentage of Americans is unfortunately not relevant. How does the Electoral College math work out?

      Delete
    3. No need to hate the country or sound like a Euro, because of a crazy candidate and some followers. We reform things instead rather than give up on the nation.

      America still stands for many good things.

      Imagine a bimbo, golddigger for the First Lady.

      Remember that many females won't vote for Trump.

      Some Republican leaders are saying they can't support Trump as the candidate. So let them set up their own and split the Republican vote. (Taft and TR style back in the day.)

      While I'm not a big Hillary fan she sure is the lesser of all evils.

      Delete
  4. I'm not following this circus all that closely. Instead, I'm reading The Plot Against America, which at least is well-written.

    ReplyDelete
  5. A CNN poll is out that Hillary and Bernie would beat Trump. But Hillary would lose to Rubio or Cruz. Sanders would beat both. Scary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That makes sense, Sanford. There are probably a good number of people who wouldn't take Hillary or could stomach Rubio at least, if not Cruz and would only go for her if Trump or maybe Cruz is the other candidate.

      Delete
  6. Every intelligent person in America will vote for Hillary. But, she does need a majority.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are intelligent doctors, business persons and lawyers and such who won't vote for Hillary.

      Delete
    2. I was going to say that I would poll my acquaintances to see if your statement is verifiable, but all I know are dumb doctors, inept business men and women, and incompetent lawyers. The Devil only knows whom they will or won't vote for.

      john

      Delete
    3. I thought I could quote Adlai Stevenson without the need for a footnote.

      Delete
  7. The anti-Trump vs. the anti-Hillary vote, compared to who are for either one of these unlikeable people? My hope is the people who voted for Obama and don't want to see what he's accomplished destroyed will make the difference.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know that Hillary can be quite charming in private conversations, as I'm sure Trump can be as well, but of course everyone's favorite historical villain was a charmer in private too.

      john

      Delete
    2. One of the Mitford girls reported that Herr Hitler was a charming host. And that jolly Reichsmarshall Goering was always the life of a party.

      TE

      Delete
  8. Yes, but when the time comes will they vote for Trump or other occupants of the GOP clown car? There are more Democrats than Republicans in the country, but it usually comes down to a question of turnout. And the distorting effects of the Electoral College.

    To either get anything positive done in the future or avoid reverting back to some bad old policies, it is almost as important that Democrats retake the Senate.

    Tom Evans

    ReplyDelete
  9. My comment was intended to apply to the question-above-of whom intelligent people will or will not vote for.

    TE

    ReplyDelete
  10. Trump's front runner status in the Republican Primary has got me scratching my head. I don't understand how so many people are buying his line of BS. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I am an independent conservative (on fiscal policies), but I switched to the Republican party this year here in Colorado so that I can participate in the Republican Caucus today. There are no official presidential delegate counts in this year's caucus but at least I can express my views and possibly influence a delegate. On the Democrat side, it looks like Hillary has got it sewn up, but her email situation has the potential to derail her candidacy. It's going to be an interesting year.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The growing Hispanic vote will help Clinton.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I think you're dead right on this. He's got a certain power over authoritarian Republicans.

    All the polls suggest that he'll be crushed by Hillary, and probably bring the rest of his party down with him.

    That said, you never know with elections, and even, say a 5% chance of him being elected makes me afraid.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated, and posted at the discretion of the proprietor.