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Wallowing in what might have been does not help. I would have greatly preferred Cruz and Rubio as our presumptive nominees, but I doubt that unity ticket would have changed the primary outcome.
This was an unusual year and voters (on both sides) were looking for an outsider. The DNC was just more effective in blocking Crazy Socialist Sanders than the RNC was in blocking Trump. We are paying for past mistakes.
Ted Cruz unfortunately did not resinate with enough voters. While I still think Ted Cruz was the best candidate running (on policy) he is not a very good candidate on winning voters in a national race. Ted Cruz also burned way too many bridges on his path to the White House, which is why he is not the nominee. Ted lost allies he needed to block Trump's path.
The GOPe figured if we are likely to loose 2016, might as well lose with a one race shot like Trump than a conservative insurgent like Cruz. Of course, the establishment are divided. Trump is not getting universal support from the GOP e either.
Cruz's attempt to appeal to the voters did not work. Not only did Ted Cruz fail to expand his base, he even managed to lose Evangelicals to Trump.
Of course, Marco Rubio severely damaged his brand prior to the race (ended up wasting resources battling with Jeb!) and was surprisingly glass jawed to a rough but predictable attack by Chris Christie.
Trump played on fear. Okay, so do all candidates. That is just one technique for winning.
Okay, this is a bit OTT (although it did make me laugh), but when you have to woo voters politics has always been about marketing and playing to your prospective audiences. Even when it was unseemly for candidates to run for office, they still ran for office through surrogates (think Ann Coulter and Hannity for Trump).
Joel Pollock actually makes a good point here. Cruz's New York Values comments hurt him badly in the New York primary. That lack of momentum contributed to Cruz's crash going forward. With the momentum he had from Wisconsin, what could have been.
New York Values are what ultimately made the United States. Not the current New York political values (which are a mess and what Cruz was attacking Donald Trump for) but the free market entrepreneurial values of New Amsterdam which profoundly (and in a very good way) influenced the United States.
Instapundit: Why Trump Won, the slow blade penetrates the shield, they hate Trump but they fear Cruz, and where would Trump be if he ran as he actually is, the amnesty candidate?
Rush Limbaugh: Vicente Fox blasts Trump's Taco Bowl (I have to admit, while definitely not thrilled by this election, I am going to enjoy siting on the side lines and seeing Trump and his critics take pot shots at each other).
This was an unusual year and voters (on both sides) were looking for an outsider. The DNC was just more effective in blocking Crazy Socialist Sanders than the RNC was in blocking Trump. We are paying for past mistakes.
Ted Cruz unfortunately did not resinate with enough voters. While I still think Ted Cruz was the best candidate running (on policy) he is not a very good candidate on winning voters in a national race. Ted Cruz also burned way too many bridges on his path to the White House, which is why he is not the nominee. Ted lost allies he needed to block Trump's path.
The GOPe figured if we are likely to loose 2016, might as well lose with a one race shot like Trump than a conservative insurgent like Cruz. Of course, the establishment are divided. Trump is not getting universal support from the GOP e either.
Cruz's attempt to appeal to the voters did not work. Not only did Ted Cruz fail to expand his base, he even managed to lose Evangelicals to Trump.
Of course, Marco Rubio severely damaged his brand prior to the race (ended up wasting resources battling with Jeb!) and was surprisingly glass jawed to a rough but predictable attack by Chris Christie.
Trump played on fear. Okay, so do all candidates. That is just one technique for winning.
Okay, this is a bit OTT (although it did make me laugh), but when you have to woo voters politics has always been about marketing and playing to your prospective audiences. Even when it was unseemly for candidates to run for office, they still ran for office through surrogates (think Ann Coulter and Hannity for Trump).
Joel Pollock actually makes a good point here. Cruz's New York Values comments hurt him badly in the New York primary. That lack of momentum contributed to Cruz's crash going forward. With the momentum he had from Wisconsin, what could have been.
New York Values are what ultimately made the United States. Not the current New York political values (which are a mess and what Cruz was attacking Donald Trump for) but the free market entrepreneurial values of New Amsterdam which profoundly (and in a very good way) influenced the United States.
Instapundit: Why Trump Won, the slow blade penetrates the shield, they hate Trump but they fear Cruz, and where would Trump be if he ran as he actually is, the amnesty candidate?
Rush Limbaugh: Vicente Fox blasts Trump's Taco Bowl (I have to admit, while definitely not thrilled by this election, I am going to enjoy siting on the side lines and seeing Trump and his critics take pot shots at each other).
Sorry, but, if anybody had tried a Mambo Kings ticket, you're the guys who would have screamed the loudest.
ReplyDeleteI am going to enjoy siting on the side lines and seeing Trump and his critics take pot shots at each other)
No sidelines in this one, pal. You're going to be on one side or the other. But keep telling yourself that the dream lives. The Adelsons and Rickettses have laid down the law. It's over.
PS The guy who said, "they hate Trump but they fear Cruz", has pretty much shot his cred.
Who constitutes "you're the guys?" You are aware I posted this Mambo King thing a while ago--although the idea of them actually overcoming there differences would have been daunting.
DeleteIf you think this is some binary decision making process, you're wrong. A lot of folks were not for Rubio over immigration. Rubio and Cruz went back and forth on who was more against illegal immigration. Rubio had no shot on this given his Gang of Eight nonsense. Trump outflanked Ted and the rest his history.
If Trump wins, I hope he lives up to his campaign rhetoric. He won't though. He will sell you out on the wall and the rest of it. The sad part is he is way more establishment than he lets on, and which is why more of the GOPe went with him over Cruz.
Rubio has talent. He could have been a contender, but he ruined his brand this round with the Schumer deal and then losing his own state. He needs to step away from politics for a while (and probably make some money).
The guy who said "they hate Trump but they fear Cruz" was Rush Limbaugh (Instapundit has just repeated it). So Rush has shot his credibility with you and the RedState guys? I think Rush has been pretty spot on. Glenn Reynolds has been spot on too.
I see it slightly different. I think that the GOP hated Cruz but feared what Trump might do if he managed to get a majority of Americans and the big money behind him - which he's done. Now Cruz (hated more than ever) needs to find a way forward. Maybe the Supreme Court where he never again need run for office? The Trump momentum and the DEM weakness this season still has to play out.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure Trump has big money behind him (at least not yet) but he does have 42% of GOP primary voters. Trump has said he is no longer self funding and will seek contributions. I think I will pass on that, but I am sure many will give.
DeleteCruz can go back to the Senate and be disliked. I am surprised how vehement the Cruz hate is from some Trump supporters. But I suspect he will get re-elected in Texas. I do not see Trump appointing Cruz to the Supreme Court and if he did Dems would certainly try to Bork him. Would the GOP Senate hold the line for Cruz? I wish they would because Cruz would be an outstanding justice. But, this is why bridge burning is not always a good idea.