When you realize a lot NeverTrumpers are looking for money from the left, it all makes sense...

Breitbart: NeverTrumpers Crash and Burn (from last December)

There is a spectrum to political beliefs and animus to Donald Trump. Jonah Goldberg, who tries to walk a line of being a conservative yet continually critical of President Trump, takes down Max Boot, the latest MeaCulpaCon. What can you say, other than pass the popcorn and good riddance. Maybe Max is hoping to land a gig like Jen Rubin or get a lefty sugar daddy like Bill Kristol.  

Ace calling bullshit on them all. I've noticed this too and he is not holding back. You wonder how Jen Rubin, Bill Kristol, and now Max Boot can survive on the far left end of the spectrum, but when you accept they are just shameless opportunists looking for funding to malign the right it all makes sense.  They are mostly preaching to the left now anyway. They are an inconsequential back eddy.  

Ben Shapiro, Erick Erickson, Jonah Goldberg, even John Podorhetz and David French on a good day, are not quite the same as the die hard NeverTrumpers. They haven't totally abandoned their principles, but they just want to be able to say 'I told you so.' That is such an annoying character flaw.  

Trump is not going to be around for ever. It is not that Trump brings a political ideology to the fight, just a different way of fighting back with the media and Democrats. It is a mixed bag. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I certainly don't agree with everything Donald Trump says or does, but there is a lot to be said for fighting back.  It is what Andrew Breitbart used to do. I am not suggesting everyone on the right needs to be a Trump Cheerleader, but Conservatives and Republicans would be wise to push back against the left rather than trying to appease it.  

I also thank God every day that Hillary Clinton did not win in 2016. 

AoSHQ: Morning Report 11.29.18 and CuckHero

American Power: The Ugly Departure Of Max Boot

NY Mag: Can a #NeverTrumper Republican win in 2020?

Rush Limbaugh: The Conservative Brand is Destroyed, Wer're 'Problem Solvers,' Geno...

TOM: Ace vs. ‘Non-Binary Ben’, What David French Won’t Say, and National Review’s ‘Pro-Family’ Writer @xan_desanctis Insults Dennis Prager

Erick Erickson says we are all cucks now...

Erick Erickson is trying to say Donald Trump betrayed his base (and his wife)

Ok, but I have to ask, was Trump's offer (which the Democrats automatically disapproved) something that if offered by Jeb Bush, Mitch Romney, or Marco Rubio that NRO and most of the GOPe would have been against?  Dare I say Erick Erickson would have supported it?

What about Hillary (had she won), what would have happened to DACA then? Wouldn't she be doing all she could to make this happen with or without congress (and she would have had her pick as the swing vote on the Supreme Court).

I take Ted Cruz's criticism seriously, still I have to wait and see how this immigration offer and subsequent negotiations play out. Mark Kirkorian says it is a betrayal. Don Surber disagrees. Monica Showalter has a similar take to Surber's. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, but given what I have seen play out over the past two years, I trust Don Surber's take and Donald Trump more on this than I trust the NeverTrumper crowd.

Let's see if they can assemble the 60 votes in the senate to get this passed and in what form.

Powerline: The Senate Politics of Trump's Proposal

90 Miles from Tyranny: Dennis Prager admits wrong about Trump

Pirate's Cove: Democrats expose immigration is about politics, not caring...

TOM: Trump offers amnesty deal, Democrats immediately reject "hardline" proposal

Powerline: Is Trump about the Trump the Democrats on Immigration? and Trump's Grand Bargain, Take One

Don Surber: Illegals want a wall, Trump forces Democrats' hands on immigration and Trump's plan to scuttle DACA

Instapundit: American Thinker: Trump's go Yuge, or go home DACA deal, DACA deal about politics, DACA Dreamers block Disneyland

EBL: Shutdown Schumer and Democrats act predictably to Trump's DACA offer, GOP: You won a battle, now go win the war..., Schumer Shutdown Day 3 (and Schumer capitulates), Trump already has a 'wall' that Democrats fear, But what about the Dreamers?, Schumer Shutdown Day 2, Schumer and the Dems shut down the government, Stephanie Clifford also known as Stormy Daniels

Mr. President: Cowboy Up

I can't believe I am agreeing with Piers Morgan, but he is right (at least in part).

Yes Lincoln had it worse. Obama was hardly faced heat, given the media was overwhelmingly protecting him.  Clinton got a pass too, with help from the media. Trump has a media out to destroy him. A lot of these attacks are fake news. As far as assignation attempts, give it time.  

Whining does not make thing better: Mr. President, you are hurting yourself way more than your critics. You need to stop. Work on your agenda and stop freaking out over your attackers. If you get your agenda through and get some accomplishments done, that will go a long way. We never expected the media to be fair (less us call them out as the scum they are). Don't be a victim. That is what losers do. 

Jonah "No Pants" Goldberg is right too.  

Lem's Place: A Slow-Motion Coup d’état? Yep. Fake News?

Instapundit: Lots of fake news. Ignore the Fake News, the elites are the problem

WaPo: Erick Erickson and the 'I told you so chorus' of Never Trumpers. It is not just the President who has to "cowboy up."  In response to Erick "Depends" Erickson, yes President Trump needs to get back on track, but you know how the GOP really loses, not supporting the president in getting through those things we do want: Tax reform and getting rid of Obamacare.  Trump is not the problem.

This would make a nice present for any GOPe or NeverTrumpers you may know...

For those GOPe and NeverTrumpers you may know...

You can criticize the President for the ham-fisted roll out of the Comey firing. The President definitely deserves that. It was poorly handled from a media/PR perspective. Donald Trump needs to learn how to manage his White House and media roll outs or it will hurt his presidency (this is a very different world for him than his life before politics and even coverage during his campaign). He also has the handicap of having a press that is almost 100% hostile to him and his agenda (which is more reason for him and his team to be more disciplined).  

My advice to the President: You cannot fully control the media, but you can diminish their power to hurt you. The responsibility for controlling the message from the outset goes to the President. It is okay. Learn from mistakes. Do it better next time. Control leaking from your own people. Stop stepping on your agenda.  

The decision to fire Comey was not wrong. Comey had to go. So to the GOPe and NeverTrumpers (who are still supposedly conservative), buck or cowboy up and stop hyperventilating. You are embarrassing us all. While I am critical of Erick Erickson over his reaction to this (and other things too), I also think he is a conservative and means well--but Erick needs to stop panicking! 

There are a few NeverTrumpers who should be shunned by all Republicans and Conservatives. They are not conservative and they are corrosive and damaging to all conservatives (not just Trump). A lot of them were just as bad before Donald Trump and will be just as bad after Trump is gone. I will give you a list to start: David Brooks, David Frum, Jennifer Rubin, Kathleen Parker, Evan "The Deadbeat" McMullin. These individuals should be rejected by everyone on the right.

Don Surber: Courage Dan Rather

Smitty: A Cautionary Point about 2018

Daily Caller: Ann Coulter ready to jump off the Trump train?  She will always have Bill Maher...

Instapundit: Pro Tip for GOP Senate: Anything Schumer is for, you should be against, Richard Fernandez: Our Fragile Civilization and As the Orcs were made in parody of the Elves...

If this constitutes "American Conservatism" we might as well throw in the towel now...

Twitchy: Erick Erickson's Fears Are Coming True...

Is your tantrum over Erick, do you need some ice cream?

RedState: Maybe Trump Is Right...

TOM: Erick buck up just a bit, this is the Democrat base...

Instapundit: Even Vox is showing more sanity and As the Orcs were made in parody of the Elves...

While Trump obviously could have handled firing Comey better, there is NOTHING wrong with Trump firing Comey. Comey, like any FBI Director, serves at the pleasure of the President and can be fired for any reason.  Given how erratic Comey was leading up to this election, it was the right choice. As for the delay, Trump wanted to have his own AG and Deputy AG in place. Given how malicious planted officials like Sally Yates were, it would be reckless to do anything other than that.

President Trump should have asked for Comey's resignation and done that in person. Trump should have had the WH geared up to deal with this story properly from the start. Having Comey find out on TV only serves to belittle the President and alienate the FBI (even if they were unhappy with Comey, they are going to defend him in a situation like that).

Does Erick Erickson want to join forces with "conservatives" like David Frum, David Brooks, Jennifer Rubin, and Evan McMullin? Because that is how you really do fail. Those voices are death to conservative success. Trump has his flaws, for sure, but you will get more out of encouraging him to do the right thing than flailing around everytime the Democrats gin up another shit storm.

And Mr. Trump should absorb and consider some of this criticism. Newt Gingrich is right about this: “At some point, I hope he’s going to learn that taking one extra day, having the entire team lined up. I don’t think he always helps himself. I think 10 percent less Trump would be a hundred percent more effective.”

Still, while Trump is far from perfect, the completely OTT reaction to this week's event probably results (in the long term) in a push between Democrats and Trump. The GOPe and certain conservatives need to show a bit of backbone.

#CokieRoberts is #FakeNews https://t.co/cYZjv9D7xL@rushlimbaugh @AceofSpadesHQ pic.twitter.com/CKHCui43nh

— Evi L. Bloggerlady (@MsEBL) May 12, 2017

Political Clown Parade: A Constitutional Crisis: Two Scoops

As AoSHQ linked to, the Bookworm Room notes Craven Cowards at the FBI (and how fish rot from the head first). Comey had to go.

Flashback EBL: How do you solve a problem like The Donald?

GOPe: The Donald is not an asset to the Abbey?

Instapundit: American Greatness: Trump is smart enough to remember what happened to the Bush Administration with Valerie Plame  And to you Democrats and NeverTrumpers, why didn't you call for a special prosecutor when Obama was in office?

NY Post: Comey firing a gift for the FBI

Hot Air: Do American even care about Comey firing?

Daily Caller: Ann Coulter ready to jump off the Trump train?  She will always have Bill Maher...

March for Life 2017

NRO: Kathryn Jean Lopez March for Life 2017 and Save The Storks

Video: On #POTUSonABC @realDonaldTrump scolded @DavidMuir about media’s record of not covering #MarchforLife #TTT pic.twitter.com/Zhtd5qRLSg

— Brent Baker (@BrentHBaker) January 26, 2017

Donald Trump is hardly perfect, but as Ace notes, he is willing to take the media on over their own biases in a way none of us have ever seen. And that is something to be thankful for. And Vice President Mike Pence is the highest ranked politician ever to attend this march (and this is not mere posing, since Pence has a long history of attending before today).  

So while the left spins itself into butter, the right needs to focus on the opportunity right in front of us. I'm quickly getting tired of conservative pundits like Kevin Williamson and John Podhortez lecturing us. I generally like Kevin and John, but they are not being objective (perhaps they need a White Russian, and no not some pale prostitute in a Moscow hotel). As a former #NeverTrumper Erick Erickson notes, there is a lot to be thankful for. And it's week one. 

With all due respect Kevin, you state "[i]f the Right gets a couple of good Supreme Court justices, corporate-tax reform, and some meaningful regulatory relief, we can call that a win." Really? Try to control your enthusiasm. Pause a second and then think what that really means. That would be an awesome victory. Think of what could have been if Hillary Clinton won (an alternative dystopian future I thought we would be heading into on the morning of November 8). Trump will also likely appoint half the federal bench during his first term. For me, it's been a little Christmas morning every day since.

When Trump screws up (and he will) then you critics can say something. Until then, I am going to enjoy the winning and encourage the Trump Administration to do more positive things.

DaTechGuy: March For Life Update and Mainstream Media Continue to Ignore March for Life

Instapundit: Melt down, If Schumer hates it you know it's good, Schumer lies, Media Bias

Legal Insurrection: Hundreds of Thousands March For Life

Hot Air: No, Joe, the media does not always win

The Lid: Chris Matthews wets himself

TOM: The Clinton News Network

Shark Tank: March for Life

Wombat: Twitchy: People Are Noticing What ISN’T Happening At The March For Life and Da Tech Guy: Fausta – It’s March For Life Day, also, Echoing Pius VII On Trump – Et Tu, Erick Erickson?

Erick Erickson throws cold water on Bill Kristol's David French Third Party Idea...

Bill Kristol is promoting a third party challenge from David French

Erick Erickson is still #NeverTrump, but he makes the argument he does not want to give Trumpkins a reason to blame him for Trump's defeat. 

I agree with Erick about not having a conservative third party challenger, but from a different perspective.  I do not care for Trump, disagree with a lot of his positions, and question whether he will be at all conservative.  But (while likely bad) I do not think Trump will be worse than Hillary (anyone who can drive Barack Obama apoplectic can't be all bad) and suspect he can win in this race. So far Gary Johnson's inclusion is actually helping Trump. The only way a third party challenger makes sense is if that person can deny Clinton and Trump 270 electoral votes and send this matter to the House. 

AoSHQ: Tongue tied much, Mr. President?

I like David French a lot, but I doubt he would have enough support to get on the debate stage with Trump and Clinton.  It is probably too late for this sort of challenge, unless you have a lot of name recognition and money. 

I am not going to vote for Trump (unless there is some significant shift between now and November), but I am not going to assist Hillary either. Trump will have to prevail on his own (at least without my assistance). I will absolutely not help #CrookedHillary.  

Erik wants to defeat Trump and Trump supporters with a Trump loss.  Fair enough.  While I find some Trump supporters (a minority of them) objectionable and do not want to associate with them on anything, most of them are people fed up with the current two party system selling out their interests. While I disagree with them on their choice, I understand their frustration and life goes on. I want to see Hillary lose and only hope Trump turns out to be better than she is.   

It is unfortunate the establishment GOP threw Ted Cruz under the bus for Trump, but it is what it is. 

Instapundit: Why Trump's attacks on the left work, Kristol promoting a third party run by David French and Trump as tribal leader

AoSHQ: Bill Kristol recruits David French to run

Hogwash: Depending on your state, vote smart