Matt will be happy - I'm now on the "dump Trump" bandwagon

[bmw]

Ok, I've finally had enough.

In a lengthy statement on Thursday night, Mr Trump dismissed the Florida governor as a political lightweight who had come to him "in desperate shape" when running for his first term in office in 2017.

"Ron had low approval, bad polls, and no money, but he said that if I would Endorse [sic] him, he could win," Mr Trump said. "I also fixed his campaign, which had completely fallen apart."

He went on to complain that Mr DeSantis - whom he is nicknaming "Ron DeSanctimonious" - was "playing games" by refusing to rule out a presidential bid.

"Well, in terms of loyalty and class, that's really not the right answer," Mr Trump added.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canad ... gn=KARANGA

Oh, the irony of Trump invoking "class" in light of this statement. I didn't like this behavior when he directed it at his Republican opponents in 2016, but I tolerated it. Now this is too much. DeSantis is one of the few bright spots for the Republican party right now and for Trump to unleash this kind of rhetoric towards him is not only completely classless, but is very unwise from a political standpoint at this point in time considering that Trump is arguably to blame, at least in-part, for the Republican's poor showing in the midterms.

Him going after DeSantis may finally be the one thing that separates some of his own supporters away from him. I personally have had enough.

That said, I sure as hell won't be voting for any Democrats any time soon, but I will not be supporting Trump during the primaries. If he somehow gets the nomination, the Republican party will be in big trouble.

[Honeyman]

You're no doubt an intelligent man, beemer. I have no idea why it took you so long to come to this realization.

[bmw]

I've been well aware of his negative attributes since the 2016 primaries. But I've mostly tolerated them since at that time, I thought the Republican party needed an injection of energy and enthusiasm like Trump brought to the party. And for the most part, I approve of his 4-year presidency.

What has changed my mind as of late is not just Trump himself, but his enablers. You know, the likes of Hannity, Mark Levin, and the numerous Republican politicians who just outright REFUSE to criticize Trump when criticism is what is needed. I think Trump thinks that his recent antics still play to the vast majority of the Republican party, and this is in-part because the loudest voices are leading him into believing that. These election results should have been a "come to Jesus" moment for the party, and not only has that mostly not materialized as of yet, but Trump's supporters are blaming anything and everything other than Trump or their own party for why they did so poorly. In 2020, it was "the election was stolen." In 2022, it is "the voters are just too stupid to realize how bad the Democrats are for the country."

The party is in big trouble, and if some of the higher-profile influences within the party can't have an honest conversation about what is wrong, they are going to lead their followers behind Trump right off a cliff. Right now this kind of feels like how somebody like Putin is taking his country right of a cliff because none of his closest advisers are willing to tell him the reality or in any way criticize him.

[zzand]

Welcome to the club BMW. We like it when more smart folk see the light.

[Honeyman]

Amen. And...they won't. Trump will declare on Tuesday and continue to fuck things up for the Republican party. Someone once said something like "Nothing is learned the second time you kick a mule". Well, this is about the tenth kick, and these MAGAidiots still aren't learning.

Trump 2024!

[TC Talks]

Welcome to the club BMW. We like it when more smart folk see the light.

Many people voted blue this year because the attacks Trump has made to democracy. When there is a movement to reject any result except the one he likes, you have a problem.

I don't expect BMW and I will see eye to eye, but this week has been promising.

[bmw]

The million dollar question is, if Trump does run (and I think he probably will), will DeSantis run, and if he does run, will DeSantis play with kiddie gloves or will the gloves come off? If the gloves come off, it will be an all-out war within the party that will make the 2016 primaries seem like child's play. Right now, I think it is a war that needs to take place. Neither Cruz nor Rubio had what it took. I think DeSantis might.

As to the "attack to democracy," I haven't changed my mind regarding my opinion that the January 6th story was way overblown into something that it wasn't. Trump voluntarily and peacefully left office when the day came, and our electoral process played out just fine in 2022. Trump and his supporters are not and never were an actual threat to our "democracy." That said, all of Trump's rhetoric in that regard was clearly damaging to the Republican party itself, and the consequences for that rhetoric are being paid right now.

[Bryce]

I pretty much agree with the Beemer on this development. Even Mark Levin took Trump to task on that misguided post.

Time to move on.

[craig11152]

I agree the whole threat to democracy crapola may be a great rallying cry for liberals but in reality it's a gross exaggeration.
Anybody who actually believes a group of 1000 barely armed losers was going to actually overthrow the United States Government by temporarily occupying a building needs their heads examined.

On another note I don't get why Republicans haven't kicked that two time popular vote loser to the curb.

[TC Talks]

Isn't Trump still a leader in the party?

Generally Presidents get that privilege for a bit after they serve.

[bmw]

Trump absolutely is still the party leader. But a few cracks are starting to show. I was unaware of Levin's comments (all I had seen was him blaming McConnell for pulling advertising dollars from some key races), and as I type this, Buck and Clay (Rush Limbaugh's replacement) are taking Trump to task as well, both agreeing that Trump's recent comments aren't helpful. They are of the opinion that DeSantis should wait until next summer to announce so as to not give Trump a direct target and that Trump may hurt his own standing significantly if he continues to attack successful republicans.

And now just breaking - Trump is going after Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin.

Young Kin (now that’s an interesting take. Sounds Chinese, doesn’t it?) in Virginia couldn’t have won without me. I Endorsed him, did a very big Trump Rally for him telephonically, got MAGA to Vote for him – or he couldn’t have come close to winning.

WTF? Trump seems to be in meltdown mode.

[TC Talks]

After a while, it will cease being confusing and start being fun.

Your county posted some of the highest Dixon numbers, do you think those voters (60%+ think we are on the verge of civil war) are ready to give up Trump?

[bmw]

It wasn't just here - most counties north of a horizontal line just north of Bay City went for Dixon in pretty solid numbers.

Do I think Trump's rural county supporters are ready to give him up? Nope. That's why someone like DeSantis (who most of them also like) has to make the case.

[Honeyman]

I think it's too late for you schmucks to finally figure it out. Go reread the Liz Cheney thread and see what was said about a true conservative and loyal Republican. You think McCormick would have lost Pennsylvania if the Maga idiots hadnt elected Oz in the primary? Walker will lose the runoff too.

You made your bed...you fools sleep in it.

[bmw]

I wouldn't get too cocky there, Honeyman. The Democrats have their own problems going into 2024. And to keep things in perspective, it looks highly likely that the Republicans, despite how poorly they did, are still going to take the House away from Nancy Pelosi's control and effectively shut down Biden's agenda for the next 2 years.