Businessman Donald Trump speaking at the CPAC convention 2013 {photo: ibtimes.com}
Written by Juliana Simone
National Harbor, MD – The man known for more than a decade to native New Yorkers as “The Donald” took the stage this afternoon to address an enthusiastic crowd convened for the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference celebrating its 40th anniversary on the shores of the Potomac River in Maryland. Self-made billionaire Donald Trump opened his monologue by telling the audience our country is in terrible trouble.
He cited we owed seventeen trillion dollars and have more than a trillion dollar deficit a year. “No country’s ever heard of numbers like this!” he observed. “Likewise, the Republican Party is in terrible trouble,” he continued. “As you get more and more conservative – they get nasty. They don’t like what we say.” Trump segued into the mainstream media and how the President is given unprecedented media protection.
To offer solutions on how we solve our country’s problems, Mr. Trump first pointed out how even the Tea Party, who he loves dearly, says to leave their Medicare and Social Security alone. “To keep these things affordable then the solution is to build a great economy.” “We don’t have one,” he noted. “China does.” “We have to make America great again,” he said in appeal to the room.
On the issue of immigration, Trump stated that when it comes to immigration, eleven million people will be voting Democrat. He believed a candidate can be out in front but (when it comes to Election Day) those eleven million will be voting Democrat. “Republicans are on a suicide mission,” he said. “You’re just not going to get those votes.” Donald Trump inquired further, “Why aren’t we letting Europeans in?” and told the attendees how he had many friends who want to move here and work here – that have been educated here – but we throw them out of the country after earning a degree at Harvard or Wharton and say you can’t move here – so they work somewhere else and work against us. “How stupid is that?” he asked.
The realtor and casino owner gave a nod to fellow Republican Newt Gingrich next saying he loved Newt because he was a member of his club down the road. Trump said he loved anyone who was a member of his club and jested maybe Obama should become a member. He talked about offering to build things at his own expense for Washington but never heard back from anyone.
“Conservative Republicans have to win elections,” he proclaimed. In his observations on the Republican Party, Trump said “Governors are saying it’s the stupid party.” He thought this was a horrible statement for a Governor to make because it was something that could come back to haunt you when the Democrat’s now will turn around and use it against you. Trump told fellow conservatives he believed a Party that spent four hundred million dollars on ads that made Obama look like a super hero was a failure, and that spending money like this with not one victory showed something was seriously wrong.
About himself, he revealed he’d made over eight billion dollars in his life and employed tens of thousands of people. When he filled out his financial forms (when considering running for President in 2012) people were surprised. He said he was continually criticized by “total light weights” – guys in dirty shirts who would say about him, “Donald Trump? He’s nothing.”
Donald went on to explain people liked success and though he liked Mitt Romney, he felt the one mistake he made was that he didn’t talk enough about his success and the great things he did. He reflected they were on the defensive instead of being on the offensive where they should have been.
In regards to Iraq, Trump said we spend 1.5 trillion dollars there and we lose great great young people – for what? He said at first he was told it was for the oil, so he thought, okay, I get that – but we didn’t take the oil. He reminded viewers we’re the second largest oil reserve after Saudi Arabia. He believes for soldiers that are killed we should give those parents a million dollars for the son they lost because a million dollars is nothing compared to the money over there.
He described how he just had to place a huge order for televisions from South Korea. Why? People asked him why he didn’t buy the televisions here. “We don’t make televisions here anymore,” he explained.
“We’re run by either very foolish or very stupid people. Our country is a total mess. What we need is leadership,” he opined. He projected if we build and grow our economy, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security all can be affordable again when we have a strong economy. North Dakota has a great supply of energy, but we can’t go get it, he mused, so we go to Saudi Arabia to get it! They can’t believe what they’re getting away with. “The Republicans, and the Democrats, say we gotta cut, we gotta cut, we gotta cut…it’s because we’re not cutting the mustard!”
In closing, Trump said, “We have to bring money in and take back our jobs from China. We have to start building again, manufacturing again and our problems will be solved. Let’s make this country strong again!” The Donald left the stage to strong applause.
Businessman Donald Trump speaking at CPAC 2013 (photo: newgroopspeak.com}
Ed.: This article written and reported by Juliana Simone, also appeared on a CT internet news site.
Donald Trump. His speeches on policy, foreign and domestic, are factual and impressive, but, of course, the liberal media highlighted few clips from these addresses.
Mike Pence. His running mate, the Governor of Indiana, has been a fine and articulate spokesman for Trump on the campaign trail, and clearly is a politician who serves Trump, his state and country well.
Trump supporters. Continued massive turnouts for any Trump rally or event throughout the nation, show the incredible devotion and enthusiasm to the candidate who wants to make America great again.
Trump’s children. All intelligent, polite, loyal, hard-working and professional, they continue to be an asset to Trump’s campaign and show how well-adjusted they are as young adults with Donald’s role as an attentive father. Additionally, Trump’s wife and ex-wives. Melania, Marla and Ivana all stand by Donald, support him, say good things about him and all agree what a good Dad he is to their children.
Conservative talk radio hosts. Each and every day they have divulged in great detail the crimes and misdemeanors Hillary Clinton is guilty of, where many legal experts agree she should be prosecuted and sentenced to time in jail. They also observe her disinterest in America in terms of how our Forefathers fought to establish this country, as well as her genuine power-hungry zeal to establish the moniker of being the first female President, even though she could not be a worse choice for such a title. Clinton enthusiastically envisions what that role would bring her as long as it lasts, whether it’s more “celebrities” staying in the Lincoln bedroom, or more millions donated to the Clinton Foundation.
Conservative network television and radio hosts/columnists. Trump has gained the support of a number of influential political commentators: Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, Larry Elder, Pat Buchanan, and David Limbaugh, albeit David noting his vote was for the lesser of two evils, to name but a few.
Ted Cruz. The Texas Senator has said he will vote for Trump despite differences during the primary contest that led to some negative exchanges. Cruz has stated publicly he will vote for the Republican nominee, noting how bad the alternative will be for the future of the Supreme Court among other vital issues he described in a list on his Facebook page.
Republican legislators and advocates voting for Trump. Dr. Ben Carson, Newt Gingrich, Former New York Mayor and AG Rudy Giuliani, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum(R-PA), Former Alaska Governor and VP candidate Sarah Palin, George P. Bush, and RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.
Jerry Falwell, Jr. The son of the long-serving Christian pastor and conservative activist who was well known for his televised sermons, and founded Liberty University in Lynchberg, VA, before his death in 2007. Falwell, Jr., now President of the University, recognizes the difference between Trump and Clinton and how it would affect millions of Christians in America and throughout the world. Public morality and people who want to follow their faith would clearly suffer under four years of Clinton, who has vowed to uphold the policies of President Barack Obama.
Chris Wallace. Though presumably one of the ninety-plus percent of journalists who contributed to the Clinton campaign, Wallace did the most respectable job in the final and third debate between the two candidates. Even with his pressing, Clinton failed to answer three essential questions but maintained her mechanical smile.
The Bad:
Image: Insider.Foxnews.com
The Never-Trumpers. So-called Republicans who are on record for saying they will vote for establishment choice Hillary Clinton on Election Day, November 8th, rather than businessman Donald Trump, regardless of how much evidence points to why Hillary Clinton is perceivably the worst candidate nominated for America’s highest office. Though they continue in their opposition to their Party nominee, they agree Clinton would be bad for our nation if elected.
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell (R). He voted for Obama, despite his weak record as a one-term U.S. Senator, background of community organizing and an often expressed disdain for America, regardless of the life of privilege he has lived here. Leaked emails from Powell show what he really feels about Hillary: “I would rather not have to vote for her, although she is a friend I respect,” the former secretary of state wrote Democratic donor Jeffrey Leeds on July 26, 2014. “A 70-year person with a long track record, unbridled ambition, greedy, not transformational, with a husband still d–kng bimbos at home (according to the NYP),” reads the explosive e-mail obtained by the Web site DCLeaks. (Hillary is actually 69) “Everything HRC touches she kind of screws up with hubris. I told you about the gig I lost at a University because she so overcharged them they came under heat and couldn’t [pay] any fees for awhile. I should send her a bill,” Powell griped. “Wanted to get away with it.” “Her instincts can be terrible.”
Sore losers:
The Bush family. Though not all are on record for saying they’ll vote for the scandal riddled Mrs. Clinton, but some are, including Former President of the United States George H.W. Bush (R-41), his wife, former First Lady, Barbara Bush, and Former First Lady Laura Bush, daughter-in-law to George and Barbara, whom many held with great respect until she made this statement. Now her estimated character may be reconsidered. Former Florida Governor and 2016 candidate for the nomination for President 2016, Jeb Bush, has stated he will not vote for either Trump or Clinton. Jeb Bush, going into the first long-benched candidate debate in August of 2015, had raised a considerable treasure chest of donations in his bid. Apparently, money is not always enough to win the title one covets.
Ohio Governor John Kasich (R). With winning only his state of Ohio during the entire Republican primary, he somehow yet still perceived himself as the next President of the United States. He did not show professionalism in declining to attend the National Republican Convention in his own state this year, nor would he endorse nominee Trump. Kasich recently had another 30 seconds of fame by providing the liberal media with a sound bite media gladly used with his remarking he did not know if he could vote for Trump. He might be the biggest baby of all.
Former President of the United States Republican nominee and Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney, who actually spent and raised money to try and ensure that Trump both was not the nominee, and after failing this objective, could not win the election.
Romney’s former running mate, House Speaker Ryan, has also failed to support Trump from the beginning, briefly wavered, and now has run back to what he perceives as the safety of moderate Republicans, who think if they vote for Clinton, they can still keep their jobs and two-faced machinations of politics intact, with the establishment keeping Washington, D.C. the way it is now and has been for a very long time. Not for the voter, the taxpayer, the small businessman, veterans, women, seniors, college students, patriots, those born in debt today and those struggling with debt, true Republicans, Unaffiliated, moderate Democrats, and other ignored castoffs who are not in bed with this self-serving group on hand, but just for those in the government beltway.
{Editor:} Ryan has publicly stated he voted early and voted for Trump. If this is true, that is commendable and noted.
More-Conservative-Than-Though political commentators, writers, and editors. The Weekly Standard and EIC Bill Kristol, National Review, Glenn Beck, television host and political commentator, and Jonah Goldberg, syndicated political columnist and author, {former Congressman Chris Shays, the last standing Republican U.S. Representative to serve all of New England and who made a bid for the Connecticut U.S. Senate seat in 2014, and veteran columnist George Will,} to name but a few.
Republican voters who had another candidate they wanted to become the nominee. This group has never been able to get over their loss. Sour grapes rule the day for these people, and apparently it’s more important for them to have their day and revenge and see Trump lose, even if it means electing someone from the opposite party who plans to implement more bad and continued Obama policy, and seeing the Supreme Court filled with appointees that would disregard The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States.
The polls: Daily updated by the liberal media with an agenda to dishearten the people not voting for the candidate they are shilling for, in this election year, Clinton. The skewed polls are largely swayed by demographics and oversampling of callers who will provide them with the answer they want to count, as to who the candidate they will be voting for on Election Day, to bolster their results and allow them to continue to falsely inform the public on who is really ahead. The polls considered to be the most reputable, and correct post-Election Day are Rasmussen and the L.A. Times.
The Ugly:
Image: The Free Thought Society
The network and liberal media at large who threw away objective professional journalism decades ago. They have failed to cover any of the incredibly important news stories concerning Hillary Clinton that they would have broadcast day in day out if it were her Republican opponent. An embarrassing example of what used to be considered news, at best. Setting the bar low, they’ve had to dig into the lowest depths of extremely old hearsay to find anything negative to say about Trump, when they have mountains of solid evidence concerning Clinton’s serious illegal activities. The media’s desperate smear campaign against Donald’s alleged moves on women he claims to never even have met, pale against the more serious and credible negative situations President Bill Clinton carried out with women while Governor of Arkansas and in the White House.
{Editor:} Their blackout of any positive news on Donald Trump has been astounding, an amazing thing to bear witness to in this day and age. No mention of Trumps huge support which has never wavered right up until Election Day, can be shown in this photo which was only distributed through social media.
Jacksonville, FL aerial view of Trump rally October 25th not shown anywhere in network news or national publications
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) considered to be both a nominee for President and V.P. choice for Clinton, best known for saying she was a descendant of the Cherokee Indians until fact-checking showed this to be barely true by a stretch, if at all. Her checking the American Indian heritage box, however, helped her get hired as a minority at Harvard. She is the perfect spokesperson and colleague for Mrs. Clinton, who has quite a long history of lies herself. Warren, going lower than low in her stump speeches this election year, spends her time insulting opponent Trump. The other day, in referencing Trump’s calling Clinton ‘a nasty woman’ in the third debate, after Clinton made a derogatory remark about Trump, she shrilly addressed voters and declared that nasty women vote, in calling these women to action to vote for Hillary.
Clinton running mate Tim Kaine. After watching the Vice President debate, and hearing any of his soundbites as he stumps for Clinton, the man has shown he couldn’t be a worse second-in-line to the President of the United States. With Clinton’s health being a topic, this is a notable concern voters should consider.
Photo: CNN
{Editor:} President Barack Hussein Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama. Six days before the election, desperation is setting in among the liberal leadership. Today, Obama actually was reaching back into scare tactic pages of the Democrat Party play book, trying to frighten needy voters with the false narrative that if Trump is elected as President, on day one he will stop welfare checks, Medicare checks, and stop assistance for African American youth’s entry into college. Seriously? Playing the people as he did since 2008, if not earlier, like Hillary, he is simply lying. Stopping large Government programs like welfare, Medicare and Affirmative Action, are not decided by the President alone. It would be an enormous task to discontinue any of these entitlements, and they would never pass even if suggested by a sitting President. Despite this fact, Trump’s current policies as a candidate for our country’s highest office, as well as his record as a businessman who hires people from every background, make clear he wants to help people not hurt them. Michelle Obama, suddenly believes Hillary Clinton is the most divine person to ever run for office in our nation’s history, despite a litany of previous statements when Clinton was challenging Obama for the nomination in 2008.
A Hillary Clinton Presidency. For the first time in the history of the United States of America, someone could get elected to our country’s highest office as someone who should be serving in time for prison. Here is one list to review, from fine veteran and former Florida Congressman Allen West. http://www.allenbwest.com/matt-palumbo/need-know-fbis-report-hillary
Even the New York Times is having to publish a smidgen of the multiple unethical or illegal activities Hillary Clinton has engaged in, however much they can polish it up.
The latest WikiLeaks shows what Democrat National Committee Chair Donna Brazile and Clinton both knew about people that were hired to disrupt Trump rallies and instigate fights with Trump supporters to make Trump voters look unhinged. Two 16-minute videos recently released by Project Veritas’ James O’Keefe after a yearlong undercover investigation can be seen here: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/oct/18/undercover-video-shows-democrats-saying-they-hire-/ Trump who has had thousands of people show up at his rallies, compared to Clinton and running mate Kaine, who consistently produce much smaller crowds, needed to have some kind of negative attachment to this spectacular story of turnout and attendance. This is what the Democrat hire, now fired, was sent out to do.
We would also have to deal with potential complications her husband-in-name-only, William Jefferson Clinton (D-42) would bring, who was impeached as President of the United States, lost his law license as a result, and was not without scandal. His social behavior patterns potentially make him problematic if put in the White House again even as the spouse of Executive-In-Chief.
Hillary’s record as Secretary of State, is also a problem. There is considerable hard evidence that shows Clinton’s actions and failures while serving as SOTS, doomed the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, to being brutally tortured and murdered, despite numerous appeals for help, at the hands of experienced Islamic soldiers, whom she claimed at the time were protestors who were enraged by an obscure video.
Her evident failures show her foreign policy would be a disaster, especially if her plan if elected is to continue as her predecessor, Barack Obama, she chooses to lead from behind, and continue to alienate the leaders of countries formerly on good terms with the United States. Rather than making amends with Russia’s President Putin, China or North Korea, perhaps Clinton could continue to give more millions to Iran to build nuclear weapons. The Iran Deal, struck by Obama, which involved bringing plane loads of cash secretly at night to Iran, could now easily be shared with terrorists like the Hamas by Islamic leaders. This deal, clearly a direct threat to Israel, is very likely unconstitutional, because it was a treaty and not a deal, that was never authorized by the United States Congress. http://www.nationalreview.com/article/438804/iran-ransom-payment-barack-obama-tried-be-sneaky
Obamacare, has gone further south in recent days, and the middle class are going to be punished with high rate increases to somehow work out now in their monthly budgets, whether they naively voted for Obama or not.
Clinton wants to bring into the United States a million Syrian Refugees. Even if one percent of these are ISIS soldiers, perceivably thousands of deaths could occur from assaults in schools to shopping malls, to airlines and skyscrapers.
The U.S. Military, gutted by Obama down to mere fractions of what it was under President Ronald Reagan, would continue to be weak under Clinton, who holds the same feelings as Obama about our armed forces and their role as international protectors throughout the world. Obama and Clinton also share the same general disdain for the police forces.
With this in mind, American citizens should be concerned about Second Amendment rights. The Democrat Party is obsessed with anti-gun legislation and regardless of what they say on camera when asked, they would be more than happy to see all guns taken away from countrymen who keep them to protect their homes against invasion, while they as elected officials, all have 24 hour security surrounding them and their families to ensure their safety. The hypocrisy never ends with Democrats.
As for the First Amendment, consider that gone, as well, if Clinton is elected. Conservative talk radio, newspapers, magazines, and blogs will all be stamped out like a mere spark in damp ground, whether through administrative decree or by the newly appointed Supreme Court justices who would now have a strong progressive majority. For those who direct films, produce television shows, record music, or write books whose message is deemed deplorable, this material will not be safe from Presidential intervention. For those whose message fits the liberal democrat agenda, this material will get the green light, and the privileged lifestyle of being driven around in limousines, flying around in private jets – using that horrible fossil fuel ostracized by the left – and living a life the majority of Americans and the rest of the world will never know. The press releases and public appearances that preach on the surface concern for those not as fortunate, will really just provide a fake exterior to the true interiors that hold a true dismissal of the have-nots who won’t ever get an invitation to spend the night in the Lincoln bedroom under a Clinton administration.
These final two weeks before Election Day, still show Trump talking to his large crowds about the issues and Clinton avoiding any of the issues or addressing the many scandals that surround her. She instead continues to go low and just insult her opponent Donald Trump at every appearance. Trump, with endless amounts of energy, continues to easily make four different campaign stops a day. Clinton, needed to take a week off before the third and final debate to prepare. Maybe she just doesn’t have the energy or the good bill of health only her own personal doctor has declared. Or, maybe she thinks she already has it in the bag, and is already disinterested in mingling with the general public.
GOP candidates for President 2016 (l-r) U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (FL-R), Businessman Donald Trump, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (TX-R) and Ohio Governor John Kasich {photo: ABC/AP}
FINAL Update II:
Missouri’s update today, March 17th, has the delegate counts with 99% reporting for Trump at 25, and Cruz at 5. A newer post by CNN within the hour, has just changed this total, that the numbers now from pledged delegates give Trump 25 to Cruz’s 15, out of 52 delegate’s total.
Missouri, the fifth and last state to report the Republican winner with numbers between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz just about even, announced Donald Trump as the winner with 40.9% of the total votes, and Ted Cruz right behind him at 40.7%. The amount of votes that gave Trump the win was 1,726. At this time, Trump earned Missouri’s 15 delegates, as well, and Cruz none.
Kasich came in with 9.9%. Despite Ohio being the only state Kasich has won so far, he maintains he is staying in the race until the national convention where the RNC delegates will choose who the nominee is going to be.
Delegate totals with this finish leave three out of the four participating candidates Tuesday night with these numbers:
Trump: 661 Cruz: 406 Kasich: 142.
Trump’s four-state win Tuesday night broadened the amount of delegate votes between the businessman and second-place candidate Texas Senator Cruz. Going into Tuesday, Trump led Cruz by 99 votes. Now his lead over Cruz is 255.
However, there are still 1,079 delegate votes to be gained for the needed 1,237 to secure the nomination assuming the convention remains uncontested. If contested, the rules committee, super-delegates and delegates can make changes that allow them to deliver a different outcome of who the Republican nominee will be, regardless of how many states and votes a candidate won from the people as their choice.
In the Democrat primary, the race between former N.Y. U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton and Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, which was also too close to call and nearly a tie, gave Clinton the win when all votes were counted by a very small margin, as with Trump and Cruz. Clinton received 49.6% to Sander’s 49.4%. Clinton came out on top with only 1,531 votes more than Sanders. They each picked up the same number of Missouri delegates with 32 each. Still, Clinton’s win of all five states is a poor sign for Sanders, but he plans to remain in the race as the democrat candidate strongly popular with the under-thirty voters.
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Update: With Missouri still undeclared at 99%, and Trump winning by a hair, here are the delegate totals as of tonight:
Trump: 619 Cruz: 394 Rubio: 167 Kasich: 136
Update: Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz takes the stage tonight in Houston, still waiting for a close race in Missouri to give him a win tonight. It is too close to call now. Former fellow Republican Presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, gave opening remarks as a campaign endorser.
Ted Cruz said if elected, he will take away welfare benefits from those here illegally, improve the economy and get rid of the cronyism in Washington surmising “less government is more freedom.” Cruz also said he would uphold the Second Amendment and gun owner rights, uphold the Constitution’s Bill of Rights, and stand by the nation of Israel. Unlike Trump, he pointed out he won’t try to negotiate the nuclear deal Obama made with Iran, but will “rip it to shreds.”
He added as President he will pass a flat tax, get rid of amnesty, and abolish the IRS. Cruz told supporters “enough with the Washington corruption,” and projected, “Together, we can turn things around.” He encouraged viewers to remember the Constitutional liberties that turned America around, and asked voters to come together and stand as one.
Cruz told supporters “enough with the Washington corruption,” and suggested, “Together, we can turn things around.” He told viewers to remember the Constitutional liberties that turned America around, and asked voters to come together and stand as one.
On the Democrat side, former First Lady Hillary Clinton, appears to have won all five states over her competitor Bernie Sanders, who has a lock on the under-thirty vote. Numbers were close between the two, in Illinois and Missouri. At this time, Sanders has a slight lead over Clinton in Missouri.
Regardless, as noted in this blog before, how many states or votes the Vermont U.S. Senator acquires, he will never get his party’s nomination. With Democrat super-delegates in a large majority, if not total, casting their votes for the previous Secretary of State in their national convention, they will assure her of the nomination she could not achieve when she competed with Barack Obama in 2008.
Update: Trump is the easily projected winner of Illinois and maintains a lead in North Carolina over Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.
Kasich wins Ohio, the state he governs, with 47% currently to Trump’s 35.9%, 95% reporting. An important win for the former Lehman Brothers’ investment banker (2001-2008), who has not won a state yet in all of the preceding primaries.
Update: Marco Rubio loses Florida to Trump
Marco Rubio loses Florida to Donald Trump except for Rubio’s own Miami-Dade county at 62%. Trump, with latest numbers showing his returns at 45% to Rubio’s 27%, won considerably in this important contest. Florida, Trump’s second home when not in New York, has created many jobs and businesses in Florida compared to the U.S. Senator who like all members of the Legislative Branch and their staff, are compensated through taxpayer money. Whether this was a factor or not, Rubio did make some notable comments before suspending his campaign tonight.
With opening remarks, he congratulated Trump for his win this evening. An audience participant yelled repeatedly at Rubio, and the Senator told him {Ed. Paraphrasing at this time} it was okay, he wouldn’t call the police and he didn’t have to worry about any violence here. His voters gave a strong chorus of support after this, chanting, “Marco! Marco! Marco!”
Reminding his audience of his upbringing, where his two parents fled communist Cuba to find freedom in Florida, and worked as a bartender and maid to give him the opportunity to one day, as an American born son, the opportunity to run for the office of President of the United States, he was proud his eighty-five year old mother could cast a ballot for him today for America’s highest office.
He commented on the economic state of the country, that since 2007, 2008, there has been a horrible downturn that has left many voters upset. He said he knew what it was like to live paycheck to paycheck, and grew up that way, where if the air conditioner broke, money had to be found somehow to fix it.
Rubio also noted that people are tired of hearing if they’re anti-illegal immigration, they’re bigots, and are tired of hearing from the self-called establishment elites who tell them what they should think.
Observing former esteemed President Ronald Reagan’s eleventh commandment that premised no republican should speak ill of any other republican, Rubio maintained this rule by not mentioning Trump directly, but by using sentences that started with the words “what we don’t need” and then referring to things that Trump has said throughout his campaign.
On policy, Rubio told the crowd that America needs a vibrant conservative movement, a strong military, and to keep its Judeo-Christian values that founded our country. He reflected that we were a country formed by descendants, from settlers, to pioneers who ventured west, and to slaves, and we should not lose this, or America won’t be special anymore. He observed, “When America doesn’t lead, it leaves a vacuum.” This vacuum, leads to chaos.
The results that will come in tonight from five big states will either determine the current front-runner in the Republican race, who is to become the party’s nominee by the people, which at this time is businessman Donald Trump, or the second place winner, Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who is still not far behind in popularity. It will also validate why Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and Ohio Governor John Kasich, should not suspend their campaigns, in their view, if they each manage to win their own states.
Both Florida and Ohio are delegate-take-all states, so a win for any candidate here would be a hefty boost, whether you’re in the upper numbers among delegate counts, like Trump and Cruz, or in the lower numbers, like Rubio or Kasich. The remaining three states, Missouri, North Carolina and Illinois have divided delegates, so portions of those counts can be distributed among any of the four candidates.
Going into today’s vote, Trump has the most delegates with 469; Ted Cruz about a hundred behind Trump has 370; Marco Rubio holds 163; and John Kasich comes in last with 63.
Of the five states up for grabs tonight, Florida has the most delegates at 99. North Carolina, which hasn’t had as much attention from the press, comes in second with 72. Illinois has 69, Ohio has 66 and Missouri has 52.
For the candidates who aren’t in first place, and two who need to win their states to maintain respectability among their constituents, Rubio said today on the stump, “We’re going to get the 99 delegates that we need…,”and remained positive that he will win his home state. Cruz said, “If Trump wins, it’s a disaster.” Cruz, who did not receive as much attention this cycle, due to two legislators needs to win their home states, still hopes to do well.
Kasich also said he believed he would win his state of Ohio, and in his view, would then go on to win many states and ultimately the party nomination. Even with a gain of 66 delegates, and the only state won so far under his belt, he would still be in last place.
Kasich also received some help going into this primary, from Republican Party nominee for President in 2012, Mitt Romney, who paid for two advertisements that were anti-Trump. He also made appearances on behalf of the Ohio Governor, in hopes to secure the win for anyone-but-Trump, and in this instance, John Kasich. As commentators have noted, myself included, if perhaps Mitt Romney had put this much energy into beating incumbent President Obama, America would be in a much better place today without four more years under the Obama administration and its failed policies.
Trump noted today at an event speech that as the nominee, we would win states no one ever thought would be possible to win. Traditional states that run blue, or Democrat, have shown a trend of cross-over party votes for Trump, which any Republican candidate will need to win the White House in 2016. However, he has not been performing well in the Midwest, which may give an edge to his competitors. This may or may not reflect on Trump solely as a candidate, as the bulk of the U.S. has never truly embraced a candidate from the Northeast.
What’s different this election, is Trump himself and his “Make America Great Again” message that is resonating with voters beyond party lines. This theme crosses state lines and appeals to many Americans today.
March 8th Republican primary candidates (l-r) Ted Cruz, John Kasich, Donald Trump, Marco Rubio {photo: Fox News}
Written by Juliana Simone
March 9th, 2016
With three states in the United States holding primaries March 8th, and a fourth, Hawaii, holding a caucus, more delegates were up for grabs among the remaining four Republican candidates for President: Businessman Donald J. Trump, Texas U.S. Senator Rafael Edward (Ted) Cruz, Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and Ohio Governor John Kasich. The state of Michigan had the largest delegate count at 59; Mississippi came in second at 40 delegates; Idaho, had 32 delegates. Hawaii, holding a caucus this evening, had 19 delegates for the Republican winner.
The Idaho primary was only for the Republican Party today. Democrat’s primary in Idaho will be held later. Statistically, less than one in ten voters are Democrat’s in the very red state of Idaho. Rubio visited Idaho three times, Cruz and Kasich twice. Trump did not visit Idaho to talk to their constituents.
After the results came in, Trump once again was the big winner. Michigan, the largest prize in terms of delegate counts for the candidates, voted strongly with 37.5% for Trump. A close second place went to Cruz who came away with 24.9%, while Kasich was edged out and placed third with 24.3% of the vote. Rubio placed fourth and last with 8.5%. Kasich had hoped to win his neighboring state of Michigan, for a much needed boost in a campaign that’s produced little results.
On the Democrat side, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders beat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton soundly, earning 50% to Clinton’s 17%, giving him his one win for the night. Michigan made it clear, regardless of party affiliation, they prefer the anti-establishment candidates to be the nominees.
Mississippi also preferred entrepreneur Donald Trump, with the highest total return of any Republican candidate in all four states, by achieving almost half the voters nod with 47.3%. Ted Cruz, again placed second, with a respectable 36.3%, almost the amount that won Michigan for Trump. Rubio finished at 5% and Kasich with 9%.
Idaho was the one state won by Senator Cruz, who got the second largest return after Trump’s win in Mississippi, at 45.4%. Trump, though second, had his lowest return at 28.1%. Still, even so, that’s a favorable outcome for the one candidate who did not make a campaign stop in this state. Senator Rubio, who visited Idaho three times, still came in well behind at third, with 15.9% of the vote, which was his only double digit return in the three primaries. Kasich, who made two trips here, as did Cruz, came in with 7%.
Why Trump didn’t visit Idaho, could be for a couple of reasons. One, either his campaign believed with Idaho being such a red state, they would vote for Trump as the frontrunner whether he visited or not, or two, intel told his campaign Idaho was so strongly for Cruz, it wasn’t worth a campaign stop on this tour.
The Hawaii caucus was the third win for Trump Tuesday evening out of the four voting states with delegates up for grab. Trump, with a big percentage of caucus members choosing him to be their choice for President, got 42.4%, the third highest return for any Republican seeking the nomination. Cruz, repeating the pattern of the evening, placed second with a respectable 32.9%. Rubio, came in third with 13.1%, the second time he was able to get above ten percent. Kasich received 11%.
Still, despite the popularity of Donald Trump with the voters, he did not sweep the delegate counts as easily. As a result, the delegate rewards were split more evenly, which brought Senator Cruz closer to Trump in terms of total delegate counts to date.
Michigan, the most sought after reward for the evening that went to Trump, had split results among the delegates, giving the winner twenty-five delegate votes, but then seventeen votes also went to both Cruz and Kasich, with none for Rubio.
Mississippi, with the largest percentage for Trump out of the four states participating, delegates divided their results between Trump and Cruz. Twenty-five went to Trump; fifteen went to Cruz. Kasich and Rubio did not receive any.
Idaho, Cruz’s big win, received the majority of delegate votes at twenty, but twelve still went to Trump. Again, despite the campaign stops both Kasich and Rubio made here, they both failed to earn one delegate.
Hawaii delegates – Trump – 10; Cruz- 6; Rubio and Kasich – 0.
Going into yesterday’s primaries, Trump had the most delegates at a total of 384. Ted Cruz, who did well on Super Tuesday, was now is a closer second, at 300 delegates. Marco Rubio had a count of 151 and John Kasich held 37.
Last night’s returns leave the four Republican candidates with these current totals:
Trump: 458; Cruz: 359; Rubio: 151; and Kasich: 54. Cruz, now is 99 delegates behind Trump. Before Tuesdays four state returns, Cruz was 84 votes behind Trump. The numbers remain close between the New York businessman and the Texas Senator.
Today, former businesswoman, Carly Fiorina, who was one of the original seventeen Republicans seeking the party nomination, endorsed U.S. Senator Cruz. No surprise she would choose Cruz over Trump, after the ill feelings that grew between Trump and Fiorina in the early debates.
Speaking of ill feelings, former candidate Jeb Bush, who went into this race from the beginning with the largest amount of money raised and an important family behind him, with his loss in South Carolina, New Hampshire and Iowa in February 2016, and low polling numbers for months, Bush suspended his campaign. It was announced yesterday, that now Jeb’s brother Neil, will be raising money for Ted Cruz, to help Cruz beat Trump.
There are 1,435 delegates left for the four candidates to win in their column, assuming all four candidates stay in the race, and Rubio and/or Kasich don’t suspend their campaigns. 1,237 are needed to win the national convention that is being held in Ohio.
Daily news reveals more facts that the Republican establishment continues to discuss how they can unseat Trump as the probable party nominee, and speak outwardly to the press against him. Former Massachusetts Governor and previous Republican Presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, who lauded the endorsement he received from Donald Trump when he was running against Democrat incumbent Barack Obama in 2012, came out last week in a press conference saying Trump was a fraud, a phony, and the worst choice for the 2016 nominee as a man he did not perceive to be a true conservative.
He also recorded a taped message for robo calls to be sent to voter’s phones in all four states Tuesday, which encouraged them to vote for any of the other three candidates than Trump, particularly Rubio. With the heavy losses Senator Rubio saw last night, Romney’s message didn’t show much influence. Romney keeps swinging though on his public campaign against Trump. He appeared on the night time talk show with host Jimmy Kimmel, to read some of the insulting tweets Trump had made about the former presidential candidate over Twitter. Though Romney kept his appearance light and took the remarks with a sense of humor and some fair rebuttal, it’s clear the democrats and competing Republican candidates, can count on Romney to keep hitting the frontrunner for them in any venue, given the opportunity.
Apparently, secret meetings are being held, as well, among Republican leadership where they discuss, one, how it can have happened that Trump is so popular and be the preferred nominee, and two, what can they do to take a perceived endorsement away from him. Some of these Republicans have said they will vote for former First Lady, N.Y. Senator and SOS Hillary Clinton before voting for Trump. (It should be noted Clinton was never a New York resident until she chose to run for the U.S. Senate after leaving the White House as First Lady…with quite a bit of furniture, and other White House antiques the Clinton’s felt fine with taking on their exit.)
Fox News Anchor, Megyn Kelly, still wore her personal distaste for Trump on her sleeve, (if she wore one) repeating comments Trump made in his press conference after the results from Mississippi and Michigan came in, with a sneer and a laugh.
Anyone over forty recognizes objective journalism is a thing of the past. Anchors have interjected themselves into a whole new persona, where in their minds, their remarks are more important than the people covered in their lead stories. Despite trying to lead the narrative for at least two decades, and sway the opinion of Americans who don’t follow politics 24/7, it must be frustrating to them to see they haven’t been able to dispose of successful businessman Donald Trump this far into the process.
From Florida, taking the podium to address his supporters last night, in a lengthy appearance, Trump took a higher road and said kinder comments about those who have said derogatory things about him over the past few weeks, including Romney and Kelly.
Plainly answering Mitt Romney’s attacks in his press conference the other day, he rebutted the negatives about some of his brand name spin-offs, such as Trump steaks, Trump water, Trump magazine and Trump University. {In re the latter, he explained in detail that Trump University was still in a lawsuit and explained he had been taught that when one was in a lawsuit, one never settled, because if one did, everyone then could sue.} He assured once the lawsuit was settled, Trump University would start up again and go on to be a success. He cited numbers from participants at TU, that were high up in the ninety percentile, that there was no reason to settle when that many people said it was a good experience.
He also mentioned in regards to his product, Trump Vodka, for the press to please check the records on how well it was doing. He added he owns two thousand acres in Virginia, close to the Jefferson estate, that produces the finest wines.
On the positive, Trump said statistics were showing people who had never voted before for a Republican, voted tonight for the first time. He then thanked the lobbyists for their influence on getting out the vote from this group. He also noted turnout was tremendous – 102% over a year ago.
He thanked golfer Jack Nicholas for his support and Ohio native former Yankee player Paul O’Neill, who endorsed Trump and was in the crowd. Trump is popular with other famous athletes, as well. New England Patriot Quarterback Tom Brady is a Trump supporter, as well as Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz. Brady even wears Trump’s baseball cap with the Trump slogan “Make America Great Again.”
He said he would like to congratulate all of the candidates – “it’s not easy stuff.” Trump said he hoped all of the House Representatives and Senators are re-elected despite whether they supported him or not. He thanked House Speaker Paul Ryan, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for his endorsement, as well as Arizona’s Maricopa County Sheriff, Joe Arpaio. Arpaio is another advocate for stopping the influx of illegal immigrants into the United States. Former Arizona Governor, Jan Brewer, has also endorsed Trump.
Arizona, a southwestern state, greatly affected by illegal immigration that bears the weight of this invasion every day, in terms of jobs, state assistance, education, crime, incarceration and drug cartels, would naturally support a candidate tough on securing America’s borders.
Donald Trump told the crowd and reporters that tonight’s primary results show, “advertising is not as important as competence.” In talking about U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, he said “he’s a nasty guy.” “Hostility works for some people; not for everybody” he noted when asked about Rubio and others who have recently attacked him. Looking back at his campaign, the billionaire remarked that every person who has attacked him is gone, and that out of seventeen candidates, we’re now down to four.
The victor also noted there’s never been more money spent than what is being spent now to take him down.
With big wins in Mississippi and Michigan, Trump said even Kelly and Charles Krauthammer said I did well tonight; he’s been waiting a long time to hear Charles say this. With Florida voting next, it’s an important last breath for Florida’s Senator Rubio to win, but with Florida being Donald Trump’s second home, and as a businessman whose provided many jobs there, it will be a tough challenge.
As for the second place winner, the Cruz campaign released the fact they only spent one thousand one hundred in advertising dollars in Michigan to come in second, while Rubio and Kasich spent the most. Rubio’s Conservative Solutions Super PAC spent 1.2 million to walk away with zero delegates. Kasich’s PAC spent $770,000. For the record, Trump spent far less at $184,000. for the win.
Cruz also has his sights on Florida, opening ten campaign offices there to get out the vote hoping to come in second over Senate colleague Rubio. The Florida primary will take place on March 15th and has 99 delegate votes. Rubio trailing Trump in the polls in his home state, could get a boost from former competitor for the nomination for President, and former Florida Governor, Jeb Bush, with his endorsement, but it is not expected for Bush to endorse his former colleague Rubio at this time.
Other states voting on March 15th, will be Kasich’s Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina and Missouri. The five states together have 358 delegates for the four candidates to earn. After this primary, it would be surprising to still see four candidates in the Republican race.
Former MA Governor and 2012 Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney
February 10, 2012
Written by Juliana Simone
Washington, D.C. – The Marshall Ballroom at CPAC 2012 is similar to a strip of beach with the tide flowing in and out at different peak hours. It ebbs and flows with the crowd according to whomoever is taking or leaving the stage. When a big draw comes on, attendees, press and campaign staff come crushing in to pack every imaginable corner of open space. After they leave, whole aisles of CPAC supporters stand up to walk out in single file and the droves who were standing in the back cram through the exit doors to leave first. The best thing about the duller moments in the CPAC agenda is the Wi-Fi suddenly flies at MACH speed. When the masses descend, the Wi-Fi lags dramatically, if not dropping the connection all together from the maximum capacity of users plugging their laptops into every imaginable outlet.
Though all of the Presidential candidates have had this effect the last couple of days, the two winners, if you will, were definitely Rick Santorum who preceded Mitt Romney, and then the former MA Governor himself who came on a short time after the former Senator. I will give Romney the win in terms of the media, who seemed to only have been here to see him, as they swarmed in like bees to double the amount of press in the media balcony and spill over onto the staircase filling each step and hanging against balcony rails. Since many of them were Main Stream Media reporters, they naturally looked pained to have received this assignment, wrote few notes, and made it clear they were unimpressed with his speech at the conclusion.
I write all this to preface the impact Romney had on the room when his speech came up on the schedule. For those who find him wooden or flat his magnetism was felt even if you prefer another candidate to Mitt. Even if its more physical than intellectual its charisma nevertheless. A keen businessman who does not apologize for his success, he recognized this was the room beyond most others where he had to emphasize the word conservative and make it clear he is indeed conservative despite what his distractors say. He made his case.
Amusing CPAC with his opening words, “Obama really is a good community organizer – and I want to thank him for this – but, I don’t think this is the community he hoped to organize” he declared with amusement. Laughter.
“This country we love is in jeopardy” he said changing tones. For two or three years we’ve suffered (under a) weak leader with bankrupt idealogy. “This is the last gasp of liberalism’s great failure. It’s not enough to show how they failed but to show how we will lead. Conservatives all agree departing from these founding principles would depart from our purpose. We’re not just proud to cling to our bibles and guns but to our constitution,” the candidate affirmed.
Government doesn’t exist just for the people but it’s been made a success by the people. Politicians have fallen under the spell of Washington. They begin to see government as the solution to every problem. Government knows better. Government can do better. Barack Obama is the poster child for the arrogance of government. Cheers. Romney pointed out this can be a nation of and by Washington or of and by a free people.
The former Governor told on-lookers my path to conservatism came from my family and my life’s work. He talked about his grandparents coming to America from England for a chance at religious liberty, how his father couldn’t finish college but worked hard in a car company (Chairman and CEO of AMC) to later become the Governor of Michigan, and how he met his wife Ann and had five fine sons. “These conservative constants have shaped my life.”
In talking about his career as a businessman he noted, “In business if you’re not a fiscal conservative you’re bankrupt.” (Applause) He said he became successful as a businessman by eliminating waste, balancing budgets, by starting new businesses, and turning away broken ones. “I’m not ashamed to say I was successful doing it,” he beamed to more applause.
Talking about his years as Governor of Massachusetts, he noted how he took office with the state in a three billion dollar deficit, had a 85% democrat majority in his legislature, cut taxes nineteen times, balanced the budget all four years he was Governor, made 800 vetoes, cut entire programs, and put two billion dollars in a rainy day fund before leaving office. “I served in government but I didn’t inhale,” he laughed. “I want to get my hands on Washington, D.C.”
Continuing his review of office in Massachusetts, once nicknamed “Taxachusetts” he said on his watch we prevented MA from becoming the Las Vegas of the marriage act. Romney says he believes marriage is defined by a relationship between a man and a woman.
“I was a severely conservative Republican Governor. I was on those front lines and expect to be again.” There are two choices for America. Candidates with two different backgrounds.
Leadership is sharing credit when things are good and taking responsibility when they’re not. Romney was proud to tell the audience he is the only candidate who hasn’t served a day in Washington. “To get America back on track we need bold and sweeping reform. We borrow forty cents of every dollar we spend. It’s reckless, immoral, irresponsible, and it will end under my Presidency.” He said before he agreed to spend any money he would first ask, can we afford it, and then can we really risk borrowing money from China to pay for it?
Ed.: This article written and reported by Juliana Simone, also appeared on Ameriborn News Network, a CT internet news site taken down in October 2015.
Businessman Donald Trump won seven states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia. The numbers vary, but according to the New York Times, Trump now has 319 delegates, gaining 237 Tuesday night. He was in the lead before Super Tuesday with 81 delegates from wins in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Iowa.
Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz won three: Alaska, Oklahoma and Texas. He now has 226 delgates, with a gain of 209. The state of Texas on Super Tuesday, had the largest amount of delegates to award at 155. Cruz, like Rubio, going into Super Tuesday were tied with 17 delegates each. It’s interesting Alaska went for Cruz, when their former Governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, had just endorsed Trump for President. But Cruz was also endorsed by Palin, and she stumped for his Senate win in Texas.
Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio finally won one something with a win in Minnesota, which was a caucus and not a primary. He also was able to inflate his flagging delegate numbers from 17 to 110 with Tuesday returns. He came in second in Virginia, losing to frontrunner Trump by 3%.
Kasich came in second in Vermont with 30% of the votes tallied after Trumps 33%. He gained six votes yesterday, coming into this important primary day with 19 delegate votes. He now has 25.
Revered Dr. Ben Carson did not win a state and with Super Tuesday had eight delegates, and gained three at the final count for a total of eleven delegates. These results produced a statement from his campaign released this afternoon:
I have decided not to attend the Fox News GOP Presidential Debate tomorrow night in Detroit. Even though I will not be in my hometown of Detroit on Thursday, I remain deeply committed to my home nation, America. I do not see a political path forward in light of last evening’s Super Tuesday primary results. However, this grassroots movement on behalf of “We the People” will continue. Along with millions of patriots who have supported my campaign for President, I remain committed to Saving America for Future Generations. We must not depart from our goals to restore what God and our Founders intended for this exceptional nation.
I appreciate the support, financial and otherwise, from all corners of America. Gratefully, my campaign decisions are not constrained by finances; rather by what is in the best interests of the American people.
I will discuss more about the future of this movement during my speech on Friday at CPAC in Washington, D.C.
So what do these results mean? For starters, the assault on Donald Trump by the RNC and its leadership, in addition to the state party leaders who quickly tow the line, is really a disgrace and more proof the Republican Party will never be able to pick the candidate who can actually win an election when it comes to our nations’ highest office. It’s more important to them to control the choice, regardless of what their actual registered voters believe, so they can maintain power and essentially keep their jobs.
This history with party leadership, is what has led the public to casting so many votes for any anti-establishment candidate. For those U.S. citizens paying attention, they are choosing Trump, to yes, as his campaign slogan states, “make America great again.” Tired of politics as usual, with the elected officials driving around in their limos, flying to events in chartered jets, staying safe with their security details, and living the high life on taxpayer’s dimes attending cocktail parties and cutting occasional ribbons at some local event to keep it real with their actual constituents, the general public is sick of this decades old pattern, and want someone from the outside who does not drink from this well.
The media has blatantly been against Trump from the beginning, way back to the first Republican Presidential primetime debate in August of 2015, with Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly foaming at the mouth on her first question to Trump. She addressed him believing she was still a prosecutor, not mentally making the transition she was now simply a debate moderator and journalist, who should not appear biased. Thinking their daily diatribe could quickly eliminate him that evening, or soon after time, they’ve dug deeper as his popularity has grown.
The only Republican candidate they perhaps despise more than Trump, is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who dropped out of the race for the nomination more recently. Christie, a strong, bright alpha-male who made it clear to the media on assuming office during his press conferences, he was not going to address their questions that bore only progressive agenda for a daily soundbite. As a result, they made a mountain out of a mole hill on a non-story, that involved a Christie staffer who organized two lanes on the Tappan Zee Bridge being closed for a short while during rush hour, when in the media’s view, the Mayor of Fort Lee, a Democrat, did not endorse Christie for President.
This high profile story dictated by the media, actually makes no sense since no Republican, or few and far between, would expect any Democrat to endorse the Republican candidate over their own party’s candidate for any office. Nevertheless, the staffer was fired, and Christie, who always maintained he knew nothing of the call to the DOT, was cleared of all charges in this small incident. The mainstreammedia, however, dragged it out for weeks as a top news story.
Guns still aimed at Christie, his endorsement of Trump couldn’t have been better news for the media’s narrative…it kept him in their sights while they were lamenting his pulling out of the race, so he could no longer be daily fodder for their vitriol.
To their delight, Christie stood behind Trump on stage Tuesday evening, which oddly allowed collective hours of commentary ensued on how Christie even appeared in the background. Totally bizarre. Rush Limbaugh noted this today, as well, during his nationally syndicated talk radio show, and asked, well, what was he supposed to do?
To anyone normal watching, obviously not jumping jacks. I suppose like so many anchors on network shows, the botox could have kicked in, and he could have worn a frozen smile or stern frown.
Voters should see what the media has done to Christie over his years in service as a Governor, a candidate for the President of the United States, and now colleague of Donald Trump, that this is what they will continue to do to anyone anytime unless things change in Washington. More importantly, voters should notice how there is hardly any equal time given to Democrat President nominee Hillary Clinton, who is laden with so many scandals, the dedicated broadcast time could fill at least a year of discussion.
Moving on to Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who is placing second in the Republican challenge, and like Trump, is controversial in that his party does not want him to get the nomination either, as someone who bucks the status quo of how things get done in Washington. Cruz, has his devoted fans and an education a minority of Americans will achieve. Most reading this piece know his history, as Canadian born to an American mother and Cuban father, a Harvard Law graduate who went on to be the captain of the Harvard debate team, earning the highest of praise from even Professor Alan Dershowitz, a staunch liberal,who publicly acknowledges Cruz is one of the best debaters he’s ever seen.
The negatives with Cruz today, are some foul play outcries from competing campaigns that say he has used social media, robo calls and public remarks to mislead voters prior to primary dates in hopes of switching their votes. His likability is also considered, as D.C. colleagues argue he does not get along with any of his fellow legislators and has few allies there. Cruz supporters would say this is a good thing. How this resonates with voters and delegates is a more serious concern.
Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, as of Super Tuesday, had the one state of Minnesota under his belt, interestingly the only state Ronald Reagan did not win in his landslide victory in 1984. For someone perceived by party insiders and Rubio himself, as the candidate most like Reagan, this is an odd note. Minnesota also chose Democrat candidate Bernie Sanders over the presumed nominee Hillary Clinton. Rubio is under-performing among voters despite the push he’s getting from Washington and party supporters. His answer to this, he told the press as polls closed, was it did not matter as only the delegate count at the Republican convention mattered, so he was staying in the race because it was up to the delegates to pronounce the nominee, not the people.
This comment, illustrates how voters in terms of party nominees, have little to do with who the nominee is that appears on the ballot. In published stories weeks ago, former First Lady, New York State Senator and SOS Hillary Clinton, already had the Democrat superdelegates sewn up in the bag, so it ultimately didn’t matter how much of the youth vote competitor Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders had, or how many states he eventually wins during the primary process. He will not win the nomination at the National Democrat Convention. The fix is in for Hillary and had been before Bernie even knew that much about the process.
The question is, will Sanders supporters roll over in the traditional democrat way regardless of outcome, and just say, ‘okay, not happy it’s not Bernie, but we’ll just vote for Hillary instead.’
1,237 delegate votes are needed at the Republican Convention. Although even higher numbers were expected for Trump on Super Tuesday, he still was way ahead of any contender even with the RNC and their state leaders nipping at his heels.
In terms of funding, anyone who has ever worked or volunteered for a campaign, or their state party, a primary argument for choosing a nominee is always the money – who has the most funds or can raise the most funds to use them to get elected?
Many unqualified candidates have been given the nod because they could bankroll their campaign regardless of outcome. Additionally, the usual party insiders with multiple lost races on their resumes, can be rehired or business contracts can be signed that will leverage support and votes.
With Trump, within the Republican Party, has anyone heard mention of how much money he has to spend? How he could even top the Clinton’s with all of their questionable donations to their foundation and typical donators like George Soros and other liberals? The only large treasure chest the public ever heard about on the Republican side was former Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s, who spent over one hundred million dollars for naught.
He had the Bush family influence behind him, but in regards to the so-called political wizards backing him, they somehow failed to recognize what the general public did. In a Bush vs. Clinton race, Clinton would win – no matter how damaged a candidate she is, for two reasons.
One, the mainstream media hammered the Bush name for years, tarnishing it among the younger generations and uniformed voters, however wrongful the message was, and two, the mainstream media will never hammer the Clinton’s on the innumerable crimes, lies and corruption under any elected office they’ve held, or Hillary alone on anything unethical that’s plagued her throughout her career even before ever going to Washington.
For once, the Republican Party establishment needs to stop meddling with the nominee and start endorsing the candidate favored by the public. Their current excuse for not standing behind Trump is because if he wins the nomination, the U.S. Senate and Congress will lose the majority’s they hold today. But to anyone who follows politics, we’ve seen the majority gifted to these legislators in the past two elections, has amounted to little to nothing.
The power they were bestowed they did not act upon, and left them lamely and publicly shrugging their shoulders, basically asking, what can we do? So, this argument holds no water at all. Ultimately, it just sounds like they’re worried about keeping their jobs and the luxurious lifestyle that goes along with it. So much for “We the people…”
The momentum from the GOP establishment to stop Trump is in full swing.
Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, competition for the nomination for President with Trump, spent every moment speaking in public up to Super Tuesday, insulting Donald Trump with words and comments that made him look anything but Presidential. With catty remarks about Trump’s bad spray tan and small hands, he also continually calls the successful businessman and Wharton Business School grad, a con-artist. Rubio, is not problem free and should have taken a higher road to appeal to the public.
On Super Tuesday, House Speaker Paul Ryan, came out publicly to pick up the media’s latest anti-Trump message that former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke had endorsed him, and basically say the Republican Party could not have anyone as their nominee who did not reject any group that is built on bigotry, as the party of Lincoln. The story turned out to be false, like so many mainstream media attack pieces, with Duke himself saying he’d never even endorsed Trump. Regardless, Trump said innumerable times in every venue, including a press conference he disavows any endorsement from Duke.
This Thursday morning, 2012 Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney, also took a turn at trying to tear Trump down from becoming the nominee, and urged voters to vote for three good candidates still in the race: Rubio, Cruz or Kasich. “Dishonesty is Donald Trump’s homework,” Romney said, giving examples of contradicting statements the front-runner has made on what he’s supported over the years. Romney scolded Trump for his insults, conduct, use of profanity, and lack of conservatism.
Donald Trump greets Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, after announcing his endorsement of Romney during a news conference, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Romney has demanded Trump release his tax returns. Romney said it’s an issue to him personally, since he was repeatedly asked to produce his tax returns when he was running. In tweets on Twitter, Romney has called Trump a phony and a fraud and claims his domestic policies would put the nation into recession. One tweet included this: “He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill.”
Critics of Romney making these tweets and calling for this press conference today, wonder why Romney never came out this strongly against his Democrat opponent in 2012, Barack Obama, and if he had, maybe he’d be President today and would have spared the country of four more years of Obama’s bad policies.
Remember when Romney was running for President, he was happy to receive Donald Trump’s endorsement and had completely contrary things to say about Trump at that time, in that they were all positive. For me, Romney is just another Republican doing the Democrat’s work for them and another who failed to honor Reagan’s eleventh commandment where no Republican should speak ill or another Republican.
We’ll have to see what else Washington will pull out of their hat next as they continue to attack the popular front-runner. An older argument the GOP maintains today, is that Trump’s background is a problem. I’ll take his background over Hillary Clinton’s any day.
Lastly, “likability.” A very important component to anyone who knows or works in politics and something that still holds fast and true. If you don’t have it, it does not matter how long your resume is, how many colleagues you have in D.C., how much money you have, or how hard you try…the public either likes you or they don’t. True, Trump has his haters, but Clinton certainly does, too. As the only Republican candidate bringing in cross-over votes from democrats and independents, which are unquestionably needed to win the general election in November, clearly he has many more supporters than adversaries.
Commentary and Rhetoric from Politics to Entertainment
In My Vue 