Rachel Maddow last night was perplexed by him signing it-after all, she reasoned he had risen to the top and stayed there for 3 months while not promising he wouldn't go third party.
But this is what she is missing.
1. Reince Priebus and the RNC had been talking about making a pledge a requirement to get on the ballot of certain states.
2. Trump now takes this issue off the table and maybe gains some extra support as there have been some Republicans at the rallies who have told him it bothers them that he won't take the pledge.
3. But even in the announcement of his pledge yesterday he talked about the RNC and Preibus treating him fairly. 'The Republican party has been fair.' He declared.
But this talk of fairness gives him an out. If he ends up deciding they haven't been so fair he can always back out of it-and I think that third of voters supporting him right now will give this choice their blessing. After all, the RNC didn't' treat Trump fairly.
Donald Trump and Reince Priebus have a deal.
The Republican front-runner announced at a news conference on Thursday that he signed the loyalty pledge the GOP sought and will support the eventual Republican nominee, whoever that may be.
"The deal, which was announced after a private meeting with Priebus in New York regarding a party-sponsored pledge that candidates will support the nominee, is a winner for Trump. In the short term, it clears the way for his name to appear on primary ballots and addresses the concerns of Republican voters turned off by his initial unwillingness to pledge his fealty to the party.
And if he changes his mind down the road, the party has no legal power to block Trump from reversing course and making an independent presidential bid.
"I just wanted fairness from the Republican Party," Trump said. "I will be totally pledging my allegiance to the Republican Party, and the conservative principles for which it stands."
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/trump-will-sign-gop-loyalty-pledge-213302#ixzz3kl21fLQk
So the GOP has to be careful it doesn't do anything unfair between now and April or May of next year. But they may have to as they really don't want him on the ballot.
Which will then lead to a third party bid. So I don't know that Trump gives away anything here and he gains a lot.
But this is what she is missing.
1. Reince Priebus and the RNC had been talking about making a pledge a requirement to get on the ballot of certain states.
2. Trump now takes this issue off the table and maybe gains some extra support as there have been some Republicans at the rallies who have told him it bothers them that he won't take the pledge.
3. But even in the announcement of his pledge yesterday he talked about the RNC and Preibus treating him fairly. 'The Republican party has been fair.' He declared.
But this talk of fairness gives him an out. If he ends up deciding they haven't been so fair he can always back out of it-and I think that third of voters supporting him right now will give this choice their blessing. After all, the RNC didn't' treat Trump fairly.
Donald Trump and Reince Priebus have a deal.
The Republican front-runner announced at a news conference on Thursday that he signed the loyalty pledge the GOP sought and will support the eventual Republican nominee, whoever that may be.
"The deal, which was announced after a private meeting with Priebus in New York regarding a party-sponsored pledge that candidates will support the nominee, is a winner for Trump. In the short term, it clears the way for his name to appear on primary ballots and addresses the concerns of Republican voters turned off by his initial unwillingness to pledge his fealty to the party.
And if he changes his mind down the road, the party has no legal power to block Trump from reversing course and making an independent presidential bid.
"I just wanted fairness from the Republican Party," Trump said. "I will be totally pledging my allegiance to the Republican Party, and the conservative principles for which it stands."
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/trump-will-sign-gop-loyalty-pledge-213302#ixzz3kl21fLQk
So the GOP has to be careful it doesn't do anything unfair between now and April or May of next year. But they may have to as they really don't want him on the ballot.
Which will then lead to a third party bid. So I don't know that Trump gives away anything here and he gains a lot.
Rival campaigns, however, were already griping about the very idea of a pledge, with one adviser saying many of the campaigns have ridiculed the RNC's loyalty oath among themselves. "We're all going to sign it, but it's meaningless because it's not binding,and Trump is going to do whatever he wants anyway. And to see Reince standing up there next to the guy who has destroyed his autopsy, it's just ridiculous."
Trump, who has led the GOP field in poll after poll, has long viewed the threat of a third-party candidacy as priceless leverage—and even used that word when he refused to take such a pledge in the first debate, on Aug. 6. But he agreed to the pledge to avoid complications in getting listed on primary ballots, and to take away an attack line in the next debate, a close associate told POLITICO.
His decision is a sign that he increasingly wants to show his campaign is real and not a stunt. The magnate is also trying to make that point by adding staff in key states, issuing position papers, and pursuing access to primary ballots throughout the country.
“It’s purely political. From what I’ve seen there are no legal ramifications,” said Larry Noble, senior counsel at the Campaign Legal Center. “There are no penalties for not doing it, and I’m not sure what they could do to him other than make a political issue of it.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/trump-will-sign-gop-loyalty-pledge-213302#ixzz3kl9CtNKV
Yes, the optics of it-Trump and Priebus standing together are rich. The 'autopsy' comment makes sense when you look at the latest poll.
http://www.monmouth.edu/assets/0/32212254770/32212254991/32212254992/32212254994/32212254995/30064771087/6f102b2c-508f-4bc3-8cd9-6f650f4bcc3a.pdf
For more on the Trump pledge, a couple of good pieces at Plum Line, one from Paul Waldman, one from Greg Sargent.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/09/03/what-the-rncs-pathetic-loyalty-pledge-says-about-the-gop/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/09/03/donald-trump-snookers-the-gop-establishment-again/
Trump, who has led the GOP field in poll after poll, has long viewed the threat of a third-party candidacy as priceless leverage—and even used that word when he refused to take such a pledge in the first debate, on Aug. 6. But he agreed to the pledge to avoid complications in getting listed on primary ballots, and to take away an attack line in the next debate, a close associate told POLITICO.
His decision is a sign that he increasingly wants to show his campaign is real and not a stunt. The magnate is also trying to make that point by adding staff in key states, issuing position papers, and pursuing access to primary ballots throughout the country.
“It’s purely political. From what I’ve seen there are no legal ramifications,” said Larry Noble, senior counsel at the Campaign Legal Center. “There are no penalties for not doing it, and I’m not sure what they could do to him other than make a political issue of it.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/trump-will-sign-gop-loyalty-pledge-213302#ixzz3kl9CtNKV
Yes, the optics of it-Trump and Priebus standing together are rich. The 'autopsy' comment makes sense when you look at the latest poll.
http://www.monmouth.edu/assets/0/32212254770/32212254991/32212254992/32212254994/32212254995/30064771087/6f102b2c-508f-4bc3-8cd9-6f650f4bcc3a.pdf
For more on the Trump pledge, a couple of good pieces at Plum Line, one from Paul Waldman, one from Greg Sargent.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/09/03/what-the-rncs-pathetic-loyalty-pledge-says-about-the-gop/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/09/03/donald-trump-snookers-the-gop-establishment-again/
Interesting view.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I'm sure you must be aware of Trump's Hugh Hewitt interview. Jennifer Rubin was quick to pick up on it.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2015/09/04/in-radio-interview-trump-shows-what-a-know-nothing-he-really-is/
And I saw this too, which had some good background information on him:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/04/who-is-hugh-hewitt/
Way back in the the early 90s (and perhaps earlier) I used to listen to Hewitt on KFI, an Los Angeles based radio station. It's been years since I listened to commercial radio stations, so maybe he's still on.
Now Trump is reacting:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/09/04/donald_trump_slams_third_rate_radio_announcer_hugh_hewitt_after_bombing_mideast_quiz.html
So much fun!
Ideal outcome: Limbaugh lays into Hewitt for being a pointy headed RINO elitist and shill for the Trump-hating establishment.
DeleteYes I know Hewitt and clearly he is an establishment shill. He really is I'm not kiidding about that.
DeleteFor the most part any Tea Party person with credibility can't be anti Trump
Limbaugh wouldn't call Hewitt out by name though it's not his MO-he believes in Reagan's 11th Commandment-never attack another Republican.