The pickings are slim as so many leading GOPers don't want their reputations totally sullied by association.
"Donald Trump has promised to make the Republican Convention in Cleveland a star-studded production only a casino mogul and reality television star could deliver. But, more than a dozen GOP senators – many of whom are facing their own re-elections back home–are skipping the festivities."
"Of the 54 Republican senators, 16 have announced they won't be going to Cleveland and six more have yet to make a final decision."
"It's a highly unusual year with more than a dozen lawmakers missing out on what is typically a major event for incumbent senator. It had been 16 years since Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) missed a GOP convention, McClatchy reported in May. But with a tough election back home and public association with the party's presidential nominee considered by many to be a liability, Blunt along with a larger contingent of senators are staying away."
"But senators up for re-election are not the only ones who have said they will forgo the formal coronation of Donald Trump. Senators who have been critical of Trump have offered some of the most entertaining explanations for what they plan to do instead of the convention."
"Sen. Sasse will not be attending the convention and will instead take his kids to watch some dumpster fires across the state, all of which enjoy more popularity than the current front-runners,” a spokesman for Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) told reporters.
"Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who was personally attacked by Trump during a meeting with senators near Capitol Hill last week, announced he had some important household chores to attend to.“I’ve got to mow my lawn," Flake told the Associated Press."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/here-are-all-the-gop-senators-skipping-their-convention
I've got to mow my lawn. That's got to be the best reason to not show up yet.
In other news: with the revelations coming out about just what a bad guy Roger Ailes is, when does going on Fox News become as toxic a thing for one's reputation as attending the Trump Convention?
http://www.politico.com/media/story/2016/07/after-ailes-004660
Democrats should demand that Trump refuse to appear on Fox News as long as Ailes is running the station.
Imagine that: Ailes is so toxic, he stains Trump by association-usually it's the opposite, Trump is the stainer rather than the stainee.
"Donald Trump has promised to make the Republican Convention in Cleveland a star-studded production only a casino mogul and reality television star could deliver. But, more than a dozen GOP senators – many of whom are facing their own re-elections back home–are skipping the festivities."
"Of the 54 Republican senators, 16 have announced they won't be going to Cleveland and six more have yet to make a final decision."
"It's a highly unusual year with more than a dozen lawmakers missing out on what is typically a major event for incumbent senator. It had been 16 years since Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) missed a GOP convention, McClatchy reported in May. But with a tough election back home and public association with the party's presidential nominee considered by many to be a liability, Blunt along with a larger contingent of senators are staying away."
"But senators up for re-election are not the only ones who have said they will forgo the formal coronation of Donald Trump. Senators who have been critical of Trump have offered some of the most entertaining explanations for what they plan to do instead of the convention."
"Sen. Sasse will not be attending the convention and will instead take his kids to watch some dumpster fires across the state, all of which enjoy more popularity than the current front-runners,” a spokesman for Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) told reporters.
"Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who was personally attacked by Trump during a meeting with senators near Capitol Hill last week, announced he had some important household chores to attend to.“I’ve got to mow my lawn," Flake told the Associated Press."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/here-are-all-the-gop-senators-skipping-their-convention
I've got to mow my lawn. That's got to be the best reason to not show up yet.
In other news: with the revelations coming out about just what a bad guy Roger Ailes is, when does going on Fox News become as toxic a thing for one's reputation as attending the Trump Convention?
http://www.politico.com/media/story/2016/07/after-ailes-004660
Democrats should demand that Trump refuse to appear on Fox News as long as Ailes is running the station.
Imagine that: Ailes is so toxic, he stains Trump by association-usually it's the opposite, Trump is the stainer rather than the stainee.
Mike, you've got to read this TheResurgent.com piece by Jason Taylor: it's VERY good, expressing my sentiments almost exactly (Hmmm, maybe that's why it's good? Lol) and folding in Trump, the GOP, Obama Derangement Syndrome (although he doesn't call it that), Sarah Palin, birtherism, and even recent post-Brexit developments. Enjoy!:
ReplyDeletehttp://theresurgent.com/an-atmosphere-ripe-for-republican-party-implosion/
Jason was already in the running for my favorite TheResurgent.com author since he was one of the few (perhaps the only one?) to implicitly endorse Hillary over there (his counterpart at RedState.com being Ben Howe, whom I haven't seen write much since over there... Hmmm). I like Leon H. Wolf at RedState too (since his articles are 80% Trump bashing to 20% Clinton or other Democrat bashing, which is a pretty good mix), but I don't think Leon has actually written that he's going to support Clinton. Nor has Josh, but Josh was quite explicit that the lesser of two evils is Clinton, so I'll take that as an endorsement (I think he wrote something like "Do you want a grown woman or a man-child?"). Ben Howe actually wrote that he's supporting Clinton. Meanwhile Erickson (and most of the rest at both RedState and TheResurgent) continue with the fiction that Clinton and Trump are equally evil. In fact I think Erickson has lost his marbles a bit, saying he now officially endorses the conspiracy theory that Trump is running to get Clinton in the WH... a theory he refers to in his latest piece with the great title and illustration:
The only way to explain Donald Trump’s behavior since May is to view him as intentionally trying to help Hillary Clinton get elected. And we must not let that happen.
Personally I just think Erickson is suffering from Stage II Hillary Derangement Syndrome... my guess being that he's had to suffer the slings and arrows of fellow Republicans and conservatives for months now for being solidly #NeverTrump... and it's finally driven him over the edge. He's so tired of defending himself on that score (probably from the simple straightforward attack of #NeverTrump = #ImWithHer), that he's adopted this delusional defense of "No! He's a Clinton plant!!! Don't you see??" Lol. I'll give him credit for banning conspiracy theories from his sites, but now that he's embraced one he really does sound pathetic. He pointed out the irony of this himself in a piece last week.
--------------------
TL;DR version: read this, you'll like it:
http://theresurgent.com/an-atmosphere-ripe-for-republican-party-implosion/
Ok Tom, I will read it.
ReplyDeleteYour discussion of Harding reminded me to write about Sumner's book King Midas.
Here is the result of that.
http://lastmenandovermen.blogspot.com/2016/07/a-review-of-scott-sumners-king-midas.html
Re: Fox News: it's been hilarious for me to see all the grumbling on RedState and TheResurgent about Fox and their unabashed Trump-boosterism. That was the case even before this Ailes story broked, and it was a common theme among both the authors and the commenters. Paraphrasing their hilarious grumblings, they sound something like this:
ReplyDeleteI never watch Faux News anymore. What a sad joke they are! "Fair and Balanced"... Bullshit!... that place has really sold it's soul with their shameless 24/7 one-sided pro-Trump propaganda this past year
The funny part is "this past year." Lol... all their complaints about Fox are applicable to what they've been doing over there from day 1, not just this last year!
Donald and Hobbes:
ReplyDeletehttps://imgur.com/gallery/nw9TX
Trump in more trouble regarding the convention:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.redstate.com/absentee/2016/07/11/war-dump-trump-leader-claims-votes-free-delegates-others-move-block-vp/
I have my problems with BLM, but this is disgraceful stuff from the other side (Horowitz):
ReplyDeletehttp://www.frontpagemag.com/point/263452/attack-everything-blue-dallas-blm-terrorists-daniel-greenfield
Well anything from Horowitz...
DeleteRegarding BLM, I don't agree with all their tactics by a long way. I was surprised that the Louisiana policy arrested Deray McKesson.
Was that deliberate or by chance? Because arresting him of all people is going to be very high profile
Trigger happy cops kill another white guy:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/08/06/an-unarmed-white-teen-was-shot-dead-by-police-his-family-asks-where-is-the-outrage/?tid=hybrid_experimentrandom_3_na
It's a fair point. Sometimes you get the impression that if you're white, you never have any problems with the police. Not quite that easy
DeleteIt also puts to the lie the die hard cop defenders (like Horowitz & pals, end even some at Erickson's sites) that it's impossible cops engage in wrongful shootings. Yes, it happens and sometimes the people are black (and in fact, it's statistically a bigger % of blacks shot than blacks in the population).
DeleteEvan Bayh gets back in:
ReplyDeletehttp://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/287206-report-evan-bayh-to-run-for-senate
Bayh. Don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. What would make it a good thing is if he's the best Democrat to win.
ReplyDeleteErickson takes it as a sign: and tries to scare fellow Republicans with it (just one more reason they should boo Trump out of the convention hall according to Erick):
Deletehttp://theresurgent.com/evan-bayh-returns-democrats-now-certain-trump-kills-the-gop/
Matt Yglesias says it's a bad thing:
Delete"Mike Pence! Evan Bayh! It’s a huge week for Indiana politicians nobody likes."
https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/752529222183378944