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Weekend Political Wrap-Up, Paul Ryan Edition
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Esquire Blogger Sees Paul Ryan, Shreds His Safety Net
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The Spectacle Blog
Yesterday I noted a poll that showed Donald Trump at 10 percent in a national Republican presidential preference poll. He seems to take support about equally from Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, and Ron Paul. Aside from Tim Pawlenty, they are the only candidates with noticeable pockets of support. So this has raised questions about whether a Trump campaign would be more than a publicity stunt. I’m skeptical for the following reasons.
1. How liquid is Trump? In determining how financially competitive Trump would be with Romney, the key figure isn’t net worth. It’s how much ready cash he has to spend on a presidential campaign. There are good reasons to question whether Trump is really in a position to drop that much dough on a presidential campaign.
2. How conservative is Trump? The last time he flirted with a presidential bid, Trump floated the idea of a wealth tax and criticized social conservatives. Since then, he has tacked to the right on a number of issues and talked about Obama’s birth certificate. Does this guy stand for anything?
3. Are Republicans ready to go the celebrity route? Conservatives have a habit of criticizing liberal celebrities for their political pronouncements — “Shut up and sing,” as Laura Ingraham puts it — and then latching on to any B-list celebrity who expresses a conservative opinion or endorses a Republican candidate. But Donald Trump isn’t Chuck Norris or Ted Nugent. He’s a Paris Hilton/Britney Spears-style celebrity. I’m not sure that would sit well with the Republican primary electorate.
4. Would he really want to disclose his assets and other financial information? Financial disclosure is often a major sticking point for for super-wealthy candidates and it has deterred celebrities from running for office before. If Trump somehow got elected, I doubt he would want to put everything into a blind trust. That didn’t work out so well for Jimmy Carter.
5. We’ve been down this road before. Jesse Ventura tried to recruit Trump to run for the Reform Party presidential nomination in 2000. Trump left the GOP the same day Pat Buchanan did in 1999, setting the stage for a contest where the Ventura faction of the party would back Trump and the Ross Perot faction would back Buchanan. The early indicators had Buchanan beating Trump, who consequently decided not to run. Both Ventura and Trump left the Reform Party. Buchanan and Trump eventually both returned to the GOP.
Now if you can’t buy the nomination of a minor political party, which was by then in decline, and beat a candidate who was no longer at the peak of his popularity and was threatening to transform the Reformers from a centrist party into a right-wing one, it’s hard to see you being able to buy the Republican nomination. Much less beat established candidates who are in line with the GOP platform.
Alan Brooks| 3.24.11 @ 10:32AM
Trump is too honest to be president. I saw him on TV and he was saying exactly what he thought. Why, that's practically subversive. Naturally, when you are as high up as Trump is, you can say what you want-- IF you want to. And if you dump your wife for Marla Maples, you can say "adultery is no sin", and get away with it-- because you are so high up, of course.
Oldefarte| 3.24.11 @ 11:42AM
Oh, you mean like HILLYBILLY?????????
Will| 3.24.11 @ 10:58AM
Never could take the guy and his evil hair, but since I heard that he went on television and (drumroll) asked "the question", I'm beginning to rethink my opinions.
Kenny| 3.24.11 @ 11:03AM
Trump is a salesman, if not an out-and-out huskester.
And politically speaking, Trump would be more at home in the Libertarian Party that in the GOP which is heavily tilted towards social conservatives.
Mike| 3.24.11 @ 11:32AM
Trump can not win, period.
Oldefarte| 3.24.11 @ 11:40AM
Although his fiscal/business ability to make precise decisions would be a plus, he'd no doubt get slaughtered by those critical of his social/marriage agenda; and as stated, who knows what his political philosophies are. Similarly, the NY businessman Republican who ran for governor had this decision making ability, but got caught in the Democrats' crosshairs over his honest speech/proclamations. Trump would be good as an appointed presidential czar-type tasked with defecit/debt reduction policies [and behind the political scenes], but not as a presidential candidate!!!!!!!!!
Conservative View| 3.24.11 @ 11:56AM
My first reaction to the idea of D. Trump running for President was something between a snort and a laugh. But, then, I thought about it a little. Sure, he is one hell of a self permoter. Sure, he has "sinned" in the past. Sure, he has trouble with wives. But then - - -
What are the real problems faceing our country today? First, we are out of money. We're broke, busted, all but bankrupt. But Donald has been bankrupt. He knows what needs to be done to turn things around. He perhaps more than anyone whoes hat is in the ring knows how it feels.
Second problem facing our country, the Mid East. Here is a man that has delt with them. He knows them. He rented Gaddiffi a nice plot of land, and then told the bastard he couldn't put up his tent. He knows how to make them back down.
Third problem; a contentious congress. Here too Donald has job skills that help. He has bargined with Unions from day one. If Congress is tough to deal with, try NYC unions.
Then there is this. Donald has an inate ability to judge character and hire people from the start that can get the job done. We have advise and concent in America, so his choices for critical positions will be vetted like crazy, but his choices are likely not to be political pay offs but rather choices of people that can get it done. He is not a man that accepts fools or failure from those he hires.
I was struck by a comment in this blog. That Donald is "too honest" to be President. Hummmm. Perhaps what the American voter is hungry for is honesty. We have been lied to all too often by professional politicans.
So, if he runs what then? I don't know. The down side to Donald is his own self promotion, his family troubles, his past. The upside to Donald, he just might have the skills necessary for the job. We are seeing what happens when we ellect a dishonest politician with few if any skills to the position of president. Perhaps we might think a little bit about electing a "smooth operator" who has proven over and over again that he does. In any event, if he runs, it's going to be interesting for us all.
Abigail Adams| 3.24.11 @ 11:18PM
The down side of Donald is that he is not a Conservative; merely having some conservative views does not make him a Conservative. He is involved w/ Chicago politics, he donates to Chicago politics, and he's involved w/ Rahm Emanuel and his brother Ari. He "explains" his Chicago political donations, but explanation is merely an excuse. If doing business in Chicago necessitates donating to Chicago politics, then do business elsewhere.
tonypal| 3.24.11 @ 12:43PM
He probably has no shot at the nomination, but I love that he's out there saying what few others have the guts to say. I'm not really into this birth certificate stuff, as I see it as a distraction that may ultimately hurt any republican nominee. But I'm all for Trump whaling away, so let's encourage the guy to do the dirty work that we all wish others would undertake.
Big Java| 3.24.11 @ 12:53PM
Just remember how good Schwarzenegger was for Kalefoneah...
Casey Abell| 3.24.11 @ 1:26PM
Trump does know one thing: there's no GOP frontrunner. His faux candidacy is a good way to remind everybody else of this fundamental political fact.
I can actually see Trump getting a respectable finish in flinty (or granite-y) New Hampshire. Iowa is hopeless unless Donald gets born again in a hurry. He won't be the nominee, but he could provide some entertainment.
LiveFreeOrDie| 3.24.11 @ 1:27PM
People are growing weary of the career, elitist politician from either party. This is why (I believe) the left was so quick to attack and continue to attack Sarah Palin on any and all fronts. It's because she seemed to like a "real" person that regular people can relate to. Does Trump have a shot? Probably not but most people were surprised by the support he's had so far so who knows. Crazier things have happened and ridiculous people have been elected before. Obama for example.
Reid| 3.24.11 @ 8:35PM
Trump twisted the results of the polls and surveys he referred to on The View. Those polled rated Egypt and labor unions more favorable than Trump. Read more at: www.apleblog.com
http://apleblog.com/2011/03/24.....nd-faults-–-trump-at-his-best/
Abigail Adams| 3.24.11 @ 10:10PM
There are some things that I like, even admire about Donald Trump; he does have wisdom in some areas. However, I would never vote for him for my President because of his ties w/ both of the Emanual brothers. I cannot vote for any person who donates money to Rahm Emanuel; Mr. Trump also donated to Chicago politics because he "has projects there and politics is politics;" Ari Emanuel, brother of Rahm Emanuel, is Mr. Trump's television manager. No, I will not support any person who associates in any way with the Emanuel brothers who gave us Obamacare. Absolutely not.
Leslie Davis | 3.24.11 @ 10:37PM
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Carlton West| 3.25.11 @ 5:34AM
If Sarah Palin is not the Republican Presidential nominee, her followers will not vote for anybody. Ergo, Obama gets an easy 2nd term.