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Is the media using Trump or is Trump using the media?

Is the media using Trump or is Trump using the media?

A complicated relationship

So who’s using whom?

Rush Limbaugh says that Trump has the media frustrated and wrapped around his little finger:

…[T]hey can’t take him out. They can’t stop covering him. They can’t humiliate him. They can’t embarrass him. They can’t diminish his support. They’re powerless, and this has them in a panic. The media that can make-or-break anybody cannot touch Trump, and every time they try, all they do is make him bigger. They can’t explain this. They are frustrated to no end, and so are both political parties who rely on the media to be the great equalizer in all of this.

Nothing’s working. No matter what Trump says, the media is there, and every member of the media is there. Every network, every camera, every microphone is there.

There’s no question Trump is getting more coverage than anyone else, by a huge margin. YUUUGE! So perhaps Limbaugh is right, and Trump is having a good laugh on a media that can’t do a thing about him except his bidding, and is instrumental in getting him more and more attention even though they don’t want to do it.

But here’s an alternate theory, one I happen to ascribe to.

It’s true that the media knows that Trump is the story of the election. He’s exciting; people are entertained by watching him. So the media gets a lot out of covering him—more readers and viewers. Remember, though, that the vast majority of the MSM is on the left, and much of what they do is with the intention of directing their readers and viewers to what’s so dreadful about Trump, and of energizing Democratic voters so that, if Trump becomes the Republican nominee, voters will feel they must vote for the sane person—who would be Hillary—even if they don’t much like her.

I have believed from the very start of Trump’s campaign that the MSM (except for the MSM on the right, which is a very small group compared to the liberal MSM) would very much like Trump to be the Republican nominee. It’s the media and the pundits on the right who for the most part are frustrated that Trump has risen so high and has become the front runner in the Republican field. The media on the left is somewhat happy, because they believe very strongly that if nominated he will lose, and they believe that his chances of losing are greater than those of certain other candidates such as, for example, Rubio (and polls have borne that out, at least so far).

I think the liberal and leftist media may be correct about Trump’s relative weakness in the general against Hillary, although of course that situation could change and he could start showing more strength against her as time goes on. But more importantly, they think they’re correct and that he would lose to her. So for them, covering Trump is win/win. They get ratings. And although they’re not trying to destroy him—not for now—they dearly want him to be the nominee, and they’re confident they can destroy him later, or that he will end up self-destructing with the majority of Americans.

They might be right or they might be wrong. But they think they own him in the sense of using him to fit their purposes, not the other way around.

[Neo-neocon is a writer with degrees in law and family therapy, who blogs at neo-neocon.]

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Comments

“Is the media using Trump or is Trump using the media?”

Yes.

“But here’s an alternate theory, one I happen to ascribe to.”

You mean “subscribe to.”

And it’s not so much a theory as a condition. The media mongers Trump with collective irresistible energy because he draws audiences and to seek this is the media’s condition. They can’t stop themselves. It is far different thing to say they want him to be the nominee.

“I think the liberal and leftist media may be correct about Trump’s relative weakness in the general against Hillary,”

That’s a feeling without a lot of supportive analysis aside from piecemeal, premature polling. I find it hard to explain a Clinton win through a deeper regional look of the electoral map. But it is still very early. We know that Trump has a reservoir of undeclared support. We know he is drawing democrat and minority support uncommon for a Republican. The GOP establishment’s disposition and how they throw their influence will matter. The next two months will tell us a lot.

I subscribe to the “dumb beast” theory of the media. That is, that they know noting and can predict nothing, but merely act and react like a collective dumb beast. They may believe they want Trump to win but this signifies — or should signify — nothing much beyond shortsighted, self-interested and herd impulses.

“This is becoming a pattern for Cruz. Whether he’s halting the debate antics of an obnoxious moderator, responding to the incoherent Twitter rant of a pop star, or debating a Hollywood actress attempting to ambush him with cameras for her own show, Cruz is proving that he’s a savvy professional with a deft ability to handle the media. For those who are eager to see just how far they can push conservative candidates — how far they can go in attempting to Palinize conservatives out of mainstream culture altogether — Cruz must come as an unpleasant shock.”
http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/222569/#respond

Ed Driscoll is a Conservative who knows media. When he suggests you read the whole thing, you really should.

    The biggest thing Cruz is Savvy about is copying Trump’s positions like building a wall. Also savvy about not attacking Trump. Showed he didn’t have Trump’s balls though when it came to halting muslim immigration.

More and more it seems like he is putting you guys into a trance. It’s like you can’t believe that any of this is intentional. It’s all accidental. And yet it keeps happening. And Trump keeps flourishing. After all, it’s Donald Trump. He’s just a reality TV star, he’s not smart enough to figure out how to manipulate the media. It’s almost like he is insulting the bloggers and media by succeeding.How dare he?

    pesanteur in reply to PhillyGuy. | December 29, 2015 at 10:14 am

    So right you are.

    Ragspierre in reply to PhillyGuy. | December 29, 2015 at 10:27 am

    Maybe you can cite to someone who holds the views you suggest.

    I don’t know of anyone who thinks “it’s all accident”. I do know of a few fanatical followers who would assert it is all genius, or “brilliant”.

    Myself, I think it is a perfectly obvious feed-back loop. I think T-rump learned how to insert himself in that loop as part of his self-promotion some years ago.

    But having the same skill set as a Kardasian or a Michael Moore hardly makes him a political maven. Just a manipulator of people who wake up every day with their prime goal to be manipulated in the way they want.

      Rags, with respect, I have to say that there are those of us who like both Cruz and Trump. We may prefer Cruz, but the GOPe has been organizing specifically against Cruz for a year or two, re-doing campaign rules wrt primaries, delegates, money. The GOPe never saw Trump coming and couldn’t plan for him. He’s the real monkeywrench in their scheme of forcing Jeb (or now Rubio) down our throats. There are unknowns, such as whether Cruz and Trump are secretly working together (Joe Miller subscribes to this theory or did), and no one expected Jeb to self-destruct or Rubio to tout his only “accomplishment” of the Gangrene of Eight betrayal. Carson is now a non-factor and we see most others seemingly dropping off into the abyss.

      Meanwhile, Cruz is starting to look to the country much less like a far-right extremist supported by “white supremacists” (as the Left screeches everywhere) and much more regular conservative, which he is. Trump is doing ALL this. And whether Trump is nothing but a circus act or deadly serious, he is not only laying waste to the establishment and giving all political correctness the burial it needs – aided and abetted by insanity on the part of illegal aliens, Islamofascists and BLM – but he is exposing GOPe fraud candidates and helping Cruz.

      I think some still underestimate just how furious many of us are with the GOP in general. And it’s high time. I’m telling you now, the next president will never be Rubio (or Jeb). They can’t get the votes from either side. Love him or hate him, and I have plenty of conservative friends in both camps, Trump can get the votes.

      As for the media, they are children obsessed with instant gratification. I don’t even take them seriously and haven’t for many years. I understand neo’s interest, but I’m much more fascinated in voter psychology and sociology this time around. We are routing around the media bigtime.

        Ragspierre in reply to peg_c. | December 29, 2015 at 12:11 pm

        Well, we can disagree on several points, but I’ll say I have no kick with much of what you said.

        I do think there’s merit in the idea that T-rump has moved the “Overton Window”. Did that happen by design? I remain skeptical.

        I do not subscribe to the idea that T-rump is responsible for the Jebster’s political demise. I hold that Jeb! was a dead letter from the start, regardless of any and all machinations by the eGOP. But reasonable minds can disagree on all that.

        Whether or not T-rump “can get the votes” is entirely a matter of speculation. We’ll see…

        Ragspierre in reply to peg_c. | December 29, 2015 at 12:12 pm

        So’s you know, I didn’t down-thumb your comment.

        pesanteur in reply to peg_c. | December 29, 2015 at 12:15 pm

        Many excellent observations, peg_c.

        DaMav in reply to peg_c. | December 29, 2015 at 6:04 pm

        Well said!

      Yeah its so easy doesn’t take anything special at all.

      Like you said any Kardashian can do it. Just not any Cruz, Hillary, Jeb!, Christie, Carson, Kasich, Fiorina, et al.

      Anybody could do it, except all those who can’t and don’t.

      LOL

        Ragspierre in reply to Gary Britt. | December 29, 2015 at 6:24 pm

        Who said “easy”?

        I’m sure it takes a lot of work to be a be a megalomaniac self-promoter. Even some talent. Or a serious pathology.

        I mean, I’m sure Obama worked HARD…

          It takes a lot of work to be a “WINNER”. Trump is a winner. Trump is a leader. Cruz is a smart and capable staff person. Not any kind of leader like Mr. Trump.

          And a final clue for you. Obama did work hard for his media. It was all a gift.

    mariner in reply to PhillyGuy. | December 29, 2015 at 10:54 pm

    “The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded.”

JimMtnViewCaUSA | December 29, 2015 at 10:18 am

The reference to Rubio prompts me to suggest another prism through which to view this
For decades the GOPe have had a choice: provide candidates that align with the base, or allow Clintons/Obamas to run the country. They have reliably chosen to go “Dem lite”. As the stakes grow higher, fewer are willing to follow them. GOPe can facilitate and support the base or they can double down on Dem lite. I know which way I’m betting.

From a piece by Tim Carney:
Six and a half years ago, Marco Rubio was considered the insurgent enemy of the Republican establishment. The National Republican Senatorial Committee was funding his moderate primary opponent Charlie Crist. Former Majority Leader Bob Dole, the GOP standard-bearer in 1996, actually donated to Crist after Crist quit the party.
Now Rubio is the highest-polling “establishment” candidate.

    Goes to show you how far the GOP has fallen.

    And we don’t have to tolerate these establishment bums leading anything, let alone OUR party. They have a job at our pleasure. We need to purge as many of these rats as possible – or simply leave the party for the Tea Party.

    The latter may be more realistic.

If the media would stick to the job they are supposed to do, then there would be none of this “using” stuff. Trump is slapping the media silly because that is what they have become. They are idiotic cheerleaders of failed leftist policies.

    amwick in reply to showtime8. | December 29, 2015 at 2:52 pm

    If the media would stick to the job they are supposed to do ???? Well now, that is the problem exactly. The media is supposed to make money, $$$$$$$$, and little things like integrity and facts be damned. What do they call it? Oh, yes, spin,,, facts get spun.

It seems as though Trump has the entire establishment in a turmoil.
He can’t be bought because he’s too rich.
He’s not tied into either party’s quid-pro-quo system.
He has no filter and is not filtered by an onerous party platform system.
He’s not part of the customary propaganda chain for either party – he has his own.
He has clearly listened to what conservative business owners’ gripes are, and has focused his message on those big issues.

NC Mountain Girl | December 29, 2015 at 11:20 am

Trump fits the media narrative of Republicans to a Tee: He’s old, white, rich, mean spirited and he dumped the woman who helped him build his career for not one but two trophy wives.

    The nice billionaire who loved his wife and placated liberal’s sensitivities lost to an Islamic commie.

    The middle of the road war hero who placated liberals sensitivities also lost to an Islamic commie.

    Really?

    “Leonard Dozier Hill III couldn’t bear to see the farm his family had lived on for three generations be foreclosed upon. ”That morning, it was going to be auctioned off at the courthouse steps, so he committed suicide,” said Betsy Sharp, Hill’s daughter.

    Hill didn’t realize that life insurance policies didn’t cover deaths that occur by suicide. However, Hill’s suicide struck a nerve with local residents, some of whom painted “farmer killer” on the exterior of the local bank. That’s when Donald Trump decided to get involved.

    Trump donated $20,000 to help stave off initial foreclosure. But that wasn’t all — he arranged for the family to make the rounds of the talk shows to raise money. He even managed to call the banker who held the Hills’ mortgage…”

    http://conservativetribune.com/trump-secret-poor/

      Ragspierre in reply to pesanteur. | December 29, 2015 at 1:24 pm

      Really?

      Compare and contrast.

      “Trump, who announced Tuesday he was running for the Republican presidential nomination, has also given large sums of money to the Clinton Foundation. His name is listed on the Clinton Foundation’s website as having donated between $100,000 and $250,000.

      As noted by Bloomberg Politics, Hillary Clinton also had a front row seat at Trump’s 2005 wedding and Bill, unable to go to wedding, attended a black-tie reception at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach.

      Trump and his son Donald Jr. also donated to Clinton’s campaigns in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007.”

        pesanteur in reply to Ragspierre. | December 29, 2015 at 2:07 pm

        You’re missing the crucial point here. He gave money, he didn’t receive it.

        Aside that it has nothing to do with my reference, it only means what Trump has freely admitted: as a businessman it was in his interest to give to all parties in the game. You may find this impure even offensive, but if so you would be advised to travel over to the fundraising disclosures and see from what sources the other “conservatives” are RECEIVING their money.

        Ragspierre in reply to Ragspierre. | December 29, 2015 at 2:22 pm

        No. YOU’RE missing the point…and intentionally LYING about the point.

        T-rump GAVE money to the Clintons. You SUGGEST that is just mandatory for business persons. THAT is a lie. But it IS the definition of a crony capitalist and establishmentarian.

        The Koch bothers don’t find that mandatory. On the other end of the spectrum, Jeff Bezos does NOT find it mandatory.

        You’re just a T-rump apologist. As MOST T-rump supporters find necessary. Suck on, pard.

          pesanteur in reply to Ragspierre. | December 29, 2015 at 2:55 pm

          It can’t be a lie to repeat Trump’s position or even to sympathize with it as an opinion. I did NOT say it was mandatory for businesspersons to give money to anybody. In the context of Trump’s profession of real estate in New York, I do agree it was in his best interests. One can believe this is unacceptable and unprincipled as one wishes, and vote accordingly. As I said, an equal if not more important consideration would be where a politician is getting his money from and what those benefactors might expect in return. This ISN’T important?

          I’m honestly curious — have you ever paused to consider if Cruz wins the nomination that he will need Trump’s voters? Or do you think he won’t need them, and that the contempt you heap on Trump and those who not only support him but simply express an appreciation for his contributions can just go on without consequences?

          You misrepresent the comments of others and throw around puerile insults and plain ugly language. I suggest your nastiness is not doing Cruz any favors.

          Ragspierre in reply to Ragspierre. | December 29, 2015 at 3:34 pm

          “My stars, you mean ol’ ‘orrible, ‘orible man!” Haw kan ya’all be so harsh ta ‘lil ol’ me!?”.

          (Bats eyelashes.)

          Repeating a lie is still a lie.

          T-rump “voters” (not one of whom has yet VOTED) will not determine what they do if Cruz is the nominee based on posts critical of T-rump, or if they do, they will vindicate the very worst stereotypes anyone has cast them in. I’m not one of those, BTW. T-rump SUPPORTERS are not homogeneous, and many of them have no idea of WHY they support T-rump outside of their very correct amorphous anger at the status quo.

          I attack T-rump from a position of critical thinking, and his apologists from a position of disgust, since I consider Duh Donald a positive danger to the republic.

          Have YOU considered that the position you support (T-rump GAVE money to x) augers for only billionaires to serve as POTUS? Would you be bought if you ran for office and accepted donations? Why would you think yourself better than others? Or do you, like the Collective, think public funding of candidates is swell?

        Johnny one note jumps in to blow his horn, no matter how irrelevant to the discussion.

        Just any message with the word trump in it anywhere on any subject is enough to trigger Johnny one note.

      In addition to saving the family farm for Mr. Dozier, there are many other stories about Mr. Trump’s generosity.

      Another one I like is this one:
      Mr. Trump’s limo breaks down with flat tire in New York City. Trump is stranded till AAA or somebody can come. Mr. Trump is not happy.

      Along comes a gentlemen who is just an average joe blue collar guy. No reason to stop, but he is just a helpful sort of guy and is willing to help someone in need, even a guy in a limo. He proceeds to change the flat tire on the Trump limo. Trump thanks him and Trump and the helpful stranger each go on their way.

      About a month later the helpful stranger gets a letter in the mail from the bank in Queens that held the mortgage on his home. Inside was the mortgage on his home marked paid in full.

      Mr. Trump had found out who he was, where he lived and who held the mortgage on his family home. Then Mr. Trump paid off the mortgage.

        Only a petty small minded person of small character and no wisdom could down vote the story in my post above.

        We all know who that person is.

        Ragspierre in reply to Gary Britt. | December 29, 2015 at 6:50 pm

        There’s a (Trump) sucker born every minute…

        http://www.snopes.com/luck/trump.asp

          Yes and the biggest sucker of all suckers is Johnny One Note. The story is quite true. I personally saw someone ask Mr. Trump about the story and he acknowledged it was true.

          Snopes is well known just like media matters as a not credible source for political information.

          So stuff it windbag.

          Ragspierre in reply to Ragspierre. | December 29, 2015 at 7:01 pm

          Awww… Did iddy waddums get punked…???

          Alair Townsend, a former deputy mayor in the Koch administration, once quipped, “I wouldn’t believe Donald Trump if his tongue were notarized.” In time, this bon mot became misattributed to Leona Helmsley, who was only too happy to claim authorship. Last fall [1996] after Evander Holyfield upset Mike Tyson in a heavyweight title fight, Trump snookered the News into reporting that he’d collected twenty million bucks by betting a million on the underdog. This prompted the Post to make calls to some Las Vegas bookies who confirmed — shockingly! — that nobody had been handling that kind of action or laying odds close to 20-1. Trump never blinked, just moved on to the next bright idea.

          T-rump lies. A LOT. He’s known for it!

          Trump doesn’t lie. You on the other hand post lies and falsehoods here on a regular basis. And really quoting some democrat operative underling of the Koch mayor’s office. That isnt as credible a source as snopes or media matters. So that doesn’t sell at all. Or as we say in Texas that dog don’t hunt.

          Alleged telephone calls to vegas prove nothing at all and are meaningless. Post a link to the recorded telephone conversation so we can hear the questions and answers of this alleged telephone call.

          Like I said I personally saw and heard Mr. Trump acknowledge the story I quoted. You have posted nothing to contradict the story. In fact you just post matters completely unrelated thereto. Just your usual lies and non stop bullshit.

          He does bluff however. Any great negotiator knows how to bluff from time to time.

          Ragspierre in reply to Ragspierre. | December 29, 2015 at 10:00 pm

          Poor, stupid, lying SOS, Gari.

          I make it a practice NEVER to lie.

          T-rump, on the other hand, lies like a dog.

          AND you’ve admitted it. Even excused it…

          https://legalinsurrection.com/2015/12/trey-gowdy-endorses-marco-rubio/comment-page-1/#comment-637634

          https://legalinsurrection.com/2015/12/trey-gowdy-endorses-marco-rubio/comment-page-1/#comment-637660

          No Rags you lie constantly. You are an annoying child who revels in the fact that you are an annoying little liar. You repeat a handful of talking points over and over whether they have anything to do with the topic at hand or not. You think your immature 5th grade method of name calling and argumentation are examples of your mental superiority. You lie about being a lawyer when you are clearly no such thing.

          Mr. Cruz is lucky that mature people understand he is not responsible for the actions of such a disagreeable misfit as yourself claiming to be his supporter.

          Ragspierre in reply to Ragspierre. | December 30, 2015 at 11:53 am

          Poor, stupid, lying SOS, Gari.

          I make it a practice NEVER to lie.

          T-rump, on the other hand, lies like a dog.

          AND you’ve admitted it. Even excused it…

          https://legalinsurrection.com/2015/12/trey-gowdy-endorses-marco-rubio/comment-page-1/#comment-637634

          https://legalinsurrection.com/2015/12/trey-gowdy-endorses-marco-rubio/comment-page-1/#comment-637660

          And the choice between Cruz and T=rump is the choice between keeping the republic and cementing its destruction with an Obama-like demagogue.

Well pretty soon he will be running against an old, white, rich, mean spirited woman who used her husband’s career to further her own interests while at the same time enabling his serial abuse of women. Should be a fun race!

1 – Trump has driven the issues for this election cycle.
2 – He is a shrewd businessman and bored with his life.
3 – Trump does have ideas to contribute, but has too volatile
personality.
4 – He is a PATRIOT, who wants to see the USA return to
leading humanity to progress instead of regressing to
the progs vision of kumbaya.

that said i prefer Cruz and worry that Trump, being used to having his own way, will allow his ego to win out.

I’m actually enjoying watching this all unfold. Bush makes some news by challenging Trump to a one on one debate – crazy, I know. Trump’s response? He tweets out a picture of Bush picking his nose. Now that was funny.

It’s been pure joy to wait for Trump’s next tweet or campaign event to watch the media melt down about something he has said or tweeted.
This is it he is finished! Only to be WRONG again!

Trump uses the media like a rented mule every time.
Trump is you and me telling the media and the “establishment” to stick it where the sun does not shine!

Without a doubt Trump will destroy Hillary in the general election!

I used to think what neo-neocon and NC mountain girl think.

I thought that Trump is a tacky rich obnoxious blowhard who backs Democrats in the past and has Hillary go to his daughter’s wedding. He had a close relationship with NBC, an organization that absolutely hates Republicans, Republican voters, and flyover America. Bill Clinton has a $30k membership at Trump’s golf club that he does not even today renounce. Plus it looked like Trump could be counted on by the media to be an “Archie Bunker conservative,” used by the media discredit the conservative message by being the wrong messenger, or, alternatively by being a conservative telling the public that liberalism is actually conservative. His public opposition to the Iraq war got him a lot of media spotlight for somebody who was not a government or media figure & this made defeating people like John Kerry (who would have been a disaster) harder to do.

Is that pretty much it?

But Trump has said the things that need to be said. He’s the only candidate not scared to say them. If you are electing the captain of the Titanic and only one candidate talks about the Iceberg ahead, you have to go with that guy.

Six months ago we would have had a debate about “Undocumented American Workers” and not “Mexicans.” Problems cant be solved if the problems cant even be spoken about. That’s why gridlock in Washington exists. Nobody is allowed to communicate.

And he’s the only candidate with a sensible foreign policy. Historically high middle Eastern and African fertility is about to set off waves of civil wars over scarce resources and subsequent chain migrations, and the other candidates of both parties want to import these problems to the USA while starting a nuclear war with Russia.

And Trump has suffered for his non adherence to PC. He lost his reality show and guaranteed public spotlight, lost his Macy’s clothing lines, he was forced to sell his beauty pagent, & he lost his golf tournaments (including one that was supposed to upsell a 300 million dollar renovation at Turnberry). It is not hard to see visable evidence of PC trying to economically harm Trump for his statements.

Trump’s the real deal.

He is what he is and has always been so.

A quick look at his Twitter feed reveals that current Trump is the same thing as 2012 tea party supporting non candidate Trump. Even his past statements reveal that Trump, while never an orthodox Republican, is a conservative at heart following convictions, but willing to Deal with Anybody.

He’s the right candidate to beat Hillary, with Decades of being a media figure inoculating himself from being slimed like any other Republican. He’s beaten the War on Women charge, beaten every other mud that the media has thrown at him so far & even gotten endorsements from unlikely figures like Mike Tyson, 50 cent, Diddy, and Dennis Rodman. There is a glamour element that will help attract single women, who would otherwise be Hillary’s best group and were 80%+ for Obama.

Basically Trumps base is every moderate group that Republicans claim that they want but can never turn out. He just has to get the Republicans to turn out, and if that happens he will win big over Hillary. (Can he do this or will Krauthammer and George Will stab him in the back?)

    Ragspierre in reply to rotten. | December 29, 2015 at 12:25 pm

    There’s too much twaddle to fisk in the time I have for fisking.

    But you’re as wrong as hell. T-rump is an ANTI-Conservative. He always WAS, and he still IS. He has no understanding of, or allegiance to, the Constitution or the rule of law.

      pesanteur in reply to Ragspierre. | December 29, 2015 at 2:14 pm

      “He has no understanding of, or allegiance to, the Constitution or the rule of law.”

      Completely unreasonable comment.

        Ragspierre in reply to pesanteur. | December 29, 2015 at 2:24 pm

        Shorter peanteur…

        ‘I got nutin…’

        Unreasonable when describing Rags (a/k/a Johnny One Note) is a tremendous understatement. A rabid arse with nothing to say would be another kind way of describing his drivel.

        Ol’ Johnny thinks his opinions are facts. Calls anyone who disagrees with him or offers anything of substance in counter to his rantings a liar. Tries to entertain himself with various forms and variations on the most juvenile forms or argumentation. And loves to talk down to and lecture the entire readership of LI with his “deep thoughts”.

        He is the political personification of the SNL sketches called “deep thoughts”.

        I’m sure more Deep Thoughts from Johnny One Note will follow this post. He can’t help himself. Has anyone ever seen Rags let anyone here on LI get the last word?? He is incapable of stopping himself. Its pathological. He could prove me wrong by not responding to this post, but we all know he will be incapable of so doing. Just watch…

      Shorter Rags

      ‘I got nutin…’

    pesanteur in reply to rotten. | December 29, 2015 at 2:16 pm

    “(Can he do this or will Krauthammer and George Will stab him in the back?)”

    It won’t matter. I would even venture to say it helps Trump.

    Love it rotten. Well said. Especially after the first couple of paragraphs

    Mr. Trump is the real deal. Many people realize this.

      Ragspierre in reply to Gary Britt. | December 29, 2015 at 6:39 pm

      Yes. He’s the real Mr. Establishment, as proven in Iowa with his pandering to the ethanol lobby.

      Just as I knew he would…

      Poor fan boi, Gari.

        Nobody blows like Johnny One Note.

        Ragspierre in reply to Ragspierre. | December 29, 2015 at 7:15 pm

        “You don’t know what ad hominem means obviously.”

        But I DO obviously know what it means. And it’s all you’ve got.

        No defense of Mr. Establishment? No straw men from your punk-meisters of the T-rump-0-sphere?

        Well, it may be early yet. Perhaps tomorrow…

    drh445 in reply to rotten. | December 29, 2015 at 8:59 pm

    Good post.
    Not ONE other candidate has said they’ll send illegal aliens home, except Trump.
    We have 20 million here at least.
    The national GOP has won 2 Presidential elections in 20 years, with a minority of the vote and another razor thin margin. Dems have won 2 by 5 million votes.
    “Path to citizenship” and “legal status means VOTING rights for 20 million who are hitting welfare programs at a 70% clip.
    Trump is offering the ONLY WAY for the National GOP to remain relevant.
    The other GOP candidates are either :
    1. Insane.
    2. Globalists.
    This election is about globalism and whether the US retains its sovereignty. If you LIKE US sovereignty, Trump is the only choice.

Media = dumb, predictable, liberal sycophants
Trump = pretty damn smart billionaire with decades of experience with publicity of all types.

Media = Fiddle
Trump = Maestro

The media is the only thing keeping these two airbags afloat.

    My my. The closer we get to a primary, the grouchier some of you get. The people will vote and hopefully their votes will actually deliver the nominee. There is enough going on right now to make most everyone happy. Terd Cruz has a mini surge going on. Mastercard Mario is getting endorsements. Jebito is challenging everyone to a debate. The reality star is hitting the high 30s/low 40s with his ad buy about to hit.

    This is fun.

      Ragspierre in reply to PhillyGuy. | December 29, 2015 at 1:50 pm

      In Iowa, T=rump has come out in favor of ethanol subsidies in pure pander-moan-e-um.

      Conversely, the conservative Cruz has made it clear he supports free markets.

      Cruz, sitting on a clear lead in Iowa, has move on to the South.

      Some FUN…!!!

Hillary said wants a campaign based in love, starting with her bashing Trump apparently. But while she bent over for more mud, Trump pushed her in the mudpit, her own slime pit of abuse of Bill’s victims, her high crimes and misdemeanors, and her constant lies.

Media will try to destroy any Republican, and perhaps only Trump has the celebrity appeal and power to reach around that, and even use some jujitsu to flip the mudslingers in the pit. Hillary has many awful things that she and her MSM declared old news and/or off limits, which Trump will throw right in her face in prime time. People will cheer instead of gasping, that the queen of mean is facing the music.

Cruz has done some of that, but my concern is he won’t have RINOs AND he won’t win moderates. His Iowa numbers seem to depend on his big reach out to evangelicals, and his constitutional capabilities unfortunately don’t have broad appeal. RedEye last night was calling him “creepy”, or that he has some weird qualities. He’s fine with me, but I hear many say that, even “real” conservatives.

Media makes a lot of money on Trump as he draws ratings. They do lean left, but they love the money. And if there are any actual journalists tired of the Obama/Hillary 7 years of lies and obstruction, maybe they quietly would prefer a President Trump. Hillary would keep them behind the ropes, and their FOIA requests will come up empty.

the corralled reporters
https://d1w5usc88actyi.cloudfront.net/styles/full/s3/lead/2015/07/clinton_wrangle_header.jpg

“Hill didn’t realize that life insurance policies didn’t cover deaths that occur by suicide.”

A not quite accurate generalization. I’m not an insurance agent, nor do I work for any related business. Just want to clarify for the benefit of anyone that may fail to claim benefits under a life insurance policy due to a suicide by the insured….

Usually (with the standard disclaimer that any particular life insurance policy may differ), suicide clauses in life insurance policies state that no death benefit will be paid if the insured commits suicide within two years of taking out the policy.

I am not wild about Trump but am loving that he brought up Bill’s history with other women. Hillary and her campaign must be apoplectic. They got away in 2008 without anyone talking about it.