Report: Co-founder of NeverTrump Lincoln Project was vying for Trump campaign role in 2016
Had online meltdown trying to explain it away
Well, well, well. Not sure who dropped this oppo but it’s hi-larious.
According to a an article in the NY Post, one of the co-founders of the Lincoln Project, Steve Schmidt, interviewed for a post with Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign but wasn’t picked for the role because Trump thought he was “an idiot.”
The Lincoln Project is a PAC outfitted by NeverTrump hangovers that’s actively fundraising to oust Republicans from office.
According to the NY Post:
Steve Schmidt, one of the co-founders of anti-Trump political action group the Lincoln Project, met with then-candidate Donald Trump and tried to join his campaign during a 2016 Manhattan meeting, sources with knowledge of the conversation told The Post.
But the Republican operative — best known for his work on John McCain’s failed presidential bid before becoming one of the faces of the “Never Trump” movement — failed to get the gig because Trump thought he was a “total idiot,” one of the sources said.
Ten days after Schmidt’s March 2016 meeting at Trump Tower, the campaign hired Paul Manafort as chairman and eventually promoted him to campaign manager.
In an interview with PRWeek two years later, the Jersey-born political strategist and PR executive nonchalantly recounted the meeting with Trump as a chance to “see what he was about” and likened it to being given the opportunity to see a UFO in Central Park.
But sources familiar with the meeting said Schmidt spent the entire encounter presenting what he thought the outsider candidate needed to do to win the election and was reportedly gunning for the campaign chief role, which Corey Lewandowski was fired from three months later.
After the NY Post spot was published, Schmidt went to Twitter to defend himself, though I wouldn’t say it’s convincing.
I received a call from @ebonybowden from the NY Post, working on a new hit piece on behalf of the Trump Campaign. The questions she asked concerned a meeting I had with Donald Trump at his and Jared Kushner’s invitation. . I had never met Trump before and was 1/
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
Curious. Ms. Bowden described this meeting in her phone message as a job interview according to several sources. I did not go to the meeting for a job interview though I was offered to run Trump’s campaign on three occasions. Trump credited me with being the first person on 2/
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
Television, from the second he came down the escalator, to say that he could be a big factor in the race. I was amongst the first people, if not the first to say he could win the nomination, was winning the nomination and that he would win the nomination. I was working as an 3/
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
Analyst for @MSNBC at the time of the invitation and I wanted to take his measure. Looking backwards from this moment of tragedy and with a full understanding of his depravity, ignorance and incompetence, it is hard to remember a time when there ever could have been any doubt. 4/
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
When I met Trump he was well on his way to the nomination and Kushner’s narrative was that Trump was playing a role to win the nomination and that everybody would see the “real man “ when he became the nominee. I was dubious but curious. For sure I have a personality that if 5/
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
A UFO landed in Central Park and I was invited to go on, it I would.That is the fundamental reason I took the meeting. Not in a million years would I ever work for Trump. At the time I joked to friends, not for a billion dollars, a lifetime supply of Trump steaks and a PHD from 6
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
Trump University. My statements and condemnations of this vile man have been consistent throughout the 2016 campaign until now. I condemned him for the first time in 2012 as “the head clown in the republican clown car” over his racist birther conspiracy theories. @wolfblitzer
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
Asked him about it on the @CNNSitRoom on @Cnn at that time. Trump called me a loser. My antagonism towards him is long standing. Last week @ebonybowden wrote a hit piece which said I didn’t vote in 2016 and 2018. I did. I supplied the appropriate proof and she refused to
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
Correct the record. I called her out on that. She is dishonest, lazy and a Trump propagandist. FDR once asked to be judged by his enemies. Mine seem to be good friends with Ms. Bowden. After she refused to correct the record she posted a self pitying tweet proclaiming herself
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
A victim of bullying. Let’s examine who rallied to her defense. Who locked arms with @ebonybowden? There was Mike Cernovich, author of the Pizza Gate conspiracy, a Rape advocate and a regular host of the Alex Jones show. Jones of course is the conspiracy theorist who denies
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
NEWTOWN occurred. There was Jack Posobiec, a legitimate Nazi sympathizer. There was Ann Coulter and Mark Levin, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump jr. and the list goes on. I did meet Trump. It wasn’t for a job interview. I was offered to run the campaign. I said NO. I was
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
Offered a second time. I said NO. I was offered the last time in June of 2016. I said NO. Hundreds of Wall Street Journal Reporters penned a letter about the constant disinformation and misinformation that flows like a toxic river from the editorial page. This is the culture
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
That Ms Bowden operates in. She is a tabloid propagandist who calls herself a journalist. She is not. Last week, one of the first voices to rise in her defense after her errant story collapsed was Eric Bolling, formerly of Fox and now of Sinclair. Mr. Bolling departed FNC
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
Under less than desirable circumstances for his photographic enthusiasms and particular passion for sending Photos of his phallus to colleagues. This weekend he was interviewing the creator of the “PLANDEMIC” conspiracy theory who blames Fauci for creating Covid. I only bring
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
This up to point out the next person who liked Ms. Bowdens self pitying tweet. Of course they were from OANN. Here is the truth. Ms Bowden is on the attack. She is a member of good standing in Trump’s ministry of misinformation. This is her latest dishonest attack on me.
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
There will be more. If this is the price of opposing Trump I am happy to do it @ProjectLincoln. Lastly, the Trump campaign has previously reached out to real journalists trying to say my criticism is because I was a spurned job seeker. It’s the Trump way. Bottom line, then and
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
Now and I say this with conviction. I’d rather be dead than disgrace myself and my children’s name by working for Trump, So help me God.
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 27, 2020
Sure, ok. Except that’s not really how it looks based on his TV appearances around the time of the interview. Which have been found and published. So, you be the judge.
Now @SteveSchmidtSES is throwing a tantrum in a threadhttps://t.co/2yebwgTFla
What he forgot about
Is that we have receipts
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 27, 2020
Schmidt met with Trump in March. What else was he saying in March on MSNBC while he was lobbying for the job? pic.twitter.com/8GwmSo7q6S
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 27, 2020
March 16: the day before his Trump interview, Schmidt says that the Stop Trump Movement is incompetent pic.twitter.com/p37Ky8Jbty
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 27, 2020
That same day, Schmidt points to the voter excitement around Trump, suggesting he's a unique candidate and is bringing people into the GOP. pic.twitter.com/oqXiQrFuMF
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 27, 2020
Schmidt even predicts – CORRECTLY! – that Donald Trump could win in the industrial Midwest, including in Michigan and Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/w3IbPNS51R
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 27, 2020
The next day, the day he interviewed with Trump, he goes even further. He reminds everybody that Trump is bringing new voters into the party. pic.twitter.com/eDbnZeeoLR
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 27, 2020
"Finally, Schmidt even suggests that, if the GOP tried to deny Trump the nomination, there would be voter outrage…and maybe even riots! pic.twitter.com/veyvl59vaT
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 27, 2020
What made @SteveSchmidtSES change his tune? He didn't get the job. Once the money ran out, he jumped on the NeverTrump bandwagon. pic.twitter.com/ZG0uqXN1Uj
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 27, 2020
And that is the end of Steve Schmidt
Congratulations to the Libs who got tricked into handing over cash to a grifter.
Enjoy the thread, minions. It's past time to end this clown. pic.twitter.com/prDTcDgdSM
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 27, 2020
Grifter’s gonna grift, ya know.
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Comments
Funny, indeed.
His entire tantrum/meltdown oozes of butthurt, which in my opinion goes to prove Bowden’s claim.
And then there are additional receipts.
oozes…butthurt
yuk, gross
also very accurate
Jackie Gleason captures Schmidt,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK9odsWwfIo
Hmmm.
Seem the same thing happened to Mittens
He went begging for SoS gig and ended up leaving with the elastic waistband of his Magic Underpants hooked over his forehead
Does Schmidt have any sort of credentials or experience in anything?
Sounds like Trump had him made, early on, as an idiot.
I am surprised that Trump still has Bannon around.
Schmidt was once lucid as a pundit, but he is unhinged, as are Wilson and Conway, and probably others. Maybe there is something in the water they are drinking at Lincoln.
Being rejected by PDJT is one of the leading causes of TDS it seems. judge nap, scarborough/mika, bolton, mattis… the list is long. Wouldn’t be surprised if the rest of the schmidt gang were also told “Thanks but no thanks.”
Steve Schmidt is the idiot who ran John McCain’s pathetic 2008 campaign. He never should have been talked to, again, by anyone with even half a brain. THe guy is totally retarded loser. Trump had this guy nailed and, I’m sure, knew he was an incompetent, America-hating boob from his 2008 folly (giving the country away to the Indonesian America-hater who wasn’t even qualified to do anything more than push a mop, if that … or fetch coffee, if you asked BJ CLinton).
Once I got to tweet #6 I couldn’t bring myself to read more, he was so nauseatingly transparent.