The Republican Party and Fox News are all hand wringy over whether or not Trump will run as a third party. They are driving him to do just that. By cutting him out of events and setting him up in the debates is just pissing him off and he will retaliate by running on his own.
Just ignore him. He will fade to black and you can move past him.
Kelly went a long ways to pushing him to third party runner. Dumb move there blondie!

^^ Yep.
As soon as I heard Red State announced it, I posted on the debate thread:
As much as I do personally like Erick Erickson, I don't think it was wise to dump Donald Trump at the last minute over this comment.
It only adds fuel to the fire.

Now there's this from Rich Lowry:

People are again predicting his demise. The widely admired Megyn Kelly is definitely a riskier target for him than John McCain was. But since an enormous amount of his appeal is based on saying outrageous things and not apologizing for them, it’d be foolish to think that anything that has transpired since Thursday will sink him. I wouldn’t be surprised, though, if the debate and its aftermath check or reverse the progress he’d been making in the internals of the polls (higher favorable ratings, fewer Republicans saying they’d never consider voting for him, etc.).

I basically only have one barometer for whether Trump has gone too far–and that’s when Ted Cruz is willing to criticize him directly. We haven’t reached that point yet. I take Andy’s point about how all the other candidates are making their own calculations how to respond to Trump, too, but the gentle treatment Cruz affords the mogul is especially noteworthy given how eager he usually is to attack other Republicans and the fact that Trump has the most flagrantly RINO record of anyone in the field. So I don’t doubt that he shamelessly changed the subject as Alexis said, because this is something he really, really doesn’t want to have to address for now. (And as a general matter, I appreciate Alexis’s robust coverage of the flap that consumed the political world this weekend).

More broadly, it’s pretty clear where the drift of this thing is heading, which is not toward Trump winning the nomination, but toward Trump somewhere along the way saying he’s been treated unfairly–by the GOP, by the media, by Jonah Goldberg, et al.–and declaring next year that he’s seriously considering an independent bid. Even if he didn’t ultimately pull the trigger, it would guarantee another couple of months of attention for Donald Trump, which is the only thing that matters for Donald Trump

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/...t-crazy-jim-geraghty

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:
I basically only have one barometer for whether Trump has gone too far–and that’s when Ted Cruz is willing to criticize him directly. We haven’t reached that point yet. I take Andy’s point about how all the other candidates are making their own calculations how to respond to Trump, too, but the gentle treatment Cruz affords the mogul is especially noteworthy given how eager he usually is to attack other Republicans and the fact that Trump has the most flagrantly RINO record of anyone in the field.

You know that Trump is not really a democrat and not really a liberal.

How, you ask?

The Republican establishment never attacks democrats or liberals and look at how they are attacking Trump.

Ipso facto he's really a conservative!

Cruz seems to understand what LBJ knew, "don't tell a man to go to hell unless you can make him go."

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:
Cruz seems to understand what LBJ knew, "don't tell a man to go to hell unless you can make him go."

Precisely!
Cruz knows how to handle this... and he's rising in the polls.

Those comments by Rich Lowrey above, and several I've heard from other talking heads, simply amaze me in their abject stupidity. After all that's occurred so far, they still have no clue why Trump is owning the show. They're either so out of touch with reality, or so bought off by the media and/or political establishment they don't seem to have even the smallest of clues as to what's occurring right before their eyes.

I like the fact that the attention he garners effectively keeps the press from picking off other candidates with their usual character assassination pieces. I'm sure they still want to, but they know no they can't right now as no one would watch. And they just can't leave their share of the ratings on the table, can they?

Look at him as an insulator. He is taking all the heat off the other candidates.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
Those comments by Rich Lowrey above, and several I've heard from other talking heads, simply amaze me in their abject stupidity. After all that's occurred so far, they still have no clue why Trump is owning the show. They're either so out of touch with reality, or so bought off by the media and/or political establishment they don't seem to have even the smallest of clues as to what's occurring right before their eyes.

Everybody is out of step but you?

Math is hard.

Every time some talking head says Trump is at 20%, plus or minus, this early the only thing that is evident is 80% plus or minus of those surveyed do not cotton to Trump and his style(he's nearly devoid any policy substance).

That 80% will coalesce around someone more suitable soon enough and Trump's 20% will follow.

quote:

Originally posted by BGULL:
Math is hard.

Your specious reasoning is evidence of that.

Who leaked my transcripts

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
Those comments by Rich Lowrey above, and several I've heard from other talking heads, simply amaze me in their abject stupidity. After all that's occurred so far, they still have no clue why Trump is owning the show. They're either so out of touch with reality, or so bought off by the media and/or political establishment they don't seem to have even the smallest of clues as to what's occurring right before their eyes.

Everybody is out of step but you?

Not at all what I said or was alluding to. The media continues to claim to be confused by the 'Trump Phenomenon'. You don't need to have a degree in journalism to figure it out. If there was not the overwhelming anger with Washington in general from such a huge cross section of the public, somebody like Trump would have no more chance of leading in the presidential polls than I would. This is nothing more than a reap what you sow response to to the behavior of what Cruz correctly calls the 'Washington Cartel'.

quote:

Originally posted by BGULL:
Math is hard.

Every time some talking head says Trump is at 20%, plus or minus, this early the only thing that is evident is 80% plus or minus of those surveyed do not cotton to Trump and his style(he's nearly devoid any policy substance).

That 80% will coalesce around someone more suitable soon enough and Trump's 20% will follow.

Which is exactly what the media talking heads all said would already happen, yet it hasn't. It might be a really good idea to sit back with a big bowl of popcorn and just watch this thing play out a bit more.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by ChicagoSigMan:
I'm curious why Trump is getting such major support from Sarah Palin. I don't see why she is going all in for someone who has very little in common with her brand of conservatism.

If you lived in a town named Moose Balls, you'd be disoriented, too.

Moose Balls aside (sounds like a veterinary exam ), momma Palin has a lot of mouths to feed. Seems like a business decision. Gotta get dat facetime on da teevee, yo.

Ha! Trump now at 32%.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-g...ew-post-debate-poll/

The establishment republicans better get a grip.
We're tired of politics as usual.

The democrats are having theirs in Bernie Sanders.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
Those comments by Rich Lowrey above, and several I've heard from other talking heads, simply amaze me in their abject stupidity. After all that's occurred so far, they still have no clue why Trump is owning the show. They're either so out of touch with reality, or so bought off by the media and/or political establishment they don't seem to have even the smallest of clues as to what's occurring right before their eyes.

Everybody is out of step but you?

Not at all what I said or was alluding to. The media continues to claim to be confused by the 'Trump Phenomenon'. You don't need to have a degree in journalism to figure it out. If there was not the overwhelming anger with Washington in general from such a huge cross section of the public, somebody like Trump would have no more chance of leading in the presidential polls than I would. This is nothing more than a reap what you sow response to to the behavior of what Cruz correctly calls the 'Washington Cartel'.

A degree in journalism? Please! What's that worth? All journalists understand is eyeballs, especially the TV journalists. Trump is a real life reality freak show, perfectly attuned to the pathetic, self centered, self absorbed pajama crowd who drive ratings, undisturbed by real reality.

There is some disappointment out there, mostly among the fly over crowd mostly conservative church-goers. The anger is mostly noted amongst purists of both extremes, who never get what they think they want in our system.

Meanwhile, here's a collection of Trump's thought:

quote:

“The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.”

“You know, it really doesn’t matter what the media write as long as you’ve got a young and beautiful piece of ass.”

On exporting goods to China: “Listen you m—–f——, we’re going to tax you 25 percent!”

"The U.S. will invite El Chapo, the Mexican drug lord who just escaped prison, to become a U.S. citizen because our "leaders" can't say no!"

“The only kind of people I want counting my money are little short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.”

“If I were running ‘The View,’ I’d fire Rosie [O’Donnell]. I mean, I’d look her right in that fat, ugly face of hers, I’d say, “Rosie, you’re fired.”

".@ariannahuff is unattractive both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man- he made a good decision."

“If you can’t get rich dealing with politicians, there’s something wrong with you.”

Everything in Trump's world is terrific, phenomenal, very successful. Everything else is stupid, total losers, embarrassing.

Really?

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
Those comments by Rich Lowrey above, and several I've heard from other talking heads, simply amaze me in their abject stupidity. After all that's occurred so far, they still have no clue why Trump is owning the show. They're either so out of touch with reality, or so bought off by the media and/or political establishment they don't seem to have even the smallest of clues as to what's occurring right before their eyes.

Everybody is out of step but you?

Not at all what I said or was alluding to. The media continues to claim to be confused by the 'Trump Phenomenon'. You don't need to have a degree in journalism to figure it out. If there was not the overwhelming anger with Washington in general from such a huge cross section of the public, somebody like Trump would have no more chance of leading in the presidential polls than I would. This is nothing more than a reap what you sow response to to the behavior of what Cruz correctly calls the 'Washington Cartel'.

A degree in journalism? Please! What's that worth? All journalists understand is eyeballs, especially the TV journalists. Trump is a real life reality freak show, perfectly attuned to the pathetic, self centered, self absorbed pajama crowd who drive ratings, undisturbed by real reality.

There is some disappointment out there, mostly among the fly over crowd mostly conservative church-goers. The anger is mostly noted amongst purists of both extremes, who never get what they think they want in our system.

Meanwhile, here's a collection of Trump's thought:

quote:

“The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.”

“You know, it really doesn’t matter what the media write as long as you’ve got a young and beautiful piece of ass.”

On exporting goods to China: “Listen you m—–f——, we’re going to tax you 25 percent!”

"The U.S. will invite El Chapo, the Mexican drug lord who just escaped prison, to become a U.S. citizen because our "leaders" can't say no!"

“The only kind of people I want counting my money are little short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.”

“If I were running ‘The View,’ I’d fire Rosie [O’Donnell]. I mean, I’d look her right in that fat, ugly face of hers, I’d say, “Rosie, you’re fired.”

".@ariannahuff is unattractive both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man- he made a good decision."

“If you can’t get rich dealing with politicians, there’s something wrong with you.”

Everything in Trump's world is terrific, phenomenal, very successful. Everything else is stupid, total losers, embarrassing.

Really?

Can you imagine him as president? How many times would we have to hear him call his opposition losers, stupid, OTR, or some other primary school style insult? The repetition as of now is beginning to make me wince. Okay Donald, everyone but you is stupid and a loser. You win, you're the best. Now, what's your plan?

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
Those comments by Rich Lowrey above, and several I've heard from other talking heads, simply amaze me in their abject stupidity. After all that's occurred so far, they still have no clue why Trump is owning the show. They're either so out of touch with reality, or so bought off by the media and/or political establishment they don't seem to have even the smallest of clues as to what's occurring right before their eyes.

No they tell lies, sheep believe said lies. Simple and they know it, its not that these talking heads just don't get it.

No matter how obvious some stuff is for us to see the vast majority don't and dont want to. They want to believe in unicorns and pixie dust.

Trump is playing a different game. I suspect he is - maybe - smart enough to know he isn't going to win.

So, if he's not going to win, why is he playing?

He's essentially a reality-show-brand and has been milking that for a couple decades. What he gets from the run is publicity. And, advertisers have to give great rates to campaigns, so whatever isn't free, he won't be paying list price for.

I would bet he will write off every penny of his campaign as marketing expense, and laugh. As it is, he lends his name/brand to projects and gets money for zero investment. Think of the breadth of products that will be possible in 2016 - all of which he will get a 'Donald's size' cut of via licensing fees.

As long as he doesn't borrow Perot's knife to stick in the back of the eventual Republican candidate by going 3rd party, I'm fine with it. People will tune in for entertainment value, and the serious candidates will get more exposure.

It's all academic, guys. Donald Trump will never be president. I would suggest, however, that the powers that be in the RNC wake up and realize just what is going on here. The reason Trump is polling so high is because he's the only presidential candidate saying what he's saying. Hard-working Americans are fed-up with the lies, broken promises, stalling, excuses and backroom bullshit, and Donald Trump is the only presidential candidate attempting to cut through all this crap and to speak the plain truths, and if other Republicans would begin to cut through the crap, then The Donald has lost his advantage.

Are the heads of the RNC really so dense that they can't understand this? Are they entirely out of touch with the frustrations Americans have been overwhelmed by for the past 7 years?