2016 elections - because it's never too early

[Savonarola]

Goldwater and McGovern were both nominated due to discontent among the base, Trump, Carson or Sanders gaining their party's nomination is not impossible.

Both Goldwater and McGovern were both two term senators.  Trump and Carson are more like Jesse Jackson or Pat Robertson; they might win a couple primaries, but when people start thinking of them as the next president rather than as a protest candidate, they'll fall apart.

I think Sanders is a long shot, but not impossible.

There are only 4 primaries before Super Tuesday this cycle.

And they might win one or two of them.

There won't be time for them to fall apart if they're still riding high by the time Iowa and New Hampshire roll around.

They've got three weeks, that's more than enough time to collapse.  Howard Dean managed to do in a single night.

Well, you were right, Tim, and I was wrong.   

I think my biggest mistake was assuming that eventually the public would become exhausted by the media's constant coverage of all thing Trump.  That hasn't happened and doesn't seem to be likely to happen any time soon.  The adage about no such thing as bad publicity has certainly proven true; the coverage of Trump has been overwhelmingly negative, yet he thrives.

My second was underestimating the impact of The Donald's mastery of social media.  In 2008 Barack, I think, benefited over Hil and McCain by being able to use social media while they struggled with it, but by 2012 everyone seemed to be on a level playing field.  Trump, though, has been something else in this regard.

 

[Caliga]

Ben Carson won't attend the next debate because he "doesn't see a path forward."

He could try opening his eyes for a change.

[garbon]

Ben Carson won't attend the next debate because he "doesn't see a path forward."

He could try opening his eyes for a change.

Already posted.

[dps]

What will Languish Republicans do in the actual election if (looking more like when) Trump wins this race? Vote for him, stay home, switch to Democrat? 

I posted several months ago that if the nominees were Trump and Clinton, I'd vote for a 3rd party candidate.  However, at that time, I didn't think that Trump could win the nomination, and that in the highly unlikely event that he did so, Hillary would trounce him easily.  Now, however, it seems possible that Trump will not only win the nomination, but maybe the general election.  So, at this point, I'm in wait and see mode.  If either Trump or Clinton is well ahead of the other, or if it's close but not in NC, I'll still vote for a 3rd party candidate.  But if it looks like it'll be close, and NC is in play, I'll very reluctantly vote for Clinton.

It'll be like having to vote for greedy, corrupt used car salesman because the other candidate is a drunkard with an IQ of about 70.

Mind you, I'm still hoping that Trump won't be the Republican nominee.

[lustindarkness]

Ben Carson won't attend the next debate because he "doesn't see a path forward."

He could try opening his eyes for a change.

Already posted.

But Ben Carson did not see it.

[11B4V]

Ben Carson won't attend the next debate because he "doesn't see a path forward."

He could try opening his eyes for a change.

He's a mushroom anyway.

[jimmy olsen]

 

[jimmy olsen]

Does Trump have a policy? I mean, other than "bomb the hell out of everything". 

He's actually the 2nd most isolationist candidate to have run after Rand Paul. He's basically a Lindberghesque American First clone

[Legbiter]

GOP strategist Castellanos: Time to rally around Trump, 'too late to ask mommy to step in and rewrite rules'

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/03/02/gop-strategist-castellanos-time-to-rally-around-trump-too-late-to-ask-mommy-to-step-in-and-rewrite-rules/

"It is too late," Republican media strategist Alex Castellanos, who had unsuccessfully urged top GOP contributors to back an anti-Trump campaign earlier in the cycle, wrote in an email. "There is a fantasy effort to stop Trump, like a fantasy campaign to stop yesterday but it exists only as the denial stage of grief."

...."I think it will soon be clear that Republicans have hired Donald Trump to do the job their previous hires have failed to do: bring change to Washington and make America great again," he wrote.

[Eddie Teach]

The party has already hit the iceberg, but there's plenty of time to find a lifeboat.

[viper37]

The party has already hit the iceberg, but there's plenty of time to find a lifeboat.

Who's splitting?  The so-called moderate Republicans or the hard liners?  What will remain of the GOP?  Which side will Fox News side on?

[MadImmortalMan]

Arlen Specter, Lincoln Chafee, Charlie Crist..


Did you know that both Hillary Clinton and Elisabeth Warren used to be Republicans? Also Gabby Giffords.

[Eddie Teach]

Who's splitting?  The so-called moderate Republicans or the hard liners?  What will remain of the GOP?  Which side will Fox News side on?

I don't know that moderate vs. conservative makes much difference, it's the people who either don't like the new directions Trump is going (hawks, free traders) or don't trust him(educated religious conservatives) who aren't going along for the ride.

[PDH]

It's the Acrapocalypse.

Stupids are gonna win.

[Admiral Yi]

CNN reported from the rumor mill that Republicans are considering setting up a "safe haven" party for Republican up for reelection who don't want to be associated with Trump.