What a goof. Donald Trump, America’s modern P.T. Barnum, is giving the national media a paint job. And loving every minute. Four years ago at this time Rudy Giuliani “America’s Mayor” was leading all GOP comers in national presidential polls. He flamed out. So will Donald. Except Rudy really wanted to be president. For Donald, it’s a mega public-relations stunt and he loves the high. As he told me many times when I did public relations for him when a casino was in play for Bridgeport, “Lennie, people love the bullshit.” Here’s the latest GOP fear from Reuters:
Concerns voiced by party elites suggest they are worried that the news media’s fascination with Trump is crowding out some of the attention normally bestowed on the most serious of the Republican candidates.
Even if Trump emerged victorious as the Republican nominee, influential party players seem to doubt that he’d be able to defeat Obama.
Karl Rove, who was the architect of Republican George W. Bush’s two presidential victories, called Trump a “joke candidate” for focusing on Obama’s birth certificate.
“The guy is smarter than this,” Rove told Fox News.
The Club for Growth, a conservative economic group, pointed to a statement that Trump had made in the past in support of government-run healthcare to denounce him as a liberal.
“Donald Trump for President? You’ve got to be joking,” said Club for Growth President Chris Chocola. “Donald Trump has advocated for massive tax increases that display a stunning lack of knowledge of how to create jobs.”
And conservative newspaper columnist George Will told ABC News’ ‘This Week’ online ‘Green Room’ segment that Trump is a ‘blatherskite.'”
“That is a word my grandmother was fond of as someone who blathers promiscuously,” Will said.
Trump is going to milk this national media fascination for as long as it helps his television ratings, real-estate offerings, vodka sales, book purchases and anything else that comes under the Trump industry umbrella. Why? In Trump’s world bullshit sells. But let’s assume that Trump is really serious about running in GOP primaries. He’s got more baggage than Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark combined. Republican voters will not see him as a true conservative, just like they didn’t see Rudy. He’d be better off running a national independent candidacy for president than the GOP route. Meanwhile, national Dems are saying, “Donald, we love you, we want you, we need you, keep it coming.”
Lennie that was when you, Joe and Blondie were all on the Trump payro;; to keep a casino out of Bridgeport! I will bet you that Trump will be in the GOP primaries!!
charlie, from a pure entertainment perspective Trump in the primaries would be pure theater. As for the casino in Bridgeport Trump’s motto was if it happens I want it, if I can’t have it I want to kill it. In reality Fairfield County gold coast legislators killed it.
Actually Rowland killed it by not choosing Wynn and picking the Pequots. Then he had Jepsen kill it when it came to a senate vote.
Actually Lowell Weicker killed it when he told both Trump and Wynn they could have the casinos but not the slots. Those, he claims, were promised only to the “Indians.” Trump took a hike and Wynn said, “OK.” Weicker, thinking he had Wynn over a barrel asked, “Don’t you have to get the approval of your board of directors?” To which Wynn replied, I AM the board of directors. Then Weicker withdrew the offer. And that’s the true story. Trump wouldn’t do it without the slots as the slots are a cash cow and keep casinos in the black.
Yeah Lennie, but what if he really means it this time? He’s no more of a BS artist than Obama, Romney, or any other of the political flies and leeches out there. I remember when the Wollman Memorial Skating Rink (in Central Park) was in disrepair. The Koch administration hired a contractor who milked the project for 2 years and got nothing done. The Donald offered his services, stepped in and got the job done in 6 months. The skating rink is a jewel in NYC to this day.
He’s a doer. I know he doesn’t put his hand in his pocket easily, but when he does he gets results.
None of these politicians have any idea how to generate revenue other than taxing. If they were businessmen they’d all be bankrupt because they’d have to be doing it with their money, not our money. That goes for all levels of government.
When the U.S. was established over 200 years ago, being in government was a civic duty, sort of like jury duty. And after serving one or 2 terms the elected official went home to his regular job.
Being in politics wasn’t meant to be a career. I wonder who pays for their benefits (i.e. pension, healthcare, etc.)? They don’t. Corporations don’t fully fund those things. It’s a matter of substantive economics. Make politicians fiscally and personally responsible for their actions. We both know that won’t happen, just like term limits. The only people who can limit their terms are the people whose terms would be limited.
Oh yeah, and who is Weicker working for as a consultant? You guessed it … the casinos in Connecticut.
Weicker made a complete fool of himself when the Mashentucket Pequot tribe was granted BIA recognition and wanted to build a casino on sovereign tribal land. He fought them all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and every judge sided with the Indians. Go fish, Lowell baby.
I moved to Iowa in late ’91. There is an Indian tribe out there, the Tama. They have had federal recognition much longer than the Pequots. There was a bingo hall on the reservation. Forget about Thursday nights at the Knights of Columbus. The Tama bingo games were for $50,000.00–$100,000.00 jackpots, elephant-sized chunks of money. They were watching the proceedings in Connecticut and decided if their northeastern brethren could have a full-scale gambling palace they could too.
Terry Brandstad, Iowa’s GOP governor at the time, was not going to have any of it. (He always gave the impression his objections were motivated more by political pressure from evangelical conservative constituents than any personal conviction.) He fought them all the way through the state and federal appellate courts and lost. It was a Memorex echo of Weicker’s Quixotic battle. The Tama tribe had temporary buildings erected within days of the U.S. Supreme Court’s denying to hear the appeal of a lower court’s decision, buildings furnished with blackjack and poker and baccarat and craps tables, slot machines, etc.
As a courtesy the Indians give up half the slot revenues to the states. They don’t have to do it.
*** Trump should invest in a new “hair rug,” NO? *** BUSINESS HYPE THAT’S OUT OF TOUCH WITH LOCAL FOLK ***
Moderate and liberal Republicans are a dieing breed. I’ve always assumed these were the most intelligent Republicans, but here is clear evidence to the contrary–Donald Trump is their favorite for President.
This is a party where 51% are convinced Obama was not born in the U.S. and only 28% are convinced he was.
Jon, they also thought Iraq was responsible for 911.
I heard from a CIA agent that Osama was one of theirs and is currently in the witness protection program with Sammy “The Bull.”