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The Donald Could Prove Hillary’s Trump Card
National Review ^ | August 4, 2016 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 08/04/2015 10:20:20 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

With Hillary Clinton’s multiple misdeeds coming to light and causing her political problems, reflected in her declining support in the polls, both she and the Democratic party have reason to be concerned. But both of them may yet be rescued by “The Donald,” who can turn out to be their Trump card.

Donald Trump has virtually no chance of becoming even the Republican party’s candidate in 2016, much less being elected President of the United States.

The reason is not hard to understand: Republican voters simply do not trust him, as the polls show. Nor is there any reason why they should trust him, given his chameleon-like changes in the past.

Why then is he the “front-runner” in the polls?

One reason is arithmetic. When there is a small army of Republican candidates, each with a tiny set of supporters, anyone with enough name recognition to get the support of a fifth or a fourth of the Republicans polled stands out, even if twice that many Republicans say they would never vote for him.

When both kinds of Republicans are counted, Donald Trump is both the “front-runner” and the leading pariah. The danger is not that he will get the nomination, but that his irresponsible talk will become the image of the Republican party, and that his bombast will drown out more sober voices that need to be heard, thereby making it harder to select the best candidate.

More is involved than arithmetic, however. Many Republican voters are so disgusted with their party, especially over its repeated betrayals of them, and of the country, especially when it comes to immigration, that they are immediately attracted to anyone who voices the outrage they feel.

Donald Trump has turned this opening phase of the 2016 primaries into the Donald Trump Show. All of this might be very entertaining, if this were not a crucial juncture in the history of the country and of the world.

But, while all this political theater is going on, the world’s leading promoter of international terrorism — Iran — has gotten a “deal” that all but guarantees that they will have nuclear bombs and, not just incidentally, intercontinental missiles to deliver them.

Iran doesn’t need intercontinental missiles to reach Israel, which is closer to Iran than St. Louis is to Boston. Send not to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.

We can only hope that, somewhere among the many Republican candidates, there is someone who can, as president, make the hard decisions and take the hard steps required to undo the utter disaster that looms ahead, as a result of Barack Obama’s feckless foreign policies.

If ever there was a time to carefully sift through all the aspiring Republican candidates, in hopes of finding just one who might be up to the superhuman task ahead, in order to head off a nuclear catastrophe, this is surely the time to look for a solid, wise and steadfast leader.

A shoot-from-the-hip, bombastic show-off is the last thing we need or can afford. As for the Democrats, their leading candidate — Hillary Clinton — was one of the architects of the foreign-policy disasters that can turn into world-changing catastrophes.

As for the Republican mob scene, it is a challenge just to remember all the names of the candidates. These include many who must know, in their heart of hearts, that they have no real chance of getting the nomination. But, unless they withdraw, the public’s attention may well be fragmented over too many candidates for them to find a truly promising candidate for president.

Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. His website is www.tsowell.com. © 2015 Creators Syndicate Inc.


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 2016; 2016election; clinton; cuckservatives; election2016; gope; gopprimary; nationalreview; nationalsecurity; newyork; richlowry; scottwalkerfangirl; sowell; thomassowell; trump; walkerfangirl
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Solid behind Cruz at this point. And quite honestly, if anyone but Cruz gets the nod, I'll likely go 3rd party. I may be convinced to support Trump, if he got the nod for '16, but I'll admit that I am in the same boat with Trump as I am with Walker, given Trump's previous democrat ties and leanings and such.

I can say if Walker gets the nod, or Jeb, or any of the other RINO GOPe shills, I WILL vote 3rd party. I'm done with the GOPe and voting for the "lesser evil". Been doing that for over 20 years now, and it doesn't work. All it does is push the party further to the left.

I do LOVE the fact that Trump is just destroying the establishment, but I can't entirely with confidence say that I'm ready to vote for him. Now a Trump/Cruz ticket, or better yet, Cruz/Trump ticket? Yeah, I could get behind that.

21 posted on 08/04/2015 10:36:23 AM PDT by dware (Yeah, so? What are we going to do about it?)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Oh no! Not the Hillary boogie man! Hillary is unlikely to be the nominee and besides, she’s no worse than any other establishment candidate.


22 posted on 08/04/2015 10:36:27 AM PDT by freedomfiter2 (Lex rex)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Walker is just Another Bought Off Gope puppet.

He is the RNC's boy and in fact he hires from this anti conservative snake pit ! We do not need another RNC — Billionaire Puppet candidate.

Walker has hired the loser Establishment Romney team and Snake Dayspring the RNC Smear expert.
Then there is George Will and his wife who is Walkers Communication person .
Nothing is more DC elites and Gop insiders than The Wills !
We have had Enough of these Owned GOP hacks like Walker.

23 posted on 08/04/2015 10:37:41 AM PDT by ncalburt ( Amnesty-media out in full force)
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To: wolfman23601

We have a candidate who has governed, successfully, a state that no one would have ever thought could be pulled out of the quagmire the Leftist had made.

Look at Illinois.

Look at Wisconsin.


24 posted on 08/04/2015 10:39:04 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Raycpa

You're basing your "Trump has a chance" assessment on polls, are you not? You do know there isn't a single poll out there that shows Trump beating Hillary, Sanders or even Biden. Trump, when matched up vs. the dems, has the worst showing.

And since you've unleashed the "idiot/liar" invectives, anyone who thinks Trump will win the White House, especially in a third-party scenario, is not only an idiot AND a liar...but a dope-smoking one.

25 posted on 08/04/2015 10:39:09 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Liberalism is the poison ivy that infests the garden of society.)
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Comment #26 Removed by Moderator

To: Raycpa
Any one who says Trump has no chance is an idiot or liar.

Thomas Sowell may or may not be wrong here, but he is most assuredly neither an idiot nor a liar.

Respect is due.

27 posted on 08/04/2015 10:40:59 AM PDT by Maceman
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To: dware

Bite me, misguided worshipper!


28 posted on 08/04/2015 10:42:39 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Liberalism is the poison ivy that infests the garden of society.)
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To: ncalburt

No matter how many times you repeat that, it’s a lie. Walker did not hire Dayspring, he works for a super pac.

I’m happy to think that Walker has good people on his team. What is your problem with George Will’s wife?

There are a lot of people working for ALL the candidates.

If that’s your beef, it’s pretty thin gruel.


29 posted on 08/04/2015 10:42:53 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: ScottinVA

Nothing in life, especially in politics has no chance. Anyone who makes that claim is an idiot or a liar. One may say its very unlikely but to say its not possible is wrong.


30 posted on 08/04/2015 10:43:02 AM PDT by Raycpa
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To: ScottinVA
Trump has the entire RNC -KStreet Dem uni - party on the ropes !
The fact you don't like that tells us your just a Jebbie poster worried that the Beltway crooks will get shut out of a Trump White House !

Ryan and Bonehead were ready to ram thru Amnesty in July right after there TPA victory and ONE MAN stop them Trump!

I like the enemy which is the RNC and our GOP leaders SCARED !

31 posted on 08/04/2015 10:43:27 AM PDT by ncalburt ( Amnesty-media out in full force)
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To: Raycpa

And then we wake up and apply reality.


32 posted on 08/04/2015 10:44:07 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Liberalism is the poison ivy that infests the garden of society.)
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To: ScottinVA
Bite me, misguided worshipper!

Just so you know, that whole "I know you are but what am I" thing went out with kindergarten. Just sayin'!

33 posted on 08/04/2015 10:44:35 AM PDT by dware (Yeah, so? What are we going to do about it?)
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To: Maceman

He surprised me about this absolute statement. Maybe changed by editor or written by student.


34 posted on 08/04/2015 10:45:30 AM PDT by Raycpa
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To: ncalburt

I never said I didn’t like the role Trump plays right now as the attack dog against the GOP-e types. But do come to reality. You’re overestimating the general electorate support for him.


35 posted on 08/04/2015 10:46:13 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Liberalism is the poison ivy that infests the garden of society.)
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To: freedomfiter2

“Hillary is unlikely to be the nominee and besides, she’s no worse than any other establishment candidate”.

Hitlery is no worse? You’re kidding.


36 posted on 08/04/2015 10:47:18 AM PDT by laplata ( Liberals/Progressives have diseased minds.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

I do have some respect for Walker. I like what he did in Wisconsin, and the fact that he had the bedwetters up in arms and pretty much crushed them. That was excellent. BUT - he IS part of the establishment, and I won’t support that any more. That is the problem. If Walker grew some cajones and set about to destroy the establishment, as Cruz and Trump are, I’d be a helluva lot more willing to jump into his corner. Instead, I believe Walker would turn out a lot more like Dubya, a man I supported because I believed he would actually stand for Conservative principles. Instead, I got the so-called “Patriot” Act and the start of ‘too big to fail/bailout’ policies. I won’t make that mistake again.


37 posted on 08/04/2015 10:47:31 AM PDT by dware (Yeah, so? What are we going to do about it?)
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To: dware

“Just so you know, that whole “I know you are but what am I” thing went out with kindergarten. Just sayin’!”

As did name calling to those who disagree with you. Just sayin’.


38 posted on 08/04/2015 10:47:50 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Liberalism is the poison ivy that infests the garden of society.)
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To: laplata
Hitlery is no worse? You’re kidding.

If anything, the establishment RINO types are WORSE than Hitlery and the left. At least with the left, we KNOW precisely what is coming. With the establishment RINO types, we get stroked and have smoke blown up our noses, only to have them bend us over after election. Kinda like Gardner coming out on election night with his victory speech, immediately stating that government shutdown was not an option. Well, then. I'll not waste another vote on Mr. Gardner.

39 posted on 08/04/2015 10:49:51 AM PDT by dware (Yeah, so? What are we going to do about it?)
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To: Bluewater2015

This “gem” by Mr. Sowell just enforces the fact that EVERYBODY burns their toast occasionally. EVERYBODY.


40 posted on 08/04/2015 10:50:06 AM PDT by Tucker39 (Welcome to America! Now speak English; and keep to the right....In driving, in Faith, and politics.)
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