The man who could have stopped Donald Trump

Business Insider ^ | July 19th, 2016 | Oliver Darcy

[Mariner]

CNN couldn't stop Donald Trump. Neither could Fox News.

Some of the nation's most influential conservatives, from Glenn Beck to Bill Kristol, were powerless. Karl Rove and the Bush family had no effect. Scandal after scandal failed to put a chink in his armor.

And the 16 other GOP contenders, comprising some of the party's brightest and budding stars, proved to be impotent.

But some observers say that one man may have had the power to prevent Donald Trump's accession within the Republican Party: Matt Drudge.

"If Drudge had come out really negatively against Trump and had supported someone who would have played well with his reader base like Cruz, it would have been much harder for Trump to win," BuzzFeed political reporter and editor Andrew Kaczynski told Business Insider, referring to Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

The news mogul, one of the most mysterious individuals in the media industry, operates entirely outside the New York City and Washington, D.C., apparatus. He is seemingly accountable to no one. He is rarely spotted in public and holds close company with only a few select people. Reporters tip him off to stories through email or instant messages but never expect a reply, knowing he is unlikely to write back.

[peeps36]

Why do they think Drudge would want to piss off millions of people by picking sides in the primary. That’s about all he would have accomplished. These people just don’t get Trump’s connection with the people. We can hear and read what Mr Trump has to say. We don’t need or want some journalist telling us how to vote.

[Right Wing Assault]

The only things Drudge writes are occasionally misleading headlines AND those obnoxious stories that have 2 or 3 different headlines but all go to the same article. Sneaky click bait. (A few of those online right now.)

I never click on those until I hover on them to find out which ones are different.

[GOPJ]

Maybe Drudge is more sensitive to what’s happening in the country than most media. The MSM seems to know what the media elite one desk over is thinking and feeling... and the political elite he speaks to at a party... and the business elite he interviews for a story.

Beyond that the MSM is clueless.’

Drudge on the other hand is aware of the American people and OUR wants and fears... he’s one of us.

[DoughtyOne]

LOL, good for him.

[Twinkie]

To quote Hitler-y, “Would-a, Could-a, Should-a!”

“If WISHES were HORSES, then beggars would ride!”
- Don’t know who said that first.

[Solson]

The old gang is STILL under the impression they can control the outcome by telling the right story. too bad the media is quickly becoming irrelevant.

[Mashood]

Michelle Obama.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Which one of his campaign issues do you not like?"

As to his main campaign issues, I don't think it's viable to actually build a wall and Mexico is definitely not going to pay for it. Yes, in some places along the border a wall is needed. In other areas, to stem the flow of illegal immigrants there are other tools needed such as an electronic fence, etc..

I'm a free trader and on balance I believe that NAFTA was overall good for the economy. The stats do back it up. The problem with free trade is it's hard to quantify the millions of people it has directly and indirectly benefitted, but it's easy to see the people who have lost their jobs due to globalization. We need to find a better way to help people that are hurt by the globalization of the economy.

I don't think that banning muslims is the solution. Yes, we can certainly bann incoming immigrants from war torn countries, that is a more viable way to do it.

Lastly, he is boorish and a narcissist of the highest order. One other thing and it's a point I've said all along, I don't believe he has core beliefs and he'll be willing to compromise on issues that are most precious to us.

People try to compare him to Reagan, but there is no comparison. Reagan was in the political fight since the 50's. He was a governor of one of our largest states. He wasn't just an actor that decided to run for President. A few years back a book came out that concentrated on the weekly broadcasts he did on the radio in the late 70's. It shows what a deep and profound thinker he was on all of the important conservative issues of his time. I don't see that from Trump, at all.

To sum up, I will be voting for him because the greater evil is Hillary and my hope (especially with Pence being the VP) is that he will surround himself with good conservatives (like Newt) and we can get on with a great conservative agenda for this country.

[Safetgiver]

If Ronald Reagan was alive he would have trounced Trump!

George Washington would have cleaned Trump’s clock!
......Seriously, do you live in Disneyland? Why give examples of nevercouldaneverwoulda? If Ike was alive, Trump woulda never been the winner of WW2. Sheeesh!

[central_va]

Wall and tariffs are the position of the patriot. The opposite is the position of the free trade globalists.

You can be a globalist or a patriot, but not both.

PS: Reagan was a protectionist.

[amnestynone]

“You screw the people long enough they will fight back”

One of the rules of politics is that the weak will get weaker until they rebel and the powerful will get powerful until they collapse.

[odawg]

“The stats do back it up.”

Nope, they surely do not, and I use to live in Houston and would hear businessmen talk about having been put out of business by NAFTA.

“I’m a free trader”

If you were one of the 94 million Americans who do not have a job, or were an employee of Carier Air Conditioner, or a Ford employee, or a Hershey employee, to just get started, you probably would not be.

And, don’t give me the line about government regulations.

[Taxman]

I, for one, and all of my FRiends, are grateful that Drudge played this one the way he did!

Thanks, Matt!

Taxman Bravo Zulu!

[uncitizen]

Great point!

[BobL]

Drudge tried to stop McCain/Romney in 2008/2012.

HE FAILED. I may like him, but he IS NOT the person deciding the nominee, not this year at least - he is just another commentator, as he was earlier.

I suspect that Trump is where he is BECAUSE of Trump’s positions...although I know two things:

1) The left knows FULL WELL that Trump connected with voters that LOVE THIS COUNTRY.

2) The left can NEVER admit such.

[AFreeBird]

Got it one. Well, two actually.