How much would Republicans love Trump now if he’d lost the election?

[madasheck]

It’s funny what winning an election will do. During the 2016 campaign, there were R’s who were tepid in their support for Trump like Colin Powell, Jon Huntsman, Jeff Flake, Carly Fiorina, Jason Chaffetz, Ben Sasse and numerous others ( **all mentioned in this NBC story** ) who called for him to drop out or they changed from deciding to vote for him before the election.

But some of those named above who said they wouldn’t support him or were lukewarm sure changed their minds after the election. But I’m wondering how much love Trump would have now if the election had reversed itself and Hillary had won by the landslide people had predicted.

What do you think? I suspect the fickle finger of elections would have been wagging and he’d have been just another loser. I think winning the election did everything to boost his love within his party and they would have all but abandoned him otherwise.

 

[haymarket]

One has to suspect most institutional Republicans - particularly those already in office or within the official party structure, expect Trump to lose in 2020 if it is a straight two person race. They are willing to accept this since the alternative is even more disastrous for them: that being splitting with Trump early to get a different nominee, dividing the party as the Trumpkins rebel against the Republican establishment, and the party not only goes down to defeat but it could well be its demise as well.

1964 with Goldwater and 1972 with McGovern demonstrate that a party can take a real ass whipping of the landslide sort but still come back four years later to win the White House. But in both cases, the party held together and did not fracture.

 

[Dittohead not!]

It’s funny what winning an election will do. During the 2016 campaign, there were R’s who were tepid in their support for Trump like Colin Powell, Jon Huntsman, Jeff Flake, Carly Fiorina, Jason Chaffetz, Ben Sasse and numerous others ( **all mentioned in this NBC story** ) who called for him to drop out or they changed from deciding to vote for him before the election.

But some of those named above who said they wouldn’t support him or were lukewarm sure changed their minds after the election. But I’m wondering how much love Trump would have now if the election had reversed itself and Hillary had won by the landslide people had predicted.

What do you think? I suspect the fickle finger of elections would have been wagging and he’d have been just another loser. I think winning the election did everything to boost his love within his party and they would have all but abandoned him otherwise.

Hillary winning is an hypothetical, of course, but we're likely to see a real world answer to your speculation come November of 2020.

I'm betting that the mainstream Republicans will abandon him like rats leaving a sinking ship. They'd better, if they want the party to continue.

 

[Felis Leo]

It’s funny what winning an election will do. During the 2016 campaign, there were R’s who were tepid in their support for Trump like Colin Powell, Jon Huntsman, Jeff Flake, Carly Fiorina, Jason Chaffetz, Ben Sasse and numerous others ( **all mentioned in this NBC story** ) who called for him to drop out or they changed from deciding to vote for him before the election.

But some of those named above who said they wouldn’t support him or were lukewarm sure changed their minds after the election. But I’m wondering how much love Trump would have now if the election had reversed itself and Hillary had won by the landslide people had predicted.

What do you think? I suspect the fickle finger of elections would have been wagging and he’d have been just another loser. I think winning the election did everything to boost his love within his party and they would have all but abandoned him otherwise.

Well, madasheck, I can only speak for myself: I do not love Trump, nor do I even like him. I find the man rather repugnant on a personal level, but I am altogether indifferent to him. I support him and his administration in some areas of his governance, but that is because in those areas the administration's policies align with my political positions and principles.* If he had lost the election, I would imagine there would be a wing of right-wing populists who would claim that the system was rigged against him, similar to the contingent of far-left populists who claim that the Democratic primaries were rigged against Bernie Sanders. But if he had lost, my feelings towards him would probably be the same: near-total indifference.

*EDIT: And I am driven to support Donald Trump against the current incarnation of the Democratic Party because now mainstream Democrats, in a bid to attack Trump, apparently seek the total abnegation of aspects of American society and its economy that had hitherto enjoyed bipartisan acceptance or at the very least tolerance simply on the basis that Donald Trump supports them as well.

 

[OrphanSlug]

I equate all of this to buyers remorse.

Trump did not win on establishment, he won on being a bull in a china shop with the absolute intention of going against the norms. The issue became how Trump decided to conduct himself going up against establishment right and left, starting an intentional holy war with the media, appealing to Twitter, etc.

Republicans should now be realizing Trump is damaging their party far more than he intended to do to Democrats.

So now we look to 2020, and it will probably be another **** show as well.

 

[tres borrachos]

It’s funny what winning an election will do. During the 2016 campaign, there were R’s who were tepid in their support for Trump like Colin Powell, Jon Huntsman, Jeff Flake, Carly Fiorina, Jason Chaffetz, Ben Sasse and numerous others ( **all mentioned in this NBC story** ) who called for him to drop out or they changed from deciding to vote for him before the election.

But some of those named above who said they wouldn’t support him or were lukewarm sure changed their minds after the election. But I’m wondering how much love Trump would have now if the election had reversed itself and Hillary had won by the landslide people had predicted.

What do you think? I suspect the fickle finger of elections would have been wagging and he’d have been just another loser. I think winning the election did everything to boost his love within his party and they would have all but abandoned him otherwise.

Wasn't Chaffetz the one who said he couldn't support Trump because he could never explain to his daughter why he supports a man who brags about grabbing women by their genitals without their permission?

 

[Rexedgar]

I equate all of this to buyers remorse.

Trump did not win on establishment, he won on being a bull in a china shop with the absolute intention of going against the norms. The issue became how Trump decided to conduct himself going up against establishment right and left, starting an intentional holy war with the media, appealing to Twitter, etc.

Republicans should now be realizing Trump is damaging their party far more than he intended to do to Democrats.

So now we look to 2020, and it will probably be another **** show as well.

Just how much “sand in the gears” can we tolerate?

The recent vote in the UK Parliament as to confidence/no confidence of their elected leader gave me food for thought.

 

[OrphanSlug]

Just how much “sand in the gears” can we tolerate?

The recent vote in the UK Parliament as to confidence/no confidence of their elected leader gave me food for thought.

Not really sure at this point. I did not suspect so many Republicans to continue to support Trump, but did suspect that Trump would upset just about everyone else. It seems like all Republicans accomplished in supporting Trump was swapping one set of problems with another set of problems.

No confidence on this side of the pond just means waiting until the next election, and that tells me we have at least that long for the gears to halt. So the question is what damage is done between now and then? Perhaps illustrated by a question on how many more government shutdowns do we experience (as one example question among many I could come up with.)

 

[Cardinal]

Wasn't Chaffetz the one who said he couldn't support Trump because he could never explain to his daughter why he supports a man who brags about grabbing women by their genitals without their permission?

More specifically, he said, "if I can’t look her in the eye and tell her these things, I can’t endorse this person."

I can't imagine how that family's Thanksgivings have been going, with him still being unable to look his daughter in the eye.

 

[Born Free]

It’s funny what winning an election will do. During the 2016 campaign, there were R’s who were tepid in their support for Trump like Colin Powell, Jon Huntsman, Jeff Flake, Carly Fiorina, Jason Chaffetz, Ben Sasse and numerous others ( **all mentioned in this NBC story** ) who called for him to drop out or they changed from deciding to vote for him before the election.

But some of those named above who said they wouldn’t support him or were lukewarm sure changed their minds after the election. But I’m wondering how much love Trump would have now if the election had reversed itself and Hillary had won by the landslide people had predicted.

What do you think? I suspect the fickle finger of elections would have been wagging and he’d have been just another loser. I think winning the election did everything to boost his love within his party and they would have all but abandoned him otherwise.

Hillary was a clone of Obama who was the biggest failure of all time. And now your party has moved so far to the left, which has now brought on Howard Schultz pulling out of the Democratic party because it's so far left, he is running as an independent. And boy is your party pissing in your paints.

 

[smallvoice]

Hillary winning is an hypothetical, of course, but we're likely to see a real world answer to your speculation come November of 2020.

I'm betting that the mainstream Republicans will abandon him like rats leaving a sinking ship. They'd better, if they want the party to continue.

I'm betting that if the Dems put up another abysmal candidate, they will go down again. So far, they haven't found one that's not so far left that anyone can stomach.

 

[Dittohead not!]

Hillary was a clone of Obama who was the biggest failure of all time. And now your party has moved so far to the left, which has now brought on Howard Schultz pulling out of the Democratic party because it's so far left, he is running as an independent. And boy is your party pissing in your paints.

Do you write for the World Nu.. I mean Net Daily? That post appears to have been taken verbatim from that august publication.

Of course, it's really total

 

[smallvoice]

Wasn't Chaffetz the one who said he couldn't support Trump because he could never explain to his daughter why he supports a man who brags about grabbing women by their genitals without their permission?

Who is Chaffetz?

 

[Dittohead not!]

I'm betting that if the Dems put up another abysmal candidate, they will go down again. So far, they haven't found one that's not so far left that anyone can stomach.

The self described "conservatives" won't vote for a Democrat regardless of who the candidates are. I think there are enough middle of the roaders and independents to unseat Trump, though, as long as the Democrats don't blow it again in the primary.

 

[smallvoice]

The self described "conservatives" won't vote for a Democrat regardless of who the candidates are. I think there are enough middle of the roaders and independents to unseat Trump, though, as long as the Democrats don't blow it again in the primary.

And that's a fair paraphrase of what I said. The ball is in the Libs' court. If they put one up, we will vote Trump, it's that simple.

 

[Dittohead not!]

And that's a fair paraphrase of what I said. The ball is in the Libs' court. If they put one up, we will vote Trump, it's that simple.

The only way you will not vote for Trump is if he either drops out or loses the primary. Your political lean says it all. The Democrats could run Pence while the Republicans ran Beelzebub, and you would still vote Republican.

 

[ElChupacabra]

I equate all of this to buyers remorse.

Trump did not win on establishment, he won on being a bull in a china shop with the absolute intention of going against the norms. The issue became how Trump decided to conduct himself going up against establishment right and left, starting an intentional holy war with the media, appealing to Twitter, etc.

Republicans should now be realizing Trump is damaging their party far more than he intended to do to Democrats.

So now we look to 2020, and it will probably be another **** show as well.

It's hard to understand the whinging about how Trump is treated when he's made it a point to be combative in his quest to upend the "status quo". If you pick a fight with too many people, you can't complain about getting hit from every angle. The sad thing about all of this is an anti-establishment candidate could probably do well challenging the norms if they knew how to align the right allies and get as many people on board as possible.

 

[tres borrachos]

Who is Chaffetz?

Jason Chaffetz. Former Utah congressman.

 

[madasheck]

Well, madasheck, I can only speak for myself: I do not love Trump, nor do I even like him. I find the man rather repugnant on a personal level, but I am altogether indifferent to him. I support him and his administration in some areas of his governance, but that is because in those areas the administration's policies align with my political positions and principles.* If he had lost the election, I would imagine there would be a wing of right-wing populists who would claim that the system was rigged against him, similar to the contingent of far-left populists who claim that the Democratic primaries were rigged against Bernie Sanders. But if he had lost, my feelings towards him would probably be the same: near-total indifference.

*EDIT: And I am driven to support Donald Trump against the current incarnation of the Democratic Party because now mainstream Democrats, in a bid to attack Trump, apparently seek the total abnegation of aspects of American society and its economy that had hitherto enjoyed bipartisan acceptance or at the very least tolerance simply on the basis that Donald Trump supports them as well.

No, that's not why Trump is being investigated. Turn the channel from Sean Hannity and watch the real media.

 

[Felis Leo]

[/B]

No, that's not why Trump is being investigated. Turn the channel from Sean Hannity and watch the real media.

That is not what I am referring to, madascheck. I do not care overmuch about the investigation. If it is found that Donald Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors, I am all for allowing him to be impeached.

Rather, I am referring to mainstream Democrats attacking hitherto-accepted social institutions and embracing extreme left-wing positions under the rubric that if anything liked by Donald Trump and the Republicans must be at the very least suspect if not outright despicable. That if Donald Trump loves the Flag and Apple Pie, then the Flag and Apple Pie are to be held suspect if they are loved by such a wicked man.

 

[smallvoice]

Jason Chaffetz. Former Utah congressman.

Yep, my question alluded to "So why do we care what he says".

 

[smallvoice]

The only way you will not vote for Trump is if he either drops out or loses the primary. Your political lean says it all. The Democrats could run Pence while the Republicans ran Beelzebub, and you would still vote Republican.

Hardly. Pay attention. I think Trump is a dirtbag, with a big mouth. Having said that, I will vote for a dirtbag with a big mouth or 'even' Pence before I'll ever vote for a liberal/progressive/socialist/communist Democrat. They are that bad for the nation. They want to take us in a direction we may never recover from. Not with my vote.

 

[madasheck]

That is not what I am referring to, madascheck. I do not care overmuch about the investigation. If it is found that Donald Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors, I am all for allowing him to be impeached.

Rather, I am referring to mainstream Democrats attacking hitherto-accepted social institutions and embracing extreme left-wing positions under the rubric that if anything liked by Donald Trump and the Republicans must be at the very least suspect if not outright despicable. That if Donald Trump loves the Flag and Apple Pie, then the Flag and Apple Pie are to be held suspect if they are loved by such a wicked man.

Like I said turn the channel from Fox News. Mainstream Dems aren't attacking anything. Donald Trump is putting this country in extreme danger by cuddling up to Putin. That's what we're concerned about. Donald Trump has done little if anything to make this country great.

 

[ryzorsden]

One has to suspect most institutional Republicans - particularly those already in office or within the official party structure, expect Trump to lose in 2020 if it is a straight two person race. They are willing to accept this since the alternative is even more disastrous for them: that being splitting with Trump early to get a different nominee, dividing the party as the Trumpkins rebel against the Republican establishment, and the party not only goes down to defeat but it could well be its demise as well.

1964 with Goldwater and 1972 with McGovern demonstrate that a party can take a real ass whipping of the landslide sort but still come back four years later to win the White House. But in both cases, the party held together and did not fracture.

The real thing to consider how slimly Trump won by. I mean Bush did win by 500 votes in Florida, but he also had 9/11 which all but secured his re-election.

Trump has a hill to climb now that Democrats are motivated. I always side with the incumbent, but Trump is a very, very fragile incumbent.

 

[ryzorsden]

Hardly. Pay attention. I think Trump is a dirtbag, with a big mouth. Having said that, I will vote for a dirtbag with a big mouth or 'even' Pence before I'll ever vote for a liberal/progressive/socialist/communist Democrat. They are that bad for the nation. They want to take us in a direction we may never recover from. Not with my vote.

Very ironic coming from the guy who probably voted for a war criminal, AKA W Bush.

And likewise, I will NEVER vote for a Republican. Ever. They are that bad for the people. THey are crooks. They are only in it to make big business bigger by giving tax cuts to the rich and keeping the rest of the country poor. They ally themselves with racists and used the SOuthern Strategy to flip the South. THey are the true American Taliban and I'll vote for a yellow dog before I vote for a Republican.