GOP to nix some primaries - When OMG!!! is not so OMG!!!

[Jimmy Higgins]

Well, it looks like the GOP in a number of states are thinking about not making with the primaries, despite several people who have announced that they plan to oppose Trump... somehow... in the Primaries.

The move by the GOP is unprecedented except in the run up to the second terms for Presidents Reagan, Clinton, W. Bush, and Obama. I can't imagine that 1980 is some sort of threshold the parties had in mind. Granted, Reagan and Obama were definitely popular enough not to worry about primary opponents.

 

[Worldtraveller]

How many of those previous campaigns had actual opposition lined up?

Also, how different is this when there are primary contenders who want to be on the ballot and are being kept off?

(not trolling questions, I don't really think there's probably a significant difference this time, either, but it sounds like it might be just because there are enough GOP to actually want to primary trump, compared to the others where it might have been coming from a more fringe wing of the party)

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Their point is that Weld and others have no chance whatsoever of winning. Since Trump's winning the primary is assured, why bother with the expense of a primary or caucus? But what happens if Trump is indicted or chokes to death on a cheese burger late at night while rage tweeting? They are stuck with Trump otherwise.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

How many of those previous campaigns had actual opposition lined up?

Also, how different is this when there are primary contenders who want to be on the ballot and are being kept off?

(not trolling questions, I don't really think there's probably a significant difference this time, either, but it sounds like it might be just because there are enough GOP to actually want to primary trump, compared to the others where it might have been coming from a more fringe wing of the party)

Probably about as much as exists right now. There a few names tossed about, but Trump isn't losing to Weld or Mr. Tea Party guy who misses the days of being relevant.

 

[Bronzeage]

There's a scene it the TV show "West Wing" where one the characters tells of talking to a guy who always signs up to run for City Councilman, even though he has no support and never spends money on his campaign. All he does is show up for candidate debates. When asked why he does it this way, with no chance of beating the incumbent. He says, "As long as I am running, he hs to speak to my issues."

This is the sole reason the GOP primaries are being scaled back. It is to reduce Trump's exposure to dissent in the GOP. A primary fight would consist of Trump on one side and a group on the other side asking voters, "Do you think what the President said is true?"

Trump has three years of falsehoods and nonsense to his credit. Most of it is on video. The GOP leadership wants a sedate constituency that is not going to ask embarrassing questions. Trump's not worried. It's everybody else who is going to be asked to either confirm or deny something the President said. They don't want to be on camera repeating things that have already been proven false.

 

[Shadowy Man]

Their point is that Weld and others have no chance whatsoever of winning. Since Trump's winning the primary is assured, why bother with the expense of a primary or caucus? But what happens if Trump is indicted or chokes to death on a cheese burger late at night while rage tweeting? They are stuck with Trump otherwise.

To be fair, nobody though Trump would win his primary either.

 

[Elixir]

There's a scene it the TV show "West Wing" where one the characters tells of talking to a guy who always signs up to run for City Councilman, even though he has no support and never spends money on his campaign. All he does is show up for candidate debates. When asked why he does it this way, with no chance of beating the incumbent. He says, "As long as I am running, he hs to speak to my issues."

This is the sole reason the GOP primaries are being scaled back. It is to reduce Trump's exposure to dissent in the GOP. A primary fight would consist of Trump on one side and a group on the other side asking voters, "Do you think what the President said is true?"

Trump has three years of falsehoods and nonsense to his credit. Most of it is on video. The GOP leadership wants a sedate constituency that is not going to ask embarrassing questions. Trump's not worried. It's everybody else who is going to be asked to either confirm or deny something the President said. They don't want to be on camera repeating things that have already been proven false.

Sure, they can protect him from other repugs telling the truth about him.
But what's going to happen if/when Cheato has to share a debate stage with someone who will lay out as many of his criminal acts, botched handling of classified info, cozying up to enemies, outright lies and deceptions as time will allow? The "embarrassing questions" that another repug might ask, will pale in comparison to what will be brought to bear by an actual opponent. Many of the facts that will be presented on the debate stage will be absolutely new stuff for drooling base that only watches FOX. Is Trump going to tell the Nation "I never said that" when he is on video, never aired by FOX, that shows him saying it? Is he going to insist that Dorian hit Alabama? Is he going to insist that he built The Wall while a democrat challenges him to show us the non-existent wall he says he built?

How much of his post-fact reality can survive the light of day when actual reality is given equal voice?

More popcorn, please!

 

[Deepak]

How much of his post-fact reality can survive the light of day when actual reality is given equal voice?

More popcorn, please!

You're talking about people who insist on calling their opposition the 'Democrat party'. This reminds me of the last election where the prognosticators were all talking about how the religious right was going to reject Trump because he didn't really read Two Corinthians.

Two factors will be at play - do the CoC Republicans defect from Trump? And - can the Dems convince enough working class people that they're finished with Reaganomics?

The former is highly unlikely barring a recession.

 

[Elixir]

How much of his post-fact reality can survive the light of day when actual reality is given equal voice?

More popcorn, please!

You're talking about people who insist on calling their opposition the 'Democrat party'. This reminds me of the last election where the prognosticators were all talking about how the religious right was going to reject Trump because he didn't really read Two Corinthians.

Two factors will be at play - do the CoC Republicans defect from Trump? And - can the Dems convince enough working class people that they're finished with Reaganomics?

The former is highly unlikely barring a recession.

Nobody defects from Trump. But if even a moderate percentage of the people who hate the motherfucker show up to vote and pootey hasn't hacked all the voting machines, he's doomed.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

How much of his post-fact reality can survive the light of day when actual reality is given equal voice?

More popcorn, please!

You're talking about people who insist on calling their opposition the 'Democrat party'. This reminds me of the last election where the prognosticators were all talking about how the religious right was going to reject Trump because he didn't really read Two Corinthians.

Two factors will be at play - do the CoC Republicans defect from Trump? And - can the Dems convince enough working class people that they're finished with Reaganomics?

The former is highly unlikely barring a recession.

Nobody defects from Trump. But if even a moderate percentage of the people who hate the motherfucker show up to vote and pootey hasn't hacked all the voting machines, he's doomed.

The trouble is, these people voted for him, many in large part because he wasn't the Democrat. That metric doesn't change in 2020.

 

[Gun Nut]

What fucking moron would hold a primary in this electoral climate???
<Turns on TV>
ohhhhhhhh... the Democrat morons. Of course... what's better than saving the country from an out of control presidency? 3 inches higher moral ground than your political peer, that's what!

jesus.fucking.christ.on.a.stick.

 

[Elixir]

Nobody defects from Trump. But if even a moderate percentage of the people who hate the motherfucker show up to vote and pootey hasn't hacked all the voting machines, he's doomed.

The trouble is, these people voted for him, many in large part because he wasn't the Democrat. That metric doesn't change in 2020.

In 2016 "The Democrat" was an institution unto herself, into which Republicans had already invested almost 30 years of conscientious vilification. That metric definitely changes.