Patterico's Pontifications

Trump expected to run the table. No attempt to lower expectations. Let the voters speak.

ropelight (371c0b) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:30 am

If Trump gets any less than 90% of the vote in any of these states today, it should be construed as an underachieving disappointment.

Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:34 am

There has been discussion on at least some radio stations about the process of voting for delegates as well as president, and people being identified as to whether they commit to voting for the popular vote winner all throughout the process or whether they will state to support a specific candidate after the first vote no matter what the popular vote is.
Wasn’t real easy to find, but I found it and I am not that search savvy.

MD back in Philly!!! (f9371b) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:38 am

I’ll be voting for Ted Cruz later today. Unfortunately, Senator Cruz has only one committed delegate on the ballot in my congressional district, and another write-in candidate. Here is the image file of the committed Cruz delegate candidates by congressional district. Senator Cruz did not do a particularly good job in getting committed delegate candidates to run, with only 24 on the ballot for 54 slots.

The Dana in Pennsylvania (f6a568) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:40 am

I think he will get way less than 90 in PA.
But I expect more than 50%
but then I do not put any weight on my political predictions,
Especially about the future.

MD back in Philly!!! (f9371b) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:41 am

Mr. Trump has a very good chance of securing several of these “delegates” I think.

Delegates help you level up and the more you collect the closer you get for to rescue the princess.

happyfeet (a037ad) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:42 am

Trump draws votes/support from people who want to stop the destruction of this country. Whether you agree he is the right person or not is irrelevant to why he draws support. Whether you think he’s a snake oil salesman or not, does not change why he receives the support from people who want to stop the destruction of the United States of America…

G6loq (3a2647) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:48 am

I read your excellent post on this at Red State, Dana in Pennsylvania. I don’t know the GOP PA delegate rules but I assume it takes time to be a delegate. Maybe you could try to be one next time since it seems there aren’t many Cruz conservatives in your district.

DRJ (15874d) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:51 am

Somewhat overlooked in the discussion of the primary system is the role the delegates and the caucuses play in developing the Party’s platform. Most of the time spent at the county and state conventions is spent on the wording of the platform and various resolutions that characterize the philosophy and action plan for the Party. This activity can not be done by a popular election, just as the drafting of laws, which used to be the primary purpose of Congress, required debate, amendments, and multiple iterations before mature legislation emerged. The public is largely unaware of this aspect of the primary system, just as they are profoundly ignorant of the workings of Congress in the regime that is characterized by our new, unaccountable, administrative state.

If Trump is the nominee, it will be despite the caucus system. Will Trump discard the platform that is drafted by the delegates? Will Trump even have a platform? This will have unintended consequences. The reconstruction/destruction of the Republican Party could begin as soon as July.

BobStewartatHome (a52abe) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:55 am

I just voted. Looks like most people in my area are Cruz people. At least it seemed like that. I’m in a pretty Republican area though Bernie was all over too. I can’t figure out people. I pulled into the handicapped spot and in the one in front of me was a Mercedes 550 CLS, a good 95K with a Bernie sticker on it. Do these people listen to their candidates at all?

Ever try voting while dragging a damn canister of oxygen behind you? I must have looked like a commercial for some ambulance chaser.

Hoagie ™ (e4fcd6) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:55 am

Um, #7. How does Trump stop the destruction of the United States of America, specifically?

Is it the unwavering commitment to prior promises?

Or is it the making fun of the way that Kasich eats that reassures you?

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/04/25/trump_mocks_kasich_for_giving_interviews_while_eating_pancakes_disgusting.html

That was certainly Presidential.

Remember, the man has a choice of how he appears. He chooses this.

I understand why Trump is popular with lazy hypocritical nihilists who want to call people names, and burn everything down, but I don’t understand why he would be popular with people who want a strong, clear policy of fixing our nation.

I cannot think of anyone more “insider” than a huckster with multiple bankruptcies and failed enterprises and a history of supporting whatever politician might show him favor.

Simon Jester (2708f4) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:01 am

at this point it’s hard to feel anything but gratitude for how Mr. Trump stepped up

if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t even have a frontrunner and pee-stank would be unstoppable

happyfeet (a037ad) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:07 am

Trump becoming more formidable: Dem

There’s some indications including polls that he could be more competitive in the general than I thought. I still think he’s a loser in the general though.

Gerald A (945582) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:12 am

Lyin’ Ted and Disgusting Pig Kasich don’t stand a chance today, so they’re colluding to beat me with strategy and rules. Cheating!

@RealDonaldTrump (341ca0) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:14 am

I have spoken to people of reasonable intelligence but who have little insight into “the way the world works”. There is just too much smoke and noise for many people to try to sort out in addition to living their lives. They know things haven’t been working, they know that people that have been elected too often don’t say what they will say they will do, and so they just want to try something different.

Lots of people just don’t have the “life energy” to invest in figuring stuff out. I don’t either, which is why I mainly look here, PowerLine, and links from these two. I know libs are allowed to post here and at PowerLine, and figure if they had anything rational to say worth listening to I would see it…(crickets, loud crickets…)

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:14 am

But yes, many people should know better once they stop and think what they know about trump.

Hoagie, I think it is easy for some people to assuage their guilt over being non-caring. They pay good money for the government and professionals to do some effort, whether it works or not, to care for those having a hard time, so they don’t have to.

Maybe give some Dems credit, they at least know that Hillary is not worth their vote, and they still are invested in thinking the govt will eventually solve the problems of the world, irrespective of the evidence.
That’s why liberalism is primarily an appeal to emotion, without thinking it through.

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:19 am

We have several revolutions coming and already in process, MD in Philly.

It remains to be seen how many will include how much shooting, but I don’t expect those with power to give it up without fighting one way or another.

luagha (6e11ea) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:21 am

President 44 and his cabal have placed this Republic in mortal danger. The past seven years is a Dante trip of hell for this Republic.I have no doubts that when you think of the last circle of hell is visited another circle awaits the American People by this President.Which begs this question? Why do so many here believe Mr. Trump is a greater danger to the Republic than President44?

I understand the idea of Mr. Cruz for President vs. Mr. Trump and the posts to that effect.However, the amount of posts that portray Trump as a danger is a diorama vs. Mr. Obama’s clear empirical evidence.

mike191 (4c004d) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:38 am

Mr. Trump wiped the floor with the preemo-grade harvardtrash social con butt-snuffler Mr. 191

they’ll never forgive him

it’s all about identity politics, and Mr. Trump is of the wrong social class – he’s a filthy entrepreneurial-minded man of business

it’s inconceivable he and melania could be picked over ivy league luminaries like teddie-pie and heidi-cakes

snobbery will out and that’s what we’re seeing this year i think

how snooty and effete and disconnected from real america Team R has become

and this is very healthy

and it’s delicious that Andrew Jackson’s in the news at the same time

but yes yes the bill kristol snob class is rejecting the populist Mr. Trump

right now this is mostly just a defense mechanism

they’ve yet to come to terms with how emphatically America has rejected them

happyfeet (a037ad) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:53 am

Hoagie, I think it is easy for some people to assuage their guilt over being non-caring.

There’s one of the areas where you and I differ, MD in Philly. I don’t believe people who are non caring have any guilt about it at all. They don’t care and they don’t care they don’t care. Some are even proud of it. The money they pay to the government is not to pay professionals to help those in need. They pay that money because if they didn’t they’d go to jail. You presume they have a conscience. All one needs do is look at the charity donations by politicians to see exactly the type person they are. When guys like you or I do meals for the poor on holidays, meals on wheels for shut-ins or prosthetics for military amputees we do it out of duty, honor, respect and love for our fellow Americans. We do it on our own time with our own money and no one knows specifically who or when we help people sometimes even those we help.

Did ya vote yet, MD in Philly? Now I’m gonna take my wife to lunch.

Hoagie ™ (e4fcd6) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:58 am

Mr happyfeet, there’s nothing that screams “populism” like a billionaire who drinks his morning juice from a gold-plaited carafe before he boards his private jet.

Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:59 am

Trailer parks and food stamps
Is all we really need
Ho hum! Bernie sings it with more conviction.

nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:05 am

we need a new sheriff in town these harvardtrash ones are too poopy

happyfeet (a037ad) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:08 am

@Cruz Supporter: there’s nothing that screams “populism” like a billionaire who drinks his morning juice from a gold-plaited carafe before he boards his private jet.

Or a Hudson River patrician descended from the oldest families in New York. Nonetheless he was pretty popular.

People like what they like, and you can’t go broke underestimating the taste of the public.

Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:12 am

“… it’s all about identity politics, and Mr. Trump is of the wrong social class – he’s a filthy entrepreneurial-minded man of business…”

Trump as a verbally incontinent version of Mitt Romney.

Sure thing feets

JP (bd5dd9) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:18 am

we need a new sheriff in town these harvardtrash ones are too poopy

This reminds me of the time that a schoolteacher told Thomas Jefferson “Mr. Jefferson, shouldn’t that be a more nearly perfect Union?” and Thomas Jefferson said “Go soak your head”.

nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:20 am

Mr. Feet….if it is okay for you to call people “butt-snufflers,” then you can’t be surprised when people call you on your very clear trollish mental illness.

Like Trump, you have a choice. You choose to be this offensive and insulting, just as Trump does. It’s even counter to what you (and Trump) claim you want. Except what you want has nothing to do with the country, or to enter into discussions.

You count on some good people ignoring it, while you piss all over someone else’s site, just like you count on people like me to call you on it.

There is something wrong with you, on a basic level.

Simon Jester (c8876d) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:21 am

Mitt Romney is harvardtrash number one so of course he’s super-acceptable number two he’s not an entrepreneur he’s in private equity (kinda like heidi-cakes just with actual qualifications for the job)

happyfeet (a037ad) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:22 am

One good thing about a Trump-Clinton race is one of them has to lose.

Gerald A (945582) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:38 am

… Donald Trump, warts and all, is not a public enemy. The Golems for both parties in 2016 are stasis and apathy. Even Sanders’s Democrats recognize the need for a revolution inside the Beltway. Alas, right-of-center Republican Party drones do not want Trump — or change. If fact, ideological recidivists are especially obstreperous. George Will would rather see Clinton III than take a flyer on a populist pragmatist like Trump.

If the truth be told, the righties across the board are in denial. Denial is usually the first stage of grief.

Denial comes in two flavors in 2016. The first tastes like sour grapes, the unwillingness to recognize Trump’s popularity, potential, or success to date. Trump was a winner as a businessman and now he is now a winner as a candidate. Like it or not, these are inconvenient truths. Trump leads the pack and will probably get the nomination if momentum and votes are probative…
http://tinyurl.com/gtdz8x9

G6loq (3a2647) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:38 am

oh my goodness Mr. Jester you don’t sound even a little bit grateful that’s so hurtful to me

pls to understand i work very hard to make the comments and why do i do this

ok pretend i wasn’t here

you would have a cow, and you would be missing a cabbage

you’re super-smart so you would probably figure out the cow ate the cabbage

but you would not know *how*

that’s where i come in

and i do this cheerily and i do this with elan and I do this because i really really want people to know about the cabbage

but there’s something else i do what is so important and you seem kinda oblivious about it Mr. Jester

what i do is I *represent*

i represent all the people what feel like me and see things same same – and there are SO many of us just not here

and so i abide

and I explain about the cabbages

and I am content

happyfeet (a037ad) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:46 am

Oh, Mr. Feet.

You represent no one but yourself. No one does, actually.

I suspect you suffer a bit from sociopathy on this topic.

Honestly, do you talk in this silly ass style at work?

Nope.

Do you talk to your family this way?

Nope.

Do you talk to your friends in real life this way, say over dinner?

Nope.

I know the last to be absolutely true, based on witnesses.

Your act here is simple bizarre self-indulgence and narcissism—mixed with intentionally offensive trollishness.

You don’t really think here, after all. You react. Maybe that is different off line for you. I hope so.

And here is the thing: I have spoken to several people who know you as a human being, not as your archie and mehitable on acid trope. They insist you are a good and kind person.

Not one who insults women and people of faith.

Not someone who contradicts himself often and shamelessly.

Most especially, not someone who acts against his own self-interest.

But the narcissistic tone of your post above tells me what I have long suspected: you don’t care a whit about any of the things you say you care about here.

Maybe you do in your personal life.

But wouldn’t it be wonderful if you actually wrote a serious post about your beliefs regarding the Trump campaign? Without calling people butt-snufflers, or fetus-snufflers, or other lazy and intentionally offensive insults you would never, ever say in person?

My guess is that Patterico would run such a serious essay, and that everyone reading would get something from it. Me included.

Yes, it would take some effort on your part. But you say you really care about the country.

Just remember: you don’t have the right to speak for others. Just yourself. And that’s true for all of us, including me.

Anything else exemplifies what you claim to hate: poisonous arrogance, willful stupidity, and authoritarianism.

It’s up to you But I know how I am betting. Prove me wrong?

Simon Jester (c8876d) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:58 am

ok after Mr. Trump gets the nomination I’ll write for you why I think we have to go to war against pee-stank with the army we got

happyfeet (a037ad) — 4/26/2016 @ 11:02 am

Doc and Dana, participating in the caucus process is a fairly long term commitment, and other than the Presidential Primary, I think it is largely outmoded. In Washington the Delegates to the District, County and State convention must first be elected as a Delegate from their Precinct Caucus. This occurred in February in Washington State. These are small affairs, five or ten neighbors generally. At the Legislative District Caucus, a hand full of Delegates are elected to go to the State Convention. We had 48 candidates running for 21 Delegate positions in my Legislative District. Alternates are also elected in case a Delegate is unable to attend. Those voting in the District Caucus were either Delegates or their Alternates as elected at their Precinct Caucus. Participation in the County Convention is open to Delegates/Alternates from the Precinct Caucus, and the main business of the County Convention is to elect representatives to various State committes and to finalize the platform (and resolutions) prior to submission to the State Platform committee.

The delegates (or their alternates) elected at the District Caucuses will attend the State Convention in mid-May, just before the Primary Election. At this convention, with an attendance a bit below 1000 delegates, a delegation comprised of 44 Delegates, will be elected to attend the National Convention. They will be obligated to vote according to the outcome of the primary election on the first ballot, but after that they are free to choose.

So the caucus system winnows the delegates and alternates elected in their precinct caucuses in two steps. First a subset is elected within each legislative district to go on to the state convention, and then the final delegation is elected from this subset, resulting in 44 delegates who will represent the state at the National Convention. In each winnowing, the election involves large numbers of delegates who were all elected in their precinct caucuses. The bottom line is that victory generally goes to the faction that participated most heavily in the precinct caucuses since that determines who gets to vote in each of the subsequent rounds.

This would be a terrific system if the grassroots was a large and active body. Their wishes would predominate, and they would be motivated to put up yard signs, talk to their neighbors, distribute literature, and do all the little things that give a candidacy life. But with data mining, huge media budgets, and the like, modern campaigns tend to ignore the grassroots, and the grassroots has responded by largely ignoring the candidates. This isn’t as true for Democrats since they use union labor to man “grassroots” activities. Two decades ago, teachers were given the opportunity (required?) to wave signs at overpasses from 6am to 7:30am prior to their first class, for example. The current lack of understanding and support for the caucus system is a clear indication that it is likely to see major changes in the near future. The Democrats have largely dispensed with the grassroots portion of their primaries, as witnessed by Hillary!’s huge delegate lead, very little of which is related to voter- or grassroots preferences. But their campaign problem is one of managing union resources, and grassroots and volunteers have little to do with their success. And recent developments may hasten the process. Trump’s supporter’s death threats to Delegates and their families could well be the nail in the coffin of neighborhood citizen involvement.

BobStewartatHome (a52abe) — 4/26/2016 @ 11:03 am

Yes, Simon, you are JUST the person to be lecturing folks about how they have a “very clear trollish mental illness.”

hypocritical nihilists who want to call people names, and burn everything down

That was earned by having the temerity to say

Trump draws votes/support from people who want to stop the destruction of this country. Whether you agree he is the right person or not is irrelevant to why he draws support. Whether you think he’s a snake oil salesman or not, does not change why he receives the support from people who want to stop the destruction of the United States of America…

Maybe you can point out the name calling for me, because all I see is the angry Cruz mob foaming at the mouth because despite the exit of all the other candidates (except one), Cruz is still unable to get above 50% in any primary, and only above 50% in one caucus. If Trump can only get 35%, where have the other voters that were sure to swing to Cruz once Rubio, Bush, Carson, and the other six were gone?

I remember the good old days when we were told that it was a fact that Trump only got a max of 35% support, and he would never have any more. Now, we are being told that if Trump doesn’t get 90%, then it was a “underachieving disappointment”. Times sure do change.

prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/26/2016 @ 11:04 am

I thought so, Mr. Feet. That’s really too bad. I still had hopes.

Simon Jester (c8876d) — 4/26/2016 @ 11:04 am

10. …I pulled into the handicapped spot and in the one in front of me was a Mercedes 550 CLS, a good 95K with a Bernie sticker on it. Do these people listen to their candidates at all?…

Hoagie ™ (e4fcd6) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:55 am

Yes, they listen. What’s Bernie proposing? Income redistribution. That guy has already made his. If he’s not already retired he could retire and take a pension that will put him in a lower tax bracket. Now that he has it socked away. the last thing he wants is for somebody else to do the same.

That just means more people crowding the course and slowing down his golf game, or driving up rents for a slip at the yacht club.

Of course it’s short sighted. Once socialists get elected by people too lazy to do their own thievery and have to make good on their promises of free sh*t they’ll not stop at income. They’ll MoveOn.org to wealth redistribution. But Bernie isn’t saying that yet.

Steve57 (4bd90d) — 4/26/2016 @ 11:32 am

And in other news, Cruz delegates don’t care one whit how the voters vote.

More of those Cruz “principles”, I suppose.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/04/25/pennsylvania_delegate_trump_voting_for_who_wins_district_cruz_delegate_im_voting_for_cruz_even_if_he_loses.html

prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/26/2016 @ 11:34 am

Battle of Britain, folks. Batten down, keep calm & carry on.

Beldar (fa637a) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:02 pm

*starts counting down to the massive national tantrum from the usual sources as Cruz continues to woo unbound delegates with the PA ones*

M. Scott Eiland (b97d1e) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:05 pm

if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t even have a frontrunner

*********

That could be the most illogical statement you’ve ever typed with your toes.

Danube River Guide (76b104) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:18 pm

Sac county has had a dozen deaths due to the Chinese knock off of Fentanyl. Synthetic drug when used correctly amounts to self administered Zyclon B.

And that’s what happened to Prince Nelson. He joined the thousands of victims of Chicom predations mixed with American hedonism. Almost threw me off the track with the “He led such a clean drug free life . With his yoga class, vegan lifestyle.” testimonials.

So much for witnesses.

papertiger (c2d6da) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:19 pm

Wait……if you are a DIRP—Democrat In the Republican Party—maybe it makes sense.

Danube River Guide (76b104) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:20 pm

Happyfeet—what’s your first priority–abortion?

Danube River Guide (76b104) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:22 pm

“To get back to the warning that I received. You may take it with however many grains of salt that you wish. That the brown acid that is circulating around us isn’t too good. It is suggested that you stay away from that. Of course it’s your own trip. So be my guest, but please be advised that there is a warning on that one, ok?”

(YouTube)

papertiger (c2d6da) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:26 pm

“ok pretend i wasn’t here
you would have a cow, and you would be missing a cabbage
you’re super-smart so you would probably figure out the cow ate the cabbage
but you would not know *how*

that’s where i come in” — happyfeet @#31

Dam! happyfeet, you are *good*!

Unfortunately, the people who most need your explanations are the people who won’t get it. Because they’re smart.

Maybe after Trump gets the nomination in a 1st round walk-over, you can explain to them how there was never going to be a 2nd ballot. Except in their dreams.
But even after you explain to them how the cow ate the cabbage, they still won’t get it. Because they’re smart.

fred-2 (ce04f3) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:27 pm

…Maybe you can point out the name calling for me, because all I see is the angry Cruz mob foaming at the mouth…

Classic projection, prowlerguy. Like your messiah you are supremeley un-self-aware and to paraphrase your messiah that’s all you see because your eyes are clouded with blood and you’re bleeding from your “whatever.”

You see what’s not there because that justifies the Trumpanzee hate and rage that is there.

I take what Jonah Goldberg writes with a grain of salt. I take everything anybody says at National Review with a grain of salt. Iowahawk nailed the pseudo-intellectual establishment so-called conservatives in his classic send-up of T. “Coddington Voorhees VII.”

http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/t-coddington-van-voorhees-vii/page/8/

T Coddington Van Voorhees VII
As a Conservative, I Must Say I Do Quite Like the Cut of this Obama Fellow’s Jib

By T. Coddington Van Voorhees VII
Columnist, The National Topsider
Membership Chairman, The Newport Club

…How can I say this, you ask? One look at this Obama chap is all the answer you need. Suave, tanned, unflappable, Harvard connections; it’s obvious that here is a man to the conservative manor born. One imagines him at the helm of the Ship of State, basked in the sunlight diffusing through the seaspray over the bow, like some beautiful rugged Othello from a rapturous Ralph Lauren catalog, calmly issuing instructions to the deck crew in that magnificent mellifluous baritone of his. It’s that easy-going, almost effortless grace that has all the A-list conservatives like David Frum and Kathleen Parker whispering Reaganesque in hushed tones. Even Peggy Noonan — the Grand Dame of Gipperism — has succumbed to Obama’s undeniable conservative charms. Just last month I listened to her wax poetic about the Adonis of Chicago between chukkers at the Newport Club polo tournament final. “Why Peggy, you old dowager,” I quipped, “I believe you just had an orgasm.”

Certainly, my endorsement has raised more than a few eyebrows around the National Topsider water cooler, particularly among the alumni of jejune cow colleges like Michigan or Dartmouth. They sometimes point to Mr. Obama’s radical Rolodex and his hooey about “wealth redistribution” and “dictatorship of the proletariat.” But, as I patiently explain, this is precisely the point – it is hooey, over-the-top rhetorical flourishes obviously designed by Mr. Obama to win over benighted inner city hoi polloi (a feat, I might add, that even the Great Communicator himself was unable to accomplish). As for his so-called radical ties, who among us hasn’t sent dinner party invitations to Gore Vidal and a leftwing terrorist or two to enliven the postprandial conversation? Leonard Bernstein loved hosting all manner of Weathermen and Black Panthers and Symbionese Liberation Army celebrities at his Park Avenue pied a terre, but it didn’t mean the Maestro wasn’t in favor of low taxes. On the contrary; I know for a fact he itemized every cent of the catering bills for his famous terrorist cocktail parties.

Just so, I have every confidence that Obama’s true conservative butterfly will emerge once in office…

I mean, it’s been clear for years that despite their conservative posturing they just want to lay down and roll on their backs so Nancy Pelosi and the editors of the NYT will rub their bellies.

But I am amused when he relays the messages he gets from you Trumpkins on social media. Like you, prowlerguy, all they see are rabid hateful Cruz supporters who are dividing the party and won’t be reasonable and unite behind the inevitable Trump. And they all go by internet handles like “TrumpOrRiot.”

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/apr/2/roger-stone-trump-ally-plans-daysofrage-protests-g/

Ted Cruz isn’t telling his supporters he’ll pay for their lawyers if they beat up protesters. Ted Cruz supporters aren’t saying they’ll riot if they don’t get their way in Cleveland. Indiana and Colorado police agencies aren’t investigating death threats against GOP delegates and state party officials and their families coming from Cruz allies and supporters.

That’s all in a days work for the charming Donnie Trump and his delightful Trumpanzees.

There’s more I could list but really there’s no point. If you’re capable of compiling the list you’re not a Trumpanzee. If you’re a Trumpanzee you’re not capable of absorbing the reality of the situation. It’s not like all of a sudden you’ll look into a mirror and actually see what’s staring back at you.

At this very moment some Trumpanzee who can only see evil rabid angry Cruz supporters “stealing” the nomination from their precious Trump is making anonymous death threats to a GOP delegate’s family so that delegate will be too afraid for their safety to go to Cleveland and commit the heist.

Because how else are good, decent, salt-of-the-earth types like you, prowlerlguy, supposed to react to the injustice of it all? Clearly threatening violence is the only Christian thing to do. And if you’re going to threaten violence you’re going to see what you want to see no matter if it’s real or not. You’re going to see people who deserve whatever they get.

Steve57 (4bd90d) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:29 pm

38. And in other news, Cruz delegates don’t care one whit how the voters vote.

More of those Cruz “principles”, I suppose.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/04/25/pennsylvania_delegate_trump_voting_for_who_wins_district_cruz_delegate_im_voting_for_cruz_even_if_he_loses.html

prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/26/2016 @ 11:34 am

I propose giving the nickname “wedge” to Trump supporters. So the rest of us can speak in code. “That guy’s a wedge.” And the rest of us will know who that guy is voting for.

Why? Because like the wedge Trumpkins are the simplest tools known to man.

Prowlerguy, I could have told you last year the unbound PA delegates don’t give a rat’s @$$ who wins the worthless irrelevant beauty contest. The whole point to becoming an unbound delegate, PA or elsewhere, is so YOU can vote for who YOU want to vote for. It’s why they went to the bother of getting themselves elected as an unbound delegate.

You’re just figuring this out now? Seriously? How is it that you Trumptards are constantly getting blindsided by simple rules written in plain English that have been clear to everybody else for a long, long time?

Obviously you Trumpanzees only have one course of action open to you now that you’ve been “ambushed” by the PA RNC and their rules which have been in place for years.

“Stop the steal” by leaving anonymous voicemails threatening to kidnap and assault the delegates’ wives and duaghters if they don’t vote how you demand. ‘Ceptin’ if the delegate is a woman; then call and threaten to ravage them. Make the delegate aware you know what hotel she’ll be staying at in Cleveland.

Oh, and what Trumptardian campaign to win hearts and minds would be complete if you didn’t stalk their children or grandchildren, and send pics to the delegate.

“Days of rage,” prowlerguy, threaten days of rage. Because those foaming-at-the-mouth Cruzstapo types have earned it.

Steve57 (4bd90d) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:51 pm

At this point I don’t care how they keep the nomination from Trump. If they have to hold the position vacant, that will be OK. But whatever.

Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:58 pm

Unfortunately, the people who most need your explanations are the people who won’t get it. Because they’re smart.

Maybe after Trump gets the nomination in a 1st round walk-over, you can explain to them how there was never going to be a 2nd ballot. Except in their dreams.
But even after you explain to them how the cow ate the cabbage, they still won’t get it. Because they’re smart.

Bow to the power of the INEVITABLE Badger!
The POWER of the Inevitable Badger compels you!

The Trumpkin mocks us for our “delusion” that Trump will not be the Republican nominee while clinging to its own delusion that Trump is not something you scrape off the bottom of your shoe.

It reminds of the occasion when a British general demanded of Major Pierre Cambronne of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard to surrender and Cambronne replied: “Eat s**t!”

nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:02 pm

Hoagie (#10), tonight I’ll hoist a cold one in your honor.

@ prowlerguy (#38): You and Trump and the Trumpkins seem to have this strange notion of entitlement, whereby Trump’s success in one aspect of the political fight entitles him — without trying — to success in every other aspect of the fight. Get a damn clue — buy one, or get Trump to buy you one, and he can buiy one for himself at the same time. If you don’t compete at the delegate by delegate level, you’re not really competing for the nomination. What defines the nominee is that he’s received a majority vote of the delegates — not that he’s won some number of states or some number of raw votes in primaries and caucuses.

I don’t think either you or Trump understand the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy. You’re treating these primaries as if we were operating under a direct democracy system. You want the delegates to be bound, forever, to vote for the candidate to whom they’re pledged on not just the first but all ballots. That would strip the delegates of all discretion. But it would also absolutely guarantee a deadlocked convention if no candidate shows up with a majority already.

Both major political parties have deliberately chosen not to embrace direct democracy for selecting their presidential candidates. Instead, through the federalist system that gives each state considerable sovereignty and independence in setting the means, both parties have embraced a representative democracy, one in which convention delegates — like legislators sent to the statehouse or Congress — are necessarily entrusted with discretion and flexibility by the voters who elect them.

Did you and the Donald play hooky on the day they taught this stuff in high school civics class?

Beldar (fa637a) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:03 pm

Hoagie #10, thank you for voting. Seriously. Other people don’t bother, and snark and carry on…yet they don’t have your challenges. I salute you as well.

Simon Jester (2708f4) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:10 pm

Oh look, the fake war hero Steve57 speaks. He is so witty! Trumpanzes. You slay me.

But seriously, when there isn’t a second ballot, all the back-room deals and promises made and palms greased will be worth a bucket of snot. And then all the GOP elites who claim at the top of their voices to be “real” conservatives will find out they were just errand boys who failed.

prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:15 pm

I understand why Trump is popular with lazy hypocritical nihilists who want to call people names,

That’s some funny stuff right there.

WTP (5ea774) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:19 pm

people who won’t get it. Because they’re smart.

The Dunning-Kruger effect explains ever so much.

WTP (5ea774) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:23 pm

Beldar, this is the kind of thing that keeps sneaking up and mugging Trumpy the insult clown and his Trumpanzees, then stealing their lunch money.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/pennsylvania-gop-primary-to-leave-delegate-picture-uncertain-1461094440

…Under the decades-old system, well organized campaigns can line up delegates who have committed to backing their candidates and then alert supporters which delegates to vote for on primary day. But even those commitments aren’t binding, giving the 54 remaining delegates major sway in a contested convention.

This system helped then-President Gerald Ford fend off a primary challenge from Ronald Reagan in 1976, even though the former California governor picked a Pennsylvania senator as his running mate. Four years later, Mr. Reagan won the lion’s share of the state’s delegates, despite losing the popular vote in a rout to George H.W. Bush…

I suppose if the words “nuclear triad” are an impenetrable mystery to you then you’re going to be a little fuzzy about other DECADES OLD SYSTEMS such as the Pennsylvania Republican primary.

Clearly that spittle-flecked rabid “Lyin’ Ted” is shamelessly cheating the precious of what are rightfully “his” delegates and therefore “his” nomination by unfairly and dishonestly not joining Trump in that coma he’s been in since at least the last contested GOP convention 40 years ago

Steve57 (4bd90d) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:30 pm

Colored me surprised. Another ambulance chasing low life creates “facts” out of whole cloth.

You want the delegates to be bound, forever, to vote for the candidate to whom they’re pledged on not just the first but all ballots.

Prove it, boy. I’ve never said that, never believed that. All you impotent Cruzites are capable of now is throwing up strawmen and lies. Pitiful.

I do, however, believe that an elected official (which a delegate is) has at least some responsibility to consider the desires of those they are elected to represent. I know, such notions are considered quaint for the sophisticated Republican insider Harvard lawyer and his minions. Heck, even backwoods West Virginia includes the leanings of the at-large delegates right on the ballot. Wonder why PA doesn’t? The only reason is the same reason that newspapers never put a (D) after the name of elected officials being investigated or convicted; to hide the affiliation.

Cruz and his followers here have made it abundantly clear how they see things. Any loophole (no matter how arcane or recently adopted), any bribe or arm-twisting needed to sway a delegate; all good. Actual votes by actual voters; meaningless. I really can’t see any difference between your position now and the position of the Democrats in FL in 2000.

prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:32 pm

Those who do not know history are doomed to get fooled by a con-man named Donald Trump.

Steve57 (4bd90d) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:36 pm

@ prowlerguy: That was a collective “you,” meaning Trump and his Trumpkins. And yes, I posted links here within the last two weeks about the Trump campaign and its surrogates complaining that Cruz was getting friendly delegates in Florida among delegates bound to Trump for the first three ballots. Team Trump and its Florida proxies were insisting that all Florida delegates should be bound to Trump forever. That’s also the essential premise behind all these “disenfranchisement” complaints — your team doesn’t understand representative democracy, and so you haven’t been competing for individual delegates who have personal loyalty to Trump, and so you’ve nothing left to do but whine.

Which you excel at.

Beldar (fa637a) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:39 pm

Here’s an idea I have yet to see so it must be flat out crazy, unlike our current process or anything else that has been suggested…When a candidate wins delegates, that candidate gets to pick who those delegates are. Quite similar to some of the caucus systems where you elect a delegate who then says whom they are supporting. Otherwise, in what sense are they “your” delegates? Delegates vote first round for who they were originally pledged to. If no one gets a clear majority on the first ballot, enough delegates on the lower end become un-pledged such that a majority could conceivably be reached. Rinse, repeat until you have someone with a majority. This can’t possibly be that hard and would reflect to some degree the will of the voters.

WTP (5ea774) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:42 pm

We all need to chip in and buy prowlerguy tampons and Midol because, and here I defer to his lord and savior’s expertise in such matters, even across the intertubes “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes,” …”Blood coming out of her wherever.” And the combination of the cramping and blood loss is obviouslly effecting prowlerguy’s commenting.

Steve57 (4bd90d) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:47 pm

Delegates, by the way, are indeed elected officials — but not government officials. Their responsibility is to the political party. Each state decides whether, and if so, to what extent, to bind their delegates to particular candidates. Some states have deliberately skewed their process away from direct democracy to send large numbers of unbound delegates.

So prowlerguy, you can fantasize and project and whine all you want about what delegates do. No one cares about your fantasies, projections, and whining.

But you are doing an excellent job here of making bitter personal enemies.

Beldar (fa637a) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:49 pm

@ WTP (#61): Some state GOP party rules do provide for the winning candidate in that state’s primary to select the individuals who will be his pledged delegates. But most don’t. That’s a deliberate choice each in those states, because they have indeed considered the factors you’re focusing on.

These aren’t random rules. They have history, and they reflect considered choices over time — choices that vary by state. It’s the laboratory of democracy.

But Trump and the Trumpkin skills can’t fathom any of that, so they whine.

Beldar (fa637a) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:52 pm

@ WTP (#61): A better idea would be to disallow WTA without a 50% majority trigger.

Random Numbers (d5cd81) — 4/26/2016 @ 2:08 pm

I was first clued in about details of the delegate election by a robocall from a pro-life organization, giving their recommended delegate candidates.
From there I found a separate listing of delegate candidates and if they promised to stick with the popular vote after the first ballot or if they would commit to a specific candidate.

MD back in Philly!!! (91f737) — 4/26/2016 @ 2:10 pm

61. Here’s an idea I have yet to see so it must be flat out crazy, unlike our current process or anything else that has been suggested…When a candidate wins delegates, that candidate gets to pick who those delegates are. Quite similar to some of the caucus systems where you elect a delegate who then says whom they are supporting. Otherwise, in what sense are they “your” delegates? Delegates vote first round for who they were originally pledged to. If no one gets a clear majority on the first ballot, enough delegates on the lower end become un-pledged such that a majority could conceivably be reached. Rinse, repeat until you have someone with a majority. This can’t possibly be that hard and would reflect to some degree the will of the voters.

WTP (5ea774) — 4/26/2016 @ 1:42 pm

If you have yet to see it, that’s because you haven’t looked. That’s exactly how Kali does it. Possibly other states. But Kali is the state with the most delegates and for the first time since 1964 the GOP primary is actually relevant.

Of course, the fly in the ointment is that the candidates have to choose their delegates before the primary and submit the slate of names to the Kali Secretary of State by May 7. And if you’re a disorganized clueless amateur who can’t find his own arse with both hands and has relied on bribery to rig the system to his liking, you just learned yesterday that you have to put together that list of names. And if a candidate fails to provide a list of names for delegates and alternates for every single winner-take-all micro-primary in each of Kali’s 53 congressional districts then even if you win the beauty contest you don’t get any delegates in a particular CD. Kali isn’t going to give you delegates unless they’re on your list.

But if the other registered Republicans in other states who, unlike the Trumpkins, bothered to get off their behinds and get involved in state party politics wanted to do things the same way as they do it in Kali they would have.

I’m kind of amazed at all the Republicans who have suddenly become YUUUUGE fans of a central authority writing the rules from DC and then imposing their one-size-fits-all solution on 50+ state and territorial organizations.

Steve57 (4bd90d) — 4/26/2016 @ 2:16 pm

There’s a guy here at work who voted for Obama twice. During the past two years he hasn’t been able to stop talking about how great Hillary was going to be as President in 2016. Now, suddenly, amazingly, he can’t stop talking about how awesome Trump is. His politics haven’t changed. His goals haven’t changed. He still wan’t Hillary for President, and he can’t imagine a more likely whipping boy than Trump to run against her. His name isn’t “Happyfeet.”

But I bet they’re best buds.

Jack (ff1ca8) — 4/26/2016 @ 2:19 pm

A better idea would be to disallow WTA without a 50% majority trigger.

While I don’t necessarily disagree with that, I don’t see how that is “better”, this being in the context of how most states allocate their electoral college votes. Not that there’s a hard and fast reason to do it the same way as the EC either.

The idea that delegates go to a convention to vote for someone they may have strong disagreements with, even if just on the first ballot, is obviously unfair to the delegate and makes a mockery of the process. How each state’s party leaders decide to allocate the delegates is a separate issue to me and something that people are less likely to see as chicanery than the current process of “pledging”.

WTP (5ea774) — 4/26/2016 @ 2:30 pm

i hate obama’s stupid socialist guts

happyfeet (a037ad) — 4/26/2016 @ 2:33 pm

At the checkout stand today I see that Trump’s friends at the National Enquirer are accusing Ted Cruz’s dad of killing JFK (not joking).

I recall all the nice things Cruz’s friends were saying about Trump’s family and compare that to the endless ugliness Trump and his friends have directed at the families of people they are competing against.

For the life of me I can’t recall Hillary ever doing anything nasty to the family of her political opponents (beyond conspiracy level theories).

Dustin (2a8be7) — 4/26/2016 @ 2:38 pm

Steve,

I’m kind of amazed at all the Republicans who have suddenly become YUUUUGE fans of a central authority writing the rules from DC and then imposing their one-size-fits-all solution on 50+ state and territorial organizations.

Trump’s proclivities on this subject are a very good clue that he is not in favor of limited government, nor of Federalism. He appears to be a classic progressive who regards all constitutional limitations as a nuisance. I think that those who support Trump on this basis suffer from the same stunted political development. They want their ice cream cone and they want it NOW!

This is the same impulse that led EarLeader to pronounce that Republicans had driven the bus into the ditch, and now it was their turn to go to the back of the bus and shut up while he drove the bus out of the ditch. Of course, it’s never been the Democrat’s turn to either go to the back of the bus, nor to shut up. And the fool at the steering wheel didn’t even know how to turn on the engine, let alone shift gears.

BobStewartatHome (a52abe) — 4/26/2016 @ 2:47 pm

I’ve noticed that not all the usual Trumpkins are commenting today.

Prolly because they’re busy tracking Michelle Fields to her new hiding spot so they can let all the other Trumpanzees know where she is so they can show the “lyin’ b***h” knows what it’s actually like to get hurled to the ground and deliver her some for realz bruises and something to cry about.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/31/michelle-fields-abandons-apartment-after-fox-news-/

Former Breitbart News reporter Michelle Fields said Wednesday that she was forced to temporarily move out of her D.C.-area apartment after Fox News and BuzzFeed accidentally published her address online.

Ms. Fields told The Blaze that she was barraged with threatening messages after the two news outlets posted an arrest report she recently filed without redacting her personal phone number and home address…

By the way, Michelle Fields wanted me to pass the word that she isn’t getting ordinary, run-of-the-mill death threats. This is Donald Trump we’re talking about who has the best most amazing supporters in the history of the world.

No, she’s getting first rate, high class, Tom-terrific super deluxe death threats using the best words from the best minds written in gold sharpie and delivered in that true “Casa de Liberace” style that has made Trump Towers and Resorts and indeed the entire Trump brand famous the world over for quality, excitement, cosmopolitan tastes, refined wit, and the understated gold-plated elegance almost unknown outside the suede lined and faux leopard print wall-papered halls of Vegas bordello. Let us bask in the glory of his poetic stylings:

“You know, it really doesn’t matter what the media write as long as you’ve got a young and beautiful piece of a$$.”

“Listen, m*****f*****s, we’re going to tax you 25%!”

“Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are little short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.”

“Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest—and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure. It’s not your fault.”

Michelle wants everyone to rest assured that she’s only getting death threats from Trump’s fellow sophisticates with really high IQs.

Steve57 (4bd90d) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:06 pm

DRJ wrote, well above:

I don’t know the GOP PA delegate rules but I assume it takes time to be a delegate. Maybe you could try to be one next time since it seems there aren’t many Cruz conservatives in your district.

You have to file as a delegate candidate, and gather signatures to get on the ballot. The bigger problem is expense: Republican delegates have to pay their own way to the convention, pay for their hotels and food, and what-not. I’m not poor, but I’m too poor to be a delegate.

And by the 2020 election — assuming that Hillary Clinton does not win and simply declare martial law and cancel all future elections — I’ll be The Dana in Kentucky!

I voted for Ted Cruz this afternoon.

The Dana who voted (1b79fa) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:13 pm

Grats, Dana Who! Salute!

Beldar (fa637a) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:14 pm

I would be interested in hearing from people here who voted for Cruz in the “Acela primaries” today.

Victoria (448f3e) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:15 pm

You know, there were a lot of people in the Republican Party who weren’t all that thrilled with Mitt Romney, and even a few who said that they wouldn’t vote at all if he was our nominee, but I sure don’t recall, either in 2012, or ever, such an adamant stance against the front-running candidate. Yes, Donald Trump really is that bad!

#NeverTrump

The Dana with a long memory (1b79fa) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:20 pm

That makes sense, Dana. Thank you for voting for Ted Cruz.

DRJ (15874d) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:20 pm

Indiana put out some voting numbers. Well over 50K GOP early votes before the alliance was announced. 62K as of today. It is very safe to assume Trump has built up at least a 5K lead.

Tonight will be the darkest night for Cruzers. The momentum will be formidable for DJT. I am very disappointed that Cruz has failed to create an explanatory narrative blunting tonight’s tsunami. Instead, he doggedly sticks to his base messaging. BIG mistake.

Beldar – who/what will be the Lend-Lease??? Man, it is tough to stay calm.

Ed from SFV (3400a5) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:22 pm

Thanks, Mr Beldar.

You know, voting really doesn’t take that much effort — and maybe it should take more effort than it does — but if you are eligible to vote, yet choose not to vote, you will get exactly zero sympathy from me when you whine about the outcomes.

The appreciative Dana (1b79fa) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:22 pm

@ Steve57 (#56), who wrote (in part):

Clearly that spittle-flecked rabid “Lyin’ Ted” is shamelessly cheating the precious of what are rightfully “his” delegates and therefore “his” nomination by unfairly and dishonestly not joining Trump in that coma he’s been in since at least the last contested GOP convention 40 years ago.

What can it say for Trump’s chances of being able to do any of the things he’s promised he would do as President — especially, but not limited to, his promises that involve any foreign policy/defense components — that he obviously embarked on this campaign with utterly no plan for the end game?

It’s not just that he has no fall-back plan, for anything. It’s that he hasn’t got a plan which even gets him all the way through the GOP convention — much less through a general election or a four-year term of office.

He’s weak on the strategery category, in short.

Beldar (fa637a) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:25 pm

Wife voted for Cruz (and I assume declared Cruz delegate).
I have been registered D as those primaries are what usually count in Philly.
30 days ago when I needed to change my registration I was still in Ohio and occupied with the eastern migration of my parents.

Thanks Bob for your discussion of the process.

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:40 pm

The darkest hour is always right before the dawn.

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:41 pm

Can we just take a moment to bask in the glorious cruelty of the “short-fingered vulgarian” line, directed (as it likely was) from one effete socialite to another?

Leviticus (efada1) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:52 pm

@ Ed (#78): TL/DR version: One must pass through the darkest of night in order to reach the dawn.

I think tonight is like the moment in the Battle of Britain in late August/early September 1940 when Goering gave up pounding RAF bases and radar stations, and the Luftwaffe instead switched to mass raids on populated areas.

From the standpoint of the civilians living through the Blitz, that switch marked the beginning of the very hardest and worst of times; from their perspective, their beloved RAF seemed helpless, and the Germans seemed impressively triumphant already.

But in fact, the switch was a strategic blunder that marked the beginning of the end of the Battle of Britain: With the respite from continual attack on its bases, the RAF was able to reinforce and reequip sufficiently to not only resume protect itself and its bases, but eventually also to impose prohibitive costs on the Germans’ night raids, which continued into October and November. By December 1940, Hitler abandoned Sea Lion, his plan to invade Britain, and turned his attention to preparations to attack the Soviets.

Cruz’ entire campaign has been built on “do or die” moments ever since the Iowa caucuses, and the press loves to slap that meme on him. But tonight’s results, although certain to be good for Trump, clearly are not a “do or die” moment for Cruz at all. Tomorrow, Trump will still be the frontrunner, with Cruz trailing. That will still be true even if Cruz does well in Indiana. Indeed, Trump will be the frontrunner, with Cruz trailing, until at least June 7. After that, Trump might still be the nominal front-runner, but he may also by then be an obvious first-ballot failure, with a subsequent-ballot loss, staring him in the face.

If I’m right, then this is going to create a great narrative arc for the Cruz campaign going into the general election. By saving the GOP and possibly America from Trump, Ted Cruz will have improved himself in the opinion of something well in excess of 75% of America. How much? The harder the fight, the greater the drama, the longer it takes to resolve, the more credit Cruz will get. Think of it in orbital mechanics terms: Ted Cruz would be using the black hole of Donald Trump’s ego for a sling-shot maneuver, to gain acceleration in the same way Apollo 13 used the moon’s gravity to get back to earth. Gingrich already observed that it took Trump to “normalize” Cruz in many eyes. Well, it may take Trump — specifically, beating Trump in a dramatic finish at the convention — for Cruz to take the next step, from “maybe not as bad as I thought” to “maybe not as bad as I thought, and at least he saved us from Trump!” That plays right into a “saving us from Hillary” general election theme.

I’m keeping a stiff upper lip.

Beldar (fa637a) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:52 pm

@ MD in Philly, you obviously read my mind, or I yours, as we were posting #82 & #84.

Beldar (fa637a) — 4/26/2016 @ 3:53 pm

Mr. Trump will do fine today he’s worked very hard

Plus he has good policies

happyfeet (289b21) — 4/26/2016 @ 4:04 pm

If if you don’t like Trump’s core beliefs, h-face, he’ll have some different ones for you tomorrow that you might like better.

Beldar (fa637a) — 4/26/2016 @ 4:07 pm

Beldar,

Manafort is now Trump’s chief strategeryist and he’s a bit preoccupied. Trump needs to decide whether to attend a hearing for one of his fraud trials, attend the convention or hire someone to wind his watch. Now that the Russian oligarchs have tracked the con man (Manafort, not the other one) perhaps we’ll get to see some good old Russian justice imposed. Manfort doesn’t need all his fingers and toes to botch the job he’s not doing.

Rick Ballard (9b249a) — 4/26/2016 @ 4:10 pm

As long as he doesn’t do Hillary cough cough pee-stank on us I think he’s a plum lolly

happyfeet (289b21) — 4/26/2016 @ 4:10 pm

Dustin,

I glanced at that National Enquirer front story at the supermarket, too, but I don’t think they were claiming he was necessarily part of the assassination. I think they were suggesting he was seen near Lee Harvey Oswald in New Orleans handing out fliers or some such.
A couple weeks ago, our bud ropelight was pushing this same meme. I’m sure he’ll give us the lowdown on it all.

Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 4/26/2016 @ 4:13 pm

The polls will close at 8 p.m. in all five primary states: Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania. Delaware and Maryland. All are closed primaries, except for Rhode Island, where independents can vote in either primary.

Discussing the Republican primaries:

Rhode Island will elect 19 delegates, 13 statewide and 2×3=6 by Congressional district. It is even more proprtional than the Democratic Party, where 15% is the minimum threshold (and won’t make a difference this year) In Rhode Island it is 10%. Trump is expected to do very well, maybe above 50%, but that will not give him all the de;egates in this state. In polls, kasich is a sustant second and Cruz a very distant third.

BIG QUESTION: Will Cruz fail to meet the 10% threshold statewide and in both districts. This is not too likely – a Brown University poll showed him at 14%. But who knows how the events of the last few days and week affected things or how the results are affected by the fact it’s a semi-open primary, unlike Massachusetts. The Democratic Party is very strong in Rhode Island, but the fact that independents can vote should limit the Trump effect – Trump does very well where the Republican Party is adistinct minority. A 3 way split in each CD should split them 1-1-1 – the 13 statewide delegates can be split less evenly among 3 candidates.

Connecticut elects 28 delegates, 13 statewide and 5×3=15 by Congressional District. If a candidate gets over 50% in any political division, he gets all the delegates; otherwise 20% is the threshold.

BIG QUESTION: Will Trump exceed 50% statewide. He is on the cusp of that. If so, the most that could happen is that Kasich gets a delegate in the 4th Congressional district, which includes Greenwich, and borders New York state. If Kasich manages to outpoll Trump in the 4th Congressional district, then Trump will probably not get 50% in the state. But he still may get a majority of the 13 elected statewide, unless Cruz beats 20%. The 4th CD is a rich area, like Manhattan, and in very affluent areas, Trump and Cruz do poorly, and it should have lots of registered Republicans, and Trump does especially well where the Republican Party is small, but it’s not there.

Pennsylvania elects 71 delegates, 17 statewide, and 18×3=54 by Congressional District. It is winner take all statewide, and the Congressionall district delegates are elected individually by name, without the name of any candidate listed nect to them on the ballot. Trump should win the statewide vote. None of teh candidates running got a full slate of delegates. Rubio got a full slate, but was himself nearly knocked off the ballot and since semi-withdrew (He’s still holding on to his delegates for the frst ballot, as part of the stop-Trump movement) All the Trump delegates are lone wolves, but by now those who want to be committed to Trump have signed a pledge. Cuz has found 24, or maybe 26 delegates statewide to endorse (in at least one case, a write-in) Kasich is going to work on the delegates later maybe – people inclined for Kasich use code words. Most candidates say they will vote for either the statewide winner (which almost certainly means Trump) or the winner in their district.

BIG QUESTION: Who won? We will be waiting several days for the CD results and calculating which candidate probably has how many delegates.

Delaware elects 16 delegates statewide (there is only one Congressional district in Delaware) It is winner take all. Trump is polling way ahead, probably above 50% but he doesn’t need 50%. Kasich is well behind. Aother clue is Trump’s lead in polls on the eastern shore of Maryland.

BIG QUESTION: How close will Kasich get and how many votes will Cruz get. This has no practical difference, but will show their relative strengths.

Maryland elects 38 delegates, 14 statewide and 8×3=24 by Congressional district. It is winner take all statewide and by Congressional district.

BIG QUESZTION: Will Kasich manage to salvage 3 or 6 delegates? Trump leads by at least 10% in every poll. Kasich should do well in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, but the more Republican areas are split among a number of congressional districts, and so the affluent areas also are. The washington, D.C. suburbs may vote like Manhattan and the 4th CD in Coonnecticut. But unlike New York, there is no benefit to coming in second. Donald Trump might make a clean sweep in Maryland, even polling well below 50%.

Sammy Finkelman (a5988d) — 4/26/2016 @ 4:26 pm

much worse then sheldon, he also has a loathing for cops, as head of the civil rights division

https://pjmedia.com/trending/2016/04/26/you-need-to-know-about-tom-perez-likely-hillary-vp-opposes-first-amendment/

narciso (732bc0) — 4/26/2016 @ 4:28 pm

Oh, Mr. Feet…

“…Plus he has good policies…”

DJT doesn’t have policies at all. To borrow from McNamara, he has some kind of terrible spasm.

Honestly, if I supported a candidate using precisely your argumentation, you would make fun of that approach.

More to the point, I don’t see how he can beat HRC, because he has no policies. And at some point, he will use your approach during a “debate” with HRC.

Remember, just like you behaving normally, a lack of a coherent policy is a choice by DJT.

That’s who he is.

Simon Jester (c8876d) — 4/26/2016 @ 4:35 pm

Could ropelight’s day job be the creation of these fantastic tales about Trump’s opponents? He does seem to have an inside edge on garbage that the NE spews. Could he be Roger Stone, tattoo and all? If so, we’ll know that Trump is confident of his victory in the primary when the slanders about Cruz and his family are replaced with bizarre tales of Hillary!’s life story. The question is whether he can demonize the devil without having to use his stock in trade, lies, given the extensive and revealing documentation that is readily available that isn’t based on lies.

BobStewartatHome (a52abe) — 4/26/2016 @ 4:41 pm

Why would Mr Trump have any policies? After all, he’s managed to get two-thirds of the way to the nomination, and grabbed solid front-runner status without them. Why should he change what has been working for him?

And when he goes up against the repugnant Mrs Clinton in the general election, he’ll have far less of a position record on which she can attack him. He’s going to go strong on what a tough, tough man he is, what a real leader he is, and he’s going to try to leave the minor details alone. Abortion? Why, he’s against it, wink, nod, but not so strongly that he’s a threat!

Mr Trump is going strongly after the independents, the 20% in the middle who will decide the election. His bigger problem is that so many Republicans are going to be so utterly disgusted with him that they won’t vote for him, and might not vote at all.

The Pied Piper Trump is going to lead his supporters right over the f(ornicating) cliff, and take our Senate majority along with him. And if you are actually supporting that clown, then you are to blame right along with him.

The disgusted Dana (1b79fa) — 4/26/2016 @ 4:49 pm

Cruz Supporter, thanks for explaining.

I know all the cashiers at my HEB and I didn’t want them to think I’m some kind of idiot, so I didn’t actually pick the National Enquirer up or anything.

This whole going after parents and spouses has permanently ended any notion of my voting for Trump. If the GOP wants my vote, they better consider that in the convention.

Dustin (2a8be7) — 4/26/2016 @ 4:51 pm

DJT doesn’t have policies at all.

neither does sleazy wiscotrash paul ryan’s aimless and hyper-spendy republican party

but at least Mr. The Donald is a Real American what wants to make America great again

that’s a big deal

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:05 pm

“Mr Trump is going strongly after the independents, the 20% in the middle who will decide the election”

He has only the slightest edge among Independents. The current split among Independent LVs is Clinton 35%, Trump 36% and undecided 30% (rounding up to 101%). The 20% Independent share thus becomes 6% with Trump’s disapproval among the group at 60% while Clinton is at 65%. If the election were tomorrow he would net between .5 and 1.5% with Independents.

I’m sure he will be pumping full bore from the Trump Sewer at Clinton but Clinton will have the media auxiliary pumps running in conjunction to empty the Clinton Sewer right back. Clinton may well be dirtier than Trump but you will never know it from media coverage.

Rick Ballard (9b249a) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:14 pm

praise jesus mr. drudge says Mr. The Donald has acquitted himself well tonight

he lives to fight another day

to fight to help make America great again!

this is so exciting

this is who we are as a people

we are not beaten

we are not shivering and despondent

we are not victims

we will take this raped reeking carcass, this slovenly food stamp slut of a country

and we will make something of it we can be proud of

and there will be a new city with streets of gold

young so educated they never grow old

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:14 pm

I scrunched up the loon
into my water bucket
called it happyfeet

Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:16 pm

Oh good Lord.

Simon Jester (c8876d) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:17 pm

the carpetbagger
with his sparkledust dreams and
empty promises

Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:21 pm

Mr. Trump is winner Mr. Cruz is sad kuhloodar

not even a good kuhloodar he just goes hoopty hoopty clunk clunk clunk he got greasy hair

and a greasy smile

he says lord this must be my destination

and ain’t this trumpmerica

for you and me

ain’t this trumpmerica

sumpin to see baby

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:28 pm

KASICH WAFFLES OVER PANCAKES;
CRUZ SCRAMBLES W/EGG ON FACE
LOSING 5 TIMES OVER EASY TO TRUMP.

DCSCA (a343d5) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:35 pm

UPDATE: Each of these leftist states has been called for Trump. No surprises there.

Patterico (86c8ed) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:42 pm

Sour grapes.

ropelight (371c0b) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:43 pm

trump is sweeper cruz is weeper

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:44 pm

🙁

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:44 pm

Can we just take a moment to bask in the glorious cruelty of the “short-fingered vulgarian” line, directed (as it likely was) from one effete socialite to another?

Yes. Yes we can.

*pauses*

*basks*

Thank you.

Patterico (86c8ed) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:45 pm

Cruz shouts, ‘Remember the Alamo!”

Trump replys, “They lost, too, looza.”

DCSCA (a343d5) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:45 pm

Teh Nutbag state goes for Trump!

Colonel Haiku (58355d) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:48 pm

hold the effing phone sally

rhode island isn’t even an island

bet you seven ISILs this turns out to be some kind of tricksy goldy sacky scheme

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:50 pm

UPDATE: Each of these leftist states has been called for Trump. No surprises there.

it’s not surprising Mr. The Donald won

but what’s surprising is the degree to which Mr. Cruz got crushed

oh my goodness

people must really hate him

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:52 pm

He ain’t da Prez yet.

Obama got a Nobel coming in for not being Bush. Will he get one going out for not being Trump?

nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:53 pm

he got trounced by Kasich in at least three of the five

god bless america

i don’t see how he recovers from this

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:54 pm

people must really hate him

It was that rumor that he was going to outlaw dildos and tax K-Y Jelly.

nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:55 pm

Hey, ropelight, how’s it feel to have adj Dana declare you personally to be the blame for the disintegration of the Senate you and Donald Trump will cause?

John Hitchcock (e1f204) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:55 pm

Unfortunately, the people who most need your explanations are the people who won’t get it. Because they’re smart.

fred-2 (ce04f3) — 4/26/2016 @ 12:27 pm

happyfeet has explanations? Of what?

Gerald A (7c7ffb) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:56 pm

my cold dead hands

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:57 pm

Well, Beldar,
before we thought of it,
CSN did
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVW9sOsXAjU
at 4:10
and before them
Ralph Stanley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLu_CpVngMY
and long before they did,
God did,
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:58 pm

trump wins 1,2,3,4,5! win win win win win.

donald wins (9223ba) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:01 pm

did he get over 50% anywhere?

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:03 pm

i can’t even count how many states he won on one hand

and i have really big hands

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:03 pm

Beldar, thanks for your fulsome response.

I wish I took more heart from it. The Free World has been waiting for Trump to blunder significantly, as in your analogy, Hitler did. I fully agree that it ain’t over just yet. But, if Trump wins Indiana, it will take self-inflicted wounds to kill him. The momentum will be unreal.

To extend my metaphor – there are no Americans to come in and rescue Cruz. There is a too-strong Vichy movement with Kasich.

My bet is Trump will still fall jusssssst short of the 1237 after California. The problem is there will be those 150+ unbound delegates. It would be stunning, and saving, if he failed to garner the 15-25% of those he will need.

Another question: Has anyone seen anything indicating how the media will handle allotting the 54 unbound PA delegates elected tonight? Will they simply be counted as Trumpists? As for the overall number of unbound delegates anticipated, widely reported to be 150-170, are the 54 part of this number? Many thanks for any clarity y’all may add.

Ed from SFV (3400a5) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:03 pm

right now he’s over 60% in 4 of the 5

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:05 pm

well you keep saying that, I imagine cruz would better in oregon then say washington, or california, but where else does he score?

narciso (732bc0) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:07 pm

the only way I can see Ted turning this around is if he does one more vanity fair photoshoot with sultry Kim Davis

carpe that diem teddy-pie

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:09 pm

@120 YES he did!

donald wins (9223ba) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:11 pm

@125 maybe wearing his best dress!

donald wins (9223ba) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:12 pm

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 5:50 pm

rhode island isn’t even an island

It’s only called Rhode Island for short.

The full name of the state is Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

There is an actual island called Rhode Island just like hawaii has a island calld Hawaii. Newport, Rhode Island is on the island.

Sammy Finkelman (a5988d) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:15 pm

Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump, Trumpity Trump; wonderful Trump!

dee (53e427) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:16 pm

thanks Mr. F it’s about time the truth got out

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:17 pm

Oh good Lord it is hard to listen to Hillary.

Patterico (b4548f) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:22 pm

It’s begun…despite the fact that Sanders leads HRC in the Indiana polling (51-47), the donkeys are coming out with the united message that Bernie is mathematically done (he really is).

Cruz needs Sanders to fight in Indiana to stave off HRC voters who, if freed

Ed from SFV (3400a5) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:23 pm

ugh….

who, if freed, could and would crossover to vote for Trump.

I hate this night. I really do.

Ed from SFV (3400a5) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:24 pm

I’m really glad the donor-class of Republicans won’t have a seat at the table with President Trump.

We share many things in common that and are happy to support low taxes, smaller government, states rights, among other things.

But if you employ illegal aliens or abuse the H1B Visa, we will use all the power of government to destroy you. If you have crony capitalism contracts you WILL be targeted.

TrumpWins (dcf4fa) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:24 pm

Hey, don’t worry, Patterico: our Trumpish friends are going to make sure she wins in the general election.

Can’t you imagine her smirk, just thinking about it?

Simon Jester (2708f4) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:25 pm

and then a trumpnami carried the pee-stanky old woman out to sea and she was never heard from again the end

happyfeet (831175) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:27 pm

104.UPDATE: Each of these leftist states has been called for Trump. No surprises there.

So what’s your prediction for California?

James B. Shearer (ab540b) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:29 pm

Oh good Lord it is hard to listen to Hillary.

Patterico (b4548f) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:22 pm

=======================================

You better get your head straight and get used to it. Embrace the Suck.

Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:30 pm

The month of May is going to be a death march for Donald Trump.

Beldar (fa637a) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:30 pm

Kasich is coming in second in all states except Pennsylvania, where he trails Cruz by about 2 percentage points (18.5% to Cruz’s 20.8% – Trump got 58.4%. That adds up to 97.7%)

Cruz looks like he’s cracking 10% in Rhode Island, and may get a delegate.

Maryland is Trump’s weakest state of the five, where he’s pulling only 53.9%. Kasich is getting 22.9% and Cruz 19.8% (Total 96,6%) It is also Clinton’s strongest state in the Democratic primary 68.8% to 27.9% Update: 68.4% to 28.2%. Don’t know what happened to the other 3.4%. The race is very close between them in Connecticut, with Sanders leading by about 1.5%. Both are slightly under 50%. (Sanders at 49.9%)

Sammy Finkelman (a5988d) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:35 pm

Also: Fox News has called Rhode Island for Sanders. He’s showing up at 55.7% to 42.7% (1.6% other?)

Sammy Finkelman (a5988d) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:40 pm

Nah, that would be your mama, Perry.

Perry would not vote for Trump, if Trump promised him a dildo a day for life. (And Perry really, really likes dildos.) He is totally far left Democrat and proof that so are Trump’s most vocal “supporters”.

nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:42 pm

The other guy talks about shooting somebody on Fifth Avenue, but why can’t Cruz call in a chit from a fellow Texan and have Kasich put down.

urbanleftbehind (d3ea16) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:47 pm

Seems like Perry and happyfeet are on the same page.

Gerald A (7c7ffb) — 4/26/2016 @ 6:53 pm

Donald Trump is starting to speak from his headquarters in Manhattan. Spoke about breaking 60% in 3 states. He’s still talking like Kasich and Cruz broke antitrust laws. He’s going to Indianan with Bobby Knight.

Sammy Finkelman (a5988d) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:00 pm

Says Dr. Ben Carson could have hung around and done better than Carson. As soon as Kasich gets hit with the first negative ad, hes done.

He did all things that people said he would not do: Run, sign Form A, just enjoy a run.

Every state he won is so different, predicts hell do very well in Oregon Washington and New Mexico. Segues into where he visited and trade and manufacturing and companies are ging to stay. Talks about big rallies.

This was his biggest night.

Sammy Finkelman (a5988d) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:08 pm

Donald Trump says he’s considers himself the presumptive nominee in response to first question.

Sammy Finkelman (a5988d) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:09 pm

Donald Trump is the presumptive GOP nominee.

ropelight (371c0b) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:10 pm

“Donald Trump is starting to speak from his ~~headquarters~~ hindquarters in Manhattan…”

FIFY, Sammeh.

Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:13 pm

More sour grapes.

ropelight (371c0b) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:16 pm

Impressive that he was over 50% in all.

I really don’t care if he is the presumptive nominee, or the eventual nominee.
I think he will lose the general,
and if he doesn’t,
he will be a lousy president,
and the electorate will get what they will have deserved.

But overall, more people have still voted against him than for him in the primary process.

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:18 pm

No sour grapes from me,
just fact.

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:18 pm

Fact? Really? Facts? Or just disappointment masquerading as predictions?

ropelight (371c0b) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:26 pm

The big question here is why any semi-intelligent person would vote for Trump

I think we know the answer. These people are intentionally destructive just as some children are. They do not think their actions have consequences that come back around to them.

After eight years of unopposed destruction by Obama, they think themselves that life is a fame.

Disagree?

Paul Deignan (8b158e) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:31 pm

Disappointed? Not really. Bill Clinton pretty much inured me to the fact that any POS could become President. It doesn’t mean that were going to stop trying to do better. It is what it is but it ain’t over till it’s over.

nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:33 pm

Trumpkins may presume as they wish, and Trump may annoint himself the presumptive nominee.

But the delegate count will be what counts. Presumptions are wishes, and while the Trumpkins have many of those, they’re still short of delegates, and spectacularly short of loyal delegates.

On to the next round.

Beldar (fa637a) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:36 pm

Paul, I’d say they’re losers who can’t see their lives getting any worse and see no way to make them better so they just smash things like you said.

nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:37 pm

fantasy

Damn autoincorrect

Paul Deignan (8b158e) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:38 pm

We’re talking fewer than 3% of the entire population (that’s “people” who voted for Trump), BTW. A smaller number than on the welfare rolls or with a criminal conviction.

nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:43 pm

Hmm, then we’re are all the responsible people?

Paul Deignan (8b158e) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:48 pm

As Donald Trump rides a victory tsunami of popular support, Cruz’s losers are muttering insults and kicking a dead horse.

ropelight (371c0b) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:48 pm

as opposed to last time,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_presidential_primaries,_2012

narciso (732bc0) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:49 pm

If it’s Trump-Clinton, I’m pretty sure that the loser will feel totally humiliated.

Gerald A (7c7ffb) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:54 pm

It’s all over but the sniveling.

jcurtis (8a3bba) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:00 pm

The only sniveling we’ve seen is from Whiny MacDuckface. Y’all ain’t feelin’ dees-enfranchased tonight?

nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 8:14 pm

After W they said that anyone would do a better job. Then we got Obama. Twice. Now, they are saying that even Trump can do a better job. Nope.

Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:03 pm

Hmm, then we’re are all the responsible people?

I’ve been wondering that for decades.

Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:04 pm

Every GOP candidate since Dewey has closed the deal by this point in the process. Trump isn’t the prospective ANYTHING until the balloting is over in Cleveland.

I expect, though, that some of the more establishment Senators will begin to show up — Thad Cochran, Lisa Murkowski, Mitch McConnell and endorse, to get first dibs at the trough, and the Trumpies will take this as a good sign.

Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:12 pm

One thing that IMHO ought to worry Cruz about tonight’s results is that he finished behind Kasich in 4 of the 5 states.

And one thing that ought to concern both Cruz and Kasich is their margins of defeat.

IMHO, one factor in tonight’s results (and also NY last week) is the Cruz campaign’s habit of boasting about what it’s doing regarding delegate-stacking for after the first ballot. I don’t blame them for doing that, but I think boasting about it is most unwise – because it’s hurting them with actual voters, whom they still do need.

It’s one week to Indiana, and a week is an eternity in politics.

Arizona CJ (da673d) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:18 pm

One thing that IMHO ought to worry Cruz about tonight’s results is that he finished behind Kasich in 4 of the 5 states.

Why? He wrote off most of those states and they never elect conservatives anyway.

Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:27 pm

I do agree that the Cruz people ought to shut up about how they are grabbing delegates behind the scenes. It impresses lawyers and polysci people but really no one else.

Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:29 pm

“List of anti-Trumpers who say they’ll flee the U.S. if Trump wins now includes Rosie O’Donnell, Lena Dunham, Whoopi Goldberg, Cher, Eddie Griffin, Al Sharpton, Barry Diller and Samuel L. Jackson.”

Barry Diller?

Well anyhow. Not going to miss any of em. If they actually leave. Which they won’t.

papertiger (c2d6da) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:59 pm

Papertiger, this is the same CLOWN CAR CRAP we’ve seen before. None of these USELESS CRAP WEASELS are going to leave the only GRAVY TRAIN that would ever feed them. I’m not fan of TRUMP, but for f(redacted) sake, who the HELL are these clown misfits????

GUS (30b6bd) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:05 pm

I think it’s very nice of them to try to show us the bright side.

nk (dbc370) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:22 pm

My wife and I cast our ballots for Ted, of course. Even if he hadn’t bothered to have a quick but very substantive conversation, and stood for a photo, with our 16-year old in Allentown last week. There was never any question.

It was easy here in PA15 tonight. All three delegates, two of whom I know fairly well, are steadfast for Cruz. What’s more, they are very confident that the vast majority of unbound delegates will never ever support Trump at the convention. So, the game is far from over.

Trump is a Cretin, a heaping pile of subhuman excrement. That is easy, as #iwannahumptrump is so fond of lecturing, for anyone willing to do the analysis.

And Rope? I share your anti-establishment anger. But, what the hell happened to you? I understood you to be passionately opposed to centralizers, ardently supportive of States’ rights and one who understood the nature and danger of megalomaniac tyrants. And yet, you cast your lot with the Lincoln of our time? Serial panderer and liar, would-be “Wielder of immense power” and imposer of his will, he who couldn’t tell you why we have a Tenth Amendment if his crush daughter’s life depended upon it, is your hero?

The only time Trump ever mentions States’ rights is when he is walking back his latest gaffe.

I once offered: If not Ted, anyone but Hillary. Having watched and read and listened for weeks on end, I now know I was dead wrong. Never Trump. Never, ever, NEVER FUCKING EVER Trump.

Matador (0633d5) — 4/26/2016 @ 10:32 pm

I imagine this is as close to using a broom as Donald Trump has come in a while.

papertiger (c2d6da) — 4/26/2016 @ 11:32 pm

Rosie O’Donnell, Lena Dunham, Whoopi Goldberg, Cher, Eddie Griffin, Al Sharpton, Barry Diller and Samuel L. Jackson.”

Look up “limousine liberal” in the dictionary and you’ll see a photo of those two-bit phonies. However, many in the Hollywood crowd are so leftwing and also so totally two-faced, a more accurate phrase to bestow upon them is “champagne socialist.”

My theory is that Ted Cruz, the best of the candidates, hasn’t gained more traction through the months because of a lack of those superficial characteristics that made people like Peggy Noonan go goo-goo over the Democrat’s “Goddamn America” candidate in 2008. Cruz’s face and voice don’t elicit “love the crease of his pants” reactions that help lure people to a candidate.

I suspect that if Ronald Reagan had the exact same facial and vocal qualities of Ted Cruz, Reagan wouldn’t have gone as far as he did in the 1980s. That and the fact the US wasn’t as idiotically liberal back then as it is today.

Mark (fb60e8) — 4/27/2016 @ 12:23 am

That and the fact the US wasn’t as idiotically liberal back then as it is today.

No, it was more so in many respects. You would not BELIEVE the restrictions on economic liberty prior to 1980. Starting with 70% top income tax rates and a 5.25% maximum interest rate on savings (sounds good today, sure, but that was when inflation was at 15%).

Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/27/2016 @ 1:30 am

UPDATE: Each of these leftist states has been called for Trump. No surprises there.

First, for any lawyer on the government dole in CA to refer to ANYONE as “leftist” is hilarious. But to make it even more funny, it shows a complete lack of knowledge of anything other than “Cruz got his butt whhipped again”. For instance, let’s look at the lead state of that group, PA. They have 18 Representatives and 2 Senators. If PA was “leftist”, how could they have 13 of those 19 seats? And wasn’t the Governor a Republican until last year? I’m guessing that they aren’t the right “kind” of Republican, amiright?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_congressional_delegations_from_Pennsylvania
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=PA

What a bunch of impotent crybabies. Your guy lost, and anyone who didn’t kneel down before your glorious second coming of the “anointed” one must be cast out.

prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/27/2016 @ 5:12 am

Kevin M @ 168: Ahem. 1976 is considerably later than 1948.

prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/27/2016 @ 5:19 am

prowlerguy reminds me of the Battle of Thermopylae where Xerxes told Leonidas, “My army is so big that our arrows will hide the sun”, and Leonidas replied: “Shove it up your ass, homo.”

nk (dbc370) — 4/27/2016 @ 5:32 am

But overall, more people have still voted against him than for him in the primary process.

So in your mind, all the votes Trump has not received are votes against him, not votes for the other candidates? That’s pretty sad. I wonder why nobody was voting for Cruz and the Washington insider gang? And what about your boy, Teddie? Haven’t many more people voted against him than for him? Shouldn’t you be condemning him even more than Trump?

But if Cruz “wins” at the convention, I doubt that the fact he didn’t even get a plurality will matter to you. Those damn pesky voters.

And if Cruz secures the nomination, how do you think he will ever win the general? There are no caucuses, unbound (and pliable) delegates, no last-minute rule changes, and no way to turn an elector deficit into a surplus on extra ballots, which he will require just to win the nomination. It’s (mostly) winner take all by state and only a plurality required when the electors vote. Ted’s shown that he is utterly unable to get citizens to vote for him.

prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/27/2016 @ 5:37 am

Nice, nk. I’m sorry your boy is getting whipped, except in dark back rooms where his complete lack of electability don’t matter. Really, I am.

prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/27/2016 @ 5:40 am

Oh, and nk, you forgot the best part of your story. Leonidas dies at Thermopylae. Indiana is Cruz’s Thermopylae, and he will meet the same fate (figuratively).

prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/27/2016 @ 5:42 am

What happened to Xerxes and the Persian army?

If you don’t know, Google Salamis and Plataea.

nk (dbc370) — 4/27/2016 @ 5:46 am

Seriously, your lesson of Thermopylae is perfectly acceptable to me and still a good thing for our country. It is more important that Trump lose than it is that Cruz win. The Presidency has been degraded way too much by narcissistic sociopaths who appeal to the mouth-breathers in the past couple of decades and it has to stop somewhere.

nk (dbc370) — 4/27/2016 @ 5:59 am

Big wins for Donald Trump. He was expected to win but the margins were much larger than the RCP poll averages, which suggests late deciders chose Trump. He surpassed 50% in every state and 60% in Rhode Island and Delaware, where Republican voters chose Christine O’Donnell. Trump’s outsider status and NY win may have something to do with his performance in these states since they have similar values.

The last time a Republican Presidential candidate won the Northeast states in a general election was Reagan in 1988, 28 years ago. Since then these states have voted for the Democrat. Is Trump this generation’s Reagan?

DRJ (15874d) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:00 am

Or is Trump performing well in states that won’t help him win against Hillary?

DRJ (15874d) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:03 am

The Presidency has been degraded way too much by narcissistic sociopaths who appeal to the mouth-breathers in the past couple of decades and it has to stop somewhere. nk.

So in your opinion a corrupt, hypocritical socialist like Hillary will end the narcissistic sociopaths? What the hell are you smoking?

Hoagie ™ (e4fcd6) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:03 am

The second, DRJ. He’s like Bloomberg or Christie. As good as you can get in a “Republican candidate in the welfare states.

nk (dbc370) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:10 am

False choices are for simple minds. Or for jailhouse “girlfriends”.

nk (dbc370) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:15 am

There will be a statue of him on the National Mall right next to Obama’s statue (to Trump’s left of course!).

spokanebob (6797b5) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:17 am

Hillary will be too busy with prison to be elected President.

papertiger (c2d6da) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:19 am

It is more important that Trump lose than it is that Cruz win.

That is a false choice, nk but it’s also a stupid statement.

Hoagie ™ (e4fcd6) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:20 am

The point being the GOP primary is the general for intents and purposes.

It’s like the Western Finals. The Kings and the Lakers play to see who’s going to beat the crap out of New Jersey in the title game.

papertiger (c2d6da) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:23 am

I was simply stating the fact that while “frontrunner”, he has overall not even won a majority of his “own party”, especially in states that might actually vote Republican in the general.
So it is a little misleading for Trump and his backers to act as if they have some wide and deep mandate.

Of course, neither does Cruz, which is why some, including Kasich, think neither one can “unite” the party around them.

Unless given strong evidence to the contrary, future behavior is predicted by the past, not by promises,
look at Cruz’ past, Trump’s past, and Hillary’s past and choose.

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:24 am

DRJ,

Gallup dissected the <a href="http://www.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/190892/dissecting-trump-2016-reagan-1980-image-comparisons.aspx?utm_source=twitterbutton&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=sharing"Reagan 1980 disapproval rating lie very thoroughly. We’re looking at a candidate who will achieve McGovern, Mondale or Dukakis at best results. It’s going to be the Monkey Island Feces Flinging Championship with media handling the barrage work for Clinton.

Rick Ballard (9b249a) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:25 am

A main reason Cruz or any Republican has a chance, given the ethos of the media which is good for, what, 5,10,15%?, is ho we extreme and pathetic the Dem choices are.

And while Trump wants to whine and complain about the process,
The fact is the process has helped him more than hurt him,
If the delegate count was always proportional, Trump would have far fewer and there would be a lot of delegates up for whoever could convince them to go their way, which is all Cruz is doing.

I never would have expected Cruz to do this well because I do not give the public, given the media, that much credit to look at the evidence.

Who knows, when Obama’s chickens come home to roost nobody may want to be the president,
Except for some opportunist who wants to complete the executive power grab.
Trump if you want Caesar,
Cruz if you want Cincinnatus.

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:40 am

First, for any lawyer on the government dole in CA to refer to ANYONE as “leftist” is hilarious.

prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/27/2016 @ 5:12 am

Any govt. employee is on the government dole and leftist? If Trump wins, which I don’t believe will ever occur, how will he form a cabinet and a staff? Will the be a bunch of leftists?

Gerald A (7c7ffb) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:47 am

Eli Lake:

The anti-establishment populist is late to his victory speech because he was at a Manhattan party hosted by Time Magazine.

This is who Trump is and how he will govern. The only promise he’s made that won’t change is his promuse to build a White House ballroom.

DRJ (15874d) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:49 am

Trump won every county in all 5 primary states, every county in every state (with only 1 Pennsylvania county yet to report). That’s a pretty clear indication of the kind of momentum that sweeps opponents aside. Next week’s Indiana primary will tell the tale.

If Cruz wins he’ll be standing on solid ground and should fight on, however, if Cruz loses in Indiana he’s a walking ghost. It’s over for him this time around and he should start thinking about the future of his party and the well-being of our nation.

ropelight (2f9716) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:50 am

The point being the GOP primary is the general for intents and purposes.

It’s like the Western Finals. The Kings and the Lakers play to see who’s going to beat the crap out of New Jersey in the title game.

papertiger (c2d6da) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:23 am

For anyone who has followed the various ludicrous assertions made by papertiger since this started, this statement makes it an absolute lock that Trump will be crushed in November.

Gerald A (7c7ffb) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:53 am

I think California will decide this, not Indiana, but I agree Cruz needs to do well in Indiana.

DRJ (15874d) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:57 am

Gallup dissected the Reagan 1980 disapproval rating lie very thoroughly. We’re looking at a candidate who will achieve McGovern, Mondale or Dukakis at best results. It’s going to be the Monkey Island Feces Flinging Championship with media handling the barrage work for Clinton.

Rick Ballard (9b249a) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:25 am

If you read that article you see that Ann Coulter picked up on the “Reagan had a 30% approval rating in 1980” canard. She is typically one of the more detail oriented people out there. Something about Trump causes ordinarily bright people into dolts.

Gerald A (7c7ffb) — 4/27/2016 @ 6:57 am

Trump if you want Tiberius ~~Caesar~~,
Cruz if you want Cincinnatus.

nk (dbc370) — 4/27/2016 @ 7:01 am

Hillary if you prefer Livia to her son. 😉

nk (dbc370) — 4/27/2016 @ 7:02 am

Yeah, Donald Trump will only get 33% of the vote because 2/3 of the Republican party hates him.

http://www.allenbwest.com/michele/breaking-as-voting-begins-new-poll-has-terrible-news-for-gop-establishment

See you in Indiana.

prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 4/27/2016 @ 7:10 am

Why did I post earlier about Prince dying of an accidental drug overdose?

Because on the first day I was the only one who called it.

So I don’t know what Gerald is on about. My record as a prognosticator is a lock.

papertiger (c2d6da) — 4/27/2016 @ 7:12 am

Trump was at the Time 100 Gala honoring the 100 most influential people of 2016. Ted Cruz is also on the list but he had other things to do than go to a party in Manhattan.

DRJ (15874d) — 4/27/2016 @ 7:18 am

207… Eeeeeeeeeeeewwwwww… no one saw that one coming… “Pop Star Dies of Accidental Drug Overdose”.

Colonel Haiku (58355d) — 4/27/2016 @ 7:19 am

Anybody confirm that Prince died of a drug overdose? Like a doctor who did an autopsy? Not your proctologist?

nk (dbc370) — 4/27/2016 @ 7:23 am

Why did I post earlier about Prince dying of an accidental drug overdose?

Because on the first day I was the only one who called it.

So I don’t know what Gerald is on about. My record as a prognosticator is a lock.

papertiger (c2d6da) — 4/27/2016 @ 7:12 am

Very good point.

Gerald A (7c7ffb) — 4/27/2016 @ 7:24 am

That was for papertiger, but you can join in too, Haiku.

I had a friend who died suddenly at age 57. From a massive heart attack. While walking his dog. He did have a drug history. He was a high-ranking executive at a Big Pharma company.

nk (dbc370) — 4/27/2016 @ 7:25 am

No, it was more so in many respects. You would not BELIEVE the restrictions on economic liberty prior to 1980.

I was referring more to generally socio-cultural aspects of US society back then, which were not as permissive (or dumbed down, or desensitized) as it is in today’s “Goddamn America.” However, when it comes to strictly economic trends, permissiveness along the lines of absurdly high taxes had been offset by California’s famous rollback of property taxes via Proposition 13 in 1980. in 2016, the public mindset that led to an initiative like that (particularly in an ultra-blue American state) is far lower.

One small example of where our culture is today compared to not just the 1980s but as recently as the 1990s is the movie “The American President,” which came out in 1995—a bit before Bill and Monica. The film’s character portraying a woman who eventually becomes the girlfriend of the character portraying the single US president tells that character the American public would never accept its top political leader being unmarried and also having a significant other. In 2016 that comes off as quaint and naive.

The fact that liberal detritus like Hillary is perfectly acceptable to much of the electorate in today’s era — even more so than Trump, and even more so in light of 8 years of “goddamn America” — is the canary in the coal mine—with the bird possibly having already keeled over.

Mark (fb60e8) — 4/27/2016 @ 7:33 am

So far just rumored, nk. His DD claims he spent $40k a pop on heavy duty opioids over a 20 yr period thru ’08. Doesn’t sound like much of a party to me.

Colonel Haiku (58355d) — 4/27/2016 @ 8:15 am

No one confirmed Prince’s cause of death yet, nk. They said it would take weeks.

I spent the past 24 hours caring for a lost kitten that I think is about 2 weeks old. Its mother, a feral cat, came running this morning when i left her baby crying in the front yard. At least now I have an idea where Mom and her litter are. I want to catch all of them and find them homes but they have been really hard to find. My neighbors aren’t happy I let one go but I’m convinced there are more out there. We could be overrun by the end of the summer.

DRJ (15874d) — 4/27/2016 @ 8:21 am

I bet that momma cat gave her wandering baby a figurative and literal tongue-lashing. I’m just glad she took it back.

DRJ (15874d) — 4/27/2016 @ 8:23 am

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:18 pm

But overall, more people have still voted against him than for him in the primary process.

Before the last five primaries yesterday, Tuesday, according to Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal editorial, Trump has received 37.9% of the (raw) popular vote, Cruz had received 27.9%, Marco Rubio had received 14.9% and John Kasich 13.7%. That leaves 5.6% for others. This kind of raw count weighs primary states much more heavily than caucus states.

Three weeks ago in Pennsylvania, that is, around the time of the Wisconsin primary, Trump was polling around 30%, and yet he got 58% statewide and won at least 66 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, as of late last night.

Of course the poll had room for don’t know, or won’t say, but you can’t have that too much of that in an election. Only a small number will cast protest for candidates who dropped out or write in votes. The Cruz-Kasich unclear alliance maybe didn’t help. It might be that only the Trump people turned out. Or the poll had something wrong in its methodology.

New York state on APril 19 was the first time that Trump won over 50% in a primary. This time his vote total ranged from 55% in Maryland to 64% in Rhode Island. All but Rhode Island were closed primaries. Trump’s percentage might have been so high in Rhode Island because people who are not registered in a party can vote in a primary in this heavily Democratic state, and people who might not have voted for Trump in the Republican primary voted instead in the Democratic primary for Sanders.

While Connecticut was close and initially Sanders was leading, the AP later on called it for Hillary Clinton. She got up to speak when only the winners for Pennsylvania (56-44), Maryland (63-33) and Delaware (60-39) were known. The New York Post this morning has Connecticut 52-47 for Clinton with 98% of precincts reporting. Sanders won Rhode Island 55-43.

Sammy Finkelman (a5988d) — 4/27/2016 @ 8:34 am

154. Paul Deignan (8b158e) — 4/26/2016 @ 7:31 pm

The big question here is why any semi-intelligent person would vote for Trump

1. They don’t know that what Trump is saying is wrong, or what is wrong with what he is saying, and nobody else argues that it is wrong forcefully and articulately. Some of his stuff can seem right if you don’t know too much. Trump makes sure he is the only person saying certain things. You can’t out-trump Trump. Some of what he says is similar to things a talk radio show host might say.

2. They don’t know anything that Trump said before July, 2015, and they think that what he says now are his permanent opinions.

3. They are not impressed by the other candidates. That includes Cruz. And some may think that Trump is telling the truth about the other candidates.

4. They feel the conventional wisdom, or “political correctness” is wrong, and is damaging to the country.

5. They are not too cognizant of the fact that there’s more than one way to be wrongheaded.

Sammy Finkelman (a5988d) — 4/27/2016 @ 8:50 am

6. They’ve heard the word “wolf” cried too many times.
7. They have other things to do besides obsess over politics, like raise kids, work jobs, cook dinner, have a life.
8. They look at people who get wrapped up in politics as being slightly off mentally themselves, so if the mentally-off people get the vapors about some other guy who may appear mentally-off but is not as mentally-off as most people in politics, left or right, they take that as a good thing….IOW see item 7.
9. Unlike people who view people with differing points of view or who make different choices as dumb, stupid, crazy, etc. these non-political people realize that it takes all kinds to make a world and very little of what other people think matters in creating a decent life for one’s self.
10. They like seeing the heads of politically obsessed people explode.
11. They don’t read blogs so they’re not “informed” on how to think.

That’s just a start.

WTP (5ea774) — 4/27/2016 @ 9:01 am

That should read “IOW see item 6”.

Mentally ill myself, affects my counting skilz.

WTP (5ea774) — 4/27/2016 @ 9:02 am

The big question here is why any semi-intelligent person would vote for anyone other than Donald Trump.

1. They refuse to acknowledge that Trump is telling it like it is.
2. They can’t tell sh*t from shinola.
3. They’re not capable of rational thought.
4. They refuse to think for themselves.
5. They’re sheep and can’t imagine their intellectual gurus are stupid.

ropelight (2f9716) — 4/27/2016 @ 9:05 am

169. Arizona CJ (da673d) — 4/26/2016 @ 9:18 pm

One thing that IMHO ought to worry Cruz about tonight’s results is that he finished behind Kasich in 4 of the 5 states.

And one thing that ought to concern both Cruz and Kasich is their margins of defeat.

Correct, except that Cruz was always weak in the east. I don’t know why Kasich didn’t understand that. He didn’t campaign enough.

IMHO, one factor in tonight’s results (and also NY last week) is the Cruz campaign’s habit of boasting about what it’s doing regarding delegate-stacking for after the first ballot. I don’t blame them for doing that, but I think boasting about it is most unwise – because it’s hurting them with actual voters, whom they still do need.

Cruz comes across as horribly arrogant. He’s telling people they have no other choice but to vote for him if they don’t want Trump. He gets some votes that way – and maybe Trump gets more undecideds. People are anyway more familiar with Trump.

Sammy Finkelman (a5988d) — 4/27/2016 @ 9:07 am

We didn’t need another 5 reasons to ignore you, ropelight, but you gave them to us anyway.

Trump has demonstrated the phenomena of repeatedly saying one thing (over decades) and then doing something else,
Which supposedly is what people are so mad about.
Something about fooling people.

People can squawk all they want this week, that’s how some people make their living,
But it may all turn on a dime if Cruz indeed does well in Indiana. But the Kasich effect will be damaging. I will not vote for Kasich as dog catcher.

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/27/2016 @ 9:48 am

I will not vote for Kasich as dog catcher.

MD in Philly (f9371b) — 4/27/2016 @ 9:48 am

My misgivings about Kasich are very similar to those about Trump, except that Kasich doesn’t have Trump’s personal defects. I have no idea of any conservative principle he is committed to. In fact he and Trump said essentially the same thing about the NC bathroom law. To a Trumper, Trump and Kasich are as different as night and day, because Kasich is “establishment” etc.

Gerald A (7c7ffb) — 4/27/2016 @ 9:57 am

#223, MD, I’m glad you intend to vote for the candidate of your choice. I’d appreciate it if you’d extend the same courtesy to me. And, I’m sorry your guy lost so decisively, but that doesn’t give you the authority to appropriate We and us for the Cruz side of this election cycle. I recognize the inclination but this is Patterico’s blog, not yours, and although he’s a Texas Cruz man at heart, he’s kept the door open for opposing views. Sure, he’s taken a few cheap shots at me (and others) largely because he’s disappointed I (we) don’t see the big picture the same why he does.

He’s pissed but he keeps the door open – that’s important, it’s one of the measures of a man.

MD, I understand you support Cruz and oppose Trump, and I understand why – disagree but don’t be … When the passion subsides remember better days. I look forward to your return to civil discourse.

ropelight (2f9716) — 4/27/2016 @ 10:22 am

And, I’d like to extend that same invitation to all the other regular commenters here who’ve yielded to harsh political passions and gone well overboard attacking Donald Trump. Push the restart button and get on-board the Trump Express. It’s a New Donald Trump Day.

America Wins and We all make Money.

ropelight (2f9716) — 4/27/2016 @ 10:30 am

You defy parody. In a bad way.

Leviticus (efada1) — 4/27/2016 @ 10:50 am

All except you Liviticus, of course.

ropelight (2f9716) — 4/27/2016 @ 10:53 am

Whether I am for Cruz or not,
All of the reasons I have given over the weeks to opposed Trump stand.
I don’t do political gamesmanship,
I just explain the facts and reason as I see it.
And I do mean facts, not opinions.
There are plenty of facts relating to Trump to be looked at.

I have repeatedly said I have seen little point to disparaging Trump supporters, at least initially, and that I understood some of Trump’s attraction.
I do not understand how so many can be as blind to his dark side as so many were to Obama’s,
As was said by someone else.

If Trump gets elected and ends up being a reasonable president, it will be because he will have changed (dramatically) from what he has been.
Not an opinion, look at the evidence.

MD in Philly (75cf1d) — 4/27/2016 @ 11:10 am

Sure, he’s taken a few cheap shots at me (and others) largely because he’s disappointed I (we) don’t see the big picture the same why he does.

ropelight (2f9716) — 4/27/2016 @ 10:22 am

Pat has taken cheap shots at you (and others)? Can you recall any specifically? Or does this question elicit another evasive response, like “pick one”?

Gerald A (7c7ffb) — 4/27/2016 @ 11:14 am

No, just ignored.

ropelight (2f9716) — 4/27/2016 @ 11:17 am

Mr Deignan wrote:

The big question here is why any semi-intelligent person would vote for Trump

That’s the problem: the semi-intelligent did vote for him! It was the actually intelligent people who did not.

The very disgusted Dana (f6a568) — 4/27/2016 @ 11:25 am

No, they voted for the guy who came in 3rd in a 3 man race.

ropelight (2f9716) — 4/27/2016 @ 11:31 am

Moderation, Frey? ‘Still Crazy After All These Years.’ And on the wrong side of history. Again.

DCSCA (a343d5) — 4/27/2016 @ 11:36 am

It is rich to hear someone who now lies effortlessly to scold others on civil discourse.

JD (34f761) — 4/27/2016 @ 11:37 am

And, mind you, they believe (voting for a loser) is an expression of political sophistication.

ropelight (2f9716) — 4/27/2016 @ 11:38 am

Some knuckleheads need scolding.

ropelight (2f9716) — 4/27/2016 @ 11:40 am

No, just ignored.

ropelight (2f9716) — 4/27/2016 @ 11:17 am

And I was expecting an evasive response! Boy was I wrong!

Gerald A (7c7ffb) — 4/27/2016 @ 12:29 pm

Trump won about 40 of the 54 uncommitted delegates in Pennsylvania. The remaining 14 have either expressed no preference or said they are against Trump. They re-interviewed Phil English, the former Congressman from around Erie, Pennsylvania, who was elected. He said before the thinking was that Trump would not get 50%. Now he’s having more trouble deciding what to do. You could tell from what he said before taht he probably favor John Kasich.

Another insight from that article: The reason that Ronald Reagan might have picked Sen. Schweiker as his choice for vice president in 1976 was because of Pennsylvania’s large number of uncommitted delegates (Pennsylvania had then the same sort of system they have now, election of delegates individually, with no presidential candidate’s name on the ballot, except there may have been no statewide vote at all)

That choice didn’t help Reagan in Pennsylvania, or anywhere else for that matter.

I read there were some Trojan Horse or double agent delegates in 1976, too: Ford delegates really for Reagan and reagan delegates really for Ford. There is no record of how the delegates really for someone else voted on the rules change that would have forced Gerald Ford to name a vice president before winning the nomination, but the totals on that vote and the nomination vote were within 6 votes of each other. But by that time it was looking like Ford was going to win the nomination.

Sammy Finkelman (047868) — 4/28/2016 @ 8:48 am

The very disgusted Dana (f6a568) — 4/27/2016 @ 11:25 am:

That’s the problem: the semi-intelligent did vote for him! It was the actually intelligent people who did not.

ropelight (2f9716) — 4/27/2016 @ 11:31 am:

No, they voted for the guy who came in 3rd in a 3 man race.

No, Kasich came in second in all the Acela primary states and New York, except for Pennsylvania, where there was probably a lot of strategic voting, so that Cruz beat Kasich about 22%-19%. (to Trump’s 57%)

But then a lot of the votes for Kasich were probably strategic too – Kasich is not too impressive, but then a vote for Kasich is a vote for picking someone else more moderate, if that is the word, and more electable, than Cruz.

Sammy Finkelman (047868) — 4/28/2016 @ 9:00 am

4/26/2016

Open Thread: Pennsylvania Primary

243 Responses to “Open Thread: Pennsylvania Primary”

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