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groundloop

(11,519 posts)
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 05:31 PM Oct 2016

Former GOP Chairman: It's Over for Trump and the Party

Source: Mother Jones

In the middle of the political storm detonated by the release of the video showing Donald Trump bragging that he engaged in sexual assault, Republicans have been in chaos. Some have abandoned their party's nominee, some have stayed silent, some have tried to concoct a plan (probably unworkable) to dump Trump. And Trump weighed in—via a tweet, of course—to proclaim his defiance: "The media and establishment want me out of the race so badly - I WILL NEVER DROP OUT OF THE RACE, WILL NEVER LET MY SUPPORTERS DOWN!"

Trump's declaration aside, the question of the day is: Is it over for the reality TV celebrity? Has he unintentionally fired himself?

Michael Steele, the former chairman of the Republican Party, believes it is. On Saturday afternoon, I asked him for his reaction to the Trumpocalypse under way. He cut to the chase:

This is a devastating blow to the Trump campaign and to the party, and there is not much either can do to salvage it. It almost doesn't matter what Trump does in the next debate.

A former GOP chief says the elephant is cooked. As another former GOP official tells me, "This is no longer about what happens on Election Day. It's about what happens in 20 years—and whether there is still a Republican Party then."

Read more: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/former-gop-chairman-steele-trump-tape




"THE ELEPHANT IS COOKED" !!!
46 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Former GOP Chairman: It's Over for Trump and the Party (Original Post) groundloop Oct 2016 OP
A Rickroll for the GOP? The Velveteen Ocelot Oct 2016 #2
They can take their losses and regroup, it is too late this year. They did not have a Thinkingabout Oct 2016 #3
Mmmm....cooked elephant. 47of74 Oct 2016 #4
Tastes like chicken Major Nikon Oct 2016 #13
This message was self-deleted by its author LastLiberal in PalmSprings Oct 2016 #28
What worries me is what they will do over the next murielm99 Oct 2016 #5
Clearly they will play the obstruction card bucolic_frolic Oct 2016 #9
It is heartening to recall that murielm99 Oct 2016 #11
And when they went after Bill, HER popularity skyrocketed! calimary Oct 2016 #19
"Plus, the optics - all these (mostly) men piling on a woman - and not just any woman, anamandujano Oct 2016 #31
Also keep in mind that Hillary knows where all the bodies are buried justiceischeap Oct 2016 #12
great comment saidsimplesimon Oct 2016 #25
If we don't take Congress it's going to be an ugly 4 years. I expect bad things from the GOP Hekate Oct 2016 #29
Someone wants the tail... FailureToCommunicate Oct 2016 #6
That is what I thought of too Sanity Claws Oct 2016 #8
That is such a revolting photo. Dark n Stormy Knight Oct 2016 #22
Did his sons hunt and kill an elephant? Sanity Claws Oct 2016 #7
What I worrie about is Trump and the GOP if they lose . They are power hungry and not much is geretogo Oct 2016 #10
Republicans have always been able to shift the blame onto the Democrats INdemo Oct 2016 #14
And they can't really pull the "rigged/stolen" election now Patiod Oct 2016 #41
The Republican Party may live on but the Conservative Movement is an expired parrot. Zen Democrat Oct 2016 #44
Sorry, GOP It's not over until November 9th. ::Grin:: Crash2Parties Oct 2016 #15
What I don't get is that them must have known this greymattermom Oct 2016 #16
To me, the question is what will happen down ticket TexasBushwhacker Oct 2016 #17
"Has he unintentionally fired himself?" awoke_in_2003 Oct 2016 #18
Or maybe he's simply self-destructive, knowing subconsciously that his life has been worthless. randome Oct 2016 #35
That, or he thought he could awoke_in_2003 Oct 2016 #38
Trump is the alien chestburster coming out of the Republican Party. nt Xipe Totec Oct 2016 #20
Do you think Donald will pay his campaign staff for the last month? tclambert Oct 2016 #21
The GOP has never cared about what will happen in 20 years until now. LakeArenal Oct 2016 #23
sadly, so true Fast Walker 52 Oct 2016 #33
RNC drops Trump's name from phone call scripts OldRedneck Oct 2016 #24
Trump Is Right. The System Is Rigged Against Him...by the GOP!!! TomCADem Oct 2016 #26
Make sure his base gets that message. Otherwise they will be gunning for Hillary... Hekate Oct 2016 #30
I hope so still_one Oct 2016 #27
Hillary should refuse to Cryptoad Oct 2016 #32
No, that would backfire. She has to be bigger than him. She can talk policy Fast Walker 52 Oct 2016 #34
They deserve this.... Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2016 #36
Am surprised this comes from Steele ailsagirl Oct 2016 #37
I thought of 100 different things to say, but it all boils down to one thought: world wide wally Oct 2016 #39
I called it six years ago Shankapotomus Oct 2016 #40
This logically leads to the end of the 2-party regime. FigTree Oct 2016 #43
What would be great is a 4 party proportional representation system LiberalLovinLug Oct 2016 #46
I really hope it's well done Malbrownluna8708 Oct 2016 #45
Dec 1969 #

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,719 posts)
2. A Rickroll for the GOP?
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 05:35 PM
Oct 2016

Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.

Thinkingabout

(30,058 posts)
3. They can take their losses and regroup, it is too late this year. They did not have a
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 05:41 PM
Oct 2016

Candidate running who was as qualified as Hillary and too many Republicans have overtaken the sensibility of governing and the result is Trump. The TP bunch derailed them and now the alt-right can't get past their hate.

Response to 47of74 (Reply #4)

murielm99

(30,741 posts)
5. What worries me is what they will do over the next
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 05:49 PM
Oct 2016

four years. What dirty things will they do to Hillary? Is four years long enough? Will they lose Congress? Will they find a way to reorganize? Remember, they have many wealthy supporters. That could help them gain back their lost support.

bucolic_frolic

(43,173 posts)
9. Clearly they will play the obstruction card
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 05:57 PM
Oct 2016

and if they hold the House file Benghazi impeachment articles in January

But they overreach, they're like old tired warhorses pumped up on
Viagra

The spirit is willing but the body is weak

They are done, they have no ideology, no candidates but the Clown
Bus 16 + Ryan who is tainted here too

They backed the wrong horse, they let this happen, they had such vile
hatred in their hearts for Hillary and they came up DRY

murielm99

(30,741 posts)
11. It is heartening to recall that
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 06:07 PM
Oct 2016

when they went after Bill, it only made him more popular. And, some Congress people could lose their seats simply because Congress has a low approval rating. Who knows if some of them will be voted out for doing nothing?

I am energized by this race, but have heard too many stories about the death of the GOP. I almost believed it after Watergate. We have to keep working to elect Democrats.

I spent two days registering voters. I phone bank once a week, although I hate it. I am tabling on Monday and Thursday. We can never stop the GOTV efforts.

calimary

(81,298 posts)
19. And when they went after Bill, HER popularity skyrocketed!
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 06:53 PM
Oct 2016

It turned Hillary Clinton into a hugely sympathetic character. And he left office - on HIS terms, with some of the highest approval ratings ever. So I'd tread carefully about that if I were them.

Plus, the optics - all these (mostly) men piling on a woman - and not just any woman, but the First Woman President. Those won't be any good either and if the CONS have a woman problem now, wait til they try to go after her once she's in office! Her approval ratings tend to go up once she's IN office or ON the actual job rather than running for it. This also happens to be the oft-declared Most Admired Woman in the World. For something like 20 times in a row.

Furthermore - I think it'll look bad when it's boiled down to "oh, okay. A Clinton's in office so you impeach? You're just trying to impeach another Clinton. BOOOOOOOORRRR-RING..."

They proceed at their peril on this one. But then again, republi-CONS all too often tend to over-reach.

anamandujano

(7,004 posts)
31. "Plus, the optics - all these (mostly) men piling on a woman - and not just any woman,
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 07:54 PM
Oct 2016

but the First Woman President. Those won't be any good either and if the CONS have a woman problem now, wait til they try to go after her once she's in office!"

justiceischeap

(14,040 posts)
12. Also keep in mind that Hillary knows where all the bodies are buried
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 06:19 PM
Oct 2016

and I think that's one reason the GOP has been trying to destroy her. She knows too much and, IMO, isn't afraid to use what she knows if she needs to.

Hekate

(90,708 posts)
29. If we don't take Congress it's going to be an ugly 4 years. I expect bad things from the GOP
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 07:51 PM
Oct 2016

...even if they are in the minority.

Sanity Claws

(21,849 posts)
8. That is what I thought of too
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 05:54 PM
Oct 2016

Look at my message just below yours. I wrote it before seeing your post.
Great minds think alike. Or something like that.

Dark n Stormy Knight

(9,760 posts)
22. That is such a revolting photo.
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 07:13 PM
Oct 2016

Isn't he the one Trump told he was a 4 year old loser? What toxicity this tRump has let loose on the world.

geretogo

(1,281 posts)
10. What I worrie about is Trump and the GOP if they lose . They are power hungry and not much is
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 06:00 PM
Oct 2016

beneath them to take over the country and impose their will on us . What does a rat do if cornered ?

INdemo

(6,994 posts)
14. Republicans have always been able to shift the blame onto the Democrats
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 06:25 PM
Oct 2016

Not this time though and not on this...Reince Priebus and the Republicans owns this and they deserve every bit of it.

I like this.( A former GOP chief says "the elephant is cooked")In fact I might have waited for 46 years to hear this From the Nixon,Ford and Reagan and especially the Bush/Cheney expo..Yep this is music to my ears.

Patiod

(11,816 posts)
41. And they can't really pull the "rigged/stolen" election now
Sun Oct 9, 2016, 07:57 AM
Oct 2016

When they lose, it will be clear why

Zen Democrat

(5,901 posts)
44. The Republican Party may live on but the Conservative Movement is an expired parrot.
Sun Oct 9, 2016, 03:03 PM
Oct 2016
'It's not pinin'! It's passed on! This is no more! It has ceased to be! It's expired and gone to meet its maker! It's a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace! The movement has kicked the bucket and shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible!! THIS IS AN EX-MOVEMENT!!


With sincere apologies to Monty Python.

greymattermom

(5,754 posts)
16. What I don't get is that them must have known this
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 06:32 PM
Oct 2016

the Howard Stern appearances were well known. Why do they pretend this is a surprise?

TexasBushwhacker

(20,192 posts)
17. To me, the question is what will happen down ticket
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 06:37 PM
Oct 2016

His racist, sexist minions will still go to the polls, but what about the ones who were voting for him because they think he'll bring down taxes and bring jobs back to America? Will this be enough that they decide to stay home? What if GOP voter turnout goes south?

 

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)
18. "Has he unintentionally fired himself?"
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 06:52 PM
Oct 2016

I've said it before- part of me thinks he doesn't want this job. He got into it when 12 other dumbasses were in it, figuring he'd get some publicity, then go back to his life. He has been trying to derail since. I would almost bet money that he leaked the tape.

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
35. Or maybe he's simply self-destructive, knowing subconsciously that his life has been worthless.
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 09:11 PM
Oct 2016

[hr][font color="blue"][center]TECT in the name of the Representative approves of this post.[/center][/font][hr]

 

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)
38. That, or he thought he could
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 09:37 PM
Oct 2016

handle this the way he has all his business deals- by being a bully. We may never know. Even if he comes out later and talks about it, it will probably be a lie

 

OldRedneck

(1,397 posts)
24. RNC drops Trump's name from phone call scripts
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 07:19 PM
Oct 2016

NBC has learned the RNC instructed its minions to stop using Trump's name in their telephone scripts.


TomCADem

(17,387 posts)
26. Trump Is Right. The System Is Rigged Against Him...by the GOP!!!
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 07:42 PM
Oct 2016

Who needs elaborate schemes to have undocumented immigrants cross over the border to vote against Trump. Instead, all you need are the GOP elite to try to pull a coup d'etat through a backroom deal with Pence.

Hekate

(90,708 posts)
30. Make sure his base gets that message. Otherwise they will be gunning for Hillary...
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 07:53 PM
Oct 2016

...um, literally.

ailsagirl

(22,897 posts)
37. Am surprised this comes from Steele
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 09:29 PM
Oct 2016

He's always been so loyal to the repukes-- even when everything is collapsing

world wide wally

(21,744 posts)
39. I thought of 100 different things to say, but it all boils down to one thought:
Sat Oct 8, 2016, 10:03 PM
Oct 2016

Go for the fucking throat!

No more Republicans...... PERIOD!

LiberalLovinLug

(14,174 posts)
46. What would be great is a 4 party proportional representation system
Sun Oct 9, 2016, 05:43 PM
Oct 2016

Traditional corporate backed third way Democrats.
Traditional corporate backed Republicans.
A tea bagger basket party of deplorables
An actual dedicated progressive party, preferably led by Sanders. Or if not the Green party.

Where parties could cooperate on policy. No more antagonism between Democrats and a progressive fourth party, as your vote would not be wasted or mean a vote for the cons. So tired of Democrats bashing Stein or Nadar simply because they are not on the approved list of liberal representatives even though they could not name one of their policies that they disapprove of.

Malbrownluna8708

(76 posts)
45. I really hope it's well done
Sun Oct 9, 2016, 03:39 PM
Oct 2016

and sanitarily boiled, batter dipped and fried just for good measure. I am still having nightmares that he may still win. When this happens I go to Eric Boehlert's twitter page. It always seems to calm me. I love his reasoning and confidence.

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