The conservative movement is in disarray. Its standard bearer, the Republican Party, is embroiled in a ruinous chaotic firestorm that is fueled by hypocrisy and an inflated sense of entitlement. And at the very core of the chaos and contention we find the ever present Donald Trump.
Trump added fuel to the fire on Friday when in his post debate comments he appeared to attribute moderator Megyn Kelly’s aggressive tone and tenor to her menstrual cycle: “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her…wherever.”
The main stream media, conservative news outlets and most of the other Republican candidates reacted to Trump’s comment with righteous indignation. RedState’s Erick Erickson reacted by disinviting Trump to speak at his important GOP confab this past weekend. “I don’t want Donald Trump around my daughter so I disinvited him.” Even the liberal New York Times published a front page lead article taking Trump to task. Pundits opined that most certainly this would be the straw that finally drove The Donald from the race.
Trump’s reaction was typical Trump. “No I’m not going to apologize. I have nothing to apologize for…When I said that I was referring to her eyes and nose...Only a deviant would think that.” He then went on to further castigate Kelly and Erickson.
One would expect that Trump’s comments, his pummeling in the media and his unremarkable debate performance would hurt him in the polls. Not so much.
Instead of crushing Trump’s candidacy the tsunami of criticism from both the media and the GOP establishment has turned the country’s most outspoken bully into a sympathetic figure. The most recent NBC poll has Trump still leading the pack by double digits. Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina and Marco Rubio round out the top five. Noticeably absent…establishment anointed frontrunner Jeb Bush and rising establishment star Scott Walker.
So what in the hell in going on here?
The RNC chieftains and the folks at FOX NEWS feel Trump is a cartoon character that is hurting the Party. They want him gone. Their sense of entitlement is stunning. FOX kicks off their debate by going after him aggressively in a clear effort to embarrass him in the eyes of the viewers and force him from the race. Instead of asking him substantive questions jobs and the economy…thoughtful questions that might unveil his lack of knowledge about key issues…FOX goes for theater. First they ask if everyone will pledge fealty to the Party and the Party’s ultimate candidate knowing full well Trump is the only one up there that will not. Then they try shock and awe by repeating some of his disparaging comments about women.
I’m not defending Donald Trump. But I didn’t hear the FOX moderators ask the other candidates if they would support Trump were he to emerge the victor. I didn’t hear them ask Jeb Bush to explain why he scoffed at spending $500 million on women’s health issues. In fact I didn’t hear any of the candidates asked about jobs or the economy or our outdated infrastructure or how to stop ISIS.
While the GOP establishment and its media partners are ripping Trump for his misogynistic comments its legislative branch in congress is saying no to equal pay for equal work, no to abortion, no to funding Planned Parenthood, no to contraceptives and no to funding women’s health issues. The hypocrisy here is palpable.
There is a very good reason that three of the top five in that post debate poll have never run for elected office. The GOP faithful are frustrated. They are tired of their politicians making promises that they never keep. Donald Trump has touched a nerve. Disparaging Trump plays right into his “outsider” narrative. It is why he is still standing in spite of his continued efforts to shoot himself in the foot.
The ruling class and the main street media scoffed at Reagan and said he would never win. They said Carter would never win either. They said the same about Clinton…and Obama. To discount Trump’s appeal to the GOP masses is to do so at one’s own peril. Force Trump to run as an Independent and Hillary Clinton will be the next President of the United States.
Speaking of Hillary! Note to the GOP. Stop all the faux outrage over Trump’s dustup with Megyn Kelly. Had Trump said the same thing about Hillary Clinton you’d be laughing your asses off and buying him a drink.
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