Trump Isn’t Worth It, Republicans

[stymiegreen]

Trump Isn’t Worth It, Republicans

How will history look on this moment.

MARCH 20, 2019 BY NOAH ROTHMAN

https://www.commentarymagazine.com/poli ... publicans/

John McCain’s memory haunts Donald Trump. The president would like to pretend as though his antipathy toward the late senator from Arizona is based on McCain’s vote against one of several iterations of the GOP’s ObamaCare replacement bills or the fact that he provided the troubling but unverified Steele Dossier to the proper authorities, as though that was a breach of decorum. But that’s a smokescreen. Their mutual antipathy dates to the earliest days of the president’s campaign, in part, because McCain always had Trump pegged for what he was.

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best,” Trump said just weeks after launching his campaign for the White House. “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” To his credit, McCain rejected these comments and, along with former Sen. Jeff Flake, boycotted Trump’s appearance in Arizona. At that event, Trump trained his fire not just on Mexico but McCain as well. “We have incompetent politicians, not only the president,” Trump said. “I mean, right here, in your own state, you have John McCain.” McCain called the remarks “hurtful” and irresponsible “because what he did was, he fired up the crazies.” Trump replied by feigning offense on behalf of his supporters, calling for McCain to be primaried, and demeaning the senator’s service in the Navy by dismissing his time as a captive of the North Vietnamese as a sort of personal failing.

Thus, a feud began that now rages from beyond the grave. Trump has continued to fire volley after volley at the statesman, indifferent to the late senator’s inability to respond.

In a speech at CPAC upon his return from Hanoi, where McCain spent years as a hostage in intolerable conditions, Trump issued a veiled attack on the Senator. “He wrote a book and the book bombed,” Trump told reporters last month. And over the weekend, the president tore into John “last in his class” McCain for giving the unverified intelligence about Trump to which he was privy to the appropriate authorities. “I was never a fan of John McCain, and I never will be,” the president told reporters in the Oval Office.

In 2015, Trump’s attacks on the late senator prompted a deluge of searing rebukes from Republicans. Today, however, the response from the GOP is far more muted. Mitt Romney criticized the president. Johnny Isakson is reportedly preparing a “whipping” for the president. But the only Republican facing voters again in 2020 to muster a tweeted response, Lindsey Graham, was utterly devoid of the kind of passion he frequently summons in defense of principles far less essential than the respect for national service. In the following Tweet, Graham announced that he would kick off of his 2020 campaign bid alongside Vice President Mike Pence.

If, as it seems, electoral politics is compelling Republicans to compromise on yet another essential value to court Trump and the cult of personality that surrounds him, it’s a choice Republicans will regret. It will not ingratiate them with the broader American electorate. Nor it will yield them special considerations from Trump. No amount of flattery or deference from his fellow Republicans satisfies him.

The same political considerations seemed to be what led some Republicans to stow their objections to Donald Trump’s dubious assumption of legislative powers in declaring a national emergency to build his long-sought wall along the border with Mexico. “I can’t imagine one vote changes things too much for him,” a source close to Trump told National Review’s John McCormack when asked if Sen. Ben Sasse’s vote with the president had won him any goodwill in the West Wing. “Or changes the White House’s view of him to any great extent.”

Sasse has earned the benefit of the doubt more than some of his colleagues, but the GOP’s electoral concerns cannot be dismissed as a motivating factor. And if it is a factor, it’s a cheap rationalization. Republicans who consider themselves the more responsible stewards of the party can be forgiven for convincing themselves that whatever actions they take to keep their office are justified. After all, how would it benefit their constituents, their principles, or their ideological convictions if they were to lose? There is always someone more unscrupulous, more willing to prostrate themselves before Trump waiting in the wings. Why give them an opening? A minor compromise here, a forgivable sacrifice there; whatever it takes to keep power in the responsible hands of those who respect it.

This is a noble impulse, but a misguided one. One can make only so many compromises of principle in service to power before all that’s left is service to power. It avails no cause or constituency to bend before the demands of a demagogue. No principle can be preserved if its preservation requires the sacrifice of such basic graces as respect for our colleagues and friends who are gone. Down that road lies corruption, and the corrupted are only of value to the already corrupt. Nothing is worth that kind of accommodation, not even a seat in the U.S. Senate.

[stymiegreen]

What a flaming vagina this carrot topped windbag is

[DandyDon]

What a flaming vagina this carrot topped windbag is

Yeah, he gave him the kind of funeral he wanted. One without Donald Trump in attendance.

I'd like to give Trump the kind of funeral he deserves, but there isn't enough urine in South Carolina to pour over his headstone.

[AnalHamster]

Such hate.

The sad thing is you're referring to dandydon rather than the petulant little man baby continuing to attack a dead war hero. That's hate.

[AnalHamster]

Really love how the left comes out in balls to the wall for Republicans, but on one condition; Only if theyre dead

Uh huh. Did you have any opinion on your president continuing to attack a dead war hero and whining about not getting thanked for the funeral? You don't think that's perhaps a bit weird, petty and hateful? Bordering on insane?

[Who]

John McCain is going to win from his grave.

[CaptQuint]

What a flaming vagina this carrot topped windbag is

Yeah, he gave him the kind of funeral he wanted. One without Donald Trump in attendance.

I'd like to give Trump the kind of funeral he deserves, but there isn't enough urine in South Carolina to pour over his headstone.

His casket should be launched into one of those open-sewage canals that empty into the Gowanus canal . Or perhaps burned in a trash bin.

[stymiegreen]

Really love how the left comes out in balls to the wall for Republicans, but on one condition; Only if theyre dead

Expecting the President not to besmirch a veteran that also served in the senate for a large part of his life is coming out "balls to the wall"? Its more that nothing is ever off limits for this petty scumbag. And even worse...the more shit he gets he actually enjoys ramping up his rhetoric further because I guess he assumes it amuses his base? Or is he just so mentally unstable he gets joy out of it himself? This is more about Trump than it is McCain.

There are plenty of virtues Republicans have thrown into the dustbin because of Trump...if they support this shit they can add standing up for veterans to the list.

[stymiegreen]

Really love how the left comes out in balls to the wall for Republicans, but on one condition; Only if theyre dead

Expecting the President not to besmirch a veteran that also served in the senate for a large part of his life is coming out "balls to the wall"? Its more that nothing is ever off limits for this petty scumbag. And even worse...the more shit he gets he actually enjoys ramping up his rhetoric further because I guess he assumes it amuses his base? Or is he just so mentally unstable he gets joy out of it himself? This is more about Trump than it is McCain.

There are plenty of virtues Republicans have thrown into the dustbin because of Trump...if they support this shit they can add standing up for veterans to the list.

He has no filter, which in this case is a bad thing. I dont like it one bit but it has nothing to do with the governance of the nation. Butt hurt is not grounds for impeachment, or at least it used to be that way

The fact that this type of shit apparently consumes so much of his thought process doesn't affect his ability to govern the nation? Or the fact that this type of shit repeatedly undermines his credibility and has people question his mental fitness? Whatever you have to tell yourself to defend daddy.

[stymiegreen]

Also...you can claim its "unfiltered" when he is asked a question and he responds off the cuff...when he catches shit for his initial comments and then has to expound on them further unsolicited at his visit to the tank factory...then its not unfiltered....he is making a calculation in his addled brain that his supporters enjoy hearing him berate people like McCain ...or he thinks it bolsters his own image somehow....which is pathetic and disturbing

[stymiegreen]

Also...you can claim its "unfiltered" when he is asked a question and he responds off the cuff...when he catches shit for his initial comments and then has to expound on them further unsolicited at his visit to the tank factory...then its not unfiltered....he is making a calculation in his addled brain that his supporters enjoy hearing him berate people like McCain ...or he thinks it bolsters his own image somehow....which is pathetic and disturbing

Im sorry, but is any of this new? Its going on four years of this and you act as if youre shocked about the nonsense that comes out of his noggin. GTFO and take your faux outrage with you

Hardly shocked...but just because Trump acts like a dick nozzle on the daily doesn't mean it should stop being pointed out. Again, it's part of the credibility thing. As in he has none and neither do his supporters.

[DandyDon]

[CHEEZY17]

Let me guess: the guy who wrote those is a "former Republican." lolz

[DandyDon]

See. This is a prime example that proves why the right doesn't have successful comedy shows.

[DandyDon]

Really love how the left comes out in balls to the wall for Republicans, but on one condition; Only if theyre dead

Expecting the President not to besmirch a veteran that also served in the senate for a large part of his life is coming out "balls to the wall"? Its more that nothing is ever off limits for this petty scumbag. And even worse...the more shit he gets he actually enjoys ramping up his rhetoric further because I guess he assumes it amuses his base? Or is he just so mentally unstable he gets joy out of it himself? This is more about Trump than it is McCain.

There are plenty of virtues Republicans have thrown into the dustbin because of Trump...if they support this shit they can add standing up for veterans to the list.

He has no filter, which in this case is a bad thing. I dont like it one bit but it has nothing to do with the governance of the nation. Butt hurt is not grounds for impeachment, or at least it used to be that way

The fact that this type of shit apparently consumes so much of his thought process doesn't affect his ability to govern the nation? Or the fact that this type of shit repeatedly undermines his credibility and has people question his mental fitness? Whatever you have to tell yourself to defend daddy.

Im not defending him. Its despicable that he says such things about a veteran. As for running the nation if you think he or any other recent prez is balls deep in the day to day operations of governing this nation, then you havent been paying attention. The federal govt is an enormous machine

But they filled the departments of government with competent people who had experience in those fields, and surrounded themselves with expert people who DID know about the day to day operations, and took their advise when making decisions. They didnt make policy based on goddamn Fox news talking heads and who kissed their ass the best on TV. You ARE defending him, and I don't think there will ever be a point where you and Cheezy will say "this is too much, no matter what I believe he has done".

[CHEEZY17]

Really love how the left comes out in balls to the wall for Republicans, but on one condition; Only if theyre dead

Expecting the President not to besmirch a veteran that also served in the senate for a large part of his life is coming out "balls to the wall"? Its more that nothing is ever off limits for this petty scumbag. And even worse...the more shit he gets he actually enjoys ramping up his rhetoric further because I guess he assumes it amuses his base? Or is he just so mentally unstable he gets joy out of it himself? This is more about Trump than it is McCain.

There are plenty of virtues Republicans have thrown into the dustbin because of Trump...if they support this shit they can add standing up for veterans to the list.

He has no filter, which in this case is a bad thing. I dont like it one bit but it has nothing to do with the governance of the nation. Butt hurt is not grounds for impeachment, or at least it used to be that way

The fact that this type of shit apparently consumes so much of his thought process doesn't affect his ability to govern the nation? Or the fact that this type of shit repeatedly undermines his credibility and has people question his mental fitness? Whatever you have to tell yourself to defend daddy.

Im not defending him. Its despicable that he says such things about a veteran. As for running the nation if you think he or any other recent prez is balls deep in the day to day operations of governing this nation, then you havent been paying attention. The federal govt is an enormous machine

But they filled the departments of government with competent people who had experience in those fields, and surrounded themselves with expert people who DID know about the day to day operations, and took their advise when making decisions. They didnt make policy based on goddamn Fox news talking heads and who kissed their ass the best on TV. You ARE defending him, and I don't think there will ever be a point where you and Cheezy will say "this is too much, no matter what I believe he has done".

Don, is clearly fired up today. I guess we'll be hearing about the Deathtrains and Deathcamps next. Settle down, big guy. You need to save some of that rage for when the Mueller report drops and its a giant letdown.

[stymiegreen]

But they filled the departments of government with competent people who had experience in those fields, and surrounded themselves with expert people who DID know about the day to day operations, and took their advise when making decisions. They didnt make policy based on goddamn Fox news talking heads and who kissed their ass the best on TV. You ARE defending him, and I don't think there will ever be a point where you and Cheezy will say "this is too much, no matter what I believe he has done".

[stymiegreen]

But they filled the departments of government with competent people who had experience in those fields, and surrounded themselves with expert people who DID know about the day to day operations, and took their advise when making decisions. They didnt make policy based on goddamn Fox news talking heads and who kissed their ass the best on TV. You ARE defending him, and I don't think there will ever be a point where you and Cheezy will say "this is too much, no matter what I believe he has done".

Looks like sound reporting to me

Given your shoddy judgement and general level of cuckery for all things Trump.... I don't doubt that at all.

They were willing to die but due to "big pressure" they decided to surrender. Seems legit!