ALL Republican Delegates Are Unbound [and Have Been for the Past 160 Years]

By Curley Haugland and Sean Parnell

As the Republican National Convention prepares to kick off next week in Cleveland, there is a lot of confusion and controversy over the question of whether delegates to the convention are “bound” to vote for any particular candidate as a result of primary or caucus results, or state party directions.

The controversy stems from the fact that a large number of delegates believe they cannot in good conscience vote for presumed nominee Donald Trump, while the confusion stems from either a misunderstanding of the history and rules of the Republican National Convention, or more recently a blizzard of misinformation and misdirection coming from those who wish delegates were bound

Here are the facts about delegates to the Republican National Convention and efforts to bind their vote according to primary results or instructions from their state party.

Republican delegates to the national convention have always been unbound by national party rules, with the single exception. The issue was decisively settled in 1876 when delegates voted 395 to 353 to uphold past rulings stating that delegates could not be bound to vote against their conscience. Following the vote, the chairman of the convention summarized the party’s position by saying “[I]t is he right of every individual member thereof to vote his individual sentiments.”

In the following convention in 1880, rules committee chair James A. Garfield, who wound up winning the nomination himself on the 36th ballot and the White House that fall, wrote what is today Rule 37(b) of the temporary rules of the convention. This rule was enacted specifically to provide a mechanism that would ensure every delegate was unbound and free to vote their conscience, and it gave every delegate the right to challenge his delegation’s announced vote on the floor of the convention and have his vote recorded as he wished.

In rejecting the binding of delegates, both the 1876 and 1880 conventions were embracing what had been the understanding of previous conventions dating back to 1856, the first Republican National Convention. At both 1860 and 1868 conventions, some delegations arrived with instructions or recommendations from their state conventions on which candidate to vote for, and at both conventions the right of delegates to ignore those directions and vote their consciences was upheld.

The Republican National Convention has also historically rejected the idea that state laws could bind delegates any more than state party rules or directions could. The very first time delegates were supposedly bound by state law was at the 1912 convention.

Both the Illinois and Oregon delegations announced that state law dictated how they were to vote, but that some delegates did not want to vote as ordered. In the same way the Republican convention had always rejected any sort of binding, those delegates were allowed to vote according to their consciences and ignore state law. The Oregon delegation made similar announcements in 1916 and 1920, and each time delegates were allowed to ignore state law and vote their consciences.

Although some claim it is “illegal” for delegates to defy state laws instructing them how to vote, the U.S. Supreme Court held in two cases nearly forty years ago that state laws could not trump national party rules. Part of their reasoning was that political parties must be free from government control, particularly in matters as important as who the party’s nominee would be, delegate selection, and how delegates could vote.

A careful reading of the rules passed by the 2012 Republican National Convention proves this to be the common understanding and practice of the party. Rules 14 and 16, which govern the election and selection of delegates to the convention, include several references to the fact that the national convention is free to ignore state law, including two occasions where rules begin with the phrase “No state law shall be observed…”

And Rule 16(b)(1) stipulates that state party rules take precedence over state laws governing the election and selection of delegates, and that national party rules take precedence over both. So clearly the national party does not accept that state laws can supersede either state or national party rules.

The only time delegates have been bound by primary results or anything else was in 1976, when the campaign of President Gerald Ford pushed through a rule requiring votes from nineteen states with laws purporting to bind delegates be announced and recorded as if those laws were valid. It was widely understood at the time those laws were unconstitutional as a result of a recent Supreme Court ruling, but the rule was sufficient to bind delegates’ votes for the first time in Republican National Convention history.

The gambit seemed to pay off, as it helped Ford defeat his challenger, former California Gov. Ronald Reagan. At the 1980 convention the rule change pushed through by Ford was eliminated, and the rule reverted back to essentially the same language as the rule first adopted at the 1880 convention. The rule remains largely identical today.

The last remaining argument by those seeking to impose binding on delegates is Rule 16(a)2, which supposedly directs the secretary of the convention to record votes “in accordance with the delegate’s obligation under these rules, state law, or state party rule.” But there are two major problems with this rule.

The first is that it contradicts both itself and other national rules. State law and state party rules may conflict, as they do in Virginia, where state law dictates that all delegates must vote for the primary winner while state party rules say delegate votes should be proportional to the outcome. More importantly, both the state law and state party rule conflict with the national convention’s Rule 37(b), which prevents any delegate from being bound.

Second and most importantly is that Rule 16 is not actually part of the convention rules – it was added in 2013 as part of a section of rules that expire at the start of the 2016 convention. The only rules that can affect how delegates vote and whether they are free to vote their conscience are first the temporary and then the permanent rules of the convention. According to Rule 42, those rules are numbers 26 through 42 (plus the rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, which are not relevant to binding).

In short, the history of the Republican National Convention proves that delegates have always, with the exception of 1976, been free to vote their conscience, and the rule that has protected this right over the last 136 years remains part of the temporary rules of the 2016 convention. The U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings on the issue also make clear that delegates are free to ignore state laws purporting to bind them, and the one national party rule purporting to bind delegates expires at the start of the convention.

These facts make clear that all delegates are completely unbound and free to vote their conscience on any and all matters that come before them, including the first ballot to decide the party’s nominee for president. No rule change is needed to unbind delegates, so long as the party stands by its 160-year history (aside from the blemish of 1976) protecting this important right.

Delegates to the 2016 Republican National Convention have been entrusted with the duty of selecting the party’s nominee to face Hillary Clinton in November (probably – the Democrats also have rules in place that protect the right of delegates to vote their consciences). They should carefully weigh their options, considering not only primary and caucus results but also who is best suited to represent Republican values and win in November.

Whomever emerges as the party’s nominee will be strengthened, not weakened, by demonstrating that they won the Republican nomination based not on coercion and intimidation, but instead on delegates freely and honestly concluding they should be the nominee.

Curly Haugland is a Republican National Committeeman from North Dakota and serves on the rules committees of both the Republican National Committee and the Republican National Convention. Sean Parnell is a public policy consultant in Virginia. They are co-authors of the book Unbound: The Conscience of a Republican Delegate.

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An Open Letter and Urgent Plea To All Republican Delegates Headed to Cleveland

By Gary P Jackson

Congratulations! You have been selected by your community peers to represent them at the Republican National Convention this coming July in Cleveland, Ohio. You have been trusted by the members of your community to represent not only their best interests, and the best interests of the Republican Party, but most importantly, you have been trusted with looking out for the best interest of the nation. It is most important to remember that your duty to God and Country supersedes any other loyalties, real or perceived.

This is an awesome responsibility you have been trusted with. One that can shape history, and the future of the party, the nation, and the world. Many men and women have come before you, and on several notable occasions, they have made tough, but correct, decisions that have altered history, and made America, and the world, better for it. It is with that note that I hope to remind you just how serious your responsibility as duly elected delegates to the convention is. You hold the future, not only of the party, but the United States of America, and even the world, in the palm of your hand.

Noting this seriousness, and the dire circumstances you, the party, and the nation find ourselves in, I must have a serious talk with each and every one of you. This I shall attempt through this open letter and urgent plea.

It should come as no surprise that the Republican Party is seriously divided, and many are in open revolt over the so-called “presumptive nominee” Donald Trump. The shouts of “Never Trump!” are very real, and very serious. Many who have held their nose and placed party over principle in order to “win” an election are simply not willing to support such a vile, repugnant, and totally unacceptable [and COMPLETELY UNQUALIFIED] candidate as Trump.

Much has already been written about the fact than many, if not most, of the delegates headed to Cleveland are loyal to Ted Cruz, and were elected by their peers as “Cruz delegates” even in instances where the state party would claim those delegates are “bound” to Donald Trump, at least on the first ballot. It’s no secret that while Trump was doing his Vaudeville Act as “Trump the Insult Comic Politician” Cruz and his team were out there among the American people developing, and cultivating, a solid ground game to not only serve him in the primaries, but the general election, as well. This is a very important matter that I will discuss with you a little more at length before we are done.

I should tell you, once you start reading, this letter and plea may seem a little long winded, but I assure you that’s because I need to pass on legal and historical facts, as well as information you and your fellow delegates need to make a wise and considered decision, once you get to Cleveland.

Most of the latest talk about Cruz delegates dominating the convention, of course, surrounds a possible floor fight over the very platform of the Republican Party, since Donald Trump and his Pro-Planned Parenthood, pro-single-payer heath care, and pro-raising the minimum wage [among other things] stances are hardly compatible with the Republican Party! Many pundits, party officials, and “thought leaders” assume the battle is lost and Trump’s nomination is a fait accompli, so in their mind, you are their last defense, and your only real role, is to at least salvage the party platform and whatever dignity the GOP may have left!

Well, I’m here to tell you that you a much bigger role to play, should you choose it. A role that others before you have taken, when history and circumstances demanded it. You have a true opportunity to not only save the party, but possibly save the nation, and the greater world beyond our borders. Yes, my friends, this election and your decisions are that serious, and that important.

If you truly understand just how unacceptable and disastrous Donald Trump would be as the Republican Party nominee for President, then you have only one course of action: Refuse to place Donald Trump’s name in nomination as the Republican candidate. Barring your ability to effect that refusal and Trump’s name is somehow placed in nomination and seconded, refuse, and rally others to refuse to vote in affirmation of such a nomination, and deny Trump the required 1237 delegate votes [50% + 1] that are required for him to be the nominee. This is a course of action you are duly elected to take, should you choose to take it. History supports you on this.

You may have some questions and concerns. Let me try to answer those concerns by addressing questions you may have, starting with:

*** “But I am ‘bound’ to Donald Trump on the first ballot, and must vote for him, even if my conscience says otherwise.”

Uh, not so much.

The fact is, only once in the entire history of the party have Republican delegates been bound by convention rules to vote for the winner of a state primary or caucus, or for that matter, follow the results of those primaries and caucuses in any manner whatsoever.

The year was 1976 and Ronald Reagan mounted a serious campaign to defeat the sitting Republican President, Gerald Ford. After pardoning Richard Nixon, post Watergate, Ford wasn’t exactly America’s most popular elected official! Though pardoning Nixon was the right thing to do, to move the country forward, many resented it, and Conservatives understood it would hurt him in the general election, most likely to the point of no return. [which it did] The establishment stood by him though, and at the convention, the rules committee amended the traditional rules, so that, for the first time in GOP history, Republican delegates were “bound” by the results of the elections. Had this not been the case, a real floor fight would have occurred, and Reagan may have well been the Republican nominee for 1976, and who knows how history would have been altered, mostly for the better. It should be noted that the rule binding delegates to the results of state elections was REMOVED at the 1980 Republican convention, and the rules have not changed since.

According to Curly Haugland a delegate-at-large, and senior member of the rules committee, all Republican delegates to the 2016 convention are, in fact, “Super Delegates.” He goes on to say:

Super delegates at the GOP convention are afforded the privilege of choosing which candidate they can cast their ballot for in the first round of voting, unlike regular delegates from states with binding primaries who must adhere to their state contests’ results, until the second round of balloting.

Haugland has, of course, been challenged on this, by more than a few, but cites rulings by the United States Supreme Court that affirm political parties are PRIVATE organizations and have the ability to set the rules regarding how delegates may or may not vote. These rules, of course, are set by the delegates themselves, at the convention, and these rules supersede any state party rules. Again, no Republican delegate has been bound to a candidate before OR SINCE 1976!

From the article:

Haugland responded to an accusation that his claim is wrong from a legal stand point and the RNC rules are not the relevant rules guiding the issue of binding delegates to their primary election result, but that different state statutes are the primary authority.

“The United States Supreme Court has held several times that political parties enjoy protection from both the First and Fourteenth Amendments as they pursue their political objectives. The Republican Party is free to choose whether or not they want to be governed by state laws,” Haugland argued in a written statement.

He writes, “The case in point is the 1976 Republican National Convention that voted to bind the delegates to cast their convention votes according to the results of binding primaries. (State laws)The 1980 Republican National Convention voted to rescind the 1976 action based on testimony, stated in part, ‘The Supreme Court has spoken to this…they stated that party rules are supreme over state law.’ (Transcript of 1980 Convention Rules Committee, Page 67)”

He adds, “The Rules of the Republican Party prohibiting the binding of delegates have not been changed since the 1980 convention.”

You can read much more here.

Kerry Picket at The Daily Caller adds:

Haugland noted that the RNC’s Counsel’s Office Tom Josefiak cited current Rule 38, also known as Unit Rule, to RNC Rules Committee members on January 19, 2006, during an orientation session for Rules Committee members :

“One of the important rules changes over the last 50 years has been the unit rule prohibited…that change was made so that an individual delegate can vote his or her conscience.”

Josefiak was a panelist with other convention rules experts that included RNC lawyer Ben Ginsberg, then RNC Chairman Mike Duncan, and Rules Committee member Morton Blackwell. David Norcross, chairman of the RNC Rules Committee, oversaw the meeting.

How did members react to Haugland’s claim? The North Dakota Republican told TheDC, “Not a single word challenging either the past history or the present facts, nor even a single negative comment,” he said.

Haugland sent quotes to The Daily Caller from RNC members who responded to him.

“You don’t think delegates are bound on the first ballot?”

“Fascinating! Can I publish your letter?”

“1976 battle was my first taste of politics…Can I post on my blog?”

“Thank you, Curly. That is insightful.”

“This is very revealing. Watch the establishment attempt to handle this with the Convention Rules Committee.”

“Nice work, Curly”

“Very good.”

“Thanks, Curly. I just don’t know what to think about all this.”

“Priceless!”

Haugland said of the various reactions, “I guess I am not surprised about the lack of negative comments. As has been said by many before me, ‘Facts are stubborn things.’

“This is something Curly has held for a long time. This is nothing new in terms of his interpretation to the rule…frankly I’m intrigued because 2006 wasn’t an election year. Curly has been advocating this position for a long time, but it’s up to the delegates…Tom Josefiak was a lawyer in 2006. That wasn’t a convention ruling,” RNC Spokesman Sean Spicer told The Daily Caller.

He added, “As Curly points out the 1976 thing he speaks about was during a convention. So what the lawyer said in 2006 was not at the committee…what one lawyer says in a panel is a lot different than what delegates decide. That doesn’t change any rule. That’s a decision that gets made by the delegates. The delegates would decide how that’s interpreted, ‘Oh we’re doing that again or we’re not.’ When they go to rewrite those rules, that’s something that they could discuss.”

Read more here and a copy of the letter Haugland sent to his fellow rules committee members here.

On Wednesday, Jennifer Rubin, writing for the Washington Post noted that Donald Trump has, himself, created the grounds for a contested convention, no matter how many delegates he has “bound” to him, coming into the convention. Trump has consistently refused to release his tax information. Though it’s not unprecedented for a candidate to refuse, it’s highly unusual, and speaks to Trump’s character and credibility, especially since, at the start of his campaign, he promised voters he would release the tax returns, then almost immediately had excuse, after excuse, after excuse as to why he would not be doing so. Now he says he’ll release them after November. Uh huh.

Ruben speculates as to why he refuses to release them, and also points out how this can, and likely will be used to contest Trump’s standing as a potential nominee for the presidency on the Republican Party ticket. This is well worth your time to read and understand fully!

I’ll add my notion that Trump might not want his less than intelligent or inquisitive supporters to learn of his long, deep, multi-hundred-million dollar ties to his business partner: George Soros, the Nazi, and self-proclaimed owner of the democrat party! [Trump’s ties to Soros are public record for those that know how to use Bing or Google] Though it pains me to say that my former colleagues, who are now Level V Trump cultists, men who have written extensively about the evils of George Soros, now vigorously DEFEND Trump’s involvement, and are shocked … shocked … anyone would deny an “American businessman” his “constitutional right” to do business with whomever he wanted! Those were, in fact, their exact words! Sad and scary words, my friends!

*** “But what about the ‘will of the people’?!? They chose Trump!!!!“

About that. If I hear “will of the people” one more time, I swear to God in Heaven I’m going to strangle someone!

The fact is, only 20% of Registered Republicans voted for Donald Trump. Twenty. Percent. Now, of course, that doesn’t take into consideration that some states, like Texas, which Ted Cruz won in a landslide, do not require voters to register by political party. At any rate, if you are in fact, as Registered Republican, chances are pretty good Donald Trump is not your candidate! Moreover, Trump still has only around 40% of the total votes cast in the primaries and caucuses. Most voters chose someone else. Put another way, the “will of the people” seems to be, if not #NeverTrump, at the very least anybody BUT Trump!

@GovBrewer @realDonaldTrump @seanhannity united? pic.twitter.com/lzlrNE6wRL

— Brian (@BrianMbsusa2) May 16, 2016

*** “Even so, to deny Donald Trump the nomination would be unprecedented and cause great upheaval“

Yeah, not so much!

The fact is, should you chose to do the right thing, and deny Trump the nomination, you wouldn’t be the first, or even the second delegation in history, to a Republican National Convention, to ignore the “will of the people” or take matters into your own hands!

The year was 1860. History tells us this was a turbulent time in America. The democrat party, which had it’s convention before the GOP, adjourned it’s first attempt at that year’s national convention, because they failed to nominate a candidate! For the GOP’s part, this was only their second convention ever, and the first after the virtual collapse of the Whig Party.

Former New York Governor, and United States Senator William Henry Seward was considered a shoe-in, and the presumptive nominee. He should have been, too, because unlike Trump today, Seward, who had previously been elected as a Whig, was a good fit for the new Republican Party, a party that was founded on the sole purpose of abolishing slavery once and for all. Seward had a good record of not only opposing slavery, but actively helping Negro slaves. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum though. It seems Seward angered many in the party for his support of immigrants and Catholics [some stupidity never changes] then he angered his long time supporters with that time honored Republican tradition [Hell, he may have started it!] of “moving to the center“! He should have waited, like modern Republicans do, until after he got the nomination to “pivot“! He also had ties to the infamous political fixer Thurlow Weed, which seemed to sour everyone.

At any rate, the delegates, sensing a political disaster [never mind that democrats were imploding, with Seward, the GOP would likely lose the entire Western USA] chose another path, but not before all kinds of wheeling and dealing that included offering up cabinet posts and other such nonsense. After two days of this, and multiple ballots, the Republicans chose an old country lawyer, and former U.S. Congressman from Illinois, by the name of Abraham Lincoln. I don’t think I need to quote the resume of the man many consider one of our greatest presidents of all time!

It should be noted the Lincoln refused to participate in any backroom dealings, or handing over of patronages to delegates for their support!

One of the more interesting conventions happened in 1920. There had been eight candidates running for the nomination. By the time the convention rolled around, things were still wide open, with General Leonard Wood, Illinois Governor Frank Lowden, and California Senator Hiram Johnson all considered potential “presumptive nominees“! Ohio Senator Warren G. Harding had been a front-runner, at one point, but as often happens, his campaign played out and lost favor with the voters.

Much like we’ve heard for what seems like a million times this election season, the talking heads all predicted a “dark horse,” or “white knight,” as we’ve heard then called this 2016 season … would actually be nominated. [The more things change, the more they stay the same!] Pennsylvania Governor William Cameron Sproul, Pennsylvania Senator Philander C. Knox, Kansas Governor Henry Justin Allen, Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, or 1916 nominee Charles Evan Hughes were all “Golden Boys” to some! Sproul was emerging as the leader of this “dark horse/white knight“crew though.

Long story short, the 1920 convention was lively, to say the least! After all kinds of back and forth, two days, and nine, count em, nine ballots, Mr. “No Chance in Hell” Warren G Harding finally jumped into the lead. On the tenth ballot, Harding finally secured the required number of delegates needed to be declared the nominee. It was a nasty fight mainly because another candidate, Senator Hiram Johnson, who pretty much hated Harding [The feeling was reportedly mutual] refused to release his delegates! It’s been said, that in the end, Harding’s nomination was engineered by party bosses in a “smoke filled room” but at any rate, it was the delegates who chose Harding over the hollowed and sacred “will of the people“!

So as you see, as a delegate to the Republican National Convention, you indeed hold the party and the nation’s future in your hands. You and your fellow delegates have the ability, and duty, to exercise your judgement, even if it goes against the “will of the people.” Often delegates have a better sense of things than an angry, irrational mob, such as what we have today in the guise of Trump supporters.

*** “But Gary, if we DO go against the ‘will of the people’ the GOP will be in disarray and we will lose to Hillary because Trump voters will be pissed off!“

Trump voters are cultists, so who knows what they might do! Trump and his fixer: Roger Stone, Jr. have threatened violence against delegates and riots in the streets should Trump’s nomination be “stolen” from him! That alone should tell you that neither you, nor I, want this man anywhere within a 100 miles the Oval Office, not even as part of the tourist tour of the White House!

I can tell you that politics in 1860 and 1920, most especially 1920, were just as nasty as they are today! They didn’t have the social media we have, but corrupt, dishonest, muckraking journalists, only happy to rile voters up, were a dime a dozen then, just as they are today!

In 1860 Abraham Lincoln defeated the “southern” democrat, John C. Breckinridge 180 electors to 72. A pretty decent landslide! Two other candidates got 39 and 12 electors respectively. It’s notable that the “official” democrat Stephen A. Douglas [As in the Lincoln-Douglass debates] got the 12 votes! Add all three of Lincoln’s opponents together and he still wins in a landslide!

The 1920 election, after what was the most contentious [some might even say, figuratively, the “bloodiest“] Republican convention in history, Warren G Harding defeated Ohio democrat James Cox in an absolute BLOWOUT 404 electors to 127! That translates to 60.3% of the popular vote for Harding to Cox’s 34.2%!

So, dear delegate, the last worry on your mind should be how your much considered decision of whether or not to deny Trump the nomination, will effect the outcome of the general election in November. History says, if you pick a man of honor and principle, things will be just fine.

*** “But what about my loyalty to the Republican Party?“

Your loyalty, as an American, is to God and Country. Please don’t forget that you are not bound to any candidate, despite what your state party may claim, and you have multiple rulings by the United States Supreme Court, based on the 1st and 14th Amendments to the Constitution, to back you up!

*** “But Trump will get mad, run as a ‘third party’ candidate and screw us all!”

Not to worry. So-called sore loser laws in many states, including the must wins ones, all prohibit such a thing. Once Trump ran as a candidate for the nomination of a political party, these laws prohibit him, or any other losing candidate, from moving further along. This would, any many cases, also prohibit any sort of write-in campaign, though you can bet a few die hard Trumpsters would do it anyway. You shouldn’t let a 3rd party or write -in effort be of any concern in your decision making.

BTW, getting back to your notion of loyalty to the RNC. It was the leadership of the Republican Party that allowed Trump and his circus act to gain steam in the first place! We all remember that Trump proclaimed that if everyone didn’t sign a “loyalty pledge” to support the eventual nominee, he would bolt and run 3rd party, something he could have done, since the voting hadn’t yet started. Trump, of course, seemed to be free of any obligation, himself, and continually threatened to “go rogue” should he be treated “unfairly” by the GOP, any candidate, or the voices in his head!

Trump was allowed to bash, not only fellow candidates, with absolute and ridiculous lies, but the party itself, with absolutely no repercussions!

The Republican leadership [such that it is] cowered in fear of this orange buffoon, when they should have told him to take a hike! They should have told him that his nonsense was not going to be tolerated, and he could take his candidacy elsewhere!

You may or may not know this, but Donald Trump has been running for President off and on since 1987! Trump was, in fact, the Reform Party candidate for President in 2000. He received just a taste over 15,000 votes nationwide. Knowing this, Trump didn’t pose much of a threat as an independent candidate, and no way in hell would Trump have spent his own money in 2016, when it’s generally accepted one needs close to a BILLION DOLLARS to mount a competitive presidential campaign.

Trump would have most certainly done better, as an independent, than he did in 2000, simply because the media loves circus acts and train-wrecks, and Trump would have provided a double shot of both, almost daily! [At least for the short term] The fact is, though, the media would have quickly settled in on the serious contenders for both party nominations and the general election.

*** “So, who do we nominate in Trump’s place?“

As we both know Ted Cruz has the second best showing in delegates won through the election process, and it’s not even close. Past that, most delegates that are “bound” to Trump, were actually elected at their state conventions, by their fellow citizens, as Cruz delegates. [Or loyalists, if you prefer] At any rate, it’s no shock to anyone, that many, if not a strong majority, of the delegates going to Cleveland, in fact, support Ted Cruz.

You may not be able to give Cruz the nomination on the first ballot, as more than a few delegates may have doubts about voting conscience over the glorious “will of the people,” but you certainly have more than enough to deny Trump the nomination, on the first ballot, which means his bid would be over.

A floor fight won’t be a piece of cake, but the alternative, having a DEMOCRAT as the nominee for President on the Republican Party ticket, is just too hateful to contemplate!

*** “But Trump will WIN! He will take it to Hillary like he did to his Republican opponents.“

Sure he will!

Regular readers of our blog know that I hate conspiracy theories with a passion. I go out of my way to debunk them, when I can!

One of the things that disgusts me, and millions more, is Trump’s embrace of such things, including accusing Ted Cruz’s father of somehow being mixed up in the murder of a beloved United States President! And don’t get me started on the birther nonsense that he threw out there directed not only at Cruz, but Marco Rubio as well. Trump’s raving lunatic supporters, of course, embraced all of this, with more than a few nuts claiming to have personally come in contact with Rafael Cruz and Lee Harvey Oswald together in New Orleans. Never mind that these young Trumpsters were likely not yet born at that time! And never mind that while Oswald was PRO-Castro, the elder Cruz was ANTI-Castro by that time!

Anyhow, I’ll give you my two cents on Trump and his actual desire to win the presidency. I’d say the chances that Trump ever had any intention of being our next President are slim, and none. And while I have no hard evidence to back my conspiracy theory up, I certainly have plenty of circumstantial evidence, starting with the fact that Trump has been one of Hillary Clinton’s top money men, supporting her every run for office, including giving her [and her PACS] some $200,000 in support of her 2008 presidential campaign. Trump is also a major contributor to the Clinton Foundation, and all of this, including donations to Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, and a whole cast of democrats, are far above the “just doing business, because Trump is … you know … a businessman” rate!

Let’s not forget Trump verbal support for Hillary either. After Benghazi, and all the lies, standing in front of those flag draped coffins, Trump praised Hillary as “one of the greatest Secretaries of State in history.”

Here’s the thing, since day one, Trump hasn’t run as a Republican, and most certainly hasn’t run as a Conservative. Trump has run as the caricature that democrats have been trying to portray Republicans as. Trump has shown himself to be racist, sexist [big time] irrational, and irresponsible. Of course, Trump has also flip-flopped on any number of serious issues, often not only in the same day, but the same interview or speech! If one didn’t think Trump’s entire candidacy was a goof [which I and many more do] the only other explanation is the man is too mentally unstable to be President!

Trump flip-flopped so many times on Planned Parenthood, and the murder of innocent children at their hands, he managed to piss of BOTH SIDES of the debate, at the same time! Trump still says Planned Parenthood “does good things” and uses the language of a far left wing extremist while doing it! But he also claims he’ll cut off funding, and even suggested jailing those who participate in abortions! Even hard core pro-life advocates were appalled at that last “<i>promise</i>”!

Go back and look at Trump’s campaign, his actions, his events, the fact that he was actively re-tweeting numerous white supremacists, on almost a daily basis … for months, and we have a problem. The “white pride” Jew-hating wing of the Trump movement is quite strong [Or completely made up, as somewhere near 80% of these accounts Trump was re-tweeting appeared to be bogus! That’s another very long discussion we can go into at another time.] Either way, Trump has no problem with this trailer trash.

Frankly, it appears to me, and many more, that Trump’s real goal was to embarrass and discredit the Republican Party by reinforcing all of the stereotypes democrats have been pushing about us for decades, then ripping the GOP apart [Mission Accomplished] all in an effort to help his long time best old gal pal Hillary win in November!

Not sure how anyone would think that?

Well …

Does this look like a bunch that is about to go to war with one another?

Of course, this is only speculation based on observation and knowing Trump’s longtime history of trashing Republicans, especially Conservatives, while giving democrats, and their vile Anti-American agendas, his full-throated support!

If you want more substantial proof that Trump isn’t serious about beating Hillary, here’s a few tidbits to consider:

After Trashing every single Republican opponent with the kind of vile, nasty hate that only a democrat can do well, including accusing Ted Cruz of extra-marital affairs, via his good buddy who runs the National Enquirer, and accusing Cruz’s father of essentially murdering JFK, Trump has announced he may not run any negative ads against Hillary!

Michael Patrick Tracy’s response wasn’t much different than mine [though I threw in some “I told ya” so’s!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! pic.twitter.com/VVabEP5xBH

— ConservativeLA (@ConservativeLA) May 11, 2016

Trump told the Associated Press that instead of building a national ground game, you know, the essential door knockers and get out the vote people that one must have to win, that he will instead rely on free TV coverage and big political rallies! Because God knows that strategy worked well in the primaries! It worked so well, in fact that in states where 100% of the delegates are “bound” to Trump, these delegates are, in fact, Cruz delegates, duly elected, simply because Ted Cruz had one of the best ground games we’ve seen in a long time, while Trump failed to even participate! This includes Colorado!

Trump’s campaign people freely admitted they simply didn’t even bother to compete for votes in Colorado. When Trump lost big time, allowing Cruz to get dangerously close, Trump went on an insane rampage screaming about cancelled elections and stolen votes. Never mind that the people of Colorado voted on March 1st in 2917 separate local caucuses designed to pick delegates to the state convention, delegates, who in turn would chose the candidate to represent Colorado. [Ted Cruz] One man even claimed to have been bared from participating because he supported Trump, even tearing up his card on video tape. Turns out the guy was elected locally but failed to even attempt to follow the required procedures all delegates must, in fact, follow to participate at the state convention. We’ll just charitably call him dumb.

Of course, the raving lunatics that support Trump were digging this Lie-O-Rama and breathless repeated every outrageous lie Trump was telling!

There’s more, of course, and it’s substantial, past his erratic behavior.

Trump has now come out in favor of raising the minimum wage, saying we must have a “living wage” a phrase taken right out of Karl Marx’s Little Red Book, and I’m sure, the democrat party-social justice handbook! He’s trashed his own tax plan, and back-tracked on other issues, with more to come, I’m sure. Of course, Trump supports allowing grown men to use the same bathrooms as your young daughters.

I know this is a long read, but this is a dangerous time in America and you and your fellow delegates are the only thing that stands between America and total disaster. You are the front line soldiers in the battle for America’s future!

You have between now and July to investigate all of this for yourself. You have between now and July to talk with your fellow delegates and consider it all. You even have between now and July to look into the law yourself and verify what I have told you about your right as a Republican delegate to the National Convention to vote your conscience rather than the party line.

You can and should verify, not only the Supreme Court rulings, but the historical fact that only once in the history of the Republican Party have delegates been “bound” to any state vote, and that it was a dirty trick by the establishment to keep a solid Conservative, Ronald Reagan, from being our nominee. Something Reagan would rectify four years later, in 1980!

Ted Cruz is worth of your consideration as the Republican Nominee for President.

Never mind that Cruz polled much better against Hillary in key states than Trump does anywhere. Never mind that with Trump, even deep red states are now in danger of being lost to Hillary. There are other serious considerations at work here.

We’ve mentioned Cruz’s incredible ground game. There is no way in hell anyone will ever be President if they don’t have an incredible ground game. Democrats are useless as elected officials, and human beings, but they have the ground game, the election day get out the vote operations, and so on, down to a science, and work it, nationwide, with the precision of a Swiss watch! Trump isn’t even interested in HAVING a ground game!

But there is more. Cruz has a sold record of Conservatism, and doing what is right. He has a life time record of doing what he says he will. Be it his time as a Director at the Federal Trade Commission, or as the longest serving Solicitor General in Texas history, Cruz has looked after the best interests of the American people, and has vigorously [and successfully] defended Liberty and Freedom, as well as American sovereignty, and the Constitution.

The people of Texas sent Ted Cruz to Washington to do a specific job, and he made a promise to do it. He has kept his word to us. That’s already more than 90% of politicians will ever do!

Ted Cruz is a class act and a serious man. He has successfully argued landmark cases before the United States Supreme Court. Ted Cruz won’t look like a blithering idiot on stage as he debates Hillary Clinton!

In the end, let me leave you with just this: Your duty is to yourself, your God, and your Country. You simply cannot put party over principle … EVER. Now more than at any time in your life, integrity and principles are far more important than party bosses or the wild eyed ramblings of a mob that is running at a fever pitch, fueled by genuine anger at the direction our country is headed, and a Republican Party full of elected officials that promise one thing, then do nothing once elected, or worse, bow down to the democrats and give up the farm! It is your job, as duly elected delegates, to see past the fevered rants and the cult of personality surrounding Trump and make a wiser, more considered choice.

May I go further to suggest, that if you are confused by the fever I speak of, as well as the desperation Trump supporters genuinely feel, no matter how misguided and dangerous their support for Trump is, that you watch the 1961 film “Judgement at Nuremberg.” This Academy Award winning film, which features powerful and compelling performances throughout, deals with the aftermath of a nation whose otherwise good and decent people got caught up in a fever, and chose to support someone, who like Trump, had no regard for the Republic’s constitution, or rule of law. All they saw was someone who could “save them,” much as Trump supporters see him today. And like those Germans, Trump supporters don’t seem to care what Trump does, what laws he might violate, including military law and the Geneva Conventions, what basic human rights, like Free speech, Freedom of the Press, or even Religious Liberty [the cornerstone of America] that Trump has intimated he would trample, so long as he wins and America is “saved“!

This of course, is all not only ludicrous, but dangerous. More dangerous than any person or thing America has ever faced. And that, my fellow Americans, is the real heart of the matter. Not only is Trump unfit to be the Republican nominee for President, let alone President, he and the fevered mob he has created are a real and clear danger to the very fabric of our country. Trump may be playing us all for fools, and looking to help his buddy Hillary win [something I and many more truly believe] but the fevered mob he has created is real, and it it your job, your duty, in fact, to cool them down by sending them, and their candidate into a “time out,” while the rest of the nation gets on with nominating and then electing a new REPUBLICAN President!

No pressure, but don’t screw this up!

Sincerely and Kindest Regards,

Gary P Jackson

Cruz Totally Dominates Hot Air Poll With 35% Trump at 19% as Sarah Palin Grabs 11%

By Gary P Jackson

In the latest Hot Air poll of Conservatives, Senator Ted Cruz totally dominates the field. He’s the number one choice for President, and also leads in the “second choice” category, as well as the “consensus vote,” with totals of 35.40%, 22.20%, and 78.30% respectively:

While Hot Air’s rather exclusive, hard to join, members only, comment section has it’s share of loud Trump supporters, most readers aren’t as enthusiastic. On the other hand, most see Carly Fiorina as someone they could get behind, if Cruz fails to secure the bid. Trump, however was 5th on the second choice bid, and 8th on the reader’s consensus portion. Sarah Palin, who isn’t even an option among the 1st or 2nd choices, comes in at number 9 in consensus votes!

Speaking of Governor Palin, after almost a year of listing every single Republican that is still breathing, as an option … EXCEPT Palin … Hot Air finally asks readers:

If Sarah Palin was running, would you replace your first choice candidate and vote for Palin instead?

11% of Hot Air Readers said, yes they would. Not too shabby for someone who has shown zero interest in running!

Hot Air breaks down the count further and notes Cruz and Trump are, by far, the main benefactors of Governor Palin not being in the race.

I suspect any poll that asked a similar Palin question, would yield similar results and show that Cruz and Trump are the ones getting most of Palin’s supporters.

During the 2011 and early 2012 election season Governor Palin totally dominated Hot Air’s polling, right up until it became apparent she wasn’t running. Missed opportunity?

For a list of this survey’s polling questions click here.

For more polling results and analysis click here.

Carly Fiorina, The Sleeper Candidate Everyone Should Pay Attention To!

By Gary P Jackson

While Donald Trump is ruling the headlines with an iron fist, something very interesting is happening: Carly Fiorina is doing a lot of interviews and making a hell of a lot of sense! She is coming off as a powerful, decisive, no bull, leader.

Many of us, yours truly included, wrote Carly off after her last attempt at elected office. She ran a very poor, almost incoherent campaign, and lost by a huge margin. We should all be forgiven, though, for thinking that was that.

It seems Carly learned from her mistakes and is back with a very well run, tight and cohesive campaign.

Carly has been doing the rounds with the media, both great and small. She has a very strong, coherent message. She’s addressed illegal aliens, and actually has a tougher stance than Trump. She is very much aligned with those of us who want all illegals deported, our laws enforced, and border secured once and for all. Unlike Trump, Carly has given actual details on how she will do this.

She has joined Trump and Senator Ted Cruz in calling for the end of tax payer subsidies to the monsters at Planned Parenthood. She has endorsed a complete and total government shutdown, if that’s what it takes to defeat these animals once and for all! She understands some wars are worth fighting!

We are all enjoying watching Trump run roughshod over the Republican Establishment, and the media, but it would be a grave mistake to ignore Carly. I’ve been paying attention, and I have yet to disagree with a position she has taken. And while Trump comes off as a bull in a china closet [not necessarily a bad thing, given the state of affairs] Carly comes off as reasoned and thoughtful, even though her positions are much the same, or even tougher, than Trumps!

There are far too many interviews, discussions, and positions for me to post here. I urge all of our readers to grab your favorite search engine and take a good, hard, close look at this woman. Also go to her website and follow her on social media. Especially Twitter.

For me, it’s a travesty that someone as bold and daring as Carly isn’t on the main stage Thursday night, when clowns like John Kasich, Mike Huckabee, and Chris Christie are. We understand how Fox determined it’s line-up, but it’s still a joke she isn’t in that mix.

That said …. being part of the earlier debate at 5 pm [Eastern] may be a blessing. She will be on stage with 6 other candidates and will get a little more of a chance to break out and make a showing. The prime time debate will certainly get more viewers, but Fox wins every hour in the ratings game, and you can bet, a large audience will tune in to the early debate.

We haven’t settled on a candidate here. Trump obviously fascinates me. I’m still waiting to see if his conversion from far left liberal to rock ribbed Conservative is for real, or just talk. We’ve been fooled before!

Obviously Ted Cruz is a favorite of ours. Proud he is my Senator, and as a Texan, I benefited from his work as our youngest and longest serving Solicitor General. It should be noted Cruz and Trump have had private meetings. Speculation of a Trump-Cruz ticket is inevitable. It’s certainly possible, should Trump crash and burn, that Cruz would inherit his supporters.

We like Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal a LOT. This guy is a serious policy wonk! He has a lot of experience, and as Governor, he’s turned Louisiana around, big time. If he has a problem, it’s that he lacks that “it” factor. That little something that sparks the imagination of the voters. Jindal is, however, incredibly competent, and is very much simpatico with Conservatives on all of the issues that matter to us.

The truth is, once you weed out the treasonous amnesty shills, and big government liberals, the GOP has one of the best fields of candidates in a long, long time. It’s not going to be easy to choose, once we weed out the flakes.

Still, as much as I love Cruz and admire Jindal, there is something about Carly Fiorina: Her poise, her confidence, her willingness to fight for what is right, that has captured my imagination. We all know that candidates, who lead polls this far out from election day, are rarely around come serious election season, especially when there is a large field of candidates. Trump may be the exception, and IF he doesn’t start acting stupid, he could very well be the Republican nominee for President! BUT, I really feel Carly is the wild card, that sleeper candidate who is flying under most people’s radar, who could end up on top.

I know people are already choosing sides, picking their candidates, but this is one time it might make sense to keep an open mind and really look at other candidates before choosing. It makes sense to give Carly a second look, for sure. She obviously learned a thing or two from her last experience as a candidate, and has matured into a viable, electable option.

I’m looking forward to the big debate in prime time, it will be highly entertaining, but I think the 5 o’clock debate and Carly Fiorina will surprise some people and be most informative!

Fun Video: Sarah Palin Goofs on Washington Times Rusty Humphries, Then Gets Serious

By Gary P Jackson

Something to lighten the mood. Sarah Palin, who ISN’T ruling out a presidential run, goofs around with Rusty Humphries, then talks serious politics in this exclusive interview, filmed in Phoenix, Arizona:

Rusty included a link to his hour long podcast, where he goes into great detail about his interview and dinner with Sarah and Todd. Listen here.

Trump: Sarah Palin Could Have Official Capacity In Administration-Trey Gowdy as Attorney General

Donald Trump makes a point as he walks with former governor of Alaska Sarah Palin in New York City as they make their way to a scheduled meeting Tuesday, May 31, 2010. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

I can tell you she’s just an amazing woman. She is given great credit, but she should be given even more credit because she is someone that people respect and admire. She speaks to so many people. I don’t even think she knows how important she is. And maybe that is part of the beauty of Sarah Palin, but I just see it all over. So many people revere her, so I think it’s great. I think she is terrific.

~ Donald Trump on Governor Sarah Palin

By Gary P Jackson

I’m not a huge Trump fan. I’m not yet convinced he’s for real, or anything REMOTELY resembling a Conservative. He’s held some pretty left wing positions in the past, and has spent a LOT of time mingling with the Clintons and other democrat party scum-bags. He’s donated money to some of the sleaziest of the bunch.

Some have noted that Ronald Reagan, one of our greatest Presidents, ever, was also once a democrat. In fact, Reagan was not only a democrat, but a self-described “FDR -New Deal democrat” [which meant he was OK with hard-core socialism, at least at one time] Reagan was also a union leader. He was President of the Screen Actors Guild. It was in that capacity that he met Nancy, the great love of his life.

In comparing Reagan and Trump, it must be noted that AFTER Reagan proclaimed that “I didn’t leave the democrat party, it left me” and became a Republican, he spent over 20 years PROVING IT, before becoming President. That includes serving two terms as Governor of California.

I’m not saying Trump CAN’T change, or HASN’T changed, but in the sage advice of Reagan himself, I’m thinking “Trust but verify” wouldn’t be a bad policy!

We’ve seen other democrats turn Republican for strictly political gain, and power. Arlen Specter comes to mind. He was a democrat, turned Republican when the winds blew that way, then switched back, even telling voters it was all about keeping power! He, of course, lost his last election, after that stunt. Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist also comes to mind. He’s switched from GOP, to democrat, to “independent” in attempts to hold on to, and/or regain power. He’s failed.

Former Texas Governor Rick Perry is another liberal democrat who switched parties. Perry held office as a democrat, but something happened in Texas over 20 years ago. People woke up and realized just exactly how evil democrats are, and how bad they had screwed up Texas. Voters simply said no más! Lt Governor Bob Bullock [a bit of a legend in the state] was the last democrat elected to statewide office. That was 1994. Bullock was really old by 1998 and ready to retire. Enter newly minted Republican Rick Perry. I could go on all day about the cronies and the corruption, and how Texas has blossomed into an incredible economic powerhouse IN SPITE OF, not because of Perry, but our longtime, loyal readers already know where we stand here! And besides, corruption in Texas politics ain’t nothing new!

My point? Not to trash Trump, but be totally honest with readers, and admit that I am not sold on the guy, even though he and Sarah Palin have a friendship that goes back a ways. In fact, in a recent spat between Trump and John McCain, Governor Palin was quick to come to Trump’s defense. We all know the Governor is loyal to a fault, and has great admiration and respect for McCain. She also said good things about McCain while defending Trump, but her statement supporting Trump was a shot across the bow to those who represent the old guard, and don’t have America’s best interest at heart.

Conservatives understand why Trump is making waves and leading most polls, we also understand why he’s doing INCREDIBLY WELL among Hispanics. In our last election in Texas, both our new Governor and Lt Governor were hard line against illegals. Lt Governor Dan Patrick promised everything short of boiling illegals in hot oil! He got 57% of the male Hispanic vote! Governor Abbott, whose wife is Mexican, and whose mother-in-law did TV ads, got 54% of the same vote.They both got record support from Hispanics, in total. That’s a SHARP difference from Rick Perry, who pandered to illegals for 14 years, and never even got the Hispanic support Governor George W Bush did!

People like a straight talker, which is why so many millions love Sarah Palin. Trump isn’t as eloquent as Governor Palin, he certainly isn’t as diplomatic, but like Palin [especially when she’s pissed off] Trump says EXACTLY what’s on his mind and like Palin, doesn’t focus group a damned word! You won’t see a bunch of political hack “consultants” hanging around either Trump OR Palin. The closest thing to a consultant you ever saw around Governor Palin [after she left office] was Reagan biographer Peter Schweizer, who has written numerous books on Reagan’s foreign policy, and helped Governor Palin polish and articulate her foreign policy.

I guess I’m at the wait and see on Trump. I DO know that Senator Ted Cruz has met with Trump. That leaves all kinds of room for speculation.

Our buddy Kevin Scholla, the host of Mama Grizzly Radio, interviewed Trump for the latest episode. Of course, they talk a LOT about Governor Palin, but they also talk about “climate change” and how China is laughing at the United States as we destroy businesses, which then relocate to China. Trump understands the global warming scam and also understands we’ve had far more severe weather in the past, than anything we’ve experienced this millennium.

Point Trump!

Trump is not a fan of China, neither is Governor Palin!

In September of 2009 Governor Palin gave a high profile speech in Hong Kong, and while she praised China’s growth, so far as a huge number of Chinese people have been taken out of poverty, she was highly critical of many of their policies.

In March of 2011 Governor Palin spoke in New Delhi, India at the India Today Conclave While she envisioned a world where the United States and India had a strong strategic partnership, she again expressed serious concerns about China. She and Trump would be simpatico here.

Trump and Kevin also talk about Planned Parenthood and the barbaric practices they engage in. Trump is in 100% agreement with Governor Palin. Shut it down!

The murder of our Marines at Chattanooga, and the disastrous Iran deal come up as well.

Now to the tape!

Donald Trump is on The Palin Update with Kevin Scholla! Mr. Trump discusses his run for the White House, his thoughts on Sarah Palin, and how he plans to Make America Great Again! Plus, Governor Palin calls Trump a “hero”. Also, Palin demands the flag is lowered to honor our servicemen killed in Tennessee and she calls for a shutdown of the evil Planned Parenthood. A brand new segment of Liberty & Legacy with Tamara Colbert in Texas is featured, and Steel Resolve, our weekly commentary with Sarah Steelman in Missouri is showcased. Mama Grizzly Radio is ON DEMAND and available for DOWNLOAD anytime. Mama Grizzly Radio…hear the roar! www.mamagrizzlyradio.com

Part One

Part Two:

This is a good, solid interview. One supporters of Governor Palin will certainly appreciate. Trump admires Palin and Palin has called Trump a “hero.”

One report is out there though, must be corrected. Jim Hoft over at Gateway Pundit who is generally unimpeachable with his reporting, told readers Trump would like to see Governor Palin in a cabinet position. Other major news outlets have picked this up. Though the idea of Palin being an adviser is highly likely in a Trump administration, nowhere in the interview is a cabinet position mentioned, though one could certainly hope an offer would be forthcoming, should Trump win. No one can blame Hoft for being so enthusiastic! We all are, if Governor Palin can be put to work helping restore America!

Energy Secretary would be a no-brainer position for the Governor, given her extensive experience, as the head of Alaska’s Oil and Gas Commission, a very powerful job, as well as being Chairman of the nation’s Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, a co-operative that includes all of the oil and gas producing states in the country. It’s an elected position that is held by a Governor of an Oil and Gas producing state. Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert is the current IOGCC Chairman. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin was just elected Chair for a new term that starts in 2016. She previously held the position after Governor Palin’s term expired.

Governor Palin was also unanimously elected by the other 49 state Governors as Chairman of the National Governors Association’s Natural Resources Committee.

That said, Governor Palin would make an excellent Secretary of State, and would be very busy undoing all the damage the current Secretary [John Kerry] and former Secretary [Hillary Clinton] have done to our relationships with allies around the world. This is a job she could sink her teeth into!

Hoft did include a tweet from The Donald, which does indicate Trey Gowdy, a well liked, no nonsense Congressman, is his choice for Attorney General. I always liked Mark Levin for the job, but Gowdy is an inspired [and inspiring] choice!

"@USARestoring: @HillaryClinton's toast. Dems had better get the"B Team" off the bench. @TGowdySC for Attorney General under President Trump

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2015

One response is right on, for sure:

You Draft Ted Cruz At A Top Post Along w/Palin & @TGowdySC & You'll Begin Sewing Up Real Votes @realDonaldTrump @USARestoring

— Ministry Of Truth ✒️ (@USABillOfRights) July 28, 2015

Again, I’m not sold on Trump, yet, but can you imagine a ticket that somehow had Ted Cruz, Trey Gowdy, AND Sarah Palin associated with it, and working in that administration!

I’m not sure we won’t see a Trump-Cruz ticket, if he wins the nomination. That makes sense, as would a Trump-Palin ticket.

One thing’s for sure, Trump will certainly gain new fans, if not supporters, by speaking well of Governor Palin.

Meanwhile, my colleague, Isabel Matos wonders out loud why Governor Palin doesn’t throw her hat in the ring for the Republican nomination for President.

Take Isabel’s new Palin poll here.

Video: Donald Trump Rips Chief Justice Roberts and President Obama

By Gary P Jackson

A couple of nights ago Donald Trump talked to Greta about the Supreme Court decision and Obama in general. Trump rips Chief Justice John Roberts to shreds.

Worth a listen and we agree with every thing he’s saying:

Video courtesy SarahNet.

Trump to Rick Perry: I’m Waiting On Sarah Palin

By Gary P Jackson

An interesting bit from a Newsmax article reporting on the Donald Trump-Rick Perry meeting. It seems Trump offered one of his clubs for Perry to have a fundraiser at, but when Perry tried to get a little more from Trump, like an endorsement, The Donald told Perry to settle down, he was waiting on Sarah Palin:

Trump diplomatically told Perry he would not make an endorsement in the GOP primary race until he knows whether former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin plans to run.

“He told Perry nicely that he probably wouldn’t endorse anybody until she made her intentions known,” the source said.

Read more here.

Sarah Palin Dines With Donald Trump

By Gary P Jackson

Sarah Palin is having a blast pointing out the nation’s history, what makes this the greatest nation on earth, while she she tours historical sites on her One Nation Tour

She’s also having incredible fun tweaking the press, who weren’t invited, but have decided to tag along. [and bitch the entire time]

Tuesday night found the Palin’s in New York City. They plan to visit the Statue of Liberty and other sites on Wednesday. While in town, Sarah and her family had a standing invitation to visit Donald Trump, so they stopped by.

The whole crew went to a pizza parlor in Times Square.

The Washington Post had this to report: [emphasis mine]

On day three of Sarah Palin’s unconventional bus tour came the most surprising moment by far. The former Alaska governor and her daughter Piper dined tonight with media mogul Donald Trump and his wife Melania at a pizza place in Times Square. Palin met Trump at his apartment in Trump Tower, near Rockefeller Center; they rode from there in his limo to the restaurant, part of a New York City chain.

Asked on her way into the restaurant about Trump’s past political donations, Palin responded, “I think I’ll go change his mind and make sure he’s contributing to constitutional conservatives.’’

“She didn’t ask me [to run with her] but I’ll tell you, she’s a terrific woman,” Trump said as they walked in. Trump’s special counsel, Michael Cohen, told reporters that the pair had talked in the past about meeting up whenever Palin found herself in New York.

The group shared pepperoni, sausage, and meatball pizzas.

Palin is staying in Jersey City, where she arrived via bus this afternoon after a short trip to Philadelphia. Tomorrow, she is expected to take an early morning boat from there to Ellis Island, before the crowds of tourists arrive. Then she will greet the first ferry of visitors before taking her boat back and hitting the road.

From there, Palin’s plans are something of a mystery, although she is expected to head for New Hampshire. Details of her week-long tour of historic Northeast sites have remained secret at every step. Reporters have been scrambling to trail her at each stop.

[ …. ]

“Every time you go to New York, you’ve got to see Donald Trump,” Palin said on her way out. “I approve of his independence.” She did an interview inside the restaurant with television reporters. Trump refused to comment as he left, saying only that he thought Palin was “good” and that they talked about “different things.”

Two members of the U.S. Navy, Daniel Delgado and Daniel Johnston in for Fleet Week and hanging out at a friend’s bar down the street, ended up being enlisted by both parties’ bodyguards to perform impromptu crowd control as the stars walked out.

The first person who approached Palin outside the restaurant was Diane Barone, a union activist from Youngstown, Ohio in town for IUE-CWA contract negotiations. She shook Palin’s hand and would not let go, telling the former governor she disagreed with her positions on unions. Palin responded calmly that her father had been a union member and that making things better for working people “is something on which we can agree.” She said afterwards that she doubted she could change Palin’s mind, but you never know: “I thought she would ignore me and she did not, she shook my hand.”

The Miami Herald adds:

NEW YORK — Sarah Palin and Donald Trump exchanged words of admiration Tuesday after a brief meeting at the real estate magnate’s penthouse in a Manhattan skyscraper bearing his name.

Palin, the former Republican vice presidential nominee, said she and Trump shared similar ideas for improving the U.S. economy, while Trump called Palin a “terrific woman and a terrific friend” who he hoped would seek the GOP presidential nomination.

[ … ]

“What do we have in common? Our love for this country, a desire to see our economy put back on the right track,” Palin told reporters after a 15-minute meeting with Trump outside the Trump Tower, where he owns a three-floor penthouse.

“To have a balanced trade arrangement with other countries across this world so Americans can have our jobs, our industries, our manufacturing again. And exploiting responsibly our natural resources. We can do that again if we make good decisions,” Palin said.

Trump demurred when asked if he would support a Palin presidential candidacy.

“She didn’t ask me for that. She came up as friends,” Trump said. “She’s a great woman, a terrific woman and a terrific friend. I’d love her to run.”

Palin added, “We both agree that competition is good and the more folks in that primary, the better.”

After the meeting, Trump and his wife, Melania, rode in a stretch limousine with Palin, her parents and youngest daughter, Piper, to have dinner at a pizza restaurant in Times Square. The Palins planned to visit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty Wednesday morning.

Interesting how two different media outlets report the same event, huh?

We’ll have a lot more on the tour and the media later in the week when the dust settles. Suffice it to say, watching the media this week, and listening to their caterwauling, is entertainment better than you can buy at price.

Here are some more photos of the Trumps, The Palins and the Heaths dining:

Shushannah Walshe posted a photo on her site here.

The lamestream media waiting on the Palins to show up at Trump Tower:

BTW, if you’ve never watched a member of the lamestream media have a nervous breakdown in real time, I highly recommend following Shushannah Walshe on Twitter. She’s a fine example of how wee-wee’d up the media is over Sarah Palin’s One Nation Tour!

More to come ….

Indianapolis 500 To Donald Trump: “You’re Fired!”

Would you buy a used car from this man?

By Gary P Jackson

The Indianapolis 500 is the world’s most iconic racing event, as well as the world’s largest one day sporting event. This Memorial Day weekend, Indy is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the very first running of the race won by Ray Haroon in his Marmon Wasp.

Now it’s customary for celebrities to turn out in droves for this event. For years Florence Henderson sang the National Anthem, and Indy just wouldn’t be Indy without Jim Neigbors singing “Back Home Again In Indiana“!

The Festival Committee generally choses someone of note to drive the pace car at the event. Now this isn’t just ceremonial either. You need to be able to pace the field for the start, as well as during yellow flag situations. You also must be a really good driver.

We were floored when such a storied event, with so much history and tradition, chose reality show star, and phony “Republican” Donald Trump to pilot the pace car during the event. It would be a head shaker any year, but this is the 100th anniversary! Surely this would have rated someone of note rather than a cheesy reality show star. Perhaps someone with actual ties to the event?

Long story short the Festival Committee caught hell for choosing this circus clown for such an honored position at the most prestigious event in all of motorsports. A Facebook group headed by Indianapolis attorney Michael Wallack grew to over 17,000 members in just a couple of weeks!

IMS is spinning it hard though. From the official release:

Donald J. Trump today informed the Indianapolis Motor Speedway that he may be announcing shortly his intention to run for the office of President of the United States, and therefore he thought it would be inappropriate to drive the Pace Car for the 100th anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 29.

“I very much appreciate the honor, but time and business constraints make my appearance there, especially with the necessary practice sessions, impossible to fulfill,” Trump said. “I look forward to watching the race from New York.”

Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president and chief executive officer, noted that he respects Trump’s position and appreciated the communication regarding this decision.

“Donald Trump has been very enthusiastic about the ‘500’ from the beginning of our conversations, and I have appreciated the interaction we have had with him and his staff,” Belskus said. “From my first conversation, I was impressed by his deep understanding of the event and history, and I thank him for being a true fan.”

The driver of the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Pace Car for the May 29 race will be announced later this month.

Nice spin, huh!

Tony Johns of Pop Off Valve, the “one stop shop for the IZOD IndyCar Series news and commentary,” notes the fans were in high dugeon over Trump’s lunacy of late, and didn’t want that carnival in their town!

The carefully-crafted release is widely seen as a “soft landing” for Trump, but it is clear that IMS was eager to back away from the storm created by Trump’s bid for the United States presidency. Trump’s connections with IZOD, INDYCAR’s prime sponsor for its IndyCar Series, are believed to have been the main reason why the star of Celebrity Apprentice was named the pace car driver for the iconic 100th anniversary of America’s most storied closed-course motor race.

The backlash from Trump’s public appearances and his controversial statements in the media with regards to the birthers and other high-profile topics spurred INDYCAR fans to start Facebook campaigns demanding that Trump abdicate his position as pace car driver, as well as an avalanche of negative postings on the Speedway’s official Facebook page.

Fan-supplied suggestions for possible replacements for Trump have included Admiral William McRaven, commander of SEAL Team Six which was responsible for the killing of Osama bin Laden early this week; Alex Zanardi, former Champ Car and Formula 1 star; A.J. Foyt, four-time winner of the Indy 500 and INDYCAR legend; and others.

Justin Hyde at Jalopnik tells a slightly different story of how this came about: [emphasis mine]

As Jalopnik first reported this morning, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has booted Donald Trump from the driver’s seat of the pace car for the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 after fans complained he was too politically motivated.Update!

A source affiliated with the race told us a meeting was held this morning to determine precisely how the Indy speedway folks will enforce the decision. The choices included replacing Trump outright with another celebrity pace car driver, asking him to pull out or keeping Trump involved with the race, but change the pace car to another Chevrolet vehicle and bring on another driver to drive it.

The move comes after widespread negative response from fans and outsiders. A Facebook group founded by Indianapolis attorney Michael Wallack devoted to bumping Trump has already grown to over 17,000 supporters within a few weeks. Wallack and others say the race doesn’t need the spotlight Trump lugs with him. Trump’s controversy-seeking also had no upside for the speedway or its corporate backers, including Izod and Chevrolet.

Although a Trump spokesman earlier today said he had no plans to withdraw, Trump did just that, saying it would be “inappropriate” while he was considering an official announcement of running for president:

“I very much appreciate the honor, but time and business constraints make my appearance there, especially with the necessary practice sessions, impossible to fulfill.”

Because when you think of refraining from public appearances, Donald Trump immediately comes to mind; and getting yourself in front of millions of voters in an important swing state for free is a big impediment to a presidential campaign.

So Trump asks his buddies over at IZOD to get him this high profile  gig, and the fans ain’t having it!

Delicious!

And this guy thinks he can get elected President? Yeah, good luck with that.

This story has a happy ending though, as the Festival Committee has chosen someone more fitting to pace this august event. Someone more in line with what the event is all about: one Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr.. A.J. to his friends and fans. A true living legend.

A.J. Foyt is one of the greatest drivers to ever sit in a race car. The four time Indy 500 winner [the first to do so] raced at a time drivers drove anything and everything and the Indy 500 was part of USAC’s racing series that included sprint cars, stock cars, and raced on both paved and dirt tracks. Foyt is one of only a handful of drivers, including Mario Andretti and Tony Stewart to win the championship in all of USAC’s main dirt series divisions in the same year.

This is the sort of champion who should be at the wheel of that Chevrolet Camaro pace car Memorial Day weekend.

Now, if only the GOP would tell Trump to take a hike ….