Thanks. So it’s looking increasingly unlikely that Cruz will win the majority of delegates before the convention, but it is conceivable for him to prevent Trump from doing so either and forcing a brokered convention.
I don’t know why we’re talking about Glen Beck. But since we are, personally I’m not so sure it was alright for him to joke about attacking his producer like that. Mightn’t it have helped pave the way for a presidential candidate to say “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose voters” (which, after all, wasn’t a “serious” comment either)?
TMC is not a rabid Trump supporter, not even close, so you might want to find a different argument. But really, never mind, we won’t agree.
Touché.
)
Yes he did. And his deliberate, slow (IMO arrogant) delivery of that “punch” line made it particularly funny in a way he doubtless did not intend.
Good point. If we’re going to say that getting 1237 delegates is “do or die” for Ted Cruz, then why wouldn’t we say the same about Donald Trump (unless “What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander” has been thrown out the window)?
I agree that Beck lost it on that comment; it was highly inappropriate. I gave up as a supporter/admirer of Beck’s brand of social conservatism years ago. He is a little out there. But that is not to say that he reflects Cruz’ views. Trump has had to contend with the whole David Duke/KKK debacle. And Trump has made many highly inappropriate comments that are similar in tone, including the ‘I could kill a man on 5th Avenue and not lose support’. I wonder if Beck would have made this comment about Rubio or Kasich, if they were the front runner? In other words, the goalposts have been moved on what is acceptable (‘effective’) rhetoric. The punch of political incorrectness is the new ‘cool’ campaign lingo.
It seems to me that in a constitutional democracy the number of delegates necessary should have been predetermined to be proportional to the number of candidates involved
I think it was an appalling, un-American statement, and one of the reasons I am wary of Cruz. For someone who is such a constitutionalist, he blew it on this one.
Party primaries are a different animal completely from the general national elections. The Republicans set the number of delegates in each state based on the number of congressional districts, and then on several additional factors.It seems to me that in a constitutional democracy the number of delegates necessary should have been predetermined to be proportional to the number of candidates involved
And so if a candidate with less regular delegates is picked over Trump I certainly can’t blame his following if they start throwing around some rotten vegetation.
It’s very doubtful Cruz can get to a majority. It is unlikely he can stop Trump from getting a majority, but his chances have increased over the last couple weeks. He has some momentum, but he needs to win a few more states. Right now Trump still looks like he will win it outright.
No. Donald Trump is responsible for what he says, and his joke to Stu had absolutely zero effect on his 5th Ave shooting comment.
If Kasich or Rubio were the frontrunner, Beck would still have joked with Stu about stabbing him. No matter who is the frontrunner, Beck will joke with Stu. It’s what they do.
The GOP doesn’t have regular delegates and super-delegates (you’re thinking of the Dem Party). However, the rules “unbind” certain delegates in certain rounds, which could work in Trump’s favor but seems more likely to work in Cruz’s favor.It seems to me that in a constitutional democracy the number of delegates necessary should have been predetermined to be proportional to the number of candidates involved
And so if a candidate with less regular delegates is picked over Trump I certainly can’t blame his following if they start throwing around some rotten vegetation.
The thing is, how wide? Mr. Trump has been setting up a slippery slope argument, I.e. that a brokered convention should just automatically give him the nomination, but otherwise who’s to say that Cruz couldn’t be 500 delegates short on the first ballot but eventually get the nomination?
All I am saying is that I think that it is unfair to Trump and his supporters, if they in fact have a lead of 100, 200 or so, to deny him the nomination, second ballot or not. By that I mean it will be perceived by most people as unfair, justly. That Trump is being robbed. (I won’t deny that) They count their 40% of votes as a victory, right, because of the divided field. Others don’t see it that way.
Yes, it is all very exciting, as well as sickening.
