Time for GOP panic? Establishment worried Carson or Trump might win

Time for a GOP Panic? Establishment worried Carson or Trump might win

Less than three months before the kickoff Iowa caucuses, there is growing anxiety bordering on panic among Republican elites about the dominance and durability of Donald Trump and Ben Carson and widespread bewilderment over how to defeat them.

Party leaders and donors fear that nominating either man would have negative ramifications for the GOP ticket up and down the ballot, virtually ensuring a Hillary Rodham Clinton presidency and increasing the odds that the Senate falls into Democratic hands.

The party establishment is paralyzed. Big money is still on the sidelines. No consensus alternative to the outsiders has emerged from the pack of governors and senators running, and there is disagreement about how to prosecute the case against them. Recent focus groups of Trump supporters in Iowa and New Hampshire commissioned by rival campaigns revealed no silver bullet...

...According to other Republicans, some in the party establishment are so desperate to change the dynamic that they are talking anew about drafting Romney — despite his insistence that he will not run again. Friends have mapped out a strategy for a late entry to pick up delegates and vie for the nomination in a convention fight, according to the Republicans who were briefed on the talks, though Romney has shown no indication of reviving his interest.

For months, the GOP professional class assumed Trump and Carson would fizzle with time. Voters would get serious, the thinking went, after seeing the outsiders share a stage with more experienced politicians at the first debate. Or when summer turned to fall, kids went back to school and parents had time to assess the candidates. Or after the second, third or fourth debates, certainly.

None of that happened, of course, leaving establishment figures disoriented.

It's a pickle.

I get that neither Trump nor Carson seem to be realistic candidates as compared to Hillary, but GOP supporters are clear that they don't want establishment candidates. We have Carson saying some astounding things and we have Trump saying some equally astounding things as well as lampooning everyone and alienating many, neither come off as viable options and Hillary would run away with the election against either of them.

So there is talk of drafting Romney into the race. Um....not sure. But, for certain, this isn't anywhere near the same political climate as 2012 so maybe he has a chance.

As I moderate, I can't see voting for any of the options on either side of the aisle so I'm intrigued and I'm hoping the Democrats will have the same "Oh crap!" moment. But why should they with these possible candidates on the ticket?

Regardless, it's pretty dang fascinating that the GOP leadership is seriously considering circumventing the wishes of their electorate.

The problem the RNC has with them is they don't own them like Jeb or some of the other candidates!

a reply to: kosmicjack

I predicted Hillary months ago because I held hope American people see through Trump. The whole thing was designed to set her up in contrast of him imo. She's the new 'chosen one'. Not because tptb wanted her, more like they gave in from her incessant nagging. She already had blood on her hands so they said what the hell, she's been practically begging for it. That's why Bill gave Trump a call and told him to run.

a reply to: kosmicjack

Wouldn't that be wonderful to have a candidate for President with no previous political experience? The more a candidate is shunned by the establishment the more I think we might be moving in the right direction.

I was with you until you mentioned Hillary.

Funny thing is, I don't know anyone in my real life, outside of virtual world, that wants Clinton for President. But I do know people who want Trump, I know people who want Carson, and I know people who want Sanders.

Don't discount the power of the neocons. Jeb is going to surprise everyone by coming from behind to get the GOP nomination. And probably the Presidency.

America is in the War business and the Bush family has lots of experience in that regard. It's a well established pattern!

Either Trump or Carson is the only choice if anyone actually wants "change".

If you want status quo, vote for Hillary, Cruz, Bush, ad nauseum. . . .

a reply to: kosmicjack

I think Trump would beat Hillary. I'm not so sure about Carson. Then again, who would have thought a community organizer no one heard of with a paper thin resume would have been elected President. Heck, I remember most the black political puppets were in Hillary's pocket in 2008. Remember, Jesse Jackson talking about cutting Obama's nuts off?

The GOP base has spoken loud and clear that we don't want anything to do with Bush or any of the establishment flunkies.

a reply to: whatmakesyouright

I agree, it's the same in my own life. But the polls show that a majority of the country disagree - she is the most electable candidate.

The establishment is more worried that the charade is up.they're scared because they have been so disconnected with reality and the average citizen for so long that they are finally realizing there comfort life is coming to an end......and Carson or trump is more of a real candidate than Hillary Clinton any day...
Edit to add: ...and it even validates my opinion even more that they would be so stupid and disconnected to even think Mitt Romney is even a viable option for crying out loud...

originally posted by: DBCowboy
Either Trump or Carson is the only choice if anyone actually wants "change".

If you want status quo, vote for Hillary, Cruz, Bush, ad nauseum. . . .

Cruz is hardly status quo. Neither is Paul. The others are just filler candidates to help get Jeb elected.

I think Ben Carson and Donald Trump have some extremist viewpoints, although I like Donald Trump better besides his extremist anti-immigration policy. The other thing I don't like about Trump is that he doesn't want to raise the minimum wage, even though the cost of living has increased.

Ben Carson on the other hand, supports raising the minimum wage and adding in an automatic cost-of-living adjustment. He also supports a two-tiered minimum wage system, where young workers have a different minimum wage than established workers. I think both are good ideas.

Both candidates don't believe Climate Change is man-made, Ben Carson wants to deny funding to colleges he doesn't agree with, but Donald Trump is lenient on gay marriage and medical / recreational marijuana while Ben Carson is not.

I am going to vote in the Democratic primary, but I still think I should know the policies of potential Presidents.

a reply to: kosmicjack

Maybe Kanye' Kardashian West will win the ticket?

Wouldn't that be a hoot - Kanye / Deez Nutz 2016

LOL - It's like watching a train-wreck in super-slo-mo, this thing called American Politics.

I wonder when they are going to start talking about actually fixing sh!t like job creation, foreign policies, domestic spending and upgrades to infrastructure and the other stuff that the 99% actually need addressing?

originally posted by: darkbake

I am going to vote in the Democratic primary

I'm not sure which yet. Still pretty disaffected and disgusted.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
Either Trump or Carson is the only choice if anyone actually wants "change".

If you want status quo, vote for Hillary, Cruz, Bush, ad nauseum. . . .

There will be no "change" no matter who wins. Despite what we the people want, big money will continue to ram through legislation.

If Hilary or Bernie wins, we get more Republican obstruction. If Trump or Carson wins, the Democrats will turn the tables and do the same thing that was done to them.

And even then, congress votes how the money says to anyway.

Its a sad state of affairs I'm afraid.

I honestly think the place we the people need to be focusing our attention is at the local and state level. Local and state elections are a lot more manageable for grass root (ordinary people) to influence.

originally posted by: whatmakesyouright
I was with you until you mentioned Hillary.

Funny thing is, I don't know anyone in my real life, outside of virtual world, that wants Clinton for President. But I do know people who want Trump, I know people who want Carson, and I know people who want Sanders.

Just like I've yet to meet a conservative who wants Bush. The fact you have a Bush running and a Clinton running shows how screwed up the political process is now. The last thing we need is these family dynasties who think they are royalty and owed elective office. Anyone voting for either Clinton or Bush is an straight up idiot imho.

I'd rather see the old kook Sanders in office than Clinton.

originally posted by: kosmicjack
a reply to: whatmakesyouright

I agree, it's the same in my own life. But the polls show that a majority of the country disagree - she is the most electable candidate.

Well that's good then. We were told that McCain and Romney were the most "electable" candidates the last two times around and look what that got them.

The problem the GOP has is that they haven't yet put their base on the reservation like the Democrats have, and the Democrats have the problem that their base is going off the rails now too. The Democrats are leading a fragile coalition of special interest groups that don't remotely resemble the rich, white elites who purport to lead them. Black Lives Matter at least has caught on to this and it's only a matter of time before the other groups get it also.

And with the GOP ... well, the voters are tired of electing candidates we are told are the most electable and having them go to Washington and do jack. The GOP created their bed and they'll lay in it, and quite possibly so will we, but what other method to send a clear message is there?

I also can't figure out if Romey is establishment GOP or not? LOL! Last time not so much but now he suddenly is? They HATED him last time.

It's a fantastic rebellion against the metrics... it's a complete shock... that folks would fight off the $$$$ ads, the attack media, and decide for themselves who they would choose....

Still early, and though their #1 Bush is faltering, their #2 Rubio has played well so far...

This challenge to the norm is very encouraging for me... folks aren't going to be force fed another "chosen one"...

How about letting the folks CHOOSE...