Is Trump Trying To Win? Because It’s Not Clear To Me

In the week after the two conventions, Donald Trump is suffering from an existential crisis of candidacy, something you’d expect to happen during primary season, resulting in an exit from the race. The only problem for Trump is that he actually won the Republican primary and was nominated by his party to be our next president. So what else can explain Trump’s post-convention failings? Is it just Trump being Trump? I guess for most of his supporters nothing has changed, save for the “lamestream media” being unfair to their candidate, as they’d like us to believe. His supporters have already established that in their minds Trump can do no wrong, and some actually say this out-loud. The problem for Trump, however, is that he needs to win over people less inclined to believe he can do no wrong, and he is failing miserably.

• • •

The Incredible Dwindling Republican Party

The modern Republican Party is an interesting case study. You have a core that is consolidating itself around some of the most extreme right-wing personalities in the country. This core has a belief system that operates in absolutes: No path to citizenship — America is a Christian nation — Anti-choice — Pro-murderous assault weapons — Anti-gay — Anti-minority — Anti-women — and on, and on. And every member of the Republican Party who seeks local or national office must appease this radical core or face political oblivion.

• • •

War in Afghanistan not “important” enough for Romney convention speech

Mitt Romney - photo by Dave LawrenceJust as Mitt Romney managed to get his head out of his ass (or maybe reports of this are premature?), he proceeded to ram his foot in his mouth. Friday on Fox News, Bret Baier asked Romney about neglecting to mention the troops or the war in Afghanistan during his Republican National Convention speech. Romney replied, “I’m going to regret you repeating it day in and day out. — nervous Romney laughter — No. When you, when you give a speech, you don’t go through a laundry list, you talk about the things you think are important.” — Whoops.

• • •

Paul Ryan’s Duality: President Obama and the Janesville GM Plant Closing

During Paul Ryan’s fact-challenged Republican National Convention speech last week, he said President Obama was responsible for the closing of a General Motors plant in Janesville, WI. The truth is that Obama delivered a speech at the Janesville plant in 2008 when he was still a candidate. The factory closed later that same year while George W. Bush was president. Now Paul Ryan is clarifying his accusation by saying on the Today Show that he doesn’t blame Obama for the closing, but instead he blames Obama for his “broken promises.”

• • •

The Question: Are You Better Off Now Than You Were Four Years Ago?

If there is one line that Republicans would like to see permeate beyond last week’s Republican National Convention and into this week’s Democratic National Convention and beyond, it would be the question: Are you better off now than you were four years ago? This of course is the famous Ronald Reagan question during his closing remarks at the close of a 1980 presidential debate. It defined that election and Republicans would like it to define this election.

• • •

RNC – Mitt Romney’s Speech and the Clint Eastwood Disaster

As a liberal I cannot find much to agree with in Mitt Romney’s speech tonight. However, I can be objective from time to time, and from a delivery and effectiveness standpoint, I think Romney’s speech was a huge success for the Romney campaign. Maybe that’s just the low expectations talking, but if there truly are people in this country who are still undecided, I think it’s possible Romney’s RNC speech could give him a post-convention bump in the polls. Whether that bump lasts until election day, only time will tell.

• • •

The “Liberal” Media Reaction to Paul Ryan’s Dishonest RNC Speech

Paul Ryan delivered a fact-challenged speech last night and today the media is calling him out. Conservatives call this “liberal media bias,” and it’s oh so convenient. It gives them cover to say whatever stupid shit comes to mind. Are you a conservative who has said something stupid, ignorant or factually inaccurate? Don’t correct yourself or apologize, simply blame the liberal media. Problem solved.

• • •