Friday, April 15, 2016

Donald Trump made a great speech about New York Values



Donald Trump made a very entertaining and informative speech at the Republican Gala in NYC last night. I don't know if you saw it but they played it in its entirety on FOX last night.

It wasn't really a political speech. In fact Trump said who wants to talk politics all the time. He said that was boring. In fact he talked about the fact the he built the hotel that the event was in the Grand Hyatt. He talked about the problems involved in keeping some of the historical facade while building out from the superstructure. Then he reminisced about other projects he had built. The Javits center on the West Side that I go to all the times for the lingerie show. The Wollman skating rink. Other buildings and Hotels and Wall St. Properties. He talked about dealing with New York Politicians like Hugh Carey and Ed Koch and movers and shakers like Richard Ravitch. Nostalgic names for me because I remember all those guys. He talked about the problems of building in New York. He told funny stories about building the ice skating rink in Central Park. How the government screwed it up. Used copper pipes that got ripped off every night. Used workers who were always on lunch breaks. How they poured concrete one truck at a time so it set wrong and was lopsided. He lined up all the trucks he needed to do a contiguous pour. Of course that was mobbed up concrete companies but whatever.

The important thing is he talked about things he had actually done. Things he had built. Landmarks in the city. Deals he had to make with sleazy politicians and unions and yes even the mobbed up companies that are part and parcel of the business environment. Something that Ted Cruz has never done. He has never built anything. He has never been responsible for meeting a payroll or finishing something at a deadline. In fact he is most famous for shutting down the government because they could not meet a deadline to complete the budget.

This was the real Donald Trump. At least the Donald Trump I know. Funny. Warm. Personable. Self depreciating at times. Still a big ego. Still grandiose and gauche. But a recognizable New York character. A mover and a shaker. A macher and a mensch.

He will make mistakes. He will fail here and there just the way he did in business. Because not every deal works out. But in the end he will have built something. Just like the hotel he was speaking in. Just like the Javitts Center or the Skating Rink. He will have left something other than a string of broken promises and failed bills.

You saw New York Values in action. You make the call.

93 comments:

Chip Ahoy said...

I enjoyed reading this with a lot of enjoyment and Joy.

*turns and whispers* Say, "Hello," Joy.

"Hello."

edutcher said...

If you liked his speech, you'll love his WSJ piece.

2 money quotes

Mr. Cruz has toured the country bragging about his voterless victory in Colorado. For a man who styles himself as a warrior against the establishment (you wouldn’t know it from his list of donors and endorsers), you’d think he would be demanding a vote for Coloradans. Instead, Mr. Cruz is celebrating their disenfranchisement.

How has the ‘system’ been working out for you and your family?

Anybody old enough to remember, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?"?

The Cruzzers have been whining when The Donald would start acting Presidential.

They just got their answer.

PS Surber thinks Drudge won the nomination for Trump with his coverage of CO.

I think he's right. I thought that 1100 delegates offer was a white flag.

chickelit said...

PS Surber thinks Drudge won the nomination for Trump with his coverage of CO.

I can almost hear the retort from the Trump=Hitler folks: That makes Drudge=Goebbels.

Wait for it.

Chip Ahoy said...

I just saw how to draw this.

And I just now read something massively wrong. 100% wrong. The title is "How the GOP burned a generation of political talent" by Michael Brendan Dougherty at The Week See for yourself if you like to see what 100% wrongness looks like.

Dougherty provided the means for me to see how to draw this. Thank you, Michael, you totally wrong dummkopf.

I meant to say bless your heart just now.

See, you start with a square, and that's your frame.

Inside the frame is a large amorphous blob. Inside the blob is a perfect circle of gold that forms a perfectly circular gold disk and rising up from the disk from all 360 points of degrees rise up thin strands of pure gold that gather at the top to form a perfect gold cage. A bird cage sitting on top of the blob.

That is conservative establishment party in relation to its base of available voters.

There is another large amorphous blob inside the frame, a different color, different texture, different, pH, different odor, different movement, more fluid, larger chunks in it that overlaps the first blob. Its members available to the undersized gilded cage. Upon closer inspection the wires are flimsy, low-grade plating, broken hinges, dangling wooden roost, broken feeder and untended water and bottom papers and stridently falling to pieces. Rising above the second and more volatile blob is a beautiful expansive plantation. That upon closer inspection is decrepit, old, discredited, vexed with federal investigations, morally vacant, economically vacuous, corrupted and stridently falling to pieces.

There, now that I've shown this picture I don't have to draw it.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Dougherty. How dare the voters demand to be offered choices and insist on expressing their preferences. WE the GOPe are the ones who should be picking the candidates and you vill vote for the ones we have chosen for you....you dummkopfs. Jawoll!!!

Chip Ahoy said...

Yesterday I read a comment que explotó mi mente.

The guy said, for all we've heard about Nixon in the decades since all that he recall foremost that with each speech president Nixon began, "My fellow Americans…" And nobody says that anymore nobody feels that anymore and that is something the commenter misses.

That's the first time I ever heard anything like that.

ricpic said...

Two things about Trump: he is not a statist; he has a heart. Big deal, right? At this point in our history, when the young have known nothing but statism - that government is the one and only answer to every problem - and the president they have known is an ice cube, at this point not being a statist and having a heart are very big deals.

Rabel said...

I was flipping channels last night and came across Cruz speaking live at the same get-together. The audio was awful as if Cruz's mike wasn't on and you could barely hear him over the noise of people talking and glasses clinking. It was weird. If it was an intentional diss it was an effective one.

The Dude said...

My vet makes house calls, that's one reason I have her work on my animals. Yesterday her tech said something like "Trump = Hitler". I told him we don't talk politics, but upon further review, I think I need to find another vet. Dude, are you really that stupid, or do you just live in a bubble?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I think it's awesome that we've taken our most conservative anti-establishment senator and trashed him for a faux democrat who used to support Hillary in more ways that one.

Now - what will Trump whine about today? A different day... a different whine.

ricpic said...

Rabel - Rush just did a half an hour on Cruz' microphone going out or being sabotaged and no one but him making comment one about it.

edutcher said...

Rabel said...

I was flipping channels last night and came across Cruz speaking live at the same get-together. The audio was awful as if Cruz's mike wasn't on and you could barely hear him over the noise of people talking and glasses clinking. It was weird. If it was an intentional diss it was an effective one.

Gateway thought so.

It seemed to be a mix of maybe bad audio, long speech, and New York values.

Mostly New York values.

If he had a similar issue with Philadelphia while speaking in the City Where All The Brothers Love Each Other, he'd have gotten what is known as a standing boo.

chickelit said...

Here you go, Chip: My Fellow Americans

Chip Ahoy said...

Ha ha psych!

chickelit said...

Lem is welcome to use that sound bite in his blogger profile where it allows you to link an audio clip.

Trooper York said...

All I can tell you April is that I used to really like Cruz. I was all for him. I originally wanted Walker but Cruz was my second choice for sure.

It's just the more I have seen of him the less I like him. I would very reluctantly vote for him if he is the nominee. But I seriously doubt he has a chance to win or even if he squeeks it out I doubt he can govern effectively. We would look forward to four more years of stalemates. Four more years of kicking it down the road.

On further acquaintance Ted Cruz grows on you. Like a tumor.

Rabel said...

The NYC GOP Gala has rules. The rules are known ahead of time and we should support the candidate who can successfully navigate those rules. It doesn't matter whether those rules are "fair" or "democratic" we need a candidate who knows how to play the game. Just because the rules say that the people don't get to vote or the unfavored candidate doesn't get a microphone is no reason to whine.

chickelit said...

AprilApple said...I think it's awesome that we've taken our most conservative anti-establishment senator and trashed him for a faux democrat who used to support Hillary in more ways that one.

In 1952, republican delegates rejected the most conservative, seasoned, & anti-establishment senator of his time, Robert Taft. They chose instead a populist political neophyte who later warned about a "military-industrial complex." Ike, being a former military insider, knew what he was talking about.

edutcher said...

AprilApple said...

I think it's awesome that we've taken our most conservative anti-establishment senator and trashed him for a faux democrat who used to support Hillary in more ways that one.

Now - what will Trump whine about today? A different day... a different whine.


As The Donald noted in his op-ed, and as has been documented here and elsewhere, he is neither Conservative nor anti-establishment.

And a lot of this country figures Trump did them a service pointing out the mess.

So have fun, throw your tantrum.

But you'll be forced to face this, if Daddy Cruz and his acolytes had been able to keep their mouths shut about this, it might have just passed, but, NOOO, they had to gloat and tell everybody how they'd frozen out the opposition. I honestly don't think these shenanigans were supposed to have been known to the public (kinda like Auschwitz), but the public seems to take a dim view of all the delegate poaching and voterless elections.

Which explains your "most Conservative anti-establishment senator"'s precipitous slide in the polls.

Ever ask why none of the other Rs, if they knew about those "rule changes", tried to take advantage of them - and all the work of identifying, recruiting, selecting, and placing on committees must have taken months? Maybe because they knew how people would react.

And guess what? There's another voterless election in WY tomorrow. And one in ND some time later And we'll have plenty of coverage of how the delegates have already been selected even before the primaries in IN, MT, SD, and NM.

But nothing shall stand in the way of the Anointed One, the most Conservative anti-establishment senator, the devout Christian, from achieving Dominion over all the peons because he knows what's best for them.

That's what blew this up. Your idol's big fat ego, and those of his admirers.

Earlier I said one of the money quotes in Trumps' op-ed was

How has the ‘system’ been working out for you and your family?

It's going to reverberate like Reagan's, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?".

Get used to it.

Trooper York said...

Very true. The rules are if you are not interesting or what you have to say is basically bullshit nobody is going to pay attention to you. Because in New York if you can make it there you can make it anywhere. But if you don't have game ......well maybe it is best to stay Off Broadway.

chickelit said...

edutcher: When the Cruzers realize that the GOPe is going to trash Ted too, they might want to rejoin forces. So don't be so mean to April.

Chip Ahoy said...

Is Cruz trashed? I like Cruz. (At a distance -and on mute.) Like Monet. Great from afar.

And in a museum.

Wearing a white powered wig. He's perfect, I tell you, just perfect for president of the united states and for all the other more serious and good reasons given. I like him. I hope he's not trashed.

I think you meant to say faux republican. Same thing with Egyptian glyphs, we know what you meant. We get that. His habitation on the blob is well outside the GOP gilded cage. Not even really all that much a part of the blob, hardly anything at all in common.

Have we seen him literature somewhere? He's the fictional character, the elixir salesman who becomes wizard of oz in Dorothy's knock out dream. Elmer Gantry.

Yeah, that's the thing about us literature major types, we read 'em all, we got a character in literature that matches with everybody we meet and that means everybody is instantly categorized by the greatest writers on Earth and nobody has a chance to escape our mad categorizing abilities so nobody ever has a chance to be individual personality before being already slotted and defined. It's a character flaw. What we got. A serious one. But hey, that's us.

Trump is not real Republican. I think everybody knows that. Neither am I. Neither are any of the massive blob outside the gilded cage yearning for some sort of representation one way or another, even another failure in a series of failures comporting with the adage that bears on insanity and repeating patterns.

Today I heard "Kasich is the only candidate that can unite the party and defeat the democrat candi..." *click* idiot. Who does he think he's talking to?

Oh.

Trooper York said...

By then it will be too late chickie. If they screw Trump on the first ballot and Cruz does not win on the second then they will push an alternative.

It is marginally possible that they could pull an acceptable candidate out of their ass. Jeff Sessions. Tom Cotton. Maybe Mike Lee. But what are the chances of that happening.

They are much more likely to push Romney or Ryan or if they are thinking outside of the box Scott Walker. But even Walker is a bridge too far for the establishment.

Trooper York said...

Trump is not real Republican. I think everybody knows that. Neither am I. Neither are any of the massive blob outside the gilded cage yearning for some sort of representation one way or another, even another failure in a series of failures comporting with the adage that bears on insanity and repeating patterns.

Chip nails it. There is a blob out there that are not really Republicans and not really Democrats for that matter. Many of the Democrats are registered that way because of family tradition or inertia. Those votes are up for grabs.

Ted Cruz could not grab one of them. The only way he could do that is to out-Trump. Be tougher on immigration. Be tougher on the war on Muslim terror. Be tougher and speak louder against political correctness. Ted Cruz doesn't do that. He joins in the pile on and stakes his position to be in line with the consensus of the duopoly.

When Trump first said we had to stop Muslim immigration the Most Conservative Man in the World said we couldn't do that. That it was racist and untenable. Then when Brussels happened and he realized that it was very popular he changed his tune.

On issue after issue Trump leads and Teddy lags behind. Jumping on the bandwagon when he sees that Trump's approach is popular.

Methadras said...

I'll take Walker over any of them honestly.

Chip Ahoy said...

Off topic.

Oh damn! I keep forgetting to use the magical portal. I'm such an idiot. *bangs head*

Sue me. I deserve it. The Quiznos handed out the most excellent flier. I foget what it offers, something meager, a dollar off, free drink whatever, I have half a dozen of these ticket-like fliers. They're printed on the best paper I've ever held in my hands. Your impulse is flick the edge to feel its rigidity, back and forth like playing a guitar or flicking a reed for a wind instrument, test its flexibility, tensile strength, sound, weight, glue ability, printability, foldability, each aspect is perfect for construction, not so thick as a playing card but nearly like that. Finding this paper is like a miracle.

It's some kind of new material.

Produced by means of modern economies of scale. Gigantic rollers distribute a film of clay over fibrous paper and smash it. Coated card stock. Comes in various grades and types and materials and techniques of industrial application. And LASERS!

Something mind-blowing. If I could only travel back in time and show these marvels to my kindred scribes how they would gather around and marvel over this paper. And that's only mentioning the brush pens! They'd freak the f out. Totally out.

As I do today. I cannot believe how perfect this paper is for pop-up constructions. I must have it. That's it. I must find it and have it and use it and live with it for the rest of my days.

But I don't know what it is actually, exactly, nor how to find it so this is an experiment, and it is the most expensive paper I ever bought but not all that much really considering this is education. $25.00 a ream. Not so terribly bad. And the ream is half the usual amount due to its thickness. 250 sheets, not the usual 500 sheet ream. And it is actually thinner than the card stock I use now. So it very may likely fail. I think I'm buying the right thing. A little bit lighter than I use now, but more rigid and with an excellent printable surface. If it works then it will be what I use hereafter.

Amartel said...

New York values=progressive values. Don't believe me? Let's ask that orange fountain of wisdom, Donald Trump, (go to tape) who stated in an interview with Tim Russert back in the day that he was reluctantly pro-abortion because his Manhattan upbringing influenced his view. Fair enough. Actually, a perfectly good answer at the time. New York values influenced his thinking on abortion. Probably applies to me as well. San Francisco values. OH NOOOE. Did that offend? Are you OFFENDED by the term San Francisco values? Do you read in an implied bigotry against (choose two) Italians and LGBTQ and and Jews and Blacks and Mexicans and Hippies? Isn't that on you rather than me? Yes. Because there exists no better example of an ideological bubble (outside of North Korea). For campaign purposes Trump changed his tune, of course, and got all butt-hurt that Cruz used his term against him. Boo hoo. Outrage. Meltdown. 9/11. Firefighters. Distract, distract, distract. Shiny object. Drown out the facts with emotion. Right on cue, like good little brownshirts, GOP-NY won't hear Cruz out, talked over his speech, cold shouldered him. Fuck New York values, San Francisco values, and the progressive urge to drown out the facts.

edutcher said...

chickelit said...

edutcher: When the Cruzers realize that the GOPe is going to trash Ted too, they might want to rejoin forces. So don't be so mean to April

It may not see like it, but i'm being nice and pointing out the facts of life.

It's not my fault she just doesn't want to listen, but the Cruzzers don't generally.

And, yes, if the One True Ted doesn't want to get frozen out, he'll have to cut a deal.

And I've been saying all along, if the One True Ted wanted a chance in November, he'd have to call off the war with the Trump people because he can't win without them.

Unless, of course, he really buys that nonsense Roe has been feeding him that there's an untapped wellspring of Conservatives out there, 'cause there ain't.

Amartel said...

New York values=progressive values. Don't believe me? Let's ask that orange fountain of wisdom, Donald Trump, (go to tape) who stated in an interview with Tim Russert back in the day that he was reluctantly pro-abortion because his Manhattan upbringing influenced his view.

You lie, sweetie. He said he didn't like it personally, but didn't think he had the right to keep other people from it. And I spent a lot of my life right beside Gotham and it didn't make me pro-abortion.

Besides, a lot of people will tell you there's more to Noo Yawk than Manhattan.

PS That interview is 16 years old and he's changed his mind since. So maybe that's his New York values.

But what kind of dummy comes into a city looking for votes, and does all he can to alienate the voters? Especially if he spent 4 years down the road in a town called Princeton?

Distract, distract, distract. Shiny object. Drown out the facts with emotion. Right on cue, like good little brownshirts,

Projection, it's not just for Bell&Howell any more.

PPS Do all you guys have the exact same writers, 'cause it sounds like it.

edutcher said...

You want New York values?

You can't handle New York values!

Lewandowski says he he wants Fields to apologize to him.

I'm really starting to like this guy.

edutcher said...

I guess you call this Tex-Cuban values

LA delegates say they are no way for the Anointed One, contrary to the media.

Cute, and off Breitbart yet (somebody's really feeling the burn) CO poll workers say there's evidence state delegate selection process riddled with errors that disadvantaged some Donald Trump supporter.

"The errors could have violated state bylaws significantly enough that some of the results could be contested".

What did Surber say?

Last week, Cruz said Wisconsin was the turning point of the election.

This week, Matt Drudge said uh-uh. It is Colorado.


I've been saying this election is going to be event-driven. This is an event.

edutcher said...

s/b supporters

Trooper York said...

"Drown out facts with emotion."

Here is a fact. Ted Cruz voted against benefits for workers who cleaned up Ground Zero.

Here is another fact. Ted Cruz voted against relief for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Why would anyone in the New York Metropolitan Area think he would have any desire to do anything for them?

Amartel said...

Trump said he was pro-abortion.
Reluctantly.
Due to his New York upbringing.
(Just like I said.)
THE POINT BEING
Trump brought up the issue of "New York values" affecting his opinions.
Then Cruz capitalized on it.
And Trump and his Fans proceeded to wet the bed.
Among other things.
It would be funny if it wasn't so pitiful.
Sweetie.

Amartel said...

The Hurricane Sandy Relief bill was larded with pork.
Have you forgotten that fact?
The First Responders Bill was similarly fiscally improvident, a legislative pay off to the trial lawyers and lacking oversight and scientific evidence of causal linkage between exposure at ground zero and a variety of illnesses presumed to spring from it.
Cruz was right to question and oppose indiscriminate spending. That's what we NEED. Someone brave enough to stand up to the crybabies for whom there is never enough other peoples money to throw at a problem. Apparently, Trump Fans just want someone who will throw public money in their direction when they cry. Part of the problem, not part of the solution.

edutcher said...

Baloney.

Ann Coulter, last week's column

Back in 1999 -- 17 years ago -- when Donald Trump was considering a presidential run on the Reform Party ticket, he said this when asked about abortion by Tim Russert on "Meet the Press": "Well, look, I'm very pro-choice. I hate the concept of abortion. I hate it. I hate everything it stands for. I cringe when I listen to people debating the subject. But you still -- I just believe in choice."

Russert then asked him specifically if he'd ban partial-birth abortion. Trump said, "No. I am pro-choice in every respect and as far as it goes, but I just hate it."

A year later, Trump wrote in his book "The America We Deserve": "When Tim Russert asked me on 'Meet the Press' if I would ban partial-birth abortion, my pro-choice instincts led me to say no. After the show, I consulted two doctors I respect and, upon learning more about this procedure, I have concluded that I would indeed support a ban."


Clearly a more thoughtful and reflective man than the phony Conservative.

And some more


Cruz has flipped to Trump's side on every important political issue of this campaign -- which only ARE issues because of Trump. These are:


-- Quadrupling the number of foreign guest workers to help ranchers and farmers get cheap labor: Cruz was for it, and now is against it.


-- Legalizing illegal aliens: Cruz was for it, and now is against it.



-- The Trans-Pacific Partnership deal: Cruz was for it, and now is against it.


-- Building a wall: Cruz was against it, and now is for it.


You know, the reason you guys will lose this is that you have to lie and the lies are so easily knocked down. Just like with the Lefties.

Amartel said...

Then Cruz capitalized on it.
And Trump and his Fans proceeded to wet the bed.


Yeah, that's why Idiot Boy is down 39 at present. And why he's dropped 11 points while Trump is up 18 nationally.

edutcher said...

Amartel said...

The Hurricane Sandy Relief bill was larded with pork.
Have you forgotten that fact?
The First Responders Bill was similarly fiscally improvident, a legislative pay off to the trial lawyers and lacking oversight and scientific evidence of causal linkage between exposure at ground zero and a variety of illnesses presumed to spring from it.
Cruz was right to question and oppose indiscriminate spending


He had no problem voting for the Ocare omnibus spending after filibustering it for 21 hours.

Trooper York said...

I will have to research it but you can bet he voted for every bill that dumped 911 money into security concerns in Texas. Like the towel heads are going to drive a plane into a burrito stand in Forth Worth.

It is funny how Congress critters only get fiscally responsible when the money is coming to New York.

edutcher said...

And so much for principle.

"We'll take money from anyone".

And, God knows, he has.

Including the man he called a liar just a short year ago.

I guess those are his Princeton values coming out.

Trooper York said...

Did he offer an amendment to aid in the medical costs of the fireman and cops and sanit workers who got sick from working on the pit?

Did he vote money for Hurricane relief for New Orleans? Galveston? Florida? I bet he did.

I bet New York and Jersey were the only ones he had a problem with.

Here is an article where he demanded federal relief for Texas flooding where 15 people. Whoa nellie!

285 people died in Hurricane Sandy. But they were just mooks from New York and Jersey. Just some Eye-talians and Hebes. So what's the big deal.

Amartel said...

"Did he offer an amendment to aid in the medical costs of the fireman and cops and sanit workers who got sick from working on the pit?"

Who's the Senator from NY who should have done this? Didn't anybody step up? Or did they all hew to the party line and stick with the porktastic smorgasboard? New York values in action! BTW, the bill contained almost no actual immediate relief funds for people in need. Great representation ya got there! (If you live in Alaska.)

So what if Cruz asked for federal relief after the Texas floods? They were devastating for that region. Requesting disaster relief funds which the federal government is legally obligated to provide when conditions are met is entirely appropriate. Who's taking issue with providing relief to Hurricane Sandy victims? (Other than the backers of the Relief Bill)? Nobody. Cruz took issue with the legislation, which was not fiscally responsible and was basically just an opportunity for lard and graft. And speaking of Chris Christie and Ann Coulter ....

Trooper York said...

Cruz was taking issue with supporting the victims of Hurricane Sandy. He has an issue with supporting the victims of 911. His rabid supporters don't want to hear about it. It's old news.

It's "emotion" not facts. Right?

He has a problem with people from New York and New Jersey. I know it because I heard it from his own mouth. So we have a problem with him.

The sad thing was I didn't until I got to know more about him. But as with most sentient beings the more you get to know Ted Cruz the more you dislike him.

I bet even his dog ran away.

I just hope it wasn't into traffic.

The Dude said...

Ouch!

Trooper York said...

The point of my post has been lost.

Trump has accomplished a lot of stuff in the real world. Not the phony world of politics and FOX News and the National Review Online. He has built stuff. Stuff that meant a lot of jobs and a lot of business and retail and residential space in the City of New York. Real accomplishments. Did he have some missteps. Sure. Everyone in business has. He isn't another fucking lawyer. Another fucking politician. Another piglet suckling on that disgusting sow Washington. He is the surrogate for those of us who are pushed aside. The ones that these smart ass nerds think should die along with our communities clinging to our guns and our religion.

Trump is an agent of change. Big change. Uncomfortable change. Disruptive change. That is why both political establishments hate him so. The Republicans as much as the Democrats.

Ted Cruz will be more of the same. Just with different laundry.

edutcher said...

Amartel said...



No, he raised New York values in the context of the Cuomos and Hillary and De Blasio, wanting everybody to make the leap, irrelevant as it may be, that Trump, an accomplished capitalist, was just like them.

Trooper York said...

The point of my post has been lost.

No, it's just that the Cruzzers have very little to recommend their guy, so they attack The Donald.

Clerking for William Rehnquist and being Solicitor General of TX is rather thin gruel next to reinvigorating the Manhattan skyline.

Women run to Trump, they run from Cruz.

And so on.

edutcher said...

And something else, Bernie supporters will cross over to vote for Trump

chickelit said...

Clerking for William Rehnquist and being Solicitor General of TX is rather thin gruel next to reinvigorating the Manhattan skyline.

I've long thought that Cruz would make a great SCOTUS Justice choice. What we don't need is yet another one-term Con Law POTUS. It's a misallocation of precious resources.

Trooper York said...

I would put someone who is not a lawyer on the Court. How about them apples.

Why not a doctor. Or a businessman. Or a clergyman. Or an Indian Chief. Who says it has to be a lawyer.

The clerks write up the opinions anyway. They are judges. Why not pick someone with really good judgment. That is why a jury is made up of your peers. It is not made up of judges.

I don't want everyone to not be a lawyer. But you could pick one to represent the regular person.

edutcher said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
edutcher said...

chickelit said...

Clerking for William Rehnquist and being Solicitor General of TX is rather thin gruel next to reinvigorating the Manhattan skyline.

I've long thought that Cruz would make a great SCOTUS Justice choice. What we don't need is yet another one-term Con Law POTUS


Especially an ideologue with sealed records. That was one of the things (I didn't know about the sealed records until recently) that made me a tad skeptical even when I thought he was OK.

I'm going to throw something out that may sound personal about him, but it's not. Maybe having a guy (or girl) who's very sure of how good (morally, although his snobbishness would also qualify) they are might not be a good fit for the Court. You'd want somebody with some empathy for the average working stiff. I mean, would you want Jimmy Carter?

Trooper York said...

I would put someone who is not a lawyer on the Court. How about them apples.

Why not a doctor. Or a businessman. Or a clergyman. Or an Indian Chief. Who says it has to be a lawyer.


I've had that thought, on occasion. Nothing in the Constitution says it has to be a lawyer. Hell, the first President of the Republic of Texas was a Methodist minister - he preached with his rifle leaning against the pulpit.

A doctor would have a take on, say, abortion, where a lawyer would be clueless. A businessman would get what meeting a payroll is about.

bagoh20 said...

You know what New York Values are? Hillary or Sanders beat Trump or Cruz by 20 to 30 points there in the general. That's right, corrupt, incompetent, lying Clinton or crazy know-nothing Communist Sanders are beloved while both our guys are crap sandwiches there. I'd say Cruz was right about the subject.

edutcher said...

Put down the Old Grand Dad and get a grip.

Sanders? You need an AA meeting and some detox.

And considering the Demos are very worried about Hillary's negatives, you might want to put that the other way - even Cruz beats Hillary (pipe dream, but, if it makes you feel better...).

I know you want to wallow in your pessimism and not only have the satisfaction of saying, "Toldja", but look forward to 4 years of bitching about how everyone should have listened to you and given up some time last year.

Well, some of us would like to try to save the country.

Look us up.

PS All Cruz knows is that he has to cheat to win.

Trooper York said...

Of course you would. You are who Cruz is dog whistling at.

edutcher said...

Oooops!

This could be trouble.

Looks like a lot of radio talkers might have been bought by the Cruzzers.

Follow, in particular, the SUNLIGHT link.

deborah said...

Cruz's mic cut out about half way through his speech. He tends to drone on, so no great loss.

Trooper York said...

Actually the audio guy was so distraught he walked out onto the West Side Highway.

edutcher said...

Geraldo would tend to agree.

deborah said...

Audio dude is very sensitive.

I tried pretty hard to find the Heidi/Anderson interview. No luck. What. Did she look really sad?

deborah said...

I don't think Cruz is creepy, just a real head case. In the sense he's really into himself. Loves to hear himself talk.

Trooper York said...

You don't think he is creepy? He gives off serious asking the kid if they want to see the puppy he has in his van vibes. Just sayn'

Trooper York said...

Trump is your big mouth blow hard uncle who takes you to the game and gets in a fight with the beer vendor.

bagoh20 said...

Don't believe me? Check RCP. NY loves retarded corrupt Dems.

windbag said...

Trump didn't build any of that. Just ask the jug-eared Messiah or Fauxcahontas.

Evi L. Bloggerlady said...

Trump is an agent of change. Big change. Uncomfortable change. Disruptive change. That is why both political establishments hate him so. The Republicans as much as the Democrats.

Ted Cruz will be more of the same. Just with different laundry.


Nah. That is where you are wrong. Trump has done things, but Trump is about Trump. Always has been. He likes the insider deal. He will use condemnation power on some poor schmuck in the way to push through a project he is for, well because he is for it. He fired guys working for him because one of his tenants complained they stole (even though he knew they didn't take anything, and he could have easily relocated them to avoid the conflict with the tenant).

He would play just fine with the McConnells and Schumers of the Senate. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Ted might be different. Then again, he might disappoint too. I guarantee you this, Hillary will suck (other than Bill of course...).

edutcher said...

Cruz has no friends on the hill. Even among the conservatives.

That's the reality. And, if the Rs lose the Senate, our Majority Leader is the lovely and talented Harry Reid.

If the Rs lose the House, we get Pelosi Galore again.

Trump OTOH gets the Art of the Deal the way Reagan did. As Reagan never had a Republican House during his Administration, he had to build coalitions and cut deals. It will be the same here.

Sour grapes, notwithstanding.

deborah said...

"Cruz has no friends on the hill. Even among the conservatives."

That could be a feature, not a bug.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Ace gets it.

What issues are we talking about? Are we talking about immigration or terrorism?

No.

Because Trump is an idiot who cannot talk about or defend any of his alleged policy proposals, he doesn't talk about them.

Right after the Brussels bombing -- that night -- Trump decided it was a good time to introduce the important "issue" of whether or not Heidi Cruz is ugly.

Now we get to discuss the new issue important to making America great again -- per the new spin, whether Michelle Fields is a slip-and-fall con artist.

Oh, and we also got to talk about Trump's laughable adventures in abortion policy.

Which issues are we really talking about?

None. Because the front runner is an idiot and liberal completely unable to talk about issues, beyond claiming "I love Jesus so, so much" and "I'll make great deals" and "I'm very good on women's issues, the best" and "my gloves are just slightly smaller than large size."

Yeah, we're talking about "issues," all right.

Namely MISTER Trump's deep psychological issues.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

"I get that exact sense from Trump. He can't talk about terrorism policy, military policy, the economy, abortion, religious liberty, limited government, the Constitution, etc., in any kind of adult voice. His knowledge base is too tiny.

...[]

And so he repeatedly injects crisis and controversy into the national news, because he's simply not comfortable doing anything but that.

I... don't really want to see America run in this fashion."

-ACE. [Paid Cruzzer lackey I'm sure. (or) ***Stop thinking for yourself, ACE! Bad ACE.]

Trooper York said...

I submit to you that there is a reason why people like Ace and Beck and Levin all hate Trump with a passion. On their blogs or on their shows they are the hero. They have their merry band of acolytes and followers who agree with them. Long time listener first time caller. You have people commenting about how they agree with them and how wonderful they are.

Then Trump came along. He had a bunch of rabid over the top fans. Who pushed back when these guys went after Trump. Pushed back hard. Sometimes very hard and over the line. So Ace got pissed. Levin got pissed. Who are these people to have their own opinion? Who are these people who are so passionate in going in a direction different then the one I am pointing. I am going to start deleting them. Banning them. Ridiculing them. There can be only one object of admiration on my blog or my radio show. It surely ain't some moron like Trump.

Talented people with strong personalities do not like competition. They don't like submitting their ego to that of another. So Trump is a big problem for them where somebody like Ted Cruz or even Hillary is not. Over inflated ego ridden bloggers will lash out.

I am surprised he doesn't call Trump fans splooge stooges.

Trooper York said...

Trump was not the one pushing Michelle Fields. The press was. They were doing it to hurt Trump. They wanted Trump to fire his guy. Make him a human sacreifice to the lies of serial self aggrandizer.

Megyn Kelly was pushing their conflict for ratings and to make herself more marketable to the more liberal mainstream media. She just dissed Roger Ailes and FOX by going to talk to Trump without clearing it with Roger Ailes. She wants Trump to be a guest on her first Prime Time special on FOX on the regular network not cable. YUGE RATINGS! Kelly wins. So she will go tampon in hand and beg Trump to be on her show. That's what media whores do.

Now Michelle wants to extend her 15 minutes. She is talking about a civil suit. It isn't enough that the prosecutor said she was a liar and wouldn't prosecute. Fields claimed that she never touched Trump. When they got the security footage it showed that she touched him several times. The defense could show that here sworn statement was a lie. So they wouldn't touch her with a ten foot pole.

This is what the great and fabulous Ace is blaming Trump for talking about. As if he is the one pushing this agenda and not the news media who is trying to discredit Trump. That really makes sense.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

You don't think he is creepy? He gives off serious asking the kid if they want to see the puppy he has in his van vibes. Just sayn'

Cruz strikes me as someone who doesn't really know HOW to be human or how to act natural, so he is striking a pose. Faking it. Like a robot that has been programmed to act in a human manner, it might do the moves but underneath you just know it is an act and a fake and it is creepy.

His creepy little smile that does not include his eyes. The pompous and stilted preaching style of speaking.

He is like person with Aspergers (or a Sociopath) who knows that internally he is missing something, lacks real empathy, is driven and focused on minutia and has absolutely zero social skills. The person may even know that they are not, on some level, the same as everyone else so they will research how others act and try to mimic the humans around him.

Thinking: This is how people are supposed to act and how people do act. I don't feel this way but I can pretend so I can fit in and get what I want

Cruz is either a very high functioning Autistic/Asperger's or a Sociopath. Probably both.

Evi L. Bloggerlady said...

Troop,

Ace, Beck and Levin are very different guys, with very different followers. But they are generally conservatives (Ace on the more libertarian end of the scale, Beck more on the social conservative side of things). I all there are limited government, free market. I am not going to convince you that Ace, Beck and Levin dislike Trump on those principles, but that's what is going on. Heck, Levin is the most pragmatic of the three (he is not a #NeverTrump guy and said he is preferable over Hillary).

Trump in the past was all about big government, playing the system, supporting Democrats more often than not over Republicans. I get it, he benefited from it and many of the markets he was playing in you had to do that to succeed. He is often right about things (he was right about Iraq). But he is basically a moderate Democrat. That is all well and good but I am not surprised a lot of Republicans who are actually conservative are not thrilled about it.

As far as Trumpkins pushing back, some of it is justified. I have to admit the train wreck of Trump running against Hillary would be interesting. A disaster (because Hillary would likely win) but interesting. Cruz may very well lose also to Hillary (there is too much bad blood between factions right now on the right to push the GOP over the top). Ryan and the GOPe are waiting for 2020.

I have a number of reasons I question Trump, such as he is also the type of guy (Trump volunteered the story) he fired two working stiffs because Johnny Carson said (falsely) they stole his jacket. Hey none of this Cory Lewandowski loyalty stuff (even if in Lewandowski's case he has been demoted and sent to the Siberia of the campaign hierarchy now). Hey, I get if you have a high profile tenant like Johnny you got to keep him happy even if he makes BS accusations. So you move the two guys to a different Trump property (I hear he had a few) and tell Carson you got rid of them. He could even buy Carson a new jacket and call it the price of doing business. Would you fire the working guys because that is the easiest way out of a trumped up beef with an asshole (but famous) tenant? That is the sort of douchebaggery you have always railed against.

Trooper York said...

April do you think Trump "created" the Michelle Fields situation? Or was it Miss Fields who has a long history of doing this with the assistance of a Washington Post reporter who wants to harm Trump?

I read Ace. I used to enjoy him a lot more. I don't worship him. I don't worship Trump either.
But he is far from a moron. He has a solid record of accomplishment as a builder who met payrolls and created businesses and made money for himself and a lot of other people. You can dismiss him all you want. You can dismiss him all the way into the White House.

Trooper York said...

And another thing. Why are people so obsessed with Trumps dick? The only thing we can really say about it is he seems to get to stick it into some really hot chicks. Is that so bad?

Evi L. Bloggerlady said...

I agree Trump's style of simple declarative sentences work. It has been super effective. Trouble is they are only directed at middle age and older old white men.

He also used simple declarative sentences to piss off women. Which is why his unfavorables are higher than Hillary's.

Why not use simple declarative sentences to black and latino American voters how migrants are undercutting their wages (I have been waiting for that wedge issue to be unleashed). Had he reigned in the BS a few months ago he would have had the GOP nomination locked and would be tearing Hillary apart when she is battling with Bernie (the establishment would have thrown Cruz under the bus long ago). So beyond policy, Trump has played to his base (about 40%) of Republican primary voters and alienating potential allies.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

It's Trump's job to diffuse. Instead, he pours gasoline.

"Right after the Brussels bombing -- that night -- Trump decided it was a good time to introduce the important "issue" of whether or not Heidi Cruz is ugly."

over and over.


Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Exactly, Evi. Trump found his 30%-40%, and he doesn't think he needs to add to it. Instead, he is trying to shrink the anger party. So many missed opportunities.

Trooper York said...

Evi I agree with you about the Johnny Carson story. Trump was totally wrong. You and I would never do that. It was a douchebag move. I have always said he was a douchebag. But he told this story against his own interest. It has the ring of truth because he could have said that he just moved them to another job in his organization. Instead he said what he really did and took the heat for it. I hope he learned from it. You are critizing him for demoting his campaign manager and moving him to a different job. Isn't that what you wanted him to do with those two guys Carson accused? Doesn't that show that he might have learned something? That he didn't fire him like Cruz did to his aide when the press went after him. He just did what you wanted him to do. So he was wrong then and he is wrong now? How does that work exactly?

Listen we all learn hopefully. Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't fire Corey on the word of someone else. What do you think? Isn't that possible?

Trooper York said...


"Why not use simple declarative sentences to black and latino American voters how migrants are undercutting their wages"

That's coming in the general. He hasn't one the primary. He is whipping up the base and getting new people into the party that used to be Democrats. He still is far away from winning. The establishment and the hard core right are doing everything they can to beat him. So he should not play to the primary voters? When the primaries aren't over yet? How does that work exactly?

Look he is winning primaries and they are trying to steal the delegates out from under him by putting party drones in there who will not vote the way the people intended. There is a move for them to not vote for him on the first ballot where they are bound.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Why isn't Trump stratigizing to win? Everyone wants him to win the nomination. Everyone hates Cruz now. If you want your guy to win, why all the excuse making? I don't think covering for him is a good strategy. Does anyone besides that weirdo Ann Coulter have his ear?
Why won't Trump wise up?
Trump agrees to speak to Chris Matthews - the Clinton supporting ninny, and he blows it. It blows it royal. Trump needs to stop shrinking his support. Why won't get get a clue?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

"he get"

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The douche bag strategy = hand it to Hillary.

Evi L. Bloggerlady said...

Troop,

I think Michelle Fields is a pushy female reporter who cries when it gets rough. I think Cory Lewandowski is a Trump guy who got slightly too rough with a pushy female reporter trying to get to his guy. When she cried about it, he could have said, "Sorry, I don't recall it with all that was going on, but I was just looking out for my guy. If I grabbed you it was not intended to hurt you. My bad."

The story would have been over then and nothing would have come from it.

Instead Cory called her a liar, things escalated. And of course Trump's media enemies and opponents (both Democrat and Republican) jumped all over it. Both Cory and Michelle end up damaged and Trump got hurt by it. A campaign manager's job is to protect his guy. This is not the same relationship as Trump hiring two guys to work in his building. Cory is the professional who has to be willing to take one for the team to protect the candidate.

The protecting Cory thing came up because Trump has to publicly show he was loyal. Even though in the circumstance chastising Lewandowski could have been justified. Trump should have tried to de-escalate the whole dust up himself. He didn't and it became a bigger story.

But Trump's real character came out when he shared that story about the guys working for him and Carson--which I don't think he realized made him look as bad as it did. If he had told the Carson story as something he learned from and said he regretted doing that and wished he could do it over, I would understand that. None of us are perfect, we have all been douchebags at times.

Hindsight is always perfect. Shit happens. But the same pattern keeps getting repeated.

Trooper York said...

Evi Trump had a choice with this situation. He could have given the press the scalp they demanded and which they still demand. Instead he took his guy at his word and backed him. He took minimal action by moving him in the organization. Or that move could have been for other reasons. Everyone is shouting and screaming that he needs a better ground game. That he needed pros in the game. So he moved Corey and brought in very experienced people for the next phase.
Without firing him on the unsubstantiated word of a douchebag. Exactly what you wanted him to do. Ie learn from his mistakes.

So is it Heads Trump is wrong.....Tails Trump is wrong?

Trooper York said...

"AprilApple said:
Everyone wants him to win the nomination."

Everyone? Ace. Levin. Beck. Megyn Kelly. Michelle Fields. The establishment republicans. Karl Rove. Jeb Bush. Little Marco. The mainstream media. You? Everyone wants to win the nomination.

The is a name for that statement. It is called a lie.

Trooper York said...

Explanations are not excuses. To explain to you that Ace is opposed to Trump as function of his own ego is not making an excuse. To explain to you that Michelle Fields and Megyn Kelly are pushing their controversies for their own goals and for their own self aggrandizement is and explanation not an excuse. You can choose to ignore that explanation. Or give me an alternative explanation. You can tell me that Megyn Kelly is a superb journalist who is only interested in getting at the truth and has no personal motive to make herself the center of the story to get a prime time special. I will let other people decide who has a better handle on what is going on here.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Troop-
I don't care about Trump's detractors. He has them. It's not a conspiracy. (and I happen to agree with their logic) Don't you think Trump should be garnering their support instead of pushing it away and cutting it off at the knees?

Every time Trump loses someone it's... "well FU anyway!"

Re-read what Evi wrote regarding Cory and Michelle. The blame game is old, & If Fields is a big liar, they pushed her and made it worse. They didn't need to do that. I find it pathetic and exhausting that this is still an issue. That we are STILL talking about it.
Push and grind and push the story until people are so fed up, they no longer care who carried the blame.

Evi L. Bloggerlady said...

Troop, yeah Trump was screwed either way with Lewandowski (once it got escalated). And yeah Michelle Fields has her own agenda.

I see that less of a character thing and more of a tactical, this is how not to "handle" the media (in the future).

The firing the workers over the Carson coat, that is a character thing. If Trump came out and said I fucked up. I never should have fired them. I would understand and think ok he learns from his mistakes. I do not think he is cut out for that sort of introspection. That can be an advantage as a leader (sometimes) but it can also be a bad thing. The biggest disasters by leaders are often the result of hubris. Both Hillary and Trump have that weakness.

Trooper York said...

The way I see it is there are two ways to handle the press. Knuckle under to their expectations. Only talk within the parameters they set. They put certain things beyond the pale. Deporting Illegals? You can't do that. Talking about the crime and disease the illegals bring? That's racism. A woman makes a complaint of some sort. Especially against a white guy. You have to take her at her word and expel or fire or destroy that guy. Because women never lie or exaggerate. (Unless they are talking about getting raped by Bill Clinton)

So you can either bow down to the press and the establishment or tell them to piss up a rope. Refuse to do what they demand. Trump does that. It seems to be working for him. All of the things you and April are talking about is just demands that he be more like Jeb. Or Little Marco. Or Mitt Romney. Or John McCain. Trump ain't that. That is why he has won the most primaries and the most delegates so far.

It might not work. But he should see it through.

Trooper York said...

Being something different means being something different.

Otherwise you are John Kasich. Telling the same old lies in the same old way.

windbag said...


If Trump came out and said I fucked up. I never should have fired them. I would understand and think ok he learns from his mistakes. I do not think he is cut out for that sort of introspection.

If you'll allow an analogy, running a business is like driving a race car. You've got support personnel in the pits, but it's you steering, braking, and accelerating around the track. If you misjudge another driver, you may end up on pit row for the remainder of the race...or in the hospital...or the morgue. As you zip around the track, you have to make constant adjustments to keep on course. You may not remember them, or give them much thought. After the race, someone may shove a microphone in your face and demand to know why you made a specific adjustment during the race. You may or may not recall what they're talking about, and you may or may not be able to articulate how or why you took a particular action.

I tend toward thinking Trump is a big-picture guy, who may recall mundane, everyday tasks in the past, but isn't analyzing them in minute detail. I don't know how much of a introspective guy he is, but I don't fault him for making snap decisions and leaving their memories behind.

Trump is a lot of things, but you'd be hard-pressed to deny the entertainment value when he's behind the wheel.

Evi L. Bloggerlady said...

Trump is the most entertaining politician on the national scene since...well forever. That is why he has dominated news cycle after news cycle.

TrooperYork said...

You had to see his speech to the New York Gala. It was why people were riveted to it and listened and laughed along with him. It is also why they ignored the One True Ted. He is a boring self righteous politician. It shows.

windbag said...

I don't know. Alvin Greene was pretty entertaining.