Losing Respect for Some Trump Foes

I get it. I really understand why Ted Cruz doesn’t want to endorse Trump. Donald Trump didn’t simply defeat him; he insulted and demeaned him and his family with crudeness, gutter language and lies. 

I understand why other politicians don’t want to endorse Trump. The nominee has given no reason for people to trust him not to make foolish and disgusting remarks. Whether it is an act or reality, his emotional maturity comes across as that of a ten year old. Trump may be able to walk past his words, but those associated with him will find it harder to remove the excrement. 

Nonetheless, I don’t respect the Bushes, John Kasich and Ted Cruz  as much as I used to. On a personal level, Trump is reaping what he sowed. If I had a teenager prone to angry outbursts and to giving withering insults, I would use this as an educational moment. Bullying may make you feel powerful in the instance, but it is actually a show of weakness. While you may forget your words, your victims won’t. As my grandfather used to teach me when he addressed everyone from the janitor to his boss with respect and warmth, “You never know the twists and turns life will take and when someone who needs you now will be someone you need in the future.”

However, the Bushes, Kasich and Cruz should not be thinking on a personal level. Not only should they not be nursing hurts from the past two years, they should show that they care more for the country than for their own egos or political futures. If they don’t recognize the threat of a Clinton presidency, they are part of the problem, not part of the solution. 

What of the second worry? Will they find themselves tarred with the brush of an embarrassing and even despicable Trump statement? Guess what? The New York Times, CNN and the rest of the leftist media is going to tar them with that brush anyway. The only way they will avoid that fate is by converting to the Democrat Party and bowing obeisance to secular liberalism. 

I wish these men instead would have taken a page from the Trump playbook. Trump speaks politically incorrect truths about terrorism, the economy  and illegal immigrants even as President Obama and his devotees condemn Americans who want an honest conversation. This is a great part of Trump's popularity. Established Republicans did not understand how many Republican voters and conservative-leaning people yearned for a strong response to the past seven years and despised the tepid, lukewarm words of the Romney-McConell wing of the party that was supposed to represent them. The failed Republican candidates should have followed Trump’s lead and spoken honestly. They should have endorsed Donald Trump wholeheartedly as the only alternative to Hillary Clinton,  while sadly acknowledging that his language and manner are often cringeworthy. By staying away they are looking like sore losers as well as missing the chance to acknowledge the pain of the electorate, for which they do hold more than a little responsibility. 

Ted Cruz could have spoken at the convention of his conflicted emotions and internal struggle about Donald Trump — giving voice to many of his supporters’ feelings. The he could have explained why he is putting the need to defeat Hillary above everything else. Do everything you can to get Trump elected and then hold Trump’s feet to the fire to ensure that he makes the right Supreme Court picks and surrounds himself with wise, conservative advisors rather then sycophants. Encourage his supporters not to put blinders on, as so many Democrat politicians do when it comes to their extremely flawed nominee, but to realistically face their own flawed candidate. Instead, as my husband put it, Cruz, “ate another man’s food and then vomited on his table.” It would have been classier not to show up. 

in 1939, a document known as the White Paper was issued under Neville Chamberlain’s government that severely restricted Jewish immigration to Palestine and reversed previous British promises to the Jewish people. That immigration restriction doomed Jews to death in Europe. At the same time, the British quickly became the leaders in the battle against the Nazis. David Ben-Gurion, head of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, encouraged people to fight the White Paper as if there were no Nazis while fighting the Nazis (by enlisting in and helping the British army) as if there was no White Paper. 

Trump is the nominee. It is time to fight Hillary as if there were no flaws in Donald Trump while opposing the vulgarity that Trump exudes and his confused understanding of some issues as if there was no Hillary. 

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Comments

[Nancy]

Carolyn, if Cruz were that much gracious and the man of principle above Trump, I would think that he would of, at the least, thanked Trump for providing that platform from which he was able to voice his stance. There's no press flock to him, after all. But then that would be admitting that Trump were being 'uncharacteristically' generous. I don't know, maybe he did, I missed that segment. I already knew how it was going to go, and news of it going just as I expect didn't surprise me a bit.

Lynn, if the rapture theory were a valid doctrine, then what of the impending destruction so we have to concern ourselves with? Saving everybody else? Pouting changes nothing, if what we really want to do is change hearts.

Susan et. al., people can, and some actually do, come to view things differently from how they'd view them previously. You know what endears me to Mr. Trump most of all, and perhaps this may be chalked up to my overactive imagination, but I fancy his character as that of one that, if I were to suggest that an more appropriate campaign theme might be the Darth Vader's "Imperial March", he would get kick out of it, and actually laugh with me.

[Lynn Perrizo]

Susan I've been reading the book of Daniel. He never changed his personal convictions even when told he must by the Kings law. He stood firm even when he knew it would mean death. God rewarded him for staying true. Daniel is a wonderful example of how to face difficult decisions but remain true to God. I wonder what he would decide to do today in America with the decisions we are facing.

[Susan's Musings]

Lynn, Re your earlier comment, I have been doing a lot of thinking about the abortion issue and the choice we have this November. I do hope that I can get my thoughts down clearly on paper for a Musing. About Daniel, he was operating on the basis of Jewish law which demands that one be killed rather than transgress on three major sins. In all other cases, staying alive takes precedence. Obviously, this isn't an easy, straightforward thing to understand when faced with difficult situations. I don't think it has any relevance to Cruz and the convention on either side. No one's life was being threatened, for one thing and being gracious to Trump is certainly not a major sin.

[Susan's Musings]

Carolyn, What you are saying about our facing a terrible choice in November because both candidates are potentially extremely dangerous to this country is why so many, including me, are anguished. I write to help get my thoughts in order. Right now, my conclusion is that voting for neither is as unprincipled as voting for either of them. In other words, all the choices are wrong so I must pick what I believe to be the least wrong. Not a great situation but, IMO, the reality right now.

[Lynn Perrizo]

Susan, my point, which I guess I didn't make very well, is that Daniel did not compromise his beliefs. That's what I see when I've been reading. You understand Jewish law and I don't. I wasn't speaking of Cruz but of myself.

[Susan's Musings]

And my point, which I guess I didn't make well, is not compromising principles is sometimes the wrong thing to do. Let's face it, this is a very tough decision coming up and very few Americans are happy with the choice they have to make.

[Lora]

I think you've stated your thoughts- and those of many other people- very well. I am almost convinced; however I have a question. You mention voting Trump in and then holding him accountable and getting him to actually do the will of the people. My impression of Trump is that he doesn't listen well to anybody. How can we be even halfway hopeful that he WILL listen to us?
I do understand that the other option is Hillary Clinton, and there will be neither help nor hope there. Perhaps that is the only answer to my question that we have at this time. But that aside, how can we hold Trump accountable as our president? There are so many bad precedents for him to take advantage of, and his personality, well, I guess it is whatever the heck it is. It doesn't look like a good combination, is my concern.

[Dee Rohe]

Well now, Cruz attacked Trump's wife first then Trump warned him to back off or he'd mention some embarrassing facts about Cruz's wife. They had all agreed in the first place to leave family out of it, but Cruz disregarded that! I researched Heidi Cruz, and indeed there were some embarrassing actions that she had performed. Everybody's human and capable of all these ridiculous things in this earthly existence. Candidates are no exception.

[LJ]

I haven't been able to post recently, but I finally succeeded! This subject has been fruitful, and the discussions are wonderfully polite to read. I'm adding a bit late, but I hope that you'll appreciate it.

Firstly, here are a few of Trump's twitter posts about after the RNC, they show the mind of DJT:

Jul 20 Good news is Melania's speech got more publicity than any in the history of politics especially if you believe that all press is good press!

Jul 20 The media is spending more time doing a forensic analysis of Melania's speech than the FBI spent on Hillary's emails.

Jul 20 Wow, Ted Cruz got booed off the stage, didn't honor the pledge! I saw his speech two hours early but let him speak anyway. No big deal!

Jul 21 Ted Cruz talks about the Constitution but doesn't say that if the Dems win the Presidency, the new JUSTICES appointed will destroy us all!

Secondly, Hillary is going back to the WH with Bill at her side. Both Clintons will take office for four years beginning in January 2017, that is, unless they're stopped.

Thirdly, my ('Civilian' Marine-VFW) husband and I, and our daughter-19 and son-18 watched Cruz's RNC speech. We heard him congratulate Trump at the start and the speech then sounded nice for a bit; but in typical Cruz fashion, it went too long and too slowly for our tastes and then finally it was awkward to watch until its end. However, that was also partly due to the loud thumping Trumpsters in the audience.

Cruz's flat speech doesn't appear to have hurt Trump, and the twitter feed above shows that he wanted the drama to an extent because that is what he does well, after all.

[Susan's Musings]

Lora, Republicans have a much greater history of opposing their own candidates. Remember conservatives making Harriet Miers remove her name from Supreme Court nomination? Republicans urged Nixon to resign. Democrats fall in line much more. In addition to that, the media will gang up on Trump. I don't think they will allow dictatorship-type actions as they have from Obama and might from Clinton.

[Susan's Musings]

Glad you could post now.

[Lora]

Those are good points. Thank you.