Mitt Romney probably hopes that his speech will scare some sense into future GOP primary voters, and some candidate other than Trump is selected, goes on to win. Even if a brokered convention results in a non-Trump nominee, that candidate can’t win if Trump runs as 3rd party, or if enough disgruntled Trump supporters don’t vote GOP, either of which is very likely.
Elsewhere I recommended that “#neverTrump GOP persons of influence” just endorse voting Democrat. This seems a lot like “committing suicide out of fear of death”. But what if the GOP can get something in return?
Could Hillary Clinton be persuaded to pick a VP and/or some Cabinet officers that are (liberal) Republicans in exchange for an endorsement? It would be somewhat distasteful for her to give up this privilege. She would have to believe there is some chance of her losing to Trump. I think by now she is disabused, as we all are, of the idea Trump is just a joke. Would she put any weight on ideas like those of Scott Adams who thinks that male Democrat voters would have less problem voting for Obama than for a woman? She has to have some doubts, but I don’t think a lot, because in return she is basically guaranteed the Presidency. I think that essentially none of the people who would already vote for her would turn against her for picking a GOP VP. And if she could get the … what ? 15% 25% of the #neverTrump Republican vote? Then she’s in, right? It’s like settling a lawsuit even when you have a great case; you get a bunch of money when there was a slight risk you might not.
I thought of Christie Todd Whitman because she has been prominent in abandoning Trump. Maybe 2 women on the ticket is a good idea, maybe not. What RINO’s could HC accept? Could the GOP get VP and SecDef ?
I don’t think that’d be a smart move for Hillary. A lot of Democrats already don’t like her at all. This will just give them more of a reason to sit on their hands on election day. And anyway, I am reading on various news sites’ comment areas (yeah, I know, I know) Democrats stating their disdain for Clinton has caused them to wonder if a Trump Presidency would be so bad as they don’t believe a President Trump would be as odious as candidate Trump.
You expect compromise from a party whose understanding of bipartisanship is “give us everything we want or we’ll shut down the government and default on the national debt and it’ll be your fault”?
If she picked a Republican VP to gain 15% of the Republican vote I think she’d lose more than 15% of the Democratic vote, a net loss.
As the VP has no power outside a tiebreaking vote it offers the Republican nothing substantial. I don’t think they need more reason to wish Clinton dead.
I did not envision that Ted Cruz would be the one negotiating with Clinton, nor that it would be Robert Morrow (Holy Smokes! I just discovered this creature yesterday and it was as sickening as taking half a red pill.) Reince Priebus will have to explain to Cruz, Rubio et al that none of them can win.
One of the virtues of the office of VP is that it is less important to Clinton than a cabinet office would be. At the same time, it saves face. The GOP appears to get something other than ashes.
Romney probably hopes that someone will remember him? The Democrat Collective seems to be thrilled that political-zombie Romney is once again roaming the Earth.
It would be an utter kiss of death. Whatever gain she might get from Republicans (which would be negligible) would be more than offset by Democrats staying home.
Yes, Congress is expected to pass appropriations bills; that’s pretty much the one thing they have to do. And if they don’t pass appropriations bills, then yes, they’re not doing their Constitutional duty.
But seriously, dude, of which budget during any Democratic Administration in my lifetime (IOW, all the way back through JFK) has the President or a Dem Congressional leader said, “you must pass this budget exactly as is, without any amendments or negotiation?”
If she’s lucky. More likely those Democrats would be voting for independent Sanders or someone like him. And if it did work, she’d be putting herself in a position where her life is the only thing keeping the GOP out of the White House. Kiss of death, indeed.
Or maybe both political parties fracture and we have coalition governments from here on out.
What? You’re allowed to think that sanity can return to the Republican party in a country where the kardashians are somehow America’s biggest celebrities and I can’t think that we could break the two party deadlock?
I was under the impression that the voters gave control of both houses of Congress to the loyal opposition during Obama’s reign. Is that the Democrat collective’s idea of winning?
Christine Todd Whitman, who is telling people to vote for Clinton, is the kiss of death? So who will Clinton pick then, someone to the left of E. Warren?
I think it wise for the republicans to see this election as sacrificial. Clean up the party, loose all the far right fringe nut jobs and move across the line and try to attract some of the moderate democrats for the next election cycle. Too many republicans like myself are ready to switch parties. I will not vote a straight across party line ever again.
I suspect that part of the issue for Republicans is that, particularly in the wake of Scalia’s death, they’re framing this election cycle as not only being about the White House and Congress, but the Supreme Court, too. If the GOP loses the presidential election in November, and loses control of the Senate (which seems entirely possible, especially if the base becomes discouraged to vote), they see the Court as likely to become liberal for a generation.
That would be difficult. There aren’t many Democrats to the left of Warren that would be serious potential picks, except maybe Sanders.
But there’s a problem with her selecting a Republican. That person would be a Republican! They would be members of the Party that has spent the last eight years running a scorched earth policy against Obama, and even if they have not actively been part of that, they have supported it and they have remained Republicans.
Good heavens, why in the world do you think Clinton should select any of them?
“Establishment” sitting Republicans in government who endorsed Clinton would be badly punished by Tea Partiers who would come and take their seats. They’d be sacrificing their careers and, ultimately, making their partier even crazier. It’s not a good idea for either side.
