Trump probably wouldn’t do as much indirect economic harm to the country as the other candidates would. But I’m not worried about what he might do accidentally: I’m worried about what he might do deliberately. I’m sure, for instance, that Cruz or Rubio wouldn’t nuke Moscow: Their handlers know that would be bad for business. But Trump just might nuke Moscow… or Beijing, or Tel Aviv, or Ottawa.
I suspect that Trump would nuke Moscow if and only if it would be profitable / good for the economy. My worry is that his understanding of “good for the economy” is from the business world, and that he isn’t personally well-rounded or open-minded enough to consider all of the relevant factors. (Such as ethics, culture, or things like the environment which are such long-term factors that they aren’t always considered in terms of cost / benefit analysis.)
I’d buy into the notion that this is just one hell of a piece of performance art and self-promotion that’s succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.
But I can’t see him wanting either the Presidency or the Vice-Presidency. He doesn’t want the responsibility of the former, and he’s not exactly second-fiddle material.
Not to mention, if he were Veep, he’d drive the President absolutely bonkers, because nobody would be able to get him to shut up, and he’d always be saying things that were a few thousand light-years from being on anyone’s message but his own - and not even his own message that he’d decided on that morning, but whatever he decided was his message the moment he opened his mouth. After all, that’s what he’s like already, so why would he change? 
Actually, that would be kinda cool to watch, if he became the GOP veep nominee. Can you imagine a Cruz-Trump ticket, or even better, a Rubio-Trump ticket? Trump would turn Cruz into the straight man in a Marx Brothers movie, and he’d turn Rubio into a basket case.
He’d do it if it would be profitable for him. And he puts a high value on his own ego. So he’d nuke someplace if he thought it would get him a lot of attention… which, frankly, it would.
Maybe something, maybe not: Rumors of a Rubio mistress revelation coming up.
Good afternoon. Wonderful Saturday in the Northeast. If this happens to Rubio, it may affect his numbers in the polls like Clinton in 1992. This is probably way Mitt Romney didn’t pick Rubio as his vice presidential running mate in 2012,
This seems very bizarre thinking. Whether you respect his business acumen or not, I don’t think suicidal tendencies were a big factor in his success.
When the dangers of nuclear attack are discussed it is supposed that Kim Jong-il, despite his bizarre flamboyances, is rational. Yet now we can’t offer Donald Trump the same courtesy? :rolleyes: Weird.
According to the comments on that article, Nikki Haley cheated on her spouse, so that would be why she didn’t stand.
Supposed by whom? I’ve never heard anyone describe the Kims as in any way sane.
A whispering campaign can be very effective, so why hasn’t Rubio told the press to put up or shut up?
Because there’s no story in the press yet.
I want to know what kind of woman would have an affair with Rubio. He looks like he should be taking Mary Jane to the sock hop, not committing adultery.
Maybe like this?
Just to note that Cruz isn’t an influential Senator, but just a blowhard who, by the rules of the Senate, can get a lot of intention on himself. I’m not aware of him actually influencing anyone. This might be too subtle a point for the Republican masses to get, I agree.
Well, there’s a difference between being ‘an influential Senator’ and ‘influential in the Senate.’
A lot of people would say that Cruz is the former but not the latter. He seems to have a great deal of influence with the more conservative members of the House Republican caucus. That makes him influential, and he’s a Senator. So…
There’s a new Monmouth poll of Iowa voters out, the first new Iowa poll in a couple of weeks, and it shows Cruz in the lead.
Cruz 24, Trump 19, Rubio 17, Carson 13, Bush 6, Paul 4, everyone else 3 and under.
Cruz needs Iowa, but it’s not sufficient. New Hampshire is probably going to be more important. I do think that a defeat in Iowa does to Trump what it did to Romney in 2008.
Choosing between Trump and Cruz would be like choosing between leprosy and smallpox.
All Cruz needs in the early going is a victory somewhere to give him a good push into Super Tuesday. Either Iowa or SC would do. Super Tuesday is really his make-or-break occasion.
OTOH, NH is make-or-break for every candidate in the ‘Establishment lane.’ It’s hard to see how even Rubio gets to the nomination without a NH win.
Wonder what happens to Trump’s campaign if he doesn’t win any of the early primaries? I think that’s the point where his supporters will finally wander off.
I think that for Rubio three 2nd place finishes would be sufficient. What’s more important is that he beat Kasich, Christie, and Bush and hopefully gain most of their support when they drop out.