# Will the GOP (inadvertently) destroy itself to stop Trump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 12, 2016, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963 "2016-04-12T02:27:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/61 "2016-04-13T04:05:13Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > IF those who declare that Democratic leadership from Carter through Obama have all been corporate ass-licking sell-outs (i.e. “neo-liberals”) become the dominant force then the Democratic party cedes the middle and that niche will not stay empty long. Cede the middle? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But, either way, as Sanders even getting this far has demonstrated, the party by moving left would also pick up a hitherto-unmobilized-and-unregistered and surprisingly large base to the left. And that’s enough to win a whole lot, with or without the center, because there is no such base remaining unmobilized on the right. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/62 "2016-04-13T04:09:58Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Much more of America is to my right than to my left. Not quite so much as you think. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/63 "2016-04-13T04:12:01Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > It was survivable last time it happened, in 1952 or 1968 depending on how you count it and the 1968 democratic convention is hardly a model that anyone should hope to emulate. Don’t listen, Pubs! **Emulate it!** You shall overcome! The whole world is watching! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/64 "2016-04-13T04:42:52Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > Say what you like about the tenets of Social Nationalism, dude, at least it’s an ethos. Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/65 "2016-04-13T05:50:56Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I’m torn on the issue of a Trump nomination. On one hand, it would be beneficial for the GOP to get its ass handed to it in November and perhaps rise from the ashes. But I’m afraid what we’ll get is another round of “we didn’t nominate a true conservative”. So maybe what they need to do is nominate Cruz and get somewhat less of a beatdown and no longer have that “true conservative” crap to whine about. Or they nominate Cruz and lose, then say they ignored what the people were excited for and were crying out for, and the next presidential cycle will be no better. There will be no one candidate that will convince them they’re on the wrong track. It will be a trail of failures that do it, and when enough years have passed, younger folks with new perspectives and ideas will bring change. Until then, they’ll tweak this, move right, tweak that, and bemoan the lack of the ‘right’ candidate to present their ideas, rather than question those ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/66 "2016-04-13T06:07:24Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I agree with the OP this far: > > If Trump walks into the convention with enough pledged delegates to take the nomination on the first ballot, and some shenanigans occur to change the rules and allow the delegates to not stay pledged on the first ballot, and Trump ends up not getting nominated, then the Republican Party will self-destruct. > > OTOH, if he gets a clean shot at the first ballot and doesn’t take the nomination, and loses on a later ballot, the party will come through relatively unscathed, because that would be just normal politics. Normal politics would have enough delegates from losing candidates getting behind the front runner in order to have a clean convention which looks good on television. Even if Trump loses the nomination according to the rules, he is sure as hell going to say it was stolen. I think enough of his supporters are going to stay home to have the Republicans lose big. But I agree that they’ll survive. But Trump might try to kill the party - what does he care about it long term? If Trump wins a big percentage of non-Trump Republicans have said in polls that they will stay home, vote third party or even vote Democratic. That plus the platform he’ll create might destroy the party. If they nominate Cruz, and get creamed, and stay the course, then they’ll die in the long term if not the short term. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/67 "2016-04-13T06:29:54Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > But Trump might try to kill the party - what does he care about it long term? Indeed, there are those who think that was always his goal. Not because he was put up to it by the Clinton’s but because he thinks the tedious grid lock of a Democratic President and an obstructionist GOP congress has played out long enough. I’m beginning to think Trump is like Littlefinger in Game of Thrones, “Chaos is a Ladder” Trump just wants to tear down the GOP system, confident he can somehow emerge ahead out of the game. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/68 "2016-04-13T07:20:59Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > Indeed, there are those who think that was always his goal. Not because he was put up to it by the Clinton’s but because he thinks the tedious grid lock of a Democratic President and an obstructionist GOP congress has played out long enough. > > I’m beginning to think Trump is like Littlefinger in Game of Thrones, “Chaos is a Ladder” > > Trump just wants to tear down the GOP system, confident he can somehow emerge ahead out of the game. They’re conspiracy theorists. Trump isn’t smart enough to have a master plan. He got in for his usual reason, ego gratification. Then it mushroomed beyond his expectations, and he was vexed most egregiously by the GOP; and so now he must do what he does to any adversary, attempt to destroy it. I have an image of him in his office, laying on his back on a Persian rug, beating his fists and feet against the floor, yelling “It’s not fair it’s not fair it’s not fair it’s not fair!” ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/69 "2016-04-13T07:34:49Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > Trump isn’t smart enough to have a master plan. The most dangerous thing you can do about someone like Trump is under-estimate them. Trump is a showman and he plays to the crowd, there’s little doubt he doesn’t believe half of what he says. Apparently in private he is very different to his public persona. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/70 "2016-04-13T08:02:10Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > The most dangerous thing you can do about someone like Trump is under-estimate them. Trump is a showman and he plays to the crowd, there’s little doubt he doesn’t believe half of what he says. Apparently in private he is very different to his public persona. Oh, I don’t underestimate him. I think he’s one of the most dangerous people alive, specifically _because_ of his ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/71 "2016-04-13T10:15:04Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Not quite so much as you think. Not quite so little as you think. As to your belief that Sanders getting this far has demonstrated that there is a “hitherto-unmobilized-and-unregistered and surprisingly large base to the left” can “win a whole lot, with or without the center” … also not so much as you think. Sorry to be such a cynic but all it demonstrates is that nearly every presidential cycle (like, forever) there is a large cohort of people who prefer what’s behind door number three, the unknown something different. This cycle that’s a bunch of people across the political spectrum. The unifying ethos is not leftist principles, it’s dissatisfaction with whatever happens to be the status quo, and they rarely bother to show up at midterms. When the candidates they prefer do sometimes get elected and deliver at most incremental change, because that is the real world, they blame the leader they voted for. But in any case, Sanders has mobilized and registered and excited far fewer than Obama did … maybe more McGovern level. And even Obama was only able to leverage that group into victory because he was able to join them with the rest of the Democratic coalition, the growing demographics of this country, who are not overwhelmingly leftists. The current GOP is doubling down on a “win with Whites” tactic, and it is doomed, especially over the long term. The aftermath of this cycle may get them out of that rut and lead them to an approach that actually appeals to centrist Hispanics, Blacks, women … etc. - of which there are quite a few who are _currently_ at home in the Democratic party and who are repulsed by the _current_ GOP. Meanwhile many Sanders supporters think that they can win with young White voters pretty much alone, and think that one primary season of getting decent turnout of those young Whites such that together with a smaller fraction of other groups they can get to 42% of the Democratic primary electorate raw vote, indicates a winning approach of power. I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/72 "2016-04-13T12:17:04Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Well something is up. Maybe not at the national level but certainly at the state. We were told as Republicans that the delegates ultimately chosen at our state convention would be unbound in Cleveland. From the Denver Post … and now all of the sudden they are bound. I’m not sure that they are, technically, bound. As I understand it, I think they could vote for anyone they wanted. Still, they ran on a platform of support for Cruz, and they will vote for him. I agree, I’m not sure that’s quite what the intent of the change was, and I expect the rules to be different in 2020. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/73 "2016-04-13T13:44:00Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > The whole world is watching! 🙂 I am neither smart enough nor erudite enough to contribute to this thread, but I wanted you to know that this made me smile. I wonder how many readers are not old enough to immediately catch the reference. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/74 "2016-04-13T14:04:23Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > . . . unbound in Cleveland. A phrase that somehow simultaneously sounds bathetic, ominous, and like a title for an ill-conceived _Escape from New York_ sequel. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/75 "2016-04-13T14:47:16Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > A phrase that somehow simultaneously sounds bathetic, ominous, and like a title for an ill-conceived _Escape from New York_ sequel. I only regret that Hunter Thompson and Ralph Steadman will not be covering this convention. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/76 "2016-04-13T16:06:31Z")
> [@Algernon](#): > > > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > > > The whole world is watching! 🙂 > > I am neither smart enough nor erudite enough to contribute to this thread, but I wanted you to know that this made me smile. I wonder how many readers are not old enough to immediately catch the reference. One, at least. And I can still recall the deathless proclamation of hizzoner, Richard Daley: > [@](#): > > The police are not here to create disorder, they’re here to preserve disorder. Given that mission, I think they fulfilled it admirably. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/77 "2016-04-13T16:06:50Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I only regret that Hunter Thompson and Ralph Steadman will not be covering this convention. Fear and Loathing on the Shitshow Circuit? ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/78 "2016-04-13T23:20:07Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I only regret that Hunter Thompson and Ralph Steadman will not be covering this convention. Oh yes, what the good Doctor Thompson would have made of this current cycle… Here’s a WaPo reporter also bemoaning that loss. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/if-only-hunter-s-thompson-could-have-lived-to-take-on-this-election/2016/02/18/53694b1a-d4bd-11e5-be55-2cc3c1e4b76b\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/if-only-hunter-s-thompson-could-have-lived-to-take-on-this-election/2016/02/18/53694b1a-d4bd-11e5-be55-2cc3c1e4b76b_story.html) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/79 "2016-04-13T23:52:30Z")
Cannot some younger member of the [National Gonzo Press Club](http://www.theonion.com/article/national-gonzo-press-club-vows-to-carry-on-thompso-1308) come forward to fill the void?! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963/80 "2016-04-14T00:01:53Z")
There will only ever be one Gonzo journalist. Sadly, he is no longer with us. (That amount of drugs is no longer so readily available.) 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-gop-inadvertently-destroy-itself-to-stop-trump/751963.md?page=5)