Mark Salter was a senior strategist to Arizona Sen. John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign. In June he wrote an article for RealClear Politics in which he said:
“Whatever Hillary Clinton’s faults, she’s not ignorant or hateful or a nut. She acts like an adult, and understands the responsibilities of an American president. That might not be a ringing endorsement. But in 2016, the year of Trump’s campaign, it’s more than enough.”
In contrast, Republican Jim Ruth said just the opposite in a Washington Post article also posted in June.
Ruth is identified as a writer and a retired financial advisor who, so far as I can determine, has no particular credentials for getting an op-ed piece in the Post, but there it was anyway.
It was entitled, “I Hate Trump But He Might Still Get My Vote.” Claiming to be part of the “new silent majority” (whatever that is), he wrote:
“We are under no illusions about Trump. We know that this Man Who Would Be King is a classic bully and a world-class demagogue in his personal, professional and political lives. He will continue to demonize his perceived enemies and take the low road at every opportunity…
“And we know that if Trump makes it all the way to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., the view after that is murky at best. We’re confident that he will surround himself with smart and capable people from the business world, as well as some Capitol Hill veterans. But here’s the rub: Past business associates describe him as a micromanager who likes yes men at his side. How long this new Washington brain trust will last in a Trump administration is anybody’s guess.”
So Ruth, trying to appear thoughtful, says he knows how bad Trump is, but he still might be willing to sacrifice the future of the nation by voting for him because he is disillusioned with the political establishment represented by Hillary Clinton.
In short, he is not going to vote for someone who as Mark Salter says is “not ignorant or hateful or a nut…acts like an adult, and understands the responsibilities of an American president,” and vote for someone who is none of the above.
For what reason? To have a temper tantrum? To thumb his nose at Washington? Just because he happens not to like Hillary Clinton?
Is this the state of the Republican Party today?
Some Republicans say NO. They admit they don’t like Trump, but they also insist that they want a Republican to make the next appointment(s) to the Supreme Court.
Do they hear themselves? Do they realize Trump will do far more than appoint a Supreme Court justice?
Do they not realize a man referred to by numerous people as being “unhinged” will have his finger on a nuclear trigger? Do they realize that according to Trump himself he is willing to risk alienating our allies whose help we need in anti-terror intelligence operations? Do they realize he makes broad generalized claims, but offers nothing specific about any of the ideas he has?
Are they willing to make this kind of man president because they don’t like Hillary Clinton?
Really?
Not Mark Saltar. He says there is nothing that can make the risk of putting Donald Trump in the White House worth it, absolutely nothing.
He knows the evidence about Trump’s character is unambiguous. More than that, he knows Trump is a man who will not bother with policy details or spend time studying issues carefully enough to make good decisions as president.
Salter also knows this year is different, that this is not a choice between Hillary and mainstream Republicans like Paul Ryan, John Kasich, or Mark Rubio. It is a choice between Hillary and disaster for America.
And he knows something else. He knows that Republicans don’t have to do this. He knows they can in fact do something great for the country. They can say NO to Donald Trump and the extremism and danger his candidacy represents.
If there is even one respectable Republican leader today who behind the scenes actually says he or she believes Trump should be president, I cannot imagine who it is.
That is because down deep they all know that this is a moment in history when all Republicans need to show they have the moral character to do what is right for the country instead of doing what is politically expedient.
The Bush family, Ohio’s John Kasich, Mitt Romney, George Will, David Brooks, and other Republican leaders are setting the example.
Will rank and file Republicans follow their lead, or will they follow the insane logic of someone like Jim Ruth who hates Trump, knows he will be bad for the country, but might vote for him anyway?
At this point we don’t know. But we do know this.
This election is certainly about Donald Trump, but it is also about the soul of the Republican Party.
linnposts.com 