This is a pretty good point:
[Donald] Trump showed me what he was made of during the birth certificate uproar. For years, Democrats and the media were overjoyed with the lingering, fringe issue surrounding Obama’s legal citizenship. That’s why neither the media nor Obama ever wanted to put the issue to rest — even though it was a fringe issue, it was used to relentlessly club all of the GOP like a baby seal.
Trump had the stones to demand a resolution, and he got it. And as a result, a cynical and powerful weapon used against even we conservatives who were not Birthers vanished.
Trump took hell over that, he still does — simply for demanding full transparency from a politician.
Not having to have to listen to the birther stupidity from the Left at every opportunity has, in fact, had a positive impact on my professional life. And better Donald Trump do that than somebody whose political career would have actually been blighted in the process. Anyway, John Nolte also notes this: “The media elite are sure Trump will be bad for the Republican presidential field as a whole. Maybe so. But only if no one in that field has what it takes to take Trump on.” Which is also a pretty good point. This isn’t 2012: we have a real, honest-to-God field to choose from this time. They can easily survive somebody there to keep the others on their toes.
That is a good point. Donald Trump is used to being heckled and attacked – I think he likes it because, hey – it’s attention. Having him go out and trip all of the landmines and draw all of the fire isn’t such a bad thing at all.
“The only thing worse than being talked about… is *not* being talked about.”
–Oscar Wilde
Strange thing .. I was also quite tired of the Birf Cerfiticate .. but I mostly heard about it from the right.
.
Mew
Yes, but the Right was responding to the Left. One of many ways having control of the Press is good for the Democrats. The Left gets to bully, but it’s not a fight until we do something…..
I kept getting “Obama isn’t really a citizen! social security records! birth certificate!” spam – usually associated with a kook-right-wing outfit’s fundraising – *long after* the media had mostly given up exploiting the issue as “stupid rube-publicans”.
.
Mew
Again, how often did you hear that Hillary! started all that silliness?……
Once I saw anything indicating “birfer!”, I hit *delete*.
.
Mew
And then we’re called bullies for hitting back.
I must take a little offence at your description of the 2012 field. Fine people, but Americans don’t like to “Change horses” in the middle of a war. Obama’s foreign policy incompetence served him well there, as it did when FDR was President. Alas for the Democrats, FDR burned that bridge, and now we have no choice but to decide…….
Fair enough, but we’ve got a ridiculous amount of talent out there right now.
Oh, yes. W planted many seeds. Easy to see when you look at the barren wastes left behind by Pornstar and Nowhere Man…..
While FDR was cruddy on a domestic front, comparing FDR to Obama when it comes to foreign policy is rather insulting… Seriously, Obama’s foreign policy is worse than Jimmy Carter’s for goodness sakes.
FDR is far worse then Obama. Obama has failed to do what FDR succeeded at, making sure the guy who started the World War profited from it…..
I .. must not remember the 2012 field you do.
.
Mew
Romney, for example, is batting a thousand. And his personal appearances were all well received. A good man, to the point that several press people have talked about what a great guy Romney was, what a shame it was they couldn’t show that during the campaign……
I have a favorable opinion of Romney as a person, but not as a candidate.
.
The useful tactics against a cult-of-personality like Obama are well-known, and they do *not* involve trying for Mr. Congeniality.
.
Romney ran *exactly* the right campaign to get the nomination, but a *very wrong* campaign in the general ..
.
Mew