Stop Excusing Republicans Like Rubio For Supporting Trump Because Of A Stupid, Worthless Pledge

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Situational Morals? Really?

Oh good God -- not you too?  Why not just say "yes, in some circumstances I could see it, but I don't think that's the case here."  But no.  You won't make that kind of measured response because you don't want to give an inch.

Here's a fun one -- Klaus von Stauffenberg betrayed the sworn oath he made to Hitler when he instigated the plot to assassinate him.  In fact, one of the biggest obstacles to rallying support against Hitler was that so many senior officers felt that they were honor-bound to honor the loyalty oath to Hitler.  So was von Stauffenberg just another scumbag with "situational morals"?

ETA:  Btw, did you catch on that other thread that I defended Rubio (and everyone else who supports Trump because they can't stand Hillary) for his decision to support Trump?  It doesn't have to be all for, or all against, all the time.  Reasonable people should be able to see that.

[sinkspur]

Rubio would be eight or nine points ahead of Hillary right now, were he the nominee.

Instead, he's debased himself in front of Trump and Trump laughs at him.

[HoustonSam]

Rubio would be eight or nine points ahead of Hillary right now, were he the nominee.

Instead, he's debased himself in front of Trump and Trump laughs at him.

He should have learned from Christie's example.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Why sign pledges if they're not going to mean anything?

[Mesaclone]

Trump takes back pledge to support GOP nominee

Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-gop-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/trump-takes-back-pledge-to-support-gop-nominee-221363#ixzz49t39kjyL

Link doesn't work, but its politico so no big loss. As I recall, Trump stated that the GOP backed out of its side of the pledge deal which would make it null. They corrected course, and he held to his pledge.

And MajorMartin, in the first debate Trump wouldn't take the pledge because he said he needed assurances that the RNC would be fair...it wasn't until a later debate that he then agreed to take the pledge. For my part, that showed integrity as he wasn't willing to take the easy way out and just immediately make a pledge that might be broken later on. But his key positions on nearly every issue were staked out very early, particularly on immigration and his view on foreign policy and the economy...the big 3.

[Silver Pines]

Steve Deace ‏@SteveDeaceShow  May 26

Marco Rubio @marcorubio
We cannot be a party that nominates someone who refuses to condemn white supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan.


But if we do, I will do whatever I can to help them be elected president.

[sinkspur]

He should have learned from Christie's example.

Rubio will have a hard time trying to come back in 2020 with these raging Trumproids, unless Trump is beaten badly and Trumpism is completely discredited.

[sinkspur]

Why sign pledges if they're not going to mean anything?

They shouldn't.  It's a dopey pledge, just like those "never raise taxes" pledges.  They don't mean a damned thing.

[sinkspur]

Link doesn't work, but its politico so no big loss. As I recall, Trump stated that the GOP backed out of its side of the pledge deal which would make it null. They corrected course, and he held to his pledge.

And MajorMartin, in the first debate Trump wouldn't take the pledge because he said he needed assurances that the RNC would be fair...it wasn't until a later debate that he then agreed to take the pledge. For my part, that showed integrity as he wasn't willing to take the easy way out and just immediately make a pledge that might be broken later on. But his key positions on nearly every issue were staked out very early, particularly on immigration and his view on foreign policy and the economy...the big 3.

Uh, the link works.  You just didn't want to read it.

Trump backed out of his pledge and was talking 3rd party as late as March.

His positions don't mean anything.  He has no intention of carrying through on anything.

[Mesaclone]

Uh, the link works.  You just didn't want to read it.

Trump backed out of his pledge and was talking 3rd party as late as March.

His positions don't mean anything.  He has no intention of carrying through on anything.

Now you're just being ridiculous as I very much wanted to read it. Maybe it doesn't work with chrome or my wifi...I'm no techie. He didn't back out, as I stated, he said that if the RNC was renigging on it he would as well if necessary. Very different than what you are saying.

[ConstitutionRose]

Nothing's changed.  The primary candidates pledged to support the winner of the primaries, the nominee.  Everyone knew who those candidates were when they signed the pledge.  Case closed.  Honor your promise.

The pledge is beyond dumb to begin with.  The whole point of the pledge is to protect the Republican party.  So what if the eventual nominee is indicted on Federal charges?  Or is proven a traitor to our country? Or is a pedophile?  Would the Republican party then hold the candidates to the pledge to support a nominee that is both destructive to the party and to the principles of the candidates?

If Trump can spout off about breaking the pledge because he thought the Republican party was being "unfair" to him, then any of the candidates can break the pledge based on principal.  I think principal trumps unfair.

[EC]

Now you're just being ridiculous as I very much wanted to read it. Maybe it doesn't work with chrome or my wifi...I'm no techie. He didn't back out, as I stated, he said that if the RNC was renigging on it he would as well if necessary. Very different than what you are saying.

Ask and yea shall receive.

Trump takes back pledge to support GOP nominee

By Kyle Cheney

03/29/16 09:48 PM EDT

Updated 03/29/16 10:47 PM EDT

Donald Trump has rescinded his pledge to support the Republican nominee for president.

Asked during a CNN town hall whether he stood by the earlier pledge — which he signed in September after meeting with party chairman Reince Priebus — Trump said: "No, I don't."

"We'll see who it is," he told moderator Anderson Cooper.

Trump said he had been treated "unfairly" by the Republican National Committee and the GOP establishment. He said he was unsure whether the Republican establishment was plotting to take the nomination away from him during the convention in Cleveland.

He also said he didn't need Ted Cruz to promise to support him should Trump win the nomination.

"I’m not asking for his support," Trump said.

"I don't want his support; I don't need his support; I want him to be comfortable," Trump said, taunting Cruz for dancing around the issue of whether he would support Trump if Trump were the nominee.

The Cruz campaign declined to respond to Trump's comment, referring to Cruz's earlier statements, when he repeatedly dodged whether he would back Trump as the nominee.

[Mesaclone]

Ask and yea shall receive.

Thanks EC. As expected that leaves out the part about the RNC renigging on its fairness obligation which is what ended the agreed pledge. That said, once the RNC got its poop in a group, Trump renewed the pledge as promised.

[EC]

No worries. I get sites that won't load sometimes and it is frustrating. 

To me, the question is "Should Rubio honor his pledge?" Doesn't matter who started it when it comes to the pledge being effectively torn up, he had a choice to make. Keep his word as originally given, or no. He kept his word, as a decent man should. (even though I'm not exactly thrilled about him deciding to do it in this case!)