BREAKING: Kristol Eyes Conservative Lawyer David French for Independent Presidential Run

[libertybele]

The way the Trumpsters have their panty hose in a bunch over French, I think they are a tad concerned that the Orange Jello Brain may have a huge problem now on his small hands.   

[MBB1984]

French is a complete unknown to the vast majority of voters.  He has never held elective office and hasn't managed any sizeable business other than the National Review which has been relegated to obscurity with fewer and fewer subscribers.   I am thrilled that this is Kristol's candidate as he will not even obtain one percent of the vote.  The Libertarian and Constitutional Parties will do better. 

The neocon establishment  must really be desperate and pathetic if French is the best they can muster.   

[Jazzhead]

French is a complete unknown to the vast majority of voters.     

He won't be a "complete unknown" for long if, say,  Romney, Cruz and Kasich urge their supporters to back him.   I hope David French has the courage to run.   His writings say to me he's the real deal.   

[sinkspur]

French is a complete unknown to the vast majority of voters.  He has never held elective office and hasn't managed any sizeable business other than the National Review which has been relegated to obscurity with fewer and fewer subscribers.   I am thrilled that this is Kristol's candidate as he will not even obtain one percent of the vote.  The Libertarian and Constitutional Parties will do better. 

The neocon establishment  must really be desperate and pathetic if French is the best they can muster.   

While David French was busy trying to make it home to his family alive, Trump was trying to make the Playboy cover.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

French is a complete unknown to the vast majority of voters.

Trump is a complete jackass to the vast majority of voters. Hillary is a complete corrupt criminal to the vast majority of the voters.

See how that works?

[catfish1957]

French is a complete unknown to the vast majority of voters.
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I'll take an unknown over a mentally ill megalomaniac, and a criminal socialist bitch any day.

[Right_in_Virginia]

I think you know what I mean.....

No, I do not, @WAC   Please explain what rules have changed.   Thanks.

[Mod1]

Trump supporters are as vile and crude as one could imagine.

Please refrain from the insults.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Your statements would hold some degree of water were this election standard rules of operation....it isn't.... nor does it look like the general will be either. Certainly stranger things have happened throughout  such as the last man standing of our candidates was the least fit for the office............but here we are with many seriously looking for another option other than Trump or Hillary.....especially since Hilary isn't an option.

The problem is that while there are indeed "many" looking for an option other than Trump, there are still a whole lot of people very excited about Trump (that's why he won the primary), and another group willing to support him as a superior alternative to Hillary.  So what French would have to do is cobble together a plurality in some state of "Never Trump".  Are there any polls showing a state in which "NeverTrump" is the #1 choice?

Utah is the one state that is offered as the most likely, but how likely is it, really?  All the Trump voter come right off the top, as well as Hillary's.  Is a plurality of that state truly "NeverTrump"?  I'd be really surprised.  But if it is...what then?  Utah isn't Democrat state anyway, so that doesn't hurt Hillary.  And it's only got a 6 electoral votes, so you'd have to concoct quite the scenario where it would be determinative.

Otherwise, in every other state, French's only effect is to reduce Trump's vote, and make a Hillary win more likely.  That's how most voters would see it come election day, so at the end, all you're going to get are the NeverTrumpers who would have stayed home anyway.  Staying home or voting for the guy who comes in third everywhere...what's the difference?

He's certainly entitled to run, and he'll give folks who can't stand voting for either of the other candidates an option to cast a vote, even if it amounts only to a protest.

Anyway,I'd rate the most likely effect of French running as:

 1) No effect,

2) determining factor in a Hillary win, or

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8,467, 372) French wins.

[roamer_1]

The objective is for French to win at least one state, which I think would be Utah, thereby keeping Trump/Hillary from getting enough electoral votes.  That sends the election to the House of Representatives and any Republican they would put in office would be better than mentally disturbed Trump or Hillary.

If French runs, I am voting for him.

I think that such a candidate (fully vetted of course) will do much better then one state. The Rockies will vote for this guy, hands down.

Hang the Pro-life and RKBA mantles on this guy (NRTL and GOA endorsements), fire up the Christian Right, whose networks are second only to the MSM... He could be a player. And I think a true Conservative in a fight with two liberals will win the plurality.

That he is a writer should mean that he has a voluminous record to judge him by, and should readily expose his heart and mind.

Just on the markers, I am a whole lot more interested in a Southern boy from rural(=redneck) Tennessee, with stout Christian credentials, heroic military credentials, terrific Constitutional credentials, and just a hint of libertarian bend - This guy is old-skool 3-legged stool Conservative red meat. The only thing missing in his life and practice is fiscal conservatism (which may be made apparent else-wise)

[Wingnut]

Has The TrumpTweeted a witty comment yet about Mr. French?

Anything from the twit of twitter yet?  Bueller....Bueller......   

[Norm Lenhart]

Please refrain from the insults.

Not sure how thats an insult considering FR exists and this site has more than a few people claiming that to oppose trump is to support Clinton.

Looks pretty damn vile to me.

[Mesaclone]

I think that such a candidate (fully vetted of course) will do much better then one state. The Rockies will vote for this guy, hands down.

Hang the Pro-life and RKBA mantles on this guy (NRTL and GOA endorsements), fire up the Christian Right, whose networks are second only to the MSM... He could be a player. And I think a true Conservative in a fight with two liberals will win the plurality.

That he is a writer should mean that he has a voluminous record to judge him by, and should readily expose his heart and mind.

Just on the markers, I am a whole lot more interested in a Southern boy from rural(=redneck) Tennessee, with stout Christian credentials, heroic military credentials, terrific Constitutional credentials, and just a hint of libertarian bend - This guy is old-skool 3-legged stool Conservative red meat. The only thing missing in his life and practice is fiscal conservatism (which may be made apparent else-wise)

This is just plain delusional. I'm sure he is a good guy...but he's never going to shake the "Kristol's Puppet" stigma and he can't even get on the ballot in a lot of places. He won't make it into any debates, and he has no name recognition with which to kickstart anything. Honestly, as a pro-Trump guy I was concerned Kristol might come up with someone who had enough of a name to at least steal 3-5% of the vote and hand things to Hillary...but this fellow has no chance of doing that. I am actually shocked that this was all the NeverTrump movement could come up with...its kind of embarrassing. It demonstrates just how out in left field Kristol and Romney now are.

There's some new analysis out today from the folks at 538.com showing that Trump's GOP support is now at "normal" levels for any GOP nominee...so there is no strong movement for something else to swoop in. You've got a small group of angry ex-Cruz people...smattered with some country club Bush-Romney types....who are looking to hand this election to Hillary to make a point. Its really nothing more than that at this point.

[240B]

Yes, I am sure Fresh? Freash? (what was his name again?) will do very well against Trump. I also believe that MySpace will topple FaceBook someday, and that AOL will make a surprise comeback as the premiere internet provider in America.


This has to be some kind of a joke that we are all not in on.

[truth_seeker]

The probability of Cruz or Kasich getting significant vote totals is far, far greater than a previously unheard of person.

BTW Johnson got 0.99% in 2012 just to put things in perspective.

Obama 51%
Romney 47%

In 2000 Buchanan got 0.50% for more perspective

[jmyrlefuller]

The probability of Cruz or Kasich getting significant vote totals is far, far greater than a previously unheard of person.

BTW Johnson got 0.99% in 2012 just to put things in perspective.

Obama 51%
Romney 47%

In 2000 Buchanan got 0.50% for more perspective

And that was with the entire GOP backing Romney with its full faith.

Now, with NeverTrump still very much a thing, the potential to pick off votes is much greater.

[roamer_1]

This is just plain delusional. I'm sure he is a good guy...but he's never going to shake the "Kristol's Puppet" stigma and he can't even get on the ballot in a lot of places.

Guess what? I don't care. If he is what he looks to be, he'll have my vote.

He won't make it into any debates, and he has no name recognition with which to kickstart anything.

Probably true - but not a given... The Christian Right got behind Huckabee a few years back, hauled him out of the cheap seats, and kept him lofted well through the primary, all by themselves... If they want to, they can certainly do it again.

[...] who are looking to hand this election to Hillary to make a point. Its really nothing more than that at this point.

No, those who have handed this election to Clinton are the backers of Orange Inglorious. Time after time, election after election, Conservatives will not vote for liberals. One would think y'all would get the message.

[Mesaclone]

Guess what? I don't care. If he is what he looks to be, he'll have my vote. Never thought you wouldn't do so...and honestly don't care if you do.

Probably true - but not a given... The Christian Right got behind Huckabee a few years back, hauled him out of the cheap seats, and kept him lofted well through the primary, all by themselves... If they want to, they can certainly do it again.The Christian right and the party are supporting Trump, so not sure where you're going with this one. In fact, Trump is now at levels of GOP support similar to where Romney was in 2012.

No, those who have handed this election to Clinton are the backers of Orange Inglorious. Time after time, election after election, Conservatives will not vote for liberals. One would think y'all would get the message.Everyone has gotten the message, there's a few on the far right who will only vote for an extreme right candidate. Its pretty much an axiom...you guys prefer to let Hillary win then have less than pure conservative. Smart.

[verga]

That he is a writer should mean that he has a voluminous record to judge him by, and should readily expose his heart and mind.

I hope it also means that he can not only conceive an articulate thought, but also convey it in a reasonable manner using words with more than two syllables.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Time after time, election after election, Conservatives will not vote for liberals. One would think y'all would get the message.

Who is the "y'all" here?  Because i suspect the folks who pushed for McCain in 2008 and Romney in 2012 are not, generally, the same who pushed for Trump in 2016.

There is no collective GOP mindset or hivemind to "get a message" regarding nominees.  It's ordinary voters who really determine each nominee in each electiin, independently of the last.   They don't carry collective guilt/memory forward to future elections.

In other words, if you're waiting for some message to be understood regarding nominees, it's not going to happen.

[geronl]

he's never going to shake the "Kristol's Puppet" stigma

There is no such stigma, Kristol is not important enough or powerful enough for anyone to think he's scary.

[Mesaclone]

There is no such stigma, Kristol is not important enough or powerful enough for anyone to think he's scary.

You are right about Kristol, which is what makes the whole puppet thing so embarrassing.

[Norm Lenhart]

Who is the "y'all" here?  Because i suspect the folks who pushed for McCain in 2008 and Romney in 2012 are not, generally, the same who pushed for Trump in 2016.

There is no collective GOP mindset or hivemind to "get a message" regarding nominees.  It's ordinary voters who really determineeach nominee, and they don't carry collectove guilt/memory forward to future elections.

In other words, if you're waiting for some message to be understood regarding nominees, it's not going to happen.

In my time at FR I did not find a single fanatical Trump supporter that had not also screamed for Mitt Romney. When it was time to stand up for principle and FOR America, they stood down.

But you are absolutely right. No message will be received or for that matter, understood, because these people W A N T a liberal in charge of America. They lack the guts to simply vote Democrat openly, so election after election, they sabotage every conservative running and get liberals with an R to the general.

And looking back at the actual history of this country, I see that exact scenario play out one election after another. So it's pretty apparent that liberalism is all these people want and all they will accept. They have PROVEN they don't want to hear about conservatives.

[RoosGirl]

They are ripping this guy to shreds at FR because he was a Romney supporter, he and his wife worked for the campaign.  Irony much?

[Mesaclone]

In my time at FR I did not find a single fanatical Trump supporter that had not also screamed for Mitt Romney. When it was time to stand up for principle and FOR America, they stood down.

But you are absolutely right. No message will be received or for that matter, understood, because these people W A N T a liberal in charge of America. They lack the guts to simply vote Democrat openly, so election after election, they sabotage every conservative running and get liberals with an R to the general.

And looking back at the actual history of this country, I see that exact scenario play out one election after another. So it's pretty apparent that liberalism is all these people want and all they will accept. They have PROVEN they don't want to hear about conservatives.

Is that what you tell yourself? Really.

Now its true that many of us are tired of extreme "social" conservatives...and the whole bible thumping business. But we are as conservative as anyone in the party, in fact we are generally the original Tea Party types before the church types coopted the movement. We want strong defense, small government, strong borders and an end to social welfare programs as we know them. We are not anti-Christian, but we sure as heck don't want to be preached at nor have litmus tests of religion for our candidates. That IS conservatism, and that is the positions Mr. Trump advocates. Its Reagan-esque if anything.