Hardly anybody wants to speak at Trump's convention

[mountaineer]

I will never affiliate myself with the GOP ever again either.

Thankfully, most state Republican organizations aren't as bad as the RNC. I'll be a loyal member and supporter of my state GOP. Considering how important elections are at the local and state levels, let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater.

Aside: What a strange expression!

[geronl]

Night 2 of the GOP convention is dominated by Kitty Ping-Pong...

[RetBobbyMI]

Thankfully, most state Republican organizations aren't as bad as the RNC. I'll be a loyal member and supporter of my state GOP. Considering how important elections are at the local and state levels, let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater.

Aside: What a strange expression!

Don't look now, but the RNC is made up of State GOP insiders. So the RNC is a direct reflection of State GOP desires.

[Henry Noel]

Please do not insult PeeWee by comparing him to Trump.  Paul Reubens is a stand up guy.

When he's not playing with himself in a public venue.

[RetBobbyMI]

When he's not playing with himself in a public venue.

And Trump isn't?

[Emjay]

“I am not attending,” said South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy, who is overseeing the high-profile congressional Republican investigation into Hillary Clinton’s handling of the attacks on Benghazi. Gowdy, who said he was taking his family to the beach instead, hasn’t gone to conventions in the past and didn’t plan to now.
===================================================================================================

Eat sh__ Gowdy.  You and several other SC polticos decided to go pro-Trump on Super Tuesday.  Your ass is complicit in this mess, so get that same ass to Cleveland to serve your master.

Right, Catfish... A lot of people should have stood up for their principles when it mattered and stopped the Donald when he could have been stopped.

I'm getting the feeling that, while the Stop Trump movement has a lot of momentum, it doesn't have good leadership or plans.  Maybe Gowdy could do some good there.

[Emjay]

No, they're taking the wise advice of George Will - make sure Trump loses, so we can live to fight another day.

2020 will be here soon enough.  But will the GOP be?  The 2016 GOP is Trump's party, and he can have it.  But if enough stay away,  there's hope that the party - and conservatism - can be viable again in four years.   That's all we've got folks - it will have to do.

I agree.  We have the Republican Party.  We've let it slip away to good ole boys who just want to enjoy being Senators, etc. but don't want to stand up for principles or rock any boats.

What we have to do, and could have done with Ted Cruz, is elect more real conservatives to Congress. 

Pie in the sky notions of a third party are just that.  The Republican Party has the organization and it needs to be kept and reformed.

[catfish1957]

I'm getting the feeling that, while the Stop Trump movement has a lot of momentum, it doesn't have good leadership or plans.  Maybe Gowdy could do some good there.

Gowdy's Bengazi investigation has gone on since 2013, and the bitch is still walking.  I have no faith in him at all.

[jmyrlefuller]

Pie in the sky notions of a third party are just that.  The Republican Party has the organization and it needs to be kept and reformed.

Except they have shown they don't have an effective campaign. Otherwise, we wouldn't be in this situation and would be planning President Romney's re-election campaign.

When confronted with evil, the GOP says "I'll clear the way!" It's useless. Its only existence is to have some token resistance to the Democratic machine.

[Emjay]

Except they have shown they don't have an effective campaign. Otherwise, we wouldn't be in this situation and would be planning President Romney's re-election campaign.

When confronted with evil, the GOP says "I'll clear the way!" It's useless. Its only existence is to have some token resistance to the Democratic machine.

That's the sort of thinking that got us Donald Trump.  Yes, the Party has reached bottom but it is still our only hope.  It would take decades to establish some sort of 'Independent Conservative Party' and it could never be done.  Unlike democrats, Republicans have a lot of inner differences. 

The frustration you are feeling led exactly to Donald Trump.  We all need to calm down and realize that rebuilding the Republican Party is our only hope.  It can be done in four years if we don't throw our hands up.

[Henry Noel]

And Trump isn't?

Figuratively speaking, perhaps.

[Cyber Liberty]

Paul Reubens isn't busy.

Maybe he could say a few words.

A few words:  "I'm sorry!  I'm sorry I took the money!"

[geronl]

Matt Lesko will give the invocation for the GOP Convention....

[HonestJohn]

I'm sure Pat Buchanon, David Duke, and the heads of the Idaho militias would be happy to speak for you, Herr Drumpf.

[mystery-ak]

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/hardly-anybody-wants-to-speak-at-trumps-convention-224815

 Hardly anybody wants to speak at Trump's convention

POLITICO reached out to more than 50 prominent Republicans. Few said they plan to attend the convention in Cleveland, let alone speak.

By Alex Isenstadt

06/27/16 05:10 AM EDT

A slot at the Republican National Convention used to be a career-maker — a chance to make your name on the big stage and to catch the eye of the Republican donors and activists who make or break campaigns.

In the year of Trump: Not so much.

With the convention less than a month away, POLITICO contacted more than 50 prominent governors, senators and House members to gauge their interest in speaking. Only a few said they were open to it, and everyone else said they weren’t planning on it, didn’t want to or weren’t going to Cleveland at all — or simply didn’t respond.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/hardly-anybody-wants-to-speak-at-trumps-convention-224815#ixzz4Col67IxX

[ABX]

That it's being called 'Trump's Convention' says a lot on why many don't want to associate with it. It isn't 'his' convention, it is the Republican National Convention and it is more than about nominating a candidate. Trump going around threatening people about speaking slots for not supporting him as if this convention is his property is turning a lot of people off from being associated with it. He puts the bully in bully pulpit.

[NavyCanDo]

This just in.

Eastwood's empty chair is in talks with the convention committe, though Eastwood himself will be a no show.

[HonestJohn]

This just in.

Eastwood's empty chair is in talks with the convention committe, though Eastwood himself will be a no show.

BREAKING NEWS: Eastwood's empty chair is quoted as saying, "I'd rather be broken apart and burnt as kindling than go to that sleazy nutbag's convention!!!"

[Lisbon1939]

How does a congressional junket to Israel benefit the state?

She might see a tabernacle.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan. - John F. Kennedy

[Formerly Once-Ler]

All that's left now to speak for Trump are Christie, Sessions and the three Trump kids.   

Take that, Trumpsters!

Pat Buchanan,  Ben Carson, Newt Gingrich,  Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity,  Mike Tyson, maybe Putin.

[LMAO]

It will be very difficult for Trump to win the election with such division in the GOP. There are two types of Republicans that oppose Trump. The Establishment Republicans and Conservatives. The first type should own the mess as they created Trump. Seems it's becoming increasingly clear that Trump's wins in the open primaries were not cross over supporters but a Reverse Operation Chaos.

Even if Trump does well amongst independents, without the totality of the base he loses to Hillary. And no, the disenchanted Bernie backers aren't gonna do it.

Too many of his supporters have created an alternative universe when it comes to Trump that may end up crashing on them in Nov

[LMAO]

No, they're taking the wise advice of George Will - make sure Trump loses, so we can live to fight another day.

2020 will be here soon enough.  But will the GOP be?  The 2016 GOP is Trump's party, and he can have it.  But if enough stay away,  there's hope that the party - and conservatism - can be viable again in four years.   That's all we've got folks - it will have to do.

There will be obstacles and major downsides to this strategy but, at some point, the problems we face will be too great to hide. No accounting tricks or slanted news coverage or political speak will be enough to hide them. This isn't the end of the fight but the seeds of a beginning. A majority in every poll regard expanding government as the biggest problem facing us.

When that day comes, conservatism will be there with real solutions. It will be because there will be no other viable and credible alternative. It's starting in Europe.

[goatprairie]

All George did was leave the party. Not his circus, not his monkey. I will never affiliate myself with the GOP ever again either.

Things are not looking good for Trump. He appears to be behind in every poll and losing by double digits in a few. And that's with national events basically going in his favor. And an awful candidate like Hillary.
It appears the Republican Party is irrevocably split. If the patrons of TOS are any example, they hate conservative Pubbies as well as old style moderates. Cruz is universally reviled on FR. I can't think of one other big name Pubbie  they like. I would assume there are millions of Pubbies like them who have eschewed conservatism for Trumpism.
So how is it going to be possible to for the new populist/nationalist-minded Pubbies to reconcile with conservative Pubbies? I just can't see it happening.
Trump screwed the future of the Republican Party as a conservative vehicle but good. What comes next, I don't know.

[DB]

All that's left now to speak for Trump are Christie, Sessions and the three Trump kids.   

Take that, Trumpsters!

You forgot Palin...