@240B
This is what I don't understand, and maybe you can explain it to me.
After the convention, Trump supporters were crowing that #NeverTrump was dead, irrelevant. You all said that we were a small number and shrinking daily.
What changed?
If we're not that many, and if we couldn't even manage to get Cruz or Rubio to the nomination, how in the world can we keep Trump from the White House?
Finally. A normal level-headed question/response.
#NeverTrump as established by the GOPe was severely damaged by the Trump nomination. I doubt there are many people who would debate this.
However, the Hillary campaign seeing this smoldering volcano of self righteous indignation, jumped right in to fill the gap. And now, whether they know it or not, many of the original NeverTrumps, who started with the goal of denying Trump the nomination, are acting as a part of the Hillary campaign.
NeverTrump, having failed at what they were formed to do, have been sucked into the Hillary campaign and are now working for her, in that they are working against Trump and for nobody at all. This obsessive campaigning against Trump can only, only, only result in bolstering the Hillary candidacy. Those who claim not to see this, are being dishonest with themselves and with us. IMO
As you have indicated, the NeverTrump 'movement' as it was at the outset (Kristol, et al) is more or less defunct, and will have little influence on the outcome. However, the NeverTrump diehards who have been conscripted into the Hillary campaign, may have a disproportional amount of influence by giving the apolitical masses the impression that not only the GOPe elites hate Trump (and they hate Cruz as well, btw), but that everyone hates Trump, including the very Republicans who nominated him. Which is what they want to do.
If the NeverTrump movement were what they say they are, they would have little influence. However, now that they have morphed over into a campaigning arm for the Clinton Presidency, now they, combined with the media and everything else, could leverage the outcome by a few percentage points. And that, would be enough to make President Hillary a reality.
I don't particularly care what they do. Everyone has their own perspective and interests. It is the dishonesty of the maneuver that irks me.
It is a pleasure to discuss this with you, CatherineofArago. I hope we will have an opportunity to speak again soon.