Donald Trump backlash intensifies within GOP ahead of first 2016 debate

[umbertino]

• Mogul leads NBC national poll and hints again at possible third-party run
•  
• Candidates fire broadsides and RNC chair defends debate participation limits

 

 

Dan Roberts in Washington and Martin Pengelly in New York

 

Sunday 2 August 2015 20.24 BST

 

 

 

Amid growing rancour among Republican presidential candidates ahead of their crowded first debate on Thursday, current frontrunner Donald Trump on Sunday threatened to consider running as an independent if he was not “treated fairly” by the party.

 

In remarks that underscored the risks of attacking the maverick real-estate mogul too aggressively, Trump also warned that he would “counterpunch” just as hard if his opponents chose to make the debate in Cleveland personal.

 

Tensions have erupted in recent days, after Kentucky senator Rand Paul attributed Trump’s surprise lead in recent opinion polls to a “

” among Republican primary voters and former Texas governor Rick Perry claimed his impact on the race represented a “cancer” on conservatism.

 

Paul doubled down in an interview on Sunday, telling CNN there needed to be a more serious debate rather than “empty talk”. New Jersey governor Chris Christie also criticised “hyperbole” from other rightwingers such as Ted Cruz, who has accused the White House of sponsoring terrorism, and Mike Huckabee, who said the administration’s nuclear deal with Iran would lead Jewish people to the gas chamber.

 

Yet Christie, who has fallen behind in recent polling, also resorted to threatening metaphors when he added in the same CNN interview that the national teachers’ union deserved to be “punched in the face”.

 

The format of Thursday’s official debate, hosted by Fox News, may do little to tone down the fiery rhetoric, which has become a reliable way to stand out from the crowded field.

 

“The format only allows for one-minute responses and a 30-second rebuttal if we are attacked by name, so probably a lot of us will be sitting there hoping we get attacked by name so we can get a little more time,” said Huckabee in an interview on CBS.

 

Many of the 17 candidates are also angry at a decision to restrict the number of participants in the evening’s TV prime-time debate to 10 by choosing only those with the highest national poll ratings. The former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, who came second in the primaries in 2012, said the cut-off was “arbitrary” and “irrelevant” on Sunday.

 

The latest national poll released by NBC and the Wall Street Journal suggests that some big names will fall outside the cut-off, including Santorum, Ohio governor John Kasich, Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham and former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina, the only woman in the Republican race.

 

Republican party officials have defended the decision to limit participation, pointing out that the chasing pack will get a chance to debate separately before the main event.

 

“All 17 candidates are going to be participating in debate night, and I think that’s a wonderful opportunity,” Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus told NBC.

 

Jim Gilmore disagreed. The former Virginia governor, the 17th and so far final Republican candidate to declare, and a former RNC chair himself, told CNN: “If I’m invited by Fox, then I will probably go to Cleveland to participate to the extent that I’m permitted.

 

“But the fact is that this limitation by the RNC is improper. The RNC should never have put themselves in this kind of position. That’s not their job and not their role.”

 

Privately, many establishment Republicans are hoping the cull – however arbitrary – will help concentrate media attention on a smaller number of candidates in future and reduce the need to court publicity with inflammatory rhetoric that will later be used against the Republican nominee by Democrats in a general election.

 

But Trump, who has been accused by establishment favourite Jeb Bush of sparking the recent coarsening of the Republican debate, defended his approach on Sunday, arguing it was a fitting response to the challenges facing America, from immigration to Islamic extremism.

 

“They say the tone is too tough … [but] we need a tough tone. They are beheading our people. They are beheading Christians,” he told CNN. “The tone has to be tougher if we are going to stop Isis, if we are going to clean up the border and stop what’s happening, which is a disaster.”

 

He also spelled out his previously implied threat to run as a independent candidate, something that worries many who remember the impact of Texas businessman Ross Perot on George HW Bush’s re-election hopes in 1992.

 

“If I am treated fairly by the Republican party – and don’t win – I would have no interest in doing that,” Trump said when asked about running as a third party candidate.

 

“If I am not treated fairly by the Republican party, I very well might consider that and would simply not give that up.”

 

 

Donald Trump addresses the press. Photograph: Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty Images

 

 

 

 

 

RNC chair Reince Priebus defended the decision to allow only 10 of 17 candidates into the main debate. Photograph: Matt Rourke/AP

 

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/02/donald-trump-republican-debate-rnc

 

 

[FlintNPebbles]

Electing an Independent would send a message to the Republican party and the Democratic party that we are tired of the status quo and the politics as usual.  There needs to be a change in DC.

[Rockymtnhi]

Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Jeb Bush  are the typical status quo politicians that need to be whipped by Trump.  He should have no problem.  The Dems are so worried about Clinton and her massive missdeeds they are actively looking for other candidates to run.  Both sides refuse to act and only talk.  Trump, given the chance, will act decisively and pull this country out of the depths BO has shoveled us into.  These gas bags are scared to death because they now see how positively the public is reacting to Trump. 

[SnowGlobe7]

Why would he consider running Independent...he is leading in the Republican polls!!!!

[MyLadiesDaddy]

Why would he consider running Independent...he is leading in the Republican polls!!!!

I'm afraid that it's possible he never intended to get the Repug

nomination. Only to split the entire vote three ways.

[SnowGlobe7]

I think he knows better....i HOPE he know better.

 

Like it or not this country is in financial chaos! Be has built many business ip from the ground and back to thriving after bankruptcy...like it or not guys we are IN BANKRUPTCY!!! 

 

We have to totally revamp every trade alliance with every country we do business with. Donald is full of himself and I think we need someone that is willing to walk away from the table if it is not a win for the Country. I think he will do that.

[millionaire in training]

I agree with you Snow. He's got what it takes to do business with the world on our behalf.

[divemaster5734]

Why would he consider running Independent...he is leading in the Republican polls!!!!

 

I'm afraid that it's possible he never intended to get the Repug

nomination. Only to split the entire vote three ways.

 

I think he knows better....i HOPE he know better.

 

Like it or not this country is in financial chaos! Be has built many business ip from the ground and back to thriving after bankruptcy...like it or not guys we are IN BANKRUPTCY!!! 

 

We have to totally revamp every trade alliance with every country we do business with. Donald is full of himself and I think we need someone that is willing to walk away from the table if it is not a win for the Country. I think he will do that.

 

I agree with you Snow. He's got what it takes to do business with the world on our behalf.

 

 

I think it's far too early to dwell on what if's that are a year away.

He needs to go head first no holds full steam, he has to demonstrate sufficient passion, knowledge, skill, and ability to convince everyone of his claims.

If he has a commanding lead come nomination time, I don't think the gop will have any choice.

The candidate is chosen by state delegates in a caucus at the convention.

Unless the gop is able to pull off the last minute deception they did with the Ron Paul delegates, Trump may well easily take it.

Understand, his appeal isn't just gop, its across the spectrum.

 

I wouldn't spend any time worrying about what Trump will do next year.

Here and now is the time to act.

We are in a battle for America, and we are fighting the establishment.

And I wouldn't worry too much about the electoral's, I know a couple, and they would vote Trump just to piss off the other politicians.

[Sentinel7]

How is it that people cannot see the simple truth why Trump will not rule out a third party run.

I watch the news no one seems to be able to figure it out.

Same question keeps popping up on the street and comes out of pundit’s mouths.

People are so worried about splitting the vote they can’t the obvious.

Here are two scenarios that may help you out.

 

I am partial to #2

 

1. If you knew you had the solution to a problem that would save your child’s life but you had to get other people to do it for you.

These people agree to listen but want you to promise that if they don’t like it you will support their plan, which is to do nothing and not find any one else to implant your solution.

 

What would you do in that situation?

 

      2.   Simple survival tactic Trump knows that the GOP rino establishment does not                  

want Trump any where near the Presidency.

If Trump promises to support the GOP nominee and not run third party

The RINO’S have a way to dump him regardless of what we the people want

This way the GOP has to let the process play out if they get involved and cheat to get him removed he splits the vote and the GOP loses anyway.

Simple smart tactics.

 

If Trump gets elected it will be by We The People.

Trump will owe no one but We The People he will not owe ether party he will not owe any companies, unions, lobbyist or special interest groups.

We actually have the potential to have a President that is for America and not a party hack.

            

           The debate coming up should be able to tell us if Trump can lay out a plan to make America great again or if he is nothing more then a loud abusive                    Standard New York-er

 

 

                                                                    No Surrender No Retreat and No Compromise 

[bigwave]

Currently Trump does not have to consider running anything but Republican...

 

Polling Data Poll Date Trump Walker Bush Carson Cruz Huckabee Rubio Paul Kasich Christie Perry Jindal Santorum Fiorina Graham

 

Spread RCP Average 7/13 – 7/30 20.8 13.3 12.5 6.2 6.0 6.0 6.0 5.8 3.5 3.0 2.5 1.5 1.5 0.7 0.5 Trump +7.5

 

NBC/WSJ 7/26 – 7/30 19 15 14 10 9 6 5 6 3 3 3 1 1 0 0 Trump +4

 

Quinnipiac 7/23 – 7/28 20 13 10 6 5 6 6 6 5 3 2 2 1 1 1 Trump +7

 

Rasmussen 7/26 – 7/27 26 14 10 5 7 7 5 3 5 2 2 2 2 1 1 Trump +12

 

CNN/ORC 7/22 – 7/25 18 10 15 4 7 5 6 6 4 4 3 2 2 1 1 Trump +3

 

ABC/Wash Post 7/16 – 7/19 24 13 12 6 4 8 7 6 2 3 4 2 1 0 0 Trump +11

 

FOX News 7/13 – 7/15 18 15 14 6 4 4 7 8 2 3 1 0 2 1 0 Trump +3

 

All 2016 Republican Presidential Nomination Polling Data

 

RCP POLL AVERAGE
2016 Republican Presidential Nomination 20.8 Trump +7.5 13.3 Walker 12.5 Bush 6.2 Carson 6.0 Cruz 6.0 Huckabee 6.0 Rubio 5.8 Paul 3.5 Kasich 3.0 Christie 2.5 Perry 1.5 Jindal 1.5

Santorum

 

 

What the above spread sheet reports is that Trump is ahead in every major poll: CNN, ABC, NBC,. FOX, etc...

Edited August 3, 2015 by bigwave