GCGOP chair Al Bouldin is taking Donald Trump seriously as a presidential candidate:
He is very straightforward & assured Shawn [Hannity] that he knew the best & brightest negotiators on the planet & he would use them to make smart deals with foreign countries so that we don't have multi-billion dollar trade deficits with every major country on the planet.
Yeah, that'll work.
Al -- and Tony Wilkins, and Jon Hardister, and the rest of the nice people who liked Al's FB post -- you're watching a television show, not a campaign.
Being serious about Donald Trump's seriousness as a contender is like choosing a bad haircut back in the '80s -- people are going to laugh when they look back on it.
Another example of Trump stupidity -- the major outcomes of international trade are not going to be affected by someone's ability to "deal". Demand and foreign exchange rule the day, not bravado. Plus, what leverage in negotiation does the US actually have resulting from its heavy reliance upon cheap foreign goods?
Trump has lived in the world of real estate for a bit too long and needs a primer on international economics. But hey, at least he publicly admits his ignorance by stating he would get others to handle the complicated stuff.
He won't run because he can't win. And he knows it. He'll hype it for as long as he can get mileage out of it, and in the end the majority of us will laugh it off -- while the Tea Partiers curse his betrayal.
Posted by: MojoNixon | Apr 08, 2011 at 01:58 PM
Ah oh, got outed for "liking". But...but...I liked it when he fired Dionne Warwick.
Posted by: Tony Wilkins | Apr 08, 2011 at 02:09 PM
Trump isn't a Christian, Bible-thumping hack job. No chance he'd get the nod even if he decided to run.
Posted by: A. C. | Apr 08, 2011 at 02:29 PM
You are right, Ed. It's just a show. He jumped hard on the "birther" thing when he saw the press it got him. Just a carney doing what he does.
Posted by: Thomas | Apr 08, 2011 at 02:56 PM
Even assuming a possible Trump campaign were more like
and questioning its seriousness:...a Donald Trump campaign could never reach the disconnect with reality that was the Obama campaign
Posted by: polifrog | Apr 08, 2011 at 03:06 PM
polifrog, you've officially jumped the lilly pad.
Posted by: sean coon | Apr 08, 2011 at 03:38 PM
Yeah, except for the part where Obama actually declared, ran, and won.
Posted by: Ed Cone | Apr 08, 2011 at 03:38 PM
"...a Donald Trump campaign could never reach the disconnect with reality that was the Obama campaign."
Contrary to what is expressed above, Obama specifically won because of the disconnect with reality his campaign was known for displayng.
It's doubtful that those who were fooled by him in '08 will remain fooled in '12.
Posted by: bubba | Apr 08, 2011 at 04:22 PM
You keep dreaming, Sideshow Bubs. You've got no one plausible to run against him. Romney is in the lead for the Republicans, and if you thought Sherman made Georgia howl, wait until the southern evangelicals realize that a Mormon might be considered by the rest of the party as the best alternative to Obama. You are looking at a two-term president, whether you like it or not.
Posted by: MojoNixon | Apr 08, 2011 at 04:28 PM
Are you suggesting that all campaigns are the stuff of fantasy because they haven't been run or .... won? Requiring a win before bestowing legitimacy on a candidate is an odd disconnect in itself.
However, the fact that Obama won gives us a reality by which to measure the fantasy that was his campaign. The list of disconnect runs from holding to none of his unicorn foreign diplomacy promises to failing to stop oceanic flooding in Japan. Only in the world of politics does one make promises so extreme. However, only among Obama's rapturous supporters were his fantasies believed and apparently they still are.
It was campaigns that was being discussed... right?
Posted by: polifrog | Apr 08, 2011 at 04:34 PM
"Are you suggesting that all campaigns are the stuff of fantasy because they haven't been run...?"
I'm not suggesting that, because I don't even know what it means in English.
It is true that campaigns that don't exist, don't exist.
Trump has been pretending he's going to run for decades. Until he actually declares, his showboating is not a real campaign.
If he actually does declare this time, he won't get far, but at least it would be something fresh in this very tired show.
Posted by: Ed Cone | Apr 08, 2011 at 04:53 PM
Good point, however the vast majority of those who supported him in '08 will do do again in '12 either due to limitless fantasy or due to a lack of choice.
Limitless fantasy.
Posted by: polifrog | Apr 08, 2011 at 04:56 PM
Why do I have to register to see what the Chairman of the county GOP is writing to the web?
Posted by: Roch101 | Apr 08, 2011 at 05:54 PM
Roch, do you not have a Facebook account?
Not so much a response to your question about Al's page, just curious about your use of social media.
Posted by: Ed Cone | Apr 08, 2011 at 05:58 PM
Yes, I have a facebook account. Now, back to my question? Why must I identify myself to Facebook before reading something that I would assume Al Bouldin (and, previously, Jordan Green) would want to be as widely accessible as possible?
Posted by: Roch101 | Apr 08, 2011 at 06:10 PM
"Yes, I have a facebook account. Now, back to my question? Why must I identify myself to Facebook before reading something that I would assume Al Bouldin (and, previously, Jordan Green) would want to be as widely accessible as possible?"
Exactly!
Posted by: Billy Jones | Apr 08, 2011 at 06:15 PM
Requiring one to register makes it more difficult to flame people and call them a "dumbass", etc. while maintaining anonymity. In that context, Roch's frustration is more easily understood.
Posted by: Mike C. | Apr 08, 2011 at 07:19 PM
Ed, don't you think it is a little odd for you to call out people for "liking" something on Facebook? Kind of a stretch, isn't it?
Posted by: Mike C. | Apr 08, 2011 at 07:23 PM
Man I bet that Theresa Yon chick is glad she is not chairman & will not be the target of these slings & arrows....
Posted by: Axelskater | Apr 08, 2011 at 07:33 PM
Mike C., there might be "likes" worth "calling people out" for, but this occasion falls somewhat short of such machismo.
It's more making friendly fun of folks who need to keep their hands on their wallets at the carnival. Jon even wrote a dewy eyed blog post saying, "If Donald Trump decides to throw his hat in the ring, he could be a serious contender."
Friends don't let friends buy magic beans.
Posted by: Ed Cone | Apr 08, 2011 at 07:59 PM
But surely you must realize by now Ed politics & humor don't go together for some people
Posted by: Axelskater | Apr 08, 2011 at 09:02 PM
It's interesting that so often when a potential candidate seems to lack the smarts for the job, someone inevitably steps forward to tell us that he or she will pick expert advisors and whatnot.
This, of course, begs the question.
See Bush II.
Posted by: JustCorbly | Apr 09, 2011 at 07:15 PM
See Bush II.................or Obama I
Posted by: John | Apr 10, 2011 at 09:33 AM