Republican gubernatorial primary candidate Phil Scott is helping Hillary Clinton run for President. It must be true: Newt Gingrich thinks so.
Gingrich : “You’re either for Hillary Clinton or you’re for Donald Trump.
If you’re not for Donald Trump, you are functionally helping Hillary Clinton. I think it’s just that straightforward.”
He can still frame an issue with the best of them, but it seems Gingrich lifted this concept from the Bush era war on terror refrain: you are either with us or against us.
Scott’s declared presidential choice, former Governor Jim Douglas, could prove problematic for those who agree with Gingrich. Bruce Lisman, Scott’s primary opponent, hasn’t jumped on the imaginary Douglas-for-president bandwagon, and significantly, he hasn’t ruled out supporting Trump.
Gingrich’s framing also leaves most of elected VTGOP leadership (who endorsed loser Marco Rubio) at odds with local Trump supporters — the biggest block of VT Republican primary voters.
Considering the GOP’s state of disarray it isn’t exactly farfetched that Vermont’s Trump Republicans may start snarling at Phil Scott’s ploy. After all it isn’t much more than a marginally clever dodge to avoid dealing with his party’s presumptive presidential nominee.
The big elephant in the room, at the end of May when the VTGOP convenes to choose delegates, will be Trump. Rightwing Republican star John “Tig” Tiegen will be the VTGOP’s featured guest. He is one of the “Heros”of Benghazi (depicted in the movie 13 Hours), a conservative rock star of sorts and an avid Trump supporter.
When he endorsed Trump for President, in February Tiegen said: “Americans want a strong leader, one who cares more about the safety and freedom of the American people than he does winning elections, or what the press might think.”
In the face of Republican cries for a strong leader, it may prove a delicate task for Scott to hide behind his Jim-Douglas-for-president ploy. And even more so when, as the general election heats up, like it or not, he will have to run the race for governor under the Trump flag.
But for now let’s adjust Gingrich’s remark specifically for Phil Scott: If you’re for Jim Douglas, you are functionally helping Hillary Clinton. I think it’s just that straightforward.
Newt Gingrich, that aptly named opportunist is trying to regenerate his own career
by smarming up to Donald Trump. He’s only too happy to be Trump’s toady if he can once again claim some kind of relevance, following the humiliation of his own ethics investigation.
Enforcing mindless absolutes like tax pledges, Obama resistance and “if you ain’t for us you’re agin’ us” is exactly what brought Republicans so low that they were easy pickings for Donald Trump.
OMG-brilliant move LG Scott-mwa! Thanks for not descending into the pit of political perdition-must say I was worried.
Not that I agree buuut shrewd political maneuver & hopefully signaling a hearty welcome to all lefties unlike tone-deaf dummy Lisman, still poll-testing all decisions. Come on! Doesn’t know whether to support Trump – even party faithful will not utter the profanity of his name but the terse gun-to-the-head announcement ‘will support’ the “nominee”.
Like the dictators of yore he’s the kind of person one knows instantly or shortly thereafter whether to support — either ya love him or hate him — not a person that needs deep thought or intellectual activity, mulling or musing.
*admins if this post twice pls delete one
Hahahaha-good one. Thanks for the several hours of bliss. So convincing-would be a wonderful salesman. Didn’t read it carefully but can see a moderate like Scott
choosing HRC & would be a brilliant tactical move. However I personally believe choosing Hellary or Bernie only option if he wants to be *guaranteed* to win. Trump is
like Palin-completely polarizing poison – even for the Tea Party.
http://www.salon.com/2016/05/16/donald_trump_is_apparently_considering_sarah_palin_for_vp_and_its_even_scarier_than_you_think/
Actually relatively small following – only appears large but in fact a landslide majority of right, Indies, Libertarians *dislike* them & are opposed to both even when
leaving out the left my guess is at least 80%.
Did not understand the ‘why’ of how Trump could hurt local or down-ballot candidates after reading your post I do. Hurts those who *support* Trump but here is the rub.
Since the party has caved, many within are trying to force a lockstep march.
http://theresurgent.com/republican-delegates-do-not-have-to-go-through-with-their-suicide-pact/
They know that it will affect own elections & want fellow Rs to share their fate and demanding unity when there is none & loyalty when it’s they who have sold their
souls.
http://link.nationalreview.com/view/56ffad3e11890dc9678b55003zzps.78s2/c2a876eb
Can only describe Priebus making rounds Sunday as pathetic. Didn’t have much of an opinion about him but do now. Trump is making a fool of all of them.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/reince-priebus-fool/2016/05/16/decae58a-1b88-11e6-9c81-4be1c14fb8c8_story.html
Fiercest opposition to Trump is coming from the right.
http://www.redstate.com/leon_h_wolf/2016/05/03/nevertrump-means-never-trump.-never-ever
Left is gloating or doesn’t care. Also believe many Dems in open primaries voted Trump and were choosing the HRC opponent aka ‘tactical voting as he did not do as well
in closed voting. Republican party coalescing around Trump even though he is not one & never has been.
Clintons are well aware of how unpopular HRC is and sex-predator accomplice Bill. Dislike is near universal for everyone who has had dealings with them as employees or
service providers.
http://freebeacon.com/politics/hillary-clintons-hefty-list-of-demands-could-spell-trouble-for-her-potential-2016-run/
They surely know and couldn’t care less, have zero concern for us, just want to run the show controlling the levers. Interestingly are friends of Trump & he is a
contributer.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/opinion/sunday/hillary-is-not-sorry.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Fmaureen-dowd&action=click&contentCollection=opinion®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=4&pgtype=collection
http://www.salon.com/2016/05/14/this_is_one_weak_nominee_hillary_clintons_problem_isnt_bernie_sanders_its_hillary_clinton/
If Scott forswears Trump he has plenty of company. There is a very active resistance movement and a coup-like plan for Cleveland:
http://www.newyorker.com/news/benjamin-wallace-wells/never-trump-and-the-rise-of-a-new-republican-respectability-politics
Public figures with anti-trump–sentiment also includes other parties:
http://nevertrump.org/