Sit back and enjoy the GOP Civil War!

Posted by | October 11, 2016 23:19 | Filed under: Politics

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The Hill has the 101 on the war within the GOP – and it goes beyond the “Party of Lincoln” old guard vs. Trump’s “Party of George Lincoln Rockwell” faction:

The Republican Party has become consumed with infighting less than a month before Election Day, creating an unprecedented political crisis that has cast party members into despair and ignited fears of a wave election for Democrats.

New polls show Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump trailing Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton badly in the race for the White House.

Republicans fear that if their nominee completely melts down, the reverberations could doom their majorities in Congress.
GOP candidates in battleground states have already begun running their campaigns separate from Trump and are urging voters to ensure there are Republicans around to act as a check on Clinton’s power in the White House. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Monday told his caucus that he’s done defending Trump and has instructed members to do whatever they need to win reelection.

Ryan’s actions have angered Trump’s supporters on Capitol Hill, and the Speaker is under fire from his own conference and some Republican National Committee (RNC) members for effectively abandoning the nominee.

And Trump, who has suffered a wave of high-profile Republican defections after a video was released of him making obscene sexual remarks, is furious over the GOP skittishness.

Donald Trump lobbed several taunt-laden strategic volleys at the GOP early today on Twitter:

Trump’s allies in right wing media joined in the attacks on the GOP elite, most notably Paul Ryan:

• Joe Scarborough: The “Weasels That Have Slipped Away” From Trump “In The Republican Party Will Come Right Back” If Trump’s Polling Improves. …
• Sean Hannity: “This Republican Party Of Weak, Feckless, Timid, Spineless Republicans Is Dead.” …
• Laura Ingraham: The “Kelly Ayottes, The Paul Ryans” In The GOP Are “Blowing Up The Republican Party,” Not Trump. …
• Rush Limbaugh: “What Good” Is The Republican Party “If It Can’t Even Unify Around The Concept Of Winning?” …
• Mike Huckabee: “Bed-Wetting, Hand-Wringing Republicans” Are More Afraid Of A Trump Win Than A Loss. …

And with less than a month until Election Day, Democrats are not stopping to smell the schadenfreude:

Democrats are moving swiftly to exploit Mr. Trump’s crumbling position in the presidential race, aiming to run up a big margin of victory for Mrs. Clinton and extend their political advantage into the congressional elections next month.

Mrs. Clinton’s campaign has concluded that at least two traditionally Republican states, Georgia and Arizona, are realistic targets for her campaign to win over. And Republican polling has found that Mr. Trump is at dire risk of losing Georgia, according to people briefed on the polls, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Mrs. Clinton now holds such a strong upper hand that Priorities USA, a “super PAC” backing her campaign, may direct some of its war chest into Senate races, two people said, and may begin broadcasting ads for those contests as soon as next week. Congressional Democrats also hope to persuade Mrs. Clinton to continue pouring money and campaign resources into states like Virginia and Colorado, where they believe her victory is assured, in order to lift other Democratic candidates.

Meanwhile, there is the unmistakable aroma of fresh flop-sweat at RNC headquarters:

The emerging dynamic may be especially toxic for Republicans in swing states that are also home to competitive races for the House and Senate, where the party’s candidates must choose between two unpalatable options: alienating much of their party’s base, or standing behind a nominee who is unacceptable to most mainstream voters. The voting bloc that especially concerns Republican officials are the right-of-center, college-educated voters who usually favor Republican candidates but cannot abide Mr. Trump. These voters can make up anywhere between a quarter to a third of the party’s electoral coalition.

“That voter is clearly not going to vote for Donald Trump,” said Josh Holmes, a Republican strategist who is working on several Senate races. “But if they don’t vote at all, it’s catastrophic for us.”

The nightmare possibility for the party is that swing voters punish the party because of Mr. Trump, the anti-Trump Republicans stay at home and Mr. Trump’s base casts a ballot for him and then leaves the polls. Under those conditions, Senate races in places like Pennsylvania and North Carolina could fall to Democrats, while Senate and House races in places like Missouri, Arizona and Kansas could move to the center of the battlefield.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve already stocked up on popcorn…


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Copyright 2016 Liberaland
By: dave-dr-gonzo

David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.

* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.

48 responses to Sit back and enjoy the GOP Civil War!

  1. Obewon October 11th, 2016 at 23:35

    What a conundrum for the 28% remaining registered repubs today. “The right-of-center, college-educated voters who usually favor Republican candidates but cannot abide Mr. Trump. These voters can make up anywhere between a quarter to a third of the party’s electoral coalition. (Party ID poll average R-28%, I-30%, D-35% http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/party-identification )

    “That voter is clearly not going to vote for Donald Trump,” said Josh Holmes, a Republican strategist who is working on several Senate races. “But if they don’t vote at all, it’s catastrophic for us.”
    At least 12% of repubs are voting for HRC and perhaps a blue Senate.
    BHO44 Approval is now 58%. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8aa85a10e451d0705a11f3ff69b33113267bf6b01a978e4a403e9b7688beb0ba.jpg

  2. jwong318 October 11th, 2016 at 23:51

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/edb7d6b605259e5a359ac83d824821be63178fa512975ea6e51826c9911a945d.jpg

  3. William October 12th, 2016 at 00:31

    “It is so nice that the shackles have been taken off me”
    Yeah….because the Trump campaign has been all about restraint. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/806e12b13a8e124c30055acc7c40e9a66ef18999aebf5cae0214f7cd7e480fc9.jpg

    • Mensa Member October 12th, 2016 at 10:07

      He. He.

      The poop needs orange hair on the tip. I’d photoshop it myself but I’m late for work.

  4. Tommie October 12th, 2016 at 00:31

    People keeping their seats in Congress is more important then standing behind Trump!

    • Larry Schmitt October 12th, 2016 at 05:21

      That’s more important than anything. Including their self-respect.

  5. majii October 12th, 2016 at 00:31

    The GOP went from containing their insane in the asylum to opening the doors, releasing them and encouraging them to take over the joint, and they’re upset that they’re experiencing “unexpected” chaos? Oh, well, this is what short-term thinking and planning brings ya. One good thing in all of this is that Ryan and McConnell and other GOP “leaders” in Congress aren’t on our TV sets spreading their usual lies. Trump has them running scared and afraid to show their faces in public. What a welcome break!!!

  6. William October 12th, 2016 at 01:25

    RELAX everyone!. The Mandarin moron has instructed his Trumpanzees to vote 20 days after the election is over. It’s in the bag.

    https://www.facebook.com/therachelmaddowshow/videos/10153990635859067/

    • Red Mann October 12th, 2016 at 01:57

      The 7/11 attacks, the 12 articles of the Constitution, it just keeps coming.

    • Larry Schmitt October 12th, 2016 at 05:24

      Classic. His “asterick” will go next to Bush’s “nucular.”

      • Jack E Raynbeau October 12th, 2016 at 14:38

        Unless Palin steps in to refudiate it.

    • StoneyCurtisll October 12th, 2016 at 08:38

      I have never seen anyone try so hard to lose an election~!

      • William October 12th, 2016 at 08:50

        Remember that old conspiracy that suggested Bill Clinton had made a deal with Donald to destroy the GOP?

        • StoneyCurtisll October 12th, 2016 at 09:37

          It seems to be working…;)
          Except one thing, the GOP voters choose him and the RNC still backs him up..

    • Obewon October 12th, 2016 at 09:39

      “November 28” is Donnie’s Trump U Fraud trial before U.S. District Judge Curiel!

      • oldfart October 12th, 2016 at 09:47

        Freudian slip, much ? ;)

    • oldfart October 12th, 2016 at 09:46

      Has his campaign issued a clarification yet ?

      • William October 12th, 2016 at 13:14

        Why should they? The Donald is always right. Haven’t you been paying attention? It was likely the result of a bad microphone or the liberal media.

  7. oldfart October 12th, 2016 at 01:29

    GOD WILLS IT !

  8. bpollen October 12th, 2016 at 05:27

    It’s like a WWE cage match, but without any likable characters or clarity.

  9. anothertoothpick October 12th, 2016 at 06:36

    I’ll be watching with my friends..

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d33f88ff9fb949e366dc4b9e2688d9d0fadc0aa09347e1504a8534235411b78e.jpg

    • Larry Schmitt October 12th, 2016 at 12:23

      I miss those guys.

    • bpollen October 13th, 2016 at 03:29

      That was a terrible movie… Plan 9 from Outer Space had competition.

      The boys played the hell out of it on subsequent episodes too…

  10. rat618 October 12th, 2016 at 08:27

    Southerners have never accepted the term “Civil War”, perhaps you should look for another title for what is happening in the GOPTP.

  11. StoneyCurtisll October 12th, 2016 at 08:37

    Just how bad are republicans who still support Donald trump?..
    it’s the bottom of the barrel..
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXdpTSLn2dM

    • eyelashviper October 12th, 2016 at 12:21

      There is no bottom, expect worse today…

  12. Mensa Member October 12th, 2016 at 10:04

    The conservative brain never sees anything coming.

    We liberals saw this implosion of the GOP coming years ago.

    Conservatives live in a world consisting, of Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Sarah Palin, Bill O’Reilly, Michelle Bachmann, Vladmir Putin, The Moral Majority, The Mormon Church, Sheriff Arpaio, James Dobson, Ann Coulter and too many others to list.

    This Coalition or Crazy was doomed to turn on itself.

  13. eyelashviper October 12th, 2016 at 12:26

    Trump campaigning too close to me today, in Ocala Florida. My dog is on guard duty.
    He is appearing at the Southern Livestock Building, and it appears that the hog pens have been filled beyond max capacity, and the squealing of mud covered Gopers is ruining the neighborhood.

  14. William October 12th, 2016 at 13:04

    Breaking news. Donald Trump has suspended his campaign against Bill Clinton, and is now running against Ted Kennedy.

    http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/300286-trump-raises-chappaquiddick-in-anti-clinton-tirade

  15. jybarz October 12th, 2016 at 13:05

    Now Tramp will get crazier and stupider!
    Yahoo!!! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/65a178ea249c9a039c95074397ee8b5e3aa3b9182b21a7ae49b4a5d9adf56788.gif https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ca77df6e04ee0152c6dcf71ceb123963bb0f7d21786ab48241ffa28d0e0c5901.gif https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8898b9914652db89b12c46e0a2027831c3e987afe827d2969519fe71734ea004.gif

  16. The Original Just Me October 12th, 2016 at 13:58

    At least they are just throwing Mud Balls and not Cannon balls—— “YET !”

  17. The Original Just Me October 12th, 2016 at 14:02

    History is Made. The Salt Lake Tribune paper has just endorsed Hillary over ” The Grabber ” Err Trump.

    • arc99 October 12th, 2016 at 15:10

      The paper endorsed President Obama in 2008 and 2012 so this news is not surprising to me.

      However, this news most certainly is. Hillary might actually carry Utah!

      http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/poll-trump-clinton-utah-tie-229658

      Poll: Trump tied with Clinton in Utah

      • The Original Just Me October 12th, 2016 at 15:30

        I’ll need to look at that because Mitt Romney is a Utah Native and a Mormon. I thought the news article said 1964 and that would be Kennedy who as popular in Utah.

  18. Ned Nutley October 12th, 2016 at 14:43

    All Hillary needs to do now is behave and sit back and run out the clock! also I’m hoping for new house speaker Pelosi!

  19. robert October 12th, 2016 at 15:50

    How are we going to pass any bills with this bullsh!t going on ?

    More like sit back and watch your country go down the toilet

    • crc3 October 12th, 2016 at 18:15

      They haven’t done any legitimate work in Congress for years thanks to Repulsives so why would you expect anything now?

      • robert October 12th, 2016 at 18:26

        There is no possible way now. The expectation train left the station and it’s not coming back until the kindergartners are voted out Possibly including Paul ryan

        • crc3 October 12th, 2016 at 18:35

          Just hope it’s a straight Democratic win!!

  20. amersham1046 October 12th, 2016 at 18:16

    desperate people are starting to do desperate things

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