From BBC News this morning:
Republican ex-presidential candidate Mitt Romney says front-runner Donald Trump has neither “the temperament nor the judgment to be president.” He accused Mr. Trump of bullying, misogyny (hatred of women) and dishonesty in a speech in Utah on Thursday.
Mr. Trump has meanwhile mocked Mr. Romney on Twitter as a “failed candidate” who should not advise on electability.
Many senior Republicans are alarmed at the prospect of Mr Trump securing the nomination for November’s election.
In the latest attack from top figures in the party, several members of the Republican national security community wrote an open letter describing Mr Trump’s “vision of American influence and power in the world” as “wildly inconsistent and unmoored in principle”.
There’s another Republican “debate” this evening. Should be fun, if you can stay awake.
Meanwhile Mark Cuban on his Blog Maverick has written:
There has not been a single instance of leadership from any of the candidates
Bitching about everyone else is not leadership. It may play to the base, but it certainly doesn’t reflect an ability to lead. This years candidates seem to want to prove to everyone that they conform to “party principles” rather than offering strategies and solutions and rallying consensus behind it. In fact, they argue with each other about who conforms to party standards more. IMHO, this is just crazy.
The democrats argue about who can give away more stuff and is more progressive. The republicans argue about who is the purer conservative and how hard they will work to undo what is already done. Both sides stick purely to issues that are raised in polls and in debates. None of the candidates have moved into new territory.
It’s as if there is an island for democrats and an island for republicans and no one ventures off.
A leader would come up with new ideas and new solutions for issues that are outside what everyone is talking about and make people realize just how important they are to the country. It may not seem like it sometimes, but this country does want exciting new ideas. We want to know there is a positive direction for us. The future of this country can’t just be about free stuff, raising taxes on the rich or cutting taxes for everyone, keeping people out and undoing what is already done.
There are new ideas in this world that matter. It would be nice to get one from a Presidential candidate.
Matt Taibbi writes in Rolling Stone:
Revenge of the Simple: How George W. Bush Gave Rise to Trump
Bush was just an appetizer – Trump would be the main course
You can read the Taibbi’s full piece here.
The best thing you can do to understand this election is to watch this short, but wonderful, video:
To watch it, click here. Watch it full-screen. Turn up the volume. Send it to all your friends.
Harry Newton, who suspects that throwing insults at Trump will only solidify his admirers’ love for him on the logic that no can be that bad. Meantime, Trump is adeptly working the insults to his advantage.
Bill McGowan who ran MCI back when and once raised $1 billion because he could, not because he needed the billion, told me that the more “risks” you put into a prospectus the better. Everyone would say “it couldn’t be that bad.” And they would give you their money. That principle is now working in politics.
In spite of, and maybe because of his flaws, Trump has made all the right enemies…good on him for that…got my vote