Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 06:38 pm
Republican plans to mitigate against Trump’s unexpected success seem to be unraveling, as Trump announced on ABC’s “This Week” that he may not abide by the “loyalty pledge” he signed in September promising not to run as an independent.
The GOP no doubt figured they had it sewn up; since the GOP primaries don’t decide anything, Trump could win all the primaries he wanted and the establishment could still have it’s way, even throwing Romney in there if they wanted.
The loyalty pledge must have looked like a golden ticket. The Washington Post even claimed his signing “ends one GOP problem” but it didn’t end it – it just postponed it.
Because now Trump said, when asked by George Stephanopoulos what he would do if they try “to take you out,” responded, “I will see what happens. I have to be treated fairly. If I’m treated fairly, I’m fine.”
STEPHANOPOULOS: But you’re open…
TRUMP: — in Alabama…
STEPHANOPOULOS: — to an Independent run?
TRUMP: Well, I’m going to have to see what happens. I will see what happens. I have to be treated fairly. You know, when I did this, I said I have to be treated fairly. If I’m treated fairly, I’m fine. All I want to do is a level playing field. And I think people are surprised that, you know, they’re politicians and they’ve been doing this stuff all their lives. I haven’t. I’ve been a job producer. I’ve done great, you know, things. I’ve done fabulous developments all over the world and I’ve made a lot of money. And that’s the kind of thinking we need in office. That’s the kind of thinking we need in Washington.
You can bet if he wins the primaries but doesn’t get the nomination, he is not going to feel treated fairly. Who would? On the other hand, he did sign a pledge not to run regardless of how the nomination process turned out and to support the winner.
And he retweeted that Hillary cannot be trusted, and another retweet stressed Trump’s own honesty and integrity.
"@drewtheg: Trump is the epitome of integrity, good spirit, forthright honesty… you pull no punches and call a spade a spade. diggin it!"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2015
Really? That appears to be a premature assessment based on what he said on ABC. He further tried to muddy the waters regarding his position on databases for Muslims, which he supported, then claimed he didn’t support, and then said again he supported.
Trustworthy? Not so much. Integrity? As mythical as fair & balanced.
At the time Trump signed the pledge, he said, “I have no intention of changing my mind.”
And,
“I see no circumstances under which I would tear up that pledge,” he added. Well, now he sees those circumstances, and those are him feeling he has been treated unfairly.
This is the guy, by the way, who called the Associated Press’ stories “fictional garbage.” It looks like his own agreement not to run as an independent was also fictional garbage.
Trump is in a unique position, a person made possible by the growing extremity of Republican politics coming back to haunt his creators, a sort of Frankenstein’s monster: “They can’t understand, you know, how come an outsider can be doing so well within the party.”
Trump concluded of the GOP establishment, “I guess they can’t understand what’s happening.”
No, they sure can’t, and that’s what makes this truly funny to the rest of us.
They have only themselves to blame for all that has transpired, and for what will transpire. They deserve Trump.
- Resistance Leader Maxine Waters Receives Standing Ovation at MTV Movie Awards - Mon, May 8th, 2017
- A Desperate Trump Lashes Out As Sally Yates Prepares to Testify - Mon, May 8th, 2017
- Idaho Republican Claims ‘Nobody Dies Because They Don’t Have Access to Health Care’ - Mon, May 8th, 2017
