GOP convention==anybody watching? If so, what do you think?

[Doc]

I'm not a big watcher of these things because they are pretty predictable rah rah crap but this one is "different" due to the factions fighting.

Was very impressed with Christie's speech but then I like him quite a bit anyway. Was not sold on Ben Carson's although he was SPOT ON concerning the political correctness issue. I don't make a big deal about "Lucifer" and think that was not a good way to go. Makes him look like a religious zealot. I misses Milana's speech but find it funny that supposedly she ripped it off of Michelle Obama, because nobody would notice. I wonder if they will accuse Hilary of ripping off a speech if she mentions anything that was in any GOP speech, because 2 lines = plagiarism. Of course if anybody has a question about plagiarism, one should ask the current VP as he is pretty much up to date on that.
I'm also impressed with the Trump family. The kids seem way more stable than dad, but then I'm not sure Charles Manson isn't more stable than dad. And of course you have "the agitators" aka CODE PINK, doing their demonstrations. I'll bet you don't see opposition antics at the democratic convention, or at least I hope not. To me that's just low class

[suncat05]

I have not watched any of it. Quite frankly, I am really, really irritated with the entire Republican "establishment" types like McConnell and Ryan and Boehner and their ilk.
And I am still not 100% sure that Donald Trump is the right answer against the old hag, but at this point what other viable alternative is there? There isn't one. Period. So I guess I'm going to roll with the Donald.
But actually watching this crap? All these conventions are is a platform for the theater of the absurd.
I've already pretty much made up my mind, as I believe most here have as well.

[Catonahottinroof]

I'm not a big fan of either candidate, but this election comes down to establishment vs non-establishment. Candidates that are corporately bought and not bought.

[KSRBEvans]

I actively dislike both candidates, will probably not vote for President for the 1st time since I registered to vote, and will probably move my registration from Republican to unaffiliated. So I'm looking at this convention from a distance, mainly through Twitter, as an item of extreme curiosity. It's interesting to see what it looks like when a major party dies.

[Darrell KSR]

I don't like either candidate, will probably not vote for President for the 1st time since I registered to vote, and will probably move my registration from Republican to unaffiliated. So I'm looking at this convention from a distance, mainly through Twitter, as an item of extreme curiosity. It's interesting to see what it looks like when a major party dies.

I will vote in the election, but I refuse to vote for either major candidate. I have not decided what that means or whether I will simply abstain. I get what you are saying about moving your political affiliation, but I am not quite there yet.

I have voted for a president in every election since 1980. It is really a shame to see that end, but I refused to do something just to continue a streak. Some may consider it stupid, but I simply cannot support either candidate at all.

[KeithKSR]

Overall the convention has been pretty good so far. Reminds me a bit of the 1980 convention where GHW the establishment had to come to grips with Reagan being the nominee.

Thusfar, I have been most impressed with the Trump family.

I thought Christy and Guliani both hit it out of the park.

I think the plagiarism charges are funny. Michelle plagiarized Alinski in that speak she gave in '08, BO plagiarized his "Words" speech, and Doc has already pointed out the Biden speech.

[jazyd]

I have watched both nights and I do not accept not voting. We have two choices, period. Any not vote is a vote for Hillary or Trump either way.

Hillary, how any gun owner says they are not voting or not voting for the two choices is beyond me. She will do all she can to take away any and all gun rights, the 2nd Amendment is up for grabs and she more than likely will have the opportunity to appoint one or more Supreme Court Justices and that will end the 2nd amendment. So any of you who vote other than Trump, dont' come here and say you are a gun owner because I call BS.
Want your health insurance up more, don't vote or vote for Hillary
Want national debt up even more, same thing
Want more dead police officers, same thing
Want terrorists here amongst us as she allows tens of thousands of 'refugees' in knowing that ISIS has said they will infiltrate the process and even if 2% get in, that could mean 2000 terrorists within our borders. And that is a minimum
Want the middle east even more unsettled, vote Hillary or not Trump,
Want Israel attacked, vote Hillary or not Trump
Want a possible nuclear war, vote Hillary or not trump
Want N Korea to get even more bold, Hillary or not Trump
Want China to take over the seas in their region, Hillary is your gal.

Trump may not be my ideal candidate, but he is better by far than Hillary and better than any write in, or a no vote. He beat all the GOP candidates fair and square. He won at their game.

I have not looked at Trump just based on what the media says or wants to show. I have researched him and listened to those that have had sit down meetings with him, those that I trust. And I often read the same response, that he is a great listener, he absorbs information, asks great question, wants to learn. His gruffness, heck lots of New Yorkers are like that so I throw that off. He may fool me, but Hillary won't, I know what she is, a proven liar, someone who should be in jail, a proven crook, a women who allows her husband to grope women w/o shame and someone who people on the know in Ark way back when told me is not above having someone eliminated.

Two words...Supreme Court

[badrose]

I agree, jazy. No way he's as bad as her. He'll get my vote.

[CitizenBBN]

I'm voting for Trump, despite the fact that I think he's personally the most ill behaved candidate maybe in US history, and has the emotional development of a 6th grader.

And IMO, I can make an air-tight case for why to do it and feel good about it:

We can all agree both choices are poor. Hillary is a felon and corrupt and policy wise has been a disaster in foreign affairs and is intent on being just as leftist in economic policy as Obama if not moreso. Trump may not have a cogent policy at all and is as I said about as intellectual as a whoopie cushion.

But our system of checks and balances means that neither will be able to stray too far in just 4 years or even 8 years. Trump with a GOP Congress might actually get some good things done, and the GOP won't end up passing anything really stupid, but if Hillary gets in and the Dems get the Congress during her period they very well could do some very bad things, and will have no problems doing it.

So there are very serious economic risks with Hillary, not really that much with Trump.

In foreign policy it's basically a wash. Trump will be erratic and that may be good and may be bad, but Hillary is a proven bad quantity on that front.

But here's the key to the decision (and it's based around Jazy's point):

No matter which one wins, their tenure will be up in 4 or 8 years and not a whole lot of change will happen with either, but their picks to the SCOTUS will last for decades and can fundamentally shift the debate in either direction. If Trump wins we will get basically conservative picks, if Hillary wins the 2nd Amendment will be destroyed and we will get 20+ years of an interventionist court that believes the Constitution is outdated and written on an Etch-a-sketch.

Either one of their terms will be painful in many ways, but with only ONE pick will the lasting negatives be minimized.

So I have to agree with Jazy, the Supreme Court picks are simply too important to not vote, and the downsize of a Trump Presidency is pretty much a wash with a Hillary one, but the SCOTUS could be saved There's simply no way to do the math where Trump isn't the better outcome. I may shake my head at the sad state of the American electorate, but I'll feel good about the binary choice.

PS - I get feeling like NEITHER is worthy of the office and thus not voting for one, but since the office will be held by one or the other, you have to make the "gun to your head" choice. Not voting is a vote for Hillary, and I can't do that. I'm going to be embarrassed for our nation and the Founders no matter who wins this election, I might as well be embarrassed but reassured the Court isn't going to strip away our rights.

[TRUCKERCATFAN]

I have watched both nights and I do not accept not voting. We have two choices, period. Any not vote is a vote for Hillary or Trump either way.

Hillary, how any gun owner says they are not voting or not voting for the two choices is beyond me. She will do all she can to take away any and all gun rights, the 2nd Amendment is up for grabs and she more than likely will have the opportunity to appoint one or more Supreme Court Justices and that will end the 2nd amendment. So any of you who vote other than Trump, dont' come here and say you are a gun owner because I call BS.
Want your health insurance up more, don't vote or vote for Hillary
Want national debt up even more, same thing
Want more dead police officers, same thing
Want terrorists here amongst us as she allows tens of thousands of 'refugees' in knowing that ISIS has said they will infiltrate the process and even if 2% get in, that could mean 2000 terrorists within our borders. And that is a minimum
Want the middle east even more unsettled, vote Hillary or not Trump,
Want Israel attacked, vote Hillary or not Trump
Want a possible nuclear war, vote Hillary or not trump
Want N Korea to get even more bold, Hillary or not Trump
Want China to take over the seas in their region, Hillary is your gal.

Trump may not be my ideal candidate, but he is better by far than Hillary and better than any write in, or a no vote. He beat all the GOP candidates fair and square. He won at their game.

I have not looked at Trump just based on what the media says or wants to show. I have researched him and listened to those that have had sit down meetings with him, those that I trust. And I often read the same response, that he is a great listener, he absorbs information, asks great question, wants to learn. His gruffness, heck lots of New Yorkers are like that so I throw that off. He may fool me, but Hillary won't, I know what she is, a proven liar, someone who should be in jail, a proven crook, a women who allows her husband to grope women w/o shame and someone who people on the know in Ark way back when told me is not above having someone eliminated.

Two words...Supreme Court

Great post! I couldn't agree more.

[CitizenBBN]

I now have a new, and even better reason to vote for Trump, and I'm actually now rooting for the man actively despite knowing what we are getting:

So he can stick it in the snotty, out of touch ear of the GOP elites who refuse to rally around their legally nominated candidate.

I get they don't like him, but Cruz and Kasich both signed a pledge to support the winner, and they pulled that stunt to try to stick Trump to undermine a possible 3rd party bid, and then he won and now they won't live up to their word.

I have lost all respect for them over that. I get having differences, but it's unacceptable to break ranks like they are doing and help hand the election to someone who is even worse based on their own ideologies.

Trump is many things, but one thing he is is a huge pain in the backside of the political establishment of this country. I'm starting to really warm up to that being enough to want to see him in charge. The mess that would make of their cozy little machine where both parties actively participate is worth it all on its own.

[Darrell KSR]

Sorry, guys. Sometimes there's a time when a man refuses to compromise his principles. This is that time. I will never let it be said that I voted for Donald Trump as the lesser of evils.

[CitizenBBN]

Sorry, guys. Sometimes there's a time when a man refuses to compromise his principles. This is that time. I will never let it be said that I voted for Donald Trump as the lesser of evils.

I get it. Neither is fit to hold office IMO. Any office. I just gave up the connection between principles and voting after Reagan.

I respect those who feel that way. I just figure the court is too important for my feelings to get in the way.

It also really helps that I'm an absurdist and I see Trump as being likely to provide far more many such moments. Hillary won't be nearly as absurd in her behavior, she'll just steal us blind. Neither is good but the former is far more entertaining at least.

Of course this is all academic for most of us. Trump should win most of our respective states, though I understand Mississippi may be more vulnerable than usual. but really the only ones that matter are in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida, and maybe Michigan or New York. that's where the election will be won or lost.

[Darrell KSR]

Listen. I'm going to be glad Hillary isn't in office. That's almost enough. Very close.

You're right about it being academic, too, and I hope I would feel the same about my principles if that weren't the case. I'm sure it makes it easier.

[Darrell KSR]

These speeches are borderline bizarre.

Colonel Eileen Collins wouldn't even mention Trump's name? Listen, that's ridiculous. If you don't want to support the candidate, fine. But they need to go all in when in front of the camera and microphones.

And that goes for you too, Ted Cruz. Very intelligent guy. Knew what he was doing, and it wasn't right.

[CitizenBBN]

Listen. I'm going to be glad Hillary isn't in office. That's almost enough. Very close.

You're right about it being academic, too, and I hope I would feel the same about my principles if that weren't the case. I'm sure it makes it easier.

Oh I know we're on the same side ideologically. I'm sure if I had any principles left I'd feel the same as you, but you don't get to be the evil twin by having such things.

You know it's bad when I'm having to come up with reasons to feel good about voting for a candidate. I think I've managed to do it for myself, but that can't be a good start.

[CitizenBBN]

These speeches are borderline bizarre.

Colonel Eileen Collins wouldn't even mention Trump's name? Listen, that's ridiculous. If you don't want to support the candidate, fine. But they need to go all in when in front of the camera and microphones.

And that goes for you too, Ted Cruz. Very intelligent guy. Knew what he was doing, and it wasn't right.

I've lost all respect for Cruz. Completely. You accept the speaking slot, it's implicit you're there to support the nominee. I guarantee if he was the nominee and some of the establishment guys did that he'd lose his mind.

[Darrell KSR]

Trump family and Pence have been stars. Melania was stellar last night with her tongue in cheek parody of herself. Very cool*.

Pence was solid. Rock solid.

*Edit - left out the link to "Melania" and her parody.

http://ti.me/2a9XPXC

[Doc]

Sorry, guys. Sometimes there's a time when a man refuses to compromise his principles. This is that time. I will never let it be said that I voted for Donald Trump as the lesser of evils.

In my book, pretty much every election is me voting for the lesser of two evils. I have an innate ability to pick a candidate who will lose in the primary leaving me to vote for the least evil. It happened with Bush (four times), Romney and even McCain/Palin.

Tonight I lost any respect I had for Cruz. Granted, that wasn't much, but he showed what a self serving lying bag of crap he really is and made it clear why so many in Washington hate the guy. If he runs in 2020, I might actually vote for a democrat rather than that sack of ####

[CitizenBBN]

Doc, I both think and hope Cruz has turned his life in the GOP into hell, he surely deserves it. I don't care for the Bush clan et al skipping the convention out of either protest, principle or just temper tantrum, but for Cruz to come and accept a speaking slot and then pull that kind of stunt is way beyond the pale.

For me, like you, it's nearly always a choice between bad choices. The last President i'd have voted for with enthusiasm was Reagan, and I was too young to vote then.

[Crazy4Blue]

I'm voting for Pence

[bigsky]

No, busy with family health crises in Virginia. "...big wheel turns by the grace of God."

[UKHistory]

No, busy with family health crises in Virginia. "...big wheel turns by the grace of God."

God bless you and yours Big Sky.

[bigsky]

God bless you and yours Big Sky.

Thank you. It is that time for Mother, and now for step-dad too. In ICU now with step-dad unexpectedly today and truly, I would let him go and I know he wants to go.

"Time for every purpose"

[KeithKSR]

Prayers for your family, Jeff.

[KeithKSR]

Sometimes Trump sticks his foot in his mouth, but if one looks at his actions and the big picture there is a lot to like. I've liked him for years, he used to call in to Fox and Friends every Monday morning and his observations and thoughts were on the money with what I saw happening. Many times throughout this campaign the media has reported half truths, and conveniently leaves out the details and context that completely change what was said.

[bigsky]

Ted Cruz messed in his own nest. I didnt retch with any speaker the way I will with many speaking at the next convention.

[bigsky]

But Trump didnt win my vote this week, and I'd guess he lost ground rather than having a convention bump

[KeithKSR]

But Trump didnt win my vote this week, and I'd guess he lost ground rather than having a convention bump

I think he gained a lot of ground.

[badrose]

I think (hope) he'll make up ground tonight.