Who's To Blame for Trump?

Who’s To Blame for Trump?  That is a popular question making the rounds these days, with the mainstream media taking most of the blame.  For certain, there are some considerations that need to be taken into account before we settle this issue.

First off is the use of the word blame; using this word implies either fault or error.  Not sure there is any fault or error here.  Any fault likely lies with the process or system; not those who represent the process or system.  If we are going to indict the MSM for Trump coverage, we must also examine their coverage of other presidential candidates; particularly the Democratic ones.  Is there a significant difference in the way Trump has been covered as compared to, say…Clinton…or Sanders…or Cruz?  I have never been one to defend the pathetic, shameless, self-righteous, and unethical profession known as modern day journalism; but in this instance, I suspect they are being unjustly chastised.  The function of the media in presidential election politics is to put the product(s) out there for examination; to show the various aspects of each candidate and allow the voters to make their choice based on observations of those aspects.  The really good journalists are the ones who ask the questions that we ourselves would ask; they tend to hone in on the concerns of the common citizen.  However, once the questions are posed, it is not their job to serve in a district attorney or prosecutorial role and conduct open verbal warfare with the candidate. Please don’t tell me what to think; just tell me what to think about.  Through the use of question content, the use of video archives, and the use of good and simple language, the media can serve their function by asking the right questions and letting the public themselves judge the value of the responses.   Many media personalities have been elevated to a level that seems to imply that they are the moral and ethical compass for society and are uniquely qualified to vet the office-seekers that come before them.  As unbelievable as it sounds, many of these media folks have an arrogance quotient that exceeds even that of the politicians they interview.  This particular trend is troubling, but it does not seem to be unique to Trump coverage; they act this way in a pretty non-discriminating and bipartisan manner.   As long as they ask the same questions in the same condescending way to all of the candidates, I can live with their pompous style; at least for short periods of time.

As I have referenced before, Orwell was quoted as saying “Propaganda is as much a matter of what is left out, as of what is actually said”.  Clearly, the individual media person can control the amount and content of candidate material that they themselves make available to the information consumer.  The content portion is the part that is probably the most controversial.  Those opposed to certain candidates always say that they are spared the difficult questions.  There is the age-old softball interview that allows the candidate to highlight their talking points and escape acknowledging the inconvenient truths that exist in their resume.  In this area of journalism, we probably see the largest extent of regression in the profession.  It has become accepted practice for networks and media personalities to promote their own agendas and views under the guise of journalism.  They are piously indignant when confronted with these facts and hide behind the tissue-thin cloak of journalistic integrity when defending their profession.  The fact is that the line that once separated opinion from news has been blurred to the point of non-distinction and the only practical remedy to deal with it is to make certain that you receive approximately equal portions of each position or philosophy.  In my opinion, herein lies the greatest threat to our youth and young adults becoming responsible and informed citizens.  Their apparent inclination to select one or two media outlets for their news and opinion; their insistence on receiving sound bites instead of serious analysis; and most troubling of all, their apparent willingness to accept the journo-babble as gospel is morphing them into marionettes of the media.  Back to point: If we are going to evaluate the media on the issue of content fairness, I really have trouble seeing any discernible difference in how the various candidates have been covered.  The voter cannot escape accountability by saying the media did not give them enough information or told them the wrong thing.  The ultimate responsibility for becoming an informed voter lies with the individual doing the voting.  The media will ebb and flow, they will pick their favorites, they will follow their agendas, and they will recline comfortably on their lofty pedestals; but we each have the ability to change the channel, turn the page, click the mouse, and move on to a different perspective.  Consider the source.

The one area where I think the media has erred in its coverage of Trump is in the amount of coverage they have provided.  The simple truth is that when a large number of candidates vie for a nomination and many of them lack national recognition, the mere seconds of national media coverage is an invaluable commodity that should be doled out on an equal basis.  Setting aside the content of the Trump coverage (with which, once again, I have no issue); there can be no doubt that the amount of coverage featuring Trump has far exceeded that of his opponents.  Although this disparity does not, in and of itself, spare the voter of their obligation to inform themselves, the fact is that media coverage is a form of force feeding and over time, a steady diet of any subject will have a significant impact.  Trump’s reception of multiple times the amount of media coverage as compared to his opponents has, without any doubt, resulted in aiding his candidacy and has put his rivals at a strategic disadvantage.  This media abuse in the area of amount of coverage comes with the easy deniability clause that the content was no different than that of other candidates.  That is bunk; the amount of coverage is a totally separate issue than the content of coverage and the media fully understand this.  Their apparent incredulity when confronted with their disproportionate amount of Trump coverage is amusing and demeaning.  It makes them look very foolish and exposes them for what they have actually become: A collection of heavily cosmetized, extremely costumized, and overly sensationalized entertainment personalities who are blinded by grandiose notions of self importance and infallibility.  Come to think of it…when considering that last statement, is it really any surprise that these folks would gravitate to Trump? 

A Stroll Up on the Ridge.

A Stroll Up on the Ridge.  Nothing too heavy, just a few notes about the world we live in….

NCAA college basketball tournament is simply not the same without the Kentucky Wildcats playing.  Oh well…..

No comment on the presidential primaries; the Crook vs. the Socialist continues its judicial watch and the TV Reality Star vs. the Preacher continues its…not certain what “its” is.

Goofball president in Cuba watching baseball games and posing in front of Che; my lord, how clueless is this idiot.  Dancing while Americans are killed by terrorists in Brussels and telling South American students they need to choose between capitalism and communism based on what they think works for them.  Can January of 2017 come soon enough?

Obamacare continues to implode.  While granting mandate exemptions to some of the biggest corporations in the world, there is no tolerance for the Little Sisters of the Poor.  How many more tentacles will this administration be able to imbed in our society before they are run out of town?

NASCAR, the NFL, and the NCAA must meet on a regular basis.  They all seem to adhere to the “good ole boy” school of administration where they are bound by no logic, no consistency, no accountability, and above all else…no damn shame. 

ISIS must be thoroughly overwhelmed; so many targets and so little time.  Do you think there is any symbolism in the fact that the European Union is headquartered in Brussels?  Do you think they are more concerned with the EU than with the USA?  Do you think they avoid certain states in our country because they know that some people will actually shoot back at them? 

Could it possibly be that having a Supreme Court split 50/50 is a good thing?  Having oftentimes heard that the best government is the government that governs least, perhaps keeping these founts of all wisdom and knowledge out of our bedrooms, doctors’ offices, bank accounts, and churches might not be such a bad thing.  Having to live with some of the lower court decisions won’t be easy, but at least they come with a potential expiration date.  I wonder…do you suppose we could get Obama to leave early for Hawaii and see how that works out?

Batman vs. Superman is sure generating a lot of buzz.  Hard for me to see how they can stretch this theory out for a movie length.  I mean, it seems like Batman will need something like a Northern Iowa/TA&M miracle to even stay in the same town as Superman.

Just speculating here (at least, I sure hope so), but perhaps we can look to Kentucky to see how a Trump presidency might play out.  Kentucky Republican Governor Bevan came to office in spite of his party, beholden to no one, and is shaking things up in an unconventional manner.  The regular players apparently do not know exactly how to deal with Mr. Bevan.  If Trump ascends to the presidency, this Kentucky scenario might prove to be a sneak preview of what to expect from him in WDC.

I am curious about this “negative interest rate” policy in Japan and Sweden.  I’ve been thinking for some time that this banking deal was turned on its head, but it looks like we are finally and simply going to be calling it what it is.  There is that old Golden Rule…Them that’s got the gold, makes the rules.

Are we now living in the Golden Age of television or what?  I can get over 20 stations of HD on free antenna TV here in Kentucky.  For a very reasonable price, I can get satellite TV with recent movies, TV series, and independent films and full on-demand amenities.  ROKU offers a universe of free options for your viewing pleasure and the quality of TV production is right up there with the big screen.  You know…the major sports leagues, along with the college venues, have got to be wondering how they are going to continue filling these huge arenas and stadiums.

A couple of ongoing debates in sports that I am finding fascinating: Is Curry as good as the NBA greats of yesterday and how much spontaneous celebration should be allowed in MLB.  Neither question has a clear answer and when you can find some talking heads that you respect, the discussion is really something you can sink your teeth into.  Gives some of the more intelligent people in sports broadcasting a chance to shine.

Well…that is a fine walk through the weeds.  It is now time to plant potatoes, remember the Resurrection, gather the family together for the weekend, and dwell on how blessed we all are…in spite of the circus that surrounds us.  

Post 3/15 Notes.

Post 3/15 Notes.  For that small handful of people who actually read this blog, you know that I have been in mourning since last night.  My man Marco got drubbed in his home state and suspended his campaign.  I am experiencing the same déjà vu that I did when Romney lost to Obama; my lord, what a lost opportunity!  Oh well, if I wasn’t out of step with the electorate, I would have no step at all.  Here are some notes (hopefully, absent bitching, whining, and/or moaning) about the Republican Primary’s state of play:

Three people have tried to face up to Trump and take him down; Bush, Cruz, and Rubio.  The effort cost two of them their chance at the nomination and the jury is still out of how it will impact Cruz.  Christie, Carson, and now Kasich are no more than shameless shills for Trump.  Christie’s and Carson’s pathetic plays for future employment have been exposed and properly ridiculed; Kasich is still digging his hole deeper and has yet to crawl out for his appointment with just desserts.  I cannot add anything to what has already been written about Christie and Carson; their hypocrisy and transparent ambition speaks for itself.  Kasich’s campaign continues to operate as though they are the leader or co-leader in this race; not a distant third who has won one state (his home state…yes, I know, Marco lost his), had the audacity/arrogance/idiocy to actually rain down confetti when he won the Ohio primary, and cannot possibly win the nomination prior to the convention.  The confetti business reminds me of an NFL game where a linebacker tackles a running back 15 yards downfield and then celebrates like he’s done something remarkable.  He is the only person in the universe who does not realize how foolish he looks.  Bush could never quite figure out the Trump riddle and the resulting frustration got the better of him.  Cruz went after Trump early, but backed off when he discovered that Rubio could, and would, serve as the attack dog.  Out of pure desperation, and obviously out of his character, Rubio went after Trump.  He landed some good blows, but his polling image suffered in the process.  Some called it a suicide mission, and that is not far from a good description.  I say he had the balls to do what Bush could not muster, what Cruz started and could not finish (yet), and what Kasich does not have the spine to engage.  Now one might say (and one might be correct) that Cruz and Kasich played it right because they are still standing.  My response to that logic is that some candidates understood that Trump is much larger than just a threat to one’s personal ambition; he is a threat to the party and to the nation. 

A Republican Presidential Candidate debate was scheduled for Monday, March 21 on Fox and was to be held in Salt Lake City.  Trump, having an increasingly difficult time at the debates since there are fewer candidates and he actually has to string a few sentences together, has decided that there have been a sufficient number of debates and he will not attend this one; likely not attending any more whatsoever.  There is no rationale for this maneuver other than the fact that he does not want to take the stage in what would essentially be a mano-a-mano with Ted Cruz.  He is a coward.  You would think that Kasich would leap at the chance to have a national audience to speak to about his policies and ideas, only needing to split the time with his other opponent Cruz.  But no, Kasich says he will not attend the debate unless Trump does.  Again, there certainly seems to be little logic to this other than the fact that he knows he can’t win and doesn’t want to sustain any further damage.  I am not a big Cruz fan, but this little episode has certainly exposed Trump and Kasich for the pathetic cowards that they are.  If Fox had any integrity, they would put up cardboard cutouts of Trump and Kasich on either side of Cruz and conduct a town hall meeting in the debate time slot.

Who knows where this Republican race goes from here?  Every writer I can find to read these days seems to have an agenda that promotes (sometimes openly, something subtly) their chosen candidate.  Many of the leading voices in the Republican Party openly speak of a third-party (or alternate-Republican) candidate if Trump obtains the nomination; it is hard to imagine how this is feasible.  Regardless of where one’s sentiment lies, the fact remains that if Trump fails to secure a sufficient number of delegates to win the nomination on the first ballot in Cleveland, the Republican Party need not change any rules to open up the race.  The convention rules, as they exist, have been in place for a long time and were in place when all the Republican candidates started their campaigns.  If you are running a 100-yard dash, you can lose at the start, you can lose mid-race, and you can lose within the last 5 yards; any of those losses are perfectly legitimate.  Donald Trump may continue his momentum and garner enough delegates to gain the Republican nomination prior to Cleveland.  If he does, he should be acknowledged as such and receive the full support of the RNC.  On the other hand, if he fails to get to the magic number of 1,237, then he must understand and accept that the race is not over until a winner is determined. He might be well advised to leave a little bit in the tank for that last 5 yards.

Forfeiting Our Future.

Forfeiting Our Future.  In my opinion, the long and shameful trip down the slope of incivility and lack of statesmanship began with President Bill Clinton.  Clinton was a remarkable politician; a gifted orator with sharp instincts.  Though the explanation for his successful executive actions mainly lay in desperation and last resort, he nonetheless presided over a time when the Executive and Legislative Branches of our government achieved some significant accomplishments; not the least among them being a balanced federal budget.  He came into office as a zealot, was sobered up by mid-term rejections, and adjusted his game plan to work with a Republican Congress.  It can be argued who was playing who, who won the most, and who benefited the greatest; but the point is that things got done and government functioned.  But when President Clinton got caught with his hand in the Lewinsky jar, things went south very quickly and the ugly sides of both parties saw their opportunities to rise in prominence.  Clinton simply refused to be held accountable for his moral lapses in the White House and the Republicans in Congress refused to let it go.  Between them, all reserves of good will and good faith that might have been building due to governmental accomplishments were shoved aside to make room for spite, malice, acrimony, and pure, hateful partisanship.  Since that time, the wound has never healed.  It has, on occasion, tried to heal over a bit; but there always seems to be a new rip or tear to peel back the scab and expose the ugly underside of the scar.  The Democrats hated George W. Bush and decided early on that nothing he did could be universally accepted as positive.  The Republicans have been all too willing to return that favor with Obama.  At the end of Obama’s two terms, the terrible cost of these decades’ worth of dysfunction and partisanship is being fully realized and our nation is slouching towards a societal model that is angry, sloven, shameless, and aimless.  Half of our population depends on the sweat of the other half for their existence and they increasingly resent the hell out of that other half for providing it.  The providing half are finding it increasingly maddening to support those who refuse to support themselves while seeing no difference in quality of life between the two groups.  Into this dynamic, we bring our future generations; generations who perpetuate the hard-earned biases and resentments of their respective parents. 

Now comes Presidential Campaign 2016 and the phenomenon known as Donald Trump.  The standard definition of the teflon politician cannot begin to adequately describe the remarkable fact that this man can say essentially anything, anywhere, in any fashion, and not in the least be held accountable for it.  The man has openly bragged that he could shoot a person in the streets and not have it held against him; and he has gone a long ways towards proving this remark to be true.  Now truth be told, neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have put up a candidate that exhibits sufficient promise to dim the glare of Trump.  And, our sitting president has lowered the bar so much that we have come face to face with the fact that the nation will continue to exist (although at a very low tide) with an incompetent and ineffective Executive in the White House.   So perhaps it is the case that people simply don’t worry too much anymore about who they choose as their President.  Perhaps they have given up on our government; given up on the financial underpinnings of this country and the people and businesses that supervise it; given up on our nation’s ability to protect the cause of liberty and freedom anywhere else in the world apart from our own shores; and most important of all, given up on there being better days and times ahead for our children and future generations of Americans.  In specific response to the current discord in the Republican Party and the recent civil unrest at Donald Trump campaign events, Marco Rubio offered the following words:                                              

 http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/432739/marco-rubio-responds-trump-rallies

Now Marco Rubio has very little chance of successfully obtaining the Republican Presidential nomination that he seeks; for whatever reason…superior competition, poor campaign management, poor messaging, lack of preparation…he appears destined to fail in his quest.   But if you will listen to his words and read his emotions in this short interview, I think you can sense a good deal of the frustration that many of us feel about what has happened (and is continuing to happen) to our country.  His heartfelt and obviously sincere message goes well beyond the machinations of the Republican Primary and can easily be applied to the current sad state of our country.   I don’t know where we will find ourselves twelve months down the road and who will be leading our nation; but I hope and pray that they have at least a portion of the frustration, recognition, and hope that Rubio speaks of.  When you see the chaos and madness (yes, that is NOT too strong a word) and realize that it is no longer a symptom, but rather a condition….God help us.

Taking a Breath and Counting the Injuries.

Taking a Breath and Counting the Injuries.  Bernie had a good night in Michigan and surprised a lot of folks.  His magical mystery tour will continue on for a while and cause a great amount of discomfort in the Hillary camp.  However, the discomfort will not prevent her from obtaining the Democratic nomination; only an indictment will do that.  On the other hand, the Republicans are a different matter.  Let’s do some number crunching….

To date, 1,030 delegates have been awarded.  That is 42 percent of the total 2,472 that are available.     Remember that the number of delegates necessary to obtain the Republican nomination is 1,237.  Thus far, Trump has won 44 percent of the delegates, Cruz has won 35 percent, Rubio has won 15 percent, and Kasich has won 5 percent.  The current delegate counts show Trump with 458, Cruz with 359, Rubio with 151, and Kasich with 54.  Of the 1,442 delegates remaining to be allocated, Trump needs 779 to win, or 54 percent of the total; Cruz needs 878 or 61 percent, Rubio needs 1,086 or 75 percent, and Kasich needs 1,183 or 82 percent.  The final primary is June 7 in South Dakota; the convention is July 18 in Cleveland.

When you look at the current delegate count and the fact that we are 42 percent through the primary process, there can be no other conclusion but that this is a two-man race between Trump and Cruz.  Furthermore, notwithstanding the fact that media coverage would lead one to believe that Trump has essentially won the nomination, Cruz is simply not that far behind; he trails by only 99 delegates.  99 delegates just happens to be the value of Florida.  Rubio and Kasich are now faced with the very real possibility of losing their home states and this is no way to exit the race.  Whether they stay because of stubbornness or calculation, a home-state loss for either will be damaging to their future political careers.

Two preconceptions have been blown up at this point in the race.  One is that Trump would fade away and be exposed for the charlatan that he is.  He has been exposed, but that does not seem to matter.  He has demonstrated his appeal to Republican voters in every segment and demographic of the electorate.  He is very real, he is in your face, and he must be dealt with.  Cruz has also trashed the notion that his appeal would be limited to the evangelical communities of the south.  He has clearly demonstrated he can be competitive in all areas of the country and has put together a very impressive organization.  By any reasonable calculation, one of these two men will be the Republican nominee for President.

The wild cards in this play are now Rubio and Kasich and exactly how their exits from the campaign will be orchestrated.  When that occurs and how it is presented will have a tremendous impact on who the ultimate winner will be.  This week’s debate in Florida, assuming all four candidates are still on stage at that point, should be fascinating to watch.  With each campaign independently developing their debate strategies, who knows what will happen when all come together on the same state? 

This presidential campaign season has proven to be wild, crazy, unpredictable, downright bizarre and it is far from over.  But as of this moment, the odds are looking favorably on a Trump v. Clinton contest for President in November.  If that is the case, there will be many people in each party who will be considering these wise words from the Talking Heads (Once in a Lifetime) over the next few years…..

And you may ask yourself
What is that beautiful house?
And you may ask yourself
Where does that highway go?
And you may ask yourself
Am I right?...Am I wrong?
And you may tell yourself
MY GOD!...WHAT HAVE I DONE?

So Much For Shelving the Egos....Updated.  I will confess that during, and following, my previous post about Ego Shelving, I felt a lot like a whiner and a thin-skinned Rubio backer.  But...after reading  a lot of reports today specifically about how the Cruz campaign is in open attack mode with the Rubio campaign as its target, all whiner guilt has left my body.  Once again...I can support either Cruz or Kasich as the top of the Republican ticket; they are far preferable to Trump and the Democratic nominee and they both appear to be grounded in conservative principles.  However, the fashion in which the Cruz campaign is handling its recent good news from last week and is continuing to waste its resources on eliminating Rubio rather than Trump is....well....pretty stupid.  This is a bizarre year for politics and I am nothing if not a rank amateur when it comes to political voyeurism.  Having said that, I will state that actions like I see coming from Cruz and his people are testing my ability to support him and he and his people seem to me to be dead set on winning the battle at the expense of losing the war.  For goodness sakes, Ted....grow up.

So Much For Shelving the Egos.

So Much for Shelving the Egos.  Foolish me; I thought there was a chance that Cruz and Rubio might join on a ticket to consolidate conservative Republicans and put down the Donald.  Now comes this report from Fox News: "We had so much fun winning Sen. Cruz's home state by 17 points, we thought why not repeat that in Sen. Rubio's home state?” Kellyanne Conway, heads Keep the Promise I, told Politico.   This is a Cruz Super PAC and the Cruz campaign is now saying it will open ten campaign offices in Florida and compete for the win. 

Really?  You’re going to win Florida by 17 points?  You are going to win Florida and beat both Trump and Rubio by 17 points?  You, Miss Conway, are behaving in an asinine fashion.  This is a perfect example of why Hillary Clinton might very well be our next president.  Instead of focusing their resources on Michigan and taking Trump head-on, they instead target the current number 3 man in the race in his home state, whilst currently running a distant third in Florida polls.  This is the type of scorched earth and petty campaigning that will lead to a Trump nomination and a Democratic victory in November.  If Ms. Conway gets her wish and knocks down Rubio, it is entirely likely that Trump will win Florida.  That would be 99 winner-take-all delegates to Trump.  Go ahead and knock down Rubio and push the man you are chasing another hundred delegates ahead; that is just freaking brilliant strategy.  After the “Carson is quitting” fiasco in Iowa and the “photo shopping” shenanigans in New England, this is what the Cruz campaign people come up with? 

I am on record as being a Rubio supporter.  But I am also on record as being a Cruz and Kasich supporter.  I went a step further, swallowed my pride, and suggested that Marco might fold his tent and take a number 2 spot on a Cruz/Rubio ticket.  But I also said that the egos would have to be managed.  This is not the type of management I had in mind.   The arrogance and self-centered attitude exhibited by this episode must certainly be cause for celebration in the Trump camp and by those who support him.  For anyone looking for a competent and conservative President this November, it is a moment of exasperation and frustration.   Politics ain’t beanbag and a candidate must play to win, but I fail to see how this stunt will accomplish anything but bridge burning.  

Is the Moment of Truth Upon Us?

Is the Moment of Truth Upon Us?  Quick count on the current delegate standing for the Republicans: Trump/329, Cruz/231, Rubio/110, Kasich/25; remember that 1,237 are needed to secure the nomination.  Ask yourself this question: What is the top priority for the 2016 Presidential Election?  My answer would be that Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, or Donald Trump (in that order of priority) does not end up in the White House.  If that is your goal; how is it best accomplished?

I have thought for some time now that Rubio would be the best candidate that the Republicans could nominate; because he would have the best chance to win in November.  I have also stated that Cruz or Kasich would do just fine in the White House; they simply had a lesser chance of winning in the general election.  Kasich is irrelevant if we are going to talk about winning; either in Cleveland or in November.  Therefore the question remains: How do we achieve the top priority?

On March 5, 155 delegates will be allocated; on March 6, 23; on March 8, 150; on March 12, 28; and on March 15, 367.  Now if Cruz and Rubio continue to collectively outperform Trump, along with the crumbs that Kasich acquires, the delegate count will likely remain sufficiently split to leave the ultimate winner in doubt right up to the convention in Cleveland.  But what happens if Rubio begins to slip?  What happens if his noble (and greatly appreciated) effort to disrobe Trump ends up accomplishing that aim but weakening himself in the process?  What happens if his slippage vote goes partially to Trump?  What happens if he fails to win the take-all contest in Florida and Kasich fails to win the take-all contest in Ohio?  At this point in time, Cruz does not appear to be in a competitive position to defeat Trump in either Florida or Ohio.  So if Rubio and Kasich remain in the race, but in a weakened state, the prospect of a sufficient delegate split that prevents Trump from obtaining 1,237 is dim.  If they can retain their vitality and win their home states, then Trump might well be denied the number he needs.  Here lies the quandary…If Rubio contests Florida and loses Florida to Trump, the prospect of a Trump overall victory is enhanced tremendously.  In addition, if Kasich contests Ohio and loses Ohio to Trump, Trump’s prospects of gaining the nomination are very good.  It would seem that there is a window somewhere between the contests on March 5 and the contests on March 15 when Rubio (and to a far lesser degree Kasich) need to either decide they are all-in on their home states and have a good chance at victory or recognize that it “just ain’t gonna happen” and support Cruz in hopes of heading Trump off.  The moment of truth in this Republican nomination process might very well be the next 48 hours.

This has to be extremely difficult for Rubio.  He clearly is a strong candidate with principled positions and a clear vision of where he would like to lead this country.  He has abandoned his Senatorial seat and dedicated all his time and resource to the pursuit of this nomination.  He believes in what he says and wants to be President.  I cannot imagine how hard it would be to give up that quest at this time and place.  But if, as I fear, after today’s contests in KS, KY, LA, and ME he finds that he has fared poorly and made no movement to close the gap that is widening between himself and Cruz; then I submit that the only noble path remaining is to throw his support to Cruz in an effort to defeat Trump. 

Cruz if 45 years old and Rubio is 44; both are very young for presidential candidates.  They are both very conservative on their policy positions and though they have their differences; those differences are more in practice than in principle.  It is quite possible that the best path to keeping Sanders/Clinton/Trump out of the White House is for Cruz and Rubio to join up with Cruz heading the ticket.  I can only imagine that if egos could be shelved (or at least reasonably managed), great and marvelous things could be accomplished for the country by a President Cruz, a Vice-President Rubio, and legislative leaders Ryan and McConnell.  Rubio would be making a great sacrifice, but he would certainly be young enough to run for President after Cruz has served his two terms.  If the team were as successful as I would hope, Rubio would be in a great position to run at the relatively young age of 52.  Can you just imagine how much could be accomplished with true, conservative leadership in the Executive Branch over a 16 year period?  Cruz in turn would have to appreciate the sacrifice made by Rubio and give him the respect and meaningful input opportunities commensurate with that sacrifice.

If Cruz and Rubio could join up in the next few days, they would stand an excellent chance to offer a clear and preferable choice to Republican voters now; and to all voters at a later date.  But the chance to make that move has a shelf life.  If Rubio stays in and loses to Trump in Florida, we may very well be too far down the road for a combination ticket; it would certainly look a lot more desperate at that time.  It pains me to concede the dim chances of a Rubio nomination; but it excites me to think what positive changes could be made to this nation by a limited government and fiscally-responsible Executive Branch.  Will this moment of truth pass us by or will it be seized in a way that will change the future of our country?   We will know very soon.

Follow postings on twitter… #centerlineright.

Motor City Reaction.   A new low for Fox News moderators; this “bait ‘em up to mix it up” schtick is really wearing thin.  Wallace loves the gotcha, Baier seems to be auditioning as a stand-up comic (open mic night), and Kelly’s mugging for the camera (even when another moderator is speaking) is just strange.  Some notes from the debate:

·      Rubio started out manic and ended up statesman.  I fear the clock is running out on Marco’s opportunity.   Perhaps he simply wants this too much.  This does not seem to be an election that will be decided on a vision for the future.  I am not really sure exactly what this election will be decided on. Rubio is almost like Jeb redux; he has that puzzled look on his face at times like he cannot believe he is actually debating this idiot (Trump) for the nomination.

·      Cruz can, at times, be the most self-righteous Senator (quite a lofty claim) that I have ever seen.   He will tick off several good policy points and then always….always….seems to circle back around to the “open hand on the chest”, the “who me” look on his face, and lay claim to the exclusive moral compass on the stage.  I somehow think he would be doing much better if he did not have the word "Senator" in front of his name.

·      Trump is Trump.  Bluster, distraction, loose custody of the truth, crude remarks about the world and other candidates, totally ignoring pointed questions and giving rapid fire contradictory statements; all to huge applause from the crowd.  This…man…scares…me.

·      Truth be told, Kasich may very well be the best qualified candidate for the office of our nation’s next president.  It would be so nice if he would simply allow us to reach that conclusion independently; instead of slamming it into our heads every time the camera turns his way.  I kept expecting him to say that he helped Noah put the decking on the ark; rode double behind Paul Revere when he made his famous trip; was firing over the walls of the Alamo at the attacking forces; and held the ladder for Neil Armstrong when he made his lunar descent.  And when his moment arrived to recognize the elephant in the room, his refusal to acknowledge any fault with Trump was pathetic.

·      Not sure where it goes from here, but I fear that a great opportunity was somehow lost tonight.  Rubio and Cruz, deft debaters they may be, are beginning to show some frustration with Trump’s continuing electoral successes.  As I have written before, it is a long way to Cleveland and the convention; there are many unexpected stories that have not yet been written.  But there is something strange going on in this election cycle, and it is not just the Republicans.  Once the parties decide on their candidates, it will be interesting to see if this presidential primary lunacy seeps into the down ticket races.