I strongly reject the idea that there is some kind of moral obligation to abandon Trump.Doesn't John Hinderaker have it exactly right (thanks to Instapundit)?
First, … I was never under any illusions as to Trump’s character, his competence or his conservatism. I think he is a horrible Republican nominee. But he is still better than Hillary Clinton. His character is no worse than Hillary’s, he is more conservative (or less liberal), and he would make a better president. So I have every intention of voting for him as the lesser of two evils. I strongly reject the idea that there is some kind of moral obligation to abandon Trump.Ted Cruz's (non-brainer) prediction is coming true (is there no way the GOP can make the Texas senator the party's nominee?). The Alinsky Democrats, having maneuvered a highly controversial candidate into the opposition party's front ranks with the help of the media and idiot Republicans, in true banana-republic fashion, are bringing their October surprises
Second, it can be useful to ask, What would the Democrats do? Here there is no need to speculate: we saw what they did in the 1990s. They circled the wagons and defended their man to the hilt, using whatever smears and lies were helpful, even though he was credibly accused of rape and multiple instances of sexual harassment. Indeed, that is what the Democrats are doing now with Hillary Clinton, as revelations much more material to her performance in office than the Trump video have come out over the past year or two. See, generally, Clinton Cash. Republicans are always held to a higher standard than Democrats, but why? Maybe this is as good a time as any to reject the double standard and fight fire with fire. E.g., this Drudge headline: “KATHLEEN WILLEY CALLS FOR HILLARY TO RESIGN FROM CAMPAIGN…”
Finally, calling on Trump to resign signals, at best, an unprecedented and humiliating disarray within the GOP. It still may make sense if the party has an opportunity to substitute a better candidate with a greater chance of winning. But, as Paul noted earlier, it is not clear that such a switch is practical. If Mike Pence (not Mitt Romney) could be substituted on the ballot for Trump, it would be an improvement. But I doubt that any such smooth transition is possible.
Applying Alinsky's principles, the Democrats are tempting Republicans — Americans — to live by their higher standards, standards that they never have applied, or had any intention of applying, to themselves (see Clinton, Bill, as well as Kennedy, Anyfirstname).
And those idiots are falling for it.
Paul Mirengoff ponders whether
it may be that no course is better than letting this horror show play out, learning the lessons it has to teach us, and then picking up the piecesThat is, if there are any pieces to pick up, and anybody, any party, left to take heed of the lessons…
As Peter Ingemi, who refuses to let himself "be played" (thanks to Instapundit), puts it,
Right now a lot of people are forgetting that for good or I’ll the only thing standing between us and the financial, military, security, cultural and constitutional rights disaster that a Hillary Clinton administration would be is Donald Trump.See also Ed Driscoll on the 1990s' "It's just sex", with Kathy Shaidle pointing out that
If ‘it’s just sex!!!’ in 1995, then it’s ‘just sex’ in 2005, and this year and every year forever. THEY made that rule. Make your enemy play by his rules — remember your Alinsky.Never would I have thought that the Republican Party, and the United States of America, was ready to commit suicide — certainly not in my lifetime…
“From whence shall we expect the approach of danger? Shall some trans-Atlantic military giant step the earth and crush us at a blow? Never. All the armies of Europe and Asia … could not by force take a drink from the Ohio River or make a track on the Blue Ridge in the trial of a thousand years. No, if destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we will live forever or die by suicide.”
— Abraham Lincoln
