Thursday, May 5, 2016

No More the Self-Funding Donald

It wasn’t too long ago, so you might remember when Donald Trump was attacking his Republican primary opponents for relying on outside donors to fund their campaigns. Since he was self-funding his campaign Trump would not be beholden to special interests and the donor class.

As the Wall Street Journal explains this morning:

… Mr. Trump … has for months portrayed his Republican opponents as “puppets” for relying on super PACs and taking contributions from wealthy donors that he said came with strings attached.

Now, being ultra-rich—according to his own declamations—Mr. Trump has changed his mind. He will not self-fund his campaign but will raise money from rich donors.

The Journal explains:

Facing a prospective tab of more than $1 billion to finance a general-election run for the White House, Donald Trump reversed course Wednesday and said he would actively raise money to ensure his campaign has the resources to compete with Hillary Clinton’s fundraising juggernaut.

For a man who is worth $10,000,000,000 a mere billion should not be that much of a strain.  Except that it is. Perhaps someone should take a look at those tax returns.

But, the problem might be more political than financial:

Beginning to actively fundraise while a super PAC backing him also ramps up activity means the billionaire will no longer have that line of attack to use against his Democratic opponent. The move is also likely to put off some Trump supporters, many of whom have said his reliance mostly on his own funds makes them trust him more than other politicians.

Truth be told, it probably will not matter. Trump supports are a hardy crew. It will take more than a little deception to curb their enthusiasm.

7 comments:

Scullman said...

What difference, at this point, does it make?

Leo G said...

He is only trying to bring the party together Stuart. By allowing others in on his Presidential bid, he is being inclusive.

Marsh said...

Why would you want to persuade Trump supporters not to vote for him? There's no alternative to Trump now.

Are you supporting Hillary?



Ignatius Acton Chesterton OCD said...

Expecting him to be a self-funding general election candidate is ridiculous. If someone ever thought that, they were delusional. It takes $2 billion (with a B) to run for president these days. Who honestly expected Trump to liquidate that amount of cash to self-fund a general election run?

I'm not sure I understand this Never Trump movement. He's the Republican Party's nominee for president. Either you vote for him or vote for Hillary Rodham Clinton. We have to "hold our nose" every election, and this one will be no different. That's life.

I now call the dogmatic anti-Trumpists "RRIPs" (with a Spanish roll of the R) -- "Reasonable, Respectable, Intelligent People." Can't vote for Trump? Okay, enjoy Hillary or Lizzy Warren as your president. That's reasonable, respectable and intelligent.

RRIPs loved Romney. Romney lost. RRIPs loved McCain. McCain lost. Are we supposed to do the reasonable, respectable and intelligent thing again so we can be reasonable, respectable and intelligent losers?

Trump is not my ideal Republican candidate. But he is the Republican candidate, most likely going up against Hillary. I will vote for Trump. And with Hillary being his opponent, I won't even have to hold my nose.

Rob Reiner says Trump supporters are racist. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!

Marsh said...

The neverTrump crowd said Trump was only trying to elect Hillary...So they will vote for Hillary. LOL

The mask has fallen off many people in our party thanks to Trump.

Good to know where everyone stands. I won't forget.

Marsh said...

Reiner has always been a meathead.

A-Bax said...

Much like our current Speaker For The Dead, Stuart seems "not yet ready" to accept reality. Many RRIPs are not, but they're still in mourning (whether over the death of the gentlemanly-loser template so beloved by the GOPe or the impending death of the globalist agenda, I'm not sure.) Give it a few more weeks, and many will come around.

After all, many GOPe-types and their acolytes spent a lot of energy fuming against the possibility of Trump supporters bolting if The Donald lost. "You'd just be helping Hillary!!" they cried. "Don't you have any party loyalty?". Recall the silly loyalty-pledge during the MegYn debate, where the GOPe was so worried about Donald going 3rd party and taking his supporters with him.

Well, the mask has fully come off on that one, huh? Paul Ryan's ideas/agenda got curb-stomped in the primaries, and now this little wuss wants to take his football and go home. This mincing coward officially speaks for the GOPe. What a joke.

BTW, as far as funding goes? Not to worry. Sheldon Adelson is on board the Trump-Train:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/adelson-voices-support-for-trump/ar-BBsHJcc?form=PRHPTP&ocid=iehp

As Adelson notes: "He won fair and square".