Steve Warner's Dark City

[chefist]

They're meeting in storage closets. I guarantee you it's going on.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/19/cruz-carson-held-secret-meeting-about-dirty-tricks.html

Absolutely it is...

[SciFiAuthor]

I disagree. You want him to blow himself up. Being attacked on multiple fronts is something he really hasn't had to deal with until tonight, and it was clear that tactic had some effect on him.

The problem is that Trump's campaign was not built on traditional rules and is not comprised of a traditional following. It's more like a movement, where his supporters aren't necessarily following him, but instead rejecting the establishment. It was clear that there was a plan here tonight, Cruz and Rubio agreed beforehand to go after Trump. That smacks of the establishment for both of them and may actually help Trump, remember, every time this guy was attacked by a candidate, that candidate saw a negative effect on their campaign as a result. 

What they really needed to do was paint him as a con man, and the electorate are his marks. Rubio alluded to that with his "selling watches in Manhattan" remark.

I'm not sure that's going to work though. We're in new territory as far as politics are concerned due to the circumstances surrounding Trump. Tactics that have worked traditionally haven't worked at all against the guy. That said, I think Rubio had a good showing, despite appearing a little manic, and won the debate. Cruz is the real loser tonight, he just tied himself to an establishment plot to take out Trump. Kasich will be unaffected or get a boost due to the fact that he seemed like the most reasonable guy up there, but Carson's supporters just got pissed off at Cruz and Rubio because their candidate was basically ignored.

[Uncle Duke]

Going nuclear on Trump was the only option he had. He and Cruz made the mistake of dancing around him thus far, trying to take each other out to be the one to take on Trump. The way they played it tonight was the way they needed to be playing it weeks or months ago. Probably too little too late now.

Political Science Professor: Odds Of President Trump Range BETWEEN 97% AND 99%

Steve, as you know I don't talk politics, but am curious on your thoughts relative to the article I read today on the BBC World News site that quoted Romney as saying a "bomb shell" story about Trump and the IRS was about to break?

[SciFiAuthor]

There's a report floating around that Rubio or Cruz offered the other a VP spot if they'll drop out. The offer has a time limit attached to it. I don't see either of them going for it though - they both want to try to win their home states.



Even if that were to happen though, who's to say Cruz's support wouldn't go to Trump instead? And Rubio + Cruz in the polls is still barely enough to beat Trump.

Yeah, I don't see it happening due to the home state issue. Plus, I kind of get the feeling that they don't like each other.

[bateman]

Steve, as you know I don't talk politics, but am curious on your thoughts relative to the article I read today on the BBC World News site that quoted Romney as saying a "bomb shell" story about Trump and the IRS was about to break?

I think he's bluffing.

“We have good reason to believe that there is a bombshell in Donald Trump’s taxes,” he said. When pressed about what that might be, he added, “I think there is something there. Either he is not nearly as wealthy as he says he is, or he hasn’t been paying the kind of taxes you would expect him to. Perhaps he is not giving the money to the veterans and the disabled like he’s been saying.”

Just fishing around. It's probably all of the above, but Romney doesn't know any of it for sure. Romney's also one to talk about questionable tax returns.

[Juan Cena]

The problem is that Trump's campaign was not built on traditional rules and is not comprised of a traditional following. It's more like a movement, where his supporters aren't necessarily following him, but instead rejecting the establishment. It was clear that there was a plan here tonight, Cruz and Rubio agreed beforehand to go after Trump. That smacks of the establishment for both of them and may actually help Trump, remember, every time this guy was attacked by a candidate, that candidate saw a negative effect on their campaign as a result. 

I'm not sure that's going to work though. We're in new territory as far as politics are concerned due to the circumstances surrounding Trump. Tactics that have worked traditionally haven't worked at all against the guy. That said, I think Rubio had a good showing, despite appearing a little manic, and won the debate. Cruz is the real loser tonight, he just tied himself to an establishment plot to take out Trump. Kasich will be unaffected or get a boost due to the fact that he seemed like the most reasonable guy up there, but Carson's supporters just got pissed off at Cruz and Rubio because their candidate was basically ignored.

Kasich will end up as Trump's VP candidate. He's the Gov of Ohio, and winning Ohio was key to Obama winning election & reelection.

[SciFiAuthor]

Kasich will end up as Trump's VP candidate. He's the Gov of Ohio, and winning Ohio was key to Obama winning election & reelection.

You may be right. Kasich has run a good campaign, didn't really piss anyone off. He just did his town halls and stuck with it, but remains uniquely suited to win Ohio. I think he is strong VP material for Trump, Cruz or Rubio.

[bateman]

Kasich will end up as Trump's VP candidate. He's the Gov of Ohio, and winning Ohio was key to Obama winning election & reelection.

Always a key state. No Republican has EVER won the presidency without Ohio.

[littlechris]

You may be right. Kasich has run a good campaign, didn't really piss anyone off. He just did his town halls and stuck with it, but remains uniquely suited to win Ohio. I think he is strong VP material for Trump, Cruz or Rubio.

I like Kasich. He has good hair too. Seriously though, yeah he seems like a well mannered man.

[Dateline]

Kasich is a solid politician and a good contrast for the grandstanding of Trump.  The two would compliment each other.

I believe Kasich is the governor of Ohio, so he should win.

[Dateline]

The establishment still does not embrace Trump, they could deflect to Kasich.

[bateman]

I like Kasich. He has good hair too. Seriously though, yeah he seems like a well mannered man.

Really? I thought it looked like a cat had been licking his head tonight.

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

Every time I think Kasich sounds like the only adult in the Republican room, he botches it by spouting something like tonight's crazy talk about his vague plans for effecting a "regime change" in North Korea that wouldn't necessarily involve all out war between the forces massed on the border if some other unspecified opportunity happened to present itself.  That's just magical thinking.

[cweb]

He has good hair too.

Well heck, under that logic we should elect the ultimate head of hair...

[bateman]

Turns out Romney is in fact the GOP's plan B if Rubio doesn't deliver Florida.

http://www.infowars.com/breaking-insider-leaks-koch-bros-rubio-plan-to-stop-trump/

And from earlier today:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/doors-gop-consulting-independent-219859

[nooryisawesome]

Turns out Romney is in fact the GOP's plan B if Rubio doesn't deliver Florida.

http://www.infowars.com/breaking-insider-leaks-koch-bros-rubio-plan-to-stop-trump/

And from earlier today:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/doors-gop-consulting-independent-219859

Linking to info wars. Might as well be the national enquirer

[bateman]

Linking to info wars. Might as well be the national enquirer

Roger Stone. Not Alex Jones.

[Jackstar]

Linking to info wars. Might as well be the national enquirer

the National Enquirer was created and controlled by known CIA assets whose covert assignment was ...

My work is never done.

[albrecht]

Roger Stone. Not Alex Jones.

He has some legitimacy though might harbor a grudge against Trump. He was working with that campaign and then 'left' for undisclosed reasons. I also am a bit suspect of a dude with a back tattoo of Richard Nixon, actually suspect of any dudes with back tattoos but especially of Nixon.

[bateman]

He has some legitimacy though might harbor a grudge against Trump. He was working with that campaign and then 'left' for undisclosed reasons. I also am a bit suspect of a dude with a back tattoo of Richard Nixon, actually suspect of any dudes with back tattoos but especially of Nixon.

He's still a Trump guy. No grudge. I might have him on again soon. Heh, no comment on the back tattoo.

[popple]

Poll: 38% of Florida voters believe Ted Cruz could be the Zodiac Killer



I thought it was Falkie? 

[cweb]

From Trump's Twitter, retweeted by Mr. Stone himself....

.#RogerStone was just banned by @CNN - their loss! Tough, loyal guy.

I love how he's taken his "ban" by CNN as a badge of pride. Heck, I would.

Now Roger has taken to defending Aaron Carter (yes that Aaron Carter) who is getting flack for being a Trump supporter. Some random knobs are demanding his label drop him because he expressed a preference for Trump.

I cannot wait for this SJW crap to be over with.

[nooryisawesome]

Turns out Romney is in fact the GOP's plan B if Rubio doesn't deliver Florida.

http://www.infowars.com/breaking-insider-leaks-koch-bros-rubio-plan-to-stop-trump/

And from earlier today:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/doors-gop-consulting-independent-219859

Oh please. It is way to late for Romney unless he goes third party and there is no chance of that. This is nonsense. No doubt the Koch brothers are funding Rubio, but they have to make their stand Tuesday. For the establishment to win, all they need is a brokered convention. Mittens could be a consensus canidate in the unlikely event a brokered convention occurs.

[SciFiAuthor]

He has some legitimacy though might harbor a grudge against Trump. He was working with that campaign and then 'left' for undisclosed reasons. I also am a bit suspect of a dude with a back tattoo of Richard Nixon, actually suspect of any dudes with back tattoos but especially of Nixon.

I've got one of Gerry Ford.

[Uncle Duke]

I've got one of Gerry Ford.

I still have a "WIN" button somewhere.

[GravitySucks]

I still have a "WIN" button somewhere.

http://youtu.be/SyybS-Vh2Dg

[Walks_At_Night]

I still have a "WIN" button somewhere.

Hang on to that sucker.  We might need that baby soon. 

[bateman]

No live show tonight. Last minute things. Un-set your alarms.

[starrmtn001]

No live show tonight. Last minute things. Un-set your alarms.

[littlechris]

Poll: 38% of Florida voters believe Ted Cruz could be the Zodiac Killer



I thought it was Falkie? 

Lolz

Ditto