Wary of Donald Trump, G.O.P. Leaders Are Caught in a Standoff

Two of the most potent financial networks in Republican politics, that of the hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer and another led by the industrialists Charles G. and David H. Koch, have each had preliminary conversations about beginning an anti-Trump campaign, according to strategists involved. But Mr. Trump has already mocked Mr. Singer and the Kochs, and officials linked to them said they were reluctant to incur more ferocious counterattacks.

“You have to deal with Trump berating you every day of the week,” explained a strategist briefed on the thinking of both groups.

The sidelines are crowded. The Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson; the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; American Crossroads, the group led by Karl Rove; and Right to Rise, the “super PAC” supporting Jeb Bush, have no immediate plans to go after Mr. Trump, officials said.

.. The article doesn’t mention the other aspect of the difficulty of opposing Trump: there simply isn’t much difference between the positions he’s espoused and those of the other candidates. And those are the positions of the base. Yes, he’s obnoxious and pandering to the worst instincts of Republicans, but they don’t have a positive message to offer, having submarined everyone in the party who was merely hard right rather than extreme right. At this point, anyone with a pragmatic or a hopeful message is merely fodder for the cannon. Until Republicans can get away from the negative message, they can’t espouse positive policies; until they can espouse positive policies, they will remain the party of negativity. “I hate everyone else, and I’ll make them all respect me” isn’t much to go on.

.. The difference between Trump and Carson is that Carson actually believes the crazy things he says, while for Trump they are calculated theater. (I would take the latter over the former, if I were forced to choose.)

.. Trump is seen nationally NOT as a buffoon, nor as any kind of negative threat to the GOP. Quite the opposite. He is seen as something of a “New Reagan” – he’s packing ARENAS on a daily basis He’s having conciliatory meetings with black leaders, with the lovely (black) reality star Omarosa by his side. He’s seen as a successful entrepreneur and businessperson, highly in contrast with career politicians on both sides of the aisle. He’s also seen, by many centrist Democrats – as a socially LIBERAL Republican. You see- out here in the heartland most Dems are more of the “Labor Union” dems – that is they support gun rights, aren’t big on abortions, like small government interference (but do like their unions and their unemployment insurance) – and most of all, HATE Hillary Clinton. Trump -once he secures the GOP nomination – is going to take a large percentage of voters who voted twice for Obama but will NOT vote for Hillary – they’ll stay home before they vote for Hillary, and they don’t want to stay home. They want to ride their Harleys down to the polling place and vote. And they’re gonna vote for Trump.