"Finding good players is easy. Getting them to play as a team is another story." Casey Stengel
April 6, 2016
By: Linda Case Gibbons
They don't even realize that they are doing anything wrong. But they are. You could even call it un-American.
"Political Water Boarding." It's what the media, the Republican Establishment and political rivals are doing to Trump.
Both parties say they are dead set against torture, but when push comes to shove, it looks like they think it's a pretty good political tool.
As the campaigns have progressed, Trump's two remaining political rivals have caved to the Republican Establishment, attracted like magpies to the shiny rewards held out to them.
It was like watching a Greek tragedy.
In less than a year, the two other candidates have shown their true colors. Stress can do that to you.
As both Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. John Kasich become more and more desperate to capture the gold ring, each succumbed to the lure of power that was being promised them.
And each was being promised something.
Even though they should know better, Cruz and Kasich believe what they are being told: That the Establishment will treat them right --if they play along; that they needed to side with the Republican Establishment --and play along.
It didn't take much persuading for them to jump ship.
Recruited to help take down Trump, they were told that if they gang up on Trump, even though he is one of them, it will be good for everyone.
But will it?
Here's the rub: It's no secret the Republican Establishment dislikes Cruz. He ran for senator as a Tea Party candidate, and has battled against the very people who now are telling him what a great guy he is.
And John Kasich has about as much chance to become the Republican nominee as a snowball has in hell. At this point, he is a Republican Establishment pawn to be moved around the electoral board at will. And he's all for it.
What does this say about the ability of these two men to weigh facts, judge people and then make sound presidential decisions? Voters might ask.
What does this say about what and whom they are loyal to? And what does this say about how easily they can be influenced by people who do not have the country's best interests in mind?
Remember all candidates were asked to swear they would support whoever the ultimate nominee is. Now Cruz and Kasich have said "they don't wanna'" do that anymore. Trump isn't allowed to do that, but these guys are. How come?
What does this say about keeping their word to the American people in the future?
It is clear to everyone, except Cruz and Kasich, that the GOP plan is to woo them, use them, then dump them.
Both men have a right to stay in the race. It's the American way. What they don't have the right to do is enter into a conspiracy with the Republican Establishment to defeat Trump with dirty tricks, or to disregard the will of the people.
But that's what they are doing, out in the open, unapologetically.
Ted Cruz has shown he'll do almost anything to get elected. Just take a look at what he has his toddlers saying about other candidates in one of his campaign ads. It is a side of him we haven't seen before.
And this week Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker showed a side of himself we haven't seen before, either.
Walker came out to endorse Cruz, which was fine, and joined in with the "Take Down Trump" effort, which was not fine.
It was disappointing to see Walker throw in with the Republican Establishment, a group who has been operating in the same sleazy way the Democratic Party does, to get its way, despite the will of the people.
Walker was a man who rose to national attention during a 2011 recall effort by disgruntled organized labor and Democrats in his state.
He endured and ultimately won, despite death threats and a fearsome occupation of the state capitol by dangerous protesters.
It was an uplifting experience to observe a man of such courage.
But now, despite the dirty tactics that were used against him during that time, Walker doesn't seem to find anything wrong with joining the Republican Establishment in doing the same thing to Trump.
The Republican Party has been a disappointment for a long time, but they have hit an all time low now.
If you ever had any expectations for former Speaker of the House John Boehner, weren't you surprised last week when he said he would nominate Paul Ryan for President? It makes the whole selection of Ryan as the "only man that can do the job" for speaker of the house even more interesting, don't you think?
So is it any wonder the people find Trump refreshing. A man who honored the pledge he made to support the final Republican candidate. A man who pays for his own campaign, who says what he thinks and means what he says?
A man who knows the meaning of the word "hypothetical?"
Hold the line, America.