As mentioned in the latest installments of the Time Capsule series, these past few days have been unsettlingly odd on the GOP side. Many of Trump’s GOP endorsers have criticized his “Mexican” remarks and been dead silent about his fitness-for-office in the face of Hillary Clinton’s attacks. But still, with the honorable exception of Lindsey Graham, they’ve said they still support him.
What does this mean? Who knows, but here are some reader suggestions. First, from a reader on the West Coast:
Whatever he is, The Donald is not stupid. Suppose he knows that he
is unwilling to do what it takes to win a general election and/or that
he's going to lose. If so, how does he construct a story which
allows him to preserve his all-important brand of WINNER?How 'bout this? If he keeps acting out and refusing to build a campaign organization, he can let the Republican Establishment and donors become dazed, confused, and eventually hostile. At that point, he claims he has been "treated unfairly" or "screwed" or "sabotaged" and declines the nomination because he can't abide all the "losers". Sure it would be chaotic, but the Republicans would immediately leap at the chance to put someone else up against what they see as a weak Democrat and would certainly go all out to not mention Trump again.
The media then gets all caught up in the turmoil and is happy to forget The Donald, who then goes back to his gilt world, guilt free
Similarly from a reader in Philadelphia:
Yes, you are right of course [about the un-American aspects of Trump’s outlook], but Trump will not be the nominee, do not worry.
An exit ramp (my business needs me) will be built prior to Cleveland, the GOP will have an open convention, and Trump be an asterisk to history. He will come to the realization he can’t win prior to Cleveland, and drop out. Remember, Donald Trump doesn’t lose contests, he quits them before they are over.