Trump: Time to rally around me — or expect voter riots
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C. Republican leaders are wavering between grudging acceptance and deep denial about Trump’s likely ascent to the GOP presidential nomination.
WASHINGTON >> After yet another round of convincing victories for Donald Trump, Republican leaders spent Wednesday wavering between grudging acceptance and deep denial about the businessman’s likely ascent to the GOP presidential nomination. An emboldened Trump warned that if the party tried to block him, “You’d have riots.”
With at least three more states in his win column, Trump is now the only candidate with a path to clinching the Republican nomination before the party’s convention in July. But he still must do better in upcoming contests to get the necessary 1,237 delegates, leaving some opponents with a sliver of hope he can still be stopped.
“I still think it’s a very realistic chance that nobody’s going to have a majority of the delegates,” said Henry Barbour, a senior Republican National Committee member who worked on Marco Rubio’s delegate strategy until the Florida senator exited the race Tuesday.
Barbour said Trump “doesn’t deserve to be president,” but also said he could ultimately support the billionaire if he “can convince me that he’s presidential material.”
Trump cautioned that his supporters would revolt if he falls just short in the delegate count and loses in a rules fight.
“If you just disenfranchise these people, I think you would have problems like you’ve never seen before,” Trump said on CNN’s “New Day.”
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Despite the deep concerns about Trump within the Republican Party, there was little tangible action Wednesday that indicated a way to stop the real estate mogul’s march toward the general election.
There was no rush among party leaders or donors to coalesce around Ted Cruz, the only candidate in the race with even a long-shot chance of overtaking Trump in the delegate count. A small group of conservatives moved forward with plans to meet Thursday to discuss the prospect of rallying behind a third-party option, but no candidate had been identified to lead that effort.
The three best-financed efforts to stop Trump abruptly ceased advertising after Tuesday’s elections. The outside groups American Future Fund, Our Principles and Club for Growth have no Trump attack ads planned for Arizona – a crucial winner-take-all contest in six days – or in any states beyond.
Former House Speaker John Boehner floated his successor, Paul Ryan, as the nominee in the event of a convention fight. But Ryan quickly took himself out of the mix, saying through a spokeswoman that he would “not accept a nomination and believes our nominee should be someone who ran this year.”
Meanwhile, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton set her sights on a November showdown with Trump. Her sweep of Tuesday’s five primary contests — including a slim lead in yet-to-be-called Missouri — was a harsh blow to rival Bernie Sanders, giving Clinton what her campaign manager described as an “insurmountable lead” in the delegate count.
“We are confident that for the first time in our nation’s history, the Democratic Party will nominate a woman as their presidential nominee,” Robby Mook wrote in a memo to supporters.
Clinton has at least 1,599 delegates to Sanders’ 844. It takes 2,383 to win the Democratic nomination.
Trump urged Republicans to view the party’s nominating contest with the same sense of clarity. During a round of calls to morning television shows, he said some of the same Republican senators who publicly criticize him have called him privately to say they want to “become involved” in his campaign eventually. He also picked up an endorsement Wednesday from Florida Gov. Rick Scott.
Trump also effectively killed the next GOP debate scheduled for Monday in Utah, saying “we’ve had enough debates.” After Ohio Gov. John Kasich said he wouldn’t debate without Trump on stage, host Fox News scrapped the event.
Trump has won 47 percent of the Republican delegates awarded so far, according to the Associated Press delegate count. He needs to win 54 percent of the remaining delegates to clinch the nomination by the time the primary season ends on June 7.
Just a handful of states will vote between now and mid-April, a reprieve for opponents.
“We’ve got four weeks to identify what the most effective path is,” said Tim Miller, a former Jeb Bush aide who now works for an anti-Trump super PAC.
Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, who is supporting Kasich, said there were “calls going back and forth between the Kasich-Rubio campaign” about the possibility of a joint ticket, though he said those conversations were preliminary.
Any scenarios that end with blocking Trump could leave the party in chaos. But some Republicans suggested that given the party’s current state, the chaos couldn’t get much worse.
“The divisions are already there,” said John Jordan, a California-based donor who was leading a pro-Rubio super PAC. “There’s already open warfare on TV. A couple thousand people in a food fight in Cleveland pales in comparison.”
AP writers Stephen Ohlemacher, Julie Bykowicz, Lisa Lerer and Nancy Benac contributed to this report.
70 responses to “Trump: Time to rally around me — or expect voter riots”
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Isn’t that nice.
They say they are going to listen to their base, instead of just doing what they want. And if you believe that…..
To be accurate and fair, the media and the rich guys want to sink Trump and are spending millions to sink him. Fact is, the horrible Republican War Party is dead. Start anew. And to be fair, Trump did NOT call for riots. He predicted that riots might occur if the election were stolen. He was reporting the facts, not calling for riots. Yet in the news last night, all the media cursed him for calling for riots and for blackmail, etc.
To use the possibility to further his effort to be elected is to use riots as a means to an end. So, yes, if it looks like a duck, flies like a duck, quacks like a duck, it is a duck. it is rpthe way he said it and the context in which he said it, allie. If that’s who one claims to be.
More specifically, he’s using the threat and fear of riots to pressure the RNC. Kind of bully like. “Give me your lunch money or my friends will beat you up.”
Yes, thank you @allie for that honest clarity. Stating that something might happen and actually calling for it to take place are two different things. Trump talking about a negative reaction from conservative supporters somehow is a horrible thing. But “protestors” and “disturbers” that proactively went to his rallies and caused a lot of trouble with specific intent, seems to be something different as far as the MSM is concerned.
Years ago, I had a student who liked to fight. His father told him that he could only fight if was cornered and there was no way out. So he would get students to walk with him into a corner and then beat them to pieces. Some of the Trump crowd are ready to “riot” because Trump has put the idea in their head. WHEN, not IF, it happens Trump will “promise” that he didn’t incite it but will “promise” to pay their legal fees. He’s already shown, repeatedly, his true character. It would be a world-wide catastrophe were he to sit in the White House….
None, I repeat, none of the people currently running for president are
“presidential material”.
You are absolutely correct. At this point, you have to look at it with the intent to limit the damage. Do you want a guy that has cared about nothing or no one except himself his whole life? Someone who is not a leader and will further divide the country and alienate the rest of the world? Or do you want someone who can lie to your face while looking you in the eye? Someone who, simply because she is a woman will not have the respect of a good percentage of the other powers of the world? You can call it sexist and wrong, but that is how most of the world still views positions of authority.
I cannot believe that anyone supports either Trump or Clinton, but at some point we are going to have to make a choice. All I can say is, I hope they don’t mess it up too much over the next 4 years.
You are so off base, you’re approaching idi0cy-level mental ineptitude. Ask the major nations of the world how they feel about Germany, and they will tell you that they respect Germany AND that country’s leader…who is a WOMAN! Just because you’re stuck in the 1950’s, it doesn’t mean the rest of the civilized world is.
Thank you, HIE. Good point to help the “blind” Americans to see the rest of the world.
Hilary would never be elected in Germany.
Cruz is a total fake and is not remotely qualified to be president. He uses the poorly educated and naive evangelical voters for his plaything. He will serve the interests of Saudi Arabia and Israel, but not our interests. He needs to go. His one claim to fame: he closed the government costing billions of dollars for taxpayers.
Interesting you would say that. I can see both the Donald and sweet Hillary getting support. As for messing things up probably wouldn’t do any worse than the other republican candidates who would really screw things up. And obviously neither would come close to G W Bush, only president who came in with a surplus but left with a trillion + budget deficit.
What about John Kasich or Gary Johnson?
Politics is an emotional, not a logical business. All politicians pursue this source of employment because they lack the skills necessary to function in the real world. Given the work load that these positions require, they don’t pay enough to attract anyone that is up to task at hand, therefore, we are stuck with a bunch of marginally adequate representatives that go into politics to do good and stay to do well. They are all either dishonest, incompetent or both. The government does nothing well, so the less the do the better. Vote for gridlock.
You clearly haven’t spent a second researching either of those two candidates.
Furthermore, gridlock is not the answer in many cases and only makes it worse.
Don’t know much about Johnson but Kasich seems to be to only actually equipped to govern. But since POTUS has turned into such a beauty contest I’m afraid he doesn’t have a chance.
…and would would you say is qualified to be POTUS (be ready to defend your suggestions because on the SA comments no good idea goes without ridicule).
I read the Economist weekly, that keeps me informed as to the quality, or lack there of, in the political scene, U.S. and globally. I believe the office of President has outlived it usefulness, especially on a global scale. Some municipalities in the U.S. have done away the office of Mayor, and continue to function. I think we should do the same and stop treating our elected officials as saviors or royalty.
Well seeing as the constitution requires there be a president, please answer the questions and if you answer is nobody then go away.
The Economist is a tool of the establishment based in London. Does the name Rothschild ring a bell?–The publication belongs to The Economist Group. It is 50% owned by private investors and 50% by Exor, the Agnelli holding company, and the Rothschild banking family of England.[8][9] Exor and the Rothschilds are represented on the Board of Directors.[10] A board of trustees formally appoints the editor, who cannot be removed without its permission.
Vote for the Libertarian candidate, who ever he or she is, they won’t win, but at least you will have exercised your right to vote and you will have clear conscious after the fact. This particular election is an exceptionally lost cause.
That is certainly the case for the republican party. I think both Hillary and Bernie are presidential material.
Yes, but which one: the pathological liar or the hare-brained commie (I’m sorry – “socialist”) who honeymooned in the Soviet Union?
Gorilla Smith don’t just toss accusations out. Cite clear evidence please. If you’re referring to Benghazi Republicans have tried to smear her to no avail. Is being a socialist bad? Do you hate the Social Security programs? Police? Fire Dept? They are all part of socialist ideas and practices. How do you prove Bernie is a “commie”?
I am wondering if you have ever even left the state?
Lol, can Barack serve another term? All will be saying” Man, I wish Obama was still potus ” Lol.
If we get the hyperactive and detached from reality Trump/Sanders with their we can fix anything, we will be wishing Obama had a third term. Hillary suffers from this, but not as much. And Cruz, Cruz wants to burn the US to the ground and rebuild it as a theocracy.
Obama seems to recognize that the US cannot fix everything and intervening often makes it worse. Our four choices are starting to make a third Obama term look not so bad.
Nor is mom-jeans Obama presidential material, even after 7 years he refuses to respect and enforce the Constitution.
You know not what you post!
Sad but so true! We are in trouble.
agree…but I have to vote Hillary. She the least bad option
Not so sure about which is least bad. Too bad that “none of above” is not an option.
I wished there were riots. If anybody but Trump wins we will be invaded by Muslims (so called “Migrants”) from all over and a new category of hostile “Muslim Arab Americans” will establish and destabilize our country. Hillary wants to allow everybody in .
@Allaha…..You’re a scary out of touch person
WOW! Even by your low standard, this is bad. I’m wondering what has made Republicans such cowards. Do you realize how many Muslims have served and now serve in the United States armed forces? A lot. Are you afraid of everything?
I believe that we have found our new DavidinMiliani don’t you agree?
Diversity has ruined Lebanon. I am afraid life will become more like in the Muslim countries. There it is terrible.
You share me even more than Trump!!!
You need to get out more.
Was driving through Ewa the other day… Was that you sitting on the armored perch on top of the house scanning the horizon with binoculars?
“Henry Barbour, a senior Republican National Committee member who worked on Marco Rubio’s delegate strategy until the Florida senator exited the race Tuesday.”
“Barbour said Trump “doesn’t deserve to be president””
I see, the voting does not count, all that counts is the privileged opinion of Barbour.
What he says seems crazy and funny until it really happens. This is the same script Hitler followed in the 20’s and 30’s when he first came into power, with his goons beating up anybody who opposed them. People easily get duped by big speeches and lies. As they say, the only truths are what people want to believe, and Trump is an expert in making people believe anything he says.
Hillary is sounding more like Hitler in her latest speeches. Even their names are similar. Scary
At the end of the day, Hillary is a socially liberal Republican with a Bush era neoconservative foreign policy who goes to bed every day after checking in with Wall Street about what they want the next day.
How is Hillary sounding more like Hitler? Can you give a few examples? Perhaps post an example of such a speech?
For me it was the mustache.
Even when most of it is a lie. People are so gullible.
I hope Trump runs as an independent to screw the Republicans.
Trump’s comments is encouraging violence if he isn’t nominated? Just like Hitler. Why can’t people see this? Do they want another Hitler?
Both from the same mold, Megalomaniac!
A Trump/Hillary debate would be a Pay per View sellout. Maybe five 5 minute rounds. Hillary may just tap out. The Bush bunch may sponsor it and recover some of their loses.
Right. When faced with an opponent with minimal knowledge of most of the debate topics, surrender is the only option.
Good grief! I can’t believe that he thinks everybody is going to join the democratic party!
What an embarrassment.
He’s not wrong. Completely perverting the primary system and will of the voters will only cement that the system is rigged against the people. Regardless of what your feeling are on Trump, what the RNC is planning is effectively theft. Yes, Trump likely will not have enough delegates, but he will likely have the most. What kind of democracy is one where the clear plurality winner is denied and someone who none of the primary voters voted on is chosen? Not a democracy. I think Trump is a loathsome manipulator screwing over the working class with his lies, but THEY STILL CHOSE HIM. That matters if we believe ourselves not to be ruled by what amounts to a politburo.
IMO, if Trump does end up in Cleveland with the most delegates, he should be the nominee. The people have spoken and the RNC must respect their collective decision.
I’d rather have the Republicans oppose Trump for the nomination than to risk having another Hitler on our hands. Just look at the similarities between Hitler and Trump. Scary. If we don’t learn from our mistake, history will repeat itself.
Then what kind of democracy are we? Furthermore, I don’t think you understand the risk of giving the nomination to Cruz, who is far, far, far worse. Cruz actually believes the theocratic **** that comes out of his mouth and is willing to default on the debt over minor spending items.
I can’t think of one elective office where a plurality is enough to be declared the victor, that’s why they have run offs. Unless the RNC changes the rules to handicap Trump everything is fair game.
If the RNC changes the rules, they will invalidate the results that show more people wanted trump than anyone else. That is theft from the voters. It makes no sense to give the nomination to someone who got less votes or didn’t even get voted on at all compared to the clear otherwise winner.
It’s just crazy that the Republican Party does not support the people’s choice as their Presidential Republican nominee. Republican party validates throughout the past decades that it’s not people first, but it’s about party first. 1% next and then, maybe the people.
I’m a little long in the tooth for such shenanigans, but I got thumped in the August ’68 Chicago police riots and it’d be worth it to even the score against Hair Drumpf’s brownshirts if they decide to raise a rumpus.
To quote the warden “The Captain” from the ’67 classic Cool Hand Luke, “Some men you just cain’t reach. So you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it. Well, he gets it.”
That statement that to block him would incite a riot sounds like he would approve of such. That is unbecoming of a prospective future POTUS. One which would portend some serious issues for a commander in chief.
Anything is better than Obama except maybe the grandmother.
Because Cruz’s American Theocracy modeled on Iran would be so much better right?
Haha! It’s March 17th, you woke up and an African-American was still the President of the United States. Must be painful to be you.
Looks like it’s going to be the Donald vs Hillary. If so, watch Trump start to change his stance in November on his hardline issues such as “the wall”, “no more Muslims”, “deport all illegal immigrants”, etc, etc. He’s very flexible or malleable when he needs to be. In any case, you’ll have two essentially like minded wall street folks slugging it out.
We need to build the Wall, no we need to open the door. Who will pay for which idea?
He isn’t threatening. He’s just stating the truth.
If we believe his leadership will make America great again, then we deserve to go down the path of failure. Leaders walk amongst the hearts and will of the people, not in the sand.