Jonah Goldberg: Will the GOP finally do something about its Trump problem?
In the wake of Donald Trump’s shocking defeat to Hillary Clinton, the Republican Party has become an unlikely political force. The party’s two most recent leaders, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio, were widely considered to be unlikely contenders. But they captured the party’s base with their message of opposition to Trump. Now with Paul’s endorsement of Ted Cruz and Rubio’s decision to run for president, the party has a new, powerful voice.
The GOP’s Trump problem is a far bigger problem than most people realize. What is the future of the Republican Party? How much longer will the party be tethered to the most bizarre and unpopular candidate in modern American politics?
Jonah Goldberg: ‘Bizarre’ and ‘unpopular’ in the same sentence
Goldberg’s column on February 15, in the Washington Post, discussed the bizarre similarities that exist between Donald Trump and the Republican Party: “Donald Trump is a man of outsized ego with some of the most peculiar views I have ever heard. And he’s also a party of his own making, and not only has he become the Republican Party’s lightning rod but they’ve become his lightning rod. There are probably fewer people outside of Washington who are more deeply committed to Donald Trump’s candidacy than I am. A lot of them, however, just want to see Donald Trump burn.”
Goldberg’s column concluded that “Trump is not a unique case. His party shares many of the same faults and traits. In fact, it’s much more common than you might think.”
I’ve never met Trump. I have never been one of those who believe he is a uniquely successful businessman who knows exactly what he’s doing. But I’ve been told of his accomplishments, and he’s certainly a great salesman. If Trump were simply a fraud, then you’d have something to explain why he was the GOP nominee. But you can’t really explain