Trump threatens third-party run over 'unfair' treatment by Republican party

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Trump threatens third-party run over 'unfair' treatment by Republican party

Billionaire says national committee is ‘in default’ of pledge amid complaints that
he spotted ‘special interest people’ in debate crowd on Saturday

Ben Jacobs in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Monday 15 February 2016 19.21 GMT

Republican frontrunner Donald Trump made a veiled threat on Monday to launch a third-party run as an independent candidate, saying Republican leaders are “in default” of an agreement to treat him fairly.

Speaking at a campaign event just outside of Charleston, South Carolina, the billionaire hinted that he may still run an independent campaign for president, despite a pledge he signed last year to stay within the party.

Trump, who was booed at a debate on Saturday, complained that the audience was full of “lobbyists and donors” whom he accused of manipulating his rivals. “Those tickets were all special interest people. I know ’em,” he said.

“I signed a pledge but it’s a double-edge pledge, and as far as I’m concerned they’re in default of the pledge.”

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/15/donald-trump-threatens-third-party-independent-run-us-presidential-election-2016

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Do it! Do it, do it, do it!

Oh please, let him run as a third party!

[FSogol]

43. +1 n/t

[fleur-de-lisa]

2. Please, please, please, Chump . . .

Make a third party run!

[rbrnmw]

3. hahaha

[olddots]

4. don't tease us Donny

go for it dip shit .

[Chichiri]

5. He'd better decide soon. The filing deadlines for an independent run...

...range from May 9 (Texas, about 80,000 signatures) to September 9 (Rhode Island, about 1,000 signatures). He can only make this threat for a few more weeks before it loses credibility.

[beac]

36. I wonder if he even knows that.

It doesn't strike me that he fully understands the whole process. I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks he can just "declare" his third-party run and that's that. Or maybe he's planning on running write-in, if he does it?

[SDJay]

6. I Fully Support This Idea

But wait until the last minute to REALLY get the maximum effect, Donny!

He'd go from someone I fear as a nation-killing disaster to a true gift in a heartbeat if he did that.

[UCmeNdc]

7. That is a very good idea!

[MohRokTah]

8. Too bad for Trump it's pretty much too late.

Sore loser laws have already kicked in because he already filed in those states with such laws, Ohio being the most notable.

So he CANNOT appear as a third party candidate on the Ohio general election ballot. There are other states where this is also true.

[SDJay]

9. I Can See This Insufferable Gasbag

suing the states where he'd be left off the ballot and encouraging/running a write-in campaign. He'd actually get what he wants with that - tons of free publicity and he'd never have to worry about actually being the POTUS.

C'mon, Donny - take down the repuke nominee for us. All (OK, some) would be forgiven if you did that.

[MisterP]

10. two cadaver-parties, one unable to do anything but certify the biggest mouth

and the other dedicated to copying everything the other party does (but without saying queering causes hurricanes)

[Behind the Aegis]

11. Go for it!

That would be all kinds of awesome!

[Z_California]

12. This may end up being the best practical joke ever

Divide and destroy the GOP Donnie. Good work just like you and Big Dawg planned. Things aren't going as well on the other side though.

[tblue37]

13. pleasepleasepleaseplease!!!! nt

[annabanana]

14. He's SUCH a big baby!

The Bush-friendly audience boo'd him and he's throwing a temper tantrum.

How nice that the very first time he's going to be told "no" is in front of the whole world..

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. I've said all along that he would!

[mfcorey1]

16. He is setting up for when he knows they are going to

toss his a*&! Then he will already state that he was considering an independent run. There is nothing authentic about that man.

[davidn3600]

17. He's going to win the nomination anyway.

[Quixote1818]

18. I agree. Think he is sending a warning shot so they don't stack the deck in the audience again next

time. He is pretty good at using leverage. However, leverage when threatening third party run is pretty nasty. If Sanders did the same thing he could totally put the DNC on the spot and keep them honest but I don't think Democrats would appreciate it like Republicans do.

[malthaussen]

19. Might be the death knell of the GOP if he did.

Hyperbolic? Maybe, but consider: the GOP has already driven from its ranks everyone who isn't a fascist, a bigot, or a religious fanatic. If Mr Trump were really to go independent, he would take the fascists and bigots with him, leaving only a residue of religious fanatics and a few clueless fools who lack imagination or are too overcome by inertia to move.

I understand Mr Trump plans on naming his new party the "Wigs."

-- Mal

[Blasphemer]

20. Pretty much. They'd have the Cruz contingent and that's it

If circumstances were such that Bloomberg ran, Bloomberg, Trump, and Sanders (Bloomberg has said he would not run if Clinton is the Dem nominees) would all get more votes than what's left of the GOP.

[robhalf4369]

21. Do it, Donald!

That way, we'll be guaranteed a Democratic win this year.

[KamaAina]

22. Run, The Donald, run!

There's a VIP ticket to President Sanders' inaugural ball in it for you!

[MineralMan]

23. Yes. Please, Mr. Trump.

Run on a third-party ticket! Thanks in advance.

[lark]

24. Don't believe it, but...............

please oh please let this be so! It would 100% guarantee a Dem win, just like Bloomberg would almost certainly mean a Repug win.

[Bohemianwriter]

30. How may establishment democratic voters..

..in other words, Hillary voters would abandon the Democratic party to vote for Bloomberg?

[lark]

45. If Hillary's legal problems escalate, probably quite a few.

Otherwise my concern would be the left leaning independents who could flock to him, because of Hillary's issues and Trumps' fascism and hatred.

[Bohemianwriter]

47. In other words...

Not "true democrats" who holds real progressive values. (Using the "no true Scotsman often used by some Hillary supporters)
The same sellouts who went Reagan in 1980 are now selling out for a corporate hack, giving the GOP the election, and then blame Bernie and all the supporters he have brought to the party. They will flock to someone who have been just as much imbedded inh destroying USA from withing.

[NoMoreRepugs]

25. I would suggest it's just a ploy to leverage the

Establishment Repugs into not brokering the convention - but I am personally holding out hope they do anyways and T-RUMP runs as a third party candidate...

[Pauldg47]

34. High rollers may want his head if that happened (maybe?).

[NoMoreRepugs]

38. so we might call that a win-win?

[iandhr]

26. Pass the popcorn

[A HERETIC I AM]

27. I'm pretty sure this is a first for a presidential candidate...

The first time we have had what amounts to a whining cry baby running for president

[FSogol]

44. Or a walking-talking combover

[vkkv]

28. Run 3rd Party Donald!!! DON'T GIVE IN TO L-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-S-E-R-S !!!!!!!

(like yourself)

[Bohemianwriter]

29. TRUMP FOR INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE 2016!

[BeeBee]

31. He talks tough but he sure is thin-skinned. Can you imagine him up against Putin?

Waaaahhh! Putin was mean. Waaaahhh!

[FailureToCommunicate]

33. Forget Putin, Trump can't even take on this scary person...

[Tommy_Carcetti]

49. From the liberal media bastion that is known as.....um....Fox News.

[rocktivity]

32. Trump knows he pulled a Howard Beale when he tried to attack Jeb Bush with 9/11

then dissed the people who booed him as plutocratic shills. He knows he'd better be prepared to jump because he's made it necessary for them to push him.

rocktivity

[Lazy Daisy]

35. Pretty Please with sugar on top

[randr]

37. Apparently the RNC has no agreement with Trump

that allows them to hold him accountable for his words or actions. His recent behavior should have had him thrown out of any civilized organization.

[Gary 50]

39. In the Donalds world not getting the nomination is the definition of being treated unfairly.

[Plucketeer]

40. TRUMP '16 !!!

because Stupid Lives Matter too.

[Zorra]

41. The treatment of Mr. Trump by the Republican party has been despicable!

He should definitely run as a Tea Party candidate.

[cbdo2007]

42. Maybe he really is just trolling the Repube party after all....

It's been mentioned before, the speculation that he is just doing this to highlight how ridiculous the Repube party is and to essentially destroy it from the inside out, so that would definitely do the trick beyond repair (for this election at least).

[cyberswede]

46. Yes, please.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

48. It's not fair!