A Republican lament - by Fred Barnes
Republicans Are Campaigning to Lose
By Fred Barnes
The CNN exit poll for the New Hampshire primary asked Republican voters if they “feel betrayed by Republican politicians?” Forty-seven percent said yes. And that was the view of grass-roots Republicans in a state where moderates usually rule. Imagine what the percentage of Republicans who feel betrayed might be in more conservative states. We’ll find out Saturday in South Carolina.
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The New Hampshire exit poll, by the way, asked Democrats if they feel betrayed by their politicians. Only 15% said yes, a mere fringe of discontent.
Anyone who watched the two debates last week could see the difference. The Republican candidates—four of the six anyway—got caught up in personal attacks. They were testy and offended. Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanders, while hardly chummy, spent considerable time echoing each other. “There is no question Secretary Clinton and I are friends,” Mr. Sanders said before noting a partial disagreement over Libya. No Republican uttered such words. The candidates appeared to be anything but presidential. Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanders, for all their harping on left-wing themes, came closer to the presidential standard, at least for a night.
The split between party leaders and a substantial number of party voters emerged after Republicans won the House in the 2010 midterm election, and swelled when they added the Senate in 2014. Their legislative gains were minimal. The Republican base, egged on by conservative talk radio, accused congressional leaders of knuckling under to President Obama. Thus the notion of betrayal.
The discord and anger were practically an invitation to Mr. Trump to enter the race. A unified Republican Party would have provided him neither the political space in which to run nor issues to exploit. And Mr. Trump would most likely have decided not to run, as he had in earlier presidential years.
(snip)
Mr. Trump’s crude style has had a huge impact. He insults rivals, tosses out slurs, trashes Republican icons, and interrupts constantly during debates whenever he is mentioned, alluded to, or just feels like it. When he’s talking, he waves off anyone who dares to break in.
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Republican voters were asked if they would be “satisfied if Cruz wins the nomination?” The result: 38% said yes, 59% no. Mr. Rubio did slightly better: 41% yes, 57% no. Mr. Trump beat both of them: 51% yes, 46% no. Democrats were asked a similar question. Satisfied if Mrs. Clinton is the nominee? Sixty percent said yes, 37% no. If Mr. Sanders wins? Seventy-nine percent said they’d be satisfied, 20% said they wouldn’t.
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It’s highly likely that a sizable chunk of the Republican establishment will decline to back Mr. Trump in a repeat of 1964 when liberal and moderate Republicans refused to support Barry Goldwater.
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http://www.wsj.com/articles/republicans-are-campaigning-to-lose-1455752338
= new reply since forum marked as read
has been more wrong about more things than Kristol. It's a gift, apparently. 
and, yes, may be too good to be true. He certainly paints us in positive colors.. Obviously has not visited DU pages..
