Trump Will ‘Probably’ Run as Independent If He Doesn’t Win GOP Nomination

[Hissyspit]

Source: Wall Street Journal

April 11, 2011 10:31 PM ET

Trump Will ‘Probably’ Run as Independent If He Doesn’t Win GOP Nomination

Donald Trump will “probably” run as an independent candidate for U.S. President in 2012 if he does not receive the Republican party’s nomination, he told the Wall Street Journal in a video interview on Monday.

“I hate what’s happening to the country,” said Mr. Trump, a real estate tycoon and host of the NBC show “Celebrity Apprentice.” He will not formally make a decision until June, however, when this season of his television show is over. “I can’t run during the airing of that show,” Mr. Trump said, “I’m not allowed to.” But he said he would make an announcement “by June” and his candidacy looks increasingly likely.

- snip -

“I think the Republicans are very concerned that I run as an independent,” Mr. Trump said. His support is highest among the conservative wing of the party, not least because he is among the so-called “birthers” who doubt that President Obama in fact was born in the U.S. “It’s a very important issue,” Mr. Trump said of demanding that President Obama show his birth certificate, which has separately been reviewed by the media and deemed legitimate. “I’m not ashamed of having raised that issue.”

“I am very conservative,” said Mr. Trump. “The concern is if I don’t win will I run as an independent, and I think the answer is probably yes.” Mr. Trump said he thought he “could possibly win as an independent,” adding, “I’m not doing it for any other reason. I like winning.”

Read more: http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/04/11/trump-will-probably-run-as-independent-if-he-doesnt-win-gop-nomination/?mod=WSJBlog&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[Renew Deal]

1. He will not get the nomination and I don't think he should bother trying.

The good news is he will be a spoiler for the republicans and Obama will hand him his ass in debates.

[rhett o rick]

13. So who do you predict will be the nominee? nm

[Renew Deal]

18. That's a great question.

I'm not certain about anyone but...

Romney is the next "in line" considering how the republicans operate.
Huckabee is always dangerous with his smooth talking, southern roots, and positive press from Fox. There are groups of republicans that HATE him and I think that's tough to overcome.
Gingrich is way too unpopular and a slimeball. I don't think republicans even like him.
Palin is dangerous if she can get enough people to buy her line. I think most people know she is a loser and will not be nominated. She has spread a good amount of money around in the attempt to buy endorsements.
If republicans want a semi-serious player and a different face, Pawlenty is a good choice. He doesn't have the big negatives of the others and has won in a liberal state.
Mitch Daniels? Who?
Haley Barbour? Should do well with the cross burners. Is an institutional republican. I don't think he has enough juice and is not well suited to the grueling campaign. He also can be criticized for Katrina response.
Bachmann? Not going to happen. Not enough crazies out there.
Ron Paul will make waves, but still doesn't have that much support. Palin and Bachmann can cut into his support as well. Not going anywhere, but is entertaining in the debates.
Santorum is just not going to win. I don't know what it is, but I don't think he can win in this field.
Herman Cain? Never going to happen.
John Bolton can make waves, but I think he's too rough even for republicans. Would southerners want him in charge of hurricane response? I don't think so.

There are others. But I think these are the players. So where does this leave us? Probably Romney vs. Palin. Romney wins if the republicans are serious about winning. Palin wins if the crazies are running the show. Pawlenty wins if the race gets too negative between the others.

[Old and In the Way]

24. I see your list of candidates splitting 70% of the Republican primary vote

but the largest block will be voting for "none of the above". I'd include Tim Pawlenty in your list. Not sure he's extreme enough for the base, but there's still plenty of time for him to degrade himself.

[Renew Deal]

34. Geez, Pawlenty really is invisible.

:D

He is on the list.

[Old and In the Way]

51. Well, I guess he's invisible to me.

:-)

[Blue_Tires]

33. This whole charade was never about the nomination...

Trump only cares about two things: 1. The national media spotlight and 2. The money-making gravy train that comes with it...

Once those two stop and focus their attention on another golden candidate, Trump will immediately drop out...

[LisaL]

2. Now that is a great idea.

[JackRiddler]

43. Yes but he's full of bullshit as usual, unfortunately.

[musette_sf]

3. The ONLY good idea I ever heard from The Donald

was to REBUILD THE WTC with Yamasaki's original design (structurally upgraded, of course).

I HATE the ugly, stupid "Freedom Tower".

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7832944/

[Trajan]

4. Oh HELL YEAH !

Cmon Donnie Boy .... RUN BABY RUN ! ....

[fishwax]

5. woohoo!

:woohoo:

[onehandle]

6. Where do I send the check? nt

[Dawson Leery]

7. A split in the GOP/Teabagger voter.

:kick:

[bluestateguy]

8. Then Michelle Obama can start picking out her gown for the 2013 inaugural ball

Tee hee.

[theothersnippywshrub]

9. He is a welfare queen who wears hair gathered from the scrotums of fetal pigs on his head and

is demanding to see a bill of sale documenting Obama's birth. How can he not win the GOP nomination?

[OhioChick]

10. Good...he'll take votes away from the GOP n/t

[Iliyah]

11. He is a mean nasty

man. He won't win the gopers nom, let him run as a tea party indy.

[Iris]

58. just the way they like 'em, if you ask me.

[jwirr]

12. A split vote is as good a way for us to win as any. Go for it trump!

[Art_from_Ark]

14. But what if "the Donald" starts giving progressive ideas lip service

like John Anderson did in 1980?

Beware of end runs made by Republican stealth candidates.

[karynnj]

17. He is already discredited as far as ANY progressive goes - and it is not just the birther nonsense

But, in fairness, I have NEVER understood why anyone thought he was all that. He was born to a NYC real estate fortune. Given that rents and cost of housing in NYC has constantly skyrocketed, falling somewhat in recessions, how could he NOT make money. (Especially when he could get credit after not one but two bankruptcies.)

[Art_from_Ark]

23. Are you sure about that?

What if Trump does decide to run as an independent, and says "I promise to scrap all plans for new nuclear power plants", or "I plan to end all wars and bring the money and troops home", or "I promise to provide jobs to everyone who needs one"-- don't you think he could siphon off Democratic votes that way?

[muriel_volestrangler]

31. But he won't - he already sets out his conservative stance in this article

As for foreign policy, Mr. Trump said he is “only interested in Libya if we take the oil,” and that if he were President, “I would not leave Iraq and let Iran take over the oil.” He remains sharply critical of the Chinese, asserting that as President, “I would tell China that you’re either going to shape up, or I’m going to tax you at 25% for all the products you send into this country.”

He says he's "very conservative". Your 'what ifs' are like saying "what if Boehner decides to call for large tax increases on the rich, large increases in government spending, and a government run healthcare system?" There's little point in speculating what would happen if someone changed their entire political philosophy.

[Art_from_Ark]

32. I remember John Anderson from 1980

A Republican congressman turned "liberal".
Basically, he was in there to do an end run around Carter and siphon away Democratic votes.
Which he did.

Just like George Wallace was in there to siphon away Democratic votes.

It is dangerous to think that Trump would be in a presidential race to take away votes from Republicans.
He could easily co-opt Democratic issues, to make it easier for whatever republican nominee to defeat the Democratic nominee.

[jwirr]

37. After listening to my daughter about trump I am afraid I have to rescind

my first statement. She is usually much more savvy.

[JackRiddler]

45. Wallace siphoned away Democratic votes? A questionable thesis.

1968 was a big shift in the electoral politics. It's hard to say for sure that the Southern racists of the Democratic Party would have gone for Nixon after seeing the implementation of Civil Rights under LBJ, but that is how it has been ever since. The conventional wisdom is that without Wallace, Nixon would have won much bigger than he did anyway.

[Art_from_Ark]

59. I disagree

Wallace absolutely, positively siphoned away Democratic votes in the South. Having lived in the South at that time, I knew people who would have voted for Kennedy, but switched over to Wallace because they "couldn't vote for a Republican". My state was one of those that went for Wallace. I think the "conventional wisdom" is wrong in this case.

[snooper2]

46. He's a fucking Birther..

What group left of center is going to do nothing but laugh at this guy

[eppur_se_muova]

15. Great news! Let Tea Partiers vote for him, and lose influence in the GOP. nt

[nevergiveup]

16. Trump's huff and puff is much ado about nothing.

It is all a big publicity stunt. He won't be a presidential candidate. He doesn't have the balls.

[thesquanderer]

19. Likes winning? Maybe C. Sheen should be his VP. (n/t)

[JackRiddler]

44. Say what you will about him, and it's probably true, but Charlie Sheen is not a Republican.

[SoapBox]

20. I think what he means is.....

"...If I don't get the nomination, I'll just try and buy the Presidency..."

[MinneapolisMatt]

21. Do it! SPLIT THE VOTES!

HAHAHAHA! What a fucking idiot.

[ReturnoftheDjedi]

22. Goin' Perot!

[Hardrada]

25. If he runs he can split the GOP and we can primary Obomba

and have a four way race just like there was in 1860. Let the chips fall where they may!

[Old and In the Way]

26. I've never believed that Trump is serious about the birther issue.

But his popularity is forcing a lot of would-be candidates to have to publicly refute him on this....something that most candidates in that Party would prefer to avoid discussing (but let the base keep the issue alive). Trump is going to force them all to go on the record. If they all stand against Trump on this - they stand against a strongly held belief of the core morons that make up the base. If they side with Trump, they're not going to be taken seriously in the GE. Not that long ago, Trump was pretty liberal/progressive on most social issues. His 'campaign' is giving himself a lot of publicity that he'd never be able to get without the playing the birther card. He's now considered the #2 most popular Republican in the race....going Independent will assure another Obama term. Trump gets his publicity...the Republican Party gets squat.

[SkyDaddy7]

27. EXCELLENT!!! nt.

[no_hypocrisy]

28. I'm starting to think Trump wants the GOP to buy him off, to go away.

He's a grifter like Palin is.

[dimbear]

29. Best bid holding the Republican's cards: 1 No Trump n/t

[bigworld]

30. So he's saying the TV show is more important to him than the run for the presidency?

Tells you all you need to know.

[crim son]

35. That will be a waste of his money. Have at it, Trump. n/t

[sofa king]

42. Not his. The secret to his success is that he never pays.

Just ask any one of the hundreds and hundreds of people in Florida who have been contracted by Trump to do a job, and then never get paid. I'll bet there are several right here.

[LibertyLover]

36. What a hell of a stupid reason to run for president -

"I like winning." I have never liked The Donald and having lived in New Jersey and worked in New York City he gets shoved in your face quite a lot. Unlike wine, he does not improve with age.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

38. Eagerly awaiting his financial disclosure form...

[bikebloke]

39. Trump/Hair Piece 2012

Now that's a ticket!

[mvd]

40. Good. That can only help Obama by causing a Repuke split

Go for it!

[krabigirl]

41. I am not sure that this is a good thing, but ok,

Not even sure why people would think theocratic teabaggers would even like him..the guy has said he would legalize cannabis. They would freak out..surprised they even back him in the firstplace.

[FLPanhandle]

47. Trump will "Nader" the republican vote

Great news!

[wordpix]

62. Perfect! I love it. run, Donald, run!

[Hepburn]

48. Thanks to "The Donald!"

Two terms for Obama! :applause:

[hunter]

49. Thus setting the stage for Arnold Schwarzenegger to run...

.

[KamaAina]

54. Was there a Constitutional amendment I missed?

for if not, Ahh-nuld is still ineligible.

[hunter]

60. Arnold trumps Trump. Arnold is a legal immigrant.

From the birther tea-bag Republican party perspective that point is moot. The Constitution does not apply to certain people.

Arnold wins because Trump is a mutant hybrid form of Cuscuta europaea and Homo sapien found in the wreckage of a Cold war Soviet nuclear accident. Trump was captured, turned, and recruited by the CIA, which makes him a real patriotic God blessed USA American, but he is still half parasitic orange vegetable, which makes him a little suspect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuscuta

Only full blooded parasitic orange vegetables are acceptable as Republican leaders:

http://wikiality.wikia.com/John_Boehner

[IcyPeas]

50. The Whig Party...... ha ha get it? wig? whig?

oh never mind.:silly:

[Juche]

52. Yay

Let the idiots split their votes.

[KamaAina]

53. Run Donald Run!

Take the batshit crazy vote away from Mitt or the Huckster or whoever!! :bounce:

[Imagevision]

55. I agree, Trump will run as an Independent - another Lieberman but,

he has more chance of doing over the White House that way...

[Keith Bee]

56. Run, Donnie, Run!

Take the wingnut vote away from the GOP nom!

[Glimmer of Hope]

57. Bring it on! Stupid reality TV star....

[wordpix]

61. I'm sure the social conservatives will love the fact he's had 3 wives & kids by each

or something like that.

[ProudDad]

63. Trump is a self-parody, a self-aggrandizing bad joke... (n/t)