the Donald, and the Canadian

Larry Wilmore is on Comedy Central, and as a comedian he is wont to tell the truth humourously. Barack Obama is currently the twice legally elected President of the United States. So he is doubly hated (perhaps more). He is a Democrat, so because of Gingrich and Company he is hated ab ovo. The partisan animus has always existed, but beginning with the 'Contract on America', it is paramount. He is a black man, so with much overlap (and from some otherwise usually not interested), he is also hated ab initio. This re-inforced by the busheviks (who also overlap) who are keenly upset about legitimate winners. Well, 2016 will not see the election of a black man as president (Ben Carson has faded away).

So currently we are engaged on the odd battlefield of the Iowan caucuses. Of the dozen or so Repukes, it is now between the Donald, and the Canadian. The Donald speaking to George Stephanopoulos in an interview on “This Week” Sunday on January 17th, 2016:

“I don't think Ted Cruz has a great chance, to be honest with you. Look, the truth is, he's a nasty guy. He was so nice to me. I mean, I knew it. I was watching. I kept saying, 'Come on Ted. Let's go, okay.' But he's a nasty guy. Nobody likes him. Nobody in Congress likes him. Nobody likes him anywhere once they get to know him. He's a very – he's got an edge that's not good. You can't make deals with people like that and it's not a good thing. It's not a good thing for the country. Very nasty guy.”

 Ames, Iowa, Jan. 19, 2016. Photo by Mark Kauzlarich Reuters

Terry Branstad is the current governor of Iowa. No one has been governor of a state longer. He is in his 6th four year term (non-consecutive). It is not practice for the governor of Iowa to publicly side in the caucus contest. Branstad has called for the defeat of Cruz (on the grounds Cruz is the boy of big oil money). [click]

A leader of the crazy shithouse rat faction of the Republican Party, Sarah Palin, is campaigning for Trump (she had supported Cruz a few months ago for senator). She announced a few hours after her son was arrested for punching his girlfriend, while he was drunk, and holding a firearm. Of course, she blamed President Obama.

Unless things change, the top two contenders for the opposition party are Trump and Cruz, with many also rans that will soon disappear. A while back most politicos thought Trump was a joke, but it is sinking in that he is fully representing people who vote Republican. The same politicos hate Cruz, because he is repellent. Politicians lie, but Trump lies because he is a bullshitter, he is a businessman. Anything can be said, so as to get what you want. The meaning behind the words are nothing. Cruz is a liar because he is devious. He wants what he wants, but he won't tell you what that is, because you would not want it; well not enough of you to win, there is a sizable minority though that does. Part of that is a dominionist religious heresy.

Now, there are Republicans who see both as disasters to the party. Some prefer Trump for two unenthusiastic considerations:  he is a narcissistic windbag, but some nitty gritty political work and interests he is not interested in, and somethings can be worked out; Cruz is loathsome.

This is the first time there has been serious talk of a brokered convention, or wanting one; they have been engineered coronations for many years. That is something that only the oldest of us have in historical memory. Cleveland may become an interesting place, as Shakespeare wrote in The Tempest:

 “Hell is empty and all the devils are here.”