A lot of the friends I worked with during my time as a political operative for the National Republican Party are now working to defeat a GOP presidential re-election.
They say the choice in this election is for America or Donald Trump. Trump, says former National Republican Committee chairman Michele Steel in the Lincoln Project ad above.
Trump, Steele says, is a corrupt, crooked, criminal president. During my 50+ years of working as a newspaperman, with a sabbatical as a political operative, I have never seen members of an incumbent president’s party come out against him or her.
America, however, has never had a more unqualified, immoral, or illegal president than Trump. I understand the anger of those who are Republicans who oppose Trump and actions.
Trump, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush says, “has not demonstrated that temperament or strength of character. He has not displayed respect for the Constitution. And, he is not a consistent conservative. These are all reasons why I cannot support his candidacy.”
David Brooks, the Republican conservative columnist for The New York Times says:
Donald Trump is epically unprepared to be president. He has no realistic policies, no advisers, no capacity to learn. His vast narcissism makes him a closed fortress. He doesn’t know what he doesn’t know and he’s uninterested in finding out. He insults the office Abraham Lincoln once occupied by running for it with less preparation than most of us would undertake to buy a sofa.
GOP media strategist Rick Wilson:
With the scenery-chewing, oxygen-sucking political black hole that is Donald Trump, I have one question for the ‘don’t attack’ camp; how’s that working out for you? You could be living on a diet of lead paint, cheap vodka, and Real Housewives and still know more than Trump does about, well, everything.
Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney, who lost his run for president against Barack Obama:
Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He’s playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat.
Other Republicans who won’t endorse or vote for Trump:
- Cindy McCain, widow of Sen. John McCain, a Vietnam war prisoner of war and military hero;
- Miles Taylor, former chief of staff of Homeland Security. He calls Trump “terrifying” and is “actively doing damage to our security;”
- Former GOP congresswoman Susan Molinari of New York. She’s endorsing Biden;
- Current GOP Rep. Francis Rooney of Florida: “A lot of people that voted for President Trump did so because they did not like Hillary Clinton,” Rooney says. “I don’t see that happening with Joe Biden — how can you not like Joe Biden?”
- Former Republican Rep. Charlie Dent: “This isn’t about right or left — for me, it’s about right and wrong.”
- Other Republicans include former Sen. John Warner, former Sen. Gordon Humphrey, former Rep. Steve Bartlett of Texas, Former Rep. William Clinger Jr. of Pennsylvania, Former Rep. Tom Coleman of Missouri, and more than 70 top Republican national security officials.
The list goes on and on and continues to grow.