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The Campaign Spot

Election-driven news and views . . . by Jim Geraghty.


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In Bad Break for Romney, He Wins Trump’s Endorsement

A portion of today’s Morning Jolt covers the reports last night that Donald Trump would endorse Newt Gingrich for president. Moments ago, news broke that Trump would endorse Romney.

Sigh.

I believe the first words I wrote about Trump’s latest publicity stunt were:

I Will Not Vote for a Short-Fingered Vulgarian

Is this Donald Trump for president stuff serious? Really? We’re sure this isn’t the latest version of the near-quadrennial publicity stunt (20082000)?

Is it possible this is all stage-setting for some new line of ties coming out? A new book? Reality show? A new board game?

The guy whose dalliances with Marla Maples were the stuff of New York Post headline dreams, who made a large chunk of his fortunes by building casinos and turned Atlantic City into the depressing, pawn-shop-strewn Gotham City it is today, and whose ostentatious taste would prompt Liberace to urge him to “tone it down a little” is going to run for the party of traditional values? The guy who lost money almost as fast as he made it and who once had a personal debt of $900 million is going to carry the banner for the party of fiscal responsibility?

Back in the early ’90s, Spy magazine imagined a Donald Trump Saturday-morning cartoon series, and offered a quick glimpse in a special hosted by a then-less-well-known comedian, Jerry Seinfeld. In honor of today’s news, here is that glimpse:

Tags: Donald Trump, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich

New on The Campaign Spot. . .


COMMENTS   6

EXPAND  

   02/02/12 10:27

One upside for Romney: assuming he wins the nomination, this takes the Trump 3rd party candidacy off the table...

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Bill Wilde
   02/02/12 11:55

Just when everything was going Mitt's way. Can he disavow it? Cordially, Bill

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   02/02/12 11:55

Trumps endorsement was just another nutter for Newt... but he is the first nutter for Romney... so Romney expands his base to nutters!

Good for him.

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Bill Wilde
   02/02/12 15:12

Petunia, I'm afraid Ron Paul has had that demographic locked in since the start. Cordially, Bill

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John Burke
   02/02/12 12:11

I suppose it is better politically for Romney to get the Trumpster, rather than having anything that appears to die hard Newt fans to breathe life into the Newtmobile.

That said, my favorite story of Trump's penchant for publicity occurred when he was down, on the verge of bankruptcy, and being counted out. So the Donald bought a huge yacht from the Sultan of Brunei and tied it up on the East River. He never sailed it anywhere but hosted a lot of parties for the swells onboard. After a while, an invitation to the yacht got to be a much sought ticket. The tabloids were filled with Trump stories.

It was then, as if by magic, that Trump managed to find creditors to bail him out.

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t d
   02/02/12 15:24

From Morning Jolt on Trump endorsing Newt: "They really do seem to fit each other. . . . I guess the guy whose catchphrase is 'you're fired' couldn't go for the guy who said, "' like being able to fire people.'"

Seems like you inadvertently hit the nail on the head, Jim.

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