Trumps donations lean toward Democrats:
Recipients include Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.), former Pennsylvania governor Edward G. Rendell, and Rahm Emanuel, a former aide to President Obama who received $50,000 from Trump during his recent run to become Chicago’s mayor, records show. Many of the contributions have been concentrated in New York, Florida and other states where Trump has substantial real estate and casino interests….
….The Democratic recipients of Trump’s donations make up what looks like a Republican enemies list, including former senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.), Rep. Charles B. Rangel (N.Y.), Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) and the late liberal lion Edward M. Kennedy (Mass.).
The biggest recipient of all has been the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee of New York, which has taken in more than $125,000 from Trump and his companies. Overall, Trump has given nearly $600,000 to New York state campaigns, with more than two-thirds going to Democrats.
Donald Trump is merely the nom de guerre of our old friend, Will To Power.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think I've got it: Trump's plan is definitely to run but party and platform are irrelevent as he doesn't intend to win but to suck up as much oxygen as possible for what he and NBC believe would be the ultimate reality show: "Celebrity Running Mate".
Go ahead and tell me it's not plausible.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"It's not personal. It's business."
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"I think I've got it: Trump's plan is definitely to run but party and platform are irrelevent as he doesn't intend to win but to suck up as much oxygen as possible for what he and NBC believe would be the ultimate reality show: "Celebrity Running Mate".
Go ahead and tell me it's not plausible."
Plausible? - it's the most likely explanation at this point.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is too funny.
A business man, who does large real estate/development projects in major metropolitan areas, donates money to the biggest players/politicians in the markets he works. And this is a surprise to the people at TNR? This is covered in Business Economics 101; maybe TNR writers should take the class. Or at least read the Wall Street Journal on a regular basis.
Maybe, just maybe, these businessmen donate money to those in power to further their business interests. Sounds like an interesting starting point for some investigative journalism if you ask me. Certainly more plausible than this "analysis".
This is some mighty weak sauce if this is the best you can do to label Trump a RINO. I've had stronger stuff at Taco Bell.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI am not on the Trump bandwagon, but I think this is unfair. Most of these politicians are from New York, Illinois, and Mass. none of them have competitive races, the loan exception was Kerry for President.
Lets look at this rationally, Donald does a lot of business in these respective places...places where Democrats rule. There is no viable Republican Opposition. Donald's business requires politicians to make decisions to allow him to build. Call it crony capitalism if you want, but its reality. This is the way real estate business gets done. Donald could fight the system but he would risk getting projects underway...its play along or bust.
There are many problems with Trump, but his campaign contributions are not one I care about. That being said: I was happy to hear Trump say on Hannity that there would be no way he would run as an independent candidate, because doing so would ensure Obama is re-elected. Trumps goal is to see that doesn't happen. Let me ask you this: WILL RON PAUL MAKE THE SAME PLEDGE?
Let me say this: I will NOT vote for Trump, but I appreciate what he has brought to the table. First and foremost he is going after Obama in a way the more serious contenders cannot. Having Trump (an outsider to the GOP), do this is a great service to our cause. The hope here is that Trump will drive Obama's negatives up among people who voted for him the last time around. Frankly, I believe he is doing this. Trump is appealing to independents, and frankly, is the perfect guy to bring up the Birther issues, which I admit even I have become a bit more skeptical, and I frankly have little regard for the issue.
In the end this race will be about either Romney, Pawlenty, and Daniels vs. Obama. My hope is the middle guy wins, and my hunch is that he will be the choice of Republicans once this really gets going. People complain that no one knows who Pawlenty is - so how is he going to win. Let me assure you that any American who is nominated to be Obama's opponent will hit near 100% name recognition within a week of winning the primary. If its Pawlenty, you have a bonafide conservative from a Purple state, who has a good record to run on. Furthermore, if Pawlenty takes MN's ten electoral votes, He would need to take McCain's states (honestly the only one that would be slightly competitive is MO) PLUS OH,FL,NC,VA,and IN. (If you look at state by state polling Obama is terribly unpopular in those 5 states, whereby he is polling in the high 30's low 40's.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI've long thought we commenters needed a self-imposed moratorium on using the term RINO without offering supporting evidence ("Chris Christie is a RINO!" = bad "Chris Christie is a RINO because he has a horn and a bird on his back!" = okay). This is a clear case of the latter. We may have our first consensus RINO since Link Chafee got voted out.
when it come's to RINO's, myself, I prefer the Hiphopopotamus
re: Frank1914 - I agree with JRapp's assessment of your idea.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCan we call him a RINO?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think I'll just continue to call him what he is, a Liberal Democrat.
Bloomberg Republican.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think I'll just call him Tim Cahill.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI smell a fifth columnist whose intent is to ultimately run as a third party candidate, a la Perot and suck just enough votes away from the pachyderm candidate to let the great void slip past into a second term.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIs Trump a RINO or a successful New York businessman who spends his money in a way that favors his business interests and all those people and businesses who benefit from those interests rather than on his personal political preferences? When considering why Trump would donate to Democratic politicians in Democratic districts and states, the term "beating a dead horse" comes to mind.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@The Other Jim,
Yep, he is the "straw" that stirs Obama's drink. Whatever works for Coup Deval will be tried by Obama.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseFor those who are unconcerned about his donations because "it's just business", isn't it our side that trumpets principle over politics? Aside from Trump's recent pounding on Obama, where has his support been for the conservative side since the 2008 campaign? If Trump was so threatened and repulsed by Obama then why wait until now?
Where was Trump during the bailout and obamacare debates when the tea party was in its infancy? Where was Trump during the 2010 midterm fight, aside from donating money to democrats? Did he give any of his time or his money to republicans in important contests like Brown, Christie, Rubio, Toomey or Angle? We know he found plenty of money for the likes of Schumer, Reid, Rahm and Hillary.
I appreciate his comments vs. Obama and it should serve as an example, but Trump is not the guy to represent us, leading our battle at this time.
He's wildly unpredictable, his political philosophy is unclear, he's recently supported the enemy financially, he's recently supported extremely liberal policy like universal healthcare, he's got myriad business and personal skeletons which speaks to character issues, on and on and on.
We can find a more electable AND acceptable-to-the-cause pick for 2012, get Obama out, win the Senate, trade-up on RINOs in both houses, and keep pushing our leaders to follow our principles. Meanwhile, our farm team of VERY impressive conservatives in congress and statehouses grows more numerous and experienced, and they will propagate into higher leadership positions.
This is all in sight. Now is not the time to gamble on a loose cannon with uncertain principles and character flaws like Trump.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'd prefer you call him, "The Blond Arnold Schwarzenegger."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseInstead of obsessing about Trump, shouldn't the GOP be obsessing over getting a decent candidate of its own?
If the GOP had a viable candidate, Trump would be a non-starter.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMr. Goldberg - Ronald Reagan was a democrate until age 52. Yeah Trump is older but a political epiphany can happen.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo, we can't call him a RINO; but we can call him what he is: a Democrat (among other things).
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo. He's WAAAAYYYY beyond RINO. He's a Liberal Democrat on every issue. He should be running as a Democrat, as a primary opponent of Obama.
The idea of a lifelong Liberal Democrat being on stage with Republicans in a primary debate is ludicrous. I hope it doesn't come to that.
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