You could almost feel the excitement of The Bulwark’s Bill Kristol when he sent out this tweet:
"Recent polling shows both races tighter than expected for Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio. On August 9 we conducted focus groups with a dozen Trump-to-Biden voters and these people explained why they were open to replacing both incumbents." https://t.co/wLRvB4aWu4
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) August 22, 2022
Try not to wet yourself over it, Bill.
Bulwark types should be rooting for DeSantis, who objectively gives them their best chance to achieve their stated goal of loosening Trump's grip on the GOP! https://t.co/Vdi5nmJmzR
— Patrick Ruffini (@PatrickRuffini) August 22, 2022
One would think, yes. And yet, if anything, they’re painting Ron DeSantis as Donald Trump 2.0: Trump, But Even Hitlierier.
Their "stated goal" is not related to their actual goal. https://t.co/ynb3k88vfU
— Fusilli Spock (@awstar11) August 22, 2022
Yep.
This doesn’t make any sense if you try to view it through the lens of wanting to restore the Trumpified Republican Party to some semblance of its better days. And that’s because that’s not what Bill Kristol and The Bulwark are trying to do.
Roughly, NeverTrumpers are now divided into three camps: those who feel they never really knew the party, and now want nothing to do with it; those who want to reconstruct the old party; and those who just want Trump gone.
Suspect the 3rd group has the most practical plan. https://t.co/Hw7Hvn7YGy
— Megan McArdle (@asymmetricinfo) August 22, 2022
We’d add one more camp to that: the straight-up grifters who saw an opportunity to capitalize on their rejection of past professed conservatism both financially and in terms of airtime on MSNBC and CNN. That’s the camp into which we’d folks like those at The Bulwark. And Tom Nichols, of course.
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The people who want Trump to magically disappear have a more practical plan than the people who want to align with Joe Biden and the practical wing of the Democratic Party? What is the 3rd groups plan exactly?
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) August 22, 2022
I see the "Never Trumpers should support DeSantis" chants are beginning again. Must be the season for it.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 22, 2022
We see Tom Nichols is claiming he wants the GOP to quit Donald Trump while pre-emptively trying to torpedo probably the most viable alternative. Must be the season for it. Must be a day ending in “y.”
I’m just waiting for the Never Trumpers should support Ivanka take. She’s technically a Kushner! She converted! Much better than Don Jr.! It’s our only realistic chance to move forward!
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) August 22, 2022
I think the "create a coalition with the Democrats" plan was pretty practical in 2020, but I'm just an unfrozen caveman political scientist. Strategic voting frightens and confuses me pic.twitter.com/cAepfsctsT
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 22, 2022
And Expert™. Don’t forget Expert™, Tom!
Amazingly, you becoming a Democrat doesn’t really do anything to change the internal dynamics of the Republican Party. If anything, it probably helps Trump since everyone left is more favorable to him. https://t.co/KWHrFizKSq
— Varad Mehta (@varadmehta) August 22, 2022
Tom Nichols should be used to having no impact by now. We’ll still write about him, of course, because we enjoy kicking him around. Lord knows he deserves it.
Tom Nichols, “expert,” apparently lacks even a basic familiarity with American politics.
— Varad Mehta (@varadmehta) August 22, 2022
Tom was trying to make a joke when he said he’s just an unfrozen caveman political scientist, but his analysis makes it sound like he’s actually spent the past several years — several decades, really — in an actual cave.
I think that’s right. But I think the Republicans who argue for supporting DeSantis are just flailing about trying to find some reason not to do the obvious thing to prevent this new GOP from gaining power.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 22, 2022
And what’s “the obvious thing,” Tom?
Which is what? Nominate Liz Cheney? https://t.co/C7TPRkfor4
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) August 22, 2022
Or maybe, even simpler, voting only for Democrats?
I think people have sincere reasons for supporting DeSantis over a Democrat, many of which are quite reasonable.
— Megan McArdle (@asymmetricinfo) August 22, 2022
You can't get DeSantis without the new GOP. I'd rather they just admit they're comfortable with what the GOP has become and that they prefer it. It would be more honest than "I'm only trying to stop Trump." There's an easier way to stop Trump than choosing a mini-Trump.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 22, 2022
And the “easier way” in Tom Nichols’ mind is to punish the GOP for Trump by rejecting all the GOP candidates, especially the ones that could have a decent shot at winning.
He wrote a book all about expertise, you know.
Honest question: What's wrong with electorally punishing a party that has – as in institution, not with some handful of fringe candidates – abandoned the Constitution? Isn't punishing every candidate of the party the way to force internal change in a party?
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 22, 2022
“Honest question.”
If they largely promote political policies they support and the other party does the exact opposite? This isn’t an honest question. It’s a statement of intent with a question mark at the end. https://t.co/jnYLMnyeLE
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) August 22, 2022
Bingo.
If you work against incrementalist improvement in the GOP, it is actually you who wants the new GOP to stick around forever.
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) August 22, 2022
If Tom Nichols were actually honest for once, he’d admit that he doesn’t actually want the GOP to get better; he just wants to have something to whine about. Because that’s just about all he knows how to do these days.
Also, it would do well for the Bulwark types to offer up a better option than DeSantis. Imo, DeSantis is the best option for getting rid of Trump. If there's a better option, let's hear it. https://t.co/8HfXY3F96Y
— IncognegroNeville 🇯🇲🇺🇸 (@FormerlyCBM) August 22, 2022
Just saying no to DeSantis doesn't do much, you've got to put forward a solution to the Trump 2024 problem. A feasible one, so not Larry Hogan or Liz Cheney.
— IncognegroNeville 🇯🇲🇺🇸 (@FormerlyCBM) August 22, 2022
To me, right now the goal should be defeating the attempted election stealer, DeSantis has the best shot. If you're not offering up a better solution, you're basically saying people like me have to vote for Biden. That dog won't hunt.
— IncognegroNeville 🇯🇲🇺🇸 (@FormerlyCBM) August 22, 2022
That dog will walk right up to Tom Nichols and crap all over his shoes.
"We have to get rid of Trump, a unique threat to the constitution and Republic."
"Okay here's the easiest most easy viable option in doing that."
"No not like that!" https://t.co/lmSckdkhZ7
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) August 22, 2022
The mask is about to come off this fun scam of theirs. We'll find out if getting rid of Trump or their MSNBC appearances are more important to them.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) August 22, 2022
Miller’s just playin’, of course. We already know which is more important to them.
If you work against incrementalist improvement in the GOP, it is actually you who wants the new GOP to stick around forever.
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) August 22, 2022
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