With the national media — including 24-hour “news” channels grabbing at anything resembling a story — captivated by Donald Trump and his traveling medicine show, the GOP race for presidential nomination at the moment is as much a reality show as anything. IN THE same vein as when Ben Franklin as a teenager wrote to the New-England Courant pseudonymously as “Silence Dogood,” the Register occasionally receives an email from a reader, who has declined to make himself — or herself — known. The electronic missives often draw attention to conservative sides of issues, and also make observations.
With no one better at the art, Trump has seized the spotlight.
His staying power was questioned last week when he disparaged John McCain. He shook off criticism and quickly moved along, allowing he was misquoted, misunderstood and wrongly reprimanded. If one or another of 15 other candidates trying to grab the GOP ring as the merry-go-round spins thinks he has been ignored by Trump, just wait. He will get to them.
The thought among many Republican observers is that Trump eventually will go away, slide into oblivion — or at least become a voice in the wilderness. Perhaps — and perhaps not. Trump has a fortune — be it $1 billion, $10 billion or a gazillion dollars — at his disposal, and from all indications would not be reluctant to finance a full-blown campaign on his own nickel.
One made a couple of weeks ago was Trump would end up a third-party candidate. The prediction predated those now gushing from national pundits. Our shadow contributor further suggested if Trump were to abandon the GOP race and go on his own, the winner likely would be Hillary Clinton.
That might be the outcome, provided Clinton can avoid the minefields those who oppose her are laying and being fused with her own emails.
Jeb Bush, whose social positions find favor with ultra-conservatives, would seem to be the odds-on favorite in so huge a field of candidates. His wife being Hispanic surely will curry votes in that growing demographic, and he certainly has the wherewithal to generate campaign funding as well as any, not to mention name recognition.
However, with the primary election more than a year off much can occur — and likely will.
Trump may implode and become a footnote in political history; one or more of the other candidates may bound to the front of the crowd.
Time will tell.
— Bob Johnson
The GOP race is likely to be study in perseverance
