Oldbear83 said:
Mothra: "What I've asked you - personally - is whether you condone or think lies and personal attacks against a fellow Republican are a good idea. I've asked whether you think it's good that Trump regularly violates Reagan's 11th Commandment."
First, the reason Reagan made that statement in the first place, was because all Republicans were doing what you hate Trump for doing.
And that is still happening. It's ironic that all the attacks on Trump between 2021 and now are ignored by you, but every little thing he says is of greatest affront to you.
Damned hypocritical, and I won't stop saying so.
And no, Trump does not 'regularly' violate that maxim, although I wish he would not do it at all. McConnell, Cheney, Kinzinger, and other Establishment Republicans are much worse, but again you have no interest in that fact.
And of course, after your high and mighty virtue signaling you tossed off a few insults towards Whiterock, just to prove you are incapable of meeting the standard you demand from everyone else.
Just wow.
That is indeed why Reagan said that, and as with most things, he was prescient - it's bad for the Republican candidates to be eating their own. You don't see Democrat candidates doing that, by and large. Now, they may disagree about policy issues, and try to "out woke" each other, but for the most part, they stay clear of the personal attacks. Sure, there are exceptions, but this is the rule for the most part - party over person.
Trump on the other hand? It became his modus operandi during the 2016 campaign. It was a total **** show. And he took it to new lows, not merely criticizing a candidate, but going after the candidate's looks and then his family. I mean, when you resort to criticizing the looks of your fellow Republicans' wives, you've taken it way too far. When you go after a candidate's father? Too far. When you resort to name calling, and mean-spirited personal attacks? Way too far. Behave like a decent human being and an adult, for God's sake. And of course, now it's happening all over again. Suggesting Youngkin is a Chinese operative because of the way his name sounds? Racist much? Suggesting DeSantis is a child molester and sexual assaulter based on a photo with high schoolers when he was a young man? Too far.
Where you I appear to disagree for the most part is whether we should sit silent and allow him to do and say such things, or whether we should stand up for what's right and call out boorish behavior. I've always been someone who spoke up for what's right or wrong, regardless of party affiliation. Why? Because it's the right thing to do. Moreover, Trump doing and saying those things will only hurt his chances of getting elected. He alienated such a large swath of people in 2020, he lost to a geriatric patient. If he's the candidate, I don't want that to happen again.
In no way do I disregard the attacks on Trump. I agree he has been treated unfairly for years. But most of those attacks came from the Democrats and the media, not fellow Republicans. As far as I can tell, the Republicans he is now attacking have never attacked him. DeSantis has never said a bad word about Trump. That's because he follows the Reagan maxim. Youngkin has never said a bad word about Trump. Yet, Trump is now attacking them. Sure, it may be for political purposes, but that doesn't make it right.
For the record, I have repeatedly been critical of turncoats Cheney and Kinzinger. Your position that I don't say anything about them is a lie, based on ignorance it appears. I regularly condemned their conduct during the January 6th hearings. But that is simply not pertinent to this discussion. This is talking about unprovoked attacks by Trump on his fellow Republicans. That is inexcusable, no matter how many excuses you try to make for him.
You can continue to call me "hypocritical" for calling out Republicans who condone such conduct. That accusation - although as stupid and ill-thought out as the first time you leveled it - doesn't bother me in the least, especially given the source. I will continue to call it like I see it, and stand up for what I believe to be right.