The Apprentice

"I think I can speak for many when I say some of the things that Donald Trump has said of late are 'cringe worthy'." 

Okay - I will not plagiarize this line. I heard it on the news this morning. Some pundit said that Donald Trump is acting like he has his old television show back again. That would be The Apprentice. Only this time Donald is the apprentice. He is the apprentice because (as Newt has recently said and I will paraphrase), "he does not even know what he does not even know". In other words, Mr. Trump may have hit it out of the park as a real estate developer, but as a Presidential candidate, he often gets caught swinging at wild pitches.

I think I can speak for many when I say some of the things that Donald Trump has said of late are "cringe worthy". Truthfully, I think the Clinton campaign team often intentionally baits Trump. Other times, it is just Donald being Donald. Here is the ironic part. If Donald Trump played his cards right, taking Hillary Clinton apart would be like taking low fruit off the tree. But Trump needs to stay on message. How to be smart. How not to act like he is totally out of control.

This thing about not endorsing Paul Ryan as Speaker baffles me to no end. Again, Trump is acting like an apprentice. Paul Ryan has a stiff challenge at home for his House seat. If Donald Trump gave Ryan a full throated endorsement, that would really help Ryan. He could say that Paul Ryan is critical in helping to get Trump's priorities through the House. Instead, Trump said he was just not "there yet" in endorsing Ryan. Again, I am baffled.

With as many flaws as Bush (43) had, one of the things I deeply admired about him was he always seemed to rise above the fray. He never took the bait. He acted Presidential. Trump will take the bait even when it is a half a dead worm on a rusty hook. He needs to be the bigger man. Endorse John McCain. Apologize to him for what said about him early in the campaign season. Endorse Kelly Ayotte. If he becomes President, he will need allies in the Senate as well as the House. 

I know many want Donald Trump to get into Washington and "kick over the tables". I want that also. But to quote Chris Christie, "You can't govern if you don't win." Amen to that. Finally I will say this - it does not take a rocket scientist to see that the trajectory the Trump campaign is on is leading to certain defeat. By a woman who by all rights should be awaiting prosecution by the Justice Department.

Dispirited, disgruntled, disgusted. That sums up much of the base right now. This race is playing out like watching a horrible crash in slow motion. And there is no way to stop it, nor to change it. That is of course, unless the apprentice starts acting like the master professional instead. Can that happen? As much as I hope it will, I will not wager one thin dime - not one.