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Robert Stacy McCain's avatar

Apologies to readers for the several annoying typos in this article, some of which I'll blame on my stupid computer's "autocorrect" function, but most of which are probably my own fault. Anyway, because it's a newsletter -- sent via email to subscribers -- a Substack article can't be edited after publication, and so I must grit my teeth at these embarrassing glitches.

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The Northwoodsman's avatar

As I read somewhere else, "autocorrect is my worst enema".

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William Stroock's avatar

I know how you feel.

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William Stroock's avatar

Goldberg was interesting...25 years ago.

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The Northwoodsman's avatar

The Jeb campaign of 2016... I said at the time that if the R's nominated Jeb Bush it would be proof positive that they were colluding to put Hilary! in office. No one wanted Jeb Bush for president, including Jeb Bush.

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Doug's avatar

"Please clap"

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M. Thompson's avatar

To feel Mr. Trump had some issues in 2016 was understandable. The whole time my fear was his transactional nature would lead to him making deals with Pelosi and Schumer. That he did not make deals was a reason I did support him in 2020.

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Robert Stacy McCain's avatar

Mr. Trump had issues in 2016, and still has issues today. That's not the point. The point is, he beat Hillary, and my hunch is that she would have beaten anyone else.

As to fears around his 2016 candidacy, I was afraid that somehow the GOP Establishment would find a way to cheat him out of the nomination and he'd then run a third-party campaign that would wreck everything, like Perot did in the 90s.

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Cynthia Yockey's avatar

Do you remember in 2015 one of the first things Trump did was take out Charles Krauthammer and Jonah Goldberg for criticizing him? Being a psychiatrist, Dr. Krauthammer was able to work his way out of it, but Jonah couldn't take the blow to his ego and never recovered. This includes getting on X just before the Nov. 2024 election to boast about the obscure candidate he was voting for instead of Trump or Biden because muh principles.

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Robert Stacy McCain's avatar

What's amazing is how Marco Rubio was able to absorb the "Little Marco" abuse, get over it, and remain a good soldier long enough to become Secretary of State.

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Don Surber's avatar

Marco could be the best SoS since Seward (who was a shoo in for the 1860 nomination) or even JQA (wrote the Monroe Doctrine)

Gotta man up. Marco did

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The Northwoodsman's avatar

Good point, and not only that, but so far much better than I anticipated. I was dubious when I heard of his appointment thinking it was another ill-fated sop to the party establishment, but he seems to be anything but a cypher to this point.

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Bruce Herman's avatar

"Time-warp" is appropriate. These folks are still stuck on Watergate, to the point of arrested development.

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Flippin’ Jersey's avatar

Dropped my National Review subscription upon receiving that Never Trump issue. Haven’t really missed it, given what I’ve heard about its continued hatred of all things Trump.

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Don Surber's avatar

Substack is the only way to go.

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