While I am NO fan of Steve Schmidt,

[BigDemVoter]

he is chewing the Repigs a spanking new asshole on Lawrence O’Donnell.....
As a Repig Consultant, that says a LOT...

[Solly Mack]

1. He's seeking absolution for the Palin choice and will be for the rest of his life.

Well, that and the fact that Trump is horrible.

[Irish_Dem]

2. As well he should. I like Steve but he helped create this mess. nt

[Solly Mack]

3. He did and that stops me from ever saying a nice thing about him.

[njhoneybadger]

4. Oh really, well he is saying what democratic congressmen and senators should be shouting

and many are completely silent.

[Solly Mack]

7. Doesn't change anything he did prior till now. Trump didn't happen overnight.

The GOP has long pandered to racists and other assorted bigots and Steve Schmidt was right there supporting them.

Any republican acting as if they didn't have a hand in what is happening now is a liar. Sure, they could really believe Trump is the most horrible thing to ever come along and they could attack him daily - but nothing changes all those years they supported and propped up the Republican Party - from Nixon and the Southern strategy, to all things Lee Atwater to Poppy Bush's (Atwater/Ailes) "Willie Horton" ads to Shrub's torture program.

Sorry - no. They get no pass from me. They don't get to pretend that had no role in what the GOP is today.

[njhoneybadger]

13. Your right, but the future is more important that the past

tRump is a serious danger to the world and right now Schmidt is an ally of ours

[Solly Mack]

15. And when Trump is in the past and Schmidt is once again promoting a racist republican who isn't

as obvious in his racism as Trump is, he can go back to being the enemy again, I suppose.

The past is prologue.

[Irish_Dem]

17. You know he will go right back to it. nt

[Solly Mack]

19. Of course he will and he'll talk about how the next great white republican hope is ever so much

different than Trump. It will be nauseating.

[Irish_Dem]

21. yep, you can bank on it. nt

[njhoneybadger]

27. War makes strange bedfellows

[Solly Mack]

28. Yeah, well, I'm careful about who I get into bed with.

I enjoy those mornings without regret too much to do otherwise. No walk of shame for me.

[njhoneybadger]

30. Lol, you got me

[Solly Mack]

33. I enjoy listening to him. I just don't have anything nice to say about him.

I love it when republicans attack other republicans. I think the Trump freaks are going to win this one though - against republicans like Schmidt, that is.

I'm not sure he realizes he is dinosaur to his own party. McConnell and Ryan are working against Schmidt...it isn't just Trump and his freaks.

There! That's the closest to saying a nice thing about Schmidt I have ever come.

You did that!! It's all because of you!!

I'll have to take a nap soon to get over being so warm and fuzzy about Schmidt.

[ProfessorGAC]

39. What Solly Said!

Stopped clock and all that!
Because he's marginally smart enough to see that the buffoon is the logical extension of their 40 year approach, doesn't absolve him of his horrible philosophy!

[Solly Mack]

41. Thank you, ProfessorGAC.

He's fighting for his party. I get that. Still, Trump is the end result of everything Schmidt supported in the past. How did he not see it happening? A lot of us did.

He simply didn't care because he thought his kind would always be in charge of the GOP. Never once considered that the GOP pandering to the very worst in human nature would come back to bite them - to bite all of us. Yet he promoted Palin - which should have been a clue. The Tea Party should have been a clue. All the evidence was there - and he didn't care - as long as the GOP didn't look bad and those elements were on the fringe - well, that fringe is now in charge. They managed to get rid of Boehner - yet another clue.

I can't give him a pass. I can't give any republican a pass - Trump is the monster they created. And people like Schmidt never seem to own it so much as try to distance themselves from him.

Well, poo on that.

[herding cats]

35. He's playing a long game and working to drive a wedge in between Democrats.

He's not your friend. You can take that to the bank!

[Irish_Dem]

16. Exactly. I totally agree. nt

[Solly Mack]

18. Thank you!

Schmidt isn't against Trump because Trump is bad for America - he is against Trump because Trump is bad for the republican party. To be exact, how the GOP is perceived. It's no less about the optics for Schmidt.

Huge difference there.

[Irish_Dem]

20. Yep, just like all he was trying to do with Palin is change the optics.

He full well knew that she was totally deficient.

I like Schimdt, and enjoy watching the smoke come out of his ears.
But I have no illusions about where his loyalties belong.
And yes it is with the GOP whose brand is being tarnished right now.

[Solly Mack]

25. He's a hoot to watch but for me the enjoyment is with republicans attacking republicans.

Exactly. No illusions about his loyalties and how quick his tune will change once Trump is gone.

[Irish_Dem]

26. I like watching him too. At the debate where Trump paraded the Clinton accusers,

Steve just about lost it. I have never seen him so angry and disgusted.
The smoke poured out of his ears.
I almost liked him that night.

But yes as soon as we get a pretend respectable GOP candidate Steve will go back to his old ways.

[Solly Mack]

32. I remember that! The look on his face was priceless!

I actually do believe he hates Trump. I just don't think he has any love for the Democratic Party - which means he stands for the things I stand against.

It's a lot like those anti-women people who call themselves "pro-life" - Sure, we might both agree children are the future (in the sense that children grow up to be adults who have children and so on and so forth, and the species continues into the future - because time - it continues on... oblivious to the wants of humans) but that's not the same as agreeing that women are capable of making their own decisions and should be free to do so without interference from others.

[Irish_Dem]

36. Yes I believe he hates Trump with a passion.

But he doesn't like or respect Democrats.
Which means he and I are on opposite sides.

[pnwmom]

6. Trump's not his fault. He's been a never-Trumper from the very beginning. n/t

[Solly Mack]

9. So? You think the GOP suddenly became racists overnight? You think their racism started with Trump?

You think their appeals to racism only started up with Trump?

Of course you don't think that because you know better.

As do I.

No republican gets to pretend they didn't help create Trump. I believe he doesn't like Trump but that doesn't change his support for a party that gave rise to Trump - through years and years of pandering to racists, years and years of attacking science and promoting ignorance. (discounting facts in favor of feelings)

I don't have a short memory. He doesn't get a pass.

[pnwmom]

11. I think we need every ally now that we can get, and he speaks to a small but significant

chunk of the Republican party -- he thinks about 25%.

So I'm glad he's speaking out and I want him to continue to do so, as loudly as possible.

We can fight people like Schmidt on the issues when and if we get out from under DT. Right now, he's an ally.

[Solly Mack]

12. I'm not fighting him, obviously. I'd have to be actively engaged one on one w/ him for that to be

the case.

I simply won't speak well of him.

There is a difference.

[njhoneybadger]

14. Yes I agree

[Irish_Dem]

37. I would never stop him from speaking out. But the point is that I don't trust him any further than I

can throw him. He can trash talk Trump all he wants.
But he doesn't like or respect Democrats and he never will.

[roamer65]

5. Some of these cons actually believe in the Constitution.

I can ally with them, despite our differences. We need to find that common ground or the republic is finished.

Fascists? Fuck no. They are holding pond scum.

[tblue37]

8. Anna Navarro and Nicolle Wallace are also good about smacking Trump & his minions.

Also Rick Wilson, David Frum, Jennifer Rubin, and Richard Painter.

But they all helped pave the way for where the Republican Party is now, and for the GOP base's and the Trump cult's demonization of Democrats and liberals, to the point where a child molester seems better to them than a Democrat or liberal.

[BigmanPigman]

10. I can actually watch them without having

to hit MUTE or change the channel...that is not something I can say for many right wingers these days.

[ProfessorGAC]

40. Good Call!

I have to change the channel for a couple minutes when most of them are on!
When those mentioned here are on, I can listen but do think "where were you 20 years ago?"

[BigmanPigman]

42. 20 years ago they were kissing Newt's hypocritical

ass. They were the ones who poo-pooed Hillary healthcare plan since she was "just a stupid first lady and should busy herself with redecorating the White House dining room". That is who they are. Now that they are anti-moron they have gained some sense of right and wrong but not enough to suit me. Like all the GOP...they are sane for a brief, flashing moment in time.

[ProfessorGAC]

43. Then His Own Party . . .

. . .ran Newt out of town on a rail! Now he's relevant again? I don't think so.

[kwassa]

29. Michael Gerson had a great column yesterday.

Many of the best critiques of Trump come from the Republican establishment columnists. Jennifer Rubin is tops, IMHO.

[Hekate]

22. I've been a fan of his ever since the RNC horror show, when he talked about the Constitution ...

... and choked up about the danger to our country that Trump poses. He and Nicolle Wallace were there together. I knew then that I was dealng with two fellow-patriots -- we agree on the essentials; we can discuss the rest.

[nini]

23. If this country is going to survive this shit show

We need people like Schmidt to speak up and call their party on this crap.

I've been listening to him for some time and he's always been willing to criticize his own.

[MrScorpio]

24. We don't have to be fans of all GOPrs (Besides, the RWNJs can all kiss our collective asses)

However, there are times when we can share common ground with the ones who we share common principles.

When we all agree to go beyond partisanship and do what's best for the good of the nation, that should be acknowledged.

[chillfactor]

31. I have seen Steve on several programs

on CNN and MSNBC..he has really reamed the GOP and I love listening to him...his past history only makes his remarks more credible.

[vlyons]

34. Nicole Wallace also ridicules Trump

and his idiotic supporters. I'm a very liberal Dem, and I still like both of them for having some integrity.

[Gothmog]

38. I have been impressed with Steve Schmidt's honesty and analysis