Dealing with the Trump juggernaut on the path to victory in Cleveland

Less than six weeks before the last presidential primary, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton are front-runners for the party nominations.

Clinton’s almost certain. Trump could still go into the July 18-21 Republican National Convention in Cleveland short of the 1,237 delegate votes he’ll need to clinch the nomination on the first ballot — but if he doesn’t reach that mark, he’ll be very close.

Trump’s rivals still hope to take the nomination away from him at the convention. Should the GOP make him its nominee because he has far more votes than anyone else?

Your question may be moot now that Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. John Kasich have dropped out, but the Republican Party should still deny Trump the nomination any way it can.

Political parties are private organizations that can decide whom to nominate any way they want and change the rules any time they want. Changing the rules will hurt their image, but so will Trump as the nominee.

The GOP will lose the 2016 election no matter whom they nominate. But if it’s Trump, he may ruin their image for a generation. If it’s someone else, they’ll suffer less damage down the ticket and have a better chance to recover more quickly.

Time for GOP leaders to try to shape up Trump. Take away his magic wand and Superman cape and remind him that when he’s captain of the ship of state, saying “Make it so” won’t work.

Trump chose to run as a Republican. So he owes respect and allegiance to the party that gave him a platform.

Maybe compulsory channeling of Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan might help Trump understand the gravity of the presidency.

Maybe sensitivity training might help him walk the walk of his voters. Striking a resonant note is not the same as truly understanding the angst and anger that fire them up.

If Trump can’t be shaped up, he’s a wolf in ram’s clothing and must be cut from the flock.

The GOP should abide by the wishes of the voters.

Now that Trump has won Indiana and Cruz and Kasich are gone, it’s virtually impossible for anyone but Trump to win the GOP nomination.

I believe, however, that Trump should offer his former opponents, as well as others who understand government better than he does, places in his administration.

In an April 29 letter, I wrote that Kasich should be Trump’s vice president, Carly Fiorina his secretary of state, Chris Christy his attorney general, Ben Carson his secretary of education or health and human services, and that Ted Cruz should be his first nominee to the Supreme Court.

If Gen. David Petraeus is Trump’s defense secretary and John Bolton his U.N. ambassador, and if he puts in his administration the rest of the great candidates who ran against him, he should be president-elect after Nov. 8.

Delegates to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland will face the grave task of deciding what’s best for our country, as well as our party.

As Democrats and independents flooded the open GOP primaries, it appears Trump is the most desired nominee. However, it is seasoned Republican voters who become delegates and Trump will not be their first choice.

Delegates will be split, but many know that most Republicans who have voted in national presidential elections in the past may refuse to vote for Trump because he is very similar in philosophy to a Democratic nominee.

Even with Cruz and Kasich out, the outcry is no to Trump. So, no, he should not get the nomination, regardless of the vote. The soul of the GOP is at stake and it could lead to the birth of a new party.

The Republican National Committee had Trump sign a pledge to not go third party.

Now some of them think they don’t have to allow him to be the nominee, no matter how popular he is, how many voters he drew to the Republican Party, and that he sparked so much interest in today’s politics.

Even if Trump is just under the required 1,237 delegates, the people’s primary votes must be acknowledged. We don’t appreciate “higher-ups” deciding what’s good for us!

I’m not fond of Trump or Clinton, but Trump has some plans or statements that I favor.

One, our trade deficit. Years before Trump, I was very concerned about outsourcing jobs and companies to other countries.

Two, our border. I’m not sure about building a wall, but we do need border control.

I have difficulty with his egotistical, pompous attitude and his temperament. He needs to abide by an old quote: “Think before you speak.”

If he gets the most delegate votes, so be it.

Trump has paid his dues, spouting demagoguery and sexist misogynistic vitriol, and deserves the nomination based on his vote lead.

What a great candidate he will make against Hillary Clinton.

To paraphrase a quote from Sen. Lindsey Graham, “Hillary will beat Trump like a drum.” Let the games begin.

As sad as it may be, I finally came to the inevitable conclusion that Trump will be the nominee. It’s incontrovertible, and if anyone still doubts it, I suggest they pinch themselves and down a strong dose of reality juice.

Every rival has been eliminated. Every time he says something that’s the “last straw,” his numbers jump.

What doesn’t take Trump down only makes him stronger and more popular.

An added bonus: If Trump and the Slovenia-born beauty Melania Trump, who achieved fluency in five languages along with a successful career in modeling and jewelry design, do move into the White House, just kick back and enjoy the show.

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will be the nominees of their respective parties.

Even with all the bellicose rhetoric and verbal pugilism within the Republican Party’s three-ring circus aimed at discrediting “The Donald,” it’s been an exercise in futility.

The GOP should make him the nominee if he has the requisite votes.

Trump is what the “ugly American” is all about — money and greed above all else.

Some in the Republican Party hide behind Jesus Christ to fill their pockets with more gold, but Trump has ulterior motives.

His pockets are already full, and they got that way though his cold-blooded ways. But greed just propagates more greed, as any Scrooge can tell you.

Now he sees a way of becoming even more powerful. People with any morals won’t be duped.

I pray that Trump gets the nomination on the first ballot. It’s time we put a businessman in charge, and Trump is the one to lead America out of this mess.

America needs Trump to salvage the mess created by the Obama administration.

Only a businessman can work through the problems caused by the career politicians in D.C.

This story was originally published May 6, 2016 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Dealing with the Trump juggernaut on the path to victory in Cleveland."