Pat Buchanan Declares Donald Trump GOP Nominee, Says Cruz, Kasich’s Pilfering Of Delegates Like Winning Boxing Match After Being Knocked Out
Pat Buchanan made somewhat of a declaration — albeit unofficial — that Donald Trump should be proud of: the conservative author and political columnist said Ted Cruz and John Kasich’s alleged plans to pilfer delegates at the GOP Convention runs counter to the Democratic process. Buchanan warned that Trump has already “won” the Republican nomination, and opponents should not tamper with the voice of the American electorate, citing a Breitbart report.
Buchanan appeared on a Wednesday episode of Fox News’ Hannity. He sat down with the show’s host and talked about the chances of the three remaining Republican candidates clinching the nomination ahead of the delegate voting process at the convention. Buchanan, a former senior advisor to three American Presidents — Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan — fired a warning shot over rumors that Cruz and Kasich are vying to steal the nomination from Trump.
Not surprisingly, Buchanan used colorful language to drive home a point. He likened the candidates’ motives to a heavyweight-boxing contest, where the person being knocked out is suddenly declared the winner. Based on a recent AP report, Donald Trump is the only remaining of three contenders who has a mathematical chance of getting to 1,237 pledged delegates.
Pat Buchanan: “The future of the Republican Party belongs to the Trump supporters” https://t.co/t3jHBiX2oR pic.twitter.com/1xg8IPQIyb
— Trump for America (@ArtoftheDealPAC) April 21, 2016
Cruz’s chances dried up after Trump’s landslide New York primary victory last Tuesday. CNN says the Texas senator needs a “minor miracle” to get the required numbers before Cleveland rolls around. Kasich was statistically out of the running months ago.
“Sean, the things perceived as real are real in their consequences. The American people are looking at this and they say, you know, whether we like Donald Trump or not, the guy went out and has won this thing. Now, if by poaching and pilfering delegates here and there, Cruz and Kasich can hold Trump off from the nomination on the first ballot — then they take it, it will be like the heavyweight champion there with his gloves over his head and the award going to the guy lying on the canvas.”
Pat Buchanan: “Donald Trump Won This Thing and Everybody Knows It” https://t.co/UwnaLOfGiw
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 21, 2016
Hannity queried Buchanan on Cruz’s reported strategy to siphon delegates away from the presumptive frontrunner. The outspoken politician opined that he didn’t think the move was criminal. However, he suggested the move was moot because Trump will be the nominee one way or another.
“My answer is there is no doubt about it — Ted Cruz knew the rules better than Donald Trump,” he replied. “Ted Cruz has a better ground game than Donald Trump. And Ted Cruz is not doing anything criminal in pilfering delegates and telling them to hold out and all the rest of it. But, what I’m saying is the American people have perceived an tremendously exciting, interesting contest, and the reality is that Donald Trump won it and everybody knows it. Look at that TV last night, Sean. Are people going to turn around and say now they’re going to give it to the guy who was runner-up by 300 delegates? Why?”
Based on the latest totals, of the 15 remaining GOP contests, 674 delegates are available. The real estate magnate has 846, Cruz trails by some 300 and Kasich is far behind with 147. According to RNC rules, unbound delegates are free to support any candidate at the convention, and after a first ballot, pledged delegates are free to move in another direction.
Most pundits suggest the upcoming contests along the Eastern seaboard are favorable to Trump, while later primaries (Oregon and Montana) favor Kasich. California, with its 172 delegates up for grabs, is reportedly Donald Trump territory. However, the two states that could decide the nomination are Indiana and Nebraska; both are winner-take-all contests.
Does Pat Buchanan have a valid point about the two opponents’ strategies to attract votes to their respective camps? After all, as the RNC chair once said during an interview, “The party, not the people choose the nominee for POTUS.”
[Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images for SiriusXM]
