The only thing quicker than Donald Trump’s maybe-run as the GOP presidential candidate will be the time spent wondering why he bowed out. Although that’s not a reason for anyone to keep from guessing.
More than one journalistic observer chalked the whole venture to an elaborate publicity stunt. And while Trump is always in it for Trump, that reason involves as much complicated, and overly generous thinking as a birth certificate conspiracy theory. Others, such as Chris Matthews, speculated that Trump gave up after the embarrassing shellacking the business and TV mogul received at the White House Correspondence Dinner.
Oddly enough, the most original perspective came from E! Entertainment’s The Answer Bitch, who attributed Trump’s parting to the lack of love he received from political power-makers.
Political insiders who spoke to The Daily Caller before the maybe-candidacy ended agreed, saying The Donald’s biggest obstacle was not how serious he might actually be, but how to attract the talent needed for a serious run.
“For him to be taken seriously he probably has to come up with somebody with some credibility,” said one long-time Republican strategist. “I don’t think he can run this thing with his internal Trump organization. Not that those people may not be capable, but to be taken seriously he’s gonna have to come up with a serious campaign team.”
Trump had been running his potential candidacy out of his New York office with little-to-no assistance from political hands or anyone outside the business organization. Not that he didn’t try.
In the days and weeks leading up to Trump’s dropping out, the Apprentice king, had been snubbed by the likes of Republican strategist and former state Rep. Fran Wendelboe, and long-time friend and political consultant Tony Fabrizio. In April, Trump sought a Christening by the Archbishop of Conservatism, Charles Krauthammer, only to be damned as not “serious.” And although he appeared to have Nikki Haley’s “serious” consideration in mid-April, the South Carolina Governor came out Sunday to say Trump’s f-bombs were completely “inappropriate.”
Trump needed credibility from credible people. But even political friends who offered continuous public support declined to really get involved. The powerhouse Republican pollsters, John McLaughlin repeatedly said that “I don’t think there’s any question he’s serious.” Although McLaughlin told TheDC that he and his brother Jim had “spoken many times” with Trump, he said politely said “there’s no official campaign yet.”
Asked who might actually join a Trump presidential campaign, the Republican strategists who spoke to TheDC were concise, if not kind.
“The kind of people that are going to join his campaign are those looking, can’t get on with one of the more serious candidates … and that’s fine,” said one strategist. “Or just for money.”
Another was a bit more cynical.
“Seriously, the only people who will get involved are those who want a short term paycheck from this carnival sideshow,” said the strategist. “People who want to work for him fit into the greedy self promoting world of Trump. Now, there is no shortage of those in politics. The question is do they use Trump or does Trump use them. In either case its about the carnival sideshow.”
The only semi-official, definitely-public commitment anyone made regarding joining the official Trump campaign was John McCain’s daughter, Meghan. “If you run for president, will you hire me for your campaign?” asked the Daily Beast columnist during an interview last month. Trump said he loved the idea and told the young blogger to call him when the time was right.
The cynical strategist who spoke to TheDC shortly after the Meghan McCain interview, however, wasn’t convinced; even placing a bet with TheDC that Trump would drop out.
“Leeches and users are not a recent invention in politics,” she said.
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