Bernie Sanders - Hope?

[SteelCurtain]

But these attacks against Trump seem  only to mobilize more of his voters.

Intensity of support doesn't equal raw numbers. If you look back through American history, you'll see that while divisive politicians spur debate, precisely because they're divisive, they tend to have low ceilings -- William Jennings Bryan is a good example.

But it does translate well into delegates in caucus states.

Trump is turning out more voters for the Republican Party than ever before. When he is shown to be divisive, more of the clowns come to the circus.

My point is that the GOP establishment is likely not to have a say. I think Trump will win the nomination outright. The egg that the right laid with it's warmongering, demagoguery, and rampant feamongering is hatching, and the monster inside is exactly what they deserve.

I can't argue with the fact that the Trump candidacy is the direct result of Republican intransigence and demagoguery, but I think Trump has it much more uphill than the media is portraying right now. They're onto a Story, but the real story here is how are the Republicans going to save much at all no matter who they nominate, or how?

This is an unfolding disaster for the Republicans. They either accept Trump and all his baggage (bigotry, xenophobia, overweening hubris) as their representative nominee, or they face an internal but very public fight over the legitimacy of their nomination process. It's a Hobson's Choice for them -- either way, they lose.

It sure is a disaster for them. But they may be able to spin it if they glom onto him. They have to choose a path, and quickly. If they hold out until a contested convention and decide to give it to Kasich, they will reap what they sew. If they choose to go hard and strong with the "he's not that bad" gambit, they could save some face and unite the rubbish that's left.

The gamble is Trump not getting the required delegates for the nomination. If they distance themselves from him for too long they are going to crash hard after the election. During this crash, I will bathe gleefully in the schadenfreude.