I just want to remind all Democrats...

[Fragment]

... that all “former” Republican pundits, such as Steve Schmidt, are still speaking from a very conservative point of view, and I would place little value on their opinions. All conservatives seek to motivate from fear, rather than hope.

[radical noodle]

1. I value their point of view on the campaigns

because they're never trumpers but I wouldn't necessarily listen to them about policy.

[napi21]

2. Do you really see Steve Schnidt that way? I think he's one of a very few pundits whose

opinion usually proves to be right.

[radical noodle]

5. +100

and I may disagree with him on policy but I think he's proven he cares more about the country than about party.

[emmaverybo]

14. I heard him once go into a spiel against Trump and for democratic ideals that was the most eloquent

and genuine statement I had heard up to that point. When partisans go into analysis they are able, if they are good, to put their personal politics aside. That’s the requirement and they get paid for being able to. It’s enjoyable as an exercise for them too. Michael Steele very insightful. Sometimes Joe quite good. It’s an intellectual capacity.

[BigmanPigman]

21. I think I recall the time he spoke exceptionally well.

It was fairly recently and was commented on here at DU too.

[chillfactor]

3. sorry but I enjoy

listening to Steve and many other ex-republicans. They have much to contribute.

[greyl]

4. That's an unduly fragmented, black and white view of the American people.

The things most conservatives and progressives do agree about are the most important things. The culture conflicts are exaggerated and amplified by those who benefit from dividing the aforementioned 99%.

[Renew Deal]

6. This is an interesting topic, especially if Trump suddenly isn't the nominee.

Right now the Schmidt’s, Rubin’s, Frum’s, and Wilson’s of the world support the Democrats. What happens when suddenly Pence is the nominee, or in 2024? How much weight do we put in seemingly good advice from temporary allies? How much trust is there? It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out.

[greyl]

9. Schmidt, Rubin, Frum, and Wilson are on record about Pence's groveling sycophancy. nt

[Renew Deal]

10. Great. Swap him out with whoever you want. Romney 2020

Who do they support?

[greyl]

11. That's not relevant to their commentary on current events, but

if the past is a guide, most Dems would update their opinion based on new evidence as it comes in. If Schmidt becomes a Romney guy, he'd become a political enemy. (I happen to think he might be going for a job on Buttigieg's campaign)

[Renew Deal]

12. It's going to be interesting to see how it plays out.

Another angle is that they have been making money from left wing circles over the last couple years. Do they want to give that up? Do they find a way to stay?

This is a side story, but one I’m curious about.

[NCLefty]

7. I think you're totally off-base on Schmidt.

His rips of Trump are usually couched in very idealistic notions like History and Justice. And he's VERY good at it.

If he was throwing conservative talking points, I'd be the first to hit fast-forward. I just don't see it (on MSNBC at least).

If we're too pure to even work with the people that hate who we hate--and who we're furiously fighting against--we're going to be in a pretty small pool. :p

[Garrett78]

8. I maintain what I wrote about Schmidt and Never Trumpers about 6 months ago:

Various Republicans, including members of the media and retiring Congresspersons, have been critical of Trump. Steve Schmidt, Republican Party strategist turned TV pundit and Trump critic, has even renounced his Republican Party membership. Schmidt tweeted, "29 years and nine months ago I registered to vote and became a member of The Republican Party which was founded in 1854 to oppose slavery and stand for the dignity of human life. Today I renounce my membership in the Republican Party. It is fully the party of Trump."

Now, let me preface what I'm about to write by saying the more people that recognize the horrors of the Trump Administration the better. But let's be clear about a few things. Trump and his base of support is a monster of the Republican Party's making, a monster who was 50 years in the making. The Southern Strategy and racist dog whistling has been modus operandi for the GOP for longer than Steve Schmidt has been alive. Schmidt turned eighteen as Ronald Reagan's administration was coming to an end. I imagine Reagan inspired Schmidt to register as a Republican. Reagan, the man who basically kicked off his 1980 presidential campaign by giving a speech about "states' rights" less than ten miles from Philadelphia, MS, where three civil rights workers were murdered. Every other Republican presidential candidate, from Nixon to Bush to McCain to Romney, has also engaged in dog whistling.

In addition, the Republican Party has engaged in race-based gerrymandering and race-based voter suppression. The Republican Party has also fomented and exploited sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, jingoism and hatred of LGBTQ persons. The Republican Party has undermined trust in government by infusing government with incompetence and corruption. The Republican Party has also fostered the "liberal media" myth, which has contributed to a highly irresponsible infotainment industry that promotes false equivalencies and seems unwilling to label facts as facts and lies as lies (out, I suppose, of some twisted sense of what constitutes fairness or balance).

All of the above made the rise of Trump or someone like him almost inevitable. So, all I can suggest to Republicans who are critical of Trump is that you keep scrubbing those hands. The blood won't come out easily, but what choice do you have but to keep scrubbing?

Let me make one more point before closing. Unless one is genuinely ignorant of history, it is utterly disingenuous to suggest that the Republican Party of today (or pre-Trump) is anything like the Republican Party that was started by anti-slavery Whigs. Nor is today's GOP the "party of Lincoln," as some like to claim (Lincoln, by the way, was no abolitionist). Mr. Schmidt, the pre-Trump Republican Party is no more the Republican Party of 1854 than today's Democratic Party is the Democratic Party of pre-1964 Strom Thurmond.

Why call out Republicans who are critical of Trump, one might ask. The reason is simple. Republicans need to take ownership. We need to be clear about who Republicans have been for half a century now. All persons of conscience must guard against this notion that all will be well or "normal" if we simply rid this nation of Donald J. Trump. All is not well. Republicans have very deliberately created a monster, which was born before Trump moved into the White House and will undoubtedly survive long after Trump is gone. Own it, Republicans. Own it.

Lastly, to all those persons of conscience, vote for Democrats in November. The party may not be perfect, but it's the only thing standing in the way of authoritarianism, the only thing standing in the way of fascism. If you've never voted before, 2018 would be a good time to start. Your Social Security, your health insurance or your child's health insurance, and your very life may depend on it. Please vote.

[Leith]

15. Absolutely!

Anybody who kept their rethug card in their wallet throughout Gingrich's BS in the 1990s and Bush's Iraq invasion/Katrina clusterfuck in the 2000s needs to do more than denounce MF45. They have a hell of a lot of explaining to do.

[Garrett78]

22. Or during the Reagan years. Or the Nixon years.

It's dangerous to let people get away with promoting this notion that the pre-Trump GOP was just fine. Because it wasn't, and the post-Trump GOP won't be either.

[Raine]

26. Those who didn't speak out especially against Reagan

I have absolutely no use for, will not listen to what they say and will never trust them!

[Garrett78]

36. And I get the impression Never Trumpers worship at the altar of Saint Ronnie.

Never Trumpers are in denial regarding their complicity in making Trump possible.

[Gothmog]

13. I like Steve Schmidt

[calimary]

16. I don't trust Steve Schmidt.

Frankly I don't completely trust ANY of 'em. ANY of them who were part of the GOP until trump. Oh, okay, so trump comes along and just suddenly you're either backing away, flat-out renouncing your former birds-of-a-feather, going independent, or still identifying with party but it's just that you're among the "it's very troubling" gang.

I believe in deathbed conversions. I believe that souls can be saved. But for this bunch, Schmidt, Rick Wilson, Rick Tyler, Elise Jordan, John Podhoretz, Jonathan Allen, Jennifer Rubin, and David Frum, among others.

They still embrace the basic Republican (or is that republi-CON) belief systems that mostly can't be bothered on what works for the greater good. They still trust the fairy stories about how we should let the rich be rich, and just you wait! They'll share! They'll allow their lavish wealth to "trickle down" onto the rest of us, and thus we get a piece of the pie, too. Never mind that you can measure the width of that piece of pie in microns. You'll see!

Yeah, we've seen plenty over several decades of news cycles. The rich don't share. They keep it. They use it to secure their wealth so it will grow - and merely fatten their pockets. They want and demand more. In exchange they offer pie in the sky. And most people have no hope of reaching that high up to grab even a few crumbs, even though it sounds wonderful, tasty, desirable, and available.

It's nice some of these folks actually do see the light. For now. But I suspect that's because trump has taken them WAY too far to the extreme, WAY more than they can tolerate or justify. They still believe in all the selfish greedy principles of CONservatism, it's just that trump is too much even for them to stomach. I don't even completely trust Justin Amash.

The proof of whether these folks have really and truly see the light won't come til after trump is gone. Will they really have seen the error of their ways, and adopt a different and more liberal, tolerant, inclusive and less judgmental or religious extremist world-view? Have they really had a change of heart? Or are they just waiting til the coast is clear?

My guard is up, and will probably stay on alert status for a LOOOOONNNNNNG time. It'll be awhile before I'm personally convinced the coast is clear.

[Raine]

27. Totally agree. nt

[Boomerproud]

29. Thread winner.

I'm old with a long and good memory.

[Fragment]

17. To all who responded

I do enjoy hearing these Never Trumpers’ points-of-view, and I do especially like Steve Schmidt. I just wanted to remind progressives that these pundits are still very conservative and cautious and advocating for a more centrist Democratic candidate, as are all persons wishing to maintain the status quo.

I personally think that is, most likely, a losing strategy at this most peculiar moment in American history.

[greyl]

18. Reminder appreciated by those who forgot. nt

[OnDoutside]

23. We know he's a conservative, but he speaks the truth about Trump, and Gabbard. He, and other never

trumpers are doing a fantastic job taking the fight to Trump and the Republicans. It's purity politics to turn away that help.

As for your "All conservatives seek to motivate from fear, rather than hope." isn't that just what you're trying to do to us about Schmidt ? ?

[Fragment]

24. No. Just a reminder that a scorpion will always be a scorpion.

[OnDoutside]

31. He demonstrated that with his ill-conceived, though well paid foray with Shulz. That doesn't mean

you automatically shut him out, even when he's hitting Trump.

[Raine]

25. I always keep in mind former Republicans are basically just anti-Trump

they're not Democrats . Once Trump is out of the picture they'll all stampede to jump back onboard with the Republican party.

[tirebiter]

28. I value honesty over ideology

Painter, Schmidt, Wallace, Warren, all of them

[JoeOtterbein]

30. Bingo!

Hope always beats Nope!

[gab13by13]

32. When will the Nicolle Wallace bashing threads begin?

I have no problem with people bashing Trump. Nicolle Wallace has the best show on cable news and she used to push the Bush Doctrine.
We bash people at our own peril. The narrative is so important especially in times of impeachment. People like Schmidt, Wilson, Wallace keep the narrative that pushes for impeachment. Maybe people are happier with cable news people like Steve Kornacki, not me.

I will watch Schmidt, Wilson, and Wallace any day of the week, and you know what, so do millions of other people.

I have a question for Schmidt, Wilson, and Wallace bashers, do you think that these people are driving voters to support Democrats or Republicans? If you can't tell me that these people are driving voters to the Republican party then I don't want to listen to your criticism.

[rampartc]

33. the never trumpers allowed that abomination to hijack their party

so now they want to hijack ours? no thanks.

if they knew how to defeat the trumpists why don't we have pres cruz or pres jeb!

[gab13by13]

35. No one is saying we should vote for them,

although I would vote for Nicolle Wallace. The narrative is so important during this time of impeachment we need every voice we can get to push for impeachment, including Steve Schmidt. Cable news networks are not liberal, there are few cable news anchors who actually lean left.

What are these people saying that offends you?

[VOX]

34. Any Republican (former or otherwise) who disavows Trump is welcome in the fight to save democracy.

It doesn’t mean that you have to be wedded to anti-Trump Republicans or conservatives. It doesn’t mean you have to be buddy-buddy with them after Trump is tossed out.

The contributions of Schmidt, Frum, Rubin, Boot, Wilson, Jolly, et al are *invaluable* in the battle against Trump and MAGAts— for the very reason that they are (or have been) Republicans. Their voices are rational, and the fact that some of these pundits have already left the Republican Party— Schmidt, Jolly and Boot have for certain— is of enormous strategic value, and their convictions have placed them squarely at risk for alt-right harassment, stalking, or worse.

To survive this insane existential battle that seriously threatens to snuff out democracy, anyone willing to speak out and act against 45 is welcome. Purity is a losing gambit. Remember that the United States couldn’t have defeated Hitler without Stalin’s Soviet Union.