I am not amused.

[DirkGently]

36. I am increasingly amused by the Trump "candidacy!"

Trump is

a) Not going to be President

b) A continuing problem for the Republicans, far more than he is for Dems.

Look at what he's doing here.

He's pointing out that he's a "donor," who has actually written checks to these people (and "our" people). So Republicans have a philosophical problem right off the bat. In GOP-world, the rich are *supposed* to make all the decisions. They are our betters. Witness the group boot-lick when Jamie Dimon went to Congress to explain Chase's crimes. Witness the ludicrously inflated "$10 billion net worth." He's a rockstar to mid-low information Republican voter.

So how can they attack him as illegitimate? Under-qualified? He is everything the Republicans aspire to be: Brash, irrational, dismissive; smug.

They can't come after him. Not hard anyway. Not yet.

Look at his "policy" views as well. He says nasty things, sure. But they're playground taunts, and they play to other problems Republicans have.

On immigration:
The most egregious thing he's said (since being a "birther," anyway) was his attack on Mexican immigrants, calling them "rapists." Horrible, to be sure, but also so gross as to be dismissed by most. AND, what can the Republicans do? They can't attack him too hard, because they all need the base that believes that garbage. And YET, at some point, the big business people can't have illegal immigration restricted *too much,* because they know it actually makes them money.

And we're not building a gigantic wall, or having a business meeting with Mexico or whatever Trump's supposed solution is. It's kiddie talk. Exactly the kind of thing Republicans like to imply, but would never implement. Who would provide the cheap labor on their factory farms?

They're TRAPPED. Trapped with this guy, in a little bitty phonebooth of their own premises and talking points. Did you see their pale, quivering faces at the debate? They're terrified to even criticize him. Lindsey Graham did, and Lindsey's basically gone now.

The man is an idiot, but he's not stupid, if you know what I mean. So the net is that he's throwing out things that make conservatives look moronic, which the business class cannot (but must) refute, that the base loves, but which will NEVER HAPPEN.

On women:
Yes, he says all kinds of nasty names. But did you notice his support of Planned Parenthood? He pointed out abortions are a fraction of what they do in the process. What the hell do Republicans do with that?

Or the fact that he's a relatively recent convert to "Pro-life," who never weighs in on all the insane propositions the Republicans have to actually destroy the right to abortion? When Huckabee and Walker and Rubio start talking their grotesque theories about fetal Constitutional rights being superior to the life of women ... NOTHING from this guy.

He doesn't believe it.

On religion:
I heard a clip yesterday, in which someone brought a copy of Trump's book, "The Art of the Deal" to one of his events. He was thrilled, and started to say something typically smarmy about it being the best book or whatever. Then he stopped himself, and very carefully said it was his "second favorite book." Besides the Bible. (waits for applause). "Because, yeah, nuthin's better n' the Bible. Yeah." (or awkward words to that effect).

Have you ever heard this man quote the Bible?

He is PLAYING THEM. I don't want to speculate as to whether Trump's ego would lead him to actually accept the nomination, although I think it's highly unlikely it gets that far. If he did, though -- yay for us? I've got my eye on Rubio and (blerg) Bush as the likely GOP nominees. Either of them could conceivably be a problem for whoever we nominate.

But Trump? I think every second he is in the spotlight is a win for Dems. He is swinging the Republican base at its nominees like a wrecking ball. He's not even bothering Hillary (She came to my wedding?) or Bernie.

Yes, the man presents himself as an ass. And that part frankly is probably not an act. But "Republican candidate for President?"

He's hurting their brand, mocking their candidates, and taking up nearly all the media coverage, without advancing their cause AT ALL.

As Dems, we could wish for a lot worse.