Donald Trump says he's 'serious' about 2016 bid. Shark, jumped?
| WASHINGTON
Donald Trump says he really might run for president this time. He set off a flurry of mixed political emotions amongst Republicans on Wednesday when he that he is 鈥渕ore serious鈥� than ever about a bid for the White House in 2016.
The wispy-coiffed billionaire told the Post鈥檚 Robert Costa that he鈥檚 hiring political staff in key states. He met with Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus on Monday and indicated he was interested in possibly jumping in the race.
鈥淚鈥檓 not doing this for enjoyment. I鈥檓 doing this because the country is in serious trouble,鈥� said Trump.
Post reporter Costa probably feels he has to play this story straight. He鈥檚 a young and fast-rising journalist known for good connections with the political right 鈥� he used to work for the conservative National Review.
But as a columnist with slightly looser rules of engagement, we鈥檒l say the obvious, which is that Trump will move to Maine and raise beets before he runs for president. It鈥檚 not happening, no way, no chance, let鈥檚 be real.
He鈥檚 used the same 鈥渕ore serious than ever鈥� line in his previous noncampaigns. Time Magazine鈥檚 Michael Scherer has a good roundup of those un-runs, which stretch back across the decades.
鈥淭he echoes of past feints haunt Trump鈥檚 latest tease like a poker tell,鈥� .
We鈥檇 go further, and say that it鈥檚 possible this is the straw that jumps the shark鈥檚 back. Trump may have threatened to run for president one too many times. It鈥檚 starting to make him look less than 鈥渉uge," which is his own preferred word for his popularity. It might even (gasp) begin to affect his ability to get invitations to speak at future GOP events.
Why? Because Republicans want to win the White House and party elders see Trump as a self-promoter who鈥檚 getting in their way.
He brings up the old trope of whether President Obama is actually an American. He鈥檚 happy to riff on how awful past GOP nominees were. You never know what he鈥檒l say. RNC chief Priebus has done his best to tone down the more free-wheeling aspects of 2012鈥檚 wide-open party debates. Candidate Trump could undo that with a few sentences.
Polls show that many GOP voters now dislike Trump, as well. In the first-in-the-nation caucus state of Iowa, 26 percent of Republicans have a favorable opinion of Trump, and 68 percent have a non-favorable opinion. In New Hampshire, first-in-the-nation primary state, the spread is even worse, at 19 percent favorable and 69 percent unfavorable.
Those numbers aren鈥檛 just what the pros call 鈥渦nderwater." They鈥檙e in a submersible in the Marianas Trench.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 reason enough to doubt his running,鈥� in the right-leaning Hot Air.
So why is Trump even talking about another presidential bid? We鈥檇 guess it鈥檚 all part of the pump-up for his show, 鈥淐elebrity Apprentice."
The Trump-helmed workplace competition show was on break for a while, in case you didn鈥檛 notice. A two-year break.聽 A new season finally began this January, and , it鈥檚 been 鈥渟urprisingly strong鈥� in the ratings.
What better way for the host of this success to call attention to himself 鈥� and perhaps negotiate a few more bucks out of NBC 鈥� then to threaten to chuck the whole thing in an effort to run for the post of what used be called the leader of the free world?
