Pondering Stephen Colbert's remarks, who do we think the "machine" actually wanted?

[Miles Archer]

I agree with Colbert's observation, so my question for DU is "Who do you think the "machine" actually "wanted?"

I find it hard to believe that they visualized Jeb going the distance. My guess is Cruz. I have more than a few conservative friends who see right past the "crazy," because they choose to believe the crazy doesn't exist. A few like Carson but don't really go deep on him, either.

http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/stephen-colbert-donald-trumps-populism-very-appealing-20151223

"There's a populism to Trump that I found very appealing," Colbert said. "The party elders would like him to go away but the people have decided that he is not going to. I may disagree with anything that he's saying and think that his proposals are a little ... well, more than a little shocking. But there is something really hopeful about the fact that, well, 36 percent of the likely voters want him so the people in the machine don't get to say otherwise. That's the one saving grace, I think, of his candidacy.

[HereSince1628]

1. Which machine????

The traditional movement republican machine? The Tea Party machine?

One of the several oligarchy machines? such as the Murdoch Media-based Machine, the Adelman Machine, or the Koch Machine

[virtualobserver]

5. one machine to rule them all

[restorefreedom]

2. i have no doubt that they would have liked Bush or walker

walker is gone, and bush is basically going to hover in single digits until he tires of this. and much as trump is loathesome, the fact that the entire country is giving the middle finger to the establishment oligarchy is a good thing imo

as long as trump or cruz dont become pres

[Miles Archer]

4. My guess is that if the nomination doesn't go to Trump, it will certainly go to Cruz

I think we have more to be concerned about with Cruz as the nominee than we do Trump. I know far too many conservatives who will vote for him just to block the opposing candidate, whether it's Clinton or Sanders.

[restorefreedom]

6. agree, and not that i visit regularly,

but trump and cruz are the faves over at fr. they HATE bush and are not too fond of christie or rubio.

cruz is a scary dude and will be harder for the dem to beat than the vegas act.

[librechik]

3. wishful thinking. But that's what we pay him for nowadays.

who did they want? They want the democrats to lose. And they are very very incompetent and self centered. So they haven't picked him yet, or he is unavailable. Trump was available.

[TexasBushwhacker]

7. The machine wanted Jeb!

Otherwise they wouldn't have given his Super PAC wouldn't have raised $100Million. Cruz has less than half that - $40Million.

[GeorgeGist]

8. I honestly thought he was smarter than this:

"There's a populism to Trump that I found very appealing,"

[Mona]

10. I agree

Really disappointed that he *respects* the candidate being able to use hate and fear in order to override thinking and common sense (just the basic fact that none of his so-called policies even make sense). I understand Colbert's point, but sounds like it was contrived not to lose viewers.

[Miles Archer]

13. I went around and around with that comment for a while...

...and ultimately decided that he found the fact that "Trump's populism" threw a wrench into the plans of the "party elders" to be appealing, not the substance of what Trump said or the man himself.

Of course, I could be wrong, because I'm not the guy who said it.

But I've said it before on DU...before the "rise" of Trump, I am 100% convinced that Jebby thought he was going to cake-walk to his coronation.

[LiberalAndProud]

9. Just guessing, but I'd say the machine's candidate isn't on that slate.

As far as choosing the line-up, they would be thrilled with a Bush/Clinton smash up.

[pansypoo53219]

11. i can see them settling for santorum.

[lame54]

12. I get it...

he is no way endorsing Trump

but anything that damages the republican party as a whole is a good thing