Meg Whitman, Calling Donald Trump a ‘Demagogue,’ Will Support Hillary Clinton for President

[brooklynite]

Source: The New York Times

Meg Whitman, a Hewlett Packard executive and Republican fund-raiser, said Tuesday that she would support Hillary Clinton for president and give a “substantial” contribution to her campaign in order to stop Donald J. Trump, whom she berated as a threat to American democracy.

...snip...

She revealed that Mrs. Clinton, the Democratic nominee, had reached out to her in a phone call about a month ago, one of the first indications that Mrs. Clinton is aggressively courting Republican leaders. While acknowledging she diverged from Mrs. Clinton on many policy issues, Ms. Whitman said it was time for Republicans “to put country first before party.”

Using remarkably blunt language, she argued that the election of Mr. Trump, whom she called “a dishonest demagogue,” could lead the country “on a very dangerous journey.” She noted that democracies had seldom lasted longer than a few hundred years and warned that those who say that “it can’t happen here” are being naïve.

Ms. Whitman also said she “absolutely” stood by her comments at a private gathering of Republican donors this year comparing Mr. Trump to Hitler and Mussolini, explaining that dictators often come to office through democratic means.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/03/us/politics/meg-whitman-hillary-clinton.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

[RandySF]

1. Yikes

I don't know how I feel about this.

[emulatorloo]

5. What is the source of your discomfort? Sounds like she's following in the steps of Bloomberg.

I don't have to agree with their politics to appreciate that they recognize Trump is a dangerous and should not be allowed near the presidency.

Is that the issue for you?

[JI7]

19. exactly, in the case of Trump it's not about disagreement over a few issues , it's not even just

issues itself but the man himself is unstable and could not handle the job.

even if i agreed with him on all issues his personality and behavior makes him unfit and i would not support him.

[iandhr]

7. She's putting country before party. We should tip our hats.

[TomCADem]

2. That One Is Surprising

Meg Whitman is a pretty staunch Republican partisan. I expected her to play the vote your conscience route.

[emulatorloo]

15. 'Vote your conscience' is pretty weak sauce if one believes Trump is similar to Hitler

as Whitman does.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. You always knew she was no dummy

despite running as a Republican

She really spelled it out

Now try telling it to the Trumpian masses

[47of74]

6. Yeah, the Trumpians will probably burn their HP computers

[The Second Stone]

4. She did the right thing. Maybe there is hope for HP

yet under such leadership.

[pangaia]

8. I just hope there is no tit for tat.

doesn't sound like it.
If not, then good on her.

[emulatorloo]

11. Yes Clinton has promised to sacrifice thousands of virgins to Lucifer in exchange for Whitman's vote

Can you lighten up a little on the CT stuff?

Believe it or not, there are actually Republicans who are able to recognize Trump is dangerous and put Country before party, even if it means voting for a Democrat.

My Republican neighbors are voting for her, and so far none of them have asked me to sleep with them. No TIT For TAT. Again with them it is Country before party.

[itsrobert]

9. It's the end of the world

Dogs and Cats living together. Mass hysteria

[charlie and algernon]

10. This is how we win

Appealing to the good Republicans' sense of duty to Country over Party.

[Tempest]

14. +1

[FreeState]

35. They know the crazies have lost control of the party

The party is moving towards the middle slowly. She's doing the right thing, but she's more than likely doing in for an additional reason, positioning herself for a leadership role in the emerging GOP.

[William Seger]

12. Bad week for Don the Con, and it's only Tuesday

I have to think he's right on the verge of coming completely unzipped.

[SunSeeker]

13. Wow.

[Sand Rat Expat]

16. I think this is happening a lot more than we know.

The ones who are public figures of course get media attention, as you'd expect. But I think many, many Republicans are quietly sitting back and looking at what their party has become. The party of Lincoln died years ago, and the few sane Republicans have stayed in the GOP mainly for old times' sake, I think, or because they've been willfully blind to what the GOP has devolved to.

I think that many Republicans, everyday Joes and Janes, are finally realizing that a party that can nominate a dumpster fire like Trump is a party that has serious sickness. It's gotten to the point that they can't pretend, even to themselves, that the GOP is viable or worth supporting.

Some of those Republicans, for sure, have so much hatred towards Hillary that they won't vote for her, but they may stay home rather than vote for Trump. The ones less consumed by partisan hatred, though... I think they may very well abandon the GOP. I'm hearing a lot of rumbles from the Republicans I know personally, a lot of discontent, and several of them have told me that they're seriously considering leaving the GOP and either joining the Democratic Party or going indie and then voting for Hillary.

The True Believers™ will stay with Trump to the bitter end, but the sane Republicans are starting to jump ship, and the more high profile names that do so, the more the everyday Joes and Janes will do so. When Trump goes down in flames after the election, I wouldn't be shocked to see the GOP fragment or dissolve.

[Beartracks]

20. Ya think they'll see what "their party has become"?

I'm afraid most will see only that Trump is dangerous -- but, by golly, the Republican Party is just fine!



=========================

[Sand Rat Expat]

22. Amusingly enough...

I was having that very conversation with a Republican friend of mine. He made that very argument, that the GOP is just fine, it's just Trump needs to be dealt with.

When I responded, "If the GOP is just fine as is, how did Trump wind up with the nomination?" He hemmed and hawed for a bit, and when I later expanded with, "From the outside, it looks to me like Trump is the symptom of a sickness, rather than the cause." He got very quiet after that.

I also pointed out how wonderful it is not having to preemptively cringe every time my candidate opens her mouth. I couldn't resist saying it.

Honestly not sure why he's a Republican. He's pro-choice, pro-LGBTQ rights, pro-union (hell, he's an official in his union), he supports many of the things progressives support, and expressed admiration for Bernie. For the life of me I can't figure out why he stays in the GOP. His family have been GOP for generations, so maybe it's just a reluctance to break with family tradition... or to disagree politically with the rest of his family. Dunno, but seeing that some Republicans are at least doing some soul-searching is an encouraging sign.

[GulfCoast66]

28. You description of him

Fits me till a year or so ago.

I would guess you friend is around 50? Came to age as Reagan was in office?

I identified so tightly with the Republican identity that I lost all ability to be introspective about my politics. Which is odd since on individual issues I was always willing to change. And I did on most issues...Abortion rights, LGBT issues, healthcare as a right and so on. But I still was a Republican. Finally a friend honestly asked why since on all issues I disagree with them. I joined the Democratic Party not long after. Ironically, after visiting Free Republic, being horrified, and then on the same day DU.

You may well have started your friend on a path to our party.

[smirkymonkey]

32. Thanks for your story and a belated welcome to DU!

[GulfCoast66]

33. Thank you

[Sand Rat Expat]

36. Yup, he's older than I am. I'm in my mid-30s.

I think Trump will be the straw that breaks the camel's back for a lot of Republicans. They're starting to realize that their party is deeply sick. Some may stick it out in an attempt to heal from within. I think more will go indie or cross the aisle. Younger Republicans are more likely to do the latter, I think.

But yeah, I point out that there's room in the big blue tent, should they want to come join us.

[C Moon]

17. I think some of these GOPr's are getting worried they are going to lose both houses as well...

unless they speak out against Trump.

[Nitram]

30. I'm hoping it's too late to avoid losing Congress.

The damage has been done. Republicans voting for Clinton will be felt down ticket.

[obamanut2012]

18. This is like a Kenedy or George Soros endorsing Trump

This is huge.

[Sand Rat Expat]

23. Yup. I think the wheels are finally coming off, and it's thanks to the Khans. NT

[obamanut2012]

34. I agree -- what a poetic catalyst

[keithbvadu2]

21. When is she going to honor her word, her pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee?

Does she have no personal integrity? (Rhetorical question, of course)

[BlueStreak]

24. Allow me 2 minutes of hallucinating. It may just be possible that ...

This move by Whitman will be the start of a new phase where teabagger-weary Republicans calculate their best option is to strike some deals with Hillary. After all, maybe Hillary is just a woman, but at least she's not black. (Sarcasm)

I don't know that Whitman has any further political ambitions, but I could definitely see her as being Secy of Commerce, some sort of tech tsar, or ambassador to Japan or something. We could see several dozen of the less extreme Republicans jockeying for position. If enough of that happens, then there could be a tipping point where it becomes acceptable for moderate Republicans to cross the aisle.

Until now, there was a huge fear of crossing Grover Norquist (aka Mr. Inconsequential), and a fear of being teabagged in the primaries. But if Trump continues this train wreck, that may make it safe for enough non-teabaggers to come out of hiding. This all depends on Ryan and McConnell, of course. If we take back the Senate, then McConnell may decide there was nothing really gained by obstructing everything and he won't live long enough to get any benefit from continuing that strategy, so he might be of a mind to cut some deals with Hillary. And that would leave Ryan as the exposed one.

As I said, maybe I am hallucinating. But these are unprecedented times when a candidate attacks the parents of a war hero killed in battle and then throws a baby out of his speech the next day.

[Hekate]

25. I am in awe at the unravelling that is taking place before our eyes. Aside from the Schadenfreude

...I am actually starting to feel a sense of hope.

[NBachers]

26. Whitman, of course, lost her California governor bid, but she spent an enormous amount of money.

If she puts up her money and influence, it translates into more votes for Clinton and fewer votes for Trump. She saturated the media during her 2010 campaign.

I couldn't stand her in the California election, but I can tolerate some elements of her behavior if she supports Clinton.

I'll probably draw the line at Gnarly Carly, though.

[Stuart G]

27. Donald is Done...

...

[Nitram]

29. "Put country before party?" It's about fucking time!

[Nitram]

31. Yeah, she's a businesswoman. Knows when to cut bait and run.

Joins the winning side before it's too late.

[King_Klonopin]

37. I'm channeling Trumps brain right now. It is saying something like this in response:

"I don't need ugly Meg Whitman's support to win the election.
Meg Whitman is backing Hillary because she's a woman
and because she is jealous of my success. I am worth much
more money than she is. I won my election bid and she didn't.
She lost. She's a loser. I'm great."

You wait and see...