Most Ridiculous Moment – April 3, 2016

"Madman"

It was a good week on the Sunday talk shows. Reince Priebus continues to save money on therapy bills by working out his issues on tv; conservative commentators are still dealing with their various stages of grief; and 
Donald Trump again brought his unique 
style of incoherent dissembling, with the added touch that he now sees himself 
as a victim of discrimination.

Senator Ron Johnson came NBC on to declare his commitment to the principle that “eight months before an election, let the American people have a voice in choosing 
the direction of the Supreme Court.” 

Chuck Todd asked if the fourth year of a Presidency really shouldn't count at all. Johnson said yes, “particularly with 
Judge Garland in Wisconsin here, 
he appears to be pretty hostile to Second Amendment rights, when they're choosing the direction of the country.”

On ABC, Jon Kasich popped up to dodge several question on abortion, and said an open convention will be “so cool.” 

He insisted, “I believe that a convention will look at somebody like me and that's why 
I think I'm going to be the nominee.”

A sad looking Reince Priebus showed up 
on two shows to admit the GOP is going 
to have a contested convention and that 
it will be nightmare.

While stating the convention will transparent, with “no mystery,” he conceded after the first ballot there are no rules, and that “on the second or third ballot, more and more 
delegates are unbound and they can 
vote for who they want.”

He said currently non-existent rules convention “will be written by Trump and Cruz delegates” and “delegates will get on these committees, they'll review the rules, and the 2016 rules will apply to the 2016 conventions.”

As if the upcoming Republican convention weren't enough of a trainwreck, Priebus reminded us that “the delegates choose the Vice President as well. And that's a subject 
no one's really talking about.”

Sounding like a truly desperate man, he said “You look at the Democrats, John, they're in the ditch. And what about Hillary Clinton? Have you seen her numbers with women?” 

He added, “the Democrats, I think they're in for a fiasco, especially if Comey comes in 
and indicts Hillary Clinton and they have an open convention,” and “They're the ones that could have an open convention, and 
Joe Biden could be the nominee of the Democratic party!”

Speaking of desperation, David Brooks declared himself “morally defeated,” and predicting Trump will be the nominee, stated, “I think he's the walking dead. I think he'll get the nomination and he will just go down to a crushing defeat. And will be known for a hundred years from now, people will say, 'Who's the biggest loser in American politics?' And it won't be McGovern, it won't be Dukakis, the word 'Trump.' And I hope when he's down there in Hades he's aware of all that.”

Helene Cooper, just back from reporting 
on a U.S. Navy cruiser, said military personnel are “appalled” by Donald Trump.

Conservative Juan Williams criticized Trump too, saying “it's totally anathema to the anti-abortion line that we're not about punishing women, we're punishing doctors.” 

Ruth Marcus observed that Trump is “managing to alienate both sides simultaneously, which is really quite magnificent,” while Peggy Noonan 
expressed hope that at least one advisor could tell Trump, “You can't be tweeting 
like a madman.”

But as usual, the craziest moments came 
from Donald Trump, this time on CBS' 
Face the Nation.

Trump complained about losing delegates in states he won. Dickerson pointed out “Ted Cruz is playing every angle within the law.” Trump said, “But it's not America,” and “that's not America.” He refused to rule out running as a third party, saying “I'm the one that is being discriminated against.”

When confronted with proof his campaign manager lied about committing an assault, Trump said “ It was such a minor incident that he might not have even known what was going on.” Host Jon Dickerson asked him, “Did Corey Lewandowski tell the truth when he said he didn't touch her?” When Trump said, “I don't know,” Dickerson replied, 
“Well, it's on the tape.”

Dickerson asked Trump about his recent statement about “punishing women” for having an abortion. Trump responded, 
“But I was asked as a hypothetical, hypothetically, hypothetically,” and “the bottom line is that it is – it is the doctor's fault. But that was asked as a hypothetical.”

He also said, “At this moment, the laws are set. And I think we have to leave it that way.” Asked if he thought abortion is murder, he said “I have my opinions on it, but I would rather not comment on it.”

He said he recently consulted with foreign policy experts, and asserted, “Many of them were surprised at my knowledge, and they were surprised at the feel that I had for it. 
I have a feel,” and “It turned out I was right 
on every single subject.”

On his suggestion that Japan and Korea get nuclear weapons, he said “it's totally misquoted,” but added “at what cost do we continue to protect Japan and Germany,” and “Do I like that? Not particularly. But we cannot afford it as a country.”

So, either the GOP is going to nominate Donald Trump, or take it away from him at an open convention with rules written on the fly, but the Democrats are really the ones in trouble; abortion is about punishing doctors; and Trump says he wants to punish women who have abortions, but then says he wants to keep laws protecting choice; he says Japan and South Korea and Saudi Arabia should get nuclear weapons, then says he was misquoted; but on foreign policy he has a 'feel,' and 'was right on every subject.'

And that's the most ridiculous thing that happened this Sunday.