The NRA has emerged as one of Trump's remaining stalwart allies in the Republican coalition. w/ @alexburnsNYT: https://t.co/NpGax4AQS1
— Nick Corasaniti (@NYTnickc) August 10, 2016
… But the NRA will do its considerable best to do so, because neither of them have better options:
… With Mr. Trump increasingly isolated and hobbled by controversies of his own making, the powerful gun-rights group has emerged as one of his remaining stalwart allies in the Republican coalition: the institution on the right most aggressively committed to his candidacy, except for the Republican National Committee itself.
The association has spent millions of dollars on television commercials for Mr. Trump, even as other Republican groups have kept their checkbooks closed and Mr. Trump’s campaign has not run any ads of its own. The N.R.A.’s chief political strategist, Chris Cox, gave a forceful testimonial for Mr. Trump at the Republican convention; Mr. Trump has repeatedly praised Mr. Cox and the association’s executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre. Allies of Mr. Trump and the association describe their political alliance as a marriage forged out of urgent necessity…
The alliance with Mr. Trump comes at a moment of peril for the N.R.A. and its agenda, as Democrats threaten to take control of the Senate and polls show the public increasingly supportive of at least modest new limits on the sale and possession of firearms…
The US Secret Service has spoken to the Trump campaign about his Second Amendment comment https://t.co/oX5zc5vCnJ pic.twitter.com/fnTxUPrk2f
— CNN (@CNN) August 10, 2016
Reuters just announced that Secret Service never spoke to me or my campaign. Made up story by @CNN is a hoax. Totally dishonest.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2016
No, buddy. They said no "formal" talk. i.e., didn't want to take formal step of labeling u potential assassin. https://t.co/9hN6nBjMC3
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) August 10, 2016
Just in from @jimsciutto: Secret Service official confirms to @CNN that agency has spoken to Trump campaign regarding 2nd Amendment comments
— Elizabeth Landers (@ElizLanders) August 10, 2016
UPDATE: U.S. Secret Service has had 'more than one' conversation with Trump campaign regarding Second Amendment comment – CNN
— Reuters Politics (@ReutersPolitics) August 10, 2016
I assume this is a first for the Secret Service: Not only are they deterring would-be assassins, they have to deter their candidate from encouraging assassins to attack other candidates. And they say Trump’s campaign won’t be remembered in the history books!
TRUMP: The system is rigged! My voters have guns!
SMART GOP TYPES: Yo what's the worst that could happen if we steal the nomination from him— daveweigel (@daveweigel) August 10, 2016
“I didn’t need this. I could have enjoyed myself a lot,” Trump says of running for president
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) August 10, 2016
Read: This is becoming a head ache and it's not fun anymore. https://t.co/0wtx951Ccd
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) August 10, 2016
Open Thread: The Man Can’t Help HimselfPost + Comments (126)