While I'm definitely not supporting him, a Trump government would be a lot more moderate (certainly more moderate than a Ted Cruz government for example) than people have been led to believe. He's used these 'offensive rants' to get the media's attention, and it's worked for him. If you look at Trump's political positions throughout his life, he's always been just right of centre, even liberal on some issues. So despite his antics & his big, annoying personality, he was and is definitely one of the more moderate voices of the GOP candidates.

Thing is Cobi that you can only vote for what he says and not believe he's blowing smoke and everything will be different should he win. Secondly and more worryingly is that should he win the electorate would have voted for these policies which would mean the average American voter is a racist, homophobic, gun loving atheist that would sooner blow up the world than share it with you and I.

While I'm definitely not supporting him, a Trump government would be a lot more moderate (certainly more moderate than a Ted Cruz government for example) than people have been led to believe. He's used these 'offensive rants' to get the media's attention, and it's worked for him. If you look at Trump's political positions throughout his life, he's always been just right of centre, even liberal on some issues. So despite his antics & his big, annoying personality, he was and is definitely one of the more moderate voices of the GOP candidates.

To a certain extent I agree with you, Cobi, although I still shudder to think that he's the front-running GOP candidate. Trump is, first and foremost, a businessman, not a politician, and he'll do/say anything he can to close a deal, and that's what he's doing right now. He might well talk about booting 10 million illegal immigrants out of the US, but should he ever (and I shudder to consider it) make it to the Oval Office, what he'll do will be different to what he's saying right now.

As for last night's "debate" - I've been talking to my American buddies and they were very, very angry at how the Faux News host managed it. Rather than being impartial and making sure the debate flowed smoothly, she got involved in the attacks on Trump, to the point where my democrat buddies actually felt embarrassed and sorry for Trump. The feeling is now the GOP establishment attacks on Trump are looking so desperate and so personal that they could well backfire and work in Trump's favour, leaving the only possible opportunity to oust Trump from being the nominated Republican candidate at the Republican conference later in the year. And if they do succeed in that and getting someone else of their choosing in his place, I can well see Trump following through with his threat and standing as an independent and splitting the Republican vote (and more or less handing the Presidency to Hillary).

Exactly the way I see it. Fascinating.

Just as an aside. Having watched him recently his posturing is very similar to Mussolini and an inkling of Hitler.

Ted Cruz is an underrated villain in all this as well for what it's worth.

The only Republican candidate that wouldn't have me absolutely bricking the next 4 years would be John Kasich, and he mathematically cannot win even if he picked up every remaining delegate, though there are routes around this that could still make him nominee from the electoral college.

While I'm not backing him at least with Cruz you know what you'll get, a fairly right wing, socially conservative administration with Reagan-esc economic policies.

With Mr Trump, you have no idea what you'll get, which is why it amazes me that people can vote for him.

A bit of a blow to Trump last night in Wisconsin & his momentum is finally hitting the rocks. Looking like there will be a contested convention, a bizzare situation, if you've seen the latest series of House of Cards, it's just like that, back room dealings, a real free for all. The remarkable thing about a contested convention is that you can vote for someone who isn't even in the running (Claire Underwood for example), so those who have already dropped out (Rubio, Christie, Bush) etc can in theory get themselves back in the running. It wouldn't surprise me if Paul Ryan (Mitt Romney's running mate) snatches it. It kind of makes you wonder what the point of the campaign is? That you can spend hundreds of millions, campaign for a year, secure more delegates than anyone else, and you still might not get the nomination.

If I was American, my vote would probably be going to Kasich.

As my yankee friends explained to me earlier today, should it become a contested convention (which it is looking more likely) then under the 2012 rules (specifically rule 40b) only those who have won eight or more Primaries are eligible to be part of the process, which would exclude Kasich. However, as it was also explained to me, the rules change pretty much each convention, so those who are more worried about Cruz being the GOP candidate than Trump may well change the rules so that (for instance) anyone with more than a 100 delegates could go into the pot. Anything is possible at the moment.

But the point remains that I believe Trump would see through this game and carry out his threat to stand as an independent, splitting the Republican vote and pretty much handing the Presidential election to the Democrats.

While I'm not backing him at least with Cruz you know what you'll get, a fairly right wing, socially conservative administration with Reagan-esc economic policies.

What you'll get is someone who will actually carry out everything Donald Trump has spouted over the last few months (and worse). Trump is a terrifying unknown quantity and I genuinely cannot work out which would be a worse President.

My instinct is not pro-Kasich by any means, but crikey at least the guy speaks some common sense/has some vague knowledge of American people. If Trump hasn't won an overall majority come the national convention, I would think Kasich has a really good chance to end up as the Presidential nominee.

Cruz is now out of the running. Not too many could see Trump getting this far. Trump v Clinton....odds?

Cruz is now out of the running. Not too many could see Trump getting this far. Trump v Clinton....odds?

On a par with the Jeremy Corbyn odds last year I would think.

Strange times indeed.

And both Trump and Clinton are at risk of being under indictment (Clinton with her email scandal and Donald with potential fraud allegations from his defunct Trump University) and potentially having to withdraw from the race

Although it is arithmetically possible for Sanders to beat Clinton (the media ignores the super delegates, who could still switch away from HRC), it looks like she will prevail at the Democrat National Convention unless her email misdemeanours come back to splash over her like Bill's DNA on Lewinski's dress. In the meantime, unless the Republicans can dream up some scam or find a suitable grassy knoll, Trump will be uncontested at the Republican Convention.

How far to the right has the US become when the warmongering Wall Street lackey is the moderate and, well, we all know what Trump is.

Real end of empire stuff, maybe world ending stuff too.