Camp Dumps Trump
Jimmy Camp is just a super guy, and the Republican husband of my Blue Dog Democrat friend Samantha Dunn. Not long ago, I blogged her piece on their righty/lefty love.
Her piece is titled "I fell in love with a Republican" -- which isn't to say he's simply a guy who colors in the Republican side on the ballot:
The man I love personally called Henry Kissinger to tell him about Richard Nixon's funeral arrangements. He ran Orrin Hatch's bid for president and has worked for Rudolph Guiliani and even that poor, dumb bastard Rick Perry. His mother has a framed picture hanging in the house of her arm-in-arm with Robert Dole, autographed with a "Thanks Sharon! Bob." His father is pastor of an Evangelical church, a man who watches a defective television set built with only one channel. Fox News.
What Camp is is a person who's in the Republican party because he's a fiscal conservative who believes in liberty, opportunity, and personal responsibility, among other things.
So, I was pleased, but not surprised to see Martin Wisckol writing in the OC Register that Camp's quit the GOP because of Trump:
Orange-based political consultant Jimmy Camp, who has worked on high-profile Republican campaigns through the state for 30 years, announced today that he was leaving the GOP because of the party's presidential nominee."Donald Trump is a narcissistic, self-centered, unprincipled, miserable example of a human being," Camp said in a prepared statement. "I cannot support this man nor can I be a member of a party that would choose him as their nominee."
More from Camp, who says he turned down an offer of a position in the Trump campaign in April:
"I've dedicated 30 years of my life to make my party the party of opportunity, of freedom and of individual liberty and responsibility. I have worked within my party to make it one not of 'tolerance,' but one of inclusion and opportunity regardless of race, gender, religion, sexuality or nation of origin, and Trump stands for none of these things. I am truly sad to be leaving the party I have worked so hard for, built lasting friendships and dedicated my professional life..."
Amazing that a guy who "stands for none of those things" is still in business, huh?
Clearly, something else is going on. This man should be more ashamed of his party's - and the American people's! - inability to provide a, that is, one, a single, candidate supposedly more worthy to the public than those we have.
Which candidate is more likely to directly circumvent the Constitution?
Radwaste at July 21, 2016 3:40 PM
I think Ace of Spades pretty much nails it.
Camp is having a Junior High *take my ball and go home * tantrum.
Isab at July 21, 2016 5:04 PM
I can understand his situation. For the last quarter century, he's had to defend his political position against people who accuse him of being racist, sexist, homophobic, poor-hating and money hungry on an almost daily basis. And he simply does not want to continue doing that on behalf of Donald Trump. If I was still a Republican, I would have quit, too.
Fayd at July 21, 2016 5:22 PM
Lots of us divested ourselves of the label "feminist" when it no longer meant what it was supposed to mean. Did we all "take our dolls and go home"? Maybe. So what? The game changed.
The better alternative is to stick around as part of a movement that betrays your ideals, just so no one can call you disloyal?
Insufficient Poison at July 21, 2016 5:53 PM
The better alternative is to stick around as part of a movement that betrays your ideals, just so no one can call you disloyal?
Insufficient Poison at July 21, 2016 5:53 PM
You don't have to like Trump to vote for him. I certainly don't. However, I don't stomp off, and deregister myself from the Republican Party in a fit of pic.
It serves no purpose. If Trump wins, you have ended your career as a campaign worker, and if he loses, people will blame you for every terrible thing that a Hillary administration brings,( and it will be terrible)
As we have argued many times before, the alternative to a vote for Trump isn't a null set, just like the alternative to an occupation of Iraq isn't a null set. It's going to be Trump or Clinton. Pick your poison, and then spend the next four years regretting whatever choice you made.
The only time you ever don't regret it, is when you vote for the candidate that didn't win. Much easier to maintain your illusion of prescience and your moral superiority that way.
Isab at July 21, 2016 6:39 PM
Awesome for him that he knows so much more, and is so much morally better than, the millions voting for Trump.
He's part of the problem, and part of why Trump is the nominee. Take your balls and go sulk, hon, we're burning your crooked playground down.
I wasn't at all for Trump....but I am now. Anyone the decades-long establishment hates MUST be an improvement.
momof4 at July 21, 2016 8:02 PM
So Camp has worked on high-profile campaigns for the Republican Party in California for 30 years?
He helped take 'em from winners to losers in California.
I hope he takes his camp followers with him.
Jay J. Hector at July 21, 2016 9:31 PM
Camp: "I've dedicated 30 years of my life to make my party the party of opportunity, of freedom and of individual liberty and responsibility."
The Republican Party is less of those things now than even the Democrats were 30 years ago, and I'm sure a lot of the credit for that goes to people like Camp. It sounds like he thinks so. Getting rid of people like him is the change the Republican Party has been needing for a long time. I'm sure the Democrats will love him.
Ken R at July 21, 2016 10:13 PM
Camp Trump Dumps: popular Boy Scout retreat in northern Wisconsin.
JD at July 21, 2016 10:19 PM
> However, I don't stomp off, and
> deregister myself from the Republican
> Party in a fit of pic.
There'd be no point: Conservatism is over.
Crid at July 22, 2016 12:12 AM
"The better alternative is to stick around as part of a movement that betrays your ideals, just so no one can call you disloyal?"
The problem is, he was in a position to influence the candidate. The problems with Trump that he complains about, he could have helped to fix. He had an opening to do it. Instead, as Isab says, he took his ball and went home. I'm having the same issue with Ted Cruz right now. He has a lot of influence, but instead of trying to use that influence to help refine the candidate we have, he's already started his 2020 campaign.
Cousin Dave at July 22, 2016 6:43 AM
He has a lot of influence, but instead of trying to use that influence to help refine the candidate we have, he's already started his 2020 campaign.
Cousin Dave at July 22, 2016 6:43 AM
Proving once again, that all successful politicians are spoiled narcissists.
But Trump is somehow *worse* because he opened his big mouth and out spewed the ugly truth on immigration, terrorism and trade.
Yea, I don't think so.... .
Isab at July 22, 2016 7:06 AM
It is less that conservatism is over and more that the Republican Party has completed it's purge of most of the rank and file conservatives. They have a few conservative office holders, and want to keep the positions, so those people won't get run out on a rail.
Camp might have been able to influence Trump's campaign and/or policy, but that would depend on whom he would have to deal with.
As for Cruz being in the same position, I doubt very much if Trump would listen to him, even if Ted told him that the sun would rise in the east and set in the west. Tho I still think Ted would have been better off not showing up to the convention, or at least not speaking.
I R A Darth Aggie at July 22, 2016 7:10 AM
I don't know what Cruz thought he was going to accomplish with that speech on Wednesday.
Ahw at July 22, 2016 8:56 AM
What little I've heard out of Ted I don't really find that objectionable. I can understand he'd have hurt feelings after all the things Trump has said. So I really can't hold not actively supporting the guy who called your dad a Nazi against him. Unlike the never Trumpers he is honest that a vote against Trump is a vote for Hillary.
As far as conservatism being over, it never started in the first place. Conservatives are pretty bad a promoting their philosophy. Most of them come from socialist failure states. Which is why I trow a few bucks at PragerU when I can. If conservatives want to thrive they need to educate the next generation.
Ben at July 22, 2016 8:56 AM
I find it ironic that the very words he uses to describe Donald Trump, in fact describe Hillary Clinton to a tee. Camp has lost it and has become the same kind of crybaby as Kasich & Cruz. As you lay on the floor, kicking and screaming in full tantrum mode, we wish you good riddance.
Holli at July 22, 2016 10:32 AM
Leave a comment