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by Rod D. Martin
May 9, 2016
It is easy to make the case that Trump is no conservative (whether or not that’s true), though to be perfectly honest, it’s hard to know whether Trump has any fixed beliefs other than the greater glory of Donald Trump. He certainly seems patriotic, which is a great improvement over Obama, Clinton or Sanders, although patriotism by itself has potential to take some very ugly forms.
What I cannot understand is the belief of some of my friends that Donald Trump is a ringer. As someone who’s called every move Trump’s made correctly this entire year, I believe I’ve earned the credibility to tell you, these folks are letting their frustration get the best of them.
Everyone agrees that Trump has an enormous ego. He is utterly driven by his desire to compete and win. Indeed, it’s not enough for him to defeat an opponent: he feels he needs to crush them.
Don’t believe me? Just look at February. Trump could have easily put the nomination away the day Scalia died. He was ahead, he had momentum, the tide was turning his way, and he had not horrified Ted’s supporters yet as he proceeded to do in March.
Had Trump announced that Cruz would be his pick to replace Scalia, at least a third of Ted’s support would have instantly defected to Trump in an effort to have their cake and eat it too. Few believed at that moment that Ted had any real path forward. His second ballot strategy had not yet entered the public discourse. Cruz as a Supreme Court justice was simply too good to pass up.
Trump knew this. Trump’s people knew this.
But what did Trump actually do? He went scorched-earth on Ted. Because Trump has to win. The man has a psychological need not merely to beat his opponent but to stand triumphant over that opponent, rip open his chest, and eat his still-beating heart.
There is absolutely nothing in this world that Hillary Clinton could give Donald Trump – much less that he would ever trust her to give him – that he is not within inches of taking for himself. And more to the point, he is driven to do so: he does not want it from her hand. And if, as many believe, he is truly misogynistic, then crushing her will only add to his joy.
Donald Trump is no ringer. He may blow this election, sure. But he will do absolutely everything in his considerable power to utterly annihilate Hillary Clinton, to smash her against the rocks. He will fight her with every fiber of his being.
Trump wants nothing less than to be the entire planet’s alpha male. There is but one weak, sickly, highly unpopular woman between him and achieving that.
Yeah, he’s going for it.
Rod is one of our nation’s leading minds. He’s smart, original, and very committed—a combination that one rarely finds.
Rod Martin and [former Howard Dean campaign manager] Joe Trippi are America’s two foremost experts on online politics.
Rod Martin is a Reaganite-Thatcherite conservative…[and] a man who has spent much of his life ministering to and working for the benefit of others. I know Rod as an advocate for freedom, a leader who understands the real changes we need in Washington, and who has the drive and ability to make those changes happen.
Rod Martin is the kind of dynamic leader who has the knowledge, ability and experience to lead us successfully into the 21st Century. His vision for America is compelling.
Rod Martin literally wrote the book on excellence. Humble yet brilliant, a man of love and compassion, with penetrating clarity he illuminates the world around us, and we are both stirred and enlightened.
Rod Martin is a born leader and an outstanding political mind. Anyone who takes him on is going to have a serious fight on their hands.
Rod Martin is a man of uncommon vision and character. Ever since I first worked alongside Rod in the early days of PayPal, I’ve been struck by his powerful vision for the future. Rod understands the intersection of technology, politics and culture in a way that few others do.
Rod Martin wears with uncommon grace an uncanny ability to link his vigorous faith to the practical challenges of both the business world and the political arena. Yet the respect he shows for others carries a warmth and modesty that are both too rare among those who are strong advocates of feisty positions.
America badly needs more leaders who really get the future. We need more Rod Martins.
Rod Martin is a modern day philosopher-statesman. He is a capitalist intellectual, a conservative iconoclast, a gentle adversary and a kind prophet. He inspires us towards a fresh national vision built upon the original founding principles.
Rod Martin is not only effective and efficient, but he is also perceptive, wise and gracious. He gets things done. He is a great friend and a great ally.
Rod is one of the sharpest, most gracious men I know, and one of the most gifted political thinkers today. His ability to analyze issues and communicate thoughtful insights on them have earned him the respect of people across the political spectrum.
I am proud to have been Rod Martin’s friend for a quarter century, and I can tell you that he is one of the finest men and most outstanding leaders in our church and in our country today. He has a knack for turning everything he touches to success.
Rod Martin is a cornucopian entrepreneur and eutropic thinker whose influence radiates through an array of companies, institutions, movements and churches. A renaissance American, he is also a prolific friend of freedom and faith around the globe.
If Rod Martin represents the next generation of leaders, America has nothing to worry about.
A leader and a servant, in public life and in private, Rod Martin strides at the top of his profession, and has nowhere to go but up. He is in the truest sense of the word ‘outstanding’.
Rod Martin is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished thought leaders today. He is a wonderful mentor, a humble role model, and a deep inspiration for the next generation of scientific innovators and entrepreneurs.
Rod’s achievements pale beside his character and his brilliance. He sees what others can’t. He leads when others won’t.
Rod Martin is one of America’s finest young minds.
