Sunday, May 1, 2011

Republican Candidates Strain to Break From Trump's Shadow

See Los Angeles Times, "GOP candidates try to refocus."

It's pretty fascinating that Donald Trump's sucked up so much oxygen in a relatively short period of time.

Maybe these folks need to bulk up on the opposition research, because Trump's pretty vulnerable on precisely those issues that matter most to voters: the economy and jobs. See earlier at Los Angeles Times, "Trump's tower a sore spot on the Strip":
Reporting from Las Vegas - Speaking to Republican activists here, Donald Trump touted something other than his potential presidential bid and hit reality television show: Trump International Hotel and Tower, a gleaming luxury high-rise and his sole Las Vegas venture.

"It's one of the greatest signs of all time," Trump said Thursday of the building's marquee, rising 64 stories above Las Vegas Boulevard. "You drive down that Strip, what do you see?"

"Trump!" the crowd shouted in unison.

"We got it built, it's doing great and we're very proud of it," the real estate mogul said, in remarks that were otherwise laced with profanity and attacks on President Obama.

But the reality of Las Vegas' tallest residential building — which Trump described as "very, very successful" — is different from the hype.

Conceived as a high-end hotel-condominium development in Las Vegas' go-go years, the project opened in 2008 amid the economic meltdown. Most investors pulled out and demanded their deposits, leaving Trump and his partners holding the bag.

The casino-free building, wrapped in 24-karat-gold-infused glass, now rests in the boneyard of the Las Vegas Strip, a collection of vacant lots, barren scaffolding and silent cranes left over from abandoned resort projects.

These days, the 645-foot Trump tower might be a metaphor for his nascent campaign: lots of splash, little in the way of substance.

As Trump touts his own business acumen, his Las Vegas hotel makes it clear that he fell prey to the speculative fever that gripped the nation — and particularly wounded Nevada, a state that will play a key role in determining the Republican presidential nomination next year.
More at that link above.

Maybe there'll be more critical reporting on Trump's business success. So far only Michelle Malkin's had anything to say that contradicted's the fawning MFM reporting.

Also at Politico, "'Sorry' state of affairs at GOP forum."

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