To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (187407 ) 12/16/2015 11:16:06 AM From: TideGlider Respond to of 224738 It’s Donald Trump’s Party Now A Commentary by Fran Coombs in Politics Email this ShareThis Related Articles Sign up for free daily updates Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Only voters can now stop businessman Donald Trump’s march to the White House. Last night’s Republican debate seemed a tacit acknowledgement of that, with only the long-shot candidates willing to take Trump head-on. Perhaps that’s no surprise when 70% of Likely Republican Voters say Trump is likely to be their party’s nominee in our latest Trump Change survey , and this survey was taken the week after he proposed his temporary – and highly controversial - ban on Muslims coming to this country. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush who delivered his most aggressive debate performance of the year was Trump’s harshest critic, but that’s not likely to move his numbers in the polls. He also was on the receiving end of one of Trump’s most withering comments of the evening: “With Jeb’s attitude, we will never be great again, that I can tell you. We will never be great again.” Trump’s critics continue to harp on his lack of “seriousness” and offer their own wonkish policy proposals while the flamboyant billionaire developer keeps it simple. As he said again last night: “We need a toughness. We need strength. We’re not respected, you know, as a nation anymore. We don’t have that level of respect that we need. And if we don’t get it back fast, we’re just going to go weaker, weaker and just disintegrate. We can’t allow that to happen. We need strength.” New Jersey Governor Chris Christie nailed that point when he ridiculed an exchange between Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio: “If your eyes are glazing over like mine, this is what it’s like to be on the floor of the United States Senate. I mean, endless debates about how many angels on the head of a pin from people who’ve never had to make a consequential decision in an executive position.” Christie flexed his muscles by repeating last night his willingness to shoot down Russian planes that enter a U.S.-established safe zone in Syria.