Marvel’s Civil War took in big bucks at the box office over the weekend. The Republican civil war might not have generated so many ticket sales… but ultimately it may still move a lot of popcorn. Because it's just getting started.
Donald Trump is poised to breeze through another round of primary contests this week -- while the Republican Party splinters around him.
Trump's ascent to the top of the GOP, which was capped last week with Ted Cruz's devastating loss in the Indiana primary, happened so fast that even the billionaire himself was surprised. And the whipsawed party establishment now faces immediate choices -- none of which particularly appeal to them. …
Trump's opponents are still sorting through the wreckage of the GOP primary season for a path forward. But it has become painfully clear over the past five days that party unification will be tough to come by, if it happens at all.
And what is Trump doing while everyone else is in a panic?
For his part, Trump didn't seem too worried about the talk of the GOP disintegrating because of his nomination. Speaking on ABC's "This Week," Trump questioned the need for party unity, arguing that his campaign is unlike any before and won't rely on the same political calculations.
"Does it have to be unified?" he asked. "I'm very different than everybody else, perhaps that's ever run for office. I actually don't think so."
It’s not that Trump thinks a splintered party is better. It’s just that he thinks he is the party. Because he is. The power of the party and the party organization, belongs to Trump. The voters of the party, belong to Trump. The platform, the convention, the spotlight are all in the service of Trump. The people who are railing against him are all doing so from the deck of U.S.S. Pending Irrelevance.
Republicans always did like the idea of reenacting the Civil War and giving the “lost cause” another go. Here’s their chance. Have fun, boys.
Trump also spent some time this weekend underlining Mitt Romney's name on his enemies list.
Pressed on if he believed Romney was “ungrateful” for his support [in the 2012 election], Trump replied, “He was. He was ungrateful. Which is okay. A lot of people are ungrateful. But he was ungrateful. They did not respond accordingly.”
Republicans may eventually line up behind Trump and assume we’ll all forget there ever was a rift. But Trump won’t forget. He’ll never forget.