Clinton Quote by Bret Stephens
“What is absolutely clear is that if Trump is the nominee, Republicans cannot win. Maybe they can't win with Rubio or Cruz or Kasich. We don't know. But what is absolutely certain is that with Hillary Clinton locking up the Democratic base, she is going to win unless she has a strong contender who is going to be able to pull - not only bring the entire Republican Party on the side, but win moderates. Donald Trump cannot do that.”
About This Quote
Source Article: Opinion piece, The Wall Street Journal, 2015
The author argues that Trump’s candidacy would doom Republican chances, while Hillary’s base support makes her likely winner unless a strong moderate challenger emerges.
In simple terms: Trump would ruin GOP chances; Hillary likely wins without a strong moderate opponent.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the importance of broad coalition building.
Themes
politics
election strategy
party dynamics
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
political
strategic
When to use this quote
- campaign planning
- voter outreach
- strategic messaging
- party unity
- moderate outreach
Key Concepts
electoral viability
coalition building
candidate appeal
Questions to Reflect On
- How can parties broaden appeal beyond core bases?
- What strategies can moderate candidates use to attract diverse voters?
A Different Perspective
Trump’s appeal to certain voter blocs could still sway outcomes.
![“What's confusing about that, though, is you [Marco Rubio] say if he [Donald Trump] were the nominee, it would destroy the conservative movement. You're painting scary pictures of him being the nominee. But then you're saying he will never be the nominee. You have signed onto the hashtag…” quote by John S. Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aaa/john-s-dickerson-34601_bad-thing_what-s-confusing-about-that-though-is-yo_2288235.jpg)
![“Republicans are taking the possibility of [Donald] Trump as nominee seriously enough that the committee that oversees next year's Senate races laid out a confidential seven-page blueprint for candidates on how to run with Trump at the top of the ticket.” quote by Dalia Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bc4/dalia-mogahed-13851_blueprints_republicans-are-taking-the-possibility-o_2053822.jpg)
![“There's more than 1700 emails out of the thirty three thousand Hillary Clinton emails that we've published, just about Libya. It's not that Libya has cheap oil. She perceived the removal of [Muammar] Gaddafi and the overthrow of the Libyan state - something that she would use in her run-up to the…” quote by Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d1a/julian-assange-1566_clinton_there-s-more-than-1700-emails-out-of-the_2174.jpg)
![“I guarantee you [Hillary Clinton] is smoking in humiliation over the idea that she needs to heal and that [Donald] Trump's the guy to do it. That was great.” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/702/rush-limbaugh-28_clinton_i-guarantee-you-hillary-clinton-is-smoki_4403.jpg)
