Image via Complex Original
As the Republican National Convention kicks into high (a.k.a. terrifying) gear and we hear from such luminaries as actor Scott Baio, former underwear model Antonio Sabato Jr., and that guy from Duck Dynasty, it has become clear that the one thing missing from this convention so far is respect. Plus a few well-known Republicans.
This isn't a huge shock; Trump has been unpopular among Republicans, many of whom view him as crass, hateful, and a sure sign that the apocalypse is coming. The former reality star may technically be old(ish) money, but many are not impressed by him and his entourage of beauty and wealth.
Here are eight well-known Republicans you won’t be seeing at the RNC this week:
1. Jeb Bush
We won't be seeing the Bush family at the RNC any time soon. Pretty much the entire crew hates Trump, and for good reason. He represents all that the Bushes' good breeding and genteel sensibilities try to hide. And that was before Jeb Bush was trounced by Trump in the primaries after being called “low energy” and mocked mercilessly. Both Jeb and his mother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, have said Trump has a “filthy mouth.”
And just last week, Jeb penned a strongly worded op-ed for the Washington Post, saying: “Trump's abrasive, Know Nothing-like nativist rhetoric has blocked out sober discourse about how to tackle America's big challenges.”
Neither Jeb's father nor brother, former Presidents George Bush and George W. Bush respectively, will attend the convention, either.
2. Mitt Romney
2012 Presidential candidate Mitt Romney will also be sitting out the RNC.
The man has manners, and nothing offends a man with manners and dignity more than a marauding Oompa Loompa with neither. Romney gave a speech in March, practically begging people not to vote for Trump. Some were calling on him to enter the ring, but after his disastrous 2012 bid, he refused. Still, he gave it to Trump hard:
Imagine your children and your grandchildren acting the way he does. Would you welcome that? Haven’t we seen before what happens when people in prominent positions fail the basic responsibility of honorable conduct? We have. And it always injures our families and our country.
3. George Will
George Will won’t be at the RNC now or maybe ever. The well-known conservative columnist actually left the party thanks to Trump’s rhetoric and candidacy. He’s now registered as “unaffiliated,” a decision he explained in a speech urging others to vote against Republicans and teach them a lesson through loss: “Make sure he loses. Grit their teeth for four years and win the White House. This is not my party.”
4. David Brooks
Brooks won’t be shaking patriotic pom-poms in Cleveland this week. Back in March, the New York Times columnist skewered Trump:
Donald Trump is an affront to basic standards of honesty, virtue and citizenship. He pollutes the atmosphere in which our children are raised. He has already shredded the unspoken rules of political civility that make conversation possible. In his savage regime, public life is just a dog-eat-dog war of all against all.
Don’t hold back, David! Let us know how you really feel.
5. Lindsey Graham
South Carolina Sen. Graham won’t be in the cheering section at the RNC, and it's quite snub but not a shock. Graham hit Trump on Twitter with this: “If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed.......and we will deserve it.” He also took his disdain off social media, releasing a statement of non-endorsement:
"[I] cannot in good conscience support Donald Trump because I do not believe he is a reliable Republican conservative nor has he displayed the judgment and temperament to serve as Commander in Chief.”
6. Jeff Flake
Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake has been quite vocal about his dislike of Trump, and explained why he won't be at convention by saying, "I've got to mow my lawn."
Cold.
7. John Kasich
Of all the snubs, the Ohio governor's decision not to attend the convention is, perhaps, the most painful of all. With the RNC being held in his home state, Kasich’s absence is quite conspicuous. Many in the party including the RNC Chairman Reince Priebus tried to convince Kasich (who ran against Trump in the primaries) to change his mind, but it was all to no avail.
Many in the party are skeptical of Kasich’s stand, calling the move “calculated” and speculating that it's part of a grander plan for another run at the nomination.
Either way, it’s a sick burn.
8. Ben Sasse
Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse had the best response when asked what he would be doing instead of attending this year's RNC. According to a spokesperson, “Sen. Sasse will not be attending the convention and will instead take his kids to watch some dumpster fires across the state, all of which enjoy more popularity than the current front-runners.”
Dumpster. Fire. That about says it all.