In 2012, when asked about Romney's shifting positions on a variety of issues, his campaign manager at the time (forget his name) said, in effect - elections are like an etch-a-sketch and convention time is when you turn it over and shake it up, creating an ideological "clean slate" for the candidate going forward. It was his was of saying that pandering to the base during the primaries with comments like the now infamous "47%" line shouldn't be held against the candidate during the general. The convention absolved them of their accountability for statements made during the primaries.
Fast forward to 2016. Having learned their lesson (that etch-a-sketch doesn't work in reality), imagine if the Republican's hired an actor to play the role of candidate during the primaries, test out messages, draw attention to the party...all with the intention of bringing in the real candidate in July. A real candidate who would ride in with the benefit of no pandering to the primary crowd, no hidden tapes, no quotes to drop into competitive advertising. Rather than having an etch-a-sketch moment, the party could simply have a "turn the page" moment and, in the process look rationale in the process because we've had 12 months to see what could have been with Trump.
Not saying it's likely but, if that were your plan, who would you find with a sufficiently large narcissistic streak, a willingness to play a part as long as he had first billing, no real interest in the accountability of the job, and the ineptitude to not realize it. To be that person would be the death of your political career...where could they find such a vapid soul.
Hmmmm...calling Donald Trump, paging Mr Trump.
Fantasy, I know. And in the end, it only changes who HRC hammers in the general. Trump because he's an asshat or Mr. NewCandidate because Trump's "base" was never in on the play. Either way, we'll be calling her Hilary to differentiate her 2 terms from Bill's, just like we used W vs. Poppy Bush.
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