Romney, McCain blast Donald Trump calling him 'dangerous' and 'phony'
CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - On Thursday, Donald Trump had to fend off ferocious attacks from his party's two previous nominees for President. Both Mitt Romney and John McCain denounced Trump as "dangerous" and "phony."
The Republican Speaker of the U.S. House, Paul Ryan joined in as well.
Speaker Ryan claimed "conservatism is being disfigured" by Trump's most controversial proposals. Ryan will preside at this summer's Republican convention in Cleveland and did not explicitly join the Stop Trump movement. But a Republican congressman from the North Shore is all in.
“I think Donald Trump has disqualified himself. Whether it be his divisive words, we do not need a divider. Whether it be on women, whether it be on veterans, whether it be on Latinos, whether it be on Muslims,” said Illinois Rep. Robert Dold.
Dold comes from a swing district in the North Shore Suburbs. He was criticizing Trump before his party's senior statesmen began blasting the billionaire businessman. Romney attempted a step by step demolition of Trump Thursday, mercilessly mocking his multiple bankruptcies, listing a litany of failure.
“His bankruptcies have crushed small businesses and the man and women who worked for them. He inherited his business. He didn't create it. And whatever happened to Trump Airlines? How about Trump University? And then there's Trump Magazine and Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks and Trump Mortgage. A business genius he is not,” Trump said.
But as the Republican establishment fires its big guns, some doubt that it will shake the devotion of Trump's most ardent supporters.
“I don't think Romney actually helps his own case here today. Because I've never seen ever before a (past) standard bearer for a party tell everybody in the Republican Party, "Stop voting for the guy who's leading in the primary!" said Roe Conn of WGN Radio.
When Trump responded to Romney, he recalled endorsing the 2012 Republican nominee, but only after Romney had allegedly "begged."
“I could have said, "Mitt, drop to your knees." He would have dropped to his knees. He was begging,” Trump said.
That kind of vulgarity offends Paul Caprio, of the pro-life Family PAC Federal. He says so many conservative Republican activists are mobilizing across the country that Trump's political momentum may yet be stopped.
“Things can change very quickly. And I think there is a very good possibility that Donald Trump will not be the nominee,” said Paul Caprio.
Trump as so far won about 34 percent of the total votes cast and has about 26 percent of the delegates he needs to win the nomination at the Republican convention this summer.