In a Mediate article this week entitled “Wyoming GOP Icon Rips Into ‘Spoiled Brat Trump,’ Urges Him to ‘Stop the Squeal’ After Taping Ad For Liz Cheney,” the headline tells you as much as you need to know. In a MSNBC headline called “This former Republican senator just called Donald Trump a ‘spoiled brat'” the following is noted in the first few paragraphs:
“Former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson isn’t a big Donald Trump fan.
In an interview with NBC News, Simpson called Trump, among other things, a ‘spoiled brat’ and said that ‘this guy is so full of himself that he would overturn every kind of rule of law or Constitutional process because of his own ego, which is twisted.’
Simpson, a Republican, acknowledged that he voted for Trump in 2016 but noted that ‘I’ll never vote for him again – that’s for goddamn sure.'”
This is the kind of push back the Republican party should have been giving Donald Trump all along. It is sad that this former president instigated a seditious act on a branch of government and his Big Lie and other lies have further divided our country. We need more folks like Simpson in the GOP and government and less of those like the former president. Maybe we could get back to more normalcy.
Please note, I hold Simpson in high regard. His opinion matters, at least to me. He collaborated with Democrat Erskine Bowles to lead the Simpson-Bowles Deficit Reduction Committee formed by President Barack Obama. Their ideas had merit and should have been given more consideration than they were. Now, the debt and deficit is far worse.
I mention this example as what Simpson-Bowles did is what we need more of in Congress and country. People coming together to solve problems. This tribal BS we have in our country serves no one if problems do not get addressed or, worse, problems are created.
musingsofanoldfart 
I usually disagreed with Alan Simpson. But I always appreciated his dry sense of humor and his sense of morality. I’m glad to hear that he is supporting Liz Cheney.
Neil, it shows that we need not agree, nor cannot agree with anyone or any politician on everything. For example, to me one President’s Obama’s greatest failings as president was not pushing the Simpson-Bowles Deficit Reduction Committee findings for action. Yet, like you, I agree more with Obama on things than Simpson. Same holds true with Cheney, Kinzinger, but I admire their courage. Keith
Note to Readers: Tomorrow, I will have a post on the courage and honor of Cassidy Hutchinson with her testimony to the House Select Committee. I did find of interest this paragraph from the conservative newspaper the Washington Examiner:
“Hutchinson’s testimony confirmed a damning portrayal of Trump as unstable, unmoored, and absolutely heedless of his sworn duty to effectuate a peaceful transition of presidential power. Considering the entirety of her testimony, it is unsurprising that Hutchinson said she heard serious discussions of Cabinet members invoking the 25th Amendment that would have at least temporarily evicted Trump from office.
Trump is a disgrace. Republicans have far better options to lead the party in 2024. No one should think otherwise, much less support him, ever again.”
I think the dam is finally bursting on the pent-up GOP Trump criticism. This is especially true when Brian Kilmeade, the Trump fawning co-host of “Fox and Friends,” said it was time for the Republican party to move on from Trump.
I shall be looking forward to your post about Ms. Hutchinson’s testimony on Tuesday … I was impressed, to say the least, with her, but even more convinced that there is a fine line between sane and insane, and that Trump crossed that line. What I find saddest of all is the average Joe in this nation who applauds Trump … even still … even after all the evidence of his corruption and the danger he put this nation in. They applaud his “strength” … and I put that word in quotes for a reason, since I see nothing strong at all about him. They applaud his bravado, his willingness to lie, cheat and steal to get what he wants. There is something very deeply wrong in the heartland of this nation, and I fear it is going to be our ruination.
I don’t know much about Senator Simpson, but I’m impressed by what you’ve said here. And my jaw dropped over the piece in the Washington Examiner, a right-leaning publication that I usually avoid whenever possible, rather like the New York Post.
Jill, I think we have passed the tipping point. More will come out against him than before. Those who actively support his January 6 claim may have culpability (the ones who asked and deny asking for pardons, eg.). The Washington Examiner piece was a surprise in its directness. Keith
I agree with you on that, but the question remains … will it matter to the 30% or so who are avid followers? With voting restrictions being put into place in so many states, and the Supreme Court to rule on how states can conduct federal elections going forward, I can foresee a time when that 30% rules over the majority.
Jill, I am hoping the dam will break. Liz Cheney speaking at the Reagan Library calling the former president the greatest domestic threat will have an impact, as will others speaking out. Trump being criticized by Brian Kilmeade of Fox and Friends is a big change. Keith
Two hopes:
The pushback gathers momentum
Or
All mature Republicans who care for their nation, say ‘Enough’ and the party splits.
Agreed on both. It is sad the ones who actually remember their oath to the constitution get vilified and death threats from those who claim how sacrosanct that document is as a chest beating tactic. To me, that speaks volumes.
Hypocrisy is their first resort or so it seems Keith.
Simpson is cut from a dying breed of old school GOP. I’m actually surprised that he admitted to voting from the mop in 2016.
Linda, I knew enough about Trump to never vote for him. Something about cheating, lying and bullying in his history. But, I understood someone voting for him in 2016 given HRC’s imperfections. Yet, I cannot believe people voted for him again in 2020 after he botched the pandemic response, hurt our global standing and had such an equal parts incompetent and chaotic White House per conservative David Brooks. The horrible travel ban roll out which was pulled after two days early in his presidency was a bell weather event. Keith