GOP elites still don't get it

Well, folks, the race for the Republican nomination is virtually over, and surprisingly, it wasn't even a photo finish. After Donald Trump handily won Indiana, Ted Cruz and John Kasich deflated like yesterday's party balloons. Actually, the folding of those two took me a little bit by surprise because I thought for sure that Cruz was in for the long haul and Kasich was going to prolong his "15 minutes" as long as he could. That wasn't the case, however, and everyone was caught flat-footed.

I think everyone on both sides of the aisle were stunned when the reality of Trump as the nominee finally solidified in their brains. How could this be? The impossible had happened, and now they all had to deal with it. But how? The fact is that the only people who weren't in a state of shock were the 10 million-plus grass-roots Republicans, disgruntled Democrats and independents that have voted for Trump in the GOP primaries so far. It is estimated that when all is said and done, Trump will have garnered more Republican primary votes than anyone in history. If you add Cruz (the other anti-establishment guy) and his votes to the mix, it is crystal clear that we are in the midst of a populist revolution, and that train has left the station.

It didn't take long for panic to set in, however. After they went through denial and mourning for a couple of days, the establishment and the die-hard "Never Trump" folks dug their heels in and pitched a fit over not getting their way, and it was amazing to watch. Now, I'm not talking about the non-establishment Ted Cruz people – they are saddened and deflated but not as bitter, petulant and resentful as the high-profile party elites with their superior, intellectual, social and economic attitudes. There is no denying that many people don't completely agree with Trump on social issues, but many evangelical voters are supporting him because they are looking at the big picture. I predict many of the  Cruz voters will eventually get onboard with Trump as well, because they can see where the road toward social issues leads with Hillary and her Supreme Court picks. It is not pretty, and they know it.

Within hours of Trump declaring victory, the media couldn't wait to spread the word that he was being rejected by "big name Republicans." George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, the Koch brothers, George Will and on and on. This may all be hyperbole on their part, and perhaps they are just taking a strong stand for the moment, but you know as well as I do that none of these folks really means what they say. It's a game, and they are playing it – especially Ryan who wants to start negotiations with Trump now. This ought to be good.

It is still amazing to me that the GOP still doesn't get it. They still don't realize that with every condescending, disdainful putdown of Donald Trump, they are demeaning the millions of people who voted for him! They are just adding fuel to the Trump fire and are too blind to see it. When someone like Rob Reiner comes out and rants about Trump voters being racist, that just assures more votes will go into the Trump column against Hillary; but he is a Democrat, so that is expected. But when George Will suggests to voters to do everything they can to keep Trump out of the White House, what does that do? It just motivates the people to support Trump even more. Don't they see that he is insulting not only the Trump voters, but the Cruz voters as well? Both Trump and Cruz were an anathema to the GOP elites, and their supporters, it seems, are an abomination as well. Every GOP slam against Trump is a slam against the grass roots, and the people know it.

Dividing the Republican Party in such a vicious way is not the way to endear yourself to the American people. They need to understand that maybe America's choice isn't their choice and that they need to deal with their loss and figure out what is best for the country. That is what mature, sensible people would do, but I digress.

This election has a lot to do with authenticity and approachability. That is why you see support for Hillary so tepid. We know who she is: a boring, dishonest and distant elitist. I mean, who would want to have a beer with her?! Bernie Sanders, on the other hand, is a 74-year-old dynamo who even though he has some radical, crazy ideas and hasn't really done anything in all of his years in government, is still a likable guy who speaks honestly and connects with the people who support him. He seems real though a little nutty, but people like him.

Donald Trump supposedly has a very high unlikeability rating. I'm not so sure. He has been coming into people's living rooms for years and he has had No. 1 shows on the air that stand the test of time. If he is so unlikeable, why do millions of people continue to invite him into their homes, and why do his rallies spill out into the streets? No matter what you think of him, Donald is approachable and he is who he is. No BS; he says what he thinks even if he retracts it or rethinks it later. He relates to the average guy or gal out there who is basically thinking the same thing. That works, not the distant, elitist, "I'm better than you" Hillary or GOP picks.

Even Barack Obama picked up the clue that he couldn't act like he was better than everyone else. Whenever his arrogance got the better of him his handlers set him up in "likeable" situations having him appear on "Between Two Ferns," or they would arrange a sit down with YouTube stars that ate Cheerios out of the bathtub. They knew when his favorability ratings were plummeting; he needed to "appear real" and "authentic." Bill Clinton did it when he played the saxophone on late-night TV. It works.

We are not in the same structured political world anymore. The people are looking for something different, and it is as clear as day. Both of the parties seem to be continuing to play the game the same way it has always been played, but it is not working anymore. They better wake up and listen to the people instead of just looking at them as numbers and categories to be put in little boxes according to their gender, race or economic status. Voters won't be taken for granted anymore, and they are speaking up in huge numbers and making a difference. I am still waiting to see how the whole Bernie Sanders situation resolves itself, because if he keeps winning states, there could be a volatile Democrat convention.

Regardless of how this whole things shakes out in November, you have to hand it to Trump. He has caused a seismic shift in the political universe, and the GOP better "get with it."

Morgan Brittany teams up with the other PolitiChicks in their first blockbuster, "What Women Really Want" -- revealing the truth about the "War on Women"

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