Has it come down to this?

The presidential campaign on the Repubican side has hit a new low.

Now, Donald Trump is criticizing John Kasich’s table manners. Trump said Kasich, when at a diner during a campaign stop, shoved pancakes into his mouth. “It’s disgusting,” said Trump. “Not presidential.” Trump even said he had told his young son to turn away from the television set so as not to watch the horror of it.

The attack on Kasich’s table manners may be Trump’s response to the new pact between Kasich and Ted Cruz. Neither of these Republican presidential candidates have been able to substantially or convincingly break Trump’s collection of delegates. Neither will be able to garner the requisite number of delegates to gain the first-round Republican nomination.

So, they have joined forces, in a manner of speaking, to break Trump’s run of wins.

Kasich will not actively compete against Cruz in Indiana. Cruz will not actively compete with Kasich in New Mexico and Oregon.

The idea is that with only one aggressive anti-Trump opponent in these states Trump’s dominance will be muted. It is sort of like team tag wrestling.

It is a real gamble. Some say it is just about the only way left to stop Trump’s first ballot nomination at the convention.

There are three possible outcomes: One, delegates will be drained from Trump. Two, Trump simply will pile up bigger wins. Three, potential Republican voters will throw up their hands and leave the circus early.

Supposedly, it is an unprecedented move in presidential campaigns that two opposing candidates would join forces to beat a third. Like “Survivor,” competitors are teaming up to vote the other off the island.

The first round of the new strategy will be seen next week in the Indiana primary.

In the meantime, Kasich will probably take smaller bites of his food when on camera.

The tide may change, however. Eventually, somebody will question Trump as to why he wears such ridiculously long neck ties. Is it to make up for his small hands?

Yes, it has come down to this.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher