One of the most interesting dynamics of the Trump presidency is the assertion by different sides that they are the ones with “real” principles while failing to acknowledge they possess just as many failings and malleable positions as anyone else. No group has been more guilty of this than the Never Trump right.

We’ve gotten lectures from people like Charlie Sykes on morality, who himself cheated on his wife, married his co-worker, and is now on his 3rd marriage. Or take MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, who literally married his mistress that is also currently his co-host. But they have principles, I’m assured of it. It doesn’t matter that many of them now bemoan the 2nd amendment, support reparations, and proclaim they’ll vote for a socialist in 2020. Don’t misunderstand matters. They are the real conservatives here and you better fall in line.

For another example of this hypocritical dance, take CNN’s S.E. Cupp.

Trump’s caving to the NRA is predictable. For one, he’s willing to be bought. Two, he reads polls. Three, he doesn’t actually want a fight because he’s weak right now. Four, he’s not actually a leader of anything, he’s a follower. And five, he doesn’t care about issues. At all. — S.E. Cupp (@secupp) August 21, 2019

What’s notable about this? Cupp had previously taken the exact opposite position just a year ago, praising the NRA and attacking Trump for considering some gun control. She was right at the time.

After Parkland, I was on your show and you attacked Trump for considering new gun control measures. You sided with the NRA and said Trump wasn’t a conservative for considering gun control measures. https://t.co/jnRPT6tddH — Chris Barron (@ChrisRBarron) August 21, 2019

What changed? Here’s what Cupp claims.

Right. You got me! But I’ve decided I need to be a human being about this issue, not a partisan. I’m cool with my 2nd Amd defense, while also deciding that we must have conversations about solutions. Only small, insecure people are afraid of conversations. @nra https://t.co/4AMjhWLaPO — S.E. Cupp (@secupp) August 21, 2019

To be frank, this is nonsense.

If you are picking up on her opposition to Donald Trump being the only constant in this timeline, congratulations on your perceptiveness. Trump has the amazing ability to make his opponents do practically anything, no matter how hypocritical or outside of their past norms. Cupp, in a little over a year’s time, has went from siding with the NRA against Trump to bashing the NRA in order to remain in opposition to Trump.

Past the specific question being addressed, notice the personal attacks. If you aren’t willing to support a “conversation” on violating the 2nd amendment right now, you are not a human being. Not only that, you are small and insecure. Did Cupp believe she was those things in Feb. of 2018? Or is she simply changing the rules in order to suit her own political wants, in this case ranting about Trump?

The answer is clearly the latter and her past statements prove it. Take background checks, which Trump has supposedly “caved” to the NRA over in the past 24 hours. Here’s Cupp on those.

Wait, @timkaine, if we pass universal background checks we won't have shooting tragedies? I'll let fact checkers point out how dumb this is. — S.E. Cupp (@secupp) October 5, 2016

And here’s Cupp on an “assault weapons” ban.

It had no effect on gun crime, according to the FBI: And tell the victims of Columbine that an assault weapons ban saved their lives. And tell your Dem friends to try again for an assault weapons ban. They are politically paralyzed and petrified from ‘94. https://t.co/pthRffY9VL — S.E. Cupp (@secupp) February 16, 2018

All it took for her to abandon these right, common sense positions was for Trump to support them. What part of that is “principled” exactly?

There are no principles at play here, just naked politics.

The truth is, no matter what side of the right you are on, no one has a claim to perfection in the eyes of some nebulous definition of “conservatism.” The difference between most of the right and Never Trump though is that only one group constantly claims they hold the copyright on what being a real conservative is. A little humility on that front would go a long way. Trump isn’t going to be around forever and once he’s gone, these people are going to find themselves out in the wilderness with nowhere to go. You can only burn so many bridges in the name of opposing Trump at all costs.

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