Why opposing Trump is a dumb career move in conservative media

In political terms, what Erickson (and others cited in this article, including George Will) are doing is something of a profile in courage. The shrewd move (at least, in the short term) would have been for them to throw their principles out the window and get behind The Donald.

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Despite this, a myth persists that “Never Trump” Republicans have ulterior motives—that opposing the Republican nominee is somehow a smart move for the ambitious conservative commentator.

While there’s little doubt that a select few have parlayed their rebel status into a marketable niche, far more people have boosted their careers by hopping on the Trump train.

For the vast majority of us, refusing to back Trump is anything but a shrewd career move. That’s because the world wants to force us into a binary choice. Just as there’s an incentive to join a gang in prison (for protection), there’s a strong incentive for commentators to pick a side in politics. That’s where the ratings, clicks, and money live — along with most of today’s ambitious talk radio hosts and aspiring right-wing pundits.

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