How clever was Trump (strategically)? Or did he just get lucky?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hillary's campaign is a poll driven, pandering and calculating machine.

Trump's positions are what he genuinely believes. That's why he has said so many non PC things. People like that about him.

So he believe in abortion rights, but also right to life. He opposes the minimum wage, but supports it. He hires illegal immigrants, but wants to stop them. He was for the Iraq war, until he was against it. He thinks global warming is a hoax, but that its a good reason to get a permit for golf course sea wall.

He thinks donations corrupt politicians, but is now pursuing big money donations.

Many people think your line of reasoning applies to HRC as well. That's why they don't trust her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trump benefited mostly from a too-crowded Republican field and an undisciplined RNC unwilling to "cull the herd" until it was too late. The seventeen candidates allowed Trump to get a plurality of the crazy vote and, as more of them dropped out, a sort of Stockholm Syndrome took over as otherwise reasonable people convinced themselves he might be a good candidate.

I think this is it. Trump is "clever" in that he is feeding other people's fears and fantasies, as the other poster said. But a majority of Americans will not vote for him. I really believe Americans value basic decency. Looking at previous presidents, they may not have been perfect people, but none of them struck me as someone who would be cruel or mean to another person for no real reason. Trump's stomp-on-the-weak style of campaigning may be something he will try to put behind him, but I don't think it's going to work.

[Anonymous]

Lucky. No bench.

Says what he believes? Well, this often changes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hillary's campaign is a poll driven, pandering and calculating machine.

Trump's positions are what he genuinely believes. That's why he has said so many non PC things. People like that about him.

So he believe in abortion rights, but also right to life. He opposes the minimum wage, but supports it. He hires illegal immigrants, but wants to stop them. He was for the Iraq war, until he was against it. He thinks global warming is a hoax, but that its a good reason to get a permit for golf course sea wall.

He thinks donations corrupt politicians, but is now pursuing big money donations.

Many people think your line of reasoning applies to HRC as well. That's why they don't trust her.

You only bolded one sentence in PP's post. I wonder why. Probably because the policy differences between Hillary and Bernie are pretty minimal, but the gulf between Donald and Hillary are pretty huge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hillary's campaign is a poll driven, pandering and calculating machine.

Trump's positions are what he genuinely believes. That's why he has said so many non PC things. People like that about him.

I agree with this. I think people love that he speaks off the cuff with no filter. I think many people wish they could do that more in their own lives. Maybe not mirroring his views, but with our own opinions that may not be the most popular. People value that he says what is on his mind and wish they had the courage to do more of the same.

(I am very anti trump)

Trump's off the cuff and confrontational approach, if elected, works for his constituents and probably much of the GOP. And it works for his reality shows. However, that won't wash on the world stage. There are countries that need very little or no prompting to do physical damage to Americans at home and abroad. Trump's confrontational and threatening approach is downright dangerous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you have to give the maniac some credit for stealing the Republican nomination

Stealing? Via the completely undemocratic and illegitimate method of getting more votes and winning more elections?

Are you really so retarded that you think he "stole" the nomination?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:(I am very anti trump)

Trump's off the cuff and confrontational approach, if elected, works for his constituents and probably much of the GOP. And it works for his reality shows. However, that won't wash on the world stage. There are countries that need very little or no prompting to do physical damage to Americans at home and abroad. Trump's confrontational and threatening approach is downright dangerous.

Bullshit. Some people and some countries are going to come after us no matter what we do. The best way to minimize this threat is to control the border and limit the number of Muslims who come here - i.e., exactly what Trump wants to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trump benefited mostly from a too-crowded Republican field and an undisciplined RNC unwilling to "cull the herd" until it was too late.

In point of fact this was exactly how the RNC planned to manipulate the nomination process so that Jeb got it.

You people who think Trump got "lucky" are deluded. Go ahead, keep underestimating him though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trump benefited mostly from a too-crowded Republican field and an undisciplined RNC unwilling to "cull the herd" until it was too late.

In point of fact this was exactly how the RNC planned to manipulate the nomination process so that Jeb got it.

You people who think Trump got "lucky" are deluded. Go ahead, keep underestimating him though.

You people who think Trump is smart and will make a good statesman are deluded. Go ahead, keep drinking the Kool Aid, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(I am very anti trump)

Trump's off the cuff and confrontational approach, if elected, works for his constituents and probably much of the GOP. And it works for his reality shows. However, that won't wash on the world stage. There are countries that need very little or no prompting to do physical damage to Americans at home and abroad. Trump's confrontational and threatening approach is downright dangerous.

Bullshit. Some people and some countries are going to come after us no matter what we do. The best way to minimize this threat is to control the border and limit the number of Muslims who come here - i.e., exactly what Trump wants to do.

How do you propose to limit the numbers of Muslims who come to America? Do you want to have religious questions for potential immigrants? Do you want to limit the numbers of immigrants from Muslim countries, which we already do? Do you realize this goes against the American ethos and values of tolerance? Do you realize that we have welcomed many of the best people from the Muslim world- their doctors, scientists, engineers, and that those people have thrived? And won't targeting and maligning America's Muslims alienate them and lead to radicalization? Shouldn't we be doing the opposite, and giving American Muslims space, because they may be the force for liberalizing Islam around the world?

Just saying!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lucky.
And also used modern tactics that work - even kardashians know 'if they're talking bad about you, at least they're talking.' It's despicable. I fear for our future if someone can troll their way to the presidency.

Well put. That's exactly what he's doing.
I'm fucking terrified.

[Anonymous]

It really sucks

I have no idea what Trump or Clinton believe

PP hit it on the head Trump keeps changing and Clinton puts out a poll and then says whatever is popular at the moment

Neither of them have any core values at all hence why both are around 65% negative

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lucky.
And also used modern tactics that work - even kardashians know 'if they're talking bad about you, at least they're talking.' It's despicable. I fear for our future if someone can troll their way to the presidency.

Well put. That's exactly what he's doing.
I'm fucking terrified.

The road to the White House has never been a noble affair.

[Anonymous]

Trump took advantage of the demographic pickle the GOP has gotten itself into. The consultants are telling the party it needs to broaden its base and be more inclusive, the base isn't broad enough to win any more. Inclusiveness doesn't fly with the base, however. So everyone was running away from the base with an eye on the general election. Trump made a decision to win the base without regard for the consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trump benefited mostly from a too-crowded Republican field and an undisciplined RNC unwilling to "cull the herd" until it was too late. The seventeen candidates allowed Trump to get a plurality of the crazy vote and, as more of them dropped out, a sort of Stockholm Syndrome took over as otherwise reasonable people convinced themselves he might be a good candidate.

This doesn't make any sense. Having more people in the field makes it much harder to gather 50% of the vote. It's actually what kept a contested convention hope live as long as it could. Trump has been leading the poll since the beginning. He would have wrapped it up much sooner if the field were less crowded.