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

[Anonymous]

Did Trump sit around developing his strategy of appealing to the white working class and using the Mexico wall thing and Muslim thing deliberately and strategically, or did he just do what came naturally to him and it turned out to have been wildly successful? Putting aside your dislike of Trump (and I am no fan), you have to give the maniac some credit for stealing the Republican nomination -- I mean, his success and popularity thus far has been pretty incredible (despite deep, deep flaws as a candidate). I have no idea whether he will win the general election (and I hope not) but do wonder whether there is some dark genius in the man after all; I mean, he belittled Marco, Jeb, Cruz and basically has pushed forward despite the "establishment." I don't know that I could call his strategy "stupid", but perhaps he has just been "lucky"?

[Anonymous]

Lucky, then clever to exploit the nominating process. Used crazy over the top rhetoric to make the other nominees afraid to take him on until it was too late.

[Anonymous]

I think a lot of it is intentional. I hesitate to say clever, because I think a lot of it is sincere narcissism and genuine disinterest in whether what he is saying is true, which makes it a lot easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did Trump sit around developing his strategy of appealing to the white working class and using the Mexico wall thing and Muslim thing deliberately and strategically, or did he just do what came naturally to him and it turned out to have been wildly successful? Putting aside your dislike of Trump (and I am no fan), you have to give the maniac some credit for stealing the Republican nomination -- I mean, his success and popularity thus far has been pretty incredible (despite deep, deep flaws as a candidate). I have no idea whether he will win the general election (and I hope not) but do wonder whether there is some dark genius in the man after all; I mean, he belittled Marco, Jeb, Cruz and basically has pushed forward despite the "establishment." I don't know that I could call his strategy "stupid", but perhaps he has just been "lucky"?

Given that he was the king of the birthers, I think it's in his nature.

Honestly they had a field with over a dozen separate types of whack job. And we could out which particular nut is most popular with the GOP.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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)

[Anonymous]

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.

OK, so how can he simultaneously hold opposite opinions on the same subject if it's what he generally believes? Wouldn't that make him mentally ill?

[Anonymous]

In the Art of the Deal Trump talks about his strategy of feeding peoples' fears and fantasies as a means of manipulating them. So yes, it's not just pure dumb luck.

[Anonymous]

Trump is very clever. It is hard to admit that I watched "the apprentice" (sort of like eating potato chips). The show was on for 10 years and raised millions of dollars for charities. It made Trump a household word from the 10M people who watched each season. I think he learned a LOT from those celebrities, who were all ages and styles. How to work the media. How to hire someone to craft pithy one liners. How to stay in the limelight. How to use social media. He was an expert at playing people off against each other, seeming to back one person, while really having the winner picked on day one. Basic stuff in TV/ media. Then he moved onto the media with his campaign. The 16 people he eliminated from the R race included: 2+ ex governors, a shining star who was supposed to be so popular, a senator who had planned his campaign for years -- and so on. So no, I do not think it is all luck. Manipulation of the media is his forte. Soon you will see a new more mellow Trump, who will take aim at HRC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did Trump sit around developing his strategy of appealing to the white working class and using the Mexico wall thing and Muslim thing deliberately and strategically, or did he just do what came naturally to him and it turned out to have been wildly successful? Putting aside your dislike of Trump (and I am no fan), you have to give the maniac some credit for stealing the Republican nomination -- I mean, his success and popularity thus far has been pretty incredible (despite deep, deep flaws as a candidate). I have no idea whether he will win the general election (and I hope not) but do wonder whether there is some dark genius in the man after all; I mean, he belittled Marco, Jeb, Cruz and basically has pushed forward despite the "establishment." I don't know that I could call his strategy "stupid", but perhaps he has just been "lucky"?

Yes

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the Art of the Deal Trump talks about his strategy of feeding peoples' fears and fantasies as a means of manipulating them. So yes, it's not just pure dumb luck.

+1

[Anonymous]

We live in a society where. a child is suspended from school for bringing a bubble gun in. All of the ridiculous leftist crap and code of fear and silence if you publicly express a differing view.... That's what trump articulated for many of his supporters. If you or me say that Muslim's are scary and much more likely to be terrorists we get ostracized or worse.

The other republicans were all effete milquetoasts easily defeated. Trump beat them because they were all very weak people. Even Cruz who threw a temper tantrum when Trump went after his father. They are all very feminized girly men. Florina was smart but ugly as sin, no appeal at all.

Trump is a true alpha male. Men respond to that positively unless they are metro sexual pajama boys.

Trump definitely needs a catalyst or exogenous event to beat Hillary because white males are a minority. If the Muzzies take down another skyscraper this fall that should help him because even Hispanics don't want their asses getting blown off.

[Anonymous]

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.