# Biggest October Surprise **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 19, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063 "2016-10-19T20:37:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/1 "2016-10-19T20:37:46Z")
October has been a crazy month for the Presidential campaign. Which of these events is the most significant? ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/2 "2016-10-19T20:46:35Z")
I mentioned Gary Johnson, not because I think he could win, but he is polling high enough to be a possible kingmaker. ---
**Author:** ![Celidin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Celidin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celidin)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/3 "2016-10-19T21:59:40Z")
No option for “the biggest is yet to come?” That’s my vote. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/4 "2016-10-19T22:01:23Z")
Access Hollywood tape. No matter if anything else happens, it’ll likely be too late to change the final results. This sealed Donald’s fate. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/5 "2016-10-19T22:25:04Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Access Hollywood tape. No matter if anything else happens, it’ll likely be too late to change the final results. This sealed Donald’s fate. I mentioned in another thread that I wondered how things would’ve gone if women had come forward and accused Trump of – well, grabbing their pussies and kissing them without their consent, of course; but just imagine them saying exactly that, only we _hadn’t_ heard the guy smirkingly confess to doing exactly that. What happens next? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/6 "2016-10-19T22:41:23Z")
We might see a surprise tonight at the third debate. Trump could call Obama names, and punch Hillary, and little would change. No one is voting for a President. They are voting against one or the other. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_Hey_Paula)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/7 "2016-10-19T23:44:05Z")
It’s only the 19th. I vote “we ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/8 "2016-10-19T23:46:59Z")
The Access Hollywood tape pales in comparison to the multiple credible allegations of sexual assault that followed it. I can see tying those two together, but I think the accusations should be a separate poll option. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/9 "2016-10-19T23:48:50Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > We might see a surprise tonight at the third debate. Trump could call Obama names, and punch Hillary, and little would change. > > No one is voting for a President. They are voting against one or the other. I’m voting for a President. That there is only one viable choice is not my fault. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/10 "2016-10-19T23:49:41Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > The Access Hollywood tape pales in comparison to the multiple credible allegations of sexual assault that followed it. I can see tying those two together, but I think the accusations should be a separate poll option. Those (likely) only came as a result of the tape. The tape triggered the dominoes falling-- first Trump’s adamant “no” to Anderson’s direct questioning, then the stream of accusations. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/11 "2016-10-19T23:58:12Z")
It is hard to pick anything except the Access Hollywood tape. It has been the biggest catalyst of the month by far. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/12 "2016-10-20T00:04:44Z")
The first debate hurt Trump and the tax fallout hurt him more, but he would have been able to rebound most likely. The Access Hollywood tape was utterly devastating and we’re seeing that in the polls. Women and some of the less deplorable among Trump voters are leaving him in droves. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/13 "2016-10-20T10:50:09Z")
As of now, the Access Hollywood tape. It caused many Republicans to repeal their endorsement. Plus, almost no Republicans were willing to campaign with him after that release. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/14 "2016-10-20T11:29:41Z")
Can I change my vote to “Won’t accept the election results”? I was surprised. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/15 "2016-10-20T11:43:50Z")
I’d vote for “Won’t accept election results” but I’m a baseball fan and so my vote has to go to the one that most affected the outcome. And that is unquestionably the Access Hollywood tape. Trump’s being a sore loser was revealed at a point he’s already losing badly. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/16 "2016-10-20T13:42:19Z")
Yeah, “Won’t accept results” will keep him there but it was the Access Hollywood tape that put him deep in the hole. The usual sort of crowds are all saying that there’s still going to be some huge Clinton bombshell but I’m thinking it’s probably too late. People already voting, no more debates to use to pin it on her and it’d have to be a hell of an event to swing the needle that widely this late in the game. If there IS some amazing thing out there, whoever is holding it screwed up to wait this long. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/17 "2016-10-20T14:10:41Z")
It’s the Access Hollywood tape, because without that the other women would not have come forward. I don’t think that the refuse to accept the results will have as much impact as the tape. That split Trump from Ryan and others because it gave people who didn’t like him a concrete reason they could use. Actually, though poll misses the biggest October surprise which is that Trump is Trump. Granted only a few percent of the population is surprised with this, in that his base doesn’t care and the Democrats figured that out along time ago, that few percent swings his defeat into a rout. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/18 "2016-10-20T14:44:01Z")
I voted for McMullin’s success in Utah. I have to admit I wasn’t surprised by the Access Hollywood tape. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/19 "2016-10-20T14:44:58Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Can I change my vote to “Won’t accept the election results”? I was surprised. Yup. This poll should have been created on Halloween. At midnight. As it is, there’s still too much time left in the month. The Access tapes are the biggest surprise on this list. Sane people have known Trump is utterly unfit for the Presidency since the beginning. But the disclosure that he’s an aggressive lecher might have awakened the apathetic. I picked that one, too. However, his refusal to accept the election results is obscene on a whole other level. It’s not as if Trump has a brother who’s governor of a swing state, a strong political family to back him up & a crack legal team. They were able to interfere before the results were _actually_ in. (Well, I went to sleep glad My Idiot Governor would not be President. Oops.) Al Gore explained recently–he finally accepted the “legal” results of the Supremes’ shameful decision because it was best for the country. The final results _were_ in. Trump will not be able to prevent the results from being finalized next month. His concession speech is not a legal requirement–it’s just customary. It sounds like he’s telling his minions to stock up on ammo. It _could_ get ugly. However, it’s 9:42 AM in Houston. That leaves time for new Surprises _today_! ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063/20 "2016-10-20T15:00:19Z")
The Access Hollywood tape was not Trump’s worst moment compared with all the horrible and ignorant things he’s said throughout his campaign, but it is what had the largest effect. I have to go with that, but of course, October isn’t over yet. 😉 So let’s just say the tape is the biggest, _so far_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-october-surprise/769063.md?page=2)