# Donald Trump announces presidential run **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 16, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679 "2015-06-16T16:35:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/201 "2015-07-10T09:36:29Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Hard to damage the Republican brand when he’s not even a nominee for anything and isn’t likely to be a nominee for anything. It’s like saying Al Sharpton damages the Democratic brand. Remember that time Al Sharpton held the national lead over a dozen other Democrats? Me neither. It’s entertaining to watch you construct your own narratives around the various races - Sanders is having some marginal success and this somehow means he’s going to scupper Clinton’s chances, but Trump solidly leading a field of over a dozen “serious” candidates can be handwaved away. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/202 "2015-07-10T10:26:01Z")
Trump’s disapproval is 61%. That’s not a viable candidate for anything. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/203 "2015-07-10T11:16:15Z")
I had such a strange conversation with a co-worker yesterday. The topic of Trump came up and Lee, my co-worker, expressed some approval for Trump and his stance on illegal immigrants. Lee argued that legal immigration is easy and so there is no excuse for being illegal. I argued that legal immigration is not easy and in fact is quite difficult. We talked for a few minutes then went back to work. A couple hours later, we were chatting again and he brings up his wife, who I know is Mexican. So I asked him if she was born in the US or Mexico and he says Mexico. I asked how she came to America and he says illegally. She was deported once and then returned, again illegally. Then he spends the next few minutes telling me how difficult and expensive it was for the two of them to get her to a legal status. I just can’t wrap my head around it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/204 "2015-07-10T13:49:57Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The good news is that Trump is making Ben Carson seem reasonable and thoughtful. And we both know Carson is no such thing, so how is that good news? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/205 "2015-07-10T13:58:40Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Trump’s disapproval is 61%. That’s not a viable candidate for anything. And yet he’s in the top 2 for your party’s nomination. How’s that happenin’? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/206 "2015-07-10T14:02:51Z")
When you’re polling under 20%, top 2 doesn’t mean a whole lot. You need a majority of delegates to win. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/207 "2015-07-10T14:11:34Z")
But he’s taking up space that could be used for a less insane candidate. It certainly looks like he’s going to bump someone else off the Fox debate podium, and when he’s on that podium he’s going to suck up all the oxygen in the room. Now maybe this will be a good thing for the GOP - Trump can act as the insane stalking horse, allowing the less-crazy-but-still-batshit pronouncements from other candidates to fly under the radar until much closer to the election. But even if that’s true, it would be hard to argue that that’s a good outcome for the country. (Also, you need to consider who all those Trumpoids will back when (or if) he drops out - who’s the next more crazy person in the race?) BTW, Kasich is bumping along with 2%. Helluva lot of ground to make up. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/208 "2015-07-10T14:18:09Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > But he’s taking up space that could be used for a less insane candidate. It certainly looks like he’s going to bump someone else off the Fox debate podium, and when he’s on that podium he’s going to suck up all the oxygen in the room. Does this less insane candidate exist? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/209 "2015-07-10T14:23:24Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Does this less insane candidate exist? Schrodinger’s candidate ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/210 "2015-07-10T14:45:39Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Does this less insane candidate exist? Bearing in mind that the baseline is “Trump”, I would argue that most of the field is less insane. Note that I did not go so far as to say “sane”. Mind you, if Bachmann or Gohmert threw their hat into the ring I’d have to recalibrate. ---
**Author:** ![zoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71c47a/32.png) [@zoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoo)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/211 "2015-07-10T15:53:32Z")
Donald doesn’t know where the president was born. [http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/08/politics/donald-trump-illegal-immigrant-workers](http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/08/politics/donald-trump-illegal-immigrant-workers) The fun never stops. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/212 "2015-07-10T16:23:26Z")
Anybody remember the year 2012? > **[2012 FLASHBACK: Donald Trump Said GOP Was Too ‘Mean-Spirited’ Towards Illegal...](https://dailycaller.com/2015/07/09/2012-flashback-donald-trump-said-gop-was-too-mean-spirited-towards-illegal-immigrants/)** > > In 2012, Donald Trump said that Republicans were too Back then, The Donald was saying just the opposite of what he’s saying now. He used to say that the GOP wasn’t nice enough to illegal aliens. Are we supposed to believe he’s had a serious change of heart since then? The guy doesn’t have ANY principles, let alone conservative principles. His generous donations to every liberal Democrat under the sun proves that. No, I’m not saying he’s “really” a liberal Democrat, either. Just that he’s an opportunist who will gladly give money to any politician who can help him out when he needs favors. And in the end, it doesn’t matter, because (I hate to keep telling you this) HE’S NOT RUNNING! ---
**Author:** ![nate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nate/32/13085_2.png) [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/213 "2015-07-10T16:37:06Z")
I’m a liberal… I don’t tend to agree with Trump’s views on issues. I couldn’t vote for any other republican, but for some reason if I have the chance to vote for Trump, I would. I don’t know why… maybe because I think a Trump presidency would be extremely entertaining and I don’t find him that threatening unlike all the other rep candidates. I also find it refreshing, even though I think some of his statements are racist and batshit insane, that he doesn’t back down from anyone. I wish we had someone that brazen on the left. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/214 "2015-07-10T16:38:42Z")
So… you’d like him to casually insult our friends and allies and bomb anywhere he felt like on a whim? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/215 "2015-07-10T16:52:17Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > And in the end, it doesn’t matter, because (I hate to keep telling you this) HE’S NOT RUNNING! By definition, he’s running because he said he’s running. That’s all it takes. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/216 "2015-07-10T16:59:50Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > By definition, he’s running because he said he’s running. That’s all it takes. No, actually, it takes quite a bit more than that. He hasn’t filed with the FEC, and he hasn’t done any of the prep work it takes to run a campaign. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/217 "2015-07-10T17:03:21Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > No, actually, it takes quite a bit more than that. He hasn’t filed with the FEC, and he hasn’t done any of the prep work it takes to run a campaign. He has filed his initial paperwork with the FEC. As for the rest of it, so what? ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/218 "2015-07-11T09:39:42Z")
His initial reason for running may well have been just his typical bid for attention, but all the approval he is getting might have given him the idea that he should really run. Bigotry is so ugly. I don’t want a bigot to represent me to the world. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/219 "2015-07-12T03:46:17Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > …and he hasn’t done any of the prep work it takes to run a campaign. Like it has already been said, so what? The television cameras seem to be so in love with him, he doesn’t _need_ to run a campaign. In fact, when you consider that over the last decade he has become a celebrity more than anything else, he is undoubtedly the most recognizable Republican candidate at this point. What do you think the results would be if random people off the street were shown head shots of each of the declared and undeclared Republican candidates? I would bet Trump would be the only one 100% of people know by name. With that kind of recognition by the general public what type of campaign does he really need at this point? Basically only one - **the kind that keeps your face on everyone’s TV 24/7**. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/220 "2015-07-12T04:07:58Z")
Trump has completely shifted the discussion for the GOP. The other candidates are scrambling to say something, anything, relevant on immigration. Trump is leading that discussion right now. Trump may be a blow hard but if he can continue to shake up the conversation then that’s a good thing. imho The GOP needs to grow some balls and actually talk about issues. Take a stand. Quit trying to kiss everybody’s ass and appeal to everyone. That’s what I and so many others loved about Reagan. He was his own man. He didn’t give a shit if you agreed with him or not. He spoke the same message year in an year out. Even in the 1970’s when he got beat. He never wavered. Eventually the GOP came around to his way of thinking and the rest is history. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679.md?page=12)