# 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:** 12
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/221 "2015-07-12T09:06:18Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > 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. +1 ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/222 "2015-07-12T11:41:35Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > 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. I agree, and I hope that Republicans heed this advice. Please, Republican candidates, be more like Trump. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/223 "2015-07-12T11:53:11Z")
In terms of straight talk, all candidates should emulate him. That’s what the public is demanding and why non-establishment politicians are doing so well right now. ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/224 "2015-07-12T13:52:35Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > In terms of straight talk, all candidates should emulate him. That’s what the public is demanding and why non-establishment politicians are doing so well right now. ‘Straight talk’ like how the majority of undocumented immigrants are rapists? Or are you talking about some other ‘straight talk’? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/225 "2015-07-12T16:02:16Z")
> **[USA TODAY - Breaking News and Latest News Today](https://www.usatoday.com)** > > USA TODAY delivers current national and local news, sports, entertainment, finance, technology, and more through award-winning journalism, photos, and videos. Please let this be true. Trump doesn’t rule out a 3rd party run if he fails to get the nomination. I doubt he will, but I’m sure his ego would be well fed by doing a 3rd party run. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/226 "2015-07-12T16:31:12Z")
> [@Pashnish\_Ewing](#): > > ‘Straight talk’ like how the majority of undocumented immigrants are rapists? Cite for that “majority of undocumented immigrants are rapists”? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/227 "2015-07-12T17:24:33Z")
“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/228 "2015-07-12T17:28:57Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” The “They’re rapists” is a fabrication. > **[Donald Trump's tirade on Mexico's 'drugs and rapists' outrages US Latinos](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/16/donald-trump-mexico-presidential-speech-latino-hispanic)** > > National council of La Raza spokeswoman calls latest Republican candidate a ‘silly man’ for saying Mexico is ‘bringing drugs, crime and rapists’ to US “[Mexico] are sending people that have lots of problems, and they are bringing those problems to us. They are bringing drugs, and bringing crime, and **their rapists** ,” the business mogul said. > **[15 Head-Scratching Quotes From Donald Trump's Presidential Announcement Speech](https://www.mic.com/articles/120785/best-quotes-from-donald-trumps-2016-presidential-announcement-speech)** > > On Tuesday, billionaire right-winger Donald Trump announced his campaign for president of the United States in what will probably be remembered as one of the most unintentionally funny speeches of all time. > In a rambling dialogue that touched on… “When Mexico sends its people, they are not sending their best. […] They are sending people that have lots of problems. They are bringing those problems to us. They are bringing drugs and they are bringing crime and **their rapists** , and some are good people, and I speak to border guards and they tell us what we are getting.” > **[Donald Trump Blasts Mexicans in Presidential Bid Announcement; 'They Bring...](http://www.latinospost.com/articles/64513/20150617/donald-trump-blasts-mexicans-presidential-bid-announcement-bring-drugs-crimes.htm)** > > Donald Trump announces his Presidential bid but sends out a negative message to the Latin community. (Note the incorrect quote from trump in the title of this article) “[Mexico] are sending people that have lots of problems, and they are bringing those problems to us. They are bringing drugs, and bringing crime, and **their rapists** ,” Trump claimed." > **[Mexico, Latinos Lash Out At Real Estate Mogul Donald Trump's Trashing Of...](https://www.forbes.com/sites/doliaestevez/2015/06/17/mexico-latinos-lash-out-at-real-estate-mogul-donald-trumps-trashing-of-mexicans-and-immigrants/)** > > Real estate billionaire Donald Trump's derogatory description of Mexico and immigrants was labeled "biased and absurd" and "utterly disrespectful" by the Mexican government and Latino leaders in the U.S. Trump also accused Mexico of sending “not the right people” to the U.S. “[Mexico] are sending people that have lots of problems, and they are bringing those problems to us. They are bringing drugs, and bringing crime, and **their rapists** ,” he said. [http://newsbusters.org/blogs/ken-oliver-méndez/2015/06/18/trump-takes-beating-spanish-nets](http://newsbusters.org/blogs/ken-oliver-m%C3%A9ndez/2015/06/18/trump-takes-beating-spanish-nets) DONALD TRUMP: When Mexico sends its people, they are not sending their best. They are not sending you. They are not sending you. They are sending people that have lots of problems, and they are bringing those problems to us. They are bringing drugs, they are bringing crime, **their rapists**. etc. etc. etc. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/229 "2015-07-12T17:46:44Z")
It really tells you almost all you need to know about the GOP that a supporter can link the versions of the quote as above and apparently, sincerely think that this version is significantly less problematic. ---
**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 12, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/230 "2015-07-12T17:49:52Z")
Will the fate of Donald Trump’s campaign rest on the ability of Americans to distinguish between “their” and “they’re”? Tune in next time! I hope everyone reading those transcriptions can see the grammatical issues involved. I have _little_ hope for it, but it’s _some_ hope. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/231 "2015-07-12T18:02:23Z")
To be fair, it’s not 100% non-ambiguous whether “they’re rapists” or “their rapists” was really what Trump meant. But it hardly matters; both quotes show a reprehensible attitude. Here’s a [worthy editorial video](http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/editorial/trump-a-monster-the-gop-created/2015/07/09/180812b0-2665-11e5-b621-b55e495e9b78_video.html) from the Washington Post about Trump’s opportunist flip-flopping, and it includes the original video with the quote. I still say Trump is intentionally trying to fan the flames of white fear, in a manner not dissimilar to the anti-segregationist rhetoric of the 1950s and 60s (and, frankly, today.) Supporting exhibit A: as the video points out, Trump’s position on immigration was 180 degrees in a different direction not all that long ago. If there was a thoughtful process behind this radical change of heart, as quoted in the video above, there’s been no sign of it. Opportunism is the likeliest reason. Whether Trump is genuinely racist is a good question; maybe he actually is not. But the rhetorical appeal he is using, whether “they’re” or “their,” is intended to appeal to those who fear the loss of a white majority. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/232 "2015-07-12T18:03:08Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > It really tells you almost all you need to know about the GOP that a supporter can link the versions of the quote as above and apparently, sincerely think that this version is significantly less problematic. It tells you a lot about Democrats that they have to distort what Trump said (“the majority of undocumented immigrants are rapists”) in order to attack him. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/233 "2015-07-12T18:10:25Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > It tells you a lot about Democrats that they have to distort what Trump said (“the majority of undocumented immigrants are rapists”) in order to attack him. Why? Your quote represents an interpretation of the implications of what Trump was saying. If you prefer: Trump is deliberately exaggerating the threat of crime from Mexican immigrants from in order to pander to white fear. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/234 "2015-07-12T18:13:54Z")
But, by all means, Terr: please do your utmost to defend Trump and his blatantly changed attitudes about immigration, ideally across various social media and loudly in public, not just on the SDMB. Defending Trump’s comments is exactly what the GOP needs right now to ensure that “permanent Republican majority,” as the party faithful have always dreamed of! Please, do continue. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/235 "2015-07-12T18:13:56Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Your quote represents an interpretation of the implications of what Trump was saying. The quote represents a lie about what Trump said. If you want to attack trump, just quote him. You’re claiming that what he said is bad enough - so use that. Don’t invent things. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/236 "2015-07-12T18:15:30Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > The quote represents a lie about what Trump said. If you want to attack trump, just quote him. You’re claiming that what he said is bad enough - so use that. Don’t invent things. I didn’t do that. I agree; the quote stands on its own. ETA: But I do understand (if not quite agree with) the impulse to create various paraphrases of the quote that reveal its implications more transparently. I just don’t think it’s necessary in this case. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/237 "2015-07-12T18:17:19Z")
Note that the quote I provided was from the [website of the Wall Street Journal](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/06/16/donald-trump-transcript-our-country-needs-a-truly-great-leader/) (with the transcription by Federal News Service). His people, in other words. ---
**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 12, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/238 "2015-07-12T18:31:48Z")
I think it’s funny that I told someone of the attempt to convince us it’s “their” instead of “they’re” and the person I was talking to assumed the “their” interpretation was being pushed by someone anti-Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/239 "2015-07-12T18:33:38Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Note that the quote I provided was from the [website of the Wall Street Journal](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/06/16/donald-trump-transcript-our-country-needs-a-truly-great-leader/) (with the transcription by Federal News Service). His people, in other words. An excellent point. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679/240 "2015-07-12T19:26:35Z")
Here’s the video. CNN shows the clip to Trump and he comments. (I stopped watching after viewing Trump’s high profile attack on Mexican immigrants). > **[Donald Trump doubles down on calling Mexicans ‘rapists’ | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/06/25/exp-presidential-candidate-donald-trump-immigration-intv-erin.cnn)** > > Presidential candidate and Real estate mogul Donald Trump talks immigration and criticism about his controversial Mexico comments with CNN’s Erin Burnett. I heard the WSJ version. Specifically I heard, “…They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. …” I did NOT hear, “They’re bringing crime and…” I did not hear the word “and” enunciated. ## I am curious whether there are other board members here who claim to hear the word “And” in the video. Such an assessment would be useful to file away for future reference. As for [mic.com](http://mic.com), [forbes.com](http://forbes.com) et al, I’m not surprised they messed up the quote. I see that [CBS News](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-donald-trump-announces-his-presidential-candidacy/) agrees with the WSJ. In other news, [Vox.com](http://Vox.com) discusses whether Trump is [trolling the GOP](http://www.vox.com/2015/7/12/8937107/donald-trump-troll-GOP). It’s possible, but I think that the absence of full-throated denunciations of Trump’s remarks by Republican Presidential candidates is revealing: the GOP has a bigotry problem. I agree that Trump is cut from a different cloth from your typical politician. Trump is blowhard who spouts nonsense that is easy to correct factually. For example, “[Native-born Americans are much more likely to be incarcerated than immigrants](http://www.vox.com/2015/7/9/8922783/immigrants-crime-donald-trump)”. Indeed crime in the US has fallen as unauthorized immigration has expanded. What we need is more factually incorrect Republican blowhards who are not afraid to appeal to the craziest parts of the GOP primary electorate. We need this because it demonstrates that it is unacceptable within the GOP to deploy facts against nonsense. Natural experiments advance scientific knowledge. To win the GOP primary you have to either be crazy or simulate crazy. So far the GOP field is passing this requirement with flying colors. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-announces-presidential-run/722679.md?page=13)