# Donald Trump winks and nods to the Second Amendment people **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 9, 2016, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283 "2016-08-09T22:03:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/241 "2016-08-11T03:45:45Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Hmm. Funny that a truthful answer to a simple question is so contentious and misunderstood. The question was about the requirement of standards for a presidential candidate. The answer was Trump meets them and actually exceeds the behavior of actual former presidents. It’s a simple statement that doesn’t require endless inaccurate nitpickery or analysis. > > Reminds me of those who called me a racist for suggesting that those who own a Confederate flag may own it for reasons other that those who dislike said flag may imagine. People have a hard time reading simple sentences for what they are. Judging current president’s by the standards of slavery seems like a good idea to you? Regardless of what is laid down in the constitution as the pre-requisites to run for president, you don’t think that presidential candidates should be people that are worthy of at least respect, if not admiration? Obama - I admire, Hillary I at the very least respect, but leaning towards admire, Mittens - likewise can be respected… Do you think Trump inspires respect? If you were teaching a group of 14 or 15 year olds about leadership - would you show them Trump as someone that should be emulated? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/242 "2016-08-11T03:58:10Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Hey grandpa, 1989 called. They want to know if your refrigerator is still running! No, it’s not. But I do have Prince Albert in a can! ---
**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:** [August 11, 2016, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/243 "2016-08-11T04:01:17Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > No, it’s not. But I do have Prince Albert in a can! Must be Schrödinger’s Prince Albert. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/244 "2016-08-11T04:20:02Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Judging current president’s by the standards of slavery seems like a good idea to you? > > Regardless of what is laid down in the constitution as the pre-requisites to run for president, you don’t think that presidential candidates should be people that are worthy of at least respect, if not admiration? > > Obama - I admire, Hillary I at the very least respect, but leaning towards admire, Mittens - likewise can be respected… > > Do you think Trump inspires respect? If you were teaching a group of 14 or 15 year olds about leadership - would you show them Trump as someone that should be emulated? Why are my personal feelings relevant about arbitrary standards for a presidential candidate? Personally I think Trump is a jackass and exceptionally crude. I don’t think he should be emulated. Nor do I think being a jerk or a whatever character flaws Trump has should be an official disqualifier. But personally speaking this is a vexing year. Outside of federal court picks and the dems foolish stance on minimum wage I wouldn’t mind a Clinton presidency for many reasons. I may even vote for her myself. That said, if the people pick Trump than the people have spoken and we will have 4 years of thinking to do about many things. What people actually reward are the de facto standards that matter. Stated academic standards on an Internet forum are meaningless. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/245 "2016-08-11T04:32:55Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Why are my personal feelings relevant about arbitrary standards for a presidential candidate? Personally I think Trump is a jackass and exceptionally crude. I don’t think he should be emulated. Nor do I think being a jerk or a whatever character flaws Trump has should be an official disqualifier. > > But personally speaking this is a vexing year. Outside of federal court picks and the dems foolish stance on minimum wage I wouldn’t mind a Clinton presidency for many reasons. I may even vote for her myself. That said, if the people pick Trump than the people have spoken and we will have 4 years of thinking to do about many things. > > What people actually reward are the de facto standards that matter. Stated academic standards on an Internet forum are meaningless. Yes - there are minimum standards in law - and I don’t see anyone suggesting those should change. Then there are standards that voters - ie YOU…should expect / demand of your candidates. Regardless of whether or not you agree with their viewpoints, with their beliefs, they should at least be people that you can respect for the way they conduct themselves right? Shouldn’t a candidate represent the “best of us” and not the “worst of us”? Why should we “allow” a candidate like Trump to gain so much traction? Do people really “respect” him and what he stands for? And make no mistake - when you forward the argument that Trump is “qualified” to be President, as you have, then you are “allowing” his candidacy ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/246 "2016-08-11T07:00:18Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Trump is not the problem. Hitler would have been nothing without the German people. So the question is how do you properly reeducate the people to be immune to populists? Treat them as equals instead of inferior, lesser beings because they can’t make a living on minimum wage. Give them a chance at the same opportunities as everyone else so they feel they have a future and a stake in the country, instead of getting left behind by high tuitions, below-poverty line wages and exhorbitant housing prices. Don’t shut them out of the system by making voting even harder for them. IOW, treat people with basic respect and they won’t be so desperate that they fall for a con artist. Sound familiar? ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/247 "2016-08-11T07:16:51Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > To believe that, you have to ask two questions: One, why single out 2nd Amendment folks, specifically? Why not appeal to anti-abortionists, or other folks who have a lot riding on Supreme Court Justice nominations? Because the second amendment was what he was talking about leading up to the statement. > [@JSexton](#): > > And second, he followed the statement with “and that would be a horrible day.” Which is a weird thing to say about your supporters getting out and voting, but it’s a reasonable thing to say after you just realized you suggested political assassination. I took that part of the statement to simply mean that it wold be a horrible day if she were elected. And yes, it would be!!! ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/248 "2016-08-11T07:48:52Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > I am _ **so** _ looking forward to a time when I can go a day, or a few days, without hearing or reading the name Trump anywhere. Perhaps there is a Second Amendment solution for this problem, too. > > (By which I obviously mean that patriotic Second Amendment supporters will help defeat him in November. 🆒) I am Canadian, and we are mad rabid watchers of politics… Canadian, American, British, etc. The 2016 US Elections are a trainwreck we can’t stop watching (me, my partner and my 12 year old son). We call Rachel Maddow our family’s tv girlfriend. 😛 But I am encouraging the household to think about moving to Tuvalu Donald Trump becomes POTUS. Because I am getting thoroughly sick of him, and hopefully in Tuvalu there will not be constant coverage of every burp fart and soundbite. Of course global warming will mean I can buy non beach front property and have beach front property by then end of the Trump Administration. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/249 "2016-08-11T08:00:08Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Because the second amendment was what he was talking about leading up to the statement. > > I took that part of the statement to simply mean that it wold be a horrible day if she were elected. And yes, it would be!!! I disagree. Donald Trump was talking about what a horrible day it would be when a second amendment type took action to prevent President Hillary Clinton from appointing judges. I don’t think this sentence is getting enough attention. It seems to clarify exactly what he meant. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2016, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/250 "2016-08-11T08:39:44Z")
This is total political theater stirred up by the media. It’s well known the NRA is one of the more powerful lobby groups. Trump was simply saying they could stop her. How? By voting. Duh!!! To suggest Trump even in his wildest imagine was suggesting something violent is absurd. I’m getting pretty fed up with the press’ bias against Trump. He puts his foot in his mouth enough to torpedo his campaign. There’s no reason the press can’t at least pretend to be neutral. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/251 "2016-08-11T08:59:23Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > It’s well known the NRA is one of the more powerful lobby groups. Trump was simply saying they could stop her. How? By voting. Duh!!! The Donald speaks such gibberish it’s possible that what he said is not what he meant, and that you are right. However, what he said is not compatible with your interpretation. He said, _“If she gets to pick her judges ― nothing you can do, folks,” Trump said with a shrug at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina. “Although, the Second Amendment people. Maybe there is. I don’t know.”_ The only circumstance in which Clinton could pick her judges is if she’s _already been elected_. He is saying that if the point is reached where _she is already president_ there is nothing you can do, folks. Although second amendment folks ie people with guns… I dunno. Your interpretation isn’t open: if he was talking about pre-election, then why would he say “nothing you can do?” And if he’s simply talking about voting then why is it that only “second amendment people” maybe can do something? Surely before the election _everyone_ can vote for him? He is clearly saying there is something that second amendment people can do to stop Clinton, after she is in a position to pick judges, that other people cannot. Not real subtle. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/252 "2016-08-11T09:05:37Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > This is total political theater stirred up by the media. > > It’s well known the NRA is one of the more powerful lobby groups. Trump was simply saying they could stop her. How? By voting. Duh!!! > > To suggest Trump even in his wildest imagine was suggesting something violent is absurd. > > I’m getting pretty fed up with the press’ bias against Trump. He puts his foot in his mouth enough to torpedo his campaign. There’s no reason the press can’t at least pretend to be neutral. Frankly, even if you were right, and Trump wasn’t dog-whistling his support for an assassination attempt, that _still_ means he’s _rock-stupid_ enough to say things the media can make sound like an assassination threat. We don’t need anyone that idiotic in office. Whining about the media being against you might help you turn out your base, but Trump needs a Hell of a lot more than his base to win this. He needs to convince people who are, as of this moment, opposed to him for saying stupid shit. He can’t fix that by whining about how the media is against him and pitching a hissy-fit about how the press hates him and going on and on and bitching and moaning about how liberal the press is. You can whine about how unfair life is for twenty years, and at the end of that time, life is still unfair, and you’re still a whiner. Trump is a whiner. Those are weak strategies, and weak campaigns use them. He needs strong strategies like, I dunno, going a whole month without saying anything indicative of serious [executive dysfunction](https://www.headway.org.uk/about-brain-injury/individuals/effects-of-brain-injury/executive-dysfunction/). That would be a start. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/253 "2016-08-11T09:07:45Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > It’s well known the NRA is one of the more powerful lobby groups. Trump was simply saying they could stop her. How? By voting. Duh!!! This is factually incorrect. He was talking about a situation in which “she gets to pick her judges.” If that happens, she is already president and cannot be stopped by voting. Maybe he was _trying_ to say what you (and his surrogates) suggest, but it’s plainly false to say that’s what he **did** say. One of his many problems is that he doesn’t understand, and is unwilling to learn, the effect of his words. If, God forbid, he is elected, his words will be even more powerful and there’s no reason to think he will choose them any more carefully. ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/254 "2016-08-11T09:11:21Z")
The ‘don’t be crazy, _of course_ that’s not what he meant’ crowd would have a much easier time making their case if Trump went on a Twitter rant tearing into anybody who would support violence against any candidates, clarifying that even though he disagrees with Clinton, she deserves to be safe from violent threats, and that he disowns any of his followers who suggest otherwise. Or he can keep going as he has been. ---
**Author:** ![john\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@john\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/john_L)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/255 "2016-08-11T09:11:51Z")
> [@Chihuahua](#): > > Yup. Anyone who interpreted it as a joke or claims it was a joke is deliberately ignoring the context in which it takes place. This is a country where Presidents have been murdered by lone and apparently self motivated snipers, where mass shootings happen almost daily, and where in the not-too-distant past an Arizona politician was shot in the head by an assailant after being subject to similar threats. The Gabbie Giffords shooting is particularly instructive because a Republican PAC had implied that she should be targeted. But the connection was vague enough that no one could definitely prove the PAC literally meant violence. > Anyone who tries to minimize Trump’s statements is ignoring the fact that this is EXACTLY what fascists do and it routinely\*\* does end in \*\ ***REAL violence**. Trump made the 2nd amendment remark everyone’s so upset about \*\*\*\*\*\*only once, \*\*\*\*\*\* before only 3,000 people in North Carolina. if it was so " dangerous " , shouldn’t it be the mass media that’s charged w/ inciting violence , since it’s them that’s repeated it over-n-over a zillion times, to a zillion folks , not trump ? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/256 "2016-08-11T09:16:53Z")
> [@john\_L](#): > > Trump made the 2nd amendment remark everyone’s so upset about \*\*\*\*\*\*only once, \*\*\*\*\*\* before only 3,000 people in North Carolina. > > if it was so " dangerous " , shouldn’t it be the mass media that’s charged w/ inciting violence , since it’s them that’s repeated it over-n-over a zillion times, to a zillion folks , not trump ? The old, tired “Blame the media” argument. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![john\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@john\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/john_L)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/257 "2016-08-11T09:39:08Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > The old, tired “Blame the media” argument. :rolleyes: nope-- you’re just 😕 on your end. :D: ---
**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:** [August 11, 2016, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/258 "2016-08-11T09:43:02Z")
This was unique situation where it would have been prudent not to report the story. The last thing the country needs is a attempt on Clinton’s life. Even suggesting it in the national press is dangerous. Only takes one crazy nut to act on what he’s reading. Obviously Trump badly mangled his words. He can be pretty outrageous but I don’t think he condones murder. I agree. Trump isn’t fit to be President. His loose lips could easily cause international incidents. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/259 "2016-08-11T10:05:36Z")
> [@john\_L](#): > > if it was so " dangerous " , shouldn’t it be the mass media that’s charged w/ inciting violence , since it’s them that’s repeated it over-n-over a zillion times, to a zillion folks , not trump ? You should be at Rio since you’re that good at mental gymnastics. The media’s job is to report what the candidates are saying, but it’s perfectly possible to report on what they’ve said while also condemning it. All the media coverage of this that I’ve seen has been overwhelmingly negative. As for a lone crazy nut, well they could have decided to try and kill Clinton for any reason at all, maybe because the machine elves told them to. I’m pretty confident that the Secret Service’s precautions would be enough to stop a lone crazy nut. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283/260 "2016-08-11T10:24:44Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > One of his many problems is that he doesn’t understand, and is unwilling to learn, the effect of his words. I think he is masterful in understanding the effect of his words. It’s not that doesn’t know about the potential collateral damage, it’s that he doesn’t care. His speeches are perfectly aimed at conveying empathy with the type of confused, angry, clueless, low information voter he is aiming at. He doesn’t plan on building a wall, having Clinton shot, or keeping all the Muslims out. He just knows that saying these things resounds with those who feel like they’d like to build a wall, shoot Clinton and keep the Muzzies out, and they love him for that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-winks-and-nods-to-the-second-amendment-people/762283.md?page=14)