# Donald Trump's 2016 General Election Campaign **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 4, 2016, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901 "2016-05-04T02:37:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 138
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2743 "2016-07-19T06:06:23Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Sorry - I meant that post to go in the RNC thread. Maybe a mod will move it … > > But if not, it’s about how Melania’s speech at the RNC plagarized Michelle Obama’s speech from eight years ago. Absolute unrepentant plagiarism. It will be interesting to see how the Donald handles this—“I use only the BEST words from the BEST people.” > **[Melania Trump speech echoes unlikely source](https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/melania-trump-speech-echoes-unlikely-source-727567427784)** > > Passages from Melania Trump's prime time speech at the Republican National Convention tonight bear a striking similarity to parts of Michelle Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2008. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2744 "2016-07-19T06:56:40Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > Absolute unrepentant plagiarism. It will be interesting to see how the Donald handles this—“I use only the BEST words from the BEST people.” > > [Melania Trump speech strikingly similar to Michelle Obama 2008](http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/melania-trump-speech-echoes-unlikely-source-727567427784) And in that program Republican strategist Steve Schmidt does point that the speech was indeed a highlight but after the plagiarism was found it turned this troubled night into a catastrophe. Then he fell for the excuse that it was for sure the appalling work of the speech writers and Melania was blameless, but that became more embarrassing (you would think that was impossible) when it was pointed later elsewhere about what Melania told in an early interview about her speech “work”. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2745 "2016-07-19T07:36:44Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > And in that program Republican strategist Steve Schmidt does point that the speech was indeed a highlight but after the plagiarism was found it turned this troubled night into a catastrophe. > > Then he fell for the excuse that it was for sure the appalling work of the speech writers and Melania was blameless, but that became more embarrassing (you would think that was impossible) when it was pointed later elsewhere about what Melania told in an early interview about her speech “work”. Yup. She either plagiarized it herself or accepted a plagiarized version created by someone else. Either way, the buck stops with the Donald. Since he can’t very well throw her under the bus, it will be interesting to see his reaction. His sociopathic reaction. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2746 "2016-07-19T08:29:23Z")
And he actually looked like he had an okay first night for a minute there. \ ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2747 "2016-07-19T09:12:22Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > You’d feel better if illegal alien criminals killed innocent people in their country of origin? Uh, yes. How is that even a question? If we’re talking about immigration policy and enforcement, not allowing in immigrants who have a very high chance of murdering my citizens is a pretty high priority. It sucks if they do it elsewhere, but that’s their problem. No need to make it ours. What’s your position? That we shouldn’t discourage dangerous criminals from immigrating here because that’s discriminatory and callous towards their home country? Melania’s speech contains a [rickroll](http://imgur.com/wbjXodF), which means it’s either deliberate sabotage by someone in the campaign, or the campaign itself is just laying more breadcrumbs on the “greatest troll of all time” path of evidence. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2748 "2016-07-19T15:49:34Z")
Let’s not forget: Tomorrow is July 20th We’ve been hearing about Trump’s fund-raising prowess, tomorrow is when the bullshit hits the fan and we find out exactly how much they have actually raised. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2749 "2016-07-19T16:46:28Z")
“She was widely read enough to appreciate my literary wit but not so widely read that she knew my sources. I like that in a woman.” - David Mitchell, _Cloud Atlas_ ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2750 "2016-07-19T18:07:07Z")
Last night on O’Reilly, Trump claimed it was his idea to host the convention in Cleveland. [The site was, in fact, chosen over a year before he declared his candidacy, without any input from him.](http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/07/19/3799709/trump-cleveland-rnc-facts/) [Politifact rates the claim as “False”.](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jul/18/donald-trump/trump-says-without-proof-he-recommended-ohio-gop-c/) Money quote from the article; > [@](#): > > Trump had absolutely no reason to lie about his role in the selection of Cleveland as the site of the Republican convention. There was no reason for him to be involved and the fact that he was not involved is completely inconsequential. > > But Trump chose to lie about it anyway and that’s important in understanding Trump’s relationship with the truth. > > Trump doesn’t lie because he’s a political candidate seeking to score a political advantage. Presented with any topic, he imputes a narrative that inflates his importance and abilities. He uses this approach whether he’s talking about nuclear weapons or the taco bowls at Trump Tower. I wonder if Trump knew when he got into this race that it was going to expose him as an insecure narcissist, con artist, and pathological liar. For that matter, I wonder if he _cared_ people knew. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2751 "2016-07-19T18:15:10Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > Absolute unrepentant plagiarism. It will be interesting to see how the Donald handles this—“I use only the BEST words from the BEST people.” > > [Melania Trump speech strikingly similar to Michelle Obama 2008](http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/melania-trump-speech-echoes-unlikely-source-727567427784) Not a problem. Gov. Christie assures us that the speech was, in fact, 93% plagiarism free. So it’s all OK. I’d like to give him a glass of water that’s 93% fecal coliform free. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2752 "2016-07-19T19:57:00Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Last night on O’Reilly, Trump claimed it was his idea to host the convention in Cleveland. Every day you post something truly amazing about Trump, and every day I look at the projections and his chances of winning aren’t 0.00001%. It’s astounding. v I mean, I didn’t even need you to note that Trump did not choose Cleveland, because of course he didn’t. Of course it’s chosen a few years ahead. How could it not be? I really am fascinated, in the way one might be fascinated by passing by a raging Greyhound Bus fire, at what lies Trump will come up with over the next four months. Truly, each lie tops the last. It was once said of Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney - whose nickname was “Lyin’ Brian” - “He lies even when he doesn’t have to, just to stay in shape.” Mulroney was a championship liar, one of the greatest; had lying been an Olympic sport he’d have brought home a medal haul to rival Michael Phelps. But Mulroney is NOTHING like Trump, not even in his league. I have never seen anything like it, truly, in all my life, and pray I never see it again. But it works for Trump. He’s got a legit chance. > [@](#): > > I wonder if Trump knew when he got into this race that it was going to expose him as an insecure narcissist, con artist, and pathological liar. > > For that matter, I wonder if he _cared_ people knew. Do you think he knows he is? A common trait of sociopaths is that they assume everyone is like them. Sociopaths believe everyone else is a sociopath, that they also lack morals and empathy, but that they’re just pretending not to. Narcissists don’t know they’re narcissists, either. I’ve known a couple, and they think they’re the normal ones. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2753 "2016-07-19T20:22:58Z")
> **[Donald Trump Corporate Advisors Meet In Cleveland](https://time.com/4413148/republican-convention-donald-trump-corporate-donors/?xid=homepage)** > > During the Republican convention. Trump flew back to New York last night and missed a fundraiser today. Still no proof he has any idea and I’ll be real interested to see the fundraising numbers due tomorrow ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2754 "2016-07-20T03:16:17Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > …It was once said of Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney - whose nickname was “Lyin’ Brian” - “He lies even when he doesn’t have to, just to stay in shape.” Mulroney was a championship liar, one of the greatest; had lying been an Olympic sport he’d have brought home a medal haul to rival Michael Phelps. But Mulroney is NOTHING like Trump, not even in his league. I have never seen anything like it, truly, in all my life, and pray I never see it again… Christopher Buckley in his political comic novel _The White House Mess_ wrote the deathless phrase, “That’s not just a tissue of lies; it’s an industrial broadloom carpet of lies.” ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2755 "2016-07-20T03:58:12Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > Absolute unrepentant plagiarism. It will be interesting to see how the Donald handles this—“I use only the BEST words from the BEST people.” > > [Melania Trump speech strikingly similar to Michelle Obama 2008](http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/melania-trump-speech-echoes-unlikely-source-727567427784) > Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk They’re making the case that it’s sabotage or incompetence… If I had to place money on it, I would follow their opinion, but the idea doesn’t hold any attraction. It feels too stupid and too blatant to me… What holds a far higher level of likelihood to my own experience is that Melania did indeed write it herself, and included those phrases herself (or with an inexperienced person) and then it was insufficiently checked. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2756 "2016-07-20T04:28:50Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > What holds a far higher level of likelihood to my own experience is that Melania did indeed write it herself, and included those phrases herself (or with an inexperienced person) and then it was insufficiently checked. Which is why they can’t fire somebody for it - either she or Donald put those words in the speech, and nobody is loyal enough to Trump to take a fall on this. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2757 "2016-07-20T09:19:12Z")
I have pushed back in the past against the notion that Trump’s base is low-income, perhaps unemployed, white men. The exit polls just didn’t bear that out, and I speculated about the type of person who actually represents his prototypical voter being an exurban white guy with a three car garage, a couple new trucks, some four wheelers for weekend fun, etc. [This Buzzfeed piece](https://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/how-the-haters-made-trump?utm_term=.lakzBv5lY#.rvwMDjav1) by the guy some people blame for the Trump (#whinylittlebitch) candidacy delineates the type nicely: > [@](#): > > “[They] were not ideological conservatives — they were just mad and they felt disrespected,” Everhart said. “It was not unlike the Trump brand-marketing demo: Think of a guy who has a small subcontracting business or something. Maybe he went to college, maybe he didn’t; maybe he was in the military for a while. He’s done pretty well in life but he’s never felt respected. Nobody ever looked at him like he was a winner. That’s exactly who Trump has made millions off of. That’s exactly who Trump is.” ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2758 "2016-07-20T09:47:46Z")
[Here’s an example of why I have a lot of trouble voting for Trump](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump-purge-exclusive-idUSKCN10003A), even tho as people know, I’m not so keen on modern progressive orthodoxy. Is Trump actually a democrat? Or are we looking at a guy whose next idea will be bringing back appointed Senators? Oh and yea, the Melania thing is an example of the kind of incompetence that scares me if he’s actually dealing with Russia and China, who are some of the few things more dangerous than Islam jihad. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2759 "2016-07-20T09:51:55Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > Oh and yea, the Melania thing is an example of the kind of incompetence that scares me if he’s actually dealing with Russia and China, who are some of the few things more dangerous than Islam jihad. For US citizens, those “few things” include fireworks, cow stampedes, and lightning strikes. ---
**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 20, 2016, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2760 "2016-07-20T11:09:32Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > [Here’s an example of why I have a lot of trouble voting for Trump](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump-purge-exclusive-idUSKCN10003A), even tho as people know, I’m not so keen on modern progressive orthodoxy. > > Is Trump actually a democrat? Or are we looking at a guy whose next idea will be bringing back appointed Senators? > > Oh and yea, the Melania thing is an example of the kind of incompetence that scares me if he’s actually dealing with Russia and China, who are some of the few things more dangerous than Islam jihad. How about the white supremacism? That’s my biggest concern with Trump. ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2761 "2016-07-20T15:11:23Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > How about the white supremacism? That’s my biggest concern with Trump. What “white supremacism” of Trump? His campaign in and of itself is not “white supremacism.” White supremacism is something practiced by the Klan, etc. No, Trump’s not going to resurrect segregation or Jim Crow. If you mean white supremacist supporters, like David Duke, I don’t like it, but whats the real difference between him, and Jeremiah Wright like Obama had 8 years ago? Both are hate mongers and race users. Both hate people like me, Jews. I am disgusted with the time he seemed to make fun of Eric Garner, and the Diamond and Silk show, which is nothing more than a minstrel used to stereotype black women and play to that part of his base. And I’ve stated a million times I oppose potentially ousting 12 million illegal immigrants who did what anyone would do for their families. Do some of the opponents of illegal immigration hate them from Mexico bc they’re not white? Absolutely. But most are scared of their jobs being taken, even for as unfounded as it is on balance. His isolationism and “neutrality” with regard to certain conflicts is, however, one of my biggest concerns; as his love of Putin is. I guess I am a “neo-conservative,” (even tho in most ways I’m not conservative) and Trump seems to be a paleo-con, Lindbergh type. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/2762 "2016-07-20T15:18:43Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > What “white supremacism” of Trump? His campaign in and of itself is not “white supremacism.” White supremacism is something practiced by the Klan, etc. No, Trump’s not going to resurrect segregation or Jim Crow. > > If you mean white supremacist supporters, like David Duke, I don’t like it, but whats the real difference between him, and Jeremiah Wright like Obama had 8 years ago? Both are hate mongers and race users. Both hate people like me, Jews. > > I am disgusted with the time he seemed to make fun of Eric Garner, and the Diamond and Silk show, which is nothing more than a minstrel used to stereotype black women and play to that part of his base. > > And I’ve stated a million times I oppose potentially ousting 12 million illegal immigrants who did what anyone would do for their families. Do some of the opponents of illegal immigration hate them from Mexico bc they’re not white? Absolutely. But most are scared of their jobs being taken, even for as unfounded as it is on balance. > > His isolationism and “neutrality” with regard to certain conflicts is, however, one of my biggest concerns; as his love of Putin is. I guess I am a “neo-conservative,” (even tho in most ways I’m not conservative) and Trump seems to be a paleo-con, Lindbergh type. You know Trump has tweeted neo-Nazi propaganda on multiple occasions, right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=137) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=139)