# 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:** 182
**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:** [August 4, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3623 "2016-08-04T15:35:21Z")
It goes to branding and positioning, right? He’s the tough-immigration candidate with an immigrant wife who worked in the United States illegally. Hard to sell that to people on his side who also want him to practice what he preaches. Not difficult to sell to people who don’t give a shit, but then, every vote matters. If this information peels off another 500-1,000 votes away from Trump, why not promote it? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3624 "2016-08-04T15:51:59Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I don’t really see the point of attacking Melania Trump over the fine details - and details remembered by someone as unreliable as Donald Trump, no less - of how she got a green card. You don’t see the point of finding out if Mr. “Wall Off The Illegal Immigrants!” is married to one? The point is to make sure that there is _zero_ chance of this dangerous wackjob becoming President of the United States, and anything that takes votes away from him is a plus. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3625 "2016-08-04T15:55:02Z")
People who want to build a wall don’t give a shit about hot Slavic models sneaking in. ---
**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 4, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3626 "2016-08-04T16:01:00Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > You don’t see the point of finding out if Mr. “Wall Off The Illegal Immigrants!” is married to one? The point is to make sure that there is _zero_ chance of this dangerous wackjob becoming President of the United States, and anything that takes votes away from him is a plus. All his stuff is made overseas(except campaign gear and maybe one or two items) and no one has called him on his vow to bring back jobs. He even said on _60 Minutes_ that Pence was allowed to have made a mistake in voting for the Iraq war but Hillary is not. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3627 "2016-08-04T16:03:51Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > People who want to build a wall don’t give a shit about hot Slavic models sneaking in. Yes, if possible the wall should have some kind of filter to allow hot Slavic models to pass through it. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3628 "2016-08-04T16:19:57Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > All his stuff is made overseas(except campaign gear and maybe one or two items) and no one has called him on his vow to bring back jobs. No, he’s been called him on it, and his response has been that government policies mean it makes no sense for him to get products made here that he can get made overseas – and that, if elected, he’ll change those policies, knowing first-hand why other American businessmen are currently following his legal example. Now, you can attack that answer in a couple of ways – but it still seems different from ranting about the need to deport and wall off illegal immigrants while married to a woman who was, y’know, here unlawfully: the former doesn’t cut against that whole Law-And-Order Candidate thing he’s trying to sell; the latter does. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3629 "2016-08-04T16:22:58Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I don’t really see the point of attacking Melania Trump over the fine details - and details remembered by someone as unreliable as Donald Trump, no less - of how she got a green card. > > She got one, so the government looked at the papers and decided she was okay. His whole campaign is built around anti-immigrant sentiment and what a great businessman he is. Attacking him where he’s a hypocrite or weak on either of those fronts is absolutely germane. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3630 "2016-08-04T16:24:38Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > People who want to build a wall don’t give a shit about hot Slavic models sneaking in. Exactly. When these people think “illegal immigrants” they only care about the brown kind. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3631 "2016-08-04T16:51:25Z")
[QUOTE=JohnT] So, Melania could be an illegal immigrant. Came to the US on a visa that didn’t allow her to work… and took jobs away from American citizens. Tsk-tsk. We should build a wall around her. [/QUOTE] Have you watched Trump’s convention videos? Melania was doing the job we wouldn’t want most of those Americans to do. Pretty sure that she is still doing a job most Americans don’t want to do. If anybody deserves a purple heart, it’s her. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3632 "2016-08-04T16:53:36Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > His whole campaign is built around anti-immigrant sentiment and what a great businessman he is. Attacking him where he’s a hypocrite or weak on either of those fronts is absolutely germane. It’s germane in the way that attacking Bill Clinton is germane to Hillary Clinton’s fitness to be President. What do you expect, that Hillary/Donald should have divorced their spouse because the spouse did something wrong? Really, these sorts of attacks on the families of politicians, while they may scratch an itch, are very childish. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3633 "2016-08-04T16:53:58Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > No. [Democratic activists did it in the Walker recall election.](http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2012/jun/02/mailer-voter-information-sparks-concern-across-sta/) > > And it contained actual names and addresses. Yikes. I hadn’t heard of that one. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3634 "2016-08-04T16:55:36Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > It’s germane in the way that attacking Bill Clinton is germane to Hillary Clinton’s fitness to be President. What do you expect, that Hillary/Donald should have divorced their spouse because the spouse did something wrong? > > Really, these sorts of attacks on the families of politicians, while they may scratch an itch, are very childish. If Hillary built her campaign around monogamy, you might have a point. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3635 "2016-08-04T17:15:24Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > Yup. Horrible optics. Democratic voters can now rest assured that Hillary will win in a landslide, save that money they were going to donate, not bother volunteering, and not bother voting (just like they do in off-year elections). Or republican voters won’t bother to vote for a guaranteed loser… ---
**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:** [August 4, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3636 "2016-08-04T17:40:04Z")
Trump’s hands have actually been measured (based on a bronze handprint hiding in plain sight) – and it’s official, [his hands are small](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-small-are-trumps-hands-916593). Late night comedy needs to go absolutely bonkers with this. Trump will go nuts with frustration. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2016, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3637 "2016-08-04T17:59:46Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Trump’s hands have actually been measured (based on a bronze handprint hiding in plain sight) – and it’s official, [his hands are small](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-small-are-trumps-hands-916593). > > Late night comedy needs to go absolutely bonkers with this. Trump will go nuts with frustration. Hilarious. And in a spasm of nerdity, I just measured my hands. They are bigger than Trump’s, and I’m a GIRL! (I do have rather freakishly large hands and feet, I confess.) ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3638 "2016-08-04T18:11:12Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Hilarious. > > And in a spasm of nerdity, I just measured my hands. They are bigger than Trump’s, and I’m a GIRL! (I do have rather freakishly large hands and feet, I confess.) Another girl here, but my hand (left) is 7 inches. So a tiny bit smaller than Donald trump. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3639 "2016-08-04T18:11:18Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > …If anybody deserves a purple heart, it’s her. Perhaps a “heart” is not precisely the correct organ to symbolize her sacrifice? ---
**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:** [August 4, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3640 "2016-08-04T18:11:56Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Hilarious. > > And in a spasm of nerdity, I just measured my hands. They are bigger than Trump’s, and I’m a GIRL! Please, please, be Hillary Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3641 "2016-08-04T18:50:58Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > If Hillary built her campaign around monogamy, you might have a point. “Hillary Clinton says she has foreign policy experience, but Bill Clinton runs a corrupt NGO.” Give me a break, the sins of a spouse ought to stay with the spouse. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3642 "2016-08-04T18:55:38Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > What would prevent that is that if you got caught (say, by a neighbor seeing you), you’d face prison time, whereas if you do it individually, the chances of any material gain from your shenanigans is pretty much nil. It’s about the least rational crime a person can commit. > > Of course, you could do it as a conspiracy. But then your chances of getting caught skyrocket. Again, an incredibly irrational crime to commit. > > That’s why virtually nobody does it. _ **This.** _ There probably is a wide variety of election fraud occurring in the U.S. — I and many others are particularly worried about hacked or maliciously programmed electronic voting machines. But the only significant fraud associated with voter presentation at precincts is the GOP’s fraudulent efforts to suppress it via scams like inadequate equipment or malicious ID schemes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=181) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=183)