# 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:** 200
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3983 "2016-08-10T00:27:31Z")
> [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > I have a question. I was watching some talking heads and one of them said “America has a short memory and the election is over 90 days away. There is time for Trump to recover.” The talking heads have a vested interest in the horse race. As long as the race is close, they can continue to sell advertising time on their coverage of this nailbiter which is guaranteed to go down to the wire. And when it turns out that Wang and Silver were right all along, oh, well, we never could have known that numbers are useful in measuring how large things are. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3984 "2016-08-10T00:28:16Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Any other candidate, this would be it. Done. Close the door, make sure you turn the lights off. > > But it won’t be. > Can anyone reasonably deny what he is inferring? “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?” History has a way of repeating itself. It’s over for Trump, too. I agree that this by itself isn’t what would do it, but everything else lumped together over the past 2 weeks in particular is starting to cement perceptions. I agree that the normal rules of politics have been reshaped a bit this week, but Trump messed up badly by attacking the family of a dead Gold Star recipient. He was given a chance to shape up and let his skeptics believe “Ah, just Trump being Trump.” But he needed to be on his game this week, and he’s just been an abject buffoon. What worked in the primaries…isn’t working in the general. If he had actually shifted and pivoted, like he promised some of his skeptics he would, then he’d have a chance. But Trump is who he is, and as flawed a society as we are, we don’t choose a president if we think they’re potentially crazy or incompetent. As I said, Trump didn’t have to be fit for office; he just had to convince people that he could be. He simply hasn’t done that. Attitudes toward Trump are starting to harden, and not in a good way. He’s finished. It’s just a matter of how badly he embarrasses himself, and whether he decides to quit ‘for health reasons’ and hand it over to Mike Pence or trudge on toward the inevitable humiliation that awaits him on November 8. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3985 "2016-08-10T00:35:48Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > The talking heads have a vested interest in the horse race. As long as the race is close, they can continue to sell advertising time on their coverage of this nailbiter which is guaranteed to go down to the wire. > > And when it turns out that Wang and Silver were right all along, oh, well, we never could have known that numbers are useful in measuring how large things are. Right, but then both sides talking heads would be saying it. I only see it with guests with a R leaning. I’d be more prone to believe that they still want to get their voters out even if an election was a landslide at the presidential level but it really sounds so insulting and condescending to say. I get that the audience thinks they’re talking about “other americans” but they really aren’t. I dunno, maybe I’m the only one to find the concept of that short a memory span insulting. In fact, I find it extremely scary. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2016, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3986 "2016-08-10T01:17:27Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Frankly, I think Trump should be forced to suspend his campaign until we can figure out just what the hell is going on. LMAO! > [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I wonder what the Secret Service procedure is when one candidate threatens another. They are on the case: [https://twitter.com/secretservice/status/763142627202048000](https://twitter.com/secretservice/status/763142627202048000) > [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > I think it was meant to be a joke. I really do. There is no such thing as “just a joke”: [https://storify.com/5thCircAppeals/on-trump-just-joking](https://storify.com/5thCircAppeals/on-trump-just-joking) > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Careful, if Democratic voters think it is going to be a total blowout, many could stay home, thinking their vote is not necessary. Surprise upset due to voter apathy. It has to at least appear close to most voters. I’m not worried about this. Maybe someone has some political science research that will contradict me, but my sense of things is that when it looks like it’s going to be a blowout, this discourages people who support the losing candidate more then it discourages those on the winning side. People enjoy being part of the wave. Relatedly, I think it would be interesting to see a study of what happens in the third or fourth quarter of an NFL or NBA blowout. I strongly suspect that more fans leave early if the home team is losing badly than if the home team is winning big. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3987 "2016-08-10T01:19:52Z")
Time for another campaign reboot. ---
**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 10, 2016, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3988 "2016-08-10T01:24:48Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I will say that, so far, last Wednesday’s “intervention” has had some positive effects on his campaign. He has stayed away from Twitter, been on-message, and was far more disciplined yesterday than at any time in this campaign. You know, 12 hours after I wrote the above, I now wonder what I was smoking? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3989 "2016-08-10T01:25:18Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > When can we officially pull the plug on this brain-dead patient of a candidacy? Do we have to wait out the remaining 90 or so days? I’d say it’s pretty much all over but the shouting. But there’s still plenty of shouting to come. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3990 "2016-08-10T01:32:11Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > There is no such thing as “just a joke”: [https://storify.com/5thCircAppeals/on-trump-just-joking](https://storify.com/5thCircAppeals/on-trump-just-joking) Humor is really the closest thing to a God for me so I will have to respectfully disagree with you. To me humors existence is entirely for it’s own sake though people can use it for any reason. There is no way I can stop my mind from hitting me with whatever joke it finds amusing and if there was no such thing as “just a joke” I would need to feel bad about my own existence. Not going to happen. Now, communicated jokes are a bit more complicated but the issue still isn’t the joke per se. It’s the intentions of the teller. That’s why I smiled until I realized the context. On it’s own, the humor ( the tool ) doesn’t bother me, but the carpenter and what he’s building with it does. It was like this before the joke though. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3991 "2016-08-10T01:33:11Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Time for another campaign reboot. As long as his hard drive’s corrupted and his processor is constantly overheating, rebooting won’t fix the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3992 "2016-08-10T01:33:13Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > You know, 12 hours after I wrote the above, I now wonder what I was smoking? And why aren’t you passing it? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3993 "2016-08-10T01:55:28Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > You know, 12 hours after I wrote the above, I now wonder what I was smoking? My guess would be guitar picks. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3994 "2016-08-10T03:07:56Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Careful, if Democratic voters think it is going to be a total blowout, many could stay home, thinking their vote is not necessary. Surprise upset due to voter apathy. It has to at least appear close to most voters. I’m not too worried – the Democrats are running a decent ground game toward taking back the Senate, and if signs point to a real wave election the chum in the water could begin to take on the intoxicating “hey we could take back the House too!” aroma. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3995 "2016-08-10T03:11:28Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > I’m not too worried – the Democrats are running a decent ground game toward taking back the Senate, and if signs point to a real wave election the chum in the water could begin to take on the intoxicating “hey we could take back the House too!” aroma. I’d never thought about that angle but my reason for voting isn’t that far off. I could help flip Arizona Blue and this is a real worthy goal. I’m not staying home even if it is going to be a landslide presidentially. I’m pretty sure people in states in similar situations ( right now a considerable amount ) will be thinking the same things. I too am not too worried about democratic apathy. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3996 "2016-08-10T03:19:30Z")
I live in a redder-than-red county in a redder-than-red state, but I guaran-damn-tee that I’ll be voting for Mrs. Clinton on the day. If she even comes within six or eight points of taking Texas, I’ll assume I’ve done my bit to rid us of this turbulent, uh, candidate. No windmills to tilt at around here anyway. ---
**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 10, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3997 "2016-08-10T03:20:52Z")
You must not live in West Texas then… plenty of windmills there. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3998 "2016-08-10T03:21:38Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > I live in a redder-than-red county in a redder-than-red state, but I guaran-damn-tee that I’ll be voting for Mrs. Clinton on the day. If she even comes within six or eight points of taking Texas, I’ll assume I’ve done my bit to rid us of this turbulent, uh, candidate. > > No windmills to tilt at around here anyway. I’d love to see you reach that goal. To me, that would be far more impressive than flipping AZ. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/3999 "2016-08-10T03:29:18Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > You must not live in West Texas then… plenty of windmills there. 😉 Correct. Houston area, where most of those windmills get shipped out of. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4000 "2016-08-10T03:41:51Z")
Usually, you can rely on reason. Mostly. It is not reasonable to actually _expect_ a landslide of the required proportions. However, the weather today is nuts to partly crazy, and has been for some time. Its not really harder to reason when things are this psycho, but its harder to have any faith in it. Still, not likely. For one thing, that would require that our standard voter impersonation fraud would have to be stepped up massively, and I’m not at all sure that ACORN/CASA/La Raza/BLM are up to the task. The logistics are daunting, makes D-day look like tea for one. ---
**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 10, 2016, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4001 "2016-08-10T04:28:00Z")
> [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > I have a question. I was watching some talking heads and one of them said “America has a short memory and the election is over 90 days away. There is time for Trump to recover.” > > Really? > > Are we humans or freaking goldfish? I get a year or more but 90 days? Is that even possible? Do you have troubles remembering 3 months back? This is truly frightening to me. > > What do you consider past the American attention span? If people on this board really spent time with a broad collection of people they’d realize it’s not very long. Think of the average poster’s social and professional circles. You think those are truly representative of the populace? ---
**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4002 "2016-08-10T04:38:46Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > [Hillary’s response.](http://bipartisanreport.com/2016/08/09/breaking-hillary-clinton-defiantly-responds-to-trumps-call-to-kill-her-statement/) Out of context, “A person seeking to be President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way” is right up there with “You can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=199) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=201)