# Donald Trump's 2016 General Election Campaign
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901
**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:** 244
### Author:  [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4863 "2016-08-20T20:35:12Z")
> [@soonerblue](#):
>
> Isn’t anybody going to say anything about the Play-Doh?
>
> [http://www.dailynewsbin.com/news/donald-trump-goes-to-louisiana-flood-zone-spends-49-seconds-handing-out-play-doh-to-kids-leaves/25753/](http://www.dailynewsbin.com/news/donald-trump-goes-to-louisiana-flood-zone-spends-49-seconds-handing-out-play-doh-to-kids-leaves/25753/)
Now, as much as I hate to defend the Rump: [Donald Trump Donated Play-Doh, Other Items to Louisiana Flood Victims? | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/donald-trump-play-doh-lousiana/)
---
### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2016, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4864 "2016-08-20T20:42:42Z")
Good. Or at least, not as bad. Still, Trump inserted himself where he had no business being. Just like the Gov said about Obama, his very presence was a distraction and a diverting of needed personnel. He should have simply written a check, given money to proven actors. After all, he is only a candidate, he has no power other than his own. What was he going to say, that come January, he would make things all better?
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### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2016, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4865 "2016-08-20T22:09:19Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#):
>
> Now, as much as I hate to defend the Rump: [Donald Trump Donated Play-Doh, Other Items to Louisiana Flood Victims? | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/donald-trump-play-doh-lousiana/)
I don’t really care that he handed out some stuff other than play-doh. I never thought that was the only thing he handed out.
But the photo is symbolic of the uselessness of the photo-op when a politician goes to a disaster zone. As the Governor of Louisiana asked - please stay away for now. Come later. Politician photo ops DO NOT HELP. And this was just an example of a photo-op that backfired.
---
### Author:  [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2016, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4866 "2016-08-20T23:16:52Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#):
>
> I don’t really care that he handed out some stuff other than play-doh. I never thought that was the only thing he handed out.
>
> But the photo is symbolic of the uselessness of the photo-op when a politician goes to a disaster zone. As the Governor of Louisiana asked - please stay away for now. Come later. Politician photo ops DO NOT HELP. And this was just an example of a photo-op that backfired.
And it says something that people believe that he would just show up and deliver Play-Doh.
---
### Author:  [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2016, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4867 "2016-08-20T23:47:53Z")
Actually, what we believe is that it was all just a useless publicity stunt, from a guy who couldn’t be bothered to listen to what he was told.
That part is true, even if Donald threw in the truck.
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#):
>
> And it says something that people believe that he would just show up and deliver Play-Doh.
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### Author:  [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4868 "2016-08-21T00:13:10Z")
[_Scientific American_ comes out against Trump for his anti-science stances.](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/donald-trump-s-lack-of-respect-for-science-is-alarming/)
---
### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4869 "2016-08-21T00:21:24Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#):
>
> [_Scientific American_ comes out against Trump for his anti-science stances.](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/donald-trump-s-lack-of-respect-for-science-is-alarming/)
It looks like Wired has also come out [endorsing Clinton](http://www.wired.com/2016/08/wired-endorses-hillary-clinton/)
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### Author:  [@john\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/john_L)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4870 "2016-08-21T00:28:56Z")
millions see video of Trump visiting flood ravaged Baton Rouge area.
then they see Obama playing golf on same day in millionaire libland – Martha’s Vineyard.
wonder what "perception " they go away with … after viewing that ?
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4871 "2016-08-21T00:35:54Z")
Well if they’re informed, responsible voters then they already understand that the governor specifically asked Obama not to come and praised the White House for its support.
If they’re uninformed, irresponsible voters, then something something Republican voter base.
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### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4872 "2016-08-21T00:49:05Z")
> [@john\_L](#):
>
> millions see video of Trump visiting flood ravaged Baton Rouge area.
> then they see Obama playing golf on same day in millionaire libland – Martha’s Vineyard.
>
> wonder what "perception " they go away with … after viewing that ?
doesn’t matter.
obama isn’t in election.
play-doh was appreciated I’m sure.
---
### Author:  [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4873 "2016-08-21T00:56:43Z")
> [@john\_L](#):
>
> millions see video of Trump visiting flood ravaged Baton Rouge area.
> then they see Obama playing golf on same day in millionaire libland – Martha’s Vineyard.
>
> wonder what "perception " they go away with … after viewing that ?
Do you believe that Obama playing golf in Martha’s Vineyard is going to lead to a collapse in his approval ratings? He’s pretty consistently been running pretty high for months now, averaging 51 to 52% in Gallup’s tracker for example.
If so then sure, Clinton is attached to Obama to no small degree and benefits from his current relative popularity. If this causes him to crater then it hurts her.
OTOH I suspect that how people view what they see of Trump’s visit is filtered through what they already believe - confirmation bias. Those with negative views see the Play-Do and recognize that he is there for the photo-op. Those who like him see demonstration of his caring for their demographic that they feel the rest of society is ignoring. Yes, it will help him not lose support in Louisiana and maybe help him keep support among the broader population of White non-college educated, especially those who are resentful. But it won’t fire them up and it won’t have any impact on any other demographic.
Meanwhile the clock ticks on his making progress in any remaining battleground states let alone flipping states that have become Clinton leans.
---
### Author:  [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4874 "2016-08-21T01:25:16Z")
Trump in Loosiana:
_Everybody gather round
Loosen up your suspenders
Hunker down on the ground
I’m a cracker
You are too
Gonna take good care of you_
---
### Author:  [@john\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/john_L)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4875 "2016-08-21T01:47:21Z")
> [@DSeid](#):
>
> Do you believe that Obama playing golf in Martha’s Vineyard is going to lead to a collapse in his approval ratings? He’s pretty consistently been running pretty high for months now, averaging 51 to 52% in Gallup’s tracker for example.
>
> If so then sure, Clinton is attached to Obama to no small degree and benefits from his current relative popularity. If this causes him to crater then it hurts her.
>
> OTOH I suspect that how people view what they see of Trump’s visit is filtered through what they already believe - confirmation bias. Those with negative views see the Play-Do and recognize that he is there for the photo-op. Those who like him see demonstration of his caring for their demographic that they feel the rest of society is ignoring. Yes, it will help him not lose support in Louisiana and maybe help him keep support among the broader population of White non-college educated, especially those who are resentful. But it won’t fire them up and it won’t have any impact on any other demographic.
>
> Meanwhile the clock ticks on his making progress in any remaining battleground states let alone flipping states that have become Clinton leans.
check gallup middle of next week.
lotsa bad WH stuff out this week. ransom $ , AETNA , golf (ha! ) , etc.
she’s tied to him already . deal is done.
he’s getting " give me a reason to vote for Trump " voters to listen again.
lots of them out there , in all demos , that polls will never pick up accurately.
"can’t say you are a trump voter in public " folks.
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4876 "2016-08-21T02:14:59Z")
Politician’s carcass in Louisiana this morning, bad hair on orange head. This country’s afraid of him. It’s seen his true face…
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### Author:  [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4877 "2016-08-21T02:53:32Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#):
>
> Trump in Loosiana:
>
> _Everybody gather round
> Loosen up your suspenders
> Hunker down on the ground
> I’m a cracker
> You are too
> Gonna take good care of you_
The Kingfish would have kicked his New York butt clean out of the state…
---
### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4878 "2016-08-21T02:54:26Z")
> [@john\_L](#):
>
> check gallup middle of next week.
> lotsa bad WH stuff out this week. ransom $ , AETNA , golf (ha! ) , etc.
> she’s tied to him already . deal is done.
>
> he’s getting " give me a reason to vote for Trump " voters to listen again.
> lots of them out there , in all demos , that polls will never pick up accurately.
> "can’t say you are a trump voter in public " folks.
Keep on dreamin’. Being tied to Obama is good - he is more popular than either of the candidates. No one gives a crap about all that stuff. What is important is that there is a job growth of about 3% in battleground states. People walking around and seeing help wanted signs all over the place are not going to believe Don the Con’s story of how the economy is a disaster.
Clinton has a simple message - Trump is not fit to be president. Her ads of him waving his arms around and insulting nearly everyone hammers in that message. Has there been a counter? You’d think that it would be easy for a candidate for president to refute the claim that he is unfit. But Trump can’t, because he is an unqualified psycho.
And just wait for the ads featuring the everyday workers and business owners the Orange Nazi has ripped off. You think email servers and foundations are going to impress more people than that.
BTW, since an ungodly number of people say they are voting for Trump, your claim that the polls can’t measure them is refuted.
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### Author:  [@john\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/john_L)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4879 "2016-08-21T03:41:09Z")
> [@Voyager](#):
>
> Keep on dreamin’. Being tied to Obama is good - he is more popular than either of the candidates. No one gives a crap about all that stuff. What is important is that there is a job growth of about 3% in battleground states. People walking around and seeing help wanted signs all over the place are not going to believe Don the Con’s story of how the economy is a disaster.
> Clinton has a simple message - Trump is not fit to be president. Her ads of him waving his arms around and insulting nearly everyone hammers in that message. Has there been a counter? You’d think that it would be easy for a candidate for president to refute the claim that he is unfit. But Trump can’t, because he is an unqualified psycho.
> And just wait for the ads featuring the everyday workers and business owners the Orange Nazi has ripped off. You think email servers and foundations are going to impress more people than that.
> BTW, since an ungodly number of people say they are voting for Trump, your claim that the **polls can’t measure them** is refuted.
can’t measure **accurately** was my remark.
too much political correctness out there for lotsa voters to say " outloud " they’ll vote Trump.
especially higher educated white collar corp types in all demos.
but who a person votes for , ’ in the voting booth " , is still private thank goodness.
ads… ??
Jeb spent $150 million on Trump bash ads… zilch !
Hillary’ s spent lots more than that … yet polls are getting narrower.
too much " boy cries wolf " in past.
nobody’s interested in it now.
old news.
the " new Trump " is all folks will prolly talk about til Nov.
we’ll see.
---
### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4880 "2016-08-21T03:55:46Z")
> [@Voyager](#):
>
> Keep on dreamin’. Being tied to Obama is good - he is more popular than either of the candidates. No one gives a crap about all that stuff. What is important is that there is a job growth of about 3% in battleground states. People walking around and seeing help wanted signs all over the place are not going to believe Don the Con’s story of how the economy is a disaster.
I will have to steal that “Don the Con”. 😃
I have to agree with your post, and as noted. Several **conservative** pundits do not see any evidence that Trump will make things better.
> **[Donald Trump Unraveled | National Review](https://www.nationalreview.com/2016/08/donald-trump-republican-party-polls-spell-trouble-november/)**
>
> Hillary Clinton enjoys lead over Donald Trump in the Real Clear Politics average of polls; these national polls understate Trump’s problems.
> [@](#):
>
> If Mitt Romney, with all his intelligence, fluency, decency, drive, resources, and victory in the first presidential debate was unable to overcome President Obama’s convention bounce, why would a despised ignoramus with no money, no organization, no political experience, no party unity, and no clue be able to overcome Clinton’s? Does he believe more taco bowls will do the trick?
>
> “It’s preseason, for heaven’s sake,” a frustrated and hapless Mike Pence told the Republican Governors Association earlier this week. “The gun starts on Labor Day.” So it does. But here’s the thing about the preseason: Most of the time it shows just how crappy a team you have.
---
### Author:  [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4881 "2016-08-21T05:24:12Z")
> [@john\_L](#):
>
> check gallup middle of next week. …
Will do.
Care to make a prediction about what you think it will be?
For reference it has been as low as 49% and as high as 54% over this month, and is currently at 52%.
Will it drop to 45? 40? How low will it go?
My guess is that it will be within the 3% MOE of 52% in one direction or the other, but as you say - we’ll see.
---
### Author:  [@john\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/john_L)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4882 "2016-08-21T06:07:38Z")
> [@DSeid](#):
>
> Will do.
>
> Care to make a prediction about what you think it will be?
> \*\*
> For reference\*\* it has been as low as 49% and as high as 54% over this month, and is currently at 52%.
>
> Will it drop to 45? 40? How low will it go?
>
> My guess is that it will be within the 3% MOE of 52% in one direction or the other, but as you say - we’ll see.
i’ll guess 49 or 50.
but he’s not " top of mind " for most folks now… school stuff is.
late vacations too. if you’ll notice , lotsa media bigwigs off in august.
after labour day , scrap is on.
for reference … he was in 40’s for all of '13/ '14 / '15 …😃
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