# 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:** 246
### Author:  [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4903 "2016-08-21T15:25:25Z")
> [@asahi](#):
>
> Even among white bigots, there are “good blacks” like Allen West, Herman Cain, Clarence Thomas. When I was growing up in Louisiana, I used to hear a lot of ‘progressive’ whites say "I don’t hate all blacks, I just can’t stand n!ggers.’ Trump will probably have a few ‘good black’ faces in the crowd and try to appeal to a few more and his confederacy of bigots will be fine with it. Trump’s occasionally dog-whistled the anti-black bigots but his clarion calls have been against immigrants, and that’s where this race is going to get extremely vicious over the next 60 days.
Don’t forget-- Trump has [“my African-American.”](http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/03/politics/donald-trump-african-american/) Surely he’ll be there. Trump can fly him in.
---
### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4904 "2016-08-21T15:30:07Z")
> [@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/)
They really need to work on that. “What’s false” should have a false statement after it. Or they should reword it. It’s confusing otherwise.
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### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4905 "2016-08-21T16:03:50Z")
> [@DSeid](#):
>
> Got it. You are saying that this “lotsa bad” week for Obama, that I should “check gallup middle of next week” over, will not have a significant impact on Obama’s approval ratings this week because the public is not hearing anything other than Trump bashing right now, in what you have been describing as a week in which he has been giving some excellent speeches that should turn it around for him. But the impact of this bad week (and possibly other Obama disasters you expect to happen) _will_ make his approval drop dramatically and bring down Clinton by her being tied to him, by Election Day.
You nailed it! All you need to do is convert this into sentence fragments, lose the capitals and finish it off with “we’ll see”
---
### Author:  [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4906 "2016-08-21T16:09:52Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#):
>
> You nailed it! All you need to do is convert this into sentence fragments, lose the capitals and finish it off with “we’ll see”
No,no.no. Must add a “prolly” and at least rolls eyes emoticon.
---
### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4907 "2016-08-21T16:12:25Z")
More cowbell.
---
### Author:  [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4908 "2016-08-21T16:12:29Z")
> [@leftfield6](#):
>
> No,no.no. Must add a “prolly” and at least rolls eyes emoticon.
lotsa prollys. or is it prollies?
---
### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4909 "2016-08-21T17:00:17Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> Just a few little details still to be worked out in the Trump Administration’s immigration policy: [http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/21/politics/kellyanne-conway-donald-trump-deportation-force-tbd/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/21/politics/kellyanne-conway-donald-trump-deportation-force-tbd/index.html)
“To be determined” “I don’t know” and with the latest flip flop to his dwindling Hispanic supporters the base of Trump is beginning to grumble.
Yep, the troglodytes are beginning to wonder now if Trump is pulling a fast one on them.
I mean, most Americans already knew that what Trump promised about immigration was stupid already but it will be much, much harder for the nativists and anti-immigration crowd that helped Trump win the nomination to keep quiet.
And sure enough:
> **[Wait–Trump Is For Amnesty Now?](https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2016/08/21/waittrump-is-for-amnesty-now-n2207769)**
>
> We'll see....
> [@](#):
>
> Wait–Trump Is For Amnesty Now?
>
> …
>
> Still, let’s look at some factors that could sway the billionaire to go softy on the illegals. The first being, contrary to popular belief, that a good slice of Trump voters actually favor illegals staying in the country if they meet certain requirements. They’re also not keen on a humane deportation force that Trump says he wants to create to secure our borders. Lastly, Trump’s new campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, drafted a memo in support of legislation that would create a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants. Last, he’s losing. Right now, Clinton would trounce Trump in a landslide. Time fro shake things up, though the window for that is rapidly closing. Also, Trump has said that tough immigration policies, like Romney’s proposal for self-deportation, were “mean-spirited.”
>
> Still, for the kick ‘em out crowd’ that thinks Trump is going to be an immigration warrior, disillusionment is on the way. Just look at how Obama disappointed the Left with his inability to close Gitmo, Trump supporters are going to see how Trump will probably see that kicking out every illegal alien in the country is simply not realistic, unless we want to turn our security and law enforcement apparatus into something that resembles the Stasi. Moreover, there’s not enough political support on the Hill to appropriate the money for such a massive un-conservative undertaking.
>
> It’s all very interesting. One that will surely cause the Never Trump and Trump or Bust camps to clash once again, with one side saying it’s unsubstantiated gossip while the other points out that his whole candidacy was a fraud from the beginning. It’s certainly possible Trump could mellow on this issue like he did with the Muslim ban, but knowing how he built his whole 2016 brand on this issue, it’s hard (again) to see him walking away from it.
Too late anyhow, even Romney softened his position and ran to the middle earlier than Trump seems\* to be doing at this time in his campaign. Did not fool most Americans.
\*Seems, because with Trump one should expect a flip flop of the flip flop in subsequent speeches or interviews. And until his personnel changes or buddies like Arpaio are repudiated, Trump is offering just empty rhetoric.
---
### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4910 "2016-08-21T17:07:41Z")
> [@leftfield6](#):
>
> What Trump risks by coming a little towards the middle of the road is losing the extreme edges of his crazy coalition.
I don’t think there are any edges. His support is pure, distilled, 110 proof, homogenous crazy. Most of them believe he will deport 11 million illegal immigrants and build a 30 foot concrete wall across the entire southern border. If he back tracks on that, he is going to lose most of his rabble. Combine that with his regret for his politically incorrect diatribes, and they are going to stay home in disgust.
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### Author:  [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4911 "2016-08-21T17:18:09Z")
> [@asahi](#):
>
> I have a bad feeling Obama’s visit to Louisiana could get ugly. The anti-Obama contingent in some parts of the country, especially in Dixie, is indeed bark-at-the-moon mad, and racist. Wouldn’t be surprised to see racist chants or signage. I hope I’m wrong but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Well, I hope you’re not wrong. As the saying goes, sunlight is an excellent disinfectant. By all means, let the anti-Obama contingent show us once again how ugly they can be.
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### Author:  [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4912 "2016-08-21T17:19:24Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#):
>
> I don’t think there are any edges. His support is pure, distilled, 110 proof, homogenous crazy.
Perhaps it’s finite yet unbounded, like the surface of, say, an orange.
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### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4913 "2016-08-21T17:21:08Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#):
>
> Yep, the troglodytes are beginning to wonder now if Trump is pulling a fast one on them.
>
> I mean, most Americans already knew that what Trump promised about immigration was stupid already but it will be much, much harder for the nativists and anti-immigration crowd that helped Trump win the nomination to keep quiet.
>
> And sure enough:
How is that quote you posted “and sure enough”? It just says some hardliners will be mad, while saying a softer stance probably wouldn’t alienate everyone in the “tough on illegal immigrants” crowd. It doesn’t report what you’re expecting is happening - it’s an analysis piece that only partially agrees with you.
---
### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4914 "2016-08-21T17:35:21Z")
> [@CarnalK](#):
>
> How is that quote you posted “and sure enough”? It just says some hardliners will be mad, while saying a softer stance probably wouldn’t alienate everyone in the “tough on illegal immigrants” crowd. It doesn’t report what you’re expecting is happening - it’s an analysis piece that only partially agrees with you.
Thing is that the racist supporters were just enough to allow a victory for Trump under some scenarios and polls, and since we are speaking of Trump he will fool even less than Romney did with his “softening”. Leading IMHO to a less enthusiastic base of voters of Trump to not show up at the polls.
And in reality it will make many moderates and independents to vote for Clinton that already has a party that supports just a bit more than what El Trompo is telling us that he will do now regarding immigration.
Of course, it would be easier for Trump’s followers do a very fast denial about that softening.
[https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2011/oct/15/the-failed-promise-of-prison-privatization/](https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2011/oct/15/the-failed-promise-of-prison-privatization/)
---
### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4915 "2016-08-21T17:42:50Z")
Whoops, wrong link, this is the correct one:
> **[Exclusive – RNC Official at Trump's Hispanic Meeting Debunks False BuzzFeed,...](https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2016/08/21/exclusive-rnc-official-says-trumps-hispanic-meeting-says-never-said-open-amnesty/)**
>
> A senior staffer at the Republican National Committee (RNC) told Breitbart News Saturday GOP presidential candidate Donald J. Trump did not say or suggest that he was open to granting any legal status–amnesty–to any illegal aliens in the United...
> [@](#):
>
> Breitbart exclusive:
>
> Exclusive – RNC Official at Trump’s Hispanic Meeting Debunks False BuzzFeed, Univision Reports that Donald Succumbed to Amnesty Activists
I have to add that as I observe a lot about of how news sources behave we have here the situation where the right wing info sphere will report on the denial of the softening, while the mainstream media will continue (they need that horse race by hook or by crock) to talk about the pivot.
It will fool many, but not enough IMHO to win the election.
---
### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4916 "2016-08-21T17:47:04Z")
You seem to do this a lot, GIGO. I made a pretty specific criticism of your post and you respond with a bit of a non-sequitur. I wasn’t talking about how well this softening of position will work, I was saying that your guesswork hasn’t been borne out and your linked article actually contradicts your estimations of Trump followers. For example, it links to a [Daily Beast article](http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/05/11/it-turns-out-nearly-half-of-donald-trump-s-supporters-back-amnesty.html) which begins:
> [@](#):
>
> Almost half of Donald Trump’s supporters are for amnesty.
>
> That’s what new numbers from Pew Research indicate. The research group found that 47 percent of Trump supporters favor letting undocumented immigrants stay in the country if they meet certain conditions—in other words, a sizable chunk of Trump’s own backers aren’t exactly itching for a deportation force.
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4917 "2016-08-21T18:01:39Z")
> [@CarnalK](#):
>
> You seem to do this a lot, GIGO. I made a pretty specific criticism of your post and you respond with a bit of a non-sequitur. I wasn’t talking about how well this softening of position will work, I was saying that your guesswork hasn’t been borne out and your linked article actually contradicts your estimations of Trump followers. For example, it links to a [Daily Beast article](http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/05/11/it-turns-out-nearly-half-of-donald-trump-s-supporters-back-amnesty.html) which begins:
What is funny is that I did point to that article also because of it linking to **that**.
What I was thinking is about the close margin of victory for Trump that the polls showed just a month ago. That half of supporters is crucial in the best scenarios where Trump could win.
It is because of them that is is crucial to deny that any softening took place, but it will be then mostly coming from the right wing info sphere, unfortunately (for the far right) I do not think that it will fool enough to convince many of that racist half to enthusiastically support or show up when the election comes.
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### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4918 "2016-08-21T18:14:38Z")
Well if that was your thinking, I sure didn’t get it from the post I responded to. BTW, those two quoted tweets in your TownHall article are clearly #NeverTrumpists, not disillusioned Trump supporters. Kind of silly that they were included, imho.
---
### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4919 "2016-08-21T18:36:31Z")
> [@CarnalK](#):
>
> Well if that was your thinking, I sure didn’t get it from the post I responded to. BTW, those two quoted tweets in your TownHall article are clearly #NeverTrumpists, not disillusioned Trump supporters. Kind of silly that they were included, imho.
The tweets were posted as examples of this:
> [@](#):
>
> Yet, the story has been making the rounds at other outlets, like our own Twitchy and Buzzfeed, so does this mean that Trump pulled a fast one on his own supporters? It’s possible that he might change his tune, but let’s bet on him remaining in the toughness camp on immigration. After all, one could argue that it would be a horrible move politically if he wishes to sacrifice the support of his base to gamble on a single-digit bump in Hispanic voter support, which is already dismal.
The tweets point not to the “softening” but how others are seeing this, as a scam.
AFAIK what the plan actually contains is supposed to be revealed in detail in a few days, seems like the amnesty is a trial balloon that will go down like a leaded one. But I do think that we will see is what I pointed before, the idea was to plant a “softening” message of Trump in the MSM. Like puppies, they are complying.
---
### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4920 "2016-08-21T18:41:15Z")
Again: that was two ardent #NeverTrumpists. The fact that they see it as a scam is completely meaningless.
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4921 "2016-08-21T18:49:34Z")
> [@CarnalK](#):
>
> Again: that was two ardent #NeverTrumpists. The fact that they see it as a scam is completely meaningless.
He was just saying, just like I did. And many times in the past I pointed at important sectors of the right wing media not supporting Trump as one important factor of why many of those Trump supporters will not be able to avoid messages like that one. (I also made the point before that a very significant number of moderate Republicans and Independents reject Trump, for them this bit of news is significant and a point I also make regarding the election).
Breitbart will try as hell to follow one narrative, but a good number will learn anyhow about the two faces of Trump.
---
### Author:  [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2016, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/4922 "2016-08-21T19:31:53Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#):
>
> I don’t think there are any edges. His support is pure, distilled, 110 proof, homogenous crazy. Most of them believe he will deport 11 million illegal immigrants and build a 30 foot concrete wall across the entire southern border.
You’re talking about a predicted 40% of eligible voters. You really think most of them are that crazy, and not just so stupid they hear only what they want to hear when Trump speaks?
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