# 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:** 254
### Author:  [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5063 "2016-08-23T20:11:27Z")
> [@JohnT](#):
>
> I’m confused - if the media is rigging the election, why are they reporting on the fact that they’re rigging the election?
We all know" the first rule of Election Club, is no one talks about Election Club" 😛
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### Author:  [@DonLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonLogan)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5064 "2016-08-23T20:22:20Z")
> [@JohnT](#):
>
> I’m confused - if the media is rigging the election, why are they reporting on the fact that they’re rigging the election?
It’s those new full disclosure rules.
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### Author:  [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5065 "2016-08-23T20:24:38Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#):
>
> Latest Trump Tweet:
>
> Wait, what? If the pile on is the worst, then how can it be that EVERYone is reporting this? It makes no sense. If the media is against you, how come “virtually everyone” is reporting on it?
>
> Trump’s brain is a fascinating thing.
The people “reporting” the pile on are different from the “media” that is doing the piling-oning. Two circles in the Venn diagram with little overlap.
Of course, one must then ponder: who is “reporting” that isn’t “media”? If you report something, does that make you media? Is this like Who Shaves the Barber?
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### Author:  [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5066 "2016-08-23T20:25:58Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#):
>
> screwing rich gross old men for cash
…but enough about his real estate deals.
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### Author:  [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5067 "2016-08-23T21:07:55Z")
If Trump wins PA he wins the White House. Period. If he loses PA he’s almost certain to lose. (His next best shot for a tipping state is VA where he’s down 12 in a recent poll.)
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> Why Penna. and not Ohio?
Ohio is also key and a must-win state for Trump.
However, **Pennsylvania is the _tipping_ state**. If Trump wins it, it means his campaign took a lucky turn and he almost certainly got Ohio as well. If Trump loses PA (along with the longer-shots like VA), _how he performed in Ohio is irrelevant_ — he’s not getting the White House.
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### Author:  [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5068 "2016-08-23T21:17:02Z")
> [@septimus](#):
>
> If Trump wins PA he wins the White House. Period. If he loses PA he’s almost certain to lose. (His next best shot for a tipping state is VA where he’s down 12 in a recent poll.)
>
> Ohio is also key and a must-win state for Trump.
>
> However, **Pennsylvania is the _tipping_ state**. If Trump wins it, it means his campaign took a lucky turn and he almost certainly got Ohio as well. If Trump loses PA (along with the longer-shots like VA), _how he performed in Ohio is irrelevant_ — he’s not getting the White House.
Nate Silver’s[winding path](http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-election-forecast/?ex_cid=rrpromo#stateorder) graphic makes this clear. If Trump wins Pennsylvania, he wins – but since Pennsylvania is farther down the list of likely states that Trump will carry, that means that he probably also won Nevada, Florida, Ohio and North Carolina. There’s nothing magical about Pennsylvania
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### Author:  [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5069 "2016-08-23T21:23:28Z")
> [@Ambrosio\_Spinola](#):
>
> In yet another of the list of things that would get someone else in trouble, Trump has [massively increased](http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/08/donald-trump-campaign-expenditures) the rent that his campaign is paying at Trump Towers now that donors are paying for it. As I understand campaign finance law, the campaign is required to pay fair market value for office space, which means that he was either underpaying before or is overpaying now.
There are plenty of real controversies to talk about without making up fake ones. They are still paying the same fair market per sq. ft. as before, just using more space now.
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### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5070 "2016-08-23T21:27:09Z")
> [@SmartAlecCat](#):
>
> There are plenty of real controversies to talk about without making up fake ones. They are still paying the same fair market per sq. ft. as before, just using more space now.
> [@](#):
>
> The Trump campaign tripled its rented space even though it has maintained only about 70 people on payroll, as well as a few dozen consultants, for the past several months.
Tripled the space and increased the rent by 5X. And the same number of staff.
But they say that they “anticipate” more staff “soon”. Right.
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### Author:  [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5071 "2016-08-23T21:27:54Z")
> [@SmartAlecCat](#):
>
> There are plenty of real controversies to talk about without making up fake ones. They are still paying the same fair market per sq. ft. as before, just using more space now.
So they have fewer employees but are using 5x the space? Do you have a cite for that?
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### Author:  [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5072 "2016-08-23T21:31:08Z")
> [@psychobunny](#):
>
> So they have fewer employees but are using 5x the space? Do you have a cite for that?
It’s HuffPo, so take that for what it is. [Link to HuffPo article](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-campaign-rent_us_57bba424e4b03d51368a82b9)
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### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5073 "2016-08-23T21:58:53Z")
> [@psychobunny](#):
>
> So they have fewer employees but are using 5x the space? Do you have a cite for that?
Apparently they “anticipate” more employees:
> [@](#):
>
> Steven Cheung, a campaign spokesman, said the increased office space was needed to accommodate an anticipated increase in employees.
Most election campaigns have employees in the field, (swing states) rather than in expensive office towers in New York, but I guess Trump’s campaign will be different.
I anticipate legions of on-line trolls who will be flooding the e-waves shortly with “concern” for Hilary’s health, and lots of “people are talking about” memes.
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### Author:  [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5074 "2016-08-23T23:07:32Z")
> [@elucidator](#):
>
> Big, big fan of Josh and his _Talking Points Memo_, but…
>
> This is a classic example of what happens when a reasonable person views an insane situation, we simply cannot help but try to extract a rational explanation.
>
> Perhaps they are looking to put forth two utterly incompatible viewpoints at the same time, thus appealing to two different sets of people with radically opposing views? When talking to Latinos, they point to statement A. When talking to rabid nativists, they point to statement B.
>
> Is that nuts? Yeah. So?
This is exactly what it is. Trump went in front of prominent latinos and tried to make a sale, like he always does. Lying through his teeth is step one.
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5075 "2016-08-23T23:44:01Z")
> [@Valgard](#):
>
> Many people are saying that Trump is trying to get Buddy Guy to perform at his rallies to in an attempt to bring in more Jewish voters.
>
> I refuse to be one of those blues swayed Jews who are turned into orange Jews.
Boo hiss. And I’ve already stole this punchline and told a joke with it to my wife.
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### Author:  [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5076 "2016-08-23T23:45:54Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#):
>
> I already [started a thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=794106) about that some time ago seeking clarification about the Tapatalk sig. Unlike the person in this thread, I was prepared to change my habits if it was a big deal (even though the sig doesn’t cause people to directly financially support loathsome entities) and for the most part it wasn’t so I didn’t.
>
> But thanks for your concerns. Feel free to revive the thread if you would like to comment further.
It’s spamming, you know, and we don’t have to take it without comment.
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5077 "2016-08-23T23:46:48Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#):
>
> Tripled the space and increased the rent by 5X. And the same number of staff.
>
> But they say that they “anticipate” more staff “soon”. Right.
They’ll get around to finding enough people who want to end their careers in politics in mid-October or something.
Perhaps this is the Trump extension to Brooks’ Law - adding people late to a dead campaign makes it deader.
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### Author:  [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5078 "2016-08-24T01:47:16Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#):
>
> Being a “slut” (sexually active person who openly and unashamedly enjoys boinking) is one thing; working as a professional “escort” and screwing rich gross old men for cash is another.
>
> Not to mention her weird immigration/employment status, lying about her education, plagiarizing Michelle Obama’s speech…
>
> If I have to hear crap about how “Bill Clinton is a rapist” and expect Trump to bring up Monica Lewinski at the Presidential debates, then yes, I’ll put Melania on the table.
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#):
>
> What’s all this I’m hearing about Melania Trump being a hooker back when she was young?
>
> [Melania Trump Threatens Lawsuit Against Daily Mail Over 'False And Defamatory' Escort Claims | HuffPost Latest News](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/melania-trump-daily-mail_us_57bb716ae4b00d9c3a1976e7?section=&)
>
> Someone should look into this. Find out what’s going on.
From what I can tell, this is a horsepucky smear. The Daily Mail cites 2 sources. One is a book with an entertaining and libelous name _From Whorehouse to White House…_ whose author can’t be reached for comment. The other is a magazine out of Slovenia, where a writer makes an unsubstantiated claim that Melania’s model agency doubled as an escort agency. The agency, which mostly folded in 2008, was run by a guy who denies that vehemently. MfM searched the wayback machine for copies of the website c. 2006. It looked to me like a modeling agency, given the style of the photos that I clicked through to.
I can’t rule anything out, but frankly this looks like fabrication to me. Mainly because if this agency was a front, the Village Voice, Gawker (RIP) et al would be on it. You can report the facts without accusing Melania of anything.
Given the overwhelming evidence that Trump is unfit for office (helpfully catalogued [here](http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/cover_story/2016/07/donald_trump_is_unfit_to_be_president_here_are_141_reasons_why.html)), I see no reason to pick on Melania. Except to acknowledge that she posed in softcore lesbian porn shoots. That’s a matter of public record. Personally I don’t have a problem with it. Also the indicators that she worked in the US illegally for a while are fair game. I don’t have a problem with that either, but I would expect Trump’s supporters to explain why they aren’t bothered by this but still want to build a magical wall.
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### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5079 "2016-08-24T01:58:22Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#):
>
> Also the indicators that she worked in the US illegally for a while are fair game. I don’t have a problem with that either, but I would expect Trump’s supporters to explain why they aren’t bothered by this but still want to build a magical wall.
A magical wall indeed! One with a selectively porous filter that keeps the scary brown people out, while letting through the sexy white underwear models.
(although why the models would only wear white underwear is a mystery)
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5080 "2016-08-24T02:06:23Z")
> [@jsc1953](#):
>
> …If Trump wins Pennsylvania, he wins – but since Pennsylvania is farther down the list of likely states that Trump will carry, that means that he probably also won Nevada, Florida, Ohio and North Carolina. There’s nothing magical about Pennsylvania
Yeah, that’s about how I see it. But no Republican has _ever_ won the White House without winning Ohio… and right now Hillary is up by 6% here.
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### Author:  [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5081 "2016-08-24T02:18:59Z")
Since Donald Trump literally flip-flopped on the centerpiece platform on his campaign: the deportation of 11 million people and, admitting today, that his new policy is a continuation of Obama’s policy of exporting criminals:
1. Does this increase his support among mainstream Republican voters?
2. Will it decrease support among Trump’s mainstream voters?
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### Author:  [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/5082 "2016-08-24T02:22:53Z")
**Measure for Measure:**. Thank you for looking into that, and finding out what was going on. If it’s bullshit I’ll happily drop it and raise a toast to the lovely Melania for keeping herself pure for holy matrimony with her handsome white knight.
I have no problem with her soft-core nekkid pictures, either…only with the hypocrisy of Republicans and evangelicals who would jump all over a Democratic-affiliated woman who had done the same thing.
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