# 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:** 373
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7443 "2016-09-29T11:18:56Z")
The lengthy American electoral process is often criticized. Other countries do it in a couple months, tops. As we’ve seen with Trump, one advantage of a longer process is it gives more time for people to find and spread the dirt. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7444 "2016-09-29T11:51:18Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Post-debate, Trump proves yet again that denial ain’t just a river in Egypt: [http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/28/politics/donald-trump-debate-reaction/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/28/politics/donald-trump-debate-reaction/index.html) Well, it _is_ going to hurt him. If he could get everyone on his side to just say that he won, it would become a partisan issue. He could then point to the media and say, “they’re all just biased, everyone with a brain agrees I won”. And as long as they kept on lying about it, nobody would be the wiser. You can’t really run that play if the whole team isn’t on board, though. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7445 "2016-09-29T12:27:48Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > He is not capable of preparing, because that would involve reading and considering views other than his own. He is a narcissist through and through and will not change. And he is definitely not good for the country… Hillary has definitely been preparing for the debates. Working on her bearing, her expressions & other nonverbal bits. Keeping up on the latest news & the latest spin. Perhaps working with a Trump simulacrum so she can smile at his foolishness instead of demanding _her_ time; let him hang himself! Oh, and eating right & getting enough sleep in the last week. She is way ahead of Trump in other ways. She \*doesn’t \*need to learn what the Constitution means. She has a pretty firm grasp on foreign & domestic affairs–even the ones that did not involve her. She’s been studying these things most of her life. Trump has never been known to read a book. His handlers can try to restrain his tantrums but they can’t make up for years of ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7446 "2016-09-29T12:29:24Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > It was actually quite a remarkable mic. A magic mic. It made his words clear but it jumbled them together in a way that made no sense, and at the same time it was amazingly sensitive enough to pick up all his sniffles. Yet Hillary was given a mic that looked identical, but was cunningly designed to make her sound knowledgeable, articulate, and intelligent. > > Obviously Trump’s strategy at the next debate must be to demand at the last minute that the mics be switched. That’ll do it. And then a visibly shaken Hillary will say “Anderson? There’s been a last-minute change of plans. I’d like to concede the debate, and the presidency, to my opponent, Donald J. Trump.” _\_ “Hunnnh… whuhhh… Melania. Melania! I WON!” “Go bock to zleep, Donald.” ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7447 "2016-09-29T12:32:13Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Front cover of Newsweek: > > [x.com](https://twitter.com/Newsweek/status/781300513815957505?s=09) The article is out this morning. > **[Donald Trump's Castro Connection](https://www.newsweek.com/2016/10/14/donald-trump-cuban-embargo-castro-violated-florida-504059.html)** > > Through Trump Hotels, the GOP nominee secretly conducted business in Cuba, ignoring American laws. Later, he falsely told Cuban-American voters he would never spend money on the island so long as Fidel Castro remained in power. > [@](#): > > Documents show that the Trump company spent a minimum of $68,000 for its 1998 foray into Cuba at a time when the corporate expenditure of even a penny in the Caribbean country was prohibited without U.S. government approval. But the company did not spend the money directly. Instead, with Trump’s knowledge, executives funneled the cash for the Cuba trip through an American consulting firm called Seven Arrows Investment and Development Corporation. Once the business consultants traveled to the island and incurred the expenses for the venture, Seven Arrows instructed senior officers with Trump’s company—then called Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts—how to make it appear legal by linking it after-the-fact to a charitable effort. > > The payment by Trump Hotels came just before the New York business mogul launched his first bid for the White House, seeking the nomination of the Reform Party. On his first day of the campaign, he traveled to Miami where he spoke to a group of Cuban-Americans, a critical voting bloc in the swing state. Trump vowed to maintain the embargo and never spend his or his companies’ money in Cuba until Fidel Castro was removed from power. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2016, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7448 "2016-09-29T12:56:17Z")
Somewhere, Marco Rubio is frantically drinking water, wondering how this news is affecting his chances with a bunch of pissed-off Cuban-Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7449 "2016-09-29T13:01:31Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Yeah, I’ve read all these people saying he started off so well, and then collapsed. I felt like he started off like a bull in a China shop-- obnoxious, sniffy, red-faced, loud, interrupting constantly, his opening statement seemed disjointed and unprepared. I even said to my wife that he’s lost this thing in the first 30 minutes. But then I read so many people saying how strong his first half hour was, so I just figured I was wrong. > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I think you were right, but the first 30 minutes were still his best - its just that the last part was so very bad. “Obnoxious, loud, disjointed and unprepared” seems to cover most of what Trump says. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7450 "2016-09-29T13:11:17Z")
Once again, Trump is resorting to elementary school playground tactics: [Trump calls out Hillary’s “unserious campaign”](http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-iowa-228864). > [@](#): > > “While our campaign outlines big changes and bold solutions to make your life better, the Clinton campaign focuses only on small and petty distractions,” Trump continued. “Never in American history have so many serious challenges been met with so unserious a campaign as the campaign of Hillary Clinton.” It’s even more unbelievable than usual, coming as it does right after his incredibly unprepared debate performance. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7451 "2016-09-29T13:12:08Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Somewhere, Marco Rubio is frantically drinking water, wondering how this news is affecting his chances with a bunch of pissed-off Cuban-Americans. He’s supposed to be such a symbol of capitalism, but he doesn’t seem to mind doing business with communists and oligarchical former communists. I wonder if he’s done business with North Korea? They apparently like him. [http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-usa-trump-idUSKCN0YN35S](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-usa-trump-idUSKCN0YN35S) ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7452 "2016-09-29T13:18:32Z")
In case you all didn’t realize; it’s all Google’s fault. > **[Donald Trump attacks 'biased' Lester Holt and accuses Google of conspiracy](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/29/donald-trump-attacks-biased-lester-holt-and-accuses-google-of-conspiracy)** > > The Republican nominee lashes out in the wake of his poor debate showing and hints at more attacks on the Clintons’ marriage > [@](#): > > Donald Trump has gone on the offensive after his underwhelming debate performance by criticizing debate moderator Lester Holt as biased and accusing Google of a conspiracy to rig search results in favor of Hillary Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7453 "2016-09-29T13:22:43Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Hillary has definitely been preparing for the debates. Working on her bearing, her expressions & other nonverbal bits. Keeping up on the latest news & the latest spin. Perhaps working with a Trump simulacrum so she can smile at his foolishness instead of demanding _her_ time; let him hang himself! Oh, and eating right & getting enough sleep in the last week. > > She is way ahead of Trump in other ways. She \*doesn’t \*need to learn what the Constitution means. She has a pretty firm grasp on foreign & domestic affairs–even the ones that did not involve her. \*\*She’s been studying these things most of her life. \*\* > > Trump has never been known to read a book. His handlers can try to restrain his tantrums but they can’t make up for years of ignorance. My bold. She has been preparing to be President her whole life. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2016, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7454 "2016-09-29T13:33:54Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > My bold. > > She has been preparing to be President her whole life. Good Lord, given how long she’s been fighting ISIS, where’d she find the time? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7455 "2016-09-29T13:47:21Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Meh. Not gonna matter. It’s not like there are any Republicans in any swing states who care about the Cuba embargo, right? This morning’s 538 forecast just showed Florida flipping blue for the first time in weeks. Hmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7456 "2016-09-29T14:07:04Z")
I continue to be amazed - and horrified - that Trump is still doing so well. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7457 "2016-09-29T14:11:21Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > The article is out this morning. > [How Donald Trump's Company Violated the United States Embargo Against Cuba - Newsweek](http://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-cuban-embargo-castro-violated-florida-504059) I seriously doubt that it is going to make any difference. He’s already come out and admitted to a lot of stuff ordinary people find questionable and explained “it was just business.” He’s admitted to making campaign contributions to both sides to grease the skids for his projects. He’s admitted to not paying contractors. He’s admitted to filing for bankruptcy. He’s admitted to using tax schemes. He says that’s just the way business is done. And knowing what’s been done will help him change government so others won’t get away with it. And his followers believe that. Obfuscate transactions with Cuba? That’s just what all the businesses do. And, by gosh, he’ll put a stop to it when he becomes President. Count on it. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7458 "2016-09-29T14:16:37Z")
Anybody have anything like a clue as to why Trump was connecting to Cuba at all? The money seems kinda puny for a Big Shot, $68K is pocket lint for Trump. Even if he made some kind of deal with Castro, he couldn’t openly conduct any business, so what was he after? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7459 "2016-09-29T14:21:05Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Somewhere, Marco Rubio is frantically drinking water, wondering how this news is affecting his chances with a bunch of pissed-off Cuban-Americans. Yesterday Little Marco was expressing loud outrage over the President’s appointment of the first U.S. Ambassador to Cuba since the revolution. I would guess his response to today’s news will be a bit more muted. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7460 "2016-09-29T14:23:34Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > …Even if he made some kind of deal with Castro, he couldn’t openly conduct any business, so what was he after? A down payment on a future dusky busty wife? Or maybe just a playmate for on the side? A man gets tired of the same old blondes again and again, and occasionally craves a spicier fare. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2016, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7461 "2016-09-29T14:25:55Z")
Cigars. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2016, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7462 "2016-09-29T14:26:07Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Yesterday Little Marco was expressing loud outrage over the President’s appointment of the first U.S. Ambassador to Cuba since the revolution. I would guess his response to today’s news will be a bit more muted. [One early report](https://twitter.com/MarcACaputo/status/781478861318004736) suggests that Little Marco will try the “wheels on the bus go crunch, crunch, crunch” strategy: [QUOTE=Marc Caputo] Rubio “very serious & troubling allegations” that Trump co. may have conspired to break Cuba embargo to turn a buck [/QUOTE] > [@elucidator](#): > > Anybody have anything like a clue as to why Trump was connecting to Cuba at all? The money seems kinda puny for a Big Shot, $68K is pocket lint for Trump. It’s his nature. He constantly does petty crap like stiffing contractors over similar (if not even smaller) sums. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=372) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=374)