# 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:** 378
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7543 "2016-09-30T06:51:56Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Holy Mother of God… Is this the end of RICO? ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7544 "2016-09-30T07:43:23Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Or call a liberal politician some form of ape and see how that goes. Don’t Republicans already know how that goes? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7545 "2016-09-30T08:20:40Z")
Just out of curiosity: a Trump supporter made a claim elsewhere that he was up “big” in Florida and was +5 in Pennsylvania. Did this person just make stuff up, or is there actually a pollster somewhere with those findings? ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7546 "2016-09-30T09:02:02Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Just out of curiosity: a Trump supporter made a claim elsewhere that he was up “big” in Florida and was +5 in Pennsylvania. Did this person just make stuff up, or is there actually a pollster somewhere with those findings? They’re almost certainly just quoting unscientific online polls that have been brigaded by some internet forum. FiveThirtyEight still shows Clinton ahead in Florida and really far ahead in Pennsylvania. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7547 "2016-09-30T09:11:33Z")
I initially missed the edit notes, thought **JohnT** had actually started a ########## hashtag and was like “Wow, that’s meta”. And I’m assuming **octopus** is attempting to make a “liberal hypocrisy” point about the continuous jibes about Trump’s physical appearance which would be considered unacceptable if they were directly at Clinton or another Democrat. Personally I’d love for all the comments about his appearance to stop, so that we could focus exclusively on Trump’s statements, actions, policies and background. I suspect, however, The Donald would prefer the comments about his hair to the ones about his Foundation. Hair jokes won’t lead to a tax fraud conviction. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7548 "2016-09-30T10:03:46Z")
Trump has, this morning, decided to spend yet another news cycle on Ms Machado, by directing his followers [on Twitter](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/781788223055994880) to “check out [her] sex tape.” ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7549 "2016-09-30T10:34:24Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > Trump has, this morning, decided to spend yet another news cycle on Ms Machado, by directing his followers [on Twitter](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/781788223055994880) to “check out [her] sex tape.” Yay! It looks like, after days and days of boring tweets, the Donald finally has his Twitter password back. Almost all of his tweets over the last two weeks have obviously come from the campaign. Today, it looks like Donald is back in control. The crazy factor has been ramped up to 11 ---
**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:** [September 30, 2016, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7550 "2016-09-30T10:41:23Z")
I really am anxious to see what kinds of damage the Donald has sustained in the polls. I’d expect his numbers to have slipped noticeably, if not an outright plummet. If he’s still hovering within half a percent in all swing states God help us all. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7551 "2016-09-30T10:42:08Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Yay! It looks like, after days and days of boring tweets, the Donald finally has his Twitter password back. Almost all of his tweets over the last two weeks have obviously come from the campaign. Today, it looks like Donald is back in control. The crazy factor has been ramped up to 11 And he started at 3:20 this morning. That means he’ll be even more sleep-deprived than usual at his rally tonight. Who knows what’ll come out. ---
**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:** [September 30, 2016, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7552 "2016-09-30T10:46:30Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > And he started at 3:20 this morning. That means he’ll be even more sleep-deprived than usual at his rally tonight. Who knows what’ll come out. Donald really and truly is off his chain again. You can tell that his debate drubbing by Hillary really did get under his skin. I’m not 100 percent sure that Donald is completely done yet, though. I mean seriously , with the way this election has gone, maybe Trump’s supporters continue to rationalize him by voting for Pence. Maybe Pence can soften the blows a bit. I suspect the upcoming debate will at least take some of the focus off of Donald’s woes and shift it in a different direction but I think Tim Kaine has consistently performed really well in front of cameras so not too worried. ---
**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 30, 2016, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7553 "2016-09-30T11:05:45Z")
There are a lot of fake porn films allegedly starring Alicia Machado on the web. What appears to be the real thing is on pornhub dot com (CAUTION: This is a really hard core explicit sex site) under the title “Alicia Machado sexo”. At the beginning there is some color footage of her kissing a man and him grabbing her butt. Then there is some black-and-white night-vision footage of the two of them completely (except for their heads) under blankets moving around. Since this was on a reality TV program, it could have been staged. There is absolutely no nudity. You can see more risque sex on prime time network TV. ---
**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 30, 2016, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7554 "2016-09-30T11:08:18Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Donald really and truly is off his chain again. You can tell that his debate drubbing by Hillary really did get under his skin. Oh, well, the next debate will be in a town hall format, so this time Trump will be able to direct the ebullience of his personality toward members of the general public and maybe even give somebody their fifteen minutes of fame via Twitter feud. :eek: :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7555 "2016-09-30T11:10:41Z")
On a side note, I’ve been noticing how often Trump (and his staffers and his children) use the phrases “Believe me” and “Trust me”. Now that I’m old and jaded I tend to view such phrases - particularly when used repeatedly and insistently - as a big red flag to indicate “I’m either lying outright or am at least aware that I have no actual evidence or support for the thing I am telling you”. Those are even worse than starting a sentence with “To be honest…”, which always makes me wonder what the person was being before. Listen out for them the next time you hear a political speech or at the next debate. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7556 "2016-09-30T11:21:19Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > maybe Trump’s supporters continue to rationalize him by voting for Pence. Maybe Pence can soften the blows a bit. That seems to include [the Republican leadership in Congress](http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/mike-pence-congress-republicans-228920). > [@](#): > > Capitol Hill Republicans believe Pence could be their man in the White House, a liaison they’re hoping would bend the nominee toward the conservative agenda they’re hoping for — and make the pride-swallowing they’ve done to back a man who spent the primary belittling them worth it after all. Worked great with Cheney, dinnit? ---
**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 30, 2016, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7557 "2016-09-30T12:32:28Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > And he started at 3:20 this morning. That means he’ll be even more sleep-deprived than usual at his rally tonight. Who knows what’ll come out. If you check them out, this morning’s tweets are freaking insane. Literally. Drug fueled or mentally unbalanced, one or the other. Sound like a dog in a cage, growling to get out. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7558 "2016-09-30T12:57:11Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > On a side note, I’ve been noticing how often Trump (and his staffers and his children) use the phrases “Believe me” and “Trust me”. Now that I’m old and jaded I tend to view such phrases - particularly when used repeatedly and insistently - as a big red flag to indicate “I’m either lying outright or am at least aware that I have no actual evidence or support for the thing I am telling you”. > > Those are even worse than starting a sentence with “To be honest…”, which always makes me wonder what the person was being before. Listen out for them the next time you hear a political speech or at the next debate. Well to be fair, those of us who donated to Clinton and thus got on that constant email list had several emails that started off with the “To honest …” and “If I’m being honest …” bits. Which made me cringe. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7559 "2016-09-30T12:57:18Z")
Somebody put the hose on him. ---
**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 30, 2016, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7560 "2016-09-30T12:58:11Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > And he started at 3:20 this morning. That means he’ll be even more sleep-deprived than usual at his rally tonight. Who knows what’ll come out. “By Gad, Mr. Trump, you are a character. There’s never any telling what you’ll say or do next, except that it’s bound to be something astonishing.” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7561 "2016-09-30T13:03:14Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Well to be fair, those of us who donated to Clinton and thus got on that constant email list had several emails that started off with the “To honest …” and “If I’m being honest …” bits. Which made me cringe. As well it should. I’m not suggesting any politician is immune to such phraseology; I’ve just noticed that Trump and friends tend to hammer the “Believe me” point home right after saying something unbelievable. Clinton’s politically-driven equivocations are annoying in their own way. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/7562 "2016-09-30T13:17:11Z")
The Republican nominee is staying up all night slut shaming a woman on Twitter. The mind boggles. I’ve heard it suggested that it’s tactical in order to distract from his illegal charity and breaking the embargo, but that seems unlikely to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=377) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=379)