# 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:** 71
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1401 "2016-06-16T11:49:29Z")
What if, just what if, about a month after Hillary wins the election, Trump comes out in an interview and admits to being a Democratic mole. That wouldn’t get the election declared null and void, I take it. ---
**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:** [June 16, 2016, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1402 "2016-06-16T12:05:38Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Now that Trump has the Republican Presidential nomination locked up are there any thoughts on his Presidential campaign? I see two quite different possibilities: > > 1. He can adopt most of the traditional Republican policies except for his trademark anti-Moslem and anti-trade philosophies to unify Republican support for him. > 2. He can move toward the center. Sorry, but it is kind of amusing re-reading the OP. It sounds so… normal. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1403 "2016-06-16T12:17:25Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > What if, just what if, about a month after Hillary wins the election, Trump comes out in an interview and admits to being a Democratic mole. That wouldn’t get the election declared null and void, I take it. No, by the Jesus Fucking Christ Doctrine. As in: “You want us to nullify a whole Presidential election and, perforce, go through that entire process all over again? You want us to upend the entire government and attack the legitimacy of a branch of the Federal government? Jesus Fucking Christ.” In simpler terms, some things are just too destabilizing to even consider. At some point, the process is _finished_. It fucking _ends_. (See also: Torrens title, the _in terrorem_ clause, _Bleak House_) ---
**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:** [June 16, 2016, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1404 "2016-06-16T12:19:25Z")
> [@Lantern](#): > > [Let’s Play “What the Hell Did \*That\* Mean” With Today’s Guest, Donald Trump – Mother Jones](http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/06/lets-play-what-hell-did-mean-todays-guest-donald-trump) > > Trump seems to be getting more incoherent by the week. Check out this clip of Trump talking about defending Saudi Arabia and watch his tone and body language as Drum suggests. As the campaign pressure builds up and Trump likely remains behind in the polls you have to wonder about the possibility of a major nervous breakdown. I love the headline of that article. > [@](#): > > Let’s Play “What the Hell Did _That_ Mean” With Today’s Guest, Donald Trump ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1405 "2016-06-16T13:27:03Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Ha. You want to have it both ways, not that I can blame you for that. But as she states in the quote you provided: > > (emphasis mine) > > So we’re forced to decide which Sonia to believe, the one who was just speaking her mind, or the one who knew she shouldn’t have said what she did because it would be unfitting for a Supreme Court Justice to hold that view. But as I point out, even her modified remark indicates she believes that ethnicity effects what people feel and think. And that in turn, can affect decision making. Hard to disagree with that really. After all, we are not robots. Hard to disagree with that, but easy to disagree with Trump, who stated that ethnicity alone makes one less able to judge a case. That’s what’s bigoted, and that’s different than what Sotomayor stated. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1406 "2016-06-16T13:54:33Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > No, by the Jesus Fucking Christ Doctrine. > > As in: “You want us to nullify a whole Presidential election and, perforce, go through that entire process all over again? You want us to upend the entire government and attack the legitimacy of a branch of the Federal government? Jesus Fucking Christ.” “You want us to nullify a whole Presidential election because a lying liar who lies has just now said something that may or may not be yet another lie?” ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1407 "2016-06-16T14:32:31Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > No, by the Jesus Fucking Christ Doctrine. > > As in: “You want us to nullify a whole Presidential election and, perforce, go through that entire process all over again? You want us to upend the entire government and attack the legitimacy of a branch of the Federal government? Jesus Fucking Christ.” Also by the PALATR Doctrine, as in: _“You idiots are so screwed up that you couldn’t even manage to choose a nominee who was actually serious about wanting to be President, and you expect the American people to shield you from the consequences of your own stupidity by offering you a free do-over? HAHAHAHAHAAAAAHAAHAA!!”_ ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1408 "2016-06-16T14:33:02Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > “You want us to nullify a whole Presidential election because a lying liar who lies has just now said something that may or may not be yet another lie?” Yes, that too. To be slightly more legalistic about this, there’s no mechanism in the Constitution by which any branch of the government could nullify a Presidential election. The three branches are each co-equal in power and not subject to the other two, but to the rules laid down in the Constitution. Therefore, if either the Supreme Court or Congress tried to declare a “do-over” for a Presidential election, they’d be arrogating to themselves a power over the Executive branch not granted to them by the Constitution, which would not end well. The closest we could come would be an impeachment process, which has happened multiple times in our nation’s history, and which would not lead to another election, but to the Presidency proceeding down the established chain of succession. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1409 "2016-06-16T14:37:15Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > The closest we could come would be an impeachment process, which has happened multiple times in our nation’s history, and which would not lead to another election, but to the Presidency proceeding down the established chain of succession. “I, Sarah Palin, do solemnly swear …” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1410 "2016-06-16T14:42:40Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > “I, Sarah Palin, do solemnly swear …” … “I quit.” ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1411 "2016-06-16T14:42:49Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > What if, just what if, about a month after Hillary wins the election, Trump comes out in an interview and admits to being a Democratic mole. That wouldn’t get the election declared null and void, I take it. In addition to _Let’s not do that_, there would be no reason to. It is not unlawful to run a campaign to screw with people. Despite how bad he is doing, and likely will continue doing, I doubt Trump is a mole. If he was, however, admitting it after the election would certainly cause serious PR problems for President H.R. Clinton. ---
**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:** [June 16, 2016, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1412 "2016-06-16T14:45:13Z")
Well, let’s not forget Trump will _say_ anything. Him saying “Yeah, I was a mole and did this to get the President elected”, in time, may the the most self-pleasingly narcissistic thing he can say about his role in this election. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1413 "2016-06-16T14:45:49Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > In addition to _Let’s not do that_, there would be no reason to. It is not unlawful to run a campaign to screw with people. > > Despite how bad he is doing, and likely will continue doing, I doubt Trump is a mole. If he was, however, admitting it after the election would certainly cause serious PR problems for President H.R. Clinton. It’s amusing to think he’s doing it, but if he admitted it post-election, I would genuinely fear for this country. ---
**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:** [June 16, 2016, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1414 "2016-06-16T14:52:07Z")
Even if he’s not doing it, he could cause serious problems by making that claim after the election, and I wouldn’t put it past him to do exactly that. ---
**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:** [June 16, 2016, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1415 "2016-06-16T15:00:11Z")
We’re assuming the man will have any credibility left after 5 months of increasingly erratic behavior leading to a major loss (assuming this is how it plays out). Obviously, if he provides direct evidence - emails, letters, a signed contract, multi-million dollar checks made to DJT from the Clinton’s or their close associates - there will be a shitstorm of Biblical proportions. I’m not expecting such evidence to arise. But without evidence, after the November elections, the only ones who will care will be the 59 people in the country who are not absolutely sick and tired of Donald J. Trump. So, yeah, if he makes a claim it will likely make the news cycle, some people will actually believe it, but most people won’t believe it because they’re just too tired to care anymore. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1416 "2016-06-16T15:01:13Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Even if he’s not doing it, he could cause serious problems by making that claim after the election, and I wouldn’t put it past him to do exactly that. That’s true. It’s the ultimate face-saving move, right? “I didn’t win because I wasn’t even _trying_.” I know we’re just jawing here, and I doubt many of us think these events are likely. But it’s disconcerting that they are more plausible than I’m comfortable believing. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1417 "2016-06-16T15:03:19Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > But without evidence, after the November elections, the only ones who will care will be the 59 people in the country who are not absolutely sick and tired of Donald J. Trump. So, yeah, if he makes a claim it will likely make the news cycle, some people will actually believe it, but most people won’t believe it because they’re just too tired to care anymore. I am not so confident. I think there would be a lot of really really REALLY angry people who would feel betrayed and vengeful. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1418 "2016-06-16T15:08:27Z")
One thing I have become convinced of: the Trump we see in these speeches and rallies is not a persona. It’s who he really is. His supporters love him because, while he’s completely full of shit in terms of what he intends to do as president, he’s nevertheless not being fake. In fact, Trump provides an interesting paradoxical lesson in how to lie about nearly everything while still remaining authentic to who you are as a person. ---
**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:** [June 16, 2016, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1419 "2016-06-16T15:08:55Z")
He’ll have to provide some proof, though, for any of it to actually matter. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1420 "2016-06-16T15:14:45Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > He’ll have to provide some proof, though, for any of it to actually matter. “I have, right here, a tape-recorded conversation of me and the go-between who always relayed my instructions from the Clintons; his name is John Miller.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=70) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=72)