# 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:** 82
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1621 "2016-06-21T02:25:04Z")
I don’t have a cite yet aside from Twitter (although all the political class is chattering about it) but the new FEC reports show that Trump entered June with $1.3mil cash on hand versus Clinton’s $42mil. If Trump is relying on the RNC to do the heavy lifting, they reported taking in $11m in May versus $34m in May 2012. As someone wryly noted, Ben Carson’s campaign ($1.7m cash on hand) is currently better funded than Trump’s. Edit: [Ah, here we go](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/06/20/donald-trumps-may-fundraising-totals-are-stunningly-bad/?postshare=3551466475706500&tid=ss_tw). ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1622 "2016-06-21T02:38:08Z")
News like that make me honestly wonder. On one hand, if he stays in, he’ll run out of money sooner rather than later, which undercuts his image as a successful businessman, which is most of his livelihood. On the other hand, withdrawing before that does the same thing, unless he came up with an excuse everyone would buy, and I can’t think of one. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1623 "2016-06-21T02:41:58Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > News like that make me honestly wonder. On one hand, if he stays in, he’ll run out of money sooner rather than later, which undercuts his image as a successful businessman, which is most of his livelihood. On the other hand, withdrawing before that does the same thing, unless he came up with an excuse everyone would buy, and I can’t think of one. “The voters were very unfair to me. Okay? They’re unfair.” ---
**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 21, 2016, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1624 "2016-06-21T03:03:27Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > News like that make me honestly wonder. On one hand, if he stays in, he’ll run out of money sooner rather than later, which undercuts his image as a successful businessman, which is most of his livelihood. On the other hand, withdrawing before that does the same thing, unless he came up with an excuse everyone would buy, and I can’t think of one. “You know, I got into this race for one reason: to defend our borders. Our borders need defending, okay? I was talking about this when nobody else was talking about this. It’s why I beat all of those other candidates, and I beat them _bad_. Now, I’d probably beat Hillary – I would _love_ to beat Hillary – but there’s a small, a very small chance that she wins, and then who knows about the borders? And the Republicans, they want me to step aside, they want someone else to run instead. So I say: you know what? I say, if both candidates will pledge to build the wall, to build a _great_ wall, along our border with Mexico; and to stop all immigration by Muslims, I’ll drop out of the race right now.” If they go for it, can he declare victory while saying he was right all along? ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1625 "2016-06-21T03:17:33Z")
This’ll all end in withdrawal for ‘unspecified health reasons’. The backroom machinations will be spectacular. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1626 "2016-06-21T03:22:06Z")
[QUOTE=Jophiel] I don’t have a cite yet aside from Twitter (although all the political class is chattering about it) but the new FEC reports show that Trump entered June with $1.3mil cash on hand versus Clinton’s $42mil. If Trump is relying on the RNC to do the heavy lifting, they reported taking in $11m in May versus $34m in May 2012. As someone wryly noted, Ben Carson’s campaign ($1.7m cash on hand) is currently better funded than Trump’s. [/QUOTE] This is like the political version of that dream where you show up for class with no pants on, and everyone’s laughing at you and you wonder how the fuck you got here, but there’s no time to go home and you can’t find anything to cover yourself up with. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1627 "2016-06-21T03:32:47Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > [A guy who claims to be a Trump supporter and ex-cop is calling for “patriots” to come to Cleveland to kill black people.](http://bipartisanreport.com/2016/06/20/breaking-donald-trump-supporter-caught-planning-terror-attacks-at-gop-convention-video/) This guy has been in the news a few times. [Daily Mail](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3544609/Gun-toting-Donald-Trump-supporter-wears-God-hates-Islam-shirt-burned-Mexican-flag-host-anti-Muslim-rally-outside-Georgia-Capitol.html) did a write up on him back in April. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1628 "2016-06-21T03:44:39Z")
> [@Randolph](#): > > This’ll all end in withdrawal for ‘unspecified health reasons’. The backroom machinations will be spectacular. Impossible. Trump has the _best_ health. His doctors - they’re geniuses, you wouldn’t believe how great they are - they always say “Stop being so healthy, Mr. Trump, you’re putting us out of business!” ---
**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:** [June 21, 2016, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1629 "2016-06-21T04:29:21Z")
If I recall correctly, his doctor (or at least _a_ doctor willing to write on campaign letterhead) has said that he would, in fact, be the healthiest president ever elected in the history of the United States. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1630 "2016-06-21T04:32:20Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > [QUOTE=PastTense] > > Could someone clarify the differences between Manafort and Lewandowski? That’s kind of a silly question. For one thing, Manafort has been working campaigns since Lewadowski has been in diapers including 6 presidential campaigns. [/QUOTE] It’s not a silly question. For those of us who don’t know a lot about political backrooms in the US, it’s a perfectly sensible question. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1631 "2016-06-21T04:42:10Z")
I can’t believe no-one has said this: [Trump to Lewandoski: “Corey, you’re fired!”](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/20/donald-trump-campaign-manager-corey-lewandowski-out) > [@](#): > > The news came as a surprise to Lewandowski when Trump informed him this morning in Trump Tower, a source told the Guardian. > … > In a live interview with CNN on Monday afternoon that lasted for nearly half an hour, Lewandowski stood steadfastly by his candidate, insisting he had “no regrets” and that all was well with the campaign. **Lewandowski** , who said Trump had fired him with “a nice conversation”, only **grudgingly admitted to having been escorted out of Trump Tower by security**. 'Cause everyone know that’s how you deal with someone you fire, right? Just can’t trust them so you just have to call in security. Look, it’s the way things work in business! And of course, you don’t let the peons in your organization know what’s going on: > [@](#): > > On Monday morning, the news came as a surprise to many in the Trump campaign. One high-ranking source told the Guardian: “I have no idea what’s going on.” Others said the news had not been shared internally and they were learning of the shakeup through the media. And the blood-letting didn’t stop there: > [@](#): > > The strain showed when Michael Caputo, a high-ranking Trump staffer who had long been critical of Lewandowski, tweeted: “Ding dong the witch is dead.” > > Later Monday afternoon, Caputo resigned from the campaign over the tweet, expressing his regret for “too exuberant a reaction to this personnel move”. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1632 "2016-06-21T05:33:25Z")
Trump’s eldest daugher suspected Caputo of being aligned with Tyrion Lannister. Really, he’s lucky to get out alive. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1633 "2016-06-21T07:13:05Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Trump’s eldest daugher suspected Caputo of being aligned with Tyrion Lannister. Really, he’s lucky to get out alive. The Trump Campaign is Game of Thrones with fewer nude scenes? ---
**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:** [June 21, 2016, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1634 "2016-06-21T09:16:46Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Remember the old saying of “follow the money”? In this campaign we have to ask Trump “Where is the money?” Somebody followed the money. [Guess where it’s going](http://www.marketwatch.com/story/20-of-donald-trumps-campaign-spending-goes-to-trump-businesses-filing-says-2016-06-21)? > [@](#): > > Donald Trump’s campaign is almost broke, and is paying an unusual amount of money to Trump-owned businesses. That’s according to the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s FEC filing, details of which were released Monday night. What a shock. > [@GIGObuster](#): > > I forgot to add: > > IMHO this fits with what some reported was the original plan of Trump, to finish the primaries just with very strong numbers, to be in the race as a protest candidate and to enrich himself later with the fame and list of supporters. > > I think that now it is “oh S\*\*\*! I have to spent close to a billion to continue?” time, and that was not really part of his plan. Or maybe his plan was to enrich himself with campaign donations? Trump’s business style has always been to go in, get the money and leave the shrivelled husk of a business behind if necessary. No surprise he’s treating his campaign the same way. > [@](#): > > Of the $6.7 million the Trump campaign spent in May, nearly 20% went to Trump-owned businesses or family members. The less he spends on his actual campaign, the more he gets to keep. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1635 "2016-06-21T10:19:32Z")
The Trump campaign has less cash on hand [than the Ben Carson campaign.](http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/scrawny-trump-campaign-sputters-into-general-224580) ---
**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:** [June 21, 2016, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1636 "2016-06-21T11:21:44Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I agree. Lewandowski was the guy who pushed for Trump to act out and get attention. Manafort was brought in to quiet Trump down and make him appear respectable. The two have been fighting over how Trump should present himself. > > If Manafort has won the power struggle, we can probably expect Trump to start developing a new facade. He’ll still be crazy but he’ll start acting sane in public. This could make Trump a lot more dangerous. Does Trump do or say anything that Trump doesn’t want to do or say? I seriously doubt that Lewandowski made Trump act like a buffoon – Trump is who he is. The comments about a Mexican judge is all about Trump himself, not his campaign manager. I suspect the larger disagreement is how to manage the campaign itself, about where to campaign, how to raise money, how to win support among conservatives, etc. And this is where Manafort is probably going to make a difference – if it’s not already too late. The only thing Trump has going for him is that Hillary is not well liked herself, but she’s raising a shit load of cash and her party is mostly behind her. Trump, by contrast, now has a party in almost open revolt against him. ---
**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:** [June 21, 2016, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1637 "2016-06-21T11:23:56Z")
Trump can’t even run his own campaign…and yet people believe he’s ready to be the next president of the United States.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1638 "2016-06-21T11:32:41Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > The Trump campaign has less cash on hand [than the Ben Carson campaign.](http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/scrawny-trump-campaign-sputters-into-general-224580) Once Trump taps Carson for VP, he’ll have twice the war chest! ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1639 "2016-06-21T11:48:18Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Somebody followed the money. [Guess where it’s going](http://www.marketwatch.com/story/20-of-donald-trumps-campaign-spending-goes-to-trump-businesses-filing-says-2016-06-21)?What a shock. > > Or maybe his plan was to enrich himself with campaign donations? Trump’s business style has always been to go in, get the money and leave the shrivelled husk of a business behind if necessary. No surprise he’s treating his campaign the same way.The less he spends on his actual campaign, the more he gets to keep. Or maybe those are “in kind” contributions. Remember the story earlier about how Hillary was drawing a $250k salary from the campaign? [http://freebeacon.com/politics/hillary-paid-herself-250000-from-campaign-funds/](http://freebeacon.com/politics/hillary-paid-herself-250000-from-campaign-funds/) So don’t be too sure that you’ve found a smoking gun here. ---
**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 21, 2016, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/1640 "2016-06-21T11:51:27Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > News like that make me honestly wonder. On one hand, if he stays in, he’ll run out of money sooner rather than later, which undercuts his image as a successful businessman, which is most of his livelihood. On the other hand, withdrawing before that does the same thing, unless he came up with an excuse everyone would buy, and I can’t think of one. “This very serious threat came, a very serious threat, the most serious threat. The Secret Service said it was the biggest threat any candidate had ever received. I said it doesn’t matter how serious the threat, look, I’m not going to be scared, but it wasn’t a threat against me, it was against my beautiful wife, my beautiful wife who is the most beautiful and would be the most beautiful First Lady in the world she’s so beautiful, and this threat was the biggest threat against her…” Not saying “everyone would buy” that, but some would. And she probably does receive horrific threats. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=81) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=83)