I laughed.
Trump '16: Make America as great as Russia!
Practical question:
Trump has been relatively less insane this last week or so, allowing the race to be less completely about him and some about Clinton. Actually going to Black churches may not win him any Black votes but it makes him seem less despicable to some White college-educated too. That’s worked moderately well in regards to the polls moving him to what I consider his likely polling ceiling of down 3ish (3.8 in 538’s polls-only and 4.3 in Nowcast; 3.6 for Wang’s Meta-margin; 2.1 to 2.7 RCP rolling average, 4-way and 2-way).
No doubt polls are important but part of his potential path to victory is predicated upon increasing the non-college-educated White turnout, in particular the White resentful vote.
Any thoughts on how that balance plays? Will a less crazed Trump visibly reaching out to “The Blacks” be less effective in getting the resentful Whites to actually vote this cycle?
My gut instinct is that if he can keep it up it will be a net gain. A lot of “resentful Whites” are not deeply racist. They may not like illegal immigrants taking their jobs and think equal oppurtunity is bullshit but that doesn’t mean Trump speaking at a Black church taints him. The earlier “what have you got to lose?” stuff plays into any stereotypes they might hold. And a fair number who are truly racist probably accept that he’s “just playing the game” and give him a pass.
On the other side, college educated whites might ironically now be able to think he was just “playing to the base” before he made these overtures.
So like I said, net gain. I am betting minimal though. Like a point or so max. Most people have made up their mind.
Maybe until tonight (Friday).
Tonight’s awfulness.
OK, is going to war over a gesture officially unhinged or not?
Do we continue to grade Trump on a curve or do we finally(!!) hold him accountable for his bellicose and weird statements?
A Russian fighter plane came within 20 FEET of an American plane the other day. He probably thinks that’s all right.
Holy Schlamoley! Trump READ SCRIPTURE in front of the Bible-beaters? That is…whoa, I need a few hours to process this. Trump as Christian Sunday School Teacher. Fuckin’ shit…
Well, he’s a bit … flexible … with the rules of engagement.
He’s the Stretch Armstrong of naval warfare.
I mean, why do we even have destroyers if we don’t destroy stuff with them?
When they’re done shooting little boats maybe they can stop in and take all the oil.
I want to know why you mainstream Christians refuse to do anything about these Radical Extremist Christianists. I say keep them out until we can figure this thing out.
If he is president and orders this shit, I don’t know what scares me more: the Navy listening to him or the Navy disobeying orders. The latter scares me because it could set a precedent that could hurt if we made it through to having a sane president again.
I am far more concerned about what Hillary has done compared to what Trump has said.
Well, when it comes to a President of the United States, words have tremendous power across the globe, so methinks you should be equally concerned with both.
Skimming the thread, I was stunned by this:
America’s polarization is ugly and terrifying. And this is no Bush, Romney, McCain or even Cruz who sort-of kind-of huuuugely admires Putin; it’s the man whom rational GOPpers claim to loathe but vote for anyway to keep the White House away from the Evil Witch of Clunchkin Land.
I wan’t the only one stunned:
Haven’t some Republicans had a crush on Putin for a while? Trump’s thing about Putin being a better leader than Obama isn’t something he just made up. There have been other Republican politicians saying that for years. Ah, it was Rudy. And also Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh and Pat Buchanan.
Please, enlighten us! This is The Donald’s thread, so this would be a good place for you to express your admiration for him…