# Donald Trump's big Obama announcement **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 24, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686 "2012-10-24T01:41:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/41 "2012-10-24T15:15:32Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > If it’s the divorce thing, unless there are really damaging reasons involved (abuse, adultery), it can only make Obama more sympathetic. This suggests whatever Trump is digging up or making up could affect people’s opinions of Obama. I don’t think that’s the case. I can’t help noticing that it’s much easier to find people on the left denouncing whatever dirt Trump is proclaiming (as you can see in this thread, people are pre-emptively attacking several rumors) and people on the right saying that whatever Allred is trying to disclose, it’s a pack of lies anyway. And I think you can find both sides saying that whatever the thing is, it’ll backfire and help the other guy anyway. It’s hard to avoid the impression this is trolling or political theater for the benefit of hardcore partisans. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/42 "2012-10-24T15:18:01Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > [One thing that’s ironic about it is that Obama owes his present position to exactly this type of shenanigan, having been elected to the Senate based on his opponent’s divorce papers being unsealed.] Yes, the ‘salacious divorce’ discovery can especially hurt a Republican candidate. As a nerd in Illinois, hearing that Jack Ryan wanted to shag his wife Seven-of-Nine in public would not have dissuaded me from voting for him. If I was married to Jeri Ryan, I’d want to show off too. Anyhow, Ryan was already trailing Obama in the polls when all that came to light. It would have been an actual race, though, had Ryan not dropped out. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/43 "2012-10-24T15:21:08Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Link? I can’t find anything. Well, this [gawker link](http://gawker.com/5954461/gloria-allreds-october-surprise-mitt-romney-lied-under-oath-to-help-staples-founder-keep-money-from-wife-in-divorce)makes it sound like that’s still speculation. I read the TMZ link that made it sound more like fact. So, my bad (although this does seem like the most likely story). ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/44 "2012-10-24T15:22:57Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Anyhow, Ryan was already trailing Obama in the polls when all that came to light. It would have been an actual race, though, had Ryan not dropped out. I don’t recall who was ahead at the time, but it was a highly competitive race, as you note. But in any event, winning by a huge landslide helped Obama’s standing as a national figure. In addition, the fact that he no longer faced serious opposition allowed him to focus less on his own race and more on building up chits by campaigning for other candidates. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/45 "2012-10-24T15:31:51Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > [One thing that’s ironic about it is that Obama owes his present position to exactly this type of shenanigan, having been elected to the Senate based on his opponent’s divorce papers being unsealed.] Divorce-court revelations against Blair Hull and Jack Ryan helped him get elected to the Senate, which in turns helped him get elected president. Saying he “owes his present position” to those disclosures fudges the truth to a large degree. He did have to pull off the minor feats of beating his other primary challenges and getting himself elected to the Senate and the presidency. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/46 "2012-10-24T15:33:49Z")
I’m sorry, but FYI the term “owes his present position to …” or the like is commonly used in similar circumstances, and does not amount to fudging the truth. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/47 "2012-10-24T15:35:18Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Well, this [gawker link](http://gawker.com/5954461/gloria-allreds-october-surprise-mitt-romney-lied-under-oath-to-help-staples-founder-keep-money-from-wife-in-divorce)makes it sound like that’s still speculation. I read the TMZ link that made it sound more like fact. So, my bad (although this does seem like the most likely story). [Here’s the TMZ story.](http://www.tmz.com/2012/10/24/mitt-romney-tom-stemberg-staples-lied-perjury-divorce-case-maureen/) They’re pretty good with their sources and are usually right when putting out this kind of stuff, so I’d say it’s a good bet you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/48 "2012-10-24T15:40:52Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > But in any event, winning by a huge landslide helped Obama’s standing as a national figure. In addition, the fact that he no longer faced serious opposition allowed him to focus less on his own race and more on building up chits by campaigning for other candidates. That’s probably true. Yeah, I can see where it would have at least delayed his presidential ambitions for a while if the 2004 senate race hadn’t been a cakewalk after the primary. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/49 "2012-10-24T15:44:13Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I’m sorry, but FYI the term “owes his present position to …” or the like is commonly used in similar circumstances, and does not amount to fudging the truth. It’s inaccurate and oversimplifies the situation to a large degree. I already explained why, so I’ll leave it at that. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/50 "2012-10-24T15:50:58Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s inaccurate and oversimplifies the situation to a large degree. I already explained why, so I’ll leave it at that. You’ve explained it already but you’re wrong. “Owes his present position to …” is not commonly used or understood to mean “was the sole factor in his getting his present position …”. It’s used to mean “would not have his present position if not for …”, though there may have been other factors involved as well. Hey I get your point about Obama, but claiming that I was fudging the truth by using that phrase is itself fudging the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/51 "2012-10-24T15:56:37Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > [Here’s the TMZ story.](http://www.tmz.com/2012/10/24/mitt-romney-tom-stemberg-staples-lied-perjury-divorce-case-maureen/) They’re pretty good with their sources and are usually right when putting out this kind of stuff, so I’d say it’s a good bet you’re right. Assuming this is 100% true, and clearly Romney was in the wrong, does this really have an effect on the election? I’m having a hard time seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/52 "2012-10-24T16:02:28Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > You’ve explained it already but you’re wrong. “Owes his present position to …” is not commonly used or understood to mean “was the sole factor in his getting his present position …” And I didn’t say you described it as the sole factor. I’m saying your comment overstated the importance of the divorce scandals while underplaying a lot of other things, like actual campaigning. With that, can we get back to breathlessly waiting for Donald Trump and Gloria Allred to determine who will be the next president? ---
**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:** [October 24, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/53 "2012-10-24T16:06:23Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Assuming this is 100% true, and clearly Romney was in the wrong, does this really have an effect on the election? I’m having a hard time seeing it. Everybody knows that perjuring yourself doesn’t render you unfit to be President unless a blowjob is involved. ---
**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:** [October 24, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/54 "2012-10-24T16:14:43Z")
The big reveal? [Trump will donate $5 million to a charity](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgOq9pBkY0I&feature=youtu.be&hd=1)of the President’s choice if he releases college records, passport application, etc. Wow is that incredibly weak. A good bet is that some liberal millionaire will match the gift if he _doesn’t_ release anything. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/55 "2012-10-24T16:14:58Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > And I didn’t say you described it as the sole factor. You implied it. > [@](#): > > I’m saying your comment overstated the importance of the divorce scandals while underplaying a lot of other things, like actual campaigning. Context matters. We were not discussing Obama’s qualifications to be President or lack thereof. This is about an alleged pending disclosure of Obama divorce papers, and I remarked that this would be ironic in light of the role that disclosure of others’ divorce papers played in Obama’s own ascendency. That role was important enough for it to be ironic. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/56 "2012-10-24T16:16:28Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Assuming this is 100% true, and clearly Romney was in the wrong, does this really have an effect on the election? I’m having a hard time seeing it. Let’s see… 2 weeks before the election, rumors of wrongdoing in a Hollywood gossip magazine. Said story cites mysterious, unnamed sources, which all seem to trace back to some dude’s vengeful ex-wife. Why are we wasting our time discussing this? The only people who are going to believe it are hardcore Democrats who weren’t going to vote for Romeny anyway. Everyone else will assume (almost certainly correctly) that this is a cheap election-year potshot. ---
**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:** [October 24, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/57 "2012-10-24T16:17:09Z")
There is no release of anything. Just a clown talking about his clownishness. Nothing to see here. EDIT: I’m talking about Trump’s supposed surprise, not Allred’s about Romney. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/58 "2012-10-24T16:19:35Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Assuming this is 100% true, and clearly Romney was in the wrong, does this really have an effect on the election? I’m having a hard time seeing it. ``` I doubt it could be proved that Romney perjured himself since valuation is hardly an exact science. However if the wife is sympathetic it could hurt Romney with women voters and reinforce his image as a heartless plutocrat. It's not going to have a big impact but I could see this story driving a news cycle or two to his detriment. ``` ---
**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:** [October 24, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/59 "2012-10-24T16:21:50Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The big reveal? [Trump will donate $5 million to a charity](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgOq9pBkY0I&feature=youtu.be&hd=1)of the President’s choice if he releases college records, passport application, etc. > > Wow is that incredibly weak. A good bet is that some liberal millionaire will match the gift if he _doesn’t_ release anything. I have this mental image of a big event with a brass band marching in sparkling dress uniforms… which proceeds to play a little wet-fart noise from one trumpet, and then slinks away. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686/60 "2012-10-24T16:22:35Z")
Wow, that Trump announcement was a stinker. That was very, very big news that would change the election? That is a man desperate for attention. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-big-obama-announcement/638686.md?page=4)