# How can Donald Trump win at this point? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump, kamala-harris\ **Created:** [August 6, 2024, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351 "2024-08-06T21:13:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 125
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2482 "2024-10-01T03:58:59Z")
As I said above (way back), does Trump with his lazy ass on the golf course seem to be masterminding some sort of steal the vote operation?! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2483 "2024-10-01T04:01:13Z")
Trump isn’t alone, and some of his people have brains enough to pull some nasty crap. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2484 "2024-10-01T04:10:32Z")
I don’t doubt that some people are trying some shit, but I don’t get the impression of a coordinated effort. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2485 "2024-10-01T04:14:36Z")
When it comes to Bullwinkle J. Trump, I really don’t think overkill can be a bad thing. Do you? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2486 "2024-10-01T10:16:48Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I don’t understand the strategy. Hit him with being a traitor. Hit him with killing the immigration bill for his own benefit. Hit him with the indictments and convictions. I don’t see any political adds here (don’t watch much TV, mostly old re-runs and movies). But yes call him out for what he is for gods sake. Show J6 again and again. Show him in courtrooms. List the names of all the people in prison because of Trump. List there family names and all the lives he has destroyed. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2487 "2024-10-01T11:43:56Z")
I’ve seen newer ads contrasting Harris and Trump that are pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2488 "2024-10-01T13:22:59Z")
From what I have heard, the Dems have a pretty solid legal team together and are ready to counter any BS. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2489 "2024-10-01T13:29:06Z")
Yeah, I think we should be running the best ads possible, but I also think the race is pretty inert at this point. Trump has no energy, is barely campaigning, and is just dribbling out his basic crazy on the daily. No one is really listening to him, and he can’t move the dial one way or the other. If he wins, it will only be because there are enough idiots to make it so, and the polls which gave Harris the edge are all off in the wrong direction. The Dems are so flush with cash that they are literally sending it to all 50 states to help downballot races: > **[For the first time ever, Democrats make it rain in all 50 states](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/9/27/2273251/-For-the-first-time-ever-Democrats-make-it-rain-in-all-50-states)** > > The Democratic National Committee announced that it’ s sending a combined $2.5 million to all 50 state parties for the first time in an effort to influence downballot races in deep-red states, ... If they thought there was some special way to influence the troglodytes that will still vote for Orange Jeso, I think they would be doing it. We have the VP debate tonight, which I think will be mildly entertaining but not really change anything. About a month to go. I don’t think there will be any big surprises,\* and I think Harris will win. \*Outside of international events, but I don’t think anything would particularly help Trump or hurt Harris at this stage. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2490 "2024-10-01T14:24:00Z")
This Atlantic article fits several threads. But since it’s about Kennedy voters going strongly for Trump, I’m putting it in the how Trump can win thread: [’This Is Where You End Up When You Do Your Own Research’](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/will-rfk-jr-s-supporters-vote-for-trump/ar-AA1rtKQv) I initially thought the article title was meant as a joke, but apparently not. How’s this for an explanation of why so many will vote for a convicted felon: > [@](#): > > “Do you ever think about why people root for the robbers in heist movies?” the _Rolling Stone_ writer turned Substacker Matt Taibbi asked the crowd. “There’s a little bit of outlaw in all of us.” ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2491 "2024-10-01T14:53:04Z")
Here’s my theory. She’s trying to reach low information and likely non-voters. What do you think would happen if she starts talking about the intricacies of tariffs? Those types will zone out or change the channel. People that have an interest in tariffs already know who they are voting for. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2492 "2024-10-01T15:14:48Z")
> [@LoneRhino](#): > > Those types will zone out or change the channel. People that have an interest in tariffs already know who they are voting for. One of the reasons Harris should pound J6 and highlight all of the Trump supporters that are in prison now. THAT might get their attention. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2493 "2024-10-01T15:22:02Z")
Why? No one is unaware of January 6 or that Trump associates with criminals. And everyone’s already decided how they feel it. I don’t think that these are fruitful lines of attack. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2024, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2494 "2024-10-01T15:28:44Z")
And the sad fact is authoritarianism _appeals_ to many of them. They perceive “strength”. Better to focus on his being weak and pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2495 "2024-10-01T15:38:18Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Better to focus on his being weak and pathetic. Hmmm… While tons of damage was done on J6 (including lives lost), I see it as weak and pathetic. That’s all Trump had left. Con people to try to overturn the election. BECAUSE he’s weak and pathetic. A true man can accept defeat. Ah, shit, I got nothing re Trump and his supporters. What scares me is that the victors write the history books. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2496 "2024-10-01T17:27:56Z")
I agree. Sadly, the evil is baked in at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2497 "2024-10-01T17:36:58Z")
One clever and also wise thing that Harris has done, IMO, is _not_ attack Trump all that much outside of the debate. She said, “If you’ve got something to say to me, say it to my face,” as she’s pretty much practiced what she’s preached. When she and Walz have gone after Trump and Vance, it’s mostly been directly related to policy. When she’s had Trump’s racist bullshit quoted back to her, she’s deflected with, “The American people deserve better,” and, “It’s the same old playbook.” This is the behavior and methodology of a mature adult who understands Trump. Trump says dumb shit so that people will react, and when people react to him, he controls the narrative. Harris hasn’t taken the bait. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2498 "2024-10-01T17:40:30Z")
I also notice that they’ve eased off the “weird” emphasis. Probably smart; you don’t want to overuse it, and it seems to have gotten a hook into public consciousness. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2499 "2024-10-01T18:23:17Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > Yeah, I think we should be running the best ads possible, but I also think the race is pretty inert at this point. Trump has no energy, is barely campaigning, and is just dribbling out his basic crazy on the daily. I’m not sure where you are getting that from. He’s at four different events in four different states this week. He is absolutely campaigning and the ad machine is cranking out commercials and saturating battlegrounds. If pretending he’s not trying makes you feel better so be it. It’s not true. Is he doing less campaigning than Harris? Maybe? I’m not sure how you can quantitatively compare since they have different strategies. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2500 "2024-10-01T18:25:18Z")
I understand about the ads, of course. Maybe Trump has ramped up a bit. There was a time not too long ago when he was doing virtually nothing. Thank you for the data point. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351/2501 "2024-10-01T19:13:10Z")
> [@LoneRhino](#): > > She’s trying to reach low information and likely non-voters. What do you think would happen if she starts talking about the intricacies of tariffs? Those types will zone out or change the channel. It reminds me of what I do at work at times. When we have an IT solution that we think will help the agency, and I’m the one who has to convince management of it, I can’t go tossing technical jargon at them. I need to put things in a way that a layman can understand. How is this going to affect them in the end? The nitty-gritty doesn’t matter and the details are going to confuse and bore people, I just need to say how this will make things better, not the exact mechanism that will get to that end. That’s what the discussion with other IT folks is for. Most people don’t understand economics or complicated political issues, and don’t care. They care how things are going to affect their daily lives, their family, their paycheck and bank account. So keep it simple, understandable, and get through to people why it matters. Also, I have seen the first Trump ads on TV in my area (the greater Seattle area) for the first time this week. So it does seem like the Trump campaign is spreading out a bit more and trying to push a bit harder over the final stretch. Maybe they see it as now-or-nothing time, better spend that campaign money now or none of the spending matters if they lose. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351.md?page=124) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-donald-trump-win-at-this-point/1005351.md?page=126)