# How is trump still a viable candidate for president? Really, how? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [May 12, 2023, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949 "2023-05-12T14:28:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 28
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/544 "2023-09-17T16:47:27Z")
Thank you for taking it in the spirit it was intended. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/545 "2023-09-22T13:00:48Z")
Poll > The survey of 1,636 U.S. adults, which was conducted from Sept. 14 to 18, offered respondents seven emotions ā€” three positive, three negative, one neutral ā€” and asked them to select any and all that reflect their attitude toward the 2024 campaign. > > Dread, the most negative option, topped the list (41%), followed by exhaustion (34%), optimism (25%), depression (21%), indifference (17%), excitement (15%) and delight (5%). > [Poll: ā€˜Dreadā€™ tops list of Americansā€™ feelings about 2024 election](https://news.yahoo.com/poll-dread-tops-list-of-americans-feelings-about-2024-election-191803206.html) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/546 "2023-09-22T13:05:08Z")
Thanks for sharing this. Interesting to see how folks (across the spectrum) feel about the upcoming campaigns/election process itself. Why canā€™t we be like the UK, where these things typically take about a month or two? ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/547 "2023-09-22T15:03:13Z")
Arenā€™t rapists considered sex offenders? Shouldnā€™t trump be wearing an ankle monitor and introducing himself to his neighbors? ---
**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:** [September 22, 2023, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/548 "2023-09-22T15:10:30Z")
Heā€™s not been convicted of a criminal offence, so sex offender registration laws donā€™t apply. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/549 "2023-09-22T15:27:49Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Why canā€™t we be like the UK, where these things typically take about a month or two? Sounds like a great idea to me. At the very very least, I wish a law would be passed barring any and all campaign advertising until a month or so before the election. All that campaign flyer trash; all those endlessly repeating attack ads day after day after day for months. Itā€™s unbearable. ---
**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:** [September 22, 2023, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/550 "2023-09-22T15:43:51Z")
Such a law would breach the 1st Amendment, is my immediate thought. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/551 "2023-09-22T15:51:10Z")
I agree, although I wonder if passing a law limiting campaign times would actually be constitutional because it doesnā€™t limit the candidatesā€™ _speech_. (Of course, no such bill would ever be introduced, because it is against the Representativesā€™ and Senatorsā€™ self-interest.) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/552 "2023-09-22T15:58:27Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Such a law would breach the 1st Amendment, is my immediate thought. Awwww but I only like Constitutional rights when they are beneficial to me, not when they inconvenience me! Yeah I was really just joking; I know such an idea would never fly for various reasons, not the least of which is it being in breach of the 1st Amendment. ---
**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:** [September 22, 2023, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/553 "2023-09-22T15:59:44Z")
_Citizens United v FEC_ held that limitations on broadcasting a film critical of Clinton prior to the 2008 primaries infringed the 1st amendment. That wasnā€™t even candidates, but third party citizens group. I would imagine it would apply even more forcefully to campaign activities by an actual candidate. > **[Citizens United v. FEC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_United_v._FEC)** > > Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010), is a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States regarding campaign finance laws and free speech under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The court held 5ā€“4 that the freedom of speech clause of the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for political campaigns by corporations, including nonprofit corporations, labor unions, and other associations. > The case... ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2023, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/554 "2023-09-23T01:49:14Z")
Just wow. There are few words. > **[The Patriot](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/11/general-mark-milley-trump-coup/675375/)** > > How General Mark Milley protected the Constitution from Donald Trump ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2023, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/555 "2023-09-24T18:45:17Z")
**Excerpt (link below)** _Laci, 19, a student nurse who will vote for the first time next year, agreed that things were better under Trump. ā€œOur country was at its highest point when he was president. We need to get back to what it used to be, because I think our country was a lot happier and less divided when he was president.ā€_ _Trump made 30,573 false or misleading claims during his four-year presidency, according to a Washington Post count. But Laci added: ā€œYeah, he says some stupid stuff ā€“ the tweets and everything ā€“ but that doesnā€™t bother me because ultimately heā€™s an honest, truthful person. I like his personality. I like that heā€™s a businessman.ā€_ _Trump is facing 91 criminal counts in four jurisdictions, but Susan, 59, who works for a bank, said: ā€œHe obviously has a great respect for the rule of law and also just heā€™s shown when he was in office before that he got a lot of things accomplished for a lot of people and did a lot of good things. He got persecuted and I like him even better now because of that.ā€_ _Asked what she would like to see Trump do in a second term, Susan replied: ā€œI would like to see the border closed. I would like to see drilling: drill, baby, drill. We have tons of oil here. Why are we shutting down Alaska reserves? We bought Alaska for the oil. Letā€™s use it. More energy independence. Iā€™d like to see less of this Green New Deal bullshit.ā€_ > **[ā€˜I like him even better nowā€™: Trumpā€™s true believers keep the faith](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/24/donald-trump-supporters-rally-iowa)** > > Millions of Democrats and independents view Trumpā€™ time in office as a disaster but for supporters it is his biggest asset ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/556 "2023-09-25T05:13:49Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > **Excerpt (link below)** Echoes of my mother telling me, ā€œHe [Trump] never did anything as president I found embarrassing.ā€ I have to admit, when I hear Trump supporters speak of him with adoration thereā€™s a part of me that wonders whether Iā€™m the one who has gone off the deep end. I can understand why people voted for him in 2016, but I cannot fathom how they can not only condone his behavior but applaud it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/557 "2023-09-25T13:25:13Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > > _We bought Alaska for the oil._ In 1867? The first oil well in the United States was only built in 1859. ---
**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:** [September 25, 2023, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/558 "2023-09-25T14:16:11Z")
As the excerpt makes clear, what happened and what some of these people _think_ happened are two very different things. Iā€™m sure William Henry Seward would be surprised to learn that heā€™d bought Alaska for the oil - heā€™d bought it for the land as he was an ardent expansionist (once the war was over and he didnā€™t have to worry about slave territory expanding too). Funnily enough, Seward and Trump have something in common - they both wanted to acquire Greenland. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/559 "2023-09-25T14:19:34Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Funnily enough, Seward and Trump have something in common - they both wanted to acquire Greenland. And in Sewardā€™s real world, and Trumpā€™s imaginary one, WWII has not happened. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/560 "2023-09-25T18:54:53Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > > [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > > > > _We bought Alaska for the oil._ > > In 1867? The first oil well in the United States was only built in 1859. You are bringing facts to a moron-fest. Them facts ainā€™t gonna fly. ---
**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:** [September 25, 2023, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/561 "2023-09-25T23:02:59Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Iā€™m sure William Henry Seward would be surprised to learn that heā€™d bought Alaska for the oil - heā€™d bought it for the land as he was an ardent expansionist (once the war was over and he didnā€™t have to worry about slave territory expanding too). From what little I recall from high school history, Alaskaā€™s resources werenā€™t known at the time that the US acquired the territory, and it was nicknamed ā€œSewardā€™s Follyā€ since it was considered by many to be a gigantic wasteland of no real value. The discovery of oil wasnā€™t until much later. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/562 "2023-09-26T00:48:41Z")
Maybe facts will fly if you throw them from the roof of Trump Tower? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/563 "2023-09-26T01:09:28Z")
Trump was apparently unhappy with the above coverage in The Atlantic. Seems to be consistent with his usual balanced perspectiveā€¦ > **[Trump Floats the Idea of Executing Joint Chiefs Chairman Milley](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/trump-milley-execution-incitement-violence/675435/)** > > The former president is inciting violence against the nationā€™s top general. Americaā€™s response is distracted and numb. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949.md?page=27) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949.md?page=29)