# 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:** 57
**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:** [March 18, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1124 "2024-03-18T20:51:57Z")
Ok, but my original point was that it’s scary that trump is doing better in the polls than he did in either 2016 and 2020; in the first case he won, and in the second case he lost but not by a huge margin. So the fact that he is doing so well in polling now both confounds and concerns me. ---
**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:** [March 18, 2024, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1125 "2024-03-18T21:55:36Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > It was reported this morning that Trump is considering rehiring Paul Manafort as his campaign manager for 2024. I’ll just pop this quote from Wikipedia here: > The Republican-controlle [Senate Intelligence Committee concluded in August 2020 that Manafort’s ties to individuals connected to Russian intelligence while he was Trump’s campaign manager “represented a grave counterintelligence threat” by creating opportunities for “Russian intelligence services to exert influence over, and acquire confidential information on, the Trump campaign.” ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1126 "2024-03-18T22:35:57Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I suspect that Trump is a viable candidate because many of them truly believe that Trump was appointed by God. Which is the most bizarre thing. Why would their god choose such a vile, hateful, sleazebag to be his champion? Trump’s certainly not converting anyone to Christianity. In fact, he’s probably pushing some away from that. How does their god using an anti-example of Jesus make things better? Is he saying that doing things the Jesus way didn’t work so well so he is trying something different? It’s just weird. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1127 "2024-03-18T22:42:21Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I suspect that Trump is a viable candidate because many of them truly believe that Trump was appointed by God. To do one thing: stack the SC to overturn Roe. God works in mysterious ways, you know. Ends justify means, or something. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1128 "2024-03-18T22:44:02Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > Why would their god choose such a vile, hateful, sleazebag to be his champion? They often like to invoke the Old Testament example of Cyrus the Great to prove their point: a non-believer who still accomplished God’s will. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1129 "2024-03-18T23:15:00Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > a non-believer who still accomplished God’s will. Yes, I’ve read about Cyrus. But he was just a non-believer, not an asshole. Couldn’t god have come up with one of those instead of a vile, hateful sleazebag? /rhetorical ---
**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:** [March 18, 2024, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1130 "2024-03-18T23:16:22Z")
I think deciphering God’s thinking is a topic for another thread. But ISTM that self-proclaimed ‘Christians’ _believe_ God has chosen Trump, and that’s enough for them. And as has been said, there’s a ~~flock~~ _bunch_ of them. ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1131 "2024-03-18T23:23:24Z")
And once you attach the word “belief” to an opinion you open yourself up cognitively to all kinds self-reinforcing double think. “I think Trump was chosen by God.” “And why do you think that?” “No reason, it’s just what I believe.” And for them that’s a valid response. If a giant golden idol of trump at one of their own conferences wasn’t enough of a wake up call nothing will be. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1132 "2024-03-19T00:09:35Z")
The bible does say God rises leaders up, as if He has chosen them for the position. This looks to me as a way to punish a people allright. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2024, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1133 "2024-03-19T00:44:32Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > Which is the most bizarre thing. Why would their god choose such a vile, hateful, sleazebag to be his champion? Trump’s certainly not converting anyone to Christianity. In fact, he’s probably pushing some away from that. How does their god using an anti-example of Jesus make things better? Is he saying that doing things the Jesus way didn’t work so well so he is trying something different? It’s just weird. God moves in mysterious ways? I’ve heard Evangelicals compare Trump to Cyrus the Great. When the Babylonians defeated the Jews he pushed them out of Jerusalem and forced them to go to Babylon. Years later, Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, conquored the Babylonians and not only allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem but gave them gold to rebuild their temples. What those Evangelicals forget is the Jews didn’t pick Cyrus whereas Evangelicals deliberately picked Trump. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1134 "2024-03-19T01:52:58Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > Why would their god choose such a vile, hateful, sleazebag to be his champion? T Because they expect him to SMITE the people they hate. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2024, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1135 "2024-03-19T02:21:04Z")
If Trump’s goal is to make America Persian, there may be a tad more theocracy but the availability of a good _tahdig_ would presumably improve. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2024, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1136 "2024-03-19T03:15:06Z")
> [@solost](#): > > So the fact that he is doing so well in polling now both confounds and concerns me. I feel you. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1137 "2024-03-19T04:51:14Z")
As if right now, it’s at $1,381,741. Long ways to go, folks. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1138 "2024-03-19T04:56:49Z")
I had to look up “tahdig.” That sounds delicious; I may make one some time soon. I think I have all the ingredients except the pistachios. Now, let’s resume our regularly scheduled programming. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1139 "2024-03-19T04:57:36Z")
Trump said just once during the 2016 campaign that he opposed abortion. That’s really all a lot of them need. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1140 "2024-03-19T07:17:23Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > And Biffster alluded to a main reason _why_ the chances of a Clinton popular victory/Trump electoral victory were much higher than the chances of the opposite occurring Wouldn’t that chap his hide? – Winning the popular vote but losing the Electoral College. – We’d never hear the end of it. Of course, we’ll never hear the end of it if he loses both or, come to think of it, _wins_ both. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > They often like to invoke the Old Testament example of Cyrus the Great to prove their point: a non-believer who still accomplished God’s will. There’s also the Antichrist. _For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved._ — 2 Thessalonians 2:7–10 NRSV ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1141 "2024-03-19T07:36:13Z")
If stock is held by a limited number of people, it really isn’t too hard to inflate the price. (See TSL, bitcoin) Especially when you are not looking for more traditional ways to earn money but rather trying run scams. Trump likes to get cheap loans based on overvalued collateral: there must be dozens other ways to profit from an overvalued company. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1142 "2024-03-19T11:46:06Z")
One reason he’s viable is because he seems to be gaining Black votes. Now, I’ve not read the “polls are broken” thread, so this may be unreliable for some reason covered there. > **[Why are Black voters backing Donald Trump in record numbers?](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/18/why-are-black-voters-backing-donald-trump-in-record-numbers)** > > Latest polls show 17 percent of Black voters would vote for former president today – more than twice the number in 2016. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2024, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1143 "2024-03-19T11:58:43Z")
It appears to be looking at the crosstabs of a single poll, with who knows what sample size. Polls this early are pretty meaningless – crosstabs of individual polls are even more so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949.md?page=56) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949.md?page=58)