I…I just don’t know. I mean, I could sort of stand being President, but I’d be a bit too honest with the electorate:
“Hey, you don’t want me, really. I mean, I’m going to submit a budget to start paying off the debt in ten years just to shut the whiners up; but I’m going to raise taxes on a lot of folks who think they’re too important to pay taxes–like a lot–and a little bit on you.”
Do I assume that I’ve got a major party’s support? Do I have funding? Name recognition?
Or is this where AHunter3 runs for Prez against Donald Trump on the, oh I dunno, Teal Party line, and I finance my own campaign with an ad buy here and an ad buy there from what I can afford to spend from paycheck to paycheck?
If the latter, I wouldn’t crack the 0.01 % ceiling. I have some confidence that I’d outpoll Trump even in the all-important SDMB district, but even there it’s not a certainty.
If I had a party behind me and a campaign organization sufficient to the task, I think I could win.
As posed, the question is a bit like asking if Patton could take Rommel. The two would never go one-on-one, it would have to be an epic tank battle, and epic tanks require epic logistical support and epic supply lines to move those logistics around with them and epic NCOs to ensure the epic privates don’t get epic gonorrhea instead of refueling the epic tanks. My point is, even if I’m the tip of the spear, I’m not going to do a damned thing unless I get the shaft.
I don’t buy this. Voters vote overwhelmingly on the basis of party allegiance. Any no-name citizen running as a Democrat against someone like Trump (assuming those are the only two candidates) would carry the overwhelming majority of Democratic votes.
Think about it: If *you *were a Democratic voter, and your only option was Trump or a Democratic average citizen you’d never heard of until just a few months before Election Day, who’d you vote for?
I don’t think I could win it for my own political party but I think I could out Trump, Trump.
“Yes, that’s right folks, not only will I build a wall taller than Trump’s, but I will also mount machine guns on top of that wall manned by T2 Terminators while waving the American flag that was hand knitted by Syrian refugees right before we load them up on a rocket and blast them off to the freak’n moon!”
Vote for Grrr! everybody!
I would win, because I actually have more political experience than him and I’d be willing to adjust my platform into something that would be palatable to the US population. Of course I wouldn’t run strictly on my own ideals and values, I’d run on something much less extreme (like Bernie Sanders) and I would be open about that. I’d also be available 24/7, answer every question honestly with no bullshit, and basically work my ass off. I’d crush him in every debate.
I’d probably be moderately successful as POTUS. I’d probably fail to get Universal Healthcare through or any majorly radical reforms, but at least I would make sure the budget is balanced and stay out of wars.
Of course I have been convicted of weed possession AND indecent exposure (don’t ask…) which might be a problem… actually… no… come to think of it… I’ve done way too many crazy things in my past to get elected. I forgot how weird my life has been. I take that back. Trump would probably win… at least he’s the sort of crazy that Americans are used to.
Trump would probably beat me because I would be unable to resist screwing around. For example I’d announce that I plan to reform our education system by sacrificing under-performing pupils and teachers to Thoth, the ibis headed god of wisdom. When asked how I would deal with, say, ISIS, I would shout, “THE DAY I TAKE OFFICE THE THUNDER OF OUR BOMBS SHALL HEARD 'ROUND THE GLOBE AND THE BLOOD OF OUR FOES SHALL FLOW FORTH LIKE A RIVER!”
I’d probably apologize to the world afterwards, but really it’s not my fault. You can’t give me that kind of exposure and expect me to act like a normal human.
trump would probably win, but I’d have a ball running against him. I’d get the Straight Dope to double as speech-writers. I’d call him nuttier than a truckload of Payday bars. I’d promise to appoint a replacement for any SC justice who held the same position on abortion as the retiring justice. I’d advocate budget policies that would annoy the crap out of enough people on both sides to look like a moderate.
Trump- I’m gay, atheist, morbidly obese, very liberal, & mentally ill.
In addition to that, I’m suicidal, how long before I launch the nukes on Canada? 
Stupid Moose.:mad:
I wouldn’t even vote for me.
I’d get crushed.
I don’t know if I even have the fortitude to be president. Being directly and indirectly responsible for the deaths of thousands would weigh very heavy.
I feel certain that the American voters would take a long, thoughtful look at my stances on the issues, compare them to Trump’s, and make a reasoned, considered, and. . . Heh.
No, sorry, can’t go on.
Trump would defeat me. I have no political or people skills at all. I think a lot of people underestimate the value of charisma to a politician. Trump’s got it; I don’t.
Probably Trump. All other issues aside, I’m not enough of a leftist to attract left-wing voters, too MUCH of one to attract right-wing voters, and probably too immoderate to attract the centrists.
Maybe I would just gamble on going Gonzo…
“If elected, I vow to reduce America’s nuclear arsenal, aggressively counter the effects of global warming, and completely defeat ISIS…all at once, on the same day!”
“America was a nation built on the principles of immigration, and accepting the ‘huddled masses’ of the world, but we’re not as big or empty a country as we once were…therefore, I intend to remedy this by annexing Alberta. And possibly Baja California, depending on how the weather looks.”
“It is a national tragedy that America has lost it’s lead in both manned space exploration, and a heavy manufacturing industry that gainfully employed millions…thus, I intend to immediately reactivate Project Orion, and begin the construction of a fleet of 4,000 ton nuclear space colony/battleships. ‘From Detroit to Saturn by 2021’!”
Octopus-I’d rather have as President someone on whom being responsible for deaths weighed heavy (nitpick-heavily?) than someone who didn’t give a crap.
Trump. Because I’m a girl and it’s only 2015.
I would vote for me. I bet a fair number of Democrats and even some others would pick the ‘Not Trump’ option. I don’t think I could win, though. I have essentially no experience, am only passably good at public speaking, and America doesn’t trust atheists.
If, somehow, I ended up elected, I think I’d do the job better than Trump, though. I mean, we both would have basically no idea what we were doing, but I at least would try to appoint lots of smart advisors, and would actually listen to them.
I would probably tell people to vote for Trump.
Trump would probably win the end although I’d do my best to out-Trump the Trump by campaigning on economic populism and being pragmatic on cultural issues. Essentially I’d focus the brunt of my attacks on Trump’s tax plan and why its a fraud and not really sticking it to the rich while being pro-gun and cautious but pro-immigrant.
I’m smarter and more charismatic. Definitely more humble as well. 
During the debates, I’d turn to him and say, “What did you just say, are you fucking stupid? They’re not gonna pay for the wall, and the fact that you think they are shows your toupee is up your fucking man-twat.”
So, yeah, me in a landslide.
I’d win just on looks. 