# Is Trump is Posturing for a Convention Surprise to Invigorate the Base? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 22, 2020, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010 "2020-07-22T12:52:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/1 "2020-07-22T12:52:58Z")
Now that Trump is coming out for mask wearing and seemingly taking the COVID-19 seriously it makes me realize that this is all a ploy put force by his new campaign manager. He is being told to become emphatic towards the suffering of the nation and to start weaning his base into stop calling COVID-19 a fraud and start wearing mask. I’ve noticed on other social media platforms that the anti-masker and COVID-19 hoax expounders are kind of caught flat footed on this but I believe it’s a ploy to prepare them for a somewhat not so secret surprise. Nominate Nikki Haley as VP. It will take a month for his base to come to terms with mask wearing and accepting that COVID-19 is not a hoax. They will be coached to learn new dog whistles and how to respond about past behaviors. Then he will surprise his sheep with a new VP pick at the convention, a good looking white Republican woman to hold up against a Biden black female pick. They will eat that up. Since he is virtually blocked from having his beloved campaign rallies the convention is his best shot for reaching out to his base while he has unlimited control of the national stage and media for a few days. Then his campaign can start doing mini rallies with Zoom participation every day up until the debates. It will be the first time many of them had had a chance to participate online, the base will see this as nod to them not be old fashioned and out of touch. Do not count Trump out yet, he has been doing a rope a dope campaign thus far. He is going to come out swinging and the polls could swing right along with him. ---
**Author:** ![DeadTreasSecretaries](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deadtreassecretaries/32/4817_2.png) [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/2 "2020-07-22T15:37:58Z")
[This reminds me a lot of this Key and Peele sketch.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGWx1pZMDDk) Yes, it makes sense for Trump to have virtual campaign events. Yes, it makes sense to use them during the big campaign moments such as the convention. Frankly it’s pretty stupid of him to not be doing this already like Biden is. I don’t think he’s going to replace Pence esp. not with a woman (this would for sure lose him supporters). I think a big surprise might make sense but doing something like this shows weakness, and there are too many sexists in his base for picking a woman to help. Also assuming that Trump’s recent mask endorsement will undo the damage he’s done is very false. A large proportion of the conspiracy theorists who bought his anti-mask nonsense in the first place are the type of people to think “well he has to say that” once he comes around. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/3 "2020-07-22T17:00:00Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Then he will surprise his sheep with a new VP pick at the convention, a good looking white Republican woman to hold up against a Biden black female pick. They will eat that up. 1. Haley isn’t white. 2. I’ve read various speculations about Trump dumping Pence, but of all the stuff out there on Trump, I really have no idea where this even comes from. I see no reason to suspect that Pence will be dumped. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/4 "2020-07-22T17:24:56Z")
This is all meaningless stuff. It doesn’t matter if Trump is reaching out to his base. They’re his base; they’re going to vote for him anyway. That’s what being his base means. The question is whether Trump is doing anything that will impress voters outside of his base. And I’m not seeing that. Trump’s wearing a mask? Everyone is wearing a mask. Trump’s talking about nominating a woman as his VP? Biden’s already said he’s doing that. Trump’s doing things Biden was doing months ago. Trump isn’t going to overtake Biden by following him. All he’s doing is showing that Biden makes better decisions. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/5 "2020-07-22T17:28:24Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > Haley isn’t white. [Really?](https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1124394031818133513/Fz9ZWKUO.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/6 "2020-07-22T17:31:20Z")
What sort of surprise could Trump pull off? Perhaps he could rant at an empty chair. He already does half of that. > [@](#): > > A member of the [Republican Party](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)), Haley was the first female governor of South Carolina and the first female Indian-American governor elected in the United States. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/7 "2020-07-22T17:31:43Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Really? [Yes, really.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikki_Haley) ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/8 "2020-07-22T18:19:34Z")
Well color me Surprised ! ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/9 "2020-07-22T18:33:24Z")
A little more info: > [@](#): > > Haley was born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikki_Haley#cite_note-2) to an [Indian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Americans) [Punjabi American](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjabi_American) [Sikh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikh) family in [Bamberg, South Carolina](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamberg,_South_Carolina). ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/10 "2020-07-22T18:40:33Z")
Hijack continues… Which is a reminder of what we’re discussing in another thread, that “White American” is a specific sociocultural construction. Still, to many people (including the notorious “base”) someone who looks like that and goes by the name “Haley” and is currently a Christian will register as “White” for practical purposes and they won’t dig further. ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/11 "2020-07-22T18:57:15Z")
Nah, the jesus freaks wouldn’t be happy with Haley. It’ll take a few days to see what Trumpies do about masks, some of them must be awfully confused cats right about now, it’ll be an interesting test to see if Fox can get them all on the same page, whatever it is. I agree with DeadTreasSecretaries, it’s the “Trump has to say it but he doesn’t really believe it” thing. It might cut down on specifically anti-mask rallies though, I dunno, we’ll see, it might make them MORE crazy. Imagine the assholery that will get all backed up if they start wearing masks. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/12 "2020-07-22T19:06:06Z")
> [@ThisIsTheEnd](#): > > Nah, the jesus freaks wouldn’t be happy with Haley. Why’s that? She converted to Christianity at some point. If the “jesus freaks” had a problem with it, it likely would have been pretty difficult to be elected Governor in South Carolina. I hear that Jesus guy is pretty popular down there. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/13 "2020-07-22T19:06:58Z")
If he returned today, he’d be nailed up faster than the first time. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/14 "2020-07-22T19:08:58Z")
I heard Jesus used to be Jewish! 0 ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/15 "2020-07-22T19:11:01Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > If he returned today, he’d be nailed up faster than the first time. But he’d take Wisconsin in a landslide. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xLUEMj6cwA) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/16 "2020-07-22T19:11:02Z")
He proselytized himself. ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/17 "2020-07-22T19:12:00Z")
_ **Haley** _ is Jewish compared to Pence. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/18 "2020-07-22T19:15:25Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > He proselytized himself. “No, that’s a sin. Neither boys nor men should ever touch themselves there.” - Sister Mary Catherine ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/19 "2020-07-22T22:23:21Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > If he returned today, he’d be nailed up faster than the first time. True Dat. Cf Dostoevsky’s Grand Inquisitor. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010/20 "2020-07-22T22:28:59Z")
I knew about her background already, but I just learned about this fact today from her Wikipedia page… > When Nikki Randhawa was five years old, her parents attempted to enter her in the “Miss Bamberg” contest. Reflecting a history of racial segregation, the contest traditionally crowned both an African-American queen and a white queen. Since the judges decided Randhawa did not fit either category, they disqualified her. That’s kind of how the Trump base will see her too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-is-posturing-for-a-convention-surprise-to-invigorate-the-base/916010.md?page=2)