# The Republican national Convention **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 18, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729 "2016-06-18T21:53:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 62
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1222 "2016-07-22T04:40:57Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Gotta admit his line about relying on the same politicians is an effective one though. The political class has failed, and it’s not just in the US, it’s a worldwide failure. To the extent that politics has failed, it’s because so many Republicans picked their candidates while they were angry. Now they’ve picked Trump while they’re furious and they expect him to fix things. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1223 "2016-07-22T04:43:33Z")
I really wonder how much Trump’s speech will move the needle. It was very long, and I’m not certain that anyone but the converted would’ve stayed riveted for the whole thing. Undecideds might get it from post-speech analysis (maybe bad for Trump) or sound bites (doesn’t have the effect of context and his full speech giving prowess). ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1224 "2016-07-22T04:47:55Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Was that the one he referred to as Hillary’s Iran deal, the one that was reached more than two years after she left the state department? Yah, the one that puts Iran on the path to a bomb by taking away their uranium and centrifuges, and destroying their breeder reactor(s?). ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1225 "2016-07-22T04:53:45Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Probably true. It’s a natural human urge to respond to things you read in the paper, that’s why if a puppy is abused and it makes the news the puppy gets 1000 adoption requests, whereas if a puppy is abused and it’s not in the news, the puppy goes unadopted and gets euthanized. When you’re a billionaire, you can do something about any news story you read about individual misfortune. :rolleyes: I had typed a lot more, but it really just boiled down to expressing everything encapsulated in the rolleyes emoji over and over, so I just gave in and simplified it. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1226 "2016-07-22T04:54:27Z")
Well, apparently we all sat through it. It _was_ absolutely riveting in a car wreck kind of way. Tiny, orange Hitler indeed. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1227 "2016-07-22T05:05:53Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Is his youngest son really only nine? He’s so tall! I also wonder if he is on the autism spectrum. Google says the kid’s birthday is March 20, 2006, so 10. I didn’t watch- did he say 9? ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1228 "2016-07-22T05:11:32Z")
Word counts in Trump’s speech: 55 - america|american|americans 33 - country 20 - hillary|clinton 16 - trade 11 - world 11 - **violence** 10 - jobs 09 - **terrorism** 09 - **immigration** 08 - deals 08 - citizens 08 - children ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1229 "2016-07-22T05:12:29Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > To the extent that politics has failed, it’s because so many Republicans picked their candidates while they were angry. Now they’ve picked Trump while they’re furious and they expect him to fix things. The Republicans should never have won any elections between 2008 and now. They only did because Democrats did business as usual at a time when the public is fed up and they KNEW the public was fed up. That was Obama’s entire distinction from Clinton was that she represented more of the same and he was different. When that proved to be a misrepresentation, the backlash was swift and severe. Our politics have failed because Democrats misread their mandate as “more of what we did last time we were in power”. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1230 "2016-07-22T05:16:48Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The Republicans should never have won any elections between 2008 and now. They only did because Democrats did business as usual at a time when the public is fed up and they KNEW the public was fed up. That was Obama’s entire distinction from Clinton was that she represented more of the same and he was different. When that proved to be a misrepresentation, the backlash was swift and severe. > > Our politics have failed because Democrats misread their mandate as “more of what we did last time we were in power”. What would you say was the major roadblock to Obama doing distinctive things? I’ll give you a clue. It can be stated in three words and those words begin with R, C and C. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1231 "2016-07-22T05:17:53Z")
And it’s not Roman Catholic Church 😉 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1232 "2016-07-22T05:20:49Z")
So, its over? No attacks by ISIS trained BLM commandos? Good. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1233 "2016-07-22T05:24:30Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > What would you say was the major roadblock to Obama doing distinctive things? I’ll give you a clue. It can be stated in three words and those words begin with R, C and C. All the GOP blocked him on was standard Democratic policies. There was no change proposed to block. Plus most change of the political system can be done within branches. Congress didn’t need the President to ban earmarks, that was a rule they could pass on their own. Likewise, the President, on his own, can reform government IT acquisition practices, he can have stricter rules about politicization of agencies, he can make things more efficient and effective throughout the bureaucracy, all without Congress’ help. Most importantly, a change President can set an example by rejecting the standard Beltway methods: spin, lies, misrepresentation, obsession with secrecy and messaging, etc. And Obama always had an amazing opportunity to abandon such methods, because the Tea Party has usually not bothered with such professional political tactics, instead preferring to behave like amateurs. Obama had a perfect opportunity to be a straight talker who actually knew what he was talking about. Except those who know politics tend to also know that in the short term you win more often by doing things the tried and true way. It’s hard to sell policies by being honest about them. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1234 "2016-07-22T05:28:07Z")
Its crushing when someone you idolize fails you. I only hope you can find the strength to go on. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1235 "2016-07-22T05:35:33Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Well, at least on performance, since that kind of thing apparently matters, he’s doing quite well. The substance is a C- at best though. I’m surprised you say that first part. I’m with **leftfield6** , which echoes what some media commentators said: his delivery from the TelePrompter is not very effective. Risky though it might have been, he really probably should have just put bullet points up there and riffed on them. > [@UltraVires](#): > > I think Ivanka is really attractive. I don’t mean in a lustful sort of way, but she just seems very confident, intelligent, and competent. Don’t get me wrong, she is a babe, but she has a certain quality about her. This is my secret shame. (Well, not secret any longer.) There is something really attractive about her, beyond her looks. And I did really like what she said about discrimination in the workplace against mothers! Not that it makes a lick of sense at a GOP convention. As \*\*DerekMichaels \*\*also noticed, Ivanka did seem to think the inauguration is on January 17, though, which is odd. > [@adaher](#): > > So to sum up: > > I’m going to solve all our problems in my first week in office! And it’ll cost you nothing! It’ll be beautiful, believe me. And Hillary Clinton? Isn’t she just awful? > > Nothing here made me like him any better than I did before, but I do think he helped himself with this speech. I do think there will be a small convention bounce, maybe 3 points? I predict a dead cat bounce. One point at the most. > [@raventhief](#): > > Google says the kid’s birthday is March 20, 2006, so 10. I didn’t watch- did he say 9? PBS did. Apparently they’re a little behind. He’s still way tall for someone born in 2006. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1236 "2016-07-22T05:40:48Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > There was more but net net he all but promised everyone in America a pony. Ha! Donald Trump totally [stole that from Vermin Supreme](https://youtu.be/4d_FvgQ1csE?t=2m21s)! In fact, [Mr. Trump seems to have learned a lot from Mr. Supreme](https://youtu.be/4d_FvgQ1csE?t=1m25s)! What would it take to get Trump to glitter bomb Hillary during their first debate? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1237 "2016-07-22T05:41:20Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The Republicans should never have won any elections between 2008 and now. They only did because Democrats did business as usual at a time when the public is fed up and they KNEW the public was fed up. That was Obama’s entire distinction from Clinton was that she represented more of the same and he was different. When that proved to be a misrepresentation, the backlash was swift and severe. > > Our politics have failed because Democrats misread their mandate as “more of what we did last time we were in power”. Our politics have failed because the Republican plan to fix government is to do more of the same thing that broke it, and their voters keep falling for it. Each cycle they get angrier, and are more ready to believe their next candidate has all the answers; anything to keep from facing the reality that they put the people in office who fucked things up. Like any feedback loop, eventually a fuse will blow. > [@adaher](#): > > All the GOP blocked him on was standard Democratic policies. There was no change proposed to block. Plus most change of the political system can be done within branches. Congress didn’t need the President to ban earmarks, that was a rule they could pass on their own. Likewise, the President, on his own, can reform government IT acquisition practices, he can have stricter rules about politicization of agencies, he can make things more efficient and effective throughout the bureaucracy, all without Congress’ help. Most importantly, a change President can set an example by rejecting the standard Beltway methods: spin, lies, misrepresentation, obsession with secrecy and messaging, etc. And Obama always had an amazing opportunity to abandon such methods, because the Tea Party has usually not bothered with such professional political tactics, instead preferring to behave like amateurs. Obama had a perfect opportunity to be a straight talker who actually knew what he was talking about. Except those who know politics tend to also know that in the short term you win more often by doing things the tried and true way. It’s hard to sell policies by being honest about them. Yeah, that’s why the Trump supporters are so mad, it’s those damn IT acquisition practices. Ooh, how they hate HUSSEIN 0bama for not reforming those IT acquisition practices. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1238 "2016-07-22T05:46:29Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > All the GOP blocked him on was standard Democratic policies. There was no change proposed to block. Wouldn’t Democrat policies be, yanno, the policies Obama ran on? And wouldn’t they be different from the policies of the Republicans, such that they would be “change”? I suspect what you are saying is that the changes Obama tried to push through were Not True Changes. I do agree he wouldn’t look good in a kilt. > [@](#): > > Likewise, the President, on his own, can reform government IT acquisition practices, he can have stricter rules about politicization of agencies, he can make things more efficient and effective throughout the bureaucracy, all without Congress’ help. Most importantly, a change President can set an example by rejecting the standard Beltway methods: spin, lies, misrepresentation, obsession with secrecy and messaging, etc. All of which would have been far too boring and subtle to be seen as different from business as usual to the Average Joe. And you said he should have done more so as to be seen to be other than business as usual. To make an “I am not just business as usual” splash, he needed to get big ticket legislation that changed things through congress. > [@](#): > > Obama had a perfect opportunity to be a straight talker who actually knew what he was talking about. The people who don’t think this is a very good description of Obama are some right wing Americans and no one else. Go find the thread where someone asked non-Americans to give an outside perspective on Obama. Everybody is biased except you, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1239 "2016-07-22T05:47:19Z")
> [@](#): > > …Yeah, that’s why the Trump supporters are so mad, it’s those damn IT acquisition practices. Ooh, how they hate HUSSEIN 0bama for not reforming those IT acquisition practices. Do I detect a note of sarcasm? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1240 "2016-07-22T05:58:46Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Yeah, that’s why the Trump supporters are so mad, it’s those damn IT acquisition practices. Ooh, how they hate HUSSEIN 0bama for not reforming those IT acquisition practices. It’s the general attitude. What Trump supporters hate most is immigration and trade, prime examples of where all over the world elites have acted without much public input or consent, and when they have sought it, have often disregarded the very real costs to such policies. And I say that as someone who is in favor of liberal trade and immigration policies. Now of course the bureaucratic stuff only interests me, but Bill Clinton took it seriously enough, because by doing so and making a public show of doing so he increased voter confidence that he was serious. Voters may not care that this or that process was streamlined, but they do like to hear that the guy they are paying to make all this stuff they find boring actually work is doing his job. Instead, since Clinton, Presidents have been just as bored and disconnected from internal government workings as the public. But that means things don’t work like they should, and when they don’t, guess who gets blamed? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/1241 "2016-07-22T06:01:54Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > The people who don’t think this is a very good description of Obama are some right wing Americans and no one else. Go find the thread where someone asked non-Americans to give an outside perspective on Obama. Everybody is biased except you, I’m sure. He knows what he is talking about, but straight talker? Obama’s obsession with messaging, spin, and non-transparency are pretty well established and the media has harped on it quite a bit. The only thing that makes him somewhat refreshing is that when other people do it, he describes it perfectly, such as when he responded to Liz Warren by observing that “She’s a politician just like the rest of us.” and dismissing his previous opposition to trade deals as “campaign talk”. Generally politicians are like magicians, they won’t talk about how the spin and messaging get done, or outright admit that they lie to sell policies. Heck, people close to Obama have twice bragged about how they fooled the public, once on health care and once on the Iran deal. So I guess that’s sorta change, the curtain has been pulled away a little by this administration. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729.md?page=61) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729.md?page=63)