# Trump's Republican primary campaign **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 3, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828 "2015-09-03T18:00:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/201 "2015-09-16T12:37:50Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Apropos of Jindal calling him a madman and the Club for Growth launching attack ads (saying Trump is really a politician), I read this article yesterday: > > [How Donald Trump Can Be Beat, According to GOP - Business Insider](http://www.businessinsider.com/how-republicans-will-try-to-defeat-donald-trump) > > The article describes 4 lines of attack the GOP can use against Trump. > > 1. “Trump can’t be trusted because he is an egomaniac with a bad character.” > 2. “Trump is a liberal and unprincipled.” > 3. “Trump is not close to being fit to be a serious president or commander-in-chief.” > 4. “Trump is a politician, not a businessman/outsider.” In line with the questions about his religious faith, play up the fact that most of his business experience is in building casinos. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/202 "2015-09-16T13:37:11Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Apropos of Jindal calling him a madman and the Club for Growth launching attack ads (saying Trump is really a politician), I read this article yesterday: > > [How Donald Trump Can Be Beat, According to GOP - Business Insider](http://www.businessinsider.com/how-republicans-will-try-to-defeat-donald-trump) > > The article describes 4 lines of attack the GOP can use against Trump. > > 1. “Trump can’t be trusted because he is an egomaniac with a bad character.” > 2. “Trump is a liberal and unprincipled.” > 3. “Trump is not close to being fit to be a serious president or commander-in-chief.” > 4. “Trump is a politician, not a businessman/outsider.” Other than the first part of (2), nothing this list is likely to make him unpalatable to the Republican base. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/203 "2015-09-16T14:23:04Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Other than the first part of (2), nothing this list is likely to make him unpalatable to the Republican base. And the argument for that part of #2 is not only kinda thin, but the most solid evidence is stuff where the base is on his side. Like him, they don’t want to fuck with Social Security and Medicare, they’re against trade agreements that send our jobs overseas, and they’re for raising taxes on hedge-fund millionaires. Go ahead, GOP, _please_ attack Trump on these issues. Ain’t too proud to beg! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/204 "2015-09-16T14:37:00Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > GOP strategist Liz Mair, apparently in between jobs, came up with a list of ten anti-Trump ideas [at the Daily Beast](http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/06/this-is-how-you-beat-donald-trump.html). Another item on the list: > [@](#): > > 1. Don’t be a politician. Be a human. Sounds good, until she fleshes it out: > [@](#): > > to the people who actually meet [Trump] out on the trail…he comes off as a really, really nice guy. He seems to genuinely care about you, your job, and your kids no matter what your socio-economic status (or, indeed, race) is. I’m trying to imagine how the GOP candidates can ‘seem to genuinely care about’ people when they’re trying to keep their pay as low as possible while seeking to take affordable health insurance away from them, and raise the Social Security and Medicare eligibility age. What can they tell these people? I guess the GOP candidates could give them Jayne Cobb’s “[Jaynestown](http://www.myths.com/pub/tv/firefly/script-jaynestown.html)” speech: [QUOTE=Jayne Cobb] You people have been given the shortest end of a stick ever offered a human soul in this crap-heel ‘verse… But you took that end, and you, you know… Well…You _took_ it. And that’s… I guess that’s somethin’. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that’ll go over well. 😃 ---
**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:** [September 18, 2015, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/205 "2015-09-18T05:44:23Z")
[If Trump isn’t embracing the crazy, he sure isn’t pushing it away: > [@](#): > > “We have a problem in this country. It’s called Muslims,” said the first man Trump called on to ask a question. “We know our current president is one. You know he’s not even an American.” > > Trump, who was a driver of the “birther” movement that claimed Obama wasn’t born in the U.S, first responded with feigned exasperation - “We need the question,” he said, to laughs - but let the man continue. > > “We have training camps growing where they want to kill us. That’s my question,” the questioner continued. “When can we get rid of it?” > > Trump did not dispute the man’s assertions and said he’d heard others raise the issue. > > “We’re going to be looking at a lot of different things. And you know, a lot of people are saying that, and a lot of people are saying that bad things are happening out there,” said Trump. “We’re going to be looking at that and plenty of other things.” ]([http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US\_GOP\_2016\_TRUMP?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-09-18-01-04-25](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GOP_2016_TRUMP?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-09-18-01-04-25))The article notes that Trump himself has been a proponent of so-called “birther” arguments. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/206 "2015-09-18T06:05:56Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [If Trump isn’t embracing the crazy, he sure isn’t pushing it away:](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GOP_2016_TRUMP?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-09-18-01-04-25)The article notes that Trump himself has been a proponent of so-called “birther” arguments. Once again, I don’t see anything here that sticks. Pressing the guy for a question is about as dismissive as Trump could be without risking a confrontation with a member of the public (which generally doesn’t play well even if the person was talking crap). Then, in response to this guy’s vague concerns, just basically gave him a verbal hug – making no real claim, stating no opinion and promising nothing. In the unthinkable scenario where I wanted to win the GOP nomination, I would do the same. _Especially_ if I had previously been a part of the birther nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/207 "2015-09-18T06:56:34Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Excellent post and QFT. Probably the best post in any of the Trump threads. > > I note that it hasn’t drawn much in the way of response, mostly I imagine because very few here want to acknowledge or even recognize its truths, and secondarily because as a 'Swedish progressive" (:)) most here are loathe to attack you, as would have most certainly been the case had one of the board’s conservatives said the same thing. > > But you’ve hit the nail on the head in many significant ways which explain much of what many people don’t realize when they see Trump as some sort of clown or an idiot spouting off whatever comes into his head and proposing nonsensical solutions that aren’t workable on their face. > > It’s nice to see somebody here gets it. No, because it’s nothing we don’t already know. What’s surprising is that you’re agreeing with it, that you support Trump because of how he makes you feel instead of any intelligent reason. You do realize **Stoneburg** said “he appeals to the idiots,” right?] Oh, and Terr made it very clear in his first post on the subject that he likes Trump because it pisses people off. It’s why I don’t debate him on the topic. I know he doesn’t really think Trump can win, or he’d be freaking out. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/208 "2015-09-18T12:10:57Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [If Trump isn’t embracing the crazy, he sure isn’t pushing it away:](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GOP_2016_TRUMP?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-09-18-01-04-25)The article notes that Trump himself has been a proponent of so-called “birther” arguments. The “he failed to correct the rube!” thing is pretty much a non-story, except as a minor point of contrast between Trump and McCain, but man, it doesn’t get any Trumpier than that last paragraph, does it? When you see his words in print, away from the mesmerizing smug delivery, it’s apparent just how much nothingness is there. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/209 "2015-09-18T13:30:00Z")
The anti-Muslim stooge could come back to haunt Trump, IF a competent reporter would bring it up in a news conference or debate. “Mr. Trump, at a recent rally a supporter said that Muslims are a problem in America and that the president was a Muslim himself. You nodded in agreement with him. Are Muslims a problem in America and if so, what would you do about it?” The incident will not faze current Trump supporters. They are well beyond the universe of factual knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/210 "2015-09-18T13:51:35Z")
[QUOTE=BigT] No, because it’s nothing we don’t already know. What’s surprising is that you’re agreeing with it, that you support Trump because of how he makes you feel instead of any intelligent reason. You do realize **Stoneburg** said “he appeals to the idiots,” right?] Oh, and Terr made it very clear in his first post on the subject that he likes Trump because it pisses people off. It’s why I don’t debate him on the topic. I know he doesn’t really think Trump can win, or he’d be freaking out. [/QUOTE] Crikey,\*\* BigT\*\*, but you have been hitting some home runs lately. ---
**Author:** ![John\_D\_Adamo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@John\_D\_Adamo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_D_Adamo)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/211 "2015-09-18T16:12:53Z")
CBS poll shows Trump lead [down to 4](http://www.scribd.com/doc/281089933/CBS-News-NYT-GOP-poll-toplines-9-15-15). And Kasich is pulling a [strong third](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/nh/new_hampshire_republican_presidential_primary-3350.html) in New Hampshire, even second in some polls. And this was before Trump got hit from pretty much everyone including Fiorina and Bush who actually struck real blows. While I don’t think this debate is going to knock Trump out completely, Republican voters are waking up and realizing this guy with his entire platform being “everything is going to be better and we are going to have the biggest military ever seen and we’re going to build a wall to keep the Mexicans out” could actually be the nominee if they don’t do something. I forsee Bush/Rubio/Kasich/Fiorina fighting against each other for the rational people and the winner gets the nom. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/212 "2015-09-18T16:38:13Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Are Muslims a problem in America and if so, what would you do about it?" Build a big, big wall and make the Muslims pay for it. Next question. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/213 "2015-09-18T18:32:24Z")
Trump pulls out of Heritage Foundation forum ([via TPM](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/donald-trump-heritage-presidential-forum)) > [@Talking Points Memo](#): > > According to statement from the Trump campaign, the deal was expected to close on Thursday: > > Mr. Trump has a significant business transaction that was expected to close Thursday. Due to the delay he is unable to attend today’s Heritage Action Presidential Forum. He sends his regrets and looks forward to being with the great people of South Carolina on Wednesday in Columbia. Let’s assume this is the real reason. Either vaunted businessman Trump can’t manage to schedule a deal closing to around his schedule (“I’m gonna tell \*them \*when to close, and make them pay for it!”); or, Trump’s business deals are more important that running for President of the United States. Did Heritage boot him for some reason? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/214 "2015-09-18T19:18:35Z")
> [@John\_D\_Adamo](#): > > CBS poll shows Trump lead [down to 4](http://www.scribd.com/doc/281089933/CBS-News-NYT-GOP-poll-toplines-9-15-15). Yeah, but that’s just one poll. And the polling period overlapped with another poll (WaPo/ABC) that showed Trump at 33% instead of the 27% in the CBS/NYT poll. It may be indicative of a drop in Trump’s support, or it may be an outlier. We won’t know until we have more polls. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/215 "2015-09-18T19:54:25Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Yeah, but that’s just one poll. And the polling period overlapped with another poll (WaPo/ABC) that showed Trump at 33% instead of the 27% in the CBS/NYT poll. > > It may be indicative of a drop in Trump’s support, or it may be an outlier. We won’t know until we have more polls. here is a post-debate poll: > **[Post-Debate Poll: Trump Increases Lead; Fiorina Leaps, Carson Sinks](https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2015/09/18/post-debate-poll-trump-increases-lead-fiorina-leaps-carson-drops/)** > > A Morning Consult poll, released Friday, surveyed 504 registered voters who watched Wednesday's Republican primary debate and has only good news for | In this same poll, prior to Wednesday night’s debate, Trump sat at 33% support. Dr. Ben Carson sat in second place with 17% support. Today Trump enjoys 36% support. Carson is still in second place but with just 12% support. Trump’s lead increased from +16 points to +24%. That’s an +8% jump. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/216 "2015-09-18T19:57:07Z")
_Breitbart_ for cite? Seriously? ---
**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:** [September 18, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/217 "2015-09-18T20:17:16Z")
First of all, Trump’s number didn’t move much. It went from 33% to 36% which could be noise. The big change seems to be that many voters switched Carson to Fiorina. Secondly, “The Morning Consult survey polled 504 registered voters **who said they watched the Republican primary debate** and that they plan to participate in their state’s Republican presidential nominating contest.” (my bolding) This may or may not be representative of Republican primary voters in general. It could be that people who support the TV star are more likely to to watch TV. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/218 "2015-09-18T20:25:26Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > _Breitbart_ for cite? Seriously? To be fair they didn’t conduct the poll. That said… Terr - A Morning Consult poll? Seriously? Just clicking through from Breitbart shows that their sample was 28% Independents that plan to vote in the Republican primary. That seems like an odd weighting for R and R leaning voters. That overweighting is towards people who tend to NOT actually vote in the primary. But hey if you want to go with it at least acknowledge the same poll said Fiorina won the debate. Secretariat is finding her stride. 😛 ---
**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:** [September 18, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/219 "2015-09-18T20:25:56Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > here is a post-debate poll: > > [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/09/18/post-debate-poll-trump-increases-lead-fiorina-leaps-carson-drops/](http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/09/18/post-debate-poll-trump-increases-lead-fiorina-leaps-carson-drops/) > > \*\*In this same poll, prior to Wednesday night’s debate, Trump sat at 33% support. Dr. Ben Carson sat in second place with 17% support. Today Trump enjoys 36% support. Carson is still in second place but with just 12% support. > > Trump’s lead increased from +16 points to +24%. That’s an +8% jump.\*\* Can’t be bothered to properly credit the article you copy/pasted from? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/220 "2015-09-18T21:34:30Z")
People who’re criticizing that the cite is from Breitbart - who cares where the cite is from? The poll is the poll, who’s reporting on it is immaterial. If I linked to a [leftist site](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/polltracker/carly-fiorina-donald-trump-post-debate-poll) with exactly the same info - can you explain why that would be more acceptable to you? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828.md?page=12)