# 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:** 199
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3965 "2016-04-25T20:42:37Z")
> [@Lantern](#): > > I have been wondering about this as well. I have already posted this [clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEPs17_AkTI)of Trump on Oprah in 1988. The message is remarkably similar to today but he is so much more relaxed and articulate. Today’s Trump sounds like someone who really struggles to express his thoughts in coherent sentences. I assume a lot of this is simply being wasted (so to speak) from the arduous grind of campaigning for a national office. Of course I still wouldn’t support Trump even to serve as janitor in my local mayor’s office, but I don’t think there’s a case for anything like deteriorating mental acuity. Increasing monomaniacal narcissism and borderline personality disorder, however? Well, I’m simply not qualified to make those diagnoses. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3966 "2016-04-26T04:12:36Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > …Trump can definitely spin it that the other two are scared of him. But Cruz has definitely been doing a lot better in using the system to get candidates, while Trump’s campaign is less well put together. It seems possible that Cruz and Kasich could pull it off, unless Trump’s campaign starts working really hard. The most likely outcome, I think, is that it backfires for Cruz and Kasich, since it bolsters Trump’s argument that the GOP establishment is treating him unfairly and that the only other two candidates in the race are resorting to scummy tactics to try to stop him. That’ll play to Trump’s base very well indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3967 "2016-04-26T04:40:20Z")
> [@Lantern](#): > > I have been wondering about this as well. I have already posted this [clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEPs17_AkTI)of Trump on Oprah in 1988. The message is remarkably similar to today but he is so much more relaxed and articulate. Today’s Trump sounds like someone who really struggles to express his thoughts in coherent sentences. Oprah is one thing. The press bombarding you for months is quite another. ---
**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:** [April 26, 2016, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3968 "2016-04-26T04:44:04Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > The most likely outcome, I think, is that it backfires for Cruz and Kasich, since it bolsters Trump’s argument that the GOP establishment is treating him unfairly and that the only other two candidates in the race are resorting to scummy tactics to try to stop him. That’ll play to Trump’s base very well indeed. “I would be a great chief executive and Commander-in-Chief, but everybody’s ganging up on me!” Yeah, yeah, Donald, my heart bleeds. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3969 "2016-04-26T06:28:35Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > Oprah is one thing. The press bombarding you for months is quite another. Trump has sounded borderline demented well before this campaign, for example his infamous “[offer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgOq9pBkY0I)” during the 2012 campaign. Comparing that video to the 1988 one does suggest a certain deterioration of mental capacity, perhaps beyond the usual effects of 24 years of aging. Here is another [interview](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usb0iE5WiZI)of Trump at the 1988 Republican convention and again he is very relaxed and fluent. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3970 "2016-04-26T06:46:40Z")
> [@Lantern](#): > > Trump has sounded borderline demented well before this campaign, for example his infamous “[offer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgOq9pBkY0I)” during the 2012 campaign. Comparing that video to the 1988 one does suggest a certain deterioration of mental capacity, perhaps beyond the usual effects of 24 years of aging. > > Here is another [interview](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usb0iE5WiZI)of Trump at the 1988 Republican convention and again he is very relaxed and fluent. Eh I’m not so sure I wouldn’t classify the first “announcement” as delusion instead of dementia. For a non-politician, he sure can say something while saying nothing with the best of 'em. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3971 "2016-04-26T09:16:50Z")
The title [of a Washington Post blog article, “Trump’s campaign brings Eastern Europe’s political ‘tactics’ to the U.S.”](https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2016/04/25/trumps-campaign-brings-eastern-europes-political-tactics-to-the-u-s/?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory) sounds hyperbolic … until you read the article. Trump’s new campaign manager Paul Manafort is the very same man who advised Viktor Yanukovych, the despised ex-President of the Ukraine. ---
**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:** [April 26, 2016, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3972 "2016-04-26T12:44:13Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > Eh I’m not so sure I wouldn’t classify the first “announcement” as delusion instead of dementia. > > For a non-politician, he sure can say something while saying nothing with the best of 'em. He’s a salesman. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3973 "2016-04-26T20:02:56Z")
Just read that Lena Dunham will move to Canada if Trump is elected. Miley Cyrus said the same. It’s getting harder and harder for me to not support Trump. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3974 "2016-04-27T02:58:48Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Just read that Lena Dunham will move to Canada if Trump is elected. Miley Cyrus said the same. > > It’s getting harder and harder for me to not support Trump. I hereby state that I utterly agree with **Starving Artist**. ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3975 "2016-04-27T03:15:18Z")
Donald Trump is by far the best leader that America has produced in last 25 years. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3976 "2016-04-27T03:29:31Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > Donald Trump is by far the best leader that America has produced in last 25 years. If he is such a great leader one has to wonder why is it that more than just a few **conservatives** do not agree with that. > **[6 Reasons Donald Trump Isn’t Fit To Be President](https://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2016/04/26/6-reasons-donald-trump-isnt-fit-to-be-president-n2153631)** > > When my friends who love Donald Trump tell me they support him, I understand the reasons they find him attractive as a candidate. > [@](#): > > 6 Reasons Donald Trump Isn’t Fit To Be President > > When my friends who love Donald Trump tell me they support him, I understand the reasons they find him attractive as a candidate. He’s a charismatic, politically incorrect outsider who fights and is promising to build a wall while he gets tough on immigration. > > I get that. > > What I don’t get is how so many people can just look at the things they like about Donald Trump, while they mentally block out everything else about him. Setting aside the fact that he’s the least electable Republican we can run unless we can somehow get Dennis Hastert on the ticket at the last minute, he’s also unfit to hold the most powerful position not just in America, but in the free world. > [@](#): > > 1. He encourages violence: Everyone across the political spectrum should condemn political violence committed by unions, Occupy goons, the Black Lives Matter idiots AND Donald Trump’s supporters. When Donald Trump talks about how he’d like to punch a protester in the face and publicly, on more than one occasion, has talked about paying the bail of people who assault liberal activists at his rallies, he’s in effect giving a thumb’s up to violent behavior. Couple that with Trump and his henchman Roger Stone’s subtle threats of violence if he loses at the convention and it’s no wonder that you’re seeing assaults at his rallies and regular death threats against people who oppose him. Among many others, Liz Mair, Erick Erickson, Sierra Marlee, Michelle Fields, Dana Loesch and Bethany Mandel, along with numerous convention delegates have received serious threats. Do we really want to put the Republican seal of approval on this kind of hatred and violence by making Donald Trump the nominee? > > Just because Donald Trump’s fans are willing to overlook his flaws, doesn’t mean everybody else can do the same thing. If we sanction and reward this kind of foolishness by making Donald Trump the GOP nominee, then don’t be surprised if the rest of the American people reluctantly put Hillary Clinton in the White House because the idea of “President Trump” is just unthinkable. And that was from the very conservative John Hawkins at the conservative Townhall. ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3977 "2016-04-27T04:00:18Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > If he is such a great leader one has to wonder why is it that more than just a few **conservatives** do not agree with that. > > [http://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2016/04/26/6-reasons-donald-trump-isnt-fit-to-be-president-n2153631](http://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2016/04/26/6-reasons-donald-trump-isnt-fit-to-be-president-n2153631) > > And that was from the very conservative John Hawkins at the conservative Townhall. Mostly of his ‘flaws’ aren’t actually his flaws. I am 100% honest abt not seeing many flaws in Trump and whatever flaw I recognise, I have no problem calling out. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3978 "2016-04-27T04:22:03Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > Mostly of his ‘flaws’ aren’t actually his flaws. I am 100% honest abt not seeing many flaws in Trump and whatever flaw I recognise, I have no problem calling out. Well let me give you a little help. Trump: 1. Doesn’t know the first thing about foreign policy. 2. Knows only his little real estate rules that won’t apply to running a country. 3. Promotes violence. 4. Over and over again makes racist and sexist statements. 5. Is fundamentally incapable of answering a question in a direct way. 6. Couldn’t appear presidential if his life depended on it. 7. Scares the shit out of the rest of the world, and not in a ‘big stick’ kind of way, but a batshit-crazy way. 8. Oh except for Islamic extremists. They’d love him. It’d do wonders for their recruitment. What better personification of The Great Satan could you imagine? 9. Oh, and those Geneva Accord things? He’ll just get international law changed so the military can commit the atrocities he wants. 10. Are you freaking kidding me? ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3979 "2016-04-27T04:50:58Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > Well let me give you a little help. > > Trump: > > 1. Doesn’t know the first thing about foreign policy. > 2. Knows only his little real estate rules that won’t apply to running a country. > 3. Promotes violence. > 4. Over and over again makes racist and sexist statements. > 5. Is fundamentally incapable of answering a question in a direct way. > 6. Couldn’t appear presidential if his life depended on it. > 7. Scares the shit out of the rest of the world, and not in a ‘big stick’ kind of way, but a batshit-crazy way. > 8. Oh except for Islamic extremists. They’d love him. It’d do wonders for their recruitment. What better personification of The Great Satan could you imagine? > 9. Oh, and those Geneva Accord things? He’ll just get international law changed so the military can commit the atrocities he wants. > 10. Are you freaking kidding me? 1. Trump would be unbelievably successful in foreign policy. Hillary cant even dream of what Trump will achieve. There would be no wars. Co-ordial, practical, balanced relations with everyone. 2. Trump is extremely smart. Knows what’s best for the world and for America (and also knows what will get him votes). 3. Will take on religious extremism in the right way. 4. Makes things simple. Others make you feel that it is complex, elitist job to manage things (foreign policy, economy) when its actually very simple and requires honesty. Govt. and central banks are the opposite of honest. 5. Is not racist (And I am not white and not American). 6. Is not sexist. 7. Vested interests and people who have the wrong idea (sadly there are many such people) hate him and tremendous money spent on propaganda against him. 8. USA is sitting on a debt bubble. Public debt over $19 tn. Public Debt growing at 10 times faster rate than GDP. Massive trade deficit. Massive imbalances. Obviously unsustainable system. Trump is a hope to fix the system by disruptive means. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3980 "2016-04-27T05:06:26Z")
truthseeker2, are you whooshing us? ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3981 "2016-04-27T05:25:32Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > truthseeker2, are you whooshing us? No sir. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3982 "2016-04-27T05:26:15Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I hereby state that I utterly agree with **Starving Artist**. Thanks. It’s nice to hear that every year or two. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3983 "2016-04-27T05:49:04Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > 1. Trump would be unbelievably successful in foreign policy. Hillary cant even dream of what Trump will achieve. There would be no wars. Co-ordial, practical, balanced relations with everyone. > 2. Trump is extremely smart. Knows what’s best for the world and for America (and also knows what will get him votes). > 3. Will take on religious extremism in the right way. > 4. Makes things simple. Others make you feel that it is complex, elitist job to manage things (foreign policy, economy) when its actually very simple and requires honesty. Govt. and central banks are the opposite of honest. > 5. Is not racist (And I am not white and not American). > 6. Is not sexist. > 7. Vested interests and people who have the wrong idea (sadly there are many such people) hate him and tremendous money spent on propaganda against him. > 8. USA is sitting on a debt bubble. Public debt over $19 tn. Public Debt growing at 10 times faster rate than GDP. Massive trade deficit. Massive imbalances. Obviously unsustainable system. Trump is a hope to fix the system by disruptive means. Hey KOOL-AID! ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/3984 "2016-04-27T06:00:07Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > Mostly of his ‘flaws’ aren’t actually his flaws. I am 100% honest abt not seeing many flaws in Trump and whatever flaw I recognise, I have no problem calling out. Since you are not an American I take more into account what the ones in the right side of things in America are telling us about Trump. From the more scientific side of things (as in things that will affect international and national issues) Trump is not impressing anyone. So, as noted before, watch this Trump Clip: > **[As Election Year Unfolds, Climate Concern Rises](https://thinc.blog/2016/03/17/as-election-year-unfolds-climate-concern-rises/)** > > Gallup: Americans are taking global warming more seriously than at any time in the past eight years, according to several measures in Gallup’s annual environment poll. Most emblematic is the … Then read about what science and even most of the public thinks about the issue: > **[As Election Year Unfolds, Climate Concern Rises](https://thinc.blog/2016/03/17/as-election-year-unfolds-climate-concern-rises/)** > > Gallup: Americans are taking global warming more seriously than at any time in the past eight years, according to several measures in Gallup’s annual environment poll. Most emblematic is the … You do not see any flaws? To be helpful one of the big ones is that even the few skeptical scientists admit that the temperature of the earth is increasing, so Trump and virtually all the Republicans in that town meeting did go full denial and even ignored the few contrarian scientists that tell us that global warming is happening (their denial is more sophisticated by insisting that while there is/will be warming the effects will not be as bad). Meaning that we can expect not only no action from Trump, but even more inaction on controlling our emissions and the gutting of the EPA; we can expect also more delays and a degradation of our science institutions that are going to be targeted by that mountain of ignorance that is Trump if he becomes president. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828.md?page=198) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828.md?page=200)