# 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:** 34
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/663 "2015-12-03T17:09:30Z")
As long as Trump gets free media coverage for saying offensive things and has his own wealth to support the rump of a campaign that he needs, I don’t see why he needs billionaire money to be successful. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/664 "2015-12-03T17:24:09Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Step One on campaign going straight to hell: [He ain’t getting the billionaire money.](https://www.yahoo.com/politics/millions-at-stake-the-adelson-primary-is-neck-125553624.html) > > It appears the Adelsons will be backing Cruz and/or Rubio, or none at all right now. They may want to wait out the sniping contest both Rubio & Cruz are having with smear ads, or they just may give to both campaigns. > > NO WHERE is there any mention of Donald Trump, his campaign, or his candidacy. This is where everyone can stop paying attention to voting polls. > > With the Kochs and Super PACs remaining, he’s not getting any more major finances. So is Trump even willing to go independent and suck up 15-20% of GOP votes away from their real nominee, or is my “out by January” prediction due to be extended? You do realize Trump himself is a billionaire right and has consciously run his campaign on the fact that he is financially independent? So this is great news for Trump (not that he’s even relying on lameass, Viagra pharmaceutical ad style TV spots in the Year of Our Lord 2015 but rather on social media like all the cool kidz) if anything, since it shows he’s not a Koch cuck. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/665 "2015-12-03T18:15:41Z")
[Onboard the Trump Train: It’s too easy to dismiss Trump’s Iowa supporters as uneducated rubes — the truth is more complicated.](http://www.salon.com/2015/12/03/onboard_the_trump_train_its_too_easy_to_dismiss_trumps_iowa_supporters_as_uneducated_rubes_the_truth_is_more_complicated/) ---
**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:** [December 3, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/666 "2015-12-03T18:30:51Z")
> [@brainglutton](#): > > [onboard the trump train: It’s too easy to dismiss trump’s iowa supporters as uneducated rubes — the truth is more complicated.](http://www.salon.com/2015/12/03/onboard_the_trump_train_its_too_easy_to_dismiss_trumps_iowa_supporters_as_uneducated_rubes_the_truth_is_more_complicated/) > [@](#): > > … The transcendental meditator, the self-described philanthropist, the retired educator and the business consultant defy these expectations. They ignore the hate. What they see in him in is best expressed in clichés: A proven success, someone who gets things done. Together they suggest the breadth of trump’s support. > > That support does, of course, include plenty of hate. At the iowa faith and family presidential forum, i spoke with a landscape contractor from adel who believes president obama is a “muslim communist.” regarding isis, he said, “you want them on your shores? With your kids in a major city? Or do you want to take it over there and get rid of the problem?” he offered his foreign policy solution. “i would just nuke it and fly off.” > > he argued that abortion is the greatest threat to america’s future. “we’ve aborted over 61 million babies who would be taxpayers, they would be employees, and would be fathers and mothers, doctors, could be senators, who knows, you know what i’m saying? We’ve aborted a whole generation and we wonder why we have problems.” ---
**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:** [December 3, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/667 "2015-12-03T19:02:31Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > You do realize Trump himself is a billionaire right and has consciously run his campaign on the fact that he is financially independent? So this is great news for Trump (not that he’s even relying on lameass, Viagra pharmaceutical ad style TV spots in the Year of Our Lord 2015 but rather on social media like all the cool kidz) if anything, since it shows he’s not a Koch cuck. [He’s valued at 4.1 billion in 2014.](http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2015/06/16/trump-exaggerating-his-net-worth-by-100-in-presidential-bid/) Pocket change to Adelson, the Kochs and Super pocket change to Super PACs. Bankruptcies in real estate, success in television. Like voting for Andy Dick. Out of goodness, I’ll extend his republican campaign’s existence through January. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/668 "2015-12-03T19:46:27Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > [He’s valued at 4.1 billion in 2014.](http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2015/06/16/trump-exaggerating-his-net-worth-by-100-in-presidential-bid/) Pocket change to Adelson, the Kochs and Super pocket change to Super PACs. Bankruptcies in real estate, success in television. Like voting for Andy Dick. > > Out of goodness, I’ll extend his republican campaign’s existence through January. But Trump is an expert at getting publicity for free. Who needs to buy ads when your latest blurt is on all the news shows - nationwide and in a place that people can’t fast forward through. If he gets into trouble it is because he hasn’t set up a ground game yet. ---
**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:** [December 3, 2015, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/669 "2015-12-03T19:46:54Z")
Today, Donald Trump spoke at the Republican Jewish Coalition 2016 candidate forum. [Highlights](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-jewish-summit) included: > [@Leading Republican Intellectual Donald Trump](#): > > (Speaking of his frugal campaign) “I think you, as business people, will feel good about this and respect it.” > > “I am negotiator like you folks.” > > (Speaking of the Bowe Bergdahl prisoner swap) “Some of us renegotiate deals… is there anybody that doesn’t renegotiate deals in this room?” > > “[You are] not going to support me even though you know I am the best thing that could ever happen to Israel…I know why you’re not going to support me. Because I don’t want your money.” A while back, I read someone compare Trump to an insult comic. If you imagine Don Rickles saying 75% of what Trump says, it almost becomes sort of humorous. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/670 "2015-12-03T19:49:28Z")
By way of our good friends at _CrooksandLiars_ > **[Now We Have To Worry About Copy-Cat Trumps](https://crooksandliars.com/2015/12/now-we-have-worry-about-copy-cat-trumps)** > > Dumbing down as a political tactic is not new to Republicans but they are digging plum through to China on this one. \*\* Now We Have To Worry About Copy-Cat Trumps\*\* The gist of this appears to be that the Republican leadership (such as it is) is trying to adjust to the prospect of a Trump nomination. Much has been said about their ongoing reaction to that prospect (shock, horror, dismay), but this appears to be an effort to glean some good from the disaster by adjusting their approach. If Trump wins, then that must mean that his approach to the public is effective and politically valid. Therefore, in order to avoid a down-ticket catastrophe, other Republicans should echo his views (with some wiggle room to keep their “moderate” _boney-fidos_). Sorta “Go along with his crazy ass shit, but hold back just enough so that you don’t get cray-cray all over yourself”. What’s their plan? Russians don’t take a Trump, son, without a plan! ---
**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:** [December 3, 2015, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/671 "2015-12-03T20:07:22Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > By way of our good friends at _CrooksandLiars_ > [Now We Have To Worry About Copy-Cat Trumps | Crooks and Liars](http://crooksandliars.com/2015/12/now-we-have-worry-about-copy-cat-trumps) > \*\* > Now We Have To Worry About Copy-Cat Trumps\*\* One thing that was interesting in the memo (full version [here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/politics/memo-on-donald-trump-from-ward-baker-to-nrsc-senior-staff/1898/)) is the contention that Trump’s supporters “believe he can’t be bought”. Trump’s whole argument is that he should be President because he is good at making deals. He has spent the past 25-30 years trying to convince us how good he is at accumulating money. He seems to have very few principles or goals _apart from the acquisition of wealth_. Of all the candidates, he strikes me as the one _most_ likely to be bought. Sure, maybe your run-of-the-mill lobbyists can’t afford him, but as the saying goes, now we’re just haggling over price. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/672 "2015-12-03T21:50:26Z")
[Donald Trump appears on Alex Jones’ radio show.](http://www.salon.com/2015/12/03/donald_trump_alex_jones_a_match_made_in_wing_nut_hell/) If that doesn’t disqualify a candidate from being taken seriously, what does?! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/673 "2015-12-03T21:51:27Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Sorta “Go along with his crazy ass shit, but hold back just enough so that you don’t get cray-cray all over yourself”. You never go full Trump. ---
**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:** [December 3, 2015, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/674 "2015-12-03T22:11:54Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [Donald Trump appears on Alex Jones’ radio show.](http://www.salon.com/2015/12/03/donald_trump_alex_jones_a_match_made_in_wing_nut_hell/) > > If that doesn’t disqualify a candidate from being taken seriously, what does?! It is like he is getting support from Lord Hee-Haw. \* - \*\*Not \*\*Lord Haw-Haw, Jones is more like a talking ass than a talking Nazi… ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/675 "2015-12-03T22:36:05Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > [He’s valued at 4.1 billion in 2014.](http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2015/06/16/trump-exaggerating-his-net-worth-by-100-in-presidential-bid/) Pocket change to Adelson, the Kochs and Super pocket change to Super PACs. Bankruptcies in real estate, success in television. Like voting for Andy Dick. > > Out of goodness, I’ll extend his republican campaign’s existence through January. I’m not quite cynical enough to think that Republican primary voters are moved solely by the greater exertion of soulless Capital when they have the far more technologically savvy and certainly far more of a nationalist and populist candidate in the form of Trump. The Establishment has constantly predicted Trump’s demise yet he has done nothing but steadily gain support and every evidence indicates his continuing success so I have no more reason to trust those who predict this anymore than the same Establishment commentariat who boldly proclaimed the need for “entitlement reform” and screamed hysterically of a “budget crisis”. May the ghosts of Huey Long and Archie Bunker lead him to absolute triumph in his final struggle against plutocratic Beast and the Whores of Babylon who ride upon it. ---
**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:** [December 3, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/676 "2015-12-03T23:11:11Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > One thing that was interesting in the memo (full version [here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/politics/memo-on-donald-trump-from-ward-baker-to-nrsc-senior-staff/1898/)) is the contention that Trump’s supporters “believe he can’t be bought”. Trump’s whole argument is that he should be President because he is good at making deals. He has spent the past 25-30 years trying to convince us how good he is at accumulating money. He seems to have very few principles or goals _apart from the acquisition of wealth_. Of all the candidates, he strikes me as the one _most_ likely to be bought. Sure, maybe your run-of-the-mill lobbyists can’t afford him, but as the saying goes, now we’re just haggling over price. Haven’t you heard; getting rich is now considered a public service. Just think of the jobs he could create with a couple hundred billion in bribes and corruption. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/677 "2015-12-04T00:12:48Z")
Hookers, bartenders, limousine drivers… Are private jets made here in the States or overseas? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/678 "2015-12-04T03:48:26Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > [He’s valued at 4.1 billion in 2014.](http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2015/06/16/trump-exaggerating-his-net-worth-by-100-in-presidential-bid/) Pocket change to Adelson, the Kochs and Super pocket change to Super PACs. Back when I worked for the properly wealthy we dismissed people like him as “gappers.” Enough money to fill in gaps in the schedule, but not our real customers. ---
**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:** [December 4, 2015, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/679 "2015-12-04T06:57:36Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Today, Donald Trump spoke at the Republican Jewish Coalition 2016 candidate forum. [Highlights](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-jewish-summit) included: You left out the best part of his speech. Trump said that he’s a deal maker. And because of that, he expects to be able to broker a deal between Israel and Palestine and bring peace to the Middle East. > [@](#): > > “Because I’m a dealmaker I believe that I can put both sides together.” But he’s no miracle worker. > [@](#): > > “But I said it’ll take six months” Then again. > [@](#): > > “… maybe sooner.” After all, he has a plan. > [@](#): > > “I think it would be a great thing actually for both sides if a real deal could be made. And I’m going to give it my best. I’m a great dealmaker. That’s what I do. I’ve made a lot of money.” [Donald Trump on Israel-Palestine rift: ‘I can put both sides together’](http://www.aol.com/article/2015/12/03/donald-trump-on-israel-palestine-rift-i-can-put-both-sides-tog/21277927/) ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/680 "2015-12-04T07:18:25Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > The gist of this appears to be that the Republican leadership (such as it is) is trying to adjust to the prospect of a Trump nomination. Much has been said about their ongoing reaction to that prospect (shock, horror, dismay), but this appears to be an effort to glean some good from the disaster by adjusting their approach. If Trump wins, then that must mean that his approach to the public is effective and politically valid. Therefore, in order to avoid a down-ticket catastrophe, other Republicans should echo his views (with some wiggle room to keep their “moderate” _boney-fidos_). I’m going to laugh so hard when the Democrats win by a landslide and Trump turns around and reveals all along he’s just been working for the dems just seeing how crazy he can make the republicans go. I can see it now: Nov 8th 2016: Trump with his big goofy grin to the GOP “You’re fired!” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/681 "2015-12-04T08:14:55Z")
On the other hand, it might just be that the Republican leadership figures they got no power to affect events anyway. If down-ticket Pubbies see Trumps coattails as the ticket to ride, they will most likely do it. Might as well pretend it was a decision they made and pretend they were obeyed. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/682 "2015-12-04T08:55:37Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > On the other hand, it might just be that the Republican leadership figures they got no power to affect events anyway. If down-ticket Pubbies see Trumps coattails as the ticket to ride, they will most likely do it. Might as well pretend it was a decision they made and pretend they were obeyed. Candidates always move back to the centre after they win the primary and concentrate on the general election. But in this case any candidate that’s been following on Trumps coat-tails is going to be so far out there that any swing back to the centre is going to beyond belief. Trump is the best thing to happen for the Democrats in 20 years, whether or not he intends it that way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828.md?page=33) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828.md?page=35)