# 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:** 78
**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:** [January 24, 2016, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1545 "2016-01-24T04:18:20Z")
I could totally have seen the argument that Trump got in this as a kind of lark and then discovered he was actually winning and then decided to try to become president for real. But then what I don’t understand is why he is saying outrageous things now about shooting people on 5th Avenue and retweeting white supremacists. One would think that this might be the point when he would be a little more careful. Not retract any of the stuff about Muslims or building a wall, but maybe not piling on unnecessary random craziness. ---
**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:** [January 24, 2016, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1546 "2016-01-24T04:26:27Z")
Oh, good grief! He wasn’t talking about shooting people for real, he was talking about the loyalty of his supporters and he used the exaggerated scenario of shooting somebody to illustrate how strong it is. Trump has you people out of your minds. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1547 "2016-01-24T04:28:17Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Well, of course. Every time he does, his polling numbers go up. This is not what you call negative reinforcement. And you just know they’re gonna go up again now that this has broken. I’d love to see how those polling questions are phrased. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1548 "2016-01-24T04:30:20Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Oh, good grief! He wasn’t talking about shooting people for real, he was talking about the loyalty of his supporters and he used the exaggerated scenario of shooting somebody to illustrate how strong it is. > > Trump has you people out of your minds. None of the posts above are taking him literally. Each is making a joke. Perhaps you are the one who needs to lighten up? ---
**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:** [January 24, 2016, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1549 "2016-01-24T04:33:03Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > I could totally have seen the argument that Trump got in this as a kind of lark and then discovered he was actually winning and then decided to try to become president for real. But then what I don’t understand is why he is saying outrageous things now about shooting people on 5th Avenue… Doesn’t sound much like a joke to me. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1550 "2016-01-24T04:35:42Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Doesn’t sound much like a joke to me. One doesn’t have to take Trump’s comment as an intent to shoot someone “for real” to find it outrageous. It is an incredibly stupid thing to say. Doesn’t mean anyone is taking him seriously. ---
**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:** [January 24, 2016, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1551 "2016-01-24T04:46:48Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Doesn’t sound much like a joke to me. No, you didn’t get what I was trying to say at all. Maybe I wasn’t clear, but I thought it was obvious that no one, including me, thought he was threatening to shoot anyone. The use of the shooting metaphor isn’t even all that relevant to what I find outrageous about the statement. What strikes me as super bizarre about it, for a politician, is that it translates (again, to me at least) as “I am just talking out of my ass and saying all kinds of ridiculous crazy shit, but you morons keep on supporting me. I could do anything, even absolutely terrible things, and you would still mindlessly line up for me in droves”. That is what I would never expect any politician to say to and about his supporters. And it strikes me as actually one of the only things Trump could say that could potentially cut into his support, but we will see. ---
**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:** [January 24, 2016, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1552 "2016-01-24T04:59:23Z")
That’s because you’re putting the worst possible spin on what he said. Trump’s supporters, on the other hand, take his comments as he meant them and therefore see them as a compliment to their loyalty rather than something outrageous…for who knows why. I don’t see anything outrageous about it at all. I’ll admit that if I were running for office I wouldn’t be saying a lot of the things Trump has been saying, and I probably wouldn’t have said that either. But then I’d probably be an also-ran like all the other guys. Trump is speaking his mind in the way he normally talks and it’s resonating with people outside the liberal bubble. You guys may find it outrageous, but that doesn’t mean it is in fact. ---
**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:** [January 24, 2016, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1553 "2016-01-24T05:02:22Z")
I will add that if this gets well publicized and he doesn’t lose significant support, that will be an important indicator to me that his followers (or at least the people saying they support him in polls) not really serious about trying to make him president. That would tell me that it is more of a Dadaist/nihilist stunt on their part. Or, slightly more charitably, akin to a protest vote, when someone says “a pox on both their houses” and writes in Mickey Mouse or something like that. There was speculation that this sort of irresponsible, “fuck it” attitude was what allowed Jesse Ventura to win the governor’s election in Minnesota. Almost like a Beavis and Butthead attitude of “hahaha that would be funny dude”. Previously I had thought that Trump backers had a little bit more serious (albeit toxic) agenda in mind; but if he can say this kind of nonsense and still stay the same in the polls, then I really have to reevaluate. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1554 "2016-01-24T05:04:34Z")
On to a new argument I see. Good luck with that one. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1555 "2016-01-24T06:02:07Z")
Finally the billionaires pull out the stops and launch an ominous music attack ad salvo. What do we really know about Donald Trump? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/rcUCLwWCihE/maxresdefault.jpg " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcUCLwWCihE) Paid for by Our Principles PAC. [http://www.ourprinciplespac.com/](http://www.ourprinciplespac.com/) > **[Our Principles PAC Outside Spending](https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail?cmte=C00603621&cycle=2016)** $254,000 documented ad buy against Trump made by anonymous super pac donors or donor. ---
**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:** [January 24, 2016, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1556 "2016-01-24T06:20:38Z")
Interesting ad. I’m sure the blowhard supporters will say, “Oh, that’s him in the past. Now he REALLY knows what he’s talking about!” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1557 "2016-01-24T08:44:24Z")
The tweet was actually clever. Now you have the chattering classes and liberal bloggers explaining to their audiences what white genocide means. Before, about the only time most people would see a reference to such a thing is in Youtube comments. Now more people know about it, they might google it and start reading alt-right and nationalist sites. Trump is the king of letting the media do his advertising for him. The guys at /pol/ must be laughing their asses off. > [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Trump has you people out of your minds. TDS - Trump Derangement Syndrome. I like how so much of the thread is people wondering if he’s really running. Like it’s still July or something. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1558 "2016-01-24T13:20:56Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Finally the billionaires pull out the stops and launch an ominous music attack ad salvo. > What do we really know about Donald Trump? > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcUCLwWCihE&feature=youtu.be](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcUCLwWCihE&feature=youtu.be) > > Paid for by Our Principles PAC. > [http://www.ourprinciplespac.com/](http://www.ourprinciplespac.com/) > > [https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cmte=C00603621&cycle=2016](https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cmte=C00603621&cycle=2016) > > $254,000 documented ad buy against Trump made by anonymous super pac donors or donor. Thats masterful. Now not only is he courting the fox viewer with his red meat…hes also courting the left wing who kbows how he’ll really behave once in office. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1559 "2016-01-24T14:32:25Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > That’s because you’re putting the worst possible spin on what he said. Trump’s supporters, on the other hand, take his comments as he meant them and therefore see them as a compliment to their loyalty rather than something outrageous…for who knows why. His statement was that he can do absolutely any crazy ass thing he wants (and no, no one took the shooting thing literally) and his supporters will still support him? And his supporters take that as a compliment? And you think that’s a good thing? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1560 "2016-01-24T15:29:11Z")
No doubt that ad is effectful. It actually makes him sound sane and rational. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1561 "2016-01-24T16:02:14Z")
“Effective.” ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1562 "2016-01-24T16:16:03Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > $254,000 documented ad buy Donald is gonna be pissed when he finds out that somebody used the money under his couch cushions to run negative ads against him. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1563 "2016-01-24T17:27:25Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > “Effective.” First thing we do, we shoot all the grammar Nazis. _Then_ the lawyers! Priorities, people! ---
**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:** [January 24, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1564 "2016-01-24T23:43:53Z")
Again, the hatred against Donald Trump is misplaced. [Read up on the “establishment” GOP alternatives to Trump.](http://www.occupydemocrats.com/newly-leaked-emails-indicate-michigan-republicans-didnt-poison-water-to-save-money-2/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828.md?page=77) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828.md?page=79)