# 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:** 81
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1605 "2016-01-25T22:50:51Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > [Trump says he’ll make sure Christians are in power.](http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/01/24/donald-trump-promises-christianity-will-have-power-if-he-becomes-president/) So he can shoot somebody in public and not loose support, but he can’t not pander to Bible-thumpers. Ah, America. > [@SlackerInc](#): > > I thought that whole post was intended to be snark, or satire. No? Given the join date, I’m guessing it was serious. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1606 "2016-01-25T23:16:22Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Ah, thanks. And while I’m thinking about it, I interpreted the “polka dot” comment to mean that she was so uncovered that the different pictures would use a black dot to cover up pink parts, and that it would look like she’s covered in dots. Not terribly funny, but that’s how I took it. ---
**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 25, 2016, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1607 "2016-01-25T23:47:45Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Given the join date, I’m guessing it was serious. Interesting that you look at it that way. I have admitted not knowing who is new and who is a longtime poster. So I interpreted your statement as meaning that you knew them for a long time and thus knew them to post things like that seriously. But then when I looked them up, I saw that they have only posted that one comment. I had originally thought it was probably someone new but still did not take it as intended to be serious. When I said satire or snark, I didn’t mean Doper inside joke style, but just sort of nihilistic prank-y generic Internet style. But you may well be right. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1608 "2016-01-26T01:24:43Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > So he can shoot somebody in public and not loose support, but he can’t not pander to Bible-thumpers. Ah, America. > … Scary, innit? Very pithy comment. Thank you. I think if anybody could pull the rug out from under the now-required “I’m really a thumper in disguise” pledge it’d be Trump. The fact that even he decided not kick that can of worms wide open says an awful lot about how deep this false adulation of false Christianity has gotten. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1609 "2016-01-26T02:15:10Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > No doubt that ad is effectful. It actually makes him sound sane and rational. > [@Peremensoe](#): > > “Effective.” > [@elucidator](#): > > First thing we do, we shoot all the grammar Nazis. _Then_ the lawyers! Priorities, people! Oh come one. “Effectful”? Really? ---
**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 26, 2016, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1610 "2016-01-26T02:21:35Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Oh come one. “Effectful”? Really? Plenty of Trump supporters use words like effectful. And they say it loud so people are scared to correct them. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1611 "2016-01-26T02:25:49Z")
As for Trump shooting people, if he shot the right one, I might end up voting for him. Is he taking suggestions? ---
**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:** [January 26, 2016, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1612 "2016-01-26T02:41:12Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Apparently Trump [endorsed](http://www.redstate.com/2016/01/19/trump-endorsed-bill-de-blasio/) de Blasio?!? …and DeBlasio endorsed Clinton over Sanders. The Trump candidacy as a Clinton dirty tactic theory gets more support!!!😛 ---
**Author:** ![Camen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Camen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Camen)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1613 "2016-01-26T08:10:03Z")
> [@SmartAlecCat](#): > > [Trump goes to church in Iowa and hears a sermon about welcoming immigrants](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/01/24/reaching-out-to-iowa-evangelical-voters-trump-attends-presbyterian-service/) > > He used the opportunity to brag about his humility: A few snips; He goes to church “when I can.” “Always on Christmas. Always on Easter. Always when there’s a major occasion,” Trump said in 2012. Although he currently claims to attend Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan — a congregation affiliated with the Reformed Church in America (RCA) — **that church issued a statement in August clarifying that Trump is not an “active member."** ---
**Author:** ![Camen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Camen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Camen)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1614 "2016-01-26T08:22:08Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > As for Trump shooting people, if he shot the right one, I might end up voting for him. Is he taking suggestions? If we were discussing the next president of the Hell’s Angels, then looking at this man’s quotes or statements would make a whole lot more sense. And that is troublesome, because he is such a loose wire I wouldn’t want him within 10 miles of the red button in the Oval. If Bloomburg runs as an Independent, and he says he will spend a billion to run as the 9th wealthiest man in America, Trump and the RNC are going down. About 45% of America are Independents, if he gathers them up he will win the election for president. There maybe a radical shift by republicans into the DNC vote to defeat him if they can. IMO ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1615 "2016-01-26T10:17:51Z")
Bloomberg is far more likely to draw votes from the Democrats, who currently are running on an “at least our candidates aren’t insane” ticket, than the Republicans and their “party over reality” approach. He’s much closer to Clinton than to any of the GOP candidates, and will likely harm her chances rather than Trump’s. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1616 "2016-01-26T11:20:22Z")
Well, if Clinton is the nominee, Bloomberg probably stays out. He’s been polling Trump-Sanders, although I suspect he’d be willing to try if Sanders is the nominee in any case, counting on being the guy the Democratic power brokers back. Democrats have been perfectly happy to back independents at the state level over their own. See: Bernie Sanders. Would be ironic for him to be defeated that way. ---
**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 26, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1617 "2016-01-26T18:44:29Z")
> [@Camen](#): > > If we were discussing the next president of the Hell’s Angels, then looking at this man’s quotes or statements would make a whole lot more sense. And that is troublesome, because he is such a loose wire I wouldn’t want him within 10 miles of the red button in the Oval. > > If Bloomburg runs as an Independent, and he says he will spend a billion to run as the 9th wealthiest man in America, Trump and the RNC are going down. About 45% of America are Independents, if he gathers them up he will win the election for president. There maybe a radical shift by republicans into the DNC vote to defeat him if they can. IMO I like your snark about the Hell’s Angels, which is actually pretty accurate. I believe (hope) that the unspoken secret is that the nuclear red button (the codes in the briefcase or “football” an aide carries around) is not actually as straightforward as is described. That is, if some president just decided to launch a first strike out of the blue, with no provocation, I think there are layers of military brass in between who would not allow it to happen. On the last point regarding Michael Bloomberg, I see multiple issues. One is that most of the people who call themselves independent are not really independent in practice. I doubt Bloomberg gets more than ten percent. But if he did, it would likely result in keeping any candidate from getting 270 electoral votes. Which would throw the election to the House. And they would elect the GOP nominee, even if he is a distant third place in the popular vote. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1618 "2016-01-26T18:55:51Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > But if he did, it would likely result in keeping any candidate from getting 270 electoral votes. Which states would he be likely to win? ---
**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 26, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1619 "2016-01-26T18:59:32Z")
I doubt he would win any states. But in the hypothetical case advanced that he wins a plurality of the popular vote nationwide, he certainly would win states but almost certainly not 270 + electoral votes. IOW, what I meant to say is that he cannot win the presidency even if he wins the most votes, but he can throw it to the Republicans even if they win the least votes. ---
**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 26, 2016, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1620 "2016-01-26T19:17:29Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > I like your snark about the Hell’s Angels, which is actually pretty accurate. > > I believe (hope) that the unspoken secret is that the nuclear red button (the codes in the briefcase or “football” an aide carries around) is not actually as straightforward as is described. That is, if some president just decided to launch a first strike out of the blue, with no provocation, I think there are layers of military brass in between who would not allow it to happen. The POTUS does not have a button to launch missiles, nor does any aide. The red button is to summon aides at a moment’s notice. Any launch or attack must be confirmed by the DoD first. Another good fact that Trump supporters will never believe. Or if they do believe it, they’ll say, “Trump will change that! His missile launching button will be GOLD!”. :rolleyes: ---
**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:** [January 26, 2016, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1621 "2016-01-26T19:29:49Z")
A third party candidate cannot throw the election to the House unless he gets some electoral votes. He cannot get any electoral votes unless he gets a plurality in a state (Maine and Nebraska notwithstanding). So Bloomberg cannot deny 270 votes to anyone unless he gets some himself, an impossibility. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1622 "2016-01-26T21:12:38Z")
[“Leathery yet frigid flesh of a privileged and hypocritical billionaire”: The Amazon reviews for Donald Trump gay erotica satire are amazing.](http://www.salon.com/2016/01/26/leathery_yet_frigid_flesh_of_a_privileged_and_hypocritical_billionaire_the_amazon_reviews_for_donald_trump_gay_erotica_satire_are_amazing/) And . . . would you believe [there’s more](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_fapo?rh=n%3A133140011%2Ck%3Atrump+erotica&keywords=trump+erotica&ie=UTF8&qid=1453837864&fap=1)? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1623 "2016-01-26T21:22:17Z")
[Sheriff Joe Arpaio heads to Iowa to endorse Trump.](http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/267069-sheriff-joe-heading-to-iowa-to-endorse-trump) ---
**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 26, 2016, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828/1624 "2016-01-26T22:46:19Z")
> **[Nuclear football](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_football)** > > The nuclear football (also known as the atomic football, the Presidential Emergency Satchel, the satchel, the button, the Black Bag, the black box, or just the football) is a briefcase, the contents of which are to be used by the president of the United States to communicate and authorize a nuclear attack while away from fixed command centers, such as the White House Situation Room or the Presidential Emergency Operations Center. Functioning as a mobile hub in the strategic defense system of t > [@BobLibDem](#): > > A third party candidate cannot throw the election to the House unless he gets some electoral votes. He cannot get any electoral votes unless he gets a plurality in a state (Maine and Nebraska notwithstanding). So Bloomberg cannot deny 270 votes to anyone unless he gets some himself, an impossibility. How does that contradict what I said? To refresh your memory: > [@SlackerInc](#): > > I doubt he would win any states. But in the hypothetical case advanced that he wins a plurality of the popular vote nationwide, he certainly would win states but almost certainly not 270 + electoral votes. > > IOW, what I meant to say is that he cannot win the presidency even if he wins the most votes, but he can throw it to the Republicans even if they win the least votes. I guess the only way in which we really disagree is that what you call an impossibility I call possible but very unlikely. After all, George Wallace got some electoral votes. Is it truly impossible to conceive that Bloomberg might have a nonzero chance of getting 35% of the vote in New York State, against Sanders and Trump? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828.md?page=80) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-republican-primary-campaign/729828.md?page=82)