# What the hell is Trump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 30, 2015, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581 "2015-07-30T15:21:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/21 "2015-07-30T16:57:49Z")
It’s so weird that he is leading, or in 2nd place in just about any Republican candidate poll. Hypothetically, if he were running as a Democrat, how do you think he’d be polling? ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/22 "2015-07-30T17:00:49Z")
He strokes the id of the Republican base. Only about a quarter of self-identified Republicans vote in primaries, and they tend to be the most fanatical. If he gets the nom, he’ll go down like Goldwater. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/23 "2015-07-30T17:01:46Z")
There is a section of the electorate that wants every brown person deported, that thinks being gay should be illegal, that believes in their heart Obamacare death panels are coming for them, that the solution to gun violence is guns for everyone, that if things keep going as they have Christianity will be outlawed and they will be fed to the lions. Republicans keep courting them for votes with absolutely ZERO intentions of actually doing any of the things they want, they might be, i dunno 10%? of the population but they cannot win at any level if they lose that ten percent and they cannot listen to that 10% on absolutely any issues without alienating the other 90. So those guys are very angry, and honestly they probably have a point. They just handed Republicans a massive historic win and they are going to get nothing at all for it. Anyone who comes out and loudly and vocally supports their idiotic concerns is going to get their support, specially if they are not a real politician. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/24 "2015-07-30T17:04:26Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > He’s [pathological narcissist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disorder) with enough money to fully feed his pathology. > > He wants to run for president because that job is recognized as the epitome of power and success. So showing everyone that he could get it if he wanted to (and later then casting it asside as unworthy of him) is the ultimate ego trip. I think more or less this, but with a different slant. There was a bit by Lewis Black I remember seeing about how rich people are always looking for new and exciting ways to spend their money instead of just more houses, cars, and yachts. In his case, it was a personal ball washer, but politics has, heretofore, been largely untapped as the playground of the rich. That is, sure, the rich have played vicariously through endorsing certain candidates or have Super PACs or whatever. But they also have agenda regarding where they want those politicians to go. I think Trump is just at the point where he is wealthy enough and conceited enough that he doesn’t care what he may or may not actually think is best and can just have fun with it. Seriously, if you had $10 Billion and you’re a narcissist on his level, why not have fun running for president? Why not just say what’s on your mind and not really caring about whether it polls well or not? What else are you going to spend your time and money on? His show could only get him so much of that, he needed to up the ante. The funny part is, some people will inevitably agree with his opinions, no matter what they are, that’s just the inevitability of having such a large audience. Some people I’ve even heard say that, while they don’t agree with his opinions so much, they find it refreshing that someone is speaking their mind and not just saying what they think will poll well. And others seem to be favorable to him just because he’s gotten so much press. Someone that’s always in the news, we’ll tend to get strong opinions about, either in favor of or against. And, of course, let us not forget he’s pretty much made himself out to be the Anti-Obama, particularly because of how he’d previously been one of the major voices in the Birther movement. He just seems to be having a perfect storm right now where all these factors seem to be working in his favor and he’s leading in the polls. But let’s also not forget that four years ago, pretty much every Republican candidate that had even the most remote chance led in the polls at one point, so I don’t think many people actually expect this to last. One can only speak his mind so much before he eventually says something that it turns off the “at least he’s honest” or “I’m familiar with him” crowds. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/25 "2015-07-30T17:18:06Z")
The closest thing we’re likely to get to Jean-Marie Le Pen. If he does go third-party, I suggest he call it the National Front. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/26 "2015-07-30T17:37:12Z")
I predict he’ll drop out of the race, before the October premier of his stupid show. The rift between him and his network will be magically and quietly erased. Advertisers will line up! And I’d bet the network news, on the network that hosts his show, would keep him in the news even if he didn’t say another word! (Like he could EVER do that!) Because they are totally in on the stunt, I suspect. Remember he still hasn’t filed the documents. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/27 "2015-07-30T17:44:25Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > If he does go third-party, I suggest he call it the National Front. Aw, c’mon, you \*know \*he’ll call it the Trump Party. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/28 "2015-07-30T17:49:41Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Remember he still hasn’t filed the documents. Trump [filed the documents](http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/donald-trump-president-2016-official-119295.html). ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/29 "2015-07-30T17:59:43Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Aw, c’mon, you \*know \*he’ll call it the Trump Party. OK, the National Trump? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/30 "2015-07-30T18:03:00Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > OK, the National Trump? But certainly not Trump National Front. Splitters! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/31 "2015-07-30T18:05:59Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Aw, c’mon, you \*know \*he’ll call it the Trump Party. He could call it the T-Party for short, which would pick up votes from Teabaggers who are easily confused, which would be most of them. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/32 "2015-07-30T18:10:33Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > I’m not. He is a stupid, stupid man. He is rich because his father was rich, he had lots of money to play with and some good luck (although not all good luck considering his various bankruptcies). He doesn’t understand the basic facts about how our government works, and he really believes that the loudest guy wins. Keep in mind, he also made his money in real estate. A profession that doesn’t exactly require you to be a genius. And he’s leading the polls because he’s a celebrity and stands out when surrounded by the other dozen or so identical Republican drones. > [@DigitalC](#): > > There is a section of the electorate that wants every brown person deported, that thinks being gay should be illegal, that believes in their heart Obamacare death panels are coming for them, that the solution to gun violence is guns for everyone, that if things keep going as they have Christianity will be outlawed and they will be fed to the lions. Republicans keep courting them for votes with absolutely ZERO intentions of actually doing any of the things they want, they might be, i dunno 10%? of the population but they cannot win at any level if they lose that ten percent and they cannot listen to that 10% on absolutely any issues without alienating the other 90. So those guys are very angry, and honestly they probably have a point. They just handed Republicans a massive historic win and they are going to get nothing at all for it. Anyone who comes out and loudly and vocally supports their idiotic concerns is going to get their support, specially if they are not a real politician. Like \*\*BobLibDem \*\*said. Trump appeals to the “loud angry stupid idiot” vote. The white middle-class and working class who believe “they” are coming to rape, rob, steal their jobs and guns and cancel Christmas. The sort of people who believe their “right” to be a racist homophobe are being violated. If the internet is any indication, there are a shitload of them. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/33 "2015-07-30T18:11:09Z")
Hopefully the new president will respond to the joy of his voters by permitting New York to change it’s name to Trumpton. Trump — Romney 2016 ! ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/34 "2015-07-30T18:16:11Z")
Imagine this scenario - Trump gets elected and in his inaugural address, he says, “Obama - you’re fired!”. Oh, well, we can dream… ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/35 "2015-07-30T18:25:05Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > I think more or less this, but with a different slant. There was a bit by Lewis Black I remember seeing about how rich people are always looking for new and exciting ways to spend their money instead of just more houses, cars, and yachts. In his case, it was a personal ball washer, but politics has, heretofore, been largely untapped as the playground of the rich. … Yeah, I wanted to put in a shot about “what else is he going to do with his money?” but you said it much better. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/36 "2015-07-30T18:48:49Z")
Every day that Trump stays in this race is a magical gift. ---
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/37 "2015-07-30T19:02:47Z")
It would be hilarious and pathetic if he stayed in and actually became the president. Then he would find that being president is not as easy as taking shots at the president. I can just see the first crisis with Russia and Trump saying “Putin, your fired” and Putin then flying over to Washington and uses his martial arts to kick Trumps butt. Too bad it will not happen but it is fun to think about ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/38 "2015-07-30T19:09:50Z")
> [@ssgenius](#): > > I can just see the first crisis with Russia and Trump saying “Putin, your fired” and Putin then flying over to Washington and uses his martial arts to kick Trumps butt. Is there any way we can arrange this without going through all of the inconvenience of actually having him become president? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/39 "2015-07-30T19:14:11Z")
I dunno, maybe if he insults Putin enough, there will be some Polonium-210 in his tea… ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581/40 "2015-07-30T19:15:24Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Opportunist. I don’t think he has a definite plan in mind. Close. > [@Chimera](#): > > Egomaniac. > > This is all about HIM. How rich he is, how popular, powerful and awesome he thinks he is. It’s just one long Narcissistic Mania Episode. Cigar. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-trump/726581.md?page=3)