ChrisWeigant.com

Beating Trump Not So Easy

[ Posted Wednesday, February 24th, 2016 – 17:59 UTC ]

Donald Trump just won his third primary, taking Nevada with a commanding 46 percent of the Republican vote. If you take a look back at his campaign so far, you will see a long trail of wishful Washington thinking that was proven wrong and had to be tossed to the side of the road. This started even before his campaign begun, as all the pundits confidently predicted he wouldn't even run. This was followed by a string of pronouncements that "Trump is now toast," after each of his ever-more-outrageous statements from the campaign trail (starting with his campaign announcement, where he called Mexican immigrants "rapists" and "murderers"). Each one was supposed to kill his chances dead, dead, dead. Instead, Trump has laughed all the way to where he is now -- the frontrunner and presumptive nominee of the once-proud Republican Party. He's getting tougher and tougher to beat, and his Nevada showing blew away the most recent wishful thinking from the Washington elites -- that Trump "had a ceiling" of perhaps 35 percent, above which he would never go. Toss that one on the ever-growing heap of things that have been predicted about how Trump's campaign was going to falter, none of which have panned out.

Democrats, meanwhile, have been mostly sitting on the sidelines, trying to contain their glee. Indeed, the common (and snarky) thinking on the left is that "it couldn't have happened to a nicer political party." They watch the wreckage of the establishment Republicans with amusement, confident that their nominee will handily defeat Donald Trump in November. To think any differently is to spit in the face of conventional political wisdom, after all. Except for one big thing they haven't even started to come to grips with yet: Donald Trump has gotten to where he is by continually spitting in the face of conventional political wisdom. It's what he does, and he's very good at it.

Which brings us to our main point. If Donald Trump is so hard to beat in Republican primaries, is he really going to be all that easy for a Democrat to beat in November?

This might seem to be a radical notion. Of course Trump will be easily beaten, Democrats tell themselves -- without ever considering whether that too might be one of those predictions that simply isn't going to come true this year.

I'm not saying Democrats should be panicking. We've got a long way to go before the general election. But I do caution that both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders should at least be thinking about how they're going to take Trump on, should they become the nominee. Because it might not be the cakewalk everyone is now assuming it will be.

Right now it is looking like Hillary Clinton will become the Democratic nominee. Bernie still has a chance, but his path has gotten longer and steeper after losing Nevada. Assuming for the sake of conversation that Hillary does become the nominee, how hard is it going to be for her to beat Trump? Hillary is seen as a stronger candidate for the general by many, but even if Bernie Sanders wins the nomination, he'd then have his own problems (perhaps slightly different ones than Hillary) coming up with a strategy to take on Trump.

Head-to-head polling shows Clinton ahead of Trump right now, but not by as much as you'd think. This early, such polling is almost meaningless, but it should inject a note of caution for those assuming Trump will be easy for Hillary to beat. If he's such a loser as a Republican nominee, he should be doing a lot worse in such polling, even this early.

There is already a great deal of speculation about what Trump as GOP nominee would mean to general election voters. Again, Democrats are getting complacent by assuming there will be plenty of Republican voters who simply will not be able to vote for Trump in November. Some Republicans are sane enough to realize this is more than just a reality show, Democrats tell themselves, so they'll either hold their noses and vote for Hillary or they'll just stay home.

Perhaps, but this ignores a few things. In the first place, while such crossover voting might happen, that road travels both directions. There are a lot of Democrats who might decide they can't vote for Hillary Clinton, and either hold their nose and vote for Trump, or stay home. Take a look at her ratings from the general public on questions of honesty and likeability to see how vulnerable Clinton is to such voter defection.

Also, if Clinton beats Sanders for the nomination, there are going to be a whole lot of disappointed Bernie supporters, some of whom may decide they cannot vote for the woman who beat their guy. Add to this the segment of Democratic voters who are just flat-out sexist and wouldn't vote for any woman (to deny these voters exist is to deny reality, no matter how big this segment of Democrats may or may not be). Finally, there will also be some voters who see Clinton's progressivism as nothing more than a label of convenience for her, who might be susceptible to Trump's version of populism instead.

Again, I make no predictions about how big any of these groups may be, but merely point out that while there may be a stream of disaffected Republicans crossing over to vote for Hillary, there may also be a wave moving in the opposite direction to balance it out.

Trump's appeal to working-class voters should also be cause for concern among Democrats. There are four states that Democrats are almost complacent about winning that could shift the entire election, all heavy with blue-collar voters. Three of them have sitting Republican governors (two of whom threw their hat in the GOP ring for president this election cycle). Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin could be the keys to a Trump victory, in fact. Their Electoral College votes (PA-20, OH-18, MI-16, WI-10) propelled Barack Obama to victory twice, but if he had lost those states in 2012 he would have wound up with only 268 Electoral College votes -- and Mitt Romney would now be running for re-election.

Trump has one other thing going for him that few are exploring the ramifications of, at least so far. He's bringing a lot of new voters into the process. A lot of Republicans are voting, and a lot of them are first-time voters voting for Trump. Republican turnout has so far exceeded Democratic turnout in the early primary states. Even with all the excitement Bernie Sanders is bringing to the race, fewer Democrats are voting than in 2008 (using 2012 figures is an unfair comparison, since Obama ran unopposed for re-election). Low Democratic turnout combined with high Republican turnout should be a worrisome sign for Democrats. Bernie Sanders is bringing in a lot of new voters to the Democratic side, but if he fails in his nomination bid, how many of them will return to the polls to vote for Hillary in November?

Maybe I'm being too alarmist. Voters will have time to make up their minds in the general election -- Republicans will have time to get used to the idea of voting for Trump, and Democrats will have time to rally around either Clinton or Sanders. To put this another way, perhaps the general election won't be so different than in other (more normal) years.

But watching Trump blow away expectation after expectation in the primaries should really make Democrats to think twice about how easy it'll be to beat him in the general election. So far, Republican after Republican has tried attacking Trump, only to see their poll numbers sink and Trump's rise. Ignoring him or sucking up to him hasn't done Ted Cruz all that much good, either. The establishment Republicans are now seemingly afraid to even attempt taking on Trump.

Of course, Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders will have no compunctions about attacking Trump, and from a direction he's not used to (at least, so far). Even if Trump becomes the nominee, it's still possible he will say something so outrageous (perhaps in a one-on-one debate with Hillary?) that he drives away the independent voters who usually provide the winning margin in presidential contests. It's certainly a possibility, and if it comes to pass it'll be cause for much amusement on the Democratic side. If Trump bombs in the general election race, Republicans won't have any "Plan B" to fall back on -- they'll be stuck with him.

But such a meltdown is what Republicans have been hoping for all along, and it simply has not happened yet. Meaning it might not happen at all. Likewise, the firm belief that beating Trump will be a cakewalk for either Hillary or Bernie is also starting to look a little naive. It's just another version of the most-recent bad prediction -- the one that just got thrown on the rubbish heap of wrong Trump predictions. "Trump has a ceiling -- he'll never go above it" is really what Democrats are telling themselves now, regarding the general election. It's comfortable to think so, but Democrats should also not rely on it as being inevitable. So far, everything Trump has done has defied such expectations, so it would be risky to just assume this one will come true in November.

-- Chris Weigant

 

Cross-posted at The Huffington Post

Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant

 

45 Comments on “Beating Trump Not So Easy”

  1. [1] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    The woman cherisher has promised his beloved Poorly Educated Mob that they won't have to push one for Spanish anymore, he'll never ever kill a reporter, he'll make those flunkies at Starbucks say merry christmas, and he's going to shave HilRod's head in public. What's not to like about this platform? It was inevitable that Casino Nation would elect the Casino Bankruptcy King.

  2. [2] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    Who are these people commonly referred to as The Establishment? Is it Wile E Coyote? Did they think that it was a good plan to have robotic weirdo Willard Rmoney go all Harry Reid on Trump or was he free-lancing? No need for all that drama. Hire whoever snuffed Nino to put a little arsenic in the Donald's Big Mac.

  3. [3] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    John From Censornati -

    You know, I wondered if anyone else noticed that Mittens is now doing exactly what Reid did to him. Guess it's OK now... he sure did whine about it back then, though, didn't he?

    Heh.

    -CW

  4. [4] 
    Speak2 wrote:

    Bill Clinton, John Kerry, Mitt Romney, John McCain. They all balked about releasing their family's tax return. Clinton completely caved after a month of negative press. The other three gave material but not with complete and full transparency (they all did partial-type things).

    Those three have another thing in common. None of them have ever been addressed as "Mr. President."

  5. [5] 
    Speak2 wrote:

    "has" not "have"

  6. [6] 
    Speak2 wrote:

    Hmmm

  7. [7] 
    Michale wrote:

    (starting with his campaign announcement, where he called Mexican immigrants "rapists" and "murderers")

    No he did not.. He referred to ILLEGAL mexican immigrants are rapists and murderers..

    They watch the wreckage of the establishment Republicans with amusement, confident that their nominee will handily defeat Donald Trump in November. To think any differently is to spit in the face of conventional political wisdom, after all. Except for one big thing they haven't even started to come to grips with yet: Donald Trump has gotten to where he is by continually spitting in the face of conventional political wisdom. It's what he does, and he's very good at it.

    DING, DING, DING, DING.. WE HAVE A WINNER!! TELL HIM WHAT HE'S WON, JOHNNY!!!

    GOP Candidate Donald Trump is the Democrat Party's worst nightmare...

    But watching Trump blow away expectation after expectation in the primaries should really make Democrats to think twice about how easy it'll be to beat him in the general election.

    And THAT has been my point since nearly day one...

    Even if Trump becomes the nominee, it's still possible he will say something so outrageous (perhaps in a one-on-one debate with Hillary?) that he drives away the independent voters who usually provide the winning margin in presidential contests. It's certainly a possibility, and if it comes to pass it'll be cause for much amusement on the Democratic side.

    But, you have to ask yourself.

    What EXACTLY would that be?? What could Trump say that would destroy his chances???

    If Trump bombs in the general election race, Republicans won't have any "Plan B" to fall back on -- they'll be stuck with him.

    Just as, if Hillary is indicted during the General Election race, Democrats won't have "Plan B" to fall back on. They'll be stuck with her...

    Likewise, the firm belief that beating Trump will be a cakewalk for either Hillary or Bernie is also starting to look a little naive. It's just another version of the most-recent bad prediction -- the one that just got thrown on the rubbish heap of wrong Trump predictions. "Trump has a ceiling -- he'll never go above it" is really what Democrats are telling themselves now, regarding the general election. It's comfortable to think so, but Democrats should also not rely on it as being inevitable. So far, everything Trump has done has defied such expectations, so it would be risky to just assume this one will come true in November.

    Exactly.. It's as I have been saying all along..

    The Democrat Party (and the Republican Party incidentally) has been wrong about Trump at EVERY turn...

    What makes them think that their General Election predictions will be right???

    Excellent commentary, CW!! Couldn't have said it better myself.. :D

    Michale

    (crossposted to HuffPoo)

  8. [8] 
    Michale wrote:

    The best endorsement of Trump to date..

    China doesn't want Trump as POTUS..

    That's the BEST reason to elect him.. :D

    Michale

  9. [9] 
    Michale wrote:

    Republican Race Puts Donald Trump and Paul Ryan on Collision Course
    http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/25/us/politics/republican-race-puts-paul-ryan-and-donald-trump-on-collision-course.html?_r=0

    Reading this article, something hit me ever so subtly.. At Warp 8...

    Ryan is doing what's best for the Republican Party...

    Trump is doing what's best for the country and her people...

    Ryan better get his shit together.. :D

    Michale

  10. [10] 
    neilm wrote:

    What could Trump say that would destroy his chances???

    Funny you should ask Michale, because a Republican blogger has been asking the same question and came up with a list:

    “The Confederate Flag is a symbol of racist oppression.”

    “Police violence against young black men is a national disgrace.”

    “I’m worried that America no longer attracts immigrants from Mexico.”

    “Those jobs aren’t coming back.”

    “I’ll have a Venti half-caff soy-milk latte with caramel drizzle, three shots.”

    “NASCAR isn’t a real sport.”

    “Kanye West is a real mensch.”

    “I love my Prius.”

    “The number of veterans joining white supremacist militias is a legitimate concern.”

    “This isn’t a purse, it’s a man-bag.”

    “You know who was a great President? Jimmy Carter.”

    “The most dangerous threat facing America is climate change.”

    “This calf injury gives me trouble in down-dog.”

    “I promise that my running-mate will be Jewish.”

    “Nashville is for sell-outs.”

    “What’s with all these gun nuts?”

    “Everybody knows that Obama is a Christian born in Hawaii.”

    “Guys who drive pickup trucks are losers, really sad.”

    “It’s ‘their,’ not ‘they’re,’ you illiterate troll.”

    “You can’t call it a taco if it’s not in a corn tortilla.”

    “Never trust people who Tweet in ALLCAPS.”

    “I apologize.”

    https://goplifer.com/2016/02/20/gaffes-that-would-ruin-trump/

  11. [11] 
    TheStig wrote:

    It's becoming pretty clear that Rubio has lost the battle of perceptions, with Republican voters, and with pundits and press. Rubio desperately needs to win something, somewhere, and quickly. A debate might help a bit, but Rubio hasn't performed well in debate.

    Rubio has collapsed. The Republican establishment has collapsed! The Tea Party has collapsed! Even Jesus has collapsed, the Evangelicals are deserting him for him for Trump! OK, sorry, so very sorry, technically speaking the Evangelicals are deserting Cruz, but Cruz was supposed to be Christ's legate on Earth, or at least in the Bible Belt.

  12. [12] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    as always, trump is doing what's best for trump. but people don't really care about that. jeb lund wrote a great piece for the guardian that rings true about the reasons for trump's success.

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/24/donald-trump-victory-nevada-caucus-voter-anger

    "There are millions of miserable people in America who know exactly who engineered the shattering of their worlds, and Trump isn’t one of those people – and, with the exception of Bernie Sanders, everyone else in the field is running on the basis of their experience being one of those people.

    "When you are abused and bullied enough, anyone willing to beat up or burn down whomever put you in that position is your friend. Even a bully can be a hero if he targets others bullies – and that is, more or less, what Trump has done since day one."

  13. [13] 
    dsws wrote:

    But I do caution that both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders should at least be thinking about how they're going to take Trump on

    Really? Sanders is in a position to look past Super Tuesday for anything but retirement? I think he needed to win Nevada, to be able to make it past the near-triple-digit loss he's headed for in South Carolina.

    He's bringing a lot of new voters into the process. A lot of Republicans are voting, and a lot of them are first-time voters voting for Trump.

    This. He's going to have coattails. The country is hosed.

  14. [14] 
    neilm wrote:

    @nypoet22 [11]

    So Republican voters have three options?

    1. Vote for the Democrat middle class policies by voting Democratic

    2. Vote for a raise for their boss and some over-the-pants rubbing on social issues by voting Republican

    3. Vote for Trump

    You can see why Trump is doing well with the Republican voters, but do the rest need to vote for a clown to get Democratic policies, or can they get the same thing with Hillary?

  15. [15] 
    Michale wrote:

    Neil,

    Trump has said WORSE things than that..

    And his numbers grew and continue to grow..

    Ya'all just don't get it...

    It's not about ideology.... If it were about ideology, Trump would be a distant memory....

    Michale

  16. [16] 
    Michale wrote:

    JL,

    "There are millions of miserable people in America who know exactly who engineered the shattering of their worlds, and Trump isn’t one of those people – and, with the exception of Bernie Sanders, everyone else in the field is running on the basis of their experience being one of those people.

    "When you are abused and bullied enough, anyone willing to beat up or burn down whomever put you in that position is your friend. Even a bully can be a hero if he targets others bullies – and that is, more or less, what Trump has done since day one."

    THAT is so dead on ballz accurate, it's scary...

    And THAT is why Trump will win..

    It's not about ideology..

    Trump empowers the powerless, even if it's only PERCEIVED power..

    POWER PERCEIVED IS POWER ACHIEVED

    It's THAT simple....

    Michale

  17. [17] 
    Bleyd wrote:

    It will be very interesting to see how Trump fairs in the general election campaign (if it gets to that point). As you implied, he will be facing completely new types of attacks from directions that he's not had to deal with yet. For one thing, Trump really hasn't really faced all that many attacks yet anyway. Most of his competitors have focused their attacks on each other, and allowed Trump to sit back and attack targets of opportunity. Even when he has been attacked, so far, most of the attacks he's dealt with have been attacks on him rather than his policies, and those are attacks he's dealt with for decades. You can't shame him or embarrass him by pointing to things he's said or done, but that's pretty much all his republican opponents have tried to do. They haven't had much of a choice, because their own policies are very similar, and similarly lacking in substance.

    The Democratic nominee, however, will have an incentive to attack his policy. It will be in their best interest to point out how his policies are either unfeasible, impractical, or insubstantial. I'm not sure how Trump will be able to fight back against attacks like that, as most of his counters against the Republicans seem to amount to little more than "I know you are, but what am I?" When his policy is attacked instead of he himself, how will he be able to respond? Will he counter by attempting to insult the critic, or will he actually try to defend his policy? I would like to think that the American electorate as a whole would be more interested in actual policy, so this could be a real challenge for him.

    Even putting that aside though, I think Hillary Clinton (assuming she wins the nomination) will be far tougher to bully than any of the Republican candidates Trump has faced. She's dealt with more mudslinging in her career than the entire Republican field combined, including the exact kinds of personal insults that Trump tends to favor. If anyone can withstand Trump and trade blows with him, it would be her.

  18. [18] 
    Michale wrote:

    Neil,

    Re #9...

    Maybe you should add to your list, "Planned Parenthood is a worthwhile organization and SHOULD be funded."

    Oh wait...

    Trump DID say that...

    And his numbers went up.... :D

    Like I said, ya'all just don't get it..

    It's NOT about political ideology...

    Michale

  19. [19] 
    neilm wrote:

    Trump's family comes into play in the General Election - he has already brought Bill in, so Melania Trump's background will get a thorough vetting, as will the pics of his boys killing and cutting the tails off elephants (you killed Dumbo!). The hope will be that Trump loses it and really goes off the deep end when his family are attacked.

    Also expect to see video clips of Trump wrestling on the ground at a WWE event, and a host of bizarre, bigoted past statements being released day after day after day, with calls for Trump to 'explain'.

    Baiting the family into 'unfortunate' remarks will also be a new sport the media will enjoy - they have zero love for Trump already, and when they see how much this pisses them off, they will only double down.

    The General Election will make South Carolina look like an afternoon tea party at Buckingham Palace. There is a lot of material on both sides, but Trump has a lot more to worry about - just about everything that has been dug up on Clinton has already been, and the email server is a tempest-in-a-teacup, despite the desperation of the Republicans to salvage anything from the Benghazi! fiasco.

    Frankly, I don't understand why the Republicans aren't going after Trump with more verve already.

  20. [20] 
    Michale wrote:

    So, what you are saying is that Hillary will get SYMPATHY when people go after her family..

    But Trump will get scorn???

    Isn't it possible that it might be the other way around??

    That Hillary gets the scorn and Trump gets the sympathy??

    Possible???

    Michale

  21. [21] 
    neilm wrote:

    Michale:

    You may well be right - but the angriest people I know are my Republican friends - and they were angry even before Trump came along. Don't get me wrong, I have to listen to a lot of vomit inducing self-righteousness on the left (anti-Israeli, anti-American knee jerk stuff, etc.), but this anger will be directed against Trump.

    The non-angry majority are less likely to put up with Trump, and those on the left will be sated by Elizabeth Warren, who I expect to be a big Hillary supporter on the General Election.

    I still think the 'NASCAR' comment could cook Trump's goose however ;)

  22. [22] 
    neilm wrote:

    Bill, Hillary, and even Chelsea (starting at age 12) have been through this, and they can handle it.

    It isn't about sympathy - have you been watching the election so far? It is about personality, and the trashing of Trump and his family's personalities will be news - the Clintons are old hat.

    Plus the Clintons have not been attacking the press on a continual basis - we always hear the myth about the 'left wing media' - well if there is a 'left wing media' it will come out fighting after Trump has destroyed the Republican Party.

  23. [23] 
    neilm wrote:

    Bill, Hillary, and even Chelsea (starting at age 12) have been through this, and they can handle it.

    It isn't about sympathy - have you been watching the election so far? It is about personality, and the trashing of Trump and his family's personalities will be news - the Clintons are old hat.

    Plus the Clintons have not been attacking the press on a continual basis - we always hear the myth about the 'left wing media' - well if there is a 'left wing media' it will come out fighting after Trump has destroyed the Republican Party.

  24. [24] 
    Paula wrote:

    Ezra Klein on VOX today: "arties are vehicles for structuring information. Their role is literally to help voters decide by helping them choose whom to trust. The fact that Republican voters seem to prefer candidates whom their party is screaming not to trust reveals a profound failure in the GOP's core role. The Republican Party is broken."

    It seems the Repub base has finally figured out they've been duped, duped, duped. While Donald is not the answer it is ever-so-slightly heartening that a lot of these folks have resonated with the idea of "honesty". They believe the Donald is honest because he has the luxury of being so -- he has enough money to be untouchable. It's a sad, sad state that we've come to this but it also illuminates very real problems which the-powers-that-be have either actively encouraged or blithely ignored.

  25. [25] 
    Paula wrote:

    parties

  26. [26] 
    Michale wrote:

    Neil,

    DailyCaller

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    Chuck Todd: Hillary Will ‘Long For The Days Of Ken Starr When Running Against Trump’

    Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/02/25/chuck-todd-predicts-race-to-the-bottom-if-hillary-faces-trump-video/#ixzz41Dd72vVn
    http://dailycaller.com/2016/02/25/chuck-todd-predicts-race-to-the-bottom-if-hillary-faces-trump-video/

    Bill & Hill are petrified of running against Trump because Trump won't play by Clinton rules..

    And the Clintons don't know how to play by Trump's...

    It's going to be a massacre...

    Michale

  27. [27] 
    Michale wrote:

    Neil,

    Chuck Todd: Hillary Will ‘Long For The Days Of Ken Starr When Running Against Trump’
    http://dailycaller.com/2016/02/25/chuck-todd-predicts-race-to-the-bottom-if-hillary-faces-trump-video/

    Bill & Hill are petrified of running against Trump because Trump won't play by Clinton rules..

    And the Clintons don't know how to play by Trump's...

    It's going to be a massacre...

    Michale

  28. [28] 
    dsws wrote:

    I still think the 'NASCAR' comment could cook Trump's goose however

    Yes, along with most of the other ones on the list. It's not ideology. It's identity politics.

  29. [29] 
    Osborne Ink wrote:

    Keep your eye on the Trump University lawsuits. He's going to take the witness stand in Sand Diego.

  30. [30] 
    Michale wrote:

    Oooo!! Look at THAT shiny thing over there!!! THAT will sink Trump for sure!!!!! :D

    Michale

  31. [31] 
    neilm wrote:

    Well Marky-boy really took a swing at The Donald tonight. Aided and abetted by the greasy side kick Crazio.

    What a performance. I just stopped laughing for a few minutes to remind myself that these clowns were vying to occupy the most serious seat on the planet.

    If any of these people get into the White House it will be the beginning of the end of the American Empire. We have ruled the world since the early 1900's when we took over the mantle from the Brits. Who will these clowns usher in? Germany? China? The historians are going to have enough material for a century.

    Let's hope, as I do, that Hillary gets eight years, the demographics finally become apparent even to the GOP and we get some real thinkers and leaders from the center right. We need them.

  32. [32] 
    Michale wrote:

    If any of these people get into the White House it will be the beginning of the end of the American Empire. We have ruled the world since the early 1900's when we took over the mantle from the Brits. Who will these clowns usher in? Germany? China? The historians are going to have enough material for a century.

    Just remember, Neil.. In 2008 everyone (myself included) thought Obama was going to be the greatest president ever and was going to fix this country...

    We were all tragically wrong..

    Your prediction about President Trump is likely to be just as wrong as our prediction about President Obama..

    I mean, let's face it. Ya'all's prediction ability on Trump is worse than my prediction ability on SCOTUS rulings...

    Think about it.. :D

    Michale

  33. [33] 
    Michale wrote:

    I guess there ARE still some quality commenters on HuffPoo.. I came across this gem this morning and just HAD to share it..

    Reno Wanderer

    Here is how the DNC made a conscious strategy decision eight years ago, they could possibly screw you ever in a huuuuge way.

    The change candidate, almost exclusively, wins Presidential elections. Especially after an 8 year term by one Party or the other. That's just the way it is. Now regardless of whether you like it or not, or are 180 degrees opposed to his brand of change, no one can honestly deny that Trump is widely seen as the change candidate. In a Hillary vs Trump match up, she's the Washington quagmire establishment candidate and he's the 'change all that' candidate. You would be either deliberately lying, or deliberately burying your head in the sand if you refuse to admit that Trumps flag is now unfurled in a stiff wind of change. Here is where the DNC royally screwed up. The had 8 years to groom, and come up with a real exciting, energetic, get out the base, rev up the electorate type candidate, and they did nothing....nothing on that front for 8 years. At the DNC level they made the calculated decision to thwart and sandbag and stall any effort on that front because they made the promise to the Clintons eight years ago that this was Hillary's show. Eight years ago, they made that decision. So here we are, running a coronated, over confident, status quo, Washington quagmire, back to the future pantsuit from 1996, in a year when the electorate is screaming for a "change the Washington Culture election". Best of luck to us I guess.

    So dead on ballz accurate, it's scary...

    Michale

  34. [34] 
    Michale wrote:

    Why Trump might be the best Republican to take on Hillary
    http://nypost.com/2016/02/24/why-trump-might-be-the-best-republican-to-take-on-hillary/

    Michale

  35. [35] 
    Michale wrote:

    It's not ideology.

    There's an echo in here.. :D heh

    Michale

  36. [36] 
    Michale wrote:

    Even putting that aside though, I think Hillary Clinton (assuming she wins the nomination) will be far tougher to bully than any of the Republican candidates Trump has faced. She's dealt with more mudslinging in her career than the entire Republican field combined, including the exact kinds of personal insults that Trump tends to favor. If anyone can withstand Trump and trade blows with him, it would be her.

    Hillary hasn't OFFICIALLY endured the the types of insults and attacks that Trump favors...

    Those kinds of attacks have always been "off the record" and whispered in back rooms and THOSE attacks are easy for Hillary to ignore or ridicule..

    We have already had a preview of how a Trump/Hillary match-up will go down, when Hillary accused Trump of sexism..

    Hill *AND* Bill shut up pretty damn fast after that, eh??

    Let me give you a little taste as to how it will go down..

    Hillary: "Donald, could you explain the gross and crude sexist remarks you made about Megyn Kelly??"

    Trump: "I could, but I think everyone would rather you explain how you could support your husband when he raped women and sexually assaulted women and how you could attack your husband's victims in such vile and disgusting ways.."

    POINT: TRUMP

    Chuck Todd: Hillary Will ‘Long For The Days Of Ken Starr When Running Against Trump’
    http://dailycaller.com/2016/02/25/chuck-todd-predicts-race-to-the-bottom-if-hillary-faces-trump-video/

    After that first foray into the Trump/Hillary dynamic where Trump took a HUGE chunk out of Hill's and Bill's ass and spit it out, Hill/Bill are petrified of Trump...

    The Clintons are expecting that Trump will play by the rules..

    HA!!!! Ain't gonna happen...

    It's going to be Trump's game and Trump's rules..

    It's that simple....

    Michale

  37. [37] 
    Michale wrote:

    Even putting that aside though, I think Hillary Clinton (assuming she wins the nomination) will be far tougher to bully than any of the Republican candidates Trump has faced. She's dealt with more mudslinging in her career than the entire Republican field combined, including the exact kinds of personal insults that Trump tends to favor. If anyone can withstand Trump and trade blows with him, it would be her.

    Hillary hasn't OFFICIALLY endured the the types of insults and attacks that Trump favors...

    Those kinds of attacks have always been "off the record" and whispered in back rooms and THOSE attacks are easy for Hillary to ignore or ridicule..

    We have already had a preview of how a Trump/Hillary match-up will go down, when Hillary accused Trump of sexism..

    Hill *AND* Bill shut up pretty damn fast after that, eh??

    Let me give you a little taste as to how it will go down..

    Hillary: "Donald, could you explain the gross and crude sexist remarks you made about Megyn Kelly??"

    Trump: "I could, but I think everyone would rather you explain how you could support your husband when he raped women and sexually assaulted women and how you could attack your husband's victims in such vile and disgusting ways.."

    POINT: TRUMP

    Read the Chuck Todd article from above...

    After that first foray into the Trump/Hillary dynamic where Trump took a HUGE chunk out of Hill's and Bill's ass and spit it out, Hill/Bill are petrified of Trump...

    The Clintons are expecting that Trump will play by the rules..

    HA!!!! Ain't gonna happen...

    It's going to be Trump's game and Trump's rules..

    It's that simple....

    Michale

  38. [38] 
    Michale wrote:

    Even putting that aside though, I think Hillary Clinton (assuming she wins the nomination) will be far tougher to bully than any of the Republican candidates Trump has faced. She's dealt with more mudslinging in her career than the entire Republican field combined, including the exact kinds of personal insults that Trump tends to favor. If anyone can withstand Trump and trade blows with him, it would be her.

    Hillary hasn't OFFICIALLY endured the the types of insults and attacks that Trump favors...

    Those kinds of attacks have always been "off the record" and whispered in back rooms and THOSE attacks are easy for Hillary to ignore or ridicule..

    We have already had a preview of how a Trump/Hillary match-up will go down, when Hillary accused Trump of sexism..

    Hill *AND* Bill shut up pretty damn fast after that, eh??

    Michale

  39. [39] 
    Michale wrote:

    Hillary hasn't OFFICIALLY endured the the types of insults and attacks that Trump favors...

    Those kinds of attacks have always been "off the record" and whispered in back rooms and THOSE attacks are easy for Hillary to ignore or ridicule..

    We have already had a preview of how a Trump/Hillary match-up will go down, when Hillary accused Trump of sexism..

    Hill *AND* Bill shut up pretty damn fast after that, eh??

    Michale

  40. [40] 
    Michale wrote:

    Hay CW,

    I have a couple comments in the NNL filter... Could you just post the first one??? The second is a duplicate...

    Tanks.... And planes!!! :D

    Michale

  41. [41] 
    neilm wrote:

    @Michale [31]

    We disagree on your assessment of Obama's record - I think he has done an excellent job. My stocks are through the roof (up about 175% since Feb 2009 - whoot! whoot!), interest rates and inflation are low, America is working, he has kept us out of the morass in the middle East, stopped the pointless nonsense with Cuba, got a good deal with Iran and teed up TPP and TTIP.

    The losers are mostly poorly educated Americans - which is a real problem and I have a lot of sympathy. They have to compete with the poorest people on the planet for very fungible and mobile jobs. From a global economic perspective, Trump is right, poorly educated American workers are getting paid too much. This is due to globalization - a trend that can hardly be pinned on Obama, despite the manipulation of the poorly educated and informed by Fox News, etc.

    In 10-15 years time the whole country will look back on Obama without the current emotions (except for the racists who are always gonna hate) and realize what a good president he has been.

  42. [42] 
    Michale wrote:

    In 10-15 years time the whole country will look back on Obama without the current emotions (except for the racists who are always gonna hate) and realize what a good president he has been.

    I'll take that action..

    Future historians will say that Obama made Jimmy Carter look presidential..

    How are race relations after 7 years of Obama??

    How is the partisan divide after 7 years of Obama??

    The mere fact that Donald Trump is going to be our next POTUS is a testament to how bad Obama has been for this country...

    Michale

  43. [43] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    I guess there ARE still some quality commenters on HuffPoo.. I came across this gem this morning and just HAD to share it..

    just make sure you use your "inside voice" when you respond, and direct discussions here. sharing your honest opinions on contentious issues on that site will probably get you booted again.

    JL

  44. [44] 
    Michale wrote:

    My stocks are through the roof (up about 175% since Feb 2009 - whoot! whoot!),

    Yea, you Wall Streeters are doing great!!! :D

    The 1% have gotten filthy richer and the middle class and poor have been hosed...

    Ask Joe and Jane SixPack how THEY like their lives....

    That's the REAL determination of how good Obama has done...

    Michale

  45. [45] 
    Michale wrote:

    just make sure you use your "inside voice" when you respond, and direct discussions here. sharing your honest opinions on contentious issues on that site will probably get you booted again.

    Yea, definitely sound advice...

    I am beginning to wonder if I have been shadow-banned. I got a notification that this FRAN person responded to one of my comments. But damned if I can find it..

    Oh well. It's still fun.. :D

    Michale

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