Presidential Race 2016

Murbella · 2016-01-27T07:53:55.000Z

Gutsball:

I don’t think Trump will skip the debate. They’ll go through the first round of questions without Trump present. The audience will be bored by the usual empty platitudes. All of a sudden there’s a commotion at the back of the arena and Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Going to Take It” blares out over the speakers. “Good God, that’s Trump’s music!” exclaims Chris Wallace. Out of a cloud of dry ice and fireworks, Trump enters the room. He walks through the crowd high-fiving everyone and then steps up on to the stage and hits Ted Cruz with a chair. He knows his base.

TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP

Seriously though, i’m a democrat and i would watch this and have watched previous republican debates to see what Trump would do.

Murbella · 2016-01-27T08:05:24.000Z

The Fox/Trump thing did surprise me.

At the time i heard of the latest thing, it seemed like Trump was overly obsessed with megyn kelly. I had zero problem with his initial attacks on her because it is straight out of the republican playbook to attack the media when they ask a question that makes them look bad or report something negative on them. Trump is also right, megyn kelly is small fry. If she survives this, the trump thing will likely rocket her career forward. Thus i was very surprised when Trump started talking about her again. At this point it felt like big trump going over small, average jill megyn kelly, and that is something i don’t like as a democrat.

However i didn’t think about the strategy angle. Now that i think about it, it does make sense. Trump is dominating this race on the republican side. He doesn’t need to make a hail merry pass, he needs to not screw up. Thus it makes sense. Doubly so since he is a republican and they believe that there is a grand conspiracy by the media to keep republicans down. Thus he avoids potential pit falls AND wins points by attacking the media!

Fox’s response to trump was juvenile. They certainly dropped to his level. I’m not sure that is a battle they can win. Every politician who has tried it has lost. I kind of wish they had kept the high ground and i do believe it would have been more effective.
I’m extremely surprised that Fox stood behind megyn kelly and happy about it. In this day and age it is unthinkable for a large company to stand behind a low level employee when they raise the ire of a member of the ruling class. Fox is most likely going to lose money if trump really doesn’t show up. Their big ratings for these debates are because of trump and ratings are going to be a lot worse if the only thing we have to watch is the boring “non trump” republican field.
I hope they bring back Carly simply so she can answer for attempting to use the fake planned parenthood video so much. Even if they bring her back, she won’t be asked it though since Fox News, but i can hope.

Also Jeb Bush is still being allowed in to these debates?

Timex · 2016-01-27T08:11:16.000Z

Stepsongrapes:

It only works to shore up his already-locked in base. Trump still seems to be going for an all-out win the primary strategy, regardless of what it’ll cost him in the general. It’s part of why the R establishment is so freaked out. There’s a good chance he would blow the general really, really badly, pulling down the R’s all across the board while doing it.

I don’t know if it’s because Trump doesn’t give a damn or he’s just winging it and figures he can totally flip once the primaries are over, with everyone forgetting what he’s said before.

THe thing is, Trump’s nonsense isn’t even getting a majority of the republicans… he’s merely got a plurality, which is almost entirely due to the fact that the primary is a clowncar currently.

If folks start dropping out, then their votes are gonna go to people who are NOT trump.

So Trump ends up being a guy who can pull like 30% of the republican vote. Like, 15% of the overall electorate, possibly less.

Incendiary_Lemon · 2016-01-27T08:18:47.000Z

Timex,

Trump has about 47% of the vote if you count first and second choices. Cruz is next and Rubio takes up a very distant third.

Dan_Theman · 2016-01-27T08:19:00.000Z

Yeah, I agree this kind of behavior seems to ruin any chance he would have had the in General. I also agree it will shore up support for an alternate candidate in the Primary. His numbers won’t dip, but I think turnout against him might go up and coordination between candidates against his campaign will increase.

Balasarius · 2016-01-27T08:29:25.000Z

Hey guys! Guys! Did you know that Donald Trump is boycotting the debate?! OMG! What do you think about that?!

JHFC.

I tell you what, I’m sick and tired of hearing about Donald fucking Trump and what he had for breakfast.

Timex · 2016-01-27T08:31:00.000Z

Incendiary Lemon:

Timex,

Trump has about 47% of the vote if you count first and second choices. Cruz is next and Rubio takes up a very distant third.

Counting what type of voters? Likely voters? People who have actually voted previously? Random hobos on the internet? That part matters quite a bit.

And even there, you’re talking about less than a majority of republicans. So, translates into… what… like 47% of 30%? I honestly forget what the actual numbers are in terms of party affiliation, although I know it’s dropped dramatically.

I’m pretty sure he’d still lose in a landslide, which I must admit I would enjoy watching.

Scuzz · 2016-01-27T08:47:12.000Z

As much as I hate Trump I think his pulling out of this final debate is genius. He has nothing to gain by continuing to appear on a stage with these guys. His base will see this and agree with Trump. Others will see him flip off Fox and like him for it. It’s a total win win.

And didn’t they just debate 2 weeks ago?

ArmandoPenblade · 2016-01-27T08:49:46.000Z

Timex:

Counting what type of voters? Likely voters? People who have actually voted previously? Random hobos on the internet? That part matters quite a bit.

And even there, you’re talking about less than a majority of republicans. So, translates into… what… like 47% of 30%? I honestly forget what the actual numbers are in terms of party affiliation, although I know it’s dropped dramatically.

I’m pretty sure he’d still lose in a landslide, which I must admit I would enjoy watching.

44% with leaners, from Gallup. Which is actually one of their better comparative showings in the last 5 years or so.

Incendiary_Lemon · 2016-01-27T08:54:39.000Z

Timex:

Counting what type of voters? Likely voters? People who have actually voted previously? Random hobos on the internet? That part matters quite a bit.

And even there, you’re talking about less than a majority of republicans. So, translates into… what… like 47% of 30%? I honestly forget what the actual numbers are in terms of party affiliation, although I know it’s dropped dramatically.

I’ll dig into the numbers when I get back to my desk, but Trump has the highest favorables among Republican primary voters and his voters are also the most committed. Committed not only in their decision to vote for Trump, but also to vote in general.

RichVR · 2016-01-27T10:37:08.000Z

If his voters are not committed they should be.

Pyperkub · 2016-01-27T12:39:16.000Z

Timex:

Giving someone an order to do something is in fact an action from the perspective of the law.

Yes but per the Politico piece, it isn’t known if the information to be faxed was in fact classified intel. Additionally, we’re not sure if the fax information was time sensitive, and it appears as if the secure fax was not working. Secretary Clinton obviously felt that it was (time-sensitive).

Quaro · 2016-01-27T15:37:55.000Z

Fox gives Trump a nice opening to spin the whole thing: “It was the childishly written & taunting PR statement by Fox that made me not do the debate, more so than lightweight reporter, @megynkelly”

Telefrog · 2016-01-27T15:48:24.000Z

According to the news wags, the dust-up between Trump and Fox isn’t going well for Fox News CEO Roger Ailes. Apparently, he wrote the taunting statement and he’s behind the decision to stand behind Megyn Kelly. This is not sitting well with the higher-ups in the corporation. Their feeling is that Trump may actually end up being the GOP nominee, at which point someone will have to give up the line in the sand if they want Trump to appear for interviews, etc.

Daily Intelligencer

Fox News Statement Taunting Trump Was ‘100 Percent’ Roger Ailes

But now he's frantic to get the billionaire back into the Thursday-night debate.

The_Bitter_Cynic · 2016-01-27T16:02:35.000Z

All I see on my Facebook page is how Trump is boycotting the debate.

All this with that smiling smug look he has.

Followed by how awful Meygn Kelly is.

Miramon · 2016-01-27T16:16:28.000Z

The Bitter Cynic:

All this with that smiling smug look he has.

It’s wonderful how people will vote for him or sign contracts with him despite his usual appearance of being basted.

Nesrie · 2016-01-27T17:50:18.000Z

Who cares if Trump won’t play nice with Fox… is Trump playing nice with any news outlet? The liberal media is out to get him. The conservative news it out to get him. All he wants or will take are PR stunts and a chance to repeat his nonsense. He doesn’t like anyone who actually tries to do a serious interview or ask hard questions.

Incendiary_Lemon · 2016-01-27T20:11:08.000Z

Nesrie:

He doesn’t like anyone who actually tries to do a serious interview or ask hard questions.

It’s not about what he likes, it’s about what’s in his best interest.

Nesrie · 2016-01-27T21:16:54.000Z

Incendiary Lemon:

It’s not about what he likes, it’s about what’s in his best interest.

Maybe so, but calling out Fox… who hasn’t he called out?

ShivaX · 2016-01-27T22:16:59.000Z

Nesrie:

Maybe so, but calling out Fox… who hasn’t he called out?

Whoever likes him. I think he was praising Rush or something the other day.

He doesn’t like Beck, because he called him out. That’s right Glen “Oligarh” Beck thinks Trump is too crazy. That’s kind of like having Goebbels telling you to tone down the anti-Semitism. That’s the level of crazy we’ve officially reached.