2016 Election
Aug 3rd 2016, 4:46 pm
#9001
Banned
Joined: Feb 2011
Location: Mallorca
Posts: 19,367
Aug 3rd 2016, 4:53 pm
#9002
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 8,106
Re: 2016 Election
I think he'll stay in. The Dems certainly want him in because down ticket is looking better every day. If he drops out he's a quitter. Beaten by a woman he can just spout conspiracy theories from his penthouse about how it was rigged.
Aug 3rd 2016, 5:09 pm
#9003
Nuther day in paradise.ca
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Ajax, Ontario
Posts: 7,263
Aug 3rd 2016, 5:16 pm
#9004
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 10,024
Re: 2016 Election
It does appear his campaign is finally imploding.
However, he's not exactly the mentally stable type who could accept defeat with grace and humility.
What happens, for example, should his team and the republican party abandon him? If he quits or engages in even more rage, or say, does something really insane such as hiring hitmen to snuff his enemies? Or anything which would remove him as a candidate...
Would the GOP prop up another candidate at this late hour? Would the general election even take place? Could Clinton become the only president that won an election without a vote?
However, he's not exactly the mentally stable type who could accept defeat with grace and humility.
What happens, for example, should his team and the republican party abandon him? If he quits or engages in even more rage, or say, does something really insane such as hiring hitmen to snuff his enemies? Or anything which would remove him as a candidate...
Would the GOP prop up another candidate at this late hour? Would the general election even take place? Could Clinton become the only president that won an election without a vote?
I don't know if he is just overloaded and maybe needs a few weeks rest. I am not a Clinton or Trump supporter , and much of what Trump says often the media or opponents make it appear different than what he meant. But his response about what he has "sacrificed" makes me wonder whether he has some sort of comprehension problem due to some physical condition.
Aug 3rd 2016, 5:23 pm
#9005
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 10,024
Re: 2016 Election
A very tiresome election and such poor choices now that Sanders has dropped out of the race.
My own thoughts are there will never be a Republican president again, and that Republican party after all this will start fading away. Between tea party conservatives, now a Trump wing, and the inept establishment Republicans, plus changing demographics, the party I believe will gradually fade away in the coming twenty years.
Aug 3rd 2016, 5:26 pm
#9006
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2016
Location: California
Posts: 233
Re: 2016 Election
I just checked the bookmakers' odds on Trump winning, and it's gone from 7/4 when I last checked it 4 days ago to 13/5 today, which means that 4 days ago you would've got 75% back on your money, today you'd get 160%, so he's that much less likely to win now than 4 days ago. I think even today's odds far overstates his chances.
Aug 3rd 2016, 5:27 pm
#9007
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,579
Re: 2016 Election
This is purely anecdotal and a small sample.
Living in the depths of the boondocks, a goodly proportion of my Facebook friends are are dyed in the wool republicans, snowmobilers, gun toters, tea party types. Oh, evangelical Christians too. Until the Trump convention, they were all gung ho for Trump. Last couple of weeks, no more Trump or politics from them. Just back to babies, dogs and deceased relatives.
Living in the depths of the boondocks, a goodly proportion of my Facebook friends are are dyed in the wool republicans, snowmobilers, gun toters, tea party types. Oh, evangelical Christians too. Until the Trump convention, they were all gung ho for Trump. Last couple of weeks, no more Trump or politics from them. Just back to babies, dogs and deceased relatives.
Aug 3rd 2016, 5:27 pm
#9008
Banned
Joined: Feb 2011
Location: Mallorca
Posts: 19,367
Re: 2016 Election
Is Putin grandmaster of chaos in our fractured age?
Trump, and Vladimir Putin: A Troika for Our Insane Era
The hacking – and leaking – of embarrassing emails from within the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has been blamed, pretty convincingly, on Russia. If so, this should be a shocking moment: a naked attempt by Vladimir Putin's regime to interfere with the electoral process in another country.
It should be shocking. But it very much isn't. Not just because, in the age of Donald Trump, we've all had to deal with a relentless erosion of our capacity for outrage. But because Putin's Russia – the country that shut down a host of foreign-funded NGOs on the pretext that they were attempting to meddle in its domestic politics – has been engaged in a long-standing, remarkably successful and completely unsubtle attempt to do exactly the same thing.
But beyond such visible efforts, Putin has engaged in an extraordinary campaign of promoting and sponsoring political parties across Europe. Earlier this year, the Telegraph reported that US intelligence is investigating Russia's political activities in France, the Netherlands, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic. The Kremlin has built ties with Golden Dawn in Greece, loaned millions to Marine Le Pen's Front National via Russian banks, and agreed energy deals from which, according to the then American ambassador in Rome, Silvio Berlusconi benefited "personally and handsomely".
It should be shocking. But it very much isn't. Not just because, in the age of Donald Trump, we've all had to deal with a relentless erosion of our capacity for outrage. But because Putin's Russia – the country that shut down a host of foreign-funded NGOs on the pretext that they were attempting to meddle in its domestic politics – has been engaged in a long-standing, remarkably successful and completely unsubtle attempt to do exactly the same thing.
But beyond such visible efforts, Putin has engaged in an extraordinary campaign of promoting and sponsoring political parties across Europe. Earlier this year, the Telegraph reported that US intelligence is investigating Russia's political activities in France, the Netherlands, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic. The Kremlin has built ties with Golden Dawn in Greece, loaned millions to Marine Le Pen's Front National via Russian banks, and agreed energy deals from which, according to the then American ambassador in Rome, Silvio Berlusconi benefited "personally and handsomely".
Trump, and Vladimir Putin: A Troika for Our Insane Era
It would almost be heart-warming that one media-obsessed megalomaniac has finally found his equal were it not for the fact that one is now within 6 percentage points of the American presidency and the other is Julian Assange.
Aug 3rd 2016, 5:59 pm
#9009
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2011
Location: WA state
Posts: 3,063
Re: 2016 Election
My own thoughts are there will never be a Republican president again, and that Republican party after all this will start fading away. Between tea party conservatives, now a Trump wing, and the inept establishment Republicans, plus changing demographics, the party I believe will gradually fade away in the coming twenty years.
Maybe they will come up with a workable alternative to Obamacare, or an economic plan that doesn't just shift cash from the poorest to the richest, and people will rally around them. Steering clear of religion and not shooting themselves in the other foot by saying how corrupt Washington is, they still have a chance.
Aug 3rd 2016, 6:38 pm
#9010
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 10,024
Re: 2016 Election
They will be back, probably with different values, but still conservative for the most part. Even with a hollowed-out core they are bigger than any of the of the third party alternatives.
Maybe they will come up with a workable alternative to Obamacare, or an economic plan that doesn't just shift cash from the poorest to the richest, and people will rally around them. Steering clear of religion and not shooting themselves in the other foot by saying how corrupt Washington is, they still have a chance.
Maybe they will come up with a workable alternative to Obamacare, or an economic plan that doesn't just shift cash from the poorest to the richest, and people will rally around them. Steering clear of religion and not shooting themselves in the other foot by saying how corrupt Washington is, they still have a chance.
My own prediction is there will emerge over time a party to the left of the democrats as the republican party declines. The Bush-Obama-Clinton Washington crowd will eventually lose out to a new party but will take some time.
Aug 3rd 2016, 11:01 pm
#9011
WTF?
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Homeostasis
Posts: 79,398
Re: 2016 Election
Grace and humility certainly not Trump's strong points. Though he has suffered defeats before and bounced back, and his very ego seems to mean he just moves forward.
I don't know if he is just overloaded and maybe needs a few weeks rest. I am not a Clinton or Trump supporter , and much of what Trump says often the media or opponents make it appear different than what he meant. But his response about what he has "sacrificed" makes me wonder whether he has some sort of comprehension problem due to some physical condition.
I don't know if he is just overloaded and maybe needs a few weeks rest. I am not a Clinton or Trump supporter , and much of what Trump says often the media or opponents make it appear different than what he meant. But his response about what he has "sacrificed" makes me wonder whether he has some sort of comprehension problem due to some physical condition.
What I have seen, repeatedly, is Trump says something odious and horrible and then when he's questioned about it he lies about what he said or what he meant. Then the reporter drops it with no follow-up. If the reporter does follow-up then Trump bullies them and they give up. Trump then goes on a tirade against the reporter that usually lasts for days and weeks.
Last edited by Leslie; Aug 3rd 2016 at 11:04 pm.
Aug 4th 2016, 1:54 am
#9012
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 10,024
Re: 2016 Election
You have mentioned, more than once, how the media makes what Trump says somehow sound bad when that's not what he meant. Do you have any examples of that? My biggest complaint has been that, up until very recently, the media has been letting Trump get away with murder.
What I have seen, repeatedly, is Trump says something odious and horrible and then when he's questioned about it he lies about what he said or what he meant. Then the reporter drops it with no follow-up. If the reporter does follow-up then Trump bullies them and they give up. Trump then goes on a tirade against the reporter that usually lasts for days and weeks.
What I have seen, repeatedly, is Trump says something odious and horrible and then when he's questioned about it he lies about what he said or what he meant. Then the reporter drops it with no follow-up. If the reporter does follow-up then Trump bullies them and they give up. Trump then goes on a tirade against the reporter that usually lasts for days and weeks.
You asked for an example- take his recent NATO comments. The media got all up in arms but for years even within the foreign policy establishment there have been discussion about whether NATO since the fall of the Soviet Union need to be re-considered, and also for years the NATO members should pull their own weight. So Trump is asked about the US obligations and he responds what about obligations of others ? Surely this approach would be more successful in getting NATO members to pay more, or re-evaluate aspects of NATO than simply giving the Clinton approach is the US will meet its obligations, but by the way Europeans would you be so nice to pay a bit more.
Though I agree he gets a bit of free-ride, the issue arises in the media for a few days, then it seems to go away.
I could go through other examples of how the media in their general partisan support for Clinton seem to create issues about Trump as opposed to focusing - both on Trump and Clinton what their policies are and their merits . ( Though Trump not presenting more specifics makes this hard)
Both Clinton and Trump seem like pathological liars.
Too bad Sanders endorsed Hilary, would have been great if there had been a nationwide write-in campaign. Whatever his merits or faults, I feel that Sanders was a class act, and truthful. And would restore some trust in Washington again.
Aug 4th 2016, 2:40 am
#9013
Nuther day in paradise.ca
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Ajax, Ontario
Posts: 7,263
Re: 2016 Election
You have mentioned, more than once, how the media makes what Trump says somehow sound bad when that's not what he meant. Do you have any examples of that? My biggest complaint has been that, up until very recently, the media has been letting Trump get away with murder.
What I have seen, repeatedly, is Trump says something odious and horrible and then when he's questioned about it he lies about what he said or what he meant. Then the reporter drops it with no follow-up. If the reporter does follow-up then Trump bullies them and they give up. Trump then goes on a tirade against the reporter that usually lasts for days and weeks.
What I have seen, repeatedly, is Trump says something odious and horrible and then when he's questioned about it he lies about what he said or what he meant. Then the reporter drops it with no follow-up. If the reporter does follow-up then Trump bullies them and they give up. Trump then goes on a tirade against the reporter that usually lasts for days and weeks.
Aug 4th 2016, 2:48 am
#9014
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: 2016 Election
Sounds like he may drop out, hopefully somebody sensible is lined up to replace him.