Why the Donald Trump Candidacy Should Be Taken Seriously

[OmahaBlueDog]

1) He's a household name
2) In addition to #1, he's a reality TV star. The media would love a Trump White House. So would a large segment of the American people. Why solve problems when you can be entertained?
3) Trump appeals to the same type of independent voters that liked Ross Perot - people who think a pro-business outsider would be the best option to handle the mess in Washington
4) Trump will likely have strong appeal in New York, New Jersey, and Florida (Florida because of the high number of NY/NJ expats)
5) He has money to finance a campaign, and money to raise heaps more money to finance a campaign.
6) Pawlenty and Romney put people to sleep; Newt Gingrich is an unlikable has-been; names like Thune, Pence, and Daniels get thrown around, but keep failing to emerge
7) The GOP is waking up to the fact that Sarah Palin is unelectable
8) He's very media savvy, which is why he's embraced the "birther" meme. It gives him instant credibility with the fundie wing of the party, who would otherwise shun him. He knows he doesn't have to prove anything -- just keep planting doubt.
9) He's gonna "make a better deal with China" regarding our debt (see Nixon: I have a secret plan to win the Vietnam war)
10) Even though he has not one ounce of policical experience, Republicans see him as Reaganesque, which is funny, because Reagan has been Governor of California for eight years before becoming President.
11) The delegate awarding system they will use this time bodes well for him.
12) The Republicans are desperate for a savior

Do I see him winning the nomination? I'm still going with my original prediction, which is Mike Huckabee/Chris Christie.If Trump does get nominated, my prediction is that his VP will be Jeb Bush.

[DJ13]

1. He wont enter the race

It would cost him money.

[OmahaBlueDog]

9. It won't cost him as much as some others

He already is a brilliant self-promoter. He'll turn over his corporations to Ivanka (daughter), who will in turn make huge contributions. Remember - thanks to the Roberts court, no corporate contribution limits.

[DJ13]

25. His NBC show needs him as a host

[Paradoxical]

2. Donald Trump is just as crazy and stupid as Sarah Palin.

And if Palin isn't electable, neither is Trump.

You give him waaaaay to much credit.

[OmahaBlueDog]

10. You miss the key difference here

Many, many people take this as an article of faith -- he's a billionaire, therefore, he must be smarter than the rest of us.

[Paradoxical]

12. He's a billionaire celebrity. Therefore a lot of people hate him.

[Blue-Jay]

3. Yeah, OK. I'm totally taking that guy seriously now.

[Karmadillo]

4. Recent elections show standards are so low, a loser like Trump could win.

nt

[cali]

19. not a chance.

he's a loose cannon and the PTB in the puke party won't support him.

[leftstreet]

5. If he wants to go 'Perot,' why is he embracing the fundies?

I agree with you about his GOP saviour appeal.

I just don't get the birther nonsense. Perot avoided nuttiness like that

Makes me wonder if Trump is already getting bad advice?

[OmahaBlueDog]

7. Trump has no strong religous credentials

The "birther" talk gives him entree into that group. It also stirs the pot and creates media buzz.

[leftstreet]

17. Neither does Obama, and he, like, won

The Bush Years pretty much tossed the religious nutz. You'd think they'd be well shed of them.

All Obama had to do was throw out the obligatory "yes I pray" Carter stuff of years gone by.

Just very strange that Trump would handicap himself if he's truly interested in running as a populist

[TheBigotBasher]

6. Christie is not running and for some reason

the baggers really do not like him.

[OmahaBlueDog]

13. Everything I've read says he polls really well in mock GOP primaries

(no, I can't think of a cite -- if I do, I'll post)

I think he could run and do well. If the nominee is Huckabee or Romney, I think he'll be VP. If Palin gets the nod, it'll be Gingrich.

[markpkessinger]

8. Re. #4: What makes you think Trump is popular in NY? n/t

[OmahaBlueDog]

20. He owns a lot of property there, has many business and political contacts, and will...

...get a lot of endorsements.

..and I have spoken to enough NYers to know he's ticked a lot of people off as well.

[cali]

22. baloney.

you're just making shit up.

[markpkessinger]

32. I think you are making far too large an assumption n/t

[FarLeftFist]

11. Not to mention...

He's been married 3 times, bankrupt 3 times, narcissist with HUGE ego, inherited his wealth, born with silver spoon, never did actual labor in his life, and has bad hair....Yeah, he's a republican nominee alright.

[cali]

14. codswallop.

1) that only gets you so far.

2) that works against him and the media is treating him with mild contempt now. If he gets in for real, they'll have a field day.

3) What evidence do you have that the don appeals to indies? My guess- as good as yours- is that he'll do horribly with indies.

4. bwahahahahahaha. not a chance that he'll have strong support in NY or NJ

5) how much money does trump really have at his disposal?

6) Pawlenty and Romney don't come off as totally insane fuckers and have some patina of gravitas. they're far more of a threat.

7) Donald is even more unelectable. do you have any idea of the skeletons in his closet?

8) He comes off as a buffoon in interviews. He has NO FUCKING CONTROL over his mouth.

9)uh what?


10) Uh, double triple what???? I haven't seen one single person call him Reaganesque. Not one.

11) Really? Why?

12) Pukes are a very top down party. If you think that the puke PTB have any intention of running trump, I have a bridge for sale.

[opihimoimoi]

15. The TRUTH will Trump Donald....he will lose his ass...this is a bad bet

[spanone]

16. fuck him. i don't take him seriously for one second. he's a buffoon.

the presidency isn't big enough for his ego

[socialist_n_TN]

18. Well if Trump DOES win, as far as I'm concerned,

it will be official. The US political system has become a "reality show". Any vestige of trust that I might have had that this is NOT the case, would be COMPLETELY erased.

[NYC Liberal]

21. Same things they said about Fred Thompson.

He did very well in polls before the real campaigning started.

BUT...who knows.

[Shiver]

23. He'll never enter.

Doing so would require him to disclose his finances.

[Bake]

26. +1 brazillion

Dead on. He won't do it becuase he won't disclose. Either he doesn't have as much as he wants people to think he has, in which case his ego won't let him do it, or he has MORE, and won't disclose becuase he's been cheating on taxes, etc.

Bake

[Shiver]

27. Exactly.

My guess, however, is that he won't disclose because something in those records might prompt an investigation of some sort. He has no interest in being president - he has far more power outside the Oval Office.

[kenny blankenship]

24. He has done us all one favor: showing what a joke our political system is

One guy with a billion dollars, no qualifications to high office, and the media take him seriously.

If people don't see that our political system is a toy for the rich from this demonstration, you have to wonder if they really aren't too stupid to rule themselves, just like conservatives always say (in private).

[Shagbark Hickory]

28. In 2008, I was able to get an elderly family member (who's sorta a racist) to vote for Obam

I mean someone so elderly it's a major ordeal just to leave the house. She made a special trip to vote for Barry.

So I was talking to her yesterday and she said she was watching the Apprentice. She asked me if I watch it and told me how she loves Donald Trump. She said she would vote for him. She said with the economy the way it is and all the cutbacks to her bus service, she wanted to vote for trump.

I told her that Trump is in the party that was fighting to take things like her bus service away.

Anyway the guy's too smart to run.

[bullwinkle428]

29. As disgusted as I am with Obama these days, I wouldn't piss

on Trump if he was on fire.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

30. The Donald

will withdraw when someone tells him; 'you can't really yell "You're Fired" at people when your the President'
:bounce:

[TheKentuckian]

31. It would completely prove the Zaphod Beeblebrox factor is in control.

I think that he and Palin and Bachman are "serious" candidates along with the selection of Bush is pretty damning evidence anyway.

The House is a fucking freak show and has only moderately gone down in caliber. The old favorite nuts are all there the new ones cut from the same cloth with new marketing.

[shanti]

33. arnold schwarzenegger

trump is playing off that kind of name recognition. unfortunately, many californians were starstruck and suffered for it. you can't deny that there are a sizable number of idiots that vote.

[Biker13]

34. If People In This Country...

are stupid enough to vote for Trump, that's it, I'm done!!!

I was born in NJ, raised in Conn., and worked in NYC my whole life. I've had it up to HERE with Trump!

He's an ass...really. I don't have the words to express how much I hate that man.

Biker's Old Lady

[Puregonzo1188]

35. Didn't he already run for President? In 2000. He couldn't even get out of the primary.

Of the REFORM Party.