Here’s the Real Reason Everybody Thought Trump Would Lose

[emperus]

Good read. Unfortunately for the county I saw this coming. After all this is party with heroes like Sarah Plain (I remember when people actually believed she was qualified to be President, jesus) and Joe the Plumber.

Most voters don’t follow politics and policy for a living, and it’s understandable that they would often fall for arguments based on faulty numbers or a misreading of history. But a figure like Trump is of a completely different cast than the usual political slickster. He is several orders of magnitude more clownish and uninformed than the dumbest major-party nominee I’ve ever seen before. (That would be George W. Bush.) As low as my estimation of the intelligence of the Republican electorate may be, I did not think enough of them would be dumb enough to buy his act. And, yes, I do believe that to watch Donald Trump and see a qualified and plausible president, you probably have some kind of mental shortcoming. As many fellow Republicans have pointed out, Donald Trump is a con man. What I failed to realize — and, I believe, what so many others failed to realize, though they have reasons not to say so — is just how easily so many Republicans are duped.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/05/heres-the-real-reason-we-all-underrated-trump.html

 

[Bowfinger]

You can fool some of the people all of the time ...

There's a reason "reality" TV is one of the most popular genres, and it's not that the majority of Americans are deep thinkers. People love superficial, turn-off-your-brain entertainment. Trump is an entertainer, literally a reality TV celebrity. He's a perfect choice for far too many people. He transformed the primaries into another reality TV event, but with audience participation.

 

[glenn1]

Good read. Unfortunately for the county I saw this coming. After all this is party with heroes like Sarah Plain (I remember when people actually believed she was qualified to be President, jesus) and Joe the Plumber.

The "too stupid to be President" line gets recycled constantly by the left. Considering the last two recipients of it (Bush and Reagan) won four elections you'd think some folks would reconsider their estimations of their intelligence but I guess not.

 

[Jhhnn]

What I failed to realize — and, I believe, what so many others failed to realize, though they have reasons not to say so — is just how easily so many Republicans are duped.

Repub leaders are just astounded that Trump could be better at it than they've been for decades. Trump understands better than they do just how thoroughly they've crazified their base & is entirely willing to exploit it in ways that only a consummate con man can use.

Watching the Repub establishment gag on their own shit at the convention will be amusing, to say the least. All the pundits & think tanks of Republican bullshit artists have been out classed by Trump's bullshit.

 

[Jaskalas]

The real reason is the GOP keeps nominating and promoting "electable" men over principled men. Big government Neocons who want a police state at home and abroad. Men like Bush, McCain, and Romney. Men who are the antithesis of the small government they promise to voters.

When you need a realignment in this country you bring out a wrecking ball.
Trump is the means to an end. The GOP is split asunder.

 

[dainthomas]

The "too stupid to be President" line gets recycled constantly by the left. Considering the last two recipients of it (Bush and Reagan) won four elections you'd think some folks would reconsider their estimations of their intelligence but I guess not.

Apparently "the left" includes the Republican leadership as they blatantly said they didn't want him and tried everything to make him go away.

 

[glenn1]

Apparently "the left" includes the Republican leadership as they blatantly said they didn't want him and tried everything to make him go away.

Neither the OP nor the author of the piece the OP linked (Jonathan Chait) so my point stands regardless of whether someone in the GOP leadership is joining in this time.

And honestly you're just shortchanging yourself when you use this kind of sloppy accusation when opposing someone. It neither makes you clever nor rebuts the point made by your target when you just dismiss your political opponents out of hand as "stupid" or start thinking your policy position is self-evidently the correct and intelligent one. Which leads to having contempt for the very people you ostensibly seek to help, such as this: http://inthesetimes.com/article/19037/slavoj-zizek-democracys-fascism-problem

 

[Jhhnn]

You can fool some of the people all of the time ...

There's a reason "reality" TV is one of the most popular genres, and it's not that the majority of Americans are deep thinkers. People love superficial, turn-off-your-brain entertainment. Trump is an entertainer, literally a reality TV celebrity. He's a perfect choice for far too many people. He transformed the primaries into another reality TV event, but with audience participation.

I don't think that "the majority of Americans" & "Trump supporters" are even vaguely synonymous.

You're right about the Repub primaries, no doubt. That's only ~11M votes for Trump compared to an expected turnout of ~130M. He'll need a lot more than a con man's usual percentages to win the general election.

 

[emperus]

The "too stupid to be President" line gets recycled constantly by the left. Considering the last two recipients of it (Bush and Reagan) won four elections you'd think some folks would reconsider their estimations of their intelligence but I guess not.

You somehow made a correlation between getting elected to be president and being too stupid to be president. We all know how that worked out for Bush.

If the goal is to just be elected, you're dead on, if your goal is to actually run an effective government, you may have issues.

 

[Moonbeam]

This is hilarious. None of you have any idea why Trump is winning. The idea that Republicans are stupid is a known Liberal Brain Defect. Liberals haven't the faintest idea what is going on or why they are constantly beaten by 'stupid' conservatives.

Conservatives win because they feel moral outrage and anybody so called alive in America today who does not feel moral outrage, is emotionally dead.

You didn't see Trump coming because you do not know that Americans are full to the top and overflowing with hate. We are as mad as hell and just as insane. Pardon me for saying so, but another word for Trump is Fuck You which is a round about way of saying Fuck Me. Trump is doing well because we have a huge and growing death wish. The 1% are blocking the door to change and we are going to blow the fucking wall down or whimper away in the night. If it did any good I'd say, wake the fuck up Zombies, but, of course it won't.

Anyway Bober is around here someplace and will tell you that in his own way.

 

[Hugo Drax]

No one is dumber than Dubya.

 

[Hugo Drax]

You can fool some of the people all of the time ...

There's a reason "reality" TV is one of the most popular genres, and it's not that the majority of Americans are deep thinkers. People love superficial, turn-off-your-brain entertainment. Trump is an entertainer, literally a reality TV celebrity. He's a perfect choice for far too many people. He transformed the primaries into another reality TV event, but with audience participation.

So he should win the Election in 2016. 😀

 

[shira]

Trump has been winning because - among other reasons - he raises dishonesty to an art form. He is so utterly dishonest that many, many people are duped by him for the simple reason that it never occurs to them that any candidate could so shamelessly lie.

What other candidate makes up a history about himself where he played the role of the omniscient seer who voiced clear objections to soon-to-be disastrous policies of previous administrations? If you take Trump at his word, he was a lone wolf opposing the War in Iraq, predicting disaster. Of course, he didn't actually voice any bold statements about the war BEFORE it started. And by the time he actually voiced "loud and clear" objections the war was 17 months old by which time even the most vocal proponents of the war had already admitted that the invasion was wrong.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-m...-trump-says-his-early-opposition-iraq-war-wa/

"I'm the only one on this stage that said, ‘Do not go into Iraq. Do not attack Iraq,’ " Trump said. "Nobody else on this stage said that. And I said it loud and strong. And I was in the private sector. I wasn't a politician, fortunately. But I said it, and I said it loud and clear, ‘You'll destabilize the Middle East.’ "

We only found one instance where Trump discussed the war before it started. On Jan. 28, 2003, just under three months before the invasion, Fox News’ Neil Cavuto asked Trump whether President Bush should be more focused on Iraq or the economy.

Speaking of Iraq, Trump said, "Well, he has either got to do something or not do something, perhaps, because perhaps shouldn't be doing it yet and perhaps we should be waiting for the United Nations, you know. He's under a lot of pressure. I think he's doing a very good job. But, of course, if you look at the polls, a lot of people are getting a little tired. I think the Iraqi situation is a problem. And I think the economy is a much bigger problem as far as the president is concerned."

Trump seems to be skeptical of the mission in Iraq here, and he said the economy should be a higher priority. But he did not say anything that resembles his claim that Bush should not proceed because a war would "destabilize the Middle East."

A single, squishy comment about the looming war does not qualify as "loud and clear" opposition.

In fact, there's an update to the Politifact article that shows Trump, in January of 2002, half-halfheartedly supporting the invasion. There isn't a single record of Trump voicing opposition to the war BEFORE it began.

The problem is, most right-leaning individuals who hear Trump making statements of his amazing and unique foresight can't conceive the possibility that it's all a con. No one could be so dishonest, could they? So they take his statements at face value and become Trump supporters.

 

[1prophet]

If you really want to know why Trump has gotten so far, ask yourself why someone like Trump would have never made it out of the starting gate over 30 years ago.

 

[marincounty]

The "too stupid to be President" line gets recycled constantly by the left. Considering the last two recipients of it (Bush and Reagan) won four elections you'd think some folks would reconsider their estimations of their intelligence but I guess not.

Actually Al Gore got more votes than Bush, but got screwed out of the job by right wing dirty tricks. Democrats should have marched on Washington in protest, but they are too disorganized for that. Right wingers are organized and effective, even if insane.

Years of dumbing down the schools, infiltrating the media with plants has had it's effect on the electorate- they're ready to elect an unqualified con man.

 

[Moonbeam]

Trump has been winning because - among other reasons - he raises dishonesty to an art form. He is so utterly dishonest that many, many people are duped by him for the simple reason that it never occurs to them that any candidate could so shamelessly lie.

What other candidate makes up a history about himself where he played the role of the omniscient seer who voiced clear objections to soon-to-be disastrous policies of previous administrations? If you take Trump at his word, he was a lone wolf opposing the War in Iraq, predicting disaster. Of course, he didn't actually voice any bold statements about the war BEFORE it started. And by the time he actually voiced "loud and clear" objections the war was 17 months old by which time even the most vocal proponents of the war had already admitted that the invasion was wrong.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-m...-trump-says-his-early-opposition-iraq-war-wa/



In fact, there's an update to the Politifact article that shows Trump, in January of 2002, half-halfheartedly supporting the invasion. There isn't a single record of Trump voicing opposition to the war BEFORE it began.

The problem is, most right-leaning individuals who hear Trump making statements of his amazing and unique foresight can't conceive the possibility that it's all a con. No one could be so dishonest, could they? So they take his statements at face value and become Trump supporters.

If you believe something it is a lie. People don't believe in lies, they believe the lies they want to believe. I want to believe that Trump wants to make the country better. 🙂

 

[shira]

If you believe something it is a lie. People don't believe in lies, they believe the lies they want to believe. I want to believe that Trump wants to make the country better. 🙂

Do you believe what you just wrote?

In your view, is it possible for something to objectively be true? And if so, is it possible for someone to believe that objectively-true thing?

 

[mrjminer]

Actually Al Gore got more votes than Bush, but got screwed out of the job by right wing dirty tricks. Democrats should have marched on Washington in protest, but they are too disorganized for that. Right wingers are organized and effective, even if insane.

Years of dumbing down the schools, infiltrating the media with plants has had it's effect on the electorate- they're ready to elect an unqualified con man.

Posts like yours make me wonder how stupid someone truly has to be to make the claim that the electoral college was something that Republicans just conjured up for Gore vs. Bush and wasn't something in place that every candidate, and their constituents, knows about.

 

[shira]

Posts like yours make me wonder how stupid someone truly has to be to make the claim that the electoral college was something that Republicans just conjured up for Gore vs. Bush and wasn't something in place that every candidate, and their constituents, knows about.

Marincounty didn't write anything that remotely resembles your interpretation of that post. What's clear is that - depending on how one "counted the Florida votes," Gore got more votes by at least some - but not all - counting methods. And if one of those Gore-favorable methods had been used (and assuming the counting hadn't been halted), Gore would indeed have been President.

How YOU get from there to alleging that marincounty believes some conspiracy-theory about Republicans creating the Electoral College makes ME wonder about how stupid YOU actually are.

 

[emperus]

Actually Al Gore got more votes than Bush, but got screwed out of the job by right wing dirty tricks. Democrats should have marched on Washington in protest, but they are too disorganized for that. Right wingers are organized and effective, even if insane.

Years of dumbing down the schools, infiltrating the media with plants has had it's effect on the electorate- they're ready to elect an unqualified con man.

This is the truth and probably the only thing that awes me about the party. They are insane but well organized and bold.

Look at this Supreme court controversy. I guarantee if Hilary is elected they will just go ahead and confirm Garland despite the BS they are spouting now about voters deciding. And you know what, they'll get away with it, because they always do.

 

[shira]

This is the truth and probably the only thing that awes me about the party. They are insane but well organized and bold.

Look at this Supreme court controversy. I guarantee if Hilary is elected they will just go ahead and confirm Garland despite the BS they are spouting now about voters deciding. And you know what, they'll get away with it, because they always do.

If the Right wants partisan BS, then I hope and pray that if Hillary does indeed win, Garland offers to withdraw - accepted by Obama (using the Right's own justification that the "next Administration should decide." Then let Hillary chooses an obviously liberal (but eminently qualified) candidate. What do you want to bet that if this were to happen, the Right would cry foul.

 

[Exophase]

I thought Trump would lose because he was for a while far behind a solid majority of Republican primary voters, and because there was a strong anti-Trump sentiment that seemed to indicate that people who weren't voting for him wouldn't vote for him.

I didn't think the vote would stay divided for as long as it did. In the long run that ended up making his longest lasting opponents look too weak which made people less likely to vote for them.

The winner takes all system in a lot of Republican primaries also helped Trump gain more delegates and thus momentum/perceived strength.

 

[Jhhnn]

The real reason is the GOP keeps nominating and promoting "electable" men over principled men. Big government Neocons who want a police state at home and abroad. Men like Bush, McCain, and Romney. Men who are the antithesis of the small government they promise to voters.

When you need a realignment in this country you bring out a wrecking ball.
Trump is the means to an end. The GOP is split asunder.

And who will fill the power vacuum when you tear down the Government of the People?

It's not like the Megacorps intend to restrain themselves. Government is their only restraint. When Repubs get to run it they hobble it to serve those purposes entirely.

 

[Jhhnn]

This is the truth and probably the only thing that awes me about the party. They are insane but well organized and bold.

Look at this Supreme court controversy. I guarantee if Hilary is elected they will just go ahead and confirm Garland despite the BS they are spouting now about voters deciding. And you know what, they'll get away with it, because they always do.

Please. Clinton has expressed support for Garland more than once. It's much more to her advantage to insist that Senate Repubs confirm him. Make it part of the victory dance.

It's their crow. Make 'em eat it.

 

[emperus]

Please. Clinton has expressed support for Garland more than once. It's much more to her advantage to insist that Senate Repubs confirm him. Make it part of the victory dance.

It's their crow. Make 'em eat it.

How is it to her advantage? If Clinton wins, she can appoint anyone she wants and just throw McConnell's words in his face. (I won, the people chose, now I made my choice).