Donald Trump: Come Kiss the Ring

I get all of the reasons why a Trump candidacy/presidency seems problematic.

But, if you don't understand his appeal, you're not paying attention. And, if you're attributing it to racism, or xenophobia, you're being disingenuous.

White working class people feel like they relate to a New York City billionaire. Do you realize how rare/incredible that is. They relate to him in a way they never could with Hillary Clinton, or Mitt Romney, or Jeb Bush.

They feel like he's one of them.

Now, this could still change. Maybe when they realize that he came from money, they'll fall into smallpotatoes camp, and think he's just a winner of the lucky sperm club, and not one of them.

He's going to come under further scrutiny, and even if his support doesn't wane, it may have reached or come close to a ceiling.

But, any candidate that wants to win needs to figure out how to relate to, how to communicate to, these voters the way Trump does.

 

Yes, the GOP base is amazingly ignorant and there's more to it than racism and xenophobia. We knew that. They like straight-shooting xenophobic racists.

 

Yea, the Democratic base is much more intelligent. F*** decades of research to suggest the bases of each party are equally ignorant.

 

Trailing Trump, Other Fifteen Hopefuls Release Joint Sex Tape - The New Yorker

 

Donald Trump has been seen on TV for years by many, many more voters than have ever seen all the other GOP candidates put together for one second. He is better known, an enormous advantage in a multi-candidate election. It's pretty much that simple. Also, I see no reason not to believe that Republican voters are as bored with contemporary politics as this Democrat is.

 

But do 50% of Americans fall into this group?

It's not about some in politics, it's about most.

I think he can pull 30-35% of all Americans. That can win Iowa or some of the early states while there is a heard, but once it's down to him and Bush he will be trumped. In a presidential election, 30-35% is a slaughter.

 

It's first past the post, Devil, not necessarily 50 percent plus one, in the Republican primaries.

 

I'd go further and take money out all together. Debates through television for three months. Then vote. It's about issues, right? Not money?

 

I don't see Trump ever sniffing at 40% of all American voters much less 48 or 49%.

If the Koch brothers are not backing him, then the GOP does not either.

 

There will always be the need for SOME money in politics. The extensive nagging operation that is getting out the vote is expensive, although not as much as TV. But there can be limits. The final two weeks of a French election TV ads are outlawed. The final week, no public polls can be issued. I was there for the 2012 first round election. It was very refreshing.

 

If he was the Republican nominee in a two person race -- that is, no big independent candidate -- he surely gets 40%.

Of course, if you get 40% of the electorate in a two-way race, you just lost in a monumental landslide.

 

Even Goldwater got 38 percent of the vote and Mondale took 40 percent.