Author Topic: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza  (Read 12489 times)

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Offline mystery-ak

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/08/04/boy-was-i-wrong-about-donald-trump-heres-why/

Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why.
By Chris Cillizza August 4 at 10:57 AM

Donald Trump is now doubling the rest of the Republican field in the average of the last five national polls. And polling out of early states like New Hampshire puts him in the pole position in those places too.

All of which makes having written a piece on June 17 headlined, "Why no one should take Donald Trump seriously, in one very simple chart" that argued why, well, no one should take Donald Trump seriously, pretty embarrassing. Not to mention wrong.

In case your detective work is at "True Detective" season 2 levels -- for non-show watchers, that means not so good -- I am the person who wrote that piece dismissing The Donald as even a semi-serious candidate for the presidency. My reasoning was pretty straightforward: Trump was regarded incredibly negatively by Republican voters. Twenty-three percent of GOP voters had a favorable opinion of Trump in a May Washington Post-ABC News poll, while 65 percent viewed him negatively. Eleven percent of Republicans felt strongly favorably toward Trump; 43 percent felt strongly negatively.



At the time, I wrote this:

Quote
You cannot and do not win anything when your numbers look like Trump's. I can't say it any more clearly than that. There's nothing you can say or do -- not that Trump would ever even consider going on an image rehabilitation tour -- to change how people feel about you. Republicans know Trump. And they really, really don't like him.

continued
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Offline aligncare

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2015, 10:57:11 pm »
He's the un-politician and pubbies like that aspect of his entry in this race. The rest of the field are career pols. Ewe! Icky!

Offline massadvj

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2015, 11:10:03 pm »
My sense is that more and more people, especially Republicans and independents, are imagining Donald Trump as POTUS and the more they think about it, the less preposterous the idea seems.  I too have been imagining Trump as POTUS and I must say that I have gone from horror-stricken at the notion of it to simply confused as to what kind of president the man would be.  Yes, Trump is a narcissistic creep, but he is very obviously a competent narcissistic creep or he would not have accomplished the things he has in his life.  So I have gone from anti-Trump to possibly open to Trump, and I don't think I am alone.  That could be dangerous for the rest of the GOP field.


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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2015, 11:14:55 pm »
My sense is that more and more people, especially Republicans and independents, are imagining Donald Trump as POTUS and the more they think about it, the less preposterous the idea seems.  I too have been imagining Trump as POTUS and I must say that I have gone from horror-stricken at the notion of it to simply confused as to what kind of president the man would be.  Yes, Trump is a narcissistic creep, but he is very obviously a competent narcissistic creep or he would not have accomplished the things he has in his life.  So I have gone from anti-Trump to possibly open to Trump, and I don't think I am alone.  That could be dangerous for the rest of the GOP field.

Yeah ... trying to rationalize a vote for a Kardashian versus a win by default by a Trotskyite is a bear.

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2015, 11:28:29 pm »
My sense is that more and more people, especially Republicans and independents, are imagining Donald Trump as POTUS and the more they think about it, the less preposterous the idea seems.  I too have been imagining Trump as POTUS and I must say that I have gone from horror-stricken at the notion of it to simply confused as to what kind of president the man would be.  Yes, Trump is a narcissistic creep, but he is very obviously a competent narcissistic creep or he would not have accomplished the things he has in his life.  So I have gone from anti-Trump to possibly open to Trump, and I don't think I am alone.  That could be dangerous for the rest of the GOP field.

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Offline aligncare

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2015, 11:50:58 pm »
I think one factor of his rising popularity is that Trump has real accomplishments under his belt. His name is at the top of skyscrapers all over the world. Trump gets things done, on time, and on budget. Can you imagine a Chris Christie or Lindsey Graham, or even a Scott Walker achieving such hights of success?

And make no mistake, Trump will expose the tremendous waste in bureaucratic infrastructure projects that typically come in so far above projected costs that in fact the money is being stolen. Over the years this waste comes to billions of tax payer dollars.

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2015, 11:52:12 pm »
My sense is that more and more people, especially Republicans and independents, are imagining Donald Trump as POTUS and the more they think about it, the less preposterous the idea seems.  I too have been imagining Trump as POTUS and I must say that I have gone from horror-stricken at the notion of it to simply confused as to what kind of president the man would be.  Yes, Trump is a narcissistic creep, but he is very obviously a competent narcissistic creep or he would not have accomplished the things he has in his life.  So I have gone from anti-Trump to possibly open to Trump, and I don't think I am alone.  That could be dangerous for the rest of the GOP field.

You are obviously not alone. At this point he is running away with it. All his opponents are politicians. That gives him a big advantage in this market

Offline Luis Gonzalez

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2015, 12:17:47 am »
My sense is that more and more people, especially Republicans and independents, are imagining Donald Trump as POTUS and the more they think about it, the less preposterous the idea seems.  I too have been imagining Trump as POTUS and I must say that I have gone from horror-stricken at the notion of it to simply confused as to what kind of president the man would be.  Yes, Trump is a narcissistic creep, but he is very obviously a competent narcissistic creep or he would not have accomplished the things he has in his life.  So I have gone from anti-Trump to possibly open to Trump, and I don't think I am alone.  That could be dangerous for the rest of the GOP field.

He accomplished the things that he has in his life at the head of a corporation that belonged to him, where he ruled unquestionably and largely unchallenged.

Those are not the characteristics that most people look for in a POTUS, where we allegedly elect people to serve, not rule.

We are just seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of being ruled by a narcissistic creep, and here we are considering another one. Donald Trump has never had an idea that Donald Trump didn't think was the best idea ever had by anyone who's ever had an idea.

At least, as the head of the Trump organization, when he makes his decision and implements those ideas, he does it as the as the head of the Trump organization and bears personal and fiscal responsibility for the results of those decisions and ideas.

With Trump as POTUS, we will bear the personal and fiscal responsibilities for those ideas and decisions, and in typical Donal Trump fashion, we will probably be at fault for those failures, because The Donald, according to The Donald, never fails.

Here's how I picture a Trump Presidency... all failures are someone else's fault and all successes are solely due to his genius.

A.K.A. Obama with sculpted hair.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2015, 12:20:55 am by Luis Gonzalez »
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Offline musiclady

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2015, 12:24:12 am »
He's the un-politician and pubbies like that aspect of his entry in this race. The rest of the field are career pols. Ewe! Icky!

Except Carson.

And he's up there pretty high right now.
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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2015, 12:27:30 am »
Personally, I am coming around to the idea of Trump as the GOP nominee.

Not for the reason most would think, but as valid as reason as anyone else's.
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Offline jmyrlefuller

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #10 on: August 05, 2015, 12:29:07 am »
I'm still very much anti-Trump and think he's a threat to the party and conservatism in general.

But it's clear Trump has gone all in. I never expected him to do so, given his past dalliances with politics where he'd threaten to run, then back out. When he started talking about Mexicans, and he lost his TV deal and the such, he doubled down and didn't turn back. He's fully vested into this race. That trait is something a lot of us have wanted in our politicians for a long time. (He's far from alone on these things, either. Many of the strengths of Scott Walker, Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, all of whom have solid followings that are being hurt by the Trump campaign, come from their willingness to stand for their position in the face of liberal backlash. It's Trump, with his billions and his known eccentricities, that hogs the attention, which is something he's always loved.)
« Last Edit: August 05, 2015, 12:29:42 am by jmyrlefuller »
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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #11 on: August 05, 2015, 12:29:16 am »
Personally, I am coming around to the idea of Trump as the GOP nominee.

Not for the reason most would think, but as valid as reason as anyone else's.

OK i'll bite.

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #12 on: August 05, 2015, 12:33:49 am »
OK i'll bite.

I want conservatives to stake their worth on a Trump candidacy.
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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #13 on: August 05, 2015, 12:36:05 am »
Personally, I am coming around to the idea of Trump as the GOP nominee.

Not for the reason most would think, but as valid as reason as anyone else's.

Don't you think a brilliant idea at this time would be for Jon Stewart to run on the Dem side?

Offline xfreeper

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #14 on: August 05, 2015, 12:42:33 am »
I want conservatives to stake their worth on a Trump candidacy.

Conservative, liberal, GOP, dem. Trump seems to be defying the lines and at this time it's not about that for many voters. He may split every group and subgroup for the win

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #15 on: August 05, 2015, 12:45:47 am »
Conservative, liberal, GOP, dem. Trump seems to be defying the lines and at this time it's not about that for many voters. He may split every group and subgroup for the win

And only God knows what that would mean.

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #16 on: August 05, 2015, 12:50:19 am »
And only God knows what that would mean.

Considering all the damage Obama has done to our Republic, it may take a mover and shaker to bring it back.

One of an entrepreneur's common strengths is the ability to delegate responsibility and hire the right people to "Git er' done!" 

If I could change one thing about his approach at THIS time, is to tone down the ego a bit.  It grates on me.
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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #17 on: August 05, 2015, 12:55:55 am »
Considering all the damage Obama has done to our Republic, it may take a mover and shaker to bring it back.

One of an entrepreneur's common strengths is the ability to delegate responsibility and hire the right people to "Git er' done!" 

If I could change one thing about his approach at THIS time, is to tone down the ego a bit.  It grates on me.

A mover and shaker how?  Do you actually believe Trump knows anything of cares anything about conservatism?

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #18 on: August 05, 2015, 12:59:45 am »
I think in watching the debate many will be asking or imaging what would Trump be like as a president?  He can negotiate but does he know the "ins" and outs" of what it takes to be a president?  Constitutional and Congressional law?  I think though it sure seems right now that he's going to be in for the long haul and very possibly our nominee. Where he may get more of a following is going to be greatly dependent on who he picks to run with him.  Definitely not a Bush or a Christie.  I see him possibly picking Fiorina. Maybe even Cruz.  It depends on what they will bring to the table for him; Firoina of course for the perhaps needed female vote and Cruz of course for the Constitutional conservative vote.
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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #19 on: August 05, 2015, 01:02:55 am »
Considering all the damage Obama has done to our Republic, it may take a mover and shaker to bring it back.

One of an entrepreneur's common strengths is the ability to delegate responsibility and hire the right people to "Git er' done!" 

If I could change one thing about his approach at THIS time, is to tone down the ego a bit.  It grates on me.

Trump seems to understand the importance of surrounding himself with competent people. The ego....well, it is what it is. The best way Trump could help himself now is to start speaking about the importance of the constitution. I don't know if he has that in him and that is troubling to me

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #20 on: August 05, 2015, 01:04:34 am »
I think in watching the debate many will be asking or imaging what would Trump be like as a president?  He can negotiate but does he know the "ins" and outs" of what it takes to be a president?  Constitutional and Congressional law?  I think though it sure seems right now that he's going to be in for the long haul and very possibly our nominee. Where he may get more of a following is going to be greatly dependent on who he picks to run with him.  Definitely not a Bush or a Christie.  I see him possibly picking Fiorina. Maybe even Cruz.  It depends on what they will bring to the table for him; Firoina of course for the perhaps needed female vote and Cruz of course for the Constitutional conservative vote.

I can see it all now! President Trump as the front man with Vice president Cruz behind the scenes pulling all the strings!   That could work and for 16 years not eight!
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Offline massadvj

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #21 on: August 05, 2015, 01:04:40 am »
I want conservatives to stake their worth on a Trump candidacy.

Yeah.  Talk about the potential for rude awakenings.

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #22 on: August 05, 2015, 01:04:55 am »
A mover and shaker how?  Do you actually believe Trump knows anything of cares anything about conservatism?

I don't give a damn.   Said it a hundred times in here.  I want to fix what Obama and the Left has broken these past 7+ years.

Am a Republican first.  And a Conservative (fiscally) second. 

I'm still very nervous about this Planned Parenthood thing.  I smell a trap that is going to cost the women's vote.
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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #23 on: August 05, 2015, 01:08:44 am »
I don't give a damn.   Said it a hundred times in here.  I want to fix what Obama and the Left has broken these past 7+ years.

Am a Republican first.  And a Conservative (fiscally) second. 

I'm still very nervous about this Planned Parenthood thing.  I smell a trap that is going to cost the women's vote.

Have you ever read serious conservative philosophy such as "The Conservative Mind From Burke to Ellitot"?

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Re: Boy, was I wrong about Donald Trump. Here’s why...By Chris Cillizza
« Reply #24 on: August 05, 2015, 01:15:23 am »
Have you ever read serious conservative philosophy such as "The Conservative Mind From Burke to Ellitot"?

Can't say I have.  Mostly Friedman and Buckley.   :shrug:
"It aint what you don't know that kills you.  It's what you know that aint so!" ...Theodore Sturgeon

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