Trump Unruffled by Esquire's 'Hater in Chief' Magazine Cover

[Paladin]

The hysteria Trump engenders is simply amazing. However, what these people do not grasp, just as his critics on here do not grasp, is this sort of over the top (way over the top) attack only solidifies support for Trump because it is so absurd and so reeks of elitism.

[Jazzhead]

The issue isn't solidifying Trump supporters, it is solidifying opposition to Trump and isolating his supporters.

I don't disagree that Trump's hard core supporters likely can't be dissuaded.   Many have had little recent history of voting; their disaffection and alienation are long standing.  The task is to limit Trump's support by making clear that Trump is unsuitable and beyond the pale.   AND that principled conservative alternatives exist.   

[EdinVA]

Many have had little recent history of voting;

Do you just make this stuff up as you go along or do you have any proof to back this up?
The only election I have missed in 40+ years of voting was while I was in SEA....

[Jazzhead]

I don't' make things up,  Ed.   There are lots of interesting articles out there trying to figure out where Trump's supporters are coming from.   Here's a LINK to one such article.

Perhaps the most important finding Civis and Cohn make is one we've vaguely known about for a while but can now talk about with greater precision: Trump's supporters are what is known as "irregular voters."


Another turnout challenge for Mr. Trump is that he commands the support of many people who are unlikely to vote. Civis found him winning 40 percent of the vote among those it gave less than a 20 percent chance of participating in the general election — let alone in the primary. He held 29 percent among those who had greater than an 80 percent chance of voting in the November election.

The facts are that, historically,  close to a majority of eligible voters don't bother to vote even in Presidential elections,  and it appears that a lot of Trump's supporters come from this cohort that's been alienated and uninvolved.   Now,  I can anticipate your reaction -  to the extent that Trump and his supporters are demonized,  the more likely they'll be motivated to vote.  That's a careful line that Trump's critics have to heed.   There is a basis for the anger of the Trump supporter - but there are far more constructive and responsible alternatives than Trump.   And, pragmatically,  what's the use of nominating Trump if he's just going to lose in a landslide this fall?   

[Longiron]

Do you just make this stuff up as you go along or do you have any proof to back this up?
The only election I have missed in 40+ years of voting was while I was in SEA....

http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2016/01/05/rut-roh-the-political-peeps-are-finding-out-about-trumps-secret-data-smarts/#more-110625

[libertybele]

I don't' make things up,  Ed.   There are lots of interesting articles out there trying to figure out where Trump's supporters are coming from.   Here's a LINK to one such article.

The facts are that, historically,  close to a majority of eligible voters don't bother to vote even in Presidential elections,  and it appears that a lot of Trump's supporters come from this cohort that's been alienated and uninvolved.   Now,  I can anticipate your reaction -  to the extent that Trump and his supporters are demonized,  the more likely they'll be motivated to vote.  That's a careful line that Trump's critics have to heed.   There is a basis for the anger of the Trump supporter - but there are far more constructive and responsible alternatives than Trump.   And, pragmatically,  what's the use of nominating Trump if he's just going to lose in a landslide this fall?

All one has to do is take a look at the mass number of people attending his rallies.  I would hardly consider that uninvolved.  If they are motivated enough to attend one of his speeches they are clearly motivated enough to vote for him.

Trump is here.  Trump isn't going anywhere. Who do you you feel is more constructive or responsible than Trump?

Why do you see Trump losing in a landslide?

[aligncare]

why do you see Trump losing in a landslide?

Because eight years ago the media decided it was time for a black man to be president and have him wreak havoc on a soft, doughy, white, bourgeois America; and now they've decided it's time for a woman to bust the balls of an America steeped in masculine primacy.

The probability has precedent. Just my guess.

[mountaineer]

In other words, Esquire threw a little childish tantrum and decided to call Trump names. A big "so what?"

[katzenjammer]

Pretty much!

[alicewonders]

Maybe Mr. Jazzhead should rethink his conclusions.  I don't know, and maybe someone can tell me - but aren't most of these polls we're seeing on the Republican candidates - aren't they done on Republicans that are registered to vote and likely to vote?  That's what I usually see.

So, if Trump is running 30-some percent of Republicans registered to vote and likely to vote - then throw these "irregular voters" in the mix - who probably aren't represented in most of these polls - PLUS - throw in the Democrats that like Trump - and his numbers are probably bigger than we are hearing.  Thus the hysteria among the Republican establishment.

I find no logical or scientific basis for Jazzhead's conclusions - I think he's pulling them out of his...biased feelings about Trump.

[katzenjammer]

Maybe Mr. Jazzhead should rethink his conclusions.  I don't know, and maybe someone can tell me - but aren't most of these polls we're seeing on the Republican candidates - aren't they done on Republicans that are registered to vote and likely to vote?  That's what I usually see.

So, if Trump is running 30-some percent of Republicans registered to vote and likely to vote - then throw these "irregular voters" in the mix - who probably aren't represented in most of these polls - PLUS - throw in the Democrats that like Trump - and his numbers are probably bigger than we are hearing.  Thus the hysteria among the Republican establishment.

I find no logical or scientific basis for Jazzhead's conclusions - I think he's pulling them out of his...biased feelings about Trump.

The "Trump losing the General Election in a landslide" is just one of the latest memes of desperation emanating from the political establishment.  Someone will think up some new ones in a week or so.   

[aligncare]

The "Trump losing the General Election in a landslide" is just one of the latest memes of desperation emanating from the political establishment.  Someone will think up some new ones in a week or so.   

Trump's not a perfect candidate. In fact, he's not as conservative as many of us would like. But he may just be the right man, at the right time.

People are yearning for a smart, tough, fearless leader in the White House.

(Make no mistake, Donald Trump is smart. He's danced on the graves of business competitors who have underestimated him. On the world stage, he will perform true to form, this time in direct service to America.)

I'm sure it must've dawned on some folks here that Trump brought a business plan to his campaign, which he is currently executing against.

[libertybele]

"I find no logical or scientific basis for Jazzhead's conclusions - I think he's pulling them out of his...biased feelings about Trump."

Agreed.  No logical conclusion for sure.   

[Scottftlc]

Trump is one of those that draws strong feelings - positive and negative.  If you like Trump, you really like him.  If you dislike him, you really have thing against him.  The Republican Party most often has opted for milk toast in their candidates.  So this is something that is not the norm at all for Republicans - you have to literally go back to Reagan to find these reactions.  And I am old enough to remember, Reagan was hated with true vitriol by those within the Republican Party that hated him.  And those that hated him were the true kingpins of the day - people like George HW Bush, John Anderson, Gerald Ford and Nelson Rockefeller.  This all gets lost over time, but the pronounced bad feelings you are seeing within the party, were there with the Reagan insurrection of 1976 and then the takeover in 1980. 

Those kind of feelings are back in 2016 with Trump.  What I find very funny is that even the "hated" Ted Cruz, a man truly despised by the party establishment, is being spoken of now in terms of "principled conservative" by people within the establishment who would have spit is name out with vitriol before Trump came around to suck all the air out of the room.  I find it hilarious that they are trying to co-opt Cruz now as the principled alternative to Trump.  They hate his guts!  Which shows how hard their feelings are about the Trump insurrection.

[aligncare]

Trump is one of those that draws strong feelings - positive and negative.  If you like Trump, you really like him.  If you dislike him, you really have thing against him.  The Republican Party most often has opted for milk toast in their candidates.  So this is something that is not the norm at all for Republicans - you have to literally go back to Reagan to find these reactions.  And I am old enough to remember, Reagan was hated with true vitriol by those within the Republican Party that hated him.  And those that hated him were the true kingpins of the day - people like George HW Bush, John Anderson, Gerald Ford and Nelson Rockefeller.  This all gets lost over time, but the pronounced bad feelings you are seeing within the party, were there with the Reagan insurrection of 1976 and then the takeover in 1980. 

Those kind of feelings are back in 2016 with Trump.  What I find very funny is that even the "hated" Ted Cruz, a man truly despised by the party establishment, is being spoken of now in terms of "principled conservative" by people within the establishment who would have spit is name out with vitriol before Trump came around to suck all the air out of the room.  I find it hilarious that they are trying to co-opt Cruz now as the principled alternative to Trump.  They hate his guts!  Which shows how hard their feelings are about the Trump insurrection.

One of your best analyses, Scott. Kudos 

[ArneFufkin]

The hysteria Trump engenders is simply amazing. However, what these people do not grasp, just as his critics on here do not grasp, is this sort of over the top (way over the top) attack only solidifies support for Trump because it is so absurd and so reeks of elitism.

Trump will dismiss this tweak the way he dismisses challenges from his primary competitors:   "Look at their lousy circulation numbers ( low poll numbers) and you'll see why they need me for attention."

Then he'll just merrily move onto his next "controversial" media/barnstorming adventure.

[mountaineer]

I believe you're correct, Arne!

[katzenjammer]

Trump's not a perfect candidate. In fact, he's not as conservative as many of us would like. But he may just be the right man, at the right time.

People are yearning for a smart, tough, fearless leader in the White House.

(Make no mistake, Donald Trump is smart. He's danced on the graves of business competitors who have underestimated him. On the world stage, he will perform true to form, this time in direct service to America.)

I'm sure it must've dawned on some folks here that Trump brought a business plan to his campaign, which he is currently executing against.

Nope, not a "perfect candidate" by a long shot...  but likely a candidate that can win the General Election in 2016 America.