...to think surely nobody will vote Donald Trump now?

[QuizteamBleakley]

Donald Trump thinks there should be a ban on all Muslims entering the U.S.

Beeb news here.

The interesting stuff starts at about 6:25.

'But he'll lose the election less badly than Trump would'

But isn't Trump appealing to blue collar Democrats who agree with Trump over "fair trade, not free trade" which the ultra capitalists favour? Doesn't Trump reach the Libertarians a bit like Ross perot did so many years back? Something like 60% of Americans didn't vote. If Trump can energise some of them, people fed up with the Washington class of puppets in the pockets of Wall Street etc, then Trump can change the status quo. Also, I don't think we have seen nothing yet with Trump. I think when Trump starts on Clinton and starts going all out, it is going to get ugly and I think Trump will defeat the Establishment.

The more stupid he sounds, the more popular he becomes. It's like a collective madness amongst some of the Republicans. There is a certain type of person who feels threatened/disenfranchised and possibly patronised.

Trump is portraying himself as a no nonsense, get something done, say it how it is guy. Shouting stupid things loudly makes more sensible, considered candidates look like they're pussy footing about not dealing with the issues.

Ffs he's even making Boris look statesmanlike.

I'm sure Trump and the rest of the republican fascist right are just praying for 9'11 level attack.Er, why?

claig I think Trump with his current rhetoric is capable of lighting a litmus paper to start WW3.

He is lumping normal moderate Muslims in with non Muslims and turning it into a straight - us and them situation.

This puts normal Muslims in a very difficult position due to their religion.

sorry lumping them in with extremisits and

'Boris Johnson: The only reason I wouldn't go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump'

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-the-only-reason-i-wouldnt-go-to-some-parts-of-new-york-is-the-real-risk-of-meeting-a6765201.html

There is a lot of bravado now from some of our political class but if Trump becomes President, their tune will change overnight as the world changes with him. Puppets will be queuing up to be nice to Trump. It will be like nothing we have ever seen. It won't be like George Bush.

If Trump can energise some of them, people fed up with the Washington class of puppets in the pockets of Wall Street etc, then Trump can change the status quo.

These people have been backing Tea Party candidates for years now. I don't see a big untappped pool of nativist blue collar workers that aren't already going for the most extreme Republican on the slate.

As I said before, if you add up the solid Blue states and then throw in the swing states where the Hispanic vote is large, it's unlikely that any Republican can win at this point but it's a dead cert that Trump can't. In the last 40 years, there's only been one election (1992) when Florida didn't vote for the overall winner; the chances of Florida going Red if Trump is the candidate are 0.

'I think Trump with his current rhetoric is capable of lighting a litmus paper to start WW3. '

It is possible because no one can predict what Trump will do. All we can say is that from his statements so far, there is much less likely to be WW3 under Trump than the situation we have now with Turkey shooting down a Russian plane. Trump has said

“Turkey looks like they’re on the side of ISIS, more or less based on the oil,”

You won't hear that from puppets, only from Trump.

Under Trump, I don't think there will be WW3, but no one knows for sure what Trump will do.

Claig, Muslims in America are being treated dreadfully by Trump.
He is alienating them all, hopefully most are sensible/educated and rational and understand he is a prat!

I agree that Trump is stupid to alienate Muslims, but there is no WW3 with Muslims and there never will be Lots of the extremist Jihadis have been funded by some people in countries that are our allies. Trump will end all of that.

Just on the news Trump says " Parts of London are so radicalised Police fear for their lives"

Claig, if Trump turns loads of Muslims in US how can he stop these People from getting a gun, or using a gun they already have and just stepping outside and shooting people?

"You won't hear that from puppets sane individuals, only from Trump."

There, fixed that for you.

'Shouting stupid things loudly makes more sensible, considered candidates look like they're pussy footing about not dealing with the issues.'

This. If he were my manager I'd start looking for another job on day 1. I did read some excellent story indicating that given his mindblowingly huge inheritance, if he'd stuck it all in an ordinary savings account and never lifted a finger, he'd be hugely richer than he is now following his go-getting business activities.

Really Anna thats extraordinary! I wish you could find a link.

He is alienating them all, hopefully most are sensible/educated and rational and understand he is a prat!

There's a lot of angst about them on the internet. But we have a prominent Muslim community near where I live and they're no different from anyone else around here. They mingle and mix in with everyone, and I haven't seen anyone excluding them or their kids.

Trump may blast shit on TV, but the people that want to alienate them aren't necessarily the ones living with them. As long as the communities continue to include them I don't think they're in danger of being alienated.

Couple of things about Trump are interesting:

1 - While it is true that if he stuck his money he inherited in a savings account he would be wealthier today having never lifted a finger. That calculation relies on him being able to invest all of his money in an ordinary savings account. When you get to someone as wealthy as Trump you have to be very careful about how to invest because your money going into the market will drive the market. I think he has been quite smart to go into Real Estate but his casino deals have been nothing short of a disaster. When I worked on a team doing his refinancing we worked a lot with his team. They were amazingly smart and hardworking. Quite a few were women and minorities. Trump himself was actually not stupid at all. It is a huge shame he doesn't put that side of him forward, however, he knows it wouldn't get him noticed.

2 - Trump is referring to the ISIS issue as 'radical Islam' which is actually a clever way of talking about the issue. It succinctly puts a firm line between Muslims who are welcome and those who are radicalized, who are not welcome. This morning the news on the radio had a soundbite where Trump called for a temporary halt to the immigration of all Muslims. The average American sees this as a common sense approach given that the wife of the couple who carried out the attack in CA was radicalized before coming to the US. To the average American there is a gap in the immigration process for identifying those who have been radicalized and Trump is seen as 'doing something' (i.e. being a leader) when others including Obama have been absolutely silent. Also, the Muslim population isn't very large here. Alienating Muslims has a limited fall out and will secure Jewish votes which are far more numerous and blue. Obama has not been as kind to Israel as the Jewish hoped he would be.

Right now the nomination for the Republicans is still very open. The only thing I am willing to thank Trump for at this time is taking out Jeb Bush. I wouldn't be surprised if there is someone who comes out from nowhere to win the nomination. I think Chris Christie or Rubio could be that person.

TBH WAnt2be I think Christie won't rune because he's young enough to let Hillary lose her teflon
I think Marco will get it - he's not commenting at all on anything rabid - good call
and the big money global bits of the GOP will pile in behind whoever lets them do business - that ain't Trump

back in the spring Dad and I had a sweepstake on a TRump Corbyn summit

When I heard this on the radio on my way to work I was shouting "For fucks sake fucking hell!!!!!!!" very quiet street early in the morning!

senpai and wannabe thanks for your posts.

I think the only hope the GOP Establishment have is for Mitt Romney to make a comeback. But Romney knows that Trump will hit him hard, and the question is can Romney handle it?

'I think Chris Christie or Rubio could be that person.'

Neither of them can possibly beat Hilary. The "we're all in it together" crowd in the Republican Party won't care because they are the same as the Democrats, but some big Republican donors won't be prepared to throw their money away backing a surefire loser. They will have to bite the bullet and back Trump as the only one of the current candidates capable of taking it to Hilary.

I think the only hope the GOP Establishment have is for Mitt Romney to make a comeback.

Love it. I'd suggest JFK as a late entry for the Democrat race while we're at it. He may have been dead for the last 50 years but he's no politically deader than Romney, and probably a more charismatic speaker.

'but he's no politically deader than Romney, and probably a more charismatic speaker.'

Absolutely which is why the Establishment is up sheet's creek without a paddle. Trump has spent nothing on ads and is running rings around every puppet they put up against him. That is why this is going to be a fascinating election.

The Establishment have run out of puppets. They are now reduced to resuscitating old failed ones, pumpin them up like a burst balloon. And meanwhile Trump breaks all TV viewing figure records. They're desperate and Trump is playing them like a fiddle.