is it really possible that Donald trump could be president?????

[Bishopsbuddy]

I have zero understanding of American politics and wondered could some one give me an idiots explanation pls. Could trump really win???

In 5 years he'll say that he's been against KKK since he was a child.

Trump didn't oppose the Iraq War before it started, but he seems to have become disenchanted in 2003-2004 Factcheck site
He was a Republican and nearly all Republicans supported Bush's call in 2002 to invade Iraq. He had no political office or responsibility then.

In contrast, Hillary was a Senator who broke with most Democrats when she actually voted for the war, reminder in HuffPost
That still makes some Democrats bitter, rather like many Labour supporters will never forgive Tony Blair for his role in Iraq. Many turned to the Bern, who opposed the war.

She's now admitted her vote was a mistake, but she may be tempted to bungle on, trying to "fix" the Middle East, but just making it bloodier.
Trump has no skin in that game, no reputation to rescue and doesn't seem interested in opposing Putin's actions there.

I am no longer sure Trump will win. It is very very complicated and behind the scenes. Rumours are that the Koch brothers are throwing their weight behind Rubio which is probably why Trump launched his twitter attack today. Rubio has to win Florida, if he doesn't make it, there are rumours that Romney may be brought back which may explain why Romney stepped in the other day to say that they think there is a "bombshell" in Trump's tax return.

Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions has just endorsed Trump today.

It is going to be one hell of a battle but the Establishment have not given up and will still try to stop Trump.

We can only hope that Trump makes it!
Trump 2016!

Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions speech endorsing Trump

"we have an opportunity Tuesday. It may be the last opportunity we have for the people's voice to be heard. You have asked for 30 years, and politicians have promised for 30 years to fix illegal immigration," Sessions said.

"The American people have known for years these trade agreements have not been working for them," Sessions stumped. "We now have and will soon have a vote on the Transpacific Partnership TPP), Obamatrade, and it will damage America. It will create a commission that undermines our sovereignty, and it should not pass. Donald Trump when he gets elected president will see it does not pass."

"This movement, he doesn't take money from political groups and lobbyists. He is committed to leading this country in an effective way. You know, nobody is perfect. We can't have everything, can we, Mr. Trump? But I can tell you one thing, I think at this time in my opinion, my best judgment, at this time in America's history, we need to make America great again!" Sessions said, repeating Trump's campaign slogan.

"I am pleased to endorse Donald Trump for the presidency of the United States," Sessions endorsed.

"I told Donald Trump this isn't a campaign, this is a movement," Sessions told the crowd. "Look at what's happening. The American people are not happy with their government."

"We are in a movement that must not fade away," Sessions said. "The bosses are you. The people in Washington are public servants and they serve you."

www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/02/28/alabama_senator_jeff_sessions_endorses_donald_trump_at_huntsville_rally.html

Trump 2016!

"Rumours that Romney may be brought back"
That would be the GOP dog returning to its old vomit, or in this case, to its Magic Underpants.
Rubio is a religious hardliner, who opposes all abortion, even in the case of rape. I consider Rubio or Cruz would be worse for women than Trump.

They both have rigid rightwing ideologies and don't seem to tolerate other views, which might cause them to get into a proxy war, maybe even a shooting war, with Putin.
Trump doesn't have any ideology or genuine beliefs afaik, other than to get even richer and blow his own Trumpet. However his temper and unpredictability are worrying.

'I consider Rubio or Cruz would be worse for women than Trump. '

I agree. I think Hillary would beat both of them because they are too hardline right wing.

' which might cause them to get into a proxy war, maybe even a shooting war, with Putin. '

Yes, I think they are controlled and have to do what the big money wants. Trump has gone against it which is just one reason why they are not sure what he will do.

'Trump doesn't have any ideology or genuine beliefs afaik, other than to get even richer and blow his own Trumpet.'

Yes he has no ideology, he is a pragmatist whose only interest is the United States.

'However his temper and unpredictability are worrying.'

I think that is part of his Art of the Deal, an act to be very tough so that he gets the best deal.

The problem with Trump and the war is that he claims he was against it from the start. However, the available evidence doesn't support it.

It's not so much him being for or against it. Anyone could have been fooled by Saddam/Bush (take your pick) over the WMD.

He is using it to show how much he's against the "establishment" and the Bush administration. And to show how wise he is.
But there is no evidence for any of that.
He only started voicing any opinions against it when the outcome of the war was obvious and public opinion was definitely against it.

To cheer you up: Washington Post articles 24 Feb and 26 Feb saying Trump may be unstoppable.
He is expected to win nearly every state on Super Tuesday.
His delegate chart looks impressive atm, see pic, but should have the GOP in panic mode on Wednesday.
This is uncharted political territory. Anything could happen, in November too.

'He only started voicing any opinions against it when the outcome of the war was obvious and public opinion was definitely against it.'

Trump exaggerates. He is a salesman, a showman. That is why you can't believe everything he says about the wall or banning all Muslims entering temporarily etc. Some things are part of his exaggerated showmanship. But you can get an idea of what he thinks.

He was on record against the Iraw War in 2004 and in 2008 he wanted George W Bush impeached, he said Bush lied about weapons of mass destruction in a live debate and he said he will open the 28 redacted pages of the 911 report. How many politicians running for President of the United States would do that?

How many Labour Party politicians would say or do half of that?

'To cheer you up'

Thanks, BigChocFrenzy. Trump will win Super Tuesday but there are all sorts of behind the scenes shenanigans going on by big money to try and stop him and take it from him and the people. It is the most powerful office in the most powerful country on the planet. The big money wants to keep control of who is in that office. they can't control Trump which is why they will try their utmost to stop him.

To clarify Trump was not offically endorsed, although it seemed that way, by the EX- leader of the KKK. So I don't blame Trump for saying he doesn't know what the guy is about. Also, giving airtime to the KKK and black panthers is equally bad. Both are vile organizations and media shouldn't be giving them so much oxygen. I read in a newspaper report over the weekend in the NY Times that there is about 5,000-8,000 members of the KKK. I have no idea how many members the black panthers claim to have but I doubt it's that many.

Next week will be about Trump and mafia links. The mafia control construction in this area. You can't avoid them because they run all the major construction companies that can handle more than a 2 story townhouse.

Put it this way, you want to build or refit your home in my town, just to submit the paperwork for permits you need a licensed contractor who has been permitted to work in the town. It's a nice earner for the town and yes most people just do basic things like install a wash dryer without permits. The cost sky rockets from $1500 to $9k. So to build anything in Manhattan trump will have had to have 'links' with the mafia in that he will have had to have hired a mafia controlled construction company to complete the work. IMO hiring a contractor to build for you and paying them in accordance with a schedule doesn't count as evidence that you have any links with the mafia. We are about to embark on possibly adding a floor to our building. God forbid, after paying top dollar for the work, someone accused me of having 'links' to the mafia afterwards I would be absolutely dumbfounded at the persons ignorance.

Also, to give you an idea of how tough construction is, a partner who lives in a very well to do town here in suburban NJ was telling me how he had called around asking for quotes for his driveway to be redone. Only one firm would give a quote. The others all said 'We don't work in that area.' Bullshit. They have carved up the towns between them.

Trump can't claim any credit for being against the war by the time everyone was. The point is that he is trying to claim credit for being against the war before 2003, and he's lying yet again.

He could have said anything about kkk, but surely not that he needed to look it up.
My politician answer would probably be that they can endorse whoever they want. It doesn't mean I agreed with everybody that endorsed me.

It's odd that he claimed no knowledge of them.

For such a, supposedly, clever and astute person, it was rather unexpected stupid and does make you wonder.

The media already threw the KKK question to Trump when at a live conference Chris Christie had just endorsed Trump. One of the media shouted out to Trump "what do you say about the KKK endorsing you?" trum said "What? I disavow, I disavw" in irritated fashion as he batted off the planted question in annoyance and he also tweeted "I disavow".

This iis all part of Establishment and media dirty tricks just days before the most imporatnt day in the electoral calendar, Super Tuesday. The media and Establishment want to associate racism with Trump just days before people vote.

So they came back at him yesterday and asked him to condemn David Duke and the KKK in a live interview they were doing with Trump. Trump knows the game, he knows they want to associate him with the KKK so that voters don't vote for him just 48 hours before Super Tuesday. So in my opinion, Trump refused to play their game by appearing defensive as if the KKK had anything to do with him by asking the reporter to show him what he was talking about, which groups had said what etc. I think he wanted to avoid what he knows will be the endless media trick to have him on live TV constantly disavowing people who he has nothing to do with.

The same tricks are used in our elections where the press wrote whole page articles that Britain First, a tiny group, had said they supported UKIP and that people should vote UKIP during the Rochester by-election, in an attemt to get people not to vote UKIP. It didn't work because UKIP won the Rochester by-election and unseated the sitting Conservative MP in a very safe Conservative seat.

These type of tricks are always used by the media etc in order to put someone like Trump on the defensive and to tar him with racism because some kranks said they support him.

Trump refused to play their game, but they will back to hound him some more. That is how they play the game.

I'm surprised that the press all knew about David Duke's endorsement and Trump's advisors didn't warn him.
Even more surprising if he had been confronted with it earlier and didn't prepare himself to respond appropriately. Appearing defensive is not a good strategy for him. It could be quite damaging.

I'm also surprised (well, not really) that it's ok for him to trick everyone, including lying for effect, but being confronted and asked about other people's endorsements are dirty tricks.

'Appearing defensive is not a good strategy for him'

I don't think he did appear defensive because he refused to play along with what the media wanted him to do. He basically defied the media, in a similar way to how I think he will defy Fox by refusing to turn up to the next debate on Thursday.

Trump is in a no-win situation, he knows the media intend to smear him as a racist either way. He has nothing to do with David Duke or the KKK so he doesn't want to waste time being associated with them in any way by the media.

That's the thing. It's a dirty trick because David Duke is not the leader of the KKK and he said he wasn't offically endorsing trump. So the media have made a huge jump to imply the KKK endorse trump. I think his answer is acceptable based on those two facts.

Want2bSupermum, you are right about the mob accusations coming next.

Amazingly, Cruz said yesterday that Trump's tax returns may show mob associations. It is getting very nasty now as Rubio and Cruz are going all out against Trump and the accusations and insults are getting wilder.

""I think he deserves a close look by those who believe the era of political correctness needs to come to an end," Duke wrote."

This is the danger of focusing on ending political correctness.

Whereas he may well mean ending the falling behind the most prevalent political lines, many people are thinking fuck equal rights for example.

BTW, it seems 6 months ago he knew who Duke was
www.politico.com/story/2015/08/donald-trump-doesnt-want-david-duke-endorsement-121784

So, why now the hesitation? That is the worrying part.

Which is it?
"Trump refused to play their game by appearing defensive"
"I don't think he did appear defensive"

The jump wasn't about KKK endorsing Trump but about Trump not immediately dissociating himself from KKK and instead saying he would have to research them first.

Like he didn't know what KKK is?

"Trump is in a no-win situation, he knows the media intend to smear him as a racist either way"

He is a racist, xenophobia, and a bigot.
Media doesn't need to "portray" him. Quoting him works fine.

Xenophobe, even.

'So, why now the hesitation? That is the worrying part.'

Absolutely, Trump knows who David Duke is and he knows what the KKK is, but he tried to deflect the question because he has nothing to do with them and did not want to be associated with them in the people's mind. He chose to do that by not doing what the media wanted him to do because he knows that they will then play it endlessly in the 48 hours before Super Tuesday and that will cause some voters to think he has something to do with David Duke and the KKK.

'"Trump refused to play their game by appearing defensive"'

What I meant by that is that the media wanted him to be defensive to say I condemn them because that would associate them with him which would make voters think he was connected with them in some way, so instead he chose to skip the question in the same way he skips debates, he refused to follow the script the media wanted him to follow. Trump's whole appeal is that he is not politically correct (i.e. he refuses to act correct in the way the media and political class have scripted him to act). So he refused to answer the question and turned it back on them and said show me what you are talking about and then I will get back to you.

The media wanted him to condemn it because that would link him with it with voters. He said he didn't know what they are talking about i order to avoid the media trap of smearing him as being associated with them.

Here is the interview

the media wanted him to be defensive to say I condemn them because that would associate them with him which would make voters think he was connected with them in some way, so instead he chose to skip the question in the same way he skips debates,

This doesn't make sense to me.
How is he saying he abhors KKK and wants nothing to do with them or their ideology make voters think he is connected in any way with them?
And how is skipping the question showing he is not connected?

Quite the opposite, IMO.