is it really possible that Donald trump could be president????? [Part 3]

[Lweji]

Continuing the thread, and in reply to the two last posts of thread 2

Today 08:15 OhYouBadBadKitten

I don't think it is about Trump taking risks, its more that he is a narcisstic sociopath. He feels untouchable in what he says and has no regard for the consequences.

Today 06:53 fourmummy

To be fair, voters know that all political rhetoric mostly comes to nothing (rhetoric = argumentation and persuasion, elevated to an art from in Ancient Greece). Why do you imagine Labour want to introduce votes for 16 year olds? They know that people don't become "more conservative" as they get older-they become wiser to the political process and its lies rhetoric. So what's different with Trump? Why hasn't his unbelievably unlikeable public and private persona sunk him?

Answer=risk

He is not a ready-rolled, ready-prepped and ready-to-go politician (think Blair's son parachuted into a constituency; MIliband brothers, Clintons). These are not risking much because they were cast in the role when they were made. We know that this is the case with, certainly, Clinton (numerous interviews with aides attest to this; ditto for the others). Voters are doing a risk assessment of his risks and have decided that he is worth something. It's not as simple as suggesting that if someone votes for him then they must be racist or sexist, as I've seen journos assert. Voters are effectively doing a risk assessment and deciding that given the enormous costs both to him (energy, health, time away from family, reputation, financial, career, historical implications, ) and to his voters (risk of being viewed as sexist, racist, intolerant, asshole), the benefits must outweigh these costs. Very unwise to dismiss ordinary voters as simplistically sexist and racists, as many, many journalists have (shortsightedly) done. Even non-experts are very good at performing cost/benefit analyses

As I said I don't see anything of what he says as taking a risk. Because he is saying what many people want to hear.
As for personal cost, he is clearly someone who enjoys the power, the limelight, the adoration. All that is missing for him is the ultimate power, particularly as he sees other true billionaires taking central stage.
But he doesn't have the heart to be Gates.
So, he's going for the highest office, and on the back of American voters most primal fears.

But...
He's not averse to risk. He's built his empire on it. He's had four bankruptcies. Anyone should be worried about the way he manages risk.

Oh, it's just one of those intellectually superior jokes that can only be funny for the discerning reader with the appropriate sense of humour.

It's supposed to be funny. It is supposed to be in the vein of the great comic masters of Daily Mail fame - Quentin Letts and Richard Littlejohn.

The misspellings aren't patronising,. I like that Trump speaks like a Noo Yorker rather than like Oxbridge Blair. It's fantastic, it's refreshing, he is the best thing to have hit world politics ever. I love accents, like Cockney or whatever, because they are authentic, of the people.

The people are reported to be rolling on the floor laughing

What reports?

Ah, right, if you find Letts and Littlejohn amusing, that would explain your total inability to understand the concept of a joke.

'if you find Letts and Littlejohn amusing'

Comic masters. I bought lots of Littlejohn's books to have a laugh.

'I bought lots of Littlejohn's books to have a laugh.'

Haven't read any of them, mind. But they are on the shelf for when I get time.

This is meant to help you, claig, but take it or leave it.

With those "jokes" most people (ok, me, but I'm guessing a few others) are not laughing with you, if anything, it's at you. And finding it sad at the same time.

Lweji, I don't care. i realised a long time ago that you had no sense of humour. I feel sad for you.

You don't even find the Stump for Trump sisters funny. They are an internet sensation and the Trump fans favourite because they are so funny. And of course the reason Trump's rallies are packed with ordinary people and Blair's talks are sprinkled with a few philanthropist millionaires is because Trump is funny and Blair is sad.

As the Stump for Trump sisters say "Don't get it twisted"

Ieltsin was funny and the people's person.
He paved the way to Putin.

I like my comedians on stage and TV and more serious people in office.

But I know you're only joking when you say you find Trump and the sisters funny. I'm discerning like that.

Yes, Yeltsin was funny with his dance etc, and Putin is not funny.

'I like my comedians on stage and TV and more serious people in office. '

Well I like it the other way around, because funny people are human and share the values of ordinary people. That is why Trump is the most popular Republican candidate and why people like the Stump for Trump sisters love Donald J Trump. He is one of us. And I find Trump and the great Stump for Trump sisters funny, which is why I like them.

The only us Trump is part of is of the privileged billionaires (self reportedly) club and the celebrity obsessed club.
His only concern is making money for himself and having people adoring him

I like politicians or anybody else who can crack a good joke when appropriate
I'm not a fan of jokes when it's time to be serious.
A few politicians have no judgement in that respect - Boris Johnson, for example, was occasionally embarassing as London Mayor, but it didn't matter. As PM he would be alarming.

I agree Putin is v dangerous & ruthless, often murderous, definitely not someone to cosy up to.
However, not someone to pick a fight with either.
The West needs to stick together, not provoke him, but defend any of us under attack. Too dangerous to defend countries who are not our friends, imo

Interesting, Cruz & Kasich finally coordinating their campaigns to try to stop Trump. Maybe too late though:
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/25/ted-cruz-and-john-kasich-team-up-in-deal-to-stop-trump

'The Ohio governor will give the Texan senator a free run in Indiana in exchange for the same favor in Oregon and New Mexico'

Hmmm. The Republican pundits wer on Fox last night saying that if Cruz loses Indiana, then it really is all over. As Trump tweeted "DESPERATION".

Yes, Choc, making occasional jokes or having a sense of humour is quite different from being or acting like a clown.

Having said that, it's my understanding that the actual clown that was elected to Congress in Brazil was doing fairly well, or at least doing his best.

FWIW, an anecdote: I spoke over the weekend with a committed Republican (older) family member who has ALWAYS voted for whoever Republicans presented as Presidential candidate, including McCain/Palin in the last elections.

He said he won't vote for Hillary but he sure as hell won't vote for a madman like Trump, so he just won't be voting in the next elections.

Yes, Choc, making occasional jokes or having a sense of humour is quite different from being or acting like a clown.

Having said that, it's my understanding that the actual clown that was elected to Congress in Brazil was doing fairly well, or at least doing his best.

Beppe Grillo did all right in Italy too.

The problem is that acting like a clown can be funny in the right context - but politicians generally lack any sense of timing and context when it comes to humour. Plus, the idea of having a clown with his finger on the red button is anything but funny.

Cote, I've heard quite a few Republicans are saying that. I think that is precisely why they're worried about being saddled with Trump as a candidate.

I think most true clowns are very clever and often serious.

As comedy goes, though, we only have to watch the Trump roast to see the difference between good and bad sense of humour.

I gather GOP candidates for governor / senator / congress are also worried that the Trump factor may depress their vote, e.g. those who don't want to vote for him as President may not bother to come out to vote for the others.
Some voters may even deliberately punish the GOP like that, for choosing him

Good point.

bigchoc you're absolutely right and I think this is the GOP's main concern right now. GOP strategists must know that winning a presidential election is more of an uphill struggle every cycle, as US demographics change. Winning without a significant share of the hispanic vote is becoming almost impossible and they may have forfeited this already, whoever wins the nomination.

But they can win seats in congress and senate, they can win states - and this gives them substantial power at state level as well as the power to effectively block much of a democratic president's programme. A Trump presidential campaign (or a Cruz campaign, for that matter) might risk votes in those elections too. That's what's at stake.

Cote Your relative voted for a ticket that had Potty Palin as Veep
Committed Republican voter or one who needs committing ? The Republicans will be in real trouble if they lose that kind of core voter.

I admit McCain was a really good GOP candidate though; a very rare one who must have slipped through the cracks when the GOP was hunting for the 21st century (to shoot it dead)

I know. Me too , I was when I heard. He is an older guy and a bit set in his ways. Not a blood relation, if it's any consolation.

Even he is not voting for Trump, though, which I was happy to see. I wasn't quite sure of how that conversation was going to go if he said he would.