[RD] The Republican nomination

[Aea]

Not sure on that. Trump for all of his successes dominates against a wide field. Look at how he handles Cruz, it's not a good performance, Cruz absolutely dominates in a debate.

Once the field narrows I feel he'll have a harder and harder time. But I'm also leaning towards him winning the nomination.

When it comes to him debating the democratic nominee I'm torn. I think Hillary is by far the better debater. But Sanders has the more engaging message.

I honesty feel he's too abrasive to have a chance in November.


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[Sommerswerd]

I have to admit, a little part of me actually gained some respect for Trump after this. He's playing the game at a level far above the rest of these clowns, and he's not afraid to make bold, out-of-the-box moves when the potential payoff is there. I'm less convinced now that Trump would get slaughtered in the general. Anyone with this keen a sense of how to use the media and the moment to maximum advantage the way Trump has could be a dangerous adversary.

From the very beginning I have been saying that as a Hillary supporter/Democratic voter, Trump was the only Republican candidate that I had even the slightest worry about in terms of beating Hillary. But even then, initially, I felt Trump was like a Hail Mary... low chance of success but the only chance Republicans had to win. But I have been getting more and more worried about Hillary's chances against him every passing month, and at this point I can admit feeling a little panicked about Hillary... I no longer regard Trump as a Hail Mary. He's more like Brady/Manning/Rodgers/Rothlesberger down by 6 on their own 20 with 1:00 left to play and 1 timeout... its gonna be a nail-biter...

Look at how he handles Cruz, it's not a good performance, Cruz absolutely dominates in a debate.

Agree with this, and I think this was part of the calculation in skipping this latest debate. He has nothing to gain and everything to lose.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Agree with this, and I think this was part of the calculation in skipping this latest debate. He has nothing to gain and everything to lose.

Problem is that it is not going to get any better for him. In this debate he could have (probably) maintained the quick blast of bombast and turn over to the next speaker approach that allows him to move the conversation along before acknowledging that he has no plan. By the next debate I'd guess the field will be down to three, and his absence will be far too conspicuous for him to get around it. He should have gotten in whatever quick shots the format would have allowed on Cruz while he had the chance, because when it is down to three he is in trouble.

 

[Archbob]

Trump is on a whole new level in campaigning compared to his foolish republican rivals. They are still fighting about their power levels in the hundreds or thousands while he has already gone Super-Saiyan.

I'm going to b laughing when he gets the nomination and be laughing even harder if by some divine intervention he manages to win next November(although I won't vote for him).

Then he'll try to deport me because I'm not white and at that time I will be laughing while I excercise my right to roundhouse kick him in the face(its part of my citizenship contract that I, as a citizen, can roundhouse kick any government official in the face if they try to unconstitutional deport me).

 

[onejayhawk]

Trump is acting petulant all the time, it doesn't seem to hurt him.

Not really. Granted, he has not been a paragon of decorum, but this is close to running away from a fight.

It's not even arrogance. He's just a coward.

On possible reaction that will hurt him next Monday.

Up until March 14, all states will award delegates proportionally. Some do this by winner in each congressional district, others apportion by vote share where a candidate has to top 15% of the vote to get any delegates.

IIRC there is one exception, but basically yes. Trump has NH sewn up. I think he realized that Cruz ground forces would get him in Iowa. Now he has an excuse manufactured. Perhaps that's off. 538 has this in a dead heat. Still, Trump's yielding the camera to his opponent. Very odd.

J

 

[Takhisis]

Fielding Megyn Kelly isn't enough of an excuse for him not going to the debate.

The statement made by FOX isn't unless people in the USA have no concept of a thick skin, which I know they do. Trump just grabbed at the first straw he could in order to leave every other candidate flinging the mud they'd readied for him at each other instead.

 

[Birdjaguar]

First of all, nobody cares about the other candidates, they only watch to see Trump. People aren't even going to watch the debate when they find out he's not there. So the other candidates won't be able to benefit from it. The ratings will be lower and Trump will get to mock FOX and point out how insignificant the other candidates are compared to him. It will just further the narrative that he is the man and the rest are losers. And of course the "coward" label will slide off him because his supporters will say he is "courageous" for standing up the establishment's FOX News and political correctness.

Yes. If the ratings are down or better yet, low, Trump will have had his revenge on Fox.

 

[Civrules]

Really, watching Trump's campaign I've learned so much about the media, politics, and the establishment. And that's saying a lot.

Who knows how it all turns out. But anyone who has watched Trump's campaign in detail should be able to admit that it is almost like a work of art so far.

Keep in mind that Trump has been in the media longer than some reporters have been alive. He knows it from the inside out and he's the puppet master.

 

[Civrules]

The comment about shooting people in public, and refusing to show up to a debate; these strike me as a different category of absurdity. These aren't just politically incorrect, they are arrogant and mocking. We'll see though. I don't understand the loyalty of his supporters, or where they originate, so I can't speculate too much.

He has been pretty clear many times that he doesn't have time for political correctness. And you know what? It's working to his advantage because politically correct communication is not effective communication. He's focusing on what works.

You may or may not have read The Art of the Deal, but in it he's very detailed as to why he says and does the things he does.

 

[Noble Zarkon]

He has been pretty clear many times that he doesn't have time for political correctness. And you know what? It's working to his advantage because politically correct communication is not effective communication. He's focusing on what works.

We'll see if it still works after real people cast real votes ....

 

[Civrules]

So far there's a pretty clear and consistent line for what has worked and what has transpired. It doesn't take much imagination to be able to follow that line to the WH.

 

[Kyriakos]

Really, watching Trump's campaign I've learned so much about the media, politics, and the establishment. And that's saying a lot.

Who knows how it all turns out. But anyone who has watched Trump's campaign in detail should be able to admit that it is almost like a work of art so far.

Keep in mind that Trump has been in the media longer than some reporters have been alive. He knows it from the inside out and he's the puppet master.

Being a clown is never a stance to respect one for if they are running for high office of some country..

US politics now is more like the Jerry Springer show.

 

[Lohrenswald]

When does the Iowa caucus begin again?

It's kinda soon, or?

 

[AdrienIer]

Monday IIRC

 

[metalhead]

Really, watching Trump's campaign I've learned so much about the media, politics, and the establishment. And that's saying a lot.

Who knows how it all turns out. But anyone who has watched Trump's campaign in detail should be able to admit that it is almost like a work of art so far.

Keep in mind that Trump has been in the media longer than some reporters have been alive. He knows it from the inside out and he's the puppet master.

It has always been pretty obvious that Trump is playing a game that the others really have no clue about. His ability to use media to his advantage is positively Reaganesque, and he has been able to completely obfuscate all of his personal faults which would be detrimental to him as president. I think the question remains very much in doubt, though, whether he can continue to do so once the field narrows. The focus is still very superficial, and Trump looks best from a superficial angle. I think he certainly has the media acumen to pull it off, but I'm less certain he'll be able to stay out of his own way once the criticisms become louder and more unified against him.

Being a clown is never a stance to respect one for if they are running for high office of some country..

US politics now is more like the Jerry Springer show.

I know people like to think otherwise, but democracy is a terrible way to run a country. If you're going to respect the will of the people, then you ought to respect it regardless of what it says.

 

[SupremacyKing2]

I am optimistic that the republican debate tonight will be more substantive without Trump. The other candidates should be able to discuss their ideas, free from Trump's distractions.

 

[metalhead]

Seems far more likely that everyone is going to simply turn their fire on Ted Cruz.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Cruz has challenged Trump to appear for a one on one debate at an event he has set for Saturday, with a PAC offering a 1.5 million donation to a veteran's charity if he shows. Trump is in a corner now. Showing up to debate Cruz one on one is a bad idea to start with, but at a Cruz organized event it would be a slaughter. But all his anti-Fox bluster and the money to charity gives Cruz deep ammunition for calling him on ducking out, since the whole angle about profiting a network that disrespected him is removed.

 

[Light Cleric]

Not to mention Trump wanted CNN to donate $5 milliion to a veteran's charity or he wouldn't show up to their debate(he showed up anyway) and grandstanded when they refused to do so, so it looks that much worse.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Not to mention Trump wanted CNN to donate $5 milliion to a veteran's charity or he wouldn't show up to their debate(he showed up anyway) and grandstanded when they refused to do so, so it looks that much worse.

A corner of his own making.

By the way, the other candidates are not going to turn their fire on Cruz. They are going to unload all their guns on the vacant spot where Trump won't be standing, and help each other do it.

Have you never been called into a "find the problem" meeting? The problem is ALWAYS the guy who didn't make it to the meeting.