Donald Trump is a first-rate ass clown, but...

January 28, 2016, 07:27 PM

SapperSteel

Why a Trump-less Debate is a Win for Everybody: http://www.the-conservative-un...in-for-all-involved/

quote:
JAMES P WILLIS
Why A Trump-less Debate is a Win-Win for All Involved

You have to hand it to Donald Trump, he is probably the best I have ever seen at squeezing free campaign advertising out of the news media, almost to the point that it’s becoming embarrassing to those news outlets. I think they know it, but ratings are the lifeblood of any media outlet and they just can’t afford to not cover him.

This whole debate pull-out thing might look like a disaster for everyone but Trump, but I don’t think so. I see this as a win – win for just about everyone involved.

Certainly Donald Trump, the Grand Master of this show, will benefit from his decision; in fact, he already has. Ronald Reagan was known as the “Great Communicator”, and Trump has earned the title of the “Great Manipulator” of the media. Don’t misunderstand, I don’t mean that as a slap at Trump, quite the contrary. The media has been manipulating politicians forever, it’s great to see the tables turned. Trump has mastered it.

The Donald isn’t the only beneficiary of his decision to pull out, there is an upside to this for the other candidates as well. In all of the other debates, Trump’s presence was “yuge” and he always managed to make himself the center of attention, so having a debate that doesn’t focus on him will be a refreshing change. The next debate should provide the other candidates with a better opportunity to reach out to the GOP base.

Despite Trump’s criticism, Megan Kelly is building a reputation as the hard-nosed anchor that drove Trump out of the debate. Certainly she is catching a lot of heat from Trump’s supporters, but she will likely weather the storm just fine. As those in the media know very well, bad press is good press.

Fox News will also benefit from any bad press they might get from this dust-up with the Donald. The worst thing they could have done was give in to his demands, a move that would have made them look weak and easily controlled. Obviously, they will lose some viewers, but that would be easier to recover from. For a news outlet, a reputation like that would be devastating.

The only question that remains is, will the voters benefit? That remains to be seen. Those who will still watch the debates and become educated on the candidates will certainly benefit, those who won’t bother because they were only interested in being entertained can still watch American Idol.

January 28, 2016, 07:34 PM

Xer0

Here's a decent article on Trump by a possible lefty, but the article seems relatively fair without too many barbs and actually admits Trump could win. Won't post it all, but here's the beginning:

http://www.politico.com/magazi...gar-and-right-213572

About 15 years ago, I said something nasty on CNN about Donald Trump’s hair. I can’t now remember the context, assuming there was one. In any case, Trump saw it and left a message the next day.

“It’s true you have better hair than I do,” Trump said matter-of-factly. “But I get more pussy than you do.” Click.

January 28, 2016, 07:56 PM

parabellum

Anderson Cooper acknowledged that Trump is the most accessible of the candidates; the most willing to sit down in one-on-one interviews.

Contrast that with that toxic harpy Hillary Clinton, who puts an idiotic smirk on her face and all but runs from reporters when they ask her anything but softball, scripted questions.

Reporters love accessibility. Then again, who doesn't?

January 28, 2016, 08:07 PM

stickman428

XerO,

Tucker Carlson is hardly a "possible lefty". I Thought it was a VERY good article.

January 28, 2016, 08:11 PM

Xer0

quote:
Originally posted by stickman428:
XerO,

Tucker Carlson is hardly a "possible lefty". I Thought it was a VERY good article.

I didn't know for sure as it's from Politco, so why I said "possible" just to be safe!

January 28, 2016, 08:13 PM

Replacement Tommel

quote:
Originally posted by deepocean:
So some veterans group turned down donations from tonight's fundraiser, even though they said Trump hadn't yet offered anything to them.

Trump is pledging to give 100% to vets in need, through his own foundation.

https://www.donaldtrumpforvets.com/

I hope he means it. He gave more to Clinton than he did to Veteran's groups in the last several (non-election) years.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/...nuts/article/2000776

"As Emily Canal of Forbes reported in October: "The Donald J. Trump Foundation has donated $5.5 million to 298 charities between 2009 and 2013 (the most recent year available), according to the non-profit's 990 tax forms from those years. Of that, only $57,000 has been donated to seven organizations that directly benefit military veterans or their families, Forbes found.

"The Trump Foundation's $57,000 in donations to veterans groups from 2009 to 2013 amounted to far less than Trump's donations to the Clinton Foundation."

-Tom

January 28, 2016, 08:20 PM

parabellum

OMG, so that's where that Bob Beckel moron went; CNN. Bob, it is undignified for a man to dye his hair. You are a man, aren't you? Women dye their hair, Bob. Don't be a woman.

January 28, 2016, 08:23 PM

Bigboreshooter

quote:
Originally posted by Replacement Tommel:
quote:
Originally posted by deepocean:
So some veterans group turned down donations from tonight's fundraiser, even though they said Trump hadn't yet offered anything to them.

Trump is pledging to give 100% to vets in need, through his own foundation.

https://www.donaldtrumpforvets.com/

I hope he means it. He gave more to Clinton than he did to Veteran's groups in the last several (non-election) years.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/...nuts/article/2000776

"As Emily Canal of Forbes reported in October: "The Donald J. Trump Foundation has donated $5.5 million to 298 charities between 2009 and 2013 (the most recent year available), according to the non-profit's 990 tax forms from those years. Of that, only $57,000 has been donated to seven organizations that directly benefit military veterans or their families, Forbes found.

"The Trump Foundation's $57,000 in donations to veterans groups from 2009 to 2013 amounted to far less than Trump's donations to the Clinton Foundation."

-Tom

Really? How much did he give to Bush? To Romney?

That's what major corporations and wealthy businessmen do. The make contributions to BOTH parties, because they have to work with whoever wins.

So while you think you've got some kind of "gotcha" moment on Trump, unless you tell the whole story, you're no better than any of the network news boobs.

January 28, 2016, 08:26 PM

Bigboreshooter

quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
OMG, so that's where that Bob Beckel moron went; CNN. Bob, it is undignified for a man to dye his hair. You are a man, aren't you? Women dye their hair, Bob. Don't be a woman.

Hey, he was fired from Fox, so maybe he thought he needed to look "younger" before begging someone else to hire him.

January 28, 2016, 08:26 PM

chellim1

If drudge had the usual poll up... Trump would be "winning" this debate.

"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible."
-- Justice Janice Rogers Brown

"The United States government is the largest criminal enterprise on earth."
-rduckwor

January 28, 2016, 08:32 PM

Replacement Tommel

quote:
Originally posted by Bigboreshooter:
quote:
Originally posted by Replacement Tommel:
quote:
Originally posted by deepocean:
So some veterans group turned down donations from tonight's fundraiser, even though they said Trump hadn't yet offered anything to them.

Trump is pledging to give 100% to vets in need, through his own foundation.

https://www.donaldtrumpforvets.com/

I hope he means it. He gave more to Clinton than he did to Veteran's groups in the last several (non-election) years.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/...nuts/article/2000776

"As Emily Canal of Forbes reported in October: "The Donald J. Trump Foundation has donated $5.5 million to 298 charities between 2009 and 2013 (the most recent year available), according to the non-profit's 990 tax forms from those years. Of that, only $57,000 has been donated to seven organizations that directly benefit military veterans or their families, Forbes found.

"The Trump Foundation's $57,000 in donations to veterans groups from 2009 to 2013 amounted to far less than Trump's donations to the Clinton Foundation."

-Tom

Really? How much did he give to Bush? To Romney?

That's what major corporations and wealthy businessmen do. The make contributions to BOTH parties, because they have to work with whoever wins.

So while you think you've got some kind of "gotcha" moment on Trump, unless you tell the whole story, you're no better than any of the network news boobs.

WTH are you talking about?

The Clinton Foundation is Bill's non-profit charity group that he founded after he left the Presidency.

https://www.clintonfoundation.org/

-Tom

January 28, 2016, 08:39 PM

Bigboreshooter

quote:
Originally posted by Replacement Tommel:
WTH are you talking about?

The Clinton Foundation is Bill's non-profit charity group that he founded after he left the Presidency.

https://www.clintonfoundation.org/

-Tom

I'm sorry, was Hillary a senator from New York after Bill left the White House? Did she become Secretary of State at any point after Bill left office?

If you were a billionaire businessman/developer from NEW YORK, do you think you might try to keep a litte grease on the skids? Well, you might not, but anyone who wanted to continue their successful operations sure would.

Nice try, but a swing and a miss.

January 28, 2016, 08:43 PM

FenderBender

This is masterful politicking.

January 28, 2016, 08:54 PM

Replacement Tommel

quote:
Originally posted by Bigboreshooter:
quote:
Originally posted by Replacement Tommel:
WTH are you talking about?

The Clinton Foundation is Bill's non-profit charity group that he founded after he left the Presidency.

https://www.clintonfoundation.org/

-Tom

I'm sorry, was Hillary a senator from New York after Bill left the White House? Did she become Secretary of State at any point after Bill left office?

If you were a billionaire businessman/developer from NEW YORK, do you think you might try to keep a litte grease on the skids? Well, you might not, but anyone who wanted to continue their successful operations sure would.

Nice try, but a swing and a miss.

Well, that's one of Trump's talking points- "Yeah, of course I greased their palms because I needed help with X and Y" etc.

It doesn't change the fact that he barely gave a damn about Veterans until he could use them as a political prop in his campaign.

Hell, he gave Jenny McCarthy's non-profit organization that believes vaccines cause autism $10k in 2010- 1/5 of what he gave Veteran's Groups in 4 years.

But I guess he needed to grease that bimbo's skids too, huh?

-Tom
(https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2015/08/03/if-trumps-charity-reflects-the-man/)

January 28, 2016, 08:59 PM

46and2

^ well, she *has* demonstrated the ability to suck the chrome off of a trailer hitch/ball...

so, you know, her skills and interests aren't strictly limited to anti-vax-nonsense.

January 28, 2016, 09:04 PM

Replacement Tommel

quote:
Originally posted by 46and2:
^ well, she *has* demonstrated the ability to suck the chrome off of a trailer hitch/ball...

so, you know, her skills and interests aren't strictly limited to anti-vax-nonsense.

Well, he's a master dealer and wheeler... maybe $10k was as low as she would go... ;-p

Anyway, I hope whatever cash he makes goes to the Vets and I hope he realizes that "Wounded Warriors" is not really a worthwhile charity as they actually give very little to veterans...

-Tom

January 28, 2016, 09:18 PM

BB61

quote:
Originally posted by Bigboreshooter:
quote:
Originally posted by Replacement Tommel:
WTH are you talking about?

The Clinton Foundation is Bill's non-profit charity group that he founded after he left the Presidency.

https://www.clintonfoundation.org/

-Tom

I'm sorry, was Hillary a senator from New York after Bill left the White House? Did she become Secretary of State at any point after Bill left office?

If you were a billionaire businessman/developer from NEW YORK, do you think you might try to keep a litte grease on the skids? Well, you might not, but anyone who wanted to continue their successful operations sure would.

Nice try, but a swing and a miss.

BBS is correct. I did a fair amount of lobbying over the years both on the state level and and a little in Washington, DC. It would be naive to think that people or companies with $$$ and legislative concerns don't donate to both sides of the spectrum. Having access is critical and you don't get access without $$$. And, equally important, you can be assured your opponent is donating to get access as well. BBS is equally correct that access also is garnered by donating to PAC or special interest groups and not just directly to a political office holder.