Donald Trump

[Robert Campbell]

Michael,

Cruz is up on Trump by 19.8%, with 42% of the vote counted.

I think (as I noted in my Cruz Nuz post, a few minutes ago) that the exit poll results will be as interesting as the final delegate counts.

Attempting to re-stomp Scott Walker wasn't just unethical behavior.   It wasn't a winning strategy.

Robert

[Robert Campbell]

Returns by Wisconsin congressional district are here:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2016/by_cd/WI_GOP_0405_VD.html?SITE=AP&SECTION=POLITICS

Robert

[Selene]

32 minutes ago, Robert Campbell said:

Returns by Wisconsin congressional district are here:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2016/by_cd/WI_GOP_0405_VD.html?SITE=AP&SECTION=POLITICS

Robert

Thanks;

Something wrong with CD 4

A...

[Robert Campbell]

Some parts of Wisconsin are notoriously tardy in reporting vote totals.

Robert

[Robert Campbell]

RCP shows 3 delegates for Trump now.

I'm figuring he's carrying District 7, which pre-election analysis suggested would be the most likely to go for him.

Robert

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Here's what Trump himself said about tonight (I got this statement from here, but it's a press release):

Quote

Donald J. Trump withstood the onslaught of the establishment yet again. Lyin’ Ted Cruz had the Governor of Wisconsin, many conservative talk radio show hosts, and the entire party apparatus behind him. Not only was he propelled by the anti-Trump Super PAC’s spending countless millions of dollars on false advertising against Mr. Trump, but he was coordinating `with his own Super PAC’s (which is illegal) who totally control him. Ted Cruz is worse than a puppet--- he is a Trojan horse, being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination from Mr. Trump. We have total confidence that Mr. Trump will go on to win in New York, where he holds a substantial lead in all the polls, and beyond. Mr. Trump is the only candidate who can secure the delegates needed to win the Republican nomination and ultimately defeat Hillary Clinton, or whomever is the Democratic nominee, in order to Make America Great Again.

I sense a major stink coming.

It's going to be quite a brawl.

If anyone wants to know Trump's intended campaign strategy going forth, here is an indication.

Michael

[william.scherk]

Since March, @realDonaldTrump's campaign has been laying off field staff en masse around the country https://t.co/q7aKg0X1C2

— POLITICO (@politico) April 6, 2016

Note to Mr Trump's campaign: don't listen to criticism. It will only make you itch.

I think Michael is right. A big scary Machine prevented a Trump victory. No stain attaches either to the candidate or his performance. The usefulness of sploodge words and loosely-fenced concepts is revealed. A Machine did it! I take Robert's fair-minded exposure of Wisconsin issues to best explain the failure of Trump to beat back the Machine. But I enjoy a bout of special-pleading as much as the next guy. Note to Mr Trump's campaign: don't listen to criticism. It will only make you itch. Now is the time to talk about theft and stealing and to avoid your own fucking mistakes. Note to those fused with Trump Nation, please reflect back to your candidate your real feelings. We don't expect you be frank with us here, all you Shut-ins for Trump, but use the Resonance. Send thought beams of volition to the Trump Machinery to do a better job so that the USA doesn't go to hell. All the dreams of the neglected producer class (sploodge) ride on your massive loaf of hair and hope. Again, more special pleading, and more avoidance of Hispanic Outreach Paypal Terror Wall and The Lady Vote. Robert, I know you are not enjoying delivering this lecture series to such a dull seminar. You might be trying to de-hypnotize someone who is not hypnotized but is genuinely stumping for Trump. That genuine in-the-bagness prevents him from fairly discussing any defects in Trump. If you could coax out more feeble special pleading, though, your labours will not be in vain. All I get out of the GOP primary in Wisconsin is that there is nothing much to talk about for the next couple of weeks. Trump achieved his baseline of 33-34 percent. That is not good enough anymore. Two weeks of special pleading from Trump Resonance Shut-ins will be fun though, in the sense of what fun the USA's political circus can be. Using MSK's precision tools of Identifying the Bad Machine, the Trump Collective Resonance Competence Engine can gear up their own starship. Add more phasers and warp and stuff. More complaints, for sure. That was my first and final impersonation of Peter Taylor. Thank you. I am here all week, cleaning up backstage with the Terrorist Paypal Mexicans.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

William,

That Politico article is actually a wake-up call, but not the kind said in the article.

During Romney's campaign, someone filmed him making that comment about the 47%, then leaking it. 

The wake-up call is that there are infiltrators who will be looking for opportunities to elevate the disgruntled and leak out anything that could be spun.

Closing down offices in states where there is no longer an election is hardly a "campaign in disarray." Anyone who works on something like this knows it's a temporary gig, but I imagine some people want their paycheck to keep coming anyway. And it upsets them to be laid off when things close down. These are, among others, the people the infiltrators target.

I don't know how Trump is going to address this, but I'm pretty sure Lewandowski is aware of it.

Michael

[Robert Campbell]

9 hours ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said:

I sense a major stink coming.

It's going to be quite a brawl.

If anyone wants to know Trump's intended campaign strategy going forth, here is an indication.

Michael,

No kidding.

It's already been a major stink.

It's already been quite a brawl.

If Donald Trump's best plan is to redouble the re-stomping, he'll be on a long, ugly path to losing the nomination.

He will only succeed in encouraging more to vote for Cruz or for Kasich (while fewer of them will consider him an acceptable alternative).

Then what?  Get Roger Stone to incite a few riots for him?

Robert

[Robert Campbell]

2 hours ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said:

Closing down offices in states where there is no longer an election is hardly a "campaign in disarray." Anyone who works on something like this knows it's a temporary gig, but I imagine some people want their paycheck to keep coming anyway. And it upsets them to be laid off when things close down. These are, among others, the people the infiltrators target.

Michael and WSS,

Politico has its angles.  Duh.

Nonetheless, there is a big difference between a Republican contender letting his field operation go in South Carolina, and letting it go in Ohio or Florida.

If you want to see Democrats running for President in South Carolina, catch 'em before the primary.  That's the last you'll see of them, because the Democratic nominee has no expectation of carrying the state in November.

If you want to see Republicans running for President in SC, same story.  The nominee won't be worried about losing the state.

Florida and Ohio, on the other hand. will see lots of campaigning for the general election.

It's always been unclear whether Donald Trump really meant to spend what he needed to win the election.

Robert

[Robert Campbell]

Trump got District 3 and District 7.

36 delegates for Cruz, 6 for Trump.

[Peter]

9^th Doctor wrote: In Alan Greenspan's memoir he recounts having Reagan one on one for the duration of a flight, and having the assignment of briefing him on something.  And Reagan wouldn't listen, just talked and talked, charmingly of course, about whatever he felt like talking about.  Greenspan could get nothing across to him.

end quote

From Wiki: How old was the oldest president to take office? The oldest president to assume office was Ronald Reagan (age 69 years, 349 days), who was also the oldest in office (age 77 years, 349 days), ending at the inauguration of George H. W. Bush.

Donald Trump will be 70.

People does a lot of fluff pieces, but I just read the People Magazine April 11, issue with Trump on the cover with the headline, “Who is the real Donald Trump?” whether you buy it or borrow it - read the article. It may eventually be found online for free. It is very informative and disturbing. And it is interesting to google the article, A King in His Castle, about Trump’s estate life from his butler and I saw a video of Trump’s butler on the estate that was very informative. The CNN or other outlet interviews are propaganda and trash.

Congratulations to Ted Cruz on a smashing victory in Wisconsin. How could Presidential candidate Trump not say that . . . not say that . . . not say that .  . . ?

Peter

Michael already quoted this but it is worthy of another look from a psychological perspective.

Notes.  From the net: 'He is a Trojan horse': Donald Trump rages after getting crushed in Wisconsin by Allan Smith, Business Insider 11 hours ago: Donald Trump’s presidential campaign unleashed a furious statement Tuesday night after Ted Cruz easily defeated Trump in the Wisconsin primary. “Ted Cruz is worse than a puppet — he is a Trojan horse, being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination from Mr. Trump,” the Republican frontrunner’s statement said.

Instead of offering a note of praise as Trump did after past losses, the Tuesday-night statement leveled a bevy of attacks against “Lyin’ Ted Cruz.” Among other things, the statement accused Cruz of illegally coordinating with super PACs supporting his campaign, though Trump did not specify any evidence for the claim . . . .

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

3 hours ago, Robert Campbell said:

Then what?  Get Roger Stone to incite a few riots for him?

Robert,

I don't know...

It might be interesting to see a duel between Roger Stone and Jeff Roe instead of Trump just taking blows from Roe in the dirty tricks department.

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Going by the press after Wisconsin, which of the only three plausible alternatives should Trump do?

1. Quit the race in shame?
2. Roll over and die or maybe commit suicide?
3. Sign on as Cruz's VP?

Michael

[Robert Campbell]

28 minutes ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said:

Going by the press after Wisconsin, which of the only three plausible alternatives should Trump do?

1. Quit the race in shame?
2. Roll over and die or maybe commit suicide?
3. Sign on as Cruz's VP?

Michael

Michael,

I don't see Trump and Cruz coexisting on one ticket.  Even if Trump wanted that (he's made it clear at least 100 different ways that he doesn't), Cruz won't want it.  Not after all the Lyin' Ted stuff, a certain National Enquirer piece for which Trump denies responsibility, assorted other crap.

Trump should just go back to all the things he actually knows how to do.  I think he meant it when he said he didn't need to run for President.

Tell people, if he wants, how he could have been President of the United States but it wasn't worth the aggravation.  Emphasize the parts that are confining, boring, annoying, or exhausting.  There are plenty of each.

It's been suggested, half-seriously, that he might announce a health scare (tests for cancer, could be bad, lots of follow-ups needed, then, eventually, Whew!).  I don't think that's necessary, but if it's a way to save face I wouldn't recommend against it.  

He's the one who wants to utterly humiliate every opponent.  Obnoxious though he has been, I don't think he deserves utter humiliation—which is what he may get if he pushes through to the convention and fails there.

Robert

 

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

2 minutes ago, Robert Campbell said:

Trump should just go back to all the things he actually knows how to do.  I think he meant it when he said he didn't need to run for President.

Robert,

This post is exactly what I am talking about. But it ain't gonna happen.

 

The reality is that Trump is going to stay in the race and, barring a major disaster, he's going to win.

 

Michael

[Brant Gaede]

26 minutes ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said:

Robert,

This post is exactly what I am talking about. But it ain't gonna happen.

 

The reality is that Trump is going to stay in the race and, barring a major disaster, he's going to win.

 

Michael

The major disaster is the woman voter.

Next, New York.

Finally, the first ballot. At least 150 short.

I could go ad hominem to much greater effect ("ignorant, stupid, in-over-his-head-Twittering-would-be Emperor Buffoon"), but I prefer a higher level of discourse.

--Ted Cruz

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Just now, Brant Gaede said:

Finally, the first ballot. At least 150 short.

Brant,

Barry Dennett, one of Trump's campaign managers (coming from Ben Carson), disagrees. In fact, re Wisconsin, he said according to his numbers, he was calculating 3 delegates for Trump. With 6, now he has 3 more than he calculated.

 

Don't forget they have a game plan...

Michael

[Brant Gaede]

2 minutes ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said:

Brant,

Barry Dennett, one of Trump's campaign managers (coming from Ben Carson), disagrees. In fact, re Wisconsin, he said according to his numbers, he was calculating 3 delegates for Trump. With 6, now he has 3 more than he calculated.

 

Don't forget they have a game plan...

Michael

"Everybody has a game plan--until they get hit in the mouth."

--Mike Tyson

[PDS]

On 4/4/2016 at 6:23 AM, Jonathan said:

I think that political power plays a part in all of his decisions, including the choices he made back then.

J

Jonathan:

Do you have any evidence related to this statement?

The reason I ask--apart from the obvious--is that Trump's statement about McCain was the turning point for me with Trump, i.e., there was never a chance I could vote for somebody who made such a comment about a prisoner of war, especially when Trump clearly could have served but managed to avoid doing so. 

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

39 minutes ago, Brant Gaede said:

"Everybody has a game plan--until they get hit in the mouth."

--Mike Tyson

Brant,

I'll have to find it, but there is an article out there with a photo of a list of former candidates Trump keeps on his office wall.

It looks like one of those boards used in police dramas where there is a photo and a caption underneath taped to the wall. Trump's has 14 photos on it.

Trump not only has a game plan, he cuts notches on his gun's stock.

 

Michael

[PDS]

14 minutes ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said:

Brant,

I'll have to find it, but there is an article out there with a photo of a list of former candidates Trump keeps on his office wall.

It looks like one of those boards used in police dramas where there is a photo and a caption underneath taped to the wall. Trump's has 14 photos on it.

Trump not only has a game plan, he cuts notches on his gun's stock.

 

Michael

I hear he also has a Big Schlong, a world-class memory, the 'best words", the finest physical health of anybody who has ever run for office, and he's a billionaire.   We know these things because Donald has told us so.

Most people--assuming they ever took the habit up--learn to quit bragging when they are in their teens.  

What can be said about somebody who is still bragging on himself at the age of 69?

Seriously, when is the last time anybody on this thread met a grown man who still brags on himself? 

[Robert Campbell]

Don't forget the "perfect statistics."

 

 

[Robert Campbell]

1 hour ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said:

Barry Dennett, one of Trump's campaign managers (coming from Ben Carson), disagrees. In fact, re Wisconsin, he said according to his numbers, he was calculating 3 delegates for Trump. With 6, now he has 3 more than he calculated.

 

Don't forget they have a game plan...

Michael,

Yeah, if Barry Dennett was watching the returns last night, he saw that his candidate was ahead in District 7 (3 delegates) and a couple more districts weren't decided till this morning (one of them eventually went for Trump, so then 6 delegates).

If Dennett really thought, say, a week ago, that his boss was going to get all of 3 delegates, and he told him so, why did Donald Trump go off and sulk after the returns started coming in?  (Still no public statements out of him today.)

Here's a piece in Breitbart that isn't of the walking-in-circles variety.  It comes from a writer who likes Trump a lot better than I do, likes Cruz a lot less than I do, and thinks the Club for Growth is joined at the hip with K Street (in South Carolina, when the Club for Growth endorses a candidate for the legislature, the Good Ole Boy Party goes completely berserk—but never mind).

http://www.breitbart.com/2016-presidential-race/2016/04/06/donald-trump-needs-wake-call-massive-wisconsin-loss/

It has nonetheless occurred to him that Steve Deace and Charlie Sykes are not employees of Karl Rove.

Robert

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

34 minutes ago, PDS said:

I hear he also has a Big Schlong, a world-class memory, the 'best words", the finest physical health of anybody who has ever run for office, and he's a billionaire.   We know these things because Donald has told us so.

Most people--assuming they ever took the habit up--learn to quit bragging when they are in their teens.  

What can be said about somebody who is still bragging on himself at the age of 69?

Seriously, when is the last time anybody on this thread met a grown man who still brags on himself? 

David,

That's the Christian influence on archetype.

Competent people who brag without guilt are considered immature or villains in our Christian culture.

Frankly, when all these campaign discussions started and Trump entered the race, seeing this is RandLand and all, I was surprised at the intensity of the loathing and vitriol against Trump's swagger.

People prefer the Christian even as they preach the Randian. And this is embedded deep in their souls. The passion and content of their pronouncements prove it.

(And they say Christianity and Objectivism cannot mix. ) 

Here's something to think about. I've done a lot of reading on archetypes, neuroscience, modern psychology, etc., and disgust at bragging never comes up as innate, at least not in the stuff I have read. So it's a pretty good bet this is learned after birth, and learned from the culture (not just the parents) to boot.

I, for one, don't mind the bragging seeing how Trump is competent. Even Rush Limbaugh got it that most Trump supporters know Trump is performing a a playful schtick more than affirming precise facts when he exaggerates. (He even goes on top comedy shows to joke about it, saying yuuuuuuuuuuuge and so on.)

But even if it were pure narcissism, I can think of a lot worse. For instance, the crap we have had for decades: polite proper respectable people (having the correct Christian balance of humility and empathy in their public personas) who engineer and implement hideous useless indecent wars for profit and get the children of others to do the fighting and the dying.

I'll take bragging any day over killing the young for money. I don't like a culture where most people praise and/or justify the polite monsters and hate the productive braggart with all their might and souls, but this is the culture I live in. It looks like Christianity has been wielded as a powerful tool and has worked splendidly for cultural indoctrination.

I don't have to be that way, though. And I'm not.

The corrupt may inherit the earth and preach the meek will inherit the earth to pacify the masses, but they don't inherit me.

Long live the loud proud producer. He or she inherits me.

Michael