Trump really needs to focus

[Westside Steve]

I'm just listening to Karl Rove and I think he's exactly right. Over this weekend Hillary handed Donald Trump a golden platter full of ammunition. He chose to waste his press conference bitching about Democrat operative Khan and the Fire Marshals rather then take a sledgehammer to the 1% GDP growth as it relates to her and Obama's recent bragging and her doubling down on the email lies and talking about faulty memories of Benghazi victims families on the morning show.

 

WSS

[bbedward]

He needs to push his advertisements more - he's had some good ones about campaign contributions, hillary lying. He's tweeted about the 400 million covert Iran deal for prisoners, and he's mentioned the bad GDP growth at some of his rallies he's been at.

 

Really what he needs to do is start dropping cash on those advertisements - get them beyond his social media crowd.

[OldBrownsFan]

I'm just listening to Karl Rove and I think he's exactly right. Over this weekend Hillary handed Donald Trump a golden platter full of ammunition. He chose to waste his press conference bitching about Democrat operative Khan and the Fire Marshals rather then take a sledgehammer to the 1% GDP growth as it relates to her and Obama's recent bragging and her doubling down on the email lies on the morning show.

 

WSS

Absolutely agree. Rudy Giuliani came out yesterday and told Trump stay on message of attacking Clinton and Obama and let him and other surrogates take up the other fights. That is good advice I hope Trump listens to. When Trump responds to someone like Khan the story just gets larger and more publicized. He has surrogates to fight those fights. It is frustrating for me to see Trump constantly get off message and in the weeds. It just plays right into Clinton's hands.

[DieHardBrownsFan]

Sometimes Trump reminds me of a 14 year old girl. He can't let the critics alone. He has to counter punch and he looks stupid. I doubt he will change though.

[Clevfan4life]

Like ive been saying this election could have been over months ago if he was a constrained individual. I hate that theres finally a guy that talks sbout some of this bullshit but theres all this extra baggage with him that just screams im not fit to be potus.

 

I hope he wins but i wont vite for him this time, we'll see in 4 years what he was capable of

[bbedward]

Manafort will get it done for Trump.

 

Trump dropped a hint at a town hall the other day that he's going to come out with a universal health care plan - saying something like "We're going to come out with something that I think people will really like. They say it's not very republican - well they're wrong, nobody is going to die in the streets." I'm thinking my prediction from 2015 may come true.

[StinkHole]

Sometimes Trump reminds me of a 14 year old girl. He can't let the critics alone. He has to counter punch and he looks stupid. I doubt he will change though.

Stuart

 

I support Trump but I have to agree. Trump is near the top of most inarticulate speakers I have ever heard, and I think that will kill him.

A pet peeve of mine is when he always says "the press" when criticizing the mainstream media. Who the fuck says "the press" anymore? Its the lamestream media you buffoon!

 

Every time he opens his mouth I yearn to hear Newt Gingrich. Newt would beat down any leftist in a debate, would absolutely destroy Hillary.

Maybe he aught to stand behind Trump and let Trump lip sync.

 

 

[bbedward]

Trump needs to start running ads.

 

Winning the primaries via nothing except social media and media manipulation was impressive - but the hit jobs are already 500x worse.

 

They barely scrape the surface of DNC email leaks or Hillary hiring DWS or just the other day how the DNC CEO, CFO, and other executives resigned.

 

The media ignores all that - it's all about Khan.

[OldBrownsFan]

Below is a story from MSNBC which I know is hopelessly in the tank for Clinton but still some of the points they are making cannot be ignored:

 

 

 

GOP, Trump go from 'unraveling' to 'break glass' mode

 

Yesterday morning, we wrote that Donald Trump's campaign seemed like it was unraveling over his inexplicable clash with the Khan family. Twenty-four hours later, the word "unraveling" seems like an understatement. Take a look at what's happened in the last 24 hours:

• In a Washington Post interview, Trump declined to endorse House Speaker Paul Ryan against his primary challenger
• He reiterated that he hasn't endorsed Sen. John McCain and said the onetime prisoner of war "has not done a good job for the vets"
• He slapped out at Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte, saying "she has given me zero support"
• He suggested that Americans should pull their 401(k) funds out of the stock market
• He said he's "always wanted" to receive a Purple Heart but that having one gifted to him by a supporter was "much easier"
• He said that the handling of sexual harassment has "got to be up to the individual"
• He accused Khizr Khan of being "bothered" by his plan to keep terrorists out of the country, and said that he had no regrets about his clash with the family
• He appeared to feud with a crying baby during a rally
• He reiterated that "if the election is rigged, I would not be surprised"
• The sitting president of the United States publicly called Trump "unfit to serve" and urged Republicans to withdraw their support for him.
• Trump spokesman Katrina Pierson suggested that Obama and Clinton are to blame for the death of Humayan Khan, who died in 2004, when neither were in the executive branch at the time
• An ally of Paul Manafort told our colleague John Harwood at CNBC that the campaign chairman is "mailing it in," leaving the rest of the staff "suicidal."
• Sitting GOP congressman Richard Hanna, HP head Meg Whitman and former Christie aide Maria Comella all said they plan to vote for Hillary Clinton
• The Washington Post released a transcript of its full interview with Trump, indicating among other things that he paused five times to watch TV coverage in the middle of the sit-down
• A GOP source told NBC's Katy Tur that Reince Priebus is "apoplectic" over Trump's refusal to endorse Ryan and is making calls to the campaign to express his "extreme displeasure"

What are we missing? Any one of these items would be problematic on a normal campaign day. This all happened since 8am yesterday. With all that, do we need to be asking a new question: Do Republicans go public with their hope that Trump withdraws from the race? We're at the point where there's GOP chatter about key Republicans coming out hard against their own nominee - and especially eyeing Trump's falling polling numbers to gauge the point at which they need to come up with a "break glass" backup plan to save down-ballot seats. Republicans have been hoping that Trump would change his ways for nearly the entirety of his campaign to no avail. (And for a GOPer, it's got to be hard to read the transcript of that Washington Post interview and come away not thinking that something drastic has to be done.) If you're a Republican, can you just un-endorse Trump, or do you take the next step to push the candidate to get out now for the good of the party?

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/first-read-gop-trump-go-unraveling-break-glass-mode-n622116

[gftChris]

Bad GDP growth? The US has the highest GDP growth of any first world economy since the GFC. The main european economies have at best stagnated or maybe had a half a percent growth per year. Canada is going at maybe a percent, australia the same. The US goes around a couple of percent and what happen? People complain.

[Clevfan4life]

I told you all he was never serious. The job scares the shit out of him. I hope that story is bullshit cause i dont want to see hillary coast thebfuck into the wh

[bbedward]

Below is a story from MSNBC which I know is hopelessly in the tank for Clinton but still some of the points they are making cannot be ignored:

 

 

 

GOP, Trump go from 'unraveling' to 'break glass' mode

 

Yesterday morning, we wrote that Donald Trump's campaign seemed like it was unraveling over his inexplicable clash with the Khan family. Twenty-four hours later, the word "unraveling" seems like an understatement. Take a look at what's happened in the last 24 hours:

• In a Washington Post interview, Trump declined to endorse House Speaker Paul Ryan against his primary challenger

Why would he? Much of the base who voted for Trump don't support Ryan anyway - he's an establishment shill

• He reiterated that he hasn't endorsed Sen. John McCain and said the onetime prisoner of war "has not done a good job for the vets"

He's not wrong

• He slapped out at Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte, saying "she has given me zero support"

Ok so she talks trash about Trump - what do you want him to do endorse her and praise her?

• He suggested that Americans should pull their 401(k) funds out of the stock market

I think a lot of people believe we're on the verge of a recession with the interest rate bubble - including Carl Icahn

• He said he's "always wanted" to receive a Purple Heart but that having one gifted to him by a supporter was "much easier"
• He said that the handling of sexual harassment has "got to be up to the individual"

I don't see anything wrong with that? He was saying that the individual needs to get out of the situation if they're uncomfortable with it.

• He accused Khizr Khan of being "bothered" by his plan to keep terrorists out of the country, and said that he had no regrets about his clash with the family

The media has given Khan way more coverage than he should be getting.

• He appeared to feud with a crying baby during a rally

It is pretty annoying when people sit there and let their baby cry and cry and cry

• He reiterated that "if the election is rigged, I would not be surprised"

They are probably trying the rig the election - the DNC already did it. In areas where there were no exit polls the actual results were way off of the polling results - whereas when there were exit polls the real results stayed close to the polls.

• The sitting president of the United States publicly called Trump "unfit to serve" and urged Republicans to withdraw their support for him.

Because a sitting Democrat president would support the Republican candidate over the Democrat and his former SoS?

• Trump spokesman Katrina Pierson suggested that Obama and Clinton are to blame for the death of Humayan Khan, who died in 2004, when neither were in the executive branch at the time

Misspeak, for sure

• An ally of Paul Manafort told our colleague John Harwood at CNBC that the campaign chairman is "mailing it in," leaving the rest of the staff "suicidal."

Unsubstantiated hit job

• Sitting GOP congressman Richard Hanna, HP head Meg Whitman and former Christie aide Maria Comella all said they plan to vote for Hillary Clinton

Exposing their true colors - they don't have principles they all have the same handlers as Clinton

• The Washington Post released a transcript of its full interview with Trump, indicating among other things that he paused five times to watch TV coverage in the middle of the sit-down

Sounds like a real casual sit down - don't see the big deal

• A GOP source told NBC's Katy Tur that Reince Priebus is "apoplectic" over Trump's refusal to endorse Ryan and is making calls to the campaign to express his "extreme displeasure"

What are we missing? Any one of these items would be problematic on a normal campaign day. This all happened since 8am yesterday. With all that, do we need to be asking a new question: Do Republicans go public with their hope that Trump withdraws from the race? We're at the point where there's GOP chatter about key Republicans coming out hard against their own nominee - and especially eyeing Trump's falling polling numbers to gauge the point at which they need to come up with a "break glass" backup plan to save down-ballot seats. Republicans have been hoping that Trump would change his ways for nearly the entirety of his campaign to no avail. (And for a GOPer, it's got to be hard to read the transcript of that Washington Post interview and come away not thinking that something drastic has to be done.) If you're a Republican, can you just un-endorse Trump, or do you take the next step to push the candidate to get out now for the good of the party?

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/first-read-gop-trump-go-unraveling-break-glass-mode-n622116

 

Senate and Congress have historically low approval ratings - McCain is < 50%, Ryan has a 30% Approval rating.

 

Ryan has a primary challenger who is anti-TPP and has openly supported Trump.

 

The media is wrong in how they interpret things as.

 

"Trump doesn't endorse long-time establishment Republicans who the GOP base feels have failed them in the Senate and the House."

 

I don't think that's really bothering people.

 

Same as "Former Bush advisor openly supporting Clinton" "Big Bush donors supporting Clinton" Media plays it off as if those are bad things for Trump - I say they're great things.

[bbedward]

And look at the Orwellian media here - it's insane they're getting away with what they're doing.

https://twitter.com/MichaelDelauzon/status/760621932186210305

 

https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/5684

They're all changing their poll formulas for the first time in forever too and stacking them with large majority of voters who self identify as Democrat.

Caddell says Reuters new poll is rigged to favor Hillary. Pew says CBS and NY times new formula is untested and shouldn't be tested - they say LA Times formula is probably the most accurate predictor, which has Trump consistently ahead.

[Westside Steve]

Bad GDP growth? The US has the highest GDP growth of any first world economy since the GFC. The main european economies have at best stagnated or maybe had a half a percent growth per year. Canada is going at maybe a percent, australia the same. The US goes around a couple of percent and what happen? People complain.

Exactly correct, so? If the New England Patriots don't get to the Superbowl it's a big deal. If the Tennessee Titans or Cleveland Browns don't make it who cares?

 

Right or wrong we expect to trounce the rest of the world. If we don't, yes sir, we are upset.

 

Call it pride or arrogance.

 

WSS

[OldBrownsFan]

Point 1. Trump attacking other republicans...what is the benefit?

 

Why should Trump go out of his way to say he won't endorse Ryan? Did Ryan ask for his endorsement...no. Trump went out of his way to attack Ryan and was even mocking Ryan saying he wasn't quite there yet endorsing Ryan using what Ryan said earlier about Trump against him. What is the point Ed? Going out of his way to attack Cruz, McCain, Kasich and any other republican who won't kiss his ring and who he has a petty beef against he goes off the rails and off message and attacks. Worse yet they are in his own party.

 

This is crazy. Trump has such a thin skin he cannot let go of any slight or wrong against him even if by doing so he hurts his chances of winning the presidency. I am not saying he needs to praise any of these guys but why not just say nothing and keep focused on attacking Clinton. Isn't that the objective?

[gftChris]

Exactly correct, so? If the New England Patriots don't get to the Superbowl it's a big deal. If the Tennessee Titans or Cleveland Browns don't make it who cares?

 

Right or wrong we expect to trounce the rest of the world. If we don't, yes sir, we are upset.

 

Call it pride or arrogance.

 

WSS

And you are 'trouncing' the rest of the world. Europe has barely reached stagnation after years recession and we're about to re-enter. Japan is really struggling.

 

Pride? Arrogance? Sure. Maybe just a general failure to comprehend how things work.

[gftChris]

Point 1. Trump attacking other republicans...what is the benefit?

 

Why should Trump go out of his way to say he won't endorse Ryan? Did Ryan ask for his endorsement...no. Trump went out of his way to attack Ryan and was even mocking Ryan saying he wasn't quite there yet endorsing Ryan using what Ryan said earlier about Trump against him. What is the point Ed? Going out of his way to attack Cruz, McCain, Kasich and any other republican who won't kiss his ring and who he has a petty beef against he goes off the rails and off message and attacks. Worse yet they are in his own party.

 

This is crazy. Trump has such a thin skin he cannot let go of any slight or wrong against him even if by doing so he hurts his chances of winning the presidency. I am not saying he needs to praise any of these guys but why not just say nothing and keep focused on attacking Clinton. Isn't that the objective?

Correct, and that speaks to the OP - Trump needs to focus. But then, perhaps he is? Perhaps he's thinking by alienating himself from the 'main' republicans like Ryan and McCain, he can woo some democrats that are disillusioned with Hillary and the DNC's fucking over of anyone who gets in the way of the machine.

[bbedward]

Point 1. Trump attacking other republicans...what is the benefit?

 

Why should Trump go out of his way to say he won't endorse Ryan? Did Ryan ask for his endorsement...no. Trump went out of his way to attack Ryan and was even mocking Ryan saying he wasn't quite there yet endorsing Ryan using what Ryan said earlier about Trump against him. What is the point Ed? Going out of his way to attack Cruz, McCain, Kasich and any other republican who won't kiss his ring and who he has a petty beef against he goes off the rails and off message and attacks. Worse yet they are in his own party.

 

This is crazy. Trump has such a thin skin he cannot let go of any slight or wrong against him even if by doing so he hurts his chances of winning the presidency. I am not saying he needs to praise any of these guys but why not just say nothing and keep focused on attacking Clinton. Isn't that the objective?

 

He's not going out of his way - he's being asked about them.

 

Clinton is the objective but it's not like keeping a bunch of establishment hacks in the senate/congress who don't support Trump is good for him either.

[gftChris]

 

He's not going out of his way - he's being asked about them.

 

Clinton is the objective but it's not like keeping a bunch of establishment hacks in the senate/congress who don't support Trump is good for him either.

Just being asked about someone doesn't mean you have to attack them. I mean how hard is it to say something like "Speaker Ryan and I don't see eye to eye on everything, and he'll be the first to admit that. But we both want what's best for this nation and I would much rather see him victorious in that election than any democrat" or "John McCain has served his country faithfully for a long time both in military and civilian life. His passion for America is something to be admired"

 

Instead, you've got infighting, bickering, and Trump's ego saying that everyone else is idiots and only he can lead the path to glory.

[bbedward]

Just being asked about someone doesn't mean you have to attack them. I mean how hard is it to say something like "Speaker Ryan and I don't see eye to eye on everything, and he'll be the first to admit that. But we both want what's best for this nation and I would much rather see him victorious in that election than any democrat" or "John McCain has served his country faithfully for a long time both in military and civilian life. His passion for America is something to be admired"

 

Instead, you've got infighting, bickering, and Trump's ego saying that everyone else is idiots and only he can lead the path to glory.

Paul Ryan has a primary challenger who is a Republican and a big Trump supporter - he's not supporting a Democrat (Paul Nehlen)

[OldBrownsFan]

Point 2. The feud with Kahn

 

I understand the politics. Khan did attack Trump at the convention and it was all political. I would bet the farm Mr. Kahn does not carry around his pocket constitution. But to attack Khan is tricky as he is the father of a fallen war hero so you have to be smart about it. As a presidential candidate you have to be very careful in responding. As Rudy Giuliani said this is the job for surrogates in your campaign to respond. You as the presidential candidate stay above the fray and on message going after Clinton and Obama. But Trump doesn't seem to have the self control not to counter punch Mr. Kahn himself even when it only hurts him politically.

[gftChris]

"I have tremendous respect and gratitude for the sacrifices Mr Khan's son made for this country, but I can assure him, I have read the constitution" etc

[OldBrownsFan]

Point 3. Kicking out the baby

 

Small potatoes for sure but it's how Trump handled it that bothered me. First Trump makes a big point to tell the mother not to worry, Trump understands, he loves babies....then a few minutes later turns on the mother saying to get the baby out and mocks her as she leaves saying "she really believed I wanted to hear a crying baby while I speak". Remember whom Trump is mocking here...one of his own supporters... this is a mother who came to hear him speak. For someone trying to win over the women voters he should have just let one of his ushers quietly handle the situation.

[OldBrownsFan]

Manafort will get it done for Trump.

 

Trump dropped a hint at a town hall the other day that he's going to come out with a universal health care plan - saying something like "We're going to come out with something that I think people will really like. They say it's not very republican - well they're wrong, nobody is going to die in the streets." I'm thinking my prediction from 2015 may come true.

 

I like Manafort and think he is a very good strategist. One of my biggest concerns now is an unsubstantiated report (which I hope is not true) that Manafort is frustrated with Trump. My hope for Trump all along is that he would surround himself with good advisers but what if he won't listen to anyone?

[gftChris]

"but what if he won't listen to anyone?"

 

What about trump makes you think he'd ever listen to someone?

[bbedward]

Trump is certainly not drafting up his policy speeches and positions by himself - I'd say he has a good amount of people who have his ear.

[OldBrownsFan]

"but what if he won't listen to anyone?"

 

What about trump makes you think he'd ever listen to someone?

I guess wishful thinking and hating the idea of Hillary Clinton becoming president. Seriously though Trump himself admits he is not a politician so why doesn't he take the advice of some good seasoned politicians? They are simply telling him to stay on message and stay out of any unnecessary fights especially regarding fellow republicans and the father of a war hero?

[Clevfan4life]

Point 3. Kicking out the baby

 

Small potatoes for sure but it's how Trump handled it that bothered me. First Trump makes a big point to tell the mother not to worry, Trump understands, he loves babies....then a few minutes later turns on the mother saying to get the baby out and mocks her as she leaves saying "she really believed I wanted to hear a crying baby while I speak". Remember whom Trump is mocking here...one of his own supporters... this is a mother who came to hear him speak. For someone trying to win over the women voters he should have just let one of his ushers quietly handle the situation.

 

Did he really do that? Ffs this guy is dumb. I can understand "maam can you please take the baby outside" but good god mocking the woman on the way out....facepalm. We've just never seen a guy like this. I mean he's borderline special

[gftChris]

Did he really do that? Ffs this guy is dumb. I can understand "maam can you please take the baby outside" but good god mocking the woman on the way out....facepalm. We've just never seen a guy like this. I mean he's borderline special

He's so special he'd mock himself.

[OldBrownsFan]

New York Times Magazine asked Trump about the importance of maintaining a Republican Senate. Here was Trump’s almost incomprehensible answer – “Well, I’d like them to do that. But I don’t mind being a free agent, either.”

 

Just another to me inexplicable response from Trump. Why wouldn't he say the republicans keeping control of the senate is of great importance to him because he would need their help if elected president to pass his agenda.