Part of Trump's winning

[edhopper]

and I can't stress this enough, is the incredibly weak GOP field.
Cruz and Rubio are jokes as Senators. Bush was one of the worst candidates I've seen in a long time (and he is a Bush, which wasn't an asset this time.) And so on.
Trump has done a great job of appealing to enough of the 1/4 of the population that the GOP has kept as Republican voters.

[EdwardBernays]

1. Which is why

Running our own weak candidate is such a bad plan.

[edhopper]

2. which one

do you consider weak?

[EdwardBernays]

3. The one

That her own party doesn't trust. The ultimate insider in an outsider year. The one with the decades of baggage. The one that will inspire every Republican to head out to the poll. The one being investigated by the FBI. The one widely considered corrupt even by a number of her own supporters.

[edhopper]

4. I respectfull disagree

that she will be weak against Trump.

One could point to many areas Sanders would be at a disadvantage as well.

I think either would be strong against Trump.

But this conversation is for the GDP thread, and not germane to my OP.

[EdwardBernays]

6. It's utterly germane

If you're theory is that Trump is strong against weaker candidates.

Hillary is a candidate that is seen by many as ridiculously weak and fodder for the Trump media machine. He can literally just through a scandal a day at her for months.

He can also honestly point out he's for universal health care and she's not.

That he is self funded and she's beholden to bug money.

Hillary is strong against other corporate stooges like Rubio but against Trump and in direct reference to your OP she's a very Weak candidate.

[edhopper]

8. No that is not my theory

my theory is he is winning because of weak candidates, not that he is strong against them.
There is a difference

I won't get into a Hillary basing conversation here. that is what GDP is for.

[Hortensis]

18. Not really, Edward, and I explained this before.

MOST people who would vote Democrat really like and support her. 80% of Bernie's voters in IA and NH would have happily voted for her instead if he weren't on the ballot, and of course 100% all of those who did vote for her. People in the exit poll in IA even very heavily agreed the word "respect" applied to their feelings.

Of course this reality cannot be reconciled with the silly notions of a faction seen almost only in DU that Hillary is hated and a sure loser.

Why do these people constantly ignore all information to falsely claim that our Democratic frontrunner is actually hated by most of us and is, now, a "ridiculously weak" candidate?

[Act_of_Reparation]

5. You're on the right track...

The main problem is the crowded field. The rest of the candidates' numbers, if combined, would have beaten Trump.

[FSogol]

7. It is time for our 2 candidates (and their supporters) to focus their attacks on the disastrous

policies of the GOP and the total ignorance of voting for Trump. Time to talk about his bankruptcies, his general ignorance and the discrimination suits against him.

[BillZBubb]

9. Strongly disagree, Terpster.

The Democratic party is in a battle for its soul right now. We need to sort out our own issues first.

[Matrosov]

10. How is it a weak GOP field?

Last edited Wed Feb 24, 2016, 02:21 PM - Edit history (1)

Most of these guys are speaking out against government spending and in favor of religious bullshit. They're not 'Democrat Lites' like McCain and Romney were. Cruz and Rubio might make this the strongest GOP field I've ever seen.

The two big reasons Trump is winning are:

1) He's saying racist shit that resonates well with Republicans
2) Establishment Republicans never took him serious and never developed a battle plan to counter him.

[edhopper]

11. Have you seen these guys.

it's not what they say, it's that they are terrible campaigners running feeble campaigns.

Though i agree the GOP's anti-Government rhetoric that has been a mainstay since Reagan has help trump a lot.

[Matrosov]

12. I might be biased

I understand what you're saying, but I've never considered Republicans to be strong campaigners.

2000: Hey, at least I'm not Clinton
2004: Vote for me again or the terrorists win
2008: Vote for me or the socialists win
2012: Hey, at least I'm not Obama

2016: Hey, vote for me, or the Mexican Muslim socialist terrorists will win

[edhopper]

13. Not untrue

but compared to McCain and Romney, these guys are AAA farm team.

[Matrosov]

14. I agree

At least McCain and Romney had a certain amount of class. ..and compared to these nuts, McCain and Romney actually seemed progressive.

What's frightening is how many self-professed far-right-wingers I know that hated McCain and Romney but think Trump or Cruz can get us 'back on track'

[Andy823]

17. You can't be serious

Unless you are 12 years old the comment that "this is the strongest GOP field you have ever seen, is laughable at he least!

Every year they out due themselves with a worst crop of candidates than the year before. Rubio and Cruz are idiots, and for some reason you think they are strong? And Romney and McCain were Democrat lites'?

[Matrosov]

19. Hence is the strongest field I've seen

Let's not pretend that Republicans are really interested in intelligent and level headed candidates.

So by Republican standards, yes this is the strongest GOP field I've ever seen.

I live in a conservative stronghold and many of these people think even Reagan was only right of center. Bush? A big government spender. McCain and Romney? Too much like the Democrats. Trump and Cruz? Just the right amount of crazy (though some argue Cruz is the better choice because he's more religious).

[trotsky]

15. That is true.

The most competent and electable guys they've had the last couple of cycles (Gilmore, Huntsman) couldn't even get out of the single digits.

Plus I have to wonder with all the racism they've cultivated over the years, just how many of the rank-and-file could even feel comfortable voting for a "Cruz" or a "Rubio"? Certainly not a black man like Carson!

And even the average Republican has Bush fatigue, now that's saying something.

[rockfordfile]

16. Not surprised.All of the repubes are just like Trump

The republican party is a racist and fascist party. All of the republican pos that's running are Trump. They just attempt to keep a tighter lip at times but as soon as any of these fascists open their mouth.

Trump saying racist and un-American things is what the republican party is.