Clinton allies preparing for Trump nomination, fall campaign

[webfact]

Clinton allies preparing for Trump nomination, fall campaign
By KEN THOMAS and LISA LERER

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Emboldened by her South Carolina landslide, Hillary Clinton is shifting her focus to Republican front-runner Donald Trump as her party seeks consensus on the best ways to challenge the billionaire's unpredictable nature in a general election.

As Clinton enters the series of Super Tuesday contests this week, allies of the former secretary of state, unaffiliated Democratic strategists and the national party are stockpiling potential ammunition about Trump, reviewing reams of court filings, requesting information about his business dealings from state governments and conducting new polls to test lines of attack.

Among the likely options: Questioning Trump's qualifications and temperament to be president, scrutinizing his business practices and bankruptcy filings, and re-airing his inflammatory statements about women and minorities who will be central to the Democrats' efforts in November.

"Is this the guy you would trust with the nuclear codes? Is this the guy you would trust with your son or daughter in the military? Is this the guy you would trust to run the economy?" asked Gov. Dan Malloy of Connecticut, a Clinton backer, pointing to a likely argument from Democrats.

Clinton, celebrating her rout of Democratic rival Bernie Sanders in South Carolina's primary, took direct aim at Trump's message on Saturday night, telling supporters, "Despite what you hear, we don't need to make America great again. America never stopped being great."

"But we do need to make America whole again. Instead of building walls, we need to be tearing down barriers," she said.

While party leaders see Clinton in a favorable position against Trump, they caution that the real estate mogul has shown a mastery of the media and an ability to stay on offense throughout the GOP primaries. And they acknowledge Trump has successfully tapped into a deep vein of economic insecurity running through the electorate.

"Any race he is in is unpredictable," said David Brock, a Clinton supporter who oversees several Democratic super PACs. "Any strategy we come up with today is going to have to be awfully flexible because we don't know what to expect from this guy."

Clinton aides and allies also worry that Trump's unorthodox constituency of working-class white voters might allow him to put more states in play — particularly Midwestern swing states like Ohio and Wisconsin — compared to past nominees like Mitt Romney and John McCain. And they note large voter turnouts in GOP primaries won by Trump.

But Democrats predict a Trump nomination could have a splintering effect on the Republican party and are looking for ways to exacerbate it.

A new survey of 800 likely Republican voters commissioned by a Democratic firm led by Stan Greenberg, who served as President Bill Clinton's pollster, found that 20 percent of Republicans are "uncertain" whether they would back Trump or Clinton in a head-to-head match-up.

The number included one-quarter of Catholics and one-third of moderates, according to the survey by the Democracy Corps' Republican Party Project shared with The Associated Press.

The poll found Trump's share of the vote drops among Catholics and moderates when Democrats describe him as an "ego-maniac," ''disrespectful to women," untrustworthy with the nation's nuclear weapons and supporting a "big oil agenda."

"If people are fearful that you can't trust Trump with nuclear weapons, if you have Republican validators like Sen. McCain and other Republicans in the foreign policy establishment saying they can't trust Trump, there's a potential for a splintering off of huge Republican base voters," Greenberg said.

But Republicans, Democrats argue, haven't mounted a sustained campaign to undermine Trump's image as a successful dealmaker. They envision a more extensive critique that would galvanize minority voters and women against Trump.

"Is there anything in his business record that suggested he'd be inclusionary," asked Mark Morial, president of the National Urban League. "Did he hire minority-owned contractors? How diverse is the senior leadership of his companies?"

Stephanie Schriock, the president of EMILY's List, which backs female Democratic candidates who support abortion rights, said Trump's derogatory comments about women during the primaries would mobilize female voters. She said as the "head of the party," Trump would influence Senate races in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Florida.

Clinton's campaign, meanwhile, is increasingly pointing to Trump as the likely GOP nominee. Her rhetoric of "tearing down barriers" presents a contrast to Trump's vow to build a massive wall along the Mexican border. In a recent fundraising appeal, Clinton said Trump was "looking more and more likely to be the Republican nominee. The man who riles up his crowds by calling Mexican-Americans criminals and suggesting Muslims should be banned from entering this country has limitless resources to run his campaign."

Her message underscored Democrats' interest in holding Trump below 30 percent support among Hispanics, a level few think would allow the businessman to win the White House.

While Trump spends far more time assailing his Republican rivals, he has previewed some attack lines he would likely use against Clinton, describing her as a liar and failed secretary of state who would have been indicted over her email scandal were she not so cozy with President Barack Obama. He has made clear he's ready to take personal shots, bringing up her husband's past infidelities and suggesting she was complicit in what Trump has described as the former president's abuse of women.

Clinton aides say their campaign is focused on winning the primary and have not begun formally sketching out how they would tackle Trump or any Republican opponent. But that doesn't mean they aren't keeping a close eye on the fellow New Yorker.

"The challenge that the Republicans are having running against him is that it's a party that's having an identity crisis," said Clinton strategist Joel Benenson. "And they haven't been able to resolve that."
__

Thomas reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report from Huntsville.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-02-29

[keemapoot]

Trump keeps giving Clinton loads of ammunition in this campaign with racial minorities especially. He just announced he may ask the federal judge in his civil fraud case involving the defunct Trump University to reuse himself because of his plan to build a wall against Mexico.

This federal judge was born in Indiana, educated in Indiana, approved by the senate without opposition, and his career includes having been chief of the San Diego Narcotics Enforcement Division prosecuting Mexican drug smugglers.

Has he singled out Asians for exclusion yet, not sure?

That combined with his silly refusal to immediately condemn David Duke and the KKK's rabid endorsement means his only voting base will be angry white men, especially those who are "poorly educated."

Edited February 28, 2016 by keemapoot

[Publicus]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus. The Democrat LBJ won with his eyes closed and his right hand tied behind his back.

The right gave us that election on a silver platter. Looks like Christmas will come early this year too if Trump is the Republican party nominee.

Goldwater won the five states of the Confederate deep South and his own Arizona. He got 38.5% of the national popular vote (unpopular vote?). LBJ got 486 of the 538 Electoral College votes with 270 needed to win.

Trump = Game Over Party.

[Pinot]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus. The Democrat LBJ won with his eyes closed and his right hand tied behind his back.

The right gave us that election on a silver platter. Looks like Christmas will come early this year too if Trump is the Republican party nominee.

Goldwater won the five states of the Confederate deep South and his own Arizona. He got 38.5% of the national popular vote (unpopular vote?). LBJ got 486 of the 538 Electoral College votes with 270 needed to win.

Trump = Game Over Party.

Johnson would probably have won against any Republican in 1964, as a sitting President following the assassination of JFK . The Republicans did hand Johnson a gift in the candidacy of right-wing zealot Goldwater. So, you're right Publicus, there are definite parallels here.

In much the same way, the far right wing Republicans have given the Democrats a gift this year in Donald Trump. The Republicans have so gone so far out in wingnuttia to become the party of old white man exclusively there are NO electable Republican candidates. They started with 16 unelectable candidates! The electorate is simply not where these candidates are on every one of their positions.

Instead of becoming more inclusive after 2012, the Republicans continued to veer hard right to get to right wing nirvana where the base is. Then, in comes Trump with his racist, xenophobic bullshit and you've got a truly detestable candidate that's a sure loser.

The game was over before they gave ball to Trump. Trump will take the Republican party down with him, but maybe they were all going to do that. He basically represents everything the rest of the Republicans represent. He just opens his crude pie hole a little wider.

The Republicans have only themselves to blame for this trainwreck with Roger Ailes driving the Fox News locomotive. Whoo Whoo

[Ulysses G.]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus.

I don't remember an ongoing criminal probe into security violations by the FBI concerning LBJ. It is a VERY different situation.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[JingerBen]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus.

I don't remember an ongoing criminal probe into security violations by the FBI concerning LBJ. It is a VERY different situation.

Good point.

A federal indictment of Hillary Clinton could change everything very quickly.

[Boon Mee]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus.

I don't remember an ongoing criminal probe into security violations by the FBI concerning LBJ. It is a VERY different situation.

That's not this poster's recolection either.

Disinformation and lies are the Hallmark of the Democrat Party. Not to forget dead voters.

[JingerBen]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus.

I don't remember an ongoing criminal probe into security violations by the FBI concerning LBJ. It is a VERY different situation.

That's not this poster's recolection either.

Disinformation and lies are the Hallmark of the Democrat Party. Not to forget dead voters.

Disinformation and lies are the hallmark of American politics in general.

At least there's some comic relief as this election rapidly descends into farce.

[Norvid 1950]

The next president, if Trump elected, will do a lot of good for America. All skills on making deals is a huge plus. No corrupted and influenced by special interests groups politicians know how to do that. Could you trust a marionette? If you smart and experienced in making business deals you might get rich. If you are politician, you may get bankrupt by spending the money they don't have. Easy to borrow, difficult to safe. What does Americans need and want? Get rid of financial black hole, get economy going, get healthy financially again, doesn't it? Vote for Trump!

[Publicus]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus.

I don't remember an ongoing criminal probe into security violations by the FBI concerning LBJ. It is a VERY different situation.

No one running for Potus is being investigated. The far out extremist and vast rightwing conspicuously continues to think they can stop the Clintons yet youse guyz have lost at every turn. In fact you got even worse in Barack Obama.

Now the extremist fringe is gonna get worse than that come back at 'em again compounded by the new factor in US politics called Bernie Sanders and democratic socialism. So the right is just going to have to keep sucking it up.

Bernie's not my guy but sorting it out is up to the Millennials and those that come along after them. I supported HR Clinton in 2008 and wuz happy to vote for Barack Obama. I support HR Clinton today and going forward. Rightwing super patriot intelligence agency IG's and Republicans in the senate don't change the fact.

[JingerBen]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus.

I don't remember an ongoing criminal probe into security violations by the FBI concerning LBJ. It is a VERY different situation.

No one running for Potus is being investigated. The far out extremist and vast rightwing conspicuously continues to think they can stop the Clintons yet youse guyz have lost at every turn. In fact you got even worse in Barack Obama.

Now the extremist fringe is gonna get worse than that come back at 'em again compounded by the new factor in US politics called Bernie Sanders and democratic socialism. So the right is just going to have to keep sucking it up.

Bernie's not my guy but sorting it out is up to the Millennials and those that come along after them. I supported HR Clinton in 2008 and wuz happy to vote for Barack Obama. I support HR Clinton today and going forward. Rightwing super patriot intelligence agency IG's and Republicans in the senate don't change the fact.

Hogwash from beginning to end.

Hillary Clinton is indeed being investigated, and the outcome will decide the election.

[lannarebirth]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus. The Democrat LBJ won with his eyes closed and his right hand tied behind his back.

The right gave us that election on a silver platter. Looks like Christmas will come early this year too if Trump is the Republican party nominee.

Goldwater won the five states of the Confederate deep South and his own Arizona. He got 38.5% of the national popular vote (unpopular vote?). LBJ got 486 of the 538 Electoral College votes with 270 needed to win.

Trump = Game Over Party.

I think that's probably right. Which will mean there will be months and months to take a good hard look at your candidate, without thinking about the buffoon that opposes her. Is she going to be able to put every presumed impartial pundit on the payroll?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2016/02/26/report-the-media-arent-telling-you-about-ties-of-pro-hillary-clinton-pundits/

[lannarebirth]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus.

I don't remember an ongoing criminal probe into security violations by the FBI concerning LBJ. It is a VERY different situation.

No one running for Potus is being investigated. The far out extremist and vast rightwing conspicuously continues to think they can stop the Clintons yet youse guyz have lost at every turn. In fact you got even worse in Barack Obama.

Now the extremist fringe is gonna get worse than that come back at 'em again compounded by the new factor in US politics called Bernie Sanders and democratic socialism. So the right is just going to have to keep sucking it up.

Bernie's not my guy but sorting it out is up to the Millennials and those that come along after them. I supported HR Clinton in 2008 and wuz happy to vote for Barack Obama. I support HR Clinton today and going forward. Rightwing super patriot intelligence agency IG's and Republicans in the senate don't change the fact.

Hogwash from beginning to end.

Hillary Clinton is indeed being investigated, and the outcome will decide the election.

I shouldn't post this because it's 3rd party anecdotal, but my brother sells high end security software to the nation's law enforcement agencies. He sells to the DEA, CIA, ATF, Homeland Security, but mostly the FBI. He knows lots of those guys really well. They don't talk on the record but they talk pretty freely off the record. From what my brother told me yesterday the FBI believes multiple felonies have taken place in Hillaray's State Dept. inner circle by multiple persons. They believe a conspiracy exists to avoid State Dept regulatory policies. They are currently investigating whether or not a conspiracy existed to bypass State Dept regulations in order to benefit outside interests. Specifically the Clinton Foundation.

I'm just telling you what I heard but my brother's contacts are not lower rung FBI people. Maybe Publicus can tell us what the people he knows who occupy congressional staff positions are talking about.

[Ulysses G.]

From what my brother told me yesterday the FBI believes multiple felonies have taken place in Hillaray's State Dept. inner circle by multiple persons. They believe a conspiracy exists to avoid State Dept regulatory policies. They are currently investigating whether or not a conspiracy existed to bypass State Dept regulations in order to benefit outside interests. Specifically the Clinton Foundation.

Of course. Denying that Clinton is being investigated is just hair splitting.

[keemapoot]

From what my brother told me yesterday the FBI believes multiple felonies have taken place in Hillaray's State Dept. inner circle by multiple persons. They believe a conspiracy exists to avoid State Dept regulatory policies. They are currently investigating whether or not a conspiracy existed to bypass State Dept regulations in order to benefit outside interests. Specifically the Clinton Foundation.

Of course. Denying that Clinton is being investigated is just hair splitting.

Lots of people and organizations gets investigated. It's a gigantic step from investigation to indictment. I'm not defending Clinton on this issue or any other, I don't like her, but let's not distort the importance of a non-event as it's premature at this stage.

[atyclb]

trump might want to invite the men behind the movie 13 hours to become part of the campaign. they tell a fairly credible story about how the clinton state dept failed / refused to assist-protect the ambassador among others that were killed.

[Phuket Stan]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus.

I don't remember an ongoing criminal probe into security violations by the FBI concerning LBJ. It is a VERY different situation.

I do hope you have a good grip on the straws you are clutching

[lannarebirth]

From what my brother told me yesterday the FBI believes multiple felonies have taken place in Hillaray's State Dept. inner circle by multiple persons. They believe a conspiracy exists to avoid State Dept regulatory policies. They are currently investigating whether or not a conspiracy existed to bypass State Dept regulations in order to benefit outside interests. Specifically the Clinton Foundation.

Of course. Denying that Clinton is being investigated is just hair splitting.

Lots of people and organizations gets investigated. It's a gigantic step from investigation to indictment. I'm not defending Clinton on this issue or any other, I don't like her, but let's not distort the importance of a non-event as it's premature at this stage.

True, but there is a certain frustration that exists when there is something that everybody knows about but nobody talks about. If people come to believe that there is a vastly different standard for some than there is for others, the system falls apart. Particularly if some of the outer pillars of a democracy, such as a probing and investigatory free press are somehow co-opted.

Edited February 29, 2016 by lannarebirth

[Ulysses G.]

From what my brother told me yesterday the FBI believes multiple felonies have taken place in Hillaray's State Dept. inner circle by multiple persons. They believe a conspiracy exists to avoid State Dept regulatory policies. They are currently investigating whether or not a conspiracy existed to bypass State Dept regulations in order to benefit outside interests. Specifically the Clinton Foundation.

Of course. Denying that Clinton is being investigated is just hair splitting.

Lots of people and organizations gets investigated.

An ongoing investigation by something like 150 FBI agents sounds pretty serious to most people.

[chuckd]

No one running for Potus is being investigated. The far out extremist and vast rightwing conspicuously continues to think they can stop the Clintons yet youse guyz have lost at every turn. In fact you got even worse in Barack Obama.

Now the extremist fringe is gonna get worse than that come back at 'em again compounded by the new factor in US politics called Bernie Sanders and democratic socialism. So the right is just going to have to keep sucking it up.

Bernie's not my guy but sorting it out is up to the Millennials and those that come along after them. I supported HR Clinton in 2008 and wuz happy to vote for Barack Obama. I support HR Clinton today and going forward. Rightwing super patriot intelligence agency IG's and Republicans in the senate don't change the fact.

Hogwash from beginning to end.

Hillary Clinton is indeed being investigated, and the outcome will decide the election.

I shouldn't post this because it's 3rd party anecdotal, but my brother sells high end security software to the nation's law enforcement agencies. He sells to the DEA, CIA, ATF, Homeland Security, but mostly the FBI. He knows lots of those guys really well. They don't talk on the record but they talk pretty freely off the record. From what my brother told me yesterday the FBI believes multiple felonies have taken place in Hillaray's State Dept. inner circle by multiple persons. They believe a conspiracy exists to avoid State Dept regulatory policies. They are currently investigating whether or not a conspiracy existed to bypass State Dept regulations in order to benefit outside interests. Specifically the Clinton Foundation.

I'm just telling you what I heard but my brother's contacts are not lower rung FBI people. Maybe Publicus can tell us what the people he knows who occupy congressional staff positions are talking about.

From recent news releases:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hillary Clinton Is Now Tied To At Least Four Investigations By Federal Agencies

CHUCK ROSS

Reporter

2:32 PM 02/11/2016

The State Department’s inspector general last year subpoenaed the Clinton Foundation for documents related to work that required approval from the Hillary Clinton State Department, making it now at least four investigations involving the Democratic presidential candidate being conducted by federal agencies.

According to The Washington Post, the State Department inspector general’s subpoena, which was filed in the fall, also sought records related to longtime Clinton aide Huma Abedin’s concurrent employment in 2012 with the State Department, the Clinton Foundation, and Teneo Holdings, a Clinton-connected consulting firm.

Clinton’s critics have asserted that the overlap between the State Department, her family’s foundation, and Teneo during her tenure created potential conflicts of interest. <snip>

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/02/11/hillary-clinton-is-now-tied-to-at-least-four-investigations-by-federal-agencies/#ixzz41X5oPtLp

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...and...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FBI formally confirms its investigation of Hillary Clinton’s email server

02/08/16 05:30 PM—UPDATED 02/08/16 06:58 PM

By Pete Williams

In a letter disclosed Monday in a federal court filing, the FBI confirms one of the world’s worst-kept secrets: It is looking into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.

Why say this at all, since it was widely known to be true? Because in August in response to a judge’s direction, the State Department asked the FBI for information about what it was up to. Sorry, the FBI said at the time, we can neither confirm nor deny the existence of any investigation.

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/fbi-formally-confirms-its-investigation-hillary-clintons-email-server

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The agencies currently investigating Clinton's actions are the Intelligence Community Inspector General, the State Department Inspector General, the Benghazi Select Committee and the FBI.

I would have some sleepless nights if these folks were all investigating me. How about you, rhetorically speaking?

[ozyjon]

Go, yeah, Trump, American politics who cares

[CWMcMurray]

The truth is..

There is still a lot of time before the general election and is entirely possible that either one or both or neither of the candidates could come burning down during that time ..

It is too early for anyone to really know how this is going to play out..

Any one saying differently is just basing it on their own hopes and wishful thinking..

All I can say for certain is that this is going to be a really interesting presidential campaign ...

[Publicus]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus.

I don't remember an ongoing criminal probe into security violations by the FBI concerning LBJ. It is a VERY different situation.

No one running for Potus is being investigated. The far out extremist and vast rightwing conspicuously continues to think they can stop the Clintons yet youse guyz have lost at every turn. In fact you got even worse in Barack Obama.

Now the extremist fringe is gonna get worse than that come back at 'em again compounded by the new factor in US politics called Bernie Sanders and democratic socialism. So the right is just going to have to keep sucking it up.

Bernie's not my guy but sorting it out is up to the Millennials and those that come along after them. I supported HR Clinton in 2008 and wuz happy to vote for Barack Obama. I support HR Clinton today and going forward. Rightwing super patriot intelligence agency IG's and Republicans in the senate don't change the fact.

Hogwash from beginning to end.

Hillary Clinton is indeed being investigated, and the outcome will decide the election.

Voters will decide the election November 8th and everyone in Washington knows it.

The Clinton campaign is going forward with its strategies and plans to attain its coming win.

The Republican party knows it and it is trying to stop the guy Trump who'd otherwise lose to a socialist 75 year old Jewish guy born in Brooklyn and relocated to the place he helped make into the Democratic Independent People's Republic of Vermont. Institutional Republicans are trying to stop the guy Trump who'd lose to Joe Biden.

They're trying to stop the guy who if the R party under the control of the rightwhinge fringe nominates him will lose to HR Clinton.

This is the reality despite the Rightwing superpatriot IG's of the vast unknown and powerful intelligence agencies and bureaucracies with Republican party senators.

President Hillary Clinton. It is tremendously uphill against the rightwing establishment and its powerful big bucks but it is underway.

Get used to it. A uniquely American democratic socialism will begin to manifest a decade or so later.

[Publicus]

I shouldn't post this because it's 3rd party anecdotal, but my brother sells high end security software to the nation's law enforcement agencies. He sells to the DEA, CIA, ATF, Homeland Security, but mostly the FBI. He knows lots of those guys really well. They don't talk on the record but they talk pretty freely off the record. From what my brother told me yesterday the FBI believes multiple felonies have taken place in Hillaray's State Dept. inner circle by multiple persons. They believe a conspiracy exists to avoid State Dept regulatory policies. They are currently investigating whether or not a conspiracy existed to bypass State Dept regulations in order to benefit outside interests. Specifically the Clinton Foundation.

I'm just telling you what I heard but my brother's contacts are not lower rung FBI people. Maybe Publicus can tell us what the people he knows who occupy congressional staff positions are talking about.

Maybe Publicus can tell us what the people he knows who occupy congressional staff positions are talking about.

Definitely a poster needs to post to the board and in respect of the thread and the topic instead of posting pointedly and by username to any individual poster. Presumptuously besides. The Report function of the board exists for a purpose. Even a poster who rarely uses it remains free to avail himself of the option that is available to all posters at any time.

Referencing a board incident of the recent past, one native born American and USA passport holder who is a veteran of voluntary military service thus dispassionately advises another citizen and expat.

[Monomial]

What I find really fascinating in all this is watching some of the loudest pro Thaksin/PTP supporters suddenly do a 180 and become adamantly anti Trump. Apparently, in some poster's eyes, it is OK for the Thai electorate to elect a billionaire demagogue to challenge the "elite", but somehow when the American electorate does exactly the same thing it becomes "wrong".

I understand if someone is pro Thaksin and pro Trump, or anti Thaksin and anti Trump, but to support one and vilify the other requires a mastery of cognitive dissonance. In fact, I am going to coin a new term here, "Trumpskin", to refer the archetype that is both of these candidates.

I don't like Trumpskin in any of his forms, and I never will. Demagogues are dangerous. However, that doesn't change the fact that Trump is going to sweep America the same way Thaksin swept Thailand in 2000, and for exactly the same reasons. The people are tired of the political elite, and want something different. If they wind up getting a Napolean out of the deal, well, that is just the cost of getting rid of the elite. The Democrats don't stand a chance in an election against Trump. Their only hope would be to run Sanders and position him as their own anti establishment candidate, but they won't do that.

Looking forward to what is in store for the USA under a Trump presidency, I can only hope the US military shows the same common sense that the Thai military showed in stopping the worst of what is coming. Beyond that, it would be hilarious to watch some of the posters here who vehemently opposed the Thai coup silently supporting US military action to stop Trump.

[Jingthing]

There is no poll evidence that Trump will easily beat Clinton, if it all. Trump doesn't even have the majority of REPUBLICAN voters. Yes, he will probably be nominated but only because of so many opponents splitting up his opposition.

Trump's rise is really more like the rise of Hitler than Thaksin and Americans have plenty of time to stop this madness before it's too late.

Yes, I'm going there, because this time, it really fits. He's playing the same psychological game with the American people that Hitler used with the Germans. Trump, BTW, knows exactly what he's doing too (he's not dumb and the similarities are so compelling that it can't be a coincidence). He thinks the American people are total morons (sadly a safe assumption) and will buy it. He's quite cynical that way. I'm not sure exactly what he wants with this power he's going for (his stated positions change daily) but I don't think it's worth the gamble to find out.

I still have a little more respect for the American people than Trump does. I think the reality of what Trump is really about will be exposed to enough voters, to stop him. Probably not for the nomination, but for the presidency.

Rubio is helping with that ... so thanks to him.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Jingthing

[metisdead]

A post has been removed due to childish misspelling of a person's name.

[Publicus]

What I find really fascinating in all this is watching some of the loudest pro Thaksin/PTP supporters suddenly do a 180 and become adamantly anti Trump. Apparently, in some poster's eyes, it is OK for the Thai electorate to elect a billionaire demagogue to challenge the "elite", but somehow when the American electorate does exactly the same thing it becomes "wrong".

I understand if someone is pro Thaksin and pro Trump, or anti Thaksin and anti Trump, but to support one and vilify the other requires a mastery of cognitive dissonance. In fact, I am going to coin a new term here, "Trumpskin", to refer the archetype that is both of these candidates.

I don't like Trumpskin in any of his forms, and I never will. Demagogues are dangerous. However, that doesn't change the fact that Trump is going to sweep America the same way Thaksin swept Thailand in 2000, and for exactly the same reasons. The people are tired of the political elite, and want something different. If they wind up getting a Napolean out of the deal, well, that is just the cost of getting rid of the elite. The Democrats don't stand a chance in an election against Trump. Their only hope would be to run Sanders and position him as their own anti establishment candidate, but they won't do that.

Looking forward to what is in store for the USA under a Trump presidency, I can only hope the US military shows the same common sense that the Thai military showed in stopping the worst of what is coming. Beyond that, it would be hilarious to watch some of the posters here who vehemently opposed the Thai coup silently supporting US military action to stop Trump.

it would be hilarious to watch some of the posters here who vehemently opposed the Thai coup silently supporting US military action to stop Trump.

Posted from the moon. Deep within it.

i support Thaksin and vehemently oppose Trump. Anyone talking about a military coup in the United States is a crackpot.

Presenting that there are people in the United States "silently supporting US military action" in this instance to stop Trump, or for any reason, is howling at earth from another planet.

Trump is a problem of the Republican party. That's because he is the coup. It's also a weird post.

[NeverSure]

It is remarkably similar to the electoral rout of R Sen Barry Goldwater who in 1964 led the right in its seizure of the Republican party nomination for Potus.

I don't remember an ongoing criminal probe into security violations by the FBI concerning LBJ. It is a VERY different situation.

That's not this poster's recolection either.

Disinformation and lies are the Hallmark of the Democrat Party. Not to forget dead voters.

I don't think they need dead voters any more. They now have illegal immigrants voting. Note how they keep stressing the percentage of "Hispanics" any candidate might win.

[NeverSure]

-snip-

I support HR Clinton today and going forward.

So YOU'RE that guy I saw on national TV being introduced by Hillary as her lone endorser!!