Democrats to give Trump 'rude awakening' in summer onslaught

[rooster59]

Democrats to give Trump 'rude awakening' in summer onslaught

LISA LERER, Associated Press
JULIE BYKOWICZ, Associated Press


NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Donald Trump's unconventional campaign is about to feel the heat of political organization.

Hillary Clinton and her Democratic allies have invested at least $41 million in commercials in crucial states such as Ohio, Florida and Nevada over the next six weeks, a series of summer broadsides against her Republican opponent. Those messages will be echoed by hundreds of Clinton workers in those same states and amplified by President Barack Obama and other top Democrats.

Trump has made few preparations for contending with that sort of well-oiled political machine. His campaign has no advertising plans and is just now hiring employees in important states. Republican leaders are far from in agreement on how best to talk to voters about the polarizing billionaire, or if they will at all. And Trump is running out of time: Early voting starts in Iowa in just 3 1/2 months.

"It's political malpractice," said Mitch Stewart, Obama's 2012 battleground states director and a Clinton backer. "He's in for a rude awakening. This isn't a national vote contest where you can be on cable news every day and dominate coverage. This is literally going state by state and coming up with a plan in each."

Clinton's large June and July ad buy comes as a reward for her near-constant fundraising. In May, she raised $27 million in primary election money that must be used before she accepts her party's nomination at the convention in late July.

Trump is playing catch up. He did not begin raising money in earnest until May 25, having largely financed his primary bid through personal loans to his campaign.

Clinton's latest spots, highlighting her past advocacy for children, are an attempt to reintroduce the returning presidential candidate — she lost the 2008 Democratic primary to Obama — to general election voters. Her campaign is spending about $23 million on ads by the convention, according to advertising tracker Kantar Media's CMAG.

But those voters are also hearing from Priorities USA, a super political action committee financed by millions of dollars from Clinton's staunchest supporters. The goal of those that $18.7 million batch of ads: cast Trump as a con-man and bully unprepared to be commander in chief.

"When I saw Donald Trump mock someone with a disability, it showed me his soul. It showed me his heart," says the father of a young girl with spina bifida, whose story is featured in one of the ads.

It's a strategy Democrats successfully used four years ago against Obama's GOP opponent, Mitt Romney. Over that summer, Priorities USA relied on an intensely negative advertising campaign to define Romney as unconcerned with the worries of average Americans.

Now, facing an opponent with far higher negative ratings and a weaker political organization, Democrats see an opportunity not only to retain the White House but make a strong play for winning control of the Senate and adding scores of Democrats to the House.

In the past week, Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., have lined up behind Clinton. Her primary rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, is expected to support her eventually.

Trump has struggled to win over much of his party's establishment and lacks that kind of a bench behind his message. Many top Republicans, including Romney and past Presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush, do not plan to attend the party convention in July. Others refuse to answer questions about their nominee, largely leaving Trump to defend himself.

"Donald Trump has people hiding under rocks hoping he doesn't know where they are," said New York Rep. Steve Israel, former chairman of the House Democrats' campaign arm.

For example, in critically important Ohio, where the state GOP backed Gov. John Kasich's failed presidential campaign, party officials have been unwilling to throw much support behind Trump.

Kasich, who had signed a pledge to back the Republican nominee, recently told MSNBC he "just can't do it" unless Trump makes some significant changes.

Marc Short, a Republican strategist who advised Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign and previously led political operations for the billionaire Koch brothers' network of conservative donors, said Trump would be in a far stronger position if he weren't still getting organized.

"He has been underestimated throughout the process, so I'm hesitant to be too judgmental," Short said. "But it is always better when everyone is singing from the same song sheet."

Trump, who has belittled the need for endorsements, has signaled a willingness to go it alone if he believes the Republican leadership is undermining him.

"Republicans, either stick together or let me just do it by myself," he told a rally this past week in Atlanta.

Undeniably, Clinton's long-cultivated donor network and commitment to fundraising gave her a running start on general election staffing. She began sending employees to Ohio and other states months ago. Trump, who plans to rely on Republican National Committee support, has few, if any staff singularly devoted to his campaign in any of the most competitive states.

Clinton's aides argue their early investment will pay off in the final weeks of the campaign.

Data analyzed by Obama's campaign in 2008 showed the enthusiasm of his supporters in the last six weeks was higher in areas where the campaign's local operations got an early start, according to former staffers.

Greg Beswick, executive director of the Ohio Democratic Party, said of Trump's people: "They're not putting together the kind of campaign you need to win in Ohio, never mind in a number of swing states."

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-06-19

[SgtRock]

Methinks this will backfire spectacularly.

Wrong strategy

[Rancid]

Reading some of those hacks, the democrat machine has been primed from day one with only one possible candidate on the ballot, Hilary. Not sure why democrat is in the party name, as they have no semblance to democracy.

No doubt Tump is about to feel the onslaught on the neoconservative bankster funded corrupt establishment and their media lackeys.

If Trump actually is an anti-establishment wild card, although hard to believe, he has no hope of ever winning whether he gets the votes or not.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Trump has an unfavorable rating of 78% with women, 89% with Latinos, and 94% with black as well as a 70% unfavorable rating with Americans as a whole.

This is up 10 points in the last month.

His crazy train is about to derail in a big way.

Maybe there is hope for the American voters after all?

[Suradit69]

Reading some of those hacks, the democrat machine has been primed from day one with only one possible candidate on the ballot, Hilary. Not sure why democrat is in the party name, as they have no semblance to democracy.

No doubt Tump is about to feel the onslaught on the neoconservative bankster funded corrupt establishment and their media lackeys.

If Trump actually is an anti-establishment wild card, although hard to believe, he has no hope of ever winning whether he gets the votes or not.

Trump's only debating "skills" come from name-calling, mud-slinging, outright lies and character assassination. If anything substantive is to be discussed, he'll be even less able to speak about it than Herman Cain speaking of the president of "Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan."

As to a democratic process in choosing the party candidate, neither party's primary process is remotely democratic. Even now there are delegates to the GOP convention who insist that The Donald could be replaced by someone who garnered far fewer votes or who never bothered to campaign in the primaries.

[Jing Joe]

Trump has an unfavorable rating of 78% with women, 89% with Latinos, and 94% with black as well as a 70% unfavorable rating with Americans as a whole.

This is up 10 points in the last month.

His crazy train is about to derail in a big way.

Maybe there is hope for the American voters after all?

From "the land down under" (Australia) I'd reckon just about 100% here would consider Trump as a complete idiot and God help not just America but the whole world if he became president of USA.

In believing this wont happen, what a lot of money has/will be used to defeat Trump that might have been used elsewhere.

Part of the price we pay for democracy I suppose.

[otherstuff1957]

Trump has an unfavorable rating of about 70%. Clinton has an unfavorable rating of 60%.

Never before have the two major candidates been so disliked by the majority of the voters.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Libertarian candidate gets 15-20% of the vote. 3rd party candidates never win, but they usually hurt the candidate with the views closest to them (like Nader took enough votes from Gore to give the 2000 election to Bush). So, the question is, will Republicans who dislike Trump go Libertarian or will Sanders supporters go Libertarian.

IMHO this race is still far too close to call.

... Another thing to consider is that the FBI/Justice Dept. may end up choosing the President! A timely indictment might torpedo Clinton's campaign and tip the balance to Trump.

[Thaidream]

Donald Trump is about to find out what the Clinton political machine is all about. His own mouth will sink him and in contrast to Hillary Clinton- he cannot win a debate. While I am not a great supporter of Hillary- I will have to vote for her because the alternative in Trump would be disastrous for America. Mrs Clinton will also have Bill Clinton giving speeches on her behalf and I would imagine play a central figure in her presidency even if it is behind the scenes.

Donald Trump is all bluster and plays upon people's prejudices and tries to blame everyone but himself for his inability to articulate a plan to 'Make America Great Again'. The fact is he has no plan and what he does do will not fix the inequality in income that has pushed those in the middle class and the poor into a precarious financial situation that is almost impossible for a family to recover from .There is no 'American dream' anymore where the harder one worked, one could move forward. Most new jobs are minimum wage jobs- working in call centers; or customer service positions in large chain stores. America has no real national healthcare service like the UK or Canada. Americans who try and get a degree from a University end up in such debt for the next 20 year that they become an indentured servant to the State. Donald Trump is from the very class of Americans that have benefitted from the destruction of the middle class as he is a wealthy land baron. Dos anyone really think he has any understanding of what the average American goes through trying to raise a family and plan for retirement?

As much as I do not think Hillary has all the answers- she is also beholden to the wealthy and knows nothing about the poor or poverty- she is somewhat progressive and will have to provide some relief to those who need it most.In addition, she is going to have to deal with Sanders supporters and provide some programs of relief that has made Sanders popular. The problem is it won't be enough to really change anything- it will just provide a little relief and the wealthy will keep accumulating more and more while the middle class recedes and the poor grow in size. I will be very surprised if she reduces the defense budget which sits at an absurd $630 Billion per year- the highest in the World or the 25 different Intelligence budgets which are hidden from view. Sanders would have actually made a difference for the average American because he knows where the problems really lie- money politics and a greedy wealthy class in which their wealth must be redistributed to the rest of the population.

[JetsetBkk]

But, but... Hillary is crooked. Everyone knows that.

[mopar71]

Trump has an unfavorable rating of 78% with women, 89% with Latinos, and 94% with black as well as a 70% unfavorable rating with Americans as a whole.

This is up 10 points in the last month.

His crazy train is about to derail in a big way.

Maybe there is hope for the American voters after all?

Only if Hillary also goes to jail.

[mopar71]

$41 million in attack ads? What a waste of money. These people cannot be allowed to control the country's finances.

You don't need attack ads to defeat Trump. His ratings are tanking lately and it has all to do with his own mouth. He is his own worst attack ad.

The Hillary campaign would be better off announcing they were donating that $41 million to help the poor or something. But then again, the poor usually vote Democrat anyway so screw 'em (in the sense their vote has already been bought, so screw it. use the money elsewhere).

Edited June 19, 2016 by mopar71

[connda]

Which just goes to show that the US presidency is simply available to the highest bidder and just as corrupted as any banana-republic.

[BuaBS]

Oh man , it's bad enough that the daily thaivisa new update shows her ugly mug in some ad everyday , now I have to look at it

for the next 4 years on every news site? Yuk, yuk yuk !

[Jingthing]

Is it fair to assume the vile monster knows he will probably lose now?
He's supposedly a smart businessman.

Wouldn't the smart businessman thing to do now is to find a way to BAIL out rather than invest any more time and money into his disaster of a presidential bid?

Just like a losing stock. DUMP it.

[up2u2]

The moment Trump threw his hat in the ring the record button was pressed and the dirt file began to be assembled.

Trump will be politically flogged from pillar to post and don't think for one second any indiscretions of his sprogs will not be left unturned.

Lets see how he feels about torture and targeting innocent civilians after he has had a political 'red hot poker' shoved in him a few times and his nearest and dearest are politically waterboarded publicly. He will be pleading for a Chapter 7 to find that little avenue isn't available in the political 'get out of jail card free' landscape.

Like a big mutant orange dear caught in the political headlights waiting for the impact that unmercifully never comes.

[hdkane]

I could defend and understand the democrats' positions if they were not so easily drawn to violence and oppression of any opinion that diverges from their platform...horrible hypocrites...who use compassion to hector and destroy their opponents...Trump will not the be the president, as he has trouble attracting a general audience, he is already making plans for a post-election windfall of cash and media attention (reports have already surfaced that he is in negotiations for a new TV show)...and the democrats hold mass appeal because they cater to individuals whose aspirations include dependence on the government...

it would be wonderful if there was a conservative counterpart to Bernie Sanders...someone who holds fairly conservative outlooks on domestic spending and foreign affairs, someone who has held reasonable convictions for decades rather than moments...but the last two decades has purged these people from government...

[Chicog]

In May, she raised $27 million in primary election money that must be used before she accepts her party's nomination at the convention in late July.

So well done Bernie, keeping your hat in the ring has left her with a few quid to play with.

Nice one.

[mopar71]

it would be wonderful if there was a conservative counterpart to Bernie Sanders...someone who holds fairly conservative outlooks on domestic spending and foreign affairs, someone who has held reasonable convictions for decades rather than moments...but the last two decades has purged these people from government...

I think the closest we have this election is Gary Johnson, the Libertarian candidate..and he is on the ballot in all 50 states.

Is Gary Johnson Like Bernie Sanders? Libertarian Nominee Says He’s Similar To Vermont Senator

http://www.ibtimes.com/gary-johnson-bernie-sanders-libertarian-nominee-says-hes-similar-vermont-senator-2383544

Edited June 19, 2016 by mopar71

[Jingthing]

Vile monster supporters would just love to see Sanders loyalists throw their votes away on Johnson. You think very many are that stupid?

[GinBoy2]

I had a frustrating conversation with my Bernie supporting daughter, on what to do in the post Bernie world.

Sanders role, if he wants his legacy to be anything other than the man that handed the key of the White House to Donald J Trump, is to get over his ego and wholeheartedly motivate his supporters behind Clinton

[lungmi]

My Chiahuahualady (mexican origin race) dog follows me when I look TV. Everytime she sees a picture of Trump

she wants to bite him. My dog is a good future teller. 35% for Trump.

[Jingthing]

But the vile monster loves his Mexicans. Don't they understand?

[GinBoy2]

Hmmmm, being of Mexican heritage my belief that Trump 'loves; Mexicans is somewhat challenged.

I like most Hispanics, when we hear/see 'Make America Great' Again....see "Make America White Again'

My Grandparents are from Mexico & Columbia, and none of them ever felt anything but American when they came to the US.

The Trump phenomena has shocked all of us to the core. It's certainly made me, a second generation Hispanic wonder what actually do mainstream white folks think? Am I American or am I 'the other'?

I'm sure there are many in the African American community who have been screaming this thought for years, but for me and my like it's come as a pretty awful shock how deeply racist the country really is that a Trump could actually be a Presidential nominee, and perish the thought, a POTUS

[Rayk]

Trump has built hotels, casinos, golf courses, the Manhattan neighborhood Riverside South and numerous other developments, many of which bear his name, including Trump Entertainment Resorts (now owned by Carl Icahn). He has made the Trump name a valuable and distinct brand, licensing it to numerous enterprises in which he has minimal or no stake.

What has Hillary achieved besides sticking by an adulterous sorry ass ex president and husband.

[GinBoy2]

Trump has built hotels, casinos, golf courses, the Manhattan neighborhood Riverside South and numerous other developments, many of which bear his name, including Trump Entertainment Resorts (now owned by Carl Icahn). He has made the Trump name a valuable and distinct brand, licensing it to numerous enterprises in which he has minimal or no stake.

What has Hillary achieved besides sticking by an adulterous sorry ass ex president and husband.

Hitler built Autobahns, Mussolini made the trains run on time...didn't exactly position either as the saviors of Democracy

[Rayk]

Trump has built hotels, casinos, golf courses, the Manhattan neighborhood Riverside South and numerous other developments, many of which bear his name, including Trump Entertainment Resorts (now owned by Carl Icahn). He has made the Trump name a valuable and distinct brand, licensing it to numerous enterprises in which he has minimal or no stake.

What has Hillary achieved besides sticking by an adulterous sorry ass ex president and husband.

Hitler built Autobahns, Mussolini made the trains run on time...didn't exactly position either as the saviors of Democracy

Democracy, please. Do you honestly believe that America is a democracy?

In theory only.

What has your so called democracy done for the regular American citizen lately?

Edited June 19, 2016 by Rayk

[sirineou]

My Chiahuahualady (mexican origin race) dog follows me when I look TV. Everytime she sees a picture of Trump

she wants to bite him. My dog is a good future teller. 35% for Trump.

Yea ,but prejudiced against him because of his Mexican heritage , your dog should refute him self.

[GinBoy2]

Trump has built hotels, casinos, golf courses, the Manhattan neighborhood Riverside South and numerous other developments, many of which bear his name, including Trump Entertainment Resorts (now owned by Carl Icahn). He has made the Trump name a valuable and distinct brand, licensing it to numerous enterprises in which he has minimal or no stake.

What has Hillary achieved besides sticking by an adulterous sorry ass ex president and husband.

Hitler built Autobahns, Mussolini made the trains run on time...didn't exactly position either as the saviors of Democracy

Democracy, please. Do you honestly believe that America is a democracy?

In theory only.

What has your so called democracy done for the regular American citizen lately?

Actually I do believe in US democracy.

It's the cynical view of people like you that has over many decades allowed the money and the special interests to pollute the system.

Maybe if people had taken a more proactive interest then we wouldn't be in the place we are.

But history teaches us that system has an ability to re-balance itself, maybe not in our lifetime, but it will

[Rayk]

Trump has built hotels, casinos, golf courses, the Manhattan neighborhood Riverside South and numerous other developments, many of which bear his name, including Trump Entertainment Resorts (now owned by Carl Icahn). He has made the Trump name a valuable and distinct brand, licensing it to numerous enterprises in which he has minimal or no stake.

What has Hillary achieved besides sticking by an adulterous sorry ass ex president and husband.

Hitler built Autobahns, Mussolini made the trains run on time...didn't exactly position either as the saviors of Democracy

Democracy, please. Do you honestly believe that America is a democracy?

In theory only.

What has your so called democracy done for the regular American citizen lately?

Actually I do believe in US democracy.

It's the cynical view of people like you that has over many decades allowed the money and the special interests to pollute the system.

Maybe if people had taken a more proactive interest then we wouldn't be in the place we are.

But history teaches us that system has an ability to re-balance itself, maybe not in our lifetime, but it will

People are becoming more corrupt and self absorbed every second of every day and it's only getting worse.

All the power to you buddy. I do hope you're right, but I really think you're dreaming the impossible dream.

[Emster23]

It used to be said of Bush 2 that he was "all hat, no cattle". Trump doesn't even have a hat.... Bernie should throw support behind Clinton. Maybe that would help bring independents to her side. After all, Bernie isn't even a democrat (which makes me wonder how he could run as one.....)