Shifting tone, Trump entertains the notion he could lose

[webfact]

Shifting tone, Trump entertains the notion he could lose

By JOSH LEDERMAN

 

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Straying from his trademark bravado, Donald Trump acknowledged Thursday that his presidential campaign is facing challenges and could ultimately fall short — a rare expression of humility by the Republican presidential nominee.

 

Trump's most explicit concession came as he pleaded for support at a gathering of evangelical ministers, where Trump observed he was "having a tremendous problem in Utah." The same day, the billionaire celebrity acknowledged that his lack of political correctness could cost him the election if Americans reject his blunt approach.

 

"We're having a problem," Trump told the ministers, adding that the next president could get to nominate up to five high court justices. "It could cost us the Supreme Court."

 

After trouncing 16 challengers in the Republican primary, Trump is encountering worrying signs as his campaign moves into the general election. Democrat Hillary Clinton's lead over Trump in national polls has widened in recent days, while a number of fellow Republicans have declared they won't support their own party's presidential nominee.

 

Trump's exercise in self-awareness was a marked departure from his usual tenor on the campaign trail, where for months at rallies he would tick through poll numbers showing him winning as if they were sports scores of his favorite team.

 

"We're going to win so big," Trump told a roaring crowd one month ago at the Republican National Convention.

 

Yet on Thursday, Trump was reduced to citing a poll that actually showed him a few points behind Clinton and arguing the race between them was close. Asked by CNBC how he planned to reverse the advantage that Clinton has opened over him, Trump said he simply planned to do "the same thing I'm doing right now."

 

"At the end, it's either going to work, or I'm going to, you know, I'm going to have a very, very nice, long vacation," Trump said.

In Utah, typically a reliably Republican state, Trump's challenges have been particularly striking. The state's large Mormon population has voiced serious skepticism about Trump, though the state's GOP governor has endorsed him.

 

"We've really been given a false narrative," Trump said of his struggles in Utah.

 

Yet in other traditionally GOP-leaning states like Arizona and Georgia, too, Republicans are concerned Trump's unpopularity could give Democrats an improbable victory. The concerns are compelling enough that dozens of worried Republicans gathered signatures Thursday for a letter to the GOP party chairman urging him to stop helping Trump and focus on protecting vulnerable House and Senate candidates.

 

Expressing anything other than confidence this close to Election Day is unusual for a presidential nominee. But GOP strategist Mike DuHaime, who advised Trump ally Chris Christie's presidential bid, said there could be benefits to Trump's newfound self-awareness.

 

"Showing some vulnerability, admitting there are some vulnerabilities, humanizes him and could potentially make him more likable," DuHaime said.

 

At the evangelical summit in Orlando, Trump beseeched religious leaders to convince their followers to show up to vote for him, gently chiding evangelicals for failing to vote in large enough numbers for GOP nominee Mitt Romney in 2012. He said Christians, who make up a majority of the American electorate, need to have their voices heard.

 

"Whatever you can do, I appreciate it," he said.

 

Trump's unusually candid reflection about the uncertainty of his electoral prospects came as he's struggled to keep the focus on his opponent — Clinton — and avoid unwanted distractions. Earlier this week he caused a major stir with comments about the Second Amendment that were perceived as advocating violence against Clinton, and found himself facing questions yet again after declaring Wednesday that President Barack Obama was the "founder" of the Islamic State group — a claim that's patently false.

 

Those dust-ups reinforced concerns among Trump supporters that a lack of discipline could imperil his chances. Even as he was given opportunities Thursday to clean up his quip about Obama from a day earlier, Trump instead took it further.

 

He brushed off conservative radio commentator Hugh Hewitt's attempt to reframe Trump's observation as one that said Obama's foreign policy created the conditions in Iraq and Syria that allowed IS to thrive.

 

"No, I meant he's the founder of ISIS. I do," Trump said, using another acronym for the extremist group that has wreaked havoc from the Middle East to European cities.

 

The GOP letter to Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus warns that Trump's "divisiveness, recklessness, incompetence, and record-breaking unpopularity risk turning this election into a Democratic landslide," according to a draft obtained by The Associated Press. At least 70 Republicans have signed the letter so far, according to Republican operative Andrew Weinstein, who said it included five former members of Congress and 16 former RNC staffers.

 

The RNC did not respond to a request for comment.

___

Associated Press writers Steve Peoples in Washington and Jill Colvin in New Jersey contributed to this report.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-08-12

[ezzra]

 

I think he should do more than just 'entertain' the notion,  and when he looses, he has no one to blame but himself.... a lesson that will be studied for

generations  to come, what NOT to say when you run for the presidency.....

[alfalfa19]

Hard to believe that the Orange Ogre could actually start to accept reality. 

[Roadman]

With the last few weeks dumb outbursts by Trump I think it is fair to say that he would be the dumbest son of a bitch that the Muricans have ever put up for their presidency. And what makes him even more of a dumbbo is that he likes to tell us how smart he is. 

 

[boomerangutang]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

 

I think he should do more than just 'entertain' the notion,  and when he looses, he has no one

to blame but himself.... a lesson that will be studied for

generations  to come, what NOT to say when you run for the presidency.....

 

I don't quite agree that 'he has no one to blame but himself.'

 

Sure, he incited the rednecks, but it's the rednecks who fell for his grandstanding, hook, line and sinker.  They saw the debates last fall.  They saw what a clueless bully he was, YET MANY VOTED FOR HIM!

Rednecks United saw the idiot and chose to vote for him in the primaries.  They can vote again for him in the general election, but it won't much matter.  They don't add up to more than 18% of American voters.  

 

[Searat7]

I think he will find a way to drop out since he hates to lose. He is nothing but a bafoon and a big embarrassment since he was unable to make the necessary transition from the primary campaign to the final. No good options this year (:

[Pib]

So Donald is admitting he could be a loser.  Don't worry, he'll flip-flop by tomorrow and deny ever saying it or say he meant it another way or gosh know what he will say tomorrow

  

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

he simply planned to do "the same thing I'm doing right now."

POTUS HRC thanks you DT.

[williamgeorgeallen]

would like to see trump win but have been a bit disappointed with some of the ways he has handled some things. saying he might loose also might spur a few more undecided votes to go his way. often people in elections say it is going to be close to try to get all of their supporters to vote, and that is what trump might be doing now.

[Throatwobbler]

17 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

would like to see trump win but have been a bit disappointed with some of the ways he has handled some things. saying he might loose also might spur a few more undecided votes to go his way. often people in elections say it is going to be close to try to get all of their supporters to vote, and that is what trump might be doing now.

Don't want to be a grammar Nazi but by not being able to spell and use capitalization  you are only adding fuel to the Trump supporters are uneducated fire.

Edited August 12, 2016 by Throatwobbler

[williamgeorgeallen]

1 minute ago, Throatwobbler said:

Don't want to be a grammar Nazi but by not being able to spell and use capitalization  you are only adding fuel to the Trump supporters are uneducated fire.

yea no one likes a grammar nazi. a tactic generally used by people as a diversionary tactic when they are loosing an argument. capitalization is so 2008. 

[Scott]

Some off-topic posts have been removed.   Please stay on topic, and yes grammar nazi's are not welcome.  

[Gecko123]

Deep down I think Trump himself has come to realize he's not fit to be President.

Edited August 12, 2016 by Gecko123

[JHolmesJr]

looks like america has instead settled for a crook who takes corporate millions for favours.

 

 

[dunroaming]

America has no choice, which is very sad state of affairs.  If the republicans could find a candidate with a grain of intelligence then they would walk it.  Unfortunately neither side has anyone worthy.   Right from day one is was obvious that it would be Hillary in the big chair, all the cut and thrust of the campaign really doesn't add up to anything.  Next time it will either be more Clinton or hopefully Mrs Obama, don't think there is any point of the republicans pitching anyone unless they have a radical change of attitude and policy.

[Thaidream]

The Republicans might actually have had a chance- had they nominated the House Speaker Paul Ryan. Ryan is an articulate man; educated and can provide a vision that could move America forward. Many people would vote for him. While I do not agree with his vision- he would be a very credible candidate who could challenge Clinton and possibly win.  If Trump would quit- I would expect Ryan would be the new candidate. However, Trump will continue on his merry way- alienating everyone and anyone. Undoubtedly, the worst candidate for President in the history of America. 

[dunroaming]

There are a vast number of clever, articulate, charismatic people in the US.  It is truly amazing that the people involved in this political race are there at all. 

[Ken Khomdee]

Sadly, those of us hoping Trump wins would probably confess that he isn't who we hoped for. The alternative spells the end of the United States as we knew her, the amazing, yet imperfect country I spent 30 years defending. Sold to the highest bidders by too many professional politicians who lack any integrity or honesty. The Clintons fit so comfortably in that den of criminals that I could never vote for her. Hopefully the Americans who have been silenced by political correctness and the sorry direction our beloved country has taken will cast their vote for Trump, the lesser of two evils but just maybe a chance of restoration.

[Pimay1]

I was speaking with a Canadian friend of mine today about Trump might not be elected and he made a statement that is sad but true. He said "Rome ( or in this case Washington D.C.) is burning and HRC and Co. are fiddling. We are witnessing the end of Western civilization. Europe will be the first to go, then UK, then Canada and finally the United Sates.

I am an optimist but sadly I have to agree with my friend. 

[Publicus]

 

 

The Clinton campaign and the Democratic party are now working very hard and with a strict self-discipline to avoid ever using the 'L' word in this campaign against Donald Trump and the 2016 Republican Party.

 

Even as the campaign begins to take its first clear shape after each party's national convention, and more people begin to use the 'L' word in this election, it is always the case that the campaign that is up in all the polling and analysis of political experts must never utter the 'L' word.

 

Landslide. 

A new Fox News Latino poll shows Hillary Clinton holds a commanding 46 point lead over Donald Trump among Hispanic voters, 66% to 20%.   Mitt Romney in 2012 got 27% of the Hispanic vote and he lost. McCain got 34% of the Hispanic vote and he lost. Looks like the Republican party in choosing its nominee for Potus is conducting a headlong race to the bottom.    So, anyway, here are the latest state polls of the presidential race:   New Hampshire: Clinton 41%, Trump 31% (Vox Populi)   Georgia: Trump 43%, Clinton 39% (Gravis)   Maine: Clinton 43%, Trump 33% (Gravis)   South Carolina: Trump 41%, Clinton 39% (Public Policy Polling)   Iowa: Trump 37%, Clinton 36% (Suffolk)   Florida: Clinton 46%, Trump 43% (Public Policy Polling)   New Hampshire: Clinton 50%, Trump 37% (Public Policy Polling)   Florida: Clinton 45%, Trump 44% (Opinion Savvy)     Landslide.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 12, 2016 by Publicus
Bizarre alignment of the post

[Publicus]

1 hour ago, Pimay1 said:

I was speaking with a Canadian friend of mine today about Trump might not be elected and he made a statement that is sad but true. He said "Rome ( or in this case Washington D.C.) is burning and HRC and Co. are fiddling. We are witnessing the end of Western civilization. Europe will be the first to go, then UK, then Canada and finally the United Sates.

I am an optimist but sadly I have to agree with my friend. 

 

Fear not, youse guyz' situation is hopeless but not serious. 

[Pinot]

27 minutes ago, Publicus said:

 

 

The Clinton campaign and the Democratic party are now working very hard and with a strict self-discipline to avoid ever using the 'L' word in this campaign against Donald Trump and the 2016 Republican Party.

 

Even as the campaign begins to take its first clear shape after each party's national convention, and more people begin to use the 'L' word in this election, it is always the case that the campaign that is up in all the polling and analysis of political experts must never utter the 'L' word.

 

Landslide. 

A new Fox News Latino poll shows Hillary Clinton holds a commanding 46 point lead over Donald Trump among Hispanic voters, 66% to 20%.   Mitt Romney in 2012 got 27% of the Hispanic vote and he lost. McCain got 34% of the Hispanic vote and he lost. Looks like the Republican party in choosing its nominee for Potus is conducting a headlong race to the bottom.    So, anyway, here are the latest state polls of the presidential race:   New Hampshire: Clinton 41%, Trump 31% (Vox Populi)   Georgia: Trump 43%, Clinton 39% (Gravis)   Maine: Clinton 43%, Trump 33% (Gravis)   South Carolina: Trump 41%, Clinton 39% (Public Policy Polling)   Iowa: Trump 37%, Clinton 36% (Suffolk)   Florida: Clinton 46%, Trump 43% (Public Policy Polling)   New Hampshire: Clinton 50%, Trump 37% (Public Policy Polling)   Florida: Clinton 45%, Trump 44% (Opinion Savvy)     Landslide.

 

 

 

 

 

You're more up on this than I am Publicus. Can Cheeto Jesus deliver the Congress and the Senate? How close is it? 

 

In news from the hopelessly brain dead portion of wingnuttia, we get Steve King's amazing take on on HRC

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/steve-king-clinton-226915

 

 

[anotheruser]

Poll figures are meaningless if they don't include Pennsylvania and Ohio. Those are pretty much the only two states that really matter right now. i think Hillary is decisively ahead in both places. Trump has to win at least one of these or it is over. 

[dunroaming]

Interesting tone from the American members.  At the beginning of the campaign there were very positive posts but now it seems that you guys are preparing for the inevitable.  As long as Trump doesn't get in all is not lost, if he does then it's goodnight Vienna.

[Bung]

I have an feeling this is all part of some devilish plan on trumps part. 

 

He gets all fellow republicans to disown him by constantly making idiotic and controversial remarks then actually streaks ahead after putin releases those 30,000 emails he asked for.  He ends up winning the election and promptly fires all those who voted against him filling the positions with "his people".  Finally ridding Washington of wall street owned politicians he really does make America great again. 

 

Nah. 

Edited August 12, 2016 by Bung

[Publicus]

38 minutes ago, Pinot said:

 

You're more up on this than I am Publicus. Can Cheeto Jesus deliver the Congress and the Senate? How close is it? 

 

In news from the hopelessly brain dead portion of wingnuttia, we get Steve King's amazing take on on HRC

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/steve-king-clinton-226915

 

 

 

Let's start with a two-person race in which a historic landslide occurs when one of 'em gets 60% of the popular vote (FDR, LBJ, RR-1984). Eisenhower did not win in a landslide and neither did Barack Obama.

 

Libertarian Gary Johnson at this point could get anywhere from 5% of the vote to 12%. Jill Stein will draw around 3%. So remove their range of voting. 

 

Bottom line is that for HRC to get a landslide in this election, she'd need to win by a minimum of 7% or 8% over Trump. (Never mind the other two...and never mind 60% in this one) An HRC win by 7% or 8% would likely turn over both the Senate and the House too.  

 

A seven or eight percent national popular vote win by HRC is the political consensus of what would be required to overcome the strong Republican gerrymandering of the House. If HRC pulls out that many Democrats in the raw number, to provide that margin of victory in the raw vote count, the weight of the numbers of D's will overcome Republican House redistricting. Less than a 7% margin of victory decreases the likelihood substantially. 

 

It is central to note D's had majority control of the House continuously, from 1954 through 1994 -- 50 uninterrupted years of majority control of the US House, usually by huge numbers (four dozen, five dozen). D's had become convinced long before 1994 that they'd gerrymandered themselves into majority control of the House to Kingdom Come. Then came Newt Gingrich in 1994 and the religious right swarming to the polls in state after state. The majority of the R's 42 takeover of D seats that year were were by 1% -- that's one percent difference over the incumbent D member of the House. Only one percent difference in the outcome in two dozen seats, in favor of the R's.

 

So in the House races, the challenger does not need to win by 7%, nor should anyone expect the D House challenger in this election to have to defeat the gerrymandered R incumbent by 7%. It is much more likely and expected that most D wins in House races this year will be by 1% and hardly any more than that. But that's all it takes to win an election, i.e., 51%. Don't need 57% to win, do we.

 

The bad news is that D's this year need to knock off 32 R House incumbents to get a majority of one (218-217). The good news is that the number of vulnerable R House incumbents is only increasing in number and it is a steady increase. Most people we read, from Nate Silver to Larry Sabato to Stu Rothenberg to name one good one and then two aces, keep increasing the number of vulnerable R House incumbents.

 

A year ago the consensus was between 7 to 14/15 vulnerable R House incumbents. By the end of 2015 that had gone to 12-18 vulnerable R House incumbents. Now it's up to 25 of 'em and Trump has only begun to crash and burn. That's 25 vulnerable R House incumbents as of today of the 32 R's the D's need to beat to get majority control by one seat (again, 218-217).

 

The Senate contests and outcome are actually more complicated. But it does look like, if HRC wins by "as small" a margin as 4% or 5% the D's can get the plus-4 they need to get to 50 D's and 50 R's with the vice president breaking all tie votes. (There are two Independent US Senators, each of whom caucuses with the D's: we all know Bernie but there's also Sen. Angus King from next door in Maine who also caucuses with the D's.)

 

Complicating it for the D's is Gov John Kasich. Kasich is laser focused on reelecting first term Sen Bob Portman. Kasich won Ohio against Trump in the primary because K is master over the Ohio Republican party. Since K returned to OH from the primaries he's done that and Portman is now pulling ahead of D former Governor Ted Strickland (whom K defeated for reelection six years ago). Two Sundays ago K pronounced Trump dead in Ohio and it increasingly looks like Portman will make it past the post. 

 

To net gain five senators to get a majority of one, D's would have to get a bonus win, such as McCain losing in Arizona, or Grassley losing in Iowa, or Burr getting sunk in NC -- or, best of 'em all, Rubio losing in FL and Marco is in a close race. 

 

(R incumbent Senators currently in the tank: Kirk in IL, Johnson in WI, Ayotte in NH, Toomey in PA = the four needed to get to 50-50. Anything after that delivers the prize, .i.e., 51-D and 49-R.

[Chicog]

5 hours ago, Thaidream said:

The Republicans might actually have had a chance- had they nominated the House Speaker Paul Ryan. Ryan is an articulate man; educated and can provide a vision that could move America forward. 

 

The last time he tried, his economic plan was such an utter shambles he was getting almost as many laughs as Sarah Palin did.

 

It was yet another GOP "feed the rich" debacle.

 

 

[attrayant]

3 hours ago, Pimay1 said:

I was speaking with a Canadian friend of mine today about Trump might not be elected and he made a statement that is sad but true. He said "Rome ( or in this case Washington D.C.) is burning and HRC and Co. are fiddling. We are witnessing the end of Western civilization. Europe will be the first to go, then UK, then Canada and finally the United Sates.

I am an optimist but sadly I have to agree with my friend. 

 

You really don't sound like an optimist.  You sound paranoid. 

 

Try to remember just eight years ago when conservatives were predicting the veritable implosion of the USA should Obama become president:

 

• Gas was supposed to soar to six or seven dollars a gallon.  It's averaging $1.91 per gallon at the moment.

 

• Unemployment would be through the roof at eight or ten percent.  It's half that.

 

• Economic collapse.  No less than conservative pontificator Rush Limburger assured us:

Quote

“There’s no if about this. And it’s gonna be ugly. It’s gonna be gut wrenching, but it will happen.”

• Investor panic and a stock market crash a la 2008.  It's looking good these days:

 

• Obama is going to take your guns (sound familiar?).  According to the NRA, Barack Obama will be coming after your guns "under the radar".  But now we're swimming in guns and the funerals that usually go with them.

 

Why do people keep letting themselves get conned by doomsayers?

 

[ilostmypassword]

2 minutes ago, attrayant said:

 

You really don't sound like an optimist.  You sound paranoid. 

 

Try to remember just eight years ago when conservatives were predicting the veritable implosion of the USA should Obama become president:

 

• Gas was supposed to soar to six or seven dollars a gallon.  It's averaging $1.91 per gallon at the moment.

 

• Unemployment would be through the roof at eight or ten percent.  It's half that.

 

• Economic collapse.  No less than conservative pontificator Rush Limburger assured us:

• Investor panic and a stock market crash a la 2008.  It's looking good these days:

 

• Obama is going to take your guns (sound familiar?).  According to the NRA, Barack Obama will be coming after your guns "under the radar".  But now we're swimming in guns and the funerals that usually go with them.

 

Why do people keep letting themselves get conned by doomsayers?

 

Or what about the last election?  Remember when they were predicting that there would be no hiring of full-time employees because of the Affordable Care Act?  Or that the stock market would collapse?  And that the economy itself would collapse?  These people either have no memory or no shame.

[Publicus]

 

And remember the Obamacare "death spiral" rightwhingenuts claimed were built in to the program, i.e., no one would sign up. 

 

The initial estimate was that 7 million were needed to make the ACA viable and now there are something like 12 million enrolled. 

 

Percentage of uninsured Americans has decreased to 10% from 18% and counting as 2018 will be a big year...which is another vital reason we need a Potus Hillary Clinton. 

 

Giving some attention to the whingenoids is worthwhile if only to goat 'em as they go over the edge again and again.