Trump shakes up staff, intent on finishing race on own terms

[webfact]

Trump shakes up staff, intent on finishing race on own terms

By JULIE PACE, JILL COLVIN and JONATHAN LEMIRE

 

NEW YORK (AP) — Frustrated with his troubled candidacy, Donald Trump is hinging his presidential hopes on a risky bet: that the fiery populism and freewheeling style that won him the Republican nomination give him a better shot at the White House than uniting his party and rallying moderate voters.

 

Trump underscored that conviction Wednesday with a staff overhaul at his campaign's highest levels, the second shake-up in the past two months. The Republican nominee tapped Stephen Bannon — a combative conservative media executive with no presidential campaign experience — to serve as CEO of his White House bid.

 

Pollster Kellyanne Conway, who has known Trump for years and gained his trust during her brief tenure working for the businessman, will serve as campaign manager.

 

The moves are aimed in part at marginalizing campaign chairman Paul Manafort, a longtime Republican operative who pushed Trump to moderate his tone and improve relations with skeptical Republican officials. In breaking with that approach, Trump appears set on finishing the race on his own terms— win or lose.

 

Manafort's past work for a pro-Russian Ukrainian political party has also become a potential liability for Trump. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Manafort helped the party secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to a pair of prominent Washington lobbying firms.

 

While Manafort maintains his title, Trump allies made clear Bannon will be overseeing the campaign staff and operations.

 

"He believes he should stay true to what got him this far," said David Bossie, the leader of a pro-Trump super PAC. "It's essentially, 'dance with the one who brung ya.'"

 

Rarely do presidential campaigns undergo this level of tumult at this stage of the general election. Wednesday's announcements come less than three months before Trump's Election Day faceoff with Democrat Hillary Clinton, and roughly six weeks before early voting begins.

 

Conway downplayed the notion of internal dissent at campaign headquarters at Trump Tower, telling the AP the staffing changes are "an expansion at a critical time in the homestretch."

 

In the aftermath of the shake-up, Trump spent the day in New York. He attended a breakfast fundraiser with Manafort, who subsequently led two staff meetings, and later convened a security roundtable attended by allies, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Trump also received his first classified national security briefing at a FBI field office in lower Manhattan.

 

Trump's standing in the White House race has plummeted throughout the summer and he now trails Clinton in preference polls of most key battleground states. He's struggled to offer voters a consistent message, overshadowing formal policy speeches with a steady stream of controversies, including a public feud with an American Muslim family whose son was killed while serving in the military in Iraq.

 

Clinton, campaigning Wednesday in Cleveland, said voters should not be fooled by any Trump efforts to revamp his candidacy.

 

"There is no new Donald Trump," Clinton said. "This is it."

 

According to Republicans close to Trump, the campaign shake-up is aimed more at allowing him to fully embrace the aggressive style that helped him with the primary rather than taking a more restrained, traditional approach.

 

While Trump's first staff shuffle in June was driven by concerns among top Republicans, as well as the candidate's children, this latest upheaval appears to come directly from the businessman. Republicans say he's grown angry with his sinking poll numbers and frustrated that many GOP lawmakers remain skeptical of his candidacy.

 

Several Republicans discussed the personnel changes on the condition of anonymity, because they were not authorized to publicly disclose internal thinking.

 

Trump vented his frustration during a weekend fundraiser in the Hamptons. He was encouraged to bring Bannon on board by Rebekah Mercer, a member of a prominent GOP fundraising family that has close ties to the Breitbart executive. Conway also has ties to the Mercers.

 

Bannon has circled Trump's orbit in recent years and has been in touch with aides to the billionaire throughout the campaign. Bannon's website has been fiercely loyal to Trump for months and sharply critical of Republican leaders, including House Speaker Paul Ryan. Breitbart has also actively promoted false conspiracy theories about Clinton, some that have then made their way into Trump's remarks.

 

Bannon has grown particularly close to Corey Lewandowski, who was ousted as campaign manager in the June shake-up that gave Manafort control of the operation.

 

Lewandowski stays in contact with Trump, but is so despised by the candidate's three oldest children — all of whom are influential advisers — and is seen as such a divisive figure that it would be all but impossible for him to formally return.

 

Conway, a longtime Republican strategist and pollster, joined Trump's campaign earlier this year as a senior adviser and quickly earned Trump's trust. She's also close with daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, another influential voice in the candidate's inner circle.

 

Kevin Kellems, a longtime Republican strategist, called Conway "the complete package." Kellems, who briefly worked for Trump's campaign, said the decision to promote the pollster and hire Bannon suggests Trump "wants to win and is willing to make the changes necessary to do so."

 

Manafort has spent months trying to ingratiate Trump to Republican lawmakers who have urged the billionaire businessman to dial back his fiery rhetoric and run a more traditional campaign. While Trump held a handful of meetings with Washington Republicans and fulfilled requests from GOP leaders to raise campaign cash, he's continued to rankle lawmakers with his numerous controversies.

 

Rick Gates, who has been traveling often with Trump, is expected to maintain a senior role with the campaign. Other staff is also expected to be brought on in the coming days.

 

Conway said that Trump has a history of beating expectations and can't be counted out.

"August is not October, let alone November," she said.

__

Pace reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Julie Bykowicz contributed to this report.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-08-18

[mtls2005]

Have we fast-forwarded to Season 13 of The Apprentice?

 

Is Gary Busey available? Meatloaf?

 

Manafort turned radioactive quite quickly.

 

Roger Ailes is on board to coach Senor Trump for the debates, and help with female campaign hiring, HR and staffing.

 

Trump was back on the 'prompter, but when he does that he loses his appeal to the teeth>IQ base.

 

Breitbart whacko Bannon signals a return to the "scorched earth" Trumpian style.

[Emster23]

" a staff overhaul at his campaign's highest levels " Well, not quite, if you consider Mr. Trump as part of highest levels. And he doesn't listen to anyone, he knows best about whatever subject, in true narcissist mind set. Even if Jesus and Machiavelli were on his staff, he wouldn't listen to them either.

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

Have we fast-forwarded to Season 13 of The Apprentice?

 

Is Gary Busey available? Meatloaf?

 

Manafort turned radioactive quite quickly.

 

Roger Ailes is on board to coach Senor Trump for the debates, and help with female campaign hiring, HR and staffing.

 

Trump was back on the 'prompter, but when he does that he loses his appeal to the teeth>IQ base.

 

Breitbart whacko Bannon signals a return to the "scorched earth" Trumpian style.

 

Desperate times calls for desperate measures.  But these moves are bizarre--Trump is basically hiring people who can help him with winning his base...except he's already won his base.  Trump really needed to move beyond that, even within the Republican Party.  Whackjob Bannon is pretty much anti-Republican establishment, so he's just going to split the GOP even further.  Many believe these moves are more about building a far right media empire than trying to win a Presidential campaign.  Which would make sense.

Edited August 18, 2016 by Berkshire

[mtls2005]

Many believe these moves are more about building a far right media empire

 

OMG, Trump News headed by Roger Ailes, Unfair, and Unbalanced.

[LomSak27]

Trump shakes up staff, intent on finishing race on own terms

 

Or that fact that Paul Manafort is about to get tagged with his Russian activities is a goosd time to jetason ... and try and blame that on Hilary too, heh

 

The Associated Press is reporting that Manafort and his associate Rick Gates, while working as consultants for Ukraine’s pro-Russia Party of Regions in 2012, facilitated a relationship between two American lobbying firms and a nonprofit aligned with then-Ukranian President Viktor Yanukovych and his aforementioned party. According to the press, the nonprofit then allegedly paid the two firms $2.2 million “in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political party's efforts to influence U.S. policy.” Obscuring work for foreign political entities is a felony under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act. From the AP:

 

Ooooooooooooooops    The net grows tighter

Edited August 18, 2016 by LomSak27

[Pinot]

"Donald Trump is hinging his presidential hopes on a risky bet: that the fiery populism and freewheeling style that won him the Republican nomination give him a better shot at the White House than uniting his party and rallying moderate voters."

 

Ding Ding Ding, What we were all hoping for...staying the disastrous course. Damn those icebergs, full speed ahead! 

 

Deny and lie...that is the motto of the Trump campaign...and Trump will send out his brigade of mean girls to blather on and on unintelligibly while the media looks on aghast wondering how they got here.

 

Trump only knows one way. He's going to tweet himself into the white house. It got him this far didn't it? What a great candidate...for the Republicans. 

 

Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, nothing to see here folks. 

 

 

[mike324]

when reputable republican members and top republican supporting business leaders are jumping ship....you know you are on the wrong ship if you are still on the Trump Cruise ship heading straight for the ice berg in the darkness of the night

[thaihome]

3 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Many believe these moves are more about building a far right media empire

 

OMG, Trump News headed by Roger Ailes, Unfair, and Unbalanced.

 

I think this is the most likely outcome and the campaign going forward will be insure there is a large base that will be loyal to Trump and the alt right. Look for the announcement of a right wing populist 3rd political party shortly after the establishment of the new media company that will be the mouthpiece.  A number of Fox News personalities will move to become the rating magnets. 

 

This is going gut both the republican party and Fox News of their rabid alt right following.  It will also make Trump and Bannon a bunch of money that is now going into Rupert's (and 21 Century shareholders )  pockets.  Could make 2020 even more entertaining then this year.

 

Just speculation,  but Trump is always going to follow the money and has said repeatedly he intends to make money running for president. 

TH 

[elgordo38]

Lets all go back and visit the Michael Moore post "Trump wants to lose the election"

[JHolmesJr]

This tells me that  mr trump is determined NOT to sink to the level of career politicians like lyin crooked hillary and play their games of deception.

 

 

[honu]

8 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

This tells me that  mr trump is determined NOT to sink to the level of career politicians like lyin crooked hillary and play their games of deception.

 

 

 

Are you high?

[dutchisaan]

4 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

This tells me that  mr trump is determined NOT to sink to the level of career politicians like lyin crooked hillary and play their games of deception.

 

 

Spoken like a real trumpeteer. 

Trump lies every time his mouth opens, just watch the video's that are availible on the internet!

But offcourse, as a real trump fan, you will say all these video's where edited and put together to tell lies about your master.

And btw, he is already sunken way below politicians.

[Pimay1]

25 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Lets all go back and visit the Michael Moore post "Trump wants to lose the election"

Michael Moore, now there is a bluestocking intellectual you can believe. Not.

[Chicog]

13 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

This tells me that  mr trump is determined NOT to sink to the level of career politicians like lyin crooked hillary and play their games of deception.

 

 

 

 

Unless somebody invented sinking upwards, that train left the station a long, long time ago.

 

[JHolmesJr]

The whole point about mr trump is that he is not a greasy politician like lyincrooked hilary….he is just trying to stick to the same strategy that got him success in the primaries…it may not work now that it has been revealed that hillary has the media in her pantsuit pocket.

[dunroaming]

Trump cannot unite the republican party because all the serious republicans think he is a moron and are desperate to distance themselves from him.  He has no chance of rallying the party members who have brains so he may as well keep going with those who don't.

[Srikcir]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Trump shakes up staff, intent on finishing race on own terms

His own terms - 2nd place in a contest between two people.

[Thaidream]

While millions and millions of Americans are looking for real leadership and a hope that the next President will provide an answer to an American nightmare of a failing healthcare system that locks middle and low income people out;  an economy that provides only minimum wage  jobs for college graduates that have had to borrow and become indentured servants to the government for 20 years;  a tax system that rewards the wealthy for sending American jobs abroad and is so complex that the average American cannot do their own taxes; and finally a budget that provides the Us military with $630 Billion dollars per year and to which  according to the Generals and Admirals is insufficient, not to mention 25 different intelligence agencies utilizing 10s of billions of dollars; we are left with the choice between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

 The choice is easy when one considers Trump is a narcissistic meglomaniac that will do absolutely nothing for America except cause more divisions in society; more money for the wealthy and a complete loss of American credibility overseas. Any other credible Republican could have a chance to beat Hillary Clinton. However, because of a system that favors money politics we now have to vote for Hillary who will do little for the average American but at least will not destroy America any further than it already is. Our poor and middle class will continue to stagnate while the wealthy continue to amass huge fortunes off the backs of others. None of this is sustainable and in the future will cause a huge backlash.

[dunroaming]

Thaidream

 

I think you are totally correct but don't you think that most folk in the USA don't look at the bigger picture .  Under standardly I think that they just look at what is likely to affect them directly on a day to day basis, which is why so many of them buy into the fear tactics of Trump.  Some years ago it was "reds under the beds" and now it is Muslim terrorists and Mexican murderers and drug dealers. 

[ClutchClark]

1 hour ago, Thaidream said:

While millions and millions of Americans are looking for real leadership and a hope that the next President will provide an answer to an American nightmare of a failing healthcare system that locks middle and low income people out;  an economy that provides only minimum wage  jobs for college graduates that have had to borrow and become indentured servants to the government for 20 years;  a tax system that rewards the wealthy for sending American jobs abroad and is so complex that the average American cannot do their own taxes; and finally a budget that provides the Us military with $630 Billion dollars per year and to which  according to the Generals and Admirals is insufficient, not to mention 25 different intelligence agencies utilizing 10s of billions of dollars; we are left with the choice between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

 The choice is easy when one considers Trump is a narcissistic meglomaniac that will do absolutely nothing for America except cause more divisions in society; more money for the wealthy and a complete loss of American credibility overseas. Any other credible Republican could have a chance to beat Hillary Clinton. However, because of a system that favors money politics we now have to vote for Hillary who will do little for the average American but at least will not destroy America any further than it already is. Our poor and middle class will continue to stagnate while the wealthy continue to amass huge fortunes off the backs of others. None of this is sustainable and in the future will cause a huge backlash.

 

Not sure what you are talking about with US  healthcare but the only ones who can afford health insurance today are the middle and low income who receive ACA subsidies and the weslthy who have ot paid by their employers. 

 

Its the hard working middle class earning over $40K who can't afford coverage but now are breaking the law if they are found not to have coverage. Thats right, those hard working Americans who can't afford $1K/month in premiums with $5K deductable are breaking the law if they don't have coverage. 

 

As for not able to do their own taxes...the software programs today make it quite easy for even dumb Americans to do their own taxes. They no longer have to even add or subtract. 

 

And no I am not a Trump supporter who watches Fox news before the names start flying. 

 

 

 

[Srikcir]

15 minutes ago, ClutchClark said:

those hard working Americans who can't afford $1K/month in premiums with $5K deductable are breaking the law if they don't have coverage.

There is a ACA Subsidy calculator available to determine premiums in lieu of paying the annual penalty.

Assuming an annual income of $50,000 for a childless 34-year couple in Pennsylvania,  the silver plan splits expenses 70-30 on average and monthly premiums are $396 after a $129 monthly subsidy. Otherwise the penalty at year-end is $1,390.

https://www.healthcaremarketplace.com/health-insurance-tax-credit-calculator

[ClutchClark]

5 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

There is a ACA Subsidy calculator available to determine premiums in lieu of paying the annual penalty.

Assuming an annual income of $50,000 for a childless 34-year couple in Pennsylvania,  the silver plan splits expenses 70-30 on average and monthly premiums are $396 after a $129 monthly subsidy. Otherwise the penalty at year-end is $1,390.

https://www.healthcaremarketplace.com/health-insurance-tax-credit-calculator

 

$50K annual salary for a couple is between low and middle income so I would say this example leans more towards my point that low & middle income can afford the new ACA healthcare.

 

They pay only $400/month, which is quite low.

 

Although the 70/30 co-pay does not tell us what the deductable and out-of-pocket are.

 

I have single grandkids who make just over $50K/annually and they do not qualify for a subsidy. They pay over $700/month with high co-pay and deductables. CO has its own State Website.

 

Also, not sure if you are aware of this but each State has its own cost factors. 

 

 

 

 

[dutchisaan]

3 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

The whole point about mr trump is that he is not a greasy politician like lyincrooked hilary….he is just trying to stick to the same strategy that got him success in the primaries…it may not work now that it has been revealed that hillary has the media in her pantsuit pocket.

No, it will not work at all for your "mr trump"! And this has nothing to do with the media being on hrc side, it has everything to do that your master is a #%^##*£$ moron!!!

but than, just keep ignoring the facts and please keep up with your conspiricy BS, because, I will need my daily laugh.

[Chicog]

3 hours ago, Srikcir said:

His own terms - 2nd place in a contest between two people.

 

Trump has such a massive and fragile ego that he cannot contemplate the possibility of being wrong.

So if his campaign is tanking, it can't be his fault, it has to be those that are running his campaign.

What better way to confirm that he's right than by hiring a couple of show ponies to dance to his tune?

 

 

[Thaidream]

Since some of you have mentioned health care as I did let me just add this. Healthcare is and should be a human right. Only in the United States is there an unholy alliance between the government and private insurance. Most European Countries; Japan and Canada have national health insurance which is not perfect but provides health care to the masses at little out of pocket cost except via the tax system.  In Japan, workers pay a percentage of their salary to have immediate and universal healthcare and since a majority of people are employed the cost is spread quite evenly and not prohibitive in the way of taxation. In America, we have th most costly healthcare system in the World which is funded through private insurance who pays huge amounts to hospitals and providers . This is not the case with Medicare. The medicare premium for coverage is about $130.00 per month. This could easily be made available to all Americans but obviously those younger and working would pay a larger percentage in tax deductions. It would be nowhere near the $700 per month or even $400 per month as one of the posters mentioned. In addition, since the government is the payer- hospitals and providers will not be getting the same payments that insurance companies agree to pay. the hospitals and providers will get a fair payment not a ridiculously high payment which makes them  part of the 1% that is destroying America.

Insurance companies will not be needed since  the government will be the provider of choice, nor will pharmaceutical companies be able to hold patients hostage to stay alive. The current system is as corrupt as you can get . Americans are being cheated; hoodwinked; and made suckers by medical insurance companies , Big Pharma; and the US Government. And what is worse, many are dying due to lack of funds or coverage so the wealthy hospitals and providers can live in huge estates and vacation in luxury resorts. When are Americans going to wake up to this nonsense and say enough is enough.

What is even more interesting is that the US Medicare system does not pay for medical coverage overseas even though it is about 10% of what it would cot in the US. Their reason is that there is no way to monitor the efficacy of the treatment- yet the Medicare system in the US  has losses in the billions of dollars from fraud.  The real reason they don't want to pay overseas providers is that it cuts into the  high costs Us providers charge and that the Government pays.  This is another example of the rife corruption endemic in the American system,

Edited August 18, 2016 by Thaidream

[Chicog]

4 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

The whole point about mr trump is that he is not a greasy politician like lyincrooked hilary….he is just trying to stick to the same strategy that got him success in the primaries…it may not work now that it has been revealed that hillary has the media in her pantsuit pocket.

 

It got him success in the primaries because he was auditioning for a bunch of racist idiots.

 

That (most fortunately) does not constitute the majority of Americans.

 

[boomerangutang]

5 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

The whole point about mr trump is that he is not a greasy politician like lyincrooked hilary….he is just trying to stick to the same strategy that got him success in the primaries…it may not work now that it has been revealed that hillary has the media in her pantsuit pocket.

 

Trump is worse than a greasy politician.  Take a good look at how Trump has conducted his shady and failing businesses, and you'll get a better idea of what a shyster he is.  As far as I know, politicians don't stiff workers after work has been done.  That's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg of Trump's ugly history.

 

2 hours ago, dunroaming said:

Thaidream - I think you are totally correct but don't you think that most folk in the USA don't look at the bigger picture .  Under standardly I think that they just look at what is likely to affect them directly on a day to day basis, which is why so many of them buy into the fear tactics of Trump.  Some years ago it was "reds under the beds" and now it is Muslim terrorists and Mexican murderers and drug dealers. 

 

That's what Gingrich played into when he shouted at the RNC:  "You must be terrified......!!!"

Republicans want the populace to be scared of everyone they don't know. That's their base, and it keeps them buying more guns - which makes all right wingers smile.  Last year (and now) are probably good times to invest in Remington and Colt and Smith & Wesson.  

 

Another red-button issue for rednecks/conservatives is to make everyone feel insecure about their jobs.  We all gets assaulted every day by adverts telling us how much more we need (cars, computers, i-phones, bigger houses, Trump ties, prettier face, etc etc).   To keep buying a million consumer items, consumers are always feeling like they don't have enough money.  They're being hammered with that message by Mr. "I'm very rich" Trump with the private jet and golden toilets. Trump failed at selling Vodka.  Maybe he can segue to Trump Fountain of Youth.  Buy Fifty Bottles now, only $35,000 .....Half off!!!.  Zero % for first year.    Guaranteed to increase your life by 10 years or your money back!   

 

 

[Pinot]

3 hours ago, ClutchClark said:

 

Not sure what you are talking about with US  healthcare but the only ones who can afford health insurance today are the middle and low income who receive ACA subsidies and the weslthy who have ot paid by their employers. 

 

Its the hard working middle class earning over $40K who can't afford coverage but now are breaking the law if they are found not to have coverage. Thats right, those hard working Americans who can't afford $1K/month in premiums with $5K deductable are breaking the law if they don't have coverage. 

 

As for not able to do their own taxes...the software programs today make it quite easy for even dumb Americans to do their own taxes. They no longer have to even add or subtract. 

 

And no I am not a Trump supporter who watches Fox news before the names start flying. 

 

 

 

 

CC - don't bother putting asterisks at the end of your posts. Man up, you're Trump meat. 

 

Breitbart is running the Trump campaign. Slip and Slides for everyone!!! WWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO........ 

[Pinot]

2 hours ago, Chicog said:

 

It got him success in the primaries because he was auditioning for a bunch of racist idiots.

 

That (most fortunately) does not constitute the majority of Americans.

 

 

Check down, Big Dog.