Posted on 07/12/2015 12:35:31 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
As I have noted, I never bet more than a six-pack on politics. That keeps it at a level that is fun but not serious.
In that regard, I made a bet last spring with state Senator Mike Doherty over whether Chris Christie would formally enter the race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
I said yes. Mike said no.
Frankly I was a bit surprised. Mike is a conservative Republican from Warren County who has been quite outspoken in his assessment of Christie's overbearing ego and ambition. I thought he of all people would predict that Christie would make a bid for the most important job on the planet.
But as you can see from the photo above, he took the wrong side of that bet. When Mike and his wife Linda visited Spring Lake last week I met him to collect my six-pack of Dogfish Head 60-Minute IPA.
It's quite delicious. I'm looking forward to winning more such bets.
In that spirit, I'm inviting readers to comment on how they would handicap a couple of candidacies. One is Christie's, of course. And the other is Donald Trump's run for the Republican nomination.
Here's how I would bet. When it comes to Trump, I'd invest 72 ounces of suds in the notion that he's not in it for the long haul.
My guess is that he's going to have his fun for a bit longer, perhaps through the August Fox News debate, and then think better of the notion.
At the moment he's riding high in the polls, but that doesn't mean much. Around this time in the last cycle Herman Cain was doing great in the polls. But those early polls are meaningless. To get actual voters to the actual polls requires a big organization....
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
Now that is a good bet.
He will Fax it to you.
Sam, you’re sayin’ what I’m thinkin’
I think there are enough people who got “Taken” by the slick, lying, double dealer in the White House, that they are going to be pretty cautious about a silver tongued orator again. People are going to look for substance in the debate and not the pretty, flowery, phrases a good debater plays on.
I’ve been dry since 1986.
No, I will not even think of buying another human being anything liquor.
Now, proof of purchase of a ‘cup of joe’ from green beans, which goes to buy a ‘cup of joe’ for an overseas G.I., might be a good thing.
However, since 2ndVet is Palin-izing the Donald, I will not bet.
Trump fights with and for his own money. Career politicians fight with our money in order to spend our money. I think Trump could show those dweebs a thing or two.
Trump had his ‘Apprentice’ show for 12 years? He knows how to work the cameras as well.
I’m in.
I don’t drink beer, send AW Root Beer instead.
Did you watch this before you made that bet?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK2YBH7b__0
I will take that bet...
I never said I was sure of anything. This is all speculation.
I'm sure Trump has had his share of boardroom scuffles and it's clear to see he comes out on top more often than not.
I would assume those meetings had to do with issues of which he was informed but when it comes to politics he has never held a political office so he is a political infant. There's an enormous difference in the two situations.
He may just mop the floor with most of these guys.
Mop the floor with guys on issues they are familiar with and he is not? lol! Believe that if you want but I don't think so.
Obama managed to eek his way through the debates. Sure, he had Candy Crowley to help him. Do you believe Trump will have the same?
I guess Trump makes it through late winter and that the political world in the U.S will explode next year with a nice little vignette over the holidays.
And the thing is, Ted Cruz stood up for him right away. He didn’t fire rockets or wave a flag, but he stood up for what Trump was saying in no ambiguous terms, no hesitation. He has all my respect. Un hombre de verdad.
Umm, the author at that newspaper made the bet, not me.
Also, the debate format, which usually limits a response to about 90 seconds, ensures that one cannot get too deep in the weeds on a particular issue.
Debates are won purely on tactics and soundbites. Trump has those in spades. Think about all the debates we've been through the past 40 years or so and what can you remember from them? Sound bites like "You're no JFK" and "There you go again" and "I'm paying for this microphone" and "Are you better off now than you were 4 year ago" and "Where's the Beef."
We're not talking MENSA stuff here.
Trump also has the money to hire the advisors who will ensure he is briefed on the issues so he doesn't embarrass himself. As well, he can hire an entire team of comedy writers to come up with one-liners that he can use. I think the Letterman writers are looking for work, are they not?
******
I hope that Trump can stay in the race as long as he can physically and emotionally. Remember, he is not a young man anymore, so his grueling campaign schedule may be too much for him.
Still, the short time he has been on the campaign trail has been a very good thing for America, I believe.
I believe Bernie Sanders is about 4 or 5 years older than Don Trump.
Not when they are up against one who is not. I believe it will be very apparent. Again, that's just my opinion, we'll have to wait and see.
Trump also has the money to hire the advisors who will ensure he is briefed on the issues so he doesn't embarrass himself.
So did Obama and he made a complete fool of himself in the first debate against Romney.
...in order to siphon votes away from the GOP nom.
Trump takes advantage of the fact that the Jebs and Marcos are sneakily supporting amnesty for illegal aliens, and we...
....just...
...do...
... NOT...
...want...
...amnesty!
So Trump, who IIRC has a Dem past and a connection to the Clintons, appears and starts talking border security, effectively running to the right of the whole GOP hopeful pack.
It's what we want to hear, so we want to believe that he is really a GOPer and really conservative.
Perot fooled very nice peeps with the same sauce.
Trump (one highly, highly suspects) is Hillary's Perot.
.
Well, that’s proof that this man is a rare seer.
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