Posted on 09/20/2015 8:30:04 PM PDT by Kenny
As we wake up still north of 400 days before Election Day, Donald Trump remains the Republican frontrunner. A once-huge lead, however, is now down to single digits in a CNN poll released Sunday morning. Charles Lane of The Washington Post–as down-the-middle-vanilla-pundit as one gets (that’s a compliment)–described it correctly on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace earlier (paraphrasing): The fascination with Donald Trump is starting to fade. And that isn’t the kind of opinion without merit we hear so often on political roundtables. Instead, there’s actual numbers and trends behind it. The facts are clear: Trump is down six points overall in the past month. Ben Carson is down five. One-time frontrunner and one-trick pony Scott Walker is below one percent. The outsiders–two of the three on the GOP side, anyway–are being exposed for the obvious: Not having much to offer in terms of substance, particularly Trump…who speaks in so many 30,000-foot, overarching themes, that CNN actually cut away from a recent foreign policy speech in San Diego because nothing in terms of specifics was being offered.
This move by the network is significant when considering this stat unearthed by Zignal Labs, a California-based firm that monitors social, online and traditional media: From June 16 (when he jumped into the race) through September 14, Trump has been the subject of at least 2,159 CNN reports. When breaking that down into a context easy to absorb, that equals one per hour…for 24 hours…for 90 straight days. Note: When even CNN shows its getting tired of the Trump show, that’s a big sign.
So Trump and Carson are starting to fall (the latter of whom made an utterly ridiculous remark about Muslims need not applying for the job of U.S. President Sunday morning on Meet the Press). So who benefits? The dominant winner of the only two debates held by both parties thus far: Carly Fiorina.
Whether it was the kiddie table debate in August, the marathon debate at the Reagan Library last week or any of the dozens of major interviews she’s given across the media spectrum, no candidate has shown to be better prepared, more articulate or impressive than the 61-year-old Fiorina (second place goes to Bernie Sanders). And the polls finally show it: CNN now has her in second place behind Trump nationally (24/15, a 12-point rise for Fiorina). Another flash poll out of New Hampshire has her now leading Trump by 4. While all of this is happening, Marco Rubio has risen eight points to 4th, which is significant because of who he’s now leading (the Ancestry.com-challenged Jeb Bush).
So is steak finally winning the war against sizzle? The trend appears to be going in that direction. Rubio has been steady and solid, and he possesses a newfound gravitas and command that had been questioned in this space in the past. And in the end when the dust settles, ask almost any Democratic Party member who they’d rather face in a general election: Trump/Carson? Or any combination of Fiorina/Rubio/Kasich?
The fall of Trump has been predicted hundreds of times across the political pundit class, including here. But it appears to be a very real thing happening this time. And it’s not because of a single gaffe or moment, but because–finally–the more serious and substantive candidates are outshining those who speak in overarching themes with little in the way of specifics. But if the CNN debate and the reality TV food fight it sought to create (not Jake Tapper’s finest moment given what little attention he gave to big issues such as the economy and jobs) are any indication, substance won’t be taking a front-seat tomorrow in coverage tomorrow or next week. But hopefully–as Carly showed last week and Bernie consistently illustrates as well–making strong arguments without the fluff can be compelling stuff, too.
If I were Trump or advising him- one thing I’d do or say is to stop bragging about being #1 in the polls. Just go out, do your rallies and let things happen the way they are supposed to. That kind of bugs me that he does that.
Real estate mogul Trump has widened his lead to 20 points in a brand new Zogby Analytics poll taken after the second Republican presidential debate.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3339259/posts
This article just said Sanders has substance. It is nonsense. As far as the polls go... who cares. We are a very long way out.
Trump's not telling any lies, so he's got nothing to worry about.
Matter of fact, he was saying the same things he's saying today 27 years ago.
CNN? ‘Nuff said.
Zogby Poll: Trump Widens Lead After GOP Debate
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3339259/posts
“shows Mr. Trump with 33% (up 2 points from his pre-debate 31%)”
No way Trump lost a third of his support since the debate.
there is no poll the best i could discern was the analysis was based on media coverage statistics. So the media stops covering him non-stop and these type of numbers go down.
In the old USSR, one had a choice of two candidates for office.
Both, however, of the same (Communist) Party.
In stark contrast, in the USA, one now has the choice of two candidates for office.
From different Parties in name, though no longer in content.
Via La USSA!
I thought that every time DT was in the media, his poll numbers and favorability went up. Why are you suggesting he should lay low?
Didn’t the NBC poll have Trump’s standing up after the debate?
Also, Trump is releasing detailed policy papers, taking open floor questions, etc. So much for their claim of no specifics.
yes he has a 2 amendment one great paper
I guess Rubio is the next great GOPE hope.
Zogby with his “special sauce” has long been a pollster trusted by conservatives...oh, wait...
“I won’t be voting for Fiorina or Rubio for any reason or under any circumstance.”
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Same here. No way.
Reminds me of when they added Jabba to the original Star Wars.
Zogby Poll: Trump Widens Lead After GOP Debate
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3339259/posts
Tokyo Rove and Me-GYN Kelly have their dreams along with a few other here. LoL.
We’ll see just about every poll and likely if not all polls showing Trump in the front pole position. The next serious attempt by the Media/RINOs/Dems to rip at Trump will be the next debate October 28th. But the theme of the next debate will be about economics and Trump should have his tax plan released by then, which the subject is a strength for him.
Until then, it should be mostly clear sailing for Trump on the stump, which he is better than all of the other candidates in both major parties. :-)
Bernie Sanders in second place? Democrats don’t do town halls or debates.
Maybe he means Sanders is in second place in Venezuela.
Donald Trump, upon hearing this news is reportedly in a despondent state and even catatonic
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