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Is it True Donald Trump Cannot Win the Presidency?
The New York Times ^ | October 12, 2015 | David Leonhardt

Posted on 10/12/2015 5:44:24 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

A reader writes, “Everyone says Donald Trump can’t win. Exactly why not?”

David Leonhardt, editor for The Upshot, considers the question:

Can Donald Trump win the Republican nomination? Sure, it’s within the realm of plausibility; he’s now been leading the polls for months, after all. But it seems highly unlikely because it would violate just about every historical pattern of presidential races.

No modern candidate has received a major-party nomination — and perhaps no candidate in American history — while being opposed by the party’s elites: donors, media figures, politicians and others.

Elite support matters because they have the ability to shape public opinion through endorsements, public criticism and other means. Many voters don’t follow campaigns very closely. They don’t dig through position papers or watch hours upon hours of debates. They’re influenced by what they hear.

In every recent Republican presidential campaign, a couple of contenders — often with resumes atypical of a serious candidate — have shot to the top of the early polls, only to fade as they face scrutiny and criticism. What’s fascinating about Mr. Trump is that he has, if anything, endured harsher criticism, and yet he has also remained atop the polls for longer.

Perhaps Republican primary voters have grown so fed up with the country and their party that they’re willing to dismiss the collective opinion of Republican elites (which now seems to favor Marco Rubio or Jeb Bush). But it really would be unprecedented for the party to nominate someone like Mr. Trump, Ben Carson or Carly Fiorina....

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: davidleonhardt; moretrumpdoomporn; newyork; newyorkcity; newyorkslimes; trump
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To: Secret Agent Man
🎶 Secret Agent Man, Secret Aaaagent Man!🎶 No wonder the old haggard grey lady is going bust, they can't come up with anything that is the least bit stimulating or informative! Same ole smack print about Trump! Okay, here we go.....Second verse same as the first!!! Sing out now! 😉
21 posted on 10/12/2015 5:56:17 PM PDT by Lopeover (2016 Election is about allegiance to the United States)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

He doesn’t have nice fuzzy hair like Barack. But he has some real-world experience. Didn’t get into politics because of money, already had it.


22 posted on 10/12/2015 5:56:41 PM PDT by USMCPOP (Father of LCpl. Karl Linn, KIA 1/26/2005 Al Haqlaniyah, Iraq)
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To: knarf
If they want to commit political suicide the GOPe think this will work.

You cannot blatantly twat the will of your voters in that fashion and expect to stay a viable political party.

Self absorbed and willingly narcissistic the GOPe leadership is, what it is not is suicidal. They will do the same thing they did in 1979. Grit their teeth and expect to outlast the insurgency. After all, it has always worked for them in the past.

23 posted on 10/12/2015 5:57:41 PM PDT by MNJohnnie (Giving more money to DC to fix the Debt is like giving free drugs to addicts think it will cure them)
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To: VinL

‘zackly !


24 posted on 10/12/2015 5:58:38 PM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (Baseball players, gangsters and musicians are remembered. But journalists are forgotten.)
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To: MNJohnnie

This will be the last election in America ... IF we have an election THIS time.


25 posted on 10/12/2015 5:58:58 PM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I think he’ll do just fine. He sees problems and solves them...but he also has a vast circle of advisors.


26 posted on 10/12/2015 5:59:12 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: editor-surveyor
"Trump will not get the nomination.

Over 60% say that they would not vote for Trump under any circumstances."

Quoting you: "That is utter and complete fantasy."

27 posted on 10/12/2015 5:59:32 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Was it unprecedented when the DemoRATs nominated a gay, Muslim, America-hating, narcissistic, community organizer with no record or accomplishment to the highest office in the Land?

FUBO snd F all RINO and elite scum.


28 posted on 10/12/2015 5:59:37 PM PDT by wetgundog ("Extremism in the Defense of Liberty is No Vice" -AuH2O)
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To: editor-surveyor
. That is utter and complete fantasy.

And the GOPe loathes Cruz far more then they loath Trump. So if it is "utter fantasy" about Trump is is a super utter fantasy to think the same issue does not apply to Cruz.

29 posted on 10/12/2015 5:59:52 PM PDT by MNJohnnie (Giving more money to DC to fix the Debt is like giving free drugs to addicts think it will cure them)
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To: fieldmarshaldj

I’ll be honest with you FMDJ. The crap that we have endured over the many years of guidance from our politicians, an outsider like Trump is completely acceptable.

He is sick of it as well.


30 posted on 10/12/2015 5:59:57 PM PDT by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Ah, yes. The ol’ “It can’t be done because we’ve never done it that way before”. If I had a nickle for every time I heard THAT in the corporate world ...


31 posted on 10/12/2015 6:01:45 PM PDT by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
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To: MNJohnnie

.
You loath Cruz.

You loath all conservatives.

That is why you love Trump.
.


32 posted on 10/12/2015 6:02:32 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: editor-surveyor
Over 60% say that they would not vote for Trump under any circumstance

Think you might not want to hang your hat on that 60% number from July 21st, 2015. A lot has changed since then.

Never seen a candidate turn around his poll numbers as fast as Trump has.

33 posted on 10/12/2015 6:03:30 PM PDT by MNJohnnie (Giving more money to DC to fix the Debt is like giving free drugs to addicts think it will cure them)
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To: eyedigress

Yup.


34 posted on 10/12/2015 6:03:30 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: fieldmarshaldj

.
Time for you to change thumbs.
.


35 posted on 10/12/2015 6:04:13 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: MNJohnnie

I think the question the media should be bombarding GOP elites with is, will you support Trump if he wins the nomination. Because once we hit the general, the public is not so aware of GOPe antics. Is the GOPe willing to lose the Presidency to stop an outsider?

If so, we need to expose them now before their dirty deeds.


36 posted on 10/12/2015 6:04:30 PM PDT by Kenny
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To: PLMerite

They can only do that by endorsing hildabeast and withdrawing $. They could figure out how to keep the ginger candidate from winning but it would terminate the GOP and cause an actual tea party. The anger of the electorate is huge and will need to be addressed. The orange cry machine is the second casualty and not the last.


37 posted on 10/12/2015 6:04:51 PM PDT by waynesa98
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Trump is a wonderful businessman having a good time playing ego games....unfortunately, he has caused positive, potential presidential candidates to drop out because they couldn’t afford to play his asinine game. No, he will not be president.


38 posted on 10/12/2015 6:05:18 PM PDT by terycarl (COMMON SENSE PREVAILS OVERALL)
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To: MNJohnnie

.
His negatives were in the 40s in July.

They have grown steadily.
.


39 posted on 10/12/2015 6:07:20 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: FlingWingFlyer
If a freeloading, Kenyan Marxist can win the U.S. presidency, I don’t see why a very successful AMERICAN businessman can’t win it also.

Ah but he had the support of the party’s elites: donors, media figures, politicians and others.

40 posted on 10/12/2015 6:07:24 PM PDT by Kenny
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