Trump Leads Iowa; Some Rays of Hope for Cruz, Rubio (Trump: 31%; Cruz: 23%)

Public Policy Polling ^ | 01/29/2016 | Tom Jensen

[ScottWalkerForPresident2016]

PPP's new Iowa poll, conducted in partnership with Progress Iowa, continues to find Donald Trump leading in the state. He's at 31% to 23% for Ted Cruz, 14% for Marco Rubio, 9% for Ben Carson, 4% each for Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee, and Rand Paul, 3% for Carly Fiorina, 2% each for Chris Christie and John Kasich, and 1% each for Jim Gilmore and Rick Santorum.

Since we last polled Iowa two and a half weeks ago Trump and Cruz are the only candidates to see their support move by more than a couple points- Trump's seen a 3 point gain in his support from 28% to 31%, while Cruz has seen a corresponding 3 point decline in his support from 26% to 23%.

[Disestablishmentarian]

>>I hear people say he is a narcissist. In the clinical sense, he is not. Sure he is egotistical, but narcissists do not accomplish great things in the business world. Narcissists are shallow and worthless like Clinton and Obama. They rose to power through manipulation and they use everyone. Trump does not do this. Narcissists usually do not have the love of their children like Trump does. How often did you see Chelsea with her Dad?<<

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I am a Trump supporter, but I think I would characterize his personality as containing a dose of healthy narcissism (not the malignant type). All that means is that he DOES care what people think of him, and is alert to their signals. I think this is part of his charisma, his obvious ability to read crowds. In cognitive psychology this would be referred to as interpersonal intelligence—a big advantage for a politician and sometimes for a businessman, depending on their style. Furthermore, as you point out, he has none of the malignant characteristics of Clinton or Obama, and absolutely no indication of being a sexual deviant.

Of course Clinton has a history of violence; but, I wonder what you make of Obama’s sitting around personally selecting targets for predator drone strikes. Is this an outlet for a violent sociopath?

Also, of course, there is the obvious fact that Obama as well as both Clintons are such accomplished, possibly pathological, liars. Such people really DO NOT go far in business, because their reputations soon catch up with them.

[lonestar67]

False.

[Theodore R.]

I think your analysis is right: Cruz has made one error after another for the last ten days now.

[Theodore R.]

LBJ and his friend Everett McKinley Dirksen sat around the White House selecting targets for bombing in Vietnam. They must have erred every time they selected, considering the outcome.

[Theodore R.]

If Trump becomes president, let’s hope he remembers all those loyal people who have stood behind for so many months now. However, I suspect he will turn liberal once inaugurated: hope I’m wrong.

[Disestablishmentarian]

>>LBJ and his friend Everett McKinley Dirksen sat around the White House selecting targets for bombing in Vietnam.<<

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I consider LBJ to have been a narcissistic sociopath with possibly multiple murders on his hands including the most famous one.

Likewise, his radical escalation of Vietnam without a plan for victory cost over 50,000 additional American lives. His only regret was that it cost him reelection.

[map]

You never know for sure about anyone. GWB, for example.