I agree with that. But the variation Trump is running is fundamentally flawed. The point is to appeal to your own party in the primary, then appeal to independents in the election.
As much as Trump supporters like to portray themselves as "the base", they aren't. They are only one part of the base, and Trump has managed to piss off much of the rest of that base.
Now if he was pissing off part of the base but gaining more independents in the process, that might work. The problem is that the things that are pissing off a lot of the base are also pissing off a lot of independents. Exactly whose votes is he gaining with comments about penis size and retweeting nasty pictures?
Nixon's strategy revolved around issues. Take a more conservative position on issues during the primary, then move to the middle. Trump's core problem is not the issues. Trump's core problem is personal conduct/statements that gain him very few votes while losing him many more.
To put it differently, are there really people out there who weren't going to vote for Trump until he retweeted that picture of the wives? That his retweet is what convinced them to support Trump?
If they're out there, I haven't met them.
I agree with that. But the variation Trump is running is fundamentally flawed. The point is to appeal to your own party in the primary, then appeal to independents in the election.As much as Trump supporters like to portray themselves as "the base", they aren't. They are only one part of the base, and Trump has managed to piss off much of the rest of that base.
Ummm, he is winning all of them. All demographics, All parties. Evangelicals, white black, brown, male, female. All of them. Your comment right there is theory, which was valid up until the NH primary ( and really Iowa too since Trump only lost by a few thou ).
In fact, since it is all about the twelve purple states, just have a look here where I analyze the data from the 7 of the 12 that we already have results for. His strategy is working. How is it that you even wrote that escapes me. You must be letting subjective media propaganda modify the objective data that is visible all around us.
Now if he was pissing off part of the base but gaining more independents in the process, that might work. The problem is that the things that are pissing off a lot of the base are also pissing off a lot of independents. Exactly whose votes is he gaining with comments about penis size and retweeting nasty pictures?
I asked someone else to cite me any Trump attack or so-called gaffe that was not a response to someone else. He is always returning-fire. The penis size? Started with Saint Ted. It even goes back to Megyn on Howard Stern. He always fights back and that is the magic ingredient that escapes non-Trump voters as they scratch their heads wondering 'Why are these people supporting him!'. Now if your advice is he should behave and not fight back, well you got all the others to choose from.
So why do you think he is pissing off (I)ndependents? That is forum talk from empty headed Red Staters and Right Poopers who are pulling their hair out. He's not doing any such thing, where is the proof of that? Now if you really do want to piss the (I)ndependents off, here's how. Send Cruz down there to preach and lecture them on how his day one executive action on planned parenthood or partial birth abortion or gay marriage or eminent domain gets back their blue collar jobs. I'm not quite sure the (R)epublicans even know or care who (I) voters are anymore.
Nixon's strategy revolved around issues. Take a more conservative position on issues during the primary, then move to the middle. Trump's core problem is not the issues. Trump's core problem is personal conduct/statements that gain him very few votes while losing him many more.To put it differently, are there really people out there who weren't going to vote for Trump until he retweeted that picture of the wives? That his retweet is what convinced them to support Trump?
If they're out there, I haven't met them.
As I said, he is doing some kind of hybrid version of the traditional strategy. It looks like he is carving out his issues and simply sticking with them all the way through. These issues are not necessarily the love of (R)epublicrats but they appeal to (I) and (D). Not having to 'shift' later keeps it simple. The key here is finding the common denominator among all the voters. BTW, can you just imagine the pivot required by Ted Cruz? Has any of his loyalists ever considered that? He would spin like an ice skater and shed his hardcore Conservative base in the process. Dear God, what an impossible task and a completely non-existant path to 270.
Now about his manner and style. All I can tell you is your observation would clearly seem to be wrong. He may be scaring you off, and scaring some others off, but there would seem to be many more who were waiting for his style. The truth is that he will only alienate those who think "style" is supreme and more important than everything else. That's his calculation and he looks to be right once again.
Look, Cruz's PAC went nuclear there. Using his wife (?) to solicit votes for Saint Ted ( ironically that picture probably got votes for Trump ). Holy smoke. When he retweeted I don't know if others signed on the Trump Train, but it is what he does. He retaliates. I'm sorry that Cruzers out there hated to see the wives side by side, I would be too if I was on the side with Lizbo Mair. But it was a great retaliation that cost pennies versus her hundreds of thousands. Brilliant really.
I get it, you're concerned. That media onslaught. Well guess what? There is no needle you can thread with them. They have an agenda, you cannot unilaterally disarm or reason with them. Trump is doing the impossible, neutralizing their power. None of the other 16 dwarves would have even considered beating them at their own game.
The goal now is not to be nice or diplomatic. It is to win this thing or it will be over. The Supreme Court is on the line. Amnesty, Naturalization, Trade, Taxes, Military, Veterans. These are his issues. That is the common denominator. He has the tools now to beat the enemy and has strength in the purple States. You could not ask for more. And one year ago no-one who has any brain and knowledge of our pending electoral armageddon could believe winning this thing was really within reach.
I gotta run. Be back tonight maybe.