Posted on 06/19/2015 10:52:26 AM PDT by nickcarraway
At FiveThirtyEight, we like to celebrate outliers. LeBron James’s Cleveland Cavaliers may end up losing in the NBA Finals, but James’s performance has been outlandishly good. In the same vein, I want to congratulate Donald Trump, who reportedly will declare today that he is running for president.
Trump is the anti-LeBron — popularity is performance in politics, and Trump is the first candidate in modern presidential primary history to begin the campaign with a majority of his own party disliking him. A whopping 57 percent of Republicans have an unfavorable view of Trump, according to an average of the three most recent polls. That beats former record holder Pat Buchanan, who had a 43 percent unfavorable rating at this point in the 2000 election cycle.1 Buchanan, of course, ended up running as an independent.
Taking into account name recognition, Trump’s net favorability rating (favorable minus unfavorable) of -32 percentage points stands out for its pure terribleness at this point in the campaign. Like his unfavorable rating, it is by far the worst of the 106 presidential candidates since 1980 who are in our database.
For this reason alone, Trump has a better chance of cameoing in another “Home Alone” movie with Macaulay Culkin — or playing in the NBA Finals — than winning the Republican nomination.
Well then let him serve a term as governor so we can get a feel for what he will actually do instead of what he says he'll do. He says he can buy his way to the presidency let him buy a term as governor.
Trump has in the past, said some things which I agree were marginal.
However he has become much less supportive of any additional gun control, in recent years.
It all depends on whether you trust the guy, or not. I trust the guy (to some extent) and you do not.
Thus we disagree on this issue.
I believe both of our opinions are supported by the current and the past statements of one Donald Trump.
The thing is, Ronald Reagan was originally a Democrat.
That changed, and I believe Trump changed. You don’t.
So we disagree on this.
Yeah but Reagan proved it by serving a term as governor.
“A whopping 57 percent of Republicans have an unfavorable view of Trump, according to an average of the three most recent polls.”
Karl Rove had it at 65% about two days ago, but of course he was knowingly lying. However, any poll that has Brother Al anything above a negative one is suspect to me.
Because a large percentage of the GOP, almost all of them, are RINOs.
We have the wrong definition of RINO.
Depends on your definition of RINO I guess..there are many here who are RINOs of a different flavor.
I'm thinking he's flawed like the rest of us.
He has a desperate need to raise $1 billion in 16 months. He believes in himself, his message and his positive impact on the body politic.
In his need to rationalize TPA (and by extension, TPP) he told us Congress would, in fact, have more influence over the process than if there were no TPA.
I don't know if you call that a lie, mis-characterization, or a delusion.
But it's sure a big miss for a Harvard trained lawyer.
It is true, Ronald Reagan had been a democrat. But once he switched parties he never looked back. Liberal Donald Trump said he still self identifies as a democrat. And that is something Ronald Reagan never did.
Here is the quote for you, from your gun banning hero. This is what you are supporting.
“The Republicans walk the NRA line and refuse even limited restrictions. I generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I also support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun.”
On that, we agree. Ted scared the crap outta me with that vote. In the time since, I've often pondered how someone so brilliant could have misstepped so badly. And at such a critical moment as this.
Like I said.
You see him as more anti-gun than I do.
And I see him (STRONGLY) for America is a number of very important ways.
Go ahead and criticize him for being anti-gun. I support you in that.
What I am saying is nobody else in the party is saying a single word about our trade situation, our immigration mess, or our lack of growth.
I think all of those are now critical. And Donald is completely right about every one of them.
Nobody else is saying one single word, meanwhile. They’re all advancing YET ANOTHER “free trade” bill, which is about ... well it isn’t about growing America.
Not a peep.
This is really going to be entertaining. I probably won’t vote, but Trump is doing a great job of getting panties in a wad.
I agree, based on his love for the Clintons and Oprah, the Dems probably lifted his approval numbers.
The below article SEEMS clear...
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/06/16/donald-trump-fully-support-and-back-up-the-second-amendment/
No, I see him for what he says he is.
You are choosing to ignore HIS VERBATIM QUOTE out of convenience.
I am rejecting an anti-gun liberal kook.
You are supporting one.
You can't spin that. And you're looking incredibly foolish trying.
I know you get it. I won't allow you to waste more of my time with your circular argument. Bye.
Based on Cringy's failure to promote conservative policies, ever, his support of Trump makes perfect sense.
So does this verbatim quote from the man himself wherein he claims to support the Second Amendment WITH exceptions.
“The Republicans walk the NRA line and refuse even limited restrictions. I generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I also support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun.”
Do we really REALLY believe charts a graphs anymore....I mean look at global warming???!!!
I just ordered several TRUMP bumper stickers...not that I think TRUMP will get the NOMINATION...but because I am FED UP WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY as a WHOLE.
What years was it, and what is the source?
I would like to have a copy.
It's the only one we don't need courts or politicians to enforce. We can enforce the Second Amendment ourselves.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.