Posted on 07/19/2015 2:53:53 PM PDT by Crystal Palace East
A time for truth: Donald Trump is not a good politician. Right now, his popularity is due to his positions, and his media-hungry "Breath of Fresh Air" populist approach, not his skill as a politician.
As examples, Bill Clinton had horrible policies, especially as a national leader or a moral human being. But, with all those limitations, he was the best RETAIL politician of the last 50 years.
Reagan was great too, but he had the policies and morals to back them up. Clinton was a failure and moral reprobate, but still got elected. "Retail Politician" Gold Medal goes to Clinton on "degree of difficulty" (like in Olympic High Diving competitions.)
That said, The Donald's recent foray into flaming napalm re: John McCain was both unnecessary, and unwise. It had no upside.
In response to an urgent 3:00 AM call from his closest advisers, (which didn't even happen in a dream...) I have sent him the following.
I'm sure it will soon be behind him in the smallest room in his house.
Memo:
To: The Donald FR: CPE DT: Jul 19, 2015 RE: Don’t hand ammunition to the media/enemy
#1: Re; your McCain comment: Never make a public comment that does not bring you benefit.
#2: Every public comment will be approved by some, disliked by others. Work to increase the % of the former, decrease % of the latter. Never play for a tie, or worse, a loss. You are smart enough to know which is which before you speak.
#3. In today’s electronic age, every comment is public. Just ask Romney, Jesse Jackson (W’re going to cut the nuts....”) or even fumduck Obama (”Please tell Vladimir...”)
#4; Just because it’s true, you don’t have to say it. Just because John McCain is not a great “War Hero” for his time spent in captivity, the truth of the comment did not make the comment beneficial to you.
#5: When you attack personally, you give those attacked the ability to respond personally. If McCain now said, “Does Trump’s combover hide a hole in his head where all the brains flowed out”” no one would blame him. Yesterday such a comment by McCain would have been thought of as petty. Today, it would be a fair shot. Keep your comments about opponents to their policies, actions, demonstrable failures, not the people themselves.... (and why make the small fry like John McCain an opponent?) You’ll have enough real, meaningful enemies. Why add to them?
“Praise a person and their actions. Criticize only their actions.”
#6; Never forget Rule #1 Every national election is decided by the 8-12 % “middle of the roaders.” Right or wrong, they like McCain. Whether they agree with his policies or not. the 8-12 % swing voters think he at least is a “nice guy.” Why take that shot when there was no gain in it for you?
note that leftists don’t care if their rhetoric would make soccer moms and swing voters not vote for them
“Vanities are generally a bad idea.”
In this case, I disagree with you. CPE made some good insightful comments. Sage advice to the Trump.
On the contrary to CPE’s advice, one could argue that Trump’s McCain comments have benefit because he is going after McCain as a symbolic RINO. Remember, McCain attacked Strong US Border proponents as being “Crazies” - so Trump is trying to nail the MF’er. And he’s right.
We DO need a pitbull to represent the conservative cause, but Trump can be offensive and cocky. If he could only rein in his cockiness a bit.
Nah, I’m not stricken by the PC virus. I detest PC as much as you do and I like it when an articulate Free Speecher like Trump nails their hypocrisy. I like Trump’s swagger.
You’re missing my point and that is a strategic one: There are ways to say things firmly and articulately as Reagan did and make your point enough to convince people, but not piss them off and also give the MSM fodder to paint him as a racist. The Latinos that Trump pissed off are lost votes forever. He could have won those votes easily if he had been more articulate.
Trump is no Reagan.
Even someone as stubborn as you would have to admit he could have made his point about Mexicans/illegals being “rapists and drug dealers” in a sentence that didn’t foolishly imply that ALL illegals are “rapists & drug dealers.” That was just dumb.
He could have first stated that not all illegals are criminals and some have decent family lives, but then cite statistics about how a palpable percentage of them are “rapists and criminals.”
Then he could have cited the common stats about our homegrown black population which represent 13% of the US population, but they commit 50% of rapes and 50% of violent crime in the US.
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