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Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2020 8:54 pm
by Spock
and that is getting their signs out.

After driving hundreds of miles in rural Minnesota the last few days-there are Trump signs everywhere. Holy frickin' crap.

I remember back in 2016-that MSM reporters commented on (but totally dismissed) the plethora of Trump signs once you were 30 miles outside the big cities. Well, your correspondent is reporting that they are here again-and probably more than last time.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2020 9:39 pm
by silverscreenselect
Spock wrote:
Sat Aug 22, 2020 8:54 pm
and that is getting their signs out.

After driving hundreds of miles in rural Minnesota the last few days-there are Trump signs everywhere.
No, they are good at getting signs out in the parts of Minnesota where you hang out.

I'd venture that if you drive through the suburbs, you'll see a lot fewer Trump signs than you did four years ago.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 4:39 am
by kroxquo
That's one of the things about this Presidency I've always found interesting but in retrospect not at all surprising. I cannot ever recall a Presidency that has been branded like this one. MAGA, Make/Keep America Great, and the Blue Trump flags have all been marketed and sold as a brand much like sports team merchandise. This is a phenomenon that has spread rapidly, although given the President's background it should not be at all unexpected. I do wonder if this is something that will catch on, or if it is entirely dependent on the charisma (and say what you will about him, the man has charisma) of the one at the center.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 7:31 pm
by Spock
silverscreenselect wrote:
Sat Aug 22, 2020 9:39 pm
Spock wrote:
Sat Aug 22, 2020 8:54 pm
and that is getting their signs out.

After driving hundreds of miles in rural Minnesota the last few days-there are Trump signs everywhere.
No, they are good at getting signs out in the parts of Minnesota where you hang out.

I'd venture that if you drive through the suburbs, you'll see a lot fewer Trump signs than you did four years ago.
Maybe so-but you have no idea what parts of Minnesota I drove through. Historically (like 5 years ago) heavy Democrat areas.

Furthermore, it takes courage to put out a Trump sign in densely populated areas. You are putting yourself on the line for vandalism or worse.

Conversely, it takes no courage to put out a Biden sign in rural areas. Most likely nobody is going to wreck your stuff. (unless you do it yourself-but that is another story).

I don't know who will win this election, but by all means, keep your head in your ass and ignore and dismiss any signs of enthusiasm for Trump. It worked well for you guys last time.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 8:14 pm
by silverscreenselect
Spock wrote:
Sun Aug 23, 2020 7:31 pm
Furthermore, it takes courage to put out a Trump sign in densely populated areas. You are putting yourself on the line for vandalism or worse.
No, I'm talking about the suburbs, not the inner city. And I can speak from some experience, because Mrs. SSS and I go out for rides on weekends through some of these northern suburbs of Atlanta that have been traditionally Republican (my Congressional District sent Newt Gingrich to Congress) for years. These are fairly well-to-do areas where no one is going to get in trouble for putting up a Trump sign. But there are a lot fewer of them this time around.

The mistake you're making is to assume that Trump keeps what he had in 2016 and then picks up some more rural support. That suburban support has dwindled, and that's how the Democrats picked up 40 House seats in 2018. Trump's core supporters are enthusiastic, but there are even more people who are very enthusiastic about getting him out of office. And he doesn't have the advantage of Hillary Clinton as an opponent. Hillary was Velcro as far as bad news and possible scandal were concerned. They stuck to her. Nothing Trump has said about Biden and his possible scandals has stuck with anyone other than those core supporters.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 8:45 pm
by SportsFan68
As the regional director for the Obama campaign in 2008 constantly reminded us, "Signs don't vote." The only way to get an Obama yard sign was to put in X amount of hours (I don't remember what the X was) phone banking or knocking on doors. That held until the final couple weeks of the campaign. And when you did get a sign, it was often stolen within a day or two.

We've been screaming for Biden signs ever since it became clear that he would get the nomination. First the excuse was that we needed a vice presidential candidate. Now the excuse is that the bigger population centers get first priority.

Very frustrating, but what the heck -- Biden will win Colorado, just as Clinton did. The real races in Colorado are Hickenlooper vs. Gardner for Senator and Diane Mitsch-Bush vs. Lauren Boebert ("Pistol-Packin Mama") for Third CD.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 10:26 am
by Spock
SportsFan68 wrote:
Sun Aug 23, 2020 8:45 pm
As the regional director for the Obama campaign in 2008 constantly reminded us, "Signs don't vote." The only way to get an Obama yard sign was to put in X amount of hours (I don't remember what the X was) phone banking or knocking on doors. That held until the final couple weeks of the campaign. And when you did get a sign, it was often stolen within a day or two.

We've been screaming for Biden signs ever since it became clear that he would get the nomination. First the excuse was that we needed a vice presidential candidate. Now the excuse is that the bigger population centers get first priority.

Very frustrating, but what the heck -- Biden will win Colorado, just as Clinton did. The real races in Colorado are Hickenlooper vs. Gardner for Senator and Diane Mitsch-Bush vs. Lauren Boebert ("Pistol-Packin Mama") for Third CD.
Signs don't vote-but they give a lift to voters-"Hey, I am not the only one voting that way."

Personally, I think the senate goes Democrat this year and that it would be lost, with or without Trump, for one simple reason. We (Republicans) did so well in 2014 that the math is horrendous. As a reminder, we picked up 9 seats that year.

We are defending 23 seats and the Democrats are defending 12. I know the media likes to tie the senate to Trump, but any story that doesn't mention the 23/12 deal as background and context to the battle for Senate control is a waste of time-and very few stories mention it. Probably because it hurts their ability to attack Trump for Senate losses.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 1:31 pm
by Spock
silverscreenselect wrote:
Sun Aug 23, 2020 8:14 pm
Spock wrote:
Sun Aug 23, 2020 7:31 pm
Furthermore, it takes courage to put out a Trump sign in densely populated areas. You are putting yourself on the line for vandalism or worse.
No, I'm talking about the suburbs, not the inner city. And I can speak from some experience, because Mrs. SSS and I go out for rides on weekends through some of these northern suburbs of Atlanta that have been traditionally Republican (my Congressional District sent Newt Gingrich to Congress) for years. These are fairly well-to-do areas where no one is going to get in trouble for putting up a Trump sign. But there are a lot fewer of them this time around.

The mistake you're making is to assume that Trump keeps what he had in 2016 and then picks up some more rural support. That suburban support has dwindled, and that's how the Democrats picked up 40 House seats in 2018. Trump's core supporters are enthusiastic, but there are even more people who are very enthusiastic about getting him out of office. And he doesn't have the advantage of Hillary Clinton as an opponent. Hillary was Velcro as far as bad news and possible scandal were concerned. They stuck to her. Nothing Trump has said about Biden and his possible scandals has stuck with anyone other than those core supporters.
Congrats on doing in this post what you do best. Nobody can beat you at parroting the conventional wisdom. Although, that raises the question of how often in presidential elections the August conventional wisdom is correct.

And sorry, I can't give you any points for the "2016 hindsighty stuff"-you were parroting the conventional wisdom on that one right up to the end there too.

I would add that the one thing that will hurt your side in the suburbs is the rioting and looting. So keep on keepin' on.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 3:21 pm
by Bob78164
Spock wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 1:31 pm
silverscreenselect wrote:
Sun Aug 23, 2020 8:14 pm
Spock wrote:
Sun Aug 23, 2020 7:31 pm
Furthermore, it takes courage to put out a Trump sign in densely populated areas. You are putting yourself on the line for vandalism or worse.
No, I'm talking about the suburbs, not the inner city. And I can speak from some experience, because Mrs. SSS and I go out for rides on weekends through some of these northern suburbs of Atlanta that have been traditionally Republican (my Congressional District sent Newt Gingrich to Congress) for years. These are fairly well-to-do areas where no one is going to get in trouble for putting up a Trump sign. But there are a lot fewer of them this time around.

The mistake you're making is to assume that Trump keeps what he had in 2016 and then picks up some more rural support. That suburban support has dwindled, and that's how the Democrats picked up 40 House seats in 2018. Trump's core supporters are enthusiastic, but there are even more people who are very enthusiastic about getting him out of office. And he doesn't have the advantage of Hillary Clinton as an opponent. Hillary was Velcro as far as bad news and possible scandal were concerned. They stuck to her. Nothing Trump has said about Biden and his possible scandals has stuck with anyone other than those core supporters.
Congrats on doing in this post what you do best. Nobody can beat you at parroting the conventional wisdom. Although, that raises the question of how often in presidential elections the August conventional wisdom is correct.

And sorry, I can't give you any points for the "2016 hindsighty stuff"-you were parroting the conventional wisdom on that one right up to the end there too.

I would add that the one thing that will hurt your side in the suburbs is the rioting and looting. So keep on keepin' on.
I think the American people can tell who's responsible when it's federal agents doing the rioting by using force on peaceful protestors.

Has Donny offered yet to pay their legal fees? --Bob

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:39 pm
by Spock
Bob78164 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 3:21 pm
Spock wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 1:31 pm
silverscreenselect wrote:
Sun Aug 23, 2020 8:14 pm


No, I'm talking about the suburbs, not the inner city. And I can speak from some experience, because Mrs. SSS and I go out for rides on weekends through some of these northern suburbs of Atlanta that have been traditionally Republican (my Congressional District sent Newt Gingrich to Congress) for years. These are fairly well-to-do areas where no one is going to get in trouble for putting up a Trump sign. But there are a lot fewer of them this time around.

The mistake you're making is to assume that Trump keeps what he had in 2016 and then picks up some more rural support. That suburban support has dwindled, and that's how the Democrats picked up 40 House seats in 2018. Trump's core supporters are enthusiastic, but there are even more people who are very enthusiastic about getting him out of office. And he doesn't have the advantage of Hillary Clinton as an opponent. Hillary was Velcro as far as bad news and possible scandal were concerned. They stuck to her. Nothing Trump has said about Biden and his possible scandals has stuck with anyone other than those core supporters.
Congrats on doing in this post what you do best. Nobody can beat you at parroting the conventional wisdom. Although, that raises the question of how often in presidential elections the August conventional wisdom is correct.

And sorry, I can't give you any points for the "2016 hindsighty stuff"-you were parroting the conventional wisdom on that one right up to the end there too.

I would add that the one thing that will hurt your side in the suburbs is the rioting and looting. So keep on keepin' on.
I think the American people can tell who's responsible when it's federal agents doing the rioting by using force on peaceful protestors.

Has Donny offered yet to pay their legal fees? --Bob
Did federal agents torch the businesses in Kenosha last night?

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:47 pm
by Bob78164
Spock wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:39 pm
Bob78164 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 3:21 pm
Spock wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 1:31 pm


Congrats on doing in this post what you do best. Nobody can beat you at parroting the conventional wisdom. Although, that raises the question of how often in presidential elections the August conventional wisdom is correct.

And sorry, I can't give you any points for the "2016 hindsighty stuff"-you were parroting the conventional wisdom on that one right up to the end there too.

I would add that the one thing that will hurt your side in the suburbs is the rioting and looting. So keep on keepin' on.
I think the American people can tell who's responsible when it's federal agents doing the rioting by using force on peaceful protestors.

Has Donny offered yet to pay their legal fees? --Bob
Did federal agents torch the businesses in Kenosha last night?
You have your facts wrong. According to local press, the only thing that was burned was three city garbage trucks. Some businesses had their windows broken.

Considering that the provocation was cops shooting a Black man seven times in the back, on camera, that seems like a fairly mild reaction. Or do you think some Black men should have peacefully lined up to die with some cop's knee on their necks? --Bob

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:53 pm
by Spock
Bob78164 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:47 pm
Spock wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:39 pm
Bob78164 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 3:21 pm
I think the American people can tell who's responsible when it's federal agents doing the rioting by using force on peaceful protestors.

Has Donny offered yet to pay their legal fees? --Bob
Did federal agents torch the businesses in Kenosha last night?
If it went down like it did in Minneapolis, it will turn out to be out-of-state right-wing agitators hoping to conduct a "false flag" operation (which you apparently fell for). --Bob
You can believe that if you choose-but to do so you are completely irrational and with your focus on "False Flags" you and Alex Jones can sit in the basement and tighten each other's tinfoil hats and I will never waste one more second of time dealing with you.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:56 pm
by Bob78164
Spock wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:53 pm
Bob78164 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:47 pm
Spock wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:39 pm


Did federal agents torch the businesses in Kenosha last night?
If it went down like it did in Minneapolis, it will turn out to be out-of-state right-wing agitators hoping to conduct a "false flag" operation (which you apparently fell for). --Bob
You can believe that if you choose-but to do so you are completely irrational and with your focus on "False Flags" you and Alex Jones can sit in the basement and tighten each other's tinfoil hats and I will never waste one more second of time dealing with you.
Minneapolis isn't my imagination. They found and charged the instigators.

As for Kenosha, I revised my post, probably while you were writing your reply. --Bob

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 11:08 am
by Bob78164
Spock wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:53 pm
Bob78164 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:47 pm
Spock wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:39 pm


Did federal agents torch the businesses in Kenosha last night?
If it went down like it did in Minneapolis, it will turn out to be out-of-state right-wing agitators hoping to conduct a "false flag" operation (which you apparently fell for). --Bob
You can believe that if you choose-but to do so you are completely irrational and with your focus on "False Flags" you and Alex Jones can sit in the basement and tighten each other's tinfoil hats and I will never waste one more second of time dealing with you.
They weren't there then. But they are now. And one of them has shot three people, killing two. --Bob

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 12:11 pm
by silverscreenselect
Bob78164 wrote:
Wed Aug 26, 2020 11:08 am
They weren't there then. But they are now. And one of them has shot three people, killing two. --Bob
The alleged shooter is from Illinois (Kenosha is near the Illinois border) and has been arrested. He's Kyle Rittenhouse, 17 years old. Some details:
A video posted to Twitter by a Daily Caller reporter appeared to show an interview with Rittenhouse the evening of the shooting. In it, a reporter asks a rifle-carrying teen what he’s doing at the protest. “So people are getting injured and our job is to protect this business,” he replies. “And part of my job is to also help people. If there is somebody hurt I’m running into harms way. That’s why I have my rifle because I need to protect myself obviously. I also have my med kit.”

In a separate video apparently shot Tuesday, the same individual appeared to utter the words “I’m Kyle, by the way,” to another videographer on scene in Kenosha.

The arrest came after hours of social media chatter tying the teenager to the shooting. Rittenhouse’s Facebook page became unavailable shortly before the announcement, but it included numerous photos with Blue Lives Matter-style pro-police slogans and imagery, as well as of an Armalite rifle similar to the one he appears to have been photographed carrying in Kenosha.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/kyle-ritt ... ha-protest

I'm sure we will from Spock in the near future about how terrible it is for gun-toting right wingers to shoot at protestors. Perhaps there's a new equation

1 diner harrassed by a group of loud-mouth jerks = 2 dead, 1 wounded, shot by right wing vigilante during protest

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 10:04 am
by silverscreenselect
Spock wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:53 pm
You can believe that if you choose-but to do so you are completely irrational and with your focus on "False Flags" you and Alex Jones can sit in the basement and tighten each other's tinfoil hats and I will never waste one more second of time dealing with you.
One of Spock's many posts that hasn't aged well. Here's what an expert (hint: not Spock, Flock, or Victor Davis Hanson) has to say:
Former FBI Asst. Dir. Frank Figliuzzi wrote:What we're seeing so far [with the "counterprotesters"] is very similar to the process that we see with Islamic violent Jihad radicalization. This wanting to belong to a cause greater than yourself, wanting to get affirmation from a group who may not even know who you are or ever met you. And then feeling like you're part of this deployment, this cause. You heard [Kyle Rittenhouse] say, 'It's my job to protect this.' No, it's not your job. But you think it is. And video last night shows him walking around roaming around with the assault rifle not really doing much of protecting anything.

It's time we stopped using the word troubled with regard to white young people who act out like this and start thinking about the radicalized term that we used when people of color or people of Islamic faith act out like this. This is a radicalization process that's happening. It happened with the El Paso shooter in Texas. We kept hearing he was troubled. No, he was radicalized. And it's happening online.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 11:43 am
by Bob78164
It's really pretty simple. You don't get to offer to pay the legal fees of thugs who beat up your political opponents, and then condemn the other side for promoting violence.

You don't get to elevate gun-toting vigilantes to a national stage, and then condemn the other side for promoting violence.

You don't get to compare shooting a Black man in the back seven times to "missing a golf putt," and then condemn the other side for promoting violence.

You don't get to defend a gun-toting vigilante who travels to the scene of unrest from out of state and shoots three people, and then condemn the other side for promoting violence. --Bob

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 12:19 pm
by silverscreenselect
Bob78164 wrote:
Tue Sep 01, 2020 11:43 am
It's really pretty simple. You don't get to offer to pay the legal fees of thugs who beat up your political opponents, and then condemn the other side for promoting violence.

You don't get to elevate gun-toting vigilantes to a national stage, and then condemn the other side for promoting violence.

You don't get to compare shooting a Black man in the back seven times to "missing a golf putt," and then condemn the other side for promoting violence.

You don't get to defend a gun-toting vigilante who travels to the scene of unrest from out of state and shoots three people, and then condemn the other side for promoting violence. --Bob
Stewart Rhodes, founder of Oath Keepers 8/30/20 wrote:The first shot has been fired brother. Civil war is here, right now. We’ll give Trump one last chance to declare this a Marxist insurrection & suppress it as his duty demands. If he fails to do HIS duty, we will do OURS.
This is life in Donald Trump's America and he's headed to Wisconsin right now to make things worse.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 1:20 pm
by Bob Juch
Mad King Donald's claim that there was a planeful of people dressed in black with military gear is probably not valid, but if it is, how does he know those are Antifa or similar? That sounds more like an ultra-right-wing militia.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:12 pm
by silverscreenselect
Bob Juch wrote:
Tue Sep 01, 2020 1:20 pm
Mad King Donald's claim that there was a planeful of people dressed in black with military gear is probably not valid, but if it is, how does he know those are Antifa or similar? That sounds more like an ultra-right-wing militia.
Since people have to supply ID in order to fly, it should be easy for the FBI to track down a whole bunch of looters and terrorists on a plane.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 11:29 am
by a1mamacat
Latest from TikTok, they are going to flood the office with requests for signs, to make them spend money on printing and postage, and then modify them LOL.

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 3:10 pm
by Bob Juch
New York Times wrote:President Trump breaks so many of the normal rules of politics that it can sometimes be hard to know when his tweets and comments are truly newsworthy. Even by his standards, though, the past several days have stood out. Consider:

Trump said on Monday that a plane “almost completely loaded with thugs” wearing “dark uniforms” had been headed to the Republican National Convention to do “big damage.” The claim is similar to a baseless conspiracy theory that spread online over the summer, well before the convention.

He has declined to condemn the killings of two protesters in Kenosha, Wis. He instead defended the 17-year-old charged in the shootings — a Trump supporter named Kyle Rittenhouse — saying he was acting in self-defense. Trump also promoted a Twitter post that called Rittenhouse “a good example of why I decided to vote for Trump.”

He defended violence committed by his supporters in Portland, Ore., who fired paintballs and pepper spray at Black Lives Matter protesters.

He compared the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha to missing “a three-foot putt” in a golf tournament.

He claimed that “people that you’ve never heard of” and “people that are in the dark shadows” are controlling Joe Biden.

He claimed Democrats were trying to “destroy” suburbs with “low-income housing, and with that comes a lot of other problems, including crime.” He added that Cory Booker — one of the highest-profile Black Democrats — would be “in charge of it.”

He predicted that the stock market would crash if Biden won.

He said that Biden, at the Democratic National Convention, “didn’t even discuss law enforcement, the police. Those words weren’t mentioned.” In fact, Biden held a discussion at the convention on policing, with a police chief.

Trump claimed that he “took control of” the situation in Kenosha by sending in the National Guard. In fact, Wisconsin’s governor, not the president, sent the National Guard.

He retweeted messages asserting that the pandemic’s death toll was overstated. Evidence indicates the opposite is true.

He said that protests against police brutality were actually a secret “coup attempt” by anarchists “trying to take down the President.”

Re: Well, the Trump Campaign is Good at One Thing

Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:18 pm
by silverscreenselect
New polls out from Fox News. These polls were taken August 29-September 1 (after both conventions, the Rittenhouse shooting, and mostly after the Portland shooting). For what people think about Fox News, their polling seems to be fairly accurate and doesn't show the right-wing bias you might think:

WI Biden +8 LV, RV
NC Biden +4 LV, RV
AZ Biden +9 LV, +10 RV

Interesting that in WI, they asked voters who would do a better job on crime and criminal justice and the respondents favored Biden 46-42.

They also asked about the Senate races in NC and AZ, two key states:

NC Cunningham (D) +6 LV, +7 RV
AZ Kelly (D) +17 LV, RV

Expect Trump to go ballistic tonight about what "his" network is doing to him.