The “Pull” Of Trump

The “Pull” Of Trump

Before I get into this post let me say that I know anything can happen in a general election. That rule applies to every candidate. Everybody got that? Good. Moving…
The Gravis Poll Internals

The Gravis Poll Internals

Why I was weary of this poll is born out in the internals. The poll deviates from the state wide demographics. 5% African Americans? The 2010 Census has the state population at 21% AA. The Hispanic/Latino population is 8%, not 2. In 2008, 28% of the Democratic voters were African American. Sure, that turnout is amplified due to Barack Obama, but it's not going to fall down to 5%. It's not going to fall below 20%.
Friday Open Thread [4.22.16]

Friday Open Thread [4.22.16]

Donald Trump would “absolutely” change the Republican Party’s platform on abortion to include exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother, Politico reports. Said Trump: “Yes, I would. Yes, I would. Absolutely. For the three exceptions, I would.” Well, that alone will burn down Quicken Arena. The true believers on the right will stay home if a pro abortion platform is adopted at the RNC, and pro abortion to them is any exception to a complete abortion ban. They will not vote for Trump.

Joe Biden Rebukes the Athena of Incremetalism

Good old Uncle Joe keeping it real up in here.
“I like the idea of saying, ‘We can do much more,’ because we can,” Biden told The New York Times in an interview published Thursday. Clinton, a former Obama administration official, has criticized Sanders on the trail for his bold proposals, suggesting that his policies aren’t pragmatic. “I don’t think any Democrat’s ever won saying, ‘We can’t think that big — we ought to really downsize here because it’s not realistic,’” Biden said. “C’mon man, this is the Democratic Party! I’m not part of the party that says, ‘Well, we can’t do it.’” Biden, who has said he and President Barack Obama do not plan to endorse in the primary, added that presidents are always told not to push anything they can’t be successful in because that would minimize their authority. “I completely disagree with that proposition,” he said. “Everything I’ve ever cared about — with the exception of the president’s brilliant passage of the Affordable Care Act — takes time. The only way to get these big things done is talk about them.”

Trump Policy Specifics #1 – Compelling Mexico to Pay for the Wall

"Compelling Mexico to Pay for the Wall" is item number 1 on Trump's Web Site "positions" tab. I've stripped out some irrelevant material and left the rube-goldbergian machinations that Trump is going to use to get the Mexican Government to pay $5-10 billion for the construction of a border wall. You can read the plan below, but basically... he is going to use some powers given to the President under the Patriot Act to threaten to stop wire transfers from the US to Mexico. The threat alone will bring Mexico to heal. Cinchy.

Prince is Dead

Prince, the legendary singer and songwriter, is dead, his publicist confirmed in a statement. Prince was 57. Prince’s body was discovered at his compound in Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota,…
Thursday Open Thread [4.21.16]

Thursday Open Thread [4.21.16]

Now this is interesting:
Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-VT) campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, said on Wednesday that the senator will remain a Democrat after the 2016 presidential election. [...] "Well, he is a Democrat. He’s said he’s a Democrat, and he’s gonna be supporting the Democratic nominee, whoever that is," Weaver responded. And when asked of Sanders was now a "Democrat for life," Weaver said, "Yes, he is."
Ben and I were discussing in the comments yesterday the future of Bernie Sanders, and he was aiming for VP or Majority Leader of the Senate, and I was going for something more informal: a leader of a wing of the Democratic Party in the Senate and nationwide, who will have considerable sway on a President Clinton. This comment by Weaver indicates Bernie maybe taking that latter track, and if he does, good for him and great for the party.
First Delaware Poll of Presidential and Congressional Primary

First Delaware Poll of Presidential and Congressional Primary

Gravis Marketing, which does not have a good track record, having been called the worst polling firm in America, and which incorrectly predicted a close 53-47 six point race between Hillary and Bernie in New York last week when it turned out to be a 16 point race, has polled our great state of Delaware. So take its results with a boulder of salt. That said, it finds Hillary leading Bernie by 7, 45-38, and Trump leading all with 55% to Kasich's 18, to Cruz's 15. The more important numbers from this poll, however, are found on the Congressional Primary in the Democratic Party. It finds Townsend with a 7 point lead over Barney, 19-12, with Rochester getting 8 percent. A whopping 61 percent said they are unsure who they’ll vote for in the September primary.

Trump General Election Campaign Themes Succinctly Revealed

I put this speech (?) up yesterday because having watched it live, I knew that it succinctly revealed the campaign themes he was planning on rolling out against Clinton. And when I say succinct, I mean succinct. At times my explanation of the theme is longer that Trump's own expression of it.