Trump Jumps In
From reality star to Commander in Chief?
Cue the confetti cannon…
Donald Trump is running for president.
Today during a rally at Trump Tower in New York City, Trump became the 2,347th Republican to declare candidiacy in the 2016 primary. Via ABC News:
“We are going to make our country great again,” Trump, who turned 69 on Saturday, declared.
He added, “I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created.”
In 2012, Trump launched a Presidential exploratory committee and visited key battleground states before bowing out in May 2011. This time though, Trump says he’s in it for the long haul; he plans to step away from the day to day management of The Trump Organization, and hand the reigns over to his children: Ivanka, Donald Jr, and Eric. He has also chosen to step aside from his hit reality show, “The Apprentice.”
“They all said, a lot of the pundits on television, well, Donald will never run, and one of the main reasons is he’s private and he’s probably not as successful as everybody thinks,” said Trump, who has never held public office before. “So I said to myself, you know, nobody is ever going to know unless I run because I’m really proud of my success.”
Video via TMZ (who I’m assuming is excited for the sheer amount of content they’re about to encounter):
Of course, the media has jumped on the opportunity to shine light on the dollar signs floating around this campaign. Trump’s net worth jumped to the forefront of every article I read about his announcement. Via CNN:
The 68-story tower venue Trump used Tuesday is more than just the backdrop to Trump’s presidential announcement, instead becoming a physical embodiment of what Trump is bringing to the table and the challenges he’ll face as he formally entered politics.
Trump has already billed himself as the “most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far,” pointing out even that he owns a “Gucci store that’s worth more than Romney.”
That Gucci store won’t be far as Trump makes his announcement — it’s located in the lobby of the Trump Tower.
But in his run, Trump isn’t likely to try and shy away from the out-of-reach luxury and opulence that makes up his day-to-day lifestyle.
Instead, he flaunted his wealth and success in business as a centerpiece of his presidential platform in his speech. And on Tuesday he disclosed his financial assets, trumpeting a whopping $9 billion net worth. Trump’s net worth was previously estimated at roughly $4 billion.
I think that most strategists would agree that a candidate who flaunts his wealth in the way that Trump has could prove problematic with the voting base. That being said—at this point, why not try it? Democrats have used the income disparity argument to nail Republican presidential candidates to the wall for years; is there really any point in trying to make someone like Donald Trump look like Joe America on his riding lawnmower?
Trump’s lifestyle is out of the reach of not just most Americans, but most people on the planet. That’s reality, and I think most people accept that. I may not understand what it feels like to own a yacht (anyone have a yacht I can borrow to test this?) but I do understand what it feels like to earn enough money to make a major purchase, or treat myself to a luxury item. Why shouldn’t he be proud of his towers in the same way I’m proud of the things I’ve earned? Pitching scale is difficult, but the fact that he doesn’t seem prepared to hide behind rolled up sleeves and moderately-priced-yet-tasteful home furnishings could help.
That could be the key to humanizing Trump. We already know Trump the Billionaire Mogul and Trump the Reality TV star; as a wonk, I’m interested to see how his campaign plans on introducing Trump the Man to the American people.
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Comments
I listen critically to anybody.
Trump said several things that are just boob bait, and patently false while aimed at populism.
I don’t like or trust the man, and I’d never vote for him.
Trump has popular support. He has my support. Screw establishment RINO’s whom are as useful as tits on a bull … I wonder how the RINO’s intend to stop him.
Why would they want to?
He’s one of them. This man is NOT a reform Conservative. He IS a crony with a capital “C”.
Plus, he’s a liar. I’m appalled at some of the comments here. Gob-smacked. Some of you have the memory of a goose.
We can have a gentleman’s disagreement. Is Trump doing this to satisfy an enormous ego – or to right a country on the WRONG track? Probably a little of both.
I believe him when he talks about trade, illegal immigration, etc. He’s pushing the right buttons. I don’t know how he’d interact with a RINO Congress, however.
Sorry, no. We can’t have any form of agreement on Trump, apparently.
We have a field of candidates WAY better and more known for their positions and work than this puke.
Our focus should be on finding someone of character and principle. Trump is a huckster without any known principles. We should be looking for a Washington, and you’re saying Elmer Gantry will do.
The phuc can’t even be honest about his own head.
Yeah, he pushes your buttons. That’s what hucksters do.
I’m appalled.
Rags, good buddy, you are being a bit intense. It almost sounds as if there is something else going on other than just politics.
Not trying to provoke you but what if he gets to the convention with a fistful of delegates? Perish the thought but how are you going to handle it if he gets the nomination? It might be a long shot but it is nowhere near impossible.
Consider enlightening us on what it is that gives you a visceral dislike for Trump.
Moi? Intense? Perish the thought…!!!
Dude! Read the flucking thread! DO some research on your own. Trump is NOT a conservative. He’s been all over the political map, and he happily uses BIG GOVERNMENT any time he can. Politically, he’s a whore. He’s not really much of a business man, but a very successful self-promoter. He’ll tell people what they want to hear, just like Barracula. He’s a huckster.
As to my subjective judgment of the guy, I’ll just remind you of my Bill Clinton story. Thought well of what little I knew about the guy…New Democrat…good speaker…good writer…popular governor. Then I saw the man, and was immediately repelled. Trump effects me the same way. I trust my intuitions.
Why in the world ANYONE would consider this guy in the same field as Walker, Cruz, Perry, etc. leaves me aghast.
Rags is correct. Trump is a progressive, not a conservtive. He is not serious. He is doing what billionaire businessmen do – self-promoting via running for office. We never hear a political word from Trump – except every four years when there’s a national election to milk for free publicity.
Trump jumped in today. His hair will arrive on Wednesday.
The helmet can be his running mate!
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo !!
well, he couldn’t do much worse than Obola…
which is about as faint praise as you can render.
he & Jeb! both need to go away.
forever
Oh, goodie.
Just waiting for Bloomberg to decide which party’s nomination he’d like to run for now.
Huurah! Trump / Christie or JEB / Trump or …. Onward to 2020!
While there’s some debate about whether or not money can buy happiness, Trump has demonstrated that money can’t buy hair.
I saw him on a program where he pulled his hair back, demonstrating it was his own. It’s just weird. Since then, he may have lost a lot but at the time, it appeared very much his own.
One thing is certain – I’d vote for him sooner than I would Hillary!
If “The Donald” is willing to campaign with his own cash this could be fun to watch. It would be somewhat novel in modern American national politics to have a candidate who doesn’t need to fundraise/pander/modify message for a different crowd four times a day, seven days a week. A guy who can buy his own media support. Maybe a guy who has no hesitation in telling the RNC and their party money to go piss up a rope. The guy’s a dick, but if he can force a more honest debate on issues among the other candidates who would prefer to never stake a position on anything, ever, then maybe Trump has some value here. He’d probably have Jebby wetting himself in short order. Don’t know that I’d vote for him, but I’d certainly enjoy the show.
I’d vote Trump over Jeb or Shrillary any damn day.
He wants to build the border fence? About time.
He’s tough and business minded: good.
No more squishy Rs. Period. My favorite was Cruz until he was promoting giving the executive branch more power with TPP shite.
I am fond of Carly, too. Don’t count her out.
Let’s hear them debate. Let’s hear the policies. (but Jeb can go sit in the corner and stfu as far as I’m concerned)
Sure, Donald has weird hair. So what?
He will never be a serious candidate. But, it’s a free country and he’s welcome to campaign if he likes.
Watch out saying never. You never know. 🙂
So, R candidate number 23, but who’s counting?
Yeah, I’d vote for Trump over Jebby. His populist pap is right on some/many things. I really never thought he’d jump in, but now I have to consider the ramifications.
“America” elected Obama twice despite the lies and fraud, so we have to consider the LIV and maybe consider this will be a last man on the island, “you’re fired” type election. Hillary could win and sell us out to China, Trump could beat her and is more American.
We have to consider what an insane electorate we live with, and whether rationality will finally this time win. Why would it?
I still prefer rational Midwest Walker, but if it is a reality TV contest, Trump and his hair might win. What a crazy way to determine the fate of the free world.
How many have the Dems scrapped off the bottom of the Libyan coastal waters…..Hillary, and….????
The guy isn’t JUST an idiot.
He’s a BIG GOVERNMENT, anti-market idiot. He’s talking about erecting tariffs willy-nilly.
A LOT of what he’s said today (I’m listening to him now) is outright bullshit.
We don’t need a protectionist flim-flam president.
Well, he is not an idiot worth $9 billion, he knows how to play “the game”. I can’t stand to listen to him on Mondays on FOX … I’m saying I’d vote for him over Amnesty Jeb, if it came to that.
I’m still for Walker, or any conservative, but I’m really not sure with all these RINO’s jumping in, if Trump can’t buy his ticket. If it comes to a battle of the billionaires, I take Trump over Soros funded (and Gawd knows who else) Hillary.
But I still can’t stand to listen to Trump … “protectionist” in populist agitprop, is better than “God Damn America” or Hillary’s pay to play, Chinagate version of that. The very fact that Hillary is not under investigation is why Trump is on the table.
I fear for my country, I support Walker, Cruz, then even Rubio … but Jeb means 20-50 million illegals voting us into communist hell. Jeb’s wife (allegedly) told her son, “sometimes you have to take a stand for your race”. That was the Hispanic race, via La Raza support. That’s a no go.
How do we know he’s worth 9 billion? He told us.
How many times has this moke been bankrupted? Several.
How many of his properties are in trouble right now? A few.
When was the last time you saw a Chevy in Japan? OFTEN.
When was the last time you bought a car made in Japan? Maybe the 70s or 80s. Almost all Japanese cars sold in the U.S. are built here. Same with BMWs, etc.
He said we just benefit the Chinese and get nothing back. That isn’t just false, it’s an insult to anyone with ANY intelligence.
The guy is a liar. He is also flying a false flag even SUGGESTING he’s a conservative.
I’m not for Trump … guess I should make that clearer. BUT his net worth will be made more clear with his financials I’d guess. LTCM went bankrupt … but those millionaires got bailed out by we the people, even though they were leveraged like 300:1. Trump went bankrupt, Hillary was dead broke. The perfect match for an insane world … in which we live.
I really don’t know what’s going on with so many “Republicans” jumping in the race. Democrats have ONE evil one. I’m just surmising about the “crossed the leftist rubicon” point of view, where voters want popular stuff. Who benefits from diluting the “we want change” vote?
Walker/Fiorina 2016 … that’s my vote. But we have to play the hand (and electorate) we are dealt.
This “bankrupt” thing I don’t get. I’ve assumed it was his companies that filed, which is the entire point of forming corporations and LLCs – to limit liability.
So, if his companies bankrupted, so what? That’s the way our law is structured. If creditors don’t like it, they shouldn’t do business with his companies, or insist on a personal guarantee to do business.
Complete crony capitalist.
See below some of the money Trump has given to Democrats, some of the worse
and just recently.
Overall in the 2006 election cycle, Trump and his son, Donald Trump Jr., donated $77,200 to Democrats versus only $24,250 on Republicans. Looking back to the 2004 cycle, the pair donated $40,500 to Democrats and only $17,250 to the GOP.
Records show that in June 2006, Trump donated $20,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. That was in addition to the $5,000 he sent in April 2005 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. At the same time, Trump Jr. gave the two Democratic committees a total of $22,500.
While the Trumps spent nearly $50,000 to elect congressional Democrats, they donated only $1,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRSC).
But perhaps the worst outcome that election for Republicans was that Pelosi and Reid became Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader, respectively. The pair made a formidable team and did heavy lifting to ensure that Obama was elected in 2008 and that much of his agenda — including Obamacare — was put in place.
Topping Trump’s roster of Democratic benefactors is scandal-plagued New York U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel. Records show the Harlem-based Democrat has received $26,250 in Trump cash since 1989. Trump Jr., has given heavily to Rangel as well.
New York Sens. Kristen Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer have received $7,950 and $7,900, respectively, in Trump money. And two liberal lions, former Massachusetts Sens. John Kerry and Ted Kennedy, received $5,500 and $5,000.
Trump also gave $4,300 to Weiner, a dogged supporter of Obamacare who was forced to resign his seat following a sexting scandal.
Trump has given to Hillary Clinton and other Clinton family endeavors. Trump donated more than $4,100 to the likely Democratic nominee in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007, records show. Trump Jr. gave the former first lady $6,100 in 2006 and 2007.
Trump has given the Clinton empire. It was recently revealed that he gifted the Clinton Foundation at least $100,000, according to the Clinton Foundation website. The always outspoken Trump defended the donation, saying that the Clintons “kissed [his] ass” for the dough.
Trump’s donations to high-profile Democrats isn’t limited to those on the national stage. Not included in the Center for Responsive Politics’ database is a $50,000 contribution Trump gave in December 2010 to former Bill Clinton and Obama White House official Rahm Emanuel for his successful Chicago mayoral bid.
More from Ross at the Daily Caller
I don’t want Trump, but billionaires play both sides, so any analysis of what he gave to Democrats must include what he gave to Republicans. Maybe nothing, I don’t know but am curious. I’d bet he gave a lot to both sides … pay to play, cover your bets.
Hey Midwest Rhino, I did some research about Trump’s political donations back when he ran for president the last time. Here’s some of what I found:
He donated to Charlie Crist over Marco Rubio for Senate.
He donated to Harry Reid over Sharon Angle for Senate (she was then up in the polls, too).
He also donated to Nancy Pelosi and publicly stated that she did a great job on ObamaCare and said she’s “fantastic” (he supports universal healthcare like any other progressive does).
You can read more about his donations here: http://michellemalkin.com/2011/02/20/is-donald-trump-a-conservative/
Soros was also a major investor in Trump Towers. Soros-related sources-including those that support “Palestine”–also were key investors. They go way back.
In more recent years, he’s donated to the Clinton Foundation and a host of other Democrats, including Anthony I need eye bleach Weiner.
Google it all. It’s easy to find.
Thx Fuzzy
I never said he was conservative. I’m saying he could be a “player”. He has name recognition. He will have to be dealt with, as will Bush. Does he take more votes from Bush or WalKer? idk
Or maybe he helps Hillary most, I’m really not sure. But the odds for him becoming president are maybe the same as the odds for Obama at this point in 2007, so he only needs to self identify as black. 😉
Too funny! I actually laughed out loud at that one. 🙂
“$320,300 of that have been to the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates; $291,783 to Republican committees and candidates. That’s 52% of his giving to identifiable political giving to Democrats.”
oh gee … I’m right. He plays both sides.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/brendancoffey/2011/04/07/trumps-political-donations-are-left-leaning/
FOX gives Trump a forum, indicating he has some “clout”. No, he is not my tea party candidate, I’m only looking at worst case scenarios, with GOPe hating the tea party.
Trump says he supports the TEA Party, but he puts his money against us. He donated to Democrats over (not as well as; instead of) TEA Party candidates in 2010 (at least; I haven’t looked into it since he last ran for president).
He’s also a horrible human being who is happy to abuse power at the expense of people who cannot usually fight back.
For example, Trump needed a new parking lot for some hotel or casino in Atlantic City, and in order to get it, he decided to “convince” a state agency to use eminent domain to take a woman’s home (source for all quotes in link below). She’d lived in that home “for more than three decades,” but hey, Trump needed somewhere for his customers to park their limos, so the state stepped in on Trump’s behalf. She sued. She won.
Here’s the link: http://www.ij.org/casino-reinvestment-development-authority-v-coking
No, that’s not savvy business sense, that shows a willingness to misuse and abuse government power for his own gain. Disgusting and vile.
Trump’s a heartless creep who would always put his own interests before those of the people of this nation. We know this because we know his record. Anyone who could raze a woman’s home for a limo parking lot is not fit to be president of this nation. Eminent domain was never intended for private use, nor to be loosely defined as “community good” or whatever they’re using to justify taking people’s homes against their will to put up shopping malls and parking lots. This sort of thing is exactly what is wrong with big, over-reaching government.
that kind of thing is why I can’t listen to him on FOX, yet they give him a forum. No, he is absolutely not tea party.
Especially in New York.
Here are some statistics about Donald Trump from 538. There’s nothing particularly new here, but it quantitatively demonstrates the impression that a lot of us are getting.
http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/why-donald-trump-isnt-a-real-candidate-in-one-chart/
Does Trump have any chance of getting nominated? I doubt it.
Would Trump make a good president? I don’t know. Trump is full bluster and hype. But at the same time he is successful. This suggests to me the bluster is a facade to distract his competitors. So maybe he would be a good President.
One thing however is true. He will add a lot of energy and excitment to the campaign. I welcome that.
Barack Hussain Obama: He will add a lot of energy and excitment to the campaign.
Jeebus.
Trump is a sideshow, a distraction. He isn’t aligned with the GOP primarily, as his donation history shows. He is also a Lone Wolf type of executive, not the consensus builder a President needs to be to get his program through Congress.
He’s another reason it is a bad idea to use polls to cut off qualifiers for debates. Trump will score in the 8-10% range on name recognition alone. Serious, qualified candidates like Fiorina, Jindal, and Kasich will be relegated to a lesser debate to accommodate the ego trip Trump is on.
Just an observation on your cut-off line about debates. if a really good candidate gets nosed out and left in the lower level, wouldn’t that person stand out over the others at that level? I can conceive of a good candidate forced to debate at the lower level actually getting better publicity from tromping on his/her competitors than if he/she was in the higher level.
Kind of like Bruce Jenner did by appearing in drag on a national magazine cover, Trump is breaking the ice: he is loudly proclaiming the nation is being run by malignant idiots.
But if Trump gains any traction on the right, it’s because idiots are running the GOP, which we know to be true.
Just like Karl Rove’s stupid advice to George W. Bush to not respond to the outrageous demonizations made against Bush gave us ‘Barack Hussein Obama’ (or whoever he really is,) John Boehner and the rest of the lame hacks hogging the leadership positions of the GOP have now given us Donald Trump.
By our tolerating the likes of Boehner, no one can say we don’t deserve Donald.
“Serious” candidate Trump on whom he’d love to have as a running mate: Oprah Winfrey.
http://www.weaselzippers.us/
If you listen carefully, you can hear the steam calliope in the background…
Oh, I’m locked in on the image – calliope music, monkeys on unicycles, the smell of elephant dung…
…where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns.
Bring in the clowns…
don’t bother, he’s here…