How to beat TRUMP

[The Tradition]

Thursday night's Republican presidential debate in Houston, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) finally came out swinging, and he finally landed some punches on Donald Trump, with Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) acting as his wingman during important moments in the fight. There was yelling, there were insults hurled, there was taunting and belittling. It made for great TV.

Will Trump suffer in the polls or lose voters next Tuesday, on Super Tuesday, when 11 states vote in primaries and Alaska Republicans caucus? Maybe not — nothing seems to have hurt Trump so far. But you can bet that the Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton campaigns will be watching the results and studying Thursday's debate like a football team analyzing the footage of recent games of their upcoming opponent.

Trump is very probably going to be the Republican nominee, and for political scientists and pollsters and political strategists, his success is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma, as Winston Churchill once said of Russia. If Rubio or Cruz is going to take Trump down, they need to experiment with what works when they face him in these increasingly gladiatorial debates. That's a godsend for the Democrats.

Here, for example, is an attack against Trump that worked. Rubio repeatedly demanded to know what Trump's policy prescriptions are: "What is your plan on your health care? You don't have a plan!" Rubio must have rehearsed at least part of this strike, but it didn't look robotic, which neutered Trump's counterattack that Rubio is the automaton who repeats himself. By pressing him on policy, Rubio craftily exposed Trump's lack of depth on important issues, but also appeared to have fun while doing it, giving at least as good as he got. Unlike Jeb Bush, Rubio looks convincing when he laughs off Trump's taunts:

http://theweek.com/articles/608661/...-great-heres-what-democrats-should-learn-from


Click the link to read more, with video examples. Good read for anyone who'd like to see Trump go down....

 

[83Hawk]

Seems to me Trump would have more ammunition against Hillary than Hillary would have against Trump. All Trump has to do is point out the money he has given her in the past and say he did it to buy her influence, while playing up the fact he is self funding his campaign because he is not for sale.....unlike Hillary.

 

[N_fuego]

Trump hasn't put much energy into attacking Hillary so far. When he does, it will be awesome.

 

[BioHawk]

Seems to me Trump would have more ammunition against Hillary than Hillary would have against Trump. All Trump has to do is point out the money he has given her in the past and say he did it to buy her influence, while playing up the fact he is self funding his campaign because he is not for sale.....unlike Hillary.

The easy counter to that is that he clearly didn't understand what he was doing and he obviously didn't get what he wanted. Otherwise, why would he be running?

Not that any of that actually matters though. The people voting for Trump are some of the lowest information voters out there and they don't even know enough to care. On the other hand, the people an attack like the above is meant to attract will vote for anyone to make sure Trump doesn't win. Even if it means voting for Hillary, who they probably aren't big fans of either.

 

[NoleSoup4U]

Trump is going to walk into the debate and say, "Hillary, do you know how I know that you're corrupt? Because I bought you!

Hillary is done. If the Dems want even a slight chance at this election, they need to embrace Sanders.

 

[83Hawk]

Trump is going to walk into the debate and say, "Hillary, do you know how I know that you're corrupt? Because I bought you!

Hillary is done. If the Dems want even a slight chance at this election, they need to embrace Sanders.

Exactly.

And good luck trying to counter with "I took the money but didn't give any favors". I'm sure the American people will believe that. Sure they will.

 

[Herkmeister]

Thursday night's Republican presidential debate in Houston, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) finally came out swinging, and he finally landed some punches on Donald Trump, with Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) acting as his wingman during important moments in the fight. There was yelling, there were insults hurled, there was taunting and belittling. It made for great TV.

Will Trump suffer in the polls or lose voters next Tuesday, on Super Tuesday, when 11 states vote in primaries and Alaska Republicans caucus? Maybe not — nothing seems to have hurt Trump so far. But you can bet that the Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton campaigns will be watching the results and studying Thursday's debate like a football team analyzing the footage of recent games of their upcoming opponent.

Trump is very probably going to be the Republican nominee, and for political scientists and pollsters and political strategists, his success is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma, as Winston Churchill once said of Russia. If Rubio or Cruz is going to take Trump down, they need to experiment with what works when they face him in these increasingly gladiatorial debates. That's a godsend for the Democrats.

Here, for example, is an attack against Trump that worked. Rubio repeatedly demanded to know what Trump's policy prescriptions are: "What is your plan on your health care? You don't have a plan!" Rubio must have rehearsed at least part of this strike, but it didn't look robotic, which neutered Trump's counterattack that Rubio is the automaton who repeats himself. By pressing him on policy, Rubio craftily exposed Trump's lack of depth on important issues, but also appeared to have fun while doing it, giving at least as good as he got. Unlike Jeb Bush, Rubio looks convincing when he laughs off Trump's taunts:

http://theweek.com/articles/608661/...-great-heres-what-democrats-should-learn-from


Click the link to read more, with video examples. Good read for anyone who'd like to see Trump go down....

Trump is way too smart to be without plans. He is playing poker. He won't expose a card until it matters.

 

[83Hawk]

Trump is way too smart to be without plans. He is playing poker. He won't expose a card until it matters.

If I were Trump, I would give specifics to a few plans (once I became the nominee). I would then admit I don't have the answers to every problem....no one person does, and anybody that says otherwise is a liar. I would say that I'd surround myself with smart people that I can work with to come up with the best solutions. Then I would hammer Hillary (assuming she is the dem nominee) by saying she is making the typical politician false promises....that her only plan is to take money from the rich and hardworking and give it to the lazy.

I would then keep up the mantra that she is corrupt because I bought her, and that...since my campaign is self funded...I am NOT for sale. And that the ONLY people I am beholden to are the American people....that I will work for them and not the special interests.

 

[Herkmeister]

To a degree he is doing this now. He talks about enlisting the support of great business leaders.

 

[stillh8unlv]

 

[NoleSoup4U]

You don't seem to understand Trump's appeal.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Rubio's team definitely had him prepared for the debate and to say what he said to Trump. However, his stump speeches appear like they are just going to be the one line statements he made at the debate now. I am not surprised, Rubio Robot is a lot of prepared statements and no substance.

 

[broth87]

Rubio's team definitely had him prepared for the debate and to say what he said to Trump. However, his stump speeches appear like they are just going to be the one line statements he made at the debate now. I am not surprised, Rubio Robot is a lot of prepared statements and no substance.

This is utter b.s. Rubio has shown again and again that he is the best candidate in the Republican Party but too many idiots seem to think it's amusing for Trump to just say ridiculous stuff and flock to him like a bunch of rednecks with IQs under 50. He could go out tomorrow and say the craziest thing you ever heard and would probably get a boost in his polling numbers. It's the dumbest thing I've ever seen.
I'm not necessarily anti-Trump but he hasn't given anything of substance yet in any arena and his constant acting like a petulant child and skipping debates and townhalls is dumb. If he would start presenting some ideas and plans other than build a wall, it just got 10 feet higher, waterboard the hell out of ISIS etc, I'd be more than willing to listen. I think he's hands down far and away the best candidate we've had for fixing the economy and bringing not only American corporations, jobs and money home, but also bringing in foreign corporations and jobs and money, and I think we would see that economy turn quickly if he were President. But that's only one issue facing this country and he's given us nothing on any other front for solutions or policy ideas. All he does is be the loudest guy in the room at debates, talk over everyone, and act like a pseudo tough guy. Not presidential or impressive at all to be.
Rubio owned him the other night and Rubio has been the most Presidential looking candidate in either party since this whole election season started. Calling him a robot is regurgitating stupid crap Chris Christie said. Doesn't make any of it true.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

You said it all with "most Presidential looking candidate". He is a smooth talker that is good at the stump lines. We have seen/heard this before eight years ago. I am not falling for it again.

Rubio has a 38% approval in Florida, he ran on tea party principles. However, he has proven time and time again that he is an establishment guy and liberal on some issues.

 

[broth87]

You said it all with "most Presidential looking candidate". He is a smooth talker that is good at the stump lines. We have seen/heard this before eight years ago. I am not falling for it again.

Rubio has a 38% approval in Florida, he ran on tea party principles. However, he has proven time and time again that he is an establishment guy and liberal on some issues.

Whatever. That's mindless drivel straight from the Trump party. Rubio actually has a record that proves he's Conservative. Trump has a record of spewing liberal lines and liberal ideas over 40 years. While I acknowledge people can change their minds and adjust their way of thinking, no one truly knows what Trump stands for or will do as President.
I'd rather vote for a guy with a proven record than and absolute wild card. You are just like the blind sheep of the Democratic Party who will follow Trump regardless of what he says and does. He truly could come out in a Klan outfit tomorrow spewing racial epithets and the 45% that follow him will think it's great and follow him anyways.
I'm tired of hearing the b.s. that Rubio is establishment. It's nonsense.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Whatever. That's mindless drivel straight from the Trump party. Rubio actually has a record that proves he's Conservative. Trump has a record of spewing liberal lines and liberal ideas over 40 years. While I acknowledge people can change their minds and adjust their way of thinking, no one truly knows what Trump stands for or will do as President.
I'd rather vote for a guy with a proven record than and absolute wild card. You are just like the blind sheep of the Democratic Party who will follow Trump regardless of what he says and does. He truly could come out in a Klan outfit tomorrow spewing racial epithets and the 45% that follow him will think it's great and follow him anyways.
I'm tired of hearing the b.s. that Rubio is establishment. It's nonsense.

Rubio IS the establishment. He has aligned himself with them. I just wish Mitt Romney would come out an endorse him already instead of playing games.

Rubio has been given a C grade as a conservative. That's just when he shows up to work though.

 

[83Hawk]

I find the idea of a Trump presidency both intriguing and horrifying. Intriguing because I'd like to see what a true non-career politician, tell it like it is, no holds barred guy can do as president.....horrified at what a crude blowhard could DO to the presidency.

I really don't have a favorite at this point, though I lean more favorably to Rubio and Kasich. Any of the Republican candidates would be better than the 2 disasters the dems are offering up.

 

[Hawk and Awe]

The people don't care about actual specific on policies and ideas. I thought that's what we had been complaining about with politicians, but apparantly we just wanted them to call eachother names.

 

[Arizona_Hawks]

Republican debate = Jerry Springer show.

 

[stillh8unlv]

You don't seem to understand Trump's appeal.

Yes I do understand his appeal and it's a sad, sad statement on my Republican party.

 

[SoFla-Hawkeye]

Republican debate = Jerry Springer show.

I disagree. Springer has pixelated crotch shots and black chicks pulling off each other's weaves. Though I suppose the gay guy pretending to be straight and coming out of the closet on national TV is a similar theme.

 

[lucas80]

1. Keep pushing for specifics. Keep pointing out that he doesn't have any.
2. Hammer away at the real consequences of the things he is proposing.
3. Push away at his personal attacks against people. Point out to voters he can't just mock foreign leaders and members of Congress and think he'll get things done. Every time another candidate is in front of some vets remind them that draft dodging Trump mocked a man that spend 5+ years being tortured for his country.
4. Point out all of Trump's business failings and bankruptcies. Point out all the unsatisfied customers of Trump University. Point out the numerous times he's been sued for breach of contract.
5. Work Trump over for his string of petulant personal lawsuits. This highlights his childish temperament.
6. Keep reminding people that Trump was born rounding third base getting a high five from the base coach, but likes to tell us all he hit a gapper and was digging all the way around the bases.

 

[h-hawk]

"You wanna know how to get Trump? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. *That's* the *Chicago* way! And that's how you get Trump. Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that? I'm offering you a deal. Do you want this deal?"

 

[NoleSoup4U]

Yes I do understand his appeal and it's a sad, sad statement on my Republican party.

What is his appeal?