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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Trump Campaign Is In Full Nuclear Meltdown Mode
Sources describe the campaign as an incompetent, backstabbing skeleton crew without any coherent message. And Donald Trump is making it worse.http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/06/donald-trump-campaign
For all the noise that Donald Trump makes, and all the amplification that noise gets from the media, its hard to see the campaign infrastructure that presumably exists behind it. Perhaps thats because, as Trump aides and other sources close to the campaign revealed to NBC News, there isnt any infrastructure. Instead, the Trump campaign is reportedly composed of a skeleton crew of a few backstabbing staffers unable to coordinate a coherent message about the presumptive Republican nominees vision for America.
The article, simply titled Donald Trump does not have a campaign, details the disarray within the campaign, which is described as a bare-bones effort debilitated by infighting, a lack of staff to carry out basic functions, minimal coordination with allies and a message thats prisoner to Trumps momentary whims. While the feuding between professional political operative Paul Manafort and neophyte campaign manager Corey Lewandowski is well-known, even more dysfunction exists below them. Hope Hicks, the campaigns 27-year-old press secretary, reportedly works alone and without any support; a daunting task for a staffer responsible for managing Trumps juggernaut media presence. A rapid-response team, crucial in traditional campaigns to rebut their opponents attacks before they damage the candidate further, does not exist. The Trump campaign struggles to publicize positive news, too: while Manafort corralled a host of local endorsements ahead of the candidates California tour last week, no press release ever went out, a source told NBC, because Lewandowski and Hicks vetoed every draft. And when Hillary Clinton delivered a devastating foreign-policy speech criticizing Trumps temperament and credentials, Republican allies waited in vain to receive instructions on how to coordinate a counterattack. Trump tweeted about Clintons use of a teleprompter, but neither Trump nor the R.N.C. ever released an official rebuttal after the speech.
A lack of coordination isnt the only reason Trump surrogates are in the dark. Trump himself is so mercurial, and his positions so inconsistent (and often at odds with the Republican Partys own platform), that allies rarely know how to act or what to say. When Trump attacked Gonzalo Curiel, the judge presiding over a Trump University lawsuit, for his Mexican heritage, he refused to listen to the majority of horrified supporters and surrogates who urged him to apologize his comments. High-profile supporters like Newt Gingrich, who is widely considered to be a top pick for Trumps V.P., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell either repudiated his remarks or remained silent.
But Trump hasnt backed down. On a conference call Monday, reported by Bloomberg, Trump demanded that his supporters and surrogates ramp up their attacks on Curiel. When former Arizona governor Jan Brewer noted that Trumps own staffers had previously sent a memo asking his allies to stop referring to the lawsuit, the New Yorker exploded. Take that order and throw it the hell out, he said, according to two people who were on the call. Are there any other stupid letters that were sent to you folks? he asked. That's one of the reasons I want to have this call, because you guys are getting sometimes stupid information from people that aren't so smart.
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msongs
(67,420 posts)gwheezie
(3,580 posts)I'm hoping this ruins him.
Warpy
(111,277 posts)Anyone this erratic is dangerous as hell.
AllyCat
(16,189 posts)Actually, for ANY function at all.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,009 posts)I've been saying for a few months that tRump is winging it, flying by the seat of his pants without any training and no respect for trained people.
lonestarnot
(77,097 posts)orwell
(7,775 posts)...it's going to be "great, awesome, fantastic". You'll see.
How do I know?
Because Drumph repeatedly tells me so...
Doctor Jack
(3,072 posts)nxylas
(6,440 posts)It's because he listens to himself
NewJeffCT
(56,828 posts)better than the generals!
And, his hands are HUGE! They're beautiful hands, too.
lastlib
(23,248 posts)It's going great, just keep up the great work! Come November, you'll thank me...'cause you won't have to worry about doin all that presidential work--Hillary will have it all under control for ya!
Mendocino
(7,495 posts)he (Kane) declares that it would be fun to own a newspaper. Skip forward 75 years, the very similar narcissistic Trump proclaims in essence, it would be fun to "run for president". Kane used the press as a tool to advance his own selfish interests, Trump will use the office for the same purpose.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)I know Democrats are planning on how to beat Trump, but Republicans are humoring him. It is in my view possible but not sure that he will be the candidate.
He does not need campaign organization, however, because the media loves him. He makes a good story.
Clinton is utterly predictable and boring -- scripted.
The media sees Bernie as too smart and too dangerous for their sponsors (although he isn't at all; rather Bernie would be good for our economy) so they don't push him much.
Hillary is not very good on camera. She does not speak well extemporaneously. She doesn't have a really engaging personality or the ability to laugh lightly and make jokes. She just isn't very personable. The media does what they can for and with her, but she does not naturally have that star quality. Sad but true.
This does not mean that Hillary is a bad person. It's just that she doesn't have a good persona.
C Moon
(12,213 posts)They realize Trump will lose. But they are going to put on a non-stop ugly impeachment focus on Hillary, if she's elected. If Bernie wins, they'll be thrown for a loop.
I just hope we can take the senate and house back, and along with the Dem President, we can fill some Supreme Court seats.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)Doctor Jack
(3,072 posts)And based on the reports of Trump trying to handle all strategy and communications there is no plans to start a rapid response team any time soon. Its going to look like Nazis trying to repel the D-Day invasions with a lone solider armed with a baseball bat.
The democrats are going in full force and trump is just sitting around with his thumb up his butt
NewJeffCT
(56,828 posts)Trump was pretty pathetic last week - good description of D-Day.
Once Obama, Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden and others turn their focus to Trump, he'll be mincemeat.
Doctor Jack
(3,072 posts)tavernier
(12,392 posts)Doctor Jack
(3,072 posts)TeamPooka
(24,229 posts)Doctor Jack
(3,072 posts)He will probably be giving speeches in front of 8 people in a McDonalds parking lot with a roll of toilet paper sticking out of his pants and his comb over not done.
13Dogs
(45 posts)Three comments, three laugh out loud moments... congratulations, each comment evoked a hilarious visual
13Dogs
(45 posts)Missed the "bragging about his lawn while his house burns to the ground". You have a way with words, no doubt. Thanks for providing some hearty guffaws..
Flatpicker
(894 posts)Trump is too much a salesman for that.
The behind the scenes drama may be real, but your not going to see that in public view.
There may be a meltdown coming, but it won't be reflected in the "Donald" persona.
Personally, I think he's having a mental breakdown in even trying to run for office. Something has gone wrong with him.
blogslut
(38,002 posts)"...Republican allies waited in vain to receive instructions on how to coordinate a counterattack."
3/4 of the GOP's perceived strength the last 16 years has come from its unified talking points. Their presumptive nominee is too paranoid, scattered and vain to allow anyone else to polish his turds.
Cool.
Mopar151
(9,989 posts)Kablooie
(18,634 posts)And peppered with the best words.
only uses the best, because he's the best of the best when it comes to knowing the best.
Hekate
(90,714 posts)Meanwhile, pass the butter and salt please.
JohnnyRingo
(18,636 posts)I know some might try to sneak in a STFU tweet or a Facebook post about how Trump needs to stop saying stupid shit, but don't do it! Trump has every right to run his campaign as he sees fit and should be allowed to continue unabated.
I'm beginning to think we can actually win this thing.
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)Who cares that he had made zero community connections, has a joke of a campaign organization, and doesn't even have a sober network. His message resonates!
The silver lining to Sanders losing is that Trump can never win this thing. Ever.
DetlefK
(16,423 posts)That formulation alone is proof that Trump is dumb.
Gothmog
(145,321 posts)Scuba
(53,475 posts)... are Bernie yard signs.
I've yet to see a Hillary yard sign anywhere.
yourpaljoey
(2,166 posts)Scuba
(53,475 posts)... when he's bopping his supermodel wife he fantasizes that he's masturbating.
Btw, had my rethug neighbor take DOWN his Trump sign few weeks ago - the only one in my huge neighborhood.
Ilsa
(61,695 posts)She likes shooting from the hip and she's going to be the only one willing to work with him.
Either that, or Newt will make an agreement with Trump that Donny has to resign after a few months. Then we'll have pres. Gingrich to deal with.
Bumper sticker:
Trump-Gingrich 2016
We'll be as successful at governing as we've been at marriage
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Feel free to use one of your lifelines on this question.
Ilsa
(61,695 posts)No backup, no talking points, no coordinated message. It's just Trump tweeting.
mercuryblues
(14,532 posts)She will be the only one to say yes. Then she will put poison in the glue that holds his hair onto his scalp.
Ilsa
(61,695 posts)Doesn't like people with weight issues. And CC would have to put up with donny calling him names like on a playground, because when it's all said and done, thrump's just playing around.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,009 posts)Ilsa
(61,695 posts)MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)He still hasn't emerged from Rump's penthouse, after more than an hour. Earlier today he issued his resounding support for the piece of shit.
LenaBaby61
(6,974 posts)I'm hoping he and his campaign continue to implode in the worst way
underpants
(182,829 posts)Free advertising including phone in interviews.
beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)and since he is as from from an expert on politics....gonna be fun watching the next 5 months
auntpurl
(4,311 posts)longship
(40,416 posts)R&
sarge43
(28,941 posts)Wounded Bear
(58,670 posts)Really, I can't.
sufrommich
(22,871 posts)It's starting to seem like the GOP may be considering a coup. I heard this morning that Cruz hasn't endorsed Trump,is he hedging his best that Trump will fall?
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)into supporting a complete idiot.
Bill "encouraged" Trump to run. He will take a dive in the GE.
Duppers
(28,125 posts)99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)Duppers
(28,125 posts)Besides the personal attack, you feel it unnecessary to explain your point to a "lesser" poster. Even another Bernie supporter.
Trump is on record using the word rape in describing Bill's shortcomings. Apparently, you think that such an allegation is entirely alright with Bill and is just part of the pkg in getting Hillary elected. Wow! Alrighty then.
For your info, I wasn't negating your CT, only asking how you'd explain that rape allegation could fit in your theory. Rape is certainly not provable but the allegation is slanderous and I would think horribly over the line with both Clintons. But hey, anything to get elected, right.
Bye now.
McKim
(2,412 posts)Excellent thinking, Monkey. I agree.
malaise
(269,054 posts)yellowcanine
(35,699 posts)That ought to whip them into shape and inspire them to do better! Well done, Mr. Trump!
By the way, Donald, that should be "from people WHO aren't so smart. "That" would be correct if you were referring to information, as in "information that isn't so good" but since you are modifying "people" the word is "who." I know you like uneducated people, but if you are chastising people who aren't "smart" maybe you should use proper English or they might get the idea that YOU aren't so smart yourself. Just sayin'.
tavernier
(12,392 posts)I've got to get a life.
QED
(2,747 posts)AgadorSparticus
(7,963 posts)Ligyron
(7,633 posts)check in later for more DUzzies, bwahaha!
Lint Head
(15,064 posts)asshat Drumpf.
DamnYankeeInHouston
(1,365 posts)maybe Bernie should run as an independent just so we have two candidates.
No more Bushes! No more Clintons!
reign88
(64 posts)if he implodes enough he may very well be replaced. At a certain point it's seriously damaging either way, so why not at least go out with someone who's not a complete psychopath.
AntiBank
(1,339 posts)If you go by polls he beats her across the board and Ohio is an auto lock. In Pennsylvania Kasich smashes her too. Most electoral maps put Kasich around 300 electoral votes.
tom_kelly
(960 posts)maryellen99
(3,789 posts)McKim
(2,412 posts)I had a sneaking feeling that the TV Media made a god out of Trump to create a boogyman so that Dems would be very scared and vote for Hillary in the primaries. Now that the main stream press and TV have declared her the "winner" they are going after Trump and pounding on him hard. This is all theater. It makes sense as an idea and I hope readers will consider it. Now they can conveniently get rid of Trump. He has served his purpose.
Response to AntiBank (Original post)
McKim This message was self-deleted by its author.
Sheepshank
(12,504 posts)But to me he always comes across as the "pop a vein in your forehead" constipated kind of a guy.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,009 posts)MrScorpio
(73,631 posts)It's just pining for the fjords.
brett_jv
(1,245 posts)He was about to wake up, and ya STUNNED him!
The Norwegian Blue stuns easily!
ffr
(22,670 posts)and that's why I ran for president as one. The GOP is a dysfunctional scourge on American. Shameful and harmful at the same time. Drumpf may just be cleaning house and doing so in one simple election cycle.
In that regard, he's brilliant!
0rganism
(23,957 posts)replace him? that'd be interesting, but very demoralizing to a base that thrives on revenge. lose the presidential election, lose the down-ticket races, and become irrelevant for at least 4 years.
don't replace him? by now, i think we have at least some idea of what that looks like. lose the presidential election, lose the down-ticket races, and become irrelevant for at least a decade.
either way,
bucolic_frolic
(43,188 posts)The biggest problem at this point is if they do dump Trump.
It would be a path off the mat.
Democrats must keep up the pressure.
Califonz
(465 posts)will be railroaded in despite the protests of the delegates.
Odin2005
(53,521 posts)Their base nominated a lunatic that is going to be crushed despite our candidate being very flawed and unliked, THAT is how fucked the GOP is right now.
shireen
(8,333 posts)Except it's real!
I really hope someone does a movie or tv series on the surreal incoherent GOP reign of The Donald.
On a more serious note, I think he and his supporters are going to be dissertation topics for many future graduate students in the social and political sciences.
Demobrat
(8,982 posts)All he needs to do is keep throwing red meat to racists. They will love him no matter what. So what if he makes fun of people with disabilities? They've probably all done it themselves and think it's funny.
I just have to believe that people like that are not a majority in this country.
PatrynXX
(5,668 posts)but his supporters aren't. They totally think this is in the bag thanks to the false news from AP this morning. had to unsubcribe from HP and MSNBC for that one. No Fictional news for me.
NoMoreRepugs
(9,435 posts)by Party insiders before or at the convention. Yes they may hate HRC or Bernie - but do you really think they will sit still if their hero is eliminated in a coup??? I sure don't.
AntiBank
(1,339 posts)will have been vapourised. He will have had to be made a pariah, a disgraced, contemptible piece of dog shit, strewn amongst the wreckage of his vulgarian nature and projection/appeal to the lower, base nature of man, ie. racial scapegoating, appeal to anxiety directed at the "other", etc. He will have had to have multiple public breakdowns, explosions, faux pauxs, embarrassments, etc.
Let us all hope this happens.
brett_jv
(1,245 posts)Shit, it took one ill-timed, odd yelp of excitement from Dean to get the media to pile on and torpedo his campaign.
And Drumpf has somehow gotten away with committing gaffe after gaffe after gaffe ... with almost no repercussions.
Its fucking UNREAL what the guy has already gotten away with. I'm not sure what you describe is even possible.
IronLionZion
(45,457 posts)It's time for their factions to split up and go their separate ways.
We already have 2 Republican governors running on the Libertarian ticket. Why not get a Christian party and a War party and a pro-Corporate party out of the GOP?
quakerboy
(13,920 posts)That he may win this all the more astounding.
Chemisse
(30,813 posts)When he is trying to show he is up to the job.
I shudder to think what he would be like with all the power of a president.
AgadorSparticus
(7,963 posts)This is what happens when he has no big backers to bankroll his campaign.
PatrickforO
(14,577 posts)Because Clinton is such a weak candidate, Trump could beat her.
Of course, worst case scenario: If Trump's campaign totally implodes, he might get challenged at the convention, in which case he'll break away and form a third party - TRUMP! The Republican candidate who replaces him will likely be Paul Ryan.
If this happens, it will be a very hard fought campaign, and the outcome will be very much in doubt.