With his trademark braggadocio, Donald J. Trump is again hinting at a run for the White House.
By JEREMY W. PETERS and BRIAN STELTER
Published: April 2, 2011
Something predictable happens to the ratings of Donald J. Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" on NBC when he hints at running for president: They rise.
Donald Trump has been increasingly visible on television and in political news stories.
And when he talks about President Obama's birth certificate, they really rise.
Proving cause and effect is impossible, of course. But the coincidence is not lost on Mr. Trump, a man who has erected a real estate and media empire on immodesty and indiscretion.
"Did you get the info I sent you?" Mr. Trump asked in a phone interview with The New York Times late last week. "I told the girls to send you the ratings." He was referring to a 10-page packet of press releases with headlines like "Donald Trump Is Ratings Gold" and news articles from Politico and CNN that described his strength in recent polls. A day later, he re-sent the clips.
Depending on your perspective, Mr. Trump's growing visibility on television and in political news stories over the last few weeks represents the opening phase of a political campaign or the metastasis of a media spectacle. Mr. Trump, who says he is absolutely serious about a run for president, has appeared regularly on Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, ABC and in a wide variety of political blogs. Media outlets that had expected the Republican presidential ticket to take on a fuller shape by now have found themselves with a news void, and in the absence of other news-making characters, many of them are filling it with Mr. Trump.
"Trump and the press have a symbiotic relationship, not unlike bees and flowers," said William Grueskin, dean of academic affairs for the Columbia Journalism School. "At least in the natural world, you get honey out of it. Out of this campaign coverage, all you get are a lot of empty media moments about someone who is unlikely to run, more unlikely to be nominated, and utterly unlikely to win."
Mr. Trump insists that he is not disingenuous about his presidential ambitions, even if others accuse him of pulling a publicity stunt. "I'm very serious," he said. "I'm thinking very, very long and hard about it. I love what I'm doing. And I'm getting a tremendous amount of enjoyment out of running a really great company. My company is extraordinary. But the country is not extraordinary; it's doing very poorly."
Mr. Trump has said his announcement will come by June, which — coincidentally or not — is around the time "Celebrity Apprentice" wraps up its current season. A hint of his plans could come during the May 22 finale, he said in the interview last week. "I wouldn't announce a decision," he said, noting that NBC likely would not approve of politicking on its airwaves. "I may announce where the press conference will be," he added.
Mr. Trump is walking a fine line with NBC. If he were to run, he would have to give up his "Apprentice" franchise, he said. There are no federal prohibitions on candidates being on a network payroll, although the Federal Election Commission does have rules cautioning against the use of air time to further a political campaign in some cases. Fox News, which had five potential Republican candidates on its payroll, recently suspended Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum as they signaled they were planning to run.
NBC officials declined to comment on Mr. Trump's political aspirations.
Mr. Trump acknowledged that if he were to run, he would be walking away from a lucrative and successful business. "It's a great franchise, and I've done a great job," he said.
Ratings for the show are up this season over the same winter season last year, despite the fact that the "Apprentice" franchise is seven years old. On March 20, a few days after Mr. Trump appeared on "Good Morning America" and questioned whether Mr. Obama was born in the United States — an issue among some conservatives who harbor suspicions about the president's heritage and religion — the show had an average of 8.2 million viewers, up from 8.1 million for the same episode last year.
But Mr. Trump received significantly more media attention after he knocked heads with the hosts of "The View" on March 23. The March 27 episode of "Celebrity Apprentice" had an average of 8.6 million viewers, up from 8.0 million for the same episode last year.
"I want him to show his birth certificate!" Mr. Trump said on "The View," despite the fact that the president has indeed produced a certification of live birth showing he was born in Honolulu. "There's something on that birth certificate that he doesn't like," Mr. Trump added, to sneers from the hosts. "Oh, that's a terrible thing to say," Barbara Walters chided him.
Mr. Trump has a history of simultaneously talking up his presidential ambitions while promoting various Trump-branded goods. The first time was in September 1987 when he announced plans for a trip to New Hampshire ahead of the 1988 presidential primaries. A local activist who said he had never met Mr. Trump started a "Draft Donald Trump" movement and invited him to speak to a Rotary Club luncheon.
Mr. Trump also bought full-page advertisements in major newspapers around the country that said "There's nothing wrong with America's Foreign Defense Policy that a little backbone can't cure."
His book "Trump: The Art of the Deal" was published in November 1987 and reached The New York Times best-seller list by December. Synchronicity?
In any case, by the time he appeared at the Republican convention in New Orleans in August 1988, his ambitions had cooled. "Everybody wants me to do it," he declared then. "But I have no interest in doing it."
In late 1999, just before his book "The America We Deserve" went on sale, he began flirting anew with the idea of running for president, this time as a Reform Party candidate. He went on the road with his girlfriend, Melania Knauss, now his wife, to meet with constituents. He bashed the presidential hopefuls that year with trademark Trump braggadocio. Pat Buchanan was a "Hitler lover"; Al Gore was an "anointed" leader; George W. Bush had substandard business skills. Mr. Trump said he was for a woman's right to have an abortion, a position he has since reversed.
By February 2000 he had abandoned the idea of running, concluding that the Reform Party was fraught with infighting that he likened to "general fratricide." The head of the party at the time complained, "Donald Trump came in, promoted his hotels, he promoted his book, he promoted himself at our expense."
Just as then, the media now is watching with breathless anticipation. The anatomy of the latest Trump for President gambit also has mysterious New Hampshire origins, just like his 1987 efforts. On Oct. 3, a few weeks into Season 10 of "The Apprentice," Time.com reported that New Hampshire residents had received phone polling queries of unknown origin that appeared to be testing Mr. Trump's viability as a candidate. Later that week, Mr. Trump said of his presidential aspirations on Fox, "For the first time in my life, I'm actually thinking about it."
A group of New Hampshire Trump loyalists started a Web site called ShouldTrumpRun.com; they said Mr. Trump had nothing to do with their efforts.
Then, however, there was little change in ratings for "The Apprentice," which were only slightly higher in the weeks after news broke about his presidential flirtations. By February, Mr. Trump's name began to percolate in the news media as a presidential hopeful. He has made headlines as far away as India and Australia.
Yet Mr. Trump has a well known fear of germs, which he has promised to conquer before he starts the glad-handing required of presidential candidates. His most serious effort yet at campaigning was done mainly at a distance from crowds — a speech in February at CPAC, a gathering of conservatives in Washington.
His comments about Mr. Obama's birth have been the subject of lengthy, heated debates on cable programs like "Morning Joe" on MSNBC.
He was a guest last week three nights in a row on Fox's "O'Reilly Factor." And starting Monday, Mr. Trump will be a weekly guest on its morning show "Fox & Friends," which is touting "Mondays with Trump."
Whether or not they take him seriously — and some surely do — media outlets have found great grist in Mr. Trump. He makes news as a serious candidate or an unserious self-promoter. Either way, he makes news.
"We are doing lots of coverage of nearly every possible and plausible candidate," said Jim VandeHei, executive editor of Politico. "Trump certainly falls into that category."
Mika Brzezinski, a friend of Mr. Trump's and co-host of "Morning Joe," where he appears every few weeks, said she takes his candidacy as "seriously as anyone that wants to run for president." But she said it was her obligation to call him out on the birth certificate issue, as she did on TV last week. "Along the lines of friends don't let friends drive drunk," she said, "friends are honest with each other."
I could never vote for a man who wears a squirrell on his head, and thinks it is attractive! :o :o
SDM,
Would you vote for a man that won't /can't produce his birth certificate
( I didn't say Certificate of Birth )---a man that's made all his college papers where no one can look at them---a man that's married to a woman that up to 3 years ago was never proud of this country---a man that sit for 20 years in church listening to a man that hates America ( and white people)---a man that has close fiends like Willie Ayres, George Soros, Jeffry Immelt (Just to name a few ? and not to mention his running mate who has had hair transplants that look like rows of sweetcorn on his head and thinks it's attractive ?
I in now way am endorsing Trump but I don't care if the SOB had antlers growing out of his head if the right person loves this country and believes in the Constitution, and follows it.
Miss Delaware has Alopecia. Ya wanna make fun of her too? Some people have very thin hair, both men and women, so what? It has nothing to do with their abilities or character. For many it's genetic, blame their parents. People lose their hair during cancer treatment. Is that something to judge them on too? It's their business whether they choose to wear wigs, have transplants, rub in Rogaine or do nothing. Judging people on that alone is awfully childish if ya ask me. It must be nice to live in a world where only perfect people are tolerated. I'm very surprised. >:(
Diane,
You talking to me or 6 dogs ?
Ouch! Ya'll are pretty hard on me! First of all, this discussion does not involve our president nor his wife, although I think that you are all wet with your opinion Jar. Afterall, the supreme court should have their rulings accepted by the rightwingers, no? Diane, I still stand by my statement; I do question the judgement of a man who wears a squirrell on his head and thinks it looks good. This has nothing, nada, nyet to do with Miss Delaware or any other person who has hair loss. Hair loss runs in my own family; my brother is a real chrome dome, hates it, but it is tolerated and considered normal for him. The Donald is used to having his ego curried and I am certain he has absolutely no interest in the presidency. It's all about the money folks! He does it for the money! And whoever told him he looks young and (ahem) sexy with that thing on his head did it for the money. :P :P :P
I was half seriously talking to The Jar! After all, for some reason shaved heads....bald! is fashionable now among men. It has nothing to do with anything!
Diane,
Oh, so you were talking to JUST me? I used your beloved Joe just to make a point to 6 dogs about her statement about Trump's hair. I say again, I don't care if he has antlers growing from his skull. Too many people vote because of looks. Before Obuma even got the Demo nod, about 3 years back, in our local café I heard a highly educated dummy say he would vote for him because---and I quote" he's tall, articulate and presidential looking" OK, whatever. Then a Repub at the same table said he hoped Fred Thompson would run because" he was presidential looking and had a deep voice"
If it's the right person I don't care if he /she looks like Pee Wee Herman and has an annoying voice like Lucille Ball-----------------never mind. I'm too damn old and too damn tired to argue with someone that is just itching for a fight. You want a fight, next time you see Joe ask him if he will crawl in the octagon and go a couple rounds with ya.
I dont care about trumps hair or lack of hair LOL. He's a arrogant big-feelin, thinks he's better than the "common man" elitist obsessed with appearances , money and "power". I would NOT vote for him.
I havent heard of ONE potential candidate I WILL vote for....I threw my vote away on an alternative party just because I refused to vote for either major party LAST time.
There ARE no worthy potential candidates as far as I can see. Anybody who thinks they are going to get anything different is a fool anyway. This government is entrenched and entrenched in corruption and we have NO-ONE to blame but ourselves for continually re-electing the same individuals so many times that being a politician became a CAREER or a family dynasty instead of a calling to serve.
and now...........back to the show ::) :P
Quote from: thatsMRSc2u on April 04, 2011, 10:31:33 AM
I dont care about trumps hair or lack of hair LOL. He's a arrogant big-feelin, thinks he's better than the "common man" elitist obsessed with appearances , money and "power". I would NOT vote for him.
Actually he is smarter and better than the common man. Thats why he is rich! YOu don't get that way being a blue collar worker!
I think we are pretty much agreeing, so everybody simmer down and try not to get defensive. Looks are important in some areas but not in most. I'm not sure how someone looks "Presidental," but in that case I'll vote for John Weatherly (Tony) from NCIS. I think he is so handsome, but that is just me. Of course "Jethro" ain't half bad either for the rugged older type. ;D I'm not sure what makes a good candidate any more.They are all so professionally handled and managed, who knows what they really think?
Quote from: srkruzich on April 04, 2011, 10:53:15 AM
Actually he is smarter and better than the common man. Thats why he is rich! YOu don't get that way being a blue collar worker!
Right there is the reason you and I will NEVER agree dude. His MONEY does NOT make him either better OR smarter....Plenty of people are what YOU consider "smart enough" they just chose a different road...and that makes THEM smarter in my consideration.
Quote from: thatsMRSc2u on April 04, 2011, 12:09:34 PM
Right there is the reason you and I will NEVER agree dude. His MONEY does NOT make him either better OR smarter....Plenty of people are what YOU consider "smart enough" they just chose a different road...and that makes THEM smarter in my consideration.
The simple fact is that HE IS SMART. IF he wasn't smart he wouldn't have the power and money that he has nor would he have been able to lose it all like he has and get it all back. Doesn't matter what he looks like, the fact is he has demonstrated his abilities.
IF the average joe was as smart as he is they would have money and power too.
The old saying those who are do. Those who aren't work for those who do
Steve... right you are..
He is extremely smart and business shrewed and a lot of what he ways is good common business sense.. and someone that has some financial sense better start running this country AS a business before we totally go belly up ( if we aren't there already )...
Being a shrewd businessman can not get you elected president...if it could Ron Paul and Ross Perot would both have gotten elected. BOTH of whom I voted for.
Having money and power does not make you "smarter" or "better" except in the minds of people who value such things more than anything else. Now I am bowing out of this conversation agreeing to disagree.
Trump pissed on many a small man to get to the top. The little man sucked buttermilk every time he went bankrupt and I bet he never lost a minutes sleep over it
Quote from: jarhead on April 04, 2011, 01:28:20 PM
Trump pissed on many a small man to get to the top. The little man sucked buttermilk every time he went bankrupt and I bet he never lost a minutes sleep over it
I don't know if he did. Maybe. I know that he hires folks that are going to do and not talk about it. You have to be that way to compete in the top. IF not the other sharks are going to eat you alive.
He has the smarts to steer this country back into producing again. I know that if it were me in that position one of the FIRST things i would do to get jobs flowing is exempt all business from taxes, foreign and domestic. Remove taxation of business, then you would have more jobs than could be filled.
Quote from: jarhead on April 04, 2011, 01:28:20 PM
Trump pissed on many a small man to get to the top. The little man sucked buttermilk every time he went bankrupt and I bet he never lost a minutes sleep over it
No he never lost any sleep...he was grinnin and rubbin his hands together while lookin down his nose at em and telling them they should be grateful to him for giving them rain.
Quote from: thatsMRSc2u on April 04, 2011, 04:25:18 PM
No he never lost any sleep...he was grinnin and rubbin his hands together while lookin down his nose at em and telling them they should be grateful to him for giving them rain.
LOL you don't succeed in business holding peoples hands telling them things will be ok even though they are having a hard day. I've worked for men like him and he rewards you for productivity not inactivity or sub par work.
You don't succeed in life by standin on peoples necks as you climb over the "dead bodies" and kid yourself into thinkin your money and the people it buys really love you and will stick by you when it's gone, or that the people who tell you to your face youre an ass are "just jealous" of your "success"
I'm not saying he is Presidential material..( but a hell of a lot better than what we have in there now) but I am sticking to the fact he is a smart as hell business man.
The left will nail him as the "evil rich."
Apparently having money is evil unless you are willing to take it from others and give it away to the ones who want everything for nothing..
Oh yeah... or your name is Kennedy, Soros, Gore, Kerry, Rockefeller, etc.
Quote from: Teresa on April 04, 2011, 05:28:04 PM
I'm not saying he is Presidential material..( but a hell of a lot better than what we have in there now) but I am sticking to the fact he is a smart as hell business man.
The left will nail him as the "evil rich."
Apparently having money is evil unless you are willing to take it from others and give it away to the ones who want everything for nothing..
Oh yeah... or your name is Kennedy, Soros, Gore, Kerry, Rockefeller, etc.
Absolutely true! Like i've said, i've worked for James M. Cox (Cox communications), D.G. Sego (Sego Enterprises), F Duane Ackerman (Bellsouth CEO), and quite a few other Execs, as well as a few entrepreneurs who took what they had, risked everything they had, and turned it into a profitable business that provided them with millions. THey didn't get there mollycoddling workers. Most workers i've ever dealt with only are there for their 40 hours a week and they won't put out more than they absolutely have to. IMO they don't want to succeed, just exist. IF you want to make a good wage, put forth extra effort, work 60 hours instead of 40 and you'll get noticed. You'll get the raises and promotions and you will get the recognition. IT is after all the producers that make the company great. The non producers are just there for the company teat.
Quote from: Teresa on April 04, 2011, 05:28:04 PM
I'm not saying he is Presidential material..( but a hell of a lot better than what we have in there now) but I am sticking to the fact he is a smart as hell business man.
The left will nail him as the "evil rich."
Apparently having money is evil unless you are willing to take it from others and give it away to the ones who want everything for nothing..
Oh yeah... or your name is Kennedy, Soros, Gore, Kerry, Rockefeller, etc.
LOL Money doesnt make people evil.......the things they think it ENTITLES THEM to do. I don't care that he's rich....He's an egotistical ASS.....rich OR poor. I don't think he's better than what we have in there now...I think he's about on a LEVEL with what we have in there now.
Besides everything else you have pointed out, he is acting like Palin with that birther thing.
Everyone knows that just doesn't fly any longer, it just gets negative feed back, besides getting newsmedia coverage.
Perhaps the republicans will settle on a Trump/Palin ticket.
One of my chief concerns with the Donald is how does anyone develop that much real estate in NY/NJ without being fairly cozy with the 'Five Families'?
I'm happy to hear some different ideas and possibilities. I also like it that he says what he thinks even if it po's others. The hair and the 3 marriages are non issues for me.
Quote from: thatsMRSc2u on April 04, 2011, 05:52:10 PM
....He's an egotistical ASS.....rich OR poor. I don't think he's better than what we have in there now...I think he's about on a LEVEL with what we have in there now.
Drats! If Trump runs & wins the primary, we'll have two great choices... an egotistical ass with bad hair or an arrogant ass with a shady background!
Quit it Patriot---you're scaring me !!
Quote from: jarhead on April 04, 2011, 09:32:04 PM
Quit it Patriot---you're scaring me !!
hahaha~~ an nothing scares you!! (( 'Cept Jimmie and me.. )) ;D
Trump for president? This whole thing has to be a ha-ha.
I'd vote for him right now. He would be 1000% better than what we have right now.
MT,
I'm with ya on that. He damn sure aint the man I'd pick but has to be better than what we got.
Yes, Tersa I am scared of you and ol Sarge----You because you're a better shot---ol Sarge because them Fly Boy sentry dog handlers didn't know an M-16 had anything but fully automatic. As you know I'm pretty quick on my feet but even I have my limits to dodging that much lead flying around
Probably could be a good choice. There wouldn't be any more wars. He would just go around and fire everyone.
(sorry, couldn't pass that up.)
Larryj
Good one Larry :D
On a serious note tho.....doesn't it bother anybody that for the last few elections (actually MORE than a few) the person people decide to vote for is the one THEY consider the LESSER OF TWO EVILS??? The fact that there hasn't been a seriously VIABLE candidate for the highest office in this country is a better weather-vane of the state of the country than anything else that goes or has gone on.
The fact that all you hear is people saying well I'M votin for so and so because he's better than so and so just depresses the hell out of me. The fact that we are in here ACTUALLY considering a man like Donald Trump the best for the job.....a man with more skeletons in his closet and more shady dealings than Obama ever had the ambition for in his past DISGUSTS me with politics even more than I already was.
From what I can see of the other potential candidates...........OMG are we screwed.....AGAIN.....
Quote from: thatsMRSc2u on April 05, 2011, 09:32:57 AMa man with more skeletons in his closet and more shady dealings than Obama ever had the ambition for in his past
Proof? I bet Trump has a way better history than Obama will ever have. We already know most of Obama's history, hanging around with extremists, socialists, communists, so on and so on. At least Trump understands the free market. Get this government to be economically responsible and out of the people's lives and that will fix a ton of our problems.
Quote from: mtcookson on April 05, 2011, 09:40:39 AM
Proof? I bet Trump has a way better history than Obama will ever have. We already know most of Obama's history, hanging around with extremists, socialists, communists, so on and so on. At least Trump understands the free market. Get this government to be economically responsible and out of the people's lives and that will fix a ton of our problems.
Thats like sayin Jeffrey Dahmer was a little less of a killer than Johne Wayne Gacy.....
A PRESIDENT is NOT going to change the way this government does business. It has been a money talks and bullshit walks operation from about ten minutes after it was formed.
The PRESIDENT is nothing more than the guy who either gets the blame or the credit for what Congress does...and what CONGRESS does depends on which LOBBY is payin the biggest bonus.
So spare me all the "Oh The Donald will fix it...HE knows what hes doin." WHATthehellever. What "The Donald" wants is publicity, the Prestige ( and I use that term loosely) of being the "top dog" and the Throne.
I personally shudder at the thought of either ONE of them being president next time.
As far as "The Donald" :P demanding Obamas birth certificate...that dude has enough money and power that if he really wanted it and really thought it would "out" Obama he would've already found the guy willing to sell it to him.....and if Obama was a closet muslim, Trump would've found the one guy with a picture to prove it.
All that talk does is cloud the real issues...he's NOT much of a president and he is back-peddlin on every thing he "promised" that got people to vote for him in the first place.I can't believe people are still such pollyannas that they believe anything ANY politician says.
All this is my personal opinion...so forgive me if I dont come back and justify it to you :) I dont WANT to convince you I'm right or get into a futile argument about it.
The Donalds' plan for getting us out of debt:
1. Turn the Federal government into a series of LLCs (limited liability company)
2. Shift all assets out of two or three of the LLCs
3. Shift all liabilities into the ones wiped clean of assets
4. Have the all-debt, no asset LLCs declare bankruptcy
He's done it before
Who else is running? Just Trump and Obama????? What a scary thought!! ???
Quote from: thatsMRSc2u on April 05, 2011, 10:05:57 AMAll this is my personal opinion...so forgive me if I dont come back and justify it to you :) I dont WANT to convince you I'm right or get into a futile argument about it.
It doesn't work that way. You're trying to claim that someone is something without backing it up. That's like saying "in my opinion you're a murderer" yet have nothing to back up that claim.
QuoteA PRESIDENT is NOT going to change the way this government does business.
You're right. It also takes congress... well, except for in Obama's case. He's trying to get around that. But anyway, the President can give some recommendations to people in congress and congress goes from there. It also helps having a President that will actually do something once congress passes what is needed.
QuoteThats like sayin Jeffrey Dahmer was a little less of a killer than Johne Wayne Gacy.....
No, its like calling a successful businessman a worthless hippie. Or maybe someone who watches porn a rapist. Or maybe a petty thief and killing criminal.
Trump is a successful businessman that got a ton of money by working hard. You may not like how he does it, that's tough. Obama rode on coattails and hangs out with radicals that want to change this country for the absolute worse. Trump is not a lesser of two evils, he's better than Obama in every way.
Quote from: Lookatmeknow!!Who else is running? Just Trump and Obama?Huh? What a scary thought!! Huh
Technically he's not even running yet, at least not that I've heard. :laugh:
Currently I'd love for Ron Paul to win, a few others are on my list. If Trump got the nomination though I wouldn't complain. We'd have a very strong economics President and we could really use one of those right now.
QuoteIt doesn't work that way. You're trying to claim that someone is something without backing it up. That's like saying "in my opinion you're a murderer" yet have nothing to back up that claim.
OMG Mr. Cookson, anybody who has been alive for more than ten minutes and watched the news in the last 30 years or so has seen Mr. Trumps modus operandi. I'm not accusing him of anything without proof. He buys and sells people and tries to/does strong-arm them if they say they ARENT for sale.
On second thought maybe he's just what this country deserves because he operates on MONEY is the ONLY thing he hears talkin.....and after all this country does operate on the principal of greed. He's got THAT in spades.
Got it by "working hard" my ass. That dude has never had a blister or broke a sweat. Of course my definition of working hard and most peoples does tend to differ.
I think maybe when I write that I think Obama sucks and that I didnt vote for him...will not vote for him THIS time that it becomes invisible ink or something......seriously.....maybe I just imagine I wrote it.....who knows.....who cares? LOL
Quote from: thatsMRSc2u on April 05, 2011, 10:38:08 AM
Got it by "working hard" my ass. That dude has never had a blister or broke a sweat. Of course my definition of working hard and most peoples does tend to differ.
Smart people do not work hard, they work smart. They know how to duplicate their efforts without having to do it by their own hands. THats why they get rich.
Quote from: thatsMRSc2u on April 05, 2011, 10:38:08 AM
OMG Mr. Cookson, anybody who has been alive for more than ten minutes and watched the news in the last 30 years or so has seen Mr. Trumps modus operandi. I'm not accusing him of anything without proof. He buys and sells people and tries to/does strong-arm them if they say they ARENT for sale.
On second thought maybe he's just what this country deserves because he operates on MONEY is the ONLY thing he hears talkin.....and after all this country does operate on the principal of greed. He's got THAT in spades.
Got it by "working hard" my ass. That dude has never had a blister or broke a sweat. Of course my definition of working hard and most peoples does tend to differ.
I think maybe when I write that I think Obama sucks and that I didnt vote for him...will not vote for him THIS time that it becomes invisible ink or something......seriously.....maybe I just imagine I wrote it.....who knows.....who cares? LOL
The problem I'm having is it appears you're trying to make Trump come out as having as bad a history as Obama when... its simply just not even close. True, that part is a matter of opinion I suppose but in reality its pretty clear which of the two has a truly nasty history when it comes to shaping how they'll run this country.
Yeah, Trunp may seem like a major prick or whatever you feel when it comes to business but the fact is he IS successful and he doesn't have the truly shady history that Obama has (that I've seen). If he's a closet socialist then you can bet I'll change my tune the instant I hear it but so far all I've heard about him doesn't touch Obama's very scary past.
Like I said before, IF it comes down to Trump vs. Obama it won't be a choice of "lesser of two evils". Trump would clearly be a better choice.
Hasn't Trump filed bankruptsy? (Spelling wrong) But how is that working hard? Just asking? MT, I think that he has worked hard at being smart, which is no down fall of his, but to say that the man has actually worked like you and me, don't think so. I feel that working hard is earning everything you have!! Not that he hasn't, but his working is more of a book and paper work I would say, which by no means is not work. I know that know.
I do like Trump, DO NOT like Obama!!! But to me the congress is a little like our own little school here in town. The big man (President) tries to push around the board(Congress), and both need to work together to provide a good government for the United States of America!!
Quote from: Lookatmeknow!! on April 05, 2011, 11:30:24 AM
Hasn't Trump filed bankruptsy? (Spelling wrong) But how is that working hard? Just asking? MT, I think that he has worked hard at being smart, which is no down fall of his, but to say that the man has actually worked like you and me, don't think so. I feel that working hard is earning everything you have!! Not that he hasn't, but his working is more of a book and paper work I would say, which by no means is not work. I know that know.
I do like Trump, DO NOT like Obama!!! But to me the congress is a little like our own little school here in town. The big man (President) tries to push around the board(Congress), and both need to work together to provide a good government for the United States of America!!
Maybe he wasn't a huge physical worker but if he spent a lot of time working out deals with companies and whatnot how is that not working hard? I recall taking difficult tests in school and feeling just as drained as I would working out in weight lifting class. I worked hard either way, one of them you just can see me do but does not mean I didn't work hard.
Even now when I do coding on websites, especially with one of the latest sites I've done, I feel completely wore out at the end of the day trying to look through all the coding thinking of how to make it all work. I get to the point where I feel mentally drained and can't figure out why the code isn't working. I go home, go to bed, start fresh in the morning and am able to see right away what went wrong. Same goes for when I work on my cars. After a long day lifting, bending down, crawling, having my arms above my head for long periods, I am physically drained, have to call it quits just relax so that I can continue the next day. Just because that is physical work doesn't mean it is more demanding than the mental work.
Quote from: srkruzich on April 05, 2011, 10:43:47 AM
Smart people do not work hard, they work smart. They know how to duplicate their efforts without having to do it by their own hands. THats why they get rich.
RICH is a relative term Mr. Kruzich :) Working with your hands and muscles does not make you stupid...and I realize the fact that someone would choose that over what YOU are calling success makes them stupid in your eyes...but the fact is you and I , we operate on different planes and different skills earn our respect. You respect material success....material success is nice but it ain't the REAL prize. Being a master of the money game AIN'T gonna help in what is coming....but being able to apply some OLD skills will.
Fact remains I will neither vote for Trump OR Obama......but I will have to live with whoever the majority/make that the electoral college picks.
QuoteJust because that is physical work doesn't mean it is more demanding than the mental work.
No it doesnt.
I totally agree with you MT. I understand that mental work is just as hard. I don't really see a win win with either Obama or Trump. Can't there be any good candidate out there? LOL- sorry!!
Was workin in my garden and had to see what was up.....now I'm goin back to the garden LOL Y'all have a most excellent day!
Quote from: Lookatmeknow!! on April 05, 2011, 11:30:24 AM
Hasn't Trump filed bankruptsy? (Spelling wrong) But how is that working hard? Just asking? MT, I think that he has worked hard at being smart, which is no down fall of his, but to say that the man has actually worked like you and me, don't think so. I feel that working hard is earning everything you have!! Not that he hasn't, but his working is more of a book and paper work I would say, which by no means is not work. I know that know.
Book and paper work, computer work is 10 times harder than digging a ditch. i've done both and I can attest that after 8 hours behind a desk working, i was always more worn out than i was doing manual labor.
Quote from: thatsMRSc2u on April 05, 2011, 11:50:13 AM
RICH is a relative term Mr. Kruzich :) Working with your hands and muscles does not make you stupid...and I realize the fact that someone would choose that over what YOU are calling success makes them stupid in your eyes...but the fact is you and I , we operate on different planes and different skills earn our respect. You respect material success....material success is nice but it ain't the REAL prize. Being a master of the money game AIN'T gonna help in what is coming....but being able to apply some OLD skills will.
Not at all. IT DOESN"T TAKE BRAINS to dig a ditch, or do manual labor. And the fact that it is SMARTER to use your knowlege to make your money. You can only do so much work by yourself.
I'll guarantee that those like trump will be riding fine with what is to come. THey'll have enough money to take care of themselves. I do respect those individuals like Trump, Koch, guys who went out there and started from scratch and built their business's. They overcame the obstacles that most people today can't even begin to fathom on how to get past them.
I do not envy their money nor their success. I Do admire them as they are Definately smarter than the avergage guy and have proven it
Quote from: Lookatmeknow!! on April 05, 2011, 11:52:12 AM
I totally agree with you MT. I understand that mental work is just as hard. I don't really see a win win with either Obama or Trump. Can't there be any good candidate out there? LOL- sorry!!
I don't see why he wouldn't be a good candidate. He is extremely strong on the economy side of things and we desperately need someone in there that understands economics.
Understands economics - right. ::)
Tell me again how many times he has declared bankruptcy or forced his creditors to rewrite the terms of his loans under threat of another bankruptcy filing?
From Webster's New World Dictionary: double standard - a system, code, criterion, etc. applied unequally
Also, since this litmus test is required of all politically active men of his generation, how did he avoid military service during the Vietnam era?
Quote from srkruzich
I'll guarantee that those like trump will be riding fine with what is to come. THey'll have enough money to take care of themselves.
Steve,
If things go south,like it might, what good does money do for people like Trump ? Who will sell him food for his worthless green paperbacks ? You say it doesn't take brains to do manual labor. When the going gets rough put a garden hoe in them rich fellers hands, to try and raise something to eat, and we will see who has the brains. Wonder how many of them rich people know how to shoot wild game, process it, and pressure cook it so it don't spoil, in warm weather . How many would know how to prepare and eat wild polk greens---lambs quarter--cattails--and the list goes on . All that land that rich idiot Ted Turner owns and I bet if the fish weren't biting, and his tummy was growling , he wouldn't have a clue how to jump in the water and noodle his supper. Plus I bet I got more ammo stored away than them rich fellers, so when push comes to shove, I will take their worthless money and use it to build a fire to cook me a goat steak.
Uh-o, Jar, you shouldn't have specified goat and that is poke greens, not polk. Take it from the widow of a real Elk County redneck.
Why Donald Trump for President Is a Joke - Ed SchultzQuoteDonald Trump continues to parade himself around the media as if people in this country actually care about his potential candidacy in 2012. I don't think they do. This is a circus and it's fake.
Trump gives public service a bad image. It's not about flash, it's not about wealth, and it's not about hairstyle. It's about doing something for people and being an advocate for the community you represent. Trump, well, he's done none of that... ever.
Donald Trump is no more a serious candidate than me going back to North Dakota in an attempt to get a Senate run going. And I must say, at least they asked me.
Who has shown any interest in Donald Trump being the next president of the United States other than Donald Trump? Nobody.
The Republican Party isn't banging on his door, and the hilarious part of this is that he's trying to court the tea party through the birthers.
Trump is screaming to the public, "Please, pay attention to me! I'm important! I can get on any show I want! I could be president! And I'm thinking about it!"
You know what I say? "So what?"
Have you noticed in all of the interviews he has been giving, that he never has any solutions, no real answers other than verbal bomb throwing?
I'd like to know, Mr. Trump, what's your plan for 15 million Americans unemployed in this country? How about the 50 million uninsured Americans when it comes to health insurance? How about the poor, do you have a plan for them?
Trump doesn't talk about that stuff -- he continues to harp on the fact that he screwed somebody in a land deal and that's proof he can do a great job in foreign relations.
But when it comes down to the devil in the detail of dealing with the issues of the people and making real change, Trump, you don't have it. You've never had it. Money is not a measure of a man's character or success in the arena of public service.
I'm curious, where do you stand on the farm bill? Do you know anything about it? I'd like Donald Trump to tell the American people what state he thinks he can win. Maybe with all his money he can create a state.
Mr. Trump, stop embarrassing yourself.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-schultz/why-trump-for-president-i_b_843631.html
Yes it's HuffPost/MSNBC, but I like it anyway.
Wilma,
Now you made me do some reserch. Google polk and you will see that it's sometimes called "poke weed" Same, same !!
You live in Howard and I live in Longton. We are further south than you so us Southerners call it polk and you northern Yankees call it poke----and you can take that from a southern hillbilly . :)
Jar, I don't trust this newfangled "Googling" so I went to my trusty 1947 Winston Dictionary, College Edition, and this is what it says.
Polk, not even listed.
Poke--a bag or sack
Poke--a tall, American herb purple berries: also, called poke weed; pigeon berry.
Poke--to thrust or push against with a sharp pointed object. to thrust in or out, as to poke at a fire. To move lazily; dawdle; A projecting rim on a woman's bonnet; also, the bonnet itself; a wooden collar with a short, projecting pole, to prevent cattle jumping fences.
Maybe us Northern Yankees are just able to pronounce it without an L.
Not sure what The Donald has to do with fresh poke, but he has enough money to go to Europe to buy food if he wanted or would hire someone to grow it for him. He was born into money, learned from his father and went to SCHOOL (imagine that) to learn more. He went to Military School too. I suspect his number just never came up for Viet Nam ,not every body's did, plus he would have had educational deferments until just about the time Viet Nam was over. Or his Daddy would have gotten him into a National Guard Unit like some others did.
Quote from: flintauqua on April 05, 2011, 02:06:30 PM
Why Donald Trump for President Is a Joke - Ed Schultz
...
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Here, I'll fix it for you.
Quote from: flintauqua on April 05, 2011, 02:06:30 PMEd Schultz Is a Joke
Is what he said a joke, or is it a joke because of who said it?
O'Reilly and Rove sure didn't think much of the Donald last week:
http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-oreilly-karl-rove-video-2011-3
What about this scenario:
1. The Donald loses in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina; then leaves the reactionaries behind by jumping ship to the Reform Party or runs independent.
2. The reactionaries and Tea Partiers nominate one of the Pauls, or Palin, or an ultra-right pandering Huckabee or other former conservative.
3. The reactionary takes the right third of Republicans, and all of the Libertarians and Anarchists, while The Donald takes the majority of conservatives, spliting the right and handing the election to Obama, repeating the Perot fiasco of 1992.
4. We suffer through four more years of Obama, instead of finding a candidate that can beat him by capturing the Moderates that don't like Obama either.
You know, of all the B.S. that I've and even posted on the Forum, this thread has to take the cake. I mean, honestly, "He's rich so he ain't never done no manual labor or even know how to." or "He's rich so obviously he has more brains than most"...give me a break. When shit goes south it isn't the rich you see with their hands out, its the so-called manual labor blue collar types.
Quite frankly, with this level of discourse is it any wonder why there isn't a canidate worth voting for?...as if it actually mattered.
Quote from: Varmit on April 06, 2011, 03:54:45 AM
You know, of all the B.S. that I've and even posted on the Forum, this thread has to take the cake. I mean, honestly, "He's rich so he ain't never done no manual labor or even know how to." or "He's rich so obviously he has more brains than most"...give me a break. When shit goes south it isn't the rich you see with their hands out, its the so-called manual labor blue collar types.
Quite frankly, with this level of discourse is it any wonder why there isn't a canidate worth voting for?...as if it actually mattered.
When shit goes south the blue collar manual labor types will know how to take care of themselves. Don't confuse manual labor blue collar with poor trash welfare types. The upper-crust have somebody else do it or buy it types will be puttin salt and pepper on their money and seein if they can eat it.
It's not only the welfare types who have been taking Gov't money.
The welfare mentality has been accepted far and wide iin this country for years.
Liberals, moderates and so-clalled conservatives adapt to gov't money and programs.
It ought to be un-acceptable.
Trump has only slightly more charisma than Ross Perot and Perot got nowhere. Voting for charisma is what put the current disaster in the Oval Office.