Dan McLaughlin has
a good article on how Sanders is doing better among Democrats than Trump is among Republicans. He also gives several examples of Sanders' unusual and absurd views and responds to excuses that are often given for why the media cover Trump so much more than Sanders. Other parts of the article address how weak Trump's standing in the Republican party actually is, despite all of the media attention given to his outpolling his competitors.
This analysis is skewed by the most obvious fact: Republicans and the media are out to destroy Trump by attacking him everyday, but you do not find this with Democrats with Sanders. If the media and the Democrats did the same with Sanders Trump would be be doing exponentially better than Sanders.
ReplyDeleteIs the "the media" out to destroy Trump? The media gives him lavish attention because it's good for ratings. He's the most colorful candidate in the race. He takes delight in making outrageous statements. He's good for the media and the media's good for him. It's a decades long incestuous relationship. Celebrity journalism.
DeleteMoreover, politically savvy liberal pundits would love to see Trump be the GOP nominee, because they think he'd lose and bring down the GOP in the process. It would be counterproductive for them to destroy him during the primary season.
Alan,
DeleteMcLaughlin's article is addressing a lot of different issues, and I don't know what relevance you think your post has to the different points McLaughlin is making. He doesn't deny that the media are being more critical of Trump than they are of Sanders, for example. When you say that the media are applying a double standard, you're repeating a point McLaughlin has made.
Some Republicans are highly critical of Trump, and he deserves a lot of that. But others, like Rush Limbaugh, are far less critical than they ought to be.
Given the tendency this early in a race for so many voters to go by factors like name recognition, the desire to jump on a bandwagon, and a desire to register a protest, Trump's poll average in the twenties doesn't impress me much.
Jason,
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have avoided my point. Stating that "Sanders Is Outperforming Trump" assumes that all things are equal. They are not. Imagine if the media and Sanders' fellow Democrats attacked Sanders the way the media and many Republicans attack Trump. I have to agree with Rush that the 'Trump Derangement Syndrome" has reached fever pitch. I predicted this though when many said that Trump would be a flash in the pan. I knew this election was very different from all other elections, when many Republicans sought status quo again. My hope, though, with Trump is that he will undermine the vacuous Republican party within and step out and run as an independent. In any event, I am thankful for Trump's voice out there on the invasion we are facing in this country. The "electable" Republicans have no guts to face this threat.
No nuance here.
Alan,
DeleteI've documented that Trump reversed himself on illegal immigration. I've documented that he employs illegals. I've documented that he supports the path to citizenship for illegals. Trump has plenty of nuance on that issue.
Are you paying attention to the documentation I provide?
You seem to be spellbound by an orator. I don't see you comparing the stump speech to his actual record, or the escape clauses. Why is that?
It's your hope that he runs as an independent and…then what? Loses to Hillary? How do you think he wins the general election if he can't carry Florida? What's your end game?
Alan wrote:
Delete"Stating that 'Sanders Is Outperforming Trump' assumes that all things are equal."
No, it doesn't. I've explained how Sanders has been outperforming Trump, and McLaughlin explains it, and you keep ignoring those explanations. Did you read McLaughlin's post?
Appealing to Trump's "guts" on immigration doesn't address the problems with Trump that I, Steve, and others have explained many times. I've explained why other issues, like the judiciary, are more important than immigration, and I've explained why it's unlikely that Trump would implement what supporters like you want him to implement on immigration. You keep ignoring those counterarguments.
Alan E. Kurschner
Delete"My hope, though, with Trump is that he will undermine the vacuous Republican party within and step out and run as an independent."
If Trump divides the GOP, and this division leads to Pres. Hillary, how is that an improvement over, say, Pres. Rubio?