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What Obama says scares him about Trump

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

President Barack Obama uses a rose to tap the cheek of Sophia Ahmadinejad, 2, as her parents Zainab Ahmadinejad and Mohammad Hussein Ahmadinejad, right, watch as Obama greets guests at an Eid al-Fitr reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Thursday.

PHILADELPHIA » President Barack Obama says it isn’t just the idea of Donald Trump’s finger on the nuclear button that he finds scary.

“I set aside the nuclear codes,” he said in an interview broadcast on NBC’s Today Show today. “What I think is scary is a president who doesn’t know their stuff and doesn’t seem to have an interest in learning what they don’t know.”

As Obama prepared to address the Democratic National Convention today, he warned in the interview that Trump could win in November.

“I’ve seen all kinds of crazy stuff happen,” he said, expressing concerns that voters might get complacent.

Obama also offered his thoughts about the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email server and talked about why Democrats are projecting a theme of optimism at their convention.

“Anybody who goes into campaigns not running scared can end up losing,” Obama said. “So my advice to Democrats — I don’t have to give this advice to Hillary Clinton, because she already knows it— is you stay worried until all those votes are cast and counted because you know, one of the dangers in an election like this is that people don’t take the challenge seriously. They stay home. And we end up getting the unexpected.”

Obama, a skilled campaigner who has proven particularly effective at prodding Trump, offered his assessment of why the prospect of him on the Oval Office should frighten Americans. “If you listen to any press conference he’s given, or listen to any of those debates, basic knowledge about the world or what a nuclear triad is or where various countries are or, you know, the difference between Sunni and Shia in the Muslim world— those are things that he doesn’t know and hasn’t seemed to spend a lot of time trying to find out about.”

On Clinton’s email troubles, Obama said FBI director James Comey “was comprehensive, unusually so, about how they arrived at their decision” to advise against an indictment. He said Clinton had acknowledged she made mistakes and that demands she be put in jail are irrational.

“Folks are rough on Hillary Clinton in ways that even as somebody who, I’ve had my share of, you know, gettin’ whacked in the public eye, I’m surprised by sometimes. And I don’t think it’s fair,” he said.

In his speech tonight, Obama said he will strike an optimistic note, even as he acknowledged his plan to change the political tenor of Washington had come up short.

——

©2016 Tribune Co.

83 responses to “What Obama says scares him about Trump”

  1. klastri says:

    Donald Trump is the most spectacularly unfit person to ever seek political office. His request to the Russians to hack and release email should prove that to anyone with a working brain.

    He cannot become President of the United States. Period.

    His supporters should be ashamed of themselves.

    • Winston says:

      So outrageously outraged—-and yet the latest LA Times poll has Trump up by 7 points. Now why, oh,why could that be given the crystal clarity of your vision? Answer: Clinton appears to be a worse choice at this point in time. Her coronation is built on a foundation of political fraud as revealed by these DNC emails.

      It’s hilarious that Trump prompts the Russians to release the 30,000 Clinton emails which were “lost”. First, Hillary says that there was absolutely nothing of national security import in those emails, but now that they may turn up it’s an outrageous, unpatriotic attack on national security. By the election this lady will have tied herself into a human pretzel in the course of creating this self serving layer cake of lies.

      And the final issue of character is her lying to the families of the Benghazi dead. Just what we need in a commander-in-chief.

      • klastri says:

        The more people know Mr. Trump – the high school bully who never grew up – the less they like him.

        He’s going to lose in a humiliating landslide, and in the process will hopefully destroy the party that created him.

        Good riddance.

        • sarge22 says:

          Now I see where you get your marching orders..Nancy Pelosi said white uneducated people are Republicans. Congrats on being another one of the sheep with a sheepskin.

        • klastri says:

          sarge22 – So you’re saying that highly educated people are the most easily led around by a know nothing, racist demagogue?

          That makes as much sense as anything you else you write. Good for you!

          Nancy Pelosi has been elected by the folks in her district for a long time, and was the first Speaker of the House of Representatives. What have you accomplished in your life? Take your time with that.

        • klastri says:

          sarge22 – Make that the first woman Speaker ….

        • lespark says:

          What’s scares me is if Crooked Hillary gets near the White House. It will be the end of the World. ISIS will take over the military, Islam will be the only religion, no llgbtq. Hillary will become a dictator, abolish the Republican Party. Raise taxes on the white middle class, free tuition for minorities,

        • lespark says:

          And proud of it.

        • klastri says:

          lespark – Mr. Trump is depending on your fear and cowardice.

          You’re guaranteed to deliver.

        • Winston says:

          Your failure to objectively compare these two losers is a partisan deflection and failure to admit that we now have to chose the candidate that sucks the least.

        • klastri says:

          Winston – OK. Mr. Trump sucks more. Way more.

          By an order of magnitude, at least.

        • sarge22 says:

          Yep Hillary wasn’t a good sucker.

        • sarge22 says:

          The first woman Speaker said something really ignorant again. Trump supporters gain a few more points.

        • Paulh808 says:

          Anybody is better than that lying crook HiLIARy.

        • lespark says:

          Pelosi and Cummings have been around too long.

        • lespark says:

          Sarge, Monica was the best lollipop sucker in the Oval Office. She even kept some of Bills gene pool.

      • lespark says:

        She’s already trying to wiggle out of the deals she made with Bernie. She’s a bigger fraud than Donald could ever be.
        You are right, the Democrats were deadly serious. They find those emails? Democratic Party over.
        Once Donald gets in Christie is going to squeeze the living day lights out of the IT guy who took the 5th for obstruction.

        • klastri says:

          So you think it’s a good thing for the government to engage in vindictive prosecution? It figures!

          This is type of person that Trump attracts, folks. Read the emails from these people carefully. This is what a racist, bigoted demagogue breeds.

        • Vector says:

          Lespark, you are missing a part of your brain. The logical and reasoning part.

        • Vector says:

          lespark, with your mindset, you would be a dictator

        • lespark says:

          They might even water board him, how’s that?

      • Ikefromeli says:

        Usual post convention bump. Mitt had a similar lead post convention and well, I’ll let you inform me on how well that ultimately turned out for him.

        • sarge22 says:

          Mitt was a wimp.. Trump is a finisher.

        • Ikefromeli says:

          Then why is Trump currently trailing HRC by 9 points in the most crucial state of Pennsylvania, even before her post convention bump?? If he can’t win Pennsylvania, he can’t win the election.

        • sarge22 says:

          Down 9 pts in July. Do you understand finisher? Or should we say Hillary is finished as we already know her many faults. She has our back. Was she serious?

        • Ikefromeli says:

          I do. I worked on two presidential races that ended up with eventual winner–and you?

        • sarge22 says:

          Of course not. Neither has Mr Trump and he’s doing rather well for a beginner. Chelsea, the daughter in law of a another criminal to follow Katie Perry. What a let down.

        • lespark says:

          Ike, be specific. Which ones. Obama, Obama? Bid deal.

      • Vector says:

        Winston, you are one of the ultimate liars, vile and vulgar with your accusations. Do’nt you have any bit of common decency. Totally ugly and gross character

      • Vector says:

        Trump is nothing more than an immature, bully, rich spoilt child, and penultimate con man and phony

      • Ikefromeli says:

        On the night she is set to accept the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania’s most populous city, Hillary Clinton holds a 9-point lead over Donald Trump in the latest Suffolk University survey, in no small part thanks to a strong performance in the Philadelphia metro area.
        In a head-to-head matchup with the Republican nominee, Clinton earned 50 percent to Trump’s 41 percent, with 8 percent undecided, said the survey, released Thursday. The 9-point margin is the same shown by an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll conducted earlier in July, which had Clinton at 45 percent and Trump at 36 percent.

        Although the Democratic nominee has won every presidential election in Pennsylvania dating back to Bill Clinton in 1992, Trump has campaigned heavily in the state, putting it on the map as a top target. On Wednesday, both Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, stumped in Vice President Joe Biden’s hometown of Scranton.

        No doubt that will Clinton will add to this lead, post convention. If Trump can’t win Pennsylvania then he has no chance at all….

        • sarge22 says:

          “Hillary Clinton. She’ll say anything, and change nothing. It’s time to turn the page. Paid for by Obama for America.”

          Obama 2008 Campaign Ad

    • lespark says:

      I am ashamed of myself.

  2. MillionMonkeys says:

    For all you “He’s a successful businessman” fans, here’s a realistic look at the Donald…

    There are different kinds of business people: Corporate executives (CEO’s, vice presidents, etc.), marketing managers, financial analysts, entrepreneurs, accountants, salesmen, office clerks, researchers, department heads, communications experts, etc. Trump is an entrepreneur/salesman/marketing wiz, and a popular reality TV star as well. Guys like him make the most money, often more than the CEO’s, and they deserve it. Bravo for the Trump brand!

    A common scenario is that someone like Trump gets an idea, asks his finance wiz if they can fund it, makes a few calls, and a new business model is born (never mind waiting for Research to okay it). More than half the time these ideas sputter, but that’s okay, just declare bankruptcy or sell before things fall apart. And when the idea does work, the guy gets rich, proving again that America is the land of opportunity.

    What these entrepreneur types are not good at is running the entity they built. They’re simply not good at or interested in the daily operations that a big company needs. If they try to be the CEO, they’ll make a bunch of head-scratching decisions, and eventually have to vacate their position (by selling or by being forced out). If they are smart entrepreneurs, they’ll just hire someone to run the company for them (e.g., their Wharton-educated kids), then go on making new big deals. If they are star employees, management would be wise to send them out to open new branches, perhaps expand markets to different regions or countries; they should not be allowed to run the project they initiated, because they simply cannot run anything for an extended time.

    The job of POTUS is like being CEO of the country’s biggest corporation. Being “presidential” means knowing how to work with smart people, how to talk with smart people, and how to get advice from smart people. It also means presenting yourself so that a wide segment of the population respects and admires you. It’s a big responsibility that requires thought and perseverance. It is NOT a venture project one can get excited about, put together in a snap, and abandon when it no longer looks profitable or interesting. A huge difference between being president and being an entrepreneur is that you cannot just declare bankruptcy and start something else.

    What are Trump’s executive skills? Does he think about any of his big ideas? How will “The Wall” be built, and how will Donald force Mexico to build it? Exactly which people will he stop from immigrating here? Does he really want Russian spies hacking into our networks?

    Better question, what will you do when you realize he has no plans for taking care of this country?

  3. MillionMonkeys says:

    For all you “He’s a successful businessman” fans, here’s a realistic look at the Donald…

    There are different kinds of business people: Corporate executives (CEO’s, vice presidents, etc.), marketing managers, financial analysts, entrepreneurs, salesmen, office clerks, researchers, department heads, communications experts, etc. Trump is an entrepreneur/salesman/marketing wiz, and a popular reality TV star as well. Guys like him make the most money, often more than the CEO’s, and they deserve it. Bravo for the Trump brand!

    A common scenario is that someone like Trump gets an idea, asks his finance wiz if they can fund it, makes a few calls, and a new business model is born (never mind waiting for Research to okay it). More than half the time these ideas fail, but that’s okay, just declare bankruptcy or sell before things fall apart. And when the idea does work, the guy gets rich, proving again that America is the land of opportunity.

    What these entrepreneur types are not good at is running the entity they built. They’re simply not good at or interested in the daily operations that a big company needs. If they try to be the CEO, they make a bunch of head-scratching decisions, and eventually have to vacate their position (by selling or by being forced out). If they are smart entrepreneurs, they’ll hire someone to run the company for them, then go on making new big deals. If they are star employees, management would be wise to send them out to open new branches and expand to different regions; they should not be allowed to run the project they initiated, because they simply cannot run anything for an extended time.

    The job of POTUS is like being CEO of the country’s biggest corporation. Being “presidential” means knowing how to work with smart people, how to talk with smart people, and how to get advice from smart people. It also means presenting yourself so that a wide segment of the population respects and admires you. It’s a big responsibility that requires thought and perseverance. It is NOT a venture project one can get excited about, snap together, and abandon when it no longer looks profitable or interesting. When you are president, you cannot just declare bankruptcy and start something else.

    What are Trump’s executive skills? Does he think about any of his big ideas? How will “The Wall” be built, and how will Donald force Mexico to build it? Exactly which people will he stop from immigrating here? Does he really want Russia hacking into our networks?

    Better question, what will you do when you realize he has no plans for taking care of this country?

    • Cricket_Amos says:

      Nice little theory!

      • Vector says:

        It’s not a theory, if you are not blind to the facts

        • Cricket_Amos says:

          It’s a kind of theory, one that someone makes up based on observations.

          The danger is assuming that it is a fundamental truth that always applies.

          It is a theory about how entrepreneurs start things up and how things get run.

          Facts would be actual examples. It is not a fact.

          As with many such theories, it may or may not apply in the case of an individual example.

    • lespark says:

      MillionMonkeys, did you just plagiarize MillionMonkeys? Or was that just more Democrat Double Double talk.

    • lespark says:

      I’d rather have a guy come up with ideas and make them succeed. If I had to choose between the two candidates’ known accomplishments, hands down Trump is the Man.
      Crooked Hillary’s path to the WH looks like a headon train wreck littered with Benghazi, lies, corruption, dishonesty, riots, protestors. The DNC convention was a disaster. No one other than the few die yards watched 133 bureaucrats begging for 8 more years. It was pathetic.

      • Ikefromeli says:

        And your expertise in making such judgements? Please inform us what in your background allows you to make such analytical decisions?

        • sarge22 says:

          “Hillary Clinton. She’ll say anything, and change nothing. It’s time to turn the page. Paid for by Obama for America.”

          Obama 2008 Campaign Ad

  4. CEI says:

    “Obama, a skilled campaigner who has proven particularly effective at prodding Trump” Ha! that’s a laugh. While attempting to trash Trump in early June, Barry Hussein turned into a stuttering little boy when his teleprompter failed. You can still find the video if you look hard enough. The Ministry of Truth hasn’t gotten all of the footage down the memory hole …yet. Make no mistake Trump lives rent free in little Barry’s head.

  5. MillionMonkeys says:

    For all you “He’s a successful businessman” fans, here’s a realistic look at the Donald…

    There are different kinds of business people: Corporate executives (CEO’s, vice presidents, etc.), marketing managers, financial analysts, entrepreneurs, salesmen, office clerks, researchers, department heads, communications experts, etc. Trump is an entrepreneur/salesman/marketing wiz, and a popular reality TV star as well. Guys like him make the most money, often more than the CEO’s, and they deserve it. Bravo for the Trump brand!

    What these entrepreneur types are not good at is running the entity they built. They’re simply not good at or interested in the daily operations that a big company needs. If they try to be the CEO, they make a bunch of head-scratching decisions, and eventually have to vacate their position (by selling or by being forced out). If they are smart entrepreneurs, they’ll hire someone to run the company for them, then go on making new big deals. If they are star employees, management would be wise to send them out to open new branches and expand to different regions; they should not be allowed to run the project they initiated, because they simply cannot run anything for an extended time.

    The job of POTUS is like being CEO of the country’s biggest corporation. Being “presidential” means knowing how to work with smart people, how to talk with smart people, and how to get advice from smart people. It also means presenting yourself so that a wide segment of the population respects and admires you. It’s a big responsibility that requires thought and perseverance. It is NOT a venture project one can get excited about, snap together, and abandon when it no longer looks profitable or interesting. When you are president, you cannot just declare bankruptcy and start something else.

    What are Trump’s executive skills? Does he think about any of his big ideas? How will “The Wall” be built, and how will Donald force Mexico to build it? Exactly which people will he stop from immigrating here? Does he really want Russia hacking into our networks?

    Better question, what will you do when you realize he has no plans for taking care of this country?

  6. MillionMonkeys says:

    For all you “He’s a great businessman” fans, here’s a realistic look at the Donald…

    There are different kinds of business people: Corporate executives (CEO’s, vice presidents, etc.), marketing managers, financial analysts, entrepreneurs, salesmen, department heads, communications experts, etc. Trump is an entrepreneur/salesman/marketing wiz, and a popular reality TV star as well. Guys like him make a lot of money, often more than the CEO’s, and they deserve it.

    What these entrepreneur types are not good at is running the entity they built. They’re simply not good at or interested in the daily operations that a big company needs. If they try to be the CEO, they make a bunch of head-scratching decisions, and eventually have to vacate (by selling or by being forced out). If they are smart entrepreneurs, they’ll hire someone to run the company for them, then go on making new big deals. If they are star employees, management would be wise to send them out to open new branches and expand to different regions; they should not be allowed to run the project they initiated.

    The job of POTUS is like being CEO of the country’s biggest corporation. Being “presidential” means knowing how to work with smart people, how to talk with smart people, and how to get advice from smart people. It’s a big responsibility that requires thought and tact. It is NOT a venture project one can get excited about, snap together, and abandon when it no longer looks interesting. When you are president, you cannot just declare bankruptcy and start something else.

    Question: What will you do when you realize he has no plans for taking care of this country?

  7. MillionMonkeys says:

    For all you “He’s a successful businessman” fans, here’s a realistic look at the Donald…

    There are different kinds of business people: Corporate executives (CEO’s, vice presidents, etc.), marketing managers, financial analysts, entrepreneurs, salesmen, department heads, communications experts, etc. Trump is an entrepreneur/salesman/marketing wiz, and a popular reality TV star as well. Guys like him make a lot of money, often more than the CEO’s, and they deserve it.

    What these entrepreneur types are not good at is running the entity they built. They’re simply not good at or interested in the daily operations that a big company needs. If they try to be the CEO, they make a bunch of head-scratching decisions, and eventually have to vacate (by selling or by being forced out). If they are smart entrepreneurs, they’ll hire someone to run the company for them, then go on making new big deals. If they are star employees, management would be wise to send them out to open new branches and expand to different regions; they should not be allowed to run the project they initiated.

    The job of POTUS is like being CEO of the country’s biggest corporation. Being “presidential” means knowing how to work with smart people, how to talk with smart people, and how to get advice from smart people. It’s a big responsibility that requires thought and tact. It is NOT a venture project one can get excited about, snap together, and abandon when it no longer looks interesting. When you are president, you cannot just declare bankruptcy and start something else.

    Question: What will you do when you realize he has no plans for taking care of this country?

    • Cricket_Amos says:

      Are you aware that you are repeating yourself?

    • sarge22 says:

      OMG The monkeys are running wild. Call the ASPCA

      • keaukaha says:

        These monkeys are far superior to the undereducated white men who are the Chumps base. How embarrassing to be a member of this section of voters.

        • sarge22 says:

          While many are blaming Russia for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) email leak, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says there is no evidence to suggest that the DNC was hacked by the Russian government. Furthermore, Assange claims the next leak will lead to the arrest of Hillary Clinton. RT correspondent Laura Smith has the report from London.

        • Paulh808 says:

          I am not a white man,and I will not vote for your Demo trash candidate.

  8. Cricket_Amos says:

    I listened to Donald Trump’s press conference this morning. Unscripted, questions from many people on many topics. Some reporters clearly hostile and fixated on something. I was impressed. I thought he gave good intelligent answers and was clearly on top of it. As for his remark to the effect that if the Russians have Hillary’s missing emails, perhaps they could release them so we could all know – I agree.

    Secretary Hillary has not given a press conference for 235 days. The last time, if got this right, was December 7, a Friday evening, on which she answered 7 scripted questions.

    It makes me think she will get slaughtered in the debates – but who knows? We have to wait and see.

    I did also listen to President Obama’s speech tonight. I did not think he was all that great, not as good as Michelle or Bill Clinton. I think he is starting to look like the same old thing.
    Bill Clinton told it like a fairy tale, and that is what some of it was.

    Obama used some of the standard fallacious reasoning you often hear from certain politicians. For example, you take an example generalize it to a theory and then apply the theory to everything, as though you had discovered some fundamental truth. I have seen the President do it repeatedly, going all the way back to the debate with Romney where he generalized Romney’s being in favor of e-verify to his being in favor of the whole proposed Arizona immigration policy, and then using this bogus theory to argue that Romney was in favor of stop and verify.

    • Vector says:

      I am waiting for the FBI, CIA,IRS and Anonymous to hack into all of Trump’s emails, and especially his TAX RETURNS.

      • Cricket_Amos says:

        Well, I would think the IRS would not have to hack into his Tax returns, that they already have them.

        Look, here is the point.

        She is running for president. She deleted many thousands of emails from a server that was also illegally used for top secret government business.

        She claims the deletions were only personal.

        How do we know they were not part of an illegal scheme that apparently ended up with her becoming a multimillionaire?

        I think we need to see these to be confident in her.

        If they are as innocuous as she claims, why not?

        Why such an effort to make sure that no one would ever see them?

        • Ikefromeli says:

          The IRS cannot just release an individual’s tax returns, nor can the President order the release.

    • kekelaward says:

      December 7, huh?

      I hope she pointed out how this great country never wavered, groveled or gave up after the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.

      • klastri says:

        I can see that we need to add American History to the long list of things you know nothing about.

        Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Look it up!

        • butinski says:

          kekelaward was just being sarcastic, but some can’t realize it. Same as when some say the slaves were happy as a lark building the White House in DC. Understand sarcasm when it bites you.

        • sarge22 says:

          The poli sci majors and failing lawyers can’t think outside the box. They simply can’t understand why Trump is doing so good. It’s not in their study guide. The brainwashed sheep have lost their ability to think. Still waiting for them to say what HiLIARy has accomplished.

        • keaukaha says:

          Undereducated white men.

  9. Ikefromeli says:

    “I never thought a serious candidate for US President could be a serious threat against the security of the West. But that’s where we are,” Carl Bildt, the former Swedish prime minister, wrote on Twitter.

  10. Ikefromeli says:

    Bloomberg criticized Democrats, but argued that Trump was a “dangerous demagogue” and a bad businessman who would be a disastrous president. “I’m a New Yorker,” he said, “and New Yorkers know a con when we see one.”

    The billionaire ex-Republican, who has endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, made the case that Trump’s career is characterized by a litany of collapses and missteps, and that the Republican presidential nominee’s boasts don’t match reality. Americans who want a great businessperson in the White House should look for someone who isn’t Trump, Bloomberg said.

    “Throughout his career, Trump has left behind a well-documented record of bankruptcies, thousands of lawsuits, angry stockholders and contractors who feel cheated and disillusioned customers who feel ripped off,” Bloomberg said. “Trump says he wants to run the nation like he’s running his business? God help us.

  11. kekelaward says:

    ““What I think is scary is a president who doesn’t know their stuff and doesn’t seem to have an interest in learning what they don’t know.””

    Our nation has been thru seven and a half years of exactly this kind of nonsense with zero.

  12. Ikefromeli says:

    What networks would Trump draw upon? His lack of experience in government is important. Government is different. He may renegotiate what he owes his bondholders and his contractors, knowing precisely how much he can cheat them before they are likely to go to court. But governments can’t operate on the same principles, and they can’t be run entirely by people whose background is in hotel marketing or financial legerdemain. Trump will have to find thousands of experienced people to fill appointed positions in the federal government. Unlike a Hillary Clinton or a Jeb Bush, with their carousel-size Rolodexes linked to hundreds of other Rolodexes, he has few or no existing networks to draw on outside his very narrow world of real estate and entertainment.

    The one existing network that would ordinarily be available to a Republican president—the party itself—will find it hard to step up in key areas. Trump’s positions on too many issues are at odds with what the establishment stands for. Take economic policy. Republican arithmetic always offers challenges: combining tax cuts with deficit reductions, without reducing any of the popular government programs, has proved impossible in practice. But Trump’s promises are on a totally different scale, making fiscal conservatives blanch. No economist or corporate executive with mainstream conservative views could sign on with a straight face for any job in the Treasury Department, the Office of Management and Budget, or the Council of Economic Advisors. It would be a betrayal of principles and would tarnish that person in Republican circles for life.

    Trump has torn up other key tenets of Republican orthodoxy. In some cases, he may be speaking only what is common sense, but that in itself may be heretical and make entire categories of federal service impossible to fill for a conventional Republican. Free trade was supposed to make everybody better off. Clearly, large swaths of America know that they are worse off today than they were a third of a century ago. Trade may have been good for the G.D.P., but it wasn’t good for them. While this is totally consistent with textbook economics, Republican orthodoxy has denied textbook economics—even opposing assistance for those who have lost their jobs. For a young Republican to sign up to work with Trump in international economics is to cast his lot with a set of ideas that will never be accepted by the Republican establishment.

    Per Joseph Stiglitz, globally recognized economist and a Nobel Peace prize recipient.

  13. Ikefromeli says:

    What Mr. Trump should have done was to warn President Vladimir Putin of Russia that if he interfered in the election, American political leaders would be united in imposing consequences of some kind on his nation, as the Republican candidate’s vice-presidential running mate, Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, has suggested.

    That Mr. Trump has not done so reinforces the growing perception that he is ready and willing to pursue policies favored by Mr. Putin, who has made clear his preference for Mr. Trump over Mrs. Clinton. News reports have questioned Mr. Trump’s financial dealings with Russian companies, providing another reason he should release his tax returns, like all recent major party presidential candidates.

    The bizarre affinity for Mr. Putin is just one reason to question Mr. Trump’s judgment. He has endorsed waterboarding, even though it is illegal; he has argued for retaliating against political enemies and journalists; and he has proposed excluding people from America based on their religion. It grows ever harder to imagine that he could honor the high office to which he aspires.NYT

  14. Ikefromeli says:

    Hmmmn, most any pollster, whether you are inclined to lean to left or right, would state as a general proposition, that if Trump cannot win Pennsylvania, all is lost. So, with that in mind, On the night she is set to accept the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania’s most populous city, Hillary Clinton holds a 9-point lead over Donald Trump in the latest Suffolk University survey, in no small part thanks to a strong performance in the Philadelphia metro area.

    In a head-to-head matchup with the Republican nominee, Clinton earned 50 percent to Trump’s 41 percent, with 8 percent undecided, said the survey, released Thursday. The 9-point margin is the same shown by an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll conducted earlier in July, which had Clinton at 45 percent and Trump at 36 percent.
    Although the Democratic nominee has won every presidential election in Pennsylvania dating back to Bill Clinton in 1992, Trump has campaigned heavily in the state, putting it on the map as a top target. On Wednesday, both Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, stumped in Vice President Joe Biden’s hometown of Scranton.

    What’s also sure to happen, is that Clinton will add to this advantage post convention…

  15. bsdetection says:

    Essential reading — today’s column by Jennifer Rubin, ultra-conservative Washington Post writer, “Russian hacking: What We Know and Trump Doesn’t”:
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2016/07/28/russian-hacking-what-we-know-and-trump-doesnt/?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-f%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

  16. bsdetection says:

    Possible reasons that Trump isn’t releasing his tax returns (his claim that he can’t release them while he is being audited is bogus):
    1. His tax avoidance would be exposed
    2. His ties to Russia would be revealed (if he is funded by Russian banks and then claims that his campaign is self-funded, what does that mean?)
    3. He’s not as wealthy as he says he is
    4. He makes less than the Clintons
    5. He pays less in taxes than the Clintons
    6. He is committing tax fraud
    7. He keeps money in offshore accounts to avoid taxes
    8. He does not donate to charity (except when he was caught lying about his support for veterans and was shamed into making donations by the Washington Post)

  17. lespark says:

    What do the top ten cities (over 250,000 pop.) with the highest poverty rate
    all have in common?

    Detroit, MI – (1st on poverty rate list) hasn’t elected a Republican mayor
    since 1961
    Buffalo, NY – (2nd) hasn’t elected one since 1954
    Cincinnati, OH – (3rd) not since 1984
    Cleveland, OH – (4th) not since 1989
    Miami, FL – (5th) has never had a Republican mayor
    St. Louis, MO – (6th) not since 1949
    El Paso, TX – (7th) has never had a Republican mayor
    Milwaukee, WI – (8th) not since 1908
    Philadelphia, PA – (9th) not since 1952
    Newark, NJ – (10th) not since 1907

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