}

Saturday, October 08, 2016

Keep digging!


Just when you thought that Donald couldn't possibly be any worse, that there was nothing more we could hear that would lower our opinion of him below the basement, something else is revealed, and we’re—yet again!—reminded of what a vile, disgusting man he truly is.

Donald’s crude and vile comments about women (also: “Trump on Hot Mic: 'When You're a Star ... You Can Do Anything' to Women”) have set off a firestorm—again—as people react in revulsion—again—to something he said. He naturally tried to distract be calling it a distraction, he finally apologised, lying about who he is, and then went on the attack against Bill Clinton—because attacks and lies are what he’s best at.

Many people have pointed out this this latest outrage is highly unlikely to affect his frothing, frenzied fans, but, so what? It doesn’t really need to: If this drives away the few remaining women who support him, and the men who love them, that will help defeat Donald. Similarly, if it motivates the people who already can’t stand Donald to turn out and vote against him, that, too, will help defeat him.

But this could do even more damage: It could defeat downticket Republicans, something even party leaders can see: “GOP Piles on Donald Trump Over Remarks on Women”, and also “Trump plunged into crisis as GOP recoils from vulgar remarks”, and "Republican Officials Are Stampeding Away From Trump".

Despite the outrage being heaped on Donald even by Republicans, it’s entirely possible that this latest scandal won’t hurt him at all. For months and months and months, people said that whatever the latest outrage was would “surely” finish him off, and they never did—he just kept winning. There will be plenty of Americans who simply won’t care about this, for whatever reason, and plenty of people who will be prepared to either forgive Donald or even accept his explanation—and that’s not even among his fans. So, anyone who thinks that this will finish off Donald would be wise to wait and see.

On the other hand, with some new scandal or outrage every few days, time definitely IS running out for Donald to regain his footing, and that’s made even worse by the fact that Donald just can’t stop digging himself a deeper hole with every new scandal or outrage. He could still win, but the possibility of doing so is getting more challenging for him by the day.

And that is very good news, indeed.

Update, October 9: "Trump vows to stay in race after calls for him to quit over lewd remarks". Also, John McCain has withdrawn his support for Donald.

2 comments:

rogerogreen said...

Two not happy thoughts: if the WaPo and/or NBC had this info for months, and they used it now, this fits into the "liberal press" narrative. (And if he weren't the candidate, would they have used it at all?) 2) Trump quits, Pence gets elevated. I know the arguments how difficult that would be at this late date (you already have YOUR ballot), but Pence could have beaten HRC

Arthur Schenck (AmeriNZ) said...

With respect to the first, the rigthwing says that regardless. The elevation of Pence wouldn't be automatic, but he's the one who fully represents the far-right extremists who now control the Republican Party, so they'd be over the moon with that possibility. But does the fact the ballots are printed mean they CAN'T do it? Opinions are divided.

But, unless something as big or bigger comes out in the next few days, and quite probably not even then, Donald will remain in the race. His ego won't permit any other action. Now, if the Republican Party has dirt that they threaten to reveal, that could change things—and raise the question why they sat on it!