Maybe. Of course, two things to consider:
1. I’m old enough to recall all the enthusiasm over Ross Perot too. All RP did in the end was split the Republican vote and allow Clinton to win. Trump running has that same kind of feel.
2. I bet that Trump has all kinds of skeletons in his closet and they’re probably not too hard to find. Once the MSM turns up the heat, he may be toast in record time.
Well, perhaps but like Perot, who gave voice and hope to Americans concerned about NAFTA and GATT, Trump can do the same for Americans pissed off about all these U.S. companies who do their hiring in Red China and India(because they prefer compliant, slave laborers over US) and then get a boatload of hefty tax breaks courtesy of the stinking Congress.
Giving voice to the voiceless is no small thing; it takes ‘nads and if Trump wants to do it, good on him.
1. He PLANS to run as a Republican. He also “plays to win” so I can’t see him running if it’s a losing battle.
2. His skeletons have been out for the world to see since the late 80s, there really aren’t any surprises left with Trump.
Once the MSM turns up the heat, he may be toast in record time.
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Media wont turn up heat and will give trump pass so he runs and destroys republican chances to beat Obama by splitting vote. Just like Perot in 1992
I think Trump as an independant would steal a lot of votes away from former Obama supporters who are sick and tired of Obama but can’t bear to vote for a Republican.
I think he has a chance to win so long as the economy is the #1 concern of most Americans. I’m not throwing my vote to him - yet. But if my 3 choices on election day 2012 are Obama, Trump, and Romney/Huckabee ... I’d probably vote for Trump. Maybe he’ll start a reality show inside the White House. (Only half joking!)
and the reason trump would open the door to trashing his own reputation is...
(please provide your reasoning on the blank below)
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Trump’s record on adultery and marital fidelity might only be beat by Newt’s.
I'm old enough too. This does have the same feel, but there's a sense of urgency now that didn't exist in 1992. The country is in a whole lot more trouble right now than it was that year, and many more people are fed up with politics as usual.
Perot had a shot at winning, but his campaign was mismanaged. Remember when he dropped out, and then got back in? Remind you of McCain's "suspended campaign" just a bit?
The excitement that Perot generated drew millions of new or otherwise apathetic voters into the process, voters who wouldn't have voted at all if it had just been Bush v. Clinton. Even if you assume that every vote that Perot got would have gone either to Bush or Clinton, he still would have needed to take about 65% of his votes from Bush to hand the election to Clinton, and exit polling indicated that he took votes equally from both.
Clinton won not because of Perot, but because Bush was a poor candidate carrying the baggage of the "read my lips" debacle. Bush only won the first time because of the popularity of Reagan.
Slick Willie Clinton was young and unknown, and was a master of the game of politics. "Change" voters were split between Clinton and Perot. In 2012, many of those "change" voters will have realized the mistake that they made with Obama, and will not vote for more of the same.
I don't see myself supporting Trump in the primary (but even that's hard to say without knowing who else will run), and I really hope that he doesn't go third party, but I will vote for him if he is the Republican nominee because nothing will convince me that he could be any worse than Obama.
I think Obama, having sealed his closet muslim, Marxist, alien, homosexual background, has rendered that irrelevant.
When faced with an existential threat, who gives a d@mn about a little dirt.
1. I’m old enough to recall all the enthusiasm over Ross Perot too. All RP did in the end was split the Republican vote and allow Clinton to win. Trump running has that same kind of feel.
I think Trump is a clown but this is not a good analogy. If Trump runs, he’ll be running for the Republican nod, not as an independent.
All those people who voted for George HW “Read My Lips” Bush in 1992? If they’d have voted for Perot Clinton wouldn’t have one.