I hate to say it, but I think Donald Trump’s campaign is turning from “fascinating” to a train wreck. When Monday night rolled around, I didn’t think a defeat in Iowa would doom his aspirations of winning the Republican nomination. However, the way his disappointing night went down and his response on social media afterwards has led me to believe that he might be done.
I give you three reasons why Donald Trump’s campaign is in trouble.
Let me give you my three reasons why I think we might have already seen the best days of Donald Trump the politician…
1. Bad Defeat: I wasn’t confident that Donald Trump would prevail in Iowa. I knew the polls were close and of course we all heard over and over about Ted Cruz’s ground game. However, I thought if Trump was runner up it would be in the style of how Bernie Sanders finished to Hillary Clinton. For “The Donald” to lose by 3% points and finish closer to Rubio than Cruz was a little surprising to me. I know Trump has spun this result by saying it was a triumph considering he didn’t spend a dime in Iowa and was told he had no chance of winning but I am not convinced. Suddenly his big lead via the polls in New Hampshire aren’t that impressive anymore.
2. Wild/Whiny Accusations: I used to love Donald Trump’s Twitter account. It was outrageous and no holds barred. Now it is just desperate. In a series of angry tweets, Trump insisted that Cruz “stole the Iowa caucus” and “committed fraud.” He moaned that Ted Cruz sent out a dishonest press release and also lied about his own (Trump’s) political beliefs. Trump then went on to say that either “a new election should take place or Cruz’s results (should be) nullified.”
Come on Donald, you need to move past what happened in Iowa.
Donald, just move on! You gave a good concession speech, why did you ruin it with the above garbage? American people don’t respond well to poor losers, especially ones who skip debates. Don’t blame your loss on a press release, blame it on your decision to not work hard in Iowa. Saying someone “cheated” is elementary. These accusations won’t help you out.
The accusation about cheating is just ridiculous.
3. Turning Wrath on the Voters: When I saw Donald Trump’s tweet calling out the American people I was stunned. Trump has been rude and crude with his Twitter account but bashing the voters took it to a whole new level. Trump complained that people are failing to recognize that he is self-funding his campaign by not automatically stamping his ticket to the White House via their votes.
I think his campaign came off the rails with this tweet. How can you lash out at the American people? How can you point your finger at us and say we aren’t giving you enough glory for how you are financing your campaign? Sure it is noble that you are paying your own way but it doesn’t mean you receive an automatic inauguration. I really feel Trump turned ugly with this tweet and alienated thousands of people who might have potentially voted for him.
I think Trump could have killed his campaign with this tweet.
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It has been an unprecedented ride for Donald Trump but I feel his ship might be sinking just a bit. However, I will be the first one to admit he has proven me wrong on more than one occasion. We will see how he rebounds next week but he is definitely not doing himself any favors with his actions. Don’t Blink.
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Now who’s being a whiner ?
It’s not about iowa it’s about morals. Cruz has none! Many are pissed and he’s lost votes because of it. Carson lost votes because of Cruz . What’s the point in a cacus if it’s not honest? Trump is honest and I honestly think it pisses him off that Cruz did what he did and is allowed to get away with that.
If you were truly a supporter of Trump then his anger towards iowa would not change your opinion on him. It should be what he stands for and what he’s willing to change for America that made you a supporter in the first place and he still stands firm on those same beliefs.
Surprised Iowans did not figure out how shifty and sleazy Cruz is.
I agree with everything you said. I was and still am a Trump supporter. Remember one thing, this is his 1st go around in the political world. He will make his mistakes. He needs 2 have better people around him 2 help in those situations. I beleive if he makes mistakes, in the future or as president, I am hoping the people around him help home handle it better. C’mon now though, all because a small fire starts that doesn’t mean it can’t be put out. Don’t we love him because he isn’t the normal “status quo”. People don’t bail now. Let’s make America great again!
Very eloquently said, Dwayne.
Thanks for reading,
Brent
Dwayne, you seem to want to blame people around trump for losing. The problem with that is every time he is asked how he will do what he promises he answers “it’s called good management”. If he is not managing his people just running for president how do you expect him to manage our country if he gets elected? Will you say “that’s OK this is his first go around in the political world its the fault of his cabinet!” if he really screws up as president? Also, there’s been reports (& his wife has said this also) that even though he may listen to his ppl in the end he does what he wants so it’s probably not his staff’s fault . Is that the type of president you want? Someone who will listen to his cabinet then just do what he wants anyways?
Trump has every right to say what he’s saying now. The “old,” tired politician like Romney or McCain may just move on, but this criminal behavior must be called out and stopped! Ted Cruz’s actions are on par with the exact corrupt politics that we want Trump here to fight. Cruz can’t be trusted. He’s a politician – the lowliest scum of a politician. If these actions are ok with everyone else in the process, I love that Trump won’t let this just go.
He was gracious in his concession speech. Then, all of the Cruz improprieties came to light. Trump may have not won anyhow….but he MAY HAVE! This is not ok. Cruz and Rubio stole votes with scam mailers. Rubio and the Microsoft app was problematic. And, finally, this Cruz action of alerting voters that Carson left the race and they should switch to him – is a major problem. Misleading at a minimum, and possibly illegal – either way eliminating ALL of his credibility, if the scumbag was ever perceived to have any.
Trump is calling it out, just like he’s calling out all of what’s wrong with the state of our government.
As far as Trump questioning voters valuing the fact that he’s “self funding,” that’s honest. He’s honest – ok? Here’s a guy who’s saying the same thing that anyone in his position would say to themselves or to their wife in private. He’s challenging the Iowa voters & maybe even the electorate at large. When SuperPacs – lobbies & donors are controlling Cruz, Rubio & others… are we valuing this major difference in him? Iowa chose (or fraud chose) a bought & paid for politician, and nearly chose another of the same, over a guy who is running for the love of the country & NOT for the best possible promotion from the job they’re in now. In fact, the only reason they have the job they’re in now – is to try to get this new one.
Trump doesn’t need this crap. He really doesn’t. I wouldn’t blame him for bowing out. He had a tremendous life. Frankly, I don’t think he does now. I can almost feel his “feeling” underrappreciated. Spending his own $, taking a stand for you & me, getting compared to Hitler along the way, while being subjected to multiple forms of fraud in his own party in his very first election (Caucus) ever – may illicit that honest tweet you refer to.
In my opinion, he’s the only guy worthy of my vote. I felt that last week, and as long he wants to keep doing this, I’ll keep supporting him. #VoteTrump2016
A man like Trump attacked by every one and still standing is the man for the White House.
Politicians like Cruez and Rubio talked you to death and deliver nothing, 85% of the people don’t trust them that is why Trump an outsider will be President, thank God
Amen Dwayne!
Trump’s 2nd place finish in the Iowa caucuses was certainly no setback. He had no ground game, whereas Cruz and Rubio both had strong ground games, Trump killed it without breaking a sweat. And the end result: 8 delegates for Cruz, 7 for Trump and 7 for Rubio. A virtual three-way tie. Big deal. Time for Trump to look forward to the New Hampshire primary and an inevitable 1st place finish there.
But Trump, rather than looking forward, chose to dwell on the little deal of Iowa.
Regrettably I can pretty much agree with everything you’ve written here in this blog. I was strongly pro-Trump going into the Iowa caucuses, not even considering any of the other Republican candidates. What Trump stands for, I stand for. And Trump, more than any other candidate, would be able to make it so. Of course, for him to make it so he has to actually win the presidency. And for him to become President he must always stand tall and be strong like a winner, never sulking and being weak like a loser.
Where I disagree with the assessment of this blog is in regard to his complaining about voters not giving him any credit for being the only self-funded candidate. Brent Reser writes “I think his campaign came off the rails with this tweet”.
Although true that I was stunned by the tweet, his campaign did not come off the tracks for me at that point. I joked with my wife that night that it was simply Donald being Donald, totally transparent and unfiltered, obviously not a politician doing/saying only what his handlers advise. That tweet, rather than being a train wreck, was one of the aspects I most like about him. And I went to sleep Monday night with a smile, thinking about his tweet, how vulnerable he was willing to make himself, and sure that he would charge full-steam ahead into New Hampshire to close the deal with the people.
Then Tuesday morning… Tuesday afternoon… Tuesday evening… and the Donald tweets just kept coming. Not good, not good, not good. This — not Monday night — was when the train jumped the tracks for me. But that, perhaps, is JUST me. But I can say, for myself, that I became increasingly uncomfortable with Trump’s candidacy (and the prospect of what lies ahead for the campaign and for his chances) to the point that, for the first time, I became open to an alternative. (I was NOT going to be like a Trump supporter who says Trump is the ONLY one who can make America great again. ANY of the Republican candidates would steer America in the opposite direction Obama has us on, whereas Hillary or Bernie would plunge us over the cliff).
This afternoon I was listening to Sean Hannity on the radio and Marco Rubio came on as a guest. Rubio’s been on before but I never really listened to him, thinking him GOPe Lite. But I actually liked what he had to say about not being pro Amnesty, about wanting to get rid of Common Core etc and about how he had no interest in staying on in the Senate to become a career politician. He has a sincere vibe that I don’t get from Ted Cruz (who could never be a Trump alternative for me… though I would hold my nose and vote for him if he won the nomination).
So anyhow… in the span of this single day I woke up a Trump fan and now I am about to go to bed having just ordered a Marco Rubio bumper sticker and now having written all this here. So, yeah, you might well be right that the TrumpTrain has derailed. I was pretty hard-core in favor of Trump (and, of course, if he does win the nomination I will gladly vote for him over any Democrat or 3rd party challenger), but I’m thinking that if other hard-core Trump supporters like me in New Hampshire find themselves suddenly having similar uneasiness about The Donald, they either won’t show up to vote for him or they will cast their vote for an alternative.
As for me… I WAS a sure-fire vote for Trump in the Georgia primary. And I WILL continue to delight in the spectacle Donald Trump has made of this election cycle. BUT NOW I find myself hoping my bumper sticker arrives in time to get it on the car before I show up to vote on March 1st.
Is he just supposed to let Cruz cheat and not say anything?
Everyone who has accused Cruz of “cheating” where are the 25,000 voters who were lied too as you would like everyone 2 believe. You are running a campaign to get votes the tweets were started by cnn & passed on by a well run campaign. Also the Rubio campaign did the same & if Trump had done it the story would have a different spin to it. People the candidates are running for the highest office in the land, it is a blood sport and always has been. Take your defeat and move on…no one cheated period!!! Not one voter much less 25,000 have come forward 2 say they changed their vote from Carson to Cruz, Rubio or Trump.
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