Donald Trump Announces Presidential Bid

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2016
Posted on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 03:17:59 PM EST
Tags: Donald Trump, 2016 election (all tags)

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Move over Jeb Bush. Your 15 minutes are up. Donald Trump has announced his candidacy for President.

In a rambling 40 minute speech, he said he'll be the greatest president ever with respect for to the economy. He said our country is now run by losers. He said he has a net worth of $8.7 billion.

“The American dream is dead,” Trump said at the end of his speech. “But if I win, I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before.”

Trump is good for one thing: entertainment.

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Donald Trump Announces Presidential Bid | 50 comments (50 topical)

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not very much. (5.00 / 1) (#26)
by cpinva on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 09:51:30 AM EST

"Trump is good for one thing: entertainment."

the first time around was mildly amusing, this time it's just boring. same old hairpiece, same narcissism, same outlandish, completely unsubstantiated claims. his net worth is $8.7 billion, if you ignore the $8.8 billion of debt that goes along with the assets.

I assume he has a new "book" due out shortly, or he's shilling for his tv show. one thing he certainly isn't doing, is seriously running for president.

"same old hairpiece," (none / 0) (#28)
by KeysDan on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 01:57:39 PM EST

I thought it looked new and groomed. A grand hood ornament for the Republican clown car. At least, I hope that is a hairpiece. I would fear for him if that was something of his own growing in that area. Maybe, Trump and Rand have the same stylist, although I heard that Rand cuts his own hair, but that could involve just the fringe.

Parent

: Saw some funny dam FB postings today. (5.00 / 4) (#32)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 03:27:13 PM EST

First was an image of The Donald with the caption "We Shall Overcomb" the other was a photo of him on a windy day with the caption "If I Run In 2016 There Will Be Hell Toupee."

Parent

Same doubts here about his net worth... (none / 0) (#49)
by Mr Natural on Thu Jun 18, 2015 at 02:19:46 PM EST

According to Forbes, he's exaggerating.

I seem to recall that some of the Trump properties were licensing deals. In other words, the property's real owners licensed his name.

And didn't Trump spend a long time on a bankruptcy court's short leash? At one point in the 90s he was on a court mandated budget, fairly constraining for a blowhard of his magnitude. According to Forbes, his corporations have declared bankruptcy four times.

Parent

: Yes, his corporations (none / 0) (#50)
by Zorba on Thu Jun 18, 2015 at 03:36:57 PM EST

certainly have. Chapter 11 re-organization.
What has always amazed me is that people continued to buy his corporate bonds (basically extending him credit, with the hope of a nice return) after multiple corporate bankruptcies.
Now, it's true that they would have been much worse off if the corporations had been totally liquidated, rather than re-organized. At least they got a certain amount of money back, even if not the full amount.
Yet they, or others, continued to extend his corporations credit.
Who are the fools here? Looks like The Donald learned how to play the system (perfectly legally, I might add), and the creditors were the starry-eyed chumps.
That doesn't mean that I think what he did was ethical in the least. But there are many businessmen and women who know how to play this game.
Bond buyers and other creditors, beware.

Parent

Neil Young (5.00 / 1) (#35)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 03:56:18 PM EST

Donald Trump's day-old campaign is already getting doused in hater-ade. On Tuesday, hours after the real-estate magnate and reality TV star played Neil Young's Rockin' in the Free World as he bounded on stage, announcing he'll seek the Republican nomination for president (he means it this time!), Young had a message for him: Quit it.
A statement from Young's rep Rick Gershon reads:
"Donald Trump was not authorized to use Rockin' In The Free World in his presidential candidacy announcement. Neil Young, a Canadian citizen, is a supporter of Bernie Sanders for President of the United States of America."

FOX "news" is reporting that Trump did indeed pay to use the song. Of course they are.

According to (5.00 / 1) (#43)
by Zorba on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 06:02:26 PM EST

ASCAP's rules, the rules differ for anyone using an artist's music for a political message. They are supposed to communicate with the song's owner first.

Link.

Parent

Puts me in mind of (none / 0) (#36)
by jondee on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 04:08:14 PM EST

when Reagan tried to use Springsteen's Born In The USA..

Parent

Everyone Single Republican Does it... (5.00 / 1) (#39)
by ScottW714 on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 04:59:48 PM EST

...laws are for other people to follow.

George W. Bush relied on Tom Petty's 1989 single, I Won't Back Down, during his 2000 campaign appearances -- that is, until he received a cease and desist letter from Petty's publisher, complaining that use of the song implied a Bush endorsement, which the musician would not give. John Mellencamp and Sting also asked Bush to stop using their songs without permission, although Petty was the only one to threaten legal action. And if his political preference wasn't clear enough, he went on to perform the song in a private concert at Gore's home the night the Vice President gave his concession speech. Tipper Gore played drums.

LINK

Another political candidate is getting a cease-and-desist order from another rock act over the unauthorized use of a song during an election campaign. This time it's Mitt Romney's camp, which is being urged to stop playing the Silversun Pickups' hit "Panic Switch."
"We don't like people going behind our backs, using our music without asking, and we don't like the Romney campaign," Silversun Pickups lead singer-guitarist Brian Aubert said in a statement issued Wednesday. "We're nice, approachable people. We won't bite. Unless you're Mitt Romney! We were very close to just letting this go because the irony was too good. While he is inadvertently playing a song that describes his whole campaign, we doubt that 'Panic Switch' really sends the message he intends."

LINK

Parent

Barack Obama's campaign has been told nicely (none / 0) (#40)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 05:22:13 PM EST

Barack Obama's campaign has been told nicely, but in no uncertain terms: Sam & Dave's classic soul hit "Hold On! I'm Coming" is not to be played anymore as a campaign theme song.
Sam Moore, one of the first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the 1980s (before it became a warped endeavor), has written to Obama's managers asking them to stop the music.

Parent

: Forget speechwriters... (none / 0) (#41)
by kdog on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 05:43:39 PM EST

Politician's need to hire their own songwriters!
otoh, odds are they'll suck as much as the speechwriters. Bad idea, bad idea...keep stealin' songs.
Exception being Trump...I have no doubt he wrote that disaster himself.

Parent

It is getting insulting to me to be asked (5.00 / 1) (#45)
by ruffian on Thu Jun 18, 2015 at 11:14:47 AM EST

to watch even one serious new cycle about this patronizing egomaniacal windbag. OMG, what a dou---bag. And I don't say that lightly.

He said he would (none / 0) (#1)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 03:53:40 PM EST

replace Obamacare with something for everybody... could he be pulling a "Nixon to China" trick and gonna run on a single payer healthcare system???

Ya (none / 0) (#3)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 03:54:48 PM EST

im sure that's it exactly.

Parent

Well hope springs eternal (none / 0) (#4)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 04:04:33 PM EST

I mean no Democrat will do it....

Parent

Bernie Sanders (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by CST on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 04:06:58 PM EST

doesn't count?

Parent

I thought Bernie was a Socialist (none / 0) (#18)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 05:46:30 PM EST

Parent

: He is... (5.00 / 1) (#42)
by kdog on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 05:48:58 PM EST

technically, so are we Comrade. By threat of arrest, if not by choice. Social Security, Military, Medicare, TARP, Food Stamps, Farm Subsidies...

Parent
: Wev. He's not running as one. (none / 0) (#19)
by sj on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 05:54:10 PM EST

Parent

We need (none / 0) (#2)
by Ga6thDem on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 03:54:04 PM EST

BTD here to dissect Trump's speech and make fun of it.

I liked (none / 0) (#6)
by lentinel on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 04:09:00 PM EST

his line about Jeb Bush:

HOW THE HELL CAN YOU VOTE FOR THIS GUY?

His style reminded me of Alec Baldwin's turn in "Glengarry Glen Ross".

In fact, some of his cadences reminded me of the free-flowing language penned by David Mamet.

It is true that he will be good for entertainment, but I also think that his New Yorky kind of style is relatively spontaneous - compared to the scripted carefully considered verbiage and stilted delivery of just about everyone else on the Republican side.

In fact - a debate - if it should come to that - between Clinton and Trump would be very interesting to watch.

Some of the things he says are, of course, horrendous.
I'm thinking of the things he says about building our military and confronting Russia and Iran and Isis etc. As well as his characterization of Mexicans coming into this country:

THEY ARE SENDING PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOTS OF PROBLEMS, AND THEY ARE BRINGING THOSE PROBLEMS TO US. THEY ARE BRINGING DRUGS, THEY ARE BRINGING CRIME, THEIR RAPISTS, AND SOME I ASSUME ARE GOOD PEOPLE BUT I SPEAK TO BORDER GUARDS AND THEY TELL US WHAT WE ARE GETTING.

But I wonder if what he is saying is an upfront version of what all of the other candidates think anyway.

One other thought: I like very much that he mentioned caring for our veterans early in his speech, and again in closing. That is a priority for me. They are used for all these horrible and wasteful wars, and then they come home and have to wait interminably for treatment.

I like the all caps (none / 0) (#7)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 04:10:54 PM EST

captures the mood well I think.

Parent

The caps (none / 0) (#13)
by lentinel on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 04:30:06 PM EST

is the format of the transcript provided by CSPAN.

Parent

: I know (none / 0) (#14)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 04:32:04 PM EST

that's what I mean. I suspect it will be an all caps campaign.

Parent

Glengarry Glen Ross (none / 0) (#17)
by MKS on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 05:11:09 PM EST

I had that imprinted on my brain when that film came out.

I was told at the time that it perfectly described law firm politics.

Parent

Put that coffee down. (none / 0) (#37)
by jondee on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 04:11:08 PM EST

You think I'm f*ckin' with you?

I am not f*ckin' with you..

Coffee's for closers.

Parent

Well, Trump did hire actors to attend (none / 0) (#47)
by caseyOR on Thu Jun 18, 2015 at 11:54:30 AM EST

his announcement and cheer him on. That is what The Hollywood Reporter is, well, reporting. Actors were [offered $50 to attend the Trump's event, dress up in Trump t-shirts, and wave Trump for prez signs.

The man is a fraud through and through.

Parent

: I guess (none / 0) (#48)
by FlJoe on Thu Jun 18, 2015 at 12:13:58 PM EST

hiring those actors counts towards his "god given" job creation skills.

Parent

Just heard an interesting thought (none / 0) (#8)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 04:18:31 PM EST

on teevee. It was said that now that he is in, after all the years of foreplay, if he doesn't get traction the the republican primary he might stay in as an independent candidate. Not sure how the rules work for that but if true and possible it would pretty much assure President Rodham Clinton I'm thinkin.

I can't even imagine him (none / 0) (#9)
by CST on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 04:20:06 PM EST

getting enough support to be a spoiler candidate.

But sure, go nuts Donald.

Parent

Lets all (5.00 / 1) (#21)
by FlJoe on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 07:05:27 PM EST

say a little prayer to our favorite deity(s), life force, karmic wheel or just plain old gamblers luck and hope that he polls high enough to make the debates.

Parent

I'm not so sure (none / 0) (#10)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 04:24:29 PM EST

Parent

Lesser (none / 0) (#11)
by Ga6thDem on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 04:27:09 PM EST

known people have been able to do it and one of them sounded about as crazy as Trump name Perot.

Parent

Especially ironic if it's (none / 0) (#12)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 04:29:37 PM EST

Bush/Clinton don't you think.

Parent

Yeah (none / 0) (#15)
by Ga6thDem on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 04:47:15 PM EST

but this time I don't think it would be 50/50. The majority of the votes Trump would get would probably be tea partiers.

Parent

I think you are right (none / 0) (#16)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 05:07:42 PM EST

and as far as CSTs comment above it won't take much of a spoiler in this case to make a huge difference. Nothing near the 20s that Perot got.

Parent

: part of that (none / 0) (#22)
by CST on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 09:20:09 AM EST

Is that I don't think a spoiler will be necessary either way.

Parent
: It doesn't take the 20's to be a spoiler (none / 0) (#24)
by CoralGables on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 09:29:20 AM EST

Nader comes to mind with 2.7%.
If Trump ran as an independent it would only matter what percent he pulled in the swing states. And in some cases a measly 1% could swing an election.

Parent

On the contrary (none / 0) (#23)
by CoralGables on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 09:25:53 AM EST

Trump may be the most liberal of all the GOP candidates.

Parent

Yes (none / 0) (#25)
by Ga6thDem on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 09:38:37 AM EST

but you're assuming that people would actually be lodging a vote for Trump instead of a protest vote. I could imagine Trump picking up tea party votes should someone like Jeb be the nominee. Also the reverse could happen. If a tea partier is nominated and Trump ran as an indy, then he could pick up the votes of some liberal Republicans. You just never know what is going to happen with a third party candidate. John Anderson ended up hurting Carter more than Reagan in 1980.

Parent

: The Idea That Trump... (none / 0) (#29)
by ScottW714 on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 02:47:15 PM EST

...would allow HRC to win because of his gigantic ego is hilarious. Donald's number one love is money, and he would never allow his ego to take the hit of being labeled the spoiler of an R victory.

Parent

And the most xenophobic... (none / 0) (#27)
by kdog on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 12:14:09 PM EST

who knew Mexico's top export was rapists? lol

Parent

: Donald Does. (5.00 / 1) (#30)
by ScottW714 on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 02:47:58 PM EST

I wonder who is exporting the white and black rapists ?

Parent
: Have you heard the Mexican (5.00 / 1) (#34)
by oculus on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 03:43:19 PM EST

drug cartels are into avocados? I did not learn this until yesterday when NPR's coverage of the drought in CA morphed into this.
blood avocados

Parent

"Go nuts?" (none / 0) (#20)
by Zorba on Tue Jun 16, 2015 at 06:57:44 PM EST

He's already there. ;-)

Parent

Oprah for VP? (none / 0) (#31)
by Anne on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 03:02:34 PM EST

The Donald thinks that's a great idea...

According to Donald Trump, a 2016 ticket of Trump for president and Oprah Winfrey for vice president would be a lock for the White House.
"I think Oprah would be great. I'd love to have Oprah," Trump told ABC News. "I think we'd win easily, actually."
[...]
Trump floated Winfrey as a possible running mate in 1999, when he considered running for president as a member of the Reform Party, in an interview with Larry King.
"She's great, she's talented, she's a friend of mine," Trump told ABC's Stephanopoulos when asked if Winfrey is still on his VP shortlist.
"She's a good person. I've been on her show. In fact, I was on her show her last week, she said, 'Could I be on her show with the whole family?'" Trump said. "I like Oprah. I mean, is that supposed to be a bad thing? I don't think so."

Lordy.

: Judge Judy for AG (5.00 / 3) (#33)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 03:38:28 PM EST

Dr Phil for Surgeon General, Barney the Dinosaur for Secretary of Education and Triumph the insult Dog for Secretary of State

Parent

Stewart (none / 0) (#38)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 04:53:02 PM EST

Americas Id is Running for President

: And not for the first time (none / 0) (#46)
by jondee on Thu Jun 18, 2015 at 11:35:34 AM EST

Parent

The Rise of the (none / 0) (#44)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Jun 17, 2015 at 08:11:18 PM EST

Short Fingered Vulgarian

I miss SPY

Donald Trump Announces Presidential Bid | 50 comments (50 topical)

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