The short happy (political) life of Donald Trump
Remember when I told you not to worry about Donald Trump? From Public Policy Polling, a new survey of GOP voters with a simple title: “Trump collapses.”
Donald Trump has had one of the quickest rises and falls in the history of Presidential politics. Last month we found him leading the Republican field with 26 percent. In the space of just four weeks he’s dropped all the way down to 8 percent, putting him in a tie for fifth place with Ron Paul.
Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney are at the top of the GOP race with 19 percent and 18 percent respectively. Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin are further back at 13 percent and 12 percent, followed by Trump and Paul at 8 percent, Michele Bachmann at 7 percent, and Tim Pawlenty at 5 percent.
As Trump got more and more exposure over the last month Republicans didn’t just decide they weren’t interested in having him as their nominee — they also decided they flat don’t like him. Only 34 percent of GOP voters now have a favorable opinion of Trump to 53 percent who view him in a negative light.
Trump really made hay out of the ‘birther’ issue and as the resonance of that has declined, so has his standing. In February we found that 51 percent of Republican primary voters thought Barack Obama was not born in the United States. Now with the release of his birth certificate only 34 percent of GOP partisans fall into that camp, and Trump’s only in fifth place with that now smaller group of the electorate at 9 percent.
The rest of the numbers for the rest of the candidates are still pretty unimportant at this stage of the race, nearly eight months out from the Iowa caucuses. But Trump did serve a useful purpose: He made it so fashionable to question the circumstances of President Obama’s birth that the president finally put the nonsense to rest (or, at least, he made it clear that nothing will convince the ones for whom it’s still an issue).
So, Donald: You’re …
Nah, I can’t say it.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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113 comments Add your comment
Mr. Holmes
May 10th, 2011
4:35 pm
But those of you who call Donald Trump stupid should be willing to post what you have accomplished with your life.
Well, I can tell you what I haven’t done–file bankruptcy. Three times.
kevin
May 10th, 2011
4:36 pm
The Red Herring,
No other president has ever been required to furnish a birth certificate to prove his birthplace. The birther movement, including Trump is appaling and tantamount to racial profiling–you should be ashamed.
“Less government, less taxes, more prosperity…” Great catch phrase. Did that come on a Sean Hannity daily quote calendar?
DW
May 10th, 2011
4:36 pm
@ROGERITER
So… I cant name any amazing accomplishment ive done so therefore Trump is our best option for President? Umm.. youre an idiot. NEXT
Casual Observer
May 10th, 2011
4:39 pm
This is getting to be comical. The best the GOP can do is Romney. Really????
The problem is the GOP has to deal with the TPers. The TPers dont have enough votes on a national scale to get anything done. Lets see how this plays out. Unless I dont know about a man in a cape in a phone-booth I’d say Obama is about to get re-elected in a landslide.
kevin
May 10th, 2011
4:43 pm
Just an observation. I think it’s pretty funny that many conservatives are calling Obama a moron and yet support Romney and/or Huckabee who both do not believe in evolution. Yeah, they’re geniuses!
Tech Man
May 10th, 2011
4:43 pm
Mr. Holmes
May 10th, 2011
4:35 pm
I don’t think Trump filed personal bankruptcy.
WSJ
Previously, Trump filed for corporate bankruptcy in 1991, 1992, 2004, and 2009.
As Trump stated in the interview, these Chapter 11 corporate bankruptcies were used to negotiate debt deals. After the deals were done, all of his companies went on to survive (and in some cases thrive).
Read more: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/133317/20110412/donald-trump-bankruptcy.htm#ixzz1Lz5syBzE
DW
May 10th, 2011
4:44 pm
Sorry Kevin, they have the bible shoved too far up their a$$ to hear about anything else.
Mr. Holmes
May 10th, 2011
4:47 pm
yet support Romney and/or Huckabee who both do not believe in evolution
Or at least who say they don’t believe in it. Huckabee, OK, he could be truthin’. But Romney would say he doesn’t believe rain falls from clouds if he thought it would buy him another point or two in the polls.
Tech Man
May 10th, 2011
4:47 pm
kevin
May 10th, 2011
4:43 pm
Does Obama?
gm
May 10th, 2011
4:47 pm
Rep are looking for another Obama, in their party, the problem with that party you have to many bigots and hypocrites like Newt, Trump the people dont trust hypocrites.
Tech Man
May 10th, 2011
4:49 pm
gm
May 10th, 2011
4:47 pm
And the Democrats have Bill Campbell amoung others. Seems pretty even to me.
Mr. Holmes
May 10th, 2011
4:49 pm
As Trump stated in the interview, these Chapter 11 corporate bankruptcies were used to negotiate debt deals.
Color me simple, but isn’t a corporate bankruptcy always a mechanism to (re)negotiate debt? But your larger point seems to be multiple corporate bankruptcy filings doesn’t make Trump at least sketchy, in terms of business acumen. So I assume you’d completely overlook that in someone who came to you asking for start-up capital?
kevin
May 10th, 2011
4:49 pm
DW,
It is pretty amazing. I understand being critical of Obama, and to an extent, I am sympathetic to criticism of any politician. I just don’t understand folks who voted for Bush, who could barely speak english, and support candidates who believe the earth was created in 6 days, etc., calling Obama a moron. It’s baffling to me.
DW
May 10th, 2011
4:51 pm
@kevin
Lost on me too, but hey thats half of America for ya.
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
May 10th, 2011
4:52 pm
Without a substantial upswing in the economy, BHO is reduced to a one term footnote in Presidential history. I did not vote for him, but I wanted him to succeed. America needs a leader, right now we do not have one. We have a campaigner in chief who cannot possibly run on what he has accomplished (what he has done is opposed by more that half of the country). He cannot run on what his vision of America should be (65% + say we are on the wrong track). I smell a very,very ugly campaign followed by many, many lawsuits challenging the validity of the peoples vote. It makes it hard to be proud of my country when the best we have to run for our highest office I would not want living in my neighborhood, or even want at a company picnic.
kevin
May 10th, 2011
4:53 pm
Tech Man,
Yes, Obama has explicitly stated that he believes in evolution.
Tech Man
May 10th, 2011
4:53 pm
kevin
May 10th, 2011
4:49 pm
Is Obama a Christian? Pelosi?
kevin
May 10th, 2011
4:53 pm
DWw,
Indeed.
Mr. Holmes
May 10th, 2011
4:55 pm
Obama has explicitly stated that he believes in evolution.
I don’t have the sound bite but I strongly suspect he also believes in the force of gravity and that Wednesday follows Tuesday. All of the above should be equally “controversial.”
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
May 10th, 2011
4:55 pm
@ Kevin, Saying Bush “could barely speak english” shows that you are a blathering fool yourself. Let us all see your Harvard degree.
kevin
May 10th, 2011
5:00 pm
Starring Kam…,
Okay, so used a bit of hyperbole. But still, did you ever watch Bush speak? Are you kidding me? And, if my dad were Bush senior, I could have gotten into Harvard too.
Tech Man,
I am not sure whether Obama is a Christian? He says he is, but I suspect that’s b/c he knows he has to in order to get elected. I hope he isn’t.
kevin
May 10th, 2011
5:01 pm
That should have read, “Ok, so I used…”
Aquagirl
May 10th, 2011
5:01 pm
Hey red herring–HONK! HONK! You’re gonna miss the departing clownwagon!!!!!
Obama showed the same birth certificate you would use to get a driver’s license or any other document. Nobody is required to dig up MORE documentation to disprove crap Kenyan birth certificates posted on teh interwebs.
Just go on and admit you got caught up on the Idjit Express. You just can’t, can you? You swallowed Orly Taitz’s insane mutterings and now your feeble ego requires you to keep digging.
You’re a slave to your own ego, and it’s painfully obvious to everyone. You can either waddle around like a 4 year old pretending his pants aren’t wet and sagging, or you can clean yourself up and join the adult world. But I can almost predict what you’re gonna do. Screw the proof, you’re gonna cling to those pampers. Do you really think that’s more dignified? Only in your own head.
BTW, my financial worth is less than two hairs of the Donald’s comb-over, but I spent several years in the Military instead of learning how to create the recent financial collapse of America. If you think option # 2 is a better use of one’s time, I have an invitation for you involving a leap and a flying doughnut. Please avail yourself freely and repeatedly.
Tommy Maddox
May 10th, 2011
5:03 pm
“The problem with stupid, gullible people is that they’re totally unaware of their stupid gullibility.”
This is how we wound up with the present Administration.
Tech Man
May 10th, 2011
5:08 pm
kevin
May 10th, 2011
5:00 pm
I agree with your doubt though I hope he is. I really wonder though. That being said it isn’t for me to decide or judge someone’s faith.
rogeriter
May 10th, 2011
5:13 pm
I never said Trump should be President…just that he’s not stupid. As far as bankruptcy is concerned, he;s not alone. So did Walt Disney among others. Bankruptcy is sometimes a necessity because people who dare greatly make mistakes. If you have never been close to bankruptcy, chances are you never dared greatly.
“There is no failure in trying and failing. The only failure is failing to try”
Tech Man
May 10th, 2011
5:15 pm
Kevin
May 10th, 2011
4:49 pm
None of them are morons. The majority of national (Washington) level politicians are millionaires or very close to being millionaires. They are all members of the “Washington Club” (I made it up). In power they make money out of power they make money. This includes staffers, etc. Their real goal is to be a member of the “club” for as long as possible.
Timus
May 10th, 2011
5:19 pm
34% of GOP that STILL think the President was not born in the US. Doesn’t say much about the brain power in the GOP.
DW
May 10th, 2011
5:21 pm
@Rogeriter
Okay….. so the best thing you have to say about Trump is that hes not stupid? Thats a ringing endorsement if ive ever heard one. The guys a d0uche.. get over it
Liberal&LovingIt
May 10th, 2011
5:26 pm
@ Kevin
Thx for the compliment! This should have been added to the the Demos talking points days ago.
I don’t know why the Repubs are SO much better at crafting and being in lock step on their TP’s. Sigh
Tech Man
May 10th, 2011
5:27 pm
With regards to Trump his campaign contributions say is that he supports Democrats.
As with any business he supports those that can help his businesses.
Trump is very smart man. His Bill Veeck marketing campaign resulting in $100’s of millions in publicity has cost him zero (0).
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones
May 10th, 2011
5:29 pm
@gm May 10th, 2011 4:28 pm
SAY IT LOUD – “Thank God Mr. President Obama you have family values and has not walked away from the bigots of idiots who have shamed this country.”
I would have told all of the bigots, idiots, racists, liars and moroons (sp?) they could take their country and shove it where the sun don’t shine!!
Tech Man
May 10th, 2011
5:30 pm
Well, I am embarrassed to say that Trump is much smarter than me. He has received $ millions of publicity for no investment and I am on this blog…..
Lesson learned, back to work!
DW
May 10th, 2011
5:31 pm
@TECH
That makes him a Billion dollar d0uche bag yet a d0uche bag none the less
Aquagirl
May 10th, 2011
5:37 pm
rogeriter, if you’re daring greatly with your own money, that’s guts. When you’re daring greatly with other people’s money, then take off when you fail, leaving them holding the financial bag—that’s being a d0uche.
Apparently you have not learned the difference between the two. I don’t care how many stupid corporate motivational posters you parrot, not paying your creditors is lame. You took their goods and services, and they can’t issue their employees a paycheck of pennies on the dollar while proudly touting your daring nerve and spirit.
Kyle Wingfield
May 10th, 2011
5:46 pm
Folks: If you have to change one letter in a word to keep it out of moderation, consider it a helpful hint from ajc.com that you need to find a different word. I’m not going to delete earlier comments with that word (and others), but let’s cut it out from now on. Thanks.
FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real)
May 10th, 2011
5:49 pm
The Donald’s excessive hubris rendered him a fat, grumpy-lookin, sourpuss at the White House Correspondence Dinner. You can discern that he is the type that surrounds himself with a bunch of “yes-men yokels’. Speaking of the dinner, Seth Meyers was HILARIOUS when he pounced on Trump, especially the hair jokes. By the way, has Trump produced a passport for that fox on his head – I heard it was Belgian and had rabies.
DW
May 10th, 2011
5:49 pm
Aquagirl – Well put
Kyle – Why should a correct name of a womens hygiene product even have to be filtered anyways?
Lil' Barry Bailout
May 10th, 2011
5:53 pm
Yep, the Idiot Messiah did Americans and the GOP (same thing) a huge favor by releasing his birth certificate!
I Report (-: You Whine )-: Thee Magnificent!!! mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
May 10th, 2011
5:55 pm
We are now in the fifth month of Barack Obama’s third year in office. Unemployment is at 9.0 percent. We’re about 7 million jobs short of where things stood when Obama took office. Economic growth in the first quarter was 1.8 percent. Housing prices have fallen for 57 consecutive months. Only one in three Americans approve of the way Obama is handling the economy, the lowest point since he took office, and nearly eight in 10 American are less optimistic about the economy than they were a few months ago.
So how’s that hope and change workin for ya?
DW
May 10th, 2011
5:57 pm
yeah the recession was ALL that obama guys fault too. Gee, i sure wish Mccain and palin were in office.. things would surely be better then!
rogeriter
May 10th, 2011
5:58 pm
DW–you are a first class jerk! You are like so many libs I’ve met. When you can’t make a point, you resort to name calling. I know I’m calling you a name now, but you have earned it. Trump may be a lot of things…but not stupid. Thousands would be without jobs without his success. How many people do you employ? Come on…tell the truth. As for Trump being President, he’s not my choice by far…unless he is the only one running against Obama. Then he gets my vote. But I prefer Herman Cain…a black man, who also has run a successful business and had to make payroll.
rogeriter
May 10th, 2011
6:15 pm
Ok Aqua women–how many people are on your payroll? How much of your capital is at risk providing jobs for others? How many people would not have a job if it weren’t for you?
How many people on the welfare rolls are spending mine–and your money. Not money they earned, but money they took from others.
Inherent in business is risk, the banks risk when they loan money to individuals…or corporations. but they are prepared to take that risk. Insurance companies risk.
It’s honorable that you’ve never defaulted on a debt. But chances are you’ll never provide jobs for others… you’ll be the employee.
I don’t make lots of money. In fact I’m retired now. But I honor those people who DID take that risk. i wouldn’t have had a job otherwise. And you wouldn’t have one either. Do you think Walt Disney was a bad guy. Well, he went Bankrupt. So did many other entreprenuers. If someoone doesn’t take a risk, then YOU would be without a job. So would DW.
Antonio
May 10th, 2011
6:26 pm
Trump is a chump, and that is why he is taking a nose dive in the polls. He’s done….he’s toast! All of the other neocon clowns (Romney, “Huckleberry”, Gingrich, Palin) will all suffer the same fate as Pawlenty and Santorum once they step into the ring to debate Ron Paul; they will expose themselves for the empty-suit clowns that they are. To call everyone except Ron Paul a “serious” candidate is not working too well. And for those who think that people like Chris Christy, Jeb Bush and Bobby Jindal are some kind of saviors waiting for the right moment to jump into the race, wake up! Chris Christy is unelectable by his name alone. No one will elect a president with both Chris and Christy in his name (sounds like a drag queen name). Plus, besides balancing the budget in a small and easily governed state, he hasn’t done much except eat and sound ignorant when he speaks. Bush and Jindal are just two more clowns that came out of the same cookie cutter as Pawlenty and Santorum; big-government fear mongers with no plan except enriching themselves and their cronies. Once all of the neocons have stood at the podium to debate Ron Paul, they will all drop in the polls like Trump the chump!
I Know You Are But What Am I
May 10th, 2011
6:50 pm
I’m still waiting for Bush to release his National Guard records. Americans were lied to by the President. Wingnuts should have blown a fuse.
Aquagirl
May 10th, 2011
6:58 pm
rogeriter, there are certainly honorable risks. However, if you hadn’t noticed the collapse of the real estate industry has been a major factor in the destruction of our economy. How many 70 year olds are bagging groceries because their 401K’s were wiped out?
If you want to “honor” their comb-overed king rat, knock yourself out. I honor people who WORK, not creatively shuffle money so they can end up with all the cash while millions of WORKING people lose their life investments.
@ Kyle, sorry. But in our defense your paper has printed photos of Trump’s hair. Those who are easily offended left long ago.
Michael H. Smith
May 10th, 2011
6:59 pm
Did you notice who comrade bookman focused on Kyle?
Just saying….
Lil' Barry Bailout
May 10th, 2011
7:16 pm
[I]n 1954, about 96 percent of American men between the ages of 25 and 54 worked. Today that number is around 80 percent. One-fifth of all men in their prime working ages are not getting up and going to work.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/opinion/10brooks.html
———————–
Let’s hope these losers stay home on election day, too.
Ammy
May 10th, 2011
7:43 pm
I’m relieved that Trump has shot himself in the foot so quickly and decisively. Let the other credible candidates get on with the candidating. I liked Romney in 08, wish we had him now and will support him again. But when push comes to shove I’ll take “anyone but O, it’s a aobO year.”
E
May 10th, 2011
7:59 pm
@ rogerter
You miss the point. Trump is stupid. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and has managed to piss it away. I am a conservative too, but I cannot respect a corporate conservative. I mean someone that tries to use the government to help his business via eminent domain. Here is an article by your friend and mine Michelle Malkin: http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/265450/donald-trumps-eminent-domain-empire-michelle-malkin