Weekly Opinion Editorial
NEVER EVER
GIVE IN!
by Steve Fair
According to the latest RealClear Politics
polling average, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are in a virtual statistical dead
heat. Just six weeks ago, Clinton led
Trump by double digits, but the current average has them within .2% of each
other. The only poll that really counts is the one
held on Election Day, but it is significant that Trump has surged against
Clinton. Here is why:
First, Trump is the presumptive nominee of
the Republican Party. For the first time
in recent memory, Republicans have a presumptive nominee before the
Democrats. That gives a definitive
advantage to Trump. Clinton is still
battling Senator Sanders for the Democrat nomination. Sanders has little or no chance of wrestling
the nomination from Clinton, but so long as he stays in the race, Clinton is
fighting battles on two fronts, while Trump is fighting only Clinton.
Second, Clinton is not an energy
candidate. Even her inner circle admits
she struggles with engaging regular folks and prefers policy wonks. Patti Solis Doyle, a former campaign aide,
says this about Hillary’s attitude toward campaigning: “You know, [Hillary Clinton is] tired. She
gets tired. She does it. She does it dutifully. Is it her most fun thing to do?
No,” Doyle said. “Would she rather be looking at policy and going through
legislation and working with a bunch of experts on how to, you know, improve
the Affordable Care Act? Absolutely.” Trump has effectively attacked her as being ‘low
energy,’ and said he doesn’t think she has the physical strength to be
president. It appears that has gained traction
with voters. You will recall that Trump
was able to effectively tag Jeb Bush as a low energy candidate in the early GOP
primaries.
Third, Trump doesn’t back off- ever. Traditional politicos don’t attack their
opponents on a personal level. They back
off a tad when backing off is more politically expedient than pressing forward. Trump doubles down when his opponents attack
him. The Donald is the definition of
politically incorrect. He says what is
on his mind- every time. In a political environment
where voters have been exploited, manipulated, and lied to, Trump’s real
straight talk has appeal.
Fourth, Clinton’s track record is
dismal. For someone with an impressive
resume- U.S. Senate, Secretary of State and First Lady- she has a poor record
of accomplishments. Experience doesn’t always
translate to success. Clinton has been
on the wrong side of most major issues for years. Hillary is more liberal than Bill
Clinton. She doesn’t work across the
aisle well. Her strength is that
everyone knows her- her weakness is that everyone knows her.
Fifth, women don’t trust Hillary. Women are 52% of registered voters and 41% of
them identify themselves as Democrats.
For years, Republicans have lost the female vote, but with Hillary on
the ticket, Trump could change that.
According to a CBC/New York Times poll, forty (40) percent of Democratic
primary voters believe Clinton is politically calculating and someone they
don’t trust with the presidency.
Clinton is the wrong fighter to put in the
ring with Trump. She has too many
weaknesses, flaws and scandals to spar with a heavyweight. A more ‘gentlemanly candidate’ might take the
advice of political operatives and just dance around and play a little ‘rope a
dope’ with her, but in Trump’s world everything about his opponent is relevant-
personal and policy. He thrives on
attacking and never backs down- never ever.
Winston Churchill said, “Never give in--never, never, never, never, in
nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of
honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently
overwhelming might of the enemy.” Trump
never gives in and that is an attribute to be admired.
Like him or not, Donald Trump is the
ultimate fighter. In the political ring,
Trump is landing significant blows on Clinton.
She continues to throw haymakers and not connect. If that continues, Trump will knock her out
in November.
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