If you believe the polling data, even just a little bit, then you have to know that Trump is in real trouble heading into the last few weeks of the election. Despite the endless drip of emails from WikiLeaks revealing one embarrassing scandal after another, not to mention potentially criminal activity, Hillary’s polling numbers continue to soar. Perhaps it’s not terribly surprising given that any random 1-hour segment on CNN, NBC and most of the other political cable channels are filled with endless chatter about the Trump “accusers” while not a single word is ever uttered about Hillary’s emails.
Be that as it may, the latest Bloomberg Politics National Poll has Hillary with a 9-point lead with just under 3 weeks left until election day. Even if their is some bias in the polling data, that will be a difficult margin for The Donald to close in such a short period of time.
Looking into the details, Trump scores well with voters on jobs and “change in Washington” but lags on almost every other issue with the biggest Hillary advantages coming on temperament and “being a good role model”. While many would definitely dispute the whole “role model” advantage for Hillary, perhaps the more inexplicable outcome from the Bloomberg poll is that Hillary holds a 2-point lead on trustworthiness…perhaps these people have completely missed the last several years worth of news flow?
That said, Clinton’s lead was only 6 points in a recent Fox News poll but still a wide margin.
#BREAKING! Clinton tops Trump by 6 pts. in new @FoxNews national #Poll More here: https://t.co/FeC7UDzoEw http://pic.twitter.com/slOJWk777X
— Fox News Poll (@foxnewspoll) October 18, 2016
With all that said, Trump has no choice but to lay it all on the line in tonight’s Fox News debate in Las Vegas. With Hillary’s various scandals seemingly irrelevant to the electorate, the debates have been the one thing that have managed to leave a lasting impact on voters. According to The Hill, GOP strategist Hogan Gidley sees Trump going after the various Clinton scandals…certainly there is plenty of material there.
“I think it is extremely important for the Trump campaign,” said J. Hogan Gidley, a GOP strategist who worked for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s presidential campaign earlier in this cycle and for former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) during his 2012 bid. “You can help yourself immensely. And I think this is an amazing opportunity in light of so many issues that have come up.”
Gidley highlighted various details that have emerged from the apparent hack of an email account belonging to Clinton’s campaign chairman, John Podesta, and from the continuing controversy over her use of a private email server while she was secretary of State.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal points out the key for Trump is to avoid falling into Clinton’s traps that have often forced him to go on the defensive over his own personal issues.
“For once he needs to make this a race that’s not just about him,” said Kevin Madden, a Republican consultant who advised the party’s 2012 nominee, Mitt Romney. “Clinton wants this race to be a referendum on Trump and his lack of temperament, and every time she lays the bait he never disappoints in taking it.”
No matter what happens it should be “interesting” as Trump has already indicated his intent invite Obama’s half-brother to the debate along with Pat Smith, the mother of a State Department computer consultant who was killed in the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attacks. Moreover, new campaign ads, like the one below, indicate that Trump plans to come out swinging.
Hillary is the most corrupt person to ever run for the presidency of the United States. #DrainTheSwamp http://pic.twitter.com/xA3YO8YzCq
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 19, 2016
via http://ift.tt/2eRcFp1 Tyler Durden