Ana is literally slaying bitches left and right, including that obnoxious blonde. This is really good all the way to the end. SLAY!

 

 

Ana Navarro read them for filth. 

Let's be very clear: There is no new low bar for the debates.

 

There is no 'potential victory' at the debates.

 

There is no comeback narrative.

 

There is only this.

 

Politico:

 

 

The walls were already closing around Trump before the Friday release of a video showing him blithely describing, in lurid and demeaning language, his efforts to seduce a married woman and how he would kiss and grope women even if they didn’t want him to. Those walls have now fallen in on him – and what aides were describing last week as an opportunity to rebound is now being cast as one final shot at survival.

 

“It is a complete sh-t-show,” said one GOP operative who still backs Trump on Saturday – a day of mass defections by Republican women and down-ballot Senate and House candidates. “There’s one chance, one opportunity left – and that’s to get on bended knee and project the image of contrition… That’s not going to happen.”

 

A senior Trump aide described the mood of the campaign on Saturday evening as “very demoralized.”

 

The staggering events of the 72 hours leading up to Sunday’s showdown here with Hillary Clinton – capped off by an unprecedented exodus of at least two dozen high-profile GOP supporters – would have posed an overwhelming challenge to any debate-prep team. But Trump doesn’t really have such a team, not in the conventional sense. His rotating circle of advisers are confused about what to do and the candidate is unwilling or incapable of preparing a game plan, Republican officials and people close to the campaign told POLITICO.

 

Even if Trump’s Friday fiasco had never happened, he’d still be in deep trouble -- and his campaign remains in a state of disarray. In interviews conducted over last week, campaign aides complained about improvisational decision-making, and a lack of communication that often leads to mixed signals and confusion. With so few people on staff – Trump’s skeleton operation is a fraction the size of Clinton’s massive Brooklyn operation – senior advisers are often scattered around the country on various assignments, making it hard to implement consistent messaging, a coherent communications strategy and a debate prep system that will protect the vulnerable candidate.

 

There are also strategic differences – not irreconcilable, but significant – on his team.

 

Following his stumble at Hofstra, Trump spent part of the following week traveling with Steve Bannon, the hard-charging Breitbart CEO now helping to steer the campaign. Bannon has been urging Trump to brand himself as a populist-minded change agent – a line that he used briefly, and effectively, during the Hofstra showdown. Over the course of the week, Trump reiterated the messaging on a number of stops, including ones in Florida, Iowa, and Wisconsin – a message largely lost by his obsessive defense of comments ridiculing the weight a former Miss Universe.

 

Some Trump aides saw the change agent argument – and his effective criticism of Clinton as a failed reformer with a 30-year-record of disappointment – as his best moment in the debate, and some members of his new polling team, which has grown to a handful of people, also liked what they saw.

 

But, back in Trump Tower, two other members of the nominee’s senior team, campaign manager Kellyanne Conway and son-in-law Jared Kushner, were pushing for the campaign’s ad makers to produce scripts that would go after Clinton’s character – hard. Several focus groups were scheduled, including one in the critical North Carolina battleground, and they wanted to test TV ads that attacked the former secretary of state as a corrupt figure and that highlighted her use of a private email server.

 

The schism was on full display in Trump’s all-over-the-map public utterances after the Washington Post on Friday published the tape of him talking about sexually assaulting women because, as a celebrity, he could. 

 

He attempted contrition, but immediately rounded it out by bellowing attacks on Bill Clinton coupled with threats to dredge up the former president’s affairs and lay them at his wife’s feet.

 

It’s that schism Clinton’s team will try to exploit on Sunday, as the Democrat both challenges an occasionally policy-focused Trump on the issues while goading him into the kind of personal attacks on her husband, herself, and other Americans that repel voters.

 

Despite the importance of pulling off what would amount to the most monumental pivot in the history of pivots, Trump is proceeding toward Sunday night’s debate in his typical, disorganized way. Amazingly, he was still publicly musing about ditching a long session for public appearances as late as this weekend.

 

Around a dozen debate advisers – none of them truly managing the process – were consulted ahead of the Hofstra showdown, many of them policy aides who were present to help the nominee beef up on topics that could arise. This time, the list is far smaller. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are leading the sessions, with help from COO Steve Bannon, campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, and deputy campaign manager David Bossie.

 

[...]

 

Mike Pence – despite proving himself the master of the format in a disciplined performance against Tim Kaine in last week’s vice-presidential debate – is not playing a big part on Trump’s prep team, though he has been giving some advice on the side. Instead, since Friday, Pence appears to be distancing himself amid Hail-Mary calls from GOP colleagues for the reality TV star at the top of the ticket to step aside and make way for his more electable running mate.

 

While Trump and Pence advisers aggressively pushed back against reports that Trump was mad at Pence for out-performing him on the debate stage – “B.S.!” one Trump adviser said while others described Trump as “overjoyed” by the performance – there is not a lot of good feeling there now.

 

On Saturday, Pence – who has now denounced his running mate’s words about women – pulled out of a joint appearance with House Speaker Paul Ryan, unwilling to stand for the GOP nominee in the wake of Friday’s events.

 

Pence, according to a Republican familiar with his thinking, made the decision on his own – and that he believes it doesn’t make sense for him to act a human shield until Trump addresses the story in a more comprehensive way than his defiant apology Friday night that came coupled with an attack on the Clintons. Pence delivered the news to Trump in a Saturday morning phone call. The conversation was cordial, and the Indiana governor has been checking in regularly to offer advice on how to handle the fallout, the Republican told POLITICO.

 

Those familiar with the St. Louis prep sessions say there’s been a focus on “tactics.” Republicans around Trump hope he’ll produce more succinct and less defensive answers -- something that would have been difficult enough to pull off even if he had not been rattled and distracted by the firestorm over the tape.

 

But it is the lesson the Republican’s team took out of the first debate at Hofstra. After that debacle, Trump’s team ordered up a round of internal polling in around a half-dozen key battlegrounds: The results, said one person familiar with the numbers, weren’t catastrophic – but at the same time, they showed a clear drop for Trump, including in some red states that he had hoped to put away.

 

The Hofstra debate was particularly frustrating to Trump’s advisers, who say that the GOP nominee was sufficiently prepped for the showdown but simply didn’t use the tools he’d been given. One example: Trump was supplied with a list of “pivot points” he could use to redirect questions and establish contrasts with Hillary Clinton. The hope, Republicans said, was that he would parry questions about his refusal to release tax returns with sustained attacks on her use of a private email server, while raising questions about her husband’s charitable foundation.

 

Instead, he was caught flat-footed, offering rambling answers that made a rhetorical strongman look indecisive and defensive.

 

In the days that followed, Trump was bothered by a series of stories that depicted him as unfocused and unwilling to learn (although people around him confirmed they were, largely, accurate). His team has since tried to cut back on unwanted leaks. This week, Jillian Rogers, a Trump press aide, sent an email to staffers telling them to, “As always, let us know if you are contacted for a campaign-related” story.

 

The second debate should have been easier for him, assuming a commitment to prepare. But not, Republicans concede, after Friday.

 

“The stakes for Sunday's debate got much, much higher on Friday, and the degree of difficulty increased greatly as well,” said Beth Myers, a top aide and debate prep adviser for Mitt Romney in 2012.

 

“The town hall format should be a better venue for Trump, who is more comfortable interacting with an audience than one-on-one on stage with Hillary Clinton,” she said. But the prep, she cautioned, will be difficult “for Trump and his campaign team as they try to spin the virtually un-spinnable hot-mic tape. Tough to get your head into debate mode while catching so much flak from every direction.”

 

Clinton’s people believe she’s the one who benefits most from the format – which features questions from undecided voters, in addition to queries from moderators Martha Raddatz and Anderson Cooper. But despite his plunge, Trump has plenty of ammunition. One target: her internal campaign emails, published online by Wikileaks Friday, revealing that she had told Wall Street executives politicians hold two sets of positions, one public and one private, while advocating for open borders and free trade deals.

 

“The stakes are as high as they can get because voting has already started and he’s stalled in his momentum and the race is on the line,” said Mari Will, a, veteran GOP debate coach who advised Scott Walker during primaries and served as communications director for the wiliest Republican debater of them all, Ronald Reagan.

 

“My advice would be to attack, attack, attack all the way through,” she added – more to shore up support from his core supporters than to reach out for new ones.

 

It might be too late.

 

Even before the exodus of senators like John Thune, Kelly Ayotte and John McCain, GOP officials were sweating the possibility that Trump’s recent weakness would once again raise the possibility of a wipeout in Senate races. The RNC, according to three sources, has recently approved a substantial transfer of funds to the National Republican Senate Committee. Spokespersons for both committees declined to discuss the transaction.

 

And there are growing signs that the GOP nominee is no longer just competing against Hillary Clinton, but against members of his own party who are withdrawing or reconsidering their reluctant endorsements – making Trump’s objective on Sunday less about reviving his candidacy than proving himself able to stop his party from completely abandoning him to the electoral wolves howling outside Trump Tower.

 

"I am going to watch his level of contrition over the next few days,” tweeted Sen. Richard Burr, a North Carolina Republican locked in a neck-and-neck reelection battle, “to determine my level of support.”

 

Don't be afraid to call this election what it now is: A death march.

 

That is not me cherry-picking optimism. That is the reality every single one of us is seeing except in the most desperate corners of Fox News. There are even rumors of Pence dropping out.

 

It's over.

 

More from the bunker.

Edited October 9, 20169 yr by Vee

RNC Official: @realDonaldTrump has been taken off the Phone Call scripts for recruitment and Absentee Ballot requests

— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC)

October 8, 2016

I think it's important for everyone to stand up against the GOP. Frankly why did it take Trump talking about sexually assaulting white women for this to be the breaking point. His comments and behavior towards blacks, latinos, disabled people, and yes women were all out in the open. I realize hearing the words though the actual voice is more damaging, but we cannot let these people off the hook, particularly the cowards who refused to say anything and were willing to put a psychopath into the most powerful job in the world for the sake of what? Supreme court justices. And honestly they haven't learned a thing if they are all now flogging their support around that dirtbag Pence.

 

You know when Romney lost, the GOP acknowledged they needed to expand their base and become more inclusive and they did #crickets. They have now alienated every minority group that exists, alienated women all smashed to smithereens. And yet their lack of self awareness is stunning.

 

By the way, Access Hollywood told Don Lemon they have lot more stuff even more damaging than what we have heard.

Why would you think he was only bragging about assaulting white women? He's on record bragging about his bed being a "rainbow coalition". I'm sure many different races of women were treated to his unwanted kissing and groping. With any luck, some of them will come forward this week, although as we've heard he has his employees under confidentiality agreements.

Oh, they are coming forward already, former miss Utah, Temple Taggart, and a Pagaent owner, Jill Harth.

http://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-words-echo-womans-allegations-507763

 

From what I'm reading there isn't any way at this point that the RNC can replace Trump on the ticket. The only option would be for Trump to drop out, which would essentially make Pence the nominee, but that can only happen if Trump wins the election (And states he would resign immediately), and congress invokes the 25th amendment.

Edited October 9, 20169 yr by alphanguy74

The @GOP anti-#Trump wave:
–Gardner
–Murkowski
–Sasse
–Portman
–Lee
–Kirk
–Ayotte
–McCain
–Crapo
–Capito
–Flake
–Thune
–Daugaard
–Sullivan

— Michael Wilner (@mawilner)

October 9, 2016

hear Trump huddled in meeting at Trump Tower w/ Rudy, Newt and Jeff Sessions. Source: Sessions arguing Trump should consider dropping out

— Gabriel Sherman (@gabrielsherman)

October 8, 2016

The use of the leaked e-mails as what is going to work against Hillary annoys me, because she said very little in those that should surprise or alienate any voter in such a high-stakes election, yet this is being spun as some type of "gotcha" moment in waiting. 

 

Her people must be on a knife's edge as he could go out there and spew bile, or just do his usual constipated pouting to try to show he's above it all, hoping the press will put her in the same box they put Kaine in - that she was in the gutter while Trump was above it all, blah blah blah.

 

It's too bad she can't just skip the debate. 

 

I read that there is a way the GOP could take him off the ballot but they don't want to go that far. Not sure if it's true or not. 

Except for Sasse, are any of these people truly anti-Trump or rats fleeing from a sinking ship?  McCain should be ashamed of himself more than anyone.   Mitt Romney and Sasse deserve some respect for being true never-trumpers.  The rest of these people would endorse their mother's killer if they thought it could help get them elected.

Edited October 9, 20169 yr by quartermainefan

She's got no reason to want to skip the debate. There is zero room for error for Trump, and he is now considered a national disgrace ready to humiliate himself anew. She has every reason to attend and put him in the ground. The only spin claiming he has a ghost's chance or that Hillary is in any danger is from his remaining Republican loyalists and a few desperate GOP pollsters. Even those are few and far between.

 

Re: Kaine, everyone forgot that debate an hour after it happened. The only takeaway that mattered was the one prescient of this weekend - Pence unable to defend Trump.

Edited October 9, 20169 yr by Vee

This segment of a (surprisingly good) SNL sketch tonight about sums up what Hillary is probably doing to prep at this point -

 

 

Except for Sasse, are any of these people truly anti-Trump or rats fleeing from a sinking ship?  McCain should be ashamed of himself more than anyone.   Mitt Romney and Sasse deserve some respect for being true never-trumpers.  The rest of these people would endorse their mother's killer if they thought it could help get them elected.

 

They're craven sycophants. The dumbest of them all must be Ted Cruz, who completely destroyed any slim chance he had of 2020 and any shred of respect anyone ever had for him...all for it to be blown up a few weeks later. Desperate. Most of the people who endorsed him are not likely to pay any political price, because their careers are winding down or they're in safe seat, but I do hope the current polls are wrong and prize idiots like Kelly Ayotte (another media darling - I still remember when they gushed over how she was sure to be a future VP...funny how I don't hear that anymore) lose. They deserve it. 

 

Most disgusting of all is Mike Pence, hater of women and lgbt people, very proud of it, who is now a hero to the press and the bigot brigades because he fills the stern (white) father fantasies that drive everything they say or do. 

Edited October 9, 20169 yr by DRW50

Kellyanne Conway is walking on sunshine.

 

 

Ridiculous yet not exactly surprising. Just one poll, but it shows no real change in the race after the tape. The most interesting thing, and one that doesn't really surprise me knowing how much certain GOP voters prize loyalty, is that politicians who now dump Trump are seen more negatively than those who stand by him.

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/politico-morning-consult-poll-229394

 

Some people really are just stupid though. I was looking around to see some reactions to SNL's latest awkward attempt at political commentary, and most were anti-Trump, had always been, yet I saw one person saying things like, "It was 11 years ago," and, "He wasn't even married at the time - at least he didn't cheat like Bill Clinton." (he actually was married and he cheated on a previous wife, but let's just ignore that...). These are the types of zombies who will never go anywhere. I wonder if they are also the idiots who in that poll, (10%) actually said the video improved their opinion of him.

That's a Republican voter poll! Of course they worship him, that's his hardcore base. But it is shrinking.

 

What you have to look at is not only the undecideds, but the women who are pulling Trump signs off their lawns - something that is apparently happening, even when they're not being polled. You can't go by random internet comments sections mobbed by trolls and polls of Republican voters to determine that this did nothing to the race.

Internet comments sections are pretty much worthless, but I think they do reflect that both candidates are intensely hated and it's such a bilge that nothing much rises to the top. I was talking to someone at the store today who basically said she was repulsed by Trump but didn't really want to vote for anyone. That doesn't mean anything either, it's just anecdotal, but I think it does reflect one of the reasons why the average voter has not been able to flush him out of the race. I think Hillary will win, I no longer think anything out there is going to spring up and shock her (the most damaging leaks are probably over with), barring some type of terrorist attack I don't even want to think about so I won't. But I do think that a lot of people already saw the Trump of the tape as who he really was and are much more cynical than the press and the Beltway, which still has fantasies of Joe Sixpack and Soccer Mom Jane, realizes. I don't know how much it will move the needle this late in the day.