Trump Fires Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski (of the Arm-Grabbing Fame)

[Madmick]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/21/us/politics/corey-lewandowski-donald-trump.html?_r=0
Maybe it's been covered in one of the Trump mega-threads, but I'm quite surprised that I'm not seeing a discrete thread for it. This is a big enough headline to warrant it. This is his chief campaign strategist, so his termination is a major development as it suggests an impending sea change in the strategy of the campaign.

Trump's side is trying to sell this as a normal changing of the guards before the general election, but anybody with eyes knows that's a lie. Following the horror in Orlando, I thought Trump would enjoy a major boost and re-reverse the trend in the polls where Hillary had once again been separating herself from him to gain the upper hand after he oh-so-briefly gained the edge over her in general polls following his decisive acquisition of the nomination (this edge lasted about a week).

That didn't happen. In fact, it was more like the opposite happened, and so this is the first move in the ensuing scramble. He had plenty of time to dismiss Lewandowski prior to the GE "campaign season". He played the "Obama-is-a-secret-Muslim" card and it's destroying him:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/pres_general/
Observe polling over the past month:

We have a discrete thread devoted to debating the polls, but I thought I'd include it since it really is the underlying factor explaining this dismissal.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/20/politics/corey-lewandowski-out-as-trump-campaign-manager/

In an interview with CNN's Dana Bash, Lewandowski -- asked why he was fired -- said: "I don't know. I don't know the answer to that."

CNN and Vanity Fair are both tracing the schism to a mutiny among his kids...because, you know, that's the kind of President that projects real strength: the kind who caves to his kids. Sounds like that little league parent who thinks his kids are so great that they deserve to have cabinet-level influence on a Presidential campaign just because they're his kids:

Ivanka Trump, the candidate's daughter, played a pivotal role in convincing Trump to take action against Lewandowski. She had been critical of Lewandowski for months and this was not the first time that she had leaned on her father to part ways with his top aide. Contributing to Ivanka Trump's recent dissatisfaction with Lewandowski were intensifying tensions between Lewandowski and Ivanka Trump's husband, Jared Kushner, an influential force behind the scenes. One source said rumors swirled that Lewandowski had attempted to plant negative stories in the press about Kushner -- a final straw for Ivanka Trump.

In an interview with FOX News Trump did everything he could not to talk about it. All we got was: "He did a great job...we're gonna go with a little bit different style."


There is only one reading, and it's not a GE strategy shift. This indicates weakness. He is balking while simultaneously beset by internal/family politics. Trump couldn't stick to being Trump. He's folding going into the general. He is acceding to those RNC masters he loves to excoriate; apparently now listening to the sage, sage wisdom of the stewards of power (and his kids!):

Mr. Trump had faced increasing concerns from allies and donors, as well as his children, over whether Mr. Lewandowski, who had never before worked on a national race, was able to direct a battle against Mrs. Clinton. Among those who had voiced concern was Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, who told Mr. Trump last week that relations between his committee and Mr. Lewandowski had become increasingly strained, and that a change would be welcome, according to three people briefed on the discussion.

Republicans across the spectrum welcomed the firing as a positive step, but they suggested that it needed to be followed by consistent changes in performance from the candidate himself.

Mr. Lewandowski was fired at a Monday morning meeting with Mr. Trump and Mr. Trump’s two older sons, Eric and Donald Jr., said two others briefed on the meeting,who were not authorized to speak publicly. Mr. Trump and Mr. Lewandowski had what was described as a “very open conversation"...

The firing followed regular reports of turmoil in the campaign. Mr. Lewandowski was often at odds with Mr. Manafort, who was brought on in March when the candidate seemed poised for a lengthy fight over Republican delegates.

It's hard to maintain skepticism against that reading in light of the wide divide between how Lewandowski's firing is being spun versus how it appears to have actually gone down:

But the people briefed on Mr. Lewandowski’s departure said the circumstances went well beyond any one episode or relationship. One stressed that the move had been in the works for many weeks, particularly since it had become clear that Mr. Trump would be the Republican nominee...

Few inside the campaign were given any warning about the dismissal of Mr. Lewandowski, who was on the campaign’s daily 8:30 a.m. conference call on Monday, according to a person briefed on the developments.

Mr. Bennett, the senior Trump campaign adviser, declined to predict whether there would be other significant changes.

Some of us have been saying for nearly a year that the center could not hold with this strategy. Here is a splay of yarn.

 

[Octavian]

The dumpster fire continues.

 

[IDL]

There was also an assassination attempt today against Trump by some kid from Britain overstaying his Visa. Tried to grab a police officers gun but didn't make it very far.

Rough stretch for Trump!

 

[Fawlty]

The kids are stalwart yes-men (so it seems), so if they're really involved in this, they've agreed the campaign is completely unprepared and they broke ranks to confront dad, or Arm Snatcher the Magnificent did something personal. It seems really bad if the kids spoke up.

 

[7437]

You just hate trump, and are biased.

 

[HereticBD]

So now the polls matter...

 

[Madmick]

You just hate trump, and are biased.

I realize you're being ironic, but you're not wrong. I've seen him as little more than fishfood since Day 1. Guy has had "3rd Consecutive Democratic Term" written all over his forehead.

So now the polls matter...

I've been posting polls for 9 straight months.

 

[Krallang]

Lewandowski was far outside of his comfort zone and his replacement was needed. This should have been done a few weeks ago.

Ivanka and her brothers have actually been trying to tone down Trumps rhetoric am I'm glad he's finally listening.

 

[7437]

I realize you're being ironic, but you're not wrong. I've seen him as little more fishfood since Day 1. Guy has had "3rd Consecutive Democratic Term" written all over his forehead.

I've been posting polls for 9 straight months.

His campaign is huge. People loving him. He set records for votes. Huge.

 

[Fawlty]

So now the polls matter...

The objection to the May pro-Trump polls, which is now being confirmed, was that the polls were not reflective of Hillary's presumptive nomination, and were reflective of Trump's. Now they're square, and back at December levels. That's why the polls now matter.

 

[Madmick]

The objection to the May pro-Trump polls, which is now being confirmed, was that the polls were not reflective of Hillary's presumptive nomination, and were reflective of Trump's. Now they're square, and back at December levels. That's why the polls now matter.

There is never a time when the polls don't matter, but sometimes it takes some experience and knowledge to properly read them (as I did, and anyone else who wasn't a neophyte to this...he got the nomination "bump" while Hillary was still bitterly embattled-- not like this is an obscure phenomenon).

*Edit* Nevertheless, @Cmart posted a phenomenal tracking chart from 1980, and if there was ever an election comparable to this one, then it was 1980. I urge all to find it in the Poll thread. Precedent is a complicated thing.

 

[DevilsLettuce]

 

[Anung Un Rama]

That chart is a little misleading, it's makes 5 (6?) point difference look like a enormous lead

 

[DevilsLettuce]

Someone tried to assassinate Donald Trump today. Has that been big news in the USA?

It was more like he tried to try. Either way, I don't think anyone would be surprised and few people will care.

 

[Fawlty]

There is never a time when the polls don't matter, but sometimes it takes some experience and knowledge to properly read them (as I did, and anyone else who wasn't a neophyte to this...he got the nomination "bump" while Hillary was still bitterly embattled-- not like this is an obscure phenomenon).

*Edit* Nevertheless, @Cmart posted a phenomenal tracking chart from 1980, and if there was ever an election comparable to this one, then it was 1980. I urge all to find it in the Poll thread. Precedent is a complicated thing.

True, they're at least useful for reflecting how our confidence levels shift on important events. I'll check out the 1980 election, it's something I don't know much about but there are some interesting parallels.

 

[K1levelgrappler]

He doesn't need a campaign manager because there's literally nothing to manage:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_...016/06/donald_trump_s_invisible_campaign.html

To suggest the Trump campaign is hurt by Lewandowski’s departure is to assume a campaign exists. The truth is, there is no Donald Trump campaign.

This isn’t a matter of metaphysics; I mean this in a literal sense. Consider campaign staff. At this point in a presidential cycle, the presumptive nominees of both parties have begun to construct a field operation meant to identify supporters, train volunteers, and prepare for the tough work of bringing voters to the polls. By the time Mitt Romney entered June—after extinguishing Rick Santorum’s challenge from the right—he had more than a dozen offices open in Ohio and at least 89 paid staffersfor his national campaign. By November, Romney had opened nearly 300 offices nationwide and employed more than 400 people. Team Obama invested even more in offices and personnel, with nearly 800 field locations and over 900 paid staffers.

How much staff has Donald Trump hired? At last count, the Trump campaign has roughly 30 staffers nationwide. By comparison, Team Clinton has hired 50 people in Ohio alone. Even if it’s still early in the cycle, a typical campaign would have several senior staff members in place in most, if not all, contested states. Trump has close to none. And while the Republican National Committee has people on the ground in swing states and other vital areas, they’re focused on the entire ticket. Trump needs dedicated, professional help and he doesn’t have it. He seems to be waiting until July, at the earliest, to determine hiring and placement.

 

[sloppypie]

Someone tried to assassinate Donald Trump today. Has that been big news in the USA?

Man who attempted to grab gun at rally wanted 'to kill Trump'

it's not really big news. this wasn't a scene from taxi driver, the guy just had a scuffle and "tried" to get a gun, and failed miserably. he didn't come armed with an ak and got taken down by secret service. so it's hardly all that concerning.

it was a bigger story actually the dude that managed to run up on stage, because that was an actual breach of security.

it's no surprise though people don't like trump. his campaign is insane and he's unqualified, and regular people know this. only trump sycophants and people with an extreme political bias are into him, and try to convince everyone else they are right by screaming the loudest and trying to be the most intimidating. but it's hard to be intimidated by a bunch of fat fucks with cheetohs dust still on their fat fucking fingers holding their stupid signs.

he's gotten a slight break for now because of the shooting, but he'll go back to being the same meglomaniac he always is and do something else. as it is, he still has his fraudulent trump university lawsuit and his tax returns to deal with. a new campaign manager won't fix the level of stupid that is wrong with his entire persona he's trying to pull off.

 

[ILLogic]

Even Karl Rove wouldn't be able to fix this impulsive idiot. No matter what plan is laid out for him, he cannot focus on anything other than serving his own ego.

 

[DevilsLettuce]

Cuckold Trump gonna get beat by a girl.

 

[Diamond Jim]

Maybe has something to do with this.

Donald Trump's campaign finished May with just $1.3 million in the bank. It's a troublingly low cash position that came as a double blow on the same day that Trump fired his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski.

Trump's end-of-May finances, revealed in a report to the Federal Election Commission delivered Monday night, is strikingly low for a presumptive nominee of a major party.

Trump raised just $5.6 million for his campaign during May, a month that began with RNC chair Reince Priebus declaringTrump the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box...4-trump-ends-may-with-just-13-million-in-bank

The filings also show that Trump's single biggest campaign expense in May was a payment of $423,371.70 to Mar-A-Lago, a club that he owns.