I guess I'm reacting to the vagueness of his response and my understanding of what he means. Frankly, I don't follow (i.e., logically comprehend) much of what he says as he's rambling, so yes I don't ascribe any more planning or thought into his remarks than much of anything he says.

In the outrage expressed by some over his comments, I've seen the phrase thrown about "peaceful transition of power", so I guess there's a great fear out there that I just don't have.

So maybe someone can clarify the expectation that people seem to be concerned with:

1. Is it that Trump won't be a good loser/good sport and concede the race, or will instead claim that the system and deck were stacked against him? He may very well be a poor loser and say that it was unfair. Who cares? I don't know of any rules that say he is required to admit someone else won fair and square in order for the rest of the country to move on and accept the result.

2. Is it that Trump is going to somehow lead an army or militia in an armed revolt to 'rightfully claim his election win"? I consider that laughable.

3. That he has specific people he can command or give orders to who will foment civil unrest? I doubt it.

If there is some fear that Trump has a plan to forcibly keep Clinton out of power should she win the election - - - I think that's as much of a "conspiracy theory" as Trump's claim the election is rigged.

There is going to be a peaceful transition of power regardless of Trump's feelings and pronouncements.

I believe that when he says the election is rigged, it is in response to the sh*t-storm he finds himself in when every word he has spoken is under attack. He has earned that himself of course, but the sheer weight of the condemnation he's now facing is enormous, and it's so enormous, it's overwhelming any of the negative press Hillary would be getting right now if there were any other Republican running against her. As a result, he suspects the media is arrayed against him right now. He has a right to suspect that, they are. And the media has a right to be arrayed against him as he is a singularly unqualified candidate. In that light, at least some of his observations of the situation in which he finds himself are perfectly understandable. By the same token, the media have every right and reason to go after him. None of this is pleasant to watch.

Secondly, there is no comparison between Trump's "I'll keep you in suspense", to the military actions Chavez and now Maduro had or have at their disposal to invalidate any result they didn't like. Trump is a toothless lion, roaring his objection to a never-ending cascade of critical reviews, written attacks and personal judgment, all brought about by his own words and action.

This story is NOT going to end in a Trump-led coup attempt (no army!), or Trump's political enemies and dissidents thrown in jail. It's just not.

(10-20-2016 02:14 PM)JOwl Wrote:  

(10-19-2016 11:40 PM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  Tend to agree. There's plenty of stuff objectionable about Trump, but I think we're getting to the point where one side feels that they need to blast every single word he says. (and on the other side, I don't think people are willing to give Obama or Hillary the benefit of the doubt on very much either).

Some of this stuff borders on grasping at straws. I took it in the same vein you did. Listening to other commentators, it's almost as if they're implying Trump is going to ride around on horseback leading an armed revolt.

Trump is unfit and unqualified to be President. But he's not Hugo Chavez (who spent time in Venezuelan prison (before he was the Presidente for leading a military coup attempt that included bombing the Caracas airport), Fidel Castro or Che Guevera. Trump doesn't think that far ahead and has nothing strategically to 'fight for'.

That seems like you're almost intentionally being obtuse on this point. I mean there's giving the benefit of the doubt, and then there's completely ignoring both the question asked and the context in which it was asked.

Over the past week, the Trump campaign has had this discussion:

First Trump says at a rally: ""The election is being rigged by corrupt media pushing completely false allegations and outright lies in an effort to elect [Clinton] president."

Pence addresses it on Meet the Press saying "We will absolutely accept the results of the election. Look, the American people will speak in an election that will culminate on November the 8th. But the American people are tired of the obvious bias in the national media. That's where the sense of a rigged election goes here, Chuck." (emphasis mine)

After the Pence interview airs, Trump clarifies his own position via tweet: "The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary - but also at many polling places – SAD," (emphasis mine)

Then at the debate, Wallace specifically referenced that exchange between Trump and Pence when asking his question:
WALLACE: "Mr. Trump, I want to ask you about one last question in this topic. You have been warning at rallies recently that this election is rigged and that Hillary Clinton is in the process of trying to steal it from you. Your running mate, Governor Pence, pledged on Sunday that he and you — his words — “will absolutely accept the result of this election.” Today your daughter, Ivanka, said the same thing. I want to ask you here on the stage tonight: Do you make the same commitment that you will absolutely — sir, that you will absolutely accept the result of this election?"

After back and forth, where Trump claims that millions of people are registered to vote that shouldn't be, that the NYT is poisoning minds against him, and that Hillary should not be legally allowed to run for the presidency, Wallace reiterates the question and Trump finally responds:
WALLACE: "...the loser concedes to the winner and that the country comes together in part for the good of the country. Are you saying you’re not prepared now to commit to that principle?"
TRUMP: "What I’m saying is that I will tell you at the time. I’ll keep you in suspense. OK?"

Taken in context, it's clear that Trump's answer was _not_ him splitting hairs about waiting for every vote to be counted. It was about whether he will accept the final tally as an accurate representation of the will of the American people.

Separately, it's interesting that you bring up Venezuela. I happened to watch the debate over at my neighbor's house; he's from Venezuela (moved here after college) and his father, who lives in Venezuela, was visiting. His father had some difficulty following the debate in English, but once Fox flashed the headline "Trump Won't Commit To Accepting Election Results" in the postgame, he was absolutely flabbergasted. He couldn't believe a candidate here would say that, noting that these are the tactics used in Venezuela and that their government is a disaster and a farce.