The classic and literal definition of con man involves criminal acts, mostly to gain money.

Some of Trump’s history may involve actual cons (Trump University, for example). But for the purposes of this post I am using con man in the more general sense of someone who gains influence over gullible or trusting people using deceptive and manipulative means and false promises, in order to gain something for himself. Many politicians have something of the con in them. Trump has a lot.

The better term of art: pitch man.

He bears more than a passing resemblance to the Wizard of Oz… with his ‘second personality’ being kept behind a curtain.

If there is any ‘long con’ going on — it’s being run by the Media.

The pitch being that Donald can win in the Fall.

No-one wins such an office with an empty war chest.

Yet, compared to HRCGS, Donald has no financial resources at all.

{ $ 2,500,000,000 > $ 150,000,000 }

Stalin in a pants suit is going to own the airwaves.

At a fundamental level, that IS her campaign strategy.

Nice analysis of Trump the con man, Neo. You really did your home work.

I believe that if Trump loses (by whatever margin, large or small), his followers will continue accusing others of backstabbing and double-crossing. It is a very very dangerous situation (see this).

I’m not at all sure there’s a way to really “fix” Social Security. But I can tell you this: whoever described it, and used it as a platform, would lose the election. That’s one of the problems, because it would take too much austerity and people wouldn’t like it one bit.

Carly and Scott Walker were my initial favorites. Nevertheless, after that, it was Rubio or Cruz for me, whoever was the last of the two standing.

I don’t hold someone’s family against him. Cruz seems very levelheaded and logical to me.

You warn of near term economic/fiscal catastrophe and in the next breath you opine about fixing social security, medicare, and winding back the debt clock. Which is it? You can not have both. Sorry to be rude, but you are either less than clueless and totally uninformed or ______ fill in the blank.

Like some of what trump has to say but don’t like the man

Cruz’ family thinks G*d told him to be president — yeah, ok (too much crazy in that family)

Carson – can’t vote for a cultist

RUbio, kasich, bush – G*d help us

I like what walker has done in WI but he never seemed to get traction.

I see serious economic problems on the very near horizon and I just don’t see anyone with real solutions. I thought Carly was promising and I think trump being business minded could be interesting. I honestly think anyone in govt is too invested in their career to actually fix what’s wrong which is why I’m rooting for states to seize the opportunity and have constitutional convention. I really see no other way

Show me one of these 2 candidates who proposes to actually fix social security, medical system and debt. Trump has alluded to fixing medical but I’ve heard nothing from Cruz on it (truly fixing it)

We don’t need to wonder about how Trump supporters or Trump will react in case of a loss. We’ve already seen it in Colorado.
I imagine the same excuses and scapegoating will occur in a general election. Trump is a sore loser.