Running A Different Campaign

For John, BLUF:  Whatever Mr Trump says, there is someone available to pick it apart.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

---

A president who knew little about the Electoral College

From The San Jose Mercury News, by Columnist George Will, 3 May 2018.

Here is the lede plus five:

Among the recent garbled effusions from President Donald Trump was one that concerned something about which he might not have thought as deeply as the subject merits.  During an episode of “Fox & Friends,” he said he won the 2016 election “easily” but wishes the electoral vote system were replaced by direct election of presidents by popular vote.  He favors this “because to me, it’s much easier to win the popular vote.”

He added that running for president without the Electoral College would involve “a totally different campaign.”  Which, he does not realize, is one reason for retaining the Electoral College.

At least the President is smart enough to realize it would be "a totally different campaign.  I am not sure his opponent realized this.

Here is another excerpt:

His thinking is murky, but evidently he supposes that under a pure popular-vote system he would have campaigned in, say, indigo California, thereby reducing his opponent’s huge margin of victory there (30 points).

Well, there is no such pace as indigo California.  I wonder if Mr Will meant Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley, down the road from Palm Springs?  Part of the Inland Empire.  Former California Senator Barbara boxer lives just up California Highway 111, in Rancho Mirage.  I have been to Rancho Mirage.  A number of Notable People live or have lived in Rancho Mirage, including my Mother.

By the way, I favor the Electoral College, even when it gives results different from the popular vote.

Hat tip to my Brother Lance.

Regards  —  Cliff