Voters and Candidates Talk Donald Trump and More at the Iowa State Fair
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ABC News(DES MOINES, Iowa) — A few observations from ABC News on the Iowa State Fair this weekend.
TRUMP IS THE TALK OF THE 2015 IOWA STATE FAIR (REALLY)
You’ve seen the poll numbers, and witnessed the chaos surrounding his brief visit this weekend. But it is difficult to overstate how big an impression Donald Trump has had on Iowans, particularly at the fair. The topic of Trump was overheard in conversation all over the fair. As one woman put it, “He’s got us all talking. I’m not even supporting him, but we’re talking about him.” Another told ABC News: “He certainly has captured what America feels right now.”
One common refrain heard over and over again: “He’s willing to speak his mind.” People are loving that quality about Trump, even if they don’t agree with him on the issues. “Politics can be fun – and he’s making it fun, at least,” said one man. “There hasn’t been nobody like him.”
TRUMP’S WOMEN SUPPORTERS AREN’T OFFENDED
ABC News probed Trump supporters’ feelings about the businessman’s well-documented history of comments viewed by some as sexist or offensive to women. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of the women supporting him give him a pass. But there is a deeper sense that the recent hype has been fanned by Democrats and the media and blown out of proportion.
“Does it make you cringe? Anybody hears crass statements and cringes a little bit,” one female Trump supporter told ABC News. “I don’t think people take what he’s saying so literally. Those comments are taken by me with a grain of salt.”
Another woman told ABC News plainly: “I think he’s been taken, time and again, out of context.”
Who are these women? Many were working moms, community college students, and socially conservative, but not overly religious.
AUTHENTICITY IS HOT RIGHT NOW
There’s clearly a craving for candidates who are atypical and authentic – ones who project a sense of personality, who are a bit rough around the edges, and who certainly don’t appear highly-managed or chained to talking points. Conversations with dozens of everyday Iowans and grassroots political operatives on both sides revealed a strong inclination toward the out-of-the-box, which is already evident in the polls: Soft-spoken Ben Carson surging 6-points since the debate; Carly Fiorina getting a good look; Trump speaking his mind to loud applause; Bernie Sanders drawing the largest crowds.
At the fair, this trend was apparent, too.
“I’m for the anti-politician. Normal politician? Been there, done that,” said one undecided Republican primary voter who’s considering Ben Carson or Donald Trump.
A Democratic family ABC News met was divided over Hillary Clinton on the issue of authenticity – a mother and two adult children enthusiastic for her as the potential first woman president, while one daughter was stubbornly undecided, only to say “absolutely not Hillary because she just seems fake.”
HUBRIS VS. SLOW & STEADY
ABC News questioned both of the frontrunners – Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump — about the state of their campaigns heading into the final weeks of summer and whether there are any tweaks they’d make going into the fall campaign. Both insisted quite remarkably on camera that they have not made a single mistake and will hold their leads to the end.
“I don’t think I’ve made mistakes,” said Trump. “I mean every time somebody says I made a mistake I see the polls and the numbers go up. So I guess I haven’t made any mistakes.”
“I’m just having a good time,” said Clinton. “We’re only four months into this, I feel very positive about the organization we’re building here in Iowa. And, it’s mostly for me a continuing conversation.”
Meanwhile, insurgents like Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina and Bernie Sanders tell ABC News they are playing the long-game, pointing to their poll numbers (inching upward) to back it up. When Ben Carson was asked how he would inch up to Donald Trump’s numbers he said, “This is a marathon, not a sprint,” and “Iowans will be won with specifics.”
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