Next time you watch Trump for a length of time notice he doesn't laugh.
He grins, he chortles, he offers goofy faces, but he doesn't laugh.
A master of humiliating other people with adolescent put-downs to get a rise from his fawning crowd, he afterwards offers his insipid grin with head shakes, chin out akin to one used by Benito Mussolini last century.
But, he doesn't laugh, no quick bursts, no belly laughs, no intense body-shaking laugh that bring tears to one's eyes.
The enjoyment others get from a situation is expressed by a laugh...for Trump, it's simply a grin and shoulder shrug.
Sadly true. I have always thought that through his rallies, he never stopped campaigning his entire time in the White House and the 'carnival' is what really attracted his supporters.
I think we live in a world of realty TV -- and people don;'t differentiate between what's on TV and what's actually real. So electing someone like Trump actually makes sense through that lens.
I hope Mr. Entertainment gives Jack Smith and his crew of federal prosecutors a sense of joy, too. I have a strong feeling I’m going to enjoy the trials. It’s great that Trump is giving a warm feeling to everyone.
"His supporters think it’s hilarious that he is, effectively, giving the middle finger to, well, just about everyone. It convinces them that they can trust Trump because, after all, no one who was bought and paid for by the establishment would even consider saying some of the stuff he says." You just articulated what makes me crazy about his supporters. They don't care about the country, they don't care about the future, or how they may be hurt by his policies, they like that it "pisses off the LIBS!"
I don't know how to even talk to people like this. You can't have a dialogue with them. They want disruption and to hell with the future and the fact they may end up worse off.
As long as Trump remains their leader they will continue to lose national elections. Trump narrowly won through the flawed Electoral college in 2016. He then lost in 2018 in the congressional elections ,he also lost in 2020 Presidential elections and again lost the congressional elections in 2022. (Remember the so called Red wave that never materialised)He was popular in the Republican base in 2020 as well and he was the incumbent as well and yet he lost convincely. The Independents and the suburban women in states like Pennsylvania ,Michigan and Wisconsin do not have any reason to vote for this guy. He is going to entertain the nation as a Realty TV guy and then lose to Joe Biden. This is not 2016 and Joe Biden is not Hilary Clinton people
"He was popular in the Republican base in 2020 as well and he was the incumbent as well and yet he lost convincely."
Biden won by a smaller margin in the competitive states in 2020 than Trump won by in the competitive states in 2016. I would not describe Biden's victory as "convincing".
Yes, but as Chris points out, the Siena poll also puts Trump way ahead among college-educated Republican voters. Be careful not to dismiss all Trump voters as idiots ("those people"). That just feeds into Trump's us-versus-them narrative.
I was in institutional investment marketing and sales with well-educated (mostly men) who were some of the most racist, homophobic, misogynistic and anti-immigrant people I've ever met.
Education has nothing to do with character, or the lack thereof.
It's about the comfort of being part of the tribe and against a perceived enemy (aka Libs and persons with standards.)
Trump definitely has a stranglehold on a wide swath of GOP voters, from the rich and educated CEOs who very much like his tax breaks to the supporters who think their votes for Trump in 2020 were shot into space and came back as Biden votes.
And that is EXACTLY how the people running against him should play it....” Hey, I know that everyone is having fun with Donald Trump, but do you really want the Clown to run the country?”
I agree to some extent. But the sinking of Hillary's campaign was her arrogance at the end to campaign in Florida and Texas instead of the Rust Belt states.
Comey's statement about an FBI investigation a week before Election Day was not insignificant.
Very insightful, Chris. The whole thing just makes me sick. People just lap up what he says & does, which is a frightening thing to think about. What does this say as a country? We know he is going to get the nomination, he may very well succeed in the general and that is not only frightening and dangerous but appalling, as a country. We voted in 2016, of course, thinking that there was no way in hell that Trump would be elected. Here we are, once again, he may just win again.
I genuinely think there is a sense that people are watching a show -- and not electing the leader of the free world with all the consequences that come with that.
I don't think it's the majority of people that think they are watching a Realty show. Most people know that they are electing The President of the United States and that's why they elected Joe Biden instead of Donald Trump in 2020 and guess what. the exact same thing would happen again in 2024 and Joe Biden would be re elected again
It may be good to have that anxiety that he may win again so that there is no complacency to go and vote. But the truth of the matter is that Trump is never going to win general election again in this country. Not after inciting January 6 insurrection ,and multiple criminal indictments..
Having never attended a Trump rally or event, I defer to your comments on the atmosphere and sense of fun they offer. However, I have never ever seen Trump laugh spontaneously. He smirks, he grins that rictus of a would-be smile, and he mugs, but he never seems to burst into surprised laughter. I take that as emblematic of a real character flaw and a deep lack of sense of humor. Sure, he can do the lounge lizard act quite well, but he doesn't seem to look at the world in a way that allows him to be enjoyably and unpredictably surprised into laughter. I am not a psychologist, but what do others think not laughing indicates???
How come no one calls Trump what he is - the court jester. Sure he has the sharpest tongue, but no one in their right mind ever put the jester in charge!
History tells us of many leaders that served two roles, like Marcus Aurelius, considered a Philosopher-King (Emporer).
Trump could combo "Leader-Court Jester" since the former is too much work other than barking orders, while he loves the ego-salving cheers of entertaining his followers.
I admit, I covered a Trump rally once in Poughkeepsie and it really was a blast. He essentially cut a heel promo on how much Poughkeepsie sucked and how terrible it was to live here (not wrong!) and the crowd cheered like crazy. And you even got to bust out the catchphrases and chants.
RE: TRUMP LAUGHING, NOT
Next time you watch Trump for a length of time notice he doesn't laugh.
He grins, he chortles, he offers goofy faces, but he doesn't laugh.
A master of humiliating other people with adolescent put-downs to get a rise from his fawning crowd, he afterwards offers his insipid grin with head shakes, chin out akin to one used by Benito Mussolini last century.
But, he doesn't laugh, no quick bursts, no belly laughs, no intense body-shaking laugh that bring tears to one's eyes.
The enjoyment others get from a situation is expressed by a laugh...for Trump, it's simply a grin and shoulder shrug.
Sadly true. I have always thought that through his rallies, he never stopped campaigning his entire time in the White House and the 'carnival' is what really attracted his supporters.
It will be a terrifying world if he is reelected.
I think we live in a world of realty TV -- and people don;'t differentiate between what's on TV and what's actually real. So electing someone like Trump actually makes sense through that lens.
It does.
He’s also as entertaining as Shark Week and magnetic as car crashes, mob films, and those always high rating Hitler documentaries.
Nicely concise.
I hope Mr. Entertainment gives Jack Smith and his crew of federal prosecutors a sense of joy, too. I have a strong feeling I’m going to enjoy the trials. It’s great that Trump is giving a warm feeling to everyone.
"His supporters think it’s hilarious that he is, effectively, giving the middle finger to, well, just about everyone. It convinces them that they can trust Trump because, after all, no one who was bought and paid for by the establishment would even consider saying some of the stuff he says." You just articulated what makes me crazy about his supporters. They don't care about the country, they don't care about the future, or how they may be hurt by his policies, they like that it "pisses off the LIBS!"
I don't know how to even talk to people like this. You can't have a dialogue with them. They want disruption and to hell with the future and the fact they may end up worse off.
I have also observed that his supporters don’t think any of the obvious downsides of a narcissistic authoritarian will apply to them
Thank God they are in minority and will continue to lose election in this country.
I'm nowhere near as convinced of that as you seem to be (with respect to losing (future) elections).
As long as Trump remains their leader they will continue to lose national elections. Trump narrowly won through the flawed Electoral college in 2016. He then lost in 2018 in the congressional elections ,he also lost in 2020 Presidential elections and again lost the congressional elections in 2022. (Remember the so called Red wave that never materialised)He was popular in the Republican base in 2020 as well and he was the incumbent as well and yet he lost convincely. The Independents and the suburban women in states like Pennsylvania ,Michigan and Wisconsin do not have any reason to vote for this guy. He is going to entertain the nation as a Realty TV guy and then lose to Joe Biden. This is not 2016 and Joe Biden is not Hilary Clinton people
"He was popular in the Republican base in 2020 as well and he was the incumbent as well and yet he lost convincely."
Biden won by a smaller margin in the competitive states in 2020 than Trump won by in the competitive states in 2016. I would not describe Biden's victory as "convincing".
For the sake of the country, I hope that you’re right.
Trump has always said that he loves the uneducated voters. It's not surprising that those people would support him for the "fun".
Yes, but as Chris points out, the Siena poll also puts Trump way ahead among college-educated Republican voters. Be careful not to dismiss all Trump voters as idiots ("those people"). That just feeds into Trump's us-versus-them narrative.
I was in institutional investment marketing and sales with well-educated (mostly men) who were some of the most racist, homophobic, misogynistic and anti-immigrant people I've ever met.
Education has nothing to do with character, or the lack thereof.
It's about the comfort of being part of the tribe and against a perceived enemy (aka Libs and persons with standards.)
All true. I was merely replying to the statement that Trump "loves the uneducated voters."
Trump definitely has a stranglehold on a wide swath of GOP voters, from the rich and educated CEOs who very much like his tax breaks to the supporters who think their votes for Trump in 2020 were shot into space and came back as Biden votes.
I would not say his rallies are fun, full stop.
They are "fun" for people in no small part because of the hate that Trump spews that the audience delights in.
Leveraging peoples' biases for "fun," votes and for Trump, profit, is something more sinister than a heckuva good time.
I'm sure the Nuremburg rallies were fun for Hitler Youth.
And that is EXACTLY how the people running against him should play it....” Hey, I know that everyone is having fun with Donald Trump, but do you really want the Clown to run the country?”
Betsy, I am not sure that would work. I think that's exactly how Hillary Clinton ran against Trump -- and we know how that turned out.
I agree to some extent. But the sinking of Hillary's campaign was her arrogance at the end to campaign in Florida and Texas instead of the Rust Belt states.
Comey's statement about an FBI investigation a week before Election Day was not insignificant.
Very insightful, Chris. The whole thing just makes me sick. People just lap up what he says & does, which is a frightening thing to think about. What does this say as a country? We know he is going to get the nomination, he may very well succeed in the general and that is not only frightening and dangerous but appalling, as a country. We voted in 2016, of course, thinking that there was no way in hell that Trump would be elected. Here we are, once again, he may just win again.
I genuinely think there is a sense that people are watching a show -- and not electing the leader of the free world with all the consequences that come with that.
And Chris, sadly don't care. We are living in a modern era equivalent of the Roman "Bread and Circuses."
A full belly and 24/7 of endless entertainment venues help escape actual reality, not the "reality" in the media entertainment.
I don't think it's the majority of people that think they are watching a Realty show. Most people know that they are electing The President of the United States and that's why they elected Joe Biden instead of Donald Trump in 2020 and guess what. the exact same thing would happen again in 2024 and Joe Biden would be re elected again
It may be good to have that anxiety that he may win again so that there is no complacency to go and vote. But the truth of the matter is that Trump is never going to win general election again in this country. Not after inciting January 6 insurrection ,and multiple criminal indictments..
Do hope you are correct.
While hoping, GET ACTIVE AND ORGANIZE.
You are so right about the IDGAF aspect. I truly believe that captures maggats in a nutshell.
You are quite right about his sway over people and that, once again, is terrifying.
Having never attended a Trump rally or event, I defer to your comments on the atmosphere and sense of fun they offer. However, I have never ever seen Trump laugh spontaneously. He smirks, he grins that rictus of a would-be smile, and he mugs, but he never seems to burst into surprised laughter. I take that as emblematic of a real character flaw and a deep lack of sense of humor. Sure, he can do the lounge lizard act quite well, but he doesn't seem to look at the world in a way that allows him to be enjoyably and unpredictably surprised into laughter. I am not a psychologist, but what do others think not laughing indicates???
Frightening - God help us.
When you accurately describe his supporters with IDGAF...what does this mean for everyone else?
How come no one calls Trump what he is - the court jester. Sure he has the sharpest tongue, but no one in their right mind ever put the jester in charge!
Jay I think it has to do with a belief that politics is ALL just a joke. So why not elect someone who gets that?
You have something there, Jay.
History tells us of many leaders that served two roles, like Marcus Aurelius, considered a Philosopher-King (Emporer).
Trump could combo "Leader-Court Jester" since the former is too much work other than barking orders, while he loves the ego-salving cheers of entertaining his followers.
I admit, I covered a Trump rally once in Poughkeepsie and it really was a blast. He essentially cut a heel promo on how much Poughkeepsie sucked and how terrible it was to live here (not wrong!) and the crowd cheered like crazy. And you even got to bust out the catchphrases and chants.
That's right. The pro wrestling comps are very revealing.
So the audience he attracts are so self-loathing that they are in on the joke of being insulted.
Self-respect seems not to have been a strong suit for that crowd in New York.
Yup he’s a joke