Yeah. Good post, Chris, and good NYTimes link. What still stuns me is how little people - specially those durned undecideds- seem to care about this issue. Why don’t people see this character and this behavior disqualifying prima facie (at first glance) regardless of his policy views on guns, abortion, immigration etc??
Welcome to the post-truth world! My daughter’s mother in law posted yesterday that the Biden administration seeded Hurricane Helene! Great fodder for the Trump world! So how do the rest of us live in it?
The idea of cloud seeding is real, but, it makes ZERO sense that any member of the Biden administration would think it is good policy to create a natural disaster that will take American lives and cost taxpayers $34B to clean up. And in an election year inside of 40 days to POTUS elections? Come on man.....
It defies any sort of logic. But....rem we are talking about MTG.
What I deplore about Trump the most? His assumption that everyone is willing to commit graft and corrupt crimes in cahoots with him, without question! Disgusting!
And there are plenty of people who will, like Tina Peters in Colorado who just got sentenced to 9 years in prison and was admonished by the judge for being "as defiant as any defendant this court has ever seen." Trump has ruined so many lives with his lies.
I’m sure he’ll be willing to pay her legal bills and maybe even serve some of her time for her. He really cares about those who break laws on his behalf, and remember if they can come after him, they’ll be coming after you; all you need to do is rape women, falsify business records, steal classified documents, and torment an insurrection and they will be coming got you.
I agree that this is a good take Chris, and even presented as an opinion, it is steeped in facts. I try to understand where everyone is coming from (as you've been writing about lately), but really have a hard time wrapping my head around Trump supporters ignoring the facts about how elections are decided.
There is some small political value to the release of the Jack Smith filing, IMO. It keeps Trump's deplorable behavior and dishonesty in the news cycles for a few more days. It is always good to have everyone reminded that Trump is not a "normal" politician -- heck, he's not a normal human being -- and that people who vote for him are doing so at their own, and everyone's, risk.
Agreed 💯. I do agree with Chris that it *may* not be determinative and is probably not a true “October surprise”, in the way Comey’s email inquiry announcement was in 2016, but it WILL thrust J6 back into the national conversation for at *least* a few more days.
And it *did*, thankfully, take the VP debate out of the news cycle. I’m SO disappointed in “pundits” like Chris grading the despicable JD Vance on style points, and totally ignoring the extreme and transparent lies he told virtual every time he opened his mouth!
"Trump views the entire world — business, politics, life — as one big negotiation. There are no facts. No hard and fast numbers. No truth. Just spin." Yes. Yes. Yes. And this is what his followers follow as well. I don't know how to fight or reason with that when trying to have conversations with Trump voters.
The buy promises the world and the self interest of his hard core base eats it up. Without the tag line “Make America Great Again”, I doubt if he would have won in 2016. It’s generic enough to mean what ever someone wants it to mean. That and the fact that he was in their living rooms watching The Apprentice led to this cult following that seems unshakeable to the point that they would forgive him even if Ivanka came out with a story of being sexually abused by daddy. (There is no evidence that he did something like this but I wonder…)
What I am trying hard to understand is why the GOP doesn’t get a pair and dump this guy. Granted that they fear angering Trump’s hard core base but, come on, did the GOP not believe in their stated principles before 2016. All those who were principled republicans have left the party or have been driven out by the MAGA RINOs.
Thanks for sharing the link to the NYT piece, Chris. The author's (and your) identification of Trump's view of election results as a jumping-off point for negotiation hits the nail on the head. It's no wonder trying to make sense of what we've been through - and continue to go through - is futile. Here's hoping this election sends a real message. No more make-it-up-to-suit-your-own-selfish-needs. Please.
I had this weird thought the other day... What if it's like "The Producers"? Like the whole point was to lose because he could make more money by getting everyone fired up to "STOP THE STEAL" and and hand over their money to fight the "the deep state"? I don't think this is necessarily the case, but a fun thought!
Trump had ambitions for being involved in Hollywood. His Hollywood tweet revenges are always interesting. He craves acceptance by the Clooney, etc. Most people would ignore but he attacks them. I wouldn't rule this out given how everything is monetized by him personally or selling his name to the highest bidder for trash products either. His mind works in both simple and mysterious, creepy, nasty ways.
I'm fairly sure his followers already know that he's transactional. And they love it. Because they believe he's doing it for them and our country. What they don't see is that he uses them to get what only he needs and they aren't even part of the equation. They think he's tough (he's the definition of a victim), and says what he thinks, word salad and all, what they don't see or find excuses for that Smith lays out is his brazen crimes. You can be transactional all day long but when you attempt a couple all bets are off. Do I think Smith's filing will change anyone's mind? Hard core MAGA's of course not. But maybe, maybe these independents who are still waiting on policy i sure do hope for the sake of our country which I love
In my humble opinion, Bidgood’s observation and yours are spot on!
Trump’s view of the world is so different from reality and it indeed frightening!
Yeah. Good post, Chris, and good NYTimes link. What still stuns me is how little people - specially those durned undecideds- seem to care about this issue. Why don’t people see this character and this behavior disqualifying prima facie (at first glance) regardless of his policy views on guns, abortion, immigration etc??
What I deplore about Trump is his view that everyone in the world ought to bow down to him. Deplorable .
Welcome to the post-truth world! My daughter’s mother in law posted yesterday that the Biden administration seeded Hurricane Helene! Great fodder for the Trump world! So how do the rest of us live in it?
How would one even do that? How do you seed a Hurricane? Sarcasm there.
Well MTG posted "they" control the weather I'm guessing just like her "Jewish space laser" theory. They love playing the victim in everything
The idea of cloud seeding is real, but, it makes ZERO sense that any member of the Biden administration would think it is good policy to create a natural disaster that will take American lives and cost taxpayers $34B to clean up. And in an election year inside of 40 days to POTUS elections? Come on man.....
It defies any sort of logic. But....rem we are talking about MTG.
What I deplore about Trump the most? His assumption that everyone is willing to commit graft and corrupt crimes in cahoots with him, without question! Disgusting!
And there are plenty of people who will, like Tina Peters in Colorado who just got sentenced to 9 years in prison and was admonished by the judge for being "as defiant as any defendant this court has ever seen." Trump has ruined so many lives with his lies.
I’m sure he’ll be willing to pay her legal bills and maybe even serve some of her time for her. He really cares about those who break laws on his behalf, and remember if they can come after him, they’ll be coming after you; all you need to do is rape women, falsify business records, steal classified documents, and torment an insurrection and they will be coming got you.
Imagine if Trump was your parent. For a third of America, he likely resembles the one they have. That’s not going to end well for the two thirds of
America who don’t. We are in a national, sectarian Hatfield–McCoy feud. Which isn’t going to end for a while.
In the meantime vote.
“Imagine if Trump was your parent”
Bite. Your. Tongue!
😂
I agree that this is a good take Chris, and even presented as an opinion, it is steeped in facts. I try to understand where everyone is coming from (as you've been writing about lately), but really have a hard time wrapping my head around Trump supporters ignoring the facts about how elections are decided.
They are in a cult, and will believe and do whatever their cult leader tRump tells them.😵💫
Breaking the law for cheetolini is their kool aide.
👍🤣
There is some small political value to the release of the Jack Smith filing, IMO. It keeps Trump's deplorable behavior and dishonesty in the news cycles for a few more days. It is always good to have everyone reminded that Trump is not a "normal" politician -- heck, he's not a normal human being -- and that people who vote for him are doing so at their own, and everyone's, risk.
Agreed 💯. I do agree with Chris that it *may* not be determinative and is probably not a true “October surprise”, in the way Comey’s email inquiry announcement was in 2016, but it WILL thrust J6 back into the national conversation for at *least* a few more days.
And it *did*, thankfully, take the VP debate out of the news cycle. I’m SO disappointed in “pundits” like Chris grading the despicable JD Vance on style points, and totally ignoring the extreme and transparent lies he told virtual every time he opened his mouth!
"Trump views the entire world — business, politics, life — as one big negotiation. There are no facts. No hard and fast numbers. No truth. Just spin." Yes. Yes. Yes. And this is what his followers follow as well. I don't know how to fight or reason with that when trying to have conversations with Trump voters.
https://www.npr.org/2024/09/30/g-s1-24711/to-combat-misinformation-start-with-connection-not-correction
The idea that everything is negotiable is a scary yet I believe accurate concept of how Donald Trump views the world
The buy promises the world and the self interest of his hard core base eats it up. Without the tag line “Make America Great Again”, I doubt if he would have won in 2016. It’s generic enough to mean what ever someone wants it to mean. That and the fact that he was in their living rooms watching The Apprentice led to this cult following that seems unshakeable to the point that they would forgive him even if Ivanka came out with a story of being sexually abused by daddy. (There is no evidence that he did something like this but I wonder…)
What I am trying hard to understand is why the GOP doesn’t get a pair and dump this guy. Granted that they fear angering Trump’s hard core base but, come on, did the GOP not believe in their stated principles before 2016. All those who were principled republicans have left the party or have been driven out by the MAGA RINOs.
Note: The word “buy” was supposed to be “guy” but I inadvertently hit the submit button.
Thanks for sharing the link to the NYT piece, Chris. The author's (and your) identification of Trump's view of election results as a jumping-off point for negotiation hits the nail on the head. It's no wonder trying to make sense of what we've been through - and continue to go through - is futile. Here's hoping this election sends a real message. No more make-it-up-to-suit-your-own-selfish-needs. Please.
I had this weird thought the other day... What if it's like "The Producers"? Like the whole point was to lose because he could make more money by getting everyone fired up to "STOP THE STEAL" and and hand over their money to fight the "the deep state"? I don't think this is necessarily the case, but a fun thought!
Trump had ambitions for being involved in Hollywood. His Hollywood tweet revenges are always interesting. He craves acceptance by the Clooney, etc. Most people would ignore but he attacks them. I wouldn't rule this out given how everything is monetized by him personally or selling his name to the highest bidder for trash products either. His mind works in both simple and mysterious, creepy, nasty ways.
I'm fairly sure his followers already know that he's transactional. And they love it. Because they believe he's doing it for them and our country. What they don't see is that he uses them to get what only he needs and they aren't even part of the equation. They think he's tough (he's the definition of a victim), and says what he thinks, word salad and all, what they don't see or find excuses for that Smith lays out is his brazen crimes. You can be transactional all day long but when you attempt a couple all bets are off. Do I think Smith's filing will change anyone's mind? Hard core MAGA's of course not. But maybe, maybe these independents who are still waiting on policy i sure do hope for the sake of our country which I love
Thank you, Chris, for this essay.
Says it all: "adverse election results were an obstacle, not an outcome.