69 Comments

I think you're taking it too lightly. Especially with how the NYT and that ilk just ignored it.

This guy has a problem. Is it dementia? Maybe. Why aren't there headline stories on front pages with three sidebars.

You're just doing what all the others do, like they twit Michaels Gold of NYT. "That's just Trump and his crazy followers."

Know it's not it way more serious than that.

Expand full comment

Chris, I know you don't like to psychoanalyze Trump but you have to admit this is incredibly strange even for him and makes it seem that he can't or is afraid to even answer questions from his cult members. I am a huge fan of your readout/comments on Trump's speeches and they show his comments are often nonsensical, dangerous and veering into the Twilight Zone. The media needs to focus on his mental and physical health ASAP!

Expand full comment

I can't believe that he stands (the way I see it) a better than even chance of getting elected as President. This just boggles the mind.

Expand full comment

Just look at the record of the two administrations. Are you better today than you were 4 years ago is going to resonate with so many voters. Look at the right track wrong track polls. This current administration has been a train wreck. It’s really not that hard to see!

Expand full comment

Dutch, you must have worn out the ! mark key on your keyboard by now. Is it your impression it adds weight to your vapid cheerleading for Trump?Yes, we're far better off than we were 4 years ago. Trump bungled Covid and bloated the debt with tax cuts that mostly benefited people who didn't need the money. His tariffs set the stage for inflation. During the last 4 years, we've had relentless GDP growth; wage growth (although not enough); near record unemployment; and constant new highs in the stock market. We've now tamed the high rate of inflation that plagued the world after Covid. Trump is putatively running on inflation and immigration. Have you heard any plan from Trump re lowering prices? I haven't. On immigration , he showed his true colors by blocking a strong bill negotiated by a true conservative. Trump isn't about solutions. He makes hollow promises that no informed person can take seriously.

Expand full comment

Four years ago we were in the midst of a global pandemic.

So yes.

Expand full comment

Exactly. And he completely botched it. And my 401K is thru the roof. So yeah, way better off.

Expand full comment

Ok, explain the right track wrong track polls. Explain the horrible approval numbers of the JB administration. Explain the current polls 3 weeks out.

Best of luck Sam! 3 weeks to go tic tock tic tock

Expand full comment

You asked if we were better today than we were four years ago, and the answer is clearly yes, because Trump's vaccine plan was ???? while the Biden team developed a plan to get people vaccinated.

Expand full comment

Explain to me how we're on the wrong track. And how Trump is going to put us on the right track.

Expand full comment

A lot of his supporters "feel" like this country is on the wrong track because they believe his lies.

Expand full comment

I feel like I've seen a lot of polls where people say the country is on the wrong track. I don't even know what that means, except perhaps it's a knee jerk reaction bc somebody is always pissed at something & the whole country isn't perfect. Just my thoughts.

Expand full comment

Here’s a good record of the trump administration: https://www.epi.org/publication/50-reasons/

Expand full comment

Yeah, worst president ever in our history.

Expand full comment

Prepare yourselves folks. It’s not even gonna be close.

Expand full comment

Do you remember the song from the theatre production of "A Little Night Music"...

"Send in the clowns...there ought to be clowns...don't bother, they're here."

Clowns are a metaphor for the moment in a play when things are falling apart and, to keep the audience diverted from the chaos, somebody tells a few jokes.

Clown on the stage, while people are fainting in the audience. Can this get any worse?

Expand full comment

Yes Joy, I believe it’s about to get a lot worse for you in about 3 weeks. Get ready.

Expand full comment

Ah Dutch, we can always count on you for our daily dose of darkness.

You are consistent, if nothing else...

Expand full comment

Are you just referring to the election? Or the plan for armed people at the voting booths as wanted by Roger Stone, or casually mentioned by Trump?

Expand full comment
founding

Yes, Trump and the MAGA movement is certainly a cult of personality and I guess that's why you (Chris) write and talk so much about him. Some of us your subscribers are not members of that cult and will do with less of him in the Newsletter. But I know it's your Newsletter . To me the news of this morning about Trump is Bob Woodward's book out today. Once again telling the Country how terrible this cult leader(Trump) is. I encourage people to get the book. It's very illuminating. Gen Mark Milley who worked with the Cult leader ( Trump) described him (Trump) as A '' FASCIST TO THE CORE'' among other things.

Expand full comment

Remarkable. Is that all? Not strange, or weird or dangerous? Honestly, can you imagine this man as the leader of the free world? Engaging meaningfully with other world leaders? Conducting a cabinet meeting related to some financial crisis?

Expand full comment

He also played “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World”, when theoretically part of the town hall was to appeal to women voters. Chris did not not even mention the aftermath of the California rally, where his supporters were stuck 9 miles from their cars in the middle of the night due to him not paying the buses, are at least not enough of them, or this part of the reason for the music last night was covering up people evidently begging for the AC, to be turned on, because it was so hot. When we look back at his rallies I think the most amazing thing is that people did not die, because of his actions.

Expand full comment

Jeff, you are correct about the Coachella rally. It demonstrated awful staff work and horrible logistical planning. So it was vintage Trump.

Expand full comment

Sign of the pending disaster that Trump will lead us into if elected. They are so intent on owning the libs and having a vengeance tour that they will not govern. In reality, he never really governed in the first one, but he had some good people to help with running the government. They are gone. My instinct says Trump administration will be an total disaster. How he governed during COVID was that wishy washy governance that he does to protect the base and walk the line not to get negative press. It will be the same again. There are no plans except for Project 2025. And I was not better off four years ago. Trump's so called tax cut made me pay more taxes. Easy to check against my tax records.

Expand full comment

No! If -- IF! -- you have watched the Trump rally routine from last night, you must understand that his actions were the actions of a truly deranged person. That is the key takeaway from the event. Look at some of the faces in the group behind him. Heck, look at Noem's face as she seems to wonder why she hitched her political wagon to that guy. Last night had little to do with the cult of personality and everything to do with the prospect of several million Americans voting for someone who is demonstrably unhinged. I'm surprised and very disappointed that Chris didn't recognize the most basic fact about that event.

Expand full comment

1-Jan 5 is the new Election Day? 2-No concern for the two people with medical emergencies? 3-Let’s have a dance party led by the possible holder of the nuclear codes, the future of our military, the future of Womens’ rights and everything about our country that I hold as sacrosanct. Who needs questions anyway. Chris is right. Nothing will ever shake his cult, but please God, let the undecided see this report and decide for Kamala.

Expand full comment

Trump keeps on losing elections while persuading Americans who think Democrats can alter the weather to vote for him. And he draws in the media like flies to a lamp lol. Can’t be fun for real Republicans to watch this over and over again. My prediction. A Harris landslide. And the polling companies live another day to find a polling algorithm better than the ones they used in 2018, 2020, 2022.

Expand full comment

From your lips to the Goddess' ear.

Expand full comment

he's such a good dancer .........

Expand full comment

Like Elaine Benes 🤣

Expand full comment

Hahaha, he makes Elaine look like Fred Astaire!

Expand full comment

😆😂🤣😆😂🤣

Expand full comment

Why do people keep passing out at Trump's religious services, which is really what they are? Do they really faint simply from being in the presence of their Orange Jesus? I've mentioned this before, but I attended one of his rallies about a year ago just to see the craziness for myself. It made me want to barf.

Expand full comment

I don't understand the cult of personality. Has anybody so inarticulate and, um, unattractive ever commanded a cult of personality?

Expand full comment

Yes you got it! President Trump is different than all other politicians, there is a YUGE entertainment value to his rallies. The MAGA movement is one like no other in history. That’s why people stand in line for hours to hear him speak! That’s why when you delve deep into what he says for some big whoa boy statement no one really cares. Dems haven’t figured out what to do with President Trump, they’ve tried everything to destroy him, nothing works, certainly not some lame boring candidate like VP Harris. Cmon man! Get ready for 4 more years of a Trump presidency.

Expand full comment

Otherwise known as a cult.

Expand full comment

Call it what you want, shortly you will be calling it the Trump/Vance Administration.

Expand full comment

Like Chris said, a cult. I guess if you want a (bad) comedian/entertainer as president, he is your man.

Expand full comment

I don't want to be entertained by the president of the country. I have a tv for that.

Expand full comment

TV = Trump Vance

Welcome aboard!!

Expand full comment

I'd rather drown.

Expand full comment

Yeah to Chris’s main point - the CofP. But Dutch is right about ONE (just one) thing - people go to these rallies not only to hang around Trump (as CC said) but also to hang around EACH OTHER. It’s a belonging, a mass social connection, a group, a shared THING. Just analyzing, not endorsing!

Expand full comment

It’s like some mass variation of Helen Reddy’s line from the 1970s “you and me against the world”. And Chris made this very point in a post from the early 2023 days of this Substack

Expand full comment

Chris - I second Mark's suggestion that you need to do a dance edition of The Morning! :-)

Re DJT rallies and a "carnival atmosphere". Don't over-analyze them. Part of the reason the campaign hold these events is very simple. DJT/campaign sells all that stuff people wear, hold, wave and collect. Its no more - no less than that.

Expand full comment