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Flyover 52 – Ricochet Celebrity and Celebrity Candidates
We are joined this week by local Ricochet celebrity, Shawn Buell, also known as our “Majestyk.” Shawn shares the key to his new-found success, and — whether any of us want to talk about it or not — we try to wrap our heads around all of this business with Donald J. Trump.
Stick around, and even if you disagree with us, let’s talk about it in the comments!
Intro contains music from Ronald Jenkees, closing music is Paul Simon.
Published in Politics
I am confused, but will assume it is a compliment.
I just wanted to say it, in tribute to Scalia. I wasn’t talking about anything you said.
Does anyone else hear the phrase “When you listen to Rush” and immediately think of the Canadian progressive-rock band?
I will admit that the Canadian progressive-rock band is actually the only “Rush” I’ve ever listened to…
Thanks for the podcast. I always enjoy it.
Serious question: You mentioned in the podcast that, even if Trump agreed with you on everything you still wouldn’t vote for him because he isn’t presidential. To put it bluntly, why should I care about that?
Of your goals, what does having a president who seems presidential advance? Why is that more important than deciding who has the best hair, or who scores higher on the ‘cares about people like me’ index?
Disagree with his stated policy decisions, or with the fact that he’s too random to actually stick to a policy for five whole minutes. But isn’t it a little silly to reject a candidate solely because you dislike the aesthetics?
Hank,
I disagree for a few reasons. I think back to Kruschev and the Cuban missle crisis… Kruschev viewed Kennedy as temperamentally weak, and he had no respect for the man. He wouldn’t have challenged Ike in the same way. Look at Obama and what his attitude and demeanor have done in 8 short years. We are more polarized and less respectful than we have ever been, such that a despicable clown like Donald Trump actually seems like an appropriate choice to some people. The president is the face of our country. Aesthetics are extremely important, but it is almost irrelevant. The scenario I suggest is virtually impossible. You could not believe in the same conservatism as I do and behave the way Donald trump behaves.
In both cases though, the perception was reinforced by the actions of the President. Remember the bay of pigs? Remember the red line in Syria?
Here’s one of my earliest Ricochet comments, from 2012:
Remember what halcyon days we had, even four years ago?
Coming back to the original question (and with apologies for bad form.)
Is the fact that we’re talking about a vulgar and crude individual really that important? Granting that it has a real negative effect, is it really the only thing that matters?
I hear a lot of criticism of Trump along these lines. I don’t think it has much effect.
I just want to compare the populist candidates of the past to the thin gruel that we’re being served in the form of Donald J. Trump. Do you think that William Jennings Bryan’s “Cross of Gold” speech (wrong-headed though it was) could be delivered by Trump?
Even the quality of demagogues has fallen off the table these days.
EDIT: The answer is yes – I think it matters. Trump is obviously a moral quisling and an intellectual lightweight. That so many evangelicals support him make me question their very commitment to the notions which they allegedly cling so dearly: moral uprightness, family, decency, honesty, humility.
Which of the virtues does Trump exemplify? He is a braggart, liar, adulterer, and the owner of casinos (of strip clubs as well, surely) but these people are fawning over him. It’s quite baffling.
Yeah, it matters, but it’s hardly the only thing that matters. The way Ryan phrased it, and the way that I hear other commenters talking even if they don’t come out and say it, is that he’s so vulgar that nothing else matters.
If Trump were as vulgar as he is, but perfectly conservative in every other respect I’d vote for him and nuts to the approbation of history. If Trump had the manners of Robert E. Lee and the policies of, well, Trump I wouldn’t vote for him.
I get that people personally can’t stand the guy. I don’t get why they think that’s a persuasive argument for anyone else.
The argument goes beyond a personal distaste, though. He is vomitously ugly, too, but you didn’t hear me talking about that. Lincoln wasn’t a looker, either… the problem with Trumps manners, though, isn’t just that he has bad manners. If he had the manners of Robert E. Lee, he wouldn’t have any supporters, and that is a problem. People like him specifically because he is ill-behaved, as, essentially, a counter-part to Barack Obama. But more importantly, his behavior is indicative of his actual beliefs. You can’t say that he has the policies of Robert E. Lee or Lincoln or Reagan or even Trump, because he has not elaborated on his “policies” in any meaningful way. So what do we have to judge him by? Well, we certainly have his behavior. That is a good way of gauging a person’s honesty and integrity, don’t you think? Since nothing he says gives any indication that he is in any way conservative, how about the way he behaves?
As I said in a previous comment, I sort of compare this to the “know him by his fruits” Christianity. Even leaving aside the extremely damaging impact that 24/7 global news coverage of a complete ass-clown as leader of the United States would do both to our image abroad but also to our own citizenry… what does it say about the man himself? Does it lead you to believe that he is trustworthy? That he is thoughtful? That he takes the role seriously? Simply put (as but one example), the sort of man who would make a mockery of himself on national television in the way that he did with “the apprentice,” is the sort of person who lacks self-respect and dignity. I don’t expect that person to treat the office of the president with respect and dignity… but more importantly, I have 0% confidence that he either understands or would uphold any of the values that I believe to be integral to conservatism.
Fair enough. Although at this point I’d go so far as to say I’ve got the measure of the man, and a good idea of where he’s gonna jump in any given situation.
Spoiler alert, it ain’t good.