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The Man is a Boor and a Bore
Let me say first that I still plan on voting for Trump in November. He’s done great things for the economy, for unemployment, new job creation, and has done a pretty good job on coronavirus, sanctioned Iran, supported Israel, as well as other achievements.
But my ability to listen to the man has been tapped out.
I know he can do whatever he wants when he calls a press conference, but he announced he was going to speak about China, which he did for about a total of (generously) 10 minutes of the 52 minutes he spoke, mostly at the end. I was about to tear out my hair listening to the same liturgy about all his achievements; I can almost recite them along with him. And don’t try to tell me that he’s doing it for all those people who’ve not heard him provide his long list of claims. By now, I’ll bet most people can recite them right along with me: more virus tests than anyone in the world, ventilators, respirators, facilities, testing leads to more cases, improved black employment, punishing China. It makes me crazy.
At this point, I realize he will not change his style or content. I know that he loves to hear himself talk. I know that he misses campaign rallies (which was essentially what he gave tonight). I know that he doesn’t care about persuading anyone to vote for him except his base: screw the independents or doubting Liberals.
I also know that many of you will want to persuade me to (1) stop listening to him; (2) accept his job performance, not his personality; and (3) just vote for him in November.
I will vote for him.
But I will go to the polls gritting my teeth.
Published in Elections
Over the July 4th weekend my mother sidled up to me to ask me what I really thought about Trump (knowing that I’ve always been an outspoken conservative). Her distaste was evident and along the same lines as yours above (although her bugaboo is how often he has to reverse himself – no optimism on Covid allowed!) and I don’t think I responded effectively.
Later that week I was reflecting on it, and it just amazes me how this keeps coming up despite the hit list of truly alarming and dangerous things happening and supported by the Dems: Russia hoax, impeachment BS, BLM, defund the police, CHOP/CHAZ, cancel culture, covid overreaction and consequent authoritarianism. Not to mention the good things done and pursued by President Trump.
Yet people want to talk to me about how President Trump shouldn’t have said that covid will eventually go away, or he shouldn’t talk or tweet the way he does. It’s not surprising I suppose. That’s the constant drumbeat drowning out all other tunes. It’s been pumped up too probably to counteract riots and trans craziness among a bunch of other bad developments for Dems.
Fake News is ubiquitous. It’s not just fake anymore either. It’s an active agent. Let’s do our small parts to amplify our own tune. The next time someone talks to me about President’ Trump’s style, I’ll respond: “That beats being racist like the Democrats!” If someone says that President Trump didn’t respond well or early enough to covid I’ll say: “at least he didn’t order the deaths of thousands of seniors by forcing nursing homes to take infected patients like Dem Gov Cuomo did!” When someone worries about the commutation of Roger Stone’s sentence I’ll counter: “at least he didn’t use the FBI, CIA, and NSA to illegitimately spy on his political opponents and sabotage the legitimate exercise of the duly elected’s power like Obama/Biden did!”
Let’s keep perspective, team.
Wise man.
I think it is obvious that as of 2016 we Americans had allowed a rather complete takeover of the following institutions: public education, federal government bureaucracy and many states, the media, entertainment, academia including most scientific research and the political party establishment, by leaders who were, if not already confirmed socialists, were leaning favorably and throwing in their lot with the globalists. Then Donald Trump showed up in a campaign effort to restore liberty – in other words, Make America Great Again. The more hardcore socialists – I call them Communists – with leadership and assistance coming from China, then entered the picture and the battle has become intense. Instead of a smooth transformation as promised by the previous administration, we now have a resistance led by Trump. We got lucky. Let’s do all we can to help him restore the Republic.
I get it, Susan, but “kicking and screaming” is extreme. Any opportunity to vote against this version of the left doesn’t necessarily have to be personally gratifying, but it doesn’t need to be an exercise in repression of one’s “better instincts” either
I have been saying since approximately the day he was elected that I’ll ignore what he says and respond to what he does. Occasionally he says something of which I approve and I acknowledge that, but I work hard to ignore the stuff I don’t like.
What matters is where the country is going. I think there is no plausible way in which the country will be better off after four years of Democrat governance than after four more years of Republican governance. I think that’s true when looking at it in the short term and the long term.
However much other aspects of this President may matter to me, nothing about this matters to me as much as the state of the country.
So there it is.
Trump2020
I’m not going to be kicking and screaming on the way to the polls, just shuffling with indifferent resignation.
I am putting a sign in my yard and planning to vote with gusto.
I stopped listening to State of the Union speeches early in the Clinton administration.
I wish he would move on to other things and stop trying to directly counteract the press narrative, which is what I think he’s doing. Or trying to do. However I’m not sure it’s a bad strategy. I really don’t know.
If he abandons the fight on the COVID narrative for example, the press will declare victory and then fight him on these new fronts he’s opened up. It won’t matter. It might seem like a done deal, rather like Bush with Katrina. Bush just shrugged and moved on, the press wrote the last chapter with no rebuttal, which was, Bush massively failed. It became gospel. I couldn’t even defend him at that point; people’s minds were made up.
So I am in agreement Susan, but I’m not sure if there really is a better way to go.
If you have any ideas, I’d like to hear them. Then I will try to imagine how the enemies in the media would react.
Its difficult with all the information chaos, but it looks like the Democrats are overplaying and handing Trump a victory.
I listened to the entire thing and was beginning to think, is this a ploy by Democrats? A massive head-fake and then Biden is our in August and someone “ sensible and competent” like Hillary comes in as relief pitcher, catching the Trump campaign off-guard and overly invested in how bad Biden will be?
I got tired of listening to Reagan by the end of his first term, so quit listening to presidents from that time on.
Yep! All I have to do is think of Biden and the Dems and I make myself shut up, @dotorimuk!
Four months! Just four months! Sigh.
(3) Just vote for him in November.
I’m afraid that if you keep (1) listening to him, or (2) thinking about his job performance or his personality, you will get so disgusted that you won’t vote for him, and our country will be overrun by its enemies.
I’m with Bryan on this one.
If one evaluates Trump on absolute terms… well, I buy bourbon in big bottles and stack up the empties for recycling.
But if one evaluates Trump on relative terms, compared to the alternatives, it’s not even close. I expect to help Elise Stefanik’s people man a phone before election day. Not since Reagan has the difference between the choices been so clear. Maybe not even then.
Good perspective, @edg. My only problem is I don’t talk to Libs anymore. That’s even more crazy-making! But I like what you’re saying!
Yeah, I know, I knew kicking and screaming was a little over the top. I think I need to revise that.
Thank you for reflecting a mature attitude. I’m trying to work my way back there, Hank. There’s too much at stake.
I changed the kicking and screaming, @skipsul, just as I told @hoyacon that I would. It just wasn’t me.
I do recommend not listening to him—other than the big speeches, which are generally quite fine. Someone here at Ricochet said (I think, anyway) that Trump is like an eclipse of the sun. Don’t look directly at him. Punch a hole in a piece of cardboard, turn your back to him…and see what actually happens.
I’ve stolen this, and used it multiple times.
All I have to do to remind myself of the alternative(s) is to recall Obama—whom I really liked and approved of—saying “these are not isolated incidents.” And five Dallas police officers dead the next day.
Trump 2020
Then, maybe, someone a little less…eclipse-ish…in 2024?
@franco, thank you so much for your reaction. I know you’ve been fighting hard for Trump, and I so appreciate your balanced reaction. And I must admit I don’t have a solution. Whatever he does, the media will make hay of it. Darn.
Yes. We should probably talk about your drinking habits. Are you drinking enough? Do you have a good selection of wine or other adult beverages?
I’m not going to tell you it’s easy, Susan, maintaining strength in the face of our President’s spontaneity. And bracing libations aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, so to speak. But these are serious times, and we have to make sacrifices.
Let me know if there’s any reason you can’t partake, and I’ll down an extra shot on your behalf.
Trump2020!
I’m getting that message loud and clear, @markcamp, and I think you’re right about not listening. I’m taking the input seriously!
Actually I’m a cheap drunk–two glasses of wine or one margarita and I’m done. But you can still drink one on my behalf!
Yes, I’m pleased to see that so many of your friends have joined me in this intervention.
They may replace Biden. However, they have no bench. Any Democrat they replace Biden with will either be as bad or worse.
Gosh, I hadn’t thought of it that way, but that’s really what it is! I’m so lucky to have so many friends who care about my sanity!
As I think I said in a comment on another post; disappointing as he is as a person, he’s the best we got right now — and definitely preferable to the Biden-Pelosi-Schumer alternative.
I might steal it too. I’ll credit you, though.
When you think about it, Donald Trump is an outstanding individual to have come from the environment he has been in all his life. I mean look at who these people in New York are electing. That is a scary place.
Make it screaming and kicking instead.