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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
I heard this fellow on Glenn Beck the other day and he has used his model to predict elections since 1912. He sounded very credible. He doesn’t use polls, but a complex model that predicted Trump would win in 2016. He’s predicting (through the electoral vote) that Trump has a 91% chance of winning in November. Here’s an article on him:
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/5/inside-the-beltway-professor-trump-has-91-chance-t/
I’m going to the polls with a smile on my face and a song in my heart as I pull the lever for DJT and all the Republicans.
Okay, “pull the lever” is dated, but you know what I mean . . .
I made this short comment without a lot of conviction and I’m surprised to have gotten reaction with several differing viewpoints. Perhaps thing will clarify as we get closer to Election Day.
You mean, you only see the lies about the ones that make the news.
Actually he’s made several, including SOTUs, but they don’t get as much attention especially from the lamestream media.
But again, he’s not trying to convince US. And that kind of talk works on a lot of people, which helps explain why Obama got elected twice.
He respects those people BECAUSE they oppose Trump.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil Democrats is for good people to not vote for Trump.
Why wasn’t he wearing a mask? Don’t they think everyone should be wearing a mask, always?
The riots and stuff could still be keeping the voters on message.
From what I can see, those who listen to him are (1) his fans, and (2) his haters. For the first group, everything he says is wonderful and he is the greatest president ever. For the second group, everything he says—including “and” and “the”—is a lie or hate speech or both.
IOW, Trump may as well be talking to himself, which maybe he is. It would explain a lot.
What frustrates me is that it seems like Trump has left the rhetorical field open to the Left. And the Left already has an advantage in the rhetorical arena because they dominate the media, academia and entertainment. So, I understand your point.
It’s as though we are watching a football game where one side has placed their strongest players on the field, fighting for every yard, while the other team has sent out its marching band with shoulder pads and helmets.
I fear we are going to not just lose this November, but lose badly.
Trump has done some very positive things for the country. But his ability to communicate beyond the hard core MAGA folks seems nonexistent.
I wonder whether Paul and Peter, having casual conversation over dinner in Rome towards the end of their lives, got into knock down drag out arguments about who was the better emperor, Nero or Claudius.
He’s made several good speeches. But the press generally calls them “dark and divisive” or something.
Boasting about oneself actually plays well with some demographics.
Morning Susan,
Might read Ann Althouse, https://althouse.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-president-of-united-states-ladies.html#more
My take on what you are saying is that the key to a valid and effective election is for the voters to have knowledge and understanding of what is at stake. We probably have close to the worst of all possible scenarios from both the candidate and the electorate to accomplish an outcome that fulfills that requirement.
I’ve actively avoided listening to Presidents for my entire adult life, so I’m usually bemused by these type of posts.
I care a lot less about ‘inflammatory’ tweets and statements than I do statements of betrayal toward the base-for that reason, Trump tends to irritate or anger me a lot less than most other Republicans.
Ann Althouse is my favorite liberal. And I assume she still considers herself one.
Yep. I love listening to him talk. Because he doesn’t really “give speeches.” He talks.
I agree. You said it better than I have (ever) done. I have been trying to illustrate that Gary’s ‘reasons’ do not seem credible because they are not consistently applied and that his objective seems to be to reserve ‘his’ party, even at the expense of the nation. I like your approach better.
I had a hard time listening to Obama and Bush as well.
My problem with Trump are the entirely unnecessary unforced error tweets.
It’s perfectly fine to say nothing on a wide variety of topics, and an excellent strategy to review what you are going to say with your most trusted advisors.
Here in Alabama, former attorney general Jeff Sessions just went down in defeat to former college football coach Tommy Tuberville. Tubby will face Senator Doug Jones (Fluke-AL) in November.
I don’t know how that’s going to go. The power of incumbency has always been really strong here. The devil you know, and all that. I voted for Sessions because he is experienced and knows how to campaign and how to legislate. And he’s the devil I know. But he made one colossal mistake that doomed his political fortunes. No, it wasn’t recusing himself, which arguably was the right thing to do. It was getting on the Trump Train early and blowing its horn too much and too enthusiastically.
Trump, who values loyalty from his supporters, but has none to give, tenaciously and ungraciously held a white-hot grudge against Sessions and never let up on him. Too bad for Jeff, but I guess your sins really do find you out.
As for Tubby, I liked him a lot as a coach (War Eagle!), but I haven’t the slightest idea what he’ll do in the Senate, other than pledge fealty to Trump. I’ll vote for him, of course.
I helped elect Jones last time. I hated doing it, but Roy Moore had to be kept out of office. If Jones is re-elected, I’ll get my just deserts, I guess. My sins will have found me out. Kyrie eleison.
Got this from a RedState article by Dennis Santiago:
Opinion: The Central Question of the 2020 Election
In case you have not figured it out yet, the 2020 election boils down to a simple question. Should we continue the process of bringing outsiders into Washington DC to change the infrastructure of government and wrestle it away from the Beltway establishment? Or should we return control of the country to the Washington DC elites?
I think that’s right, and I am very afraid of how emboldened the progressive left has become. Biden isn’t even pretending to be moderate now, when he speaks at all. It’s so crazy. Whatever happens with Trump, I hope that people split their tickets at least. I am most afraid of Democrats controlling everything, which seems very possible as well.
With apologizes to those who think differently, but it still comes down to a binary election. Come November either Trump will still be President or AOC/Omar/BLM/Antifa will be President. Biden is simply the “Not Trump” stand in. Them’s the choices.
That was a plus for Trump’s press conference yesterday: he let people know what a disaster Biden would be by referring to Biden’s own plan. That was well done.
I think Jeff Sessions is and was great. I didn’t like it when he became the first Senator to endorse Trump in the primaries. But I was happy when Trump, once elected, nominated Sessions to be Attorney General.
Like you mentioned, our sins do come back to haunt us all.
This x 1000 (though, I’ve come to appreciate Trump more but at the same time I understand Susan’s reaction too – I actually think he does best at his rallies).
I have said this before on this site. Trump is actually a great speaker, when he is not talking about himself (even when he is off the cuff and not following a speech). However his narcissism seems to kick in every 5 to 10 mins. So its to much of a roller coaster of cringe to enjoying his speech, that I can’t listen to him.
I either will leave the President section blank or vote for him. Most likely vote for him because a populist socialist is better than having a large communist cogent in the executive and judicial branch. Plus we don’t need more federal judges who only rule based on the politics of the issue. Which is how all Obama judges rule at all levels rules. They will rule against themselves in case with almost the same facts, if the persons background changes therefore the politics.
I like the optics of him in the shade, hostile media sitting in the sun, and him getting a free campaign ad.