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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 still say HRC lost because the (D) Party and the (D) voters were convinced Trump had no chance and HRC would win easily.
If the (D) knew it was so close the (D)’s would have “found” enough votes in swing states to miraculously “pull out” a victory.
Another good point, @drewinwisconsin. We know he’s telling the truth, which is unique among politicians. Still . . . ;-)
Yeah, that’s all true.
It was amazing how almost all the punditry and analysis was wrong, even in the aftermath.
My impression is that the only ones who accurately explained what was going to happen and what happened were VDH, Conrad Black, and Scott Adams. Everybody else totally missed it. This was kind of a crisis for me, because I had been an enthusiastic aficionado of a bunch of them.
Again, my impression.
Edit: To clarify, those three of all the pundits and analysts of all persuasions.
Conman=all politicians
I would add Angelo Codevilla, at least insofar as describing the picture if not predicting the election outcome.
It’s not about decorum verses pugnaciousness. It’s about making sure that ones message is carefully thought out before spewing the message to the public.
If you think Trump’s off the cuff remarks never hurt him politically, then there is no need to have any crafting of his message. Just let him spout off and let the American voters soak in the genius of Donald Trump.
What Susan in the OP is saying, however, is that there is a political cost to letting Trump run his campaign by the seat of his pants. The result is likely to be a decisive Biden-Democrat victory in November.
That’s what the speechwriters and “handlers” would be trying to avoid.
If you prefer Trump to “go down swinging,” you have a right to your desires. But the 4 year hangover might not be worth the binge.
I saw a news article today about Trump changing his campaign manager. I wonder what that’s all about. Not that I’m interested enough to go looking for more information (aka speculation, spinning, etc.)
Sure. It’s possible that even Trump’s own internal pollsters are telling him that he’s losing and losing badly. Thus, the change in campaign strategy.
Seems that happened a lot in 2016, too.
I’m late to this and have not read any of the comments. I understand. He’s tough to take, impossible to warm up to, and he’s constantly putting his two cents in. Every president gets to a point of burn out to the public. His traits accelerate the process. This is why I limit my personal exposure to politics.
Yes. Wasn’t it about this point when he brought on Kelly Ann Conway and Steve Bannon to run the campaign?
Susan, in responding to this thread I never got around to thanking you for your post. It says what so many of us think, but as this thread demonstrates, there’s a good bit of sticks-and-stones dodging involved with expressing it. I hope Ricochet will remain a place we all can vent from time to time. In a reasoned, respectful way, of course.
I said the first sentence. I don’t necessarily agree with the second. As others have said, there are some who really love his style. We just don’t know how many.
Thanks so much, @suspira, for your thanks. And I too hope that we can maintain our composure and respectful communication. I have been so impressed (except for a minor dust-up) how people have commented and even disagreed with each other on this OP. I’m proud to be part of this community!
I contend it’s worse because it provides yet another club the media can beat him with.
I’m voting for him after voting for the pot-smoking Aleppo amnesiac the last time. It makes no difference here in CA where I’m essentially a political spectator, but I’d like to at least put a point on the board.
He won, didn’t he?
I think we’re in for a few surprises from California this year. Or maybe that’s my sunny optimism speaking.
Feature not bug.
Agree or disagree with Trump, but if the media decides to club, within seconds it turns into that thing where the older brother is slapping the younger by grabbing the younger’s forearm and saying, “Quit hitting yourself!”
The argument then becomes about the argument and not the issue that started the argument, and no one remembers what they were fighting about to begin with.
If Nervous Nellie Newsom continues to treat this current crisis as a presidential audition and refuses to lead and make tough trade-offs, maybe.
Yes, what I have come to loathe is the canned, focus-grouped, cagily parsed speeches that sound good at first, but leave you empty and which can be interpreted by various people as meaning either black or white with the same words. For a mock example, “In this day and time, we have to reach out, reach up to insure that all people are heard and their voices respected.” It sounds uplifting, but it really means nothing.
Or at least signalling the truth. :)
The purpose of thinking things through before saying whatever comes into your mind is that it will aid in ones reelection chances.
If you think that Trump’s off the cuff style is likely to win him reelection, there is no reason to question his off the cuff style. However, if you think that Trump’s off the cuff style is causing Trump to lose support among the “mushy-middle” voters, the ones that decide elections, then you would want Trump to start filtering himself, using speechwriters and what not.
For example, the reason why Biden rarely says anything these days has NOTHING to do with Covid-19.
It has everything to do with making sure that if Biden’s message is filtered.
Did you see Obama’s keynote to the 2004 Dem convention? My immediate knee jerk reaction was, “Holy cow, this guy’s good. Not one smidge of actual policy, but what an appeal to the heartstrings.” It was like eating amazing steak and eggs in the dream, then waking up hungry.
Great example of the kind of pablum that wins elections.
And I think Trump has, for better or worse, agree or disagree, obsoleted that approach. I’m on a Jonahesque metaphor roll today, it’s like politics pre Trump was foil fencing with limited weaponry, limited moves, a very limited space of engagement. Almost like those funny dances in the olden day movies at Versailles.
When the official says, “En garde!” Trump throws the foil at his opponent, grabs the nearest chair, and swings for the ear.
And it’s very comedic when those powder wig and fard faced politicians try the WWE schtick.
(I wanted to write, “throws his foil at his foil” because A A Milne would have done that.)
Who are you and what have you done with the real Drew?
Maybe I’m reading the comments here wrong, but a lot of them seem to be “he shouldn’t do that” or “I wouldn’t do it that way”. I don’t know why, but it really irks me to think that there’s only one approved way of campaigning.
Matt, there are all kinds of ways of campaigning without resorting to childish insults and bragging. I think Trump is going to lose unless he can clean up his act very fast. And that would be a shame — perhaps even a disaster.
The above statement is obviously true.
Campaigning with childish insults and bragging worked out for Trump in 2016.