Bonfire of the Inanities

 

Trump buttonI’ll be the first to admit there are many things to loathe about 2016; actually I was probably the first to proclaim it at 12:00:01 AM in my timezone. I think my exact words were something to the order of “this year is overrated.” And it certainly seemed to be shaping up into one long, terrible year: I confidently predicted that the GOP would nominate Bush/Kasich in 2016 and lose terribly to Hillary because GOP voters embrace shallow thinking above all things: immigration is a minor concern, vanity candidates have no chance of winning, the voters pick the next guy in line, character counts.

But there has been one shining star in the dark fundament of bland: Donald Trump. If there’s one thing to love about the man it’s that he is, or plays on TV, the loudmouth New Yorker who takes nothing off nobody.

Now don’t tear into me yet: I’m not thrilled about him being the Republican nominee. I am absolutely delighted, however, that he seems to be headed to the lowest common denominator in the general election season. As a Texan I have a warm affection for his brand of New Yorker, much as I do the proud Frenchman. We’re all convinced we live at the epicenter of civilization, living somewhere else makes you inferior in some real but undefinable sense and anyone who says different is not just wrong but delusional. The only difference, of course, is that Texans are right and New Yorkers and the French are wrong, but I don’t hold that against them.

Today comes the news that Donald Trump, fresh off his attacks against Bill Clinton as a rapist on Instagram, is now raising questions about the “very fishy” Vince Foster suicide.

Via Hot Air:

When asked in an interview last week about the Foster case, Trump dealt with it as he has with many edgy topics — raising doubts about the official version of events even as he says he does not plan to talk about it on the campaign trail.

He called theories of possible foul play “very serious” and the circumstances of Foster’s death “very fishy.”

“He had intimate knowledge of what was going on,” Trump said, speaking of Foster’s relationship with the Clintons at the time. “He knew everything that was going on, and then all of a sudden he committed suicide.”

He added, “I don’t bring [Foster’s death] up because I don’t know enough to really discuss it. I will say there are people who continue to bring it up because they think it was absolutely a murder. I don’t do that because I don’t think it’s fair.”

I don’t need to tell you how marvelous this all is. After decades of shibboleths about how to behave in the primary and general election and who plays to the average voter and how SuperPACs are evil and will distort politics forever and buy elections we’re finally getting an acid test about all the things we know about politics.

So far the shibboleths haven’t fared very well.

The rest of the year will be awful and no matter what happens a lot of us will be unhappy; the fact that this was true in at least 2008 and 2012 I’ll leave aside for the moment. But the media that demonized Mitt Romney who, government policy aside, might be the most humane, gentlemanly, and all-around decent person to ever seek the nation’s highest office as a gay-hating, animal-abusing monster who gave people cancer are now faced with the exact opposite. Donald Trump is political oneupsmanship in action.

The New York Times calls him a woman-hater? He trots out Bill’s, ahem, philandering.

George Stephanopoulos argues he’s not keeping his promises? He brings up Hillary’s emails and attacks George’s motives.

People want to talk about his shady past? Hey, do you remember that Vince Foster suicide people say was a murder?

Trump is going at it with fire and sword. For those of us who tear our hair out (figuratively in my case, as I don’t have it anymore) at all the bland bromides trotted out as sage wisdom, we’re getting to put it all on the line all at once. If it’s all going down anyway it might as well do so in flames.

Whatever else happens, 2016 is shaping up to be entertaining as hell.

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  1. skipsul Inactive
    skipsul
    @skipsul

    Austin Murrey: Whatever else happens 2016 is shaping up to be entertaining as hell.

    Amen!

    • #1
  2. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Yep. Looking forward to the debats

    • #2
  3. Pencilvania Inactive
    Pencilvania
    @Pencilvania

    I’m pursuing the licensing contract for Trump Popcorn as we speak.

    • #3
  4. BrentB67 Inactive
    BrentB67
    @BrentB67

    I endorse this post, especially this:

    We’re all convinced we live at the epicenter of civilization, living somewhere else makes you inferior in some real but undefinable sense and anyone who says different is not just wrong but delusional. The only difference, of course, is that Texans are right and New Yorkers and the French are wrong but I don’t hold that against them.

    That other stuff about Trump is pretty good also. Nice to see someone breaking it off in the Clinton’s for change.

    • #4
  5. Austin Murrey Inactive
    Austin Murrey
    @AustinMurrey

    Pencilvania:I’m pursuing the licensing contract for Trump Popcorn as we speak.

    It’s the best popcorn, really terrific. We get all our corn from top farmers, really smart farmers and just give you the best flavor.

    BrentB67:That other stuff about Trump is pretty good also. Nice to see someone breaking it off in the Clinton’s for change.

    Ain’t it grand?

    • #5
  6. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson

    I’m certain the media will go after Trump at some point after his actual nomination, but will they be able to do damage or will their efforts merely enable him?

    • #6
  7. Vald the Misspeller Inactive
    Vald the Misspeller
    @ValdtheMisspeller

    Bryan G. Stephens:Yep. Looking forward to the debats

    It’ll be the cage match of the millennium, P.T. Barnum vs. Lady Macbeth.

    • #7
  8. Austin Murrey Inactive
    Austin Murrey
    @AustinMurrey

    Bob Thompson:I’m certain the media will go after Trump at some point after his actual nomination, but will they be able to do damage or will their efforts merely enable him?

    As far as I can tell they’re trying already since he’s sown it up – one of the interesting things about Trump is that his coverage, if you’ve looked, has been very negative from the left it’s just that there’s so much of it no one else on the Republican side could get anything positive in edgewise.

    I honestly wonder how much of Trump’s act is based on a very shrewd reading of people’s media consumption and the media’s approval and trust ratings (they stink) and how much is real.

    • #8
  9. Austin Murrey Inactive
    Austin Murrey
    @AustinMurrey

    Vald the Misspeller:

    Bryan G. Stephens:Yep. Looking forward to the debats

    It’ll be the cage match of the millennium, P.T. Barnum vs. Lady Macbeth.

    Let’s be fair – Lady Macbeth actually worried about the blood on her hands.

    • #9
  10. Patrickb63 Coolidge
    Patrickb63
    @Patrickb63

    BrentB67  Nice to see someone breaking it off in the Clinton’s for change.

    So good I wanted to see it again.

    • #10
  11. Quinn the Eskimo Member
    Quinn the Eskimo
    @

    Austin Murrey: After decades of shibboleths about how to behave in the primary and general election and who plays to the average voter and how SuperPACs are evil and will distort politics forever and buy elections we’re finally getting an acid test about all the things we know about politics.

    This is going to cut both ways.  An escalation of well-rewarded bad behavior.  And it won’t be confined to politics.

    Though I would rather know the truth.

    • #11
  12. Roberto Inactive
    Roberto
    @Roberto

    So thus far he is going with rape and murder charges as his baseball bat to the Clintons… and it is only May. You do have to wonder where we are going to be by November.

    • #12
  13. Randy Weivoda Moderator
    Randy Weivoda
    @RandyWeivoda

    Whatever happened with the team of private investigators Trump dispatched to Hawaii?  I thought they were supposed to come back with news that would shock the world about Obama.

    • #13
  14. Austin Murrey Inactive
    Austin Murrey
    @AustinMurrey

    Randy Weivoda:

    Whatever happened with the team of private investigators Trump dispatched to Hawaii? I thought they were supposed to come back with news that would shock the world about Obama.

    Of all the inane conspiracy theories to come across the Birthers drove me the most nuts.

    As if the Clintons would let someone they could disqualify from running for office get away with running against them.

    • #14
  15. Cantankerous Homebody Inactive
    Cantankerous Homebody
    @CantankerousHomebody

    I know Hilary is a scandal and controversy gold mine,  I just wonder is he spending all his ammunition too early?  I think it’s an entirely different game if Sanders some how ekes out the nomination.

    Also, I noted that his ads are not on TV or radio but put on his instagram.  Then he draws attention to it by tweeting it.  Every time someone talks about it or wants to look it up, bam, there it is.   They’re even embedded in the articles that you linked.

    • #15
  16. Quinn the Eskimo Member
    Quinn the Eskimo
    @

    Austin Murrey:

    Randy Weivoda:

    Whatever happened with the team of private investigators Trump dispatched to Hawaii? I thought they were supposed to come back with news that would shock the world about Obama.

    Of all the inane conspiracy theories to come across the Birthers drove me the most nuts.

    As if the Clintons would let someone they could disqualify from running for office get away with running against them.

    What are the odds that two foremost proponents of Birthism would be our choices this year?

    • #16
  17. Austin Murrey Inactive
    Austin Murrey
    @AustinMurrey

    Quinn the Eskimo:

    What are the odds that two foremost proponents of Birthism would be our choices this year?

    Depressingly close to 1.

    • #17
  18. TKC1101 Member
    TKC1101
    @

    Trump is feeding the media machine with the food it loves, scandal, and for little cash is driving up Hillary’s negatives.

    No other GOP candidate could turn Hillary’s biggest sword and shield against her so cheaply and easily.

    The Clintons have so much that three quarters of the voters do not even know about that none of this is stale to many people.

    This  is known as the Double Reverse Palin.

    • #18
  19. Cantankerous Homebody Inactive
    Cantankerous Homebody
    @CantankerousHomebody

    Oh! Your post reminded me to look up a video.  After going to a Hatsune Miku concert recently, I spent most the following day listening to her songs on YouTube.  As a result, Google’s algorithm decided (probably correctly) that I needed help talking to real people and started adding videos about charisma to the autoplay list.  That’s seriously how I found this channel.

    Yesterday, the guy put up this video.  I don’t know if there’s a lot that hasn’t been said but it’s put together well and relevant to the OP:

    • #19
  20. Vald the Misspeller Inactive
    Vald the Misspeller
    @ValdtheMisspeller

    Austin Murrey:

    Let’s be fair – Lady Macbeth actually worried about the blood on her hands.

    Right, in order to have a guilty conscience you must first have a conscience. Neither of the Clintons suffer from this handicap, which may go a long way in explaining their political success.

    • #20
  21. Austin Murrey Inactive
    Austin Murrey
    @AustinMurrey

    Weird, I didn’t put that image in my post.

    • #21
  22. skipsul Inactive
    skipsul
    @skipsul

    Austin Murrey:Weird, I didn’t put that image in my post.

    I’m betting you’re about to get a promotion.

    • #22
  23. Austin Murrey Inactive
    Austin Murrey
    @AustinMurrey

    skipsul:

    Austin Murrey:Weird, I didn’t put that image in my post.

    I’m betting you’re about to get a promotion.

    But does it come with more money or is it simply a meaningless title?

    • #23
  24. skipsul Inactive
    skipsul
    @skipsul

    Austin Murrey:

    skipsul:

    Austin Murrey:Weird, I didn’t put that image in my post.

    I’m betting you’re about to get a promotion.

    But does it come with more money or is it simply a meaningless title?

    brutally-honest-job-titles-15You get a new business card.

    • #24
  25. Austin Murrey Inactive
    Austin Murrey
    @AustinMurrey

    skipsul:

    Austin Murrey:

    skipsul:

    Austin Murrey:Weird, I didn’t put that image in my post.

    I’m betting you’re about to get a promotion.

    But does it come with more money or is it simply a meaningless title?

    brutally-honest-job-titles-15You get a new business card.

    Oh I’m no scapegoat. I am however to blame.

    • #25
  26. Pencilvania Inactive
    Pencilvania
    @Pencilvania

    I have actually complained about the images attached by editors to OKTrump posts, the pics always seem to say ‘don’t anybody take any of this seriously!’ My criticism does not seem to have had any effect.

    • #26
  27. Richard Fulmer Inactive
    Richard Fulmer
    @RichardFulmer

    skipsul:

    Austin Murrey: Whatever else happens 2016 is shaping up to be entertaining as hell.

    Amen!

    Better to go out with a bang than a whimper, I guess.

    • #27
  28. Frozen Chosen Inactive
    Frozen Chosen
    @FrozenChosen

    It will be even more entertaining if Trump picks Newt for his running mate.  Watching those two mega egos clash will be prime time viewing!

    Not to mention seeing Newt debate Sanders or Fauxahontas in the VP debate

    • #28
  29. Quinn the Eskimo Member
    Quinn the Eskimo
    @

    Richard Fulmer:

    skipsul:

    Austin Murrey: Whatever else happens 2016 is shaping up to be entertaining as hell.

    Amen!

    Better to go out with a bang than a whimper, I guess.

    Better to go out with a good bottle of bourbon.  I like Elijah Craig 18.  If that’s not the choice of other people, that just means more for me.

    • #29
  30. Nick Stuart Inactive
    Nick Stuart
    @NickStuart

    Patrickb63:BrentB67 Nice to see someone breaking it off in the Clinton’s for change.

    So good I wanted to see it again.

    And again.

    • #30
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