Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Trump 2016: Less of a Jerk in Person than you Would Think
So I had a little chat with Donald last night. In front of a few thousand people I asked him a question.
I was sitting about 25 feet from him so I got to study him for 20 minutes of talking and 10 minutes of questions. He came for the fund raiser which did not benefit his finances but rather Nevada republicans. He is a dynamic public speaker and is very much a politician. He spoke with a small cheat sheet but he is far faster on his feet mentally than I expected. The arrogance and bluster were apparent but also what was apparent to me is that he’s less of a narcissist than I thought. He took the time to thank a lot of different groups and also praised Reince Preibus at one point which was interesting.
I highly doubt now he’s a stalking horse and I expect him to play this out til Election Day. Hillary won’t do well debating him regardless of how many smart drugs she takes.
He is very good at identifying problems that the audience identifies with and very short on actual solutions beyond saying he can do better. He acknowledged his gaffes but also attacked the media for preordained narratives.
He took about 10 questions , all unscripted, and deftly deflected a couple kooks asking about Bilderbergs and what not. Quicker than I expected he studies a question and has a response with a talking point even if it’s not a direct answer. He’s been coached well recently and it shows.
Well I stood up and asked him about health care. He sort of answered. I’d link the video but I have no clue how to get a video from my phone to here. I almost don’t want to know how such technology works.
Published in General
I had a coworker about twenty years ago who had dinner with him and said he was a nice guy.
Unfortunately, the coworker in question was himself a jerk, so the testimonial didn’t carry much weight. Yours carries more.
I still want a reason to give people that doesn’t include, directly or by implication, her surreal Highness.
EDIT: “who” not “that.” I hate when I do who. I mean that.
EDIT 2: Semi-redacted.
One of the weird things about Trump is that people who know him personally seem to have a much better opinion of him than people who don’t.
And if Trump really has been well-coached and has managed to learn from it, then we may well see surprising results from the debates.
Time will tell.
Not much of the alt right flavor there. Mostly whites there of course.
I’ve seen him in person as well, and have to admit, he is a master on the stage. I recently had a conversation with a top pundit who’s known Trump for 30 years, and he said that Trump IS a genius (at marketing), who thinks that his genius will translate to the Presidency. That remains to be seen, but we live in time where elections have more to do with marketing than anything else, and Trump won the Primary on his merits as a showman.
By the way, a good book to read on this trend in ignoring substance is Branding Obamassiah, by Mark Edward Taylor, (of which I have a few extra copies for those interested in writing reviews). Also available at Amazon
Were you wearing your horns at the time?
Thanks, Doc. Great to hear!
Looks like he’s learning the political game. The “sort of” is de rigeur .
So, I’m imagining lying on a gurney in OR, waiting to have brain surgery and seeing my surgeon walking in with glowing horns on his head…
I can sprout and retract at will. It’s a gift from the dark lord who owns my soul.
Well there will be plenty of people who love Amerca around him.
Interesting Doc, thanks for the report!
I’ve had the same impression of Trump over the last 3-4 months. There are also no stream of stories of people who used to work for him coming out on how bad a person he is, and the media has tried to find them. There’s no stories of personal one on one bad behavior racially either.
The media has even interviewed various women who have dated him hoping to find someone who acted as crudely as his public persona. It seems he was a perfect gentleman.
Contrast that with say, Steve Jobs, who has been documented in engaging in all sorts of bad behavior, not only with high paid business subordinates, but in yelling at low paid waitresses when he didn’t get his food just right.
Hillary Clinton has also been documented in engaging in this kind of bad behavior as well.
Good information. I don’t like him even a little bit but Hillary even less. I think I will vote for him. Under no circumstances will I vote for Ms Rodham.
You’re the fifth of sixth person I know who’s related that he’s different in person. All those people were impressed, as were you. I never bought the narcissist theory (at least not completely) because there are too many instances of him keeping his mouth shut and giving credit to others, particularly when he’s away from the cameras.
Each of these people also related he seems more comfortable around every day folk which surprised them.
A few of my folks interacted w Jobs and found him intolerable.
Clinton has a long history of treating people like crap. I’m curious if that will get exposed.
You’re kidding, right?
Clinton is terrible in every way, including her documented cruelty to underlings, including Marines and Secret Service officers. Trump is probably a much nicer person. It’s possible he has a good heart. We know she doesn’t.
I am not confident that he will do well against her in debates. Although her record as Sec. State is abominable, she will know a lot more about issues than he will. People watching who are not already disposed to believe he is terrific (such as people at his rallies) will not be so forgiving if they see that he is deflecting questions because he appears to lack the knowledge to answer them.
Your ex-wife? Explains the horns.
Jobs was a creative genius, but a douchebag of the lowest order. Cheated his own best friend out of money without a lick of regret. Woz said he never looked at Jobs the same way again after that Atari deal.
I think he understands something important – there is a bigger picture at stake here than himself. Even with the big ego, I believe he will pick the best of the best to hold positions within government to address the mountain of problems left by the current administration and restore confidence in our citizens and allies. He’s not stupid – he just doesn’t have all the answers but will listen to those that can help straighten out the mess we are in – and it is a doozy of a mess.
Hillary, on the other hand, will continue the Obama agenda I think, and increase its force. If you are happy with the last eight years, she is your candidate. I also have no doubt that the Clintons will use the White House for their personal gain while minimizing our problems and the very serious foreign policy challenges that the person who takes the seat in the Oval Office will be faced with on day one – we’ve seen H in action as SOS – no thanks. – leopards don’t change their spots.
I’m not so confident he will pick the best of the best. He has made some pretty bad choices so far in choosing campaign staff.
And I’m not so confident he will listen to those who do know better. Maybe he will, but who knows?
Thanks Doc for doing this and talking about it objectively—it takes courage to do so and people are attacked for it rather than thanked. Last night I decided to try to scrub my repulsion with both candidates clean because I need to vote for who will be more responsible with Military. All Trump has to do iconvince me is be humble ONLY when speaking about enlisted and Veterans. I don’t care if he’s brash about anything else. He will have to bone the hell up on Foreign Policy. Besides that the rest is conjecture unlike Hillary’s experience, which isn’t only tainted, it speaks to mismanagement. If I was a Trump Advisor, I would stop the nicknames, hyperbole, unverifiable, and those horrible “Short Circuit” commercials. There is plenty of stuff that can be referenced. Mostly, I would target Libya and the Clinton Legacy of Mission Creep to highlight their disregard for our troops and resources in policing the world. Oh. And voting for one of the longest, most expensive wars in our History. He can hit just as hard as always but now above the belt. Hillary’s temper is short as hell. In debates all he has to do is lure her into jabbing by appearing weak until she drops guard and then counterpunch with one good cross. (Sorry I just joined a boxing class and I’m obsessed.)
Geoff, they had combat vets doing the pledge of allegiance but that was our GOP here.
Who knows what Trump thinks but he paid homage to our service members. He said we needed to build the military again which is nice and also ominous.
I have a kid who will be deployed somewhere in a year or so and I think about our current president and Hillary who both have (I perceive ) an immense disdain for our soldiers.
I don’t know much about boxing, but I’m on tenterhooks to learn the etymology of this word.
Ronda Rousey low blow. A left hooker or a right uppercount.
It sounds like something I heard Lisa Lampanelli say at a roast.
Leila Ali using her patented Fallope A Dope style gives a new meaning to boxing.
What does it matter if she knows more about the issues if she is wrong on policy and strategy?
I’m just talking about how it will come across in the debates.
LLOOOLL IPHONE WROTE THAT!! I needed that after someone posted an old RICO article about how people who question the Iraq War are certifiable. Since I’m here working on logs for PTSD Vets who were in that war. I was this close from deleting my account.