I just can't figure out what the hell Trump is doing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The media narrative on Trump is way overdone and inaccurate. The MSM thinks they have a pass to editorialize on Trump rather than report facts in an un-biased way. And it is all for ratings. It makes me want to defend Trump because he is being treated unfairly. Mostly-liberal here.

I am in the same boat - liberal on most issues but I find myself defending Trump occasionally because the media is so biased against him.

Please someone enumerate the media Bias for me...I usually read the interviews and speeches transcript and evaluate myself. But may be I am missing something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Trump is a master manipulator. That's a hallmark of an NPD and sociopathic personality.

I really think one should refrain from armchair psychoanalysis whether it is Trump or Hillary.

FYI, I faulted the description of Hillary as a pathological liar on another thread because that is a medical condition and we don't have the background or expertise to evaluate.

The same holds true with Trump's personality and any alleged disorder.

I don't know about that. Even the worst of Clinton's behavior appears to simply the same as what people think of other politicians only more so- lying, corrupt, bad judgement and so. But Trump's behavior appears to be truly bizarre. We could use other negative descriptors - demagogue, crazy, fascist, but none of them really seem to fit his style as well as NPD.

[Anonymous]

We are faced with a choice of two ethically challenged nominees who both lie all the time. Really distressing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think part of this issue is the media's exaggeration of everything Trump says...

They make a huge deal out of everything if they think it can be used to make fun of or attack Trump.

I generally agree with the points Trump is making and if you actually listen to him, what he says is not nearly as mean or crazy as the media makes it out to be...

That said, I think Trump needs to be extra cautious because the media always attacks him so maybe he shouldn't even comment on certain things. (Although the media asks him these type of gotcha questions at press conferences.)

Trump is more accessible to the press than Hillary. She avoids the press so that is another reason she doesn't have these brouhahas so much. (She did get in trouble for her Fox interview this weekend.)

I still like Trump so much more than Clinton.

This

Americans are not that stupid to fall for the media trickery. I don't think it will work. It didn't work in the primary. It actually makes me like Trump even more when both the establishment from both the left and right attack him relentlessly.

There was no "media trickery" during the GOP primary. The media was running every rally uninterrupted and lapping up everything he said because it was getting them giant ratings.

Media trickery = televising stupid things said by a nativist and narcissistic vulgarian.

[Anonymous]

Trump is egomaniacal bully who people like my brother will vote for because they secretly admire that take no shi* somewhat racist attitude. Love my brother but as a youth he was a bit of a shi* himself. He also lives in a 1950s throwback Virginia town.

[Anonymous]

I think both are true. He can be very savvy, and he does have narcissistic personality disorder. Thus he attacks even when he doesn't need to and could keep the advantage very easily by doing otherwise.

In this case, he got sucked in a little too far. The comment about the wife was clearly meant to appeal to his xenophobic white supremacist base. But it backfired badly.

Now he's got McCain, veterans groups, etc., on his case. It won't matter to the core Trump base whose only morality consists in getting white men who feel they have lost control of this country back in power. However it alienates independents, women (mothers), and evangelical conservatives who may start to see him as a merciless bully. I think things like this are increasingly going to lose him voters come November.

[Anonymous]

I think the reality is that we are in a huge period of social change on par with the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's, only this time it is on a global scale. Demographics and social mores are changing at an extremely rapid pace. Global trade and communication are changing our economies and our relationship to the entire human race at an extremely rapid pace. The internet had rendered truth relative. There is way too much information available and too little ability to make sense of it. From a psychological perspective all of this change is challenging, and many people all over the world are proving incapable of handling it. It is much easier to keep the other out, to maintain the long-held status quo, so the world is simpler and easier to understand. Look at Brexit. Look at the rise of far-right movements in France, Germany, Poland, Hungary. They are all based on nationalism and keeping out the "other." Trump has an instinct for all of this and has tapped into people here who are feeling the same thing. They want a strongman. They want someone to tell them it is all going to be okay. That's what he's doing. It doesn't matter if the result is that the people being "otherized" are motivated to retaliate.

This entire dynamic is terrifying and I don't see an end in sight. With each passing day I am trying to wrap my head around the reality of Trump as President, because I honestly do think we are repeating the cycle of the early 20th century all over again.

[Anonymous]

With the Khan episode though, Trump has finally crossed a line of decency and propriety even with the low bar set in this election. I cannot recall another instance where there was near-universal condemnation of a candidate. The Republicans usually march in lockstep behind their nominee.

[Anonymous]

He gets his base riled up and instills fear, anger, and finds a scapegoat. Then he reassures them that he too is angry and promises improvement.

Hitler was warming up the water the same way as he slowly rose to power. People didn't realize the water was getting hotter bc it was so gradual until they were out right in boiling temps. By then, it was too late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With the Khan episode though, Trump has finally crossed a line of decency and propriety even with the low bar set in this election. I cannot recall another instance where there was near-universal condemnation of a candidate. The Republicans usually march in lockstep behind their nominee.

Most GOP operatives won't denounce Trump and call hm out by name. He's like Valdemort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With the Khan episode though, Trump has finally crossed a line of decency and propriety even with the low bar set in this election. I cannot recall another instance where there was near-universal condemnation of a candidate. The Republicans usually march in lockstep behind their nominee.

I still do not think Trump has hit the rock bottom since his fans are still trying to defend him and believe it is MSM who is biased.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With the Khan episode though, Trump has finally crossed a line of decency and propriety even with the low bar set in this election. I cannot recall another instance where there was near-universal condemnation of a candidate. The Republicans usually march in lockstep behind their nominee.

His base is loving it, I'm sure, since they share his biases against Muslims.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the reality is that we are in a huge period of social change on par with the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's, only this time it is on a global scale. Demographics and social mores are changing at an extremely rapid pace. Global trade and communication are changing our economies and our relationship to the entire human race at an extremely rapid pace. The internet had rendered truth relative. There is way too much information available and too little ability to make sense of it. From a psychological perspective all of this change is challenging, and many people all over the world are proving incapable of handling it. It is much easier to keep the other out, to maintain the long-held status quo, so the world is simpler and easier to understand. Look at Brexit. Look at the rise of far-right movements in France, Germany, Poland, Hungary. They are all based on nationalism and keeping out the "other." Trump has an instinct for all of this and has tapped into people here who are feeling the same thing. They want a strongman. They want someone to tell them it is all going to be okay. That's what he's doing. It doesn't matter if the result is that the people being "otherized" are motivated to retaliate.

This entire dynamic is terrifying and I don't see an end in sight. With each passing day I am trying to wrap my head around the reality of Trump as President, because I honestly do think we are repeating the cycle of the early 20th century all over again.

I agree with your reading of the larger dynamics in play. What gives me hope, though, is that America is not Europe. Europe has constantly struggled with xenophobia and nationalism. The only thing that stabilized it was several huge wars and rounds of ethnic cleansing. It is intensely tribal and regional at heart. Thus the tension with the EU.

America has many of the same issues and several others besides, but we are a nation of immigrants and incorrigible optimists. In the end, this election will be a struggle but there are still many people who believe in the possibility of living with diversity. There are still many people who believe in the possibility of the future and in our innovation, our education system, our superior human capital. The narrative of American exceptionalism is no doubt problematic but as you saw at the DNC last week it remains powerful and moving. I think we will see the ship in safely... Don't give up yet!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the Khan episode though, Trump has finally crossed a line of decency and propriety even with the low bar set in this election. I cannot recall another instance where there was near-universal condemnation of a candidate. The Republicans usually march in lockstep behind their nominee.

I still do not think Trump has hit the rock bottom since his fans are still trying to defend him and believe it is MSM who is biased.

+1
You could resurrect one of the "Defend your Trump vote" threads and the same free-form, substance-free blather would start anew.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the Khan episode though, Trump has finally crossed a line of decency and propriety even with the low bar set in this election. I cannot recall another instance where there was near-universal condemnation of a candidate. The Republicans usually march in lockstep behind their nominee.

I still do not think Trump has hit the rock bottom since his fans are still trying to defend him and believe it is MSM who is biased.

His fans will never stop. But if he loses all the people in the middle, it will be an historic landslide for Clinton.