January 7, 2023

"And, for all Haberman’s success in demystifying Trump, at times she seems to vest him with eerie power."

"In interviews, she has often invoked the children’s book 'Harold and the Purple Crayon' to illustrate Trump’s peculiar blurring of fact and fantasy. The tale concerns a boy named Harold who goes for a walk in the evening and draws things from his imagination, including an entire city, with his enchanted crayon. 'What Trump tries to do,' Haberman told me, 'is create realities for himself and everyone else.'... Toward the end of our meeting, Haberman told me that she is superstitious. She was wearing an evil-eye bracelet. Another evil eye was in her pocket. 'I just have totems,' she said..."

From "Maggie Haberman, the Confidence Man’s Chronicler/During the Trump era, Haberman became an avatar of journalism’s promise as well as of its failures. She sees herself as a demystifier" by Katy Waldman (The New Yorker).

"I mentioned her well-documented fear of flying.... Trump, apparently, does not get fazed by planes: on Air Force One, Haberman said, he’d sometimes continue talking during rocky landings, while reporters slid around on their seats. Trump’s insistence on taking unnecessary flights 'kind of goes to what he will sublimate in the service of something else,' Haberman said. The former President once told her that he found air travel 'spooky.' Haberman’s own sense of Trump’s spooky potency continues to shape her coverage.... 'Trump is growing visibly with his speech and delivering some adlibs,' she wrote.... (At one point in our conversation, she told me that he 'regenerates.')"

73 comments:

Michael K said...

Anyone who writes about lies and fantasies and ignores Biden's fantasy life is a liar.

FullMoon said...

"Since 2015, Haberman’s career has revolved around the most untrustworthy man in national politics. "

No bias, just old fashioned objective reporting.

Big Mike said...

Or perhaps Trump sees a reality that Haberman, all caught up in group think and hive mind, cannot grasp.

Paul said...

The FBI lied... and tried to suppress Trump via Twitter...as did the whole DNC.

These yoyos think Trump was the problem. No... Trump spoke harsh truths... but the 'government' did not want truth.. they wanted propaganda.

This 'book' is just that.. propaganda.

Joe Smith said...

'The tale concerns a boy named Harold who goes for a walk in the evening and draws things from his imagination, including an entire city, with his enchanted crayon.'

Also known as the power of positive thinking.

It got him pretty far in life...

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

regenerates? Trump has moved from super-hero to transformer? cool.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Strange we never get to hear from the democrat loyalist media on Biden.
If we do- it's fawning bullshit.

tim in vermont said...

"'What Trump tries to do,' Haberman told me, 'is create realities for himself and everyone else.'"

Talk about confession by projection! I don't think it was Trump who created the reality of an industrial midwest stripped of good jobs which were sent overseas by coastal Democrats whose primary product was "deals", and who profited greatly from their immiseration.

traditionalguy said...

Considering he is under deadly attacks from the six ways from Sunday guys daily releasing crafted narrative orders to the news media script readers, Trump better regenerate. His mind is brilliant but his key virtue is an unending Courage. The question is why. It’s probably a military thing.

rcocean said...

Shakes head. Haberman was praised by Hillary for "Teeing things up for Hillary". Haberman is a leftist who's constantly lied about Trump and printed fake stories based on non-existant and anonymous sources. We could list them all, but there's 6 years of it. it would take forever.

I don't read anything about Trump unless it can traced back to an actual Trump quote or a NAMED source. It used to be that people trusted anonymous MSM sources which were SUPPOSEDLY based on TWO valid sources.

No more. They are liars.

WK said...

Maggie looks around and asks “Why?” while Trump envisions a new reality and asks “why not?”.

traditionalguy said...

As for Haberman, she will never understand a courageous man. That went out with WWII’s 3.5 years of unending courage. Those American men instinctively fought for their country’s survival. Mr Trump is a throw back to those men. Many boys reaching age 6 to 9 after 1945 were profoundly influenced by their neighbor veterans’ stories. But by 1955 Walt Disney replaced that boyhood with fantasyland. And when Spielberg produced Saving Private Ryan as a memorial flic to our courageous men, the Hollywood Oscars totally ignored it in favor of a silly chick flick.

Lurker21 said...

For the love of all that is holy, isn't creating false realities what politics (and advertising and journalism) is all about?

Isn't that what FJB and KJP do every day? Pelosi, Schumer, Schiff, Buttigieg, the Clintons?

Trump, in spite of everything, is more in touch with realities than most people in Washington DC.

I do appreciate the knowledge that Maggie Haberman is superstitious. Maybe her articles are only true when she remembers to write them with her magic crayon.

Wince said...

From that Haberman photo, she's aged worse than her Pulitzer.

For deeply sourced, relentlessly reported coverage in the public interest that dramatically furthered the nation’s understanding of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and its connections to the Trump campaign, the President-elect’s transition team and his eventual administration. (The New York Times entry, submitted in this category, was moved into contention by the Board and then jointly awarded the Prize.)

John henry said...

Is Haberman a mole? There was some talk about this a few weeks ago. Maybe even here? I don't remember for sure.

The theory is that she has been co-opted by our President Emeritus to subtly undermine the Anti-MAGA narrative while pretentending to be against him.

It is a play right out of Heinlein's Revolt in 2100

If it is not true, it should be. And even if it is not true, we should spread the story about her and others in the interests of FUD.

John Henry

Dave Begley said...

So Trump’s mind-reader carries evil-eye totems. I don’t even now what that is.

Maybe the NYT can brand that with Maggie’s name and sell them.

These people are pathetic. They are NOT our betters.

n.n said...

Brayers from The Fourth Estate.

madAsHell said...

"Harold and the Purple Crayon" was my favorite book as a child.

Mom took it back to the library when she found the crayon hieroglyphics on the bedroom wall.

hombre said...

Haberman's crayon is red and she sees the world and Trump from that perspective.

Dave Begley said...

Not a single word in that puff piece about how wrong Maggie and the NYT were dead wrong about the Russia hoax.

When are these fucking hypocrites going to do Joe Biden? Psychoanalyze that twit.

Owen said...

She sees herself as a demystifier? That's all very well, but if you are demystifying a real mystery, you may fail; or, if you succeed, can you find another one to keep the business going?

Better to mystify and THEN demystify. You have more control over the process and the product.

Anybody who is walking around with amulets against the evil eye is a few quarters short of a dollar, or hopes to impress people who are.

n.n said...

Trump is the baby who remains viable despite several Choices. Out, out, damned fetus!

madAsHell said...

"And, for all Haberman’s success in demystifying Trump, at times she seems to vest him with eerie power."

So, which one is it??

In 1974, I leaned over, and kissed my prom date. She pushed right back into the kiss, held it for a beat, stepped back, and said "That was nice!!..........Don't ever do that again!!"

"Let me open that car door for you."

Aggie said...

Well I'd say Haberman's crayon is pretty much orange, but hey, call it purple. Why break the streak on 'accuracy in reporting'?

Who's the book really about, Mags? Huh? Be Honest, now.

PB said...

Maggie's a wingnut.

Kevin said...

What color was the crayon used to draw the Russia hoax?

Maybe she could demystify that for some people.

wendybar said...

I'm mystified why she hasn't returned her Pulitzer for a fake story.

Paul said...
The FBI lied... and tried to suppress Trump via Twitter...as did the whole DNC.

These yoyos think Trump was the problem. No... Trump spoke harsh truths... but the 'government' did not want truth.. they wanted propaganda.

This 'book' is just that.. propaganda.

1/7/23, 12:40 PM

AND THIS^^^^

Baceseras said...

"Hollywood Oscars totally ignored [Saving Private Ryan] in favor of a silly chick flick"

Nominated for eleven Oscars including all major awards applicable except supporting actor (Sizemore deserved a nomination in that category). Won five Oscars including Director (Spielberg) and Cinematographer (Janusz Kaminski). In Hollywood everyone connected with the production had their stature enhanced by it; people tangentially connected crowded in closer for the group hug. Far from ignored, it was highly regarded and remained so.

Readering said...

Read the book, why not?

Goldenpause said...

Another “journalist” afflicted with terminal Trump Derangement Syndrome.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

I can't recall any media elite(D) writing something scathing of Crook Joe.

Quaestor said...

Liars in praise of fellow liars. The history of socialism is nothing but from cover to cover.

Saint Croix said...

Haberman told me that she is superstitious. She was wearing an evil-eye bracelet. Another evil eye was in her pocket. 'I just have totems,' she said..."

I wonder if the people who ignore the Second Commandment and the people who ignore the Second Amendment get together and are terrified of the dark.

"I don't know how guns work. What the fuck was that noise?!"

Scream, scream, scream for equality!

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

The extremist leftist media - skip past the actual president and obsess over Trump non-stop.

Watch PBS news sometime - it's hilarious.

Earnest Prole said...

The dopey Right hates Haberman because she treats Trump as a man and not a god; the dopey Left hates Haberman because she treats Trump as a man and not the devil.

Dave64 said...

She would be a nobody if not for Donald Trump.

Big Mike said...

Strange we never get to hear from the democrat loyalist media on Biden.
If we do- it's fawning bullshit.


How many Democrats does it take to change a light bulb?

None — Joe Biden tells them it’s been changed so they sit in the dark and applaud.

Iman said...

One of the more dependable news shills for the Democrats.

As documented and confirmed during the 2016 election.

Butkus51 said...

A truck driver had a liquid lunch and killed my wife.

Some blurring going on, but lets not talk about it.

Yancey Ward said...

LOL! Haberman is a fucking hack. Marginally better than Michelle Goldberg, but still a hack.

Yancey Ward said...

Seriously- we are talking about someone with an IQ of about 100 at best. She ain't capable of demystifying anything.

Leora said...

I have long had the opinion that there are people who negotiate with reality and change it. Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Margaret Thatcher and, yes, Donald Trump are among exemplars of this. To quote Robert F Kennedy "I say why not."

tim in vermont said...

What about all of the proven lies she printed about Trump in the NYT, Earnest? What about the fact that her “deeply sourced” stories have been shown to be a combination of Clinton campaign fabrications and FBI lies?

chuck said...

Let's talk about the weather ...

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

It is funny how every single Clinton-Maddow-FBI-MSM(D)Hack lie about Trump and Russia is vanished.
It served their corrupt purpose.

Narayanan said...

"'What Trump tries to do,' Haberman told me, 'is create realities for himself and everyone else.'"

=

definition of aspirational thinking

farmgirl said...

What color is Biden’s crayon?

walter said...

Trump’s insistence on taking unnecessary flights 'kind of goes to what he will sublimate in the service of something else,
__
WTH does she mean? Was she stroking her evil eye token when she said that?

walter said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ambrose said...

For all Haberman's "demystifying," she, Waldman and all the people they hang with still don't get Trump.

Shouting Thomas said...

Maggie Haberman is a fucking liar, one of the worst perps of the Russia collusion hoax.

Why is this low life, worthless lying bitch employed?

TickTock said...

Butkus51

I am sorry for your loss.

farmgirl said...

Oh no!!!!
I’m so sorry- so sorry, Butkus51.

I’ll be thinking of you and yours- and praying for bearable grief.

Jim said...

It shouldn't be surprising that she "seems to vest him with power." Whatever your beat is as a reporter, your tendency will always be to vest your beat with importance. No one wants to be covering something that is unimportant and uninteresting--and no one wats to read about it either.

Robert Cook said...

"Why is this low life, worthless lying bitch employed?"

Spoken by a true Christian.

Not.

Robert Cook said...

"Mr Trump is a throw back to those men."

Hahahaha! Mr. Trump is a flim flam man who said he can't understand why anyone would join the military and who called those who died fighting in war "losers" and "suckers."

Trump isn't brave or honorable. He doesn't care about anyone else. He's just a liar, grifter, and self-seeking parasite.

Big Mike said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Yancey Ward said...

"Spoken by a true Christian."

I am non-religious, Robert, but you are wrong here- there is nothing un-Christian about calling out lying sacks of shit for what they are.

Rusty said...

Robert Cook.
Nobody expects him to anything other than what he is. But what he was allowed to do for the country was amazing.
That's one thing you and everyone else on the left doesn't understand. Posturing, rhetoric and good intensions don't mean shit. Yet those are the things you look for and love in your politicians. People like me, who loathe the mob, look for something else. Trump said to his black audience," Vote for me. What do you have to lose?" . Black unemployment under Trump was the lowest it's been since the 70s.
Not equality of outcomes, Robert. But equality of opportunity.

donald said...

I think Butkus is referring to Biden’s heinous lies about his wife’s death. If not, I apologize.

Big Mike said...

@Butkus51, please tell me you’re repeating one of Joe Biden’s famous big lies!

Drago said...

Robert Cook: "Hahahaha! Mr. Trump is a flim flam man who said he can't understand why anyone would join the military and who called those who died fighting in war "losers" and "suckers."'

I see today is the day for recycling all the already debunked lies by our resident marxist.

The most amusing part of Cookie recycling that particular debunked lie: Cookie himself probably does believe servicemembers are "losers and suckers" which would make it another example of lefty projection.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Robert Cook's method here is - thou shalt not criticize the holy and precious Democrat Hack Media liar. You Christian hypocrites...

Robert Cook said...

"The most amusing part of Cookie recycling that particular debunked lie: Cookie himself probably does believe servicemembers are 'losers and suckers' which would make it another example of lefty projection."

No, I don't, but your beloved leader does, your so-called "debunked" claim to the contrary.

I do think we have a grossly overbudgeted War Department and too many troops and bases around the world, the dangers of which were warned against by James Madison:

"In time of actual war, great discretionary powers are constantly given to the Executive Magistrate. Constant apprehension of War, has the same tendency to render the head too large for the body. A standing military force, with an overgrown Executive will not long be safe companions to liberty. The means of defence agst. foreign danger, have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people."

And:

"Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few. In war, too, the discretionary power of the Executive is extended; its influence in dealing out offices, honors, and emoluments is multiplied; and all the means of seducing the minds, are added to those of subduing the force, of the people. The same malignant aspect in republicanism may be traced in the inequality of fortunes, and the opportunities of fraud, growing out of a state of war, and in the degeneracy of manners and of morals engendered by both. No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare."

Leora said...

I was never mystified by Trump. I am mystified by who pays attention to hacks like Haberman.

Robert Cook said...

"But what he was allowed to do for the country was amazing."

What did he really do for the country? I don't see that he did anything remarkable, (though he brags and claims much for himself). He came into office with a good and growing economy, and he ran with that. COVID, which was not his fault and could not have been anticipated, stalled the growing economy, and left us with after-effects that have caused (global) inflation, loss of jobs, and other economic setbacks. Things will turn around, but recovery from a global event cannot be wished into place instantly.

What are the Trump miracles? (Repeating his claims proves nothing; where are the data to support his brags?)

Rusty said...

And yet, Mr. Cook. You admire war. At least as it was practiced by Comrade Stalin.

Rusty said...

Comrade Cook said,
"No, I don't, but your beloved leader does, your so-called "debunked" claim to the contrary.

I do think we have a grossly overbudgeted War Department and too many troops and bases around the world, the dangers of which were warned against by James Madison:"

In one breath you demean Trump and the people who voted for him and in the next you praise for his efforts to reduce our military presence around the world.
It's now called the Department of Defence, Bob. Might want to get in this century.

Drago said...

Robert Cook: "No, I don't, but your beloved leader does, your so-called "debunked" claim to the contrary."

Comrade, there is zero evidence for your moronic parroted lie which has been thoroughly debunked...because there was zero evidence for it.

This is what happens when you embrace your inner Liz Cheney, which makes it even funnier.

Drago said...

Shouting Thomas: "Maggie Haberman is a fucking liar, one of the worst perps of the Russia collusion hoax."

No wonder Cookie adores her so very much and mindlessly repeats her idiotic hot takes.

Robert Cook said...

"It's now called the Department of Defence, Bob. Might want to get in this century."

But we don't fight wars of defense. We fight wars of offense. The sleight of hand euphemism name change notwithstanding, it remains the Department of War.

Rusty said...

Robert Cook said...
"It's now called the Department of Defence, Bob. Might want to get in this century."

"But we don't fight wars of defense. We fight wars of offense. The sleight of hand euphemism name change notwithstanding, it remains the Department of War."
All pedantry aside, Bob. It's called the 'Department of Defense' by serious people.

Rusty said...

Robert Cook said...
"It's now called the Department of Defence, Bob. Might want to get in this century."

"But we don't fight wars of defense. We fight wars of offense. The sleight of hand euphemism name change notwithstanding, it remains the Department of War."
All pedantry aside, Bob. It's called the 'Department of Defense' by serious people.